The Paris Shootings

As a million people plan to march through the streets of Paris, including 47 heads of state, in solidarity with the principle of freedom of speech, there seems only one subject for today’s blog: the  attacks by Islamic terrorists in the capital of France.  The beautiful city of Paris this week has been the site of tragic and alarming scenes.

Charts of France, and Hollande

With the rise of the far right in France under Marine Le Pen, the rise of anti-semitism, and the policy of banning the burka, arguably religious and racial tension is far greater than here in Britain at the moment.  At the time of the first set of shootings in the capital, the French principle of Liberty is being tested to the limit by the planets, and violence is to the fore: Mars squares the Mars of the French chart, while Jupiter conflagrates the whole issue of Liberty by a conjunction with its Uranus (Revolution) and an opposition to its Pluto.  A natal Uranus-Pluto opposition at the time of the French chart (the time of the Revolution) highlights the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity, but in such a way as to keep them simmering and evolving.  So this terrorist attack on the capital has at its heart the symbolism of the struggle for  freedom, in particular the freedom of speech.  Uranus also opposes the French Venus currently.

This would seem a defining moment for Hollande in his somewhat less than successful premiership, and indeed astrologically, Mars is sextile his natal Mars, giving him the opportunity to show his mettle, and preside over a global response to w worldwide problem.

By the third day of the crisis, when the gunmen were held in a siege and subsequently shot, Mars was squaring the French Midheaven, again highlighting violence and bloodshed.  The Uranus-Pluto square was then directly involved with Francois Hollande’s Nodal Axis, with Pluto on his North Node and Uranus squaring the Nodes.  Thus his own personal karma was coming directly in the line of fire of the current explosive square.  He is finding his own role in trying to solve the current dilemma(s) of our times.

Charts of the Protagonists

The main protagonists, the Kouachi brothers, were of Algerian origin, and there is a long history of tension from the French occupation of Algeria and then its struggle for independence from France.  The elder brother Said had an emotionally complex Moon conjunct the North Node, forming a T-square with an opposition of Chiron and Uranus.  Perhaps more telling was the religiously fanatical exact square between Jupiter and Neptune.  Chiron was exactly opposite his Sun at the time of the first shootings.  With Sun conjunct Uranus the planet of Revolution and five planets in the freedom-loving sign of Sagittarius, the second brother Cherif would have identified with freedom, but in a very different way from his cartoonist victims.  He had Neptune at the Galactic Centre, which may have indicated a deeply hidden secret mission.  Mars trined his natal Pluto at his death: he who lives by the sword (or gun) dies by the sword (and not by the pen).   Their comrade Amedy Coulibaly, who was responsible for the siege in the kosher supermarket, on the day the three of them died, had a difficult and potentially destructive triple conjunction of Mars/Saturn/Pluto in Libra.

Religion and Spirituality

My history teacher Mr Burkimsher used to say there are no absolute truths, although that may not be absolutely true.  Violence needs to be denounced, and cannot be a part of any religion.  Islam is one of the three religions which partake of the Old Testament, which contains the commandment “Thou shalt not kill”  So how the jihadist principle of righteous killing has come to take precedence, I wonder, and only scholars of the Koran can answer.  God created all creatures on this earth.  I am a Universalist, and try to honour and respect all religions, but we live in a secular society.  Two incidents lately have arisen from direct mockery of what is sacred to others (which may have happened anyway).  I have a tendency to sarcasm, but am ever mindful that it can be the lowest form of wit. The first was the hacking of Sony, allegedly by North Korea, at the film mocking its leader Kim Jong Un.  I don’t feel is is right to mock someone who is still alive, in that way.  It is a fine line in my mind, because I feel it is important to speak out about the evils of his behaviour or regime.  There is something more provoking about mockery.  You may think this illogical, or splitting hairs.  Then the satire of Charlie Ebdo cartoonists towards Islam made mockery of the sacred cow of the Islamic religion.  Again, I feel you have to speak out against the violence, but I feel that mockery crosses the line.  I think that where we are led by the likes of Richard Dawkins and intellectuals who ridicule religion, and say it doesn’t matter, you underestimate the emotional intensity and connection with the human psyche which religion has for many.  For me, a person’s right to believe is sacred, but violence is not justified in any way.  So a moment’s silence for those who have died in this ideological war.  In marching in solidarity today, we are showing that peaceful protest is the way to lead by example, and not violence: love, not hatred.

Aspects

Mercury is travelling together with Venus at 9 degrees Aquarius today, although not exact to the minute, favouring literary efforts and arts projects, particularly for those Aquarians born around 29^th January.

Mars enters Pisces tomorrow (Monday 12^th), emphasizing the  passionate spiritual journey towards truth, and finding non-violent ways to negotiate ideological feuds.  Fight the good fight, but not in a bad way.

Venus sextiles Uranus on Tuesday (13^th), a good day for finding revolutionary ways to relate and make art.  It is good for meetings, both prompt and impromptu.  I will be having a rare outing to the cinema, to see the film “Mr. Turner” which I reviewed astrologically a little while ago – that promises to be fascinating, although the film failed to pick up nominations for the Golden Globes this week.

We are treated to another sextile on Wednesdaqy (14^th), that of Mercury to Uranus.  This may produce dynamic information, for instance on the health front.  Ideas may come out of the blue.  Look out for the left field on Wednesday – it could be a fruitful departure.

So far so plain sailing, but Thursday (15^th) brings a square between Mars and Saturn, and another layer of the onion needs to be peeled.  There is further work to do, the next problem or stumbling block is revealed to be dealt with.  There may be a stand off, and one protagonist may feel they have to take a hard line, but as comedian Rik Mayall once said to some undergraduates in imparting his advice for life “Love is the Answer”.  There can be no solutions without the softening of the heart.

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

The week in bullet points:

• Today – catch up on your paperwork, but make it enjoyable
• Tomorrow – fight the good fight, in a good way
• Tuesday – exciting for the arts
• Wednesday –  good for brainstorming
• Thursday – tricky from many angles; put safety first

2015 – The Year of Relief

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

~ Natalie Marchant, 10,000 Maniacs

The calendar new year is a cultural construct, unlike the equinoxes and solstices, which have astronomical significance. Nevertheless, the in-breath of the new year, after the out-breath of the old year, carries the energy of hope. This applies in the collective unconscious, and at least on the astral plane, if not the joy of the eternal now.

The coming year has at least one major blessing to look forward to: the relief from the pressure of the Uranus-Pluto square, which completes its mission in March.

A major challenge in your life which began around June 2012 should resolve or ease. If not, you should be in a position to let it go, put it behind you, and move on.

Concurrent to this 7-pronged assault (the number of times the two planets have clashed) has been the transit of Saturn through Scorpio, a pretty depressing position for Saturn.  Saturn entered Scorpio on 5/10/12 and left on 23/12/14. This has kept our mood set to a bass line of “realistic” for most of the period of action of the square.  Hopelessness and despair have been hard to counteract.

The aftermath of the Uranus-Pluto finale, as I wrote for the penultimate square in mid-December:

After the Square is Over

Now that we have almost reached the light at the end of this tunnel, we might be able to afford a look at how things might be at the end of this Square.  Some situations may resolve themselves by the middle of March, or after the last crescendo.  If yours has followed the twists and turns, especially in the chronology of this square, then maybe you will see a peaceful end to that struggle in the spring.  I expect that in many cases it will be merely an end to the intensity of pressure.  Where conflict and revolutions and dismantlings have been destructive or not sufficiently thought through, there may be a long recovery period.

The shape of things to come – Highs and Lows of 2015

(For your diary, or not)

2015

March

Tuesday 3^rd:  (High) Jupiter trine Uranus – Enterprising and Successful

Tuesday 17th: (Low) last Uranus Pluto square – The denouement of the stressful challenges of the last two and a half years.  May be followed with an easing of pressure.

Friday 20th : (turning point) New Moon and Eclipse in Pisces – Spiritual turning point

April

Saturday 4th: (turning point) Full Moon and Eclipse in Libra – Conflict of interest

May

Thursday 7^th: (Neutral) Possible date of U.K. General Election – Mercury trine the North Node – some karmic restoration

Transits of the Party Leaders:

David Cameron (Conservatives):[Low] Pluto square his Sun, Chiron opposite his Uranus

Ed Miliband (Labour): [Neutral] North Node transits his Uranus – A sudden change in fortunes

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

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

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

Will take a more in-depth look nearer the time.

June

Monday 15th: (Neutral) Saturn retrogrades back to Scorpio – revisiting some old angst

Monday 22^nd: (High) Jupiter trine Uranus – Enterprising and Successful

August

Monday 3rd: (Low) Jupiter square Saturn – Stuckness, which may necessitate compromise

Tuesday 11^th: 11.11am (U.K.) [Neutral] Jupiter enters Virgo – A revival of the work ethic. Good for the job market.  Also good for those interested in the numerology of the Master number 11, and planetary shifts.

September

Sunday 13^th: (turning point) New Moon and Eclipse in Virgo – More industrial revival

Thursday 17^th: (Low) Jupiter opposite Neptune – Religious fanaticism and confused moral perspectives

Friday 18th: (Neutral) Saturn re-enters Sagittarius – Change of focus, a little more hope perhaps

Monday 28th: (turning point) Full Moon and Eclipse in Aries – Conflict of interest

October

Sunday 11th: (High) Jupiter trine Pluto – A powerful day for positive change.  Perhaps the best aspect of the Year!

November

Thursday 26^th: (Low) Saturn square Neptune – a sense of un-ease, in some ways difficult to pinpoint, but it is not a good time for diseases and epidemics, such as Ebola.

If I had to label this year overall I would dub it, in hope and expectation, the “Year of Relief”.

