Full Moon – Lunar Eclipse—Happy December

The approaching Full Moon Lunar Eclipse on December 10^th brings with it a mixture of grief and happiness.  This one is tough to call with Mercury retrograde and “Mr. Surprise” Uranus changing direction hours before the Full Moon perfects.   When a planet stations, (seeming to stop in the sky before changing direction), the energy of that planet is concentrated thus becoming stronger. We have become so accustomed to scandal that it is difficult to conceive of any event that could shock us but shocking is Uranus’ stock in trade.  Perhaps Congress may actually agree on something involving the budget, tax cuts and deficits. Now that would be a shocker!

 With Mercury playing retrograde games of misinformation, missed appointments, and general all round communication snafus we will need to keep our wits about us while sorting through what may or may not be the facts. Tensions will build up to the Full Moon and then we can expect a release of that tension.  An earthquake, a volcanic eruption, not necessarily in the physical world, prompts breakups and regroupings. A major event brings about unity in sorrow.  A breakdown in negotiations and communications provokes some people to speak before thinking. The fallout will be something to see. The media will report everything and anything without a thought to checking the facts. It will become apparent that many are pushing their own agenda and the truth will be hard to find.  

 On the 13^th when Mercury stations and begins to move in direct motion, the time to hit the reset button and begin anew is at hand.  As it stations pay attention to all things Mercurial; traffic, news, information, neighbors and siblings. Check out the action that surfaces around that time. Situations that have hit a snag may begin to move forward. In the meantime you can revise, review and clean out your intellectual and emotional closet.

Venus in Capricorn during this Eclipse wears her business suit. She’s all about money and into committed relationships.  In the Chart set for Washington, DC, Venus in the 12^th house of secrets sits close to the Ascendant. The Ascendant is the point of entry into the outside world and carries a lot of weight in horoscope interpretation.  Women figure prominently, in diplomatic relationships, world affairs and in personal relationships.  Venus, ruler of love and money promises unanticipated events around those issues.  Bewildering is the operative word here.

Venus and Saturn at the Eclipse are in Mutual Reception, each in the other’s home sign, so they help each other out.  Saturn is the big dog, holding sway over societal structures and institutions like marriage, Congress, and the like. In Saturn he is the chief negotiator.  Venus in the 12^th is his willing ally and is perhaps involved in some secretive mission. Venus in the 12^th is also about secret love affairs.  Those secrets are about to be revealed.

Mars in Virgo in the 8^th house of joint finance, debt, taxes and insurance brings the action and attention to these issues. Mars is energy, pure and simple. In Virgo, he’s focusing on the details. Social Security, pensions and public loans get scrutinized.  There is a hint of sorrow here. 

A confusion of themes and a variety of subject matter bubble to the surface during this cycle.  By the Last Quarter on December 17^th the cat will be out of the bag. An international incident, a judge and the judicial system, and/or some type of religious fanaticism grab the headlines.

Through all of this confusion remember that the Sun, the source of all life, is in Sagittarius.  Here the sunbeams light up all things Sagittarius and allows us to step back and see the big picture. People and events in our life are all part of the process. Sagittarius says open up to the possibilities; take step to the edge of your comfort zone and a little beyond. There’s a big world out there, so don’t limit yourself.

Solar Eclipse, Retrograde Mercury, Occupy and Other Good Stuff

We kick off this Holiday Season with a Retrograde Mercury and a Solar Eclipse.  The Eclipse is in Sagittarius; the sign of philosophies, religion, publishing and the judiciary. Mercury sits at the bottom of the chart set for Washington, DC so we can count on mixed messages, confusion and outright obfuscation coming from that quarter. The failure of the Super Committee to do what it was designed to do may actually be a blessing in disguise as actions taken under a Retrograde Mercury usually have to be revised and done over. Eclipses are powerful and their influence last longer than the usual New Moon to New Moon cycle. This Eclipse stresses an already stressed monetary system. The Euro is under pressure and the family of nations that comprise that union may be looking at divorce as some countries may opt out. Here in the United States the Federal Reserve and the money planets of the United States face tension and strain.  We can expect more confusion. Financial matters and the huge debt facing nations and municipalities continue to threaten as the power brokers struggle to maintain the status quo. In the upcoming months expect financial surprises and secret deals. When those secrets are revealed it will bring the downfall of a famous person. The Occupy movement will continue to focus the lens on the excessive corporate, big money influence on Congressional affairs. The politicians, pundits and power brokers are trying to figure out this movement so they can turn it to their advantage. They don’t get it. This movement resonates with lots of people and cuts a wide swath through society touching many people at many levels. Most importantly, they are committed. This movement is in its infancy and is not going away. From an astrological standpoint it is part of the great 126 year cycle of Uranus and Pluto.  In the early 1930’s they were in a closing square aspect moving to conjunction.  This was the depression era and the time of the Bonus Army, the WWI veterans who camped out in DC because they wanted the bonus that was promised to them.  From that 90 degree closing square Uranus and Pluto moved into conjunction, together in the sky in the mid-sixties, planting new seeds of social revolution. Now we are approaching the waxing square between these two, the first of which occurs on June 24, 2012.  From June of 2012 to March of 2015 they move back and forth forming a series of seven exact squares.  This period of time holds the flavor of the thirties and echoes of the sixties.  The slower moving planets stimulate broad social change. Uranus represents revolution and rebellion. Rules are made to be broken. Pluto brings about deep transformation and he is not above destroying an existing system to bring that transformation about.  For the near term, it will pay to check all facts and don’t take anything on face value. Do your research and always get a second, even a third opinion.  Amuse yourself by watching the Politicians dance a jig around the hard truths so they can maintain their relevance in a changing world.

How It All Began - Occupy Wall Street - New Moon in Scorpio

Occupy Wall Street began when a group called Adbusters sent out the call, on July 13, 2011,  to assemble in New York on September 17, 2011.  (I don’t have the time that Adbusters posted this) The revolutionary tactic outlined in the initial call was to focus on one issue, articulate that issue then demand and congregate in a public space until that demand is met. The original demand was for President Obama to form a Presidential Commission whose task is to end the influence that money has over Congressional affairs.  Good luck with that one.

 This call went out under a Cardinal Grand Cross which consisted of Pluto in Capricorn, Uranus in Aries, Saturn in Libra and Venus in Cancer.  Pluto is all about issues of power, control, debt, and destruction.  Pluto usually destroys in order to build something new and better. Uranus in Aries is the new, the revolutionary and the innovative.  This movement reverberates with Uranian energy.  Quoting from the original Adbusters document we have:  “A worldwide shift in revolutionary tactics is underway right now...”  This leaderless movement also reflects the Uranus in Aries mantra, the individual is all.  Saturn in Libra brings societal structures to the table. In Libra, Saturn is the great negotiator but Saturn can be rigid in the face of change. Venus in Cancer lends her blessing to this movement. Venus is social, attracting and diplomatic. In Cancer she nurtures. Venus wants everyone to get along. A walk through Burnside Park in Providence, RI reveals Venus’ presence and influence.  But don’t be fooled, when she takes off her party hat and gets down to business she’s all about the money. The cardinality present when the initial call went out indicates that this is just the beginning. The square between Uranus and Pluto speaks to masses of people and broad societal change. Despite being leaderless and sending out mixed messages this movement is not going away.

On the day that this call went out the Moon moved from Sagittarius into Capricorn at 10:14 AM EDT.  In Mundane astrology, the astrology of events, the Moon rules the people, women and public opinion.  Moon in Capricorn does not have an easy time but often this placement can harness the emotional impulse and use the emotion to bring about concrete results. Astrologers use a technique called Secondary Progressions, where a day in the ephemeris, (a table that lists the future positions of the planets) equals a year in the life of the person or event. This moves the planets along in the natal chart and offers a glimpse of what issues, incidents and occurrences the entity will face. In the Adbuster’s call to action chart the Moon moves through the chart making its first critical alignment with Uranus, (revolution), then Pluto (the power structure).  The Moon hit those points on that day and will do so through the process of Secondary Progressions as time progresses. The symbolism of these configurations clearly reflects the reality, the people are confronting the power structure.

