World Astrology Network

It’s a month of retrogrades and long-lasting conjunctions.  Life may seem stuck in low gear, but the low gears are the strong ones. Venus and Saturn are within orb for conjunction from Aug 2 till Aug 13.  Heads up for any unwarranted feelings of self-sacrifice or self-pity.  Mars is deep in the mix, too.

Mars will be in a separating conjunction with Saturn until Aug 11 or so.  Be on guard against feeling so strong that you’re willing to be a doormat.

Then we have Venus and Mars, ah!  This gives charm and beauty to the world, and reckless flirtation, jealousy, and temper.

Now that’s a Heads Up configuration!

They begin an applying conjunction on Aug 6, reach exact conjunction on Aug 20 (the same day that Mercury goes stationary retrograde), do the exact conjunction again on Oct 1 (shortly before Venus goes stationary retrograde on Oct 8), and they don’t pull away from one another until Oct 12. Then there’s Jupiter and Uranus, still conjunct in the borderlands of early Aries and late Pisces.  It lasts till the end of the year, and then some.  This is the stuff of Big Business, big and generous authority, and big surprises.  Make friends with these conditions and Heads Up all month. Get all that?  Did it stick?  Me, neither.  That’s why I need to look at the sky day by day, night by night.

Ready for August?

August 1 falls on a Sunday with the Moon in Aries.  Is that enough fire for you?  Take your place in the world, even if it’s that BBQ you thought you wanted to skip.  Network, network, see and be seen.  Smile.  The Sun is in Leo.

Tue Aug 3 the Moon is in Taurus when Mars exactly opposes Jupiter.  If you see a risk worth taking, don’t be too slow about it.  If it’s questionable (as most risks are), hesitation may be the better part of virtue.  Heads Up.

Wed Aug 4 the Moon enters Gemini, where it stays till Friday afternoon.  We have a month of Wednesdays with the Moon in mutable signs.  Gemini, Virgo, and Sagittarius are friendly to writing and publishing.  Get some work done!

Fri Aug 6 the Moon is in Cancer when Venus changes signs and moves into her home sign of Libra.  (Yes, Venus rules Taurus, too.)  Practice some random act of civility and good manners, and watch civilization return to the world.

Sat Aug 7 the Moon is still in Cancer when Venus opposes Uranus.  It’s the perfect day to indulge in being a tea (or coffee) snob.

Sun Aug 8 Venus exactly conjuncts Saturn.  Something (or someone) venerable and feminine might save an awkward situation.  About six hours later the Moon moves into Leo.  The Moon may be at its darkest, but you can still shine, with discretion.  It’s also the day before the New Moon.  Heads Up.

Mon Aug 9 Venus exactly opposes Jupiter.  It’s a risky time to be emotionally all over the map.  Heads Up.  About three hours later comes the New Moon at 17Leo.  This is a lot of regal energy.  Start something anchored in dignity.

Wed Aug 11 the Moon conjuncts Mercury in Virgo.  Pick something you care about and make it perfect.

Thu Aug 12 the Moon conjuncts Saturn in Libra.  Correct some old problem or flaw, or just apologize (even for nothing) and win back an alienated teammate.

Fri Aug 13 the Moon conjuncts Venus, then four hour later conjuncts Mars in Libra.  There is great beauty in restraint.  (All of this Venus-Mars stuff has got to be good for the writers of romance.)  That night Uranus retrogrades out of Aries and back into Pisces.  It’s never going to be too late to reevaluate some ideas.  This is your basic Heads Up day.

Mon Aug 16 the Moon is in Scorpio when Jupiter exactly opposes Saturn.  Your failings are less severe and less of a hindrance than you think. Aim high, with courage and cheer.  Heads Up.

Wed Aug 18 the Moon is Sagittarius all day.  Resist major distractions, especially time sinks while trying to instruct others, and work on your own stuff.

Thu Aug 19 the Moon conjuncts Pluto in Capricorn.  Did I say ‘work on your own stuff’ yet?  Also, Mercury is grinding to a halt, preparing to go stationary retrograde tomorrow.  Make preparations of your own.  Be good to your car, your computer, and your cell phone.

