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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 Tuesday 3/26/2013: Order in the Court
/in The ForecastChag Pesach Semeach!
Such an appropriate week to be celebrating liberation from slavery, given the focus on freedom and independence in current planetary patterns. Even the Obamas hosted a seder, which apparently they’ve done every year since 2008. Who knew?
As reported yesterday, there are no lunar aspects today. Moon is still in Virgo and still void. Does your desk need to be cleaned? Got a closet that needs to be organized? Such tasks can be richly rewarding, and there’s plenty of high-octane energy to attack such projects, with willful Mars in a supportive connection with expansive Jupiter, exact at 6:27AM ET. An early morning workout isn’t a bad idea, either. Really, find a constructive way to blow off some steam.
With the Moon waxing full, so are emotions.In Virgo, the need to be correct is paramount. Who’s finding fault with you now? Try not to take it personally, and choose your battles verrrrry carefully. If you’re really on the side of the angels, stand your ground and push for a breakthrough. If not, let it go. Many will be noticing more than the usual stress in relationships this week. See yesterday’s forecast for those most likely to be affected.
Moon enters Libra at 5:32PM ET, shifting the focus from perfection to fairness and integrity in relationship…which could be a challenge, given ruthless Pluto squaring aggressive Mars just before midnight ET. Well, at least you will know where you stand…
All of the above make an intriguing backdrop for two major cases to be argued before the Supreme Court today and tomorrow — both involving freedom and equality in relationship; i.e. same-sex marriage. Here’s a historical perspective on the issue — and you’ll note that the article gives 1969 as the start of the gay rights movement. Yes, 1969 — shortly after the Uranus-Pluto conjunction that reflected so much revolution around the globe…and here we are now, with the Uranus-Pluto square. Astro-logical patterns suggest this is the time to move forward, not backward.
While many are saying that Justice Kennedy will be the decisive vote in a possible 5-4 decision, Justice Antonin Scalia has also been getting press, as some wonder how he will behave as the arguments are presented. Scalia’s horoscope is under pressure from Mars and the Uranus-Pluto square — specifically, a point that refers to dealings with the public (and how he needs to evolve in this lifetime). Still another point that refers to the potential for combat in relationships is highlighted this week, as follows: “energy helping or upsetting relationship; sexual awareness in partnership; drive for fulfillment” (astrologer Noel Tyl, describing aggressive Mars on the Sun/Moon midpoint). Coincidence or conspiracy?
Meanwhile, an avid reader shared a surreal conversation that happened yesterday, during the Moon void. And you wonder why people ask “Is Mercury retrograde?” during voids…
Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 3/25/2013: Sneak Peek at the Fiery, Feisty Week
/in The ForecastThere’s an interesting dichotomy in planetary patterns this week. On the one hand, four planets — Sun, Venus, Mars and Uranus — are blazing ahead in feisty, impulsive, inspiring and impatient Aries. Over the next several days, they will be making contact with the rest of their planetary pals in ways which are likely to be experienced as startling/shocking, power-packed, expansive, unconventional and sometime ruthless. The continuing saga of the banking crisis in Cyprus — the latest of a never-ending string of banking crises — is but one example of shocks we may see to the system.
I’ve noticed more sirens than usual here in New York over the past few days. Also many people shouting into their cell phones as they stomp down the street. The taxi on fire last Friday in front of the Hilton was certainly impressive. Be super nice to those born this week, as well as those born during the last week of June, September and November. They are feeling the power surge more than most.
But while the rest of the planets are symbolically bouncing off each other like pinballs, the Moon will be void-0f-course & wandering aimlessly through the cosmos for most of the week, suggesting much of the action we see may be “all for naught” or much ado about nothing. Here’s the VOC schedule:
Monday 8:45 AM ET – 5:32 PM ET on TUESDAY; Wednesday 2:14PM ET until 8:54PM ET THURSDAY; Friday 4:25PM ET until 11:13PM ET SATURDAY; we’ve got all-day voids on April 1st & 3rd, too.
