Liberal Democrat Party

This is the fourth in my political series in the run up to the UK General Election, and I will look at a few of their leading politicians and their prospects on the day.  Currently, the Lib Dems are running neck and neck with the Green Party in the opinion polls.

Nick Clegg

Nick Clegg grasped the nettle, or maybe the poisoned chalice, to enter his party into a coalition with the Conservative Party in the aftermath of the last election 5 years ago.

As Caroline Lucas observed in her new book “Honourable Friends?”:

“So with Labour contaminated by its own time in government, and the Lib Dems muzzled by the coalition agreement, the scene was set for David Cameron to begin an ideological assault on the welfare state”.

Did Nick Clegg have any idea how far he would be used as a scapegoat (Sun in Capricorn) for unpopular Tory policies, starting with the issue of student loans, which hugely dented Lib Dem popularity while the Tories emerged relatively unscathed?

There were many dilemmas for the Lib Dems; they had power, but their hands were tied.  Caroline Lucas picks up on one of those:

“But it [nuclear power] also discomforted the liberal democrats, who as a party were opposed to nuclear, but were now in a coalition with the Tories, who were very much in favour.”

In the Guardian interview yesterday he was quoted as saying:

“Asked how he feels about the swing from net positive to net negative ratings over the past five years, the deputy prime minister said: “it is what it is. I don’t spend too much time…I’m quite a practical person”

His personal planets are not connected in with his outer planets, so there is a sense in which he finds it difficult to connect the personal with the wider social arena.

The Capricorn nature would be black and white, practical and boundaried, but his Piscean side (Chiron/Saturn) would erode those boundaries and bring him to compassion.  The Chiron/Saturn conjunction occurs in his 4^th House of home and family, and he said this week that his family means more to him than politics – is it possible to give both equal weight?  I think this conjunction shows a deep idealism, and desire for the betterment of society.  His Uranus/Pluto conjunction in Virgo in 10^th House is rebellious and has a strong desire for reform.

He has an optimistic Moon and Ascendant in Sagittarius, and Mars in Libra in 11th House which speaks of taking part in a Coalition with Libran Cameron.  But his Mars exactly squares his Sun, which means he is no stranger to conflict.

His wife Miriam is Spanish, and a lawyer (a Jupiterian profession) and he has the Moon (women in his life) in Sagittarius (from abroad) trine exactly Jupiter (law and foreign lands).  He himself has Russian ancestry (Ascendant in Sagittarius).

In my New Year review of Lib Dem prospects for polling day I noted:

“Nick Clegg (LibDems): [Mixed]  Saturn conjunct his Moon (emotionally dispiriting) but Neptune sextile his natal Mercury [the opportunity for some sensitive communication]”

Vince Cable

Vince Cable is another Lib Dem politician whose reputation has taken a slide since the beginning of the coalition.  He was flavour of the year in 2009 after he had predicted the credit crunch, and lauded for his integrity.  But integrity has been very hard to keep in relation to working in a coalition.

In 2009 I wrote:

“He’s a money-savvy Taurean who states that life has taught him that “All things come to those who wait”.  Perhaps it was his Taurean Sun sign, which swayed him in his decision not to run for leader of the Liberal Democrats, as Taureans tend to prefer the supporting role.  He has a breadth of mental vision which is down to his Mercury sandwiched between Saturn (the old style of thought) and Uranus (the new style of thought), a perfect equilibrium or balance for a prominent member of the LibDem party.”

On polling day, Saturn opposes his natal Uranus, which could make grim processing.  He may retain his seat, but will be disheartened by the overall performance of his party, even though he is a realist (Mercury exactly sextile his Pluto natally) and possesses great strength and resilience (Sun in Taurus sextile Mars and Jupiter).

Danny Alexander

Danny Alexander, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, has been ridiculed this week for his gesture of holding up a yellow briefcase with an alternative budget after the Chancellor unveiled his budget this week. The week before, there was a “dodgy donations” scandal, which was also ridiculed in the press. Another money-savvy Taurean, I feel he has a strong artistic side which is unexpressed, and some aggression from Mars square Pluto which needs to have a constructive outlet.  Pluto trines his North Node exactly, and I think when he is able to express all sides of his nature, he will have a profound contribution to make, and will be less open to ridicule.

At the time we go to the polls, the North Node exactly trines his natal Saturn, and while he may have a sobering result, at the same time the Universe allows him some dignity.

Shirley Williams

National treasure Shirley Williams struggled to express the fine party line on Question Time this week.  Coming close to the election, she was trying to uphold the achievements of the coalition while re-defining the individual goals of her party.

Shirley has Pluto on the Ascendant, hence she changed her political afflilations a few times in her life, but never in a shallow way, always in a deeply considered fashion.

The mother figure is important in her chart, with a dominant Moon in Leo and a Cancerian Ascendant.  Her mother Vera Brittain wrote, and lived, the wonderful “Testament of Youth” account of a woman’s life in the 1^st World War, which was subsequently made into a TV series and now a film.  Vera had the extremely challenging conjunction of Pluto and Neptune, one which many of her generation will have had – a generation which had to pull together.  She had no personal aspects to her Sun (except perhaps her Moon, if her birth time were known), and this comes out in her life and work as a deeply held sense of service, or surrender to the needs of her time.  Loyalty was also a theme, with Venus closely trine Saturn.

So Shirley had a rich heritage, and in her later years married an American academic.  Like her mother she has no aspects to her natal Sun, and a strong social conscience and sense of service.  She has a brilliant mind (Mercury exactly trine Uranus) but is hampered by an exact opposition between Jupiter and Saturn, which means she is sometimes hamstrung in decision making.  Her only cabinet post, as an Education minister under Labour, much earlier in her career, did not live up to her potential and promise.  And yet she was born to put herself into a meaningful relationship with society, with Pluto closely trine her Midheaven, and Chiron exactly sextile her Midheaven: she aches to make a difference.

The ebbing Uranus-Pluto square affects her chart at the election: Pluto exactly squares her natal Uranus, and Uranus exactly squares her Ascendant.  At 85, she is no longer an active member of parliament, but is a Baroness and life peer, and publicly supports her party.  This may be a time of a change of direction for her, with the North Node trine her natal Mars.  She may feel the need to nurture her health more or attend to personal activities and family relationships.

Simon Hughes

Simon Hughes put up a valiant resistance to joining the Conservatives in coalition (he has the Warrior Archetype in the shape of Sun conjunct Mars) and is another Taurean.  Eventually he did line up with the party when they came to power.  His chart is very steadfast in some ways (Sun/Mars in Taurus trine exactly Saturn), but rebellious or contrary in others (Venus exactly conjunct Uranus). He doesn’t necessarily care what others think (Venus/Uranus square Jupiter).  If he had the opportunity to advance his career further, he would be valuable as a problem-solver (Chiron exactly trine his Mercury).

He has a Mars Return on polling day, so will be very much in battle mode.

Lib Dem Party Chart

The transits on polling day make very weak aspects to the Lib Dem chart, confirming the general opinion (without astrological consideration) that they will have a poor showing, and that this last participation in government has damaged their party.  They may find themselves spiritually after this point, however, as Neptune is travelling towards a sextile with the natal Lib Dem Neptune, which occurs at the end of May and the beginning of June.  Venus sextiles their Jupiter on polling day, which is a minor transit, but it will help them pull together personally, and a new sense of spirit may emerge afterwards – there is a possibility that may be in the shape of a new leader, but it may be a new spirit under the leadership of Nick Clegg.

The Observer this morning is highlighting disquiet within the Liberal Democrat party about the possibility of a second Tory/Lib Dem coalition, around the subject of the EU referendum. Political Editor Toby Helm writes: “Because Cameron has said the in/out referendum will be a ”red line” for the Conservatives in any negotiations, a Lib Dem refusal to come in behind the idea would spell the end of hopes for a second Con-Lib coalition deal.”  The Lib Dems face some difficult decisions, as do the electorate.

Aspects

Mercury sextile Pluto today is helpful for evaluating and reflecting on the outcomes and meaning of last week.  It favours the teaching and communication of profound concepts.

Tuesday (24^th) starts with another sextile, between Venus and Neptune, harmony for the Arts, spiritual unity in relationships, fine balance in finance.  Inspiration early on may see you through the day.

There is also a conjunction of Mercury and Chiron on Tuesday, which suggests the coming together of conventional and alternative medicine.  I know two people who are scheduled to have surgery that day, and for that reason, I am going to digress and write about Chiron before continuing with the week’s aspects.

Chiron

A couple of conversations on the subject of Chiron lately have prompted me to devote a section here to the subject.

I have been working with Chiron since 1987, ten years after it was discovered.  Chiron was a Centaur in the Greek mythological panoply, who had the gift of immortality and healing, but was not able to heal his own wound(s).  I was asked recently: “Is it true that we all have a wound that can never be healed?”

It is true that in astrology, and sometimes in alternative healing, there is more emphasis on the wound than on the healing.  Caroline Myss in “Why People Don’t Heal” writes about the attachment that many people have to their wound(s).

If there was no hope of healing a wound, we might as well give up, and stay in a rut.  We have many lives, and sometimes carry a wound for several lifetimes before we heal it.  But I have found many times, that when we heal our wound, we are able to help others who have the same wound.

Mythology, like Archetypes, can have a strong hold (and a stronghold) on the psyche.  They can be viewed as immutable Gods, rather than principles that can be worked with, like planets themselves.

There is not just one Chiron, we all have an Inner Healer, and if we cannot heal our own wound, we may travel for a time with one who has healed our issue and can point the way.

In the early years of working with Chiron, I began a path of working with Past Lives.  This is one path to healing, and can resolve issues which have been intractable in relation to other healing modalities.

There comes a time in most lives, even those dedicated to natural pathways of healing, when conventional medical intervention (Mercury) has to combine with the alternative methods of healing (Chiron).  Surgery is sometimes a necessity, for instance.

Mercury conjunct Chiron describes the mental crisis which surrounds a health issue, such as when the point comes that conventional medical intervention is needed.  It can also describe the healing that can come when the psychological issue which gave rise to the health problem is suddenly resolved by a new thought pattern, or by a revelation such as the nature of the pattern from past lives.

[End of digression]

So good luck to all those facing mental conundrums or surgical interventions on Tuesday (you know who you are!).

Wednesday (25^th) has a much more stable and stabilizing vibe about it, with Sun trine Saturn.  Steady recuperation from any medical procedures are likely.  Any flights of fancy, such as over-the-top artistic embellishments, may be changed to more practical forms.  For example, if you finished a painting on Tuesday, you may decide to tone it down slightly.  Healing outcomes are likely to hold, and prospects brighten, as the Saturn trine brings confidence and reassurance.

Finally, on Saturday (28^th)  Venus squares Jupiter, and it’s a day to let your hair down, after a mainly constructive week when you may feel much has been achieved, and you subsequently deserve a treat.  On my diabetic regime, gone are the days of cream teas, but I am allowed a cheese scone now and then!  It’s a good day for a party, or a dinner date, though with the two planets being in square, watch out for social gaffes (gaffe-prone Jeremy Clarkson, currently suspended from the BBC, has this square natally).  Just a celebratory attitude to life will honour this aspect, which fosters gratitude and good news.  I am most grateful for the cataract surgery last week, which has resulted in one eye restored to a level of sight I cannot even remember.  It is so many times easier to see my computer screen, and to cross the road.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – profound thought
• Tuesday – artistic inspiration; healing
• Wednesday – solid foundations
• Saturday – upbeat, with social gaffes

“Soothsayer: Beware the Ides of March

Caesar: He is a dreamer; let us leave him: pass”

~ Act 1, Scene 2, Julius Caesar, William Shakespeare

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

“Reg: What have the Romans done for us?

Xerxes: Brought peace

Reg:  (very angry, he’s not having a good meeting at all) What? Oh… (scornfully) Peace, yes…shut up!

