Joan and Johnny - the Feud

With the sudden death of Joan Rivers, I decided to look at her battle with Johnny Carson that lives as one of the Hollywood's great feuds. The story unfolded when, after years of being his fill in host, Joan Rivers took a job with the new Fox Network to host her own late night show. According to Rivers, she had inside information that NBC would never give the show to a woman and her contract was ending. Whatever the details, Carson hung up the phone when she called him and never spoke to her again. 

Karma anyone?

Of course, I had to look at their charts to see what forces could have led to him first giving her career the boost it needed to take off and then almost destroy it. 

The biwheel of their chart tells me three things immediately - karma, power and jobs. Let's do the juicy stuff first - karma. Her retrograded Juno, the goddess of loyalty and partnership, is on his Mars, the warrior, in the 12th house. There is no more karma house that the 12th because it connects us to the universe and carries our karmic history. Hmm, it seems like this played out once before. She was in an inferior position (because of the retrograde) and royally annoyed him by defying his power. Mars is the leader, the epitome of male energy, so it seems Johnny just didn't like this happening again! I wonder if they are doomed to repeat the situation although she always said she appreciated what he did for her career and a good deal of pain over the whole thing. Has he moved on? Guess we will have to wait and see.

OK we had karma how about power? Look at the eighth house, the house of personal power. He had Pallas and Vesta there, ironically they are two female asteroids named for the goddess of war and the goddess of the devotion to a cause, respectively.  These two gals gave him drive and determination as Vesta gives us the desire to overcome all obstacles. However, right on top of these powerhouses are Joan's Sun, Mercury and Venus; her inner energy, her communication skills and her creative energy. That makes sense in light of the encouragement he gave her to reach her creative goals in the entertainment business. I do find it funny that they have their Vesta's in conjunction meaning they could have - and they did indeed- work together for a long time to overcome power obstacles. He boosted her career and she was a reliable co-host. However, playing with that much energy and that much power is a little bit like dancing with burning torches - you can get seriously burned at any time. 

Finally, Carson had a retrograded Chiron in Aries, the wounded warrior, in his 6th house, the house of day-to-day work. This accounted for his colossal temperament and touchiness when on the job. He was carrying an enormous chip on his shoulder in the workplace. Mars rules Aries and he was always looking for people who were threatening his power. Well along comes her Uranus, the rebel and it plunked right down on that wound issue. Uranus is the rebellious teenager of the Zodiac. Who better to stick a pin in Aries ego?

The stars show the battle that ensued. Why there was no kiss and make up between the two might have something to do with his Mars and Saturn in stubborn and vengeful Scorpio in the first house. Mars and Saturn in conjunction is not a good placement - it is warrior energy and authoritarian energy (see my recent blogs on the current Mars/Saturn conjunction and the havoc is it causing to the planet right now.) Johnny may have been the king of late night but he was a difficult man, a secretive man, an insecure man and a man of vengeance. She got on his wrong side and there was no going back.

Maybe now - maybe now - they can meet on the other side and put a stop to this. Maybe...

August 25 - The New Moon - No More Excuses.

We have a new Moon coming up today. The New Moon is a good time for setting intentions and decide on ways we will manifest those intentions. This New Moon is in Virgo – the worker bee of the zodiac – and the health maven of the zodiac. Think of Virgo as the one who has control over how you feed, work and care for the body. SO – what a great time – as we head into fall – to make the intentions for better health – avoid winter overeating -- and better work habits.

Now here is the trick. We now have a very strong - Mars/Saturn conjunction in the very intense sign of Scorpio. Mars and Saturn is one of the true malefic in the zodiac because they bring about the intense force of Mars, the god of war, and Saturn, the cold task master. It is the classic smash up of hot and cold. If I see Mars and Saturn clashing in marriage charts I always have to raise the touchy question of abuse. Think militaristic task master! Yes, this is activating Issus, Ferguson – you name it.

Ah, but you know how I hate to talk about the negatives only and we can use this force for good! IF the tragedy of Ferguson leads to a constructive change in police tactics and the militarization of police forces and finally to some racial understanding – that we can make an evolutionary jump.