Fri Aug 20 the Moon is in serious (though not grim) Capricorn when the Sun exactly opposes Neptune.  This is a tough day for fantasies.  Midday Venus exactly conjuncts Mars (I’m so glad this is happening on Venus’s turf, at 14 Lib).  An hour later Mercury goes stationary retrograde in his home sign of Virgo. It’s a serious Heads Up day, but with many friendly overtones for writers.  Be sharp, alert, but also patient and tolerant. Mercury retrograde in Virgo is made for editing and fact-checking.

Sat Aug 21 the Moon is still in Capricorn when Saturn exactly squares Pluto.  Some authority figures like being challenged.  Choose your revolution with care.  Heads Up.

Sun Aug 22 the Moon is in Aquarius when the Sun leaves its homesign of Leo and enters Virgo.  Can’t you just feel the glitz fizzing away?  The universe is not contractingand getting more dull.  Rather, it’s changing its focus.

Tue Aug 24 the Moon conjuncts Neptune in Aquarius.  Dream of deep beautiful things.  Late morning is the Full Moon at 01Pis.  Some secrets are truly universal.

Wed Aug 25 the Moon is in Pisces when the Sun exactly trines Pluto.  Sometimes transformation can improve character.  Remember dignity and integrity, and then go for it.  Write with passion.

Thu Aug 26 the Moon conjuncts Uranus in the fishtail end of Pisces.  Feelings can be so deep, you wonder if this is the first time they’ve surfaced.  Then, four hours later, the Moon enters Aries and conjuncts Jupiter.  A bright energetic outlook is a magnet for good luck.  Write with conviction and joy.

Tue Aug 31 the Moon enters Gemini in the late afternoon.  Leave yourself copious notes for tomorrow.  It will be a new month, a Wednesday, and the Moon will still be in Gemini

This is one heck of a writer’s month.  Don’t be shy about a single day of it.  It’s a month full of ideas, contacts, inspiration, lucky hunches.  It’s also a month rich in examples of the bad stuff, negative self-criticism, exaggerated humility, inappropriate self-degradation.  Keep the head and hands up, and the shoulders down.  Relax and settle into the blissful magic of making art with…words!  Imagine that!  Heads up!

My Little Chicadee!!!

Are we not entering the heart of summer?  And what a summer this is going to be.  Let the Sun shine in!

July 1 starts on a Thursday (Jupiter’s day) with the Moon in Pisces (traditionally ruled by Jupiter).  Look forward to a month of expansion and all things big and beautiful.  Remove the word “disappointment” from your vocabulary this month.

Sat Jul 03 the Moon opposes Saturn and goes void of course until it enters the sign of Aries.  Criticism may sting, but not for long.  The Moon then conjuncts Uranus (always bringing a fresh look at the world), then Jupiter in the sign of Aries.  Feel personally lucky.

Mon Jul 05 the Moon is in Aries when Uranus goes stationary retrograde.  This happens so often, it’s hardly worth mention, but sometimes it’s good to recall that not even the Universe does inventiveness non-stop.

Wed Jul 07 the Moon is in Taurus for all but the last hour of the day.  Dig in deep, make solid progress, and give your work strong bones.

Thu Jul 08 the Moon enters Gemini, where it stays until Saturday.  You can get a lot done by the end of this week.  In the afternoon Venus exactly opposes Uranus.  The classic approach will be more appealing.  That night, Mercury sextiles Saturn.  Think clear and unrushed thoughts.  Write them down for later.

Fri Jul 09 the Moon is in Gemini when Mercury changes signs and enters Leo.  Ideas become more daring and dramatic (always good for storytellers).  That night, Mercury trines Uranus.  The bizarre loses its power to shock, and may even become amusing.  A mild Heads Up on this.  (Isn’t the world jaded enough?)

Sat Jul 10 the Moon is void of course in Gemini when Venus changes signs and enters Virgo.  Details and accessories take on more importance.  Six minutes later, the Moon moves into its home sign of Cancer.  Your senses and gut feelings have never been so strong.  That night, the Sun sextiles Mars.  There’s energy to move mountains, or to weather the most demanding parties.  It’s also the day before the New Moon.  Heads Up.

Sun Jul 11 the Moon is in Cancer when Mercury trines Jupiter.  The little mind may spin with good thoughts.  Enjoy, and consider what might be useful material later.  Midday is the New Moon (and solar eclipse) at 19Can.  Start something close to home.  Think gardens or cook books.

