by Mac McLaughlin | Mar 1, 2011 | Weekly Forecasts
The whole world watched as Prince Charles and Lady Diana tied the knot on July 29, 1981. At that time, I commented on CFAX radio in Victoria, BC, that the royal couple needed our prayers. Venus was passing over Diana’s Pluto indicating concerns, jealousies, secret affairs and other such troubles going on and we know the rest of the tale.
William and Kate step up to the plate on April 29 this year and once again the whole world will be watching as they tie the knot. Kate’s horoscope is hinting at the strong likelihood that she will bring two children into the world. Her overall health may play a big factor in how it all goes regarding her success or not in this endeavour. Prince William’s horoscope is pointing to a most difficult and dangerous time in which he will have to thread his way carefully over the next seven years. His house of travel is not in the best shape and mishaps are indicated. William and Kate need our prayers.
The spring equinox takes place at 4:21 PM, PDT on March 20. This is the most important date of the year in western astrology. The position of the planets on this day gives many hints as to how the year will unfold. The Sun makes a conjunction with Uranus 13 hours after the equinox, which is a very strong indication that 2011 will be a time of great unrest and change. Revolutions, upheavals, weird weather and changes where necessary will be the steady diet. Uranus moves through Aries from March 11, 2011 to March 5, 2019.
Uranus is the planet of ideologies, innovations, inventions, revolution, upheaval and disruption. Aries is the sign of pioneering, new starts and fresh energy. The combination is perfect for those seeking new beginnings. It is now that we can strive to make a change as we move through a time I have coined the “Cardinal Onslaught.” The cardinal signs – Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn – are strongly activated and will be in play throughout this decade. It means there will be no rest given we have great work to do as we strive to bring peace and harmony to the planet. Gird your loins and make ready to go to work as we set forth into the future. Bring it on and let’s dance; that’s our best chance. Sing the song of freedom and sing the song of justice and let’s dare to be bold and brave. Make a difference while we can.
Mac is available for personal consultations. Call 604-731-1109 to make an appointment or click here to request a consultation online.
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You are a diamond in the rough – multifaceted and highly talented and just needing some polish. Now is the time to put it all together. You’re good at kicking things out of the way when they block you and now you must clear the past and move freely into the future.
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Soon, the grass will be green and the flowers in their bloom and you can enjoy all that life has to offer. It is time to clear up any concerns, debts, bad habits, obligations and machinations in order to enjoy the bounteous time heading your way in the late spring.
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In your world, it’s all about communications, connections and whom you know. It is now time to add to your address book, as many doors are flying open. Tight circles broaden and all kinds of new entities enter into your sphere. Embrace it all.
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You weren’t given that big claw for nothing. It symbolizes your tenacity and your ability to handle the rough-and-tumble situations of life. Your solar career sector is resonating strongly. Either you will be lauded and praised or booted out with possibly a great landing.
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Leo rises at the time of the spring equinox, bringing the Sun strongly into the play. Matters related to the father, guru and the higher mind manifest. Travel is highlighted and a great spiritual change may come along as well.
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Curious and wise as a fox, you may be longing for something more substantial on a spiritual level. A yearning that hasn’t yet wholly manifested nips at your heels. The events of 2011 make a huge difference. It’s all good and somewhat magical.
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Your solar seventh house of relationships is lit up like a Christmas tree; hopefully, Santa fills your stocking. Approached another way, we might say it is a time of marriage or divorce. One way or the other, a big year is on board.
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You can play now and pay later or pay now and play later. One way or the other, a time has arrived in which you can make great strides and achieve some success if you devote the time and energy in the right direction.
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The stars are leaning in your favour as a series of cooperative planetary aspects take place throughout the month. You can breeze through without much effort, which would be a misuse of an opportune time. Tackle the bigger concerns and objectives now.
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The roller coaster is on the way to the top of the first hill. It’s too late for regrets and “would’ve, could’ve” reflections. You must ride it out to its ultimate destination. The times suit you in many ways. Now the world needs you to lean in and help out.
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2011 marks a great shift in your life. Venus nears Neptune in Aquarius, bringing love, mercy and compassion your way. The spring equinox hails an important shift. Aquarians will be on the move, as a highly innovative time approaches.
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Fiery Mars visits throughout March. Curbing your impulses and watching for mishaps and accidents are the general rules for dealing with Mars. If you have something to get off your chest, this is the time to do it. Kindness is the best policy though.
