Chewing Food---How Virgo!

Last week I visited with my friend Linda who I had not seen in several months and she looked terrific. She's always looks great but there was something extra vibrant going on and I asked "What's the deal?" And she said, "I'm chewing my food longer."

She then told me about a book she received when she was in Germany during the summer and how the author lost weight, became more vital, changed his health in general all by chewing his food longer. Chewing it until it almost dissolves in the mouth.

Chewing things until they dissolve, what could be more Virgo? And of course, Linda has pronounced Virgo in her chart so it would be natural that she would be the one to tell me about it. I have a Pluto in Virgo in the 6th house so I am keen on these stories of simple health improvements and in truth I had heard this theory before but never gave it the time that I wanted. So, I researched it further and apparently chewing food longer activates saliva which aids in digestion, fills you up faster and improves absorption of nutrients.

My Pluto in Virgo decided to give it shot. So, a few days before Virgo New Moon and on the new moon I slowed down my eating. I really focused on the chewing. What would have been eaten in about 10 seconds now took 30 seconds. And I have to say it has been less than a week but I have felt a difference. I don't eat as much and I feel more satisfied longer.

If you do a search you will find a lot of articles on this process but HERE is one.

Why don't you try during this Virgo lunar cycle to slow down your chewing. See if it makes an impact. Who knows it may be a new part of your routine for ever. Wouldn't that be perfect (Virgo word) for the grand trine of Jupiter/Pluto and Sun.


Doing my part to help the cause---bit by bit.

Jupiter Retrograde

Jupiter retrograde August 30, 5:17am EDT
10 Taurus 21
Sabian symbol: A woman sprinkling flowers


Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and he does everything BIG!

He is the thunder and lightening god who resides on the top of mountains and because he hangs out in lofty position he is our philosopher and education planet. When Jupiter retrogrades we redefine our philosophy on a subject and in Taurus we will be looking at our philosophies on money, properties, capital, assets and valuables. We will also 're-educate' ourselves on financial and 'valuables'.

Jupiter is the judge planet and all of us will judge our portfoloio with a keen eye. Even if you don't have a portfolio you have things in your life that are valuable and during the retrograde you will decided if they are serving you. Some people will have buyers remorse, others will want to double down. Or perhaps you have given no attention to money and business, valuable assets etc and you are feeling vulnerable that you have goose egg.

Whatever you have or don't have in your 'valuables' category you will mull over your position for the next four months.

Jupiter is retrograde until December 25 5:08pm-- so we have four months to "get our money on". Not just the money we earn but our investments. We can right the wrongs during the retrograde. Probably not a great time to actually launch a new business but if you get the idea for the business during the retrograde you can do the research during the retro.

Jupiter will move from 11 degrees to Zero Taurus---Look at your natal chart and see if Jupiter is making any aspects during the retrograde to any of your planets. Jupiter presents opportunities and doors can open in a retrograde. But even in the harsh apsects you will later find the oopportunity. It will sting (no shit) at first and a lot of it will be activated by your opinionated mouth (Jupiter) and probably an unwillingness to change (Taurus is stubborn) but by the end of the transit you will have learned a lot (Jupiter) about yourself and THAT is invaluable (there's a great Taurus word).

I personally think this is a fabulous retrograde at the right time. I know you have all read my new moon so you are aware that Jupiter is in grand trine with the Sun and Moon and the fact that he is turning retrograde in the cycle is asupicious. This is a gift!

And remember, we will NOT have another Jupiter retrograde in Taurus until 2023---ask yourself, can you really afford to wait until then to fix any holes in your money? Use this time thoughtfully for the next four months let's see where we all land by Christmas!

Virgo New Moon is up

Virgo new moon has a lot of positive aspects, Jupiter, Pluto & Venus to name a few. There is also some crank from Neptune and Chiron and yeah, we are still feeling the Mars Saturn Square which is still in the chart.

But the bottom line is we all can take care of a lot of business this month and more importantly start to work towards our future.

the whole article is HERE.


Here's a snippet:



Work & Serve: BFF

And what about this Virgo lunar cycle? On the New Moon the Sun and the Moon make a trine with Jupiter and with Pluto. This is a ball out of the park astrologically speaking—when 3 planets are in trine with each other we call it a grand trine. This has double impact since it involves both moon/sun. Do you think spirit wants us to get our organized Virgo on? You bet.

Jupiter spends a year in a sign and right now it is in Taurus. Taurus rules assets, money, materials and real estate. It is the things that we hold that we value. It is an earth sign like Virgo and both of them compel us to be grounded and practical. For 28 days the accent will be on building things. With Taurus we start from the ground up. Then there is Pluto in Capricorn which is the third earth sign and he is saying, “If we are weak or corrupt at the top then we gotta work down.” So, he is working from the top down. And of course Virgo is in the middle earth sign, and she says, “Okay, whether it is from the ground or from the top, I’m ready to work!”

