Strictly Come Dancing 2019 – Part 1

And now something completely different…from politics.  Last night, the contestants for this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing were matched up with their professional partners.

Here are my first four contestants.  I struggled to find some that I already knew.  Jamie Laing has already left the contest.  As usual, I will be picking up the theme every few weeks and writing about more of the hopefuls.

Anneka Rice

I have fond memories of the “Challenge Anneka” days, and of her regression by Andrea Foulkes on This Morning as a sailor on a galleon (the programme wasdecades ago; the lifetime was centuries ago), and like many others it seems, I would love her to do well (although the bookies give her low odds).  But it seems she has already suffered some minor injuries, and she says she has never danced.

She has the Sun exactly conjunct Mercury in Libra in her birthchart, with Venus and the North Node also in Libra. She has a degree in Art, a province of that sign.  She would approach everything coolly and mentally.  Her South Node is in Aries, pointing to past lives as a Pioneer.  She has Mercury trine loosely Mars – an energetic mind and body with quick reactions.  Mars closely square Pluto  attracts her to danger and possibly extreme sports; she has written books on skiing and scuba-diving.  In dangerous situations, buoyed up by faith, with Jupiter conjunct closely Neptune in Scorpio, though if not religious it would be faith in herself.  She has immense personal power, with Jupiter sextile Pluto, and a sense of karmic responsibility and awareness with Saturn sextile the North Node.  Saturn trine Uranus also gives her the mind of a structural engineer, she had to oversee building structures during her time on Challenge Anneka, and is very capable.  With North Node trine Chiron she may have trained in healing in past lives.  On the dance floor, she is likely to bring elegance.

At the opening of the series, Anneka has a splendid trine from Jupiter to her Uranus in Leo, which spells success, so she should shine (though it has been said she disappeared from the dance floor at one point in last night’s show).  At the close of the series, Jupiter will be square her natal Chiron, bringing healing issues, Saturn will be trine her Venus (sound, but not exciting; she may have made friends  for life, though).  Neptune will be trine her Neptune (spiritually in tune, if not in harmony with dance), and Neptune will be opposite her Pluto (she may feel spiritually or psychologically overstretched).

She is partnered with: Kevin Clifton

That is a gift to her, for if anyone can get the best from a dance partner it is Kevin, but it is seen as a disadvantage to Kevin by his legions of fans.  Kevin and Stacey Dooley, who won last year, have of course been an item throughout the last year.  I wrote of their synastry last year:

“Their synastry is strong:  His Uranus trines her Jupiter – a sure sign of a successful partnership!  In addition, his Pluto sextiles her Uranus, again a great strength for working together.”

Of his synastry with Anneka, her Mars opposes his Uranus (some antagonism), and her Saturn sextiles his Sun (some steadiness).  Not such a special pairing.

Kevin’s transits at this time are Saturn square his Venus (being partnered with an older woman), the Nodal Axis square his Venus (some karmic unease), but Jupiter on his Mars (has enthusiasm and joe de vivre), Saturn sextile his Jupiter (a new challenge), and North Node trine his Jupiter (a karmic reward at the same time).

For the final, there are no notable transits, so he might not be there…

Mike Bushell

I know Mike Bushell as the have-a-go sports reporter on BBC Breakfast.  He comes from that adventurous sign Sagittarius (traditionally associated with sport), so he won’t be short of enthusiasm on the dance floor.  He shares some similar Archetypes as Anneka Rice, most notably the Dare Devil Archetype!  He has tried out over 350 sports.

In his chart, he has a tense T-square composed of Saturn/Chiron opposite Uranus/Pluto  (anarchic energy) square with his Sun, so he is restless and has to keep moving.  He thrives on the unexpected, and loves to be on the edge.  Mercury conjunct exactly South Node in Sagittarius gives him Adventurer/Explorer and Teacher Archetypes from past lives. Venus trine exactly North Node  could give him some artistry.  According to Wikipedia “He also seems, perhaps rather worryingly, to be a bit of a ‘ladies man’ & appears to be rather flirtatious.”  He has some super aspects to his Mars (energy): a trine to his Uranus, a sextile to his Neptune (which may make for some sensitive footwork in the competition), a trine to Pluto (boundless energy) and a sextile to Chiron.

On 11th April 2018 he apparently fell in a swimming pool while interviewing swimmers in Australia, and the footage went viral.  The transits for this event are rather interesting:

Jupiter sextile his natal Mars – a jolly jape

Jupiter conjunct his natal Neptune – (literally) – A Sagittarian in the Water

Uranus sextile his natal Jupiter – good fun, with a surprise twist

Pluto on his Mars – hot water!

His current transits at the start of the contest are: Mars exactly transiting his Pluto by conjunction (scary for him!), Neptune sextile his natal Venus (artistry on the dance floor), Neptune sextile his Pluto (complex work) and Pluto on his Mercury (mentally demanding).  At the end of the contest, he has Chiron on his Mars (a possible injury – but surely dancing can’t be rougher than his usual fare), the North Node sextile his Saturn (feeling realistic), Chiron sextile his Neptune (mastering the art of dance) and Jupiter sextile his natal Pluto (maybe he wins despite a slight injury!)

He is partnered with: Katya Jones

Katya caused a stir last year when she kissed her celebrity partner Seann Walsh.  She recently split from her husband Neil Jones, who is now appearing as a professional mentor for the first time.  Of her relationship with Seann Walsh, I wrote last year: ” In their relationship, there is a karmic tie with her Sun on his South Node.”

Her synastry with Mike Bushell is strong energetically (her Sun trine his Mars), but confusing in some ways (her Sun opposite his Neptune).  Her transits right now include Pluto trine her Sun (transformative), Mars trine her Saturn (galvanizing), and her Saturn Return (decisive).  She also has  the South Node on her Saturn (requiring a more mature approach), Chiron square her Uranus (some sharp learning curves), Mars trine her Neptune (some inspired footwork), Mars sextile her Pluto (an injection of energy), Saturn sextile her natal Pluto (concentration at a deep level) and last but not least the North Node trine her natal Pluto (this is going to be an important time for her development and evolution).

At the end of the contest Saturn trines her Venus (steady progress), Neptune setiles her natal Uranus (complex undertaking), Pluto is on her Neptune (deep learning), the North Node trines her Neptune (spiritual progress), and Pluto sextile her natal Pluto (self-empowerment). They could reach the final.  I am not sure if they would win.

Catherine Tyldesley

As a Corrie fan, I know Catherine Tyldesley as the character Eva Price on that soap. Catherine has attention to detail, with Sun in Virgo conjunct Mercury.  Mercury is a key planet in her chart, as it also squares the Nodal Axis exactly. Her performing side comes from Venus closely conjunct Mars in Leo, while her Venus/Mars also trine Neptune – she’ll be capable of inspiration on the dance floor, and sensitive footwork.  She also has the Entrepreneur Archetype (Jupiter conjunct exactly Uranus) and can turn her hand to several skills – I have recently seen her cooking on television.  She also sings, and has released an album.

She is now starring in a new sitcom, Scarborough, which aired on Friday evening, so her transits for this new enterprise are virtually the same as for the start of Strictly, which are: Pluto trine her natal Mercury (a transit often found at the beginning of a series for an actor, but also endings).  Pluto was exactly trine her natal Mercury when her final episode of Corrie was screened, which highlights the importance of Mercury in her chart.  At this time, Chiron is also trine her Jupiter/Uranus (she will relish this experience, almost as a healing).  At the end of the Strictly series, Chiron will be trine her Mercury (a healing), and Neptune will be square her Jupiter (she’ll almost be punch-drunk, certainly dizzy).  So she could make the final or semi-final, but may be disappointed at the last hurdle.

She is partnered with: Johannes Radebe

This is Johannes’ first year as a professional dance mentor on Strictly, and so the first time I am looking at his chart.  He has 6 Fire planets, and was born close to a New Moon in Taurus.  His dance credentials include the Sun closely trine Neptune.  He could do well in the dramatic dances such as the Paso Doble, with the Sun opposite closely Pluto.  He has Mercury trine Uranus, so could surprise us with ingenious choreography.  With Mars sextile Jupiter, he has energy combined with enthusiasm.  Venus/Jupiter conjunct his North Node could bring him luck in life (in the right place at the right time with the right people).

In his synastry with Catherine, his Saturn squares her Mercury, which could create a block in their communication.  Her Uranus trines his Venus, and her Neptune trines his Mercury, so she could inspire him.  His Uranus conjoins her Neptune, so there will be some higher telepathy and empathy between them.

At the onset of this contest Uranus is on his Sun – he’s electrified!  Saturn is square his Jupiter, so he is also cautions and controlled.  By the end of the contest, Uranus is on his Pluto, which is a bit uncomfortable.  So his final transits do not add anything to hers in terms of increasing her chances.  I think she’ll have a good contest though.

James Cracknell

I have to confess I did not know who James Cracknell was, but wanted to write up about two women and two men for this initial blog (Mike Bushell was the only bloke I had heard of).  It seems that he is a record-holding British athlete.

So, getting to know him through his birth chart:  He is a Sun Sign Taurus, with Moon in either Aquarius or Capricorn.  He has 5 (half) his planets in Air like Anneka, so would also .  tend to approach everything coolly and mentally.  He has 0 Water planets, though he is a rowing champion.  Jupiter trines his Sun, which can denote sporting interests and prowess.  Uranus opposes his Mercury, so he is not afraid of controversy, and Chiron conjoins Mercury which gives him problem-solving abilities.  Like Anneka, he has Mars square Pluto, tremendous energy and some attraction to extreme sports.  He is also a risk-taker by virtue of his square between Jupiter and Uranus.  Pluto trines his North Node, so he has a strong, powerful and dramatic karma.

In the ups and downs of his biography, 2006 was notable for a burglary in which he lost his Olympic medals (but they were retrieved).  His transits included Pluto (burglary) opposite his natal Venus (ruling planet, and possessions).  The following month he triumphed in the London Marathon, assisted by Jupiter opposite his natal Sun.

On 20th July 2010, he suffered a serious accident while cycling in Arizona, attributing his survival to having worn a cycling helmet.  Saturn was on his Pluto, and Uranus was opposite his Pluto (both serious transits) but karma was on his side in the shape of Saturn trine his North Node and Uranus sextile his North Node.  He subsequently campaigned for the wearing of cycling helmets.

At the start of the contest, he has Jupiter sextile his natal Uranus, so he could get off to a flying start!  Jupiter also trines his natal Chiron, so he will find it healing and enriching.  But Saturn will also be square his Chiron, so it might be too much for him to cope with on a physical level (though he is not someone to give up easily).  By the end, Neptune squares his Neptune, so he might feel a bit confused or at sea with the whole thing, or have other fish to fry.

He is partnered with: Luba Mushtuk

It is Luba’s first year in the professional mentor role, and all we know of her age is that she is 29 (no birth date or time).  This puts her roughly at her first Saturn Return, so the experience is an initiation for her.

Motsi Mabuse

Motsi is the new judge to replace Darcey Bussell, and also happens to be the sister of professional dancer Oti Mabuse.  Motsi is an Aries (with half her planets in the Fire signs), and Oti is a Leo, so both fiery.  She is a real leader, with 8 of her 10 planets in Cardinal signs.  Her dance talent is shown by Sun/Venus trine Neptune in her natal chart (note that Johannes Radebe also has Sun trine Neptune). She can be outspoken (Mercury trine Uranus), and has a teaching karmic mission (Mercury closely trine her North Node).  She also has the Entrepreneur Archetype (Jupiter sextile Uranus).

In her astrological relationship with her sister, she has Chiron square exactly Oti’s Sun, which is more tricky for Oti than for Motsi.  Their Venuses are in square relationship to each other, so they express their artistry in contrasting styles.  Oti’s Saturn squares Motsi’s Mars, so there are ways in which Oti is able to create boundaries with her sister.  Oti’s Uranus also squares Motsi’s Mercury, so there is a telepathy there, but also mental irritation.  It would have been interesting to see how they would relate in this professional relationship, but Oti’s partner Jamie Leigh has pulled out of the contest through injury.

I will review four more contestants in a few weeks’ time.

Robert Mugabe

Robert Mugabe died this week.  In the absence of an astrological obituary, if you would like to read either of my blogs about him, you will find them in the following dates under the chronological folders:

4th August 2013, and

19th November 2017

Aspects for the week beginning 8 September 2019

As I will be away next Sunday, you have a double bill today, so can plan ahead astrologically for the next two weeks.  This week we have another chock-full set of aspects.  So that you don’t get confused which week you are reading, I have put the dates in bold (a friend of mine watched the whole of last week’s Andrew Marr show on catch up this morning by accident instead of this morning’s show!  You know who you are…).

