Aspects for the week beginning 14 April 2013

Margaret Thatcher – Personal Life (1925 – 2013)

This is the second of two blogs about Margaret Thatcher, with a more personal slant.  Speaking to people this week, it seems that whatever they thought during the Thatcher years, they still think about her.  Twenty years since we were under her rule we have had a chance to reflect, but we tend still to hold the same opinion.  When she became the leader of the Conservative party, I immediately felt that she was cold hearted.  And nothing she did subsequently changed my view.  I expect to lose half my readership now, on the basis that there is a lot of discord around the subject of her life, character and work.

Looking at her chart, you would expect to see the Warrior Archetype featuring strongly.  This is not what I see (other Astrologers may).  What I see is the strength of the woman: She had Saturn (Discipline) almost exactly conjunct her Ascendant in Scorpio (she meant business), with the power hungry opposition of Jupiter and Pluto almost strategically placed on the 3^rd/9th House cusps supporting the Ascendant/Saturn.  She was therefore a towering figure, with great Vision and conviction, and the ability to follow through.  Saturn exactly trines Pluto and exactly sextiles Jupiter, providing a formidable structure to the life and personality.  Iron Lady indeed.

Other astrological features of note in her birthchart were the Sun/Mercury in 12^th House (living out her inner vision) and the North Node at the first degree of Leo (karmic mission of Leadership).

Her Sun sign and Ascendant reflect her earlier careers before politics claimed her: She was originally a Chemist, specializing at University in X-ray crystallography as a student of Dorothy Hodgkin (Ascendant in Scorpio).  She subsequently became a barrister (Sun in Libra).  In her Libran Sun sign we also see the elegant lady, with a love of fashion and good bone structure.

Family

In 1951 she married Dennis Thatcher, a Sun Sign Taurean, the sign of loyal support, both in morale and money.  There is no doubting that she could not have achieved what she did without his constant presence, and she acknowledged his immense contribution in her life.  At their wedding, Pluto was conjunct Dennis’ South Node and Neptune was trine his North Node, an indication of cosmic responsibility.

Their twins Carol and Mark were born in 1953, and Carol has won a lot of public support in her struggles with her relationship with her mother.  Her astrological compatibility is virtually the same as Mark’s, but Margaret was always closer to her son.  Margaret has Moon square Venus natally, which indicates an uneasy relationship with women, and may explain the unease with her daughter.  Dennis may well have been the mainstay of the family, the glue holding it together – certainly astrology would indicated that he had a beneficial role to play, with his Jupiter trine the twins’ Uranus.  At the same time though his Jupiter squared the twins’ Jupiter and he may have been an idealized figure, and he may not have been as available as they would have wished, with his South Node conjunct their Sun and Pluto.  His North Node was trine their Saturn/Neptune, providing some stability, and his Neptune was trine their Ascendant but square their Moon, one minute there and the next minute vanishing.

Airey Neave

Airey Neave was an early ally, who unfortunately was removed by the Irish National Liberation Army in a car bomb attack, just before she took on the mantle of Prime Minister.  He had led the campaign which had brought her to power as leader of the Conservative Party.  He was a true Soul brother to her, and it is believed that she felt his loss very deeply.  Of all the chart comparisons encountered while researching her life, this one stands out:

His Mercury exactly trined her Sun, his Sun exactly sextiled her Venus, his Neptune exactly trined her Venus, his North Noded exactly trined her Mars, and his Uranus exactly squared her Ascendant.  It may be that his death occurring just before she came to power steeled her heart; often spiritually these losses are meant to open the heart, but sometimes the effect is the opposite.  She had a job to do, and did not have time to grieve for Neave, perhaps.

Her Cabinet Men

She was a woman in a man’s world, rarely seen alongside female leaders or politicians.  She started out with a cabinet of what she called “wets” and then polished her cabinet more to her liking, resulting in a group of “drys”.  Some of the cabinet men from those years are still loyal (e.g. Cecil Parkinson), but some of them are more sheepish about their involvement.  It is surprising that they do not have more pride in their achievements, although some genuinely now see the flaws in the vision and the cracks and loopholes through which sections of society dropped.

Norman Tebbit was one of the most loyal this week, in his tribute hinting regret that he did not support her at her time of need, having left office after the Brighton Bombing, when his wife was very bady injured.  She famously said at the Conference the next day: “This was a day I was not meant to see.”  At the time the Nodal Axis was square her Moon, and Mars was transiting her Jupiter, but she was also experiencing her Second Saturn Return in Scorpio on her Ascendant.  The interaspects between her chart and Norman’s are not easy, however, and most notably in terms of the karma around the bombing, her Pluto was exactly square his Nodal Axis (karma).

There are those too, who were involved in the final removal of Margaret Thatcher, and do not attempt to disguise their role, Kenneth Clarke for example.  Michael Heseltine was prominently waiting to take over at the time, but never did.

Ronald Reagan

Away from home, she forged a memorable alliance with Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, immortalized in the famous poster depicting a clinch from Gone with the Wind.  Ronald was another Soul Mate, but it was not that easy a combination.  Their Suns were in trine, and they had mutually supporting interaspects, but also some challenging ones.

Her Passing

At her death, Uranus was opposing her Mars (the divine will having its say), Neptune was opposing her Midheaven and conjunct her I.C. (a final rest and peace).  The death chart has Uranus exactly conjunct the Midheaven in Aries, announcing a notable passing of a leader.  This is reinforced by the Ascendant of the death chart at 11.28 a.m. being at 2 degrees Leo, conjunct exactly her North Node, which seems to have played a strong role in the astrology of her life.

David Cameron

David Cameron is making the most of this remembrance of a remarkable Tory.  Watch for signs that she might influence him from the next dimension, or that he might be emboldened to further fashion himself in her image.

 

Aspects

This week four planets change signs, so if like me you have significant placements at 0 degrees, you could be busy and have several changes of focus.

Today Mercury goes into Aries so there is a mental change of focus from woolly-headedness to greater logic.  It is a day for getting down to business.

Tomorrow Venus enters Taurus and art and music can be promoted more easily, in this age of austerity.

On Thursday (18th) Mars conjuncts the Sun at 28 deg Aries. That is a lot of intense energy to process. Try not to be driven, or overdo things. Sometimes high energy can actually make you feel tired, because your bodily systems are trying hard to integrate the energies.

On Friday (19th) Venus sextiles Neptune and inspiration is added to the artistic and musical projects initiated on Monday.

Spring may eventually spring into evidence with the Sun entering Taurus later on Friday. Flowers and blossoms may find they can bloom after the harsh conditions lately in the U.K.

Saturday (20th) brings flashes of mental brilliance added to the new mental focus of Sunday at the beginning of the week.

With Mars also entering Taurus there is a change of physical focus. Energy may become more earthy, practical and determined to follow through.

Uranus square Pluto 3

Advance warning of the third phase of Uranus squaring Pluto coming to planet Earth next May on 20th (in the U.K.) and 21st (in the  U.S.).  Another blog will be due next month on the subject.  We previously saw this square last June and September, if you want to pick up the relevant blogs, and re-assess its role in your current struggles.  It’s a good time now to look at your progress.

Link:

The Thatcher Years (1979-1990) – An Astrological History

http://www.lanawooster.co.uk/blog/2013/04/the-thatcher-years-1979-1990-astrological-history/

The week in bullet points:

• Today – stride forth mentally
• Tomorrow – mellow creativity
• Thursday – activity and heat
• Friday – inspiration added to art; flowers blooming
• Saturday – mental brilliance; earthy energy