Hi there! If you’re new here, I invite you to subscribe for updates and also to scroll all the way down to see my original March 22, 2023 article on the astrology of the Writers Guild. You’ll see I’ve updated this post eight times with relevant astrology and details as this strike has progressed. You can also see my YouTube updates here.
UPDATE Sept. 24, 2023: The countdown is on. This Friday’s Aries Full Moon is the Beginning of the End. Back in June, I chose Oct. 6 as the Day Most Likely to End the Strike with the potential that the fine-tuning of that deal stretches into mid-October and the Libra Solar Eclipse on Oct 14. There are clear indicators of progress being made on Monday and Saturday of this week, though.
The Sept. 29 Aries Full Moon is the answer to the Guild’s first declaration of war on the studios on the March 21 Aries New Moon. It spotlights the achievements of the last six months of striking, but also the human toll this months-long work stoppage has taken.
Guild members are tired, disillusioned and in some cases, broke. And very very angry. Their fierce desire for change is strong, and their support for each other is unwavering, but so is a restless impulse to do something drastic and extreme to end the suffering.
That said, there’s more potential now for productive talks and sincere offers than there has been since July. It’s possible that there’s an offer on the table as of Monday and if the leadership can stay focused, there’s an opportunity for a breakthrough of some kind on or around Sept 30.
As I mentioned in August, the studios are feeling tremendous pressure at this point. Consensus among members may be fracturing and a divide and conquer strategy on the part of the writers could intensify the pressure. This high stakes vibe peaks on the Oct. 14 eclipse.
If a deal isn’t reached now, writers could just wait until mid-October and watch the Universe step in to resolve the situation for them.
That Libra Solar Eclipse brings an abrupt new beginning that requires a quick pivot and rallies the Guild’s revolutionary spirit. Not everyone is going to be happy. But isn’t that a sign that balance has been achieved?
What the Astrology Got Right
Reviewing the last six months of astrological analysis of the strike, I wanted to share some cool ways my forecast lined up with reality. Check it out.
On the Historic Nature of the Strike
THE FORECAST: “It looks disconcertingly close to the astrology of the two longest work stoppages in the guild’s history,” The Exalted, March 22, 2023.
WHAT HAPPENED: As of this writing, Sept. 24, 2023, we’re eight days away from the longest work stoppage in Hollywood’s history.
THE FORECAST: “Of all the astrological signatures, Pluto retrograde in Aquarius from May 1 to June 11 offers the Writers Guild an enormous opportunity to rally not just other Hollywood creatives, but other American labor unions,” The Exalted, March 22, 2023.
WHAT HAPPENED: “On Monday in New York City, the Writers Guild of America rallied outside Amazon studios, buoyed by the leader of the country's largest labor union, the AFL-CIO, which represents 12.5 million American workers, including postal workers, mine workers and those in the entertainment industry,” NPR, June 14, 2023
On When the Strike Ends
THE FORECAST: “Consensus grows even tougher if, god forbid, this thing lingers into late July and the Venus retrograde. That’s when a mid-October resolution looks more likely,” The Exalted, March 22, 2023
THE FORECAST: “It could take until Oct. 6 to iron out a deal everyone can agree on. This is a signature of Venus stationing retrograde, spending the next 12 weeks trying to resolve its issues,” The Exalted, June 9, 2023
WHAT HAPPENED: Hollywood Studios’ WGA Strike Endgame Is To Let Writers Go Broke Before Resuming Talks In Fall, “Not Halloween precisely, but late October, for sure, is the intention,” says a top-tier producer close to the Carol Lombardini-run AMPTP,” Deadline.com, July 11, 2023
On How Talks Proceed. Or Not.
THE FORECAST: “If the strike lasts until late July … this suggests an extended period when both sides refuse to budge,” The Exalted, March 22, 2023
WHAT HAPPENED: “[Tues. Aug. 2] is the first communication between the two sides since May 1, when talks collapsed and the WGA voted to go on strike,” Variety, Aug. 1, 2023.
THE FORECAST: By July 17, there’s a clear new chapter beginning for the Writers Guild. This is a Cancer New Moon, a moment to seed potential into the future. It’s also a powerful pivot the guild hasn’t experienced since Christmas 2004,” The Exalted, June 9, 2023
WHAT HAPPENED: “We’re Fighting for the Survival of Our Profession,” SAG-AFTRA statement released on July 17, 2023 after that guild votes to join the strike.