Today (Sunday 8th September) Jupiter squares the Sun, so what you do today may be imbued with extra enthusiasm and gusto, vim and vigour.  It’s also a good day to find the humour in life.  However, in politics, as in life, there could be some bending of the rules.

We also have the Sun sextile the North Node, which favours right action on a karmic level.  It is a good day to look at your life path as a whole, your creativity and self-expression and where you would like it to go.

Mercury trines Pluto tomorrow (Monday 9th September) which brings a profound mindset.  It begins another earnest week in Parliament – could proceedings top the shenanigans of last week?  Certainly we have another full round of aspects, if that had anything to do with it.  It is time to dig deep with your mental processes in order to find solutions.  Conversations could be life changing: the right word at the right time, striking home in the right place.

And there’s more: Mars trines Saturn, which means hard work can pay off.  Think through what you want to achieve, and set about steadily allowing it to unfold, with some concrete or physical input or ignition on your part.

Tuesday, 10th September brings an opposition between Neptune and the Sun, so not as practical as Monday, and with fogginess obscuring your aims.  Try to apply yourself to the basics and look at the detail (though that may seem impossible).  As someone reminded me last week, which had two Neptune oppositions “there’s many a slip between cup and lip”, so that is worth bearing in mind.

Straightforward karma is the theme of Wednesday 11th September, with a sextile between Mars and the North Node.  This could favour those born under Aries, and Warriors.  They will be able to get their message across directly and actively.  For the more timorous amongst us, we may need to embolden ourselves.

This is followed by a square between Mars and Jupiter on Thursday 12th September, a dare devil aspect which might be needed to push you into the gym, onto the dance floor, or a fitness regime.  Spiritually, too, it is very adventurous.  Results are not guaranteed, however!  In parliamentary proceedings, we may hear of fiery exchanges, produced by the fire of Mars and the fire of Jupiter set against each other!

The thought of Friday 13th September may set some people’s teeth or nerves on edge, but I can reassure you that there is that most congenial and mild-mannered of  aspects Mercury conjunct Venus on that day.  This is a splendid literary and cultural aspect.  If you watched Mary Beard’s programme “Front Row Late” last Friday night, you’ll be in the groove.  They discussed the biography genre (my main reading since the early 1970s) and my eyes were opened to issues which had never occurred to me.  Then they discussed self-portraits in the artistic world, which was equally interesting, introducing an intriguing Kashmiri artist.  So I will be watching again next Friday night to see if the standard is maintained.  Whether you are hosting or attending a cultural event, or actively honing your craft, it should be a satisfying day.

On the same day, Pluto trines the Sun, which is constructive, though not as mild-mannered as Venus conjunct Mercury.  It gets to the heart of the matter, and transforms from that centre.  Whereas Venus/Mercury is content with more superficial pleasures, Pluto demands more meaning and movement in affairs.  So on one level you may be content with something on Friday, then realize that you can go to a whole new level, or depth.  The two projects or issues may be entirely separate, or consist of a process.

This in turn may churn up emotions as we go towards the Full Moon in Pisces on Saturday 14th September, often a time of emotional tension.  Pisces is one of the most sensitive and emotional Full Moons of the year, so treat yourself with tender loving care and you can then treat others with that sensitivity.  Issues which may come up may be the plastic in the sea, or the fishing industry.  The Pisces Full Moon reminds us that we are all One.

As if to amplify those issues, Neptune opposes Mars the same morning (Neptune ruling the sea and fishing, and Mars causing some antagonism).  Other themes from this aspect may be vision, and illusion.  If you are confused about the way ahead, your best option is literally to rest and reflect.

Mercury then goes into Libra, after leaving Virgo.  You can relax on the small print and enjoy the mental engagement with art and music, or arguing points of law.  You may be open to new relationships as you go about your business or social life.

At lunchtime, Venus also enters Libra, having travelled with Mercury since they teamed up at the literary festival the day before.  After engaging the mind with cultural activities on Saturday morning, you can enjoy them on a feeling level when Venus enters her own sign of Libra, where she is very, very comfortable.  If you have design skills in art or music, they could be heightened now, and in the near future.

The week (week beginning 8th September) in bullet points:

• Today (Sunday 8th) – laughter and karma
• Tomorrow (Monday 9th) – profound mindset and productivity
• Tuesday (10th) – foggy
• Wednesday (11th) – straightforward karma
• Thursday (12th) – adventurous
• Friday (13th) – lucky for some
• Saturday (14th) – emotional tension, a tug at the heartstrings, cultural enjoyment

Aspects for the week beginning 15 September 2019

Week two of my fortnight blog…with fewer aspects for this week.

The aspects start on Wednesday 18th September, with the astrological event of the day (not an aspect as such) being Saturn Stationary, prior to turning Direct.  This may be experienced as a relief to some, especially for Capricornians, and may release some of their chains or burdens.  Climbing up that mountain may seem slightly easier. Depending on where this turnaround falls in your chart (13 degrees Capricorn), your efforts, struggles and hard work in that area may start to bear fruit, progress, and just get easier.

A dynamic day is on the cards for Thursday 19th September, when Mars trines with Pluto.  There may be some upheaval, as when you are decluttering in earnest, but you should have the energy to start afresh once you have cleared some old ground.  This aspect speaks of self-empowerment, but you have to remember that everyone also has this force!

Mars trine Pluto may be a very powerful aspect, but the most important aspect of the week belongs to Saturday 21st September: It’s Jupiter square Neptune.  It is the third manifestation of this aspect, which occurred in January and June this year.  So it is a chance to sort out fantasy and illusion, from bluff and exaggeration and overblown ideals: a theme we have been working on all year.  You could say that the rise of Boris Johnson this year has been an exercise in this evaluation, with many accusing him of lies, bluster and buffoonery.  He has promised much, and is now in a position to try and prove whether there was substance to this self-confidence.  It is certainly an important stage in his reckoning.

In your own life, perhaps there is a situation which has got out of hand.  Neptune has been in its own sign of Pisces, stirring the waters, while Jupiter has been in its own sign of Sagittarius, stoking the fires.  Who will win?  Can both win?  Can the truth be seen among the overblown emotion and expectation of this combination, or stand off?  It is time to get your philosophy of life clear (Jupiter), and also see clearly what you put your faith in (Neptune).  We’ve been practising all year, and we have to settle some issues now, or blend ideas, perhaps come to some compromises, e.g. over Brexit.  It may all seem so complex and overwhelming at times, but we have to come to some sort of conclusion, arrangement or peace of mind now, as a result of this square we have been dealing with for so long.

My next blog will appear on Sunday, 22nd September.

The week (week beginning 15th September) in bullet points:

• Wednesday (18th) – some relief
• Thursday (19th) – dynamism
• Saturday (21st) – the culmination of some overblown circumstances

 

Ruth Davidson

On Wednesday last week, Boris Johnson announced the drastic step that he would prorogue parliament, and we were told to expect Ruth Davidson’s resignation the next morning.  Ruth Davidson, who has been Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party for the past 8 years, is a unique and capable politician, once hailed as a future leader of the Tory Party.  Such was her influence that the Conservative presence of MPs in Scotland went from only one (herself) to 13, a factor that helped to retain the balance of power for the Tories.  A feat that Caroline Lucas in England has not been able to pull off for the Green Party, sadly.

Resignation Speech

So it was, that she resigned first thing on Thursday morning.  As a Remainer, she has been struggling over Brexit, and there had been no secret about her having a difficult relationship with Boris Johnson (in their synastry, his Pluto is on her Saturn), but her speech was diplomatic and spared Johnson too much embarrassment.  She focussed on other reasons for stepping down, such as the toll electioneering would take on her new family life, after the birth of her son Finn.  In her speech she told how she had looked Boris in the eye, and he had assured her he was trying to get a Brexit deal.

So this timing was crucial for Boris (orchestrated no doubt by Dominic Cummings), coming the day after a cross-party initiative by MPs of all parties who wanted to prevent a no-deal, and for Ruth Davidson who chose this moment.  The transits of last week were dominated by Uranus, the planet of Change.

For Boris the transits were Mars on his Uranus (sudden decisive action) and Uranus trine his Uranus exact to the day (the power of surprise), plus the North Node trine his Neptune (using his intuition) – does Dominic Cummings have access to choosing dates by Astrology?

For Ruth the transits were many (she has a lot going on).  Here is a selection: Mars trine her natal Chiron in Taurus in 1st House (we have a birth time because she is Scottish) – instigating her own healing; Jupiter trine her natal Ascendant, from 9th House cusp, favourable change of lifestyle and freeing herself through a change in her belief system; Saturn sextile her natal Venus – loyalty prevailing in relationships; Saturn square Ascendant from 10th House cusp, renunciation of career status; Uranus conjunct natal Chiron in Taurus in 1st House – huge change; Neptune trine her natal Sun in Scorpio in 8th House – a new spiritual focus; Neptune square Neptune – some confusion, or being torn.

Birth Chart

Ruth has the Sun in Scorpio conjunct exactly Uranus in 8th House, a rare brilliance.  Her Moon is in Pisces unaspected except for a 2 degree conjunction with the South Node in Pisces in 12th House – Motherhood is an important role, from past lives.   Her Mercury is conjunct Mars in Sagittarius in 8th House – she is an incisive speaker, and to the point with Ascendant in Aries. Mercury in her chart is trine exactly Jupiter – so she has a superb intellect, wide range of knowledge and interests.  This trine is perfect for journalism and broadcasting, which was her first career.

As an Aries rising, Ruth’s biography is littered with firsts, among them the first lesbian political leader to have a baby by IVF while in office.  Her Venus conjunct Uranus gives her great magnetism and ability to handle people, and that and her Venus square Mars point to her being a non-conformist in social terms.  She also has Venus sextile Saturn, a very personally loyal aspect, and although she reported in her speech that she had been a bad family member, neglecting them for her career, she was now going to redress that balance.

Saturn squares Neptune in her chart, which is difficult in subtle ways, and she admits to having wrestled with her sexuality and her mental health in the past, so balance is key to her well being.  Neptune squares her Nodal Axis, so she is sensitive about mental health and also about her own karmic path.

Saturn from Virgo in the 5th House trine loosely the Midheaven in Capricorn points to her calling in a political career, and Saturn trine Chiron in Taurus in 1st House gives her a practical approach to healing.

Pluto opposing her Ascendant by 2 degrees, conjunct the Descendant  in the 7th House of Close Relationships means that she  interacts deeply and strongly with others.  She “looks them in the eye”, in her own words.

Implications of her Leaving

Some say that Boris has made a mistake in not appreciating Ruth Davidson’s role in the party.  Will Boris be seriously hampered by her leaving? Probably.  He can ill afford to lose the presence of the Scottish Tory MPs, the rest of which may flounder without Ruth’s charisma and leadership.  The coming week is going to be very eventful (there are a lot of aspects, by the way).  What is on the table? People are taking to the streets in protest against the prospect of a No Deal, and the democratic threat of the prorogation of parliament.  Legal processes are being planned by opposition MPs, a No Confidence vote has not been ruled out, and some political pundits are even predicting that a General Election may be called this week.

Ruth’s Chosen Path

Ruth’s conventional career path in her chart is depicted by her Midheaven (Careerpoint).  At the point that she was declared Leader, Jupiter was exactly trine her natal Midheaven in Capricorn in the 9th House (almost always a sign of career advancement).  Pluto was on her Midheaven at the time, a profound transformation in her career.

Her life changed when she gave birth to her baby Finn last year.  Exact to the day, Saturn was on her Midheaven, a portent that her career and ambition would be curtailed.  But other values were stealing into her life: Neptune was trine her natal Venus in Scorpio in her 7th House of Close Relationships and Marriage.  She was experiencing a high level of spiritual love in her life.

Who knows how much time she will dedicate to politics in the future and to supporting her party?  However, the pull of motherhood is strong in her chart: her natal I.C. (rootedness and security) is in Cancer, the sign of motherhood and nurturing.  Her Moon is on her South Node of past life habits and karma.  Some of the MPs and proteges she brought to Scotland have told that she has been a wonderful mentor, and that is a related role.  There are also healing indications in her chart: her Chiron in Taurus is in her 1st House, her Midheaven trines closely Chiron, while her I.C. is closely sextile her Chiron, so she may be preparing for a healing role.  That may be literally in alternative healing, but it may be in a more advisory or diplomatic role in relation to her own party, trying to bring unity.  Whatever you think of her party, she was undeniably a real asset to them, but also a one-off.

Next Week: Strictly Come Dancing – Part 1

Aspects

As mentioned, we have a busy week of aspects (at least one for every day!), starting today with Mercury trine Uranus.  If you found that last week brought positive changes through the three trines with Uranus, then you will welcome this next one. It fosters mental brilliance, technological upgrades, lightbulb moments, and futuristic inspiration.

