New Years Eve Full Moon Lunar Eclipse

The year ends with a very special Full Moon. Not only is it the second Full Moon of the month, the Moon is at perigee, closest to earth and it is a Partial Eclipse of the Moon, visible in Asia, Australasia, Europe and Africa. When Moon is at perigee and aligned with the Sun and Earth, it is called a Super Moon and often extreme weather takes place, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and other fun stuff. At the very least, expect extreme high tides and some erosion along vulnerable coastlines. At the Full Moon the Sun and Moon are in opposition to one another and the Astrological Chart set for this Full Moon at Washington, DC places emphasis on the 2nd and 8th houses, these are the houses of money, yours, mine, ours, and theirs. In the Astrology of world events, the 2nd house rules the budget, taxation, the treasury, and the money supply. The 8th house rules the nation’s financial relationships with other entities, debts owed, public loans, interest rates, and insurance and pension funds. Venus, the diplomat, is snuggled up nice and cozy between the Sun and Pluto. In this chart she rules the 12th house of hostage situations and terrorist activities as well as the 6th house of public health and armed forces. The 12th house in particular is very much about behind the scenes manipulation and covert acts of aggression. There is much talking and discussion going on and any acts of aggression will be more strategic in nature. We may not see these things, but what we will see is more talk, action and planning involving the economy. Despite all the happy tunes the financial pundits are singing, Wall Street is wobbling. The fat cats are taking their profits. On a personal level, these Moons pull those deep emotions to the surface, sometimes explosively, at other times, all sobbing and weeping. Be aware also of the rant and rave as well. The Cancer’s and Capricorns take the hit at this Full Moon while the Libra’s and Aries’ deal with the fall out. We’ll all feel a little bit restless and antsy. Try to channel the energy in a positive manner. Allow yourself and others to vent. Getting it off your chest is like a little safety valve and avoids a complete explosion/implosion.

Mercury Retrograde

Mercury enters its retrograde period Saturday, December 26, 2009 and continues retrograde until Friday, January 15, 2010. It is best to avoid beginning new projects or signing important papers while Mercury is retrograde. Things have a way of turning out different than expected. Indecision and changes in plans rule the day. Expect disruption of communication, transportation and matters involving business and the exchange of goods. This period is good for research, revising, editing and completion of projects started before the retrograde period began. Geminis and Virgos often have a difficult time getting organized and making decisions. Things that get held up now or reach an impasse will move along once Mercury goes direct. It is best to remain flexible during these periods. Try and maintain the ability to adjust your schedule if need be. Check your appointment book to be sure you have the right time and place recorded. A quick phone call or email to confirm often saves the day.

First Quarter Moon

The First Quarter Moon becomes exact at 12:35 PM hours after Moon moves into Aries. Quarter Moons are times of action and those actions carry out the promise presented at the New Moon. We have already experiences some of the power outages and public transportation snafus indicated at the New Moon. This First Quarter is potent because the Sun is joined at the hip to Pluto and they both are in the aggravating, agitating 90 degree aspect to the Moon. If Pluto wants to flex his “ugly” muscle we can expect some nasty stuff like oil spills, fire, war, volcanoes (already in the Philippines), earthquakes, mudslides and fun stuff like that. The Sun and Moon act like a trigger, setting him off. The lovely holiday season may be marred by reports of terrorism, corruption and espionage. Saturn in the picture as well, brings his own special delights to the table. Saturn’s presence in the First Quarter Moon chart indicates misfortune, contraction and a need of some kind. The planetary combination at this Quarter Moon hint at great societal changes and while such changes evolve over time, the events that occur while these aspects are in play prove to be, in hindsight, the foundation or trigger point for those changes. Only time will tell if the events on the world stage leading up to the Full Moon, Lunar Eclipse, at year end, will be world changing events.

Winter Solstice, Mars and Mercury Retrograde and Other Happy Thoughts

Astrologers traditionally look at the Solstice and Equinox charts to get a handle on what the three month season is going to look like. At the Equinoxes the Sun is at the Celestial Equator, at the Solstice’s the Sun is at its furthest declination, or degree from, the Celestial Equator, either north of or south,depending on the season. At the Equinoxes the day and night are equal in length. At the Summer Solstice, the first day of summer, the Sun is at its furthest point north of the Celestial Equator and it is the longest day and shortest night of the year. At the Winter Solstice, the Sun is at its furthest point south of the Celestial Equator and it is the longest night and shortest day of the year. After the Winter Solstice, the days begin to get longer. This Winter Solstice is special for a number of reasons. Mars turned retrograde on Sunday and on Monday, just hours before the Sun entered Capricorn, (the Solstice), Jupiter and Neptune made their last conjunction completing the euphoric, enthusiastic dance they have been dancing all year. On the 24th, the Sun joins Pluto in the sky. On Christmas Day, Venus moves into Capricorn and the Sun squares Saturn, a real fun aspect (not). On Saturday, Mercury, in Capricorn goes retrograde. The Solstice, by itself, brings a huge shift in the energy. With all this other action going on, especially the Sun hopping from Pluto to Saturn, prepare for some grim economic news and political end runs, over the holidays, when they think you’re not paying attention so they can sneak something into law that favors their corporate paymasters.
Mars went retrograde at 19 Leo and will retrace his steps back to 0 Leo and turn direct on March 10, 2010. Mars the action planet retrogrades about every two years. Mars represents the God of War, the hero, the conqueror as well as the violent and destructive. When Mars is retrograde, the energy gets turned inward and we get frustrated. The energy is slow and we need to adjust. Sitting in a car, waiting for the light to change, it ain’t the engine boiling over, it’s the driver. We get impatient and antsy; it’s like we don’t know what to do with the energy. Breathe, practice yoga, go for a walk, and try to channel the energy in a positive way. Leo’s will take the hit from this retro Mars, because it is in their sign. Leo’s like to shine and Mars retrograde here really cramps their style. Aquarians, across the Zodiac, will catch the fall out as well. When something is opposite you it is in the way and prevents you from getting what you want. Or, it’s way over there and it requires a great deal of effort to get to it. Wherever Leo falls in your horoscope, whatever area of life it effects, it’ll be like someone has put you on hold and your left standing their listening to some god awful canned music. The dam will break when Mars goes direct. Things will start popping and sizzling again. In the meantime, get exercise and put all your ducks in a row. Mercury goes retrograde on Saturday, December 26th. Get everything signed before then and try to begin new projects and complete old projects before Mercury goes retrograde. Review and revise while Mercury is retrograde. Don’t begin anything, for information is lacking, and it will not turn out as expected.
For the Winter season, think international; International diplomacy, friendships and organizations. Heads of State will speak of grave matters but the power remains behind the scenes. Congress, Parliaments, and Legislatures will rattle their chains. For all their posturing they are still laboring under a euphoric delusion that the economy is getting better, that the public is not on to them and that they can continue to line their pockets and be puppets for those who pay them. But the eyes of the people are open and their opinions will fluctuate. Technology, the web, the twitters and the tweeters, will bring the real truth out. Youth will utilize these tools and lay the groundwork for the changes to come. Make no mistake about it, change is coming. And you can stop worrying about 2012, and start worrying about 2010. People will realize what is truly important to them, what they want, what they will work for and what they will not tolerate. Hang onto your hat, its Mr. Toads wild ride.

Tiger Woods - Another Philandering Husband

Am I the only one who is sick of hearing about cheating husbands and their long suffering wives? Tiger Woods, the wholesome icon of the golfing world is the latest in a string of prominent, wealthy men to be exposed. With Tiger, as the mistress count grows higher, I notice a tendency in the faux news shows, on the internet and in the newspapers to shift the attention from the cheating husband to the mistress. Like shifting the focus from the bright shining hero of the fairway to the dirty, nasty women who would dare to sully his pristine nature will somehow mitigate the fact that Tiger cheated on his wife multiple times and appears to be the type that will screw anything that walks. I haven’t heard anywhere that any of these women were married or involved in a committed relationship during their affair with Tiger Woods. So they are not betraying anyone other than themselves. Another thing I have noticed, when the topic of Tiger Woods’ extramarital affairs (or any other of the long string of philandering husbands) comes up, men give the morals of it all lip service, making all the proper noise, but they don’t really care and secretly admire the guy. Way to go, Tiger! If you read a column or opinion piece about it, you can pretty much tell whether the author was male or female, you don’t need to read the byline. It’s like it is expected for rich guys to screw around on their wives and its ok. It keeps the fantasy alive that the beautiful babes of the world really do find the Letterman’s and Spitzer’s of this world attractive and their money and position have absolutely nothing to do with it. This fantasy spills over into everyday life; ask any college age girl who gets hit on by the middle aged, paunchy guy at the end of the bar. The guy really thinks he’s got a chance and the girl begins to understand that sexism is very subtle, pervasive and takes many forms. People did not realize how rampant sexism was during Hilary Clinton’s Presidential campaign until Sarah Palin came along and cried sexism when there was none. Sarah Palin is a perfect example of the perverse ways of sexism in that, if she wasn’t a babe, would the media pay any attention to her? Say she looked like Olympia Snowe. Enough said. Back to Tiger, this little tempest has been brewing for some time. The great Saturn/Uranus opposition that has played such havoc in politics, the economy and the general state of the world has been moving back and forth across his ascendant/descendant axis, the mine and thine, the me and you, the I and the other. Uranus on his descendant, or cusp of the 7th house of relationship, is a classic set up for divorce or disruption of a relationship. Saturn on the ascendant, or cusp of the 1st house of self, signals the time when “you reap what you sow”. And can also signal changes in how you relate to others. This is just the beginning for him with Saturn traveling through the first, gearing up to hit his natal Pluto and oppose his natal Jupiter. Big changes, big law suits, and probably a nice settlement for the wife. Early February 2010 may deliver some more shocking news while mid December 2010 brings legal aspects to the fore. This is just a prelude to 2012 when transiting Pluto hits his Capricorn Sun. Pluto is going to take him down to the depths and what emerges on the other side will be a new and better Tiger.

