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.

Friday 7/29/2022 & the Weekend: Triple Threat in Taurus Meets Sun-Jupiter Jackpot

July 29, 2022/in The Forecast

TGIF!!

There’s too much happening this weekend not to give Avid Readers a recap, and the action continues through Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know.

FRIDAY: Moon in Leo’s need for love clashes with Mars in Taurus at 11:38 AM ET. An upset to the status quo may occur around 3:48 PM ET, as Moon squares rebel Uranus. This time period may be a dress rehearsal for further upsets that appear by the end of Monday. Moon goes void on an opposition to Saturn at 12:29 AM ET, potentially putting a damper on your Friday night fun and games. Chill during the nearly 14-hour Moon void.
SATURDAY: Moon enters Virgo at 2:10 PM ET, ready to clean up the confetti from Moon in Leo’s party. Sobriety is the name of the game now, as Mercury (how we need to think) opposes Saturn at 2:05 AM ET on ...
SUNDAY. The Virgo Moon continues to travel without interference — and possibly without focus — in its determination to set things right. And yet, there may still be a reason to cheer — from the perspective of one or more fat cats, reflecting the Sun’s trine to Jupiter at 6:36 PM ET. This may give some head of state or business just the boost of confidence they need to take dramatic action on Monday night. Your coping strategy is to remain grounded in your most excellent creative self. Monday’s “dramatic action potential” is suggested by a rare Mars-Uranus-North Node meet up in Taurus. The upside potential is liberation. Other potentials include change, wake-up calls, seismic activity and other shocks to the system. You are more personally affected by the assertive buzz if you have planets or angles around 18 Taurus, Leo, Aquarius and Scorpio. This includes Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, NYT columnist David Brooks, Mark Zuckerberg, Nancy Pelosi and Leonardo DiCaprio. Consult your local astrologer for details.

No sleeping in on Monday. The Virgo Moon harmonizes with Mars-Node-Uranus between 1:34 AM ET and 2:29 AM ET, advancing the action, driven to perfection. Mars conjoins the North Node at 2:04 PM ET and meets up with Uranus at 7:53 PM ET. Note that over the past few days, Venus (money, women, values, social expression, aesthetics) in Cancer (home, family, motherhood, emotional security) has been moving into cooperative alignments with the Mars-Node-Uranus, and those alignments (asextile) is exact on TUESDAY. Work your Rolodex; there’s no need to go it alone.

And now, the news…

A number of recent stories are discussed in Episode 12 of “Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast,” with my brilliant co-host Whitney Fishburn. We cover the surprising action in Congress this week, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s power play (aided by Joe Manchin!), which might lead to actual passage of a game-changing bill intended to address tax loopholes, lower drug prices, invest in green energy and lower the deficit. We still have to get through the potential landmines of August, including the upsets of Mars-Uranus in Taurus on 8/1, the militant discipline/controls of Mars square Saturn on Aug. 7, the triggering of the May 16th lunar eclipse by Mars as it approach August 12th, followed by the sobering ambition and/or losses of the Aug 14 Sun-Saturn opposition.

My coping strategy today is to immerse myself in the original Broadway cast recording of Pippin — which premiered on October 23, 1972. That was 50 years ago, but these lyrics and melodies are timeless — and so very, very wise.

Meanwhile…

Here’s a list of headlines — some quite ghoulish, but that’s one potential of Mars behaving badly in Taurus, combined with the shock value of Uranus. Thank goodness for astrology to keep it all in perspective.

Heather Cox Richardson recaps the stunning developments in Congress yesterday, including the spiteful trashing of a bill intended to provide health care for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits while fighting for America in the Middle East. Toxic burn pits is one plausible manifestation of Mars (burning) in Taurus (endurance). Jon Stewart has more on the story, and if you’re thinking that perhaps this Mars-Uranus pattern is provoking what we know of his horoscope, you’d be right. And FWIW, it’s also provoking Ted Cruz’s horoscope, too — as you can see here.
Ghoulish: :“Scientists Turn Dead Spiders into Robots” — innovative, biodegradable, and Stephen Colbert has more — along with riotous commentary on JetBlue’s acquisition of Spirit Airlines, because Mars-Uranus suggests disruptions in aviation
Mark Zuckerberg’s horoscope is affected by the Mars-Uranus thing, and Meta — fka Facebook — may report a drop in earnings next week, its first ever.
Spectrum Cable ordered to pay $7 billion to family of a woman who was murdered by a Spectrum employee in 2019. Yes — $7 billion — a sum reflecting the jackpot potential of Sunday’s trine between the Sun and Jupiter, yes?
“Samuel Alito Gloats About Abortion Ruling, Says Boris Johnson ‘Paid the Price’ for Condemning It”. Alito made his ghoulish remarks yesterday, as transiting Mars squared his Pluto. According to my astrological software program, this transit suggests, “Powerful drives; urge for dominance & territory. Obsessions. Extreme efforts. Sexual responses. The desire to mate. Efforts at personal transformation. Medical procedures. Strategic thinking; plans for control.” Indeed.
I’m not linking the article, but reports of ghoulish treatment by Russian soldiers of a Ukrainian prisoner of war reflects the worst potential of Mars-Uranus in Taurus. Noting it here for historical reference.
Russia says it’s ditching the International Space Station in 2024; will build its own.
Big Chinese rocket expected to fall to Earth this weekend; exact landing coordinates unknown.
Surprise! Will Smith apologizes big time for assaulting Chris Rock at the Oscars.
I told you earlier this week to keep an eye on Leonardo DiCaprio right about now….and….he’s doing a new film with Scorsese.

In other news…

I wrote about Sydney McLaughlin’s horoscope a year ago, after she set a world record for the women’s 400m hurdles. She has a grand cross configuration among Sun, Mars, Saturn and Uranus at Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius — not a surprising pattern for an athlete, with potential for discipline and firepower. She also has a square between Jupiter and Neptune, suggesting a need for expansive engagement with Neptune matters, such as faith. So what do people say about McLaughlin?

They call her a robot, a machine. They roll their eyes when she talks about her faith and dedicates her triumphs to the glory of God.

With transiting Mars activating her fixed grand cross this month, McLaughlin just broke her own record — in a “spectacular” fashion.

Finally…

…here is my favorite visual image of Mars conjunct Uranus in Taurus — I hope you find it moooooving.

Don’t forget to listen to Episode 12 of “Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast”!!!

Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Here’s the link to my Cosmic Tip Jar, where Joyful Random Expressions of Appreciation are always accepted, with gratitude.

Thank you for reading this forecast.

Monday 7/25/2022: Sneak Peek at the Week; New Moon in Leo; Jupiter Retrograde; Mars-Uranus-Node in Taurus

July 26, 2022/in The Forecast

Alll-righty then!

First of all, it seems that many Avid Readers are not aware that I’ve been doing podcasts since February. Check them all out here!!!!

Planetary patterns suggest a slow start to this work week — but it likely ends with a bang. Here are the highlights:

Venus square Jupiter early Monday morning
Mercury square Mars on Tuesday
New Moon in Leo on Thursday
Jupiter goes retrograde on Thursday
Mercury squares Uranus on Thursday
Mercury opposes Saturn on Sunday’
Sun trines Jupiter on Sunday
North Node conjunct Uranus on Sunday
North Node conjunct Mars on Monday
Mars conjunct Uranus on Monday

It’s those last three patterns among Mars, North Node and Uranus that suggest the week going out with a bang. The upside potential of this volatile conjunction is liberation. Barring that, we are likely to see headlines involving daring aggression, tech breakthroughs, men behaving recklessly, accidents involving Mars-ruled themes (cars, steel, firepower), disruptions involving aviation, to name a few. Your mission this week is choose your battles carefully and be mindful of your surroundings, especially while in transit. Otherwise, there’s lot of GOOD STUFF going on!

