THE
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 Monday 11/5/2012: Mercury Retrograde & Election Day
/in The ForecastThe work week begins with the Moon still void of course, suggesting yet another day of slow starts and other twists in your efforts to move forward in a straight line. The same recommendations for handling voids still apply: if you are in an environment where you can allow things to wander, then go with the creative flow. This does not suggest you are sitting around doing nothing! If you are in a situation where you have strict deadlines to meet, then patience is advised when dealing with delays and crises that will likely turn out to be much ado about nothing.
Moon officially changes gears at 2:39PM ET, when it moves into sunny, regal Leo. See if you notice a shift in energy in the hour or so afterward. Feeling more focused now? The usually playful Leo Moon may have a serious edge as the afternoon progresses into evening, courtesy of a challenge from stern Saturn at 9:58PM ET. If you haven’t backed up your computer and other gizmos in preparation for Mercury’s retrograde on Tuesday, do it when the Moon is not void, ‘mmmkay?
Mercury, which refers to mind, communication and travel, turns retrograde at 6:04PM ET, meaning that it will appear to move backward in the sky 5 degrees into Sagittarius. It will continue backtracking until November 26th, before finally moving forward at 18 degrees of Scorpio. That’s the area of your horoscope that will be highlighted during this retrograde period; book an appointment for more info on how this will affect you personally.
While we perceive Mercury moving backward from our unique vantage point here on Planet Earth; in “reality”, it is doing no such thing. Here is a good visual explanation of retrograde motion. Please disregard the gobbledygook about Mercury retrograde bringing “bad luck”.
Mercury retrograde gets such 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 retrogrades are a perfect time to sloooooooow down. We see this reflected in the curious increase in gizmo crashes (computers and phones), communication and transportation delays and other snafus (like power outages). We may also find ourselves having to repeat what we’ve just said, running into people we haven’t seen in years and having to repeat what we’ve just said.
Getting through Mercury retrograde periods requires FOCUS and PATIENCE. In fact, most all of the snafus that do occur during a Mercury retrograde could be avoided if the parties involved heeded that one simple advisory. But because focus and patience are likely to be lacking, the general advisory is to avoid signing contracts, double check details a zillion times, avoid making major purchases (especially mechanical ones) and don’t believe everything you see in the headlines. With Mercury retrograde, chances are high that there’s more to the story. Gossip is to be avoided, too.
Do plan on RElaxing, REviewing, REsearching, REorganizing, REgenerating, REconnecting and REcreating. Clean out those closets. Organize those files. Get back in touch with people you haven’t seen in years; chances are they will be getting in touch with you. Take a look at projects that didn’t get off the ground in the past; now is a great time to reassess their potential. Turn off your cell phone — or your computer — for a while. Take a trip — yes, really — or any break from your normal routine. Is that why we so often see people going on strike during Mercury retrograde?
When in doubt, practice the art of SILENCE.
Holding a national election during Mercury retrograde, especially on a day when it changes direction, is a colossally bad idea, and it has apparently only happened once before. When? Surely you remember the disastrous US election of 2000, which occurred on a day when Mercury was turning direct. At that time, Mercury (mind, communication) was also challenged by a square from nebulous Neptune, suggesting more confusion in any effort to process information, including correctly reading — and counting — a ballot. Guess what? Nebulous Neptune is currently squaring Mercury right now; the square was exact on October 29th. Mercury and Neptune are changing direction within the next seven days; thus they will form another exact square on November 13th, which also happens to be the next New Moon & a potent solar eclipse. So we’ve got a pattern of potentials that include: visions, dreams, rarefied spiritual/mental states, weirdness, confusion, delusion and deception, to name just a few — happening all month.
The 2000 election chart also had a square to the Sun from disruptive Uranus. This time we have the potential for surprise upheaval suggested by the square between rebel Uranus and ruthless Pluto. And — though this may not be reflected in anything related to tomorrow’s election — just a heads up that aggressive Mars will once again engage that challenging Uranus-Pluto square as we get closer to the end of the month, with Thanksgiving weekend being strongly affected. Look back to the week of July 16th for a recap of the volatility we experienced then. If you don’t remember what you experienced in July, yesterday’s Doonesbury comic strip was written just for you.
