The NEW Part of the New Year

RESOLUTIONS STRONGER AFTER MID-MONTH

Yes, Mercury Retrograde has been wreaking havoc with the new year thus far. So much whako stuff in the news prompted MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow to admit on her show Thursday, January 7 that she’s starting to become a believer. Of course, I emailed her right away to share my article on Mercury Retrograde!

Relief is in sight! Mercury Retrograde ends January 15 at 11:53 am (EST), just a few hours after the New Moon at 2:12 am (EST). It takes a few days for Mercury to get rolling in forward motion again, but at least we’ll know the worst of the crazy mix-ups are behind us and the rest is clean up. The New Moon is a very powerful one, an Eclipse, bringing a strong push to go in a better direction. New Year’s Resolutions will have a better chance for success if you make them (or re-affirm them) following this New Moon and Mercury’s return to Direct motion.

Here’s an excerpt from my Janet’s Plan-its 2010 Celestial Planner about this Eclipse [with additional notations in brackets]:

An ordinary New Moon signals a time for new activities. A Solar Eclipse New Moon marks a period for major undertakings. If the degree where it occurs [25 Capricorn] touches your chart, you’re in for a big event in your life. The influences featured at a Solar Eclipse are felt strongly over the coming four weeks (the lunar cycle that the eclipse begins) and to a lesser degree until the next Solar Eclipse, in this case on July 11, 2010. The Sun and Moon are conjunct to Venus at this eclipse, highlighting the importance of finances and relationships. Because they are in Capricorn, commitment and contracts are key issues, as are boundaries and budgets, all of which are made more important by the current mutual reception between Venus and Saturn [meaning they’re in the signs each other rules, sharing their energies back and forth]. The Sun, Moon and Venus are semisextile Neptune, which weakens the glue that binds people unless the bonds are spiritual or helping in nature, and might indicate a drain on bank accounts. The Capricorn threesome is sextile Uranus, leaning us away from the conformity that Capricorn favors, making us want breathing room in relationships. Uranus and Neptune aren’t exactly semisextile, but close to it [exact April 13 – a time around which some people will have inspired visions or unusual dreams, and most of us will be more psychically attuned than ordinarily] and their mutual reception continues [since 2003, ending in 2011]. These five heavenly bodies are interwoven in a mostly positive blend of fantasy and reality about love or money matters. This eclipse occurs near the North Node, giving us a boost to work toward achieving positive Capricorn qualities like ambition, accountability and proficiency.

If many of these terms are foreign to you, you can just focus on the English interpretations. Or to understand the astrology better, see my Astrologer’s Apprentice Cheat Sheet, which is a free download from my website. This is a great, compact tool to have handy when reading about astrology. You can also do some studying in my free Study Booth.

Readers of my calendar are invited to participate in my conference call classes to learn how to use the planner in conjunction with their personal astrological charts. Charting A Heavenly Year is offered twice this month, on Saturday January 16 and Saturday January 30, each at 10:00 am (EST). When you register for $25, you’ll receive handouts and your personal transit list. Some clients prefer an individual reading with Janet for their 2010 forecast. Either way, here’s to a great 2010 for YOU!

Winter Craziness

No, you’re not crazy - though you may feel like you’re going in that direction! The planets are making it seem like everything is harder than it has to be and takes longer than you think it should (adding to the sense that time is moving faster). You don’t get as much accomplished as you hoped you would. You’re running behind. Join the club.

Mars, the go-go-go planet, just appeared to stop in its tracks and turn backwards on Dec. 20. Its normally speedy friend Mercury (nicknamed Quicksilver) is also screeching to a halt and reversing direction on Dec. 26, bringing us another round of Mercury Retrograde until Jan. 15. Under these influences, it’s no surprise so many people are impatient and frustrated, making the holidays even crazier than usual. Add in the ongoing tension between a push for progress and a reluctance to abandon the ways we’ve grown accustomed to, and there are plenty of ugly emotions to go around. You can practically slice the tension in the air.

