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 4/24/2023: Sneak Peek at the Week; Sun Sextile Saturn; Mars Sextile Uranus

April 25, 2023/in The Forecast

Allllllllrighty then!

It’s Monday, and we are in the middle of the first of three long Moon voids: today, Wednesday and Saturday. With Mercury retrograde, if your morning got off to a slow start, or a twist or flake or upset disrupted your morning routine, you are experiencing the potential energy flow of the Moon when it is wandering without connection to the other planets. That’s not to say that there will not be interesting things happening — e.g., such as the announcement that Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon have parted ways with their respective networks — but any perceived crisis is likely much ado about nothing.

Major patterns this week are:

Sun sextiles Saturn on Tuesday
Mars sextile Uranus on Saturday

Humming in the background this week is Pluto — symbol of power, resources, breakdown and transformation — slowing to a virtual standstill from our perspective on Earth, as it prepares to turn retrograde next Monday — which is May Day. Avid Readers will recall that a planet about to change direction operates like a car horn blaring (because it is being leaned upon). Thus I expect a truckload news from underground and other catharses, as corruption among the Powers That Be is exposed. Seismic events and news of gas, oil and other power sources would not be a surprise. The sextiles noted above suggest an easy flow of authority, action and innovation. There may be headlines drawing our attention to wounded warriors, reflecting a square between Mars and Chiron, exact on Wednesday.

Also humming: Mercury retrograde...so if you choose to lighten your jam-packed schedule of forward activity, go for it. Now is the time to REview, REorganize, REtreat and REconnect. Be flexible in your travel plans; triple check everything before you hit “send” — and back up your computers!

Here’s how it goes:

MONDAY: Did you note your dreams? Mine were over the top, reflecting — no doubt — the potential of the Moon in Gemini as it sextiled Jupiter at 4:48 AM ET…and then squared wiggy Neptune at 8:14 AM ET. A day driven by Moon in Gemini facilitates chatty informative buzz, though whatever buzz occurred until 2:58 PM ET may have been much ado about nothing. That’s because the Moon was void, as noted in the open of this week’s Forecast. Moon gets focused when it enters Cancer, driving the next two and half days with a need for home, family, homeland and emotional security. Whenever the Moon is in Cancer, it seems to be helpful for the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House, so lets keep an eye on them. (UPDATE: the ERA — Equal Rights Amendment — is on the agenda in the Senate). This evening offers a productive stretch among leaders of state and business, as the Moon sextiles the material security focused Taurus Sun at 12:10 AM ET on…
TUESDAY: …and then trines Saturn (structure, authority) at 12:39 AM ET. At 6:47 AM ET, the Sun sextiles Saturn — another helpful pattern for cooperation and communication. Let that easy flow propel you through the workday, aided by an easy flow between Mercury and Moon, exact at 7:46 PM ET. By then, tensions may be on the rise, with an energized, focused outburst cropping up around 11:08 PM ET, as Moon meets up with Mars.
WEDNESDAY: The hours between last night’s Moon-Mars conjunction and this morning’s sextile between Moon and Uranus (at 2:45 AM ET), are a preview of the “innovation in action” potential of Saturday’s Mars-Uranus sextile. Go about your business today, noting again that it’s driven by a need for emotional security. Reviewing or reorganizing projects involving home and family would be apropos. Late afternoon and evening may have an exuberant, rose-colored glow, as Jupiter (big!) squares the Moon at 5:09 PM ET (I can’t believe I ate the whole thing!), and trines Neptune (cheers!) at 7:40 PM ET. Moon then goes void for the next seven hours — chill, chill, chill!
THURSDAY: Moon enters Leo at 2:29 AM ET, looking for ways to shine, celebrate, or command a stage. Minutes later, Moon makes its weekly clash with Pluto, adding to the potential for power plays and catharses that we already have with Pluto about to turn retrograde. Afternoon and evening hours are marked the by tension of the First Quarter Moon at 5:19 PM ET. Moon in Leo’s need for ego recognition challenges the Taurus Sun’s initiatives involving material security, and neither one is inclined to budge an inch.
FRIDAY: A square between Mercury and the Moon at 5:44 AM ET makes for argumentative headlines. As with yesterday, the rest of the morning is quieter, with a disruption scheduled around 3:25 PM ET, as Moon squares rebel Uranus. An evening of merriment could be yours, as Moon in party-on Leo harmonizes with Venus in witty, charming Gemini.
SATURDAY: A trine between the Moon and Jupiter at 6:52 AM ET suggests good cheer…hopefully carried on for the next eight hours, as the Moon goes void. This is not the day to shop for major goods, as a Moon void suggests a higher than average probability of purchases that do not live up to expectations. And yet, this may be an active day, reflecting the cooperative flow between Mars (combat; assertion; courage) and Uranus (innovation; technology), exact at 4:04 PM ET. At 2:59 PM ET, Moon enters Virgo, now shifting our focus to putting things back in order after Moon in Leo’s party…with sobriety suggested around 1:41 AM ET on…
SUNDAY: as Moon opposes Saturn. Taking care of all the practical details in your Mercury REtrograde REview and REfinement is supported by the Virgo Moon’s trines to Sun and Mercury, exact at 10:59 AM ET and 3:05 PM ET.

Meanwhile, here is Beth Owl’s Daughter’s always-in-sync Tarot Card of the Week.

And now, the news.

Last week’s headlines were expected to involve big power plays, reflecting the once-every-three months challenge between the Sun (leaders of business and state) and Pluto. Another pattern over the weekend was the second of three sextiles between Mars (action) and Mercury (thinking). Both planets are in security-focused signs — i.e., Cancer and Taurus, respectively. With Mars in Cancer — where it does not function at its best, according to the tenets of traditional astrology — we’ve seen a ton of stories of Men Behaving Badly.

A big story last week was the $787.5 million settlement between Fox News Corp and Dominion Voting Systems. You can listen to my take on the astro-logic of the settlement (based on the time that the prosecutor’s opening statements were supposed to begin in last Tuesday’s scheduled trial), in episode 34 of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast. Be advised that even-numbered episodes of OTC are behind a (very modest) paywall. Why? Because we love love love creating podcasts, and we want to keep creating them, but we need energy from our listeners in order to continue.
Facebook also reached a settlement in the hundreds of millions of dollars — $725 million, to be precise. And guess what? You can claim your two cents of it — if you had a Facebook account between 2007 and 2022. Just fill out this form by the end of August.
“Let’s launch a rocket right after a solar eclipse, as Mercury turns retrograde,” said no astrologer ever. But that didn’t stop Space X from launching the biggest rocket ever built — and then having to blow it up because the mission wasn’t going as hoped for. Here’s The Daily Mail with videos and diagrams galore...and in the wake of the destruction and potential health threat to humans and other living things, the FAA has grounded the program.
Elon Musk continues to make Twitter an inhospitable place for accurate breaking news. In the spirit of Mercury retrograde in Taurus, the NYT Sunday Magazine ponders what has been lost, what Twitter was really all about…and “how it broke our brains.”
CNBC anchor alleged sexual harassment by NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell — who was ousted Sunday
Tennessee Republican resigns after it is revealed he was secretly convicted by the House Ethics Committee of sexually harassing at least one intern.
As noted earlier, Tucker Carlson— and his executive producer — are no longer at Fox News. It is reported that their dismissal was ordered by Rupert Murdoch himself. Here is Carlson’s horoscope. We can see how this could have been a provocative day, as Mars — ruler of his Midheaven (career) — squared his Venus. Carlson’s horoscope has been accelerated by eclipses all last year — and I’m also intrigued by how Eris — Goddess of Discord — is being activated. Before Mars made contact with his Venus, it connected with his natal Eris. Meanwhile, transiting Eris has been squaring Carlson’s 24 Cancer Ascendant for months. Here’s a post from a few years ago about how Eris’s travels through the horoscope of Bernie Sanders “coincided” with his 2016 political campaign.
At CNN, Don Lemon was also sacked — and he should have followed the Mercury retrograde rule of “when in doubt, be silent.”