THE FORECAST: “What might appear to be decided on the good news day of Aug. 9 may fall apart on Aug. 15 or Aug. 22, when surprises and disappointments are more likely,” The Exalted, Aug. 2, 2023
WHAT HAPPENED: “Negotiations fell apart after an Aug. 22 meeting with the four leading CEOs — Iger, Zaslav, Langley and Sarandos — which writers’ representatives described as a “lecture” and a browbeating session in which they were pressured to accept an Aug. 11 proposal from the AMPTP,” Los Angeles Times, Sept. 23, 2023.
THE FORECAST: “Scanning forward, the astrology suggest the studios hit a pain point in late September. On the cranky and volatile Aries Full Moon on Sept. 29, studios may be confronted with a rock and a hard place choice. Some control must be relinquished,” The Exalted, Aug. 2, 2023.
WHAT HAPPENED: TBD
On How Bad It Gets, Financially
THE FORECAST: This strike, compared with that of 2007-8 would be “similar, but more volatile and [have] more potential for some success after a significant sacrifice is made,” The Exalted, March 22, 2023
WHAT HAPPENED: “Hollywood strikes have already had a $3 billion impact on California’s economy, experts say: It’s causing ‘a lot of hardship,’” CNBC.com, Aug. 9, 2023.
WHAT HAPPENED: “California Treasurer Fiona Ma said that, potentially, billions in lost economic output for California is at stake. The previous shutdown between studios and writers, from 2007 to 2008, was estimated to cost the state more than $2 billion,” Mynewsla.com, Aug. 31, 2023
Stay tuned for more as the story develops …
UPDATE on Aug. 2, 2023: The studios cried uncle and WGA-AMPTP talks resume Friday, Aug. 4. Under the super bright, super Aquarius Full Moon, something finally gave and negotiations will officially re-engage on Friday.
We’re fully entrenched in Venus retrograde in the sign of showbiz (Leo), a great time to re-negotiate and re-assess residuals, entitlements and the overall pros and cons of a deal. Not so auspicious for actually signing the deal.
We still have to navigate a hairy twelve days — Aug. 23 to Sept. 4 — when Mercury and Venus will BOTH be retrograde. (Along with every other planet in our solar system)
But let’s dig in.
It’s interesting that Tuesday’s Aquarius Full Moon (chart above) was closely aligned with Venus and Jupiter in the chart of the AMPTP. We could say this indicates that they’re in a deal-making mood. It’s also likely that the harsh Mars-Saturn opposition of late July eroded the studios’ faith that this thing could work itself out. The industry standstill is taking a toll.
Spring vs. Now
Astrologically speaking, the first round of talks were doomed from the get-go. They started on March 20, 2023 (see chart above) just before an epic 0° Aries New Moon. Two weeks later the Guild approved a strike.
With the Sun at 29° Pisces (the last degree of the last sign) and the Moon in its Balsamic phase, this was a half-hearted, last ditch effort before the launch of an EPIC battle and that bold, fiery Aries New Moon on the Spring Equinox. Mercury in Aries ruled that March negotiation. Lots of shouting. Not much listening.
This Friday, however, Mercury is in cool-headed and no-nonsense Virgo. We’re now dealing with facts, not feelings. Unlike March, both sides are more aware of the reality of the situation, more clear on the fine print, and yes, more exhausted. As the 100th day of the strike looms, everyone’s ready for it to end.
That said, I’m not expecting a speedy process. The signature of August and September is the two steps forward, three steps back of Mercury and Venus retrograde. What might appear to be decided on the good news day of Aug. 9 may fall apart on Aug. 15 or Aug. 22, when surprises and disappointments are more likely. But there’s movement, which is good.
The Pisces Full Moon of Aug. 30 is likely to be significant in both WGA and SAG-AFTRA negotiations. It suggests a pivotal moment when fate intervenes and a definitive chapter ends. At 7° Pisces, this lunation hits each chart precisely. This may be an offer from the studios that feels more like an ultimatum. The Writers Guild looks resolute though on waiting for what it deserves.
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher assures members they’re prepared to strike for six more months. The charts suggest she wouldn’t have to wait that long. Whatever terms fall apart in August come back around in the first week of September for another look.
