Keith Chegwin

Keith Chegwin, a household name in the 1970s and 1980s especially in children’s television, passed away this week from a rare condition called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Birth Chart

He had, as you’d expect from such a bouncy character, half his planets in the irrepressible fire element.  His Sun, though in the more restrained sign of Capricorn, was square to fiery Mars.  More upbeat traits come from the Sun trine Jupiter the joybringer.  We are all familiar with his story of descent into alcoholism – to my mind, that comes from a square to his Sun from Neptune.  More fire, and showmanship, come from Moon in Leo – he was born to entertain us.  That he sometimes took things too far, e.g. the nude showmanship, may come from the square between Venus and Jupiter (not always knowing where to draw the line, socially).  There was a great need to be a communicator at heart (Mercury conjunct Venus), useful in a profession in live television where improvisation is required.  Energy was his middle name, and that is provided by Mars trine Pluto.  He also had an entrepreneurial sextile between Jupiter and Uranus, knowing where to take the opportunities in life.

Maggie Philbin

He and his first wife Maggie Philbin made a sweet couple.  I remember them on the Multi-Coloured Swap Shop, or some programme of that era, before they got together.  Maggie had been sent out to some oriental location where she consulted a soothsayer, just for fun.  The soothsayer directly predicted she would marry Keith, and so it came to pass!  Sadly, he was unfaithful and the marriage eventually broke up.  But she made a heartfelt tribute to him this week.

Maggie was his opposite number in the zodiac: Cancerian to his Capricorn.  Their Leo Moons were conjunct, brought together in showmanship.  Their Jupiters were exactly sextile, magnifying the enthusiasm and exuberance.  But the eventual separation may be shown by her Uranus opposite his Sun.

Alcoholism

Keith’s career went into a hiatus while he dealt with his alcoholism.  That natal Sun square Neptune showing the tendency to possible alcoholism by 1992 had become Progressed Sun trine Neptune, and he declared his condition to Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan on This Morning.  Thus he had reached a turning point where he was ready to deal with it.  He managed to turn his life around, and later took part in Dancing on Ice in 2013.

Royal Wedding Date Announced

The royal wedding date has been announced as 19th May 2017: I promised an update on this.  On that day, Venus goes into Cancer, and sextiles Uranus which will have just entered Taurus.

Venus in Cancer is perfect for a sentimental occasion, and an excuse to buy a box of kleenex.  However, with the Football Cup Final being held the same day apparently there will be household battles for the remote control.

The main aspects are more descriptive of and suited to a royal wedding, though I would not go as far as to say that women will win the battle of the remote (and I would not wish to make such a sexist assumption)!  Venus sextile Uranus provides an air of romantic excitement: people may fall in love on that day, or realize they want to marry!  That aspect too is perfect for the occasion, in providing an extra special social atmosphere.

In my original blog on the engagement, I  reported general transits for May.  I can now refine these slightly:

The transits for Prince Harry that day show Pluto trine his natal Moon (complete transformation of his emotional life, and the way he experiences his inner female), Neptune square his natal Mars (confused energies), North Node trine his natal Uranus (karmic change) and Uranus opposite his natal Pluto (again change and drama).

The transits for Meghan Markle are mainly distilled into one huge astrological statement: Pluto square her natal Pluto (unfathomable change, and a huge undertaking on all levels).

The Football

Prince William was to have presented the trophy for the Football Cup Final, though it is difficult to see how he could hotfoot it from one event to the other.  As President of the F.A. he may be torn to an extent, but what do his transits show about his state of mind on the day?  He has more transits than the happy couple put together.   Venus will be on his Sun, so he will be totally devoted to the romance of the day and his affection for his younger brother.  Uranus will be sextile exactly his natal Sun, so he will enjoy and be surprised and delighted by the proceedings of the day (on and off the football pitch).  The North Node will be sextile his natal Mercury, so he will find it mentally stimulating, informative, and karmically engaging.  Saturn (restriction) will be square his natal Mars (football), so maybe therein lies the conflict.  The North Node will be sextile his natal Mars (so he will catch up and enjoy the match!).  Mars will be square his natal Jupiter (so there will be a lot of energy and enthusiasm for him that day).  Uranus opposes his natal Jupiter (surprises will keep him on his toes).  Mars sextiles his natal Uranus (and so the excitement is piled on…!)  Chiron trines his natal Uranus (there is healing too, and a feeling of being high on that quality).

As promised, I will also post this piece under Comments for the original posting about the royal engagement.

Aspects

Tomorrow morning, bright and early, there is a New Moon at 26 degrees Sagittarius (close to the Galactic Centre) to usher in the new working week.  Due to its position it may be more powerful than the average New Moon, and while a Sagittarian New Moon is normally global in reach, this one could be galactic!  Watch for the interweaving of several worlds, and levels of consciousness.

Very early on Wednesday (20th) Saturn is saying goodbye to Sagittarius and hello to Capricorn, its own home sign.  This is the most heavyweight astrological feature of the week, and likely to impact everyone in bringing reality home.  Whether it is the reality of Brexit, or the cost of living, or the impact of climate change, no one will be able to keep their head in the clouds while Saturn is in Capricorn.  Saturn enters the next sign Aquarius in March 2020, so that may cover the entire Brexit process if we get an extension.  Saturn and Capricorn are united in their stone cold sober message and philosophy about life, and perhaps our governments will finally get to grips with the realities of what has been created and what needs to happen.  The alternative would be unthinkable (extra austerity piled on).  Other qualities associated with Capricorn are a sense of responsibility (people taking charge of their own lives) and organization (making life work for you and those around you).  These are the best hopes for Saturn in Capricorn, which beginning at such a cold and bleak time of year, could easily seem daunting.  Wednesday itself may be good for laying foundations on realistic grounds.

Some much lighter and welcome relief at the other end of the day, on Wednesday evening may be offered, though it doesn’t counteract the sober tone of the day.  Venus trines Uranus, which is similar to, and even brighter than, the aspect which occurs on the royal wedding day next year:

“…provides an air of romantic excitement: people may fall in love on that day, or realize they want to marry!  That aspect too is perfect … in providing an extra special social atmosphere.”  It bodes well for the office Christmas party!

We have the Winter Solstice, the Sun’s entry into Capricorn, in the afternoon of Thursday (21st).  Though there is some relief in knowing that the light is starting to return, this will also reinforce the “getting real” message of Saturn’s entry into Capricorn the day before.  The Venus-Uranus trine of the night before may feel like a bit of escapism, but on the other hand its warmth may carry you through the frost.

Keep that spark going as long as possible, for there is another snow flurry arriving in the evening, in the shape of Sun conjunct Saturn (at 0 degrees Capricorn).  If you have any natal planets at 0 degrees of the signs, this could be an important week for you.  If you have been ignoring the messages of Saturn and Capricorn thus far this week (unlikely) then Thursday evening will make things loud and clear, directing you to change what you need to change or make the decisions you need to make, for instance.

Travel prospects improve on Saturday (23rd) for those wishing to relocate for the Christmas period, for Mercury is stationary prior to turning Direct.  It is too late, sadly, for the second or even the first class postings, but it may help your last Christmas shopping transactions to go with a swing.  If you are working right up until Christmas, you’ll be pleased at that last burst of work and a sense of having caught up and being up to date.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – good intentions
• Wednesday – big dose of reality; some partying
• Thursday – return of the light; another reality check
• Saturday – green light on travel

Christine Keeler (1942 – 2017)

1960s Model Christine Keeler, who died this week, was a link to, or influenced the destiny of, some notable figures of her era.  She occupied a central role in “The Profumo Affair”, which was unprecedented for its time in being the first major “sleaze” scandal involving politicians.  Such scandals became more and more commonplace as time went on, but this one brought down a government.  So here is a slice of early 1960s history, the main characters of which are now deceased.

Birth Chart

Christine’s Sun in Pisces with 0 Cardinal planets, and the Sun square to the Moon, suggests someone who drifts through life, rather than being calculated.  This may be one factor in her ultimately being seen as a victim, whereas her friend Mandy Rice-Davies (the blonde to her brunette) seemed to take charge of her life to a greater extent. One of the interesting facets of the whole story is not just that the lives in her circle were greatly affected by the scandal, but how they variously dealt with the notoriety. Christine seems to have fallen prey to the most negative sides of Neptune and Pisces: scandal, drifting, lack of clarity of thought (she changed her story a few times) and being imprisoned.

What stands out in her birthchart is a close quadruple conjunction, or satellitium, in the sign of Taurus, composed of Saturn/Mars/Moon/Uranus.  This may hold the key to why she was such a focus of the group.  Her emotional make-up, as represented by the Moon, holds an intense electro-magnetic charge surrounded by the other planets.  We do have her birth time (her Ascendant is Gemini), and find that this quadruple conjunction falls across the cusp of two Houses: the 11th and 12th.  Thus it partakes of the power of the group (11th) and her own subconscious forces (12th).  The Saturn conjunct Uranus component is capable of causing earthquakes.

There is another strand of her chart which can be described as detached: the Moon exactly conjunct Uranus, the Sun square Uranus, and the Moon conjunct Saturn (the Ivory Tower Archetype), plus Mercury, Venus and the Midheaven in the detached sign of Aquarius.

Pluto was conjunct Chiron situated in her 2nd House, a pocket of potentially dark energy, which in her financial area meant that money burned a hole in her pocket and she continued to write and communicate (Mercury conjunct Venus) about her life in order to replenish her purse.

Her Early Life

Neptune in her 4th House of Home and Family describes a neglected early life: the family were abandoned by her father, and she was reportedly abused by her step-father.  The 4th House also represents the final years of life, and these were secluded, in the manner of Neptune.  At the age of 17, she had a son, born prematurely, who only lived for six days.

Stephen Ward

Osteopath Stephen Ward met Christine Keeler in 1959, and was a lynchpin of the circle and events which would lead up to the scandal, and his role makes me wonder whether maybe there is a Soul Group phenomenon in this story.  He moved in aristocratic circles, but hosted parties where all levels of society would meet.  It was thus that the 19 year old Christine Keeler met the Russian Ivanov, without whom there would not have been a scandal of such proportions (adding the dimension of espionage).  She embarked on an affair with the Russian.  Stephen Ward’s Sun in Libra was close to Mandy’s Sun, but Ward had the Sun square exactly with Neptune in his natal chart, which predisposed him to scandal, and may have been eventually a factor in his suicide.  As a Libran, he liked to introduce people socially.

As well as osteopathy, Stephen was an aspiring artist (Sun in Libra) and attended art classes at the Slade School of Art.  Through his portraiture he met Lord Astor, and it was at Lord Astor’s country house that Ward introduced Profumo and Christine.

An interesting fact in his backstory is that when practising osteopathy in India in 1944, he treated Mahatma Gandhi.  He said of the encounter: “Although much of his policy was opposed to that of my own country. I knew that when I was with him I was in the presence of greatness, and my encounter with him was certainly the most important meeting of my life”.

As has been mentioned, he was one of the victims of this story, for during a trial in 1963 Ward was convicted of living off immoral earnings, and took his own life.

Mandy Rice-Davies

Mandy Rice-Davies, the model and showgirl friend of Christine Keeler, was part of the circle, but as has been mentioned, was much more resilient and carved herself a different role for her future.  An upbeat Moon in Sagittarius may have contributed to this.  She met Keeler at a Cabaret Club, and Christine introduced her to Stephen Ward.  Mandy is famous for a remark that she made when she heard that Lord Astor denied having met her: “Well he would, wouldn’t he?”  Her chart shows strong links with Christine’s, though not all easy ones, for example her Mars square to Christine’s Pluto.  A few years after the debacle, she married an Israeli businessman and opened businesses in Tel Aviv.

Mandy was also linked with another historic figure, Peter Rachman, the notorious unscrupulous landlord whose name gave rise to the term Rachmanism.

