Aspects for the week beginning 12 May 2013

Sir Alex Ferguson

About a year ago “bullet man” (a great influence on this blog) quipped that if I wrote about football, this blog would increase its readership.  Well with the announcement of Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, the time has come!

Sir Alex has broken all records in the world English football, including for the length of time (26 years) he has managed that citadel of English football clubs, Manchester United.

The Birthchart

His career path is clearly shown by Midheaven in Aquarius (the sign of teams) sextile Mars (the planet of football) in his 10^th House of Career in Aries, the sign of Football.  A supreme drive to win.

He has the Moon conjunct Jupiter in Gemini , and he is therefore able to be emotionally upbeat to motivate others especially through words.  This conjunction works through his 12^th House – he has inner faith, and the ability to inspire hope.  Jupiter can in some individuals tip the enthusiasm into anger.

Moon exactly trine Venus may be the aspect which shows protectiveness towards his players – he has been mentor to many protégés.

Saturn conjunct Uranus in Taurus constitutes a great deal of inner tension. This aspect represents his rugged, some might say harsh side, working in his 11^th House of teams.  He can cope with complex scenarios in this sphere.

His Sun conjuncts Mercury in Capricorn, which can be a rugged sign, and he was known from early in his career as a strict disciplinarian, determined and calculating.

Uranus squares by 1 degree his Midheaven, so he is a strategist in life, which does not always make things comfortable for others.

The Observer today describes his negative characteristics thus:

“He bullied and swaggered like Clough, glaring at referees, baiting rival managers”.

Manchester United

Alex Ferguson joined Manchester United from Aberdeen when Atkinson lost his job as Manager on 6 November 1986.  Pluto was trine his Ascendant on the cusp of his 5^th House of Sport.  This ensured a deep and meaningful enduring phase of his life in that sphere.

Mark Robins

No man is an island, and Alex Ferguson’s destiny was entwined with other players throughout his life.  Early in his managerial career, footballer Mark Robins scored a significant goal for Manchester United, sealing his success.  Alex Ferguson avoided being sacked before establishing himself.  Mark Robins’ Neptune sextile Ferguson Neptune, so this is a harmonious blending of their lives.  The Sun and Saturn were trine Ferguson North Node in 3^rd in Virgo, assisting his karma, a possible karmic reward. Pluto was also sextile Ferguson’s North Node reinforcing this.  At this stage of his life he did not perhaps need the tactics he came to employ.  Saturn was sextile Robin’s North Node, so he also was playing a karmic role.  Jupiter was exactly trine Robin’s Mars (goal-scoring).

Eric Cantona

Witty Geminian Eric Cantona was destined for a future career in acting.  He had a (football) warrior conjunction of North Node/Mars and a sparky link with Ferguson whose Uranus was conjunct Cantona’s warrior NN/Mars, each able to use each other’s genius.  Cantona also had the rebellious Uranus/Pluto conjunction in Virgo.

David Beckham

David Beckham started out as one of Alex Ferguson’s protégés, making his UEFA Champions League debut on 7 December 1994, and there is no doubt that he was heavily influenced by his Manager.

The astrological chemistry between them includes Beckham’s Uranus trine Alex Ferguson Neptune, Beckham’s Pluto sextile his Neptune and his Moon trine Ferguson’s Neptune.  The difficult aspects include David Beckham’s Pluto squaring Ferguson’s Ascendant, so a challenge to Alex in keeping a lid on his anger.

The incident where Alex Ferguson kicked a boot which hit Beckham gashing his eyebrow throws an interesting light on Ferguson’s chart.  The incident took place on 15 February 2003, and is an example of Alex Ferguson being ingracious in defeat as it came during one such.

Mars was squaring Ferguson’s Nodal Axis – highlighting the Moon square the Nodes in his natal chart.  With Ferguson’s Ascendant in Cancer giving prominence to the Moon and his moods, Mars was triggering this weakness. A  negative Moon can hold grudges, and transitting Mars was also opposing his natal Moon.  This natal aspect (Moon squaring the Nodal Axis) can create or perpetuate karma.

