We are this weekend in the middle of the activation of the Uranus-Pluto square by Mars, a lively period.  The first part occurred last Thursday, with Mars square Uranus.  The second part occurs next Tuesday, with Mars conjunct Pluto.

Mars triggering the Uranus-Pluto Square – Part 1

The forces of peace did manage just in time last week to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Gaza, so the tension coming up to the square was greater than at its peak.  As Gershon Baskin put it in the Observer this morning: “A bad ceasefire is better than a good war”.  Newly elected President Morsi of Egypt found himself to be a peace broker for this ceasefire, then found himself on the day of the Mars-Uranus square to be the centre of a new uprising in Egypt  (albeit triggered by his own actions).  Certainly the transits for the actual time of the square produced 8 aspects to the Mars in Egypt’s chart.  Not that we were having a quiet time in Europe: David Cameron chose to make a stand that day to EU budget plans.  The weather too was vigorous in the UK, bringing heavy rain, flooding and winds.  Here in Norfolk, the wind blew the remaining vestiges of  autumn leaves from the silver birches, and it’s beginning to look a lot like winter.  In your own life, you may have found yourself having to stand up to another, or stand up for what you believe in.  My story is under “Shopping Safety”, towards the end of this blog.

Aspects

Today Venus trines Chiron, a chance to assess the healing potential of the crises of the last few days.  There is also a creative opportunity within this, and in the expression of feelings which have arisen.

Tomorrow is a busy day aspectwise, so you can keep your diary free to deal with them, or go with the flow.   The Sun trines Uranus, so brilliant new initiatives may emerge. You may see a way to do things differently.

Mercury goes direct tomorrow, too, which will help those who have felt their documentation pinned back during its retrograde motion.  I have got stuck in the middle of installing Pay Pal to my website, and am hoping that Mercury turning direct will at least help me make the next step.

Lastly, the Sun squares Chiron, and a healing crisis may keep you occupied, or confine you to enforced rest on the couch.  It’s a chicken soup situation at supper time if you are the carer or the caterer, and if vegetarian try the new butternut squash soup recipe from Nigel Slater sprinkled with paprika and served with butternut squash peeling crisps.

Tuesday (27th) is laid low by a conjunction between Venus and Saturn and romantic woes, then cranking up the tension towards the Mars-Pluto conjunction in the evening.

Mars triggering the Uranus-Pluto Square – Part 2

If you successfully negotiated the Mars-Uranus threat to safety last Friday, the chances are that you will know how to handle and grasp the energy of Mars-Pluto which detonates on Tuesday evening.

If you found Mars-Uranus difficult, then it is best to stand back and allow others who are more well-versed in handling conflict and clashes to deal with the situation, or observe nature taking its course.

The two events (Parts 1 and 2) may, or may not be, linked.  In other words, it is possible that events next Tuesday are linked to, or follow on from them, as a Part 2 or Act 2 of a drama play (not a panto).

If there is any gift to be found in the situation, it will be in the energy that is released from the meeting of these two forces (Mars and Pluto).

Aspects contd.

Late lunchtime on Wednesday (28th) another eclipse occurs (the twin eclipse to that of 13th November).  This time it is a Full Moon in Gemini, and may help to turn your thinking around.  Again it may be a very tense time, and you may want to schedule rest time in your diary from 2 pm to 4 pm, just for processing, and more couch time.

At precisely 4 pm, arise from the couch, for Venus will be sextile Pluto at 2 minutes past (in the UK), and at last you might find the right energy to cope.  Relationships will be understood at a deeper level, and there may be the green light for all those other activities too, with Mercury now fully turned back and back in his stride too.

You’re still on the up on Thursday (29th), with a sextile in the evening between Venus and Mars, lovey dovey for partners, sensual for artists, graceful for action types.  In a week of uppers and downers, we end on the up.

Shopping Safety

With the Mars trigger transitting my Mercury, I faced a potentially threatening incident during the Part 1 phase, but Mars on my Mercury also helped keep me vigilant.