Aspects

This afternoon Venus sextiles Saturn – and it is a good, sober time, to evaluate your New Year’s resolutions, if you have not already ditched them.  It is a good time for devising strategies to ensure you keep on track.

Tomorrow (Monday 5^th) promises to be eventful on the aspect front.  First, Mercury enters Aquarius (hard on the heels of Venus).  They can work together to stimulate ideas and conversation, and literary and artistic projects.  If these are part of your resolution list, you will be supported in getting them under way now.

There’s a Full Moon in Cancer at 14 degrees, bringing out emotion and nostalgia.

The Sun squares the Nodal Axis, so power play will necessitate a balancing act.

In the evening Mercury sextiles Saturn, which can enable the balance you seek, at least on a mental level.  It is also good for formulating plans on a mental level, and having serious conversations.

Thursday (8^th) finds the Mercury-Venus conjunction in semi-sextile relationship to Neptune.  Conversation and artistic projects will still be going on, but may run into complications, or need extreme refinement. Earlier in the day, the focus will be on the artistic content, and later in the day communication will be needing clarity.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – solid relationship
• Tomorrow – mixed influences, high emotion and power play, then balance
• Thursday – clarifications needed

The Diary

At this time of the year, we often receive a diary or two, or buy one suitable to our needs.  Some may have diary writing as part of their New Year’s resolution list.  But a dedication to the art of diary writing isn’t everyone’s priority, and many find it tedious.

On 1^st January (2015) it will be exactly 50 years since I started writing a diary.  My mother gave me a 5-year diary for Christmas.  At the front there was a challenge: “Not many people will complete an entry for every day of this 5-year diary”.  It proved to be a challenge I could not resist.

Those 5 years, from the age of 15-20 were teen angst in the best tradition of Adrian Mole, or shall I call myself Adrienne?  It was vital for venting  hormonal problems, and self-analysis in those crucial years.

After those five years, I continued to write, and have not broken the stream of consciousness for 50 years.  In time, the diary evolved through being a dream diary, to a spiritual diary, and certainly preoccupations changed with the phases of life.

At the end of the 5 years I discovered Astrology.  Eventually I came to realize the incredible value of having a written personal record for many reasons, but especially for the purposes of Astrological research!

Now for the last 7 years I have written this blog, which is very much an extension of the diary, but in online form, and also acts as a historical and astrological archive, and reference to match past aspects with events, both personal and in current affairs.

If you are hesitating, pen poised, wondering “Shall I, or shan’t I?” then maybe being reminded of the value and many applications of diary writing will sway your quill or inspire you to write on line, or blog.

Diarists

Samuel Pepys

Samuel Pepys, the diarist during the reign of Charles II and chronicler of the plague and the great fire of London, was a Piscean, but there is more than one date existing for his birth.

The first gives him an Ascendant of Sagittarius, conducive to diary writing, with the Moon (an everyday application) on the cusp of his 9^th House, which rules some forms of writing.

The alternative chart gives him a Capricorn Ascendant, with the Moon rising (again, a daily discipline).

Both charts provide a conjunction of Mars and the Sun in the 3^rd House of writing, providing an assiduous writing ethic, and much energy ploughed into the task.

Although his work proved a valuable historical document, it was encrypted in a form of shorthand, which method may be ascribed to the secrecy of Pisces.

Anne Frank

Anne Frank was born in Germany, but lived most of her (short) life in Amsterdam.  Her family hid from the Germans during the occupation of Amsterdam in the second World War.

Anne was a Gemini, which is the quintessential writer’s sign, but has the sensitive conjunction of the Moon and Neptune in her 1st House.  The diary is an expression  of her sensitive inner world and the turmoil of the family’s existence.  The Moon conjunct Neptune also reflects secrecy, including the secrecy of their lifestyle, as well as the complexity of her relationship with her mother.

The diary was given to her on her 13^th birthday, 12^th June 1942, which will have strengthened her Inner Writer.  She also has a vigorous aspect on this theme, with Mercury exactly sextile Mars.  She wrote over a period of about two years, and her diary was discovered by her father after her death.

Writing the diary was therapeutic and cathartic for her, and she wrote  about family life, her personal feelings, and events that were going on in her country.

Her last entry was 1^st August 1944, ending on a poignant transit, Mars trine her natal Chiron, at what must have been a heart-wrenching time.

Tony Benn

Closer in time, Tony Benn, who died this year, after publishing his last volume, was a dedicated diarist, and wrote on personal themes, and historical and political ones.  His last volume, which chronicled his physical decline and ageing, is full of references to how tired he was.  In addition to his age (being well into his 80s), he had suffered for many years from a type of leukaemia.

His published diaries are extensive, and cover several decades of political activity, and public life.

I wrote when he died:

“I have read his diaries, and luckily for astrologers, he slips in the time of his birth within these pages. An Aries Sun often takes a lot of colour from the Ascendant in a chart, and in his case the ascendant is Virgo, which gave him a pedantic mind and a great deal of perfectionism, plus a predilection for diary writing.  The warriorship he displayed came from his Aries Sun, and Mars at the top of his chart – warriorship in action in his career and persona out in the world.”.

All these three diarists have left a valuable legacy.  Could your diary hold treasure for future generations?  The Catch-22 element is that a good diary needs the deeply personal element, and not many people would be willing for their work and life to be so exposed.  Samuel Pepys encrypted his, Anne Frank probably didn’t know hers would be published, but Tony Benn made it part of the art of his life to write and record and comment on society alongside living his life and was happy to publish and publicize  his inner and outer world.  He was a very open Sun in Aries.

Aspects

The week’s aspects start on New Year’s Day itself, so there are a few days’ rest to digest the old year, before starting the process of a New Year.

Mars opposes Jupiter on New Year’s Day, an enthusiastic and active aspect!  It is a bit like an eager puppy leaping up at you as you enter a doorway.  So some aspects of that may be a little uncomfortable, unless you are geared for it, or have the energy from within to match and meet the greeting.  So it is a good day for making resolutions, and for physical activities such as power walking.  But it is also an aspect where you may overdo things, or be a bit reckless.

The Sun squares Uranus in the morning of Saturday 3^rd, so again there is a theme of recklessness or incident-proneness.  You may want to take a different route that day, on your power walk.  But be aware of the unexpected, as you go.

Saturday is likely to be eventful, as the afternoon (in the U.K.) sees the entry of Venus into Aquarius.  You may leave behind some of the loyalties of late 2014, and look forward to new encounters.    The power-walk, or the dog walk, may bring new people  into your life.

You may well see Saturday as a signpost for the new year, so look out for signs, hints and clues strewn on your path about the new directions for your life.

The last aspect of the week, the Sun conjunct Pluto, close to midnight on Saturday, should concentrate your mind.  It will challenge you to more depth in your thinking and experience.  The beginning of the new year seems literally full of new departures.

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!

Next Week: A look at 2015

The week in bullet points:

• Thursday – frenetic
• Saturday – the spanner in the works, new encounters, deep experiences

 

Last minute gift ideas for the Zodiac signs

Physical: something to unwrap

Emotional: a gift from the heart

Mental: mind to mind

Spiritual: a transmission from the Soul

Aries

Physical: A football
Emotional: A Hug
Mental – Banter
Spiritual – Brotherhood

Taurus

Physical: A paint palette
Emotional: A kiss
Mental: An invitation
Spiritual: Forgiveness

Gemini

Physical: Newspaper subscription
Emotional: Space
Mental: A puzzle
Spiritual: Mental companionship

Cancer

Physical: Kitchen tool
Emotional: Heart
Mental: Sympathy
Spiritual: Connectivity

Leo

Physical: A lamp
Emotional: Attention
Mental: Creativity
Spiritual: Mirroring

Virgo

Physical: An organizer
Emotional: Privacy
Mental: Detail
Spiritual: An opportunity for service

Libra

Physical: Music CD

Emotional: Romance
Mental: Harmony
Spiritual: Unity

Scorpio

Phusical: Crime fiction
Emotional: Intensity
Mental: Challenge
Spiritual: Acceptance

Sagittarius

Physical: A book token
Emotional: Joy
Mental: A good joke
Spiritual: Universalism

Capricorn

Physical: Tights

Emotional: Warmth
Mental: Respect
Spiritual: Kindness

Aquarius

Physical: Computer software
Emotional: Freedom
Mental: Telepathy
Spiritual: Futurism

Pisces

Physical: A seascape painting
Emotional: Infinite permission
Mental: Letting go
Spiritual: Surrender, to the universe

Aspects

Late evening today, Uranus is stationary, prior to turning direct.  That is good news if you have been trying to get into the flow, trying to surf a wave, or trying to skip in rhythm – all of which are much more achievable when Uranus goes direct.  You might have been trying to get into the spirit of Christmas, or just to catch up with yourself, either way you may suddenly feel it is all doable.

It all happens at the eleventh hour tonight, as the Winter Solstice follows shortly after, at 23.03 Hours.  It’s the beginning of the end of the dark nights, and that sense of ennui or fatigue which overtakes many at this time of the year.  The Sun enters Capricorn, and  the surface glamour of office parties largely over, it is time to get down to the serious business of Christmas: the attention to detail which will ensure it all goes smoothly, and contemplating the real and profound messages of the season.  Earth healing is also a focus for this point in the year.

Tomorrow early morning (Monday, 22^nd) brings a New Moon at 0 degrees Capricorn, a bright start to the day and the week.  It favours aspirational ideas about the organization of our society and ethical politics.  Perhaps, while doing your Christmas food shop in your local supermarket, you might suddenly be struck by a yen to run for your local council in the next elections, or how you might bring out your work into the world next year.  It is a day when you can put a first foot forward on this theme.

