Astrological Habit and Addiction

Posted on August 11, 2013 by ohioastrology

Habit and addiction seem to me to have a tight relationship. While habit is considered normal, addiction by definition is a bad.

If I take a vitamin every morning is this habit or addiction?

If I have a beer every night is this habit or addiction?

Vitamins are “good” therefore a habit. Beer is “bad” therefore an addiction. Can we be addicted to good things?

Definition of Addiction

This Medical News Today article defines habit and addiction clearly:

What is the difference between a habit and an addiction?

Addiction – there is a psychological/physical component; the person is unable to control the aspects of the addiction without help because of the mental or physical conditions involved.

Habit – it is done by choice. The person with the habit can choose to stop, and will subsequently stop successfully if they want to. The psychological/physical component is not an issue as it is with an addiction.

The difference between addiction and habit is clear and is about control. Yet I wonder how many habits we have that we really can’t stop at will?

I suppose that’s when habit becomes obsessive-compulsive disorder which is habit-as-addiction.

What does astrology say about habit and addiction?

Astrology of Habit and Addiction

In my search on the astrology of addiction, I found lots of blame put on Neptune, the mystical planet of merged consciousness.

Neptune makes sense in terms of the traditional addiction to intoxicating substances. Life on earth can be a hard slap on the face because we imagine wonderful things (and see movies that make us imagine and dream even more) and even when we get what we imagine, it’s never quite the same as in our mind’s eye.

Romance, of course, is the most obvious place where this occurs. When your lover first farts, corporeal reality has intruded on all of your projections. (Could this be the mystical reason for flatulence?)

That’s life on earth.

Neptune, then, seeks escape.

Is escape addiction?

This Astrolada article has for me the most interesting and insightful take on the astrology of addiction. Rather than blaming poor, abused Neptune, research done by the writer indicates the moon in hard aspect to Mars, Saturn, Uranus or Neptune are all indicators of addiction.

I’d been suspecting the moon all along.

The Foundation of Your Home

In thinking of habit and addiction, the image that comes to mind is of a basement. The walls are like habit. We want strong, sturdy walls to keep the house upright and free from intrusion from insects, robbers and nature.

Saturn, which rules structure, is like the walls of the basement.

Because no structure is 100 percent solid or seamless, there are going to be areas where the wall is challenged by the environment. There may be cracks, fissures or holes that appear over time. If the structure is solidly built in the first place, repairs should be easy.

If the structure was not solidly constructed or there is a natural disaster, the structure is at risk. Then one must re-grade or re-build entirely the foundation of the house.

The environment, with its constant changes, points for me to the moon. The moon is the stuff that comes at us daily. The moon is our reactive nature. If we have any problems with Saturn, which is considered a problem in its own right, the reactive nature kicks in which seeks safety and comfort.

Saturn is considered the planet of karma and often our Achilles Heel or weakest link. Aspects to Saturn indicate if our basement can survive the rain. If not, the moon brings the mop and buckets – and a cup of tea because it just feels bad to have to mop the basement.

If the basement wall is filled with holes, the moon will react more often with its bucket, mop and comforting cup of tea. As the mopping becomes more frequent, the tea may change to coffee and then to Red Bull and then to whisky.

When moon and Mars are in hard aspect, then maybe insects are constantly trying to invade our basement. Insects are called “bugs” and when someone does something we don’t like we say they are “bugging us.” It’s frustrating to have all those people out there getting in our way.

When moon and Saturn are in hard aspect, then maybe our foundation was never built well to begin with. It is constantly threatening to bust at the seams which creates the need to constantly reinforce. This is habit-as-addiction.

When moon and Uranus are in hard aspect, it’s more like sudden, unexpected weather threatens our basement every few years (like seven). We might go through periods of addiction due to unusual circumstances and periods of non-addiction.

When moon and Neptune are in hard aspect, then we have decided to live on a house boat. Water underneath will never be entirely stable. Addiction might be more continual with this aspect (poor Neptune) since we can’t make the house stop rocking.

Habit as Addiction

Habit becomes addiction, possibly, when we want to avoid basement problems by constantly, every day, reinforcing the basement. Nothing on this earth lasts forever so trying to create a basement that can survive anything man- or nature-made is to try to create a bunker.

Habit, then, is Saturn gone bad trying to create a bunker with 50-year food stores to survive a nuclear disaster.

What if there was a disaster and you could live in this bunker for 50 years? Would you really want that?

Is excessive habit the polar opposite of addiction?

The Basement and the Roof

In the horoscope, the fourth house is at the bottom of the horoscope and the tenth house is at the top. The fourth house is ruled by Cancer and the moon. The tenth house is ruled by Capricorn and Saturn.

Oh, look – the moon and Saturn.

The fourth house is considered our foundation, our early home environment which molded our personality.

The tenth house is considered our social conscious and relates to our career or how we’re seen in the world.

If the fourth house is the basement, maybe the tenth house is the roof? If the basement is our foundation then the roof is our covering.

Capricorn covers through social identity – aka success, career, position, reputation.

It’s Never Too Late to Fix the Basement and Roof

“It’s never too late to have a happy childhood,” is a quote from novelist Tom Robbins. Robbins has moon conjunct Neptune in Virgo opposite Saturn in Pisces. Jupiter in Sagittarius forms a T-square. He also has four planets in watery Cancer (Mars, Pluto, Mercury and the sun).

Robbins’ basement is flooded as it’s an inch from the ocean while the roof is taking the hit of a million tiny rain drops. Jupiter provides relief and inspiration through travel and reckless behavior.

If Robbins can have a happy childhood, then all of us can have a clean, dry basement and sealed roof no matter what rains or blows upon us.

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Why David Plotz Hates August

Posted on August 4, 2013 by ohioastrology

David Plotz, editor of Slate, wants to get rid of August.

Who in their right mind wants to get rid of a month of summer vacation?

Plotz lists some mighty-fine reasons for getting rid of August including lots of wars starting in the month of “Augustus.” It’s true – folks in the cold north often wait for spring to launch an attack. Winter should be considered a season of peace by those above the 40th degree of latitude.

