Tag Archives: lunar eclipse

Weekly Forecast September 28: Sun Conjunct Mercury

“Of course it’s OK to take those bags of money at your feet, John, and here’s a bonus. Would I lie to you?”

There’s only one major planetary aspect this week, giving us a chance to catch our breath after all the shifting that happened last week. However, it will not be business as usual.

As the week begins, we’re still in the wake of Sunday’s powerful lunar eclipse in Aries. Events related to this eclipse will continue to unfold through Wednesday. That said, when eclipses are this intense, events can occur up to three months ve. For some, life events that correspond to this eclipse already have happened.

Eclipses can bring rapid changes, often faster than we can cope with. In that regard, Mercury retrograde could be a blessing, as news of a big change could come a few weeks before the actual change. Keep in mind, though, that everything is subject to revision Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast September 21: Sun Enters Libra, Full Moon Eclipse in Aries

This week is the second most significant in 2015, astrologically speaking, with several shifts and a lunar eclipse, the last of four in a row.

The first shift is the Sun’s entry into Libra, the fall or spring equinox, depending on whether you’re north or south of the equator. In Western culture, the equinox is considered the first day of fall, but I view it as mid-autumn. We’re now in the final descent into the dark days of winter.

The two key associations of Libra are personal relationships and diplomacy, which is just a large-scale relationship between nations. Many of the same principles apply: listening and responding, give and take, negotiating and compromise. The point is to achieve balance and harmony, Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast April 6: Jupiter Direct, Venus Enters Gemini

Spring smiles. © Gretchen Friedrich, 2015.

Image for this week: You’re driving on an eight-lane highway in the pouring rain, with a semi-truck passing on your left, buffeting your car in his draft. It seems like he’s been there forever, but thankfully he moves on.

And then the spray from his tires hits your windshield with a big splat. It’s not like you didn’t see it coming, but you can’t prevent being blinded for a second or two. Still, that’s no big deal, as long as you’ve been paying attention and know what’s in front of you.

As the week begins, we’re still in the draft of Saturday’s lunar eclipse, and the Uranus-Pluto square is activated by the Sun and Mercury. Nonetheless, Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast October 6: Full Moon Eclipse in Aries, Mars Trine Jupiter

Lunar Eclipse in 2000, image courtesy Fred Espinak. More at www.Mr.Eclipse.com.

It often happens that we’re surprised by events, when, looking back, the signs were there all along.

I could say that that’s one of the major themes of my life. There have been many instances, especially in my younger years, when simply paying attention could have saved me a lot of grief. But then, it’s not always that simple, is it?

There is so much noise from outside that it can drown out our intuition, which in any case is ridiculed as inferior to rational thinking. We are taught not to trust what’s in our hearts. Well, as I’ve said before, the heart is the seat of the mind; the brain is just a tool. Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast September 29: Venus Enters Libra, Mercury Retrograde

Seatbelt required. Ulysses and the Sirens, by John William Waterhouse, 1891.

The captain has turned on the seat belt sign in anticipation of turbulence ahead and kindly requests that you return to your seats.

You’ll probably be more comfortable if you comply, but not doing so could be a lot more interesting, as long as you don’t mind a few bruises (and your name isn’t Ulysses). You just never know what you might stumble upon or whose lap you might fall into.

This state of instability with inherent opportunities for growth and change will persist through the middle of October. It might not even be possible to stay in one place if you wanted to, and there are no guarantees that it will be any less stressful. The thing with this energy is that you Continue reading →

Weekly Forecast April 14: Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Libra, Pluto Retrograde

Lunar Eclipse in 2000, image courtesy Fred Espinak.

Many years ago, I had a dream that I was hanging on to tree roots on the bank of a raging river. I was afraid to let go, but my shoulders were being pulled out of their sockets, and I was getting so exhausted that I couldn’t hang on any longer.

Once I let go, I was carried along by the current, which while dangerously fast, buoyed me up and allowed me to keep my head above water. I overcame my fear by trusting that I would land in the “right” place.

There are times when we need to fasten our seatbelts, hold on, and ride out the turbulence. Then there are times when being restrained is dangerous, and staying in one place subjects us to a terrible battering by Continue reading →

Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Aries, October 18

Friday’s Full Moon at 25°51′ Aries occurs with the first in a new series of eclipses in the Libra-Aries sign pair, although there are still three in the Scorpio-Taurus series, one of which is a powerful solar eclipse on November 3.

