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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 2/8/2021: Sneak Peek at the Week; New Moon in Aquarius; Venus in the News
/0 Comments/in The Forecast /by Elisabeth GraceArise, go forth and make it happen. That’s the drive of the Moon in Capricorn, where it’s been since Sunday at 3:51 PM ET…and where it will be until Tuesday at 8:20 PM ET. This proactive drive is enabled by the stubborn endurance of Mars in Taurus, as Moon and Mars will be in a trine (harmony) at 9:21 PM ET. Whether this is a positive or destructive enabling remains to be seen.
Last week, Venus (money, values, women, art) was the star player; this week, it’s Mercury making the most connections with the other kids in the sandbox. Today at 8:47 AM ET, Mercury — still retrograde — met up with the Sun, suggesting a need to rethink what is already a rethought strategy (Mercury is retrograde). Watch the headlines; see what emerges. The rest of the week goes like this:
Observations:
Back to the forecast for the week:
And now, the news.
If it feels as if things are moving faster than warp speed, there are astrological correlations. All planets except Mercury are direct in motion, and all are moving faster than their average speeds, especially Jupiter and Saturn, Keeping up with the news is an eternal game of Whack-a-Mole.
Last week’s meet-up of Venus and Saturn in Aquarius, followed by Venus’ square to Uranus suggested heavy and disruptive headlines involving women, arts, money and social expression:
However, Jupiter’s action in a horoscope is no guarantee of good fortune. Jupiter is expansion, for better or worse. I was saddened to read that beloved philanthropist Captain Sir Tom Moore, the centenarian who raised millions for the UK’s National Health Service in 2020, passed away last week — from Covid. Transiting Jupiter was opposing his natal Jupiter-Neptune conjunction and squaring his Taurus Sun. Neptune can refer to infections. Jupiter’s expansive energy here was not helpful. Here is a write-up of his horoscope, published last year.
Meanwhile…
When Mercury is retrograde, it’s not unusual to hear from people you haven’t seen in years — or find a missing object lost long ago, as in:
Finally, remember this prediction from last week’s forecast?
…and here’s the bawdy and wacky Zillow ad SNL created. It’s generating a ton of buzz!
Wasn’t that one fun? Astrology is amazing! To support the time and effort it takes to compile these stories reflecting the astonishing synchronicity of planetary patterns and the headlines, check out this here link to the Cosmic Tip Jar. I am deeply grateful for my Faithful Monthly Avid Readers and Fairy Godmothers and Godfathers.
To find out what’s going on in your own horoscope, here’s the 411 on personal consultations.
Thank you for reading this forecast.
More snow is on the way!
Monday 2/1/2021: Sneak Peek at the Week; Astrology for February
/0 Comments/in The Forecast /by Elisabeth GraceRabbit, rabbit!
By the time you read this, the snow falling on parts south and west should have made its way north to NYC. A snow day — or two — would be expected to disrupt travel, but with Mercury retrograde, you can put any delays to good use. Have you been reviewing your progress since the last Mercury retrograde, which ended in November? Are you reconnecting with past projects, friends and colleagues? Or are you just chilling out?
Chilling may be challenge on Monday morning, given the square between physical Mars and the Sun. At 6:25 AM ET, Moon enters Libra, seeking smooth things over with a focus on fairness and balance in relationship. At 9:05 AM ET, Venus leaves Capricorn for Aquarius, where values, money, social expression and art need to be less concerned about climbing ladders of status and success; more concerned with being accessible to all.
As we move through this week and next, Venus will make contact with Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter and Mercury (twice). Thus we’ll see a lot of headlines about who, what and how we need to love — and why we need to be more ambitious, innovative and expansive with our aesthetic ideals. The markets should be interesting to watch.
For today, the Libra Moon’s people-pleasing drive is well-supported. Go about your business — but triple check the fine print and wiring instructions.
Meanwhile…
Avid Reader Stephanie wants to know if I am offering a few paragraphs of personal insights on what this Mercury retrograde means in your own personal horoscope. And yes, since Avid Reader Stephanie asked, I would be delighted to. Toss $46 into my Cosmic Tip Jar — as a Joyful Random Expression of Appreciation — and email me your birth data — time, place and date — if I don’t already have it. I will send you my thoughts in a day or two.
As for the rest of February, major highlights include:
And now, the news.
I have been resisting joining the scores of astrologers looking at what we know about the horoscope of gun-toting Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. She’s been all over the news, and especially during last week’s emotionally extreme Venus-Pluto conjunction and potentially fringe-to-the-max Sun-Jupiter-Uranus square. If you still don’t know who I’m talking about, here’s the cold open from the weekend’s season premiere of SNL. Comedy is a coping strategy for pain.