On Tuesday, Jupiter — planet of expansion — exactly squares President Biden’s natal Jupiter, which rules his Sagittarius Ascendant. That can be a pretty darn feel-good pattern, and it should be no surprise that on that day, he’s scheduled to announce his campaign for re-election.

Here’s a fun one for the Mars-Mercury sextile:

“3000 Orbiter image produce atlas map of Mars — perfect for your bedroom wall”

That’s it for now. I confess I was at my computer for four solid days, fine-tuning a PowerPoint for a talk I presented for OPA — the Organization for Professional Astrology — at its spring virtual conference. OPA publishes The Evolving Astrologer — a quarterly journal with solid writing and gorgeous production values…and if you check out the latest issue and turn to page 94, you’ll find an interview with yours truly and EA’s delightful editor, William Sebrans.

Meanwhile…

Here’s the 411 on personal consultations and written reports.

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

Monday 4/17/23: Sneak Peek at a Big Week; New Moon in Aries (Eclipsed!); Sun Squares Pluto; Mercury Goes Retrograde

April 18, 2023/in The Forecast

It’s Monday. Do you know where your planets are? I’ll tell you.

Mercury is in Taurus, slowing to a virtual standstill in the sky above. It will turn retrograde on Friday. Translation: it’s time to slow down and REview our progress over the past three months. So why is there such a buzz in the air?

For one, Mercury is oh-so-close to a meet-up (conjunction) with rebel Uranus, priming us for a bolt of clarifying, liberating shock to the system — involving technology, aviation, information systems — and maybe astrology, too. But guess what? That meet-up will be delayed — like many other events this week — because Mercury will retreat from Uranus when it turns retrograde, and won’t make the connection until June 4th.

For another, the Sun is charging through the last degrees of me-me-me Aries, and its pioneering drive is amplified to possible extremes by the square the Sun makes to Pluto on Thursday, April 20th. Pluto refers to power and resources; the Sun refers to leaders of business and state. I expect we’ll see plenty of power plays and news from underground, for better or worse. This Sun-Pluto square is made more potent because it comes after a seven-day stretch of no exact aspects among the planets, except those involving the Moon. Years of observation note that there is a higher probability of sudden events akin to an ice shelf suddenly collapsing into the sea. Gosh, it was there a minute ago. Now, it’s gone forever. As an example, Avid Readers will recall such a pattern the week Queen Elizabeth passed away, and the week the former guy was elected in 2016.

And there’s more! We are now at the end of the lunar cycle — a time to wrap up projects begun on the New Moon last month. With little light from the Moon to guide us, we may feel listless or restless, sensing something new is right around the corner, but we don’t know what. This is a time to fly under the radar — if you need to — and you can bet that there is much that is happening now — hiding in plain sight. Such activities, however, have a higher probability of being outed within the next several weeks because…

…the New Moon is also a solar eclipse. More on that in a minute.

Highlights of the week:

New Moon in Aries (again!) — also an eclipse — on Thursday AM ET
Sun squares Pluto on Thursday
Sun enters Taurus on Thursday
Mercury goes retrograde on Friday
Mercury sextiles Mars — for the second time this month — on Sunday.

Ready?

MONDAY: Moon is in Pisces, driving the day with a need for empathy; to work with impressions and ideals. Themes of dreams, escapism and intrigue — possibly bordering on the surreal — are suggested, as Moon meets up with Neptune at 2:56 PM ET. Then the Moon goes void — i.e., wanders without as much focus — for the next six hours. You know the Moon void drill: stick to routine concerns; roll with the twists and flakes; don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. Chill! At 9:09 PM ET, see if you notice the change of pace as Moon enters impulsive, impatient, pioneering Aries. This agenda is supported by a cooperative connection with Pluto — the Powers That Be — at 9:41 PM ET.
TUESDAY: Moon sextiles Venus at 11:46 AM ET, suggesting harmony involving initiatives re: money, social expression, women and the arts. That creates an easy flow to the morning. Oh — but Venus is in double-talking Gemini — so perhaps someone is trying to have it both ways? Conflict may rear its ugly head around 6:16 PM ET, Moon is squared by Mars in Cancer. My money says home and homeland security are likely on the agenda.
WEDNESDAY: except for the background buzz of the patterns described in the opening paragraphs of this forecast, this day has jubilant, expansive potential. The only exact aspect is a conjunction between the Aries Moon and Jupiter. Potential downside: overconfidence; braggadocio. If you’re on the West Coast, the New Moon begins at 9:12 PM ET. For East Coasters, it’s 12:12 AM ET on…
THURSDAY.

Here is the chart for the New Moon, set in Washington D.C.:

Observations:

It’s rare to have two consecutive New Moons in the same sign. Last month, the New Moon was at 0 Aries — the very beginning. This month it’s at 29 Aries — the very end. I see this as an echo of patterns in the chart for last month’s Aries Ingress, suggesting that this whole astro-logical new year is the beginning of the end. This is what is supposed to be happening. Corrupt forms are supposed to outed. Yes, the breakdown of corruption may disrupt the integrity of the whole structure, but these old form must be called out and cleared out before anything new can take their place. And yes, because these corrupt forms may have been granted truckloads of power, this transition may well be messy. Use this as a coping strategy for these all-too interesting times. Remember that Aries is self-reliant. The cavalry is not coming to save us; we are our own saving graces. This need for self-reliance will become clearer and clearer in 2025, when Saturn (structure; authority) and Neptune (vision; idealism; blurring of boundaries) both enter Aries. You can prepare for next stage in development by showing up and being counted NOW, whenever opportunities to write the next chapter arise. Have you checked your voter registration lately?
The Sabian Symbol for this New Moon is “a duck pond and its brood.” Sabian sage Blain Bovee suggests that this image raises “weighty issues” — given that “brood” is another word for “ponder deeply.” Perhaps what is pondered is related to having a secure habitat, and from the perspective of the United States, that makes sense. Note that in this chart the New Moon is in the 4th house — of home, family of origin, real estate, and it squares Pluto (power and resources), which sits right on the cusp (borderline) of the 2nd house — of money, values and (self) – worth. Debt ceiling debate, anyone? In your own personal world, apt seeds to plant on this New Moon may be related to fostering and finding comfort in family, whatever this means for you. Astrologer Lynda Hill has more on that. Blain Bovee notes that the image of a line of ducks (in a row?) suggests themes of inheritance — i.e., being in line for something by virtue of birth or some other status that may not be accessible to everyone. Hmm. All humans created equal…or not? Hmm. Ponder on that, when digesting the news over the next month.
Chiron — the wounded healer — is at the root of this chart, set for the United States. Chiron is in Aries, where it is working through issues of the wounded self (and the wounded warrior). For a refresher on what Chiron in Aries has been activating, look here.
With Mars and Mercury in a sextile (cooperative connection), I expect plenty of walking the talk — in — yet again — matters of material comfort and home/homeland security. There are more placements we could discuss, but you get the idea.
You are more personally affected by this New Moon if you have planets at the end of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn…or the beginning of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius. Off the top of my head, that includes King Charles, George Takei, Jessica Lange, Dolly Parton, the Brexit Exit, Boris Johnson, Adolf Hitler, Clarence Thomas, President Biden. VP Harris, and the Biden-Harris inauguration.