Good point. Yet . . .

You’re reading an astrology blog so you know what’s coming – the real reason that Plotz dislikes August.

Grand Square

Plotz probably dislikes square dancing as much as he dislikes August. Here’s why.

Plotz has sun and Venus in fixed air Aquarius, Jupiter and moon in fixed water Scorpio and Saturn in fixed earth Taurus.

That’s three of the four fixed signs. Three fixed signs (within similar degree of longitude) create a fixed T-square. Squares in general are considered an angle of tension. It’s not full opposition – no one is against you. It’s a frustration, the kind where you 50 percent understand your lover but still can’t make the relationship 100 percent right.

The fixed T-square creates a strong, determined, controlling and obsessive personality. It’s a “lead, follow or get-out-of-the-way” placement where the preference is that you get out of the way.

August, a bright and sunny month filled with Leo birthday parties containing ostentatious displays of love and warmth, is difficult for those born in northern climate winter months (like February-born Aquarians). When you’re born in February, people don’t come over to play sand volleyball on your birthday. Often they don’t come to your birthday party at all because February is flu season and they are home with a sore throat and runny nose.

August, as you see, is ruled by the fixed sign Leo which is opposite Plotz’ fixed air Aquarius and makes Plotz’ natal T-square into a transiting grand square.

That’s a lot of tension. And now there’s an opposition of Leo/Aquarius-people do truly oppose you.

More than heat and war, this is a month where others of a more optimistic nature are prone to challenge the seriously-intense Plotz.

August is difficult for Plotz because it’s time to lie on the beach and put away that Dostoyevsky novel and instead read some light fiction, a beach book that stimulates the humorous or romantic portions of the brain allowing room in the brain to hear the lapping of the waves.

Others are doing just this and probably are commenting on Plotz’ reading material and serious nature.

That’s what OHA thinks is going on here. August is a month where people are on vacation and Plotz is probably never on vacation. Leo-time is also a bit too emotionally expressive for this Aquarius sun wants to share radical ideas, not personal experiences.

It’s interesting to note one’s favorite and least favorite months to see where the sun is in the horoscope at that time. It can lend insight into tensions in the horoscope or times when we should take it easy, even if we don’t want to.

December

If Plotz hates August, I’m guessing he likes its opposite winter, especially the time from Thanksgiving to the end of February.

Around Thanksgiving, the sun is conjunct his natal moon then soon moves into Sagittarius conjuncting his natal Neptune. Early December is probably when most of his ideas form. Early December is positively magical. It’s when good and unusual things happen.

Then in January when the sun conjuncts his serious Mercury in Capricorn people start to listen. That is when the skies are gray, we are back to work and the beach is closed. People finally get serious again with resolutions to lose weight and save money. And they resume their reading of serious articles in serious journals.

Then in February the sun conjuncts Plotz’ natal sun (called “birthday”) and also his natal Venus in Aquarius. February is when people meet indoors for those long wine-laden dinners and even-longer late night conversations about life on other planets. Now that’s interesting!

April isn’t too bad a month either for Plotz, with natal Mars in Aries. That’s a good placement suggesting healthy competitive energy.

But May’s a bit of a downer with natal Saturn in Taurus – makes sense – that’s when people go back outdoors. May through the end of September are a little rough for Plotz then the beginning of October gets intellectually interesting again as the sun conjuncts Plotz’ natal Uranus in Libra.

The Beach

OHA recommends that the August-hating Plotz take the entire August off and go to the beach. While there, engage in some Leo leisure which can often involve doing nothing. Sleep. Lie around. Find a TV and a remote and change channels for an entire day. Become one with August.

Better yet, find some silly, frivolous book to while away the time, like Linda Goodman’s sun signs.

That’s a fun one.

Posted in Famous people | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Attack of the Introverts?

Posted on July 31, 2013 by ohioastrology

This week several articles were shared with me that explained how to work with introverts or myths about introverts. Here are two (one and two).

Have introverts come out of their shells?

Should I lock the windows?

Who is their leader?

Should we fear introverts coming out of their homes or should we fear them more when they stay in their homes, studying our ways and analyzing data about our behavior in order to know more about what we are doing than we do ourselves?

Why are there no articles about understanding extroverts? This is clearly an extrovert-biased world, extroversion being “normal” and introversion something to be studied (which, of course, is done by introverts).

What has created the need to understand introverts?

Earth and Water

When looking at a natal horoscope, the elements of earth and water suggest introversion or at least shyness. The other two elements, air and fire, are more extroverted.

As the articles say, introversion doesn’t mean one doesn’t like people. Water signs love to connect emotionally but they are extremely sensitive and often must spend time alone to recharge.

Earth, on the other hand, is probably busy with work and chores, which come before socializing. Earth also is simply not expressive in the water, air and fire ways. Earth may be hungry, angry or happy, but you might not know it.

A natal horoscope has ten “planets” with a variety of elements (and modes) which creates balance in our personalities. The rising sign also has a lot to do with how we interact with the world. A chart with lots of earth and water with a fire rising sign may be more extroverted that a chart with a fire sun and water rising sign.

Rarely is a person 100 percent introvert or 100 percent extrovert. As one of the articles mentions, extroverts must often introvert (verb) to bring their ideas to fruition.

Transiting Grand Water Trine

Today, seven of the ten planets are in an earth or water sign. In a couple days when the moon moves into Cancer, the count will go up to eight. Uranus is in fiery Aries for a few more years and the sun is in Leo for the bulk of the month.

A grand water trine is also in effect involving Mars and Jupiter (in Cancer), Saturn (in Scorpio) and Neptune (in Pisces). Jupiter will be in Cancer until next July, Saturn has over a year more in Scorpio and Neptune will be in Pisces for ten more years.

Water, water everywhere.

More than an introvert world takeover, I think what is occurring is that the skies are forcing us into introversion. The current focus on introverts is simply that the extroverts are stuck in the house with introverts right now and don’t know what to do. Water forces us to look inward at our emotions – something extroverts do, but not for long periods of time.

