Aspects for the week beginning 13 December 2020

Barbara Windsor (1927 – 2020)

Another national treasure, Dame Barbara Windsor, has left us this week…Whether you were a fan of the Carry On Films, or a regular viewer of Eastenders, she will have been part of your lives.  Even if you weren’t a fan of either, you would have known her cheeky blond persona.

Birth Chart

Barbara Windsor had 0 Air planets in her chart, so operated very much on instinct.  She was born around a New Moon in Leo squaring Uranus, a born performer and a headstrong individual.  Her Ascendant was in Capricorn conjunct Jupiter and the Part of Fortune, and so comedy and cheeky laughter were very characteristic of her personality.  She had Mercury trine Uranus, which gave her a quick mind (she did exceptionally well in her 11-plus).  Romantic sorrows and heartaches are depicted by Venus square Saturn and conjunct Chiron (she was involved with a string of unsavoury characters).  She did not want children, but she had an undeniably sexy side: Mars exactly trine Pluto (a powerhouse of energy), and Mars conjunct the Midheaven in Scorpio (very Carry On!)  She also had great inner strength, with Saturn trine Pluto, which she especially displayed late in life in her courage in the face of Alzheimer’s.

Life and Career

Her talent was spotted early by a dance teacher who remarked: “Barbara is a born show-off who loves to perform.”  She began appearing in the Carry On films in 1964 and stayed with the franchise for 10 years.  The Carry On crew may have been a soul group – I have not looked into this (yet) – and she forged deep friendships within that group, most notably Sid James and Kenneth Williams.  She starred in 9 of their films, and the most iconic scene of course was the projecting of her bikini top in Carry On Camping.  After 1974 she concentrated on theatre and other film roles to a great extent but was offered the role of Peggy Mitchell, landlady of the Queen Vic in Eastenders in 1994, which was a wider vehicle for her acting talent.  In some ways, life imitated art, because she had been running a pub with her second husband Stephen Hollings, and then later she married a Mitchell (Scott).  In 2006 she was made a Dame (when her Progressed Sun trined her natal Venus).  She worked in Eastenders, off and on, until 17th May 2016, when she portrayed the death of Peggy Mitchell in a special episode.  Jupiter was trine her natal Uranus (an opportunity), Saturn trine her natal Sun (a completion), Uranus was square her Ascendant on the 4th House cusp (big change in lifestyle), and Pluto was trine her natal Neptune in Virgo in 8th House (playing out the death of her iconic character).

Relationships

Barbara had three marriages, dated numerous high profile men, included the Kray twins, and had five abortions.  Her first husband Ronnie Knight turned out to be a criminal: the potential for her emotional wounding is seen in his Chiron opposing her Mars.  However, they were together for 21 years, and there was also astrological glue (her Jupiter on his Sun, her Uranus trine his Mercury, and her Pluto sextile his Chiron).  Her second marriage, to Stephen Hollings, lasted 9 years and ended in financial ruin. It was third time lucky with Scott Mitchell, whom she married in 2000, and who supported her throughout her latter years with dementia – he described her as his soul mate.  We do not have birth dates for her last two husbands.

She was very close to two men within the Carry On circle, and while Kenneth Williams accompanied her and Ronnie on their honeymoon (they had a mental companionship with opposite Mercuries), she later embarked on an affair with Sid James.   While her last husband Scott was undoubtedly a successful match, of all the others Sid James has the greatest astrological compatibility, which includes exactly trined Marses, Jupiters within one degree, Saturns exactly sextile, and Sid’s Ascendant exactly trine Barbara’s Venus.  In contrast, the link with Reggie Kray was tenuous, based on His Neptune square her Nodal Axis – caught up in some dubious karma.

Latter Years

It was on 10th May 2018 that Barbara’s husband Scott announced the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, although they had known about it since 2014.  At the time of the announcement Saturn was trine her natal Saturn (a serious news announcement), Chiron was square her Venus (focus on a health crisis) and Pluto was on her Ascendant (significant change in her life).  She became an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society on her 82nd birthday (6 August 2019),  with Jupiter trine her natal Sun, and Neptune opposite her natal Neptune (compassion and charity).  She died at 8.35 p.m. on Thursday, with Jupiter/Saturn sextile her natal Mars and opposite her natal Pluto, Chiron on her Saturn, and Neptune still opposing her natal Neptune.

The nation will remember her fondly.