Yevgeny Ivanov

As mentioned, the Profumo scandal would not have been such a huge affair had it not been for the fact that Yevgeny was known as a Russian intelligence officer to MI5, and had it not been for the fact that Christine Keeler had an affair with both of them at the same time, with the possibility of transmitting information from one to another.  So here is another central character.  Christine Keeler’s interaspects with Ivanov were largely very positive, e.g. her Chiron trine his Mars, and more karmically her North Node sextile his Pluto.  But his transits at the time of their liaison were decidedly dicey: Uranus square his Saturn and Uranus on his Neptune, sowing the seeds for future trouble (for it was two years after their affair that the scandal broke).  Ward’s friendship with Ivanov was through the former’s interest in portraiture.  Their friendship, though a strong one, is beset by squares, including the karmic Ward Sun squaring Ivanov’s Nodal Axis, and Ward’s Neptune (scandal) conjunct exactly Ivanov’s North Node.

Ivanov was one who got away: he was recalled to Moscow in 1962 and continued his naval career.  He died in 1994.

John Profumo

John Profumo, appointed the Secretary of State for War in 1960, is of course the most central character in this affair.  He was an Aquarian, with his ruling planet Uranus exactly conjunct Christine Keeler’s Mercury (implying an exchange of information). His Venus in Sagittarius is exactly conjunct Keeler’s Descendant (Relationship Point), indicating that there may have been some real affection between them.  They were introduced on the weekend of 8th to 9th July 1961, a date when Mars when was exactly conjunct Pluto (perhaps indicating the inherent danger of their liaison).  Transiting Jupiter was opposite Christine’s Pluto (an exaggeration of power) and Uranus was exactly trine John Profumo’s Venus (an unusual, arresting meeting).  There was also a reversal of his Nodal Axis at the time, a point of choice karmically.  Their relationship lasted a few weeks or a few months, according to differing accounts, and apparently he did not pay her for sexual services (ironically there was little evidence to convict Stephen Ward of immoral earnings therefore).  In August 1961 he was warned by the Cabinet Secretary about mixing with Ward’s group – at the time Neptune (scandal) was squaring his natal Sun, but the affair was still hidden from the public.

The fate of John Profumo, or the life that he created for himself after the scandal, was an unusually positive one in terms of redemption.  He took menial jobs in the East End of London and quietly performed “good works”.

“Lucky”  Gordon

After splitting up with John Profumo, but before the scandal came to light publicly, Christine Keeler was involved with a musician called “Lucky” Gordon, who died in March this year.  He had met Keeler on 7th August 1961 selling marijuana in a Cafe in Notting Hill: Uranus was exactly sextile his Venus at the time (an unusual, arresting meeting, like Profumo’s own introduction).  At the same time as she was seeing Gordon, she was involved with a man named Johnny Edgecombe, and the two became rivals.  The liaison between Christine and Lucky ended when he allegedly assaulted her in the street.  He was a rough diamond in these years, but apparently mellowed in later years.  John Edgecombe was also an unsavoury character, once firing a gun at Mandy Rice-Davies’ door when Christine was visiting her.  It was during the trial of John Edgecombe that Christine came to public attention, giving out communication freely on the matter, and exposing her private life and connections.  Thus it was that her involvement with Profumo came to light in 1963. Profumo denied the connection at first, then had to resign.  Christine Keeler was later jailed, on 6th December 1963, with Uranus exactly square her Moon (emotional shock) for perjury (she had tried to get Lucky Gordon convicted of assault).  Lucky Gordon was a colourful character: he had prepared food for Bob Marley in his native Jamaica, and become a friend of Reggie Kray in prison.  He never forgot the stunning model Christine Keeler, declaring his love for her later in life.

Harold MacMillan

Another victim of the affair was the Prime Minister at the time.  The position of Harold MacMillan was put under severe strain by the Profumo scandal.  He used a prostate operation in October 1963 in order to bow out of office.  Uranus was square to his Pluto (considerable strain) at the time.  He was a victim, but arguably at the same time he freed himself, for Jupiter was transiting his North Node at the time.

Christine’s Later Life

She subsequently had two children, and took low paid jobs such as that of a dinner lady, a telesales agent, and worked in a dry cleaner’s shop.  She was divorced twice, and spent her later years reclusively.

Death

She died at the age of 75 on Monday 4th December at 11.30 p.m., having suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.  Neptune was squaring her natal Jupiter, and the Ascendant at that moment was exactly conjunct her North Node.

“It’s been a misery for me, living with Christine Keeler”

~ Christine Keeler, 2001

Aspects

Retrograde Mercury is trine Uranus today, revisiting its position from 25th November.  This aspect favours telepathy, technology, scientific advances, and futuristic ideas.  This retrograde version may not be as ideal as the original, but I certainly benefited on that day from a member of the younger generation coming along and upgrading my i phone, bringing it into this decade.

Venus also squares Neptune, which is deceptive in terms of relationships, bringing a need to look at illusions.  The “sleaze” subject of today’s blog fits well with that, in its most extreme negative form.

In addition, Mercury squares Chiron, which may bring health issues into light in order for healing to begin.  You may find yourself exercising your mind with mental conundrums, either imposed on you, or through your own efforts to keep your mind nimble.

Wednesday (13th) brings an enlightening conjunction of the Sun and Mercury at 20 degrees of Sagittarius.  This is a wonderful aspect for having philosophical conversations, and putting the world to rights with friends.

Harmonious Karma is the tone of the day on Thursday (14th), with Venus trine the North Node.  You may catch up with old friends, and renew warm links.

Friday (15th) favours catching up with writing projects with Mercury conjunct Venus at 17 degrees Sagittarius (methinks I might resume my novel “The Quiet Office”).  It also favours convivial meetings in cafes, and such light social interactions.

There may also be an element of healing crisis in the air, with the Sun square Chiron.  This may be something which popped up as an issue on Sunday, or an entirely different matter, but either way not something which can be ignored.  It may demand immediate solutions.

We are blessed with two trines on Saturday (16th), the first being the Sun trine Uranus.  This is inventive, creative and original.  It would be a successful time to unveil your new portrait, or perform your latest poem or play.  If you are more scientifically inclined, your new scientific discovery may be unveiled, or your new invention.  It’s a dynamic, go-ahead vibe.

The second trine is between Mercury and the North Node, which I associate with the coming to light of karmic information, a useful aspect, and good for teaching and teachers, and the exchange of communication.  If you’re hesitant about sharing information, go ahead – it could make all the difference to someone.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – complex and varied
• Wednesday – enlightening
• Thursday – harmonious karma
• Friday – communicative, with health considerations
• Saturday – smooth sailing

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: Royal Engagement

“All the stars were aligned…This beautiful woman just . . . tripped and fell into my life.”

~ Prince Harry

Prince Harry

Prince Harry has grown into one of the most beloved of the royal crew.  From a gawky young prince of the faux pas (e.g. wearing a Nazi uniform at a party), he has become a responsible supporter of worthwhile causes like his late mother, with a special fondness for Botswana.  Harry’s chart is quite grounded, with Mercury, Part of Fortune and the Sun in Virgo, the Moon in Taurus and Ascendant in Capricorn!  He is probably growing into his potential for serious purposes, shown in his Ascendant  and Jupiter in Capricorn, and Midheaven, Pluto and Saturn in Scorpio.  His Sun ruler Mercury is in the 8th House, which may be the emphasis on the death of his mother in his life.  He is creative, with Moon, North Node and Chiron in his 5th House.  The North Node loosely conjunct his Chiron could point ultimately to a healing karmic mission.  He is fond of foreign travel, with the Sun in 9th House, and could make a loving and profound contribution to the world with Venus and Pluto in the 10th House.  With Saturn in 11th House he may have few true close friends, but can co-operate in large group enterprises with Uranus later in that House.  Mars, Neptune and Jupiter in the 12th House of the Unconscious means he has a lot of inner drive, vision and dreams.

Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle has been an actor in a Canadian TV series Suits since 2011, showing commitment, skill and steadiness.  In addition she has undertaken responsible roles outside the acting profession, in raising awareness of various causes, such as feminism, and clean water in Rwanda.  Some have found her mixed race background controversial, but many see this as an asset, bringing diversity to the royal table.  Some have made comparisons between her, an American divorcee, and Wallace Simpson, but times have moved on and Meghan is a different proposition.  Meghan has Sun in Leo, so she is at home with royalty, and has pursued the Leo profession of acting, having a degree in theatre studies.  She also has the Sun, Leo’s ruler, in the 1st House and trine exactly the Midheaven, reinforcing the Sun/Leo theme.  She has a complex triple conjunction of Sun/Jupiter/Saturn in Libra, so weighs things up very carefully, seeing both sides of an issue.  Mercury is conjunct the North Node in Leo, so the royal role may be part of her karmic mission, and teaching may also be a role in the future, or educating people in some way.  She has great enthusiasm, as evidenced by Mars square Jupiter, and has already taken up some passionate causes in her life, though she is to wind down her roles and take up new ones in Britain.  With Saturn also squaring her Mars, she combines these interests with a deep sense of responsibility.  Karmically, she is a mover and shaker, with Ascendant conjunct the North Node.  There may also be a healing role for her later in life, with Chiron at the end of her 10th House sextile her Ascendant.

When Harry met Meghan

Were the stars aligned at their meeting?  They were reportedly introduced by a friend (name unknown) on a blind date (date unknown).  This may have been last June, but certainly by July they were seeing each other.  A chart for the beginning of July 2016 tells us that Mars was sextile Harry’s Sun, Jupiter was square his Mars, Jupiter was sextile his Midheaven, Neptune was trine his Saturn, Neptune was sextile his Ascendant, and Pluto was sextile his Midheaven: a mixture of passionate and inspirational influences for him.  Saturn was trine her natal Sun, Uranus was square her Ascendant, and Neptune was trine her Mars.  That is a mixture of seriousness, change and inspiration coming into her life in different ways.

Synastry

The interaspect between them are not all smooth sailing, which is possibly why they both needed to build some maturity before meeting.  Her Neptune squares his Sun, so he is arrested by her glamour.  Her Chiron is exactly conjunct his Moon, helping him to deal with the wounds surrounding his mother.  Her Sun is exactly square his Saturn, so involvement with him brings the need for more discipline and commitment in her life.  Her Venus is sextile exactly his Saturn, which is an aspect of loyalty and commitment.  Her Nodal Axis is exactly square his Pluto, so their lives together will bring never a dull moment, and be demanding psychologically.  Her Mars is exactly opposite his Ascendant, so there is some fieriness between them, but it does also emphasize the passion.

Engagement

The engagement reportedly took place privately over a chicken dinner at the beginning of November.  Transits for them at the beginning of November show Jupiter sextile his natal Jupiter and Mercury – a successful declaration, Neptune sextile his Ascendant (spiritual alignment), Pluto square his natal Venus (drama and transformation in his love life), and Pluto sextile his natal Midheaven (transformation of his direction in life).  For her, Mars was on her Jupiter (great enthusiasm – she told how she interrupted his spiel and said yes before he could finish!), Jupiter square her Mercury (happy communication), and Neptune trine her Mars (inspired passion).

But the engagement was not announced until around 10.30 a.m. on Monday 27th November.  Pluto was exactly square Harry’s Sun: a moment of dramatic and life changing importance.  Neptune was exactly sextile Harry’s Ascendant, so spiritually it felt right.  For Meghan, Mars was sextile her Neptune  (uncovering a secret), Mars was conjunct her Pluto (again drama and intensity), Uranus was square to her Ascendant (changing her status on Facebook!), and Neptune trine her Mars, spiritualizing her passion.