Scanning forward, the astrology suggest the studios hit a pain point in late September. On the cranky and volatile Aries Full Moon on Sept. 29, studios may be confronted with a rock and a hard place choice. Some control must be relinquished.
By October, the process accelerates. That’s eclipse season, baby. Epic endings and new beginnings are on the schedule. If the studios don’t make a conscious choice by Oct. 14, the Universe will step in and make it for them.
To be continued…
UPDATE on June 9, 2023: DGA deal pending. SAG-AFTRA authorized a strike. In the light of an optimistic Sagittarius Full Moon on June 3, two key things happened: the Directors Guild announced a settlement with producers and actors authorized a strike if their terms aren’t met by June 30.
Also, thanks to TikTok eagle eye @aynolivia, I got a good chart for the Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers. So let’s take a look shall we?
First, the AMPTP’s birth chart suggests that what you see is not necessarily what you get. It gives Velvet Glove-Iron Fist. There’s a creative drive and even a flexible nature with a Pisces Sun. There’s also a willingness to gloss over the details and inadvertently shoot themselves in the foot.
Side note: The Directors Guild, the first to reach an agreement (still pending a member vote due by June 23), has astrological affinity with the AMPTP. FWIW: SAG-AFTRA’s astrology also has more affinity with AMPTP than the Writers Guild’s. (for details on both charts scroll down)
Negotiations with AMPTP are slippery, but not impossible. There’s a strong sense of fairness in this chart - when dislodged from its self-defense mechanisms — that can override even the most draconian aspects of its astrology.
But it’s the definition of fairness that’s at issue, right?
Let’s consider the next few weeks.
First up is the DGA contract member vote due June 23. This day suggests more predictable, satisfying results with a Sun-Moon sextile in earth-water. Charts of both the DGA and the AMPTP resonate with that day’s transiting Virgo Moon suggesting an orderly process.
Next, SAG-AFTRA’s June 30 deadline has some very nice astrology. I wouldn’t be surprised if some kind of consensus is reached around that day. A longterm sustainable agreement has great potential on that day with a Mercury cazimi-trine Saturn.
Also on June 30, the AMPTP appears to be open to agreement, surprising even themselves. From June 25 to July 2, there’s great potential for productive conversations but there’s some wild card energy, too. What looks like an agreement early on may change form by week’s end.
The July 3 Capricorn Full Moon offers potential for a satisfactory conclusion to at least one chapter in this process.
A tactical shift is likely July 10 when the Writers Guild’s efforts could move from the performative to the more practical. More nitty-gritty details can be expected with the shift of transiting Mars from Leo to Virgo. This could produce a sober return to productive talks.
By July 17, there’s a clear new chapter beginning for the Writers Guild. This is a Cancer New Moon, a moment to seed potential into the future. It’s also a powerful pivot the guild hasn’t experienced since Christmas 2004, when the North Node of the Moon shifts into Aries.
All that said, the closer we get to July 22, the more potential there is that negotiations fall apart. There’s a close-but-no-cigar moment on July 22. The planet of consensus (Venus) in the sign of show business (Leo) stations retrograde on this day.
This could be an agreement reached, but voted down by members. If that happens, then it could take until Oct. 6 to iron out a deal everyone can agree on. This is a signature of Venus stationing retrograde, spending the next 12 weeks trying to resolve its issues.
UPDATE on May 2, 2023: And so it begins. Picketing has begun.
On Monday evening, right about the time Mercury, the patron saint of all writers, everywhere, became exalted by the Sun, the Guild released a damning document revealing just how paltry the studios’ counter-offers have been since talks began March 20. Writers quoted in today’s trades were understandably pissed.
“The same people refusing to pay writers for the content they create for these billion dollar companies — or even offer health and pension benefits — are making, in some cases, $50 million,” wrote Sal Gentile (Late Night With Seth Meyers). “IN ONE YEAR. and I’m not talking about, like, jeff bezos. I mean the execs at fucking ROKU.”
Clearly, talks up to this point have gone nowhere. The astrology of the next month is unpacked in my previous update below. Suffice to say, patience will be a virtue.
Writers are scheduled to picket studios in New York and Los Angeles all week long. Friday’s Scorpio Lunar Eclipse offers an appropriate moment of epic catharsis, but also a reckoning with the pain this strike could inflict.
