This week has seen further international pressure for Syria’s government to stand down or at least stop killing its own citizens.  President Bashar Al-Assad heads another dictatorship in the Middle East, but one being treated very differently than that of Muammar Al-Ghaddafi in Libya. Bashar has a very different personality than the colourful Ghaddafi, and has quietly gone ahead destroying human rights in the tradition set by his father Hafiz Al-Assad, who died 10 June 2000 after 30 years in power.  There have been many possible reasons put forward for the difference in treatment by the international community but the aim of the country rebels is the same as those of other countries in the Arab uprising.  The natal chart for Syria shows a combination of Mars conjunct Uranus volatility and North Node conjunct Pluto shadow expression of power.  Currently the Nodal Axis squares Bashar’s Moon (international karmic pressure) but only if he was born at Noon (we do not have his exact time).  He is married to a British wife Asma, and I often wonder of her role in his life and whether she has any emotional input.  She herself has a warrior past life pattern of Mars conjunct the South Node, and her connections with Bashar are quite Neptunian – a veiled relationship possibly.  Bashar had a veiled relationship with his father too, in that his father’s Neptune was conjunct his Mercury, imbuing him perhaps with mythology about life, family and the world.  It was originally thought that he might be in a different mould from his father, but he has not stepped out of the patterning, neither family nor regional. The chart of his father’s regime shared and reinforced the volatile Mars conjunct Uranus which is in the natal chart for Syria, so this may be part of the entrenched way of being, and of meeting resistance with force.  With a lunar eclipse possibly squaring Bashar’s Moon and trine Syria’s Jupiter, it could be a key week for the beleaguered people of that country.  It could be a key week for us all with another eclipse, and several  assorted aspects to get our teeth into.  I need to focus.  You need to focus.  He, she and it needs to focus.  And we have just the aspect today, Sun conjunct Mercury in Gemini.  So today is for focus…Tomorrow Venus sextiles Uranus, and you may receive interesting social invitations or go to some extraordinary meetings, or experience exciting synchronicities.  Tomorrow (Monday 13th) also sees Saturn stationary about to turn direct, which is good news for turning round projects which almost seemed to stall.  You may have lost all your energy with them, and be about to give up, and can now see what is salvageable and viable.  Mercury is situated at the South Node, and information comes through karmic sources, e.g. old teachers from our youth, or even from past lives may surface.  Their message will not be new, but may need to be updated.  Lastly for tomorrow, Venus squares Chiron and it may be time to give up longing for old forms, and accept they are just not coming back.  Energy is recycled and the new space will bring new interests.  Conversely, on Tuesday (14th) the Sun conjuncts the South Node, and there is emotional power in some of your memories, and in remembering who you are.  You may be able to pick this up, before renewing your mission to find your potential, and what you can be.  Wednesday (15th) brings the lunar eclipse in Sagittarius, a good day for meditating on the state of your life, the state of humanity, and the state of the world.  That’s a tall order, so just start by meditating through your current issue or issues, and see how far you get.  Thursday (16th) brings a change of mental focus as Mercury enters Cancer.  If your brain was on overload with the previous day’s eclipse, you can soft focus and bring a little imagination, dreaminess, and even emotion into your reveries and meditations.  If you have maintained your focus since Sunday, you will naturally drop it on Thursday, and look at your emotional needs and immediate family considerations.  Friday (17th) brings a reward of Mercury trine Neptune, a chance to focus and soft focus all at once, combining the left and right brain, and seeing how your inner focus and outer focus can be harmonized, e.g. you may see just the exact expression of a design which your imagination first brought to your attention or created.  The time may not yet be for implementation, but just the recognition that your dream is possible will be a step forward, and may lift the spirits.  Further progress early on Saturday (18th) as Mercury sextiles Jupiter: favourable to sales and information exchange.  Lucky for some.  You can utilize some of the spiritual, religious or compassionate insights of the Jupiter-Neptune sextile which peaked last week.  Then Venus trines Saturn, consolidating some artistic or relationship aims.  But a blip later on Saturday as Mercury squares Uranus: a deal maybe falling through, possibly due to nervous overload by one of the partners.  People need tender loving care to see them through the temporary crisis.  If someone around you is feeling fragile, advise rest as much as possible for the next few days, until the middle of the next week, as Mercury’s aspects are very tense.  Not the best place to end the blog, but have to love you and leave you!  Hope to report good prospects for Andy Murray at Wimbledon when I blog next Sunday…