Here’s how the week goes:

MONDAY: A square between Venus and Jupiter, exact at 2:03 AM ET, may have been indulgent. At 4:14 AM ET, Moon squares Neptune and then goes void for nearly ten hours. This gets the week off to a slow and dreamy start. You know the Moon void drill: roll with any twists and flakes that may disrupt your efforts to move forward in a straight line. Go with the flow and don’t make a mountain of crisis out of a molehill. Chill! Moon shifts gears and regains its focus when it enters Cancer at 1:53 PM ET. Matters of emotional, home and family security now drive the action.
TUESDAY: Early morning exuberance can be yours if your horoscope is affected by the Moon’s square to Jupiter at 7:35 AM ET, followed by a meet-up with Venus at 10:54 AM ET. Choose your confrontation carefully this afternoon, as a square between Mercury (talking) and Mars (walking) at 3:13 PM ET suggests a stubborn clash — with no one budging an inch. A Plan B may be percolating, reflecting the Cancer Moon’s sextiles to Mars (action) at 7:57 PM ET, and innovative Uranus, exact at 3:36 AM ET on…
WEDNESDAY. Whatever Plan B is might not be immediately apparent, as we are at the end of the lunar cycle. The lack of light reflected by the Moon gives cover for clandestine activities. We may feel a sense of listlessness or restlessness, sensing that something new is just around the corner, but we don’t know what. A trine from the Moon to Neptune at 4:58 PM ET is an opportunity to imagine possibilities for the next cycle. Moon’s weekly clash with Pluto suggests a catharsis and/or power play around 8:54 PM ET. Chill during the ensuing Moon void.
THURSDAY: Lots to report today. Moon enters Leo at 2:35 AM ET. From now until the end of the work week, drama kings and queens may take the stage. The upside potential of a Leo Moon is to shine, shine, shine — and help others shine, too. The New Moon officially begins at 1:55 PM ET.

Here is what that chart looks like, set in Washington, D.C.:

Observations:

A New Moon in Leo invites us to focus on how we are loved, honored and respected for who we are – and for the creativity we have to offer the world. In order to attract the love we seek, it helps if we are feeling secure in our own kingly or queenly castle. How do we do this?

A pause, while we discuss the fact that Jupiter is at its station — about to turn retrograde — in this New Moon chart. Jupiter is trine to the New Moon in Leo. Perhaps this is a clue. A retrograde planet appears to move backwards in the sky from our perspective on Earth. It’s not really moving backwards, but that’s how it seems. Astrologers interpret this apparent retrograde motion as a time to turn inward in matters that relate to the symbolism of that planet and sign.

Jupiter refers to growth and reward. Jupiter is in Aries, which refers to me, myself and I. Perhaps this suggests it is an apt time to turn inward for the love and appreciation we need — instead of seeking it from others. Take your inner child out for a play date. Watch the movie Groundhog Day for ingenious ideas on how to put this Jupiter retrograde in Aries strategy into action.

Jupiter will be retrograde from July 28^th until November 23rd, and with the energy of expansion slowing down and moving backwards, it suggests putting projects intended for maximum growth on the back burner. We are in review mode. Manage expectations accordingly.

Meanwhile…Aries is a fire sign, which means it’s HOT. Jupiter refers to expansion, right? And we noted that Jupiter is slowing down to a virtual standstill. Avid Readers know that a planet about to change direction demands our focus, like someone leaning on the horn of their car. Jupiter has been like a blaring car horn for well over a week. One thing we’ve been focused on is…the heat — as in excessive heat waves all around the world, including fires. Right? (Adding to the sudden expansion of heat would be Mars at 10 Taurus last week, activating the April 30th solar eclipse. Astrology is amazing).

Anyhoo, the Sabian Symbol for this Jupiter retrograde is “a crystal gazer,” and we last wrote about this Symbol in July 2012, when Uranus turned retrograde at 8 Aries. You could look back at the back half of 2012 and see how these words compare with where you are at in 2022. Whatever freedom you gained back then, consider how confident you are now about your hard-earned independence. That’s the focus for you over the next few months — wherever 8 Aries falls in your horoscope.

Someone who looks into a crystal ball is intending to see a vision of the future. So what limits do you need to release internally in order to see that vision clearly — and have a real shot at making that vision come true? Those born with planets around 8 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn will be feeling the need for freedom more than most.

The Sabian Symbol for this New Moon in Leo is “an old-fashioned woman and a flapper,” an image of “two generations viewing one another from their own perspectives,” says Sabian Sage Blain Bovee. Old guard meets avant garde. Everything old is new again — with a fresh spin. We are invited to reinvent the wheel, while thinking outside the box, suggested by….
Mercury square Uranus, exact at 5:15 PM ET. Maybe that’ll shake up whatever impasse was happening on Tuesday.
The old guard contemplating the avant garde is also suggested by old guard Saturn and avant garde Uranus, as they move to an ohhhhhhhhhhsoclose — but not quite exact square over the next few months, peaking in October. Translation: a disruptive buzzzzzzzzzzzz through the fall, as explained in this recap of the potential of the Saturn-Uranus square, posted last year.
You are more personally affected by this New Moon if you have planets or angles around 6 degrees of Taurus, Leo, Aquarius or Scorpio. That includes Juan Guaido of Venezuela, Liz Cheney, Melania Trump, Scott Pelley, and Chief Justice John Roberts. Let’s see what happens.

Back to the daily Forecast:

THURSDAY: Mercury squares Uranus at 5:15 PM ET, shaking someone out of their rut. Watch for innovations in technology and surprising communications to make news. The day ends on an exuberant trine between the Moon and Jupiter at 8:03 PM ET.
FRIDAY: Moon in Leo’s need for love clashes with Mars in Taurus at 11:38 AM ET. An upset to the status quo may occur around 3:48 PM ET, as Moon squares rebel Uranus. This time period may be a dress rehearsal for further upsets that appear by the end of Monday. Moon goes void on an opposition to Saturn at 12:29 AM ET, potentially putting a damper on your Friday night fun and games. Chill during the nearly 14-hour Moon void.
SATURDAY: Moon enters Virgo at 2:10 PM ET, ready to clean up the confetti from Moon in Leo’s party. Sobriety is the name of the game now, as Mercury (how we need to think) opposes Saturn at 2:05 AM ET on ...
SUNDAY. The Virgo Moon continues to travel without interference — and possibly without focus — in its determination to set things right. And yet, there may still be a reason to cheer — from the perspective of one or more fat cats, reflecting the Sun’s trine to Jupiter at 6:36 PM ET. This may give some head of state or business just the boost of confidence they need to take dramatic action on Monday night. Your coping strategy is to remain grounded in your most excellent creative self. Monday’s “dramatic action potential” is suggested by a rare Mars-Uranus-North Node meet up in Taurus. The upside potential is liberation. Other potentials include change, wake-up calls, seismic activity and other shocks to the system. You are more personally affected by the assertive buzz if you have planets or angles around 18 Taurus, Leo, Aquarius and Scorpio. This includes Vladimir Putin, Volodomyr Zelenskyy, NYT columnist David Brooks, Mark Zuckerberg and Leonardo diCaprio. Consult your local astrologer for details.

