Category Archives: About astrology

Weekly Forecast July 13: Everything Inconjunct

MantattanhengeNot only are we in a disorienting period between eclipses, but there are several inconjuncts this week that could present anything from annoying frustrations to major challenges.

The inconjunct, more correctly called the quincunx (try saying that three times fast), is a 150-degree angle between two planets or chart points. Inconjuncts can be problematic, because the signs involved have little in common. It’s like putting an Army lieutenant and a ballet student in the same room and expecting them to find something to talk about. I don’t normally include inconjuncts in my forecasts, but in some circumstances, they can be very powerful, and they are indeed the dominant theme for this week.

The week begins with a conjunction of Mercury and the Sun in Cancer on Monday. Normally I’d say this would be a good time to talk about feelings, but you may find yourself all over the map emotionally as the week progresses, and then you’ll have to back pedal or exhaust yourself trying to explain what you really meant, but in fact you’ve changed your mind since then anyway. You get my drift. You’ll be better off just sitting with your feelings and taking note for future reference. Write in your journal or talk to a trusted friend.

Then we go right into inconjunct territory, starting with Mars in Gemini and Pluto in Capricorn. Whatever you’re trying to move — whether it’s furniture, packages, paperwork, your car, your physical body, or a point of view — you may get that “trying to herd cats” feeling. Moreover, when Mars and Pluto make contact, the ensuing power struggles can get ugly. If you’re up against any kind of authority, do your best to keep a low profile.

The next set of inconjuncts, which is active from Wednesday through Saturday, involves the Sun and Mercury in Cancer inconjunct Jupiter, Chiron, and Neptune in Aquarius (what Neith affectionately refers to as “Neptune & Co.”). I don’t even know where to start sorting this out. All I can say is that we may have to deal with a disparate jumble of information, events, situations, and people, with no idea which end is up. I suspect this might end up feeling something like Mercury retrograde. It wouldn’t hurt to apply those rules this week. Be sure to confirm, clarify, repeat back what you think you just heard, and, above all, forgive. Everyone is on stress overload.

That said, we may get a pleasant surprise when Mercury trines Uranus on Wednesday and the Sun trines Uranus on Saturday. In the middle of all that confusion, something good will come through that will put a smile on your face.

Mercury enters Leo on Friday and immediately forms another inconjunct involving Pluto. Mercury in Leo is not a lot different than Mars in Gemini, perhaps just a bit less forceful. No matter how badly your ego is bruised, if you’re dealing with someone in a position of power, be it the judge in traffic court or the grandmother who’s paying your college tuition, bite your tongue. If you need something, remember that you’ll catch more flies with honey.

The Moon enters Cancer late Sunday, and then we’ll be in the final countdown to the total eclipse of the Sun at 29 degrees Cancer on July 21. I’ll have more in next week’s forecast, and Neith will post a report on Saturday, if not before. Check back often.

Lots of love, and chins up!
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image: The sun sets on July 12 during a biannual phenomenon dubbed “Manhattanhenge,” when the setting sun aligns with the east-west grid of Manhattan’s streets. At least something is lined up this week! Photo by Mike Segar for REUTERS.

Saturday Extra!All About Eclipses

We’re between eclipses, so this seems like a good time to provide more information for those who are interested.

I often refer to a “series” of eclipses. Joe recently left a comment asking me to explain what this means. When astrologers refer to a series of eclipses, usually we are talking about those falling in a particular sign pair over a period of 18 months to two years. A new series often starts before the previous one ends, as is happening now. This occurs as the lunar nodes approach the cusp of a new sign. As Joe noted in his comment, the lunar nodes move backwards, in the same direction as retrograde planets.

Using the current eclipses as an example, the lunar eclipse on July 7 was the first eclipse in a new series in Capricorn and Cancer. There are two more eclipses in this series in 2009: a solar eclipse at 29 degrees Cancer on July 21 and a lunar eclipse at 10 degrees Cancer on December 31. Next year, there are three more eclipses in this series, which will end with a solar eclipse in Cancer on July 1, 2011. Meanwhile, there is one eclipse left in the outgoing series, a lunar eclipse at 13 degrees Aquarius on August 5. The Aquarius/Leo series began on February 6, 2008.

