Wimbledon 2015 – Week 2

What an exciting week of tennis that was!  Having looked at the top seeds last week, I am now going to look at the next rung of seeds, going into the second week. Maybe your favourite is amongst them? I hope you (the readers) will continue to be interactive, as it does make viewing even more interesting.

Men’s Seeds

No. 6 – Tomas Berdych

As a Virgoan, Tomas is very analytical, but he has a sense of showmanship with Venus and Mars in Leo.  We do not have his birth time, so his Moon could be in Libra or Scorpio.  If in Scorpio, that would make him extremely emotionally intense as the Moon would be conjunct with Pluto in that sign.  There is a lot of seriousness overall in his make up, with the Sun exactly sextile Saturn, and Venus exactly square Saturn.  His great energy is coming from Mars closely sextile Pluto.  He has hidden depths, and a very strong will (5 of his 10 planets in Fixed signs).  He starts week 2 with a Venus Return, which is congenial enough, but I don’t know if that will carry him far tenniswise.  At the end of the tournament, Jupiter squares his Saturn (hopes not likely realized).  That does not look like an outstanding line up for success.  He plays Gilles Simon in the next round.

No. 9 – Marin Cilic

Marin Cilic has a very challenging natal chart, containing a Grand Cross in Earth signs, composed of Neptune opposite Chiron and Mars opposite the Sun.  He could struggle at times, especially when a transiting planet is crossing one of those four points.  With Saturn conjunct exactly Uranus, he can sometimes be subject to earthquakes in his life, psychologically at least.  He has chosen a difficult path, but would have the character to match.  There is a modicum of luck, with Sun exactly trine Jupiter, and great enthusiasm (Mars exactly sextile Jupiter).  Mercury is also exactly sextile Uranus (mental brilliance), so he could be a master of precision with all those precise aspects!  At the beginning of the second week of Wimbledon 2015 the North Node conjuncts his Sun, which could be karmically favourable.  Jupiter conjuncts his natal Venus, which is personally lucky.  And the South Node transits his natal Mars, so he could be facing some old warrior karma, and will be expected by the Lords of Karma to be ethically sportsmanlike.  By the end of Wimbledon, he will have lost the two favourable transits, just keeping the sportsmanlike requirement.  Again, he does not look like the overall winner this year, but should get through the next round.

No. 11 – Gilles Simon

We do have a birthchart for Gilles Simon, born in Nice (the French are good at birthtimes).  He is a double Capricorn, with Sun and Ascendant in that sign, but lightened by Jupiter rising.  His emotional reactions are quick, with the Moon conjunct Mars, but they are in the sign of Pisces so sometimes they can be vague or roundabout in their expression.  His Mercury is exactly conjunct his natal Uranus in Sagittarius, so he has a keen, quick and intuitive mind and mental reflexes, and a highly strung nervous system.  His Mars is exactly sextile Neptune, so he could be capable of some sensitive play and subtle shots.  He also has Saturn on the South Node, so may have brought through some difficult karma from past lives, possibly from Russia.  At the beginning of the second week, where he meets Tomas Berdych, Uranus squares his natal Jupiter which could cause an upset, though Tomas’ own transits are not distinguished so they may be evenly matched.  Towards the end of the tournament, Jupiter also squares his natal Saturn, so like Berdych he may not make the final.  In their synastry (compatibility) Gilles’ Saturn sextiles Berdych’s Sun, so Gilles may have the edge, though Berdych has beaten him this year.  It’s a fine call between them.

No. 14 –  Kevin Anderson

Kevin Anderson is a Taurean from South Africa, with a persevering Mars in Capricorn closely trine his Taurus Mercury – quick mental and physical reactions, and a great deal of stamina.  He has 5 of his 10 planets in Earth signs.  He will need the stamina, as he’ll be playing Novak Djokovic in the next round, a real contender for the overall title.  As we start the second week, Uranus is square his natal Mars (which could make him incident-prone, or even accident-prone).  The Nodal Axis will also be squaring his natal Neptune, which could make him wobbly spiritually.  The latter transit vanishes by the end of Wimbledon, but the Uranus to Mars transit is still operational.  So the cards are stacked against him, astrologically as well as in the draw.  Their synastry is very weak, so Anderson may not engage much in the match.

Women’s Seeds

No. 5 –  Caroline Wozniacki

Caroline Wozniacki has 7 out of her 10 planets in Cardinal signs, so is a natural leader.  She has a natural system of checks and balances within her psyche, with a triple conjunction of Chiron/Sun/Jupiter in Cancer opposite her Saturn in Capricorn.  Her Mercury squares Mars, so she can get irritable or suffer from frayed nerves.  Her Sun/Chiron conjunction is exact, so she may have some healing talent.  She was engaged to Rory McIlroy the golfer, but with the engagement being broken last year she may have been emotionally drained, as she wasn’t so prominent in Wimbledon in 2014.  Hopefully, her star is rising again.  At the beginning of this week, Chiron is busy in her chart (and it is an important planet for her natally) – it trines her Jupiter and sextiles her natal Saturn.  This could help her healing and general physical wellbeing. She has an additional fillip with Saturn trine her natal Mercury, so she’ll be concentrating well too, so she should progress at the beginning of the week.  By the end of Wimbledon, the Jupiter transits have gone, but the Saturn transit remains.  That could get her into the final.

No. 6 –  Lucie Safarova

Lucy is an Aquarian, a sign you don’t often find in tennis players.  She has good energy levels (Sun sextile Mars), excellent control (Mars trine exactly Saturn), a magnetic personality (Venus conjunct Uranus), good karmic sense (Sun sextile exactly North Node and trine Chiron) and also has healing potential (North Node sextile exactly Chiron).  At the beginning of this second week, Neptune trines her Pluto, giving her some staying power, but that may not be enough to propel her through the second week.  The end of the tournament does not look promising either.  Her opponent in the next round, Coco Vandeweghe, looks quite dynamic and has a good transit at the final!

No. 13 –  Agnieszka Radwanska

Here we drop down 7 seeds as all the intervening ones are out!

I wrote in 2014:

“She has a bouncy, enthusiastic and energetic conjunction of Mars and Jupiter in her chart, which is useful in a sporting life.  But   Agnieszka has a natally depressive exact conjunction of Saturn and Neptune…”

At the beginning of this week, Mars trines her Venus, giving her some heart.  But Saturn opposes her Jupiter, so she may be disappointed by her next match.  Agnieszka’s transits are not easy at all at the end of Wimbledon: Jupiter opposes her natal Mercury, and the Nodal Axis squares her natal Uranus.  She plays Jelena Jankovic in the next round, who put out reigning champion Petra Kvitova yesterday.  Jelena seems set to make a comeback, with the North Node trine her Jupiter, though she does have a confusing Neptune transit to her Sun – she may have used this as a springboard to regaining her spirit.  As she will lose the North Node trine by the final, Jelena may not reach the final;  however,  Jankovic has the advantage in their synastry.

No. 15 –  Timea Bacsinszky

Timea has a lucky exact conjunction of Sun and Jupiter in Gemini, making her very nimble too.  She also has the exact conjunction of Saturn and Neptune which can also pull her down, so a very contradictory chart.  She has Venus conjunct Chiron in Cancer, so perhaps some poignant family issues (we do know she has issues with her father), and Venus opposite Uranus which is awkward for her personal life.  Her great strength is an exact sextile between Saturn and Pluto, which could make her very strong indeed under pressure.  Her Nodal Axis squares her natal Mercury, so she could have some responsibility as a teacher later in her career.  She seems to be on good form this year.  Saturn opposes her natal Mercury and the Nodal Axis squares her Venus as we start the week, which are not helpful for her.  To these would be added Mars opposing her natal Neptune by the end of Wimbledon, which is a lot to battle against astrologically.  She plays Monica Niculescu at the beginning of the week, who has a small edge in their synastry.  Jupiter trines Niculescu’s Uranus and Mars trines her Pluto, plus Nicolescu has supportive transits.  So Bacsingszky may lose the next round. Though Nicolescu loses her astrological support by the end of the Wimbledon – so is anyone going to get through?!!

Aspects

Not an easy week, with the Sun opposing Pluto.  Though some people did not even find last week easy, and the aspects were very kind.

Today has a literary flavour with Mercury sextile Venus, so art and literature can flourish, as can diplomacy and discussion.  It’s a good day to forge ahead if you are engaged in a major writing project. Reading a favourite novelist can stimulate ideas, e.g. you may want to start up a book club.

Tomorrow afternoon (Monday 6^th) is a little more heavy-hearted, there is no way to sweeten the pill of Sun opposite Pluto.  Serious issues may need to be dealt with, psychologically at least.  It is the Dalai Lama’s birthday, so you may want to take a leaf out of one of his books, and consider his philosophies.  Perhaps catch up with his interview at Glastonbury via You Tube.

Mercury enters the sign of Cancer on Wednesday (8^th), at tea time in the U.K.  The collective mind has been in the nimble sign of Gemini, but now becomes more reflective and subject to emotion.  You may find that you cannot consider something rationally without having to bring human emotion into the equation.  Mercury will be travelling very rapidly through Cancer and enters Leo on 23^rd.  If you are a budding novelist, take advantage of this current position, as the sign of Cancer lends itself to imaginative writing and reflection, e.g. historical fiction.

Mars trines Neptune late in the evening, so if you have started a novel at tea time, by the evening you could be on fire, and your imagination will run riot in an inspired way!  You can get something going in a big way on Wednesday, as long as it is a combination of physical energy and the higher imagination, running along spiritual lines.  If you are looking for a breakthrough in your meditation practice, for instance, this is a good day for it.

On Friday/Saturday (10^th/11^th) Mercury squares the Nodal Axis, and there may be some intense karmic discussion, teaching and learning, possibly in groups, if you are involved in any.  There needs to be absolute mental balance, in order to move forward.  Splitting hairs, if necessary!

The week in bullet points:

• Today – a literary fest
• Tomorrow – psychologically heavy
• Wednesday – new mental outlook, incorporating feelings; constructive physical and spiritual movements
• Friday/Saturday – a karmic recalibration on the mental level

Wimbledon 2015 – Week 1

Here we go again!  This is the fortnight where I try to keep up with the spectacle that is Wimbledon, sometimes hitting the mark and sometimes missing.  But it’s great fun (for me).  I am starting, as usual, with the top four men’s and women’s seeds, and thereafter will update on comments, and in further blogs.

Men’s Seeds

No. 1 – Novak Djokovic

As with most of these, I have written a great deal about Novak Djokovic over the last few years.  But last year, I acquired his birthtime and Ascendant, which refined the picture astrologically.  The most fascinating thing about his chart is a very mentally focussed triple conjunction of the Part of Fortune, Mercury and Chiron in Gemini on the cusp of his 11^th House.  There is more to Novak Djokovic than just a top tennis player: he is interested in promoting peace in his native Balkan area, and he is also interested in healthy lifestyles such as veganism.  The triple conjunction translates in his tennis as a super concentration, and joy in using that faculty.  Outside the tennis court, there is a talent and inspiration (Part of Fortune) for combining conventional medicine (Mercury) with alternative medicine (Chiron), and applying that in groups and associations (11^th House).  As Wimbledon begins, Saturn is exactly trine his natal Moon, a steadying influence especially emotionally.  By the end of Wimbledon, that is still operational, but added to that is Mercury sextile his natal Midheaven (mental faculties applied in career), and Uranus sextile his natal Chiron (surprise healing).  So it does look as though he will start slow and steady, and be capable of a flourish at the end.  The very constructive trine of Saturn to his natal Moon peaks on Friday 10^th July around the semi-finals, which should secure him a place in the final at least.

