Afghanistan

Book Review: “The Places In Between” by Rory Stewart (pub: 2004 Picador)

The horrific scenes this week of people trying to flee Afghanistan at Kabul airport, people being crushed, women throwing their babies over barbed wire fences supposedly to safety, has shown us this week how absolute is the plight of the Afghan people, since the U.S. and the U.K. have pulled out their presence, and allowed the Taliban to encroach on every inch of the land.

A while ago, a friend sent me the book of Rory Stewart’s walk across Afghanistan, and this week I felt this was the right time to read it, while all our thoughts were trained on the tragedy that has befallen its people.  Another friend this week commented that Rory Stewart would have made a better Foreign Secretary, especially in the light of Dominic Raab taking his eye of the ball when the crisis erupted last Sunday.

The book is an absolute gem, giving a picture of Afghanistan in 2002, between the events of 9/11 and the added turbulence in the Middle East of the 2003 Iraq war.  I will look at Rory Stewart’s chart, that of Afghanistan, and the current transits; I will also try and convey the joys of the book.

Afghanistan

(A Potted History): Afghanistan has a long history of internal strife and interference by foreign conquerors, and the 20th and 21st Centuries have been no different.  In 1979, the U.S.S.R. invaded Afghanistan.  In response, the Mujahadeen rebels united against them.  In 1988 the group Al-Qaida was formed, with Osama Bin Laden prominent amongst them, proclaiming a holy war against the Soviets, their aim being an Islamic state.  In 1995 a newly formed militia known as the Taliban arose.  At the time of the 9/11 attacks in the U.S., prime suspect Osama Bin Laden was thought to have been living in Afghanistan.  The U.S./Afghan war started in October 2001.  Bin Laden was killed in 2011, and  by 2013 NATO forces had trained the Afghan army to take over operations.  From then on, the intention of U.S. policy was to reduce their military presence in Afghanistan.  Last February, Trump signed a deal with the Taliban without reference to allies or to the Afghan government.  In April this year, Biden warned that the U.S. would be pulling out completely, and by last Sunday, the Taliban had taken over Kabul.

Sharia Law

The Taliban say they will rule according to the system of Sharia law, which is Islam’s legal system, derived from the Koran and the sayings of  Prophet Muhammed.

Rory Stewart wrote: “The Taliban and the majority of Afghans are Sunni Muslims. The Hazara Shia saw themselves as more civilised, more mystical, more tolerant towards women and other faiths. The Taliban saw the Shia as heretics or infidels. They thought the Shia reverence for saints’ shrines and pictures of the prophet’s family, and their respect for the twelve Imams (or leaders), was idol worship….”

The Chart of Afghanistan

For the Afghanistan chart, I use the 1973 version (there is a 1919 version).  Interestingly, it is the same year that Rory Stewart was born, so the outer planets are in alignment and in harmony with his chart.  In the Afghanistan chart, the Sun is exactly conjunct the I.C. in Cancer in  3rd House, possibly symbolic of its own struggle to retain its own power and unity.  The Moon is exactly conjunct Jupiter at the end of the 9th House, emphasizing the importance and idealistic fervour of the religious struggles of this country (Jupiter and 9th House representing religion).

The chart of the Afghanistan War itself – 7 Oct 2001 4.25 pm Kabul – is revealing: it has Chiron on the Midheaven in Sagittarius (wounding, and the attempt to heal, in a religious context).  Mars was exactly square the Afghanistan chart Mars, representing the ignition of a war.

 In current transits, Saturn is on the natal Afghanistan Moon/Jupiter in 9th House, describing the results of foreign abandonment.  Pluto is opposite the natal Sun in 9th House, and transiting by conjunction the natal Midheaven in Capricorn in 9th House, a moment of destruction and change, all to do with foreign involvement in the country.

Rory Stewart Birthchart

In his Element balance, Rory has 0 Water planets.  That can mean low emotionality, but in Rory’s character I think it shows objectivity: He records, in his book, sometimes shocking events and conversations with no trace of judgment.

He has Jupiter closely conjunct north node in Capricorn, twin themes of his karmic mission: to travel and to be a politician.  In addition, he has Mars conjunct Neptune in Sagittarius (more wanderlust).

Rory Stewart’s relationship with Afghanistan also reveals exactly trined Venuses (Love; he met his wife there), and healing (Rory’s Venus exactly trine the Afghanistan Chiron).

His Book

I don’t want to give out too many spoilers. His stories would be fascinating on their own, but in addition are seen through the lens of a fine mind and a character with a uniquely interesting take on life.

Rory has a distinctly gaunt appearance, and Capricorn can incline towards asceticism.  He certainly seem to endure the prospect of sometimes days on end of having only stale bread and sweet tea for sustenance.

The walk took 36 days, and took place in early 2002.  Rory Stewart modelled his trek on the earlier journey of founder of the Mughal empire Babur (1383 – 1530) whose poetic writings he quotes extensively.  Babur was born in Uzbekistan and was indirectly a descendant of Genghis Khan and Tamerlaine.  Babur was born with the Sun in Aquarius, and even mentions the sign in his memoirs:

“My desire for Hindustan had been constant. It was in the month of Shaban, the Sun being in Aquarius, that we rode out of Kabul for Hindustan“

There are some stunning similarities between his chart and Rory’s.  Babur has the Moon conjunct Mercury, like Rory Stewart, across late Capricorn and early Aquarius on the cusp.  Rory has the Moon conjunct Mercury, across the late Sagittarius/early Capricorn cusp.  Both have Neptune in Sagittarius (within 3 degrees of each other) closely sextile their natal Plutos in Libra (within 6 degrees of each other): that is quite remarkable, and may account for some of their shared life themes and aims in their contemporary contexts.  Might Rory be a reincarnation of Babur?

Rory describes every step of his journey:

 “I wandered down the womanless street, listening to the rich roar of the unemployed mullahs and the illiterate gunmen discussing cousin-marriage.”

He describes a constant refrain from its people (at the time):

 “There has been war for twenty-four years. There is no water. The villagers are poor, illiterate, mad and dangerous. Afghanistan is destroyed”

He is often poetic and lyrical:

“The snow had continued during the night, covering my stumbling tracks to the house. The air was cold and dry; the sky was a dark blue and the snow crust glittered. Sheets of ice spun across the surface of the swollen current.”

I would thoroughly recommend this best-selling book, to read at any time, but especially now if you want to be connected to the soul of the country.

Conclusion

Rory Stewart wandered through the literal minefields and the metaphorical minefields of this territory.  His book is a very worthwhile read, the opportunity to mourn for a lost country.

What has happened was predictable, knowing the U.S. policy and intentions, though the consequences moved faster than anticipated. and it will take a long time for Afghanistan to heal, and to deal with the traumas of the past.

“The US should not be in the business of spreading democracy by force. We seem to have learned nothing from Vietnam, let alone the US’ long history of instigating and interfering in regime changes. Instead of providing a model of a functioning democracy and human rights through the use of soft power to influence other countries, we come in charging with massive military to change the political landscape, only to end up retreating and delivering the country straight to insurgent forces.”

~ Alon Ben Meir, U.S expert on Middle East politics and affairs

 

Aspects

This morning began with a trine between Venus and the North Node, which is harmonious and loving, with karmic notes.

The next aspect was Mars trine Uranus, which can bring great excitement!  In science, technology and mechanics there could be progress and advances.  Engineering and electrical themes also benefit, so sparks fly, but in a good way!  You may also notice some bold and controversial moves.

Around midday the Moon is Full in Aquarius.  Numerological repetition note for enthusiasts: 22 August 2021, at 12.02 p.m.  This occurs at 29 degrees Aquarius, right at the end of the sign, and conjoins the Moon.  There is even a resonance with the Afghanistan chart, which has the Moon conjunct Jupiter in Aquarius – certainly sympathies lie with that war torn land at this moment in time.  For us, in safer climates (with the luxury of not having to rush to the airport), we might be torn by looking at an issue emotionally, then from a detached perspective, then back and forth.  This may produce a stand off between the individual and the group.

As if that were not enough for one day, in the evening the Sun enters Virgo.  The need for knuckling down conscientiously to work and study schedules is reinforced.  The Sun in Virgo will underline the need for a sense of focus and purpose.  Efficiency and Economy will be watchwords for how we organize the second half of our year.  There may be a new resolve to institute health and fitness regimes, and work rotas and practices.  You may be thinking ahead to September courses.

Tomorrow, Monday (23rd) in the third trine of the week already, which can’t be bad, Venus trines Saturn.  This brings hope, of people coming together with more commitment and loyalty.  Venus can provide a softening role to a hard line stance.  It is conciliatory, which may be just what is needed.  Relationships may need serious resolving, and this aspect can help, whether on a personal level, or between the North and South.

In the early hours of Wednesday (25th) Neptune opposes Mercury.  This opposition brings confusion in the mind.  There may be for instance a mental dilemma, or a demand for clarification.  It may be difficult to focus, if you are engaged in documentation work.  Journeys may be long and complicated.  You may need to take care near water.

A fourth trine on Thursday (26th) brings mental harmony, with Mercury trine Pluto.  If you have been treading water, you’ll meet your rescue vessel, so to speak.  That aspect is conducive to deep thought and psychological reflection, and earnest conversations.  It is good for in-depth consultations and negotiations.

It’s a week in which much progress can be made.

The week in bullet-points:

• Today – it’s all “go”; karmic love; excitement; emotional high-tide; knuckling down
• Monday – loyalty and commitment
• Wednesday – mental fog and confusion
• Thursday – deep consultations

Una Stubbs (1937 – 2021)

Una Stubbs, veteran actress and dancer, died on Thursday 12th August aged 84.  She has been warmly praised for her kind nature by those who worked with her.

Birth Chart

Although we do not have a birth time/Ascendant, she has a distinctive Element pattern: 6 (over half) of her planets in Earth signs, and 0 planets in Air signs, making for a very instinctive mode of operating, and an earthy approach to life.

Her Sun was in Taurus, and as a characteristic of that sign she tended to play mostly supportive roles.  The Sun in Taurus would give her amiability, but its close conjunction with Uranus produced that perky personality she displayed.  The Guardian obituary by Michael Coveney described her as “geared to be fast and funny”, and she displayed that Uranian ability in her team captaincy of the game show “Give Us A Clue”.  The actor Mark Gatiss has declared that “Mischief was in her blood”.  Almost every Taurean possesses a talent for either art or music, and Una fulfilled her talent by becoming an exhibited artist.

Mercury trine Jupiter in her chart described an optimistic frame of mind – as evidence of that, she had a beautiful and generous smile.  But it was her Venus square Jupiter which showed a characteristic which crops up time and again in the tributes to her: her particular humour.  Venus square Jupiter can bring a slightly off-the-wall sense of humour, and even inappropriate laughter.  She was known for being good company, and was described as “wickedly funny”.  Chiron was at the South Node in her chart, pointing to training as a healer in past lives.

Career

With the Sun trine Neptune (lord of the dance) in her natal chart, she started out as a dancer – her first performances were as part of the Dougie Squires troupe of dancers, on the television show “Cool for Cats” in 1956.

For me, in my early teens at the time, she will always be “Cliff Richard’s girlfriend” from the film “Summer Holiday” (1963) and “Wonderful Life” (1964).  Cliff’s Venus was trine her Sun/Uranus conjunction.  I always wondered how she could look perennially bright eyed and positive.  She had that glow from the inside, but was aided by the huge smile and naturally arched eyebrows – a look of surprise perhaps bestowed by the planet Uranus (lord of surprise)?  Coveney describes her role as “a docile, amenable dolly bird hanging around Cliff and the Shadows”.

