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I am a reporter with a unique beat. I use my understanding of planetary cycles to provide advance notice and analysis on the Zeitgeist of the day. If you have ever wondered “why is this happening now,” my insights will transform your experience of the headlines, adding new meaning and understanding. Call it Astrology for News Junkies. If you’re curious to know why the Impossible Burger is trending…or why the outcome of the 2019 Israeli elections was likely to be a shocker …or why “Woodrow Wilson, Stud Muffin” was a New York Times headline in December 2013, you will find it here, in over a decade’s worth of historical research and reporting.
Note that I do use astrological jargon in The Forecast in my effort to show how the planetary patterns are reflected in mundane events. I explain what the jargon symbolizes, so that all who want to understand the connections between astrology and the news may do so. However, I do not use astrological jargon in personal consultations, just plain English.
Monday 4/22/2024: Sneak Peek at the Week; Full Moon in Scorpio; Mars-Neptune Alert
/in The ForecastAlllrighty then!
After weeks of intense planetary activity, we have a fairly rare week of no exact aspects among the planets, except to the Moon. Look to the Moon to drive the action all week — and let the chips fall where they may. Experience has shown that these weeks of no exact contact (except to the Moon) can reflect events as sudden and impactful as a ginormous shelf of ice crumbling into the sea.
Highlights this week:
It goes like this:
Here is the chart for the Full Moon in Scorpio, set in Washington, DC:
Observations:
Back to the forecast:
Here is Beth Owl’s Daughter’s always-in-sync Tarot Card of the Week. I was hoping it would have special gravitas (reflecting the patterns in Tuesday’s Full Moon), and it does.
And now, the news.
Predictions were made about the Big Fat Jupiter-Uranus Conjunction in Taurus, with action potential added by its sextile to Mars, not to mention the empowerment/power play potential among leaders and energy resources suggested by the Sun-Pluto square.
Fun fact: the last time Jupiter and Uranus met up in Taurus was in May of 1941. In March 1941, Jupiter and Saturn met up in Taurus, and the technical term for that is “Great Conjunction.” Anytime Jupiter and Saturn conjoin (which they do about every 20 years), represents a new economic cycle. So…what happened back then? For one, on March 11, 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed into law the Lend-Lease Act, which “envisioned the U.S….as the “arsenal of democracy,” using its industrial and agricultural might to aid nations that stood against brutal Nazi aggression.”
Meanwhile, here’s another person whose horoscope is affected by the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction. Doesn’t matter that he’s dead. The horoscope lives forever!
Don’t let this ginormous Mercury retrograde snafu happen to you:
Finally, the former president who nods off in court whilst standing trial on criminal charges did have an especially combative past week, as patterns in his horoscope suggested. He had to sit and listen to prospective jurors say unflattering things to his face, and his allies at the Faux News revealed so many tidbits about one prospective juror that they asked to be excused from the case. Opening arguments were set to begin today (Monday), sometime after 9:30 AM ET. And as I was researching this forecast, I kept an eye on the ever-changing horoscope set in Manhattan. I noted that Mars would be on the Midheaven around 10:30 AM ET and thought that felt appropriate for an attack. Lo and behold, the prosecuting attorney began his statement at 10:28 AM ET — and you can read the transcript of everything that was said right here.
Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Yes, I take horary questions, too — and I was delighted to hear from Avid Reader Barbara just moments ago that her missing wallet was found (as anticipated) near a piece of furniture that was upholstered (also anticipated). It went missing yesterday, but I didn’t think she’d find it until today. Astrology is amazing.
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Spring has sprung in Central Park.
Monday 4/15/2024: Sneak Peek at the Week; Jupiter-Uranus Rules!
/in The ForecastAllllrighty then!
The big fat total solar eclipse is behind us, and there’s still more to come. But first, a PSA: donate your used eclipse glasses to any one of these most excellent organizations. Thank you!