Venus squares the North Node on Tuesday 23^rd, as we edge nearer Christmas.  We may contemplate the karma we have with our nearest and dearest, and how we might negotiate that over the Christmas period.  We may contemplate group relations in general, and past life group situations: pow wows on the plains of North America, tribal negotiations on the cold windy steppes of Mongolia, staging the production of Greek tragedy in amphitheatres.  There are people you have travelled with century after century, and you may be about to reunite with them.

Saturn in Sagittarius

In the afternoon, a major development takes place: Saturn leaves Scorpio, which has been heavy going, and enters Sagittarius, which Astrologers generally are welcoming (except for Sagittarian Astrologers of a certain age, who remember the entry of Saturn into Sagittarius 29 Years ago).  But, a change is as good as a rest, and you may have been battling heavy issues for the two and a half years of Saturn’s sojourn in Scorpio, which may look more refreshing under Saturn in Sagittarius.  There certainly seemed to be an increase in violence in society and around the world during Saturn’s trip through Scorpio.  Saturn may lighten up in Sagittarius, and see the lighter side of life.  There may be an attitude of “Why not laugh about your problems?”.  For Sagittarians though, and depending on where their Sun is placed in that sign, they may feel pinned down to a sense of reality which is not natural to their make-up.  Rose-tinted glasses, for instance, may have to be swapped for crystal clear lenses.

Christmas Day’s aspects are not easy – I wish I could say otherwise.  Mercury gets tangled up in the Uranus-Pluto square early on.  In the early hours, when Santa is trying to deliver the presents, hampered by the monopolizing activities of Amazon, Mercury squares Uranus.  Perhaps the grandson staying with you decides to go on an exploratory tour at the strategic moment you are putting the toys in a stocking.  It is a mentally strung out square, so maybe people have been trying too hard to prepare for Christmas, and find they are too overwrought to sleep.

Later on, around dawn, Mercury conjuncts Pluto, and the mental intensity deepens.  Don’t tell me you forgot to take the turkey out of the freezer!  How could you?  If you are a vegetarian like me, it might be a Freudian slip…And this year has been rife with tales of how poultry contains campylobacter and such like.  Honestly, you can’t take chances when you are hosting meat eaters.  The nut roast will be fine, though.

With all that mental tension, and the surfacing of the dysfunctional in order to arrive at the more functional family atmosphere, here is the game for large gatherings:

Astrodrama

(related to Psychodrama and Family Constellation therapy)

Divide up into groups of three, and each member of the group takes on the role of either Mercury (the Messenger), Uranus (the Rebel) and Pluto (the Transformer).

Each group then puts on an improvised Mike Leigh style short play, and the group who produces the best play, wins.

If you are having a solitary Christmas, you can feel relieved not to need to expend energy on group efforts, and can hopefully attend to your personal needs and tastes, and any inner tensions or  difficult memories.

But there is scope later on in the day for healing and having a good time, in the form of a sextile between Mercury and Chiron.  With all the accent on Mercury, you may find that Geminis and Virgos will somehow find themselves in the centre of the action on Christmas Day.  Later on, they may play a central role in the healing, and bringing everyone together after earlier irritability.  However, they need to relax themselves, as they could overstrain their nervous system or tolerance to alcohol, which may result in a Boxing Day hangover.

Geminis and Virgos, you can’t afford to get a hangover, for on Boxing Day you may again find yourselves at the centre of a rabble, with Mercury squaring the Nodal Axis.  Petty squabbles and disputes, or a sense of anti-climax may threaten to spoil what could be a civilized day with excellent conversation and more sensible eating.  Each person plays their part in winding up the Christmas season successfully, so don’t leave it all to the Mercury types.  In other words, don’t shoot the messenger, Mrs. Peacock, with the revolver in the library.

On Saturday 27^th the revelries may officially be over, and the early hours (in the U.K.) may bring a sense of peace, with a sextile between the Sun and Neptune.  There may have been dramas, but there may also have been resolution.  A sense of spirituality reigns, perhaps after some tension held sway part of the time.  Perfect peace, and the sense of taking part in a group meditation may be the lingering impression of Christmas.

All that remains is for me to wish you, my dear readers, a very Merry Christmas!

The week in bullet points:

• Today – a favourable surprise twist, and the celebration of the return of the light
• Tomorrow – new beginnings
• Tuesday – relationships under the karmic microscope; a new perspective on old problems
• Xmas Day – much mental communication, some of it exhausting, culminating in healing
• Boxing Day – karmic interaction
• Saturday – serenity

Uranus-Pluto Square – The Penultimate

5.14 a.m. (U.K.) Monday 15^th December 2014

This clash of the Titans, Uranus and Pluto, has been going on since June 2012.  Strictly speaking only Uranus was mythologically one of the ancient Greek Titans, but astrologically Pluto is a Titan in a loose sense (in my book).  The series of squares between these two planets reaches its penultimate peak tomorrow, with the seventh and final square occurring next March.  Uranus represents Revolution and Pluto represents Transformation, and together in difficult aspect they can make a ruthless combination in terms of dismantling the existing order.  The current square takes place at 12 degrees of Aries (Uranus) and Capricorn (Pluto), so if you have planets or sensitive points in your chart in that degree, you will be more affected than most.

Most Recent Phase

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

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

Revolution vs Evolution

Revolution, as the province of Uranus, is linked with the sign which it rules, Aquarius.  It is a sudden process, out of the blue, sometimes born of future vision.  Both Uranus and Pluto can throw the baby out with the bathwater.  Pluto is the ruler of Scorpio, which recognizes the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.  It therefore acquiesces in the destruction of a form, in order that transformation may take place.  Plutonian action can be sudden like Uranus, but can also be a long process, involving psychological change or trauma.  It can uncover that which needs to be discarded.  A sign which resists change is Taurus, which upholds forms, believes in slower and less harsh evolution, and is ruled by Venus,  It is interesting that all three signs are Fixed signs.

Change can be disruptive (Uranus) and even destructive (Pluto), especially when change has not been planned properly, and is change for change’s sake.  An example of ill-thought-out changes are:-

Blair and Bush destroying the country of Iraq, without a thought for how to put the country back together.  Only today it has been announced that we are sending more troops to Iraq to combat the I.S.I.S threat, which is a by-product of the original 2003 war.

The dismantling of the N.H.S. by the present government when they came to power in 2010.  The implementation of Andrew Lansley’s plan to destroy the infrastructure (which was just working, waiting times were going down for instance) meant that the destruction was happening, without any simultaneous protection and rebuilding taking place.  The scheme was apparently so complex that it was not even understood by senior ministers.

The Arab Springs, arguably, too, though enthusiastic about righting the wrongs of tyranny in the Middle East, have not as yet justified the hope invested in them, if events in Egypt and Libya are to go by.  It may have loosened up some injustices by airing them, such as the treatment of women, but in some cases conditions have worsened.  Mubarak, the president of Egypt, who was despotic enough to spark the revolution, has now been pardoned.  The plight that sparked the Arab Springs was real enough, but sadly the planning was absent, and the new dynamic leaderships have not come into place.

An example, albeit on a smaller scale, of a successful project which caught my eye, was the rebuilding of the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool, which was destroyed and redeveloped, and re-opened in February, keeping to the integrity of the original (which had been in a poor state) but bringing it into the 21^st century.  It is a relatively small example, but was an inspiring story in terms of the execution of positive change.

We need to think much more about how we plan, approach and execute change.

The Zodiac Signs and their Relationship to Change

You may recognize these patterns for your Sun sign or those of others.  If you are more of a Revolutionary than indicated by your Sun sign, you probably have Uranus or Pluto rising or strongly aspected with your Sun.

Aries can be an agent of change, in that it is a sign of action.  Sometimes any action is better than stagnation for an Aries.  You may recruit an Aries in the early stages of a revolution, but as they like to initiate projects they may lose interest at some stage.  They don’t always have staying power, and  may move on to other projects.

Taurus is the sign most resistant to change.  It is a sign which tends to pursue a course of action, and help support things as they are, which is why it has been labeled as most likely to get into a rut.  We rely on Taureans to be a rock, so it is hardly surprising that they often don’t know when to stop being a rock, and may not notice at what point there needs to be a different course of action.

Geminis are dilettantes of change.  They like variety, and so they like small change.  Geminian Comedian Russell Brand has recently written a book entitled “Revolution”, but he would probably run a mile if he was forced to knuckle down and implement big change (witness his reaction when asked if he would actually enter politics).  Geminis may like the idea of change intellectually, but not always the reality of huge change.  Russell has Uranus (Revolution) at the top of his chart, so his book should do well!

Cancerians like their home comforts too much to be enamoured of change.  Again, if they have a strong Uranus or Pluto in their make-up, they may toy with the idea more seriously.  Some Cancerians can even become agoraphobic, and reluctant to leave the cosiness of home, so they are not likely to be strong contenders for Revolutionary of the Year.

Leos don’t mind being the change they want to see in the world, but would have trouble subscribing to someone else’s vision or project of Change.  That famous Leo Napoleon started out as a revolutionary, but soon made it his own, and established himself as a Despot.  Leo is the fourth arm of the Fixed Cross, and so involved with Power and Change with its Fixed fellows.

Virgos would not tend to initiate change, liking to serve quietly.  They could if you twisted their arm and invited them to play a role for the service of their community, be persuaded to work for the cause.  But they are too health and safety conscious to risk upsetting the status quo and then having to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.  Virgos are often found as the mainstay of the N.H.S. and know that revolution can get in the way of doing their job properly in the short term.

Libra likes equilibrium, and harmony, and peace, so not readily attuned to change and revolution.  Often though you find a combination of Aries and Libra in a chart, such as that of John Lennon, and such individuals find that their desire for peace is a spur to activism and the urge for social justice.

Scorpio is a sign which understands the need for real change.  To them it is obvious that energy is recycled, and therefore certain forms must die.  Often they recognize that you can’t put old wine in new bottles, and so you just do away with the current situation, and start anew.