No. 2 – Roger Federer

Roger Federer has had a much better year this year, arriving as No. 2 seed (he was placed fourth last year).  It is good to see that this record breaking champion has not lost his appetite for the game.  What is the secret of his outstanding success from his birthchart?  I believe it is his close conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn (6 degrees 13 mins and 7 degrees 19 mins) in his first house trine his Midheaven (Career Trajectory) at 6 degrees 9 mins Gemini in 9^th House of International Success!  Not everybody with Saturn conjunct Jupiter is able to balance it, but when it is balanced it is a formidable force of wisdom and fine judgement, and working together so precisely with his career and life direction, that astrological structure constitutes a fine instrument.  His footwork has been compared to that of a ballet dancer, “the very picture of floating, effortless menace” (reported in the Guardian).  That style may be a combination of his Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Libra (gracefulness) and Part of Fortune conjunct Neptune in Sagittarius (free floating!).  When Wimbledon begins he has some difficult aspects (such as Pluto still dogging his Mars in opposition) but Jupiter sextiles his Pluto, which is a pretty supportive provision by the Universe.  That aspect peaks this week around 2^nd/3^rd July (Thursday/Friday), so expect some exceptional play from him this week.   He is said to feel relaxed from a good break since the French Open, and has brought his two sets of twins to Wimbledon.  The twins are intriguing astrologically, but they do show up as a conjunction to Jupiter of his 5^th House (Children) ruler Saturn.  He is on good form, but there is no extra astrological help around the time of the final.  That may not stop him, as he is one of those players, like Serena Williams, who has proved himself beyond astrological influence time and time again!  However, the Pluto opposition to his Mars becomes exact around 19^th July, after Wimbledon, and he may need extra rest at that time.  Note that the Pluto opposition has not hampered him too much over the last year.

No. 3 – Andy Murray

Andy Murray has not stood still this year, physically or psychologically!  He has had a good year tenniswise (fresh from winning Queen’s) and personally (marriage has not done his tennis any harm).  He has reportedly started working with a Psychiatrist to enhance his understanding of his own processes, and as well as his female tennis coach Amelie Mouresmo he has hired an extra assistant for back up as she is pregnant and due to give birth in August.  Some doubted his choice of coach after Ivan Lendl, but the partnership is proving successful.  It may be a clever move to embrace the feminine side of his brain and create a more all-encompassing and holographic consciousness.  Certainly with Amelie Mouresmo’s Mercury conjunct Jupiter at the top of her chart, she is capable of helping that process.  Her reputation starts on a high at the beginning of Wimbledon, with Uranus trine her Midheaven (Careerpoint), but she has one or two antagonistic transits as the Wimbledon period goes on.  But it is Andy we are really interested in, and at the start of Wimbledon he has three good trines: Jupiter trine his natal Moon, Uranus trine his natal Saturn and (most profound of the three) Pluto trine his Ascendant.  The latter peaks two days after Wimbledon, which is close to the final, and speaks of a height of personal power.  I feel this is an encouraging sign for his prospects of winning, though in the draw he is up against Nadal (seeded 10) and Federer en route to a possible final with Djokovic.

No. 4 – Stan Wawrinka

It was a thrill to watch Stan Wawrinka win the French Open against Djokovic just a few weeks ago [Jupiter was trine his Mercury/Venus and Uranus and Saturn opposite Djokovic’s Sun], and to get to know this player a little more.  Last year I did not have a birth time for him, but a birthtime has appeared on Astrotheme, which provides more of an insight into his chart.

I wrote last year:

“With Mercury exactly conjunct Venus and the pair trine exactly Uranus in his natal chart, Wawrinka would have considerable talent for writing and broadcasting, maybe later in life.  Mercury trine exactly Uranus makes him fleet of mind and foot.  He also has Mars exactly square Jupiter, which gives him a great deal of energy and enthusiasm, a strong ‘bounce’.”

We now have a Cancerian Ascendant for him, and the Sun on his Midheaven in Aries in 9^th House (international sporting achievement).  What really stands out in this fine-tuned chart is his energy: Sun in Aries, and Mars exactly (to one minute) sextile his natal Ascendant on the cusp of his 11^th House, as well as the aforementioned exact square of Mars and Jupiter.  He certainly found that extra energy against Djokovic in France this year, and there is an intriguing possibility of an all-Swiss final with his fellow countryman Federer this Wimbledon.  At the start of Wimbledon Pluto trines his natal Mars (strength) the Nodal Axis squares his Jupiter (over-confidence) and Neptune sextiles his natal Mars (spiritual strength).  By the end of Wimbledon, the Moon trines his natal Jupiter (peaking Thursday 9^th July), his Saturn Return approaches, and Neptune trines his Ascendant (peaking Wednesday 15^th, after Wimbledon).  That is not a bad line-up, but it is possible that he may be toppled before the final; that may be a chance for an unpredictable player in his half of the draw.  He did not do very well at Queens, though that may have been due to his super efforts in the previous tournament.

Women’s Seeds

No. 1 – Serena Williams

Serena seems as unassailable as ever, and if she wins Wimbledon this year, she will bag a record of four grand slams in a row.  The Guardian yesterday hinted that fear of failure and pressure may be her greatest enemy, but the Observer this morning reports her saying she does not feel under that much pressure.  Oh to be so cool!  Are the planets providing any pressure this fortnight for her?  Mars begins squaring her Sun, which may bring out the Warrior in her, and at the same time provides the energy and impetus she needs as it sextiles her natal Ascendant.  Saturn backs her with self-assurance to the hilt, by a trine to her natal North Node (karmic prospects): perhaps a feeling that it is her time to be able to achieve something extra special.  If she wins the four grand slams, she may be on her way to a calendar year grand slam.  That all seems promising, but Jupiter also squares her natal Chiron, so a fall is not impossible.  Her vulnerability to injury is as high as any mere mortal’s: when she stepped on glass just after her 2010 win at Wimbledon her career was threatened – Pluto was exactly square her natal  Sun at the time.  Jupiter square her Chiron is not of the same order though, thankfully.  Looking at the end of the tournament, Jupiter actually sextiles her natal Pluto, which is very helpful for her.  The end of the tournament is not without tension though, with Chiron squaring her Neptune (psychological battle) and Mars square her Saturn (physical discomfort), plus a nice touch of North Node on her Sun (karmic support).  But the Jupiter support to her Pluto happens exactly on 10/11^th July, which is at the time of the Ladies’ finals.  That is a strong showing for her.

No. 2 – Petra Kvitova

Reigning Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova must have a strong chance, as No. 2 seed.  We still do not have a birthtime/Ascendant for her, and can go only on the date of her birth.  She worked on herself successfully last year, preparing herself mentally, and presumably will build on that approach.  She is an imaginative Pisces, and can access the level of genius in her play.  Her natal Mercury and Uranus are in exact sextile to each other, which amplifies the Piscean ability to use all parts of the brain and human capacity, and her Mercury closely trines her Chiron so she has great problem-solving ability.  Her natal Sun exactly trines her Pluto, so there is an oceanic depths to her nature, which enables her to access her soul qualities.  At the beginning of Wimbledon, Neptune sextiles her Uranus exactly, giving her the ability to use all that complexity of understanding and nuance of experience.  Neptune also exactly trines her natal Chiron, so her self-awareness (both physical and psychological) will be at a peak and self-healing will happen naturally as she goes along.  Pluto puts pressure on her Neptune by an exact conjunction, but she proved last year she can work well with these planets. Pluto also supports her career profoundly with a sextile to her Midheaven.  She will need a superhuman effort with the conjunction, but she is capable of it and other transits support her well.  At the time of the final, in addition Chiron sextiles her natal Saturn, which is steadying and healing.  Some of the other support will have peaked, but Neptune remains sextile to Uranus.  She certainly has a strong start to Wimbledon, and has the character to go right through, but the transits dwindle a little on her behalf, so she may not quite make the final.

No. 3 – Simona Halep

Last year was the first time I had looked at Simona’s chart, and we still do not have a birth time for her.  I wrote:

“Here is another player I have not investigated before, though I did see her doing well in the French Open.  She is Romanian, and has Neptune conjunct her North Node natally.  This points to spiritual leadership potential, so she may have many followers who do not only follow her for her tennis playing.  She is Libran, one of the commonest Sun signs for tennis skill, because it involves a close monitoring of the person the other side of the net!”

She begins Wimbledon energetically and enthusiastically with Mars sextile her natal Jupiter.  Saturn steadies her nerves with a sextile to her natal Mercury.  Neptune sextiles her natal Uranus, and Pluto conjuncts her Neptune like Petra Kvitova, but I have not had a chance to observe how she deals with the pressure of Pluto.  Pluto exerts extra pressure with a conjunction to her natal North Node (difficult karma, of the make or break variety).  There are some bright aspects for the end of Wimbledon, with the North Node exactly conjunct her Sun (she has a birthday one day away from Serena’s), and Jupiter on her Venus (natal ruler) in competitive Leo which is a transit that speaks of success.  It could be her time.

No. 4 – Maria Sharapova

Despite her years in the public eye, we still do not have a birth time for Maria Sharapova, so can only work with the day of her birth.  I have written:

“Maria has several planets in the energetic sign of Aries, including an exact conjunction between her Mercury and North Node, indicating that to achieve athletic prowess is part of her karmic mission.  This conjunction is 2 degrees away from Jupiter (success) and sextile Mars (extra speed).”

She also has the propensity to a chequered love life, with Venus exactly square Uranus.  But what of this veteran player’s (she is only 28!) prospects at Wimbledon this year?  The beginning looks (largely) good:  Jupiter trine her Saturn, Uranus trine her Saturn (creating a Grand Trine) and Neptune trine her Pluto (very strong psychologically).  However, Neptune squaring her natal Mars could produce some physical vulnerability, or sensitivity off court in her relations with men.  At the end of Wimbledon Mars additionally squares her natal Jupiter which may just add passion to her performance, though minor injury is possible.  If she can cope with some physical vulnerability, other astrological factors are strong for her.  She is coming up for her Saturn Return in a year or two, a time of re-evaluation.  Overall, I feel her aspects are not quite strong enough to take her to the final.

Aspects

I have great pleasure, dear Readers, in being able to tell you that the aspects this week are overall much better than average!  Wimbledon Week 1 should pass in a serene haze of sunshine and strawberries.

Tomorrow (Monday 29^th) Venus trines Uranus and we could see some dynamic play on and off the court.  If you are not playing tennis, your love life could be enhanced by the element of surprise!  Certainly social interactions will be enjoyable and out of the ordinary.

On Wednesday (1^st July) we have a beautiful conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, the combination of the “two benefics”.  It is a good day to make a wish!  Some may find financial fortune (it’s a lottery day!) and others romantic engagement.  Whichever House 21 degrees Leo falls in for you, will be blessed.  For example, it falls in my 4^th House of Home – and I happen to have a meeting of Light Pod in my home that day, which is likely to be a happy hour or two!

The Sun trines Neptune in the evening, and serenity rules.  There will be a sigh of satisfaction, composed of contentment and spiritual attunement (or I will have a busy Customer Service desk!)

There may be some aggro the next morning though (Thursday 2^nd), possibly at the Customer Service desks, with Mars squaring the Nodal Axis.  Karmic scores will need to be settled, and there is no avoiding that.  It is all down to how you deal with assertion (either your own, or others’).  Meditation can ensure that you bring calmness to the table.

At the same time, we have to deal with a Full Moon at 9 degrees Capricorn, so those in authority may be insisting on rules we don’t agree with or wish to break.  For example, the government may be leaning on those in welfare with intolerable pressure…into every week some rain must fall it seems.

By tea time the tension should have subsided and we have a welcoming sextile between Mercury and Uranus.  Brainstorming produces fresh, new and exciting ideas.

