The Forecast

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 6/26/23: Sneak Peek at the Week; Neptune Turns Retrograde and More…

June 27, 2023/in The Forecast

Allllllll righty then!

Looks like another week of action, with projects coming together seemingly seamlessly, with great cooperative spirit — some of it mystical and magical; some of it rather bewildering. If your horoscope is personally affected by this week’s patterns, you may be off to the races.

Highlights are:

Mars squares Uranus on Monday
Mercury enters Cancer on Monday
Sun trines Saturn on Wednesday
Mercury trines Saturn on Friday
Neptune turns retrograde on Friday
Mercury conjunct Sun on Saturday
Mercury and Sun sextile Jupiter on Saturday
Venus squares Uranus on Sunday

It goes like this:

MONDAY: Moon in Libra drives the day with a need for fairness and balance in relationship. The First Quarter Moon at 3:49 AM ET raises an intellectual challenge to the Cancer Sun’s territorial tendencies, when it comes to establishing home and homeland security. At 5:22 AM ET, Mars (action & assertion) squares Uranus, suggesting disruptive action that may be genius or reckless. At 8:23 PM ET, Mercury (how we need to think and communicate) exits Gemini and plunges into Cancer. How we think (until July 11th) is based on how we feel. How we communicate may be largely intuitive — and possibly wordless, as when have you ever heard a crab speak? As Mercury segues from Gemini to Cancer today, it activates the Aries Point, which refers to prominence. That’s what we’re likely to see over the wires. Pay attention to the Supreme Court, as it releases opinions this week, starting today.
TUESDAY: Regal, playful drama harmonizes with the need for balance and fairness in relationship. Moon sextiles Venus at 6:56 AM ET — sweet. Moon sextiles Mars at 2:25 PM ET — go for it.
WEDNESDAY: The weekly clash between Moon and Pluto — suggesting a power play or catharsis — happens at 4:18 AM ET. Moon enters Scorpio at 4:55 AM ET, now shifting our focus to matters of emotional depth and substance, with an aim to consolidate, organize and establish power and control. This quest is supported all day by an easy flow to Mercury (11:31 AM ET), Sun (5:49 PM ET) and Saturn (6:06 PM ET). The evening ends on a triumphant — or boundary-pushing — note, perhaps, as Moon opposes Jupiter at 9:28 PM ET, followed quickly by the Sun’s trine to Saturn at 9:42 PM ET. This may be a big deal establishment of security, structure and authority in matters related to Cancer and Pisces — e.g., motherhood, empathy, drugs, spirit, faith, home, nourishment, etc.
THURSDAY: Moon in Scorpio pushes through its ruthless agenda without contact to the other planets for much of the business day. At 5:32 PM ET, Moon squares Venus in Leo, reflecting a possible indignant howl. A surprise or other disruption to the status quo follows, as Moon opposes Uranus at 8:22 PM ET. Greater conflict may present itself around 12:05 AM ET on…
FRIDAY: …as Moon squares Mars in Leo. Neither Moon nor Mars is inclined to move from its fixed stance. However, at 2:23 AM ET, note that Mercury is now trine to Saturn, reflecting a stable, sobering, authoritative approach. Note your dreams upon awakening, as the trine to Neptune at 6:58 AM ET suggests subtle visions. A sextile to Pluto at 10:20 AM ET suggests depth. At 10:59 AM ET, Moon is released into Sagittarius, now seeking to express it righteous opinion with boundless enthusiasm. Now is the time to get out of your comfort zone — into nature or a foreign film; anything that broadens your horizons. Humming in the background all week — and exact today at 5:06 PM ET is Neptune’s change of direction.

A pause, while we discuss Neptune’s retrograde.

Neptune has been slowing to a virtual standstill from our perspective on Earth all week, bringing all matters related to Neptune into focus, like the freakin’ sirens and horns I’m hearing right this minute, blaring down the street in the Big Apple. For more on how to make the most of Neptune’s backward trek (it turns direct on December 7th), here’s the take I gave to Elite Daily on Neptune’s retrograde in 2018. Gosh, I totally forgot about that article — and what fun to stumble across it now. It’s fascinating to see that Neptune’s retrograde activates the Full Moon of March 2022, the first Full Moon after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The Sabian Symbol for Neptune’s retrograde is “a fertile garden under the full moon,” and here’s what I said about that in March 2022. This quote from astrologer Blain Bovee is worth reprinting:

Sometimes you have to go broke before you understand what richness is all about.

Sometimes a poor business strategy must completely collapse… whither away in a winter of discontent… before a well-grounded sense of meaningful commerce can arise.

Sometimes, you just have to save your head in order to let your hair grow back in naturally.

This quote may become meaningful to Vladimir Putin this summer. In your own personal world, you are more affected by Neptune’s change of direction if you have planets around 24 – 27 degrees of Pisces, Virgo, Gemini and Sagittarius — e.g, Kamala Harris and Alexei Navalny.

Back to the daily Forecast:

SATURDAY: OMG, is it really July? As Neptune brings its agenda into focus (as much focus as can be had from a planet that symbolizes the dissolving of boundaries), it is supported by other patterns suggesting sublime, cooperative, and — ultimately — expansive, idealism. Mercury meets up with the Sun at 1:05 AM ET Mercury sextiles Jupiter at 3:10 AM ET; Sun sextiles Jupiter at 6:25 AM ET. Got a planet or angle around 9 degrees of just about any sign? Buy a couple of lottery tickets on Friday. Ya never know. Watch for news reflecting idealism — for better or worse, including bonkers conspiracy theories — in the media, courts, sports, education, travel, and religion. Moon in Sagittarius soars through the day without interference, ending on a festive trine to Venus in Leo. Make the pie higher — and, FWIW, Neptune refers to poetry.
SUNDAY: An easy flow between Mars and the Moon facilitates action on whatever unconventional attraction you may have encountered the night before. The trine between Moon and Mars is exact at 5:18 AM ET, and it’s followed by a dreamy square between Moon and Neptune at 9:33 AM ET. Moon goes void until 1:20 PM ET, offering an apt opportunity to sleep in, flake out, or otherwise wander without consequence. The shock suggested by the square between Venus and Uranus at 10:33 AM ET may be much ado about nothing, as it happens when the Moon is void. Otherwise, Venus-Uranus contacts tend to “coincide” with unconventional attractions, uncommon women, volatility in the markets and disruptive aesthetics/social expression. Your coping strategy during the Moon void is to chill and exercise care in making impulsive yard sale purchases, as conventional wisdom holds that items bought during voids have a higher probability of not living up to expectations. Moon enters Capricorn at 1:20 PM ET, determined to Make Things Happen. Good luck with that in the United States, as we’ll be off on holiday, celebrating the 4th of July.

It all syncs up beautifully with Beth Owl’s Daughter’s Tarot Card of the Week.

And now, the news.

It occurs to me that what we’ve been seeing over the past week is the success potential of the seeds that were planted on the December 2020 conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius — a.k.a. “The Great Mutation.” Here is that chart, set in Washington, DC. And here is an article I wrote about the Great Mutation long before it happened. Jupiter-Saturn at 0 Aquarius suggests success in efforts in the spirit of E pluribus unum — out of many, one. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Networks and technology and sharing of information. Groups efforts. Think: humanitarian. Also think: AI.

The seeds planted are being empowered in the extreme by transiting Pluto in 2023 – early 2025, as it sits on — or within reach — of 0 Aquarius. Got that? Not only that, but last week, we had a sextile between Jupiter and Saturn. What the sextile represents is the next step in the Jupiter-Saturn cycle. Think of it as the crescent moon, with its curvy sliver of softly shimmering light. There are no hard edges in a crescent, unlike the First or Third Quarter Moon, right? So a sextile — like the crescent moon — suggests a time when there is an easy flow of energy, perhaps so easy and effective that either 1) we don’t even notice it; or 2) it’s taken for granted. It’s also a time when we can start to see the seeds planted by the Great Mutation now sprouting.

Example:

“We re-built I-95 in just 12 days” — when they thought it would take months! “Re-built” means they opened an interim SIX LANE highway (!!), and to get it done, they borrowed “a truck-mounted jet dryer normally used to keep moisture off the track at Pocono Raceway” — just so they could reflect the innovative potential of today’s Mars (action, cars) square Uranus, amiright? We could also toss in what’s going on in U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s horoscope. His achievement-focused Capricorn Sun is being supercharged by Pluto this year and next
“Biden announces $42 billion high-speed internet initiative“
“Louisiana may gain new majority-Black district after SCOTUS court order”
I am grateful to historian Heather Cox Richardson. Mainstream media channels were lost in a fog of stories about the submersible that went missing last Sunday, but HCR zeroed in on the important civil rights and economic stories reflecting the aforementioned next step in the Jupiter-Saturn cycle.

