January Ends With a Bang!

On Wednesday January 27^th with Mercury now direct and waning Moon in Virgo it is a good time to clear the decks, desks and tie up any loose ends that have been hanging. Finish and complete are the buzzwords for this energy.  Thursday morning Moon enters Libra at 9:59 A EST bringing conversational skills to the fore.  This is a good time to resolve any issues within a personal relationship.  Libra Moon sees both sides of the picture, promotes fairness and favors teamwork and partnerships of all kinds.

Moon goes Void of Course at 8:34 PM EST on Friday evening and remains so until entering the sign of Scorpio on Saturday at 10:50 PM EST.  This is one of those long Void of Course periods, best to kick back and just let things flow. It is best to ground and center, engage in any spiritual practice and avoid making decisions.

As Friday rolls over into Saturday Mercury joins Pluto for some intense conversation. No idle cocktail party chitchat for these two.  Deep, penetrating and profound questions, answers and conversation is the hallmark of this signature.  With the Sun directly overhead in the sky on this Saturday, Venus connects with Neptune.  This is a great aspect for the artist.  Everyone becomes more aware of the love and beauty around them.  The danger here is clinging to the ideal and not the reality.  This is the original rose-colored glasses aspect.  In areas involving love and money be sure you are seeing what is, not what you want it to be.

Sunday with Moon in Scorpio all day, the Last Quarter Moon occurs.  Quarter Moons create action.  This Quarter Moon has Mercury squared off with Uranus. And the Moon while squaring the Sun snuggles up to Mars in Scorpio.  January will end with a bang. This could manifest as a weather related event, an aviation or transportation mishap or outrageous words and actions by a prominent figure.  With Uranus involved the unexpected rules, things that one could not possibly conceive of, occur. These aspects also set the stage for the following week.  Expect more surprises as the first week of February unfolds. Hang on to your hat!

Full Moon Weekend

Wednesday, January 20^th Moon in Gemini welcomes the Sun as it moves into Gemini compatible Aquarius.  Gemini and Aquarius are air signs and deal with the world of ideas, some of it abstract and under the influence of Aquarius, forward looking and inventive.  Sun in Aquarius can rouse the rebel in us all but Aquarius’ co-ruler Saturn retains the inclination to trod the straight and narrow.  Under this influence new ideas emerge to perform the same old, same old. In the afternoon retrograde Mercury in Capricorn squares Aquarius’ more daring co-ruler Uranus.  This can trigger sparks of genius with the ability to manifest that genius in the material world.  Hold on before implementing those ideas until Mercury goes direct on the 25^th.  This aspect can also trigger accidents involving transportation in all forms, auto, air, trains etc.

Leading into the weekend Moon slides home to Cancer on Thursday morning.  Moon belongs here and the emotions rule the next few days.  Instinct takes over on many occasions.   We’re feeling vulnerable, exposed and often overly sensitive.  Folks want to nurture and be nurtured.  It’s easy to go for the comfort food under this Moon.  Remember, it may feel good going down but once it hits the hips, there is where it will stay. 

Mercury gets in the picture before dawn on Friday, the 22^nd when the winged messenger hooks up with Pluto.  Wherever Pluto goes the crap comes to the surface first.  With Mercury involved, it is verbal crap. Once the crap has floated away it is time for some deep, penetrating conversation.  Time to get to the bottom of something, whatever that “something” is in your life.  Retrograde Mercury will come back to Pluto at month’s end after turning Direct, so this conversation, which may have begun around the Winter Solstice, when these two were together in the sky for the first time, may not attain resolution until after the 30^th.

Saturday is Full Moon day. Moon enters Leo at 2:21 PM EST.  Venus enters Capricorn at 3:32 PM EST and the Full Moon is exact at 8:48 PM EST.  Moon rises at 4:45 PM EST and sets the following morning at 7:08 AM EST.  So if the weather is clear you will have ample opportunity to view the Moon in all its glorious fullness.

