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.

Posted in Athletes | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

How much is your zodiac sign worth in US dollars?

Posted on June 30, 2013 by ohioastrology

While getting a $100 bill recently, the banker was looking for a crisp, new bill. While I didn’t want a crumpled bill, I commented to the worried banker that Ben Franklin looks good even when a little wrinkled.

That made me wonder . . .

Does America love Ben Franklin because we associate him with Poor Richard’s Almanac and the wisdom of frugality or do we love him because subconsciously associate him with the highest, regularly used US currency denomination?

Would the parsimonious Capricorn Franklin have wanted to be on the penny instead of the $100 bill?

“A penny saved is two pence clear. A pin a day is a groat a year. Save and have.”

US currency – by sign of individual on portrait

Below are the current US tender currency and person (with zodiac sign). There may be other coins and currency legal tender, but this should cover the bulk. There is only so much time in a day and time is money, you know.

Sources:

Bureau of engraving and printing – small denominations

Bureau of engraving and printing – large denominations

US Mint dollar coins

1 cent – Aquarius (Abraham Lincoln)

5 cents – Aries (Thomas Jefferson)

10 cents – Aquarius (Franklin Roosevelt)

25 cents – Pisces (George Washington)

50 cents – Gemini (John Kennedy)

$1 – Pisces (George Washington)

$2 – Aries (Thomas Jefferson)

$5 – Aquarius (Abraham Lincoln)

$10 – Capricorn (Alexander Hamilton)

$20 – Pisces (Andrew Jackson)

$50 – Taurus (Ulysses Grant)

$100 – Capricorn (Benjamin Franklin)

$500 – Aquarius (William McKinley) & Libra (John Marshall)

$1,000 – Capricorn (Alexander Hamilton) & Pisces (Grover Cleveland)

$5,000 – Pisces (James Madison)

$10,000 – Capricorn (Salmon P. Chase)

$100,000 – Capricorn (Woodrow Wilson)

Presidential $1 coins

The presidential $1 coins are minted in presidential order and in 2013 will end with Woodrow Wilson. I’ve included the 2013 coins in the math.

The math

The total value of each of the currencies listed is $118,218.91. The Sacagawea $1 coin, can’t be assigned a zodiac sign as date of birth is unknown.

The winner for highest value is: Capricorn

Capricorn is worth $111,113 or 94% of the total value. Of the eight Capricorns constituting this $111,113, half are not presidents (Alexander Hamilton twice, Ben Franklin and Salmon P. Chase). Capricorns, it appears, have a special formula for getting their faces on money.

Capricorns really do own the world, it seems. Maybe a Capricorn or Capricorn-entity even owns the money itself?

The other 5.95% of the value is from Pisces ($6,026.26), Aquarius ($509.11) and Libra ($502.00).

The remaining 0.05% of the value comes from the remaining eight signs.

Currency by sign

Other categories

The sign with the most representations is: Pisces

Pisces figures are on 10 of the 48 representations. The first president of the United States, George Washington, was a Pisces so this makes sense. The earliest presidents are, unfortunately, on the smallest denominations as the US wasn’t in $16.8 trillion in debt when the country was founded.

Poor Pisces – so many coins, so little value.

The signs of Scorpio, Aquarius and Pisces all have sent their energetic waves to five presidents (Pisces Grover Cleveland had two separate terms so needs to be counted twice upping Pisces to the top tier).

Aquarius has eight units of currency in its name, as does Capricorn.

Where is Scorpio?

Intense Scorpio has only four coins to its name, all $1 coins, and is worth $4.

Scorpio is doing better than Poor Gemini with only $0.50 of value. The US has had only two Gemini presidents with six years in office between them (John F. Kennedy and George Bush Sr.).

I’m truly worried about the gambling and risk-taking Sagittarius having only $3. With so little in pocket, they may be driven to borrowing.

Gender

Of the currency tracked, only two contain women (Susan B. Anthony and Sacagawea) for a total of $2. Anthony was an Aquarius and contributed to its fine standing of $509.11. Too bad Anthony wasn’t male; she might have been president.