Meanwhile…

Fog, confusion fog,disappearance fog, ocean fog (Mercury square Neptune). Shock, shock — macho shock, technology shock, reckless adventure shock. (Mars square Uranus). Symbols of the Powers That Be literally implode (Pluto at the verrrrry end of Capricorn). And here, we would be referring to the aforementioned “catastrophic pressure implosion” of the Titan submersible.

We could write or talk for hours about the astro-logic of this event. For starters, there was confusion among journalists and astrologers about the location and launch time of the launch. The overconfident captain was the aptly-named Stockton Rush, a pioneering Aries. The connections between Titan’s implosion and the sinking of Titanic are epic, starting with Pluto right on the 29 Capricorn Moon of the launch of the latter. And with Neptune commanding so much focus in the cosmic sandbox last week, of course there were other marine disasters in the headlines, e.g., “Disbelief among Greek relatives of shipwreck victims’ relatives as millions spent on Titan rescue efforts,” and “A symbol of what humans shouldn’t be doing: the new world of octopus farming.“ Fun fact: octopuses are known for their “daring escapes” — a Mars square Uranus pattern, for sure.

In other news…

“He has flown 23 million miles. Here are his travel secrets.” What a dream! First class all the way! Mars-Uranus suggests innovation in aviation!
“Amazon duped millions into enrolling in Prime”
“Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court” — Neptune refers to scandal
Bottom of Canada’s Lake Crawford holds keys of human history. This is a cool interactive feature story from the Washington Post.
“Two U.S. lawyers fined for using fake court cast citations invented by ChatGPT” — in an AVIATION case!
“Harvard professor who studies honesty accused of falsifying data“
“Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk agree to a cage fight”
“Lance Armstrong sends clear message to transathletes” — and pundits on Twitter wonder why Armstrong would ever do such a thing — and why NOW? They really should ask a few astrologers, because it’s clear in what we know of Armstrong’s horoscope. He values fairness in the extreme, likely with blinding idealism — and may be inclined to judge. Note Venus at the Aries Point, conjunct Pluto & sextile Jupiter-Neptune at 0 Sagittarius, for starters.
“Donald’s in the John with Boxes” — Randy Rainbow’s latest song parody pays homage to The Beatles trippy classic
“Party and Protest Mix as LGBTQ+ Pride Parades Kick Off from New York to San Francisco”

Meanwhile, in Russia…

A bewildering rebellion erupted as Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, head of the mercenary Wagner Group, led a march on Moscow over the weekend that was aborted as suddenly as it began. Here is what we know of Prigozhin’s horoscope. As of today (Monday), Prigozhin has reportedly gone to Belarus. Vladimir Putin has gone on TV to say that the leaders of the attempted rebellion will be brought to justice, but neither Putin nor Prigozhin seem to be talking trash about each other. But for a time over the weekend, the world wondered whether Putin’s regime was over.

Not quite — according to the horoscope most astrologers use for Putin, even with its questionable birth time, and there will likely be more on that topic when my co-host Whitney McKnight and I record Episode 42 of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast on Wednesday. Here’s what we talked about last week, in Episode 41, entitled “It’s time for some good news, dammit!”

Elsewhere…

As anticipated — and I thought for sure I’d said this in this Forecast a few months ago — Jesse Watters has been given Tucker Carlson’s former time slot on Fox.

Finally — my personal favorite — because I often advise my clients to turn their lives into an opera, singing a narrative of daily activities out loud. Why? Because it’s nearly impossible to be depressed when you do this; in fact, it’s virtually guaranteed to make you laugh! And now, science apparently affirms the healing power of song. In the language of astrology, Neptune refers to music. Try it, you’ll like it!

Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Yes, I am also a certified horary practitioner. Bring on those burning questions!

Thank you for reading this forecast — and sharing it with friends.

Monday 6/19/2023: Sneak Peek at the Week; Summer Solstice; Saturn & Neptune in the News (Real & Unreal)

June 19, 2023/in The Forecast

Allll-righty then!

It’s Juneteenth — now a federal holiday, the celebration of the announcement in Texas on June 19th, 1865, that enslaved Americans were free, as historian Heather Cox Richardson explains. When Election Day becomes a national holiday, that is when I will break out the champagne.

Highlights this week include:

Jupiter sextile Saturn on Monday
Summer Solstice on Wednesday
Mercury sextiles Mars on Wednesday
Mercury squares Neptune on Sunday
Mars squares Uranus on Monday — in effect over the weekend

It goes like this:

MONDAY: Moon in Cancer drives the next two days with a need to focus on emotional, home/homeland, and family concerns. Moon travels without interference all day, possibly suspending our sense of time. The only exact aspect is the sextile between Jupiter and Saturn, at 11:53 AM ET. This is an uncommon pattern, as the last one happened on August 27, 2017, and the next one won’t happen until May 4, 2037. Wow! Cooperation between Jupiter and Saturn suggests a balance between necessary controls and expansion, and we have several days to make the most of it. Where does 7 degrees of every sign fall in your horoscope? That’s where the seeds for solid structure may be planted, especially if you have something around 7 degrees of Pisces and Taurus. Pay close attention to anything happening in the headlines that has set it sights on the future. I will explain why I say this when we get to the news — especially the items on what was all over Twitter over the weekend.
TUESDAY: A proactive, security-oriented agenda is supported by the Cancer Moon’s sextile with Uranus at 12:33 AM ET, followed by a trine to Neptune at 1:23 PM ET. Our weekly power play or emotional catharsis occurs around 5:43 PM ET, as Moon opposes Pluto. Twenty-one minutes later, Moon enters Leo, looking for the nearest party, stage or throne upon which to shine. Now is the time to shower the people you love with compliments. By now, leaders of state and business will be demanding our attention as they work overtime to get their message to the masses. Why? Because the Sun is at the verrrrrry end of Gemini, on the Aries Point.
WEDNESDAY: A generous boost or overconfidence starts the morning, perhaps, as the regal Leo Moon squares Jupiter at 9:14 AM ET. At 10:57 AM ET, say goodbye to Spring and hello to Summer, as the Sun enters Cancer, and everyone wants to head for the nearest body of water. I know I do. Don’t you?

A pause, while we discuss the Summer Solstice.

Here’s what you need to know about the first day of any season — i.e., equinoxes and solstices — from an astrological point of view. The first days of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter correspond with the first day (or first degree) of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, respectively (there are thirty degrees in each sign of the zodiac). Got that? Good. (This is for the Northern Hemisphere. The Southern Hemisphere has different rules).

These four signs are called cardinal signs. Cardinal signs initiate. They come up with the idea and put it into action, which leads to necessary change. “Cardinal” suggests (from the Latin root of the word), “that on which something turns or depends.” So the first day/degree of a Cardinal sign is a turning point. In astrology, the technical term for the first degree of any Cardinal sign is the “Aries Point,” just to confuse people who are not professional astrologers. In other words, the first day of Cancer, Libra, Capricorn and Aries is the Aries Point. The first day of Taurus (and the rest of the signs) is NOT at the Aries Point). Clear?

Equinoxes and solstices are also prominent. We make a fuss over them, right? In Japan, the first day of each season is actually a national holiday. How cool is that? Thus, in a horoscope, a planet or angle at the Aries Point needs to be prominent.

A person born with the Sun in Cancer is here to create and maintain emotional security. Cancer is ruled by the Moon, which changes signs faster than any other celestial body. Moon refers to emotional response; thus, Cancers have a rep for being moody. The keywords for Cancer are: I FEEL. If you are a Cancer born in the last few days of the sign, my money says you’ve been feeling a lot over the past year, especially a pressure to breakdown and transform. Maybe you’d like to talk about it with your astrologer.

