MONTHLY SINCE 1999

ISSUE # 234

January 2019

Note: All aspects are most powerful and effective as they apply. Once the transit has completed, its force is lessened. The further it separates the weaker it becomes.

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

I’m sorry that the newsletter is a few days late this month. I’ve been laid up for several weeks with the flu. Not fun. I hope you all stay healthy and if you do catch something please give yourself time to heal completely. Happy New Year to you all. Mitch.

THIS IS USUALLY THE TIME FOR MY YEARLY PREDICTIONS. BUT BECAUSE OF THE DELAY IN GETTING THIS ISSUE OUT I WILL SEND OUT MY PREDICTIONS IN A WEEK OR SO.

But I want to remind you all of the prognostications from 2018 that I made on Coast to Coast last New Year’s Night.

1. North Korea has no desire for a war. They are only using nukes to blackmail America and the world to get food, oil and respect. There will NOT be a military event this year.
2. Bitcoins is a bubble that will collapse imminently. Since I made that prediction it recently lost more than 75% of its value and cost most small investors their entire stake.
3. The Democrats will win the house, while the Senate will remain in Republican hands. This will increase the partisan chasm in Washington and set up a huge and derisive battle for 2020, when I expect a major power struggle, even more so than usual.
4. The stock markets will see great volatility as we enter a bear market that will see decay until mid-2019 when they will begin to severely crack. Then there will be a series of crashes from 2019-2021. We are heading towards a debt-fueled recession that will explode in the coming few years. Several situations will lead to this volatility, including weakness in emerging markets – Turkey, Venezuela, Brazil. – Tariff wars. – The tremendous debt. There will be an all-out crash is June 2019 – the first of several.
5. The environmental issues will escalate at a dangerous level forcing the debate about climate change into overdrive.

This year’s predictions will follow soon:

NEW MOON:

The New Moon falls on Saturday January 5^th at 8:28 P.M. EST at 15 degrees Capricorn 25 minutes and it’s a Solar Eclipse. Yes, we are entering an eclipse season with all of the potential chaos that can imply. Things often do not go as expected under the influence of eclipses and the cycles they represent can take months to work through. The sign that the eclipses fall in show us the areas of life that are under scrutiny and require our close attention. In this case it is Capricorn and Leo.

A Capricorn New Moon is a time to buckle down and look over your life and projects to see which are working out and which aren’t. It has much to do with career and status and our focus should be on professional endeavors. Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn was conjunct the Moon right before this New Moon and it’s obvious that we are in a period of serious attitude and severity both personally and in the collective. The energy of the eclipse will heighten this atmosphere. Be honest with yourself about what is and isn’t working out. It won’t do you any good to pretend that something is okay when it isn’t. If the underlying foundation of a relationship, work project or plan is faulty it will eventually dissolve and leave you standing on quicksand. If something can be fixed, this is the time to make the resolution to do so. With hard work and a stable approach you may be able to repair the damage, but only if the structure it stands on is solid. But you also must be willing to recognize those issues that are beyond repair and let them go. That isn’t an easy thing to do. Most people are prone to hold onto the past and at times ignore the warning signs. But Capricorn has little patience for avoiding what is obvious and it’s up to you to accept the truth and work with it. If you do, this will be a very productive period.

We will also see the effects in the collective.

A new congress has been sworn in and there will be changes in how our country moves forward. The split in power between the parties is bound to increase tensions, not lessen them, as each side hunkers down in preparation for the coming battles. While this probably won’t be pleasant it may prove to be very productive in the end. It’s only through compromise that things often get accomplished, and for the past 2 years there has been little, if any of that. Now they will have to find some middle ground in order to move things forward; and perhaps in doing so we can discover resolutions to ongoing problems that have stymied our growth. With Uranus about to go direct tomorrow there will certainly be some radical changes in attitude and approach that may dislodge the logjam that has blocked us for so long. One can only hope.

The events that take place in the coming days will begin to show resolution on the eclipses in July that take place with the New Moon in the sign of Cancer and Full Moon in Capricorn. You may have to have some patience this year if you wish to accomplish your best work. It may take 6 months to achieve a level of completion.

