{"id":6091,"date":"2020-10-18T09:20:51","date_gmt":"2020-10-18T09:20:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=6091"},"modified":"2020-10-18T09:26:07","modified_gmt":"2020-10-18T09:26:07","slug":"aspects-for-the-week-beginning-18-october-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=6091","title":{"rendered":"Aspects for the week beginning 18 October 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

Andy Burnham<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Cometh the man, cometh the hour, so they say.\u00a0 Andy Burnham, Mayor of \u00a0Greater Manchester, emerged as initiator of the Northern Rebellion this week, like liberty leading the people.<\/p>\n

Birth Chart<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I originally wrote about Andy during his second leadership bid for his party, in 2015, in which he came second to Jeremy Corbyn:<\/p>\n

” He comes across as a competent and sincere man, but has not captured the public imagination \u2013 perhaps he is a little safe and dull?\u00a0 He was born on a New Moon (Sun conjunct Moon) in the prosaic sign of Capricorn, which is strongly politically motivated.\u00a0 He is a decent chap, with Venus conjunct this combination, and his heart is no doubt in a good place.\u00a0 He also has his Mercury in Capricorn: a methodical, practical, systematic type of thinker.\u00a0 6 of his 10 planets are in Earth signs, so he is grounded and realistic.<\/p>\n

He does have an imaginative side, with North Node conjunct Mars in Pisces, normally the Warrior Archetype conjunction but softened by its appearance in Pisces.\u00a0 He is a Warrior, but does not like to confront directly…\u00a0 His Mars also sextiles his Sun exactly, and he has 5 of his 10 planets in Cardinal signs, so he has energy and would see himself as a leader.<\/p>\n

The Piscean sensitivity also extends to his mental faculties, as his Capricorn mind (Mercury) sextiles closely Neptune, the planet of imagination.\u00a0 So this is a balance in his make up, between the practical and the imaginative.\u00a0 His Mercury also trines closely his natal Pluto, giving him depth of thought as well.”<\/p>\n

To that I would add that his 6 Earth planets give him a deep connection with his Northern roots (he was born in Liverpool), and Moon conjunct Venus lends a quality of gentleness to his character.<\/p>\n

When all the unsuccessful candidates (the other two were Liz Kendall and Yvette Cooper) slinked off after that election, I remember\u00a0 wondering what they would do with their lives and ambitions. Yvette Cooper made a successfully strident critic in opposition, and Liz Kendall continued to successfully serve as an MP in Leicester.\u00a0 But I was intrigued when Andy Burnham made a bid for the Mayoralty of Manchester – I felt that he was making a choice from the heart.\u00a0 And he has shown heart in his role.<\/p>\n

Life and Career<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Andy joined the Labour party at the age of 14 (so socialism is ingrained in him like the letters in a stick of rock!).\u00a0 It was a response to the miner’s strike of 1984\/5.\u00a0 He gained a degree in English at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge.\u00a0 He gave his maiden speech in parliament in 2001, at the age of 31.\u00a0 He took various roles in government under Blair and Brown, notably Minister of State at the Department of Health, Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Secretary of State of Health.\u00a0 In his first challenge for the leadership of the party in 2010 (standing on the philosophy of “aspirational socialism”), he must have felt ready to lead, but came fourth to Ed Milliband.<\/p>\n

Mayor of Greater Manchester<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Andy Burnham was elected Mayor on 5th May 2017, with 65% of the vote.\u00a0 He stated at the time:<\/p>\n

” politics] has been too London-centric for too long \u2026 Greater Manchester is going to take control. We are going to change politics and make it work better for people.”<\/p>\n

It was a new role, and one which he had to carve and create for himself.\u00a0 Since then, he has notably attempted to tackle homelessness in his city, though he pledged to eradicate it and later admitted he would not quite achieve that aim.\u00a0 Another aim was to overhaul the disjointed bus network, and in this aim he has met with delays and frustrations too.\u00a0 The same is true for his desire to tackle pollution…the wheels of government grind slowly, and some of the delays have been down to Brexit legislations.<\/p>\n

He was called upon to show his mettle as a leader in\u00a0 the handling of the Manchester Arena bombing disaster.\u00a0 He made an effective speech at the time, and provided support in various ways.\u00a0 The aftermath and repercussions left may issues for him to deal with.\u00a0 But it is as a voice for the North that he has been most visible.<\/p>\n