Water in the form of rain has created more than a few “rainy days” both literally and figuratively. If you are old enough to remember this, there was a time when you “saved for a rainy day” and had “rainy day activities.”

Today we don’t save.

Introverts can keep themselves occupied during a rainy day (or rainy year-long transit), but extroverts do not fare so well when stuck in the house. Extroverts forced into small spaces with emotions not entirely positive, or people with deep or negative emotions, have the desire to flee or find something fun to do.

Water puts out fire, you know. Water and air create humidity, which we’ve had a lot of in Ohio. Humidity creates difficulty in breathing. Fire and air signs, you see, don’t fare well under a deluge of water.

Extrovert Rescue

Rather than fearing an introvert invasion, we must fear extroverts stuck in the negative emotional states of others. Extroverts when forced into seclusion with introverts can also feel ignored and neglected. As with all elements not able to express, havoc can result.

Fire havoc is excessive fighting and air havoc is excessive mood swings.

Save the extroverts!

The introvert articles are possibly desperate attempts to get information to extroverts (fire and air signs) that are stuck in the whirling eddy of a grand water trine and watery people.

What should fire and air signs do?

Fire and air signs should remember that water provides fun and entertainment just as the other elements do.

Isn’t the beach one of the most popular vacation locations? Think of this grand water trine as a cosmic beach arriving at your doorstep. Fire and air must employ their creative energies as the beach floods into the house.

Going to actual water may also help the fire and air signs both physically and emotionally. Fire and air signs going to the water should take those earthy and watery family and friends. Water can absorb and dilute intense emotional states.

Air signs like to communicate so now would be a great time to start (and finish) that novel. What else is there to do on a rainy day?

Time to monitor the introverts

Before extroverts run to the beach, they may want to hold for a moment and see just what it is that introverts are doing all day, since the opportunity has presented itself.

An activity loved by introverts and hated by extroverts is to sit all day in front of a set of data to analyze it. Jupiter in Cancer opposing Pluto in Capricorn (earth sign) is bringing to the public’s awareness the analysis of public phone records. Cancer is home and Capricorn is government so this opposition has “homeland security” written all over it.

The government is analyzing what is called “Big Data.” This type of work is Scorpio in nature (learning others’ secrets) and covert in nature (very Pisces), which is a quality carried by introverts. While you see one of two people in the news addressing the criticism of analyzing phone records, there are a horde of behind-the-scenes analysts doing the work.

They are quiet.

Before we rescue the fire- and air-sign extroverts from drowning, these two elements might want to contribute to the discussion, bringing their fire and air sign energy. Fire brings leadership, enthusiasm and energy. Air brings rational discussion and mediation. The imbalance of earth and water needs a rebalance with fire and air.

After the fire and air signs have done their work and contributed their energy, they can then go play.

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Giggle Alert

Posted on July 28, 2013 by ohioastrology

Columbus, OH – In addition to flooding rains, a daily desire to sleep through the alarm and a general sense of lethargy, the current transiting grand water trine involving the Mars and Jupiter in Cancer, Saturn in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces could also lead to uncontrolled fits of giggles.

Giggles may occur at inopportune times such as when attending the symphony, during a stockholders meeting or while watching a serious documentary. Simple, common statements such as “We need that by the end of the day,” may cause waves giggles of the type that are usually experienced at slumber parties.

Mars in Cancer, from mid-July to mid-August, will increase these fits of giggles. Neptune in Pisces will increase the urge to drink intoxicating substances which also tend to lead to giggling at events others may consider serious, such as a political rally.

The tendency to both drink adult beverage and giggle like a child will continue through July 2014. However, this month (mid-July 2013 – mid-August 2013) with Mars involved, the urge will be stronger and may often take one by surprise.

Readers are advised to practice and refine their poker faces and serious demeanor for use as necessary until July 2014.

This Giggle Alert is provided to you by Ohio Astrology.

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Ed FitzGerald – Where Were You Born?

Posted on July 27, 2013 by ohioastrology

If you live in Ohio, exciting times are in the near future. Ed FitzGerald sent an email blast this week (July 22) with the subject line: “What ‘Ohio Miracle?'” More than one of my emails received this pressing message.

Who’s Ed FitzGerald? Do I hear you asking this?

Ed FitzGerald is a Democratic Ohio politician who wants to run against incumbent Republican Ohio governor John Kasich.

That election for Ohio governor is a mere 465 days away (470 at the time of the email). It’s going to be 465 days of fun.

This email was refreshing since it’s been a whole seven months since I’ve received a political email, seven months since Sherrod Brown said his thank you and disappeared into the mist.

By the way, since OHA always tries to help where it can, a little political marketing advice is offered here, free of charge. The email from FitzGerald looks like a Sherrod Brown email with the FitzGerald name attached, like one of those old form letters where your name was typed crookedly on the top line with the font a different type or size than the rest of the letter.

Get your own brand, Ed.

Also, before I get back to astrology, I haven’t received a political email in seven months then get this inane tagline that should have waited until at least September 2014.

Develop your own strategy, Ed.

Okay, now back to astrology, the real star of this universe.

Where was FitzGerald born?

When you’re an astrologer, the first thing you do upon researching a person is to find the three elements that allow you to cast a horoscope: date, place and time of birth.

For this blog, I rarely find more than date and place. I then consult Astrotheme which sometimes has time of birth. Yet, the veracity of those times is also questionable.

If you’re not an obsessive-compulsive astrologer, you might congratulate me on not getting lost in insignificant detail . . .

Time of the birth allows us to cast a true horoscope with house placements. Just knowing the date means the ever-changing moon may have changed signs.

Place is important because a day in England is the following day in Australia. Looking up at the sky on January 1 in England shows you different patterns than looking up at the sky from Australia on its January 1.

Where was FitzGerald born?

Both Wikipedia and FitzGerald’s website make pains to express his love of Ohio, but neither says he was born in Ohio. Neither shows any place of birth.

I smell a scandal.

Was FitzGerald born in a foreign place? Maybe Indiana? Maybe Kentucky?

Maybe even Kenya?

