Aspects for the week beginning 17 July 2016

Theresa May

Another tumultuous week: On Monday, Andrea Leadsom pulled out of the Conservative leadership contest, disrupting Angela Eagle’s Labour leadership bid (Mercury square Uranus), David Cameron stepped down as Prime Minister and Theresa May prepared to take on that mantle.  Theresa May met the Queen and was asked to form a cabinet on Wednesday, and surprised us with some of her appointments: it was portrayed as a brutal culling of the existing order (the Notting Hill set) by the media.  On Thursday evening, a lorry driver ploughed through crowds in Nice (Mars quincunx Uranus), killing at least 84 people; and on Friday evening, there was an attempted coup in Turkey (Sun square Uranus), killing at least 265.  It is all too much for the head, heart and soul.  I intend to concentrate today on Theresa May, our new Prime Minister, and though there is much I could write about her new cabinet, I will keep that to a bare minimum.

Her Birthchart

My 2014 reading of Theresa’s chart was:

“Theresa’s chart shows Saturn conjunct the North Node (a serious responsible life purpose working through politics) squaring Pluto (her struggles have a life or death quality to them).  Mercury sextiles the North Node/Saturn conjunction, so she is able to concentrate her mind and apply it to concerns which are important to her.  Her Sun in Libra sextiles Uranus, and she is capable of thinking outside the box.  Her Jupiter opposite Mars shows a fiery side, but there is also an interest in healing situations (Sun trine Chiron) and diplomacy (Mars in Pisces and Sun in Libra) which may show up later in life.”

Her Mars in Pisces is interesting, and I would like to pick that up.  Mars represents the Inner Warrior in the chart, and David Ruffley has been quoted as observing:

“She has developed a reputation for being a very tough operator and an incredibly successful Whitehall warrior.”  She has been applauded for staying in the difficult post of Home Secretary for 6 years.

In Complete Astrology by Alan Oken, he describes Mars in Pisces thus:

“There is either a tendency toward a lack of cohesive direction in personal goals or an ability to bring together many facets of a situation, so that one is in a controlling if somewhat clandestine position.  Mars in Pisces can therefore make a great strategist or an incompetent.”

From being hailed a few years ago as a possible future Prime Minister, she kept her head down for a while, biding her time…

A different facet of her Mars in Pisces is a sensitivity and some compassion.  She was the first to observe that the Conservative Party had come to be thought of as the “Nasty Party” in 2002, and was anxious to provide a different prospect this week when setting out her stall.

In her inaugural speech, she made much of the principle of Unity, a province of her Sun sign Libra, but it must be remembered that Margaret Thatcher (the first female Prime Minister) was a Libran, and so was David Cameron (not particularly known for being a unifying force).  Her Sun is however closely trine Chiron in Aquarius (which is healing and humanitarian).  She may not have developed the healing potential of her Aquarian Inner Healer (Chiron) however, as human rights have not been a priority in her record.  On the plus side, her Chiron in Aquarius can be a staunch defender of the underdog, as seen in her protection of Gary McKinnon.

Transits this week

Some have greatness thrust upon them, and this week it was Theresa’s time.

In the aftermath of the European Referendum, when it was clear that she was a strong contender for the leadership, Theresa had a Jupiter Return to its natal position in Virgo.  This is a work related boost, though we do not have her birth time and do not know which House this falls into in her natal chart.

Andrea Leadsom stepping down on Monday was the catalyst for the sequence of events which put Theresa May in the top job earlier than expected.  Jupiter was on David Cameron’s Pluto, releasing him from a great deal of inner struggle (so much so that he was filmed humming as he turned into 10 Downing Street).  For Theresa May, Uranus (Change) was trine exactly her natal Venus, bringing about a personal change in circumstances, including what will be a change of home.

Cabinet

Theresa is sincere and hardworking, and willing to fight for what she believes in, and is thought to be a safe pair of hands (Saturn conjunct North Node; Mercury sextile Saturn), as is her choice of Chancellor, Philip Hammond.  Her other cabinet choices are in some cases bizarre: specifically Boris Johnson (tactless abroad) as Foreign Secretary, Andrea Leadsom in Environment (something of a climate denier, and wanting to bring back fox hunting; Caroline Lucas is very disappointed with this appointment). Words fail me in the continuation of Jeremy Hunt as “protector” of the N.H.S. (currently embroiled in a bitter dispute with Junior Doctors and wishing to impose the new contract, when a new Health Minister could have changed the energy).  One wonders if she would like to hoist them by their own petards – if so, that is quite a gamble.

She notably took the opportunity to dispatch Michael Gove, with whom she had had run-ins in the past.  His Sun squares her Nodal Axis – so there are power struggles brought through from past lives, as well as the recent government.  She is said to have reprimanded him for his lack of trustworthiness.

Personal Life and Marriage

 Like Angela Merkel, she is a Vicar’s daughter.  Another parallel has been drawn by the Financial Times, describing her as a “non-ideological politician with a ruthless streak who gets on with the job” in a comparison.

In religion, her  Christian faith “is part of me. It is part of who I am and therefore how I approach things”.

She took the subject of Geography at Oxford, where she was introduced to her husband Philip May by none other than Benazir Bhutto.  I was curious to see what kind of synastry would consist of this matchmaking relationship.  Benazir’s Sun was trine Theresa’s Neptune and sextile her Pluto.  Benazir’s Venus was sextile exactly Theresa’s Mars (particularly fitting for matchmaking).  In addition, Benazir’s Uranus was sextile exactly Theresa’s Jupiter (opportunity and luck).  Linking Theresa and Philip, Benazir may well be part of their Soul Group.