Another trine follows at tea-time: that of Venus trine Saturn.  This operates on the realm of feeling rather than mental processes.  In relationships, it can bring great loyalty and commitment.  This will especially benefit Taureans and Librans.

Tomorrow (Monday 2nd)  the Sun conjoins Mars at 9 degrees Virgo, which may be confrontational, but is also an aspect under which  you can get things done.  “Action” is the word.  It is not a great day to be taking risks, however.

In the afternoon, Venus is square Jupiter, which may be socially awkward.  If you’ve read my piece today, you’ll see that Ruth Davidson has this in her natal chart, which makes her a non-conformist.  If you are a non-conformist, you will probably revel in it, but if you are a stickler for social manners or rules you may be hard put to impose your control on others.

The following afternoon, Tuesday 3rd, Mercury conjoins Mars at 10 degrees Virgo.  This brings brisk action, mental and physical stimulation, and again can help movement in your projects.  Again, there is a small element of risk of being incident-prone, as in minor cuts and bruises.  So mindfulness is a key to successful outcomes. This is another aspect Ruth Davidson has in her natal chart, one which makes her mentally acute.

Wednesday (4th) brings another conjunction: that of Mercury and the Sun, at 10 degrees Virgo.  If you know which House Virgo occupies in your chart, you’ll find that area of your life to be exceptionally busy.  This conjunction brings exceptional mental focus, excellent for study, office organization, or applying the mind to environmental issues.  You may have a moment of crystal clarity.  This conjunction takes place in the early hours, and so it may either keep you awake, or result in a vivid dream which yields interesting information.

Late morning, Venus opposes Neptune: this may be the first real challenge of the week.  It involves sorting out your feelings, the real from the illusion, and especially in relationships.  In politics, there may be bluffs and double bluffs.  In relationships, more compassion is needed, and in finance more honesty.  Fine words may butter no parsnips.

Mercury trines Saturn on Thursday (5th), and there is a chance to maintain, restore, or improve balance in organizing your life, and especially your paperwork.  Following on from the mental focus of the previous day, you can make real headway if these are your goals. It is a good time to assess what you have achieved so far, and plan ahead.

There are ups and downs this week (mostly ups), and on Friday (6th) the mindset is almost the opposite of Thursday’s, for Jupiter squares Mercury, so you can go from applying information really efficiently, to taking in too much information and scattering your concentration.  The mental mood may be slightly more upbeat than Thursday’s, but maybe less realistic and overstretched: almost too much possibility.

There is another change of mood in the evening, for Saturn trines the Sun, and a re-stabilization may occur.  For example, you may have been able to whittle down your options to a few basic important ones, and your overall task looks more manageable.  Plans may be starting to take shape.

Two more contrasting aspects fall on the last day of the week, Saturday (7th).  First, in the early hours, Venus trine Pluto, settling your deepest feelings into a more comfortable psychological context.  This may mean beautiful dreams for some.  This aspect helps us through changes and transformations on a human level.  So you should at least get out the right side of the bed…

Around breakfast time, Neptune opposes Mercury, so brain fog may start to set in, and you may need some caffeine to help you focus.  Having had a good level of focus most of the week, you may wonder why it suddenly evades you.  It may be that you have done all you can on a project or issue on the logical side of the brain, and need to soft focus and let your imagination, spirituality and inspiration take over.  Take care though that you do not overbalance this process into fear and paranoia.  There is a lot of panic at the moment about Brexit, and stockpiling.  Step back from the worry, after you have done all you can (for the day).  If you’ve been studying too hard, give it a break (there is only so much of Descartes you can take).

The week in bullet points:

• Today – mental brilliance, relationship loyalty
• Tomorrow – action, and social non-conformity
• Tuesday – briskness
• Wednesday – mental clarity, relationship illusions
• Thursday – mental practicality
• Friday – mental overstretching, restored stability
• Saturday – deep feelings, mental fog

Jair Bolsonaro

For me the most important event of the week was the burning of the Amazon rainforest and its implications for the planet.

The president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, bears a huge responsibility for this  catastrophic event, and the destabilization of the earth’s ecosystem.

Just this lunchtime at the G7 Summit, £18m was pledged to help put out the fires, mainly for aircraft and technical support.  US President Donald Trump, who refuses to acknowledge the seriousness of climate change, was notably absent from the discussion.  Bolsinaro is an admirer of Trump and seems to model himself on him.

The Science Bit

The huge fires in the Amazon basin, which includes the largest tropical rainforest in the world, contribute to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

The forests (the “lungs” of the planet) remove carbon dioxide, for photosynthesis, and produce much needed oxygen.  In the course of plant transpiration, vast amounts of moisture are also given off which provides much needed rain and fresh water for the Amazon river.

After the fires have died down, the soil in the  resulting cleared land  does  not support crops for very long, because it lack nutrients.

His Birth Chart

Born on 21st March (1955), with his Sun at 0 degrees Aries, that is possibly the most potent degree of the zodiac for the Fire element.  Interestingly, his great grandfather was also an Aries.

The Sun from 9th House of global impact trines Uranus (which is on his Ascendant) very much highlighting his Inner Rebel, or Disruptor.  The Sun also exactly squares his Nodal Axis, which could symbolize the misuse of the “Solar Fire” karmically.  Mars sextile Jupiter, can be inflammatory, though usually it is harmlessly exuberant.  Likewise his Jupiter conjunct Uranus, usually seen as enterprising, but in this case perhaps opportunistic.

Neptune is at the base of the chart, on the 4th House cusp, signifying that he may build his empires on shifting sands.  In terms of his career, that may certainly be true.

Venus square closely Saturn may indicate a lack of feeling: certainly he does not seem to take seriously the human cost of what is happening.  Donald Trump, whose values he shares, has Venus conjunct Saturn.  Some of their values stem from a lack of feeling. [disclaimer: not all people with a Venus/Saturn connection are anti-abortion etc.!]

Mars conjunct the Midheaven (the Careerpoint) describes his 15-year military career, but now also a reputation linked with Fire.

Jupiter square loosely Neptune can point to a skewed or deluded religious outlook.  He is quoted as having said “God above everything. There is no such thing as a secular state”. Though he later in his campaigning to be president stretched to include atheists, there is no sense of humanity in the ethics of his policymaking, especially towards the indigenous people of his country.  Possibly his most destructive aspect is Saturn square Pluto.

Chart of his Presidency

Bolsonaro came to power as the 38th President of Brazil on 1st January 2019, and the chart of that event is very interesting.  The Sun closely conjunct Saturn indicates a repressive regime.  Mars is at 0 degs Aries, transiting exactly on his Sun at that critical degree, and squares Bolsonaro’s Nodal Axis, a very fiery karma. Chiron conjunct Mars indicates some sort of wounding.  Uranus closely squares the Nodal Axis, bringing in harsh changes.

Parallels with Donald Trump

A denial of and disinclination to act on climate change is only one of the shared policies with Donald Trump.  They are both right wing populists.  In views such as anti-homosexuality and opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion, he is probably more extreme than Donald.  But these values tend to be held by many in Donald’s republican party.  Bolsonaro (like Trump) is a misogynist, with many unsavoury quotes to his name.  He is also a staunch supporter of Israel, like Donald.  In their synastry, their Jupiters are squared, which means they can encourage each other’s excesses or extremism.

Effect on Indigenous Population

It is rumoured that the fires were started (a few weeks ago) just after an Amazon tribe’s rights to preserve their lands were upheld by a court (though not in Brazil itself).  The finger was then pointed to other bodies who had vested interests in deforestation.  Bolsonaro, who has made no secret of his lack of sympathy for their cause, has made comments attempting to deflect his own government from suspicion in this matter, especially this week.  His advisers have indicated plans to expand nuclear and hydroelectric power into the region.   The figures for deforestation have soared since Bolsonaro came to power.

Let’s hope the combined efforts of the G7 can bring the fires under control as soon as possible, and that there is a sensible change of regime in Brazil in the near future.

Aspects

Did you spot the deliberate mistake from last week?  I ended with the words: “Eat, drink and be merry, for on Monday the daily grind awaits.”  Of course, it is Bank Holiday Monday today, and most of us won’t be working.  Who would want to be working in this heat?  Possibly the odd blogger here and there…

This afternoon (Monday 26th) we have a splendid trine between Venus and Uranus, which might be wasted on a working day.  It favours socializing, reunions, surprise meetings, heart-centred telepathy and empathy.  In the field of the arts, it can bring originality and surprise, e.g. to a performance.

Wednesday (28th) brings another trine, Mars trine Uranus.  So we are held in the first part of the week between two trines. Even if we are returning to work on Tuesday, we may be glowing from their effect.  Mars trine Uranus also brings excitement, but of a more active variety.  In science, technology and mechanics there could be progress and advances.  Engineering and electrical themes also benefit, so sparks fly, but in a good way!

Mercury enters Virgo on Thursday (29th), and work themes may be really bedding down by then in your schedules.  There will also be more emphasis on health and ecological awareness, such as dealing with the rainforest fires.

Another trine for Uranus occurs on Friday (30th), so this could be an exciting week, all in all.  The Sun trine Uranus highlights performance, self-expression and creativity of the most inventive and original kind.  You may be embellishing themes and projects which started earlier in the week, if you found them successful and want to build on that.  Group meetings and endeavours are favoured under this trine, too.

There is also a New Moon on Friday, at 6 degrees Virgo.  As the New Moon (Moon plus Sun) is trine Uranus, this heightens the excitement of the new beginning.  Aspirations around the New Moon in Virgo could be very work-orientated, but Uranus brings new life and futuristic vision to any work project you are involved with, and that could be very engaging.  It’s a great week for making changes.  Ecology and the environment are one of the provinces of Virgo, so benefits could accrue for the planet if enough minds are concentrated on this aspect of life.  Greta Thunberg should have arrived in America by then, so she may have something memorable and potent to say that day.

The week in bullet points:

• Monday – Originality in the Arts
• Wednesday – Dynamic
• Thursday – attending to detail
• Friday – Originality in Creativity, and a new beginning

Peter Fonda (1940 – 2019)

“Head out on the highway

Looking for adventure

In whatever comes our way

…Born to be wild”

~ Steppenwolf, theme song for Easy Rider

Going back to the 1960s today, in tribute to Peter Fonda, who died this week.  He is bound to the iconic role he played in “Easy Rider”, a film which he produced, wrote the screenplay for, and starred in.

Birth Chart

Peter Fonda had 0 Air planets in his chart, so he lived on instinct, but his I.Q. was over 160.  His Sun was exactly on the Midheaven in Pisces, reflecting the hedonism and enjoyment of life which summed up his personality.  It also represents the all-encompassing role of the film director (Sun/Midheaven/Pisces), a path he pursued.  His Sun was exactly sextile Mars, reflecting a strong male energy.  Interestingly, his sister Jane also had the Sun exactly sextile Mars in her chart, so it is obviously a family astrological signature, but expressed differently: she played some raunchy roles in her career.  She is depicted in his chart as linked with his sense of early security, by the Moon (female) conjunct the I.C. in the 3rd House of Siblings.  His mental brilliance shows up in his chart as Mercury exactly sextile Uranus.  But he was also a dreamer, with Mercury opposing Neptune.  Mars square Pluto saw him flirting with danger at some points in his life (he accidentally shot himself aged 11, with Mars opposite his Neptune, and Pluto square his Uranus).

Art imitates Life: Easy Rider

Peter Fonda became a (self-proclaimed) poster boy for the Counterculture of the late 1960s, although his film did point out the downside of the lifestyle.

Ed Vulliamy writes in the Observer today:

“high up the iconic images of the 1960s, that of Peter Fonda in floral shirt and outrageous sideburns, riding free on his Harley, to a soundtrack of Steppenwolf’s Born to be Wild”

The career ambition and drive of Mars exactly sextile his Sun/Midheaven in Pisces ensured that he fulfilled his ambition and crystallized that Archetype fairly early in his career. The film was directed by his co-star Dennis Hopper, and was released on 14th July 1969, on a New Moon in Cancer.  Easy riding Mars was trine Peter’s Pluto in Leo in his 2nd House of Finance and Uranus sextile his Pluto at the time, establishing his material wealth.

I am always fascinated by the way in which a film star or actor can be defined by a role or persona which actually strongly reflects their chart, and Peter Fonda is a textbook case. The Sun/Midheaven in Pisces speaks of the Hedonist Archetype; the Sun exactly sextile Mars is the image of the Biker (he rode a Harley Davidson in Easy Rider), a role which he had established before that film:

He said in 2007:

“I ride an MV Agusta.  This is an Italian racing motorcycle.  It forces focus.  You have to be focussed and in my life, in this business, focus is hard to find sometimes.  so I need to force focus and that’s great.  The bike takes you on a free road.”

His Ascendant is in Gemini, which represents the Open Road.  His Sun in Pisces represents the dropout, drug fuelled counterculture of his time.