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by Mac McLaughlin | Jan 31, 2011 | Weekly Forecasts
The Aquarius new moon takes place on February 2. A new moon signals a fresh round of activities that basically culminate around full moon time two weeks later. The moon acts like a trigger as she comes along and activates and stimulates planetary exchange and activity throughout the month. The condition and position of the planets at new moon time tell us what type of energy is on board. Mars sits close to the new moon and his energy will be evident throughout the month. On the positive side of the ledger, we may very well be inspired by the true spirit of Aquarius, which connects us to our higher selves and also reminds us of our common bonds as human beings. We all want to be loved and respected and we all deserve to be nurtured and protected. Mars brings courage and bravery of the highest kind and it may be needed in order to attain our goals of peace and prosperity. Saturn lends a hand. He is in a triangular pattern with the new moon. Saturn is the true lord of Aquarius and he is in Libra, his sign of exaltation, meaning that we will receive the best that Saturn has to offer. His lessons are often stringent, but necessary. The combination brings cooperation and accord.
On the negative side of the coin, Mars offers war, anger and confrontation all the way around. All the more reason for us to take heed and strive to bring peace and understanding wherever we can. A cut from a sword will heal in a short time, but a cut from the tongue may fester for lifetimes. The full moon on February 18 will tell the tale. Mars is involved with the full moon and may shake things up locally and globally in boardrooms and bedrooms across the land. We know that changes are in the wind as evidenced by the reshuffling in our political parties that has jarred everyone awake from their deep slumber. Now we are experiencing the “Cardinal Onslaught.” It means that the big planets – Saturn, Uranus and Pluto – are moving through the cardinal signs Aries, Libra and Capricorn and they will not abate throughout this decade as they affect the horoscopes of Canada and the US and the rest of the world. It tells of a time of great movement and change as we gradually shift away from our materialism and move towards a more meaningful spiritual existence. No doubt we need to balance things out across the board, and we will. Next month The Royals… and the fates are riding high.
Mac is available for personal consultations. Call 604-731-1109 to make an appointment or click here to request a consultation online.
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Jupiter has just entered Aries with Uranus soon to follow. It is a clarion call announcing big changes are in the wind. Get a move on. This year may be your greatest ever. Reach for the stars, open your heart and embrace whatever the universe brings your way.
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Career opportunities and changes all around may be the case for Taurus. Once you start to really desire something, even if it means a big change, you will do it. Creative energies are high and you may be looking at re-evaluating many aspects of your life.
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Your solar ninth house of travel, education, publishing and spirituality is strongly activated and it may prompt you to book a flight or sign up for classes, etc. Just beneath the exterior of your average Gemini whirlwind talker is a soul seeking liberation and spiritual ecstasy in one form or another. Great changes are coming.
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Your curiosity is piqued in some way. It is time to do your natural thing, which, of course, is to dig in and discover what you may. Joint monies, partnerships, inheritances and mysteries, romance too, all figure in the cosmic dance throughout February.
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February is the general solar low of the year for Leo. Your view, versus the view of others, comes into play. Sensitive negotiations take place. It is time to nurture and care for yourself and others. Humility, honesty, patience and compassion get you through in fine fashion.
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Your solar sixth house is Aquarius and while the planets move through this region throughout February, you may be inspired to do your Virgo thing, which is to mainly get your ducks in a row. It’s a no brainer. Health, work and everything in between get a work over.
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You are in the midst of an important transition. It won’t let up so you might as well get into it, gladly so. No one wants to lance the cyst, but we’re relieved once the toxins are removed. The planetary deities are paying close attention as they help you through this time of correction and redirection.
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When the going gets tough, the Scorpios get going. Where others give up, Scorpio is just getting warmed up. A major retooling is in the works and it is essential that you throw yourself into the process. Let the old you die off and the dynamic new you will appear on the scene soon enough!
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Lord Jupiter casts his blessings as he visits your solar fifth house for the next four months. Romance, intellectual attainment, business opportunities and other such topics will do you well. Travel, education and spiritual upliftment are on the menu. Births take place literally or spiritually and possibly both.
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Venus visits Capricorn throughout February bringing blessings of love, harmony and happiness. You may have to deal with some unpleasant factors that need attention and correction. Fateful dates are February 8, 9 and 10. A total reassessment of your values may be in the works.
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The Aquarius new moon on February 2 has Mars involved in the play bringing courage, passion, action and reaction your way. Positive use of the energy is important. It is an excellent time to pioneer something new. The full moon on February 18 brings revelations and clarity.
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Out with the old and in with the new is the basic energy to be dealt with in the first few weeks of February. The Sun enters Pisces on February 18, soon to be followed by Mercury and Mars. This planetary combination will certainly ignite a powerful and dynamic round of activity.