OHA demands to see his birth certificate – with time of birth, of course.

FitzGerald’s Marketing Brand

Brand FitzGerald is sun in Cancer (happy birthday, by the way) and moon probably in Capricorn (although it could be Aquarius). It’s quite fun to note that the new royal baby George has this same sun and moon placement.

For both FitzGerald and the royal baby, Dad is the more loving, nurturing parent. Dad is mom and mom is the dad, making the rules, being emotionally distant and letting you know right from wrong in everything from chewing your food to getting married. Rules for hugging, rules for crying, rules for love, rules for friendship and rules for every other thing emotional that wants to come pouring out from you like sticky syrup from a bottle.

But Dad understands.

With Mars and Venus also in Cancer, FitzGerald positively adores his dad. I’d put that in the commercials (again, free advice).

Cancer and Capricorn are opposing signs. If you recall, we currently have Jupiter transiting Cancer which will oppose the current Pluto-in-Capricorn transit.

Family or authority? Emotions or rules?

Jupiter in Cancer will be quite soothing for FitzGerald. Jupiter will be in Cancer until July 14, 2014. That day will be 113 days before the election. That’s when the election will truly begin for FitzGerald.

At that time, Jupiter will enter Leo and Mars will transit four signs (Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn) before the election. In Libra, the partner has had enough; in Scorpio there is disillusionment; in Sagittarius there is frustration let loose and in Capricorn there is the challenge of holding it all in.

In October 2014, transiting Mars and Saturn will meet in Scorpio making a conjunction to FitzGerald’s natal Neptune in Scorpio. This will be a highly unpleasant time of disillusionment and also below-the-belt Scorpio attacks.

Remember, we vote in the sign of Scorpio. That’s why the few weeks leading up to the election get so emotionally intense. If we had the elections in, say, June, they would also be intense, but possibly of a different energy, maybe a more intellectually-stimulating intense.

FitzGerald’s natal horoscope has Saturn in Aries which creates a T-square to Mars/sun/Venus in Cancer and moon in Capricorn. Uranus is currently transiting Aries (back and forth) and is striking the chord of this tension over and over.

This is where one of those time-of-birth charts comes in handy. It would be interesting to see FitzGerald’s rising sign to see how he carries this Saturn/Sun/Moon T-square which suggests a lack of confidence in self.

Aries is “me” and quite happy to offer “me” as all you ever need in life. Cancer and Capricorn are singing a different song (family and authority) and fall back on rules and tradition when in a pinch.

If I were an evil astrological political advisor, and I swear I’m not, I’d suggest sending FitzGerald into the heat way before July 2014 to see if he comes out fried, blackened, Cajun-spiced or simply burnt.

FitzGerald has worrying nature with Cancer, Capricorn and Virgo energies. Jupiter, Pluto and Uranus are all in Virgo in the natal horoscope.

And FitzGerald should be worried about July 2014. That’s when Jupiter in Leo will test FitzGerald’s true confidence level (if he were a Republican, I suggest a heart-to-heart talk with Mitt Romney).

The 2014 Ohio Governor Race

FitzGerald will be running against the caustic John Kasich, with sun in Taurus and moon also in Capricorn. Both men are filled with earth and water which means this race could be, how shall we say it, a little boring? A little like watching two men throw sand bags at each other, maybe?

OHA will take a look at compatibility between FitzGerald and Kasich sometime in the future. Maybe February 2014, when the Ohio skies are gray and we’re stuck at home because of ice and snow (Jupiter is in Cancer, there will be ice and snow). In February 2014, we’ll be much closer to the race – just 276 days.

I’ll mark my calendar.

Until then, I’ll be at the pool, then watching the leaves turn pretty colors, then watching snowflakes fall all the while throwing pointless political emails into my trash folder.

Unless, of course, those emails stop looking like a Sherrod Brown template and begin to contain fun and interesting content.

Has anyone seen my coconut suntan lotion?

Posted in Politicians - Ohio | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Happy, Horrific Hollywood

Posted on July 22, 2013 by ohioastrology

While in Scotland recently, the tour guide was telling us of movies set in Scotland or about Scottish history. She mentioned some Hollywood movies about Scottish heroes, which, she informed us, were not historically accurate.

I wondered, once again, why Hollywood is so averse to historical accuracy. History is not boring.

I think Hollywood shies away from accurate history because the stories are not clean-cut. The good guys sometimes chop off heads of a few thousand foreigners. The bad guys sometimes love their mothers and buy them castles. And if you want to make a movie about the War of the Roses, you’d better have it move slowly so we can keep up with changing alliances, kings who disappear then reappear and a bunch of people with the same title or name.

Hollywood doesn’t like that.

But this thought intersected with another thought I’d been having recently about the American love of horror. While we Americans like our Hollywood happy, we also love our true crime and reality shows where people yell at each other for being ugly and lazy. Horror films are hardly uncommon.

There we have it! Americans don’t need everything happy all the time. It’s a myth.

What might be happening is this: In America when we eat meatloaf and mashed potatoes and corn, we keep all three items separate. When the British (I know, Scottish is not British – I hear the criticism as I write) eat meatloaf and mashed potatoes and corn they put it all together (brilliantly so) and call it Shepherd’s Pie.

Americans like their happiness and their horror, just not in the same casserole dish. We are not a nation avoiding happiness-free movies. We just eat our horror in a different bite.

Hollywood

Hollywood, like its famous directors, is ruled by Scorpio. The city was incorporated on November 14, 1903.

The sun was in Scorpio, the moon in Virgo. Mercury in Scorpio is conjunct the sun. This is a talking Scorpio city.

Scorpio is a fixed water sign, emotionally intense with deep, dark eyes. Scorpio is the tall, dark loner of noir films. Scorpio is the stranger in the cape that haunts Amadeus. Scorpio is the vengeful lover in Fatal Attraction. Scorpio is brutally honest like Debra Winger in Terms of Endearment.

Scorpio is the shark that attacks the late, sexy Scorpio Roy Scheider in the deep, dark sea in the middle of the night. Scorpio is the emotional upheaval of a hundred Holocaust films. Scorpio is the passionate movie that makes you break up with your boring lover on the way out the door.

