Pope Francis (1936 – 2025)

“What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly and will end badly.”

~ Pope Francis

Pope Francis died last Monday at 7.35 a.m., Rome, aged 88, from double pneumonia and a stroke.  He had been ailing, and his health had been a significant cause for concern, since February, when Neptune was trine his natal Pluto in his 1^st House (deep seated changes), Saturn square his natal Chiron in the 12^th House (physical deterioration), and the North Node trine his natal Pluto 1^st House (a reorientation of the Soul).  His journey back to his maker was being prepared.

Birth Chart

I took a good look at his chart when he was elected in March 2013.  I wrote:

“Sun in Sagittarius is traditionally the sign for conventional religion, and pontification.  His Sun is close to the galactic centre, so he may be aligned with spiritual realities, and it is conjunct the North Node (karmic mission) which confirms that his path is a true one (for him at least).  He is comfortable with religious power.  There is a down-to-earth quality about him, and if he is of a certain evolutionary level it may be significant in his life and works that Earth is the esoteric ruler of Sagittarius.

His Moon is conjunct Venus (which gives him great gentleness).  ..The Moon sign is Aquarius, so giving him a social focus and an interest in a fair society, a championship of the underdog.  He has been reported as making statements which maintain the downtrodden status of women in the Papal view, and that may be because Uranus squares his Venus/Moon conjunction, so there is a sense of alienation in his mind towards women at the same time as the fairer qualities.  There is scope here that he may change his mind suddenly (Uranus).

He has a difficult T-square between Chiron in Gemini and Neptune opposing Saturn, and will have learned to balance that to a certain extent by his age of 76.  He does have a much warmer timbre of voice than his predecessor, and Chiron in Gemini could be considered to have healing qualities through the use of the voice.  Fortunately, an exact trine from Mars lifts the Chiron a little from its tension in the T-square, and confers some good healing energy too.

Jupiter is trine Uranus in his chart, so miracles may be ascribed to him; not necessarily high-flown miracles, but placed in earth signs they may be practical miracles, such as shifting some of the poverty in corners of the world.  He has an unusual relationship with money and materiality, as in addition to this aspect his Part of Fortune is in the 2^nd House of Money.  He thinks outside the box in this sphere.

He has been called “divisive” already for various reasons, such as his alienation from his fellow Jesuits.  But he may be able to bring people together, by virtue of his Mars in Libra (the “Peacemaker Archetype”) trine his Chiron (“Inner Healer”) which understands suffering through its position in his T-square.  His election may have been a mental shock (transiting Pluto conjunct his Mercury) but at the same time he understood his responsibility (transiting Saturn sextile his natal Mercury) and the dove of divinity definitely came to settle on his shoulders, with transiting Neptune sextile his natal Jupiter.  He has a huge task ahead of him, and I wish him all the luck of the Sagittarian ruler, Jupiter.”

At the time, I did not have a solid birth time for him, so now that it is accepted that he was born at 9 p.m. near Buenos Aires, I can expand on the above:

He has Cancer rising, cementing his reputation as a caring Pope.  His Midheaven at 0 degrees Taurus marks him out as a steady dependable persona in the world.  At the same time, Uranus conjuncts the Midheaven, giving him the urge to reform and modernise in his career, and some success within that aim.  Mercury opposite the Ascendant indicates the Teacher Archetype – he worked as a teacher earlier in life in a literal sense (lecturing in literature and psychology), and of course he was a teacher in a more archetypal sense.

Life and Career

He was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Flores, a suburb of Buenos Aires.  His family was of Italian origin, and he was the eldest child with four siblings.  He attended a technical secondary school, graduating with a chemical technician’s diploma – his Mercury trine Uranus provides a scientific bent.

At the age of 21, he suffered life-threatening pneumonia, three cysts, and the excision of part of a lung.  With Mercury opposite the Ascendant (the physical), there seems to have been a life long weakness concerning the lungs.  After recovering, he subsequently experienced a life-changing (or sliding door) moment when passing a church on his way to celebrating the Spring Day, and after confession was inspired by a priest to study at an archdiocesan seminary.  On 11^th March 1958 he entered the Society of Jesus as a novice: Uranus was opposite his Venus and Chiron trine his natal Mars and Chiron.  Saturn was also on his natal Sun in his 6^th House of Service (a commitment), Jupiter was on his natal I.C. in 4^th House (making religion the foundation of his life) and Pluto trine his Midheaven (a serious direction in life) at 0 degrees Virgo, marking an important shift.

In such a long career, leading up to his papal role, there are many steps and markers, of which I will list a few:

1960: He officially became a Jesuit on 12^th March of that year: Neptune squared his natal Venus in Aquarius in 8^th House (a renunciation – the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience); Chiron was sextile his natal Midheaven in Taurus in the 20^th House (a step towards healing in his career);  Chiron sextile his natal Saturn in Pisces in 9^th House of Religion (cementing the seriousness of his new role); and the Nodal Axis squared his natal Nodal Axis, creating a Grand Cross – a fateful and karmic moment in time.

1969: He was ordained as a Catholic priest on 13^th December that year

1973: He became the Jesuit provincial superior in Argentina

1992: He rose to the position of Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires

1998: He became the archbishop of Buenos Aires

2001: Pope John Paul II made him a Cardinal, on 21^st February that year

2013: On the retirement of Pope Benedict, he was elected Pope (on 13^th March of that year) and took the name Francis after St Francis of Assisi, and he was the one and only Pope to take that name.  In taking the role, he achieved several firsts: the first pope to be a Jesuit, the first Latin American pope, the first from the southern hemisphere, and the first from outside Europe since 8^th Century Pope Gregory III.

Qualities, Beliefs and Achievements

Pope Francis came to be known for his compassion, simplicity, and humility, with which he imbued his ministry in various practical ways.  He lived in a small apartment, used public transport, and cooked his own meals.

He believed in inclusiveness, peacefulness, and charity for the poor and vulnerable, and many works were dedicated to this end.  He fostered relations between religions.

As Peter Stanford put it, in his Guardian obituary, Pope Francis saw that “climate change, migration and global poverty were interconnected.”

He spoke out where he considered that international relations were failing according to these standards of decency (such as on immigration), intervening to speak out about the Ukrainian/Russian and Gazan/Israeli wars.  It is said that he phoned his Gazan church every day since that war began in October 2023.  He spoke out about injustices in economic systems, and supported action against climate change where leaders were failing to acknowledge the importance of protecting the planet.  He pointed out the dangers of the trend towards right wing populism.

He admitted that he was not perfect, and indeed was criticized for not going far enough in women’s rights within the church, standing up enough for the LGBTQ community despite his sympathy, and not tackling the institutional sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic church thoroughly enough.  Some of these “failings” were partly due to opposition from within the church.

But there is no doubt that he dedicated every moment to service as he believed it to be required.  Andy Burnham on the Laura Kuenssberg Sunday show this morning reported that when he took a party to Rome, Pope Francis paid a personal and touching attention to each of his guests.

Death

Last Monday morning, profoundly symbolically on Easter Monday itself, he suffered a stroke, leading to a coma and cardiac arrest.  On announcing his death, the exact time (7.35 a.m., Rome) was given out.

Jupiter was trine his natal Mars in Libra in his 4^th House, he was “going home”.  The Nodal Axis was square his natal Sun in Sagittarius in his 6^th House (he had enacted his final service, speaking delicately and publicly on the previous day).

The chart of 7.35 a.m. shows Uranus on the Ascendant sextile a conjunction of Venus and the North Node in Pisces, a sudden and important event; Pluto was exactly conjunct the Moon and the Midheaven, very symbolic of the passing of an important global figure.

Much has been made about the visit the day before by Vice President of the U.S., J.D. Vance, parallels being drawn between that event and the Queen having met Liz Truss in her final days.  It is a striking symbol for the imagination, when you consider the values of the Vice President (despite his Catholicism) being so much at odds with those of the Pope himself.

For his funeral, Pope Francis opted for a plain coffin, a more lowly church than was the custom, and for a contingent of the poor and vulnerable to be allowed to pay the final respects.  Principled to the end.

To those world leaders who attended the Pope’s funeral, despite conducting policies antithetical to what he stood for, I pray that they may have been touched in some way.

Aspects

In the early hours of this morning a contentious opposition occurred, between Mars and Pluto.  You can’t get much more of a dynamic opposition.  Tempers may flare, unexpectedly, and words may cause upset.  Keep a low profile today if you wish to avoid conflict, and the watchword is tact.

This opposition can spark violence, and around that time in Vancouver according to the BBC News website at least “nine people were killed after a man drove an SUV into a crowd at an event put on by the city’s Filipino community.”

At the other end of this day, in the evening, there is an opportunity for a fresh start, with a New Moon at 7 degrees Taurus.  This can herald a new beginning for all Taurean-related interests, and a chance to focus your intent on these for the next month.  You may take inspiration from looking at artworks or gardens.  You are helping to build the New Earth, as they say in New Age circles.  It is a fresh start for cooking, gardening, art, music or money.  Make the most of this wishing Moon.

On Wednesday (30^th) Venus will enter Aries, waving goodbye to Pisces. Though Venus was sympathetic in Pisces, there is a warmer and more demonstrative feel while she is in Aries.  On the flip side, she is out of her comfort zone in the warrior sign, so there may be some uncomfortable wrestling with issues around whether to express true feelings or stay away from possible conflict.  Venus will stay in Aries until 6^th June.

Uranus sextiles the North Node on Thursday (1^st May).  This one is for those who want to step out of their comfort zone, think outside the box, and create something new (preferably something which advances society or the human race, due to its karmic flavour).  A number of iconoclasts have this sextile in their natal charts.

And lastly, on Friday (2^nd May), Venus conjoins with Neptune.  Inspired artistic and musical expression is assisted.  Idealized and spiritual love may also be on the menu.  You may find inspired ways to show love.  With Neptune being newly expressed in Aries there is a more expressive and idealized combination of the love impulse, e.g. there may be new ways of showing love.  This may combine honouring the self (Aries) with a more divine expression (Neptune) of love (Venus).  Perhaps, still falling within the nine days of mourning, people will be inspired by some of the Pope’s attitudes and beatitudes.  Heartwarming messages may be given and received.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – fierce clashing; new beginning
• Wednesday – demonstrative feelings
• Thursday – creating a new vibe
• Friday – a new kind of loving

Jean Marsh (1934 – 2025)

Actress and writer Jean Marsh passed away last Sunday at the age of 90.  She was in a way a pioneer of the dramatic genre concerning those upstairs and those downstairs, the haves and the have nots.  And the works she created with her co-writer Eileen Atkins had mileage, they endured, sequels were created, and the themes were copied (most notably in Downton Abbey).

Birth Chart

We are fortunate to have birth times for both Jean Marsh and Eileen Atkins – a feast for the Astrologer!  Jean had the Sun in Cancer, the perfect sign for her genre, set in a “home”, involving domestication: the theme for her creation, “Upstairs, Downstairs”.  An interesting and very unusual feature of her chart is that she has so few aspects, or connections between her planets.  But she had four exact aspects, and they give some definition to the reading of her chart.  Her Sun was in the 10^th House of Career, its position defines her work in the world.  Her Sun was exactly trine with her Pisces Moon in the Water element – she knew exactly what she was doing, her conscious mind was in perfect concert with her subconscious.  Her Sun was closely sextile Neptune, opening her up to inspiration; while at the same time her Moon opposed Neptune, so she was very imaginative, sometimes overly so for her own comfort.  Her Sun squared by Jupiter gave her an adventurous, even cheeky, quality.  With Mercury exactly conjunct Pluto in Cancer, she was a deep thinker, her thoughts deeply linked to emotion, too.  Mars in her chart was unaspected, emphasizing the female bias of her chart, and her work.  Another strong theme was thrown up by her Ascendant, Virgo, which represents Service (the downstairs function of the “House”).  She had a loose conjunction of Mars however to her Midheaven (Careerpoint) which probably represents her promotion of a “cause” in her most famous work: that of portraying class war.  Jupiter was closely trine her North Node, opening up a fortunate karmic path, and opportunities in life to fulfil the karmic mission.  Her Saturn exactly trine Midheaven may represent a focus on status, i.e. Upstairs and Downstairs.