Of course, she had to move on from that girl-next-door role, and the next role she became famous for ensured her presence on our screens for ten years in “Till Death Us Do Part”, and more years if you count the sequel “In Sickness and in Health”.  She played a slightly rebellious (Uranus, again) daughter of Alf Garnett, that character who was created to show us the worst excesses of bigotry and racism (1965-1975).  It seems so long ago, and though the nation laughed weekly at his antics, we still (2021) have bigotry and racism.

She then went on to play a life-sized doll and the love of a scarecrow’s life in Worzel Gummidge (played by Jon Pertwee), during the years 1979 – 1981.  From 1998 to 2001 she played Miss Bat in “The Worst Witch”.  But a new generation of viewers knew her as Sherlock Holmes’ landlady Mrs Hudson, playing opposite Benedict Cumberbatch, to great acclaim (2010 – 2017).

She had fine mental qualities of Mercury trine Jupiter (breadth of mind) and Mercury sextile Pluto (depth of mind), and in later years trod the boards in weightier roles, in plays by Shakespeare, Terence Rattigan and Oscar Wilde.

Marriage

Una married twice, her first husband being Peter Gilmore, with whom she adopted a son.  She then married Nicky Henson in 1969, another actor, and both their sons have become musical composers.

A bright spark has left the stage…

“Oh, this is so sad. Such a funny, lovely, gifted lady – a marvellous actress with a special style & a great (and impish) sense of humour.”

~ Gyles Brandreth

 

“The Quiet Office” Update

Thank you to all who bought yourselves a copy of my newly published book “The Quiet Office”.  Thanks to you I had a wonderful launch day on Wednesday 11th: Under the category of “Astrology”, the book ended up at no. 10 on Amazon, and at no. 11 in “Paranormal”.  Under “Spirituality” it reached no. 45.  If you would like to purchase the accompanying Past Life Archetype cards, email me.  At current printing costs, they are available at £5.50 plus £1.25 first class post or 85p second class post.

 

Aspects

The Nodal Axis squares Mercury today, which is an opportunity to tackle your karma!  We can give more thought and exercise more mindfulness in our processes and actions.  Whether it is personal relationship karma or environmental karma, we can put our minds to what needs to change for the future.  Put into practice what we can do now.

Mercury often relates to weather and climate.  We’ve had a major earthquake in Haiti overnight, and this square hit the chart of Haiti very precisely: Mercury exactly opposes the Haitian Pluto (destruction) and the Nodal Axis squares this opposition, implying karmic overtones. 304 lives have been lost.  The population have had their fair share of such disasters, and are still recovering from the huge earthquake of 2010.

Venus enters Libra tomorrow (Monday 16th), in the early hours, in the U.K.  Venus is very comfortable in Libra, one of her own signs. If you have design skills in art or music, they could be heightened now, and in the near future.  At the very least, polish up your vocal skills.  She is in residence here until 10th September.

The early hours of Thursday morning (19th) brings a conjunction of Mercury and Mars at 13 degrees Virgo, so your mind may be on overdrive while you are attempting a good night’s sleep.  If you are energized, you may get through some morning tasks efficiently.  But if  you are blurry-eyed through lack of sleep, you or those around you may be slightly irritable.  The morning may bring a loosened tongue, sharp words, or a war of words.  If you are incident prone, you may experience minor cuts and bruises.  On the more high functioning end of this conjunction, you could write or say something witty, such as a critical review, or be forceful in getting your opinion across.

Jupiter opposes the Sun very early on Friday morning (20th), and you may experience this opposition late Thursday night.  We may be trying to cover too much ground, and overstretching ourselves, erring on the side of arrogance, although likely to be in good humour.  You may want to be travelling, whether physically to far off places with the right covid colour code, or mentally in your armchair reading about travelling.  If lazing in a chair, philosophical reflections on the quality of freedom in your life can bring relevant insights for this Jupiterian aspect and timing.  Or if you can extend to a desk, writing a comedy script would also be a suitable occupation for the day.  Otherwise, enjoy the holiday, staycation, or the planning or prospect of one.  There is more than a touch of rebellious humour.

Soon afterwards, Uranus will be Stationary, prior to turning Retrograde.  Uranus of course is the trickster, so things may not necessarily go according to plan. Plan for the unexpected, if you can.  You may see some goalposts moving.

By 8.06 a.m. you may even have the opportunity to outwit Uranus himself, as a trine between this planet and Mercury inspires high functioning minds, intuition and good ideas.   Uranus will add extra spice to your plans, and documentation.  Computers and technology should be on sparkling form and assist your expression.  If not, then Uranus retrograde is having the last laugh.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – tackle your karma
• Tomorrow – polish your talents
• Thursday – mental activity
• Friday – mixed influences: a funny bone, a trickster, and a lightbulb moment

Laura and Jason Kenny

I can’t get away from the Olympics at the moment…!  In another success story U.K. cyclist Laura Kenny won a Gold medal in cycling, together with her team mate Katie Archibald.  Young mum Laura was very emotional as she told of the bond between her and Katie which helped them achieve this feat in the first ever Olympic women’s cycling madison. And – Stop Press!  Jason Kenny, Laura’s husband, has just unexpectedly won a Gold!

Laura Kenny

I last wrote about both Laura and her husband Jason at the 2016 Olympics.  This week, they both won Silver medals for the individual track cycling event.  On her chart, I wrote:

” Cycling as a sport is ruled by Mercury, and that planet is an important focus when looking at her chart, also because she suffered asthma as a child, and a collapsed lung when born prematurely (Mercury related health conditions).  She has the Sun in the sign of endurance, Taurus, the Moon either in Capricorn or Aquarius (no birth time available) and Mercury is in Aries the sign of speed.  There are not planets in Gemini (the sign ruled by Mercury and associated with cycling) but Gemini may be her Ascendant.  Interestingly, Mercury is largely unaspected in her chart.  This sometimes means a failure to integrate the principle represented by that planet, but can mean the freedom to express it in a very individualistic way.  Mercury does trine Chiron (which is good for self-healing) and squares the Nodal Axis (which puts her in a leadership role with other cyclists).

She has 5 planets in Cardinal signs (leadership) and 5 planets in Earth signs (very grounded).

But the main outstanding feature of her chart is a Grand Trine in Earth between the Sun in Taurus, Jupiter in Virgo, and the North Node in Capricorn.  Luck and positivity are a major feature of her success…

She also has an important exact trine between Mars and Pluto (indicating superhuman energy and reserves!).  Uranus conjuncts exactly her Neptune (high energy, complex, anarchic quality too).”

Jason Kenny

For Jason, I wrote:

“Jason has almost the exact same element and quadruplicity balance as Laura, so they are alike in some ways.  Laura has 2 Fire planets, 5 Earth, 1 Air and 2 Water.  Jason has 1 Fire planet, 6 Earth, 1 Air and 2 Water.  Laura and Kenny both have 5 planets in Cardinal signs, 3 in Fixed and 2 in Mutable. In addition, both have Moons hardly aspected, which may make them equable in mood.

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

Like Laura, he is strong on leadership, with Mars sextile North Node.  Jupiter trine exactly Saturn gives him great balance, in decision making as well as on the bike.  He also has as part of his toolkit Jupiter trine Uranus (The Entrepreneur), so he knows how to take advantage of opportunities.”

Synastry

They are still the Golden Couple.  I wrote about their synastry:

“The compatibility between the two is phenomenal.  Jason’s Sun exactly trines Laura’s natal Chiron (keys into her Mercury-Chiron Trine), his Venus trines exactly her Uranus.  His Venus trines exactly her Neptune/Uranus, her exact conjunction. His Mars sextiles exactly her natal Mars – energies exactly in tandem!

But most importantly, his Jupiter/Uranus entrepreneurial trine keys right into her Grand Trine (with his Jupiter on her Sun and trine her Jupiter, his Jupiter exactly trine her natal North Node).  His North Node in Capricorn conjuncts her North Node, so they enable each other and magnify each other’s abilities.”

They have missed their son, Albert, while at the Olympics.  He was born on 23rd August 2017, at 22.44 Hrs in Knutsford.  His Sun in Virgo is trine Laura’s Sun in Taurus, and His Mars trines her Venus, which is super compatible and affectionate; while Albert’s Sun is trine dad Jason’s Uranus, making for an exciting and stimulating father-son relationship.

Transits

Within minutes, the couple won Silver medals this week. Jason had Mars trine his natal Jupiter (great impetus), and Mars trine his natal Saturn (precision and control).

For the Gold, Laura had Mars trine her natal Sun (on tip top physical condition), Mars on her natal Jupiter (energy added to her enthusiasm, great zest!) and Neptune trine her natal Pluto (a holistic, mind, body and spirit experience).

For the unexpected Gold which Jason has just acquired, his transits are: Neptune on his North Node (a karmic triumph under the radar) and Neptune square his natal Chiron (a measure of his overall health).

Katie Archibald

Katie has had great success in her own right.  She’s a sensitive and emotional Piscean, with Mars conjunct closely with Saturn, not known for speediness, but excellent for control.  She was born on a New Moon, which means she can continually start afresh.

Her exceptional partnership with Laura is fuelled by Laura’s Mars exactly conjunct Katie’s Sun, Laura’s Pluto exactly trine Katie’s Sun, and Laura’s Sun exactly sextile Katie’s Mars (a very high energy combination).

For the Gold medal, Katie had the same transits as Tom Daley for his Gold: Pluto on her Uranus, and Neptune sextile her Neptune.  Katie and Tom were born within two and a half months of each other in the same year.  So if you were born between 12 March and 21 May 1994, you may have earned your own personal Gold in some form this week!

Laura Kenny this week earned her fifth Gold medal and became the most successful GB female Olympian. Jason too has smashed records, winning seven Olympic Golds.  And I am sure we have not heard the last of Katie’s potential.

 

“The Quiet Office”

Well, at last…!  The Quiet Office book project has been going as long as this website, and longer than this blog.  Finally, the book has been published, and I am very pleased with the finished product.

For afficionados of the genre, I need to point out that the excerpts which appear under the category “The Quiet Office” on this blog, do not belong to Volume I (the volume which has just been published).  As the book is a trilogy, they may appear in Volume II or Volume III (I am not yet sure what the timeline will be for either writing those two volumes or ascertaining what periods they will cover.

But, in the meantime, should you choose to buy and read a copy, ideally purchase on Amazon on August 11th.  I hope you enjoy it.  The accompanying Past Life Archetype cards are available to buy separately, so email me if you are interested.  The cost will depend on current printing costs, plus postage rates.

Meanwhile, I am still having sleepless nights from the buzz of having completed writing it, and managing to publish it.  In the fourteen years it took, I had to rely on others to hold the vision, during long periods where I was not sure myself if it would ever come to pass…

 

Aspects

A very special start to the week today…A sparkling New Moon at 16 degrees Leo, with the twist of a square with Uranus, so unpredictable and keeping us on our toes.  Nevertheless, the New Moon in Leo is about the soul quality of Joy.  This emphasizes the holiday making, creative and performing qualities of the sign and the season. It is some kind of a new beginning, so if you have experienced some testing times recently, you can press the re-set button.   Time to win that unexpected Gold!

Neptune opposes Venus on Tuesday (10th), in the first hour of the day.  This may be a challenge.  It involves sorting out your feelings, the real from the illusion, and especially in relationships.  In politics, there may be bluffs and double bluffs.  In relationships, more compassion is needed, and in finance more honesty.  Fine words may butter no parsnips.

In the early hours of Wednesday (11th) we have another opposition: that of Jupiter opposing Mercury, which adds to any communication and travel complexity.  You may feel you need to be in two places at once, and be summoned hither and thither.  Geminis and Virgos may need to factor in some extra relaxation time.