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by Mac McLaughlin | Jan 18, 2011 | Weekly Forecasts
Hey, what’s your sign? This particular question was considered a pick up line back in the sixties. Things were simple then. You were an Aries or Cancer, Libra or whatever. People became increasingly aware of their Sun, rising and Moon signs. Some of us are born on the cusp, which means that the Sun was moving towards the end of one sign or had just moved into the next sign. Because of the wobble of the earth’s polar axis the Sun doesn’t always enter a sign on the same day each year adding more confusion.
Then along comes Parke Kunkle the Astronomer from Minneapolis who proclaims that the signs and dates are wrong, thus invalidating western astrology and its adherents. He tells us that the Sun moves through Ophiuchus, a constellation between Scorpio and Sagittarius, for 19 days before entering Sagittarius. This has thrown a monkey wrench into the works causing confusion and consternation, and might need some explaining in order to get it right.
The Two Zodiacs
In the world of astrology two zodiacal systems are used. We have the Western Tropical Zodiac and the Eastern Sidereal Zodiac. The two zodiacs matched up in 285 AD according to N.C. Lahiri, and his Ayanamsa is generally accepted and used in Vedic and western astrology. Over time it appeared that the sidereal zodiac positions were drifting away from the fixed tropical zodiac. This difference is called the ayanamsa. There are several disputed ayanamsas with Lahiri’s being the most accepted. The distance between the two zodiacs today is approximately 24 degrees of longitude.
The tropical zodiac is based on the seasons starting with the sun’s entrance into Aries on or close to March 21 heralding the vernal equinox. The 12 signs are equally divided along the ecliptic which is the path of the sun’s apparent motion through the 30 degree sections called the signs. In actuality it is the Earth’s path around the sun, giving us the illusion of the sun’s moment through the constellations that are near or on the ecliptic. The ancient Babylonians developed their astrology through hundreds of years of observation and they were able to compare the character and affairs of man to the different placements of the sun, moon and planets measured amidst the back drop of the stars.
The Sidereal Zodiac
The sidereal zodiac starts when the sun reaches the first point of the star group Aries. Vedic or eastern astrology is a system based not on sun signs but on the position of the moon and the sign that was rising in the east at the time you born, plus the planet that rules that sign. Western astrology is solar based, while Vedic astrology is lunar based. Both systems are valid.
The two chart systems are similar in some ways and very different in others. We hear people exclaim that they are Sagittarius through and through and they would never have the qualities of Scorpio. We hear other Sagittarius people proclaiming that although they are Sagittarius their behaviour is very like a Capricorn. Go figure. What is happening here is that the first person has the qualities of Jupiter and Sagittarius, while the second person has Saturn very prominent in his chart thus compelling him to behave in a saturnine way. Personally I would never do a reading for a client without studying both systems thoroughly. The astrologer that just adheres to one or the other system is losing out on a great raft of information.
So you can relax, nothing has changed, astrology is valid and is a sacred tool in helping us to understand God’s handwriting through the stars. The ancients knew that the moon cycle took approximately thirty days to move around the earth and worked out a system of 12 signs at thirty degrees each making up the 360 degrees of the zodiac. The 13th sign would never be valid and would never work. Unfortunately the astronomers just cannot accept the fact that astrology works. If they cannot see it or measure it then it must not be valid. I’m sure that most of them do not believe in God either. Godless men with a truncated measuring stick with nothing else to do except to take another swipe at something they have not studied and probably will never understand. Too bad, so sad.
by Mac McLaughlin | Dec 31, 2010 | Weekly Forecasts
Happy New Year!
Well, I’m back at it again! I am now writing a regular monthly horoscope called Star Wise that will appear on this site and on Common Ground. Hope you enjoy it!
-Mac
When a pickpocket meets a Saint, all he sees are his pockets. When an astrologer meets someone, they see their starry constellations, planetary configurations and all sorts of other dynamic features that are helpful in understanding what we’re all about. One such feature is called Gaja Kesari yoga, where the planet Jupiter is in an angular position to the Moon in your chart. This yoga, or planetary configuration brings untold good luck and fortune. There are stories of Jotishis (Vedic astrologers) in India that have the ability to spot someone with Gaja Kesari yoga just by their appearance and shape and size of their foreheads. One story relates about a fellow traveling through India when he was approached by a Jotishi and invited to walk through a cobra pit. The Jotishi knew the gentleman would not be bit. Cobras will bite some people and turn their backs for others. The traveler was also aware that he had Gaja Kesari yoga and was very surprised with the invite. I’m sure he didn’t take him up on it though.
