Astroboogie Stars May 26th 2013

More eclipse aftermath this week, the season is over for now...

Gemini

Coming off the back of Saturday 25^th’s lunar eclipse, the landscape looks pretty different already. You are tempted to reflect on unrealistic Utopian visions, but Jupiter, planet of luck, gives you chutzpah that outstrips the normal-formal routine. You have zip, sparkle, and exotic company gives you a sense of being in a wider world. Put a friendly proposal, and forgiving and forgetting makes everybody feel better. Friday 31^st finds you focusing on security and a smart idea with an emotional angle is a money-spinner. 

Cancer

Find a project you can focus on behind the scenes. You want to burst out in full view, but there is covert work to carry out before then. Take advantage of your natural sympathetic streak and you feel better in your skin by Wednesday. A sacrifice made with eyes open turns a friendly gesture into a genuine win-win proposition.

Leo

Pressure to keep your domestic scene afloat cuts across your usual flamboyance. Authority figures monitor your performance and you prove you are up to your job description. Move past a midweek lull and Friday picks your energy up again. Like-minded souls provide an escape and a hot introduction comes from inside your circle. 

 Virgo

The grand career strategy is your way ahead and all is meticulously planned. Forget past transgressions – an all-inclusive approach gets the best out of your cohorts. Your partner is in dreamy mood and needs somebody to rescue them. Mercury, your ruler, hits your ideals zone on Friday and your punditry is in demand in a group setting.

Libra

The world is getting your best qualities and you take the lead without effort. Venus, your ruler, gives you a light touch and artful use of persuasion. Your languid appearance masks inner steel and you reconcile opposing forces at a pivotal career point. Friday gives you extra energy and a trip away is a proper tonic.

Scorpio

Career battles you fought recently come around for a rematch. You know more now than you did before, so fall back on valuable experience. Still, come to a compromise with your energy reserves and keep within your limits. Clever talk and emotional insight on Friday spares you heavy lifting and your reputation is enhanced. 

Sagittarius

In the middle of delicate negotiations, matters soon come to a head. Pushy Mars hits your relationship zone on Friday and a partner expects an instant answer. Keep engaged: success comes from a classy introduction and keeping cool amid the provocation. Freedom is yours when you believe in your dearest notions deeply enough.

Capricorn

You are shooting the rapids at work, and an open-minded attitude paints you in a new light. Change comes to a crunch on Monday and it is impossible to carry on in the old vehicle. Messenger planet Mercury brings information to light by the weekend and you are smitten by someone's wit and insight. 

Aquarius

You are in affable mood, and balance differing demands with a sure touch. Pressures of work keep you on-message, but accentuating the upside on Wednesday's Aquarius Moon has a transforming effect. Take advantage of a startling, positive vision of your world - there is real promise underneath the stardust.

Pisces

The more extravagant your dreams, the better you will do. Your ruler, Neptune, combines with sober Saturn and you turn fantasy into reality. A genuinely selfless gesture makes the difference and credit goes into your karmic account. Take a friend into your confidence, as Saturday 1st puts you on home territory.

Aries

You break cover and defy would-be grownups who see you in a limited light. Be yourself, it's that simple. Remember, it's riskier to stick to the status quo and this is a battle you must win. A sibling has a starring role, and you surprise somebody on Friday with your subtle handling of a sensitive question.

Taurus

Specializing is key and you put positive limitations on your world. Instead of covering every inch in search of world domination, you go into bat at what you are good at. Time feels pressing, but focus on the here and now and the sensation soon passes. Your love interest is suitably impressed by  Thursday's generous gesture.

Jupiter in Cancer - Do You Feel Lucky?

Jupiter enters Cancer, the sign of its exaltation, on June 26th at 01:41am GMT. So, the planet of good luck and gambling is at its best in the conservative sign of emotional security. The planet of travel exalts in the sign of the home - what is this all about?

A little exploration gives a fuller insight why this is so. Jupiter is 300 times the size of Earth and larger than all the other planets in our solar system combined, more a failed star than a planet. It has a mass of moons a 'second prize solar system' of which the Galillean Io, Gannyemede, Europa and Callisto are the best known. It is like the Cancerian patriarch surrounded by his extended family, or harem if you will, and taking great pride in being the breadwinner. 

