Weekly Forecast May 26-June 1: Mercury Retrograde!

I probably don’t need to tell you that this is going to be a strange week, as you’re no doubt feeling it already.

The biggest news, of course, is Mercury’s turn retrograde on Monday. The Messenger stations at 21°32″ Gemini and eventually will work his way back to 12°58″ Gemini before returning direct on June 19.

Because Mercury is in his own sign of Gemini, we can expect all the classic effects of this event, including communications mix-ups, missed connections, computer crashes, traffic jams, lost luggage, and delays in general. We’ve experienced a lot of this already since the shadow period began on May 11.

Chiron and Achilles

The wild card that may cause this Mercury retrograde to behave differently is Neptune’s turn retrograde less than half an hour later on Monday. While this configuration has the potential for complications and confusion, the two planets will be in a harmonious trine, which also creates the possibility for mental breakthroughs. This is especially true if you’ve been confronting a thorny problem that has resisted logical solutions.

Monday is a major U.S. holiday, signifying the beginning of summer. Hopefully, you get the day off, and hopefully you aren’t going anywhere due to high gasoline prices. With Mercury and Neptune both stopped in their tracks, staying home and relaxing would be the best use of your energy … if you can muster any at all. If you are traveling, expect delays. And be careful out there, OK?

We also have many readers around the world (49 50 53 countries on six continents at last count!) who will be going to work Monday morning with Mercury and Neptune stationed. Traffic may be at a dead stop, and possibly due to unusual circumstances. Leave a little early, and do whatever you need to do to manage your frustration level.

As if that’s not enough retrograde energy, Chiron also just went retrograde, at 21 degrees Aquarius. It’s always hard to say how multiple aspects like this will manifest, but I think it’s going to involve healing beliefs and thought patterns that no longer serve us. There also may be an element of healing old wounds and talking with others about past hurts between you. Normally, I wouldn’t recommend attempting this during Mercury retrograde periods, but a triple retrograde like this is incredibly rare and warrants trying something different.

The Moon conjoins Chiron and Neptune on Monday, so we’re going to get a full dose of this medicine, and the effects will continue strongly into Tuesday, when the Moon enters Neptune-ruled Pisces. As complicated as these intertwining energies are, there will be no mistaking how they’re manifesting in our lives, individually or collectively. The lunar North Node is sitting at 22 degrees Aquarius, between Chiron and Neptune, indicating an element of destiny to all of this. Be sure to leave comments with your experiences here so that we can all compare notes!

Also on Monday, Venus squares Saturn in the early degrees of Gemini and Virgo. This is going to be a tough week all around for romantic relationships, but if you’re willing to confront your issues directly, you’ll be rewarded eventually. You can’t expect to undo years of hurt in a day or two, and there is bound to be turbulence. As I’m so fond of saying, you can’t get to cruising altitude without it.

We’ll spend the rest of the week adjusting to this shift. Just remember to breathe.

Love and blessings,
Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

P.S. Normally I wouldn’t recommend getting a reading while Mercury is retrograde, but this week’s energies are extraordinary, so if you’ve been thinking about it, check out our exclusive forecasts and unique compatibility reports.

Image: The Education of Achilles by Donato Creti, 1714 (Musei Civici d’Arte Antica, Bologna). The mythological Chiron was a mentor to heroes and known as a great astrologer.

Ask Real Astrologers: Yods

This week’s question comes from Coco.

Please explain about Yods (also called the Finger of God) and how that relates to an astrological chart. Is it common for someone to have three Yods? I have three in my chart, I have been told, but I don’t know how to utilize them. Ideas?

Libra ponders . . .

Neith’s Answer:

A Yod is comprised of two inconjuncts (150° aspect) with a sextile as the base as you may know. The planet sitting on the point or apex of a Yod is the obvious focus of the energy.  Yods are not a particularly common pattern in charts and only occur when during periods when the planets are spread across many signs.

The inconjuncts are the key to Yods, in my opinion, and create a state of tension with erratic release. In very simple terms, the planet at the apex of a Yod is often like a sore thumb sticking out and whenever it’s conjuncted by transits you feel it. In fact, you may learn more about how your Yods function by tracking the times when the Moon conjuncts the apex planets.

Good luck!

