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I am a reporter with a unique beat. I use my understanding of planetary cycles to provide advance notice and analysis on the Zeitgeist of the day. If you have ever wondered “why is this happening now,” my insights will transform your experience of the headlines, adding new meaning and understanding. Call it Astrology for News Junkies. If you’re curious to know why the Impossible Burger is trending…or why the outcome of the 2019 Israeli elections was likely to be a shocker …or why “Woodrow Wilson, Stud Muffin” was a New York Times headline in December 2013, you will find it here, in over a decade’s worth of historical research and reporting.
Note that I do use astrological jargon in The Forecast in my effort to show how the planetary patterns are reflected in mundane events. I explain what the jargon symbolizes, so that all who want to understand the connections between astrology and the news may do so. However, I do not use astrological jargon in personal consultations, just plain English.
Astro-logical Forecast for Thursday 3/22/2012: New Moon in Aries and Way More
/in The ForecastIf you read Monday’s forecast, you may recall a bit about the Moon being void of course from 4:39AM ET Wednesday to 5:57AM ET Thursday, in Pisces on the last day of of the lunar cycle. Regular readers would have been alerted to the following possibilities: unexpected twists, crises that turn out to be for naught, it being a challenge to move things in a straight line and a higher than usual flake factor — all of that is related to the Moon void. Last day of the lunar cycle suggests a sense of restlessness or listlessness, knowing that the new cycle is near — but not here yet. Moon in Pisces: a need to work with intangibles, usually adding a dreamy vibe to the day.
Factor in that Mercury is retrograde (schedule snafus, delays, retreats) and you’ve got a good scenario for your astro-logical forecast not being in your inbox yesterday — an unexpected twist — because your astrologer had twists of her own — all good, except for the one about getting on the downtown subway instead of the one heading uptown. Hopefully you went with the flow. If you don’t know what a void-0f-course Moon is and/or how to manage one, read this: www.graceastrology.com/astro-logical-forecast-for-friday-saturday-210-112012-what-is-a-void-of-course-moon/ And welcome!
The New Moon at 2 degrees of Aries is exact today at 10:37AM ET, and it is just bursting with the potential for innovative ideas and a declaration of independence and empowerment. Four planets: Sun, Moon, mental Mercury and rebel Uranus are aligned in Aries, needing to be Number One. Other keywords for Aries: courage, inspiration, innocence, fresh starts, fighting for the underdog, warrior, impulsive (sometimes dangerously so). What’s that buzz going on inside your head — and/or all around you?
Contrast this emotional and mental intensity with the lingering effects of last week’s Earth Grand Trine among Mars, Pluto and Jupiter. We can expect resources to continue to be a focal point in the headlines, along with a need for the projection of an aura of self-sufficiency and stability. During this cycle, however, stability is likely to be challenged. Transformational Pluto is in a tense pattern with rebel Uranus and both of these heavies challenge the Sun on March 29th and March 24th, respectively. Possible manifestations: notable earthquakes (we already had one on Monday, in Mexico), accidents, rebellion against the status quo, news from underground (seismic activity and corruption exposed)and volatility.
If you have planets in your horoscope between 3 and 9 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, you are undoubtedly feeling the tension between Uranus and Pluto on a personal level. What is the push for change? More on that question can be found in this article, URANUS SQUARE PLUTO: What’s In It For You? http://www.astrologynyc.org/articles/ I wrote it for professionals and students of astrology; laymen will have to wade through some technical jargon, but you’ll get the idea, especially if you know a little bit about your horoscope.
The Sabian Symbol for the New Moon is “a cameo profile of a man in the outline of his country” and the text provided by Blain Bovee, the go-to guy for all things Sabian, echoes the theme above of asserting our unique identity in or contrast to the collective. What sense of stability do we gain by identifying ourselves as, for example, “I am Brazilian” or “I am Polish-American” or “I am a Buddhist”? What happens when others put us in these kinds of categories?
With this Sabian Symbol, Blain Bovee notes the potential “to stereotype others at the expense of their full individuality; to highlight only their prominent features” (suggested by the image of the cameo profile, which is only presenting one side of a person’s face). Watch for stories of snap judgments based on general outlines — in the news and in your own personal world. One consequence of such (literally) trigger-happy thinking is illustrated in this disturbing story, likely to gain more traction in the headlines during this lunar cycle: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/17/opinion/blow-the-curious-case-of-trayvon-martin.html Recommended reading for this lunar cycle: Blink and Outliers, both by Malcolm Gladwell http://www.gladwell.com/ The first book is an eye-opener about first impressions; the second is an equally provocative read on why certain individuals — such as Bill Gates — are so successful.