~ Monty Python’s Life of Brian

 Uranus square Pluto finale

2.54 am Tuesday 17th March 2015 (U.K.)

 This last manifestation occurs at 15 deg Capricorn (Pluto) and 15 deg Uranus (Aries), with a special intensity for those who have planets placed in that degree.

I have been documenting each stage of this square from the first of seven encounters in June 2012, so I can see what can be attributed to the square and what may not be. The dismantling of institutions, such as the fiscal system and the N.H.S. has indeed taken place, as expected. But in the case of the N.H.S. nothing has been put in the place of its dismantling, and it is left hanging until the election.  Many of the problems we were facing then, such as climate change, have escalated, and certainly not diminished let alone been solved. In the case of climate change, the deniers I think have lost ground, and its dangers are more universally acknowledged. Other problems, such as those in Syria and the Middle East, have grown tentacles: ISIS has erupted, and disillusioned youth in our society have been going out to Syria via Turkey to join the Jihad.

Most Recent Phase

At the penultimate square in December, I wrote: “…the two world developments which most easily come to mind as representative of this [last] square’s influence are the rise of I.S.I.S. and the new developing cold war with Russia over conflict in the Ukraine.  I.S.I.S. had long been building up its force, and Putin has been in power for many years.  Both have necessitated involvement by the U.S. and Europe and other countries.

Outside of warfare and politics, the Ebola crisis has come more into focus, and there is urgency about finding a cure, and controlling the outbreak…war is a more deliberate act of choice by mankind than the eruption of a virus.”

After the Square is Over

At that time, I also wrote about the post square period: “Some situations may resolve themselves by the middle of March, or after the last crescendo.  If yours has followed the twists and turns, especially in the chronology of this square, then maybe you will see a peaceful end to that struggle in the spring.  I expect that in many cases it will be merely an end to the intensity of pressure.  Where conflict and revolutions and dismantlings have been destructive or not sufficiently thought through, there may be a long recovery period.”

Climate Change

Green M.P. Caroline Lucas has just published a book “Honourable Friends?” which is an enjoyable read. She contends that since entering parliament, she discovered that the political system needs to be overhauled.  She has a lustrous set of testimonials on the cover and flyleaf of her book: praise from Naomi Klein, Jon Snow, George Monbiot,  Melissa Benn, Owen Jones, Jonathan Porritt and Zac Goldsmith.

The book is a weapon for the sort of change we need right now.  It embodies the positive and maybe even ethical side of Uranus-Pluto.  No one can be doing more than Caroline at this time for the cause of climate change.

She quotes Rudolf Bahro:

“When the forms of an old culture are dying, the new culture is created by a few people who are not afraid to be insecure”

That is right where we are now in the cycle of growth forced by Uranus square Pluto.

Israeli Election

A regime change is possible for Israel on the day of the last Uranus-Pluto square as Israel goes to the polls.  Israeli politics has been dominated by the hawkish Binyamin Nethanyahu for many years.  He has used the politics of fear to try to assert that the people cannot afford to get rid of him, because only he can stand up to the threat of Iranian nuclear power.  He is not popular outside Israel, for many reasons: one being his near total destruction of Gaza, resonant of the Blair/Bush destruction of Iraq in 2003.  He showed a total disregard for the laws of  karma, which are compassionate and proportionate.

At the time of the election, he has a mixed bag of transits, which suggests the election may be close run, with probable alliances being negotiated thereafter.  The transits for the Israel chart are intriguing: a trine from Saturn to its Moon (possibly indicating they may choose the tried and trusted option) but a transit of the North Node to its Neptune (paradoxically that a karmic and spiritual choice may be made). Nethanyahu’s main opposition is an alliance between Isaac Herzog of the Labour Party and Tzipi Livni (Centrist), together known as the Zionist Union.  At the election, Herzog has a harmonious trine of Neptune to his natal Neptune (spiritually at one with himself), but Livni takes the Uranus-Pluto square head on, as it forms an exact T-square with her Sun, so either she is massively challenged, or will find that coming into power is a shock.

The Guardian leader this week stated: “The unexpected has happened before in Israel and it could happen again on Tuesday.  Those watching from afar, longing for an Israeli government committed to compromise rather than intransigeance, must hope that it does.”

The new government will have implications for the future of the Middle East, and the future of the Middle East has implications for the whole world.

Personal Lives

For several people I know, the Uranus-Pluto issue they have been dealing with has become clear to them, and as it nears the denouement it has very much felt like a crescendo.

I have to share my story here, because the timing has been so pertinent.

Last August, between the 5^th and 6^th square, I was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes, and put on a waiting list for their removal.  With an 18-week waiting list, I immediately worked out that the operation would be scheduled for my birthday, which was the 6^th, and penultimate, Uranus-Pluto square.  I also knew that somehow the issue of this square for me personally was linked with my cataract operation.  In October, I asked about my progress on the waiting list, and was given that date (15^th December 2014), as the target date: official confirmation of what I knew.  The Uranus-Pluto square was following me closely…

In November, I attended an assessment at the Cataract Clinic, but was told that I had diabetes, and needed for that to be under control before I could have the operation.  I then “knew” that the Uranus-Pluto square would continue to follow this process.  I cut out sugar from my diet, which is anyway now a fashionable thing to do (witness the success of Davina McCall’s book “5 weeks to Sugar Free”, and was eventually re-referred to the Cataract Clinic.  When I received an appointment for a second assessment there last Thursday (12^th March), I again “knew” my operation date would be on the Uranus-Pluto square, even though the finale was only days away.  “I have good news for you, Mrs. Wooster – we can offer you an appointment on Monday morning or Tuesday afternoon!” said the nurse at the assessment.   These two possible appointments were equidistant either side of the final square, which takes place at 2.54 a.m. in the early hours of Tuesday 17^th March in the U.K. (the evening of 16^th in the U.S.), and at any rate both possible appointments were within 24 hours of the square!  I have plumped for the first appointment, tomorrow morning.  Some Astrologers may have tried to re-schedule, but I rarely do that, as it is my philosophy to work with what is.  Whatever happens, the operation (to remove the first cataract) will be life-changing for me, and I will learn the meaning of the Uranus-Pluto square, which may for me be about accepting the process of life (subtext: to fear or fear not!).

Conclusion

We should be able to move on in relation to a major issue in our lives after this last square.  It has been argued by Barbara Hand Clow (expert on Chiron, who has documented her past lives in detail) that we will not be free of it because the Pluto-Uranus conjunction of the Swinging 60s has to run its course, and the two planets will re-meet periodically.  But for our generation, this present square is what we have had to deal with, and it is always important to establish good relations with our planets, both natal and transiting, which assists us in dealing with any transits.   It is as ever a case of “Seek the truth, and the truth shall set you free”.

Cyclone Pam, which has just devastated the South Pacific island of Vanuatu, is a last minute calling card of the destructive power of the Uranus-Pluto square.  However, an example of a more constructive completion in the last few days is the official ending of our involvement in the Afghanistan war, creating a new breathing space and releasing resources, as well as a conscious ending of conflict.  The conflict itself goes back 13 years, and is not a product of the Uranus-Pluto square, but its ending may have been assisted by the completion of the Uranus-Pluto cycle of squares.  Though our involvement was dubious and did not accomplish much if anything, any ending of any war is an accomplishment and a step in the right direction.  Theoretically, after the square, the only way is up.

Aspects

It is a watershed week astrologically.  Not only does the Uranus-Pluto square have its final say, but there is also an eclipse later in the week.

Tomorrow (Monday 16^th) Mercury squares Saturn, and there may be travel delays or slow communications.  It is not the ideal time for scheduling medical appointments, operations, or dental work, but if the fates have it that way, there may be a special learning involved.  Reading the small print [cataract-related joke] is a good idea for tomorrow, especially as you start your working week.

In the early hours of Tuesday (17^th) in the U.K. the final Uranus-Pluto square (of 7) occurs.  This represents a heightened tension, disruptive energy, conflict and unpredictability.  If you have been following my blog and other astrological blogs by now you will know all about it, and how it has tended to affect you, what are your attendant issues, and what is now coming to a finale, prior to a new beginning and possible sense of relief and resolution.  If you have a planet at 15 degrees of a sign natally, that will be particularly involved in the process.

Later that morning, Venus enters Taurus, which may register immediate relief for some.  If you are Venus-ruled (Taureans and Librans particularly), you will feel Venus sighing “Home at last…” as she limps from the battlefield of Aries which is so not her comfort zone.  Peace may be tangible for some, though others may still feel embroiled in the Uranus-Pluto square, especially if it has thrown up some practical tasks to attend to.

On Wednesday (18^th), Mercury conjoins Neptune.  This aspect can run the gamut from confused communication and mixed messages, through complicated journeys, to inspired spiritual communication.  So it may help you to understand the sensitive messages of the week, or compound their complexity.  It would help matters if you were  to work through your impressions before you communicate them, so that they leave your lips clearly at least.   Then listen very carefully…

All good preparation for the Solar Eclipse at 29 degrees Pisces on Friday (20^th).  As with the last Uranus-Pluto square, it represents a turning point, and if you have a planet in that degree of a sign, the eclipse may be more intense for you.  Its placement at the very end of Pisces, also symbolizes a completion, for that is the last degree of the astrological circle.  So there are two completions in one week, which may merge together in some way.

Later that evening, the Sun enters Aries, birthing the Spring Equinox.  Apparently the Northern Lights are more easily visible around the Equinoxes, and also at the time of the New Moon, so this is a double whammy for anyone aspiring to view them. [Information courtesy of Janet].  By the end of next week, you may genuinely feel that life is beginning anew.

The week in bullet points:

• Monday – pay attention to detail
• Tuesday – potentially disruptive, but also a sense of resolution, completion and relief
• Wednesday – spiritual thoughts
• Friday – a turning point: another completion and a new beginning

Scottish Nationalist Party

This is the third of the political blogs approaching the UK General Election, and if you are bored, look away now!  It was revealed this week just how crucial the Scottish National Party performance is in the forthcoming election.  Support for this party grew up to the Referendum vote in September, and then grew further beyond that point.  The vote was close enough to almost split the Union, and the existence of the Labour party in Scotland is considerably threatened by a massive vote in favour of the SNP come election time, which it has been warned this week may result in a Conservative landslide.  There are several angles to explore astrologically in seeing how various MPs may fare at the time of the election.   Labour MPs in Scotland are particularly vulnerable to lose their seats, some of them established figures in the world of UK politics.  So difficult to call is this election, that this week Kenneth Baker, a Tory grandee, boldly proposed a Labour-Conservative coalition.  In a continuing saga, this week also saw David Cameron ducking and diving the TV debates.  This morning it was suggested he have his own separate TV interview, a soft option I would have thought.

When I last wrote about the S.N.P. in mid-September, Alex Salmond was at its helm, and Nicola Sturgeon his deputy.  Now she has taken over as Leader of the Scottish Nationalists, and Alex Salmond is seeking to take a seat in Parliament as M.P. for Gordon in order to have more of a say in Parliament.  Thus the two of them can still create a powerful force-field.

Here is a re-cap about Nicola Sturgeon’s chart:

Nicola Sturgeon

“Nicola Sturgeon has been prominent on our screens for several years, appearing regularly on Question Time.  She is a role model for the strong woman, and unflinching in her political aims, and in her solidarity with Alex Salmond.  She is a Cancerian to his Capricorn Sunsign, the perfect combination to complete a job.  She is comfortable with power, as her Sun is sextile Pluto”.

She believes that austerity has been too harsh and must be balanced with reducing debt, and that the resultant freeing of funds can go towards helping the N.H.S.  She would also be in favour of getting rid of Trident from Scotland, or not renewing it.