What about Leo?

Leo, as you recall, doesn’t like to be ignored. Of the four Leo presidents, two have been in recent history – Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Leo, as the chart tells you, is worth a mere $1.

During the Fiscal Cliff debates earlier this year (remember those?), there was talk of minting a $1 trillion coin so that the US wouldn’t default on its debt.

If we do decide to mint that coin during Obama’s presidency, it can carry his picture. According to the schedule, Obama’s $1 coin won’t be minted until about 2017.

Leo, then, will be worth $1 trillion and remain king of the jungle, king of the zodiac and king of the money.

Posted in Nations / States / Institutions | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Five Career Options for Kevin Rudd

Posted on June 27, 2013 by ohioastrology

Australia has a new Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd. According to the BBC story, he “ousted Prime Minister Julia Gillard as leader of Australia’s Labor Party.” This ousting occurred yesterday just as Jupiter entered Cancer.

Jupiter in Cancer is a return to home. Rudd is returning to a post he was ousted from in 2010 (by the current oustee, it seems).

Transiting Jupiter in Cancer will soon square Rudd’s natal Jupiter in Libra. In the next year, he will break up with someone for the sake of a family or group. Transiting Uranus in Aries gets involved later making some fights loud and possibly public.

Looking at Rudd’s chart, I can’t help feeling that the first thing his party and staffers should do for him is get him a mirror. This is a man who checks his hair often (and his teeth and his tie). There’s both vanity and a little bit of “your tie is crooked so I can’t concentrate” going on in the chart.

Just tell him his hair looks great (and it does) and you’ll be invited to sit at the banquet table. I’m not an evil astrologer (I swear) providing political fodder; I’m working toward total peace for Australia. But if you do want to disarm Rudd, come all messy and Rudd may wiggle in his seat like Adrian Monk at the psychologist’s office when a pillow is out of place.

Saturn transiting Rudd’s Neptune and Venus may make this political homecoming less exciting than Rudd imagined. After the attention of an upset wears off, Leo-moon Rudd may find himself wondering why he went back into the political crossfire.

The attention is great, but he must manage all those Scorpio types who seek power, want to trade money and secrets and offer temptations as a lure into the world of blackmail.

Saturn is retrograde right now and will be direct in mid July and passing back over Rudd’s natal Venus in early August. I’m reading that Rudd gets to set a federal election date which he plans for mid to late August. Sounds like a Saturn-direct type of decision.

This news article predicts that Tony Abbott would win a federal election. Abbott is about six weeks younger than Rudd and is a Scorpio sun, possibly with a grand fire trine including moon in Aries. In mid-October Saturn will be visiting Abbot’s sun. That’s a good time to take on some Scorpio power responsibility.

Rudd may want to enjoy his hot-air balloon ride over the Land of Oz while it lasts. In the fall, Rudd will probably be changing friends and societies.

Rudd’s hot-air balloon ride could last for 15 years, if he wants. Neptune in Pisces will be a 15-year journey that challenges Rudd’s obsessive-compulsive Pluto, critical Virgo and hyperactive sun and Mars. If Rudd doesn’t feel like relaxing, the sea will arise and soak him with relaxation.

Relaaaaax Kevin.

For Rudd, the time to analyze has passed and the time to synthesize has just begun.

If Rudd or Australia decides it’s time for a new party in government, here are some things Rudd can do to enjoy a Neptunian life (which everyone but those who can afford it seem to want).

Five Career Options for Kevin Rudd

  1. Scuba instructor. Neptune is the pull of the ocean so why not jump right in (since it’s right there) with some breathing equipment. If Rudd doesn’t jump in, the sea may find a way to come in into his life. Rudd can meet the god of the seas and teach others to do so at the same time.
  2. Philanthropist of the Arts. I know another guy who is feeling the pull of the Emerald City – Mitt Romney. Together Rudd and Romney (sounds cool actually) could provide grant money to artists like Christo so that he can wrap bodies of water, like the Great Salt Lake in Utah.
  3. Nail Technician. Everything about Rudd’s chart says he is neat, tidy and adoring of physical beauty and adornment. I think he’d really like this job – no joke.
  4. Ballroom Dancer. I’m guessing Rudd is a skilled and suave dancer. Virgo’s attention to detail served Michael Jackson well in both singing and dancing. Dancing with the Politicians?
  5. Professor. Rudd enjoys both the disseminating of information and being the center of attention. Another perfect fit.