My take on who will mostly likely be sitting in the White House on January 21, 2013 has not changed since I first looked at the patterns over a year ago. Barack Obama should be re-elected, and I remain reasonably convinced that he will be…UNLESS the election is compromised by the confusion, communication failure, theft and fraud suggested by the patterns outlined above. Communication failure and confusion obviously include the havoc wreaked by Hurricane Sandy. If your neighborhood was affected by Sandy, you will need extra timing to figure out if your polling place has been moved. Theft includes 1) voter disenfranchisement that prevents likely Obama supporters from voting (here’s an example — or just google “voter disenfranchisement 2012” for the latest and greatest); and 2) tampering with the ballots, as University of Michigan researchers easily demonstrated by getting a drunken cartoon robot elected to the school board in Washington DC. Don’t get me started on electronic voting machines. Most, if not all, are owned by private corporations, and the software that runs them is proprietary. We have them in New York, and every time I go to the polls, I leave with no confidence that my vote was tabulated correctly — but without a paper receipt or even an on-screen confirmation of the choice I made, who would really know?
That being said, cast your ballot in the morning to best avoid the increased confusion likely to creep in as we approach the Mercury retrograde at 6:04PM ET. Why bother, you say – if the outcome is already written in the stars? Because as my mentor, Noel Tyl, is fond of saying, astrology shows us what can be, not what will be. “Planets don’t do anything. People do.” Use your knowledge of astrology as a guide for understanding which way the wind is blowing. Then go do something.
Astro-logical Forecast for Friday 11/2/2012 & The Weekend: Blinded by the Light
/in The ForecastA feisty combustion of words and ideas is likely building to release at 5:21AM ET, suggested by a combative opposition between Mars in opinionated Sagittarius and Moon in oh-so-clever Gemini. Think about this if you’re around someone who challenges you to a duel, and go for a run around the block instead. Given that the Moon goes void of course until 3:43AM ET on Saturday, the high energy may either wander off track or snowball into something that later turns out to be nothing. This will be another long day of going with the flow, but with more of the buzz Gemini craves than the steadiness of Taurus we saw earlier this week. By all means, start the weekend early if you can.
Saturday is ripe with potential for emotional/passionate encounters (some juicier than others); power struggles and/or initiatives; and cuts made in budgets and relationships — which will either challenge or build upon our need for emotional/home security. Why? First, because Moon enters sensitive Cancer at 3:43AM ET and immediately makes supportive connections with visionary Neptune and disciplined Saturn. So far, so good — and helpful for making dreams become real.
However, an intense challenge to loving Venus from ruthless Pluto (1:26PM ET) is immediately followed by a disruptive shock/revelation to the emotional Moon from rebel Uranus. Four hours later, Moon is challenged again by potent Pluto and by Venus, looking for another expressive release. On the plus side, this can be an excellent opportunity to rid yourself of an outworn pattern, or give birth to something entirely new. Artists and other creative types, take note. You’ll be feeling the punch of this T-square more than most if you have planets or points in your horoscope around 5-9 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn…or if you were born around the 27-30th of December, March, June and September.
On Sunday, don’t forget to set your clocks back, as Daylight Savings Time ends just before Moon goes void again — ready for this — for 23 hours, starting at 3:37AM ET. You’ll have all day Sunday to chill, contemplate and indulge in activities that give you a sense of homeland security. Cooking and caring; creating a safe space where you can connect with your roots and your family — whether blood relatives or not — it’s all good. Thousands have been displaced by Hurricane Sandy; maybe you can take some time to care for them — maybe these pics will inspire you.
Meanwhile, I can’t stop thinking about the patterns in Monday’s Full Moon, especially the Sabian Symbols for the Moon-Sun opposition at 7 Taurus-Scorpio. Anyone remember these from Monday’s forecast? “A woman of Samaria and “deep sea divers”, which correspond to the keywords AWAKENING (a moment of truth) and INVOLVEMENT (getting in deep; also, a lifeline, as in the lifeline that allows divers to breathe underwater). And if this is not part of the message of Hurricane Sandy, against the backdrop of the megavolt electric cattle prod of the Uranus-Pluto square, then someone show me what that message is. Oh — wait — I believe Bloomberg Business Week has done it. Exactly!