Here is the chart for the Summer Solstice, set in Washington, D.C. We can use it to assess potential happenings in the U.S. for the next three months:

Observations:

Ascendant ruler Mercury (in Gemini) is the strongest planet in the chart. Mercury is minutes away from an exact sextile with Mars in Leo (which may get away with murder). Mars is in the 12th house — of behind-the-scenes action, ginormous institutions of confinement, and/or hidden enemies, including the self-undoing. Translation: high-functioning walking and talking — reaching out to the house Mars rules in this chart, which is the 9th. The 9th house refers to foreign affairs, the media, court opinions, higher education, and other collective belief systems. Mercury is thought of as the Messenger planet, and in this chart, note that Mercury sextiles Mars after just sextiling Venus (money, art, women, social expression).
This is interesting, because — as noted last week — Venus and Mars are both in Leo, and Venus is moving to a meet-up with Mars. But this meet-up is not going to happen, because Venus goes retrograde next month. But still, whatever Venus represents and whatever Mars represents in this chart, they can connect through the efforts of Mercury, which has what it takes to get the message across. Whatever the behind-the-scenes maneuvers may be, I anticipate we will have some clarity around February 22, 2024, when Venus and Mars do meet up…at 6 degrees of Aquarius. That date — and a couple of weeks beforehand — is likely to be quite an active period for the United States, especially with respect to the executive branch of the government.
Moon in Leo is also in the 12th house — behind the scenes.
Pluto at the verrry end of Capricorn is obsessively fixated on matters of money, women, creativity, social expression, and values. Pluto at the last degree of Capricorn represents the existing Powers That Be at a crisis point, determined to hang on to their status quo, whilst corruption of rotting structures is exposed and broken down.

Back to the daily Forecast:

WEDNESDAY: Leo Moon meets up with Venus at 11:08 PM ET, facilitating a festive — albeit intense — evening.
THURSDAY: Moon meets up with Mars at 8:41 AM ET — there’s your focused “get up and go!” Get the word out around 11:51 AM ET, as Mercury sextiles Mars. A disruption to the status quo arrives around 1 PM ET, as Moon squares rebel Uranus. And then….CHILL during the over 17-hour Moon void! Avid Readers know that Moon voids suggest a time to focus on routine concerns and roll with any twists or flakes that may disrupt your efforts to move forward in a straight line. Example: we had a super-long Moon void in Leo on May 26th. I was traveling by train from NYC to Boston. A friend picked me up at the train station, and promptly got on the freeway — traveling AWAY from our intended destination! We had to travel several miles before we could turn around. The intention was to find a place for lunch, and we ended up at a Thai restaurant with no tables set up for service…because they were still under Covid protocols and only doing take out. For some reason, we didn’t pick up on this, so we sat down at a table. And for some reason, they decided to serve us anyway…and the food arrived in take-out containers and plastic forks and knives. Eh. No worries! Point is, with the Moon void in Leo for another long spell, a fine time can be had by all — but if a drama king or queen tries to carry the day away, do not freak out over a perceived crisis. Actions taken during Moon voids are often of little consequence., and there are plenty of examples in the archives of this Forecast. CHILL!!
FRIDAY: Moon enters Virgo at 6:35 AM ET, ready to clean up the confetti from Leo Moon’s party. Moon sextiles Sun at 10:24 AM ET, supporting communication and cooperation. The evening offers a mixed message, as Moon opposes Saturn at 9:07 PM ET, and then trines Jupiter at 10:53 PM ET. Saturn on the Moon can be cutting; Jupiter trine Moon can be expansive. Perhaps the latter suggests a silver lining to whatever gravitas hits the headlines.
SATURDAY: The Virgo Moon travels without interference all day. Humming in the background are two patterns of note. First is a square between Mercury (how we need to think) and Neptune (dreams, visions and/or delusions; things may not be as they seem). This pattern is similar to what we experienced with last weekend’s square between the Sun and Neptune (you’ll see what I mean when I recap the news). The Mercury-Neptune square will be exact at 6:35 PM ET on..
SUNDAY. Before then, however, the Virgo Moon’s trine to Uranus at 1:52 AM ET suggests a Saturday night with like-minded souls in a dreamy quest for perfection. A bewildering clash of opinion may crop up around 1:25 PM ET, as Moon squares Mercury and then opposes Neptune at 2:20 PM ET. Depth of perspective is added to the mix, as Moon trines Pluto at 6:24 PM ET — and then goes void for 30 minutes. At 6:57 PM ET, Moon enters Libra, now seeking fairness, balance and harmony in relationship. By now, we may all be feeling the buzz of the other patterns humming in the background — exact on Monday. This is a square between Mars and Uranus, and it suggests technological breakthroughs, daring, explosive or reckless action. Mars is in Leo, so if it’s a human doing the acting on this transit, a sense of regal entitlement or dramatic flair would not be unsurprising…even though surprises are not uncommon whenever Uranus is involved. If you’re on the road this weekend, pay attention.

And now, the news.

If you’d like to know how 1) astrology was used to accurately anticipate how the former guy would be treated by the judge at his arraignment last week (not to mention the judge who was assigned the case); 2) why the State of Montana is making headlines, and how the next two years are likely to go for Montana Governor Greg Gianforte, commanding national headlines; 3) other fun astro-logical insights that aren’t in this written forecast, you’ll find them in Episode 40 of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast — check it out — and thanks for listening!

Meanwhile…

Patterns driving the news last week included 1) Saturn turning retrograde; and 2) Sun square Neptune. Reflecting the former, which suggested a focus on cuts, reality checks, blocks, and losses:

“In New England, time stands still — at least if you look at the clocks.” Thanks to Avid Reader Jeri for making sure I didn’t miss that one (it’s behind a paywall; but basically notes how many clocks in New England’s public spaces aren’t working).
“Government shutdown warnings rise as Republicans seek deeper cuts in budget battle”
“Everyone knows that work is miserable. Can Thoreau help fix it?”
“When Queen Elizabeth left, she took the happiness with her”
“Minneapolis Police Department engaged in a pattern of discrimination against black and Native American people and routinely resorted to “excessive force“, a DOJ report has found
“Finland’s ‘most right-wing government ever’ to cut spending and immigration”. Fun fact: Finland was declared the happiest country in the world for six years in a row. Let’s see if they win in 2024.
“Greg Abbott signs Texas law banning diversity offices in higher education.”
“Shocking closure at L.A.’s Mark Taper Forum reflects a crisis at regional theaters nationwide”
“How a toilet plunger improved CPR”
Factor in the depressing news potential of last Thursday’s Mercury-Saturn square: “Every Lousiana driver’s license holder was exposed in colossal cyber attack“
Saturn turned retrograde in Pisces, and Avid Readers will recall last year that Saturn’s ingress into Pisces was likely to be reflected in serious headlines about mental health. “Inside the war tearing psychologists apart“ would be one of them.
“The Crowded Room” – a psychological thriller that debuted on Apple TV last week — drags on and on…say the critics.

Add in the Sun-Neptune square and its potential for dreams, delusions, oceans, healing, scandal, faith, etc. etc….

“Inside a conservative confab for women, where feminism is a lie”
Massive marlin almost won crew millions — then it was disqualified
Scientists made a frightening discovery when they measured sharks worldwide (they’re in decline)
United Nations adopts high seas treaty; first-ever pact to protect international waters
“Search underway for submersible gone missing on dive to Titanic wreck”
Daniel Ellsberg — who sparked a big reality check (Saturn) on the U.S. government’s lies (Neptune) about the Vietnam War — passed away. Here is his horoscope.

…and note that every story in the NYT Sunday Magazine reflected that pattern, combined with Saturn retrograde:

“Dreaming of a New Iran: Diaries from Three Young Women” — that was the cover story, and let’s add the idealism suggested by the weekend’s Mercury-Venus sextile.
“The Moral Crisis of America’s Doctors” — looks at the damage Pluto in Capricorn & the corporatization of health care has done.
“How Mr. Beast became the Willy Wonka of altruism” (yeah, his “absurd acts of altruism are a viral sensation”, but some say he’s “evil”)
“Samantha Irby says it’s OK to hate your body”

In other news…

A couple of stories were all over the Twitter over the weekend. One involved Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., an anti-vaxxer who is running as a Democrat in a presidential bid, reportedly cheered on by Alex Jones, as well as January 6th attempted coup insider Stephen K. Bannon. In an aptly surreal reflection of the Sun-Neptune square, Spotify personality Joe Rogan tried to get vaccine researcher Dr. Peter Hotez to agree to a debate with RFK. Another story involved the so-called “No Labels” would-be third political party…which is rumored to be floating the idea of running Joe Manchin as a presidential candidate. Who is financially backing No Labels? That is the question this Mother Jones article investigates.