Scorpio is the mood.

Moon in Virgo is the dialogue, the lyrics of the moving picture. The dialogue must be Scorpio – clear and direct. Unless you have made it through “My Dinner with Andre,” you probably need the dialogue to move the plot, to have meaning, to be more than the practical words of daily life.

Pluto, Scorpio’s ruler, is in the sign of Gemini and opposes Uranus in Sagittarius. These were the times when communication was transforming into mass communication. It was the beginning of a control that comes through the ability to communicate to the masses in a common language. Moving image excites us.

Seems so easy now – to communicate to everyone – it was not so easy in 1903.

The moving pictures often convey ideas that later become part of the national dialogue. There were certainly eccentric writers in dark corners talking about the matrix and aliens and such prior to the rise of Hollywood. Only Hollywood taking on such ideas gives them social acceptance.

How did seeing Carrie Bradshaw on Sex and the City affect the sale of Manolo Blahnik shoes? Nevermind that this character writes one column a week which is probably not enough to even eat ramen noodles in New York City let alone have an apartment, drinks at new restaurants and $800 shoes.

And how much do our ideas of family and romance originate from the moving picture?

Hollywood has Venus in Libra. Combined with Scorpio, we have Marlene Dietrich, a serious, sensual and deep-voiced vixen, born close to the time of the incorporation of Hollywood.

Before you think Hollywood is about mood and image and cathartic emotional experience, notice that Mars is in Capricorn. All that art stuff is nice but we’re here to make money, to have the status that comes with making a lot of money.

Saturn in Aquarius seems quite anti-union. Let’s not get too enmeshed in high-minded ideals that are the subject of dissertations and law precedents but are no fun in the movies. Movies are not humanitarian exercises. They are mass personal experiences.

Jupiter in Cancer and Neptune in Cancer provide the comfort to know that if you please the Scorpio energy, all other emotions are allowed.

Saturn in Scorpio

Saturn is coming up on one year of its two-point-something long transit. That transit will put a strain on the finances of Hollywood, which likes to make its Mars-in-Capricorn money but needs sun-in-Scorpio lending to do it.

Pluto is transiting Capricorn so possibly Hollywood will find itself under some new, restrictive governance or some new laws.

Scorpio is known for sex so maybe we will have a one-year backlash against all those dirty movies until Saturn enters Sagittarius and we don’t care for the next two years. In Capricorn, we’ll care again.

Will Hollywood, like Detroit and Orange County, go bankrupt? Difficult to imagine, but who knows. Maybe Hollywood has borrowed and hedged itself into a financial problem.

We’ll see. Whatever happens, I’ll ignore it in the news. To discover the truth these days, I wait ten or twenty years until it all passes and no one cares then watch the documentary.

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A Piece of Britney Spears

Posted on July 21, 2013 by ohioastrology

I’m Miss American Dream since I was 17 . . .

Britney Spears was 17 in 1998. At that time, the astrological planet Pluto, the planet of transformation which rules Scorpio and the 8th house, was at five degrees of Sagittarius, closing in on Spears’ sun in 10 degrees of Sagittarius.

Pluto had already made a shadow over her Uranus at one degree of Sagittarius and Mercury at six degrees of Sagittarius.

Pluto rules Scorpio, the fixed water sign associated with intense feelings up to and including sex. Sex is an appropriate manifestation because in sex we give away a piece of ourselves. When we love someone and make the choice to send a piece of ourselves floating away, it’s good (hopefully the other is sending a piece back and we feel whole). When we don’t make the choice to give others our energy, it is a violation.

The “American Dream” for Spears was a Plutonian experience, a transformation which had elements of destruction and violation.

That doesn’t sound like a dream. Pluto isn’t about beginnings, it’s about endings. Pluto tears down a 19th century factory to make a new, modern high-rise. Erecting a building takes years; tearing one down, minutes; cleaning up the mess, many more years.

Fame, then, for Spears was the tearing down of her dreamy, pre-fame youth. Sagittarius is a dreamer (as is Spears’ Aquarian moon – more on that later) so the reality of fame was more than a spotlight in the eyes. It was the violation of a rigid ideal.

Spears’ fall from the pedestal of fame means that she stood high on it. She probably came to the stage with a true innocence and trust.

Astrotheme places Spears Sagittarius in the 3rd house of communication and experience. Sagittarius travels far to find the new experiences. Experiences that take us above a humdrum world are the most delectable. Fame for Spears was probably like a practical joke where someone gives you a sweet, hard candy that after a few minutes turns exceedingly sour.

You want a piece of me?
You want a piece of me…

Fame, for Spears, became a nightmare of being chased by the paparazzi trying to get a piece of her. The paparazzi is trying to get a piece of every famous entity, no?

Why was it so hard on Spears?

She has four planets in Sagittarius with moon in Aquarius. While Sagittarius and Aquarius are people signs, they are not commitment signs. Combined there is a love of freedom and a tendency to run away from stagnant situations.

Neither sign is emotional. Throw a weird idea at Sagittarius and Aquarius and you have a friend who will ring doorbells at midnight with you. But don’t ask them to sit next to you all night at the dance because you hate to sit alone. Sagittarius and Aquarius have people to talk to – everyone. Both need to move around and be surrounded by air and spirit, not clinging water signs or boring earth signs.

If you hate suffocating individuals, imagine how constricted you’d become surrounded by a horde of the clinging.

Fame seems like life – giving and taking – but in extreme. If you are Spears, you are receiving love from thousands of people at one time (such as a concert). The giving, then, must be in proportion to balance the scales.

Possibly this is why the famous, including the paparazzi-hating George Clooney, take to humanitarian causes. It is a way to give back in relation to what is being offered. It’s a way to give the love back, to be a conduit from those to have to those who need. It’s a way to be of service in the midst of abundance, in the midst of a thousand people who will bow to your needs.