Meanwhile with Pluto in Aquarius through June 10, there’s enormous power in alliances. So far, the Producers Guild and the AFL-CIO have publicly supported the strike. Unlike the actors’ and directors’ guilds, IATSE and the Teamsters’ Los Angeles local 399 can legally refuse to cross the Writers Guild’s picket lines.
The Screen Actors Guild allows its members to picket during off-hours, which will likely draw some celebrities to the streets. But that guild won't begin its own talks until June 7.
The drama could ratchet up on May 10 and after as the DGA begins its own contract negotiations with Mercury moving at an absolute crawl, still retrograde. This suggests a very slow start that doesn’t get anywhere quickly. The real productive talks are more likely June 17-21 as the planet of negotiations (Mercury) flits through its home sign of Gemini and makes helpful aspects to Venus and Mars.
The Directors Guild is a Capricorn and seemingly the more objective of the three key Hollywood unions. Though it certainly has its own control issues and delusions of grandeur. Originally, members saw themselves as a “secret society” akin to the Masons, a sure indicator of the DGA’s occult Sun-Pluto opposition.
This summer, the DGA could play a larger role than expected. The organization has the first two hits of its Saturn Return in June, a once-in-a-29-year moment of reckoning with systems and structures that have outlived their usefulness. It may also signal a re-organization.
Stay tuned.
UPDATE on April 21, 2023: Welp. We’ve got a “yes” vote to strike May 1 if no agreement is reached before then. No surprise there. Now the question is how long will the strike go on?
A slowdown to any productive talks between now and May 14 is pretty likely as Mercury Retrograde generally sends negotiations into wheel-spinning mode.
The week of May 15 could be pivotal, though, for a few reasons:
Mercury will be stationing direct helping bring people back to the table
though still in stubborn, uncompromising Taurus until June 11.
Lucky breaks, more generous offers are possible as Jupiter enters Taurus on May 16 and trines the planet of discriminating action and ruler of the Guild’s sovereignty (Mars in Virgo)
Then again, having yet another planet in a fixed sign emphasizes a sllloooooww process.
Sweet deals that bring a sense of security, attractive offers and a general sense of well-being are possible with transiting Venus in Cancer aligning with the Moon in the Guild’s chart.
A sudden and surprising new chapter in discussions may begin on May 19 with the unstable Taurus New Moon aligned with Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.
On May 21-24, however, things get tense and confrontational. A power struggle may lead to a standoff that gets increasingly more heated in the first few days of June.
It would be great if an agreement could be reached around the June 17 Gemini New Moon with Mercury in Gemini - and BEFORE Venus in Leo enters its retrograde shadow on June 19 ….we’ll have to see!
UPDATE on April 12, 2023: So that Libra Full Moon on April 5 seems to have clarified something for both sides. The astrology suggested (see below) that day would be good for “ illuminating fairness, what has/has not been accomplished thus far.”
Per an April 11 report by CNN.com, “according to an industry insider close to the negotiations, WGA and AMPTP met last Wednesday for the most engaging session yet. Neither side has made any counter offers to the opening proposals, the person with knowledge of the matter said. Negotiations are slated to pick up again the week of April 17.”
Negotiations are scheduled to pick back up on Monday, April 17‚ the day the strike vote ends at noon. As I’d forecast below, it’s not the greatest day for any clarifying talks. We’ll be within range of the 29° Aries Solar Eclipse on April 19 at that point, a potent energy for the Guild that does not suggest anyone is ready to back down. Confusion, disillusionment and unrealistic expectations are all suggested by a Moon in Pisces conjoining Neptune mid-day. Negotiations after that won’t likely go anywhere as the Moon is void for more than six hours after that.
By 6:15 pm Pacific on April 17, the Guild’s poised for the uncomfortable reality of a battle as the Moon enters Aries, activating its Mars in Virgo and its Aries Sun-Venus.
UPDATE on April 4, 2023: On its 90th birthday, the Writers Guild called for a strike authorization vote. Interesting to note that this took place just as the planet of negotiation — Mercury — transited that pivotal 29° Aries bringing important news that will likely result in something even more explosive around the 29° Aries Solar Eclipse April 19. This reinforces my previous forecast of April 3 being a day of potential entrenchment. (see below).
Let’s consider the chart of the day and time the vote opens, Tuesday, April 11 at 8:30 pm - aka what astrologers consider the luckiest day of the year.
