Archive for category Astro4Business Week

Astro4Business Highlights – Dog Days

Jul 24

Posted by Ellen Longo in Astro4Business Week | 240 Comments

Anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). (Source:Wikimedia Commons)

Hello, everyone.

A short weekly forecast this week as the summer flu has been hovering around me for a few days, just waiting for a chance to jump in if I keep myself too busy. My bed is beckoning me.

So just a few points about the week:

Thursday is a busy astro-day with the Sun and Moon in final aspect before the New Moon on Saturday, a sign to begin the quiet days of the month.

Venus leaves Cancer and enters Leo on Thursday; Mercury leaves Leo and enters Virgo. With two planets changing signs, this is a good day to watch for transitions of energy and changes in tone in the realm of communications and professional relationships.

From the Monthly Forecast, here’s what to watch for:

On July 28, Venus moves into Leo. This begins a few weeks of fun. Venus indicates what makes people happy, creative, and productive and Leo loves showmanship, competition, games, and sports. To build camaraderie, try a company softball game or online video tournament. Company culture is a key component of success. Venus in Leo is a great time to build a collaborative culture through fun and games, showcasing individual talent.

Mercury in Virgo at the end of the month is great for writing, documentation, and detailed project plans. Also great for getting that bookkeeping caught up!

A caveat about the above: even though Mercury in Virgo is great for analysis and discrimination, Mercury forms an opposition to Neptune in Pisces on Thursday. This would not be the most clear time for decision-making. Normally I would say to wait until next week, but Mercury begins its retrograde period on the 2^nd. The best use of this opposition is to let your imagination (Neptune) influence, but not overcome, your discrimination (Mercury). A balance between the two is what we’re looking for this week.

Saturday brings us to the New Moon, which may feel like the “dog days of summer,” at least in the Northern Hemisphere. Like the dog, lay low and let the monthly cycle renew itself within you.

See you next week!

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For an overview of the month, see Astro4Business Month Ahead – July 2011

To read more about the business descriptions of the planets mentioned today, see

Tags: astrology, business, New Moon

Astro4Business Highlights – Collaborative Autonomy?

Jul 17

Posted by Ellen Longo in Astro4Business Week | 161 Comments

Anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). (Source:Wikimedia Commons)

Hello, everyone.

This week is the second of two relatively quiet weeks. The Moon continues to wane, passing through a harmonious aspect with the Sun mid-week. Emotional connections are a feature of the early part of the week – could be a good time to review Daniel Goleman’s work on emotional intelligence, “the sine qua non of leadership,” in Goleman’s words. This part of the lunar cycle brings a harvesting of your efforts over the past three weeks and growing understanding about your current work situation.

Since there is little major planetary activity, this week affords us the chance to explore an aspect that is often overshadowed by more compelling configurations. On Thursday, there is a semisextile between Venus in Cancer and Mars in Gemini.

Venus and Mars are continually dancing around each other, working on and working out their issues, both within our psyches and externally. They represent quite different parts of us: remember the book, Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus? Venus symbolizes our desires for material security and harmonious relationships. She’s into money, collaboration, and partnership. Mars symbolizes our need for autonomy, freedom, and immediate gratification. He’s into assertion, courage, and fighting for … well, anything he wants.

Of course, each of these energies is within each of us; we all want to relate and we all want independence. There is a constant balancing going on between the two, and the scales are tipped slightly depending on which planet is strongest at any given time.

Every two years Venus and Mars meet and begin a new cycle of exploration. Hopefully, each year we evolve in our ability to bring harmony and a working relationship between these two parts of ourselves. This year they met in conjunction on May 23 and since then have travelled forward in the zodiac until this week they form their first aspect since the conjunction, the semi-sextile. At the conjunction, I wrote:

This is an excellent day for coming to agreements, ones that will stand the test of time. With Venus conjunct Mars in Taurus, there’s an ability to commit to a lasting bond and to put that commitment to practical use. Each time two planets meet in the sky it brings energies together in a new way for a new cycle. This week’s meeting forges a new bond between our creative juices and the ability to take the action necessary to reach tangible outcomes. It can set up a cycle that will continue to produce results until the next time Venus and Mars come together, which is in April 2013.

How can you take advantage of today’s conjunction? Put your creative team together with your operations people; you could be surprised how well they work together and the practical yet elegant solutions they come up with. You don’t have to do it yourself today; the people around you can take the reins and set the new cycle in motion.