With so many interesting career options, who in their right mind would chose politics?

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Edward Snowden’s Next Twelve Years

Posted on June 23, 2013 by ohioastrology

Edward Snowden, the NSA surveillance program whistle blower, turned 30 a couple days ago (on June 21). You know what 30 means astrological buddies, right?

At the age of 28 we have what’s called a “Saturn return.” Saturn’s cycle around the sun is almost 30 years and it represents growing up, or not growing up and having a hard time realizing “this is life.”

Until this time, we might think of life as being in the future. Saturn says, “life is now and you’re getting older. And by the way, you’re going to die someday.” If you wanted to be a ballerina but haven’t prepared by this time (in your recently-passed youth), you’ll probably have to give up the idea.

It’s a difficult time for many. Often by this age folks have married, another great Saturn event which says you’ve chosen a partner for life. Marriage often brings children and when you have children, life will no longer contain you in the center.

Snowden’s Saturn return was in the partnership sign of Libra, which in Snowden’s chart is conjunct Pluto. Snowden is angry and controlling in personal relationships. His natal moon in Scorpio adds some obsessive jealousy.

The news stories indicate that Snowden left his girlfriend behind on his trip to China so he may not have had a nice Saturn return. I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about Saturn/Pluto conjunct at a later date.

Also on this very unique birthday, Snowden has Jupiter passing directly over his natal Mercury (10 degrees of Gemini), Mars (24 degrees of Gemini) and sun (29 degrees of Gemini).

While Saturn is the medieval great malefic, Jupiter is the medieval great benefic.

Are these the best of times or the worst of times for Snowden? Or both?

Twenty-nine degrees of Gemini

The 29th degree of a sign is called the “anaretic” degree. To many astrologers, it is meaningful in that we must process the sign’s energy in a more intense, compulsive or deliberate manner. Of 29 degrees of Gemini, in which Snowden’s sun is placed, “Astrology in Action” says this:

“This denotes the end a mental cycle. A person may find himself or herself either feeling mentally overwhelmed or bored. Unfortunately, an end of relationships with siblings, cousins or neighbors is indicated. “

How about a relationship with your country?

Gemini is a mutable air sign, the sign of the twins. It is associated with quick thinking and a dual personality. Being both mutable (changeable) and air (flowing) makes this sign antagonistic of rigid schedules and structures.

Think about contained air. It floats away (like a balloon) or gets stagnant (like closet).

With Mercury, Mars and sun in Gemini, Snowden likes to talk or at least communicate in some way (writing, for example). Communication is not always meaning; the opposite sign, Sagittarius, is about the meaning. Snowden has Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune all in Sagittarius.

The Gemini-Sagittarius polarity can be filled with philosophical insights or filled with detailed talk that contains no higher meaning (such as gossip).

Like the author of this Slate article, I’m wondering why a government whistleblower would flee to a country that makes no pretense about monitoring and controlling its population.

But then again, where could an Earthling go these days to avoid government control? If electricity is involved, is any communication private?

[I see this morning that Snowden is leaving Hong Kong for Moscow then Cuba or Venezuela].

Due to the government’s accusation of espionage, I’m wondering if Snowden met someone during his Saturn return in the fall of 2012 that initiated this current release of information. Because Snowden’s Saturn is conjunct Pluto, the partnership would involve power. The current Saturn transit of Snowden’s moon may have created a situation where a choice had to be made.

Regardless of Snowden’s goals, we now know (for sure) that our communications are being monitored. The idea that you can monitor only foreigner’s information is downright ludicrous to me. How do you identify foreigners? Does it mean foreigners without green cards? What if a foreigner talks to an American citizen? How can a call or Internet search be identified as stemming from this foreigner?