This Friday’s lunar eclipse is penumbral; that is, it passes through part of the earth’s shadow. It’s not as dramatic as a total lunar eclipse, which can make the Moon look a creepy blood red. Still, it’s significant astrologically, especially since this is the first eclipse in a new sign pair.

The ruler of this Full Moon is Mars, the planet of action and aggression. Since ancient times, astrologers have observed the movements of Mars to predict wars and other disasters. As I noted in my weekly forecast, Mars just entered Virgo on Tuesday (“Mars day”) and immediately conjoined Regulus, one of the four Royal Stars of Persia and sign of kings. Also in conjunction was Comet ISON, which isn’t visible yet with the naked eye. ISON will track with Mars through early November. During this time, Uranus in Aries moves closer to a square with Pluto, exact on November 1. On November 3, there is a total eclipse of the Sun in Scorpio, in a sextile with Mars by exact degree.

Although Virgo isn’t an aggressive sign for Mars, it’s no secret that hawkish factions in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East are itching for another war. We narrowly averted an escalation in Syria, which I think we can attribute to the huge public outcry. Whoever was behind that venture has had to go back to the drawing board, and we can’t discount the possibility of black ops designed to instill fear and whip up public support for an armed conflict. While that sounds terribly conspiratorial, it’s not a stretch, given the countries involved. Regardless, the Mars-Neptune opposition in the chart for this Friday’s eclipse suggests major deception and cover-ups, whether they involve war or political battles.

Virgo rules public service, which includes federal workers and military personnel. Some of these people are furloughed under the U.S. government shutdown or working with partial or no pay, and they’re fighting mad. Virgo also rules healthcare, and there are plenty of people in the United States angry about that, too. Evidently, the deal to reopen the government currently on the table in the U.S. Senate involves creating a committee to discuss cuts in entitlement programs. In other words, the congressional infighting over the past 16 days is far from over.

Click on image to enlarge

There are some bright spots in the chart for this eclipse, including a supportive trine from Venus to Uranus (exact today). Uranus is the planet of rebellion and freedom. One of the better attributes of Aries is pioneering leadership, but the Uranus-Aries combination has a certain element of rebelling just for the heck of it or starting an uprising spontaneously with no clear goals – not a terribly effective method for fighting the authoritarianism of Pluto in Capricorn. Negotiation is a better strategy, especially with the Sun in Venus-ruled Libra, sign of harmony and compromise.

From an individual standpoint, how this eclipse unfolds for you depends on where it falls in your natal chart. In general, though, relationships are a key theme. Just about everything in life depends on relationships. How many people fail at their jobs, not because of incompetence, but because of office politics? People often get ahead through networking and who they know. If you have a health condition, your relationship with your doctor, alternative healthcare provider, or psychologist can be key to the healing process. Relationships with classmates and teachers can have a last impact on your life and career. And so forth. Aries is self-reliant and needs a great deal of freedom, while Libra needs to be in a relationship to feel whole and fulfilled. Friday’s eclipse highlights these two extremes. If you experience conflict in a significant relationship, try to observe the dynamics in as neutral and detached a manner as possible. Who wants what? How do they get it? If they don’t get it, how do they respond? Is their response appropriate?

The square between Venus and Chiron focuses our attention on how we have been wounded in relationships. With Chiron in Pisces, this can include relationships in other lifetimes. I don’t know anyone who has entered a new relationship with a blank slate. Some people are aware of what they’re carrying from the past, but most aren’t. It’s a tough balance, and it takes a lot of honesty, trust, and self-knowledge on both sides to work through conflict.

Trust could be especially hard to come by this weekend, when the Mars-Neptune opposition is exact. If you suspect that someone isn’t being upfront with you, it might be wise to hang back for a bit and just observe. A little investigation might be warranted, but make sure you don’t abuse someone else’s trust in the process. Reading someone else’s e-mail is a no-no, unless you have ample reason to believe they’re plotting a murder.

Mercury is stationing to turn retrograde on Monday. Be sure to back up computer data starting now. If you are working on important correspondence or contracts, it would be better to wait until after November 10. However, this may not be possible. We don’t always have a choice. At the very least, read the fine print. With Mercury in Scorpio, it’s possible that there are hidden terms and conditions. Secrets may be exposed during this retrograde. Take care to ensure they’re not yours. Many e-mail programs automatically fill in addresses after you type a letter or two. I don’t have to tell you where that can end up. Mercury stations in close contact with Jupiter, suggesting that any errors are going to be real whoppers.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Weekly Forecast April 15: Sun, Venus and Mars Enter Taurus

Early signs of spring. © James A. Weythman.

