MJ's Astrological & Political Blog

California, Where the Earth Truly Does Move: Uranus Conjunct Pluto

2009-02-01T14:14:00.000-08:00

California, with a population of almost 37 million people has the eighth largest economy in the world! That's amazing, isn't it? It ranks behind the U.S. itself, Japan, China, Germany, United Kingdom, France and Italy, according to the U.S. Commerce Department and the World Bank.

The chart of California features a Virgo Sun at 29°, which makes sense when you think of the almost maniacal pursuit of ultimate fitness for the mind and body that typifies a good share of its citizens. Twenty-nine degrees of any sign signifies a concentration of that sign’s qualities, so this accounts for the maniacal part! Before moving here, I heard a lot about Californians, well, not being particularly fond of hard work. I haven't found that to be the case at all - quite the contrary! That is typical Virgo, too. Even play time is intensely physical.

Virgo can be a bit eccentric but is, for the most part, a sensible earth sign. California is known as a kinda kooky melting pot. We need to look further into the chart to see where that persona comes from.

Aha! Here we have it! The fourth house is the core of the soul, the depths of a person (or place). California’s fourth house contains a stunningly potent stellium of Saturn, joined by Uranus and Pluto in exact conjunction at 29° Aries, exactly inconjunct the Virgo Sun! This means the foundation of California is eccentric, changeable, transformative, driven, but grounded with Saturn. With Aries on the cusp, an adventurous and independent element is added. With the potent 29° conjunction of Uranus and Pluto, no wonder we have so many earthquakes! Also, Aries (Mars) rules fire, so this aspect contributes to the extreme forest fires that plague us.

The Uranus/Pluto conjunction that was happening when California was "born", also happened in the 60s – the Vietnam war, peace protests, the age of free love and Haight Ashbury (California, of course). What perfect personifications for this combination! That’s California – seismic, evolving, eccentric, thinking outside the box. After all, this is also home to Silicon Valley, the hub of high-tech, ruled by Uranus. It’s also not surprising that people often come here to transform themselves – Pluto wouldn’t have it any other way.

Virgo loves good health, fitness of mind and body, and although practical and disciplined, it's an earth sign with a touch of eccentric flower child living inside. I'm a Virgo and California makes me want to kick off my shoes and run through the grass. It makes me want to sing all the songs ever written about this state...if you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear a flower in your hair, stop by the Hotel California, then drive down Ventura Highway, do a little surfing and wind up the day with some California Dreamin’! You'll be laid-back in no time. Just don't relax too much, because when you least expect it, the earth WILL move.

Capricorn Stellium on the Midheaven

2009-01-31T18:40:00.000-08:00

I’m on a roll since the Ann Coulter blog. I just have to get this out of my system once and for all, and it's my blog and I'll complain if I want to. I need to try and convince myself that Sean Hannity is not the anti Christ. Let’s check out his chart. Then I promise, I will be done with Republican pundits once and for all.

Sean Hannity was born December 30, 1961. We begin with a solar chart, since we don’t know what time he was born. I immediately notice a similarity with Anne Coulter’s chart. Like her, he has a stellium at the Midheaven, making it very outwardly noticeable. His Sun, Venus and Mars are conjunct in Capricorn in the 9th house. His philosophies are on display and in Capricorn, they tend to be conservative. Mercury and Saturn are in a wide conjunction in Capricorn in the 10th house. That’s five planets in Capricorn and a triple whammy because Saturn is in its own sign and in its own house! Talk about conservative to the extreme! This is not a forward thinker. This is probably an inheritance from the father (Saturn), who must have been super strict and most likely a staunch Republican himself. With all this Capricorn at the Midheaven, Sean Hannity is also an extremely hard worker and likes to be in charge. I wonder if his family ever sees him.

He has to have a reprieve from all that strict Saturn structure. Oh, here’s something. Jupiter is in Aquarius in his 11th house. With the current transit of Jupiter in Aquarius, he is having what is referred to as his Jupiter return. In the 11th house, I feel this is a time when he can achieve goals and work well in groups.

Neptune is in Scorpio in the 7th, the Moon is in Libra in the 6th, but conjunct the descendant. It seems he has a side to him that wants to get along with people. The Moon does square his Sun and Mercury, so he alternates between trying to be nice and expecting everyone to accommodate him. Pluto and Uranus are in Virgo in the 6th, so it looks like there are more than a few power struggles as well as sudden endings and beginnings with those in his work environment.