And, joy of joy, we end the week on Saturday (4^th) on another high note: Mercury sextile Jupiter.  This is good news for travellers, holiday-makers, and business or sales.  New horizons beckon, whether geographical or mental.  Your mind can stretch to accommodate new subjects, and enjoy the ever open field of study and learning.  It is a good time for instance to enroll for a new course.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – social excitement
• Wednesday – beauty and inspiration
• Thursday – aggro and tension; followed by a new approach
• Saturday – ease of movement and openness of mind

Cancerian Totems and Archetypes

Happy Summer Solstice!  The Sun goes into Cancer today (21st) at 16.38 Hrs. in the U.K.  As the Geminian totems and archetypes were well-received, I intend to make this a regular feature and to look today at some of the animal totems and Archetypes for the sign of Cancer.  So this is the second in a series!

If you are not yourself Cancerian Sunsign, Ascendant or Moonsign, you very likely will know someone who is.  I myself have a Cancerian (Archetypal) mother.

Animal Totems

Crab

This is the traditional emblem of the sign of Cancer.  Cancer tends to rule creatures of the rock pools by the sea, rather than the deep sea creatures of Pisces or the lake monsters of Scorpio! There is some overlap with the water signs in their animal totems or sea creatures, as we shall see, but also a great deal of distinctiveness.

Nicholas Saunders in “Animal Spirits” points out the relation of Crab to the daily cycle and the tides: “Some scavenging species that search for washed-up detritus at low tide may evade predators by having internal clocks which allow them to emerge only when the low tide coincides with nightfall.”

The Crab portrays the sensitive, reclusive, protective nature of Cancerians.  The famous sideways movement in some cultures portrays deceptiveness.  But for a Cancerian, the ability to approach a subject from a different angle, is a strength – we all have strategies.  And Cancerian comedian Ricky Gervais, has immortalized their fun side in his crab dance in “The Office”.  Where’s the harm?

Turtle

In some indigenous cultures Turtle came to symbolize Mother Earth.  Nicky Scully describes Turtle as:

“Comforting, maternal and soothing, she exemplifies compassion….

All beings struggle to bring forth new life, and turtles exemplify the tenacity and strength required to fulfil their exhausting reproductive function.  They accomplish this task without expectation of either success or failure.”

Kittens

Possibly all baby animals (e.g. baby chicks) come under the sign of Cancer, but particularly cute kittens and baby chicks! Kittens represent frisky feline, female energy, and bring out the maternal instinct. [By way of clarification big cat Lions are Leo, dogs in general are Aries, and large dogs are Sagittarius]

Bird Totems

Birds are mostly associated with Air signs, and mostly with Gemini, but all signs have them, and Cancerian birds are very strong in their totemic force.

Owl

Nocturnal creatures can be considered Cancerian because of the association with the night and the Moon (Leo governs daylight through the Sun); there are exceptions, e.g. bats which are ruled by Scorpio.

My Cancerian mother, who celebrates her 87^th birthday this week, does not subscribe to new age thinking, but notably had an insistent dream of an Owl at a very strategic point in her life.  And once joined in a group meditation, when she became distinctly aware of an Owl presenting as her animal totem.

Jamie Sams and David Carson introduce the Owl as meaning “deception” which echoes the crab’s reputation for deception.  Astrologically, deception comes under another water sign, Pisces, through its ruler Neptune.

However, Nicky Scully chooses to emphasize the talents of Owl, as being “Alchemy and Night Vision”.  Owl is also elevated by its association with Wisdom, having perched on the shoulder of the Greek Goddess Athene, Goddess of Wisdom.  Owl in this case represents the wisdom of the ancients, the grandmothers and the ancestors.

Shadow Side

 The Snowy Owl has a particular association with Cancerians, because of its white colour.  And other white creatures, such as the White Buffalo, may be associated with this sign.  But as in all things, there is a shadow side, showing up here as the negative feminine.  This is related to the dark night of the Soul, which is purely Scorpio/Pluto.  A bird which can be linked to this is the Great Grey Owl, a magnificent bird whose eyes, apparently, can be terrifying.  I would say that the Great Grey Owl is not merely Cancerian, but a combination of the shadow side of Cancer/Moon and Scorpio/Pluto.  [For clarification, the Vulture is an example of a purely Scorpio/Pluto bird].

 Chickens

 A list of Cancerian bird totems would be incomplete without the chicken.  What is more Cancerian than the image of a Mother Hen fussing over her chicks?  And eggs themselves are associated with this sign.

Water Birds

 Some water birds, such as seagulls and gulls in general, come under the sign of Cancer.  And you will often find Kingfishers appearing as totem birds to Cancerians, too.  It seems to appear with Cancerians especially when they are on a spiritual path, as with their brightly coloured feathers it brings out a bolder side.

Stork

 Last but not least, the Stork is associated with birth, a province of the sign of Cancer.  Andrea Wansbury says of the Stork:

 “Being creative literally means ‘bringing into being’.  We create our lives and everything in them, so when a stork appears, look at the different aspects of your life and ask yourself whether you like everything that is there…The stork may be telling you that you have a talent in the creative arts and now is the time to start using these abilities.  If you have good ideas in your mind, now is the time to give birth to them and bring them into physical reality.”

Archetypes

Inner Child

According to Caroline Myss, she sees four core Archetypes which are with each person, and one of these four is the Inner Child.  The Inner Child is a force which is very much a part of new age work, witness the popularity of the books by John Bradshaw on the subject.

Another new age leader who makes the Inner Child central to her work and vision is Chris Griscom of the Light Institute in Galisteo, New Mexico.  I could quote her all day, and frequently do, but will make do with one quote for now:

“A child is naturally a being of wonderment, a being that experiences lightness, who does not hold pain.  The child’s frequency is too high to hold those darker, heavier emotions, even when the external world begins to impinge upon the child with adult imprints that the child records as anxiety, fear, anger.  The natural state is to let go, to constantly let go, because the child lives in the brain patterning of the hologram.  The child does not have that left-brain imprint in glue.”

Caroline Myss details several varieties of Inner Child:

The Eternal Child

The Orphan

The Wounded Child

The Divine Child

The Nature Child

The Magical Child

She hints of many more, but says that “you can only have one in your support team”!

I have also spotted one, and that is the “Performing Child”, as encouraged by pushy parents, and that is a combination of a Cancerian and Leo Archetype.

Whatever your own Inner Child Archetype, it is essential to stay in touch with it.

The Mother

The Mother Goddess is central to the sign of Cancer.  Of all the Goddesses, Mother Mary is the most intrinsic.  But in her virginal side,  she has joint rulership with the sign of Virgo.

The Caregiver

In her 2013 book, Caroline Myss presents 10 new Archetypes for the modern age (look what you started, Carl Jung!).  One of these, the Caregiver, is related to the Mother, strongly associated with the sign of Cancer, but also has associations with the sign of Virgo.  Cancerians and Virgoans practically prop up the caring professions.

Myss advises that if this is one of your Archetypes, and you are compulsive about helping others, then your task is to learn self-care:

“Your challenge as a caregiver is to care enough about yourself to find out who you really are – to be willing to look closely and experience the deeper level of your inherent need and desire to care for others.”

Vishnu the Preserver

Caroline Myss points out that “Although the caregiver Archetype seems to be more prevalent in women…Many men who become teachers or coaches, or who enter rescuing professions such as firefighting and emergency medicine, have a genuine need to serve and care for others through their career choices.”

Cancerians have a special talent for cherishing the artifacts of antiquity, re-upholstering and upcycling, important in this throw-away age.  The male Hindu God, Vishnu the Preserver expresses this cherishing quality very well, a positive role model for Father’s Day!  In an early incarnation apparently, he appeared as a Turtle.

Mythological

The enchanting mythological creature the Mermaid is particularly resonant with the sign of Cancer.  A more negative association is the Siren, a creature of Greek mythology who lured sailors to shipwreck with music and voice.

Bibliography:

“Medicine Cards” by Jamie Sams and David Carson

“The Golden Cauldron” by Nicky Scully

“Birds Divine Messengers” by Andrea Wansbury

“Archetypes” by Caroline Myss

“Animal Spirits” by Nicholas J. Saunders

“Ecstasy is a New Frequency” by Chris Griscom

 

Aspects

The Summer Solstice takes place today, this afternoon at 16.38 Hrs.  Hope you are finding a suitable way to celebrate, if you have not been able to get to Stonehenge at the crack of dawn.  People are still feeling this year that Summer has not quite arrived, that temperatures are below par for this time of year, that summer wardrobes are not able to be fully displayed, hot water bottles haven’t yet been put away, and central heating systems not quite switched off.  So let’s give Summer a warm welcome, and hope it reciprocates.

There should be a sense of excitement and anticipation today, because tomorrow Jupiter trines Uranus, one of the best aspects in human experience (in my view).  It combines the best features of Sagittarius (optimism and hope) and Aquarius (forward thinking and vision).  It appears in the natal charts of entrepreneurs, such as Richard Branson, who definitely has the lucky touch.  So, are you planning an adventure tomorrow (Monday 22^nd)?  How are you launching your working week?  Whatever you are planning, know that the Universe is with you, providing the fuel for an enjoyable trip.

Tuesday (23^rd) may raise some doubts and confusion.  If you had hoped for the momentum of the week to continue, you may need to slow down and smell the roses.  Divine the message in the madness of the world on Tuesday, and don’t take anything at face value.

On Wednesday (24^th) Chiron turns retrograde, so healing practices may need to be reviewed.  This may involve a new alternative form of treatment, but more likely trailing through old remedies and analysing what worked, when and why – utilizing and recycling all your old wisdom.

Mars enters Cancer at lunchtime in the U.K., injecting some energy and warmth into home affairs and the family circle.  Crabs may come out of their shells, and dance.  There will be fierce protection of the underdog, so maybe more vocalizing of the need for an End to Austerity and benefit cuts, to drown out the government’s plans.

On Saturday (27^th) the Sun squares the Nodal Axis, and issues of power come to the fore, especially in groups.  This may be especially noticeable in politics and international relations, but may also be flagged up in local groups or even in family circles.  Maybe one member wants to play the drama queen, and the minions may rise up and protest.  The attention, and the power distribution need to be equal, balanced, and in line with karmic justice.

Next Week – Wimbledon Week 1

The week in bullet points:

• Today – celebrating the Summer
• Tomorrow – go right ahead!
• Tuesday – think things through carefully
• Wednesday – a review of healing; energetic change, protectiveness
• Saturday – karmic power issues

Benedict Cumberbatch

What a year it has been for Benedict Cumberbatch!  Ups and downs (mainly ups) culminating yesterday in the announcement that he had a newborn son, and a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

His Birth Chart

He has a strong chart, with many interesting features.  His Ascendant in Libra (he was born at Noon) conjuncts Pluto exactly, hence he plays strongly dramatic roles – nothing wishy washy about them.  His marked talent in his career is shown by the Part of Fortune exactly conjunct his Midheaven.  He is able to convey woundedness, with Chiron conjunct the Moon and square his Mercury, and Venus exactly conjunct Saturn.  Neptune sextile his Ascendant gives him the ability for the nuance and subtlety of great acting, and the North Node trine his Midheaven marks him out for a karmically studded career path.

Imitation Game

Benedict Cumberbatch comes from an acting family (his mother Wanda Ventham was frequently on television in the 1970s and 1980s).  He came to public notice with the first series of “Sherlock” in 2010.  On 28/11/14 the film “The Imitation Game” was released.  With transiting Mars trine his Jupiter and Saturn trine his natal Sun it was a solid success, and yet as fate would have it, failing to win him the big film awards, such as the Oscars.  He had himself previously played Stephen Hawking, but Eddie Redmayne’s film The Theory of Everything was released soon after, and he took the trophies.

The Imitation Game enabled him to promote the cause of Alan Turing, the subject of the film, who cracked the Enigma Code in the 2^nd World War.  Alan Turing had a profound exact conjunction of Venus conjunct Pluto (emotional turbulence) in Gemini the sign of Codes, which encompasses two of the elements his life is known for.  Benedict Cumberbatch has his Chiron (wounded healer) exactly sextile Alan Turing’s Sun (and is therefore able to bring some healing to Alan Turing’s issues posthumously).  In January Cumberbatch helped the plea for pardon for gay men convicted in Alan Turing’s era.