In a normal year, there are four eclipses. Typically, a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse occur two weeks apart, and then about six months later, there is another pair. However, there are six eclipses in 2009, making this a very unusual year. There also will be six eclipses in 2011. I’ve read that extraordinary events happen in six-eclipse years, but I haven’t done enough research to verify this yet. If anyone wants to spend a few hours Googling, I’d love to have your input on this.

As I mentioned in my brief response to Joe’s comment, the sign pair in which the eclipses take place is determined by the lunar nodes. Eclipses always take place at the New Moon or Full Moon. At the New Moon, the Sun and Moon are conjunct, and the Moon is between the Earth and Sun, which causes a solar eclipse. At the Full Moon, the Sun and Moon are in opposition. The Earth is between the Sun and Moon, and this produces a lunar eclipse.

Usually (but not always) the Full Moon brings culmination, resolution, or endings, while the New Moon brings new beginnings. This is also true for eclipses, but the effect is much more powerful. Endings tend to be final, with no going back. New beginnings can be equally as dramatic. Change can happen so quickly that we are thrown off balance. For people with a lot of fixed signs in their charts, this can be particular uncomfortable, as we tend to resist change more than others.

As I explained in yesterday’s Q&A column, where you feel this effect depends on the houses in your natal chart in which the eclipse pair falls. If the cusps of these houses are in the mid-degrees of a sign, which is often the case, you may have four life areas that could be affected instead of two. For example, if your Rising Sign is 15 degrees Capricorn, the new series of eclipses will fall in your first and seventh houses, along with the twelfth and sixth houses. That’s a lot of ground to cover, with nearly unlimited possibilities.

When I do consultations, I look at what else is going on in the chart to try to determine how the eclipses enter into the picture. Still, eclipses can bring changes that are so sudden and unexpected that outcomes can be hard to predict.

I’ve also noticed over the years that the two-week period between eclipses can be quite turbulent and unsettling. Since we have three eclipses in a row this year, that period is extended to a month. We’re all going to have to do our best to maintain our health and sanity!

Much love and courage to all,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image: Total eclipse of the Sun on August 11, 1999, as seen in France. Image by Luc Viatour.

Ask Real Astrologers: What Determines How an Eclipse Affects Us?

This week’s question comes from a comment posted by Mem to the Weekly Forecast for July 6:

What happens if an eclipse falls in a house in which you don’t have planets? And what if the particular aspect of life that house rules doesn’t apply to you at the moment? For instance, this eclipse falls in my seventh house. I don’t have a relationship and I don’t have a business partner. Now what?


Pat’s response:

Neith is out for the rest of the week, so I’m doing this week’s column solo.

Mem, this is a great question, which is why we saved it for the Q&A instead of posting a response to your comment.

Eclipses affect you whether or not you have planets in the houses in which they fall. In my work with clients, I have noticed a near 100-percent correlation between significant events in an individual’s life and the eclipse cycle, and these events nearly always match up to the houses involved. Eclipses stay in the same sign pair for about 18 months, and that’s typically how long the related events take to play out.

Because eclipses fall in sign pairs, there are two houses influenced and not just one. In your case, this new series of eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer will affect the seventh and the first houses. The first house is the most personal area of your chart, ruling your physical body and the persona you have taken on in this lifetime.

So, one way to answer your question would be that this series of eclipses may not be about partnership for you, but could have something to do with your person. With first-house eclipses, you might end up looking completely different 18 months from now. Or, you could get a new job that completely overhauls your life.

The outgoing series of eclipses is in my first house. I suffered a serious injury that has had a domino effect and brought several other changes in my life. Don’t worry, though, that the same may happen to you. Jupiter, Chiron, and Neptune were transiting my first house at the same time. Also, as of the last eclipse in this series, a lunar eclipse on August 5, I’ll be completing a rehabilitation program that should put me on the road to complete recovery. So hopefully there will be a happy ending, and I’ve learned an awful lot in the process.

Now, since this series of eclipses also fell in my seventh house, I had several interesting relationship developments as well, the first of which began just one week after the first eclipse in the series in February 2008. It looks like there will be some resolution or conclusion to these situations in the next few weeks — right on cue!