He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film.

Companions on the Road

The male bonding with the characters played by Dennis Hopper and Jack Nicholson in Easy Rider were essential to his archetype.  The making of the film was very much a collaboration between himself and Dennis Hopper.

Dennis Hopper

The success of their partnership is shown by Hopper’s Jupiter sextile Peter’s North Node, an indication of a collaboration resulting from a good karmic connection from previous lives.  Hopper’s Saturn conjunct Peter’s Mercury gave Peter the impetus to knuckle down and focus, and Peter’s Jupiter trine Hopper’s Ascendant gave the latter the enthusiasm and luck to follow his dream.

Dennis Hopper’s transits at the time the film was released included Neptune opposite his natal Sun (a dream which came true).  Neptune (the medium of film) also trined his natal Pluto and sextiled his natal Midheaven (establishing a film career).  And Pluto squared his natal Jupiter, the wielding of Power.

Jack Nicholson

In the film, Jack Nicholson played a jailbird who travelled with them a short while before coming to a sticky end.  Peter’s connection with Jack Nicholson was more gritty: Jack’s Mars squared closely Peter’s Sun, urging the dare devil in him.  Peter’s Saturn squared Jack’s wild Jupiter/Pluto opposition, trying to if anything temper and steady Jack’s excesses and shape them into something they could use.  Their Mercuries however were exactly sextile, so mentally they were on the same page.

The success of Easy Rider was a high for Nicholson, too (he was nominated for best supporting actor): Jupiter was on his Moon, bringing him luck; Neptune was sextile his natal Jupiter (screen success); and like Hopper he had Neptune trine his natal Pluto (profound psycho-spiritual changes).

Acting Dynasty

Peter was part of an acting dynasty, together with his father Henry Fonda, his sister Jane Fonda, and his daughter Bridget Fonda.

Jane Fonda

I once had a close encounter with Jane Fonda (about 5 inches) in Waterstone’s Cambridge at her book signing, after a lengthy queue.  Her autobiography was a good, honest read.  But this was over a decade ago, so I rescued it from the back room and blew the dust off yesterday.  He did write his own autobiography “Don’t Tell Dad” in 1998, but hers has been useful in the making of this blog.

In her tribute to Peter, Jane described him as her “sweethearted younger brother”.  In her autobiography she describes him thus:

“Peter is all deep sweetness, kind and sensitive to his core.  he would never intentionally harm anything or anyone.  In fact, he once argued with me that vegetables had souls (it was the sixties).”

In other words, the classic Pisces ideal (the other side of Pisces from the drug-taking dropout portrayed in Easy Rider).

She has also mentioned that he was “the talker of the family” [Ascendant in Gemini].

It was their karma to share a childhood (Peter’s North Node sextile exactly Jane’s Moon); Peter’s Ascendant was square exactly Jane’s Saturn (she was the elder); and her late Sagittarian Sun was on his Ascendant (good companions).  They needed each other, for their father was very detached, and their mother suffered from mental illness and committed suicide when Peter was 10 years old.

Henry Fonda

As mentioned, Peter’s relationship with his father was distant at best, and Henry was often harsh towards him.  Problem areas in their synastry included a double whammy of Peter’s Mercury square Henry’s Pluto and vice versa (mental challenges).  Henry’s Saturn was potentially squashing, sitting on Peter’s aspiring Sun/Midheaven, but Peter fought for his freedom of expression.

Jane wrote in her autobiography, about their relationship:

“I marvelled at the extent to which he would, in the face of Dad’s anger, remain himself, exposing his heart, challenging Dad: ‘See me for who I am.  I will not change in order to make you comfortable’ ”

Ulee’s Gold

In his later years, he became an outspoken (Mercury sextile Uranus) environmentalist and critic of Donald Trump.  But he notably triumphed in another film Ulee’s Gold in 1997.  For his performance in this film, he won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor.  His character Ulee Jackson, that of a widowed beekeeper, was very different from the role he played in Easy Rider.  In this film, he tries to save his son from the world of drug abuse, and the film (spoiler alert) even has a happy ending…

The astrological picture for Peter when this film was released included Jupiter trine exactly his North Node (a karmic reward), and Pluto square exactly his natal Sun/Mercury, implying it was hard won.

According to Jane “he went out laughing”.  Jupiter was trine his natal Venus, and that Sun on the Midheaven was shining brightly.

Bibliography: “My Life So Far” by Jane Fonda

 

My Picture

After 13 years (the website was set up in January 2006), I have finally changed the photograph on the About Me page (about time, too!)  Hubby has just confessed, after all this time, that it looked “a bit severe”.  I was working at the Quiet Office at the time, and there was a photographic studio a few doors down.  I went in there with 3 different items of jewellery, and asked for a variety of shots.  After taking the photographs, the chap asked “So what sort of website are you setting up? Jewellery?”  “No, Astrology” I replied.  He looked rather disappointed, and nearly dropped his tripod.

So this new photo has 13 years of extra wrinkles, but was taken with some lovely friends recently at Supersonic Sound Pod, and I hope is more friendly.

 

Aspects

The main feature of this week is that three planets leave Leo and enter Virgo, so gradually we’ll be making the most of our holidays and bit by bit knuckling down to some advance work in preparation for our Autumn schedules (hubby and I have enrolled on a year long Philosophy course, so I have heavily invested in the cartoon-like Graphic series of Philosophy books for dummies, to give myself a sporting chance.)

The planetary migrations started this morning with Mars entering Virgo, a conscientious statement of intent if there ever was one.  Mars has been making hay in Leo since 1st July, encouraging us to play.  Together with Jupiter (they trined), it was responsible for the hottest day in the U.K. on 26th July, so it did deliver the goods.  Entering Virgo, it starts to clean and clear the working space in preparation for some real work to be done.  Mars in Virgo spells efficiency, but it also represents economy of effort and energy, organizing ourselves to best effect.  Any ardent de-clutterers out there, should be in their element.

Tomorrow (Monday 19th) Jupiter is semi-sextile Saturn, so adjustments are being made in order to re-calibrate, re-organize and move some office furniture.  You may be trying to reconcile two very different strands of your life and psyche.

Venus enters Virgo on Wednesday (21st), which is the second Ingress.  Having possibly laid the foundation for future work on Sunday, we now become choosy about the aesthetics.  We pay attention to the detail of the decoration (of the office, say), and we are discriminating about the company we keep (if we subscribe to such a philosophy).  We choose the catering (in a healthful, Virgoan or Vegan way), and we tailor our practices following Greta Thunberg’s ecological climate emergency advice (if we are not Arron Banks, Donald Trump or even Julia Hartley-Brewer).  Come on, we all want to be her.  Venus stays in Virgo until 14th September.

As if to help us in this endeavour, Mercury also trines Jupiter on that day.  This is a mentally cheerful vibe, and one that takes in a great deal of information and covers a lot of ground travelwise.  It is favourable for academic enterprises (I might tackle Descartes’ Meditations that day), communication, foreign travel, and good news generally.  It helps the teaching profession and educational policies, and fosters dialogues between nations.

The Sun enters Virgo (the third Ingress) on Friday (23rd).  Mars and Venus have paved the way, in their own ways, but the main player the Sun looks for more of a fanfare.  In the Virgoan office however, the atmosphere is more modest, the staff just get on with their work, and may not turn a hair at his entry.  But his will be a silent power, a quiet force adding to building towards the season of industry.  The Sun in Virgo will aid a sense of focus and purpose, and bring people together in common objectives.

Come the weekend, on Saturday (24th) there is more opportunity to let your hair down, with a conjunction between Venus and Mars.  They have been toiling in Virgo since the beginning of the week, and have earned some fun and joy (they do like to hang out together!).  Intense friendship, and even flirtatiousness, may be on the cards.  Eat, drink and be merry, for on Monday the daily grind awaits.

Next Week Ahead from Monday 26th August

There is no planetary aspect next Sunday, and I am away that day, so my next blog will be written and appear on Monday, 26th August.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – Prep
• Tomorrow – Adjustments
• Wednesday – Aesthetics; Education; mental frolics
• Friday – More knuckling down
• Saturday – Party time

Toni Morrison (1931 – 2019)

“My project is an effort to avert the critical gaze from the racial object to the racial subject; from the described and imagined to the describers and imaginers; from the serving to the served”

~ Toni Morrison

We have lost a colossus of the literary world this week, but one whose imprint is etched in the hearts of many.  When I was a student at University in the late 1960s, black fiction was defined by the work of James Baldwin, Richard Wright, and Langston Hughes.  There was a gaping space for the emotional expression of the black female writer, and that groundbreaking role was taken up by Toni Morrison, who published her first book in 1970 (The Bluest Eye) and whose most famous work was published in 1987 (Beloved).  In giving a voice to the voiceless, she also ignited the inner writer for many black Americans.  Her death at this time reminds us that in this era of increasing racism everywhere, and the current aspirations of white supremacists, we still have a long way to go.

Birth Chart

With 6 of her 10 planets in Cardinal signs, Toni was a leader and pioneer, and her Sun in Aquarius was that of a groundbreaker (one who sees the future, sees what needs to be done, and acts).  Her Sun squared the Ascendant, from 10th House, suggesting success through a Creative career.  Her Moon in Pisces brought the fertile imagination of her novels, and the emotional intelligence for which she was esteemed.  For all the dark themes in her novels, her Moon trine exactly Jupiter describes a very positive emotional make up, one that was needed to look into the face of the tragedies she saw and wrote about, and hint at possible redemption.  The depth of her imagination was increased by a trine to her Moon from Pluto, and a sextile from Chiron.  She knew how to put the reader through an emotional wringer, and then deposit them on a stable landscape to continue their journey.  With Mercury sextile Uranus, she positively courted controversy, fearlessly.  Her Mercury (writing) was conjunct her Midheaven (Careerpoint) in Aquarius in her 9th House of Publishing.  In relationships, she was a realist (Venus conjunct Saturn in Capricorn).  But she also wrote about the supernatural (Venus in 8th House) and ghastly tragedy (Venus square Uranus and opposite Pluto; Saturn exactly opposite Pluto).  Finally, she could sometimes resolve her relational themes through magical outcomes (Venus trine Chiron).  Mars in her 3rd House implies a prolific writing output, and conjunct the I.C. point in Leo in that House means she was rooted in a tremendous drive to creativity.  Her ruling planet Uranus was conjunct North Node in Aries in the 11th House, pointing to a life purpose of changing society.

Beloved

“The conceptual connection is the search for the beloved – the part of the self that is you, and loves you, and is always there for you.”  ~ Toni Morrison, writing about her trilogy.

She published her most well known book “Beloved” in 1987, a harrowing tale about an African American enslaved woman who was forced to kill her daughter, and whose daughter returns to her as a ghost.  This book is in many ways the lynchpin of her career, and was made into a film.

The transits at the time it was published show up key themes in her chart:  Jupiter was sextile her natal Sun in Aquarius (a high point of success) in the 10th House (a fulfilment of her highest potential careerwise).  Jupiter (expansion) was squaring her natal Mars in Cancer in her 3rd House (representing her writing output).  Neptune was trine her natal Neptune, a time when she was spiritually poised, balanced and inwardly at peace with herself.

Champions

Another groundbreaking Aquarian, Oprah Winfrey, was to play an important role in her success and the dissemination of her work.  Not only did Toni appear three times on Oprah’s show, but Oprah fought tirelessly for ten years to get the film “Beloved” to the silver screen.  Then she founded her Book Club in 1996 with a publication of Morrison’s (The Song of Solomon), the Book Club itself becoming a huge, enduring and influential success.  Toni Morrison’s life impacted Oprah’s too, with Oprah casting herself in the lead role of the film “Beloved”, and finding inspiration and motivation for projects related to Toni’s work.

In their synastry, Morrison’s Neptune was square Oprah Moon (firing the imagination), Morrison’s North Node was sextile Oprah Jupiter (a mutually nourishing karmic reward) and Morrison’s Sun was sextile Oprah’s Ascendant in Sagittarius, on Oprah’s 3rd House cusp (the Book Club).

Maya Angelou, whose seminal work “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” was published in 1969, was also a champion of Toni Morrison’s work.  By 1988 it had become clear that in a glaring omission Morrison’s work had not been appropriately honoured, and together with other black writers and critics Maya Angelou gave her name to a statement in the New York Times on 24th January 1988.  This also was a significant time astrologically in relation to Toni’s chart.

Uranus (sudden success) was sextile exactly Toni’s natal Sun in Aquarius in 10th House.  Pluto was sextile her natal Venus in Capricorn in 8th House (a deep recognition), and notably the North Node from Pisces (at 25 degrees) lay on her 11th House cusp sextile exactly her Ascendant, bestowing a karmic due.  Angelou’s North Node (agent of karma) was exactly sextile Morrison’s Uranus (her ruling planet).