What do these Twitter flurries have to do with astrology? I’ll tell you. Looking ahead to the fall of 2024, we see that Jupiter will be about to turn retrograde in Gemini. Jupiter expands whatever it touches; Gemini can talk out of both sides of its mouth. Jupiter is not at its best in Gemini, where it blows up the trivial at the expense of the essential. Jupiter in Gemini is likely to expand the number of choices available…and frankly, having so many choices is NOT conducive to happiness. Jupiter in Gemini looks like Beth Owl’s Daughter’s Tarot Card for last week — the Seven of Cups. Jupiter in Gemini is likely to expand on the diversification of information channels that began when Mars was in Gemini last fall…and not only that, activated the U.S Mars-Neptune square three times. Translation: it’s hard to know what to believe. And the message may be diluted because there are too many channels.

Finally — I have no idea what to file this story under. The mythical, magical potential of the Sun-Neptune square? I dunno — but it’s a cool item — and made me think of Excalibur, King Arthur’s mythical, magical sword:

“Almost still shines: 3000 year old sword unearthed in Germany“

To find out what all these patterns suggest in your own personal world, here’s the 411 on personal consultations.

Thank you for reading this Forecast — and sharing it with your friends.

Tuesday 6/13/23: Late Sneak Peek at the Week; Saturn Retrograde & Other Karmic Matters; New Moon in Gemini

June 13, 2023/in The Forecast

Allll righty then!

Late start to writing the forecast today (Monday), but what a lovely day it was, starting with an early breakfast meeting in the city (i.e., Manhattan), with a dear friend and former TV promo colleague who happened to be visiting from out of town. The clouds of smoke from Canadian wildfires have moved on, which made it possible to dine outdoors. In our convivial catch-up over coffee and croissants, I suggest that they make their way to LaGuardia Airport via the Roosevelt Island Tramway, one of NYC’s hidden gems. Yes, you can take a cable car over the East River, and that’s my preferred commute home anytime I’m on the East Side.

We parted ways, and I spent the next several hours taking care of various errands, with surprises along the way. I discovered amaranth and cut chrysanthemum greens (an excellent source of carotene; good for the eyes) at the Union Square farmers’ market. I helped a lost Arab find his way to a local hospital — in French, because neither of us spoke the other’s native language. My last errand was at Bloomingdale’s, where I informed a fellow customer that the cash sticking out of her back pocket might be better kept in her wallet. Then I headed to the Tramway, and as I arrived at the stairs leading to the platform, I found myself climbing up…directly behind my breakfast buddy!! What are the odds of that happening? The synchronicity is astonishing.

Anyhoo…

It’s now Tuesday morning, so let’s get to the Forecast! Highlights this week are:

Mercury squares Saturn on Thursday
Mercury sextiles Venus on Saturday
Saturn turns retrograde on Saturday
New Moon in Gemini on Sunday
Sun squares Neptune on Sunday

It goes like this:

MONDAY: Moon in Aries is energized by trine to Mars, exact at 8:35 AM ET. It travels through the rest of the day with no interference from the other kids in the cosmic sandbox (as evidenced from the above diary entry). Arise, go forth and conquer.
TUESDAY: More Moon in Aries, building to the power play and/or catharsis suggested by Moon’s weekly clash with Pluto. This one happens at 2:26 PM ET, just before the former guy is scheduled to be arraigned on dozens of counts of criminal charges related to his theft of classified documents from the American people. If you haven’t read the indictment, it’s a page-turner, and can be found here. More on the astro-logic of the scheduled arraignment later. Meanwhile, the Aries Moon will be void for all of five minutes, thanks to Pluto being at the verrrrrry end of Capricorn (and activating the April 20th solar eclipse, FYI). Moon’s ingress into Taurus at 2:31 PM ET should shift our focus from fiery crusading me-me-me first Aries drive to the stabilizing, material comfort and security-seeking needs that are symbolized by Taurus. The evening offers an optimistic lift, reflecting Moon’s meet-up with Jupiter at 1:40 AM ET on…
WEDNESDAY. Cooperation and communication are supported by Moon’s sextile to Saturn, exact at 3:35 AM ET. A clash of values and social expression may greet us upon waking, as Moon squares Venus in regal Leo at 5:07 AM ET. Tensions build to a release around 5:15 PM ET, as Moon squares Mars (also in Leo, and easily prone to indignation). Another surprise — or lightning bolt that clears the air — may arrive as Moon meets up withe Uranus at 4:54 AM ET on…
THURSDAY. Realism and discipline in matters of thought and communication may permeate the morning, as Mercury (how we need to think) squares Saturn at 12:09 PM ET. Realism — possibly popping a bubble of tenaciously-held magical thinking — is one theme that is humming in the background all week, as Saturn slows down to a virtual standstill from our perspective on Earth, preparing to turn retrograde on Saturday. Planets slowing down to a change of station bring matters they symbolize into focus, like a driver leaning on the horn of their car. Because Saturn is Pisces, the focus is likely on matters of control, limits and structure in areas that are associated with Pisces: e.g., water, empathy, oceans, souls and soles (Pisces rules the feet). You are more personally affected by the potential for gravitas if you have planets or angles around 7 degrees of Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces. Off the top of my head, that includes MBS of Saudi Arabia, Sara Duterte of the Philippines, Justin Bieber, Woody Allen, Kristi Noem and Chrissy Teigen.
THURSDAY: the counterpoint to Saturn’s gravitas may be hinted at around 5:18 PM ET, as Moon sextiles (harmonizes) with Neptune, purveyor of idealism, fantasy and escape. Looking at things through rose-colored glasses is likely to become more evident as the weekend approaches, as you will soon see. Depth of emotion is warranted around 9:36 PM ET, reflecting Moon’s trine to Pluto. You won’t notice the nine-minute Moon void, but you may notice how the mood shifts when Moon enters Gemini at 9:45 PM ET. A need to be the most informed, witty and entertaining kid in the room runs away with the wee hours, with potentially sobering discoveries on…
FRIDAY. Moon squares Saturn at 11:19 AM ET. There’s your prompt for sobering news or rain on your parade. Focused communication putting it all in the best light possible is due around 3:12 PM ET, as Moon meets up with high-functioning Mercury in Gemini and then sextiles Venus at 4:57 PM ET. Happy Happy Hour, to all who celebrate.
SATURDAY: Moon in Gemini sextiles Mars at 4:13 AM ET, facilitating an active day of fun and games — at least for those not personally affected by Saturn’s change of station. Mercury (in Gemini) sextiles Venus (in Leo) at 11:29 AM ET and echoes the potential for creative play. Note that we are in the dark of the Moon — the end of the lunar cycle. If there is a sense of listlessness or restlessness, it is reflecting the anticipation of the new cycle just around the corner. With little light from the Moon, clandestine affairs are supported. Meanwhile, Saturn turns retrograde at 1:27 PM ET, possibly putting the brakes on administrative progress from now until November 4th, when Saturn turns direct. Another opportunity of Saturn’s retrograde is to look within for authoritative guidance. Consider that the cavalry may not be coming — and if that’s the case, it must necessarily follow that we are the ones we’ve been looking for…to save us. Anyone with planets between 0 and 7 degrees of Pisces, Virgo, Gemini and Sagittarius is affected more than most. Consult your local astrologer for details. FYI, the Sabian Symbol for Saturn’s retrograde is “a girl blowing a bugle.” That’s an attention-getter (even if no one wants to hear it), adding to the attention all matters related to Saturn are likely to command as the great karmic taskmaster pivots this week.
SUNDAY: At 12:37 AM ET, the new lunar cycle begins when the Moon meets up with the Gemini Sun. It squares Neptune at 2:23 AM ET and then goes void for a few hours. Enjoy the chill — and given the Sun and Moon’s engagement with Neptune, note your dreams.

