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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 Friday 7/10/2015 & the Weekend: Living in Interesting Times; Shades of Venus Retrograde in Leo
/in The ForecastTGIF!
Today’s Taurus Moon is tinged with the pixie-dust of Wednesday’s alignment between Mars (action!) and Neptune (vision). Sprinkle it onto whatever you need to build comfort and security through late Saturday, and you’ve got it made. There is no Moon void today or tomorrow to misguide your shopping sprees. You could seriously indulge in regal luxury, encouraged by lunar contacts with Venus and Jupiter in Leo.
Note the potential for a moment of stern sobriety around 5:52PM ET, as the Moon is challenged by Saturn and then digs in its heels during a two-hour Moon void. Chill! The pace lightens up at 8:16PM ET when the Moon enters Gemini. Now you can talk about it, with wit and charm.
Sunday features a dreamy challenge between the Gemini Moon and nebulous Neptune around 1:19PM ET. Art, music, water…that all sounds good. At 10:53PM ET, the Sun is challenged by a disruptive square from rebel Uranus, and I expect we’ll be feeling the buzz of impending shake-ups well before then. Watch the headlines for tech breakthroughs, cosmic revelations, revolutions and other quirky upstarts.
Next week there’s even more rock and roll potential, when Mars, planet of action and Mercury (mindset, communication) tangle with potent Pluto in a super-charged New Moon happening on Wednesday. Stay tuned.
And now, the news.
The debate was contentious and emotional, as expected. In the end, the Confederate flag was voted off the island by the South Carolina House of Representatives. Why, then, would any member of the U.S. Congress try to sneak a provision permitting this controversial flag to be flown on federal grounds into a House bill? Y’know, history and heritage, suggested by a few planets currently in Cancer, clinging to the past. How appropriate that this account of yesterday’s failed effort opens with these four words: “The anguished national debate…”
Why is that appropriate? Because “anguish” expresses beautifully what one may experience when ruthless Pluto makes contact with Saturn (structure, law, karma) in a horoscope. And as I’ve noted before, that’s what is going on the U.S. horoscope from now into early 2016. Anguishing. But times are changing. People are waking up.
Take this item, for example. Incorporating themes of deception (Mars trine Neptune), power plays, revelations and energy resources (Sun in touch with Pluto and Uranus), this story reveals how Exxon apparently knew quite well thirty years ago how the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere might impact the planet. But this did not stop the world’s largest oil company from spending millions over the next few decades promoting climate change deniers. Surreal. But now we know.
Meanwhile, a power play and a disruption of the status quo happened in Florida when its Supreme Court ruled against gerrymandering in eight Congressional districts. The districts have been ordered to be re-drawn before the 2016 elections. Quite a shift.
Oh but it is Friday. Surely I can find something light and amusing for the weekend. It can be challenging in these interesting times! Oh — here’s one that might make you cheer. Take it in the spirit of Venus, now in its shadow period, ready to turn retrograde on July 25. It’ll back up through drama queen Leo, and social graces shall be tossed out the window unless you’re very, very mindful. Ready?
So Broadway diva Patti LuPone was on stage the other night, and she was not at all amused by a woman in the audience who persisted in texting during the performance. Ms. LuPone would not stand for this rudeness. Presumably the crowd went wild. In other news, over the weekend a theater patron thought it would be awesome if he could plug his cell phone into an outlet….which happened to be on stage. The outlet wasn’t real, of course…given that it was part of a set. Who are these people anyway? What in the world is going on in their horoscopes? Thank goodness you won’t be tempted to fall into boorish behavior, since you’re up to speed on planetary patterns. For details on how these patterns affect you personally, consult your local astrologer.
UPDATE: The texting theatergoer incident happened on Wednesday, a day which was predicted to be volatile, with communication and computer issues (symbolized by Mercury) prominent. Also happening on Wednesday: a computer glitch grounds United Airlines and shuts down the NYSE. Rumor has it that public transportation in DC was also not functioning as designed. In London, the Tube was shut down by a strike. Astrology is amazing.
It could be a long, hot summer.
Searched in vain to close with an adorable cat video from my Facebook feed. Have to make do with latest from next week’s Pluto fly-by… enjoy!
Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday & Thursday 7/8-9/2015: Saturn Goes to the Movies; Mercury in Cancer; Mars Trine Neptune
/in The ForecastHeadlines….headlines…and more headlines…on a day when the Moon continues its charge through headstrong Aries. Well, I told you on Monday that you would not be bored today.
At 4:16AM ET the me-me-me Aries Moon was challenged by Mars, infusing the morning with an extra dose of caffeine. It was a bumpy ride for passengers on United Airlines, which grounded flights this morning thanks to a computer (Mercury) glitch. Fiery power plays and/or catharses are possible around 12:44PM ET, when the Moon is squared by Pluto. Ditto those potential challenges when the history, heritage and family loving Cancer Sun squares the warrior Aries Moon at 4:24PM ET. A shock or other upset to the status quo is likely when the Moon meets up with rebel Uranus at 11:17PM ET.
Meanwhile, mental Mercury is at the Aries Point, about to leave Gemini for Cancer at 2:52PM ET. What is said and thought today has extra prominence. The oil on today’s potentially choppy waters is an easy alignment between Mars and Neptune. The harmony between them offers the potential for peace, spiritual pursuits, charisma and actions based on rose-colored ideals.
Given these planetary patterns, we can expect that when the NYT, writing about today’s debate in the South Carolina House of Representatives on the fate of the Confederate flag says it is “expected to be contentious and emotional,” rest assured that the NYT’s prediction will prove to correct. It’s fascinating that the debate is happening on the same day that a U.S. court put the final nail in the coffin of the Washington Redskins trademark protection. It’s officially history.
Tomorrow the Moon will be void of course between 9:47AM and 3:49PM ET, facilitating self-absorbed howls of indignation that are likely much ado about nothing. Take care of routine matters during that time and chill if you can. After the void, Moon enters material security-seeking Taurus, slowing down the pace and tempting us to indulge in simple pleasures of the senses…and why not?
And now, the news.
With Saturn now back in Scorpio until September 18th, we expect heavy themes of sex, death and money to return with a vengeance. Following up on yesterday’s revelation about the stunning gender and racial imbalance among prosecutors in certain states, consider this headline: “Louisiana Prosecutor’s Proud Goal: ‘Kill More People'”. Did you know that only 1% of all counties in the U.S. were responsible for 50% of all death sentences meted out between 2010 and 2014? I didn’t. In the linked article you’ll learn about Dale Cox, the prosecutor whose efforts have resulted in more death sentences in his Louisiana parrish per capita than any other county in the U.S. Vengeance is his middle name. And here’s a detailed account of one of his “success” stories, despite the controversy over the evidence presented. If we don’t become aware of these cases, how can we change the system?
Couldn’t find a birth date for Mr. Cox — looks like it might be January of 1948, where we might see in a horoscope a hard and detached social expression suggested by Venus opposing a tortured Saturn-Pluto conjunction in regal Leo.
Contraceptives — another consequence of sexual energy, as well as a battleground topic over the past couple of Saturn in Scorpio years — also made the front page. Women are spending less — a lot less — since the Affordable Care Act required insurers to cover contraception. But as you know from Monday’s forecast, that savings will now likely be charged back to consumers in the form of higher premiums. So women will pay in other ways. Which is awesome news if you happen to own stock in a health insurance company. Meanwhile, Colorado is reporting enormous success as a result of its decision six years ago to offer free contraception to teens and other economically-challenged women. Birth rates and abortion rates have plummeted.
In other news, stories of the past week’s alignments between the Sun and Mars with dreamy/escapist Neptune are reflected in these stories. First, your kids are addicted to those virtual realities they stare at on their screens. What are you going to do about it?
(A pause, while your astrologer considers whether she is going to re-type the rest of today’s lovingly and carefully-crafted forecast, which went into a WordPress black hole when she pressed “Publish” minutes before annihilating Pluto squared the Moon.)
(Still thinking about it, as the me-me-me Aries Moon demands to know what’s in it for her.)
(Concludes that she is too much of a professional to not persevere with her passion, believing that what needs to be re-typed will be so much fun and enlightening for others to read. How can she not share?)
(Resolves that out of this temporary loss, a plan for advance will be formulated that will allow her to receive as much support from the Universe as she gives. Recognizes that this is the challenge — and gift — of a heavy Saturn transit in a horoscope.)
(Onward!)
