PREVIOUS THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY October 31 2011 to November 6 2011 Monday October 31 High Spirits Samhain Greetings. Or, if you prefer, Happy Hallowe'en. For thousands of years, this has been the time for people to gather round fires and stay up late, honouring the spirits of their ancestors. There was nothing creepy about this but it posed a problem to those who sought to impose a God-fearing dogma on a culture that was more inclined to trust the divine. Hence the suggestion that this festival was connected to the invocation of dark spirits. All Saints' (or All Hallows') Day on November 1 was mainly invented as a way to chase them away again! Tuesday November 1 Virgos are famous for their eye for detail. According to astrological lore, nothing escapes the gaze of those born under this sign. Last week, I wrote a Virgo forecast while out walking. As I dictated it over the phone, my assistant typed the word discreet as discrete. I'm ashamed to say I missed this while reading it back, later. It's only a tiny difference and the sentence still made sense. But appropriately enough, this was spotted and challenged by Virgos in their droves. Next time someone doubts the relevance of astrological character traits, I shall show them those emails! Wednesday November 2 Venting from the Tenting Over the weekend, I visited the camp outside St Paul's Cathedral. Some of my friends from the festivals are staying there and they soon introduced me to other participants. I sat in on a couple of their 'general assemblies', open meetings held on the cathedral steps. The 'cause' is simple enough. Bankers and brokers make obscene sums of money while millions suffer in poverty. Some people had bright ideas about how this could be changed but I really don't think the protest is trying to be prescriptive. It's just drawing attention to an issue that needs to be addressed. Thursday November 3 Last Laugh of the Future Hi Jonathan, After my father passed away, the exact moment I felt his presence, totally at peace, my microwave started behaving strangely, punching '11:11' into itself over and over. It became too strange to ignore. I'd often had conversations with my non-believing father about the afterlife. I'd say, 'You'll see, you'll let me know'. If I was down, the microwave would start beeping in the other room, and sure enough, I'd go in and it would say '11:11' on the digital readout. The microwave finally stopped working, two years to the day my father had been cremated. JN Friday November 4 Numbers Game Hi Jonathan, Should we celebrate 11.11.11 at 11.11 am or 11.11 pm? Or are they equally as important? One friend said that 11.11 am is when the gateway opens and 11.11 pm is when it closes, so anytime in between is a good time to make a wish or connect to the spiritual realm. What do you think? Helen Hi Helen, I don't think the 'spiritual realm' ever closes its doors to any of us. I'm pretty sure there aren't any clocks in there either. It's here, in our 'not-so spiritual realm' that those numbers seem so significant. Saturday November 5 Your Week Ahead Full Moons are not just times of emotional intensity. They also symbolise an ability to hide the obvious, even when it is in full view of all. There's a Full Moon this week. And now, to see if you've been paying attention lately, here's a test. What sign will that Full Moon be in? Here's a clue. The Moon can only ever be Full when it is opposite the Sun. The Sun is currently in Scorpio. The opposite sign to Scorpio is Taurus. So this week's Full Moon is in? Very good. We'll make an astrologer of you yet! Sunday November 6 Your Week Ahead - Love Focus Full Moons are not just times of emotional intensity. They also symbolise an ability to hide the obvious, even when it is in full view of all. There's a Full Moon this week. And now, to see if you've been paying attention lately, here's a test. What sign will that Full Moon be in? Here's a clue. The Moon can only ever be Full when it is opposite the Sun. The Sun is currently in Scorpio. The opposite sign to Scorpio is Taurus. So this week's Full Moon is in? Very good. We'll make an astrologer of you yet! Back to Index   Click here for Jonathan Cainer's Daily Zodiac Forecasts