Mon Jul 12 the Moon conjuncts Mercury in Leo.  Let the writing sparks fly!  The roar is supposed to be loud.

Tue Jul 13 the Moon is in Leo when Venus trines Pluto.  Take some demanding thing and transform it into something beautiful.

Wed Jul 14 the Moon enters Virgo in the morning and conjuncts Venus that night.  Indulge in a day of making all the little things shine.

Thu Jul 15 the Moon conjuncts Mars in Virgo.  Remember yesterday?  You have the energy to continue (unless you’ve run out of little things…I haven’t).

Fri Jul 16 the Moon conjuncts Saturn in the end of Virgo, and goes void of course for about half an hour.  This slow-going, precise energy is worth saving.  The Moon then enters Libra and opposes Uranus in the morning and Jupiter by midday.  Heads Up!  The morning may throw crazy people and problems your way (or, better still, into your storylines), to peak in an avalanche of nuttiness by midday, but you are prepared.  Never underestimate the entertainment value of the silly.

Wed Jul 21 the Moon is in Sagittarius when Saturn shifts signs and enters Libra.  Heads Up.  The heavy critical eye of Saturn now shifts its gaze onto people, relationships, and all things social.  Be calm and diplomatic, to a fault if need be.  Problem people and situations may be slow to reveal themselves.  Honesty and integrity are your best and most powerful weapons.  Cunning will not be your friend.

Thu Jul 22 the Moon is in Sagittarius when the Sun leaves the sign of Cancer and enters its home sign of Leo.  Have a brilliant afternoon (and coming month).  May the spotlight of publishing fall upon your work.  Be prolific and proud of your projects.  You are the only one who can bring them to life.

Fri Jul 23 the Moon is in Capricorn when Jupiter grinds to a halt and goes stationary retrograde at 03Ari.  This is a long retrograde period, lasting into November.  What mania appeared out in the open now goes underground (until September when Jupiter retros out of Aries and back into Pisces).  Three hours later the Moon conjuncts Pluto in Capricorn.  The first mania to burn out may be that of the pointless workaholic.  Use your energy and creativity on grounded projects and relationships.

Sat Jul 24 the Moon is in Capricorn when Jupiter exactly squares Pluto.  Heads Up.  Go out and have a good time, but beware of ego clashes.  Keep your sense of humor in the foreground and flash that smile.  People will need to see it often.

Sun Jul 25 is the Full Moon at 03Aqu.  Engage in massive inventiveness and enjoy every surprise.  Share.

Mon Jul 26 the Moon is in Aquarius when Mercury exactly opposes Neptune.  Question the social paradigm but keep your reservations private.  An hour and a half later the Sun trines Jupiter.  People will be more agreeable than you ever expected.  Five and half hours later is the exact opposition of Saturn and Uranus.  Major Heads Up.  Without attention to social and diplomatic skills, today could be one minor landmine after another.  Stay calm and cling to that Sun-Jupiter trine.  Some people will prove to be sincere.

Tue Jul 27 the Moon is in Aquarius when Mercury changes signs and moves into Virgo.  This is good for writers, as Mercury is the nocturnal ruler of Virgo.  The small is often the embodiment of the large; so don’t shy away from little concerns or thoughts.  That night, the Moon conjuncts Neptune and goes void of course.  Let the mind slow down.  Maybe meditate on some the fur that’s been flying, or may be flying soon.  This is not a heads up, at least, not quite yet.

Wed Jul 28 the Moon is in Pisces all day.  Feelings play a huge part in all writing.  Let the emotions bubble up in your writing.  Even the most academic of papers need to be written with style.  Remember yours.

Thu Jul 29 the Moon is in Pisces when Mars changes signs and moves into Libra.  Heads Up for the next few days, here.  The Mars-Saturn conjunction is applying, and sometimes an aspect is stronger as it approaches perfection.  Pressures are mounting.  The “good news” is that Mars is weakest (though not powerless) in Libra.  Heads Up.

