My mother-in-law recently unearthed a magazine interview from 1978 when I was writing a regular column for “Good Life” magazine.  I was prepared to cringe throughout the re- reading of it but will let it pass except for a slight airbrushing of my throwaway opening comments, to include the concept that over time you learn more and more to work with the planetary transits.  Feel free to remonstrate with the ideas expressed by my 28 year old self as you take this trip back in time.  A website is a handy place to keep something you do not want to mislay again.

The interview was written by Rob Lowthian

Can These People Really Predict Your Future?

[My interview was preceded by interviews with Astrologers Jilly Collings and the late Patric Walker]

Lana Wooster doesn’t watch her own stars too closely.  “I just bear in mind where the planets are generally,” says Lana, who compiles Good Life’s stars column.  “I don’t think it’s wise to do your own…you could become neurotic.”

Lana is a thoroughly modern astrologer.  There’s no hint of the gypsy or crystal ball at her North London home.  One concession is the teacups, decorated with signs of the Zodiac.  By coincidence (?) Lana handed me one bearing my own Sagittarius sign shortly after I arrived.  Nor is her background what you might expect for an astrologer.   After studying for a degree in history and psychology at Nottingham University, she worked in a psychiatric unit.

Astrology, like psychology, is a way of dividing people into types, says Lana.  Her interest in the subject began when she picked up a compendium for beginners.  “It slotted into my personal philosophy of life.  My life and those of other people, formed a basic pattern.  When you look into it, astrology is a very logical system.”

It played an important part when she met her husband Mike. “We were just casual acquaintances when I first looked at Mike’s chart,” says Lana.  What she discovered was a striking link.  “His chart looked like an upside down version of my own,” she explains.

Compatibility of signs is very important in relationships thinks Lana.  “But” she warns “you can only tell a limited amount from the sun sign alone.  You must look at both people’s birth charts to judge compatibility.  However, there are strong links between ‘opposite’ signs.  These she lists as Leo and Aquarius, Gemini and Sagittarius, Aries and Libra, Taurus and Scorpio, Virgo and Pisces, Cancer and Capricorn.  We are also compatible with people of the same element.  “Relationships should be fairly smooth and easy if a couple have their sun sign in the same element.” Says Lana.

If you’ve had a bad forecast, don’t feel too downhearted.  “You can turn bad aspects to good account” says our astrologer.  “I don’t look at it in such dire terms as some people do.  A large element of will is involved in what happens…life is not completely fatalistic.  Personality and character shape events to a great extent.  If you know how to control your personality, and change it if necessary, then you can have some influence over your destiny.”

People often expect astrologers to be able to spot a person’s sun sign instantaneously.  Lana is often asked to do this at parties and has found that “to some extent” it can be done. “Someone’s outside appearance is usually governed by the ascendant sign rather than the sun sign, making it difficult,” she explains.  “But some have a lot of their sun sign in their make-up.”  Sagittarians like myself look  “sporty” according to Lana.

Before one of the biggest events in her own life, she could not resist a quick consultation of the charts.  When her daughter Rebecca was born in January she knew the date of the induced birth in advance and had all the ascendant signs already worked out for the possible times.  The moment Rebecca was born Lana could make certain pronouncements.  “She’ll be a very artistic child.  Born on a cusp she will have a complex character with a lot of contradictions in her make-up”.

Final word from Lana: “People shouldn’t let astrology influence them to do anything they wouldn’t normally do.  They should analyse what they’re doing and take responsibility for their actions.”

Pluto squared the Sun this morning, which may have increased the depth of your experience, whether in joy or suffering or a mixture of both.  There is bound to be emotion today, but the emotion may be cathartic.  It is a tricky week, because the planets are just being plain awkward, for an astrological blogger who likes an easy aspect or two to work with.  The aspects may just be enabling you to see your own processes, and to examine your coping strategies to see if you can do things in a more meaningful way.  The next aspect occurs on Friday 1^st October (Thursday 30^th September in the U.S.) and is Saturn conjunct the Sun in Libra, forcing a focus on a particular aspect of our relationships.  This can be a battle with our own negativity, and possible exhaustion, as we look to see what is behind it, for instance emotional toxicity such as guilt, or the drain arising from the weight of expectation from others.  All the excitement of the Labour Party leadership contest is over, and I never did get my thoughts together for a blog on it, despite a lot of preparation – that may be due to some of my own negativity.  A grim reality may set in for the Labour Party this week at their Conference if power is what they immediately hunger for.  Alternatively, some constructive insight may be theirs if they are willing to look at their recent history and learn from it.  The winning brother, Ed Miliband (his Sun in Capricorn being in the sign opposite that of his brother David who is Cancerian) is the man of the moment in that Pluto is exactly conjunct his Sun and therefore his own story embodies the recent Saturn-Pluto square and its examination in his life, and that of the Party.  Saturn has now moved on a few degrees, but the lessons need to inform the way he takes the Party forward.  He will also need to rebalance the relationship with his brother.  Natally, Ed Miliband has Sun square to his Chiron (he is always on the alert to crisis and opportunity), and his Chiron is intimately linked with the Cardinal T-square, being situated at the beginning of Aries. So he may see himself as a healer of the Party (that may have been what drove him to stand against his brother David), and his route to healing is through having the Vision (Chiron in Aries).  This is something I suspect he now needs to work towards, having put all his energies into fighting the contest, rather than something he has already arrived with.  But he will have the time to look at this, as he will not be in a position to challenge David Cameron in a real way electorially for some time.  The Labour Party now knows what the vision was not.  Late Friday evening Mercury opposes Jupiter, which though again not a barrel of laughs may seem to pep up a flat week.  People will be in the mood for a prank or two, and manufacture a laugh if there isn’t some real humour forthcoming.  Nevertheless, it may come over as light relief, and lift the mood.  Mercury opposite Jupiter is saying “Let’s make merry”.  If you come across any good jokes earlier in the week, save them up for Friday.  The mood is reinforced late lunchtime on Saturday (2^nd October) by Mercury opposite Uranus, adding the trickster to the prankster and saying “We have ways of making you laugh!”.  There is a need to attend to health and safety issues, but the potential combination and mental ingenuity of the two aspects may invite us to take a step out of our usual mental context, to see life differently, “forget your troubles and just get happy” or even to take a walk on the wild side.  Final comment of the week goes to John Prescott in his assessment of the outcome of the leadership battle: “Well done.  Now let’s all unite together and stick it to the coalition.” Over to you, Ed!

