The Astrology of Kavanaugh’s confirmation

On October 6, 2018 the roll call vote began for the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court at 3:44 PM.

At that time Jupiter ruler of law and judges was at the most prominent point in sky conjunct the midheaven, which means it was directly overhead in Washington, DC.

Women and their issues were prominent as well.  Venus, in Scorpio, had turned retrograde the day before and was in a difficult aspect with Mars in Aquarius, on the Ascendant, another important point in the horoscope.  Venus and Mars, women and men, in an aspect of conflict accurately reflects the prevailing sentiments during this time.

Ceres, the dwarf planet, sat nice and cozy with the Sun in Libra.  Libra is all about justice.  Ceres, the Roman Demeter, is the Goddess of grains and agriculture.  She represents outraged motherhood.  Heartbroken and incensed when her daughter was abducted by Hades (Pluto) (rape), she halted the seasons, leaving a barren world until her daughter was returned to her. They are both posited in Pluto’s house, the 8^th, along with the Moon in Virgo. Women, sex, power and control, it’s all there.

The themes of women, violation, anger, and justice are prominent throughout. Venus, retrograde in Scorpio, promises more to come.  She will retrograde back into Libra, turn direct on November 16^th and reach the point in Scorpio where she is now, again on December 17^th.  These are significant dates and the news and tweets will reflect the themes prevalent now. 

This Venus is not a gal to mess with. In Scorpio, she feels the hurts deeply, she will not forget, and yes, she will get even. No matter how long it takes. 

This entire episode has brought out more of the ugly, undercurrent in our society.  Women have been silent about any abuse they have suffered.  As more women come forward we will begin to see that this type of bad behavior is more common than previously thought.

Some politicians may rue the day women got the vote!

The July Eclipses – End of the World or What?

There are two eclipses in the month of July.  The Solar Eclipse on July 12, 2018 and the Lunar Eclipse on July 27, 2018. There has been a lot of hype about the upcoming Lunar Eclipse because it is the longest eclipse of the 21^st century and it appears to be red. Contrary to the alarmists among us, this is not a portent of the end times.  It is merely a refraction of the light as the Sunlight passes through the Earth’s atmosphere and is “bent” so it strikes the Moon’s surface.  This “bending” also causes those beautiful sunsets that folks are always snapping with their phones and posting on Facebook.

The July 12^th Solar Eclipse degree of 20 Cancer is in direct opposition to Pluto at 20 Capricorn.  Pluto rules elimination, disintegration, transformation, terrorism, corruption and destruction.  Not a fun planet. While there are other aspects in play at this eclipse, Pluto is the big dog here.  There is a lovely Grand Trine between Uranus in Taurus (revolution), Saturn in Capricorn (tradition), and Venus in Virgo (diplomacy). Will a balance (Venus) be created between the new (Uranus) and the old (Saturn)?   Jupiter (borders/treaties) in Scorpio is trine Neptune (fraud) in Pisces.  Someone or something is not what they appear to be. Mars (the warrior) retrograde conjunct the South Node in the 12^th house indicates covert action. Retrograde says be careful, think before you act.

Activity around this Eclipse include fires blazing across the western half of the US and floods plaguing other areas of the US and the world.  A Thai Soccer team is trapped in an underground cave and the world watches as a difficult rescue operation takes place.

 Secretary of State Pompeo visiting Korea with two totally different versions being presented.  President Trump is to meet with Putin in Helsinki on the 16^th.   When world leaders, movers and shakers meet around this time you can bet that big dog Pluto will be in play.  It’s all about power and control, who controls what and where does the big money go.  Here in the US, the chart has Pisces Rising with that old deceiver Neptune in the first house.  With Neptune connected to the 8^th house Jupiter expect big exaggeration and a fancy front to cloak all the cloak and dagger stuff. Taxes, tariffs and treaties are all on the agenda.

The Lunar Eclipse closes the month.  At a Full Moon things come to fruition and this one promises to bring some fireworks that will make the 4^th of July celebrations seem quiet in comparison.  Our old buddy Mars retrograde is together with the Moon at this event.

 Mars goes retrograde about every two years.  This is not a good time to start a war or love affair. In matters of love folks often decide to take a break from each other during a Mars retrograde period to figure out whether or not they wish to stay together.  This is the time to review ones actions and plan for future actions.  Mars goes direct again on August 28^th.   If you can delay taking any action until then, you would do better at achieving your goal. When begun under a retrograde Mars actions do not produce the outcome expected.