If you’re a one-or-two person shop like I am, grounded, steady work today will lead to great results. It may be slow-going and tedious at times but just take up one concrete task after another. At the end of the day you’ll have produced something valuable, something with legs that will set a firm foundation for the next couple of years.

Mars Disarmed by Venus, by Jacques Louis David, 1824. (Source:Wikipedia)

Thirty degrees apart now, Venus and Mars are over the honeymoon stage and into the real work of the relationship. This is the point where we have to overcome our inertia and really commit to new growth in the new direction. If we allow ourselves to settle into the past, the status quo, we could sabotage our opportunity for progress for the whole cycle.

What might this look like in our businesses? If we feel more comfortable with either the Venus mode or the Mars mode, we could project the other onto someone in our environment. A partner may want to capitulate with an employee when we want to stand our ground, or a manager may want to put his foot down with a customer while we want to find a compromise. Your creative team may have thought they had reached agreement with operations, only to find out there was not clarity after all. If you’re a one-person shop, you may feel impatient with your progress on a creative project and may want to scrap the whole thing.

All of these reactions are natural at this stage, but to truly evolve and find harmony you’ll have to stay in the ring. Take these signals as growing pains and intimations of the work ahead. Try to stay the course through the discomfort. This is like an investment, and it’s one that won’t take much time to pay off. The next exact aspect between Venus and Mars will be the sextile, a signal of harmony gained and concessions won. So keep at it this week.

The painting at right shows Mars disarmed by Venus. I’ve included it because it shows the two archetypes in their common poses and costumes (or lack thereof.) There is perhaps more harmony in this painting’s setting than we will feel this week, but it does show the potential for balance between the energies.
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For an overview of the month, see Astro4Business Month Ahead – July 2011

To read more about the business descriptions of the planets mentioned today, see

Venus

Mars

Astro4Business Weekly Highlights – Alliance Adjustment

Jul 10

Posted by Ellen Longo in Astro4Business Week | 109 Comments

Anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). (Source:Wikimedia Commons)

Hello, everyone.

This week is not as heavy as the last couple weeks, although it has enough sparks to keep us on our toes. We have a Full Moon and just two other major aspects, but one of them is MAJOR.

Full Moon in Capricorn

This week we go up and over the top with the Full Moon early Friday morning (MDT). Spend the first few days of the week adjusting and refining your current projects through input from others: cast a wide net and let people’s opinions inform your final touches. Then you’ll be fully ready to display the best of your work. With the Full Moon in Capricorn, bring your project home with a proficient presentation. Display your mastery and let others know you’re serious about the outcome. Systems, structure, and your own sense of authority will impress people this week.

Mercury sextile Mars

Two other aspects highlight the week. On Monday, Mercury in Leo sextiles Mars in Gemini. The Mercury in us is always thinking, communicating, analyzing, and problem solving. The Mars energy is always asserting, initiating, and competing. When these two get together, and when they get along as they do with the sextile aspect, it spells rapid progress. Ideas will start to take on a life of their own, and if they do, you should go with it. You’ll be able to synthesize data from different sources and know just how to put the information to good use.

A comment on Mercury in Leo: If your sales team gets a little flamboyant, let them. Just remind them that the customer is the star.

Venus square Saturn

The other important aspect this week is Venus in Cancer squaring Saturn in Libra. Usually squares can be quite challenging; they depict energy moving in two different directions, producing conflicts or “horns of dilemmas.” The Encarta Dictionary defines a dilemma in this way: a situation in which somebody must choose one of two or more unsatisfactory alternatives. That’s a pretty good description of the square aspect. In this case, there is the possibility of ultimate resolution as Saturn is in the sign ruled by Venus. With some hard work, there could be a compromise.

Actually, we’ve been dancing to this music for the last year. Venus last conjoined Saturn in Libra last August, and throughout the year we’ve been meeting challenge after challenge and opportunity after opportunity to find the point of harmony between these two. Venus represents the part of us that wants to secure material stability and establish harmonious relationships, cooperation, and collaboration. Saturn wants to achieve, succeed, control, and master. With Saturn in Libra, we strive for success through alliances, mediation, diplomacy, and public relations. All year we’ve been perfecting the art of collaboration and partnership.