Like a star, Jupiter also reflects back 2.5 times the amount of light it receives from the Sun. This symbolizes his generosity and ability to create goodwill. Jupiter also plays a protective Cancerian role in shielding Earth from comets and asteroids. Charity begins at home and generosity towards our family is the noblest form of giving. Jupiter is a benevolent parent who rewards patience and faith.

Jupiter represents your imperious Inner God(dess), and many mythological traditions have this thunderbolt-wielding archetype: Zeus, Indra, Thor. Jupiter took it upon himself to usurp his father Chronos, who ate all of his children to prevent them from overthrowing him. Wrong move! The essence of my book Saturn, Fatal Attraction is that the strategies we take to prevent our fears being realized are often the very things that manifest them. So Jupiter is a righteous, justice-dealing force. 

Despite his image as a future-oriented gambler, there is something quaint and old-world about Jupiter's qualities, as Stephen Arroyo has pointed out*. We don't set much store by a personal philosophy these days, nor by trusting in providence, where the modern credo of success is cutthroat-cunning and relentless networking. Insurance and actuarial tables tell us to play the percentages and cover the downside. Despite every other person you know becoming a yoga teacher or 'life coach', the notion of the Guru is still widely distrusted. This shows how debased our culture has become. 

Nicholas DeVore's Dictionary of Astrology lists Jupiter as the 'black sheep of the family', which at first seems at odds with his lucky, popular image. But Jupiter has the courage and confidence to keep any company and doesn't feel the need to kowtow. He'll go against convention if it suits him, set a trend, and have everybody following him. Sometimes it's riskier not to take a risk.

What will Jupiter do for me?
Jupiter spends approximately a year in each sign, during which it grants you a spiritual pay hike. This spell is long enough to be subtly life-changing, but short enough to see in context. Every twelve years, at the Jupiter Return, The King comes back to his original place and spells double-bubble good luck - depending of course on how well he sits in your chart. Even if you don't go out in a rainstorm and have money fall on you, you should feel good and start looking forwards again. Jupiter is a booster and healer. 

Any planet in your chart getting a direct hit from Jupiter will expand and be protected. Even if you don't have Sun or any other planets in Cancer, that sign is represented in your chart somewhere. Exalted Jupiter should perform well in this area, especially if this house is angular - 1st, 4th, 7th, or 10th house. Jupiter hitting your rising is a particular stand-out, where you find new friends, study, travel, money, and at least break a stalemate in your life.

Still, plenty of people complain that Jupiter's supposed good fortune doesn't measure up. Inflated expectations of lottery wins, undying love, Nobel Prizes dropping into your lap, are invariably exaggerated. Clients protest "But you said my Jupiter return would be lucky, and nothing happened". Luck is an attitude and if you always complain that you are unlucky, it doesn't encourage the good stuff to happen. What have you done to promote your good fortune? Truly jupiterian individuals are glasses half-full, and celebrate the miracle of simply being alive.

Is there a downside to Jupiter? Sure. Bombastic and self-righteous, some Jupiter individuals are not so much kings, as Gods in their own mind, with their own divine prerogative.  There are also few things more exasperating than breezy, wasteful 'promisers' who assure you that everything is wonderful, when it really isn't. Trusting in providence is touching, but it has to be based on something at least vaguely real. 

Sometimes a difficult Jupiter in a chart will veer from fearful calculation to reckless, overconfident gambling and wonder why their efforts have the reverse Midas touch. Hope was the last thing left in Pandora's mythical box and many people still regard this quality with suspicion. Jupiter traditionally sits uncomfortably in calculating Capricorn (opposite Cancer), and also in analytic Virgo and Gemini. Much better to go with the flow, expand and believe. 

World events
Jupiter will add intensity to the Uranus-Pluto square series, even though the three planets do not make it to an exact t-square. Much of the political debate will hinge on Pluto issues - natural resources and naked power. There is always potential for misuse with such volatile energy, but Jupiter's wisdom and benevolence in his exaltation may also be critical for big negotiations. 