Fri Jul 30 the Moon is void of course in Pisces when Mercury trines Pluto.  Big changes make a lot sense but later may be hard to justify.  Three and a half hours later, Mars opposes Uranus.  Don’t spend your time debunking other people’s crackpot ideas.  Enjoy all the creativity and let ideas collapse on their own.  In the afternoon the Moon enters Aries and conjuncts Uranus.  You may have some controversial ideas of your own.  Twenty-six minutes later, the Moon opposes Mars.  Don’t let your enthusiasm fizzle.  Twenty-three minutes after that, the Moon opposes Saturn.  Nothing can rob you of your ambition to reach your goal.  Can you feel that Mars-Saturn conjunction coming on?  That evening, the Moon conjuncts Jupiter retrograde.  You feel strong enough to be good luck for others.

Sat Jul 31 the Moon is in Aries when Mars exactly conjuncts Saturn at 00Lib.  Luckily, it happens in the middle of the night for most of us, so how much trouble can we get into?  Start the day with good focus on what matters and don’t be tricked into being over deferential because you know you’re so strong.  Mars and Saturn together can feel like one foot on the gas and the other foot on the brake.  Stay centered and apply all that Mars power constructively to what work you take most seriously.  Great good can come from this aspect, and of the two planets, Saturn is the stronger.  Go for the long-term rather than the flash in the pan.  Heads Up in a magnificent way.

This has not been an easy month.  We start in one world, and conclude in another.  We have at our disposal all the energy, glory, and nobility of the Sun in its home sign by the end of it.  Persevere and have faith in yourself.  Great forces are stirring in the heavens and on the earth.  You are one of those forces.

In a cosmic nutshell, we have Jupiter and Uranus conjunct in early Aries.  The lightning bolt brilliance of the individual is ready to go!  Opposing that is Mars and Saturn conjunct in early Libra.  Society (although made up of individuals) simply can’t move that fast, but it has great motivation towards progress.  Square to all this is Pluto in early Capricorn, saying that no quantity of work may be enough.  This all makes a T-square, pointing to, yes, the early part of Cancer.  Whatever is dreamed, attempted, manifested, achieved now will have great impact on the root of all things, on our homes, our hearts.  What we say and do now will have clear and direct-line results.  So say and do everything with great care and compassion

This is no time to be shy.  Write your heart, and your here and now.  No one else can.  Only you.  Each one of us.  We speak for ourselves.  We are also the voice for those who cannot speak.  Be like the Sun, and shine with commitment.  Heads Up!

Go for it!  Heads Up

On Friday, we learned that found out that the all time winner in the ‘get away with financial murder’ department, Goldman Sachs has been sued for fraud by the SEC. You may remember that it was those captains of the universe at GS that created the toxic debt instrument, the Collateral Debt Obligation, better known as CDOs, that nearly wiped out the financial institutions.  GS has a lot of chutzpah, because not only are they said to have helped to create the toxicity, but they also managed to get billions of dollars in  TARP  bailout money.

By Joshua Gallu and Christine Harper

April 16 (Bloomberg) — Goldman Sachs Group Inc. was sued by U.S. regulators for fraud tied to collateralized debt obligations that contributed to the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. The firm’s shares tumbled as much as 16 percent and financial stocks slumped.

Goldman Sachs created and sold CDOs tied to subprime mortgages in early 2007, as the U.S. housing market faltered, without disclosing that hedge fund Paulson & Co. helped pick the underlying securities and bet against them, the Securities and Exchange Commission said in a statement today. Billionaire John Paulson’s firm earned $1 billion on the trade and wasn’t accused of wrongdoing. The SEC also sued Fabrice Tourre, a Goldman Sachs vice president who helped created the CDOs.

‘ “The product was new and complex but the deception and conflicts are old and simple,” SEC Enforcement Director Robert Khuzami said. “Goldman wrongly permitted a client that was betting against the mortgage market to heavily influence which mortgage securities to include in an investment portfolio, while telling other investors that the securities were selected by an independent, objective third party.”

“Goldman Sachs became emblematic of public outrage at the banking industry after posting a record $13.4 billion profit in 2009, a year after receiving $10 billion in taxpayer aid during the financial crisis.”   More from Bloomberg

Like yours truly, back in 2006 (see Llewellyn’s 2006 Moon Sign Book), Paulson warned investors that the building boom was about to go bust. However, unlike yours truly, Paulson put his money where his mouth was and made a fortune by creating a financial instrument (collateral debt obligation or CDO)  of real estate mortgage based securities (RMBS) that he was betting against.   At first, he lost money, then in 2007, he hit pay dirt - big time. It is estimated in 2007, alone, Paulson & Co. made $15 billion dollars. This transaction, is said to have netted Paulson close to $4 billion dollars.