“The Quiet Office”

The long-awaited novel (!) “The Quiet Office” is now completed, together with a set of accompanying painted cards.  It has only taken 14 years…I will take steps in the New Year to self-publish.

Aspects

It is an important couple of week for stargazers, with an eclipse tomorrow, and hugely significant ingresses at the end of the week, then the life-changing Jupiter/Saturn conjunction at 0 degrees Aquarius on 21st.  Get ready to see changes in the landscape of your life and psyche over this fortnight!

Neptune squares Mercury today, so you may be in two minds: one clear, and one confused!  It is a good day for sorting out your finer feelings, because there is an eclipse tomorrow, and that gives today a sense of being part of a process of preparedness.  On a new moon, you need to post  your intentions, so before a new moon you need to settle your mind, so that  your choices are better informed.  This aspect may contribute to misunderstandings too, so keep your communications clear.

Mercury conjoins the South Node tomorrow (Monday 14th), prior to the eclipse.  This favours the exercise of the mind in relation to karma.  Review the teachers and teachings of your life prior to this moment, and review how you receive and process information currently: that will help you evaluate karmic factors.  Also under scrutiny is where you may play the role of teacher and student in  your life.

The main event tomorrow is the Solar Eclipse and New Moon at 23 degrees Sagittarius.  This New Moon and Eclipse can expand your focus and bring  you a larger perspective.

American Astrologer Robert Ohotto sees this as an important turnaround in  your relationship to Truth, if you would like to watch his video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjoUFLAAPVs&t=53s&ab_channel=RobertOhotto

As if that is not enough for one day, in the evening Venus sextiles Jupiter, so the day could end on a happy note, socially or romantically.  Engagements, celebrations and virtual parties could be on the agenda.

Mercury trines Mars on Tuesday (15th) in the early hours.  You may find yourself wakeful, and raring to go!  Providing you have some sleep, and not too much mental activity, you will probably start the day bright and breezy.  It could be a very productive time.

It is a case of the early bird catches the worm, as the lunchtime energy is slower, with a sextile between Venus and Saturn.  Relationships need consideration, and will repay the time and loyalty you give them.  It is a helpful aspect for laying the foundations of artistic or musical work.

In the afternoon, Venus enters Sagittarius, the first of three ingresses this week.  You may be gearing up for Christmas or be in party mood, bearing in mind that virtually all parties are virtual these days.  Venus in Sagittarius ensures that the mood stays around, right through the New Year till Friday 8th January.  It is there if you need it.  Venus in Sagittarius is a good-will-to-all men and women vibe.

The second ingress occurs on Thursday (17th) when Saturn enters Aquarius. Saturn briefly sojourned at the beginning of Aquarius in March, around the time we were being urged to self-isolate in earnest.  So there may be some extra instructions along these lines.  As I wrote at the time, “Saturn = isolation and Aquarius = society”.  There may be a new slant on the issue occurring.  I went on to describe that “Saturn’s entry into Aquarius quickens the pace slightly from Capricorn, and may introduce a more telepathic element to communication.  There is also a sense of necessity being the mother of invention (where Saturn = necessity, and Aquarius = invention)… If you find yourself having ingenious ideas … how you can cope, or how you can help others, that will be down to Saturn in Aquarius.  It’s much more “we are all in it together” than “every man for himself”.  So this is such an important day in our history.”   You may sense a shift on Thursday, from the Earth (Capricorn) to the Air (Aquarius) or in the coming days after that, with subsequent planetary movements.

The new paradigm receives backing the next day, with Jupiter entering Aquarius on Saturday (19th).  This will be the wind beneath the wings for Saturn, which may have made heavy going of the shift.  Jupiter takes 12 years to move round the zodiac, so in your life think back to the benefits of 12 years ago: more precisely January 2009 to January 2010.

Back in 2009, I wrote: “If you have planets in Aquarius in your natal chart, they will be lit up by Jupiter this year, but even if you haven’t everyone will receive a helping hand from the Universe in some area of their life depending on where Jupiter is travelling in the natal chart.”  For Aquarians, 2021 will be your year, but for everyone there is the hope of greater vision and intuition guiding your life.

The week in bullet points:

• Today – confused
• Tomorrow – karmic teaching and learning; turning point, new beginning and expansion; sociable and romantic
• Tuesday – brisk; attentive; sociable
• Thursday – serious consideration of society
• Saturday – the lighter side of life