Highlights for the week are:
With the Sun in the last degrees of go-go-go, me-me-me Aries, supported by the easy flow among Mars (action!), Jupiter (expansion!) and Uranus (disruption!), not to mention the power play involving leaders of business and state suggested by the Sun’s square to Pluto on Sunday….it’s likely to be a busy week. And next week, there are no exact aspects among the planets except for those involving the Moon. None of this activity may affect your own personal horoscope, but whatever hits the front page of the newspaper may be spectacular.
Here’s how it goes:
A pause, while we discuss the “biggest astrological event of the year,” after last week’s total eclipse.
It’s hard to believe we haven’t had a Jupiter-Uranus conjunction since the first week of January 2011, and that one was the last of a series of three. The first was in June 2010 at 1 Aries (when I was only posting on Facebook; I didn’t have a website yet). The second was in September 2010 – at the verrrry end of Pisces. A few days before that conjunction was exact, my little part of the world was treated to quite a rainmaker event: a tornado that took out most of the trees on the block. It was a “massive release of energy” (as I wrote back then), apt for the conjunction in Water sign Pisces. Right around the time of the third Jupiter-Uranus conjunction (this one was also at the verrry end of Pisces) in January 2011, Ted Williams, the “man with the golden voice,” made big news in a stunning story of healing, redemption and “miracles.” His horoscope was directly affected by the (upside rainmaker potential) of Jupiter (BIG) meeting up with Uranus (MAGIC), as I explained.
Jupiter expands what it touches. Uranus shakes it up, for better or for worse. The conjunction is in Taurus, an Earth sign. So…sure…an especially notable seismic event would not be a surprising news item, nor would any shake-up involving Mother Earth. Here’s one that incorporates the “end of the world under the sea” potential of Saturn and Neptune in Pisces: coral reefs are bleaching at a rate of 1% a week, as ocean temperatures continue to rise. But the shake-up could also be a breakthrough/revolutionary perspective or innovation, perhaps designed to preserve the comfort and stability of those who on our home planet, as in “Decision by European court of human rights around vulnerability of older women to heatwaves marks significant shift”.
Taurus refers to pleasures of the senses, the body, agriculture, bulls and cows, food, real estate, money, art, possessions, beauty, fashion. Jupiter-Uranus in Taurus is likely to reflect innovation in these areas, e.g., “After landmark court ruling, home sellers could see dramatic drop in broker commission fees“ — with this ruling going into effect this summer.
You are more personally affected by this expansive, innovative and/or disruptive rainmaker/windfall potential if you have planets or angles around 21 degrees of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius. Off the top of my head that includes George Takei, Jessica Lange, and Adolf Hitler.
The Sabian Symbol for this potent conjunction is hopeful: “white dove over troubled waters.” That would be an image worth our focus. It may trigger compassion (writes astrologer Blain Bovee), or a need to escape. Troubled waters certainly seems to be a focus in Beth Owl’s Daughter’s always-in-sync Tarot Card of the Week — just look at the image on the Card!
Back to the weekly forecast:
And now, some news.
Speaking of Caitlin Clark, she just fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming a professional basketball player, announced in a “breaking news” banner across the homepage of the Washington Post just moments ago. Born on January 22, 2002 in Des Moines, IA (birth time unknown), Clark is an Aquarius whose Sun is being supercharged by transiting Pluto this year — and into 2025. Her Moon is in Taurus, and she made an utterly charming, rock-solid, surprise appearance on SNL’s Weekend Update, and pulled no punches in her skewering of WU anchor Michael Che’s past mocking of women’s sports. Utterly charming = Clark’s stellium of Sun, Venus, Neptune and Mercury in Aquarius. Rock-solid = that Taurus Moon, and Saturn’s trine to all of those planets in Aquarius. Pulled no punches = her Mars in “numero uno” Aries, and the surprise element is a reflection of her Uranus at 23 Aquarius, activated by the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction.