URANUS GOES DIRECT:

On Sunday January 6^th at 3:26 P.M. EST this most erratic of planets begins its turnaround. This is a pivotal moment in our history. When Uranus is activated there are often radical and unexpected changes in our culture. As a planet reverses direction we often revisit events that occurred the last time it was in the position it is returning to. The stock markets are suffering badly, especially the tech stocks. As this planet goes direct it will cross over the degree it was at several months ago. It will then amplify the issues that were activated back then and either reset things if circumstances have changed, or clearly point the way towards what we can expect. This will become ever more obvious in Washington and on Wall Street as events escalate over the coming months. We have been stuck in a rut while Uranus was in retrograde, now it will begin to make up for lost time. There will be serious power struggles, violent events and an ever increasingly volatile equity market. Hang on to your hats!

In your personal lives this aspect will represent a time of some upsetting events and thoughts. If something isn’t working out, this may be when you finally accept the truth and begin to make the changes that will set you on a different path. Often that path is so radically different from the one you’ve been on that it can be distracting and feel unbalanced. Change isn’t something most people readily embrace. We are by nature a rather stubborn and unbending species, but there are times when it is so important to make adjustments that we will disturb the status quo solely for the purpose of moving in a new direction. It will be interesting to see how this new congress fits into the mold of American politics as it’s been defined for the past few decades. This is a young, diverse group of people with their own ideas and desires – just what Uranus likes.

VENUS ENTERS SAGITTARIUS:

On Monday January 7^th at 6:19 A.M. EST until February 3^rd at 5:30 P.M. EST Venus travels through this Jupiter ruled sign. The combination of these two benefic energies often results in an expansion in personal relationships and finances. While this doesn’t guarantee that you will make a fortune or find the love of your life it does imply that more energy will be aimed towards fulfilling those goals. At the very least many of us will be putting more effort into fulfilling those needs. There is a tendency to overindulge in all sorts of things when these two energies conjoin, so do try to keep things in perspective. This transit favors travel, education, the arts and anything that can expand our consciousness and sense of wonder. Venus is the planet of worldly pleasures, and Sagittarius has little regard for boundaries. Without some limitations it will be easy to overdo things, spend too much money, consume too many goodies or give our hearts freely without the usual concerns. This can be a wonderful period when excitement and adventure bring much into your life. Or it can be a time that you look back upon with confusion and disbelief once the credit card bills come in. Use this wisely and you can have a great time. Get out and see the world. Art, music, food and romance are in the air. Just don’t get trampled in the swell.

MERCURY SQUARES MARS:

On Tuesday January 8^th at 5:05 A.M. EST this argumentative transit completes. For a few days leading up to this square you can expect people to be overly aggressive and not terribly reasonable. Some will be looking for a battle just to express this energy, especially if it sets off their natal chart. Many will be ego driven and counterproductive, so try not to give in to fruitless disputes. Caution is called for in personal relationships, communications of all sorts and travel. Distraction is very easy and this can certainly result in an accident or heated disagreement. The energy of this square will give many of us an added jolt to our mental work and communications, and if you can control it you may be able to get a lot of work done, but it will take a lot of concentration to do so. Don’t be too pushy or you will find others pushing back. Be assertive but not aggressive. If you can do that this will be a positive and productive few days.

THE SUN CONJUNCTS PLUTO:

On Friday January 11^th at 6:36 A.M. EST this intense aspect will complete. As with many Pluto transits there’s a strong desire to uncover what is hidden. Just be prepared to deal with whatever you discover. Some unpleasant things may be exposed, and once done you will own them. Expect an atmosphere of confrontation with challenges that will require you to face whatever the circumstances are. You may be forced to defend your position in ways you hadn’t counted on. Just rise to the occasion and face whatever is presented and you will be just fine. The problems usually arise when you sidestep or try to avoid an issue. Then it will just strengthen and could become overwhelming. It’s like a minor disagreement that could easily be settled with a few kind words, but instead you become defensive and belligerent which only makes the other person angrier.