Wedding

They have announced that the wedding will take place in May at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor.  When the actual date is announced, I will add a piece under the comments of this blog.  In the meantime, a chart for the middle of May reveals:

Mars will be square his Pluto (again, drama – security will be stepped up).  Jupiter will be on his Midheaven (a joyous stage in his life), Uranus opposite his Pluto (again change and drama), Neptune square his Mars (confused energies), Neptune trine his Midheaven (spiritual alignment in his life direction) and Pluto trine his Moon (complete transformation of his emotional life).  For Meghan, Pluto will be square her Pluto (a huge undertaking on all levels), and Pluto will be trine her Chiron (a depth of healing).

Family

At the engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton in November 2010, I wrote:

“She and William also have shared Moon signs (Cancer) and that may be a resonance which brought his mother’s engagement ring to her, but possibly even more significantly her Moon is exactly conjunct with William’s North Node, which denotes a karmic connection of the mothering kind.  This may indicate that one of the primary purposes of the union is in order to bring in the next generation.”

Kate is now on her third pregnancy!

Although Prince Harry has a paternal Moon in 5th House, the synastry of this relationship is different, and building a family or dynasty may not be the central theme.

Higher Purpose

While the aspects between this couple are not easy, my own feeling is that it is one of those karmic relationships where people are brought together for a common purpose and a higher purpose.  Quite clearly they are both motivated to work in service in the world (Prince Harry is a Virgoan, a sign associated with Service), and they do have a great deal of energy and dynamism in their interaction, and in their potential.  I think that the relationship will last at least enough years for them to build a lasting and constructive legacy.  Their love and commitment are very evident and genuine, and healing for them both.

“Today, we need the hope that the forthcoming royal nuptials offer more than ever. Prince Harry and Meghan’s marriage could be a healing ritual for our ruined land, a joining of races that fascists would have us divide” ~ Stewart Lee, in this morning’s Observer

Aspects

In the early hours of this morning Jupiter trined Neptune, the most important aspect of this week.  If you felt a certain flow in your life’s purposes yesterday, coming up to this aspect, you can thank Jupiter and Neptune.  Although there are some more challenging aspects taking place during the day today, Jupiter trine Neptune is such a major influence that its effects may continue to be seen throughout today or even throughout the week.  Jupiter is about hope, luck and beneficence, while Neptune is about faith and wishes. Their current harmony urges us to dare to hope and dream.  Martin Luther King had this trine natally, and he did dare to dream.  This influence may also encourage us to look at wider philosophical and religious issues, such as how much compassion a heart can hold, and how deep is the ocean (if you are watching Blue Planet II) – it is an aspect which speaks of boundlessness.

Later this morning, Mercury was stationary prior to turning retrograde. I need say no more – the phrase has become part of mainstream parlance!  Any blip in communication or computer access has come to be blamed on Mercury retrograde, even when it is not retrograde!  And things go wrong with computers when Mercury is direct.  I would like to draw a distinction between Mercury and Uranus.  Mercury represents the traditional ways of communication, such as rail and snail mail.  Uranus represents technology, and to a great extent computers.  Of course, their functions are intertwined, so often the effects coincide.  But recently a friend had terrible trouble over a scam email, and it turned out that Uranus was square to her Uranus at the time.  That was a good illustration of the fact that Uranus represents the more futuristic ways in which we communicate.

In terms of dealing with the Mercury retrograde period, we can do much if we are mindful of our own personal communication and its effect in interacting with others.  Uranus, by contrast, is by its very nature unpredictable, and we can’t do much about it.  It is helpful to know about a Uranian transit in advance, and working with Uranus transits is about honing our intuition (a Uranus function) to anticipate loopholes and deal with them in advance.  But Mercury is more of a personal responsibility, representing the left brain and logical function, and one which we are more in control of.  Mercury is retrograde virtually throughout the run up to Christmas, until 23rd December (just in time to make Christmas travel a better prospect), so be mindful, and let us know if you have any insights to share on your retrograde journey.

Late morning, the Sun squares Neptune (as if Jupiter trine Neptune, and Mercury retrograde were not enough to occupy you today).  This is an aspect which causes fogginess and confused thought.  It is counteracted to some extent by Jupiter’s trine with Neptune, which is more powerful, but is likely to make itself felt, e.g. in a senior moment (at whatever age).  Together with Jupiter trine Neptune, it increases our engagement with the Collective Unconscious.  We may find ourselves pondering deeply on a news item, or about politicians trying to pull the wool over our eyes.

Did I hear you say enough already?  Well the aspects haven’t quite finished with us for the day.  In the afternoon, the Moon opposes the Sun in Sagittarius and is Full at 11 degrees Gemini.  You might be exhausted by then!  The theme of the Gemini/Sagittarius polarity is communication, both superficial (Gemini) and deeper (Sagittarius).  If you have had any ruminations as a result of listening to the media, you may be emotionally full by then, reflecting the Full Moon.  It is a good time to mentally sift through what is important and what is not worth wondering about, what is fake news and what is real, and focussing on dealing on one idea that engages your heart and mind.

Tuesday (5th) finds the asteroid Chiron stationary, prior to turning direct.  This is a helpful turning of the path on your healing journey.  If you are hospital visiting or having a health check up on that day, this development may help you see things in a new light, e.g. realizing the purpose behind the condition.  From Tuesday, you may be finding new healing avenues.

On Wednesday (6th) you’ll be well on your way to processing Sunday’s bonanza and complexity of aspects.  Wednesday finds us in a serious mindset with Mercury conjunct Saturn, at 28 degrees Sagittarius.  That may be a day when you do have to wrestle with the effects of Mercury retrograde, and slowed communications and travel lines.  As Mercury has only just turned retrograde, we start to revisit some recent aspects, and this one last appeared on Tuesday 28th November, if you still have your diary for that month to hand: “Its placement in Sagittarius, lifts it slightly in mood and also widens its consciousness.  So we may be able to see the detail and its context, the trees and the wood.”   Serious purposes and mental application may receive the rewards of hard work.

In the afternoon, communication may be actually heightened and speeded up, thanks to Mercury now in a sextile aspect with Mars, so there may well be alleviation of slowness from earlier in the day.  We also encountered this aspect recently, on 17th November. This should be a busy and productive day, but you could also get waylaid and sidetracked by trivialities!

In the evening, Mars sextiles Saturn, so some solid ground could be regained and more practical achievement is possible.

There’s a karmically toned aspect on Friday (8th) in the form of the Sun trine the North Node.  This can be very creative, if the space has been earned.  If power issues are involved, you may need “permission” from another, e.g. to modify some of their original material.  Draw up a contract if this seems likely to raise legal issues, e.g. of plagiarism, in the future.  You know what happened to Gary Kemp in Spandau Ballet!  Ownership of Creative Property may be the issue.

Mars enters Scorpio on Saturday (9th), and that puts some people automatically into battle mode.  If you are a pacifist, just observe.  If you are a warrior, your power may be heightened.  If you are a diplomat, be ready.  Mars will be in the battle zone until 26th January, so take your position, and may everyone do their best in the effort to express the best of this engagement.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – complex: a wider harmony, communications playing up, confusion, and mental and emotional tension
• Tuesday – the prospect of healing
• Wednesday – a serious mindset, some progress, some solid ground
• Friday – karmic creativity
• Saturday – may the force be with you

Charles Manson and Charles Bronson

I’m not a fan of crime, but I did work for four years in the Criminal Department of a law firm.  What I concluded from that was that many criminals, looking at their history, don’t stand much of a chance from their early life, whether from psychological or sociological reasons.  With the level of violence in society showing no signs of abating, I wonder if criminal tendencies could be spotted earlier and rehabilitation begun at an earlier age.  But then criminals are innocent until proven guilty.  This week (on Thursday 23rd November) Jon Venables, one of the killers of James Bulger, was sent back to prison (for unrelated offences).  It is possible from his chart (no birth time is available) that he had the Moon conjunct Chiron, indicative of early psychological wounds.  His main transit at the time of committing the murder was Saturn opposite his Sun.  He was responsible for the joint killing at the young age of 10 years, and been given anonymity after leaving prison.  His later conviction (possession of child abuse imagery) was of a lesser crime, but one wonders how far rehabilitation can be successful, and what more can be done in this area.

Charles Manson

American 83-year old Mass murderer Charles Manson died in prison on 19th November (last Sunday) of natural causes.  He was the head of the “Family” cult, and had the Moon (family) exactly conjunct his North Node (karma), symbolizing this. On 6th August 1969 Sharon Tate, the wife of film director Roman Polanski, and others were killed  in Los Angeles.  His transits on that day were Mars exactly opposite his natal Chiron, Jupiter was exactly trine his natal Moon/North Node (he may have been high as a kite) and Neptune was exactly trine his Pluto. In their synastry, Sharon Tate’s natal Sun/Mercury in Aquarius was exactly conjunct Charles/Manson’s Moon/North Node, which proved to be a fatalistic combination.  Her Pluto was exactly square his Ascendant, moreover.  Several other people were killed that night, and he was said to have ordered the killings, and not actually carried them out himself.

His birth chart has the Sun/Venus in the strong willed,  emotional and charismatic sign of Scorpio but squaring Saturn, showing a lack of feeling but also depicting his thwarted musical ambitions, which were a source of bitterness.  Mars was exactly conjunct Neptune in his chart, and he led a drug fuelled existence on cannabis and LSD in the late 1960s.  Nodal Axis exactly square Midheaven/I.C. Axis may say something about being at odds with his karma.

He was born to a 16-year old unmarried mother, and he never actually knew his father (Pluto conjunct the I.C. depicting his origins).  The first crime of which he was convicted was armed robbery, at the age of 13.

He once told a prison psychiatrist: “I’m special.  I’m not like the average inmate.  I have spent my life in prison. I have put five people in the grave. I am a very dangerous man.”  Among the labels given to him were that of schizophrenia and paranoid delusional disorder.

At his death, Uranus was exactly square his natal Pluto (ruling planet) in Cancer in 3rd House.

Charles Bronson

British prisoner Charles Bronson recently married an ex-soap actress from Emmerdale and Coronation Street (on 14th November).  Like Charles Manson, he has tried to draw strength from his alliances and admiration from women in his life.  He has been referred to as the “most violent prisoner in Britain” and has spent time in high-security psychiatric hospitals.

He was not born with the name Charles Bronson, but named himself after the American actor of the tough guy image (whose chart bears no resemblance to his, but there is a possible karmic link or glamour-inspired motive with the actor’s Neptune on the prisoner’s South Node).  His early life does not seem to have been blighted in the same way as Charles Manson, indeed he seems to have come from a respectable background, and an aunt offered a portrait of the young Bronson:

“As a boy, he was a lovely lad. He was obviously bright and always good with children. He was gentle and mild-mannered, never a bully; he would defend the weak”

Like Manson, he was caught stealing at the age of 13, and embarked thereafter on a life of crime.  He attempted to poison a fellow prisoner in 1976, and in December 1978 was sent to Broadmoor, where he counted Ronnie Kray among his friends.  He attempted to strangle another inmate, Gordon Robinson.  However, he has never been convicted for murder.

While in prison he has produced artworks and written books, and re-named his surname Salvador after Salvador Dali.

The birth date of this his third wife, Paula Williamson, is not available.  At the time of this marriage Mars (again playing a key role in his life) was exactly sextile his Sun.  Uranus squared his Venus (changing his relationship status!).  Neptune was sextile his natal Chiron (a healing) but Pluto was opposite his Uranus (signifying some extreme change going on, which seems to have more to it than a wedding). She says  “I’m madly in love with Charlie and he’s madly in love with me. But even I can’t believe I’m marrying Britain’s most notorious prisoner”.  She has this year done the rounds of daytime television talk shows, and there may be genuine feeling there with Venus conjunct Jupiter in the marriage chart.  But the marriage time of 2 p.m. on that day reveals Neptune closely conjunct the Ascendant in Pisces, hinting that some illusion is prominent.