And now, the news.

Last week, transiting Mars hit 10 Taurus, activating the horoscopes of those affected by the April 30th solar eclipse (at 10 Taurus). We see a potential acceleration in matters regarding the eclipsed planet, in the way that a genie jumps out of a bottle or a curtain falls. Things irrevocably change.

Exhibit A: the former guy, whose Pluto at 10 Leo sits in his 12th house of hidden enemies and the self-undoing. Pluto rules his 4th house — home & family; Mars rules the 9th house — broadcasting, collective beliefs, publishing. Last Thursday’s J6 Committee hearing certainly delivered on the explosive potential anticipated in the last forecast. As Heather Cox Richardson reports, it focused on the dynamic inaction of the former guy in response to the attempted overthrow of our democratic government, as in 187 minutes of no White House call records, photographs, Presidential diary entries. It seems TFG sat in his private dining room and watched the attack unfold on Fox (which is probably why Fox declined to broadcast the hearings), pausing only for a random tweet, one of which was so concerning to VP Mike Pence’s secret service detail that the agents made farewell calls to their loved ones. That was a new piece of information. And yet…and yet…a curtain did fall (i.e., the eclipsed Pluto was functioning as designed) because the Wall Street Journal and the NY Post — both owned by Rupert Murdoch (was there ever a more fitting name) — published op-eds last week declaring TFG unworthy of serving as our nation’s chief executive.
Exhibit B: Virginia resident Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), has Venus at 11 Aquarius, seen here in full-throttle “I love you, but don’t take it personally” mode. Venus refers to social expression, values and worth, and an eclipsed Venus can impact one’s popularity, for better or for worse. He famously raised his fist in support of the gathering mob on January 6th, and a photo of that moment is plastered all over merchandise his fans can buy. He even has a book coming out next year, called Manhood: The Masculine Virtues America Needs? Thus it was hard not to laugh — as those in the J6 hearing actually did — when security footage revealed Hawley’s actual reaction to the mob he egged on, once he was inside the besieged Capitol. He ran away — hawlin’ ass, as it were. Rising to the challenge of the Moon-Uranus conjunction after the hearing ended, the Twittersphere set Hawley’s hawlin’ to music, and the next day, he was thoroughly trashed by his home paper. Venus eclipsed. See how that works?

In other news…

UPDATE: on Ginni Thomas, whose horoscope was last discussed here in 2010. How time flies! Over the weekend it was stated by some on the J6 Committee that Thomas could be subpoenaed if she doesn’t testify voluntarily. With transiting Saturn about to conjoin her Venus around August 8th, I could see how she might soon be feeling squeezed — and again at the end of the year. We can anticipate surprising words and deeds next year, as transiting Uranus activates her soon-to-be-eclipsed Mercury-Mars square (at 15 Aquarius and 16 Taurus) in the early spring.

Meanwhile…

Jupiter (big!) square Venus (women, art, worth, social expression, values, money) brought us these stories:

Liz Cheney gave women who testified at the J6 hearings a shout-out for being “courageous.” Did you notice they all wore white? How interesting that Venus is in Cancer, and white is one of Cancer’s colors — made big by the square from Jupiter is warrior Aries.
In India, “President-elect Murmu: first tribal woman to be elected to highest post in the country”
The House passed bills codifying marriage equality and access to contraception. Most Republicans voted against these bills, and they still have to pass in the Senate.
Does the Jupiter-Venus square suggest magnanimous mea culpas? I’m not sure, but Pope Francis is in Canada today, offering apologies and other amends to indigenous children who were abused in Catholic-run schools. Perhaps the weekend’s trine between Mercury and Jupiter (education; religion, publishing) is also at play.
Apologies were all over the NYT’s latest Sunday Opinion section, as eight columnists offered apologies (sort of) for Things They Said That Later Turned Out To Be Wrong.
Joni Mitchell performed at the Newport Folk Festival last night, right before the Jupiter-Venus square was exact. The Moon was in Gemini, so here’s Joni singing “Both Sides Now.”

You know who always has good news? Shirley MacLaine’s ShirleyGram. Check out her latest list of uplifting developments here on Planet Earth.

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

That’s it. I’m determined to end on a high note, as the Cancer Moon prepares to square Jupiter early Tuesday morning. Have a great week — stay grounded — and here’s the 411 on personal consultations. We will have an excellent discussion together.

Thank you for reading this forecast.

Greetings from New York

Tuesday 7/19/2022: Late Sneak Peak at the Week; Happy Sun in Leo!

July 19, 2022/in The Forecast

Alllllllllll-righty then!

Boy or boy did I get carried away by the drive of the Moon when it entered Aries yesterday morning. Feels like I got a truckload of things started, but it’s now after midnight on Tuesday and I’m just sitting down to write the Forecast for the week. Where did this day go?

Hopefully you got your sneak peek of this Sneak Peek at the Week via the Whether Forecast, a five-minute video that is a proud part of Avid Reader Alison’s podcast 2022: The Year of Love. The Whether Forecast is evolving, and for the past few weeks I’ve been using the Sunday NYT as a prop, so viewers can see how front-page news reflects planetary patterns, without having to click on a link! The Whether Forecast is usually posted by Sunday night.

Here are the highlights for this week:

Mercury opposes Pluto on Monday
Mercury enters Leo on Tuesday
Sun opposes Pluto on Tuesday
Chiron turns retrograde on Tuesday
Sun enters Leo on Friday
Mercury trines Jupiter on Saturday
Venus squares Jupiter on Sunday, if you live on the West Coast

So…after Tuesday’s intensity, the week unfolds with the joyous potential of Beth Owl’s Daughter’s Tarot Card of the Week — always in sync with planetary patterns.

