Aspects for the week beginning 25 August 2024

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck: “Bennifer”

Jennifer Lopez announced this week that she was divorcing Ben Affleck, after a second chance at romance failed for the couple.  They have been married only two years.  I look for clues about what went wrong twice (after going right twice).

Birth Chart for Jennifer

Three Archetypes stand out in J-Lo’s chart: The Performer and Actor (from Sun in Leo)

The Warrior Archetype (from Sun trine Mars), and

The Entrepreneur Archetype (from the Sun exactly sextile Jupiter/Uranus) – she is a businesswoman

She has a lucky Grand Fire Trine composed of Sun/Mercury, Mars, and Chiron, though she should be so lucky in love…

She has Mercury exactly trine Mars – very quick reflexes!  She was sporty and athletic at school.

Venus in Gemini may have a bearing on marrying the same person twice – I haven’t done any research stats on that phenomenon; though she didn’t actually marry Ben Affleck the first time round.  Venus squaring Pluto can mean explosive relationships.

Jen Life and Career

Jennifer famously was born in the Bronx (“Jenny from the Block” being a famous song of hers).  Her parents were born in Puerto Rico, and she has always been conscious of promoting Latino culture and rights.  She grew up with “lots of music” surrounding her, and West Side Story was an early inspiration for her. At 18 she attended the Phil Black Dance Studio in Manhattan.  She began her performing life in 1989, at the age of twenty, in a revue show which toured Europe, “Golden Musicals of Broadway”.  Her first album was made in 1999, “On the 6”, before going into acting.  Film successes included “The Wedding Planner” (2001), “Maid in Manhattan” (2002) and Monster-in-Law (2005).  But her career, like her love life, has been very up and down.  After many highs and lows, her career revived in 2011 when she appeared as a judge on American Idol.  She was paid up to $20 million per season.

Hannah Elliot of Forbes magazine wrote:

“Idol humanized her. Viewers who knew only an attention-grabbing siren met a hardworking, self-made, empathetic single mother, who got emotional when contestants did well and when they failed.”

She performed at the inauguration of Joe Biden as U.S. President in 2021.

Relationships

She has had a chequered relationship history, having been married four times, and has twin boys. Her husbands were Ojani Noa, Cris Judd, Marc Anthony (the father of her twins), and Ben Affleck.

She was also in a relationship with the rapper Sean Combs (“Puff Daddy”).  On 27th December 1999 they were both arrested and charge with criminal possession of a weapon and possession of stolen property, after an incident in a Times Square nightclub.  Neptune was opposite her natal Mercury at the time, and the Nodal Axis was square to his Mercury and Saturn.  With his Uranus opposite her Chiron it was a “crazy, tumultuous” relationship” in her words.

Jen and Ben

Jennifer’s relationship with Ben Affleck became high profile in 2003, and affected both their careers adversely through the exposure and publicity.  It was one of the reasons they broke up, both times, as Ben was not as fond of the limelight as Jen.

They are both Leos, but Jennifer at this time acquired a reputation as a Diva.  That can be an extreme Archetype for Leo, given their nature, but some of the most famous divas are not Leos: Madonna, Barbra Streisand and Maria Carey, for instance.

Looking at the Synastry between Ben and Jen, we find:

His Venus sextile her Saturn – a strong sense of commitment

His Saturn on her Venus – a strong sense of commitment

His Pluto sextile her natal Sun – high impact, psychologically

His Pluto on her Jupiter/Uranus – high impact psychologically

His Ascendant sextile her natal Saturn – a strong sense of commitment.

There is much that draws them together, and as well as their Suns both being in Leo, their charts are very similar, though three years apart.  Though they would understand each other, maybe two Leos don’t always work well, with both needing the limelight (Ben not as enamoured of it, however).

I won’t enumerate all the similarities, but here are a few:

Both have Moon in Scorpio;  both have the Warrior Archetype (Ben has the Sun loosely conjunct Mars (and they have Marses squared as an interaspect); Ben has Sun trine Jupiter (while J-Lo has Sun sextile Jupiter; both have Sun and Mercury trine Chiron; both have Venus square Pluto.

