PREVIOUS THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY January 12 2009 to January 18 2009 Monday January 12 Mercury retrograde Two or three times a year, for two or three weeks at a time, Mercury retraces its steps through the zodiac. Mercury governs commerce and communication, education, explanation, travel and transport. Networks, connecting communities often become particularly prone to impediment. It may just be the case that this time, while Mercury is retrograde, the world starts to retreat and reflect. We're all living in a world that is far from the kind of world that we would like to be living in! Most of us think there is nothing we can do. But we may just discover that there IS! Tuesday January 13 Violence is never the answer... Yesterday, I went to York Minster to meet a man on a hunger strike. John Bibby is a Gemini and an atheist. He's vowed that for every child that dies in Gaza, he will fast for one hour. His next meal slips ever further away with each piece of bad news. I told him about my own recent visit to the West Bank where I talked to local people. They are not all extremists, any more than all Israelis support their government's policies. Most, like John, feel that while violence is often the question, it is never the answer. Wednesday January 14 Hungry for Peace The man using a cathedral as a base for his protest fast... is an atheist. He has no faith in God and doesn't think much of astrology either! John Bibby has a further, even greater doubt. He simply cannot believe there can be any justification for innocent children dying in Gaza. John has decided not to eat again till the killing stops. Will his efforts make any difference? I think so. We often imagine that we cannot influence the wider world but when enough people feel that something is wrong and say as much... it's amazing what can change. The story of John's Bibby's hunger strike has provoked a big response from readers, some approving of his actions, others calling him a fool... and me a bigger fool for writing about him! A selection of reader's letters will appear on this site in a few hours time. Thursday January 15 No Defence for Violence Dear Jonathan, If violence is not an answer to violence, then what is? And why do you call a defensive military operation a violence? Nella Dear Nella, Mahatma Gandhi called non-violence, 'The greatest force at the disposal of mankind'. He said it is 'mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction'. And while the world could argue on forever about what's attack and what's defence, violence is still violence. I guess that's something people either understand or they don't. As Gandhi also said, 'Non-violence, which is the quality of the heart, cannot come by an appeal to the brain.' Jonathan The story of John's Bibby's fast for peace in Gaza has provoked a big response. Friday January 16 Dear Jonathan... * What are the ramifications of Obama's inauguration while Mercury is retrograde? Margie * I see that Barack Obama will take office when the moon is 'void of course' next Tuesday. Is that bad luck? Is he destined to fail? Jerry * An astrologer in Colorado has predicted something will happen to the Obamas near the end of 2009. What do you see? Linda Dear All, Astrology doesn't show us what will happen but what could easily happen. We can then be aware of the opportunity or alert to the danger. Obama's personal outlook is very positive. Jonathan The story of John's Bibby's fast for peace in Gaza has provoked a big response. Saturday January 17 Your Week Ahead The sky, this week, offers an exceptional opportunity for us all to see Uranus. That's pronounced U-rah-nus, please, before we go any further. Uran, Urahn, Ur... Well, anyway, the planet in question is really only visible through a telescope which means that before you can spot it, you've got to know where to look. By the middle of this week, though, it will be very close to bright Venus, beaming like a beacon soon after dark. The strong symbolic suggestion in this alignment is that -after a gloomy start to 2009 - we are about to hear some surprising and encouraging news. Sunday January 18 Celebrity Sunday Kate Winslet must feel as if she is living in a dream. She has a truly exceptional horoscope and she has led, for many years now, a truly exceptional life. Mind you, she's a Libran. Librans don't understand the meaning of the word 'ordinary'. Librans weave a fabric of deep, warm magic from the yarn of their imagination. Librans don't just play 'let's pretend', they live their dreams. And sometimes, if they are not careful, they do the opposite. They dream their lives. Not all are professional thespians, like Kate. Many have never gone anywhere near a theatre or a drama class. Still, though, they know about roles; and how to play them properly. Responsibilities... and how to carry them out. Realities... and how to change them with a single, simple thought. These crazy, clever characters, blessed with brilliant brains and magnificent minds, unconsciously put obstacles in their own paths. They find themselves obsessively attracted to situations that will not so much stretch them... as limit them. Every Libran is a complex character, but Kate, with her Sun, Moon and rising sign in Libra too, is a walking kaleidoscope of personality possiblity. She's not really an actress. She's a chameleon. And for her, one of the most amazing years of her truly amazing life has only just begun. Back to Index   Click here for Jonathan Cainer's Daily Zodiac Forecasts