His chart contains lots of trines, making for an effortless integration of his inner and outer planets. Basically, that means he finds it very comfortable to be who he is. He won’t be trying to evolve out of his narrow-mindedness any time soon. I think he missed his calling in corporate America with all that Capricorn in the 10th, so maybe he feels the need to structure the political environment and the minds of Americans instead. No thanks, Sean. You see, the world is evolving and growing and changing, unlike you, who have been stuck in the same mindset all your life. Good solid traditions are wonderful, but block-headed , backward thinking is not, Sean, and neither are your lame fear tactics, so if you can, try to gain a little perspective – maybe do some traveling abroad, chat up a few liberals, take a self awareness class ….grrr!! There, that feels better. The End.

Stelliums: The Powerhouses of the Astrological Chart - Case in Point, The Chart of Anne Coulter

2009-01-27T18:12:00.000-08:00

Stelliums are formed when three or more planets are conjunct (that means within 10 degrees of each other) in the natal chart. Think of it as an astrological sign on steroids! Three planets in the same sign and very close to one another causes them to gather strength and potency. If personal planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars as well as the Sun or Moon) are part of the stellium, it’s usually not difficult to identify the individual by the traits associated with the sign the stellium falls in. Picture, for instance, a Gemini stellium – Geminis are communicators, but with a stellium of Gemini, that person probably talks incessantly, can’t seem to sit still, is constantly texting or talking on the phone and never lets anyone get a word in edgewise. Hopefully there would be some neighboring Taurus or something to round this person out a bit, because a stellium run amok is not pretty, no matter what sign it falls in.

Ann Coulter is a perfect example of a stellium-ruled chart. One look at her tall, gangly frame, elongated face, shaggy mane of hair and casual style of dress tells us she has the look of a typical Sagitarrius. Then she opens that mouth of hers and removes all doubt!

Since we don’t have a birth time, we do a solar chart for 12pm and find that…drum roll, please… Coulter has Sun, Mercury and Venus in Sagitarrius in the 9th house, Mars and Moon in Sagitarrius in the 10th, with Mars right on the Midheaven! I get exhausted just looking at it. Yep, that’s a bit too much of a good thing and yes, it is not pretty. When the stellium configuration is in an angular house or close to the Midheaven as Ann Coulter’s is, it is even more noticeable to the outside world.

Sagitarrius is a sign that is friendly and outspoken, but when in a stellium, traits become exaggerated. For instance, did you hear her vial criticisms of the 9/11 widows a while back? She said they were basically money grubbing harpies. Did you hear her lash out at Elizabeth and John Edwards by saying they should “just get a bumper sticker saying, ‘ask me about my dead son’?” Those are unforgivable comments from an angry woman determined to make a buck by trying to be controversial.

After years of listening to her on the 24-hour news channels, her hateful ranting becomes unbearable. I turn the channel, but some people have other techniques to make the noise stop, like the student at the University of Arizona who threw a pie at her! It’s very much the same reason the Iraqi journalist couldn’t help himself any longer and threw a shoe at Bush. This woman is just too offensive for words...so the closest inanimate object had to suffice. Sagitarrius is ruled by Jupiter, the planet of luck, so in true Sagitarrian fashion, Anne ducked just in the nick of time! Darn.

Scorpio/Sagittarius Charts and What They Indicate

2009-01-18T13:04:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed how many comedians have a strong combined emphasis on Scorpio and Sagittarius in their natal charts? In addition to being extremely funny, have you noticed how risqué their comedy is? They just blurt things out (Sag) in a sexual way (Scorpio) like nobody else can do. Three examples that come to mind are:

Roseanne Barr - Scorpio Sun in the 9th house, Scorpio Midheaven, Venus and Mercury in Sag in the 10th

Kathy Griffin - Scorpio Sun and Mercury in the 9th, Venus and Jupiter in Sag on her MC

Whoopi Goldberg - Sun, Moon, Saturn conjunction in Scorpio in the 9th, Sag on the MC with Venus in Sag in the 10th

That’s a plethora of Scorpio/Sagittarius and a gaggle of 9th and 10th house emphasis as well.

Planets in the 9th denote a strong philosophy of life and a propensity to want everyone to know it. The 10th house is all about career. Scorpio is a sign that is not afraid to excavate the deep, dark, secretive underside of human nature and sexuality, so when combined with the power to talk about anything and everything, as amiable, foot-in-mouth Sagittarius is so fond of doing, it all makes perfect sense! Thank God, because those three ladies are some of the funniest people out there.