This week could bring our interpersonal and professional relationships to some kind of crisis point. There could be an ideological parting of the ways. You may have to let something go. If so, try to do it diplomatically and kindly, and bring as much nurturing and protection that you can into the matter. That could ease an otherwise difficult transition. But keep in mind the prospect for harmony; with a possibly painful concession, you could still find reconciliation.

That’s all for the week. Have a good one.

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Have you seen my new blog? Discussing all things astrological, for anyone interested in real-life astrology, check out Ellen Longo’s Astrology Blog.

For an overview of the month, see Astro4Business Month Ahead – July 2011

To read more about the business descriptions of the planets mentioned today, see

Tags: astrology, business, Full Moon, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, Venus

Astro4Business Weekly Highlights – this Summer’s T-square

Jul 3

Posted by Ellen Longo in Astro4Business Week | 378 Comments

Anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). (Source:Wikimedia Commons)

Hello, everyone.

Several astronomical events influence our astrological world this week, and the planet Uranus assumes retrograde motion on Saturday. The Moon is waxing all week, which makes this a week for setting new plans in motion. Venus and Mercury are also active, but the biggest aspect of the week is an angle of opportunity between Jupiter and Pluto.

Some background

This summer, the outer planets Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto form a configuration called a T-square in the heavens. Saturn in Libra opposes Uranus in Aries, and Pluto forms a 90-degree angle to both. This aspect has been in place since last summer, and the Uranus/Pluto aspect will continue until next summer. This summer the aspects come within a couple of degrees of exact, close enough to feel, but not close enough to come to a head and force a confrontation. This spells tension without the opportunity to actually address and relieve it.

When a major configuration involves outer planets, we generally experience the aspect in our peripheral vision. We hear about the struggles happening in distant lands, or we know that major institutions are being shaken to their knees. It affects us, but not in our personal or business lives. This week features a few transits that bring these global issues into our local spheres.

Jupiter/Pluto

Jupiter, the planet of opportunity and expansion, forms an excellent aspect with Pluto in Capricorn this week. If you’ve been struggling with transitions or if the breakdowns in the economy have been shaking the structure of your business, this week can secure your foundations again. There is potential for practical solutions this week, which you can invite through earnest effort and a bit of trust. Change has come; this week you’ll recognize the benefits of that change and start looking forward to the future again. This is important, so keep your eyes open.

Since the aspect between Jupiter and Pluto is in earth signs, we’re not looking for something subtle. Concrete manifestation is more likely but sometimes this aspect feels so good we miss the fact that some action is required. An opportunity that comes your way this week can carry you far into the future, so grab it when it comes.

Venus and the T-square

Venus, the planet of material rewards and interrelationships, meets up with the Saturn/Uranus/Pluto T-square, as well as Jupiter and Neptune this week. Having just entered the sign of Cancer, she’s spending the week negotiating peace treaties among all the players. If we can just treat each other like family, she says, then we can all reach prosperity together.

Venus is no lightweight. We tend to personalize her because she represents a part of ourselves that is easy to feel and operates in our day-to-day lives. But as one of the emissaries of the Sun, she acts as an agent of our essential purpose in life through forming relationships with others. No matter what may be happening in the wider world, this week Venus bridges opposing parties and reminds us that collaboration beats competition every time. For us this means staying alert, seizing the moment, and choosing to nurture and protect everyone within our sphere, from employees to competitors to our human family as a whole.

Mercury and the T-square

Mercury, the planet of reason and intellect, is also in the mix this week. Another agent of our conscious will, Mercury translates our intention into communications and problem-solving. The new, the technological, the innovative will flow into our thoughts this week; keep yourself open to radical viewpoints and inventive solutions to technical difficulties. Mercury is with both Uranus and Jupiter this week, which can lead to exciting breakthroughs. Later in the week, a supportive Mercury/Saturn aspect brings the discipline and perseverance to settle the buzz of the week into a practical implementation plan.

Uranus Retrograde

Happy July 4th!

Uranus represents originality and unconventionality, either the brilliant genius or the willful rebel without a cause. Each year Uranus spends five months in retrograde motion. Retrograde motion is a visual event rather than an astronomical one. From our vantage point on earth, it looks like the planet begins to move backward against the backdrop of the constellations.

When Uranus entered the sign of Aries a few months ago, we were probably flooded with new ideas for our businesses, innovations we couldn’t wait to try, a restructuring whose time had finally come. We may have been “on fire” with potential and possibility.