Another baby was born to a celebrity this week, as Choirmaster and TV personality Gareth Malone became a father for the first time, to baby Esther, part of a flurry of newborns coming after a peak of the Cardinal T-square.  He writes on his home page: “We are thrilled but exhausted. It’s great to be a parent.”

In Part 3 of this abridged astrological analysis of baby Florence Cameron, I look at the placings of her planets within the Houses.  The planets in their spheres of activity form a basic life pattern.  This may or may not be thought of as having originated from past lives.  What is true though is that this pattern can be changed, whether by will power, spiritual growth, or rising above any unwanted tendencies. All part of the ongoing Soul evolution, and the birthchart reflects the starting point for this lifetime. Not all houses are occupied, and some are heavily emphasized.

Florence Rose Endellion Cameron b. 24/8/10 midday Truro

3^rd House – Communication and Education – (Pluto/North Node) – As well as having a controversial streak in speech (obviously this will take time to come out!) she also has a depth of expression so that she speaks in order to express something she considers important and truthful, or to express deep feelings and emotions, sometimes with a desire for dramatic effect!  This could be combined with her words having real effect and consequence, due to the North Node being combined.  A possible Shakespearean wit.

4^th House – Home and Family – (Neptune/Moon/Chiron) – The home is an area of sensitivity and spiritual awareness.  A strong spiritual link with the parents which is subtle and beautiful.  Emotion and healing are also strong elements in this family ambience.

5^th House – Creativity and Leisure – (Uranus) – She may have some unusual hobbies, and especially like water sports (as Uranus is in Pisces).  Creatively, she will be able to receive inspiration, which will mark her out as especially talented and inventive in her creativity.  Her creations will be truly original.

6^th House – Health and Working Conditions – (Jupiter and Part of Fortune) – The 6^th House is only one indicator of health, but generally speaking Chiron trine her Ascendant and Jupiter in her 6^th House are very hopeful in terms of health matters.  Part of Fortune also brings good conditions for this area of life.  In terms of working conditions, she will do work that she enjoys, as these placements could bring traditional luck to her working conditions.  She may well set up as a businesswoman like her mother, but training as a Counsellor would also be a good route to achieving her potential.

11^th House – Friendships and Groups – (Sun and Mercury) – Sun and Mercury in 11^th House denotes a networker.  This ensures that friendships and groups are a main focus in life, and a successful one at that.  Mother and baby groups initially (or a Westminster crèche?!), then working her way up.  Owing to her family situation, the fulfillment of this social side may be hampered by the need for privacy, but she may catch up later in life.

12^th House – Unconscious – (Saturn and Mars/Venus) – When Florence has a block, she would work diligently away at solving it.  There may be blocks in the unconscious mind, e.g. she may find it difficult to remember or express her dreams.  Adults around her need to go gently with this, probe very subtly and encourage expression very gently so that the blocks dissolve easily.  Mars/Venus here connected to and just behind the Ascendant, indicates artistic and musical talents just below the surface, which can be coaxed in a similar way.

It is the day to seize the moment.