MONDAY: Moon enters Aries at 7:17 AM ET, driving the next two days with a need to lead courageously – and often impulsively – sometimes selfishly – which explains why that rude driver cut in front of you on the freeway. See if you notice an uptick in the pace — as in fast and furious — over the next two days. A conjunction between Moon and Jupiter ends the day on an expansive note. Meanwhile, while you were sleeping, Mercury (how we need to think and communicate) opposed Pluto at 3 AM ET. Mercury is at the verrrrry last degree of Cancer, so thoughts about emotional, home and family security may feel as if they are at a crisis point. If you need to make an especially persuasive argument or do some down and dirty research – especially involving power and resources, these next two days could be fruitful, especially with the Sun (at the verrrry end of Cancer) also opposing Pluto on…
TUESDAY: …AT 9:38 PM. This suggests a field day for investigative reporters, and let the record show that recent missives from the journalists I follow on Substack (Greg Olear is one) have taken no prisoners, as Mercury-Pluto aspects are wont to do. Meanwhile, the Aries Moon travels without interference all day. However, Mercury makes a shift — from Cancer into Leo — at 8:34 AM ET. From now until August 4th, we can expect thoughts and communication to be filtered through Leo’s need for drama and regal entitlement. What a show!
WEDNESDAY: A bumpy morning, perhaps, as the Aries Moon squares Pluto at 9:20 AM ET and then squares the Cancer Sun at 10:18 AM ET. Power plays and catharses are possible, as the Moon in Aries’ crusading, self-centered drive collides with the energy of the sensitive, emotionally-focused Cancer Sun. Chill during the four-hour Moon void — i.e., roll with the twists and flakes that may disrupt efforts to move forward in a straight line, and don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. No impulse shopping! Moon enters Taurus at 2:22 PM ET, driving the rest of the work week with a need to turn Moon-in-Aries initiatives into something tangible. If your need for comfort includes a massage or other sensual delight, go for it; otherwise use the practical earthy energy of the Taurus Moon to fortify your kingdom. Example: I’ll be turning my pitch for a public speaking engagement (an astrology conference in Colorado) into an actual PowerPoint presentation, now that my pitch was just accepted. I’ll be fully prepared for the potential mental block that may crop up around 8:18 PM ET, as the Moon square Mercury. A sextile to Venus at 9:16 PM ET suggests it will work itself out.
THURSDAY: Today’s only exact aspect is a conjunction between the Moon and Mars — in stubborn Taurus — at 12:06 PM ET, likely reflected in the news in some form of “nevertheless, they persisted,” for better or worse. Another J6 Committee hearing is scheduled for 8 PM ET, and the chart for that time in Washington, DC has explosive potential. Pluto is close to the 22 Capricorn Ascendant, echoing the January 2020 Saturn-Pluto conjunction at 22 Capricorn, suggesting extremes of control and anguish. The Taurus Moon is exactly on the IC — the root of the horoscope — separating from bull-in-a-china-shop Mars in Taurus and on its way to an upsetting meet-up with rebel Uranus, exact at 2:13 AM ET on…
FRIDAY. Surprise? An effort to regain control or block an advance weighs in around 12:17 PM ET, as Moon squares taskmaster Saturn. An effort to pour oil on troubled waters — or find a dreamy escape route is suggested around 3:45 PM ET, as Moon sextiles Neptune. Minutes later, at 4:06 PM ET, the Sun exits Cancer for it home sign of Leo — and there was much rejoicing in the land. This is the height of the summer season in the Northern Hemisphere, and no matter what came down this week, everyone is encouraged to play, shine — and help others shine, too. Moon goes void on a trine to Pluto at 7:44 PM ET; chill for the rest of the night.
SATURDAY: Fun and games are facilitated when the Moon enters Gemini at 1:10 AM ET. The Gemini Moon love’s of a good buzz (of information) is supported by a trine between Mercury (news) and Jupiter (big), exact at 1:52 PM ET. Watch for significant stories involving publishing, court opinions, sports and foreign affairs — and maybe health issues involving sugar and the liver/pancreas. I say this because on…
SUNDAY: …there are no exact aspects among the planets, including the Moon. Humming in the background, however, is an energizing square between Venus (sugar) and Jupiter (liver/pancreas), exact on MONDAY at 2:13 AM ET. Any connection between Venus and Jupiter — the two “fortunate” planets in traditional astrology — is an opportunity for indulgence. Yes, it’s possible to go overboard, so perhaps we will see stories involving expansive or expensive themes in art, money and women. There might even be a jackpot to be won, and if you have planets around 8 degrees of just about any sign, I wouldn’t fault you for buying a couple of lottery tickets.

Because this Forecast is later than anticipated, I’m shipping it now — but will keep writing (i.e., add the news) for a few hours — so check the Forecast page on my website later this afternoon. Meanwhile, I offer you Episode 11 of “Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast.” Co-host Whitney Fishburn and I are thrilled by the support we’ve received, and as you’ll hear in the podcast, we will be answering questions from listeners in our next episode, which we will record early next week.

Several hours later…

Last week marked the second exact hit of the U.S. Pluto Return, which we anticipated would try our collective soul and challenge our nation’s existence. How are we doing? What came out in last week’s J6 Committee hearing — again — was just how close our democracy came to being hijacked by corrupt members of all three branches of government, with help from a bizarre assortment of non-government types, like this one. Here’s the recap from Heather Cox Richardson. And here’s another HCR recap, focusing on the stunning — and illegal — “purge”of texts exchanged among Secret Service agents on January 6, 2021. “Purge” is an excellent word for an activity reflecting Pluto. More corruption of power exposed. The third pass of Pluto to the U.S. Pluto happens in December.

Themes of Plutonian resources and power plays involving leaders arrived on schedule yesterday as Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee Chair Joe Manchin was credited with formally torpedoing legislation intended to combat climate change. As expansive as his horoscope was last year, with transiting Jupiter opposing his Virgo Sun, he may be in for a squeeze next year, when Saturn follows suit. Similar patterns will be active in the horoscope of Jim Jordan.

Meanwhile…

Here’s a truckload of headlines reflecting patterns involving Neptune (with Venus, Sun and Mercury last week). They involve spirits of all kinds, victims, empathy, art, lies, fairy tales and the surreal — all Neptune buzzwords:

“How I became a pathological liar“
“Taking the magic out of magic mushrooms”
A class action suit filed against candy maker Mars claims that Skittles are toxic and “unfit for human consumption”
A sculpture of a Victorian ghost emerging out of a mirror was an apt reflection, pun obviously intended. Here it is on Twitter.
While everyone was marveling at the clarity of those breath-taking galactic photos from the James Webb telescope, it seems that the dazzling colors weren’t quite for real.
A self-portrait of Vincent VanGogh was discovered, hidden under another painting. With transiting Jupiter almost conjunct his Aries Sun, we can see how an expanded ego identity would present itself at this time. It doesn’t matter that VanGogh is dead. The horoscope lives forever, as I’ve been saying for years.
For the first time ever, women were appointed to the bishops’ advisory panel
US Secret Service claims the dog ate all the texts that were exchanged among agents on January 5 and January 6. OK, they didn’t say that, but they might as well have for all the times head honchos at USSS have changed their story. Now the National Archives is investigating — this surreal disappearing act, sponsored in part by Neptune.
Anti-choice activist Catherine Glenn Foster testified before Congress, claiming that if a 10-year-old victim of sexual assault became pregnant, the termination of her pregnancy wouldn’t qualify as an abortion. Surreal?
The story reported last week about an actual 10-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted and had to travel to Indiana to terminate her pregnancy because the procedure is now illegal in Ohio is still generating headlines. First, the Wall Street Journal, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Attorney General Dave Yost of Ohio said the story was a lie. It wasn’t, and a suspect has since been arrested. Not to be outdone by Ohio, the Attorney General Todd Rokita (R-IN) made false claims about the OB-GYN who treated the 10-year-old abuse victim, and Rokita has since been served with a claim for damages.
Neptune refers to selflessness and sacrifice. In Louisiana, pizza deliveryman Nicholas Bostic rushed into a burning home — twice — to rescue five kids. A Gofundme has been set up to pay his hospital bills.

Fun fact: planetary patterns are reflected in the work of writers who are not necessarily reporting news. Exhibit A: Greg Olear. The post he sent over the weekend under the spell of impressionable Neptune was called “Wanderer’s Nightsong.” It was written in Berlin (Olear’s dreamy escape), and it included musings on the poetry of Goethe, whose horoscope is also pretty dreamy (note the Grand Trine among Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto; Venus sextile Neptune).

