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Planet Weather for Weeks 11/13, 11/20 and 11/2711
NewsBits: Dr. Conrad Murray Found Guilty! On Monday 11/7/11, a jury found Dr. Conrad Murray guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. Manslaughter is defined as an act that carries high risk of danger or death – with no intent to kill but necessary caution was not exercised. The maximum jail sentence to be decided on 11/29/11, is 4 years, but the prevailing sentiment is that Murray is unlikely to serve the full term. Michael Jackson was addicted to a number of drugs including the controversial propofol, also called “milk of amnesia.” It is this drug in combination with others in his system which is said to have killed Jackson on June 25, 2009.
Conrad Murray was born on 2/19/53 in St. Andrews, Grenada, time unknown. His Sun sits at 0 Pisces and that degree tells us immediately that his life is changed irrevocably. That’s because this past year on 4/4/11, Neptune made its first modern entry into Pisces – the first time in 164+ years! Between 4/4 and 8/4/11, Neptune sat only at 0 degrees of Pisces and exactly conjunct Conrad Murray’s Sun. Neptune is one of the three outermost planets astrologers refer to, and always creates a huge impact when it makes a strong contact to a planet in one’s birth chart. Neptune conjuncting the Sun can be a time of great confusion, disappointment, sorrow, depression, or spiritual illumination and compassion. Murray is said to be on suicide watch.
Conrad Murray came from a poor background and a divorce between his parents at an early age. However, he had great ambition, worked hard and managed to get himself through medical school with high honors. Long before he became Michael Jackson’s private physician, Murray worked at various hospitals, his own practice but also donated large portion of his services to the poor.
Looking at Murray’s chart, we see Mars in its home sign of Aries conjunct Venus/Aries and square Uranus in Cancer. This is perhaps part of the theme of the drive that allowed him to rise from poverty to wealth in the medical profession. His Moon, exalted in Taurus and conjunct Jupiter/Taurus added to his persistence and desire for a more comfortable life. Murray was Jackson’s physician for less than one year but this position earned him $150,000 per month and helped pay for his child support arrears and other significant accrued debt.
The same compassion that prompted him to help the disadvantaged all of his professional life (indicated in part by Venus/Aries opposite Neptune/Libra) was also his undoing. This aspect, although compassionate leaning, can also mean negligent or having difficulty with setting boundaries, letting things slide, and avoidance behaviors. It must be remembered that Michael Jackson was a strong personality, used to getting what he wanted, and already heavily addicted to various prescripion drugs. This combination between the two was the set up for a perfect storm.
It was on 8/24/09, that the LA coroner reported that lethal doses of propofol and other drugs were prevalent in the system of Michael Jackson. On that day, the Sun was at 0 Virgo, opposite the Sun of Conrad Murray and triggering (by opposition) transiting Neptune’s first foray into 0 Pisces, which had already contacted his Sun in the previous months, setting the stage for a massive disorientation and chaos in his life. Neptune returns to 0 Pisces on 2/3/12 and it will be interesting to see what takes place for Murray during that time.
Herman Cain’s Campaign Unravels! With at least four women claiming to have been sexually harassed by Herman Cain when he was President of the National Restaurant Association (NRA) in the early to mid-1990’s and one woman speaking before cameras on live TV, we can probably say that Herman Cain is no longer a viable candidate for President. Cain is vociferously denying any sexual harassment on his part but two lawsuits against him were settled for significant amounts of money. It is, of course, not unusual for a public figure to pay for a nasty situation to go away but the woman who spoke out seems credible with no particular agenda to lie about her experience with Cain.
Herman Cain, born on 12/13/45, in Memphis, TN, time unknown, is experiencing transiting Saturn conjunct his Jupiter/Libra and Jupiter rules his Sagittarian grouping of planets including his Sun/Sadge making this transit particularly difficult as it bursts the balloon and takes the steam out of his previously rising campaign. Additionally, the long transit of Mars/Virgo which began on 11/10/11 and ends on 7/3/12 will square the 3 Sagittarius planets and North Node in his chart, several times and continue to create challenges for Cain. The opinion of this astrologer is that it’s over for Cain. [Or as my editor says, “Put a fork in him, he’s toast.”]