Mercury in Sagittarius in Bronson’s chart is unaspected, which can denote lawlessness.  Venus squares Saturn (lacking feeling), like Charles Manson but exact, with Venus in Capricorn exacerbating the coldness.  Venus also squares Neptune (sensation-seeking), but Neptune closely conjunct Saturn shows a tendency to depression.  Depending on the position of the conjunction in his chart (we do not have a birth time), it may well show up the fact that his life has been mostly spent in incarceration.  Mars is strong in Bronson’s chart, with the Sun sextile Mars, and Mars in Aquarius conjuncting his North Node – as well as the emphasis on violence in his life, he has written fitness books: “I’m the king of the press-ups and the sit-ups”.

Psychiatrists have not settled on labels for Bronson, but have considered Psychopathy and Schizophrenia.  Another feature of his personality is narcissism, with the Moon opposite Mars and in the sign of attention-seeking Leo.

He says of himself: “I’m a nice guy, but sometimes I lose all my senses and become nasty. That doesn’t make me evil, just confused.”  A self-evaluation very different from Charles Manson’s, which could be seen as a product of his more upbeat Sunsign of Sagittarius as against Manson’s Sunsign Scorpio (which is often wrongly maligned).

Aspects

Venus trines Chiron today, which offers the opportunity for some healing, especially in the realm of relationships or money.  The healing power of love comes to the fore.  This aspect reminds us of the healing power of love.  Keep the heart open, and the results are always rewarding.

On Tuesday (28th) Mercury conjuncts Saturn at 27 degrees in Sagittarius (at the Galactic Centre).  This conjunction on its own assists us in our powers of concentration, although some might experience this as drudgery.  However, its placement in Sagittarius, lifts it slightly in mood and also widens its consciousness.  So we may be able to see the detail and its context, the trees and the wood.  Travel may still be delayed or difficult, though.

This mental focus dominates the middle of the week, and then on Friday (1st December) Venus enters Sagittarius.  This is the signal for more uplift, and anticipating the festive nature of the season and party atmosphere (the works do, for instance!).  Hearts under Venus in Scorpio are intense, but under Venus in Sagittarius more naturally expansive in contrast.  You may be more open to friending on Facebook, for instance, having deleted a few to prune and declutter while Venus was in Scorpio!

Another influence on Friday, that of Mars opposite Uranus, is more disruptive, and incident-prone.  Try to minimize health and safety risks under this aspect, especially in connection with cars, dogs, machinery and electrical appliances.  You may find people extra excitable (perhaps there may be another suspected terrorist incident in the news) and calmness may be a valuable commodity. Brush up your meditational skills, and be a port in the storm.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – healing relationships
• Tuesday – concentration, but also wider application of the mind
• Friday – social uplift, but unpredictability

In a State of Flux

When I began writing this blog this morning, there was a great state of flux in events.  Something has since been resolved, though things are still in a state of flux for this nation.  Let us hope that the anticipation of change and joyfulness of the peaceful revolution  on the streets, and the exemplary conduct of the military so far bears fruit for a nation which has suffered for so long.

Aspects

Today’s Mars square Pluto speaks of coercion, and we have already had a graphic example of that in the enforcement of Robert Mugabe’s departure by the military in Zimbabwe today.  In this case it was peacefully executed, and for the common good.

In your own life, you may forced to act, and hopefully it will be a peaceful event and for the common good also, but bear in mind that under this aspect there are elements in our society which will continue to have unruly drives which don’t help anyone.  In today’s removal of a tyrant, there is hope that constructive forces can outweigh the destructive ones.

A happier prospect to contemplate occurs on Tuesday (21st) when Venus sextiles Pluto.  Love and money prosper under this  combination.  Both Venus and Pluto represent money in Astrology, so it may be a good time for investments or cashing in insurance policies.  Love is not frivolous under this aspect, so it is not flirtatiousness which flourishes, but deep understanding and feeling, and coming to a new psychological level between you.

On Wednesday (22nd) the Sun enters Sagittarius, one of the more joyful sojourns for the Sun, and including the pre-Christmas warm up and planning festivities, taking us up to the Winter Solstice.  For those of us who enjoy the Sun in Sagittarius, this period goes a long way to dispelling the seasonal affective disorder of the lessening of the light.  For those who find it a strain, e.g. finding the money to fund all the jollity, it can be a positive time for philosophical contemplation, one of the resources of the Sun in Sagittarius.

Wednesday has an additional gift for us, in the fact that Neptune is stationary prior to turning Direct.  Neptune has been retrograde since the middle of June 2017, the 16th of that month to be precise.  Perhaps that was the beginning of a spiritual process of self-examination for you, for example in relation to sensing the suffering in the world.  So Wednesday may give the gift of extra spiritual lightness and the ability to move forward in this respect.  For example, some insight into how you can help someone, or balance your feelings and responsibilities in such a way that you do not feel overburdened.

The last gift of the week comes on Saturday (25th) in the form of Mercury trine Uranus, a mental light bulb of an aspect.  Minds work quickly under this aspect, computers tend to work more efficiently (which is fortuitous, timely and welcome because Mercury goes retrograde on December 3rd), and ideas can come from the realm of genius and invention (even from the future). It is a good aspect for scientific discovery, and weird and wonderful tales.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – keep a cool head
• Tuesday – a deeper level of relationship
• Wednesday – seasonal uplift, and spiritual progress
• Saturday – mental light bulbs

Cabinet Changes

Following the week of Westminster sexual harassment scandals, this week’s domestic politics was dominated by two unrelated dramas: Boris Johnson’s gaffe in the affair of the Iranian detainee Nazanin Zhagari-Ratcliffe, and Priti Patel’s resignation over unauthorized meetings with Israeli officials.  Jeremy Corbyn has called for Boris Johnson to resign this morning, for “shaming the nation”.  Theresa May continues to preside as leader of the Conservative Party, but on shifting sands.

Michael Fallon

Rewinding back a week or two, the first major casualty of the sexual harassment crisis was Michael Fallon.  It seemed to me that for the period of his tenure as Secretary of State for Defence (2014 – 2017) he was always sitting opposite Andrew Marr in interviews stubbornly defending the indefensible.  His chart equipped him admirably for this, with 5 (half) of his planets in the Fixed signs, and the Sun, Venus and Jupiter in the tactile sign of Taurus.  He seemed like a dependable rock for Theresa May.

It was an allegation of persistent knee-touching by the journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer (a fellow Taurean) which began his undoing, although there were subsequent accusations by others.  Their charts are similar in many ways, but she has a much more flamboyant personality.  How she managed to trigger the scandal for him is a karmic matter:  In their synastry, her Neptune (in this case scandal-mongering) squares exactly his Nodal Axis (karma).

Timing-wise, at the end of October when the scandal surfaced, Jupiter was opposite Michael Fallon’s Jupiter (chickens coming home to roost) and Neptune (scandal) was making three exact aspects to his planets, albeit harmonious ones: he seemed almost relieved to resign.  Julia Hartley-Brewer’s transits were a little more challenging, e.g. Pluto squaring her Nodal Axis, and notably the transit of Opportunity (Uranus trine her Jupiter) enabled her to bring this allegation forward.

Gavin Williamson

The fresh faced Gavin Williamson (previously the Chief Whip) replaced Michael Fallon on 2nd November 2017 as Secretary of State for Defence.  In her up-to-the-minute satirical programme, Tracey Ullman (see last week’s blog) actually managed to include him in a sketch on Friday, making fun of his ignorance of the armed forces.  Williamson is a Cancerian, and keeps his tarantula totem (named Chronus) on his desk (the tarantula featured in the sketch).  I suspect some Scorpio in the mix of his chart on the grounds of his attachment to the creature, though I don’t have a birth time for him.  He is a bit of a maverick, with Sun exactly trine Uranus, which may account for his sudden rise.  Uranus in Scorpio is also conjunct his North Node, and this may be connected with his karmic mission.  He has a strong desire to change things, and enjoys taking people by surprise.  Rowena Mason, writing in the Guardian, said: “Gavin Williamson has often been likened to Francis Urquhart, the ruthless parliamentary enforcer in Westminster TV drama House of Cards”.  At the Conservative conference he stated: “I don’t very much believe in the stick, but it’s amazing what can be achieved with a sharpened carrot”.  He has a reputation for slipperiness, and that may be connected with his close natal Mercury-Neptune opposition.  He notably helped Theresa May in her campaign to become leader, and assisted the government’s deal with the DUP which enabled her to retain power after the election she called.  Interestingly, in his relationship with Theresa May, his Pluto (power) is exactly conjunct her Sun.  It is always interesting to look at the charts of replacements in relation to those they replace, and Williamson’s Pluto is also conjunct Michael Fallon’s Saturn, and his Mars square exactly Fallon’s Sun.  The power of his Pluto in those relationships also points to a heavy emphasis of Scorpio in his chart.

Priti Patel

Priti Patel is an individualistic, uncompromising Aries, who was the poster girl for the Brexit campaign.  For reasons which are as yet unknown, she met privately with Israeli officials over the last few months, without official endorsement, and Theresa May has had to lean on her to resign this week.  With 6 Cardinal planets, she likes to lead, but with 0 Water planets she can be unemotional.  She is a gambler by nature (Sun square Jupiter), but this was one gamble too many.  An interesting feature of her chart is Mercury exactly conjunct Chiron in Aries: a mind suited to problem-solving, but unusual in its processes.  Thus many this week regarded her jaw dropping actions with puzzlement: “What could she have been thinking?” was a question in many minds, as in the Brexit campaign when it was a question often in the minds of Remainers.  Nevertheless, she says she has received much support, and seems popular within her party, and has kept smiling.  Some have said she has ambitions for the top job.  Her chart has many aspects, and her Mercury also has a square to Jupiter (likes to travel) and an opposition with Uranus (not afraid to be controversial).

A transit which has dominated her chart over the last year, and which was exact when she took office as Secretary of State for International Development (14th July 2016) and again exact when she took her holiday in Israel in August, is Pluto square her Uranus, encouraging her Inner Rebel on a self-destructive path.  It was on this holiday that her most daring act occurred:  meeting Israeli armed forces at the Golan Heights (occupied territories) and offering them financial aid for their medical work with Syrian refugees.  In the relationship of her chart to Israel’s, we find a personal bond of her Venus conjunct its Sun.  Its Pluto trines exactly her Mercury/Chiron conjunction.  Though we can see an intensity of relationship here, we still do not know its motive or source.  This week Pluto was still exactly square her Uranus – it is a deep and lengthy process.  But Jupiter is also sextile her Jupiter, and shows that something is keeping her upbeat.

Penny Mordaunt

Her replacement, Penny Mordaunt, is a different kettle of fish, with Venus, the Sun, the Moon and Mercury in the sign of Pisces (having appeared in the TV programme Splash).  She also has a karmic mission as a political warrior, in her Mars exactly conjunct North Node in Capricorn.  This conjunction sextiles her Sun exactly, emphasizing its power and purpose.  There could be a great deal of subtlety and flexibility in the way she operates (6 planets in Mutable signs), but she can also be strident (with the strong Mars).  She certainly has a love of power (Pluto closely trine Jupiter).  Her Nodal Axis also squares her Chiron exactly, so is used to dealing with crisis.  She is definitely one to watch.  Like her predecessor, she is a Brexiteer.

