Tag Archives: full moon

Weekly Forecast August 24: Sun Conjunct Jupiter, Full Moon in Pisces

Dismaland brochure. No joke. More info at dismaland.co.uk

No joke. More info at http://www.dismaland.co.uk

The Sun is now in Virgo, and after this week’s Full Moon in Pisces, we’ll be counting down to the third eclipse of 2015.

The Sun’s tour through Leo is vacation time for many in the Northern Hemisphere, with summer picnics, barbecues, and days spent at the beach. But there has been a decided lack in festiveness, in part due to the record-breaking heat. We’ve also been under a blanket of Venus retrograde in Leo. Venus in Leo normally is the party girl, but in reverse, she’s not in a partying mood. We’ve got two more weeks of this to go.

In the meantime, the Sun’s shift into Virgo signals the time to get back to work, focus on diet and health, and start thinking more critically about important issues rather than forming opinions based on something we read on Facebook or in the mainstream news. Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast May 4: Sun Trine Pluto, Venus Enters Cancer

Composite by Osk Ingad Alden, 2015.

This week is mostly about the Full Moon in Scorpio, which occurs on Sunday night in the United States and Monday morning in Europe.

Because it technically fell within last week’s forecast period, I covered it last week. However, I didn’t realize last week that this Full Moon is Wesak, the celebration of the birth, death, and transformation of the Buddha. Normally it falls at the Scorpio Full Moon in sidereal astrology, a different system practiced in Eastern countries that is a month “behind” Western astrology. The sidereal Full Moon in Scorpio is on June 2. But apparently it’s more complicated than that and historically has always been in May Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast November 11: Neptune Direct, Full Moon in Taurus

Small treasures. © Pat Paquette, 2013.

I don’t recall ever trying to write a forecast while Mercury was exactly stationed. Coaxing out the words is a bear … maybe like a bear coming out of hibernation.

It doesn’t help that I’m exhausted after an emergency situation that called me away from home unexpectedly the week before last. That’s why this forecast is late and there was none at all last week. I was able to post a quick note on Facebook, so readers who are following RealAstrologers on FB at least got notice. If you’re on FB and haven’t yet “liked” RealAstrologers, please take a moment to do so, as I post short notes there from time to time and also occasionally share meaningful posts from my FB connections. I promise not to clog up your feed with bumper-sticker slogans and cat videos.

Delays and obstructions tend to be more persistent for a couple of days on either side of Mercury’s station, so you may need a lot of patience as the week begins. Give yourself extra time to commute, get to the airport, or make connections. If you’re in the United States, there should be less traffic on Monday, since federal offices are closed in observance of Veteran’s Day. The downside is that many cities reduce public transportation services on holidays, so if you do have to work, it could take you longer to get to your shop or office. It’s also a bank holiday, which can cause delays in receiving electronic transfers and payments by check.

Mercury trines Neptune on Monday, with Neptune stationed to return direct on Wednesday. We’re already feeling that shift. I get extremely sleepy around Neptune stations and have a hard time focusing. We’re all exhausted from the relentless stress of the past year and especially the past two weeks. If you can get some extra sleep, do try to make that a priority. Keep your dream journal handy, too, because you might get in touch with some long-buried memories, whether from this incarnation or others. The Moon is in Neptune-ruled Pisces on Monday and Tuesday, amplifying the sleepy, dreamy atmosphere.

Neptune and Pisces are also about escapism. If you need to “get away from it all,” try to do so in a way that doesn’t involve a lot of alcohol or mind-altering substances. “Under the influence” takes on a whole new dimension under the astrological influence of Neptune and Pisces. If you’re a highly sensitive type, you’ll probably want to avoid the stuff altogether.

On Tuesday, the Sun in Scorpio trines Jupiter in Cancer, with the Moon in Pisces making a trine to both. Jupiter went retrograde last week and is moving slowly, too (from our perspective here on Earth). Nevertheless, a Sun-Jupiter trine is just what we need after the hair-raising couple of weeks we’ve just traversed. Think back to mid-July. What was going well in your life? Did you start a new project or come across a new opportunity? If so, you may get some related news on Tuesday or Wednesday.

On Thursday and Friday, Venus squares Uranus and conjoins Pluto. Even in staid Capricorn, Venus is a beneficial influence. Not everyone is feeling the Uranus-Pluto square personally, but if you are, you’re probably going through some kind of a crisis that is forcing change at a fundamental level. It may be so deep within you that you haven’t been able to identify or name it. Venus helps connect the dots. That’s not to say that what comes up will be easy, and indeed it might be intense, but you might find that something suddenly “clicks” or makes sense and that you can confront issues that have been too difficult to acknowledge or deal with.

With the Full Moon approaching, you also might experience events related to the lunar eclipse on October 18 and the solar eclipse on November 3. If you didn’t notice anything unusual around either of those dates, it’s possible that eclipse-related events were stalled, since Mercury was retrograde. Besides that, we often don’t get the full picture that eclipses represent until 30 or 60 days later.

