Astrological Forecast for January 25-31, 2007

by Ellen Zucker

World events tend to reflect an unfiltered, unvarnished expression of current astrological weather. So it is instructive to take a look at the players on the world stage from time to time to see what gets played out and how the action unfolds.

We can learn from their accomplishments andtheir mistakes and apply those lessons closer tohome.

Two events that occurred this week on the world stage sum up the current astrological zeitgeist.

The first is President Bush's State of the Union Address and the strong reaction to it. The second is the results of a BBC poll of people in 25 countries showing deteriorating views of US foreign policy.

Since the beginning of the New Year, Saturn in Leo faces off the remaining nine planets.

Saturn is the planet of authority. Leo, the sign of royalty, is a fixed sign. Fixed sign energies arefamous for 'staying the course.'

The picture that is painted is Saturn at loggerheads against the rest of the world.

This president is not about to defer to the will of the people no matter how many resolutions the Democratic controlled Congress passes or how low his poll numbers fall.

Aggravating the situation is the fact that President Bush, whose ascendant is also in Leo, is perceived to act above the law when it suits his purpose.

This configuration comes to a head next month, when the Sun moves to oppose Saturn on February 10th and then moves forward to meet the Moon, still in direct opposition to Saturn, a week later. This meeting is the New Moon and the beginning of the lunar cycle in Aquarius.

Aquarius favors groups and highlights the community. President Bush is besieged. I expect the expression of opposition to become more intense through February. Keep your eye on the headlines.

Meanwhile, if you have planets or sensitive points in your own chart at or near 20 to 25 degrees of Leo, you, too, may be feelingbesieged. Digging in your heels is a natural reaction. But, like President Bush, if you handle people and matters in a heavy-handed manner, you are likely to engender more opposition.

Flexibility, a willingness to listen - there may be a germ of constructive criticism in some comments from those boneheads - plus an openness to take responsibility, go a long way to diffuse a tense situation.

George Bush's opposition has the power of numbers. But what is missing is Saturn's structure and organization. Little unites the opposition except for dislike of the President's actions and policies. With more strategic planning and unity it can become much more effective.

If, in your personal life, you are finding yourself on the Aquarius side of the conflict, a bit of self-discipline, structured thinking and strategic planning will make you more effective as well.

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Currently the personal planets, Sun, Mercury, Venus and Mars are in left-brained Capricorn and Aquarius. On Saturday, Venus enters Pisces where she will stay until February 21st. Here she feels very comfortable.

We leaven the emphasis on logic and the left-brain with a dose of compassion. Venus describes how we attract - or in business - merge. It also describes what we find attractive and what we value. Pisces dissolves boundaries so we can love in a bigger way. Pisces also unlocks the imagination so artists and the rest of us can access our inner worlds more easily.

This week, Mercury makes two aspects of note. On Sunday, it stands down Saturn where we are asked to be rigorous in our thinking and use of language. On Wednesday, Mercury moves to make a sextile, a soft exchange of energy with Pluto. Here we find it easier to see what is going on below the surface. The opportunity is presented for frank discussion.

Daily Forecasts
Times listed are based on Eastern Time Zone.

January 25
The Moon moves into solid, stolid Taurus giving us a reprieve from Aries' relentless pace. We feel calmer and more focused as we take stock of the activity generated in the earlier part of the week.

January 26
A day of ups and downs. In the morning, Venus forms a sextile, a soft exchange of energy, with Pluto. This gives us the opportunity to explore our feelings. Then Mercury, planet of communication, meets with Neptune, planet of magic and illusion. This aspect encourages fuzzy thinking, but also sublime poetry. Later in the day, we may feel unsettled as we process the material we've dug up.

January 27
Our spirits and our pace quickens as Moon enters social Gemini at 12:10 pm. We want to talk, talk, talk. Tonight Venus enters Pisces giving us the opportunity to open our hearts.

January 28
With Venus newly in Pisces our emotions are more open and sensitive, but Mercury opposing Saturn challenges us to adhere to cold logic. Saturn can be tough, but if we can get pass our smarting feelings, we may find much of the criticism is constructive.

January 29
We accomplish a great deal in the morning, but when the Moon goes void at 1:40 pm, we may find ourselves spinning wheels. We are ready to turn our focus towards our cocoons at 5:15 pm when Moon enters Cancer.

January 30
We feel caught between our need for personal and emotional security versus our ambition. This may play out as an argument or a confrontation. The mood improves in the pm when we allow ourselves to open to new ideas.

January 31
The Moon is 'void of course' all day. Void of course is the term that describes the period between the time the Moon makes its last aspect in a sign before it enters a new sign.

When the Moon is void, it is best to use the time in a low-key way. Reflect and handle routine matters. It's best to hold off from starting anything new.

Creative ideas often bubble up during Void moon periods, so listen to your inner voice.

© 2007 Ellen M. Zucker