New Moon in Sagittarius Expect to be Surprised

This month’s New Moon in late Sagittarius occurs at 7:02 AM, Wednesday, December 16, 2009. The New Moon sets the tone for the Lunar month. At the New Moon the Sun and Moon are together in the sky and the Moon is not visible in the night sky. At this New Moon the Sun and Moon are in close configuration with the master of surprise, Uranus. Where the planets fall in a horoscope, what “house” they occupy offers clues to how the energies will play out. At this Lunation houses one, two and three are occupied and events and actions related to those houses will hit the headlines and grab our attention. Strong emphasis is placed on the first house, as this is where the lunation occurs. The first house rules the people, the state of the nation, domestic affairs, public opinion and grassroots campaigns. The second house is all about the money, the national debt, the economy, trade, and all financial transactions. Traffic and transportation fall under the purview of the third house, along with reporters, newspapers and all forms of communication. I expect the people to be very vocal about their concerns, probably after the Senate enacts important legislation on Christmas or New Years Eve. Sudden unexpected power outages, traffic jams and the interruption of the smooth flow of public transportation and information are all possible when Sun, Moon and Uranus are involved. Mars across the Zodiac in aspect to second house Jupiter and Neptune speaks to greedy bankers, national debt, the budget and international finance. With Jupiter and Neptune together in the money house, it’s the case of the disappearing dollar. With Mars going retrograde on the 20th I expect repayment of debts owed to the nation to be delayed. Think TARP. Also think, unusual, unexpected, and innovative and beware religious or political fanatics.

Sarah Palin - Will She Ever Go Away?

Ever since Sarah Palin burst upon the national scene with her nomination by the Republican Party some people can’t get enough of her, while others get a massive headache at the mention of her name. Love her or hate her, she’s a fascinating woman who has captured the attention of the public and is doing quite well for herself parlaying that attention into a fortune. Much like her fellow Aquarian, Paris Hilton, she of little talent, who has created the Paris Hilton Brand, becoming quite wealthy in the process. To under estimate a savvy Aquarian woman is a big mistake. Sarah Palin has Sun, Mars and Saturn conjunct in Aquarius. With Mercury in Aquarius and quite likely the Moon, she is the ultimate Aquarian. Her rise to success coincides with outer planet transits over her Aquarian cluster, Neptune in particular. Neptune has been transiting Aquarius since 1998. When John McCain announced Sarah Palin as his running mate the planet Neptune was at 22 degrees, 27 minutes of Aquarius right on Sarah’s Sun and close to her Mars and Saturn. Wherever Neptune is in our horoscope is where we see things through rose colored glasses. Neptune can bring great spiritual benefits as well as great delusion. The Yogis, Buddhist monks and the Mother Theresas experience Neptune in its highest form. They talk to God and perform acts of selfless sacrifice. No matter what your opinion of Sarah Palin is, you know she ain’t in that league. But she thinks she is. She believes that she is speaking the holy gospel. During 2009 the planet Jupiter has been in Aquarius and for a good deal of that time Jupiter, Neptune and Sarah’s Aquarian cluster of planets have been running together. She has been experiencing the wonderful gift that only Jupiter and Neptune can bring. Neptune takes about 165 years to make a full circle around the Zodiac, so when a slow moving planet like Neptune comes along and hits your natal planets, you can bet things start popping. Often one does not know what is really happening until Neptune moves off. As Neptune is about illusion, delusion and disillusionment I would venture a guess that there is truth and lies emanating from both sides of the McCain Campaign vs. Palin camps. Today, Neptune is at 24 Aquarius still snuggled up with Sarah’s planets. Neptune makes its last hit to Palin’s Saturn, moving away from her Aquarian cluster for good, on January 19, 2010 a few days after Jupiter quits Aquarius (on the 17th) and enters Pisces. So the little gift from the Gods to Sarah will be withdrawn. It has not all been roses for her in 2009, although she will and has maintained her public persona. Pluto has made some harsh aspects to her Venus during 2009 and Saturn, the tester and taskmaster of the Zodiac is just beginning his assault on her Venus. Pluto is bringing her the massive amounts of money while transforming her relationships. Saturn opposing her Venus puts those relationships to the test and insures that any monies made are probably used to meet obligations. Rumors and talk about a not so happy marriage may prove to be true. She has Venus in Aries. While the Moon in a horoscope is what you need, Venus is what you want. In Aries, she wants to be first and contributes to her athletic abilities. (Although I am not buying Sarah the Hunter not with hair perfectly coiffed and make up applied to a tee while trudging through the tundra.) Saturn puts a damper on her Venus and all things related to her Venus, love, money and relationships, until August 2010. The real fun starts for her in 2011 when Uranus, the master of surprise, upset and bolts from the blue, hits that Aries Venus. Now Uranus has an 85 year cycle, so like all the slow moving planets, when it hits you major “stuff” happens in your life. We haven’t heard the last from Sarah Palin but we might be getting a more realistic view in 2010. In 2011, the fireworks start, especially the first week in April, 2011. She may divorce and remarry. If this is so, it will be to a very wealthy and powerful man. One thing is for sure, she will continue to surprise and do the unexpected. And she’ll definitely be stirring the pot in 2012. Remember, you heard it here first.

Busy Little Mercury - At It Again

Busy little Mercury once again starts the week off with some serious talks with Pluto then Saturn. Saturn and Pluto are in square aspect to one another. This square aspect was exact on 11/15/09, will be exact again on 1/31/10 and 8/21/10. This type of aspect between these two heavy hitters is like being between a rock and a hard place. Together they bring out the nasty in each other. Now speedy little Mercury, the messenger, bounces off each these guys on Monday bringing his special gifts to the table. Mercury with Pluto is all about deep, penetrating, psychological dialogue that digs deep and is not interested in trivia. The connection to Saturn narrows the focus and concentrates the energy. Pay attention to the news and events that unfold during this week for they will be preview and precursor of what things will be like for most of 2010, until late summer at least. And pay attention to what happens in your personal life as well, because the issues raised now will be issues you will be dealing with. The best way to handle it is to get your ducks in a row and be prepared. You can quit worrying about 2012 and start worrying about 2010. The doomsday tsunamis and earthquakes may be more about the financial world, the banks, and the social constructs of society than the physical earth. While you don’t have to head for the bunker, you would be wise to batten down the hatches.

This Week November 29 to December 5 - Change is in the Air

The week ahead is a busy one with versatile Mercury setting the stage. Early Sunday morning the swift little messenger connects with Jupiter. A great “Sunday go to meeting” aspect as it promotes discussions of beliefs, philosophies and religion. This combination allows us to express our opinions but cautions against promising more than can be delivered. Big news and big talk involving politics, religion and foreign cultures dominate. Monday afternoon the little trickster, Mercury, makes an action aspect to Mr. Surprise, Uranus. Unexpected new and events, freaky accidents that disrupt the commute seem to take over. On Tuesday, Uranus changes direction, going from retrograde to direct. When a planet changes direction, the energy of that planet is strong. Uranus is a slow mover to begin with so the energy of the direction change can be felt up to a week before and up to a week after the aspect becomes exact. Expect Uranian types of events, like news that shocks. Uranus loves to shake things up, break down the boundaries and push the envelope. Anything that disrupts the normal routine, startles and comes at you from out of the blue belongs to Uranus. Tuesday should be an interesting day for along with Uranus’ directions change comes a Mercury aspect to Neptune. Here we may see some distortion of the news; the truth may not emerge until the influence of the aspect is over. Mercury/Neptune together encourages meditation, talks with God and becoming one with the music. It also encourages the Bernie Madoff types. Beware! To round out the day, lovely Venus slips into Sagittarius. Venus in Sagittarius loves to travel, seeks adventure and inclines toward the exotic. Sagittarius is a mutable sign so Venus here can be changeable, seemingly fickle. Here she stimulates our own desires for travel and interest in the foreign and the unfamiliar. Wednesday brings the Full Moon in Gemini. The Gemini’s are bouncing off the walls. Full Moons involve the “opposite” so relationships come to the fore. At this phase the seeds and issues planted at the New Moon come to fruition. Progress is made and fulfillment reached. On Friday Venus makes a charming aspect to Saturn. Diplomacy rules here. Any negotiations should run smoothly and thorny issues can be ironed out. Saturday, Mercury leaves exuberant Sagittarius and enters practical Capricorn where he organizes our thoughts, assists in putting our affairs in order and shifts the focus to the practical. We say more with fewer words with Mercury in Capricorn. With one planet, Uranus, changing direction and two others changing signs, Venus and Mercury, there is a shift in the energy. Direction change from retrograde to direct as in the case of Uranus signals that issues pertaining to that planet that have been on hold move forward. Things begin to crackle and pop. How we think and what we want alters as the planets change signs. This should be an interesting week publicly as well as privately. Try and stay focused.

Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh

What do these three have in common? They all have planets in Aquarius. Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin were born one day apart and they each have Sun, Mars and Saturn conjunct from 21 to 25 degrees of Aquarius. Rush Limbaugh, a Capricorn, has Mars at 22 degrees Aquarius, plop in the middle of this cluster. In synastry, the astrology of human relationships, when one person’s Mars is on another person’s Sun it can make the two competitors and/or bring sexual attraction. Guess which reaction Rush had to Sarah and what reaction he had to Glenn. Rush was born on a day when Mercury was making a station, when Mercury slowed down, stopped and changed direction. In this case Mercury was going from retrograde to direct. When a planet changes direction, the energies of that planet are strong. Mercury rules communication of all kinds and in particular radio. Rush, without a doubt, is King of Radio. Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck, born within a day of one another, have a great deal of affinity but Sarah, born a day later, has Moon and Mercury in Aquarius, with Venus in Aries; while Glenn has Moon and Mercury in Capricorn, with Venus in Pisces. This makes them two very different animals. But they are both Aquarians, given to Aquarian rants now and then. The sign Aquarius noted for being radical, rebellious, inventive and forward looking has two rulers, Saturn and Uranus. With Saturn in Aquarius in Glenn and Sarah’s natal charts, Saturn is strong and exerts a great deal of influence over them, thus their conservative viewpoints. They are Aquarians though and will continue to surprise, pull the rabbit out of the hat and generally upset the applecart at every turn. Transiting Neptune has been in Aquarius since 1998 and will be there until 2011. Neptune, when you take the high road, has you talking to God, meditating, and working as a hospice nurse. If you take the low road, you’re staring into the bottom of a bottle, pulling a Bernie Madoff or deluding yourself and others, through glamour, tricks or just plain naiveté. When Neptune was in the early degrees of Aquarius Sarah Palin was Mayor of Wasilla, Glenn Beck was working in a Radio Station in Tampa and Rush was dealing with prescription drug issues. In 2009 Neptune has gone from 22 to 26 degrees of Aquarius then went retrograde and will end the year at 24 degrees Aquarius. Jupiter entered Aquarius on January 5, 2009 and has been running with Neptune all year. Jupiter expands, brings plenty, and acts like a guardian angel at times. Rush Limbaugh has this combination on his Mars, very personal and I would not be surprised if an incident involving drugs or alcohol does not occur/recur. Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck have them on their Aquarian planets. Glenn Beck’s TV show on Fox debuted on January 19,2009 (with Mercury retrograde/misinformation) and his first guest was Sarah Palin. Sarah Palin has resigned as Governor and written a book which has broken records and is earning her some big bucks. The passage of Neptune through the sign of Aquarius has coincided with and contributed to the rising popularity of Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin, not so much so with Rush Limbaugh, the Capricorn. The two Aquarians have enjoyed huge success this year because of Jupiter and Neptune transiting their Aquarian cluster of planets. Once Jupiter moves off, in January 2010, I think it is the beginning of the end. Neptune hangs around for another year or so then moves off into Pisces as well so we may not see them clearly until Neptune’s influence fades. In the meantime, Saturn the taskmaster sends them a lovely signal until October of 2012 when he changes his tune, enters Scorpio and gets ugly with Aquarius. With Saturn, if you do your homework and study all semester you get an A. If you have been goofing off, skipping class and avoiding responsibility, well Saturn gives you what you earn. We will learn in the fullness of time, whether or not the emperor has clothes.