Especially with unpredictable Uranus in impulsive, risk-loving Aries, the innovations we’ve been so fired up about could probably use a second look. This is the gift of retrograde motion – it gives us a chance to retrace our steps, to check initial results against expectations, and to correct decisions before they can do real damage.

When a planet moves into retrograde motion, we can experience reversals and disruptions for a week on either side. The tricky part about an outer planet like Uranus is that the reversals could well seem to be coming from forces outside yourself: that new project doesn’t get approved after all, that funding doesn’t come through as scheduled. If this is your experience, take a step back. Uranus can act suddenly and swiftly but after a couple of weeks, as we adjust to the retrograde energy, we’ll discover the purpose for the setback. And then we’ll be thanking our lucky stars!

Have a wonderful week! Happy Independence Day to everyone in the U.S.
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For an overview of the month, see Astro4Business Month Ahead – July 2011

For an overview of the year, check out these posts:

Pluto’s Journey through 2011

Neptune Swimming through 2011

Uranus Flashes through 2011

To read more about the business descriptions of the planets mentioned today, see

Tags: astrology, business, Jupiter, Mercury, Pluto, Saturn, Uranus, Venus

Astro4Business Weekly Highlights – Intensity!

Jun 26

Posted by Ellen Longo in Astro4Business Week | 105 Comments

Anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). (Source:Wikimedia Commons)

Hello everyone.

As I am writing this, I just heard James Taylor sing, “The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time.” Great line for writing an astrological article, don’t you think?

This is a week to recognize a turning point, a change in direction, but, interestingly, not a week to take action on our realizations. With the Moon waning all week until the New Moon Eclipse on Friday, it is a time to imbibe and hold.

The action begins on Monday and follows us throughout the week. On Monday, there is an aspect of conflict between the Sun and Pluto. Each year the Sun reaches the point in the zodiac where it is exactly opposite Pluto, and for as long as Pluto is in Capricorn, the next fifteen years or so, this opposition will happen when the Sun is in Cancer. Let’s unpack this a little.

Pluto in Capricorn heralds a long period of upheaval and transformation in structures, hierarchies, and systems. It does this by exposing the underbelly, bringing hidden facets to the surface, and expunging whatever is decayed, rotten, spoiling, or just plain has outlived its purpose. The Sun in Cancer is about nurturing growth and bonding with others. It is also the turning point of the year: end of 2^nd quarter, it is time to examine what is working and what is not. This is the perfect energy to make whatever adjustments are necessary to your business operations to insure that when the year ends, you’ll have met your goals.

I wouldn’t be surprised if in the past week or in this week coming you experience a fairly dramatic situation that exposes a system or structure that is failing. This opposition between the Sun and Pluto is somewhat like a Full Moon; let’s call it Full Pluto. The Sun shining fully on Pluto brings matters to light, and with Pluto, what it brings to light could be pretty nasty.

The Sun represents the leader, the owner, the team captain. If you’re the leader, you may feel exposed and responsible, and to some extent you are. Nevertheless, this transit can put you back on the right road. Fortunately, on the same day as the Sun/Pluto aspect there is a supportive aspect between Mars in Gemini and Uranus in Aries. This is a perfect aspect for imagining solutions. With Mars in Gemini, it may take many different small moves rather than one overhauling initiative. However, there is incredible support for technical creativity and problem solving.

The creativity of Monday could turn into frustration on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for two reasons. First, Mars continues the Sun/Pluto conflict with a difficult aspect to Pluto. This is the kind of energy where you can’t make any headway no matter what you try. The “powers that be” feel just indomitable. Second, the waning Moon has lost so much energy that it will be hard just to muster the enthusiasm to keep tackling the problems.

Then Friday is a New Moon Eclipse, and this is a big one. It features not only the eclipse, but a challenging aspect between the Sun and Saturn which will flavor the next few days. This aspect is also about systems and controls. You may even reach an ultimatum: either you bring yourself into alignment with existent structures or you decide to part ways. This is tough, but with the Sun and Venus in Cancer, the choice will be clear. You will favor whatever is most protective to others, most nurturing to your employees, most supportive to your customers. And that will be the right thing to do.

Remember that any New Moon, and especially an Eclipse, is a time of withdrawal and rest. Try to find time to be alone and turn toward inner sources of inspiration as much as you can this week.