It will be as if we all get a new CEO and a new flock of employees who are working on behalf of us! Watch and see who comes into your life this cycle that really is an asset. Perhaps it is someone new or perhaps it is someone you didn’t realize had skills exactly that you need. Perhaps a friend tells you one thing off handedly that becomes a life coach moment (Capricorn). Maybe they tell you about a friend who has just overhauled their life (Pluto) and the strategy and manner they did it stays with you (Taurus). You keep mulling the story (Jupiter) of how they did it and you wonder if that is in synch with what you would like to do (Virgo). Perhaps there is some area of your life that you can’t just figure out and lo and behold someone steps in with the right solution or skill to fix the issue. From the high and the low vantage--there is help as Jupiter and Pluto will be talking to all of us about how to do work bit by bit and how to recalibrate our goals and our daily life. Virgo is associated with timing and we would all benefit by beginning our days with the following affirmation: “I am happy and grateful that I have perfect timing.” See what your life looks like at the end of the cycle with that powerful morning ritual. You may be surprised

Mars Square Saturn

It is interesting that as we build towards tomorrow's Mars Square Saturn, Hurricane Irene is also building in intensity. The parallels between the storm and the aspect are notable. Cancer is a water sign and Mars in that position churns up our emotions. Like Irene's waves our feelings are building into large swells.

Libra is an air sign and Saturn is pushed by Mars which is intensifying our negative thoughts. Like Irene's wind the velocity of those stormy thoughts is growing. I have noticed in talking with people lately it does not take long for every story to take a negative turn. The overall work we are all doing while Saturn treks through Libra is looking for balance. And for some people Mars baring down on Saturn is pushing frustrations. Anything that feels unfair is pronounced.

The aspect is exact tomorrow but we are in this window for a few days and it does cross into the New Moon chart.

Things to ponder:

So, what do we do when feel life is unfair? How to we soothe our emotions? How can we build (Saturn) a proactive (Mars) solution that is balanced (Libra) that calls upon our roots (Cancer)?

And of course, breathe.

For those who possibly have Irene in their future please use this aspect to get proactive and take care of your family and property. BE prepared!

Tuning into this week

Sorry, for the delay. I usually like to put these up on Sunday or Monday but I was swept up in last minute summer stuff....


Sunday 8/21: Venus enters Virgo http://www.cafeastrology.com/articles/venusvirgocompatibility.html


Monday 8/22: Sun/Neptune: Strange energies, can’t put your finger on stuff, under currents are weird and tweaked. Fly low under the radar if you can.

Tuesday 8/23: Sun enters Virgo: Ask your Virgo to send you a link to something she/he needs and get that! Don’t surprise them with what you think they want. Get them the exact thing.

Thursday 8/25: Mars/Saturn The rubber hits the road today. If the actions are not in synch with the responsibilities it will be a sh**tstorm of a day. Better to live up to commitments today!

Thursday 8/25: Venus/Pluto: Regenerative love and money day. Shed and you will be more abundant.

Friday 8/26: Mercury Direct 6:02 PM: Hurray, the bumps are over!!!!!

Contemplating Fall

I'm beginning to get my mojo for Virgo New Moon which is a week away and it appears to be a nice moon. I will have it up by the end of the week.

However, like any good astrologer I also have my eye on all cardinal new moons and the next one will be at the end of September (27th). It is similar in tone to the July 1st Cancer Moon. If you remember that was the season of the debt ceiling debate. Rancor will be high, relationships will be stressed and there will be economic somersaults.

I don't bring up the Libra Moon to be DebbieDowner but more to remind you that you must make hay when the sun is shining. Make the most of the end of this Leo lunar cycle and the most of Virgo lunar cycle so you can be ready for Libra.

A Mercury Check in

Well we are more than halfway through Mercury retrograde. How are you doing?
How about those lost items?!!!

OMG, my husband, son and I have all lost things since August 2. A few items have found themselves back to us after we've done that trick I learned years ago. If you can't find something yell out the word "REACH". Yell it out a few times and inevitably the item will show up. It has something to do with our brain more than woo-woo. But yell it out and see what happens.

Of course, many items will stay lost during the entire retrograde which is definitely the case for my mini video camera. It may have been packed by my friend in her luggage but I am not going to know for awhile and I suspect it will be after the 26th.

As a reminder, you know that the retrograde is three weeks long but the actual swath of days that are influenced is greater. If you go from shadow point to shadow point It is about two and half month window. This does not mean you stop your life until the end of the shadow point. GOD, no!!!! It only means Mercury's purview is larger than the retrograde and will undoubtedly bring up subjects, moments, items for all of us to mull.

Consider what you experienced since July 15 and perhaps there has been a theme? Have things repeated? Are you in a thing with another person?
It will most likely lift after the 26th and perhaps resolve by September 9.

Here are the dates to note.

Jul 15, 2011 02:15 am 18 LEO 42' shadow point
Aug 2, 2011 11:45 pm 01 VIRGO12'Rx Stationary Retrograde
Aug 26, 2011 06:02 pm 18 LEO 42' Stationary Direct
Sep 9, 2011 08:16 pm 01 VIRGO12' shadow point


Last year I reminded everyone how a Mercury retrograde from shadow point to shadow point can be described by driving a car.

But as always, I remind you not to fear Mercury retrogrades. Make the most of them, contact people you have not reached out to in a long time. Book coffees with old friends. Send an email to someone who has been on your mind. Research, research, research anything you want to buy. Don't buy until the retro is over but get all your facts lined up. God, knows if you are measuring something, do it many times.

In particular, are you researching a way to find love? Love in another human? Love in a place to live? Love in your daily life? Work on this, that is the greatest gift you can give a Mercury retrograde (primarily in Leo) during this important Leo Lunar cycle.

Smooch.

Solar storms?

Thanks for the heads up, to David Crook's site where he posted an interesting Reuters story.



