Aspects for the week beginning 16 June 2019

Jo Brand

Comedian Jo Brand was under fire this week, for saying throwing milkshake at politicians was too lame, and it should have been acid.  Nigel Farage, assuming he was the butt of the “joke” (made on a pre-recorded radio show, Heresy) called for a police investigation.  The incident certainly sparked a debate on the air waves and on daytime television chat shows.

These days we see her on screen in many guises as Jo takes part in many reality TV shows, and notably hosts An Extra Slice, the spin off from the Great British Bake Off (a lot of her early jokes were based around cake).

Birth Chart

Jo has 7 of her 10 planets in Fire signs (the fiery redhead image), and no planets in Water (her unemotional monotonous and self-deprecating delivery). She certainly has some clear Archetypes in her birthchart: Sun in Leo (The Performer), Sun sextile Jupiter (The Comedian), Sun conjunct Uranus (The Trickster, liking to shock), and Mercury exactly conjunct Mars (the Inner Critic, or acid tongue). Mercury opposes Chiron in her chart, and Chiron exactly square the Nodal Axis, showing an interest in Psychiatry (she worked as a mental health nurse for 10 years).  In addition her Venus conjunct Pluto in Leo shows powerful feelings which are able to push buttons.

Award

When awarded an honorary doctorate for her nursing career from the University of Glamorgan in 2007, the Dean said:

“Jo incorporates much of her experience working in the field of mental health into her current work as a comedian. This has increased awareness of the work done by nurses in the mental health field. She has also used her experiences of working with individuals with conditions such as Alzheimer’s to promote awareness of and raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society.”

Her transits at the time were Mars on her South Node (past work), Mars square her Chiron, Pluto square her Jupiter and Pluto trine her Venus.

Challenge

In 2016 Jo took part in a gruelling 150-mile walk across Britain for Sport Relief, with Pluto sextile her North Node in Scorpio (meaningful karma) and Neptune square her natal Saturn (a challenge on many levels).

The Gaffe

Her transits this week for the storm after the airing of Heresy were Jupiter trine her Mars and Mercury (emboldening her Inner Critic), Mars closely trine her natal North Node in Scorpio (bringing out her warrior and sharp wit), plus Uranus closely square her Uranus (bringing out her Inner Rebel, and unpredictability).

Some are saying that is the job of a comedian, to push the boundaries.  But she herself apologized and said it was “crass”.

But what of the complainant, Nigel Farage, how hurt was he?  Mars was trine his Neptune (his sensitivities inflamed) and Neptune close to trine his Neptune (spiritually confident at the moment).  While this incident could trigger someone (and he has received death threats in the past, as have many politicians in this polarized climate), generally speaking he is doing O.K. at the moment, and will probably be fine.  He has Pluto natally on his Ascendant, and is capable of rising from the ashes (as in the plane crash he survived).

One of the alarming and burgeoning crimes in our society now is acid attack, and it is a crime from which victims face a long and uncertain recovery.  Jo obviously has the sensitivity for mental nursing, but this verbalized thought is an example of thinking the unthinkable.  In our violent climate, probably born of austerity and social alienation, we all have to think about what we are saying (and thinking).  Fittingly, I am keeping this short!

Aspects

Today Mercury conjoins the North Node, bringing the karma of thought and speech to our attention. Choose your words wisely.  Much can be taught and learned under this aspect, and ideas exchanged.

Mercury also trines Neptune, another feather in the cap for Mercury-ruled Geminians and Virgoans.  Communication is spiritualized and sensitized.  You may go on a spiritual journey, either physically or metaphorically.

Thus the morning should flow.  But Mercury opposes Saturn in the early afternoon, and challenges or blockages may occur to that smooth flow.  You may find that after karmic insight (Mercury conjunct North Node) and a spiritual peak experience (Mercury trine Neptune), you are having to deconstruct the flights of emotion and imagination, and knuckle down to detail and more exacting mental work, to concentrate the mind.  Travelling back from a venue may be more delayed.  By the end of the day you may have flipped from total trust to suspicion, but a suspension of disbelief may be required to regain trust and see the total picture.

