Aspects for the week beginning 28 August 2016

Sir Richard Branson

Whenever Richard Branson comes up in conversation, he seems to arouse either great admiration or great resentment.  He has been in the news this week for two reasons: first his contretemps with Jeremy Corbyn about the state of his rail service, and then his accident in which he reported he “nearly died”.  He is also facing calls for his knighthood to be scrapped this week.  I will look at his chart, and what is going on now in terms of transits to his natal chart.

Birth Chart

Sir Richard has Pluto on his Ascendant in Leo, showing leadership and power as dominant features of his life and personality.

Richard Branson has his Sun unaspected to any planet, a feature which he has used to free himself from conventional restraints in his business philosophy, which may be part of his success.  People with an unaspected Sun can initially have difficulty “finding themselves” but clearly he succeeded in business in such a young age, that he never had that problem.  His Sun does square his Midheaven in Aries, so he wilfully took his career path head on, taking a path authentic to his own nature.  There is also a loose trine from his Sun to his North Node, showing leadership.

His Moon is not strongly aspected either, having a loose but upbeat opposition with Jupiter, and a trine to his Midheaven, assisting his career fortunes.  The Moon in the first degree of Virgo somehow gives rise to the brand name, “Virgin”.

Mercury too is largely unaspected, though its close trine with his North Node indicates business success and karmic rewards in that sphere.  Venus is also largely unaspected, with a wide trine to Mars, indicating a very sensual nature.  All these personal planets lacking aspects often show a destiny which easily becomes hitched to more global or impersonal projects.

Mars receives significant aspects: a close conjunction with Neptune (physical sensitivity and sensationalism) and an exact sextile with Pluto (great energy, and a love of danger), plus another exact sextile with Chiron (the ability to make things happen and a talent for problem-solving).  Mars sextile the Ascendant and Pluto on the Leo Ascendant show the flame coloured hair of his physical appearance.  Pluto exactly trine Chiron shows he can be a great healer, when he puts his mind to it.

Entrepreneur Archetype

Jupiter combined with Uranus is “the Entrepreneur Archetype”, especially when in conjunction, but even more so when in trine, as he has it.  Not only that, but he has the trine exact, and that is the outstanding feature in his chart which is responsible for his success.  In his autobiography “Losing my Virginity” he says: “In my life, I have come to expect the unexpected.  It sounds easy enough to say, but all the things that have happened to me, to the family and to Virgin have taught me that you have to be prepared at all times to deal with surprises.  You just develop a way of picking up your feet and getting on with it… In whatever world you make for yourself, you can keep embracing the new and the different over and over again.  That’s what I have always wanted for Virgin.”  This mindset very much illustrates the working of Jupiter trine Uranus.

The Rail Dispute

Neptune is exactly sextile Richard’s Ascendant natally, on the 3rd House cusp of Communication, including Rail networks.  This gives rise to his sensitivity to the needs of the traveller.  I have to say that our trip to the U.S. in 2008 on his airline was the best flight we have ever had, but we are not great travellers in terms of experience.

The rail controversy this week centres around a trip which Jeremy Corbyn took about 2 weeks ago on the Virgin rail line, in which he was seen crouching or sitting in a corner of the train, claiming not to be able to get a seat.  Jeremy would like to re-nationalize the railways, and this was a way of making his point.

However, this week Richard Branson claimed there were spare seats, and showed footage of Jeremy walking past empty seats.  Jeremy then said he was looking for two seats together so that he could sit with his wife.  Some claimed this dispute benefited Jeremy, and some portrayed the opposite.

On Tuesday, when Richard Branson took up the fight, Uranus was squaring his natal Sun, so there is a bit of the Rebel about his actions.  Uranus was also sextile his Venus, so he was trying to protect his financial interests.  Pluto was exactly trine his Saturn in 2nd House of Money  – he felt the need to exercise his power.  But Pluto was also exactly square his Neptune – there was a lot of confusion about his thinking, and he may have made an unwise move.

