What is the most trustworthy sign of the zodiac?

Posted on August 4, 2012 by ohioastrology

While my tuxedo cat, Lacy, and I were looking through OHA search terms (or was it Astroknowlogy?), we noticed the question “Can you trust a Capricorn woman?”

As a Capricorn woman, I’d say “yes,” but I thought it best to seek a more objective view before blogging. So I gave Lacy an “Owner Satisfaction Survey.”

Survey results indicate that I am generally trustworthy with high scores on 1) cleaning the litter box (daily); 2) cleaning the food and water dispenser (weekly) and 3) making sure there is a cat sitter when I am out of town.

My low scores involved feeding, that ever-critical of functions. It seems I’m not consistent with arrival time in the evening (overtime, socializing) and do not get up early enough (4 a.m. – 5 a.m. is the ideal time) and have inconsistent wake up and feeding patterns on weekends.

While it’s good to have objective feedback, I still think anyone that cleans your poop should be kind of worshipped.

Trustworthiness

Dictionary.com defines trustworthy as “deserving of trust or confidence; dependable; reliable.”

Let’s start with the easy part of this definition – dependability and reliability.

Dependability and reliability are in the realm of earth signs. If the earth itself were not dependable, there would be no life (which is something to think about as we pollute it).

Your earth signs are steady like the earth. The earth does change, but slowly over time. Of course, there are those sudden eruptions of earth (like earthquakes). Don’t make your earth friends angry (especially Taurus) or you will see earth break apart.

Because earth is solid, there is rigidity to the personality of an earth sign. So when it breaks, it’s a big deal. Water, in contrast, is always breaking down and coming back together, as is the nature of water. But when earth has a breakdown, you will probably find it in a strait jacket.

Dependability and reliability also relate to routine, which you will find sacrificially present in the life of earth signs. Earth signs are proud of routine and longevity which lends also to the delightful quality of loyalty. Loyalty and longevity are bunk mates.

Deserving of trust? I do think we trust those whose actions we can predict. Do you give your extra set of house keys to a routine, dependable person or the friends who wants to be a wandering minstrel and poet?

With trust, you want to know that what the person says is what he/she will do. Newt Gingrich, for example, says anything at any time. Mr.Gingrich is filled with Gemini and Sagittarius energy which lives for the moment.

That doesn’t mean that in Gingrich’s heart of hearts he doesn’t care. It just means the stimulation of new people, interesting surroundings and challenging ideas are the bone that he chases whenever it’s thrown.

Earth signs are interested in new people if they have something in common. New surroundings are suspect because you don’t know if you will like the food and if the bed is the correct firmness for a good night’s sleep. And challenging ideas are something that can wait until the chores are done.

What kind of trust?

While trust may seem like one thing, the question “Can you trust a Capricorn woman?” makes me wonder in what realm the trust is sought.

Do you want someone who will keep a set of your house keys but not go through all your drawers? If so, earth signs are good and Scorpio too (fixed water) but stay away from air signs.

Do you want someone you can trust with your heart, someone who will marry you and stay through thick and thin?

Earth is good for that too, but you might feel the person is honoring a sense of duty rather than a sense of love. Water signs, in contrast, will stick around because of pure love and admiration. In fact, you may have a little trouble with water if you want to say goodbye.

In answer to the “Can you trust a Capricorn woman?” question I would ask the questioner if this were a friend, boss or love interest. Capricorn will manifest trust in different ways in different arenas.

While some signs may be more trustworthy than others, we all have our insecurities and act on them occasionally, regularly or frequently.

If a sign falls into default patterns due to discomfort (out of the comfort zone), there may be a breach in trust. With the sign of Capricorn, the breach may be in areas of career or ambition.

If you are competing for a job against a Capricorn woman, then there may be a reason for a little lack of trust.

Trust is in the eye of the beholder

I trust this doesn’t answer the question. The more I blog on astrology the more I feel that our horoscope represents lens (or DNA) through which we view the world and what we perceive is an energy pattern, not an absolute.

My ability to trust you and have you trust me is dependent on our personalities and how each of us defines “trust.” If trust is dependability, then earth signs fit the bill. But if your idea of “trust” is on the emotional plane, earth signs may come up short.

I’ve always found that jealous people are doing things they shouldn’t and that’s why they, in turn, show jealousy toward their partners. In other words, they fear you’re doing to them what they are doing to you.

Any question about a quality or characteristic in others brings up this same dynamic, to me. If I’m worrying about trusting you, then can you trust me?

Posted in The most . . . sign of the zodiac | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Ohio Political Fight Club: House District 15

Posted on August 2, 2012 by ohioastrology

This round of Ohio Political Fight Club pits Steve Stivers (Republican) against Pat Lang (Democrat) in Ohio’s House District 15. Stivers name is quite familiar to me as he has hosted numerous job fairs in the state. Running on that alone should keep this man in his house seat.

Steve Stivers

Stivers has sun in Aries and moon in Sagittarius or Capricorn. Moon in Sagittarius versus moon in Capricorn is more than night and day – it’s about complete lack of control (Sagittarius) or total emotion-annihilating control (Capricorn).

Which is it?

I’d have to ask someone who knows him which it is. Is he a military task master or an out of control fun-loving man who can’t give up that one indulgent habit?

If moon is in Capricorn, there’s an earth trine (not by exact degree though) in the chart showing a grounded person with spunk (sun in Aries).

Stivers focus on job fairs might be more than response to economic times – he might be an earth trine who thinks of little besides work.

Stivers also has some water in the chart (Neptune in Scorpio, Saturn in Pisces and Venus in Pisces) indicating a feeling nature even if moon in Capricorn may suggest otherwise.

What Stivers lacks is air, the ability to socialize with ease and relate on an intellectual plane. Stivers is a man of action, a good thing, but he may not be able to communicate well why he does what he does. His response to your questions might simply be, “Wait and see then you’ll understand.”

