Astro4Business Intersections

Business success through Astrology

Entries (RSS)

Archive for category What to do now

Saturn Retrograde – 10 Tips for Success

Jan 25

Posted by Ellen Longo in Astro4Business Management Tips, Retrograde Motion, Saturn in Libra, What to do now | 1,283 Comments

Hello, everyone.

As Earth (blue) passes a superior planet, such as Saturn (red), the superior planet will temporarily appear to reverse its motion across the sky.(Source: Wikipedia)

Tonight Saturn begins a 4 ½ month period of retrograde motion.  This period of retrograde motion occurs every year as it is a product of the angle between the Sun, the earth, and the retrograde planet.  Whenever the Sun approaches the opposite sign as the planet, the planet appears to move backwards against the backdrop of the stars.  Fully 1/3 of the year is spent with Saturn in retrograde motion.

The Face of Saturn

Saturn represents the intensity of one’s ambition, the inner pressure to become or accomplish something.  Saturn also indicates the Achilles heel, the mind-set in which doubt and fear or an overly conservative attitude works against success.  When Saturn is strong in a businessperson’s chart, they run a tight ship with an authoritarian management style and excellent administrative abilities.

In business, Saturn describes systems and procedures, controls and policies.  It can also indicate outside rules and regulations such as tax and housing codes and the general level of difficulty the business will experience with outside authorities.  It rules audits and reporting, bureaucracy and bylaws.  It also shows the area where good hard work and persistence will pay off and where inner and outer limitations can spark real growth and accomplishment.

Saturn Retrograde

When Saturn is retrograde we have the opportunity to examine whether our standard modes of operation truly spring from our own values, or have been imposed upon us by authority figures or societal norms.  It’s a time when our regular structures of support and stability may be withdrawn and we have to rely upon our own creativity and self-discipline to achieve our goals.

Saturn becomes less direct and overt when in retrograde motion which can relieve stress and struggle.  Yet as business managers we may see that our authority becomes undermined as others break free from outer rules and regulations too.

10 Tips for 4 ½ Months

Here are 10 tips to get the most out of Saturn retrograde:

  1. If you run into difficulties with authority figures, examine your actions from another point of view.  Have you given your power over to another authority?  Are you blaming something or someone external when you need to bring a more mature attitude to the situation?
  2. This is a great time to examine historical practices to see if they still add value.  Undertake a study of some aspect of your processes and procedures to bring new efficiency to a stale operation.
  3. Your normal sense of lock-in weakens during Saturn retrograde.  Often we are so habituated to the way we think about a problem that potential solutions are not even considered.  Explore options you would normally consider too risky.
  4. Saturn retrograde is a great time to undertake a major restructuring effort.  Resistance to change is lowered during this time.
  5. You may be thwarted in your role as an authority figure in your business during Saturn retrograde.  If so, share authority, be willing to listen, and promote those who act with good judgment and teamwork.  Expose others to the reality of your business situation and demand that they step up into more responsibility.
  6. Play with improvisation.  You might even bring in an expert to lead your management team through an improvisation workshop to practice creativity, collaboration and innovation.  Be willing to entertain “business as not-usual.”
  7. With Saturn in the back seat, your timing may falter if you adhere to too rigid schedules.  Provide room in your meetings and to-do lists for the unexpected.
  8. List your major responsibilities, both in your business and in your personal life, and examine if they are in balance.  This is a great time to bring a sense of proportion back to your activities.
  9. Your normal support staff or mentors may falter.  You may need to support others more or rely upon your own creativity and self-discipline to get the job done.  This is a great opportunity to develop support for your supporters.

10.  If there is a shift in a business alliance, ask yourself, “How can I exploit this change as an opportunity for my organization?”  More profitable alliances are most likely waiting in the wings.

And a Reminder

Remember, Saturn rules common sense and this quality may be lacking while Saturn is retrograde.  Be more vigilant than usual as you weigh your options and potential projects.  Your practical wisdom is there; you just need to take more time to access it.  Have fun, but no off-the-cuff decisions, please!

To explore more about Saturn and its current passage through Libra, see these posts:

Welcome to Saturn in Libra

Saturn in Libra – the Letter of the Law

Welcome (Again) to Saturn in Libra

Collaboration

To read more about retrograde motion, see these links:

Elegant Stillness

Retracing Your Steps – Retrograde Motion

What did you miss?