May these stories remind you that Mercury is still retrograde. Sudden schedule changes, communication and information snafus are par for the course:
“Trump attorneys trolled after they subpoena wrong Jeremy Rosenberg for hush money trial: ‘I’m keeping the $15’”
Jupiter-Uranus conjunct in Taurus is reflected in the housing market:
Meanwhile…
I made a prediction about the man some are now calling “Don Snoreleone” (because he appeared to fall asleep in court today). In the last forecast I noted the potential for “daring actions and assertions” over the weekend, exact on April 14th. So what happened? That’s what I want to know, given Heather Cox Richardson’s account of what Governor Chris Sununu (R-NH) said to ABC’s This Week host George Stephanopolos about his recent switch. Sununu supported Nikki Haley in the Republican primary, but now he’s all-in for the man who reportedly did not attend any of his other four kids’ high school graduations (and is now whingeing that the mean judge won’t let him skip his court date to attend one now). Point is, HCR notes that the support Sununu pledged may not be just about “politics,” but rather, “fear of retaliation.” And that’s pretty daring if that’s what’s happening.
Finally…
In the language of astrology, Jupiter refers to asparagus. An innovative recipe for this delicacy (which is now in season) was in the latest Sunday NYT Magazine, and whipped up by your astrologer yesterday. I served it with a scrambled goose egg, fresh from the farmers’ market.
The author of the recipe has no idea how in sync with planetary patterns he is by starting his article with these words, “I thought I came up with a whole new expression…”
Astrology is amazing.
Here’s the 411 on personal consultations.
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‘Tis the season!
Friday 4/12/2024 & the Weekend: Catching up on the News, Post-Totality
/in The ForecastTGIF!
Did you see the eclipse? I was supposed to go to Maine to see it in its totality, but it was snowing in Augusta, and my flight was canceled. So I watched NASA’s coverage on C-Span as it made its way across the continent, starting in Mexico and traveling northeast. The boisterous vibe was so apt for a day driven by the Moon in Aries, with wildly cheering crowds and stoked scientist-commentators who gushed like teenagers. I saw the moment of totality many times in many places.
Astrologers love this expression: “as above, so below.“ After the third moment of totality, it occurred to me that the powerful spark of light that flashed each time the Moon completely covered — merged with — the Sun could be a metaphor for the spark of divine creation. And it was awesome and humbling, and also empowering to witness that spark, and see it as a reminder that we humans carry this spark, too. For more deep thoughts, check out this post by Robin Artisson on Facebook. You’ll have to scroll down the page to find it, but it’ll be obvious when you see it, and worth it.
I am resolved to travel to Spain or Portugal to see the next one in person.
And now, the news.
Mercury turned retrograde on April Fool’s Day, just as Venus was about to meet up with Neptune at the verrry end of Pisces (which it did on April 3). Mercury retrograde reflects an increased chance of mistakes in transportation and communication. Venus-Neptune prominently placed in Pisces suggests a focus on women, empathy, food, victims. Moon was in Capricorn, focused on accomplishment — possibly at the expense of empathy.
The aid workers were with World Central Kitchen, the non-profit that famously provides food relief at disaster sites around the globe. We don’t have a birth time for Chef Jose Andres (WCK’s founder), but the 7/13/69 birth date makes him a double Cancer, with Mercury joining his Sun and Moon in the sign traditionally associated with nourishment. With Jupiter at the verrry end of Virgo and conjunct Uranus at 0 Libra, Andres is a prime example of the rainmaking potential of Jupiter (big — in every digestible, small Virgo detail) when it expands on the lightning-in-a-bottle potential of Uranus. Now that the eclipses are behind us, the next big thing just happens to be the conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus in Earth sign Taurus, exact on April 20th. Watch for stories of expansion, innovation and disruption in matters of food, real estate, possessions, pleasures of the senses and aesthetics.
Fun fact #1: in what we know of Bibi Netanyahu’s horoscope, we see a number of planets affected by the March 25 and April 8 eclipses, notably his Moon at 19 Libra. This eclipse will be activated by Mars right around May 25, so we can anticipate accelerated action for him, perhaps involving his popularity and shared values. This activation coincides with the first of three conjunctions of Uranus to Israel’s 23 Taurus Sun. Change in the air? A break for independence? An intensification on the the need to build material security?