I do have planets in both my first and seventh houses. But even if I didn’t, the effect likely would have been the same, with the exception of the last eclipse, which falls directly on my first-house Sun in Aquarius. I’ll let you know what happens … if I live.

Just kidding. Back to your chart, Mem, the seventh house rules all close relationships, so the next 18 months could bring a significant person into your life. For some people, this might be a literary agent or investment broker. If you’re looking for a romantic partner, that is also a possibility. There aren’t always developments at the first eclipse in the series, but sometimes the second or third. In my experience, however, the outcome or resolution usually happens within a few months of the last eclipse.

Joe also recently posted an eclipse-related question, which I’ll answer tomorrow in the Saturday Extra! column.

I hope that answers your question, Mem. We’ll all be waiting for news, so please keep us posted!

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers. You must use this form to contact us, or we don’t get your question. Be sure to fill out all the fields, and please spell out the month of your birthday. If you don’t know your time of birth, indicate “time unknown.” Thanks!

Real Astrologer’s Poll: What affect did the eclipse have, if any?

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Me, I’m so lost in the Jupiter-Neptune fogbank I wouldn’t recognize a major shift in my life unless it came up and bit me. However, my Cancer dad had his computer hard drive freeze up on him, lost at least a month’s worth of work and is in the process of buying a new computer with a 10-year guarantee. Fortunately, he has both the time and the money to handle this emergency.

Keep in mind that the lunar eclipse yesterday was the first of three . . . the second one being the solar eclipse in Cancer on July 21-22, followed by the final lunar eclipse in Leo-Aquarius on August 5. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?

Libra loves balancetposted by Neith . . .

Ask Real Astrologers: Why Am I So Lazy?

This week’s question comes from Bree in Denver:

I’m confused about my Saturn aspects. According to my natal chart, I have Saturn in Sag in the 6th house, trine my Sun and Mercury. All the cookie cutter descriptions of this say that I’m a hard worker and disciplined (especially with Moon and Mars in Cap). But I’m super lazy most of the time! Where would I see “laziness” in my birth chart, and why do these positive Saturn aspects seem so elusive?

Libra ponders . . .

Neith’s response:

Bree, many of those cookie cutter descriptions fail to take into account the flowing nature of the trine. A trine (a 120° aspect between planets) means the planets are in the same element and are extremely comfortable with one another. By and large, we humans are motivated by discomfort and without the irritation factor to keep us awake, we stay put.

Your Moon in Capricorn is traditionally considered an indicator of an ambitious person and indeed, I’ve known many people with Capricorn Moon who are very driven to succeed. But they often do so out of a need to prove something to themselves or others. In your case, a sextile from Jupiter in Pisces mellows out your Moon considerably. You didn’t say anything about your lifestyle and general living conditions but I’m guessing those, too, are pleasant and accommodating.

Perhaps you just need to find the right motivation to inspire you. Saturn will enter Libra at the end of this October and will square your planets in Cancer and Capricorn during 2010-2012. There is nothing like an irritating square aspect to get us to move! And don’t forget that Pluto in Capricorn will be slowly conjoining all your planets in Capricorn over the course of the next 15 years.

Most of the time the cookie-cutter approach to astrology gives us just enough information to tantalize and confuse us, without providing the threads that pull it all together. My suggestion would be to find an astrologer you resonate with and work with them.

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

I had to laugh at your question, Bree. Most people would complain that the books said they were lazy when they weren’t (or didn’t think they were). That’s a tipoff right there that you’re probably not as lazy as you think.

But let’s assume for a moment that you are the laziest person on the planet, a veritable sloth. Where might we find that in your chart? My first stop would be the sixth house. This is where we look for clues about how you approach your day-to-day chores. As you note, you have hardworking Saturn in this area of your chart. You also have Pluto in the sixth house, which is definitely not a signature for laziness, and I’ll bet you delegate tasks very well!

The sign on the cusp of the sixth house can tell us something, along with the placement of the sixth-house ruler. You have Libra on the cusp of the sixth house, and Libra is ruled by Venus. I might be tempted to chalk it up to this, as Libra’s job is primarily to look beautiful and make sure everyone feels good. But Libra’s ruler, Venus, is in Virgo, a service-oriented, down-to-earth sign that doesn’t shy away from hard work.

