Britain and Iran

This week there was a marked escalation of tension in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf involving a British oil tanker named Stena Impero being taken by Iran, seemingly in retaliation for the seizing of an Iranian vessel in Gibraltar on 4th July (for carrying oil assumed to be bound for Syria).  The validity of our action at that time has been questioned. A second tanker was stopped on Friday, but then allowed to continue.  But since Friday, diplomatic moves seem to have further deepened the crisis.

The trigger for the current crisis was our own action on 4th July, so in looking at transits for the U.K. on that date, we find  Jupiter closely conjunct the UK Sun in Sagittarius in the 7th House of direct relations.  This transit becomes exact on 29th July, so that may be a defining moment in relation to this issue or for this country generally (and again on 24th August).  Jupiter is usually a positive and expansive influence, but in this instance it may have the gung ho quality associated with this planet.  These dates may also be connected with our having a new ebullient Prime Minister, also descriptive of Jupiterian energy.

The other, more fitting transits for the oil tanker event are Saturn square the UK natal Saturn, and  the Nodal Axis square its Saturn (a serious karmic event, or even an error). These two transits suggest a very difficult atmosphere for diplomatic negotiations, like being held in a tight spot karmically.

The transits for Iran on the same date were Jupiter on its 5th House cusp trine its Ascendant in Leo; Jupiter square Iran’s Nodal Axis (in 1st/7th Houses, involving relationships directly), something karmic going down, or a karmic opportunity; and Saturn square Iran’s Pluto in 3rd House of Communication, something gravely serious being communicated, menacingly destructive or self-destructive; or it could be seen literally as the interception (Saturn) of transport (Pluto in the 3rd House of Transport).

How did all this start?

U.S and Donald Trump

It was recently reported that the former U.K. Ambassador in the U.S. (Sir Kim Darroch) in a leaked memo stated that Donald Trump dismantled the nuclear agreement with Iran because he wanted to spite Obama.  This was hardly a revelation, as we all knew Donald had set out to reverse every good thing Obama had done in his presidency.  We didn’t need a leak.

So Donald Trump reintroduced sanctions/tariffs on 8th May 2018 (which have had a crippling effect on the Iranian population), and the E.U. has been trying to stabilize the situation ever since.  At the time he took this action, Saturn was opposite his natal Mercury (not a great judgement call) and Uranus was trine his natal Ascendant (on cusp of 9th House of Foreign Lands) – he decided on shock tactics.  The transits for the Iran chart at the time were: Mars sextile its Mercury – alarm bells; Uranus square its Jupiter – infringement of its freedom; Saturn trine its Saturn – serious decisions; and Pluto sextile its Uranus – a strong arm being exerted.  Iran recently decided to start rebuilding its enriched uranium stocks.

Following Friday’s event Iran’s foreign minister tweeted that the UK “must cease being an accessory to #EconomicTerrorism of the US” painting the chilling possibility that we are being used by the US if the implication is true.

Jeremy Hunt

Jeremy Hunt, as our current serving Foreign Secretary, has been making all the right noises e.g. “We are not looking at military options. We are looking at a diplomatic way to resolve this situation.” But he may not even be in the post beyond this week, as it looks likely that Boris Johnson, and not he himself, will be Prime Minister by Tuesday’s deadline for the party leadership contest.  There is pressure on him to look statesmanlike at the moment, both as a Foreign Secretary and as a possible future Prime Minister.  There is a possibility however that Boris Johnson might keep him on at his post.

Hunt’s transits for the beginning of the current crisis on Friday shows up Saturn trine his natal North Node exactly to the day, so this is a karmic responsibility for him to measure up to, and definitely connected with the event as it was exact on the day.  Also Uranus exactly opposed his Venus, so  he was caught on the backfoot in diplomacy, and Pluto sextile his natal Chiron – strength under pressure.  It has been suggested that in its preoccupation with the Tory leadership contest the government has taken its eye off the ball regarding the Iranian situation, and maybe some of that criticism is being levelled at Jeremy Hunt himself.  These transits are similar to those of the conclusion of the leadership contest on Tuesday, and as we will see they are not as spectacular as Boris’ transits.

Boris Johnson

160.000 Conservative Party members (or their majority) seem set to vote in Boris Johnson as our next Prime Minister, despite the fact that he was a disaster as Foreign Secretary, and with his inept words has consigned Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe to an extended prison sentence in Iran.

The focus for Boris at this time is with the Tory leadership contest which wraps up on Tuesday, and here the stars are with him. Saturn from Capricorn in his natal 4th House of Home trines his natal Jupiter in Taurus in 8th House – could be a prestigious new House move (requiring apparently all new furniture, post divorce).  Uranus from Taurus in his 7th House trines his natal Uranus in Virgo in his 11th House – Successful realization of his long held dream and ambition.

Natally, Jupiter exactly opposite Neptune in his chart represents this blown up long cherished dream and ambition 8th/2nd House which may not turn out to be realistic, or all he wanted it to be (winning the contest has no bearing on what sort of Prime Minister he will be).  Saturn from Capricorn in his 4th House sextiles his natal Neptune in Scorpio in his 2nd House, helping a dream become practical reality.

Boris has a strong Winston Churchill Archetype which stirs him from deep within, but may discover that it is only an Archetype or a role, and that may not be enough, and that he does not have the substance underneath to back it up.  One shudders to think of his future gunboat diplomacies.  That Winston is his guiding light is shown by Winston’s Neptune (inspiration) being exactly sextile Boris’ Sun.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

Her situation in Iran seemed to worsen and deteriorate further this week, when she was transferred to a Psychiatric Hospital with no contact available with her family.  This after a period of hunger strike.

One fears for her if Boris gets into power, governing the whole nation let alone just foreign policy.  Her current transits are: Uranus trine her natal Saturn (a change to her circumstances), Jupiter on her Neptune (which may drive her inwards psychologically), Jupiter sextile her natal Pluto (normally that would be strengthening, but it is not likely in this situation), and Saturn square her natal Pluto (more grief).  In other words, a mixed batch of influences.  It is difficult to know what is going on behind the closed doors of the Iranian Psychiatric prison/hospital.  But it is not likely to have its compensations (especially having no contact with family).  Unless they are preparing her for release, but at this moment they are using her as a valuable pawn.

Of course the current worsening of U.K./Iranian relations is not likely to make her situation any easier.

U.K./Iran Charts

The intrinsic relationship of the U.K. and Iran shows: the UK Venus trine Iran Mars, friendly enough!; UK Jupiter sextile Iran Saturn, again fairly balanced; but the UK Saturn conjunct Iran Pluto [a crucial and very difficult conjunction in their relationship].  I don’t usually take note of asteroids, but Pallas Athena is currently transiting that conjunction – she was a goddess who represented warfare and strategy as well as justice and fairness.

In other interaspects, the UK Uranus sextiles Iran’s Midheaven, and the UK Pluto also sextiles Iran’s Midheaven, a strong balance under normal conditions.  Our natal trine of Uranus and Pluto is one of our greatest strengths.  The UK Neptune sextiles Iran’s Pluto, and that too is  manageable; but the UK Pluto squares the Iranian Sun, which can occasionally set up a power struggle.  It may be that if it were not for the complicated situation with the U.S. relations would be more straightforward.  However we are caught up in wider conflicts, such as the nuclear power struggle in the Middle East, with Israel and the U.S. fearful of Iran’s nuclear status and ambitions.

We as a country are in a historic week in a state of flux, on the brink of a deadline to solve the Brexit riddle, and this current crisis just adds to the tension.  One question is, will our politicians swan off on their holidays abroad, or stay to try to solve our immense challenges?

Aspects

Pluto opposing Venus is the first aspect today, which can symbolize brinkmanship in relationships, such as the current crisis between Britain and Iran. In negotiations, people may be using negative tactics such as project fear, or threats of no deal. If your struggles are in the realms of art or music, you may have to go back to the drawing board on a creative project, or fundamentally change the values behind what you are creating, taking them to a higher level or a deeper level psychologically.

Some of that tension might clear from lunchtime, with the clarity of a conjunction between the Sun and Mercury at 28 degrees Cancer.  Recognizing that people’s feelings and emotions must be part of the equation and honoured to an extent, may help matters.  In a negotiation, for instance, it is good that each party saves face, or there is an attempt at a win-win outcome.  You may find yourself switching tasks and applying and focussing to something easier and more rewarding, or looking at other relationships (there is an emphasis on the family, with the conjunction falling in the sign of Cancer).  So it may be refreshing to turn your attention to other preoccupations, and you may have a sudden revelation which may help the more problematic area(s).

The Sun enters Leo in the early hours of Tuesday (23rd), ushering in the month of hopeful hedonism.  Holiday plans beckon (except for politicians, who need to get on with the job!).  Even if you do not have definite holiday plans, you can look at the quality of life and living within your current horizons and means.  Inner enjoyment is just as important as outer enjoyment, if not more so.

Thursday (25th) brings us a delightful conjunction of Mercury and Venus at 26 degrees Cancer, conducive to the Arts, but also to diplomatic negotiation at a modest level.  I will be seeing Shakespeare plays in the York pop-up theatre, as I did last year, which is a suitably cultural activity for this conjunction.  That particular day I will be seeing “Twelfth Night”, one of the bard’s comedies, also reflecting the light hearted quality and possibilities of this conjunction.  The audience of his day may have found it a light relief from the gunboat diplomacies of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign (being written way after the invasion of the Spanish Armada).  So get out and about, meet friends in coffee shops, or create something beautiful at home – Venus with Mercury is very conducive to story telling accompanied by illustration.

Emphasizing Thursday as a day of play, at lunchtime we have Mars trine Jupiter, which boosts energy and combines it with enthusiasm.  It is a day for your favourite activities.  If you are self-employed, give yourself the day off and pursue your hobbies.  Any sports will be heightened by this trine, for instance.  The aspects end on a high this week, so make the most of it!

The week in bullet points:

• Today – major challenge; rewarding mental focus
• Tuesday – hedonism beckons
• Thursday – cultural delight; enjoyable activities

 

Anniversary of the Moon Landing

“One small step for Man.  One giant leap for Mankind”

~ Neil Armstrong

The 50th anniversary of the manned Moon landing coincides with the Lunar Eclipse on Tuesday 16th July.  I heard this week that someone dubbed the Moon landing as the most significant event of the 20th Century. Maddeningly, I can’t remember who it was or who they were quoting! And Google is not helping, and Alexa doesn’t live here.  I have a vague recollection it might have been Gyles Brandreth on Gogglebox (which was hilarious) quoting someone while watching the Moon landing with Sheila Hancock.  If anyone can confirm that, I would be grateful.

Anyway, if it were the most significant event, the chart of the event would be very defining, I would have thought.  The launch took place from Merritt Island in Florida on 16th July 1969 at 13.32 UTC.  The landing itself took place on 20th July 1969 at 20.17 UTC, its location being Tranquillity Base, the Sea of Tranquillity, The Moon.