Let me know how it all turns out!

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For an overview of the year, check out these posts:

Pluto’s Journey through 2011

Neptune Swimming through 2011

Uranus Flashes through 2011

For an overview of the month, see Astro4Business Month Ahead – June 2011

To read more about the business descriptions of the planets mentioned today, see

Tags: astrology, business, Eclipse, New Moon, Pluto, Saturn, Sun

Astro4Business Weekly Highlights – Solstice!

Jun 19

Posted by Ellen Longo in Astro4Business Week | 181 Comments

Hello everyone.

Quite a busy week ahead, but the most important astro-event is the Solstice on Tuesday. According to Wikipedia:

Summer Solstice Sunrise at Stonehenge (Source:Wikipedia)

A solstice is an astronomical event that happens twice each year, when the tilt of the Earth’s axis is most inclined toward or away from the Sun, causing the Sun’s apparent position in the sky to reach its northernmost or southernmost extreme. The name is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the Sun stands still in declination; that is, the apparent movement of the Sun’s path north or south comes to a stop before reversing direction.

Twice each year the Sun appears to stand still in the sky. In cultures all over the world and throughout history, people have noted and celebrated this semi-annual event. The Wikipedia article on “Winter solstice” cites 37 observances from Japan to the Inca Empire, from West Africa and Persia to the Zunis and Hopis of North America.

The Astronomical Sun

An astronomical event with this much impact in current and historical times can be felt in all parts of our lives. What lesson can we take for our businesses?

The Sun in the sky is the center of our solar system. Almost all of the energy that exists on this earth and in our lives comes from the Sun. Of all aspects of nature, the Sun holds the most essential place as it is directly responsible for the rhythms of our daily and yearly lives. At the solstices, the Sun stands still – it rests. Whether at the northern or southern declination, there is a moment of apparent stillness. Even this most powerful source of energy takes this moment of rest.

The Astrological Sun

In the chart of a business, the Sun represents the leader, the owner, the source of the vision and direction of the company. The Sun represents the essential style of the leader and how well the leader wields power and authority. Through the relationship of the Sun to the rest of the chart, we can see the vitality of the leader and how well the relationships between the owner and all the stakeholders function. The Sun represents you. Do you take rest?

The Solstices are nature’s reminders to pause, that as business leaders, whose lives are full of activity, decisions, and moving our companies forward, we can allow an occasional moment of stillness.

Your own Solstice

On Tuesday, why not create your own solstice? This week there are some lovely Neptune aspects and a general influence of the water element, both of which bring a natural ability to tune in to the inner world. The waning Moon also allows for some extra breathing time. Take the day off if you can, an hour, or even ten minutes. Sit down with your coffee and remember that you are the Sun in your business, the essential source of guidance and inspiration. Thank yourself for your focus and energy of the past six months. Ask your deeper wisdom for anything you need to know about the coming six months. Then walk around and thank your employees for their efforts since the start of the year.

Then begin again, just like the Sun.

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For an overview of the year, check out these posts:

Pluto’s Journey through 2011

Neptune Swimming through 2011

Uranus Flashes through 2011

For an Intro to Sun Signs and Leadership see this link to my other blog!

Have you seen my other blog? Discussing all things astrological, for anyone interested in real-life astrology, check out Ellen Longo’s Astrology Blog.

For an overview of the month, see Astro4Business Month Ahead – June 2011

To read more about the business descriptions of the planets mentioned today, see

The Sun

Neptune

Tags: astrology, business, Solstice

Astro4Business Weekly Highlights – Total Lunar Eclipse

Jun 12

Posted by Ellen Longo in Astro4Business Week | 109 Comments

Hello everyone.

This week features a waxing Moon culminating in the Total Lunar Eclipse on Wednesday, followed by several important Mercury transits. This is not likely to be a week you’ll forget! Let’s take a closer look.

(Note: I usually write this column on the weekend before the week and then promptly forget the day-by-day transits. During the week, when something unusual or of special interest comes up, I come back and read what I wrote for that specific day. Usually I can connect the situation to the daily transits but even if I cannot, reading about them again takes my thinking to a deeper level. I encourage you to revisit these pages as the week unfolds, too.)