Second, in what we might think is intuitively obvious, new research suggests that babies are born spiritual. How might this impact parents and caretakers whose efforts are more focused on supporting a child’s physical and emotional development? Cue The Police now, please…preceded by a brief, silly bit embodying the seductive allure of a Mars-Neptune alignment.
Speaking of emotional development and Saturn transits, much gratitude to avid reader Diane, whose Facebook rave about Inside Out inspired me to see it over the weekend. The film opened last month, though it seemed like it wasn’t until last weekend that I noticed other raves about it in the mainstream media and on blogs. Makes sense, given certain planetary patterns, but the point I’d rather make is this: the film is FABULOUS. You MUST see it.
Without giving too much away, it’s about an 11-year-old girl whose mind is run by five emotions: Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness. It’s the latter emotion that is most challenging, and it got me thinking that in the language of astrology, Sadness is equated with Saturn. When I tell clients who know just enough about astrology to be dangerous that they’ve got a Saturn transit on the horizon, they are not happy. They would prefer to avoid Saturn at all costs, much as some of the characters in Inside Out want to avoid Sadness. Is this a productive strategy?
Go see this movie. It’s in 3-D, and there’s an equally fabulous animated short about a lonely volcano that precedes the feature attraction. Bring Kleenex. Then read this piece on how the storyline was developed. Then read this op-ed written by two of the psychologists who served as consultants on the film. What you learn about Sadness can be applied to your understanding of Saturn in the horoscope.
Thank you for reading this forecast. I’d be delighted if you shared it with your friends. Meanwhile, if you’re curious to know what Saturn is doing in your own unique horoscope, here’s the 411 on consultations.
Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 7/7/2015: Hot Horoscopes
/in The ForecastGood Morning!
The adaptable Pisces Moon goes void for two hours at 10:36AM ET. Flakes, twists or other dreamy delays in your efforts to move forward in a straight line are more likely than usual. Once the Moon enters me-me-me Aries at 12:37pm ET, watch for a intensified focus and a quickened pace. Efforts made to lead and inspire are favored, with no planetary speed bumps. The bumps are more likely tomorrow, as the Moon makes its weekly clash with Pluto and Uranus. I’m telling you this so if you do hit a bump tomorrow, you can take it in stride. Knowledge is power!
And now, the news.
First, updates on a few horoscopes we’ve been following for a while. Exhibit A: Bill Cosby. I noted at the end of last year the potential for a change of status as transiting Uranus makes contact with key planets and angles in his horoscope. Delighted to report that as anticipated, a sudden flash of insight has occurred, in the form of a 2005 deposition unsealed at the request of the Associated Press. In the deposition, Mr. Cosby admitted that he had acquired drugs so he could get women who were not his wife to have sex with him. Transiting Uranus is not done with Mr. Cosby’s horoscope yet….and transformational Pluto is waiting in the wings. How was the Associated Press able to have those court documents unsealed? That is a good story….
Exhibit B: Dick Cheney. At the end of last year when transiting Saturn opposed his Midheaven (a major “clean up your house” opportunity), a NYT editorial called for the prosecution of “torturers and their bosses”. As you can see in the prior link, I expected to hear more on that story right about now, as Saturn gets close to another exact opposition. Last month I neglected to mention that a trove of Mr. Cheney’s personal papers were released. Yesterday a former judge at the International Criminal Court said he thought Mr. Cheney (along with some CIA agents) should and would face charges. Isn’t that interesting? Alas, Saturn will not make another exact opposition to his Midheaven, but in mid-October it will make a third challenge to his Virgo Ascendant. Let’s see what happens.
Here is Mr. Cheney’s horoscope. A Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Taurus is a mighty force for preserving the status quo, and a Grand Trine among Venus, Neptune and Uranus suggests (as I learned from astrologer Noel Tyl), being “a law unto himself”. Hmmm…Mr. Cosby has a Grand Trine, too. Interesting that both Mr. Cheney and Mr. Cosby also have nebulous Neptune in a challenging connection with their Moons. That’s a red flag for potential pixie-dust and fog obfuscating agendas.
