Astrological Forecasts

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

By Kathy Watts

May 2020

(times are PDT all time errors are mine.)

Perhaps not the easiest of months but we’re good with challenges, right?. Four planets in retrograde, and a pile-up around the Capricorn-Aquarius cusp Traditionally, Capricorn and Aquarius are both ruled by Saturn, so that makes this a super-Saturnian time. It’s also a sort of cosmic “gateway” or “portal” so pay attention to what’s going on around and inside you. Who knows what you’ll learn.

Fri May 01 the Moon goes void of course in Leo at 9:04 am. The VOC may help us contain any tends toward psychodrama (and heavens knows, Leo does psychodrama with the best of them). With it being the Venus day of the week, we can turn life towards more personally satisfying creative pursuits. Life is beautiful. Maybe not easy or without suffering, but still beautiful. Hence, ART.

Sun May 03 the Moon is void of course in Virgo when Venus squares Neptune. Heads up for romantic or artistic concerns. Maybe edit or restart a beloved project some other time.

Mon May 04 the Moon is in congenial Libra all day (well, all but the very first nine minutes). At 2:14 pm the Sun conjoins Mercury. Mercury is direct now, so intuitive hits may be clearer and more numerous. Pay attention and give logic and rational thought a bit more slack (operative word, ‘bit’.’ This is not license to turn off your brain.).

Wed May 06 the Moon enters Scorpio at 00:05 am. Heads up. Put in a deeply felt, serious effort and stand by what you accomplish. You know it may not be perfect (yet), but it’s yours.

Thu May 07 we have the Full Moon at 3:45 am at 17 Sco. We have a solid month to make solid progress on something fundamental and important to us. Heads Up.

Sat May 09 the Moon is in Sagittarius when Mercury trines Pluto at 6:17 am. A great idea could come out of nowhere, from someone totally unexpected. And, it could be good. Heads Up.

Sun May 10 the Moon is in Capricorn when Mercury trines Jupiter at 7:36 am. Wake up with a busy mind, and do something with it. At 9:09 pm, Saturn goes stationary retrograde. Heads Up. Maybe feel a bit less oppressed for the next few months. Don’t neglect being respectful and responsible, though. Saturn won’t go direct until the end of September.

Mon May 11 the Moon is in Capricorn all day. Heads Up. Mercury squares Mars at 00:33 am. This could make for some crazy dreams. Don’t go to bed angry. At 2:58 pm Mercury changes signs, leaves Taurus and enters its diurnal home sign of Gemini. Heads Up in the best of ways. Be as creative, productive, and plugged in as you can. You can do this. At 11:14 pm the Moon conjoins Pluto. Yes, in Capricorn. You can sleep through it, or you can dig deep and get some powerful insights. Your call.

Tue May 12 the Moon conjoins Jupiter at 3:30 am and goes void of course in Capricorn. Get all the rest you can. It’s not laziness. The Moon enters Aquarius at 8:39 am. At 12:18 pm the Moon conjoins Saturn retrograde in Aquarius. Feel good about doing something for someone else. At 1:14 pm Mercury trines Saturn retrograde. It’s not too late to think of another random act of kindness. Mars now changes signs, leaving Aquarius and entering Pisces at 9:17 pm. You may not know quite what to do, but the good intention is there. The big news, though, is that at 11:45 pm Venus goes stationary retrograde. Heads Up. Suspend belief as well as disbelief from now until late June. Stay as objective as you can. it’s just too easy to misunderstand and be misunderstood. If I could give only one day to have a Heads Up, it would probably be today. Heads Up.

Wed May 13 the Moon is in cool, objective and sometimes oblivious Aquarius all day. Work on your work and be happy. We are getting a month of Wednesdays with the Moon in fixed signs. What can stop us? Nothing.