Tough times for the Federal Reserve when Pluto comes calling

The Federal Reserve System was “born” on December 23, 1913 at 6:02 PM. It was formed ostensibly to maintain monetary stability, contain risk and prevent bank and financial failures. In reality it controls money, credit and interest rates. It’s a curious institution in that the common assumption is that it is part of the United States Government, it is not owned by the United States Government, (it is private and nonprofit), but it is subject to The Administrative Procedures Act (1946) a federal law that governs how administrative agencies of the Federal government propose and establish regulations. It has the authority to act on its own without the approval of Congress or the President. The origins of this pseudo federal institution began when a group of bankers under the auspices of Senator Nelson Aldrich (R-RI) left New York in November of 1910, under a cloak of secrecy for a two week sojourn on Jekyll Island, Georgia, an exclusive enclave of the very rich. Beside Senator Aldrich, the head of the National Monetary Commission at the time, included in this group were Henry P. Davison, a Senior Partner at J. P. Morgan, Charles S. Norton, of the First National Bank of NY, Benjamin Strong, personal assistant to J. P. Morgan himself, and Paul Warburg, a German banker. (You know these guys had your best interests at heart right) During their time spent at Jekyll Island they formulated the Aldrich Plan, which later became the Federal Reserve Act which created the Federal Reserve System. The natal horoscope for this entity reflects the secrecy and the hidden power and control the Fed exerts over society. There is a powerful Sun/Pluto opposition, with Pluto, the power broker posited in the 12th house of all that is secret and behind the scenes. There is a wide conjunction in the 1st house of Mars and Neptune opposing Jupiter in the 7th. Any time you find Mars/Neptune and Jupiter involved with money it’s a case of the disappearing dollar, or fraud, or promising more than can be delivered. The Moon, the soul of any entity, is in the money, debt, and interest rate sign of Scorpio. The chart of the Fed has been under stressful planetary transit for some time now. Beginning in January of 2008, transiting Pluto has been battering the Fed’s natal Sun/Pluto opposition. Things really started to heat up around the time of TARP and the great financial meltdown of 2009, the very conditions that the Fed was created to prevent. The fun is not over but will continue through 2010, into 2011 and early 2012. During the spring and summer of 2010 things are really going to get shaken up when transiting Saturn and Uranus enter the picture. The planetary picture between the natal chart of the Fed and the transiting planets form a cross pattern. This pattern is in the Cardinal signs and is reminiscent of the planetary configuration present during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Now, transiting Pluto is the big dog here, he can destroy and bring you low, to the lowest you have ever been, but in the process of recovery, what is rebuilt is usually much better. When Saturn joins the party, beginning now, November 13th to be exact and through the summer of 2010, the Fed is between a rock and a hard place. Uranus brings the element of surprise, the unexpected and unusual in the spring of 2010. While the analysts, authorities and pundits may predict an economic recovery I would not bet the farm. It doesn’t make me feel warm and fuzzy to know that the current Secretary of the Treasury, Tim Geithner was President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York before he became Secretary, during TARP, AIG, Goldman Sachs and all that good stuff. Having the fox guard the hen house is a long standing tradition in American government. When the Security and Exchange Commission was created President Franklyn Roosevelt appointed Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. as the first chairman, a master at manipulating the stock market. At any rate, false hope is in the air and it pays to beware, be aware and be careful.

Scorpio New Moon

The New Moon perfects at 2:13PM EST, today, November 16, 2009. This Scorpio New Moon brings up the issues of debt, international finance, international relations, pension funds, and interest rates. Scorpio is a secretive sign and we may not hear about any of this because Wall Street and Washington are keeping a low profile. They don’t want the American public to ask too many questions. Scorpio Moon engenders intense energies and stimulates our desire to probe the depths, dig for the answers and to not accept things at face value. A Scorpio lunation stimulates our desire to know what is hidden; rouses our attraction to the forbidden, the mysterious and the sexual. Ooh La La. Scorpio can be a helper and healer or can use the Scorpionic powers to keep others dependent. With Scorpio energy there is not much room for compromise. With no middle road negotiations are hammered out with no holds barred. In the New Moon chart, Venus, the diplomat, in Scorpio, has donned her combat boots. She’s through talking. Saturn and Pluto, at odds with one another, set the tone while occupying important points in the New Moon chart. Saturn is strong, in negotiating Libra but Pluto is at the top of the chart flexing his muscle. Overall it is not a happy influence. On a personal level the energy of Scorpio calls to us to take the high road while giving us the courage to take the dangerous path of truth. Issues of power and control surface over the next couple of weeks; don’t go on a power trip and don’t fall victim to one who seeks to control every aspect of every situation. Don’t obsess and remember to breathe.

Saturn Pluto Cycle Terrorism and the Twin Towers

Like the Lunation cycle of the Sun and Moon, planetary pairs have cycles as well. Saturn and Pluto today form a square aspect, resembling the Last Quarter in the Sun/Moon cycle. The Saturn/Pluto New Moon phase began in November of 1982. The waxing square occurred three times in March 1993, October 1993 and January of 1994. The first attack on the Twin Towers occurred during this period. At the opposition, or Full Moon phase, the planes hit the Towers. Now at the closing square, the first of which occurs today, November 15, 2009 we find the alleged perpetrators being brought to justice. Due to the retrograde motion of the planets involved the waning square will perfect two more times, on January 31, 2010 and finally on August 21, 2010. We can expect these trials to drag out until the final square. Saturn and Pluto’s New Moon phase does not occur again until 2020. The waning phase of any planetary cycle has to do with tying up loose ends, finishing the business started at the New Moon phase. Often at the New Moon phase you don’t “see” anything, there is no concrete activity that you can point to because the New Moon phase is the seed planting time. At the waxing square you see the first activity, in this case the bombing of the World Trade Center. The Full Moon phase, (9/11) is the culmination of all the planning begun at the New Moon phase. Now at the closing Square, we finish, assimilate and prepare for the next New Moon in 2020. Today’s waning square plays a big role in tomorrow’s New Moon. Stay tuned, more to come.

Patrick Kennedy and Bishop Tobin

Representative Patrick Kennedy and the Catholic Bishop of Providence, the Most Reverend Thomas J. Tobin have been engaged in verbal warfare over the abortion issue. Nowhere in this debate has the question of separation of church and state been raised. Back in the day, when John Kennedy was running as the first Catholic for President he had to bend over backwards, jumping through hoops to convince the American public that he was not going to allow the Pope, the Bishop or his parish priest to tell him what to do and that his personal faith would not impinge upon his civic duties. How far from the Constitution and the principles laid down by the founding fathers have we come? Looking at Patrick’s horoscope I can see that this is not going to go away, probably not until next summer. Patrick is a Cancer, with Sun and Mercury conjunct in the ninth house of philosophy and beliefs. His personal beliefs are very important to him and with Mars (how we act) and Moon (what we need) conjunct in Libra in the hidden twelfth house, in close aspect to his Sun, his beliefs are very private indeed. One of the techniques astrologers use is to compare the charts of the Solstice and Equinox to an individual’s chart to see how the season will go for that person. The Autumnal Equinox chart has the planet Mars, (action, aggression, and argument) at 17 degrees of Cancer which is the midpoint between Patrick’s Sun and Mercury. This aspect perfectly describes the situation Patrick finds himself in. An argument, debate or clash of ideas (Mars) about religion (9Th house). Mars, in fiery Leo, is fueling this debate and will do so for some time to come. Mars has just rolled over his 9th house Jupiter (ruler of our beliefs) and heading for his Midheaven, the most public point in a person’s chart. On December 20th Mars at 19 degrees of Leo, changes direction and heads back to revisit old ground moving all the way back to 0 Leo on March 10, 2010, when he changes direction again and moves forward hitting those critical degrees in Patrick’s chart for the third time. This debate should heat up on November 27th and again on January 10, 2010 and some type of resolution should be met around May 10, 2010. January 28, 2009 and April 24, 2010 may present challenges to Patrick but of a very personal nature. With Mars moving over these personal points in his horoscope Patrick faces challenges but he also has the will and the energy to meet those challenges. Mars will give him the energy to defend himself. He should make a very vigorous defense before Mars goes retrograde on the 20th of December. He would be smart to shift the debate to the separation of church and state, a discussion that needs to take place. Stay tuned.

Frank Caprio Revisited

Back in August I blogged about Frank Caprio after he made the news by returning some questionable campaign funds. I said then that he would be in the news again during the first week of November. I was a little off on my timing because I don’t have a birth time for Caprio, only the date. On Monday he “confirmed” that he was running for Governor and said a “formal announcement” would be made in the first quarter of 2010. What the difference between confirming and a formal announcement is, I don’t know; a bit of political speak that. He also vowed to spend at least $100,000.00 per month on campaign related advertising. To my way of thinking he’s in the race and his confirming on Monday has made it official. He confirmed on the day of the Third Quarter in the current lunation cycle, while the Moon is on the wane. In astrology if you want something to grow and increase in size you begin when the Moon is waxing. If you want it to dissipate, shrink and dissolve you begin when the Moon is on the wane. Since Caprio has begun this huge advertising campaign while the Moon wanes his popularity will not increase despite the huge amount of money he will spend. If he elects a more auspicious time to make his formal announcement things may improve. He still has to get through the Democratic Primary and if Patrick Lynch hangs in there, he will definitely give him a run for his money.