Anyhoo, Greene made news last week when dozens of social media posts from the past came to light. There she was stalking and harassing a teenage David Hogg (survivor of a deadly school shooting in Parkland, FL); there she was declaring that the California wildfires were caused by “Jewish space lasers.” This week, Congresswoman Cori Bush moved her office away from Greene’s because she and her staff were being harassed by the “mask-less” staff of MTG. Apparently there is no HR department in Congress, and Greene was rewarded for her specialness with an assignment on the House Education Committee (she believes the Parkland shooting and 911 were hoaxes).
The scandal no one is talking about (says Ryan Calo on Twitter), is how Space Force missed the giant laser pointed at California.
Naturally, astrologers were curious to know what was going on in Greene’s horoscope — not that we really had to look. We already know — based on her words and deeds — what we’re going to find. She has a bewildering sense of self and her place in the world, right? Sun-Neptune opposition. She is reckless, disruptive and a fierce advocate for guns and violence. She appears to have funded her campaign in part with Covid relief funds. Mars in a t-square with Venus-Uranus, supercharged last year. Her Mars is in Cancer. Her actions need to support emotional/home security. She has Venus in Aries. She needs a crusade. This need is supercharged in 2021. She has one pattern in common with Speaker Nancy Pelosi: an exact square between Saturn and Pluto, which suggests extremes of ambition and discipline. Born on May 27, 1982 in Milledgeville, GA, Greene is a Gemini, probably with Moon in drama queen Leo. Current patterns in her horoscope suggest extreme efforts based on likely unreasonable plans and — according to astrologer Noel Tyl, “nefarious scheming to exalt the ego.”
Unpleasant as it may be, I feel we need to stay focused on politics, if we are seriously interested in preserving the democratic ideals set forth in the Declaration of Independence and in our Constitution. In her latest post, historian Heather Cox Richardson addresses the divide within the Republican party — and between so-called “business Republicans” and Democrats. She explains how — having been voted out of power by the people, Republicans in assorted state legislatures are now trying to make it even harder for the people to vote. With these recent developments, we can see how the stress in the U.S. horoscope is likely to manifest in real life over the next two years.
In other news (reflecting planetary patterns, especially today’s square between warrior/macho Mars and the Sun):
Reflecting the “pocket full of posies” (defense against the plague) symbolized by the Sabian Symbol for the current Mercury retrograde (see the last forecast), the NYT published an extremely lengthy and detailed piece that answered all questions about the Covid vaccine!
UPDATE: on the former WH Occupant — and only because I wrote in a prior forecast that we’d see notable action in his horoscope on the 27th and through that week. Transiting Mars and Jupiter activated his Pluto (power and resources); we’d expect extremes — possibly pushing his luck at great loss. Late Friday, it was announced that five of his defense attorneys quit. His new lawyers are apparently better-equipped to handle the case, given that their combined experience includes defending “alleged” mobsters, advising Jeffrey Epstein and declining to prosecute convicted sexual predator Bill Cosby. The impeachment trial is scheduled to start on February 9th — will there be a Mercury retrograde delay? I don’t know, but the next big date to watch is February 18, when Pluto opposes his Venus (professional status; siblings; communication) for the first of three passes. Meanwhile, February 17-19 are dates to watch for President Biden.
In closing….
…the snow is now falling heavily in NYC and the city is closed for the day. Yay! If you’re in the mood for a show, I recommend In & Of Itself. It premiered last month on Hulu, and all I knew when I watched it on the 22nd was that Stephen Colbert produced it, Frank Oz directed it, and that it addressed questions of “identity.” And since astrology has a lot to say about questions of identity, i.e., why you are the way you are, I just had to check it out. I don’t want to tell you anything more other than 1) just watch it; and 2) there are moments in this show when people feel truly seen — and these moments are quite empowering. If you don’t subscribe to Hulu, you can get a free trial for 30 days.
Thank you for reading this forecast. Here’s the 411 on personal consultations. Here’s how to support the work it takes to bring you these insights via email once or twice a week. Avid Reader Diane tells me that I simply must include this message every time I write, and since she has a black belt in aikido, resistance is futile.
Did someone say, “Rabbit, rabbit?”
Saturday & Sunday 1/30-31/2021: Mercury Retrograde in Aquarius Survival Guide; Catching Up on the News
/0 Comments/in The Forecast /by Elisabeth GraceHappy Saturday!