Thu May 14 the Moon is void of course in Aquarius when Jupiter goes stationary retrograde at 7:32 am. Heads Up. We now have both the King and the Guru in retrograde states. This could be very good, or very bad. Your call, no matter what madness the outside world is experiencing. The Moon finally enters Pisces at 6:24 pm. It’s perhaps not the best time to go touchy feelie, but here we are. At 9:06 pm the Moon conjoins Mars in Pisces. Heads Up. Go for the soft touch with actions and feelings. At 11:49 pm the Sun trines Pluto. Things are probably much better than they appear. Heads Up.

Fri May 16 the Moon conjoins Neptune in Pisces at 11:34 am. Work on something that you love. You deserve it.

Sun May 17 the Moon has been in Aries for three hours and four whole minutes when the Sun trines Jupiter retrograde at 9:40 am. Heads up for a good day, no matter what.

Tue May 19 the Moon enters Taurus at 7:10 pm. Have a nice dinner and a pleasant night. The big news is, tomorrow the world may seem more playful, quirky, and faster, if less elegant. Heads Up.

Wed May 20 the Moon is in Taurus when at 6:49 am the Sun changes signs, leaves luxurious Taurus and enters perky Gemini. Heads Up for a month of mercurial energy and all the networking, working, chatty and curious creativity that you can produce. At 11:07 am the Moon conjoins Uranus (still in Taurus). A surprising extravagance is possible. At 4:03 pm Venus retrograde squares Neptune. Heads Up. Whatever you’ve done today, don’t be too harsh. Let it go for now.

Thu May 21 the Moon is in Taurus all day. This won’t slow things down very much, though. Most important is that tomorrow is the New Moon, so take extra care, be safe in all the ways that matter most, and try to not overlook anything that could come back and bite you. Heads Up.

Fri May 22 the Moon trines Jupiter retrograde and goes void of course in Taurus at 1:01 am. It’s never too late (or too early) for a midnight snack and some private brainstorming. At 1:41 am Mercury conjoins Venus retrograde. Loneliness or nostalgia can general powerful inspiration. At 5:02 am the Sun trines Saturn retrograde. This can weaken any feelings of insecurity or unsettledness. The Moon enters Gemini, yes, Gemini, at 6:36 am. Heads Up. Wake up (whenever that is) and make the day your own. At 8:43 am Mercury squares Neptune. Expect things to shift back and forth between looking good and looking not so good. At 10:39 am we have the New Moon at 02 Gem. Heads Up. This is our New Moon of the year, so don’t squander it. Start something new, head off in a new direction, and make some new connection. It’s a busy day. Keep your head up.

Sat May 23 the Moon is in Gemini all day. At 8:15 am the Moon conjoins Venus retrograde. Don’t trust all your feelings, but feel them anyway. They’re yours.

Sun May 24 the Moon conjoins Mercury in Gemini at 4:09 am, and then goes void of course. If you can’t sleep, hey, what’s in your bedside pile of books to read? Twelve hours later at 4:09 pm, the Moon leaves Gemini and enters Cancer. It’s tea time.

Tue May 26 the Moon in Cancer opposes Pluto at 2:03 pm, then opposes Jupiter retrograde at 6:06 pm, then goes void of course. Don’t rethink anything from two weeks ago. Don’t bother. The Moon enters Leo at 11:33 pm. Think golden slumbers, unless you’re a night owl like me and will probably think fun and games.

Wed May 27 the Moon is in Leo all day. Get up and shine. At 2:42 am the Moon opposes Saturn retrograde. Go ahead and shine. Shine all day. The Sun is in Gemini. Shine!

Thu May 28 the Moon is void of course in Leo for most of the day. At 11:09 am Mercury changes signs, leaves its home in Gemini and enters Cancer. Thoughts turn to food, if nothing else. Heads Up.

Sun May 31 the Moon is in Libra most of the day. The Moon squares Mercury at 2:16 am. That’s fine. It does this twice a month, every month. Consider it to be mental editing.

With Jupiter and Saturn both retrograde, I suggest we just make friends with these two heavy hitters strafing the cosmic portal of Capricorn and Aquarius. Do you write poetry? If not, why not. Poetry is magic, and this portal is full of magic.