Roller Coaster Week Mercury Uranus Neptune

Before this week is over we will all feel like we have taken a roller coaster ride. We can expect the unexpected. Startling news and events assault us with varying degrees of accuracy. Wait until the dust settles before you form an opinion. There is bound to be exaggeration and distortion, in some cases downright dishonesty and fraud. Veterans Day should be a corker. This week is the lead up to the first of the Saturn/Pluto squares on Sunday and a multitude of planetary action heats up the atmosphere prior to that important aspect. Tuesday, as Sun beams at Jupiter efforts at expansion, to move beyond our previous limits, run into roadblocks. Differences of opinion, overconfidence, over optimism contribute to overload. On Wednesday, Mercury, the planet of news, information, commerce and transportation bounces off Uranus, then Neptune. When Mercury is with Uranus we can expect the unexpected, weird news and accidents, unpredictable events that startle and astonish. As Neptune joins the party we need to be sure that we are seeing the truth and are not being deceived or deceiving ourselves. Mercury with Neptune is great for the artist, the formation of creative ideas, it stimulates our intuitive thinking. That’s the good side. The bad side is that both Mercury and Neptune can be tricksters, fooling us, bringing flashes of insight at the same time clouding the issues. Under this type of aspect, it is a good idea to sleep on it before you make a decision or take action. I expect we will be hearing a lot about Wall Street and their shenanigans, terrorism (Fort Hood and is there a connection?), and of course, the health care reform debate in the Senate. Pay attention and read between the lines. What appears on the surface is not the real issue. Back room deals, subterfuge, propaganda and people presenting themselves falsely. The truth will emerge after the New Moon of the 16th. Until then, tie up all your loose ends, meditate, and contemplate all you have learned in preparation for your next plan of action to begin after the New Moon.

Venus in Scorpio

Venus enters Scorpio today, November 7, 2009 at 7:23PM where she will remain until December 1st when she moves into Sagittarius. Venus rules love, romance, marriage and all kinds of alliances. She also rules money, the arts , culture, diplomacy, adultery and temptation. Scorpio has dominion over sex, death, taxes, debt, and interest rates. Scorpio’s rulership over sex is often misunderstood. Scorpio has this deep rooted awareness that through the act of sex we create life and as such there is a need to merge with another on a soul level. If you have Venus in Scorpio in your natal chart, emotions run high, and you are intensely passionate. You can also be manipulative. This passion comes from the Scorpionic need to merge, create life and to have a real, life changing experience. Venus in Scorpio on a mundane level indicates that diplomatic relations will take on the Scorpion sting. International monetary policy will be under discussion. Diplomatic negotiations are behind the scenes and the real deals won’t be made by the official diplomats.
For Aries, money comes through a spouse or partner, a loan comes through and arguments over money around the 19th give or take a few days. Taurus has the opportunity to improve all personal relationships, even with competitors and adversaries. Love is in the air, Taurus, and you express affection and experience emotional closeness. Gemini may want to go out and have fun but duty calls. Problems within relationships need to be discussed. Work and professional matters run smooth. For Cancer, it is true love time. This is the time for fun, good times and all sorts of amusements. Leo wants to stay home and redecorate. Parties in the home and relationships with parents improve now. Leo needs to remember to be assertive not aggressive, especially around the 19th. Virgo’s social life picks up now and your everyday activities become pleasant, sociable and quite lovely. Libra wants to be extravagant but needs to really think before spending the cash. Venus in your cash box attracts money as well as the desire for rich and costly goods. Try and hang on to it. Scorpio, with Venus in your 1st house of physical self, experiences a period of peace, love and willingness to compromise. Venus attracts and you will attract people and good times during this period. When it comes to love, Sagittarius finds that giving and caring for a loved one brings great rewards. Not materially but spiritually, just don’t become a martyr and a doormat. Capricorn feels friendly, wants to meet, greet and get out with a crowd. Love affairs begun now begin as friendship then blossom. Aquarius attracts people and circumstances that improve career and public standing. Your professional life runs smoothly and you may develop an interest in the artistic or enhance an existing interest or talent. This is a good time for Pisces to take a trip, visit a museum or art gallery. Something that broadens your consciousness will contribute to your personal growth.
Venus in Scorpio has a lot to do with money and it will be interesting to watch the stock market, copper prices and interest rates while she travels through Scorpio. There should also be a lot of talk about taxes, like we need more taxes and insurance rates. It’s is interesting as well that before the House of Representative right now is the issue of funding abortions in any public health care options. There you go, Venus in Scorpio, sex and death.

Neptune Turns Direct Today

Neptune changes direction today, November 4, 2009 at 1:10PM EST. Neptune takes about 156 years to complete an orbit through the Zodiac spending about 14 years in each sign. Neptune has been in Aquarius since January of 1998 and does not move into Pisces until April of 2011. Where Neptune is in your chart is where you intuit, pick up the vibes and sense the undercurrents. Before you hang out your shingle and start giving psychic readings, be aware that Neptune is also where you view the world through rose colored glasses. With Neptune, we see the ideal not the reality; smoke and mirrors, that’s Neptune. Neptune represents such diverse characters as the mystical visionary, the martyr to the cause, actors, musicians, poets; priest and priestess all belong to Neptune. On the dark side there’s the criminal element, the swindler, the fraud, the con artist and of course, the drug addict. The area of your horoscope where Neptune is currently is an area of life where things are often unclear and confusing. We’re easily misled under Neptune’s influence. The high road of Neptune leads us to compassion, selfless acts and an appreciation of beauty, music and poetry. Neptune’s job is to dissolve the boundaries and structures created by Saturn. Under this influence we want to escape from reality. Some of us do through music, art, prayer and meditation. Others belly up to the bar, name their poison, and ask for a double. Most of us fall somewhere in the middle. When a planet changes motion, the energy of that planet is strong. Neptune deals with illusion and glamour, glamour in the sense of an exciting allure as well as a magical spell or charm. Some of America’s great icons have strong natal Neptune’s. Marilyn Monroe had Neptune in the first house of the physical body. She had great beauty, allure and is idealized to this day. Frank Sinatra had a prominent Neptune as well. Before the Beatles and Elvis, there was Sinatra. Jacky Kennedy, another with a strong Neptune, was idealized as the grieving widow as well as a fashion icon. Neptune in the sky at any given moment represents the fluctuation of public opinion. A persons worth or popularity under a Neptune transit can be illusory. With Neptune fraud, slander and deceit is possible. The Oil and pharmaceutical industry fall under Neptune’s purview. Neptune turns direct at 23 degrees, 41 minutes of Aquarius. Rush Limbaugh, a Capricorn, has Mars at 22 Aquarius. Sarah Palin, an Aquarian, has Sun, Mars and Saturn at 22, 23 and 25 of Aquarius. Rush’s Mars, the planet of how we use our energy, is conjunct Sarah’s Aquarian planets which explains, from an astrological viewpoint, why he has been such a strong advocate of hers. Now Neptune has been in Aquarius for quite some time and has laid the cloak of glamour over many people with Aquarian planets. Think Paris Hilton, Sun, Mercury, and Venus in Aquarius, has enjoyed great success posing as a ditzy blonde publicity hound when actually she’s a pretty savvy business woman. My take is that once Neptune moves off into Pisces we will find that the emperor has no clothes. We'll find out who these people really are. This week as Neptune turns direct expect fake outs, feints and fraudulent activities to hit the headlines. Big Oil, Big Pharma and some human rights issues as well. On a personal level, go to the movies, go hear your favorite band, go to church and pray, and avoid drinking to excess. Ask for clarity.

Saturn in Libra 1980's and Now

Saturn entered Libra yesterday, October 29, 2009. The last time Saturn was in this sign was from 1980 to 1983. Back then Ronald Reagan trounced Jimmy Carter in the Presidential election. Saturn entered Libra on September 21, 1980 and the recession of the 1980’s began in December 1980. That recession ended in November of 1982, just as Saturn made its first foray into Scorpio. During the years of Saturn’s previous sojourn through Libra, Congress enacted the Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions act of 1982 which went into law in July of that year. This act deregulated the banks as well as the Savings and Loan institutions and was considered a major factor in the Savings and Loan crisis of that era. As the act’s name suggests, yes, this law was sponsored by our own Fernand St. Germain. Another interesting fact is that it was co-sponsored by Charles Shumer the Democratic Senator from New York who was then Congressmen from that district. Today we are dealing with the results of the Reagan era’s deregulation of banks and other financial institutions. Astrology is the study of cycles and the Saturn cycle is one that astrologers delight in because Saturn deals with the concrete, the real, the things that you can see, feel and touch thus providing events that manifest in the physical world. Saturn is the great task master and wherever Saturn is in your horoscope is the area of life where you have to face the music. Saturn slams your face against the concrete wall of reality. Libra the sign of art, beauty, harmony, peace and justice promotes relationship, cooperation and alliances. Saturn is exalted in Libra which means that Saturn functions well here. Saturn provides structure, contraction, concentration, boundaries, and discipline. Libra’s chief function is relationship, personal as well as societal. With Saturn in Libra we can expect issues to arise involving our relationships. During this transit we examine our relationships and any note of discord that we have previously ignored increases in volume until we have to deal with it. We can no longer tolerate certain aspects of the relationship. Divorce rates usually increase during a Saturn/Libra transit, but just as many relationships survive or form during this transit. Saturn brings longevity to whatever it touches. Saturn also gets rid of anything you don’t really need, what is no longer of value to you and what no longer serves your highest good. Saturn in Libra forces us to look at both sides of the picture. Saturn in Libra is the chief negotiator, as such; this combination plays a huge role in the peace process, whether personal or global. Diplomacy, treaties and alliances with an eye to justice increase during this transit. People who have planets in the early degrees of the Cardinal signs of Aries, Libra, Cancer and Capricorn will be feeling the heat early on in Saturn’s sojourn through Libra. The waning squares between Pluto and Saturn begin on November 15th. The waxing square between these two brought us the first attack on the World Trade Center, the opposition brought 9/11, so with these closing squares (1/31/10 and final on 8/21/10) be prepared to see incidents associated with these events. The issues that arise in a personal horoscope involving these planets are usually very complex and require a great deal of digging and hard work to resolve. It’s the old “between a rock and a hard place” scenario. We’ll end on that cheery note.