The first actual march on Wall Street began after the first gathering on September 17, 2011 at 12:00 PM EDT. That horoscope has Sun in Virgo, Moon in Taurus and the Ascendant (the sign on the horizon, a critical point in any horoscope), in Scorpio. With the Sun and Mercury in Virgo there is a danger of getting bogged down in details and forgetting the big picture. The Moon in Taurus speaks to the fixed purpose of the people; they “will not go gentle into that good night.”  Pluto making a station, from retrograde to direct, located in the second house of money and ruling the Ascendant tells it all. The Ascendant and first house signifies grass roots movements. Scorpio rules debt and Pluto is all about power and the misuse and abuse of that power. Venus making nice-nice in Libra opposing rule breaker Uranus says that diplomacy is about to engage in a new tactic.

This week the New Moon on Wednesday, November 26, 2011 at 3:56 PM EDT is in early Scorpio.  Scorpio always brings the crap to the surface. People tend to get very emotional and tongues get razor-sharp. Remember that people get hurt very easily and can take offense when no offense was meant.  For the Occupy Wall Street movement the Lunation occurs in the twelfth house of secret enemies. Beware of the infiltrator. The enemy has deep pockets and has a lot to lose. The Scorpio energy will not suffer fools lightly. Scorpio gets to the heart of the matter, quickly and without the niceties that Libra applies. It’s down and dirty time. When things get emotional it is important to step back and breathe. Keep your eye on the big picture and know that this is all part of the process.  Think of it as growing pains.

Occupy Providence - Corporations Own Our Government

When I first heard of the Occupy Wall Street movement I thought, they should be occupying Washington, DC, not Wall Street but I soon realized they had it right because as stated in their first official  statement, their reason for being, is “because corporations own our government.”  The power lies in Wall Street.

Here in Providence, RI,  Occupy Providence officially began on Saturday, at 5PM, October 15, 2011 with a rally at Burnside Park and a march through Providence.   My first impression as I entered the park was that this gathering had a definite sixties flavor to it.  Not surprising.  In the mid-sixties Uranus and Pluto were aligned in the sky and today they are approaching their first major alignment since then, sparking that revolutionary fire. The revolutionary impulse springs from Uranus and the process of transformation comes from Pluto.  The 1960’s alignment, the conjunction, brought the anti-war, anti-establishment, civil rights, and women’s rights movements.  Raising consciousness, eye-opening and “click” moments were the order of the day. In those days demonstrators faced opposition and hostility from the police, the politicians and the general public. Today, with the recent history of the banking bailout, i.e. rewarding the banks for bad behavior, this movement resonates with a large segment of the population. The police, at least here in Providence, seem to be in sympathy with the occupiers, as are the Providence Fire Fighters who have made donations to the cause.  

Personally, with a large dose of Aquarius in my horoscope, these group efforts, rallies and revolutionary movements bring joy to my heart and arouse my curiosity. I am drawn to Burnside Park and the people there, I want to know about them, find out what their motivations are, and see how they are managing this mass of people camping out in a public park.

The first thing I noticed is that they are well organized. They’ve erected booths for food distribution and media. They have a donations intake tent and a couple of medical tents. They recycle the trash and compost what they can. Volunteers man these posts.  

Here are some snippets of conversation, thoughts and reasons for getting involved from some of the people I have talked with.

Bobby, the 19 year old who holds the live streaming gig at Burnside Park related to me how he saw a news blurb about 700 people who were arrested in NYC in connection with their involvement in Occupy Wall Street.  He waited for two weeks  and did not see or hear anything in the main stream media about the Occupy Wall Street movement.  He decided to volunteer because he felt that the movement needed to get the word out and he was adept at live stream.  He feels that the government controls the media. He’s a registered voter and gets most of his news from the internet.

I spoke with Shantal at the food booth, a 24 year old volunteer who feels that “the current system has failed us economically, politically and socially”.  She volunteers after work spending her evenings dishing out food to the occupiers and the homeless. 

Tom, 26, describes himself as an anarchist  and feels that the “right to eat should not be dictated by money.” 

Dave, 43, was drawn to this movement by “a blend of grief and anger….about our broken promises to our most vulnerable population…..”

Jessica, 25 feels the “power balance is out of whack.” And that through the “government and corporate media we are manipulated….it creates a woundedness….consumerism is shoved down our throats.”  She is down here because she feels it is about waking people up to what is going on around them.  A very wise young lady she says, people need to ask themselves, “Why are you unhappy?” and follow that to the root cause.

Elliot, a retiree,  is down here because he feels that the country is “going down the tubes.”  He listed a variety of issues, banking reform, health care reform, unemployment, “it is a real shame that we are in these dire straits.”

Carol, another retiree, is “depressed at the direction the government is going.”  She feels that corporations buy candidates and campaign financing should be regulated and campaigns should only last three months.  She has lived abroad and finds the health system here appalling. 

Will, 24,  has not voted for awhile because he has no faith in the electoral process and feels to effect change we need direct democracy.  “The bailouts are symptoms and we need systemic change.”

Willie, 42, feels that “greedy people create problems”  Corporations are so greedy that they are putting people out of work, out of their homes and people are unable to take care of the basics. “The country is suffering.”

I did not see any evidence of partisan politics. The movement is not about that, it is about the corruption of the entire system. On my daily walk through Burnside Park I have seen the tents sprout like mushrooms as more people get involved. I think everyone should go down to Providence to see for themselves, to talk to the people and make up your own mind. I will continue to make trips down there to talk to people and get their ideas and thoughts.   

My next post will analyze the horoscopes of Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Providence.  These horoscopes show the direction, duration and outcomes of this movement.  Stay tuned.

Get Ready to Rock and Roll With This New Moon

The New Moon occurs at 7:09 AM EDT on September 27^th here on the eastern seaboard of the United States.  Begin, begin, begin cries the New Moon. The New Moon marks the beginning of the new cycle and simply put, it is the time to start something new. Inspiration and intuition flow into consciousness, and the wise do not ignore these spontaneous ideas that pop up, seemingly from nowhere. It pays to watch how they develop as the Moon waxes into the Crescent and First Quarter phases.  Often new ideas meet resistance or face obstacles at these points in the cycle.  If the idea or project has merit and is important to the individual, these impediments can be overcome. As the Moon reaches the Full Moon phase on October 11, 2011, seeds planted at the New Moon flourish and reach fruition. 

This particular New Moon falls in the sign of Libra. The Sun and Moon together in the sky square off with Pluto in Capricorn and oppose Uranus in Aries. This is a volatile, explosive combination. The indications point to strikes:  lightning, labor, sit ins, and protests involving youth in particular but also the public in general against the corporate, political and financial power structure. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions grab the headlines. The quakes and eruptions are not limited to the physical earth. As the public agitates, the power structures respond. As the Uranus/Pluto conjunction that occurred in the 1960’s approaches its First Quarter phase echoes from that era reverberate today. This New Moon period offers a glimpse of what may happen over the course of the series of Uranus/Pluto squares beginning in June 2012 and continuing through March of 2015.

Calculating the chart for Washington, DC puts the Sun and Moon conjunct the Ascendant. The Ascendant is an important position in any horoscope as it designates the point of entry into the world for the individual or entity. The Sun represents the father, head of state, CEO’s etc. The Moon represents the mother, females, the public and public opinion.  The Sun, Moon, Mercury cluster in Libra opposing Uranus in Aries straddles the Ascendant/Descendant axis. The Ascendant represents the self, while the Descendant symbolizes the other.  The Descendant or cusp of the 7^th house is the house of the “significant other” as well as open enemies.  The Sun opposing Uranus along this axis suggests that authority figures will meet the opposition, the rebellious and the revolutionaries head on. Here in the United States, President Obama will also meet his opponents head on.  He will confront those who contest his policies to the delight of his supporters and the dismay of his opponents.  The public is very much involved here.  The use of social media, the trend and tool of the modern grassroots organizer, continues to grow with novel twists and innovations along the way as Uranus in Aries shakes up the status quo for most of this decade.