In the evening, Mercury enters Virgo, so the daytime is suitable for making the most of the celebratory qualities of Mercury in Leo.  Work themes may be really bedding down in your schedules.  There will also be more emphasis on health and ecological awareness, such as dealing with fires in Greece and California.

Finally, the evening ends with a strong and supportive trine between Venus and Pluto, helpful for money and love.  Pluto settles your deepest feelings into a more comfortable psychological context.  This aspect helps us through changes and transformations on a human level.  It is about deep love, deep awareness of your relationship with money, and profound artistry.

So, a full day on Wednesday, one of the reasons I picked the day for my book launch!

The week in bullet points:

• Today – new beginning
• Tuesday – sort out truth from illusion in relationships
• Wednesday – mentally overstretched, but could benefit sales; good for attending to detail; deep understanding of love and money

 

Tom Daley

Among the highlights for Team GB at the Olympics this week was Tom Daley’s gold medal, achieved with his synchronized diving partner Matty Lee.

Birth Chart

With half his planets (5) in the Cardinal signs, Tom is a leader, and with 4 planets in Water signs he is very much a natural in that element.  His Sun in Gemini is conjunct the North Node and trine Uranus, which amplifies the theme of leadership, and originality.  His Sun is opposite Pluto, which symbolizes the role of the father (Sun) and his early death (Pluto) in Tom’s development. Tom’s Moon and Mercury are unaspected, and as Mercury is his ruling planet, this again frees him up to be an individual.  Mars in Aries closely squares Uranus, giving him an electrical quality to his energy.  He says:

“I’ve always been an adrenaline seeker.  I love rollercoasters, waterslides – diving is an extension of that.  I grew up by the sea in Plymouth.  From an early age my parents encouraged my brothers and me to swim in case we got into trouble in the water.  Diving gives me that mix of being in the water, but at the same time the adrenaline rush of jumping off something really high.”

Jupiter trine Saturn gives him a balanced judgment, something well needed in the precision of his art.  His karmic mission as a diver is further described by Neptune exactly sextile his North Node in Scorpio, and Pluto conjunct his North Node.

Life and Career

Tom was born in Plymouth, and began diving at the age of 7, an age when Saturn squared his natal Saturn in Pisces, emphasizing that planet’s role in his life’s work.  In 2007 he won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Young Personality award.  His first Olympics came in 2008, competing at the tender age of 14.  That is the time of the first Saturn opposition in a child’s birth chart.  He won two gold medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and a bronze medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics.

His father had played a pivotal role in encouraging his talent and accompanying him to competitions. There is no doubting the closeness of father and son, and how much Tom openly acknowledges how much his father did to help him:

“My dad was my biggest cheerleader. He died from brain cancer a year before the London 2012 games.  Now I’m a parent I understand so much more about why he used to do the things he did.  You never understand how proud a parent can be of a child until you have a child yourself.”

Relationship

Having set up a YouTube channel in 2010, Tom posted a significant video on 2nd December 2013.  In it, he announced that he had been in a same sex relationship for nearly a year.  It was a brave act on his part, and accordingly an important transit at the time was Mars sextile his natal Pluto in Scorpio.

“Coming out on  YouTube was terrifying.  I didn’t know what the reaction was going to be.  Luckily, it was overwhelmingly positive.  My message to kids who feel different?  That perspective you have will be what enables you to be a warrior.  It’ll give you resilience.”

The relationship was with Dustin Lance Black, an American screenwriter, twenty years his senior, but they are both Geminis so they make up a “twinset”.  We have a birth time for Dustin, which we don’t have for Tom, so studying his chart helps to reveal more of Tom’s chart.  Dustin had a difficult Mormon upbringing, and from the synastry, it seems the relationship with Tom has been very healing for him, for example Tom’s Saturn (which seems to be a key planet in his life) trines Dustin’s Mercury, providing extra stability.  The announcement Tom made was very healing and even life changing for Dustin: Saturn was trine his Jupiter, the North Node was exactly trine Dustin’s Saturn to the day, and Uranus was transiting his Descendant (relationship point).

At their engagement on 1st October 2015, Neptune was trine Tom’s Jupiter (spiritual upliftment).  Dustin’s transits were almost totally positive, including Pluto trine his Venus (deep love).  Uranus was a driver in their commitment to marry on 6th May 2017, with Uranus square Tom’s Uranus, and Uranus sextile Dustin’s natal Moon.  Tom had always wanted children, and they opted for surrogacy, with their son Robbie being born on 27th June 2018.  Tom dotes on his son and says he is the light of his life, but Dustin’s astrological connections with Robbie are particularly strong, including Robert’s Sun conjunct Dustin’s Saturn, and Robert’s Neptune conjunct Dustin’s Jupiter.  The family of three live in London.

Partnership

Tom has had previous synchronized diving partnerships, but his partnership with Matty Lee has literally struck gold.  Matty Lee is Sun Sign Pisces, a much more traditional sign for a diver!  How synchronized are their charts?  An Astrologer would certainly match them together, if asked.  Although only four years younger than Tom, he admired Tom growing up, with Tom thrust into the limelight at such a young age.  Their synastry certainly makes them a dream team, with Matty’s Mars (energy) exactly sextile Tom’s Sun (self-expression), Matty’s Venus exactly trine Tom’s Sun (synchonization and harmony), and their Jupiters exactly sextile (a winning combination!).

Tom’s transits for the Gold medal included Jupiter square his natal Sun (high hopes), Jupiter trine his natal Venus (personal fulfilment) and Mars trine his natal Mars (superb physical co-ordination), plus Neptune sextile his Neptune (spiritual serenity).  Matty’s transits were Saturn exactly on his natal Uranus in Aquarius to the day (extreme self-control), Uranus sextile his natal Sun (sudden success) and Pluto sextile his natal Mercury (deep intelligence!)

It is amazing to think that Tom is still only 27 years of age.  He experienced his first Saturn Return this year (in April), which is regarded as a coming of age.

Quotations from interview in the Observer by Nick McGrath 18/7/21

Aspects

Mercury is sextile the North Node today, bringing karmic information to light.  Communication is highly significant and imbued with meaning, though subject to differing interpretations according to belief.  It is a good day for writing, teaching, tutoring and revising for forthcoming tests, and possibly for health checks.

At lunchtime, the Sun conjoins with Mercury at 9 degrees Leo.  It is a good day generally to apply your mind with clarity,  concentrate and focus,  and make important statements.  The focus may be on your own growth and potential and physical wellbeing.  Mentally you may see things clearly, if egocentrically.  Creatively, this is a very helpful conjunction: If you are writing a play, for instance, the perfect line could come to you.  Be productive and creative!

In the evening, Saturn opposes Mercury, so that could take a little of the shine off the clarity of the major portion of the day, perhaps pointing out further work needing to be done.  There may be a setback to a plan, or you may suddenly feel fatigued.  Challenges or blockages may occur to the smooth flow of earlier in the day.  You may find that after karmic insight (Mercury sextile North Node), you are having to deconstruct the more ambitious elements of your project or projects, and knuckle down to detail and more exacting mental work, to concentrate the mind.  Travelling back from a venue may be more delayed.

Tomorrow (Monday, 2nd August) first thing sees Saturn then move to oppose the Sun.  This could produce further frustration, but on a more creative rather than specifically mental level.  Pushing the whole project or projects further may be a struggle.  The skies may be a little overcast with some rainfall or showers…We need to assess all our exciting ideas in the cold light of day, whether they will work in practice, etc.  We need to digest the current state of progress, and discriminate about what is worthwhile, what may be pie in the sky or overly romanticized.  There may be feelings of deflation, or feeling unappreciated .

However, as the day wears on, you may achieve healing through a trine between Mercury and Chiron.  This aspect describes healing on a mental level (positive thinking, writing and affirmations), and helps to combine conventional and alternative or complementary healing approaches.  You may be able to pick up the more positive threads from the previous day, and pursue your project or projects with confidence.  Was that three steps forward and two steps backwards so far this week?  Or maybe you did a whole lot better.  This is a problem-solving aspect.

More plain sailing on Tuesday (3rd), with a trine between Venus and Uranus to start the day.  You might attend a social function such as a coffee morning, thinking you’ll give it a whirl and it may be quite pleasant, and then find you make exciting new connections or reunions, with laughter-filled conversations, telepathy, and possibly some personal moments of deja vu (have I known this person in a previous life?).

The spanner in the works crops up on Wednesday (4th),  in the shape of Mercury square Uranus.  Back up your computer files (mental note to take my own advice!), and consider I.T. loopholes, as this is a time when you may experience glitches in this area.  Speech may be controversial. Use your intuition to be one step ahead – the Universe may be trying to show you new pathways, and possible new perspectives.

Another helping of healing follows (the first helping was on Monday), bringing a further healing opportunity, courtesy of the Sun trine Chiron.  This aspect favours both physical and psychological healing, and a trip or leisure activity may be just the tonic you need, or those you share a “bubble” with of whatever size (depending on whether or not you are fully liberated, partially constricted, or cautiously isolating).

It could be a jagged, roller-coaster type of week (the adrenaline filled type that Tom Daley thrives on: see his quote, above), for on Friday (6th) Uranus brings more “surprises” through a square with the Sun, but late in the day, so Thursday and Friday could be fairly quiet before then.  In the outcomes of the day, you could find that the least likely option wins.  So don’t rest on your laurels, provide for loopholes, and don’t take unnecessary risks.  Those who thrive on a “seat of the pants” way of living, will find it easier, and the rest of us can practise living in the now.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – karmic information; clear thought; doubts
• Tomorrow – doubts; healing
• Tuesday – social excitement
• Wednesday – spanner in the works; healing
• Friday – late onset spanner in the works

Amy Winehouse

“We only said goodbye with words
I died a hundred times
You go back to her
And I go back to black”

~ Amy Winehouse

It is ten years since the passing of Amy Winehouse from alcohol poisoning, at the tender age of 27.

I wrote at the time:

“Amy Winehouse is the Janis Joplin of her generation (at the age of 61, I have seen too many of these over the decades), dubbed a member of the “27 Club” of music greats being cut short at this age.  This is the age just before the Saturn Return marker, which is a challenge to the structure of one’s life.  She had not been able to find the right structure for her life, and in addition was facing a Nodal Reversal, which involved the Mars/South Node conjunction around that weekend (so there was a significant karmic element to the timing of her passing).  Let us hope for a breakthrough in the understanding of addiction, and the true role of Rehab for the next generation, so that such huge talents are not snuffed out before time.”

Birth Chart 

I did not analyse her chart at the time, so I’m taking a new look at it now.  She was very mercurial, with Sun/Mercury in Virgo and Ascendant in Gemini.  Her father commented on her perfectionism in the studio.  Sun/Mercury square Neptune may have described her addictive personality, while Neptune conjunct the Moon gave her sensitivity and imagination.

Her outstanding musical talent is shown quite clearly in her birth chart: Venus (music) is in (performing) Leo; it is in the 3rd House, signifying songwriting and a love of words.  With Leo on the cusp of the 3rd House, she performed her own songs.  Her Ascendant in Gemini added to her facility with words.  Venus trine Neptune showed musical talent, and Venus sextile the North Node  pointed to music as her karmic mission.  Mars in Leo gave her a strong Performer Archetype, and she set up Lioness Records.

Saturn conjunct Pluto in 5th House brought a sense of melancholy Scorpio to her creativity and songs.