I was walking through my local Boots, on an errand for hubby…A woman pointed to a £10 note on the floor and enquired whether it was mine.  “Check your purse!” she urged, and I opened it a millimetre before concluding it wasn’t.

I felt the encounter to be strange, to say the least, and after having made my purchase, I gingerly stepped outside Boots, to the inward tune of the Pink Panther, and looked around to check she wasn’t lying in wait.

I was half way on my walk home, when I felt someone touch my handbag.  I looked round in an instant and saw the same lady behind me.  As I expressed my indignation, she scuttled away.  I clutched my handbag to me in the style of Les Dawson, with a matching expression.

In talking to a policewoman later, it seems this is a typical scam at this Christmas shopping season.  Keep your handbag with the zip in front, she cautioned, and spread the word.  So if you know any little old ladies, like me, let them know what is going on.

3 More Junglers

My predictive faculties have been quite sprightly this year, but fallen flat in the case of analyzing the prospects of the Jungle contestants.  In the spirit of enquiry (or egg-on-the face), I am going to have a look at three of the remaining junglers:

Ashley Robertsis an American, ex-Pussycat Doll, doing well currently in the jungle, but not as spectacularly as her fellow Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger on X-Factor.

Ashley is a perfectionistic Virgo, with 4 planets in elegant Libra.  Like Brian Conley (sadly out of the Jungle) and Charlie Brooks (still in) she has the push me-pull you conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn.  She comes across as quite level-headed, so has it well balanced.  I think the contrast of her US identity gives her an advantage, as she is able to be more detached from some of the British concerns and personalities, and makes her more able to make light of the experience (“Another day in Paradise” she observed wryly.)  She has a spiritual side, yoga and meditation being part of her daily ritual, and these will help sustain her for at least a few more days.

She will have bounced into the Jungle, on a trine from Jupiter to her natal Jupiter, seeing it as a big adventure.  The aspects for the end of the Jungle experience are not notable, so she may not see it through to the end, but Jupiter will be trine her Saturn so she will see it overall as a positive life experience and learning.

Rosemary Shrageris a TV chef and the trainer of Ladettes to Ladies.   She has Sun, Venus, Chiron and Moon in Aquarius, her Sun being square to a conjunction of Jupiter/Neptune/North Node.  She entered the Jungle late, with Limahl, but seems to have fitted in, or survived, better.  Aquarians are good in groups, and Limahl on the day he was evicted was complaining of loneliness (Sun conjunct Saturn).

A rough ride in camp would be expected from Pluto currently on her Mercury, and Saturn on her Neptune. She strikes me as someone who has great vision and enthusiasm, but may also have some naivety.  If she survives the next few days, she may be quite excited at the finish, with Jupiter sextile her natal Uranus and Neptune trine her Jupiter (spiritual epiphany).  It is possible that in some way she may endear herself to the public or gain a sympathy vote, which keeps her in the game.

Hugo Tayloris a character from “Made in Chelsea” and has drawn comments from fellow contestant Eric Bristow about his elevated social status.

Very different from Ashley’s outlook, as a Sun in Capricorn he is unashamedly serious about this competition.  He has conquered his fear of spiders, and emerged triumphant in the bush tucker trials.

His chart shows a mentally sensitive side, in Mercury conjunct his Neptune.  He is capable of learning rapidly from his life experiences, his experiences in the Jungle, and his own mistakes.

Some challenging aspects accompanied his entry into the Jungle, and I think he might have felt initially hesitant, but at the end the North Node conjuncts his Venus, so again the public may warm to him, and it will be a personal best for him in terms of relations with his fellow humans.

The week  in bullet points:

  • Today – on the up:  healing relationships
  • Tomorrow – brilliant start, communications improving, then healing crisis
  • Tuesday – a tough day
  • Wednesday – tension, followed by resolution
  • Thursday – on the up again