Sagittarians are optimistic, and may think that while there is life there is hope, so there may not be a need for revolution.  But if they are interested, they can be enthusiastic recruits for say the Foreign Legion.  They might go happily to the ends of the earth for adventure and excitement.

Capricorn is the arch reactionary of the Zodiac, the upholder of existing Institutions.  Currently, with Pluto being in their sign, they may be stirred up and ripe for change, and so out of their usual character.  They understand the need for structure, and also understand that slow processes are often the wisest and most sacred.

Aquarians are most in tune with Revolution for its own sake.  Change is their middle name!  A change is as good as a rest for them (as it is in a more micro fashion for Geminis).  It can be their Future Vision pushing them on to pursue the changes of society, when in positive mode.  However, some more negative types can make harsh changes without considering the consequences.  What Aquarius and Scorpio have in common is the tendency to say “Enough is Enough!” when enough is enough.

Pisces would not tend to effect change, but change can be water off a duck’s back for them, or conversely deeply disturbing.  They understand the currents of the zeitgeist and the collective unconscious, so could probably explain to you the complexities of  why the changes are taking place, even if they themselves are suffering from cutbacks.

My Personal Story

No doubt you or someone close has a long running saga which may be attributed to the ongoing Uranus-Pluto square, and which hopefully will be resolved by the last square in March.

Uranus is in my natal 12^th House, which among other things governs deeper states of heatlh, and has been conjunct my North Node this year.  So the square has caught up with me.  I usually get through life, and health issues, on meditation alone.  But now it seems to have come down to the physical level, and I am in a process of reconstruction which has to proceed inn divine right order.

The dentist would like to take out two teeth and replace it with a little denture.

He can’t proceed with that until my cataracts are removed.

The cataracts can’t it seems be removed until my diabetes is under control.  This was revealed on 10^th November, since when I kicked my lifelong sugar addiction.  I have ordered a copy of “Sugar Blues” by William Dufty, which I meant to read decades ago.

Well, it is my birthday tomorrow, and I usually like to spend it in spiritual retreat (at home).  There was a report this week that you are more likely to get into mischief at home, because so many Health and Safety measures have been implemented into our society…!

After the Square is Over

Now that we have almost reached the light at the end of this tunnel, we might be able to afford a look at how things might be at the end of this Square.  Some situations may resolve themselves by the middle of March, or after the last crescendo.  If yours has followed the twists and turns, especially in the chronology of this square, then maybe you will see a peaceful end to that struggle in the spring.  I expect that in many cases it will be merely an end to the intensity of pressure.  Where conflict and revolutions and dismantlings have been destructive or not sufficiently thought through, there may be a long recovery period.

Aspects

The Sun trines Jupiter today – make the most of this!  Foster your optimism and positive thinking (I know, positive thinking has become a dirty word in some circles, but it often has its place).  Be adventurous, philosophical, and even sporty if you are inclined!

Venus sextiles Neptune, so foster the Arts and spiritual relationships in your life.  Tease out those exquisite nuances which make life so interesting.  Be inspired in your Creativity!

In the early hours of tomorrow morning (Monday 15^th) Uranus squares Pluto, so tread cautiously, and pray for the state of the world.  If you witness conflict, step outside it mentally and ask for guidance from the inner planes about ways to help.

On Wednesday (17^th) Mercury enters Capricorn, and thoughts will turn to serious matters or ways of thinking, and practical solutions.

Saturday (20^th) starts well, with Mercury sextile Neptune.  You will be in tune with your spirituality, and in the flow, so do what you can during the day.  Later Venus will get entangled in the Uranus-Pluto square, firstly in a square to Uranus.  You may inadvertently upset someone’s feelings.  A complicated situation may be such that as a balancing act it is difficult not to upset someone.

There may be a domino affect, because later Venus conjuncts Pluto, and Chinese whispers may mean that your delicate negotiations are scuppered and the game is up.  You may end up pleasing no one, least of all yourself.  Events from Monday’s Uranus-Pluto square may give you the prior food for thought that you need to understand the situation and what you might do about it, in advance, before things get too out of hand.

Finally, and I can’t not write about this, it is the Final of Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday evening.  I predicted that Jake and Frankie would do well, and that Pixie may not endure.  I wrote three blogs with four contestants apiece, and never got round to blogging about Caroline Flack.  Now Caroline has been at the top of the leaderboard for the last two weeks!  So I cannot complete this blog without a look at her chart and that of her partner.  Caroline is a gutsy Scorpio (ruled by Pluto) with Uranus conujunct her Sun (a true Revolutionary and agent of change).  She may take this contest by stealth, having come up from the margins at this late stage of the game.  She has Mercury conjunct Venus in Sagittarius, which takes shape in her career in broadcasting, but she could also be a writer in the making.  Her Jupiter is conjunct her North Node, which can give her karmic luck a boost at strategic points in her life.  So is this one of those times?  At the Final, Neptune (the planet of dance) is positioned exactly on her South Node, so she will be honing her dance skills to the max…but these skills she is bringing through now may actually be part of her past-life skill set, so is that cheating?!  Others have been criticized for prior knowledge of dancing, but usually in this lifetime.  Her partner Pasha Kovalev is an intelligent Sun/Mercury Capricornian,  Her Mars sparks his Uranian inventiveness in a square, so they are using this tension in its most positive potential.  He has Jupiter trine his Neptune (dance) at the moment, which accounts for some of their current success, but on their transits for the final, I would give the trophy to another of the contestants.  I would like Jake to win, but astrologically Frankie Bridge stands the best chance.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – exciting potential
• Tomorrow – major challenge
• Wednesday – serious thinking
• Saturday – starts out fine, then encounters turbulence

Gordon Brown

Gordon Brown announced this week that he would be standing down as an M.P.  This prompted an evaluation of his premiership, and speculation as to his place in history.

Speaking on Question Time,  Lib Dem M.P. Shirley Williams gave a spirited defence of Gordon Brown, revealing at the same time a great deal of integrity on her part.  She  is growing  old gracefully.  The panel and audience were very split on the subject, and several speakers acknowledged that never mind politicians, we can all be psychologically flawed.

As Andrew Rawnsley put it in the Observer this morning: “Friends  have talked about his large mind and formidable will.  Foes have focused on his brutishness to colleagues and volcanic temper”.

Scottish Referendum

I wrote in September, just before he made his famous speech which “saved” the Union:

“I must say, he has the best set of transits for the Referendum. This is intriguing because it flies in the face of all the rest of the astrological evidence… Maybe people will be patting him on the back for his efforts, and that constitutes a hope for the No campaign.”

Triumphs and Failures

On the one hand, Gordon Brown was a great Chancellor under Tony Blair’s government.  And when the great financial crash occurred in 2008, a worldwide phenomenon, he did much to stabilize the immediate crisis by bringing together heads of government all over the world.

On the other hand, he failed to impress as a Prime Minister, and was increasingly exposed as having an ungovernable temper towards the end of his time at No. 10, famously caught out in the election campaign calling a voter “bigoted” who had been expressing concerns about immigration.

He never seemed to get on to a sure footing when he came to power, after years  waiting in the wings as understudy to Blair.  There were several crises and dramas soon after he came to power, such as the bombing of Glasgow International Airport.

Aries and Pisces

I have long been fascinated by the shape of Gordon Brown’s birth chart.  Long before he made it to the office of Prime Minister, I used to say he was not suited to the post as he was an extreme introvert.  He has several planets in the introverted sign of Pisces including his Sun, and in the introverted 12^th House (Jupiter, North Node, Mars and Venus).  His Aries Ascendant presents the gruff bear-like character for which he is criticized, which is his outward personality.  The very real charitable side, his Piscean nature, is well hidden.  But this shaping gives him a great deal of inner vision, and it is possible that this has inspired his resignation, among other things to support his charitable work.

I am not branding Aries the villain here and Pisces the hero.  I could have just as easily said his Aries strengths include plain talking, and his Piscean weaknesses include manipulation.  But my original portrayal is how I have felt the chart shaping plays out for him.  We all have contradictions in our charts, but Aries and Pisces are a particularly Jekyll and Hyde mix.

Transits of Change

At the time of his announcement of resignation,  Gordon Grown had positive indications of change in his chart.  Uranus (main planet of change, moving towards his Ascendant) was trine his natal Moon in the 4^th House  (indicating lifestyle change);  Neptune  (his ruling planet) active in two respects, trine his natal Uranus (appetite for Change) and sextile exactly his natal Midheaven (careerpoint) indicating nebulous plans for his life direction, and greater charitable involvement.

Blair vs Brown

It is most ironic that, after all the feuding, and the impatient waiting to be Prime Minister, and then becoming Prime Minister and not making a great success of it, that Brown’s overall reputation in terms of legacy is turning out to be ahead of that of his rival Tony Blair, who is mainly remembered for taking us to war in Iraq.

Aspects

It’s not an eventful week on the aspect front, and what aspects there are,  are on the whole favourable.  The very worst of it is a change to retrograde motion by Jupiter, but we can live with that.

Tomorrow morning (8^th) in the U.K., the Sun conjuncts Mercury in Sagittarius, which is a splendid start to the working  week.  If you have the week off to do Christmas shopping, then that should begin with a swing.  Merits of this aspect are focus, a go-ahead quality, and insight – all qualities which you can bring to your endeavours for the start of the day and week.  Bright prospects for the House, or area of life, occupied by 16 degrees Sagittarius.  Get that momentum going!

In the evening, plans may slow down or take a different turn, as Jupiter goes stationary prior to turning retrograde.  Perhaps a philosophy which has served you for a while is suddenly called into question.  You know how sometimes you are on a winning streak with a particular course of action or habitual practice, and then suddenly it doesn’t work, for no explicable reason?  You are being challenged to enlarge your philosophy, and perhaps change your strategy, and look for the deeper truth.