MERCURY CONJUNCTS SATURN:

On Sunday January 13^th at 8:31 A.M. EST we will all feel the restrictiveness of Saturn. This is a difficult aspect for communication and travel. There seem to be many things in your way and it’s hard to circumvent them. You can expect trouble in transportation. Subways may shut down, traffic jams and accidents are possible, misdirection and all sorts of problems could screw up your commute, so I suggest you leave extra time and take the easiest route. You may have some difficulties with your devices as well. Cell phones, computers, etc. can have issues and it may be hard to retrieve your data. Take things in stride. If you get angry you will only make things worse. If you can smile and say: “Oh hell; that’s Saturn, what do you expect?” you won’t suffer the secondary stress this can cause. But if you stamp your feet and shout you will only raise your blood pressure and push people away.

JUPITER SQUARES NEPTUNE:

Also on Sunday January 13^th at 2:01 P.M. EST this square will complete. This is a confusing transit that could have a number of effects. For one thing, these are two spiritual planets and they represent the ancient and modern rulers of Pisces. When they are in hard aspect such as now the questions of religion, philosophy and our inner battles will be prominent. This may have a positive or a negative reaction, probably both. Issues of faith and compassion will rise to the surface and we will find our society in a deeper struggle to come to some accord involving the rights of people, animals and the future. The struggle between these two planets can manifest in many ways, but mostly in the unconscious as the spirit and the body seeks a compatible direction. This energy will be around all year. This square will complete once again on June 16^th and though it doesn’t become exact after that, it will be extremely close in September. This will create a fog around many things making it difficult to see clearly or act accordingly. This will be an underlying theme throughout 2019 and lead to a number of conflicts and choices that may not be to our best advantage. It will add to the ongoing problems in Washington and add even more confusion to our search for compromise.

This isn’t the most realistic of transits, and it can upset a number of areas in life, especially those that are Saturn-ruled, such as finances, housing, stability and those circumstances we count on to give us longevity and foundation. Because this falls on a Sunday we may see a very volatile day in the stock markets tomorrow most likely on the down side. The uncertainty that this creates is something the markets do not like and they should act on the energy. We also may see some rather unsettling results in our combative government.

In your own life you should be looking at your choices and prospects with as clear an eye as possible. This is not a good time to make permanent decisions or to put all of your eggs in one basket. You aren’t seeing clearly, especially if this is setting off your natal chart. I would advise waiting this out and looking at things in a week or so once this energy as dissipated a bit. Just remember that it is around through most of 2019 and its underlying force can be active even if it isn’t exact and you don’t notice its effects. So be careful and hold onto your faith and compassion.

VENUS TRINES MARS:

On Friday January 18^th at 11:50 A.M. EST the male and female planets are in harmony. Quick, jump on this and try to improve your relationships. It only lasts about a day, so don’t expect to settle any age-old problems. But it may be a good day for a date, social gathering or conversation with an old flame. Because Mercury will be conjunct Pluto, and the Sun will square Uranus later today as well you may not find that this gentle atmosphere lasts too long. Maybe a nice brunch would be in order.

MERCURY CONJUNCTS PLUTO:

Also on Friday January 18^th at 3:01 P.M. EST this severe aspect precedes the Sun square Uranus mentioned below. The rest of this day will see some disagreements and conflicts come to the surface. There is a strong desire to dig up past problems when Pluto is involved, and because it is conjunct Mercury conversations will take a deep and controversial turn. If you let it get to you, you may get into hassles that are difficult to extricate yourself from. With that Sun square Uranus on the horizon as well it will be difficult to avoid all arguments. Keep your eyes open and try to only deal with the important issues. Getting caught up in silly disputes or fighting every little battle will be exhausting. The stock markets could take a big hit today

THE SUN SQUARES URANUS:

Also on Friday January 18^th at 8:30 P.M. EST this volatile transit occurs right after Mercury is conjunct Pluto. This could be a very explosive day with unexpected news. It comes on the heels of Jupiter square Neptune, which is still very much in effect. Stay aware of your surroundings and don’t get distracted. That’s how accidents and unnecessary confrontations occur. Don’t take the bait if someone is trying to goad you. Pick and choose your battles carefully. Because this can be an accident-prone transit you should use caution especially when traveling. Drive defensively and if you’re feeling any anger or frustration be aware and take precautions. There is no reason to allow this to lead you into conflicts. This is the kind of energy under which you could stumble, drop something on your toe or walk into the path of someone enraged. So keep your eyes open.