Monday morning starts off with a burst of organizational energy that is driven to perfection, courtesy of the Moon in meticulous Virgo. Transformation, resources and power plays are themes that will carry through the rest of the day, as Moon goes void at 8:45AM ET on a supportive contact from potent Pluto. The void suggests we find ways to chill, and my big plan is to put together a bookcase that is being delivered, so I can organize my ever-expanding collection of astrology books.
Meanwhile, aggressive Mars in Aries likely has another agenda. The Warrior Planet will touch base with expansive Jupiter at 6:27AM ET on Tuesday, which suggests a healthy does of physical energy for you to expend. A still greater release may arrive around or before 11:44PM ET on Tuesday, as Mars makes a provocative challenge to ruthless Pluto. Really, this is not the time to pick a fight. Mars-Pluto challenges can be brutal. If you must perform a feat requiring extreme effort — like run a marathon — they can be quite helpful. They are also helpful for a forceful expression of will — but not necessarily pleasant for those on the receiving end. Watch the headlines for stories of saber-rattling and other demonstrations of force. News from underground is also to be expected.
Back to you in the studio…
Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 3/22/2013 & The Weekend: Fiery, Festive & Matt Lauer, Too.
/in The ForecastParty on, dude and mind the fireworks. Moon entered fun-loving Leo as of 2:50AM ET; a jolly good time can be had in the most regal way from now through part of Sunday. Just be aware that the mood has changed dramatically since Monday, with Sun and Venus now in me-me-me Aries, The compassion and empathy of the past month’s pile-up of planets in Pisces is being replaced by the falling down stairs because it’s faster than walking, “my way or the highway” Aries approach. You got a problem with that?
Mars and rebel Uranus join forces in this most RAMbunctious sign at 2:17PM ET, likely triggering outbursts of energy and revelations which may take the form of scientific/tech breakthroughs, seismic activity, accidents and temper tantrums. Watch the headlines for things like this mind-blowing quantum computer and this supercool picture of the internet, which apparently required the breaking of thousands of boundaries in order to be made. How do you get an Aries to do something? Tell them it just can’t be done. Ha!
The Leo Moon, with its energy for drama and recognition is beautifully supported all through the day. How will you use it to shine — and allow others to shine, too? Not until 11:28PM ET does it go void on a potentially chilly connection with stern Saturn. How dare they rain on your parade?
Moon is void all day on Saturday — perfect for a long rest; not perfect at all for impulsive shopping purchases. Not until 11:49AM ET on Sunday does the Moon enter perfectionist Virgo, putting things back in order from whatever partying was going on. Then get ready for another TWO DAYS of Moon void-ness, as of 8:45AM ET Monday through 5:32PM ET on TUESDAY. Those of you taking vacation time for Passover, Good Friday & Easter are so in tune with the cosmos….
And now the news. First, a correction to yesterday’s forecast, written during a pesky Moon void, in which I incorrectly referenced a chart calculated for the euro on January 1, 0199 instead of 1999. D’oh! I apologize for the error and any confusion caused. Fortunately, the shake-ups and transformation suggested by ruthless Pluto and rebel Uranus hitting the euro’s Sun at 10 Capricorn still apply. In fact, any person, place or thing that came into being around Dec 30 – Jan 2 of any year is up for empowerment, emancipation and/or a disruption to the status quo that’s been in process for a couple of years and will likely continue into 2014. Same goes for those born around Mar 29 – Apr 2, Jun 29 – July 2 and Sep 29 to Oct 2.
Take Matt Lauer, for example. Here’s his horoscope, calculated for noon, as the birth time is unknown. Born on December 30th, 1957, he has Sun at 8 degrees of Capricorn, and first written about in this forecast back in 2011, when there were rumblings that he might not renew his contract when it expired at the end of 2012. With Pluto and Uranus poised to connect with the Sun, issues of power and freedom, and a change of status were clearly suggested at that time. If he hadn’t stayed on at Today, he would have been on to something else perhaps more personally empowering or freeing. Really, a change of course seemed astro-logical.
