Aspects for the week beginning 13 March 2016

Nancy Reagan

Nancy Reagan, who died this week of congestive heart failure, has an interesting place in astrological history.  As wife of President Ronald Reagan, she apparently used the services of an Astrologer, Joan Quigley, after the attempted assassination of her husband, to keep him safe according to astrological timing.  Joan Quigley wrote in her autobiography: “Not since the days of the Roman emperors – and never in the history of the United States Presidencey – has an astrologer played such a significant role in the nation’s affairs of State.”

As a Cancerian, with no planets in Air signs, Nancy Reagan would have tended to operate from instinct.  Her Sun was conjunct Mars, so her protective instincts were helped by a strong Inner Warrior.  Uranus, the planet for Astrology, was well starred in her chart, forming a sextile to her Sun, and an exact trine with Pluto.  She was a forceful character, having a triple conjunction of Pluto, the Sun, and Mars.

Early Life and Marriage

Her parents are graphically shown in her chart.  Her mother was an actress (Nancy had Moon at 0 degrees Leo) and her father was a car dealer (Nancy’s Sun conjunct Mars).  Her childhood was very disrupted, her father leaving early in her life.  Her mother struggled as an actress, and Nancy was placed with relatives.

Nancy herself pursued an acting career (Moon in Leo in 10th House of Career) and through that met Ronald Reagan, himself an actor at that time.  They married on 4th March 1952, and it was to prove a long and strong marriage.  With late Sagittarius rising in his chart, all her Cancerian planets fall  into Reagan’s 7th House of Marriage, and the synastry is dominated by Jupiterian aspects.  Ronald Reagan’s Jupiter, his ability to be upbeat, was exactly trine Nancy’s Sun.  She returned the favour with her Jupiter exactly trine his Moon.  His North Node (karmic link) was exactly sextile her Sun.  Their Jupiters were exactly trine, so they brought out the best in each other.  Nancy’s Jupiter was exactly trine Ronald’s North Node (karmic rewards).  At their wedding, Jupiter was exactly sextile Ronald’s Sun, and Uranus was exactly trine Nancy’s natal Uranus (favourable change).  She commented: “My life began when I married Ronnie.”

In the White House

Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States on 4th November 1980, taking up office in January 1981.  Pluto by transit was exactly conjunct Nancy’s North Node, as she took up the greatest karmic challenge of her life.

She has been most hailed for her war on drugs campaign. Neptune (drugs) was exactly trine Chiron (healing) in her natal chart – her slogan “Just Say No!” still resonates powerfully.

Attempted Assassination

On 30th March 1981, John Hinckley Jr. shot Ronald Reagan, in an attempted assassination.  Mars was exactly conjunct the Sun on that day, a favourite aspect for would be assassins!  Reagan issued a humorous one-liner “Honey, I forgot to duck” (his natal Moon exactly opposite Jupiter cheerfulness).  Reagan of course survived, but this was to prove a defining event in more ways than one.  Nancy became fiercely protective, and sought to control his schedules.  At the time, Uranus (Change, and Astrology) was exactly trine her natal Moon (Daily Schedules, and Women) and Astrologer Joan Quigley was brought in to help her manage this aspect of her husband’s life.

Joan Quigley

At the time of the assassination which led to Joan Quigley being appointed as Astrologer by Nancy Reagan, transiting Uranus (Change) was exactly trine Quigley’s natal Uranus (Astrology), and transiting Neptune (her spiritual work) was exactly trine her natal Neptune.  Her time had come.  She had an astute brain (Mercury conjunct Jupiter) opposite a Virgo Ascendant (keen attention to detail), and her destiny might be seen in her Uranus square the Nodal Axis (a wide influence in terms of Astrology).  Her synastry with Nancy shows a strong bond:  her Uranus (Astrology) exactly trine Nancy’s Moon, her Pluto (power) exactly conjunct Nancy’s Sun and sextile exactly Nancy’s Jupiter, Nancy Saturn (discipline) exactly conjunct Joan’s Ascendant, and an empathy borne of an exact conjunction between Nancy’s Neptune and Joan’s Moon.   These two had worked together in past lives, I am sure, and their connected path was contracted pre-birth.  Reagan himself had a stormy relationship with Quigley: her Mars was exactly on his Pluto.  As her influence extended to diplomatic issues, I imagine he must have had a difficult time squaring her advice with his political staff, so as well as tension with Quigley, he may also have experienced internal conflict.

Ronald’s Alzheimer’s

Ronald Reagan’s condition of Alzheimer’s began to show around the time of his Uranus Return in 1994.  Neptune was squaring Nancy’s karmic Nodal Axis, and she began a 10 year stint of nursing him.  Alzheimer’s is perhaps too common a condition to ascribe a single natal aspect to, but his natal Mercury conjunct Uranus may have contributed to disrupted mental patterns, and this would make sense in terms of the condition starting around his Uranus Return.  As well as being a devoted carer to Ronald (4 planets and the Midheaven in Cancer), she was also mother of two.  With Uranus in 5th House of Children, she may have been more of a detached mother, however.  Having outlived her husband by 11 years, her physical body finally surrendered, under the stress of Pluto exactly opposite her Mercury and Neptune transiting her natal Uranus.  Both lived to a ripe old age: he was 93 when he died, and she was 94.

Aspects

Tomorrow (14th) it is a fractious beginning to the working week, with two squares, but the week does get better!  Perhaps you are trying hard to complete some work and clear your desk for upcoming deadlines, but are faced by new issues cropping up.

We start with a square between Mercury and Saturn – if you are trying to get to grips with travel or paperwork, you’ll be held back by frustrating delays.

In addition, Venus squares Mars, so relationships won’t be easy, either.  Don’t try and sweet talk the business partner on the phone playing for time.  It’s not likely to work, as he or she will be facing the same glitches.

The next pair of aspects, on Tuesday (15th) continue the theme of communication and involve Mercury (so are very apt for Geminis and Virgoans).  First Mercury sextiles Pluto, and you may be able to make important headway in paperwork and communication where you had been stuck on Monday.  You can really get your point across to the business partner, who is really listening, or vice versa, especially if you make an early start.

A little later, the communication or work demands may get a little overbalanced, mushroomed or expanded, as Mercury opposes Jupiter.  Someone may take a joke too far.  The profound communication will still stand, but a small detail may rankle or have hit a nerve; the business may have become a little personal.  But overall, on the balance of the day, no real harm done.

Wednesday (16th) finds the big skittle in the middle of the week, and hopefully hits the mark.  Jupiter trines Pluto, which is a major aspect, and one under which much can be achieved.  The work you have done with the previous aspects should reap rewards, and the machinery starts to move.  It is a good day for big projects, especially involving ecology (Jupiter in Virgo) and power institutions (Pluto in Capricorn), and harnessing the power of society, not just for our private progress.

Thursday (17th) finds our third trio of paired aspects, again both involving Mercury (it is a busy week for Geminis and Virgos).  First, Mercury conjuncts Chiron, emphasizing health and healing, conventional and unconventional medicine combined.  A healing crisis may highlight this, but help may be close at hand if you focus.

Then Mercury conjuncts the North Node, and important karmic information may come to light, or surface through insight.  A messenger may appear in the form of a person, or an animal.

Next Week: Aries Animal Totems and Archetypes

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – delays and inappropriate overtures
• Tuesday – communication satisfied and inappropriate laughter
• Wednesday – a power day
• Thursday – health and karma