We’re now officially heading into “eclipse season,” with Uranus and Pluto moving closer to an exact square. Breakdowns are occurring more frequently, clearing the way for breakthroughs.

The breakdown energy is manifesting for me personally, so I am totally with you on this and know firsthand how confusing, upsetting, and scary the process can be. Trying to stay grounded is almost impossible and in fact may defeat the purpose. Losing one’s mind is not necessarily a bad thing. Ancient rituals were designed precisely for that purpose. The thing is, they had certain procedures and safeguards – that’s the whole idea of a ritual – whereas we’re flying by the seat of our pants, often alone, without a strong support network of people who have been through it themselves and know how to provide a safety net.

Fortunately, we’ll get some good grounding energy this week when Venus, the Sun, and Mars move into solid-as-a-rock Taurus. Venus rules Taurus, so she’ll be “at home” in her own sign starting on Monday. She has been in her detriment in Aries and closely conjunct Mars – in other words, she has been in his territory, under his control. The tables turn on Saturday, when Mars enters Taurus. Now it’s her turn to set the tone and make the rules. The Sun enters Taurus on Friday. If nothing else the hectic pace should slow down so that we get a little space to breathe and reflect as we undergo a collective metamorphosis. Venus in Taurus likes to take her time, smell the flowers, appreciate art and beauty, and enjoy a gourmet meal with a glass of good wine.

Before all that happens, though, we have a conjunction of the Sun and Mars in late Aries on Wednesday, so for most of this week, we’ll continue to feel the immediate, impulsive, spontaneous energy of Aries. Remember, too, that Uranus in Aries takes his cue from Mars. I have a feeling that all the saber-rattling in North Korea will subside while Mars is in peace-loving Taurus. After that, who knows?

The two bigger trends, as I mentioned, are the upcoming eclipses and the first of two exact squares of Uranus and Pluto in 2013. In a normal year, there are four eclipses, but occasionally there are five or six. In 2013, we have five eclipses, three of which will occur in April and May. The first is the Full Moon lunar eclipse in Scorpio on April 25, followed by the New Moon solar eclipse in Taurus on May 9 and then the Full Moon lunar eclipse in Sagittarius on May 25. Typically, eclipses occur in pairs, and we have a two-week period between them that feels unsettled and chaotic, with the ground shifting beneath our feet. Since we have three eclipses in a row, we’ll get a whole month of that, although I’d say we’re already in it and will feel it until the end of May.

It’s also interesting to note that Wesak 2013 will fall on an eclipse – either on April 25 or May 25/26, depending on whether you use tropical or sidereal astrology. The Eastern countries, where Wesak is celebrated as the Buddha’s birthday (as well as his enlightenment and death), tend to use sidereal astrology. It’s a bit complicated to explain, but essentially Western tropical astrology is a sign ahead, so on April 25, the Full Moon is in Scorpio according to tropical calculations but still in Libra according to sidereal calculations. I say there’s no reason we can’t celebrate Wesak twice.

Last year, Wesak was on May 5 according to both branches of astrology. I did my usual ritual of putting a bowl of water outside and letting it “absorb” the rays of the Full Moon, then drank it later and went into a deep meditation. I was jolted out of it by a shocking past-life memory that burst into my vision so forcefully that I started crying and cried for three days. The information changed my whole outlook on a difficult relationship I’d been in. I’d suspected, given our charts, that there were strong karmic connections, but I didn’t know exactly what they were until that memory surfaced.

Scorpio and its modern ruler, Pluto, are associated with the ability to see into other dimensions of reality, what some call “past lives” but which I prefer to call “other lives” in recognition that the human concept of time is an illusion. Pluto went retrograde last week, and suddenly we’re tapping into those other lifetimes again, especially in terms of karmic relationships. I think we’re going to experience more of this in the next six weeks, and there’s a good chance that difficult karmic connections finally will get “resolved,” to the extent possible. Major breakthroughs could occur as we get closer to the Uranus-Pluto square, which is exact on May 20, right before the eclipse on May 25. Incidentally, that eclipse is the last in a series in Gemini and Sagittarius (according to tropical astrology), which began on the solstice on December 21, 2010. As such, it represents the closing of a chapter and final resolution.