Mars is in dramatic and fiery Leo, lending a sense of royal entitlement. No one feels like being at the back of the line and it’s easy to display displeasure. Mercury in Capricorn ordinarily helps us keep everything organized and under control. However, it’s bumping heads with that troublesome new planet out past Pluto, Eris. In mythology, she’s Mars’ bitchy sister, known for spreading chaos and discord. Mercury is in a friction-producing 90-degree relationship (square) to Eris from Dec. 22-30. So chill out. That shouldn’t be hard to do with the cold temperatures at this time of year!

Here’s a look at what to expect this winter season, excerpted from my 2010 Janet’s Plan-its Celestial Planner:

Winter 09-10 (12/21/09 - 3/20/10)
The pace of major changes over the past couple of years slows down a bit, allowing us to catch our breath and do some healing. Emotions are unusual in some way, most likely exaggerated, and better understood by discussing them, even if that isn’t easy to do. We seek concrete reasons but some things defy explanation. Try to leave anger and selfishness out of the conversation. Relationships work best when built on a platform of friendship and laced with a liberal dose of humor and sympathy. This is not the best season to begin something new. Instead, continue projects already in process. Watch your spending; money will slip through your fingers if you’re not careful.

To see my 2010 Forecast, watch my tv show, Looking Up.

The year will end with a bang! On New Year's Eve day, there's a Full Moon Lunar Eclipse - or should I say, a lunatic eclipse? The energy is pretty crazy, so be extra careful on the roads that night. Have a safe, healthy New Years!

Janet's Plan-its 2010 is Here!

Celestial Greetings! The New Year is almost upon us. Be prepared with the 2010 Janet's Plan-its Celestial Planner. The new vertical format makes a great desk planner. (Most customers said they didn't hang their Janet's Plan-its on the wall anyway, so now it's more of an information book, with a paperback binding.) It still has the same great features: daily guide and ratings, weekly highlights, explanations of the planets' influences as they travel through the signs and interact with one another, write-ups about New and Full Moons and Eclipses. Be forewarned when the communication planet (Mercury) backtracks, called "Mercury Retrograde"throwing a monkey wrench into plans and projects. Know when to act, when to lay low. I explain everything in everyday English and you don't need to know any of the details of astrology. Of course, if you want to learn some, you'll be able to. And there's plenty of meat for the avid aficianado. You also might want to access a free download of the year's key details: 2010 On a Page, which is an excerpt from the calendar. You can take my conference call class that's a companion to my calendar, learning how to use the planner in conjunction with YOUR chart. Then you'll really be ready for 2010!

Stumped for Holiday Gifts?

Gift selection is a breeze if you know the sign of the person you're shopping for. I put together a list of suggested presents for the zodiac signs ranging in cost from inexpensive to extravagent.

Whatever a person’s sign, a wonderful gift is my Janet’s Planets 2010 Celestial Planner. One size fits all! And check out the Gift Certificates for my services. Maybe you’d like to receive one yourself – put it on your wish list!

Good Yule and Joyous Solstice Blessings to you!

Why I love astrology

The Universe is a thing of beauty beyond our imaginations. Every time I see the photographs the Hubble telescope sends back, I marvel at what Creation has wrought. If it isn't infinite, its finitude is certainly of an incomprehensible and unmeasurable magnitude. And in the midst of all this magnificence, still each of us can feel special and much more than an insignificant speck, feel connected to something so much bigger than ourselves. We haven't even scratched the surface of understanding our Universe or our place in it. Working within the confines of our solar system - our star's little corner of the Universe - we can get glimpses and inklings of its workings. That's one of the topics we explore in astrology, how the intricate and ever-changing dance of the planets around our star with us along for the ride on one of satellites, seems to indicate timing for the seasons of our lives.

Welcome! Janet Booth's Astrology Blog - Janet's Plan-its calendar author

Hello, and welcome to my first blog ~

For years my aim in astrology has been to "take it to the streets." I specialize in making a complex subject easy to understand for people who have no background in the technical INs and OUTs of the study of the stars. Check back often for views from an experienced astrologer who likes to share and teach.