Life and Career

Jean grew up in Stoke Newington.  Her mother was a parlourmaid “in a big pub hotel” who lived to 102.  Her father was a chauffeur and under-butler in “a grand household”, so she had solid material to draw upon in her later writing.  Born in 1934, she experienced the constant sound of shelling during World War II London, and at the age of seven she went into nervous paralysis.  For therapy, her mother put her into dance classes.  Having also studied acting from a young age, she embarked on an acting career, earning her first big break in 1959, in a stage role.  During her life, she appeared in several episodes of Dr. Who, the first of which was in 1965, and in a variety of films.  With so few aspect-connections in her chart, it may have been a factor in her collaboration in life, most notably with her friend, Eileen Atkins.

Eileen Atkins

Eileen’s father Thomas was also a chauffeur.  The Bellamy’s chauffeur in Upstairs, Downstairs, named Thomas Watkins, will have been portrayed accurately from two life examples!  What did Eileen bring to the table in her expertise?  She had the Sun in Gemini, and Mercury sextile Venus, signs of the Writer Archetype.  Her Moon was in Performing Leo.  When Eileen was three years old, a Romany had told her mother that she would grow up to be a famous dancer.

Jean Marsh played parlourmaid Rose Buck in Upstairs, Downstairs, and though Eileen was originally scheduled to play the other parlourmaid they had written in, Eileen was replaced by Pauline Collins as she was unavailable due to another acting role. Eileen had the Moon at her South Node, bringing strong feminine impressions from a past life, and her Moon was trine her Midheaven, giving that flavour to her career themes.  Her North Node wasconjunct Ascendant, making her a karmic driver.  We know her more recently and affectionately as Aunt Ruth Ellingham in Doc Martin.

Upstairs Downstairs

Jean and Eileen were born within 16 days of each other in the same year, often indicating an inter-life contract to work together in life on a specific mission.  They met in their 30s, after the ripening of their Saturn Returns.  The synastry between Jean and Eileen is very close: Atkins’ Sun is conjunct Marsh’s Chiron (a healing relationship), and Atkins’ Moon is exactly sextile Marsh’s Chiron (supporting each other in feminine healing forms).  Their outer planets from Jupiter onwards are exactly conjunct.  They were perfectly in tune.

In 1967, there was a television production of The Forsyte Sage by John Galsworthy.  Apparently, Jean and Marsh were having Sunday lunch together one day, when Jean observed the fact that the focus was all on the upper-middle class in that programme.  She came up with the idea of portraying the other side of the coin, which is the life that her parents had lived.

Their creation, Upstairs, Downstairs, ran from 1971 to 1975, beginning on 10^th October 1971.  The newness of its theme is reflected in a conjunction between the Sun and Uranus, but there is also a healing purpose present, in the North Node exactly sextile Chiron.  As for the transits for the pair of writers and actresses: Uranus was on their Jupiters (sudden success) for both of them, and they both had a Nodal Return (karma being fulfilled on point, a karmic reward).  In addition, the North Node was transiting Eileen’s Ascendant.

Hubby reminded me this morning that this was another programme that we watched with my (Cancerian) mother, who had declared that it tackled social issues at the time, such as the moral dilemmas around hanging as a capital punishment (he then launched into the exact wording of a scene between parlourmaid Rose and Hudson the butler, cockney accent and all).  Jean Marsh won the 1975 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.  The programme itself was awarded two BAFTAs, two Royal Television Society awards, eight Emmys, and a Golden Globe.

The House of Eliott

Jean and Eileen came together to create another successful series in 1991, The House of Eliott.  Another House! This also carried Cancerian/feminist themes: the series involved a story of two sisters in 1920s London who create a dressmaking business and go on to forge a haute couture fashion house.  The series was broadcast from the 12^th July 1992, with the Sun present in Cancer.

Upstairs Downstairs had portrayed the time period of 1903 to 1930, which included the Edwardian period and the Roaring Twenties.  It makes me wonder if the immediate previous lives of these two actresses took place around the Roaring Twenties.  Atkins also wrote the screenplay for the film Mrs Dalloway, starring Vanessa Redgrave, which was set around the 1920s.

Jon Pertwee

Jean Marsh was married from 1955 to 1960, to the actor Jon Pertwee, who later played the third Dr Who.  Their synastry was also close: he was another Cancerian.  His Jupiter was conjunct her Mercury/Pluto conjunction in Cancer.  They had trined Water Moons.  Her Venus was conjunct his South Node, suggesting a love from past lives.

At their wedding on 2^nd April 1955 Uranus was on her Mercury/Pluto conjunction and on his Jupiter; Neptune was trine her Midheaven and Saturn, creating a Grand Trine in Air; Neptune was trine her Saturn, the North Node trine her Uranus, and Mars was sextile his Jupiter.  Although the marriage only lasted five years, astrologically by synastry and transit it was an important relationship, and she did not marry again.

Revivals

The BBC revived Upstairs Downstairs from 2010 – 2012.

It was filmed in the same house as the original series, at the fictional address of 165 Eaton Place in Belgravia.  Jean Marsh again played Rose Buck, returning to London to run an agency for domestic servants, after nursing her mother in Suffolk.  Eileen Atkins also starred in this production.

A second series began to be transmitted in February 2012, but Jean Marsh appeared less frequently, due to having suffered a stroke on 3^rd October 2011.  Ironically, the re-make was overshadowed by Downton Abbey, which was being shown on ITV in the years 2010 to 2015, some forty years after Upstairs, Downstairs debuted on our screens.

Farewell, Jean!  A fine actress and writer, and a contribution well made to our understanding of early 20^th Century history and the partial unravelling of the class system.

Aspects

At tea-time today, Venus sextiles Uranus, with Venus now Direct.  Venus in harmony with Uranus is very social and may produce some interesting outward manifestations.  Chance meetings are possible and can be strange or seem random.  Venus sextile Uranus is on the pleasantly uplifting side of the equation, and can bring reunions, even if just on your mobile phone or online.  The three S’s come to mind: spontaneity, synchronicity and serendipity.

In the evening we have another sextile, that of Mercury with Pluto, bringing a profound touch to your communications.  It is a harmonious aspect which can produce profound honouring of the gravity of a situation if necessary, and enabling meaningful debate to occur.  It is a good space for reading something profound.  Maybe there is something in your pile of pending books you have been putting off, if so, now’s the time to tackle it.  I am reading “A Better Tomorrow” by Mina Smallman at the moment, which fits that bill.

Tomorrow, Monday 21^st, Mars squares the Sun, so apply caution in your dealings.  It is a hot-headed aspect which can result in minor cuts and bruises through slapdash inattention.  Aggro, irritation and conflict are all possible under this aspect, so set out to have a peaceful day starting with a spot of your best meditational efforts.  Then radiate that calm to all who cross your path, while self-distancing.  You might find people sounding off, in anger, about things that are going on in the world, such as the conditions in war zones.  If so, some advance preparation may assist in defusing agitation.  The energy, fire and enthusiasm which the Sun with Mars generates can be positively harnessed if you are especially mindful.

Saturn also conjuncts the North Node on that day, a karmic conjunction.  It is a call to take responsibility, to own your actions (past and present), and perhaps to re-draw your karmic contract from this point.  For the nations struggling to deal with the consequences of the changes wrought from the U.S., it is an ongoing important focus for self-reliance and re-evaluation, looking at the lessons of past history and consequences.

Wednesday (23^rd) brings a square between the Sun and Pluto, more need for caution.  There may be drama.  The atmosphere becomes more thoughtful and serious.  This is a deep soul-searching aspect.  It is the sort of aspect which can be looked upon as a gamechanger, or watershed.  So if you are in integrity, you may be able to influence what side the coin lands on.

Venus Direct conjoins Saturn in the first minutes of Friday (25^th) which may may give rise to sobering reflections about relationship or money.  Feel your feelings (e.g. the nostalgia, or injustice), or deal with them philosophically, and let them go if you can.  The care of the elderly may be a particular preoccupation.  The optimum condition for this conjunction would be loyalty and commitment, and perhaps some songwriting incorporating a touch of melancholy.  Preoccupations may lead to a restless sleep.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – upbeat and dynamic; socially-stimulating and deep-thinking
• Tomorrow – caution needed; karmic responsibility
• Wednesday – more caution needed; drama
• Friday – sobering reflections on relationships and money

Zodiac Quotations

In an effort not to write about Donald Trump, I thought I would like to present some more edifying quotations this week, for the zodiac signs.  Not all quotations correlate with the Sunsign of the originator.  If the quote for your Sun sign does not speak to you, you may find that another one does!  Something may spark something…

Aries

“The spiritual journey is individual, highly personal. It can’t be organized or regulated. It isn’t true that everyone should follow one path. Listen to your own truth.”

~ Baba Ram Dass, Spiritual Leader. b. 6^th April 1931. Sun in Aries

 Taurus

“Karma is the beginning of knowledge. Next is patience. Patience is very important. The strong are the patient ones. Patience means holding back your inclination to the seven emotions: hate, adoration, joy, anxiety, anger, grief, fear. If you don’t; give way to the seven, you are patient, and then you will soon understand all manner of things, and you will be in harmony with eternity.”

~ James Clavell, from “Shogun”.  Venus exactly sextile Saturn.

Gemini

“So, colours in the auric fields are universal, they can be interpreted, they are not constricted to our cultural representation.  They have universal meanings because the length of a vibrational frequency is the cause of the colours.  We want to be able to allow someone to speak to us from the vibrational frequencies simply by placing our attention on them, by listening.”

~ Chris Griscom,  from “Ecstasy is a New Frequency”. b 3^rd June 1942, Sun in Gemini

Cancer

“Born with the Moon in Cancer
choose her a name she will answer to
call her green and the winters cannot fade her
call her green for the children who’ve made her
little green, be a gypsy dancer…”

~ Joni Mitchell, from the song “Little Green”.  Ascendant in Cancer

Leo

“The unconscious always tries to produce an impossible situation in order to force the individual to bring out his very best. Otherwise one stops short of one’s best, one is not complete, one does not realize oneself. What is needed is an impossible situation where one has to renounce one’s own will and one’s own wit and do nothing but wait and trust to the impersonal power of growth and development. When you are up against a wall, put down roots like a tree, until clarity comes from deeper sources to see over that wall.”

~ Carl Jung, Sun in Leo, b 26 July 1875. Sun in Leo

Virgo

“When others put you down in any way, realise their actions are direct projections of their own state of pain and confusion. Likewise, remember that opening your heart and having compassion for them in their pain (which does not at all mean condoning their behaviour) benefits you as well as them.”

~ Anita Moorjani, Spiritual Author

Libra

“This is a time to reflect on love and to seek out beauty.  Create memories.  Take time to enjoy your experiences, celebrations and special occasions.  The recollection of happy moments will support you.  Look not only in the world around you but also within.  Seek out the loving qualities that you appreciate about yourself.  Search for your own beauty.  Look at yourself and the world around you from a new perspective.”

~  Angela Hartfield, Spiritual Author

Scorpio

“Any child, anywhere in the world, can have a past life memory, regardless of the cultural or religious beliefs of the parents. Most of these memories don’t cause problems. They are benign and are useful to help explain a child’s talents, temperament, behavioural quirks. And … they can forever change the most fundamental beliefs of the parents about death and life. For, by sharing their memories with us, small children teach what we adults have forgotten: that life continues after death.”

~ Carol Bowman, from “Children’s Past Lives”

Sagittarius

“This week I’ve done brain surgery spinal surgery, elbow surgery, knee surgery and a fracture that took 14 hours to fix.  By the end, everything ached.  I empathise with my patients, for sure.  You feel connected to the universe, helping to prolong the lives of animals.”

~ Noel Fitzpatrick, TV Vet.  From “This Much I Know”,  Observer Interview, 9/3/25 

Capricorn

Soul: “The creating of future karma is what causes the universe to go on. Your future karma does not have to be bad karma. As you are working out past karma and do the best you can in your present life, the future karma that you are creating will be good karma and it will have good effects on your future life. And you will be able to continue and improve your future lives until you reach the ultimate.”