Fun fact #2: these eclipses activated multiple planets in the horoscope of MAGA Mike Johnson’s apparent overlord. I think I mentioned that the March 25 lunar eclipse fell on the overlord’s Neptune, and there he was days later making news for selling bibles. Just two days after that eclipse was triggered by Venus, ruler of his 3rd house (of how he needs to think and communicate), the good folks at Duty to Warn are very concerned about his mental well-being. The solar eclipse opposed his Jupiter at 17 Libra, and we can all pause to consider that if Jupiter in a horoscope represents what we need as a reward, we can appreciate why Jupiter in Libra would whinge so much about things not being fair. Note that this particular Jupiter is in an exact trine to Uranus, so here is another example of the potentially spectacular luck a Jupiter-Uranus alignment may reflect.
Oh, now this is interesting. The April 8th solar eclipse is a repeat of one we had in April 2005…activated by Jupiter at the end of August. Guess what was caught on tape in September 2005? The infamous Access Hollywood tape. We should keep an eye on the end of May 2024, when the April 8th eclipse will be activated by Mars. We should also keep an eye on the next 48 hours, as transiting Mars challenges the former guy’s Uranus on April 14. That could spark some daring actions and assertions. Not surprisingly, transiting Mars is likely to reflect provocative behavior all next week, with contacts almost daily through April 21. On April 22, transiting South Node meets up with his Chiron. A release involving a wound that can neither be hidden nor healed?
OK, enough about that guy, other than this reminder that astrology accurately foresaw that the judge in Special Prosecutor Jack Smith’s federal case against the man who stores classified documents in the loo was likely to be extremely favorable to the defendant — and that was before Aileen Cannon got the case. Avid Listeners of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast would have heard it, if I didn’t mention it here.
Speaking of disruptions in Earth…
At 10:23 AM ET, less than 12 hours after Venus entered warrior Aries, on its way to a cooperative alignment (a sextile) with “news from underground” Pluto, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit Manhattan. The epicenter was Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, which it about 11 miles from the Bedminster golf club owned by the — aggggh — I hoped we were through talking about him — guy who’s scheduled to go on trial for election interference (by covering up hush money payments to porn actress/director/producer Stormy Daniels) on April 15th. But I just have to bring up the oddly-named epicenter, and note that an aftershock at 5:59 PM ET was centered 7 km west of Bedminster. In both quake charts, Venus at 0 Aries — the warrior woman — was in a challenging aspect to the Ascendant. Coincidence or conspiracy?
You can track daily seismic activity here.
UPDATE: a few weeks ago we were alerted to a possible wake-up call in the horoscope of Merrick Garland, as Uranus opposed his Sun on April 11. It seems the wake-up calls came from Garland himself, as he was credited (on the Twitter) with persuading enough members in the House to…
…much to the dismay of that guy I said we weren’t going to talk about anymore...for now.
Moving right along…
…to Wednesday’s Mars-Saturn conjunction in Pisces. An attack or outburst of energy (Mars) on a structure (Saturn) involving water, oceans, empathy, intangible expressions, impression, ideals (Pisces) would be one potential. Ghoulish patriarchy would be another.
“OJ Simpson died the comfortable death in old age that Nicole Brown should have had”
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Monday 4/8/2024: Sneak Peek at the Week; New Moon in Aries; Big Fat Total Eclipse
/in The ForecastAllllrighty then!
Ready for today’s total solar eclipse? Got your safety glasses and your colander handy? The eclipse is obviously one of the highlights of this week, which are:
It goes like this:
A pause, while we discuss the chart for the New Moon, which is also a total solar eclipse. The eclipse itself is not an unusual phenomenon, but from the perspective of those in the United States, it’s a very big deal because the path of totality will cut across the contiguous 48 states, as NASA helpfully explains. The last time this happened was on August 21, 2017 — for the first time in 99 years. And we won’t have another total eclipse visible in the United States until August 23, 2044.
