Sorry if I’ve been distracted lately, but puppy!  They get cuter as they approach adoption age — no doubt this is an evolutionary advantage.  And while I thought I was going to wind up with a blonde Great Pyr, Lily’s turning out to be a large Khaki Retriever.  She’s got her dad’s instincts; when she’s let outside, she gets objects and brings them back to my brother.  Only two of her litter are doing that, so it’s a shame I’m not a hunter.  Anyway, what was I saying?  Oh yes, easily distracted.  Stars.

There’s only one but it is quite unusual in its persistence. The planets, like, move maaan, and the inner ones move particularly quickly.  The moon moves even faster.  Most alignments involving them form and break quickly. If the moon is involved, it’s usually less than a day in duration.  However, because of the relative positions of the Earth and Jupiter, we actually see an alignment of the Moon – Mercury – Jupiter that lasts for more than a week.  It starts off today, reaches its perfection on Tuesday, and kind of slides around the sky for the rest of the week.  If you remember last week’s discussion of Jupiter, we know this event involves government, and both Mercury and the moon are strong harbingers of change.  Mercury is also representative of news, and the moon of the ocean.  During the time of the alignment the moon begins in Capricorn (the sea goat) and sweeps through Aquarius (the water bearer) and Pisces (the fishes).  Told you the moon moves fast.  But anyway, look at all the water/maritime signs happening here (I didn’t even mention Mercury being in Pisces or Jupiter in Aquarius) — obviously this change in government is going to involve someone getting wet.  Back in the day, we’d tell the king to watch for a messenger by water (Mercury in Pisces) or caution against sending emissaries by boat.  But that’s not really a thing anymore, so… fishing rights?  Prince Philip passes out and drowns in a bathtub?  The straits of Taiwan?  Mars is in Gemini, which does not bode for an imminent attack — it’s more of a conquest via diplomacy sign.

The cards agree that this is going to be A Big Week, though they are very pointedly vague about how.

Pisces:  The Chariot reversed – Riot, quarrel, dispute, litigation, defeat.

Aries:  4 of Swords –  Vigilance, retreat, solitude, hermit’s repose, exile, tomb

Taurus:  9 of Wands – strength in opposition, delay, suspension, adjournment

Gemini:  2 of Cups – Love, passion, friendship, affinity, union, concord, sympathy, the interrelation of the sexes

Cancer:  Queen of Coins reversed –  Evil, suspicion, suspense, fear, mistrust.

Leo:  The Magician – Skill, diplomacy, address, subtlety; sickness, pain, loss, disaster, snares of enemies; self-confidence, will

Virgo:  3 of Coins reversed – Mediocrity, puerility, pettiness, weakness.

Libra:  Page of Swords reversed – The evil side of authority and surveillance, what is unforeseen, unprepared state, sickness

Scorpio:  The Sun reversed – Material happiness, fortunate marriage, contentment but all in a lesser sense than were the card upright, also diminishment, withering, decay.

Sagittarius:  The High Priestess – Fruitfulness, action, initiative, length of days; the unknown, clandestine, difficulty, doubt, ignorance

Capricorn:  The World reversed – Inertia, fixity, stagnation, permanence.

Aquarius:  The Blank Card – tabula rasa, lack of guidance, freedom