Sunday, August 14, 2011
Did space storms drive us mad?
(Reuters) - Rollercoaster financial markets and the worst riots Britain has seen in decades have made it quite a week for a time of year that is usually so dead the newspapers are filled with "silly season" tales of amusing pet antics.

Everyone is pointing fingers- at blundering politicians, hooded thugs, disaffected youths, bumbling police and greedy bankers- but could the cause for all the madness really be the star at the center of our solar system?

There isn't a lot of evidence pointing to little green men involving themselves in Earthly affairs, but the sun has been throwing bursts of highly charged particles into space in a phenomenon known as coronal mass ejections or CMEs.

Three large CMEs prompted U.S. government scientists to warn of solar storms that can cause power blackouts and the aurora borealis, or northern lights, caused by disturbances in the Earth's atmosphere, have been spotted as far south as England and Colorado, NASA said.

"Earth's magnetic field is still reverberating from a CME strike on August 5th that sparked one of the strongest geomagnetic storms in years", website SpaceWeather said.

Rick Perry

Of course, Michelle Bachman's straw poll victory in Iowa was a bit eclipsed by Governor Rick Perry's announcement that he is now running for President.

Personally, had I been on Perry's camp I might have announced him before the Mercury retrograde or after the retrograde. And if I was in charge of it, I would have done similiarly for the straw poll date. However, I didn't get that call.

Rick Perry was born March 4, 1950 in Paint Creek, Texas.

Apparently, there is no time of birth available and in this case it does impact his Moon which could either be in Virgo or Libra. When a time of birth is unknown, an astrologer will take a look at important events in the native's life and try to determine what makes most sense in terms of houses and ascendent.

I am sure we will learn more about Governor Perry as the months progress and there will be more and more speculation on his birth chart. Maybe we'll even get lucky and someone will find a birth time!

But in the meantime I found a speculative analysis by Paul at SolarisAstrology which he posted on Monday.

This is an interesting read, you can read the whole article HERE and here is a snippet.


Born in a rural cotton farm community where he lived and worked on the land with his family. The house of home and upbringing suggest Taurus on the cusp or Venus in the 4th house keenly associated with farming and the land?

As a boy we know he was an Eagle scout. Scouting is very much a Sagittarian pursuit so I would expect this sign on the cusp of the 11th house of groups and associations or Jupiter tenanted here in the 11th?

At school he studied animal science where he received a bachelors degree. Now on the 4th March 1950, Uranus associated with scientific studies was in emotional Cancer, here we have the aspect for compassionate science. The Virgo 6th house is the house of health and also of animals in general, surely Uranus must be located here?

We know that Rick was trained to be a pilot and flew military jets while serving in the US Air Force in the Middle East and in Europe until 1977, he also very nearly became a commercial pilot. Mars is the planet signifying the military, and Mars in May 1950 was in social Libra, he was a military pilot turned social one. Mars surely has to be placed in the 9th house of international affairs and of travel. Either that, or we should find Aries on the cusp of the 9th house or possibly Scorpio? Bringing Mars into the 9th house takes Scorpio onto the cusp of the Midheaven, killing two birds with one stone.

We know that Rick is an evangelical Christian, so one of the faith indicators on the chart Jupiter, Neptune, Sagittarius or Pisces should be prominent. Jupiter is in Aquarius and Neptune in Libra, very social but not naturally religious positions. The Sun is in spiritual Pisces, but for with one with such strong faith as Rick, I would expect to find a bit more astrologically to back this position up. We therefore have 4 options. Either Pisces or Sagittarius on the cusp of the 4th house, indicating religion at home which would take away from the farming upbringing; I discount this as Venus is in Aquarius, or Neptune or Jupiter in the 9th house of faith. Neptune is close to Mars in the chart and bringing both into the 9th house confirms the faith aspect as well as the military service abroad.

Michelle Bachman

So, Michelle Bachman won the Iowa Straw Poll last week. I don't know what this actually means at this point but it is certainly a good enough time as any to take a look at her chart.


I found a posting by Mary Plumb from Mountain Astrologer who drafted Michelle Backman's chart. I knew for awhile that Michelle is an Aries. And truthly before I saw her birth data I had said to my husband that I thought she had a pronounced Aries. It is most likely her Moon is in Aquarius, apparently there is a question about her birth time so, Mary went ahead and drafted it for the morning but I don't believe she has Aries rising.


Mary wrote up a piece which talks about Michelle's chart in comparison with the USA chart (as drafted by 18th century British astrologer Dr. Ebenezer Sibly).

Here's a snippet but you can find the whole article over here on Mary's blog.


The Sibly Moon is at 27° Aquarius with Pallas Athena at 26° Aquarius. The Moon was in Aquarius until 11 p.m. on Bachmann’s birthday; her natal Moon is somewhere between 18° Aquarius and 1° Pisces. (I am assuming an Aquarius Moon herein.)

Bachmann’s Pallas is at 23°Aquarius; for most of the day it was very close to the Moon. Pallas shows the strategist, the one who recognizes patterns and has creative intelligence.

Considering the Sibly Moon, there is a revolutionary spirit that resides within the heart of the American public (Moon). Bachmann has a revolutionary spirit as well. In her case, it is to return the U.S. to a government run by Christian values. Aquarius can be idealistic, visionary, and radical. Michele Bachmann has a sure vision for the country.

Radical means, “of or going to the root or origin; fundamental” or “thoroughgoing or extreme, especially as regards change from accepted or traditional forms: a radical change in the policy of a company.”