There will also be three trines with Saturn in Scorpio: mid-July 2013, mid-December 2013, and mid-May 2014. This is the waning trine of the Grand Cycle that began in 1999. The Jupiter-Saturn synodic opposition occurred in 2010, the height of the world economic crash. The trine stage is traditionally a sign of economic recovery - be it very slow - before the next conjunction in 2020. We may not feel much better off, but at least things will stop getting worse. This cycle has been particularly hard-hitting, to clear the decks for Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions occuring in the Air element for the next two centuries!

July 16th 2013 is a date for everyone's diary, with Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune forming a water grand trine. If not for a pesky Mercury retrograde, this would be a rare and perfect day to inaugurate a landmark new enterprise.

Naturally, Jupiter will affect the United States, with its stellium in Cancer. For the better, one would think, except the last Jupiter in Cancer was in 2001, specifically including 11th September. This was clearly disastrous for the USA and its Cancerian president, but it could have been so much different. There was an initial outpouring of sympathy and solidarity for the country, the victims and their families. All the best kinds of emotional patriotism was displayed. This reserve of worldwide goodwill, arguably, was squandered and instead the country used the attack as a pretext for a modern Crusade. 

The United Kingdom's 1801 chart has Moon in Cancer, which is reflected in the world's first Welfare State, a national insurance safety net. Expect more debate over the level of public spending and whether the country can afford a heath service.

Other traditionally Cancerian nations like Scotland (think, the Clan system), may also receive a boost before the Independence referendum in September 2014. Jupiter will be in Leo by this point, but the patriot card will be played for all it is worth. The Scottish National Party's leader, Alex Salmond, happens to have natal Jupiter rising in Cancer, opposite his Sun at 9 Capricorn - the same degree as the UK's Sun. The omens look good for Mr Salmond.

Though if we forget misty-eyed patriotism for a moment, people generally vote with their wallets. The fate of the Union may depend on how prosperous the country feels, and Jupiter-Pluto issues such as revenues from North Sea Oil will be pivotal. If tentative talk of a financial recovery continues, the Scots may be readier to take a chance on going it alone. 

*********

*Stephen Arroyo, Exploring Jupiter

Astroboogie Stars May 19th 2013

I will answer personally the first three people who leave a question about their chart in the comments section - please supply your time, date and place of birth.

Taurus

Forge ahead and take advantage of your impulsive energy. Mars, planet of action, has a galvanizing effect and you confront obstacles and awkward customers head-on. People are taken aback at your sudden moves, but you're only expressing what has bubbled under for a long time. A relationship you thought long past resurfaces and a twist of fate moves you closer to an on-and-off friend. Events take a momentum of their own. The Sun hits your chart's financial district on Monday and you talk acquisitions and mergers. Start a rainy day fund or treat yourself to a luxury you wouldn't usually stretch to.

Gemini
Brush off your circus performer talents, you are in demand. The Sun hits your sign on Monday and you have confidence and a sense of destiny. Raise your sights to match - you nail the details while keeping one eye on the big picture. Personal charm is key and keeping cool under any provocation sees you through.

Cancer 
Tune out dissenting voices and follow the call of your heart. You contend with people's narrow views and are sensitive enough to care about upset expectations. Forget it. Put your own needs first and latecomers can catch up afterwards. Saturday's Full Moon lifts your spirits and you give in to a demand for a slice of your time.

Leo
Your social scene holds myriad promise and you have crowd-pleasing skills. Like-minded souls gather round and your political dreams come together as if preordained. Still, sharp-elbowed rivals keep you occupied and going it alone at work gets you all the credit. Deal with issues at home, as sober Saturn rewards you for taking the long view.

Virgo
You are across practical details and how to make your career run perfectly. Play to your strengths and speak out when a brainwave pops up fully-formed. Show off your mediation skills at home and get payback from both sides of the debate. Monday's Virgo Moon is golden and an influential player mysteriously understands.

