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I am a reporter with a unique beat. I use my understanding of planetary cycles to provide advance notice and analysis on the Zeitgeist of the day. If you have ever wondered “why is this happening now,” my insights will transform your experience of the headlines, adding new meaning and understanding. Call it Astrology for News Junkies. If you’re curious to know why the Impossible Burger is trending…or why the outcome of the 2019 Israeli elections was likely to be a shocker …or why “Woodrow Wilson, Stud Muffin” was a New York Times headline in December 2013, you will find it here, in over a decade’s worth of historical research and reporting.
Note that I do use astrological jargon in The Forecast in my effort to show how the planetary patterns are reflected in mundane events. I explain what the jargon symbolizes, so that all who want to understand the connections between astrology and the news may do so. However, I do not use astrological jargon in personal consultations, just plain English.
Monday 2/19/2024: Sneak Peek at a Short Work Week; Venus-Mars in Aquarius; Full Moon in Virgo
/in The ForecastAlllllrighty then!
Let’s just get right to it.
Highlights this week:
It goes like this:
Here is the chart for the Full Moon, set in Washington, D.C.:
Observations:
Back to the weekly forecast:
Beth Owl’s Daughter’s always-in-sync Tarot Card of the Week reinforces themes of focus, leadership, and initiatives. Beth is awesome. Onward!
And now, the news.
Over the weekend, Venus met up with Pluto, adding intensity in matters of money, emotions, women and aesthetics to the brutal action of last week’s Mars-Pluto conjunction. Remember, these three planets connected at 0 degrees of Aquarius, and thus simply had to reflect events affecting the global community. This potent trio also activated the equally potent 2020 Great Mutation of Jupiter-Saturn at 0 Aquarius, which planted seeds for a new 200-year period of development in the element of AIR.
How last week’s events affected the global community was the focus of historian Heather Cox Richardson‘s summary for Friday. Here is the first paragraph:
This is why I can’t recommend HCR’s daily letters enough. She cuts right to the chase — compared to the priority-challenged mainstream media. And thanks to her focused reportage, it immediately occurred to me that Alexei Navalny’s presumed murder was intentionally timed so that the (Mars-Pluto) power play would be announced at this gathering of global leaders, including Navalny’s wife, Yulia Navalnaya. As noted last week, the data for Putin’s horoscope may be uncertain, but has proven to be a fairly reliable timing tool. And what we see now are patterns suggesting reward and expansion — at least for the next few months.
This is Navalny’s horoscope — and I apologize for the link not working properly in the last forecast. Here is an NYT article about the letters he wrote while he was in prison.
In other news…
Finally…
Which reminds me…that Avid Reader Claudia has written a book, and since the topic is in sync with planetary patterns, I’m delighted to share Messages from the Womb with you all.
Here is the 411 on personal consultations. Astrology is a powerful tool for better understanding your significant others, your children, and — of course — yourself. And those are only a few ways that astrology can help you live life better. We will have a fine discussion together.
Thank you for supporting this forecast –– and sharing it with your friends.
Venus and Mars by Antonio Canova, 1816
photo by Paolo Gallo – stock.adobe.com
Friday 2/16/2024 & the Weekend: Alexei Navalny, RIP; Venus-Mars-Pluto in the News
/in The ForecastAs I said in Monday’s forecast, this is a significant week on the world stage because the meet-ups (conjunctions) among Venus, Mars, and Pluto are activating the December 21, 2020 Great Mutation of Jupiter-Saturn at 0 degrees of Aquarius –– the start of the New Age of Air (after 200 years of Earth). Translation: those who seek to rule the world are moving away from the paradigm of EARTH (i.e., whoever mines the earth or dies with the most toys, wins). Now the battlefield is in the AIR — e.g., whoever controls networks, data, airwaves, airspace, and how people think (as in, controlling what people can read or are taught in school), wins.
On Wednesday, for example, we had the conjunction between Mars (action; aggression) and Pluto (extremes; resistance is futile). Moon was in Taurus seeking to preserve the status quo and perhaps keep calm and carry on. This need was sorely challenged around 11:22 AM ET and 11:56 AM ET, when Moon squared Pluto and Mars. Sounds like a potential fight over territory — whatever is seen as mine, mine, mine…driven to extremes. Meanwhile, Venus is following in Mars’ footsteps, adding extremes of emotion to the mix — especially if women, art, money and social expression are involved. Oh, and let’s not forget the weekend’s square between Mercury and Uranus — shocking revelations to come, for sure.