She would be willing to work with Labour: “Post-election, if we are in a position of influence, I would hope that we could persuade the more progressive strands of opinion in the Labour party to see what we’re putting forward sits far better with the principles they profess to practice.”

On polling day, Nicola has an exact sextile from Mars to her natal Sun, so she should show up in a strong position which is forceful for bargaining.

And Alex…

Alex Salmond

“Alex Salmond’s  birthchart displays spectacularly his life path.  Alex is a Sun in Capricorn (ambition and politics) whose Sun is conjunct the North Node also in Capricorn (representing his karmic mission, which is also on side).  He has the fighting spirit of Moon conjunct Mars in Pisces, which sometimes obtains what is desired by subterfuge.  But his Ascendant is in Cancer, giving rise to the moon face and also the patriotism.  Rising within 6 degrees of his Ascendant is an exact conjunction between Jupiter and Uranus (the Inner and Outer Entrepreneur)  And we all know what his Enterprise is.”

Alex Salmond has a special interest in securing the living wage, and protecting oil interests in Scotland.  He has said that after the election, the Scots will be able to “call the tune”.

On polling day, Alex Salmond has a curious mix of aspects: Neptune exactly sextile his natal Sun (he could be smug or at least at peace with himself), Mars exactly sextile his natal Jupiter (boundless enthusiasm) but Mars squares his natal Pluto (some personal danger, perhaps egg throwing directed his way?).

Some M.P.s Affected from other parties

Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling are standing down as MPs at the forthcoming election, and polls have shown that their seats may well fall to the S.N.P.

Jim Murphy

Jim Murphy is a late Leo leader, with a karmic leadership role shown by North Node trine closely his Sun.  His appointment as leader to the Scottish Labour Party was controversial after the Referendum, but he came forward after Johann Lamont resigned due to her treatment by the main Labour Party.   He has the rebellious mid-1960s conjunction of Uranus and Pluto in Virgo, a sensitive Mars-Neptune conjunction, and his emotional make-up (Moon) depending on whether he was born in the morning or afternoon would be either heavily involved with Chiron (emotional wounds) or Saturn (emotional realism).  His Mars is exactly square Jupiter, so he is immensely enthusiastic.  In addition, he has huge energy at his disposal, with Mars exactly sextile Pluto.  Andrew Rawnsley in the Observer wrote that he “has got off to an energetic start that is attracting admiration from his colleagues”.   Politically he has a difficult task – trying to serve the Scottish people, the Labour Party, and standing up to the force of the Scottish National Party. In some ways, the interests of the Scottish Labour Party are at odds with the central Party.  This week’s poll suggests that he may just hold on to his seat in East Renfrewshire by a whisker.

On polling day, Neptune opposes his natal Venus, which may unsettle his personal life, but Chiron trines his natal Neptune, which may bode well for his greater role in society and healing divisions.

Charles Kennedy

The Ashcroft poll this week identified Charles Kennedy’s seat as one of those which was in danger of falling to the S.N.P.  As former leader of the Lib Dem Party, he is a veteran politician.  He is the M.P. for Ross, Skye and Lochaber.  He’s a Sagittarian, and arguably drink was his downfall, leading to him standing down as leader of his party.  However, he has Sun closely sextile his North Node, so leadership skills similar to Jim Murphy.  He also has a very heavyweight exact trine between Saturn and Pluto, so if it were not for his addiction or frailty, he could have been an outstanding statesman.  As it is, he seems much more comfortable these days in the less demanding role.

On polling day, sadly, Saturn is transiting his natal Sun in Sagittarius, and it looks as though the pollsters may be right, he could well lose his seat.  If he does not lose his seat, he may be heavy hearted at the state of his political party. In two weeks’ time I intend to take an overall look at the Lib Dem party.  A possible gain, one of many perhaps, for the Scottish National Party.  If any Scottish readers are tuning in, perhaps you can leave a comment about the complexity of your electoral choices, and how it looks from the other side of the border.

Aspects

It’s one of those weeks when you need to hold on to your hats, not just because of March winds, but because the aggressive planet Mars is about to activate the Uranus-Pluto square.  The good news is that NEXT week sees the last actual Uranus-Pluto square, so I will be writing about that next Sunday.

The beginning of the week is the most positive and dynamic portion, so make the most of it!  Mars trines Jupiter on Tuesday (10^th) and you will see that as the green light on all sorts of matters, particularly practical and physical activities, such as planting spring bulbs in the garden.  Hubby has promised to plant some of my favourite flowers, freesias, this year.  The enterprise failed miserably when he first tried them, a few decades ago.  But now there is global warming, I have persuaded him to try again.  Both planets are in fire signs, so anything energetic, light and bright will be favoured.  I will be meeting with Sarah for Light Pod, channeling and healing.  Hubby usually rewards us for all our hard work with a beetroot, carrot or kale juice, or all three.  “Ah, this is the life!”  you might think, on Tuesday.  Enjoy!

The middle of the week is very testing (I flinch to write about it!) but Mars conjunct Uranus on Wednesday (11^th) will be the last time Mars encounters the Uranus-Pluto square in its intensity – further contacts will be as the square wanes.  Uranus conjunct Mars is a lighting of the blue touch paper, it is electrical, explosive and fiery (especially as it is in Aries).  Keep away from conflict areas and warlike people as much as possible.

I saw a clip on You Tube last week of Leonard Nimoy reading the poem Desiderata, and a few lines from that poem really resonate with what we need to achieve this week:

From Desiderata:

Go placidly among the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence

…Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit

…and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.”

Max Ehrmann (1927)

Later the same day, Mars squares Pluto, which is even more difficult: it’s energy gone out of control.  Whereas Tuesday’s trine between Mars and Jupiter is constructive and positive energy, this is a conflict most people cannot engage with without getting burnt fingers.  Tuesday may contain lessons about handling energy, which may help you on Wednesday.  But if you are not confident, just keep out of the way of warring factions.  Some people, such as those who have Mars trine Jupiter, Uranus or Pluto natally, are born to work on the coal face, as say firemen, in emergency services, or in the armed forces.  And we need them, but we don’t all have that specific skill, courage or strength.  Know yourself, and your limits.

Mercury enters Pisces in the early hours of Friday (13^th),  so the collective mindset changes from cool intuition to warm compassionate thinking.  Both signs involve the collective in some ways, but there is a change of mental focus.  As it occurs in the early hours, you may perceive the change from when you begin sleep through to your waking perceptions and guidance, which may present an alternative view of something  you are working on, particularly if it is a collective issue.

Prepare to slide a little down the slippery snake of the game board on Saturday (14th) afternoon, for Saturn turns retrograde, requiring us to look back yet again at some piece of work, revise and rework it (groan…).  Yes, Saturn is a hard taskmaster, but the method in its madness is always eventually revealed as wisdom.  It’s just human nature to want quick results, and to resent having to take a step backwards.  The long term view is what is needed right now, or even the higher overview.   A spot of Future Life Progression may reveal the hindsight!

Next Week: The final crescendo of the Uranus-Pluto square

The week in bullet points:

• ·         Tuesday – a frabjous day
• ·         Wednesday – if you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen
• ·         Friday – a more deeply felt intuition
• ·         Saturday – be prepared to have to re-take your tests

 

Leonard Nimoy (1931 – 2015)

I am not a Trekkie, but as an Astrologer I have a natural affinity for the territory.  There is a huge worldwide affection for Leonard Nimoy, who died this week,  and his alter ego Spock the Vulcan in Star Trek, although the actor wrestled with his screen persona, and eventually surrendered.  His relationship with William Shatner, who played the Captain of the Starship Enterprise, makes an interesting study.

Spock the Vulcan

The unique character with whom Leonard Nimoy is forever associated, Spock, is dramatically depicted in his own chart, and so is in fact a part of his own psyche.  Leonard was an Aries Sunsign, so straightforward, logical and individualistic.  He had an exact conjunction between Uranus , the North Node and Mercury: a cement-like bond between his higher mind, his lower mind and his karmic mission.  His mind, like Spock’s own, worked in a unique and unusual way, with extra-terrestrial connections.  The role of Spock truly was his karmic mission.  The portrayal of this character opened people’s minds to other realities.  This triple conjunction occurs in his 11^th House of Starship Crews.

Birthchart

His rising sign and Moon were in the logical Gemini, and his Midheaven (persona) the supercool oddball sign of Aquarius.

Paradoxically, he had a strong feminine side, and was a man of great warmth:  This is shown by the gentleness of a trine between his two female planets Venus and the Moon.  He published love poetry (Neptune conjunct the Part of Fortune in his 3^rd House), which expressed this tenderness, as well as general poems about life:

I may not be

I may not be the fastest
I may not be the tallest
Or the strongest

I may not be the best
Or the brightest

But one thing I can do better
Than anyone else…

That is

To be me

Relationship with William Shatner

William Shatner, his co-star on the Starship Enterprise, is quoted to have said: “I loved him like a brother”. My feeling is that they came from the same Soul group, and possibly had recent lives in other star systems, planning to portray space adventurers in this lifetime.  In two  amazing coincidences, they both came from Ukrainian Jewish descent (two letters away from Uranian descent!), and they were also born only 4 days apart in the same year (which makes them almost astrological time twins).  Though he has many similar planetary placements, William Shatner has a more indulgent chart, with Venus rising in Aquarius, and Moon in Taurus.  Apart from the astrological affinity of their planetary conjunctions, brotherhood is shown by William Shatner’s Mercury in Aries exactly sextile Leonard Nimoy’s Ascendant in Gemini.  William Shatner has the conjunction of Uranus and North Node, symbolizing star trekking, but unlike Leonard Nimoy the conjunction does not include his Mercury, so there is not the same emphasis on intellect.  They both contracted tinnitus of the ears (Aries-related) during an episode of Star Trek which involved an explosion (a Uranian phenomenon).  William Shatner’s persona (Midheaven) is in the flamboyant, fiery sign of Sagittarius.  Although Captain Kirk (Shatner’s character) was the leader on the starship, in truth they both have astrological top billing because they both have 7 out of their 10 planets in Cardinal signs.

Last Tweet

At his death, Neptune (chronic illness) was exactly at the top of his chart, squaring his Ascendant.  His last tweet was well thought out:

“A life is like a garden, Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory”

Having attained the grand age of 83, he could be said to have lived long and prospered.

Aspects

There are 11 astrological events to write about this week, and possibly to process, so without further ado:

We start today with a conjunction between Venus and the South Node, and therefore a blast from the past.  Someone may contact you who hasn’t communicated for a long time.  It is a good day for reminiscences, and remembering precious moments.

Mid-afternoon Mercury then sextiles Uranus, an aspect that Spock would have liked: it is a reaching out of the box mentally, and an exploration of other ways of thinking.

In the evening Mercury opposes Jupiter, and we have stretched our minds as far as we can, and need to recognize that point.  We may have done some armchair exploration and adventuring, or watched several episodes of Star Trek boxed sets, but need to know when to give it a rest.  Try to have a peaceful evening, so that your mind is not over-exercised when you place your head on your pillow.

Tuesday (3^rd) brings more fun and games, some of them of great importance with Jupiter trine Uranus, that very adventurous and enterprising aspect which can enable us to put into practice our wildest ideas.

Wednesday (4^th) brings another happy clappy aspect, Venus trine Jupiter.  This is a good aspect for a celebration or party, and may of itself give you something to celebrate or shout about.  It is a very social aspect, so whatever is in your social diary should go with a swing.  If you are spending the day alone, give all your Archetypes a good work out; make sure they interact, even the wallflowers.

Venus then goes on to meet Uranus, and though that usually ensures exciting meetings, the conjunction is too uncomfortably close to a square with Pluto to be entirely beneficial!  If a new acquaintance is being ultra pally, and not observing comfortable boundaries, or if an old pal is behaving erratically, take a step back and analyze the situation with care.