THE SUN ENTERS AQUARIUS:

On Sunday January 20^th at 4:00 A.M. EST we enter the fixed air sign. This is the most unsettling and unpredictable of signs. It’s often a time of year when we experience the most violent weather, and you need to be careful when traveling on ice, snow, etc. But it’s also the sign of genius, and if you can settle in and attack that project you’ve been trying to complete you may be surprised at the level of work you are able to accomplish. If you can calm down for the coming month and accept that winter is here to stay for a while you can push the energy inside, dig deeply into your unconscious and discover the inner self you often are too busy to connect with.

VENUS SQUARES NEPTUNE:

Also on Sunday January 20^th at 11:24 P.M. EST confusion will reign in relationships. There could be some problems in your closes connections with friends or a significant other. But don’t give this more power than it deserves. It may be very difficult to express yourself or to clearly see your own or your partner’s goals and needs, but it passes quickly and you should be able to avoid any real complications. As with all Neptune aspects the more you are willing to be honest and open about your own needs the better. This isn’t a good day to try to deceive someone or to avoid dealing with an underlying issue. The truth tends to come out no matter how much we hide it. Even if you’re able to keep something in the shadows it will be revealed in short order once this square completes.

FULL MOON:

This month’s lunar peak occurs on Monday January 21^st at 12:16 A.M. EST at 0 degrees Leo 52 minutes, and it’s a lunar eclipse. Because this is an eclipse it requires our close attention. The power of eclipses is well known to astrologers, and they demand that we take responsibility for what’s going on in our lives, especially if this hits your chart. The events and circumstances that arise now will take some time to complete, so don’t be surprised if there is a lingering in some issues. Try to look at your current positions and situations in a broader context and don’t expect an immediate resolution. You may have to adjust your attitude over the coming weeks to ensure that you are seeing things clearly and in the proper perspective. This sign rules the 5^th house of romance, and there could be some problems in a close relationship that come to the surface now. All Full Moons are the peak of energy for that lunar cycle. This one will bring up issues of personal creativity versus those things done in a group or collective project. Some things that you have been working on alone may require

Leo loves to be in the public and can be a very outgoing and expressive energy. Leo Full Moons love a good snowstorm, and we have seen some doozies on Full Moon in this most showy or signs. Remember, Leo rules the stage and there’s nothing as exciting as nature reminding us who is in charge. Because this falls at zero degrees, as well as being an eclipse I wouldn’t be surprised at a major weather event. Many people will act out on this aspect. There’s a strong desire to be on stage and if someone has something to say they will say it.

MARS SQUARES SATURN:

Also on Monday January 21^st at 6:16 A.M. EST this difficult and restrictive square will create limitations and some struggles. Many of us will feel restrictions and some pressure as our usually outlets are stifled. Mars rules the ego and Saturn is renowned for its ability to hamper movement and expression. The best way to handle the combination of these two planets is to focus on the most important issues and deal with them one at a time. This is not a day to try and juggle many things at once. You won’t have the physical or mental oomph to do so and you could wind up exhausted trying. Tiredness and irritability are common, so remember not only are you feeling it, but so is the guy on line behind you. Try not to poke the tiger, so to speak. If something is worth hassling over, then push through. But if it’s just your own sense of frustration seeping out you would probably be better off letting it go. Many things will be delayed and if you push against the stream you will not succeed. This follows the Leo Full Moon eclipse and could manifest as events that slow things down and force egos to take a back seat. Certainly a major storm will do that. This could also be a very bad day in the stock markets.