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s Answer:

Although astrologers refer to the Yod as the “Finger of God,” the letter Yod in the Hebrew alphabet is a symbol for “hand” or “consciousness” (according to some texts, it’s the male organ, which could lead to an interesting interpretation). But we’re pretty much in agreement that it is a pointer, and that the thing being pointed to is the planet and house at the apex of the Yod, as Neith suggested. The two planets in sextile, rather than interacting only with one another, are manifesting their energy through that third point, which can be interpreted as a destiny point in the chart. You might think of it as the “hand of God.”

In calculating Yods, I look at only the eight planets (including Pluto), Sun, and Moon. Depending on the chart, I might include Chiron, but only if there’s a compelling reason to do so. Chart points, lunar nodes, asteroids, Arabic parts, and so forth, can’t form a Yod.

To determine the meaning of a Yod in the chart, it is essential to get a reading from a real astrologer and not a computer-generated report. I don’t know of any computerized reports that include Yods anyway, but even if there were, it wouldn’t give you the holistic interpretation that a Yod requires. This is all the more true if you’ve got more than one Yod. I don’t do traditional birth chart readings, but any of our exclusive forecasts would examine a natal Yod and transits that could propel its energy into play in your life. 

I join Neith is wishing you the best of luck!

Got a question for Neith and Pat? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers.

Real Astrologers Weekly Poll: Sun Sign or Rising Sign?

This week’s poll is about how we feel regarding our Sun sign and Rising sign.

Opinion Polls & Market Research

Results of Last Week’s Poll

In last week’s poll, I asked how you felt about the upcoming Mercury retrograde. Here are the results:

16.7% of you were “scared to death”

45.8% said you could “handle it but with caution”

33.3% blithely said “no worries!”

4.2% wondered “what’s Mercury retch?”

As I’ve written, I think we’ll find the most unpredictable facets of this Mercury retrograde are going to level out some after Mercury stops and starts moving backwards (obviously, planets don’t go backwards; that’s just what it looks like from down here). The effects of the Mercury-Uranus square will be passing by then. Of course, if I’m wrong, you all will have a perfect opportunity to say, “I told you so!”

My personal vote was for the second option because I believe by and large that the best approach to Mercury retrograde is to take extra care with all documents, make copies and backup your computer, and allow for delays and confusion.  There are times when we just have to grin and bear it, too.

For the “no worries” crowd, all I can say is there are optimists everywhere! Now I’d really like to see this be the case and will cheer loudly if it is. You all must have a strong Jupiter/Sagittarius influence in your charts.

By the way, “Mercury Retch” is a peevish expression I coined for Mercury retrograde one time when I was getting slammed by the little so-and-so.

I'm Libra Sun, Scorpio Rising posted by Neith . . .

All Talk, No Action

Neptune, by Walter Crane

Mercury doesn’t go retrograde for another week, but you’d never know it. Many of you are reporting that it feels like the Messenger is in reverse already.

Sure feels like it to me. On Saturday, my bus into the city was late because the one before it had broken down. That meant twice as many riders, standing room only.

I’m expecting this week to be even worse as both Mercury and Neptune station in preparation to turn retrograde within less than half an hour of each other on May 26. What’s with these two, anyway? Back in January, Mercury turned retrograde tightly conjunct Neptune, and now here they are traveling backwards together. Should we suspect an astrological conspiracy? Or maybe they’re having a secret affair?

Whatever it is, it’s corresponding to a lot of confusion for many of us. And I’m dreading having to rely on the ferries this week.

The week begins with a powerful Full Moon in the last degree of Scorpio, which you already know if you read Neith’s superb analysis in the previous post. She wrote about letting go of what isn’t working for you – a painful process. With Venus squaring Neptune later on Monday, some of us will be hit over the head with the sudden recognition that we’ve been deluded by a romantic situation or perhaps by a material desire. Healing requires confronting the reality directly.

The Sun enters Gemini on Tuesday, which normally would create a buzz and signal an increase in communications. Mercury’s station is going to slow things down, though, so you may have the feeling of driving with the brakes on. Or, you might notice a lot of talk but no follow-through. You’ll fare best if you adjust your expectations accordingly.