Click on image to enlarge

Venus rules Sunday’s Full Moon in Taurus, which reminds us about our material needs and desires, including the need to feel safe and secure. So many people are in precarious economic circumstances and fear for their survival. The Sun, Saturn, and Mercury are in Scorpio, which, among other things, represents the primal will to survive. Many years ago, when I lived in the redwoods in California, I encountered a scorpion in a wood pile. I’ll tell you, that tiny creature put the fear of God in me. The image is burned in my memory of how it stood its ground, tail curled, ready to strike if I stepped an inch closer. I could have smacked it with a log or shovel, but I backed off and let it be, and I made damn sure after that to wear gloves when I went out for firewood.

Taurus is more concerned about living well. The economy still being in the toilet, many people have had to revise their definition of what it means to live well. Now, that’s not entirely a bad thing, especially in the United States, where consumption has been totally over the top for far too long. It’s possible to live simply and well. Ironically, it’s the folks at the bottom of the financial food chain who are being forced to learn that lesson and not the wealthiest few who are consuming far more than their share of the national wealth. This imbalance is eventually going to have to correct itself, but if history is any indication, a correction of this nature usually involves violence. That scenario is all the more likely during the Uranus-Pluto square, which continues into 2015.

I’ve been too out of the loop for the past week to connect planetary cycles to world events, but many of you are quite adept at mundane astrology and can see the correlations. Hopefully by next week, I’ll be back up to speed.

In the meantime, hang in there, and get some extra sleep this week if you can.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast September 16: Full Moon in Pisces, Pluto Direct

A place of peace. © Pat Paquette, 2013.

Well, we managed to avert a war, for the timing being. It’s hard to know how far the diplomatic solution will go, given the turbulent astrological weather coming up in the middle of October.

This week promises to bring dramatic events, with a powerful triple conjunction of Venus, Saturn, and the lunar North Node, all in a supportive sextile to Pluto, just as the Lord of Darkness comes out of retrograde. The Full Moon in Pisces will heighten the tension.

Mercury, planet of communications, remains in diplomatic Libra through the end of September. He squared Pluto on Saturday, September 14. On Monday, he opposes Uranus, and he squares Jupiter on Thursday. Although the formation isn’t super-close (you can’t see it in the Full Moon chart below, because I program my settings for tight orbs), there’s nevertheless a loose grand cross – similar to the one made by Venus in late August. The grand cross is inherently more stable that the T-square, and as long as it’s active, there’s a greater chance of averting a war through international diplomacy.

There’s still a threat of military action; there’s certainly big talk of it, with Mercury in a dynamic sextile to Mars. Mercury’s square with Jupiter in Cancer suggests that the talk will be inflamed with appeals to national pride and religion. The wild card seems to be the Syrian opposition, which is mightily pissed off that they didn’t get the military strikes they were promised. The combination of a Venus-Saturn conjunction in Scorpio plus Pluto in Capricorn does suggest that someone was thrown under the bus. I wouldn’t automatically assume it was the rebel coalition, but they’re one of the better candidates. Mercury in Libra makes nice talk for public consumption, while the real dealing is going on far outside of public view. And with the ruthless planetary configuration of Saturn and Pluto, reinforced by a vengeful Venus, black ops are well within the realm of possibility.

From an astrological perspective, it’s not surprising Putin provided a way out – or, at least, that he was the point man. As you’ll recall from previous forecasts, the current crisis spiraled out of control when Jupiter moved into a square with Uranus and opposition with Pluto. The T-square was exact between August 7 and August 21, the day of the horrific chemical weapons attack. To find the “way out” of a T-square, we look at what’s opposite the apex. As it turns out, Putin’s Sun at 13 degrees Libra is very close to that point, and it will stay close throughout the Uranus-Pluto square, which extends into 2015. Tumultuous events next April are going to be particularly rough for Putin, who will take heat from all sides. Obama’s current troubles will look mild in comparison. It’s almost better that Obama is getting slammed now. By next spring, some of the most difficult transits to his natal chart will have eased up.

One of the aspects I’ve been watching closely is the sextile between Saturn and Pluto, with the two planets in mutual reception. The third and final of three exact alignments in this cycle takes place On Saturday (September 21), the day after Pluto comes out of retrograde and with Saturn conjunct not only Venus, but the lunar North Node, a marker for destiny. This is huge. Among other things, it’s where I see the superpowers negotiating behind the scenes for interests that have little to do with chemical weapons and dying babies. It could take months, perhaps even years, before we know what went on behind triple-locked doors. There’s no question that energy resources are involved in the conflict – not so much oil, but natural gas. A recent deal between Russia and Israel – yes, you read that right – could change the entire geopolitical landscape in the Middle East, which would have ramifications for the entire world as we know it. Syria is literally caught in the middle. There’s even speculation that the country could be partitioned – a real possibility, given that Pluto is turning direct within half a degree of its Sun.

