Aspects for the week beginning 19 June 2022
Olena Zelenska
This week, it will be four months since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia on 24th February. It is being said that we are beginning to suffer “Ukraine fatigue”, so here I am keeping the flag flying, with a blog about the first lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska. When I wrote about her husband Volodomyr Zelenskyy three days after the invasion, we had only just heard of him, but sensed his heroism. Our admiration has increased as each war torn month has gone by, though not all nations are supporting his cause. From that time, the war has taken a terrible toll on Ukrainian family life, with women and children fleeing to safety, and men and boys staying to fight for the state and their own survival.
Birth Chart
Volodymyr was born on 25 January 1978, and Olena was born only 12 days later on 6 February – often a sign of soulmates who plan to incarnate together, when their lives run parallel. They are both Aquarians, first attending the same school (she noticed him performing in school plays), and then properly meeting at University. Their birth charts have much in common.
What qualities make the wife of a heroic national leader? Of course, they did not know of the role or choose it, and apparently she felt completely unprepared for it. Her planets are high in the Air element (6 out of 10 planets), so she approaches life intellectually. She has 0 Earth planets, so may rely on the challenges of life to keep her grounded.
With the Sun conjunct Venus, she would have a strong interest in the Arts, and her Sun receives a strengthening exact sextile from Neptune and exact trine from Pluto. Another advantageous natal aspect is Jupiter closely sextile Saturn, a sign of balanced judgement. Pluto is loosely conjunct her North Node in Libra, suggesting a serious karmic role connected with her spouse (Libra).
Life, Career and Marriage
Olena was born in Kryvvi Rih, Ukraine, and studied architecture at University (an Aquarian subject). She added scriptwriting to her skills, when in 2003 she began to write for the company her husband (famously a comedian before becoming a head of state) performed in. The couple married the same year, on 6 September. Her transits were healing (Chiron transits) and empowering (Pluto transits), and because they are born close together, Volodymyr’s were similar. Their first child Oleksandra was born in 2004, and their son Kyrylo was born in 2013 (an Aquarian, like his parents).
She assumed the role of First Lady when Volodymyr became President on 20 May 2019. Jupiter was closely sextile closely her Venus (elevated in society) and Neptune was square her Neptune (a role she may not have been expecting). According to an interview in yesterday’s Guardian by Shaun Walker, Volodymyr “forgot to tell her” he would run for president the previous year – she heard it on the news!
Since becoming First Lady, she brought in reforms of the school meal system, upgrading nutrition, she has championed gender equality, raised the cultural profile of Ukraine, and taken a special interest in mental health (with Mercury square her Chiron in her natal chart). She says in the interview: “Ukrainians are not used to asking psychologists for help. We are liable to ignore depression or anxiety. We need to have a major advertising campaign to tell people that it’s not their fault if they need mental help…Every Ukrainian is under a huge psychological burden now”.
From the first day of the war, Olena and the couple’s two children had to go into hiding, for safety, while her husband played his high profile role: “But I was also keeping it together, and I had this weird smile on my face all day, because I was trying not to show the children panic”, she says of the first day.
Volodymyr
The Guardian interview highlighted that Olena and her husband have differing temperaments; she describes him as optimistic and never giving up. In February, I wrote:
“The Prime Minister of the Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, is the hero of the hour. He was born on 25 January 1978 in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine. We have a birth time for him, which gives Jupiter rising (he started out as a comedian). He was an actor, who played a man who unintentionally became prime minister. He became prime minister of Ukraine in reality in 2019, campaigning on anti-corruption. In the lead up to the invasion, he consistently urged calm, while pleading with NATO for support. Putin has stated that he wants to rid Ukraine of Nazi influences, which is astonishing, given that Zelenskyy is Jewish.”
Jupiter rising explains his ability to sustain optimism. Olena praises his communication skills, and sense of discipline. His courage and capacity to inspire also come across in the interview, which is worth reading:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/18/olena-zelenska-ukraine-first-lady-rare-interview-family-under-threat
Here’s wishing the Ukrainian first family well, and a speedy end to the conflict!