And in fact, headlines this week have been brutal:
In other awful, brutal news:
“Western leaders point the finger at Putin after Alexei Navalny’s death in prison.” I’ve been writing about Navalny for several years — here’s a profile in Mountain Astrologer. Since 2023, transiting Pluto has been opposing his Saturn, and the third of five hits happened in mid-January, around the time of his transfer to a remote penal colony above the Arctic Circle. Some of his lawyers have been arrested on bogus charges. The Pluto-Saturn pattern continues through 2024.
Meanwhile, transiting Neptune connects with all the angles of his horoscope into 2025. This is a potential wipe-out, but it may well make him even more of an inspiration. Navalny left the world a video in the event of his demise — here it is. Since the horoscope lives forever, I’m looking forward to the time when his horoscope will be in a rewarding, potentially joyous period. Mark my words — and I’m marking my calendar. Rest in power, Mr. Navalny.
In other news…
Venus-Mars-Pluto can’t help but “coincide” with salacious headlines:
UPDATE: on Jon Stewart, whose life is perfectly reflecting patterns in his horoscope, even though he’s publicly stated that he thinks astrology is bunk. Check out what was written about him back in 2015. Transiting Saturn was all over his horoscope, and thus we expected him to be wrestling with themes of loss, gravitas and ambition. He left The Daily Show — to no serious astrologer’s surprise,. In 2023, transiting Saturn was all over his horoscope again — and his superb show on Apple TV was canceled. Now he’s returned to The Daily Show — but only on Mondays. Ratings were through the roof on his first night back, but many critics didn’t think he was funny — and we’ll see how many return for a second dose. Meanwhile, transiting Uranus is squaring his Mars — which may spark recklessness — and this pattern is exact on March 25 — the date of the next eclipse.
UPDATE: on Donald John Trump. A pattern exact on February 21 that suggests expansion in matters of power and resources. I was puzzled by this initially because in two New York court cases (E. Jean Carroll’s and Letitia James’), he’s on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars — not exactly what you’d call an expansion. Well, guess what? As Ronna Romney McDaniel is presumably on her way out as head of the Republican National Committee, DJT is pushing for election-denier Michael Whatley and Lara Trump (Eric’s wife) to replace McDaniel. Lara has pledged to spend every penny of the RNC’s money on DJT’s presidential campaign (legal fees, perhaps?), and if getting direct access to the RNC piggybank happens around February 21, that would qualify as an expansion of power and resources, yes?
Other dates to watch for DJT through the end of March:
Meanwhile…
Here’s a sweetly sentimental story that aptly reflect the Venus-Neptune sextile.
Finally, Neptune refers to sleep, dreams, and memory — and here’s how lack of sleep — even for one night — affects our ability to remember.
Hope this astro-logic helps you cope with current planetary patterns. To find out what they all mean for your unique horoscope, here’s the 411 on personal consultations.
Thank you for supporting this forecast — and sharing it with your friends.
People put their hands to the cold frosted wall to leave prints in support of Alexei Navalny in the centre of Moscow during a political rally against his arrest on January 23, 2021.
Monday 2/12/2024: Sneak Peek at the Week; Venus and Mars and Pluto — Oh, My!
/in The ForecastAlllrighty then!
A warm welcome to new Avid Readers from the London School of Astrology. Thank you for attending today’s talk about how the horoscope keeps on working, even when you’re no longer among the living. Astrology is amazing!
Congratulations to Avid Reader Lisa for betting on the Kansas City Chiefs after reading Friday’s forecast. Did anyone else win big?
This is a significant week on the world stage because the meet-ups (conjunctions) among Venus, Mars, and Pluto are activating the December 21, 2020 Great Mutation of Jupiter-Saturn at 0 degrees of Aquarius –– the start of the New Age of Air (after 200 years of Earth).
In your own personal world, the intensity of these patterns could make for a passionate Valentine’s Day, for those who celebrate. Alternatively, you could apply this zeal to any project that furthers your heart’s desire. You could also literally work out the intensity at the local gym.