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The Full Moon on Thursday is at 26°41′ Pisces, with the Sun at 26°41′ Virgo. The Sun and Moon make no aspects to other planets, although it’s worth noting that the Moon is at its fullest a few minutes after sunrise in Washington, D.C. Once again, that puts the spotlight on the president and his decision, for whatever reason, to back off from an aggressive stance on Syria. Despite his insistence that the “polls” had nothing to do with it, I have to believe that he indeed heard the resounding voice of a vast majority of Americans. I can’t remember a time when so many people from all over the political spectrum agreed on anything. Moving forward against such overwhelming public opinion would have been sheer folly, and it would have weakened his presidency far more than the accusations flying around that he’s a wimp for not making good on a threat. If I were Obama’s astrologer, I would have advised him to do exactly what he did (eventually), and I’d advise him to continue to lie low until late November.

It’s also important to note that the co-rulers of Pisces, Jupiter and Neptune, both are in water signs, as are Venus and Saturn. I’m not well-versed in weather astrology, but I’m concerned about the possibility of more flooding at the Full Moon. Keep an eye on weather reports in your area. The National Weather Service issues special alerts for floods, high winds, and other major storm systems.

Personally, this Full Moon pits the ideal against what’s practical. I’m all for following your bliss – a very Piscean concept – but reality checks are necessary from time to time, especially for those prone to pipe dreams. Artists and musicians need to eat, and poets need to find a way to keep body and sensitive soul together. It’s a tough balance to maintain. As an astrologer and writer, I can well attest to that.

This Full Moon also pits addictive and escapist behavior against self-discipline and healthy habits. This is a good time for a detox regimen, even if it’s just for three days. The Full Moon is actually a better time to start a diet than the New Moon if your goal is to lose weight or eliminate a bad habit.

Next Sunday, September 22, is the autumn equinox, when the Sun enters Libra. I’ve started analyzing the Libra ingress, but rather than writing another book-length forecast, I’ll do a second post in a few days.

Before I wrap up, I’ll leave with you with my favorite links of the week. Thank you to those of you who e-mailed or posted links. It’s more important now than ever before that we stay informed. To do that, we have to look beyond the mainstream media and share what we find.

Syria and the emerging war over natural gas
(Headline says Cyprus, but keep reading)

Ridiculously sane reflection by an ex-CIA man on how war was averted despite war lobbyists’ best efforts

A “primer” on the civil war in Syria, in case (like me) you have trouble keeping all the players straight

Much love and courage to you all,
Pat

Weekly Forecast July 22: Sun Enters Leo, Full Moon in Aquarius

Creatures of the Sun. © Pat Paquette, 2013.

Creations of the Sun. © Pat Paquette, 2013.

In contemplating what to write this week, I’m at a loss to come up with anything new.

The news gets more and more depressing. The Obama administration has given itself a free pass to keep spying on the world, U.S. citizens included, while Edward Snowden is trapped at the Moscow airport, and Bradley Manning faces life in prison. Did you see the photos of him leaving the courtroom at Fort Meade? Why does such a little guy need to be surrounded by beefy, gun-toting guards? Obviously, he scares the bejeesus out of some powerful people.

News headlines get multiplied by orders of magnitude on the social media. I have to tell you, I’m burned out on the constant stream of posts screaming, “Oh my god, have you heard what they’ve done now?” I get it! Everyone with a brain connected to a heart gets it. Those without that connection aren’t going to get it, no matter how many times the message is repeated on Facebook or how loud it’s shouted. Really, it’s not much different than trying to convert someone to your religion.

OK, so we know it’s bad. The police state is so far advanced that it’s too late to fight without risking life and limb. Even more frightening, many of the 99 percent defend it. Yet, every now and then, between the predictable comments on news articles, an intelligent voice in the wilderness asks, “OK, but what can we do about it? Venting in comments and on the social media does nothing.”

So here we are, looking over a deep chasm, the bridge collapsed and rusting, and no way across. Which brings me back to where I started. I’ve been saying all of this for so long that I feel like a broken record, and I don’t have any new answers. All I can do is look at planetary movements and form some kind of an educated guess about how long the current situation will last. Unfortunately, the news isn’t good. We’re in for several more years of turmoil, and things are going to get worse before they get better. You don’t need to be an astrologer to know that. In the meantime, we need to get our priorities straight, examine our values, revise our goals, and work within our communities – not necessarily in that order.

Of all those strategies, finding your community is the hardest, especially if you’re a free thinker. The trick is to maintain your individual voice while working for the common good. Humans are social animals, and most of us do care about our fellows. I’d venture that a good majority are even willing to give more than they get back – provided, of course, that they feel they’re giving to a worthy endeavor. But we don’t like being just another cog in the wheel, especially when that wheel powers a destructive machine.

This is precisely the message of Aquarius, sign of Monday’s Full Moon. Aquarians (of which I am one) tend to be freethinking individuals who don’t go along with the groupthink, and yet this is the sign of humanitarian causes, community action, and our human “family.” Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité. I’ll talk more about the Full Moon, but first let’s have a look at the general lay of the land.