The striking  thing in the charts of that period was an exact conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus at 0 degrees Libra.  That conjunction itself is eloquent, speaking of aspiration and enterprise. That is took place at 0 degrees of a sign emphasizes its importance as a notable beginning.  The Sun at the launch was conjunct the Midheaven (highest aspiration) trine the North Node (karma) in Pisces.

At the landing itself Mercury was exactly trine Neptune (great inspiration and a demonstration of science at its best).  Pluto had moved to being exactly conjunct the South Node (again, emphasizing world karma).

I have written about all the astronauts involved.  First about Neil Armstrong in 2012, at his passing:

Neil Armstrong

“I admit to feeling a sense of loss when I heard of the passing of Neil Armstrong.  I think the Universe registered this seismically, the passing of a man of the Universe.  A man more of the Universe than most of us, at least to the Moon and back.  In his chart, his own Moon holds the distinction of being at the power point of the Galactic Centre.

His achievements were great, but so also was his character.  He eschewed the status of fame, and remained true to the humility of Neptune at the base of his chart.  Armstrong’s Neptune is exactly square to his Ascendant, on the cusp of his 4^th House of Home.  This accounted for the fluidity of his roots: his family moved several times in his early years.  This may have been part of the making of a man who could let go and travel out into space.  Maybe it was part of the training which his life provided.  Although Neptune is more usually associated with the ocean, it is also connected with the ethers.  He had a highly sensitive finely tuned nervous system, with Neptune conjunct exactly his Mercury and the conjunction square to his Ascendant.

The high vitality of his chart is shown by Mars in his 1^st House trine exactly the Part of Fortune in his 5^th House, then backed up by the Sun in between sextiling both, and Uranus sextile his Mars and trine his Sun in Leo, also providing the scientific abilities needed by an Astronaut.

His career path is represented by his Midheaven, which is placed in the air sign of Aquarius, and from the age of 6 he was interested in flight.  Aquarius is also the sign of technology, and futuristic endeavours.”

Buzz Aldrin

I wrote about Buzz Aldrin in 2015:

The second member of the manned mission team, Buzz Aldrin, had the Sun at 0 degrees Aquarius, a crucial degree for space flight (close to Tim Peake’s North Node).  He had the North Node closely conjunct Chiron in the 11th House of teamwork.  His Gemini Ascendant was exactly opposite the Galactic Centre, and therefore Armstrong’s Moon was opposite his Ascendant (a Moon-centred relationship!).

His Neptune on the I.C point opposite his Midheaven resonates with Neil Armstrong’s Neptune position on the cusp of the 4th House at the bottom of his chart (see above).  His Mars is exactly sextile his natal Part of Fortune in the 9th House of Space Exploration.  Neil Armstrong’s North Node was exactly sextile Buzz Aldrin’s Ascendant, on the cusp of Buzz Aldrin’s 11th House of teamwork.”

The Jupiter-Uranus exact conjunction at the time of the Moon landing was exactly trine Buzz Aldrin’s natal Sun. A gigantic leap for him.

Michael Collins

I wrote in 2015:

“Unlike the other two members of the Moon landing team, we do not have a birth time for Michael Collins.  His role was to orbit the Moon in the Command Module while the other two actually landed on the Moon.  Fascinatingly, he reported his feelings at the time as not those of loneliness, but “awareness, anticipation, satisfaction, confidence, almost exultation”.

Collins is a Scorpio by Sun sign, with Jupiter exactly conjunct Pluto (his ruling planet) in Moon-ruled Cancer.  This is a conjunction of great power and positivity.  He was probably really feeling that conjunction in his description of his solo flight.

He had a karmic bond with Buzz Aldrin, in his Sun being exactly conjunct Aldrin’s South Node.  At the time of the Moon landing Chiron was square his natal Saturn, Saturn was exactly trine his natal Saturn and opposite his natal Sun.  There was a great emphasis therefore on control and solitariness in the role the Universe was asking of him at that time.

In those days, it seemed the adventure of conquering Space was all in front of us, but with accidents occurring to Astronauts later, and financial constraints, question marks began to appear over the whole concept of colonizing Space.  These days we have probes investigating various planets, and programmes working towards manned travel and colonization of Mars.”

There is still a huge debate about how much we should put into space travel, in terms of resources such as time, money and effort.  But the dream still lives on, in many parts of the world, and it is fascinating to think where we are now in relation to where we were then.

Aspects

Pluto opposes the Sun today, so it is a day for sober reflection and unearthing the deep psychological significance behind events (such as the anniversary of the Moon landing, or the unexpected victory of Simona Halep at Wimbledon yesterday in the women’s final against Serena Williams).  Of course, there is a lot going on in our lives, both personally and globally, and our minds may go to issues which affect us more immediately.  Being an opposition, there is a requirement to balance two opposing forces, and possibly blend them or transcend the polarity.  Both planets represent power of sorts, but Pluto is more influential, so there may be an apparent imbalance and seeming impossibility of reconciling the opposition.  There is certainly an imbalance in the Tory leadership contest, with Boris (our Trump) apparently unaffected by the controversy of the expulsion of our ambassador in the U.S.  You can’t take this aspect lightly, but you must believe there is a way through in order to overcome what you need to overcome in what you are working on.  It is the energy of “it’s always darkest before the dawn” – you have to know the dawn is coming.

Even if you are making headway, you will still be feeling tension, and that is from the upcoming Eclipse and Full Moon in Capricorn on Tuesday (16th).  This Moon represents the pull between authority and individual needs.  There are questions about society, such as how far can authority be accountable for an individual’s fate, and how much can the individual expect from authorities, where does the balance of responsibility lie?  An amazing story this week emerged that the government want to give us advice about our sleep patterns.  Considering that austerity has resulted in worry and anxiety being piled on many ordinary families, which keep them awake at night, I really wonder who came up with this!  There has not been any compassion or psychological insight into policy making for many years. In the end, people have to rely and fall back on their own self-reliance and self-awareness, but if the government hands them anything it is an unexpected bonus (until the event that we have a fairer society and government).

Did I mention this is a difficult week?  Saturn opposes Venus on Wednesday (17th), which could be emotionally deflating (e.g. a prominent, well-loved public figure could pass after a long and worthwhile life). It is time to value those around you, and to renew bonds of love and loyalty.

But don’t give up on the week, it gets better from Thursday (18th), when Venus trines Neptune.  If you are sad about a relationship or a passing, you will be able to tap into the spiritual love and purpose behind that person’s life, and your relationship with them.  If you managed to rise above the difficult emotions of Wednesday, you can go higher with inspiration in your creativity, e.g. in Art or Music.  It is a good day to understand the relationship between materiality and spirituality, say. in your quest for abundance.

Finally, on Friday (19th), Mercury retrogrades back into Cancer, from Leo.  You may have had some initial holiday revelries, but then need to go back and attend to family matters in more detail, such as documentation related to that area of your life.  The collective mind will be more able to encompass emotion when considering an argument.  For example, if you have set your mind on a belief because it seems logical, you may be presented with a situation which helps you see the need for compassion for the other side of the argument.  The rights and welfare of children, for instance, may be put under the microscope.  Mercury does not leave the sign of Cancer until 11th August, because it needs to complete its retrograde path, turn round and then make up the ground before it enters Leo again.  So for the rest of this month, and a little beyond, charity begins at home.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – Light and shade
• Tuesday – Turning point
• Wednesday – emotionally flat
• Thursday – Rise up
• Friday – change of mental focus

 

Wimbledon 2019 – Week 2

Well that was an interesting week, that was!  Some new and intriguing faces at Wimbledon, and new charts to look at.  I will proceed as usual, that is looking at the next four Seeds for the women and men, bearing in mind that some Seeds may already have left us.

Women’s Seeds

No. 6 Seed: Petra Kvitova

Petra has had a lot of transits going on since the Spring, and these continue to be lively over the coming week. North Node trine her Sun,  Mars opposite her Venus, Pluto on her Saturn, Saturn sextile her Pluto, and North Node trine her Pluto are current active transits, which suggest a mood of seriously knuckling down to business.

On 26th March, the attacker who left her with a hand injury just before Christmas 2016 was brought to justice and sentenced, with some of these heavy and long term transits: Neptune on her Sun, Neptune trine her natal Pluto and Pluto on her Saturn.  At the time of the attack, the South Node (past karma) was transiting her natal Mercury (hand).  She was back on the tennis circuit a few months later.

She plays our Jo Konta who we’ll be cheering on Monday. Their synastry is: Petra’s Mars square Johanna’s Mercury (so Petra could bring out Jo’s nerves), Petra’s Saturn opposing Jo’s Mars (difficult for Jo), and Petra’s Neptune conjoins Jo’s Uranus (again, the advantage is with Petra). So the natural flow of things favours Petra generally.  Jo currently has Chiron square her Venus (that’s quite a physical challenge, and she is bearing that well, and doing very well generally at the moment), Uranus square her Jupiter (a prey to the unexpected; again she is bearing that one well), and Chiron trine her Jupiter (healing and uplifting, that’s better news!.  She also has Uranus square her Saturn (not so nice) and Chiron sextile her Saturn (that is keeping her stable), plus Neptune trine her Pluto (sensitive power).  At the end of Wimbledon, Jo has Uranus sextile her Venus (the power of surprise working her way), she still has Uranus square her Jupiter, Chiron trine her Jupiter, and Uranus square her Saturn. There’s a new challenge of Saturn on her Neptune (some draining) and Neptune trine her Pluto.  I sadly don’t think these are winning transits.  I also think Petra’s transits are stronger in the short term than Jo’s.

Going back to Petra, her transits for the end of Wimbledon continue to be meaningful:

Jupiter sextile her North Node (karmic reward), Saturn sextile her natal Sun (strong and stable), Saturn still sextile her natal Pluto, Neptune on her Sun (the possibility of inspirational play, with Neptune as her ruling planet), Neptune trine her natal Pluto and Pluto still on her Saturn.  It is an important year for her, and she could get to the final.

No. 7 Seed: Simona Halep

In the next round, Simona Halep plays the sensational 15-year old Cori Gauff, who has won the hearts of the Wimbledon crowd this year, beating Venus Williams in the 1st round.

At this point in the tournament, Simona has Mars sextile her Sun (vigour), but unbalancing that Saturn square her Mars (awkward energy and frustration), Nodal axis squaring her Mars (danger of injury) and Neptune trine her Pluto (some inspiration and depth). These transits have got her to the second week, but are not easy to negotiate, especially when facing the challenge of Cori Gauff who seems on a roll.

Their synastry shows: Cori’s Gauff squaring Simona’s Venus (a physical advantage for Cori), and Cori’s Uranus opposite Simona’s Jupiter (Cori has the power of surprise).  So Cori could defeat her at this point in the tournament.

If Simona gets through towards the end of Wimbledon, her transits then will be:  Saturn still square her Mars, the Nodal Axis still square her Mars, and Neptune still trine her Pluto.  Simona is a tremendous player, but I don’t think this will be her year for the Wimbledon final.

No. 8 Seed: Elina Svitolina

Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine finds herself in the middle of Wimbledon with the following transits: Neptune opposite her Sun (supersensitivity, which may be difficult to manage), Mars square her natal Venus (slightly incident-prone), Saturn opposite her Mars (awkward energies), Pluto on her Uranus (volatility in her affairs).  So she has done well to get this far.