It goes like this:
Let us pay proper homage to the sign that has been called “the dustbin of the zodiac.”
Pisces is a sensitive, intuitive energy that at its best expresses compassion and loving kindness for everyone and everything, in its understanding that we are all One. Being such a sensitive soul is not always easy. Pisces has been known to wallow in suffering. It can go to extremes of surrender in order to escape life’s hard knocks, drowning its sorrows in the nearest rose-colored glass. Pisces is ruled by Neptune, a dreamy energy that can be challenging to integrate, but oh what sublime creative visions it can bring to life, when effectively channeled. Pisces appreciates that the individual and the collective are one and the same; that the illusion that we are separated from one another is just that: an illusion.
This Pisces truth is expressed in a book I stumbled across years ago. It’s called Happier Than God by Neale Donald Walsch. At the end of Chapter 15, Walsch talks about his quest to find the answer to these questions: 1) What does it take to make life work? and 2) Why does my life have to be such a continuing struggle? Walsch credits a conversation with God with this answer:
The book then expounds on a simple, yet profound concept that “All Things are One Thing. There is only One Thing, and All Things are part of the One Thing That Is.” Walsch makes the case that when you can apply this concept in day-to-day living, you will have mastered the key to success. Sounds pretty Piscean to me.
Pisces folk born in the last three days days of the sign should chat with Fish born a few days earlier about how spacey life seemed in the past two years, as transiting Neptune met up with their Sun. Lots of potential for creativity and soulful questing, though. Pisces born in the middle of the sign are in for a focused streamlining. I’d say the same is true for Geminis, Sagittarians and Virgos born in that range. May be time to check in with your local astrologer…
Famous Pisces include Kurt Cobain, Laura Dern, Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli, George Harrison and Mr. Rogers. All are sensitive, soulful and sublime, in their own magical way.
I’ll catch up on the news in the next forecast.
Meanwhile, I’d love to talk to you…about what’s going on in your horoscope! If it’s been over a year since your last consultation, you’re due for a check-up. Here’s how to contact me.
Thank you for supporting this forecast — and sharing it with your friends.
Friday 2/9/2024 & the Weekend: New Moon in Aquarius; Surprise, Surprise!
/in The ForecastAlllrighty then!
Time for a post about Friday’s New Moon — most of which was written throughout the day on Thursday. I’m editing it now (Friday morning). It was supposed to be a brief break from fine-tuning my dazzling PowerPoint to the London School of Astrology on Monday, February 12th, in which — ICYMI, I’ll be sharing how horoscopes accurately reflect events in life — even when you’re dead. My research was sparked a decade ago by Maureen Dowd’s NYT op-ed, Woodrow Wilson: Stud Muffin. I’m delighted to be part of LSA’s Ask the Expert series — which is open to the public.
Here’s how to register for the talk — hope to see you on Zoom next Monday.
Here is the chart for the New Moon in Aquarius at 5:59 PM ET, set in Washington, DC.
Observations:
Reminder for the rest of the weekend:
No sleeping in on MONDAY. After a Moon void of just barely one hour, Moon enters Aries at 8:25 AM ET, rarin’ to go, go, go.
And, now the news…which is mostly politics, after Sunday’s dreamy Grammys.
Action in Congress flowed in sync with planetary patterns, did it not? We started the week with a lean, mean border bill — hammered out over the course of four months by Senators James Lankford (R-OK), Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ). What an apt reflection of Monday’s persuasive Mercury-Pluto conjunction, and Wednesday’s 1) reach-across-the-aisle Venus-Uranus trine, and 2) a potentially conciliatory Mars – Neptune sextile. But — remember that Mars with Neptune can be slippery or fishy (or, as Heather Cox Richardson reported “exceedingly weird”), and with that Sun (leaders) – Uranus square humming in the background, a clarifying shock to the system wouldn’t be surprising at all.
So, to clarify, many of the very same Republicans who demanded border security before pledging further support for Ukraine (which Vladimir Putin opposes) were told by the former guy to tank the bill so that he can turn the “lack of border security” into a winning campaign. Here is an excellent report from CNN’s Abby Phillips explaining it all to you — on tape.