As the Moon waxes moving into the First Quarter phase on October 3, 2011, the discontent with existing conditions in the political, commercial and personal arena reach a point where some action needs to be taken. Land values, real estate and agricultural themes focus around money, interest rates and the cost of goods and how these issues impact the work force. The general public is in a serious and somber mood.  At the Full Moon the money problems continue as political opponents, the public, parents, youth, management and labor threaten to leave the bargaining table behind with diplomacy forgotten. 

The Last Quarter Moon on October 19^th brings a change in public opinion as a new determination takes hold. Social unrest resonates with young and old alike.  The buzz circles the globe. Here again, this is the button that will get pushed time and again over the next few years.  For the immediate future, now is the time to assimilate all that has been learned and experienced during this current Lunation cycle.  This cycle holds the Libra theme of partnership, negotiation and social awareness. Libra needs to relate.  People need people now and despite political differences, are more than willing to try and work it out. The next Lunation Cycle begins with the New Moon in Scorpio on October 26, 2011.  Try and resolve any relationship issues while the Libra influence is in play as the Scorpio New Moon promises to take no prisoners.

Waning Moon – Planetary Shifts – Life Goes On.

 The period between the Full Moon to the Last Quarter Moon is called the disseminating phase.  Now is the time to share what you have learned during the waxing phase.  What projects, events have unfolded and what have you learned.  What wisdom have you gained from your inner dialogue? At this time there is an urge to reach out to others and relate our experiences.  This is the letting go and the giving back phase.  When we get to the Last Quarter Moon phase on the 20^th its inner reflection time; a time to maybe take a break.  A project may come to an end or need to be put on hold for awhile. Quarter Moons are action times, times of crisis. In the waning phase the crisis is inner, more of consciousness than in the physical realm.  A good time to ask yourself where you are in life and where you want to be.  Let go of what is holding you back, get rid of bad habits and toxic people now.  As the Moon shifts from the crescent into darkness we enter the Balsamic phase.  This is just prior to the next New Moon.  One cycle is ending and begins to blend with the new.  This is the time to dream, logic does not do well in this phase.  Dream the fantastic.   What works in this phase is, cutting something that you don’t want to grow back fast, your hair or the weeds in your garden.  While the night sky is dark prior to the New Moon on September 27^th clean out your closets, get rid of clutter and anything you haven’t used for awhile.  Its painless under this phase of the Moon, we don’t cling so much to objects that we might be sentimental about, like our skinny jeans or the battered baseball from our youth.  It is wise to hold off starting anything new until the New Moon and the beginning of the new cycle. 

During this period leading up to the New Moon and the Fall Equinox Venus enters her home sign of Libra on September 14^th.  Venus loves it here and our social lives usually pick up and relationships take on a rosy hue.  Venus in Libra signals the time to make amends and iron out differences within relationships.  On the 16^th Pluto moves into direct motion.  When a planet changes direction the energies of that planet are intensified. Pluto in Capricorn has much to do with societal norms, institutions, and hierarchies.  Pluto in real time adversely aspects the money planets of the USA’s July 4, 1776 chart, (Venus and Jupiter) as well as the Sun/Pluto opposition in the Federal Reserve chart, money, budgets and debt will rule the headlines.  Currency wars reveal where the real power is.  On the 18^th Mars, the planet of action and how we use our energy enters the fire sign Leo.  Mars here gives self confidence, drama and the grand gesture.  Mars in Leo does not take criticism lightly.  Nonetheless, with Mars in Leo the show must go on. These planetary shifts and changes set the stage for the upcoming Autumnal Equinox on the 23^rd when all things Libra rule.  By the 27^th when the New Moon in Libra perfects it will be a brand new day.

Hurricane Irene, Dark Moon, New Moon, Mercury Direct

Hurricane Irene rolled up the eastern seaboard of the United States under a dark Moon forcing us to comply with the Lunar dictates of quiet, meditative inner work while the Moon finishes one cycle and prepares for the new.  Rain, wind and power outages were the enforcers of those dictates. What else could you do? The New Moon occurs on Sunday night at 11:04 PM EDT in the sign of Virgo. This New Moon has a lovely trine, an aspect of ease, between Venus and Jupiter. Not a bad influence for the upcoming month. In traditional Astrology Jupiter is known as the Greater Benefic while Venus carries the moniker the Lesser Benefic.  They are money planets and also have a much to do with international diplomacy, treaties and negotiations. They can bring about to much of a good thing as well. With Mercury direct, the New Moon under our belt, and Irene trekking into the interior the work week begins with a burst of energy and activity. Projects and plans that have been on hold or that have hit a dead end begin to move forward as new ideas and information change the picture.  The trine between Jupiter and Venus becomes exact in the wee hours on Tuesday morning, August 30^th shortly before Jupiter turns retrograde. The capitalist, bankers, lawyers and diplomats will react. In the afternoon when Moon enters Libra at 2:25 PM EDT the real negotiations will begin. Libra Moon brings a strong desire to socialize as people want to connect with their fellows. This is a good time to form partnerships or to work on a team.  Libra Moon loves balance and harmony so take advantage of this Moon to iron out any differences you may have with friends, loved ones and co-workers. The cooperative energy remains until Moon moves into Scorpio.  Moon in Scorpio pulls in the energy of Scorpio’s rulers Mars and Pluto. People are sensitive and take things very personal.  Feelings get hurt and folks lash out.  It is hard to forgive and forget under Scorpio Moon but it is wise to remember that when Scorpio and Pluto are involved it is best to take the high road.  These deep emotions offer the opportunity to connect on a soul level with those around you. On Friday Sun kicks off the weekend by making nice-nice with Jupiter. Sun is in Virgo and loves the details; Jupiter always sees the big picture. An aspect of ease brings a nice blend of these two opposing ideals. When Moon enters Sagittarius on Saturday, September 3^rd, there’s a general feel of restlessness and the urge is to get up, get out and do something. Folks are warm and friendly so it is a good time for socializing, especially if it involves a sporting event. The Moon, in the waxing phase, offers a great time to begin new projects and with Mercury in direct motion all systems are fired up and ready to go. Take action.

A Classic Mercury Retrograde Blunder

In writing about the Moon’s waning phase this week and the jangle of energy winging its way along as the night sky darkens; in true Retrograde Mercury fashion I neglected to mention one of, if not the most important shift of the week. That is the Sun’s entry into Virgo on Tuesday morning at 7:21 AM EDT. As mentioned in the prior post, Monday evening Sun opposed Neptune in Aquarius. (This is the last aspect the Sun makes before moving into a new sign and will be kicking up some dust.) The Sun’s annual trek through Virgo signals the end of summer and prompts preparation for the upcoming Autumn and Winter. This is the harvest time. Sun in Virgo is discerning, able to differentiate between the wheat and the chaff. The Sun’s energy brought to bear in Virgo enhances our ability to differentiate between what is valuable and what is junk.  Virgo will achieve the most while doing the least because of a natural bent towards efficiency.  The Virgo energy of astute perceptiveness may be hampered while Mercury continues in Retrograde motion. But rest assured once Old Murky goes direct it’ll be clear sailing. While Sun remains in Virgo get rid of the useless, clean out closets and cupboards and get organized.  Virgo Sun will send those bright beams down and help you tackle the sometimes difficult task of parting with possessions that no longer serve. An assist we can all use.