Yes, this New Moon is a solar eclipse — and we’ll have a lunar eclipse on the Full Moon of May 5th. Once again, I am pleased to offer several paragraphs of personalized eclipse insights so you can understand how these extraordinary cosmic events may be reflected in your own unique horoscope. I’m not exaggerating when I say that eclipses are extraordinary, especially as accurate timing tools for human experiences in space and time. And by “personalized,” I mean that these insights are handcrafted by yours truly, after a careful study of your horoscope. The insights cover both eclipses, and you can order yours for $65, using this exciting new button I just created! If you know I don’t have your birth data, please email that to me: date, time and place. It may take a few days for your insights to be sent, as the response to this offer has been delightfully overwhelmingly.

THURSDAY: At 12:29 AM ET, the Moon enters Taurus, seeking to establish the status quo, bringing stability and calm in the wake of all the Aries noise. At 1:04 AM ET, Moon makes its weekly clash with Pluto, prompting a catharsis or power play. At 4:13 AM ET, Sun follows the Moon into Taurus. Happy birthday to all the bulls and cows!!! Now is the time to build something solid out of all those Sun and Mercury-in-Aries pioneering ideas. Tend to your garden; take time to stop and smell the roses. Those born in the first few days of Taurus may be getting a whiff of the irresistible pressure of transiting Pluto on their respective Suns. If you’ve been on the planet since the ’80s, look back to 1984 and 1985 for clues to the potentially empowering changes to come for you over the next two years. Consult your local astrologer for details.
THURSDAY: A practical to-do list gets a boost from a cooperative connection between the Moon and Saturn, exact at 8:30 AM ET. At 12:25 PM ET, the patterns we’ve been waiting for all week drops: Sun in Taurus squares Pluto in Aquarius. Sun in Taurus suggests leaders are not budging (budgeting?); Pluto in Aquarius takes the power of the people — and networks — and technology — to extremes. Here are some headlines from past Sun-Pluto squares. Much action is likely being put into play — not visible yet — reflecting the sextile between Moon and Mars at 12:36 AM ET on…
FRIDAY: Maybe we’ll hear a bit of focused communication around 4:05 AM ET, as Moon meets up with Mercury. Speaking of Mercury — did you BACK YOUR COMPUTER UP? At 4:34 AM ET, Mercury turns retrograde — and there will be absolutely no whingeing about it.

A pause, while we discuss the Mercury retrograde phenomenon and what it means for YOU:

So many people who know nothing else about astrology have heard of Mercury retrograde. Often it elicits curses and groans, and that’s a shame. Yes, all of the flights on American Airlines may be grounded because of a computer glitch, and the entire country of Finland may be offline because of a transportation strike. These things actually happened on the first day of Mercury retrogrades past. But there’s much good that can be accomplished when the Messenger Planet appears to be retracing its steps.

Mercury—which in the language of astrology refers to mindset, travel and communication—will appear to move backward through the sky until May 14th. It’s not really moving backward, but that is how it looks from our perspective here on Spaceship Earth. Mercury goes retrograde 3-4 times each year, for a period of 22 days.

Contrary to popular belief, Mercury retrogrades are no reason to freak out. Mercury retrograde gets a bad rap because we are geared, in this crazy modern age, to always be thinking, doing, moving FORWARD. You know what that gets you? BURN OUT. We need our down times, and Mercury retrograde is a perfect time to give our minds a rest. Why else would your computer, phone and/or car choose THIS time to malfunction? Because you are supposed to be slowing down. And as you slow down, it is vitally important that you FOCUS.

When Mercury is retrograde, be prepared for travel delays, scheduling screw-ups, mechanical breakdowns, computer crashes, having to repeat what you’ve just said, misunderstandings, the past coming back for a second look, surprise reunions and having to repeat what you just said. Use your FOCUS and double check important details, like email addresses, instructions for assembling IKEA furniture. Read the instructions more than once — and don’t hesitate to ask for help. FOCUS!!!!!!!!!

If you are looking for a job, Mercury retrogrades are a perfect time to reach out to people from your past. Mine your address book and trust that your contacts will be happy to hear from you. However, do not be frustrated if your target is away on vacation or keeps rescheduling meetings. Also, triple check your emails and resumes before you hit “send,” as there is a higher probability of typos and other sloppy snafus.

In your business, you’ll need to make sure all communications have been received and are clearly understood. Be mindful of the higher potential for communications equipment to go on the fritz. MAKE SURE YOUR FILES ARE BACKED UP. Also be aware of a higher-than-average probability for delays in shipping and travel arrangements. For this you will need an extra dose of patience.

You may also find it profitable to REview a project from the past. Maybe you shelved it then, but now is the time to REconsider. However, be advised that a spontaneous, “out-of-the-blue” idea for advancement may not be so sound when Mercury turns direct. This is why the conventional wisdom advises against finalizing and/or signing contracts on deals during Mercury retrograde. An exception might be supported if you are REnegotiating or RElocating. If you absolutely must close a deal, triple check everything.

This is a good time to schedule a corporate REtreat. Any activity that affords the opportunity to REview past performance is encouraged. REsearch on a new strategy is also favored.

Mercury retrogrades are not favored for launching a new website or a new communications system. There is a higher-than-average probability of technical glitches and confusion. I can tell you horror stories about a certain prestigious college’s lackluster launch of a website/communications portal which occurred several years ago, on a day when Mercury was stationary retrograde. The portal was completely redone the following year. No surprise there.

Adopt a playful attitude of flexibility to whatever twists you encounter. Avoid making major purchases (especially electronic ones), but don’t freak out if an appliance dies and must be replaced. Don’t believe everything you hear or read in the papers. Rumors have a higher probability of spreading during Mercury retrogrades. Avoid losing patience — that’s a big one.

When in doubt, be silent!

Do plan on RElaxing, REviewing, REsearching, REorganizing, REgenerating, REconnecting and REcreating…and REviewing your life with your astrologer.

Mercury turns retrograde at 15 degrees of Taurus…and retraces its steps all the way back to 5 degrees. It turns direct on May 14th and arrives at 15 Taurus again on June 1st.

Astrologer Robert Wilkinson (who wrote the book on Mercury retrograde) sees Mercury Rx in Taurus as an opportunity to review values and our sense of worth, with a mind to whether these values and worth build and maintain material comfort and security. old ideals with a mind to fresh application, “take a new look at what preserves and endures and/or remember the value of an old experience.” Mercury in Taurus suggests that this process of REview may be “sweet and steady” or “slow and stubborn.”

The Sabian Symbol for this Mercury retrograde is super-duper intriguing — though we told you months ago to it was coming. Mercury is at a standstill on the super-duper long lunar eclipse of November 8th, 2022 — Election Day. Thus, Mercury is activating that eclipse, and we can expect a potent flow of information — related to what was going on back then — that decisively advances the plot. Astrology. Is. Amazing!

The Sabian Symbol for that eclipse (and this Mercury retrograde) is “an old man vainly trying to reveal the Mysteries.” Blain Bovee says this is an image of an empty attempt to reveal that which cannot be known. Given that Mercury retrograde’s task in Taurus is to review what we think of as having worth, it’s interesting that this Symbol is one of a person of experience doing something in vain…coming up empty…and thus of no real worth! Where, then, do we find value? In the Sabian Symbol opposite 16 Taurus. This is “a girl’s face breaking into a smile,” which — according to Bovee — is “a sudden shattering of a rigid expression.” Just like that — without the laborious struggle illustrated by the old man. Meanwhile, Sabian Symbologist Saijin offers this take. Astrologer James Burgess has a helpful take, too.