Here is the New Moon in Gemini, calculated for Washington, D.C.:

Observations:

A New Moon offers us an opportunity to re-set intentions and goals for the next lunar cycle. Gemini is an air sign, ruled by Mercury, which refers to the mindset, information and communication. Gemini is a double-bodied sign (it is represented by the Twins), and is thus capable of going either way — or more than one way simultaneously — in a situation. Gemini invented the phrase “…on the other hand” — and guess what? Gemini also rules the hands. It likes to have its hands in a lot of different pies. The Gemini mantra is I THINK.
Sun and Moon are in the 4th house, focused on the foundation of the nation; real estate; home, family, lineage. Sun-Moon are square to Neptune, suggesting an idealized projection of the self, for better or worse — and by “idealized,” some of it may not be based on reality. If the truth is out there, we may not see it quite yet.
Pluto is at the verrrry end of Capricorn, on the cusp of the 12th — hidden enemies, ginormous institutions of confinement, and the self-undoing.
Saturn — controls, authority, cuts, structure — is in the 12th house (happily, FYI), but also close to the Ascendant. This may work as a counter to the aforementioned idealization.
It’s worth noting that Venus and Mars look as if they are going to connect in Leo. However, they will not. Venus will turn retrograde before it meets up with Mars — and in a minute I’ll give you an example of how this pattern is reflected in real life.
The Sabian Symbol for this New Moon is “a gypsy coming out of the forest.” Hmm. A wanderer coming out of the woods…into civilization? A spy coming in from the cold? Gypsies have a reputation for fortunetelling; what does this emerging gypsy know? And how will their insights be received? Gypsies are usually viewed with suspicion, notes astrologer Blain Bovee. Keep this gypsy image in mind over the next few weeks. More insights can be found here.

Back to rest of…

SUNDAY: Moon enters Cancer at 6:57 AM ET, shifting focus to emotional and home/homeland security needs. However you address those needs, planetary patterns have your back all day — and there’s no Moon void to dissuade you from shopping, if that what your need for comfort in your home requires. A sextile between the Moon and Jupiter at 8:45 PM ET may be optimistic; a trine (harmony) between Moon and Saturn at 8:59 PM ET facilitates structure. The caveat would be the Sun’s square to Neptune at 11:53 PM ET. Sun refers to leaders of state and business; Neptune refers to healing, lies, intangible, fraud, oceans, the surreal, etc., etc.)” Here’s what transpired in the news when Sun squared Neptune at the end of 2022.

For more insights on this week’s potential, here is the always-in-sync Tarot Card of the Week from Beth Owls Daughter. Look at all those shiny Sun-square-Neptune objects on the face of this card!

And now, the news.

Pluto leaving Aquarius and re-entering Capricorn over the weekend suggested an urgency in matters of governmental and corporate power and resources, including infrastructure. News of corruption exposed would not be unexpected. Minutes after Pluto’s backward shift at 5:45 AM ET, there was an accident involving a oil tanker truck under a bridge on 1-95 (major highway running up and down the East Coast), which sparked a fire...which led to the collapse of the bridge. Was it a coincidence or a conspiracy that the collapsed bridge was right near the world-famous Four Seasons Total Landscaping, site of Rudy Giuliani’s ridiculous press conference a few years ago? I don’t know, but Giuliani’s horoscope is affected by transiting Pluto — and all the other planets in the early degrees of Leo and Taurus, so there’s that. Far more interesting is that the fire that arguably melted the steel supports of the bridge was a burning oil tanker. Oil and other fossil fuels are symbolized in part by Pluto.

Meanwhile…

Heather Cox Richardson addressed the symbolism of Pluto current action and also how it is being reflected in the horoscope of the United States. Obviously, HCR did not consciously do this, but if you read her latest Letter from an American, she notes the astonishing “coincidence” of final curtains falling on key proponents of Reagonomics, including Pat Robertson and James Watt (noted in Friday’s Forecast). Why is that reflective of Pluto? First, because Pluto at the end of Capricorn is likely to break down the influence of all that is rotten among those with power and resources. Second, Avid Readers will recall that Reagonomics came into being on the square transiting Pluto made to Pluto in the U.S. horoscope in the early 80’s, as explained in this post from January 2022.

We don’t have a confirmed birth time, place or even a date for Richardson, but my Avid Reader sources have given me a potential date. And based on that date, it is interesting to see patterns suggesting a blossoming of assertive energy in speech and in action. If you follow her on Twitter, you may have noticed it, too. Richardson has taken to directly calling out certain politicians when they lie.

Here are few headlines reflecting Pluto’s shift and/or Saturn slowing to its station. Stories of contraction and cuts refer to Saturn.

Add Pat Sajak to the list of departing dinosaurs, as he announces the end of his 41-year stint as host of “Wheel of Fortune.”
Ditto for Silvio Berlusconi, who died last week.
JP Morgan Chase reaches $$$$$ settlement with victims of Jeffrey Epstein‘s abuse –– included because Epstein’s horoscope is affected by transiting Pluto. Doesn’t matter that he’s dead; the horoscope lives forever.
“People are spending less on hotels, flights and restaurants”
“It’s not a good sign when people who don’t pay for news have so little to choose from“
“Whisper it, but the boom in plastic production could be about to come to a halt“ — about a possible world treaty that could be negotiated this month.
“US regulators move to block Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal“

It’s worth noting that as Venus has moved from its opposition to Pluto and then to a square with Jupiter over the weekend, we see this expansive, optimistic item:

Stocks are climbing in the aftermath of the good news that inflation has been decreasing for the past 11 months.

In other news…

I looked at the chart for TFG’s scheduled arraignment today at 3 PM in Miami, FL as soon as the time was available. In that chart, it appears as if the prosecution and the defense might reach a settlement, as they are represented by Venus and Mars, respectively. But — as noted above — the two planets do not meet up while both are in Leo. We won’t have a conjunction between Venus and Mars until 2024. Instead, Venus will turn retrograde, turning away from Mars. So…at this point in the game, a deal does not look likely. I was delighted to see the prosecuting attorneys represented by a high-functioning Mercury in Gemini, and that the Sun at 22 Gemini (TFG has Sun at 22 Gemini) was sitting in the prosecuting attorneys’ domain.

I was disappointed, however, to see that Mercury was in an area of the horoscope suggesting that it may be locked away in some way. Nor was I crazy about the planet representing the judge being in the area of the chart assigned to the defense, and also being high-functioning (Moon in Taurus). One consolation was that the planet representing a potential judge was at the beginning of the sign — zero degrees — and thus not set in stone. One can only hope, I thought — especially when it was announced the next day that TFG appointee Aileen Cannon has been given the case. But — oooh — lookie — as it turns out, Cannon will NOT oversee the arraignment. That task has fallen to — OMG, will you look at his name!! — Jonathan GOODMAN, who was a reporter before launching his legal career, apparently. Goodman is known for his sense of humor, which is apparently shared by whatever entities unknown to us are crafting this storyline.

At this point, unless Cannon recuses herself or the prosecution files an objection, word on the street says there won’t be a change in the judge for TFG’s trial. We shall see.

In the next episode of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast (available on Friday), we’ll weigh in on the astro-logic of whatever transpires today, with a look at TFG’s solar return (his birthday is June 14th). Plus we’ll have more on the fate of Nicola Sturgeon, whose recent fall from grace was anticipated before it happened, as Avid Listeners may recall. Sturgeon was arrested over the weekend, and taken in for questioning about suspicions of questionable financial matters involving her political party.

And that’s it for now — oh no — wait — here’s one more — as we approach Fathers’ Day this Sunday:

“A father’s gift of a kidney gave his child a normal life for decades.” Why am I sharing this — gifted — no paywall – article? Because the child in the article is now a grown woman — and also a friend — and the kidney she received from her father 50 years ago is wearing out. If sharing this article helps connect Sharon with a life-saving kidney donor, it would be a wonderful thing indeed — as wonderful as the Washington Post is for publishing Sharon’s story. Pass it on!

Here’s the 411 on personal consultations, reports, etc. Yes, I would be delighted to speak to your group or company about astrology and how it works. PowerPoints are at the ready. Thank you for all the referrals…

…and thank you for reading this forecast and sharing it with friends.

Friday 6/9/23 & the Weekend: Catching Up on a Week of Big News

June 9, 2023/in The Forecast

TGIF!

My partner-in-podcasting Whitney McKnight is still on the road, so we didn’t record a new episode of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast this week, Last week’s episode — 39 — is still available, should you wish to get all the dirt on how a comedian and a journalist became full-time astrologers. That episode is jam-packed with plenty of life hacks we’ve learned in our combined decades of existence on Spaceship Earth. We hope you will listen — and find it fun and informative, too. This week, we re-released a podcast where we talked about planetary patterns that will be driving the action through 2025 — that special encore episode is here.

That being said, as a compulsive chronicler of the astonishing synchronicity of planetary patterns and the headlines (for 15 years!), I just had to knock out SOMETHING about all the wild action we’ve seen this week, with an astro-logical perspective.