“These are days you’ll remember
never before and never since, I promise
will the whole world be warm as this
and as you feel it, you’ll know it’s true
that you are blessed and lucky
it’s true, that you are touched by something
that will grow and bloom in you…”

~ lyrics from “These are the Days” song by Natalie Merchant

Whether you are starting to write a book, or taking part in the Great North Run, the aspects today are the best you will see for a while: Jupiter conjunct Uranus and Mars sextile Pluto.  And the earlier you start the better:  Don’t wait until your mind revisions and dilutes that first chapter, don’t be late for the starting line. The conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus is in a different sign from the first two transits which occurred at 0 degrees Aries.  The planets are conjunct at the end of Pisces, so there is a different, more spiritual and idealistic tone, than the brash introduction we had to this conjunction at the beginning of June.  Jupiter conjunct Uranus gives us the enthusiasm today, and Mars sextile Pluto gives us the physical and emotional energy, to do those things that we envisaged with a passion before we got bogged down with the more difficult components of the Cardinal T-square.  Talking of which, The Pope has swept into Britain this week, in a bid to reclaim our Souls.  As I wrote in my blog (21^st July) on the Jupiter-Pluto square (a square which is still current, two transits down, one to go) the issue is religion and atheism, and the Pope’s herald Cardinal Walter Kasper coined a new (to me) phrase of “aggressive new atheism” to describe our society. It turned out that he meant Nazism and not Richard Dawkins, in using the phrase.  The visit has certainly has stimulated passions both way, from the devout Roman Catholics to those who feel that some of the doctrines have caused damage (Sinead O’Connor’s passion as only she can do, on behalf of the abused, expressing a good bit of Sagittarian hypberbole: “What we want is an admission of the present attempts to cover-up the cover-up.”).  The Pope’s aura in the country certainly has made an impact, with 28 years since the last Papal visit, and stimulated thought here. Even if we are not Catholic in this lifetime, the chances are that we had at least one Catholic past life, and his visit invites us to look at our inner Catholic.  His Mercury (travel) is currently being transited by the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction (pomp and controversy).  The visit truly embodies the dialogue of Jupiter square Pluto.  On Tuesday (21^st) the Sun opposes Jupiter, then Uranus.  If you set up something today, you may see opposition to it on Tuesday.  That is the day to consider the opposite point of view after the flush of action, and the Full Moon later in the week continues that theme.  For instance if you have written a pantomime today (yes it is pantomime-writing season, and only a few months to go before dress rehearsals then actual performance) you may be challenged about what you have written, if you gave your imagination full rein.  And today will be about going all the way.  In my own script, for instance, I made wild claims about the Alkaline Diet, under the poetic licence of being a Sagittarian, and it being a pantomime script.  So on Tuesday everything has to be brought into a wholeness, because there are other viewpoints to consider.  The Pope has mentioned other religions while he has been here, and that is a step forward.  Tuesday has to be inclusive and holistic in order for the results of the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction today to be validated.  There needs to be dialogue and there needs to be higher vision, and in creative terms holistic art forms (such as mandalas).  More consideration of the other viewpoint, and rising above the polarities, has to occur on Thursday (23^rd) when the Sun arrives in the sign of Peace (Libra) at the Autumn Equinox to meet with emotional confrontation (Full Moon in Aries).  Of all the polarities, Aries/Libra has the most personal sense of self and other, and the need to blend or rise above differences.  And of all the degrees, this degree of the opposition (0 degrees Aries Moon and 0 degree Libra Sun) is the most basic and has the most potential for transforming our identities, and identifying our personal needs.  Who are we really?

In Part 2 of this abridged astrological analysis of baby Florence Cameron (new daughter of our Prime Minister), I look at her Planetary Aspects.  The Aspects are one of the most fascinating facets of Astrology.  These are the relationships between the planets, being the inner harmonies and tensions, and shown by the geometric angles between them.  I have selected certain aspects, including some of those collective aspects shared by all babies born this summer and autumn, including Jamie Oliver’s new son Buddy, born this week:

Florence Rose Endellion Cameron b. 24/8/10 midday Truro

SUN opposite Moon (a Full Moon baby!) – Being born on a Full Moon emphasizes this area of the cycle in terms of changing moods.  The New Moon is a good time to start afresh, having cleared out the issues from the last Moon Cycle and from the last Full Moon.  People born under a full moon can bring out strong feelings in others, so maybe a study of some popular psychology in relation to emotions may be helpful.

SUN opposite closely Chiron – There may be a painful empathy with the father, or problems to solve possibly stemming from previous lives.  Health conditions will be connected with the Virgoan digestive area.

MOON closely conjunct Neptune/Chiron – There is a talent for emotional sensitivity and capacity for healing, inherited probably through the female side of the family, which may be helpful if Florence decides to go into the caring professions.  Neither of the parental charts show this inclination, so it may be further back genetically.  But genetic it is, because the triple conjunction of Neptune/Moon/Chiron occurs at the end of the 4^th House of Home and Family.  This may show in Samantha in her prolific child-rearing (four children) and care of their eldest child Ivan who died after severe health problems in February 2009.

MOON closely trine Ascendant (from the end of the 4^th House and on the cusp of the 5^th) – This is a good sign for the establishing of a life structure, e.g. in early years the connections with the family, and in later years the establishing of a creative path in life.