By the end of Wimbledon,  Neptune still opposes her Sun, Saturn still opposes her Mars, the North Node  transits her natal Mars (karmic consequences to the use of energy) and Pluto still transits her natal Uranus.  The North Node on her Mars could go either way (it could help fulfil her destiny as an athlete, for instance) and she must be quite a fighter at the moment with those transits, but I would think the odds are against her.

No. 11 Seed: Serena Williams

My take this week on Serena Williams, writing on Tuesday was:

“Serena says she feels good, and is currently pain free. At the beginning of Wimbledon Mars is square her Mercury, so it could take a little while to settle her nerves. But Jupiter is sextile her Jupiter, so she is in a good mood! Very optimistic. Saturn squares her Jupiter, so the execution is not without blocks. Saturn is also on her Midheaven (Careerpoint) which may hold her back overall on her career path. She may still be struggling to maintain consistency from one Grand Slam to another, and balance her tennis with motherhood. Finally, Pluto trines her Chiron (so she is “pain free” and strong).

At the end of Wimbledon, Jupiter trines her Mars (energy sky high!), Saturn sextiles her Venus (smooth control at the same time). She still has Saturn square Jupiter and on her Midheaven, and the powerful Pluto trine Chiron. She could make it to the final, or even win.”

Men’s Seeds

The ranks of the men’s Seeds seem decimated, much more so than the women’s.

No. 8 Seed: Kei Nishikori

Nishikori’s current planetary line up shows Uranus squaring his Venus, which may be some tension in his personal life; Chiron sextile his natal Venus (good, healthwise), Uranus trine his Uranus (the power of surprise on his side), Chiron square his Uranus (I wouldn’t rule out injury though), Saturn sextile his Pluto (considerable strength), and the North Node trine his Pluto (powerful karmic help).

By the end of Wimbledon, he still has Uranus square his Venus, and Chiron sextile Venus, but he has added muscle from Mars trine his natal Mars.  Uranus sextiles his Jupiter (an excellent winning transit!), Chiron squares his Jupiter (some challenges), Uranus still trine his Uranus (a considerable benefit), Chiron still square his Uranus (a threat of injury), Saturn still sextile his Pluto, and then that final endorsement from the Universe still (North Node trine his Pluto).  He could be a surprise entrant into the final this year, of the dark horse variety.

No. 15 Seed: Milos Raonic

Raonic currently has Uranus trine his Sun (the element of the unexpected is working in his favour), Neptune sextile his Venus (harmony in his personal affairs) and Neptune trine his Pluto (not a bad transit to have on your side), but not a lot else going on.

At the end of Wimbledon all these transits are still in operation.  None are difficult, but taken together maybe not outstanding enough to get past the semi-finals.

No. 17 Seed: Matteo Berrettini

I haven’t looked at Berrettini’s chart before!  He has the Sun in Aries square Jupiter in his natal chart (bags of enthusiasm) and Mars square Jupiter (enthusiasm off the scale), and Sun also square Neptune, so he may be very idealistic.  His Mercury is square Uranus, so he may be tense, but brilliant in terms of thinking outside the box.  His Venus is trine Uranus, so that could give him charisma, but Venus opposing Pluto may result in volatile feelings from time to time.  He has no water planets though, so he is not over-emotional.  His North Node conjoins Chiron, so there is healing potential.

His current transit picture shows: Mars opposite his Uranus (explosiveness), but Jupiter sextile his North Node (karmic rewards).  Saturn is sitting on his Jupiter (slightly dampening that natural exuberance) and square his Nodal Axis (something is weighing on him, perhaps his personal life, or wanting to do well for his team and his country).

At the close of Wimbledon Mars squares his Mercury (irritability), Saturn sits exactly on his Jupiter to the day, and the South Node reaches his Jupiter.  On balance, I don’t think his transits will have improved enough.

No. 21 Seed: David Goffin

Here is another player whose chart I have never got round to. But Belgian David Goffin does have the resource of a birth time (hallelujah!).  He has an intriguing triple conjunction of the Midheaven, Neptune and the Part of Fortune, which is very special.  His Sun trines closely Jupiter, which is excellent for sporting competition.  His Mercury is conjoined with Uranus, which shows a brilliant mind, able to think quickly on his feet.  Mars trines closely his North Node, again showing athleticism.

At this point, Jupiter (which is his Sun ruler from Sagittarius) is conjunct his Sun (one could hardly wish for a better transit), Uranus trines his Mercury (bringing out the brilliance of his mind) but Chiron squares his Mercury (so mental tension could at times be too great during this tournament).  Pluto is conjunct his natal Saturn (it’s a hard slog), and Neptune trines his Pluto (as with some of the other players in his age group).

For the final, Jupiter is on his Sun still, Uranus still trine his Mercury (tremendous assets), Chiron still squares his natal Mercury, and Neptune still trines his Pluto.  Mercury squares his Ascendant, so he could be nervous.  I imagine he could be in the semi-finals, but you never know, he could make the final.  I don’t think he would win, however.

Thank you for all your questions, comments and discussions from week one.  Keep them coming! Look for further updates under comments.

Aspects

Mercury is Stationary this evening, prior to turning retrograde.  We had a forewarning here in the early hours of the morning, when a fuse was blown, and hubby was trying to find out the source of it!  So I am on my mettle, even though normally I try to play down its effects.

You know the drill, in terms of my advice anyway: keep your communications clear, read the small print, attend to detail, allow extra time if setting out on journeys, etc.  Mercury will be retrograde until 1st August, so you need to be mindful in this way for the rest of the month.  Use this as a learning period for what works and what doesn’t work for you under Mercury retrograde periods, we all respond in our individual ways.

Tomorrow (Monday 8th) Venus sextiles Uranus, which is excellent for socializing and meeting new people, often in an impromptu way.  You may gain fresh perspectives on relationships, and life, love and the Universe may seem all the more exciting!

In the evening, Mercury conjoins Mars at 4 degrees Leo, and your mind may be on overdrive.  If you are energized, you may get through some late night tasks efficiently.  If you are trying to get to sleep, you may need some meditations techniques to bring some sort of control and soft focus to your mindset, to take you to that happy place in the sleep world.

On Tuesday (9th) we may come down to earth a little, after the exciting meetings and mental stimulation of Monday, for Saturn opposes the Sun, and the skies may be a little overcast with some rainfall or showers…We need to assess all our exciting ideas in the cold light of day, whether they will work in practice, etc.  If Monday did present us with great food for thought, we need to digest and discriminate about what is worthwhile, what may be pie in the sky or overly romanticized.

The pendulum swings the other way on Thursday (11th).  If we did the work of cool assessment on Tuesday, we’ll be freshly inspired to take our ideas and learnings to another level on Thursday, for Neptune trines the Sun.  We could be forgiven on Thursday for re-introducing some of the fanciful ideas we discarded on Tuesday, revamping them, spiritualizing them, and seeing them in a higher light.  The Universe would be supportive of that.  We will still be mindful of the other side of the coin, but be able to expand our consciousness and re-frame the week’s experiences accordingly.  The day could be inspirational.

This mellow mood applies at least until tea time, when there may be a challenge brought about by Uranus squaring Mars.  Perhaps someone is exploding with tension, or you are disturbed by some item of world news where man is exacting inhumanity to man.  You don’t have to look far these days for that.  Something may jolt you out of the mellow mood.  Something may need to be dealt with urgently, whether it be a mechanical fault or a human fault.  It is not a good time to inflame someone who is ripe for being inflamed.  They may even be inflamed if you are super chilled, in which case you can’t win!  Seriously, though, it is an evening for caution.

So, overall, a week of ups and downs, but the ups are oh so worthwhile.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – communications awry
• Tomorrow – exciting meetings
• Tuesday – a more sober assessment of things
• Thursday – a spiritual high; later tension

Wimbledon 2019

Setting out my stall for Wimbledon 2019…!  As usual, I will look at the top four seeds for the Women’s and Men’s tennis.

Women’s Seeds

No. 1 Seed: Ashleigh Barty

Australian Ashleigh Barty’s is a chart I haven’t looked at before.  She won the French Open earlier this month.  As a child, she was considered a tennis prodigy, but later took time out to play semi-professional cricket.  She returned to tennis in 2016.

She has Sun in Taurus (of short stature) square exactly Uranus – making her a maverick, who thrives on the power of surprise.  She also has Mercury loosely opposite Pluto, a possible fearlessness once she overcomes her initial fears.  But the possible secret of her success is Saturn trine exactly Pluto natally, a superstrength.  With the North Node conjunct Chiron in Libra, she has a healing karmic mission, possibly for later in life.

At her Grand Slam win, Uranus was transiting her natal Sun and squaring her natal Uranus, emphasizing the role of Uranus and the power of surprise in her chart and transits.  Her  transits for beginning of Wimbledon show:  Jupiter sextile her North Node (she feels on a roll starting out);  contrastingly Saturn on her Jupiter, a little held back, or honing her self-discipline; and  Neptune square her Venus – some complexity in her personal life.

For the end of Wimbledon: Jupiter still sextile her natal North Node, Saturn still on her Jupiter, Saturn square her Nodal Axis (not easy karma), and Neptune still square her Venus.

I would not expect her to win Wimbledon under these transits.

No. 2 Seed: Naomi Osaka

Another chart I haven’t looked at before is that of Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka (born in Osaka), who won the Australian Open in January playing Serena Williams in the final.

Being born on a Full Moon (the Sun opposite the Moon), she may arouse strong emotions in others.  She says of herself “I fight myself a lot”.  She has the Sun conjunct closely Mercury in Libra, but has a difficult set of aspects in her natal chart: the Sun opposite Saturn and square Neptune. Mars sextile exactly Jupiter in her chart, bringing excellent energy and enthusiasm – she has a an aggressive playing style and a powerful serve.  Jupiter conjunct Uranus loosely in Aquarius (The Entrepreneur) may be a factor in her success.

Her ex-coach Sascha Bajin said of her:

“I thought she was a little bit more of a diva because she didn’t talk much. She doesn’t really look at someone’s eyes, but that’s just because she was always so shy … Back then I didn’t know for what reason.”

The stand out transits for her Grand Slam win were Jupiter trine her natal Saturn, and Jupiter square her Nodal Axis, reasonable transits for a win.  She is to play tomorrow on the first day of Wimbledon, against Putinsteva.  Her transits will include: Pluto square her Sun (a difficult time psychologically) and Jupiter trine her Saturn, as at Australian Open win.  At the end of Wimbledon she’ll still have Jupiter trine her Saturn but loosely.  But in addition she will have Saturn square her Saturn (a test) and the Nodal Axis square her Saturn.  These do not look like a winning set of transits.

No. 3 Seed: Karolina Pliskova

Karolina won yesterday at Eastbourne against Kerber.  Her transits will be almost the same for the beginning of Wimbledon: Saturn on her Uranus in Capricorn (overcoming the odds), the South Node on her Uranus, Saturn on her Neptune, Neptune sextile her Neptune (spiritual balance), the South Node on her Neptune (all in all, a karmic time), plus Pluto sextile her Pluto (self-empowerment).  So far so good, that looks quite good for the start of Wimbledon.