Boris Johnson

In one of his most damaging and horrifying gaffes in a long history of gaffes, Boris Johnson has endangered the life of a British citizen Nazanin Zhagari-Ratcliffe, who is being held in Iran after visiting relatives there to introduce them to her child.  In a casual remark, he stated that the purpose of her visit was to train journalists, and this statement may double her sentence.  He then made a half-hearted retraction in parliament, which went nowhere near a restoration of the situation.  Her future currently hangs in the balance.  Is this the gaffe too far which will unseat Boris?  His erstwhile enemy Michael Gove appeared on the Andrew Marr sofa this morning defending him.  Neptune is opposing his Pluto at the moment, which is a chaotic mindset.  Jupiter was trine his natal Saturn when he made the gaffe (1st November), which would normally make a person more upbeat: in Boris’s case it made him more careless and arrogant.  At the time of the gaffe, Neptune was opposing Nazanin’s natal Mercury, entrenching her incarceration.  At the time she was originally detained in Iran, Jupiter was square her Neptune (idealogical confusion), Saturn was on her Neptune, and Neptune opposite her Mercury (incarceration).  When she was sentenced a few months later, Saturn squared her natal Mercury (depression) and Pluto was square her Pluto (disempowerment). In her synastry with Boris, his Pluto (drama) is on her Mercury (causing additional mental strain).  His Uranus is also conjunct her Saturn (shock, horror!).  They also have opposed Saturns.  There is also a lively energy between them, in her Mars trine his Sun and His Mars sextile her Jupiter, which might help.  Can this crisis be brought back from the brink, and can he save her and his career?  Boris is meeting her husband soon, and there is talk that they may travel to Iran together.

Aspects

There are two contrasting aspects tomorrow: One in the morning (Venus conjunct Jupiter) and one in the evening (Mercury square Neptune) in the U.K.

Venus conjunct Jupiter brings a jubilant atmosphere, and is one of the most celebratory aspects in the annual round.  Perhaps you are celebrating, or even just experiencing a feeling of well-being.

The evening’s Mercury-Neptune square brings less clarity and certainty.  You may feel you have lost your way, or come across someone who has lost their way.  It is a complicated aspect for travellers.  Confusion and fogginess may be the prevailing influence.  It is not a good aspect for making decisions, for instance.  Wait for a better moment, if a decision is pressing.

Wait, if possible, until Thursday (16th), for the aspects perk up greatly and the rest of the week seems much more plain sailing.  We have two trines on Thursday, and may be winning in more than one area of our lives.  First, Venus trines Neptune, so perfect love is the order of the day.  You can continue from the theme of unconditional love from Monday and add an even more spiritual dimension.  It is an inspired day for the Arts, and especially dance.

This is followed by a trine between the Sun and Chiron, excellent for healing initiatives.  Healing through creativity is especially favoured, as is Creativity through healing.  It is a good day to encourage your Inner Healer to show what it has to offer.  So often we are shy in allowing it to emerge and shine, unless we have an overzealous Inner Rescuer, in which case we may need to practise restraint and subtlety!

Friday (17th) continues the positive theme, with Mercury sextile Mars.  This is much more of a doing aspect than a being aspect.  You can get productive, increase your running and cycling speeds, sharpen your mind, and communicate with directness, under this aspect.  This aspect is busy, busy, busy!

We are working our way this week to a New Moon in Scorpio at 26 degrees of that sign on Saturday (18th).  Therefore we may be clearing out some clutter during the course of the week, to enable a clear space to honour our intentions and plans for the next month.  New Moon in Scorpio is one of the most intense New Moons of the year, and one of the most powerful, as the inner drive comes from the deepest emotions, sometimes those we are unaware of consciously. In cultivating our Inner Scorpion power, it is a good idea to ensure that in our thoughts and actions we are not harming anyone, including ourselves.  The Hindu concept of Ahimsa (harmlessness) is the bottom line for a karma carefree New Moon.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – a foundation of love, and mental confusion
• Thursday – artistic and musical inspiration, and healing initiatives
• Friday – productive and brisk
• Saturday – new beginning

Tracey Ullman

I watch the news as diligently as the next person, and only switch off from it as a last resort.  I feel the need to be informed, to a degree, and to know where to send healing thoughts.  This week, as the allegations of sexual harassment in Westminster piled up (and much as I applaud the outing of the perpetrators), I began to long for some good news, or even some laughter (I was on the verge of buying “Private Eye”).  This ability to laugh at the world of politics was provided on Friday evening by the outstandingly gifted Tracey Ullman whose impressions and inspired scripts had me nearly falling off the sofa.

The evening’s viewing (and I apologize for two television blogs in a row) started in a surreal way, watching Celebrity Gogglebox.  The actual Jeremy Corbyn, Liam Gallagher and Sharon and Ozzy Osborne were watching programmes I had seen this week (University Challenge and Strictly) or half seen (Nigella Lawson’s “At My Table”).  Then I turned over to watch Tracey impersonating Jeremy Corbyn on Gogglebox watching television.  Sheer genius.

I have been sold on her portrayals of Angela Merkel and Nicola Sturgeon in previous series, and can’t get enough of them.  This week Tracey’s Angela Merkel was beguiled into a trade treaty with Emmanuel Macron.  And Tracey is surrounded by talent, too: A John McDonnell watching television with Jeremy Corbyn was a convincing look and sound-a-like, as was the Mhairi Black she has as a sidekick to her Nicola Sturgeon.  Tracey’s super-capable Clare Balding was a revelation, completely out of the blue!

Birth Chart

What intimations of such comedy genius are shown in a birth chart?  Surely not Sun conjunct Saturn in Capricorn, with the Moon also in Capricorn?  But that is what she has in her chart.  It’s the ability to look grimly at political reality and extract the humour, presumably.  If she did not look at it so closely with such an eye for detail, she would not be able to create such exquisite observational humour.  Much more understandable in terms of what she does is her triple conjunction of Mercury, Jupiter and Mars in Sagittarius trine Uranus (quick humour and sharp wit with the capacity to surprise, topically produced in one week, in her programme titled “Tracey breaks the News”).  She says of her childhood “our defence against hardship was having a great sense of humour”.

History

I was heartbroken when she moved to America in 1985, having provided us with great entertainment with Lenny Henry and David Copperfield in “Three of a Kind” (and she had also found success in singing).  But the U.S.A. was where her destiny led her (her success there  was predicted by a clairvoyant when she was young).  She married producer Allan McKeown in 1983, and moved with him to the U.S. where she eventually created “The Tracey Ullman Show” which was highly successful. We did view it here in the U.K. for a while, and I remember the birth of The Simpsons, which started out as an interlude on that show. Neptune was on her Sun at the debut of that show and sextile her Neptune – among other things, Neptune represents impressions, which are one of her major talents.  Ruby Wax has said of her: “She’s just brilliant–a bloodsucker of personalities. You walk away, and she’s taken a little bit of your brain.”  Could it be that she channels (Neptune) live characters?

Marriage

Tracey found personal happiness with Allan in America, and they had two children together.  Her Mars and Jupiter were sextile his Jupiter, an upbeat combination.  They had married under a transit of excitement (Mars sextile her Uranus) and one of healing (Jupiter trine her Chiron).

Her father had died when she was 6 years old, and Allan too was to die at a relatively young age of 67. At Allan’s death Uranus was squaring Tracey’s conjunction of Sun and Saturn, and it proved to be a marked change (Uranus) in her life, as she moved back to the U.K.

Back to the U.K.

Her new show in the U.K. first aired on 9th January 2016, with Neptune sextile her natal Sun and trine her natal Neptune (again a triumph for Neptune and Impressions). We do not have her birth time, but in her natal chart her Sun/Saturn is exactly sextile Neptune.  So the inspirational planet Neptune is a key planet for her, and I wonder therefore if she has its sign Pisces rising. She has gone from strength to strength with the new format, and continues to delight, with regular impressions she has kept in the mix such as Camilla, and new ones she has created such as Clare Balding.

So thank you, Tracey, for being the answer to a prayer this week!

Aspects

It’s a sunny morning here in Norfolk, a fine start to the week, just as Mercury is preparing to leave Scorpio and enter Sagittarius this evening.  Mercury in Scorpio has provided a great deal of talk of sexual harassment since the exposure of Harvey Weinstein (no pun intended), which I wrote about on 15th October.  The mental focus from tonight and lasting until the second week in January will be wider, and where applied to sexual harassment will tend to look at the wider implications rather than just the initial revelations: impact on society, male-female relations going forward, philosophical considerations, and the law and lawsuits, all domains of Sagittarius.

In our own lives, we may be able to dream further, take the longer view, look forward more to a brighter future, despite the dire news.  It is a matter of hope that society will be much better off now that it has become easier to talk about the issues of sexual harassment, power abuse and male domination etc.  Mercury in Scorpio focuses on the secrets, and Mercury in Sagittarius makes it easier to talk more honestly and openly.  The Harvey Weinstein watershed came just as Jupiter was about to go into the sign of Scorpio (sexuality), when it was just at the end of working through Libra (relationships), so highlighted the need to heal a fundamental issue about relationships.  So Jupiter has only just started its work in Scorpio (it stays a year in one sign) and looks to have a healthy effect on our lives.  In November 2018 Jupiter will move into Sagittarius, and so in experiencing Mercury in Sagittarius at this time we will be having a foretaste of what Jupiter in Sagittarius will be able to do for us.  Mercury in Sagittarius is a good placing for our general morale.

There’s another change of planetary sign on Tuesday (7th) when Venus enters Scorpio. Whereas Mercury is about what we focus on mentally, Venus is about where our feelings are.  So in our feelings, and examination of relationships, we are going from Venus in Libra (which is about love and relationship) to a deeper examination, e.g. what experiences we have had in the realm of sexuality, psychology, and the more intimate aspects of relating.  What do we feel about it all, and where do we want to take our emotional lives now, especially now that there is an opportunity for change in our society?  Venus is only staying a short while in Scorpio, until 1st December, so this intensive investigation period of love and feelings is a window of opportunity, before Venus enters the more expansive sign of Sagittarius.

Thursday (9th) brings a meaty aspect we can really do something with, Sun sextile Pluto!  Important concerns can come to deep resolution around this time, especially if we have been consciously working on our psychology.  This is an important stepping stone towards Saturday’s major aspect.  Power is one of the issues we can work on profitably at this time, i.e. the correct use of power, and the correct balance of power in relation to others.  If you are in command of yourself, own your power and take responsibility, then all should flow well in relation to others.

The nub of the week comes right at the end, on Saturday (11th), with a trine between Saturn and Uranus, the co-operation between tradition and innovation.  This trine is as constructive as last week’s “big” aspect of Saturn square Chiron was difficult to negotiate.  It may not feel particularly joyful or carefree, but it may feel as though some hard work during the past few months has paid off.  The aspect last appeared in the middle of May this year, for your diary referencing.  Engineering and social projects are especially favoured.  This aspect could be especially significant for Capricorns and Aquarians.

On the same day the Nodal Axis squares the Sun, bringing power issues within groups to the fore.  This may be linked with the action of Saturn and Uranus which among other things represents wide scale initiatives in connection with administration and groups.  The positioning of the Nodal Axis will ensure karmic justice within the structure of projects and power balances, though there may be a few personality clashes (you can’t always please everyone).

The week in bullet points:

• Today – a wider view
• Tuesday – a deeper feeling
• Thursday – a more significant accomplishment
• Saturday – the most important day

Strictly Come Dancing – Part 3

It has been an electrifying season on the dance floor!  There are five remaining contestants I haven’t yet written about, so I will aim to cover them all.  This Halloween weekend Head Judge Shirley Ballas was more critical than ever, but crowned Debbie McGee for her amazing Charleston.  I predicted the three finalists last year, and have only just realized (read on…!)