Venus enters Capricorn on Wednesday (10^th) afternoon.  That warm expansive heart with which you bought early Christmas presents may suddenly grow more economically focussed as you realize that your purse won’t stretch as far as you’d like.  You will need to focus on quality rather than quantity, and  the thought will count a lot more.  You may be more inclined to give gifts that are ecological and environmentally sustainable.

It will be good news for Capricornians right the way through the month to 3^rd January, as they will be feeling the Love.  If you are an early Capricorn, prepare to feel it this week, if a middle Capricornian you’ll be warmed to the cockles just before Christmas, and if born at the end of Capricorn New Year will be extra romantic.

Finally, late morning on Friday (12^th) a wonderful trine between Mercury and Jupiter lights up our lives.  It is good for travel, and will be especially be good for retail outlets (forget Black Friday, it will be Gold or Silver).  Shoals of Christmas post will be arriving through your letter box, with communication being  a highly starred feature of this trine.  You may be wanting to Skype far away places, and flout the economic regime for a day which you began mid-week.  In fact, you could be in expansive mood until next Monday, when the next Uranus-Pluto square urges another look at what is going on.

Next Week: The Penultimate Uranus-Pluto square

The week in bullet points:

• Today – Mental sparkle, and philosophical conjecture
• Wednesday – new economic measures
• Friday – business and sales thrive, and uplifting ideas

Phillip Hughes

Around the time of the Sun-Neptune square last week I heard of several people who passed at a young age in tragic circumstances.  The cricketing accident which took Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes was very much a shock in the public arena, mourned  especially by fans of the game, and his Australian compatriots, but  the death of a young life leaves almost no heart untouched.

To those of a spiritual persuasion, it would look highly likely that this is a karmic event, or in the nature of a Soul Contract.  For the bowler who sent the ball to Phillip Hughes’ very vulnerable neck area, Sean Abbott, the devastation is huge and is likely to affect his entire life.  Cricket is one of the lowest risk sports, so the chances must have been so low, and no one would have anticipated what happened.

I will look briefly at the charts of the two men, and their  synastry and transits, to see what the karmic picture may look like.

Phillip Hughes’ Chart

At the age of 25, Phillip was known as a cheeky chappie, and one who practiced an adventurous style of play.  This very much fits the description of his Sun sign of Sagittarius.  His natal Sun was exactly conjunct Mercury, making him a highly intelligent player. This conjunction was trined by Mars, adding great energy to the enthusiasm.  Mars is often strong and prominent in sports players.

He had a very difficult triple conjunction of Saturn/Uranus/Neptune, common to his peer group, but it is difficult to know how that manifests and in what area of his life, without a birth time.  The death experience may be involved with that conjunction.

His Nodal Axis squares his Sun/Mercury conjunction, and that would indicate that karma played an important role in his life, but also that he was involved with large groups of people in this interaction, such as cricket teams.

He has been described as extremely likeable, and he has a charming eexact sextile between his Venus and Neptune.  But Venus also conjuncts Pluto, and again that potent Pluto effect may have been involved in his untimely death.  Overall though his Venus (sociability) is strongly placed in his chart, being also exactly trine his natal North Node (Karmic mission) and trine his Chiron, forming a Grand Trine of talent.  His North Node in Pisces may indicate that ultimately his karma was of some sort of sacrifice, for example to bring about a greater attention to the safety of helmets.  This theme of self-sacrifice is reinforced by an exact sextile between his North Node and his natal Neptune, the planet of sacrifice.  At the age of 25, he may not have developed any conscious awareness of this principle:  the event would probably only have been known on a Soul level.

Mars, one of the planets which rules accidents, formed a T-square in his chart with an opposition between Neptune and Chiron, and this is one of the factors in his chart which shows the potentiality of a poignant accident.  His Chiron (the wounded healer) is opposite his difficult triple conjunction.

Accident and Passing

There were some strong transits to his natal chart, but I am still looking for that definitive transits linked with this tragedy.  I suspect that a major indicator of  such an accident is on one of the angles of his chart, but one would need a birth time to detect that.   Pluto was sextile his natal Pluto, so he will have been at a powerful tide in his life’s work.  Neptune was exactly trine his natal Chiron, and so fate would have it that this was a wound rather than a conventional healing, but from a spiritual perspective he would have received great help through the transition from the other side (who would have known in advance).

At the time of the injury and passing, Mercury was conjunct Saturn (sad news, indeed) and the Sun was square Neptune, which can give rise to bizarre occurrences, surrounded by confusion and mystery.

Sean Abbott

Sean Abbott was the bowler whose tragic fate it was to administer the blow to the head, and he has two interesting conjunctions in his chart.  One is a triple conjunction of Venus/Saturn/Mars which speaks of a tragic loss suffered during sporting activity.  It takes place in Aquarius, which is a context of team interaction.  The other conjunction, which is very close, is between Uranus and Neptune in Capricorn, which might in certain circumstances give rise to being a victim of the bizarre and the shocking elements of life.

There is an emphasis on Capricorn in his chart, with the Moon and the North Node also in that sign.  I have not studied the charts of bowlers, but it seems to be that the role of the bowler, like the goalie in football, carries much responsibility within the team, and the hallmark of Capricorn is responsibility.  The North Node in Capricorn represents a karmic mission which is tied in with a responsible role.  If his Soul knew before incarnation that this was to be his “responsibility”, within an “accident”, it is a huge undertaking, and will dominate his consciousness for a long time.  We do not know the history between the two Souls, and what has given rise to the possible karma – these things are often only revealed in regression, or in spiritual meditation, when the individual is ready.

Sean Abbott’s Transits

Mars was sextile Sean Abbot’s natal Pluto at the time of the accident.  This indicates that he was in a phase of strength and power, and symbolically this is played out in the type of bowling action known as the “bouncer”, which took place.  Forcefulness was a hand played by the Universe particularly at that time to Sean Abbott, but not in a destructive way, and it was a routine type of play.  This implies that Sean Abbott himself was “played” by the Universe for greater reasons than just a freak accident.  Again, at this time we do not know those reasons; often we need divine permission or timing for information to be revealed.  In time, in his process, Sean Abbott may himself come to understand why this tortuous event happened on his watch.  Another coercive factor was Jupiter exactly squaring his natal Pluto, which can in terms of power mean overplaying your hand.  Again, there was no likely conscious knowledge of that in his mind, but again it is symbolic of what happened.

Karmic Connections

When we come to look at the karma between the two men, the indications are very strong that they interacted in previous lives.  Their Venuses were exactly sextile, and they may have been brothers in a past life.  Sean Abbott’s Saturn (responsibility) was exactly sextile Phillip Hughes’s Venus.  He may have been an older brother, with responsibility for a younger sibling.  In this incarnation, Phillip Hughes was the older, Sean Abbott being merely 22 years of age – very young to be responsible for an accidental death.  They have a number of personal connections.  But the most telling karmic connection is that of Sean Abbott’s Sun exactly conjunct Phillip Hughes’s North Node (karmic mission).   This indicates an inescapable and unavoidable meeting of karma, which can often be a favourable link, but the pre-birth Soul Contract will indicate what has to be played out.

The outpouring of emotion, particularly from Hughes’ team mates, has been understandable given the level of shock and tragedy of the event.  Family and friends will be inconsolable, and will need a great deal of support.  On the other side of the veil, he will be given the utmost care to deal with the shock of his transition, I believe from my years of experience of regression and inter-incarnational work.  Let us hope too that the young bowler Sean Abbot is also able to receive the specialized care needed for someone in his situation.

Aspects

Mercury squares Neptune in the early hours of tomorrow morning (Monday 1st).  Many of us are starting new ventures, or have resolutions regarding the organization of the month ahead.  As it happens, we are having an overhaul of our heating system at home, including new radiators and a new boiler, because our system is entirely antiquated and not functioning properly.  I normally associate Mercury square Neptune with leaky radiators, so I am hoping that this will merely be describing the problem, rather than the solution which is sought.  If you are starting a new venture, you may have some nervousness about how it will work out, but that nervousness may help you work out how to approach the venture, and show you ways to circumvent possible problems.

Later in the day, towards evening, Mars will be sextile Saturn, and the picture may look much more solid.  You may be already able to see some of the results of your work, which has manifested in practical results.

In the early evening of Thursday (4^th December), there may be cause for celebration, with Venus trine Jupiter.   Perhaps the work of early in the week has been completed to your satisfaction.  However, the benefits are more likely to be on the social scene, or even on the romantic front.  Engagements and declarations of love could be on the cards.  A party or soiree is likely to go with a sparkle, perhaps an early work Christmas do.  Oh how I remember those from my pre-retirement days…awkward, but full of anticipation, with the promise of getting to know workmates better (or their alcohol-fuelled personae).

The Sun trines Uranus later in the evening.  Of course, these gatherings  sometimes used to get out of hand, but not this one.  It will pleasantly surprise you, but stop short of embarrassment.

Later still, three minutes before midnight to be precise, Mars enters Aquarius, and the responsible authoritarian types may let down their hair.

The Sun squares Chiron on Friday (5^th).  Again I have mismanaged my astrological diary, because I have scheduled a dental appointment for that day, and the picture does not look good.  Healing matters could be tricky, and I imagine some painful conversation between myself and my dentist.  All I can advise is to choose your words carefully in advance.  It won’t alter the facts of the matter, but I take comfort in the fact that you cannot suffer more than your karma dictates.

The early hours of Saturday (6^th) brings some rebalancing in fhe form of Mercury trine Uranus.  You may have some bright ideas about your own healing, or about communication or paperwork.

Later in the morning, Mercury squares Chiron, so some of the ideas you try out may not work, but keep looking out for ideas and inspiration, something may eventually click for you.