Her transits for the end of Wimbledon look even better: Uranus exactly trine her natal Jupiter (success), Jupiter sextile her Saturn (encouragement), Saturn still on her Uranus (which didn’t harm her chances at Eastbourne), South Node still on her Uranus, and Neptune and Pluto still in favourable position.

There is a possible winning set of transits.  This could be her time.

No. 4 Seed: Kiki Bertens

Kiki was defeated in the final at Eastbourne by Karolina Pliskova.  Her appearance in that final, as with Karolina Pliskova, will hold the same or similar transits to the beginning of Wimbledon:  She has Jupiter on her Sun, so she will be hopeful and fresh from the Eastbourne final;  Neptune squares her natal Sun, so there is some confusion and sensitivity in her life at the moment; Pluto sextile her Pluto, like Karolina Pliskova, but without the added advantage of Neptune sextile natal Neptune.

By the end of Wimbledon, she loses the upbeat Jupiter transit to the Sun; Neptune still squares the Sun; Mars trines her Mars, a minor energetic boost; and she retains Pluto sextile Pluto.  She therefore doesn’t gain any ground over, say Pliskova’s transits or other opponents.

Therefore, of these four, Karolina Pliskova has my vote for the final and/or the title.  This is dependent on the form and astrological form of other players, which I will try and work with as they come up the ranks.

Men’s Seeds

No. 1 Seed: Novak Djokovic

What can I say about defending champion Novak Djokovic? Novak seems to win even if he has lousy transits, defying the astrological odds!

At the beginning of Wimbledon he has: Jupiter opposite his natal Mercury – a little over-optimistic or complacent (he will still breeze through it!); Uranus exactly on his Venus to the day, some magic in his private life; Neptune squaring his natal Saturn, something sapping at his energy (though Mars closely trine his natal Sun) or a possible health condition.  That is all a bit lacklustre for a start, but it is difficult imagining Novak Djokovic not getting through a first round.

The picture for the end of Wimbledon shows: Uranus still on his Venus (though waning), Neptune still squaring his Saturn, and Mars squaring his Pluto exact to the day (a hint of danger).  These aspects don’t look promising, but I won’t repeat the mistake of counting Djokovic out!

No. 2 Seed: Roger Federer

Roger is reportedly worried that not enough good players are coming up through the ranks.  He and Novak and Rafael have dominated the top table for so long.

For the beginning of Wimbledon: Jupiter squares his natal Venus in the 1st House in Virgo, while Saturn trines his natal Venus (a duo of aspects which suggests swings and roundabouts); the North Node sextiles his natal Venus bringing him some karmic satisfaction, but that may be in his private life; Chiron opposes his natal Jupiter in 1st House in Libra, there is some imbalance or healing which needs to be healed; and finally Pluto squares his Pluto in Libra in 2nd House, so he may have some financial wrangles ongoing, and psychologically he may feel challenged.

By the end of Wimbledon, the picture is looking much more optimistic: Jupiter will be exactly trine his natal Sun, so he is in with a chance!; Saturn will be trine his Venus, holding him steady; Neptune will be opposite his Venus in 1st House in Virgo, personally confusing; the North Node will still be sextile his natal Venus,  Mars will be sextile his Jupiter, which is super enthusiastic; Chiron will still oppose  his natal Jupiter but also opposing his natal Saturn in the 1st House in Libra; Pluto still square exactly his Pluto and exact to the day.  If he wins he will feel it is against the odds, and a memorable achievement among many.

No. 3 Seed: Rafael Nadal

Rafael won the French Open at Roland Garros (his tournament) at the beginning of June, but feels aggrieved that Roger Federer has been seeded above him.

The transits for the Roland Garros win were as follows:  Mars on his Pluto, which turned out not to be as dicey as I thought.  Jupiter was square his Jupiter, and he used the luck and avoid the pitfalls of that;  Chiron was trine his Saturn, a measured healing force.  Jupiter was conjunct his natal Uranus (luck and surprise), but on the wane.  Uranus was opposing his natal Pluto (great tension) also on the wane; Uranus was also trine his Neptune, so his intuition was strong.

On to his Wimbledon prospects: At the beginning, Pluto will be on his Mars (again, could be dicey);  Chiron will still trine his Saturn as at Roland Garros, a measured healing force;  Uranus will still be trine his Neptune also as at Roland Garros, so his intuition will still be strong.

By the end, that Chiron-Saturn trine will still be there, but not much else of note. So not much help from the stars, not a very distinguished or powerful array of transits at all.  He had a lot going on in his charts at the final of Roland Garros. (though a mixed bag).  He has very little going on at the end of Wimbledon.  Will that be a deciding factor?

No. 4 Seed: Kevin Anderson

At the beginning of Wimbledon and throughout the contest, Pluto trines his Mercury, giving Kevin Anderson tremendous concentration and mental stamina, and ensuring a good innings in the competition.  Saturn sextiles his Jupiter – bringing good control and balance.  The North Node trine his natal Jupiter, also boosting his start at Wimbledon;  Chiron trine his Saturn, ensuring good steady work, and Uranus trines his natal Neptune, giving him a command of complexity.  Finally in the analysis, Uranus opposes his natal Pluto – some possible negativity, which may see him fall before the final.

At the end of Wimbledon, Pluto will still trine his Mercury,  Neptune will be on his Jupiter – he’ll be feeling very idealistic, but if he is not in the final, it will be directed to some other end in his life.  Mars will be trine his Saturn, boosting his determination, Chiron will still be trine his Saturn and Uranus still trine his Neptune.  And he won’t have quite shaken off Uranus from the opposition with his Pluto.  He could still go far in the competition, though maybe not up to the end.

Of the four, Roger seems to have the best transits, and is most likely to make the final.

I will try and keep up with all the twists and turns of this year’s Wimbledon.  Look for updates under comments.  And feel free to ask questions about the progress of your favourite players.

 

Aspects

Mars enters Leo tomorrow (Monday 1st July), which is a great start for a sporting competition such as Wimbledon!  This will bring energy to your self-expression, or you may observe displays of power.  Mars will stay in Leo until 18th August, so it is a good summer transit through the holiday 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 (hubby and I are going to York at the end of July to see 3 Shakespeare plays at their pop-up theatre).  And sporting interests generally will thrive: the English women’s football team seem to be doing well, and women’s football generally is on the ascendancy.

The eclipse season starts on Tuesday (2nd) with a New Moon at 10 degrees Cancer, making July a potent month in our lives, bringing shifts and changes.  We are likely in this month to have a new leader of the Conservative Party and therefore a new Prime Minister.  We are also expecting a change in the Liberal Democrat leadership.  Our new Prime Minister seems intent on cracking on with changes and progress regarding Brexit, too, as soon as he takes the helm before the end of the month.  The eclipsed Full Moon on July 16th will be the other major event of this nature, and keeping us on our toes and dealing with Change.  As a new beginning, Tuesday’s New Moon is good for setting intentions on matters which are related to home and family.  We renew our thoughts and perspectives on this area of our lives, and also in the House area of our chart which it falls in.  On the world stage, you may notice more patriotic pronouncements of putting one’s own country first.

Wednesday (3rd) brings another change of sign, this time for Venus entering Cancer.  This boosts the family-orientated vibe of the New Moon in Cancer, and applies more love and care towards other members of the family.  There could be memorable and sentimental occasions arising (Venus stays in Cancer until 28th July) such as family get togethers.  And on the world stage, more patriotism and nationalism.  We need to be conscious about our emotional boundaries during this period. If you find the family context too cloying, we have the Mars in Leo sunny outdoor vibe with which to let off steam.  Hopefully, there can be a balance to be found.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – Self-expression; letting off steam
• Tuesday – Turning points in home and family matters
• Wednesday – family tea and sympathy

 

Boris Johnson

I was planning to write a piece about the karmic interplay between Boris Johnson and Michael Gove for this Sunday, and then on Thursday Pluto opposed Mars.

Thursday 20th June 2019

“So it is reluctantly that I have to report Pluto opposing Mars on Thursday (20th), if you like the major reckoning of the week.  Words are not enough to contain and express the two sides of an argument, for Mars and Pluto together contain great physical force and energy… But it may be an incident-prone day, and one which pacifist souls may prefer to sit out, from the comfort of their armchairs”.

For Boris to seem stoppable, it would have required the rivalry and intellectual challenge of Michael Gove, however unpalatable all the candidates were.  As it was, Jeremy Hunt went through to the head-to-head contest against Boris.  It may not make any difference, because the ballot papers are going out to Conservative members before any meaningful scrutiny of the candidates, and it seems they will not debate directly, they will merely be interviewed separately.

But Jeremy Hunt is Boris’ opponent, as decided by Conservative MPs.  There was much talk on Thursday of skullduggery, and if any aspect suggests skullduggery it is Mars opposite Pluto!  It has been conjectured that Boris lent votes from MPs to Jeremy Hunt so that he would not have to face Michael Gove.

In the Conservative Party, that was not the only indicator of Mars opposite Pluto at work that day.  Chancellor Philip Hammond was about to make a speech at the Mansion House in the evening, when MP Mark Field manhandled a female member of Greenpeace who was demonstrating against climate change.  Mark Field was suspended, and the whole incident sparked a debate.  We do not know what processes went through Mark Field’s mind, but it has been said that Jo Brand’s comment last week (the subject of my last blog) about throwing acid at politicians has escalated tensions, and the suspicion of possible intentions of intruders.  Having watched the video along with everyone else, I do feel that his execution was fairly brutal.  Looking at his transits, he had Chiron exactly opposite his natal Mercury, which suggests that he literally had a brainstorm.  If he was born around Noon, the Mars-Pluto opposition will have formed a T-square with his Moon (emotions), contributing to blowing his fuse.

So the evening wore on…perhaps Boris and his partner had a little celebratory drink.  After all, she has managed his current campaign, studiously keeping him away from controversy.  Those of us who don’t think him suitable for the top job felt resigned to him succeeding.  He seemed unstoppable, still.  But the unexpected came into play.

Late into the evening, a neighbour heard loud and violent altercations coming from Carrie Symonds’ flat, and recorded shouting.  She apparently told him “Get off me!” and “You don’t care about anything!” referring to red wine spilt on her sofa.  It was again Mars opposite Pluto at work.  The police were called at 00.24 Hrs on Friday morning, but were told there was no need for concern by the occupants of the flat.

However, and bearing in mind Boris refuses to comment on the matter, the whole incident may point the way to possible cracks in his campaign to become Prime Minister.  Though subsequently, Conservative MPs have been falling over backwards to say it is irrelevant.