This week we’re in the in-between zone of last week’s dreamy grand trine and a tense cardinal T-square. In both configurations, Jupiter and Mars play a key role, and we start right out on Monday with an exact conjunction of this dynamic pair. Indeed, Monday is the biggest day of the week. Right after the conjunction of Mars and Jupiter, Venus enters Virgo, then the Sun enters Leo, and just over two hours later, we have our first Full Moon in Aquarius of the summer. Yes, there will be another on August 20.

Mars and Jupiter are conjunct not only by latitude but also in declination. In other words, they will be extremely close to each other in the sky, which isn’t always true of conjunctions. This makes the aspect all the more powerful. In earlier times, this combination in the birth chart of a prince was considered a good sign that he would be a strong king, bringing the country wealth and military might. I’m not a big fan of European royalty, but I can’t help notice that Queen Elizabeth has a close conjunction of Mars and Jupiter in Aquarius. If Baby Cambridge is born in the next few days, she (I’m hoping) also will have this signature. Incidentally, if Kate has the baby right before the Full Moon, it could still be a Cancer. That was my bet, but we’ll see. (Tomorrow’s Full Moon was my third choice.)

Click on image to enlarge

Mars and Jupiter conjoin at 6 degrees Cancer, which is still quite close to trining Saturn at 5 degrees Scorpio and Neptune at 4 degrees Pisces. The trine continues through the first week in August, so there’s still time to work with these flowing energies to find solutions to tough problems before the window starts to close. Indeed, the Full Moon might add some urgency. The chart to the right is kind of messy, but if you look closely, you can see a faint red triangle from the Sun and Moon to Saturn. That’s a square, and while we’d normally consider a Full Moon squaring Saturn to indicate trouble, any crisis that might arrive could come with a brilliant solution, perhaps not short of a miracle. Remember, Saturn is the traditional ruler of Aquarius (before Uranus was discovered in 1781), and he represents structure. Now, with Saturn in Scorpio and in mutual reception with Pluto, any structures we build these days are subject to immediate collapse. However, a sound, workable plan initiated since late June could put a strong foundation under your project.

The closer a planet is to the Sun, the faster it appears to move in the sky. While Jupiter is pulling away from the grand trine slowly, Mars is quickly heading for his next connection, which is a cardinal T-square with Uranus and Pluto. Mercury currently is closest to the third leg of the T-square, so we’re getting a glimpse of what’s ahead. Later this week, Mars opposes Pluto, and we descend into the belly of the beast. Mars squares Uranus next week, and then Jupiter comes along in early August. This is one of the stormiest astrological periods of the year, second only to early November. The one consolation I can provide is that you probably already know how the Uranus-Pluto square is manifesting for you personally – if it is, which isn’t a given – so whatever comes at you, while it may seem out of the blue, likely will be part of a ongoing crisis and not an entirely new situation.

Right before the Full Moon on Monday, the Sun enters Leo, sign of individualism and will. Leo has a reputation, not undeserved, as “self-oriented,” but the Full Moon in Aquarius reminds us that individuals form communities, and successful groups value the creativity and individuality of all their members. When the group itself becomes more important than the individuals in it, it’s a slippery slope to forced allegiance and tyranny. It’s interesting that we get a Full Moon both at the first degree of Aquarius and again near the last. That’s nearly a month to contemplate the concept of communities made up of empowered individuals.

Turning to Venus, she’s not at her best in Virgo, and on Friday, she opposes Neptune. The conventional interpretation of Venus opposite Neptune is delusions in love (on a date night, no less). Again, however, we’ve got a mitigating circumstance via a sextile to Saturn that makes it possible to see clearly and make sound decisions. That could be anything from recognizing a one-night stand for what it is and enjoying it while it lasts, to realizing that the guy or gal of your dreams has been sitting under your nose all along, and you were too scared, proud, or downright stupid to notice. On Sunday, Venus sextiles Jupiter, another fine day for settling into a realistic partnership. Positive Venus-Jupiter combinations also can be terrific for your finances, depending on where they’re transiting your chart.

To sum up, we’ve got our work cut out for us for the next few weeks, but we’re not without the resources to get it done.

I leave you with a stunning video that could change how you think of Saturn forever. And this is just the trailer:

In Saturn’s Rings

Wishing you all much love and lion-hearted courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast January 21: Full Moon in Leo

Obama’s first inauguration, 2009. Image credit: Senior Master Sgt. Thomas Meneguin, USAF

As we begin this week, all eyes are on Washington, with three quarters of a million people expected to attend the inauguration of President Barack Obama. It’s a fitting start to a week that will end in the Full Moon in Leo, the sign of rulers.

Now, I’m sensitive to the fact that many of you aren’t in the United States – at last count, RealAstrologers had readers in 180 countries – and while I don’t believe the world turns on everything we do here, it’s hard not to be influenced by one’s culture. Still, I think it’s fair to say that this is one time when activities in Washington really are of global importance.