Life and Career

Amy was born to a Jewish family in Enfield, in a jazz orientated background on both sides, and her grandmother had dated Ronnie Scott.  Her parents separated when she was 9 years old, and in an interview she told how it encouraged her wilfulness.  Her influences included Dinah Washington, Macy Gray (both of whom were also Virgo) and Salt’N’Pepa.  At 18, she signed a contract with Simon Fuller, and released her first album “Frank” in 2003.  Her first hit single was “Stronger than Me”.  The follow up album “Back to Black” in 2006 established her success, and the song “Rehab” earned her a second Novello award.  “Valerie” was subsequently nominated for a Brit Award.

The years 2007 and 2008 saw highs and lows.  Her addiction to drugs saw her fall apart in performances (in this period, my nephew worked in a nightclub where she regularly appeared, and was difficult to manage).  She was forced to take a break in November 2007.  But on 10 February 2008, she won 5 Grammy Awards.  Uranus was at the top of her chart (often a transit of success) and Pluto was exactly on her natal Moon to the day (public recognition).  But these two transits were also very destabilizing.  She performed “Valerie” with Mark Ronson soon afterwards at the Brit Awards, followed by the haunting “Love is a Losing Game”.

She replaced drug addiction with alcohol addiction, whilst also suffering from bulimia.  By June 2011 she was forced to take another break to sort herself out.  Her last recording was as a duet with Tony Bennett for his second Duets album.

Relationships 

She married Blake Fielder-Civil in 2007, in a destructive relationship, but one which had inspired the album “Back to Black”.  However at the time of her death, she was in a healthier relationship and looking forward to possibly starting a family in the future with her partner Reg Prentiss (his Mars trine her natal Chiron, encouraging her Inner Healer).

Style

What a voice!  It has been desribed as contralto, but her expression spanned several genres, such as soul, R & B, and jazz.

She had the look!  Her distinctive Beehive hairdo and eyeliner were derived from the style of the 1960s Phil Spector girl bands, especially The Ronettes.  She said:

“I like old Sixties heartbreak songs, girl-group comfort music.  Songs that you can sing into a bottle of whisky”.

Death

Her death through alcohol poisoning was recorded as misadventure.  It may have been a pattern repeated from a past live or lives, as she had Neptune on the South Node in her natal chart, but is not thought to have been suicide.

My words at her passing: “Let us hope for a breakthrough in the understanding of addiction, and the true role of Rehab for the next generation, so that such huge talents are not snuffed out before time.” are still something to hope for.  Ten years on, there is more recognition of the need for concern regarding mental health, of which the need to address addiction is an important component.

“Love, it is a fate resigned

Over futile odds
And laughed at by the gods
And now the final frame
Love is a losing game”

~ Amy Winehouse

“I know Amy Winehouse very well. And she is very different to what people portray her as being. Yes, she does get out of her mind on drugs sometimes, but she is also a very clever, intelligent, witty, funny person who can hold it together. You just don’t see that side.”

^~  Lily Allen

“The last real individualist around”

~ Bob Dylan

Aspects

This evening Pluto opposes Mercury, which can bring mental storm clouds as well as inclement weather (certainly in the U.K. we have yellow warnings of storms).  Watch your mental processes carefully, and be mindful in conversation.  Travel too could be problematic.  Something could appear to be a minor snag on the surface, but may give you pause for deeper thought, leading to more psychological awareness.  Don’t skirt over it.  Examine the issue carefully, and the resulting insight could be a gift.

Mercury is happier on Wednesday (28th), when he or she (a fairly androgynous planet) enters Leo in the early hours of that day.  This enlivens communication and debate and applying the mind to summer hedonism.  Enjoy this trend, which lasts until 11th August.

At lunchtime that day,  Jupiter Retrograde into Aquarius, bringing back some of that lightness and futuristic intuition, which may help you complete certain projects which were started before Jupiter entered Pisces in Mid-May of this year.

On Thursday (29) the North Node squares Venus.  This focuses on karmic relationships, particularly in relation to groups.  You may find yourself within a group situation which seems predestined, or pondering the significance of your relation to a group, possibly linked with past life experiences.

In the afternoon, Jupiter opposes Mars, which is a high energy feature, with the emphasis on enthusiasm and sporting interests.  The Olympics combined with current relaxation of restrictions from coronavirus, may result in a new surge in gym membership and attendance, for instance!  Keep fit regimes will be re-ignited.  Watch a possible tendency to over-react.

The evening brings a change of pace, with Mars entering Virgo.  Whereas Mars in Leo just went for it energetically, Mars in Virgo will be more analytical, and economical with energy and effort.  For all that loss of excitement, there will be greater efficiency.  We are entering a consideration of the Autumn work schedules, and what that might mean in terms of plans for ecology and sustainability, and that means thinking ahead.

Saturday (31st) brings a pleasing sextile between the Sun and the North Node, which favours right action on a karmic level.  It is a good day to look at your life path as a whole, your creativity and self-expression and where you would like it to go.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – stormy
• Wednesday – lively communication and intuition
• Thursday – karmic relationships and high energy
• Saturday – looking at your karmic path

Entrepreneurs into Space

Last Sunday, vying for our attention with the men’s singles finals and the European Cup, saw Richard Branson launching himself into space on Virgin Galactic.  This coming week it will be Jeff Bezos, and later on Elon Musk.  It seems to be a passion for some rich and wealthy inhabitants of Earth, but to other inhabitants it looks like a self-indulgent and wasteful pastime, and has been widely criticized.

Richard Branson

Many times I have mentioned that Richard Branson has the ultimate “Entrepreneur Archteype” pattern of Jupiter exactly trine Uranus in his birth chart.  The two planets associated with space exploration are Jupiter (ruler of Sagittarius) and Uranus (ruler of Aquarius), and together they could foster a desire for extreme travel and freedom.  Branson’s Ascendant is Leo with Pluto rising, which show a great competitiveness and desire for dominance.

The transits for his Space Trip showed Pluto opposite his natal Sun (potentially self-destructive), and Uranus at the top of his chart square his Ascendant (the ultimate desire for excitement, going into space!).

People have questioned how he has the resources to fund such a project, while asking for bail-outs from the government, and not paying taxes.

Jeff Bezos

Although the enterprise of the three billionaires is being described in the media as a Space Race, the relationship between Bezos, founder of Amazon, and Branson is more of a rivalry than that of Musk and Branson.  Bezos was hoping to be first into space of the three.

He also has his Sun virtually unaspected (widely trine Pluto, and square to the Ascendant).  With Mercury trine Uranus in addition, he possesses an inventive and original mind.  Jupiter is exactly square his Midheaven in Capricorn (ambition knowing no bounds).

The Synastry between Bezos and Branson shows Branson’s Pluto square Bezos’ Neptune (a deep rift). Bezos’ Sun/Mars conjunction in Capricorn opposes Branson’s Sun in Cancer, and his Mercury in Capricorn is opposite Branson’s Uranus in Cancer (poles apart).  Bezos’ Pluto is conjunct Branson’s Saturn (heaviness in their relationship).

The proposed date of flight 20th July on New Shephard has a transit of Mars opposeing his Venus, so it may not be a comfortable flight.  Saturn sextiles his Jupiter (the sign of something planned a while in advance), and Uranus trines his natal Pluto (that is more like it for a big, life-changing event).

He’ll be taking elderly aviator Wally Funk, who on that date will have Mars trine her Venus (enormous pleasure); Saturn will be on her Sun (there may be some physical discomfort); and she has a Uranus Return (the fulfilment of her Inner Rebel!)

Elon Musk

I have also written about Elon Musk previously; like Branson and Bezos, he has an almost unaspected Sun (the sign of great individuality).  I previously wrote about him: “We find Elon Musk’s Sun unaspected (individualism) except for a square to Uranus (invention and futurism) – his main connection with reality.”  Like Branson, for whom I wrote: “All these personal planets lacking aspects often show a destiny which easily becomes hitched to more global or impersonal projects” Musk “lacks personal aspects generally, and that may be linked with his huge aspiration for mankind (he worries about human extinction and wants us to be able to live on Mars)” (also from previous writing).  Musk has an exact sextile between Pluto and Jupiter, which enables him to build projects on a large and powerful scale.

There is now a birth time available for Elon Musk, and that reveals exciting close links with the chart of the inventor Nikola Tesla, with among others, Musk’s Midheaven/Chiron  exactly sextile Tesla’s Chiron.  That has also revealed an extra aspect with his Sun, a sextile from the Moon, which shows that his left hand does know what his right hand is doing.

Musk has set his sights further afield than space – on to Mars!  He has booked himself a flight on Branson’s flight service, and is a friend of Branson. As well as the similarity in the construction of their personal aspects, they are both Cancerians (not a particularly likely Sun sign for those wishing to travel far from home!).   In their synastry,  they have excellent interaspects for spurring each other on: Musk’s Sun is exactly trine Branson’s Jupiter, and Branson’s Uranus is exactly conjunct Musk’s Sun.  In other words, Musk’s Individuality (Sun) locks into Branson’s Inner Entrepreneur (Jupiter trine Uranus).

The relationship between Musk and Bezos is not reported to be a happy one.  Bezos’ Neptune squares Musk’s Nodal Axis, so there could be paranoia between them; and Bezos’s Saturn conjoins Musk’s Mars, which is antagonistic.

In the Observer this morning, Catherine Bennett writes about our very own “rocket man”, and the trio of billionaires, describing “a growing suspicion of men who, with the colossal means to address climate disaster, would rather burn their wealth on projects that even they occasionally admit are juvenile”.

Aspects

Tomorrow (Monday 19th) we start the week with a square between Mercury and Chiron, which may highlight a problem needing to be solved.  Attentiveness to health and healing is required, but first the question has to be aired.  The answer lies in the question, therein lies a clue.  Therein also lies a mental conundrum, but one which is not unsolvable.  It may just take a little work, or some lateral thinking.

The mind is definitely set for solutions on Tuesday (20th) with a sextile between Mercury and Uranus.  This may be an answer to Monday’s prayer, if the prayer was unanswered on the same day.  It’s a happy aspect, being helpful for mental endeavours and technology. Telepathy, intuition and the power of surprise are benefits of this aspect.  This aspect can amaze you and help you find that “wow” factor, or unusual ways of articulating your message.

Venus enters Virgo on Thursday (22nd) in the early hours (in the U.K.).  It seems early in the year for Venus to be entering Virgo, a combination usually associated with being back to school or back to work for Autumn schedules, not the beginning of the summer holidays.  But Venus can be two signs away from the Sun, which at this time is right at the end of Cancer.  So maybe you may find yourself laying the foundation for next term’s educational or working schedules now, so as to economically save time and energy later.  We may also be discriminating about the company we keep (if we subscribe to such a philosophy), and be exercising caution despite our government’s freedom day policy.  We choose the catering (in a healthful, Virgoan or Vegan way), and we tailor our practices to ecological ways.

At lunchtime the same day, be it vegan or meat-eating, we have a more lighthearted vibe with Venus opposite Jupiter.  Granted, it’s an opposition, but Venus and Jupiter are known as the lesser and greater benefic planets respectively, so they don’t tend to do too much damage to each other, and they may even have a good time.  There could be some much needed laughter for instance, hopefully at no one’s expense.  Or if at another’s expense, no harm done.  There’s the possibility of letting out some tension in light relief.

The Sun enters sunny Leo just after lunch, ushering in the month of hopeful hedonism.  Holiday plans beckon (for those who dare risk amber turning to red).  Even if you do not have definite holiday plans, you can look at the quality of life and living within your current horizons and means.  Inner enjoyment is just as important as outer enjoyment, if not more so.

Saturday (24th) raises the emotional temperature with a Full Moon At 1 degree Aquarius, in the early hours (in the U.K.).  We might be torn by looking at an issue emotionally, then from a detached perspective, then back and forth.  This may produce heightened tension, or a stand off  between the individual and the group.  But resolutions can be found.

