Astrological Forecasts

Mon Aug 17 the Moon is in Cancer when Mercury conjuncts Saturn in Virgo. It’s a day made for editing, or for nailing down the details in that synopsis or new plot outline. Later, the Sun opposes Neptune retrograde. Critical reading is essential but can be taken to an ugly extreme. Later still, Mars trines Neptune retrograde. Magic is still alive and well, perhaps hiding out in some manuscript of yours. (continue reading…)

“Things are not the way they used to be.

I wont tell no lie; One and all have to face reality now.

Though I’ve tried to find the answer to all the questions they ask.

Its just impossible to go livin’ through the past –

Dont tell no lie.

Theres a natural mystic blowing through the air – If you listen carefully now you will hear.”

-Robert Nesta Marley

 

 

Before an at times, audibly skeptical audience, President Ahmadinejad took his oath for a second term as president of Iran last week. For better or worse, the very second that a candidate goes from being a ‘regular’ person to the exalted status of ‘president’ every person living within the borders of the country, in this case, Iran, becomes literally ‘subject’ to that moment in time. If Ahmadinejad, and his band of mullahs were hoping to quell the massive dissent that has risen since his contested June election; this was certainly not the best time to hold an inauguration. From the looks of it, at best, there will be a lot of double talk from this administration, at its worst, they may paint themselves into a corner from which they may not be able to recover.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s inauguration as Iranian president for a second term was marked by opposition walkouts, demonstrations and criticism from his own conservative camp today as pressure mounted on the disputed winner of Iran’s election.

 

Senior officials and clerics attended the ceremony at Iran’s parliament but it was boycotted by many opposition leaders and moderate politicians. Those of the reform faction who did attend walked out when Ahmadinejad started speaking, according to the opposition website Parleman News.

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Virgo, the sign of minutiae, rises in the east. The sign Virgo can be likened to the old fable of the princess and the pea. No matter how high the pillows are stacked, there will always be a certain amount of discomfort. Perhaps it is the angelic half of Virgo being forced to face the ugly realities of life on this imperfect earth, that makes it the complainer of the zodiac. I don’t know. I do know that when we see Virgo rising in a world chart, its a good can bet the natives will be restless. The Sun is the brightest of all the celestial bodies. Without its light, we could not live. The king was considered god’s representative on earth. This is why the ancients made the Sun the natural ruler of kings and rulers, and the Moon to the citizenry. It is an all or nothing proposition, because the ruler and people are at odds, and are both in signs of fixity, so neither side will budge. Ahmadinejad’s attempt at compromise, choosing as he did, a reformist vice president, only served to harden the stance of the members of his own conservative party, some of whom, walked out during his ceremony. However, one should never underestimate, Ahmadinejad. He is not without friends. He is the Sun, strong and at home, in the royal Leo, and placed in the 11th.  Like the Sun, his inaugural speech repeatedly called for taking ‘great acts.’  This might imply his government will certainly try to dominate the will of his people. However, taking a closer look, it becomes apparent that without the support of the army, this administration is lost.  This is because there is but one solar aspect ahead, the weakest of all, a sextile to Mars, thus begging question, how many of your people can you beat and throw behind bars?

Why? First and foremost, this chart looks like a ship without an anchor. The type of sign rising was very important to the ancients, for it spelled out the durability of the event. We see double bodied or mutable signs on the angles (1, 4, 7 and 10). This is a shaky start. Mutable signs have the ability to exist two different worlds, simultaneously. Gemini (two people), Virgo (angels wings on human body) Sagittarius (half man half horse) and Pisces (two fish swimming in opposite directions). There is no doubt that this ‘morphing’ makes them the most versatile signs of the zodiac. However, it becomes easy to scatter their forces. Duplicity often results. There will be those who profess to be on the side of the president, but are not, and there will be those who profess to be reformers, but also are not. It implies, the see saw effect, in which the government starts out one direction, but will be forced to change course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It should surprise nobody that the winged messenger, god/goddess of communications, Mercury, owns both the house both of the people, and that of the government. Mercury is strong in his own sign of Virgo, but all its brilliance is chained, imprisoned as it is, in the 12th. Lilly said that the 12th house represented:

‘Men who maliciously undermine their neighbors or inform secretly against them.’