I’m Mrs. Lifestyles of the rich and famous
(You want a piece of me)
I’m Mrs. Oh my God that Britney’s Shameless
(You want a piece of me)

Mars in Virgo combined with moon in Aquarius in Spears chart make for a perfectionist. Virgo is perfectionist to avoid criticism and Aquarius is perfectionist because of a fixed, idealistic nature.

For all the sexy attire a singer must wear, Spears might be stunned to be seen as shameless.

Virgo doesn’t like being shameless yet Sagittarius, in square to Virgo, along with the air Aquarius are prone to actions meant for shock value. Tell your Sagittarius and Aquarian friends not to put their arms on the table while eating and you will have elbows in your macaroni for the rest of your life.

I’m guessing Spears has a conflict of “let’s shock them” followed by “now I feel dirty that they made me do that.”

I’m Mrs. ‘You want a piece of me?’
Tryin’ and pissin’ me off
Well get in line with the paparazzi
Who’s flippin’ me off
Hopin’ I’ll resort to some havoc
And end up settlin’ in court
Now are you sure you want a piece of me? (you want a piece of me)

At the time “Piece of Me” was released in 2007, Pluto was passing over Spears Neptune in Sagittarius. All ideals of fame and fortune possessed by Spears were finally released into the ashes of infinity.

After this major Pluto experience came the Saturn transit of Libra experience which broke off a lot of relationships. With a natal Pluto conjunct natal Saturn in Libra, Spears Saturn return involved learning a lot about control – control of others and control by others.

While the paparazzi and Entertainment Tonight might have seen Spears as an out-of-control famous spoiled girl, astrologers can recognize the intensity and difficulty of her experience.

If there were a “You Survived Major Pluto and Saturn Transits” award, Spears would have earned one. We all go through these transits in lesser or greater intensity, but to go through it in public must be even more difficult.

I’m Mrs. ‘Most likely to get on the TV for strippin’ on the streets’
When getting the groceries, no, for real…
Are you kidding me?

Pluto is now transiting Capricorn and in about five years will pass Spears natal Venus in Capricorn. By then she will have a whole new crowd.

Neptune is transiting Pisces for about 15 years. Pisces is square to Sagittarius and opposes Virgo. The mutable squares aren’t as tense as the fixed or cardinal but are still squares. For Spears, letting go of some of that Aquarius moon rigidity will help in understand the feelings and emotions of those around her.

Sagittarius, like all the fire signs, can be somewhat self-absorbed. It may take this Neptune-in-Pisces transit to make some sense of the Pluto and Saturn transits of the last ten years. Pisces is a water sign and Spears has little water in her chart, only Jupiter in Scorpio, which is currently being hit by a Saturn transit. People still want a piece of Spears and she is still having issues with it.

Spears best solution may be to share a piece of herself through sharing her personal experiences. If she looks over the heads of the paparazzi, Spears may see people who want to understand and provide support.

Maybe for Spears giving back involves a little sharing of deep personal experience, something difficult for moon in Aquarius to do. There are still some difficult transits ahead for Spears (Pluto square natal Pluto/Saturn) – the first half of her life is full of them – the second half of her life will be calmer. Sharing may relieve the stress that comes with a life of fame. The famous are still a minority, regardless of social media making us feel otherwise.

When you have difficulty in an experience few share, what do you do?

I’m Mrs. she’s too big now she’s too thin
(You want a piece of me)

When I heard the lines, “she’s too big now she’s too thin,” it reminded me of some female relatives. I’m imaging two individuals in particular and thinking of what it would be like to be hounded by those two times one thousand. That’s what Spears must be experiencing.

But I don’t know that. I won’t know what it’s like until Spears shares a piece of that experience.

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The Astrological Difference between Kids and Cats

Posted on July 17, 2013 by ohioastrology

The other night, my cat woke me at 4 am for breakfast. She should know after three years that breakfast does not occur until the alarm goes off at 6 am.

“It’s not 6 yet,” I told her.

“But I’m hungry.”

“Go lie down or find something to do.”

She laid down next to my head, as is her habit, so that she wouldn’t miss the the alarm. She’s very good at reminding me that if I turn off the alarm and lie back down for “a minute,” it’s possible that I will fall asleep again. She never lets that happen.

At 6 am, at the sound of the alarm, I found her next to me reading an article someone posted on her Facebook profile about things parents should stop saying to non-parents.

With a twist of her whiskers she said:

“It says dogs aren’t kids.”

“That’s true,” I reluctantly admitted, knowing a simple response would never suffice.

“What’s the difference?” she asked.

Where to begin?

“They’re just not,” I snapped. “Kids are way different, really, they are.”

“What about cats?”

How to tell her that while cats are the most common pet, it’s truly a dog-centric world?

“Cats are also not kids,” I explained. “Cats and dogs are what are called ‘pets’.”

This was a new concept for her, but her wonderment passed quickly.

“If you don’t get up soon, you’ll be late for work.” She added, “And I’m hungry.”

“I’m getting up,” I said, lifting my tired body.

“What’s ‘work’ anyway?” she asked, thoughts still processing.

“Work is a place kids and dogs are allowed to visit, but not cats.”

Kids and Cats

After breakfast, my cat and I discussed the astrological difference between cats and kids. Astrology, as usual, makes everything clearer for my feline.

Kids, I explained, are the domain of the 5th house of the horoscope. The 5th house is ruled by Leo and subsequently rules romance, children and creative output. When someone says their creative project is their “baby,” they are saying they’ve sent an energetic portion of themselves into the creative work. Also children are bred of romance (hopefully) and are a product of love (hopefully).

Cats (and dogs and other pets), I further explained, are the domain of the 6th house of the horoscope. The 6th house is ruled by Virgo and subsequently rules health, work and pets. Pets are not birthed by humans and share no energy. Taking care of animals, I explained carefully to my cat, is about service. You feed and clean poop from your beloved pet (and we love you more when you poop in the litter box). Even though we do all that for our pets, they are unable to bring us chicken soup when ill or do the laundry when we are busy or make us tea so that we can wake up more quickly.

“Do kids bring chicken soup to their sick parents?” asked my cat.

“Good kids do.”