Last, but not least: during this lunar cycle aggressive Mars is challenged by nebulous Neptune, suggesting issues of glamor, charisma, seduction, fantasy and fanaticism. This is a terrific pattern for the launch of an escapist movie (Neptune) about a battle to the death (Mars) fought on television (Neptune) by an unconventional, rebel hero (Uranus in Aries) in a post-apocalyptic world http://hungergamesmovie.org/ For the rest of us, it is a suggestion to look very carefully at whatever hype and spin is being spun and consider the source before jumping on the bandwagon.
Meanwhile, in New York, our very early Spring continues in full bloom, with a projected high today in the 70s. Whatever journey we are on, as individuals or part of the collective, there’s no stopping it now. Courage!
To be continued…
Astro-logical Forecast for Tuesday 3/20/2012: Spring Has Sprung!
/in The ForecastHappy Vernal Equinox! Happy International Astrology Day! As of 1:15AM ET, Sun entered Aries, marking the beginning of a new astrological year. Already in New York, the daffodils have declared victory over winter. Everything is green and fresh and new again! Meanwhile, did you know that the Vernal Equinox is a holiday in Japan? And that by the time you read this, their holiday will be nearly over?
It’s an odd time for a New Year, as we are in the last days of the lunar cycle – more of a time to wrap things up than start anew. With the Moon now in dreamy Pisces, you could use this day and the next to imagine all the seeds you intend to plant on the New Moon in Aries, which you can light a candle for at 10:37AM ET on Thursday…
Astro-logical Forecast for Monday 3/19/2012: The Last Day of the Year!
/in The ForecastThe last day of the Sun in Pisces offers the potential for inspired innovation, given lingering effects of yesterday’s hook-up between mental Mercury and Uranus in Aries. A humanitarian Moon in Aquarius drives the day, facilitating all the REconnections and REunions you may be experiencing, courtesy of Mercury retrograde.
That Moon goes void at 4:31PM ET, entering Pisces at 8:05PM ET. Moon in Pisces needs to work with intangibles: intuition, music, rarefied art…and it can all get even more spacey-dreamy as Moon meets with nebulous Neptune, which rules Pisces. The Impossible Dream! That could be the theme song as of 1:15AM Tuesday, when the Sun enters Aries, champion of the impossible dream, and the New Year in Western Astrology officially begins. Happy Vernal Equinox (first day of Spring).
Moon void alert: 4:39AM ET on Wednesday to 5:57AM ET Thursday is a loooong time to go with the flow. Plan whatever you intend to be of consequence around those times.
Astro-logical Forecast for 3/16 & the Weekend: Score One for Uranus Square Pluto
/in The ForecastWow! What a week it’s been! We’ll talk about that in a minute. But first…
Moon continues to strive to make things happen in enterprising Capricorn, buoyed by a lovely connection to Venus (women, aesthetics, money, social expression) in security-preserving Taurus at 3:11AM ET. It’s the only exact lunar aspect of the day, so that sets the tone. Happy Friday! It’s a much quieter day than the rest of the week, but much can still be accomplished.
Saturday morning may be a bit grumpy, as the enterprising Moon is challenged to get even more serious by disciplined, chilly Saturn. Does someone want to be alone? Chill out and roll with it during the Moon void from 9AM – 12:11PM ET. Or maybe just sleep in — a perfect activity for void of course Moons. In the afternoon and into the evening, you’re likely to be feeling more social, as Moon, now in “who loves ya buddy” Aquarius, is supported by chatty Mercury and unconventional Uranus. With Mercury currently retrograde, consider reconnecting with folks you haven’t seen in a long while — don’t be afraid to get out of your comfort zone to do it.
Sunday is terrific for optimistic, pleasure-seeking humanitarians and other friends — though you might want to keep an eye on your wallet. An exuberant contact to Moon from jolly Jupiter hits at 7:23AM ET, followed by a brilliant hook-up between mental Mercury and innovative, freedom-loving Uranus at 1:24PM ET. Technogeeks and other geniuses (including astrologers), thrive under this configuration — the second of three that will happen between March 5th and April 22nd. Take note of your bright ideas — some of them may well be diamonds in the rough. Another indulgent contact between Moon and Venus hits at 2:39PM. Yum!
