Jacinda Ardern

“We are One”

~ Jacinda Ardern

On Friday 15th March in Christchurch New Zealand, a white supremacist opened fire in two mosques, killing 50 worshippers.  The 38 year old Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern immediately stepped up to the plate in this crisis.  Her words were exactly on point, and reminded you of the admirable values of her nation.  Images of her comforting the Moslem community this week are iconic: wearing a black headscarf she demonstrated her unity with those grieving, while at the same time bringing to mind the Madonna archetype.  Not only did she demonstrate empathy and compassion, but she exemplified what we all need at the head of our nations, that spiritual leadership and integrity so often lacking.  Not only did she strike the perfect moral tone, but this week she has also spoken about other issues which need addressing in her country and the world.  She has taken active steps on gun law, and she has professed a desire to initiate reform worldwide around social media excesses and problems (because the gunman live streamed his actions).

Birth Chart

Jacinda has an unaspected Sun in Leo, indicating a very  individualistic leader.  Her North Node in Leo also indicates leadership as a karmic path.  I pointed out last week that she has Neptune trine her North Node, like Greta Thunberg the subject of last week’s blog, showing spiritual leadership.  With Mercury trine Uranus she is also a very independent thinker.  Venus is closely sextile with the North Node in Leo, depicting her warmth.  Jupiter trine Chiron describes her positivity, the ability to see solutions.

Career

After obtaining a Bachelor of  Communication Studies degree in Politics and Public Relations from the University of Waikato in 2001, she worked as a researcher for Prime Minister Helen Clark.  From there, she moved to London and worked as a senior policy advisor to Prime Minister Tony Blair in the U.K.  When she returned to New Zealand, she had a rapid career trajectory, becoming the Leader of the Labour Party on 1st August 2017.  The transits for her leadership were Saturn opposite her natal Venus in Gemini (responsibility), Saturn trine her natal North Node in Leo (responsibility and leadership) and Pluto trine her natal Chiron in Taurus (power to her Inner Healer).  With a general election imminent, she declared that her campaign would be one of  “relentless positivity” (putting her natal Jupiter trine Chiron into practice).

Just a few months later, at the age of 37, she became Prime Minister, on 26th October 2017, in a coalition government.  She declared that her government would be “focused, empathetic and strong”, and she has proved true to her word.  The chart of that day has the Sun exactly conjunct Jupiter in Scorpio, which helps.  For her, at the time she was sworn in, highlighted the importance of her North Node in Leo (leadership as karmic mission) as the North Node had returned to its natal position.

In an interview with the BBC last November (2018) she was quoted as saying “it takes courage and strength to be empathetic, and I’m very proudly an empathetic, compassionately-driven politician.”  Again, she has proven that she can walk her talk.

Family

Jacinda’s partner is television presenter Clarke Gayford (a Scorpio Sunsign), who has his Sun square to Jacinda’s and his Venus conjunct her Mars.  They were introduced in 2012 and started dating in 2013.  Their daughter Neve, who is now 9 months old,  was born on 21st June 2018.  Neve’s Sun is in the last degree of Gemini, and her Ascendant in Sagittarius.  Jacinda’s synastry with her daughter includes an exact conjunction of their Mercuries in Cancer in Neve’s 7th House (close mental rapport), Marses exactly trine in Air signs (energies working well together), and positive connections with Jacinda from Neve’s Neptune.  It is clear that Neve’s arrival in Jacinda’s life was a positive and strengthening event, and has inspired her in many ways.

Christchurch Mosque Shootings

The terrorist attack on 15th March has brought out Jacinda’s qualities of leadership and eloquence.  Her immediate words were:

 “Our thoughts and our prayers are with those who have been impacted today. Christchurch was the home of these victims. For many, this may not have been the place they were born. In fact, for many, New Zealand was a choice, a place they actively came to and committed themselves to, the place they were raising their families, where they were part of communities they loved and who loved them.

“It was a place that many came to for its safety, a place where they were free to practice their culture and their religion. For those of you who are watching at home tonight and questioning how this could have happened here … We, New Zealand, we were not a target because we are a safe harbor for those who hate.”

The event itself brought out stories of heroism and bravery, and acts of kindness within the community.  It demonstrated the very values the New Zealanders prided themselves on.

Jacinda was clear from the outset that something needed to be done about gun laws, and within days had set new laws in motion, banning semi-automatic weapons and assault rifles.  She has also called for  international action about the misuse of social media, as mentioned.  She appeared at the funerals as a genuine shoulder to cry on.