Sophie Hunter

Benedict was engaged in early November to Sophie Hunter, and they were married on Valentine’s Day this year.  In their synastry (astrological compatibility) his Jupiter is exactly sextile her Sun,  his Neptune exactly trine her natal Mercury, her Venus on his Descendant (marriage point) and their Suns are almost exactly trine.  That is a very good match, though not all plain sailing: there are a couple of significant squares between them.

Richard III

Benedict Cumberbatch is distantly related to King Richard III, who was unearthed and reburied in Leicester.  At the reburial (26/3/15), Benedict read a poem by Carol Ann Duffy, the poet Laureate.  Believe it or not, there is a deep dynastic connection shown by Benedict’s Pluto exactly conjunct Richard III’s Sun.  Furthermore, there is an extraordinarily deep connection altogether (please excuse the hyperbole):

Their Plutos  are exactly sextile,  Richard III’s Pluto is exactly sextile Cumberbatch Ascendant, and his Pluto exactly squares Cumberbatch’s Nodal Axis (a group karmic purpose).  Finally, one of the closest personal karmic ties two people can have: Richard III’s Ascendant conjunct exactly Benedict’s North Node.

The moving words spoken bear repeating:

“…Describe my soul
as incense, votive, vanishing; your own
the same. Grant me the carving of my name.

…or I once dreamed of this, your future breath
in prayer for me, lost long, forever found;
or sensed you from the backstage of my death,
as kings glimpse shadows on a battleground.”

James Rhodes

He even found time to be a supportive friend this year.  James Rhodes was a childhood friend who suffered sexual abuse at his school, and was prevented for many years from publishing his memoirs about events of the past.  He was visibly supported by Benedict Cumberbatch, and finally won the right to write, in May.  Their tie is James Rhodes’ Pluto exactly conjunct Benedict Cumberbatch Ascendant.  At the time James Rhodes succeeded in his mission Pluto was sextile exactly his natal Sun.  For Benedict’s role  in this real life drama, Saturn was trine exactly by transit Cumberbatch’s natal Mercury (a role of commitment).

Baby and CBE

The baby news of his son’s birth was announced yesterday, the same day that the Queen’s Birthday Honours were announced revealing that he had received a CBE.  Venus was transiting his natal Venus/Saturn conjunction, softening the harshness of that, and bringing more love into his life with a Venus Return.  The Moon (representing parenthood) was exactly sextile his Midheaven, so the baby will make an emotional impact on his life.  The Moon sextile his Midheaven also represents public recognition.  Neptune is fine-tuning his destiny and character at the moment, forming a Grand Trine with his Midheaven (career) and North Node (karmic mission).  Jupiter trines Sophie Hunter’s Neptune at the moment, bringing her spiritual fulfilment.

Aspects

Today the Sun conjuncts Mars: it’s a busy busy day, and should generate enough fuel for the whole week (which is short of aspects generally).  You can get motivated today, especially for mental projects (Gemini), or light activities such as running and cycling.  It is good for focussing on puzzles, quizzes and codes – anything that requires mental fortitude and perseverance.  It is probably best for solitary challenges, as competition could produce disputes (the Mars effect) and sparks may ensue.  Don’t compare yourself to others, just concentrate on your own potential.  Healthwise, flare-ups and inflammations are possible.

In the early hours of tomorrow morning (Monday 15^th) Saturn retrogrades into the sign of Scorpio from Sagittarius, so a slightly more serious note may creep into proceedings.  There may be loose ends to tie up from last year’s projects and challenges.  If you have benefited from Saturn’s recent foray into Sagittarius (which took place just before Christmas 2014), then you may feel a slight sense of loss with this move.  There are old issues to settle in connection with life cycles (hatches, matches and despatches) until Saturn re-enters Sagittarius on September 18^th.  You may be waiting for results around insurances or probates, for instance.  Or the psychological shifts that accompany events such as birth may need to be processed.

On Tuesday (16^th) lunchtime, you can focus your positive intent, as there is a New Moon at 25 degrees Gemini.  Again the focus is on the mental plane, and assists projects such as sales and business, writing and education.  Media wannabes too may get their big break of 5 minutes of fame.

So this week brings two pushes forward (Sun conjunct Mars, and the New Moon) and one step looking back (Saturn returning to Scorpio).  These will involve different issues most likely, so you may be surging forward in one or two areas of your life, and re-processing in another area.

Next Week: Cancerian Totems and Archetypes

The week in bullet points:

• Today – energetic
• Tomorrow – step back in time
• Tuesday – new moves in the air

Charles Kennedy (1959 – 2015)

Several years ago, I attended a Lib Dem rally in Cambridge (2005 election campaign), while Charles Kennedy was still leader of the Party.  Seemed like a nice chap…And so say all of us, it seems.

I wrote about him prior to the election, in March:

“The Ashcroft poll this week identified Charles Kennedy’s seat as one of those which was in danger of falling to the S.N.P.  As former leader of the Lib Dem Party, he is a veteran politician.  He is the M.P. for Ross, Skye and Lochaber.  He’s a Sagittarian, and arguably drink was his downfall, leading to him standing down as leader of his party…  He also has a very heavyweight exact trine between Saturn and Pluto, so if it were not for his addiction or frailty, he could have been an outstanding statesman.  As it is, he seems much more comfortable these days in the less demanding role.  On polling day, sadly, Saturn is transiting his natal Sun in Sagittarius, and it looks as though the pollsters may be right, he could well lose his seat.  If he does not lose his seat, he may be heavy hearted at the state of his political party.”

Niceness

 “I am a fully paid-up member of the human race”

Charles Kennedy had his Ascendant conjunct his North Node in Libra, depicting his geniality, but also the North Node in that position making him a mover and shaker in life.  Libra also very symbolic of Liberalism and the Middle Way of politics.  To add even greater charm, he had Venus in Libra in his 1^st House of personality.  He was that rare breed, a cuddly politician, untouched by the prevailing public cynicism towards his profession.

Political achievement

Nick Clegg has said he was always modest about his political achievements, modesty being an attribute of his Moon in Virgo.   He started very young, becoming the youngest Member of Parliament in 1983, aged 23.  It has been commented that he went into his profession too early, which may have caused some of his personal problems.  But he was following his karmic mission (North Node conjunct the Ascendant in Libra), his joy (Part of Fortune in the 10^th House of Politics) and the foundation set for his life (Saturn exactly on his I.C.) – a path that was meant to be.

Leadership

He became leader of the Liberal Democrat Party on 9^th August 1999, when Jupiter by transit was trine his natal Saturn (a responsibility undertaken joyfully).  He was much in tune spiritually with his task, too, with Neptune at the time trine his natal Ascendant and sextile his Sun: a fulfillment of his true nature.  In two elections, he led his Party to victory obtaining the highest number of Lib Dem seats.

He Woz Right

 “The point never to lose sight of is to be guided by the correct thing, as you see it.  It’s the only way to approach such profound matters and retain your integrity.”

He was vindicated on many issues, most notably:

2003,  against Iraq War

He was the most prominent British politician to take part in the anti-war march in London, in protest against the impending war against Iraq, and argued that the change of regime had not been thought through, which was very prescient.

Vince Cable, writing in the Guardian, wrote this week: “He was bombarded with advice from outside and inside the party to support the Blair government; it was said in particular that a party leader  would never be forgiven by the public for criticizing a military intervention in which British service personnel were being killed in action…But he was unpersuaded and constantly said: ‘the case has not been made’. “

Could Tony Blair have listened to him…?   Many things in the world would have turned out differently.

2010, against going into Coalition with the Tories

Charles was quite categoric about not joining the Tories in Coalition in 2010, and the current parlous state of the Lib Dem Party has proved his fears to be well-founded.  Neither did he approve of the course that direction took over the five years of government.

Vince Cable continued: “Charles retained a set of beliefs which has enduring value but are no longer fashionable: a strong commitment to progressive taxation and redistribution of income and wealth and a belief that the country deserved good public serves and, unapologetically, should be asked to pay for them through taxation.  It was clear for those reasons that he did not like the direction of travel that the coalition was taking, and in some respects I shared his concerns.”

What if his instinctive opposition to the formation of the coalition had been heeded?

Alcoholism

“If you were to describe me as teetotal, on behalf of my constituency I’d have to sue; that would lose me every vote in the Highlands” 

Sun in Sagittarius is the sign most often associated with alcoholism, as part of the excess of this sign and its ruler Jupiter, and its lifestyle as a bon viveur.  Physically, he had the red hair often associated with the early degrees of Sagittarius (he was born on 25 November).  In addition Jupiter (his ruling planet) was overbalanced by a square to Pluto.

His most active period in politics, just after his second Election win for his party, ended in early 2006 when his drinking problem was about to be revealed by the media, and subsequently his fellow Lib Dems urged him to stand down.

On 5/1/2006 he admitted that he had a problem, publicly.  Neptune (drink) was exactly trine his natal Venus, and Uranus was exactly trine his natal Neptune, both aspects of revelation and indicative of a time of transparency and honesty.  Subsequently 25 MPs signed a petition for him to resign, and he did so two days later.

Locked away in his 12^th House of Unconscious and Secrets is his Moon (emotions) in Virgo (a private sign), which no one had complete access to, least of all the public.  Who knows the anguish which caused his alcoholism?

Gaby Hinsliff, who had interviewed him a few times, wrote in the Guardian:

“The voice was calm, the arguments fluent, the judgement sharp as a knife.  Charles Kennedy was a more far-sighted politician, even in drink, than many will ever be sober”

Alistair Campbell, a close friend,  has implied that highlighting the plight of alcoholism, seeing the waste of his potential, is a valuable lesson for our society.

Marriage

He married Sarah Gurling at the age of 43, the sister of a friend, at a time when his progressed Sun was square his natal Venus in the 1^st House.  Their son Donald was born three years later, in April 2005, but they were not able to work out the relationship, and in 2010 he separated from his wife and subsequently divorced.  At the time of their separation, Saturn was transiting his Ascendant.

His bond with his son was very strong, and his ex-wife brought him to Parliament this week to hear tributes from all sides of the House.

European Referendum

 “Immigrants provide skills that we simply cannot afford to do without.  They have contributed hugely to Britain’s success”

It has been reported that Charles Kennedy was looking forward to taking a prominent role in the campaign to stay in Europe during the referendum debate.

We could have done with his clarity, for that pitch.  It would have been very helpful.

Death

He was found by his current partner, Carole MacDonald.  His death has been found to be caused by haemorrhage, directly related to his alcoholism. Saturn was sextile his North Node/Ascendant, and conjunct his natal Mercury.

As a Soul, let alone as a human, it must have been so hard to leave behind the son to whom he was devoted.

Quotations in italics by Charles Kennedy

Aspects

There’s a brilliant start to the week tomorrow with a sextile between the Sun and Jupiter.  You can forge ahead with confidence, as most of the week has a clear path of four sextiles – though there are a few stumbling blocks right at the end of the week on Friday.  So trust your luck early in the week, and you can gain some ground.

On Tuesday (9^th) Mars is sextile Uranus, which can bring a great deal of excitement.  Sparks can fly, but mostly positive ones.  The approach of this Mars/Uranus connection has brought some thunderstorms here in the U.K., but they were short and sharp and cleared the air, light summer storms.  If heated words are exchanged, they may be surprisingly enlightening, and pave the way for new understanding.  Engineering interests are favoured by this aspect.

Mercury sextiles Venus at lunchtime on Wednesday (10^th) favouring the café culture, the writers, artists and philosophers ruminating the meaning of life in cafes or, at this time of year in a sunny spot outside.  Apparently, Andrew Marr and Kate Moss were seen vying for such a spot last week.  It’s a fertile creative space for the birth of your next novel or painting.

