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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.
Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday 8/5/2015: The Big Chill of Saturn Square Venus
/in The ForecastAnother charge-ahead day driven by the Moon in fiery, impulsive Aries….until it goes void at 7:29PM ET. Chill until 9:29PM ET, when the Moon enters stability-needing Taurus, seeking to keep things as they are for the rest of the work week.
Your early AM may have experienced a disruption of the status quo, courtesy of Uranus making contact with the Moon. A potential clash of wills or other energetic outburst is suggested around 6:07PM ET, as the Moon is challenged by Mars in verrry sensitive Cancer, but the rest of the evening looks good for a good time.
Meanwhile, how will the structuring, controlling and/or ambitious push of Saturn influence your world over the next two days? Today at 11:08AM ET it clashes with Venus (women, money, aesthetics, social expression). Tomorrow it makes an easy connection with Mars at 4:29AM ET, a positive aspect for long-term projects requiring discipline (so don’t waste it).
Thursday it clashes with Mercury (mindset, communication, travel) at 4:19PM ET, suggesting limits or a heavy focus in those areas — with a silver lining. And this would be the potential for reward and expansion suggested by Jupiter, as it connects with Mercury on Friday at 3:09AM ET. So if someone rains on your parade on Thursday, the sun may come out again by Friday.
To find out what’s going on in your own horoscope, here’s the 411 on personal consultations. If you know everything there is to know about your own horoscope, but still find this forecast valuable, here’s one way you could show your appreciation, with gratitude. Said appreciation will fund the new super-powered computer I’d like to have, so I can write this forecast without hardware and browser glitches. Clearly this is one experience of Saturn-Venus limitation, after yesterday’s Jupiter-Venus expansion and abundance. D’oh!
Meanwhile, here’s the link to that nifty website — unclaimed.org — that I mentioned yesterday, but neglected to link directly. Use it to search the coffers of each state in which you’ve ever lived, to see if there’s a check or two waiting for you.
And now, the news.
Jeb Bush became a poster child for the severe and limiting potential of Saturn (control) – Venus (women, money) square when he impulsively blurted, “…I’m not sure we need half a billion dollars on women’s health issues…” With Saturn at the end of Scorpio (discussed yesterday), newswires are still humming with stories reflecting matters of life and death we might prefer to avoid.
In Louisiana, Governor Bobby Jindal walked the talk by cutting off funding Planned Parenthood was receiving through the state’s Medicaid program, perhaps because women who can’t afford health insurance premiums don’t have enough limitations in their lives. Let the record show that Governor Jindal was himself cut off…from the roster of Republican presidential candidates in tomorrow’s debate. Did your favorite make the list?
Meanwhile, on the NYT op-ed page, we see a hardcore counter to Mr. Bush’s opinion (since retracted, but not forgotten), with this heavy statistic: that nearly one in three women will have had an abortion by the time she reaches menopause. Wow.
If talk of such matters of life and death makes you squeamish, be advised that on Monday, a federal judge ruled that Idaho’s ban on undercover footage capturing animal abuse in the agribusiness industry was unconstitutional. Thus, unsavory images of what happens to steak and chicken before they arrive in supermarkets can’t be suppressed. Meanwhile, as outrage against big game hunters reaches epic proportions, a writer who grew up in Zimbabwe offers another hardcore perspective, and there is nothing warm and fuzzy about it.
As I’ve been typing, it was reported that between 2007 and 2014, women made up just over 30% of all speaking roles in the top-grossing 100 films made in the United States. Harsh. Also harsh: Miss Piggy and Kermit announced yesterday that they were ending their romance after 40 years of togetherness; apparently Miss Piggy initiated the split. Note to Miss Piggy: splitting up when Venus is retrograde? Really? Whatever hot young thing has caught your attention now may not be so captivating once Venus turns direct…
This story I could not make up if I tried. Saturn refers to cold, control and business. Venus refers to women. The 4th most popular article on the NYT home page reveals what women have long suspected: the reason it’s freezing cold at the office during the summer is because the thermostat has been set to accommodate the metabolism of men. Pass the Snuggie, please.
The most-viewed article on the NYT home page is about Natalia Molchanova, a champion free diver who is missing and presumed dead after plunging into the depths near Ibiza on Sunday. Harsh.
Finally, minutes after the Saturn-Venus square was exact, it is reported that the SEC voted to require publicly-traded companies to publicly disclose the ratio of pay between CEOs and its median workforce….
Astrology is amazing. What’s going on in your horoscope?
Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 8/4/2015: A Venus Conjunct Jupiter Bonus — Cash In!
/in The ForecastArise, go forth and charge ahead, driven by the pioneering Moon in me-me-me Aries. Yeah, Aries energy can be a little self-absorbed and it tends to fall down stairs because it’s faster than walking, but other patterns exact today are so exuberant! Surely you can tolerate a little impulsiveness to accompany the luscious, luxury-loving potential of Venus (social expression, money, women, aesthetics) meeting up with expansive Jupiter in love-love-love (me-do) Leo (exact at 5:47pm ET).
What may also be on your plate at that time is a little emotional power play or catharsis, as the energy symbolized by the Moon is challenged to change or die by Pluto at 5:50PM ET. That’s your Important Safety Tip for the day.
Meanwhile, if your horoscope is personally affected by the abundance potential of Venus meeting up with Jupiter, you may have cause for celebration. I know I do. Yesterday, two out of the hundreds of people who read this forecast responded to my invitation to express appreciation for my efforts with generous tips of a monetary kind. How wonderful to feel that my efforts over the past six years (and counting) are worthwhile. Gratitude! And gratitude also to the lovely “Writer in NYC” who sent me a check waaayyyy above and beyond my usual consultation fee, followed by this email:
OK, I did. What a lovely person.
I hope all of you who have planets around 28 degrees of Leo, Aquarius, Scorpio and Taurus or the early part of Virgo, Gemini, Sagittarius and Pisces are having pleasurable and expansive experiences…to balance the discipline and structure suggested by Saturn at the end of Scorpio.
And now, the news.
With Saturn making its last trek through the deep, dark waters of Scorpio since June 15th, we could expect unsavory consequences of mishandled or misdirected sexual energy to pull focus again in the news. Saturn entered Scorpio in October 2012; here’s what we expected to be facing. Saturn leaves Scorpio — finally — on September 18th. When it re-enter Sagittarius, we can get back to the business of try to control and limit what everyone thinks, religious dogma, immigration issues, restructuring higher education, the media, the travel industry, etc.
Meanwhile, we have a manufactured scandal about Planned Parenthood, featuring edited videos of fake medical research company representatives trying reeally hard to get Planned Parenthood executives to sell aborted fetuses at a huge profit. Outrage ensued on both sides, but this last-gasp Saturn in Scorpio effort to defund an organization devoted to managing sexual energy was blocked yesterday in the Senate. Did you know that Congress legalized the use of fetal tissue for medical research in 1993? Here’s a recent CNN piece on what researchers were able to accomplish as a result.
Ewwww….do we have to get real about this icky and disturbing topic? Yes, if Saturn in Scorpio has anything to say about it. Life and death are messy.
Rape is another icky and disturbing consequence of misdirected sexual energy we’ve collectively had to get real about in the past two and a half years. Bill Cosby is a lightning rod for this awareness. In case you missed it, here is the cover of New York Magazine featuring the 35 women who described their experience of being sexually assaulted by Mr. Cosby, as transiting Uranus (lightning bolt; disruption of the status quo) continues to made contact with his horoscope. Hard to sweep that image under the rug.
Backtracking a little bit…
I’ve been meaning to share a few items reflecting the “getting back to one’s roots” potential suggested by the Sabian Symbol for the New Moon we had on July 15th. Immediately after the New Moon, England was captivated by an ancient home movie of Queen Elizabeth (then 7 years old), with her mum and uncle Edward (then heir to the throne), apparently learning the Nazi salute. This prompted calls for a closer look at the roots and ties of the British nobility. Meanwhile, President Obama visited Kenya, where his father was born.
Last month in an historic first, President Obama also visited a federal prison. We could expect that ginormous number of citizens incarcerated in the U.S. would be a focal topic now, as transiting Pluto makes contact with Saturn in the U.S. horoscope. This can be a brutal transit, requiring us to get real about unpleasant and inequitable realities unique to our country, e.g., race relations, corruption and prejudice (Pluto) in law enforcement (Saturn), the Confederate flag controversy, etc.
It was interesting that the issue of “confinement” was part of the Sabian Symbol pair in last month’s New Moon. It was also interesting that one of the biggest headlines in the wake of that New Moon was Sandra Bland, who was stopped by a minor traffic offense (failing to signal when changing lanes), ended up being arrested and allegedly killed herself while confined in the county jail. Brutal.