Libra
You help a friend succeed and get a reciprocal bounce. You are in lighthearted mood, yet a thoughtful word at the right moment has a miraculous effect. Studying is a joy and you find the perfect travel partner. Everything turns on Tuesday's Libra Moon and you spring a revolution with all change on the home and romantic fronts.

Scorpio
Your goals seem far away and time is pressing. A serious, duty-first attitude surprises friends but some ambitions are worth the sacrifice.  Your partner demands attention and a passionate reconciliation justifies any argument. Make your pitch at Thursday's Scorpio Moon and the odds are 60/40 in your favour.

Sagittarius
A clever character has all the repartee and the chemistry crackles when you  laugh together. A serious side underlies the fun and familiar company is a healing experience. Your dream of a freedom-first lifestyle comes closer when you get to grips with technology. Set a date for Saturday's stand-out Sagittarius Full Moon. 

 Capricorn
A pivotal decision comes closer as old and new elements in your world collide. You come first in any straight meritocracy, but a young rival pushes their own agenda. Adjust to new thinking on Thursday, and blending your skills with experience makes a classy package. Diet and good living has solid long-term benefits.  

Aquarius
You say the right thing without thinking and adding a lighter note keeps you in demand. Battles appear on the career front, which you can either stay and fight, or move on. The same issues arise wherever you are, so the main thing is to do your best. Saturday's full Moon finds a soul mate to discuss the world and its ways.

Pisces
Speak clearly to a family member and you break a stubborn impasse. Home entertaining is starred at the weekend and the world has a magical aura. Your empathy overflows, but you are entitled to ask if your rescue efforts are noticed. Neptune, your ruling star, loves a sacrifice but see the full picture before putting everybody else first.

 Aries
Communication is key and you speak honestly without rehearsing your pitch. Clever Mercury fuses with diplomatic Venus and creative writing comes as easily as thought. You break suddenly out of a domestic stalemate and the shockwaves take time to settle. Still, being true to yourself brings out your best and partners soon appreciate the difference.

Astroboogie Stars May 12th 2013

Taurus

The landscape looks totally different compared to only this time last week. Your priorities change and what seemed like a setback is a gift-wrapped surprise. Take it easy. Success comes through graft and you persuade white-collar types that you have the real goods. Time is pressing, but focusing on what you are good at saves pouring energy into the same old rituals. Make money from a smart idea by Thursday. Your ruler Venus sits in your financial sector and diplomacy gets your thinking accepted at a higher level. Tell someone what you really think, and Taurus birthdays 10-12^th May get a Ninja boost.

Gemini

You leave doubts behind and announce your talents to the world. Mercury, your ruler, hits your sign on Wednesday and smart ideas and repartee is what people need. Get some distance from your thinking – a friend gives you vital feedback.  A mixture of tact and puppy-dog enthusiasm gets you noticed and it pays to go out on a limb.

Cancer

Fermenting your plans in private sees you burst out into view. Keep a diary, schedule a date with somebody smart, and inner buoyancy singles you out. Brash competitors have eye-catching moves but you are the one with long-term promise. Monday’s Cancer Moon is your best day and your radar captures the group mood.

Leo

A stubborn boss is at odds with your style and demands results. You seek to dazzle with your charisma, but focus instead on putting down roots to your success. Stick to the agenda, with a left-field plan kept carefully up your sleeve. Your innate class can’t be kept quiet and Wednesday’s Leo Moon is time to burn midnight oil.

Virgo

You have smart ideas and ground them in the real world. Step up and trumpet your talents, and your ruler, Mercury, gives you a patter to impress  at the top. You are fluent and flexible, with a hidden drive that is not to be overlooked. Saturday 15^th is your stand-out day and smart delegation is the start of a team-building exercise.

Libra. 
Loyalty and commitment make the foundations, then your social skills take over. Planets in your travel and study zone give you a thirst for knowledge which needs someone to share the experience. A friend is determined to be different, but their freestyling way shows you another route. A smart idea on Thursday works round a long-standing obstacle.