I happened to catch Senator Lankford’s speech on the Senate floor, expressing disappointment that his sincere bipartisan effort had failed. He told peers that a “popular commentator” had threatened to “destroy him” if he persisted — imagine that. Lankford is a Pisces, driven by a material security-seeking Taurus Moon. Idealism is suggested by a Mercury-Venus conjunction in Aquarius, and his ideals need to be socially significant. This conjunction is in a cooperative alignment with a much less cooperative pattern: Mars-Saturn together in Aries. Translation: militant controls on pioneering action; a crusading “my way or the highway.” We don’t have a birth time, but if you watch the linked video, you might suspect that this tight, reddish Mars-Saturn conjunction is connected to his Ascendant — how he needs to be seen). More idealism — especially in matters of faith — is suggested by a Jupiter – Regulus conjunction, square to Neptune. Jupiter conjunct Regulus suggests “fame, high preferment, especially of a military nature, success in the Church.” Lankford is a Baptist minister.
In his speech, Lankford held up the pen he received when he was sworn into office. All of the senators receive these special pens (he said), as a reminder that their job is to write laws. True to what we see in the horoscope, he maintained a cool, controlled, dignified demeanor. But I wondered (thinking about the Sabian Symbol for today’s New Moon), if his disappointment included any disillusionment over — perhaps — his vote (twice!) to not convict Donald Trump in his two impeachment trials (I’m also thinking of a snarky tweet that went viral a couple of years ago, involving leopards and those who vote for them). Anyhow, this New Moon sits close to Lankford’s Mercury (how he needs to think and communicate), and transiting Saturn on his Sun around April 8th suggests necessary streamlining and controls, perhaps after processing this month’s disappointing experience with his legislative pen and peers.
As for the former guy, his week started with two patterns that have historically coincided with written documents negatively impacting his professional status. Astro-logically, I’m referring to transiting Mars (aggression, assertion, attacks) making a tough connection to his Venus (ruler of his Midheaven), which was exact on February 7th. It was the perfect time for three women judges on the D.C. Court of Appeals to unanimously rule (as Stephen Colbert explains in his monologue) that TFG is absolutely, positively not above the law and has no immunity from criminal prosecution. The full ruling in all of its lovely prose is here.
When will TFG experience that provocative Mars pattern again? June 3rd — with effects likely seen a few days earlier. Until that time — which coincides with the first of three hits to his Midheaven by Uranus (agent of change), the TFG legal soap opera may well continue as writer/authoritarianism expert Sarah Kendzior anticipates. In other words, you can tune out for weeks and when you come back, pick up right where you left off.
Meanwhile…
Stories reflecting Sun square Uranus themes (seismic activity, tech breakthroughs, reckless leaders, aviation, accidents, freedom, rebellion) include:
Here’s the 411 on personal consultations.
Thank you for reading this forecast — with special thanks to Avid Reader Lucy for her generous support.
Finally…
Happy Year of the Wood Dragon!
Monday 2/5/2024: Sneak Peek at the Week; the Grammys & Much More
/in The ForecastAllllrighty then!
Covid is far from over, as planetary patterns observed in recent months suggested, not to mention my own personal experience. I tested positive six days ago, and am only now coming out of a mental fog. On the upside, the initial headache wasn’t as intense as the first time, and I didn’t lose my sense of smell and taste. On the downside, I blame myself for not adhering to my usual strict policy of wearing a mask everywhere I go, including the common areas of my building. One of my neighbors tested positive the day before I did — someone I’d chatted with in the hallway several days earlier. In a moment of derring-do, I’d gone downstairs to the lobby to retrieve a package — without a mask. My bad! Please, dear Avid Reader, wear that mask. I’m sick of wearing them too, but I’d rather you feel sick about a mask, than actually be sick!
Is it possible to see in a horoscope when you are more susceptible to catching a virus? Of course! In my case, it did not go unnoticed that the conjunction of Mercury and Mars last month squared my Midheaven, one of the angles (that’s the technical term) of the horoscope. Experience shows that the angles are more sensitive to transits, and any hard aspect from Mars is 100% guaranteed to be provocative — for better and/or worse.