SkyWatch:
Moon phase for the week of 11/13: 11/18 -- The Moon enters Her Last (aka Third) Quarter phase at 10:09 AM EST, at 25 degrees of Leo. Skywatching events for the week of 11/19 -- The waning Crescent Moon makes a close pass by Mars just as the two are rising in the East shortly after midnight on the US East Coast, perfectly placed for viewing. This is the "daylight Moon," visible under a clear sky as She moves westward and downward throughout the afternoon. All five planets visible to the unaided can be viewed this week at varying times -- Mars and Saturn, the two "malefic planets," in the early morning sky and Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter in the evening sky, setting in that order.
Moon phase for the week of 11/20: 11/25 -- The Moon enters her New cycle at 1:10 AM EST, at 2 degrees of Sagittarius. This New Moon also makes for a partial Solar Eclipse visible from Antarctica and New Zealand. Skywatching events of the week: 11/22 -- The Waning Crescent Moon makes a close pass by Saturn. Their point of closest approach occurs in early afternoon on the US East Coast, so watch for them to rise together a couple of hours ahead of the Sun. 11/24 -- Mercury reaches its Greatest Western Elongation, meaning the point at which the planet lags the farthest behind the Sun it ever gets. This also makes Mercury relatively easy to spot, low in the West after sunset. 11/26 -- The Waxing Crescent Moon makes a close pass by both Mercury and Venus but both times the conjuncting worlds will be below the horizon. Look for the three of them in a row as they set, one by one. The same five planets are visible this week as last at roughly the same times.
Moon phase for the week of 11/27: 12/2 -- The Moon enters her First Quarter phase at 4:52 AM EST, at 9 degrees of Pisces. Skywatching events of the week: There are no close passes of the Moon by any planets and no planet-planet conjunctions this week either. Mercury is visible low in the West through 11/28, and Venus and Jupiter all week as "evening stars." Mars and Saturn continue to be visible in the early morning sky.
Space News and Weather: The bad news is that the largest asteroid to pass near the Earth since 1976 is coming on November 8! The good news is that it won't smack into Earth, although it will pass inside the Moon's orbit, coming within 202,000 miles of here, the closest it's come in the past 200 years. The asteroid, discovered in 2005 and "named" YU55, is roughly a quarter of a mile wide, large enough to do some serious damage if it ever did (or ever does on some future occasion) collide with Earth. The next close encounter with an asteroid this size or larger won't happen again until more bad news in 2028, when a recently discovered mile-wide asteroid (XF11) will pass within 30,000 miles of Earth (a near-miss by astronomical standards) with the slight probability of collision. This would not be a pleasant experience though it would probably not do us in. (The asteroid that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs is estimated to have been about 6 miles in diameter.) Then comes Apophis in 2029....Go out! Look up!
Knowing when VOC Moons occur is key to planning your successful week!
The Void-of-course (VOC) Moon is a kind of limbo. As it reaches the end of a sign, the Moon makes no major aspect to another planet before it enters the next sign. VOC is best for less outcome-oriented activity, since VOC often means detours, distractions, drifting, or delays. If you want specific outcomes, or if timeliness is critical, don’t use a VOC Moon time. VOC is best for processing, imagining, creating, and open-ended activities, like parties, research, or cleaning your desk/closet for instance! It is said that when a new action is initiated during VOC, “nothing will come of it,” or energies go in unplanned directions, which may not necessarily be negative.
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Week of 11/13/11 – Wednesday and Friday are the most active days energetically – more Moon or planetary aspects for engagement with others, projects, and stimulation for producing results, or demands/challenges on your energy. On 11/13/11, the Moon is VOC/Gemini from 10:43PM to 2:19AM EST (next day!)– On 11/16/11, the Moon is VOC/Cancer from 12:22AM to 11:17AM EDT– On 11/18/11, the Moon is VOC/Leo from 2:06PM to 5:19PM EDT.
Week of 11/20/11 – Sunday, Tuesday (Sun enters Sagittarius), Thursday (Mercury Stationary Retrograde), Friday (Solar Eclipse New Moon) and Saturday (Venus enters Capricorn) are the most active days energetically – more Moon or planetary aspects for engagement with other or projects, and stimulation for producing results, or demands/challenges on your energy. On 11/20/11, the Moon is VOC/Virgo from 5:21PM ET until 8:16PM ET – On 11/22/11, the Moon is VOC/Libra from 6:04PM to 8:58PM ET – On 11/24/11, the Moon is VOC/Scorpio from 6:05PM to 8:57PM ET – On 11/26/11, the Moon is VOC/Sagittarius from 7:06PM to 10:04 PM ET.