Susan Calman

Comedian and presenter Susan Calman is a Sun in Scorpio, and there has been much written lately about how she overcame her demons to get to this point in her life.  I have to say she is one of my favourites, and it is something about the spirit with which she engages in the competition.  She is fascinating to watch.  There is a great deal of emotion in her make-up, with half her planets (5) in Water signs.  She may also struggle to be grounded, with 0 Earth planets.  However, she has such a strong energy that it seems to make up for any innate lack of grounding.  She also seems to be able to take up any challenge presented to her, which is another Scorpio trait.  In her chart, she does have the musicality required, in Venus exactly conjunct her Sun.  She can be hot headed (Moon square Mars, although we don’t know how close that is, because we do not have a birth time).  She has a quick and inventive brain, with Mercury conjunct Uranus, which serves her well as a comedian.  Her great energy comes from Mars trine closely Jupiter, which ensures that she approaches everything she does with great enthusiasm.  Jupiter square Neptune can produce religious or spiritual confusion, which may have been part of her past struggles.  Saturn square Chiron also may have caused some of her depression.  Neptune conjunct her North Node favours her prowess and progress in the medium of dance.  Her transits at the moment show Uranus opposite her Mercury (nervous energy), and Neptune square her Nodal Axis (dance karma), challenges which showed up in yesterday’s dance.  At the end of the series she will have Jupiter on her Sun/Venus, a great sense of triumph.  Neptune will still be square her Nodal Axis, plus Pluto will be opposite her Saturn (perhaps a sense of anti-climax or deflation).  My guess is that Kevin will truly take her to the heights of her potential.  It may inspire a memorable punchline, or some new comedy routines.  Sadly though, in spite of my own enthusiasm, she received one of her poorest scores this week (what do I know about dance?) and she landed quite low on the leaderboard…

Who can forget the moment she was partnered with Kevin Clifton, her long time idol?  He was in the final last year, and one wondered if she would do him justice.  I think she has proved worthy of this popular professional in her commitment.  I have written in the past that he has “great natural elegance with several planets in Libra”.    There is also great dexterity, with Mercury sextile Uranus”.  Kevin’s transits at the moment are the North Node sextile his Sun (good for performance), Saturn sextile his Saturn (strong and stable), Saturn on his Neptune (some struggle), Chiron square his Neptune (healing and complexity), and Uranus opposite his Pluto (challenges).  It is not an easy time for him, and perhaps there is a lot going on in his personal life.  At the end of the contest he has a Jupiter Return, which is a brilliant transit (his Jupiter in their synastry is conjunct her Sun/Venus exactly – a joyful liaison).  Uranus will be opposite his Saturn, so he may be feeling the strain physically, but Uranus trines his Neptune, which is more helpful.  Chiron is still square his Neptune, but I think he will end on a high, pleased with his hard work.

Jonnie Peacock

Jonnie Peacock is a light-on-his-feet Geminian, and the first amputee paralympian to take part in Strictly Come Dancing.  His sport is running, which is associated with the sign of Gemini.  In his chart, Mercury sextiles Venus and he may later develop writing or broadcasting talents.  Mercury is also sextile his Chiron, so he also has an ability for problem-solving.  Mars conjunct Chiron probably represents an injury (his amputation was as the result of meningitis as a child) and Pluto square his Chiron the seriousness of that injury.  He has the highly complex conjunction (exact) of Uranus-Neptune in Capricorn, common to those born in his year (1993).  In the competition, he has proved himself more than equal to the other competitors, with consistently good marks. He makes an elegant male lead in the ballroom dances. This week he has Mars on his Jupiter, lending extra energy and enthusiasm to his performance.  But like Susan, his performance dipped a little this week. At the end of the contest Saturn will be sextile his Saturn (strong and stable).  I think he will do well in the competition, but fall short of the final.

Jonnie is partnered by Oti Mabuse.  Last year, she partnered Danny Mac, and I wrote on October 23rd (2016):

“I think they will make the final, but may just be pipped to the post by Ore or Louise.”

I wrote about Oti:

“He [Danny, 2016] is partnered with newcomer Oti Mabuse, who so far has done a brilliant job of bringing out excellence.  She is very grounded (5 Earth planets) and instinctual (0 Air planets).  She’s a Sun in Leo performer, with a very driven Sun/Mars/Pluto T-square.  She has Mercury exactly trine Neptune (dance inspiration) which forms a Grand Trine with Mars.”

In her synastry with Jonnie, there may be quite a spark between them because her Sun is exactly conjunct his Mars – they will certainly connect well energetically.  There may be some communication problems, with her Mercury exactly square his North Node.  His Pluto trines her Venus, so he can inspire greater depth in her performance.  But there is a difficult conjunction of his Neptune on her Saturn, and an abrasive square between his Mars and her Pluto.  However, it highlights her own exact natal Sun/Pluto square, so the solution may lie within her.  At this time, Pluto is trine Oti’s Mars, giving her a superhuman energy, plus Neptune is sextile her Neptune, so she is sensitively and spiritually balanced right now.  At the end of the contest the Nodal Axis squares her natal Mars, so karmically it may not be her turn to win or she may have a physical problem.  Neptune still sextiles Neptune.  But Jupiter is on her Pluto, so she feels a sense of triumph: a psychological victory.

Gemma Atkinson

Hollyoaks actor Gemma seems to be improving week by week in the contest. With half (5) of her planets in the Fixed signs, Moon in Leo, and Sun conjunct Saturn in Scorpio, she is very strong willed.  Like Susan Calman, she has Mercury conjunct Uranus (a quick and inventive brain) – in Gemma’s chart this conjunction is exact.  She is graced with Venus conjunct Neptune, which is a refined musical sense and dance ability.  I much admired her cat performance of the Charleston to “Bare Necessities” from Jungle Book in Week 3.  Around this time she has Neptune sextile her Jupiter, so she will be confident and inspired, but the Nodal Axis squares her Saturn so there may be an awkward decision made on her behalf, or a wardrobe malfunction or something similar.  She won high praise from the judges, however, yesterday.  At the end of the contest, she still has that sextile from Neptune.  She will have lost that awkward snag of Nodal Axis square her Saturn, but Saturn will be on her Neptune, which may result in a disappointment, such as not quite making it to the final.

She is partnered with Aljaz Skorjanec, of whom I wrote in 2015: “Aljaz Skorjanec is an out and out Capricorn with several planets in that sign, but normally fairly lucky with Sun exactly trine Jupiter.”  In their synastry, they have a good attunement, especially for dance, with her Neptune sextile his Sun.  Personally, they would get on well with her Sun sextile his Venus, too. At this time,  Pluto  is sextile Aljaz’s Pluto, so he is empowered.  At the end of the competition, Saturn will be sextile his Sun (a job well done), and Jupiter will be sextile his Mars (he will be fired up with enthusiasm).  But the Nodal Axis will be square his Pluto, which suggests that the karma will not support a win, and that they may not quite make the final, as Gemma’s transits also suggest.

Aston Merrygold

Aston came to fame via X Factor and the successful boy band JLS, the same vintage as Alexandra Burke (2008).  He got off to an amazing start in week 1, and looks as though he was born to dance.  He has a predominance of Fire in his chart (6 planets), and that can be an asset in the Latin dances.  He has a strong physical energy (Mars exactly sextile his Sun), and tremendous enthusiasm (Sun closely sextile Jupiter), plus the combination of energy with enthusiasm (Jupiter trine closely Mars).  That’s great for being in a boy band, and quite an asset on the dance floor.  He also has Mars conjunct Uranus, which gives him an electrical quality to his energy.  Bruno summed it all up in week 1 as “raw power”.  The line up of his female planets (Moon and Venus) is more complex, but he is about to become a father, so he will soon garner experience in that field.  At this point in time Saturn is sextile his Sun, so he is a steady force.  Saturn is on his Mars, so he is not quite reaching his potential.  Uranus is on his Jupiter, so he is on fire, despite that!  Neptune is also trine his Pluto, so he knows what he is doing on a deep level – I feel he is not playing all his cards immediately, but if he stays in the competition we could see a lot more from him.  But his Paso Doble this week was absolutely stunning, danced to “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, and he received two 10s – so maybe he is now showing his potential.  Bruno said he married tradition and innovation (an exact representation of his natal exact Uranus-Saturn conjunction).  At the end of the competition, Uranus is sextile his Sun and trine his Mars – if he is in the final, we could see some very exciting work from him.  He will also be experiencing his Saturn Return, so he is experiencing that watershed time of responsibility which comes from that part of the Saturn cycle around the age of 29.  That may be more to do with impending fatherhood.  Saturn will be on his Uranus, which is as natally, so it may be a time of upheaval.  Neptune will still be trine his Pluto, holding him to a deeper sense of purpose in his life.

He is paired with Janette Manrara, of whom I wrote in 2015: “She is a sultry Scorpio, with enthusiastic planets in Sagittarius.”  She and Aston actually have exactly squared Suns, which can create conflict on a lower level, but can work if both are raising their game spiritually.  Aston’s Neptune sextile’s Janette’s Saturn, so her practicality works well with his spirituality.  His Saturn sextiles her Pluto, moreover, so her deeper psychology works well with his practicality, too.  As his Uranus is exactly conjunct his Saturn, his Intuition combines with his practicality naturally, which can be complex, but I think in his case, and in their case, it works.  At this point in time, Mars is sextile her Mercury, so she is mildly excitable.  At the end of the contest Saturn squares her Mars (there is some sort of physical challenge), but Saturn is sextile her Pluto which is steadying.  Her transits at that time are not as strong as Aston’s, but he may still do well on his own merits (Janette may be preoccupied at that time).

Mollie King

Mollie is known for being a member of the girl band The Saturdays.  She has Sun in Gemini, but with Saturn in opposition to her Sun she may sometimes suffer a lack of confidence in her abilities.  Mercury conjuncts Mars in her chart, so she actually has good co-ordination, and quick mental reflexes.  That picture is complicated though by Neptune exactly opposing Mars (so she can be absent-minded at times), but strengthened by Pluto trine exactly her Mercury (giving her a very strong mind, and psychological perceptiom).  Mars is closely trine Pluto in her chart, so she is gifted with superhuman energy when she is totally engaged in a project.  With Jupiter trine her Saturn/Uranus she has a balanced judgement, and entrepreneurial skills capable of surprising people.  Jupiter sextile Chiron also gives her healing gifts.  She has three squares to her Nodal Axis, though, which means she may have some tricky karma to negotiate in this lifetime.  Right now Saturn is on her Uranus, so the planets are repressing her a little, and Chiron squares her Uranus, but there is still time for a shift in planetary patterns.  At the end of the series, the North Node will be trine her Saturn, rewarding her karmically for hard work.  Uranus will also be trine exactly her Uranus, giving her extra power to surprise.

She is partnered with A.J Pritchard  and they are rumoured to be close; they seemed to hit it off from the very beginning.  Last year was his debut and I wrote: “He has Venus, Sun, North Node, Jupiter and Pluto in Scorpio.  He also has the sensitive and complex conjunction of Neptune and Uranus which occurred in the early 1990s”.  Is their synastry as good as they say?  Well, her Mars is exactly trine his Venus, which does signify a romantic attraction.  Who knows where that may lead…Do his transits support their hopes in the competition?  At this time he has Saturn sextile his Mercury, so his own dancing is super precise.  At the end of the competition, Uranus is opposite his Mercury, which may unsettle him a little mentally.  Mars will be trine his Saturn, which is not unhelpful, but not enough for a win.

Aspects

The tone of most of the week, up to Friday, is quite unusually karmic, involving as it does aspects to the North Node and Chiron.  The clocks are going back this morning, but the blog will be posted early.

Tomorrow (Monday 30th) Mercury squares the Nodal Axis, which begins the karmic theme.  This aspect brings up karmic information, and the need to attend to detail in your work and communications.  A time of karmic recalibration, especially in relation to groups.

Tuesday (31st) presents another aspect to the North Node, Venus sextile the North Node, but one which is much smoother and easier.  If you are trying to resolve some relationship karma, this is a time you can succeed in that.  Happy Halloween!

Thursday (2nd November) brings a trine between Mercury and Chiron, and Chiron often has a bearing on karma, though it is more usually associated with healing.  Mercury trine Chiron brings the possibility of bringing more than one healing modality together in harmony with another, and is helpful for health matters generally, e.g. check ups.  It is also helpful for problem-solving.  There may be a past life element to any solutions you encounter today.  Something lost may be found.