On Wednesday, Jupiter sextiles Uranus, the second of a three-part aspect. Both planets will be at 22 degrees, the number of the master builder. I wrote about this in a post on Jupiter’s station retrograde. Spend some quiet time on Wednesday contemplating what isn’t working for you, and send out a mental request for solutions. Then write and tell us about how you got the answers!

Venus enters Gemini on Saturday, which will increase our desire to talk about relationships . . . or just to talk. I predict that online dating will soar, and boy, will it turn into a mess when Mercury goes retrograde! Mercury loves a good romantic comedy, so try to keep your sense of humor.

The Moon opposes Mars on Sunday, which normally wouldn’t be worth mentioning. However, with both Mercury and Neptune at a virtual standstill, there’s a high risk that small disagreements will escalate into major conflict due to misunderstandings. Resist the temptation to resort to the silent treatment or other passive-aggressive forms of communication that will only make matters worse. If you need to talk, wait a few days. By then, you’ll probably have forgotten what you were arguing about.

Welcome to Mercury retrograde!

Aquarius, the sign of astrologyPat

Second Full Moon in Scorpio – May 19/20

Full Moon in Scorpio 
The Full Moon on May 19 (May 20 in the Eastern Hemisphere) falls at 29° Scorpio, just before the Sun leaves Taurus and enters Gemini. This is called the “anaretic degree” or “critical degree” and marks the ending of a phase. It is an opportunity to review our understanding of the lessons of the sign involved.

Scorpio has been the focal point of this last cycle from Full Moon to Full Moon, and hopefully most of us have had realizations about what we need to let go of or release to the highest good.

The Sun is still conjunct Venus in Taurus, emphasizing appreciation of what we have and the importance of being in the body. When the Sun moves on into Gemini and joins Mercury and Ceres there, air signs will be able to breathe more easily, whereas the earth signs will be reluctant to give up touchy feely Taurus. The fire signs are just happy to have Mars in Leo instead of Cancer! It is a bit dry now for water signs.

One of the more interesting patterns in the sky on this Full Moon is a wide fixed grand cross formed by the nodal axis, the luminaries, and the Chiron/Neptune conjunction in Aquarius. This particular pattern impacts my chart strongly and prompts me to feel the key here is to take advantage of pain to discern what needs tossing from one’s life. It’s a truism that humans change more readily when it’s too painful not to, and the conjunction of Chiron/North Node/Neptune looks very much like just the crew to do that. Aquarius provides the detachment to stand back and observe the source of the pain Chiron is pointing to, while Neptune provides the anesthetic (boy, is this going to hurt when it wears off . . .), and the North Node in Aquarius indicates the path we need to travel toward the greater good. The Scorpio Full Moon gives us the wherewithal to dig deep inside ourselves and haul what we need to review to the surface. May passing through this experience help all of us feel lighter and freer to truly be ourselves.

We are still working with Jupiter sextile Uranus, but in this Full Moon chart, Mercury conjunct Ceres in Gemini is square Uranus. This may be a clue as to why so many are feeling Mercury retrograde is casting a deeper shadow than usual. Once Mercury goes retrograde on May 26, the square to Uranus will widen and won’t begin to close until after Mercury goes direct on June 20. Uranus is essentially standing still now as it prepares to station retrograde on June 28, but we won’t cross that bridge for awhile yet . . . thankfully.

The next chapter following this Full Moon will unfold slowly due to Mercury’s change in direction. Perhaps the best course of action is to keep in mind Scorpio’s theme of rejuvenation and review, as Mercury retrograde is certainly a good time to continue with it. Life has been moving very quickly since the powerful New Moon in Aries, and a breather would do us all good!

Libra is learning Scorpio lessons posted by Neith . . .

Ask Real Astrologers: Midheaven in Synastry

                                             
Readers often write to ask us questions about their individual charts or specific situations, so we figured it’s just natural to start a regular Q&A feature.

Since we have two different approaches to astrology, we thought it would be fun if we both answered the same question. As we like to say around here, two heads are better than one!

Our first question comes from Bridget in Milwaukee.

Hey, I’m just wondering what your general take is on one person’s Midheaven conjoining another person’s first house/Ascendant (not necessarily conjunct the Ascendant degree). I am not finding much out there about this synastry aspect and would love to hear your take on it!

Libra ponders . . .