Toni Morrison was eventually awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1993, making her the first black woman to win it.  Groundbreaking transits impact her chart at that time, such as Uranus on her Saturn and opposing her Pluto; she will have had the maturity to deal with the enormity of it.

Family

Morrison divorced her husband in 1964, and brought up two sons.  It was in this period that she began to write seriously: “It was though I had nothing left but my imagination. I had no will, no judgment, no perspective, no power, no authority, no self; just this brutal sense of irony, melancholy and a trembling respect for words. I wrote like someone with a dirty habit. Secretly. Compulsively. Slyly.”

One of her sons, Slade, wrote children’s books with her, but died of pancreatic cancer in 2010 (when Saturn was on her natal South Node in Libra).  She was nearly 80 by then, and had stalled in the writing of her current novel.  She later wrote:  “I stopped writing until I began to think, He would be really put out if he thought that he had caused me to stop. ‘Please, Mom, I’m dead, could you keep going …?'”  She subsequently finished the novel “Home” and published it in 2012.   Her last and eleventh novel “God Help the Child” was published in 2015.   She died early this week aged 88, of complications from pneumonia.

“In order to be as free as I possibly can, in my own imagination, I can’t take positions that are closed. Everything I’ve ever done, in the writing world, has been to expand articulation, rather than to close it, to open doors, sometimes, not even closing the book — leaving the endings open for reinterpretation, revisitation, a little ambiguity.”

~ Toni Morrison

Aspects

Today, Jupiter pirouettes into Direct motion around lunchtime.  That might bring a breath of fresh air to your day’s plans, peppering them with promise.  You might have planned a quiet Sunday, after the gales of the last few days (in the U.K.) combined with the breakdown of the national grid and rail and air troubles.  But something may lift you, and point the way to your next direction.  In the words of Alice Bailey (the seed thought for Sagittarius): “I see the goal.  I reach that goal and then I see another”.  You at least get to the stage of seeing the goal, or resuming an earlier goal.

In the early evening, Mercury (now Direct) returns to Leo which livens communication and debate and applying the mind to summer hedonism.  Enjoy this trend, which lasts until 29th August.

So today, it is up the ladder, and tomorrow (Monday 12th) it is down the snake, for Uranus is Stationary prior to turning retrograde.  Uranus of course is the trickster, so whichever way you go may not be according to plan. Plan for the unexpected, if you can.  You may see some goalposts moving.

In the nicest aspect of the week, Venus conjoins with the Sun on Wednesday (14th) at 21 degrees Leo.  That is the day to make a diary appointment which you hope will go smoothly and make the best of a meeting.  If you are an artist or a musician, it is the day you can produce your best creative output or performance.  There’s a lot of love to be had on Wednesday.

The Moon is at the Full on Thursday (15th) at 22 degrees of Aquarius.  This may produce monthly tension, or a stand off between the individual and the group.  But resolutions can be found.

The Sun aligns that day with the fixed star Deneb Algedi in Capricorn, and “Starlight Elixirs” by Michael Smulkis and Fred Rubenfeld offers the following resonances:

“This binary can enhance the ability to work with patterns and cycles that are related to practical environments.  This can strengthen the ability to make predictions based on past performance.  Some aspects of the underlying cycles may become clearer for individuals when they work with this star.  This is a way of predicting the future based on a careful study of patterns and how they move through various cycles.  The individuals who work with this are Astrologers, Economists, and Historians.  After they have observed and worked with most of the information available and understood these cycles, they may become very quiet and enter a state of emptiness.  This emptiness often becomes filled with new ideas and better intuition as to the correct course of events.”

Last of the aspects this week is Uranus square Mercury which occurs on Friday (16th) in the late afternoon in the U.K.  Be prepared for the continued theme of the Trickster energy, disrupted trains and computers needing attention.  Use your intuition to be one step ahead – the Universe may be trying to show you new pathways, and possible new perspectives.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – Up the ladder
• Tomorrow – Look at loopholes
• Wednesday – A lot of Love
• Thursday – Emotional tension, pay attention to patterns and cycles
• Friday – Looking at things differently

 

Marianne Williamson

“There is no order of difficulty in Miracles”

~ from A Course in Miracles

New Age Author

In 1992, Marianne Williamson published her commentary on A Course in Miracles “Return to Love” which made this difficult book more accessible to the average reader.  This marked her out as  a spiritual teacher, and she appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show and established herself as a lecturer in New Age philosophy.

Apart from a workshop on feng shui, the workshop I attended of hers in September 2008 in London is the only New Age workshop I have managed to drag my scientist hubby to!  I was struck by her warmth and authenticity.  On just now questioning hubby about his thoughts he said he found her very “together”, and was impressed that she rose above being defrauded by her agent.

Politician

Marianne ran unsuccessfully in 2014 in a bid to represent California’s 33rd congressional district in the United States House of Representatives.  But in January this year, she announced her candidacy to win the Democratic nomination for the Presidency in 2020.

She has taken part in two televised debates, and in the first round in Miami she stated that if she became President the first call she would make would be to Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand, as an admirer of her principles.

This week she took part in a second televised debate, and a Guardian headline yesterday announced “New age author takes Democratic debate by storm”.  She stands for themes such as forgiveness and peace, and wants to establish a new way of doing politics.

Birth Chart

With 6 planets in the Cardinal quadruplicity, Marianne’s chart is straightaway established as that of a leader.  She has Sun in Cancer closely conjunct Uranus, which puts her in the New Age movement.  Her Ascendant is in Gemini, making her a good speaker and communicator.  Venus conjunct Uranus gives her great personal magnetism.  There is a definite streak of warriorship and activism, with Mars in Scorpio closely trine the Midheaven (work in the world).  She also has the Entrepreneur archetype, in the shape of Jupiter sextile exactly Uranus, and certainly made use of a much needed gap in the market (elucidating A Course in Miracles).  Her Neptune trines the North Node in Aquarius – describing her as a New Age (Aquarius) Spiritual Teacher (Neptune).  Jacinda Ardern also has this sign of spiritual leadership (Neptune trine North Node).  Her Ascendant trines exactly North Node on cusp of 8th and 9th Houses (the linking point of Psychology and Philosophy).  Her Part of Fortune/Chiron conjunction in Capricorn is 2 degrees apart – This combination has the ring of miracles about it, someone who deals in Miracles.

This Week’s Debate

According to the Guardian “The controversial author proved curiously magnetic to the American public again during the brief moments when was able to speak from her lectern”.  Despite being low profile among 10 candidates, she was the most Googled candidate afterwards.

Among other comments, she referred to the current climate:

“If you think any of this wonkiness [the debate over policy] is going to deal with this dark psychic force of the collectivised hatred that this president is bringing up in this country, then I’m afraid that the Democrats are going to see some very dark days”

All power to Marianne, for trying to bring some light through to the world of politics.

Quote from Marianne Williamson from “A Return to Love”:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?”

[This quote is often wrongly ascribed to Nelson Mandela, who included it in a speech]

Aspects

It is my great pleasure to announce that this is a good news week!

It may not look like it (we are watching the rain clouds over the dam at Whaley Bridge with anxiety; there have been gunmen on the loose in El Paso and Ohio, all situations with repercussions and much anxiety surrounding them) but hopefully (oops, a word banned by Jacob Rees-Mogg) in some way, we can put our cares behind us on some level this week and enjoy life (to a degree, if not to the full).  It is very rare I can say that, because most weeks there is at least one fly in the aspect ointment.

Wednesday (7th) brings one of the luckiest aspects of the year: the Sun trine Jupiter.  It’s a good week to embark on a holiday, or have a little flutter on the lottery.  Jupiter trine the Sun favours long distance travel, pilot strikes permitting (!).  However unlikely it seems if you are struggling, this week could bring you that lucky break, or even a miracle.  Recommended reading for your suitcase: “A Course in Miracles” and “A Return to Love” (see above).  Weather watching again this week, it seems that there will be some sunshine, and some fleeting showers.  Perhaps the residents of Whaley Bridge may be allowed to return to their homes by Wednesday.

It is a day of good cheer, laughter, adventure, golden opportunity and looking ahead to the future with optimism.

The news broadcaster Robert Peston has Sun exactly trine Jupiter in his natal chart, and when asked in an interview “What has been your biggest disappointment?” he replied: “I am rarely disappointed.  I try to make the best of things.”

Marianne Williamson has the Sun closely sextile with Jupiter, a similarly positive outlook.

The next day, Thursday (8th) brings possibly the second most positive aspect of the year, Venus trine Jupiter.  This concentrated goodness in the middle of the week might encourage you to make some plans or celebrations.  It is an aspect conducive to parties, engagements and weddings, and can certainly bring some romance into your life.  If romance is not what you seek, it could bring some money into your life!  Or you may find the meaning of happiness.

So that’s it: a very intensely happy middle of the week.  I hope to hear success stories, rather than complaints at the customer service desk!

The week in bullet points:

• Wednesday – happy clappy
• Thursday – lovey dovey

New Cabinet

For his first outing in the Commons, Johnson had gone back to his more familiar default setting. The Fool. The court jester from whom no one expects the truth, so long as they are entertained. “Pifflepafflewifflewaffle,” he began.

~  John Crace

So it is Boris Johnson’s finest hour: he easily achieved 66% of the vote to become our new Prime Minister. From last week:

“Saturn from Capricorn in his natal 4th House of Home trines his natal Jupiter in Taurus in 8th House – could be a prestigious new House move (requiring apparently all new furniture, post divorce).  Uranus from Taurus in his 7th House trines his natal Uranus in Virgo in his 11th House – Successful realization of his long held dream and ambition.”

Accordingly, and as is his right, he has fashioned a new cabinet, who will be seeing us through Brexit and ruling our affairs for at least a few months.  As there are 22, I won’t get through them all at this stage, but I would add Jacob Rees-Mogg (appointed Leader of the House of Commons) and Dominic Cummings (architect of Johnson’s victory).

“In would come a cabinet shaped in his own image.  A cabinet of shits, charlatans and shysters. One in which having been previously sacked for lying was almost a precondition.”

~ John Crace

Sajid Javid, now Chancellor of the Exchequer

I wrote earlier:

“Prospects look brighter for him at the time of the settlement of the contest, with Jupiter on his Sun.  Perhaps the new leader will offer him a plum role, or he will be pleased to keep his current role.  He looks to have some happiness come his way at that time.”

Dominic Raab, now Foreign Secretary

A staunch supporter of Boris during his campaign to become Prime Minister, he deserved a plum role.

I have written, previously:

Transits for 31st July (by which time a leader should have been chosen)

Uranus sextile his natal Sun, which is more promising as it can be very personally successful, and offers up an opportunity to be fresh and original.

Transits for 31st October (the deadline for Brexit)

With a Mars Return and Mars trine his Venus, he may be seen as Action Man around this time.  Perhaps he has taken a crucial role in some negotiations.  Jupiter is transiting his natal North Node, which can bring karmic reward for merit.  This looks like a favourable period for him, whatever his role at the time.

Priti Patel, now Home Secretary

I haven’t worked with her chart before, but it is extraordinary how she got here!  Two years ago she resigned as Secretary for International Development because it had been found that she had taken some unauthorized trips to Israel.

With Sun in Aries she is very direct, and closely squaring Jupiter makes her a risk-taker too.  Mercury conjunct exactly Chiron could give her capabilities as a problem-solver. Mercury opposing Uranus means she is not afraid to be controversial.  Mars trine closely with Pluto confers extreme force, energy and strength.  And Mars trine exactly the North Node, with Aries Sun and 6 Cardinal planets, she is a leader.

Transits for 24th July, her appointment:

She has Uranus trine her Jupiter (an Opportunity), Chiron square her Jupiter (she will be super excited), Saturn square her natal Uranus (slightly rattled) and the Nodal Axis square her natal Uranus (she will be challenged to rein in her Inner Rebel).

Andrea Leadsom, now business, energy and industrial strategy secretary

I have previously written about Andrea Leadsom:

“She is a strong-willed Sun in Taurus (a financier), with the Sun in a T-square with Mars and Saturn, and her Sun is closely sextile her North Node (born to lead some).  She seems to be a catalyst, as pulling out of the previous leadership contest paved the way for Theresa to win.”

Transits for 24th July, her appointment:

Pluto still trine her natal Sun, a position of power, though maybe not as powerful as she would like, and Mars square her Neptune (she may be in two minds about the appointment). Though as a Taurean, business is a suitable place for her.

Matt Hancock, stays as Health Secretary

There have been hints that Matt Hancock would have liked a more senior position, but the position of Health Secretary is not to be sniffed at.  And he is lucky, because half the previous cabinet lost their jobs (including his predecessor at Health, Jeremy Hunt).