Uranus in Aries is conjunct his sun providing energy. If the moon is in Capricorn, Pluto is hovering and creating great tension and frustration because Aries/Capricorn is intensely impatient and the people in the office just aren’t fast or responsive enough.

Neptune transiting Pisces will help Stivers relax a bit as he realizes (none too soon) that he doesn’t have to save the entire world.

Whew! That’s a relief but what to do now? Aries and Capricorn can’t rest, so what’s the next mission?

Pat Lang

Lang has sun in Libra and moon probably in Aquarius. Where Stivers has no air in the chart, Lang is filled with it.

Venus and Pluto are in Libra too so Lang loves a relationship and especially one where he is in control. He wants to be in control because if you wander off, he feels insecure.

Saturn in Leo is trine sun in Libra indicating a serious commitment to romance and pleasure but a lack of true confidence. The romantic and persuasive realm is where Lang feels most comfortable.

Lang will enjoy the socializing part of running for office but may not know what to do if he were to actually win the seat. Day-to-day tasks take more than charm to manage.

Moon in Aquarius has fixed opinions about an ideal society. What lacks in Lang’s chart is earth. There’s no ability to ground ideas in reality although there is a great deal of organizational ability.

Libra is pushy as it’s a cardinal sign. So expect lots of “We should do it this way.” To stop the argument I have some advice – just say you agree and the idea can start now.

You have plenty of time to work on prevention should Lang have enough focus to implement free landscaping for all homeowners, free legal advice for everyone, and life sentences for people who litter.

Mercury in Scorpio represents Lang’s detective mind, when he’s not distracted by charming people. Although there’s some insight into others’ motivations, air still has a certain naiveté.

Jupiter and Mars in Cancer represent love of family and small groups of close friends (The Big Chill).

Uranus transiting Aries will oppose the Libra energy and square the Cancer energy causing disruption from “others” who just won’t calm down, even after Lang has explained all of his actions in detail.

Pluto is transiting Capricorn and opposite that Jupiter in Cancer. Family life will change structure for Lang. Some members of the family may separate from the unit.

Lack of Air meets Lack of Earth

Stivers lacks air (social ability) and Lang lacks earth (practicality).

In the age of visual image, sociability (and charisma) can often trump practicality. However, as Pluto transits Capricorn razing our economic structures, earth may trump air this time.

The other interesting thing about earth is that it doesn’t go away. It’s under you at all times. Air, water and fire, on the other hand, come and go.

Source of candidate data: Ohio 2012 Election Center

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If you want to be a famous Hollywood director, what sign should you be?

Posted on July 30, 2012 by ohioastrology

Do you want to direct Jaw-dropping Titanic movies that Gangs in New York will see in droves with Apocalyptic endings that are famous even in New Zealand?

If you do, you’d better be these two things:

1. Dramatic
2. Controlling

Dramatic and controlling – now which sign contains both of these endearing qualities?

Control makes me think of Capricorn. But Capricorn is about structure and rules and laws and other such boredom. No drama here.

Drama makes me think of Leo, the Drama Queen (male or female) of the Universe. Controlling? In a way, since they are constantly seeking your attention. But the desire for attention comes first; the control would be an ancillary product of that need for limelight.

That leaves ten signs to filter.

Hmm. Drama and control, drama and control.

Another member of the zodiac control freak club is Scorpio. Scorpio is a fixed water sign. The mixture of water feeling and fixed purpose creates a personality of emotional extremes – it loves or it hates (or you don’t exist).

Scorpio intensity creates strong reactions in others (ala Hillary Clinton) that either hate or love the Scorpio. Adam Ant, punk poseur and Scorpio sun, has a song “Friend or Foe” where he sings that he wants all that get to know him “to become admirers or my enemies.” I believe Mr. Ant is deliberately playing on Scorpio traits.

Scorpio is ruled by the “planet” Pluto, god of the underworld.

The stereotypical evil Scorpio is digging in the dirt so it can feel the underbelly of the world and struggle with thoughts of good and evil (sound fun?).

Personally I find Scorpios delightful company because of their keen insight into others. If you see into the motivations of others and don’t laugh, you’ve probably got some problems. My Scorpio friends laugh at the world.

Looking at some of the titans of Hollywood directing, I found a lot of Scorpio and Pluto:

1. James Cameron – Leo sun, Pisces moon, Pluto conjunct sun
2. Francis Ford Coppola – Aries sun, moon in Sagittarius or Scorpio
3. Peter Jackson – Scorpio sun, Leo moon
4. Martin Scorsese – Scorpio sun, Pisces moon
5. Steven Spielberg – Sagittarius sun, Scorpio moon

It makes sense that we’d find the sign Scorpio in the movies. If we don’t have strong reactions from the movies, why would we watch them?

While movies themselves are in the realm of Neptune (images), the emotions contained within the movies are Scorpionic – people love or hate. Who wants to see a movie about two people who go to lunch and then go home?

We want Scorpio drama, passion, hatred and love.

This may explain why we never tire of movies about the Holocaust. We know the Holocaust was horrific, so why do we keep watching those images?

Ostensibly it’s so we don’t “forget,” but I wonder if some part of us wants to watch intense and disturbing images, to take an emotional and spiritual roll in the mud.

After our intense roll in the mud (watching gangs beat each other up with chains, watching men being chewed alive by sharks, watching thousands of people die in the cold north Atlantic, watching men die grotesque deaths in pointless wars and watching Hobbits throw (wedding) rings into caverns of hot, bubbling lava), we shed our dark sides and come out purged and clean.

It’s the same reason we go to horror movies, but it’s more obvious what we are doing.

Scorpio goes the other way too and we have intense love and passion. Scorpio isn’t all dark – don’t believe those ancient astrology books.

If you want to be a titan-of-a-director, being a Scorpio would help. And if you weren’t born a Scorpio, you can either 1) add some intense emotion to your movie (and a car chase) or 2) stick with the indie flicks.

