June 2011

The month of June starts off with a big bang — a New Moon and solar eclipse at 11Gemini. It is Wednesday, Mercury’s day of the week (the writer’s day of the week) but I suggest keeping a low profile until after the solar eclipse. My affirmation is, “May this eclipse portend lots of your work getting out into the world.” In which case, do your best, because once out in the world, your words cannot be summoned back. Make this a Heads Up in a good way. (continue reading…)

Heads Up!
The Writer’s Astrological Almanac
by Kathy Watts

May 2011

The merry month of May begins on a Sunday (the Sun’s day of the week). The Moon conjuncts Jupiter in the morning. Let’s accept this as a sign of a month of good luck. Half an hour later, the Moon conjuncts Mars, then goes void of course in the end of Aries. Here’s the energy to take advantage of all that good luck. Careful, though. It’s the day before the New Moon, an automatic Heads Up. Be alert and think before speaking, acting, and traveling.

Mon May 02 is the New Moon at 12 Taurus. This month you can start something beautiful with lasting power. Be willing to be persistent and patient.

Wed May 04 the Moon enters Gemini in the midmorning. Look forward to a productive day, if you ignore the ringing telephone and outpouring of texts and emails. We have from now till Friday evening to bask in this Moon-in Gemini-writing energy. It’s going to be a month of Wednesdays with the Moon in the mutable signs. Work on character development.

Thu May 05 the Moon is firmly in the sign of Gemini. Write away.

Mon May 09 the Moon is in Leo when Mercury conjuncts Venus. Express yourself with beauty, and even a touch of glamour. This conjunction continues in a loose way until May 16 when it repeats exactly. The Moon may move on, but the charm of beautiful expression can linger. Enjoy it.

Wed May 11 the Moon is void of course in Leo when Mars changes signs and enters Taurus. The pulse of the world should slow down a bit, letting us do our work less hysterically. The Moon enters Virgo in the early morning. This further slows the pace, so we can catch more of those silly little errors committed in haste. Less than an hour later Venus conjuncts Jupiter in Aries. Luck is a beautiful thing, especially when it’s ours but even when it’s not. Five hours later Mercury conjuncts Jupiter in Aries. This can mean many thoughts, and a big word count for the day. (continue reading…)

Heads Up!
The Writer’s Astrological Almanac
by Kathy Watts

April 2011
Happy Spring! Congratulations on weathering the storms of March. May there be more sun, warmth, and green growing things in our immediate future! Mercury may be retrograde, but that can be a good thing (yes, you heard me right). Think clearly, carefully, perhaps a bit more slowly (although with Mercury in Aries, how slow can it be?), and deeply. Be grateful for a bit of restraint and a slight curb on what otherwise might be shameless mental mania.

April starts off on a Friday, the day of the week special to Venus and all things charming and lovely. The Moon is void of course in Pisces (and not yet in Aries, for better or worse) when Mars changes signs and enters his home sign of Aries. In a month like this, we could set the world on fire, so be careful and make good choices all month long!

Sat Apr 02 the Moon conjuncts Mars in Aries. Be primed for a high-energy weekend, and remember to take notes, as there may be little time to compose it all properly. Not quite a couple of hours later, the Moon conjuncts Uranus in Aries. This can be more high-energy surprises, some of which best belong in fiction. Don’t let the stunning stuff pass by unnoticed. Writers are notorious for being observant, after all. It’s also the day before the New Moon (yes, in combustible Aries). Drive safely, especially if you’re in a little red car. Be cautious but not paranoid. Heads Up.

Sun Apr 03 is the New Moon at 13Ari. Inspiration is a form of high energy. If you’re not already fired up about your work, perhaps now’s the time to ask for that. Midday, the Moon conjuncts Jupiter, in Aries. This conjunction so close to a new moon makes it even more powerful. Be wide open to massive good luck, and don’t narrowly dictate what form it takes. Two hours later Mars conjuncts Uranus, in Aries. Mars on his alone is combustible. With Uranus, things can be explosive. In Aries (ruled by Mars, don’t forget) it can be more high-yield than “usual” (not that anything about Uranus is usual). I may stay in today and work on my disaster novel. (continue reading…)

March 2011
Welcome to the Lucky Number Three month of the year! We begin on a Tuesday (the day of the week ruled by Mars) with the Moon in Aquarius. Saturn traditionally rules Aquarius, so expect a lot of Saturn energy this month. For starters, Venus enters Aquarius today. Make this a month to work energetically, with an eye to form and beauty, and to take your work seriously (if only in private) even if the outside world doesn’t. Begin with this Heads Up: let the word ‘discouragement’ drop out of your dictionary this month.

Wed Mar 2 the Moon is in Aquarius all day. Good work habits can be made into a joy forever. Love your work, do it for yourself and others, and be diligent.

Thu Mar 3 the Moon conjuncts Neptune in the next to the last degree of Aquarius. Be open to big inspirations. It may not last, but what does? Two hours later the Moon moves on and enters Pisces and conjuncts Mars before the day ends. Now it’s time to open your heart to the feelings of others (especially fictional characters). It’s the day before the New Moon, so don’t get too caught up in the emotional soup. With Mars in this mix, the soup could get hot. Heads Up.