Another Fun Week! The Change Comes From Within

The Last Quarter Moon reaches perfection at 5:54 PM EDT on Sunday, August 21, 2011 kicking off a busy week of planetary sign and direction changes.  Quarter Moons call for action, in the waning phase the action/change occurs on the inner planes.  This is the time to finish projects, do some tweaking here and there and take a little break, especially as we segue into the Balsamic phase. The Crescent Moon is shrinking and soon the night sky is dark. Dream the future, stop, smell the roses and listen.  In the quiet new ideas formulate and creativity percolates preparing for the start of the next cycle, the New Moon on the 28^th/29^th of August. Hold off beginning the new until after this New Moon. Before we reach this new phase we will have to get through this week of fluctuating energy. On Sunday, Venus moves from fiery Leo to the more sedate Virgo. Venus loves to indulge herself and Virgo has no patience for fancy frills and extravagance. The love of Venus in Virgo is a more practical love. Venus in Virgo will weed your garden or cook you a pot of soup.  Venus in Virgo minds the budget and is reluctant to spend on luxury items. A new stove is fine; a silk scarf questionable.  Moon moves into Gemini Sunday night. Waning Moon in Gemini is a great time to clear your desk of all communications that require a response. People are busy, busy, talky, talky while Moon is in this sign. On Monday, the Sun opposes Neptune bringing a jangle of discordant news and exposure of a few dark deeds. The real truth of it all comes out after Mercury turns direct on Friday, August 26^th at 6:03 PM EDT. In the meantime Gemini Moon keeps pumping out the information until Wednesday morning when Moon slides home to Cancer. Things begin to get emotional. Gemini Moon thinks; Cancer Moon feels. Wednesday could turn out to be an emotional roller coaster, try not to base any decisions solely on emotions. On Thursday morning Mars in Cancer squares off with Saturn in Libra. Think difficult. In traditional astrology these two are considered the Greater and Lesser Malefics. Things could get ugly. Disputes, fights, foul weather, and some nasty explosive types of events are possible. Moon goes Void of Course at 9:04 AM. When Moon is Void of Course the best course of action is one of kicking back and letting life flow around you.  Actions and decisions made during Void of Course periods have a funny way of running in unexpected directions. So whatever the Mars/Saturn configuration stirs up the wise will remember to take those ten deep breathes before reacting. In the evening, Venus plays the diplomat with powerful Pluto.  Political shenanigans come to mind. On Friday noonish Moon enters Leo. People want to be loved and appreciated when Moon is in Leo. The creative, playful side emerges. Leo Moon is a great way to start a fun weekend.  At 6:03 PM Mercury shifts into direct motion. Over the weekend new information surfaces and the news, scandals and false reports all receive a makeover as the truth finally comes out. Let the dust settle and wait until Monday before deciding, acting or beginning anything. 

After Last Week, What Next?

True to the symbolism of Mars, Uranus and Pluto in unhappy aspect last week can best be described as turbulent.  We saw that volatile energy reflected in societal unrest as well as in the political and financial worlds. Here in the United States the big event that occupied a huge chunk of the news cycle was the Iowa Straw Poll involving the Republican hopefuls.  This poll, begun a couple of hours before the Full Moon with retrograde Mercury opposing Neptune, has no legal standing but is highly symbolic and a win is much sought after by potential candidates.  Michele Bachman won with Ron Paul pulling a very close second. Mercury rules the vote, in a standoff position with Neptune and retrograde to boot, the message is often false and misleading. The Full Moon axis fell on Ms. Bachman’s Natal Jupiter/ Pluto conjunction bringing luck and good fortune but transiting Retrograde Mercury was sitting right on top of that conjunction as well.  Little Mercury rings the bell of false promise and false power. She will face tough competition from the likes of Ron Paul, Rick Perry as well as Mitt Romney.

Now that we are past the Full Moon we enter the disseminating phase where we must use or lose the energy generated from New to Full Moon.  Actions, ideas and emotions are ripe for the picking.  This is the time to share what you have learned. Scatter them little nuggets of truth. The Pisces Moon from Sunday to Tuesday offers a time to reflect and touch base with our more intuitive and sensitive side.  On Tuesday, August 16, 2011 Sun, Venus and Mercury make nice, nice and we find people once again at least talking to one another in a civil manner.  This will not last long as Moon moves into Aries on Tuesday night.  People often act before thinking under Aries Moon, they want to start something and always be on the move. On Wednesday it all hits the fan when Cardinal Aries Moon lights a fire under Uranus, Pluto, Mars and then Saturn.  This will be a “hump day” to remember.  Expect more fireworks on Thursday when Mars and Jupiter stir the pot. Late Thursday into early Friday morning EDT, Aries Moon sparks the diplomatic inclinations of the Sun, Venus, Mercury trio before settling down and entering the more stable sign of Taurus.  Taurus Moon favors the practical, the real and the lasting.  People tend to stubbornness while Moon travels through this fixed, earth sign. Here the energy of the Full Moon begins to crystallize as we prepare for the Last Quarter phase beginning on Sunday.

The volatility, instability and unpredictability of the times continues. Somewhere amid this chaos we need to find our still center. Many events we cannot control but we can control our own actions. From that still center we find our rock of stability. Try to act and react from that rock keeping the chaos at bay.

You Think Last Week Was Tough? Get Ready for More

After teetering on the edge of default Congress finally reached an agreement to raise the debt ceiling; an agreement that many are not happy with. They reached this agreement on Tuesday just before Mercury went retrograde. In typical Mercury retro fashion (nothing resolved) the agreement included a plan to form a committee of 12, 6 from each party to review the budget cuts, revenue and debt ceiling again at the end of the year. If they don’t do this, automatic spending cuts will be implemented in a wide variety of programs. On Friday Standard and Poors downgraded the United States credit rating, from AAA to AA+ citing “the difficulties of bridging the gulf between political parties.”  On top of all this, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell to its lowest since December 2010.

In the July 4, 1776 horoscope of the United States the money planets, Jupiter and Venus are conjunct in the early degrees of Cancer.  Pluto, the great destroyer and ruler of debt, taxes and interest rates is presently sitting directly across from these planets at 5 degrees of Capricorn.  Revolutionary Uranus currently at 4 degrees of Aries has been and will be creating a stressful square to the US Jupiter and Venus as well as to transiting Pluto. The energies created by the dynamic action between Uranus and Pluto impact financial, political and social constructs all over the world. Their last conjunction, occurring in the tumultuous sixties, should give you an idea as to how they shake up society. Today in their waxing square aspect we have most of Europe, along with the US, is in the financial toilet, revolutionary fire spreading across the Middle East; terrorism rearing its ugly head in the most unlikely places, natural disasters and weather extremes creating human misery across the globe.

Here on the eastern seaboard of the United States, Mars entered Cancer early Wednesday morning on August 3, 2011.  Zero degrees of any Cardinal sign; (Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn) is a potent degree. These are the degrees that change the seasons, a lot of energy there.  Pluto and Uranus are in the early degrees of Cardinal signs as is the Jupiter and Venus of the United States. Pluto and Uranus are already messing with these money planets and when Mars enters the picture, well he is the original Action Jackson.  

Last week there was quite a bit of turmoil in the United States, politically as well as financially.  There is more to come. Today, Sunday, August 07, 2011 transiting Mars is conjunct the US Venus. Before the week is out he will connect with the United States Jupiter bringing more money woes for sure with the diplomatic arena not looking to healthy either. Transiting Saturn, hip deep into the Cardinal sign Libra will move into stressful square aspect to the United States Sun.  As the Sun in a mundane chart signifies Heads of State it is safe to assume that Obama’s got himself a big headache.  Transiting Saturn often puts you between a rock and a hard place.