In the evening, the Sun sextiles Uranus, and brainstorming can produce some brilliant ideas, especially for inventors or futuristic artists.  All in all, it could be a momentous and feelgood day.

Some of you may have been patiently waiting for Thursday (11^th), holding off important communications for Mercury to go direct. Thursday is the day if you don’t like doing anything while Mercury is retrograde, but technically you may have to wait for Friday for results to bear fruit, as Mercury stations (stands still before turning) late on Thursday, and won’t start moving until at least Friday.  But, you can have your pen poised on Thursday, arrive at the station, be ready to start negotiations, have your foot ready on the accelerator, waiting for the go signal.  You’ll know when it arrives.

However, don’t confuse it with some of the complex influences which are occurring on Friday.  Early Friday (12^th) brings a square between Mars and Chiron, which could be incident-prone, and may distract you from the documentation you were holding in your hand ready for the Mercury turnaround.  This will be a separate issue, and you need to recognize what is not healing in your environment, and may set you back.  It is a good day to de-tox, for instance, and not an advisable day for botox.

In the morning, too, another planet turns around, this time Neptune, and this time it is turning the other way, i.e. retrograde.  Neptune can be a tricky planet even when sailing smoothly forward, but in retrograde you really have to look for the illusionary haze of glamour on your path before taking the next step, if you don’t want to take a detour.  At the same time, there is no sense in panicking because Neptune doesn’t turn direct again until November 18^th.  It is going to be a long process of sifting the wheat from the chaff spiritually.  Take a course in meditation if it is something you can’t settle to on your own, as that will be perfect for taking a long look at what you need to stay true on your path.

Later in the day the Sun squares Chiron, and an issue could come up for healing.  It may be unrelated to the spiritual fog of Neptune retrograde, but the two together could be working to help bring something to light which you need to be dealing with.  Healing modalities are present, but the right ones for the job may need trial and error to find.  There may be an awkward fit initially, e.g. you may be feeling like a square peg in a round hole, but if you persevere you’ll be guided to more comfortable outcomes.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – a stroke of luck
• Tuesday – electricity
• Wednesday – culture, and originality
• Thursday – turning point for communication
• Friday – complexity and wound healing

FIFA

At the risk of a boycott, I find myself writing about Fifa and Sepp Blatter this morning!  This subject has dominated the headlines since Wednesday, and I cannot ignore it.  On Wednesday 14 Fifa officials were arrested on charges of corruption, and the Swiss opened investigations on the awarding of the World Cup franchise to Russia and Qatar for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments.  The U.S. Attorney General Lorretta Lynch pointed the finger at officials within the organization who had accepted millions in bribes, laying out 47 corruption charges.  Rumours and innuendo had been circulating for years, but this was the moment to bring the officials to book, as they gathered for a conference in Zurich.

Sepp Blatter

Wednesday was also two days from Sepp Blatter’s predictable re-election as Chairman of Fifa, following 16 years of unchallenged rule.  Would his position wobble in the face of the allegations?  On Friday, he failed to get the required number of votes in relation to his opponent Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, but before a second vote could take place, Ali Hussein conceded defeat, and seamlessly Sepp Blatter stepped back into the helm which he had never left, without missing a heartbeat or blinking an eyelid, batting off any suggestion that he was implicated or responsible for any of the despicable practices.

In his chart, Sepp Blatter has the Sun in Pisces (possibly deceptive) opposite Neptune (double deception) trine loosely Pluto (powerful).  He has Mercury conjunct Venus (smooth talker) and Venus sextile Jupiter (social skills).  The North Node is in Capricorn (karmic mission as an Administrator, interested in political status).  He has the notorious Uranus square Pluto (destructive tendencies if unchecked), plus an up close and personal Moon opposite Mars (fiery emotions).  There is also Saturn opposite Neptune (some tendency to depression)

The transits to his chart this week were interesting:  Chiron was on his Sun – (the exposure of a wound), Pluto was square to his Moon – (emotional exposure), but the triumph factor was Pluto trine his Neptune – he was prepared for the exposure, and is still in a strong state psychologically.

Pisces

Pisces can be the most beautiful, talented, intelligent and compassionate sign.  But like all signs, it has its positive and negative attributes.  It seems that Sepp Blatter has adopted (with his own free will) the classically negative tendencies and weaknesses of the sign: deception, intrigue, mystery, self-delusion and scandal.  This may have been the line of least resistance for him as ruling planet Neptune opposes his natal Sun in Pisces.  But there are many perfectly decent Pisceans out there, even with harsh aspects to their Sun.

Neptune of course rules the Sea, and the Observer today has printed a list of Sepp Blatter’s sea metaphors, of which here is a hand picked selection of 3 (I would have liked to use them all):

‘2011: Faced with more allegation, Blatter admits: “We are on a ship and the ship is moving through troubled, rocky waters”…

2013: Job done.  He tells congress in Mauritius: “As your captain I am happy to say that Fifa has weathered the storm.  We have emerged from troubled waters stronger and into hopefully as beautiful, calm and transparent sea as the sea around us in Mauritius.”…

Yesterday’s final flourish: “We will take our boat back into calmer water and take the Fifa ship into tranquility and happiness.” ‘

FIFA

Fifa (the Fédération Internationale de Football Association) was founded on 21^st May 1904, with a conjunction of Sun and Mars, most suitable for a Football Association, but also apt to stir the passions and appeal to the male of the species!  There is also a communicative Mercury-Venus conjunction (which is shared by Sepp Blatter).  It has a square between the Moon and Venus, which is not very female friendly.  Pluto exactly sextile Jupiter makes it a successful power machine, backed up with a close trine between Saturn and Pluto (an enduring structure), with Jupiter sitting in the middle of the trine.  The Sun exactly trines Chiron, so ostensibly it was set up at the time to heal something, which may have got lost in translation, or may not yet have emerged (Chiron was only discovered in 1977).  Mars trines Chiron, so there is a full bloodied healing energy latent, but if Fifa is boycotted and literally dies, that potential may never come to fruition.

At the time of the arrests, the Moon was conjunct its Virgo North Node – an examination of its purity.  Uranus (shock) was transiting its Jupiter in Aries (capacity of getting away without censure).

Africa

The relationship of Fifa and Sepp Blatter to the African nations is an interesting one.  It illustrates tortuously well the subversion of the best qualities of Pisces, as benefactor and compassionate dealer.  There has been debate since Blatter’s re-election whether the African nations voted him back in through fear, or through gratitude.  The fact is that the African developing nations have been propped up or boosted through the re-distribution of wealth through Fifa.  So the Pisces-Neptune qualities acting in a beneficent and charitable way (apparently) have been part of the corruption, while looking glamorously kind (and in some ways having genuinely helped).  How very Neptune, smoke and mirrors!

Switzerland

Switzerland, a country associated with Pisces’ opposite sign Virgo (watchmakers, precision, cleanliness, attention to detail) is the perfect country to bring Sepp Blatter to book!  Switzerland has the Sun perfectly aligned with its karmic mission (Sun/North Node conjunction in Virgo) as independent arbiter of purity, with Mercury conjunct Mars (the Critic Archetype) and Moon conjunct the I.C. in Pisces (a self-contained sense of security).

Transits at the time of the arrests show the hand of Chiron (the Inner Healer) at work: Chiron trines the Ascendant of Switzerland (a chance to heal a longstanding sore) but also conjuncts the Swiss Saturn (“it hurts me as much as it hurts you to do this”) – an unpleasant but necessary duty.

Loretta Lynch

Like Fifa, Loretta Lynch (US Attorney General) was born on 21^st May – maybe this gives her a karmic link into the probity of the organization, as if she can see personally what the correct blueprint should be, and won’t rest until integrity is honoured.  With Mars trine Jupiter, she has the enthusiasm to fight the good fight.  With Mercury square Uranus, she is not afraid of controversy.  Saturn closely sextile Neptune gives her a grasp of subtlety and the firmness not to allow slippery eels to escape through her legal fingers.  According to yesterday’s Guardian Obama has said “Loretta might be the only lawyer in Amerca who battles mobsters and drug lords and terrorists, and still has the reputation for being a charming people person”.  I look forward to seeing more of Loretta Lynch’s career on the world stage, confronting corruption.  Her North Node (karmic mission) is of course in the legal sign of fairness, Libra.

Transitwise, she has taken on a huge cause (“as big as they come” according to the Guardian) as shown by a transiting square of Saturn to her Pluto.  But the great challenger in the sky Pluto is currently trine her natal Mercury, illuminating her mental skills.

People have begged me not to blog about this subject today.  I hope I come to feel it was worth it!

Aspects

With Neptune squaring Mercury in recent days, spotlighting scandal and deception, today the Sun squares Neptune, prolonging the uncertainty and questioning.  You could wish the fog away, but it is still lingering.

And there is a vague feeling of unease operating until the break of mood after the Full Moon at 11 degrees Sagittarius on Tuesday (2^nd).  There may be a sense of suspicion and a question of “will they or won’t they?” around communications for this Full Moon.  If you see someone eyeing you up and down in the street on Tuesday, you’ll know why.  Trust will be the commodity that people will be looking for in their hearts, truth will be the prize.  We cannot blame Fifa and Sepp Blatter for casting a shadow on our faith in human nature, but the planets are not helping at the moment, other than focusing our minds on the blur.

So it is a week of searched consciences, reaching a peak Tuesday afternoon, then slowly settling down.  Venus will still be in Cancer, so we may be examining our personal emotions for a few days, before Venus enters Leo on Friday.

The feeling tone then changes on Friday (5^th) when Venus enters Leo, and a holiday mood takes over.  You may feel you want to express yourself more, through the Arts or Drama.  My art teacher this week announced that she would be imminently joining the local Amateur Dramatics group and having a 2 week holiday from tutoring us in watercolour pencil.  That is just the vibe which is supported by Venus in Leo.  Take a break, and express your Inner Artist, especially through performance (Leo).  Venus stays in Leo until 18^th July, so this is enough time to establish a new artistic regime or skill, or enjoy a holiday out of the School holiday period.  Thereafter Venus pays a short visit to Virgo, before returning to Leo for a long stay.

Take steps on Friday to take your passion and make it happen, for by the evening Mars in Gemini (mental activity) sextiles Jupiter in Leo (hedonism), and you’ll be on fire!  It is the best evening of the week for a shindig, a ceilidh, a dinner party or a soiree.  It will be especially favourable for sports enthusiasts, meeting to firm up their schedules.

And there’s more good news on Saturday (6^th), when Venus trines Saturn.  It is a good solid aspect, a much more sober benefit than Friday’s prospect, but nevertheless a bird in the hand.  It is a good day for mercy, commitment and loyalty, and finding the trust that you might have lost earlier in the week.  It is safe to open your heart.  If you never lost trust, and you kept your heart open, then the divine healing of the Universe can continue to flow through you unhindered!

The week in bullet points:

• Today – more uncertainty
• Tuesday – emotions at a peak
• Friday – creative expression, and joyful energy
• Saturday – quiet celebration of relationship

Ireland

All eyes have been on Ireland this week, from a historic visit by Prince Charles, to a groundbreaking referendum.

Ireland chart

The 1949 chart for Ireland (in the year the Republic was proclaimed) is dominated by Aries (Mars/North Node/Sun/Venus), and you have to take a closer look to get a feel of the Emerald Isle, the Earth based green planets.  This is provided by a close trine between Mercury in Taurus and the Moon in Capricorn, plus the Midheaven in Virgo.  Venus is exactly conjunct the Sun, and also trines the Moon (this is the laid back quality in the Irish character, and the love of song).  Strangely, there are no water planets for this Emerald Isle.