VENUS conjunct Mars – Florence’s conjunction is in Libra.  This conjunction is all about the enjoyment of life and taking pleasure from life and relationships.  It also indicates that in her evolution she is balancing the male and female sides of her nature.  There is a strong streak of sensuality here, and she may have a marked talent for massage.  She should be very demonstrative with those she loves, although she may be reserved with strangers (Sun in Virgo).

There may also be marked musical and artistic talents with this conjunction in Libra, and an interest in Humanities.  Past-life wise, the name Florence may connect her with the Italian Renaissance period.

VENUS square the Nodal Axis – Possessing as much charisma as she has, she must learn to be aware of its effect on others and be ethical about the use of these assets.  The Nodal Axis represents past life habits and present karmic mission.  With Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn all square to the Nodal Axis, she will be shaping karma for her Soul Group, which is likely to include her family members!  Prime Minister David Cameron could find her a distraction.

MARS square the Nodal Axis – This aspect of the past life karma (as well as her Scorpio Ascendant) indicates some lifetimes spent on battlefields developing her Inner Warrior.  This lifetime she needs to balance it with the current spiritual trend of the Way of the Peaceful Warrior.  Samantha needs to take him in a baby sling to a demo outside a Tony Blair book signing, for instance, sometime soon!

JUPITER closely opposite Saturn – She can sometimes be caught between two opposite ways of thinking, e.g. optimism and pessimism at the same time.  She needs to find a balance, in order to avoid chasing her own tail!  It can be a steady but good influence.

JUPITER conjunct Uranus – *This is one of Florence’s best aspects, and an aspect that is shared by many of the peers in her year group.  It gives enterprise and dynamism and a sense of capricious fun.

JUPITER closely square Pluto – This is the first component of the Cardinal T-square which built up to a climax in early August.  It is composed of Jupiter/Uranus opposite Saturn and square Pluto.  This is another aspect which would be shared by many in Florence’s year group.  It is an aspect the energies of which denote a power struggle or power struggles, such that are taking place this year in the world.  It is a struggle between the Light of the divine nature and the Shadow side in psychology, as well as possible power struggles in say work arenas in adulthood.  There is nothing new on this planet, and it is just highlighting one of the issues of Human Nature from ancient times, which she may or may not have the power to engage with if she so chooses.

SATURN opposite Uranus – This aspect will be shared by all the babies born in the last two years.  It is about bringing in a new world order, dismantling old structures which no longer serve us, and rebuilding structures which will serve the new energies in the 21^st Century.  She will understand and be in tune with that.  Her interaction with you or others of an older generation will challenge them to let go of outworn beliefs and habits, such as false social veneers or structures which are unsustainable ecologically.

The economic and ecological events of the last two years are a result of the T-Square in which Saturn opposite Uranus has played a major part.  When this generation who were born with it come into their prime years (20 – 30) and are the movers and shakers of the world, particularly when they experience their Saturn Returns around 28 – 30, we will see a manifestation of their purpose in working with this opposition and T-square.

SATURN square exactly Pluto – This is another aspect shared by many children born in the same year as Florence.  Addressing the parent, your little one for no apparent reason could seem grumpy at times.  The reasons for this may be deeper and wiser than you suspect, e.g. she may be influenced by the news on the television and other people’s reaction to it.  As it is a collective aspect, when she gets together with another baby/toddler/child/young adult/teenager who has the same placing and they are in a particular mood, you will see a “double grump”!  Hope Sam’s reading this.

URANUS square Pluto – This is yet another collective aspect for the year peer group, which is to do with the economic and climate changes of their era.  There may be a rebellious streak arising from time to time, and it may be due to sensitivity to environmental factors or factors in society.  This may highlight your attention as to what is needed.

NEPTUNE trine Ascendant – A sensitive body and personality, but in a constructive way, e.g. her skin may yell with an allergy quickly alerting to the fact that some substance is not good for her, but mostly her bodily sensitivity and personality sensitivity will be used in a good way, e.g. to warn her of things that are not good for her, or for her to receive subtle impressions of the things that are good for her and the pathways she needs to follow.

NEPTUNE conjunct Chiron (with the Moon sandwiched between) – This aspect again is shared by all Florence’s peers and indicates a huge healing potential, not just in terms of personal physical healing, but for the transformation of our planet.  I have high hopes for the awareness of planetary needs from this group.  awareness of planetary needs from this group.  I have described it as a healing crucible or a healing cauldron.  It is an alliance between spirituality and healing.  As a child, she is likely to start out that way, and providing it is not shut down this will ripple out strongly to those around and in her life.  She will be particularly sensitive to women’s issues, with the Moon sandwiched between these two planets, and may be acutely sensitized to her mother’s processes until she finds her own level, needs and requirements, and her own way of expressing this deeply sensitive aspect.

PLUTO conjunct North Node – The North Node represents the karmic mission, and Pluto (though only loosely) connected denotes a meaningful karmic mission.  Some of the great contributors to our psychological culture have had this conjunction.