As it turned out, Lauer did not leave. A demand for an approximately 50% pay raise to 25 million dollars a year was met. Empowering — and how fulfilling, perhaps, for Lauer’s Moon in Aries, which needs to know it is Number One. He stayed on at Today. And then it appears he was involved in a power play (Pluto!) last year when former co-host Ann Curry was ungraciously shown the door. And viewers did not like seeing Ann Curry in tears as they were sipping their morning coffee. This power play appears to have backfired.
Fast forward to December of 2012, on the third hit of Pluto to Lauer’s Sun, and viewers now blame him for pushing Curry out. Ratings have fallen. He is no longer Number One (ouch!). As unpredictable Uranus is about to challenge Lauer’s Sun, his status has clearly been disrupted. And these two planets are not done with him yet. They will continue to put pressure on Lauer to make changes that will — if embraced — ideally lead to real empowerment and freedom. There is now talk of him replacing Alex Trebek as the host of Jeopardy! when his Today contract expires in 2015. To be continued…
Do you have Pluto and Uranus dancing on a major planet or angle in your horoscope? This is a time for big changes. Be prepared! Consult your local astrologer for further details.
Astro-logical Forecast for Thursday 3/21/2013: Mind the Void!
/in The ForecastAll dressed up with no place to go? We’ve got three planets in feisty, rush-to-action Aries (Sun, Mars & Uranus), suggesting the need to initiate is strong. And yet the Moon is still void-of-course in Cancer, suggesting that whatever is initiated will likely be of no consequence. And that if a crisis erupts, it will likely be much ado about nothing.
Quick clarification on voids, thanks to an email from an avid reader. Yesterday I wrote that they can function like a mini-Mercury retrograde. I meant to write that they can feel like a mini-Mercury retrograde, and I say this because I can’t tell you how many times my colleagues at the office will ask me if Mercury is retrograde during a Moon void. Perhaps because the office I’m usually in is a TV news network, a fast-paced, moving straight-ahead environment with tight deadlines & no option of not shipping just because an astro-logical phenomenon suggests you take a break. And when you are pushing to move forward with something new(s), the lack of cooperating lunar energy is noticeable.
To clarify the difference between how retrograde planets and Moon voids function: retrograde planets function by appearing to move backwards. Moon voids do not move backwards; though sometime they feel as if they are going in circles. Or absolutely nowhere. Or wandering wherever. On some detour. Like, my writing all this about voids instead of talking about the news, which is what I said I was going to do in yesterday’s forecast. Not that it matters, because this forecast is shipping late, and many of you may not read it. So all my efforts to clarify are likely for naught. Moon is void-of-course. I rest my case.
On a day with Moon in homeland security-conscious Cancer, this declassified list of global threats facing the U.S. just crossed my desk, in case you had no homeland security issues to worry about. It was published on March 12, when warrior Mars and the Moon were in Aries at the Aries Point (discussed yesterday). This is certainly appropriate timing for a report that cites likely causes of strife. It is interesting to see it being circulated on the web today, with Sun and Venus now at the Aries Point, too.
Have you been following the banking brouhaha in Cyprus? Lawmakers rejected the notion of imposing a tax on bank deposits as a means or securing a bailout from international lenders. Banks are closed; customers are lining up at ATMs and now the there are threats of pushing Cyprus out of the euro zone. This uncertainty is now reflected in the markets. What’s going on, astro-logically?
The horoscope for Cyprus suggests imminent stress and hard work required against a terrible threat of loss, focused on issues involving other peoples’ money. Glance at the horoscope for one second you’ll see stern/fearful Saturn at 12 Capricorn in the 8th house (other peoples’ money), about to be hit by transiting Uranus (shake-ups) at 12 Aries and Pluto (transformation, empowerment or destruction) eventually getting to 12 Capricorn in 2014. Aspects between Saturn and Uranus often present opportunities for a different approach; Saturn-Pluto connections are just plain hard. Period.