~ Dolores Cannon, from “Between Death and Life”.  Saturn in Capricorn

Aquarius

“If a majority in every civilised country so desired, we could, within 20 years, abolish all abject poverty, quite half the illness in the world, the whole economic slavery which binds down nine tenths of our population; we could fill the world with beauty and joy, and secure the reign of universal peace.”

~ Bertrand Russell, Philosopher. Uranus exactly sextile Sun/Mars.  

Pisces

“Sunrise doesn’t last all morning
A cloudburst doesn’t last all day
Seems my love is up and has left you with no warning
It’s not always gonna be this grey

All things must pass
All things must pass away…”

~ George Harrison, from the song “All things must Pass”.  b 25^th February 1943, Sun in Pisces

Aspects

In the first hour of this morning we experienced a Full Moon at 23 degrees of Libra.  The Libra Full Moon entails a balance between the needs of two people in partnership, and hopefully works towards harmony.  This is the most equable of the 12 Full Moons of the year, nevertheless a delicate balance operates, which may be resolved in common aims, e.g. in a united effort.  The emergency recalling of Parliament yesterday over the Scunthorpe steelworks, reflects the urgency that can arise coming up to a Full Moon.  Delicate negotiations are currently taking place.

A more soothing influence took place shortly afterwards, with Venus stationary prior to turning Direct.  In its retrograde period, you may have noticed a review of relationships and/or money taking place.  You can now act upon your conclusions, with more ease.  At last you may be able to resume normal relations, enhanced by the learning you gained.  You may have realized the true worth of some of your relationships.  You can pause, breathe and relax into that knowledge.

Tomorrow (Monday 14^th) Saturn conjoins the North Node at 26 degrees Pisces, a karmic conjunction.  It is a call to take responsibility, to own your actions (past and present), and perhaps to re-draw your karmic contract from this point.  For the nations struggling to deal with the consequences of the changes wrought from the U.S., it is an important focus for self-reliance and re-evaluation, looking at the lessons of past history and consequences.

Moving on to Wednesday (16^th), we find Mercury moving into Aries.  You might need to be prepared for plain speaking today, whether your own (perhaps without engaging the brain!), candid words from others, or unpalatable government announcements. You will need to get to the point much more directly in your communications, and there is more sense of urgency about paperwork.  So, more direct communication is on the cards.

By Thursday (17^th), Mercury has caught up with Neptune at 0 degrees Aries to form a conjunction.  This is not conducive to exacting and detailed mental work and documentation if that is what you planned; but it can favour dreams, mystical states and spirituality.  They in turn can affect creativity, art and music in an inspired way.  If you are feeling below par, you may experience added confusion or brain fog.  Channelling is favoured.

Good Friday (April 18^th) sees Mars entering Leo, which will bring energy to your self-expression, or you may observe displays of power.  Mars will stay in Leo until 17th June, so will especially energize the affairs of those born under the sign of Leo.  If you are making hay, you could feel Mars supporting you with extra oomph and bravery.  Drama and theatre also receive a boost.  And sporting interests generally will thrive.  Those who thrive on competition and holidaymaking will be having their season.

At the very end of the week, Saturday (19^th) the Sun will enter Taurus, the third ingress of the week, so more newness to be added, with a slightly different focus.  It betokens a time of the blossoming of the earth.  Gardeners will garden, artists will paint or sculpt, and dancers will dance.  So it is very much a cuspal and switchover day, embedding into a productive and possibly more grounding Taurean period.

At the very end of this last day of the week, we receive a resolution between the physical and the spiritual, in the shape of a trine between Mars and Neptune.  This ensures the sensitive use of energies, such as meditative activities.  Yoga, Tai Chi and Qijong all represent this vibe.  Mars represents the use of energy or anger directed (in a trine) in a constructive way, and Neptune represents empathy.  It is also worth noting that in this period our Sun aligns with the Seven Sisters, the Pleiades, so there is scope for a greater cosmic awareness.

Happy Easter, and Passover!  With Love

Richard Chamberlain (1934 – 2025)

“His mini-series were luxury liners and time machines, whisking audiences to other lands and ages in a way that workaday series couldn’t.”

~ James Poniewozik, The New York Times

It was announced last week that actor Richard Chamberlain, romantic lead par excellence, who embodied that role in a bygone age, passed away at the age of 90.  His was not the tall, dark and handsome stereotype, but as Adam Bernstein put it in The Washington Post “blue-eyed and porcelain-faced”.  The Guardian obituary by Ronald Bergan describes his “chiselled features, which made him ideal for romantic leads in soap operas”.  He struggled to keep his homosexuality secret for most of his life, in order to preserve the shelf-life of this career niche, like some of the Hollywood film greats of yesteryear.

Birth Chart

Richard Chamberlain’s birth chart is dominated by the sign of Aries and the planet Mars, in so many ways.  He has the fresh face of the Sun in Aries, and the Sun is conjunct Mars in his chart.  Mars was exactly on his Descendant, affecting his relationships, and his North Node also sextiled his natal Mars, informing his karmic mission.  That’s a whole lot of testosterone!  His fairness in looks may come in part from his mother who was of German stock, and not untypical of Aries appearance.  All this Aries would normally point to the Warrior Archetype, and he did serve for 16 months in the military in post-war Korea, rising to the rank of Sergeant.  But I think it describes his great energy, he was very hardworking and prolific in his professional life (Sun in the 6^th House), and in his youth he excelled in athletics (one of the Archetypes described for Aries in my recent blog).

You may be wondering how all that Mars squares with the gentleman of his many roles.  It’s because of the preponderance of the opposite sign, Libra.  He had his Ascendant in Libra, with a conjunction of Jupiter/Moon rising in Libra.  So he also has a great deal of Venus (the heart throb).  His Moon was also trine his Venus, indicating that he was capable of great tenderness, too.  He was an accomplished singer, also the province of Libra.  And he acquired a degree in art history and painting, again Libran and Venus-ruled territory.  The Ascendant, which shows a large proportion of one’s physical attributes, in the sign of Libra, was responsible for his “pretty boy” looks, which was both the basis of his popularity as a leading man, but also the bane of his life because the critics couldn’t believe he was capable of another type of role.  So when all the mini-series were over, he showed his could tread the boards with other Shakespearean actors.

His love life was difficult, with Venus exactly conjunct Saturn  (sorrow in love life), Venus closely sextile Uranus (unusual love life) and Venus square Chiron (emotional wounds) and that is encapsulated in the title of his 2003 autobiography “Shattered Love: A Memoir.”

Acting in his life is shown by an emphasis in his 5^th House of Acting, which is populated by the North Node trine his Ascendant on its cusp, his Saturn conjunct Venus, and Mercury.  He employed the Stanislavskian method of acting, which involved learning to tap into his own emotions and psyche.

Life and Career

Richard was born in Los Angeles, and was educated at Beverly Hills High School and Pomona College.  His career began with his co-founding of a theatre group in Los Angeles which was named the “Company of Angels”.  From there, he obtained guest roles in television.

His big breakthrough came in 1961, with his role as Dr Kildare in the mini-series of that name, the first of the genre he came to be associated with.  I can’t believe I sat through all these in my youth…!

Dr Kildare (1961)

He beat 35 other candidates in obtaining this role.  It was first offered to William Shatner. [imagine!].  It was this role that established Richard as a teen idol, and by 1962 his popularity in this role was high.

The first episode aired on 28^th September 1961, with a karmic transit of the South Node on his natal Venus in Aquarius in that all-important 5^th House.  The series lasted until 1966, and was one of the first “soap” we watched.  I remember watching it religiously, with my mother, during my teenage years!  He played a young intern, co-starring and sparring with the late great Raymond Massey at “Blair General Hospital”.  We have so many fictional medical programmes in this day and age, but it was a novelty then.  I do remember an English version running concurrently, Emergency Ward 10 (1957 – 1967).

The Slipper and the Rose (1976)

This was a film, not a mini-series: Richard Chamberlain made many films throughout his life, the last being Nightmare Cinema in 2018 (a horror film in which he played Dr Mirari). Of the several films he made before 1976, there was The Music Lovers, Lady Caroline Lamb, The Three Musketeers and The Towering Inferno.

The musical Slipper and the Rose took him back to his typecasting as Prince Charming.  Co-starring Gemma Craven as Cinderella, and directed by Bryan Forbes, Richard played Prince Edward of Euphrania.  It is memorable as being one of the films where he aired his singing voice, proving himself as a thoroughbred Libran Ascendant!  It aired close to his birthday, as would the later mini-series The Thorn Birds.  The Solar Return seems to have been a powerful feature for him.  I didn’t watch this film until years later, when it was broadcast on television.

Centennial (1978)

The novelist James A. Michener wrote the book “Centennial” upon which this mini-series was based, one of many long, meticulously-researched sagas.  I did read the book, and found it profoundly absorbing, but can’t remember if I read it before or after I watched the series.  The series traced the history of the plains of north-east Colorado from prehistory until the mid-1970s.  The name Centennial refers to a fictional town.  Richard Chamberlain played one of the first white men arrivals, Scottish trader Alexander McKeag, alongside Oliver Seccombe played by Timothy Dalton.

Shogun (1980)

Also based on a major novel, “Shogun” was written by James Clavell and published in 1975.  I do remember reading this book before I saw the mini-series, as I remember eagerly awaiting the chance to see it.  I must have read it in the year or two before the mini-series was broadcast, as it was lent to me by a friend I met in that period who had a lifetime in that warrior culture.  Shogun as it refers to the Japanese military ruler in feudal times, at least represented the Aries/Warrior Archetype nature of Richard’s birth chart, as distinct from his handsome Libran Ascendant side.  Chamberlain was playing an English adventurer John Blackthorne who travels to Japan in the 17^th Century, experiencing the political intrigues of the day.  Though John Blackthorne was a fictional character, it was based on a true story.

The Thorn Birds (1983)

This was the last of the big blockbuster mini-series, and for me encapsulated the swoon value of his screen persona: what’s not to like about the forbidden romance with a priest as experienced by Rachel Ward playing opposite?  Well, it was considered cheesy in the extreme, and disliked by the author of the book Colleen McCullough!  It’s another book I did read, and can’t remember whether before or after seeing the film version.  Richard Chamberlain played Father Ralph de Bricassart, and the series was a standout success, winning six Emmies.

Relationships

Richard did not marry or have children – his 5^th House planets were channelled through the acting profession rather than children – but there were two noted relationships in his life.  The first was with Days of our Lives actor Wesley Eure in 1975 and 1976.  The synastry between their charts is outstanding, but perhaps the mores of the day worked against their relationship, and the fact that Richard was not ready to come out as being gay.  Compatibility highlights included Wesley’s Sun sextile Richard’s Moon, and Wesley’s Jupiter on Richard’s Mars/Descendant.

A subsequent relationship which began in 1977 was more open, though its status still not fully acknowledged.  Martin Rabbett was also an actor, and they were together for 40 years, at some point having a private ceremony for their union. They lived together from 1986, and although they split in 2010, they remained friends, and resumed living together at the end of Richard’s life, in Hawaii.  Martin’s Venus was sextile Richard North Node (a karmic love), and his Jupiter was on Richard’s Chiron in 8^th (a healing relationship).  Rabbett is considered to be his immediate and sole survivor.

In December 1989 a French women’s magazine “outed” Richard: relevant transits were Pluto square his Nodal Axis (the truth will out), Chiron on his Midheaven (a wound revealed) and Saturn square to his natal Mars/Descendant (spotlight on his relationships).

As mentioned, in 2003 he wrote his autobiography Shattered Love: A Memoir.  For the first time, he confirmed that he was gay.  His Progressed Sun moved to trine his natal Jupiter (the publishing planet) in his 1^st House.

He died of a stroke, just as Neptune was changing signs and moving into Aries, and Chiron was squaring his natal Pluto in 10^th House.  He was unable to come to terms with as he put it “living a lie” between his public persona and his private life. But professionally, you could say he owned the Prince Charming Archetype, as described in his birth chart. I feel sure that he would like to be remembered for a much more versatile catalogue of roles…a catalogue I have not done justice to in this blog.

“How blessed were we to have known such an amazing and loving soul.  Love never dies.”