Prince Charles

Prince Charles has not had a close relationship with Ireland, but this week chose to tackle his relationship with the place.  The wound occurred when his close great-uncle  and mentor (“the grandfather I never had” Lord Mountbatten, was killed by an I.R.A. bomb in August 1979.  This week, Prince Charles travelled to Ireland to meet Gerry Adams, terrorist turned respectable politician on Tuesday (19^th May), and visit the site of his uncle’s murder on Wednesday (20^th May) at Mullaghmore.

The Prince has a lot going on, transit-wise, at the moment, and arrived in Ireland fresh from the revelations of his Black Spider letters.  But, with Jupiter sextile his natal Neptune, he has been laying to rest some ghosts in his life.

Gerry Adams

There was potential for peacemaking in Gerry Adams’ chart, with the Sun in Libra conjunct exactly Neptune (a complex inner journey).  Venus is conjunct Saturn in his chart, which may have closed his heart early in life.  We do not have his birth time, but if born around Noon he will have had the Moon square this conjunction, a very sectarian set of feelings.  He also has Mars conjunct Chiron, a woundedness, which may have in early life led to a belief in a “wound or be wounded” mentality, then later at some point switched to looking at a more healing approach.

Gerry Adams has some surprisingly good connections in his chart with Prince Charles, but tellingly his Sun/Neptune conjunction (confusion) falls exactly on Prince Charles’ I.C., a point in the chart which represents roots and security.  Here are Charles’s own words on the effect of the bombing in his life:

“So it seemed as if the foundations of all that we held dear in life had been torn apart irreparably.”

For this historic meeting of reconciliation and forgiveness, Mars was square Prince Charles’s Saturn (a difficult confrontation), but Mars was sextile the Prince’s Ascendant (courage displayed).

For Gerry Adams, his perspective was Saturn squaring his natal Saturn (again a difficult confrontation, perhaps facing up to his own weaknesses of the past), but Neptune trine his natal Mercury (mental peace) and Neptune square his natal Venus (a confusion of the heart).

Lord Mountbatten

Lord Louis Mountbatten, who played such an important role in Prince Charles’s life, has a very unusual chart.  A lot of planets are crowded into 3 zodiac signs, save for the planet Saturn, a singleton at the beginning of its own sign of Capricorn (a profound sense of responsibility), and Mars at the end of Taurus.  He was a double Cancerian, having the Sun and Ascendant in this parental sign (indicative of the important family role he played), but also the Part of Fortune, Venus and Mercury in the clandestine 12^th House.  He also had a conglomeration of planets in the globetrotting sign of Sagittarius, including its own ruling planet Jupiter.  The importance of his death as part of his karmic mission is shown by Uranus, a planet of explosions and the ruler of his 8^th House of Death exactly conjunct his North Node.

His deep psychological connection with Prince Charles is shown by an exact sextile between their Plutos (a bridge for the generations for each other), and the wounded element of their relationship history shows up with Mountbatten’s Mars opposing Prince Charles’s Chiron (the triggering of his own “wounded healer”).  On the day of Prince Charles’s visit to the place where Lord Mountbatten died, Neptune was squaring Lord Mountbatten’s Nodal Axis, a karmic opportunity for an act of spiritual peace on the world stage.

Referendum

The referendum vote on same sex marriage which took place on Friday (22^nd) and whose resounding result of a 62% Yes vote was announced on (23^rd) represents a world first in terms of the population of a country (and a small one at that) voting on this issue.  The breaking of a taboo is shown in the transits by Neptune from Pisces in the 4^th House (an expression of the sensitivity of its people) squaring the Irish Chiron in the 1^st House in Sagittarius.  Ireland has the potential for being a groundbreaker, in its natal aspect of Sun exactly sextile Uranus.  There are also several natal aspects to Ireland’s North Node, so karmic events and responses are very much a part of its pattern.  Uranus is travelling towards its Mars in Aries, coming up close in July before turning retrograde, so when it does reach Mars next year there is likely to be some explosiveness when the revolutionary planet inflames the passion of the nation.  For the other side of the coin is Saturn at the top of the chart, representing the reactionary forces and the more traditional values, and this vote is one in the eye for the Catholic Church, which has sought to determine the country’s sexual mores.

Pope

Pope Francis does have other countries to attend to, and other fish to fry, and his transits at the moment have some harmonious elements, such as the North Node trine his natal Venus.  However, there is some aggro going on for him at the moment with Uranus (rebellion) opposing his Mars (will), so perhaps that is the Irish issue showing up.

Aspects

You may be feeling a bit jangled this weekend, as we are in the middle of a T-square between Venus in Cancer, Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn – Taureans and Librans may be feeling this especially.

So on Friday we had Venus opposing Pluto (emotional wrangles) and yesterday we had Saturn opposite the Sun (deflation for some) and we start the week on Bank Holiday Monday (25^th) with Venus square Uranus (the second leg of the T-square).  Tomorrow could find us on the hop or wrong-footed.  Still feeling jangled, you may be struggling to find your footing emotionally or spiritually.  It is the search for the right feeling tone for what you are experiencing, and what you hope for, in relation to what might not be going your way.  Relationships may be under strain, but more importantly, you may need to address your relationship with yourself in order to produce the smooth week that you might desire.  If you have a break from working, use it to devise the best possible strategy for yourself in the near future in order to pick up any pieces which may have got scattered over the last few days.

Any clarity you achieve will be tested on Monday evening, with a square between Mars and Neptune.  Having got things straight with yourself, you may then have to address the use of your energies in relation to others in your life, particularly the men in your life (whether same sex or not!).  Some extra confusion could be thrown up on this subject, and you may not know where you stand.  More re-assessment, re-evaluation, and piecing together your feelings may be necessary.  You may have a sense of being at sea again.  Try not to act while in this state (which may be due to over-imbibing alcohol over the Bank Holiday weekend!) and wait to sober up after the Bank Holiday.

Wednesday (27^th) is the perfect opportunity to sober up, because Mars will be conjunct Mercury and you will need to think on your feet, act quickly to catch up on tasks which you haven’t quite been up to for a week.  So a splash of cold water on the face on Wednesday, and onwards and upwards!  Geminis and Virgoans especially will be nifty, but most people will be in a position to be  on the go, and on their bikes, or skateboards, or their chosen vehicle (Mercury retrograde notwithstanding).  Communication will be zippy, and conversations gabbled at the rate of knots.

Later that day, Venus trines Chiron, a real opportunity to re-group your healing energies and feel harmony within your being.

Friday (29^th) reverts to confusion and tangled communication, with Mercury squaring Neptune.  Emails may be exposed, deceptions come to light, journeys undertaken may prove more complicated than anticipated, and there is a general foggy feeling.  You might be able to ascertain whether or not this aspect would be able to affect you, if you remember back to just after the General Election when Mercury squared Neptune before it turned retrograde.  Some of us were shell-shocked by the result, others not affected.  So, more re-grouping may be necessary, depending on how sensitive you are to this aspect. Disorientation and re-orientation being the watchwords.

Saturday (30^th) gives us an opportunity for clarity, when the Sun conjuncts Mercury at 9 degrees of Gemini.  Super concentration and insight are possible, but because the Sun also squares Neptune the next day it might be like trying to get a crisp photographic image, a matter of trial and error, and perseverance and watchfulness.  Eyes wide open will help on Saturday.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – twists and turns, and fuzziness
• Wednesday – getting ahead, coming to a place of peace
• Friday – some confusion
• Saturday – in the midst of some fine-tuning

Gemini Totems and Archetypes

The Sun goes into Gemini this week on  Thursday (21st) at 8.45 a.m. in the U.K.  I intend to look today at some of the animal totems and Archetypes for this birth sign.

I will start with the Animal Totems of this sign.  Although the traditional emblem of the sign is The Twins and it is one of the few signs which does not have an animal representation traditionally, I have been working since the late 1980s with animal totems, and a few have consistently presented themselves over the years.  I first developed my work with animal totems when I worked jointly with Sandy Colyer in Watford, who sadly passed away a few years ago.  We called ourselves ATTEMPT (Astrological Totem Tarot encompassing Massage and Past Life Therapy)! These totems and archetypes can relate to you whether you have Gemini Sun or Ascendant in your chart, or a prominent Mercury.  Otherwise, it might make your observation of Gemini family and friends more interesting.

Animal Totems

Definition of “Animal Totemic Theology” by Barbara Hand Clow: “Systems that explore how the gods act through humanity by showing characteristics in humans and gods that mirror animal traits.”

Monkey

This refers to both the mischievous side of Gemini, and to the restless mind which they refer to in meditation circles as “monkey mind”, an inability to still the mind and settle to meditation.  Monkey is also associated with a talent for mimicry, at which Gemini can excel.

Butterfly

Gemini is an adaptable sign, one of the four “Mutable” signs as they are known.  Butterfly refers to the Geminian tendency to flit from subject to subject, or, as with Venus in Gemini, the social butterfly who works the room at a party or gathering. Butterfly also describes the Geminian love of variety, ephemeral change (as distinct from the deep change of Aquarius and Uranus).

Jamie Sams and David Carson write in “Medicine Cards” where Butterfly comes up:

“There is a need for change in your life that you are not recognizing.  This could be a possible need for freedom, for a vacation, or for a new job.”

There is a deeper side of Butterfly as an aspect of Transformation, associated with the sign of Scorpio, and the planet Pluto.  If I should carry on with this theme as a series for all the signs, I may get to that!

Chameleon

I think one of the manifestations of the Chameleon for Gemini is related to the fact that one of the talents of Gemini is mimicry, and it is remarkable that a high proportion of successful impressionists are Geminian.

Famous Examples: Mike Yarwood (a pioneer of the art) and John Culshaw (of Dead Ringers and Newzoids); Harry Enfield (who worked on Spitting Image), and Debra Stephenson (who worked with John Culshaw on Dead Ringers, and now accompanies him on Newzoids).

Gemini in combination with Pisces

Certain combinations of signs turn up animal totems.  An example is the dragonfly which comes up for Gemini in combination say with a Pisces Ascendant.  This incorporates the sense of illusion and delicacy from Pisces’ ruler Neptune.

 

Bird Totems

All air signs bring up bird totems, but Gemini does especially.

Eagle

Eagle is the most prominent bird totem for Gemini, and particularly the Bald Eagle, which is strong for British Geminians, and I imagine would be even more so for U.S. Geminians!  It heralds all the bird totems in the zodiac, in the way that Gemini heralds the Air signs.

Nicky Scully writes, in “The Golden Cauldron”: “Eagle clarifies choices.  As you soar with him, you can view your choices and make decisions about your life based on the keen vision and lofty perspective you have as Eagle”.

Magpies

Magpie refers to the slightly kleptomaniac tendency of some Geminians (though not all), as well as its curiosity.  It is the sense in which they collect bits of information, but also pass it on. [I have been indebted to a certain Gemini collector of information this week].   Magpie’s reputation has been linked with superstition through the old rhyme “One for sorrow, two for joy…”

In “Birds Divine Messengers” Andrea Wansbury writes:

“A magpie is saying you need to adopt a more enquiring mind and not be so resigned about your life by putting everything down to fate or ‘that’s just the way life goes’.  In this age of becoming conscious, we have to switch to detective mode, probing into our own lives to discover our fears and negativities.”

Wren

It has only come to my notice this week, after some feverish polling, that Wren seems to be one of the popular birds amongst Geminis, possibly because of its cheerfulness, a trait which Geminis often have.

Parrot

Parrot speaks for itself!  Gemini is a conduit for its social environment, and passes on information as a natural function: a veritable winged messenger.

Combinations

Red Kite for Sun in Gemini in combination say with Aries Ascendant (or vice versa)

Blackbird for Gemini in combination say with Scorpio Ascendant

 

Archetypes

Definition of “Archetypes” by Barbara Hand Clow: “Thoughtforms that shape reality, which may have existed before reality manifested and may even have precipitated reality; the primordial ideas.”

Communicator

Communication is the most basic principle for this sign.