Echoing what I posted here on August 20, 2017, it is indeed a miracle — astonishing to contemplate — that from our perspective on Spaceship Earth, the Sun and the Moon are the same size. — equal in stature — even though in reality, the Sun is ginormous and distant, compared to our teeny, next-door neighborly Moon. Whose idea was it to create this perspective, and why was it imagined so? Seriously. WHY???
Astrologers love this saying: “As above, so below.” Whatever is going on in the cosmos must necessarily be reflected in our experience on Earth. Humans in every culture and every age have assigned symbolic meaning to the planets, and astrologers interpret these planetary symbols and cycles as if they were part of a language — which they are. Astrology is a language which can be used to discuss human experience through time. Let the astronomers have their discussion of human experience through space (insert winking emoji here).
In the language of astrology, solar eclipses are like super-charged New Moons. Wherever they fall in your horoscope is an area of your life where seeds may be planted for something new to grow. That which is new may completely override whatever was there before. This often means that an old form must be released.
Sometimes the seeds planted are hidden from view, even though they are germinating in plain sight. This makes sense, when you consider that the New Moon reflects no light. Another way to think of solar eclipses comes courtesy of Douglas Adams, who wrote “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Have you ever heard of a SEP Field? SEP stands for Somebody Else’s Problem. If it’s SEP, that means you might not see it, even though it’s going on right under your nose. If an alien spaceship landed in Times Square surrounded by a SEP Field, the spaceship would be invisible. Or so Douglas Adams argues.
When a solar eclipse is later activated by a transiting planet, the bottle-necked energy is released and the SEP Field drops. Surprise! There’s a spaceship in Times Square. Deal with it!
Solar eclipses (“as above”) suggest accelerated progress (“so below”). There is no turning our backs on what is revealed. The genie is out of the bottle. It can’t go back inside. Alternatively, the final curtain falls. Whatever is released must be integrated into your life, so we can move forward.
In the language of Western astrology, this solar eclipse will occur when the Sun and Moon meet up (the technical term is “conjunction”) at 19 degrees into the 30-degree span of time Western astrologers call “Aries”. It suggests seeds planted now — perhaps hiding in plain sight — that involve the symbolism of Aries — e.g., pioneers, courage, self-reliance, crusades for an underdog, and passion (those are upside potentials of Aries; downsides include not looking before one leaps, for one).
Here is the chart for today’s New Moon, set in Washington, DC:
Observations:
Back to the forecast for the week:
There’s plenty of news to report, and it will be delivered in a separate forecast. Don’t despair if cloudy weather ruins your view of the eclipse. You can watch the eclipse’s guest appearance on the latest episode of Saturday Night Live. But seriously, it’s a New Moon, which is an apt time to sit quietly and set your intentions for this potent new cycle.
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Monday 4/1/2024: Sneak Peek at the Week; Mercury Retrograde Survival Guide; Venus Demands Attention
/in The ForecastAllrighty then!
It’s April Fool’s Day and — no joke — trickster Mercury is at its station (virtual standstill from our perspective on Spaceship Earth), prepared to go retrograde. Have you BACKED UP YOUR COMPUTERS YET? Please do!
Highlights for this week are:
It goes like this:
A pause, while we discuss this Mercury retrograde:
Mercury turns retrograde at 27 degrees of Aries…and retraces its steps all the way back to 15 degrees. It turns direct on April 25th and arrives at 27 Aries again on May 13th. On March 18th, Mercury began its “shadow phase,” as it arrived at 15 Aries. The shadow phase refers to the distance Mercury traveled since the 18th — and will now retrace, while retrograde. Once Mercury turns direct, it will again be in a “shadow phase,” as it retraces old ground for the third time. Mercury covers new ground and leaves its shadow phase on May 13th. Clear?
In Aries, how we need to think and communicate may be ahead of its time, which means it’s often out of sync. People born with Mercury in Aries (raises hand) often know the answer before anyone realizes there’s a question. During this Mercury retrograde in Aries, we may see a lot of ideas impatiently expressed, with little appreciation for how to put them to use…yet. And having to REview and REthink something right now?! Welp, we may witness a bit of resistance here, too. Aries is sooooo much happier when it is moving forward.