His Synastry with Carrie is strong, especially for a working partnership.  Their Suns are squared, which is not always easy (she is Sun in Pisces to his Sun in Gemini).  She has Mercury trine his Moon and North Node (emotional and karmic link) but square his Mars (they set each other off easily emotionally and in temper)

His Transits on that day and night show Jupiter square his Chiron (some exaggerated behaviour), balanced by Saturn sextile his Chiron; Uranus sextile his Saturn (strength, and the power of surprise), Neptune square his Mercury (some mental confusion; he was not scintillatingly clear at the debate a few days before), and Neptune on his Chiron (in some ways he is delicately in need of healing himself).  There is some upbeat energy between them (her Mars trine his Jupiter and sextile his Neptune, and her Jupiter sextiles his North Node – she contributes to his success).  Her Pluto trines his Midheaven (a meaningful contribution to his career path) and their Plutos are exactly sextile (a deep understanding between two people with an age gap).

Going Forward

When I looked at Jeremy Hunt’s transits previously, I did not feel that they represented a significant success. “Uranus will be opposing his natal Venus, so  he may have pulled out for personal reasons…  Pluto will be sextile his natal Neptune closely as with Michael Gove at this time, bringing complex learning.”  However, at the time of the Brexit deadline (October 31st), Pluto trines his natal Pluto, which shows self-empowerment.

For Boris, I wrote:

“Transits for 31st July (end of the leadership contest)

Uranus will be trine his Uranus exact to the day in Virgo in 11th House, which is a highly successful transit and may make all the difference for him.  But Neptune on his Chiron is very close in Pisces in 6th House, so his health may be delicate, and he may wonder if he can deliver on his own promises.

Transits for 31st October

Saturn will be trine his Jupiter in Taurus in 8th House, so he will be feeling more realistic. Saturn will also be exactly sextile his Neptune to the day in Scorpio in 2nd House, and that may be significant if he is prominently involved with Brexit.  He will certainly be looking at his own personal economic interests at the time. Neptune will be sextile his Jupiter in Taurus in the 8th House, so he should be feeling chipper.  Neptune trining his Neptune in Scorpio in 2nd House will see him quite at ease with himself.”

The polls have suggested that Boris has dropped a few points, though it is early days yet before the final result.  However, we could well end up with the Gemini twins ruling either side of the Atlantic.

Aspects

Jupiter opposes Venus today, so there is a strongly social accent to the day’s proceedings.  Socializing may not all be plain sailing, e.g. there may be gaffes, but if so, not too much harm done!  There should be an opportunity for a good laugh, though the funny bone may be a little near the knuckle.

Tomorrow (Monday 24th) brings a square between Neptune and Venus, bringing the possibility of misreading social cues, and misunderstanding or suspicion of people’s intentions.  Politicians may be evasive about their private lives!  Be as clear as you can on an emotional level.

Mercury enters Leo on Thursday (27th), and there is a general trend of chasing the Sun, leaving behind emotional wrangles and deciding to have fun.  If you are heading off to Glastonbury, leave behind your cares for a few days.  If not, find some distractions nearer to home. ‘Tis the season to be jolly.

Mid-afternoon that day, there is an aspect to back up your hedonistic or pleasurable activities: Sun sextile Uranus.  This supports spontaneity and innovation.  So even if you had not planned an outing or a home event, you may find yourself partaking of some cheer unexpectedly, or throwing together an impromptu event.  If you are home alone, some creativity would be appropriate and successful.

If you are starting a new venture, to be applauded under this aspect, make sure you have thought through your ideas.  The last time this aspect was in play, the Independence Group set out their stall.  They then changed their name to Change UK, lost some members, and are now having to change their name again.  Although it is a good day for starting something, you need extra qualities for your plans to endure.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – social events
• Tomorrow – emotional ambiguity
• Thursday – the fun begins; the element of the unexpected adds spice

Jo Brand

Comedian Jo Brand was under fire this week, for saying throwing milkshake at politicians was too lame, and it should have been acid.  Nigel Farage, assuming he was the butt of the “joke” (made on a pre-recorded radio show, Heresy) called for a police investigation.  The incident certainly sparked a debate on the air waves and on daytime television chat shows.

These days we see her on screen in many guises as Jo takes part in many reality TV shows, and notably hosts An Extra Slice, the spin off from the Great British Bake Off (a lot of her early jokes were based around cake).

Birth Chart

Jo has 7 of her 10 planets in Fire signs (the fiery redhead image), and no planets in Water (her unemotional monotonous and self-deprecating delivery). She certainly has some clear Archetypes in her birthchart: Sun in Leo (The Performer), Sun sextile Jupiter (The Comedian), Sun conjunct Uranus (The Trickster, liking to shock), and Mercury exactly conjunct Mars (the Inner Critic, or acid tongue). Mercury opposes Chiron in her chart, and Chiron exactly square the Nodal Axis, showing an interest in Psychiatry (she worked as a mental health nurse for 10 years).  In addition her Venus conjunct Pluto in Leo shows powerful feelings which are able to push buttons.

Award

When awarded an honorary doctorate for her nursing career from the University of Glamorgan in 2007, the Dean said:

“Jo incorporates much of her experience working in the field of mental health into her current work as a comedian. This has increased awareness of the work done by nurses in the mental health field. She has also used her experiences of working with individuals with conditions such as Alzheimer’s to promote awareness of and raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society.”

Her transits at the time were Mars on her South Node (past work), Mars square her Chiron, Pluto square her Jupiter and Pluto trine her Venus.

Challenge

In 2016 Jo took part in a gruelling 150-mile walk across Britain for Sport Relief, with Pluto sextile her North Node in Scorpio (meaningful karma) and Neptune square her natal Saturn (a challenge on many levels).

The Gaffe

Her transits this week for the storm after the airing of Heresy were Jupiter trine her Mars and Mercury (emboldening her Inner Critic), Mars closely trine her natal North Node in Scorpio (bringing out her warrior and sharp wit), plus Uranus closely square her Uranus (bringing out her Inner Rebel, and unpredictability).

Some are saying that is the job of a comedian, to push the boundaries.  But she herself apologized and said it was “crass”.

But what of the complainant, Nigel Farage, how hurt was he?  Mars was trine his Neptune (his sensitivities inflamed) and Neptune close to trine his Neptune (spiritually confident at the moment).  While this incident could trigger someone (and he has received death threats in the past, as have many politicians in this polarized climate), generally speaking he is doing O.K. at the moment, and will probably be fine.  He has Pluto natally on his Ascendant, and is capable of rising from the ashes (as in the plane crash he survived).

One of the alarming and burgeoning crimes in our society now is acid attack, and it is a crime from which victims face a long and uncertain recovery.  Jo obviously has the sensitivity for mental nursing, but this verbalized thought is an example of thinking the unthinkable.  In our violent climate, probably born of austerity and social alienation, we all have to think about what we are saying (and thinking).  Fittingly, I am keeping this short!

Aspects

Today Mercury conjoins the North Node, bringing the karma of thought and speech to our attention. Choose your words wisely.  Much can be taught and learned under this aspect, and ideas exchanged.

Mercury also trines Neptune, another feather in the cap for Mercury-ruled Geminians and Virgoans.  Communication is spiritualized and sensitized.  You may go on a spiritual journey, either physically or metaphorically.

Thus the morning should flow.  But Mercury opposes Saturn in the early afternoon, and challenges or blockages may occur to that smooth flow.  You may find that after karmic insight (Mercury conjunct North Node) and a spiritual peak experience (Mercury trine Neptune), you are having to deconstruct the flights of emotion and imagination, and knuckle down to detail and more exacting mental work, to concentrate the mind.  Travelling back from a venue may be more delayed.  By the end of the day you may have flipped from total trust to suspicion, but a suspension of disbelief may be required to regain trust and see the total picture.

But the planets have not done with us for the day, and the biggest aspect has been saved for last: Jupiter square Neptune.  This will add to your confusion, and the urge for greater processing.  For it will pull us back to confusion (which is a high state according to The Course in Miracles) and force us to look at the bigger picture.  Conundrums such as are comedians allowed to say the unsayable can make our heads spin.  There is a sort of polarization too about this square.  If you are unsure of where you stand on religion, you would really feel it now.  If you are unsure of where you stand on Brexit, then the conundrum of how to heal society can be heartrending.  The answer to everything must be to expand the mind, I would have thought…

Tomorrow, Monday 17th, sees a Full Moon at 25 degrees Sagittarius.  All the work required of us on Sunday, if not resolved, may increase the tension felt around the Full Moon.  But again, with its placement in Sagittarius, we are again being urged to look at the big picture, and see the global context.  Foreign affairs may come to a head, for example.  Jeremy Hunt (a Scorpio) currently has the complexity of being Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, running for the Tory leadership contest, siding with Donald Trump over the Iranian oil tanker incident, while needing to protect and free Nazanin Zhagari Ratcliffe from an Iranian jail.  Some or parts of those aims and interests may clash, and all are risky ventures.

If you are feeling a similar maelstrom in your life, then you may need to start by going within to that still small spiritual centre, find peace, then make your responses from that place.

Tuesday (18th) brings more balance, with Saturn sextile Neptune, also a major aspect.  Saturn represents materiality and practicality, and here sits happily with Neptune, the planet of spirituality and imagination.  Great work can ensue from that, which satisfies on many levels, ecological projects among them.

In the afternoon, Mercury conjoins Mars, and that can bring brisk and efficient activity, or a war of words.  Remember Jo Brand has this natally, and it is her Inner Critic.  So rein in any negative thoughts, or they could spark a controversy, or go viral on social media.  But if you are coming from integrity in your work, you could get a lot done in a short space of time.

The combination of Mercury and Mars in that way can be manageable, but on the very next day (this is a week of vicissitudes!), Wednesday (19th), we are confronted with a deeper challenge in communication and travel: that of Pluto opposite Mercury.  Perhaps you were glib the day before, or did not think things through on a deep level.  If so, you may be pulled up short by the deeper demands of this aspect.  Hence the continuing theme this week of getting your thoughts and words right.  Are you really sure you meant what you said, or meant to say it?  Is it really your truth?  Do you have the right to change your truth from day to day? Or does what you say always have to be eternal, for all time?  Certainly the consequences of what you say and think have importance today (even more than yesterday).  You may need to examine the past more thoroughly in order to make up your mind.

So it is reluctantly that I have to report Pluto opposing Mars on Thursday (20th), if you like the major reckoning of the week.  Words are not enough to contain and express the two sides of an argument, for Mars and Pluto together contain great physical force and energy.  Extreme sports, if they are your thing, may be a way to express them.  But it may be an incident-prone day, and one which pacifist souls may prefer to sit out, from the comfort of their armchairs or recliner chairs.  If you have to attend a stand-off as a mediator, try to defuse the situation before it gets out of hand.  Or alternatively you may turn out to be wrestling with yourself, e.g. “I want to remain in Europe, but just let’s get Brexit over with”.

Friday (21st) may see a change on your spiritual path, with Neptune stationary prior to turning retrograde.  You may need to retrace your steps on this path, perhaps as a result of some huge learning that has taken place earlier this week.  The coming months will see more researching into the mysteries.  Neptune will go direct again at the end of November, when you will see your path more clearly and confidently.