Over the past week, I’ve been looking at charts for another potential leader, one not even born yet. That would be the first child of Prince William and the former Kate Middleton, whose due date has been revised to July. Palace officials were forced to announce her pregnancy prematurely in early December, because she had to be hospitalized for a rare form of “morning sickness” (technically, it’s not, but that’s how it has been reported). At the time, they said she was 12 weeks pregnant. Of course, I did a quick look at the charts to see if that would put her due date around the time of the grand water trine in July. It didn’t, and so I forgot about it. But then it was announced last week that her due date in fact is in July. I just had to do a video, and fortunately, I was able to knock it out in a few days – I’m getting faster with experience.

Beyond that, I’m a big fan of Kate’s, not because I care about what she wears or how she cuts her hair, but because of the way she has stepped up to the plate to accept her destiny, with more grace and class than most of us would be able to muster. Sure, she gets the best of anything money can buy. But can you imagine being on a international diplomatic tour, with every twitch of your little finger under a microscope, while tabloids were splashing photos of your naked breasts all over the front page? Well, OK, I suppose there are people who get off on that sort of thing. I’d be mortified. On top of that, she’s been on baby watch since the wedding (if not before), as though she were a brood mare.

Anyway, those of you who like to analyze birth charts will have a lot of fun with this video, which shows some fascinating family patterns. Incidentally, these patterns often show up in families. My own is no exception. I’m an Aquarius with Moon in Pisces. My father was an Aquarius, and my mother was a Pisces with Moon and Venus in Aquarius. Both older siblings were Aquarius and Pisces.

Back to this week …

Mercury makes positive aspects to Uranus and Jupiter on Tuesday, stimulating creative thought and big, bold ideas. If you get a legitimate opportunity to turn them into reality, jump on it. The key word here is “legitimate,” and it may be hard for you to determine whether or not you’re onto something big. There’s a lot of impulsiveness in this combination. If you can buy time to sleep on any offers, do it. If you can’t, talk to a friend or someone you trust to give you a reality check.

These same two aspects are repeated by the Sun on Thursday and Friday, so it’s quite possible that if you decide to sleep on the deal of the century and lose out, you’ll get another chance. In fact, any opportunities should stay open right up to the Full Moon on Saturday.

Click on image to enlarge

The chart for this Full Moon looks a little scary, with the Sun and Moon forming a fixed T-square with Saturn (Mercury squares Saturn on Friday). Obstacles can seem insurmountable, and that can be depressing. However, I’m going to go with a more optimistic read on this Full Moon, thanks to the aforementioned positive aspects. Indeed, the square with Saturn could be just the sobering influence we need to bring pie-in-the-sky plans down to earth, where they actually could be turned into a profitable venture with some careful thought and hard work. Jupiter is stationed, about to turn direct on January 30, making it even more likely that we can get our big projects off the ground.

As you know, I take a cautious approach to asteroids in the chart, since I believe we’re still in an experimental stage regarding how these energies work. But I can’t help think that the close conjunction between Uranus and Pallas is significant. The most intriguing interpretation I’ve seen of Pallas to date comes from Christina of the Oxford Astrologer, who assigns to her an ability to recognize patterns. As she notes, this is particularly important in astrology. Astrology is all about recognizing patterns in order to use planetary energies to further our goals and fulfill our highest potential.

Be receptive to new ideas this week, but also start preparing for Jupiter’s return direct. Look at where he’s transiting your natal chart for an idea of where you’ll get the most help in advancing a cause. I started putting out feelers about a week ago, with some interesting results starting to come in.

Wishing you much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast October 29: Full Moon in Taurus, Venus Square Pluto

At this time of year, the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest. It’s not hard to imagine how this phenomenon gave rise to All Hollow’s Eve, the Day of the Dead, All-Saints Day, and other traditions involving ghosts and goblins.

These days, though, when we talk about the thinning of the veil, it’s not just about Halloween but often is in the context of what some people refer to as past lives. I call them “other lives,” in acknowledgement that “past” depends on the illusion of linear time. As more people have these memories, we begin to understand how everything is connected and how relationships can survive across many lifetimes. However, it’s one thing to say we’re all connected, but quite another to feel it deeply in our bones.

If you’re having these memories or thinking along these lines, this week’s Full Moon in Taurus may bring up new and important information. The popular notion of “karma” is that we did something terrible in a past life and have to pay for it this one. Given the violent history of humankind, it’s possible and even likely that many of us did do something horrendous, and as we begin accessing these other lifetimes, we may recall situations that are hard to face.

However, it’s also possible that what bubbles up into our consciousness, while distressing, isn’t our fault. I recently had a client who was freaking out because he thought he murdered his girlfriend in a previous lifetime. With some digging, I uncovered an alternative explanation in which both of them contributed to her demise by having an illicit romance in an era when adulterous wives of nobility were put to death. Did he kill her? We can imagine that, at the time, a man in those circumstances would have thought so and felt crushing guilt in addition to the grief of losing his beloved.