Your Cancer Sun could perhaps be the culprit, as Cancer does love creature comforts. Still, this wouldn’t make you lazy. Mars, the planet that rules physical energy, is very well-placed in your chart, so we can count that out, too.

Since nothing jumps out at me, I’m going to go with my instinct and say you’re setting the bar too high for yourself, possibly as a result of that sixth-house Saturn. This could be a case of being your own worst critic. I also wonder whether you are challenged enough in your work and daily life. Could it be that your problem is not laziness but boredom?

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers. You must use this form to contact us, or we don’t get your question. Be sure to fill out all the fields, and please spell out the month of your birthday. If you don’t know your time of birth, indicate “time unknown.” Thanks!

Real Astrologer’s Poll: How is it going with Neptune & Co?

We had Mercury square Neptune & Co in April, May, and June; and today Venus is squaring the Aquarius stellium. Mars takes his turn next Monday.

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I know I have felt like my mind has been in a fog bank with occasional moments of clarity and inspiration because the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction is sitting in my third house. What about the rest of you?

Libra loves balancetposted by Neith . . .

Weekly Forecast June 29: Uranus Turns Retrograde

Young King of the Black Isles, by Maxfield ParrishThis is going to be a chaotic week, and all the crying we didn’t do last week or that got blocked for whatever reason may come pouring out now. And this is just the beginning.

Big boys can and do cry. So do big girls, men and women, kings and queens, and everyone in between. There’s too much pressure behind the dam, and sluicing off some of it surely is in order.

I’ve been writing for months about the core wound. Most of us have one, something that permeates our being and keeps playing out in our lives in some variation, even after we’ve identified it and worked to release it. We also have a collective wound, and this, too, manifests in infinite ways. Both will get a workout this week on many levels, and that’s why I’m telling you to go ahead and cry if it hurts. This is one way to find release. There are many others, and we’re well into the process. In the coming weeks and months, there will be more re-opening, cleaning out, closing up, and returning to wholeness.

Uranus turns retrograde on Wednesday. Aquarius and Pisces (Sun and Rising) will feel this the most. It’s slow going for me and at least one other Rising Aquarius I know. We’ve just got no wind in our sails. Just as Uranus is turning retrograde, he is touched by a square from Mercury in Gemini and a sextile from Venus in Taurus. You would have to be very astute to discern the effects of either of these individual aspects, because they are part of a broader configuration that also includes the Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune conjunction, which will get a favorable trine from Mercury and a difficult square from Venus. This will take place on Wednesday and Thursday. Mars will square Neptune & Co. starting late this week. I have an image of the surgeon’s knife.

There are so many ingredients in the cosmic soup pot this week that detecting any particular one is difficult. But we sure do taste the combined effect. Once again, I believe that those of us who are working through our core issues will feel this strongly. The image that comes to mind is biting the bullet. There’s no anesthetic. We’re going to have to just feel the pain. And when the operation is over, we can cry as much as we need to.

I will be the first to admit that I fear pain. But it is a necessary part of the growth process. It has a tempering effect. It is a sacrifice, and when we sacrifice willingly, something is always gained. The danger is getting addicted to pain. We don’t want that to happen, of course. I’ve written about this before, and many of you have responded with stories that reaffirm this notion.

On Friday, Mercury enters Cancer, and he opposes Pluto on Saturday. Our emotions are our barometer. They are our first clue that something is wrong. But identifying the source of the problem isn’t always easy, and a majority of the time, we attempt to treat symptoms and not the underlying source. With Mercury and Pluto facing off, we may have a confrontation, internal or external, and it won’t be comfortable. But if you hang in there, you will get some extremely valuable information that ultimately will empower you.

Venus enters Gemini on Saturday, making for a very social weekend. It’s Independence Day in the United States, a big weekend for barbecues and family get-togethers. With all the heavy astrological energies in play, having Venus in the light-hearted sign of the Twins will help boost the fun factor.

Speaking of heavy energies, we’re beginning to feel the gravitational pull of the Moon lining up with the Earth and Sun. Cancer and Capricorn will be most vulnerable to the new series of eclipses, which starts next week. Neith will have more on this as we get closer to next Tuesday’s lunar eclipse.