~ Martin Rebbett

Tariff Day

I can’t let this week pass by without a word about the day Donald Trump took on the world economy: Thursday 2^nd April.  He called it “Liberation Day”.  Other people have called it other things.  His transits were strong highlighting three sextiles:

Saturn (deliberate action) from his 7^th House of Relationships sextiled his natal Midheaven (career direction) in Taurus in his 9^th House of Global Influence.

Chiron (wounds and healing) from Aries in his 8^th House of Shared Resources sextiled his natal Sun (power and self-expression) in Gemini in 9^th House of Global Interference.

Mars in Cancer from his 12^th House of Unconscious (shooting from the hip) sextiled his natal Midheaven in his 9^th House of Global Interaction.

Natally, has the ultimate Entrepreneur Archetype (Jupiter exactly trine Uranus) “The Art of the Deal”.  Jupiter is about to activate this Archetype, so prepare for emboldenment on this theme from him this week` 9/10^th (Wednesday/Thursday) trine Jupiter in his 2^nd House of Finance and 12/13th (Saturday/Sunday) transiting Uranus in his 10^th House of Career, when this is highlighted.  It may represent the extreme end of his excesses, i.e. his behaviour may be extra exaggerated.  That doesn’t mean there cannot be a backlash and concerted action in the world against his actions; there already is.  He may already have hoisted himself on his own petard.

[as I keep using that phrase, hubby asked me this week what a petard was…I found out that the phrase comes from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet]

Aspects

At breakfast-time today, the Sun was sextile Jupiter. It can bring new hope and joy.  It is one of the brightest  aspects of the year.  Focus on what makes you happy, and make more of that.  It may bring the return of an enjoyable leisure pursuit.  Just an observation, that it can correlate with a peaceful protest or backlash in the population: there were protests all over America yesterday against various policies of their new President (the “Hands Off!” protests); when this aspect occurred last August, people came out in peaceful counter-protest against the rioters of Stockport, a humanitarian stance which at the time was seen as magical.

At lunch time today, Venus trined with Mars, bringing about extra chance of harmony, at least in the personal sphere.  The trine represents harmony between the sexes or within your own inner male and female.  It would be a good opportunity for sharing and balancing roles in a partnership, such as career and parenting.  Body awareness, whether it be through sprucing up your yoga routine, or experiencing a massage, could also bring a sense of wellbeing.

Tomorrow (Monday 7^th) starts with a more downbeat conjunction between Venus and Saturn at 25 degrees Pisces.  This is not an easy prospect in terms of relationships or economics.  You will be looking more seriously at your close relationships, and evaluating what is important to you.  The care of the elderly may be a particular preoccupation.  The optimum condition for this conjunction would be loyalty and commitment, but there may need to be some letting go before that can be arrived at.  Finance too will be a cause for concern – more worldwide stock market slumps…?  The present preoccupations are whether we can avoid a recession, due to tariffgate.

But very soon after (the two features come at 11.01 a.m. and 11.08 a.m.) or almost simultaneously, there may be some rallying, for Mercury is Stationary prior to turning Direct.  You may feel that you can catch up on chores which had been put on the back burner.  If you have been struggling with computers, I.T. and broadband connections, or delays in communications you may feel a sense of relief.  You can certainly pick up momentum on some projects which involve paperwork and documentation, and make some more essential journeys.

More rallying on Tuesday (8^th) with Venus sextile Uranus.  There may be a social sparkle somewhere in your life, even if only on social media.  It’s a good day, for the most part, for socializing and meeting new people.  Meetings are significant with the combination of Venus and Uranus, and sometimes they can be strange and spooky with an air of serendipity.  And in the context of the new cabinet, it is a chance for females to innovate.  Interestingly, Richard Chamberlain had both Venus conjunct Saturn, and Venus sextile Uranus in his birth chart and make-up: so it might be a good time to re-read his story, or even look at his autobiography, to get more of a sense of those vibes.

From there we skip to Saturday (12^th) when the Sun conjuncts Chiron at 22 degrees Aries.  This may bring a focus on healing, and problem-solving in relation to crisis management.  Ingenious minds are often born with this conjunction, and so it is possible to reach out for solutions and obtain them under this influence.  Work with old wounds, in the direction of acceptance and integration.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – hope and harmony
• Tomorrow – a serious look at relationships and money
• Tuesday – social sparkle
• Saturday – focus on healing

Greenland

“We need Greenland.  And the world needs us to have Greenland, including Denmark.  Denmark has to have us have [sic] Greenland.”

~ Donald Trump

American Vice President J.D. Vance paid an unrequited and uninvited visit to Greenland this week.  Not content with bidding for Canada as a 51^st state, President Trump would like to annexe Greenland, presumably as his 52^nd state.  As with Ukraine, he is interested in its potential mineral wealth.  It seems contradictory that someone trying to keep immigrants out of his own country, feels able to justify taking over populations in other countries.

Greenland, with its capital at Nuuk, is the world’s largest island, and has its own culture (such as music) and identity, which owes nothing to America.  Writing in the Observer this morning, Sarah Ditum explains that it was originally inhabited by Norsemen hunting walruses and trading ivory.  Then the population vanished mysteriously, but its current population arrived about 800 years ago.  She describes the terrain: “hard black volcanic rocks rear up from the shallow turf”.  Most residents of Greenland are Inuit.

The solar eclipse at 9 degrees Aries this weekend apparently was viewable up to 90%, and the northern lights were spectacular, too, nature marking the importance of this time for the country.

Greenland’s Chart

Both the Greenland and the Denmark charts are problematic, due to their unusual history.  Denmark was granted final control of Greenland at the Treaty of Kiel in 1814.  In 1941 the US occupied Greenland defending it against possible invasion by Germany.  After the Second World War, the US developed a geopolitical interest in Greenland and offered to buy it from Denmark, but the offer was rejected.

The astrological resource “World Horoscopes” by Nicholas Campion omits a chart for Greenland altogether, and says of the chart for Denmark “It is not possible to establish a date for the beginning of the Danish Kingdom, which made an appearance upon the historical stage during the tenth century”.  But it does give a date for that country’s chart, for the Liberal constitution of 5 June 1849 Copenhagen 12.15 pm.

For Greenland’s more recent history, I have chosen to work with a chart dated 21^st June 2009, which was when home rule was replaced with self rule.  This gave Greenland a Sun at 0 degrees Cancer, which is very patriotic and has the desire to be autonomous.

It’s a particularly important time for Greenland imminently because its Sun at 0 degrees Cancer will be squared this year by Neptune’s transit into Aries, and Saturn’s transit into Aries.  The issue is not going to go away in a hurry.

JD Vance’s Visit

Marina Hyde wrote in the Observer this morning about the background to JD Vance’s visit, which is worth quoting:

“Originally it was announced that the second lady was going to take one of her sons, immerse herself in various local events – she’s apparently simply fascinated by Greenland’s culture – and attend the famous Avannaata Qimussersua dog sled race.  Instead, it became her husband instead of her son, and the Vances were only going to a military facility…Meanwhile the Vance kid had to stay at home and go to school, instead of skipping it to enjoy a taxpayer-funded trip to a country his dad and friends are openly trying to annex.”

After protests from the population of Greenland, the visit was scaled down, and JD Vance was left with a small audience for his speech.  As with his hectoring in the Oval Office at Zelensky, he sharply criticized the Danish government for neglecting its duties towards Greenland, saying they had “under-invested in Greenland’s security architecture”, while producing no evidence.  Physically, Vance has a Scorpionic appearance, possibly via his Pluto sextile the Ascendant in his natal chart, but his chart shows a double Leo (Ascendant and Sun in Leo) which has become twisted into the Bully Archetype, and is conjunct Trump’s own Ascendant in Leo.  So he is a strong representative for his President.

He has strong links to the Greenland chart… natally his Uranus sits on Greenland’s I.C. which is unsettling for Greenland’s security (the I.C. in a chart represents security).  He has a strange fascination for the place, and may even have lived there in a previous life.  Given his wife’s apparent fascination for the place also, they may both have lived together there!

Donald Trump’s powerful Mars at 26 Leo trine the Galactic Centre exactly opposes Greenland’s Neptune/Jupiter: his sense of brute strength versus (opposing) the optimism and spirituality inherent in their nation.

On the day of the visit Friday 28^th March, Chiron was square to Mars (a wounding for Greenland, an embarrassment for Vance).  For Vance, transiting Pluto is currently trine his natal North node, emboldening him, in his 10^th House of world perspective.  It’s a serious matter, when you contemplate that if Trump was removed from his post, Vance would take over as president.  Jupiter at this time was squaring Greenland’s natal Saturn (a foreign body trying to invade its boundary).

It was also an important day for Greenland in its internal politics, for they elected a new coalition government, headed by Jens-Frederik Nielsen.  Nielsen is perfect for the role, as he was born with the Sun in his chart exactly conjunct that of Greenland.  So as I said for Greenland also applies for Nielsen:

It’s an important time imminently [for him too] because his Sun at 0 degrees Cancer will be squared this year by Neptune’s transit into Aries, and Saturn’s transit into Aries.  The issue is not going to go away [he has much to work with this year].  For the visit and the election day Jupiter sextiled his natal Venus/Mars, which seems favourable for him, and hopefully for the country.  As with Mark Carney, there needs to be strong leadership for his country.

Denmark

Denmark has also been firm about holding on to Greenland, and their leadership will also need to be strong.  I have used the chart for the Liberal constitution 5 June 1849 Copenhagen 12.15 pm.

Denmark and Trump’s Mercuries are exactly conjunct with each other, at 8 degrees Cancer: Donald will feel confident that he can talk them round, and that there is an understanding between them.  Denmark’s Uranus is exactly square Trump’s Venus, possibly pointing to a significant estrangement, however.  Denmark’s Moon at 9 degrees Sagittarius and Vance’s  natal Uranus are conjunct, and directly influenced at this time by the solar eclipse, which could be significant long-term over the next six months, for both parties.

Putin

In Russia, Putin has seemingly endorsed Donald Trump’s interest in Greenland.  In Murmansk, he vowed to “strengthen Russia’s global leadership in the Arctic”.  He is quite comfortable with Trump’s ambitions for territorial aggrandisement – it chimes nicely with his attempted takeover of Ukraine and its mineral resources.  He said:

“These plans have deep historical roots. And it’s clear that the US will continue to systematically pursue its geo-strategic, military-political and economic interests in the Аrctic…As for Greenland this is a matter for two specific countries. It has nothing to do with us.”

Trump clothes his ambitions in his would-be Nobel Peace Prize-winning role:

“We need Greenland.  Very importantly, for international security, we have to have Greenland…[there are] Chinese and Russian ships all over the place.”

Are they carving up the Arctic in a new world order? They seem to be in competition with China, in that regard.  Climate change, which does not interest the President, renders the area more accessible at this time.

It seems, with America slapping tariffs on goods from all over the world, and wanting to control Canada, Mexico, Panama, Ukraine and Greenland, there is likely to be a concerted backlash, and the overall aim to “Make America Great Again” could result in the reverse of that.

“Greenland is part of the Danish kingdom.  That is not going to change…We in the kingdom would really like to work together with the Americans on defence and security.  We want that in Ukraine, we want that in Europe, and of course we also want that when it comes to the high north.  But Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders.”

~ Mette Frederiksen, the Danish Prime Minister

“The lesson the Vances should take from their ill-fated expedition is that Greenland doesn’t care about human ambition and desires”

~ Sarah Ditum, The Observer 31/3/25

Aspects

Forget whether I said last week was a profound week! This here week is a profound week!  There are two major features taking place, and one is a once-in-fourteen year’s event.

In the early hours of this morning (30^th March), Mercury Retrograde entered Pisces, from Aries.  As with Venus’ retreat to Pisces last week, there may be something you neglected to do when Mercury was in Pisces in the second half of February: you may need to dot the i’s and cross the t’s, or close some loopholes, but in the detail of communication. That is an extra challenge when Mercury is in Pisces, the “woolly thinker”.  You can blame some brain fog on Mercury in Pisces!  This placement brings the mental focus on to compassion, as applied to the most vulnerable in our society.  The focus in the world right now is very much focussed on confusion in the world order, and on changing finances.  It is a good time to apply your mind to wider perspectives and solutions generally, and those that can turn compassion into practical action.  Mercury will remain in Pisces until the 16th April.