Fri Mar 4 is the New Moon at 13Pisces. Indulge in beautiful music. Pick up that abandoned romantic screenplay. Better yet, begin one.

Sat Mar 5 the Moon conjuncts Mercury in Pisces. It’s too easy to say the words that someone yearns to hear. (It’s a great plot device, too.) That night the Moon conjuncts Uranus in the last degree of Pisces. Heads Up. Keep your words, thoughts, and actions gentle and kind. Don’t let any errant comment turn into a cruel parting shot (unless that’s your design, and hopefully it will happen only in some fictional dialog). (continue reading…)

Please come join me for an astrological feast!!

International Astrology Day * San Francisco

March 19th in a celebration of Astrology

International Astrology Day (IAD) is an annual observance/holiday celebrated by astrologers and astrology enthusiasts. It is held on the spring equinox, the day the Sun enters Aries, which is the first sign of the Tropical  Zodiac, and has long been considered the astrological new year. In observance of IAD the Association For Astrological Networking (AFAN) co-ordinates astrological lectures and events around the world. (continue reading…)

Alistair Barr over at MarketWatch warns, today,  that emerging markets may be peaking.

Feb. 15, 2011, 2:55 p.m. EST

Emerging markets may be overheating: Citi CEO

Big banks may struggle to make 20% returns on equity, Pandit says

By Alistair Barr, MarketWatch

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) – Emerging markets may be overheating and will have to increase capacity and control inflation, Citigroup Inc. Chief Executive Vikram Pandit said Tuesday.

Pandit also said big banks may struggle to generate 20% returns on equity in the future, in a speech at the ISI Group 2011 conference in New York.

“Many of the emerging markets are operating at or near capacity and are therefore at risk of overheating – and must deal with the possible consequences of inflation,” he remarked.

Surging food prices show that “there are some countries where you’ve reached close to capacity,” Pandit said, without mentioning specific nations.

Still, the Citi (NYSE:C)  chief noted that this is happening because emerging markets are growing strongly. “Their challenge is to work out how to increase capacity. Central banks on the ground are doing a good job trying to handle this trade-off between growth and capacity.”

Citi has the most exposure to emerging markets of any big U.S. bank. Pandit said Tuesday he’s “comfortable” with the portfolio of loans the company has made in these countries. That’s partly because consumer leverage and corporate-lending penetration is still relatively low, he explained…” More:

http://tinyurl.com/467nh6p

Surely, with the lose monetary policy, we hear all the time, how ‘strong’ the dollar is against the Euro, and the currencies of other developed nations, but what we do not hear much about,  is how zerp (zero interest rates policy) has increased the currencies of emerging nations, especially those with large mining and mineral operations. For example, Australia’s dollar, today trades at 0.9964, pretty much, neck and neck,  with the US dollar.

There is no doubt that commodities have had an enormous run up in the past year. Oil is trading at 86 a barrel, and gold is off the roof in the 1300s. How long can a good thing last, is anybody’s guess, and so, since it’s a question, I am interested in. I feel passionately about markets. It is my business, to know, and it should be yours, too.  So I ask:

Are emerging markets about to hit the skids?

When we look at horary charts, the first thing we do is to look to the ASC. This gives the atmosphere of the question to us. Here we have the ‘quick’ and nimble Gemini, rising. This will a sort of lightness or flexibility to the atmosphere of the question. In other words, it’s a question sort of asked at the ‘spur of the moment’ and so it’s a casually asked question, much the sign, Gemini, which is comprised of two children. In the first house, we see the Dragon’s Tail at the last degree of Gemini. This could portend some downward movement, but at 29 degrees, it may be ‘down the road’ a bit.

The next thing we do in such a chart, is to examine the condition of the planet that governs, or has control of the sign rising on the eastern horizon. In this case, that planet is Mercury.  The first thing we notice is that Mercury  is of the same nature as the sign on that all important cusp, in other words, light and airy in nature because the sign rising, and its ruler,  Mercury are both in an air signs. Air brings a lot of ‘hope’ for the future, and as such, they tend to be bullish.

Mercury is up at the top of the chart. This portion of the chart is called the ‘price’ in ancient charts. So when we see Mercury heading towards the top of the chart. And we all know that old saying, ‘what goes up must come down.’ In this case, Mercury is about 5 degrees from the top. This may buy emerging markets a little time. However, Mercury is also heading straight into the molten bubbling rays of the sun. This is called, combustion. The Sun is just so much bigger and stronger than Mercury, that it doesn’t ake much imagination to figure out what happens, when this happens. In ancient think, this is the sign of trial by fire.  In the question at hand, the all powerful, Sun also rules the house of bottoms, that of the 4th.

What does this mean? Well, in  a nutshell, given Mercury’s upcoming peaking, then falling into the fiery arms of the Sun, not to mention, that depressing South Node in the 1st,  we may, indeed,  see emerging markets go down. But when ???