Monday morning at 5:46 AM EDT, pesky little Mercury retrogrades back into Leo and then he opposes Neptune in Aquarius.  I would check every fact and figure that crosses my radar. Don’t take anything at face value. Do your homework and avoid snap decisions.  On Tuesday, 12:34 PM EDT, Mars, Mr. Action, squares off with Uranus, Mr. Upset and later in the afternoon the Moon enters Capricorn and the fun begins as Old Lunar kicks off those Cardinal Degrees.  By Thursday when Mars opposes Pluto be ready for scorched earth, literally and figuratively.  Major events are unfolding now and we may not know or understand what is really happening or what the fallout will be for many Moons. Whatever the case may be, this week’s run up to the Full Moon in Aquarius on Saturday will be volatile, unpredictable and violent.

Barack Obama's Solar Return 2011

I always look at the Solar Return chart of the President of the United States because what is going on the President’s chart holds significance for the country as a whole. A Solar Return chart is a horoscope for the moment in time when the Sun makes its annual return to the sign and degree of the natal Sun.  This chart is a valuable predictive tool that reveals the conditions, events and themes of the upcoming year for the individual.  The Sun’s placement in the Solar Return chart reveals the focus for the upcoming year. In President Obama’s Return chart the Sun falls in the second house of money.  Money, debt, budgets and value systems play an important role. No big surprise there.  The President faces powerful opposition.  For the most part he knows who opposes him but this year will bring some surprises.  There are those that are not being quite honest with him and when the truth comes to light there will be a few shifts in alliances.  Women and diplomacy play an important role, a smart, intellectual, thinking woman in particular. There will be a lot of tense public meetings and events. Whatever agreement they come up with over the next few weeks will not be one that will stick because it will not really settle anything in a permanent way. The President knows this and will work throughout the year to consolidate, revise and review; getting all his ducks in a row for the big 2012 push.  He will have a serious communication problem with difficulty getting his message heard and understood.  Surprising, unexpected, innovative and unusual actions and events will highlight his year. Since he is the President much of this will play out in the public arena.  He will appear moody, emotional and at times petulant.  There will be a lot going on behind the scenes.  He may do an about face when he finds that those he thinks he can trust are perfectly willing to stab him in the back. There are powerful forces aligned against him and his reactions will often be based on emotion rather than intellect.  Within him this year is a need to negotiate, to see both sides of the picture and come to a just and equitable agreement.  This is a year where President Obama will make enemies of friends and friends of enemies.  Life will not be dull as the President faces difficult choices, hard negotiations and powerful, influential enemies.  The week after his birthday as we roll up to the Full Moon in Aquarius will be a week of action.  When listening to the late, breaking news, don’t rush to judgment. Be wary of lies, slurs, exaggerations and plain misinformation coming from all sides of the political spectrum with the media jumping in without a thought to something as simple as a fact check.

Amy Winehouse and the Critical 27th Year

Amy Winehouse, the talented and troubled Diva is the latest to join the unfortunate Club 27, the group of the young and talented who have died at the age of 27. What is it about this year in the life that makes it so critical? Astrologer’s look at planetary cycles and transits to the natal horoscope for clues. One of the techniques in the Astrologer’s tool box is the “day for a year” method. The theory is that the first day of life relates to the first year of life, the second day of life to the second year and so on.  Using the person’s current age the astrologer moves the planets and house cusps of the horoscope along to where they were the same number of days after birth and casts a horoscope for that day. This is called Secondary Progressions. In the 27^th year of life the Secondary Progressed Moon is at the same degree as the Natal Moon. The Progressed Moon on the degree of the Natal Moon brings up many childhood and emotional issues.   The Club 27 members all had the Secondary Progressed Moon near to the degree of their Natal Moon.  Now many of Rock and Roll's bad boys and girls have rolled through the 27^th year and  lived to tell the tale. What is the difference? First we always look at the natal chart, if it is not promised in the Natal, no amount of transits or progressions will change the basic nature of the person.  This progression happens to everyone. What is different about Club 27’s is the promise of the natal as well as other transits occurring during the year 27. In this instance, Ms. Winehouse was undergoing a series of significant transits that contributed to this regrettable outcome. As you would expect given her flamboyant lifestyle her Natal Horoscope is most interesting. A Virgo, with Retrograde Mercury in conjunction with the Sun, these two are in square aspect to her Moon in early Capricorn conjunct Neptune in late Sagittarius. Her horoscope is filled with planetary pairings; Mars and Venus conjunct in Leo, Uranus and Jupiter conjunct in Sagittarius, Pluto and Saturn in out of sign conjunction in Libra/Scorpio.  These pairs are all connected to one another, either by easy trines and sextiles or the more difficult squares.  So when a transiting planet hits one pair the energy reverberates around her chart. At the time of her death Mars was transiting her first house, the physical body conjunct her natal North Node. The Nodes are the point where the Moon’s orbit takes her to the ecliptic going north or south. The North and South Nodes are exactly opposite. The transiting Nodal Axis put the North Node on her Natal South Node and the transiting South on her North. The Nodal cycle is 18.6 years and the Nodes themselves have much to do with relationships, Karma and past lives.  So transiting Mars, the action, energy planet, who can be a real bad guy when he wants to, fired up her Nodal Axis, which in turn activated her Moon/Neptune conjunction.  Moon/Neptune turned around and spit in the eye of the Sun/Mercury conjunction. Her Mars/Venus, connected to her Moon/Neptune as well as Bad Boy Mars brought more energy to the party. Her horoscope clearly reflects her incredible talent and artistic ability and the transits to it reveal difficulty, stress and a certain amount of anxiety.  Most of the planets in her horoscope are below the horizon, indicating someone who prefers privacy and shuns the public eye.  Her life took her in the opposite direction and while a blessing it could not have been easy for her. It is a sad day when a creative light is dimmed.

Pluto in Capricorn

Here is a little something I blogged about in August of 2009 when Tom Ridge admitted when he was Director of Homeland Security that he was pressured to raise the terrorist alert level every time President George W. Bush’s poll numbers went down during the  2004 election season:

“So now, Pluto in Capricorn is set to change all things Capricorn.  Capricorn represents government, authority figures, big business, and heads of state.  The structure and form of our society, society’s rules as it were, all fall under Capricorn’s purview.  So the real sleazes (not the honest do-gooders) who represent our authority figures in government, media and business are about to be exposed in ways they cannot foresee.”

 While Capricorn rules societal constructs, Pluto is at home in society’s under belly. Pluto represents unconscious forces that bubble to the surface and often take over from the conscious mind. Pluto's purview includes sex, death, debt, interest rates, taxes, transformation and rebirth. Wherever Pluto goes in an individual’s horoscope he brings the wrecking ball with him. In Capricorn he’s going after big government, big business, big debt. Usually Pluto destroys in order to build something new and better.

Right know he stands at 5 degrees 37 minutes of Capricorn. This degree opposes the Jupiter/Venus conjunction in the United States’ horoscope of July 4, 1776. As Jupiter and Venus are the money planets this perfectly reflects the financial crisis we are facing.  Pluto entered Capricorn in 2008 ushering in this global financial crisis with the subprime mortgage disaster triggering other financial calamities worldwide.  Pluto will remain in Capricorn until 2023.  We are in the early, destructive phase of Pluto’s transit through Capricorn.  Some examples of Pluto’s influence can be seen in other events of the past few years. Wikileaks, the Stock Market plunge, the rescue of those institutions that are “to big to fail”, assorted sexual scandals involving influential people, extremes in weather, natural and manmade disasters. Rupert Murdoch and the phone hacking scandal that is threatening his media empire is a good example of what Pluto can do. Murdoch is a Pisces with a Capricorn Ascendant. The Ascendant is a critical point in the horoscope and Pluto has crossed it and now transits Murdoch’s First House.  Over the next few years Pluto will be moving closer to an opposition to Murdoch’s natal Jupiter.  Jupiter rules publishing. Pluto’s energy is slow and inexorable. This current scandal is only the beginning of Mr. Murdoch’s troubles.  In 2013 when Pluto hits that Jupiter his empire will be completely different.  At that time he will have some nice transits from Venus and Jupiter. My money is on Rupert Murdoch reinventing himself and his media conglomerate. 