Week of 11/27/11 – Sunday, Thursday and Friday are the most active days energetically – more Moon or planetary aspects for engagement with others, projects, and stimulation for producing results, or demands/challenges on your energy. On 11/28/11, the Moon is VOC/Capricorn from 6:01PM to 2:02AM EST (next day!)– On 12/1/11, the Moon is VOC/Aquarius from 6:27AM to 9:45AM EDT– On 12/2/11, the Moon is VOC/Pisces from 1:06PM to 8:51PM EST (next evening 12/3/11!)
Quote of Note: “The time when you need to do something is when no one else is willing to do it, when people are saying it can’t be done.” Mary Frances Berry – Civil Rights Commissioner
Summary: Pay attention to the main issues that crop up in your life right now, since Mars entered Virgo on 11/10/11 – because they will likely be re-processed two more times and tweaked and reassessed once Mars turns retrograde and stimulates/emphasizes them again. Lots of planetary changes next week (Thanksgiving week) so plan ahead and enjoy the day with family and friends. Mercury just happens to turn retrograde on Thanksgiving Day!
Planet Patterns and Cosmic Headlines (Detail):
The Sun enters mutable, fire Sagittarius on 11/22/11 until 12/22/11. Sagittarius is naturally expansive, expressive, exuberant, and positive but its dark side is opportunistic, risk-tasking (without due diligence), and depressive when its high-expectations don’t materialize. Nothing wrong with aiming for the stars but make sure you have a safe landing place and a backup. The Sagittarian tendency to be positive is commendable as is its flexibility, but often it is undependable, as it keeps modifying itself for the best opportunity. Misjudgment is another shadow side of Sagittarius, as well as making light of serious matters or discounting a problem completely. Still, this is the time to celebrate and bring some sparkle into your life – brighten up the dark places and enjoy the season’s celebrations. There are many ways to be generous, not just by spending lots of money. In fact, in this season of giving, be as philanthropic as your means allow – it will warm your heart.
*Mercury Retrograde (Rx) Alert! Mercury’s last Retrograde of 2011 begins on 11/24/11 (US Thanksgiving Day!) @ 20deg. of mutable, fire Sagittarius, and ends on 12/13/11, with Mercury Direct @ 3 Sagittarius. Pre-retrograde shadow began on 11/5/11, when Mercury reached 3 Sagittarius, the degree at which it will turn Direct again on 12/13/11. Mercury entered Sagittarius on 11/2/11 and leaves the sign on 1/8/12. This entire Rx takes place in the same sign of Sagittarius. We’ll be looking at what we have and what we yearn for. With this Rx find the joy and pleasure without over-extending your resources and discover ways to have big satisfaction in life’s smaller pleasures, often overlooked as we focus on bigger and better. Conversations can be rich during this time, as everyone has a philosophical solution to life’s problems. Travel via your favorite reading material and learn something new about a topic that really grabs your interest. Sagittarius is about expansion but be sure it’s the kind you want!
Solar Eclipse New Moon @ 2 Sagittarius on 11/25/11. We’re in the last eclipse season of 2011. This eclipse belongs to the Saros Series 14 North which began in 1074. (Eclipse cycles last for hundreds of years as they start at one pole and move to the other to complete.) According to Bernadette Brady’s book, The Eagle and the Lark, this is a peculiar eclipse family and can bring confusions in personal relationships, unexpected financial matters, and other peculiar turns of events. Be aware of stress and draining your energies. Delay important decisions as there is a fair amount of unclarity. Take some time to think things through and process any confusion. The companion Lunar eclipse occurs on 12/10/11.
Venus enters cardinal, earth Capricorn on 11/26/11 until 12/2011. Alright we have Mars in an earth sign, Virgo, and now Venus in earthy, practical Capricorn brings a sense of frugality and only what’s essential, the core, the bare bones, the enduring traditions and that which is reliable and dependable. Venus in this sign takes its pleasure from being secure, planning, and repeating actions that have meaning and substance. Spending cautiously is in but being a tightwad penny-pincher is unpleasant. This Venus works hard so that there is enough to make everyday life stress-free and also enjoys having a nest egg for backup. Be prepared, be organized, plan well – Venus/Capricorn finds ease this way. The focus in relationships is on practicality and common-sense and wonderful earthy sensuality!