Back to the forecast for the week:

FRIDAY: After Mercury turns retrograde, Moon meets up with Uranus at 8:09 AM ET. Whenever a wake-up call is needed, Moon-Uranus connections are happy to oblige. Moon in Taurus continues on its need to preserve the status quo, with no interference from the other planets until 11:41 PM ET, when Moon gets a visionary lift from dreamy Neptune — and then goes void for the next six and a half hours. Chill!
SATURDAY: At 6:10 AM ET, Moon enters pixie chatterbox Gemini, now seeking to be the smartest kid in the room. Just remember that with Mercury now retrograde, the chances of miscommunication are on the rise. A trine to Pluto at 6:48 AM ET adds depth to the morning headlines. A square between Moon and Saturn at 2:59 PM ET could put a damper on someone’s parade…through someone else’s need for authoritarian control.
SUNDAY: As times change. Moon meets up with Venus at 8:43 AM ET, which could be delightfully entertaining, chatty and clever. An easy flow of energy between Mercury (thought) and Mars (action) could be applied to your Mercury retrograde REorganizng efforts all weekend. This pattern (a sextile) is exact at 11:19 PM ET.

Beth Owl’s Daughter’s always-in-sync Tarot Card of the Week offers further guidance.

No news round-up today, as this forecast is almost at 3000 words. I’ll be putting a list of hot stories together for Episode 34 of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast — and that will be out on Friday. If you missed Episode 33, here it is — and you can also use this link to sign up for an email notice when each episode is released.

Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. We will have a fine discussion together…about life, the universe and everything…as it pertains to YOU.

Thank you for reading this forecast — and sharing it with your friends. Referrals are the best best best!

Monday 4/10/2023: Sneak Peek at the Week; Off to a Big Start

April 10, 2023/in The Forecast

Alllllrighty then!

I directed MailChimp to send out this forecast in a slightly larger font, as I’ve been told it’s hard to read on an iPhone. Hopefully you’ll notice an improvement. I welcome your feedback.

Here are the highlights for the week:

Venus enters Gemini on Tuesday
Venus trines Pluto on Tuesday
Sun meets up with Jupiter in Aries on Tuesday
Venus squares Saturn on Friday

It goes like this:

MONDAY: Moon has been in Sagittarius since Sunday, driving the day with a need to be of influence — probably through the expression of righteous opinions. The sky’s the limit under a Sag Moon. Get out in nature; take a gambol or a gamble — whatever you can do to broaden your horizons. There’s an easy flow of fiery energy that should not be taken for granted, reflecting the Moon’s trine to Sun and Jupiter at 9:48 PM ET and 10:55 PM ET. Get going!
TUESDAY: Venus ditches Taurus for Gemini at 2:47 AM ET. If you noticed a sense of urgency in matters of worth, aesthetics, money, women and social expression over the past 48 hours, it reflects Venus at the verrrrrrry end of Taurus. In Gemini, all matters ruled by Venus reflect the needs of Gemini: to be clever, entertaining and diverse — and to have more than one iron in the fire. Venus will be in Gemini until May 7th. Depth of this dual value system may become clearer, reflecting the trine between Venus and Pluto at 6:14 AM ET. In the language of astrology, Pluto refers to the Powers That Be. It also refers to the breakdown of power structures that necessarily occurs when the structures become rotten and are exposed. We see this in nature all the time, as rotting food waste breaks down and transforms into soil that can be used to fertilize new growth. This is a healthy process, yes?
TUESDAY: Note your dreams upon waking, as the Moon squares Neptune at 6:47 AM ET, presumably facilitating increased access to Certain Channels. If there’s a slow start or twist to your morning routine, it’s reflecting the seven-hour Moon void. Notice that since Pluto is no longer sitting at the verrrry end of Capricorn, lengthier Moon voids are back on the calendar, and this week we’ve got three of them — one every other day. If you’re unfamiliar with the term “Moon void” — a.k.a. “void of course Moon,” here’s an example of how they can work. It’s not unusual for these longer periods where the Moon travels without contact (to other planets) to feel as if time is moving more slowly, as many on the Twitter observed during last Thursday’s 17-hour Moon void. The coping strategy for Moon voids is to stick with routine concerns (if you must be at your desk), and don’t make a mountain out of a molehill of crisis. Chill!
TUESDAY: At 1:33 PM ET, Moon shifts gears and gets focused in Capricorn, now looking to Make Things Happen. There’s rush of expansive hot-hot-hot, me-me-me assertive energy that’s been building over the past few days, now released at 6:07 PM ET, when Jupiter (big! bombast! benevolence!) meets up with the Sun (leaders! hearts!) in Aries (cars, crusades, heat, pioneers, wars, iron, the color red). If you have a planet around 22 degrees of just about any sign, you are most personally affected by the potential for abundance, for better or worse. At the very least, this day make sharpen your awareness of your heart’s desire, with a plan for acquisition easily supported, reflecting the cooperation between Moon and Saturn, exact at 8:07 PM ET.
WEDNESDAY: If you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, blame the opposition between Moon and Mars, exact at 5:02 AM ET. Or just plan in advance to do something productive — not destructive — with the possible surge of physicality often associated with combat. Innovation and communication flow for the rest of the day, as Moon trines Mercury at 9:35 AM ET and then trines Uranus at 7:23 PM ET. Think outside the box; reach across the aisle. The stakes may feel larger than life and/or boundaries may be further pushed, reflecting the square between the Moon and Jupiter, exact at 3:19 AM ET on…
THURSDAY. Adjustments between forces demanding the preservation of status for…some corporate or government entity, perhaps…versus those who would be pioneers, are suggested by the 3rd Quarter Moon (Aries Sun squares Capricorn Moon). Moon sextiles Neptune at 10:14 AM ET, softening the impact — and then goes void for the next six and a half hours. These Moon voids are giving us time to process all that has come to light in recent day, imho. Moon enters Aquarius at 4:42 PM ET, now seeking to be appreciated for its unique social significance, with a power play or catharsis around 5:11 PM ET, as Moon meets up with Pluto. The dust settles for a spell, and the evening facilitates accord, as Moon trines Venus at 10:23 PM ET. Time for a good girl talk, perhaps…addressing more than one weighty matter that’s been humming in the background for the past few days. Why? Because on…
FRIDAY: …at 12:38 PM ET, Venus (who, what and how we need to love) is challenged (squared) by the streamlining needs of Saturn. Yes, after all of the exuberance of the early days of this week, it ends on a more sobering note. Heavy Venus-Saturn patterns refer to cuts, losses and a chilly, controlling response (e.g., “it’s just business”). They can also refer to ambition. In the link to this prior forecast I call out examples of two people expressing the harsher potential of Venus, when challenged by Saturn. At 3:15 PM ET, conversation may provoke stubborn resistance, as Mercury squares Moon. In your own personal world, if you have an important message to send, better to pick a time when the Moon and Mercury (how we need to think and communicate) are more harmoniously aligned. A surprise or other shock to the system is scheduled for 10:07 PM ET, when Moon squares rebel Uranus.
SATURDAY: There’s an easier flow to the morning, as Moon sextiles Jupiter at 6:36 AM ET and then sextiles the Sun at 11:15 AM ET. That’s your window for shopping and scoring bargains at yard sales that actually live up to expectation. After 11:15 AM ET, the Aquarius Moon will be void of course, offering an opportunity to CHILL — and take care of routine tasks that are of little consequence. Moon enters Pisces at 6:56 PM ET, seeking to work with impressions and ideals — and generally go with the intuitive flow. This softness is countering by the weightiness of Moon’s meet-up with Saturn, exact at 1:57 AM ET on…
SUNDAY: …and tension (a square) between Venus and the Moon at 4:58 AM ET. The afternoon is a fine time for getting things done around the house, as Mars (in home-loving Cancer) and Mercury (in practical Taurus) support the idealism of the Pisces Moon, at 1:48 PM ET and 7:28 PM ET.