This combination of signs and houses isn’t only bestowed upon comedians. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Scorpio/Sagittarius intensity like that found in the chart of Rahm Imanuel, President Obama’s Chief of Staff. Have you seen this thing?

He has a Sagittarius Sun/Jupiter conjunction in the 9th, given added strength since Jupiter is in its own house, and a Moon/Mercury/Mars conjunction in Scorpio in the 10th! He is definitely cut out to be our President’s pit bull! Nothing and nobody is going to mess with this guy. The other thing to note about this combination is those who possess it are not only loyal to their beliefs and staunchly defend them, but they are usually that way with their friends and family, too. They have convictions and they are loyal.

As seen with the examples above, heavy emphasis on Scorpio/Sagittarius can result in more than a touch of biting sarcasm. It’s not surprising that Imanuel has made a few enemies along the way, too, like the one who sent him dead fish in the mail…hmm. On the other hand, I’ll guarantee you he’s a master at telling risqué jokes to lighten the mood during White House staff meetings…that is, when he decides to lighten up.

Mercury and Saturn in Retrograde this month...and how they may affect events in Washington

2009-01-09T20:25:00.000-08:00

You may know that ‘retrograde’ is a word used to describe the reverse, backward motion of planets in our solar system. When a planet goes retrograde, it can have different effects on people and situations, the best of which is to actually increase awareness by forcing us to slow down and think or act more thoroughly, not only about issues in the present, but past events as well (past…reverse…backwards – get it?)

Mercury will begin a 21-day retrograde period on January 11 at 7°45' Aquarius. Saturn already began its 4-month retrograde on December 31 at 21°46' Virgo.

When Mercury is retrograde, miscommunications happen, things with moving parts break down and people become extremely frustrated as a result. Let’s hope this won’t turn Inauguration week in Washington into a gnarly maze of traffic accidents, racial slurs, event delays, media glitches and general mayhem! Did I mention that DC has decided to keep the bars open until 5am on the three days preceding the Inauguration? What is it they say about fuel on a fire? On the flip side, maybe the result will be an exceptionally well-planned and executed week of events, culminating in the historic swearing in of our 44th President, just the way we envision it.

Retrograde Saturn slows activity and work pace, enabling better strategies and methods to be thought out and developed. On the flip side, it can also bog things down and make it twice as hard to actually get anything accomplished.

For instance, let’s hope these retrogrades won’t stall Congress in the passage of Obama’s economic stimulus package. Paul Krugman, Nobel Prize winning economist, recently portended that if there is a delay in passage of the stimulus package, or if the amount of the stimulus is too small, it could be a sad, sad case of “too little, too late” and the already fragile state of our country’s finances could just do a ‘Thelma and Louise’ and drive us all right over the edge into the great abyss of a full-on depression. Maybe the retrogrades will do the reverse and aid in the deliberate, careful, but expedient passage of this critical piece of legislation. Congress doesn’t have a very good track record when it comes to expediency, but we have to hope they’ll step up to the plate this time. Let’s try to remain positive. (See kids? Mom's trying.)

Look in your chart to see where these retrograde planets are going to be affecting you and remember - it’s also about free will – turn those retrograde planets around for successful results in all your upcoming endeavors.

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? The Midheaven in Your Natal Chart

2008-12-31T18:22:00.000-08:00

Our country is losing an average of half a million jobs per month right now and analysts forecast that the worst is yet to come. Everyone seems to need a bailout, from the auto industry to banks to state governments. A new report estimates that twenty-five percent of retail stores will either file for bankruptcy or go out of business before the end of 2009.

Since so many of us are going to be (or are) unemployed, it may be a good time to reflect and take a serious look at the Midheaven (also referred to as the MC or Medium Coeli) of our charts for insights into what type of work we are suited for and where we may find the most fulfillment.

If any of you have ideas for jobs that could be added to this list, please let me know! I'm also thinking about taking this to the next level and posting a blog focusing on the 6th and 2nd houses in relation to career choice.

ARIES – You excel at being in charge and implementing your fire sign Midheaven to lead the troops! You are aggressive and need an outlet for your boundless Martian energy. A few career ideas are manager (of anything), entrepreneur (time to get that startup off the ground), martial arts instructor, policeman or corrections officer.

