Patrick Kennedy and Bishop Tobin

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

Frank Caprio Revisited

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

Roller Coaster Week Mercury Uranus Neptune

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

Venus in Scorpio

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

Neptune Turns Direct Today

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

Saturn in Libra 1980's and Now

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

Saturn Pluto and The Dance of the Macabre

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