The Sun enters Cancer in the afternoon, which is of course the Summer Solstice.  Make the most of the peak of summer and the light.  Hopefully, the weather will match the season.  Greta Thunberg will be continuing her weekly Friday school strikes throughout the summer holiday, keeping up the pressure on behalf of the planet.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – mental adaptability required, and trust
• Tomorrow – emotional high tide
• Tuesday – some balance, some efficiency
• Wednesday – intellectual and psychological challenge
• Thursday – more physical challenge
• Friday – spiritual reviewing

 

Another short blog, while I master my new physiotherapy exercises!

Conservative Party Leadership – Part 3

I cannot believe that I find myself writing again about the Conservative Party leadership contest.  Switch off now, if you find the topic agonizing.  The contest formally begins tomorrow, Monday 10th.  Some candidates pulled out last week, but there are still a couple of candidates I haven’t covered, and they are both outsiders.

The Drug Issue

The top runners have set out their past drug habits: Michael Gove has just admitted to taking cocaine 20 years ago, Boris took some while at University, and Jeremy Hunt once took a cannabis lassi.  Rory Stewart smoked some opium in Afghanistan.  In a late flurry yesterday, not to be outdone, Andrea Leadsom, Matt Hancock and Dominic Raab all admitted to taking cannabis at University. Presumably this is something we need to know…For me, it is the quality of their consciousness right now which is more worthy of scrutiny, as well as their innate character.  The drugs of course may have had a permanent effect on some of them.  There is an outcry in Michael Gove’s case that he is a hypocrite, in relation to the drugs admission.  Politics of course is full of hypocrisy, and very few of the candidates can be seen as blameless in that respect.  I am not an admirer of Gove, but am in the “Anything but Boris” camp.

Sam Gyimah

Sam Gyimah is the first of the two candidates left, who I haven’t already looked at. Sam is seen as a one-nation Tory supporting social programmes, and a more sympathetic character than most.  For a Sunsign Leo, he comes across as fairly unassuming, but with the strength which that sign brings, in a strong willed chart.  Leadership is also indicated by Sun in Leo, plus Uranus conjunct North Node in Scorpio.  Although we do not have a birth time, looking at transits in relation to important points in his life story, it seems that his Jupiter in Taurus has been important in this respect.  He studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics at Oxford University and Jupiter and Chiron in Taurus may indicate a skill in economics, useful for a future Prime Minister.  After graduating he worked at Goldman Sachs as an investment banker (as well as Jupiter in Taurus, he has Uranus conjunct the North Node in Scorpio, another sign of skill in banking).

His Brexit stance is unusually (for the candidates) one of proposing a further referendum, and categorically refuting a no deal.  He voted remain in 2016, and that is one reason he is not likely to be a front runner in the candidacy.

Transits for 31st July (by which time the leadership contest should be settled)

Mars will be on his Sun at that time, so he will be ready to draw a line on the matter and forge ahead with his future plans.  Uranus will be on his South Node, so karmically too there will be change in his life.  Pluto will be trine his Mars, so something will be galvanizing him and firing him up, for his next project in life.

Transits for 31st October (the Brexit deadline)

Mars will be sextile his natal Sun at that time, so again he will be energetic and focussed on new pathways.  Pluto will still be trine his Mars, giving him the oomph to achieve his aims.

Mark Harper

Mark Harper also has potential for leadership in his chart, in his case the Sun conjunct the North Node.  Like Sam Gyimah, he studied PPE at Oxford University, though at a different college.  He is very much his own person, with an unusual feature in his chart being 3 unaspected planets: Mercury, Mars and Pluto.  Despite the lack of aspects to Mars, he has a strongly martial bent with Mars and Chiron in Aries, and has consistently supported military intervention overseas; under Cameron’s government was made spokesman for the armed forces welfare issues and veterans. Again we do not have a birth time, but looking at transits in relation to important points in his life story, it seems that his Mars in Aries has been important feature in this respect. He has also supported fox hunting.  His credentials as a Sun in Pisces were sealed when he broke his foot (Pisces) dancing (Pisces) at his wife’s leaving do in Soho.

He sees himself going to Brussels to negotiate changes to the backstop, and wants to avoid a no deal.  He doubts a deal can be negotiated in time for the end of October deadline.   Like Gyimah, he also voted remain in 2016, which puts him at the back of the queue.

Transits for 31st July

A couple of minor transits may initially put him on the back foot: Mars will be opposing his natal Mercury at that time, so he may be angry about something; though Mars transits are short lived, they can trigger events for people.  Jupiter will be square his natal Venus, so he may even make a social gaffe.  It could be a slightly awkward time for him.  Saturn sextiles his Venus, which can help him rebalance and regain ground.  Uranus sextiles his Sun, so he will have a surprise or new venture up his sleeve, though.  The positive will outweigh the negative for him.

Transits for 31st October

By this time, Mars will be trine his Mercury, so he can be assertive about what he thinks without offending.  Saturn will be exactly sextile his Venus on the day, so a personal issue could be very stabilizing for him, but also if offered a post in the cabinet it may be related to finance.  Uranus will be transiting his natal Saturn, so there is also some discomfort or shock involved with change.  Neptune also transits his natal Venus, so I imagine some important readjustments being made in his personal life too.

Other Leaderships

Anna Soubry became the new leader of the rapidly dwindling Change UK party this week.  According to the Guardian: “Soubry said she was particularly stricken by Umunna’s decision. “I will always be more sad than you can imagine that Chuka is not with us. I think he’s a man of huge ability and talents, and I think he has made a very serious mistake.”  It was the strength of their friendship which was one of the factors that led to the formation of the original Independence Group.  When the leadership was announced, Chiron was trine her natal Saturn and Uranus (some have greatness thrust upon them!)  Her bond with Chuka shows his Jupiter trine her Saturn (she finds him uplifting), Her Uranus on his Jupiter (she sees his highest potential), Her Venus conjoins his Uranus (a magnetism) and his Neptune is on her Sun (she finds him inspiring).

Jo Swinson is tipped to succeed Vince Cable in the Lib Dem party leadership contest.  Since the European MEP elections the party has been transformed into more of a going concern, a more palatable prospect if she does succeed.  The only other candidate to have declared is Ed Davey, and she has been much more high profile (e.g. in the media).  The contest officially began on 24th May. Jupiter was transiting her natal Neptune (opportunity for her dream job?!) and Jupiter sextiled her natal Pluto (the opportunity to seize power!)  Sounds perfect.  The new leader will take over on 23rd July, and at that time Jupiter will be exactly sextile her natal Sun (success in a contest!).  However, Pluto also squares her natal Pluto, so she will learn all about the challenges of Power.

Better just look at Ed Davey too.  He’s a Christmas Day Capricornian, so maybe should have been called Noel…At the time the contest began Uranus was trine his Sun, so he may have surprised himself.  Saturn was trine his Uranus, so he may have been pushing himself beyond his comfort zone, but in a constructive way.  The North Node sextiled his Uranus, again pushing him to take a bold step.  Neptune was opposing his natal Pluto, so the push may have caused him some niggling worries.  But the whole prospect seems exciting for him.  For 23rd July, Neptune exactly opposes his Pluto on the day (likely to rain on his parade), but Pluto sextiles his Neptune (he will be strong psychologically).  If Jo Swinson did not have such winning planetary line ups, I’d say his Uranian transits were quite respectable for such a contest.

Aspects

Today, Venus enters Gemini, bringing a more mental focus to relationships, and increasing communication around love, art and money. Your diary is likely to be full of engagements during the period that Venus travels through this sign, which takes us up to 3rd July.  We’ll all be social butterflies, deftly spinning plates in social circles!

In the early evening Neptune squares the Sun, and we might be a little dizzy from the social whirlwind, or from other factors.  Even the young in age might experience a senior moment under this aspect.  You may need to slow down, centre yourself, and chill out until you can achieve the clarity or grounding to work with this aspect.

Tomorrow (Monday 10th) Jupiter opposes the Sun, so we’ll need centring in a different way.  We will be more grounded, but will be trying to cover too much ground, and maybe overstretching ourselves, erring on the side of arrogance, although likely to be in good humour.  You’ll want to be travelling, whether physically to far off places, or mentally in your armchair reading about travelling (in my case a recliner chair, with my arm currently in a sling).  If lazing in a chair, philosophical reflections on the quality of freedom in your life can bring relevant insights for this Jupiterian aspect and timing.  Or if you can extend to a desk, writing a comedy script would also be a suitable occupation for the day.  Otherwise, enjoy the foreign holiday, or the planning or prospect of one.

Skipping to Friday (14th), as the middle of the week is an unaspected desert, we have a trine between Neptune and Mars.  This is an aspect I personally like, for it ensures 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. I recently came across an interview with Melinda Gates (who has the Mars trine Neptune energy in her own natal chart) where she was asked the question, “Why do you write that empathy is more effective than outrage?”.  Her reply was interesting, for example from the point of view of activism:

“Outrage is a knee-jerk emotional response, but empathy helps you take in the other person’s point of view and decide what you are going to do with it and how you are going to move forward.  There might be times when you need to use anger, but you must always use it strategically.”

There is a lot of activism, protesting and demonstrating going on at the moment, especially in relation to climate change.  I would always like to see peaceful demonstration (no cause justifies violence), and Mars trine Neptune is the right energy for this.

The Mars-Neptune trine occurs early in the morning, and may serve the first half of the day at least, but there is a block mid-afternoon when Saturn opposes Mars, and if you are not careful (but you will be, because you will have read this blog!) it could undo some of the subtler and delicate work of Mars trine Neptune.  It is as if you had fashioned a beautiful sand mandala on the shore, and someone has come along and stomped all over it with hobnail boots.  So you might be forgiven for installing protective measures as you work with the more refined energies earlier in the day.  Towards mid-afternoon, deliberately leave the cloud, and work on the grounding of your achievements, having thought about possible loopholes.  It is possible that you may be pleased with your outcomes, but then face criticism from another who does not understand what you have produced, or the processes you went through.  Your own feeling about your work is what is more important, so don’t be swayed.

What could override both aspects, and gives a structure to the day (you’ll find the day overall very meaningful) is a semi-sextile between Saturn in Capricorn and Jupiter in Sagittarius.  This is a balancing between two important planets, which may not be comfortable, but forces us to take into account factors we may otherwise overlook.  It occurs just after the Mars-Saturn opposition.  Jupiter and Saturn are both in their own signs, and therefore strong and true to themselves, but they need to come to some accommodation.  They can’t ignore each other, and so you may find that your creation needs to somehow co-exist with someone else’s, even if it is not your thing.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – social whirling; confusion
• Tomorrow – over-egging the pudding
• Friday – sensitive activities, a challenge, then the necessity for resolution

 

It’s over two weeks since I dislocated my shoulder, and I have an x-ray on Tuesday so I’ll know how the healing is coming along.  So I will plough on with the next 5 candidates for the Conservative Party Leadership!

Conservative Party Leadership – Part 2

I wrote about five of the candidates last week, and since then some more candidatures have been announced, and Liz Truss ruled herself out of the race.  Some of the prospective candidates have appeared in interviews or panel discussions (e.g. Rory Stewart on Question Time) and some have kept a lower profile (e.g. Boris Johnson, though endorsed by Donald Trump this week).  Meanwhile, Nigel Farage and the Brexit Party triumphed at the European Elections, and Farage hinted that he might go for the top job.