*Mars Retrograde Alert! Mars entered mutable, earth Virgo on 11/10/11 until 4/15/12. Yes, you read that right – this is a long time we will be spending working and reworking loose ends and generally cleaning up mess after mess without end, not to mention editing, reworking, and repairing. Perfection is a huge job and never ends, so you’ll have to give it a rest lest you stress yourself out. Mars turns Retrograde in Virgo on 1/12/12. A Mars retrograde can generate anger, as the planet of action and assertiveness is harnessed and pulled back to re-do what it thought it had already completed. Mars chafes under this kind of restriction. The thing is, you have to face the music – or at least reality – and go with what’s there and what you can’t budge. You may however, maneuver around it if you’ve let go of ego enough and are savvy enough to be flexible. Who knows what you will find as you take some cosmically dictated detours. Bring a snack!
Currently Active Paradigm-Shift Patterns -- Back Stories: Repeats and elaboration of the major configurations affecting all of us currently.
Neptune turned Stationary Direct on 11/9/11 until 6/5/12! The scandals leaked out – Herman Cain’s sexual harassment skeletons and child rape abuses at Penn State University. With this surge forward again, Neptune soon leaves the sign Aquarius not to return for another 164 years! Neptune is now moving steadily toward Pisces, where it Stationed @ 0deg. on 6/3/11 and sat at 0 degrees between 4/4-8/5/11. On 2/3/12, Neptune returns to 0 deg. Pisces and will then continue its journey through Pisces for the next 14 years, until 3/31/25. We can only imagine what changes in the culture and our sensibilities this will bring. There is a grand focus on the environment and greater sensitivity within the web-like network that binds us closer together than ever before. New visionaries will emerge, as well as new ways to believe and questions of what to believe. The way in which each one of us is connected to and responsible for every other living being on this planet will become increasingly and utterly apparent.
We’ve only had a taste of Neptune’s dissolving energies and the power of the water! Anyone with planets near 0deg. of any sign has been especially imprinted with Neptunian themes such as paranormal experiences, illumination about some life themes or experiences, and secrets leaking out, or even some funky illness. Neptune energies can also manifest as melancholy as we review dreams that may not have materialized, make necessary adjustments, all the while maintaining our faith in life, spirit and the meaning of it all.
With Neptune’s foray into Pisces, we have the third outer planet making a sign change since January 2008, setting in motion a series of conditions and events that have global long-term effects. Neptune is entering the modern rulership of its own sign Pisces and expresses itself quite naturally here according to its intrinsic nature. We can expect the need for greater sensitivity and environmental protections, as the harm we have done to the planet becomes more obvious. [And Gaia thinks seriously about giving us an eviction notice. Ed.] We may witness the formation of new religious groups and a reformation of existing religion as we know it. Secrets may be exposed and more leaks of information that some people may not wish to be revealed. On the positive side, new artistic accomplishments will flower in all fields, especially music, but all across the artistic spectrum. In essence it is a cultural call for greater refinement and attunement to what we often take for granted or fail to notice.
Neptune was discovered in 1846, and entered Pisces on 4/26/1847 through 1861. Oddly enough, Uranus was also in Aries (although farther along in the sign) when Neptune entered Pisces for the first time (since its discovery). This is only the second time, after Neptune came into our consciousness awareness, that Neptune is transiting Pisces! Both Neptune and Pisces are tricky. They operate on a completely different level. Pisces is known for its hyper-sensitivity, compassion, diffusiveness, spirituality, dream-like imagination, second-sight, idealism, patronage of the arts, and the ability to dissolve barriers of all kinds for greater unity. Negative manifestation includes: dissipation, neglect, addictions, deception, drugs, theft, scandals, and secrets. A few highlights of Neptune’s last transit through Pisces include: new social movements, such as Marxism, emancipation of slaves, the start of the US Civil War, the California Gold Rush, the Romantic movement in music, and transcendentalism.
We’ve only had four months of Neptune in Pisces so far in 2011, which we have not experienced for 166 years! As we begin to integrate with this complex novel energy infusion, you may notice a greater sensitivity or subtlety. Neptune dissolves barriers and that is one of the reasons a positive Neptunian response often allows greater compassion for human error and human frailty. Neptune deals with the unseen and the unnoticed and often accounts for spiritual breakthroughs and even paranormal experiences. I believe that this transit of Neptune through Pisces will loosen the boundaries between the material realm and the spiritual or energetic realms. Many of us will experience more than can be easily explained through the measurable functions of science. This can be a time of high magic but also the stripping away of illusions and deceptions and unless one has a strong inner core, the disillusionment we find may destabilize us. Practice faith in the joy of being alive and the true mysticism of that fact alone, no matter what your religious beliefs may be. Neptune is magical and a component of magic is addiction, as we seek to recreate the transcendence of blissful states that allow us to escape the harsher realities of everyday life.