Let’s see…what else…Venus is retrograde…Venus rules copper…and copper is down, squeezed by Saturn perhaps. But we must find a cause for celebration reflecting the upside of Venus conjunct Jupiter — hate to end on a down note.
OK, I have two items. How perfect that a story about the most celebratory song ever written has just made the NYT home page. What is it? “Happy Birthday,” of course. It may become free for everyone, as its copyrighted status has been challenged.
Finally, my favorite website to share when Venus is retrograde: www.unclaimed.org Go there right now and see if any state in which you’ve ever lived is holding some cash for you — e.g., a paycheck, insurance reimbursement, utility deposit, dividend, etc. Venus retrograde is a perfect time to review financial plans and also discover a bit of gelt from your past. Let me know if you find anything. Share the website with all of your friends!
Thank you for reading this forecast.
Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 8/3/2015: Sneak Peek at the Week; Expansion vs. Contraction; Saturn is a Bitch
/in The ForecastGood Morning!
I hope your last week went well. My spies report plenty of action in the lives of those whose personal horoscopes were affected by the emotional surge and release of Friday’s Full Moon, which happened with the Sun at 7 degrees of Leo opposing the Moon at 7 Aquarius. Personal vs. impersonal. The need to shine as an individual vs. the needs of the collective. If you were born one week into the signs of Leo, Aquarius, Taurus or Scorpio….or if you have a planet or angle around 7 degrees of those signs, that means you.
If your horoscope also contains a planet or angle at 28 degrees of Scorpio, Leo, Taurus or Aquarius, you’re likely still processing the pressure of taskmaster Saturn, which turned direct at 28 degrees of Scorpio at 1:53AM on Sunday. Saturn refers to ambition, structure, control, separation and streamlining. When Saturn is active in your horoscope, you may experience feelings of isolation, lack or loss. A productive response would be to turn that realization of loss/lack into a strategy for advance.
Cue Joni Mitchell now, please. Don’t it always seem to go/That you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone…
Saturn went retrograde on March 14th. Since then, many may have experienced delays or been forced to reconsider plans related to structure, discipline and ambition. Now these projects may pick up speed, as Saturn moves forward. If Saturn is sitting on top of a planet or angle in your chart, its contracting pressure is being countered by the expansive drive of Jupiter at 28 Leo, which is exactly square Saturn this morning at 6:37AM ET. How can things be contracting and expanding at the same time? Exactly. This is the challenge, especially in matters of business and executive authority.
A good example of this conflict hit the NYT on Sunday. Back in April (and reported in this forecast), the CEO of a Seattle-based company called Gravity made headlines when he decided to pay all of his employees $70K/year because a study concluded that if you’re making $70K/year, you’ll have what you need to be happy. Anything less: unhappy. Anything more: doesn’t make you happier, even though you could buy more stuff and do more things. So how is Gravity doing? And how cool is it that GRAVITY is making headlines with Saturn turning direct? Saturn is gravitas!
Gravity is expanding at a rapid pace. That’s good, right — and how very Jupiter (expansion)? Yes and no. The company is expanding, but that means it has to hire more people and pay them more than it might have done before the new $70K/yr policy. And the income stream from these new clients won’t kick in for another year. That’s a squeeze — and how very Saturn (contraction, loss). It’s a fascinating story — especially the reaction from his employees over the equalization of everyone’s pay — check it out here.
Saturn is verrrry active in the horoscopes of Barack Obama and Joe Biden, as noted many times before. Today, President Obama will unveil an ambitious slate of controls in an effort to cut greenhouse gases and reduce global warming. It’s a planet thing — and also a legacy thing. Meanwhile, Joe Biden is now seriously seriously considering a run for president — perhaps driven in no small part by the recent passing of his son, Beau. Or so pundit Maureen Dowd opines. As I said…Saturn stimulating ambition out of loss.
But back to the patterns of the day and the week ahead. The Moon is in Pisces, where it has been stimulating an intuitive flow since Saturday at 6:36PM ET. Its need to identify what is ideal is supported by easy connections from Mars (action) and Saturn (structure). Moon goes void at 4:35PM ET. Chill and/or focus on routine matters until 7:24PM ET, when the Moon zooms into Aries and the pace noticeably picks up for the next couple of days.
Here are the highlights for this busy week. First, Venus — which refers to social expression, aesthetics, money and women — reconnects with Jupiter, the cosmic sugar daddy, at 5:47PM ET on Tuesday. Look up in the sky tonight and you’ll see what you may have missed on June 25th when these two brights lights first met up this year. Venus together with Jupiter suggests abundance and enjoyment — huzzah, huzzah.