The WGA’s rebel spirit is certainly fired up, feeling lucky and ready to fight on this day. There’s reason for leadership to be optimistic with this astrology. (Is someone on the leadership team an astrology nerd?)
Signs Point to ‘Yes’
The luckiest aspect of this lucky astrology lights up the WGA’s maverick nature and willingness to fight the good fight. Serendipitous events are also likely.
The stubborn resistance to compromise is real as Mercury in Taurus is slowing waaaaay down, squaring off with the WGA’s natal Saturn in Aquarius. Meanwhile a very pragmatic and entrepreneurial Capricorn Moon is transiting opposite a “protect what’s ours” Mars in Cancer. I’m not seeing any clear desire to back down here.
One thought: If I were their astrologer, I’d caution union leaders against impulsiveness and wishful thinking. Common sense plus a slow and steady pace wins this race, now through June 11.
The day voting ends, April 17, feels muddled and confused, there may even be some disappointment here. There could be problems with the messaging or even the tech involved in counting votes. Perhaps the final numbers, while still “yes,” aren’t as gung-ho as they’d hoped?
Stay tuned as this story develops. I’ll be updating.
I’d love to have a birth time for the AMPTP. Anyone?
Below is my piece first published March 22, 2023:
For the first time in 15 years, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) is poised to strike, action that could crater Hollywood at an already tenuous time for the industry. And though the astrology of the next four weeks is promising, after that, it looks disconcertingly close to the astrology of the two longest work stoppages in the guild’s history.
Whether or not the strike happens, karma, in the form of Saturn, is heavily involved in the guild’s fate this year and next. This energy requires sacrifice, commitment and integrity. It can also bring great respect and reward and even serve as a correction to the losses of the last strike.
Talks between the WGA and Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers started on Monday and the astrological chart of that moment gives us a lot of information. It serves as a birthday of the negotiation process and gives us clues as to how this will evolve while we wait two weeks for the WGA to share udpates.
It’s clear from the chart (pictured below) that both sides are fired up and ready to talk. Mars in Gemini is an indicator of that. Mercury in Aries is another. Everyone wants to resolve this quickly. The last strike in 2007-08 cost the L.A. economy more than $2.1 billion. And that’s back when business was good.
This year’s talks began just hours before the Spring Equinox, Nature’s declaration of fresh starts. Though that day’s astrology suggests a more muddled beginning with saber-rattling by afternoon, the next day was far more combustible.
On Tuesday, the astrology suggests a mood loaded with the firepower of a 0° Aries New Moon that bursts with new life, fortitude and possibility. Battle lines were probably more clearly drawn.7 The problem, suggested by the astrology, isn’t so much a willingness to talk. It’s a listening problem1.
There’s also a transparency problem standing in the way of a fresh start2. With a 29° Pisces Sun and a Pisces Moon, clarity is elusive. This can also be the halo effect of Neptune in Pisces on an industry already fueled by Piscean paranoia and delusions of grandeur.
But let’s see this chart half-full, shall we? There’s some real momentum in the next three weeks. Talks could produce some good news and productive effort on March 28 and March 30.3
Either way, this Aries weather (through April 20) is good for the Writers Guild. It’s a climate that’s full-throttle and well-aligned with the guild’s own natal chart. Opening talks in this fiery and directed environ could clear the air and get directly to the point.
Astrological forecast for the first two weeks of talks:
March 24: Conversations are easier and there’s more mutual respect.
March 27-28: A surprise win or unexpected, even shocking good news could be revealed.
March 30: Another shocking bit of good luck/karma that might enhance or change leadership
April 1-4: Things get confrontational as both sides dig in.
April 3: If overheated, talks might grow more civilized as Mercury enters Venus’ turf in the sign of Taurus. This could also bring entrenchment on both sides.
April 5: Heightened emotion illuminating fairness, what has/has not been accomplished thus far.
But the chances of quick resolution begin to wane around the volatile Aries Solar Eclipse on April 19. It grows even more complicated after April 21 and the dreaded Mercury retrograde through the May 1 strike deadline. Consensus grows even tougher if, god forbid, this thing lingers into late July and the Venus retrograde. That’s when a mid-October resolution looks more likely.
This latest battle is only one facet of a broader transition, though. Destabilization and restructuring are already on the astrological calendar for Hollywood. This is “now-or-never” astrology and an invitation to harness Pluto in Aquarius, an omen of revolution, of speaking truth to power. It’s also a cosmically scheduled correction for the whole industry.