To recap: it will be easy getting the party started, but don’t let it get out of hand later.  For by Thursday (5^th), it may become hard to disentangle yourself, with Venus squaring Pluto.    Even established relationships may be under strain.  You will need to decide where your loyalties lie, if you can’t please everyone.   If you are able to unite on a higher plane, e.g. through group meditation, solutions may be easier to find.

You might feel you are running out of stamina by now, just reading, let alone in the process of the week.  But you will need extra stamina to get through Thursday.  The next aspect to tackle is Mars conjunct the South Node.  This may require you to deal with past battles, or even past-life battles.  You may, as a result of insights gained into your own behaviour, need to adjust your Inner Warrior slightly: maybe your helmet is wonky, or your sword rusty, or your attitude needs to be more compassionate.

By early evening, the tension rises to the crescendo of the  Virgo Full Moon, and you may have a feverish obsession to clean the house, get all your filing up to date, or show your conscientiousness some other way, perhaps in the community.  Be aware of any types around you who are affected by the Full Moon and may disturb your equanimity; but otherwise things should settle later in the evening, and you can quietly read a study book, or watch an educational documentary on the television.

On Friday (6^th) you should feel much more sorted, Everyman, or Everywoman!  The Sun will be sextile Pluto, and you will be in a frame of mind to lucidly articulate your current psychological state to your favourite therapist, counselor or true friend.  You will have a lot to relate, if you have been exercised by all the aspects of the week, describing your adventures and how you overcame hurdles.  Unless – of course – you are the therapist, counselor or true friend, in which case you may not get a word in edgeways, but there is scope for an equal exchange., and a thorough psychological work out.

Which leads to the last aspect of the week, taking  place on Saturday (7^th), that of Sun conjunct Chiron.  A good thrashing of your psychological issues the day before will enable you to go further and equate any physical symptoms and need for healing, with their psychological counterparts.  The day favours both physical and psychological healing, but could also bring up crises and the emergence of wounds in order to find the solutions.  Have faith in the Chironic process, which usually indicates that healing is near.

Good News for Astrology?

Astrology has found an unlikely champion in Parliament.  Last year Tory M.P. for Bosworth in Leicestershire David Tredinnick revealed (shock, horror) that he believed in Astrology, and had been a student of the subject for many years, and even introduced it to other politicians.

He revived the topic this week, with an interview in the Astrological Journal providing more details about his beliefs, presumably in preparation for the forthcoming General Election.  He has prescribed both Astrology and Homeopathy for the rehabilitation of the N.H.S.

I myself have been collecting astrological medical research data for a few years, but would not be qualified to employ it to that level.  However, it is a fascinating area of study, and has the potential to help.

He states “Ninety per cent of pregnant French women use homeopathy.”

He criticizes the scientific sceptics:

“People such as Professor Brian Cox, who called astrology ‘rubbish’ have simply not studied the subject.”

I will allow him to analyze his own chart, in his own words.  According to the Daily Telegraph:

‘Tredinnick, who was born under the Capricorn star sign, claims his own astrological chart suggests he was destined to be a “servant of the people.”

He said: “I have a strong 6th house which suggests an emphasis on being a servant of the people – and this is quite a strong indication of health and healing. My Moon-Venus-Jupiter planets (in Aquarius) sit opposite Pluto in the 12th house.” ‘

How do his prospects look for polling day?  Uranus (Astrology) will be trine his Chiron (Healing), so maybe he has taken a calculated gamble that his outspokenness will pay off, or at least not harmed his chances as much as the average scientific sceptic might think!

The week in bullet points:

• Today – past relationships under the microscope; exciting ideas; mind-stretching
• Tuesday – a big, bold day
• Wednesday – socializing, but keep your boundaries
• Thursday – crunch time for relationships; the return of the warrior; emotions full
• Friday – talking things through, satisfyingly
• Saturday – healing required, and probably supplied

UKIP

This is the second in my pre-U.K. General Election series.  It is also my second blog on the subject of UKIP, the first having been posted on 5^th May 2013.  This week the Tories have nudged ahead in the opinion polls, but the bid for electoral power is still all to play for, with the minority parties in with a chance to affect policies and in line for possible alliances in the event of another hung parliament.  Since I wrote my original piece on UKIP two years ago, I managed to lose a friend over the subject – and I am not usually that careless!  In the political arena, since that time, UKIP have acquired two bona fide MPs, and altered Conservative policy through Cameron’s fear of their further success.

Nigel Farage

My astrological portrait from 2013:

“As a Sun sign Aries, Nigel Farage cuts an individualistic and almost self-sufficient figure.  On the Andrew Marr show this morning, he was very confident, straight speaking and focussed.  He has leadership qualities through that sign, but also from an exact sextile from Uranus to his North Node (karmic mission).  He has the capacity to surprise.  We do not have his birthtime, but I suspect Pluto is prominent on the angles of his chart, because of the way he rose from the ashes of the plane crash on the day of the last election declaring that he was lucky to be alive.  On that day Pluto squared his Mars (the near death experience), trined his Natal Uranus (surprise survival), and conjuncted his South Node in Capricorn  (karmically facing death)”.

At the time I wrote that, I did not have a birthtime for him, but having acquired one, I found Pluto exactly on his Ascendant (the ability to rise like a Phoenix from the ashes)!  Another extra point to note is that he has no aspects to his natal Sun in Aries, which makes him even more of an individualistic, almost maverick, figure.  He also has no Air planets, and though intelligent (Mercury conjunct Jupiter), he does not primarily operate in the mental sphere, but more on instinct.  This individuality is both the source of some of his charisma, but it is at the same time a factor in failing to organize a party properly, because you cannot replicate the personal success across a motley crew of a party.

So, what are his transits like on the day of the General Election?  As reported in my new year blog:

“Nigel Farage (UKIP): [High] Jupiter trine his natal Sun (A stroke of luck).  Well, at the last election he survived a plane crash.  I am hoping the UKIP bubble will burst before the election, but he could get a seat.”

Transiting Pluto will also be sextile his natal Chiron, also putting him in a strong position psychologically.

Douglas Carswell

UKIP seem to have a particularly strong presence around Essex and Kent, and are apparently also coming up strongly in the North East of England.  Douglas Carswell was the first ever UKIP MP (representing Clacton), thus giving the party some presence and more respectability in parliament.  Like Nigel Farage, he has no aspects to his natal Sun (an unusual feature in a chart) and this points to operating independently.  He left the Conservative party because he wanted to see fundamental political change in Britain.  His ruling planet Venus exactly opposes Uranus, and this may be a driving force in that aim.  Mars trines his Pluto natally, so he has plenty of driving force generally.  He has no Water planets, so may be low in emotion.  At the time of the UK General Election this year, his transits are not remarkable.  He has Saturn transiting his Neptune, and may find things tough going or disappointing.  He may not do as well as he hopes.

Mark Reckless

Mark Reckless defected from the Tory party last year, and gained a seat in Rochester and Strood.  His is another very independent chart (Sun closely sextile Uranus – the Rebel Archetype, Mars trine the North Node), with leadership qualities but not as charismatic as Nigel Farage.  He had been notoriously rebellious while still a Conservative MP.  At the time of his re-election in November as a UKIP MP, he was experiencing his Uranus Opposition (which is the mid-life rebellion in terms of astrological cycles).  Like Nigel Farage, he has transiting Jupiter trine his natal Sun (which is in Sagittarius) at the time of the UK General Election.  So another lucky UKIP result on the cards!  His and Nigel’s natal Suns are exactly trine within a minute (13 degrees 55 minutes Sagittarius for Mark, and 13 degrees 54 minutes Aries for Nigel) giving them good working prospects together, and on election day Jupiter at 13 degrees 51 minutes Leo creates a Grand Trine with their natal Suns, magnifying the luck factor.  The stars certainly seem to smile on them that day.

UKIP chart on Election Day

Transits to UKIP’s own chart on Election Day are a mixed bag, but overall strong.  Uranus squares its Uranus, so there may be upsets, but Pluto trines its Mercury, indicating a positive shift on a deep level for their electoral machine.

Policies

One of the problems with UKIP is the lack of development of their policies, other than the prominent attitude of being anti-immigration and anti-Europe.  Here is a summary of some of their aims:

• Pulling out of the European Union
• Slashing the foreign aid budget
• Bringing back smoking in pubs
• Abolishing the Human Rights Act
• Boost funding for the NHS
• End involvement  in foreign wars

I can go along with their NHS policy, but the smoking policy seems a retrograde step.  Other than that, no comment!

Immigration

I am straining hard not to show my anti-UKIP bias, but have to concede that the immigration issue is of concern to many in this country, and that is the main reason for their popularity.  Nigel Farage denies that the party is racist, but it did inherit members from the BNP and even the National Front, and many UKIP supporters have embarrassed Nigel by making racist comments.  Tonight there is a documentary about UKIP, in which Rozanne Duncan, a former UKIP councillor, is seen to explain why she has a fear of “negroes”.

I feel that UKIP  is fuelled by fear, if not hatred in some cases, with its racist, homophobic and misogynistic tendencies (judging by quotes in the past from its membership).

A spiritual Perspective

Under comments in my last blog on the subject, my friend Laura posted a long commentary on the subject of people’s perception of immigration.  For me it stands the test of time and bears repeating:

“UKIP and its immigration policy” ~ Laura Dane:

“If there is one thing I have learnt from my years of spiritual work, it is that what we notice in the “world out there” and how we respond to it is a reflection of our “inner world”. The outer world is a reflection: the cause and solution lies in our inner world.

So, if we, for instance, are troubled by the idea of poor economic refugees flooding into the country, (as opposed to rich economic refugees like the Russian billionaires fleeing Russia after falling out with Putin and bringing with them, the extension of Gangster style Russian politics into the UK), what we are really experiencing is:

A new and foreign aspect of our personality nature (“the European foreigner”) is emerging into our lives (“coming into the UK”) and we sense that we have no barriers to keep it at bay (“open UK borders”) and no power to stop it because it is under the control of our higher or soul nature (“the EU”). We feel threatened by it because it threatens our sense of identity (“our sense of Britishness”) by undermining our sense of self. We perceive it as an act of impoverishment (“Migrants taking up our jobs, our benefits etc without contributing taxes etc”).

Our response to the EU indicates our response to our own higher nature or soul nature while our response to “being a European” indicates our response to the notion of an integrated personality. Each new European nation is, in this sense, a new unknown aspect of our nature to be integrated into our personality nature.

There is a deeper challenge at work. Do we believe that the role of our higher/soul nature (“the EU”) is to support the personality-focused life of material power, possession and dominance in the world – the life of the lower chakras, the world of the past ( “winning the economic race”) – OR is its role to uplift the personality into a soul-centred life – the life of the higher chakras, particularly the heart in which brotherhood and sharing are central, the life of the future?

We will tend to see one or the other as we look out into the world, particularly the world of the EU but sometimes, we will observe that what is happening is a shift from the personality-centred to the soul-centred life. When we can observe this state of shift, we are experiencing the same within ourselves and participating in a great national shift in which the British nation, as a whole, is moving from a personality/material centred life to a soul/spiritual centred life.

There are those who can move forward into this new way of living and there are those who can not. There must be room in the nation for both. It is not an easy shift to accomplish. We resist it with every fibre of our being every inch of the way. Today’s crises about membership of the EU, the meaning of what it is to be British, the UK’s role in the world are all reflections of our inner crises which form the path to a soul-centred life. Paradoxically, from a spiritual perspective, it indicates success and a guaranteed new role for the nation in the life of humanity.”

Aspects

Today is the real Valentine’s deal this month, with Mars exactly conjunct Venus (though they were travelling together last week).  A conjunction should be an equal match, but the cards are stacked unfairly against Venus in this respect.  Firstly, Mars has a tendency to overrule Venus, as he is the more forceful, and Venus the more diplomatic.  Secondly, Mars is right now strong in its own sign of Aries, so the Inner Warrior is fortified.  Thirdly, Venus is out of her comfort zone in Aries, and it is difficult for her to express herself.  So if there is a battle of the sexes today, Mars will win.  That can be a more Martian female, for instance.  It is a good day to read “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” by John Gray, and ponder.