*******************************************************

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.

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

For more info on the business descriptions of the planets mentioned, see
Saturn

Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.

Tags: , , ,

Looking Ahead to Jupiter in Aries

Jan 18

Posted by Ellen Longo in Businesses in the news, Current Events, Jupiter in Aries, Long-term Planning, What to do now | 11 Comments

Hello everyone.

Jupiter, the planet of enthusiasm, expansion, treaties, politics, and law, will end its long sojourn in Pisces on Saturday and enter the sign Aries.  Let’s take a look at Jupiter in Aries and discover how best to use the next five months to capitalize on the opportunities it will surely bring.

As I was listening to NPR this morning I heard a story about how American Airlines is withdrawing from its participation in sites such as Orbitz and Expedia.  Since Jupiter rules the airline industry and all things related to travel my ears perked up.

American Airlines and Jupiter in Aries

Zeus (Jupiter) battling the Typhon. 1811 (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

The story strikes me as a perfect example of Jupiter moving from Pisces into Aries.  Pisces is a sign that favors unification and lack of differentiation; Aries is a sign that singles out the aggressive, warrior spirit.  American Airlines specifically cited that their reason to differentiate their product was to show the public what is unique about their company.  They no longer want to be viewed as one more flying bus, but as a boutique service that grants their customers access to various exclusive options. These unique options are not apparent when customers use middleman sites like Orbitz.

American Airlines said they want to connect directly to the customer rather than through another entity.  This move is expected to foreshadow a much more fragmented industry, with each player eventually withdrawing from the consolidated sites and approaching customers more directly.

Does this sound like Jupiter in Aries?  You bet.  This short story demonstrates some of the key features of Jupiter in Aries for business:

  • Consolidated efforts characterized Jupiter in Pisces.  In Aries, opportunities will be one-on-one; may the best person win!
  • There will be increasing product differentiation.  Businesses with unique or instant qualities will garner opportunities.  Stressing similarities was oh, so, Pisces.
  • Customers will expect individual contact rather than being treated as a herd.
  • Direct customer contact will become more important than relying on middlemen.
  • Industries will fragment, each vying to communicate the unique value of their product.

The Square and more Jupiter in Aries

Another story caught my ear as a foreshadow to Jupiter in Aries.  This story featured the “Square”, which allows micro-businesses to accept credit card transactions through a mobile phone, then you can also seamlessly operate two separate WhatsApp accounts on one phone, look no further than https://www.yourbusinessnumber.com/blog/two-whatsapp-accounts-on-one-phone to see how that’s done. This handy resource not only provides virtual numbers, but also shares a detailed guide on how to effortlessly set up and manage both numbers..  On the spot credit card payments allow small business owners to forego the usual expenses of billing and collecting, allows the customer to pay immediately, and the fee for the service is less than most common credit card processing charges.  The two men featured in the story were construction workers who had lost their jobs and were running a lawn maintenance business.

What are the marks of Jupiter in Aries in this story?

  • Micro-businesses and small businesses will increase in number as large conglomerates begin to break into smaller companies and people continue to build businesses in lieu of employment.  (This is also a feature of the coming Uranus in Aries transit.)
  • As the number of micro and small businesses increases, there will be an increased demand for products and services to help them run their businesses.
  • On the spot, cut to the chase transactions will become common as the desire to do more, quickly, emerges as a response to the continued weakness in the economy.
  • Back offices will become dismantled as devices become available which allow overhead to be reduced.

Aries, the “first” sign

These two simple stories tell so much.  Aries is a fundamentally aggressive mind-set, whether in the form of the lone-wolf entrepreneur or the established global company.  It brings a desire to take on the competition, expand into new territory, and develop new markets.  Aries is challenged and excited by a little risk, and the Jupiter in us loves an adventure.  These two together bring to mind “frontier leadership,” a term I use to describe the spirit of bold expedition into unknown lines of business.  And these two don’t mind “ramming” things through either; they’re certain a good bump in the right direction is just what someone may need to see the light.

Competition will feature strongly over the next five months, and this competition could be directed against others or against the limits you’ve reached in the past.  There’s a lack of restraint to Jupiter in Aries, some may say a foolishness, which endeavors against all odds to win.  There is a feeling of wanting it all and wanting no one to stand in the way.  And this independent spirit has led to amazing inventions and innovations in the past:  Jupiter in Aries witnessed the first electrical telegram, the first diplomatic agreement between China and the U.S., the First Baptist Church, and the first solo, non-stop, transatlantic flight.  In these examples you can see Jupiter acting through the sign of new beginnings.