This is the same astrology that marked Hollywood’s 1930s unionization, its 1960s studio bankruptcies, and 1990s indie revolution. It’s Saturn in Pisces and it’s in effect through February 2026. [See my article: “Saturn in Pisces and the Dream Factory” or my presentation on the transit.]
Jean Harlow knows what I’m talking about
It’s also the astrology of the Writers Guild’s most pivotal moments from the Red Scare blacklists of 1949 to the pre-strike battles of 1987 and 2006. This is the Aries-Libra eclipse cycle, and it wakes up the organization’s sense of sovereignty from April 19, 2023 through March 2025. This encourages the guild to make necessary change, assert its authority and embrace its fate.
The Eclipse Cycle
Aries-Libra eclipse cycles have marked some of the most pivotal moments in the Guild’s history and we’re entering another one April 19 that lasts off and on through 2025. This cycle marked:
The Red Scare that led to blacklisting writers in 1949.
The reinstatement of those blacklisted writers in 1968.
The unsuccessful pre-strike battle over VHS residuals in 1987 that preceded the 1988 strike, the longest strike in the guild history.
The pre-strike battle over new technology in 2006 that preceded the 2007-8 strike, the second longest strike in guild history.
Astrologically, the writers must confront whatever was lost or sacrificed in 1988 and 2008 and either assert more authority or give it up for good4. This echoes the mid 1990s when misunderstood tech advances cost writers creative control and income.
Mercifully, this look was sacrificed circa 1988
The Pen is Mightier
With an April 3, 1933 birthday, the Writers Guild is an Aries (see chart below). And true to that sign’s strengths, it has been working Hollywood’s first line of defense from the get-go.
Anyone with a good birthday for the AMPTP please share in the comments or message me.
A pioneer in the battle for fair pay and creative control, the WGA has led six of the industry’s 16 labor strikes, second only to the Screen Actors Guild (born a Cancer and evolved into an Aries after its 2012 merger with AFTRA).
“Embattled” is an Aries word and it’s an especially fitting descriptor for the Writers Guild. Of those six writers strikes, five lasted at least three months. Their successes were few and far between but when they won anything it was because they followed their leaders and stuck together. In-fighting is their Achilles heel.
Born into the cultural maelstrom of the Great Depression and President Roosevelt’s New Deal, the Writers Guild became the model for every other creative union in Hollywood5. Over the years, it has become known as the “enfant terrible” of the industry, bold and spirited with a fierce independent streak. In other words, Aries through and through.6
About That Strike Deadline …
Starting April 21, Mercury will be retrograde. This often slows ongoing negotiations. If talks haven’t progressed by this point, it’s hard to see how they’ll get anywhere fast.
Mercury retrograde in the sign of Taurus suggests the wheels of creative communication and creative commerce grind to crawl. (Taurus is the sign of art and art-making, but also the money).
This may be the moment both sides realize they aren’t getting anywhere and by necessity, introspection deepens.
Worst case scenario, the walkout begins on Monday, May 1. We don’t know what time, but just a glance at that day’s astrology gives us a lot of information. (see chart below)
On strike day, Mercury retrograde will be exalted in the heart of the sun or as the ancients deemed it “cazimi.” This could very well amplify the voices of the aggrieved artists in a very public way.8 This is especially true if the walkout takes place around noon in Los Angeles. That moment, in that location, offers maximum good PR.
Also on May 1, Pluto is stationing retrograde in the sign of Aquarius right around 10 am in Los Angeles. This is a potent omen of “power to the people.” A coast-to-coast walkout is a clear demonstration of Pluto in Aquarius, and possibly one that will garner tremendous cultural support.
Of all the astrological signatures, Pluto retrograde in Aquarius from May 1 to June 11 offers the Writers Guild an enormous opportunity to rally not just other Hollywood creatives, but other American labor unions.
Aquarius energy is what fuels social media and with Pluto there, power and influence may come from the masses. Using social media to bridge the cultural divide between writers and the American public will be essential. This is a once-in-a-lifetime transit that is only just beginning in 2023 and will shape the culture for the next 20 years.
It’s actually a Monday, but whatever.
Finally, May 1 is mid-eclipse season, a very volatile and unpredictable time. Just four days later, we’ll have a Scorpio Lunar Eclipse. Eclipses bring sudden and surprising changes, new beginnings and epic endings.