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Ohio Political Fight Club: House District 6

Posted on July 29, 2012 by ohioastrology

Ohio House District 6, from this map, covers about 75 percent of the eastern side of the state. It appears to be the Ohio River East district. I hope each of the candidates has a nice boat.

This November, Bill Johnson (Republican) will be facing Charles Wilson (Democrat). Let’s see what’s happening along the old Ohio River.

Bill Johnson

Johnson has sun conjunct Saturn and Venus in Scorpio and moon in Taurus. Jupiter and Uranus in Cancer trine Scorpio and sexile Taurus.

Mars is in Aquarius opposite Pluto in Leo. A nice Mercury/Neptune conjunction in Libra (very poetic) trines Mars in Aquarius and sextiles Pluto in Leo.

The words that come to mind for Johnson are serious, practical, intense, deep and stubborn with a smooth demeanor and comforting presence that can calm anyone at any time.

Nice stuff.

The element least represented is fire so Johnson can be overly practical and serious and get a little blue about life, especially with that Saturn conjunct sun in Scorpio. If you ask Johnson to throw away a yogurt container for you, he will execute this request in the same manner in which he would lead a group of soldiers through enemy territory, if asked. (I just Googled and see he does have military service).

And don’t insult his momma. Johnson can take anything you say about him, but talk about a loved one and he’ll have his eye out for the next opportunity to not help you.

Transiting Saturn is moving from Libra to Scorpio. In Libra, Johnson may have had laryngitis or some other restriction on speech. With Neptune conjunct Mercury in Libra, there is much ability for graceful and diplomatic speech. This is a guy who could be a speechwriter for the president. If we had time of birth, we could see where that nice conjunction lives.

Saturn moves into Scorpio at the beginning of October and will be Johnson’s second Saturn return. It’s time to get less serious and lift any self-imposed restrictions. Johnson probably has a code of ethics he’s followed since grade school and some of those vows may no longer be necessary.

It’s time to lighten up and share some stuff, like money and property. A charitable contribution to a group may be just what’s needed to release some energy from the Aquarius/Scorpio square.

Neither Scorpio nor Taurus is detached and some letting go might finally occur and feel like freedom.

What kind of freedom?

With that Mercury/Neptune conjunction in Libra, I’m wondering if Johnson doesn’t want to do something sweet.

Charles Wilson

Wilson is a Capricorn sun, Gemini moon (but possibly Cancer). I’ve been seeing a lot of this Capricorn/Gemini energy in this election.

Capricorn, like Scorpio, is serious and proud. These two men will probably duke it out over who is most responsible (“I spent an entire Saturday removing gum from sidewalks.” “Yeah we’ll I drove every senior citizen in the district to church last Sunday.”).

Pluto is transiting Capricorn right now but it will be a while before it conjuncts Wilson’s sun (15 years or so). Then Wilson will go through transformations of his ambitious personality.

Gemini is an air sign. Capricorn and Gemini in combination create an Executive extraordinaire but not a feeling or compassionate person. (If Wilson’s moon is in Cancer, that’s a different story).

Capricorn and Gemini make for shrewdness and mental agility, of the practical kind. This is the person who can bargain quickly, running exchange rates in his mind. This is the person who watches stock prices and takes calculated risks. The risks are mostly for ambition and because he gets how things work, not necessarily for the gains the risks provide.

Wilson’s Uranus and Saturn are in Gemini. Transiting Jupiter will make a visit here soon. It’s possible that the moon is near that conjunction as well.

While Wilson is smart, he often flaunts it and Jupiter makes him want to audition for Jeopardy. With Mercury and Venus in Aquarius, it’s also possible the when Wilson speaks, no one really can understand what he’s saying. He may be too abstract and have unclear connection between his ideas.

Relations with siblings are on-again off-again with this aspect. Jupiter’s one-transit through Gemini will make sibling and neighbor relations more friendly.

Mars in Sagittarius opposite moon in Gemini suggests some indulgence which might then make the Capricorn sun feel guilty (or maybe not). Jupiter opposite sun adds to this and suggests lots of appetite – for food and other things.

Pluto in Leo sextiles Neptune in Libra. Wilson is of the hippie generation and would have been 23 years old during the summer of love. Did he act like a Capricorn sun or Gemini moon during that time?

When Saturn enters Scorpio at the beginning of November, Wilson may be even harder to understand as Saturn will square the Mercury/Venus conjunction in Aquarius. Talk will be of money and credit and Wilson may talk respond with mathematical formulas of high finance rather than in language that the average person understands.

Battle of Seriousness

Both Johnson and Wilson are serious men. Both have executive ability, shrewdness and maturity. Wilson, if moon in Gemini, is less consistent but more adaptable.

I’d try to follow this race but two serious men talking about balance sheets isn’t the fun I look for in a political race. I’m looking for Newt Gingrich style entertainment of talking back to the moderators, changing ideas every ten minutes and ridiculous personal attacks on opponents.

Now that’s politics.

House District 6 might be okay with a boring election knowing that either candidate will at minimum take the job seriously. Seriously.

Source of candidate data: Ohio 2012 Election Center

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Ohio Political Fight Club: House District 9

Posted on July 27, 2012 by ohioastrology

Since this is Ohio Astrology, we can spread our wings to all parts of our swing state and check in on the most remote of Ohio Fight Clubs. Today we’ll venture north to Toledo, where Samuel Wurzelbacher (Republican) is running against Marcy Kaptur (Democrat) in Ohio’s House District 9.

Samuel Wurzelbacher

Wurzelbacher has sun conjunct Neptune in Sagittarius and moon in Pisces. I can sum this combination up in one word: DREAMER.

When Wurzelbacher isn’t daydreaming (which is about never), he’s probably busy chasing rainbows. I just went back to Google and learned that Wurzelbacher is “Joe the Plumber” from the 2008 McCain campaign.