But the planets have not done with us for the day, and the biggest aspect has been saved for last: Jupiter square Neptune.  This will add to your confusion, and the urge for greater processing.  For it will pull us back to confusion (which is a high state according to The Course in Miracles) and force us to look at the bigger picture.  Conundrums such as are comedians allowed to say the unsayable can make our heads spin.  There is a sort of polarization too about this square.  If you are unsure of where you stand on religion, you would really feel it now.  If you are unsure of where you stand on Brexit, then the conundrum of how to heal society can be heartrending.  The answer to everything must be to expand the mind, I would have thought…

Tomorrow, Monday 17th, sees a Full Moon at 25 degrees Sagittarius.  All the work required of us on Sunday, if not resolved, may increase the tension felt around the Full Moon.  But again, with its placement in Sagittarius, we are again being urged to look at the big picture, and see the global context.  Foreign affairs may come to a head, for example.  Jeremy Hunt (a Scorpio) currently has the complexity of being Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, running for the Tory leadership contest, siding with Donald Trump over the Iranian oil tanker incident, while needing to protect and free Nazanin Zhagari Ratcliffe from an Iranian jail.  Some or parts of those aims and interests may clash, and all are risky ventures.

If you are feeling a similar maelstrom in your life, then you may need to start by going within to that still small spiritual centre, find peace, then make your responses from that place.

Tuesday (18th) brings more balance, with Saturn sextile Neptune, also a major aspect.  Saturn represents materiality and practicality, and here sits happily with Neptune, the planet of spirituality and imagination.  Great work can ensue from that, which satisfies on many levels, ecological projects among them.

In the afternoon, Mercury conjoins Mars, and that can bring brisk and efficient activity, or a war of words.  Remember Jo Brand has this natally, and it is her Inner Critic.  So rein in any negative thoughts, or they could spark a controversy, or go viral on social media.  But if you are coming from integrity in your work, you could get a lot done in a short space of time.

The combination of Mercury and Mars in that way can be manageable, but on the very next day (this is a week of vicissitudes!), Wednesday (19th), we are confronted with a deeper challenge in communication and travel: that of Pluto opposite Mercury.  Perhaps you were glib the day before, or did not think things through on a deep level.  If so, you may be pulled up short by the deeper demands of this aspect.  Hence the continuing theme this week of getting your thoughts and words right.  Are you really sure you meant what you said, or meant to say it?  Is it really your truth?  Do you have the right to change your truth from day to day? Or does what you say always have to be eternal, for all time?  Certainly the consequences of what you say and think have importance today (even more than yesterday).  You may need to examine the past more thoroughly in order to make up your mind.

So it is reluctantly that I have to report Pluto opposing Mars on Thursday (20th), if you like the major reckoning of the week.  Words are not enough to contain and express the two sides of an argument, for Mars and Pluto together contain great physical force and energy.  Extreme sports, if they are your thing, may be a way to express them.  But it may be an incident-prone day, and one which pacifist souls may prefer to sit out, from the comfort of their armchairs or recliner chairs.  If you have to attend a stand-off as a mediator, try to defuse the situation before it gets out of hand.  Or alternatively you may turn out to be wrestling with yourself, e.g. “I want to remain in Europe, but just let’s get Brexit over with”.

Friday (21st) may see a change on your spiritual path, with Neptune stationary prior to turning retrograde.  You may need to retrace your steps on this path, perhaps as a result of some huge learning that has taken place earlier this week.  The coming months will see more researching into the mysteries.  Neptune will go direct again at the end of November, when you will see your path more clearly and confidently.

The Sun enters Cancer in the afternoon, which is of course the Summer Solstice.  Make the most of the peak of summer and the light.  Hopefully, the weather will match the season.  Greta Thunberg will be continuing her weekly Friday school strikes throughout the summer holiday, keeping up the pressure on behalf of the planet.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – mental adaptability required, and trust
• Tomorrow – emotional high tide
• Tuesday – some balance, some efficiency
• Wednesday – intellectual and psychological challenge
• Thursday – more physical challenge
• Friday – spiritual reviewing