Debate Anyone?

Vice Presidential Debate, Thursday Oct. 2nd

On Thursday evening at 5:46 PM, CDT, the Moon goes void of course after squaring Neptune in Aquarius.  One wonders if there is even going to be a vice presidential debate after all?  Unless, of course, it's between Claude Rains and Casper the Ghost.  But then maybe it's only an illusion of a debate going nowhere.  Or is it Palin's turn to run off and save the economy, as she grasps for some way out of this predicament?  I can't think of a worse combination for nothing getting done, much less a debate, than a Moon void of course period during a Mercury Retrograde period.  The most we can hope for is that these candidates are going to be getting strong lunar aspects to their own charts, or some other aspect that can help override some of the ennui of the Moon phasing out of Scorpio.  

There is an exact Mars/Pluto sextile on Thursday.  This is like a last ditch effort to save the world at the 11th Hour kind of aspect, just before both these planets likewise go void of course in their own fashions.  Mars will enter much stronger Scorpio late Friday night, but until then he's pussyfooting around in Libra.  Mars is the way you fight, and Libra, where Mars is now, is simply not usually a fighting sign.  Libra spends way too much time trying to look like the nice guy.  Look good.  Despite this, Mars/Pluto is pretty ruthless energy, so maybe this aspect will, in its own fashion, help to spice up this otherwise, pretty dull looking, evening.  Mars/Pluto energy has to do with gaining power, conquering, controlling and winning.  So maybe, despite the fact that they're coming from a position of weakness, this could be interesting after all.

The Mars/Pluto aspect will probably benefit Biden more than Palin, but we mustn't underestimate the fluff coated Sarah barracuda.  Biden benefits from Pluto's exact conjunction to his Progressed Mars now in far-seeing, optimistic, political, foreign affairs knowledgeable, and philosophical, Sagittarius.  Sounds like a mouthful, but the influence of Pluto here makes Biden feel like he can surmount any obstacle, and will not stop until he succeeds, even if it's his demise.  This is the aspect of the long distance runner, the mountain climber, and the sextile from Mars in Libra just gives enough grace and finesse not to look like he's  totally steamrolling right over Palin and leaving her flat.  Palin's Progressed Mars in Pisces is also being aspected by Pluto, this time by a square.  Don't let her appearance fool you.  She's got barracuda teeth in her fighting gloves.  And she doesn't care if she's prepared, or if she has what it takes, she's literally going to go down fighting, for what she perceives to be attacks on her ideals.  She sees herself, literally as a soldier for Jesus, or some sort of equivalent.  So she's not only fighting for her position, she's fighting for an ideal.  The big danger for her, is that she's pushing herself so hard, and being pushed so hard that it's going to take a toll on her physically.  The other problem with the square from Pluto is this tendency to just run roughshod over everyone and everything in her path as well.  So it's the steamroller vs. the Jesus tank.  That could be interesting.   Palin, though, will not have the benefit of the Mars in Libra grace to help her out.  She will have no patience with anyone disagreeing with or not supporting her.  Both candidates are going to feel frustrated and resentful, but Palin is going to have a harder time choreographing it.  Dancing with the Stars with both candidates trying to lead.

If you look at the other major aspects that each is receiving, this whole election thing is no holiday on the beach for either of them.  Palin's having her whole ego challenged and dissolved day by day, by Neptune undermining her, giving her terrible advice, leading her down the garden path and demanding that she make sacrifices and leaps of faith that she's not quite sure she wants to make.  She's receiving so many different messages, she's not sure what she's supposed to be saying, whom she should believe, what she's even hearing.  Luckily for Palin, she is also receiving a very strong and success driven, and exact trine from Jupiter to her Pluto (recognition, influence, assuming a leadership position, and importance) on the day of the debate.  This will help her a great deal.  However even Jupiter won't keep Neptune from being her unraveling and undoing.  When the Moon in Scorpio goes void of course it will not make any major aspects before it leaves Scorpio, but it will aspect Palin's late Aquarian planets: her Sun, Mars and Saturn.  The Sun is the ego, it is where you find your confidence and authority, and Neptune undermines these.  Neptune has this way of making you very aware of your own frailties and weaknesses.  Something someone, such as Palin, with a strong and determined, and yes, independent, Sun/Mars/Saturn conjunction such as she has, will feel very uncomfortable with.  Or perhaps, use to her advantage.  Neptune is also the thespian mask that you wear before the public.   Will the real Palin please stand up?