Previously I wrote:

“His background suggests more of a talent for economics than an interest in health .. . He was born under a New Moon in Libra, with a keen, forensic type of mind (Mercury conjunct Pluto in Libra).”

Of this period I wrote:

“Neptune still trines his Venus, but Saturn squares his Pluto, which may spell disappointment politically.  In addition, the Nodal Axis squares his Pluto, so the force does not appear to be with him.”

Gavin Williamson, now Education Secretary

I have previously written:

“He is a bit of a maverick, with Sun exactly trine Uranus …Uranus in Scorpio is also conjunct his North Node, and this may be connected with his karmic mission.  He has a strong desire to change things, and enjoys taking people by surprise.  Rowena Mason, writing in the Guardian, said: ‘Gavin Williamson has often been likened to Francis Urquhart, the ruthless parliamentary enforcer in Westminster TV drama House of Cards’.  At the Conservative conference he stated: “I don’t very much believe in the stick, but it’s amazing what can be achieved with a sharpened carrot”.  He has a reputation for slipperiness, and that may be connected with his close natal Mercury-Neptune opposition.”

Transits for 24th July, his appointment:

Mars sextile his natal Mercury (mentally galvanized), Uranus sextile his natal Venus (excitement), and Pluto trine his natal Jupiter (a thirst for power satisfied), so he looks pleased with his new position.

Amber Rudd, now Work and Pensions Secretary

Amber notably acted as the fall guy for Theresa May’s Windrush mistakes, but has managed to trundle along to this position, despite being a forceful voice for Remain during the referendum days.

Transits for 24th July, her appointment are remarkably quiet and uneventful.

Liz Truss, International Trade Secretary

Liz is my local M.P., who I wrote about in May:

“Her deadpan voice and slightly soulless gaze worry me, and some of the stances in parliamentary voting she has taken have lacked compassion.  She sits in a Tory heartland, and most of the people I know who have met her have been underwhelmed by her intellect.  She has Mercury conjunct Saturn, so there is some slowness mentally, but otherwise she has done well climbing on the political ladder without accomplishing anything remarkable.  She has Jupiter exactly square Saturn natally, which can indicate a strong Inner Saboteur.”

Transits for 31st July

Neptune sextile her natal Mars, some compassion occurring.  But Chiron opposing her Pluto may be difficult psychologically or healthwise.

[Apparently she hoped for something better, given that she put her wholehearted support behind Boris]

Transits for 31st October

Chiron closely trine her Sun, may see her moving on, with new ideas about health.  Jupiter will trine Jupiter, so perhaps a new opportunity opening up for her, and a new focus.

[Jupiter trine Jupiter may give her a travel boost in her new International role]

Grant Shapps, now Transport Secretary

Anyone who succeeds Chris Grayling is likely to do well in the job in comparison.  With the Sun in Virgo and the Moon in Gemini (both Mercury ruled), transport would seem a fitting placement for him (Chris Grayling is an Aries with an Aquarian Moon).  With Mars closely trine Saturn, he might get things done.  However, he did have to stand down from a ministerial post in 2015 because he had not dealt with cases of bullying within the party.

Transits for 24th July, his appointment:

Pluto exactly trine his natal Sun to the day, a significant shift of power.  He will feel he is back in business!  The Nodal Axis square his Mercury – karmic challenges in relation to Transport.  Jupiter is sextile his natal Venus – he will be pretty happy at the moment.  Neptune is opposite his natal Jupiter (he may have some delusion).  North Node sextile his natal Jupiter (his karma is definitely on the up!)

Jacob Rees-Mogg, now Leader of the House of Commons

Jacob Rees-Mogg, one of those who hounded Theresa May out of power, has lost no time in laying down all sorts of rules of grammar and other protocols for his department, so they will be having to mind their p’s and q’s.  With Sun and Mercury in Gemini, language is an important preoccupation, but I only hope it does not interfere with the performance of his staff.  Mars is opposite his natal Mercury, which can make him very bossy or critical in this regard.  A notably retro eccentric, he will be getting his teeth into his new role, keen to deliver Brexit.  Please note I still adhere to the two spaces after a full stop rule, which is one of Rees-Mogg’s stipulations to his staff.

Transit for 24th July, his appointment:

Aah!  Pluto trines his natal Pluto, he is coming into his power at long last.  It feels as though he has been waiting centuries.

Dominic Cummings, now Special Adviser to the P.M.

Dominic Cummings was the chief architect of Vote Leave, and also assisted Boris’ recent campaign to be Prime Minister.  He is known as a slippery character, and remarkably 8 (out of 10) Mutable planets, and no Fixed planets, so slippery by astrological nature.  He has the Sun exactly opposite Saturn, so can be very strict in what he believes in.  His Sun is exactly conjunct Neptune, so he is very Piscean too.  His Sun sextile exactly Pluto makes him a very powerful character.  Jupiter sextile his Uranus gives him the Entrepreneur Archetype.  North Node sextile Chiron makes him a “Fixer”.

Transits for 24th July, his appointment:

Mars trines his natal Jupiter, sparking up his energy and enthusiasm (he has Mars square Jupiter natally, making him super-energetic anyway).  He has a Jupiter Return, so this is a red-letter moment for him.  Saturn squares his natal Uranus, which may curb his Inner Rebel a bit at this time; he may have to conform more to other people’s rules (he’ll have run-ins with the civil service).  Also the Nodal Axis squares his natal Uranus, so karmically he may have to answer for some of his past waywardness.

“But then he had just appointed as a special adviser Dominic Cummings, the former Vote Leave campaign director, a man so toxically divisive he couldn’t even unite himself”

~ John Crace

Let me know if I have missed out any of your favourites. I see that one section of society, the Impressionists, are benefitting,  having a field day, with a new batch of politicians to impersonate.  Meanwhile, John Crace is taking the summer off.

Aspects

Early this morning, Venus entered Leo which should be an aspect of making hay, but the record breaking hot weather from last week (Mars trine Jupiter) has now given way to rain here in the U.K.  In fact, on Friday, we sat in an open air theatre in York watching “The Tempest” in a real thunderstorm.  Amazing!

If your planned barbecue is cancelled, you will have to make hay indoors, and find some fine rainy day indoor entertainment to honour Venus in Leo.  Or some richly creative inward expression.  Indoor performance would do it, as Venus in Leo loves a show.  Let your hair down.

The Sun also trines Chiron today, so it is a good day for being mindful of your own healing, and rest and recuperation if that is appropriate.  If you overdid it last week (with all the Mars trine Jupiter over-activity) today may be good for catching up with yourself.  There may be things that you could not do under the sweltering Sun last week, which you can do under the pouring rain or indoors.  A day of quiet healing, but if you are performing and being creative under the entry of Venus into Leo, there is room for both, perhaps interspersed.

Monday (29th) is a little more hair-raising, with the Sun square Uranus.  Be prepared for the element of the unexpected, or the Trickster Archetype.  You may sail through the day, as the actual aspect does not occur until the last hour of the day, but it is good to be prepared.  Some of the effects could disrupt sleep time, or carry on into the next morning.  So don’t rest on your laurels, provide for loopholes, and don’t take unnecessary risks.

Look forward to August, for on the first day of the month (Thursday 1st) there is a New Moon at 8 degrees Leo, which is a joyous one.  This emphasizes the holiday making, creative and performing qualities of the sign and the season. Looking at the weather forecast the rain still seems to be hanging around, so any solutions you found at the beginning of the week for indoor activities or challenging outdoor activities can be re-presented on Thursday, with bells on.  Above all, it is some kind of a new beginning, so if you have experienced some testing times recently, you can press the re-set button.   It is helpful to know what House the eclipse fall in within your chart, so that you can apply the energies with more consciousness.

More good news the same morning: Mercury is Stationary, prior to turning Direct – do I hear a chorus of “Thank goodness!”  I don’t normally suffer much under Mercury Retrograde, but have been assailed by a number of low-grade tech crises from the moment it started, so it’s a muted “thank goodness” from me.  Forge ahead with your paperwork and documentation and let’s hope they have mended all the buckles in the rail system from the heatwave last week.

Uranus has a final flourish in store on Friday (2nd): a square to Venus.  You’ve got to feel for her this week, battling against the rain, struggling to express herself in the sign of Leo.  And the last straw is a challenge from Uranus.  She needs to assert her full allure and power, and charm the Trickster into submission.  I see that the New Age guru Marianne Williamson (author of A Return to Love) has put her hat in the ring as a candidate for the Democratic leadership, hoping to find a new way forward in politics and overturn Donald Trump through love, harmony and mindfulness.  She’s actually not a Venusian, having the Sun, Venus and Uranus in Cancer, but she knows the power of the divine feminine.  So if you are having difficulties with the Trickster on Friday, try turning up the Love to the max, and prove that love conquers all.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – let the sunshine in; quiet healing
• Tomorrow – the element of the unexpected
• Thursday – new beginning; communications improved
• Friday – disruptive relationships

 

Britain and Iran

This week there was a marked escalation of tension in the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf involving a British oil tanker named Stena Impero being taken by Iran, seemingly in retaliation for the seizing of an Iranian vessel in Gibraltar on 4th July (for carrying oil assumed to be bound for Syria).  The validity of our action at that time has been questioned. A second tanker was stopped on Friday, but then allowed to continue.  But since Friday, diplomatic moves seem to have further deepened the crisis.

The trigger for the current crisis was our own action on 4th July, so in looking at transits for the U.K. on that date, we find  Jupiter closely conjunct the UK Sun in Sagittarius in the 7th House of direct relations.  This transit becomes exact on 29th July, so that may be a defining moment in relation to this issue or for this country generally (and again on 24th August).  Jupiter is usually a positive and expansive influence, but in this instance it may have the gung ho quality associated with this planet.  These dates may also be connected with our having a new ebullient Prime Minister, also descriptive of Jupiterian energy.

The other, more fitting transits for the oil tanker event are Saturn square the UK natal Saturn, and  the Nodal Axis square its Saturn (a serious karmic event, or even an error). These two transits suggest a very difficult atmosphere for diplomatic negotiations, like being held in a tight spot karmically.

The transits for Iran on the same date were Jupiter on its 5th House cusp trine its Ascendant in Leo; Jupiter square Iran’s Nodal Axis (in 1st/7th Houses, involving relationships directly), something karmic going down, or a karmic opportunity; and Saturn square Iran’s Pluto in 3rd House of Communication, something gravely serious being communicated, menacingly destructive or self-destructive; or it could be seen literally as the interception (Saturn) of transport (Pluto in the 3rd House of Transport).

How did all this start?

U.S and Donald Trump

It was recently reported that the former U.K. Ambassador in the U.S. (Sir Kim Darroch) in a leaked memo stated that Donald Trump dismantled the nuclear agreement with Iran because he wanted to spite Obama.  This was hardly a revelation, as we all knew Donald had set out to reverse every good thing Obama had done in his presidency.  We didn’t need a leak.

So Donald Trump reintroduced sanctions/tariffs on 8th May 2018 (which have had a crippling effect on the Iranian population), and the E.U. has been trying to stabilize the situation ever since.  At the time he took this action, Saturn was opposite his natal Mercury (not a great judgement call) and Uranus was trine his natal Ascendant (on cusp of 9th House of Foreign Lands) – he decided on shock tactics.  The transits for the Iran chart at the time were: Mars sextile its Mercury – alarm bells; Uranus square its Jupiter – infringement of its freedom; Saturn trine its Saturn – serious decisions; and Pluto sextile its Uranus – a strong arm being exerted.  Iran recently decided to start rebuilding its enriched uranium stocks.

Following Friday’s event Iran’s foreign minister tweeted that the UK “must cease being an accessory to #EconomicTerrorism of the US” painting the chilling possibility that we are being used by the US if the implication is true.

Jeremy Hunt

Jeremy Hunt, as our current serving Foreign Secretary, has been making all the right noises e.g. “We are not looking at military options. We are looking at a diplomatic way to resolve this situation.” But he may not even be in the post beyond this week, as it looks likely that Boris Johnson, and not he himself, will be Prime Minister by Tuesday’s deadline for the party leadership contest.  There is pressure on him to look statesmanlike at the moment, both as a Foreign Secretary and as a possible future Prime Minister.  There is a possibility however that Boris Johnson might keep him on at his post.

Hunt’s transits for the beginning of the current crisis on Friday shows up Saturn trine his natal North Node exactly to the day, so this is a karmic responsibility for him to measure up to, and definitely connected with the event as it was exact on the day.  Also Uranus exactly opposed his Venus, so  he was caught on the backfoot in diplomacy, and Pluto sextile his natal Chiron – strength under pressure.  It has been suggested that in its preoccupation with the Tory leadership contest the government has taken its eye off the ball regarding the Iranian situation, and maybe some of that criticism is being levelled at Jeremy Hunt himself.  These transits are similar to those of the conclusion of the leadership contest on Tuesday, and as we will see they are not as spectacular as Boris’ transits.