Not only that, but the South Node was on my Midheaven (career and public status). In the language of astrology, the South Node suggests destruction. Meanwhile, I’ve got a Neptune transit to another planet, suggesting extra focus may be required in communication and travel, lest I do myself in. Yet another alert is what’s happening to Saturn, ruler of my Ascendant (one of the health areas of a horoscope). It just got zapped by Uranus (disruption; breakthrough) and it is squaring my Moon, which is putting a squeeze on another area of the horoscope related to health.
The silver lining here — because there always an upside potential to a planetary pattern — is that I had zero ability to put words together for a consultation, forecast, or PowerPoint. But I could entertain myself by surfing the web — and stumbled across a website with volumes of scanned archives from villages in 19th century Italy, including the one where my Italian great-grandparents were born.
Students of astrology will appreciate that while the South Node was on my Midheaven (figuratively wiping out my professional/public status last week, starting with Mailchump not delivering Monday’s forecast until Tuesday evening), the North Node was on my IC (roots; core family foundation). The North Node suggests growth. And Mars (remember that Mars transit from three paragraphs ago?) rules my IC. We see the potential for a growth spurt in core family concerns!
And that’s what happened. I harnessed the intense, dirt-digging potential of today’s Mercury-Pluto conjunction, and scoured the exquisite calligraphy of those Italian archives. I discovered records for all of my great-grandparents’ relatives, including their parents and grandparents. Best of all, birth times were recorded, and you can see in those horoscopes (!!!) the astro-logic of why their lives are being brought to light NOW by their relentlessly inquisitive American descendant. The horoscope lives forever…and I’ll be sharing a couple of these charts in my talk next Monday (via Zoom) at the London School of Astrology (open to the public, as you can see here).
But enough about me. Hopefully your takeaway here is a greater understanding of how astrology helps us appreciate why things happen when they do. When I consult with clients, I ask them to tell me what they see for themselves in the future, and then we discuss how the potential suggested by the patterns in their horoscope can help them realize their dreams.
And now…
Highlights this Week
It goes like this:
And now, the news.
It couldn’t have happened at a better time for those aforementioned unconventional women who rocked the Grammys last night:
This is the perfect spot to share Beth Owl’s Daughter’s always-in-sync –Tarot Card of the Week.
In other news…
The U.S. economy continues to perform beyond expectations, with the sextile between Jupiter and Saturn now at quite possibly the closest it’s going to get since its exact sextile last June. This is one of the major patterns that reflects the stunning job numbers, market performance, etc. that came in last week. As I wrote last June, on the Summer Solstice:
In revisiting what I wrote back then about the chart for the Solstice, I see I’ve made a number of predictions for events happening later this month, for those who are interested. With respect to what happens next between Jupiter and Saturn, we’ll find out around August 19 and December 24, when they form the first two of three squares. Think of it as a First Quarter Moon phase in a dance that began on December 21, 2020. We can expect challenges and a need to make adjustments, and we’ll see what sticks when the third Jupiter-Saturn square happens in June 2025.
There’s much to say about other U.S. news, but Avid Readers have asked for commentary on the latest announcement from Buckingham Palace: King Charles has been diagnosed with cancer. Kate, Princess of Wales also had a health issue last month, and so did Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York. Coincidence, conspiracy, or astrology?
First of all, I’ve said repeatedly that the horoscopes of the key players in the British Royal Family are all impacted by planets at 0 Aquarius. The Great Conjunction of Jupiter-Saturn on December 21. 2020 was at 0 Aquarius. Pluto hit 0 Aquarius for the first time last March, and for the second time on January 20.
Given this and other significant patterns I see in their respective horoscopes, it would not surprise me at all if King Charles were to step aside and Prince William were to be crowned king in 2025. Patterns in the horoscope suggest significant change. However, there are plenty of other scenarios — some that are perhaps currently unimaginable — that would fall into the category of “significant change.” Stick around, and by the end of 2025, we’ll find out what it is. Until then, my wish is that the treatment King Charles receives is successful, and that he spends the rest of his long life doing whatever pleases him most.
Meanwhile, I will be discussing upcoming developments in the horoscope of Queen Elizabeth in my presentation to the London School of Astrology. Yes, the school is charging non-students an admission fee, because they are paying an honorarium to the speakers, but the talk is open to the general public.
What’s going on in your horoscope? Here’s the 411 on personal consultations.
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