George And Carrie

Note: I wrote this post on December 27, 2016. It discusses the loss of two stars in the entertainment business and the astrological events associated with this loss. The following year has been consistent - with the loss of other entertainment stars and tragic events at entertainment venues.

We lost two bright and shining stars this week - George Michael and Carrie Fisher. Both passed away at a relatively young age. These sorts of surprising and unexpected events tend to occur when the  planet of the unexpected, Uranus, switches directions. Uranus turns stationary direct very early on December 29 (on the West Coast). Carrie Fisher passed away on December 27 just days after having had a heart attack on a flight back from the UK (where she was on a book tour) on the 23rd. George Michael died in the UK at his home on Christmas morning (of heart failure).

George Michael is a double Cancer - natal Sun and Ascendant in the sign of the Moon child. His natal Moon is in Leo, giving him charisma and creativity. He has Mercury conjunct Venus (in Gemini), giving him a pleasant and even beautiful voice. His Mercury/Venus sextiles (60 degree angle - an easy/fortunate aspect) his natal Jupiter (the greater benefic) in Aries. My favorite song/hit of his is a duet with (Aries) Aretha Franklin. Transiting Pluto was transiting in opposition to his natal Ascendant at the time of his death. This type of transit can add a great deal of stress to one’s life. RIP George Michael.

Carrie Fisher has natal Saturn and the Moon’s North Lunar Node in her tenth house of career and public recognition. She was destined to be in the public eye. It is no surprise that she became famous as an actress in the motion picture industry as her natal Sun is conjunct her natal Neptune (ruler of that industry). This is how she shines (her light). It is also symbolic of her addiction to cocaine at one time. Her Sun/Neptune duo is located in her ninth house of air (and space) travel. One of her major successes was performing as Princess Leia in Star Wars. And, she had her heart (the Sun) attack in flight outside of LA flying over the ocean (Neptune). Carrie’s solar arc Pluto is conjunct her natal Sun/Neptune at this time.

Transiting Saturn is activating a couple of eclipses now - the solar eclipses of 9/12/15 and 3/08/16. Both eclipses occurred in conjunction or opposition to Carrie Fisher’s natal Jupiter/Venus in her eighth house of death. The 9/12/15 eclipse shows Neptune in the eighth house (in the Washington DC chart). The 3/08/16 eclipse occurred in Pisces (Neptune rules the sign), and I specifically stated that the eclipse could influence the motion picture industry in some way in my post describing that particular eclipse. RIP Carrie Fisher.

UPDATE: Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher's mother, has now passed away as well. I may do a separate blog post for her.

Major Astrological Influences Of 2017

2017 promises to be a very interesting year. There will be more of the unexpected, more lessons to learn, more growth and opportunities with regard to our relationships, more dreams and ideals, and more transformational experiences. I’ll attempt to explains some of the major astrological influences of the year in the following paragraphs.

There are usually three Mercury retrograde periods every year. In 2017, however, there will be four, because Mercury will be in retrograde motion at the beginning of 2017. The planet turns stationary direct on January 8, 2017 at 1:43 AM PST. These periods are generally marked by miscommunications, misunderstandings, problems with communications equipment, travel delays, and plans that will later need to be revised or completely changed. It’s usually better not to make important decisions or to sign contracts or anything else if that is possible during these periods. Complications and problems are too easy to encounter, and often we don’t have all the information that we need. The best thing to do is to continue to collect this information throughout the period. How these periods will affect you personally depends on where it happens in your astrological chart(s). If you’d like to know, ask me.

There will be eclipses in February and then again in August of 2017. They occur in Aquarius, Leo, and Pisces. The Moon’s North Lunar Node enters Leo in May. Eclipses are intense and important events that often affect the masses. An eclipse will affect you personally if it hits one of your personal planets or points (within a two degree orb). Again, if you’d like to know if an eclipse will affect you personally, ask me. Most people will experience these eclipses as either a Full Moon or a New Moon.

Saturn will continue its transit through Sagittarius. It could influence the airline industry, higher education, the legal field, religion, outer space exploration, and anything foreign. This transit will affect you personally depending on where Saturn is transiting in your astrological chart(s) (its house placement and if it aspects any of your natal planets or points). If you’d like to know, ask me. At different times during the year, transiting Saturn will trine transiting Uranus (in Aries) and sextile Jupiter (in Libra). Those periods should be important and most likely beneficial.