Neptune conjunct one’s sun does add an ethereal quality (and beauty) to the personality. It also helps for this type of personality to have a piece of string attached to the ankle to keep it from flying away like a kite. Usually there is someone at ground zero holding the string.

Let’s see if there is any grounding in the personality. We have Pluto and Uranus in Libra – nope, that won’t do it. Saturn is in Cancer – nope. Mars in Aries and Jupiter in Aquarius – naw! Mercury in Scorpio – that’s water.

Oh, here’s a bit of earth with Venus in Capricorn. The one grounded thing about Wurzelbacher is his circle of friends. Since I don’t have time of birth, it’s possible Wurzelbacher has a nice, solid Taurus rising.

While lack of earth indicates that you shouldn’t give Wurzelbacher your extra set of car keys (your chances of finding him when you lock your keys in your car are slim), you can hand him your dreams and he will say, “You can do it.” This is one loving optimist.

How are Sagittarius and Pisces with money? If you are the bank who lent him money, you probably think this combination knows nothing about money. If you are a friend in need, you’ll see Wurzelbacher as quite generous.

Jupiter is currently transiting Gemini opposing Wurzelbacher’s Sagittarius energy. Wurzelbacher is more extreme, more “out there,” more risk taking than usual.

The current transiting T-square of Saturn (in Libra), Uranus (in Aries) and Pluto (in Capricorn) hit Wurzelbacher where it has hit everyone – in the relationships.

Saturn is moving away from the T-square (and by degree moved away a while back), but Pluto and Uranus will continue to create frustrations for Wurzelbacher, especially in the area of love and social relationships.

One thing dreamers hate is detail. When you dream big, you don’t want some Virgo tailing you with an accounting book or some Capricorn to say it doesn’t look good or some Taurus to say that there is no money.

Pluto is currently opposing Wurzelbacher’s Saturn in Cancer which represents a feeling of not belonging. Pluto is breaking down structures which lend to that feeling of insecurity.

Marcy Kaptur

If Wurzelbacher is a dream, Kaptur is the opposite – clear-headed opportunist. Kaptur has sun conjunct Uranus in Gemini and moon in Capricorn or Aquarius.

Whether the moon is in Capricorn or Aquarius, Kaptur is a logical, rational being. Please, no tears because she simply doesn’t care.

This is an interesting race, from a stereotypical point of view. Wurzelbacher is the bleeding heart (associated with liberalism) and Kaptur is the rational being who can make tough decisions (associated with conservatism).

Being rational, Kaptur is probably a mental whiz, possibly mathematical and scientific as well. (Back to Google – she did graduate from MIT).

She does have some Cancer in the chart, which is a cardinal water sign associated with home, family and belonging. The problem is that Saturn is conjunct Venus in Cancer. Most likely Kaptur didn’t have a particularly nurturing early home life and doesn’t have a sense of that type of life.

It’s interesting that Wurzelbacher and Kaptur both have Saturn in Cancer. While that indicates a generation gap (Saturn takes 29 years to cycle), it also indicates they both have a sense of no belonging. For Kaptur, it’s because of lack of emotional involvement and for Wurzelbacher, it’s because he’s not on his home “planet.”

Kaptur has Mars and Pluto in Leo which indicates strength, self-respect and pride. If moon is in Capricorn, double the pride.

Neptune and Jupiter in Libra do suggest ideals in romantic love, but the ideals are probably less emotional and more about intellectual connection. Kaptur’s ideal mate will be her chess partner.

The current transit of Jupiter in Gemini is positive for Kaptur providing needed stimulation and entertainment. Gemini needs stimulation like a presidential candidate needs campaign contributions.

The Saturn/Uranus/Pluto transiting T-square mentioned above affected relationships for Kaptur too which may have included a break with a close female friend, companion or family member.

By degree, it will be awhile before Pluto opposes that Saturn/Venus conjunction in Cancer. Kaptur may want to be careful in her treatment of close females. “Hell hath no fury . . . “

Fated?

When I look at charts, it’s half analytical half intuitive with a splash of what I already know. With these two candidates, I get a strong sense that they are fated to meet.

Why?

They both have Saturn in Cancer so deep down neither really feels part of it all, part of the groups and societies into which they were born.

Rather than running against each other, it would be interesting if these two could find a way to work together. The pragmatist (Kaptur) and the optimist (Wurzelbacher) could create an interesting partnership.

Both are made of air and fire so the stimulation of that type of challenge, getting along with your opposite, would appeal to both of them.

I’m a dreamer too – I know this won’t happen. But it would make a really neat movie.

Source of candidate data: Ohio 2012 Election Center

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Ohio Political Fight Club: Mars, Jupiter and Saturn and the Senate Race

Posted on July 25, 2012 by ohioastrology

It’s been awhile since we’ve taken in a round of the Ohio Fight Club. Last time we checked in on the Senate battle in this Midwest “swing” state, Senator Sherrod Brown (Democrat) was duking it out with Josh Mandel (Republican) and eyes were turning black – both for the candidates and the viewers.

Let’s take a look at how the current transits affect this race. Since we last checked in on Brown and Mandel, Jupiter has entered Gemini, Mars entered Libra and Saturn is close to entering Scorpio.

The moon, Mercury and Venus changed signs too as they move quickly as “inner planets.” The moon is how you feel today, Mercury this month and Venus six weeks. Those planets are fun to watch when you’re planning a picnic or date but today we have to look farther to the November election. We need to travel past Venus.

Mars in Libra

Mars in Libra is an excellent placement for Mandel and a mixed blessing for Brown.

Mandel has sun and Pluto in Libra. Mars on Mandel’s Libra sun gives him a hazy glow of charisma. The camera angle is flattering, the wind blowing softly from the north creates the perfect windblown but not harried look.