If Congress can stop bickering and help the President address Issus and Syria – well, I can hope can’t I?

For each of us personally – think of where you need to be a task master with your health, your body, your eating habits, and your work. Where have you been slacking off? Where do you need to make some hard decisions? Scorpio is the sign of going within and making deep and profound changes. Mars used to the ruler of Scorpio before poor beleaguered Pluto came into our view – as was Saturn long ago.  This is a time to make WONDERFUL changes that you have been avoiding. No excuses anymore.

Here is my Pluto in Capricorn note: I get so many questions about the world falling apart around us and keep having to say Pluto in Capricorn gang – so I decided to add a little periodic Pluto note to my blogs. Pluto in Capricorn brings changes to authority structures. We saw that with President Obama’s election and the subsequent Tea Party backlash. We saw it with the banking system collapse. Now we are seeing it with the police. Change is not always good – I don’t’ think any long term good has come from the banking collapse – we are still destroying the middle class. Will that be the change or will we adopt more populist movements in the upcoming years? That is up to us! 

Mars Heading Into Scorpio

On July 26, Mars moves into Scorpio. Before Pluto made herself known to us, Mars was the ruler of the sign of Scorpio so Mars is very comfortable hanging out with Scorpio, although their plans of action are vastly different. Scorpio gets things done but in a subtle, some would sometimes say, sneaky way. Scorpio is a water sign, it grinds slowly and keeps pushing matters into the shape it desires, much like the ocean does to the shore. Mars, however, is all direct fire energy. He just burns his way through any obstacles until he reaches his goal. They are both creatures of action.

Mars is now hovering very close to Vesta, the asteroid that astrologically tells us where we have such a desire that we would climb over rocks to achieve. Vesta often throws those rocks in our place so that we can overcome them to ultimate success. Therefore, when the yearning of Vesta meets the drive of Mars in Scorpio there is no better time to defeat some roadblock that is preventing you from accomplishing some goal that has been on the back burner.

No excuses now – go for it!

This Weekend Venus Enters Aries

We have been hearing so much about “cardinal” signs in April I thought I would just pass along another cardinal happening. Cardinal signs are the signs of action and they initiate activity. On May 2, Venus, the planet that best exudes the energy of the feminine dharma moves into the mother (or father) of all cardinal signs, Aries.

Aries, of course, is primal male energy and ruled by Mars, so when we have Venus meeting Mars – look out! From May 2- May 28 Venus will be in Aries so if you need to put that spark back into your romance there is no better time.

Don’t neglect the creative energy of Venus or the moneymaking aspects of Venus – remember women rule the purse! If you have stagnant creative juices this is the time to restart them. It is spring – it is May, what does that old song say, “The lusty month of May.” Be lusty, be creative, be invigorating, – be cardinal!!

Moon Saturn April 16

By now you know to look for the lunar eclipse on the night of April 14 - into the 15th, however, the "Moon Show" continues for the rest of the week.  On the night of April 16, the waning gibbous moon will be in conjunction with Saturn. Astrologically all I can say is Oye - hang onto your emotions. Saturn has a depressing effect on us and, of course, the Moon is the controller of the emotions. 

Toward the end of the week, Jupiter and Mars will be making a square  - yes, start signing that '60's song they aren't aligned but we need a sign a bit during this!  Oh but I failed to mention that Mars will be in retrograde until  May 20. So we have inverted aggression aligning with the planet of expansion a week before the Grand Cross comes to full power. In my case, someone who inflicted past hurts on me in the pass reared their ugly head and brought it all up again. Anger, aggression turned inward - and expanding forward. As I said Oye.

The chart below shows how that Grand Cross - Pluto, Jupiter Mars and Uranus are almost at a complete square to one another. 

Just being aware of these sky movements and looking at how these planets are instigating your chart will help get through the next few weeks. 