In the afternoon, we are blessed with a congenial trine between Mercury and Neptune.  Things may fall into place spiritually, and you may be ready to talk about a sensitive subject.  This trine brings mental inspiration, transcendent wisdom, higher harmony, spiritual journeys, and insight.  A kind astrological note to end the week.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – problems for solving
• Tuesday – new mental avenues
• Thursday – work schedules; light relief; holiday plans
• Saturday – emotional high tide; mental and spiritual blessings

 

Gareth Southgate

More sport this week… I am looking at what makes Gareth Southgate such a wise and wonderful manager of the England football team, leading them to the final of the Euros today.   He not only gets results, but walks his talk as a sensible leader.  More than once I have heard people say he should be a politician in government (if not Prime Minister), for his good ethical ways.

Birth Chart

We do not have a birth time for Gareth, but will make do with what we can glean from a Noon chart.  Half his planets (5) are in Earth signs, so he is very grounded.  He has 0 planets in Fire signs, hence his reputation for being calm, and not too excitable (except when his team wins).  He has the Sun in Virgo, and fashion-wise waistcoats and spotted ties are very much the Virgo style.  He has an immense attention to detail (Virgo), checking on the well-being of each individual player, and studying the form of the opponents carefully before selecting his team.  His Sun in Virgo is unaspected, so he is very individualistic and able to think outside the box.  With the Moon in Libra, again he is equable in mood, and has diplomatic skills – he says he adopts a listening approach. However, his Moon is conjunct Uranus, so he mixes that cool emotion with a high intuition, and is responsive to people.  Mercury (his mindset) is also in Virgo, conferring an analytical way of thinking.  It trines Saturn, so he is methodical and systematic in thought, and a good planner.  Mercury is his ruling planet, for his Sun sign, and has further qualities: a close sextile with Neptune means he is capable of receiving inspiration, and an exact conjunction with Pluto adds depth of thought and perception.  His Venus too, representing his ability to relate, is well connected: it is in Libra, the sign of diplomacy, exactly sextile the Galactic Centre, which may give him added power.  Venus sextiles Mars, providing some passion; it is conjunct Jupiter, giving him a love for humanity in general; and it is trine his North Node, making relationship and negotiation part of his karmic mission.  Mars is in Virgo, representing the economic use of  energy, and sextiles Jupiter (a sporting aspect).  In addition, Mars on the South Node shows he has built up the skills teamwork in past lives (e.g. on the battlefield).  Saturn trines Pluto in his chart, revealing great strength, an aspect I associate with good managers generally.

Life and Career

Gareth was born in Watford, and made a name for himself in football playing for Aston Villa and Middlesborough, then became captain of Crystal Palace.  He made 57 appearances in the England team.  In his time, he played in the World Cup, and the Euros.

He finished his playing career in May 2006, with interestingly three Pluto transits (signifying endings): Pluto square his Mercury, sextile his Venus, and square his natal Pluto.  He stepped in as temporary England Manager on 27th September 2016, with Mars trine his Mars (taking charge), Saturn square his Sun (taking responsibility), and Neptune opposite his Sun (uncertainty).  Two months later, he was given the job permanently.  Though he has received some criticism (there are always naysayers), the team have gone from strength to strength under his tutelage.

Walking his Talk

Gareth has been clear about his ethics, and tried to adopt a positive philosophy.  His autobiography (“Anything is Possible”) notes:

“When working with the England football team, we focus on what we might achieve instead of worrying about what might go wrong. I honestly believe that with the right mindset, a willingness to learn from our mistakes, and the ability to cope with the highs and lows, every one of us can make the most of our lives.”

It has been noted that the current stock of players in the top team has been transformed.  In the Guardian, Simon Hattenstone has written this week:

“But there is something even more impressive about this group. After decades of seeing players get rich quick and keeping stumm in the face of social injustice, here is a generation of footballers with values. Many struggled in their childhoods, experienced first-hand what the years of Tory austerity stripped from society, and stood up to racism. Now they are determined to use their clout and wealth to support today’s disadvantaged kids.”

He has honourably kept the practice of players taking the knee before matches, on behalf of the Black Lives Matter movement (despite criticism).  And during the coronavirus outbreak, Southgate agreed to take a 30% cut in salary.

The Transits

I am not making any predictions, as I thought Ashleigh Barty wouldn’t win Wimbledon (!)

But Gareth does have a good line up for tonight’s match: Jupiter on his North Node (a karmic reward) and Pluto trine his Pluto (self-empowerment).

Pluto trines the U.K. chart, which may add import to the proceedings.

Italy

Of course, it is a big day for Italy.  News reports say that the continent largely favours them, which is not surprising.  Not only are the Italian team playing England at the football, but Matteo Berrettini of Italy plays Novak Djokovic in the men’s final at Wimbledon.

The transits for Italy shows Mars sextile their Sun (they’ll be on fire!) and Jupiter trine their Mercury (excellent coordination).  The North Node will be on Berrettini’s Venus, which is nice.

Where was I fifty five years ago when England won the World Cup?  I was camping with a schoolfriend in Bournemouth in a tent, with the match playing on the radio!  Today I will be watching the men’s final, and then listening out for the cheers from hubby in the evening.

“A force for good that comes from the heart, kindness changes lives. It opens up opportunities and can be our greatest strength.”

~ Gareth Southgate

Aspects

Mercury goes into Cancer this evening, so you may need to attend to family matters in detail, such as documentation related to that area of your life.  The collective mind will be more able to encompass emotion when considering an argument.  For example, if you have set your mind on a belief because it seems logical, you may be presented with a situation which helps you see the need for compassion for the other side of the argument.  The rights and welfare of children, for instance, may be put under the microscope.  Mercury will be moving quickly and leaves the sign of Cancer on 28th July, so make the most of this particular opportunity.  During this time, charity begins at home.

Tomorrow evening (Monday 12th) Mercury will trine Jupiter, which will help business transactions, and expand our horizons, minds and philosophies.  This is an upbeat vibe mentally, one that takes in great wads of information, produces good ideas and may incline one to travel (if you are off to a green or amber country).  Positive thought pays off.

Venus conjoins with Mars at lunchtime on Tuesday (13th), an amorous entanglement.  Peace and harmony may break out between the sexes, but there may still be a need to respect boundaries and personal space.  Art and music may be imbued with sensuality.

More uplift is to be had on Thursday (15th) morning with a trine between the Sun and Neptune.  This is a sparkling trine, especially good for receiving creative inspiration (and writing film scores – or writing about them?).  Expand your consciousness, and allow your imagination to embellish your work, or project in hand.

Chiron is stationary that day, prior to going Retrograde. This will see us start to retrace some steps on our healing pathway.  A particular healing issue may crop up today to highlight this; perhaps you have gone as far as you can with a particular line of healing, and may need to revise or go over old ground for a while.  There may be more understanding to be achieved, for instance, about the emotional component of the healing issue.

Late on Saturday evening, take good care, for Pluto opposes the Sun, and you may have had an eventful or dramatic day, and still need to vigilant despite tiredness.  The day suits sober reflection and unearthing the deep psychological significance behind events.  Of course, there is a lot going on in our lives, both personally and globally, and our minds may go to issues which affect us more immediately.  Being an opposition, there is a requirement to balance two opposing forces, and possibly blend them or transcend the polarity.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – family details
• Tomorrow – optimism
• Tuesday – sensuality
• Thursday – inspiration; revising healing
• Saturday – caution

Wimbledon 2021 – Week 2

We watched some nailbiting performances from Andy Murray last week, and hope that he is on the road to regaining his mojo.  He says he is weighing up whether it is worthwhile, as he has put a lot of effort in training since having his last hip operation. U.K. players Dan Evans and Norrie also did well, as did 18 year old newcomer Emma Raducanu fresh from A Levels.  The competitors are getting younger all the time! Swiatek was born in 2001, and Raducanu in 2002.  Coco Gauff, who is doing well, was born in 2004.

Here are the next four ladies and men’s seeds to watch over the next week!

Women’s Seeds

No. 5 Seed: Iga Swiatek

Youngster Swiatek hails from Poland, and has an unusual Element pattern in her chart: 7 planets in Air (Intellect), 0 in Earth and 0 in Water.  With Sun in the adaptable sign of Gemini, she also has 6 planets in Mutable (adaptable) signs – and by all accounts she likes to bring variety into her game.  Her Sun is conjunct Saturn, and so she also has an element of caution and planning in her game; apparently she “constructs points carefully”.

She plays Ons Jabeur on Monday.  On that day, Swiatek has Mars exactly trine her Pluto in Sagittarius, a sign of strength.  At the end of Wimbledon, she has Chiron trine her Pluto (very positive), with an exact Mercury Return on the day and an exact trine from the North Node to her Neptune on the day, which is a good line up.

No. 21 Seed the Tunisian Ons Jabeur is known to have a formidable forehand, and on Monday will have the Nodal Axis square her Saturn (difficult), but Neptune sextile her Uranus (the ability to handle complexity) and Pluto sextile her Pluto (self-empowerment), so they could be evenly matched (which may mean a 3-setter).  At the end of Wimbledon, Jabour still has the Nodal Axis square her Saturn and Pluto sextile her Pluto, but Neptune sextile her Uranus is fading.

In their Synastry, they have a double whammy of their Suns squaring the other’s Saturn, again a sign they can cancel each other out and go to a 3-setter.  With Jabeur’s Pluto squaring Swiatek’s Uranus, Jabeur has an overall advantage in their general involvement.

This could be a tight match, but if Swiatek gets through she has good prospects coming up to the final.

No. 8 Seed: Karolina Pliskova

I wrote in 2017:

“[She] has the Sun in Aries, largely unaspected, so she is independent and free-spirited.  She has few personal aspects, so may be focussed on wider concerns in the world.  She apparently has an identical twin, which is also unusual and may complicate her psychology.  Jupiter trine closely her North Node means she has an upbeat karmic mission, and may refer to her sporting interest.  She has the complex Uranus-Neptune conjunction in Capricorn of those born in her year, 1992.”

On Monday, she plays Samsonova.  Pliskova’s transits show the Nodal Axis square her Venus, which is not very supportive; Mars opposite her Saturn, which could be harsh; Neptune trine her natal Pluto, which is supportive on a deeper level.  For the end of Wimbledon, she still has the Nodal Axis square her Venus, and Neptune trine her natal Pluto, but then has to contend with Uranus square her natal Saturn, which is very brittle.

Her opponent on Monday is the unseeded Russian Ludmilla Samsonova, who will have Saturn sextile her natal Mercury, which is steady, plus the North Node exactly trine her Uranus on the day, which could upset Karolina.  At the end of Wimbledon, Samsonova still has Saturn sextile her Mercury, and North Node trine her Uranus, but Mars will be square her natal Sun (which is dicey) so is not likely to make it to the final.  She could beat Karolina, but then peter out towards the end of the contest.

As to their Synastry, Samsonova’s Sun is sextile Pliskova’s Neptune, which favours Samsonova.  Pliskova’s Pluto is on Samsonova’s Venus, which gives Pliskova more power.  Pliskova’s Uranus/Neptune sextiles Samsonova’s Jupiter, so they could play some exciting matches.  and Pliskova’s Jupiter squares Samsonova’s Pluto, which favours Samsonova in an exchange of power.

So Samsonova could unseat Pliskova, but if so will probably not go much further in the competition.