Boris Johnson

160.000 Conservative Party members (or their majority) seem set to vote in Boris Johnson as our next Prime Minister, despite the fact that he was a disaster as Foreign Secretary, and with his inept words has consigned Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe to an extended prison sentence in Iran.

The focus for Boris at this time is with the Tory leadership contest which wraps up on Tuesday, and here the stars are with him. Saturn from Capricorn in his natal 4th House of Home trines his natal Jupiter in Taurus in 8th House – could be a prestigious new House move (requiring apparently all new furniture, post divorce).  Uranus from Taurus in his 7th House trines his natal Uranus in Virgo in his 11th House – Successful realization of his long held dream and ambition.

Natally, Jupiter exactly opposite Neptune in his chart represents this blown up long cherished dream and ambition 8th/2nd House which may not turn out to be realistic, or all he wanted it to be (winning the contest has no bearing on what sort of Prime Minister he will be).  Saturn from Capricorn in his 4th House sextiles his natal Neptune in Scorpio in his 2nd House, helping a dream become practical reality.

Boris has a strong Winston Churchill Archetype which stirs him from deep within, but may discover that it is only an Archetype or a role, and that may not be enough, and that he does not have the substance underneath to back it up.  One shudders to think of his future gunboat diplomacies.  That Winston is his guiding light is shown by Winston’s Neptune (inspiration) being exactly sextile Boris’ Sun.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

Her situation in Iran seemed to worsen and deteriorate further this week, when she was transferred to a Psychiatric Hospital with no contact available with her family.  This after a period of hunger strike.

One fears for her if Boris gets into power, governing the whole nation let alone just foreign policy.  Her current transits are: Uranus trine her natal Saturn (a change to her circumstances), Jupiter on her Neptune (which may drive her inwards psychologically), Jupiter sextile her natal Pluto (normally that would be strengthening, but it is not likely in this situation), and Saturn square her natal Pluto (more grief).  In other words, a mixed batch of influences.  It is difficult to know what is going on behind the closed doors of the Iranian Psychiatric prison/hospital.  But it is not likely to have its compensations (especially having no contact with family).  Unless they are preparing her for release, but at this moment they are using her as a valuable pawn.

Of course the current worsening of U.K./Iranian relations is not likely to make her situation any easier.

U.K./Iran Charts

The intrinsic relationship of the U.K. and Iran shows: the UK Venus trine Iran Mars, friendly enough!; UK Jupiter sextile Iran Saturn, again fairly balanced; but the UK Saturn conjunct Iran Pluto [a crucial and very difficult conjunction in their relationship].  I don’t usually take note of asteroids, but Pallas Athena is currently transiting that conjunction – she was a goddess who represented warfare and strategy as well as justice and fairness.

In other interaspects, the UK Uranus sextiles Iran’s Midheaven, and the UK Pluto also sextiles Iran’s Midheaven, a strong balance under normal conditions.  Our natal trine of Uranus and Pluto is one of our greatest strengths.  The UK Neptune sextiles Iran’s Pluto, and that too is  manageable; but the UK Pluto squares the Iranian Sun, which can occasionally set up a power struggle.  It may be that if it were not for the complicated situation with the U.S. relations would be more straightforward.  However we are caught up in wider conflicts, such as the nuclear power struggle in the Middle East, with Israel and the U.S. fearful of Iran’s nuclear status and ambitions.

We as a country are in a historic week in a state of flux, on the brink of a deadline to solve the Brexit riddle, and this current crisis just adds to the tension.  One question is, will our politicians swan off on their holidays abroad, or stay to try to solve our immense challenges?

Aspects

Pluto opposing Venus is the first aspect today, which can symbolize brinkmanship in relationships, such as the current crisis between Britain and Iran. In negotiations, people may be using negative tactics such as project fear, or threats of no deal. If your struggles are in the realms of art or music, you may have to go back to the drawing board on a creative project, or fundamentally change the values behind what you are creating, taking them to a higher level or a deeper level psychologically.

Some of that tension might clear from lunchtime, with the clarity of a conjunction between the Sun and Mercury at 28 degrees Cancer.  Recognizing that people’s feelings and emotions must be part of the equation and honoured to an extent, may help matters.  In a negotiation, for instance, it is good that each party saves face, or there is an attempt at a win-win outcome.  You may find yourself switching tasks and applying and focussing to something easier and more rewarding, or looking at other relationships (there is an emphasis on the family, with the conjunction falling in the sign of Cancer).  So it may be refreshing to turn your attention to other preoccupations, and you may have a sudden revelation which may help the more problematic area(s).

The Sun enters Leo in the early hours of Tuesday (23rd), ushering in the month of hopeful hedonism.  Holiday plans beckon (except for politicians, who need to get on with the job!).  Even if you do not have definite holiday plans, you can look at the quality of life and living within your current horizons and means.  Inner enjoyment is just as important as outer enjoyment, if not more so.

Thursday (25th) brings us a delightful conjunction of Mercury and Venus at 26 degrees Cancer, conducive to the Arts, but also to diplomatic negotiation at a modest level.  I will be seeing Shakespeare plays in the York pop-up theatre, as I did last year, which is a suitably cultural activity for this conjunction.  That particular day I will be seeing “Twelfth Night”, one of the bard’s comedies, also reflecting the light hearted quality and possibilities of this conjunction.  The audience of his day may have found it a light relief from the gunboat diplomacies of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign (being written way after the invasion of the Spanish Armada).  So get out and about, meet friends in coffee shops, or create something beautiful at home – Venus with Mercury is very conducive to story telling accompanied by illustration.

Emphasizing Thursday as a day of play, at lunchtime we have Mars trine Jupiter, which boosts energy and combines it with enthusiasm.  It is a day for your favourite activities.  If you are self-employed, give yourself the day off and pursue your hobbies.  Any sports will be heightened by this trine, for instance.  The aspects end on a high this week, so make the most of it!

The week in bullet points:

• Today – major challenge; rewarding mental focus
• Tuesday – hedonism beckons
• Thursday – cultural delight; enjoyable activities

 

Anniversary of the Moon Landing

“One small step for Man.  One giant leap for Mankind”

~ Neil Armstrong

The 50th anniversary of the manned Moon landing coincides with the Lunar Eclipse on Tuesday 16th July.  I heard this week that someone dubbed the Moon landing as the most significant event of the 20th Century. Maddeningly, I can’t remember who it was or who they were quoting! And Google is not helping, and Alexa doesn’t live here.  I have a vague recollection it might have been Gyles Brandreth on Gogglebox (which was hilarious) quoting someone while watching the Moon landing with Sheila Hancock.  If anyone can confirm that, I would be grateful.

Anyway, if it were the most significant event, the chart of the event would be very defining, I would have thought.  The launch took place from Merritt Island in Florida on 16th July 1969 at 13.32 UTC.  The landing itself took place on 20th July 1969 at 20.17 UTC, its location being Tranquillity Base, the Sea of Tranquillity, The Moon.

The striking  thing in the charts of that period was an exact conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus at 0 degrees Libra.  That conjunction itself is eloquent, speaking of aspiration and enterprise. That is took place at 0 degrees of a sign emphasizes its importance as a notable beginning.  The Sun at the launch was conjunct the Midheaven (highest aspiration) trine the North Node (karma) in Pisces.

At the landing itself Mercury was exactly trine Neptune (great inspiration and a demonstration of science at its best).  Pluto had moved to being exactly conjunct the South Node (again, emphasizing world karma).

I have written about all the astronauts involved.  First about Neil Armstrong in 2012, at his passing:

Neil Armstrong

“I admit to feeling a sense of loss when I heard of the passing of Neil Armstrong.  I think the Universe registered this seismically, the passing of a man of the Universe.  A man more of the Universe than most of us, at least to the Moon and back.  In his chart, his own Moon holds the distinction of being at the power point of the Galactic Centre.

His achievements were great, but so also was his character.  He eschewed the status of fame, and remained true to the humility of Neptune at the base of his chart.  Armstrong’s Neptune is exactly square to his Ascendant, on the cusp of his 4^th House of Home.  This accounted for the fluidity of his roots: his family moved several times in his early years.  This may have been part of the making of a man who could let go and travel out into space.  Maybe it was part of the training which his life provided.  Although Neptune is more usually associated with the ocean, it is also connected with the ethers.  He had a highly sensitive finely tuned nervous system, with Neptune conjunct exactly his Mercury and the conjunction square to his Ascendant.

The high vitality of his chart is shown by Mars in his 1^st House trine exactly the Part of Fortune in his 5^th House, then backed up by the Sun in between sextiling both, and Uranus sextile his Mars and trine his Sun in Leo, also providing the scientific abilities needed by an Astronaut.

His career path is represented by his Midheaven, which is placed in the air sign of Aquarius, and from the age of 6 he was interested in flight.  Aquarius is also the sign of technology, and futuristic endeavours.”

Buzz Aldrin

I wrote about Buzz Aldrin in 2015:

The second member of the manned mission team, Buzz Aldrin, had the Sun at 0 degrees Aquarius, a crucial degree for space flight (close to Tim Peake’s North Node).  He had the North Node closely conjunct Chiron in the 11th House of teamwork.  His Gemini Ascendant was exactly opposite the Galactic Centre, and therefore Armstrong’s Moon was opposite his Ascendant (a Moon-centred relationship!).

His Neptune on the I.C point opposite his Midheaven resonates with Neil Armstrong’s Neptune position on the cusp of the 4th House at the bottom of his chart (see above).  His Mars is exactly sextile his natal Part of Fortune in the 9th House of Space Exploration.  Neil Armstrong’s North Node was exactly sextile Buzz Aldrin’s Ascendant, on the cusp of Buzz Aldrin’s 11th House of teamwork.”

The Jupiter-Uranus exact conjunction at the time of the Moon landing was exactly trine Buzz Aldrin’s natal Sun. A gigantic leap for him.

Michael Collins

I wrote in 2015:

“Unlike the other two members of the Moon landing team, we do not have a birth time for Michael Collins.  His role was to orbit the Moon in the Command Module while the other two actually landed on the Moon.  Fascinatingly, he reported his feelings at the time as not those of loneliness, but “awareness, anticipation, satisfaction, confidence, almost exultation”.

Collins is a Scorpio by Sun sign, with Jupiter exactly conjunct Pluto (his ruling planet) in Moon-ruled Cancer.  This is a conjunction of great power and positivity.  He was probably really feeling that conjunction in his description of his solo flight.

He had a karmic bond with Buzz Aldrin, in his Sun being exactly conjunct Aldrin’s South Node.  At the time of the Moon landing Chiron was square his natal Saturn, Saturn was exactly trine his natal Saturn and opposite his natal Sun.  There was a great emphasis therefore on control and solitariness in the role the Universe was asking of him at that time.

In those days, it seemed the adventure of conquering Space was all in front of us, but with accidents occurring to Astronauts later, and financial constraints, question marks began to appear over the whole concept of colonizing Space.  These days we have probes investigating various planets, and programmes working towards manned travel and colonization of Mars.”

There is still a huge debate about how much we should put into space travel, in terms of resources such as time, money and effort.  But the dream still lives on, in many parts of the world, and it is fascinating to think where we are now in relation to where we were then.

Aspects

Pluto opposes the Sun today, so it is a day for sober reflection and unearthing the deep psychological significance behind events (such as the anniversary of the Moon landing, or the unexpected victory of Simona Halep at Wimbledon yesterday in the women’s final against Serena Williams).  Of course, there is a lot going on in our lives, both personally and globally, and our minds may go to issues which affect us more immediately.  Being an opposition, there is a requirement to balance two opposing forces, and possibly blend them or transcend the polarity.  Both planets represent power of sorts, but Pluto is more influential, so there may be an apparent imbalance and seeming impossibility of reconciling the opposition.  There is certainly an imbalance in the Tory leadership contest, with Boris (our Trump) apparently unaffected by the controversy of the expulsion of our ambassador in the U.S.  You can’t take this aspect lightly, but you must believe there is a way through in order to overcome what you need to overcome in what you are working on.  It is the energy of “it’s always darkest before the dawn” – you have to know the dawn is coming.

Even if you are making headway, you will still be feeling tension, and that is from the upcoming Eclipse and Full Moon in Capricorn on Tuesday (16th).  This Moon represents the pull between authority and individual needs.  There are questions about society, such as how far can authority be accountable for an individual’s fate, and how much can the individual expect from authorities, where does the balance of responsibility lie?  An amazing story this week emerged that the government want to give us advice about our sleep patterns.  Considering that austerity has resulted in worry and anxiety being piled on many ordinary families, which keep them awake at night, I really wonder who came up with this!  There has not been any compassion or psychological insight into policy making for many years. In the end, people have to rely and fall back on their own self-reliance and self-awareness, but if the government hands them anything it is an unexpected bonus (until the event that we have a fairer society and government).