There is a lot of tension in the Full Moon chart.  These tensions can bring a nudge to move us along into a different or the right direction.  It is a good time to get together with friends, speak from your heart and take a look around to find out where you are at and where you want to go.  Friends may bring some drama into your life or they could simply drag you out of the house for a rollicking good time.  Remember this Full Moon is in Leo and folks like to be appreciated under this Moon so give that compliment or thank that person for whatever.  This is a great weekend for romance if you are so inclined.  Folks want to have fun so let your inner child out to play.

On Monday, Mercury goes direct at 4:50 PM EST.  When planets change direction they are moving very slow and appear to stop then begin to move again.  With Mercury, new information and ideas begin to percolate.  Moon entering Mercury ruled Virgo at 10:45 PM EST brings with it the energy to sift through the various threads, retaining and discarding as you go along. Virgo Moon enhances or powers of discernment.  With waning Moon in Virgo it is a good time to eliminate that which does not serve you. Issues of diet and health predominate.  This is the optimal time to start a diet to lose weight or take that last drag of nicotine.  We are totally aware under this Moon of what is good for us and what ain’t.  Act accordingly.

Winter Solstice and Beyond - A Rock and Roll January 2016

The Sun entering Capricorn is the moment that winter begins. A time of the year that has been celebrated since before recorded history.  This marks the turning of the wheel of the year, it is the longest night and hereafter the days begin to grow longer. It is and has been a celebration of the return of the light. 

Astrologers cast a chart for a given location for the moment that the Sun enters Capricorn to ascertain what the season will bring.  This is called an Ingress Chart.  I cast the chart for Providence, RI, which is my neck of the woods. The location gives you the angles, i.e., the cusp of the 1^st, 4^th, 7^th, and 10^th houses. The angles change for a chart erected for a difference location.  In Providence, the Ascendant or cusp of the 1^st house is 0 degrees, 59 minutes of Libra.  A chart erected for Washington, DC has 26 degrees, 29 minutes of Virgo Rising on the Ascendant.  This changes the tone of the chart considerably and moves the planets into a different house than the one set for Providence. If you want to know what is going on in the country you set the chart for the capitol of that country.  If you want to know what is going on in a particular state you set the chart for the state capitol. 

Wherever you set the chart, the planetary configurations remain the same. The Sun, indicating the head of state, Governor/President moves from the third house in the Providence chart to the fourth house in the Washington, DC chart.  Here the Governor sits on the angle so her actions will be more noticeable.  The President with the Sun off the angle into the fourth house will take action that is more foundational.

Overall in Rhode Island and across the country money, debt, interest rates and unexpected action from open enemies will occupy the government and the people.

The first week of January 2016 will start the year off with a bang.  Mars goes home to Scorpio. The warrior is vengeful in this sign. He takes action and cuts to the quick. Mercury and Jupiter go retrograde and the Sun squares off with Uranus.  This is a lot of energy packed into one week.  Jupiter can be a real good guy bringing plenty of pizza and a couple of six packs to the party but he can also bring a lot of hot air.  Folks promising more than they can deliver, exaggeration and a philosophy that says my way or the highway.  Sun, square Mr. Surprise Uranus, lights the torch of anything goes. 

On January 25^th Mercury goes direct.  When planets change direction they slow down and seem to sit in one spot, the energy of that planet is strong at this time.  At this moment of direction change Mercury sits on the degree where Pluto was in the Ingress Chart, the Winter Solstice.  Pluto goes to the extreme, in the 4^th house of the Ingress chart he speaks of extreme weather.  A 60 degree Christmas Day is pretty extreme. But be ready because he can go just as extreme in the opposite direction. At the Solstice there was only 4 degrees separating Mercury and Pluto, this is considered a conjunction.  When two planets are conjunct they energy melds, combines and can be either positive or negative depending on other circumstances.  When Mercury changes direction on that degree we revisit what went on at during the Solstice period.  Weather wise Mercury can be windy, with Pluto strong wind.  The wind could come from the mouths of those who wish to keep societal constructs in place or from those who want to do just the opposite.  Remember Pluto can destroy, but always something better comes after.  But the transition is always tough.