By lunchtime, the Moon at 14 degrees Gemini  draws to a Full, opposing the Sun.  Heightened emotion will centre around communication issues, such as travel, or sharing information.  Communication will succeed better where both parties are engaged in both heart and mind.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – information or other leaks; more solidity later
• Thursday –  congratulations and jubilations
• Friday – health matters
• Saturday – solutions, problems, and emotions

The Do-Gooder Rock Gods

There’s a trinity of do-gooding rock musicians in the U.K., who are sometimes regarded with cynicism.  This week has seen some aspersions cast on Bob Geldof’s  new version of “Do They Know it’s Christmas”; people wonder what is behind Bono’s dark glasses; and did Sting really save the rainforests?

I thought I would take a look at their charts to see if there is any common ground for the impulse to do good in their charts.

Bob Geldof

In May this year I was writing about Sir Bob in the context of the tragic  death of his daughter Peaches:

“Sir Bob Geldof is an edgy personality, and musical (Libran) but has no planets in the rock god sign of Scorpio, a compelling opposite sign for Paula. With Chiron rising in Sagittarius and Moon exactly trine Jupiter he has a desire to heal the world!”

Just a few months later, we find him organizing a reprise of the 1984 Christmas single, with an added incentive of tackling the Ebola crisis, bringing together the fresh faces of the current pop music scene, including One Direction.  His current initiative has been criticized by some as being “cultural imperialism”.  There have been accusations of self-aggrandisement,  a false portrayal of  Africans, and questions about how much of the money raised actually reaches the intended destination.

Sir Bob is both an optimist (Moon exactly trine Jupiter) and a realist (Mercury exactly conjunct Saturn).  He has the power to change the world in profound ways (Pluto closely trine his Ascendant).  He is an activist (Mars sextile closely his Midheaven/Careerpoint, which bisects a trine between Mars and his Chiron).  He has a karmic mission as a humanitarian (Moon closely square his Nodal Axis).  I didn’t like his anthem for the workers (with the Boomtown Rats) “I Don’t like Mondays”, but I do admire his drive to help.  In his autobiography “Is That It?” he wrote about lying in bed anguishing about Africa, and being presented with a vision of a tunnel and what he must do appearing at the end, which culminated in his work on Live Aid.  Spiritual guidance, indeed.

At the original recording of the Band Aid single in 1984, Chiron was trine his Mercury (a healing work initiative), Pluto was exactly sextile his natal Venus (profound music), Neptune was exactly trine his natal  Mars (spiritual action), Mars and Chiron were exactly trine his natal Saturn (the taking on of responsibilities), Jupiter was  exactly opposite his natal Uranus (a radical enterprise) and Saturn squaring his natal Pluto (beset by the anguish of the world) – that was a lot going on, for one man at one time.

Bono

Bono, Sir Bob’s partner in the Band Aid initiative, had a weekend of ecstasy followed by agony last weekend.  On Saturday he was singing on the new Band Aid single, and on Sunday he had a serious bicycle accident (injuring his arm and an eye) in New York, from which he will need intensive treatment for a long time to come.

Frontman for the band U2, Bono has the Songwriter Archetype in the form of Venus conjunct Mercury in his chart.   His songs include “With or Without You” and “Beautiful Day”.

The eyeshades are not just an affectation of his Midheaven in Scorpio persona, but apparently to alleviate the eye condition of glaucoma.

His Moon conjunct Neptune can be do-gooding and charitable, and is certainly a sign of sensitivity in a chart, on a personal level.   He and his band have been accused of of clocking up too many air miles, and recently upset the music industry by their compulsory downloading of their recent album.

He is both reactionary (Sun trine Saturn) and revolutionary (Sun square Uranus), responsible and liking the trappings of fame, and wanting to change the world.  His Sun trines the North Node (karmic leadership) and his Ascendant, forming a Grand Trine, showing someone who can get things done.  His Moon is sextile exactly his natal Jupiter (echoing Bob’s positive trine between these two planets), and the Moon bisects an exact trine between Pluto and Jupiter (the wielding of power).  The Moon also trines Chirion (the impulse to heal).  He has Mars exactly trine his Midheaven (echoing Sir Bob’s Mars/Midheaven Activist sextile), and Jupiter sextile Chiron (the Will to Heal).

At the time of the historic first Band Aid effort, Pluto was conjunct Bono’s Moon, depicting the deepest emotional process, and  transiting Pluto was also exactly sextile his natal Jupiter (a profound contribution  borne of Good Will) – two very telling transits.

But what was going on for him to produce such a fateful weekend on 15^th/16^th November?.  On the Saturday of the live recording, the Sun was sextile his natal North Node, a karmic nod from the Universe. Venus was conjunct his Midheaven (a musical high in his career), but there is not a lot to distinguish the two days astrologically.  On the Sunday, the date of the accident, Mars and Saturn appear in the picture:  Mars transits his Saturn, and Saturn transits his Midheaven.  The combination of Mars and Saturn can produce a harsh physical scenario, and Saturn approaching his Midheaven can signal a time  of protracted difficulties for his career and life direction.  I hope that he recovers as quickly as possible from this painful trauma in his life.

Sting

Sting rose to fame in his years as lead singer of the Police, with hits such as “Every Breath you Take” and “Roxanne”.  He and his second wife Trudie Styler became self-styled champions of the ecology of the rainforests, and for a time their profile was highly positive.  Sting left the Police to go solo, and “Fields of Gold” was a highly popular song of his own penmanship.  But then, they were ridiculed over their tantric activities and general middle-class smugness, and Trudie was the subject of a court case filed by a former employee, which tarnished her reputation, which had been built up also in her own right as a promoter of peace, patron of the Buddhist Peace garden in London, in association with the Tibetan Foundation.  The garden was opened by the Dalai Lama.  Sting himself is currently working on a show about shipbuilding communities, inspired by his boyhood and the hardship of the North East.

Sir Bob Geldof and Sting are born only three days apart, in the same year (1951), with their Suns in Libra.  So some of the same impulses motivate them  both.    Sir Bob has the global sign Sagittarius rising, and Sting  is a showman, with Leo rising.  Despite a possible air of self-indulgence,  Sting does have a profound thinking conjunction of Pluto and the Part of Fortune in his 1^st House.  He also has the Moon conjunct Neptune (exact in his case)  in common with Bono, that compassionate emotional make up.  Like Bono, too, he has Sun square Uranus, a desire to change the world.  His North Node (karmic mission) too is in the compassionate sign of Pisces.  He has Mars exactly trine Chiron, the desire to heal through action, which Bob Geldof also has but not to the exact degree.  He has Jupiter closely trine his Ascendant, and can be an ambassador for good will.  Pluto trines his Midheaven, so there is a great deal of motivation to do something worthwhile with his life, such as alerting the world to the dangers of deforestation.

He did sing on the original version of “Do They Know it’s Christmas”,  purveyor of  the actual line “the bitter sting of tears”.  He shared some of the same transits as Bob Geldof on that occasion, such as Pluto sextile his Venus, and Chiron trine Saturn.  As you can see, the three of them share a great deal in their natal charts, too, of goodwill and compassion, much as they are also individuals of free will.

Aspects

With most of the aspects occurring in the early hours of the morning in the U.K. it’s a week for Dreamwork.  Take out your dream diary, dust  down and polish it, and use a good pen with free flowing ink to honour the occasion that this week brings.  Symbols are likely to come up in dreams, and where appropriate I will list some.

If you are in the U.S. the events will occur mainly in the evening, and may influence your dream content.  They may be more emotionally focused.

If in Australia, the events will occur mainly in the morning, and may be very practical and active.

In the early hours of this morning, Mercury squared Jupiter, and so your dreams may have seemed outlandish, and choc full of information.  Someone may have given you too much to think about the night before.

Dream Symbols: Bicycles, Globes

You may have a lot of ideas about how you want to spend your day, which may slightly overstretch you so you may have to prioritize.  For instance you may feel torn in more than one direction, having received two invitations.

Chiron stays stationary today, prior to going direct.  It’s an important time to redirect your thoughts in a positive way for healing purposes.  There’s a book by Martin Brofman entitled “Anything Can be Healed” and this title would make a good mantra to take you through the day, or week.

On Wednesday (26^th) in the early hours Mercury is conjunct Saturn.  If you are going to have a nightmare, this may be the time, although it wouldn’t be a night terror, just a mildly depressing scenario such as being stuck or weighed down.

Dream Symbols: Exams, Grooves

You may wake with a lack of enthusiasm for the day’s tasks, the opposite of the Mercury-Jupiter square earlier in the week.  The real task during the day is concentration and application.  You may think “I’d rather be playing Golf”, but you could end up with a real sense of achievement if you stick at things.

On Thursday (27^th) in the early hours first Venus trines Uranus, then the Sun squares Neptune.

With Venus trine Uranus, you may have unusual and vivid dreams, and possibly some interdimensional travel.  You may meet some arresting figures in your dreams.

With Sun square Neptune, you may get lost or have some foggy elements, after the more vivid interactions of Venus-Uranus.  There may also be some sleeplessness, or periods of being half awake, half asleep, neither here nor there.  You may still feel sleepy when you awake, and may need a cup of breakfast coffee or a healthier equivalent.

Dream Symbols: Electrical Wires, Romance; Fog

During the day the influence could still bring interesting meetings, but also complicated interactions, depending how each of these two aspects affects you.  For instance, Venusian (Taurus and Libra) and Sun types (Leos) may be more affected than most.

Later on in the day, Venus squares Chiron, and the Taureans and Librans may feel challenged by a healing conundrum, such as ascertaining the cause of an allergy.

On Friday (28^th) Mercury enters Sagittarius, and you may experience wish-fulfilment dreams.  Snuggled under the covers, you might want to take yourself back into the dream, and assist some lucid or creative dreaming.  You could mentally take yourself through the day in a positive manner, ensuring that you rise in a good mood and can carry that through the day.