At this Lunar Eclipse, the Moon and Mars oppose the Sun and square Uranus.  This is a dynamic aspect that usually shakes things up and makes things happen. With the planet Uranus involved it is difficult to say what that “thing” might be.  Mars squared Uranus is not a pretty sight on its own, couple it with the Lunar Eclipse and things can get ugly. This could be a man-made ugliness or a natural event.  Earthquakes, explosions, tornadoes, riots and violence.  Uranus shocks us with the unexpected bringing actions and events that we could not possibly conceive of.  Pearl Harbor and 9/11 were Uranus events, both shocking and inconceivable at the time.  This eclipse in the chart for Washington, DC falls across the 2^nd/8^th house axis. This has to do with money.  With Uranus pulled into the mix think speculation and risk taking.  With Uranus in the 5^th minors, schools, places of amusements and the Senate are called into play.  August 1^st +/- a week is an especially volatile period.

Astrology is not about prediction, it is about reality.  What energies are prevalent? What possibilities are there?  The energy is active and unstable.  The information is suspect. The Lunar Eclipse has a retrograde Mercury so the information is doubly suspect.  When emotions run high stop and think.  Who or what is stoking that emotional response? During this eclipse period try to avoid knee-jerk responses. Try and maintain balance and remain grounded amidst the conflicting energies. Mercury goes direct on August 19^th and Mars on August 27^th.  Life will look different after that, so hunker down and endure until then.

Looking For Trouble? No Need - This Full Moon Will Bring It.

This Full Moon falls across the Cancer/Capricorn axis.  Saturn in Capricorn sits on the Moon and opposes the Sun.  The Moon/Saturn combination is involved in a configuration with Uranus in Taurus and Ceres in the last degrees of Leo. This configuration is called a Grand Trine.  A Grand Trine is considered an aspect of ease and as such it makes it easy for the various energies to blend and does not hinder the action. 

While Jupiter may rule the law, courts and the judiciary Saturn rules the obeying of that law.  If you cross that line, Saturn is there to step right on your toes.  Saturn supports the traditions and structure of society. Uranus on the other hand flouts tradition and looks for the novel and the new.  When traditions and structure become rigid ruts that is when Uranus steps in to shake things up. Ceres rules agriculture, motherhood and sacred law.  These three are in compatible aspect which infers that the energies they represent will be able to work together. 

The chart of the Full Moon set for Washington, DC has Aries on the ascendant with Chiron close by.  Chiron is a weird little dude called a minor planet, an asteroid or comet, folks just can’t seem to make up their minds about him.  Chiron was considered the wisest of the Centaurs.  Called the wounded healer, it was Chiron who trained the heroes of Greek Mythology.  Here he forms a dynamic aspect between the Sun/Moon/Saturn opposition.  This is called a T-square and is an aspect that creates a lot of action and movement.  This aspect does not make things easy.

The ruler of the Aries ascendant is Mars.  Mars has just turned retrograde.  In Aquarius it is situated in the 11^th house and straddles the Nodal axis.  The nodes of the Moon are the points where the Moon’s orbit crosses the ecliptic. When a New Moon or Full Moon falls near these points we have an eclipse.  Where it hits the ecliptic going north is the North node and directly opposite that is the South Node.  Nodes are important in relationships. This is Nodes in a nutshell, volumes can and have been written about them. To keep it simple, Mars likes to fight.  Retrograde he’s apt to lose. 

Jupiter in Scorpio makes an easy connection to Neptune in Pisces.  On the high road this aspect can open you to the higher realms.  Spirituality, Zen, the Buddha and the road to Nirvana can be found under this aspect.  Taking the low road, Jupiter can bring excess, exaggeration, and too much of a good thing.  Neptune in Pisces can be quite beautiful but also lead one down the primrose path.  Booze, drugs and any way to escape reality fall under Neptune’s purview.  Hope for the best, but expect the worst. This aspect makes the “big lie” easy.

In Mundane astrology, the astrology of world events, the 10^th house rules the head of state. The Sun, which also refers to the head of state is in Cancer in the 4^th house.  The Moon and Saturn oppose it from the 10^th.  An opposition, is just that, the people (Moon) and tradition (Saturn) oppose authority (Sun).  Uranus, the game changer and Ceres, agriculture, women and law are pulled into this mix via their connection to the Sun/Moon. When Saturn opposes you, glib phrases won’t work.  Saturn prefers due diligence and will call you out if you don’t do your homework. The Moon signifies the public.  In Capricorn with Saturn nearby indicates worry, fear and general unhappiness.  With Saturn there, they will do their homework.  Ceres says that women will be active. Uranus brings the revolution. You see this in Egypt where women are finally being allowed to drive and in Iran where women are removing the hijab and waving white scarves in protest. 

