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I am a reporter with a unique beat. I use my understanding of planetary cycles to provide advance notice and analysis on the Zeitgeist of the day. If you have ever wondered “why is this happening now,” my insights will transform your experience of the headlines, adding new meaning and understanding. Call it Astrology for News Junkies. If you’re curious to know why the Impossible Burger is trending…or why the outcome of the 2019 Israeli elections was likely to be a shocker …or why “Woodrow Wilson, Stud Muffin” was a New York Times headline in December 2013, you will find it here, in over a decade’s worth of historical research and reporting.
Note that I do use astrological jargon in The Forecast in my effort to show how the planetary patterns are reflected in mundane events. I explain what the jargon symbolizes, so that all who want to understand the connections between astrology and the news may do so. However, I do not use astrological jargon in personal consultations, just plain English.
Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday 7/30/2014: Neptune in Pisces Update
/in The ForecastAnalyze it. Critique it. Break it down and get it right. Then, assimilate it. The practical, earthy energy of today’s Moon in Virgo is yours for the taking, supporting by a communicative connection to authoritative, disciplined Saturn. That’s good for harnessing the surge of tenacious will and physical release suggested by patterns that are exact on Friday, but in effect now. What was your New Moon agenda again? Some fabulous work of creative self-expression, with a flair that’s all your own? Make it so.
And now, the news.
I’m seeing so many headlines reflecting expectations of nebulous Neptune’s journey through Pisces, so I thought it would be helpful to do a review. Neptune, dipped into Pisces for four months in 2011 before fully committing to a 14-year run in its home sign in 2012. Neptune energy can be challenging for people who live in a material world, as Neptune tends to dissolve whatever it touches. It doesn’t strike with a lightning bolt, like Uranus, or blow things to smithereens, purging and/or transforming, like Pluto. Its effects are much more subtle, but no less powerful. A few key words for Neptune: intangible forms (wireless communication including film, photography, telepathy, healing, intuition, spirituality, rarefied art forms, including music), oil, dreams, drugs, blood, alcohol, poisons, viruses, water, oceans, seafood. A few key words for Pisces: surrender, empathy, compassion, collective consciousness, belief, martyr, saint and all human beings that society tends to sweep under the rug, including refugees and other homeless persons, prisoners, orphans and others locked away in institutions.
The last time Neptune entered Pisces was in 1847, and I thank astrologer Adrian Duncan for putting together some key developments reflecting that last journey so I do not have to write it up myself. Read on for clues to what we can expect to see — and already are seeing — from 2012 to 2026:
Sometimes it feels like we are living in a Dickens novel, with so many headlines of human suffering in a haves vs. have-not world. An op-ed in the NYT Sunday Review bemoaned the empirical data confirming the inability of the haves to empathize (Pisces) with the have-nots. Seriously, their brains are wired that way & the data proves it. I think Pope Francis, with his apparently exceptional ability to empathize with those who are suffering, is an apt reflection of Neptune in Pisces. So is every headline about water (and lack thereof — witness California and Detroit), oceans and fisheries in crisis. So is every headline about infectious diseases, such as the recent items about bubonic plague in China and the Ebola virus in Liberia. And let’s not forget the recently-discovered vials of smallpox left lying around and the workers at the CDC in Atlanta who may have been exposed to anthrax (the Director of the lab just resigned).
Instead of opium, we’re seeing marijuana becoming more socially acceptable — and in fact, Sunday’s NYT editorial made a strong case for making marijuana legal nationwide, as Colorado and Washington have done already. It’s not just about about raising revenue; it’s about a more compassionate approach towards the tens of thousands of people currently incarcerated (Pisces) in the United States over drug-related charges.
What Duncan doesn’t mention in the excerpt above is that Uranus and Pluto were quite active in the early years of Neptune’s last 14-year journey in Pisces, just as they are now. The “social democratic demonstrations” mentioned above included the “Year of Revolutions of 1848, in which much of Europe was in upheaval. This coincided with Uranus and Pluto hooking up in the cardinal sign of Aries, along with Saturn. So now we have the return of Neptune in Pisces, and a highly charged pattern between Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn. And we have headlines of upheaval all over the world. And we also have refugees, too, as Neptune dissolves whatever it touches, including boundaries and borders. Coincidence or conspiracy?
So there you have it. A few thoughts on Neptune in Pisces — and how we may see this reflected in the headlines. You are personally affected by this potentially bewildering and/or ego-denying planet if you were born around the 28th of February, May, August or November….or if you have a planet or angle around 7 degrees of Pisces, Virgo, Gemini or Sagittarius. Bewildering and/or delusional is a potential downside; visionary and/or creative might be upsides. Marco Rubio is under the influence. So is Clay Aiken. What’s going on in your horoscope? Consult your local astrologer for details.
Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 7/29/2014: Sneak Peek at the Rest of the Week
/in The ForecastGood Morning!
At 11:37pm ET on Monday, the Moon finally got into gear in Virgo, offering us an opportunity to hammer out details, organize and make things right. Push for extra clarification around 2PM ET, when a challenge to the Moon from nebulous Neptune may fog things up. On the other hand, the Neptunian influence may provide you with just the inspiration you need to craft your pitch. An easy connection to the Moon from regenerative Pluto adds depth and intensity to exchanges this evening, exact around 11PM ET. Easy connections between Moon and Pluto can facilitate healing.
Planetary patterns this week are much lighter than they were say…in mid-July and April. Much of the energy is building to a release on Friday, reflected as follows: Venus (women, money, art, social expression) is being challenged by rebel Uranus and is also being supported by disciplined Saturn. Uranus is the avant garde; Saturn is the old guard. Look for themes of unconventional attractions and freedom of social expression, likely involving women and resources. Also exact on Friday: a clash between action hero Mars in razor-sharp Scorpio and expansive Jupiter in regal Leo, suggesting a need for a physical release or over-the-top expansion. You’ll feel the surge of energy more personally if you have a planet or angle around 3 degrees of Leo, Taurus, Scorpio and Aquarius…or if you were born around the 26th of July, October, January or April. Jupiter at 3 Leo suggests a potential trigger for whatever seeds you planted on last Saturday’s New Moon, which was also at 3 Leo. Expansion is a possibility.
Other than the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square, which continues to hum its wake-up call anthem in the background, disrupting the status quo everywhere, be advised that there is an obsessive-compulsive connection between willful Mars and rebel Uranus for much of the week. Watch the headlines for news of freak accidents and outbursts, as we saw over the weekend in Venice Beach, CA, when lightning struck and killed one man. Freaky indeed, as was the news of a fatal plane crash that very same day in Venice, Florida. You may be feeling particularly buzzed if you have a planet or angle around 16 degrees of Aries or 2 Scorpio.
Moon voids — those natural rest periods during which we may be more inclined to wander off the beaten path — are few this week. On Thursday note 10:48AM – 12:09pm ET; Friday note 10:58pm ET until Saturday 10:57PM ET; otherwise, onward!
Astro-logical Forecast for Friday — Monday 7/25-28/2014: New Moon in Leo; Mars Enters Scorpio
/in The ForecastWe are in the balsamic phase of the lunar cycle – the dark side of the Moon, sensing that the New Moon is just around the corner but we don’t quite know what the new energy will bring. Restlessness and listlessness are not uncommon feelings, with double the potential today given that the Moon in Cancer will be void-of-course from 9:53AM ET until 10:55AM ET on Saturday. Wanna start the weekend early?
If you must work — as I must — stick to routine tasks and roll with any twists or delays that may thwart your efforts to move forward in a straight line. Chill out; don’t turn molehills of frustration into mountains; enjoy the aimless drift…see where it takes you. Wrap up projects from this lunar cycle and get ready to begin anew on Saturday.
Big news today is Mars, finally finally leaving Libra, where it has been all year — and entering Scorpio at 10:25pm ET. And there was much rejoicing in the land! Mars is much happier in Scorpio, where its headstrong efforts are freed up from Libra concerns over what everyone else will think. In Scorpio, Mars needs to act with depth and substance in its quest for world domination – or annihilation. Scorpios are so interesting that way. Caveat: today and for the next few days, Mars is in an especially tense pattern with Uranus (accidents, shocks to the system). This pattern was in effect through most of February and reflected in stunning accidents and outbursts — checkout the archives of this site for examples in the news.
Sleep in, chill out on Saturday. Moon shifts gear and roars into sunny Leo at 10:55AM ET — time for some summer fun! Wish Mick Jagger a happy 71st birthday OMG. Don’t start a fight around 11:29AM ET, when the regal Leo Moon is squared by willful Mars. If you’re shopping around 3PM ET, you may be inclined to splurge, courtesy of a hook-up between Moon and expansive Jupiter in luxe-loving Leo.