This energy brings Mandel a sense of power, a sense of self that Libra normally does not have. Mars in Libra squares Mandel’s Mars in Cancer meaning Mandel isn’t at home much (which could become a problem) as he’s enjoying the attention, the cameras and the lights. Libra likes its pleasures as does Mandel’s Taurus moon.

The way to Mandel’s heart is through expensive and fancy labels and he’s probably receiving a lot of name brands right now.

For Brown, Mars in Libra triggers quite a few aspects – it conjuncts his Saturn/Neptune conjunction in Libra, squares Uranus in Cancer, squares Mars in Capricorn (T-square here) but trines moon/Pluto in Leo.

The other day I received an email from Brown’s wife (Caitlin Shultz Gard) on how a conservative blogger accused her, as a journalist, of socializing with her subject (Brown). Shultz Gard happens to be both a journalist and Brown’s wife. The email suggested they suck face regularly.

Brown is feeling romantic (Mars trine Leo moon), drawn to unexpected family matters (Mars square Uranus in Cancer) and a little disappointed in personal relationships (Mars conjunct Saturn/Neptune) all at the same time.

The T-square of Saturn-Neptune, Uranus and Mars creates a rather edgy person in general and Mars kindles this edginess.

Brown is a strong person in general with a cardinal T-square and a fixed T-square in his chart (sun in Scorpio, moon/Pluto in Leo and Jupiter in Taurus).

Brown has endless energy but very little patience. You have to watch the patience when you’ve got too much cardinal. It’s like when someone cuts you off while driving and you give that person the finger only to discover it’s your boss in the car.

Jupiter in Gemini

Jupiter in Gemini is better for Mandel than Brown.

Mandel’s personality is more flexible than Brown’s, even with Mandel’s Taurus moon. Mandel can handle the changes that occur when planets transit mutable signs. Gemini is the twins, back and forth, this side and that, wandering off and seeing what’s down that country road just for the heck of it.

Being a Libra, Mandel probably likes a little Gemini excitement and change. Who wants to go to the same office every day? Who wants to talk to the same people every day? Routine is kind of boring, isn’t it?

Jupiter in Gemini trines Mandel’s sun. Again, he’s having a good time.

For Brown, Jupiter in Gemini is opposing his Mercury and Venus in Sagittarius. Jupiter in Gemini opposing Mercury in Sagittarius is called “mutual reception.”

Why?

Jupiter rules Sagittarius and Mercury rules Gemini. Jupiter is in Mercury’s ruler and Mercury is in Sagittarius’ ruler.

Mercury in Sagittarius is prone to expansive communication and Jupiter opposing brings the fact checks and nitpickers and gossips.

Brown needs to watch the rhetoric because he could be embarrassed by it. Sagittarius and Gemini are light hearted and gossip for the pure fun of it. While Brown has Mercury in Sagittarius, he’s still a serious Scorpio who would be embarrassed by accidentally writing “pubic” instead of “public.” (I use this example because I made this very error in a blog – thank you reader from Australia!).

Saturn in Scorpio

Saturn enters Scorpio at the beginning of October and promises to make the last month of the election and intense, mud wrestling affair for all contests.

Neither candidate will care for this transit. For one, both will probably go broke during this election as Saturn conjuncts Mandel’s moon in Taurus and opposes (in about a year) Brown’s Jupiter in Taurus. When Jupiter was in Taurus (last year), both men gained financially. That is over.

If Brown wins, he’s still going to have to spend money for the next year. Mandel’s tightening of the financial belt may pass soon after the election (need time of birth to know degree of moon).

For Mandel, Saturn will conjunct his Uranus in Scorpio by January. Mandel might find himself intensely drawn to someone around that time. Later when Saturn squares his Saturn in Leo, that relationship will fall apart due to control issues and the person wanting to steal the limelight. Mandel, with Libra and Taurus, isn’t one to see too far beneath the water and won’t understand others’ hidden motivations. He’s got some lessons here.

For Brown, Saturn in Scorpio activates his fixed T-square creating tensions in money, sex and romance – the usual. As I write, I wonder if Brown wants to consider what this election will cost him in all areas of life.

At the same time that Brown’s fixed T-square is being stressed, Pluto continues its transit of Capricorn and Uranus Aries which will ultimately stress the cardinal T-square.

Times are rough for all of us with collapsing structures and some individuals will be hit personally harder than others.

The Pluto and Uranus transit are also hitting Mandel’s chart but will feel for him like an outside, external pressure rather than an internal stress of personality. Libra sun is also pretty good at putting on rose-colored glasses so Mandel usually can’t see a problem until it’s in the rearview mirror.

Who will win?

I don’t have the skill to guess at who might win this contest. Looking at the men’s’ charts, I feel like both will suffer a lot at the run for this seat.

First, both will spend the family savings. Second, the election will stress relationships. For Brown the stresses comes sooner than for Mandel.

Looking at their charts, I wonder if the one who doesn’t make it to the Senate seat isn’t the true winner. That’s the one who can experience his T-square in private.

Source of candidate data: Ohio 2012 Election Center

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Tony Robbins has Aries Within

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ohioastrology

It’s time to talk about gurus . . . again. Every so many years a bunch of people play “follow the leader” and do something stupid.

Let’s not forgot that there are many more people playing “follow the leader” that aren’t doing stupid things or at least stupid things that make the national news and embarrass them for life. Luckily for most of us, we do our stupidnesses in private.

With Neptune the planet of guru-hood in its native sign of sacrificial Pisces, expect to hear “follow the religious or spiritual leader” stories more often in the next 15 years.

Since we’re in or just left (who knows which?) the Age of Pisces, stories of sacrifice have been around for the last 2,000 years so I understand if 15 more years of it seems little worth mentioning.

During the Pluto (in Sagittarius) opposition to Saturn (in Gemini), some men sacrificed themselves by flying planes into the World Trade Center and killed thousands.

Sagittarius is fire and Gemini is air. Sagittarius is the crusader and Gemini is the journalist. The sacrifice was more aggressive.

