Stephen Lawrence

Today  is the 25th anniversary of Stephen Lawrence’s death by a gang of white youths at a bus stop in London in 1993.  Last week, a special historical investigation was screened in three parts on television.  The memory, impact and poignancy of his death is as relevant today as ever, for knife crime in London saw two more deaths last week, and the Windrush scandal has rocked the government (Stephen’s parents were part of the generation that came from Jamaica in the 1960s).

Stephen’s Birth Chart

We do not know what Stephen’s potential would have been, but we do know he was an aspiring architect.  His mother remembers him as a “bright, beautiful boy”.  His Sun in Virgo was sextile Saturn, giving a serious and studious astrological profile.  Virgo is the most modest sign, most likely to try to keep a low profile, and least likely to swagger.  He also had a shy square of Neptune to Venus.  But Mars conjunct Pluto in Libra may have drawn him to be a victim of violence.  And Neptune conjunct his North Node may have made him a sacrificial lamb, but also an enduring symbol of an event which revealed aspects of society we should not forget.  The transits of his murder reveal in some ways a transition to spirit which is predestined, such as the chaotic Uranus/Neptune conjunction trine his natal Sun.  Uranus squaring his natal Chiron reveals the sudden and shocking nature of the event.

Doreen Lawrence

Stephen’s mother Doreen has a strong individuality, with an unaspected Sun in Scorpio, and an unaspected Venus in Sagittarius.  She worked as a special needs teacher, an occupation to which Scorpio qualities are eminently suited.  She has a complex triple conjunction of the Moon, Mars and Chiron in Capricorn, depicting a great wound but also her capacity to fight for justice.  Her Mercury in Scorpio exactly trine Uranus show a brilliant and forensic mind.  Pluto on her South Node may hint at past-life trauma.  I wrote about her when two of the white gang of five (Dobson and Norris) were convicted in 2012:

“Few people could have been unmoved by the dignity of Doreen Lawrence this week, waiting 18 years for justice for her son Stephen Lawrence.  She has been the epitome of the positive strength of Sun in Scorpio.  Her contribution to the justice system has been …Her husband Neville has also contributed so much during that time, but we do not have his birth date.”

She shares various features of her birth chart with Stephen, most notably Jupiter square the Nodal Axis  which I think illustrates her indomitable fight for justice. Their synastry shows a companionable sextile between his Sun and her Mercury.  His Chiron trined her Pluto, which is a deep resonance between them.  At the time of his death, the Uranus/Neptune conjunction in Capricorn was also significantly impacting her chart and highlighting her natal Uranus/Neptune square, for Neptune squared her Neptune (extreme confusion) and Uranus both squared her Neptune (chaos) and opposed her Uranus (sudden crisis).

She campaigned not only for justice for Stephen, but for other similar victims.  She holds an O.B.E. for services to community relations.  She was made a Baronness in 2013, with a bittersweet mixture of transits: Pluto on her Mars, Neptune square her Venus, and Saturn sextile her Chiron.  She sits in the House of Lords working on cases involving racism.

Neville Lawrence

As mentioned, we do not have a birth date for Stephen’s father Neville. He too has shown great dignity, and last week announced that he had found a way to forgive Stephen’s killers. He and Doreen divorced in 1999.

Duwayne Brooks

Duwayne was the teenage friend of Stephen, who had earlier on the night in question been watching video games with him at the house of a relative.  He was with him at the bus stop when the white youths began their attack by taunting: “”What, what, nigger!”, prior to stabbing Stephen.  Duwayne ran to get help.  He survived, but suffered a great deal in the subsequent years, including harrassment and being arrested.  But he grew up and became a Lib Dem politician, and has been involved in public service.  He was born two weeks after Stephen, and shares several planetary positions in common, indeed his chart has similarities with Doreen’s, too.

At the time of the murder, some of Duwayne’s transits were similar to Stephen’s, but in addition he had Pluto sextile his Venus (transformation in a relationship) and Mars square his Uranus (exposure to violence).