Another, more powerful, aspect on Thursday could be more unsettling, a square between Saturn and Chiron.  It was last encountered on April 30th, if you are able to refer back to that date in your diary for guidance.  There may be an opportunity to confront a long standing problem head on, but be sensitive and protective in your approach.

Friday (3rd) may consolidate your progress, with Venus sextile Saturn.  Loyalty and commitment may bring healing in relationships.  You know where you stand.

In the evening the Sun trines Neptune,  the best aspect of the week.  This combines Power and Creativity with Spirituality and Sensitivity.  It is particularly good for dance rehearsals, for those remaining contestants aiming now to get to Blackpool week.  If you have a vision, the planets are supportive of holding that vision.

Saturday (4th) is a little more tricky, or possibly hair raising in places, with an opposition between Venus and Uranus, and a Full Moon.  The Venus-Uranus opposition takes place at 5.02 a.m., so you may sleep through it and feel a bit jolted on waking.  It represents the element of the unexpected in relationships, so later in the day you may bump into an awkward customer.

The Full Moon in Taurus takes place only 21 minutes later, so the two events may come as a package, all rolled into one.  As Full Moons go, although there is tension Moon in Taurus is calmer than most.  You may fall out of the wrong side of bed, for instance, but take  it entirely in your stride.  This Full Moon is sextile Neptune, so there may even be an inspirational idea which arises at that time, or a silver lining.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – karmic information
• Tuesday – smooth karma
• Thursday – difficulties, but you can use your head
• Friday – love with loyalty; creativity with spirituality
• Saturday – awkward surprises; some tension

Brexit Update

When we were in Paris recently, we got chatting to some Californians from Los Angeles.  They were apologizing about Donald Trump, and we were embarrassed about Brexit.  Brexit seems to have reached a virtual impasse, with Theresa May reporting slight progress having been made with the EU, but Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron unimpressed.  There will now be a break in negotiations until Christmas.  I thought it would be a good time to review the subject.

The March Trigger

Our referendum which decided 52% of the population were in favour of Brexit took place on 23rd June 2016.  This triggered a change of leadership in the Conservative Party, and Theresa May took over from David Cameron on 13th July 2016.  She intended to steer us through Brexit, but it was not until 29th March 2017 that article 50 was triggered, beginning the process, for completion on 29th March 2019. This took place under the Jupiter-Pluto square (power struggle). Since then, it appears that nothing has really happened.

The trigger was an important moment for the chart of the European Union, as the North Node (karma) was transiting its Pluto (deep transformations).  In addition, Saturn was on its Mercury (necessitating new contracts) and Chiron was square its Mercury (restructuring of communications).  The only glimmer of light was Jupiter sextile its Saturn.

EU Players

Jean-Claude Juncker

Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, has shown himself to be less than friendly towards the U.K.   Despite having the Sun in Sagittarius, I would describe Jean-Claude Juncker’s chart as quite stark.  He has an individualistic unaspected Sun,  an irascible Mercury square Mars (the Critic Archetype), Venus conjunct Saturn (which can be hardline), a combative Mars opposite Pluto, Mars sextile North Node (leadership), North Node in Capricorn (karmic role as political authoritarian), Jupiter conjunct Uranus (Entrepreneur Archetype) and Jupiter square Neptune (confusion over religion and spirituality, though brought up Roman Catholic).  He has a powerful trine of Pluto to the Galactic Centre.

Michel Barnier

We have a birth time for Michel Barnier, I am delighted to say.  He was appointed European Chief Negotiator for the United Kingdom Exiting the European Union, on 6th December 2016.  Was this a good role for him?  He had a Mars Return at the time, suitable for the warriorship he needs, from his point of view.  Jupiter was square his Sun, which was a bit of a gamble.  Saturn trine his Pluto, giving him gravitas for his role.  Saturn was square his Midheaven, so a difficult path for him.  Uranus sextile his Mars provides energy in the role, however.  Does he have a more congenial chart than Juncker?  He is a Capricorn, so can be authoritarian.  But Neptune is exactly square his Sun natally, so he may be more swayed than Juncker.  He may also be more confused than his statements lead us to believe.  Like Juncker he has leadership (Sun sextile Midheaven and North Node).  His Career (Midheaven) and Karmic Mission (North Node)  are as one, conjunct, in the sign of Pisces.  With the heavy Neptune/Pisces emphasis, he would weigh things up finely.  He has Moon conjunct Mars, so emotionally he can react with swiftness.  Mercury sextiles Jupiter in his chart, so he has bargaining skills.  But Mercury is also caught up in a T-square with Uranus and Saturn, and that may cause hold ups, even with those bargaining skills.  Mercury is conjunct Chiron, so he has problem-solving skills, in a chart dominated by the Air element, so intellect is important to him.  His Venus trines Saturn, which is a little warmer than Juncker’s conjunction of those two planets.  Mars exactly opposite Pluto makes him even more combative potentially than Juncker!  They do have great similarities.  His Jupiter trine exactly Uranus mirrors Juncker’s conjunction of those two planets (The Entrepreneur).  They could work very well together.  On This Week however, Yanis Varoufakis, having learned a great deal through being the Greek Finance Minister at one time, advised that he would not negotiate with Michel Barnier!

UK Players

Divisions within our cabinet are not helping our image in Europe.  Theresa May is held in place by fear  of any alternative.  One of the contentious issues is whether No Deal is a good deal, and a great sticking point is how much we should pay the E.U. and when.  Also, should we or should we not have a transitional period?

David Davis

David Davis, Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, another ambitious Capricorn, has seemed to have blustered his way through the process, attempting to persuade us he has been making progress, but looking constantly embarrassed behind podiums.  With 6 planets in the Cardinal signs, he likes to take a leadership role, though for many years he was on the fringes of power after an unsuccessful leadership bid.  He has 0 Water planets, so may be able to take a dispassionate role towards his own project.  His Sun conjunct Jupiter makes him quite optimistic, so he has a tendency to bounce back from adversity.  His maverick quality within his own party is shown by Uranus opposing his Capricorn Sun.  With Mercury exactly conjunct Jupiter, on paper, he ought to perform well in negotiation.    But maybe his cause is not an easy one, and his opponents stronger than himself.  Mercury also trines Saturn closely in his chart, so there is also some realism, in a chart dominated by Earth planets.  He just doesn’t seem to be getting there though.  At the time Brexit was triggered, the North Node was trine his Sun (he had campaigned for it for many years; his time had come, to show us what he could do).  But Saturn was also opposite his Uranus, so he has found boulders all along the way.

Liam Fox

Virgoan Liam Fox, Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade, if anything looks more embarrassed and uncomfortable than David Davis.  He looked like a rabbit in the headlights being interviewed about Brexit on the Andrew Marr show this morning.  He is responsible specifically for our trade negotiations, and has admitted in the last few months that he has not achieved anything (because he is not yet in a position to do so, reportedly, until there is further progress in the general negotiations).  Despite being ambitious, he has a very chequered political history, with some notable failures.  Does his astrological chart bear this out, or is there more promise to be found therein?  He has Sun closely trine Jupiter, so like David Davis can be optimistic. But his Jupiter is conjunct Saturn, so he can sometimes chase his own tail.  He has Mercury conjunct exactly Mars, so can have extremely quick mental reactions, which may be hasty at times.  Mercury sextiles his North Node exactly, so trade is a suitable area for him in a way.  He has Venus conjunct exactly Uranus in Leo, so privately may be more colourful than he seems outwardly.  Mars square Jupiter is extremely enthusiastic, in his chosen ventures, and he has been an advocate for Brexit for some time.  But he is also very cautious, with Mars exactly square Saturn, a combination which can leave him stuck at times.  When Brexit was triggered, Uranus was opposite Mercury, causing some mental strain, and also square his Saturn, emphasizing that although he had been waiting for this it was at the same time a shock to his system.  But Saturn was trine his Uranus, and he took up the new role.

Boris Johnson

As Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson has given new meaning to the role, that of agent provocateur.  Aside from the jokes about his look-a-like across the pond who is also abrasive, he has lived up to his reputation of upsetting apple carts around the world.  He has also intervened with sniping comments at his fellow Conservatives’ handling of Brexit, but when challenged as to whether he wants to replace Theresa May, he soft pedals.  He has generally kept the Conservative Party and the Brexit process on its toes, without contributing anything of substance.  With Sun exactly conjunct Venus in Gemini in his birth chart, the lovable rogue persona is beginning to wear a little thin, within the Conservative Party as well as with the general public.

Kier Starmer

Keir Starmer, the Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, has been a solid presence by Jeremy Corbyn’s side since 6 October 2016, having previously established his integrity in the role as Director of Public Prosecutions.  With Sun exactly conjunct Pluto in Virgo, he has great depth of character.  He does have the potentially irritable Mercury-Mars square shared by Jean-Claude Juncker, and the leadership of Mars sextile Sun, so is not a pushover.  It has been widely suspected that Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Labour Party, was pro-Brexit, but he recently revealed that he voted remain.  However, the Labour Party is trying to build a constructive Brexit policy, through Keir Starmer, in case they have to take up the reins, which would not be an easy task.  Keir Starmer has a quiet but determined air about him which conveys confidence.  One of the greatest assets he has in his chart is Mars exactly trine Jupiter, action combined with confidence and enthusiasm.  If you recall, Liam Fox has these two planets in square aspect to each other, which does not so easily get results, and can overreach the mark.  Starmer also has a Grand Trine in the Water element, of Mars, Neptune and Jupiter/Chiron, which can bring healing to situations.  Pluto on the Sun is not easy, however, and Saturn on the South Node means he has brought some difficult karma in with this incarnation, but so far in his career he has performed well and overcome obstacles (e.g. he joined Corbyn’s force at an unpromising time, before the more recent rise in elective popularity).

Christmas

The next phase of Brexit negotiations is due to take place around Christmas.  What sort of Christmas is in store for Theresa May?  It does seem very mixed, with the North Node sextile her Mercury (good for negotiation), but Chiron opposite her Mercury (a bit of a headache), Neptune on her Mars (some confusion), Chiron trine her Saturn (some issue settled), Uranus opposite her Neptune (more complexity revealed), and Uranus trine Pluto (perhaps a breakthrough).  Saturn opposes the United Kingdom Pluto, which is not too happy a picture.  Jupiter trines the European Union Uranus, which is a success for the E.U. – because of or despite the Brexit issue?

March 2019

The culmination of the process is due to take place on 29th March 2019.  Whether these players still be in their places, or whether the picture will look very different, remains to be seen.  The day itself has two murky conjunctions: Mercury conjunct Neptune in Pisces (mental confusion) and Moon conjunct Pluto in Capricorn (difficult emotions).  Juncker will have Neptune square his Sun (confusion); Saturn will square Barnier’s Neptune (depressive), but Pluto will be sextile his North Node (maybe he will succeed in his aims); David Davis will have Saturn on his Mars (frustration, if not a sense of defeat), and Uranus will be on his North Node (a change in his destiny);  Mars will be square Liam Fox’s Uranus (a little hazardous), but Jupiter will be sextile his Mars/Mercury (so if he is still in this role, he will feel some sense of triumph).  Pluto will be also square his Mars and on his Saturn though, so he may feel a bit burnt out.  Keir Starmer has few transits at that time, so he may not be in the same role.  But the transit he does have is Uranus trine exactly his Uranus, which brings welcome big change into his life, perhaps pastures new.

Next Week: Strictly Come Dancing – Part 3

Aspects

This evening Mars enters Libra, so the God of War is leaving the hardworking sign of Virgo where the work ethos will have been stimulated, and entering the Sign of Peace, which is always an interesting scenario.  It means that Peace and War have to interract, and negotiate, and can no longer ignore each other.  Either one can prevail, but they do have to try and acknowledge each other and if possible make progress.  Whether you have an ongoing tussle in your circle, or are interested in the wider world picture, this movement of Mars could be crucial, especially if you have experienced an impasse.  The Middle East peace processes seem as stuck as ever at this time, but the long-running outer war with ISIS seems to have reached a watershed this week, with the regaining of Raqqa.  Of course we have not yet solved the war within our own countries, the terrorism inspired by ISIS.  And the process of negotiation with ISIS seems near impossible, but Mars entering Libra gives fresh incentive and new peace energy.  Mars stays in Libra until 9th December.