Wednesday

Photo of the last Lunar_Eclipse, by Jiyang Chen (Source:Wikipedia)

This month’s full Moon is on Wednesday and it is a Total Lunar Eclipse. From Wikipedia:

“A lunar eclipse occurs when the moon passes behind the earth so that the earth blocks the sun’s rays from striking the moon. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle. Hence, there is always a full moon the night of a lunar eclipse.”

So this week we have this line-up of the Moon, Earth, and Sun, with the Earth’s shadow falling on the Moon, causing it to dim in the sky. In certain societies, this blocking of the Moon on what is usually her brightest night of the month is seen as a harbinger of bad news. And there are those who recommend that we take it easy on the day of the eclipse, avoiding all unnecessary work and travel.

I have the feeling that this eclipse will be relatively mild, even though it is total. Bridging the mutable signs Gemini and Sagittarius, we may be able to spend the day in a philosophical frame of mind. Any activities that combine Gemini’s love of words and communications with Sagittarius’ love of vision and justice will work out well today. Our task is to bring balance to the day and let the problems resolve themselves.

Thursday

On Thursday, Mercury enters Cancer and then forms an extremely harmonious aspect with Neptune. Mercury in Cancer moves our minds from the facts and data gathering common with Gemini to tuning into and dealing with our customers’ and employees’ needs and motivations. You may have to meet one-on-one with people and reassure them; you may have to spend more time discussing personal and family matters. If you focus on loyalty and emotional bonding, you will win others’ allegiance and support.

With Neptune on the field today, you may feel inspired by all your interactions, but steer away from decisions for today. Your insights are valid but you could mislead yourself about the scale of their application. Just take in the information now; decide what it means later.

Friday

Friday is an excellent day for big ideas and fruitful interactions with authority figures. Mercury in harmony with Jupiter helps you take in the big picture and you will like what you see. The future looks bright and you will understand how you can take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves.

With Venus in harmony with Saturn you will have the practical realism to turn your ideas into working plans, with a little help from others. Loyalty, duty, economy: these keywords will lead to good judgment and sound agreements. You’ll understand the value of alliances today, both existing ones and those on the horizon.

Saturday

Saturday continues the Mercury emphasis of the week and today could be a challenging day as Mercury in Cancer forms an aspect with Uranus in Aries. Mercury with Uranus usually brings clarity and insight, but Cancer and Aries are about as incompatible as two signs can be. Our thought processes are emotional and reactive due to Mercury’s placement in Cancer and Uranus is impatient with delays and “feelings.”

You may have to change gears for a while and accept the more intuitive and less rational. Don’t expect the usual incisive thinking processes from yourself or those around you. If you feel yourself pulled in two seemingly incompatible directions, just wait for the moment to pass. Soon a clearer perspective will return.

Sunday

Another Mercury aspect rounds out the week on Sunday! With Mercury in Cancer, people want to unburden themselves and it’s important to take the time to listen. With Pluto in Capricorn, you may find out something that has been hiding in the dark. Whatever it is, it’s important that you actively confront the issue and resolve it. It may require bringing others in to help, but try not to carry it into next week. Deal with it and move on.

Have a wonderful week and let me know how it goes. And remember to check back here for daily guidance when you need it.

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For an overview of the month, see Astro4Business Month Ahead – June 2011

Have you seen my other blog? Discussing all things astrological, for anyone interested in real-life astrology, check out Ellen Longo’s Astrology Blog.

To read more about the business descriptions of the planets mentioned today, see

Tags: astrology, business, Eclipse, Full Moon

Astro4Business Weekly Highlights – On Course

Jun 4

Posted by Ellen Longo in Astro4Business Week | 120 Comments

Anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). (Source:Wikimedia Commons)

Hello everyone.

The waxing Moon spells potential and possibilities this week; any challenges in the early week turn into opportunities by Saturday. Let’s look at it day by day.

Tuesday

Mercury in Gemini is in harmony with Saturn in Libra which is good, good, good for concentration, focus, and rational thinking. Mercury in Gemini alone can be a bit scattered and overly concerned with data gathering. Saturn’s influence will reveal the practical meaning and application of all that information.

Both planets are very strong in their respective signs: Mercury rules Gemini and Saturn is exalted in Libra. This makes it a particularly good day to meet with elders, advisors, and experts. They may ask you some tough questions but you can put their counsel to good use in your business.