Pluto turned Stationary Direct @ 4 Capricorn on 9/16/11 until 4/11/12. Anytime an outer planet slows down, stops, and reverses direction, its characteristic energy is amplified. Pluto is our slowest moving planet [Yes] and for several years now it has been processing the growing discontent with systems that have failed us and failed to provide the kind of security society expected. We’ve experienced various breakdowns collectively and personally yielding quite a bit of instability and insecurity. This station could very well deal with financial issues and the pragmatic concerns of unemployment, but more directly where the money is, who is holding it, and why lending isn’t forthcoming. It is quite possible that a bottleneck will open and more money will flow to fuel jobs and fund business. At least these seem to be the issues surrounding this Pluto Station. (The gold bubble and Germany’s bailout in the Euro crisis with defaulting Greece.)
Jupiter entered fixed, earth Taurus on 6/4/11 until 6/12/12. Jupiter stays in Taurus without moving back into the previous sign, even when it turns retrograde on 8/30/11(it remains in Taurus), which only happens about every three Jupiter cycles (3 years). Jupiter turns Direct @ 0deg. on 12/25/11! Most of the time when Jupiter turns retrograde in any sign, it moves back into the sign before and then its retrograde cycle spans the two signs. We might speculate that this can grant us greater relaxation and stability from the fast and furious and sudden changes that we’ve all witnessed since the beginning of this year, at least, while Jupiter was in fiery Aries. Stable and practical with a certain amount of sweetness, abundance, or favor is the message of this giving Jupiter in a Venus-ruled sign. There are possibilities, if we look for them.
Uranus re-entered Aries on 3/11/11, and remains there until May 2018. This is the biggest news of March and beyond, and heralds a new upward spiral in social and cultural evolution. Last summer, Uranus teased us by parking itself and remaining only at 0deg. Aries (the powerful degree of the Spring Equinox) from 5/27-8/13/10. Now it really means business – it has engaged into its full cycle. Any planet in the first sign of the Zodiac wants to start a fire, begin something new, innovate, and create or reinvent something in its own image. This combination can certainly be aggressive, bold, courageous, willful, and because of the influence of Uranus, unexpected and explosive. Most of the previous text was written well before the popular uprisings (conflagrations) in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and other parts of the Middle East. We are seeing the effects of individuals asserting themselves in their striving for personal freedoms that they believe are their birthright. Repressive regimes will no longer be tolerated. Aries represents the new and renewal – as it emerges from the dreams of the previous sign, Pisces. It burns with the fire of justice and courage to be free at any cost.
Saturn entered cardinal, air Libra on 10/29/09. The full cycle lasts until 10/6/12. Let’s speak to the greater implications of this 2.5-year Saturn-sign cycle. Saturn is exalted in Libra. This so-called “essential dignity” means there’s more of a commitment to promote cooperation and harmony among equals. Or, we can say, that is the primary striving in this combination. The collective will be more focused on what is fair and equitable and what is not. Generally, the message is to find the imbalances and rebalance as needed. Where are you giving your commitment and attention? Are the returns you receive what you really want? If not, then adjust those commitments and relationships for greater equality and fairness. Saturn in Libra also asks – what matters and what is valuable? When there is real value, it is easier to make a commitment for a longer time and with greater attention and intention. All major relationships and, in particular, those with Libra/Aries Sun, Moon, or Ascendant, will be put to a greater test. Saturn in a cardinal sign is more proactive than in other signs, and you may find that you seek order from recent chaos and productivity from prior stress and mess.
Saturn in Libra addresses the questions of balance, fairness, relationships, negotiations, and compromise. With Saturn there is always some kind of evaluation, some testing of standards met or not, and have we achieved what we set out to do in the various areas of our life? If we feel we are out of balance, then we will want to rebalance, or renegotiate the contracts we’ve made. Saturn will be backtracking now, to refine those imbalances and to test the rebalancing that you’ve begun. What is it exactly that makes for harmony and contentment in your life? All Libras, Aries, Cancers and Capricorns are feeling this testing the most.