Neith’s answer:

This is a great question! There is definitely a public aspect to this partnership, because both the Ascendant and Midheaven are indications of how we project ourselves visibly into the world at large. In fact, this particular synastry aspect is one Pat and I have (my ASC and her MC), and we have gone into a very visible partnership via our website, Real Astrologers.com. That’s not to say it’s uncommon in personal relationships, just that there is a good possibility the relationship will have a public component.

Aquarius expounds . . .

Pat’s answer:

I concur with Neith that this aspect in synastry tells us something about how the two partners will interact in public. The first and tenth houses are angular houses and therefore action-oriented. The Midheaven person likely will be the one who initiates the action, brings the Ascendant person into the activity, or raises the Ascendant person’s visibility. Now, I do think there’s a possibility that these two could be competitive, but that depends on the sign of the conjunction and also on what else is going on in your charts. In a romantic relationship, if your Sun-Moon and Venus-Mars signs are compatible, then you should be fine. If competition does arise, it can be mitigated by agreeing beforehand on the “rules,” respecting each other’s opinions, and knowing yourself well enough to know whether underlying emotions are clouding your judgment.

Send us your questions! We will pick one or two a week to answer in this column. If your situation is involved, please consider a full reading by Neith or Pat, which will give you far more information than we can provide in a short Q&A format. Remember, Real Astrologers reports and forecasts aren’t generated by a computer but always written from scratch, exclusively for you!

Got a question for Neith and Pat? Click here to contact Ask Real Astrologers.

Real Astrologers Weekly Poll: Mercury Rx

Pat and I decided to have some fun with a weekly poll on astrology related matters. We would love for all our readers to take part in these. The plan is this: we post a poll early in the week and then we’ll post the results the following week with our thoughts and any comments offered from readers. Who knows? We may even learn something new.

Opinion Polls & Market Research

I am admittedly very fond of astro-data . . . but what can one expect with Mercury in Scorpio on my Ascendant and a Virgo Midheaven. :-D

Any feedback you may wish to add is welcome, especially related to your chart. Thanks! :-D

Libra is curious too posted by Neith . . .

Mercury Enters Shadow Phase (But You Knew That)

The antidote to Mercury RxMars in Leo definitely didn’t come in with a roar. Just about everyone I encountered over the weekend was exhausted and irritable.

I did get a boost Sunday from the Sun-Uranus sextile, and my bathroom is now free of hairballs. Thank goddess for small blessings. It’s Monday already in the Eastern Hemisphere, so you all get to start the week out on a positive note (at last count, Real Astrologers had readers in 37 countries on six continents!). The Sun trines Jupiter a few hours later, but the Big Guy just went retrograde, and the trine peaks while the Moon is void of course, so we probably won’t get much more from this aspect than a few hours of good feelings.

Then, that would be a blessing, too, given the way things have been going lately.

Mercury entered the retrograde shadow period at 1:42 p.m. Sunday on the West Coast of the United States, but many of you reported seeing the effects as much as a week earlier. Another blog author I know has been in communications hell. The pre-retrograde shadow phase, which lasts about two weeks, starts at the moment Mercury crosses the degree at which he’ll return direct and lasts until he turns retrograde. There’s also a post-retrograde shadow period. We’ll keep you posted in our Mercury Retrograde Watch feature, a Real Astrologers exclusive!

I’ve also had several reports of bureaucratic delays similar to my own. This no doubt was a reflection of Mercury’s square with Saturn last week, but with the Messenger now in shadow, it hardly matters what “caused” it. Delays are going to be the rule rather than the exception from now until the end of June.

I definitely have been seeing some powerful effects of creeping Mercury retrograde. I’ve had trouble getting through to the right people and missed the delivery of an important piece of mail. On Friday, I found out that I’ll be starting a new job on May 26 – the day Mercury turns retrograde! I tried to talk my way into starting a few days earlier, but no luck. The last job I started on the day Mercury turned retrograde was a total fiasco and ended disastrously.

On Wednesday, the Sun squares Neptune. This is another low-energy aspect and, depending on which houses in your chart these bodies are transiting, you could feel discouraged about a particular area of your life. It’s worth mentioning that the North Node recently crossed over Neptune and Chiron, and the three are still relatively close together. This is not a comfortable configuration, and it may be creating a certain amount of existential angst for many of you. I’ve been more focused on the subject of spiritual enlightenment than usual, and I’ve been questioning myself heavily about how I measure up.