In other words, Mercury in the 12th, is the epitome, of the Judas, who smiles so sweetly to your face, professing undying loyalty, while selling you out for 30 pieces of silver. Watching ones back, may be not only be good advice, but the way to survive. When we see both citizen’ and government in the so placed, that old cold war cartoon, ‘Spy vs. Spy’ comes to mind, where nobody can be fully trusted.  In such a situation,  sabotage becomes the norm.

Ever break an old fashioned thermometer? Remember trying to scoop up the pieces of the Mercury, and how it would slip from your fingers? The same is true of words. No matter how hard they try, the messages will get out. It is time for the mullah to face reality. There is a whole other world out there. Dialogue with the opposition is a must. Even the most sophisticated surveillance equipment will not bring submission.

Since the same planet owns both citizen and president, we turn to the natural rulers for specifics.

After all, a nation is only as good as the people that inhabit it. They want more freedom, and represented by the fixed Moon in Aquarius, Ahmadinejad should not discount their tenacity. After all, Aquarius is a sign of stubborn thought. Strong arming the people will only serve to strengthen their resolve. Given that more than 40% of the population is under 30; time really is on their side. With the Moon in early degrees, this defiance is only in its gestation.  Saturn hovering at the Ascendant, increases the dissatisfaction. Oil,the national product, is on the decline. The government will not be able to give as generously to their support base as they had in the past. This story is far from over. Mercury’s upcoming September retrograde may give this administration something to think about.

 

Sun Aug 09 the Moon conjuncts Uranus retrograde in Pisces, then goes void of course. Whenever the Moon approaches the end of Pisces and the start of Aries, brace for a shift of gears in your daily life. With the planet of surprise in the equation, your personal perspective may experience an even bigger shift. (continue reading…)

August begins on a Saturday with the Moon in Sagittarius.  What a glorious start for a writer’s month.  Think, act, and live big, at least in fiction.
Venus opposes Pluto today.  Contemplate the price paid by beauty in times of chaos.

Sun Aug 02 the Moon enters Capricorn and conjuncts Pluto.  All month long, the Moon weighs in on the side of big changes.  Is your writing in a rut?
Maybe you can break out now.  Later, Mercury leaves Leo and enters the sign of Virgo, which is ruled by Mercury.  Nocturnal writers and editors, this is your time.

Mon Aug 03 the Moon is in Capricorn all day. Mercury trines Pluto today.
Look for some constructive intensity in your words.  Working hard may be easier and less stressful than usual.  Go for it.

Wed Aug 05 is the Full Moon at 13Aqu.  It’s also a lunar eclipse.  Stay cheerful, on an even keel, and let the psychodrama play out in your fiction.
Your readers will love it, and you’ll stay sane and productive.  The Moon is in fixed signs on Wednesdays this month.  Perseverance furthers.

Thu Aug 06 the Moon conjuncts Jupiter retrograde in Aquarius.  Think more objectively about luck.  There may be lucky aspects about your work that you’re overlooking.  About four and a half hours later the Moon conjuncts Neptune retrograde.  This is about ‘show, don’t tell.’  Take your characters off the soapbox and have them do what they need.

Fri Aug 07 – Sat Aug 08 the Moon is in Pisces when Mercury sextiles Venus.
This aspect can add a little sparkle to anyone’s prose.  Music and colors will be brighter.  Enjoy!

Kathy Watts is a life-long stargazer and writer.  Her love of almanacs stems from a deep fascination with the lives and works of Johannes Kepler and Tycho Brahe, and the days when astronomy and astrology were most strongly one.  She intermittently appears at San Francisco Astrology Society meetings (for whom she’s given a few presentations over the years).  Follow her under the name of kdirewolf on livejournal.com, facebook, and twitter.