Remember to keep your cool during this period. Don’t fall victim to fear and hysteria and try to maintain compassion.  Not an easy thing to do.  During difficult times it is important to operate on the highest vibration possible.  Get your inner Mother Theresa going. Breathe, meditate and go to your happy place.  Get outside and touch the Earth. Stay grounded and stick to the high road. 

Sky Talk Week of December 13, 2015

Last week, on the 7^th there was a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Tajikistan. Tajikistan is a mountainous country located between Afghanistan, China and a couple of other “stans”. Throughout last week Mars moved from a square to Pluto and an opposition to Uranus; an earthquake is the perfect manifestation of these aspects. If these aspects made a direct hit on your horoscope than a more personal type of earthquake may have manifested.   On the brighter side, a climate agreement was reached in Paris. Whether countries will follow through is another matter. Only time will tell.

The New Moon on Friday brought a collective sigh of relief as the intensity of Scorpio passes and we move into the hopeful optimism of Sagittarius.  New Moons are just that, new beginnings as one cycle ends and another begins.

On Monday the confidence and optimism of Sagittarius goes into exaggerated mode when Sun squares off with Sagittarius’ ruler, Jupiter.  This is an aspect of “too much”

We try to do too much, may say too much and often get a feeling of overload in general. During the holiday season overload is easy, this aspect enhances that energy.  Slow down and breathe.

Monday afternoon when Mercury connects with Neptune don’t believe everything you hear. Imagination runs wild.  Do some fact checking before you succumb to the prevalent paranoia. Moon in Aquarius until 12:45 PM Wednesday brings a feeling of fellowship and folks operate from an intellectual stand point rather than emotional.  Good for that fact checking.

On Thursday Venus promises some intense relationship issues when she connects with Pluto. Venus is in Scorpio, ruled by Pluto. Placed here there can be jealousy, suspicion and lots of passion.  Once again, don’t get paranoid.  “They” may be crazy but they are not out to get you.  Moon in Pisces throws logic out the door and folks are more in tune with the intangibles paying attention to the subtle vibes around them.  It’s really hard to differentiate between what is real and what isn’t.  With Pisces it pays to take the high road. Escape from reality, what Pisces Moon wants, is best done through meditation, not a bottle of scotch. But do pay attention to the signs and symbols around you.

Friday morning the First Quarter Moon is a time for action.  The little seeds planted at the New Moon are beginning to sprout.  You are going to have to do something to move that growth along.  Often this is unconscious, instinctive action that requires little thought. Simply the natural unfolding of events.  Don’t over think it. 

On Saturday, with Moon in impulsive Aries, Mercury joins forces with Pluto.  Mercury in practical Capricorn lays out the facts.  Pluto promises an intense conversation, perhaps relationship oriented, perhaps a business meeting.  Remember with Moon in Aries people want to start something new, have a lot of enthusiasm but may not think things through. Mercury in Capricorn calls for logic and the emotional need for change has to get past that.  If you have been thinking about something for a while, a waxing Moon is a good time to begin. My class on Astrological timing gives more information about when to start, stop and plan.

Big Changes Coming for Miley Cyrus

When Miley Cyrus was born her parents named her Destiny Hope because they believed she was destined to accomplish great things.  She turned 23 this year and since her debut album in 2007 went quadruple platinum you wonder if her parents had a Crystal Ball. 

Born with Sun in Sagittarius, Miley has two stelliums, a stellium is two or more planets conjunct in a sign other than the Sun sign. A stellium concentrates the energy.  She has Moon, Mercury and Pluto conjunct in Scorpio and Venus, Uranus and Neptune conjunct in Capricorn.  The Capricorn stellium emphasizes and enhances Miley’s Scorpionic nature as those Capricorn planets are placed in her 8^th house, Scorpio’s natural home. 