VENUS CONJUNCTS JUPITER:

On Tuesday January 22^nd at 7:26 A.M. EST this very pleasant and easy-going transit will give us all a day of tranquility. If you can, try to take some time off and enjoy yourself. This is a great aspect for interacting with your partner, friends or just relaxing. There is a tendency to overindulge and blow things out of proportion, but because this is the conjunct of the two benefic planets it should be a fairly easy day. Tomorrow when Mercury is in square to Uranus there will be a tendency towards arguments and all sorts of conflicts. So if you can settle in and embrace the peacefulness of this transit you could have a lovely day and enjoy the company of your close people.

MERCURY SQUARES URANUS:

On Wednesday January 23^rd at 6:13 A.M. EST this argumentative square will complete. People will have much to say, and many will say it, often without thinking first. Don’t get into useless disputes. Most of them aren’t worth your time and effort; they are just a reaction to this transit. This is also an accident waiting to happen. If I’m right and we have seen some nasty weather over the past few days this could manifest as trouble in transportation and communications. But even if we haven’t been through a storm this is a difficult aspect for travel and you need to be exceptionally careful.                                  

MERCURY ENTERS AQUARIUS:

On Thursday January 24^th at 12:50 A.M. EST until February 10^th at 5:51 A.M. EST Mercury enters the sign of its exaltation. Minds will move quickly and in unexpected ways. There is a tendency towards nervousness and irritability, but if you can focus this energy you should be able to get a lot accomplished. You thoughts and ideas are flowing and there is an underlying sense of excitement and wonder. Let your mind meander where it will. You may discover some unexpected ideas and solutions to ongoing problems. Just keep in mind that there is an underlying erratic energy and you aren’t thinking as directly as usual. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing as long as you keep an open mind. But most of us will not be particularly good with details and mistakes are certainly possible. Double check you work and if possible have someone else do so as well.

MARS TRINES JUPITER:

On Friday January 25^th at 12:53 P.M. EST this very positive aspect will give us all a jolt of self-confidence and direction. There’s a desire to accomplish as much as possible, and if used properly this will be a very productive day. Your mind will be working well and moving quickly, and there is energy to spare for projects. But as with many Jupiter aspects if you try to do too much at once you will find yourself overwhelmed and may not able to keep up once this aspect completes. Because this is a positive trine you should be able to avoid this problem and make a positive use of this energy. This is a very sociable and outgoing transit and if it hits your chart just right you will feel like being with others. This is a very good day for most activities and we should all be out and about. Any social get together should be pleasurable. This is a great night for a date or for anything that requires physical and mental activity. Make use of it and enjoy yourself.

THE SUN CONJUNCTS MERCURY:

On Tuesday January 29^th at 9:52 P.M. EST this common aspect completes. This is a day of mental activity and there will be a strong desire to express yourself. There is a tendency towards willfulness, so try not to be arrogant or overly aggressive. But if you have something to say you will certain say it. This is usually a good day for short trips and catching up on work and old emails that you’ve been meaning to answer.

SATURN SEXTILES NEPTUNE:

On Thursday January 31^st as 9:21 A.M. EST this aspect completes for the first time. This will return June 18^th and November 8^th. This year we will see Jupiter in square to Neptune three times, and Saturn in sextile to Neptune three times. This sextile will help us focus the energy of Neptune and may present many of us with an opportunity to reach a better balance between the material and the ethereal. Saturn is all about realism in its many forms, while Neptune has little regard for the day to day activities we face. This sextile can help us find a place of stability between the two. While this isn’t usually an event oriented transit the underlying effects can be subtle but have a powerful effect on our sense of reality and create an atmosphere that allows inner growth and a strong sense of our soul’s purpose.

MARS SQUARES PLUTO:

On Friday February 1^st at 10:15 P.M. EST this powerful aspect will create an atmosphere of stress and compulsiveness. People will not be apt to bend or make compromises and it’s easy to get into power struggles over small issues. You need to focus your attention on what’s most important and not let little disputes unsettle you. This square does tend to make the ego prominent and people may be reacting to something that’s going on within them and not so much to the circumstances. But that knowledge won’t help you if you get into disagreements. You will then have to deal with the mood this has created, no matter what the underlying cause may be. This can bring up old problems and make it hard to sidestep them. The best way to deal with this square is to avoid most confrontations. If something is important enough to fight about try to postpone it until you are working under gentler transits. If you can’t, then keep a clear head and don’t take the bait if the other person is intent on battling. Also, be aware of your own impulses and motivations. There is a compulsiveness this can bring up, and it’s easy to become obsessive about something.