This Full Moon has a lot of divergent energy coming together, some of it will clash, and some of it will blend.  The week may seem calm at the beginning but Mars goes retrograde on Tuesday the 26^th.  Mars sits still and the Martian energy concentrates.  People take action under this energy for good or ill.  This will be a week where the news cycle keeps you dizzy and unable to find your footing.  A good antidote is to get outside, preferably in the countryside or at the shore, and plant your feet on the ground.  Ground and center yourself wherever you are.  You need to be grounded in order to withstand the turbulence around you. 

Some of this stressful energy may dissipate by the next New Moon on July 12, 2018.  This is an all-important New Moon as it is a Solar Eclipse as well. Stay tuned.

Happy Summer Solstice or Not?

Maybe not so happy. The Summer Solstice chart for 2018 set for Washington, DC has Neptune in Pisces prominent conjunct the MC, the highest point in the chart.  It is in a Grand Trine configuration with Mercury in Cancer and Jupiter in Scorpio.  Neptune at the highest level is about spirituality and being one with God.  We can only hope.  Most often Neptune is involved with illusion and delusion.  It can indicate the fraudulent and misleading.  Mercury is all about communication and transportation.  Mercury is the news media.  Jupiter brings growth and expansion ruling higher education, the law, religion and philosophy.  It can bring overconfidence, exaggeration and promising more than can be delivered.  With this configuration imprinting our summer days it would be wise to stick to that old adage, “don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you see.”  Be ready for smoke and mirrors and now you see it, now you don’t.

Venus and Mars oppose one another across the 2^nd/8^th house axis.  In a Mundane chart this axis is about money and debts owed and owed to the nation.  Income tax, tariffs and budgets will need attention.  Jupiter is in this pictures as well.  Jupiter in the sign of Scorpio brings debt and interest rates into the picture. 

A few days after the Solstice that 8^th house Mars goes retrograde.  Mars goes retrograde about every 2 years.  Mar is the warrior, the athlete and the initiator of action.  During retrograde periods our initiatives don’t turn out as expected. This is not a good time to start a love affair or a war.  Your sizzle will most likely fizzle.  Mars is retrograde from June 26^th until August 27^th.  Mars will square off with Uranus twice during the summer season.  While retrograde on August 1^st and again when direct on September 18^th as the summer closes.  This is a volatile and explosive aspect which can manifest through natural causes, i.e. volcano or earthquake or through human action.  Either way, it’s not pretty.

 Mercury retrograde overlaps this period from July 26 to August 19^th.  Mercury is retrograde a couple of times a year and it is especially important during these periods to dot the I’s and cross the T’s.  Scheduling mishaps, delays, and unexpected snafus require the ability to make adjustments at a moment’s notice.  Be especially vigilant during the periods when both Mars and Mercury are retrograde.

Into this mix are the summer eclipses.  The first one on July 12^th is a Solar Eclipse in Cancer.  The eclipse point opposes Pluto in Capricorn.  Pluto rules terrorism, guerilla warfare and issues of power and control.  This eclipse may act as a trigger for Plutonian energies.  The accompanying Lunar Eclipse on July 27^th has retrograde Mars conjunct the eclipsed Moon.  This is not a warm and fuzzy aspect. Mercury is now retrograde.  A Lunar Eclipse with Mars and Mercury retrograde fosters a knee-jerk reaction.  Emotions are awry and information is not clear. The final eclipse of the season is the Solar Eclipse on August 11^th in Leo.  Echoes from last January and the 2017 summer eclipses reverberate as issues and events from that time resurface raising questions and bringing pressure to bear in the search for solutions.

Saturn in Capricorn sits on the 7^th house cusp.  This is the house of partnerships and open enemies.  Saturn calls you to duty. Whatever it is, Saturn makes you face it.  The Sun in Cancer opposes this Saturn from the 12^th house.  The Sun is symbolic of the Head of State.  In the 12^th house it points to something secretive going on.  Saturn, the opposition, exposes those secrets. 

Uranus in a grand trine with the asteroid Vesta and the dwarf planet Ceres reminds us that the women of the world are waking up, speaking out and running for office. Women and children and how we treat them will a major theme over the summer.

There is a lot of energy in this Solstice chart which reflects the turbulent times we are in.  Real fake news is a real problem.  If you want the truth, you’re going to have to dig for it.  And if you find it you will find that some would rather believe the lie.  Neptune’s influence has many looking through rose-colored glasses believing what they want it to be, not what it really is.