These kinds of memories are so powerful that they can survive physical death. Another theory is that trauma registers in our DNA, and the memories are from ancestors. We don’t know exactly how this recall works, but it’s my theory that when we have a traumatic experience, it registers in our energy field and ripples across dimensions of time and space to other incarnations – and not necessarily in a one-way direction. The psychic underworld, where these events are registered, falls within the realm of Pluto and Scorpio. There are many ways of looking at Saturn and Pluto in mutual reception, not the least of which is collective financial reckoning. However, it’s also a perfect setup for karmic reckoning, and there’s no more fitting time for full disclosure than the Full Moon.

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The chart for this Full Moon isn’t an easy one, with Saturn closely conjunct the Sun in Scorpio and opposite the Moon in Taurus. Painful endings and being forced to let go will be themes for many. The good news is that both Sun and Moon are in favorable aspect with Pluto, Scorpio’s ruler and planet of transformation and rebirth. The old cliché “an ending is but a new beginning” definitely applies. With Pluto in favorable aspect, there’s also a good possibility that accessing other dimensions will help access and release negative karma. The close trine from the Sun and Saturn to Neptune and Ceres provides additional support for recognizing the cyclical nature of life and for approaching difficult memories with compassion and acceptance.

There are several oppositions and squares in the Full Moon chart, including the Uranus-Pluto square, the defining aspect of our time. Ceres opposes Pluto and forms a cardinal T-square (you can’t see it in the chart, because I’m not able to isolate aspects to Ceres in Kepler software). Once again, we may revisit issues that dominated our lives in the summer of 2010. From Wednesday to Friday, Venus in early Libra forms a fourth leg, turning the T-square into a grand cross. At the peak of the cardinal T-square in August 2010, Mars and Saturn were conjunct in early Libra. Venus rules Libra and is a much gentler energy, so it’s possible that we can make further progress in the new directions that many of us began taking back then, especially within our closest relationships. With Uranus in the mix, there’s still an element of volatility and unpredictability, but that also means the door is wide open to revolutionary change.

The fourth opposition in the Full Moon chart involves Mars in Sagittarius and Jupiter retrograde in Gemini. This is not an inherently “bad” opposition and can represent a burning quest for knowledge. The downside is that it’s a classic setup for war and aggression, with a tendency to overreach.

We also have a square between Neptune and Mercury, who enters Sagittarius earlier on Monday. Blurting out the truth and confused thinking – not a good combination, especially if you happen to be running for political office. Then, who knows? Maybe one of the candidates in their sleep-deprived end-of-campaign state will accidentally tell the truth. This is the first of three squares between Mercury and Neptune between now and the middle of December, due to the Messenger’s retrograde phase. Mercury is moving in slow motion this week as he approaches retrograde on November 6. We’re well into the pre-retrograde shadow period, so be sure to wrap up projects, sign important contracts, and back up computer data early this week. Don’t wait!

So, here we are, heading into the darkest days of winter, with a stressful Full Moon and, on top of that, a potentially catastrophic storm heading for the East Coast of the United States. Meteorologists have commented that the gravitational force of the Full Moon threatens to make the storm worse. With the addition of a difficult astrological chart, it does look like a perfect storm. To all of my dear friends and clients in harm’s way, please take measures to stay safe.

Wishing you all much love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast July 2: Full Moon in Capricorn, Mars Enters Libra

Here in the Pacific Northwest, it’s gloomy and cold, but we’re not complaining much, given that the rest of the world is either burning or under water, with high winds thrown in for good measure.

It’s always tricky pinning weather phenomenon to astrological configurations, but there seem to be strong correlations here. Jupiter, symbol of “big,” is in Gemini, an air sign … and we get high winds. Neptune is in his (some say “her”) own sign of Pisces, and we get floods. The Sun is in Cancer, another water sign. Last week, they were all dancing together in a close dance, and it manifested as weather that perfectly expressed the character of the cosmic dancers.

The fires are something else. Whenever you see the word “wild,” Uranus is an immediate suspect. Uranus is in Aries, the first and most impulsive of the three fire signs. It’s hard not to correlate the wild fires in the Western United States with the Uranus-Pluto square. There are other possible correlations to this signature, too. Ray Merriman discusses the other potential manifestations in his weekly column, and he’s much better than I at explaining financial developments.

The Uranus-Pluto square is with us for the next three years – and, if the 1960s are any indication, the manifestations of it will continue to unfold for a few years after that. As I’ve mentioned before, the most explosive year in that decade was 1968, even though the Uranus-Pluto conjunction officially ended more than a year before. It’s safe to say that the biggest events are yet to come.

This past week has been wild and crazy for a lot of us. We’re exhausted, freaking out over lack of jobs and money, working too hard for what we do have, and finding less and less time to relax and have fun. I’ve been asked several times whether I think it has anything to do with the Uranus-Pluto square. Yes and no. Outer planetary cycles such as these tend to manifest socially, culturally, and globally. But that doesn’t mean that each of us isn’t affected. When everyone is stressed out, it stresses us out even more – especially those who are the least bit psychic or pick up on the emotions of those around them. The water signs and those with Moon in water signs are particularly susceptible to picking up on this collective stress.

