Martin Lewis

Lowest point of the week for many in the U.K. was the much-dreaded energy price cap, which was announced on Friday.  At  £3,549 a year, it was just as feared, but had now become a reality, and this at a time when we are effectively without a government, and the two incumbent choices of prime minister were not really delivering the level of support needed.  A figure who has consistently tried to help those struggling financially over the last few years, and who had warned that people would not be able to pay their bills, was the financial pundit Martin Lewis.  Goodness knows how hard he had tried to keep the nation going, but when wheeled into the television studio on Friday, he threw up his hands and declared he did not know what to do, and made an impassioned plea to Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and  Rishi Sunak to do something.  He was on his knees (Mars opposing his Neptune at the time).  There has still been no meaningful response from the powers-that-be.

Birth Chart

Martin Lewis has 6 of his 10 planets in the Mutable signs, the adaptability of which may have helped him to navigate the stormy waters of the economy (up to now).  His Sun is in Taurus, the Money sign.  The Sun is unaspected, depicting an independent soul, a free spirit.  Mercury sextile Mars in his chart describes a mental acuity, a quickness of mental reactions.  He has personal warmth and popularity, from Venus closely conjunct Mars.  But what really pushes him is an exact square between Venus and Pluto, the two financial planets, rubbing each other up (the wrong way?) in his chart, so that he cannot rest when he sees a problem, either for himself or others in this area – an evolved response to this square.  Mars closely squaring Pluto gives him a powerhouse of energy.  Jupiter square Uranus is entrepreneurial (his estimated fortune is £123 million) and he does like to take a risk, himself, though advises others more cautiously and prudently (e.g. advising that refusing to pay anything in the present climate in the Don’t Pay group will not help the individual).  Apparently If someone doesn’t agree a payment plan with their supplier, the supplier might try to force them to have a pre-payment meter installed.  An aspect of great strength in his chart is Saturn trine Pluto, an ability to face difficult circumstances head-on, and with a sense of reality.  And one of his greatest assets for his line of work is Pluto (one of the money planets) exactly trine his North Node (karmic mission), bestowing that depth of understanding about finance and its implications for wider society, which is clearly his metier.

Life and Career

Martin was born in Manchester, and brought up in Cheshire.  His father was the headmaster of a Jewish school for those with special educational needs.  Martin still identifies with Judaism and is a practising Jew, but was bullied at school for being a Jew (there was only one other at his school).  With the South Node in Cancer, he has a strong sense of his tribe.  He lost his mother when he was aged 11, due to a horse riding accident (when Pluto was trine his natal Venus and square his Nodal Axis).

He studied Government and Law at L.S.E., then studied journalism, before entering the world of broadcasting.  He established his “Money Saving Expert” persona on a satellite channel radio show Simply Money presented by Angela Rippon, a slot which ended in 2001.  From there, he found other outlets for his special gift, in a Sunday Express newspaper column, and on a Channel 5 show with Gloria Hunniford, before “graduating” to the mainstream channels of  BBC and ITV.  In 2003, he created the website MoneySavingExpert.com, which he sold in 2012 to the Moneysupermarket.com group for £87 million, but is still involved with the enterprise.  He is now a household name, and is regularly consulted on news programmes, as well as regularly writing for newspapers on the subject of saving money.  In particular, he played an important role in advising the public at the time of the 2008 credit crunch, and has been vociferous this year in trying to prepare the public for the current “catastrophe” (his word).  He has provided charitable donations, notably for the Citizens Advice Bureau, and is involved in work investigating the deleterious effect of debt on mental health.  He has received various honours and awards for his work, such as the CBE.  He is married to another Taurean, weather and technology presenter Lara Lewington, whose Sun is exactly conjunct his own, obviously a good match!  They have one daughter.

Current Situation

That Martin Lewis is so caught up in this present crisis is graphically shown in the astrology of the day.  Remember back to the great triple conjunction of Uranus/North Node/Mars of 31st July?  I wrote at the time:

‘Aquarians and Taureans may be most affected, as well as anyone who has a planet or angle at 18 degrees in their chart.  World finance could also be affected, as the conjunction takes place in Taurus.  Financial Astrologer Raymond Merriman observes: “… with the rare conjunction of Mars, Uranus, and the Moon’s North Node in the money sign of Taurus… This is a consistent signature for a sharp (but possibly short) drop in equity markets.” ‘

Well Uranus is still at 18 degrees Taurus, exactly conjunct with Martin’s Sun, so he feels personally responsible to try and address the crisis.  He has appealed to the heart of government, but has not been able to locate it thus far.  The irony is that he has always tried to be fair and apolitical – he says he is agnostic about how the problem should be solved.  Broadcaster James O’Brien has said he is the least political man he knows, and is always trying to be fair and neutral.

United Kingdom

He is, I am in no doubt, a servant of the people, and has incredibly positive links with the U.K. chart, i.e. is able to make a positive contribution.  His Uranus sextiles the U.K. Mercury/Sun, waking people up.  His Chiron (Inner Healer) trines the U.K. Sun/Mercury (bringing healing).  His Mars trines the U.K. Mars (energizing and motivating), and his Jupiter sextiles the U.K. Jupiter (can help the U.K. rise above problems – he has done much, but of course he needs help from the government to do so now).  It is possible that he sacrifices something of his own life and energy in the task, for the U.K. Neptune squares his Sun.  But, he is not just living a personal life, he is operating on a collective effort.

Campaign: Martin Lewis for next Chancellor of the Exchequer

Aspects

There are only three aspects this week, two oppositions and a sextile, so make the most of them!

We have the most difficult first: at tea-time today,  Saturn opposes Venus.  This means having to let go in relationships or having to make economies in finance.  The message of the power of love may be more difficult to sustain in the face of testing under this aspect.  But the cure for the situation is even more love.  The message in finance is having to examine your values, needs and necessities.

Thursday (1st September) brings the easiest aspect to work with: Mars sextile Jupiter.  This brings expansive activities, such as running in the park, or strenuous gardening, or the pursuit of any sport or leisure activity with gusto.  You’ll be able to find that extra drive, for what you are wanting to achieve.  Pursue your enthusiasms!

The final aspect of the week, on Saturday (3rd Sept) is Mercury opposite Jupiter.  As it occurs in the early hours of the morning, you may find it operational the night before.  This may bring about communication and travel complexity.  You may feel you need to be in two places at once, and be summoned hither and thither.  Geminis and Virgos may need to factor in some extra relaxation time.  However, it is very mind-broadening, if not mind-stretching, if not information-overloading.  But in a good way, like when you come away from a workshop feeling you’ve learnt a lot, brimming with the empowering confidence that you have, but not quite sure what will be useful and what might not be.

The week in bullet points:

  • Today – letting go
  • Thursday – finding that oomph!
  • Saturday – mind-stretching
Date: Aug 28th, 2022 · Comments RSS · Tags: News