In fact “first” is a good word to contemplate.  Aries is the first sign of the zodiac and Jupiter’s ingress on Saturday marks the beginning of a new twelve year Jupiter cycle.  Jupiter likes to think big!  Can you think about the next twelve years and being “first” in some aspect of your industry?  Over the next five months, as Jupiter wanders through Aries, it’s time to take a new plunge.  Can you look at the bulleted points above and find something that resonates for your business?

*******************************************************

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.

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

For more info on the business descriptions of the planets mentioned this week, see

Jupiter

Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.

Tags: , ,

Mercury Retrograde – 10 Ways to Engage

Aug 18

Posted by Ellen in Retrograde Motion, What to do now | 6 Comments

Mercury the Trickster stops to fasten his sandal.(Wikimedia Commons)

Hello, everyone.

Three times a year, Mercury enters its retrograde phase for three weeks.  Mercury retrograde is an opportunity to turn our attention from our normal “pedal to the metal” style of thinking to a more reflective and inwardly-tuned focus.

This may sound inefficient but it’s actually an important part of our mental cycles to pause and review whether there are red flags that we’ve been moving too fast to notice.  The trepidation people often feel when they hear that Mercury is moving into retrograde motion stems from ignoring the cues to take a break from direct action and forward motion.  One of Mercury’s guises is the Trickster and he does have a way of getting our attention if we won’t occasionally slow down.

Retrograde Mercury signals a time when information from our unconscious mind can rise to the surface and come into conscious awareness.  While we’ve been moving full-speed ahead, our deeper self has been grappling with the issues and challenges that we don’t have time to address in our busy business lives.  With retrograde Mercury, solutions born of connections, synchronicities, and impressions that we may have missed along the way have an opportunity to present themselves.  New information will emerge if we stop trying to figure it all out with our logical, left-brained minds.

So if you don’t take direct action during this time, what do you do?  We obviously don’t want to just drop the ball and say, oh, Mercury is retrograde so I’m going to the beach for three weeks.  (Or do we?)  While we put our current plans on the back burner, this is an excellent time to examine past actions and correct any loose ends that may be sapping our energy day to day.

The RE words are an excellent place to start.  Here are 10 actions you can take while you let your creative thoughts simmer for a while:

  1. Rebuild – Yes, I mean that computer system that you almost implemented but is still hanging everyone up with bugs every day.
  2. Recall – If you’ve got your own company “sticky accelerator” this is the time to ‘fess up to your customers and have them let you fix it.
  3. Recap – This is an excellent time to look back at your financial, marketing, or production efforts and see where the gains and losses have been to date.  Charts, graphs, and spreadsheets can tell the story of the past.
  4. Receive – I’m thinking about Accounts Receivable.  Do you know where your receivables stand, how many days past due, which customers are behind?  This is the time to get clear about what is owed to you and to have the frank discussions with your customers to a committed repayment plan.  Don’t worry – it’s good for them with Mercury retrograde to clean up their debts too.
  5. Reciprocate – Do you owe somebody a favor, a dinner, a hand?  Have you been meaning to show someone how much you appreciated their recent help?  Now’s the time to express your gratitude in a tangible way.
  6. Recommit – What are the half-done projects that are sitting in file folders waiting for your attention?  Now is the time to review them and either recommit to them or put them away for good.
  7. Reconcile – Is there someone in your business or local environment that you’ve been at odds with, someone whose support you need?  This is the time to make the move to right the misunderstandings from the past and begin again.
  8. Reconsider – Look over the past few weeks.  Is there something you categorically rejected but keeps coming up in one form or another?  Get the facts in front of you again and see if there’s something you missed or new information that makes a difference to your decision.
  9. Refine – A great time to look at your systems and processes and refine your approach.  What can be done better, more efficiently?  What can be automated?  Can you reduce the scope while making it even better?
  10. Rejoin – Clubs, associations, charities. Have you let yourself become too busy or disheartened to attend to this aspect of your work? Are you still attending but your attention has wandered? This may be the time to rejoin, to give and receive, and to support your colleagues through this challenging year.