Saturn Pluto and The Dance of the Macabre

On October 29th, this Thursday, Saturn enters Libra. This shift takes the pressure off Virgo and brings it to bear on the Librans. Saturn functions well in Libra. In astrological terms, Saturn is exalted here and the Saturn principles manifest easily. Saturn represents the physical structures of our universe. When Saturn transits, moves through, an area of your chart, that area faces tension, testing and examination. Saturn moving through the tenth house of career and public life often brings great rewards if you have done your work well. If you have tried to take shortcuts and have not done your homework, Saturn exposes your shortcomings. This holds true for any other area as well, such as relationships, physical body etc. If you have ignored your health and well being, when Saturn comes to call you are forced to deal with it. If your relationships have hidden tensions or problems and you’ve been coasting along, Saturn says take a look here. On November 15th Saturn makes the first, in a series of three, aspects to Pluto. Put these two bad boys together and you’ve got trouble. They signify crisis and conflict on an international level. Throw in some organized violence and oppression, totalitarian regimes and reactionary forces and you get a pretty good picture of what the Saturn/Pluto cycle represents. They “hung around St. Petersburg”, were active during the escalation of the Vietnam War and the US ignominious exit. The rise of Fascism in the 20’s, the economic crisis of the 30’s, at both attacks on the Twin Towers, Saturn and Pluto danced the dance of the macabre. The events associated with Saturn and Pluto often signal a loss of innocence, a sense that things will never be the same, a feeling of vulnerability and victimization. On a personal level we feel like we’re dealing with circumstances beyond our control. The company closes down; your apartment building is converting to Condominiums, your best friend moves away, gets married, gets divorced, is gay, is straight, is not the friend you thought. Saturn forces you to look at things very closely, to examine them to see what they are made of. Saturn says; face the reality of the situation. Pluto changes you on a very deep level. With Pluto, you look way down deep inside yourself and pull stuff out that you didn’t know was there. Sometimes that stuff is icky. Pluto brings all the crap to the surface where hopefully, it will dry up and blow away. At any rate, the next few years are not going to be easy ones. The economy, health care reform, war in Iraq and Afghanistan are symbols of the planetary alignments occurring now and over the next year or so. As an astrologer, I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. Pluto’s move through Capricorn will expose the ties between Wall Street, Big Oil, Health Insurers, Big Pharma and our elected officials. It remains to be seen what those in power and those who hold power behind the scenes will do in order to maintain that power. I fear that Bush’s game of raising the terror alerts to bolster his approval ratings will seem like child’s play.

New Moon Time Again

The Libra New Moon perfected at 1:33 AM Sunday morning. A Libra New Moon promotes harmony and balance, which is what Libra is all about. This Lunar cycle supports smooth relationships, the arts and artists, and diplomacy. This New Moon calls for an appreciation of the beauty around us. The harmony found in architecture, in nature, in the perfect relationship delight the soul. The perfect relationship is an ideal that we seldom experience but during this cycle we strive for that perfection and in the striving we improve on what we have. We’re looking for balance and in that process we see both sides of the picture. This ability to see both sides can make decision making difficult. The horoscope for this New Moon places the emphasis on the media, public transportation, border nations, and for you and me, the neighborhood, the daily commute and our siblings. The diplomatic nature of Libra indicates treaties, agreements and ambassadorial messages. While diplomacy takes a front seat there’s a hint of covert military action that will not be revealed until the Full Moon on November 2nd. In the run up to this Full Moon the issues of money, lending, the banks and Wall Street may or may not make the headlines but they are definitely on the table at closed door meetings of government officials. The cost of health care reform will make the headlines. Begin your discussions now before the Sun moves into Scorpio on Friday, when things become more complex. The Full Moon is on the Scorpio/Taurus axis with Mercury in Scorpio as well. Venus will be at the tail end of Libra, so there is still time for diplomacy, despite the Scorpio tongue. By the Last Quarter Moon of November 9th all bets are off. It’s full blown Scorpio time, with Sun, Mercury and Venus in Scorpio. Mars in Leo joins the Last Quarter Moon and he’s pissed off at Venus for invading his home turf. It all hits the fan. Expect some real high drama. The President, Heads of State and the boss are all on the hot seat and the working people want answers. It’s all about money, personal debt, public debt and joint finances and resources. When Scorpio’s in town things get intense. Remember to breathe.

Counting on You Rally for the Public Option

Yesterday I went to the “We’re counting on you” rally in downtown Providence at Burnside Park on Kennedy Plaza. The rally was sponsored by Moveon.org and was designed to thank Rhode Island Senator’s Whitehouse and Reed for supporting the Public Option. About 52 attended, which isn’t bad considering it was noon on a weekday in downtown. Speakers related some health care horror stories. It is hard to find someone who doesn’t have a health care horror story, isn’t it. One woman, a lawyer in a small firm which consisted of herself and one other spoke of the 17 percent increase in cost for the firm's health plan that Blue Cross and Blue Shield intends to initiate at the first of the year. Because of this they are unable to hire another lawyer. If the lawyers are suffering, you know things are bad. She also related the story of her aunt, a successful business woman who is down to 3 full time employees from 10 because of the high cost of health care. This woman is contemplating closing her business rather than have her loyal employees go without health care, which she can no longer provide because of the cost. The high cost of health care is killing the small business person as well as preventing all US businesses from remaining competitive on the world market. The small business is one of the factors that have made this country a leader in the world. It is the small business that is innovative, creative and has the capability of growing. Growth fuels the economy. It bugs me that people can’t see this and get outraged with government interfering in health care but remain complacent when government gets involved in the banking, insurance and automotive industry which has only benefited the corporate fat cats as far as I can see. Another thing that bugs me is this. Many years ago, Teddy Roosevelt and William Howard Taft took on the giants of industry like Rockefeller and created anti-trust laws so that these industries could not price fix and gouge the American people. The health insurance industry has had a waiver from the United States Government since 1945 that excludes them from these anti-trust laws. Now Congress has been under the control of the Democrats, the Republicans, and back again over and over since 1945 and none of them jokers has seen fit to take that privilege away from the health care industry. So get over your partisan politics and realize that they are all guilty. One more bug, I don’t see what the big deal is about Olympia Snowe’s vote to get a health care bill out of the finance committee. It wasn’t the deciding vote. The vote was 14-9, (thanks to John Stewart, a comedian, for the info). What is wrong with these Democrats? When the Republican’s control Congress, they shove their legislation down your throat whether you want it or not. The Democrats should do the same. If a bill passes Congress that does not have a public option it is bound to fail. Then the insurance industry can say I told you so and things will go back to the status quo. If you want real health care reform you need to call your Senator and Representatives and voice your support for the public option. The public option is the only way to get the Health Insurance industry to stop gouging the American people. They are not going to give up their billions in profits out of the goodness of their hearts. End of rant.

A look at the week ahead

Moon starts the week in fun loving Leo, a tough energy to fight when you have to return to the weekday grind. People feel proud, need praise and long for romance under Leo Moon. If you have to make a presentation this Moon is for you. If straight talk is what you need to do or hear, this is the shoot from the hip Moon. Leo Moon rouses our ambitious and independent streak. There is a lot of warmth with this Moon but also the danger of becoming self-centered and arrogant. Confidence is good, conceit not so good. The Moon is here until early Wednesday morning when she enters Virgo, a totally different kettle of fish. Center stage Leo gives way to shy Virgo. Virgo Moon is great when you have to pay attention to detail, use critical thinking and analyze data or situations. Not a good time for seeing the big picture. People are fastidious and concerned about diet and health when Moon is in Virgo. This is a great time to clean out that kitchen drawer, you know the one that seems to grow “stuff” and is getting hard to close. Virgo likes to serve others. You don’t have to be a doormat to provide a sympathetic ear. Virgo Moon takes us through to early Friday morning when she moves into social butterfly territory, Libra. People are friendly, sociable and talkative under this Moon. Relationships become friendlier and everyone‘s oh so nice. Give a party this weekend, as everyone wants to and is ready to have a nice time with no arguments. While the Moon rules our emotions, it moves fast and usually doesn’t indicate major changes in our lives. If other factors indicate change, the Moon may trigger the change but by itself it is not the catalyst for change. This week a number of things are happening in the sky that point to a shift in the wind. First, as the day rolls over into Tuesday, just after midnight, Jupiter stops and turns in direct motion. In Mundane Astrology, the astrology of events, Jupiter rules many things. Such as, the Senate, the Vice-President, borders, treaties, foreign aid, judges, courts, credit, banks, the clergy and religion. When a planet turns and goes direct things connected to that planet that have been on hold, so to speak, generally move forward. Jupiter is the greater benefic and can bring honors and awards. Barack Obama received the Nobel Peace Prize last week with Jupiter set to make it’s station at 17 Aquarius, right on Obama’s Ascendant. The Ascendant in a horoscope is the sign that was on the horizon at the moment of one’s birth. It is how the world sees you, your personality and your physical body. Not everyone that has an Aquarius Ascendant will receive the Nobel Prize but at the very least they will be feeling good about themselves. Action and events related to Jupiter come to pass. Early Wednesday evening, just before 7PM, Venus moves into Libra, one of the signs she rules. Venus loves to be in Libra. This is great for lovers, for decorating, the arts and on a more serious side, for negotiations and diplomacy. Venus also rules culture and cultural events and has a say in treaties and peace talks. On Thursday Venus will butt heads with Pluto, which could be interesting. Pluto symbolizes extreme power, covert activities, and fun things like espionage and terrorism. It is hard to blend these two but Venus can be a tough chick when she needs to be. Friday morning, just before noon, Mars moves out of crabby Cancer into fiery Leo. Mars rules the armed forces, males, and those engaged in any form of dispute. War is Mars’ playing field. Mars in Leo shifts the energy to one of optimism and self confidence. Taken to the extreme those attributes can slip into “big ego” and arrogance. Sounds like Washington and Wall Street.

Last Quarter Moon

Last Quarter Moon occurred on Sunday morning at 4:56 AM with the Moon in Cancer and the Sun in Libra at a 90 degree angle from one another. In the Sun/Moon cycle these angles indicate a crisis of sorts. In the waxing phase, action is taken or decisions are made. In the waning phase the crisis is one of consciousness. We’re assimilating the knowledge or activities begun at the beginning of the cycle, the previous New Moon and preparing ourselves for the next phase, the upcoming New Moon. This is a time for reflection, meditation and introspection. Get all your ducks in a row before you begin something new. This is the “thinking it over time” leading up to the New Moon on The 18th when we begin another cycle.