By the time Pluto exits Capricorn in 2023 the financial system will be quite different as well as governments and authority figures.  Pluto is about power and control so expect some takeovers, rebellions, governmental collapses as people jockey for position in order to grab a piece of the pie for themselves. Things could get ugly.

What Next for Casey Anthony?

The big question on everyone’s mind these days is what is in store for Casey Anthony. Although she was acquitted, her infamy places her under a life sentence. She faces a number of law suits and cries of “murdering baby killer” will follow her where ever she goes. The event chart for the time of her release tells the tale. News reports put her release time at about 12:10 AM on July 17, 2011.  Uranus conjunct the Ascendant opposing Saturn (on the Descendant) and squaring Pluto (on the Midheaven), all on the “angles”, describes the media frenzy, the notoriety, the deep emotions aroused by her release.  Mars in Gemini in trine to the Moon and Saturn speaks to the aggressiveness (Mars) of the public (Moon) and to the fact that although released from prison, she is under severe restrictions (Saturn).  Her Solar Return for 2011 reveals more details. In that chart Jupiter (legal issues) joins Venus, a nice aspect that speaks to victory in the judicial arena. The Moon (Mom and home) opposing the Sun (the core self, the consciousness) reveals the discord between mother and daughter as well as the lack of any feelings of contentment in her domestic environment.  The Moon in Virgo reveals the public scrutiny she will be under. Sun opposing Moon in a Solar Return reflects a year when the inner, emotional nature, the yin of self is not in harmony with the cognizant self, or the yang. She is free at last, but not really free. The big transit to her natal chart IMHO is the dynamic T-Square involving Uranus, Pluto and Saturn all in cardinal signs, impacting her natal Neptune. Casey Anthony is a Pisces and Neptune is her ruling planet. Her Neptune is in Capricorn.  Capricorn is all about form and structure, the material world and reality. Neptune is about dissolving boundaries, dreams, illusions and things not of this world. Pluto has been rolling back and forth over this Neptune since 2010 and at her release was a minute away from precise conjunction.  Pluto destroys and creates. Whenever Pluto enters your life in the form of a transit this process of destruction and creation is inevitable.  Her natal Neptune is in aspect to her natal Jupiter in Pisces and her natal Pluto in Scorpio, so Pluto’s transit to her Neptune pulls in these planets as well.  Her delusional world is subject to the destructive forces of Pluto. Illusion is stripped away and she is stuck with cold reality. Psychotherapy is her best bet as there is a good possibility that someone will enter her life with the power to transform it, for good or ill. There are issues of power and control and the abuse of that power. At the time of Caylee’s disappearance transiting Pluto was in harsh aspect to her Sun.  So Pluto has had a hand in all of this from the beginning. Murder is the ultimate abuse of power.  The truth of this matter may never be revealed. The next couple of years will not be easy for Casey.  She seemingly does not have a friend in the world and due to her notoriety, is not likely to be seen at any local hangouts. With all the debt and lawsuits pending, a book deal is a distinct possibility. Guilty, delusional or just plain stupid Casey Anthony will never again be a private citizen.  We haven’t heard the end of this tale and the ending, I am thinking, will be a shocker.

Wedding Bells for Patrick Kennedy

So little Patrick is getting married; on the day after his annual Solar Return no less.  The astrological detective in me knows that this Solar Return deserves a look. The Solar Return chart is a valuable tool used by astrologers as a means to assess what the coming year will bring for the native. An important fact to remember when dealing with Solar Returns and other transits is that the energies of the Natal horoscope rule, if it is not promised in the Natal, it ain’t happening. Patrick Kennedy is a Cancer with a Libra Moon and Scorpio on the Ascendant. That Scorpio Ascendant tells us that what you see is not necessarily what you get. Scorpio Ascendant is secretive and not likely to reveal to much personal stuff. Libra Moon conjunct Mars in the 12^th house of secrets enhances his private nature. Simply put, a Scorpio Rising does not want people knowing their business. The first thing I notice about Patrick’s Solar Return is that the current Uranus/Saturn opposition straddles his MC/IC axis, the public image/sphere vs. the private/domestic sphere. Saturn in the 4^th house of home in the Solar Return indicates changes in the domestic arena. Sometimes this can mean a move to a new home or a remodeling of an existing dwelling. Whether he moves or remodels, he has a new wife with a child moving in. Change enough. More change is indicated by the planet Uranus hugging the Solar Return MC, the Midheaven, and highest, most visible point in the chart. Think public and out in the open.  The MC is an “angle” and in astrology planets on the angles are important. Here, Uranus on the most public point speaks to unexpected, unusual, and weird things happening in a very public manner. This could include a change in career, job and professional standing. My mantra when it comes to Uranus is, “if you can think of it, that ain’t it.” Because Uranian event are so out there, so unexpected the rational intellect can’t conceive of them. The upshot is this is going to be that kind of year for Patrick, unexpected, bolts out of the blue events. The Mercury in the Solar Return chart is at 17 degrees of Leo. That Mercury falls on his Natal Midheaven. Here we are at the most public point again with Mercury, ruling the media, news and information in Leo the show biz sign, on his MC. He’s in the news for sure and will be for the next year. The Solar Return Venus at 12 degrees of Cancer sits on his Natal Mercury. Venus=social events, love and marriage. Will Patrick be in the society pages as opposed to the political? The Solar Return Chart also has Cancer on the Ascendant, very domestic, with the Sun in the 12^th hugging the Ascendant. So close to the Ascendant, or cusp of the First house it can be read as Twelfth or First. I am thinking Twelfth because of other factors in the Solar Return like Solar Return Moon/Pluto conjunction in the Sixth house. This indicates that Patrick is going to be taking care of someone. His mother is the obvious candidate as she is of the age where this would be expected and has had some issues in the past. In the final analysis Patrick will want to maintain a low profile, be private and behind the scenes enjoying his new found domestic bliss. And bliss it is as transiting Pluto trines his natal Venus; passion there for sure. But events will prevent that and force him into the limelight. His physical and mental health may be an issue as well. At this time in his life he wants to finally do what he wants to do and not what other’s expect of him. He’s got another year or so before he will be able to accomplish that. My advice to Patrick this year would be to expect the unexpected, take care of yourself first and then take care of those around you. This is going to be a Rock and Roll year for Patrick Kennedy. Stay tuned.

Casey Anthony – Not Guilty?

I have been trying to avoid the sad, sordid tale of Casey Anthony and the tragic death of little Caylee and I have been trying to resist looking at the horoscopes of Mother and Daughter. But I am an astrological paparazza, ghoulishly looking at horoscopes of life, death, love, hate and assorted tragic events. I take no joy in these forays into the dark side of human life. I do try to learn, to find out why and ultimately answer the question, “What does it mean?” I haven’t answered that question yet. But I keep trying. With Casey Anthony receiving a not guilty verdict I finally took a look at her horoscope. I have a birth date of March 19, 1986, in Warren, OH, not time.  Casey is a Pisces, with retrograde Mercury in Pisces. She has Mars conjunct Uranus in Sagittarius squaring her Sun/Mercury conjunction. There is a real vulnerability here, a vulnerability to take the road to fantasy land. (Sun/Mercury retrograde in Pisces) Her behavior when it became known that her daughter was missing is clearly not that of a person who thinks, or is thinking in a rational manner. The Mars conjunct Uranus speaks to a volatile nature. We don’t know when this poor child died but some reports
say that she was last seen on June 16, 2008. On June 19^, 2008 the planet Mercury went stationary direct. What this means is that Mercury appears to stop in the sky and change direction from retrograde to direct. Planetary stations concentrate the energies of the planet involved. Mercury in Casey’s chart, IMHO, is a planet of significance because of the aspects to it. So a station of that planet is going to kick up some stuff.  At that time Casey’s horoscope was receiving some significant transits. The Sun in Gemini was squared, 90 degrees, Casey’s Natal Sun in Pisces.  Uranus was in Pisces conjunct her Mercury and squaring her Natal Mars/Uranus
conjunction. Transiting Mars was at 22
degrees Leo squaring her Natal Mars/Uranus. Pluto in retrograde motion at the 29^th degree of Sagittarius sent some powerful energy to her Natal Sun. The transits suggest something unexpected (Uranus), impulsive (Mars) which would intimate some kind of accident. Pluto says there is some powerful, psychological force at work. Transiting Saturn was at 3 degrees Virgo squaring her Natal Saturn and opposing her natal Jupiter. Saturn says; you’ll pay for it, one way or another. This story is not over yet. We will see Casey Anthony on The View or being interviewed by some talking head. We can’t control that but we can choose to listen to it or to turn it off.