So where is the fraud?

Not on John Paulson’s part, he has been absolved off all liability in this situation. We need to roll back the clock to 2007. In a nutshell, John Paulson went to Goldman Sachs (as well as other investment banks)  and asked them to ‘create’ (structure) a type of RMBS (special emphasis on the last two letters) that some say was designed to fail. Gary Zuckerman’s book, ‘The Greatest Trade,’ tells us that Paulson shopped around to various banks. Not all of them took the bait.  According to Zuckerman, thinking that Paulson would want especially ‘ugly mortgages,’ Bear Stearns turned him down. There has been the analogy raised that this was like benching your best player, while betting on the opposing team.  While there might be of questionable ethics to create a CDO to fail and then bet against it,  there is hardly anything illegal about that. Investment banks come up with (structure) financial instruments of all types, all the time.

What was the SEC alleges to be fraudulent is that Goldman Sachs,  as well as, their Vice President Fabrice Tourre  not only created the financial instrument, but also prepared the marketing materials, and sold them directly to customers. In addition, and perhaps worst of all, the SEC alleges that Goldman Sachs did not disclose the risk, specifically that hedge fund, Paulson & Co. had a significant bet (short) against this particular financial instrument.

Will this be the end of Goldman Sachs?  Given the heavily restricted resources of the Securities and Exchange Commission and what seems to be the vast resources of Goldman Sachs, I tend to doubt it. However,  given the allegations, it might not be a bad time to check out Goldman Sachs initial public offering. Goldman Sachs went public, that is offered shares in their company stock on May 4th 1999. We use 9:30 a.m., New York, because this is the time that the New York Stock Exchange opened.

Looking at the chart, we see that Cancer rises, making the Moon very important in this chart.  We see that the Moon is in the gambling sign of Sagittarius, placed in the 6th sector of service. In a sense, what G.S. does is to serve the investment community with a host of financial services. The Moon will represent the company, and all who work there.  I have to admit, I was surprised to see a movable sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) rising. The movable signs are so named because they are very changeable. And as such, when we see one of them rise, because of the speed involved, there is a sense of hyper speed up. Companies with movable signs on the rise, see a lot of action, but there is less stability than I would like to see in a company that has this kind of influence on the markets.

The next thing I look for is what planet or luminary has power over the sign rising coming up in the east. In the case of GS, the company and all who work, therein, and because we are talking about an stock,  not a corporation (which has different rules) and all who own a piece of it, (stockholders) instead of something stable, to bring balance, instead, we see the fluctuating Moon.  Aptly, the Moon is in speculative sign, Sagittarius, in the service sector, indeed that is what Goldman purports to do, serve the banking and investment community. The Moon is in a wonderful relationship with its ruler, Mr. Moneybags, Jupiter.  Luck is always important in the realm of big time finance, or else it wouldn’t have gotten this big to begin with. In addition to owning the company, Jupiter has a lot to say about the upper echelon of the company. We might say that Goldman Sachs has friends in high places, as can be clearly seen by Jupiter’s position in the tail end of the 10th house. The revolving door between GS and government is well known. We have several C.E.Os who left GS to become Secretary of the Treasury.  Jupiter will represent management.

The deal in question went on April 26, 2007. What is intriguing to me is that it looks like management (the 10th) was very anxious for this deal to proceed.  I do not know the particulars, but with Mars, the North Node and Uranus sitting in the house of bigwigs, on that fateful day, while the diminishing Saturn sat in the

As this suit comes about,  Jupiter just happens to be cresting at the 10th house of the stock. In traditional astrology, the 10th house is what we pay for things. Since the 10th house is the top of the chart, the noon position, it might suggest that the stock price is peaking.  It is interesting to note that the deal itself,  went down on April 26 2007. If we look at the transiting planets on that day,  it looks like management might have been a bit too anxious for push this deal through with anxious Mars, and Uranus all right up at the top on that day.  In addition, the planet of  bear markets and diminishing returns, Saturn was not only in their money house (2nd) but also square their money ruler… It looks, at least from an astrological point of view that Goldman Sachs was ‘hot to trot’ for this deal. We have to wonder what kind of other deals GS had made back in 2007.  Were they anxious about some other trades, or where they just greedy or was this just business as usual? We will probably never know. What we do know is that in 2007, Goldman was trading upwards of $250, but in March had dropped quite a bit, and what we also know is that Goldman dropped 13% on Friday. There are now probes taking place in both Great Britain and Germany.  Don’t forget that Goldman is a huge player  in China.