The Scorpio Lunar Eclipse on May 5 is especially discombobulating, aligned with the planet Uranus, known as “the Great Awakener.” This could be a rude awakening, although a spirit of self-sacrifice and “enlightened non-action”9 is suggested by the Mars-Neptune trine. A catharsis, karmic correction or loss of control could characterize this period as well as it’s aligned with the South Node.
This eclipse is motivating for the Writers Guild, but it also challenges its cohesiveness. Structural adjustments – and maybe sacrifices - must be made around this eclipse for the Writers Guild to succeed.
The Astrology of the Longest Strikes vs. Now
As we brace for what’s to come, history is instructive. The astrological history, especially. I reviewed the charts of the two longest Writers Guild strikes in 1988 and 2007-08 and compared them with the astrology of this year. Here’s what I discovered:
March 7 to Aug. 7, 1988: The longest strike in Writers Guild history started four days after a Virgo Lunar South Node Eclipse with Mercury in a fixed sign and included a Venus Retrograde. This strike was largely considered a bitter defeat.
Now: Similar. If the Guild strikes on May 1, 2023, it will take place four days before a Scorpio Lunar South Node Eclipse while also during a Mercury retrograde. Mercury retrogrades in general impact the Guild’s ability to assert themselves. Unlike in 1988, however, the potential for a bitter defeat is far less clear.
2007: The second longest strike in WGA history started two days before a Scorpio New Moon (challenging, but with potential) with Mars in Cancer (not great) and Saturn on the South Node (suggests a loss).
Now: Similar, but more volatile and more potential for some success after a significant sacrifice is made. If the WGA strikes on May 1, 2023, it will take place four days before a Scorpio Lunar Eclipse (a vengeful, “glass-half-full” moon) with Mars in Cancer (not great) with Saturn on the North Node (better than both 2007 + 1988 – also a “now or never” alignment).
1988 + 2007: Mercury, the planet that’s crucial in any negotiation was hobbled in 1988 and 2007 by a retrograde shadow which slows talks, even as both sides are moving in the right direction.
Now: If the WGA strikes on May 1, 2023, Mercury will be mid-retrograde, between two eclipses, amplifying misunderstanding and slowing talks. If the strike lasts until late July, a Venus Retrograde through mid-October could inhibit a swift resolution. This suggests an extended period when both sides refuse to budge.
1. Negotiations start on a Balsamic Moon with Mars in the first house in Gemini. Mercury, the planet of communication, in Aries has mutual reception to Mars. Neither one of these energies is especially receptive to listening.
2. That’s evident in the astrology of the negotiation start time of March 20, 2023 at 11 am in Sherman Oaks, CA. Moon in Pisces ruling the 2nd house of income, applying to conjunction with Neptune.
3. In the start time chart, Mars is in the 1st house trine the Midheaven. Mercury will conjoin Jupiter on March 28, an omen of good news and good cooperation, and Mars will trine Saturn on March 30, suggesting focused and functional effort.
4. In 2008, transit Saturn was conjunct the guild’s South Node during a Nodal Return year. This year Saturn is opposite that point, conjoining the guild’s North Node.
5. This was during that era’s Uranus in Aries square Pluto in Cancer, the signature of a cultural cataclysm that realigns power structures.
6. An Aries with its planetary ruler Mars retrograde in the sign of Virgo. The ruler of its Mars is Mercury in Pisces. This suggests its attempts to assert itself were first frustrating before successful
7. The March 21 New Moon at 0° Aries applied to a square with Mars at 28° Gemini.
8. The ruler of the Mercury Retrograde in Taurus is Venus in the sign of the media, Gemini.
9. Astrologer Renn Butler uses this phrase to describe Mars-Neptune alignments it in his 2018 book “The Archetypal Universe, Astrological Patterns in Human Culture, Thought, Emotion and Dreams.”
10. 1988 Strike start chart source: New York Times
2007 Strike start chart: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/100-days-changed-hollywood-writers-strike-10-years-1111860/
History referenced throughout was sourced from: Banks, Miranda. The Writers a History of American Screenwriters and Their Guild. New Brunswick, N.J: Rutgers University Press, 2016.
Other sources for this piece include:
Hey Nico! Thanks for asking. I’m preparing a new post on that for next week. Stay tuned!
And what about the actors strike?