For instance, my Janet's Plan-its easy-to-use astrology calendars have been popular for years with people who want the quick low-down on the celestial influences daily and weekly. Many of my customers once used Llewellyn's or Jim Maynard's astrology calendars, but prefer mine because I translate the planets' movements into English. Instead of looking at a bunch of symbols that you have to figure out, I've distilled what you need to know about each week and each day into a quick read. Of course, being the teacher I am, I also include a section that explains the connections between the planets, many of which occur in a series of three times stretched out across weeks or months due to a zigzag phenomenon called Retrograde. For more advanced aficianados of astrology, I offer some handy reference tools, like my 2008 On a Page bar chart of the planets' movements, available as a free down-load pdf.

My calendar is a great starting point for selecting the best time for an endeavor or activity, a process called "electional astrology" - which refers not to an election like we have on November 4, but electing an astrologically appropriate time. For those not versed in astrology, I can do an election for you. That's one of the many services you'll find in the Sales Booth at my website, AstrologyBooth.com. There are some cool gift certificates for my readings that you can customize - perfect for any occasion.

In the Study Booth at my website, you'll find free articles introducing you to the various building blocks of astrology, as well as my popular "Astrologer's Apprentice Cheat Sheet" (another free download pdf file), which has symbols and keywords for the most common chart components. Check out my great links and my recommended reading list. I also offer conference call classes at reasonable rates and private tutoring.


No matter what level your interest in astrology, we can "talk."

People Are Talking about Astrology

PEOPLE ARE TALKING . . .

My clients give me feedback like the following:
"I appreciate the astuteness of your insights!"
G.H., Bend, OR

"Your technical skills were amazing to me, especially as I have studied astrology for 26 years, and have had my chart read by many wonderful astrologers, but you brought many new insights, via the natal and progressions and transits. Your reading felt like a laser beam of clarity, especially because you gave me so many practical (concrete) suggestions that would help me deal with the issues indicated. That is incredibly valuable - a huge gift. I also enjoyed and was comforted by your style of expression - your very charming and gentle manner of communication while dealing with some very difficult issues (that must be your Libra and Pisces energy!). Also your sense of humor helped me hear what you were saying. ... I cannot thank you enough for helping me."

After a couple's chart consultation: " ... We've been talking about our reading all week! You're very accurate - right on the nose."

Sometimes the test of time is the greatest testimonial:
"Janet, about fourteen years ago in San Francisco you did a reading for us. Part of that reading was a compatibility chart rating. You indicated that a couple who scored a 10 probably had a real strong bond and were likely to have a successful long-term relationship. Our rating at 22 was the highest you had ever seen and we certainly have that kind of connection. We just wanted to share with you that it has been twenty years now and it's just getting better!"
G&T C, Sacramento, CA

Early in my career, I met with a woman in her mid-life transition who had just taken a psychological test to determine what she would be good at for a second career. After my reading, she told me that what I'd said was almost word for word what the test had shown.
"Do you know what that tells me?" I asked her.
"That you're a good astrologer?" She replied.
"Thanks, but what I was thinking," I countered, "was that it was a very accurate test!"

A long-distance client whom I never met in person wrote:
"Your observations are very true to my personality traits - at least as I perceive them. I have listened to the tape twice, but will probably do so many more times. It has been most helpful in making me realize that I am not achieving my full potential in my career. That will be the first area I work on. Thanks again."

A client gave her friend a reading as a gift and then wrote me:
"(my friend) was thrilled. She said she's going to send her sister to see you. She was quite impressed with you. Thanks!"

A little sticky note memo, from a phone reading client:
"I enjoyed my reading. I was really amazed how you were accurate on every aspect. Thanks again. "

This postcard came from an American emigrant to Belgium:
"Oh Janet - you have a real gift. Fate is confirming everything, and I am very happy. Merci, Janet, thank you a million-fold for your part in the plan."

Another happy client wrote:
"Wow! You are awesome!!! I can really feel the heart and soul you put into your work - and am lucky to have been referred to you!"

Find out more about my services, and I hope to "meet" with you soon!