We are moving into the first eclipse season of 2023! We have a solar eclipse on April 20th, and a lunar eclipse on May 5th. And yes, once again, I am pleased to offer several paragraphs of personalized eclipse insights so you can understand how these extraordinary cosmic events may be reflected in your own unique horoscope. I’m not exaggerating when I say that eclipses are extraordinary, especially as accurate timing tools for human experiences in space and time. And by “personalized,” I mean that these insights are handcrafted by yours truly, after a careful study of your horoscope. The insights cover both eclipses, and you can order yours for $65, using this exciting new button I just created! Then, if you know I don’t have your birth data, please email that to me: date, time and place. And yes, if you are not a fan of PayPal, there are other ways to order your personalized eclipse insights — email me for options.

And now, the news.

We’ve gone just over two weeks 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.

In the last week’s forecast, I closed with the developing story of events in Tennessee. In Friday’s episode — #32! — of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast, Whitney & I did a deep dive into what we know of the horoscope of Cameron Sexton, Tennessee’s Speaker of the House. It’s a prime example of the accelerated development we’d expect to see in a horoscope with four planets eclipsed last November. Astrology. Is. Amazing.

Last Thursday, Sexton presided over a vote on the expulsion of three Democratic state representatives — a.k.a. The Tennessee Three. In case you missed the back story because you were busy purging your closets (as I was over the weekend), in an energetic application of Mars (action!) in Cancer (home!), here is WaPo to explain:

After a shooter opened fire at the Covenant School in Nashville on March 27, killing three 9-year-olds and three adults, activists descended on the Tennessee Capitol and demanded that lawmakers pass gun-control legislation. Republicans, with supermajorities in both chambers, refused to do so. The three lawmakers — dubbed the Tennessee Three — said they joined the protests inside the legislative chamber to speak out for Tennesseans whose voices have been ignored.

The two Black male representatives (Justin Jones and Justin Pearson), who haven’t had their first Saturn return, were expelled; the white woman representative who just finished her second Saturn return (Gloria Johnson), survived the expulsion attempt — by one vote. The fact that this vote happened during a lengthy Moon void suggests that it is not going to go as planned and/or will be of little consequence, and in fact, it is possible that the two Justins will be re-appointed to their posts by their respective city councils.

Speaking of Saturn, it should come as no surprise to any Avid Reader that every one of the Tennessee Three is having multiple heavy Saturn transits in what we know of their horoscopes!!! All three have planets in early Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius or Pisces. We see the potential for being streamlined/controlled — and also for activated ambition/authority. After Saturn is done with them, the energizing break-out potential of Uranus will be up next — and we will see them break out of current controls as we move into the fall of 2024. Without birth times, we are limited in what we may anticipate, but it’s fair to say that Pearson is likely to become even more persuasive and empowered in thought and communication over the next two years.

Meanwhile, a truckload of genies are jumping out of bottles on Planet Cameron Sexton, reflecting his heavily eclipsed horoscope:

Here is the local TV station with a must-see investigative report revealing what happens when the Powers That Be run the show according to the laws of Because I Said So, as opposed to the Tennessee State Constitution. Tennessee is simply not a functioning democracy at present.
Here is another expose that landed today — alleging that Sexton does not live in the district he represents, but in fact maintains a home with his wife and family in Nashville. This is another express violation of the Tennessee State Constitution.

There are likely to be more revelations.

In other news…

Transiting Saturn is all over House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s horoscope this week and next, stopping by for the first of three passes to his Moon, Saturn and Ascendant. I expect we’ll be reading more stories involving themes of isolation, ambition and control now (such as this one), and again in the last two weeks of August…and again in the first two weeks of January.

Meanwhile…

Perhaps you are wondering what might be happening in the horoscopes of Clarence and Ginni Thomas, given last week’s revelations that for the past 25 years — the SCOTUS Justus failed to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars in luxury travel and other funding that was generously given to him by Dallas billionaire and Nazi memorabilia aficionado Harlan Crow. Here is the full investigative piece, published by Propublica.

Basically, the horoscope of Clarence Thomas has been pummeled by Pluto over the past year — continuing into this year. This is a transforming — and also potentially empowering — period. Certainly he’s been having his way with Lady Justice in recent years, and with this latest expose, everyone can clearly see him for who he is. Remember how he sat for years on the bench without saying much of anything? That’s changed. Another pattern he has — in effect now, and exact in August — involves Saturn and the Moon, suggesting he’s in for a period of isolation, at the very least.

As for Ginni Thomas, we don’t have a birth time, but we can see that her 4 Pisces Sun will be opposed by Saturn three times this year, with the first hit just around the corner. This can also be isolating.

In other news…

On Friday — not during a Moon void — Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Texas judge appointed by the former guy, “ruled that the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the drug mifepristone in 2000 was flawed and must be suspended,” as Heather Cox Richardson explains. This prompted a judge in Washington state to immediately issue an injunction prohibiting the FDA from pulling the drug from the market. This prompted me to learn more about Anthony Comstock, who was born in 1844, and reminds me of Dana Carvey’s Church Lady, only with mutton chops. As a special agent of the U.S. postal service, Comstock prevailed upon Congress to pass the Comstock Act in 1873, which, specifically prohibited the use of USPS for shipping “any methods of production or publication of information pertaining to the procurement of abortion, the prevention of conception and the prevention of venereal disease “ according to Wikipedia. Suffice it to say that looking at Comstock’s horoscope, we can appreciate his extremes of values and social expression, and that his natal Mercury-Neptune conjunction in Aquarius (a need for visionary or delusional thinking) is likely to be electrified in 2023.

Finally…

While I was purging my closets over the weekend, aptly applying the most excellent purging potential of the Scorpio Moon and aforementioned Mars in domestic-bliss Cancer. there was a rare harmony between Venus and Neptune (sextile) suggesting ideals of beauty and spirits of all kinds. This happened after a more disruptive conjunction of Venus with rebel Uranus the week before. In between these two alignments, it seems that Budweiser announced a new partnership between its Bud Light brand and transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The marketing strategy, according to Anheuser-Busch, was to “update the fratty branding” — and all hell broke loose in certain fratty places as a result, likely reflecting the extremes of communication we might expect on a square between Mercury and Pluto (which happened last Monday).

Mulvaney’s horoscope has a pattern not unlike that of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s. Both have their Moon opposing their respective Ascendants. McCarthy’s ASC is Gemini; Mulvaney’s is obviously Pisces. Both oppositions are part of a t-square with a planetary heavy. Transiting Saturn is activating their respective t-squares as I type. This is also heavy.

As for the controversial announcement of their new partnership, Mulvaney announced it on her Instagram account. She’s dressed a la Audrey Hepburn, whose Pisces Moon is right on Mulvaney’s Pisces Ascendant — so of course, there’s a strong personal connection. Isn’t that fun?

Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. You do want to understand how all the patterns may manifest in your own personal world, yes? We will have a fine discussion together. Remember, I’m also available for speaking engagements. I love explaining astrology to people who are curious, and my PowerPoints are awesome.

Thank you for sharing this forecast with your friends.

This week’s Sun-Jupiter conjunction doesn’t do anything halfway. Show off your stuff!

Monday 4/3/2023: Sneak Peek at the Week; Full Moon in Libra

April 4, 2023/in The Forecast

It’s Monday. Do you know where your planets are? I’ll tell you. patterns are lighter this week, compared to last week — with the exception of an illuminating Full Moon. In between the highlights, we have two notably looooong Moon voids, presumably so that we can chill and process the initiatives sparked by all of the shifts that happened in March. By “lighter,” I do not mean to say that these patterns are inefficient. There’s a lot that can be accomplished, though I wouldn’t launch anything you hope to be of major consequence during the voids.

It goes like this:

Mercury enters Taurus on Monday.
Mercury squares Pluto on Monday.
Long Moon void on Tuesday.
Mercury sextiles Saturn on Wednesday.
Full Moon in Libra on Thursday.
Long Moon void on Thursday.
Venus sextiles Neptune on Friday.
Mercury sextiles Mars on Saturday.