CHIRON trine closely Ascendant – One of her true aims is that of healing, but first she has to grow big and strong on her spinach and caviar.  Her arena for healing is the home and family as Chiron falls at the end of the 4^th House, so she will articulate the emotional needs of her family very specifically, such as ongoing emotional healing from the life and death of Ivan.

One of the themes of last week was inflammation and conflagration: there was an explosion and conflagration at San Bruno in California, and the threat of religious books being burned in the name of religion.  You may have also noticed people’s feelings being touchy, including your own.  This is still the background effect of the aspect Jupiter square Pluto. In some psyches incendiary matters may have been touched off by Mars trine Neptune last week, but by and large this is the larger transit going on.  Brian Dowling, winner of Big Brother 2001, was crowned Ultimate Big Brother 2010 on Friday night.  Like all the old-time housemates, he had mellowed, but he deserved the crown for the number of hours listening and quantity of tears shed on his shoulder by the poor distressed Chantelle at the loss of the love of Preston.  Another Mars trine Neptune manifestation, where Mars = a male win and Neptune = his compassionate qualities.  I am no mathematician but I did used to like algebraic equations.  And while I am on that theme, it seems to me that the following just doesn’t add up:-

UK Government cuts to the disabled in order to get them back to work

+ cutting jobs in the public sector

= enough jobs for the disabled

Before I leave the past behind and look to the week ahead, a friend brought to my notice last night that there had been a UFO hovering over my home town, earlier this year.  A green object was apparently photographed above Denver windmill, near Downham Market, Norfolk.  It may have been a spacecraft from Mars says Benjamin Creme’s Master, according to Share International who monitors these things, and is an organization dedicated to the coming of Maitreya.  I was sorry to have missed it.  Now today we have a sextile between Venus and Pluto, as I write.  Venus is in Scorpio and Pluto is the ruler of Scorpio, so it is a good time to feel into your deepest emotions and to discover what lies in that region of your psyche and possibly also beyond.  I am reading “The Future in the Stars” by Alison Chester-Lambert which is about Pluto and the asteroids.  She reports: “Interestingly, in 2008, a report in New Scientist suggested that the planets Ceres and Pluto were once one body, or at least originated from the same place, in spite of the fact that there is a distance of up to four billion kilometers and four planets in between them.”  She urges those (like me) who have never got over the demotion of Pluto to a dwarf planet to – well – get over it.  There is life after Pluto’s death, and it is all written in the asteroids and in the Kuiper Belt.  Watch this space.  Excuse me while I dab my tears, once again.  Tonight, Mercury is stationary, prior to turning direct, and those who have been plagued by encounters of the retrograde kind lately will be relieved as their path runs smoother in the realms of communication.  On Tuesday (14^th), Pluto himself turns stationary, prior to turning direct (where’s that hanky…) and psychological issues may start to drive into healthier waters, whatever methods you choose: cognitive behavioural therapy, psychodynamics, spiritual systems, or for some exercise-induced ecstasy at the gym.  The same evening, and driving home the psychological theme, Mars enters Scorpio.  If you haven’t been honing your Inner Warrior during recent inflammations and conflagrations, you need to have him or her ready to stand up for yourself and state your authentic truth.  Mars will be in Scorpio until 27 October and as Venus is also in that territory, no one will be able to evade their deepest self during that time.  Everyone will be richer for that self-knowledge by the end of October.  It is time for self-awareness, and these are personal planets so these are personal issues.  With everyone wondering how Colleen is feeling after Wayne Rooney’s deceptions, and Gavin Hanson declaring on Strictly Come Dancing that his personal life is in turmoil, it is balancing our own personal lives and our male and female issues which we are now under pressure to understand.  Limber up for next Sunday, which has a dynamic energy, including the return of the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction.  There has been a plea for more news of my grandson.  All I can say is that he’s still gorgeous (reportedly)…and I have been working on multiple baby charts in the last few weeks.  So I decided to post an abridged version of Florence Cameron’s astrological analysis in three parts – hope you enjoy it.

I have been working on a number of baby charts recently – there seems to have been a crop of births.  Since the crescendo of the Cardinal Climax T-square in early August, there has been a flurry of new babies.  In intensively comparing and contrasting the nuances of these late summer births, I have been able to look at the fine differences and the striking similarities between them, which has been an interesting study for me.  I therefore post an abridged chart of Florence Rose Endellion Cameron, daughter of our new Prime Minister, under my Archive category, so that you can observe her character emerging as it is reported.  I am posting it in three parts:

1.  Planets in Signs

2.  Planetary Aspects

3.  House Positions

If you have had a baby around now, you may recognize some characteristics.  At the same time it is a sample chart for those considering having a baby chart individually made.  A chart would include a guide to the year ahead (which is not included in this sample).  Prices appear on my Astrology page.  Remember to put your expected delivery on my waiting list about 3 months before birth!

The birth time given out was midday.  If a slightly adjusted time is given later, I will amend this reading accordingly.