TAURUS – Real estate agent or mortgage loan officer (it has to come back sooner or later), landscaper, gardener, florist or organic farmer - just about anything involving mother earth will be satisfying for your Venus-ruled MC. Interior decorating or home staging would also suit you.

GEMINI – You can sell ice to an Eskimo. With Mercury on the fast track ruling your MC, you excel at sales and marketing, broadcasting and just about anything involving communication. Also, you may want to consider careers having to do with technological gadgets or fashion, since you are always on the cutting edge of ideas and trends.

CANCER – Influenced by the moon which represents all things related to ‘mother’ and nurturing, you with Cancer MCs feel right at home in careers like home care of the elderly (you will have job security, believe me – all the aging boomers are, well, aging), day care, chef, restaurant worker/owner or culinary arts instructor or demonstrator.

LEO – Shining brightly like it’s ruler, the Sun, those of you possessing Leo on your Midheaven are attracted to the glamour fields such as acting, selling luxury goods, or designing and selling your own fashions or jewelry. All the world’s a stage to you, so the political field would be great. Have you ever wanted to run for office? Leo is the sign of the majority of U.S. presidents. Okay, that may be aiming a bit high, and since we just elected what promises to be a terrific one, consider running for office in your town and making a difference there.

VIRGO – Your ruler, Mercury, the planet of intellect, thought and communication, gives you the edge when it comes to any career involving detailed work, research, organizational skills, data management or accounting. If you are one of the many health conscious Virgos, try teaching yoga, working at a health food store or wellness center. I just read somewhere that wellness coaches will be in high demand as our world continues to stress us out. Finally, teaching of any sort is a wonderful profession for a Virgo and good teachers are always in demand.

LIBRA – Ruled by Venus, you need a career that involves beauty or love. How about wedding planner, fashion model, freelance makeup artist, florist, painter or pottery maker? Also, with a Libra MC, think about a career in law, dispute negotiation or government, since you have a desire to restore balance and peace.

SCORPIO – Dark, secretive Pluto is the ruler of your MC, so you’re a natural for detective work, undercover police officer, biologist, psychologist or researcher. Also, you probably enjoy working in solitude, so consider a work from home position or find a company that will allow you to telecommute.

SAGITTARIUS – Influenced by Jupiter, you’ll enjoy something in the publishing field. Other possibilities are travel writer, photographer or higher education teacher. You may consider going back to college to study law, religion or spirituality.

CAPRICORN – With this sign on the MC, you’re probably on your way up the ladder, but if you were involved in a down-sizing by some chance, then I know you will be able to find something in the corporate world once again. Remember, you have the patience and perseverance of the mountain goat. Look for a company with excellent benefits that promotes from within because that will satisfy your love of financial security.

AQUARIUS – This sign is ruled by Uranus and wired in to the world of cutting edge technology, so anything in that field is perfect. Aquarians also excel in the healing fields, especially if anything New Age is involved. Lots of astrologers are born with this sign on their MC, as a matter of fact.

PISCES – Dreamy Neptune casts its glow on Pisces! Careers in the film, music or television industry are good, and since Pisces is a water sign, jobs on fishing boats or cruise ships would be great. I have also found that lots of successful sales people have Pisces Midheavens. I think it has to do with the intuitive talents of Pisces – you can sense what people want.

I always think it's helpful to check the sign on the Midheaven of your relocation chart if you live somewhere other than your place of birth, too. Let me know if any of these suggestions helped. Happy hunting!
http://www.creativejobscentral.com/

A New Moon Means New Projects!

2008-12-27T13:42:00.000-08:00

This is just a quick reminder that we are currently experiencing the New Moon in Capricorn and it will be in closest orb for the next day or two, making this a perfect time to begin new projects or put any good ideas you've been mulling over into action! Positive projects you start during this time will have a better chance of bearing fruit later on.

Joining the New Moon is Mars, a planet that likes aggressive action and getting things accomplished. Since both the Moon and Mars are presently in the sign of Capricorn, that favors anything to do with business, work and career, so let’s get going!

The Tension of Planets in Opposition: The Impact of Saturn vs Uranus on our Economy

2008-12-26T15:59:00.000-08:00

Two astrological giants, Saturn and Uranus, are in opposition to one another and will continue this back and forth transit through mid 2010. Oppositions create tension between the planets involved and in this case, Saturn, the planet of structure, karma, security and tradition, versus Uranus, the planet of change, new ideas and upheaval, is very symbolic.