Moon in Cancer

The Moon is all about our emotions, the subconscious and our instincts. In Cancer, the Moon is at home and expresses these lunar attributes easily and well. You could say she wallows in it. The Moon enters the sign she rules on Friday night at 9:48 PM and remains there until the 1:02 AM on Monday the 12th. We’re sensitive, vulnerable and sentimental under Cancer Moon. Step lightly as people are easily hurt. The maternal instinct kicks in and we either provide or receive the nurturing that characterizes Moon in Cancer. Overeating becomes an issue now as many equate food with love or eat when emotions get the better of them. Intimate gatherings in the home do well now with talk of home and family and yes, plenty of food. Remember to breathe between gulps while stuffing yourself. The first contact Moon makes after entering Cancer is a faceoff with Pluto. Pluto, the planet of extremes, either plunges us into the depths and we enter the emotional abyss or puts a tight lid on our emotions. Either way, we’re off the deep end. Jealousy and secrets revealed disturb us. After the blowout, just before midnight, Mercury enters Libra. The energy shifts, this is great Mercury for hashing things out. Mercury in Libra loves harmonious communication. People are more diplomatic and tactful in their speech. With Moon in Cancer and Mercury in Libra, this is a great weekend to talk about your feelings. Not everyone’s a mind reader. Often we think the other guy knows how we feel. He/she doesn’t. Talk about it!

Gemini Moon

Moon skips into Gemini today, Wednesday, Oct. 7th at 5:46 PM. People are curious, changeable and seek mental stimulation while Moon passes through Gemini. The pace picks up under the influence of this Moon, short trips, meetings, emails and phone calls keep everyone hopping. Writers thrive under this Moon. Schedule meetings where you need to plan and bat around ideas while Moon is in Gemini. The early morning hours of Thursday, the 8th, Mercury melds with Saturn and our thinking becomes logical and focused. This combination brings serious and sober news. In the evening, harmony reigns and our talk is expansive while Moon makes congenial contacts with Sun and Jupiter. This is good for business but beware of talking too much. Friday morning money, love and romance take a hit when Moon squares off with Venus. In quick succession Moon bounces off Uranus and Neptune. Freedom calls and creativity thrives. At the evening commute, it’s reality time when Moon connects with Saturn. Venus opposed to Uranus speaks to the unconventional in the arts and romance. Once again freedom beckons. Before you throw the baby out with the bath water, remember, under Gemini Moon we often change our mind, find it difficult to make a decision and are restless, inquisitive and inquiring. This Moon is great for the air signs Aquarius and Libra. Pisces and Virgo hit a few snags here and there while Sagittarius has got to reach for it, whatever it is.

Monday back to work, Moon in Taurus

In the wee hours of Monday morning Moon makes a final aspect (to Mars) before leaving the sign of Aries. Once this happens the Moon is in a condition called “Void of Course”. A Void of Course Moon can last a few minutes are a few days. Moon is void until 12:33PM on Monday the 5th when it enters Taurus. When the Moon is void of course it is best to avoid starting projects or making decisions as snags, delays and other frustrating events take place. Our reasoning is off and our expectations are unrealistic. Try to remain centered and forget the material, focusing on the spiritual. This is a great time to just go with the flow until the Moon moves into Taurus. When the Moon is in Taurus the energy is very different from fiery Aries. We get stubborn and dig our heels in when Moon is in the fixed earth sign of Taurus. Feelings of security come from counting our money and inventorying our goods. We just love our “stuff”. We have a greater appreciation for the arts and the finer things in life. We get very touchy, feely when Moon is in Taurus. This Moon favors tasks that require patience, perseverance and endurance. When Moon aspects Pluto on Monday afternoon, expect some strong emotional outbursts. Tuesday evening, Moon with Jupiter, encourages overspending and overeating. Wednesday the Moon makes a slew of aspects making for an interesting commute and a busy day. The final aspect while in Taurus is to the planet Saturn on Wednesday afternoon. Here you may be painfully reminded of the overindulgences of the night before.

Aries Full Moon Mercury Mars Health Care What a Combo!

The big debate going on In Congress this week about Health Care Reform rages on. Watching C-Span it’s like a dog and pony show, with each dog and pony playing to the master that feeds them. The public option is the big issue and two bills that contained some form of a public option were voted down by the Senate Finance committee. This is all going on while the Moon is waxing, increasing in light, a time of growth that favors new ideas and initiatives that culminate at the Full Moon. This Full Moon is really interesting because during the run up to it, Mercury combines with Mars which is usually a onetime occurrence. But because Mercury moves slow when first changing direction, Mars the slower moving planet manages to get ahead of Mercury. As Mercury picks up speed, the little messenger catches up with Mars and makes another aspect. So what does this mean you ask? Mercury/Mars alignments indicate action, decision making and progress. These alignments occur first, in the wee hours of Thursday morning and again Sunday morning at 7:37 AM. The Full Moon perfects at 2:10 AM Sunday morning. The Full Moon signals a break in any deadlocks and obstacles to the issues and ideas promulgated during the waxing phase. Mercury/Mars combinations point to quick, decisive action. Sunday afternoon, busy little Mercury faces off with radical, revolutionary Uranus. What’s happening is this, despite the dog and pony show going on; much of the action takes place behind the scenes. A decision will be reached over the weekend, although we may not hear about it until the actual work week begins. Mercury with Uranus indicates a bit of shocking news or a sudden upset. On a personal level Mercury/Mars/Uranus connections say look out, be careful, and pay attention. Curb the tendency to think and act impulsively. Remember, once you’ve done it or said it, you can’t take it back. And forget about putting the pedal to the metal. Bad idea!

Moon in Pisces/Aries

Moon goes into Pisces tonight at 7:26 PM and we sense the shift from the analytical airy Aquarius to the more subtle vibrations of Pisces. We’re softer, more vulnerable and impressionable under Pisces Moon. Our heightened sensitivity puts us in the mood for more artistic and spiritual endeavors. We want to escape from reality, whether it is through music, prayer or the bottom of a bottle. Idealism reigns beneath this Moon and difficulties often arise when faced with the actual reality of the situation. Nonetheless we are dreamy, imaginative, tend to lose focus and are often misunderstood. The energy changes dramatically when Moon charges into Aries Saturday morning before sunrise. We’re energetic, enthusiastic and impulsive when the Aries vibe takes over. Aries Moon favors start ups, initiation of change and impulsive actions. This is a great time to begin something new but be sure to have a plan to carry it through. Aries Moon lacks patience and perseverance to see projects through to the end. We’re aggressive, tend to express strong opinions and want to be first. This me first attitude often makes us appear selfish but if you normally don’t assert yourself and your needs, Aries Moon will give you a boost in that direction. The Full Moon of the 4th is an Aries Full Moon. As the Moon increases in light the energy is favorable for starting projects, new ideas and making new beginnings. As the light increases so do these issues and ideas. The waxing First Quarter can often present obstacles that need to be overcome. If things reach a stalemate or you’re deadlocked in any group effort often the impasse is broken at the Full Moon. More to come on this particular Full Moon.

Aquarius Moon and Mercury Direct

Moon treks through Aquarius from Monday morning the 28th at 7:07 AM until Wednesday the 30th at 7:26 PM when she slips into Pisces. While Moon is in Aquarius we rely on out intellect not trusting our emotions. Moon in Aquarius favors friendly get togethers. This is a great time to hold a rally for the “cause” as humanitarian issues and efforts are successful now. Under this Moon anticipate spontaneous meetings, sudden changes in events and unexpected outcomes. We’re OK with it because Aquarian energy produces a desire for freedom and distaste for restrictions which dovetails neatly into the free flowing events of Aquarius Moon. Along with the freewheeling energy of Aquarius that starts off this work week is the change in direction of Mercury. On Tuesday morning Mercury stations (seems to stop) and turns direct. The communication snafus, misinformation and false rumors are put to rest when Mercury goes direct. New information surfaces and projects that have been hitting one snag after another move forward with ease. You can sign on the dotted line and begin new projects now. With Mercury in direct motion, in combination with Saturn/Uranus we can expect startling, and at times serious, news and events to unfold in the lead up to the Full Moon with the dust finally settling at the Last Quarter Moon on the 11th of October. Hang onto your hat and get ready to Rock and Roll.

It's a Capricorn Weekend

Moon enters Capricorn Friday, September 25, 2009 at 6:19 PM EDT and remains there throughout the weekend until early Monday morning, September 28th. Capricorn Moon puts a lid on all the confident exuberance of Sagittarius, kicking the spiritual aside to focus on the material. Moon (emotions) in the opposite sign of her ruler, Cancer, does not express well here. This is a no nonsense, let’s get things done Moon. Being structured, getting organized and doing serious, hard work brings us a feeling of security while Moon travels through Capricorn. This is not party time but a good time for a “working weekend”. Projects on the home front that require construction, organization and discipline do well now. We feel good when we accomplish something concrete, when we have “something to show” for our actions under Capricorn Moon. At 12:50 AM on Saturday morning, September 26th the First Quarter Moon perfects. The Moon is waxing in the sky, growing bigger, and has reached the halfway point to the Full Moon. Ideas, projects or issues begun at the New Moon now begin to manifest in the physical world. The Quarter Moons are aspects of tension between the Sun and Moon. The First Quarter Moon calls for action. Many times the need to act is precipitated by a “mini crisis”. Often we find ourselves at a point where we need to make a decision. The Moon sits with Pluto at this First Quarter Moon. Sun, Moon, Pluto in combination bring together leaders, (Sun), public opinion, (Moon) and issues of power and control (Pluto). Terrorism falls under Pluto’s purview as well. In the lead up to this First Quarter the headlines reflect these issues. Foiled terrorism plots, the UN meetings, the G-20 meetings in Pittsburgh mirror the symbolism of the planetary line up. Internal tensions are indicated with covert infighting and jockeying for position taking on a life of their own. Be on the lookout for a weekend surprise.