So The Dog and Pony Show Begins and Shirley Does a Rewrite….

A couple of days ago I wrote about the Presidential race in a little piece about Mitt Romney and Michelle Bachman.  I have since deleted it for the simple reason that I had an incorrect birth date for Michelle Bachman.  I wish I could plead a fuzzy Neptune transit but I can’t. Sloppy keyboarding is my only excuse. So here is a rewrite and an update.

The dog and pony show is of course the US Presidential Race.  The Republicans are jockeying for position while the Democrats are hoping that the bloom is not off the Obama rose.  Republican Michelle Bachman officially kicked off her campaign Monday in Waterloo, Iowa. Michelle Bachman is an Aries. I don’t have a birth time for her but chances are her Moon is in Aquarius. Her ruling planet, Mars, is exalted in Capricorn.  What that means in plain English is, her Mars, the planet of how we use our energy, is in practical Capricorn and operates well there. She uses her energy in a Capricorn manner seeing some physical manifestation of that energy.  The world sees the results.  And make no mistake, Aries likes to be first and they are ever ready to do battle. She is a strong woman and her announcement comes under a waning Taurus Moon. The waning part of this equation gives me pause because traditional lore has it that if you want something to grow you begin when the Moon is waxing. The Taurus Moon, in perfect trine with Mars at the announcement, speaks to longevity and tells us that Michelle will not give up this fight easily. Mitt Romney, the current front runner is a Pisces with retrograde Mercury in Pisces as well as Mars.  The interesting thing about Romney is his Moon/Jupiter conjunction in Scorpio. Wow! A lot of emotion, deep and profound. His Pisces Sun is trine to the Moon/Jupiter conjunction. A trine is an aspect of ease so his emotional, instinctive nature is in tune with all that he is conscious of.  Pisces can sometimes come across as wishy-washy because they can be religious, escapist and not concerned with things of this world. With Moon in Scorpio hugging Jupiter, this guy is no light weight. He may be an altruistic Pisces but that Moon in Scorpio conjunct Jupiter says he is in it for the long haul as well and is not above getting down and dirty to get what he wants.  It is early days yet and there are a number of possible candidates out there. Newt Gingrich, a Gemini has good name recognition but he may be carrying too much baggage. Then there is the lightning rod, Sarah Palin. She’s an Aquarian thus an expert at the unexpected. At this time I am leaning towards her not running but with her track record I wouldn’t rule out a last minute run avoiding the grind and tough questions from the media. All the while remaining in the spotlight with bus tours, speaking engagements and even a new documentary out about her; she’s a clever one that is for sure. It is early days yet and I will be looking at all of the horoscopes of the Republican hopefuls. Stay tuned.

Let’s Look at Lincoln Chafee

When Lincoln Chafee was elected Governor of Rhode Island it was a three way split so it is not like he was elected by a landslide. It was more like a squeaker. A lot of people were upset, they don’t like his politics, and they don’t like his sales tax, beverage tax or any other plan that he might have to balance the budget. This week the General Assembly voted on Chafee’s proposed budget. Chafee had stated that he did not expect it to survive as written. The relevant quote from the article on Projo.com is that Chafee had “wins, losses and some compromises.” The word that jumps out at me is “compromise”. Compromise is Chafee’s middle name. You wouldn’t think so, him being a “me first Aries” but his natal Venus, retrograde in Taurus has a lot of what astrologers call “Essential Dignities” which makes Venus a potent energy operating within his personality. Lincoln Chafee does not come across as an aggressive Aries. He has this super dignified Venus along with retrograde Mercury in Pisces. The world sees that Mercury and that Venus. A softness and less than clear articulation is the signature of Mercury in Pisces. His mode of operation is reflected in that Venus. He is known for reaching across the political aisle, reaching a consensus, looking for a compromise. His formation of a pension committee is a clear expression of this strong Venus. Remember Venus in Taurus is about money and Venus in general rules tact and diplomacy. This year began with Pluto in Capricorn in square aspect to Lincoln Chafee’s natal Sun. This aspect remains in force until the end of the year as Pluto rolls back and forth over his Sun. Now a square aspect creates problems and issues that require action. A battlefield over debt(Pluto), pensions (more Pluto) and budgets perfectly describes this aspect. Lincoln Chafee has his work cut out for him but do not be fooled by that Venus in Taurus, Mercury in Pisces persona. Chafee is an Aries and Aries loves a battle. Jupiter’s entry into Taurus in early June hit his Venus and his Mars. Jupiter brings gifts so I would venture a guess that this budget that has passed in the General Assembly has more of what Chafee wants then meets the eye. His troubles are not over though. His entire tenure as Governor will be a series of battles, upsets and unexpected events. His personal life will not escape either. In November 2011 he will experience his second Saturn Return, a major life cycle event. This is a 29 year cycle. In May of 2012 he will have a Jupiter return, a 12 year cycle. In the midst of all this he will be contending with Uranus conjunct his Aries Sun. That’s another slow moving transit that begins in April of 2011 and ends in February of 2013. Uranus’ cycle is one of 84 years and when the Master of Surprise conjuncts a personal planet get ready for the far out, the unexpected and the unusual. My mantra for Uranus transits is, “if you can think of it, that is not it.” Events occur that are so beyond your personal scope they jolt and jar your very existence. My advice to Lincoln Chafee, should he ask, is to be ready for change and don’t resist it. With Uranus, areas where we have become entrenched in a rut or lifestyle that is not beneficial to us are ripe for disruption. Uranus says, make the change or else I will do it for you. And by doing it for you he means, some event outside yourself will occur that will force the change. The powerful planetary lineup in the sky this summer, Pluto, Uranus and Saturn in a difficult T-Square aspect, reflects the difficulties prevalent in the world today. Pluto is about sex, death, taxes. Uranus speaks to the sudden upset of the status quo while Saturn works to maintain that status. These three energies are at odds with one another. Lincoln Chafee, as Governor, must steer the ship of state that is Rhode Island through that tangle of energies. The average citizen must make their way through the confusing often debilitating morass that life in modern society has become. Change what you can. Deal with what you can’t. Keep the faith and remember to breathe.

What’s up with Weiner, other than his penis?