Neptune can also make you appear like a 'poor little victim, lost in the woods', which is something that Biden will need to be very, very careful of not contributing to.  Especially since the Moon in his case is applying to a trine to his Jupiter (larger than life, cock-sure and wise), and then will be conjunct his Progressed Midheaven and Sun in Scorpio (fame, success, being brought before the public).  Biden doesn't really appear to be so, but in reality, he's a private, reclusive, humanitarian, soft kind of a guy.  Much softer than Palin.  But with a Scorpio stinger that can be very effective if he cares to use it.  And this is his opportunity to shine, and toss that stinger hither and yon.  I'm just not sure if he's going to run with it.  Maybe for fear of looking like he's picking on the poor helpless Republican vice presidential candidate, governor of a state.  Or maybe he was taught never to hit girls, so even in his determination to win, win, win, he'll just be too polite, or something, so that he doesn't go for the gut.  Maybe that's why it will all seem so vacuous.  I hope not.  I want to see a real debate.  And not just because we need more Tina Fey fodder for our Saturday night entertainment.   

By the by, Biden is getting some really large, life altering,  almost scary looking aspects that come pretty close to exact around Election Day.  His world is going to be turned upside down and inside out.  Saturn will be exactly opposite Uranus on Election Day, right on the angles of his chart. Biden's no stranger to catastrophic Saturn/Uranus energy.  He was born with it.  However, this huge change, partially unexpected and from left field, will affect his whole career and destiny.  This demands much worthier exploration...

 

It's Still the Economy

The Libra New Moon

On Monday, September 29th, there will be a New Moon in the sign of Libra.  New Moon's represent the beginning of a cycle, or the opportunity for beginning something.  It's easier to swim with the tide, rather than against it, and the Lunar Cycle has its own tide that if tapped into, and worked with harmoniously, can ease the trials and tribulations of life.  Anything from initiating a new relationship, planting a seed, to bailing out Wall Street.  If it's done at its own time, in its own season, it will be more likely to bear fruit.  Done out of season, or trying to initiate a "Plan" during the Hecate (undoing) Moon, and with Mercury Retrograde, every time you think you've got it all worked out, in waltzed Mr. Know-it-all messer upper to throw a monkey wrench in the proceedings.  This New Moon is in the sign of relationships, bipartisanship, negotiations, debates, open enmity, as well as peaceful cooperation.  I always associate Librans with mirrors, and perfumes, and with Mercury Retrograde, all that sleight of hand, mirrors, whistles and talking out of both sides of your mouth stuff is still in play here, right through the middle of October.  It's hard to have honest discussions when people say one thing just to appease you, and then turn around and do something else!  You need to be able to listen and cooperate in order for partnerships (or bipartisanship) to work.  However, that's what the New Moon in Libra is supposed to be all about: it's an opportunity to initiate compromise, cooperation and working together, rather than at odds.  It's the opportunity to wake up to the realization that we're all in this together, rather than us against them.  The New Moon in Libra is about making compromises, making deals, partnerships, even if it means swallowing your pride, putting down the weapons for now, they're not going to work any way with Mars still in Libra.  People want to hear your points of view, and the only way we can do that is through conciliatory debate, without losing one's temper, without being critical or condescending.  It's really hard to be objective while Mercury is still Retrograde,, also in Libra, and sometimes it also makes it hard to hear what those "other" people are saying, but we must if the New Moon says so.  The New Moon falls into the 2nd House in the Washington, DC, New Moon chart, the house of, yes, you guessed it, Finances!  Yes, more of the same.  This month will continue to show concern over the economy, trade, finance, banking and issues about taxation.  The New Moon is applying to a square to Jupiter which is usually disturbing for commerce, and it also brings to light some sort of financial scandal, fraud or trouble that threatens the security of society, with huge financial expenditures.  Hopefully WaMu, which is being bought out by Chase (the largest bank failure in the history of the country, by far), is the only one failing this month, and the expenditures are due to the impending Wall Street bail outs, and not due to any more bloodletting in the banking industry.  But the extravagances now, can lead to heavy debts in the future.  The New Moon square to Jupiter also just creates an atmosphere of self-righteousness, religious issues, and intolerance for the beliefs of others.  Values and ethics conflict with those of others.  Libra is the sign of marriage, and there is a movement afoot in California to overturn recognizing same sex marriage.  Emotional investment in belief systems prevents people from seeing other points of view. 