To read more about Mercury retrograde and retrograde motion, see these posts:

10 Best Practices for Mercury Retrograde

Astro4Business Basics – Mercury

Elegant Stillness

Retracing Your Steps – Retrograde Motion

What did you miss?

Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

Tags: , , , ,

A4B Today – August 11, Planning your Next Project

Aug 10

Posted by Ellen in Astro4Business Today, What to do now | 7 Comments

Source:Wikimedia Commons


Good Day!

Yesterday with the New Moon in Leo, we talked about picking a new project, an audacious project to develop during the coming month.  Did you pick yours?  If not, later in this post I’ll give you some hints as to where to look.

Today the Moon progresses into the sign Virgo, continuing the emergence of the new inspiration born at the New Moon.  With the Virgo energy we can begin the transformation of our bold idea into a solid, useful product.  How?  Using the Virgo traits of analysis, practicality, and an orientation toward service.  The seed that sprouted at the New Moon just begins to take shape today and in order to continue to grow it needs the detailed planning that only the Virgo energy can bring.  It needs the systems orientation and the love of craftsmanship and simplicity.  It needs an organized approach.

The Virgo Moon also joins Mercury in Virgo today.  This is excellent for getting a plan or drawing down on paper; the beginning of a chronicle of your process to refer to and expand as the project unfolds over the next month.  This planning process will help you to recognize the resources and tools you will need to pull it off.  A cash flow projection will help you to recognize whether you have adequate cash on hand or whether you need to tap other sources of funds.  And a project budget will reveal the total costs involved.

This is the kind of analysis that Virgo loves, things with initials like ROI and EBT.  Today is the perfect day to get your project plan in writing.  You can do it yourself or bring your team in to help, pulling the pieces together over the next couple of days while the Moon is in Virgo.  The Virgo energy will give you excellent attention to detail so that as the month ahead unfolds you’ll have a firm foundation on which to build your work and delegate assignments, knowing you’ve considered every angle right from the start.  And if you realize you missed something as you go along, add it to the plan so it’s in place next time you begin a new project.

Hints for your new project

In case you didn’t catch your next project idea, here are some hints based on where the New Moon in Leo emerged in your chart.  The New Moon was at 17 degrees of Leo on Monday night.  Simply look at your natal chart or the chart of your business for the house that contains 17 degrees of Leo and read the hints for that house below.  See if these keywords spark the new idea that’s waiting to be discovered.  If you don’t have your birthchart, see the sidebar for how to request one from this site.

1st House – apparel, make-up, ornamentation, the body, fitness.

2nd House – money, personal finances, investments, jewelry, gemstones, soil.

3rd House – learning, teaching, news, books, writing, transportation, tools, telecommunications.

4th House – land, real estate, housing, domestic products, property, the elderly, parenting, ancestry.

5th House – fun, recreation, sports, romance, art, children, humor.

6th House – health related matters, diet, food, pets, human resources, gardens, employment, customer service.

7th House – partnerships, legal affairs, relationships, conflict resolution, contracts, negotiations, coaching, culture.

8th House – taxes, inheritances, insurance, banking, venture capital, shareholders, conception, birth, death, legacies, metaphysics.

9th House – adult education, publishing, global matters, law, medicine, travel, religion.

10th House – Leadership, self-employment, honors, parenting, executives, hierarchies, boards of directors, heroes.

11th House – Community, team sports, social networking, politics, corporate responsibility.

12th House – Hospitals, nursing, institutions, military, charitable organizations, the underserved, trends.

Have a wonderful day and please share your new project idea with all of us in the comments section.

For an overview of the week, see the Astro4Business Weekly Forecast – Aug 9 – 15

For an overview of the month, see the Astro4Business Month Ahead – August 2010

For more info on the business descriptions of the planets mentioned today, see

The Moon

Mercury

Tags: , , , , ,

Straight to the Point Response Update

Aug 6

Posted by Ellen in What to do now, Your Questions | 1 Comment

Hubble Photograph (Source:Wikimedia Commons)

Hello, everyone.

We just launched our new service, SPR or Straight to the Point Response, last week and already the questions are streaming in.  It seems that people really appreciate the personal style  (“I felt understood, perceived and reassured.”) as well as the information (“You are very insightful.  It was so helpful.”)