So here is my next batch of contestants:

Dominic Raab (odds 4/1)

Dominic Raab is considered to be even more of a threat than Boris Johnson, among moderates. Apparently, there is a new slogan in town, “Stop Raab”. The former Brexit Secretary, who spent a few months negotiating Brexit, then ditched the withdrawal agreement, is very keen to become Prime Minister.  He reminds me of an X-Factor contestant who “really wants it”.  The ambition is plainly written on his face.  But like a lot of the contenders, he is not hugely experienced in Cabinet.  Do we have the right to expect true statesmanship in our party leaders (let alone Prime Ministers) these days?  What he does know, is what he thinks and has learned about Brexit.  On the other hand, he has claimed he is not a feminist, which may lose him some support.

I wrote about his chart last September:

“He is a Piscean, with his Sun/Mercury square Neptune.  So he has sensitivity but also stealth, and may encounter complicated problems.  His natal Jupiter trine exactly Saturn is good for balanced judgement.  Very favourably, he has an exact Grand Trine in Air between Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus, which may stand him, and us, in good stead.”

Transits for 7th June (Theresa officially leaving)

Uranus sextiles his Mercury, which gives him a chance to express himself eloquently, but that may be the extent of his achievement.

Transits for 31st July (by which time a leader should have been chosen)

Uranus sextile his natal Sun, which is more promising as it can be very personally successful, and offers up an opportunity to be fresh and original.

Transits for 31st October (the deadline for Brexit)

With a Mars Return and Mars trine his Venus, he may be seen as Action Man around this time.  Perhaps he has taken a crucial role in some negotiations.  Jupiter is transiting his natal North Node, which can bring karmic reward for merit.  This looks like a favourable period for him, whatever his role at the time.

Matt Hancock (odds 33/1)

Matt Hancock succeeded Jeremy Hunt as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care last July, and again would not seem an experienced enough Cabinet member to be going for the top job (call me old fashioned).  At the time of his appointment, I wrote:

“His background suggests more of a talent for economics than an interest in health .. . He was born under a New Moon in Libra, with a keen, forensic type of mind (Mercury conjunct Pluto in Libra).”

He seems pleasant enough, but was quoted as using the F word inventively this week in relation to business and Brexit (…call me old fashioned).

Transits for 7th June

Neptune trines his Venus (his ruling planet), which is personally heartwarming, though not necessarily related to politics.  The North Node also trines his Venus, so even if his political ambitions are not satisfied, he will be fulfilled in his personal life.  Uranus squares his Jupiter, indicating he is taking a chance on life.  Mars trines his Uranus, so he will put a lot of energy into his attempt.

Transits for 31st July

Neptune still trines his Venus, but Saturn squares his Pluto, which may spell disappointment politically.  In addition, the Nodal Axis squares his Pluto, so the force does not appear to be with him.

Transits for 31st October

At the time of Brexit, his transits are very quiet, so his life may have calmed down considerably, and with it the ambition for the top job.

Sajid Javed (odds 20/1)

Sagittarian Home Secretary Sajid Javid (“my father was a bus driver”) clearly has great ambition, but seems to be a middle of the road candidate when vying for support among his fellow MPs.  He has made a few high profile gaffes in his time in office, which may not have helped his chances.  He has made it very clear this weekend that he does not support a second referendum, a general election, or the revoking of Article 50.

Transits for 7th June

His transits for this time of opportunity are very undistinguished.  That could mean disappointment at the outset for him, perhaps he doesn’t achieve the support he hopes for.

Transits for 31st July

Prospects look brighter for him at the time of the settlement of the contest, with Jupiter on his Sun.  Perhaps the new leader will offer him a plum role, or he will be pleased to keep his current role.  He looks to have some happiness come his way at that time.

Transits for 31st October

Brexit time sees Chiron trine his natal Venus, perhaps some healing or personal satisfaction.  Mars opposite his Neptune may see him bristling on some issue though.  Perhaps the form of Brexit is not quite to his liking.

Andrea Leadsom (odds 10/1)

Andrea Leadsom’s resignation from the cabinet did seem to be crucial in its timing, and led to Theresa May abandoning the 4th vote on her withdrawal agreement, and led the path to the leadership contest.  She and Theresa were rivals in the previous election contest, but Leadsom was criticised for intimating that Theresa would not make a good P.M. because she had not been a mother.  However, in Theresa’s leaving speech she expressed a hope that in the future there would be more female Prime Ministers.  She is a firm Brexiteer, and that will endear her to those on that side of the fence.  The prevailing climate demands that someone committed to finishing the job takes centre stage at this point in time.  Interviewed this morning by Andrew Marr, she stated that she is going for a “managed exit”.

She is a strong-willed Sun in Taurus (a financier), with the Sun in a T-square with Mars and Saturn, and her Sun is closely sextile her North Node (born to lead some).  She seems to be a catalyst, as pulling out of the previous leadership contest paved the way for Theresa to win.

Transits for 7th June

Pluto trines her natal Sun at this time, which would seem powerful, but judging by the lack of support she has gained so far, the power may be in pulling the strings behind the scenes.  This could be a tough period for her personally as well, as Pluto squares her natal Venus.  Her vitality will hold up though, with Jupiter trine her Mars, and Mars trine her Neptune.

Transits for 31st July

Pluto will still be trine her natal Sun, but she will have lost the other transits of interest.

Transits for 31st October

It is interesting to look at the picture for her at the time of Brexit.  Will she be overjoyed or dismayed?  Mars will be on her Mercury, so she will be mentally excited by it.  Jupiter will be trine her Venus, so something will be pleasing her.  Pluto will be square her natal Venus again, causing some personal hardship.  The Nodal Axis will be square her Venus (her ruling planet) so some of her past decisions may not prove to have served her quite as well as she would have hoped.  But Uranus trines her Uranus, so there are surprises up her sleeve (e.g. a good cabinet post), or she may free herself in some way.

Esther McVey (odds 50/1)

Esther McVey was originally a television presenter (Mercury sextile Venus), before she entered parliament as an MP in 2010.  With Mars in Capricorn sextile her Scorpio Sun, she is very ambitious.  She also has tremendous energy and enthusiasm, with Mars exactly trine her Jupiter.  I wonder if it is possible to get through a political career without making a gaffe…notably, as  Secretary of State for Work and Pensions she misled parliament, skewing information regarding Universal Credit, and subsequently resigned.  When making her pitch in an interview this week on daytime TV, she claimed to be more honest than the average politician because she had held her hands up to a mistake!

Transits for 7th June

Mars sextiles her natal Venus at this time, giving her a high profile.  Pluto sextiles her natal Neptune, which will provide her with some profound lessons, and Pluto trines her Pluto, so she will feel empowered in some way, but she is not a serious threat to Boris.

Transits for 31st July

At that time, the North Node will be trine her natal Mercury, so she will be expressing herself verbally a great deal!  Jupiter will be square her Venus, so she may take a knock to her self-esteem.  Saturn trine her Venus indicates that those who are loyal to her will stay loyal.  And Pluto will still be trine her natal Pluto.

Transits for 31st October

She is a hard line Brexiteer, so this period will be important to her.  Accordingly, she has a lot going on astrologically.  Uranus opposes her Sun, so she will be breaking away literally.  Neptune will be trine her natal Mercury, so she will be spiritually in tune with what is going on.  Uranus will be trine her natal Mars, so breaking away and warriorship will be fulfilled within her, both personally and politically.  Uranus also trines her natal Jupiter, bringing out her Inner Entrepreneur: she may land a trade role.  Pluto sextiles her natal  Neptune again.  The North Node trines her natal Neptune, so again spiritually she’ll be at peace too.  Altogether, she may not do well in the race to the top, but in her Brexit hopes she could be quite satisfied.

There is still time for me to cover some or all of the other candidates, though I hope that next week I will find myself writing about something else!  Maybe when the field narrows I can go into more depth.

Aspects

Happy birthday to Sarah, chief commenter, today!

Tomorrow (Monday 3rd) Venus trines Pluto, which is a deep and meaningful aspect for money and love.  It helps us through changes and transformations on a human level.  Artistic and musical projects also flourish, especially if they are not trivial or frivolous.

The New Moon at 12 degrees Gemini also occurs tomorrow.  This brings a new beginning on the mental plane, such as a fresh outlook, new learning and progress in communications.  New initiatives in the travel industry may also be helpful.

So Donald Trump has chosen well astrologically for his state visit to the U.K. It doesn’t mean he won’t encounter resistance, though!  He is a Gemini, and the New Moon in Gemini is of course especially beneficial to people born under that sign.

Mercury goes into Cancer on Tuesday (4th), so where you may have been super-rational on Monday, emotion will enter into your mental conjectures on Tuesday.  Family considerations for instance may be very much on your mind.

Friday (7th) brings an opportunity to bring mind, emotion and intuition together, with Mercury sextile Uranus.  New ideas will be stimulating, and unexpected communications could be very synchronistic and exciting.  The higher mind feeds enlightened information to the concrete mind.  Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Electrical gadgets come into their own – d’ya hear that, Alexa!

The week in bullet points:

• Monday – deep engagement; new beginning
• Tuesday – taking into account emotion
• Friday – mental brilliance

 

Again, I am still hampered by the dislocated shoulder, which is healing, but am aiming to keeping this short.

Conservative Party

On Friday morning, Theresa May stood outside 10 Downing Street, behind her lectern, and declared that she had finally come to the end of her rope.  Judging by the lack of sympathy around the country from various quarters, people in general had come to the end of their rope.  But the country is as divided as ever.

Theresa May

Theresa listed the achievements of her government, none of which were recognizable, but her greatest heartbreak was not being able to deliver the one thing she had worked so hard and singlemindedly to achieve: Brexit.  Her main transits at this moment in time, bearing in mind we do not have a birth time for this enigmatic Prime Minister, are Neptune opposite her natal Jupiter in Virgo (a sense of total confusion) and Chiron trine her natal Uranus (a chance at last for her to heal herself).

Contenders

The contenders for the poisoned chalice of succeeding her  in the post of Prime Minister/Leader of the Conservative Party were all ready at the starting post.  It is said there are 17 contenders in waiting, though only a few have formally put their names forward.  If my flesh was willing, I would go through all 17 (yes, really!), but I am a limited being at the moment, so I will go through a few now, and possibly look at others at a later date.  Timingwise she formally leaves on 7th June, and it is expected that a new leader will be in place by the end of July.  The next (and final?) Brexit deadline looms on 31st October, Halloween.

Boris Johnson (odds 5/4 favourite)

Have people forgotten what a hash he made of the post of Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs? Nazanin Zhagari-Ratcliffe still languishes in an Iranian prison – a situation which he not only did not help, but made worse.  It was a bad move on Theresa’s part to appoint him in the first place, but she had her reasons.  Boris states that he would be prepared to leave Europe without a deal.

Transits for Friday 24 May

Neptune square his natal Mercury in Gemini in 9th House, which may have caught him slightly on the hop.  Uranus was sextile his natal Saturn in Pisces in 5th House, positioning him for 7th June.