Florence Rose Endellion Cameron b. 24/8/10 midday Truro

SUN IN VIRGO

Once upon a time, there was a Harvest Mouse born close to a Full Moon at the end of the summer, living with her parents and siblings in a swish part of London.  She was born on their holiday in Cornwall (a deliberate intent on her part as she has karmic links with Cornwall) and this gave them a chance to assess the local National Health Service which proved to be up to scratch.  Virgoans are intensely interested in all health matters, and indeed Florence wanted to make a plea for our treasured national institution and to keep it in her father’s mind.  She was born at a crucial stage of his government as he was about to make some hard changes… The rest of the family soon found out that they had to mind their ps and qs, as she had perfect standards for parenting: everything had to be just so.  Every piece of corn had to bend at exactly the same angle, ripened at precisely the same moment, not a whisker out of place.  As she grew, they found her to be an industrious helper in their labours and in their conservative endeavours, and indeed brought added skills and tiny details of genius to their enterprises. 

ASCENDANT IN SCORPIO

The Ascendant represents Florence’s outward personality and physical body, and to have Ascendant in Scorpio may be to have an outwardly deep and brooding personality, very much the strong, silent type.  There is a power and magnetism which is challenging but rewarding, and can bring considerable physical presence and even charisma.  Emotions are intense, and psychological perceptions acute.  There is an interest in the mysteries of life and death, more in a psychological than in a philosophical sense.  There is a great deal of instinct and intuition and understanding of the shadow side of human nature, e.g. this is a good sign for a Psychologist or Psychotherapist! The animal totems of this sign are dragons, scorpions, bats and such creatures, not popular with everyone but full of meaning.  She won’t do anything without a sense of meaning, and will take up challenges – rarely would she take the easy way.  The colours of this sign are maroon (for depth of emotion), indigo (for healing) and black (which can be negative in certain contexts, but Scorpio females usually like their “little black dress” – a possibility for the dressing up chest?).  Astrologers say that where there is a Sun or Ascendant in Scorpio there may be a passing in the family close to the birth, and sadly David Cameron lost his father on 8 September.

MOON IN AQUARIUS

Florence has a very sensitive Moon which conjuncts Chiron and Neptune in her chart, and more of that later.  The Moon represents the emotions, and this placement makes for a friendly disposition but also an ability to be detached when necessary, e.g. in a therapeutic situation.  It’s a light and friendly moon.  Like Virgo, Aquarius doesn’t like to make people too intimate and would find that draining, but also like Virgo there is a tremendous desire to help and be of service.

MERCURY IN VIRGO

Mercury represents the mind, and placed in Virgo it gives application to detail.  It also increases the concentration and interest in study.

VENUS IN LIBRA

Venus in Libra is the ultimate in charming sociable designer babies.  Perfect for that political photo opportunity, with proud Libra dad David giving her a peck on the nose…

MARS IN LIBRA

Mars represents the energies, and with this placing there is a capacity for diplomacy and negotiation because Mars (the god of war) is in Libra (the sign of peace).  So she would understand the emotions behind war but have the desire for peace (rather like John Lennon, who had Sun in Libra and Ascendant in Mars-ruled Aries).  Mars also represents the men (and boys) in her life, of which Sunsign Libra dad David is one, and his father her grandfather Ian Cameron is another.

CHIRON IN AQUARIUS

Chiron in Aquarius is about healing through the collective, and through group consciousness.  It is common to all babies born in this year, so they like to check out to see what their peer group is doing and thinking and feeling!

PLUTO IN CAPRICORN

Florence has been born towards the beginning of the Pluto in Capricorn generation!  Pluto in Capricorn children mean business, they are here for a serious purpose, to heal the world at a deeper level than hitherto.  Do you think she can make our Prime Minister, David, see sense?