What we have is the continuation of a huge shift in consciousness, the seeds of which were planted in the mid-60s, at Uranus-Pluto conjunction (think of it as the “New Moon” for those two planets). Anyone remember Rachel Carson’s ground-breaking book, Silent Spring, published in the early 60s? Here it is, being hailed in the Times just last week. And right in synch with the sudden attraction suggested by the Venus-Uranus-Pluto T-square we’ve been talking about all week, today New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a registered Independent, wrote a compelling endorsement for Barack Obama. Why? Two words: climate change.
Bloomberg (Feb 14 1942 3:40PM in Brighton, MA) is an Aquarius with three other planets in Aquarius, including the Moon. Talk about a need for social significance! Aquarius is a fixed sign, which suggests an aptitude for organization and stubbornness. Sun, Moon and Mercury (all in Aquarius) are square to another group of three planets in Taurus (Mars, Saturn & Uranus). What does Taurus need to do? Build material security! Did you know Bloomberg got his BA in engineering? Me neither. Taurus is also supremely stubborn, and all of that fixed sign energy in his horoscope makes perfect sense for a man who was determined to serve three terms as mayor, term limits be damned.
Bloomberg’s Neptune (keywords: vision, airwaves) is at the Aries Point, suggesting this placement will strive for prominence. In Bloomberg’s chart, Neptune rules the area (9th house) related to publishing and “big picture” thinking. Yep, got that. Still more prominence is suggested by Bloomberg’s Midheaven (career/public status) at 8 degrees of independent, pioneering, me-me-me Aries. It’s prominent because 8 Aries is currently being supercharged by the Uranus-Pluto square…from now through 2013.Hot!
Wrapping up the whole package is a Cancer Ascendant. Bloomberg needs to be seen as someone who cares. Yes, he will nurture you, right down to taking away your cigarettes, your trans-fats and your mega-slurpee sugar-packed sodas. Sure, it’s controversial. But he cares! Think about that over the weekend, when the Moon is in Cancer…
And how about Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey and his “sudden attraction” to Barack Obama? Christie has said some harsh things about the Obama, and some members of his political party (Christie is a Republican) were stunned when he had nothing but praise for the President’s response to the havoc wreaked by Sandy in New Jersey. Here’s a fun clip of that from The Daily Show.
Moments of truth. Focusing on essentials. Sudden disruptions of the status quo. It’s all reflected in current planetary patterns…and as for Christie’s horoscope, we don’t know what time he was born. He’s a Virgo — probably with Moon in opinionated Sagittarius, although it could be Scorpio. Christie is known for his blunt, often provocative and/or cranky outbursts. He snaps at people, just like Mike Bloomberg. And guess what? Both Bloomberg and Christie have a square between Mercury (mind, communication) and Mars (action), suggesting aggressive/angry outbursts. In Christie’s case, both his Mars and his Mercury are at 9 Cancer and 10 Libra, respectively…and you know what that means, right? You should! It means that these planets, like Bloomberg’s Midheaven at 8 Aries, will be supercharged by the Uranus-Pluto square throughout 2013. That’ll keep Christie in the public eye for sure…but not necessarily his foot out of his mouth.
OK, basta. No Lance Armstrong today. That was a long bit of writing, and it means the world to me that you read it, but right now, your astrologer is toast. Book an appointment for a consultation already…or give one as a gift to a very dear friend. I am extremely grateful to have phone service and electricity when so many others do not & thus may happily return to work…
Astro-logical Forecast for Thursday 11/1/2012: Moon in Gemini & A Postcard From New York
/in The ForecastIt’s been a full week since we had a 24 hour stretch of lunar energy fully engaged; i.e., without the wandering twists that often crop up when the Moon is void-of-course. As of 2:40PM Wednesday, Moon entered Gemini, a mental, communicative energy that needs movement, diversity and entertainment. Quite a contrast from the need to enjoy the comforts of home, which is one of the joys of Moon in Taurus. Fortunately, for people living in the Tri-State area who are feeling that restless Moon-in-Gemini need to move around, our public transportation system is starting to get back on its feet, with limited train service starting today. Yay! Ever since Tuesday, I have been feeling so grateful that there are city, state and federal workers (whose salaries are paid with tax dollars, some of which are mine — and yours, too), who are restoring order out of the chaos left behind. It gives me enormous pride of ownership in this particular system — that we have all built together — am I being too idealistic?