Roy Keane

Roy Keane, another player who was close to but who also tangled with Ferguson, is a Warrior with North Node conjunct Mars (like Cantona).  Alex Ferguson tapped into this with his Moon sextile Roy Keane’s North Node/Mars conjunction.  The liaison was terminated when Keane left Manchester United on 18^th November 2005, with Neptune conjunct Keane’s North Node/Mars Warrior (which was softening due to the influence of Neptune) and sextile Alex Ferguson’s Neptune, thus bringing about a change of focus in both their lives.

His Retirement

I was in a shop on a Station platform buying bottled water at 8.05 am last Wednesday when the news broke.  The shopkeeper punched his hand in the air and said “I’ve been waiting 26 years for this!”  I don’t know what team he supported…

Astrologically, I would have expected Alex Ferguson to retire a year or so ago at the close of the Pluto cycle to his 6^th House.  Maybe he seriously considered it then.  However, he is retiring with Pluto at his Sun, the end of an era, perhaps sapping at his vitality.  His retirement is supported by Jupiter trine his natal Venus and Saturn trine his Ascendant.

David Moyes

His successor David Moyes has enjoyed a warm relationship with Ferguson (his Mars sextile’s Alex’ Jupiter), and was hand picked for the job.  At 50 this is Moyes Chiron Return, where he finds his Inner Healer plus Neptune is sextile his Sun, putting him on his true spiritual path, coming into his spiritual purpose.  I expect him to ease naturally into the role and to grow as a person.  David Moyes Sun squares Alex Ferguson’s Pluto – there is often a Sun/Pluto connection between two people where one takes over in a role from the other. His Pluto trines Fergusons Sun too, emphasizing that. Moyes’ Jupiter also trines  Ferguson’s Pluto, enabling them to work together successfully in the transition and transfer of power.  At Ferguson’s retirement Mars squared Moyes’ Mars, giving rise to somewhat of a wrench for Moyes and an emotional farewell to Everton.

Aspects

Mars conjuncts the South Node tomorrow, revisiting warrior or football karma for some.  Others may just want to avoid disputes.

With the best will in the world, there may be relationship confusion on Monday evening.  Perhaps you are getting to know someone and you find them unfathomable, realizing the more you get to know them the less you know…

On Wednesday (15^th)  in the evening practical thinking (Mercury’s sojourn in Taurus) gives way to more theoretical ideas with Mercury’s entry into Gemini: you may feel like writing an article or blog about the activities you have been involved in recently, summarizing what you have learned.

Saturday (18^th) could start with complicated journeys as Mercury squares Neptune, or ideas that are now confused (they seemed so clear on Wednesday, but extra information may force you to expand and reorganize your viewpoint).

Later in the day, the Arts could be scintillating, and socializing could be exciting, due to Venus sextile Uranus. Bonnie Tyler is representing us at the Eurovision Song Contest, trying her hand at this luckless task.  I shall be watching with my Eurovision Pod Group with whom I travelled to Dusseldorf two years ago for the event.

I love Bonnie Tyler.  Her power comes from a warrior Sun/Mars trine Neptune (so a spiritual warrior), the trine bisected by the powerful planet Pluto.  How come she’s not using her power in politics or football is a mystery to me…only joking!  Sadly I don’t think she will win, on the grounds that Jupiter is square her Pluto so there is a lot of hype around her at the moment, and I don’t think the song is sufficiently strong.  But I would love to be proved wrong.

Uranus-Pluto Square

You may be starting to feel the pinch of this third phase of the square which occurs on Monday next.  I will be revising this issue next week, before the big day.

The week in bullet points:

• Monday – revisiting old arguments, then confused feelings
• Wednesday – revitalized wit
• Saturday – complicated communications, then razzle dazzle