In other news, Edward Snowden. Over the weekend his Midheaven was opposed by Jupiter, the cosmic sugar daddy. Whereas Saturn structures and controls, Jupiter expands. Yesterday former Attorney General Eric Holder held out the possibility that a deal could be struck, thus allowing Mr. Snowden to return home to the U.S. Of course, Mr. Holder is no longer Attorney General, so…like…what does it matter? But in Mr. Snowden’s horoscope, we might watch for significant advances next January, June and October. We might also note the potential for a bewildering change of scene starting in January of 2017.
Meanwhile, South Carolina. In the adaptable flow of yesterday’s Pisces Moon, the state Senate voted a 37-3 to remove the Confederate flag from Capitol grounds. Just like that. Quantum shift in consciousness. We’ll see if the South Carolina House of Representatives is similarly inclined. Will the “debate” be as jaw-dropping as the arguments presented yesterday by one of one of the three state senators who opposed the landmark bill?
Yesterday’s Sun-Pluto opposition suggested power plays making headlines. How about this: “China and Russia: the new superpower axis?”. Or this sobering article which begins:
…as the harsh reality check of Pluto to Saturn in the U.S. horoscope forces awareness of prejudice and inequality in country idealistically launched on a platform of “liberty and justice for all”.
Heavy news day. Ending on a lighter note — but on a “power play” theme. Picture, if you will, Donald Trump engaging in a battle of wits with a sitcom writer on Twitter. I shudder to think how Mr. Trump will be making headlines when Venus goes retrograde on July 25th and social decorum formally goes out the window…
Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 7/6/2015: Sneak Peek at the Week
/in The ForecastGood morning!
I trust you all had a lovely holiday weekend. Here’s what’s on deck for the week:
Today’s Moon continues its journey in Pisces, beautifully supported by the nurturing Cancer Sun and regenerative Pluto around 10AM ET. Whatever power play or purge is dropped on your plate this morning, courtesy of the Sun’s opposition from Pluto at 11:36AM ET may be more easily integrated. A sensitive Pisces Moon can go with the flow more than most, even as it seeks to identify and work with what is most ideal.
You’re more likely to be dealing with a personal power play if you have a planet or point around 14 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn. Whatever it is may well be related to something that was lit up for you in mid-March and early April.
Other planetary patterns of note this week include a harmonious connection between Mars in Cancer and Neptune in Pisces, exact on Wednesday. Mars-Neptune aspects suggest charisma and other forms of pixie-dust, facilitating starpower and scams. Less so with the scams, given that is an easy Mars-Neptune connection, but still. This particular configuration conjures up images of nourishment, family, peace offerings, spirituality and (the potential downside) more than a little fanaticism, likely of a religious kind. Combine this with power play of today’s Sun-Pluto push, and it sounds like a great backdrop for Pope Francis to razzle-dazzle ’em in South America this week. Neptune refers to music and other intangible art forms such as photography. The weekend’s final Grateful Dead concert fits the mix, too. So does the cover story of Sunday’s NYT magazine, subtitled “Looking back with Robert Frank, the most influential photographer alive”.
Also happening on Wednesday: mental Mercury finally leaves Gemini for Cancer. Mercury functions ever so quickly and cleverly in Gemini, detached as it can be from weighty emotions. Not so in Cancer. How we feel about it — especially how emotionally secure — is likely to be more of a factor in thoughts and communication until July 23rd. Meanwhile, the 3rd Quarter Moon is also exact on Wednesday, adding an energetic push to the day.
As we get closer to the weekend, shake-ups are in store. Rebel Uranus challenges the Sun late Sunday night — but we’ll feel it beforehand. I doubt you’ll be bored this week, but if you are — just wait until next week, when planetary patterns — including a New Moon — are even more exciting.
Your Moon voids this week are as follows: Tuesday 10:36AM – 12:37PM ET; Thursday 9:47AM – 3:49PM ET; Saturday 5:52pm – 8:16pm ET. Not too many natural breaks in the action. If you are new to this forecast and unfamiliar with Moon voids, here’s a primer.
And now, the news.
So last week we were thinking that today’s Sun-Pluto power play would be reflected in the ongoing drama in Greece. Yesterday voters rejected the notion of more austerity as a condition for a bailout. Today, banks are still closed and the finance minister has resigned. Last week we were tracking patterns in the horoscope for the establishment of modern Greece’s democracy. Today I’m looking at the chart for Greece’s independence in February of 1821 and noting that this chart is also under pressure from transiting Pluto through the fall. Next year, when Uranus hits this chart’s Aries Ascendant, we can expect an intensification in areas of shake-ups and break-ups. Until then, this chart is feeling the pressure to streamline as transiting Saturn squares its Sun through August.