Following that ingress, and still in the early hours today, Mercury was conjunct with Neptune at 29 degrees Neptune.  In our dreams (in the U.K.), we were clocking the final hours of Neptune’s 14-year sojourn through Pisces.  This conjunction can link you mentally with your spiritual sources, and provide the inspiration much needed at this time. It is a good time to ask for guidance, though you may have to sift reality from illusion, even in the guidance you receive.

Neptune enters Aries

At exactly 12 Noon – did you notice? – Neptune entered Aries.  What were you doing at the time?  At the beginning of this unprecedented year of change, the North Node entered Pisces from Aries (it moves backwards), and a succession of major planetary changes was promised (by astrologers).  This is the first of the planetary changes, and will be followed by Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and of course with Pluto newly entrenched in Aquarius. It’s a big deal.  With the Solar Eclipse yesterday, and world events seemingly spiralling chaotically, we are wondering what to expect next, and how we are to keep centring ourselves in the new realities.

Here at least is a chance to contemplate the complexity of today’s change of sign.  Neptune in Pisces was on home territory: confusion, complexity and illusion – it brought the rise of A.I.  That is something difficult to negotiate, but which seems bound for our attention and mastery, even those of us who are not technologically minded.

Neptune went into Pisces on 5^th April 2011, which ushered in a 14-year “Era of Collective Unconscious” – hopes that the compassion quotient would rise fell short of expectation.  Neptune in Aries is almost the antithesis of Neptune in Pisces in many ways: it represents the self-awareness leading to self-assertion rather than victimhood.  It represents the “enough is enough” attitude of the populace.  There are signs that the extreme right wing and authoritarian governments are starting to experience a backlash, e.g. in Turkey.  So Neptune in Aries is about divesting yourself from illusion and moving towards personal emancipation.  We are at the beginning of this particular journey.

There is, then, plenty to think about, in the middle of the week, so you will forgive perhaps the Universe for not providing aspects again until Friday.

But what an aspect it provides on the afternoon of Friday (4^th April): Saturn sextile Uranus.  You may have contemplated the changes of the early days of Neptune in Aries, and have a chance now to balance (sextile) the old (Saturn) with the new (Uranus).  It’s a major aspect and enables stabilization.  This is a time when you can do something for yourself which is constructive.  You may have a joint venture with someone which is new and innovative, but need a steadying force.

In the late evening, we have another sextile: that between Mars and Uranus.  This is more dynamic, as though you have started a re-centring process and are ready for action.  This aspect especially favours engineering related activities, but that also includes social engineering.  That may extend to science in general – there is an article in the Observer this morning about a row over CERN’s Hadron Collidor (ambitions for its enlargement), so there may be further developments around that.  The Journal Nature has warned “a battle is under way for the future of particle physics”.   This is potentially a major  issue coming up.  Electricity and Astrology are other areas which can be stimulated by the combination of these two planets.  Cars, mechanics, mechanical goods and household appliances may receive a boost or a renewal.

We finish, on Saturday (5^th), with a constructive trine between Mars and Saturn, so there is a lot of emphasis late in the week on trying to get things sorted.  This favours practical action, and works that are deliberately planned and executed.  Hard work can pay off.

Happy Mother’s Day!

The week in bullet points:

• Today – attend to detail; listen to guidance; from unconscious to consciousness
• Friday – balancing the old and the new; engineering advances
• Saturday – constructive action

Aries Archetypes

This is the third of my new series specifically on astrological Archetypes.  We are now in the month of Aries, and it is time to embrace the potential of that sign, turning the spotlight on its Archetypes.  The Sun entered Aries on Thursday 20th March, and we have here in the U.K. had a taste of spring since that equinoctial point.

Aries is one of the signs which most embodies individuality (“the one-off”), but paradoxically because its nature is very basic in a birth chart it can take on or be coloured by other signs or planets I find.  Energy and heat are often clues when guessing.  Paradoxically, too, there are many Archetypes linked with Aries, but few intrinsic to that sign, so you won’t find many here.

So, following, are the Archetypes I highlighted back in my 2016 blog, and then some chronological historic examples of Ariens and their Archetypes, from history:

“Inner Warrior

The Inner Warrior Archetype speaks for itself: bold, active and protective.  It comes up in many charts where there is a strong Mars.  We all need to be able to stand up for ourselves.  When linked with the North Node, it represents the fact that the person has trained in the warrior tradition in past lives.  The modern tradition emphasizes the way of the Peaceful Warrior, as expounded by Dan Millman.  Hopefully, we have all had enough of war by now.

Pioneer

The Pioneer refers to the fact that Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, and likes to be first!  It also contains the courage of breaking new ground, going boldly where no one has gone before.

Athlete

Although other signs approach sport from different angles, e.g. the Leo through competition, the Sagittarian via horse riding and archery particularly, and the Aquarian through teamwork, Aries represents the building of the strength of the physical body.  So the modern craze for keep fit and membership of the gym suit the Arien very well.  You see women body building as enthusiastically as men in this 21st Century, although even fifty years ago it was a rarity.  One related Archetypal figure is Tarzan, that raw male, the He-Man, hero of early 20th Century film.

Athlete is one of the modern Archetypes identified by Caroline Myss.  She acknowledges that this archetype was born in the original Greek Olympics.  Her final thought for the athlete is: “this is your time to shine. Through your commitment to your own physical well being and self-care, you are helping to set a new standard of personal health and individual responsibility. In doing so, you are changing the world for the better. ”

The Activist

The Activist is certainly associated with Aries, but shows up more clearly in a chart when combined with Aquarius, e.g. where the urgent Mars energy associates with the reforming zeal of Uranus (ruling planet of Aquarius).  A supreme example of an Activist was Guy Fawkes, famed for his Gunpower plot.

The Hero

Here is another Archetype which Aries shares with another sign, in this case Leo.  Both have leadership qualities, but Aries has the courage and bravery which stand out in a Hero.  The Hero Archetype is quite complex, and open to various interpretations and journeyings.

The Engineer

Aries is associated with mechanics generally, but especially when combining Mars and Uranus, engineering is hallmarked in a birth chart.  An example of a supreme Aries engineer is Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who was voted second in a 2001 public poll conducted by the BBC, selecting the 100 Greatest Britons.  Outstanding in his field!  In addition to the Sun, he had Mars, its ruling planet, in that sign.

Historical Ariens

The Warrior

Charlemagne (2/4/748 – 28/1/814)

King of the Franks, Charlemagne conquered and built a vast empire stretching across Europe.  Charlemagne had Mercury, Moon, Sun and Chiron in Aries, which is a good stock of Aries energy!  Napoleon Bonaparte considered himself a reincarnation of Charlemagne, and modelled his coronation on that of his “predecessor”.  Like Charlemagne, he built a vast empire, and fostered culture (the Carolingian Renaissance was a product of Charlemagne’s reign).  But most tellingly, there are undeniable similarities in their charts (although Napoleon was a Leo).

Here is an interesting quotation from “Understanding Karmic Complexes” by Patricia L. Walsh:

“I had noticed from many regressions with clients that past life soldiers and warriors have had an archetypal experience arise spontaneously. In the afterlife they wanted only to find a spot of greenness and lay down in the grass. Since it happened frequently with past life Roman soldiers in particular, I thought it was part of the past cultural belief system , a memory of the Elysian Fields – the Greco-Roman paradise of the afterlife. But other soldiers, after death, also longed for their place in the grass.”

The Athletes

The association of athleticism with Aries comes from their boundless energy.  I have here examples of five athletes, all born on what seems to be a potent day for this energy, at the beginning of Aries, 23^rd March (today’s date).  This is also the birthday of my own brother, who has all the energy in our family!  Football is the sport I most associate with Mars and Aries, but these examples are more varied.

Roger Bannister (23/3/1904 – 3/3/2018)

Roger Bannister, who ran the first four minute mile on 26^th July 1952, exemplifies the Aries ability to “break the mould”.  He had the Sun conjunct Uranus in Aries, Uranus adding the qualities of surprise and innovation.

Mo Farah (23/3/1983)

“I would have loved to play for Arsenal, but I was never good enough.  I played at school and for the local club until I was 14, but I was only good because I could cross the ball and run.  I didn’t have any other skills.  I joined a running club instead.”

Another hugely successful track athlete, Mo Farah has had an illustrious career.  He has the Sun and ruler Mars in Aries.  Growing up, he wanted to be a car mechanic or a footballer (both Aries careers), and his twin brother is an engineer (also an Aries archetype).  His choice of running within sport is consistent with his North Node (karmic mission) in Gemini (the runner’s sign) exactly square his natal Mercury (the runner’s planet).

Chris Hoy (23/3/1976)

The next two “Athletes” are record-beating cyclists.  The first is Chris Hoy, whose bravery and courage (Aries traits) match his athleticism.  He was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in 2024, but his positive state of mind has inspired everyone.  He has the Sun in Aries, together with a positive-healing conjunction of Jupiter-Chiron in that sign.

Jason Kenny (23/3/1988)

Jason Kenny is a record-breaking track cyclist.  Jason’s brilliance is shown by Uranus conjunct his Sun.  His Mercury (the bike) is well-aspected: it sextiles Neptune and trines Pluto, and he’s got a good head on his shoulders.

Steve Redgrave (23/3/1962)

Multi-Olympic gold wining rower has the Sun at the same point in Aries as the other four.  He also has Venus in Aries, but crucially, his ruler Mars is in the water sign Pisces.

The Escapologist

Here’s a new one!  Aries represents the newly emerging chick from its shell, and two of the most prominent escapologists were born under this sign: Harry Houdini and David Blaine.  They literally cannot be confined!

Harry Houdini (24/3/1874 – 31/10/1926

We have a birth time for Harry Houdini, which explains a lot about the finer structure of his escapology: Saturn on an Aquarian Ascendant opposing Uranus, squaring onto his Nodal Axis.  His Aries credentials are also impeccable: the Sun, Venus, Chiron and Neptune all in that sign.

David Blaine (4/4/1973)

David Blaine is also Aries, with the Sun, Venus, Chiron and possibly also the Moon in that sign.  His birth chart does not have the same structure as Houdini’s, but he does crucially share two talented aspects with Houdini.  They are Venus conjunct Chiron (some practical problem-solving ability) with their Chirons exactly conjunct in Aries; and ruler Mars trine Pluto (a powerhouse of energy – the huge mental and physical energy required to break out).

Apologies in this account for the omission of feminine examples (perhaps you can supply some).  Maybe in a future series, I can remedy this.  Aries is known as a male sign, with male energy, and also historically females have not been so well-documented.  Females who can strongly embody Aries Archetypes  include the Female Warrior such as Boudicea (who does not come with a birth date) and the Wild Woman (a counterpart to Tarzan).  While the Sun is in Aries (until 20^th April), you can connect with your own Aries Archetypes, or Mars energy if you do not have any Aries planets, and act them out (Aries is nothing if not an action woman or man!).

Aspects

This morning, in the very early hours, the Sun conjoined Venus at 2 degrees Aries.  This may bring harmony to the proceedings of the day.  If you are an artist or a musician, it is a day you when you can produce your best creative output or performance.  If neither, then love or money may be beneficiaries of this combination.

This evening, at the other end of the day, the Sun will be sextile Pluto.  This can bring powerful help.  If you dig deep, you can find the treasure you need.  It is a profound aspect which may help to show us the direction we need to solve our collective problems, and understanding the meaning behind our dilemmas.  This sextile can bring a profound air of quiet contemplation.  It is a valuable time of assessment.

Tomorrow, Monday 24^th, we are graced with another conjunction, this time between the Sun and Mercury, at 4 degrees Aries), which may bring an extra special quality to the day.  It is a good time to apply your mind with clarity, concentrate and focus, and make important statements.  Your perceptions may be heightened, both with regard to the microcosm (seeing the daisies) or the macrocosm (seeing things from a larger perspective than you are accustomed to seeing the issues).

Mercury sextiles Pluto on Tuesday (25^th).  You could make real progress under this aspect.  This aspect can produce profound thought and communication,  honouring the gravity of a situation if necessary, and enabling meaningful debate to occur.  If you have something important lined up, you may be successful in getting your point across.  There is a note of caution, however, with Mercury still retrograde, so pay extra attention to detail.