Pisces, in contrast, is a water sign. It’s known for sacrifice because it’s more likely to harm itself than others.

Piscean “harm” comes through manipulation of others. Helping others harm themselves is the dark side of Pisces. Luckily, I don’t meet many of these Pisces. The Pisces I encounter are normally warm and loving and are the people to whom you can tell all your secrets.

There’s no judgment with Pisces, which is why it is easily trusted and trusting. Trust is the water where manipulation likes to form bacteria.

Tony Robbins

Motivational speaker Tony Robbins, according to today’s news stories (like this one), holds a fire walk during his seminar “Unleash the Power Within.” The other day a few feet got burned and made the news.

Robbins, coincidentally, is Pisces sun. Pisces rules the feet.

Robbins’ moon is in Aries, a fire sign.

Fire and feet – what a perfect representation of Robbins’ personality. Pisces is empathetic compassion and Aries is assertion of the self. The “power” within for Robbins is Aries energy.

The opposite of feet on fire is “cold feet” which represents one’s reluctance to do something, especially get married. So if “cold feet” is fear of commitment then “hot feet” must represent commitment and devotion.

According to the story linked above, Robbins conducts the fire walk on a regular basis with no problems. I wonder why so many feet got burned the other day?

Looking at the aspects to Robbins’ chart, I think the burned feet story is probably the beginning of some major power struggles with others and authority (government, taxes, etc).

Neptune has entered Pisces but hasn’t yet conjunct Robbins’ sun. However, it already is opposing Robbins’ Pluto in Virgo.

Pluto in Virgo demands perfection from that imperfect and diffuse Pisces sun. Believe it or not, Robbins’ is probably beating himself up right now.

With moon in Aries, he’s probably verbally lambasting others as well.

Virgo is the discriminating mind and Pisces the intuitive, indiscriminate mind. Robbins bounces back and forth, I’m sure. While Pisces can love others deeply, self-love isn’t always easy and Virgo on the other side of the fence keeps saying, “Here are 21 reasons why they don’t like you.”

Jupiter is in the early degrees of Gemini right now squaring that Pluto in Virgo. The fun has just begun! While Robbins has conducted this seminar and fire walk for years, he’s probably going to get a lot more press about it right now. Expect a bunch of past attendees to show up on Entertainment Tonight in the weeks to come.

But the big aspect Robbins might want to be careful about is the Pluto transit of Capricorn. It will be a few more years before it perfectly conjuncts his Saturn in Capricorn (which squares the moon in Aries) and causes some big trouble with authority.

Saturn in Capricorn has a deep need for success and fear of failure. When Pluto comes a knocking in about three years, Robbins will have major problems with authority.

Capricorn rules the knees so Robbins may also have knee and/or bone problems.

Before transiting Pluto hits Robbins natal Saturn, transiting Saturn will conjunct Robbins’ natal Neptune in Scorpio. First comes a little disappointment with the intimate partners, then the challenge from authority, in that order.

I get the feeling from Robbins’ chart, with that aggressive and competitive moon in Aries, that he will rise to these challenges by pulling out his sword and fighting. Transiting Uranus will be bouncing all over his moon for the next seven years. He will have impulsive outbursts.

He may also move from motivational speaker (Pisces) to more traditional businessman (Capricorn) after Pluto moves past Saturn.

While Pisces can gather a following due to its otherworldly nature, I’m guessing Robbins’ charisma comes from his Mars/Venus conjunction in Aquarius. Aquarius is androgynous so I’m guessing Robbins has his share of both male and female followers. While Neptune was crossing this aspect during the last 15 years, Robbins probably enjoyed the most effortless following he’ll have for years to come.

Regardless of what the planets represent for Robbins, he’s able to walk on fire, so he’s able to deal with external difficulties. Let’s see what the government throws at him – sometimes paperwork and court systems are a worse torture than hot coals.

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Hunters & Gatherers or Hunters & Hunters?

Posted on July 23, 2012 by ohioastrology

Yesterday while at a local farmer’s market pushing and shoving my way to fresh tomatoes, I was reminded of the aggression at Cleveland’s West Side Market. While local farmer’s market shopping evokes images of peaceful pastoral life, sunny skies and green grass, market shopping is an aggressive sport. I knew that from childhood.

Moreover, the most effective, efficient and guileful weapon of the market place is this: The Baby Stroller.

Pushers of strollers use it as an offensive weapon, ramming into your shins and pushing ahead of you to the last ear of fresh-picked corn, the last musk melon and the last loaf of homemade wheat bread.

Baby strollers are the most effective weapon known to man because when you turn around to confront your tormentor, you are faced with an innocent, lovable baby who has no responsibility for your loss of fresh basil and makes you ashamed of your aggression. You are instantly rendered helpless.

Shopping is aggressive. Yesterday at market I pondered, once again, of the idea of hunters and “gatherers” where (male) hunters are aggressive and (female) gatherers are just socializing while carrying baskets and picking berries.

Those that think gathering is not aggressive have not been to the local farmer’s market or Target on December 26 when all the holiday merchandise goes on sale.

Since we’re on the topic, I’ll add that anthropologists might do well to study behavior at Target from Black Friday to New Year’s Day rather studying women picking berries on some remote island in the Pacific. There’s more to learn in your own backyard.

Mars in the Horoscope

The horoscope is a wheel representing the position of the “planets” in the sky at the time you were born.

Our horoscopes are identical – we all have all twelve signs and all ten “planets” in our horoscopes.

What’s different between two charts is where the planet resides in the wheel and in which sign. Then the planets in place in signs have a relationship with each other that describes the personality (to me).

We all (men and women) have Mars, the God of War, in our horoscopes. We all have a point of assertiveness. We may assert in an Aries way, which means pure and aggressively, or we may assert in a Cancer way which means emotionally and through manipulation. Based on the sign in which your Mars resides, you will assert in a certain way.