So yesterday, with this ingress in to Gemini, I decided I had been cooped up long enough. I needed to experience some of what I had only seen in reports. As it turned out, being in the middle of a hurricane slamming into New York City made me think of Al Gore, who — along with gobs and gobs of scientists — has been warning us for decades that this would happen. This then made me think of the song — “You Should Have Listened to Al” — by Al Stewart, a Scottish singer-songwriter I hadn’t thought about in possibly an equal amount of time. A quick Google to get the 411 on Al Stewart revealed — lo and behold — that he was performing in New York on Halloween — and despite the hurricane, the show was definitely on! The synchronicity could not be ignored, so after doing a quick horary astrology chart to make sure my efforts to get to Manhattan were not completely insane — and that the concert would be fun — I headed for the nearest bus stop.
It took three hours to travel ten miles to Penn Station (astonishing, but I had planned for it). When you and everyone else are living in the aftermath of a crisis that disrupts what you have always taken for granted, you are suddenly given the luxury of time. And in that time, as the great philosopher Yogi Berra says, “you can observe a lot just by watching”. I observed, for example, that the bus driver needed to lose about a hundred pounds, and when I thanked him for showing up for work that day, he grumbled and groused about what a tough day it was, and that management considered bus drivers “non essential” (Moon in Aries, Leo, Libra or Scorpio?). I could see how tiresome it must be to have to tell people every other minute to “please move to the back of the bus to make room for other passengers”– which would never happen in Japan. Why is that? Still, I thought, public service employees usually have good benefits, and I wondered if he’d seen last week’s sobering Sun-Saturn article about how private corporations are relying more on part-time workers to avoid paying for health insurance, pensions and vacations. The result? Part-time workers can’t earn enough to fully support themselves, and our tax dollars must make up the difference.
Midtown seemed almost normal — with shops open and tourists roaming 5th Avenue. Once at Penn Station, I learned there was no bus service below 23rd Street, thanks to the power outage in Lower Manhattan. I hailed a cab — and rode east for a few blocks with another passenger to his destination on Third Avenue (cabs are allowed to pick up multiple passengers this week; it’s actually a fun policy, given this luxury of extra time). The landscape changed dramatically as soon as we headed south. It’s really something to see a city in total darkness, with only a handful of pedestrians on the streets. They carried flashlights so 1) they can see where they are going; and 2) so people driving can see them. There were no cops directing traffic and no streetlights, making intersections quite a challenge. My cabbie didn’t think it was so bad; then again, he was from Egypt, where the roads are notoriously “do or die”.
Traveling on through the pitch-black streets, a dimly-lit (by candles) oasis emerged: City Winery, the only place open in the ‘hood. No heat, no hot food, cash only — but plenty of wine in plastic cups. Backup generators provided power for a couple of amplifiers on stage. At least 50 people were there for the show — and three of them had driven 70 miles. Singer-songwriter Rachel Sage opened the night, dressed as a “biker-ballerina” and accompanied by a cellist dressed as Richard Simmons. After all, it was Halloween — and even if it wasn’t, the costumes were a perfect fit for the weirdness to be celebrated by eccentric Uranus challenging Venus (social expression) — which is exact today, by the way. Al Stewart — who is known for writing super-smart, hauntingly lyrical songs about historical figures — brought down the house, along with brilliant guitarist Dave Nachmanoff. On more than one occasion the musicians apologized because it was too dark for them to see their own chord progressions, except when the stage was occasionally lit up by the red and blue flashing lights of patrol cars driving by. The audience didn’t care. It was an intimate, wildly enthusiastic crowd — and worth all the time it took to be there.
It was back to reality — which is still rather surreal — during the cab ride home. Traveling east — again on pitch black, deserted streets, the cab driver talked about his daughter, who had walked down (and then back up) 47 flights of stairs because she needed to buy food. Two of his colleagues in Queens lost cars in the storm; one lost his house. We all know someone who is still without power or has experienced a terrible loss. These crises break down defenses, offering opportunities to re-connect in a more meaningful, authentic way. Look no further than Chris Christie, governor of New Jersey, for a very public example (I’ll talk more about Christie — and Lance Armstrong — tomorrow — the luxury of time notwithstanding, this forecast is long overdue).