Did I mention this is a difficult week?  Saturn opposes Venus on Wednesday (17th), which could be emotionally deflating (e.g. a prominent, well-loved public figure could pass after a long and worthwhile life). It is time to value those around you, and to renew bonds of love and loyalty.

But don’t give up on the week, it gets better from Thursday (18th), when Venus trines Neptune.  If you are sad about a relationship or a passing, you will be able to tap into the spiritual love and purpose behind that person’s life, and your relationship with them.  If you managed to rise above the difficult emotions of Wednesday, you can go higher with inspiration in your creativity, e.g. in Art or Music.  It is a good day to understand the relationship between materiality and spirituality, say. in your quest for abundance.

Finally, on Friday (19th), Mercury retrogrades back into Cancer, from Leo.  You may have had some initial holiday revelries, but then need to go back and attend to family matters in more detail, such as documentation related to that area of your life.  The collective mind will be more able to encompass emotion when considering an argument.  For example, if you have set your mind on a belief because it seems logical, you may be presented with a situation which helps you see the need for compassion for the other side of the argument.  The rights and welfare of children, for instance, may be put under the microscope.  Mercury does not leave the sign of Cancer until 11th August, because it needs to complete its retrograde path, turn round and then make up the ground before it enters Leo again.  So for the rest of this month, and a little beyond, charity begins at home.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – Light and shade
• Tuesday – Turning point
• Wednesday – emotionally flat
• Thursday – Rise up
• Friday – change of mental focus

 

Wimbledon 2019 – Week 2

Well that was an interesting week, that was!  Some new and intriguing faces at Wimbledon, and new charts to look at.  I will proceed as usual, that is looking at the next four Seeds for the women and men, bearing in mind that some Seeds may already have left us.

Women’s Seeds

No. 6 Seed: Petra Kvitova

Petra has had a lot of transits going on since the Spring, and these continue to be lively over the coming week. North Node trine her Sun,  Mars opposite her Venus, Pluto on her Saturn, Saturn sextile her Pluto, and North Node trine her Pluto are current active transits, which suggest a mood of seriously knuckling down to business.

On 26th March, the attacker who left her with a hand injury just before Christmas 2016 was brought to justice and sentenced, with some of these heavy and long term transits: Neptune on her Sun, Neptune trine her natal Pluto and Pluto on her Saturn.  At the time of the attack, the South Node (past karma) was transiting her natal Mercury (hand).  She was back on the tennis circuit a few months later.

She plays our Jo Konta who we’ll be cheering on Monday. Their synastry is: Petra’s Mars square Johanna’s Mercury (so Petra could bring out Jo’s nerves), Petra’s Saturn opposing Jo’s Mars (difficult for Jo), and Petra’s Neptune conjoins Jo’s Uranus (again, the advantage is with Petra). So the natural flow of things favours Petra generally.  Jo currently has Chiron square her Venus (that’s quite a physical challenge, and she is bearing that well, and doing very well generally at the moment), Uranus square her Jupiter (a prey to the unexpected; again she is bearing that one well), and Chiron trine her Jupiter (healing and uplifting, that’s better news!.  She also has Uranus square her Saturn (not so nice) and Chiron sextile her Saturn (that is keeping her stable), plus Neptune trine her Pluto (sensitive power).  At the end of Wimbledon, Jo has Uranus sextile her Venus (the power of surprise working her way), she still has Uranus square her Jupiter, Chiron trine her Jupiter, and Uranus square her Saturn. There’s a new challenge of Saturn on her Neptune (some draining) and Neptune trine her Pluto.  I sadly don’t think these are winning transits.  I also think Petra’s transits are stronger in the short term than Jo’s.

Going back to Petra, her transits for the end of Wimbledon continue to be meaningful:

Jupiter sextile her North Node (karmic reward), Saturn sextile her natal Sun (strong and stable), Saturn still sextile her natal Pluto, Neptune on her Sun (the possibility of inspirational play, with Neptune as her ruling planet), Neptune trine her natal Pluto and Pluto still on her Saturn.  It is an important year for her, and she could get to the final.

No. 7 Seed: Simona Halep

In the next round, Simona Halep plays the sensational 15-year old Cori Gauff, who has won the hearts of the Wimbledon crowd this year, beating Venus Williams in the 1st round.

At this point in the tournament, Simona has Mars sextile her Sun (vigour), but unbalancing that Saturn square her Mars (awkward energy and frustration), Nodal axis squaring her Mars (danger of injury) and Neptune trine her Pluto (some inspiration and depth). These transits have got her to the second week, but are not easy to negotiate, especially when facing the challenge of Cori Gauff who seems on a roll.

Their synastry shows: Cori’s Gauff squaring Simona’s Venus (a physical advantage for Cori), and Cori’s Uranus opposite Simona’s Jupiter (Cori has the power of surprise).  So Cori could defeat her at this point in the tournament.

If Simona gets through towards the end of Wimbledon, her transits then will be:  Saturn still square her Mars, the Nodal Axis still square her Mars, and Neptune still trine her Pluto.  Simona is a tremendous player, but I don’t think this will be her year for the Wimbledon final.

No. 8 Seed: Elina Svitolina

Elina Svitolina of the Ukraine finds herself in the middle of Wimbledon with the following transits: Neptune opposite her Sun (supersensitivity, which may be difficult to manage), Mars square her natal Venus (slightly incident-prone), Saturn opposite her Mars (awkward energies), Pluto on her Uranus (volatility in her affairs).  So she has done well to get this far.

By the end of Wimbledon,  Neptune still opposes her Sun, Saturn still opposes her Mars, the North Node  transits her natal Mars (karmic consequences to the use of energy) and Pluto still transits her natal Uranus.  The North Node on her Mars could go either way (it could help fulfil her destiny as an athlete, for instance) and she must be quite a fighter at the moment with those transits, but I would think the odds are against her.

No. 11 Seed: Serena Williams

My take this week on Serena Williams, writing on Tuesday was:

“Serena says she feels good, and is currently pain free. At the beginning of Wimbledon Mars is square her Mercury, so it could take a little while to settle her nerves. But Jupiter is sextile her Jupiter, so she is in a good mood! Very optimistic. Saturn squares her Jupiter, so the execution is not without blocks. Saturn is also on her Midheaven (Careerpoint) which may hold her back overall on her career path. She may still be struggling to maintain consistency from one Grand Slam to another, and balance her tennis with motherhood. Finally, Pluto trines her Chiron (so she is “pain free” and strong).

At the end of Wimbledon, Jupiter trines her Mars (energy sky high!), Saturn sextiles her Venus (smooth control at the same time). She still has Saturn square Jupiter and on her Midheaven, and the powerful Pluto trine Chiron. She could make it to the final, or even win.”

Men’s Seeds

The ranks of the men’s Seeds seem decimated, much more so than the women’s.

No. 8 Seed: Kei Nishikori

Nishikori’s current planetary line up shows Uranus squaring his Venus, which may be some tension in his personal life; Chiron sextile his natal Venus (good, healthwise), Uranus trine his Uranus (the power of surprise on his side), Chiron square his Uranus (I wouldn’t rule out injury though), Saturn sextile his Pluto (considerable strength), and the North Node trine his Pluto (powerful karmic help).

By the end of Wimbledon, he still has Uranus square his Venus, and Chiron sextile Venus, but he has added muscle from Mars trine his natal Mars.  Uranus sextiles his Jupiter (an excellent winning transit!), Chiron squares his Jupiter (some challenges), Uranus still trine his Uranus (a considerable benefit), Chiron still square his Uranus (a threat of injury), Saturn still sextile his Pluto, and then that final endorsement from the Universe still (North Node trine his Pluto).  He could be a surprise entrant into the final this year, of the dark horse variety.

No. 15 Seed: Milos Raonic

Raonic currently has Uranus trine his Sun (the element of the unexpected is working in his favour), Neptune sextile his Venus (harmony in his personal affairs) and Neptune trine his Pluto (not a bad transit to have on your side), but not a lot else going on.

At the end of Wimbledon all these transits are still in operation.  None are difficult, but taken together maybe not outstanding enough to get past the semi-finals.

No. 17 Seed: Matteo Berrettini

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

His current transit picture shows: Mars opposite his Uranus (explosiveness), but Jupiter sextile his North Node (karmic rewards).  Saturn is sitting on his Jupiter (slightly dampening that natural exuberance) and square his Nodal Axis (something is weighing on him, perhaps his personal life, or wanting to do well for his team and his country).

At the close of Wimbledon Mars squares his Mercury (irritability), Saturn sits exactly on his Jupiter to the day, and the South Node reaches his Jupiter.  On balance, I don’t think his transits will have improved enough.

No. 21 Seed: David Goffin

Here is another player whose chart I have never got round to. But Belgian David Goffin does have the resource of a birth time (hallelujah!).  He has an intriguing triple conjunction of the Midheaven, Neptune and the Part of Fortune, which is very special.  His Sun trines closely Jupiter, which is excellent for sporting competition.  His Mercury is conjoined with Uranus, which shows a brilliant mind, able to think quickly on his feet.  Mars trines closely his North Node, again showing athleticism.

At this point, Jupiter (which is his Sun ruler from Sagittarius) is conjunct his Sun (one could hardly wish for a better transit), Uranus trines his Mercury (bringing out the brilliance of his mind) but Chiron squares his Mercury (so mental tension could at times be too great during this tournament).  Pluto is conjunct his natal Saturn (it’s a hard slog), and Neptune trines his Pluto (as with some of the other players in his age group).

For the final, Jupiter is on his Sun still, Uranus still trine his Mercury (tremendous assets), Chiron still squares his natal Mercury, and Neptune still trines his Pluto.  Mercury squares his Ascendant, so he could be nervous.  I imagine he could be in the semi-finals, but you never know, he could make the final.  I don’t think he would win, however.

Thank you for all your questions, comments and discussions from week one.  Keep them coming! Look for further updates under comments.

Aspects

Mercury is Stationary this evening, prior to turning retrograde.  We had a forewarning here in the early hours of the morning, when a fuse was blown, and hubby was trying to find out the source of it!  So I am on my mettle, even though normally I try to play down its effects.

You know the drill, in terms of my advice anyway: keep your communications clear, read the small print, attend to detail, allow extra time if setting out on journeys, etc.  Mercury will be retrograde until 1st August, so you need to be mindful in this way for the rest of the month.  Use this as a learning period for what works and what doesn’t work for you under Mercury retrograde periods, we all respond in our individual ways.

Tomorrow (Monday 8th) Venus sextiles Uranus, which is excellent for socializing and meeting new people, often in an impromptu way.  You may gain fresh perspectives on relationships, and life, love and the Universe may seem all the more exciting!

In the evening, Mercury conjoins Mars at 4 degrees Leo, and your mind may be on overdrive.  If you are energized, you may get through some late night tasks efficiently.  If you are trying to get to sleep, you may need some meditations techniques to bring some sort of control and soft focus to your mindset, to take you to that happy place in the sleep world.

On Tuesday (9th) we may come down to earth a little, after the exciting meetings and mental stimulation of Monday, for Saturn opposes the Sun, and the skies may be a little overcast with some rainfall or showers…We need to assess all our exciting ideas in the cold light of day, whether they will work in practice, etc.  If Monday did present us with great food for thought, we need to digest and discriminate about what is worthwhile, what may be pie in the sky or overly romanticized.

The pendulum swings the other way on Thursday (11th).  If we did the work of cool assessment on Tuesday, we’ll be freshly inspired to take our ideas and learnings to another level on Thursday, for Neptune trines the Sun.  We could be forgiven on Thursday for re-introducing some of the fanciful ideas we discarded on Tuesday, revamping them, spiritualizing them, and seeing them in a higher light.  The Universe would be supportive of that.  We will still be mindful of the other side of the coin, but be able to expand our consciousness and re-frame the week’s experiences accordingly.  The day could be inspirational.

This mellow mood applies at least until tea time, when there may be a challenge brought about by Uranus squaring Mars.  Perhaps someone is exploding with tension, or you are disturbed by some item of world news where man is exacting inhumanity to man.  You don’t have to look far these days for that.  Something may jolt you out of the mellow mood.  Something may need to be dealt with urgently, whether it be a mechanical fault or a human fault.  It is not a good time to inflame someone who is ripe for being inflamed.  They may even be inflamed if you are super chilled, in which case you can’t win!  Seriously, though, it is an evening for caution.

So, overall, a week of ups and downs, but the ups are oh so worthwhile.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – communications awry
• Tomorrow – exciting meetings
• Tuesday – a more sober assessment of things
• Thursday – a spiritual high; later tension