The ruler of the New Moon chart (Virgo Rising) has Mercury Retrograde and heading back into the 2nd House as well, symbolically saying, "We have to take care of the broken economy first!", and then we can move forward with other business.  The stock market will continue to fluctuate all month as a result of this picture.  And probably due to misleading or false reports, you will see sudden drops in the stock market.  Mercury is just separating at the New Moon from an exact trine to Neptune, the planet of democracy, smoke, and morphine, in the house of the people, the workers, health care, the military and service.  There may be good news or speeches or promises, newsworthy stories, about the people in service to the country.  Or the people are simply trying to be recognized, be acknowledged, and may be the trade unions like what they are hearing.  There's a certain element of glamour to Neptune, that might just stave the people off from out right rebellion.  Appeasement of the masses by telling them what they want to hear, whether it's true or not.  With Saturn in the 1st House of the New Moon chart in Washington DC, applying to its opposition to Uranus this month, the sitting government is going to be in trouble.  This aspect just wreaks of divisiveness, with conservative Saturn stubbornly holding its own in the face of outright rebellion and inevitable change.  How can partnerships, cooperation and compromise be achieved in such a divisive atmosphere?  Libra is also the sign of open enmity, and it may be that the line is being drawn in the sand.  There will be those who flip flop back and forth across the divide, in Libran indecisiveness, but eventually they're going to have to choose their sides.  So which side are you on?  The side of conservatism, and fear of change?  Or the side of change, and freedom from an unpopular government.  Conditions that you have been putting up with, may become unbearable at this time.  For those who resist change, or are in denial about the need for change, and endure problems just to prevent upsetting things, may find that circumstances force them to change despite themselves, and this is not always as pleasant as taking the bull by the horns, jumping on its back, and initiating the changes yourself.  

This New Moon shows opportunities for initiative and demonstrating leadership in the chart of Obama, where the New Moon falls almost exactly on his Progressed Midheaven in the sign of Libra, the sign of partnership, bipartisanship, and a willingness to work with others.  Even your enemies.  He will definitely be in the spotlight this month, and will be working hard to make his goals and ambitions a closer reality.  Some may feel threatened by his sense of power and authority, others will welcome it.  One way or another, he is going to draw attention to himself in a grand way, and others will be looking to him to lead the way. He'll be enjoying the feeling of fellowship and support of working in cooperation with others to achieve his ends.  And he'll be truly loving every minute of it.

I'm not absolutely sure of the time that McCain was born, but with the time that I have it places the New Moon in his 12th House, which is not a strong augury.  In fact it's a very weak one.  It doesn't make any major aspects, however he is receiving one other major aspect, and that is from Uranus to his natal Saturn.  This can give one the feeling that the rug is being pulled out from under your feet.  Events and circumstances occur that break down structures that he had depended on and taken for granted.  This may be why he appears to be flip flopping all over the place.  He feels that by compromising he will sacrifice his personal integrity, and so he stubbornly persists (the fundamentals of the economy are strong?),  but then the events that are occurring, the situations in his life are showing him that by continuing and persisting with the same line of thought, the same ideas, he's going to lose sight of what is needed to be done, what needs to be changed.  And so he is being forced to realize that the old vantage related to deregulation, de-taxing the rich, and the resulting  trickle down poverty, simply isn't working.  It's breaking.  

Oh no! It's Mercury Retrograde again!