Famous Example: the loquacious Russell Brand

(Related to the Parrot Bird Totem)

The Thief

This Archetype has a more negative connotation than most, although all archetypes can have a positive side, and a shadow side.  This correspondence with Gemini derives from the ruler of this sign Mercury (Roman god, and Hermes the Greek equivalent).  He apparently stole Apollo’s cattle while still a toddler!  This trait may be a function of the Geminian cleverness, outwitting opponents.  And in the modern world, it may refer especially to the stealing of information (as in cribbing essay notes from Wikipedia).

(Related to the Magpie Bird Totem)

Other Gemini Archetypes:

Teacher, Scientist, Scribe, Intellectual, Merchant

These Archetypes feature heavily in Geminian careers, and potential.

Combinations

Gemini in combination with Aries: The Engineer

Gemini in combination with Virgo or Aries: The Critic

Gemini in combination with Virgo: The Gossip

Caroline Myss writes of this Archetype:

“Most people would hesitate to choose this archetype because of its negative implications, yet many others make their living in the business of political, social and entertainment gossip in a positive way.  The Archetype is connected to lessons of truth, integrity, and honouring the trust another has placed in you.”

Famous Example: Gossipy style of Joan Rivers’ humour
Applications

Hope you have found it interesting to peruse the many faces of this multi-faceted sign!

The animal and bird totems reflect the traditions of shamanism and Native American culture.  If you are out in nature, the appearance of a particular animal or bird can carry a message, empowerment, protection or intervention for you for that time.  Perhaps a bird has been following you around, which sometimes happens.  Birds are often seen as messengers from the spirit worlds, after the departure of a loved one.

Archetypes are dynamic forces in the psyche, and can depict or highlight a psychological issue in a vivid and dramatic way.  Both animal totems and archetypes as they appear in meditation, dreams and sometimes in past-life regressions can be worked with in dialogue with each other or in role play.

Bibliography:

“Medicine Cards” by Jamie Sams and David Carson

“The Golden Cauldron” by Nicky Scully

“Birds Divine Messengers” by Andrea Wansbury

“Sacred Contracts” by Caroline Myss

 

Aspects

The start of the week brings a New Moon at 26 degrees Taurus.  In the office that may mean a minor reorganization.  In the retirement garden, there may be a new spirit of landscaping; moving plants and trees where they need to go, according to your listening skills.  In the artist’s studio, a new painting or artform may begin.  I have been attending an art course, and have painted my first bird!  Hence the inspiration for this Gemini bird totem blog.

There is some information on the net linking this New Moon with the fixed star Algol, which frankly does not have a good press.  The Sun is aligned with Algol in the constellation of Perseus at this time of the year, and the ancients were most fearful of its presentation in their lives.  Bernadette Brady in her book of the Fixed Stars says: “Algol…is the wild, raw, frightening face of the outraged feminine which has been labeled demonic or simply evil.”

There are some deeply negative reputations from ancient astrology for some of the Fixed Stars, of which Algol comes out as one of the worst.  In astrological literature, I found these irredeemable until “Starlight Elixirs” by Michael Smulkis and Fred Rubenfeld fell into my lap in 1992.  Since then I have worked with this book in many applications, including a meditation group.

So here is an alternative interpretation from that book, should you wish to adopt it as an alternative mindset:

“Algol’s ability to prepare individuals for understanding their destiny, their life purpose, and the ability to manifest this purpose more easily in the world, this is at once spiritual and practical.  For most people what will usually result is an ability to understand their profession and accept it more easily.

Algol can attune individuals to harmonies deep within their being.  These are partly genetic in nature, partly past-life in nature, but more importantly are in attunement to the shared soul of the lifestream of humanity.”

In the early hours of Tuesday 19th (in U.K. time) Mercury is stationary, prior to going retrograde.  It has become fashionable to be alarmed at this, and now the internet is issuing prior warnings in advance, of communication disruption in its “shadow period”, declaring that its influence is beginning even before it turns retrograde.  Retrograde Mercurial disruption pertains primarily to old school communication, as Uranus represents the more modern and technological side of communication.  When these two planets are squared, we are stymied from both aspects of communication.  And of course much of our equipment these days, such as smartphones, double up for both functions.  I have observed that communication can be disrupted outside of a Retrograde period (e.g. we have had a rail strike announced recently) and also perceive that with clarity and consciousness, successful communication can take place during a retrograde period.  I feel that the Mercury Retrograde has been bigged up by the media as it is a phenomenon easy to see and to grasp by those not immersed in Astrology.  But I also feel it is a negative and fearful way of seeing and working with Astrology.  There are more likely to be glitches when Mercury is switching from direct to retrograde, but I do not favour the drama and demonizing of Mercury which is being perpetuated.  So bear in mind that you need to make extra effort to get your communications clear, but otherwise don’t panic.  Also it is good to from time to time cultivate the skills of the old forms, such as snail mail, just to show that you are not totally dependent on technology.  Practise handwriting. And mindfulness.  The lower mind (Mercury) and the higher mind (Uranus) need to work together, so you don’t need to let your natural skills go rusty.

On Thursday 21^st at 8.45 am in the U.K. the Sun enters Gemini, so we have a focus and emphasis on the Gemini way of consciousness.  More communication (of the disrupted, the not so disrupted and even the harmonious kind), and more learning about the world.  Gemini represents information and news gathered from magazines, newspapers and television (broadcasting is ruled by Gemini), rather than book learning.  We may hear more about the new government’s Education plans, as this is another area associated with Gemini.  On Thursday, you may find your mind opening out to new areas of information, and new theories.

Late morning there is a minor aspect of Jupiter quincunx Pluto.  The aspect may be minor, but the two planets involved are major.  So there may be power struggles arising both in private and public lives, and volcanic activity in nature.

More volcanic activity, this time tending to be on the emotional front, on Friday 22^nd in the early hours, as Venus opposes Pluto.  You may have retired to your bed fretting about an interpersonal encounter, but likely as not there may not be much you can do about it.  Surrender to sleep and ask your subconscious to come up with a solution, which it may do.

But Saturday (23^rd) in the early hours may bring up another dilemma, with Saturn opposing the Sun.  The issue that keeps you awake may not be as deep as the previous night/morning, but may seem intractable and keep you weighed down.  Again, acceptance may be the key, and the ability to work with solutions from your subconscious, superconscious mind, or Higher Self.  In that way, a fresh outlook may await you in the morning as you emerge from your bedcovers.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – a practical new beginning
• Tuesday – disrupted communication of sorts
• Thursday – more emphasis on communication; some power struggle
• Friday – emotional wrangles
• Saturday – deflation early; let go of it

So…all the pundits were wrong, and we did not get a hung parliament.  Between them, the Conservatives and the Scottish National Party carved up the political map of the U.K.  There are a lot of people out there deeply disappointed and worried about the future of our country, and my feeling is that the shock will galvanize each person to ask what they can personally be responsible for in making a difference.  Whether it is writing more letters, getting involved in conservation projects, helping at food banks, there is more each person can do to take a step towards a world they want to see.   I feel that I have complacently walked into a situation whereby many more vulnerable people are going to be suffering, and I should have done more.  In our household, hubby and I have decided (at 65) to become more politically active – we’re united in this, and intend to seize the day!  Our youngest daughter who lives in London, meanwhile, is enquiring about when the next march is going to take place.  I hope that Nicola Sturgeon’s passion for helping the poor somehow highlights the inequalities of Conservative policies in parliament, and that might result in  softening the blow for those on the breadline and below.  Do they say you should never blog about religion and politics…?  Enough said.

And now for something completely different…

How you can spot a Zodiac sign from a mile off

Physical features tend to show up more in the Ascendant sign, but are often spotted in the Sun Sign.  If you have a planet rising, the sign which it rules will have sway, e.g. Neptune rising (ruler of Pisces) will increase the water retention in your body.  Have fun with this.  As this is not an illustrated blog, you will need your visual imagination.  Third eye to the ready!

Aries

Distinguishing features: Prominent chins, short stature, reddish hair, balding (hopefully men-only), glasses, large heads.

Famous Examples: Elton John, Jeremy Clarkson, Adrian Chiles, Alan Sugar, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Chris Evans, David Frost, Debbie Reynolds, Doris Day (Sun Signs)

Taurus

Distinguishing features: Short stature, tendency to overweight, snub nose, prominent neck.

Famous Examples: Adele, Renee Zellweger (Sun Sign)

Gemini

Distinguishing features: Thin, with plenty of nervous energy, a two-pronged nose (!), an open mouth, darting eyes.

Famous examples: Colin Farrell, Johnny Depp (Sun Sign)

Cancer

Distinguishing features: A generous chest, spindly legs, short stature, tendency to fluid retention, sensitive skin, sidelong glance, moon face.

Famous examples: Hilary Mantel, Ricky Gervais, Ringo Starr (Sun Sign)

George Michael (Sun Sign and Ascendant)

Leo

Distinguishing features: Tall stature, thick mane of hair, proud bearing, commanding appearance, blond hair

Famous examples: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Madonna, Robert Redford (Sun Sign)

Richard Branson, Stephen Fry (Ascendant)

Alfred Hitchcock, (Sun Sign and Ascendant)

Virgo

Distinguishing features: Short stature, slim, porcelain skin, neat or fine features, delicate bones

Famous examples: Ashley Roberts, Nigel Slater, Twiggy (Sun Sign)

Woody Allen (Ascendant)

Libra

Distinguishing features: Beautiful people, tall and slender, even features, elegant.

Famous examples: Brigitte Bardot, Catherine Zeta Jones, Margaret Thatcher, Davina McCall, Gwyneth Paltrow, Roger Moore, Chuka Ummuna (Sun Sign)

John F. Kennedy, Rock Hudson (Ascendant)

Martin Kemp (Sun Sign and Ascendant)

Scorpio

Distinguishing features: Short stature, wiry build, deep set eyes, neat pointed nose, piercing gaze, auburn hair, gravel-voiced.

Famous examples: Billie Jean King, Boris Becker, Conchita Wurst, Sally Field, Julia Roberts, Neil Young, Richard Burton (Sun Sign)

Jane Asher (Ascendant)

Sagittarius

Distinguishing features: Tall, large nose, a gap between the two front teeth, portly round the middle, open face, bushy eyebrows (hopefully just the men), chunky hips and thighs.

Famous examples: Alistair Darling, Bette Midler, Billy Connolly, Christopher Biggins, Marco Pierre White, Martin Clunes, Miranda Hart, Richard Osman (Sun Sign)

Ronald Reagan (Ascendant)

Capricorn

Distinguishing features: Tall, dark hair, slim, olive complexion

Famous examples: Joan Baez, Angus Deayton, Ed Miliband, Kate Middleton, Rowan Atkinson (Sun Sign)

Colin Farrell, Victoria Beckham (Ascendant)

Aquarius

Distinguishing features: Very tall, very slim, very long arms, live wire electrical energy, distinguishing features (nothing ordinary about the appearance).

Famous examples: Alice Cooper, Eddie Izzard, John McEnroe, Vanessa Redgrave, Peter Crouch (Sun Sign)

David Bowie  (Ascendant)

Alan Cumming (Sun Sign and Ascendant)

Pisces

Distinguishing features: Prominent feet, water retention, dreamy eyes.

Famous examples: Elizabeth Taylor, Vanessa Feltz (Sun Sign)

Ringo Starr, Barry Humphries (Ascendant)

Do these descriptions fit anyone you know?

Aspects

Tomorrow (Monday 11^th) offers the best prospect for healing, with the Sun sextile Chiron.  If you have a medical appointment, Chiron (the Healer) should afford you decent care today.  If you are self-treating with herbs or consciousness, your path too should be eased.  If you are merely trying to Heal your Life, you should be comfortably on track.