And yes, Venus is retrograde, but that doesn’t mean that beauty has departed from the world.. Be smarter and perhaps a bit more conservative about popular ideas, popular or new people, and any urges for sudden fashion changes. Dye your hair fuschia or dayglow green some other time. Treat your work the same way. Be daring but don’t expect it all to be darling.

It’s a wild ride these days, but we like the thrill. Artists, writers, and all creative people are nothing if not daring. At Truth or Dare, we win every time.

Happy May and Heads Up!

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

By Kathy Watts

November 2019

(times are PDT until 2 am Nov 3 when all times will be PST)

Happy Dia del Los Meurtos! Mercury is retrograde in Scorpio, and how appropriate is that! The month may proceed without any major madness, except for Mars tangling with Pluto in the first week, and perhaps the last week or so when Mars and Uranus kick up their heels. We’ve made it this far, though, and we can handle whatever else comes at us. We start off on the day of the week for Venus, and that sweetens the Capricorn Moon. Keep on keepin’ on. Party season approaches. Be brave.

Fri Nov 01 the Moon is in Capricorn all day. Love your work. All month long. At 1:25 pm Venus changes signs, leaves Scorpio behind and enters Sagittarius. This can brighten any mood. Write those upbeat scenes now.

Sat Nov 02 the Moon conjoins Saturn in Capricorn at 12:29 am. At 10:39 am the Moon conjoins Pluto in Capricorn. Heads up all day long. Be serious (but not grim) about what you’re doing, and maybe minimize contact with less than easy-going people. You do not need to allow anyone or anything to knock you off balance.

Sun Nov 03 the Moon is still in Capricorn when we switch back to Standard Time (at leas here on the Left Coast). Our sundials are no longer one hour off! At 3:19 am the Moon finally moves out of Capricorn and enters Aquarius for the rest of the day. Have a cool, calm day.

Tue Nov 05 the Moon is in Aquarius when Mars squares Pluto at 2:28 am. Heads Up. Easy on the Internet, Eugene. Mind your temper, period. Maybe a good day to write a fight or break-up scene. Not until 3:08 pm does the Moon enter Pisces. Maybe write those scenes that involve hurt feelings. Is this Election Day for you? If so, go vote!

Wed Nov 06 the Moon is in Pisces all day. At 11:37 pm the Moon conjoins Neptune. Dream on! Seriously. Work on that dream and maybe pamper your heart a little. You’ve paid for this self-kindness in advance.

Fri Nov 08 the Moon is in Aries when the Sun trines Neptune. Heads Up. This is also a day for pro-active love. Express this through your love of beauty, whatever that looks like to you. The Sun has finally left the Via Combusta, though still in Scorpio. Heads Up. The bottom line of existence is still paramount. The top line, of course, is that you can make transformations that seem impossible at other times.

Sun Nov 10 the Moon conjoins Uranus in Taurus. Nature can provide some surprises, too. You do not need to be working on a disaster novel to take advantage of this.

Mon Nov 11 the Moon is in Taurus all day. At 7:22 am the Sun conjoins Mercury retrograde. Instincts may be more useful than logic today. Be more open-minded. Heads Up. In fact, Mercury transits across the face of the Sun today. Now that’s a conjunction! It’s Veterans Day.

Tue Nov 12 the Moon is in Taurus all day long. At 5:34 am we have the Full Moon at 19 Tau. Heads Up. No matter what else is going on, this can be a lunar month when you fully enjoy what you love the most.

Wed Nov 13 the Moon enters Gemini at 12:46 am. Heads Up for a burst of mercurial energy and interests. Never mind the retrograde. If things go a bit more slowly, so what? We have from now until Friday morning to focus on what excites our curiosity and urges us to be in contact with more people. Don’t expect everything to go smoothly, but things will be on the go nonetheless. Heads Up.

Thu Nov 14 the Moon is in Gemini when Venus squares Neptune. Heads Up. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that means you have to calm down enough to look.

Fri Nov 15 the Moon enters Cancer at 8:15 am. Have a nice breakfast and if the morning is a bit more leisurely than the last two, that’s fine. You’re dedicated now.