Wednesday

This is the first quarter Moon day, a day which often requires us to switch gears. You may have to choose between alternatives: which project will you invest your time and energy in, which one will you put on hold for another time? With the Moon in Virgo, take the time to analyze each option thoroughly. Once you’ve decided, go with it and don’t look back.

Thursday

Venus enters Gemini on Thursday. This takes our eyes off practical creativity and on to learning from others. We become extroverted, chatty, and, like a butterfly, land in each place just long enough to make an impression. Just be careful that too much chatting doesn’t dissipate your energy so that you don’t get anything done…

Friday

On Friday, chatty Venus encounters dreamy Neptune. We are likely to feel confused and maybe even sleepy or we lack focus for discussion. It is not good to make important financial decisions from this state!

We may also be inclined to sugar-coat the signals we receive from others. Deceptive fantasy is a hallmark of this aspect, so do your best to keep it real. Or better yet, retreat into solitude and indulge in a little day-dreaming and creative imagination. This aspect can bring true inspiration but is a non-starter for decision-making.

Saturday

The Moon continues to wax to maximum harmony with the Sun today, a great day for enlisting others to support your project goals. The channels of communication are wide open and ready to support you.

Sunday

Two major heavenly occurrences today: the Sun joins Mercury in Gemini and Saturn returns to direct motion.

This Sun/Mercury conjunction is called the superior conjunction. This is the best day in the Sun/Mercury cycle for a meeting of the minds, an excellent day for communication and planning. Our purpose and our ability to communicate are in sync today. It’s a great day to hand out assignments, send people on fact-finding missions, and explore future possibilities.

Sunday evening (MDT) Saturn resumes direct motion after retrograde motion since January. Since Saturn in Libra rules business matters such as partnerships, alliances, supply chains, and contracts, hopefully you’ve taken the last few months to review these matters. If anything troublesome has come to light, now is the time to take action and make whatever changes are necessary.

That’s the week! Let me know how it all plays out!

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For an overview of the month, see Astro4Business Month Ahead – June 2011

For an overview of the year, check out these posts:

Pluto’s Journey through 2011

Neptune Swimming through 2011

Uranus Flashes through 2011

Have you seen my other blog? Discussing all things astrological, for anyone interested in real-life astrology, check out Ellen Longo’s Astrology Blog.

To read more about the business descriptions of the planets mentioned today, see

Tags: astrology, business

Astro4Business Weekly Highlights – New Beginnings

May 29

Posted by Ellen Longo in Astro4Business Week | 12 Comments

Anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). (Source:Wikimedia Commons)

Hello everyone.

After a few weeks of relative quiet, this week opens on a sober note and then all hell breaks loose! We’ve got an eclipse, two planets changing signs, a preponderance of mental Mercury/Gemini energy, and a planet turning retrograde all squeezed between Wednesday and Saturday. Let’s see how it plays out day to day.

Wednesday

Very early in the morning on Wednesday (MDT) the Sun in Gemini forms an aspect with Saturn retrograde in Libra. This marks the beginning of the end of the Saturn retrograde period that started back in January. Saturn doesn’t finally turn direct until June 12, but this aspect marks the time when Saturn is virtually at a standstill. Don’t be surprised if your energy is really flagging, especially considering the New Moon Eclipse later in the day. But underneath the surface you may have a sense of expectation, tension, and the feeling that you’ve been in a long captivity that just won’t end. Don’t let that feeling of anticipation cause you to jump the gun. Some new structure is coming into being – it’s been in the works since January. Just let it unfold in its own time over the next couple of weeks. No need to rush it.

Later in the day we have the first of three eclipses over the next month, a Solar Partial Eclipse which can only happen on the New Moon. This eclipse may exacerbate the feeling that something is supposed to happen that won’t reveal itself yet, and frustration is highly likely in response. The New Moon is always an interior event, when our conscious aims and goals, represented by the Sun, are merging with our unconscious needs and desires, represented by the Moon. During a solar eclipse our conscious will is drawn even more into the netherworld, where it receives its marching orders for the next cycle. You may feel completely unfocused and many people even feel ill on the day of an eclipse. Try to take time to be quiet; don’t exert yourself if you can avoid it. Just stay tuned in to your inner sources of wisdom. Receive, don’t act today.

Thursday

Mercury moves into Gemini on Thursday, where it will travel for less than two weeks! As Mercury speeds through Gemini, our minds become bright, restless and curious. Communications of all kinds are favored, so this is the time to take those meetings, initiate new contacts, and get out and about to meet and greet customers.