We do not have a confirmed birth time for Greece’s Prime Minister, Alexis Tsipras. We have enough information to see, however, that persuasive communication and mindset through next year is strongly suggested, as transiting Pluto opposes his Mercury. It is also interesting to note rebel Uranus running wild….and sitting exactly on the 7th house cusp of 1821 chart. We’d expect his drive for freedom and independence to shake up the whole country.
So much more to talk about. Did you know that today is the birthday of the Republican Party? That’s a horoscope I hoped to write about today, but will have to wait until tomorrow. The Democratic Party was born on May 13th, 1792. We’ll get to that horoscope, too.
I’ll leave you with a positive power play: the United States won the Women’s World Cup last night. If you were thinking that planetary patterns on Carli Lloyd‘s birth date were supercharged now, you’d be right.
If you’re wondering whether patterns in your horoscope are supercharged, consider scheduling a personal consultation. Here’s the 411.
Astro-logical Forecast for Friday & the Weekend 7/3-5/2015
/in The ForecastBriefly…
Exact planetary patterns are light today and tomorrow, with the Moon now in Aquarius. Fitting for the U.S. as it celebrates another birthday tomorrow. It was born with an Aquarius Moon. With “liberty and justice for all…” or at least that was the idea, and how appropriate, given that humanitarian Aquarius is a cerebral sign. Get together with all of your eccentric friends and brainstorm matters of social significance. Planetary patterns among mental Mercury, Jupiter and Venus favor expansion and idealism in your thoughts and communication.
The Moon goes void for two hours on Sunday morning, entering soulful Pisces at 10:23AM ET. A heavy square between the Moon and Saturn at 8:31AM ET may put an edge on the morning. We’ll likely see more “news from underground,” including matters of power and resources, as the nurturing Cancer Sun is opposed by Pluto on Monday at 11:36 AM ET. The announcement of BP’s $18 billion settlement for its part in the Deepwater Horizon oil rig disaster falls into that category. So does this piece about a ginormous dome of radioactive waste in the Marshall Islands that is now leaking.
Right now I’m thinking about Saturn transits, as I scan the headlines. On the plus side, Saturn suggests opportunity for an ambitious reach and/or increased executive authority. On the down side, it suggests separation, streamlining and loss — of favor, material goods and sometimes — sadly — loved ones.
Three men whose horoscopes are undergoing heavy Saturn transits are Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden. We’ve been tracking the progress of Saturn in the President’s horoscope for years. Search the archives for the latest. In the case of Donald Trump, Saturn squaring his Ascendant (combined with other authority-seeking measurements), has coincided with a run for public office. However, his big Moon-in-Sagittarius mouth has offended numerous business partners who have consequently severed ties.
As for the Vice-President, it was anticipated here last year that 2016 would likely be a time of expansion in his career, preceded by the heavy focus of Saturn on three planets in his horoscope this year. And in fact, it has been heavy for Biden. His son Beau passed away on May 30 at age 46. Loss. But now there is talk of the Vice-President contemplating another presidential run. Ambition.
Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders continues to gather steam, as anticipated — under pressure from Uranus and Pluto…
Where is Saturn in your horoscope? Are you on the brink of an ambitious reach? Are Uranus and Pluto putting pressure on you to make a fresh start? Maybe you’re up for a major reward or promotion, courtesy of a Jupiter transit. Awesome, but here’s the thing: if you do not know that this potential is on the horizon, you might miss a valuable opportunity. I could tell you many stories about chances taken because someone knew of an upcoming transit that suggested positive results IF an effort was made. That is the benefit of knowing where you are at in planetary cycles of timing.
People ask me all the time, “how often should I consult with an astrologer”? I’d advise a check-up on your horoscope at least once a year — as often as you would make an appointment with any other healthcare practitioner. If you’re in a crisis mode, you might see an astrologer more often.
And just for fun, check this out:
One of the Sabian Symbols for last month’s Full Moon was “a flag turning into an eagle that crows”. And here it is in the flesh, just in time for 4th of July. Here’s the full story. Thank you for reading this forecast. Have a happy 4th!