No. 14 Seed: Barbora Krejcikova

Czech Krejcikova won the French Open this year, and is still a strong contender in Wimbledon.  She has it all going for her astrologically, in an impressive chart with the Sun exactly conjunct Jupiter in Sagittarius at the Galactic Centre sextile the North Node!  So, lucky, powerful and karmically gifted.  She also has Mercury conjunct Mars, quick mental reactions; and with Mars exactly square Chiron, could be subject to injury from time to time.

Her transits on Monday show Jupiter square her Pluto (power play), Uranus trine her Mars (an electric performance), and Pluto on her Venus (profound experience).  At the end of Wimbledon Jupiter will be exactly square Pluto on the day (a dramatic finish!), and Uranus will still be trine her Mars, plus Pluto will still be on her Venus.  She is in with a chance!

Her opponent will be the No. 1 Seed Ashleigh Barty, of whom I wrote last week:

“ At the start of Wimbledon, she has Jupiter square her Pluto, which represents exaggerated power.  She may make some unforced errors!  At the end of Wimbledon, Mars will be sextile her natal Venus (her artistry will be strong), and Jupiter will still be square her Pluto.  These do not strike me as winning transits.”

In their Synastry, Barty’s Mercury is trine Barbora’s Neptune, so they can read each other on subtle mental levels.  Barty’s Mars squares Barbora’s Neptune, so Barbora could bamboozle Barty (if that’s not too much of an alliteration!)  Barty’s Mars is on Barbora’s South Node (they could be old adversaries, from previous lives).  Barty’s Saturn trines Barbora’s  Pluto, serious interpersonal engagement.  And finally, Barty’s Neptune is conjunct Barbora’s Uranus, which gives Barty a fine edge in some ways.

Barty, and other tennis players, have managed to negotiate this last week of Wimbledon with aplomb even with the Jupiter-Pluto square in their natal chart; which leads me to believe Barbora’s Jupiter-Pluto exact square at the final to be significant, especially as Jupiter is SO her planet!

I will stick my neck out for a win for Krejcikov over Barty on Monday.

No. 18 Seed: Elena Rybakina

Rybakina, along with No. 2 Seed Aryna Sabalenka, is a 6-footer.  She has 5 planets in the Fixed signs, showing strong will.  Her Sun is exactly trine Mars, making her a Warrior (she is an “aggressive baseliner”).  With Sun sextile Jupiter she is sporting and positive, and her energy and enthusiasm are sometimes over the top due to Mars opposing Jupiter.  She has the Moon/North Node/Venus in competitive Leo and has enormous self-belief.  This triple conjunction opposes Uranus, so she can be emotionally unpredictable.  Her Uranus in Aquarius at the South Node may point to past lives in Atlantis!

Her transits for Monday show Pluto squaring her Mars, dangerous (slipping? that seems to be the thing, this Wimbledon); Saturn squaring her Saturn (the odds are against her); and the South Node on her Pluto (past life karma coming to roost).  Astrologically, that does not point to a win.  For the end of Wimbledon, Saturn opposes her Venus (a sense of disappointment), Pluto still square her Mars, and South Node still on her Pluto.  Really, no astrological back up for her.

As it happens, the other 6-footer Sabalenka (No. 2 Seed) is her opponent on Monday.  I wrote last week:

“At the end of the tournament Mars trines her Mercury (mental strength, quick mental reactions and lively nervous system) but Mars squares Chiron (possible injury).  Saturn will still be on her Uranus, but Uranus will be on her Sun (the possibility of turning things around unexpectedly).  Pluto will also still be square her Saturn.  I feel the balance of transits will make things tough for her.”

On Monday, Mars will be exactly square Sabalenka’s Sun (they could both slip), an aspect which is exact to the day.  Uranus will be on her Sun, which may provide excitement and surprise; Saturn on her Uranus and Pluto square Saturn, both very challenging, and some comfort from Chiron sextile her Uranus.

In their Synastry, they have very different mindsets with squared Mercuries.  Aryna Mars square Rybakina’s Uranus, explosive combination, with Rybakina having the power of surprise.  Plus Aryna’s Uranus squares Rybakina’s Saturn  (messy), which can make their matches uncomfortable viewing.

I would predict a win on this occasion for Aryna, but Aryna’s fortunes on the decline towards the final.

Overall, of the ladies, I like the sound of Krejcikova’s prospects, going towards the final and for the final itself.

Men’s Seeds

No. 5 Seed: Andrey Rublev

I wrote in September 2020:

“He has Sun in Libra (the tennis sign!) and Moon in Sagittarius (no birth time available).  The Sun is largely unaspected, except for a trine with Chiron, so he may be very independent, but with a soothing presence…Mercury is sextile Venus in his chart, so he may have literary skills.  Mars squares Neptune, so he has sensitive energies, and could be drained sometimes.  But Mars is also closely square Pluto, so there may be days where he finds it hard to control his energies, and they may be aggressive.  Mars exactly sextile Chiron also inclines him to healing.  Jupiter squares Saturn, so again he could be hamstrung at times in his energies, not sure which way to go.  Saturn sextile Pluto gives strength and endurance (when Neptune square Mars is not being draining!)  Uranus sextile closely with the North Node gives the power of surprise, when he is karmically permitted.  I imagine his game would vary quite a lot.”

His transits for Monday show Jupiter trine his natal Mercury, which is excellent; Chiron trine his natal Venus, good for his personal life, exact on the day; and Saturn on his Jupiter in Aquarius, not so easy.  His transits for the end of Wimbledon: Jupiter still trine his natal Mercury, and Chiron still trine his natal Venus, aspects which are very supportive throughout the coming week, but Saturn will still be on his Jupiter.

His opponent will be Hungarian Marton Fucsovics (unseeded), who will have Neptune  sextile his Mars (some artistry in his shots), and Neptune trine his Pluto (depth).  Fucsovics’ transits at the final will be Mars opposite his Sun (he may be nursing an injury), Neptune still sextile his Mars, and Neptune still trine his Pluto.  He is not likely to reach the final.

Their Synastry shows: Andrey’s Mars sextile Fucsovics’ Mercury, their matches should be briskly fought; Andrey’s Saturn sextile Fucsovics’ Mercury, good control for both; Rublev’s Saturn squares Fucsovics’ Uranus (Fucsovic capable of upsetting Andrey); Andrey’s Uranus opposite Fucsovic’s Chiron, danger of injury for Fucsovic, being caught unawares.

Rublev has the better set of transits, and should go through on Monday, and may get through to the final, though his transits are not outstanding.  I would not see him winning the tournament, though.

No. 6 Seed: Roger Federer

I wrote last week:

“ If Roger were to win Wimbledon, he would meet Djokovic in the final…At the end of Wimbledon, Uranus is still square his Mercury, but it will be sextile with his Mars, so if he gets to the final it could be electrifying. Neptune will still be square his Neptune, and Pluto will still be sextile his Uranus. These are not outstanding transits, but he could conceivably reach the final. However, I don’t think he would be able to beat Djokovic, sadly.”

Roger’s transits tomorrow show: Mars on his Sun (I think he can handle the energy of that!), Uranus square his Mercury (unpredictability), Chiron trine his Mercury (some balm for his nervous system), Uranus sextile his Mars (electrifying) exact on the day – you’ll see some sparkle!  Pluto will be sextile his Uranus (psychological strength) and Neptune square his Neptune (he is going through changes, spiritually).

His opponent will be the No 23 Seed Italian player Lorenzo Sonego, whose chart I have not looked at before.  He will have Saturn trine his Mercury and sextile his Jupiter, so playing steadily now.  Chiron will be trine his natal Jupiter, so he is well co-ordinated now, too.  Neptune will be on his Saturn, so he is not unassailable.  And Pluto is on his Neptune, which could be overwhelming.  At the end of Wimbledon, Sonego will have Saturn exactly sextile his Mercury to the day, Chiron still trine his Jupiter, Neptune still on his Saturn, and Pluto still on his Neptune.

The Synastry between him and Roger shows up the following: Sonego’s Jupiter trine Roger’s Mercury, which actually could help Roger play at his best; Sonego’s Saturn square Roger’s Neptune, which could bamboozle Sonego.  Sonego’s Saturn trine Roger’s Chiron, some mutual understanding.  Sonego’s Uranus on Roger’s South Node, some element of surprise possible from Sonego in their interaction; and Sonego’s Neptune sextile roger’s Uranus, again some complex mutual understanding).

I do not see anything too threatening towards Roger Federer from Sonego, but there may be some touching moments in their interaction.

No. 7 Seed: Matteo Berrettini

I wrote in 2019:

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

His transits on Monday show: North Node on his natal Venus (in Gemini), which is quite helpful; Mars trine his natal Mars, which is very dynamic; Jupiter square his natal Pluto – overexerting his power, though the transit worked for some of the players last week…(Sabalenko and Krejcikova, for example).  At the end of Wimbledon, the North Node will still be on his Venus, but other transits will be moving away.  He could do well and get through on Monday, but peter out afterwards.

His opponent will be the unseeded Ilya Ivashka from Belarus.  His transits for Monday are Uranus sextile his Venus, so may have the power of surprise; Mars will be square his natal Jupiter, so he’ll have plenty of energy and enthusiasm, but perhaps be accident prone, similarly with Uranus opposing his Jupiter; Neptune will be sextile his Neptune, so spiritually he will be at one with himself.  At the end of Wimbledon, he’ll still have Uranus sextile his Venus and opposite his Jupiter, with Neptune still sextile his Neptune.  But altogether not great.

Their Synastry: Ivashka’s Saturn squares Berrettini’s Pluto, which is more powerful for Berrettini; Ivashka’s Neptune squares Berrettini Sun, so he could confuse Berrettini, and Ivashka’s Pluto sextiles Berrettini’s Neptune, which is more powerful for Ivashka – a fairly even match, generally.

I think Berrettini can beat Ivashka.

No. 8 Seed: Roberto Bautista-Agut

It is interesting that more of the men’s top seeds stayed in than the women’s last week.  So we have No. 8 (Agut) playing No. 10 Shapovalov (who ousted Murray) on Monday.  Roberto Bautista Agut has the Sun in Aries, so warriorship comes easily to him.  His Sun is exactly sextile Chiron, so he has some ingenious ways of solving problems.  His enthusiasm and energy can sometimes be off the scale, with Jupiter square Mars in his natal chart.  And he has a powerhouse of energy with Mars square Pluto (that aspect also strengthens his Inner Warrior).

His transits for Monday are:- Jupiter sextile his Saturn (good judgement); Jupiter sextile his Uranus (good opportunities, and lucky breaks); but on the converse side, Saturn square his Pluto (could have a major upset) and Neptune square his natal Chiron (could be compromising his health).

His opponent, the Canadian Shapovalov, who brought down Andy Murray last week, will provide a good battle of the warriors as he is also Aries!  On Monday he will have:- Pluto exactly square his Sun (so he is doing well to play under that duress); plus Mars will be trine his Jupiter (he’ll have plenty of fuel in the tank!).  At the end of Wimbledon, he will have Mars (his ruling planet) on his North Node (a karmic moment for him), and Pluto will still be square his Sun.

In their Synastry, their Suns are exactly conjunct (another indication of a good battle; could be a 5-setter); Shapovalov’s Mars is opposite Agut’s Jupiter (an energetic interplay), but Shapovalov’s Saturn squares Agut’s Mars (could blunt the sharpness  of Agut’s reactions), Shapovalov’s Neptune is on Agut’s Mars (again could sap Agut of energy in their interaction) and Shapovalov’s Pluto opposes Agut’s Venus.  Generally, Shapovalov would have the upper hand, and even if Agut wins tomorrow, in future he would find matches with Shapovalov daunting.

I would still plump for Agut to win tomorrow.

Generally for the men, I still think Djokovic is unbeatable and Zverev too has a good chance, for the finals.

