Astrologicalmind

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Tag: Void-of-course Moon

  • Void-of-Course Moon

    On March 20, 2023 the WGA (Writer Guild of America) began negotiations on new contract with the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers), which represented the major film & television studios).  One month later, on April 18, 97.85% of WGA  members voted to take strike action if a satisfactory agreement was not reached. The concerns of the WGA included: loss of financial residuals due to streaming media, the move towards a ‘gig economy’ model that threatened member’s financial and career prospects, general working conditions and the threat posed by AI.

    Six weeks after negotiations began, they broke down and the WGA downed pens at midnight on May 1, 2023 beginning a strike that would last 21 weeks. It would take 5 months before the two sides could reach a deal that saw the strike officially end at midnight on Sept 27, 2023.

    Pens Down

    May 1, 2023 at 3:59 PDT Los Angeles California

    We have very accurate charts for the beginning and ending of the strike. The chart for the beginning of the strike provides many clues as to its duration and the course it would take. In all charts the Moon provides important testimony as to the flow of events. Here she is cadent, at zero degrees, just separating from a trine to Pluto and most tellingly she is Void-of-Course. 1

    The WGA initiated the strike, so are signified by the Capricorn ASC & Saturn at 5 Pisces in the 2nd house. There were many practical reasons for their action, including financial renumeration as well as protection and compensation for their members. Pluto stationing in the 1st describes the intensity, passion and power of their stand . The AMPTP are signified by the Cancer DES, and the Moon, ruler of the 7th placed in the 9th house related to foreign affairs and publishing2; as well as Mars placed in the 7th house (in fall, but not without some dignity by triplicity). As the Moon covers many significations, we might put more emphasis on Mars as the studios significator, certainly their attitude is better described by Mars. They are comfortable in their position of power, willing to play aggressive and exhibiting a confidence that belies the need for compromise. The MC and its ruler Venus signifies the potential contract.

    The Moon has just had entered into the sign of Libra and is separating from her trine to Pluto by a mere 5 minutes, a clear testimony of the recent breakdown in the negotiation and the intense power-play & passion that inflamed this dispute. Interesting that Moon and Saturn (as well as Mars) are in mute signs3 and only have dignity by face, which indicates a sense of anxiety or worry affecting both sides.The Moon’s last aspect to a major planet, was her square to Venus 6 degrees previously, when in the sign of Virgo. This equates to the six weeks since the old contract expired and the unsuccessful negotiation for a new agreement began. The Moon went on to oppose Neptune, on the 3rd house cusp, before her ingress into Libra and trine to Pluto stationing retrograde in the 1st house.

    As her next aspect will be a square to Mars at 19 degrees Libra. The Moon is presently Void-of-Course and will remain so for the next 7 degrees and 17 minutes when she will enter into orb with Mars.  Following the Moon’s course from a symbolic timing perspective, giving each degree approximately one week of time, follows the unfolding of events pretty closely.

    Course of Events

    • For the first two month or 8 weeks nothing happened. (Moon is VOC for 7 plus degrees)
    • Ten weeks into the strike, on July 12, it was reported that the AMPTP would not return to the negotiation table till late October when the writers would be suffering financial strain and be willing to accept whatever the studios proposed. Naturally this enraged the WGA. (Moon 8 degrees Libra, now in orb of Mars – but Mars is not yet in orb of Moon4).
    • Thirteen weeks into the strike, on Aug 4 WGA & AMPTP leaders meet face-to-face for the first time since the start of the strike, with little apparent progress. Even the government of California wrote to the companies represented by the AMPTP (on Aug 30) imploring them to return to the negotiations as the strike was having a devastating effect on the economy as a whole. (Moon 13 degrees – Mars and Moon were now in each other’s orb. Moon has now entered into orb of her aspect to Venus).
    • On Sept 14, nineteen weeks after the start of the strike, the two sides agreed to restart the negotiation in earnest (Moon at 20 degrees – aspect with Mars has perfected.)
    • A deal is reached on Sept 24 and the strike officially ended on Sept 27 at midnight and the WGA go back to work.
    • The deal is ratified on Oct 9 (Moon 23 degrees – aspect to Venus perfects)

    The timing of the strikes ending is shown by the movement of the Moon to Mars, but also by Mercury who would travel just over 5 degrees before going direct (stationing at 5 degrees 51 minutes Taurus) equating to the 5-month duration of the strike. This was actually what I used to tell my daughter that the strike would last till roughly Sept 25th. I was off by a couple days.

    In real time the strike ended at the moment when the ASC/DES degrees were reversed almost to the minute; and the Moon was conjunct Saturn – the Moon being almost at the degree of Saturn in the strike chart; and the Sun close to the degree of the Moon in that same chart.

    1. The Moon is Void-of-course as she is not within her 12 degree orb of making any aspect. ↩︎
    2. Much of the dispute surrounded the issue of streaming content throughout the world without the creators (writers) being compensated for this new manner of delivery that had been extremely profitable to the studios. ↩︎
    3. All water signs are said to be mute, as water creatures make no sound. ↩︎
    4. The orb of Mars is 8 degrees ↩︎