Sudden deaths of a myriad of celebrities, revolutions in Iran and Honduras, what is going on?

Well a lot, astrology-wise. There is a lot of intense, really rare energy this summer: the alignment of Neptune, Chiron, and Jupiter (so rare wont happen again until 2239), a series of eclipses in a new eclipse cycle (eclipses often mean random freak events or accidents up to a month before the event: MJ has both the rare conjunction and the eclipses hitting his house of health), the nodes are shifting signs, plus there is a Black Moon (normally there is only one New Moon and one Full Moon per sign per month; this month there are two New Moons in Cancer), to end it all off Saturn and Uranus are gearing up for another exact opposition (this leads to the upset of the status quo, revolution, change …Iran, Honduras)

The first 5 months of 2009 were so stagnant , just this lethargic, stuck energy and now things are moving at warped speed. I said it last month, that 2009 really starts in June; get ready for the ride.

Yesterday, transitting Saturn was exactly conjunct Michael Jackson’s natal Ceres. People.com is reporting that people have been shocked in recent weeks by Michael’s extreme thinness. When Saturn transits a sign, weight loss is favored, and it can be very easy to lose too much, if one is already thin. Ceres is an asteroid that rules the harvest and diet. Virgo, too, rules diet and health issues related to diet

Saturn’s exact transit over this critical point could have exasperated effects of deficient nutrition or other eating disorders. If Michael was dieting while also working out to get in shape for his upcoming tour, the combined effects may have depleted his system.

Moreover, with the present Neptune, Jupiter, Chiron conjunction in Michael’s solar 6th house of health, any misuse of medication or neglection of health problems could have suddenly spiralled out of control. A combination of drugs and a system weakened by poor nutrition could be a possibility.

Right now there is a very rare conjunction of Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter in Virgo’s sixth house of health. This planetary configuration is so rare it will not take place again until 2239. Virgos have a tendency to be gluttons for self-punishment. Their need for control can make them push their body to extremes, and their strong minds can make them create intellectual excuses for not listening to the body’s subtle signals.

Neptune is the planet of delusion and can make things very vague. There are many Virgos out there that may have been suffering from mystery ailments for the past decade or so. Whatever you do (Virgo I am talking to you), do not pass off symptoms as psychosomatic or think you can overcome things on your own. Get things checked out by doctors, as at this time you may finally make a breakthrough on treatment or diagnosis. If you refuse to seek a medical advice, things may suddenly spiral out of control. So get lots of rest and eat well, and as Virgo rules the nerves, try to destress your life and find a moment of Zen in your daily life.

The above also holds true for Virgo Ascendants.

I just published the May horoscopes at astrologydetective.com Enjoy!

Please make sure you put my email address: michelle at astrologydetective dot com on your anti-spam list or in your address book; if not I may not be able to get you your order. Spam features are really strong these days, esp on hotmail accounts or accounts provided by ISP providers.

Today, a certain Taurus with an earthlink.net email addy placed an ebook order, which I can’t fulfill because all my emails keep bouncing back to me; so if this you, please contact me with an alternate address.

The November 2008 US elections took place during a Mercury Retrograde period, promising confusion, mix-ups and vague results, as was the case in the still on-going Franken / Coleman Senate race in Minnesota.

Lots of times confused issues that arise during a Merc retro period are resolved during a subsequent Merc retro period / shadow period. Mercury enters its shadow period on April 22nd, before going completely retro on May 7. Merc turns direct on June 1st, and exits the shadow around June 15th.

We can look to this period for a decision to finally be made and winner to be declared, although there may still be hiccups in the future, and the power of the Senator selected (looks to be Franken) may be weakened during this term.

BTW, what happened to those hippie flower children that made them end up as such hateful, conservative, moneyloving b’strds? Norm Coleman’s year book pic was pretty hot!

I find I have two types of friends, those that hate twitter but love facebook, and those that love twitter but don’t use facebook as much. I also find that my friends who are more literary-minded to be solidly in the twitter camp. Facebook is a bit like hanging out in reality, you talk as you would conversationally, but Twitter’s restriction of 140 characters makes you hyper-aware of the language you use, and it’s great fun to toy around with sound, alliteration, spelling and punctuation. Geeky lit things that non-writers just don’t find too amusing.

In fact, twitter is giving birth to an entire plethora of new genres - from Twitter Haiku to Twitter short stories (yes, a short story in 140 characters). It also forces its users to rethink the “rules” of language, thereby allowing it to be much more fluid.

English is such an amazingly versatile and adaptable language - kind of like linguistic Play-Doh, it is the perfect vehicle for use on Twitter. It’s also short, direct and punchy. I just can’t imagine some languages like French, with it’s long words, passive structures, anal grammar policies, and fearful, super-perfectionistic users, working too well. It would be interesting to see which language areas around the world take to Twitter, and where it falls behind.

For more on the various literary genres being inspired by Twitter, check out:
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/02/08/all_a_twitter/

I have experimented with horoscopes in the twitter format this month. Just 140 characters a sign!

You can view them at: Twitter.com/astrodetective.

You don’t need to have a twitter account to read them

Madonna’s bid to adopt a little girl from Malawi was just denied - poor Mercy James, the 5th Beatle of the Madonna Family. Ceres, the asteroid that rules nurturing and motherhood is currently retrograde and conjunct Madonna’s Natal Pluto in the 12th house.

The 12th house rules our dreams and inner-most motivating desires, as well as endings and letting go. Pluto represents control issues. The fact that transitting Ceres is hitting this point today, indicates the loss of some type of dream concerning motherhood.

Ceres will be passing over this point again in May. After Ceres passes Madonna’s ascendant later this Spring, there may be a second chance for Madonna to adopt, or to somehow reinvent her approach to motherhood and start a new cycle, especially in June when Ceres conjuncts her Natal Ceres / Moon conjunction. No matter what else, motherhood is fundamental to her identity, and she probably does make quite a caring mother behind the scenes.

In the 19th century, a brief view of a woman’s ankles was considered outrageously shocking…who would have thought that over a century later people would be so unnerved over a little upper-arm.

Yesterday, the question on everyone’s mind with the Obama’s trip to Europe wasn’t about the economic crisis or fundamental reform, but “Will Michelle cover her arms when she meets the Queen?”….well, she did, but then turned a 360 and disrobed her upper-apendages for a state dinner at Downing Street.

Michelle Obama, who is quite a harmonious and diplomatic woman (Venus conjunct Moon), is almost defiant in her arms-bearing, goading on the public and the media with each public outing. It’s as if it is her quite rebellion, her way to retain her individuality in a rather confined public role.

In astrology, the arms are ruled by Mercury. In Michelle’s chart, Mercury is trine the renegade planet of non-conformity, Uranus. When planets make positive, harmonious aspects to Uranus these can represent areas of our lives where our defiant, unique ways of doing things can become our trademark in a positive sense.

Moreover, Mercury is sextile Venus, offering beauty to this area. Why is this all such a big deal? Look to Mercury’s square of Jupiter, exaggerating and blowing things up out of control.