With today’s Moon in Gemini, take time to notice what’s going on around you. Pay attention to speech, body language — in all social interactions. Let yourself be curious — as Gemini needs to be — and get some information about someone — or something — you didn’t know. Get out of your comfort zone. With the Venus-Uranus opposition exact today, there is strong potential for revelations as a result of interactions with an unusual crowd. Finally, get it off your desk today, as Moon will be void all day tomorrow. Oh — this would be a good day to back up your computers and other electronic gizmos — Mercury goes retrograde Tuesday. Don’t make me say “I told you so!!”
Astro-logical Forecast for Wednesday 10/31/2012: Every Witch Way
/in The Forecast…picking up from where I left off yesterday, which was somewhere in the middle of Hurricane Sandy, during an almost 48-hour long, void-of-course Taurus Moon that is still going on. I was lucky enough not to lose power, but as you may have noted in the news, hundreds of thousands of people did — and it will likely take days for it to be fully restored. Here’s a summary of some of the damage done — to power, public transportation and other systems in New York, New Jersey and other areas in Sandy’s path. Not to mention the damages incurred days ago by our neighbors in the Caribbean. How interesting that with the Moon in earthy Taurus, so many of us in this hustle-bustle part of the world are being grounded. This is not a bad focus for those of you who have greater mobility,too.
Roll with whatever twists and/or detours crop up in your morning commute. Moon finally gets into gear at 2:40PM ET in information junkie Gemini. That should quicken the pace of information flowing, but please keep in mind these important caveats: first, Moon will immediately square nebulous Neptune, casting a visionary/creative or simply confused fog over information, communication and travel concerns. Second, as noted last week, Mercury is slowing down in preparation for the last retrograde period of the year (November 6-26). Double check the facts before moving forward. The key here is FOCUS.
Add to this mix the volatile and/or surprising T-square among Venus (love, women, money, art), Uranus and Pluto (noted in Monday’s forecast; exact Thursday through Saturday), which could be reflected in all Venusian concerns (including the markets). If you’re out and about tonight through the weekend — especially in a Halloween disguise, this Venus T-square may be reflected in sudden and unconventional attractions (that’s the Uranus element). It may also attract encounters that are downright catty (that’s the Pluto part).
And speaking of cats, Henri the existential cat has some amusing thoughts on Halloween. Though we still have no idea who wrote and/or performed the music in these charming episodes…
Trick or treat!
Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 10/30/2012: Fallout from Full Mooooooooon in Taurus
/in The ForecastA quick post now…in the event that the power goes out here in New York, where we are still keeping a watchful eye on Frankenstorm. With the Full Moon exact at 3:49PM ET on Monday…and the near-immediate Moon-void at 5:01PM ET, I am cautiously optimistic, given the Moon’s placement in usually placid Taurus, that this storm will not be as destructive as feared. Flooding? Yes, courtesy of the high tides of the Full Moon. The Moon void…which will last until 2:40PM ET on Wednesday, suggests that between now and then that time may move slowly and events may move — not quite in the direction that was planned. For the record, I dreamed on Monday morning that the brunt of the storm was felt in Philadelphia. But that has nothing to do with astrology.
Whether you are riding out the storm or not (cue the classic song by The Doors now), this void in Taurus can be a productive meditation on simple joys and essentials that help us feel secure. Especially for those of us in the storm’s path, you can see (even if it’s just via Facebook), a profound appreciation for the simple — yet essential — joys of shelter, food, wine, music (I even pulled my guitar out of the closet, which I had not touched in many months), and community. May the rest of you also find time to savor the joys of a one-pot pasta casserole, served with a hearty, inexpensive red wine. Count your blessings…and if life is not moving fast enough for you, practice patience. As I wrote yesterday, patience may well be one of your most valuable assets over the next 36 hours.
Oh — and one other thing in the category of gratitude. For those of you who have noticed the new, shiny gold button on the left hand side of the Daily Forecast page, thank you, thank you, from the bottom of my heart.