Uranus adds an element of unpredictability into the picture, and while it’s nearly impossible to foresee events when Uranus is involved in an aspect, we might get some hints this Saturday and Sunday when Mercury squares Uranus and Pluto. Mercury is the Messenger and often “brings” advance news. Moreover, with Mercury square Pluto, we can get deep insight into situations that normally wouldn’t be available to us.

The only other aspect this week is an easy sextile between Venus and Neptune. Venus in Taurus and Neptune in Pisces are a beautiful combination of physical, sensual pleasure and higher love. This is soul mate material. Normally I wouldn’t give it much significance on its own, but given other aspects, it could provide an additional piece of information if you think you’ve found The One.

Before I go, I’d like to announce that I’m bringing back the Q&A. I’m aiming to launch it on Thursday, depending on my schedule. If you have a quick question, please send it using this form. I won’t be able to answer all questions and will select which ones to answer based on whether other readers would be interested. I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to answer questions like, “My whole sucks, what do I do?”

Second, the StarGuide Spring forecast is now on sale for 25 percent off, and there’s still plenty of spring left – including three eclipses!

Wishing you all infinite love and courage,
Pat

Weekly Forecast November 26: Mercury Direct, Lunar Eclipse in Gemini

Astrologically, this is a huge week, with three important conjunctions, Mercury turning direct just before a lunar eclipse in Mercury-ruled Gemini, and everything connected.

We’re already seeing the effects of the planetary configuration in the eclipse chart, which is complex and exceedingly rare. The Mars-Uranus square peaked on Friday, and right on cue, there was a huge explosion in Springfield, Mass., followed by a tragic fire on Saturday at a garment factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

I predicted in last week’s forecast that the Mars-Uranus square might be mitigated by the conjunction of Venus and Saturn, favorably angled to Mars and Pluto. In the case of the Springfield explosion, this seemed to be the case. How likely is it that a blast that size in a major city like Springfield would result in no fatalities? According to a story by The Associated Press, officials marveled how the “blast occurred when a day care center next door was closed. The center’s building was heavily damaged.” In the chart timed for the explosion, Venus and Saturn were in the fifth house, which rules children. Vesta, an asteroid named for the Roman goddess who protected the community, was on the Ascendant.

And yet, the chart for the Dhaka fire has almost the same Ascendant, with Venus and Saturn in the fifth house as well, and as we know from news reports, at least 124 people died, most of them women. The only apparent difference in the charts is the position of the Moon, which in the Dhaka chart is at a near-exact inconjunct with chart-ruler Mercury, stationed (stopped) in preparation for returning direct tomorrow. According to news reports, emergency exits were blocked, and the workers were trapped.

This is a good reminder that astrology can’t tell you “what’s going to happen to you.” Our actions do count, and we can affect the outcome of situations. According to news reports, the Dhaka factory was tagged more than a year ago for unsafe conditions – by, of all ironies, Wal-Mart, one of the factory’s leading buyers and a corporation not known for great working conditions. We can choose not to heed warnings, and sometimes we even get away with it. Then, when astrological conditions change, we pay.

What’s so tragic here is that the people who paid with their lives had no voice. That, in a nutshell, is what the Uranus-Pluto square is all about. The more people rise up and protest, the more forceful the backlash from the authorities becomes.

The closer we get to Wednesday’s Full Moon eclipse, the closer the planets will align, with the Sun right at the midpoint between Mars and Pluto on one side and Saturn and Venus on the other. I can’t get over how extraordinary this alignment is, and I expect that the manifestations of it will be equally as remarkable. I see the possibility that it is a small window, a narrow gateway, to accomplishing the impossible and finding resolution to the greatest conflicts facing humanity. I was thinking “war and peace,” when a link popped onto my screen for indie films about war and peace. I just love synchronicities.

In that context, my “big news” is relatively minor. Nevertheless, it was a major accomplishment for me to complete my first video for RealAstrologers. It’s a week later than I planned, with several problems I wasn’t able to resolve, despite several all-nighters. I definitely was tempting fate trying to do work requiring exacting detail during Mercury retrograde, but there was no way around it. With better planning, I’d have had the video done by the first of November, but I’ve also had a backlog of reports. Some of the things that went wrong in the video-making process would have been laughable for an astrologer, if not for the time and frustration – we know that this is exactly what happens with Mercury in “reverse.” I was seriously not amused that my program kept crashing when I was nearly done. Right up until the 11th hour, problems made mountains out of small, routine tasks. But I did have some fun, too, and I learned a ton – a major function of Mercury.