The break-up, when it came, coincided with one of the lowest points in her life and career.  But they always spoke highly of each other in public.  When Jennifer released her documentary about their relationship in the film The Greatest Love Story Never Told early this year, she revealed that Ben had kept all their love letters from 2002.  He would have liked them to remain private.

They got back together again in April 2021, and got engaged again (their first wedding was cancelled four days before it was due to take place) in April 2022.  They were married on 16th July 2022:

Mars was on her natal Saturn, and Neptune trine her natal Neptune.  It could be argued that her Neptune principle has not yet matured, such issues being illusion, romance, and self-deception.

For Ben, Mars was sextile his natal Venus (romantic) and sextile his Ascendant; Jupiter was square his Ascendant,  Uranus sextile his MC (a change in his life direction); and Neptune sextile his natal his North Node.

With Neptune being prominent for both of them, it was a sincere attempt to realize their dream of love.

They separated on 26th April 2024, and the divorce was announced this week.  For the announcement, Pluto is trine her natal Uranus (drawing a line in her life); and for Ben Pluto trines his Pluto (self-empowerment).

Ben Life and Career

Ben Affleck was born in Berkeley, California.  He and his brother were surrounded by people who worked in the Arts when they grew up (Venus on his Ascendant).  His father was an alcoholic, and his parents divorced when he was 11.  His mother regularly took the boys to theatre performances.  He met his buddy Matt Damon in childhood, and they grew up together, with similar aspirations to become actors.  Ben’s Uranus is on Matt’s Sun, stimulating creativity; Ben’s Neptune sextiles Matt Mercury (bringing inspiration).  They wrote the screenplay for the film Good Will Hunting (1997) together, and the film won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.  At 25, he was the youngest ever writer to win an Oscar for screenwriting.  He starred in “Shakespeare in Love” with Gwynneth Paltrow, and the two of them were in a relationship.  He was married to Jennifer Garner for 10 years, and they had three children, a divorce which he is on record as having regretted. He later moved into directing films, starting with Argo in 2012.

Who knows if their relationship would have survived without all the publicity.  For the time being, they will both need to heal from this latest wound.

Aspects

There’s a concentration of aspects involving Venus this week, so an emphasis on love and relationships.  An important week for Venus-ruled Taureans and Librans.

The aspects begin on Tuesday (27th) this week, when Venus trines Uranus.  This is a fresh and sparkling energy. The aspect may set you up with exciting meetings, or bring encounters of the illuminating kind.  In the field of the Arts, it can bring originality and surprise, e.g. to a performance of music.  Ideas for assisting the problems in our society may also crop up, such as community-based solutions.

On Wednesday (28th) however, Neptune opposes Venus, which may bring complications in love.  This may be uncomfortable in a way that you may not be able to put your finger on.  There may be some deception or illusion going on, especially in relationships or with money, so be cautious.  Don’t answer any cold calls or scam emails.  It is possible that you may be going to a social function in a context such that you don’t quite know where you stand.

The evening of the same day brings an end to communication disruptions, with Mercury Stationary prior to turning Direct.  You may feel that you can catch up on chores which had been put on the back burner.  If you have been struggling with computers, I.T. and broadband connections, or delays in communications you may feel a sense of relief.  You can certainly pick up momentum on some projects which involve paperwork and documentation, and make some more essential journeys.

Venus enters home territory in Libra on Thursday (29th) , making her graceful entrance with a sigh of satisfaction.  You may be pondering relationships or money issues.  Venus is happy and harmonious in this sign, and that may assist you in finding the sweet words to overcome any tensions.  This may dispel any discomfort from earlier on Wednesday.

As if to underline the point, Pluto trines Venus in the early afternoon of the same day, putting relationships on a deeper but firmer footing.  Some of the illusions questioned on Wednesday may be answered.  It is an aspect which is helpful for money and love.  Pluto settles your deepest feelings into a more comfortable psychological context.  This aspect helps us through changes and transformations on a human level.  It is about deep love, deep awareness of your relationship with money, and profound artistry.  [Jen and Ben take note]

The week in bullet points:

• Tuesday – fresh social fields
• Wednesday – complications in love; communications clearer
• Thursday – more harmony; depth of relationships