Tomorrow, Monday 23^rd, the honeymoon (if it was a honeymoon) is over, and the shine is taken off the romance, with the Sun being squared by Saturn.  A mood of deflation (financial or otherwise) holds sway at home and abroad.  This is not a good starting position for the beginning of the working week, but you get a sense of what you are up against and what you need to do.  There is no chance of sleepwalking into the week.  It has to go onwards and upwards, from that point.  Practicality, rather than romanticism, wins the day.

On Tuesday (24^th) Venus trines Saturn, so a little romance may be creeping back in, if you need it.   It is more loyalty and commitment than romance, but at least it is more of a sense of connectedness.  The Arts will need to be seen to have some practical value.  Financially, the emphasis is on savings rather than spending.

The cautious trend continues on Thursday (26^th) with a trine between Mars and Saturn, where practical action is the order of the day.  Deliberate, constructive initiatives stand a chance of succeeding.

There is spiritual inspiration too on Thursday, a nice balance to the Mars-Saturn energy.  The Sun conjuncts Neptune, so it is a good day for meditation and dance, perhaps for starting a course in either.

On Friday (27^th) Jupiter is quincunx Pluto, a minor aspect but involving two major planets.  There could be minor power tussles in personal lives as well as globally, e.g. posturing between Putin and the West, and Greece and Germany.

A note about Pluto: I noticed this week that Pluto had been omitted from my grandson’s astronomy book.  Of course it has been demoted to a dwarf planet.  But I would just like to stand up for its gigantic role in our lives psychologically in astrological terms!  There have been moves afoot to re-instate it as a proper planet, but it will always be one in my eyes, whatever should happen.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – romantic interplay
• Tomorrow – a slight feeling of deflation
• Tuesday – loyalty and commitment
• Thursday – practical action; and spirituality
• Friday – power tussles

Mercury sextile Saturn – Work Ethic

From: Alan Oken “Complete Astrology”

 “COMMUNICATION FLOWS OR WORKS WELL WITH CONSOLIDATION.  This configuration imparts common sense and a fine head for business.  It allows one to make the most out of the least.  Those fortunate enough to have such a flowing aspect in their charts have a a way of achieving goals through careful planning and an awakened sense of existing opportunities…allows for consistent mental work and fine organizational ability.”

There is only one aspect this week, though we do have three changes of sign for planets.  This provides the space to look at the aspect in more detail, and look at the possibilities for the week.  Because Mercury is now direct, and was retrograde, we came upon this aspect twice recently.   On its last outing (Thursday 5^th February), I summarized it as denoting “work ethic” and said that this week would offer the chance to complete things or pick up where you left off.  Which is where I find myself, enlarging more fully on this aspect.

I thought I would look at a few famous examples of those born with this aspect, to show the qualities, achievements and potential of what we have to work with this week.  Mercury represents the mind, and often a person has more than one aspect to their Mercury, so there is more complexity.  And equally,  the Mercury picture is not the only description of a person’s mental outlook in a chart.  Also, the mental outlook needs to be put into context within the whole make up of the character. I will highlight those features which show us what we are capable of this week with Mercury sextile Saturn, to show what is most relevant.

Famous Examples

Arundhati Roy

Arundhati Roy is an author and activist, who wrote the Man Booker Prize winning “The God of Small Things” in 1997.  Her activism comes from Sun conjunct Mars in Sagittarius, and her literary skill is shown by Mercury conjunct Venus (The Writer Archetype) in Scorpio.  Mercury also squares her Nodal Axis, giving her an awareness of the difficulties of karma.  Otherwise, the aspects to Mercury are not too complicated, and  Mercury sextile Staurn is clearly shown in the premise of her beatifully titled book “The God of Small Things”.  Wikipedia describes  the book as “A description of how the small things in life affect people’s behaviour and their lives.” The significance of the small details in life is therefore something you can become aware of this week.  We can all benefit by becoming more Virgoan. Mercury sextile Saturn encourages mental precision and organization, such as through list making and efficient filing.

Brian Aldiss

89-year old Brian Aldiss, O.B.E. is a prolific author of science fiction novels, and a vice president of the international H.G. Wells society.  The creativity and fantasy of his writing come from Sun conjunction Neptune in Leo. But in order to be convincing, he needs to utilize the scientific and logical qualities of his Mercury-Saturn sextile, which he has done successfully.  Mental vigour is shown by his Mercury conjunct Mars, but the Mercury-Saturn sextile conveys mental stamina, and hard-working perseverance.  If you are engaged in writing projects, this week may be the week to persevere, knuckle down and be productive in such a project.

Eric Cantona

At first glance you might not have the maverick Eric Cantona, footballer, philosopher and actor, down as a Mercury-sextile-Saturn type.   But there is a mental hardness and steeliness about him, the upside of which is mental resilience and fortitude.  The application for you, for this week, is to Keep Going!  A working project may seem arduous, or even dull at times, but don’t give up.  Alex Ferguson used to hold  him up as an example to other players, as he would stay overtime for practice long after the others would leave.  I  quote you two of his aphrisms, not because they particularly reflect the Mercury-Saturn sextile, but because they show his philosophical side (Mercury-sextile-Saturn can be very logical, an aspect of the philosophical mind):

Eric Cantona:

“The noblest revenge is to forgive”

“I am searching for abstract ways of expressing reality, abstract forms that will enlighten my own mystery.”

Like Brian Aldiss he has Mars conjunct his Mercury (mental vigour) and like Arundhati Roy he has Sun conjunct Mars (Warrior Archetype).  His maverick, rebellious quality comes from his exact conjunction of Uranus and Pluto in Virgo.

Benjamin Crème

Benjamin Creme has been presenting information about the gradual emergence  of Maitreya, the World Teacher since 1975 and, humanity’s response to Maitreya’s teachings has been such that Benjamin Crème has recently reported that Maitreya’s declaration of himself openly as the World Teacher could be in about  18 months’ time.  The organization he founded –  Share International – was set up to present information on the emergence of Maitreya  and his message of hope for the future.  It also promotes the values of justice and sharing, a prominent value of the coming Aquarian age.  (For more information, see http://www.shareintl.org/)

He uses telepathy to communicate with  Maitreya and his own Master.  Obviously he would require  efficient mental equipment for all this!  He has a slightly more complex mental picture than the other examples. What he has are 3 major aspects to his Mercury.  You would expect to find Uranus square his Mercury, for the telepathy and controversialism of speech – and he has this.  He has Mercury exactly trine Chiron, which promotes healing and problem-solving through the mind.  He has no earth planets, so the mental grounding and patience of his third Mercury aspect, the sextile with Saturn, is very much needed.  Mercury sextile Saturn also gives him a sense of gravitas and responsibility in his communication, and his message has been consistent over the years.  Be aware this week of the weight and responsibility of your words, and the karma of thought. 

Mercury sextile Saturn may not be the most exciting aspect for us to live with this week, but it does present a great opportunity.

Babies born this week

Babies born this week will have the full qualities of this natal aspect:  A steady mind, capable of concentrated methodical systematic work.  He or she will be able to work in a detailed way, e.g. if in a career in Medicine,  she or he would be able to perform detailed and precise surgery.  If  engaged in sport, he or she would have good control and co-ordination.

Aspects

The Mercury-Saturn sextile can apply all week, so you can get cracking today on your week’s project or catch-up exercise with regard to your documentation.

There is a New Moon at the very end of Aquarius on Wednesday (18^th).  Coming at the end of Aquarius as it does, it represents the very highest ideals of this highly idealistic sign.  Put into practice your most humanitarian wishes.

The Sun enters Pisces late that day, so humanitarian ideals will turn to compassion.  You may be all fired up mentally about an issue, then suddenly turn soft and emotional over the same issue.

At lunchtime on Thursday (19^th) the sharp focus of Mercury sextile Saturn comes into play (see above).  If you haven’t started a mental project, you can set the foundations for it now.  Whatever you are engaged in, should be a constructive enterprise.

In the early hours of Friday (20^th) Mars enters Aries, its home territory.  You may either be very wakeful and feeling restless, or having dropped off to sleep may wake suddenly bolt upright with ideas for active projects and things you feel you must do, perhaps sparked by a florid dream.  When you are in the heat of the day, you may have a strong push to get things done, or scriptwrite a play in which you are the central or the only  character!

In the early evening of the same day, Venus also enters Aries.  She gets dragged into the play even though not in her comfort zone on the battlefield of Aries.  Someone has to play the feminine lead, though, and she is there to temper the excesses of the male lead who may be rampaging across the stage set otherwise.  There will be passion in this play, undoubtedly.

Good News Story of the Week

(A real Valentine’s Tale)

Ashley McIntyre of Louisville, Kentucky in the U.S.A. donated her kidney to Danny Robinson, and is now set to marry him!  They are also expecting a baby in June.

The story began on the day before her birthday last year, when she overheard her mother talking about a local lad who needed a kidney.  We have her birthchart therefore for this story!  Ashley has natal Venus conjunct Saturn, usually an indication of responsibility in relationship, and here it may symbolize her gift of her kidney.  At the time she decided on the generous gesture, Jupiter the planet of beneficence was trine her natal Sun.  It certainly was an act of unconditional love.  At the time of the donation of the kidney, Neptune (planet of sacrifice) was exactly conjunct by transit to Ashley’s North Node (karma).  They began dating a few weeks later, when romantic Venus was exactly trine Ashley’s natal Venus.  He popped the question on Christmas Day 2014, when Uranus (surprise) was exactly sextile Ashley’s Mercury (a question asked).

Danny’s mother, Denise Stutzenburger, was sure her son would marry Ashley.

“I told her, ‘You are going to be my daughter-in-law, you just don’t know it yet.’”

Ashley, when interviewed, gave the credit to the Creator:

“It’s crazy how it all worked.  It was all planned out by God.”

The week in bullet points:

• ·         Wednesday – new beginnings; compassion
• ·         Thursday – work ethic
• ·         Friday – fire and passion

Green Party

It is now three months until the U.K. General Election, and time to start a series of blogs on that theme, though you will be pleased to know the series will be punctured by blogs on other subjects.  The pundits seem perplexed as to the likely outcome of the election, although everyone is prepared for the likelihood of another coalition of some sort.  Because the outlook is so uncertain, the minor parties will possibly have more say, and already David Cameron paid the Greens a compliment of declining to take part in the TV debates unless they were included!  I have been waiting for two years for signs  that the UKIP bubble is bursting, and polls suggest that might be happening.

I am starting the Election astro-analyses with the Greens, who are literally gaining ground, and are the only party who take seriously the issue of Climate Change, arguably of the utmost importance.  I think their recent rise is interesting in terms of the fact that we are nearing the end of the Uranus-Pluto series of squares, and it may indicate that we are prioritizing our values in the wake of the damage it has caused.

It is easier to vote for the smaller parties mid-term, but many people lose their nerve during a General Election, and go with the traditional parties, anxious not to waste a vote.   But if you are living in a constituency which is governed by die-hard opposition to what you believe in, then you may not have much to lose, and may be able to afford the luxury of voting, say, for the planet.

The U.K. Green Party  were encouraged recently by the victory of the Syriza party in Greece, on at least two counts: one that it was a victory for a small party in Europe, and two that it was Anti-Austerity.

Astrology of the Green Party

What’s not to like about Green policies?

• They look after our Home planet
• They are anti-Austerity
• They are against funding nuclear weapons
• A liveable minimum wage
• Keeping the NHS in public, not private hands
• Scrapping University tuition fees
• Bringing the railways back into public ownership

The jury may be out for some people on one of their other policies:

• They are republican; anti-Monarchy

That may lose them some votes, but they may also gain a few.