To be continued…..

April 1st may be April Fool’s Day, but astrologically, there is no fooling around.

The month starts on Thursday (Jupiter’s day) with the Moon in Scorpio. Scorpio does

not know how to fool around. We have the Moon trine Jupiter, though, so the world

does not have to be deadly serious. And, Venus changes signs and enters Taurus (a

sign it rules). Life may not instantly become better, but at least it can look

better.

Fri Apr 02 Mercury changes signs and enters Taurus, too. This lightens things up,

although perhaps slowing down the pace. The Moon enters Sagittarius, making

impatience even more of an issue. Why rush? Everything is not a race.

Sat Apr 03 the Moon is in Sagittarius when Venus squares Mars. Look at the bigger

picture, and don’t fiercely cling to your opinion.

Sun Apr 04 is Easter Sunday. The Moon enters Capricorn in the evening, and is there

when Venus trines Pluto. Necessary changes can still have some beauty about them.

An hour later, Mercury squares Mars. Resist pointless criticism, especially

self-criticism.

Mon Apr 05 the Moon conjuncts Pluto in Capricorn. A mild Heads Up. Work on

something radically transformative, if only in private and for a few moments.

Tue Apr 06 the Moon is in Capricorn when Mercury trines Pluto. Those necessary

changes may start to make a little sense. That evening, Pluto goes stationary

retrograde. That slight feeling of more security is an illusion, but it’s still

nice.

Wed Apr 07 the Moon enters Aquarius early in the morning. We can look forward to a

month of Wednesdays with the Moon in fixed signs. Think persistence, rather than

stubbornness. Engage in something, and stick with it. Midday, Saturn retrogrades

back into the sign of Virgo. Heads Up. Fear no rewriting or editing task. Nor is

there any fear of being rushed. Good work cannot be rushed.

Fri Apr 09 the Moon conjuncts Neptune in Aquarius. Dream something good for the

mass market. Four hours later, the Moon moves into Pisces. Some of your personal

feelings will resonate with others.

Sat Apr 10 the Moon is in Pisces for a day of sextiles. The Moon sextiles Pluto in

the early morning. This can take away the worst of the sting from some unwelcomed

change. Mid-afternoon, the Moon sextiles Mercury. It becomes easier to present a

difficult idea to even difficult people. Evening, the Moon sextiles Venus.

Regardless of how the day went, it now has the warm inner glow of a glass of wine.

Take gentle assistance where you find it.

Sun Apr 11 the Moon conjuncts Jupiter in Pisces. Swim with the big fish today.

Mon Apr 12 the Moon conjuncts Uranus in Pisces. Be careful that you don’t offend

unintentionally. About three hours later, the Moon opposes Saturn retrograde. Any

serious misstep earlier in the day may come back to haunt you. Don’t be knocked off

balance.

Tue Apr 13 the Moon is in Aries all day. Limit feverish activity to your work.

It’s the day before the New Moon. Heads Up. Don’t do anything rash that isn’t

absolutely necessary.

Wed Apr 14 is the New Moon at 24Ari. Begin something that’s expressly for you.

Your passion for it will carry you through to completion.

Thu Apr 15 the Moon is in Taurus all day, conjuncting Mercury in the midafternoon.

It’s Tax Day in the U.S. It’s also, I believe, the 98th anniversary of the sinking

of the Titanic. Way too late for a heads up on that one.

Fri Apr 16 the Moon conjuncts Venus in Taurus. Sit still and savor something you

love. Late that night, the Moon enters Gemini. Look forward to a weekend of

productivity, mental cross-fertilization, and brainstorming. Wait, there’s more.

Heads Up!! Mercury is grinding to a halt in the sky, to go stationary retrograde

tomorrow. Think computer backups, cell phones and all things with batteries well

charged, all the usual electronic, mechanical, transportational, and communicational

things safeguarded. Or maybe it’s as simple as knowing where your checkbook, keys,

Ipod, and notebooks are. Heads Up!