The Moon/Pluto conjunction speaks to a strong emotional bond with the mother. And indicates a mother who is controlling.  In Miley’s case her mother got a handle on her finances and representation early on engaging financial managers and agents that served and protected her daughter through her formative years. Miley’s behavior as she reached maturity may in part be a reaction to that motherly control. The heart and soul of the girl is Sagittarius and as such, freedom is of the utmost importance.

The sexual antics are a given with all that Scorpio energy in her chart.  She identifies herself as “gender fluid” and pansexual.  Scorpio gets down to the nitty gritty of all that stuff and while her actions may shock some for Miley it doesn’t have the same kind of meaning.  She’s digging down to the universal and she recognizes, not just logically, but on some deep level, that the sex act is the act that creates life.

For the past 2 years Miley has had some intense relationships that may have felt fated. More of a compulsion than a love affair. Some relationships have ended while others have deepened.  Saturn entering her 7^th house of marriage, relationships and partnerships brings challenges to any relationship.  The good ones last, those you don’t really need end. 

Through it all she has had to face up to responsibilities and has often felt isolated. She’s not out of the woods yet. In January of 2016 events will bring a rude awakening on some level and trigger a period of inner exploration.  Miley will be digging into the inner workings of the psyche, her psyche trying to find out why she acts the way she does and why her actions don’t bring about the results that she expects.

Being the artistic and creative type when she emerges from this deep mind stuff expect some really creative, innovative and very different types of work from her.  With Venus in Capricorn ruling her Taurus Ascendant, conjunct visionary Neptune and quirky Uranus, she has to create and she has to bring it into the real world.  With a prominent Saturn angular in the 10^th house ruling that Capricorn stellium it’s a given that the world is going to see her and her work. 

I’ll be keeping my eye on Miley Cyrus.  2016 through 2017 will be a huge transformative period for Miley Cyrus as transiting Pluto rolls over her Capricorn stellium. Pluto destroys in order to build something completely new and better.  Her Venus ruler of love, money and the arts has already been engaged by Pluto.  As Pluto continues his slow, relentless trek through Capricorn he will bring Miley a crisis of faith, perhaps in herself and a crisis in her creative self.  With all that Scorpio in her chart, she is fixed and determined and after Pluto schools her she will emerge successfully and not without a few surprises. 

Sky Talk for the Week of November 29, 2015

The Saturn/Neptune square that was exact on Thanksgiving Day continues to influence. They will be in range of one another throughout 2016.  On Sunday the Sun shines bright beams on the two of them further enhancing their energies.  It’s like a war between illusion and reality.  Unfortunately we are witness to the actions of many a deluded soul out there.  On a personal level this energy can bring those people and ideas that we hold up as high ideals crashing down.  Flaws in character can be revealed and it comes as a shocker to find that some folks are just plain folks; a mixture of the positive and the negative.  As tough as that may be it is much better to deal with a real person not what you think that person is.

Tuesday morning expect an upsetting commute when Mercury makes nice, nice with Uranus.  We can also expect some shocking news or shocking words from unexpected quarters.  Mercury rules transportation in all forms and Uranus rules the shocking, bolt out of the blue.  Be careful out there and try to avoid impulsive speech and action.

On Thursday in the wee hours of the morning the Last Quarter Moon occurs.  This Quarter Moon is in Virgo.  The Moon is waning. When the Moon is on the wane the energy is good for getting rid of something or something you want to reduce. Waning Moon in Virgo is the optimal time to start a diet to lose weight. It is great for breaking any habit that is detrimental to your health, like smoking.   Moon enters Virgo on Wednesday morning at 5:09 AM and goes void of course on Thursday at 11:59 PM, which means it does not make any aspects until entering Libra on Friday at 5:34 PM.  Best not to start anything when Moon is void of course.

If you’re interested in learning more about Astrological timing I will be holding a class on December 14, 2015 at Positive New Beginnings on Astrological Timing, Getting in Sync with the Rhythms of the Universe.  We will cover Planetary days, Planetary hours, and the waxing and waning Moon. 