Her transits for the time of the shootings were: Jupiter square her natal Saturn in Virgo (a challenge), Saturn square her natal Pluto in Libra (great pain), Neptune trine her natal Mercury in Cancer (channelling spiritual sentiments), Neptune sextile her natal Chiron in Taurus (a conduit for healing) and Pluto trine her natal Saturn in Virgo (responding to difficulties with depth of character).

Religion

Jacinda patently has a strong ethical and moral sense.  She was raised as a Mormon, but left the church in 2005, and declared herself an agnostic in 2017.  She certainly is humane in her values, and a spiritual leader in some sense of the word.

New Zealand Charts

We have a chart for New Zealand dated 1907, and also a chart of the constitution dated 1853 to work with, looking at connections with Jacinda and transits at the time of the shootings.

Jacinda connects to the Constitution chart with her Jupiter opposite its Neptune, an attempt at  bringing clarity.  She connects with the New Zealand chart with her Sun trine its Venus, and its Uranus square her Mars (a high energy interaspect, with some disruption to her life).

At the time she was sworn in, Uranus was square the Constitution chart, heralding a time of change.  Chiron was sextile the Constitution Sun, indicating that healing was needed.  The Sun and Jupiter were sextile the Constitution Mercury, supporting effective legislation to come.  The transits of her becoming Prime Minister to the New Zealand chart is energetic (Mars conjunct its Sun) but holds some challenges, such as Saturn opposite its Pluto, and Chiron square its Pluto.

For the Constitution chart, transiting Uranus was conjunct its natal Pluto at the time of the Christchurch shootings (a violent shock).  It also indicates that changes will be made as a result of the event.  For the New Zealand chart, the Christchurch tragedy shows transiting Chiron opposite exactly the New Zealand Sun (a wounding and healing, coming together).

Other Policies

Jacinda describes herself politically as a social democrat and a progressive.  She has supported same-sex marriage, and removing the status of  abortion as a crime.  She is also strong on action in relation to Climate Change:

“We’re small, and our contribution to the global emissions profile is even smaller, but we are surrounded by island nations who will feel the brunt of climate change acutely. I see ourselves as having a responsibility to demonstrate that we can and we will lead the charge.”

According to Amelia Lester in the New Yorker:

”When Donald Trump made a condolence call and asked what support the U.S. could offer, she told him, ‘Sympathy and love for all Muslim communities.’ ”

Aspects

Today, Mercury conjoins Neptune at 16 degrees Pisces.  Journeys could be complicated, but information could be inspiring.  Dreams, meditations and channelling may provide uplift by and large, though there is the possibility of some dubious sources providing confusion and misleading information.  You may need to sort the wheat from the chaff in this respect.

Venus enters Pisces on Tuesday (26th), and whereas Venus in Aquarius has been community minded, its entry into Pisces deepens the level of compassion.  Your heart will be touched, and this trend towards tenderness lasts until her entry into Aries on 20th April.  This will enable charities to be heard, and the Arts to acquire inspiration.

Venus is again the focus of attention on Wednesday (27th) when she makes an exciting sextile to Uranus, re-charging our social life and social interest.  A friendship, group or meeting may cause us to sit up and take notice, for its sense of novelty and future vision.  Relationships are arresting!

Last but not least, on Thursday (28th), Mercury goes Direct, and we are more able to know where we stand with communications, which may bring less uncertainty and paranoia, and greater functionality in our technological devices and public transport.  Forge ahead with your paperwork, correspondence, documentation and writing the book you have inside you.

Of course, Thursday is also the deadline of the day before official Brexit and the cliffhanger that is no deal (looking less likely as I write).  At Christmas, our next door neighbours (who happen to be Brexiteers) gave us a small box of chocolates on which the best before date was 29th March (I am sure they were not aware of that).  So we have said that, whatever happens, we shall demolish it on the day.

The newspapers this Sunday morning are full of warnings that plots are afoot to oust Theresa May as Prime Minister, so I shall take one last look at her transits for Friday (29th):

The Sun opposes her Sun (very confrontational), Mars trines her Mercury (she won’t go down without saying her piece!), Jupiter trines her Venus (normally a happy social transit, but maybe it will free her), Neptune opposes her Jupiter (great confusion, losing her way), Mars opposite her Saturn (being blocked), and Mars square her Pluto (personal danger).

The transits for the United Kingdom on Friday 29th shows Pluto opposite the Moon (unrest in the population), the North Node on the Moon (a karmic moment for the population), Pluto on the South Node  (huge karmic drama), and Mercury square its Mercury (mental conflict).  That doesn’t sound very uplifting, but with the whole country holding its breath, it is possibly that it will be an anti-climax (i.e. not even a no deal).

The week in bullet points:

  • Today – right-brained
  • Tuesday – compassionate
  • Wednesday – social sparkles
  • Thursday – eased communication