She has been educated by the radical theocracy of a sect within Christianity known as Domininism, which believes that “Christians have a God-given right to rule all earthly institutions.” (4)

Bachmann has at least one very strong tie to the Sibly chart: her natal north node is at 10°59’ Sagittarius conjunct the Sibly Ascendant at 12°21’ Sagittarius.



UPDATED 8/18: Today I saw Lynn Hayes put up discussion on Michelle Bachman's chart.

A pit stop

There is no astrological reference for this post.

I just need to put this video here for an event that I am participating in later today.








OLD LA - Bunker Hill

The Week Ahead

Last week was a mixmaster of emotions, no? Yeah, it was. So, now we are looking ahead this week. We have some nice aspects and a couple of snarky ones. Sigh. Nothing new there.


8/16: Sun/Venus: Abundant, flavorful, joy, loving, good money aspect and emotions


8/16:Mercury/Venus: Big talk day, lots of good connections. Looking backwards and finding the good.


8/16: Sun/Mercury: Clear thoughts, quick comments, sharp, walking your talk


8/17: Moon/Mars: I don’t usually fold in the moon aspects but Mars has been such an asshole all month that I felt compelled to note a Moon square Mars. Sharp moods. Stormy outbursts. Rough and tumble feelings and actions.


8/18: Mars/Jupiter: Expansive energy, bridging actions, doing big things for big reasons.

Full Moon: Aquarius

Aquarius Full Moon
August 13, 2:57pm EDT

Aquarius Moon asks us to find our friends, to find people who have similar goals & aspirations and to see how we are a part of a bigger group. For the entire waxing moon we have been finding what makes us special. We have been looking for the gifts inside us that are unique to us. How are we using our creativity? How are we a star? Now, on the full moon we take our specialness and find others who have similar ‘specialness’.

“Huh, I thought it was only ME who was special, isn’t that the point of Leo?”

Yes, it is important during this Leo lunar phase to find what makes you special and what makes you tick but now on the full moon consider what it would look like for you to reach out to others where both of you share your gifts so that you can jointly effect change.

Flavoring this Moon is a Venus conjunct Sun which also was an applying on the new moon. Venus is coloring the whole 28 days cycle but now on the full moon it is even more pronounced. If you have been sitting idle for the last two weeks not finding what you love (Venus) or your creativity, or opening your heart, well, things will ratchet up this weekend. Perhaps you will have a conversation with a friend (maybe one you haven’t seen in a long time) and this triggers your own creativity. Or someone does something that gets you wildly jealous (Leo word) which should tell you what you need or desire. Remember it ain’t about them no matter how much you believe they don’t deserve it---this is about your heart.

At the same time the Moon conjuncts Neptune which puts the emphasis on spirit. What blows in your life by an ‘accidental’ wind? What may seem random is not so random. Neptune can bring up a patina of depression but the answer can be found in quiet or in prayer. There can be illusion on this full moon. But again if you stay close to your spiritual nature you will see the bullshit for what it is.

Mars which has been nothing but a pain in the ass for the last ten days will also punctuate this full moon. It is in a semi square to the Sun and makes another annoying aspect with the Moon. Actions will hurt others. Maybe accidental. Maybe carelessness. Certainly now is not the time to be childish. No matter how much you may want to indulge in it. Rise up, my friend. Seriously, connect to your heart and take a deep breath and get up, up, up.

I think the best course of action for all of us is to find what we love. Do something that will give us pride. What will give you pride? What will give you a feeling of accomplishment? It could be as banal as finally cleaning that hideous drawer in your kitchen that you have been stuffing with crap for the last five year. Or maybe it will be a spontaneous booking of a seminar you have been curious about for a long time. Or perhaps there is an artistic project sitting around half finished.

The bottom line is that we are all feeling like we are in the middle of a big ass roller coaster with Uranus and Pluto battling (see new moon article) especially this month. God knows the news is full of the tension. But what is more important is for us to find what makes our hearts soar and then connect with others. Find a way to connect this Full Moon it could have significance for the following years remember Uranus and Pluto are squabbling until 2016 and the world will look markedly different when it is over; let’s make sure we are in a good spot. Find your heart and share it on full moon—that is a good beginning.

Mars in Cancer Strikes Again

Okay, no one here who reads this column regularly was shocked by the sibling outlaws who have been on the run since the beginning of the month. Nope. We all knew that Mars in Cancer was putting the accent on childish anger and angry youth. And on a astrological perfect pitch, the three fugitives were captured just within hours of Mars oppose Pluto.

Riots in London, volatile stock market and sibling fugitives. Yep, it has been a rough Mars.

Now the question to ask yourself, are you being emotional? Are you being childish? Are you being measured? Keep the rudder on your boat and you'll make it through this week.

A look back on Michael Lutin's article

I gotta say I have been thinking a lot about Michael Lutin. (No he is not dead, I'm just feeling sentimental). As some of you remember Michael was the resident astrologer for Vanity Fair magazine for a jillion years. He left around 2008 and I'm not alone in saying it was a big loss to VF. On a related note can anyone tell me why Rob Lowe got a VF cover this spring? I thought I woke up in 1983 when it arrived at my house.

Anyway, Michael's column was your usual, "Hello, Leo this month you and your loved ones will fight like cats and dogs.." This is astro information people want to read and Michael delivered, a delicious pithy accurate monthly report. But in December 2006, Michael broke free from the "Hello, Leo" choker and said what was coming in what can be best described as a fair warning shot. I almost cried when I read it. Why? Because all of us astrologers were fearing the aspects and knew a whole world of hurt was about to come our way and no one was talking about it in mainstream astro resources.