On Friday morning December 4^th Mercury is at it again, this time squaring off with Jupiter.  Mercury and Jupiter are in Mutual Reception.  This means that they are in each other’s ruling sign.  Mercury is in Sagittarius and Jupiter is in Virgo. They help each other out.   Mercury in Sagittarius often has foot in mouth disease. People say things without thinking about it at all just blurting out whatever comes to mind.  Jupiter is the king of excess.  Be wary of people who promise more than be delivered and try not to be one of those yourself.  Another possibility with this aspect is big news blown way out of proportion to the actual facts.  Wait before passing judgement. 

Late Friday night Venus leaves Libra and enters Scorpio.  This is a whole new ball game for Venus. In Libra she’s all sweetness and light.  In Scorpio she takes off the velvet gloves and goes bare knuckled.  Lots of passion here as well as suspicion. Make sure your suspicions are well grounded before Mercury in Sagittarius shoots his mouth off.

My schedule:  December 5, 2015 – Readings @ Mother Mystic, 179 Dean Street, Providence, RI, 353-3099

December 12, 2015 – Readings @  Positive New Beginnings, 222 Warren Avenue, East Providence, RI, 432-7195

December 14, 2015 – Class @  Positive New Beginnings, Astrological Timing, Getting in Sync with the Rhythms of the Universe. 

Tracy Morgan Revisited - Up From the Ashes

Back in June 2014 I had written a piece about Tracy Morgan after the horrific car crash that left him in very serious condition.  With massive head injury, broken leg, nose, ribs, temporary blindness along with, no surprise here, depression.  During his recovery he has said (interview in GQ) that he wasn’t in a good place mentally.  He didn’t get out of that dark depression until ten months later.

At the time of his accident, Saturn, the taskmaster of the Zodiac was sitting on his Scorpio Sun.  Saturn transits bring restriction and contraction.   Saturn has a 29 year cycle.  Back in 1985 when Saturn hit his Sun the first time he learned his father had aids.  Both Saturn transits have coincided with low points in his life.  Under the influence of that first transit, his father died and he married.  Saturn brings responsibilities. Tracy had them and resorted to selling drugs in order to fulfill them.  And just as Saturn brings you to the lowest point, a Saturn truism is when you hit bottom, the only way is up.  And Saturn often has you crawling out of that pit, making progress one step at a time.

Ten months after the accident when Tracy emerged from the depressive state after months of therapy, Saturn had moved off his Sun, rolled over his Neptune and entered Sagittarius.  His progress was incremental.  Speech therapy, physical therapy, cognitive therapy, every kind of therapy there is.  Judging from his October 2015 appearance on SNL it looks like he’s got all the pieces put back together. 

On February 5, 2016 he is to resume touring with the “Picking up the pieces tour”.  In his own words, “It is my responsibility to come back and come back strong.”  I think he’ll do it.  He also stated about his comedy, “I think it will be deeper.”  I think so too, Tracy.  On that night, Mars in Scorpio sits on his Scorpio Sun giving him the energy and drive he will need.  The Sun in Aquarius squares that Mars and his Sun.  Squares make things happen.  He’ll come back strong but he will be working at it.  That night there is a lot of Capricorn energy in the air, which is great for comedy.  Capricorns are funny and many comedians have strong Saturn and/or lots of Capricorn planets.  Capricorn is also about timing which is essential in a comedic routine.  Venus and Pluto have an exact conjunction that night.  This guarantees that Tracy’s comedy will be deeper and, if possible, more raunchy. With these aspects in play I am wondering, does Tracy have an astrologer?

Tracy Morgan has travelled a long hard road.  In true Scorpio fashion he will come back better than ever.  Also in true Scorpio fashion he will remember those who were there for him during those dark days.  A warning to those who weren’t, don’t try to weasel in now, he’ll cut you off at the knees.

According to Tracy God told him, “Your room ain’t ready. I still got something for you to do.”  Tracy may not know what that something is but for sure he will definitely be picking up the pieces and moving on with his life.  My guess is that he will be better than ever. And it is joyous to see someone come back from the brink.  Way to go Tracy.