To be clear, the planets aren’t “causing” the stress. However, I do believe that the Uranus-Pluto square represents a push for totally overhauling how we live. We can’t keep going to our jobs every day, working harder and getting paid less, paying more and more taxes for fewer services (and paying more for those services in addition), feeling more exhausted and less personally rewarded, and not reach a breaking point. It’s not a question of “if” but “when.”

Click on image to enlarge

“When” may get a little closer this week with Tuesday’s Full Moon in Capricorn conjunct Pluto and square Uranus. The conjunction is a bit wide – more than four degrees – but it’s close enough for government work, as they say. Pluto, meanwhile, is at the apex of a Yod with Venus and Mercury. No matter how you dissect it, it looks like Pluto is the breaking point in this configuration. Pluto in Capricorn is about big government, authoritarian rule, and the impenetrable power of multinational corporations. On a personal level, there’s a higher-than-normal risk of explosive emotions and quiet implosions. You know yourself better than anyone, so I won’t tell you what you should do if you feel an outburst coming on.

A few hours before the Full Moon, Mars enters Libra, which is also big news. Mars, the planet of action and aggression, has been in diligent but nitpicky Virgo for nearly eight months. Normally, Mars stays in a sign for about six weeks, but due to his retrograde cycle, he has had an extended stay in Virgo. Mars and Venus both went retrograde this year, and in signs ruled by Mercury, who also was retrograde in April. Getting anything done in the first half of this year has been fraught with setbacks, delays, and less-than-stellar feedback. Mars leaving Virgo should help ease up on the obstacles, although Mercury is about to go retrograde toward the end of next week. Still, I don’t think it will be as frustrating as the past six months.

If you’d like to know where Mercury is going to be retrograde in your chart – as well as a lot of other essential information for surviving the summer – I highly recommend my StarGuide Summer forecast. If you order now, I’ll add a few extra weeks of transits to the end of the report, since the season is already well under way. I do have to tell you, though, that my schedule is still very tight, even with classes over the summer, and so my normal turnaround time of two days for reports has stretched to 3-5 days. My consulting hours are reduced, too, so if you’d like a reading, I suggest setting it up as soon as possible. I currently have a wait period of about two weeks.

Getting back to Mars in Libra, my take on this particular passage is that it’s going to somehow activate the entire cycle of Saturn in Libra. Saturn, you may recall, entered Libra in 2010, right as a powerful T-square in the early degrees of the cardinal signs was forming. It peaked in July and August of that year, which many of us remember as a time that was volatile, frustrating, and enervating, even while new doors were opening to us and new directions beckoning. Over the next week or so, as Mars passes through the early degrees of Libra, watch for events or circumstances that somehow link back to the summer of 2010, especially in terms of your closest relationships or important partnerships. Mars will conjoin Saturn in mid-August, an important passage, about which I’ll write more as the date gets closer.

On Wednesday, Mercury, Venus, and Uranus form a lovely sextile-trine arrangement. This is an overall positive configuration that will express itself as surprises in love, money, and communications. Sudden meetings, unexpected phone calls, a text message that makes you sit up and take notice – these are the kinds of events we might expect on a personal level.

There are some other minor aspects this week, but I’m going to stop there so that I can get this forecast posted and hopefully get a few hours of sleep for another grueling week.

Wishing you all unlimited love and courage,
Pat

Full Moon in Leo, January 29-30, 2010

After the intensity of the past two eclipses, the Full Moon at 10°14′ Leo on January 29 will be much easier to live with (January 30 in the Eastern Hemisphere).

The chart for this lunation has three main conversations – one between the Moon conjunct Mars in Leo opposing the Sun conjunct Venus in Aquarius, Jupiter in Pisces sextile Pluto in Capricorn, and Saturn in Libra exactly squaring Pluto. Mercury in Capricorn, Neptune in Aquarius, and Uranus in Pisces form only minor aspects and are content to mutter quietly in the background.

I find it amusing the way Venus and Mars are aligned with the Sun and Moon. Ultimately, they balance each other out nicely. Traditionally, Venus and the Moon have more in common, as both are more receptive in nature, while Mars and the Sun are both more assertive and outgoing.

On one hand, pairing Venus with the Sun in cool, cerebral Aquarius tones down the exuberance of Sol, ruler of Leo, and gives Venus a decidedly independent streak. On the other, Mars in Leo is still retrograde, reducing his normal force and bluster to a whisper for now, making it much easier for him to find common ground with the Moon, whose normal fluidity is firmed up in fixed, fiery Leo.

What this gives us is better-than-normal opportunities to sit down with partners of all types and work out any issues creating problems. Our differences will be easier to define under the brilliant light of the Full Moon, and since the atmosphere is less divisive than usual, we stand a better chance of finding points of compromise.

Be warned, though, it is essential to be as honest and equitable as possible, because the second of three squares between Saturn in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn is exact on Sunday, January 31. I know I sound like a broken record on the subject, but right now unscrupulous behavior will bring us to grief in the end. Pluto does not take prisoners ever, and Saturn in Libra is backing him up on this. Consider what has and is happening to Capricorn Tiger Woods and his Capricorn wife, Elin, if you will.