I read it twice and thought, "Holy shit, Michael is telling the world what we know. Send that man a million dollars and a protective cup!"

Now, if you did not read what he wrote on that chilly winter day, I have it here. Read this piece and see if Michael did not hit a ball out of the park.
I met with him at a book reading about a month or two after it went to press and I said, "I'm so glad you did it." And he said, "I had to do it. I felt compelled to warn people."

Yep.

here's a snippet.

While Pluto is in Capricorn, Uranus will be leaving the sign of Pisces and reaching the end of the Zodiac, and sometime between 2009 and 2011 the dam is going to break. The last time this happened was at the end of the 1920s. When Uranus comes to the last degrees of Pisces, it will spell the end of an era. People will figure, "Aw, the hell with it. The end is coming anyway, so give me a double martini."

As we get closer to that time, people will put all their chips on the table. The stakes will get higher. (Incidentally, America began the war in Iraq when the sun was at the end of Pisces—a perfectly moronic time to start anything.) Metaphorically, culturally, and sometimes even literally, Uranus at the end of Pisces can seem like a torrential flood that comes out of nowhere. Everything that has piled up and been swept under the rug comes spilling out. To the apocalypse crowd, it will seem like the wrath of God, because lots of people are going to be headed toward self-indulgence, turning up the music and dancing, even hurrying the end, much as they did in America during the 1920s.

When Uranus hits the 29th degree of Pisces, before it pops into Aries, even the Pope could have a stroke over the upheaval the world will find itself in. Uranus in Pisces washes everything away—every hope, every prayer—and the only thing that saves you is the ability to surrender to the inevitable shift. Once Uranus hits Aries, however, a whole segment of the population is going to rise up. When the government becomes business and business becomes government, the people will fight back, and the ensuing struggle will lead to the eventual transformation and rebirth of America.

Pluto in Capricorn is going to change America from the inside out, threaten our very existence, challenge our economy, and divide the country politically. The government is going to be so paranoid during those years that it doesn't really matter who gets in in 2008.

Pluto in Capricorn means the ascendance into overt power of corporations in relation to the government. But that situation will change when Pluto enters Aquarius, at the end of the 2020s.

Uranus in Aries is going to be the 1960s all over again. The greatest time of upheaval will be between 2015 and 2019, when the square of Uranus in Aries to Pluto in Capricorn will create the seeds of revolution everywhere. Forces of repression are going to clamp down even harder on those who want to speak their minds.

Then, in the years 2023–25, the final stages of the Pluto return and the Capricorn effect will reach a climax. Some astrologers believe that an empire lasts no longer than one Pluto cycle, and by 2025 this cycle will be played out. And no matter how you look at it, the U.S.A. is an empire.

Just as the British Empire began enduring sunsets after the fledgling colonies won their independence, our turn may be coming. The Pluto return of 2025 will demand a redefinition of the United States and create the ultimate identity crisis. We will have to put ourselves on the line, as we did in the 1770s.

The period of turbulence that lies before us all in America is not God's wrath or the work of radical Muslims, and it has nothing to do with the hole in the ozone layer. It is a necessary and inevitable step in the evolution of this country that will result in a reworking of the Constitution in the last half of the 2020s.

This political, social, cultural, and economic change will mark the rebirth of the United States as a more global nation—a member of the world, if not the leader of the world. This is a threatening challenge to the notions of land ownership, security, wealth, and supremacy our Cancer nation has enjoyed for more than two centuries. The dollar will not likely go back to its post–W.W. II strength. Other countries will reject our exploitation and demand instead our cooperation. Luckily for us, the horoscope of the U.S.A. is strongly influenced by Venus and Jupiter, so we'll never go totally broke or hungry. We will, however, have to play ball with the rest of planet Earth as we never have before. From now on it's cooperate, or else.

No one is really to blame. We've brought ourselves to this crisis, through a combination of individual freedom and economic gain, as well as a blind, isolating grandiosity. America is a fabulous place to live: you can come here, think up something you want to do, and be successful at it. But we've gotten fat and we've gotten lazy. So don't blame George Bush or Bill Clinton or any of the elected officials in Washington. A country gets the leaders it deserves, and when we're ready to rise from the ashes of a fallen empire, we will find the leaders to help us do so. It will happen, but not in 2008. We have to go through the Pluto transit first.

Dylan Ratigan ---Uranus, Pluto, Mars, anyone?

I had a friend send me an email today that had a link to Dylan Ratigan from his show yesterday. I took a look at it late today and man, oh, man, that is ONE big Aries.
Born April 19, 1972 he is a 29 Aries. Dylan has Moon in Cancer and I would bet money that he is born around Noon with Leo Rising. Just a feeling.


Anyway, Dylan's rant is strong and loud but under it you cannot but help feel the astrology of our times.
See if you can see:
Uranus in Aries Square Pluto in Capricorn.
Mars in Cancer square Uranus in Aries.
Mars oppose Pluto in Capricorn.

And under this particular lunar phase I can certainly feel and see the Jupiter in Taurus square Sun/Moon in the Leo from the New Moon chart.

Take a look and see what you think.

29 degrees or .......