Fast forward a few days to the ruthless and persuasive needs of the Sun-Mercury opposition to Pluto. Neptune was in in play, and Olear’s post on that day was a scathing skewering of “Alitocrats” (people who think like Samuel Alito, author of the delusional Dobbs decision). It is their belief in “fantasy and fairy tales” that produced the cruel prohibitions on abortion that will cause women to suffer — physically and economically.

Exhibit B: astrologer Bill Herbst’s weekly essay centers on a fable The Boy Who Cried “Wolf”– and it is ruthless. Neptune and Pluto. Herbst’s weekly essays may not address specific news stories, but they still reflect the zeitgeist of then-current planetary patterns.

Exhibit C: Steve Schmidt’s latest Substack column is a brutal assessment of the disastrous response to the Uvalde school massacre, in which nearly 400 law enforcement officers were on the scene for over an hour (in a Neptune fog?) — and did absolutely nothing. 400!?!?!

Astrology is amazing.

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

Thank you for reading this forecast.

Pepper is auditioning for a guest spot on our next podcast!

Monday 7/11/2022: Sneak Peek at the Week; Full Moon in Capricorn; Hope & Humanity

July 12, 2022/in The Forecast

Allllll-righty then!

Here are major patterns we’ll experience this week:

Venus trine Saturn on Wednesday
Full Moon in Capricorn on Wednesday
Mercury sextile Uranus on Wednesday
Venus square Neptune on Thursday
Sun conjunct Mercury on Saturday
Sun-Mercury trine Neptune on Sunday

We see strong potential for visionary thinking and sublime artistry, along with the usual surreal. Artists and healers may find this week quite productive. Here’s how it goes:

MONDAY: Moon is in Sagittarius, driving the day with a need to express boundary-pushing ideals and opinions. If your mission is to be of influence, actions today can support your pitch, especially if you appeal to your audience’s need for emotional and home security. A clash of values may crop up around 5:11 PM ET, as Moon opposes Venus. Or perhaps a woman in your life is somewhat peeved. Rework the structure; add some vision and maybe a dose of forgiveness, as Moon sextiles Saturn and squares Neptune. Chill during the seven-hour Moon void after the Neptune square at 9:42 PM ET. Roll with the twists and flakes and don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. If you happen to be the United States of America — congratulations, you’re having the second hit of your three-pronged Pluto Return today. Watch the news for stories of breakdown, transformation and power shifts.
TUESDAY: Moon enters Capricorn at 5:01 AM ET, driving the next two days with a need to Make Things Happen. A trine to Mars at 1:12 PM ET, followed by a square to Jupiter at 6:07 PM ET makes it all flow with earthy practicality, albeit grandly crusading. Leaders are sure to be in the public eye, as the Sun sextiles the North Node at 11:45 PM ET.
WEDNESDAY: It’s worth noting that Mercury (how we need to think and communicate) will square Chiron (the wounded healer) at 12:07 AM ET, and I’ll tell you why when I talk about the news. Meanwhile, at 12:27 AM ET, Venus (who, what and how we need to love) trines Saturn (necessary controls; structure, authority). Have these past few days been good for business? Moon opposes Mercury at 7:58 AM ET, possibly jamming communications or bringing a difference in thought to light. Innovation and helpful connections saves the morning, as Moon trines Uranus at 9:41 AM ET. The need for status and accomplishment builds to a crest, reflecting the Full Moon in Capricorn at 2:37 PM ET.

A pause, while we consider the chart for this Full Moon — which is also a SuperMoon and thus looming large.

Observations:

Capricorn Moon’s need to take care of business, strategize and utilize resources (including people) opposes the energy of the Cancer Sun, which is centered on building home and homeland security, with feeling. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how it feels; it just needs to get done! And therein lies the conflict — and potential illumination/release.
Sun and Moon in the 9th and 3rd houses shine a spotlight on mindset, documents, foreign affairs, and collective belief systems — just as the Full Moon in Capricorn did in 2021.
It’s fascinating that 2021’s Full Moon in Capricorn activated patterns on the December 2019 New Moon in Capricorn, which was also an eclipse. The 2022 Full Moon Capricorn activates the lunar eclipse of January 10, 2020 at 20 Cancer/Capricorn, which occurred two days before the one and only Saturn-Pluto conjunction at 22 Capricorn. Astrologers pay close attention when prior patterns are activated, anticipating a recurrence of events. The January 10, 2020 lunar eclipse was when the Covid gene sequence was published. In recent days, transiting Mars was at 20-22 Aries, activating those very potent January 2020 planetary patterns. This week’s Full Moon is at 21 Capricorn/Cancer, and isn’t it interesting that we’re seeing a surge in cases related to to two omicron Covid variants — BA 4 and BA 5 — all around the world. If you haven’t heard about the surge of this particularly contagious variant, planetary patterns suggest that in the wake of this Capricorn Full Moon, you probably will. Mask up!
We can’t help but notice Mars — not at its best in Taurus — exactly opposing the Ascendant. Mars is the traditional ruler of this chart’s Scorpio Ascendant (Pluto is the modern ruler). Mars rules the sixth house: employment conditions, labor/enslavement and dis-eases of the body. If this chart was for a solar return or a horary question, I’d be concerned about a potentially critical illness. We could see it as another argument for a Covid surge — or something else TBD.
Moon and Sun will next connect easily with Neptune. Then they make a more challenging connection with Pluto. Note that the Sun will oppose Pluto on the 19th, which will be followed by the Third Quarter Moon on the 20th, which activates Kamala Harris’ horoscope and the U.S. Pluto Return. Also on the 20th: Mars arrives at 10 Taurus, releasing the bottlenecked energy of the April 30th solar eclipse. Anyone with planets around 10 degrees of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius may be more personally affected.
The Sabian Symbols for this lunation are: “a general accepting defeat gracefully” (for the Cap Moon), and “a woman awaiting a sailboat” (for the Cancer Sun). Assorted Sabian Symbols experts observe that both symbols argue for the wisdom of acknowledging forces beyond our control — and perhaps those forces in the larger scheme of things know the plot line better than us. The woman awaiting the sailboat is expectant, but the sailboat won’t arrive without the cooperation of the wind. We can still hope — and we MUST!
I last wrote about “the general accepting defeat” on the New Moon in Capricorn 2013 — and oh how things have NOT changed since then! “A general accepting defeat gracefully”. How do we apply this in real life? What can we expect? First, a strong suggestion of the old saying, “it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game”. Integrity, honor, reputation will be key to success, regardless of the outcome of the quest. Even if the quest fails, you will be considered successful if you act with integrity and are wise enough to know when you must surrender to a higher power. Sabian Symbol guru Blain Bovee observes that “a general symbolically acknowledges defeat by surrendering his sword…relinquishing all intention of directing an attack; disarming conflict”. Look for these themes in the headlines and in your own personal world. One way I see this manifesting will be in the debate around gun control in United States, which is getting especially heated now that action is being threatened…” (and here’s what happened today — 7/11/2022 — in the U.S. re: gun control)
You are more personally affected by the illumination potential of this Full Moon in Capricorn if you have planets or angles around 22 degrees Capricorn, Cancer, Aries or Libra. Consult your local astrologer for details.