Scorpio

You are in the middle of a strategic push, taking up a long-postponed ambition. While all is focused on success, a love interest still demands their special time. Crossed swords sap your energy, but sweet surrender leads to a surprise good time. Pluto, your co-ruler, faces off with radical Uranus and the core of your career has a complete turnaround.

Sagittarius

A generous partner lightens your world, and wit and charm add a champagne touch. Intrigue in your love life keeps you on your toes and you are drawn into a web you didn't volunteer for. Or did you? Friday gives you an inclusive touch and somebody smart appreciates that you take big ideas seriously. Philosophic discussion takes a relationship to a new level.

Capricorn

An everyday venue is the setting for a romantic moment. The best things happen when you least expect and an innocent attitude opens the door for love. Still, you are battling in your career and an obstruction you thought past rears its head again. Embrace the new spirit, don’t fight it, and by Thursday your vivacity is redoubled.

Aquarius

Utopian schemes are your stock in trade, but you prove your practical moves. You juggle business with a hectic social round, and a morale-booster from the top arrives on Monday. Talk somebody around to your ideas with wit and diplomacy. Your creative plans get a lift and a young pretender looks to you for a lead.

Pisces

Home expansion proceeds smoothly, but keep an eye on where the money goes. Jupiter, your ruler, gives you a vision and good fortune, and you have a home you could only dream of. Your head is in the clouds but your feet are on the ground. Getting initials after your name take time, but this is the springboard for your original ideas.

Aries

Spend what it takes to make the difference. Mars, your ruler, makes you the compulsive shopper and you insist on an item that’s for the long term. Quality lasts. Chaos is only the first step at work, then change beds in that you can see the sense of. Sidestep an intransigent colleague and your modern approach is the shape of the future.

Cut the BS - Taurus eclipse, May 10th 2013

This is the complimentary solar eclipse to the Scorpio lunation on 25th April. An annular eclipse is where the Moon obscures all but the outside edges of the Sun, creating a spectacular 'ring of fire' effect. The first partial obscuration starts at 21:25 UT on May 9th and reaches maximum annularity at 00:26 UT on Friday May 10th. 

The Sun is the central life-giving force, so solar eclipses are a bigger deal than their lunar counterparts. The Moon coming in front of the Sun symbolically puts emotion before Self, and there is purging as a new cycle starts. Unlike the buoyant atmosphere of the Full Moon, New Moons are a down time in the lunar cycle, where the atmosphere is dark and half-formed. There is an atavistic sense that primitive man must have felt, a fear-factor almost, that the light has died and will it ever return?

Eclipses are generally not good times to make decisions - the energy is too overwhelming.  Since this is a New Moon, the general advice is to wait at least three days before and after to take a major course of action. By May 13th, the waxing crescent Moon will appear, symbolizing the return of the light. For all signs and all people, there is often a markedly different atmosphere after an eclipse. A corner has been turned and nagging doubts or past emotional freight is left behind. Check your chart to see if you have planets on or very near 19 Taurus or Scorpio.

People with the Sun in fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius, stand to be most affected by any changes - particularly if your birthday is between 8-11th May or 8th-11th November. This eclipse will prepare the ground for the impending transit of Saturn across your Sun, which will hit first in mid-December. This is where you are either working furiously at your ambitions, or stripping your life down and making things simpler. What better time than an eclipse in Taurus to cut the bullshit?

The eclipse path covers Australia's Northern Territory, Papua New Guinea
and the Solomon Islands. Significantly, it crisscrosses the path of
November 2012's total solar eclipse, just north of Cairns. 

Venus, the eclipse ruler, moves into Gemini on May 9th, which also implies change and a focus on dialogue and diplomacy. Transiting Mercury is also within a degree of 19 Taurus, further suggesting the importance of ideas. Taurus is famous - notorious, actually - for stubbornness, but in world affairs, an old way of thinking may be eclipsed and replaced by a new concept. This could be connected with finances and material security.

Vedic advice is also adamant that we should not undertake negotiations, long journeys, or any important actions on the eclipse day. Furthermore, it is advisable to bathe after the eclipse has passed. Spiritual work, chanting and meditation, is auspicious, however - mantras are many times more powerful during the eclipse hours - and it is also recommended to fast on the eclipse day. In Jyotish, this eclipse falls in the Venus-ruled nakshatra of Bharani, which emphasizes a positive clearing-out process.