There are times when things go through my world so fast and furiously that I can feel the pulse of something before I know why. Such has been the last four or five days. Yes, the obvious is well, obvious. My recent posting about world events have lined up astrologically. But in my personal life I have been seeing people basically imploding. I'm not saying thrown in jail type imploding but people really rattled on their core.

And they have had something in common. A planet at 29 degree Gemini.
These friends have been feeling pulled so out of their comfort level and just beaten up that they are emotionally spent. But knowing they have to make a move.

I have also seen Zero Cancer really rattled. Emotions completely over the top. And I have seen a Pluto at 29 Virgo feel like they are dying and they are at the end of their life even though there is nothing wrong with them. They are just that rattled.

How many emails can a person get which are so similar in tone without a theme being recognized?

I believe I can tie Mars to this whole upheaval. It may have moved into Cancer and be gaining distance from late Gemini but it is still close enough to hurt. I hope there will be relief by the end of the week when Mars gets further into Cancer.

I'm not tracking 29 Sag or Pisces or Zero Cap, Libra and Aries but I am going to assume they are feeling pulled to a breaking point as well.

Hang on, people it will start to loosen up a bit.

London's Calling

While all the economic nonsense has been going down and down and then up today and probably down another day or whatever.. but while all that was happening and sucking up a lot of news, there were other events in England drawing a lot of attention.

The riots in London started happening this weekend. If you haven't been following it, here's an update




Interestingly, I received a thoughtful comment from Janey in the UK.


Hi Tracy - never commented before but wanted to say that your description of 8/9 (and this whole week really) seems spot on from my position here in London, UK. Not sure how much it's being talked about in American news, but there have been senseless riots here for a couple of nights, escalating to an enormous degree last night. The riots are all started and perpetuated by young people - 'angry childlike' people if you will - and many, many shops have been smashed, looted, and burnt. Your reading of this week's stars seems so fitting!


And today while Mars is Squaring Uranus Blackberry has been put on alert---which is perfect Uranus!


There were calls today to shut down the BlackBerry Messenger service which is thought to have played a key role in helping mobilise looters involved in the riots across London.
Mike Butcher, a technology journalist and digital adviser to Boris Johnson, said it was 'unbelievable' that the BBM service had not been disabled.

Messages on the service, along with posts on Twitter, helped spread the locations of riots like wildfire and brought hordes of teenagers together to attack neighbourhoods throughout the weekend.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2023924/London-riots-2011-BlackBerry-Messenger-shut-unbelievable.html#ixzz1UZejNMsE

The Road this Week

Listen, you don't need to have an eye on financial news to know this a bumpy week. The tension is greater than The Dow, and you are already feeling it.

What 911 phone call from a friend have you received in the last couple of days? How about tense emails? How is your family? Mars and Pluto are not subtle when they dig in. And gawdknows that Jupiter in Taurus Square to Sun/Moon in the Leo New Moon chart has added pressure.


Looking for this week we have the following going on:


8/8 Mercury re-enters Leo. Here comes more drama and colorful (to say the least) conversations. But also you have two more weeks of retrograde, take this time to learn about what you love.
8/8: Mercury/Neptune; Misguided thinking, deceitful conversation, illusions and depressed thinking. However, in the middle of the muck there may be inspired thoughts which could stay with you.
8/9: Mars/Uranus: Going to battle, feeling like a warrior but battling what? Arguments and abrupt actions are paramount. Unusual motives, unusual moves. Be a defensive driver. Tough and rough day.


8/11: Mars oppose Pluto . We have been building to this aspect since New Moon and this difficult aspect will color most of the week. Mars in Cancer is about emotions, family and roots, emotions and things that are our history. Mars is a warrior for those causes and can be angry childlike. Pluto in Capricorn is demanding adult behavior, responsibility. It is focused on the practical and how thinks look to the world and can be very cold. Are we going to be emotional and childlike or adult like and cold? Where is the middle ground? Tough aspect.

No Surprise on S&P report

They said they might do it. And yes, they did it.
Standard & Poor's a rating agency, downgraded the United States credit rating to Double AA plus from its sterling triple A.


WASHINGTON (AP) -- The United States has lost its sterling credit rating from Standard & Poor's.

The credit rating agency on Friday lowered the nation's AAA rating for the first time since granting it in 1917. The move came less than a week after a gridlocked Congress finally agreed to spending cuts that would reduce the debt by more than $2 trillion -- a tumultuous process that contributed to convulsions in financial markets. The promised cuts were not enough to satisfy S&P.

The drop in the rating by one notch to AA-plus was telegraphed as a possibility back in April. The three main credit agencies, which also include Moody's Investor Service and Fitch, had warned during the budget fight that if Congress did not cut spending far enough, the country faced a downgrade. Moody's said it was keeping its AAA rating on the nation's debt, but that it might still lower it.

As you see from my previous posts, the astrology was there for something like this to happen. A nasty wounding was coming.

As pointed out by a commenter, Mars is going over the exact points of last summer's eclipse in the cardinal climax. During that tense summer the rhetoric by political candidates was clear, by this summer, many of those same politicians were saying, "Maybe it is okay if the US defaults." And that was our July in DC which led part and parcel to this rating by S&P.

What is this new rating, which by the way puts the US with New Zealand and Belgium on the same level, going to do to the stock market tomorrow? Hard to imagine it will be good.

