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.