At breakfast-time on Thursday, Venus retrogrades back to Pisces, from Aries.  There may be something you neglected to do when Venus was in Pisces in January: you may need to dot the i’s and cross the t’s, or close some loopholes.  Recall the gentleness and sensitivity of Pisces, a resource we may look back on with nostalgia after Saturn and Neptune move into Aries this year.  You can afford to be more “woke” for instance!  Venus in Pisces is unashamedly emotional and easily prone to tears, so don’t be surprised to release the tears which have been stoically been held back.  Just turn on the daily news forecast…This placing will enable charities to be more easily heard, and the Arts to acquire inspiration.  Venus will remain in Pisces until the end of April.

In the evening, at the other end of the day, Venus will conjoin with Neptune at the last degree (29) of Pisces, heralding Neptune’s farewell to that sign.  You could be feeling very nostalgic!  It could be a serene, highly spiritual and artistically inspired conjunction, full of unconditional love.  This conjunction can express the best of the divine feminine.

The Eclipsed New Moon occurs at 9 degrees Aries on Saturday (29^th).  This may bring cheer and vigour, and a renewed sense of purpose.  It is a time to look to the future, as much as is possible.  You may feel the urge to re-organize your lifestyle.  If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well…The New Moon in Aries is one of the brightest of the year in terms of its potential.  However, being an eclipse. it increases the sense of having to let go of something, in order to create the space for what is new to come forth.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – Love and Understanding
• Tomorrow – Mental Application
• Tuesday – Profound Communication; a Softening
• Thursday – Nostalgia and Inspiration
• Saturday – New Beginning; Turning Point

 

Mark Carney  

Prime Minister of Canada

“Thank you, Canada, for trusting in me, for challenging me, and for granting me the privilege to serve the best country, and the best people, on Earth.”

~ Mark Carney

On Friday 14^th, the day of the Lunar Eclipse in Virgo, Mark Carney was sworn in as the new (the 24^th) Prime Minister of Canada, at what is thought to be a uniquely challenging time in its history, in his words: “The greatest crisis of our generation”.  It faces a double assault from its neighbour and erstwhile ally, the United States, over tariffs and the threat by Donald Trump of being assimilated as a “51^st state”.  We know Mark Carney here in the U.K. as a competent former governor of the Bank of England.  What is he made of, and is he up to the task of taking on the man who would rule the world?  It was a very timely inauguration, because at his birth the Moon was in Virgo and the Sun in Pisces, as at the Eclipse which occurred on the very day of his taking over the new role.

Birth Chart

I wrote about Mark Carney in 2019:

“Canadian Mark Carney has an interesting chart. The highlights include: Sun in Pisces, Venus conjunct Chiron, at 18 deg Pisces, and Uranus/Moon/Mars/Pluto conjunct in Virgo.  He has 0 planets in Air, so relies on instinct; 5 planets in Earth, so is grounded and sensible; and with 7 planets in the Mutable signs, is very adaptable.  His Sun in the genius sign of Pisces is well aspected, being sextile Jupiter and trine Neptune.  He has Mercury unaspected, which can show a very independent mind.  Mercury is in Aries, a placement I associate with great numeracy.  With Mars closely conjunct Pluto in his chart, he’s had to fight some tough battles in his life.  He also has a high number of oppositions in his chart, another sign of having to balance difficult situations as a pattern in his life.  He also has difficult karma, with no less than 6 planetary squares to his Nodal Axis!”

The fact that he has such a difficult chart (more difficult than Donald Trump’s, and has worked through his triple opposition of planets in Pisces and Virgo shows great strength of character

Life and Career

Carney was born on in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada.  He attended High School  in Edmonton, and then went on to study economics at Harvard.  For his postgraduate studies, he moved to the University of Oxford.  His master’s thesis was “Competitive advantage and the advantage of competition: a theoretical analysis of national champions, learning-by-dong and spillovers”.  His DPhil thesis was titled “The dynamic advantage of competition”.  While at Oxford, he met his wife Diana Fox, also an economist, and they have raised four children.

Carney worked for Goldman Sachs for thirteen years, after which he worked for the Bank of Canada.  He took a role as a senior minister in the Department of Finance Canada on 15^th November 2004: at the time he had the progressive transits of Neptune sextile his natal Mercury in Aries (his brainpower), and Chiron trine his natal Jupiter (onwards and upwards).  He rose to become governor of the Bank of Canada in 2008, and saw his country’s finances through the financial crash of that era, where he earned a reputation for being a trustworthy and safe pair of hands, when it came to finance.

During the years of the Cameron government, Chancellor Osborne became very keen to have Mark Carney as governor of the Bank of England.  Eventually, Osborne succeeded in persuading him, and Mark Carney took on the role on 1^st July 2013.  Uranus was making a direct transit to his Mercury in Aries (note its role in his numeracy, and in the earlier transit of 2004).  The North Node was also sextile his natal Pluto in the 2^nd House of Finance.  It was another important step in his career and karmic mission.

He discharged his duties well here in the U.K., being a stabilizing and reassuring voice in the Brexit years, and at the inception of the Covid pandemic.  He warned against leaving the E.U. as it would impact the country’s finances adversely.  He and his wife moved back to Canada in 2020.  He did have a detractor in Liz Truss, however.  She stated this year:

“I strongly recommend not backing Mark Carney for his policies on net zero. It was disastrous for Britain. It would be disastrous for Canada.”

In March 2020 Carney became the U.N. special envoy for climate action and finance.  More recently, he has entered the world of politics, specifically in the Liberal Party of Canada.  He held a post as leader of a Task Force on Economic Growth in Trudeau’s government, and in January this year formally announced his candidacy for the top job when it became clear that Justin Trudeau would be leaving the post.

Justin Trudeau’s premiership was under increasing criticism and unpopularity, but when Donald Trump took over as President of the United State in January this year, and immediately made threats to raise tariffs against Canada and intimated that he held ambitions for Canada to become the 51^st state of America, Trudeau’s robust stand raised the Liberal Party’s standing in the polls.  Mark Carney was elected leader of the Liberal Party, and therefore Prime Minister, on March 9^th, with the expectation that he would hold an election this year.

Carney’s swearing in on Friday came under the transit of Jupiter trine his natal Saturn.  Incidentally, that is the same transit under which Boris Johnson became Prime Minister [a fun fact].

Canada

The chart of Canada in comparison with that of Mark Carney shows its Saturn trine his North Node.  That shows a karmic responsibility on his part, and he has a good record in the past with regard to fiscal responsibility.  Economics is a great part of the problem of the entanglement with Donald Trump’s regime. In terms of transits, the Nodal Axis is currently squaring Canada’s Neptune in Sagittarius in its 5^th House, showing up a sense of uncertainty and question of identity.  However, Canadians have rallied to the call, and apparently (according to Newsnight) are more united than ever.  And hopefully, Mark Carney will continue to be a safe pair of hands.

“We will never, in any shape or form, be part of the U.S.  We are very fundamentally a different country.”

~ Mark Carney

Aspects

Tomorrow (Monday 17^th) the aspects begin with a conjunction of the Sun with the North Node at 27 degrees Pisces.  this could bring a show of power by someone in your circle.  However, this show of power is firmly subject to the laws of karma. It could also heighten creativity if you are unattached to the power play of others.  It could also bring a show of power from Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin.  Less likely, but also possible, a show of power from Volodymyr Zelenskyy or the European Union.

Another conjunction occurs on Wednesday (19^th) at 29 degrees Pisces, between the Sun and Neptune.  Neptune combined with the Sun so intensely can bring high spiritual experiences and inspiration, especially if you are channelling or working with your creativity, in art or music for instance.  But for some, for example if you have a difficult aspect to Neptune in your natal chart, it may bring confusion.

We arrive at the Spring Equinox on Thursday (20^th), with the Sun entering Aries, marking the beginning of the astrological New Year.  It is the beginning of a generally more active, conscious, dynamic way of relating to the world (from the Sun’s more introspective time of its recent passage through Pisces).  For the population generally, if your energy has been a little low lately, you may feel revived.  You may be wandering lonely as a cloud and come across a host of golden daffodils.

Our last feature of the week is Venus sextile Pluto, which occurs on Friday (21^st).  This aspect has the capacity to get to the root of a problem, be it Love and/or Money, both of which are represented by aspects of Venus and Pluto.  It could be a time of difficult but rewarding soul searching with loved ones.  In finance, there could be hard won but satisfying bargaining and balancing – a suitable day for Mark Carney to operate.  If you are an artist or musician, you could take a step further in your art, and deepen the value and content of the material you are working with.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – karmic power play
• Wednesday – confusion
• Thursday – freshness
• Friday – difficult but rewarding

Jack Vettriano (1951 – 2025)

“I have what I want and that is the support of the public and that means far more to me than the approval of a bunch of well-educated art buffs”

~ Jack Vettriano

It was reported this week that the controversial and self-taught artist Jack Vettriano died at his home in Nice on Saturday 1st March, at the age of 73.  His most famous work was “The Singing Butler” of 1992, but his prolific work was popular, and sold well, despite being panned by the experts.

Birth Chart

Vettriano had the Sun in Scorpio in the 12^th House, which may have given him a secretive nature.  One of the controversies especially about his later work was that it was overtly sexual, and Scorpio is a sign that most needs to express sexuality.  The Sun being closely sextile with Mars accentuates this.  And the Sun square Pluto takes the trajectory of his life further along that path. He was driven, to where he had to go.  The Moon in Cancer in his chart was closely square to Venus (his two female planets at odds with each other), and this may be linked to another charge against him – that of misogyny.  Some of his later works, with scantily clad females, laid him open to that charge.  His reply was: “Take another look at it and you’ll see it’s the women who have the power”.  A T-square was formed comprising Venus opposite Jupiter (inappropriate social behaviours) with the Moon squaring on, in the Cardinal quadruplicity.  The aspects to the Moon generally indicate a complex attitude towards women, with the Moon also loosely conjunct Uranus providing a vivid imagination (useful for an artist) but also adding more controversy.  Add Moon square Saturn, closely square Jupiter and opposite Chiron, and you can see how complex his emotions were, and in relation to women, bordering on obsessionality.  The whole complex comes together in his karmic mission: the Moon exactly trine the North Node.  Again, that gives the impression that he was driven on his path.  Moon exactly trine North Node also points to another feature of his work, that it was popular and relatable to the general public.  With all that Scorpio and Moon emphasis, the emotion always ran deep, but Mercury sextile Saturn afforded great mental application to his work, with Mercury rising (in Sagittarius) ensuring that he did have a great faculty for mental analysis. Venus in Libra sextile his Ascendant emphasized the artistic direction of his talent.  Though what Venus gave (opposite Jupiter) it also took away (Venus conjunct Saturn), contributing to the breakdown of some relationships.  Saturn in his 11^th House of Friendship hints at loneliness.

Life and Career

Vettriano was born in St. Andrews, Fife, and was raised in poverty in a spartan miner’s cottage.  He hated technical college and left at 15.  At that point in his life his Progressed Sun had reached his restless Ascendant in Sagittarius, marking a change in life direction.  He took up an apprenticeship as a mining engineer (a Scorpio profession) for a short while.

A life-changing moment came on his 21^st birthday, when his girlfriend bought him a set of watercolours, and set him on a path to become an artist.  She told him: “If you don’t do something with your life you’re going to live and die in this town” [Fife].

The transits of that moment in time bear witness to its importance:-

Chiron trine his natal Mercury rising (he is offered a healing tool, one which could be a real trade in his life)

Uranus was on his Neptune in Libra (an increase in complexity and understanding, in an artistic mode), and most spectacularly

Neptune trine his natal Jupiter in Aries in his 4^th House (an entry into a level of inspiration and self-satisfaction, in an occupation which he could conduct from home)

He set about copying every style of painting (including Renaissance and Surrealism), on the road to finding his own style.  He was particularly fond of impressionism, and his first painting was a copy of Monet’s “Poppy Fields”.

In 1980 he married Gail Cormack, but they split up in 1987 (accounts vary as to who left whom).  However, the separation proved to be a turning point and a re-start to move his career on.  His Progressed Sun was entering Capricorn and reached his natal Chiron (a step towards finding his Inner Healer).  He relocated to Edinburgh and applied to study Fine Art at the University.  His portfolio was rejected, however.  Two years later he submitted two canvases for the Royal Scottish Academy annual show and both paintings sold on the first day, leading him to be approached by several galleries.