Wishing you all strong and loving hearts,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image: The Young King of the Black Isles, by Maxfield Parrish, 1906. Originally appeared as a frontispiece for Collier’s “Arabian Nights VIII,” May 18, 1907.

Saturday Extra: Healing Time

healing handsEver since the New Moon in Cancer on Monday, life has been eventful for many of us.

From what I’ve been hearing it’s either been very good or downright awful with little in between. This is consistent with the opposition between the New Moon and Pluto and stationing Uranus in Pisces forming an out of sign t-square with those two.

Three celebrities died recently, two this week and one last: one unexpectedly, Michael Jackson; one sad but anticipated, Farrah Fawcett; and the last peacefully, Ed McMahon. If we consider these high profile people to be the bell weathers of the collective, then I’m sure these deaths were representative of many others. Pluto is the master of clearing out the old to allow for something new to manifest. In the USA in particular, we seem to have the idea we can live forever and spend billions attempting to do that. Why is it so difficult to see death as part of life?

As I’ve commented elsewhere, this turned out to be a very productive period for me as in being able to take care of business in a matter of fact manner. For example, when the dentist’s office called to remind me about an appointment for getting my teeth cleaned on Monday, I brought up costs and when the dentist wouldn’t budge, I canceled the appointment. Those who are not willing to compromise are going to find others telling them, “thank you but no thank you.” Pluto in Capricorn is just getting started – just wait a couple of years and look around you!

Those whose charts are most affected by the Jupiter-Neptune-Chiron conjunction are getting stepped on too, especially if they bet the farm on a certain outcome. The Capricorn lunar eclipse on July 7 finds Mars in Taurus squaring Neptune & Co and that is going to bite, big time. That particular Full Moon squares my natal Moon in Libra, so I’m wincing in anticipation because one way or another, my emotions are going to be all over the place. :::groan:::

Thankfully the tricksy t-square with Uranus has faded but keep in mind Uranus will be stationing retrograde on July 1. It may be just me but I keep getting the feeling we would be much further ahead to take advantage of the hints Uranus is throwing out now to clean up our act because next year Uranus will not be nearly as polite. It will be in Aries – a sign noted for directness.

So throw away the rose colored glasses and start thinking in terms of having several alternative plans in place, always. With all the earth and water dominating the sky right now, it would be wise to forgo the drama, pick up the pieces and move on. Yeah, ouch!

Libra, relationship specialistposted by Neith . . .

Ask Real Astrologers: Wrapping Up an Eclipse Cycle?

This week’s question comes from Rossa in the U.K.:

The third of the summer eclipses, the Full Moon lunar eclipse on August 5, is directly on my natal Sun at 13 Aquarius. What impact will this have on me? The series of three eclipses are close to a number of personal points in my chart, mainly in my first house, so it looks like it may be an intensive summer. Any insights into how these eclipses may resonate with my first house?

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s response:

Rossa, as you noted in your e-mail to us, you and I have some similarities in our charts, including our Sun at 13 degrees Aquarius, in the first house. And so yes, you bet I’ve been watching this eclipse and anticipating it with a little bit of anxiety. But just a little.

Somehow it got ingrained in the human psyche that eclipses are ill omens — perhaps because people didn’t understand the celestial mechanics, or maybe because they sensed the disturbance in the Earth’s energy field. Who knows? In any case, modern astrologers don’t have quite as sinister a take on this phenomenon. It’s essentially just a supercharged lunation, which can be challenging because of the intensity, but not necessarily bad.

For you and me, I see an end of one phase of our lives, leading to an open door into the next one. Since this is the last in a series in Aquarius and Leo, there almost certainly will be a wrapping up of some kind. But this could happen before August, as eclipses can be felt 30 days or even more in advance.

The new phase of our lives might include changes in a major relationship, since this series has also focused our attention on seventh-house issues. In my case, I’ve clearly been in a learning and testing period over the past couple of years. While many of the events during this period were extremely painful, I am definitely the wiser for it. Awareness of the choices we make is empowering, and it feels like I’m on more solid ground in terms of choosing who to open myself up to.

Now, I sure am interested to hear what Neith has to say about this!

Libra ponders . . .

