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When Jupiter, the reigning heavyweight champion of the solar system, enters a new sign, stand back – the “gravity” of the symbolism is going to pull a lot of events into its synchronistic orbit. Jupiter crossing such a line is the main event this month, as it enters Scorpio. Jupiter takes about twelve years to orbit the Sun, spending an average of one year in each sign. It entered Libra on September 9, 2016. The passage into Scorpio occurs on October 10. After that, it remains there until it crosses the Sagittarian frontier on November 8, 2018.

Jupiter’s principle effect is to expand anything it touches. It symbolizes abundance – hence, its historical reputation as the “Greater Benefic.” But before we leap into paroxysms of ecstasy here, let’s reflect on exactly what Lord Jupiter is going to be expanding. The answer lies in the symbolism of Scorpio, and as in all things astrological, there’s good news and bad news.  Better said, there are ways to get it right and ways to get it wrong.

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I got a worried email from a student of mine this morning. He had a client who had experienced transiting Uranus conjunct her Moon, but “nothing had happened.” He was concerned and embarrassed that his predictions had failed. I offered him a few possible explanations. As I responded to him, I realized that his question would be a fine topic for our newsletter and podcast this month.

The first point I want to make will sound pretty dogmatic, but I do believe it to be true: astrology never fails. I would quickly add that astrologers themselves often fail, but that is a different issue. Astrology is fundamental to how the universe operates. Astrology failing would be like gravity failing.

But astrologers’ predictions sometimes do fail and it behooves us not to be afraid of acknowledging that fact and perhaps learning something from it. There are a lot of potential issues here. Let’s have a look at them. 

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A miracle of nature looms on America’s horizon. On August 21, starting in Oregon, racing in a grand arc across the United States, finally going offshore in South Carolina, a shadow of night will fall in the midst of day. Along the centerline of the solar eclipse’s path, stars will shine at lunchtime.  Birds will go crazy. Some people probably will go crazy too. Eleven states will experience the eerie surreality of Totality, but no state in the contiguous 48 will escape the shadow of our first American total solar eclipse since February 26, 1979 – and that one just touched the Pacific Northwest and was mostly hidden behind their famously gray skies.

Meanwhile, long ago in a galaxy far, far away, Little Green People are drooling over UFO travel brochures, dreaming of visiting Earth on August 21.  Our giraffes and hummingbirds may be cool,  but you can’t beat Earth’s most famous attraction:  a total solar eclipse.  It is just possible we are the only planet in the galaxy where this particular spectacle is available. Think about it – the Sun and the Moon, even though they look very different, are almost exactly the same visual size.  That means that the Moon fits over the Sun almost perfectly.  It’s not so small that it’s nothing at all – but also not so big that it blocks out the magnificent solar corona.  The odds against striking that happy balance are “astronomical.” Hence those UFO travel brochures.

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by Steven Forrest

RELOCATIONAL ASTROLOGY

Cue the Rolling Stones doing Street Fighting Man, with one minor modification: Summer’s here and the time is right for fighting . . . with endless security clearance queues, homicidal maniacs on the highways, and lucha libre family vacations.

I know you know what I mean. Many of us will soon be hitting the road, one way or another. Today traveling is not as easy as it once was, but for most of us it is still often worth the effort and frustration. The next four months will find me  personally in New Orleans, North Carolina, Maine, New York, down to Australia, back to New York, back home to the Anza-Borrego desert, then over to China.

Obviously I am crazier than most. 

But not many of us will stay home. We’ll hear that Siren call – or at least the call of familial obligation. And everywhere we visit, the energy feels different. Some places just make you feel happy. . .

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by Steven Forrest

Following is a quick thumbnail sketch of the high and low action of each planet as it operates in the context of both Astrocartography and Local Space.

If you move toward a Sun line, expect heightened self-confidence and charisma, probably greater vitality — and possibly the embarrassment of your ego's "stuff" getting demonstrated to everyone who beholds you.

If you move toward a Moon line, expect intensified emotions, nurturing impulses, greater depth, a sense of "home" — and possibly moodiness, lassitude, and irrationality.

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by Steven Forrest

We are a little late on this one, but don’t worry – we haven’t missed the show! On April 28, 2017, the axis of the mean lunar nodes changed signs. The south node left Pisces, where it had been since October 9, 2015, and simultaneously entered Aquarius. (Remember that the mean nodes are always retrograde). That of course tells us that the other end of the axis – the north node – also changed signs. It left Virgo and crossed into Leo.

As usual, the nodes will remain in their new signs for about a year and a half. On November 15, 2018, they will cross over into Capricorn/Cancer.

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by Tony Howard

This month the declination of Mars gets so high that it is beyond the limit set by the Sun, so we say that Mars is "out of bounds." During this time, Mars will have more freedom than usual to accomplish Marsy types of endeavors. On the high end, this could be a great time for groundbreaking work, pushing forward an innovative agenda at work or in your creative endeavors.

At the low end, when a planet is out of bounds in a natal chart, it can relate to the person being seemingly unable or unwilling to question their own desires. Mars is the planet of "I want." So when transiting Mars is out of bounds, it might be that we are less likely to question what we want, and to take actions we might regret later, when Mars comes back into "normal" range.

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This month we have a special treat. In the video linked above, Steven talks about the Jupiter-Uranus opposition, one of the major transits of 2017. He also shares a few thoughts about Neptune in Pisces. We hope you enjoy the video.

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by Steven Forrest

Everyone seems to know the myth of Persephone where Pluto drags her down to the Underworld “to be his bride.” Her mother, Demeter, expresses her grief at her daughter’s abduction by putting the world into the deep freeze of an endless winter. In the end, the Olympian gods and goddesses broker a deal, both to keep humanity from starving and also to keep the worshipful observances coming. From then on, Persephone spends six months of the year with her mother. The other six months of the year, she is ensconced with Pluto in the Underworld. Demeter is bereft during the months spent without her daughter, and so winter and cold reign over the planet until the two are reunited.

And thus does Spring return every year.

It amazes me how literally astrology expresses itself sometimes.  For the past three years or so, Pluto has been transiting through a conjunction with my natal Sun. I’ve lived the myth.

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New Introduction to The Night Speaks

This is an excerpt of the new introduction for the 2016 reprint edition of The Night Speaks

Which one of your kids do you love the most? Anyone who actually answers that question obviously has no future in politics. In a similar way, authors, down the road in their careers, are often asked which of their books is their favorite. The stakes are lower, but the dilemma is the same. Books are like your kids.

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