The Libra Moon on Thursday and Friday should help us regain some balance. But then we get thrown off again on Saturday, when Venus squares Chiron. The angst may extend to your sexuality and body image.

She’ll more than make up for it on Sunday, though, with a sextile to Uranus and then a trine to Jupiter. Don’t be surprised if you react to unexpected good news by diving into a vat of caramel turtle ice cream. Some people eat when they’re unhappy, but many of us are just as likely to overindulge in a moment of pure joy. I haven’t quite figured that one out. Maybe it’s because we’re afraid the good feelings will go away, and we want to prolong the pleasure as long as possible. Entirely understandable these days.

So if you go for that triple hot fudge sundae, promise me you’ll enjoy the hell out of it, with no regrets on Monday morning!

Love and blessings with a cherry on top,
Sign of the FuturePat

If You Don’t Like What You’ve Got, Change It!

They don't call him the Big Guy for nothing!I’ve been fantasizing lately about a higher being of extraordinary intelligence picking me up by the scruff of the neck, like a giant bird of prey, and dropping me into a new life.

Poof! In one fell swoop, I’d have a bigger apartment with no highway noise, all of my bills would be paid, I’d have the resources to pursue my goals for Real Astrologers, I’d be 20 pounds thinner, and the love of my life would be sitting here next to me. And, of course, I’d be at the top of the enlightenment spiral.

As crazy as that sounds, it just might be possible – not thanks to some giant winged alien, but by taking advantage of an extremely rare astrological phenomenon involving a giant planet.

Jupiter turned retrograde on Friday and will be in reverse (that’s what it looks like from down here) until September 8. Not known as the Big Guy for nothing, Jupiter is larger than all the other planets in our solar system combined, which may be how he got named for the father of the gods.

In astrology, Jupiter represents good fortune and abundance. His retrogrades are relatively benign; we just don’t have his luck to carry us toward our goals. But in a weird sort of way, this retrograde period may be luckier than we could possibly imagine.

The degree of Jupiter’s station – 22 degrees, 22 minutes Capricorn – provides us with an important clue. In numerology, 22 is the number of the master builder, the architect of the universe. Capricorn’s ruler, Saturn, is the planet of manifestation on the physical plane. This tells me that we may be able to use Jupiter’s retrograde period to think about what we truly want and need and to change what’s not working for us.

Individually and collectively, our thoughts play a major role in what gets manifested in our world, whether we’re conscious of them or not. Indeed, unconscious thoughts and beliefs have a nasty way of getting in our face through people and situations that seem to come into our lives randomly. This is the effect of Saturn, who gets a bum rap as the planet of limitations and constraints.

As scientific researchers have learned over the past few decades, matter is energy. The more solid a material object appears to be, the slower that energy is vibrating. Fast and slow are concepts related to time, which in astrology is ruled by Saturn. Put very simplistically, your thoughts interact with invisible energies in the universe, which coalesce according to the blueprint you’ve created with your thought pattern, plus (and here’s the kicker) any related unconscious thoughts and beliefs you’re harboring. Once that energy is manifested on the material plane, it’s locked up and unavailable for anything else. That is the “limitation” of Saturn.

If we don’t like what we’ve got, we have to invest energy into changing it. The more locked in and stuck we appear to be, the more energy it takes to undo it and turn it into something else. It seems to me that Jupiter’s retrograde in Capricorn will be extremely handy for this. Retrogrades in general are good for going back and doing something over, but undoing situations we seem to be stuck with is a tall order. Who better to help us out than lucky Jupiter?

Give it some thought this week and start planning your strategy. I know I will be!

Sign of the FuturePat

P.S. Need a change of perspective? Don’t know how to get unstuck? This definitely would be a great time to get one of our exclusive forecasts!

What your Venus says about the contents of your underwear drawer

 Lilith by Rossetti  
With the Sun and Venus in Taurus now, this Libra person is thinking about all things related to love, beauty, and desire. And what does Venus like more than pretty undergarments? So I’m going to have a little fun with this . . .

Because Venus travels close to the Sun, she is usually in the same sign or one of the two neighboring signs. She represents our sense of aesthetics, our idea of fun and pleasure and is all about our personal style. Of course, aspects from other planets will affect her expression but that’s for another post!