Moon entered Virgo at 3:02 AM ET, seeking to put everything in order. Hopefully you backed up your computers before 10:51 AM ET, which is when Mercury turned retrograde…not to turn direct until February 20th. Here is what you need to know about survival the Messenger Planet’s apparent backward motion through the sky:
Mercury turns retrograde at 26 degrees of Aquarius…and retraces its steps all the way back to 11 degrees of Aquarius. It turns direct on February 20th, and arrives at 26 Aquarius again on the New Moon of March 13th.
Astrologer Robert Wilkinson (who wrote the book on Mercury retrograde) sees Mercury Rx in Aquarius as an opportunity to review old ideals with a mind to fresh application, “furthering the work that was done before by another,” especially in social service. It’s an apt time to review friendships and groups of like-minded souls. Wherever 26 Aquarius – 11 Aquarius falls in your horoscope is where you may be re-evaluating old ideals and associations.
The Sabian Symbol for this Mercury retrograde is “an ancient pottery bowl filled with violets.” Sabian Sage Blain Bovee shares thoughts on this lovely image here. It’s fascinating that his book on the Sabian Symbols makes a connection between these violets and the “pocket full of posies,” mentioned in the rhyme many Brits and Americans learned to sing in their youth. The “posies” are a protection against the plague– and getting the world vaccinated against Covid will certainly be in the news during this retrograde!!!
Anyhoo…this week, Mercury Rx activates seeds that were planted on the New Moon of August 2020 — a hot time for President Biden and P45. When Mercury turns direct on February 20th, it will activate happenings around October 12 and November 19. 2020 — the latter of which was significant in President Biden’s horoscope.
Back to the weekend forecast:
And now, the news.
Mercury turning retrograde just two days before a potentially combative square between Mars (cars, head) and the Sun is seen here:
Last week’s big patterns included:
And here are a few stories:
“‘Immunological unicorn’: the Australian lab growing coronavirus – and its startling discovery”
“Meet YInMn, the first new blue pigment in two centuries — created by accident” (!!!)
“New electric car batteries can re-charge in five minutes,”
Fun fact: if you were born around the 30th of January, April, July or October OR have a significant placement in your horoscope around 7 degrees of Leo, Aquarius, Scorpio or Taurus, you’re likely experiencing a few shake-ups in your own personal world, as in:
Meanwhile, there is GameStop, whose meteoric and shocking performance perfectly reflected planetary patterns. You know what happened, right? The stock soared because a group of small-time investors in the Reddit forum Wall Street Bets (power to the little people/Jupiter-Saturn in Aquarius square Uranus in Taurus) started buying it — not because of its intrinsic value, mind you — but simply as a way to push the value up. In doing so, they blindsided the Pluto in (corporate) Capricorn hedge funds, who’d placed bets that GameStop’s value would tank, as Stephen Colbert explains. The hedge funds lost millions; the masses made money, like this 10-year-old in San Antonio, TX. And then “the masses” started playing with the value of other companies, e.g. American Airlines and AMC.
I’ve noted the potential of 2021’s series of squares between Saturn and Uranus a number of times in this forecast over the years. The exact dates are February 17, June 15 and December 24. The last challenging pattern between these two planets was a series of five oppositions between November 4, 2008 and July 26, 2010.
I leave you with the latest from the Good News Network.
What’s going on in your horoscope? Here’s the 411 on personal consultations — and here’s the 411 on the Empowered Astrology Conference happening online March 11 – 14. This is an annual gathering with a stellar faculty — check it out!
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Monday 1/25/2021: Sneak Peek at the Week; Full Moon in Leo: Mercury Retrograde Alert!
/0 Comments/in The Forecast /by Elisabeth GraceWowwwwww….what a week! How did everyone sleep? Better?
This week offers a similar surge of energy, as the Sun will make contact with Uranus (surprise!) and Jupiter (big!). Emotions are running high, represented by Thursday’s Full Moon in Leo, combined with that Sun-Jupiter conjunction and a conjunction between Venus-Pluto in Capricorn. The weekend features another build-up of energy, as the Sun squares Mars (action! aggression!) on February 1st.
Soooooo much energy….and then we have Mercury (how we need to think and communicate), slowing to a virtual standstill this week. Why? Because Mercury turns retrograde on Friday! BACK UP YOUR COMPUTERS NOW. Here’s how the week rolls:
Here is the chart for the Full Moon, set in Washington D.C.:
Observations:
Back to…
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And now, the news.
First, the Biden-Harris inauguration — here are the highlights from NBC News. But how did it reflect the astrology of that day? You will remember that the Moon was at the last degree of me-first, me-rush Aries — and it was void! This suggests twists and flakes in efforts to move forward in a straight line:
Astrologers weren’t crazy about that afternoon’s Mars-Uranus conjunction, as it suggested explosive activity. I thought the Moon void might take the edge off, along with the Moon’s ingress into Taurus (which is reliably resistant to heavy disruption). There were a few notable disruptions in the news, including an explosion in Madrid, a small temblor in LA and a fatal military helicopter crash in upstate New York.