First, a re-cap of the patterns driving the weekend:

FRIDAY: Moon enters Pisces at 6:14 AM ET, driving the weekend with a need to identify ideals and work with impressions. Visionary thoughts and communication are supported by a sextile between Mercury and Neptune, exact at 5:14 PM ET. You get to sort out which visionary thoughts are genuinely inspired, and which are just plain bonkers. A sextile to Jupiter at 3:01 PM ET boosts confidence; a conjunction between the Moon and Saturn at 6:15 PM ET may be the reality check that is needed in order to pierce the veil of illusion. It may also be someone’s need to impose authoritarian controls just because they can. It suggests a potentially heavy item in the Friday night news dump.
SATURDAY: The Third Quarter Moon at 3:31 PM ET may be energizing and/or provocative. The Gemini Sun is happy to split the difference, if only the Pisces Moon wasn’t so focused on how it affects the greater whole. A workable compromise is supported by a sextile between Moon and Uranus, exact at 5:20 PM ET.
SUNDAY: Note your dreams upon waking. Moon meets up with Neptune at 5:09 AM ET. The big news today happens at 5:45 AM ET, when Pluto re-enters Capricorn. Here’s a reminder of Pluto’s progress in 2023 and 2024:

We’ve gone just over two months with Pluto in Aquarius, the pattern that brought us the French Revolution and the Bill of Rights.”Power to the People” is what astrologers have been anticipating for years, though not likely without a fight. Pluto turns retrograde on May 1st, and re-enters Capricorn on June 11th. In Capricorn we will likely see extremes among the Powers That Be as they battle to remain In Control. Pluto turns direct on October 11th — on Pluto in the horoscope of the United States, and square the Sun and Moon in the horoscope of Kamala Harris. Pluto reenters Aquarius on January 22, 2024, where we will see an advancement of initiatives that are happening right this minute. Pluto will go retrograde again on May 2, 2024…and re-enter Capricorn for its last hurrah on September 3, 2024 — with candidates up for election in November already selected. Pluto turns direct on October 12th and reenters Aquarius on November 20th — President Biden’s birthday — where it will remain until 2044.

SUNDAY: More big news is facilitated by a trine between Mercury — now at the verrrrrry end of material comfort-seeking Taurus) and Pluto. Mercury-Pluto connections usually reflect an uptick in “news from underground,” which is great if you’re an investigative reporter. Today’s big story may relate to the status quo. At 6:26 AM ET, Mercury finally leaves Taurus and enters Gemini, one of its home signs. Mercury leaves Gemini on June 26th, so make the most of this opportunity for thought and communication that’s informative and entertaining. The pace picks up as we discover we can walk and chew gum at the same time. Moon zooms into Aries at 9:20 AM ET, driving the day with a need to get things started –not now, but RIGHT NOW. And whatever it is may be so grand and every so indulgent and/or generous, reflecting the “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing” sentiment of a square between Venus and Jupiter, exact at 11:39 AM ET. If you have planets around 5 degrees of just about any sign, you could have indulged in a few lottery tickets in recent days, just to try your luck. Supportive patterns among Moon and Mercury (at 9:43 AM ET) and Venus (at 7:40 PM ET) can help your crusade, especially if you’re fighting for the underdog. The good vibes carry over into early next week.

No sleeping in on MONDAY. The Aries Moon will be energized by a trine to Mars, exact at 8:35 AM ET. Aries, go forth and conquer.

And now, the news.

A friend of mine likes to say, “the conscious mind is the last to know.” I thought about that this week the day after I chose to illustrate the last forecast with a photo of a statue of a lion that was taken in Ukraine. For weeks after the beginning of Russia’s invasion, I regularly used images from Ukraine as a show of support, then stopped — for no reason in particular. But I guess I had a feeling last Monday, and this prompted me to search for a Ukrainian lion to support the start of Venus’s lengthy sojourn in Leo.

0 degrees Leo happens to be the degree of Volodomyr Zelenskyy’s Mars, which was affected by eclipses in April and October. Those eclipses are being activated by the current Fixed Grand Cross configuration among Pluto, Mars, Venus, Jupiter and the North/South Nodes. Themes involving stubborn conflicts, ruthless action, emotional overkill and toxic release would not be surprising. Point is, that Zelenskyy — and anyone else with planets and/or angles around 0 degrees of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius could expect a surge of action this week, as if a genie jumped out of a bottle or a curtain fell. Life is forever changed.

Another pattern that sparked a sudden surge of action — not unlike that of a genetic mutation — was the long-delayed meet-up of Mercury (how we need to think) and Uranus (lightning bolt; shock to the system), exact last Sunday. It was delayed because Mercury turned retrograde before it could complete the connection — this happened around April 21st.

Here is a rundown of headlines — involving horoscopes of those affected by current patterns, starting with Zelenskyy:

“Zelensky says Russian dam attack a ‘bomb of environmental mass destruction.” It’s astro-logical that the devastating bottlenecked energy released can be traced back to seeds planted in plain sight right before the October 25th solar eclipse, recently triggered — like Mars in Zelenskyy’s horoscope — by all four planets, plus the Nodes, in this week’s Fixed Grand Cross. Here’s a headline from October 21 — “Zelensky accuses Russia of plot to blow up dam.” The plot was brewing in plain sight, in the dark of the October eclipse. Suddenly, it’s out. Clear?
“CNN CEO Chris Licht ousted after TFG Town Hall fallout; brutal Atlantic article.” Licht’s toxic release “coincided” with the day Mars met-up with his South Node, with the rest of the planets in this week’s Fixed Grand Cross activating his ruthlessly idealistic conjunction of Mercury and Venus in early Scorpio. Another suggestion of streamlining is transiting Saturn (cuts & losses) square his Jupiter (reward), and probably his righteously opinionated Sagittarius Moon. Licht’s Sun has been under great pressure by a square from Pluto, and we can expect him to rise from the ashes of CNN and reinvent himself before too many months have passed.
Not a person making headlines — but the heavy smoke that stubbornly settled over New York this week could be seen as a reflection of the logjam potential of that Fixed Grand Cross. Reminds me of my former life in Los Angeles, only the smoke in NYC smells like burning pine, not eucalyptus.
Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, “Gaetz and the Freedom Caucus grind House to a halt” — there’s another logjam for you.
No one is saying for certain that Mark Meadows, former White House Chief of Staff (and former boss of J6 Committee star witness Cassidy Hutchinson), cut a deal to rat on TFG in exchange for immunity, but gosh, in what we know of Meadows’s horoscope, we can see why he was in the news. I wrote about Meadows just over three years ago, when he suddenly replaced Mick Mulvaney as TFG’s COS. Transiting Uranus had just engaged Meadows’s precise square between his Leo Sun and Neptune. A sudden breakout would not be unexpected. Now, that square is activated. Saturn opposed his Sun in early 2021, when — according to a lawsuit filed by Noelle Dunphy against her former employer, Rudy Giuliani — brainstorming began on how to keep TFG in the White House if he lost the 2022 election. Saturn-Sun transits are helpful for planning strategy. Now we have this confluence of four planets (plus the Nodes) engaged with Meadows’ “true believer” Sun-Neptune square. Faith is under attack — and what shall he reap for a reward?
“Boris Johnson resigns as MP with immediate effect over Partygate report”. Johnson’s Moon is at 0 Scorpio, and he’s in the middle of his second Saturn return. A chapter ends; another begins. Here’s what was written about Johnson (and his horoscope) almost a year ago, when he resigned as leader of the Conservative Party. See any similarities?
“Book Review: Elliot Page’s timely memoir is powerful; humanizing”
“Golf’s PGA tour and LIV merger is latest Saudi Arabia power play.” Yes, and you should see what we know about Saudi ruler Mohammed bin Salman — MBS’s — horoscope. He has a t-square among Venus, Jupiter and Pluto in Leo, Aquarius and Pluto — recently eclipsed and triggered by the current Fixed Grand Cross. He has a square between Mercury-Mars in (getting away with murder Leo) and Saturn in (ruthless) Scorpio — with Mercury exactly squared by Sunday’s Mercury-Uranus conjunction.
“Scientists record first ‘virgin birth’ in female crocodile in Costa Rica.” We don’t have a birth date for the crocodile in question, but her latest achievement aptly reflects current planetary patterns.
Pat Robertson, televangelist who blamed gay people for 9/11 and hurricanes, dies”
James Watt — the “sharp-tongued and combative” Interior Secretary under Ronald Reagan, is also dead.