Posted in Planets and signs | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Astrology of Weight Loss

Posted on July 8, 2013 by ohioastrology

While eating a strange meal of baked eggplant, stewed tomatoes, a scoop of ricotta (eggplant parmesan deconstructed?) and nachos with beans during a silent meditation retreat, I realized why meditation on eating is so important. Our attitudes toward food are representative of our attitude toward life itself.

This strange meal provided the impetus for an interesting debate during the car ride home.

That conversation added to my conviction that by rejecting or criticizing the meal was to miss something important about the silent retreat. With many of the usual daily distractions eliminated (talk, chores, schedules), food was the remaining life distraction.

How many hours a day do we spend thinking about food? How many more hours a day do we spend planning, buying and preparing food?

It’s an interesting measurement to take. I think it will say a lot about why we in the US have issues around maintaining our desired body weight.

Do the math.

Input and output

When a friend and I were discussing the ever-present dieting culture one day, he pointed out that weight loss in general (outside of illness), was about input and output – simple math.

It does seem simple, but something seems to be complicating basic math in this culture. Abundance and the reduced need for physical input into life seem to complicate the math. In a place like Columbus, Ohio, for example, walking can be risking your life as this city was clearly built for vehicles and not for walking. (Our dear mayor is helping by creating and connecting lots of bike trails).

In his book, “The Culture Code,” marketer and psychologist Clotaire Rapaille examines the deep psychological “code” behind portions of our lives. In focus groups, he discovered (he believes) that the American culture code for overweight is “checking out.”

Are two thirds of Americans truly checking out?

The US horoscope

If we look at a US horoscope based on the Declaration of Independence signing, the rising sign is Sagittarius, which is ruled by Jupiter. Jupiter is in Cancer as are sun and Venus.

Jupiter is the planet of abundance. In Cancer, it represents abundance in family, food, eating, mothering and other Cancer-like senses of belonging (religion, then?).

The US is the land of plenty, of abundance, of opportunity, of more . . .

That’s good, yes, and in the US we have a historically unusual problem – abundance. Abundance in many things, I believe, including food.

Fighting abundance is an unusual problem. There are worse problems, but it is our problem.

Pluto/Uranus conjunction in Virgo generation

Back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, a generation was born with Pluto (transformation) and Uranus (awareness) conjunct in the sign of Virgo (health).

Virgo is a worrying sign and, to me, the hypochondriac of the zodiac because of a need to worry about every detail that other signs might simply gloss over or accept “as is.”

I believe it’s this generation that has brought us awareness of our planet’s health and the condition of the food we eat. It has brought us “foodies.”

On the negative side, I believe this generation has brought a collective eating disorder. No longer do we simply eat and enjoy our food, we must analyze it. We must think about it. In “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior,” the mentor says to the student that the birth of the mind is the death of the senses. I believe our excessive thinking about food has gotten in the way of the sensation of food.

What I see in this generation is excessive analysis of food – before, during and after eating – to the point that the actual intake of food is rarely enjoyed. If we eat a brownie then think about how many laps on the treadmill we must run to “burn” it off, have we enjoyed that brownie?

Can we maintain ideal body weight when we think about food constantly and then have such a conflicted reaction upon the actual intake?

According to this site, 1973 is the year of publication of a book “Eating Disorders” which, says the site, “coincided with the beginning of a surprising increase in both anorexia and bulimia.” The Pluto/Uranus in Virgo generation would have been in their early teens to late 20s in 1973.

Lose weight with astrology

Losing weight for Americans is more complicated than simple math. We live in a land of abundance where a collective eating disorder has gotten in the way of simple enjoyment of food. If we enjoyed our food, maybe we would be satisfied with the appropriate amount?

What to do?

Like all problems, we must go within to find our own answer that sustains within the stimulus of the environment. That’s meditation.

In our land of plenty, we are like the “kid in the candy store.” Candy might not be your food thing, but your food thing is available, accessible at the local mega store or online with one click.

While the whole horoscope is necessary to fight abundance, or any other problem, I believe it’s the moon that can’t control itself in this candy-store of a country.

If our sun sign is what we WANT, our moon sign is what we NEED. Our needs are what fuels addictions or other habits we want to end but can’t.

If you are having trouble maintaining your ideal weight, take a look at what your moon needs and see if there is another way to satisfy that need.

Moon sign

Below are moon signs and the strong need associated with each. Signs have many facets but I’ll keep it simple. Here’s a site with detailed descriptions of moon signs.

Aries – Need to assert the self.

Taurus – Need for peace and comfort.

Gemini – Need for constant stimulus.

Cancer – Need for belonging.

Leo – Need to be center of attention.

Virgo – Need analysis.

Libra – Need intoxicating pleasure.

Scorpio – Need emotional connection.

Sagittarius – Need the sublime.

Capricorn – Need control.

Aquarius – Need group order.

Pisces – Need spiritual connection.

Next time you’re struggle with weight loss and diet, see how your moon sign plays into the situation. Are you eating because you’re truly hungry or because you’re bored or because it’s dinner time or because you have food that will go bad or because your social life demands it or because you have to feed others or because your grandma is eyeing your plate as you eat or because . . .

The because will always be there.

Posted in Diner Food Personality Profile, Planets and signs | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Tennis Gods Strike Back

Posted on July 7, 2013 by ohioastrology

We in the US are taught that the Greek and Roman gods are myth, tales of past cultures. Our culture is monotheistic, a legacy, one could argue, of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten who, back in the 14th century BC, dared to look into the sun and declare it the one source. We interpret that to mean Akhenaten was monotheistic.

Did Akhenaten call the sun a “god?” Was that his intent?

The dead don’t talk and the ruler after him, the unduly famous Tutankhamen (who simply left us his gold to look at), brought back the gods.

The Greeks and Romans, closer to us in history than Akhenaten, had a pantheon of gods with varying virtues and vices that, surprise, are the vices and virtues of we humans. Their forms, as we find in art museums, are rather nicely carved, with abundant hair (there are no bald gods), shaggy manes and muscular torsos. The gods were not safe – they represented raw energy patterns in people form – handsome people forms. Some were nice, some weren’t.