Why do Americans accept sub-par treatment of foreigners? This topic must wait for another day . . .

If data could be sliced this thinly and cleanly, it would be scarier even.

Thanks, Mr. Snowden, for giving us information to think about. Now let’s see how this changes our social media behavior . . .

Snowden’s next 12 years

Because Snowden’s current situation occurred with Jupiter conjunct sun, Jupiter’s 12-year cycle (one sign a year) might help us understand what lies ahead for Snowden. In a week, Jupiter will enter Cancer. The next Jupiter cycle begins for all of us, but for Snowden has a stronger meaning.

Year 1 (Cancer) – Cancer relates to home and a sense of belonging. Wherever Snowden lives for the next year, he’ll feel at home.

Year 2 (Leo) – Leo is the expressive fixed fire sign. Leo is the energy of being noticed and will make positive aspects with the Gemini and Sagittarian energy in Snowden’s chart. It will also be on Snowden’s Venus indicating a new love. What it won’t play well with is the Scorpio moon that has to continue to hide certain feelings.

Year 3 (Virgo) – This is the beginning of the confusion, with facts thrown to and fro like daggers in a medieval duel. Reading the news may hurt the eyes.

Years 4 (Libra), 5 (Scorpio) and 6 (Sagittarius) – This is when it gets truly ugly for Snowden. Years 4 and 5 are the worst when Snowden’s philosophical playmates will emerge. Year 4 the power players emerge, year 5 Snowden may turn on his friends or family and Year 6 is the philosophical defense of the situation.

Year 7 (Capricorn) – Jupiter will be traveling with Pluto. When these two join forces in July 2020 and square Snowden’s Pluto/Saturn in Libra, the situation will probably come to its final close.

Years 8 (Aquarius), 9 (Pisces), 10 (Aries), 11 (Taurus) – If Snowden is walking around as he does today, years 8 – 11 bring new stimulations, expanded perceptions and new earning power.

Year 12 (Gemini) – Year 12 is when Jupiter returns to the place where Snowden released his information and fled abroad. Jupiter in 12 years will probably bring the same as it brought today – more information. Or possibly what we call metadata – data about the data. Maybe in 12 years we’ll know what the current information truly means, will have analyzed it all. Twelve years is a long time in social media and cellular phone history.

Twelve Years as a Fruit Fly

Google AMP says the life of a tweet (Twitter post) is 48 hours. Forty-eight hours corresponds to the cycle of the quickest astrological body – the moon – which passes through almost two signs in 48 hours.

Are our communications no more substantial than the daily weather?

If we are now living in a cycle of 48 hours, 12 years is going to be a long time. It will be interesting to see what 12 years brings in the life of data communications and data analysis. It’s going to be like watching the 313 generations of fruit flies. And Snowden is going to watch them all in detail.

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Happy Watergate Break-In Day

Posted on June 16, 2013 by ohioastrology

On June 17, 1972, five men were arrested after breaking into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex (fancy, by the way) in Washington, DC. A little over two years later (a Saturn cycle, by the way), then President Richard Nixon resigned due to his knowledge of the break-in and subsequent cover-up.

The man who won his campaign on promising law and order clearly meant for laws and orders to apply to his enemies, not to himself or to his friends. Nixon is a whole psychological and astrological case study of paranoia, but that will need to wait for another rainy afternoon.

Current scandals await us . . . OHA readers want to know!

On June 17, 1972 (happy anniversary, a day early), Saturn, the sun and Venus were all in the sign of Gemini. The moon and Pluto were in Virgo.

The sun in 26 degrees of Gemini was in somewhat-tight square with Pluto in 29 degrees of Virgo. Both signs are ruled by Mercury, the heavenly messenger who rules communications.

If you haven’t seen “All the President’s Men,” now might be a good time to watch this classic. The crime committed at Watergate was really quite like the IRS scandal of today – Nixon’s supporters wanted to bug the Democratic National Headquarters in advance of the 1972 National Election.