It seems as though Saturn, in this case, represents the Republican Party and their staunchly traditional big business-loving, deregulated way of doing things, as evidenced during the past eight years of the Bush administration. Now our country is turning a corner, as represented by Uranus and the Obama administration with its global perspective, technological savvy and new solutions to old problems. It is as though Uranus has awakened our country from a long slumber, or maybe a drunken stupor of spending would be more accurate!

The last two times our country experienced this Saturn/Uranus aspect, were during the Vietnam war era and the Great Depression, which brings us to the realization of just how powerful this force can be.

During the Republican reign of Bush, our economy went from the large surplus established during the Clinton era, to the staggering deficit we are currently experiencing. Deregulation and free trade sounded good to some until many became too greedy and loaned money to people who couldn’t afford to pay it back. Everybody is suffering as a result.

What is taking place now is a jolt (Uranus) to our spendy ways and corporate greed. We have yet to see a bottom to all this, but should within the next year. I think it will take much longer than that for our economy to fully recover and I also think that with Saturn involved, some facets of our economy may never be the same again.

Saturnian lessons will be learned - most importantly, how to live within our means and feel blessed for what we have, not all that we desire. This may be karma (Saturn) for being one of the richest and most powerful countries on earth, but not always using that enormous influence to its greatest potential. The tides are turning as countries like China, India, and Russia make a resurgence. We will all be staying tuned to see what happens next as these two planets take us on a rollercoaster ride into the future.

A Venus, Moon, Neptune Christmas...aah!

2008-12-20T09:33:00.000-08:00

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been spending an inordinate amount of time trying to stay informed on the evolving, or should I say dissolving, state of our economy. Every week seems to bring a seismic event of some sort that challenges us to maintain our sense of hope and equilibrium in the midst of what can feel like trying to stay afloat during a tsunami. In my case, the whole thing was beginning to permeate my psyche to such an extent that I, as my children tactfully pointed out, had become a pessimistic worry wart. Enough is enough! I decided to stop attempting to worry the world into wondrous perfection, as every good Virgo does. It was a daunting task for one woman anyhow. I’m realigning my focus on a glorious reprieve from the media assault that has become part of my daily ritual. My focus will now become the holiday I celebrate with my family, namely Christmas. It can be a day of spirituality, love and delectable treats – a virtual cornucopia of goodness. It can also be a stressful, expensive and guilt-ridden time of year. We all know how that goes. With that said, I began to wonder what this Christmas, in the midst of all this turbulence, would bring. What will the prevailing climate be? Time to check the stars.

Okay, forget the upheaval of the ongoing opposition of Saturn to Uranus, we’re talking Venus here! It gives off the brightest sparkle of any planet in the zodiac and for good reason. Venus not only rules the arts, money and love, but how we use those tools to show our appreciation for the people we care about. We immediately think gift-giving, right? What’s Christmas without a few carefully selected goodies under the tree? True. This year, Venus will be transiting through the humanitarian, friendly, technologically savvy sign of Aquarius, so if you’re one of the lucky ones with some money to spend, typical Aquarian purchases of things like IPhones, IPods, laptops, or digital photo frames will most likely receive a warm welcome. Artistic, creative homemade gifts are even better. However, an Aquarian-inspired gift doesn’t have to be anything more than the love and appreciation we share on this special day. Since Aquarius also rules technological communication, don’t forget to reach out to those who are far away and need to hear from you. Just a simple email or phone call will bridge the miles. Also, sharing our holiday spirit at a local homeless shelter or inviting a lonely someone to join in our festivities would be a good use of Venus in Aquarius. These are popular activities every Christmas, but this year they take on more importance and are more deeply heartfelt.

To take it a step further, our collective Venus in Aquarius on Christmas day is conjuncting Neptune. The spiritual, loving overtures of Neptune’s idealistic gaze smiling at our Venus! Does it get any better? Well, as a matter of fact, it does! This Venus and Neptune are conjuncting the U.S. Moon…a collectively humanitarian tone will prevail across our country. This holiday season, more than those of the recent past, will be about rejuvenating our sense of hope and serenity that all things are unfolding as they are supposed to in our lives and world at large. Free will always enters the equation, of course, and this holiday season as events in our country and around the world continue to take us into uncharted territory, I choose to enjoy this one perfect, sparkling, jewel of a day. I’m not sure who said it, but it’s so true, and goes something like this:

Yesterday is history,
tomorrow a mystery.
Today is our gift.
That’s why it’s called THE PRESENT.

How appropriate not only for the holidays, but for every day.