Does a belief in a pantheon of gods bring us a more fluid and flexible psychology? Do the many gods of Greek and Roman lore help us understand our own energetic core?

Why have we abandoned the gods?

The new gods

Possibly we have abandoned our “mythical” gods because we have gods, in Greek form, walking the planet right here and now.

Example number one: Tennis pro Roger Federer.

Take a look. Is he not a god?

He looks like a Greek god, has the physique of one and definitely plays tennis like one . . .

Have we simply replaced mythical gods with sports gods?

If so, let’s look at sports gods, gods manifesting in the world of tennis. The top four tennis pros are Roger Federer, David Ferrer, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic.

Roger Federer

Federer is the new God of Passion. With sun in Leo and moon and Uranus in Scorpio, the chart is as intense as his dark looks suggest.

Federer is a passionate and jealous god, a god who attracts beautiful women (and Ohio astrologers) and chooses the most comely woman as his own. He is devoted to his beauty that he treats as carefully as fine porcelain.

As you are aware from your Greek mythology, gods of passion are also gods of jealousy and beautiful women, like beautiful men, attract attention. This causes angry, but passionate, rows that are settled in the way of Scorpio – in bed.

Federer’s Jupiter / Saturn conjunction in Libra idealizes the partner that comes from another family, country, ethnic or social background. That differentness creates attraction but can create discord until the God of Passion learns to be himself and not to seek perfection through a partner.

Jupiter/Saturn conjunctions represent a struggle with social values. Often those with this placement deliberately provoke by choosing a partner that will upset the family or social group.

David Ferrer

Ferrer, also a Greek god in looks, has more sense of family that our God of Passion. Yet, there is conflict between self, family and partner.

Let’s call Ferrer the new God of Family Protection.

Ferrer, with sun in Aries, is quite competitive (a duh in sports but a life pattern for Aries). However, moon in Cancer indicates a need to belong and Mars/Saturn/Pluto in Libra indicate a great need for partnership. Unfortunately, Saturn and Pluto have to control every partnership which sends a few mates running for emotional safety.

Ferrer is a barking dog, loyal to the family and scaring off intruders. Ferrer is an Aries warrior who fights for love and family, but not often for people with whom he has no personal attachment.

The world is split in two – family and not family. Don’t expect to be trusted if you are not in the family portion of Ferrer’s world.

Cancer rules the stomach and with moon in Cancer, the way to this warrior’s bone marrow is through food. Closeness to the mother is common in Latin countries but moon in Cancer brings this above cultural cliché.

Do not insult his mother or family or you are in trouble from more than a tennis racket.

Andy Murray

This fixed and steady sun-in-Taurus has an impulsive and unpredictable moon in Sagittarius with Saturn and Uranus hanging around. Murray is a stubborn mule until he’s not, when he’s running away and you can’t find him and he’s not answering the phone.

Except for that Taurus sun and two outer planets, Murray is mostly fire with some air. Murray is bull filled with fire.

What does that create?

Murray is the new God of Indignation.

Murray is the god who fights for your cause as long as the grievance is genuine and represents a group of people larger than yourself. In fact, the odder the grievance, the more likely you are to receive his support.

As with all Sagittarian moons, Murray has a few eccentric bad habits of his own. If you have some weird predilection that needs a defense, call the God of Indignation.

Saturn and Uranus sandwiching the moon create a very unpredictable character. Since Taurus needs structure like a bull needs a pen, there is some instability here. One day there are rules and the next day there are no rules.

The God of Indignation also makes a great trial lawyer arguing your case as Mercury and Mars in Gemini can talk away any inconsistencies in the case.

Novak Djokovic

Born a week after Murray, Djokovic was born as the sun, moon and Mars changed signs. Astrotheme places his sun in Gemini and moon in Aries and Mars in Cancer.

Djokovic’s chart has a balance of elements – fire, earth, air and water, but it’s still pretty fiery with moon/Jupiter in Aries and Saturn/Uranus in Sagittarius.

Let’s call Djokovic the new God of Activity, as this is a man who can’t sit still.

With only outer planet Neptune in an earth sign (Capricorn), Djokovic isn’t much for staying home and painting the picket fence. He gathers no moss and much prefers a fancy high rise or boat house to the old humdrum domestic life inside of four walls.

Djokovic might own four walls, but he’s rarely contained within four walls.

While Djokovic might idealize a structured, planned life, he’s not much for following the rules or painting in the lines. But he’s tons of fun and if you’re tired of doing the laundry or packing your lunch for work or sweeping the cobwebs in the basement, give Djokovic a call and see where he’s at. He’s sure to invite you to come along if you move quickly.

The God of Activity doesn’t stay in one place for long. Don’t finish your chores before heading out the door or you won’t catch Djokovic.

What do the Tennis Gods have in common?

Sports in general is ruled by Mars, the active principle which manifests as competition. It’s interesting that two of our four Tennis Gods have Mars in passive Cancer (Federer and Djokovic), one has Mars in dual, passive Libra (Ferrer) and one has Mars in dual, changeable Gemini (Murray).

Mars is not the motivating factor for our Tennis Gods.

What’s up with that?

What our Tennis Gods have in common is a difficult Saturn placement. Murray and Djokovic have Saturn/Uranus conjunct in Sagittarius (Murray also has moon involved), Ferrer has Saturn/Pluto conjunct (in Libra) and Federer has Jupiter/Saturn conjunct in Libra (with Pluto also in Libra, but not in conjunction).

What our Tennis Gods might have in common is an angry or controlling father or authority figure, one they didn’t or couldn’t challenge in youth. Mars in Cancer, Libra and Gemini held back.

The tennis, then, is a way to strike back.

The Tennis Gods are manifesting the energy of sending the flying ball of aggression back into the face of the attacker.

Mars in Cancer hides, Mars in Libra placates and Mars in Gemini avoids.

The tennis racket, clearly, fights back.

Addendum: Just noticed Andy Murray has an autobiography entitled “Hitting Back.” Might have insight into all our tennis pros.

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