Sat Apr 17 the Moon is in Gemini when Venus sextiles Jupiter. Communicate

gracefully, but with restraint, because eight hours later comes the Mercury

stationary retrograde at 12Tau. Prepare to feel like your brain is slipping into a

deep freeze. Stay calm. Everyone else feels like it, too. Drive carefully. Heads

Up!

Mon Apr 19 the Moon enters Cancer in the early morning. Cravings for home space

fill the mind and heart. That night, the Sun changes signs and enters Taurus. The

need to manically live the life of Aries is over and we can settle deep into

something more substantial and hopefully more comfortable.

Wed Apr 21 the Moon enters Leo. Write with brilliance, willing to take risks with

words and themes.

Thu Apr 22 the Moon conjuncts Mars in Leo. This can be a high energy day. And,

it’s Earth Day. Some of us feel that each day is Earth Day. I mean, where do you

live?

Fri Apr 23 the Moon enters Virgo midday, and about an hour and half later, Venus

squares Neptune. Share criticism and edit with a light hand. That evening, Venus

sextiles Uranus. It’s not too late in the day to be adventuresome.

Sat Apr 24 the Moon is in Virgo when Venus trines Saturn retrograde. Doubts about

earlier efforts will vaporize. Late that night, Venus changes signs and moves into

Gemini. Suddenly there aren’t enough people with whom to share all these luscious

new observations and opinions. Thank goodness for email.

Sun Apr 25 Mercury squares Mars in the very early hours. You can be polite and

still not agree. Later that morning, the Sun trines Pluto. Enjoy the power of your

convictions, especially concerning the upbeat. The Moon conjuncts Saturn

retrograde, then enters the sign of Libra. Tomorrow can be a very satisfying day.

Mon Apr 26 the Moon is in Libra when Saturn retrograde opposes Uranus. Major Heads

Up. If your work needs some major innovation, stop putting it off and just do it.

In the world at large, this aspect suggests that if a big change needs to be done,

there may be less resistance than normal. Be happy about that Saturn retrograde.

Wed Apr 28 we have the Full Moon at 08Sco. This is the stuff of deep-seated

passion. Another Heads Up. Tackle that crucial climax scene with confidence.

Thirty minutes later the Moon opposes Mercury. Let no one interrupt you or talk you

out of it. Four hours later, the Sun conjuncts Mercury retrograde. Take a

well-deserved break from all that mental exercise.

Thu Apr 29 the Moon enters Sagittarius, where it remains through the end of the

month. End on a high note and write big. Feel good about it.

April has a few heavy-duty days in it, but nothing we haven’t weathered before.

Persist in your pursuits. It’s surprising how, long after the fact, you learn that

people not only like what you did but they admire you just for doing it. Don’t lean

on that, though. Don’t lean on anything. Dig in, churn away, and work your way

through to the end. No one can stop you. Be brave, inventive, and even brilliant,

like the flowers of spring. Some of them are perennials, you know. Heads Up!

Click here for larger image

March 2010

Welcome to March, the month that comes in like a lion. We start on a Monday, with the Moon still in Virgo when Mercury changes signs and enters Pisces. Expect a little indecision when dealing with people. Before today is over, the Moon enters Libra and conjuncts Saturn retrograde. Tomorrow may be more pleasant if more formal.

Wed Mar 03 is a day of finding, and maybe dealing with loose ends. Don’t tackle anything too heavy, unless you work nights, because that’s when the Moon enters Scorpio. Two hours later Venus conjuncts Uranus. Even the quirky may require serious attention. This could bleed over into tomorrow.

Sun Mar 07 the Moon is in Sagittarius when Venus changes signs and starts the zodiac all over again, entering Aries. The world may look fresh and vibrant in a whole new way. Later, Mercury conjuncts Jupiter in Pisces. Eavesdrop discriminately. People are being generous with their good ideas, however ungrounded those ideas may be.

(continue reading…)

Market Changes Direction

I don’t have much time, so this has to be brief, but for all my friends, clients and readers, but especially my dear trading buddies, who may be a bit overweight in equities, or ‘long’ etfs; the tide has turned.