Mars also may aspect other planets. If your Mars squares your sun, you often feel frustrated. However if you have Mars in the first house in a fire sign trine a sun fire sign, you may find yourself drawn to sports and become an accomplished athlete.

If your Mars is in the first house in a fire sign, you probably will also get the fresh tomatoes before I do at the farmer’s market.

Gathering is just another form of hunting

With that said, I think shopping (aka gathering) is hunting. I think the traditional image of hunting as male and gathering as female comes from another difference between men and women – I believe women are simply better at multi-tasking.

In other words, both men and women are hunters. Men, however, hunt one (1) thing at a time and women hunt many (>1) things at a time.

Women when shopping are hunting in multi-dimensions. They are not simply hunting for a shirt. They are hunting for the best option among a multitude of possibilities represented by 1) all the items in the store; 2) current and future needs; 3) prices in every other store; 4) value of coupons and reward programs; 5) current budget.

Another way to say it is that men hunt for meat.

Women hunt for berries, straw (for baskets), wood (for fires), leaves, beads, hats, shoes, shirts, pants, socks, underwear, couches, desks, pencils, paper, wallets, bracelets, food, storage units, wrapping paper, cups, carpet, irons, ironing boards, lamps, bookcases, flower pots, file cabinets, towels, bath mats, shower curtains, toilet paper, tissues, bed spreads, blankets, sheets, dressers, nightstands and laundry baskets . . . and other stuff.

I think this joke about men and women barbequing says it all.

* * * * * *

Definition of barbecuing … It’s the only type of cooking a “real man” will do.

When a man volunteers to do the ‘BBQ’ the following chain of events are put into motion:

  • The woman goes to the store.
  • The woman fixes the salad, vegetables, and dessert
  • The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils, and takes it to the man, who is lounging beside the grill, beer in hand.
  • The man places the meat on the grill.
  • The woman goes inside to set the table and check the vegetables.
  • The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is burning.
  • The man takes the meat off the grill and hands it to the woman.
  • The woman prepares the plates and brings them to the table.
  • After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.
  • Everyone praises man and thanks him for his cooking efforts.
  • The man asks the woman how she enjoyed “her night off.”
  • And, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there’s just no pleasing some women.
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Who is the Gambler of the Zodiac?

Posted on July 22, 2012 by ohioastrology

Until I read this Slate article on financial derivatives, I always assumed gambling was banned or controlled due to moral issues with gambling that arise from gambling’s addictive quality and ability to create financial ruin.

The article describes the difference between hedging and speculation. Hedging reduces risk while speculation (gambling) increases risk. The government control of “gambling” is an effort to reduce risk.

It makes sense that the government would want to prevent catastrophic financial ruin for its country.

But isn’t that what’s occurring right now?

Gambling as Risk

One aspect of gambling is risk. For those not addicted to gambling, risk is controlled by having an entertainment budget one is willing to spend. Often we go over the budget during the excitement of gambling, but enough only to cut into future entertainment budget.

For those addicted, gambling risk can be risking the rent money and other money essential for physical survival.

Gambling as Excitement

If we are going to risk something, it’s because we see the gain on the other side as outweighing the risk. In the case of gambling, the gain is a big financial payout.

For the recreational gambler, the payout is enough to risk some vacation funds.

For the addicted gambler, I see the gain being the excitement generated by the idea of a big payout. If the payout were enough, the addicted gambler would stop when he/she was ahead. But the addicted gambler puts the big payout back into the risk. So it’s not the payout but the excitement, I believe, that keeps addicted gamblers motivated.

Addicted gamblers are often not rich as they put their winnings back into gambling. This up and down in excitement, luck and lifestyle is a little like manic depression. The extreme excitement caused by the thought of winning can lead to severe depression when the results aren’t positive or the landlord puts a notice on the door that the rent is due tomorrow or else.

Gambling as Inflated Optimism

The excitement generated by gambling leads us to hope for a big payout, a payout based on chance rather than the result of our work, efforts or ideas.

In this way, entrepreneurs are truly not gamblers. Thinking I’ll make money because I have a brilliant idea is way different than thinking I’ll make money because today is my “lucky day.”

Entrepreneurs take risks, but the risk is calculated and possibly hedged. Entrepreneurs believe in themselves, not chance. Entrepreneurs may want money, but they truly want the success that money represents.

Gamblers are optimistic toward the great unknown called “chance.”

Who is the gambler of the zodiac?

Which sign is most associated with risk taking, need for excitement, inflated optimism and luck?

I see that sign as Sagittarius.

I’ve also voted for Sagittarius as most clumsy, freedom-loving and luckiest. The common motivation in these different traits is an openness and quest for meaning (or quest for the sublime as the late Howard Sasportas called it).

The quest for the sublime leads Sagittarius to take risks from falling in love, to climbing a mountain to find a wise monk to obsession with the one-armed bandit.

Taking risks allows us to meet new people and situations we wouldn’t meet while watching TV. In that way, Sagittarius can be “lucky.”

Famous Sagittarian Gamblers

Reading the Enron story, I’m convinced Sagittarius Jeffrey Skilling (former CEO now in prison), was essentially a gambler. If you read carefully what Skilling devised, some of it seems more a form of gambling versus hedging or true growth. It’s clear now that now bankrupt and defunct Enron’s “growth” was all on paper.

I’m a little concerned that the person minding the Federal Reserve (Ben Bernanke) is also a Sagittarius, born just 18 days before Skilling.

While Pluto was in Sagittarius from 1996 to 2008, there were several financial “bubbles” including the dot.com and the housing bubbles.

Abuses in mortgage derivatives, to some, were part of the reason for the global financial crisis of 2007-2008. Pluto was leaving the gambling Sagittarius in 2007-2008 and entering the frugal schoolmarm Capricorn.