Neith’s response:

Rossa, not only is this the final eclipse on the Leo-Aquarius axis but this August finds the North Node moving from Aquarius into Capricorn in your first house. These changes will be reflected in the collective as well as the personal and you will have the advantage of being able to access these energies very directly. Practical, pragmatic Capricorn replaces visionary Aquarius underscoring the need to take care of the business at hand.

This also fits with Pat’s sense of one phase ending so another can begin. What loose ends do you need to tidy up before you can move forward? It is particularly important to take care of those at this time because when the North Node hits 29° Capricorn it will be exactly sextile your natal Jupiter, triggering your Jupiter-Midheaven conjunction. A sextile does not have the attention getting “zing” of a conjunction or square but it will provide positive opportunities for you to further your career goals.

Don’t forget the Uranus in Pisces sextile to your natal Mars either – as if you could with Uranus sitting at 26° forever! Here again the aspect is a sextile and encourages change without demanding it. The key to working with these delightful sextiles is paying close attention to what’s going on around you.

I tend to believe you will be experiencing the impact of the eclipse between now and when it occurs. The eclipse its self may be the exclamation point on “The End!” Now is a great time to keep your focus on the path immediately in front of you rather than looking at the long view.

Good luck on your journey!

Got a quick question? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers. You must use this form to contact us, or we don’t get your question. Be sure to fill out all the fields, and please spell out the month of your birthday. If you don’t know your time of birth, indicate “time unknown.” Thanks!

Weekly Forecast June 22: New Moon in Cancer

Midsummer Eve by Edward Robert HugesNo whining this week. If you’re upset and crying, just stop it now!

OK, that’s not me talking. That’s my evil twin, who has been taken over by Pluto in Capricorn. The Lord of the Underworld in the sign of stern Capricorn has zero tolerance for any show of emotion whatsoever. Under severe strain? Too bad. Pluto in Cap doesn’t care.

I’m telling you this because you are likely to be met by this seemingly heartless attitude as we head into a new week. The New Moon on Monday falls in Cancer, sign of mother, nurturing, and strong emotions, with Pluto in very tight opposition. On one hand, we may feel teary and overwhelmed, while on the other hand, we may butt up against someone who has no sympathy for this kind of behavior. Perhaps it will be a faceless bureaucrat who gave your appointment to someone else because you were 30 seconds late, and you can’t get another appointment for two weeks. Or the cop who doesn’t care that you were driving 5 miles per hour over the speed limit because your mother is having a medical emergency on the other side of town.

Or you may just not find an ounce of sympathy among friends and others you normally rely on when you are feeling dejected and need a shoulder to cry on. At least make sure that you are not the one denying yourself sympathy and forgiveness. That happens, too, and way more often than it should.

On the positive side, you may find out that you are a lot tougher than you think. While we would rather have a soft helping hand, it’s nice to know that when there’s absolutely no one available and we’re on our own, we can manage. We don’t want to become the Marlboro man, happiest when alone on the range, but neither is it desirable to be too reliant on others, too much of the time. Balance is key.

If you haven’t already read Neith’s excellent analysis of this New Moon, check it out. As she points out, we’re heading into a new eclipse cycle, and so the time between this New Moon and solar eclipse on July 21 is a critical period for healing in order to move forward.

Fortunately, we also start out the week with Venus and Mars still in close conjunction, with both at a favorable trine to Saturn. Venus-Mars conjunctions are felt in romantic relationships, so while you may have power struggles and be denied the sympathetic ear you’re looking for, messages of love may come through other behaviors that indicate solid commitment and support. Don’t discount these things, just because they aren’t what you had in mind. As the old Rolling Stones song goes, you can’t always get what you want, but if you try, sometimes you get what you need.

We’ll spend most of the rest of the week adjusting to new circumstances or people in our lives, but at least we’ll have a little breathing space.

On Sunday, Saturn conjoins Ceres. Our good friend Tseka is watching this alignment very closely, as are many of us. Ceres is still largely an unknown presence, but I believe we will learn some important information about her meaning in the next couple of weeks. Conjoined with Saturn, we might expect to see older women in the news, especially those with a lot of experience and wisdom.

Much love and courage to all,

Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Image: Midsummer Eve, by Edward Robert Hughes, c.1908. Solstice was on June 21, but we’re still under its magical influence this week.