Meanwhile…

“Supreme Court rules in favor of Black Alabama voters in unexpected defense of the Voting Rights Act”. The ruling was announced hours away from a square between yesterday’s Aquarius Moon and Uranus. We can see the astro-logic of the Aquarius Moon’s need to be appreciated for its unique social significance within the construct of a larger group being intensified in a “surprise ruling.” We’d also file this story under the bigger umbrella of Pluto in Aquarius, suggesting Power to the People. Word!

Finally…

…the moment we’ve been waiting (yet again)…and hinted at as a possibility in Monday’s forecast:

“Nuclear secrets in the bathroom: five revelations from Trump’s unsealed indictment“ on 38 counts. He’s scheduled to surrender to federal authorities in Miami and appear in court at 3 PM ET on Tuesday. A quick glance for the chart for that event suggests that the prosecuting attorneys have a strong case. However, I couldn’t help but notice that the planet representing the judge in that chart was likely to favor the defendant….BUT…it was too soon to tell. Guess who’s been initially assigned to the case? Judge Aileen Cannon, the TFG appointee whose effort to appoint a special master to review the documents stolen from the American people by TFG was ultimately tossed out. Astrology. Is. Amazing. Word on the street is that Cannon will not have the case for the duration of the trial.

And there you have it. A big Friday news dump filled with astro-logic — and more jargon than usual, frankly — with apologies if it’s too dense. Just had to share all this exciting synchronicity among astrology and the news!

Meanwhile…

...here’s the 411 on personal consultations. What do all these patterns mean for YOU?

Thank you for reading this forecast — and sharing it with your friends. Have a great weekend!

Monday 6/5/2023: Sneak Peek at the Week; Venus Enters Leo — Big Time! Pluto Re-Enters Capricorn

June 5, 2023/in The Forecast

Allllrighty then!

It’s Monday, which means it’s a writing day. Moon is in Capricorn, so lets get to it. Highlights this week are:

Venus enters Leo on Monday for a lonnnnng stay.
Venus opposes Pluto on Monday.
Mercury sextiles Neptune on Friday.
Pluto — currently retrograde — leaves Aquarius and re-enters Capricorn on Sunday.
Mercury trines Pluto on Sunday.
Mercury enters Gemini on Sunday.
Venus squares Jupiter on Sunday.

It goes like this:

MONDAY: Moon enters Capricorn at 3:30 AM ET, ready to Make Things Happen. Pull up your big girl panties and take care of business. The proactive drive may be pushed to extremes of emotion as Venus leaves Cancer and enters Leo at 9:46 AM ET, then opposes Pluto at at 12:04 PM ET. In the language of astrology, Venus refers to who, what and how we need to love. When in Leo, Venus loves to play, to shine and be adored. Drama queens are on stage through the summer, as Venus won’t leave Leo until October 9th. That’s because on July 22nd, Venus goes retrograde until September 3rd. The retrograde will give us an opportunity to evaluate all that we love — including matters of money, aesthetics and social expression — and toss whatever doesn’t love us back or simply isn’t fun. The Venus opposition to Pluto may have be experienced as a ruthless/empowered expression of values, especially today. Anyone with planets at the end of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn…or at the beginning of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius are more affected than most. Watch the headlines; see who’s making news. FWIW, we anticipate market volatility whenever Uranus and Pluto are demanding attention, especially when connected with Venus. Markets are on a roll today. Meanwhile, the proactive drive is well-supported by the Capricorn Moon’s trine to Jupiter at 10:43 AM ET and its sextile to Saturn at 3:11 PM ET. Get. It. Done.
TUESDAY: More support for your plans for world domination are suggested by the Capricorn Moon and its trines to Uranus and Mercury at 1:10 PM ET and 5:33 PM ET, respectively. Alert the media; reach across the aisle; think outside the box; upgrade your technology. I’ll be switching internet service providers today. You? Implementing a bit of a dream is supported in the evening, as Moon sextiles Neptune at 12:39 AM ET on…
WEDNESDAY…and goes void for the next four hours. Chill! Moon enters Aquarius at 4:41 AM ET, driving the next two days with a need to intellectualize with a network of friends and other supportive alliances. The need for innovation may involve planting seeds for a power play that may not be in accord with the other side, given that Moon meets up with Pluto at 4:47 AM ET, and then opposes Venus at 7:38 AM ET. Around 12:34 PM ET, boundaries may be pushed — for better or worse — as Jupiter squares the Moon. A need for action or assertion likely arises around 10:10 PM ET, as Moon opposes Mars in Leo. Working out a compromise may be challenging, as the Aquarius Moon and Leo Mars are notoriously stubborn.
THURSDAY: An easier flow to the morning, as the Moon trines the Gemini Sun at 9:29 AM ET. Go with the flow, and note the potential for an upset to the status quo around 2:37 PM ET, as Moon squares rebel Uranus. A difference of opinion or discomfort with the messaging strategy may require adjustment in the evening, as Moon squares Mercury at 12:23 AM ET on…
FRIDAY….and then goes void for the next six hours. If you’re working during the void, roll with the twists or flakes that may disrupt your routine. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill of perceived crisis. Once Pluto backs into Capricorn, these natural breaks in the action will mostly be so brief as to be of no consequence. In fact, the next big, long break won’t happen until June 22nd, when the Moon will be void for over 17 hours. That day is likely to be a bust. But hey, it’s June, and thus should be busting out all over. Right? Meanwhile, Moon enters Pisces at 6:14 AM ET, driving the weekend with a need to identify ideals and work with impressions. Visionary thoughts and communication are supported by a sextile between Mercury and Neptune, exact at 5:14 PM ET. You get to sort out which visionary thoughts are genuinely inspired, and which are just plain bonkers. A sextile to Jupiter at 3:01 PM ET boosts confidence; a conjunction between the Moon and Saturn at 6:15 PM ET may be the reality check that is needed in order to pierce the veil of illusion. It may also be someone’s need to impose authoritarian controls just because they can. It suggests a potentially heavy item in the Friday night news dump.
SATURDAY: The Third Quarter Moon at 3:31 PM ET may be energizing and/or provocative. The Gemini Sun is happy to split the difference, if only the Pisces Moon wasn’t so focused on how it affects the greater whole. A workable compromise is supported by a sextile between Moon and Uranus, exact at 5:20 PM ET.
SUNDAY: Note your dreams upon waking. Moon meets up with Neptune at 5:09 AM ET. The big news today happens at 5:45 AM ET, when Pluto re-enters Capricorn. Here’s a reminder of Pluto’s progress in 2023 and 2024:

We’ve gone just over two months with Pluto in Aquarius, the pattern that brought us the French Revolution and the Bill of Rights.”Power to the People” is what astrologers have been anticipating for years, though not likely without a fight. Pluto turns retrograde on May 1st, and re-enters Capricorn on June 11th. In Capricorn we will likely see extremes among the Powers That Be as they battle to remain In Control. Pluto turns direct on October 11th — on Pluto in the horoscope of the United States, and square the Sun and Moon in the horoscope of Kamala Harris. Pluto reenters Aquarius on January 22, 2024, where we will see an advancement of initiatives that are happening right this minute. Pluto will go retrograde again on May 2, 2024…and re-enter Capricorn for its last hurrah on September 3, 2024 — with candidates up for election in November already selected. Pluto turns direct on October 12th and reenters Aquarius on November 20th — President Biden’s birthday — where it will remain until 2044.

SUNDAY: More big news is facilitated by a trine between Mercury — now at the verrrrrry end of material comfort-seeking Taurus) and Pluto. Mercury-Pluto connection usually reflect an uptick in “news from underground,” which is great if you’re an investigative reporter. Today’s big story may relate to the status quo. At 6:26 AM ET, Mercury finally leaves Taurus and enters Gemini, one of its home signs. Mercury leaves Gemini on June 26th, so make the most of this opportunity for thought and communication that’s informative and entertaining. The pace picks up as we discover we can walk and chew gum at the same time. Moon zooms into Aries at 9:20 AM ET, driving the day with a need to get things started –not now, but RIGHT NOW. And whatever it is may be so grand and every so indulgent and/or generous, reflecting the “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing” sentiment of a square between Venus and Jupiter, exact at 11:39 AM ET. If you have planets around 5 degrees of just about any sign, you could have indulged in a few lottery tickets in recent days, just to try your luck. Supportive patterns among Moon and Mercury (at 9:43 AM ET) and Venus (at 7:40 PM ET) can help your crusade, especially if you’re fighting for the underdog. The good vibes carry over into early next week.

And now, the news.