Anthony David Weiner was born on September 4, 1964 in Brooklyn, NY. He has a stellium of planets in Virgo. A stellium is a multiple conjunction of planets, 3 or more, in one sign or house of a horoscope. Here the stellium is in Virgo and includes his Sun, Mercury, Uranus and Pluto. He is of that 60’s generation with the rare Pluto/Uranus conjunction in Virgo. In this case his Sun, the heart and soul of the individual, is smack in the middle of this Pluto/Uranus conjunction. Virgo’s are known to be fastidious, into details and usually health conscious. They are considered the nit pickers of the Zodiac. Despite all that they can be pretty sexy. Virgo is an earth sign after all and Virgo’s can get down and dirty with the best (or worse) of them. Even without a birth time, it is safe to say that Weiner’s Moon is in Leo. Now Virgo may be shy and retiring and that is part of Weiner’s conscious personality but Moon in Leo loves and needs the spotlight. Moon is your instinct and emotional needs. He needs to be appreciated. The big boast of this blog is how “Pluto in Capricorn will change it all” and in this case Pluto plays his part both in the natal chart and in the transits to the natal chart. According to an ABC News report Weiner sent photos to a Megan Broussard of Texas who states that the online relationship began on April 20, 2011 and the photo was sent on May 5, 2011 at 3:08 PM. The May 5^th chart, set in

Washington, DC has 16 degrees of Virgo on the Ascendant

which puts all of Weiner’s Virgo planets in the 12^th House of

secrets and behind the scenes stuff in that chart. The kicker is his natal Pluto at 13 degrees, 55 minutes of Virgo close to the Ascendant of the event chart, poised to come out of the closet, so to speak. Pluto in the sky at that time was at 7 degrees of Capricorn almost exactly trine Weiner’s natal Mercury. His Mercury is retrograde and is the beginning planet of his Virgo stellium. Mercury rules the communication portion of all this and Pluto transiting and natal is out to kick some ass. In addition to all of this, transiting Neptune in Pisces is conjunct Weiner’s natal Saturn. Now Saturn is your planet of discipline, structure and order. Saturn keeps you in line, has you doing your duty with your nose to the grind stone. Neptune dissolves, fantasizes, dreams and escapes responsibility. When these slow moving planets come along and hit a natal planet like they are doing in Weiner’s case, Pluto trining his Virgo stellium and Neptune conjunct his natal Saturn, the person’s world begins to change and often there is a feeling of things spinning out of control. Neptune’s job is to dissolve reality and have you talking to God while Pluto’s is to destroy what is to build something new and better. The Monks and Mother Theresa’s of the world seem to handle these outer planet transits with ease. It may be that these types have less concern with the material world and status than the rest of us. Weiner, with natal Sun conjunct natal Pluto is into power. Pluto has a strong influence on him and has helped get where he is. But Pluto has his own code of ethics and he can bring you down harder and faster than he raised you up. Anthony Weiner is another in a long line of misbehaving men who have gotten caught with their pants down. With revolutionary Uranus in pioneering Aries, change is in the air and I think in cases like this the old “boys will be boys” mind set is crumbling. We will no longer see the long suffering wife standing faithfully by the miscreant’s side and society will not forgive and forget so easily.

April Lunation Cycle 2011

Viewing the Astrological Chart of the New Moon on Sunday, April 3, 2011 at 10:32 AM EDT makes one think that there is a macabre cosmic April Fool’s Joke going on.  But it is no joke; it’s a potent planetary configuration that promises earth shattering events.  At this New Moon it is hard to say what is the most important factor as there are so many of them.  The Sun and Moon, conjunct in Aries form a wide square (90 degrees) aspect to Pluto and an opposition to Saturn.  Jupiter, bringer of “big” stuff is close to the Sun/Moon conjunction and opposes Saturn. This Jupiter/Saturn opposition is the “Full Moon” aspect of their 20 year cycle, which began in 2000 kicking off the Dot.Com financial bust out. To light the fire under all of this is that Wicked Warrior, Mars in Aries (at home and in fine fighting fettle) conjunct Uranus in Aries.  Explosion is the keyword for this combination. But Mars will be busy all month. By the First Quarter Moon he pulls in closer to a square to Pluto and by the Full Moon he will oppose Saturn.  Along with all of this we have Mercury Retrograde for most of the month.  Check the facts, read the fine print and wait until the dust settles before you make a decision or form an opinion.  Retro Mercury is the master of the fake out.  The day after the New Moon, Neptune moves into Pisces.  Neptune has been in Aquarius since late 1998. When these slower moving planets change signs it is “an event”.  When Pluto moved into Capricorn in September of 2008 Lehman Brothers collapsed and the financial implosion began.  When Uranus went into Aries on March 11, 2011, Japan, earthquake and tsunami filled the headlines.  Neptune can be a saint or a scam artist and plays each part equally well.  Oil, oceans, pharmaceuticals fall under Neptune’s rule.  The master of illusion Neptune often distorts, deludes and misrepresents.  Neptune on the high road brings the Mother Theresa’s of the world to the fore, on the low road, think Bernie Madoff and the like. With all of the outer planets in the mix this month major upheaval in governments, finance, natural and manmade disasters will dominate.  My thinking is as Mars moves along his merry way touching base with his fellow bad boys he will be igniting fires as he goes acting as a trigger for all of the slow movers.  There are some major power struggles going on now and for the rest of this decade the question is who will hold all the cards, own the power and rule the world. Really. The problem for the Power Brokers in this era is the readily available information that moves around the world in a flash. What the puppets of the powerful say to today is available tomorrow for review.  And we know how often they contradict themselves.  On a personal level, where these configurations fall in the individual’s horoscope will tell the tale.  The house in the horoscope where Aries and the other Cardinal signs fall, Libra and Capricorn will be feeling the stress. Indeed those with Sun in Aries, Libra and Capricorn and with other planets in these signs are taking a big hit this month.  Guaranteed they will be talking to their Astrologer, broker, or favorite bartender.  For all of us we need to remember to breathe and keep the faith.

Jupiter in Aries

When you think about Jupiter you have to think global. Jupiter is the high priest, the prophet, the philosopher, the legal expert and wise judge. Jupiter in excess or taking anything less than the high road brings exaggeration, overestimation, fanaticism, intolerance and a tendency for overindulgence. Jupiter has to do with holding society together through rulership of laws and legal systems.



Aries represents the spring awakening. The powerful force that germinates and pushes to the surface, Aries is impulse, pioneering, initiative, impatience, seizes the untried, the new and finds new solutions to old problems. Aries on the dark side can be brutal, violent, prone to start and fail to finish, a big ego with no regard for the feelings of others.


A blending of these two begins this Saturday, Jan 22, 2011, when they join forces as Jupiter enters Aries. Last June, 2010 Jupiter popped into Aries spending a quick 3 months, returning to Pisces in September 2010.


A Jupiter transit in a personal horoscope expands the individual’s universe, the consciousness and at times the waist line. The energy flows easily and the house it transits is the area of growth. Bad habits can grow as well as good habits. The cautionary tale of a Jupiter transit is “don’t overdo.”


Jupiter’s transit through the sign of Aries will be the luckiest of times for natives of this sign. This time signals a twelve year cycle of growth. Aries will feel good, optimistic and hopeful.


The Aquarius and Gemini receive favorable vibes. This transit brings good relationships and opportunity. For Leo and Sagittarius good stuff comes your way but this transit can make you lazy, so pay attention and don’t let opportunity pass you by. Capricorn and Cancer, while generally favorable need to navigate the snags and snafus that arise and threaten the benefits Jupiter brings. The Pisces and Taurus’ may be totally unaware of the benefits and good luck that is around them while the Scorpios and Virgos experience annoyances that if left unattended can blossom in a big way. Libra experiences this as a culmination; it is a Full Moon type of occurrence as Jupiter is opposing its Libra position of 2004-2005. Libra’s chance for success is good now but a focus on the spiritual will better serve.


For a clue to what this means for you personally think back to last June through September, what was happening in your life then. For a broader picture of what is going on in your life think back to 1999 when Jupiter last transited Aries. That cycle is ending now and a new one is beginning. Where were you twelve years ago? What wonders of the universe opened up for you? Get ready for another round. And remember, at its highest Jupiter is all about connecting to ones spiritual self. Jupiter brings material goods but the best gift Jupiter brings is the spiritual blessings that are pearls beyond price. Meditate and get in touch with your higher self, your inner spiritual self and how to turn those selves into the pioneer embodied in the Jupiter in Aries archetype.