Jupiter is now in Pisces and is making a waxing sextile to Pluto in Capricorn. This aspect softens the edges and introduces a deeper sense of compassion and caring to the collective than we have experienced in awhile. I am still maintaining a “wait and see” approach to Jupiter in Pisces, because Pisces is very good at faking us out – it is a much more powerful sign than it is often given credit for. Think oceans and tsunamis . . .

Mercury in Capricorn is semi-sextile the Sun and Venus in Aquarius and seems very intent on catching up on the backlog left from the days it was retrograde. Mercury ruled types like Virgos and Geminis are very busy right now from what I’m hearing. Even after Mercury moves into Aquarius, the first thing it will do is trine Saturn in Libra – taking care of business will still be in order.

As for the ongoing mutual reception between Neptune in Aquarius and Uranus in Pisces, it does provide an excellent backdrop for the Sabian symbol of 11 Aquarius, “During a silent hour, a man receives a new inspiration which may change his life.” If we take time to quiet our minds each day, we can tap into the rich world of the imagination to renew our creativity.

For the Moon, the Sabian symbol is 11 Leo, “Children play on a swing hanging from the branches of a huge oak tree.” What a wonderful image to inspire us to take time to play and renew our acquaintance with what it means to be joyous. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m ready for a break from the intensity of the past month or so.

Take time to laugh and play with family and friends on this Full Moon, if you can. Sharing joy heals places within ourselves that we often didn’t even realize needed it.

posted by Diane . . .

Weekly Forecast August 3: Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Aquarius

Well, this is my big week, with a lunar eclipse exactly on my Sun at 13 degrees Aquarius on Wednesday. Over the past year, I’ve been alternatively dreading and anticipating this moment, hoping that something would shift to bump me up a notch.

Anyone with the Sun, Moon, or Ascendant within five degrees of this eclipse is likely to experience sudden or sweeping changes. An eclipse on Venus or Mars will be noticeable, too.

Even if this eclipse doesn’t touch any of your personal planets or chart angles, a situation or relationship that has dominated your life in the past year and a half will come to closure or resolution now. That’s because this is the last eclipse in a series in Aquarius and Leo, which began in February 2008. Wherever Aquarius and Leo fall in your natal chart, that’s where you can expect to experience a final chapter. I wrote about this in a Saturday Extra! column on July 11. Also, for more information on this Full Moon eclipse, check out Neith’s excellent post (we skipped last week’s Q&A in order to get it to you as soon as possible).

Wednesday’s Full Moon may have an entirely different meaning for you, in that it brings to fullness the energy of the powerful solar eclipse on July 21 at 29 degrees Cancer. If you didn’t notice anything in particular then, you may feel the effects now. Admittedly, there’s so much going on in the sky that it’s hard to tell which celestial phenomena are associated with particular events in your life (notice that I didn’t write “caused”). If you’re confused and want to know more, I highly recommend a session with your favorite consulting astrologer.

Whether this lunar eclipse or the previous solar eclipse is the bigger influence for you, you may be feeling the effects already. In 1990, the last time we had eclipses at these degrees, I started feeling the lunar eclipse two months in advance, and those events reverberated into my life for a good year afterward. It should be noted, however, that the lunar eclipse at 13 degrees Aquarius in 1990 was not the last one in a series, so events continued to unfold as the eclipses in Aquarius and Leo progressed into 1991. Perhaps this eclipse will be the last chapter to more than one book, kind of like the gripping conclusion of the Harry Potter series.

So, enough about eclipses! There are other things happening this week, too, although they pale in comparison. On Monday, Mercury in Virgo trines Pluto in Capricorn. Virgo is one of Mercury’s two home signs, although it can make a nitpicker out of the Messenger. Fortunately, this easy trine aspect lends itself toward constructive criticism, and Pluto in Cap will get right on the job and fix whatever needs repair, whether it’s your garden fence or a ding in your self-esteem.

After being eclipsed by the Sun on Wednesday, the Moon spends Thursday carrying that energy to Neptune & Co., all of whom are retrograde I’ve written a lot about the healing potential of this triple conjunction. Since they’re all going back, we might expect a final chapter in a healing process than began sometime in the past 18 months. Or, you might have been working on issues from the distant past. Again, to understand how this energy is active in your life, look at which house in your natal chart Neptune is currently occupying.

On Friday, Mercury sextiles Venus. Once again, the nitpicking tendencies of Mercury in Virgo are softened by an easy aspect. Venus in Cancer is receptive, and so this combination is good for discussing potentially upsetting issues in a sensitive and caring way. Remember, you don’t need a sledgehammer when a simple tap will suffice. Moreover, the Moon in Pisces on Friday and Saturday make it easy to empathize with others. Being kind was never so easy, so take every opportunity to open your heart.

Much love and courage to all, see you on the other side.
Pat

Image: The “solar eclipse of the century,” July 21, 2009. Alan Dyer, who was on a cruise ship sailing in the Northern Cook Islands, captured this amazing image at the peak of the event. You can see more images by Alan and other eclipse chasers on SpaceWeather.com.