On Tuesday (12^th) you will be fighting different battles.  Mars leaves Taurus, where the Inner Warrior has been determined and focussed, and enters the debating chambers of Gemini, where the fight is on the mental plane.  Wars of words, banter and repartee characterize its stay here, which lasts until 24^th June.  Gemini is a more adaptable sign, so dodging verbal bullets and hedging bets is the way the battle is fought in this territory.  Those who are clever with words may have the edge.  Time to take a course on linguistics.

On Friday (15^th) Mars opposes Saturn, perhaps the first battle which Mars initiates in this sign.  Opposing Saturn, it may be a battle against intransigeance.  It may be an internal battle against an area where you lack self-confidence or self-belief.  Conversely, you may be taking a stand (the Saturn position) against another who is seeking to impose their will, or asserting themselves.  You may be the last bastion of an Institution dedicated to preserve the status quo.  Or you may be a pacifist seeking to demonstrate that fighting is not the answer.  In the exchange though, lessons will be learned and information supplied.  Questions may be answered, too, through confronting issues.

Venus squares the Nodal Axis on Saturday (16^th), and relationships come under the karmic microscope.  Who are we in relation to each other, and perhaps who were we in past lives in relation to each other, plus how will we be going forward, and how will we be in relation to each other in the future?  Some might just prefer the approach of the Now, but the whole tapestry can be very interesting.

By tea-time (in the U.K.) you may have some answers to those questions, supplied by Venus in a trine with Neptune.  You may have needed the questioning, in order to arrive at the sense of peace, or the potential of spiritual bliss of this aspect.  The Arts receive a special grace from this aspect, a world away from political wrangling.  It’s a night at the ballet, or nearest equivalent!

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – healing
• Tuesday – a different battle strategy
• Friday – tackling stuck energy
• Saturday – karmic relationships and artistic inspiration

UK General Election 2015

There’s no doubt about it, the astrology is reflecting the polls at the moment!  Undistinguished leading politicians have undistinguished transits, and there is a T-square this Election week (Saturn opposite Mercury and square Neptune), depicting another hung parliament situation.

People are having to search themselves to determine what they really believe in and what are their priorities.  Are they willing to give up the nuclear deterrent, for instance? Is the N.H.S. their priority? Or is immigration the hot potato?  Should we vote against what we want to keep out, or vote for what we believe in?

Highlights of recent blogs?

I was hoping to have highlights by this time of clear bright astrological points about the politicians and parties.

I wasn’t hoping for this: The only leader who has bright transits on the day is Nigel Farage:

“Nigel Farage (UKIP): [High] Jupiter trine his natal Sun (A stroke of luck).

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

Jupiter is not likely to win Farage a majority, just exceed his expectations.  Then again, Jupiter can also represent liberation, and I suspect that Nigel Farage would like to prove a point, but not necessarily want to follow through, and he might be relieved not to win his seat at Thanet.

One of his party members, not the obvious Douglas Carswell, may also do well as I wrote a few weeks ago about Mark Reckless:

“Like Nigel Farage, he has transiting Jupiter trine his natal Sun (which is in Sagittarius) at the time of the UK General Election.  So another lucky UKIP result on the cards!  His and Nigel’s natal Suns are exactly trine within a minute (13 degrees 55 minutes Sagittarius for Mark, and 13 degrees 54 minutes Aries for Nigel) giving them good working prospects together, and on election day Jupiter at 13 degrees 51 minutes Leo creates a Grand Trine with their natal Suns, magnifying the luck factor.  The stars certainly seem to smile on them that day.”

Ed Miliband’s transits for Election Day are not bad (see my blog dated 5/4/15) but may not be enough to see him rise above the parapet of the negotiating table.

Two Weeks After the Election

If as is likely, there is a hung parliament, then it seems important to look at the transits at least 2 weeks after the election (the length of time it took last time to sort out a government).

The picture here is clearer:

David Cameron at that time has a likely successful Jupiter sextile his Sun, the North Node will be on his Venus, and Saturn will be trine his Jupiter like Nick Clegg (who was born a few months later than him).  Nick Clegg chose David Cameron over Gordon Brown after the last election, and certainly Clegg and Cameron are more natural rose garden bedfellows being close in age.  The Saturn trine to their Jupiters may be another indication of a second Conservative/Lib Dem coalition.

Interestingly, the transits for Nigel Farage two weeks after the election look decisively difficult – Mars square his Uranus, and Saturn square his Saturn.  Maybe he will be liberated from his task after all and hang up his hat.  Or be marginalized as irrelevant by that point.

Natalie Bennett, leader of the Greens looks directionless, with Neptune on her Mars two weeks after the election. Caroline Lucas looks disappointed with Saturn on her Mercury and Neptune on her South Node, and Pluto opposite her Mars.  She may be fighting, but with Neptune trine her natal Neptune, will be as much in touch with her integrity as ever.

On Election Day this Thursday, Mercury will be  close to squaring Neptune, ensuring uncertainty. Two weeks on for the UK chart finds Jupiter trine exactly the U.K. Sun/Mercury, and Neptune trine exactly the UK Jupiter, so the post-election situation may not drag on as long as the papers are predicting this morning.  But Neptune will be at the top of the U.K. chart, so still a lot of sorting to do in terms of finer detail.

Other Coalition Combinations

We have been warned about:

Tory/UKIP

Nigel Farage’s Neptune is on David Cameron’s South Node, so he has been able to pull David Cameron off course.  His natal Mercury squares David’s Jupiter, which stretches them both mentally.  Nigel’s Mercury sextiles David’s Midheaven, so he might be an asset to David if he chose to be.  His natal Jupiter trines David’s Mars: indeed he could bring him luck, if he chose to!  And his natal Saturn trines David’s Midheaven:  He could really stabilize a Tory government, but I suspect David won’t let him.   He has told us time and again he won’t entertain Nigel.

Labour/SNP

David Cameron doesn’t waste any opportunity of warning us of the perils of a Labour/SNP combination, but again Ed tells us it is never going to happen.  Nicola Sturgeon’s Sun sextiles Ed Miliband’s Pluto, so she could be a supportive asset to him.  Her Mars squares his Jupiter, so there would be a clash of wills.  Nicola’s Neptune sextiles Ed’s Pluto, again a good supportive relationship would not be impossible.  However, the killer interaspect is Nicola’s Pluto squaring Ed Miliband’s natal Venus, reinforcing his natal pattern of difficult relationships.  I suspect that is the deciding factor.  On a personal level, it would not work.

Hung parliament

Labour under the old politics would naturally inherit the disgruntled vote, but that is being dissolved by  the Lib Dems (less popular than before though) UKIP (who have eclipsed the Lib Dems in growth), Greens (who have gained ground) and the SNP (who have been tipped to win all the Scottish seats, and are a considerable threat to Labour).

Nate Silver who correctly predicted the last U.S. Election, predicts an “incredibly messy outcome” for the U.K. in this election, and hints at a “rainbow coalition” of several parties.

The old straightforward ruling Party versus strong Opposition model may be on its last legs, and the era of the Coalition may be a more permanent feature of politics.

New economy

The Observer Business Leader this morning advises:
“Last week’s GDP figures, showing the growth rate halving to 0.3% in the first three months of 2015, suggests the upturn of which the Tories are so proud may already be starting to fade”.

I for one do not believe in the successful economy, which the Conservatives boast about.  With European and World economies looking so delicate right now, it just doesn’t ring true.  And I don’t think you can call “successful” a society where the poor are being more and more crushed by an indifferent government.

Paul Krugman writing in the Guardian on 29/5/15 states:
“Cameron is campaigning largely on a spurious claim to have ‘rescued’ the British economy – and promising, if he stays in power to continue making substantial cuts in the year ahead”

Other economists, such as American Robert Wiedemer (author of “Aftershock: Protect yourself and profit in the next global financial meltdown”) warn there could still be a complete collapse of the world economy.

There definitely needs to be a re-evaluation of how we think about finance, and there are people working on that theme.  Caroline Lucas, in her book “Honourable Friends?” writes:

“If we can free ourselves from illusions such as seeing economic growth and consumerism as the root of human happiness, then we can reshape our society so that it becomes more nurturing, more supportive, and more sharing: and where our wealth is seen in what we share, in friendships, in freedom and in opportunity; and where our own success does not have to be seen in terms of the failure of others.”

The Yachtswoman Ellen MacArthur, while sailing round the world, thought deeply about sustainability, and has initiated a system which she calls “a circular economy” to use resources differently.

 

My Spiritual Voting Gauge

Greens 100% Spiritual – Putting the Planet first

Labour 75% Spiritual – The party of Social Fairness

Liberal Democrat Party 50% Spiritual – The party of Balance

Conservative Party 25% Spiritual – The party of Austerity

UKIP 0% Spiritual  – The politics of Fear

 

I will be voting Labour, because I cannot bear the Tory government’s actions and attitudes towards the poor and the NHS.

 

Aspects

The aspects for this Election week are not very inspiring, so you may have to work hard to wring out every ounce of meaning and enjoyment, and screen out the minor irritations from what is going on around you.

The first leg of a dampening T-square occurs today, on a rainy morning here in Norfolk certainly, with Saturn opposing Mercury.  The line of least resistance to day would be defeatism.  Perhaps some dispiriting news drags you down.  To turn this to a positive you might need to actually take note of what is happening, take it seriously, and contemplate whether there might be a hidden gift in the situation.  You may have to let go of something, or leave something behind.

There may be added tension rising during the course of the day, because a Full Moon in Scorpio occurs in the early hours of tomorrow morning (Bank Holiday Monday 4^th).  Perhaps you have not been able to draw an emotional line under events of the previous day, and the situation has invaded your dreamtime.  You may be able to change the energy round 3.42 a.m. tomorrow morning with a cup of camomile tea and a rice cake, and a fresh look at things.  Then draw a line, and get back to sleep!

In the morning the Sun squares Jupiter: this may feel much more buoyant, but may almost swing to the opposite extreme: overconfidence, arrogance, brashness.  Give the inner Clown or Hedonist some space for expression – it will be a relief!  It is not a good day for gambling or speculation, as you could overshoot the mark through overconfidence, but say yes to exuberance.

Wednesday (6^th) is the best day, with a trine between the Sun and Pluto which is very constructive for activities or ideas with a psychological theme or programme.  Creativity and Drama thrive, because the depth of Pluto gives meaning to the creativity, and the Sun adds creativity to the drama of Pluto.  An ideal day for putting on a Shakespearean tragedy, if you are involved in a theatre company.  If you are alone, try a grand soliloquy!  You may be on call that day though to be a listening ear for someone, but this could be cathartic.  The Force is with you (and everyone else) today.

Venus enters Cancer on Thursday (7^th) which is a neutral change (neither good nor bad), and the change may be as good as a rest.  Coming up to Election Day, your feelings may have been under a lot of analytical scrutiny while Venus was in Gemini, and they will be entering more emotionally expressive waters while Venus is in Cancer.  Perhaps you can meditate on eating a Cornetto while riding in a gondola in Venice, in order to get into the mood.  Or life may hand you a spontaneous signal that Venus has entered Cancer, and you will just feel the switch.  As the event occurs late evening, make the most of the last minute analysis and insights of Venus in Gemini which covers the actual polling period.

Saturday (9^th) brings the challenge of Mercury squaring Neptune.  Perhaps you have complicated things to discuss with someone close, or you have a complicated journey to undertake, or the weather is not conducive to what you had planned.  Something is obscuring your perception and what you want to do.  You may set out to do one thing, and get distracted and waylaid and end up with a different programme.  This is the second leg of the T-square of the week, and it occurs in the afternoon.  By the evening though, you may be feeling that you have cleared a hurdle this week.

For some light relief, read my blog about the new Royal Baby, below

The week in bullet points:

• Today – under a cloud
• Tomorrow – emotional tension, then a pick-me-up
• Wednesday – profound progress
• Thursday – a different feeling
• Saturday – confusion