I encourage you to take advantage of this service.  It’s inexpensive and “straight to the point,” a quick and timely response to the business issues you are facing during this astrologically challenging time.

For the many new readers who join every day, here is the explanation of this new service.


Dear Friend,

Astro4Business is the premier astrological site combining business expertise and astrological knowledge. Ellen Longo, CPA, CFP has over thirty years experience in business ownership and executive level leadership and she brings this unique perspective to every astrological consultation.

Many readers of the Astro4Business Intersections blog have requested consultations with Ellen. We are offering a new service for busy business owners and leaders: the Straight to the Point Response (SPR for those who like acronyms.)

This is how the SPR works:

  • Email your specific question to ellen@astro4business.com. I will also need your astrological information if you are a new client. The charge for each response is $40 and will consist of a two page answer or a recording specifically related to you and your question.
  • I will send a PayPal invoice for you to pay online.
  • Within one week of the date we receive your payment, I will send your Straight to the Point Response.
  • After you have read or listened to your report, you are welcome to send up to three clarifying questions at no additional charge. (A clarifying question is a question you ask to make sure you’ve understood my response correctly.)

What kinds of questions are common?

Here are some examples of common questions. Of course, there are as many questions as there are specific situations; this is just to get you started. And remember, a general question will elicit a general answer; a more specific question will elicit a more specific answer; and the more background you can give me, the more the answer will meet your needs.

  • I am considering taking on a partner or investor. Is this a good time to make this move?
  • Is this a good time to open a branch office?
  • Everything seems challenging in my business right now. What’s the best approach?
  • What can I do to make sure my boss notices the work I’m doing?
  • A senior staff member and I keep clashing. Is there anything I can do to smooth things out?
  • I’m developing short-term career goals. Any advice, based on my chart?
  • I have to decide between two opportunities. Which has the most promise?
  • I feel stuck. Is there something else I should be doing?
  • I’m considering going back to school. What do you think?
  • My job requires public speaking, which I hate. Any tips on how to overcome this fear?

I hope you will find this new service a useful source of knowledge and support.

Best always,

Ellen

Tags: ,

A4B Today – August 3, Hold Steady

Aug 2

Posted by Ellen in Astro4Business Today, Cardinal T-square 2010, What to do now | 1 Comment

Source:Wikimedia Commons

Good Day!

To take action or not; this seems to be the question on a lot of people’s minds these days.  Obviously we’re in a time of great change:  structures all falling, skeletons are coming out of the closet, people and institutions we relied upon in the past are no longer there for us.  We’re naturally inclined to want to change something in these circumstances and sometimes we feel that any change will be for the better.

When we are going through a time like this summer when the planets indicate a massive realignment of energies and priorities, it’s just as easy to make a bad decision as a good one.  In my experience, when the outer planets are active, as they are now, it can take months or even years to fully understand what the process was really about.  Someone just asked me this morning if I thought she should move ahead now and make a break with her career.  I know where she’s coming from, the conflicting planetary configurations of this summer are directly impacting her chart and therefore her business is being buffeted from all sides too.

These energies are massive, affecting world politics, the preservation of life on earth, the ability of people to freely express their highest desires, and when these energies reach this level of intensity we don’t always process them correctly while they are happening.  We have to get through them before we can discern what has changed and how we should respond to that change.

I’m sure you’ve experienced this.  You go through a period when life seems so volatile that it’s all you can do to just get through the day.  You have no perspective or context for the many upheavals going on around you.  Then when the smoke clears you can see the meaning and all the pieces fit together in a way you just couldn’t recognize when you were in the middle of it.

This time is like that.  Even though we feel pushed into making some kind of adjustment in our business lives, it’s best to wait a while.  There was a good example of this in the Harvard Business Review Management Tips today.  The article addressed how so often executives begin a restructuring project in their organizations just so they can take some action to address the problems.  Yet restructuring is most often a waste of time and money because it doesn’t address what is fundamentally in need of change in the company.

Let’s be smarter than those executives in our businesses.  Let’s take smaller steps, make incremental improvements.  Is everyone clear how decisions are made?  Does your team have the information they need to get their jobs done well?  Do you have the right people in the right positions?  Look at each of these in turn, rather than a massive restructure.

With the Sun in Leo and the Moon in Taurus today, our motto should be, “hold steady.”  Let’s not bite off more than we can chew, and certainly let’s not be tempted to act before the time is right, before we understand the truth about our situations, before we’ve taken everyone’s benefit into consideration.  This is not the time for change for change sake; it is a time for measured and skillful action supported by patience.

