Mars Retrograde: What Do You Want?

“My definition of learning is discovering that something is possible.” — Fritz Perls Dear Friend and Reader: Our planet begins its passage between Mars and the Sun this weekend, which astrologers call Mars retrograde. We inherit Mars from its Roman origins as the god of war. In contemporary astrology, Mars is the planet of desire, … Read more

Mars, Aries, the Internet and Personhood

“Today I don’t want to live for, I want to live.” — Hugh Prather, Notes to Myself: My Struggle to Become a Person Dear Friend and Reader: These days I have Mars on my mind: Mars retrograde, coming up in a little over a week; the impressive astrology in Aries (now featuring Venus); and where the … Read more

Who Needs Astrology When You Have Haruspicy?

Dear Friend and Reader: Astrology aficionados around the globe expressed shock and concern after several senior members of the profession disavowed the ancient starcraft in favor of haruspicy, or divination with the entrails of animals. “It’s true that in the golden age of horary astrology, the mid-1600s, some people might have chosen to have a … Read more

All Eight Justices of Supreme Court Recuse Themselves

Dear Friend and Reader: Today all eight remaining members of the Supreme Court disqualified themselves from ruling on whether the phone records of the ‘DC Madam’ should be released to the public. Deborah Jeane Palfrey, who ran an escort service that catered to the Washington elite, amassed thousands of clients, 812 of whom are listed … Read more

What’s That Sound? Uranus Meets Eris in Aries

Dear Friend and Reader: There is an astrological event brewing that happens this spring for the first time since 1927: a conjunction of two slow-moving outer planets called Uranus and Eris. You may recall that Eris became famous in 2006 when it precipitated the re-definition of a planet, leading to the ‘demotion’ of Pluto. What … Read more