A letter in the Observer this morning attacks the record of the Green local council in Brighton, but the writer may be biased in some way.

The history of the Green Party goes back to 1972, but in 1990 it split into 3 parties, the largest of which is the Green Party of England and Wales.  I cannot find a precise date for this event, so have to look at the broad planetary themes of that year.   Heavyweight planets Saturn, Uranus and Neptune were in the earthy practical sign of Capricorn, digging up the problems which beset our Earth, while opposing Jupiter and Chiron in Cancer, helping to find solutions for making our Home planet more hospitable.  The purpose of the Green Party was in response to finding solutions for the ever widening problems, which then were more focused on the plundering of our resources such as oil, and the ever widening hole in the ozone layer.  Current focus is more on Climate Change, weather patterns and  preventing further damage (e.g. through the threats posed by fracking).  I will continue to search for precise dates for both the original founding in 1972 and the 1990 reorganization, and if I find them they’ll be included in future posts.  If I do find them, I will be in a position to look at how the Green Party will do as a whole on May 7^th.

Caroline Lucas

Caroline Lucas was previously Leader of the Greens, and yielded that title to Natalie Bennett when she became M.P. for Brighton and Hove, so that she could concentrate on her new role.  Her profile has gained ground over the last year, and she was voted Politician of the Year in 2014.  She was hands-on in the battle against fracking, even being arrested during a demonstration.

I wrote on 9^th May 2010, after the last General Election:

“The Earth is the Esoteric Ruler of Sagittarius (her Sun Sign) in the Esoteric Astrology of Alice Bailey.  Caroline’s astrological chart shows  a fine exact powerful trine of Jupiter and Pluto, balanced by a spiritual sextile of Neptune between the two.  She will serve with dignity and integrity, and though her influence is not wide, it will be powerful  by example.  And if you look at her Human Design chart, you find that she has all her centres filled in, which is the first chart of its kind I have seen since I started to look. “

In my New Year blog this year I looked at her personal transits for 7^th May:

“Caroline Lucas (Greens): [Low]  Saturn conjunct her natal Mercury (mentally dispiriting).  Sadly, though the Greens have increasing popularity now, often this does not translate into success at the time of a General Election.”

Knowledge of the Green Party chart may brighten this picture, if you’ll pardon the pun.  And birthtimes for Caroline Lucas and Natalie Bennett might also improve the perspective.

Natalie Bennett

Australian-born Natalie Bennett is currently the leader of the Green Party, and I wonder if her origins have encouraged the anti-monarchy stance.  When she took over as leader I analyzed her chart:

“[Caroline’s] replacement Natalie Bennett, Australian born with a scientific background, has a very strong chart, and not an entirely easy one, but presumably that has made her stronger.  Her easier path comes from two good trines:  Sun exactly trine Jupiter (immense good will) and Venus in Capricorn (lover of the Earth) trine her North Node (karmic mission).  She has notable squares too, but the other dominating feature of her chart is a double opposition between Pluto/Uranus (exact conjunction) in Virgo (the Rebel on behalf of the Earth) and Saturn/Chiron in Pisces (a sensitivity to suffering).  This double opposition, composed itself of challenging planets, will have forged her character under difficult circumstances.  Her political coming of age may be due to a recent Nodal reversal by transit, highlighting her South Node in Sagittarius (esoterically ruled by the Earth).”

Caroline and Natalie have undoubtedly worked well together, especially building up the party since Caroline relinquished the title of leader and entrusted it to her political sister.  They have some solid interconnections in their charts, such as Saturn sextile Saturn, and Natalie’s Pluto trine exactly Caroline’s Saturn.  But the sharing of power is also a theme between them, with Natalie’s Pluto square Caroline’s Sun, and Caroline’s Pluto opposing Natalie’s Mars: they may have at times hotly debated issues of policy and power.  But on a personal level, their Venuses are warmly exactly conjunct at the end of Capricorn, so they are very much at one in their love of the Earth, their approach to such matters and their approach to relationships.

Does Natalie fare any better on May 7^th than Caroline?

Yes, I would say the transits register quite positively.    Firstly, Chiron trines her natal Neptune, so she will experience a healing sigh of relief at hard work paying off, in terms of all her spiritual input being rewarded.  That is a powerful thumbs up from the Universe.  However some of her expectations may prove unrealistic, in terms of Chiron squaring her Jupiter: she may well experience a sense of exhaustion through anti-climax.  And Neptune will be transiting her Mars, so there may be uncertainty as to how she proceeds.  This may be through a period of establishing a new coalition, where her opinions and loyalties may be sought by one of the main parties.  Mercury itself squares Neptune on Polling Day, and so that would point to uncertainty, such as we had on the last General Election day.

So if that all sounds unpromising if you are a Green supporter, then you will have to personally make up the astrological shortfall and the political stranglehold of the main parties before the Election!  I will continue to keep my eye on this space, and look out for any more constructive prospects.

Aspects

Venus is sextile Pluto today, so it is a good day for psychological analysis, intimacy and human relations.  For instance, if you were making a social tour of a room at a party, you could make a few really deep contacts in a short length of time.   Other connections between Venus and Pluto are love and money, so artistic interpretations will have more depth than the diamond-studded skull of Damien Hirst or the abandoned bed of Tracy Emin.  In finance, you may be able to bring together all the dimensions of your inner and outer riches, the ingredients you may need for a more abundant life.

Tomorrow (Monday 9^th), Venus is conjunct with Chiron.  Today’s Venus-Pluto sextile may have encouraged your to open up to long-buried emotional wounds in order to assist their clearance. You may become aware of artistic wounds, such as feeling vulnerable when expressing the Arts. Even Hilary Mantel, author of the Tudor classic Wolf Hall which is currently gracing our TV screens, admits to finding writing painful in her autobiography “Giving up the Ghost”. But paradoxically this aspect can make your artistic or musical creations healing for yourself and others.  The singer Adele has Venus conjunct Chiron in her birthchart and was able to produce two best-selling albums from the creativity inspired by the pain of Love and a relationship which touched her deeply.

Wednesday (11^th) brings freedom from Mercury Retrograde, and a green light for communications, documentation, travel and transport.  If a process has been held up for the last three weeks, such as being on a hospital waiting list, you may find progress is made now.  You could spend the rest of the week writing the final chapters of your book, or deciding who to send your Valentine’s greeting to, and whether or not to send it anonymously.

There isn’t a major aspect for Saturday (14^th),  so you may want to look for Valentine’s inspiration to the next astrological event, which is a New Moon in Aquarius next week.  In terms of male-female relations, Aquarius is neutral or androgynous, encouraging us to balance our own inner male and female, and being clear about ourselves before interacting with others.  This theme is reflected in and supported by this week’s Fixed Star, which is Sadalsud in the constellation of Aquarius

“Starlight Elixirs” by Michael Smulkis and Fred Rubenfeld says of Sadalsud:

“This star can create peacefulness in the interaction amongst all women and men by increasing the female part of their understanding.  The male mind can open to its female aspects and in this way relate better to women.  Women are able to better express and share the very nature of what it means to be a woman.  This star may eventually be able to work with these energies in large groups; for now it is simply in small groups or in one to one relationships.”

That may not have the romance of Libra, but does progress the evolution of relationships, and you may be able to turn it into a whacky home-made card!

Skype Regression

I am now in a position to offer Past Life Regression and Future Life Progression by Skype!  Up to now, I have only been able to work in this way in person, so now I am not limited geographically, and can work with you wherever you are in the world.  I live in Norfolk, England, but for several years have travelled once a year to the Watford area for sessions.  I am planning, hopefully, such a trip in the Spring this year.  Working with Skype is effective, and Past Life Regression and Future Life Progression are powerful tools, which can help you to find information and experiences about yourself that are a revelation in the quest for self-knowledge.  The process itself can also be very relaxing.  The astrology of this sea-change for me was a Nodal Reversal in my chart, conjuncted by Uranus, the planet of Technology, signaling a new phase of working with Karma.  For more information please view the Past Life and Future Life pages of my website.  Please email me if you are interested, from the link at the top of my Contact page.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – harmony and understanding
• Tomorrow – sympathy and trust abounding
• Wednesday – no more communication illusions
• Saturday – Love might steer the stars

Greece

“I am not an Athenian or a Greek, but a citizen of the world…”

~ Socrates

The Greek electorate made history last Sunday, by  voting in a communist leader Alexis Tsipras, head of the  Syriza Party. He has formed a surprising coalition with the far right party, in a combined anti-austerity thrust.  Conditions in Greece have become so intolerable that this outcome was inevitable, and this event has many ramifications for Greece, Europe and the world.

Greek Chart

I use the chart of 24th July 1974, which represents according to “The Book of World Horoscopes” by Nicholas Campion “the current republican, parliamentary regime” dating from the collapse of the military dictatorship. With Saturn exactly conjunct Mercury and conjunct the Ascendant, it is not an easy chart. Furthermore, the Moon is exactly conjunct Pluto in the 3rd House (square exactly Venus), a condition in which it would be difficult to keep buoyant. Jupiter squares the Nodal Axis, which could indicate karma swinging to extremes of excess.

Alexis Tsipras was born only 4 days into this regime, and therefore he is totally in tune with modern Greece and able to embody its aspirations and understand its needs.

The transits for Greece at the time of the election show a time of great uncertainty, with transiting Neptune exactly square the natal Neptune. This can also describe the extreme poverty of the nation at this time. The recent karmic Uranus/South Node conjunction squares the natal Ascendant at the top of the chart, with Pluto opposing the Ascendant: drastic times, seemingly Greece against the world.

Alexis Tsipras

To what extent can one person change the world?  Certainly Tsipras can speak on behalf of Greece. We do not have a birth time for him, and there are differences with the chart of Greece generated by the four days.  Some of the extreme difficulties are softened, and some great strengths appear.  Alexis has the Sun exactly sextile Pluto, a game changer if there ever was one.  Mercury has moved to an exact trine with Jupiter, alleviating the exact conjunction with Saturn, and enabling positive thought and hope.  The Moon has moved away from the exact conjunction with Pluto, taking it out of the pit of despair.  Neptune is within one degree of a trine with the Sun, providing inspiration. Tsipras is not fuelled by faith or religion, he’s an atheist, but I think he has a powerful instinct for the common good. He has taken a huge risk in promising so much, including a vow  to renegotiate Greek debt (Pluto rules debt) but the Greeks have put their faith in him.  In history, the mould breakers and ground breakers are not always destined to carry through the work, but he is still young at 40.

For his victory, the big guns have come out, in that Pluto is trine his natal Sun, and Neptune sextiles his Sun.

He has put his money where his mouth is straight away: immediately implementing a minimum wage, privatization schemes halted, and pensions reinstated.

Economic Implications

On the one hand, the Greek people have been criticized for not working as hard as the Germans, whose leader Angela Merkel is insisting that Europe will not cancel the Greek debt. On the other hand, huge sums of money have been loaned to Greece by the Eurozone, without looking at the humanitarian context, in the manner of a loan shark then rapping on the door of someone who has no chance of repaying. The money was diverted to the wealthy, and the poor and even the middle classes were not recipients.

The current economic policies of the western world, coming under the banner of Neo-liberalism, and popularized in the era of Reagan and Thatcher, is not working for common humanity, and money is not flowing along healthy lines.

Thus it is that the  Greek populace, and Tsipras, have said enough is enough, Neoliberalism is not the way. There must be an alternative, even if it means the drama of Greece leaving the Euro and returning to the drachma.

It is no coincidence that this crunch has come just before the last Uranus-Pluto square. The Uranus-Pluto square has taken destruction, chaos and anarchy to their extreme, and change has got to come.