Sagittarius moon even more than Sagittarius sun creates a risk-taking personality, ala Charlie Sheen. Sagittarius moon simply has no internal control to say no. Fire signs in general (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) need external control if they are to have any control at all, but Sagittarius might be the most extreme.

William Bennett, political pundit and high-stakes gambler, is not a Sagittarius but has four-five planets in Leo, depending on the moon (moon, Jupiter, Pluto, sun, Mercury).

Jupiter is the planet that rules Sagittarius and is associated with abundance. Jupiter is conjunct Bennett’s sun. With Pluto tucked in there as well, the gambling provided a sense of power. If Bennett’s moon is in Leo, there’s just no internal control mechanism in his personality.

Now that Pluto has entered Capricorn, it’s time to pay the gambling bills from Pluto in Sagittarius. I think we’ve learned our lessons about gambling. Have fun but don’t gamble the rent or the collateralized mortgage obligation.

Posted in The most . . . sign of the zodiac | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

What Part of the Horoscope Represents Your “Baggage?”

Posted on July 21, 2012 by ohioastrology

I’m planning on moving for the third time in just over two years (Uranus is transiting my 4th house) and have an ever-increasing disdain for all material possessions. As I pack and move, I look at my things and realize that this is my baggage. This is the stuff I’m carrying around.

Do I really need to carry it with me for the rest of my life?

The bane of my moving is books. No matter how many books I get rid of, my books seem to grow cryogenically. The minute I stop moving my addiction has me buying more books (yes, I own a Kindle and buy books on it too).

When we say someone has “baggage,” it refers to emotional baggage, not the physical stuff we carry around. But our physical stuff, I believe, represents our emotional baggage just as our money represents our values and emotions.

The areas of the horoscope that represent our emotional states are the fourth, eighth and twelfth houses. As I went through my books, again, I re-discovered what each of these houses truly represents in terms of emotions and “baggage.”

Fourth House Books

When I moved the first time, I struggled over whether to keep a seven-pound art history book from college. That’s when I first realized that I was carrying a seven-pound book through my life and decided to do it no more (if you want it, you can find it at Half Price Books).

Why was I so attached to this book?

I realized it was nostalgia. The book represented a time in my life when I discovered myself through art and art history. It represented the beginning of my late high school (we used this book there too) and early college life. At that time, Uranus had just begun its transit of my first house. My passing interest in astrology was moving to deep interest and I found myself wondering how I’m made it from “there” to “here.”

The book survived a transit from my first to my fourth house.

The fourth house is at the bottom of the horoscope and represents our foundation. It’s funny that our foundation would rest on a water sign rather than an earth sign. That shows you that our true foundations are not the house we live in but the “home” we emotionally occupy.

That’s common knowledge, I think.

Uranus transiting my fourth house has made me, on the mundane level, re-assess my book collection. On the emotional level my entire life is being re-evaluated. The constant moving that is being triggered from external events over which I have no control (Uranus) has made me face up to my habits and where nostalgia has me carrying around a useless seven-pound book.

Don’t think I’ve rid myself of all nostalgic books. I’ve just come to realize that nostalgia can weigh seven ounces instead of seven pounds.

Eighth House Books

If the fourth house is our emotional foundation, the eighth house represents our intimate emotions and our emotional connection to others.

I would say that most of my books are fourth and twelfth house driven but I, like others, carry around a lot of eighth house stuff. Parting with eighth house items can be even more difficult than parting with fourth house items.

Why?

Eighth house items are gifts or items shared with others, others with whom we have an emotional attachment.

While I don’t want to carry my eighth house items all over the earth, those that gave them to me may question why a certain item is no longer on a shelf or wall of my new home.

It’s the thought that counts, we always say, but the item reminds our loved ones that we haven’t forgotten the thought.

Some baggage, then, we carry for the sake of others.

Twelfth House Books

The twelfth house is the “hidden” house of the horoscope, the place where we have secrets and hidden enemies. In the colloquial term “baggage,” I think we are talking about the twelfth house.

While the fourth and eighth houses can also represent “baggage,” the fourth relates to family and the eighth to marriage which are both socially-sanctioned states. We’re expected to carry baggage through family and marriage.

Have you noticed that people gain a lot of weight after marriage? While it’s clearly food driven, I believe it also represents the “baggage” we start to carry for others.

The twelfth house, in contrast, houses those weird habits we hide that are driven through unconscious emotional states. The only socially-sanctioned twelfth house activities, to me, are those relating to losing oneself through religion.

Otherwise, the twelfth house is taboo emotional states.

Twelfth house books, in my collection, relate to the topic you are reading now – astrology. The site does not have my name on it because I live in conservative Columbus, Ohio and find it best to keep the topic separate from my daily life (which I do not enjoy doing).

While I don’t like having this “hidden” house, we all have something to hide (even Sagittarius). Maybe, then, the twelfth house is an acknowledgement that we all have to adapt to our surroundings and that some part of us won’t fit so the twelfth house is a place to put this part of ourselves.

The twelfth house might be that extra drawer you have for stuff you don’t want your mom and dad to see when they visit.

Who travels without baggage?

Since “baggage” represents our emotional states, we’re never going to get rid of it entirely. Who would travel without baggage?

While we may not need ten pairs of shoes for our weekend trip, we do need shoes, right? We must carry something.

I sure hope this post doesn’t encourage you to travel without a change of underwear or dental floss . . .

As I’m interested in meditation, I think of how a silent retreat reduces our needs to what is essential. During the retreat you use your toothbrush and forks and towels. The only difference is there is no emphasis of those items or the emotional states that occur with speech turned on.

The silent retreat reduces the excess, unneeded baggage, it doesn’t eliminate the baggage.

Also while going through my baggage (aka “books”), I discovered a few gems that I will continue to take with me on this journey called life.

Sometimes our baggage is just packed too tight and we forget that we have a really nice pair of pants tucked into the corner of the suitcase. When we get rid of the silly vacation souvenirs, we can find the items that truly provide happiness and pleasure.

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