To wit…

MONDAY: Moon in Virgo continues on its quest to put everything in perfect order. At 12:22 PM ET, Mercury exits speed racer Aries and enters Taurus, where it will graze for the next ten weeks. Mercury refers to how we need to think, and Taurus needs to be slow, methodical, practical and possibly stubborn in its thought and communication processes. “How does this (fill in the blank) fulfill needs of material comfort and security?” This is what Mercury in Taurus needs to consider, and frankly, RE-consider in the coming weeks. Why? Because on April 21st, Mercury goes retrograde — and there will be absolutely no whingeing! Just back up your computers NOW, and prepare for the necessary REview and REtreat and REorganizing that often “coincides” with these mental breaks. Mercury enters its “shadow period” on Friday, so anything agreed upon from then until the end of May is subject to renegotiation, mmkay? Mercury turns direct on May 14th.
MONDAY: Mercury crashes into Pluto (by square) at 2:55 PM ET, reflecting boatloads of news from underground that was brought to light over the past few days. If you are King Charles or President Biden, you are more personally affected. Use a bit of technological innovation and network with all your friends today, applying the easy flow of the Moon and Uranus, exact at 4:28 PM ET. Further cooperation is suggested by the trine between Venus and Moon, exact at 2:04 AM ET on…
TUESDAY. Note your dreams and check the directions carefully this morning, as the Virgo Moon’s need for precision may be befuddled by an opposition to Neptune, exact at 9:49 AM ET. Then, mind the eight-hour Moon void, as the Virgo Moon wanders without focus (i.e., without contact with any other planets in the cosmic sandbox) for the rest of the business day (at least on the East Coast). Roll with the twists and flakes that may disrupt efforts to move forward in a straight line. Stick to routine concerns, and chill chill chill if you can — especially over crises that may crop up, as they are likely to be realized as “much ado about nothing.” At 5:51 PM ET, Moon enters Libra and screams for attention in matters involving fairness, diplomacy and people-pleasing in relationships. Emotional depth is added to the debate, as Moon trines Pluto at 6:13 PM ET.
WEDNESDAY: Emotions are on the rise for the next 24 hours, as the Libra Moon waxes to fullness. A provocative square between the Moon and Mars, exact at 4:11 AM ET, may make for a restless night. However, a cooperative connection between Mercury, needing to preserve the status quo in Taurus, and Saturn (authority, controls, karma), helps keep things on an even keel. Also of note today; the me-me-me Aries Sun (leaders) meets up with Chiron, a.k.a. the wounded healer. Ergo, watch for news of wounded healer leader types today. There are no other exact aspects today, so the Libra Moon could work itself up into a veritable tornado (Libra is an Air Sign) by the time it finally opposes the Aries Sun at 12:34 AM ET on…
THURSDAY.

Here is the chart for the Full Moon in Libra, set in Washington, D.C.:

Observations:

Chart ruler Jupiter meets up with the high-functioning Aries Sun, ruler of the 9th house. Translation: a lot of expansion in matters of courts, publishing, sports, foreign affairs…based on matters of home/homeland security.
This Full Moon activates last week’s conjunction of Mercury-Jupiter in Aries, furthering last week’s BIG NEWS. You are more personally affected by this phenomenon if you have planets around 17 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn…and yes, this includes the former guy.
The ruler of the 10th house (leaders) is Venus, which in this chart also rules the 5th and 6th houses, i.e., speculative ventures, entertainment, children, creativity; and labor/health matters. Venus is high-functioning in Taurus and in a harmony with Neptune. This suggests idealism — for better or worse — in these matters just described. Note that Venus is conjunct Capulus, which is a fixed star associated with Men Behaving Badly (macho sexual aggression). Capulus is on TFG’s Midheaven (well-defining his reputation), and is prominent in the horoscopes of Gretchen Carlson, Roger Ailes, Mick Jagger and Hillary Clinton — to name a few off the top of my head, and noted in these prior forecasts.
Speaking of Men Behaving Badly, note that Mars — cars, guns, machismo, anger, courage — is in the 7th house — of partners and open enemies. Mars squares the homeland/leadership axis in this Full Moon chart, and whilst usually considered to be debilitated in Cancer, this particular Mars does have greater functionality — so be on the watch for that.
The Sabian Symbols for this lunation are the same ones we worked with on the Full Moon of October 10, 2022. Back so soon? Apparently!
…“two prim spinsters” (for Aries Sun) and “a retired sea captain” (for the Libra Moon). Two spinsters — a duality, right? And both Sabian Symbols are spinners — of yarns and possibly tall tales. Sabian Symbol sage Blain Bovee observes that the sea captain’s tales may come from a wealth of personal experience. He’s retired, after all. Perhaps the spinsters are, too — but they opted not to get into the game — or at least the relationship game, so what do they know, hmm? Bovee advises us to apply these Symbols with a mind to “stories that reinvent the past; that maintain a precision about a shared experience; that spin around a central point” — starters. Here are more thoughts on the spinsters...and here are thoughts on the sea captain.
A Full Moon in Libra needs fairness and diplomacy in relationship. Its we-centric needs challenge the me-me-me needs of an exalted (for better or worse) Aries Sun. It occurs to me that what’s different about this Full Moon — compared to the Full Moon in October 2022 — is that this time, the entity giving us illumination (the Moon) is the entity with the actual life experience. Hmm. We’ll see how that plays out.

Back to the day-to-day forecast:

THURSDAY: The next stop for the Libra Moon is an opposition to Jupiter at 8:42 AM ET, suggesting that the day gets off to a ebullient start. What could go wrong? All of that fiery enthusiasm could be someone pushing their luck. Just know that for the next 18 hours, the Moon will be VOID, so CHILL! Whatever ideas run away with this day may be much ado about nothing.
FRIDAY: Moon enters Scorpio at 2:29 AM ET, demanding depth and substance over talk talk talk. There’s a power play or a catharsis attached, as the Moon’s first stop in Scorpio is a square to Pluto, exact at 2:53 AM ET. Next stop: the Powers That Be assert control — likely with ease, as Moon trines Saturn at 8:44 AM ET. Humming in the background this week is the aforementioned harmony between Venus and Neptune, seeking beauty wherever it can find it — even if it’s not actually there. That’s the impetus — perhaps — around this alignment, exact at 1:58 PM ET, and it happens six minutes after a face-off between Mercury and the Moon, suggesting a different of stubborn opinion, likely involving values. There’s plenty of assertive energy available, reflecting the Moon’s trine to Mars at 2:42 PM ET — and frankly, putting your money where your mouth is…and also walking your talk…are not impossible, reflecting the cooperation between Mars (walking) and Mercury (talking), exact at 2:28 AM ET on…
SATURDAY. There’s no Moon void today to discourage you from snapping up yard sales bargains. The only aspect is the surprise potential of rebel Uranus, as it opposes the Scorpio Moon at 9:55 AM ET. An escapist fantasy may be yours this evening, reflecting the Moon-Neptune trine, exact at 1:49 AM ET on…
SUNDAY: …with possessive indulgence in the wee hours, as Moon opposes Venus at 5:09 AM ET...which by now has made contact with Algol, a fixed star associated with alcohol, righteously vengeful feminine assertion, and losing one’s head. There’s no reason to get up in arms about it — or any reason to get up at all, as the Scorpio Moon will be void until 8:56 AM ET. Then Moon soars into Sagittarius, seeks a gamble or a gambol — or at the very least to impose its righteous opinion on the widest possible audience. A sextile between the Moon and Pluto at 9:22 AM ET adds depth and power to your morning power walk (that would be a good application of Moon in Sagittarius drives). Note the effort at control that may arise around 3:21 PM ET, as the Moon is squared by Saturn, daring to rain on someone’s parade. Move past it — and enjoy the rest of the weekend. Next week gets off to an exuberant start.