Back to the Forecast:

WEDNESDAY (CONT): potent as this Full Moon may be, genius may be at play, reflecting a creative sextile between Mercury and rebel Uranus, exact at 8:16 PM ET, accompanied by a reverie as Moon sextiles Neptune at 8:56 PM ET. Depth, power plays and catharses are up next, as Moon makes its weekly clash with Pluto at 12:16 AM ET on…
THURSDAY: and then goes void. Chill and consider that we are still under the spell of the square between Venus and Neptune at 1:23 AM ET. Moon enters Aquarius at 4:13 AM ET, driving the rest of the work week with a need to be of social significance. A clash between the Moon and stubborn Mars in Taurus at 2:38 PM ET may spark conflict; a sextile between Moon and Jupiter at 5:29 PM ET may smooth things out…for now.
FRIDAY: An upset to the status quo at 9:15 AM ET should get East Coasters out of bed, reflecting the square between the Moon and Uranus. The Aquarius Moon’s need for social significance may feel a bit squeezed today, especially around 6:27 PM ET, as it meets up with taskmaster Saturn. Heavy news or a block to an inspired agenda may be reported. This, too, shall pass. A bit of sweetness can be had in the evening, as Moon trines Venus at 12:36 AM ET on…
SATURDAY: …and then goes void. Moon enters Pisces at 4:18 AM ET, facilitating empathy and accommodation re: whatever gravitas landed on Friday evening. There may be a wandering, intuitive flow to this day, as Moon travels without interference for most of it. Mercury meets up with the Sun at 3:37 PM ET (a focus on thoughts of emotional security)…and then at 3:52 AM ET on..
SUNDAY: Mercury trines Neptune. At 6:55 PM ET, Sun trines Neptune, too, reflecting themes of oil, healing, drugs, refugees and spirits of all kinds…along with dreams, pixie-dust and rose-colored glasses. I hope you planned a lovely summer weekend escape. Mercury and the Sun oppose Pluto next week, offering a bonanza for investigative reporters covering power and resources, especially with respect to the Powers That Be. Oh – and goodness gracious — how could I forget to mention that Venus exits Gemini at 9:32 PM ET and enters Cancer. 0 Cancer is at the Aries Point, so we’ll be hearing from Ted Cruz — and everyone else with planets and/or angles at this point of prominence — any minute now.

Here is Beth Owl’s Daughter’s Tarot Card of the Week — always in sync!

And now, the news.

Last week I told you that Mars entering Taurus would be provocative for President Biden and Queen Elizabeth, as both have planets at 0 degrees of Taurus (Moon for Biden; Sun for Her Royal Highness). For President Biden, such provocation included the press having a field day with his tanking poll numbers and op-eds arguing he’s too old to run for a second term. Meanwhile, the latest news from his first term includes good job numbers, low unemployment and dropping gas prices, reflecting his efforts — according to Heather Cox Richardson — to rebuild America’s middle class.

But guess who has Moon at 0 Scorpio (and thus would also be provoked), as well as Sun-Mercury at the end of Gemini (and thus would have been dealing with prominent communications as transiting Mercury traveled over those degrees on its way to 0 Cancer last Tuesday. Alexander Boris DePfeiffel Johnson, who resigned as leader of the Conservative Party because scandal wipeout scandal, reflecting a Neptune pattern all over his horoscope this year.

I wish I had a more reliable SEO function on my website, because I’ve written in-depth about Johnson’s horoscope in the past, and I can’t find it. What’s interesting about it now is that he has an exact opposition between Jupiter (big) and Neptune (things may not be as they seem) in his birth chart, and this pattern was hit by Saturn and Uranus earlier this year (with more to come from the latter). Activation of this opposition is what’s driving the action, along with a recent solar arc between Uranus (change!) and his ASC. The heavy streamlining he faces now will fade into the background as yet another solar arc between Saturn and the Moon begins to release in September. I am convinced he will find something grand and expansive to do in early 2023, when transiting Jupiter opposes his MC and squares his ASC, just as a solar arc from Jupiter conjoins his MC and his second Saturn Return demands he get seriously focused on the truly important things in life. Moral of the story: solar arcs (another way astrologers can measure time) are as impactful as transits. When you have a lot of them in a concentrated period, big stuff happens.

Meanwhile…

I’m reluctant to dive into what we know of Shinzo Abe’s horoscope. Abe is the former prime minister of Japan who was assassinated last week by a man with a homemade gun. It’s beyond surreal that this could happen in a country with incredibly sane laws regulating the possession of firearms. The assassin appears to have been motivated by his mother’s experience with the Unification Church (the Moonies), and an alleged belief that Abe was somehow connected to that Church. This seems to reflect the wiggy cult potential of 2022’s dominant pattern — the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in Pisces. Abe was born with a Jupiter-Neptune square. The whole thing is utterly sad, perhaps reflecting last week’s square between the Sun (leaders) and Chiron (a wound that cannot heal). Chiron is moving to a standstill now, preparing to turn retrograde on July 19th.

Elsewhere…

It’s tough to cover the news these days! Even reporters are reluctant to consume what their managing editors choose to put out, as you will appreciate in Amanda Ripley’s recent op-ed in the Washington Post. What’s missing in the news, (she writes), is hope, agency and dignity. We can file this story under Friday’s square between Mercury in Cancer (thoughts focused on emotional security) and Jupiter (publishing) in Aries.

So here are a few stories that reflect planetary patterns — and also offer hope, agency and dignity. Read Heather Cox Richardson’s nightly posts for the latest on all the political happenings — and trust that all of the players on the stage are there because there’s something going on in their horoscopes. Her post for tonight is up early, and it’s got all the dirt on tomorrow’s J6 committee hearings, along with Steve Bannon’s failed tap-dancing (an attempt to delay the start of his trial next week on an explosive Sun-Mercury opposition to Pluto). Bannon’s failure today comes courtesy of transiting Mars opposing Saturn. Translation: “the blocking or denial of assertive instincts.” Oh, well. Timing is everything.

File these awesome stories under Sunday’s sextile between the Sun and Uranus — friendship, technology, innovation, aviation and astrology:

“He Had a Dark Secret. It Changed His Best Friend‘s Life” No paywall here — and I hope it wins an award. “News doesn’t often focus on friendship,” writes Sam Dolnick for the NYT. Well, maybe the news should. This story has a bit of Chiron in it, along with strong Neptune themes of the power of redemption. It inspires contemplation about bad choices we might make…that turn out to be miraculous in the end. It reminds me of my favorite fable about the Chinese farmer, who refuses to pass judgment on events that others declare are good or bad. You can read it here; it’s short. It’s helpful for times when everything seems to be falling apart and heading towards an end. Is this bad? Maybe. Or maybe not — and we’ll see why we when get to the next chapter.
“The Quest by Circadian Medicine to Make the Most of Our Body Clocks,” is on the cover the the NYT Sunday Magazine. “Researchers are trying to figure out the right time of day to do everything. Can their studies sync us up with better health?” That’s the sub-head…and I’m thinking…”wait ’til these researchers find out what astrologers do for a living.” That’s why I filed this story under “astrology,” reflecting the Sun-Uranus sextile.
“A Flight Attendant’s Tips to Surviving Travel Now”
The Large Hadron Collider will fire up again on Tuesday, after being on hiatus. This is the big thingamajig that discovered the “God Particle.” What’s next?
First images from NASA’s James Webb telescope reveals ancient galaxies. Did you know VP Kamala Harris chairs the Space Council? Of course she would, with transiting Neptune square her Gemini Ascendant. Far out!

To find out what all these planetary patterns are doing in your own unique horoscope, here’s the 411 on personal consultations.