Saturn and Mars in Retrograde and the Grand Cross of April

It is all over the “Astrology world” that April – is going to be a terrible month. April does have a bad rap because of the ingress of the Sun into Aries, ruled by Mars, the warrior at the Vernal Equinox. Hitler was born in April, the Civil War started in April, there was Columbine, and the list goes on. Adding fuel to the fire is the Grand Cross that will be at its height during the week of April 20. 

A grand cross is when four planets are in opposition to each other. In this case, we will have retrograded Pluto in Capricorn opposing Jupiter in Cancer and Uranus in Aries opposing a retrograded Mars in Libra. These planets will be in cardinal signs. There are three kinds of signs, mutable, cardinal, and fixed. The mutable signs are easy going - go along and get along, the fixed signs have more stubborn in nature, and cardinals are the movers the shakers, the doers. Hence, the doom and gloom - the god of War, the god of expansion, the god of quick change and the god of slow change all pulling against each other and in cardinal signs - each grasping for their piece of the pie! Two of them in retrograde, meaning their energy is going inward – looking for an escape.

Saturn is not included in the cross but is sitting on the side and is in retrograde in Scorpio, a fixed and intense sign. Both Mars and Saturn have gone retrograde this week…just as Putin crossed into the Ukraine. Do you see why people are wary of the Cross?

I don’t buy into the total destruction scenarios. I mean there are people who are saying the EU will collapse, we will be in total war, and oh, here comes the bomb! Doom and gloom sells. This will be a difficult time but come on.

OK let’s do the bright side thing. You have Pluto and Jupiter together – that is a sign for spiritual growth. Yes, it is better when they are in conjunction and not in opposition but even in difficult times, we can have spiritual growth.  Uranus and Mars exhibit the most erratic energy and frankly the most frightening of this whole configuration. If there is violence, if there are wars it will be because of them. However, we can make the conscious decision to eliminate tensions – smooth over issues that could cause the spark – assess what is making us angry. We can overcome the grand cross.

Of course, there are elements who are prone to anger and attack. I personally think that these retrogrades will cause someone or some faction we are not expecting, to cause the biggest problem. Saturn and Mars retrograde are anger and aggression turned inward.

So yes, Putin can go crazy in the Ukraine – that is a very Mars-Saturn aspect. However, that retrograde could bring up someone feeling marginalized to go on the fritz. I would look out for some radical who is unhappy with the way his world is going – right wing terrorism.

Let’s keep in mind that there are positive aspects that we can use this time to feel what is irritating and correct it – take positive steps to stop anger from cropping up and to find what is blocking our spiritual growth.

The choice is always ours. 

"The Heart of Mars" With Adam Gainsburg -

What is your masculine dharma? This has nothing to do with sex or your sexuality. All of us have a feminine and masculine dharma to explore and live. Listen to my interview with Adam Gainsburg founder of Soulsign Astrology as he discusses the "Heart of Mars."


http://webtalkradio.net/internet-talk-radio/astrological-cook/

It could be a Griswald Christmas

I will keep this brief because no one has excess minutes this time of year  - which is so odd because this is the time of year when we should be nesting and go within. When it is darker and colder we are programmed to be inward and more reflective. Oh well, another way we are out of sync with nature!

Venus went into retrograde on the Solstice - bringing her creative and loving energies inward. At the same time, Mars moved into the cardinal (action) sign of Libra. With Venus being less than forceful and Mars in full tilt - let's just say keep crabby Uncle Sam away from the rest of the family. There is too much energy out there that is unbridled and angry.

I hope the world keeps a lid on the anger through the new year.

Happy Holidays all!

Grand Cross 2014 - Doomsday???

I recently attended a seminar on the astrology and the chart of the United States. As I mentioned before, the US is coming into its first Pluto Return as a nation and Pluto is a planet that "makes you an offer you can't refuse - change or else!" With Pluto in our 2nd house of wealth, resources and financial stability it is no wonder that we are experience in great trauma around the banking industry, jobs and savings. When Pluto finally reaches the closest point with our natal Pluto around 2021 we will have undergone a major change in these areas. However, the question that begs is, what kind of change will that be?