The Sabian Symbol for this Mercury retrograde is “a large disappointed audience,” and already, without even considering what this suggests, I’d like to impatiently Mercury-in-Aries send it back. Or at least speak to the manager. But further research reveals that in the original meaning of the word, to be dis-appointed is to be deprived of one’s position. Hmm. And the audience is not just “disappointed,” it’s quite active, as in “a large audience confronts the performer who disappointed its expectations”. This feels hopeful, because we have the suggestion of the audience doing something to hold someone accountable, as opposed to just being a downer of an experience.
Per astrologer Blain Bovee, a coping strategy for managing expectations on thoughts and communication during this Mercury retrograde (given this particular Sabian Symbol) includes “a dose of realism — and we may perhaps be pleasantly surprised by a gift from out of the blue.” Also, “rewards may come to those who demonstrate an uncompromising sense of self,” — because, really — must we care if our audience is disappointed by what we have to say? Finally, we are advised to pay attention to — anything to do with audio, sound, listening, and hearing.
You are more personally affected by Mercury’s station at 27 Aries if you are Kamala Harris (her Moon is 27 Aries & her Sun is 27 Libra), the United States (which has Pluto at 27 Capricorn), or anyone with planets or angles around 27 Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Wherever 15 – 27 degrees of Aries falls in your horoscope is where you are most likely to experience a need for review, retreat, reorganizing, etc., during this Mercury retrograde. Consult your local astrologer for details.
Back to the weekly forecast:
Oh — before I forget — I’m still offering my “eclipse special.” If you’d like a few paragraphs of handcrafted, personal insights on where last week’s and next week’s eclipses fall in your horoscope — e.g., how and when you are likely to see them reflected in your life — you will find a button labeled “Personalized Eclipse Insights” here on this page. If I don’t have your birth data — date, time, and place — please include that with your order — or you can email it to me here.
And now, the news.
Apt headline for Mercury retrograde:
I’m seeing plenty of headlines reflecting the Venus-Neptune conjunction, especially the Neptune part involving intangibles, music, poisons, oceans, redemption, victims, spirits of all kinds, deception, scandal, the surreal, and faith.
UPDATE: on the former guy — only to point out how an eclipsed Neptune may be reflected in real life. Neptune is in the 2nd house of his horoscope — money, values, and self-worth. Neptune dissolves whatever it touches, and we can imagine how its sparkly pixie dust could provide cover for things that are simply not present in any tangible form. Neptune rules his 8th house — of joint investments, debts, inheritances, and taxes — much of which seems influenced by fuzzy math.
In recent days, he’s made headlines by hawking — of all things –– a bible, which comes with copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution — y’know, what you’d expect in a country founded on the idea that the church and the state should be separate entities. Stephen Colbert has more on that story.
Meanwhile, last week there was a public offering of TFG’s oxymoronic Truth Social, and the stock is down bigly after an SEC report published today stated that earnings were not what they seemed. Hard to believe, right? Neptune also refers to dementia, and here is the Washington Post reminding us that TFG’s father had Alzheimer’s.
But back to the Orange Mussolini and his delusions of divinity, I’m grateful to historian Heather Cox Richardson for reminding us that:
…and I encourage everyone to read the post via the above link and appreciate that things did not go well for Andrew Johnson.
We have all been here before.
And here is Beth Owl’s Daughter’s always-in-sync Tarot Card of the Week — ’tis a reflection of Venus as it meets up with dreamy Neptune this week, changes form, and connects with empowering Pluto.
Here’s the 411 on personal consultations, written reports, and the like. Yes, I would be delighted to teach a workshop for your group of friends, club members and/or co-workers. Astrology is amazing, and I love explaining it all to those who may not know much about it.
Thank you for supporting this forecast and sharing it with your friends.
This is one fierce statue of Mercury, God of Commerce — an apt look for him in warrior Aries, yes? I wish I knew where this photo was taken — the stock library caption didn’t say.