I became a grandmother for the first time this week, and so I now have an interest outside blogging. You may catch me being distracted and accidentally and randomly inserting the word grandchild, so besotted am I.  Today is a good day for looking at and assessing what needs healing, and what doesn’t, with Venus trine Chiron.  You may conclude that overall things don’t need as much fixing as you originally thought, that wholesome organic processes are taking place.  The motto for the day might be “Leave well alone” and although mindfulness and awareness are always needed to monitor when to intervene, at this moment the issues pass inspection.  In looking back over the last week, where there were few aspects, one non-event strikes me as worth mentioning, and that is the U.S. pulling out of Iraq.  The war which was started in 2003 now comes to an “end” 7 years later.  Tony Blair even felt it was safe enough to come out of the woodwork with his book, and re-assert his justifications for entering the war.  Where you see a 7-year cycle at work, it is normally the work of Uranus entering a sign cusp or house cusp.  In this case, Uranus was exactly at 0 degrees Pisces when Iraq was invaded on 20 March 2003, and now it stands at 29 degrees Pisces, having hovered recently at the 0 degree Aries point.  What could be more precise than that?  The nature of the fact that Uranus was in Pisces indicates that on some level it was a spiritual or religious war, and certainly the zealousness of Messrs. Bush and Blair had that moralizing and righteous quality about it.  When Uranus returns to 0 degrees Aries, we humans might start something new, something which may already be in motion.  On Wednesday (8^th) there is a New Moon right in the middle of Virgo at 15 degrees.  Until Wednesday we shall still be operating in a quiet manner, before we take an emotional outbreath which traditionally is connected with the gratitude of the bounty of the world, and nature’s harvest.  With it will inevitably come more observations about climate change and ecological imbalance. The focus for this New Moon will therefore be initiatives along these lines, and in your personal life new health and fitness ideals and regimes.  By the way, the new Alkaline Diet is going great…Later the same day, Venus enters Scorpio.  So she is done with the pleasant social dalliances of her stay in Libra and now she is looking for a deeper more meaningful quality of relationship and intimacy.  Apart from a brief return to Libra, she will remain a hostage of Scorpio until the end of the first week of January.  So this is an opportunity to really get to grips with the meaning of relationships, take off the gloves and gauntlets and really be involved in what it means to be human and interact with other humans.  This may take you down the byways of wondering why we are here, and whether we have had past lives and if so what were they.  Judy Hall’s latest book “The Book of Why” investigates these subjects, and if you have not read any of her books it is a good beginning place.  My regression room has lacked proper curtaining for a year and a half (we are not good at curtains in our house) so hats off to the brave souls who have been regressed with half open curtains and in some cases no curtains at all.  The good news is that we are having experts round to fit new curtains at the end of next week.  On Thursday (9^th) Jupiter retrograding re-enters Pisces, rejoining Uranus at the end of that sign.  The burst of fire which was Jupiter conjunct Uranus in Aries at the beginning of June will be temporarily felt to be missing, as old issues are re-visited, such as old religious ideologies and re-establishing spiritual practices.  Aries represents faith in man and Pisces represents faith in God, so it was interesting last Thursday to find Stephen Hawking making a stand on the subject.  In the Guardian, Paul Davies wrote: “In his new book, Stephen Hawking reiterates that there is no big gap in the scientific account of the big bang. The laws of physics can explain, he says, how a universe of space, time and matter could emerge spontaneously, without the need for God.”  As we have this dynamic conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus around the cusp of these two signs, the debate is very much in our consciousness.  When the two planets re-enter Aries, the Arien side of the debate will come back into force again (with the Ariens Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens raring to go).  This issue is very much a personal one for everybody, being a question of their individual and innermost relationship to the Divine (or not, as the case may be).  Finally on Friday (10^th) we have a beautiful trine between Mars (ruler of Aries) and Neptune (ruler of Pisces) so that is a superb coming together on the subject, and one where in a “don’t know world” you may have an “Aha!” moment where you see where you truly stand.

Shh! Shh!  It’s oh so quiet.  Shh! Shh!  It’s oh so still…*

In contrast to some weeks lately, it is a very quiet week, almost like you are awaiting a birth and the space needs to be hush hush.  Of course if the Camerons’ baby had not arrived early, they would still be awaiting a birth.  As it happened, I was holidaying in Cornwall when Endellion arrived early.  She has other names (Florence and Rose), but Endellion is the name getting all the attention, being the name of the village of their holiday break.  Mine was Tywardreath, incidentally.  The name is interesting to me because I had already noticed that the baby girls whose charts I had analyzed this year all had unusual names beginning with “E”, Elodie, Elena and Eden.  I have no idea why this is – maybe there is a numerological reason, something to do with the year of birth.  I also saw my young nephews this week after a long break (my how they had grown!).  The youngest had a gadget which could put me out of business as a past-life therapist: an App on his iPod which tells you what your future life will be.  Ingenious!  The results were spectacular (though not entirely convincing).  I think I will plod on with my work as it is…there are no short cuts to enlightenment.  So as you can guess, I am gently stealing time as there are no aspects at all until Friday (3^rd).  It is a protected space, so therefore it is a good week to have a silent retreat or a restful holiday lying on a beach, just processing the results of the Cardinal T-square or whatever other preoccupations have filled the last few intense weeks.  It could also be a time of research for future projects; a time of preparation and quiet anticipation…the end of the school holidays and the accompanying ubiquitous banners of “Back to School” hovering at the edge of our visual field.  Mercury is still retrograde, so it is not yet time to act, but perhaps to read between the lines of political autobiographies, and gather new mental tools (brain Apps), because the old ways are no longer as useful.  We are also under the cover of the sign of Virgo, one of whose number, Greta Garbo, coined the phrase “I vant to be alone” (strictly speaking – and Virgos are – she said “I want to be let alone”).  Virgos and Pisceans especially will resonate to this theme this week, and reflection may lead to self-awareness.  Friday’s Sun conjunct Mercury at 10 degrees Virgo will concentrate the mind.  Whatever has been ruminating and incubating earlier in the week will crystallize and if not actually be harvesting the game will certainly be on.  It could be

You’re all alone And so peaceful until…You fall in love*

It may even be a birth of sorts, but it is just as likely to be getting to some place of fruition with a filing project, or a health project (such as going with an alkaline food diet).  Whatever it is, it will be something you have worked towards, and you could be excited by the green light of action.  I will be away that day, but I am collecting charts and cuttings and biographical snippets for the forthcoming Labour Leadership Election and something could crystallize creatively…but maybe you have something more interesting and worthwhile in mind.  There could be a dryness about the Virgoan aspect on Friday, but Saturday’s aspect of Venus trine Neptune has something to offer those hearts yearning for love and inspiration and the gamut in between.  If you didn’t fall in love on Friday, you will on Saturday.