Aspects
Venus was sextile Neptune in the early hours of this morning, so you may have enjoyed a blissful sleep with sweet dreams! It’s a delightful aspect – a beautiful expression of spirituality and the Arts. New artistic avenues can flourish, ingenious ways for people to share art, music and performance can ensure the Arts are kept alive.
Tomorrow (Monday 20th) another sextile keeps us buoyant: that between Mercury and Jupiter. It’s another high note! Some good news may be possible. This aspect favours communication, sales and travel. Some worries about business may be alleviated. Higher learning is also a benefit – This may be helpful to students revising for upcoming exams. It’s a good time to practice any new language skills, too.
There is more good news on Tuesday (21st) which brings a trine between Venus and Pluto. This can settle your deepest feelings into a more comfortable psychological context. This aspect helps us through changes and transformations on a human level. Venus in harmony with Pluto benefits both love and money.
This is followed on the same day by the Summer Solstice, the entry of the Sun into the sign of Cancer. Smell the roses, and celebrate the moment of maximum light. Many people will enjoy the benefits of nature, and as that day has been earmarked as the first day of the national train strike, many will have to celebrate closer to home than originally planned: a staycational Solstice. I run down the same road every day, but there are always changes to observe in the gardens and grass verges!
On to Thursday (23rd) – the second day of the rail strike – and another planet ingress arises, that of Venus into Gemini. It occurs in the first hour of the day, so you may notice something as you retire the previous night, or an overactive mind while trying to drift off to sleep. While Venus may have loved being in the comfort zone of her own sign, she is being required to take on the role of social butterfly while in Gemini. Keeping communication going, and adding the warmth of companionship, will be her job here. Venus in Gemini can do the small talk, any chit chat will do, it doesn’t have to be profound. There is a chance that some talk may revolve around rail negotiations, but disruption is still likely despite this ingress.
There is some potential to work with a Fixed Star at the end of the week, on Saturday (25th), for our Sun aligns with Tejat, the left foot of the twin Castor in the constellation of Gemini, at 3 degrees Cancer.
Here is a description from: “Starlight Elixirs” by Michael Smulkis and Fred Rubenfeld:
“This star can gently and easily increase the ability to bring spiritual ideas into clear and expressible form as mental concepts and direct ideas, to be shared with others. There will also be a stimulation of the seventh and eighth chakras, so these ideas may come when least expected. There may be greater patience with abilities that do not seem to form patterns in the usual sense. Various cycles such as biorhythms and astrological rhythms will be easier for people.”
The week in bullet points:
- Today – artistic inspiration
- Tomorrow – buoyant communication
- Tuesday – deep feelings; Summer Solstice
- Thursday – social butterflies
- Saturday – spiritual expression
June 19th, 2022 at 1:52 pm
Dear Lana,
I have appreciated this opportunity to read about Olena Zolensky, someone of whom I had previously not read. I am full of admiration for the way in which she has clearly taken on the role of a states person in her own right. What courage too and fortitude. So admirable.
The aspects seem to bring a softness;much needed if this is so and an uplift perhaps in energies which sounds good to me.
Love
Yaz
June 19th, 2022 at 4:12 pm
Hi Lana
I knew almost nothing about Olena Zolenska, and thank you Lana for my enlightenment. Thank you also for making sure your readers don’t fall into Ukrainian fatigue.
I have some financial and house moving due this week, and thanks for aspect insights. I’m hoping to keep buoyant.
Love Sarah
June 20th, 2022 at 10:02 am
Dear Yaz
Thanks so much for your comment!
I too am in awe of Olena and her achievements, and the roles she is playing out in her life of mother and wife of Zelenskyy.
It is so poignant to think of the families being split, and the stoicism of each of their components. They are a brave nation. I especially feel for the mothers, and also for the mothers of the Russian soldiers.
It is true that the aspects look more friendly this week!
Hope you are able to make good progress this week.
Love
Lana
June 20th, 2022 at 10:05 am
Dear Sarah
Thanks very much for your comment!
Olena hasn’t had much press coverage, but she admits she likes her family to stay out of the limelight. I agree, the Ukrainians need our prayers every day.
A reminder that I will be blogging the first week of Wimbledon next week, but you may not have a chance to view a lot, with all the plates you are spinning.
Huge good wishes for all you have to do this week.
Love
Lana