The New Moon kicks in at 6:42PM ET, when the Sun and Moon conjoin at 3 degrees of Leo. Make a list; light a candle. A New Moon offers us an opportunity to re-set intentions and goals for the next lunar cycle. Around August 3rd, on the First Quarter Moon, we can expect a challenge to those goals, with appropriate adjustments made. At the time of the Full Moon on the 10th, we can expect illumination on the success or failure of our goals for the cycle. If we succeeded, we can consciously release our success into our reality; if we failed, we let go of whatever did not work. After the Third Quarter Moon on the 17th, we can review our achievements, tie up loose ends and get ready to begin another New Moon on August 25th.
Creative self-expression, a sense of play and romantic love are Leo trademarks. So are royal entitlement and ego aggrandizement. Leo is born to rule; there’s no need to prove its case, and the sooner everyone in the room recognizes and honors it, the happier everyone will be. Why is that so hard for non-Leos to understand? In this New Moon chart, the need of the Leo Sun and Moon to shine is augmented by this week’s hook-up with expansive Jupiter. An intensified and potentially groundbreaking social expression of this need is suggested by dynamic alignment between Venus (love, women, art, money) and the Uranus-Pluto square. An extra dose of willpower, potent and potentially volatile, is suggested by the aforementioned tension between Mars and rebel Uranus, and by an approaching challenge by Mars to Jupiter which adds an abundant physicality and enthusiasm. How are you going to release all of this energy? Hopefully by being your naturally sunny self and doing what you were born to do. Get in touch with your passions this month. Take some time to follow your bliss. Do what you love. Leo rules the heart!
You are more personally affected by the need for creative self-expression of this New Moon if you have a planet or point around 3 degrees of Leo, Aquarius, Taurus and Scorpio…or if you were born around the 26th of July, October, January and April.
Sunday the Leo Moon coasts through the day without interference, until it goes void of course on a stubborn challenge between Moon and stern Saturn at 8:38PM ET. An intense emotional response may have been building all day, suggested by ruthless Pluto opposing Venus at 2:17AM ET on Monday. A power play involving women, resources and/or aesthetics is suggested. Here’s what happened the last time Pluto and Venus were in a challenging pattern. Venus will square rebel Uranus on August 1st.
Once the Moon goes void at 8:38PM ET Sunday, it will not enter the next sign — Virgo — until 11:37PM ET on Monday. Long Moon voids suggest long rest periods. If you didn’t launch your New Moon initiative on Sunday; wait until Tuesday.
And now, some news.
I was expecting some royal edicts to make headlines yesterday, given the Leo Sun’s hook-up with expansive Jupiter. And there on the NYT homepage was a piece about what life is like in a Syrian city now controlled by ISIS. That hook-up suggests a lot of hot air, and sharing the NYT homepage was an update on the severe drought affecting the Western United States.
There were plenty of headlines reflecting the disruptive potential of this week’s challenge to mental Mercury by Uranus-Pluto, starting with more than one crash of a commercial jetliner — in Mali and in Taiwan, not to mention the death of a teen pilot attempting to fly around the world. In other news, the startling revelation that Senator John Walsh (D-Montana) plagiarized much of the content in his master’s thesis. Meanwhile, a 16-year-old has created an app that aims to expose “corrupt politicians”, while proprietary information about how one might end up on the U.S. “no-fly” list is leaked. Travel plans for some may be further disrupted thanks to a computer glitch that is delaying the issuing of U.S. passports.
Yesterday’s piece about memory and music was particularly well-received. So here’s another story about the positive influence of art (Venus trine Neptune), creative self-expression (Sun-Jupiter in Leo) and especially art’s ability to shake people out of a mental funk (Mercury square Uranus): find out what happens when some people diagnosed with mental illness take up photography.
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Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday & Thursday 7/23-24/2014: Stellar
/in The ForecastMoon continues its sojourn in Gemini today, seeking information and entertainment on multiple platforms, coasting without input from the other planets until 8:53PM ET. That’s when it makes an easy connection to action-oriented Mars, and then promptly goes void — i.e., wanders aimlessly for two hours, and then enters emotional security-seeking Cancer. Any upsets today may be in the form of communication and travel, courtesy of fallout and build-up from mental Mercury’s contact with Pluto yesterday and Uranus tomorrow. Otherwise, you’re good to go.
Planetary patterns on Thursday, as noted in Tuesday’s forecast, are stellar. Venus trines Neptune at 7:10AM ET, suggesting a need for beauty in all senses. Put on your rose-colored glasses, as this need is echoed between 1 and 2PM ET, when the Cancer Moon (women, money, art, social expression) is supported by this trine. At 4:44PM ET, get in touch with your inner lover/drama king or queen/creative spirit, as the Sun and Jupiter meet up in sunny Leo. Downside: news of some royal edict is sure to be issued by a bombastic, entitled type — but hopefully not in your own personal kingdom.