And before you ask, the stunning Emma Raducanu has some nice transits for the coming week:  she has Jupiter trine Venus (having the time of her life; living the dream!), Mars sextile her Mars (all the energy she needs) and the North Node trine her Neptune (a spiritual coming of age).

Aspects

Today, very early in the morning, Mars was square Uranus.  Thus we had thunderstorms here in the U.K. – people born with that square in their charts are often born under a thunderstorm I find!  Perhaps someone was exploding with tension last night, or you were disturbed by some item of world news where man is exacting inhumanity to man.  Something might have needed to be dealt with urgently, whether it was a mechanical fault or a human fault.  If you have been struggling since the Mars-Saturn opposition last Thursday, that will be because Mars and Uranus have been forming a T-square with Saturn.

The Sun also squares Chiron today, which could also throw up a problem, and health issues may be to the fore: look after yourselves, physically and mentally!  The problem may literally be how to control the explosion of energy created by Mars and Uranus.  What needs healing will be uncovered, and the answer may lie in the problem, or deep in the soul.  Time for self-mastery.

A bright new day dawns tomorrow (Monday 5th), with the Sun sextile Uranus.  In support of us and adding a sparkle of ingenuity and inventiveness, this aspect aids your efforts  to make headway with your various projects, and may be assisted with some telepathy and higher consciousness, or liaising with a constructive group.

More support is brought to the table tomorrow with Venus sextile the North Node, which is ideal for smoothing over karmic issues, resolving relationship karma and easing connections. It is more about forgiveness and laying aside grievances than exacting karmic balance.  The law of karma works automatically – you don’t need to engineer it.  Your own knowledge may not be complete enough.

Neptune squares Mercury on Tuesday (6th), and some undefinable snag may be nagging at you.  If so, allow your subconscious to bring it up in its own time, but don’t shut up shop until you have identified the rum note.  Then you can deal with it, move on and let it go.  There could be more scandals in the news…

More to grapple with on Wednesday (7th), with Saturn opposing Venus, which could be emotionally deflating (e.g. a prominent, well-loved public figure could pass after a long and worthwhile life). It is time to value those around you, and to renew bonds of love and loyalty.

A happier resolution for relationship difficulties on Thursday (8th) with Venus trine Chiron: so healing may occur where there was difficulty on Wednesday.  The healing power of love may come to the fore.  Try to keep the heart open, and keep the faith.  There may be a real opportunity to re-group your healing energies and feel harmony within your being.  This aspect is operative early in the day, so make the most of it.

There may be another twist and turn in relationships at tea time, with Venus square Uranus.  There may be a quirky end to your relationship or money saga, slightly out of your comfort zone.  Your plans may have to be modified at the last minute.  The way through is to use your intuition, and stay one step ahead.

A New Moon at 18 degrees Cancer occurs in the early hours of Saturday (10th).  This is a conjunction of the Sun and Moon in that sign, so give your home and family special attention!  If you know where it falls in  your chart, you can fine-tune your wishes, but otherwise the areas associated with Cancer are the human emotions, family, the home and security, women and mothers, plus roots and ancestry.

Happy Independence Day to my U.S. readers!

The week in bullet points:

• Today – energetic disruptions, and healing questions
• Tomorrow – sparkle and comfort
• Tuesday – confusion
• Wednesday – flatness
• Thursday – healing, then twists and turns
• Saturday – new beginning

 

Wimbledon 2021

Well I missed blogging about Wimbledon last year, so with the year’s gap the landscape has changed a little for the seeding, but there are familiar faces among the new ones!

Women’s Seeds

No. 1 Seed: Ashleigh Barty

In my last Wimbledon blog season, Ashleigh Barty was also No. 1.  There’s no sign of Naomi Osaka (preparing for the Tokyo Olympics) or Serena Williams (now ranked Seed No. 6) up here in the top four.

I wrote about Barty in 2019: ” She has Sun in Taurus (of short stature) square exactly Uranus – making her a maverick, who thrives on the power of surprise.  She also has Mercury loosely opposite Pluto, a possible fearlessness once she overcomes her initial fears.  But the possible secret of her success is Saturn trine exactly Pluto natally, a superstrength.  With the North Node conjunct Chiron in Libra, she has a healing karmic mission, possibly for later in life.”

At the start of Wimbledon, she has Jupiter square her Pluto, which represents exaggerated power.  She may make some unforced errors!  At the end of Wimbledon, Mars will be sextile her natal Venus (her artistry will be strong), and Jupiter will still be square her Pluto.  These do not strike me as winning transits.

No. 2 Seed: Aryna Sabalenka

I have not looked at Sabalenka’s chart before, but she was born in 1998, as was another of the current top four women’s seeds.

Six foot tall, and born in Belarus, she has Sun/Mars in Taurus, which could provide stamina, drive and strong will (apparently she has an aggressive style of play).  The high powered conjunction is square to Uranus, an erratic and electrical energy which could catch out her opponents in its unpredictability, and interrupt their flow.  With Venus exactly sextile Neptune she may be very artistic or musical.  Mars sextile Jupiter brings energy allied with enthusiasm.  Mars exactly opposite Chiron forming a square with Uranus may make her prone to injury.  Pluto exactly square the Nodal Axis could bring drama in her life from time to time.  She has chosen the Tiger as her animal totem, sporting a tattoo of the animal on her left arm.

Her transits at the beginning of Wimbledon are Saturn on her Uranus and Pluto square Saturn, both very challenging, and so therefore, she may have an early upset in the tournament.  At the end of the tournament Mars trines her Mercury (mental strength, quick mental reactions and lively nervous system) but Mars squares Chiron (possible injury).  Saturn will still be on her Uranus, but Uranus will be on her Sun (the possibility of turning things around unexpectedly).  Pluto will also still be square her Saturn.  I feel the balance of transits will make things tough for her.

No. 3 Seed: Elina Svitolina

I wrote about Ukrainian Svitolina in 2019: “Elina has Sun in Capricorn conjunct Chiron, with half her planets (5) in the water element.  She has vigour (Mars sextile her Sun), emotion (Water) and sensitivity (Sun closely trine Neptune).  Mercury square Mars in her chart may make her irritable, and combined with a watery chart that may make her moody.  Venus trine her Saturn provides stability, and Mars trine Jupiter great enthusiasm.  But Mars opposite Uranus/Neptune can also be irritable, so she may have to work hard in stabilizing her moods.  There is a strong theme of healing though in her chart, with Sun conjunct Chiron, Neptune trine Chiron and the North Node sextile Chiron, so she may move towards healing of some sort later in life.”

At the beginning of Wimbledon Svitolina will have Mars square her Jupiter (high spirits and enthusiasm), Saturn trine her Mercury (steady application), Saturn square her Jupiter (some caution), Neptune sextile her Uranus (the ability to cope with complexity) and Pluto sextile her Pluto (self-empowerment).  This bodes well.  At the end of the tournament, Mars will be square her Nodal Axis (possibly injury), Saturn will still be trine Mercury and square Jupiter, and Neptune will still be sextile her Uranus, with Pluto still square her natal Pluto.  She has a good chance in this tournament, astrologically.

No 4 Seed: Sofia Kenin

As with Sabalenka, I have not looked at Kenin’s chart before, and she was born in the same year (1998).  Top female American player Kenin has the Sun in Scorpio, conjunct Chiron and Venus.  Another player with a strong healing quality (there must be an application within tennis, but I have not identified it yet).  She would be intense and passionate.  Her Sun trines Jupiter, so she is expansive, too, and trusts to luck.  Her Sun sextiles Mars, giving her plenty of energy and drive.  Mercury squares Jupiter in her chart, so at times she may spread her energies too widely or be unfocussed.  Mars opposes Jupiter, so again there may be some exaggerated moves, or unforced errors in her play.  There is a serious side to her, with planets in Scorpio, Saturn trine her North Node (a sense of responsibility) and Saturn square Neptune.  She can handle pressure, with Uranus closely sextile Pluto.

At the beginning of the tournament Neptune opposes her natal Mars, which could find her drained of energy from an unknown source.  However, Pluto sextile her natal Venus will see her put a lot of feeling into her shots.  At the end of the tournament, Neptune will still oppose her Mars, and the Pluto sextile to her Venus will be exact on the day, which could be greatly to her advantage.  That could swing things for her, but because of the Neptune opposition to Mars, I don’t think she will actually win (runner up at best!)

So of these four, I would say Svitolina has the best set of astrological transits.

Men’s Seeds

No. 1 Seed: Novak Djokovic

Djokovic beat Nadal at the French Open at Roland Garros recently, and Nadal will not be taking part in Wimbledon this year, which gives Djokovic an advantage.  He will meet Roger Federer, but only if they both reach the final.  Tumaini Carayol writing in the Observer this morning says: “Djokovic distinguishes himself in the way he suffocates his opponents.  He usually remains closer to the baseline and moves forward into the ball, stealing time from the server and forcing them to collect the second shot behind some of their best serves from their laces.”

At the beginning of Wimbledon, he will have a Mercury Return and may be on astonishing form mentally.  At the end of Wimbledon, Jupiter will be square his Sun which could work for him (knowing him!).  Mars will be trine his Jupiter (high spirits and enthusiasm), and Mars will be on his Ascendant, so he could also be at the height of his athleticism too.  He will be hard to beat, as everyone says.

No. 2 Seed: Danii Medvedev

I wrote in 2019 of Russian Medvedev: “He is a leader (Sun conjunct Mars trine his North Node).  Mercury conjunct Uranus gives him a brilliant brain, and Mercury exactly conjunct Neptune gives him the ability to channel inspiration.  Venus in his chart is exactly trine Pluto, so he has great personal magnetism.  And he has a conjunction between his Chiron and North Node in Libra (the sign I associate with tennis), so it is absolutely his game.”

At the beginning of Wimbledon, Medvedev will have Pluto on his Mercury, so may be carrying some mental strain, on or off the court.  Neptune will be on his Saturn, which may also sap at his strength.  Pluto will be on his Neptune, making life very complicated with heavy emotional or psychological issues.  And like Ashleigh Barty, Jupiter will square his Pluto  (exaggerated power; unforced errors).  At the end of the tournament, Pluto will still be on his Mercury, Neptune still on his Saturn, Pluto still on his Neptune.  Jupiter will be moving away from squaring his Pluto, however.  I personally think these transits are too challenging to overcome and win Wimbledon.

No. 3 Seed: Stefanos Tsitsipas

Tsitsipas is a young Greek Lion (Leo), born in 1998 like Sabalenka and Kenin.  With four planets in the Fire Element, including Moon in Aries, he may have fiery traits!  He also has a fair deal of Water, with Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Chiron in that element.  Perhaps his water may put out his fire, sometimes.  Venus/Mars trine Jupiter makes him very sociable.

At the beginning of Wimbledon, Mars will oppose his Uranus exactly on the day (unpredictable and incident-prone), which could be explosive.  At the end of Wimbledon, his transits are very undistinguished.  This does not look like a distinguished Wimbledon for him, therefore.

No. 4 Seed: Alexander Zverev

I wrote of German Zverev in 2017: “His Sun is right at the beginning of Taurus, and he has 0 Water planets (so may not be so emotional) and half his planets in Earth so is practical.  He is sensitive, though, with Neptune exactly square his Sun, and Chiron exactly opposite his Sun.  He has Mercury conjunct Venus, which may give him writing or diplomatic abilities.  With Mercury exactly square Uranus, he is not afraid to be controversial…Neptune trines his North Node, so he has a spiritual side.  With Neptune square his Chiron he may be impossibly idealistic (as well as practical).  An intriguing young man.”