Jeremy Corbyn

For Jeremy, Uranus is still conjunct his North Node, his karmic mission is still in a great state of flux, and there is still a great deal of insecurity surrounding him.  He is not yet able to sit comfortably…

Their synastry is mixed, but notably Richard’s Saturn squares Jeremy’s ruling planet Mercury, so he is able to make Jeremy uncomfortable.

The Accident

In his blog of 26th August 2016, Sir Richard wrote:

“A couple of nights ago I went cycling on Virgin Gorda with Holly and Sam …when it suddenly got really dark and I managed to hit a ‘sleeping policeman’ hump in the road head on. The next thing I knew, I was being hurled over the handlebars and my life was literally flashing before my eyes.”

Uranus squaring his Sun would make his more accident-prone than usual, though he has diced with danger many times in his life.

He continued: ” My attitude has always been, if you fall flat on your face, at least you’re moving forward. All you have to do is get back up and try again. At least I’m practicing what I preach – though a little too literally!”

And he noted:

” The date of the accident just happened to be the fifth anniversary of the fire on Necker Island.”

At the time of the fire, Saturn was transiting his natal Neptune, signifying a loss which is depressing in its effect.

So, quite an eventful week for Sir Richard Branson, and I am sure he will have further adventures and dramas as the future unfolds, as befit his adventurous and risk-taking nature.

Aspects

Not an easy week, this week, as most Astrologers would agree.  The UK Bank Holiday starts congenially enough tomorrow, with a conjunction between Mercury and Venus.  It is a good morning for ladies who lunch to meet a little earlier for coffee and a light bite.  Artistic endeavours too will be assisted by this conjunction, and diplomacy and negotiation in the wider world.

Later in the day Mars squares the Nodal Axis, and some issue of conflict may be brought to your attention, possibly involving two groups.  Avoid talk of politics and religion, don’t invite road rage, and you’ll be fine!

Tuesday (30th) starts reasonably enough, with Venus smoothly entering Libra. [In the U.S. this elegant entrance takes place the night before].  Whatever your plans, be up bright and early, and take advantage of this harmonious hour.

For at lunchtime, Mercury is stationary, prior to going Retrograde, and yes you know the drill!  There is a need for getting clear on your messages, leaving plenty of time for travels, and double checking everything.  Cultivate your Obsessive Compulsive Disorder for the next three weeks.  Practise punctiliousness and perfect punctuation (the consequences of that misplaced apostrophe could be profound).

The New Moon on Thursday September (1st) is an Eclipse at 9 degrees Virgo.  This could be an important day, with far reaching consequences.  Ecology and Working Conditions will be an especial focus.  If you are working with a fastidious sense of ethic, you may achieve a turning point.  But whether you have a focus or not, be aware that the Universe may have an agenda of its own, which may not be what you had in mind.  Try to see the purpose behind it.

Most of Friday (2nd) is taken up with a T-square, composed of the Sun first squaring Saturn and then opposing Neptune.  There may be a complicated web of events which try as you might you find it difficult to disentangle yourself from, so try to work within the conditions you find (unless you can rise above it entirely). A problem may present itself to you first of all, and then the further complications.  Try to take things one step at a time, don’t allow yourself to feel defeated, and look for the complexity of the underlying issues, e.g. the sensitivities within a group of people.

At 17.18 Hrs in the U.K., Mercury conjuncts Jupiter, and you may see some progress, if not in the central issue of the day, success in another field or area of your life.  That may be enough to lift your spirits, or enable you to think outside the box.  Sales and business will benefit from this influence, and travel will be brighter too.  You may think of some positive affirmations or soundbites, which can assist your enterprises, and the general effort.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – social, then conflicting
• Tuesday – smooth operations, then communications awry
• Thursday – tricky and exacting, new regimes
• Friday – stuckness and complication, then some breakthrough