This Week<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

So his great love for his territory and role as defender of Manchester came out this week when he stood up to Boris Johnson and declared that Manchester would not go willingly into Tier 3 despite the rising coronavirus numbers.\u00a0 Matt Hancock immediately accused him of playing party politics, but his party leader Keir Starmer had earlier in the week challenged Boris to enforce a circuit breaker.\u00a0 For Andy, the economic support that the government would provide in such an eventuality were not enough for his citizens to live on.\u00a0 In fact, Burnham felt that a circuit breaker would be fairer than a Tier 3 category enforcement.\u00a0 He stated that he would not let\u00a0 his region become “the sacrificial lamb for an ill-thought-through Downing Street policy which doesn’t make sense in the real world”.\u00a0 Venus transiting his South Node and opposing his North Node and Mars at the moment is making very much a defending karmic role.\u00a0 On 18th November he may be taking a very strong stance, when Saturn exactly trines his natal Pluto in Virgo.<\/p>\n

Currently, Boris’ response is to say he may override the Mayoral stance.\u00a0 Of course the health vs economics tightrope walk is a fine line.\u00a0 But Andy Burnham has drawn a line.\u00a0 The populace of Manchester are currently awaiting clarification, amid talk of talks being held.<\/p>\n

The Chart of Manchester<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Astrologically, it is an extremely interesting time for the chart of Manchester, pivotal and crucial, with Pluto exactly trine its Sun on the day Andy Burnham made his stand.\u00a0 Pluto was also conjunct the Chiron of Manchester: a make or break moment.\u00a0 No wonder he felt such a compulsion to act on behalf of its citizens.<\/p>\n

Aspects<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Saturn squares the Sun at lunchtime today, so you may be excused for feeling a little flat today.\u00a0 Perhaps you live in a Tier 2 or 3 area, and are feeling the screw tightening, and your options dwindling.\u00a0\u00a0 We are all in it together, but some of us are more in it than others.<\/p>\n

And then, just after lunch, Neptune opposes Venus, which is uncomfortable but in a different way, that you may not be able to put your finger on.\u00a0 There may be some deception or illusion going on, especially in relationships or with money, so be cautious.\u00a0 Don’t answer any cold calls or scam emails.\u00a0 This aspect, like the previous, one, is fairly subdued.<\/p>\n

A change of energy tomorrow (Monday 19th) with the more vibrant aspect of Mars square Jupiter: sheer over the top enthusiasm allied with energy. This aspect can bring spirited exchanges or sporting achievements, but there is a possible hint of danger – the last time it surfaced was in August, when there was a huge explosion in Beirut.<\/p>\n

However, Venus trines Jupiter tomorrow, which is one of the best aspects of the year, and may go some way to mitigating some of the more reckless features of Mars square Jupiter.\u00a0 The male energy may be running riot, but the female energy may temper that and make it more useful.\u00a0 Venus with Jupiter is so very social, and can be romantic too.\u00a0 It’s an aspect to savour and enjoy.<\/p>\n

Tuesday (20th) brings a return of the recent opposition between Mercury and Uranus, last seen on Wednesday 7th when Mercury was still Direct.\u00a0 Now that Mercury is Retrograde, there is even more possibility of experiencing the spanner in the works.\u00a0 But if you are tuned into a higher mental wavelength, e.g. that of telepathy, you can achieve progress and flow.<\/p>\n

The Sun enters Scorpio late on Thursday (22nd).\u00a0 Under the Sun in Libra, we were going for negotiation, but now we need to confront the deeper issues and find more lasting solutions which treat the causes and not just the symptoms of a situation.\u00a0 For this we need more insight, resolve and conviction, qualities of this sign.\u00a0 The Scorpio gig is a grittier requirement.\u00a0 You may see two sides becoming more entrenched in a stand off.<\/p>\n

There is hope, on Saturday (24th), of more coming together, and more commitment and loyalty, with Venus trine Saturn.\u00a0 Here again, Venus can provide a softening role to a hard line stance.\u00a0 It’s not the celebratory relationship of Venus and Jupiter that we saw on Monday, but it is conciliatory, which may be just what is needed at that time.\u00a0 Relationships need serious resolving, and Venus trine Saturn can help, whether on a personal level, or between the North and South.<\/p>\n

The week in bullet points:<\/p>\n