Dream Symbols: Magic Carpets, Horses

During the day, you may find it easy to get some momentum going on your plans, especially if they involve travel.  You’ll find it easy to find information you need, whether on Google, or in a plain old fashioned library which is threatened with closure somewhere near you.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – mental or physical travel; healing moves
• Wednesday – concentration
• Thursday – exciting meetings, then complications; healing conundrums
• Friday – optimism

Strictly Come Dancing 2014 – Part 3

Alison Hammond did better than I predicted (I thought she would go out early) and left in the middle of the tournament, last week.  I am missing her already.  Anyone could win now except Judy Murray, who has been popular with the viewing public, and very entertaining, but Andy did say she would be rubbish at dancing, and she has been consistently told that she is wooden.   Here are four more contestants to ponder ~ maybe one of them is your favourite!

Pixie Lott

Very much a Capricorn, with Uranus, Neptune, the Sun, Saturn and the North Node in that sign.  The tendency to control (including self-discipline) is further accentuated by Saturn closely conjunct her North Node in Capricorn.  Furthermore, this close conjunction is very tightly trine her natal Mars, so she can put this discipline directly into action and movement.  She also has half her planets (5 out of 10) in Earth signs, so is very grounded, and that must help with the footwork.   Mars is currently conjunct her Neptune, so she may find it difficult to keep her composure, but at the same time may be trying to incorporate new energies and information at a higher level, which could result in some extra genius showing through.  She is doing well in the competition, and will do well, but there are no stand out transits towards the end of the competition, so I do not think she will win, though I will review that nearer the time if appropriate when the exact date of the final is announced.

with Trent Whiddon

Darcy Bussell has said her chemistry with Trent is divine and Craig thinks they make a good partnership.  He is another Earth sign, Virgo, which does give a degree of compatibility.  He is very analytical, with Mercury  conjunct his Sun in Virgo.  There is also a steamy side to him with Venus/Pluto/Moon in Scorpio.  His Mars (movement and energy) in Capricorn mixes nicely with Pixie’s Capricorn planets, particularly her Neptune, the planet of inspiration.  His Sun trines exactly his Mars, so he is himself  a master of movement.  He has an exact T-square between Mercury, Jupiter and Uranus, so can be controversial and exaggerative, sometimes in a fun way.  He may be a bit of a prankster.  Trent currently has a Mars Return exactly trine his natal Sun, so he will be especially fired up this weekend.  He also has two Neptune transits: a square to his natal Saturn, and a trine to his natal Pluto, so it is an important time for him to figure things out spiritually.  At the end of the tournament Neptune will still be trine his Pluto, an important and powerful time for him, but the Nodal Axis will be square his Mars, so  he may have some physical issues.

Frankie Bridge

Frankie Bridge from the Saturdays  has, like Pixie, done very well in the competition, and has a similar background of Capricornian planets: Uranus, Venus, Saturn, Neptune and the Sun, giving her a great solidity.  She has a lucky trine of Jupiter to her Sun, and like Pixie too a Saturnian emphasis to her North Node (karmic mission), but this time Saturn exactly sextile her North Node, which again is disciplined, but perhaps easier to deal with than Pixie’s.  Her current transits support inspired (Neptune sextile her Venus) and energetic (Mars sextile her Pluto) dancing.  The inspiration continues trhough to the end,  joined by the capacity to surprise (Uranus sextile her Mercury) and profound healing (Chiron trine her natal Pluto).  In last night’s show, Pixie had the edge, but Frankie’s transits are better in the long term of the tournament.  The healing power of dance may be important for Frankie, who has battled depression.

with Kevin Clifton

Kevin Clifton made his debut last year, and was a finalist last year with Susanna Reid.  I reported last year that he has “great natural elegance with several planets in Libra”.    There is also great dexterity, with Mercury sextile Uranus.  His chemistry with Frankie is a little more tricky than with Susanna, as her Uranus squares his Mercury, and challenges that dexterity – he has to be even more on the ball.  Her Pluto conjuncts his Jupiter, so there may be a power play between them.  His Saturn squares her Sun, pushing her self-discipline to even further extremes.  Finally, her Mars opposes his Pluto, adding to the tension.  Maybe they are thriving on it, because they are doing exceptionally well.  He has the North Node at the moment sextile his natal Mars, giving him an energetic and active karma.  Chiron trines his Jupiter, providing a type of healing for him, too, through this season.  The karmic benefits and healing hold through to the end of the tournament, so I would expect to see this couple in the final.

Simon Webbe

Simon, a singer from the boyband Blue, struggled to find his dance identity early in the competition, but in recent weeks has found his form and was top of the leaderboard last night.  He has an almost unaspected Sun in his chart, so can take time to integrate the components of a new situation.  But his chart shows great talent for songwriting, with an exact conjunction of Venus and Mercury in Aries, strongly aspected by other planets.  Mars is currently squaring his Pluto, which seems to have galvanized him rather than crushed him – he may be someone who works best under pressure or deadlines.  He does have some supportive transits at the moment as well as that challenge.  At the end of the tournament the main transit is the North Node conjuncting his Pluto in Libra, so there may be a lot of change and reorganization of his life, but that does not look like a winning transit.

With Kristina Rihanoff

With the Sun at the very end of Virgo, Kristina is an exquisite perfectionist.  She has the dexterity aspect of Mercury sextile Uranus, like Kevin Clifton.  She also has the ability to get the best out of her partners, with her Jupiter exactly sextile her Chiron.  Strangely enough, she may also hold the key to Simon being able to negotiate the adverse aspect of Mars squaring his Pluto, as she has Mars square Pluto in her natal chart.  And even more strangely, she has the North Node conjunct Pluto in her chart, so she may be able to help him with that last hurdle of a transit too, towards the end of the competition.  There is no doubt she has been skilled in turning round his fortunes so far.  Her Saturn (discipline) trines exactly his Mercury-Venus conjunction, helping his co-ordination, and possibly supporting his songwriting perhaps when the dancing is over.  She has superb concentration at the moment, with Pluto trine her natal Mercury, but a risk-taking Uranus square her Mars is also around, plus Uranus opposite her Pluto adding more tension and risk.  They both seem to be thriving on tension and risk…!  They certainly, between them, seem to be learning to manage certain difficult aspects, which will stand them in good stead.   By the end of the tournament Kristina will have a lot on her plate psychologically, with Pluto squaring her Pluto, which may refer to her private life, but is not supportive of a win.

Mark Wright

Eager beaver Mark Wright hails from TOWIE (The Only Way is Essex) and also won the title of King of the Jungle in I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.  With his Sun Capricorn-side of the Aquarian cusp, he is the third out of today’s sample of four to be Capricorn.  What is more, he has Saturn in aspect to his North Node like the other two, in this case trine his North Node.    So again, a Master of control.  In exact aspect to his North Node (karmic mission) he has a sextile to  Chiron, so problem-solving  in order to achieve the mountain heights is his speciality.  At this time he has Uranus trine his Venus (ingenuity in artforms) and the North Node sextile his Saturn (steady progress).  The artistic ingenuity remains until the end of the tournament, so he will do well, but I don’t think he will take the prize.

With Karen Hauer

Venezuelan Karen Hauer may give Mark an exotic edge in the Latin section, but astrologically she is a no-nonsense Taurus Sun sign.  She has an extremely feminine conjunction of the Moon and Venus in Pisces, the sign of dance, so can transport the viewer to a world of fantasy (I am sure Bruno would say it better!).  The Moon/Venus conjunction trines her North Node (karmic mission) so she has truly found her métier.  She has Mars exactly sextile Uranus, so perhaps can perform tricky contortions, too.    The chemistry between her and Mark is mixed, but with some notable strong sextiles helping along their performance together.  At this stage of the tournament she may not be reaching her potential, with the North Node transiting her Saturn, and Chiron on her Venus, plus some minor help from Mars: she has yet to work certain things out.  She may still be in this process when the tournament ends, but they may continue to work together to iron things out.  They may have something yet to achieve.

Aspects

After a roller coaster last week, this one looks like a more normal mixed bag, without too much drama.

Today Neptune is stationary, prior to turning direct.  It may have been causing confusion in the House area of your chart it is currently working through, but progress may be made soon in long standing spiritual tasks which the Universe has set for you.

Mercury is sextile Pluto around lunchtime, which again enables progress to be made, in this case around mental blocks to deep understandings.

Venus enters Sagittarius in the early evening, and romantic dreams take on a rosy hue, more open and trusting and less suspicious than the period of Venus transiting Scorpio.  Remember though that rose coloured spectacles do not have an indefinite shelf life.  It is a good time to generally enjoy life though, which is good practice.

Tomorrow (Monday 17^th) Mercury is trine Chiron which favours bringing together conventional and alternative medicine and working out an optimum plan to incorporate them both into your lifestyle if necessary.  The mind turns to healing in a constructive way.  Our Light Pod healing group meets tomorrow, and it would seem to be a good day to meditate on healing and transmit healing energy.

On Tuesday (18^th) the morning brings a conjunction of the Sun and Saturn, time to focus on serious issues, and possibly make long term plans.

On Thursday (20^th) Mars squares the Nodal Axis, so the news may be fraught with stories of warrior karma, from the Middle East or Ukraine.  There may be some group tension below the surface in your own circle, which may be defused by looking at it from a karmic angle.

Venus then squares Neptune, making negotiations tenuous with mistrust (despite Venus being in Sagittarius).  When combined with the karmic angle from Mars, situations could look complex, but some meditation may uncover the spiritual causes and perspective.

There is recovery and greater balance by Friday (21^st) when Mars sextiles Mercury around late lunchtime.  Experiences may be digested, and actions taken to move forward.