Tomorrow (23rd) there is another ingress, this time Sun entering Scorpio.  So in some ways, the tone is going from that of peacemaking to the “driving a hard bargain” which is much more characteristic of Scorpio.  Brexit of course is shelved until Christmas, but there are other battles to fight, and Mars in Libra and Sun in Scorpio will be engaging us both in negotiations and battles, even those of us who profess not to have an Inner Warrior Archetype.  In matters where we have a deep inner resolve and conviction, we will keep our determination going for the next month.

The aspect which occurs on Tuesday (24th) is a harmonious union of mental and spiritual energy (Mercury trine Neptune).  It is a good day for chilling out and connecting with your inner spiritual sources, especially for Geminis and Virgos.  Pisceans will be able to firm up their mental processes, and focus more easily.  A good day for chanting your favourite mantra, and staying on that wavelength.

Hope springs eternal that Thursday’s (26th) conjunction of Sun conjunct Jupiter in Scorpio comes up with the goods to match its reputation as one of the luckiest days of the year.  It will be an especially happy influence for Sagittarians, Leos and Scorpios, with a feel good factor generally.  Success can be yours, whether it be an interview, an audition, or a £2 lottery flutter.  Even if you are naturally cautious, you may venture slightly more boldly on Thursday.

Saturday (28th) advises us, through Venus square Pluto, to rein in our expectations a little more.  This square takes place at 3.21 a.m. in the U.K., so may invade your dream life.  Relationships could be challenging, and demand truth and depth of response.  If a heart to heart is long overdue with a loved one, you may need to face it with honesty and courage.  There may be more revelations about sexual harrassment, e.g. more allegations against Harvey Weinstein, or another wave of people posting “Me Too” on Facebook.

Another aspect only 4 minutes later, Mercury sextile Pluto, could help the coming to terms of the Venus square Pluto, in rationalizing (but not superficially) your feelings.  So you may wake up with a nightmare, and be able to re-set your dream life with more positivity.  If you sleep through the two aspects, you may wake with an insight about your relationships or a close relationship.  The combination may be very helpful in showing you how you need to proceed.

Carrying on into the day on Saturday you will be aware of emotional issues and psychological solutions and hopefully be able to bring the two together, perhaps in dialogue with loved ones.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – war and peace
• Tomorrow – increased resolve
• Tuesday – mind and soul unite
• Thursday – luck and hope
• Saturday – psychological explorations

Harvey Weinstein

“I came of age in the 60s and 70s, when all the rules about behaviour and workplaces were different”

~ Harvey Weinstein

There’s no birth time for Film Producer Harvey Weinstein, but there is still much of interest to discover about this man who managed for years to conceal evidence of his sexual harassment of women, a story which has dominated the media this week.

Birth Chart

Disclaimer: If you have any of the features in his birth chart described here, that does not mean that you have the same proclivities.  The truth lies in the combined factors of a chart, and the Soul’s choices.

Weinstein has a commanding 6 planets in the Cardinal signs.  His Sun sign Pisces is traditionally that of the genius, but has also been known as the “sign of self-undoing”.

The Moon sextile Venus in his chart indicates a love of massage – apparently one of his ploys in trying to seduce young actresses!  The Moon may also have been opposite Uranus, making him emotionally abrasive if so.

Mercury conjunct Jupiter in his chart was the successful Entrepreneur.  Film is specifically a province of Pisces (“All my life I served one master: the film. I love movies”), but he was hugely successful in the production of many films, such as Shakespeare in Love, The English Patient, Pulp Fiction and The King’s Speech. He acquired 300 Oscar nominations.

His conjunction of Mercury and Jupiter in Aries was involved in a complex double opposition with Saturn and Neptune in Libra.  While Mercury/Jupiter was upbeat mentally, Saturn/Neptune would drag down his moods, a pattern difficult to resolve.

Mercury trine Pluto bestows a powerful mind, which can be very persuasive, especially on the casting couch (Pluto).

His sexuality (Mars in Scorpio square Pluto) could be quite brutal, and commanding in getting others to do his bidding, very indicative of the predator.   But there was a search for love going on, with Venus in Pisces trine Uranus – a search for ideal love through a zest for excitement.  Venus also conjunct the North Node in Aquarius urges a karmic quest for ideal love and beauty, in addition.  Many of his films had love as a central theme.

In a New York interview with Edward Helmore, published in the Observer this morning, Weinstein’s brother Bob analyzes his malaise:

“I know him on a personal level better than anyone.  It’s hard to describe how I feel that he took out the emptiness inside of him in so many sick and depraved ways.”

With Jupiter in Aries loosely opposite Saturn, he might be found chasing his own tail at times, especially in combination with Sun in Pisces.  Jupiter exactly opposite Neptune would find him very confused about religion and spirituality, and morality is a part of that theme.

Jupiter exactly trine Pluto is very personally powerful and persuasive.  He was able to achieve a great deal through positive thinking. But as for asking for a second chance?  For all his indiscretions over so many years?  That is a big ask, even he is not likely to be able to pull off.

His Inner Healer (Chiron) is very poor, with a square between Chiron and Saturn (exact) and an opposition with Uranus, forming with Uranus a Cardinal T-square – personal earthquakes, with rocky circumstances whenever the T-square is triggered.  He has been skating on thin ice for a long, long time.

His Current Transits

The aspects on the day of his exposure were more sensational than average: Venus was exactly conjunct Mars, and the Full Moon in Aries was opposite the Sun in Libra.  That Venus-Mars conjunction was exactly sextile his natal Mars.  Jupiter was exactly trine his North Node, which just goes to show the truth will out, even if you think you are untouchable (the exacting nature of Karma).  Neptune was sextile his natal Chiron, and he realized he had a problem:  off to rehab.  And Pluto was square his natal Mercury – exposure through a newspaper, and mental strain.

Victims

It seems almost unnecessary to look at the charts of his “victims”, as in the words of his brother he was “philandering with every woman he could meet”.  There are so many, and more stories coming out every day, that he could not have had a “type”.

However, one of the most vociferous actresses, Rose McGowan, who tried to be heard, but came to a settlement with Harvey Weinstein, does have an interesting link with his chart worth noting.  She has an exact conjunction of Venus and Uranus (mirroring his Venus/Uranus trine) in her 5th House of Creativity (we do have her birthtime), and in their synastry Weinstein’s Neptune (his ruling planet and in this matter his ability to deceive) is exactly conjunct her Venus-Uranus in 5th House.  When the story broke on 5th October, Pluto was trine her Mercury (cathartic information coming to light for her), and by 12th when she came right out in saying that he had raped her, Uranus by transit was exactly (to the day) trine her natal Moon in Sagittarius at the Galactic Centre in her 7th House.  This week Karma supports her with the North Node exactly sextile her Venus/Uranus conjunction.

A Victor

The expose which triggered the current crisis for Weinstein is an article that appeared in the New York Times, an investigation by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey.  We do not have a birth date for the latter, but the chart for Jodi Kantor reveals her Saturn to be exactly square Weinstein’s Saturn.  After all the decades and the rumours, and the women who tried to speak out and couldn’t achieve a breakthrough, these ladies did.  When Saturn appears in the 10th House or close to the Midheaven in a chart, you often find there is a fall from grace at some point.  We do not know if Harvey has Saturn in his 10th House, but Saturn represents a fall of some kind, and Jodi’s Saturn squaring up to his, seems to represent symbolically that she was instrumental  in bringing him down.  Her major transit at the publication of the article is also deeply symbolic, Neptune square her Neptune, which could be interpreted as her engineering of a major denouement in the film world.

The One who Walked Away

In the midst of all the emerging tales and expressions of shock, his English wife Georgina Chapman left him, on 10th October.  She is a successful fashion designer and businesswoman in her own right, with Mercury conjunct Jupiter (like Harvey), and Moon in Libra (fashion).  Her relationship synastry with Harvey is actually quite difficult, and not a comfortable match astrologically (her Mars square his Saturn, her Mars opposite his Chiron and her Pluto square his Uranus).  Her transits this week reveal Uranus square her natal Saturn (an earthquake in her world), Uranus conjunct her natal Chiron (a severe and sudden healing crisis) but Neptune trine her natal Mars (taking action for her own sense of peace).

Emma Thompson

Many words have been spoken by many women and men this week on the subject of Harvey Weinstein, and in our collective consciousness we may finally be on the brink of change.  Emma Thompson was one of the first to give an interview, on Newsnight.  What she says is not startling or new, but is very sensible and solid, so she makes a good summary of Weinstein’s behaviour and the impact of the revelations in our society.  She calls a spade a spade in stating “He’s an actual Predator”, as opposed to a mere sex addict.  She describes his behaviour as “endemic to the system”, that Weinstein had an “appalling aura” and she “never wanted to work with him ever.”

“So what we need to start talking about is the crisis in masculinity, the crisis of extreme masculinity which is this sort of behaviour and the fact that it is not only OK, but it also is represented by the most powerful man in the world at the moment”.

~ Emma Thompson

Aspects

This morning, before the blog was a twinkle in my eye, Mercury opposed Uranus, an aspect which puts the nervous system on alert and prepares for the possibility of controversial truths to be told.  Well, I usually try to shy away from writing about sexual predators…

You may still feel some sense of having your antennae on alert, and needing to state what you feel is true, but this will be fading throughout the day.

However, there is another opposition later in the form of Mars opposite Chiron, which highlights wounds, mainly of the psychological kind.  Something may be flagged up for you to heal.  Perhaps a longstanding misunderstanding in the family, especially concerning the male of the species.  Come to think of it, it may be the “crisis in masculinity” that Emma Thompson speaks of…We can only start to address something which has emerged in consciousness and awareness, so can thank Chiron for that process.

There may be a healing of sorts later still, as the Sun sextiles North Node, and Karma smiles on our power and creativity issues.  Father issues especially may be successfully be put under the spotlight.

Tomorrow (Monday 16th) brings a sextile between the Sun and Saturn, and if you found the weekend emotionally exhausting now’s the time to settle your office furniture and stabilize your mood, and plan seriously for the week.  You can lay foundations under this aspect.

Mercury enters Scorpio on Tuesday (17th) and time for a little more turbulence again, at least on the mental front, as maybe Mercury in Libra wasn’t rigorous enough to get to the heart of the mysteries in your life.  You can go forensic now.  The research will pay off.

Business acumen is to the fore on Wednesday (18th) with a conjunction between Mercury and Jupiter.  You can be confident that you can grow your business empire under this influence.  You might recall that both Harvey Weinstein and his newly divorcing wife Georgina Chapman both have this conjunction in their natal charts, which is a part of their business success.  It is also good day for education and learning, and travel should be enjoyable.

On Thursday (19th) Uranus opposes the Sun, so that could be a day which brings the element of the unexpected to the fore.  Try not to be too ambitious in what you undertake, as there could be twists and turns along the way which you hadn’t planned for.

In the evening (19.12 Hrs in the U.K.) there is a New Moon at 26 degrees Libra, which may help to smooth things over and bring about peace.  But the Uranus-Sun opposition may overshadow it to some extent.  Newness is a feature of the day though, as the New Moon brings a new beginning, and Uranus favours the new (while sometimes harshly discarding the old, beware of that).  Preserve what needs to be preserved, as you move on.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – highly-strung; highlighting wounds that need healing; some karmic resolution
• Tomorrow – solid foundations
• Tuesday – penetrating thought
• Wednesday – business acumen
• Thursday – the spanner in the works; new beginning