Moon in Sagittarius and the United Nations

Moon moves into exuberant Sagittarius before 8AM on Wednesday morning September 23rd. Unlike the secrecy of Scorpio, Sagittarius Moon fosters openness and candor. Sagittarius Moon gives you the confidence to step beyond your usual limits and explore new ground. Under this Moon the flavor is international, sparking an interest in travel and adventure. The energy is great for the UN meetings going on this week. Wednesday morning along with the Moon’s shift into Sagittarius, Sun in Libra squares off with Pluto in Capricorn. The Sun represents the head of state, the leader, Kings, Presidents and the like. Pluto symbolizes power, overt and covert. These two at a 90 degree angle indicates tension and with Moon in Sagittarius opinions will be expressed with vigor. Before noon, that Trickster, Mercury, in retrograde motion, faces off with unpredictable Uranus. This increases the possibility of a verbal faux pas. A Sagittarius Moon, retro Mercury and Uranus combination virtually guarantees a foot in mouth situation. At any rate, all of these heads of state and UN delegates will be talking out both sides of their mouth (retro Mercury) and peddling propaganda (Pluto). And let’s not forget that along with communication snafus, Mercury/Uranus can trigger commuter and computer glitches and sudden, unexpected surprises of all sorts. With Uranus the deal is, if you can think of it, that ain’t it. Whatever mishaps or missteps occur; the dust will not settle until Thursday around 6PM when Sagittarius Moon snuggles up to Jupiter, ruler of Sagittarius. Some of Jupiter’s concerns are treaties, borders, finance, religion and the law. On a personal level, under Sagittarius Moon, you may not be able to get a word in edgewise while those around you passionately express their opinions. Try to avoid those who foam at the mouth when espousing their favorite belief or cause. This is a good time to look at those travel brochures and plan your next trip. Sagittarius loves to travel.

Moon in Scorpio, Monday, September 21st

At 12:52 AM on Monday, September 21, 2009 until Wednesday morning, September 23rd, the congenial energy of Libra Moon gives way to the passionate, intense, oft times jealous energies of a Scorpio Moon. The idle chit chat of the cocktail party is not for this Moon. Scorpio Moon likes conversations with meat on the bones. Deep emotional needs and issues surface. If you believe passionately in something, this is the time to stand up and defend it. If you end something under this Moon, it is done. Strong desires emerge and people will stoop to manipulation to get what they want. Scorpio Moon encourages the secret and the hidden. In the wee hours of Monday morning, Moon connects with Pluto, Scorpio’s ruler and Venus. Venus has just transitioned from show girl Leo into prim and proper Virgo. Here the power brokers (Pluto) negotiate (Venus) about public health and the armed forces (Virgo). When retrograde Mercury in Virgo, joins Saturn early Tuesday morning it’s get down to business time. Venus’ move from Leo to Virgo signifies that the show is over placing further emphasis on getting down to business. Mercury is still retrograde and will not go direct until Tuesday, September 29th. This indicates there is still time to revise and review but be aware that you may not have all the information. And when Mercury the Trickster aligns with Saturn, as on Tuesday morning, be sure to speak true. Saturn demands the truth and will come back and bite you if you don’t have the facts to back you up. In the public arena, Congress will be debating the big issue of Health Care Reform and there is a lot of covert action going on behind closed doors. Despite all the hoopla around this issue, and despite where any particular politician may stand, only they know what they are hearing from their constituents. When planets and the “lights”, the Sun and Moon, change signs the energy shifts. Autumn officially begins at 5:19 PM on Tuesday, September 22nd. As the season changes so does the psychology of the masses and the markets change. Venus rules love, diplomacy, currency and finance. Her move into Virgo indicates further change. It is interesting to note that with Venus’ move to Virgo details are emerging about the Jonathan Edwards affair. Venus = love/Virgo=details. The headlines this week will include health care, of course, questions about where and what is being done with all the TARP money that Congress dished out and military matters.

Moon in Libra

This weekend, Moon travels through congenial, sociable Libra. This is the “can we talk” Moon, the people need people Moon. We’re drawn to others and have a need to interact. This is a good time to form partnerships as Libra Moon favors teamwork and negotiations. Shop for beautiful clothes and beautify your surroundings under this Moon. If you are planning on remodeling this weekend is a good time to select the color scheme and purchase the paint. Moon in Libra rules color. This is a good sign to plant flowers that will bring beauty to the garden. Beauty treatments such as massage, facials and hair styling do well now. Parties and entertaining friends run smoothly. Everyone is out for a good time. It is not without a few glitches though. If you’re out and about on Saturday night, watch how the energy shifts around 11:45PM EDT. That is when the Moon squares off with argumentative and belligerent Mars in Cancer. Emotions run high. The question is, can intellectual Libra Moon talk petulant Mars in Cancer down?

Friday's New Moon

The New Moon is Friday, September 18, 2009 at 2:44PM EDT. This New Moon is in Virgo. Virgo separates the wheat from the chaff. An Earth sign, ruled by Mercury, what is healthy, what is serviceable, what is useful interest Virgo. Critical analysis, details and pragmatism do well when Virgo holds the cards. These are the influences that hold sway during the Lunar Month that begins under Virgo. This particular New Moon has Saturn in the same degree of Virgo as the Sun and Moon with Uranus opposing in Pisces. This is not an easy time. The polarization of society brought on by the current issues continues. At the First Quarter on September 25th, Sun will have moved into Libra and Moon, in Capricorn, joins forces with Pluto. Things could get ugly. At the Full Moon of October 4th, Moon is in Aries and Sun is in Libra and Mercury will have turned direct in motion. The energy peaks at the Full Moon. With a direct Mercury and Sun in sociable, amiable Libra, talks and negotiation have a good chance at achieving goals and accomplishing something workable. In world events, these talks, deals, and issues will involve the health care debate, public health, Unions, Labor, and the Armed Forces. I’m thinking swine flu, Health Care Reform, Afghanistan, and city and state governments talking with Union officials in order to balance the budget. For individuals it all depends on where Virgo falls in your horoscope. A horoscope has twelve houses or slices of life and where the New Moon falls is the slice of life that gets activated. In general though, a New Moon in Virgo presents an optimal time for someone to review their dietary and health habits, clean out your closets and organize stuff. Anything that requires attention to detail flourishes under Virgo. Remember, in the next few days you will be assimilating all that you have processed since the previous New Moon. Introspection, meditation and preparation for the next New Moon, finish what has been started and don’t begin anything new until Friday’s New Moon.

Joe Wilson, hypocrite

How ironic it is to find that Joe Wilson, who called President Obama a liar when he said that the healthcare bill would not cover illegal immigrants, has himself voted for legislation that would provide funds for illegal immigrants healthcare. “The vote came on the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003, which contained Sec. 1011 authorizing $250 million annually between 2003 and 2008 for government reimbursements to hospitals who provide treatment for uninsured illegal immigrants.” I’m not sure, but I think this is the bill that created the “donut hole” and also provided for the drug companies to be paid 125 percent of the cost of prescription drugs from Medicare. So there ya go. You can read the whole story at www.opencongress.org

The Astrology of Obama's address to Congress

Obama’s speech started around 8:15 PM. A horoscope set for that time reflects the perfect symbolism for the subject of the speech, the person making the speech and those opposing. In Mundane Astrology, the astrology that deals with world events, heads of state are represented by the Sun. The Sun in this chart is most fittingly found in the 6th house of health, along with Saturn, which represents authority and Mercury, the talker of the Zodiac. Retrograde Mercury is posited in the house he rules which gives him strength but he is retrograde signifying that this is not a done deal and Obama is willing to negotiate. Although Obama did mention the much touted public option, I think he is ready to ditch it, if need be, which will piss off a lot of his supporters. The 10th house represents the party in power while the 4th signifies the party out of power. Pluto, in Capricorn, on the cusp of the 10th indicates the power that the Democrats have now. Whether they use it or shoot themselves in the foot, the way they usually do, remains to be seen. The 4th house has Mars, in Cancer, on the cusp. Mars, the action or energy planet, is not comfortable in Cancer. The aggression associated with the God of War often comes across as petulance when in Cancer. Mars is fiery, Cancer is water, you get the picture. This is the grumbling from the gallery and a “You lie” outburst from a southern Representative who claims his emotions (Cancer) got the best of him. While Mars is in his “Fall” in Cancer, the Moon, representing the people and public opinion is “Exalted” in the sign of Taurus and on Taurus’ home turf, the 2nd house of money. The Moon expresses well here. This says, the people are being heard and no matter what side they’re on, there is concern about the cost. With a smooth connection to Saturn in the 6th the voice of the people is being heard and listened to by those in authority. The 5th and 11th houses are the domains of the Senate and House. The 5th being ruled by the Sun and the 11th by Saturn shows that the President, the authority figure has their attention. A Venus/Jupiter opposition between these houses indicates differences between House and Senate versions of the relevant bills but also denotes compromise and negotiation. Uranus, in the 12th house of hospitals and the hidden, sits opposite the Sun/Saturn, (President) in the 6th. There is a lot of behind the scenes maneuvering and manipulation going on here. The outcome will be startling, sudden and surprising. Remember, you heard here first.

Mercury Retrograde

Mercury, closest planet to the Sun has an orbit of 87/88 days. In astrology, Mercury represents the intellect, ruling thought, language and communication. Trains, boats and planes fall under Mercury’s jurisdiction. Mercury bridges the gap between the subconscious and the conscious. He’s a busy little fellow and covers a lot of ground. About three times a year Mercury goes retrograde. It looks like it is going backwards, it isn’t really, it merely looks that way from here on Earth. When Mercury is retrograde expect delays, communication snafus, lost letters, lost keys, and computer crashes. Don’t begin projects or sign anything during a Mercury retrograde period. They don’t turn out the way expected and often there is information you don’t know about that surfaces after Mercury goes direct. It is a good time to revise and review, to tweak projects already begun. Old ideas, projects or plans have an uncanny ability to resurface and require attention while Mercury is retrograde. During retrograde periods check and recheck your facts. If you have a lunch date with a friend it is a good idea to call and confirm the time and date. The right church, wrong pew scenario belongs to Mercury retrograde. Shortly after midnight on Labor Day, Mercury stations, stops dead in his tracks, and makes ready to turn retrograde until September 29th when he stations again, getting ready to move forward. We can’t hide under the bed for three weeks; we have to go on with our lives. Forewarned is forearmed, be prepared for delays, disruptions and remain flexible for the inevitable change of plans.