Europe

The event does send ripples astrologically through the chart of the European Union: notably Mars sextile its Sun, galvanizing it to action. But Neptune squares its Mars, so action options are confused. Jupiter trines its natal Saturn, which gives some hope of bringing things into balance.

There’s a shock for the Euro chart too, in this week’s events: Uranus squares its Mars. But Neptune sextile the Euro Mercury: sensitive negotiation to take place.

Angela Merkel

Interestingly, there are many links between Angela Merkel’s chart and that of Alexis Tsipras, it could almost be said they are born adversaries. He challenges her directly with his Uranus-opposite-Chiron exactly square her Sun, forming a T-square. There is a dizzying array of aspects between Neptune, Uranus, Chiron and Pluto in their charts, all challenging planets. And in an exact conjunction Tsipras’ Saturn pins down Merkel’s Jupiter.  In their interaction, Tsipras is by no means powerless. And morally, there is a case for compassion to be made, in the same way that Germany’s debts were forgiven after the war.

Other European countries, notably Spain and Italy, may follow Greece’s lead, so this may be the start of something which grows and may change the economic system we use. Austerity would never be popular, but the widening gap between rich and poor in many countries, including the U.K., is not the right order of things. Writing in the 19^th Century William Morris was appalled by it:

“The contrasts of rich and poor are unendurable and ought not to be endured by either rich or poor”.

Or as an Auschwitz survivor put it last week:

“There is no Them and Us”

Demis Roussos

The lovely Demis Roussos died on the day of the election. His larger than life image is shown by Jupiter close to the melodious Libran ascendant  and conjunct Chiron, a triple conjunction which trines another triple conjunction, namely the Sun, Uranus  and the North Node in Gemini.    He led an unusual life, born in Egypt but moved to Greece where he established his musical career. His heyday was the decade of the 1970s. One of the defining moments of his career was his single “Forever and Ever” reaching no. 1 in the U.K. charts in 1976, which coincided with transiting Chiron forming an exact trine with his Moon in 3^rd House (which represented the emotion he put into his vocal expression).  That certainly would have been a triumph of his capacity of healing through music.  A strange episode in his life brought him to an incident of hijacking on a plane in June 1985.  It was on his Solar Return (birthday), his natal Sun being in the 9^th House of foreign travel in Gemini (flight).    He was released, unharmed, fortunately.  It is a curious timing that he chose to let go of life on the day of the election – perhaps he felt able to entrust the nation to the new forces.  With the Sun conjunct his North Node his karmic mission was as a performer – his trademark flowing kaftans will not be forgotten.

The Glory that was Greece

Ancient Greece is my favourite arena for past life memories: the elegance of its Art, Architecture, Philosophy…It is likely that you had some lives there too, dear reader, as it was a long civilization.  I make no secret of my desire for the restoration of the Elgin Marbles.  So how about now for the British government, at least as an act of charity, to give them back to the Greeks instead of loaning them to the Russians?  It may help to restore some dignity, raise the vibrations of the Parthenon, and bring in more tourism.

Aspects

Venus will be conjunct Neptune at tea time today, an aspect which is in the best possible taste.  The food on the table should prove delectable, the accompanying soundtrack uplifting, and any artwork visible from the dining table is likely to express great beauty!  Perhaps it is the same old food, the same old music, and the same old walls, but you will suddenly see the merit in  everything that surrounds you.  Or eat out at your favourite diner…

It is a week of mainly harmonious planetary links, though that is not to say there aren’t background difficulties.  Venus for instance has just had a relationship setback with Saturn, and may be wary of the reliability of her relationship with Neptune.  There is emotional tension in the air coming up to a Full Moon this week, and some may be affected by this.

But tomorrow (Monday 2^nd) lunchtime we have a sextile between the Sun and Uranus, which is good preparation for the Leo Full Moon the next day, in that balancing the Sun (ruler of Leo) with Uranus (ruler of its opposite, Aquarius) will help balance your mood, and your inner relationship with the two signs which will be the arena for the opposition of the Sun and Moon.  But in the meantime, innovation, originality and creativity all benefit tomorrow.  You may surprise yourself with the ideas you come up with and implement.

So by Tuesday evening (3^rd) you may be practiced at zipping from the principle of group membership (Sun in Aquarius) to the principle of individuality (Moon in Leo), owning all the nuances in between, such as needing your own space, and expressing yourself in a group, and creative innovation, and balancing boundaries in relationships.  The Full Moon comes just after 11 pm in the U.K. so if you haven’t mastered this hologram, you may continue to work with it in your dream life, and your Higher Self may be able to synthesize the information and bring it through as a coherent message.

Late morning on Thursday (5^th) brings another sextile which may be of benefit, though a little more prosaic.  Mercury sextiles Saturn, so the application of  close and detailed work can be achieved, but bearing in mind that Mercury is still retrograde.  If you don’t quite manage to complete such a task, you know it will come to pass soon after Mercury goes direct (February 11^th ).  This aspect will recur on Thursday 19^th to be more precise, if you want to note in your diary when it comes round again and you can pick up those particular tools once more.

At tea time on Friday (6^th) the Sun opposes Jupiter, so it may be time for fun and frolics, but there will be elements in society which take that too far, so there is a possibility of fun and frolics getting out of hand.  Leos and Sagittarians for instance may get ultra competititve, and practical jokers and class clowns may take a joke too far.

The appeal for Good News

Janet wrote under comments last week:

“Thank you for broadcasting the brilliant news about Ebola nurse, Pauline Cafferkey, because her story gave me an idea to suggest on your blog. Given that you often have to write about conflict and distressing situations all over the world, I had wondered if you, or any blog reader, could offer up a weekly good news story, something for which we should show gratitude.”

What readily springs to mind is the story of disabled pensioner Alan Barnes (Aged 67) who following a mugging has had a donation of over £200,000 from the public, including contributions from all over the world.  Please let us know if you have any other stories to share.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – sweetness and light
• Tomorrow – brilliance
• Tuesday – emotional high tide
• Thursday – work ethic
• Friday – a joke too far

Coronation Street

It has been an important week for the soap opera Coronation Street.  On Monday evening, we heard that Anne Kirkbride, who played Deirdre Barlow, had died after a short illness.

The same evening, they screened a heavy episode of Corrie in which several members of the cast were involved in a mini-bus crash.

After watching the soap for the first 10 years or so in the 1960s, I abandoned it on the grounds that I had better things to do than watch soaps. But over the last year, watching sporadic episodes with my mother, I have made the gradual slide into being a regular viewer.

Anne Kirkbride

I was very moved by the touching tributes to the actress Anne Kirkbride – she came over as a sweet person.  She died aged 60, and 42 of those years were spent playing Dierdre.  She met her real life husband David Beckett on the set.  She was a Geminian Sunsign, but had Jupiter, Uranus and  Mercury in the soap sign of Cancer.  When she joined the cast of Coronation Street, Jupiter was transiting her natal Mars (an opportunity) and sextile her natal Saturn (the offer of a steady job).  Her karma (North Node) was to be indelibly linked with the soap, with her South Node conjunct the Coronation Street Mars and Saturn.  Pluto was conjunct her natal North Node when she died.  At her death, Saturn was exactly transiting the Mercury of the Coronation Street chart: sad news for the cast.

In this morning’s Observer Barbara Ellen paints a sharply drawn word-portrait of Anne as Dierdre:

“Behind those huge glasses, gargling-with-wet-tarmac voice, and what must have been the most expressive neck tendons in show business, lurked a charming and gifted performer…”

Coronation Street

Coronation Street began on 9^th December 1960, as every good Media student will have etched in their mind.  The chart has Mercury sextile Venus, and has been praised for the quality of its scriptwriting over the years.  Jupiter exactly trines its Pluto, which may be part of its powerful success in drama and comedy.  Pluto conjuncts its North Node, Jupiter trines its North Node, and Neptune bisects the trine forming sextiles with both.  That all contributes to a winning formula.  The mini-bus crash was designed to bring out new storylines, in the stories of suffering and recovery that ensue.    The chart of the crash is also the chart of Anne’s death, and so the Saturn transit to Mercury in this case shows a bad trip.  Curiously, the actor who played the mini-bus driver, Simon Gregson, whose character Steve McDonald has been suffering from depression, had Uranus opposite his natal Mars this week, which speaks of a motor accident.  The episode will have been filmed weeks ago, yet it registers in his chart for the time of filming.  On some level the actor will have been registering shock this week, some of it possibly in connection with the death of Anne Kirkbride and the stormy week for Coronation Street coverage.

William Roache

It has been said that the relationship between Dierdre and her on screen husband Ken Barlow, played by William Roache, has been a cornerstone of the soap for decades.  William Roache is the longest-serving cast member of Coronation Street, and starred in fact in the first episode.  So the chart of Coronation Street, and the chart of his job, or career, are the same chart.  I am fascinated by how actors’ charts often reflect their on screen personae, especially where they have been typecast for life!  So it is that William Roache has Mercury exactly trine Jupiter, which describes his erudite image as Ken Barlow.  In real life, he is a student of metaphysicas (Jupiter), having been a follower of the late Dr. Douglas Baker (interpreter of the teachings of Alice Bailey).  He is a patriarch of the soap however, and this is reflected in his chart with a strong Saturnian emphasis (Saturn at the Midheaven, square to his Sun).  His autobiography “Soul on the Street” has a strongly spiritualist content, and what came over to me in reading it was an adherence to rules and discipline which is very Capricornian.  He has a healing sextile between Pluto and Chiron in his chart, and has promoted spiritual healing (“Circle of Love”). In 2013 he was investigated for an offence of rape, as Neptune opposed his Neptune.  Anne Kirkbride testified on his behalf, and he was acquitted.  He returned to the soap a month before Anne Kirkbride left “for personal reasons”.  After “a short illness” she died, and William Roache was reported to have been present at Anne’s bedside at the time

Midweek

The morning after Anne died, the cast met for work but it became clear that a normal working day was impossible, and they abandoned filming.

On Wednesday evening, the National TV Awards took place, and Coronation Street’s arch rival Eastenders took the trophy for Best Soap.   With Saturn still sitting on the Coronation Street Mercury, but exactly sextile the Eastenders Jupiter by transit, Adam Woodyatt (Ian Beale of Eastenders) held aloft the trophy and dedicated it to the “Weatherfield One”, a reference to one of Anne Kirkbride’s storylines which had gripped the nation, when she witnessed a nationwide campaign to free her character from jail.

Barbara Knox

On Friday, Barbara Knox who plays Rita Tanner in Corrie, was banned from driving after admitting a charge of drink driving, in a saga which had been running since March 2014.  Like Anne Kirkbride, she became a regular cast member in 1972, so is another veteran.  Barbara has Mars in Scorpio, and with her trade mark red haired image, possible has her Ascendant roundabout that point in her chart.  She is still sporting the red hair at the age of 81.  Barbara has the Moon conjunct her North Node, which may symbolize the association with the soap, and has Sun conjunct Jupiter in Libra, giving her a tendency to take chances in life.  One such chance was hiring a “loophole lawyer” when she initially denied drink driving, but this week seems to have been fateful for her, as transiting Saturn opposes her Chiron.  The original driving offence took place when Mars was opposite her natal Uranus (a driving mishap).

Let us hope there are more peaceful waters coming up for this soap.  I used to say it was a waste of my emotional energy to watch it, and how much of the nation’s emotional energy is tied up with our national TV soaps, I wonder?  I would like a soap called “Nirvana”, but that is not likely to happen.

Aspects

On Tuesday (27^th) Venus enters Pisces. We switch from a heart centred in social ideology to a heart centred in compassion. It may be easier for stressed nurses to exercise the compassion which led them into nursing in the first place, but will it be easier for the politicians to find it in their hearts to release more money into the NHS?

With the good news that Ebola nurse Pauline Cafferkey has been released from hospital and recovering, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has been quoted as saying:

“Her selflessness and courage are remarkable and she represents the very best of NHS values”.