Two of the speakers at this seminar, spent their entire segments painting a dire picture of effects of the April 23, 2014 grand cross. A grand cross is when four planets are in opposition to each other. In this case we will have retrograded Pluto in Capricorn opposing Jupiter in Cancer and Uranus in Aries opposing Mars in Libra. These planets will be in cardinal signs. There are three kinds of signs, mutable, cardinal and fixed. The mutable signs are easy going - go along and get along, The fixed signs have more stubborn in nature and cardinals are the movers the shakers, the doers. Hence, the doom and gloom - the god of War, the god of expansion, the god of quick change and the god of slow change all pulling against each other and in cardinal signs - each grasping for their piece of the pie!

Among the predictions are the collapse of the EU, the fall of the dollar, massive rioting in Spain, Greece and Syria and a new social order rising out of the economic disaster this cross will bring.

I don't know I am a bit skeptical. I mean Y2K, the Mayans - haven't we been doomed and gloomed before?  I will say that with Mars in the 2nd and Uranus in the 8th we can see some big movement by the 99 percent against the power of the 1 percent and some major economic upheaval..but is that always a bad thing? Yes, there could be some riots, there could be some economic issues but do I see the total collapse of the Western economic system? I don't think so.

We have been in a Uranus Pluto square for months and that will continue - which is why nothing has gotten done anywhere for a long time. Jupiter's expansion will break that energy. So something will happen - and it could be something big but they will have to go a little further to convince me to start hiding my pennies in the mattress.

Boston

I have been having so much fun with my book, "Signs of the Tines: The Ultimate Astrological Cookbook", that I have been doing a lot of food related, fun chart castings. Yesterday brought the fun to a halt and brought us back to reality.

If you remember a few weeks ago I made an entry called "Feeling Confused" where I spoke about the wild Stellium - the five planets all in Aries, the sign of raw, male energy. I called it one of the craziest charts ever -and spoke of angry Aries.

Well sadly the dreamy Pisces Stellium is now gone but we still have Mars and the Sun still in Mars' natural ruler - Aries, the warrior in conjunction. This conjunction is opposing a retrograded Saturn in secretive Scorpio. Mars and Saturn are always a sign of potential violence when they are in disharmony - and Saturn is now retrograded - added fuel to the fire.

 Mars/Sun are in the 9th house - a fire house that is associated with foreign affairs. However, Saturn is close to home in the 3rd house. Because Mars/ Saturn are heading into the 8th house - the house of power and unstable Uranus and Mercury are in the 8th already - I am thinking this is a domestic terror perhaps helped by tactics learned from foreign terror groups - but someone who is feeling powerless and hidden from society.

The 3rd and 6th houses are cadent - or houses of things hidden.  We will find that this is someone that had gone under the radar of law enforcement - either a person or group that is hidden from us - or was.

Pluto retrograde in the fifth makes me think of a unhappy kid.

Predicting terror attacks is not "my thing" - I prefer food and past life analysis but there it is. We can only pray for the victims and yes, for the deluded perpetrator too.

Hello Mars!

Mars is in the news today and for good reason! Curiosity made a picture perfect landing early this morning - congrats to NASA and Yankee technology.

So what is old Mars doing today? Well it is hanging out in the sky in the constellation of Libra conjuncting Saturn. You know I am sometimes a critic of Saturn - wrongly so I admit - but I am very glad he was visiting Mars during this critical landing. Saturn governs time, space, form and structure. It is the master of precision and doing things by the book - which is what NASA had to do to nail this landing.  Saturn had a lot to do with making everything work according to rules and like clock work.

It is also funny that both planets are in the sign of Libra - the sign of cooperation and sharing with others. All of that hard work had to be well coordinated between divisions. A great deal of sharing of knowledge had to be perfected. Libra is a big on sharing!

So congratulations NASA and thanks Libra for helping them keep the flow of information going and a special thanks to Saturn for keeping that somewhat rambunctious Mars from potentially kicking off the lander as it had done before. :)

Hello Mars.

Why Am I In Such An Awful Mood?



I need a little peace!