Then again, it could be argued that the disruptive potential of the Mars-Uranus conjunction in Taurus –– a sign that needs to preserve things The Way They Ought to Be — was in fact all over this inauguration. That afternoon, with a stroke of his pen, President Biden signed over a dozen executive orders, many reversing isolationist P45 policies and replacing them with initiatives aptly expressing the humanitarian, tech-friendly, eco-conscious, all humans are created equal potential of Jupiter-Saturn in Aquarius. Here’s a list of 50 things that have changed for the better — just like that — compiled by WaPo columnist Jennifer Rubin. VP Kamala Harris swore in three new senators, giving the Democrats the majority. Just like that. There was a truly inspiring virtual parade (so diverse!) and at the end of the day, the most massive display of fireworks I’ve ever seen. Fun fact: the First Lady’s white dress — btw — is embroidered with flowers from all 50 states. Inclusive! Diverse! Aquarius!!
Other items hitting the wires as I’m typing this:
In other news…
I saw Saturday’s Sun-Saturn conjunction (heavy news, some of it involving leaders) and Mars-Jupiter square (big news in sports, broadcasting, courts, travel) in the obituaries:
Elsewhere, the NYT wonders what defines “domestic abuse” and argues that it includes “coercive control”
WaPo has this to offer: “Senate gridlock threatens Biden agenda.” Oh, but wait. Hours later, as the Sun squares gridlock-blasting Uranus, they’re good to go.
We are learning more and more about lawmakers and/or law enforcers who facilitated P45’s attempted coup on January 6th, as in:
Meanwhile…
Lawyer/activist Alexei Navalny reflected the daring/reckless patterns currently active in his horoscope by flying home to Russia, where he was immediately arrested (on live TV) and imprisoned. Navalny responded by releasing a 90-minute documentary on a secret $1.3 billion palace he alleges Vladimir Putin built — with suspect funds. In less than a week, the video has been viewed 80 million times — and apparently its allegations of corruption are making an impact. Navalny called for Russians to take to the streets in protest — which they did en masse over the weekend, in sub-zero temperatures.
When we compare Navalny’s horoscope with what we believe may be Vladimir Putin‘s, it’s clear Navalny’s existence disrupts Putin’s need to be seen in total control. First, Navalny can’t help but attract attention. If he’s around in mid-May, when Jupiter enters Pisces, it will be opposing not only his Virgo Moon, but modern Russia’s, too. This suggests expansion of a need to make things right.
If Putin’s birth time is correct, we see how he will need to do some serious core foundation work in 2022, with a potential change of status to follow. Fun fact: on January 6th (the attempted coup in Washington), patterns in his horoscope were expansive. On January 20th (the Biden-Harris inauguration), patterns suggested a potential loss. Coincidence or conspiracy? I don’t know, but President Biden is already in Putin’s face, calling for the release of Navalny and his supporters.
Finally, if you’re a researcher and have convincing evidence for “the survival of consciousness after permanent bodily death,” you could win hundreds of thousands of dollars in an essay contest. Wheeeeee!
Thank you for reading this forecast. To support the work, the Cosmic Tip Jar is here. The 411 on personal consultations is here.
A representation of this week’s planetary patterns!
Monday 1/18/2021: Late Sneak Peek at the Week; Biden-Harris Inauguration
/0 Comments/in The Forecast /by Elisabeth GraceAnd…we’re off to the races again. Racing is an apt word for a day driven by the Moon in me-me-me-first Aries, where it has been since 2:07 AM ET. Cooperative aspects between Saturn and Jupiter at 9:19 AM ET and 6:57 PM ET keep the action going without too many speedbumps.
Today we honor the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., who was actually born on January 15, 1929 at 11:21 AM in Atlanta, GA. Dr. King was a Sun Sign Capricorn (the energy to make things happen in order to move forward), with Moon in Pisces, which needs to work with the collective soul and other intangibles…a dream, perhaps? Since the horoscope lives forever, we immediately take notice of transiting Pluto about to meet-up with Dr. King’s 25 Capricorn Sun, and transiting Neptune on Dr. King’s 19 Pisces Moon. Translation: Dr. King’s visionary ideals are more revved up than ever, and we expect his efforts to administer social progress will manifest in a power play, possibly being torn down and transformed over the next two years.