Uranus, the planet of change and the unexpected, will continue to transit Aries in 2017. Transiting Uranus could affect the high technology industry, astrology/astrologers, civil rights issues, and other humanitarian interests. If you’d like to know how this transit of Uranus will affect you, ask me. The first part of the year, Uranus will (widely) square transiting Pluto (in Capricorn). There could be and probably will be more uprisings, human rights protests, and pushes for societal change. Pluto rules those who possess enormous power and wealth such as multinational corporations and big businesses as well as persons with great wealth. Therefore, I expect that the income disparity issue will continue to be an issue this year. In addition, transiting Uranus will square the USA’s natal Pluto (in Capricorn). Both planets symbolize change - Uranus is sudden and surprising (perhaps disruptive) change and Pluto is slow and transformative change. So, it appears that there will be big changes for the nation next year, and virtually everyone in the USA will be affected. Because of the square aspect, there will be very strong resistance to these changes.

We also have a Venus retrograde period in 2017. Relationship (romantic, platonic, familial, and/or business) issues are up for review during these periods. Venus is in retrograde motion from early March through mid April of 2017.

Jupiter will be providing more opportunities with regard to relationship matters, and especially romantic relationships. Other relationships benefit as well. However, there could be some issues to work out as transiting Jupiter will oppose transiting Uranus and will square transiting Pluto during various periods during the year. Transiting Jupiter will enter the sign of Scorpio the second week of October, and all things Scorpio (intimate/intense relationships, sex, partnership finances, etc.) will be favored from this benefic transit.

Neptune will continue its transit through its home sign of Pisces in 2017. This year, it will not be hampered or blocked by a square from Saturn, therefore spiritual and artistic matters will proceed more smoothly. In addition, we should be better able to differentiate between fantasy and reality (for better or worse as we could discover that inability has caused us some problems in 2016).

Miscellaneous Astrological Musings - December, 2016

Flight 837:

United flight 837 took off from San Francisco International Airport at 11:36 AM PST on November 28 bound for Tokyo. Shortly after takeoff, one of the 747’s four engines burst into flames. The plane circled the airport, dumped excess fuel into the ocean outside of Monterey (unfortunately) and landed back at SFO at 1:36 PM safely. There were no injuries. The astrological chart for takeoff at SFO shows transiting Mars on the Ascendant. Transiting Jupiter was also trining the Ascendant in this chart.

The Electoral College:

The Electoral College meets on December 19, 2016 to vote for the incoming president of the USA. There might be a bit more excitement and confusion this year. Transiting Mars is in opposition to President-Elect Trump’s natal Ascendant and progressed Sun on that day. In addition to that, transiting Mercury also turns stationary retrograde. It’s possible that they might not finish their business on that day as a result. Nevertheless, I don’t expect anything to really change much. It’s still extremely likely that President-Elect Trump will be sworn into office on January 20, 2017.

Uranus Direct:

Retrograding Uranus turns stationary direct on December 28. Look for some big surprises and events around that time. In addition to that, transiting Mars will activate the September 1, 2016 solar eclipse at the end of the year. Therefore, the end of the year should be more eventful than in years past. Be careful if you’re out and about on New Year’s Eve.

Frequent Flyer Winnings:

I finally won something. I almost never win anything in any game of chance. But, now I’ve won 25K frequent flyer miles.

On November 22 I received an email message from the airline that I usually fly when traveling. It seems that I had won a frequent flyer miles sweepstakes that I had entered earlier in the year. I had won 25K frequent flyer miles. On that day, the Sun (in Sagittarius - the sign that rules air travel) sextiled (60 degree angle) my natal Jupiter (the ruler of air travel). Jupiter was in a wide square to my natal Mercury (ruler of my ninth house of air travel). And, Venus was conjunct my natal Mercury. My progressed Venus is trining my natal Uranus, and Uranus rules my fifth house of gambling and lucky chances.

December 7, 2016 is the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor Attack, which brought the United States into WWII.

In drawing up the astrological chart for the attack, we find the Ascendant on Capricorn and in opposition to Venus, Jupiter, and the Sun in the USA's natal chart. Asteroid Icarus is rising (and, conjunct the Ascendant). Astrologer Al H. Morrison describes the effects of this asteroid this way: "Abrupt triumph and downfall. Like running into a pothole the size of a delivery truck." Transiting Mars is on the IC (bottom of the chart) showing the bombing and the fires on the ground. The Sun is in the twelfth house of death and loss and opposed by transiting Jupiter. The loss of life was enormous. The Moon (the people) is conjunct transiting Pluto (death).