The solar eclipse on January 4 carries very important and potent karmic seeds that will be distributed throughout the year. The position and condition of the planets at eclipse time tells the tale of what’s to come our way. Although this sounds a tad ominous, we must remember that we always have choices, and there is always God’s grace and love. The fates are riding high and this eclipse in Capricorn will stir up the governments, leading parties and all things political. A time to shift, change and rearrange has arrived. Mars, Pluto and Saturn are involved in the play. Everyone seems to be concerned about 2012, while I think 2011 is the year that the poop hits the fan, so to speak. Great movements and profound plans are in the works. Espionage, war and terrorism will not abate. We are witnessing the energy locally, nationally and globally as heads roll, governments fall apart and all kinds of new alliances begin to congeal. Before you get too stressed with this depressing karmic state of affairs know that there is a positive side of the ledger as well.
The Jupiter – Uranus conjunction in Pisces has caught my eye and it is an indicator of great breakthroughs along with a tremendous amount of love and compassion. This energy runs throughout January and the conjunction happens four hours after the solar eclipse which tells us that the effects of the planets at eclipse time will also carry throughout 2011. Venus the planet of love is in perfect triangle with Jupiter and Uranus and is a wonderful indicator of breakthroughs and miracles of the human spirit. The forces of light and darkness continue their illusory dance throughout time. Now is the time to lend a hand and lean in towards the problems that plague us. As it gets darker and darker it gets lighter and lighter and God’s grace and compassion for his children will outlast the negative power every time. Have no fear, be of good cheer. Reach out and help someone, give a bit a more, give a lot more and the rest is history as they say.
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Career prospects are hot and if not you should make them so by being pro-active, not aggressive. If you are unsure as to which way to go, then continue to eliminate old, negative pathways. Soon enough, the new direction will manifest itself. Be ready.
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Spiritual changes take place, particularly if you are fed up with the grind. The universe is pleading with you to make the necessary changes that will bring peace of mind. All positive efforts bring excellent returns especially in the last half of the year.
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The journey deepens in many ways as you weigh up all that has come to pass. Inheritances and joint monies come into play, as do a few mysteries for you to solve. Career plans may shift suddenly and in your favour.
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It’s all about relationships right now. Expressed another way, it is all about how you relate to others and how you allow others to relate to you. Power plays and powerful days unfold rapidly. Exciting opportunities for travel, education, publishing and spiritual enlightenment arise.
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A stitch in time saves nine. Follow your instincts, as they help you prepare for upcoming ventures. Health, proper diet and balance are the objectives that must be attained and maintained. It is time to organize and harmonize everything.
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Romantic energies are strong as bonds deepen and new souls arrive. Business opportunities and joint ventures dovetail along with good times. Your relationship house is active meaning that new partnerships may develop and old relationships may change suddenly.
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The month may not start off with much of a bang, but things develop as the weeks unfold. New friendships pique your interest. It is a time of redesigning your plan to fit with present realities. Powerful and positive relationships are developing.
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Creative potential is high. Muster your courage and move forward. Popularity and magnetism draw all kinds of interesting souls your way. Keep the door open, especially on the romantic level. Business opportunities present themselves throughout the month. Others find you simply irresistible.
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You are the prophet or prophetess of the zodiac. Pay close attention to what comes through your consciousness these days as your internal wisdom is sending strong signals. You are probably right on the money intuitive-wise. Be bold, brave and fearless. Bring it on.
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Big changes are in the wind. It is not time to dig in and resist; it is time to assist whatever is changing in your life. Powerful forces are at work. Fierce resistance, backlashes, collusions and backroom deals congeal into new realities.
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January starts off a little sluggish, but things pick up mid month. The Sun enters Aquarius on January 20 and accompanies Mars in your sign bringing courage, enthusiasm, action and attraction. You will feel emboldened, supported and cheered on by your colleagues.
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An energy shift takes place and you may be surprised with who shows up in your life now. All kinds of unusual people, even groups of people who share similar interests, manifest themselves. The stars tell of a time of wonderment and spiritual awakening.
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by Mac McLaughlin | Jun 29, 2010 | Weekly Forecasts
The time has arrived to move on. Astrology has been my ruling passion, but writing about it has extracted its toll. I will be available for personal consultations always. I want to thank the readers for their wonderful support throughout the eleven years with the Georgia Straight and also to those that have followed my column on the website. I hope that I have delivered solid astrology to the public, at least as far as sun sign columns go, which hopefully would inspire the seekers to look a little deeper at the profound wisdom that lies hidden within the starry sky.
One people, one planet, one love.
Mac McLaughlin