His transits at the beginning of Wimbledon show Saturn sextile his natal Saturn, a steady start.  Chiron however sits on his natal Saturn, which may cause some difficulty, e.g. a niggling injury.  The North Node will be trine his natal Uranus, so he will have the power of surprise.  At the end of Wimbledon, Jupiter will be sextile his natal Sun (a winning transit), Mars will oppose his natal Jupiter (some fiery energy), Chiron will still be on his Saturn, and the North Node still trine his Uranus.  Not a bad set of transits.

Djokovic still has the best chances of the four, with Zverev second (possibly a finalist).

May the best players win!

Aspects

It’s a very quiet week on the aspect front, which may give you extra creative space and freedom.

Venus went into Leo first thing this morning, enabling you to make hay today and certainly for the next few days.  There is an opportunity to get out and about and enjoy the fruits of summer.  You can afford to be bold in seeking entertainment today, and also polish up your performance skills.  Let your hair down.

Hopefully the other feature of the week won’t bother you until Thursday (1st July), though some of you may feel its pull slightly before then: Mars opposing Saturn.  This one is no picnic, and indeed if you are trying to picnic you may have all sorts of obstructions: rain, wind or wasps to name three possibilities.  Two forces may be pushing against each other, and this could prove uncomfortable.  This can mean a conflict in the outer world, or the inner world.  A day which spells the need for caution.

And that’s it!

The week in bullet points:

• Today – making hay
• Thursday – damage limitation management

Naftali Bennett

This week, with the awkward square between Saturn and Uranus, Israel finally threw off its long-term entrenched figurehead Benjamin Nethanyahu, and entered into a new era of uncertainty with a precarious coalition of right, left and centre, together with an Arab representation.  The arrangement is that Naftali Bennett (of the far right) will be Prime Minister for two years, followed by Yair Lapid (the centrist) for two years, if they get that far.  It would be hoped that a new government would have a new impetus for the peace process and a new policy with regard to the settlements on the West Bank, but the line up does not look promising, with Naftali Bennett being to the right of Nethanyahu.  And the balance of power is delicate, having only been approved by one vote, or one seat.  Two bright progressive spots in all this are the inclusion of the Arab contingent, and the presence of nine women in the cabinet.

Birth Chart

Naftali’s chart shows 0 planets in Water signs (low in emotion), and 5 planets in Cardinal signs (the propensity to lead).  He has the Sun in Aries, which is a hawkish sign, and he comes from a strong military background.  His Moon in Leo also likes to lead, and with Mercury closely opposite Uranus he is not afraid to be controversial.  Mercury conjunct Chiron gives an aptitude for problem-solving.  Mars conjunct Saturn is deliberate in action, while Mars trine Pluto provides a powerhouse of energy.  Mars trine the North Node gives a warrior karmic mission, and Saturn closely trine Pluto confers great strength.  With a Grand Trine in Air, he can walk the talk; and with Jupiter square to his Sun, he can exaggerate.

Life and Career

Naftali Bennett was born in Haifa to parents who came to Israel from San Francisco just after the Six Day War in 1967.  Some of his mother’s family who stayed in Poland perished in the Holocaust.  After serving in the military, and making his fortune through a software engineering business, he entered politics in 2006, working for some of his political career with Nethanyahu.  They became friends and allies, until they fell out.  He subsequently led an opposition party, Yamina.  Crucially, for those wishing for a solution to the long running conflict in the Middle East, he opposes a two-state solution for the Israelis and Palestinians, the only realistic path to peace.  Thus, we cannot hope for much on this, unless he is swayed by his coalition partners otherwise.  Can a leopard change its spots politically?  I think of some of the Irish politicians who became part of the peace process.  A straw to clutch on to, perhaps…But he champions the right of Jewish settlements, a major block to a solution.  Alon Ben-Meir, an American expert on Middle Eastern politics wrote this week: “The occupation is like cancer – the enemy from within – that poses the greatest danger to Israel.”  He emphasizes that unless the issue is addressed by the government, there can be no progress.  Bennett’s transits at this point in time are Mars sextile his natal Pluto in Libra (energy and power).  Jupiter squares his natal Saturn in Gemini (a balancing act), and Saturn sextile his natal Chiron in Aries (the opportunity to bring some healing). He is experiencing his Chiron Return, normally the emergence of the Inner Healer.  He has vowed to unite the government.

Yair Lapid

And what of Yair Lapid, with whom he will share power, and hand over in two years’ time?  The world may have been able to breathe a bit more easily had the power switch been arranged the other way round.  But is Lapid going to be the Nick Clegg to Bennett’s David Cameron?  Lapid has a triple conjunction of Sun conjunct Mercury and Neptune in Scorpio, steely strong but also sensitive.  With 5 planets in Water signs and 5 in Fixed signs, he is emotional and strong willed.

Lapid grew up in Tel Aviv and London.  His great-grandmother died at Auschwitz.  He came from a journalistic family, and made a name for himself as an author, a TV presenter and news anchor.  On 8th January 2012, around the time of his Chiron Return he  announced that he was  changing tack and going into politics.  His Chiron is in Pisces, the sign of idealistic service.

In forming his centrist party “Yesh Atid”, he was inspired by international movements such as Emmanuel Macron’s “En Marche” in France, believing that centrism is the answer to the rise of populism.  In matters of religion, he is a believer in non-Orthodox Judaism, which he has seen in the movements of Liberal and Progressive synagogues around the world (which are not so popular in Israel).  He favours working with the Arabs – in an interview last year, he spoke about the coronavirus: “all of a sudden, Israelis have noticed the fact that so many of our doctors and nurses working in our hospitals, taking care of our elderly, are Arabs—Israeli Arabs.”  He has stated that he favours a two state solution, and resuming peace negotiations with the Palestinians, but remains supportive of the West Bank settlements, which would be an obstacle in negotiations.

In his Synastry with Bennett, notably his Jupiter is conjunct Bennett’s Chiron in Aries, so while Bennett is currently having his Chiron Return, Chiron close to Lapid’s Jupiter in Aries, stimulating his good will.  Yair’s natal Venus also sextiles Naftali’s Pluto and Yair’s Saturn trines Naftali’s Uranus, which for two politicians poles apart is a reasonable working relationship.  Yair Lapid’s current transits are not easy: Saturn squares his Sun/Mercury (power constrained), Uranus opposite his Sun/Mercury (a new regime); thus the Saturn-Uranus square directly impacted him.  The North Node sextile his Jupiter gives him some status and Uranus trine his natal Pluto, can enable him to be an architect for change at this time.

Israel and Palestine

The transits for Israel at this moment in time show Neptune sextile its natal Sun, a fine state of balance and sensitivity, with the North Node on its Mercury (the necessity for karmic communication; and the North Node trine its Neptune, again a fine state of balance and sensitivity, again karmic.  And Saturn opposes its Pluto – a difficult time; added to that, Uranus squares its natal Pluto, bringing unprecedented change.  Chiron also trines Pluto – an attempt at deep healing.

The Palestinians, understandably, don’t see this change of regime as particularly helpful. A spokesman for Mahmoud Abbas said: “”This is an internal Israeli affair. Our position has always been clear, what we want is a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital.”  I have three charts for Palestine: the first taken at the inception of the state of Israel, which would have similar transits as the above.  The second chart is for 1988: with Jupiter square its Jupiter, Saturn square its Mercury/Pluto and Uranus opposite its Mercury/Pluto (again a casualty of the current Saturn-Uranus square), there is nothing to write home about.

The third chart is for Palestinian autonomy in Jericho and the Gaza strip in 1994: Mars trines its Midheaven, Saturn squares its Sun, Uranus transits its Sun, Neptune sextile its Neptune, Pluto transits its Uranus and Pluto sextile its Pluto – indicating, at best, mixed blessings.

Two Years’ Time

Fast forward to 27th August 2023, and some relinquishment of power for Naftali could be seen in his transits:  Mars closely trine his Mars, Pluto trine his natal Mars and Mars on his natal Pluto – it seems like a decisive time, for him.  However, for Yair Lapid to take over, with Mars sextile his Venus and Jupiter opposite his Neptune, that does not seem strong enough for such an event, or maybe he will be taking a softly softly approach.  For Nethanyahu, who, in Trump style has vowed to be back, Uranus trine his natal Jupiter at that time raises just such an opportunity, which hopefully will not come to pass!

“We will do all we can so that no-one should have to feel afraid… And I say to those who intend to celebrate tonight, don’t dance on the pain of others. We are not enemies; we are one people.”

~ Naftali Bennett

Aspects

Happy Father’s Day!  We have three planets turning this week: two retrogrades and a direct motion.  This could find us feeling we are in a state of flux.  Jupiter is stationary this afternoon, prior to turning retrograde.  You may have been working along a particular line and making steady progress, but now have to re-assess.  There is a possibility of a U-turn by someone in power, or you may make a U-turn in  your own life.

The Sun enters Cancer on the Summer Solstice in the early hours of tomorrow morning (Monday 21st).  Wring every ounce of enjoyment out of your daylight hours!  The weather may not be obliging, however, particularly in parts of the U.K.  However, we have more freedom of movement than we had this time last year, for celebration.

In the first actual aspect of this week, at lunchtime tomorrow, Venus trines Neptune.  This is a beautiful aspect socially, enabling spiritual links with people.  Artistically or musically, you can achieve inspirational heights.

For some, the highlight of the week will be Mercury stationary prior to going direct in the late evening of Tuesday (22nd), especially if you have been struggling with computers, I.T. and broadband connections, or delays in communications.  There may be some accompanying sense of relief.  You can certainly pick up momentum on some projects which involve paperwork and documentation, and make some more essential journeys.

For others, the Sun trine Jupiter on Wednesday (23rd) will be the highlight, being one of the brightest aspects of the year.  It’s a , a happy-go-lucky aspect where circumstances allow.  So whatever lights your candle today, grasp the opportunity, but seize the day early.  Good cheer, laughter, and adventure may characterize the daylight hours.

However, in the last hour of the day (in the U.K.) Pluto opposes Venus, which may end the day on a more dramatic note, especially in terms of relationships, and possibly in relation to money and the Arts.  This can can symbolize brinkmanship in relationships, such as between Britain and the E.U.  In negotiations, people may be using negative tactics such as project fear, or threats of no deal. If your struggles are in the realms of art or music, you may have to go back to the drawing board on a creative project, or fundamentally change the values behind what you are creating, taking them to a higher level or a deeper level psychologically.

Thursday (24th) brings a sextile between Saturn and Chiron, which should be constructive and healing.  It is a useful, stabilizing and healing aspect, which could help you achieve something significant. This aspect enables us to think in a balanced way about our needs and our healing, and our plans for the future.  It is good for establishing ground rules for healing and comforting habits.

However, you may sense some emotional tension building towards tea-time, when we have a Full Moon (the Strawberry Moon) at 3 degrees Capricorn.  Even if you are making headway, you may still be feeling tension.  This Moon represents the pull between authority and individual needs.  There are questions about society, such as how far can authority be accountable for an individual’s fate, and how much can the individual expect from authorities, where does the balance of responsibility lie?

We have another change in planetary motion on Friday (25th) with Neptune stationary prior to turning retrograde, representing some retracing of steps on our spiritual path.  It has been direct since December last year, so you may have been inspired at that time by a new spiritual area opening up. Now is the time to consolidate on what you have learned, put it into practice, and walk your talk.  Neptune goes direct again this December.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – a U-turn or reassessment
• Tomorrow – Summer Solstice, and spiritual links
• Tuesday – communications eased
• Wednesday – Happy Go Lucky day, stressful evening
• Thursday – constructive and healing in the day, emotional high tide at tea time
• Friday – retracing of steps on our spiritual path