Meanwhile, in the horoscope for the euro we see the Sun under stress from Uranus and Pluto The need for change is intense, and has been intense since both of these heavy planets have been putting pressure on the angles of this horoscope for a few years. So we can expect this period of stress to continue into 2014, which is how long it will take for these heavy planets to complete this transit cycle. Writing about this horoscope is proving to be a most excellent teachable moment on the perils of a Moon void and how it can feel like mini-Mercury retrogrades, as in the version sent out to my email subscribers at 1PM ET, I referenced a horoscope for the euro that was calculated in 0199, not 1999. D’oh!
Last but not least, a heads-up that aggressive Mars and rebel Uranus make an explosive connection Friday at 2:17PM ET. On the plus side, breakthroughs involving technology and space exploration can be expected, like this bit about the (explosive!) Big Bang Theory and this bit about Voyager I entering new territory…
Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday 3/20/2013: Happy Vernal Equinox!
/in The ForecastHappy Vernal Equinox! Happy first day of Spring! Happy International Astrology Day! As of 7:02AM ET, Sun entered Aries, marking the beginning of a new astrological year. Courage, self-reliance, inspiration and a pioneering spirit are keywords for the Sun in Aries, sign of the ram — and the lamb. In the Northern hemisphere (the birthplace of Western astrology), it is a time of renewal and rebirth — a chance to let go of old patterns and make a fresh start.
More on the equinox, but first let’s talk about the rest of this day, which is driven by the Moon in Cancer. This is a happy place for the Moon (it rules Cancer), as it seeks to express or find emotional security and sensitivity. The energy it provides is quite challenged today, however, which you may have noticed the minute you got out of bed. A provocative square between the sensitive Moon and willful Mars dominated the wee hours, followed by another square from rebel Uranus, the cosmic cattle prod. Electric!
This afternoon, stern Saturn seeks to stabilize all the buzz flying around, but at 2:01PM, potent Pluto opposes the Moon, suggesting an emotional catharsis or a power play. And on that note, the Moon goes void-of-course for a lonnnnnnnnnng drift, not to enter Leo (the next sign) until 2:50AM on FRIDAY. Regular readers of this forecast know that Moon voids are natural rest/brainstorming periods where creative endeavors can take odd, sometimes magical, twists. Moving forward purposefully in a straight line is often challenged by sudden detours, flakes and cancellations. Crises that crop up tend to be much ado about nothing — but that may not stop people from behaving as if the house is on fire. Roll with the twists and go with the flow and double check everything if you absolutely must hit “send”. I find that voids can feel like mini Mercury retrogrades, accompanied by communication snafus and lack of mental focus. I say this because I can’t tell you how many times someone will ask me if Mercury is retrograde when in fact the Moon is void of course. If you are free to wander, you can accomplish a lot.
OK, about the vernal equinox. Here’s what you need to know about the first day of any season from an astrological point of view. The first day of each season (Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter) corresponds with the first day (or first DEGREE) of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, respectively. Got that? Good. These four signs are called CARDINAL signs of the zodiac, with “cardinal” here suggesting (from the Latin root of the word), “that on which something turns or depends.” Cardinal signs take ACTION. They INITIATE. Nothing happens without ACTION. And action leads to NECESSARY CHANGE. As in a change of seasons — suggested by solstices and equinoxes. Clear?
The first day of a season is prominent in our culture, right? We make a big deal over it — yes? So can you see that in astrology, we observe that PLANETS that are at the first degree of a cardinal sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra & Capricorn), tend to pack a more powerful, prominent punch. They suggest ACTION which leads to CHANGE — prominently! The first degree of the cardinal signs is known as the ARIES POINT. Got that?
Mars was at the Aries Point last week, bringing pioneering initiatives and aggression to the forefront. Now we have Sun at the AP. Late tomorrow night, Venus will be at the Aries Point, too, bringing relationship issues (as I wrote last week), and also issues involving money, art and women to the top of your inbox. If you have a planet or angle at the Aries Point, you can expect that the energy of that planet will demand prominent expression in your life. Your friends and family — and perhaps the entire free world — will notice it. William Shatner was born with the Sun at 0 Aries. “To boldly go where no man has gone before”? I should think so — and the whole world knows him for playing that role.
Lots of news to cover — and since we will have a day with no exact planetary patterns tomorrow, I will devote that forecast to the headlines….stay tuned….