Mon Nov 18 the Moon is in Leo all day. At 11:40 pm Mars changes signs, leaves Libra and moves into its nocturnal home Scorpio. Heads Up. Mars is now at the very center of the Via Combusta and is very strongly placed. Don’t get rowdy, except in your creative work efforts. If you feel yourself heating up, take a time out and get a cup of tea.

Wed Nov 20 the Moon is in Virgo all day. At 11:12 am Mercury goes stationary direct. Heads Up. You can get some prime editing done today. You could also unknot any recalcitrant plot or outline snags. Go for it.

Thu Nov 21 the Moon is in Virgo until 8:20 pm when it enters Libra. The big news is, today is the last day that the Sun spends in Scorpio. Tomorrow the world may seem bigger, warmer, more congenial and inclusive. Heads up.

Fri Nov 22 the Moon is in Libra when the Sun changes signs, leaves Scorpio and enters Sagittarius. Heads Up. Libra may not be a mutable sign, like Sagittarius, but this is still a lot of people energy. If you’ve been working in hermit mode, it will be hard to maintain. Don’t let the world eat all your time.

Sun Nov 23 the Moon is in Scorpio all day. The Moon conjoins Mars in Scorpio at 3:36 am. If it’s just restless sleep or wild dreams, that’s all right. This too shall pass. At 5:33 am Venus conjoins Jupiter. It can make for a sweet morning but don’t expect rainbows and pots of gold all day long. Heads Up. At 8:51 am Mars opposes Uranus. Be adventurous but don’t blow the whole morning on a zany, exciting idea and then dump all the work you do. Save it all. You can change your mind later. Heads Up. At 7:50 pm the Moon conjoins Mercury in Scorpio. You could blunder into a profound, if short, conversation. It might written or it might be a face-to-face experience.

Mon Nov 25 the Moon is in Scorpio all day. At 4:28 pm Venus changes signs, leaves Sagittarius and moves into Capricorn. Aesthetics get serious. Today is also the day before the New Moon. Heads Up for all those things that are essential for safety and sanity. Drive carefully.

Tue Nov 26 the Moon is in Sagittarius all day (well, from 12:11 am). We have the New Moon at 04 Sag at 7:06 am. Heads Up. This may signal the beginning of party season, when holidays pile up and social stresses begin to mount. Make this a lunar month that frees you from endless perceived social obligations.

Wed Nov 27 the Moon is in Sagittarius all day. At 4:32 am Neptune goes stationary direct. If the prevailing paradigm looks like nothing but smoke and mirrors, it may not get easier to see through it all but you may have a stronger sense that it’s not all real. This can be useful for a character who is edging up on an ah-ha moment. We’ve had a month of Wednesdays with the Moon in primarily mutable signs.

Thu Nov 28 the Moon conjoins Jupiter in Sagittarius at 2:50 am. Sleep well and maybe entertain an inspiring dream. At 4:33 am the Moon enters Capricorn. At 10:43 pm the Moon conjoins Venus in Capricorn. Hard work can produce the most gorgeous things. It’s Thanksgiving Day in the US. I’m thankful that we still have a US, sorta.

Fri Nov 29 the Moon is in Capricorn all day long. The Moon conjoins Saturn at 1:17 pm. At 7:57 pm the Moon conjoins Pluto and then goes void of course until Saturday afternoon. If it’s a tense day, some of that may be imagined. Don’t get too strung out. Be grounded and deliberate.

Sat Nov 30 the Moon is void of course in Capricorn all morning, entering Aquarius at 12:13 pm. Relax and listen to what’s being said around you. You don’t need to process it instantly. Be a sponge. Today is Saint Andrew’s Day. As I like to say, San Andreas, protect us from our faults.

In some ways this is an easy month. In other ways, it’s super stressed out, promising to get worse. Let it go. There are a lot of pleasant, powerful influences for the good. Get better grounded during the Mercury retrograde and be ready to gently slip into a higher gear in the second half of the month. Refuse to be sucked in by any prevailing craziness, no matter how tempting. Keep your head under the hood and be grateful for the passion and dedication to your work. It’s yours and no one can take it away from you. Make it your best.