MERCURY SEXTILES JUPITER:

On Sunday February 3^rd at 4:55 P.M. EST this positive aspect will give us a day or so when our minds and ideas move in a productive and active way. People will have a lot to say and it’s a good time for any conversation or gathering. This is a very sociable and outgoing energy and you can have some fascinating chats. It’s also a good aspect for any travel, so try to get away at least for a few hours. 

VENUS ENTERS CAPRICORN:

Also on Sunday February 3^rd at 5:30 P.M. EST until March 1^st at 11:45 A.M. EST Venus travels through this Saturn-ruled sign. This isn’t a bad transit so much as just a limiting one that makes it difficult to express emotions. For the next month many people could feel somewhat withdrawn or unsure of themselves at times. If you are, don’t fight it. There’s nothing wrong with taking a little down time. This can make some feel like being alone or just not terribly sociable. It will be most prominent when it sets off your own chart. If you follow astrology watch your transits and try to be aware of those days when transiting Venus is in conflict with your personal planets – the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars.

DARK OF THE MOON:

The next New Moon falls on Monday February 4^th at 4:04 P.M. EST at 15 degrees Aquarius 45 minutes. The day or two leading up to it will be a particularly low energy period. If you tend to be emotional this may be a very trying time each month. I have found that people with prominent moons or a Cancer Sun, Moon or ascendant respond to the lunar cycles more intensely than others. Spend this time finishing up anything that is incomplete, don’t try to initiate new projects on a waning moon, it just won’t work out. Once the New Moon hits you begin new projects or attempt a new approach to an existing problem. If you have been living in a situation or involved in a relationship that is intolerable or has outlived its usefulness this would be the proper time to move on with your life. If you have been working on a project that is almost complete but you seem to lack the energy for the finality, you must push during these low energy days to end the matter once and for all. If you don’t, when the New Moon arrives it will bring this “dead” energy along with it and conflict with the newer force being presented. Each month we are offered a chance to clean house, so to speak.

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Below is a list of times this month when the Moon is Void of Course and neither important decisions nor purchases should be made during these periods. The Void of Course Moon is a time when we should try to center ourselves and deal with spiritual matters not materialistic ones. Any decisions made on the VC Moon will not turn out the way we had expected.

The Moon is Void of Course from the time it makes its last major aspect in a sign until it enters the next sign. For example, if the Moon squares Mars at 27 degrees Aries and then has no more aspects until it enters Taurus it will be Void of Course for three degrees or about 6 hours. The aspects used are the conjunction, sextile, square, trine, and opposition. All times are Eastern Daylight Time: laryngitis

January 7^th 1:20 A.M. – 1:46 A.M.

January 9^th 11:53 A.M. – 2:44 P.M.

January 11^th 9:25 A.M. – January 12^th 3:18 A.M. ***Moon is void 18 hours

January 14^th 10:56 A.M. – 1:31 P.M.

January 16^th 1:34 P.M. – 8:00 P.M.

January 18^th 8:32 P.M. – 10:44 P.M.

January 20^th 8:50 P.M. – 10:54 P.M.

January 22^nd 8:19 P.M. – 10:22 P.M.

January 24^th 8:50 A.M. – 11:02 P.M. ***Moon is void 14 hours

January 27^th 12:21 A.M. – 2:31 A.M.

January 28^th 5:38 P.M. – January 29^th 9:33 A.M. ***Moon is void 16 hours

January 31^st 5:33 P.M. – 7:47 P.M.

February 3^rd 5:53 A.M. – 8:03 A.M.

February 5^th 6:59 P.M. – 9:02 P.M.

February 7^th 5:13 P.M. – February 8^th 9:34 A.M. ***Moon is void 16 hours

February 10^th 6:48 P.M. – 8:28 P.M.

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January 2019

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