Transits for 7th June

Jupiter opposes his natal Mercury in Gemini in 9th House, so he may be a little overconfident.  Saturn will be sextile his Chiron 0.9 in Pisces in 6th House, keeping him steady.  Uranus will by that time have arrived exactly sextile his Saturn in Pisces in 5th House, very good timing for him.  He may well make the shortlist!  Neptune will still be square his Mercury, closer than Friday’s position in Gemini in 9th House, so with that overconfidence there is also uncertainty (in a different part of his psyche perhaps!).  Neptune will be on his Chiron in Pisces in 6th House, so he may be more vulnerable than he seems.

Transits for 31st July

Uranus will be trine his Uranus exact to the day in Virgo in 11th House, which is a highly successful transit and may make all the difference for him.  But Neptune on his Chiron is very close in Pisces in 6th House, so his health may be delicate, and he may wonder if he can deliver on his own promises.

Transits for 31st October

Saturn will be trine his Jupiter in Taurus in 8th House, so he will be feeling more realistic. Saturn will also be exactly sextile his Neptune to the day in Scorpio in 2nd House, and that may be significant if he is prominently involved with Brexit.  He will certainly be looking at his own personal economic interests at the time. Neptune will be sextile his Jupiter in Taurus in the 8th House, so he should be feeling chipper.  Neptune trining his Neptune in Scorpio in 2nd House will see him quite at ease with himself.

Michael Gove (odds 10/1)

I was not a fan of Michael Gove when he was Secretary of State for Education, he made some silly choices.  I don’t think he made much impact as Secretary of State for Justice.  But as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs I think he has made more effort, and I do believe he was sobered by the public perception of him as a backstabber over the last Tory leadership election.  He became the 8th candidate to declare himself today, so the media focus is now on the battle between him and Boris.  He stayed loyal to Theresa May in her battles to pass her withdrawal agreement.  He would be a more serious proposition than Boris, at least.

Transits for Friday

Uranus was trine his natal Mercury exact to the day.  Inwardly he will have been more prepared than Boris, but still surprised.  Saturn was sextile his natal Mars, so a plan of action will have been forming in his mind.  The North Node was trine his natal Mars and he can dust down his inner warrior ready for battle.  Pluto trine his natal Uranus is an excellent indication for profound change in his life, and Saturn trine his natal Pluto likewise.  The North Node sextile his natal Pluto, like the North Node to his Mars, is an indication that an important time has come in his life karmically.

Transits for 7th June

 Jupiter trines his Jupiter around that date, which is also an indicator of success and confidence.    But Jupiter squares his Pluto closely, inflating his will and urge to power, not in an easy way, and may undermine his success.  He will be torn.

Transits for 31st July

At the time around which the leadership issue should be settled, Pluto sextiles his Mars which is energizing, if not empowering.  Pluto will be sextile his Neptune, bringing complex learning.

Transits for 31st October

At the time of our Brexit deadline, Uranus will be trine his Mercury closely – which as a Brexiteer may bring him cheer.  Pluto will be nearer the sextile to his Mars.  The Nodal Axis will be square his Saturn closely, bringing karmic responsibilities.  Issues linked with leadership battles, and Boris, may be difficult for him to reconcile.  Jupiter will also be square his natal Uranus closely, so there may be a sense of an opportunity missed, or a close run thing.  He is concerned about crashing out of Europe without a deal, and at his department has worked hard on that issue, so it may be a tense time for him.

Jeremy Hunt (odds 12/1)

Another candidate I have been less than impressed by!  He was Secretary of State for Health and Social Care when my daughter was a Junior doctor, on the picket line.  His obdurate stare was chilling, and he gave no ground, contributing to the demise of the N.H.S.  He seems more fulfilled as Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, and more caring than Boris over the plight of Nazanin, but still has that chilling stare!

Transits for Friday

Uranus squared his natal Jupiter, bringing out his Inner Chancer.  Pluto sextiled his natal Saturn, so he feels steady in terms of assessing his capabilities.  Pluto also closely trined his natal Uranus, the same transit as Michael Gove had (an excellent indication for profound change in his life), and Saturn trine his natal Pluto likewise.  The North Node sextile his natal Pluto, exact to the day, also like Michael Gove (an indication that an important time has come in his life karmically).  Perhaps their fortunes will run parallel.

Transits for 7th June

Jupiter will be square his natal Pluto exact to the day, displaying an overweening love of power.

Transits for 31st July

Something may put him out of the race, because by the time the contest is due to be settled Uranus will be opposing his natal Venus, so  he may have pulled out for personal reasons, or just not made the grade with his peer reviewers.  Pluto will be sextile his natal Neptune closely as with Michael Gove at this time, bringing complex learning.  It looks like he won’t make it that far.

Transits for 31st October

He may have new preoccupations by the time the Brexit deadline comes along: North Node sextile his natal Mars will give him a new karmic project.  Jupiter square his natal Saturn may see him chasing his tail.  Jupiter will square his natal Uranus as with Gove so there may be a sense of an opportunity missed, or a close run thing.  Pluto trine his natal Pluto however coming into view may bring self-empowerment, but the timing is probably a little too late.  He may have moved on to other things by then, and success may mean something different to him.

Rory Stewart (odds 25/1)

Relatively recent in catching the public eye, Rory Stewart is a (possibly sensible) Capricorn and seems to have a balanced head on his shoulders, having served in Afghanistan.  As a remainer, he may not be highly considered for the post of getting Brexit sorted.

Transits for Friday

When May announced her leaving date, Neptune was closely sextile his Jupiter, so he may have been feeling a secret elation and the widening of vision for him.  But Pluto squared his natal Uranus meaning change in his life, not necessarily the easy kind.  Chiron trines his natal so his compassionate side is to the fore now.

Transits for 7th June

He will be happy that Jupiter is on his Venus but that may be a personal or family celebration rather than a political one.  The South Node will be on his Jupiter again giving him buoyancy.  But the Pluto square to his natal Uranus will bring difficult changes even closer.

Transits for 31st July

By the time the leadership question is settled, Jupiter opposes his natal Saturn and he may not feel quite as sure of his path.  However, Chiron will be trine his natal Neptune exact to the day, so he may be ripe for a compassionate placing in a new cabinet.  However balanced he may (or may not) be, he may not be sufficiently established for the top job.

Transits for 31st October

He will feel quite settled around the Brexit deadline, with Chiron trine his  natal Mars benefitting his physical energies and interests, and with  Jupiter sextile his natal Uranus (new opportunities beckoning).

Liz Truss (odds 50/1)

Just for fun.  Liz Truss has not yet declared her candidacy, but is rumoured to be considering it.  I only include her because she is my local M.P.  Like Jeremy Hunt she unnerves me, but for different reasons.  Her deadpan voice and slightly soulless gaze worry me, and some of the stances in parliamentary voting she has taken have lacked compassion.  She sits in a Tory heartland, and most of the people I know who have met her have been underwhelmed by her intellect.  She has Mercury conjunct Saturn, so there is some slowness mentally, but otherwise she has done well climbing on the political ladder without accomplishing anything remarkable.  She has Jupiter exactly square Saturn natally, which can indicate a strong Inner Saboteur.

Transits for Friday

Nothing major showing up.

Transits for 7th June

Chiron opposite Pluto, like her odds, going nowhere.

Transits for 31st July

Neptune sextile her natal Mars, some compassion occurring.  But Chiron opposing her Pluto may be difficult psychologically or healthwise.

Transits for 31st October

Chiron closely trine her Sun, may see her moving on, with new ideas about health.  Jupiter will trine Jupiter, so perhaps a new opportunity opening up for her, and a new focus.

May be continued (if you see that your favourite is not here)…

Aspects

These begin on Thursday, so conditions may apply from last week, or you may feel freer.

Mercury squares Neptune on Thursday (30th) so mentally we may be all at sea, or caught on the hop.  Work to achieve clarity of consciousness and awareness in order to get the best results.  Take particular care in your communications in order to circumvent misunderstandings.  Travel too could be tricky.

In the afternoon Venus sextiles Neptune, which is a much more charming and harmonious aspect, and one which may oil the wheels in communication or travel where they may have got stuck.  Even if verbal and written work is still difficult to concentrate on, social  and artistic pleasures may be some compensation.

On Friday (31st) Jupiter opposes Mercury, which adds to any communication and travel complexity.  You may feel you need to be in two places at once, and be summoned hither and thither.  Exam candidates may feel mentally overstretched.  Geminis and Virgos may need to factor in some extra relaxation time.

That afternoon Venus trines Saturn, again a soothing touch from Venus, but more earthy, realistic and practical.  Friends and relations show loyalty.  Hold steady in relationships, and show your caring.  As with Venus trine Neptune, Taureans and Librans will feel the most benefit.

The week in bullet points:

• Thursday – mental confusion; artistic inspiration
• Friday – busy mind; loyalty and commitment in relationships

 

 

To my readers: It’s a short blog today, due to the fact that I have dislocated my shoulder.

Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible!

Doris Day (1922 – 2019)

Can’t let this week pass without paying tribute to Doris Day, who passed on Monday.  My mother used to take me to the cinema in the 1950s to see her films.  Her films are legendary: “Calamity Jane”, “Love Me or Leave Me”, “The Man who Knew Too Much”, among others.  Her songs sung in a golden voice were legendary: “Secret Love”, “Que Sera Sera” and “Sentimental Journey”, among others.  Her leading men were legendary: Rock Hudson, James Cagney and Jimmy Stewart, among others.

Her image was the fresh faced (Sun in Aries) girl next door: her astrological persona shown by the Moon in Gemini in 10th House conjunct the Midheaven.

Her problematic marriages (she had four) are depicted in her chart as Sun conjunct exactly Chiron and the South Node of past life karma in Aries in 7th House of Marriage.  Third husband Martin Melcher left her with enormous debts and obligations on his death.

She died at the age of 93 of pneumonia, and had dedicated her life to animal welfare after she retired from film making.

Aspects

The aspects have decided to be short and sweet today, which makes it easy for me in my sling (which hubby and I are wrestling to get right).  Just two days hold four aspects, and Tuesday  has three of them.

On the morning of Tuesday (21st) the Sun enters Gemini. From earthy preoccupations and concerns, such as the state of the garden, communication becomes a higher priority.  Lightness of being may give you a spring in your step.

Mid-morning on the same day sees Mercury enter Gemini, reinforcing this theme, and aligning your mental energy with your general way of being.  Thus you may feel a certain consistency in your thoughts and actions, and communications with others.  It’s a helpful mindset for students facing exams.

At lunchtime, the Sun conjoins with Mercury at 0 degrees Gemini, which crystallizes and focuses thought, communication, and a lighter look at life.  You may write or speak some memorable lines.

On Wednesday (22nd) Mars sextiles Uranus, which promises to be a dynamic day for action, mechanics and engineering, and the power of surprise.  A good day to get projects going.  If you have been feeling jaded lately, this aspect could act as a pick-you-up tonic.

I’m off to readjust the sling, if possible…

The week in bullet points:

• Tuesday – Sparkling mental outlook
• Wednesday – dynamic electrical energy