His most famous work came in 1992, “The Singing Butler”, a scene which can be described as “a couple dancing on a storm-swept beach accompanied by a butler and maid.” (Lanre Bakare, The Guardian).  At that point in his life, his Progressed Sun became sextile to his natal North Node in Pisces in 3^rd House, and trine his South Node in 9^th House – a career peak.

Peaks and Troughs

He found fame, prosperity and popularity, but was profoundly disturbed by the criticism from the artistic establishment, and that very much affected him psychologically.  Artistically, he descended into a period of erotica, which also did not endear him to the experts.  For research, he visited brothels and strip bars, a lifestyle which is somehow reminiscent of certain of the later 19^th Century Impressionists.  He himself described “a fascination that is like drugs”.

2010 marked another departure in his life.  He moved to Nice (partly to get away from all the criticism), his subject matter turned a darker shade, his paintings failing to sell as well as before.  In that year, the outer planets were contributing to the breaking down of his former success: Pluto was squaring his natal Jupiter, a bubble bursting (Jupiter had been an element of his success); Uranus was squaring his natal Chiron (which had also been an element of his success), and Saturn was squaring his natal Chiron and opposing his natal Jupiter (a three-pronged ambush).  Added to that, Pluto was opposite his natal Moon  in Cancer in 7th House – a drastic change in his relationship with the general public.  In 2011 he was caught speeding, with drugs.

Lynn Barber, in the Observer, during that period, identified that in her opinion there were two sides to Jack: A “nice” Jack Vettriano, and a “nasty” one.

A further blow came in 2015, when Jack Vettriano dislocated his shoulder, and pronounced that he could no longer paint.  Transits for his dislocated shoulder on 31^st May (the date of disclocation) of that year showed:

Mars opposite his natal Mercury (shoulder) in Sagittarius rising – an injury

Neptune on his 4th House cusp square his Ascendant – an uncertain path

He had cleaned up, drugwise, by 2022 – 2021, when progressed Sun was sextile that emphasized (by transit and progression) natal Jupiter in Aries in 4^th House.

Edward Hopper

The day before Jack Vettriano’s death was announced I was talking to a friend about how I liked his style, and that of the American painter Edward Hopper (1882 – 1967).  We were talking about modern art, realism and abstract art.  I like the romantic, perhaps chivalrous and even gallant atmosphere in Vettriano’s artistic world, at least that of his early work.  Others have described it as nostalgia.

In an article in the Guardian, Lanre Bakare reports one critic’s comparison of Vettriano’s work to Edward Hopper’s, stating that Vettriano was like “Hopper without the emotion, and sleazy to boot”.

But I maintain there is a similarity in their style, and that is a simplicity that I like.  Though Hopper was successful in American mainstream art, his subject matter was wider, often depicting urban and industrial scenes.  They were both strongly influenced by Impressionism.

But they were very different characters: Hopper was very religious, and introverted.  They were both water signs, but Hopper perhaps more restrained emotionally, despite the critic’s assessment above.

Eddy Frankel also wrote in the Guardian, in an artistic critique, saying that Vettriano lacked any postmodern self-awareness.  The article is not wholly critical, but takes the view of the art expert, and concludes: “We can learn a lot more from looking  for the aesthetic and cultural qualities in ‘lower’ artforms than from outright rejecting them.”

Comparing the charts of the two painters, intriguingly there is a karmic link: Edward Hopper’s North Node is conjunct Vettriano’s Sun – perhaps they are of the same Soul Group.

Among Vettriano’s fans are Jack Nicholson, Alex Ferguson, and John Coltrane.  Tim Rice appeared on the news, praising Vettriano’s realism.

Vettriano needed to pursue his own path in life, and a quote from Edward Hopper puts it nicely:

“Great art is the outward expression of an inner life in the artist, and this inner life will result in his personal vision of the world. No amount of skilful invention can replace the essential element of imagination. One of the weaknesses of much abstract painting is the attempt to substitute the inventions of the human intellect for a private imaginative conception.”

“He was not only an extraordinary artist but also a deeply private and humble man who was endlessly grateful for the support and admiration of those who loved his work.  His paintings – capturing moments of intrigue, romance, and nostalgia – touched the hearts of so many around the world”

~ A tribute on Instagram

Aspects

The Aspects begin on Tuesday (11^th), with a conjunction at 8 degrees Aries of Mercury with Venus.  It may spark a sunburst of ideas to be communicated, discussed, and start the ball rolling towards making practical use of what comes to you.  This conjunction is ideal for socializing, conversation, artistic (get yourself a box of watercolours) or literary endeavours, or negotiations.  Your communications will have an artistic flair, so it’s a good time to get creative.  I associate this conjunction with Cafe culture thrives and conversation flows ~~~

A more subdued picture for Wednesday (12^th) with another conjunction, this time between the Sun and Saturn, at 22 degrees Pisces.  This conjunction bears a serious message.  Take note of the area/House it falls in, if you know it, as that will help you to ascertain the purpose of this event.  There is a great sense of concentration about this conjunction, focussed on practicalities  such as “what can we do about the situation?”  Caution is Saturn’s name.  Saturn demands responsibility, commitment, and common sense.

Friday (14^th) brings a Full Moon and a total Lunar Eclipse (a turning-point) at 23 degrees Virgo, which is likely to bring some emotional tension and a desire towards perfectionism and practicality, at the same time as honouring spiritual ideals represented by the opposing Sun in Pisces.  Work and service are also principles of this polarity of signs. That is your wake-up call.

At breakfast-time, the Sun will be sextile Uranus, and you may instinctively know what to do with the Full Moon/Eclipse energy and revelation.  This aspect supports us, and adds a sparkle of ingenuity and inventiveness. Make headway with your various projects, assisted with some telepathy and higher consciousness, or liaising with a constructive group.  Look to the Future.

Saturday (15^th) brings everybody’s favourite Retrograde: that of Mercury. Do what you can to minimize communication slowness and glitches.  Postal and phone scams may arise.  Be clear in your communications for the next three weeks, in order to avoid misunderstandings and loopholes.  Although technology can go awry, it can be a good period to upgrade such devices.  You may have developed your own strategies, according to past experiences.  The stock market may take a tumble.  Mercury goes Direct again on 7^th April.

The week in bullet points:

• Tuesday – the art of conversation
• Wednesday – a note of realism
• Friday – emotional high tide; turning point; signposts
• Saturday – communication glitches

Roberta Flack (1937 – 2025)

“What I consider myself is a soulful singer, in that I try to sing with all the feeling that I have in my body and my mind.”

~ Roberta Flack

The soul singer Roberta Flack died this week, at the age of 88.  There was something about her voice I found profoundly soothing.

Birth Chart

Roberta was an Aquarian, with the Sun exactly square a conjunction of Moon and Mars.  This gave her the Warrior Archetype, and she was an activist on behalf of black and women’s rights.  The conjunction was in her 10^th House conjunct the Midheaven, so closely bound up with her career, and work in the world.  She was friends with the activists Jesse Jackson, Maya Angelou, Yoko Ono and Angela Davies.  Her Sun trined Chiron, and this is where the therapeutic quality of her voice came in.  Her Moon in Scorpio was significant, giving her the deep emotion and soul quality which made her voice so moving.  She was a positive force, with Moon/Mars sextile Mercury/Jupiter and trine Saturn.  Mercury trine Neptune saw her channelling some divine frequency at times.  Venus trine Pluto ensured that she gave her heart and soul to her voice work.  Jupiter trined Neptune in her chart, and this describes the religion/spirituality of her early singing in church.  The difficulties in her life may be seen in her Mutable T-square of Saturn opposite Neptune square Chiron.  Relationships may have been challenging, with Pluto on her Descendant, opposite a Capricorn Ascendant (she married in 1966 and divorced 6 years later).

Life and Career

Roberta Flack was born in North Carolina, into a large musical family, and sang in church in her early years, but was also a piano prodigy.  At the age of 15 She won a full music scholarship to Howard University, where she changed her specialism from piano to voice, natal Venus in Aries in the 3^rd House showing her personal expression.  She went into teaching, in a variety of ways: it took her until her 30s to establish her career as a singer.

Her voice teacher intervened in a significant way, as she had been singing in various styles, but Frederick Wilkerson told her that pop music would suit her voice more than the classics.  She began to sing professionally in 1968.  Joel Dorn arranged her first album recording that year with Atlantic Records.

Her Voice

The song “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” was on that first album (“First Take”), and as luck and fate would have it, Clint Eastwood chose it as part of the soundtrack for his film “Play Misty For Me”, which brought its success in 1972.  I find it interesting to look at the synastry where people play a significant role in the course of another’s life, and Clint’s Moon exactly trined Roberta’s natal Venus (musicality); his Pluto was exactly sextile her natal Neptune (a deep resonance between them); and his Chiron was on her I.C. in 5^th House.  They became lifelong friends.

As for the iconic song itself, it had been written by Ewan MacColl, the father of Kirsty MacColl. His birthchart reveals a talented songwriting sextile between Mercury and Venus.  His Mercury was exactly trine Roberta’s Chiron, and his Chiron was trine her Midheaven, healing connections.

The song embodies the depth and gentleness of emotion (her Moon in Scorpio exactly conjunct the Midheaven; Venus trine Pluto) which has recently made it my go to song when stressing about Donald Trump(!).  There is a particular version which she sang, recorded with an almost ethereal gentleness and sensitivity.

The next year, 1973, saw her release another soul-searing song, “Killing Me Softly with His Song”, and with that her reputation as a first class singer was assured.  This song was written by three songwriters: Charles Fox, Norman Gimbel I, and Lori Lieberman, and her voice is fuller on that song.  It has the emotion and depth of the first song, and won awards in 1974.

Such was the uniqueness of her voice that when critics compared it to that of Aretha Franklin she said: “I am a black person who sings the way I do.  I am not a black person who sounds anything like Aretha Franklin or like Chaka Khan.  I shouldn’t have to change in order to be who I am.”

The Guardian Obituary by Caroline Sullivan points out that:

“The comparisons were unfair, anyway: Franklin’s style had been forged in the Baptist church, whereas Flack had grown up as a restrained, hymn-singing Methodist.”

Roberta had a markedly quieter style, consciously and deliberately so.

It may sound over-the-top to say her voice touched my life, but the truth is I had been playing her music recently, and after a break of a few days, played “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face”, at 4 pm (UK time) on the day she died (24^th February).  On the 6 pm BBC News we were told of her passing.

Other Music

Elton John was very taken with the gentleness of her version of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” early in his career.  He wrote to her “Dear Roberta, I have never heard anything this beautiful in years…”

Other chart successes included “Feel Like Makin’ Love” in 1974, but she subsequently took a break from performing, but continued to record (with many collaborations) and spent time on supporting charitable causes.   In 1991 she had another hit with “Set the Night to Music.”

In later years, she made versions of the songs of the Beatles (“Let it Be Roberta” album 2012), and Leonard Cohen.

In 2020 she was awarded a lifetime achievement award at the Grammys.

Health

She suffered a stroke in 2019, but was forced to give up performing in 2022 due to being diagnosed with motor neurone disease, which left her unable to sing.

It was reported that she passed away peacefully surrounded by her family, after a heart attack.  Her death coincided with her third Saturn Return in Pisces, in her 2^nd House.

Watching the Brits last night, there was nothing remotely resembling her music.  It reminded me that every generation, and especially the teenagers whose enthusiasm drive new music, have their own energy to express.

“Her voice touched, tapped, trapped, and kicked every emotion I’ve ever known. I laughed, cried, and screamed for more… she alone had the voice.”

~ Les McCann

Aspects

In the early hours of this morning, Venus was Stationary prior to turning Retrograde.  This celestial event only occurs once in every 18 months.  This betokens a time of reviewing relationships and finance.  Although you may need to go over old ground, you can refer back to a time when a relationship was entirely harmonious, and what brought you together in the first place, when working towards improvements.