And now, the news:
First, how about those stock markets? Highs that haven’t been seen in a few years — and yet market volatility was unusually low. Low volatility suggests more confidence, less fear driving the markets. This suggests stability. Hmmm…stability…perhaps the kind of stability that might be reflected in an Earth Grand Trine involving planets often associated an abundance of resources? Coincidence or conspiracy? Why, even the United States Senate managed to achieve a level of productivity not seen since…well I don’t know when. I will let Gail Collins, who writes funny, tell you http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/opinion/collins-the-senate-overachieves.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
Not everyone was feeling stable, though. Ask the good folks at the investment bank Goldman Sachs how stable it feels to see the value of your company drop by two billion dollars in one day…all because one “disgruntled employee” had the nerve to publish his resignation letter in the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/14/opinion/why-i-am-leaving-goldman-sachs.html?src=me&ref=general And the status quo of The Establishment was disrupted, as alleged moral bankruptcy and bad manners were exposed. Sounds like a textbook case study for rebel Uranus in Aries, sign of the Individual and the Underdog challenging Pluto (transformation/annihilation of all that is rotten) in Capricorn (hallowed structures of our government and corporations). The first of seven exact challenges (squares) happens June 24; the last one happens March 16, 2015.
Here’s the takeaway from that story: look how empowered one person can be! The empowerment of the individual is one major theme of the dance we’re seeing between Uranus and Pluto in Aries and Capricorn. Yes, you, too can be an entrepreneurial pioneer. Welcome to the world of the self-employed (Aries), connected to the whole world through technology (Uranus). We will certainly see many more David vs. Goliath stories over the next few years…and some Davids will be kookier than others (Uranus delights in being decidedly weird). The challenge for us in choosing which of these Davids to follow is being strong enough to see through the veil of illusion presented by weirdest of the bunch, because those rose-colored glasses may be terribly tempting. Especially if those glasses somehow promise to feed our collective soul (we’ll likely to be doing a lot of soul-searching over the next 14 years, but that’s another story about Neptune in Pisces, which I will tell another day — or you can search the archives for what has already been written).
Have a great weekend!
Astro-logical Forecast for 3/15/2012: Makin’ It Happen on the Ides of March
/in The ForecastMoon goes void while most of us are sleeping (3:34 – 6:24 AM EDT), then immediately enters enterprising Capricorn. If you don’t know what a void-of-course Moon is (or how best to handle one), go to the calendar that’s on the left side of the Daily Forecast page and click on FEBRUARY 10TH. You’ll be taken to a post that tells you what you need to know. Or you can type “what is a void of course Moon” in archives search thingamajig on this website.
In Capricorn, the need is make things happen. If you have Moon in Capricorn, you know exactly what I mean. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger, you need to be headed straight for the top. If Moon in Capricorn isn’t moving and shaking, there’s a problem. That being said, we can look forward to a proactive day which flows like this: a dreamy awakening at 9:05AM ET, followed by a surprise, shock, flash of insight at 1:26PM ET, which may lead to a bold communication of patriarchal sentiment around 4:53PM ET. The evening is ripe for energy, passion and/or emotional intensity, in which any disputes may concern emotional investments made and a perceived lack of return. It all ends around midnight on a jolly, expansive note.
I’ll skip the usual tour of the headlines to offer this Wikipedia bit about the Ides of March, which happens to be today. Did you know…
“In modern times, the term Ides of March is best known as the date on which Julius Caesar was killed in 44 B.C. Caesar was stabbed (23 times) to death in the Roman Senate by a group of conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. The group included 60 other co-conspirators, according to Plutarch.[2]
According to Plutarch, a seer had foreseen that Caesar would be harmed not later than the Ides of March and on his way to the Theatre of Pompey (where he would be assassinated), Caesar met that seer and joked, “The ides of March have come”, meaning to say that the prophecy had not been fulfilled, to which the seer replied “Ay, Caesar; but not gone.”[3] This meeting is famously dramatized in William Shakespeare‘s play Julius Caesar, when Caesar is warned by the soothsayer to “beware the Ides of March.”[4][5]
I confess I rather like that story… :)