Oh. But wait — Venus will be squared by Saturn on Wednesday at 11:08AM ET. Venus challenged by Saturn can put a stern face — literally — on matters ruled by Venus. I can’t tell you how delighted I was to see an update in the NYT on the “bitchy resting face” that first made headlines two years ago under another Venus-Saturn square — and noted in this forecast. Apparently the bitchy resting face is now known simply as the “RBF” — and right now it is the 4th most-viewed story in the NYT, right after the story about Gravity. Coincidence or conspiracy?
As the week progresses, mental Mercury meets up with Venus and squares Saturn (Thursday) and then meets up with Jupiter at the very end of Leo on Friday. So we can expect Mercury-related matters (communication, transportation, etc.) to wrestle with the same theme of expansion vs. contraction.
So much more news to report. I did not mean to take a break, but apparently I needed it. Back now with regular daily updates.
Briefly: Cecil the Lion, whose senseless murder by a presumably self-absorbed and dangerously unaware American dentist first sparked outraged opinion during last Monday’s void of course Moon in animal-loving Sagittarius, along with 17 other planets in Leo…not to mention Venus retrograde in perfectionist Virgo conjunct the fixed star Regulus. Venus retrograde holds nothing back; the continued public outrage on social media shut down the dentist’s business and he has since gone into hiding. Regulus, by the way refers to honor, integrity and reputation. It is also known as “the heart of the lion”. Yesterday another lion-murdering health care professional made headlines. Astrology is amazing.
Stay tuned…make a donation if you enjoy these musings…or make an appointment to find out what’s happening in your horoscope — and how you can make the most of it.
Thank you for reading this forecast.
Astro-logical Forecast for Monday- Friday 7/27-31: Sneak Peek at the Week
/in The ForecastGood Morning!
Planetary patterns are light this week, with exact aspects only to the waxing Moon, which reaches its fullness in Aquarius on Friday at 6:43AM ET. But as we have seen in other “light” weeks, a heavy event may pull focus in the planetary lull, as there are plenty of other aspects that are building to exactness (and impact) next week. Stay on track, as the action next week offers rewards on seeds planted now. Note that the approaching Full Moon suggests a rise in the emotional tide — let that knowledge keep you grounded, even if others are not.
Today’s energy is driven by Moon in Sagittarius, continuing yesterday’s mission of pushing boundaries, the higher (and more high-flying) the better. Sag is optimistic, fiery and opinionated, and its drive fuels the action without any other exact contacts, save for an innovative and accepting connection to Uranus at 10PM ET. What’s your big idea? Have you told the world about it?
On Tuesday, the Moon will be void between 9:37AM and 2:47 PM ET, occupying most of the work day for East Coasters. West Coasters, you’re excused if you happen to sleep in. Moon voids suggest natural breaks in the action, where efforts to move forward in a straight line are more likely to be subject to twists, flakes and delays. Crises that crop up are often much ado about nothing, so if one of those lands on your plate, chill out and roll with it. Avoid spending sprees during voids, as items purchased have an odd way of not being needed. Feel free to defy this maxim if you need to prove it for yourself. Once the Moon enters Capricorn at 2:47PM ET on Tuesday, you’re likely to notice the shift from “wandering” to “engaged” and ready to get down to business. Capricorn needs to makes things happen with earthy practicality and ambition.
On Wednesday, note your dreams upon waking, as the Moon’s connection with Neptune offers a practical vision. Note the potential for an intense emotional power play or catharsis around 2:23PM ET, as the Moon meets up with Pluto. An upset or other surprise may manifest around 1:51AM ET on Thursday, as the Moon is challenged by disruptive Uranus.
On Thursday, a push for action — for better or for worse — starts the day, as the enterprising Moon is opposed by Mars in emotionally sensitive Cancer at 7:24AM ET. Take it out during your morning workout or some other productive channel, not on your dearly beloveds. With Venus now retrograde, the usual social graces we employ to grease the wheels of our relationships are more likely to be forgotten. However, “Please” and “Thank you” still work wonders. Otherwise the day is free and clear until 2:50PM ET, when the Moon goes void for three hours. West Coasters can enjoy an extra-long lunch. At 5:40PM ET, the Moon enters humanitarian Aquarius, looking to be socially significant in a detached and oddly unique way.