Thank you for reading this forecast — and for listening and watching to my podcasts — the weekly Whether Forecast and the bi-weekly Off The Charts: A Stellar Newscast with my colleague and co-host Whitney Fishburn.

Monday 7/4/2022: Sneak Peek at the Week; Mars Enters Taurus; Mercury Enters Cancer

July 5, 2022/in The Forecast

Alllll-righty then!

First, a big thank you to Avid Readers who have become Avid Listeners — and supporters — of Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast. My esteemed colleague and co-host Whitney Fishburn and I were going to take a break until Bastille Day, but because you asked for it, we posted another one in time for July 4th. You can listen to Episode 10 right here, and get the astro-logic on our scofflaw SCOTUS’s recent shenanigans and more.

Second, please know that you can catch a video sneak peek at the week on Sunday, via the Whether Forecast segment that’s part of the podcast 2022: The Year of Love, hosted by Alison Woo. Sign up to receive an alert when it’s uploaded, along with Alison’s weekly interviews with fascinating guests offering insights on how to live life consciously.

In other news, I saw a play over the weekend that seemed the perfect thing for this particular Fourth of July. If you have an opportunity to see The Minutes, by Tracy Letts, don’t miss it. The Minutes premiered on Broadway in 2020, but quickly closed because of the Covid shutdown. It re-opened earlier this year. All I knew was that it was set in a town council meeting where a big secret comes out, and this appealed to me because of my experience dealing with the clueless bureaucracy of a co-op board, as longtime Avid Readers may remember. All politics is local, doncha’ know. The microcosm reflects the macrocosm, and vice versa.

In the play, there are actually two secrets. One is the small-time corruption you’d expect any admin body to enable. The brother of one of the council members is the local sheriff, and instead of collecting discarded bicycles and donating them to charity, he’s been selling them for personal profit on eBay. But the really big secret comes out of nowhere. The town, you see, has a history. And its history has become its proud heritage. Trouble is, it’s all based on a lie…and it falls into the category of history being written by the victors. The closing scene is a cross between Eyes Wide Shut and Carrie, which makes sense for a play that had its New York premiere in 2020, around the time of the brutal Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn. Tracy Letts and the rest of the cast deserved their standing ovation, and my theater date and I deserved our post-show Scotch. Here’s an interview with the playwright from 2020. He talks about not understanding why he was so prolific during the past decade, though any skilled astrologer can see immediately how supercharged his horoscope was during the Uranus-Pluto squares of 2011 – 2016 — and would have advised him of its potential. Letts is a Cancer, and today — July 4th — is his birthday.

Here’s how this holiday week goes:

MONDAY: Moon is in Virgo, driving the next two days with a need to make things right. If you’re not on holiday this weekend, you could apply the Virgo Moon’s discerning energy to forming a more perfect union, or sorting, organizing and perfecting a pitch. I am certain I will be doing a bit of housework over the next two days. Today we may be aware of a sense of urgency in matters of assertive communication and action, reflecting Mercury and Mars at the verrrrrry last degrees of their respective signs, Gemini and Aries. Matters related to communication may gain prominence, as Mercury is not only at 29 Gemini, but it will be at 0 Cancer — one of the Aries Point degrees — on Tuesday. Ted Cruz, Barack Obama, Prince William and Elizabeth Warren are some of the people I would expect to hear from over the next couple of days, as they have planets in their horoscopes at 0 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and/or Capricorn.
TUESDAY: Mars leaves Aries and enters Taurus at 2:03 AM ET. If Mars in Aries is the irresistible force (fiery, fast and direct), Mars in Taurus is the immovable object (earthbound, slow and stubborn). Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi both have Mars in Taurus, and they are nothing if not enduring, right? Mars will be in Taurus until August 21st, activating a few key planetary patterns as it plods along. Around July 19, it will activate the April 30th solar eclipse at 10 Taurus, and around August 12, it will activate the last two lunar eclipses we had (27 Taurus and 25 Scorpio in November and May, respectively). It will meet up with Uranus on August 1 and square Saturn on August 7. The former suggests a disruption; the latter suggests a militant block or advance. The upside potential of Mars in Taurus is dogged persistence, especially if you’re on the side of the angels. Mars in Taurus is in it for the long haul. Those who may be more personally affected by Mars’ ingress into Taurus include Queen Elizabeth II (whose Taurus Sun is 0 degrees), and President Biden (whose Moon is 0 degrees Taurus). Both may be more assertive or provoked over the next few days.
TUESDAY (CONT): Mercury leaves Gemini and enters Cancer at 2:25 AM ET, where it will be until July 19. Mercury refers to how we need to think and communicate, and Mercury in Cancer suggests a need to think and communicate based on how we feel, especially with respect to emotional and home security. At 2:36 AM ET, Mercury sextiles Mars, suggesting an easy flow of walking and talking that reflects material and emotional security concerns, as that is what Cancer and Taurus need to do. Clear? If not, please refer to Beth Owl’s Daughter’s Tarot Card of the Week for all of the upside potential of this pattern. Meanwhile, note your dreams in the morning, as Moon opposes Neptune at 9:45 AM ET. Moon goes void on a trine with Pluto at 2:03 PM ET, giving us four hours to chill and ponder details in depth. Remember that crises that crop up during Moon voids are usually much ado about nothing, often resolved as soon as the Moon enters the next sign. At 6:24 PM ET, Moon enters Libra, now focused on resolving challenges with diplomacy, fairness and balance. A square to Mercury at 9:20 PM ET may spark debate.
WEDNESDAY: If you’re bouncing out of bed with enthusiasm, you may be feeling the exuberant potential of the Moon’s opposition to Jupiter, exact at 9:12 AM ET. Let it carry you through the day. As evening approaches, the First Quarter Moon may challenge the balance, as the rational needs of the Libra Moon challenges the sensitive emotional energy of the Cancer Sun, exact at 10:14 PM ET. A harmony between the Moon and Venus, exact at 1:53 AM ET on…
THURSDAY: …helps smooth things out. The afternoon offers a platform of stability, as Moon trines Saturn at 3:17 PM ET. Pitch your project or ship it before then, as the Moon’s next stop is a cathartic square to Pluto at 9:03 PM ET (watch for potential power plays). Chill during the ensuing Moon void.
FRIDAY: Moon enters Scorpio at 1:14 AM ET, now focused on consolidating knowledge for the sake of power and control. If you wake up feeling cranky, note that the Moon opposes Mars at 5:06 AM ET, and that with the Moon and Mars in Fixed Signs, neither is inclined to give an inch. At 9:22 AM ET Sun squares Chiron — a.k.a. the Wounded Healer. Chiron has been in Aries for the past four years — and here’s an earlier post about what we can expect. If you like podcasts, here’s a conversation I had with the late, great Chris Flisher — a fellow Aries astrologer and podcasting pioneer — about Chiron in Aries (Chris, you are dearly missed). With the Sun squaring Chiron, we may see news about leaders who are struggling with issues of “healer, heal thyself.” Chiron is past the halfway point of its trek through Aries, where it will be until 2027. Meanwhile, Moon trines Mercury at 1:31 PM ET, facilitating a flow of information that is likely to expand as the evening progresses. Why? Because at 2:13 AM ET on…
SATURDAY: …Mercury squares Jupiter. Watch for headlines in the world of sports, horses, publishing, foreign affairs and legal affairs to show up in the Friday night news dump. Some of what comes out may be a surprise, especially around 8:34 AM ET, as Moon opposes Uranus. An effort to regain control weighs in around 7:04 PM ET, as Moon squares Saturn. Moon trines Neptune at 8:55 PM ET, looking for a dreamy escape, possibly set to music. Moon sextiles Pluto at 12:34 PM ET, then goes void until 4:34 AM ET. Humming in the background is a helpful alignment between Sun and Uranus, exact at 4:39 AM ET on…
SUNDAY: Watch for news involving leaders, networks, technology, aviation — and maybe even astrology. Stories should reflect a spirit of communication and cooperation. Heave a sigh of relief upon waking, as the Moon will be in Sagittarius — huzzah, huzzah! Now is the time to broaden your horizons, express your opinion and go for a gamble or a gambol. More buoyancy ensues in the evening, as Moon trines Jupiter at 6:02 PM ET.