Many people have rightfully pointed out that S&P is the same group who got it SO wrong with their ratings of the toxic assets a few years ago. Yep, they were totally wrong and aholes on those reports. But this news coupled with Italy and the other countries (Spain & Portugal) needing their own bailout from the EU we'll know more tonight when the Asian and European markets open. But let's face it, this tension between Mars and Pluto's square on the 11th is grinding on our economies like a dentist who does not believe in Novocain.

And before it gets there, Mars will square off on Uranus on Tuesday. Maybe a UFO will land in the rose garden and take our attention off the big ass wound.

Wow....talk about action! Mars in Cancer and .......

Mas has water??????

Cue the mysterious violins. Cancer is a water sign. Uranus in Aries continues to explore new territories. Neptune is still in Pisces, a water sign and an out of this world sign (he goes into aquarius late tonight) and what did Nasa announce today???? They think it is possible that Mars has water. This is big news. I swear.


The scientists said the best explanation they could offer for the streaks was that they were caused by a flow of extremely salty water down the slopes. The salts, which have been detected all around Mars, would allow the water to remain liquid at much colder temperatures than pure water.

However, the scientists said, they have yet to fill all the holes in their story. They cannot, for example, explain how the water darkened the soil. They are also at a loss to explain why the streaks vanish each winter.

But, Dr. McEwen said, “We haven’t been able to come up with an alternative that we believe.”

The streaks have been definitively seen in seven locations and tentatively identified in 20 others. “The sites where these occur are rare,” Dr. McEwen said.

Scientists have known for years of vast swathes of frozen ice on present-day Mars. Many geological features like canyons, dried-up lakes and river channels point to the flow of liquid water in the distant past when Mars may have been warmer. Back in 2000, images taken by the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft showed fresh-looking gullies, which some scientists hypothesized had been carved by water. More recent looks indicate that they were more likely cut by carbon dioxide frost.

However, the areas where the dark streaks occur, located in the southern midlatitudes, are too warm for carbon dioxide frost.

“I think this is best evidence to date of liquid water occurring today on Mars,” said Philip R. Christensen, a geophysicist at Arizona State University

Mars in Cancer

Mars entered Cancer yesterday. I spoke about the Mars Oppose Pluto on the New moon Chart. Pluto is about empowerment and power. It is NOT interested in fluff and light. Pluto in Capricorn is power in business. For the last eight days which includes the days before new moon, the stock market has tumbled. Losses every day. Clearly investors are trying to find something sound and real. On August 11 the opposition between Mars and Pluto will be exact. I anticipate problems building until that date. Perhaps the fever wil break on the 12th?

On the New Moon chart the opposition was still when Mars was in Gemini and in that position Mars does not put importance on what is "real". Gemini is more about the discourse. Let's talk something to death is Mars in Gemini. The tension between Pluto and Mars is probably part and parcel with the stock sell off. However, yesterday Mars went into Cancer and it is a different tone and day. Our actions have left our brains and gone to our emotions. As of this morning the stock market went into massive volatility (over 300 points down) The velocity of our days and our emotions will intensify greatly. That is an understatement with Mars in a cardinal sign especially Cancer.

I am also reminded of Jupiter squaring the New Moon. Jupiter is all INTERNATIONAl and the fact is that a lot of the issues on Wall Street have to do with Europe. At the same time gold (which is Leo) did rise a lot of late which also could be Jupiter's largess. Especially if international countries are buying the metal. Which is evidentally the case with South Korea.

Of course, Ray Merriman has his own brilliant take on Mars in Cancer.


But in terms of markets, this next week is potentially very critical. Of most importance (in my view) is transiting Mars entering Cancer on August 3. It will immediately conjunct the USA’s natal Venus and Jupiter, the Federal Reserve Board’s natal Pluto (opposition to its natal Sun), and President Obama’s natal Venus. And during this same period next week, Obama will celebrate (or curse) his 50th birthday on August 4. Mars entering any cardinal sign is a big deal for Financial and Mundane Astrologers. Many financial markets - especially those related to the interest-rates (Treasuries, currencies) - are most vulnerable to reversals. Its history implies a sudden and major change in investor sentiment regarding markets, for one week later Mars will then form a T-square with Uranus and Pluto (August 8-10). They are now within only one degree of a square to one another. It may not be easy being a leader in government, banking, and business, pivoting so suddenly, and probably in a self-serving manner by which they hope to deflect any criticism. It’s going to get extremely emotional, so try your best to act like “the adult in the room” wherever you are. You’re likely to see some very immature behaviors exhibited, like “tantrums.”

Scandinavia in the news

Norway, of course was in the news two weeks ago. And in the last two days there have been a few more stories to come out of the area, in this case Sweden and these are...well curious. This first one has Neptune retro in Pisces entering Aquarius written all over it.

In the REPORT


An ocean exploration team led by Swedish researcher Peter Lindberg has found what some are suggesting is a crashed flying saucer.

Lindberg's team, which has had success in the past recovering sunken ships and cargo, was using sonar to look for the century-old wreck of a ship that went down carrying several cases of a super-rare champagne. Instead, the team discovered what it claims is a mysterious round object that might (or might not) be extraterrestrial.


Lindberg's interest is primarily finding old champagne and wine in shipwrecks. Not UFOs. A few years ago when Uranus was in Pisces there were some amazing finds of old champagne in 18th century wrecks and even Shackelton's whiskey was found in the ice of Antarctica. Pisces is booze and shipping (of course) and Uranus is as weird as it can get. Drinking a two hundred year old Champagne is pretty unusual event.