Friday

Yesterday, Mercury moved into Gemini. Today it runs into conflict with Neptune in Pisces. When Mercury is in Gemini we are apt to look outside ourselves for answers, in books, on the internet, in every water cooler conversation. We’re just sure if we gather enough information our challenges can be resolved rationally and logically. But with Neptune on the field, today is not a rational day. And no matter how you try, as you attempt to communicate with others, things can come out confused and distorted. That’s because Neptune in Pisces isn’t into words-based connecting, but interactions on the basis of feelings and shared beliefs. You’ll have to find a way to square these two perspectives today, and if you do, you’ll learn something that will bring benefits that stretch into the future.

Then later in the day Neptune comes to a virtual standstill and enters apparent retrograde motion, beginning its annual retreat across the heavens until next November. Often on the day a planet changes direction there is an outward manifestation of an issue which will come under examination the whole time the planet is retrograde. Look for the whisperings of a coming paradigm shift in the news on Friday, especially concerning healthcare, oil drilling, the creative arts, or the pharmaceutical industry. Let’s see if we can discern the retrograde station of Neptune this year.

Saturday

On Saturday Jupiter leaves the first sign of the zodiac, Aries, and enters the second, Taurus. Jupiter in Taurus brings a year of consolidation after the frenetic, expansive energy we’ve been experiencing since Jupiter entered Aries last June. If you and your staff are burned out from all the Aries fire, you can relax now, be sure to pay your staff well. Taurus will bring a much slower pace as well as the material rewards of all your hard work. Look for more on this transit in the June monthly forecast.

A little later we have the final aspect of the week – an inventive sextile between Mercury in Gemini and Uranus in Aries. The sextile aspect is very supportive so leave your door open for someone with good news or a new insight that brings an opportunity for growth and development. You have to stand poised to respond though; this Uranus revelation can come and go in a flash. Keep pen and paper or a recording device with you at all times.

And that’s it! After a quiet few weeks we’re back at full speed. Enjoy!

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For an overview of the year, check out these posts:

Pluto’s Journey through 2011

Neptune Swimming through 2011

Uranus Flashes through 2011

Have you seen my other blog? Discussing all things life and other matters, for anyone interested in real-life astrology, check out Ellen Longo’s Astrology Blog.

Do you have a question for Ellen? See the “Work with Ellen” tab at the top of this site for my Straight to the Point Response service.

To read more about the business descriptions of the planets mentioned today, see

Tags: astrology, business, Eclipse, Mercury Retrograde, New Moon

Astro4Business Weekly Highlights – Alert!

May 22

Posted by Ellen Longo in Astro4Business Week | 8 Comments

Anonymous Flammarion woodcut (1888). (Source:Wikimedia Commons)

Hello everyone.

This week continues this month’s relatively easy and fulfilling trend. No difficult planetary aspects mark the sky and in fact, there’s a couple which are full of promise, supportive and invigorating. We’re in the waning phase of the Moon, with its tone of letting go of the current projects on our desks, and we’re beginning to prepare for the next monthly cycle which begins with the Solar Partial Eclipse on June 1^st.

Monday

Wednesday

Uranus entered Aries earlier this year, marking the beginning of a new 84-year cycle of innovation and invention. Initiative, spontaneity, change, and breakthrough are some of the keywords of Uranus in Aries.

On Wednesday, with the Sun in Gemini forming a sextile to Uranus, you are likely to encounter information which gives you a peek into where this new Uranus cycle is taking you. You could recognize an opportunity for growth and development; something that may have been lingering in the back of your mind could take shape. Take the time to synthesize information from a number of sources and you’ll see the pattern. This is an energizing aspect, bright and alert.

Go easy on the coffee this week though; this Sun/Uranus aspect will provide plenty of nervous energy and caffeine may jangle your nerves just a little too much.

Have a great week!

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For an overview of the month, see Astro4Business Month Ahead – May 2011

Have you seen my new blog? Discussing all things astrological, for anyone interested in real-life astrology, check out Ellen Longo’s Astrology Blog.

Do you have a question for Ellen? See the “Work with Ellen” tab at the top of this site for my Straight to the Point Response service.

To read more about the business descriptions of the planets mentioned today, see

Tags: astrology, business, Mars, Sun, Uranus, Venus