Fun fact: if you’re an ISAR member, you can nominate this Forecast for an award!

I wouldn’t mind at all if this blog was a contender in the “Favorite Blog/Website” category.

An email asking for nominations went out over the weekend. Thanks for your support!

And now, the news.

With Mars at the very end of Aries on this Independence Day, I was expecting a story about yet another mass shooting — this time at a 4th of July parade in Highland Park. Much as I love parades and fireworks, I opted to stay home this evening — far from the madding crowd. Oh, and here’s another one — happening as I type — in Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, here in the United States, SCOTUS and a J6 “surprise” hearing commanding much of our attention, and Whitney Fishburn and I cover those in detail in our latest “Off the Charts” podcast. I’ll recap a bit of it here.

Cassidy Hutchinson was the “surprise” witness, though we’ve mentioned her before. Her testimony made it quite clear that Donald Trump was well aware that those attending his rally were armed, and that he knew they had no intention of hurting him. What she had to say — about the former guy…and Mark Meadows (her boss)…and Rudy Giuliani…and more — was so compelling that Faux News daytime anchors were left absolutely speechless…and it is priceless. Historian Heather Cox Richardson succinctly summarizes Hutchinson’s testimony here. But what does astrology have to say about the timing of this testimony and the witness?

Over on the “Off the Charts: A Stellar Newscast” page you’ll find a double-ringed chart for the start of the J6 hearings on the inside, and the start of last week’s hearing on the outside. It’s so cool to see how transiting Venus in Gemini — a talkative young woman — sextiled the unaspected Jupiter, the ruler of the opening night chart. A unaspected planet may lack support, despite its ability to attract a lot of attention. That support showed up last week — reflected in the chart and in the hearing! Astrology is amazing. You’ll also note that transiting Mercury was conjunct the Sun and trine the Moon in that opening night chart, suggesting it was time for some compelling news. Mercury in Gemini is high-functioning!

Cassidy Hutchinson was born on March 4, 1996 in Pennington, NJ — time unknown. Her accommodating Pisces Sun gets an assertive charge from an exact conjunction with Mars. Her Moon is in Virgo, needing to be appreciated for insight and making things right. She has a Venus-Neptune square — a potentially romantic idealism — that is currently being supercharged by transiting Pluto. Her Venus is in Aries — adding a crusading spirit to her ideals. Her Mercury is at 25 Aquarius — eclipsed in November and in May — and triggered by Mercury in early June. Transiting Saturn might have stationed right on her Mercury, reflecting a potential weight of the world in matters of thought and communication. Isn’t that interesting? Her testimony certainly has carried weight! Countering the gravitas of transiting Saturn is transiting Neptune right on her natal Saturn in Pisces. Neptune dissolves whatever it touches, often creating smoke, mirrors and fog. Saturn refers to structure, authority and necessary controls. We can appreciate how her life experience needs to be somewhat surreal right now, with added “out there” experiences courtesy of transiting Pluto right on her natal Neptune. It’s a hot horoscope for sure — continuing into 2023.

In other news…

We have written before about how transiting Pluto is impacting the horoscopes of many of those on SCOTUS. From this we anticipated that they were likely to play a big part in the Pluto Return of the United States — i.e., it’s potential break down, as corruption is exposed. The biggest SCOTUS news last week should have been the swearing-in of Ketanji Jackson-Brown as the Court’s first Black female justice. But nooooooo…her colleagues were too busy playing the role of Pluto, tearing down decades of jurisprudence. Last week’s rulings were even handed down during a Mars-Pluto square.

As Heather Cox Richardson wrote in her Letter of June 30th,

Before Justice Brown took her oath, the court also signaled the end of the federal government as we know it.

The ruling was in the case of West Virginia v. the EPA (a.k.a. the Environmental Protection Agency, brought to you by President Richard M. Nixon, a Republican). Reversing 100 years of jurisprudence, the 6-3 majority decided that the EPA can’t regulate pollution because…well…because the six in the majority said so. Other surreal rulings in the past two weeks included telling New York State that states couldn’t place certain restrictions on gun ownership, and telling other states that yes, of course it was up to the states to decide how to regulate women’s bodies, even if a 10-year-old rape victim had to travel to Indiana to receive care because her home state of Ohio would rather force her to bear a child. This SCOTUS also decided that Miranda rights really don’t matter that much, and that if you’re on death row and find out that your lawyer completely messed up your case, well, too bad. WaPo offers this summary of the rest of the cases here.

The next exact hit of the U.S. Pluto Return is July 11th. The third one is in December. As Whitney and I discuss in our latest podcast, it’s too soon to know for certain which direction these court rulings will take us, as we are still in the middle of our scheduled breakdown. On a positive note, last week’s New Moon suggested strong potential for creativity, as in “when a door closes, open a window.” On Friday, right on the Mars-Pluto square, Governor Kathy Hochul of New York signed gun control legislation that specifically pushed back against last month’s SCOTUS ruling that invalidated a law that had been in effect in New York for 100 years.

From this we learn two things. First, a Mars-Pluto square can be ruthless and effective without resorting to violence. Second, in your own personal world, consider what windows you can open if a door is suddenly taken out of commission. For example, one urologist reported that vasectomy consultations are up 900% since our rogue SCOTUS reversed Roe v. Wade. That’s your coping strategy in these interesting times.

I wish we had a birth time for Brittney Griner, the WNBA basketball star who’s being held hostage (essentially) in Russia. There’s just not much happening in what we do know of her chart, so it’s hard to anticipate when her status may change. Transiting Mars did just oppose her Mercury-Venus-Sun stellium in Libra — and possibly her Moon. Her “trial” began last week, and she wrote a letter to President Biden that just made news today.

I wish we had a confirmed birth time for Kate Bush, because we’d probably see aspects to her Ascendant and Midheaven that reflect her renewed record-breaking popularity. She’s earned millions ever since her 1985 hit “Runnin’ Up That Hill” was licensed for Stranger Things. Should we be surprised that a song with lyrics about making “a deal with God” would be hot in the wake of April’s Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in Pisces? But there’s more to the song than that, as Ms. Bush explains here.

For more good news, check out the always-upbeat Good News Network, where you’ll find the delightful story of how a kitten was rescued from a Pepsi machine. Good news!

To find out what’s going on in your own personal horoscope, here’s the 411 on consultations. We will have a fun and productive discussion together.

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

This homage to New York’s Statue of Liberty in Lviv, Ukraine has an interesting story…

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