For sure, I’m not the only one who’s been tearing my hair out. On Wednesday, I got the following e-mail from a client:

Normally I heed well your warnings on Mercury retrograde. A week and a half ago I decided to purchase a new fridge, to replace the 30-year-old one in the house … After many problems it was delivered last Saturday and has yet to freeze an ice cube. I have had to toss much food, lose a day’s pay to a repairman, who said he can get a part in December, and lose my mind to the point of getting sick. As it stands right now I will be getting the useless one hauled out and new one in tonight. I will never blatantly disregard your warnings again!

The good news is that we have only one more day of this, and then we’ve got the green light … and how!

Click on image to enlarge

Most of this week’s aspects appear in the chart for the eclipse, starting with Monday’s Sun-Uranus trine. This is where I see the biggest potential for good surprises. We’ve had enough bad ones lately – then, nothing really surprises us much anymore … OK, maybe I shouldn’t have written that. As we found out with Hurricane Katrina, trines can be “good” for something other than humans. Nature is neutral and couldn’t care less how weather affects us. Likewise, the Universe is neutral. Our limited notion of “benefit” is just that – limited.

Also on Monday, Mercury returns direct. This is critically important, given that Mercury is the ruler of Wednesday’s eclipse. Mercury went retrograde in Sagittarius but returns direct in Scorpio, the sign of backroom deals, spies, and corporate secrets. It’s hard to imagine what kind of shocking information will come out in the next two weeks. Will any election results be overturned? The United Nations has declared Washington and Colorado in violation of international treaties for voting to legalize pot. This is just too bizarre for words. And what about Petraeus and Benghazi? I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop – namely, confirmation that the U.S. “consulate” in Benghazi was a CIA outpost, that this was not a secret in upper echelons, and that the Republicans’ faux outrage is a diversionary tactic. As for the impending “fiscal cliff” – well, who knows what surprises lie in store?

Later on Monday, Venus conjoins Saturn, immediately followed on Tuesday by the conjunction of Mars and Pluto. There is some deep symbolic significance here in that Venus and Mars are the quintessential male and female, that each is aligned with a “superpower,” and that those superpowers are virtually indistinguishable, due to their mutual reception. How much difference, really, is there between the one political party and another, one country or another? The polarities anymore are not between political parties or countries, but between social classes – those with political and economic power, and those without it. Protest movements around the world seem to identify more with one another than they do with their own national identities, with fast global communications as a means of connecting. This is the wave of the future.

Venus formally aligns with Pluto on Wednesday and with Mars on Thursday. The one factor that may make an immediate difference in U.S. national affairs is the number of women in Congress. In general (note emphasis), our values are different, with relationships being more important than dominance. I know that there are countries ahead of us in this regard – Iceland, for example. The vanguard is followed by the mainstream.

The one planet I didn’t discuss in my video was Jupiter, who is not far from the Moon in the eclipse chart. The conjunction is a bit wide to have much impact, and Jupiter is retrograde and in the sign of his fall. But there’s a little extra “luck” here nonetheless, plus some amplification of the power of the energies of the eclipse in general. So, even though it’s only a penumbral eclipse and you may not even see it, there’s a better chance that you’ll feel it in some area of your life.

I’m really excited about this week, and I’m especially looking forward to getting my work back on track. One of my first tasks (after taking care of client e-mail and some backlogged reports) will be to create the template for the StarGuide Winter 2013 Forecast. I just love it that some of you have pre-ordered before I even announced it. I’ll have an update in next week’s forecast.

In the meantime, much love and courage to all,
Pat

Lunar Eclipse in Gemini, November 28, 2012

I finally finished my video on the upcoming lunar eclipse. Yay!

Trying to do this kind of detailed work during Mercury retrograde has been a challenge, to say the least. Anything that could go wrong, did – everything from compatibility issues between my editing program and my new camera to a bad bathroom bang trim. The setbacks and delays were so numerous that I almost gave up a couple of times. All I could do was laugh, knowing that everything that happened was a supreme validation of astrology. And it was great fun to create the motion graphics, complete with exploding Gemini and imploding Pluto.

I’ll post my regular weekly forecast later today, so check back this evening. There’s so much going on this week! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy my first video for RealAstrologers.