The Sun enters Sagittarius on Saturday (22^nd), boosting the mood of optimism and progress, followed by a New Moon at Noon (-ish) at 0 degrees Sagittarius.  You might see more smiley faces as you go about your business, and people will feel there is more to look forward to, whether it is Christmas preparation or other future activities.  Hope springs eternal on Saturday!

The week in bullet points:

• Today – spiritual progress; mental progress; psychological progress; rose tinted specs on
• Tomorrow – healing
• Tuesday – seriousness
• Thursday – karmic complications and entanglements
• Friday – pick yourself up, dust yourself down
• Saturday – hope springs eternal

Liberty

“We hold these truths to be sacred & undeniable; that all men are created equal & independent, that from that equal creation they derive rights inherent & inalienable, among which are the preservation of life, & liberty, & the pursuit of happiness;”

~ Thomas Jefferson

Liberty has meant many different things to people over the centuries.  Shami Chakrabarti, a regular on the political television circuit, has just published a book entitled “On Liberty”(doing well in the book charts), offering a re-evaluation of the subject, in an age where the issues are confusing, and often are a double edged sword, dividing opinion.

Sometimes it seems to be that Human Rights is a dirty word (or phrase) here in the U.K. so entwined has it become with the membership of the European Union, and seeming inequalities being caused by the promoting of one right over another.  Admittedly there does need to be some priority in the system, such as not promoting criminal rights over the rights of a victim, but patently human rights are generally a good thing.  Home Secretary Theresa May threatens to pull out of the Human Rights Act, which Shami regards as throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Shami Chakrabarti

Shami Chakrabarti has a unique life path, and stands out in the world of human rights and liberty.  She is sure of her convictions, and a brave warrior when it comes to expressing the inalienable right of human liberty.

Her life was marked by an amazing act of destiny when on 10^th September 2001 she left a longstanding position as legal adviser in the U.K. Home Office to work at the institution known as “Liberty”, a post which was so much the antithesis of the previous one that she delayed joining Liberty in order to obtain the right endorsement from her previous employer.  The very next day was the assault on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon, commonly known as 9/11.  That sometimes causes confusion in the U.K. because we would know it as 11/9.  Strangely enough, I find myself writing now on 9^th November…there may be a numerological nuance in that.

Shami’s Chart and Transits

Shami has Sun in Gemini, so she is quite an intellectual thinker, and Moon in Cancer, so she has empathy and  emotional sensitivity.  We do not have her Ascendant, and do not know the shape of her chart.

She has three interesting sets of conjunctions:

Mars loosely conjunct Neptune, which is a physical sensitivity to suffering

Venus conjunct Saturn, which is a sensitivity to repression, and the depression of feeling that comes with incarceration, plus a sense of responsibility and commitment to those issues

Pluto/Jupiter/Uranus in conjunction.  Jupiter conjunct Uranus gives entrepreneurship, so she is a good flagship for her cause.  Jupiter conjunct Pluto is an innate understanding of issues around power, both the positive aspects, and the pitfalls.  Pluto and Uranus together are the rebel, the freedom at all costs, almost anarchic side to the mix.  A very powerful triple conjunction, all told – one which she has used for the common good, without the abrasiveness of some who have taken similar roles in society.

Her North Node  (karmic mission) is in Pisces, signifying that her spiritual path is to work towards a more compassionate society.  The powerful triple conjunction lies at the South Node, depicting past lives learning to understand the uses and misuses of power.  Her Sun exactly squares the Nodal Axis, so she takes a central role of leadership in the groups which work along these lines.

Jupiter exactly sextiles her Neptune, so she is absolutely on point when it comes to religion and spirituality, and understanding the part that they play in war, peace and terrorism and the human psyche.  She says: “The idea of walking in another’s shoes and doing to others as we would have done to us is universal in all cultures of the world”.

On the day she left the Home Office to work at Liberty the day before 9/11, Chiron was opposite her natal Sun, so there would have been some crisis or shock factor in the process, but a working towards healing.  She does describe the change of workplace as a culture shock, but acknowledges the significance of the timing certainly in relation to world affairs.  She realizes that the world changed at that time, and with it the demands and nuances of human rights, e.g. the greater emphasis on issues of security, fighting terrorism, and the detaining of suspects at Guantanamo Bay without evidence.  It seems as though the Universe moved Shami to Liberty on that day as a secret weapon for human rights.  It does not seem overly dramatic to say that.

Neptune was also squaring her Saturn at that time, increasing her sensitivity to the suffering of physical and spiritual incarceration.

She went on to become Director of Liberty in 2003, about a year after she gave birth to her son.  She writes:  ”My work at Liberty been second only to motherhood as the joy and privilege of my life.”  Motherhood  brought out the very protective nature of her Moon in Cancer – she says that it intensified her feelings about those who are vulnerable and changed her as a person.  Her progressed Sun was sextile with her natal Uranus (revolution) during this period.

In her book, Shami writes thought-provokingly about terrorism, movingly about extradition and authoritatively takes us through the moral maze that is Liberty.

Liberty’s Chart

The organization Liberty was founded in January 1934.  The  issues of the time were scarring from the 1st World War and economic hardship from the Depression.  The chart of the organization has one of the same conjunctions as Shami Chakrabarti, Venus conjunct Saturn which I described earlier as: “A sensitivity to repression, and the depression of feeling that comes with incarceration, plus a sense of responsibility and commitment to those issues”.  While Shami has Jupiter/Pluto/Uranus in a conjunction and this empowers her to heal divisions, the challenging nature of the time when Liberty was founded has these planets in a more difficult tension:  A T-square composed of Jupiter opposite Uranus and Pluto square to them both.  Liberty celebrated its 80^th birthday this year.

John Stuart Mill

The 19^th Century saw the first book entitled “On Liberty”, written by philosopher and eminent scholar and social theorist John Stuart Mill, who promoted the ideas of Utilitarianism (the “greatest good for the greatest number”).  I thought it would be interesting to look at the portrayal of this theme for his day.  His book of the same title was published in 1859, when he was 53.  His chart has an iconoclastic exact conjunction between Uranus and Saturn, which I think of as “The Groundbreaker”, the conjunction which coincided with the fall of the Berlin Wall.  He wrote the book “On Liberty” when married to Harriet Taylor, who died just before the book was published.  He did not alter a word of the book after she died, as it was as much her work in terms of ideas.  For Mill, liberty was an essential counterbalance to state influence.  He slightly softened his stance on Utilitarianism for this book, and emphasized the role of the inward journey to freedom for the individual.  Much of the focus of Harriet’s work was centred around feminism, and the book promotes the idea of votes for women, an idea well ahead of its time.  Their relationship seems to have been a distinctive and specific Soul Contract, with his Chiron trine exactly her Sun (he was able to fulfil her life’s work) and his North Node (karmic mission) exactly sextile her Uranus (desire to change society).

“The only freedom which deserves the name is that of pursuing our own good in our own way, so long as we do not attempt to deprive others of theirs, or impede their efforts to obtain it. Each is the proper guardian of his own health, whether bodily, or mental or spiritual. Mankind are greater gainers by suffering each other to live as seems good to themselves, than by compelling each to live as seems good to the rest.”

~ John Stuart Mill

Aspects

Hold on to your hats this week – there’s a bumpy ride ahead!Turn away now if you would rather not engage with this in a conscious way…

There are bright spots, however, and today’s square between Venus and Jupiter (the two “benificents”) is not likely to do too much damage, if any.  There may be a casual tactless remark, or a faux pas, which niggles.  Otherwise, any humour is likely to be just plain silly.  It may be good to get your laughs where you can today.

Tomorrow (Monday 10^th) Mars conjuncts Pluto.  It is just as well that police services in the U.K. claim to have foiled a terrorist plot for Remembrance Sunday, as that is uncomfortably close to tomorrow’s potentially destructive conjunction.  Another potentiality is that of mould breaking, so have a look at your moulds and coolly decide what can or needs to be broken, and how to do that in the safest possible way, without harm to humans or animals.  The mould breaking may occur in the realm of ideas, so have a look at your fixed beliefs and see if you can throw any of them out.  They may be outmoded.

On Wednesday (12^th) Mercury trines Neptune, and you may experience an oasis of serenity.  You may be able to look at any early dramas of the week from a spiritual angle.  If beliefs were challenged, you may segue smoothly into new ones.  Health issues, too, may seem easier.

Mars also sextiles Chiron, so body and mind will be more co-ordinated and open to healing methods.

On Thursday (13^th), Venus conjuncts Saturn, the aspect contained in the chart of both Shami Chakrabarti and the organization Liberty.  An injustice may spur you on to greater responsibility and commitment.  Especially if it concerns someone being repressed or psychologically chained.

Hard on the heels of this difficult aspect, Mars squares Uranus, inducing breakaway actions and random acts of rebelliousness.  The combination of the two aspects may need careful monitoring: Venus conjunct Saturn is depressing and Mars square Uranus rash and reckless.  If you have any loose cannons in your vicinity watch them carefully.  Sedate the Mars square Uranus elements (if they are not channeling their energy constructively), and uplift the depressive elements to a point where they can deal with things, and wait for the aspects to subside.  Of course you may not have any control whatsoever over what anyone else is doing, and may need to just attend to your own process.

Friday (14^th) brings another square, the Sun square Jupiter, which is not as unpredictable as Mars square Uranus, but not as genteel as Venus square Jupiter (which occurs today).   It is a day when people can go over the top in their enthusiasms, and in some cases in their actions.  If you yourself are bursting with enthusiasm, you can put that energy into something creative.  Not everyone may feel as you do about that particular issue, but they may have their own passions to pursue.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – silliness
• Tomorrow – confrontation
• Wednesday – soothing balm, and healing
• Thursday – challenges
• Friday – the fire of enthusiasm