The Watergate scandal was unraveled by two journalists, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who obsessively worked details (Pluto = obsession and Virgo = details) until the got to the top of the mountain and found the Capricorn goat President (Nixon) at the top.

Media is also in the realm of Gemini.

Until studying subjects for this blog, I associated Gemini with fun, interesting and stimulating conversation. Now I’m seeing how Gemini as messenger (as an energy not as specific individuals) can be the mechanism for behavior modification through communication. Communication, then, is not merely to inform but to coerce, covertly or overtly, such as with the many monetary changes that occurred with the advent of phone and radio.

Twenty degrees of Gemini

This year, in the 20-29 degrees of Gemini timeframe, we’ve also received some unsettling communications:

May 14 – Venus in five degrees of Gemini and Jupiter in 20 degrees of Gemini – we learn that the IRS has been targeting and delaying tax-exempt status for conservative groups.

June 6 – Mars in three degrees of Gemini and Jupiter in 25 degrees of Gemini – we learn the NSA has been tapping into American and foreign phone records. The individual who provided this information, Edward Snowden, has Mercury, Mars and sun in Gemini. His sun is in 29 degrees of the sign.

June 14 – Mars in nine degrees of Gemini and Jupiter in 27 degrees of Gemini – we learn that the US will provide military support to rebels (define, please) in Syria.

Here’s an entire list.

Sound familiar? What’s next?

Let’s play Woodward and Bernstein

Let’s play Woodward and Bernstein, astrological style. Let’s study the details to see where the path might lead. Woodward had an underground garage contact “Deep Throat” who advised Woodward to “follow the money.”

We’re going to follow the astrology first, which may, it appears, lead to the money.

It’s always about money, isn’t it? (Saturn transiting Scorpio is a good time to explore why).

Let’s start at the beginning.

On Election Day, November 6, 2012, Mercury in Sagittarius was stationary turning retrograde (apparent backward motion from our earthly vantage point). Mercury rules communication so its backward motion brings severe warnings from astrologers to be careful in communications which could be confusing or misleading.

My own experience with Mercury retrograde is that everything appears fine during the retrograde period. It’s only later, when Mercury is direct, that you discover you forgot to send your car insurance payment or that the payment is stuck to the side of the mailbox.

At the end of November 2012 (around the 26th), Mercury went direct. The astrologer in me waited for claims of election fraud (I did erroneously believe Republican Mitt Romney would win) but none occurred.

Clue number one – follow the election results.

Is there anything we need to know about November 2012’s Mercury retrograde? That Mercury in Sagittarius retrograde was opposite (in the 10th house) Barack Obama’s natal moon in Gemini (in the 4th house).

From November 2012 until the end of this month, Jupiter has been transiting Gemini, the sign opposite November’s Mercury retrograde sign of Sagittarius. December and January were months where I would have expected revelations.

None came.

As with Mercury retrograde, it’s quite possible all we learned in May was learned in the smoke-filled backrooms from December to May.

The Gemini portion of the show simply involves the releasing of the information. It may be time to look back at November’s Mercury retrograde.

Barack Obama’s solar return

Obama’s birthday is August 4 so he’s still within last year’s solar return cycle but is soon to have a birthday. So let’s take a look at the August 2013-August 2014 cycle (assumes Washington, DC as location).

Obama’s solar return sun is in the 9th house while solar return Jupiter, Mars, moon and Mercury are in the 8th house. From a transit perspective, these planets will be in the 5th and 6th houses of Obama’s natal horoscope.

Pluto is continuing its long trek through Obama’s 11th house in trine to his natal Pluto in Virgo in the 7th house. Solar return Saturn in Scorpio is in the 11th house.

Sparkling and neat, Venus in Virgo is in the solar return 10th house.

Neptune (in Pisces) and Uranus (in Aries) are hanging out at the bottom of the solar return chart, with Pisces holding the ship afloat.