To read more about this summer’s rare and conflicting aspects, see the category to the right, the Cardinal T-square 2010.

For an overview of the week, see the Astro4Business Weekly Forecast – Aug 2 – 8

For an overview of the month, see the Astro4Business Month Ahead – August 2010

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.

Tags: , ,

Astro4Business Forecast Today – May 14

May 14

Posted by Ellen in Astro4Business Today, What to do now | No Comments

Source:Wikimedia Commons

Good Day!

Early today your recent efforts can pay off, a nice way to end the week!  The New Moon forms harmonious aspects with Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus.  Jupiter and Saturn represent the balance between optimism and practical reality and with the Moon in steady Taurus you “bite off exactly as much as you can chew,” so to speak.  Uranus brings in the spark of genius and willingness to take a risk.  Real gains can be made, including to your bank account!

The only risk is the Moon in a challenging aspect to Neptune right in the middle of the other aspects.  This may make you vulnerable to the wishes and aspirations of others rather than staying focused on your own goals.  Or you may find yourself vacillating between the solid gains you need to make and an impractical, dreamy, yearning state.  It’s fine to give your imagination some freedom today, but it would be a shame to lose the opportunity for the tangible results the other planets provide.  Try setting a time limit to your mind’s wandering.

Later in the day the Moon leaves solid, reliable Taurus and enters chatty, relational Gemini.  The week ends with conversation, information, and a bit of travel around town.  With Mercury newly in direct motion (since Tuesday) in Taurus, you may feel things are moving a little too fast and could even feel annoyed that the pace has picked up before you’re ready.  Don’t worry:  you’ll catch up with yourself soon.

At the end of the day the Moon comes in contact with Pluto in Capricorn.  This could unearth a weighty and demanding concern, one you really don’t want to deal with on a Friday!  Let it wait; if it’s important, you can deal with it over the next couple of days.

Enjoy your weekend, if you take one!

For an overview of the week, see the Astro4Business Weekly Forecast – May 10 – 16

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

To read more about Pluto in Capricorn, see these articles:

What to do about Pluto in Capricorn (Redux)

Birthing a Revolution – Pluto in Capricorn

For more info on the planets influencing today, see

The Moon

Mercury

Jupiter

Saturn

Uranus

Neptune

Pluto

Don’t forget. If you have an astrology-related business question (or a business-related astrology question) send it to me at ellen@astro4business.com. I’ll answer it in these posts, anonymously of course, and we can all learn from each other’s experiences. I look forward to it! Have a question now? Email it and let’s get started!

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Astro4Business Forecast Today – May 12

May 11

Posted by Ellen in Astro4Business Today, What to do now | 1 Comment

Source:Wikimedia Commons

Good Day!

Today the Moon enters Taurus.  The Moon represents our moment to moment feelings, responses, and reactions to the situations we meet each day.  When the Moon is in Taurus, there is a steady consistency to our feelings and our emotional responses are stimulated to protect and provide for those in our immediate circle.

In business this plays out as a willingness to commit to our employees and a heightened regard for their material needs.  The next couple of days is a great time to have a salary conversation or to negotiate a new contract because under this Moon you feel practical as well as protective.  You don’t need to worry you’ll give away the store because your practical concern will extend to your own wallet as well.  Just wait until after the New Moon on Thursday to seal the deal.

When the Moon is in Taurus we want to achieve something tangible, to build on our past efforts, and to increase our bank accounts as well.  Money tends to be on our minds, and today, with the Moon joining Mercury and in harmony with Pluto, it’s a great day to understand how the economics of our times can lead to solid products and services that will increase your share of business. 

The key to success in your market can become obvious to you today and the Taurus Moon gives you the strength of will to doggedly pursue your goals.  You’ll have to let something go, though.  Pluto in Capricorn may require you to relinquish one practice or product in order to produce a newer one that is more resonant with these times.  Identify what is ready to die anyway, say goodbye, and move on!