Heads Up!

Heads Up!

an Astrological Almanac

by Kathy Watts

October 2019

all times PDT

Boo! Here we are in the heart of autumn. The month starts on a Tuesday, the day of the week for Mars, with the Moon in Scorpio. How rambunctious do you want this month to be? Think carefully before answering because there is enough energy to do darn near whatever you want.

Tue Oct 01 the Moon is in Scorpio all day. If that’s not enough heat for you, last night there was a Venus-Pluto square that thankfully is separating. Regardless, keep that energy level high and pour it into your work and not your paranoia.

Wed Oct 02 the Moon starts off in Scorpio. After the Moon-Mars sextile at 2:46 am, the Moon goes void of course until 4:44 am as it enters Sagittarius. It can be a social, scattered day, but you can still be productive. At 11:39 pm Pluto goes stationary direct. Sleep well.

Thu Oct 03 the Moon is in Sagittarius when Mercury changes signs, leaves Libra and enters Scorpio. Heads Up. Mercury is now in the heart of the Via Combusta. Don’t let your head be too hard on your heart. The Moon conjoins Jupiter at 1:40 pm. And it’s Jupiter’s day of the week. Look on the bright side. At 9:22 pm Mars changes signs, leaves Virgo and enters Libra. Do your physical exercise and feel virtuous. Heads Up. (continue reading…)

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

By Kathy Watts

September 2019

(all times are PDT)

Here comes the Sun, sorta, for this September. There will be several aspects between the Sun and most of the planets, especially meaning outer planets. We also lose a major retrograde later in the month as Saturn goes stationary direct. What? You’re not ready for the ball to start rolling again? Saturn has a reputation for halting things, when actually it’s more like slowing down the break-neck pace that the inner planets favor. Keep your shoulders down and your hands up this month. You may want to remember to wear your sturdy gloves, too. (continue reading…)

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

By Kathy Watts

August 2019

(all times are PDT)

Ah, the Dog Days! So long as we don’t bite anyone, or they bite us, things should be cool. We’re expected to provide our own entertainment and excitement this month, but with the Sun mostly in Leo, that won’t be hard to do. (continue reading…)

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

By Kathy Watts

July 2019

(all times are PDT)

July starts off with a zinger of a solar eclipse, happily not exactly opposed to Saturn or Pluto. Regardless, take very seriously the things that are nearest and dearest to your heart. Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Pluto are all retrograde. Mercury is not retrograde, yet, so enjoy the first week of the month before Mercury slows down and turns around. For the last three weeks of July, there are five retrograde planets. Maybe we should be grateful. (continue reading…)

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

By Kathy Watts

June 2019

(all times are PDT)

June starts on a Saturday, Saturn’s day of the week. The times and challenges may get crazy, but you can be stronger and more responsible than you think. All month long. Yes. You. (continue reading…)

Birth of Venus by Botticelli

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

By Kathy Watts

May 2019

(all times are PDT)

The world may seem crazy but what else is new? We can see and feel what’s real. The merry of month of May isn’t called merry out of any perversity. Soak up the merriment and pour it into what makes you happiest. Be grateful and glad, and plough ahead. (continue reading…)

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

By Kathy Watts

April 2019

(all times are PDT)

Happy April 1st. No joke. April starts on Monday, the Moon’s day, and we can tap into deeper feelings and instinctive hints all month long. You may want to keep your emotions on a short leash, though, as some days are more, ah, Piscean than others. On those days, go for the inspirations, and perhaps more music. (continue reading…)

Heads Up!

The Writer’s Astrological Almanac

By Kathy Watts

March 2019

(times are PST until 2:00am March 10 when PDT begins)

March starts on a Friday, the day of the week dedicated to Venus. Thank you, February, for having 28 days and letting us have two months in a row that start on a Friday. Enjoy the gentle touch of Venus and carry it with you throughout the month. Put away the big guns you used and go back to more subtle if not gentle means. Be happy. (continue reading…)