Aspects for the week beginning 1 April 2012

 

Bradford Spring

George Galloway is back on the political map, currently starring in a Bradford by-election victory at the helm of his political party Respect.  He hails his victory as momentous and sensational.  According to the Guardian:  ‘…But he never held back on the religious imagery. Reflecting on his victory in the early hours of Friday morning, he said we had witnessed something “miraculous” – in the biblical sense of the word. “And as a religious man, I have to believe that there is some divine intervention in this – the retribution of the main parties for the treason against the country and against their supporters that they have visited is something sacred. Justice has been done.” ‘

Here is how George himself sees the victory, writing in the Guardian yesterday:

“This peaceful, democratic uprising comes from the same wellspring of discontent and alienation that fuelled riots in British cities last summer.  But it is a positive counterpoint – bringing forth a new generation of political leaders, not another cohort trapped in the criminal justice system. Every politician should take notice, as they did not last summer.”

But Andrew Rawnsley writing in the Observer today observes:

“…ungorgeous George proclaims himself to be the herald of a “Bradford Spring”.  It is a very advanced form of narcissicim to view a byelection upset in a parliamentary democracy as the equivalent of the moral courage displayed by those who have risked their lives in uprisings against entrenched tyrannies.”

In the book “Chavs: The Demonization of the Working Class” by Owen Jones, published in 2011 (Quick book review: this book and its author talks a lot of sense) the background of the niche George Galloway has found for himself is analyzed:

“The left continues to champion the most marginalized groups in society – as indeed it should – but all too often this has been in search of something ‘to replace’ the working class with.   A classic example is  the Respect Party founded by George Galloway as a left-wing, anti-war alternative to Labour.  Respect rightly took a stand against the rampant Islamophobia that has gripped Britain in the era of the ‘war or terror’.  But Respect’s electoral base was overwhelmingly in Muslim areas, such as East London and parts of Birmingham.  It did not pitch to working-class people as a whole; instead, it substituted them for a Muslim community that was understandably particularly angered by the brutal invasion of Iraq.  Class politics was abandoned for communalist politics. ‘The left has accepted that it’s still class based, but it’s gone off on single-issue campaigns and not related them back to the class issue,’ says left-wing Labour MP John McDonnell.”

George Galloway is a showbizzy Sun in Leo (purrrh!), with Sun conjunct Pluto on his Ascendant, so he comes with a serious message.  He has the Jupiter-Uranus entrepreneurial conjunction, which tends to take political opportunities (e.g. against Oona King in East London in 2005…and in Bradford this year) if not financially-focussed opportunities.  He has an uncanny ability to read the sensitivities of society, with Moon conjunct Part of Fortune in Pisces trine Jupiter in his 11^th House.The win in Bradford comes as transiting Jupiter trines his natal North Node in Capricorn (a political karmic mission), so surprisingly it is a karmic reward of sorts!  Maybe it is that the Lords of Karma find him to be a lovable rogue…But as with Jeffrey Archer who also has Pluto on the Ascendant, his life is full of ups and downs, and he should make the most of this opportunity, and learn the lessons of his failure to deliver to the people of East London.

The Aspects

As it is April Fool’s Day look out for the deliberate mistake… The week starts with a semi-sextile between the Sun and Jupiter on Tuesday (3rd) morning (UK time). You could receive a modicum of success in an ongoing venture so start the day with a swing, whether you are on the golf course, at the park, or working in your chosen profession. It may not be entirely smooth-sailing, as it may entail a movement off-piste to mix my sporting metaphors…later on, in the afternoon, Venus will enter Gemini and this will add even more lightheartedness. Venus in Taurus has been heart-centred but more serious. You might be starting to trust the Spring sun, let down your hair a little and share your heart. Some stargazing may also be a welcome activity on 3^rd.  According to the Guardian, at 15.00 Hrs Venus will be 0.5 degrees South of the Pleiades (“Binoculars give the best view as it brushes past the Pleiades early in the month, lying only 0.4 degrees below-left of Alcyone, the cluster’s brightest star, on the 3^rd“), and at 18.00 Hrs the Moon will be 6 degrees South of Regulus.

On Wednesday (4th) –  oh the relief! – communications start to unblock as Mercury is stationary prior to turning direct. Remember to write in your Mercury direct journal what you learned from this recent retrograde period. Has the phrase “Mercury retrograde” reached the Oxford English dictionary yet, I wonder?

Bask in the free air of Mercury direct for another day, before tackling Friday’s (6th) square between Venus and Neptune which takes place in the early hours, and which may occur in your dreams. It is an aspect which finds difficulty distinguishing between reality and illusion in relationships and may be something you need to examine in your personal life. If it occurs in your dreams, you may have such a vivid dream that on waking you may wonder if it was a dream or reality. On some level the event may have taken place. The tension and wonder may carry through for the rest of the day, working towards the early evening Full Moon in Libra, for which the theme is still relationship dilemmas. If you are not focussed on relationships the relationship dilemma may be lie within the self. A recent book has highlighted the hidden strengths of introversion (“Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World which Can’t stop Talking” by Susan Cain) and we all need to work on our inner journey, which always enhances the outer journey. A little goes a long way on such journeys, and this Full Moon also highlights the difference in the East and West pathways of consciousness, and how they might be brought
closer together, a marriage of the Right and Left Brain. For more information and inspiration, take a look at the website of the East West Sanctuary, linking different philosophies in holonomic enquiry, http://www.eastwestsanctuary.com/

Results of Poetry Competition

Last week’s Venus sextile Mercury Poetry Competition yielded a winner!

The result is a debut poem by Sarah Berry, entitled “Healing Process”.  Be inspired by her poem, which now graces the Poetry page of this website, especially if you are on a healing journey.

Stop Press!

Oops!  Missed a bit!  Very late on Saturday (7th) Venus squares Mars – Socially that means inappropriate behaviour: in other words, “don’t do anything I wouldn’t do”.  But it’s up to you…As it is very late on the Saturday night, this will also apply on Sunday morning.  It’s a good job Friday night is binge-drinking night in the U.K.

The Week in Bullet Points:

• Tuesday – a modicum of success; more lightheartedness; suggested stargazing
• Wednesday – breathing and communicating more freely
• Friday – be circumspect and discerning in relationships; connect your left and right brain
• Saturday – be circumspect and discerning in social behaviours