On Friday we’ll have the Full Moon in Leo-Aquarius. Stay tuned for details. At 11:27AM ET, Venus will move back into Leo, where it will remain until October 9th. In Leo, Venus suggests social expression that needs to be dramatic, playful, fiery and often regal. How many drama kings and queens can you stand? I can’t wait for the Republican debates next month — can you?
There will be a ton of patterns to talk about later this week, in advance of next week. The two most significant shifts are: Saturn turning direct at 1:53AM ET on Sunday, facilitating the advance of projects that may have been put on hold or reviewed over the past four months; and the first of three squares between Jupiter and Saturn, exact Monday at 6:37AM ET. The second and third squares happen on March 23rd and May 26th, 2016. Jupiter is the principle of expansion; Saturn is the principle of contraction; both mean business, and the square suggests a conflict requiring change. That’s your thumbnail sketch for now.
Thank you for reading this forecast.
To be continued…
Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 7/24/2015 & the Weekend: How to Handle Venus Retrograde
/in The ForecastTGIF….
…on a day with Moon in Scorpio, seeking knowledge for the sake of power and control. An artsy or intensely dreamy escape can be yours this afternoon, as the Moon aligns perfectly with rose-colored Neptune. I’m off the museum…
Tomorrow, emotional intensity may be further disrupted by the clash between Mars (action, war, cars, guns, violence) and Uranus (technology, accidents, aviation, seismic activity, shocks to the system, cosmos) at 5:42AM ET. I say “further” because we usually see these tense aspects reflected in our experience before they become exact. And a quick look at the headlines confirms this: LaGuardia airport shut down by a power outage (disruption); the closest Earth-like planet yet (possibly) discovered; a 4.0 quake reported in California (so tiny, by earthquake standards — and still it makes headlines); a random shooting in a movie theater in Louisiana. There are other stories reflecting more long-term patterns that I hope I will find time to discuss soon.
There is no Moon void on Saturday to deter your yard sale shopping sprees. Venus turning retrograde at 5:29AM ET is another story.
Venus turns retrograde at 0 degrees Virgo, a placement that suggests a need for refinement and analytical detail in social expression. It’s also a bit of a perfectionist. Venus will move backwards through Leo until September 6th. Then it will move forward again at 14 degrees of Leo, so you can go over what you just went over all over again.
Venus goes retrograde every 18 months. I understand that was a long time ago, so let’s review the basics. Ready?
Venus refers to how we need to express ourselves socially. It also refers to women, art, beauty and money. In health matters, Venus refers to the belt line area of the body (and internal organs at the belt line, as well as the thyroid and the throat). Venus also rules copper, which is an important indicator of economic growth in the commodities markets.
In our social interactions, Venus is the sugar that sweetens our needs and demands, facilitating cooperation in relationships. When direct in motion, Venus supports social graces and words like “please” and “thank you”. When retrograde, courtesy and consideration do not come so easily — and relationships suffer the consequences. The image I hold of Venus retrograde is one of those old-fashioned sardine cans — the ones where you had to use a key to open them. Roll back the lid of the sardine can and there you have it: stinky fish exposed, for all to see. There’s no hiding that smell.
Venus retrograde often presents a relationship, material or aesthetic challenge wherever it is traveling in your horoscope.
Generally speaking, tried and true connections may be strained, but durable. Less sturdy bonds may snap. All that fishy smell can mess up your aesthetic senses, too. Be very careful about starting a fling with that hot new thing during this time period, lest ye awaken in a month or so with buyer’s remorse — or worse — the horrible panicked aftermath of a coyote date. This applies to all partnerships, not just romantic ones.
Exercise caution in matters of decor. If you’re planning on redecorating, pick your colors out now, rather than during Venus retrograde. Putting in an offer on a new home? The value of the home may be inflated; make sure you’re not paying too much. Look under the rugs, kick the tires — make sure you’re not seduced by surface charm covering up so much…stinky fish.
What good can come out of Venus retrograde? Plenty!
Artistic and creative projects you abandoned may be ripe for a second chance at completion. You may REconnect with a past love. You could REview your handling of financial matters; perhaps there is room for some REorganizing and REstructuring. You may find yourself REconsidering the value of all of your relationships during the month of August, but there’s likely no need to make an impulsive leap forward or a major break. You may even REconsider the value of what you value, including money.
So that’s Venus retrograde.
On Sunday, Uranus will follow suit — please refer to Monday’s forecast for thoughts on that. The Moon will be void between 5:14AM ET and 8:24AM ET. Then it blasts into Sagittarius, likely lifting spirits for the next two days. No sleeping in on Monday….