Now, Uranus is out of Pisces and in Aries but we have Neptune ruler of Pisces and ruler of the seas and booze still bringing up the stuff hidden for centuries (like booze), but today Neptune moves out of Pisces and into THE UFO sign of Aquarius. My own take is that it probably is something else not an unearthly UFO but I still gotta say it is a perfect news blurb for Neptune's move out of Pisces into Aquarius.

Also in the news out of Sweden is a man who has a passion for splitting atoms in his kitchen. STOCKHOLM — A Swedish man who was arrested after trying to split atoms in his kitchen said Wednesday he was only doing it as a hobby.

Richard Handl told The Associated Press that he had the radioactive elements radium, americium and uranium in his apartment in southern Sweden when police showed up and arrested him on charges of unauthorized possession of nuclear material.

The 31-year-old Handl said he had tried for months to set up a nuclear reactor at home and kept a blog about his experiments, describing how he created a small meltdown on his stove.

Only later did he realize it might not be legal and sent a question to Sweden's Radiation Authority, which answered by sending the police.

I have to say with Uranus in Aries square to Pluto in Capricorn between now and 2016 I expect a lot of interesting, curious and wild times---but never did I think a man would try to build a nuclear reactor in his apartment. Uranus is strange but even that one was out of my orb.

BTW: I predict he will not be getting his security deposit back.

Mercury Retrograde August 2

Mercury turns retrograde at 11:50pm (EDT) 8:50pm PDT. My own take on Mercury's reversal can be found in my new moon article. But I was poking around and found a nice write up on Mercury Retrograde from this astrologer's sight: Julie Simmon's.

Here is the link to her blog and write up. I encourage you to read the whole piece. But here is a snippet.




The actual station on August 2nd is loosely opposite Neptune who will be leaving Pisces and returning to Aquarius for one last fling on August 4th. Neptune will not return to Pisces again till February 4th.

The interesting thing about this is that the actual opposition is not exact until August 8th and will be in 29 degrees of Leo; bringing out the 29 degree theme once again. (The theme of the end of the end but not quite the beginning of the beginning. Chaos, change and revolution. This theme has been strong at least since at the eclipse on the Winter solstice.)

These factors suggest that our retrograde experience might have something to do with the need for radical change in the ways we think as well as the things we think about. The last degree of Aquarius is a difficult transition because Aquarius is a sign, more than any other, that likes to hold on to it’s way of thinking. Whereas Pisces is about letting things be just as they are. You can see that Aquarius needs Pisces because it can be too attached to ideas and ideals and Pisces follows Aquarius because a well cultivated mind prepares us to let go with awareness rather than ignorance.

US Debt

In the spirit of clarity which is always important just before a Mercury retrograde. I was turned on to something interesting last week that I thought I would share with you. (Thank you, Martha)

In case you have been under a rock in Siberia, a very big rock, the United States Congress and President Obama have been trying to raise the ceiling on the US debt for the last three weeks. But here is a question: How many of us know who owns our debt????

If you see the photo I have posted, it lists the usual suspects. And Yes, there you see the word "China" at the top of that list---HOWEVER, that is not such an accurate picture.

But here is the clarity report. That list does NOT come close to indicating the substantial owners of our debt. It is the US that owns the US debt. What? Huh? What are you saying?!!

Yep.


•Hong Kong: $121.9 billion (0.9 percent)
•Caribbean banking centers: $148.3 (1 percent)
•Taiwan: $153.4 billion (1.1 percent)
•Brazil: $211.4 billion (1.5 percent)
•Oil exporting countries: $229.8 billion (1.6 percent)
•Mutual funds: $300.5 billion (2 percent)
•Commercial banks: $301.8 billion (2.1 percent)
•State, local and federal retirement funds: $320.9 billion (2.2 percent)
•Money market mutual funds: $337.7 billion (2.4 percent)
•United Kingdom: $346.5 billion (2.4 percent)
•Private pension funds: $504.7 billion (3.5 percent)
•State and local governments: $506.1 billion (3.5 percent)
•Japan: $912.4 billion (6.4 percent)
•U.S. households: $959.4 billion (6.6 percent)
•China: $1.16 trillion (8 percent)
•The U.S. Treasury: $1.63 trillion (11.3 percent)
•Social Security trust fund: $2.67 trillion (19 percent)So America owes foreigners about $4.5 trillion in debt. But America owes America $9.8 trillion.

Here is the CNN link to the whole article



We, the US own the most of our debt. Why don't more of us know that? In the spirit of Mercury in Virgo---I thought we would benefit by that piece of data.

Carry on.

The Week Ahead

8/1: Venus/Uranus: Creativity abounds, love of unusual, good money day.

8/1: Sun/Jupiter: Exaggerated actions, too much of stuff. Keeping measured is challenging.

8/2: Mercury retrograde 1Virgo 12--8:50pm (EDT)

8/3: Mars enters Cancer http://astrology.about.com/od/thebirthchart/qt/MarsCancer.htm

8/3: Mars/Neptune: Inspired actions/ beauty highlighted/ channeled from above

8/4: Neptune re-enters Aquarius
Take a look at Derek Hawkins take on Neptune's move HERE:

8/4: Mercury/Mars : rethinking things and acting on it. “Why didn’t I think of that before?”

8/5 Venus/Jupiter: Overindulgence, “let them eat cake” thinking. Greedy.

8/6: Sun/Saturn: Structured work gives good results