September 24, 2008

Mercury going Retrograde has been blamed for everything from the coffee maker refusing to drip, to the manicurist putting the wrong color on your nails.  Many of the things attributed to Mercury's Retrograde motion could also occur while Mercury is Direct, but it affects so many things in our everyday workaday lives that his reputation as trickster, in this respect, is legendary.  Mercury Retrograde periods are most noticeable in areas where Mercury Rules: transportation, communications, trade, business and education.  Which is why it irks everyone on some level in some area of their lives.  I suppose if you don't use a computer, you don't need to commute to work, you don't interact with the public in any way, you might escape the general confusion and frustration associated with this period, but really the only people who seem to sail through are those born when Mercury was Retrograde.  Those people who feel these periods most acutely are those who have the signs ruled by Mercury, Gemini and Virgo, strong in their charts, and those involved in Mercury ruled professions.  Yet even just trying to get to the store can be frustrating: conductors go on strike, dignitaries decide to visit the UN (that's a NYC favorite activity during Mercury Retrograde), trains crash into each other or through buses (yeah, that happened last week, supposedly before the Retrograde period, but still within the "foreshadow" of the affected retrograde degrees).  Needless to say, it's a terrible time to travel, unless you don't need to get there at a designated time, and you don't particularly need your luggage.  Because Mercury is now in Libra, an air sign, forget about the whole airplane thing.  Air signs are also communicating signs, so you're going to see more "I mispoke" statements tossed around.  Or even worse, the Libran tendency to say what they think people want to hear, rather than what they need to hear, as in the truth?  Mercury, the trickster, is also a miserable liar.  Libra is the sign of the diplomat, but with Mars here as well, you're going to see a lot of passively aggressive frustration.  People are either totally indecisive, or stubbornly, and beligerently biased, refusing to even consider the other's point of view.  People are not going to be listening to each other because they're not even going to be hearing what the other people are saying.  Debates are one-sided, as each party will be too busy talking and arguing their own point which they believe is the only important point of view. Negotiations break down as they are based on misunderstandings, and lawsuits will be thwarted and tainted by bias and emotions.  From the 5th to the 7th of October, Mercury will return to square Jupiter, an aspect that previously occurred on September 7th-9th.  At that time in the paper they were discussing 2 issues: 1) the US government taking over Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac which protected banks, particularly Asian banks overseas (Jupiter) that had invested in these companies.  We unrealistically saw a rise in Wall Street as it was thought prematurely that the move would bode well for financial institutions here at home.  Nah!  and, 2) we were still roiling over the nomination of Sarah Palin to the GOP vice presidential ticket.  This brought up discussion of religious (Jupiter) issues and questions concerning the separation of church (Jupiter) and state.  There was also a surge in the polls, as unrealistic enthusiasm (also Jupiter) also rose for the gun-toting Christian from the icy north.  Will we see a return to these issues in some form?  Or will we just see more snarls in traffic,, discontent among transportation workers, and issues with shipping and postal authorities.  The usual Mercury in Retrograde/Jupiter stuff.  At any rate, realistic solutions, the truth, a viable adjustment may not be made until after Mercury makes its final square while going Direct the 25-26th of October.  Although Mercury goes Direct on the 16th of October, it doesn't emerge from its ombrous shadow until the 31st.  So, is there anything the Retrograde Mercury is good for?  How about creative expression?  Mercury in Libra, the sign of beauty and art, will also be exactly trine imaginative and musical and mystical Neptune when it turns Retrograde.  People's thinking turns inward, and we tend to dwell on those things associated with the sign that Mercury is in and the aspects that it is making.  Relationships are re-united, as people re-emerge from the past.  Old creative projects put on the back burner, suddenly look inviting again.  So this period could prove to be quite prolific for the psychic, mystic, dramatic, artistic, writing, musical crowd.  

But since Mercury is Retrograde, you probably won't read this any way, so it doesn't really matter... but if you do, here's some advice, which you should never take when Mercury is retro: avoid yelling at people in other cars; bring a book to read while you're waiting for the subway (that way you won't have to look at the angry crazy guy sitting across from you); don't believe anything those politicians are telling you, they're all lying through their teeth; and go hear some really, really good music.

It's the Economy!!