For an overview of the week, see the Astro4Business Weekly Forecast – May 10 – 16

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

For more info on the planets influencing today, see

The Moon

Mercury

Pluto

Check out these posts to explore Pluto in Capricorn:

What to do about Pluto in Capricorn (Redux)

Michael Lutin – short video on Pluto in Capricorn

Birthing a Revolution – Pluto in Capricorn

Don’t forget. If you have an astrology-related business question (or a business-related astrology question) send it to me at ellen@astro4business.com. I’ll answer it in these posts, anonymously of course, and we can all learn from each other’s experiences. I look forward to it! Have a question now? Email it and let’s get started!

Tags: , , , ,

Astro4Business Forecast Today – May 11

May 10

Posted by Ellen in Astro4Business Today, What to do now | No Comments

Source:Wikimedia Commons

Good Day!

Today Mercury resumes direct motion.  Mercury represents our conscious mind and rational thinking processes and includes all forms of communication.  In ancient times Mercury was the god of commerce and is usually represented holding a purse to signify his involvement in business.  He is the god of interchange, whether monetary interchange as in business transactions or purely mental interchange as in the realm of communications.  It is this faculty that is reflected in his title as the “messenger of the gods,” as he facilitates the interchange between gods and humans.

On the day that Mercury turns direct there is often a tangible outward manifestation of his power.  Watch for that today.  You can look for a business communication that resolves a matter from the past and allows it to move forward again.  Or perhaps clarity on an idea that was born about 10 days ago and gets the go ahead today.  Or you may finally get that meeting with the client that you’ve been working on.  Let’s all watch for Mercury to make himself known and share it with everyone in the comments if you notice his presence today.

Don’t be surprised if you feel a little groggy though.  In the weekly forecast I likened the few days around Mercury direct to the few minutes after you come out of a deep mediation.  It takes some time for our brain wave activity to return to its normal state of functioning.  Just like coming out of meditation, it’s good to come out of Mercury retrograde slowly, and not require the top level of mental clarity from yourself or your employees for a couple of days.

Other than Mercury, it’s a crossed purposes day in the tenor of the whole week.  The Moon in Aries fills us with energy and the desire to get something off the ground, but the Moon is waning into its darkest phase before it is New on Thursday.  It’s not the time to initiate something new.  Use the Aries energy to tie up loose ends and to bring what you’re working on to a complete close.  It could be tough to focus on these matters but you’ll thank yourself when you arrive at the true starting point later in the week.

Remember to watch for Mercury today!

For an overview of the week, see the Astro4Business Weekly Forecast – May 10 – 16

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

For more info on the planets influencing today, see

The Moon

Mercury

Don’t forget. If you have an astrology-related business question (or a business-related astrology question) send it to me at ellen@astro4business.com. I’ll answer it in these posts, anonymously of course, and we can all learn from each other’s experiences. I look forward to it! Have a question now? Email it and let’s get started!

Tags: , , , ,

Astro4Business Forecast Today – May 10

May 9

Posted by Ellen in Astro4Business Today, What to do now | No Comments

Source:Wikimedia Commons

Good Day!

Be sure to read the Weekly Forecast if you missed it as this is a strange and rare week and today is no different.

You may feel at cross purposes with yourself today.  The Aries Moon is a time when we want to initiate something, take action, bring a spark of life to a new endeavor.  But with the Moon winding down in its last quarter it is more suited for completing something, tying up loose ends, and crossing things off your list.

Add to this the Moon’s challenging aspect to Pluto in Capricorn and the blockage you feel may take the form of economic trouble or a parental slap-on-the-hand from your bank or the government.  It could feel like everywhere you turn there are signals of caution and restraint.  I often experience Moon/Pluto aspects as a sense of impending doom with no definable focus, just an overwhelming sense that something is wrong. 

The saving grace is that the Moon moves quickly and at least for those in the U.S., this aspect occurs in the very early morning.  You may wake with a feeling of dread, but it should pass as the day unfolds.  For my friends down under and in Asia, you may have a more direct contact with the powers that be.  If so, you will have to take action to remedy an issue that’s been lurking in the dark.  The Aries Moon will help you to address it aggressively and then move on.

For an overview of the week, see the Astro4Business Weekly Forecast – May 10 – 16

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

For more info on the planets influencing today, see

The Moon

Pluto

Don’t forget. If you have an astrology-related business question (or a business-related astrology question) send it to me at ellen@astro4business.com. I’ll answer it in these posts, anonymously of course, and we can all learn from each other’s experiences. I look forward to it! Have a question now? Email it and let’s get started!

Tags: , , ,