Twenty Five Years

From 1993 to 2012, police corruption and institutionalised racism prevented any justice for Doreen and Neville, who persevered all that time in keeping the investigation into his murder current.  In 2012, the conviction of Dobson and Norris finally came about, partly due to the forensic advances which led to the matching of Stephen’s blood to a sample found in Dobson’s jacket and fibres of Stephen’s clothing and hair being found on the clothing of both men.  The law of double jeopardy was partially revoked in order to enable a retrial.  According to the televised account of the last twenty five years, the policeman responsible for bringing the two to justice, was warned off pursuing the matter further at that point.

Society Now

Doreen has said she wants to draw a line under the matter now.  But new information has implicated Norris’ father, a notorious drug dealer, in persuading members of the police force to withhold evidence and intimidating witnesses.  She now says: “I thought that after 25 years I could no longer be shocked by the conduct of the Metropolitan police.  However, if it is true that they did this, my sense of outrage will have risen to new heights and I will want immediate answers from them as to why it happened and why I was not told.”  At this time, she has a painful transit of Saturn to her Moon/Mars/Chiron triple conjunction.

The Observer reports this morning on the London area of Eltham, where the murder was committed.  It paints a mixed picture when it comes to experiences by residents in relation to racism.  One resident states: “It’s lovely.  People are very friendly.  If we treat others like equals, if we are open to different cultures, that will inspire people.  We are all human.”

In contrast, another resident reports: “Brexit has had a very negative impact.  It’s given people the right to say things like: ‘Go back to your own country “.

Aspects

Here we are in the early degrees of the earth sign Taurus, and it is Earth Day, a day to mark the importance of the environment.  The tradition of Earth Day was founded in 1970 by  U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, after witnessing an oil spill in Santa Barbara.  It’s an appropriate time, during the early degrees of Taurus, to appreciate and enjoy the earth, and we currently have the sunshine in the U.K. to enhance that experience.  The new greens, emerging flowers and the blossoms are just stunning in the light of spring.

Pluto going stationary, prior to turning retrograde, today, gives us more to think about and contemplate on a deeper level.  If we have been working on a line of psychological unravelling recently, we may have to retrace our steps.  We had Saturn going retrograde last week, so some more practical projects already need revision, and now the psychological ramifications of those or other issues need going over old ground.

Tuesday (24th) brings an energizing quality to our efforts, with Mars sextile Jupiter.  You’ll be able to find that extra drive, for what you are wanting to achieve.

In the afternoon, Venus will be entering Gemini, so some of that earthy focus which has been around lately will change to a more mental focus.  Venus in Gemini likes to circulate socially, so you may find excuses to fill the nooks and crannies of your diary with coffee dates with friends.  Venus will be in Gemini until 19th May (the date of the Royal Wedding and the Football Cup Final) so it will be a great few weeks for chat, gossip and conjecture.

We also have Venus sextile Chiron on Tuesday, so some of the chat will be very healing, and concern the subject of healing, especially for relationships.  Art and music therapy thrive under this aspect.

Wednesday (25th) is not as easy, with a square between Mercury and Saturn.  This can bring delayed travel and communications, or disappointing national news on the airwaves.

Real caution is advised for Thursday 26th (sorry, folks!) with a conjunction of those two planets of conflict and confrontation: Mars and Pluto.  Try to work out your strategies for peace in advance, and organize a group meditation if possible.

An easeful trine between Mercury and the North Node occurs on Friday (27th), which may restore some harmony.  Helpful karmic information may come your way, or you may find yourself to be the agent of karma, a bearer of good news or good advice for someone.

The week in bullet points:

  • Today – a psychological retrospective
  • Tuesday – sparkling
  • Wednesday – frustrating
  • Thursday – caution advisable
  • Friday – karmic communication
Date: Apr 22nd, 2018 · Comments RSS · Tags: News · Obituary