And now, the news.

If you listened to Episode 30 of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast, you weren’t surprised by Thursday’s announcement that a grand jury made up of ordinary Americans voted to indict the former guy on dozens of counts, though the specifics of each one is not yet known (wait until tomorrow). Here is the BBC to explain in plain English — for those who may have slept through high school civics classes — what’s going on, and what it means. Here is how the local Queens paper covered it. Not that anyone asked, but I take issue with the Beeb’s belief that the indictment is a “blow to America’s sense of self.” Actually, I see this as an affirmation of the highest of American ideals, i.e., that no one is above the law (according to Saturn in Libra in the horoscope of the United States).

The arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday, and apparently TFG was offered the option of having it done on Zoom from Mar-a-Lago, but that probably wouldn’t have motivated his fans to send as much money ($4 million dollars and counting). If it happens after 9:49 AM ET, it’ll be during the Virgo Moon void, and void or not, the Moon’s opposition to Neptune at 9:49 AM ET can be counted on to somehow mess with the Virgo Moon’s need for exacting correctness. Cue showmanship now, please! On the other hand, a Moon void can feel as if the wind has been taken out of one’s sails, and thus can deter those who might otherwise show up for a noisy protest. We shall see. I’m more interested in the anguished (and likely losing) effort that TFG’s horoscope has scheduled as we get closer to July, with intensity in the first week of May and the end of June.

However…the element of “surprise” surrounding the timing of Thursday’s announcement must be celebrated for its astro-logic! At the beginning of the week, it was reported that the New York grand jury was going on recess for the upcoming holiday season (Easter and Passover, for those celebrating). April Fool’s! That recess was “delayed,” and thus aptly reflected the disruption of Thursday’s Venus-Uranus conjunction, as well as the militantly disciplined Mars-Saturn trine.

Here is how all the late-night comics reacted to Thursday’s good news.

Speaking of Tuesday’s all day Moon void, there is a critical election happening in Wisconsin tomorrow. Will there be a twist, a flake or an upset? Will enough voters push through any Moon-void feelings of inertia and get to the polls? Here is what you need to know.

Meanwhile…

In another smooth move, Ron DeSantis’ efforts to punish the Walt Disney Company for speaking out against his “Don’t Say Gay” bill were deliciously foiled. Disney’s legal eagles are legendary in their ruthless defense of All Things Mickey Mouse (as I remember from my days working in the entertainment biz), and on Thursday, they did not disappoint. Turns out that before DeSantis could install a new board to “oversee” Disney’s operations in Florida, the old board voted to dissolve much of its authority over the Magic Kingdom — right under everyone’s noses, apparently — as CNBC explains here. Astro-logically, it was interesting to note that the vote to dissolve much of the oversight board’s powers happened on a Venus-Uranus sextile (on February 8th), with the shocking news of its innovative cooperative action coming out on the Venus-Uranus conjunction.

Elsewhere…

In the language of astrology, Venus refers to beds, and with Venus in Taurus, those beds are going to be comfy — and intensely unconventional, with added input from Uranus. “Our sleeping secrets caught on camera: nine beds and the people in them reveal everything – from farting to threesomes” is exactly the kind of headline The Guardian should have written.
The Washington Post applied Mercury square Pluto’s incisive dirt-digging potential to a story debunking every April Fool’s Day prank of 2023.

UPDATE: on Fox News, which has a horoscope just like any other entity with a confirmed launch date and time. With its Libra Sun and attention-getting early Libra Ascendant, of course it would take on the slogan “fair and balanced.” But what drives its horoscope is a precise conjunction between Moon and Mars in regally-entitled, love, love-me-do Leo...and this conjunction at 16 Leo was eclipsed on November 8th. Thus we expect an accelerated rush of activity when that eclipse is activated. When does that happen? When any planet — especially Mars and Uranus (because those planets are especially provocative), arrives at 16 degrees of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius. Has that happened recently? Yes, it has. Uranus is at 16 Taurus as I type…and last week, as WaPo’s Jennifer Rubin explains, “Fox News has been blown to smithereens” (in matter of the Dominion’s defamation suit against the network). That’s an apt headline for an eclipsed planet that has just been triggered!

Finally…this is a developing story…on the level of what’s happening in Wisconsin. Cameron Sexton is Speaker of the House in Tennessee. He has a stellium of Sun, Jupiter and Venus Rx at 16-18 Scorpio, opposed by Saturn at 19 Taurus. All of those planets were eclipsed in November and activated now by transiting Uranus. Here’s what he’s up today.

Lots more news will be covered when Whitney McKnight and I record Episode 32 of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast on Wednesday. Click on that link and you can sign up to be notified when it’s uploaded, usually around midday on Friday.

If you’re wondering what all these patterns mean in your own personal world, here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Yes, I also take horary questions.

And ooh — before I forget…since it’s still Aries season…here’s everything you need to know about Aries on Skyscript — the essential traditional astrology resource. You can read Skyscript founder Deb Houlding’s primer, or you can listen to me read it to you. Just head straight to the “play” button below the embedded PDF of the text.

Thank you for reading the forecast — and for all the lovely birthday greetings and Cosmic Tips!

Monday 3/27/2023: Sneak Peek at the Week; Mars, Mars, Mars in the News — And Other Stuff, Too.

March 28, 2023/in The Forecast

Alllllllllrighty then!

How was your first Mars-in-Cancer weekend of 2023? Notice any uptick in action, assertion or aggression around you? I certainly saw it in the headlines, and on the New York subway. Right before midnight on Friday, the train I was on was held in one station because of a police investigation at the station ahead. Instead of the usual buskers to entertain us in our holding pattern, riders were treated to a couple screaming at each other — thankfully, not on the train itself. Astrology is amazing.

Note that it will take until Friday for Mars to travel through the first two degrees of Cancer. Translation: all Mars matters will continue to command our attention, e.g. matters involving guns, war, all things manly, iron, cars, the color red, etc.

Highlights for this week are:

Mercury meets up with Jupiter on Tuesday — ET
Mars trines Saturn on Thursday
Venus meets up with Uranus on Thursday

It goes like this:

MONDAY: Moon in Gemini drives the day with a quest for information and communication, possibly inspired by whatever was buzzing in your head upon waking. There was an easy flow among Moon, Mercury (how we need to think) and Jupiter (big!) at 3:39 AM ET and 6:57 AM ET, respectively. The challenge today is what to address FIRST, given the Gemini’s Moon’s potential for parallel processing. Check for clarity around 9:39 PM ET, as Moon squares Neptune. Moon-Neptune patterns can be dreamy — and also foggy. Chill during the ensuing 9-hour Moon void, i.e., roll with the twists and flakes that may disrupt your efforts to move in a straight line, and don’t make a mountain out of a molehill of apparent crisis. One possible “crisis” may feel larger than life, and this would be the meet-up between Mercury and Jupiter in me-me-me Aries, exact at 2:50 AM ET on…
TUESDAY. Be on the lookout for big initiatives in sports, travel, schools, courts and publishing. If you have planets or significant points around 18 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn, you are more personally affected than most, and this would include the former guy, for people who are watching. At 6:21 AM ET, Moon shifts gears and enters Cancer, the sign it rules. Now is the time to meet those home, family, emotional and homeland security needs. We can expect immediate action or provocation around 9:19 AM ET, as Moon meets up with Mars. and then structures a plan, using the resources suggested by Moon’s trine to Saturn (structure, authority) at 11:03 AM ET. Around 10:32 PM ET, we’ll have the First Quarter Moon, in which the fiery, proactive, head-butting energy of the Aries Sun clashes with the Cancer Moon’s need for safety and security, because feelings.
WEDNESDAY: Call in your favors, supported by the Moon’s easy flow to Venus and Uranus at 12:49 PM ET and 3:39 PM ET. A big reward — or wretched excess — may be in store, reflecting the exuberant expansive potential of Moon’s square to Jupiter at 7:34 PM ET. Adjustments may be required, as Moon squares Mercury at 2:29 AM ET on…
THURSDAY. Note your morning inspiration, fueled by the Moon’s easy alignment with Neptune at 9:45 AM ET. After that, the Cancer Moon goes void for the next 9 hours. Stick to routine concerns, and once again, don’t make a mountain out of a molehill of crisis. During this particular Moon void, Mars trines Saturn at 3:03 PM ET, suggesting an easy flow of militant, disciplined action — with caveats. Mars is arguably not comfortable in Cancer, where its preference for pioneering directness needs to accommodate those pesky feelings and security needs. And whose security are we talking about, exactly? Hmm? Later, at 6:25 PM ET, Venus meets up with Uranus in Taurus, suggesting disruptive and/or innovative news in matters of money, art, women and social expressions. Volatility in the markets would not be surprising. Unconventional alliances and attractions are favored. At 6:31 PM ET, Moon enters Leo and opposes Pluto, prompting a power play or catharsis on whatever may have been running wild during the long Cancer Moon void. The Moon-Pluto opposition happens at 6:46 PM ET. Avid Readers will recall that a Leo Moon needs to know that it is loved and adored. This need can bring out drama kings and queens looking for a stage upon which to shine…or a throne from which to issue regally entitled edicts. Finding a cause to celebrate or a reason to pay someone a compliment is a fine coping strategy.
FRIDAY: The only exact aspect among the planets today is a trine between the Leo Moon and the Aries Sun, exact at 4:29 PM ET. Sounds like a productive day to me — followed by a happy Happy Hour.
SATURDAY: Your overnight surprise is sponsored in part by the Moon’s square to rebel Uranus, exact at 4:29 AM ET. Moon’s square to Venus at 8:06 AM ET could reflect indulgence — for better or worse. Eh. Could be worse…and Moon’s trine to Jupiter at 9:24 AM ET could put a positive spin on it all. Keep the party going through the rest of the day.
SUNDAY: Moon trines Mercury at 2:02 AM ET, which is helpful for thinking and communication. Chill during the 5 hour Moon void. At 6:57 AM ET, Moon enters Virgo, ready to clean up the confetti from the Leo Moon’s party. A sobering realization — or feelings of isolation — may crop up around 12:44 PM ET, as Moon opposes Saturn. Whatever must be done to make things right is boosted by a sextile between Moon and Mars, exact at 3:07 PM ET.

Beth Owl’s Daughter’s Tarot Card of the Week is an apt reflection of one potential of this week’s patterns.

If you’d like to listen to a recap of the astonishing synchronicity of planetary patterns and the news, along with deep philosophical musings, Episode 30 of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast is up and running. This episode’s musings include the Nordstream pipeline sabotage, bank scandals, sex trafficking, and the death of the straight line. Peruse the entire Ensouled Universe and you’ll find my efforts to get the ChatGPT bot to reveal its destiny, given what it was willing to share about its horoscope.

And now, the news.

Mars in Cancer at the Aries Point was reflected all over the news, not just in the New York subway.

“In a Roman tomb, ‘dead nails’ reveal an occult practice.” Mars rules iron in the language of astrology.
It’s been 20 years since Michael Moore won an Oscar for the documentary film, Bowling for Columbine — about the first-ever mass shooting in a U.S. school. If you’ve never seen it, you can watch it for free this week — the link is on Moore’s Substack page.
Guess what the Washington Post was doing through the seven months Mars (guns) was trekking through Gemini (words)? An in-depth examination on “the AR-15’s impact on America” — OMG, what timing. This article is gifted.
It is no surprise that yet another horrible school shooting is all over the news today, this one in Nashville. Congressman Andy Ogle represents the district where the massacre happened, and he made news earlier this year when he lied about being an economist (he’s not). He’s making news (again) for putting a photo of his whole family holding various firearms on a Christmas card a couple of years ago, and now feeling “heartbroken” over today’s tragedy. Another angle to this incident which reflects this week’s patterns — especially those exact on Thursday: it is being reported that the person identified as the shooter was a 28-year-old female who identified as transgender.
A Florida school principal resigned after parents complained that “pornographic” art (a.k.a. Michelangelo’s statue of David) was shown to a class of sixth graders. A replica of the statue is pictured above. What do you think? And yes, of course there’s action in Michelangelo’s horoscope to reflect this harsh response. Transiting Saturn is right on his Pisces Moon, for starters. The horoscope lives forever, doncha know. Google that phrase and you’ll see what I mean.
“Scientists create mice from two dads for the first time ever”
The former guy held court at a rally in Waco, Texas over the weekend, calling the 2024 election “the final battle.“
There were mass protests in Israel over the weekend, as PM Netanyahu sacked the minister who opposed the his intention to “overhaul” the Israeli judiciary, which would weaken Israel’s democracy. As of this evening, the planned overhaul has been “delayed.”
“Hong Kong police exercise tight control over first authorized protest in years.”
“Indian opposition leader expelled from parliament after defamation conviction.” The timing is extraordinary, as it happened on Friday, with Mars at the verrrrrrry end of “war of words” Gemini.
“EU ministers to approve vehicle emissions laws after deal with Germany”
“Putin says Russia will station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus”

Meanwhile…

“The myth of the alpha wolf“ is part Mars at the Aries Point, part Pluto in Aquarius. The subhead for The New Yorker article is “The model of aggression and dominance has infected human society. But new research shows how wrong we got it.” It speaks to what we may anticipate over the next 20 years with Pluto (power & resources) in Aquarius (the people); i.e. a possible dismantling of a hierarchical, top-down way of operation, replaced by something that is more co-operative. Wouldn’t that be nice?
More from Pluto in Aquarius: don’t worry, kids, we found the missing uranium. Now let’s go find that “alien artifact” that may have fallen into the ocean.
Here’s another one — reflecting how the rules we’ve lived by for so many years are subject to change: “US teens say they have new proof for 2000 year-old mathematical theorem.” And they said this particular proof wasn’t possible. This is just the beginning…
“Glass beads on the moon may hold billions of tons of water”. Wow This would change everything, right?
“The professor trying to protect our private thoughts from technology“

Saturn (controls, loss) in Pisces (empathy, water, salt) was all over this beautifully-written op-ed in the Sunday NYT:

“I am haunted by what I have seen at Great Salt Lake“
“An Australian river choking on fish corpses, and a community full of anger,” was sponsored in part by Mars, obviously.
First global water conference in 50 years yields “lots of pledges; zero checks.” Sigh.
“A mostly hidden problem wastes appalling amounts of water”

Meanwhile…

UPDATE: on VP Kamala Harris. She’s on an important tour of Africa, as Heather Cox Richardson explains. Saturn is now sitting right on top of the VP’s horoscope for the first of three passes this year. Her elevated, more authoritative status is happening right on schedule.

Elsewhere…

…some possible long-term good news!

I suspect we will be focusing on that issue later this year, when Jupiter (abundance) moves into Taurus (material comfort and security).

And finally…

…in honor of this week’s Venus-Uranus conjunction (women, disruptors and technogeeks) and the Mercury-Jupiter conjunction (in pioneering Aries), if you’ve never heard of pioneering scientist Cecilia Payne, you really should. She showed up on my Facebook feed over the weekend, and of course her horoscope is currently hot. Here she is, in the spotlight.

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

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THE FORECAST

THE
FORECAST