Where would my “Woodstein” investigation begin? What should be investigated? One person’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter (to quote a friend); one person’s rebel, another’s criminal; one person’s national security, another’s invasion of privacy; one person’s fight for democracy, another’s fight to protect the dollar as reserve currency.

The most interesting to me is the IRS scandal, which involves influence of a government agency for political means –very Watergate. For me, there are fewer shades of gray in this situation than some of the others.

Astrological trail:

  • Foreign influence – sun in solar return 9th says “foreign” so foreign events and foreign trips are the clues to where these varying stories lead. For some, Obama was born in a foreign country and that is enough to indicate conspiracy. Trips abroad by the President may point to other players in these May dramas.
  • Family money – the preponderance of planets in Cancer in the 8th house and transiting the 5th and 6th. As mentioned in the Jupiter in Cancer blog, the struggle between “homeland” and “security” may increase. Obama may also be protecting personal family. Look to the activities of Obama’s relatives. When Jupiter moves into Cancer at the beginning of July and conjuncts Obama’s natal Venus in Cancer, we may learn more about female relatives.
  • Personal money – Uranus continues its transit of Obama’s 2nd house of personal resources. Sudden changes to money and property are occurring. Foreign investment maybe?
  • Illness – the 6th house is about health. Is our President having health issues that he’s not revealing? Cancer rules the stomach. Leo rules the heart. Saturn transiting Scorpio is conjunct Obama’s natal 9th Neptune in Scorpio. Depression may also be an issue.
  • Moon in Gemini hidden half – this placement is rarely as clear and direct as it seems. Just because we talk doesn’t mean we inform. Moon in Gemini often has a dual personality, two distinct personalities. Jupiter has been transiting Gemini for the past year so any “other” selves possessed by Obama were itching to be expressed.

As an astrological Woodstein, I’d probably look to the IRS scandal and how, if at all, it benefited relatives of the president. I’d also look back to November’s Mercury retrograde and re-evaluate the facts of today in relation to the the election results.

Conspiracy theories

One persons’s conspiracy theory is another person’s paranoia. Today’s world has too much information which is proving to me to be the same as too little. It’s still difficult to discern the truth.

If I were a conspiracy theorist (and I swear I’m not), I’d look to Neptune in Pisces – this 15-year transit that makes everything seem like opening one’s eyes at the bottom of the pool. One tool of deception, to me personally, is to split the world in half and ask people to take sides in an effort to create the feeling of having made a good, “right” choice.

Regardless of my feelings on the matter, news indicators suggest it’s going to be an interesting summer of untangling the political puzzles to see what lies beneath. Astrological clues are just a quicker way than knocking on doors, as Woodstein did during 1972 and 1973, forty years ago.

Happy Watergate Break-In Day

Maybe one day we’ll make Watergate Break-In Day a national holiday where people get the day off work to read the newspapers and catch up on the political events we ignored while busy with our work, social and social media lives that prevented us from keeping up in the first place.

Watergate Break-In Day, June 17, can be a day of information, accurate and true information, not too much and not too little — just the facts.

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June 8: What Will Blow in This Year?

Posted on June 8, 2013 by ohioastrology

According to the July/August 2013 issue of Archaeology Magazine, the Viking Age began on June 8, 793.

“According to historians, the Viking Age began on June 8, A.D. 793, at an island monastery off the coast of northern England. A contemporary chronicle recorded the moment with a brief entry: ‘The ravages of heathen men miserably destroyed God’s church on Lindisfarne, with plunder and slaughter.'”

Reading this yesterday, I realized June 8 was today (or as of yesterday, tomorrow).

My, I hope we don’t have a Viking blow-in this year.

On that fateful day, Pluto was in 26 degrees of Capricorn and the moon in Aries. We’ve got a little of that Aries/Capricorn bumping (via Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn) going on today.

In 793, Uranus and Neptune were conjunct in Virgo. The perfect world collapsed in a pile of death and fire.

Nasty.

Saturn in Taurus, in 793, indicated a loss of wealth – very true. Today Saturn is in the opposite sign – Scorpio – which is the wealth of others.

So what’s up for this June 8?