Philip, who is a Banker, has been praised for his sartorial elegance this week, and Theresa’s Libran Sun also displays an interest in fashion, especially shoes.  On Desert Island Discs the luxury item she picked was a subscription to Vogue.

Diabetes

Theresa was very upfront and responsible about declaring her diagnosis of diabetes, and firm about the intention that it would not affect her career performance.  She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in November 2012.  At that time, Neptune was opposite her Pluto, and Pluto was square her natal Sun, both very challenging transits.  She revealed on Desert Island Discs that she receives four insulin injections daily.

Astrologically, Venus rules diabetes, and natally her Venus squares Saturn, conjuncts Pluto and squares her Nodal Axis, all difficult aspects.

In Louise L. Hay’s metaphysical system diabetes represents “Longing for what might have been.  A great need to control. Deep sorrow.  No sweetness left.”  She has a strong Saturn in her make up, and may need to lighten up.  Well, lighten up she did this week – I have never seen her smile so much!  With overseeing Brexit (even though she has put staunch Brexiters in charge) she has her work cut out, so it is good to see that she is taking over the mantle of Prime Minister with an appetite for the job.

UK Chart

Saturn squares Uranus in the U.K. Chart this week, an attempt at stamping order and authority on a situation of rebellion and chaos (not mentioning the chaos within the Labour Party at this time).  I use the 1922 chart for the United Kingdom, but a friend has pointed out that Pluto currently transits the Mercury of the 1066 Chart.

In her relationship with the U.K., her closest interaspects with the 1922 chart are Venus square Venus (needs some work to achieve harmony) and her Uranus on its I.C. (stirring and fairly uneasy, perhaps indicative of her decisive cabinet changes).

Conservative Party Chart

The transits to the Conservative Party this week has some positivity (at least they got their act together much more quickly than the Labour Party).  Jupiter sextiles the Sun in its chart (a golden opportunity), Chiron sextiles its Moon (some emotional healing) and trines its Saturn (more solidity), Venus trines its Venus (some harmony restored), Neptune trines its Uranus (subtle benefits), the North Node exactly trines its Pluto (deep karmic change) and Jupiter trine its Ascendant (all good, then!)

Theresa May’s own relationship with the Conservative Party reveals her North Node conjunct the Party Venus (a close personal tie, and karmic), her Saturn square its Jupiter (she will keep it in line!), and her Jupiter trine its Ascendant (very favourable; bear in mind she has her Jupiter Return still operating now).

Future Trends

Pluto is close to a trine with her natal Jupiter now.  This becomes exact next January, around 27th.  That may be a moment when she feels she has got into her stride with the task.  She sounds likely to hold off a general election, and is also biding her time with Brexit, not intending to press the red button of Article 50 just yet.  Maybe she will have the confidence to do so around then, or stamp her style on the premiership in some other way.

Aspects

Today the Sun trines Mars, so seize the day!  The weather is also hotting up here in the U.K., currently 75 degrees F in Norfolk, projected to rise to 84 degrees on Tuesday.  It is a good day for energetic pursuits, new exercise regimes, barbecues, car repairs and dog walks.

The Sun is also trine Chiron today, boosting healing efforts, and solving problems, and uniting the Party (well Angela Eagle and Owen Smith, Labour leadership contenders and opponents did appear on the same orange sofa on the Andrew Marr show today).  The Sun, Mars and Chiron form a Water Grand Trine in the signs of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces respectively.  So much can be accomplished, at any rate on an emotional level.

The Mars trine Chiron component of this Grand Trine favours activities which are based on healing, such as movement meditations (e.g. Tai Chi and Qigong).

Tuesday (19th) presents us with a trine between Mercury and Saturn early on, enabling us to get our documentation up to date, and any teaching materials up to scratch.  Communication will be serious, constructive and sensible.

When you have your practical and written tasks ticked, you may have to deal with tensions arising from the upcoming Full Moon at the end of Capricorn, which peaks very late in the day.  Preoccupations of Capricorn are connected with the structures of our lives, e.g. housing.  In society and in the world, it represents politics, governments, authorities, and public institutions.  This may bring such issues to the forefront that evening.

The Full Moon over, we are free to enjoy a trine between Venus and Saturn on Wednesday (20th).  It is time to appreciate the loyalties of our nearest and dearest relationships, and their presence in our lives.  It is not a demonstrative aspect, but there is a great deal of unspoken affection, and acknowledgement of those who are in our team or our tribe.

On Friday (22nd) the Sun enters Leo, and the collective tone moves from family and emotion (Sun in Cancer) to festivity and enjoyment of life, and hopefully sunshine.  The Sun proclaims it is holiday season.  The projected temperature in the U.K. is 72 degrees, so let’s hope the Sun, both astrological and meteorological, lives up to its promise.  For those of you who are Leos, you’ll be expected to live up to your reputation as the life and soul of the party, and organizers of Busby Berkeley (Jupiter in Leo) style extravanganzas.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – a golden opportunity for action and healing
• Tuesday – knuckle down early, then process your emotions
• Wednesday – honour your relationships
• Friday – the holiday season officially begins