If you enjoy listening to intelligent chat about the astonishing synchronicity of planetary patterns and the news, you must check out Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast with co-host Whitney McKnight. Last Friday’s episode was unique, as we recorded it in a conference room at the public library in Evanston, Illinois! Yes, the stars were aligned to enable us to meet in person for the very first time, since we first connected in 2018! And because our patron subscribers asked for it, in this episode we talk about our respective paths to becoming consulting astrologers. You’ll find plenty of life hacks learned from our combined decades of experience, much joy and laughter.

In other news, Substack — which hosts Off the Charts — is an awesome platform, if you’ve never checked it out. I love how it allows writers to develop deeper connections with Avid Readers and Avid Listeners, and it is my intention to merge this forecast — a labor of love for 14 years — with all that Substack has to offer in the not-too-distant future. Stay tuned for more on this developing story.

Meanwhile…

As anticipated in this forecast and in Off the Charts, the debt ceiling was raised, and the world economy did not crash. President Biden praised House Speaker Kevin McCarthy for working things out, and why wouldn’t he. Even though McCarthy’s Saturn squares Biden’s 3 Sagittarius Ascendant (suggesting that McCarthy is designed to potentially block Biden’s personal projection), McCarthy’s righteously opinionated Sagittarius Moon is right on Biden’s Ascendant. In contrast to Saturn, this Moon-ASC is often an easy personal connection, and so long as Biden is shrewd enough to show respect for McCarthy’s opinions, it’s possible to prevail. And yes, of course, we consider that Biden’s horoscope is designed to provoke McCarthy’s righteousness, with Biden’s Uranus opposing McCarthy’s Moon. In a contest between Uranus and Saturn, Uranus will ultimately win.

Astrology is an amazing tool for understanding why you and a significant other are drawn to each other, and what you can do to improve your relationship. You can use astrology to better understand your partner, child, parent, boss, sibling, etc., etc.

UPDATE: on Mike Pence. Told ya a couple of weeks ago that he would be making headlines right about now. Last week he announced that he would be announcing his presidential bid on June 7th. That happens to be his 64th birthday, and also when transiting Jupiter (expansion; confidence) opposes his Neptune (his need for vision/delusion), and Mercury opposes his Jupiter. Of course he’s thinking big, but as it turns out, another pattern dominating this entire month suggests a stalemate. No soup for you, Mr. Pence. Mars and Saturn have other plans.

In other news…

Patterns driving the headlines in recent days include today’s Venus-Pluto opposition (extremes of emotion in matters of values, women, art, money); yesterday’s Mercury-Uranus conjunction in Taurus (surprising revelations in matters of documents, aviation, technology — especially with respect to material comfort and security); and Pluto hanging out at 0 Aquarius, where it is amplifying the seed potential of the 2020 Great Mutation of Jupiter-Saturn at 0 Aquarius — a.k.a., the beginning of a new Air-a. Whoever controls data and communication networks controls the world. Technology — especially AI — is an evolutionary game changer.

Historian Heather Cox Richardson’s latest post begins by noting that Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban was awarded the First Degree of the Order of Glory and Honor by Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church. Kirill is “a staunch supporter of Russian president Vladimir Putin and his invasion of Ukraine.” Orban is a “hero of America’s right wing,” as noted my in write-up of Orban’s horoscope from August 2021. Naturally we see the potential for abundance and appreciation in Orban’s horoscope this month, and it continues through the end of the year. 2024 is a mixed bag, with potentially challenging controls imposed. The end of 2024 is a toss-up between one pattern suggesting a rare opportunity for recognition and another pattern suggestion potential ruin — but only if one’s life is off track.
The rest of HCR’s post embodies the disruptive “power to the people” potential of Pluto’s ingress in Aquarius, noting protest demonstrations around the world, pushing back against the Pluto in Capricorn would-be crushers of democracy in — for example — Hong Kong, Israel, Poland.
“ChatGPT took their jobs. Now they walk dogs and fix air conditioners.”
“Elon Musk’s brain implant company is approved for human testing. How alarmed should we be?”
“AI machines aren’t hallucinating. But their makers are.”
“A catatonic woman awakens after nearly 20 years. Her story may change psychiatry”
“Claim of ancient burials shakes up human evolution story; sparks debate.”
“Absolutely blockbuster evidence. Stunned experts say doc recording is game over for [the former guy].” You know this story, right? A recording of TFG talking to a couple of writers turned up. It was made at Bedminster (his New Jersey golf club/cemetery), and TFG is telling them about a classified doc he has — which he knows he can’t declassify or share — and that it concerns a potential strategy for an attack on Iran.
Meanwhile, there is a buzz on the Twitter about the latest discovery of the above evidence, and it is worth noting that TFG has a potentially brutal transit tomorrow, as Mars meets up with his Pluto. In his horoscope, Mars refers to legal proceedings. President Biden had a similar transit last week, when he successfully negotiated the lifting of the debt ceiling and then — after giving a commencement address to graduates of the USAF Academy — jogged away from the podium and tripped over a sandbag some numbskull on the advance team neglected to move from the stage— or make sure President Biden knew was there. In Biden’s horoscope, Mars rules creative self-expression; Pluto rules the self-undoing. Indeed. In any event, it is TFG who can look forward to an especially anguished next eight weeks, if his horoscope is functioning as designed.
In other news, have you seen the new film about Reality Winner, who was sent to prison within months for leaking a classified document in 2018 that appears to show evidence of Russian inference in the 2016 election? The dialogue in the film is straight from legal transcripts of Winner’s actual FBI interrogation.
More buzz: “Inside the meltdown at CNN” focuses on CEO Chris Licht’s failed mission to restore the network’s reputation for serious journalism. How did it go wrong? Meanwhile, Nikki Haley was featured in another CNN’s Town Hall over the weekend. Told ya we’d be hearing plenty from Haley, as Pluto connects with her Sun.
Sonic booms, scrambled military jets and a fatal plane crash disrupted DC-area residents yesterday.
Thanks to Avid Reader Jeri, who wanted to make sure I didn’t miss Megyn Kelly’s brutally forceful rant, in which she announced she will no longer honor requests to use “preferred pronouns.” Kelly’s horoscope has been discussed more than once in this forecast, starting in 2015. Without a birth time, we can’t tell if her Moon is at the very end of Cancer or early Leo, but with Pluto hovering between Capricorn and Aquarius for the next couple of years, it would make sense that Kelly would be on more of her usual (Jupiter in Scorpio) crusade.
“Federal judge rejects Tennessee’s anti-drag show law as ‘too broad and vague'” — and the judge was appointed by TFG.
The Writers Guild is still on strike, and I miss Stephen Colbert. As a card-carrying member of the Writers’ Guild, I appreciate how Simone Stolzoff’s WaPo op-ed — “Please don’t call my job a calling” — addresses the needs of writers and others with “romanticized” occupations, while accurately reflecting current planetary patterns. Did I just type “romanticized?” That would be reflection of last Friday’s trine (harmony) between Venus and Neptune, which suggests a need to see the world in the best possible light.

UPDATE: as of 2:45 PM ET, it is expected that TFG will be indicted on Thursday. Anyone remember what I wrote about the Mercury-Uranus conjunction last week?

SUNDAY: the buzz in the air today and yesterday reflects the conjunction of Mercury and Uranus — surprise, surprise — exact at 3:49 PM ET. It would be interesting to go back to things that seemed as if they were going to be resolved just as Mercury turned retrograde last April. Perhaps the wait is now over. Given the Sabian Symbol for this conjunction — “A finger pointing in an open book” — it feels as if the resolution, however shocking it may appear, is intuitively obvious. And so it is written. As it were. And perhaps this will bring a sense of completion to the wounded warrior who appears in Beth Owlsdaughter’s (she’s back!!!) Tarot Card of the Week.

Astrology is amazing.

Here’s the 411 on personal consultations and written reports. Yes, I can answer horary questions, explained in the list of services. Horary astrology is downright magical, if you ask me. Yes, I would love to speak to your group about astrology!! Let’s talk about it. No, I will not allow you to record my 90-minute PowerPoint presentation and offer it for sale to members of your group in perpetuity throughout the Universe, as you will understand once you read Simone Stolzoff’s op-ed (linked above). Yes, I am going to start offering classes — reply to this email and I’ll keep you posted.

Thank you for reading this forecast — and for sharing it with your friends. I appreciate your passion for all things astro-logical!

One of the many lions in Lviv (Lvov), Ukraine. Lviv is sometimes called the City of Lions.

THE FORECAST

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FORECAST