Well, in horary, angular planets stand for months. Since Mercury is within 5 degrees of the cusp of the 10th,  it may buy emerging markets a few months, but since Mercury is just leaving the antiscion of the parsfortuna, we have a pretty strong bet that the boom days, are over.

February 2011
For a month with the fewest days, there is nothing short about the action in this year’s February.

We open up with Feb 01 on a Tuesday (the day of the week for dynamic Mars, so we’re already off to a running start). The Moon in Capricorn conjuncts Mercury and then goes void of course until it enters Aquarius in the midday. The first half of the day will have better mental focus, so do your more important work then. Late that night, Venus sextiles Neptune. The evening can be dreamy and sweet. Heads Up all day, though. It’s the day before the New Moon and this always deserves extra caution. (continue reading…)

Heads Up!   January 2011

Happy New Year and welcome to 2011! We start off on a Saturday (Saturn’s day of the week) with the Moon in Sagittarius. Jupiter rules Sagittarius. This fits in well with the upcoming Jupiter-Saturn opposition in late March. Take it as a theme for the year — generosity, gratitude, respect. We all want it, after all, so let’s share the “wealth.”

Sun Jan 2 the Moon conjuncts Mercury on Sagittarius. Think big thoughts, and phrase them meticulously. The audience will build itself.

Mon Jan 3 the Moon conjuncts Pluto in Capricorn. Feel strongly about your work, do your best, and let the chips fall where they may. It’s also the day before the New Moon (that will also be a solar eclipse). Be safety-minded, especially when traveling, even if only to the grocery store. Heads Up.

Tue Jan 4 is the New Moon at 13 Cap. Embrace your work with a new intensity. It’s also a solar eclipse. What decisions you make now will have extra weight for the next three months. A few hours later Jupiter conjuncts Uranus in the end of Pisces. Expansive feelings may go out in surprising directions. Less that an hour later, Venus trines Uranus. The unexpected and unconventional may be better received. Then Venus trines Jupiter. A lot of people can feel good about a lot of things. Encourage the good things, and feel good, too. (continue reading…)

If you are interested in knowing what is in store for you in the coming year, ahead; come  join us for a panel discussion this coming Thursday, December 16, 2010. I must say, I am quite honored to be in such in royal company. I  will be surrounded by two of the most brilliant, Jessica Murray, and Jack Fertig (see about them, below!!)

Panel Discussion 2011 and Beyond

Panelists:
Jessica Murry, Jack Fertig, and Dorothy Kovach.

In our now-traditional finale to the year’s programs, three of the Bay Area’s top Geo-Political Astrologers will share their views of the year ahead.

Jack Fertig

has been studying Astrology since 1969 and practicing professionally in San Francisco since 1980. A long time astro-columnist in local papers, he has also written for a number of other journals and magazines, and now writes the internationally syndicated “Q-Scopes”. He teaches classes — including the Introduction to Geo-Political Astrology through the International Academy of Astrology and offers both personal and business consultation. His principle interest is in outer planet motions and their correlations to social and historical changes. He is a member of the International Society for Astrological Research, the National Council for Geo-Cosmic Research, and a founding member of the Association For Astrological Networking. Jack serves on the Steering Committee of AFAN and the San Franicsco Astrological Society.

http://www.starjack.com

to  We are sorry  to announce that David Crook will not be able to make it. 🙁

But Jessica Murray will!!

Is a full-time astrologer, with a passion for the sacred science. He enjoys working with clients, and the quiet study of mundane astrology. David received an MFA degree from the San Francisco Art Institute, and have actively studied Taoism, the I Ching, and astrology, for over the last 20 years.

David Crook’s blog: http://stellarinsights108.blogspot.com/

and me, 🙂

Dorothy J.  Kovach

a practicing astrologer, writer and timing expert based in Northern California. She acts as a consultant to both businesses and persons interested in finding the very best time to start projects for successful outcomes, such as launching new businesses, websites, surgery, weddings, etc. Her specialty is  horary astrology. Over a decade, ago, Dorothy decided to apply traditional to the markets. She called both the downturn in 2000, as well as the Lehman Brothers crash in September 2008. She has been writing the economic forecasts for Llewellyn Publications since 2001. She utilizes the very best of both ancient western and eastern traditional methods in her work.

Regular meetings cost $7 for members and $12 for non-members for the general public.

$2 discounts off meeting fees for:

• Students with a student ID card
• Senior citizens (age 65+),
• People experiencing their Uranus Return (born 1925 or earlier) with membership get in for free!

Meetings start promptly at 7:30 p.m.
Meeting location:

Fort Mason
Building C

more info:

http://www.sfastrologicalsociety.com/

See you there!!!

December 2010
Welcome to December! This month begins on Wednesday,  Mercury’s day.  Be flexible and expect it to be a lively month. We start with the Moon conjuncting Saturn in even-tempered Libra. Despite any cravings for miracles, we can still keep our feet on the ground and enjoy a realistic, practical month. (continue reading…)