Wow bam You’ve never been so nuts about a guy You wanna laugh you wanna cry…*

Of course it doesn’t have to be a guy, it could be a child or a political project or a new diet (“Oh how I love my new Alkaline Diet!” You could exclaim).  It’s not quite the Wow bam shrieked by Bjork, but more of a quiet celebration.  Venus trine Neptune has the air of a Chopin Nocturne, or an old fashioned waltz.

*Song by Betty Hutton then Bjork

From beginning (Saturn square Pluto on Saturday 21^st) to end, it’s Pluto’s week, so it’s time to get friendly with Pluto…But first on Monday 23^rd the Sun enters Virgo, and you may feel a switch of seasons from sunshine, sea and sand to autumn mists and mellow fruitfulness – a nip in the UK air perhaps.  Our collective animal totem will go overnight from the Lion (or Lioness) of the jungle, to the quiet harvest mouse…The Full Moon in Pisces opposes this Sun in Virgo on Tuesday 24th, taking us past the jungle and the harvest field on to the ocean (emotionally we could be all over the place…but we could just be releasing past emotions we don’t need to hold on to).  Scientists have just announced that the Moon is shrinking, but it might be too early to conjecture about astrological ramifications.  The final aspect of the week takes place on Thursday 26^th, and is a trine between the Sun and Pluto – not to be sniffed at.  It struck me this week what a beautiful symmetry the Cardinal T-Square is: Pluto at the base, with Saturn on one end opposed by Jupiter and Uranus (which are either side of Saturn in the rank of planets) – that could be a perfect balance.  On waking the other morning, I was given, as a symbol for Pluto in this position, of all things a pogo stick!  Wikipedia defines this as “A device consisting of a T-shaped pole with a handle at one end, footpads to place your feet on the other end and a spring which support the stick and the user when on the ground.”  The pogo stick represents Pluto urging and pushing the other planets in an act of self-transformation, the transformative element in our lives and psyches seeking to push its way up.  It relies on our experiencing it in a true way, unencumbered by the feelings of others or social expectations, and represents the work we do on our own psyche.  This analogy can of course be extended to society, but we need to do the work on ourselves, now.  All other planets of the Cardinal T-Square have to meet Pluto’s standards as it squares them.  Pluto is autonomous and contains everything, perhaps even the nature of all the other planets put together.  This is why Scorpios (ruled by Pluto) often wear the colours black and white together.  It is the most powerful planet, pulling rank on the others in any interchange. Its position on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life is Daat, the invisible sephira.  I am no Kabbalist, but in 1974 I bought a book by Z’ev ben Shimon Halevi entitled “Tree of Life” in which he writes in language easy to grasp:

“Moving back up the Tree along the Lightning Flash we pass through the invisible Sephira known as Daat – Knowledge – before we reach Binah, or Saturn in the planetary scheme.  Some modern Cabalists not only describe this transition point as the entry into what is known as the supernal triad of Kether, Hochma and Binah, but ascribe this position to the recently discovered planet Pluto…”

Pluto is the furthest and outermost planet in our Solar System.  Once that has been mastered as a principle, it can be a psychological gateway to other parts of the Cosmos.

Halevi goes on to say: “Pluto orbits at the very edge of the solar system.  Beyond lies the realm of the local star cluster and containing this the vast galactic arm of the Milky Way.  Pluto’s strange eccentric orbit is the margin and frontier of the planetary world, and who knows what barrier or bridge this dark unseen planet describes?…

Daat is a point of profound transformation whether you are travelling up or down the Tree of Life.”

The Sun in Thursday’s trine is helpful in revealing the positive side of Pluto to work with (the negative pull being Saturday 21^st’s square of Saturn to Pluto).  There is nothing to fear from knowing your own psyche, and Pluto is about working through your fears until you have reached the bottom of the barrel.

The planets involved in the Cardinal T-square have to  act as a counterpoise to each other, in their conjunctions, oppositions and  squares.  In the trine with the Sun, Pluto is in a friendly counterpoise, enabling us to reach some sort of a completion on this round of Plutonian activity, and find a freedom and a purpose beyond that, until you can draw new lines for yourself for this time, when you are satisfied that you have completed work on this monumental round.  The more you are in touch with your Soul, the more you can do this. And remember that Angels can be intermediaries until we fully merge with our Soul.

So, in summary, this friendly counterpoise between the Sun and Pluto can enable you to balance your deepest awareness of the Cosmos (Pluto) with your own conscious Individuality (Sun), and thus make sense not only of this trine, but potentially the whole Cardinal T-Square, too.