 I consider myself a pretty even-keeled person. I credit this to four cardinal signs on my "anchor houses" (1,4,7,10.) (Ah ha, me thinks me sees another blog entry about those houses on the horizon.)

Anyway, for the past week I have been grumpy and irritable and just plain not happy. This is not a state I would recommend to others or particularly enjoy myself.  There had to be a reason for my general grumpiness so I went to my charts. What? You are surprised?

Low and behold there it was. The transiting Moon in Aries was exactly opposite my natal Mars. Think of it Aries, god of war, rules Mars - it is opposing my emotional barometer, the Moon. Hello. Fortunately, that Moon is a quick little sucker and that has gone away. However, when I checked my chart it was the three day high of my grump ride so I could see the Moon-Mars opposition doing it's thing.

More importantly, and much more longer lasting. Saturn is now transiting my 12th house where my natal Mars lives. When Saturn conjuncts anything it always puts a blanket on it. Saturn holds things together - gives form and structure So big cold Saturn is pressing on my Mars warrior energy -churning. Because they are in the 12th house - the house of connection to the universe but also to things hidden, things not of the world, it shows my irritability when "the world" interrupts my solitude. I want to sit and read and let the cares of the world go by.

Saturn is poky so this will last well into winter.  When the Moon comes around again I am sure to feel really crabby but at least I know why!

This is why it is good to get your yearly charts read to see what is coming on the horizon.

Happy Thanksgiving all! Could be worse - I could be a turkey. Oh, and the full Moon is Monday November 22. I will be on train to Vermont with two of my sisters.  What a time to be crabby!!

The Clash of Mars and Saturn

Last week I was speaking about astrology to a group when I mentioned that there is precious little difference between Hitler's and JFK's charts... except Hitler had that bad Mars- Saturn combination going on which made him a little - shall we say. scum sucking evil. They both had the bull eye's for charisma and the ability to sway people with speech - it is just Hitler had a bad combination of Mars and Saturn which, when badly aspected is often an indication for violence. The only time when I am doing a synastry chart of two people that I really lay things on the line and say, hey be careful here, is when I see the Mars of one person badly aspected the Saturn of another. That often indicates a propensity for violence in the relationship.


Because the universe just loves synchronicity, I then was asked to do a chart for a person who then tells me he has not a clue when he was born because he was adopted twice and the state in which he was born did not put the time on birth certificates. Hmm. No time. That is an astrologers nightmare because time tells us the rising sign - the indicator of how we express ourselves in the world. It also places all the planets and asteroids in the proper houses.


Through the process of rectification we can try to find the birth time or get close to it so I asked him a few questions. Of course, he had a disrupted home life - 4th house - but I wanted to know if it was just odd or truly burdensome. The tale he told would put Dickens to shame. He was adopted at birth because his parents couldn't afford another child but his adoptive mother died when he was still a child. Then he was then adopted by an abusive family which he escaped from at 18 and never looked back. Yes, I would say that was burdensome.



When someone is suffering from limitations or burdens I often look to Saturn. Now I know you Capricorns will get all over me but I am sorry - Saturn is an indicator of restriction and boxing in - where you see Saturn in a birth chart it shows the area where people carry worry and concern or are restricted in. When doing a transit chart, Saturn shows us where we are feeling pain and burden at that time.



Had he told me a story of generally happy but changeable home life, adopted here and then suddenly moved to another house I would have looked to the quick change artist Uranus. His story was all very Saturnine, however.



When I computed the chart I noticed something else interesting. On that day, Mars and Saturn were almost in conjunction (sitting right next to) one another. Ah ha - Mars and Saturn - violence - I placed this Mars and Saturn combo toward the middle of his 4th house because the violence began when he was seven and ran the chart from there. I told him to see if the interpretation I did for him resonated in other areas to see if we had hit the hit the right timing and indeed it did. Bingo!

I am so glad he got out of that situation and has not let it shade his adulthood. He is amazingly well adjusted for having gone through that Hell. Saturn and Mars dealt him a bad hand but he overrode it....well Dickens always liked a happy ending.