Our Viking raids, which demolish our sense of the world both physically and mentally, in some parts of the world have lost the physical aspect. That’s a good thing, of course. In the US we may not having Viking raiders on the shore but we might have government raiders on our phone call.

Gemini, you know, is about communication.

And some, unfortunately, still experience Viking-like raids.

For the monks at Lindisfarne, the raid was a great message that there are many others on the planet and they might come marauding into your life. It was both physical and mental, a quick learning by fire.

Today’s June 8 has sun, moon, Mars and Jupiter in Gemini. Uranus (in Aries) and Pluto (in Capricorn) are in a close square again, one of many times this will occur. The uprisings are not over.

If this were a June 8 fortune cookie it might read: Keep your eyes and ears open as there is much to experience today. Read, watch and listen for news or the news will find you.

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Mars in Gemini: Chopped or Shredded?

Posted on June 4, 2013 by ohioastrology

Many years ago while grocery shopping with a Gemini college roommate I lost sight of her as I finished picking my items. I discovered her standing in an aisle staring at two bags of coconut. She was deciding which to buy for her recipe.

Chopped or shredded.

It took a while for her to decide.

Mars the planet of directed and focused action will be in the sign of Gemini the Twins for the entire month of June while the sun also transits this sign.

It’s going to be a confusing month of chopped versus shredded decisions. What’s worse is that Mars in Gemini is swimming in a pool of emotionally-charged energies from the sun, Mercury and Venus in Cancer, Saturn in Scorpio and Neptune in Pisces.

When you choose the chopped coconut and you find you wanted the shredded, you might have the urge to cry.

The collective emotions will create confusion and inability to make firm decisions.

On the other side, Mars in Gemini will want to have a little spontaneous fun during an otherwise weepy month. Moping and weeping are not Gemini traits.

Gemini might also lend a bit of rationality to a misty and humid June.

Mars

The glyph for Mars is the circle with arrow pointed outward. This glyph is also the symbol for males (as in “men are from Mars . . .”).

The circle and pointy arrow represent not just male mentality but also male physicality. So imagine this one pointy thing wanting to go in two directions . . .

For many male pointy things, this is quite a nice idea so Gemini gets this reputation for fickleness. As with coconut, one must decide in a partner: Unpredictably stimulating or predictably trustworthy? Wildly fun or comfortably stable? Peaceful and calm or rambunctious and zany?

Chopped or shredded?

Mars wants to go in one direction, not two. Splitting into two, like splitting an atom I suppose, creates energy but the energy is confusion, often mental confusion.

Don’t forget, too, that confusion can also be used as a weapon to disarm the thought process. If, this June, you find yourself in the midst of an arbitrary decision meant to paralyze you, spit in the eye of the messenger and tell them to come back at the end of August (when Mars has passed through both Gemini and Cancer and entered Leo, a strong, forceful sign).

Gemini likes to talk so June will be a time to pull the talking stick out of the closet for use in meetings and public gatherings. Again, there’s a lot of Cancer energy in the air so the “talking” might sound a bit more like “whining.”

Bring the talking stick.

Walt Whitman

Speaking of talking, Great Gemini Poet Walt Whitman’s lengthy “Song of Myself” makes me think he was probably a Great Gemini Talker as well. Astrotheme has Whitman as sun in Gemini, moon in Leo. “Song” is the Gemini and “myself” is the Leo.

Let’s take a deep breath (Gemini rules the lungs) and let Whitman guide us through this June 2013, with all its airy and watery energy, its confusions and emotions, its random thoughts and planned actions:

Come, said my Soul

Come, said my Soul
Such verses for my Body let us write, (for we are one,)
That should I after death invisibly return,
Or, long, long hence, in other spheres,
There to some group of mates the chants resuming,
(Tallying Earth’s soil, trees, winds, tumultuous waves,)
Ever with pleas’d smiles I may keep on,
Ever and ever yet the verses owning – as, first, I here and now,
Singing for Soul and Body, set to them my name,
Walt Whitman

From: http://www.poets.org

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