PREVIOUS THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY August 13 2012 to August 19 2012 Monday August 13 Nasastrology This is the week that Mars completes its conjunction to Saturn. We could hardly have had a more appropriate alignment to accompany the Olympics. Sport is ruled by Mars, planet of athletic prowess, fighting spirit, competition and determination. Saturn, meanwhile, governs structure, status, authority and legacy. To win a medal is to attain a place in history and that's very 'Mars/Saturn'. It is also timely that the 'Curiosity' mission to Mars has occurred under this influence. I don't suppose anyone who works for NASA practises astrology - but clearly, instinctively, they're tuning in to the essence of the art! Tuesday August 14 Mars Saturn Conjunction Decisive developments. Clear conquests. Definitive statements. These are what we expect when Mars and Saturn align. Many situations where people have been dithering or hedging their bets are likely, soon, to reach points of no return. We'll see this in the behaviour of public figures, in stories concerning world affairs... and in the lives of those around us. Sometimes, choices simply have to be made, even when we suspect that none of the options and alternatives are brilliant. But under a Mars/Saturn conjunction, most of the conclusions that most people come to will prove to have lasting value. Wednesday August 15 Extreme Swing Traditionally, Mars/Saturn conjunctions bode well for armies and, perhaps too, for governments who owe their position to might rather than right. This astrological alignment speaks of authority figures becoming able to impose control on weaker individuals. It also implies a triumph of conservative, traditional values over new and progressive ideas. But it doesn't necessarily imply a lasting change. Coming alignments, not least next month's 'second phase' of the Uranus/Pluto square, suggest that much that seems settled now could soon begin to swing dramatically towards a new and different extreme. We are living through some exceptionally 'interesting times'. Thursday August 16 Wishing on the Stars Last weekend, as if to contribute to the Olympic closing ceremony, the Perseid meteor shower sent shooting stars around the whole planet. There was a wish in there for every one of us... and if you haven't made yours yet, it is not too late! We may, as I mentioned yesterday, be living through interesting times. It's true that the conjunction of Mars and Saturn reminds us of facts that must be faced. But visions of a future in which millions place a higher value on compassion, integrity, understanding and co-operation are more realistic now than ever before. Friday August 17 Dark Moon When we hear the phrase 'New Moon', we tend to think of the tiny sliver of Moon that will appear once the Moon has waned away to nothing and then returned. Your diary or calendar will tell you to expect a New Moon today but what it really means is that we've reached what the ancients called the 'Dark Moon', the point where the Moon reflects no sunlight at all. This is, traditionally, the most mystical moment in the month when the 'veil between the realms' becomes flimsy, allowing all who are sensitive or psychic to gain clearer vision. Saturday August 18 Your Week Ahead This week begins with a powerful new Moon and goes on to provide us all with the chance to make a fresh start. To add to this, Mercury is now making up the ground it lost after it turned retrograde last month. No planet ever truly moves backwards. But our skies are full of things that seem to tell one story when really, they're telling another. You could say the same about our personal stories! When Mercury gets back to the point it occupied before it 'turned', many people's lives get back on track. The week is looking good! Sunday August 19 Sunday Love Forecasts Linked from this page every Sunday, you will find the Sunday Love Forecasts. These are not 'week ahead predictions' in the usual sense. Those appear here every Saturday - and can be found, now, from the menu to the left. Week ahead forecasts cover all aspects of your week... including, when relevant, your love life. Love forecasts are only about love! If you're not interested in love at the moment, if you are interested but not unhappy or in need of something, if all your relationships are comfortable and rewarding... there may not be much for you here. But remember, 'Love' doesn't just cover romance. A love forecast may also have something to say about your family life! Back to Index   Click here for Jonathan Cainer's Daily Zodiac Forecasts