Astroboogie Stars May 5th 2013

Solar eclipse on Friday 10th - freedom versus security...
how much stuff do you really need?

TAURUS 
Tension gathers moving towards Friday's Taurus eclipse. People and ideas  ripe for renewal impress themselves on your heart and mind, and you reach a turning point. 'Change' for you is a loaded concept, but it can be a liberating feeling. Make the shift on your own terms and you have fire and stamina to last the course. Venus, your ruler, gives you a diplomatic touch too and you keep vital contacts onside. Still, a mundane occasion takes on a dramatic tone and you feel pressed into a decision for decision's sake. Let the pressure-cooker simmer down before committing yourself, and your peace offering on Saturday strikes a classy note.

GEMINI
Clear out the old before embracing the new. Eclipse season lands in your chart's psychic zone and an uncanny intuition points the way. You have smart social moves by Friday and a fraught confrontation softens when you follow your first instinct. The weekend gives you an attractive aura and you command the room with no effort at all.

CANCER
Your mood intensifies and a shift in your social scene sparks by the weekend. Bite your tongue before you speak and you make a smooth transition to a happening new crowd. You can tackle a taboo subject on Tuesday as smart Mercury gets under the surface - deep waters don't faze you and a friend appreciates your listening gift.

LEO
The trade-off between career and home reaches a peak and a long-standing obstacle is removed. Talk tough and back your words up with action. Some think you are overreacting but you can manage the fallout afterwards. A friend is at hand by Saturday 11th and leads you back into pet names and comedy double-entendres.

VIRGO
A bold approach lets you hold the balance between warring factions. You take the lead and don't back down from the truth, while giving a full hearing to both sides. Mercury, your ruler is in serious mode on Sunday 5th as you make a manifesto of your beliefs. Leave people in no doubt and they're playing catch-up with you by the weekend.

LIBRA 
Deciding who owns what is pivotal and you make a decisive move. You have emotion invested in a prized item, and play it tough over what is yours. Still, your ruler Venus lightens up by Friday and you zip over the surface of turbulent waters. Friendly persuasion beats digging your heels in and people end up wanting to help.

SCORPIO
Friends find you in distracted mood as you chase up long-desired goals. Sunday 5th needs extra effort to keep in touch, but don't overcompensate for being busy. The situation passes. An impulsive call on a matter of the heart feels inevitable and you go with the moment. Work facilities come in handy for an after-hours project.

SAGITTARIUS
You are happy to keep the peace but somebody insists on getting your real feelings. Jupiter, your ruler, gives you a generous heart and you are setting things right from the past. Wait until Saturday 12th before a romantic about-turn and you have a subtle and sure-footed touch. The world is catching up with your dreams and an outre ambition doesn't seem so faraway.

CAPRICORN
Your focus finds an outlet and you do twice as much in half the time. Colleagues are lulled by your effortless manner, but your intensity hasn't let up. Saturn, your ruler, makes you weigh your words and you write ideas down for a serious statement. Your stubborn streak is legendary, but you are right to insist on your own way. 

AQUARIUS
A store of goodwill sees you through changes at work. Stick to your guns, even when higher-ups questions your style. Think long-term and resist the urge for a shortcut to the top. Openness succeeds with a friend and young people put you in touch with a part of yourself. Saturday gives you the right qualities on all fronts. 

PISCES
Your psychic gift comes into its own and you surprise even yourself. The literal, linear path is one way to communicate, but a telepathic link opens with someone close. Make peace with a family member and get back in touch with your roots. Re-imagine your home from Thursday and you are ready to put the welcome mat out.

ARIES
Financial affairs come front and centre and you choose the finest-quality accessories. Mars, your ruler, is in luxury mode and slowly but surely you shore up every inch of ground. Sacrifice a small pawn at Friday's eclipse and your big strategy opens up the board. A madcap break for freedom is only crazy to those who don't share your vision - act on it, now.