Autumnal Equinox

9/22/08 11:44 AM EDT

Washington, DC

Happy Fall everyone! Or is it?  What with the economy in the tank!  This quarter, with the Sun's entry into Libra shows a quarter of, guess what? dramatic economic changes and volatility.  With Pluto in the 2nd House and Jupiter in Fall also in the 2nd someone pulled the plug out of the drain of the economic bath tub.  That Pluto is moving forward to Capricorn, and what we are being told this quarter is that, not only cutbacks in spending are necessary (not very likely) but the more the government holds on to the 'same' ways of doing things the more damning and broken the economy will be.  Somebody is going to be called out to take the fall.  A weak Jupiter in Capricorn opposing Moon shows wastefulness and extravagance (borrowing from China so that we can continue to maintain tax cuts for the wealthy, buy tanks for Georgia, and build pipelines in Iraq?) (get rich quick schemes through unethical lending practices?) (unregulated free market gone wild?).  Enthusiasm can be well intentioned, but it can also be blind to its own immoderate behavior.  The administration does not believe in regulation, and does not believe in 'big government' thus has no problems with their version of downsizing, including gutting all the stop gaps put in place as a result of the Great Depression (as in New Deal), which has, until now, prevented the type of economic crisis we are now experiencing.  Hmmmmm.  They also have no problem desperately holding on to power, keeping things the 'same', and resisting the impending changes, democracy and idealism of the opposing party.  Don't expect any humility here with Saturn and Sun at the top of the chart.  It will be interesting to see what happens the weekend before the Equinox, when the sun is exactly square Pluto (abuse of power/need for drastic changes).  This will set up the atmosphere presaging the quarter.

2 days after the Equinox, Mercury goes Retrograde and is conjunct Mars, which is weak in the sign of Libra.  They're in the 11th House, which represents the Congress, which will be in a debating mood, arguing, and bullying, and defensive.  Is the fight worth fighting?  They'll fight it any way.  Misinformation,, lies and innuendo, lost records, emails and documents, jealousy, anger and resentment, issues of morality, indecisiveness and ethics. Sounds like an election is in the offing!  With all this anger and impulsivity, could be verbal gaffes (like every other day) and maybe even law suits.  Mercury also rules a money house: foreign money, insurance and shared resources, and with Mercury going retrograde?  Talk about volatility.  Actually as I write this foreign trade markets are going up as we are tanking.  All in all, on any side, it will be difficult for people to be objective and unbiased, as the county sinks into the hole.  Is this the end of the country and the economy?  No.  The Federal Bank and Congress (Venus in Libra, generous) will bail out over-inflated corporations and big banks that got ahead of themselves (Pluto in Sagittarius).  As I write this, banks/investment firms are seeking new Libran partnerships (Morgan Stanley/Goldman Sachs) to bolster themselves, and overextended WaMu is looking for someone to buy them out of their hole.  Another positive aspect is that the dark, dirty, hidden tricks are being revealed,m and in so doing, means they have the potential for being fixed again.  One thing that Mercury in Retrograde is good for, is Re-enacting, and Re-instating Laws (Libra) that should never have been ignored or dismantled in the first place.  Saturn at the top of the chart closely applying to a trine to weak Jupiter in the 2nd, shows that through Regulations, Oversight and imposing Controls, the problem CAN be solved.  But the government has to start acting like a government and face reality.

There's an election on November 4th, within this quarter.  Saturn at the top of the chart shows an unpopular administration, approaching an opposition to Uranus (the progressive, rebelling 'people' and the 'other' party) which becomes exact on the 4th.  This has traditionally been an augury that the Monarch of the country would 'die'.  Well, if not literally, perhaps figuratively.  At least be deposed.  National politics are destined to be very disturbing, great changes are inevitable, or at least attempted, but only, as would be expected, in the face of strong resistance, and authoritarianism.  But traditionally this opposition is in evidence with changes in government, and with disaffection within the parties themselves.  It also implies great opposition and Delays.  Hanging chads?  I'm personally placing my bets with the Saturn/Uranus omen of trouble and disaster for the sitting government.  Schadenfreude anyone? Fasten your seatbelts, fellow Americans, it's going to be a bumpy ride....