At last some credit from our government! She and William Pooley, another British nurse who recovered after contracting Ebola in Sierra Leone, are among those saints who have volunteered to do that work.  It would have been unthinkable to lose either of them, so that is wonderful news this week.

Wednesday (28^th) brings a sextile between Mercury and Uranus. With Mercury retrograding, we revisit an aspect from 2 weeks ago on Wednesday 14th:

“This may produce dynamic information, for instance on the health front.  Ideas may come out of the blue.  Look out for the left field on Wednesday – it could be a fruitful departure.”

There will be a realistic appraisal of some sort, which works for many, but for some it will be information overload, especially if Uranus is at an awkward angle in your chart.  Some people attribute computer problems to Mercury retrograde which may be down to Uranian activity (the two are very intertwined), but today should upgrade and harmonize both communication (Mercury) and technology (Uranus).  So if you have the Mercury retrograde blues, they may be to some extent alleviated on Wednesday.

Much of the week’s aspect action takes place on Friday (30th) starting at breakfast with Venus square Saturn. A packet of cereal may be past its sell by date, or an aspect of a relationship may be past its sell by date. You may have to let go of something, or cut your losses.

Fortunately, late lunchtime, we have the prospect of two much more constructive aspects, within 5 minutes of each other. At 13.40 hrs (U.K. time) Mars sextiles Pluto, enabling energies to flow freely and with gusto!

At 13.45 the Sun conjuncts Mercury at 10 degrees Aquarius. It’s a clear day and you can see forever.  Friendships and groups flourish, and benefit from focussed thought.  If it is your birthday, expect to have to let go of something old, and let in something new.

Mars conjuncts Chiron on Saturday (31^st) at 14 degrees Pisces, and the energetic shifts of Friday could culminate in a healing shift on Saturday.  You may feel that the wound is raw or exposed, but allow the natural healing process to take place.

The week in bullet points:

• Tuesday – Compassion
• Wednesday – sparkling mentality
• Friday – some sadness, fast action and focused thought
• Saturday – a healing focus

 

Uranus conjunct the South Node In Aries

We are currently in the middle of the application of the Uranus-Pluto square to the Nodal Axis  Last week, Pluto squared the Nodes, and this week Uranus will conjunct the True  South Node.  At the end of the month Uranus will conjunct the Mean North Node, which may have a slightly more practical application, but both are karmic and you may see their influence at any time during the second half of the month.

There may be some gains to be made by the appearance of Uranus conjunct the South Node in our charts, despite the ongoing square with Pluto.  Uranus itself can be neutral: it represents the surprise factor, which can manifest as shock, but can be a positive force.  The South Node represents past life karma, or past karma in this lifetime. That too can be a positive force, and not necessarily a difficult experience.  Together they could bring a new way of doing things or looking at things.  Solutions, breakthroughs and innovations could be found through necessity.

Two of the ways that you can bring out the best in this conjunction are 1) through the use of your intuition, and 2) through accessing far memory (e.g. through past life regression) or even future vision to cut through to the causes of problems.

 The Complication

Uranus conjunct the South Node is rare, and may be an opportunity.

The complication is its square with Pluto.  Cast your mind back a few days, to last Thursday, which was a difficult day for many.  Burnings and shootings were taking place around the world, some as reverberations from the Charlie Ebdo massacre.

Working with Uranus conjunct South Node you will also need to work with the square of Pluto to the Nodal Axis which occurred on Thursday.  Here was the account I gave:

Later in the day the tough theme continues, as Pluto squares the Nodal Axis, so some karmic reckoning is likely to be in the air.  This may well be a group situation, and you need to identify and take responsibility for your role within it, however insignificant a part you feel it may be.  Each person has responsibility, however small, in the whole picture.

 Perhaps you were caught up in a disagreement between two or more parties which is still not quite resolved.  Or perhaps you were grappling with a larger theme which has characterized the Uranus-Pluto square for you for the last two years or so.  There is a chance to make things right.

But first I need you to do a little mental gymnastics.  Cast your mind back again to Thursday, and note that earlier in the day you may have been experiencing frustrations in being blocked from actions you intended to make.  You need to mentally extricate that influence from the picture in order to isolate the effect of Pluto square the Nodal Axis.  Mars  square Saturn was causing those glitches, as reported last week:

Thursday (15^th) brings a square between Mars and Saturn, and another layer of the onion needs to be peeled.  There is further work to do, the next problem or stumbling block is revealed to be dealt with.

If you felt you were taking two steps backwards on Thursday morning, that will have been the effect.  Subtract that from the day’s memory, and what you have left is the ongoing situation you are helping to work out this week.

Uranus conjunct South Node in your chart

If you know your Ascendant, you may be able to work out which of these  sets of readings apply to you.  First is the possibility for now, and second is the type of memory which may surface:  The conjunction of Uranus to the True and Mean South Nodes for the rest of this month take place at 12 and 13 degrees of Aries.  If your Ascendant falls near those degrees, you may need to ask your nearest Astrologer for the exact position of the conjunction.

1st House

 (Ascendant   in early Aries or late Pisces)

Experience:  You may discover a dynamic new side to your personality. A talent may re-surface, which you developed in a past life.

Memory: You may link with a lifetime in Germany, in a technical occupation, perhaps during the industrial revolution or earlier working with print. You find a greater efficiency.
2nd House

 (Ascendant in early Pisces or late Aquarius)

Experience:  A crisis may force a new  idea about earning money through your own talents. You may want to streamline your material life, perhaps in a whirlwind of decluttering.

Memory: You see yourself in ancient Mesopotamia, presiding over a bartering scheme or in an ancient market place, trading in materials or jewellery.

3rd House

 (Ascendant in early Aquarius or late Capricorn)

Experience: You experience an amazing mental connection with someone, meet a vibrant stranger on a journey, or download a whole article from your guides at one sitting!

Memory: You see yourself as a teacher in Ancient Rome, speaking fluent Latin! This shows you that public speaking may be something you can confidently accomplish in the near future.

4th House

 (Ascendant in early Capricorn or late Sa\gittarius)

Experience:  There may be a new appliance in the home, such as a juicer, which makes a dynamic impact, but also may require some sort of adjustment to your lifestyle. Health and safety in the home may need checking.

Memory:  You may recall a lifetime where you led your tribe in a local rebellion or protection of your interests. The element of fire may have been important in that existence.

5th House

(Ascendant in early Sagittarius or late Scorpio)

Experience:  You may re-discover Astrology as a hobby. Perhaps as a pursuit it has become jaded for you lately, and enthusiasm is suddenly renewed. You find new angles of application.

Memory:  You tap into a lifetime in which the Inventor Archetype was strong in you. Perhaps you invented the wheel, or its equivalent for the times!  What could you invent now to enhance your life and those of others?

6th House

 (Ascendant in early Scorpio or late Libra)

Experience: You identify change which needs to happen at work, and in the working environment. You have been observing the needs of your fellow employees, and the practical conditions, and come up with the perfect vision of what could work all round.

Memory:  You return to a life which was in some ways linked with the medieval art of Alchemy. Perhaps an experiment turned into an explosion, and you feel a great need at this time in this life to get the relation between matter and spirit right, and ensure health and safety.

7th House

 (Ascendant in early Libra or late Virgo)

Experience:  Electric relationships come into your life: unusual people, with unconventional ideas, perhaps a group you knew in a past life. The nature of relationship is changing as we move into the age of Aquarius. You or someone close to you is in the vanguard of this fresh outlook and healthier relationship spaces.

Memory: You may hark back to a lifetime where separation in a close relationship took place through circumstances such as one partner going off to fight in the Crusades.  This may have tested the relationship to the core, but also made you aware of other levels of relating. In between lives, you may have learned more clarity around this.
8th House

(Ascendant in early Virgo or late Leo)

Experience:  You may come up with an unusual money-making scheme which may have a co-operative element to it. In meditation, you may currently be travelling to other dimensions.

Memory: You may recall a lifetime where you may have died through a false accusation, such as a witch.  You are able to re-affirm that your soul has lived through many incarnations, and its strength is everlasting.

9th House

 (Ascendant in early Leo or late Cancer)

Experience:  You may be suddenly whisked off for a short break to a country you and your companion once experienced incarnation.  There may be a resonance between events that happened to you then, and now.  Or less dramatically, you may be contacted by someone in a foreign land out of the blue.

Memory:  You may experience a lifetime in a climate and culture very different from where you live now, such as a land of Icelandic volcanoes and the spectacular sights of the Northern Lights.

10th House

 (Ascendant in early Cancer or late Gemini)

Experience: A sudden change in life direction or career.  It may be the end of a long phase of your life, but you recognize that change is important in terms of the work you need to do in the world.

Memory:  You may be looking at a lifetime where you were expressing your highest potential for the time (your highest potential is now!).  You may have taken on great responsibility in a hierarchy or type of administration.  You may, or may not, be surprised to see what you are capable of.

11th House

(Ascendant in early Gemini or late Taurus)

Experience : A friend produces a fresh insight into your life and character, which turns your thinking around 180 degrees.  This may be a direct karmic reward, in that you may have done the same for them in a past life.

Memory: You were perhaps part of a healing group in Atlantis, some members of that group being known to you today. The relationships between you were detached but very much connected on a higher level. You may be able to draw on the power of a group now for strength and healing.

12th House

(Ascendant in early Taurus or late Aries)

Experience: Meditations, dreams and reflections may bring something startling out from your subconscious mind.  Your best ideas come from solitude, and could revolutionize and enrich all levels of your existence.

Memory:  You feel the sacred nature of certain lifetimes and ways of life where you were really connected with the deeper levels of your psyche, perhaps in a religious or spiritual lifetime.

Hopefully, you will find the golden nugget this week among the chaos of our times.

Aspects

Tomorrow (Monday 19^th) could bring inappropriate laughter.  You may be in a serious setting, and have a fit of the giggles, for instance.  If so, you can blame an opposition between Venus and Jupiter.

On Tuesday (20^th) Mars conjuncts Neptune, and you may be experiencing confused energies.  Perhaps you go to the gym intent on weight lifting and end up on a rowing machine.  Whatever you plan to do physically may get erased and replaced by something out of your comfort zone.  It could be a good learning experience.  Beware of that gym instructor though, who may be distracting you.

The conjunction of Uranus and the South Node follows, so there is a chance to re-establish triumph over your fate.  You need to outwit Uranus with your intuition or deeper knowledge!  Events in the world may take a bizarre turn.  Look out for the unusual, and find its application above..

The Sun also enters Aquarius, so a real chance to get positive change established in your life.  If you have been feeling bogged down lately, you may feel re-energized, awake and aware.

A positive mindset will take you far today, because there is also a New Moon at 0 degrees Aquarius.  It is a mini-dawning of the Age of Aquarius.  You may be able to galvanize those kindred spirits, the brothers and sisters of spirit, to work towards  common causes.

A note to complete paperwork and other types of communication early in the week as Wednesday (21^st) brings that popular (!) spanner in the works – Mercury retrograde.  If you are one who counts the days with this regular phenomenon you may want to note that Mercury turns direct again on 12^th February.  Some choose to put all their documentation on hold for the retrograde period.  Just be extra vigilant about communications going awry, and you can avoid some of the mayhem.

Towards the end of the week, on Friday (23^rd) there is an easier aspect to work with in the shape of the Sun sextile Saturn.  You feel more certain of your ground, and more able to plan ahead.  The Uranus-South Node conjunction is still keeping you on  your toes, but you may by now have acquired the  appropriate footwear, for say your trip to Iceland.  Calmness for Friday is the order of the day. And sensible shoes.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – inappropriate laughter
• Tuesday – some trickiness, some sparkiness, a lively day with new beginnings
• Wednesday – communications gummed up
• Friday – a leveling out of mood where solid plans can be laid