Startling communications or travels are suggested, as noted earlier, from now until 8:07PM ET Thursday, when Mercury is rattled by rebel Uranus. Two hours later, efforts to assimilate the new information may be facilitated by an easy connection to Mercury from disciplined Saturn, and a simultaneous power play or emotional catharsis suggested by potent Pluto challenging the security-seeking Moon. In other words, likely a noticeably active night.
In the news, as expected, there have been a number of startling headlines involving communication and travel. For instance, I’ll bet most of you learned in a high school civics class about the justice system of the United States. Accused criminals are “innocent until proven guilty” and the attorney-client relationship is privileged and confidential. Well, not really, as prosecutors are apparently reading the emails defendants who are writing to their lawyers while in prison awaiting trial. It gets worse. Even your cat photos are being tracked. Elsewhere, more startling news of a Plutonian “corruption exposed” nature involving an ethics commission and efforts made to “hobble it” by aides to NY Governor Andrew Cuomo made headlines today.
For upsets in general, conflicting decisions about the Affordable Care Act, as one federal appeals court ruled yesterday that only people in 14 states may qualify for tax credits to help cover the cost of insurance premiums, so people in the other 36 states now stand to lose the tax credits they now receive — and thus, perhaps, their ability to pay for health insurance. Why do people in only 14 states qualify? Read today’s NYT editorial. Meanwhile, another federal appeals court rules that the tax credits apply to all 50 states, so stay tuned, the matter is far from settled. Here are some interesting statistics comparing health care in those 14 states vs. the other 36. Health care reform — as noted in prior forecasts — is one of the themes suggested by the never-ending Uranus-Pluto square, a cycle that began 50 years ago when Uranus and Pluto were conjunct in Virgo (health).
Uranus in Aries (the individual) squaring Pluto in Capricorn (the corporation) also suggests upsets to the corporate status quo by the rebel entrepreneur. Companies like AirBnB and Uber are prime examples, and as with just about anything, there are pluses and minuses. Here’s a glowing review and interview with the CEO of AirBnB….and here’s a follow-up piece on the “dark side” of this new-fangled “sharing economy”. Uranus remains in Aries until March of 2019; Pluto leaves Capricorn in January of 2024.
Finally, on a lighter note: Thursday’s exact trine between Venus and Neptune favors an appreciation (Venus) of music (Neptune). Add this to the week’s startling revelations suggested by contacts among Mercury, Uranus and Pluto, and isn’t it interesting to see this article published about the connection between music and memory.
Cue Judy Collins now, please.
Your donations never fail to make my day, with much gratitude to you for your appreciation. Gratitude also to those of you who share this forecast with friends. Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Have a wonderful day!
Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 7/22/2014: Sun Enters Leo
/in The ForecastAn intense focus on information gathering and persuasive communication may be yours today, courtesy of the Moon in info-junkie Gemini, coupled with a ruthless challenge between mental Mercury and potent Pluto. At 5:41PM ET the Sun enters regal Leo, where it is born to shine — and help others shine, too. This year the Sun shines bigger than it has in 12 years, courtesy of its approaching hook-up with expansive Jupiter on Thursday. Party on, dudes — in spite of the upheaval in the headlines. In your own personal world, this week offers plenty of potential delights.
This week we are aided and abetted by a couple of other lovely and practical planetary patterns that are also building to a release on Thursday. Venus (arts, women, money, social expression) is in a harmonious aspect with soulful, visionary Neptune. Mercury (mind, communication, travel) is empowered by its contact with Pluto today, but it is also buzzing with potential insight, courtesy of a challenge to rebel Uranus, and has the potential to structure all that buzz into something tangible, courtesy of an alignment with stern Saturn. Bottom line: creative efforts and communication are supported. If you live by your wits, take note.
Moon voids this week, because I neglected to mention them yesterday: Wednesday 8:53pm – 10:59pm ET; Friday is a loooooong one: 9:53AM ET until 10:56AM Saturday. Sounds like a three-day weekend to me….and it may feel like one anyway, even if you’re at the office on Friday. Make that a four-day weekend; the Moon will be void all that day, too — at least during business hours in the Americas. If you are new to the forecast and not clear on how to use awareness of Moon voids (natural cosmic rest periods) to your advantage, look here.
Your donations never fail to make my day, with much gratitude to you for your appreciation. Gratitude also to those of you who share this forecast with friends. Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Have a wonderful day!