Since I so want you all to keep your money, so I am asking each of you to please consider reallocating into more secure positions. If your portfolio is under the guidance of somebody else, please make them aware that market forces are changing. For those who have been trading long, if you have been beaten up, waiting for the recovery to return, try not to be sad. Remember the market goes up, and the market goes down. If you try to go long when you should be going short you lose money. We don’t want to lose money, now do we? Of course not, so if you are long, close your positions into any positive news.

For those who are having trouble understanding this, or who have just parked their money elsewhere. Here is your mantra:

70% of market moves with market

70% of the market moves with the market

70% of the market moves with the market.

Say that over and over again until you get it in your head. We have moved into bear country. You don’t go into bear country without proper precautions, so if you are long equities, then its time to think about the much maligned US Dollar. If you are a trader, get your puts in place. Above all, don’t be afraid to stick with them.

And here is your mantra:

Sell on the good news

Sell on the good news

Sell on the good news

Why? Well several reasons first,  all we have to do is take one look at the Spring Ingess Chart set for 2009. What say you, “2009? That’s long gone, its 2010?”

Modern times mean fast times, so fast we  think, ‘here to day, gone tomorrow.’  Ours is is the study of beginnings. Following Hermes/Thoth, astrologers know that what was written above, will be lived out down here on earth.  We must remember that the first day of spring, is just like the first breath a baby takes. And just as the baby’s destiny is marked out by that breath of prana, so too are the 365 days following the Spring Equinox, marked in that all important chart. It is this nano second that the Western Astrological Tradition is based upon.

Spring Equinox 2009

The first thing we notice is that there are cardinal cusps on all the angles (the 4 corners of the chart). Cardinal signs have the ability to act, and it promises a fast market because of it. The next thing we notice is that the ruler of the chart, is Mars, and he is in a watery house. This may not look very bullish, and indeed, it is not. The first house shows the condition of the people and how the citizenry feel. In this case, and with Aries rising, the grumpy Mars tells us how the people are. Mars in Pisces is a sign of worry. The 12th is a house of loss. This is a sign that the natives are restless, but quiet about it. Since the 12th is a cadent or falling house, they feel helpless. The condition of the people in any chart is important, and might be bad, if we were not looking at the spring chart for hints concerning money. Here we leave the house of the people and look to the money houses, the first, our moveable assets, the 11th, the profits from our businesses, the 8th our debts, and the 5th the stock market, but with this caveat, the stock market is the stock market if you are only in it for fun and games. (continue reading…)

Surf's Up!

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by Kathy Watts

Tue Feb 23 the Moon is still in Gemini when the Sun sextiles Pluto. There are some changes that just need to be made, and there are gracious ways of making them.  Then the Moon enters Cancer. Everything seems to hit closer to home.  You do not have to spill coffee on your desk. Wed

Feb 24 the Moon is in Cancer, but, as always, it reaches out and touches someone, lots of someones.  Today the Moon trines the Sun (self-confidence improves), then the Moon trines Jupiter (give if not also get some good luck), then the Moon trines Venus (adds a touch of charm to everything—-so appreciate it). That’s a lot of gentle touches.  Stay concentrated on your work, but Heads Up in a good way.

Thu Feb 25 the Moon conjuncts Mars retrograde in Leo.  Heads Up. Channel this away from anger and into being a little nobler in the daily routine.  Be willing to cheerfully do something that someone else won’t.  Worse case, hole up and write like a demon.

Sat Feb 27 the Moon is still in Leo when Mercury conjuncts Neptune. Magic can happen today.  Make it beneficent magic, because before midnight, the Moon opposes Neptune, then Mercury, and all plots and scheming may be revealed. (This might be a useful scenario in the writing of a fantasy novel.)

Sun Feb 28 the Sun conjuncts Jupiter.  Contemplate general good luck. About five hours later, the Moon opposes Jupiter.  Consider that something lucky may have happened but you’ve overlooked it.  Let the Moon shine its light on whatever good is available to you.  Eighteen whole minutes later comes the Full Moon at 09Vir.  Patiently perfect the many small things that are nonetheless important to you.  This is heady stuff on which to end the month.  Heads Up for sure. The month ending on a Full Moon is quite a gift.  It’s a brilliance to be taken into the coming month.  Be brilliant, too, full of plans and projects for the future, and full of energy for the present.  Be a light that shines for everyone.  Writers work hard with passion and deserve to be heard and read.  This means you!  Have a stunning month. Heads Up! *********

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