Other components of Dr. King’s horoscope are also hot this year. King’s Jupiter at the beginning of Taurus seeks its reward in material comfort and security, in The Way Things Ought To Be. It was just activated by the Jupiter-Saturn in early Aquarius, and by transiting Mars in Taurus. Dr. King’s unaspected Mercury at 11 Aquarius (how he needs to think and communicate) will soon find plenty of channels via contacts with Mars, Uranus, Jupiter and Saturn. For more on his horoscope, here’s a post from January 2012.
So. It was pretty quiet over the weekend relatively speaking, as anticipated. Here’s what’s coming next:
In Washington, D.C. (and the Eastern Time Zone in general), keep an eye on the action around 6:20 AM and 7:45 AM ET, and again around 11:30 AM and 12:40 PM ET. The early morning times correspond to P45‘s departure from Washington via Andrews AFB. It’s good to read that those in charge of security are saying that they are on high alert, as in “All 25K National Guardsmen going to Washington for the Inauguration are being subject to extra vetting.”
Here is chart for the Constitutionally mandated inauguration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr.:
With the Moon void at 29 Aries, a twist or delay would not be surprising Who remembers the time Chief Justice Roberts flubbed a line during Obama’s first inauguration in 2009? The Moon was void (and there was a do-over when the Moon was not void). Today’s Moon is exactly where Mars was on January 6th, recalling the aggressive energy of that day. The Moon in this chart refers to the people, so here we have a populace that is all fired up about its righteous crusade. No matter what side you’re on in this righteous crusade, the next step for the Moon is Taurus, where it needs to establish a materially comfortable status quo. This Aries Moon also refers to the reigning need of the Biden Administration, i.e., to lead, inspire and start things that have never been started before. It is square the Aquarius Sun, a sign that it is being born at a time of crisis. Ya think?
Mars and Uranus are in Taurus the 12th house — with the Aries Moon. This suggests a need to shake up the system. Mars in the 12th is an excellent placement for assertive energy that serves the needs of a group, as opposed to one person’s ego. You may see it in the horoscopes of surgeons and quarterbacks. In an event chart, Mars in the 12th may weaken or subvert its destructive potential. Compare this chart with the 117th Congress’ horoscope, which you’ll find in my latest “Charts in the News” column for The Mountain Astrologer.
As encouraging as this potential seems so far, note also that Saturn is squaring Uranus. This is a tension we will all be dealing with in 2021, and it is one of the dominant patterns this year. It represents the needs of the old guard vs. the needs of the avant garde. It’s a conflict, and it’s a stubborn one. One day, efforts are blocked. The next day, a lightning bolt strikes the tower.
Pluto on the Midheaven denotes a transformation, with the upside being empowerment. Biden’s administration has the potential to tear down and rebuild the American presidency. He’s already released a list of executive orders planned for his first ten days in office that reflect the new business model demanded by the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius:
Meanwhile, the chart ruler is Venus in Capricorn, trine the Ascendant and sextile Neptune. That’s good for the arts, humanities, healing and being well-received. Of course Biden’s inauguration address will call for unity.
In this schedule of inauguration events, there will be a “memorial to honor and remember the [400,000 American] lives lost to Covid-19.” At 5:30 PM ET on Tuesday, towns and cities across the country are invited to illuminate buildings and ring church bells. It’s about time.
Here is a write-up of Biden‘s horoscope.
Here is a write-up of Kamala Harris‘ horoscope.
Meanwhile, I was delighted to be invited to talk more about the Biden-Harris inauguration with journalist and cultural critic Whitney M. Fishburn. If you’re a paying supporter of docu-mental, her online journal about American thought and culture, check out the conversation.
And now, the news….
…which reflects these patterns — exact last week:
Ready?
And oh, yeah…
UPDATE: on Liz Cheney — first discussed here in July 2013, when Saturn in Scorpio was squaring her Sun-Mercury conjunction at 5-6 Leo. All this month, transiting Uranus has been squaring her Mercury, suggesting an opportunity for a surprising and daring change of mindset. Cheney was one of nine Republicans in the House who voted to impeach P45, which has generated criticism from the GOP in her home state of Wyoming. Within the next several weeks, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn will challenge her Sun-Mercury. A squeeze, an expansion or a bit of both?
Meanwhile, the Washington Post is has amazing reporting on the January 6th attempted coup at the Capitol — with a video timeline here. So much more will be uncovered in the next Mercury retrograde, which begins on January 30th.
Stay tuned to this channel for continuing updates. To support the effort it takes to produce these musings, please consider tossing a bit of silver into the Cosmic Tip Jar — in a Joyful Random Expression or Faithful Monthly Expression of Appreciation.
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