Health Care Reform Rally at State House and a Little Bitty Rant

Last night I went to the candlelight vigil for health care reform at the State House in Providence. There were about two hundred people there. Moveon.org organized these vigils nationwide. Here in Rhode Island the local chapter of Moveon.org was joined by Ocean State Action and Progressive Democrats. There were a few dissenters who were pretty much ignored. Most people are for health care reform in some form or another. You would be hard put to find anyone in America who has not or does not know someone who has had a bad experience with health care. The news media covers the events where there is lots of dissent and opposition to health care reform because they report what their corporate pay masters tell them to report. Most of the health care debate is being fueled by PR firms hired by the health care and pharmaceutical industries which have poured billions into the effort. The health care insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry, the oil industry and Wall Street pour billions of dollars into the campaign coffers of our elected officials and they expect service for their dollars. So our elected officials serve the interests of these industries and not the interests of the American people. The clause in the Medicare legislation covering prescription drugs that legally provides for the United States Government to pay 125 percent of the cost of the drug to the drug companies is a good example of how these groups rule this country. I ask myself, how did this legislation pass? I know it was passed during the Bush administration, but this goes far beyond party politics. Democrats and Republicans alike are on these corporate payrolls. A Democratic Senator from South Dakota, Tim Johnson, who has accepted money from the banking and finance industry, voted with the banks, against legislation that would have placed a cap on the interest rates banks and lenders could charge for short term loans to military personnel. Now with the reshuffling between Senate committees due to Ted Kennedy’s passing, this Senator, because of seniority, has a good shot at heading the Banking Committee. Good for the banks, bad for the people. We need to take back this country from the corporate greed heads who rule it. One way is to call, write, and email your elected official. Voice your opinion. You don’t have to be a genius or write like a Pulitzer Prize winner, simply state, “I don’t like this about that.” Or “I like this about that.” We need to let them know that we are paying attention.

Obama Administration and the Saturn/Uranus opposition

Now that September is upon us, the third Saturn/Uranus opposition, in a series of five, becomes exact on the 15th. The first opposition in this series was on November 4, 2008, the day that Barack Obama was elected. That election played out perfectly the symbolism of these two planets. Saturn ruling the traditional, the establishment and the accepted while Uranus rules the revolution, change, the novel and the new-fangled. In February of 2009, at the second in this series of oppositions, Obama signed the stimulus package, a huge legislative act. Will September bring another major piece of legislation? Mercury is retrograde from Labor Day until the 29th. This is not the time to start something new but it is a good time to revise and review existing works or works in progress. TARP was passed while Mercury was retrograde and they have been adding and amending it ever since. And Congress and the American people are still not sure where the money went and have no oversight in regards to those funds. Whether or not a health care reform bill gets passed this month, the act and the issue will drag on until July 2010 when the final passage of the Saturn/Uranus opposition occurs. At any rate it appears that Obama has already sold out to Big Pharma, by agreeing to ban the importation of cheaper drugs from Canada and not allowing the US government to negotiate the price of drugs here in the US. So much for change you can believe in. Since Obama was elected under this Saturn/Uranus opposition it stands to reason, astrological reason that is, that at each successive opposition something major will occur in his administration. The final two of the oppositions occur on April 26, 2010 and July 26, 2010. Watch the action around the 15th of this month and on the dates of the final two oppositions. June of 2010 should be particularly volatile leading up to the final opposition. Remember, you heard it here first.

Patrick Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, and Relationship Astrology

In Synastry, the astrology of human relationships, we examine the interaction between two horoscopes. We look at the alignments, called aspects, of the planets between the two. Some alignments promise perfect harmony while others guarantee conflict. Between Patrick and Ted there are a multitude of aspects, some easy and harmonic, others not so easy. Easy or hard aspects aside; if these two had been strangers and met through a work relationship, at a social event or even on the street, the encounter would have been life changing. The first thing I notice when looking at these two charts is that Ted Kennedy’s Pluto sits right on Patrick’s Sun symbolizing the fact that Patrick was born into a family of great power and wealth. That aspect as well as Patrick’s Moon placement connected to Ted’s Saturn indicates that Ted was definitely the authority figure in Patrick’s life. He often played the stern father. It also indicates that a lot of work was involved for them to understand each other. Their relationship was not without emotional tensions. They may have butted heads but it was through these disagreements, arguments and lively discussions, which I think they both relished, that they came to understand and respect one another. There is an aspect of ease between them that indicates a free and easy communication when the issue was close to the heart. There was an intuitive bond between them. Often they did not need words to communicate. Ted’s a Pisces while Patrick’s a Cancer, so they got this Water thing going on, elemental compatibility. They sense, intuit and feel empathy towards one another. Patrick has more Water planets and planets in Water houses which gives him an intuitive edge. Ted, while a Pisces, has a lot of Earth with Mercury, (how he thinks and talks) and Mars (how he acts) in Aquarius. This gives him great intellect as well as that booming voice. Their relationship was not without ups and downs, it was dynamic, ever changing and I am sure richly rewarding. Now a little bit about Patrick, because he is here with us and Ted, God rest him, has gone to that great Senate in the sky. It is not surprising when you look at Patrick’s horoscope that he is involved in Mental Health legislation. He has the perfect planetary placements for this. He feels it, he wants to help and he needs to help. Patrick has talked about his issues with depression. What I see in his horoscope reveals a receptive individual. He is sensitive to the environment around him. He absorbs the vibes like a sponge. It is important for him to be around positive people and in a positive environment. Patrick is a private person and does not reveal his feelings and emotions easily. Early on, Old Teddy, no doubt, had to pry them out of him with a crowbar. That said, we need to keep are eye on Patrick Kennedy. He is a lot sharper than he looks. And never forget, he learned while seated at the feet of the Master.
After note: Flipped on the TV awhile ago and over at Fox News, where they often characterized Ted Kennedy as the devil incarnate, they are falling all over themselves praising him to the skies. Funny that.

Ted Kennedy

After Jack and Bobby Kennedy, Ted always seemed to me to be a bit of fluff. I figured he got elected on his brother Jack’s coattails. He looked so vulnerable while lying flat on his back after that plane crash and then there was Chappaquiddick. I didn’t think he had it in him, whatever “it” was. He was elected to the Senate on November 6, 1962 and he held that seat for 47 years. This just goes to show you how wrong a girl can be. That 1962 election was the year of Ted Kennedy’s first Saturn Return which occurs around the ages of 29 years to 31 years. This is a person’s astrological coming of age, when you put aside childhood things and venture into adulthood. If you want longevity, Saturn is a good planet to have around. At 6 AM that day, the time the polls opened, the Moon was at 28 degrees Aquarius, right on Ted Kennedy’s Mars, Mercury, Sun conjunction. Jupiter, the Greater Benefic, was smack dab on Teddy’s Sun, a gift from the Gods. In Mundane Astrology, the Astrology of events, the Moon rules the people. In Aquarius it is all about the brotherhood of man, revolution and power to the people. Kennedy, an Irish Catholic, running against George Cabot Lodge, a member of Boston’s blue blood society represented those Aquarian ideals. I don’t think I ever fully appreciated all that Ted Kennedy went through all these years. First was John F. Kennedy’s assassination. I know, Oklahoma City was shocking, the Twin Towers were frightening; but I don’t think anything will have the capacity to stun the way the assassination of John F. Kennedy did. I mean, stop dead in your tracks stunned. It was such a loss. The following June, Ted breaks his back in a plane crash, barely escaping with his life. Four years later in 1968 Robert F. Kennedy is assassinated. Another shocker. The following year was Chappaquiddick. A horrible tragedy where a young woman died. The common perception is that Ted Kennedy got drunk and drove off a bridge. And we will probably never know what happened during those missing ten hours. I don’t condone bad behavior nor do I judge. As an Astrologer, for me, it all comes back to Saturn. Ted Kennedy has Saturn in his first house, the house of the personality, the physical body and how you present yourself to the world. It’s a strong position to have in a natal chart. Saturn brings you the harsh lessons of life. Saturn rewards you when you do the work and makes life hard when you don’t. Saturn gave him that first election but you can be sure that he worked hard for it. A long slow recovery from a broken back, restriction of movement, and a long period requiring patience is classic Saturn. Cheating on an exam, cheating on your wife and getting caught is Saturn’s way of keeping you in line. With Ted Kennedy, Saturn kept at it until he got the message and when he got it right, Saturn rewarded him. In his later years he was happily married, had the respect of his colleagues, the love of his constituents and a good relationship with his children. And that’s my next blog, comparing the natal charts of Patrick and Ted Kennedy. What was their relationship like? Stay tuned.

Whitehouse, Reed and the Community Dinner

I went to the Community dinner at the Johnston Senior Center hosted by Sheldon Whitehouse and Jack Reed about health care reform. This is the second community dinner put on by Whitehouse that I have been to. The last one was in February in Warwick. The subject then was healthcare as well. How this dialogue is fueled by our prejudices was aptly illustrated by two people who said basically the same thing and how the crowd reacted. In February, an American with a small business spoke about the rising costs of providing health care to his employees. He spoke of how the State of RI has allowed BCBS a 12 percent increase and how the rising health care cost were destroying our ability to be competitive on a world market and how he can no longer afford to provide health care to his employees. The point was made and well taken by the crowd. Last night a man spoke who was originally from Germany. He spoke with a heavy accent. He related how he had been in business in Germany for 25 years and in business in the United States for 25 years. He made the same points as our American friend from the February meeting, about costs and competitiveness. He also dared to make the claim that Germany’s health care system was better than ours, particularly in Cancer treatment and research, citing the Hollywood types, (Farah Fawcett) who can afford and do go to Germany for treatment. People expressed outrage, cries of “Why don’t you go back to Germany.” And “How dare you, my ancestors fought for the freedoms you enjoy.” Same subject, same issues within that subject and same conclusion but a markedly different reaction. Americans need to get their heads out of their asses. The World Health Organization ranks the world’s health systems. France is number one and Italy is number two. Germany is 25th while the United States sits at 37. Costa Rica is 36. Think of it, Costa Rica has beaten us in the health care game. The Organization also ranks life expectancy. Here in the United States the average life expectancy is 70 years, we are ranked at 24. Japan is number one with a life expectancy of 74.5. And Germany, they are at 22 with a life expectancy of 70.4. What a lot of people fail to realize is that a lot of this rhetoric about health care is driven by insurance and drug companies. Two health insurance companies control 80 percent of the market. Insurance is supposed to spread the risk around, insure vast numbers of people and the healthy pay for the sick. What has happened is that the insurance companies only insure the healthy and as a result reap huge profits. Now, I do believe that business has a right to a fair profit, but they do not have the right to gouge the American people. We don’t need Franklyn Roosevelt, the President who pushed through Social Security; we need Teddy Roosevelt, the progressive trust buster.