This afternoon we have a conjunction between Mercury and Neptune at 28 degrees Pisces (also forming an exact triple conjunction with the North Node at that point).  This is not conducive to exacting and detailed mental work and documentation if that is what you planned; but it can favour dreams, mystical states and spirituality.  They in turn can affect creativity, art and music in an inspired way.  If you are feeling below par, you may experience added confusion or brain fog.  Channelling is favoured.

In the evening Jupiter squares the Sun, an aspect which exaggerates everything it comes into contact with.  There is also a joyful, humorous side of Sun square Jupiter, so some laughter-yoga in the evening would not go amiss!  It could contribute to a fun day, but be aware of carelessness or overreaching goals.  It could be a jolly scenario, with some over-the-top behaviour in the mode of “devil may care”.

Tomorrow (Monday 3^rd) Mercury enters Aries.  Plain speaking replaces the flowery language of Mercury in Pisces.  Mercury doesn’t get far into Aries before turning retrograde mid-month, so try to achieve some dynamic mental work in the first half of March. Mercury in Aries favours mental work which is unemotional and without frippery, such as accountancy and tax returns.  You will need to get to the point much more directly in your communications, and there is more sense of urgency about paperwork.  If you feel overwhelmed by paperwork, stay in the moment and you may be able to stretch time.

Wednesday (5^th) brings a profound touch to your communications, with a sextile between Mercury and Pluto.  It is a harmonious aspect which can produce profound, honouring the gravity of a situation if necessary, and enabling meaningful debate to occur.  It is a good space for reading something profound.  Maybe there is something in your pile of pending books you have been putting off, if so, now’s the time to tackle it.

The week is polished off on Saturday (8^th) with a dynamic trine between the Sun and Mars.  This may turbo-charge your activities, bringing new initiatives to your activities and objectives.  Sporting interests can flourish, or any vigorous pursuits.  Men, dogs and cars may flourish!).  Aries and Leo Sun sign interaction may be highlighted.

I would say it is not a day when peace may be established.  But notably peace did not break out at the New Moon in Pisces last week, when some one-sided shouting occurred in the Oval Office.  It could be that the confusion of the North Node/Neptune conjunction was more powerful than the New Moon.  Or it may be that the inflammatory energy of transiting Mars in Cancer in Donald’s 11^th House of Friendship was squaring his natal Jupiter in Libra in his 2^nd House of Financial Aspiration.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – relationship reflection; mental confusion or inspiration; exaggeration
• Tomorrow – plain speaking
• Wednesday – profound thought and communication
• Saturday – dynamism

Piscean Archetypes

We are now in the month of Pisces, and time to embrace the potential of that sign, and it is time to turn the spotlight on Piscean Archetypes (although I know Pisceans often shun the limelight).  The Sun will be entering the next sign Aries on 20 March, so we have time to experience our connection with this sign, its Archetypes and cultivate its finer qualities. Also to observe our Piscean friends or family, and perhaps see them in a new light, a new depth, or a new height.  The last sign Aquarius represented the New Age, the new broom sweeping clean, but Pisces represents qualities we can retain where they are helpful (compassion being one; Aquarius can be clinical).  The initiation of Pisces began with Christianity, but at its worst took us through the dark ages of ignorance and delusion.  Some of the world chaos we are now experiencing is the negative side of Pisces fighting for its existence, and part is the confusion of the transition.  At its best, Pisces and its ruler Neptune can represent the genius of all-knowingness, a fully enlightened mind.  So, following, are the Archetypes I highlighted back in my 2016 blog, and then some chronological historic examples of Pisceans and their Archetypes, from history:

“Genius

Famous Example: Albert Einstein

Other signs can lay claim to science, but Pisces lays claim to talent and genius by virtue of employing the whole brain.  The theory of relativity came to Albert Einstein in a dream.

I wonder what Einstein was thinking about when he said  “What does a fish know about the water in which he swims all his life?”  

Mystic

The genius, due to the receptivity of the brain and imagination, is able to access information.  The Mystic unites more specifically with the divine, in the spiritual or religious sense, and can unite religions from that level, sensing the underlying truths they have in common at source.  Caroline Myss describes the Mystic Archetype thus:

“Follows selfless path of practice to achieve union with the divine or a state of enlightenment that manifests as service to others”.  Those with strongly Piscean charts have often had significant lives as monks, priests or nuns, in cloistered conditions.

Addict

Pisces, and its ruling planet Neptune, often show according to their condition in the birthchart, how strongly addicted we are.  It is related psychologically, to their capacity for surrender.  The seed of addiction is of course present in all of us, but more so with Pisces and Neptune.

There is a star of the far southern sky named Fomalhaut (Alpha Pisces Austrini) which according to “Star Elixirs” by Michael Smulkis and Fred Rubenfeld can help with addiction: “The awareness of past-life connections that create the necessity for such addictions also comes to one’s consciousness with repeated use of this star.” …

Caroline Myss says of the Addict Archetype: “Helps you recognise when any external force has more authority over your willpower than your inner spirit does”.

The Saint/Sinner

The Saint and Sinner Archetypes are often found in the same person, the light and shadow of the same coin.  I had a Piscean uncle who embodied this Archetype.  He would literally go to the ends of the earth to help anyone, and yet could easily get sucked into a dodgy get rich quick scheme.  Rest in Peace, dear uncle.

Missionary Archetype

This is to some extent a spin off of the “Saint” Archetype, in that the zeal of the religious or spiritual passion is the driving force of the life’s mission.  This Archetype also encompasses the work of charity, another Neptunian theme.

Hypnotist Archetype

Hypnotism is very much a Neptunian phenomenon.  The hugely successful hypnotist Paul McKenna has his Neptune exactly conjunct his Sun in Scorpio.  Scorpio gives his work power and depth.

Historical Pisceans

The Genius

Albert Einstein (14/3/1879 – 18/4/1955)

The Genius Archetype of Pisces can be applied equally to the Scientist or the Artist.  In the case of Albert Einstein, it is the Scientist, but it is his imagination (the attribute of Pisces) which gave him the ability to think outside the box, scientifically.  Einstein’s Sun was a lone feature in Pisces, but it was in a heavily occupied 9^th House of Deep Study, and closely sextile Pluto, adding great depth.  It was this that helped him traverse dimensions in his mind.  The ruling planet of Pisces, Neptune, was conjunct the healing asteroid Chiron, a potent mixture of mysticism and healing.  In addition, he had another conjunction across the Capricorn/Aquarius cusp, of Mars and the North Node, showing his pioneering karmic mission. A further significant conjunction, also in his House of Deep Study, is Mercury conjunct Saturn, showing detailed application, and in the sign of Aries highlights mathematical prowess, hence his famous equation.

The Poet

Dr Seuss (2/3/1904 – 24/9/1991)

Not a conventional or sentimental poet, but Dr Seuss’ verses in his children’s books are undeniably poetry.  Like Albert Einstein, his Sun was a lone feature in Pisces – maybe that’s all they needed, to manifest their talents.  Dr Seuss was born on a Full Moon, and perhaps that was one reason his poetry and talent was put to use in the service of entertaining children. The often “all round” talents of Pisces meant that he as a cartoonist also illustrated his own books.   He had a very dynamic conjunction of Mars and Jupiter in Aries, which resulted in a prolific body of work.  His book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” was made into a film; but our own personal family favourite was “The Sleep Book”, perhaps favoured even more by the grown ups than the targeted children.

The Peacemaker

Mikhail Gorbachev (2/3/1931 – 30/8/2022)

Gorbachev was another Piscean with only the Sun in Pisces.  Gorbachev had the vision of a better relationship with the West, moving towards social democracy, which involved surrender to the greater good.  Pisces and its ruler Neptune represent the process of dissolution, away from entrenched crystallization.  His karmic mission as a reformer is marked in his chart as the North Node conjunct Uranus.  His policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring along the lines of decentralisation) – both Piscean processes – were successful for several years, and up to a point, but at a cost to him personally, and that of his wife Raisa.  That almost sacrificial quality can be one of the characteristics of Pisces, taken to its conclusion.  I wrote when he died in 2022:

“With the Sun in Pisces, Mikhail Gorbachev was a visionary and an idealist.  His Ascendant in Libra was peace loving and diplomatic.  The combination of these traits in his personality contributed to him gaining the Nobel Peace Prize in 1990, for his work in ending the Cold War…[at the presentation Pluto was trine his natal Pluto, a deep achievement, and Jupiter was trine his natal Uranus, an award of distinction]

…Gorbachev was reportedly traumatized by the invasion of Ukraine earlier this year [2022], feeling that Putin had undone his life’s work.  To my mind, Gorbachev was a man who put the welfare of the world above nationalism and patriotism.”

Since I wrote that, his birth time has come to light, showing up a Libran Ascendant, a zodiac sign which would share the Peacemaker Archetype, so that emphasizes the quality in his make up.  His birth time also reveals the fact that his ruler Neptune sextiled his natal Midheaven (Careerpoint), making Neptunian processes a major feature of his career choices.

We are now seeing the unravelling of his work, as the pendulum swings the other way. Tomorrow it will be exactly three years since the invasion of Ukraine.  Vladimir Putin was unable to stomach the dilution of the Russian state, and has put all his energies in reclaiming land, and power.

The Mystic

George Harrison (25/2/1943 – 29/11/2001)

George Harrison had Venus (music) at the end of his Sun Sign Pisces, indicating a high level of spirituality and transcendence within his musical sense and creativity.

I wrote in an earlier blog about George Harrison:

“George Harrison had Chiron exactly conjunct the North Node in Leo in 10th House, giving him a karmic mission of healing through creativity, channelled through his career…

… his musical tastes and spiritual path lay in a different direction [from Lennon and McCartney], though he did take them part of the way, with their involvement with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.  Musically, he became a student of Ravi Shankar, and these directions were all very Piscean in nature.”

That direction, of course, was within, and Pisces is the most introverted sign.  His quest led to some divine music, especially as recorded on his double album “All Things Must Pass”.  Of the four Beatles, he was unquestionably, The Mystic.

In exercising your own Piscean underbelly at this time, remember that Pisceans need to work out their place in the cosmos, how much to surrender and what they are here to bring forth for their life purpose, and that may be a component in what you may achieve in this Piscean month.

Aspects

We have a gung ho aspect today, Mercury trine Mars, so there’s hope for some of those odd jobs you keep putting off.  Communications may zip along, and the day could be very productive.  Much can be accomplished.  You can put your ideas into practice.  You may retire at the end of the day with the feeling that you could do more, and have extra ideas to put into practice for the next day.

Tomorrow (Monday 24^th) activity is again highlighted, with Mars Stationary prior to going Direct.  We may no longer feel we are pushing the boulder up the hill, a feature of our lives especially since Mars went retrograde in December, we now may be able to roll the boulder gently along the flat (hopefully it is not likely to be rolling downhill).  For the Ariens among you, you could experience a literally physical renewal.  You may be in a mood to move furniture around.

A more sober mood for Tuesday (25^th), with a conjunction of Mercury with Saturn at 20 degrees Pisces.  The combination of Mercury and Saturn pins us down to reality, and brings communications of a serious nature.  You may have found yourself trying to come to terms with recent events or news, and its seemingly disappointing trajectories.  The important thing about this conjunction is what conclusions you come to, and what constructive action you might decide to take, even if it is just down to taking up the ever present demand of decluttering.

As we come into the second half of the week, Thursday (27^th) brings us a nice sextile between Mercury and Uranus.  The beginning of the week may have been a physical work-out, but thing brings a mental work-out exercise: thinking inside and outside the box together!  This aspect gives rise to spectacular and unusual communications.  This encourages us to use all the new technology for our communications, and brings new ideas, heightening intuition and telepathy.   This aspect can amaze you and help you find that “wow” factor

As if the end of the week couldn’t get any better, we are gifted a New Moon in Pisces at 9 degrees of the sign on Friday (28^th).  You may come to a decision, and follow it up by cementing your intentions.  This New Moon is especially focussed on service, emotion, the use of water and overcoming addiction(s).  Any affirmations, practical projects and creative visualizations along these lines would be apt.  A good day to avail yourself of some of the positive Piscean Archetypes (The Peacemaker, for example) and put them into practice.  A step forward in the international peace processes would be a blessing.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – dynamic
• Tomorrow – further moves
• Tuesday – look at the small print
• Thursday – dynamic thought
• Friday – new beginning