Venus in Aries is not a patient shopper. If she can find a brand that fits and is easy to come by, she’ll stick with it. This Venus is my candidate for having a fire-engine red bra stuck in the back of her drawer that really looked hot in the store but didn’t fit well after she got home. She also goes for active sportswear undergarments. Even those with Pisces and Taurus Suns will be more adventurous with Venus in the sign of the Ram.

Not surprisingly, Venus in Taurus loves silk lingerie – smooth, soft, and sensual. If you want to make your Taurus sweetie very happy, buy her silk to wear against her skin. She is more concerned with the tactile than the visual, although she’ll love muted, earth tones. Earthy Venus in Taurus helps Aries and Gemini Suns tune into their sensual side.

Venus in Gemini, an air sign, is more experimental and willing to at least try on the latest and greatest fad. She will shop just about anywhere and pick up items because they are fun and catch her eye. Gemini has no problem with bright colors and synthetic fabrics as long as it’s new and different. Taurus and Cancer Sun folks will be far more willing to try something new with this Venus in their charts.

Venus in Cancer prefers comfort to fashion. If the climate is on the cool side, this one will go for flannel nightwear. Cancer likes to stay with tried-and-true designs, nothing fancy. She is likely to be the most comfortable with the idea of appearing matronly. A Gemini or Leo Sun will liven up Venus in Cancer considerably.

Venus in Leo . . . think Madonna’s bustier outfits and visible bras in bright colors. This Venus likes her undergarments to be noticed and appreciated and will go for drama and flair to draw more attention to herself. Having Venus in Leo will give both Cancer and Virgo Suns more pizzazz.

Venus in Virgo is more likely to get excited about having undies made using bamboo fibers. Bamboo is eco-friendly, very soft, and naturally deters bacteria – all of which appeal to Virgo sensibilities. Virgo is less likely to be concerned about style and color than Libra, for instance, but it darn well better fit. Venus in Virgo tones down a Leo Sun and has Libra Sun paying more attention to natural fibers over synthetics

Rose by Waterhouse

Venus in Libra is most likely to go for feminine frills with lots of lace on her sleepwear, but it has to be good quality and soft to the touch – Venus rules Libra, too. She certainly won’t turn down pretty silk lingerie or fine cotton lawn nightwear but will prefer softer colors – no fire engine red for this one. Venus is well placed in Libra, and she’ll give both Virgo and Scorpio Suns more feminine sensibilities.

Venus in Scorpio will pick up that daring garter belt to wear with thigh-high black stockings. She’ll also be inclined to wear silk undergarments under a ratty sweatshirt and jeans to titillate her lover’s imagination – or wear nothing at all. Ha! A Libra or Sagittarius Sun will qualify for HOT if her Venus is in Scorpio.

Venus in Sagittarius will opt for functional, if given a choice, because she just wants to put it on and head out the door. Keep the frills to a minimum please and forget the lace – it scratches. Pure organic cotton is on the top of this one’s list. Both Scorpio and Capricorn Sun folks will be willing to lighten up and fuss less for Venus in Sagittarius.

Ms. Venus in Capricorn not only prefers high quality silky lingerie, she also loves the idea of wearing sexy items under her conservative business suit. It’s a good idea to shop for high-end brands if you want to impress this choosy person, because she will look. If she is shopping for herself, Venus in Capricorn will wait for her favorites to go on sale, demonstrating Saturnine frugality. Sagittarius and Aquarius Suns both benefit from Venus in Capricorn’s sense of class and timeless styling.

For Venus in Aquarius, paying attention to what she wears depends on her mood and her lover. For the most part, undergarments are almost an afterthought, with comfort and good fit much higher on the scale than appearance. Like Virgo, she also will go for eco-conscious fibers like organic cotton and bamboo. This Venus will give Capricorn and Pisces Suns an eccentric edgier taste . . . electric blue lingerie anyone?

Venus in Pisces is the sweetheart of them all. Imagination is everything, and she prefers sheer fabrics in luminous colors that create an atmosphere of romance. Venus in Pisces is another who likes softness against her skin and the hidden beauty of lovely under-things that only she knows she’s wearing. This romantic Venus tones down and softens Aquarius and Aries Suns.

Venus rules Libra too posted by Neith . . .