{"id":7317,"date":"2023-03-05T13:42:08","date_gmt":"2023-03-05T13:42:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=7317"},"modified":"2023-03-05T13:49:16","modified_gmt":"2023-03-05T13:49:16","slug":"aspects-for-the-week-beginning-5-march-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=7317","title":{"rendered":"Aspects for the week beginning 5 March 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

Betty Boothroyd (1929 – 2023)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“The passion, wit and sense of fairness she brought to politics will not be forgotten.”<\/em><\/p>\n

~ Rishi Sunak\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n

Betty Boothroyd, the first female Speaker of the House of Commons, died this week at the\u00a0 age of 93.\u00a0 An affable personality, and capable politician, she stood out as a straight talking supporter of the working class and for her all round popularity.<\/p>\n

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

Betty was a good advert for her Sun sign of Libra, having a good proportion of the sign’s attributes: popularity, charm, fairness, beauty (she won a contest) and musicality.\u00a0 This was concentrated in quality by virtue of an exact conjunction of her Sun with Mercury in that sign.\u00a0 So she had the sign’s spiritual and mental qualities.\u00a0 The Sun\/Mercury conjunction was trine Jupiter, giving her an expansiveness which drew people to her.\u00a0 Mercury trine Jupiter is by nature a Speaker.\u00a0 The office of Speaker in the Commons is the head of parliament, and this trine befits the office.\u00a0 She proved to be successful and popular in the role.\u00a0 Her Part of Fortune was in the 3rd House of speaking, too.\u00a0 With the Moon also in the Jupiter-ruled sign of Sagittarius, she had a cheery smile and was known for her humour. The opposition of Sun\/Mercury to Uranus meant that she was not afraid of being controversial, and there are some good examples of this in her life, such as a controversial maiden speech.\u00a0 She ignored advice from Bob Mellish to “Keep your trap shut, girl, and you will get on”.\u00a0 A journalist described her as having the “lip of a barmaid.”\u00a0 Chiron exactly conjunct the North Node in Taurus gave her a very specific karmic mission, as a healer of sorts in her profession, and a steady hand on the tiller.\u00a0 Mars in Scorpio gave her some toughness to counterbalance Sun\/Mercury in Libra.<\/p>\n

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

Betty was born in Dewsbury, and was an only child of textile workers.\u00a0 She was brought up with political awareness, with her father being a trade unionist.\u00a0 At the age of 12 she won a scholarship to Dewsbury Technical College.\u00a0 She loved dancing (Mars closely sextile Neptune) and worked as a dancer from 1946 to 1952, which included a stint as a Tiller girl at the London Palladium.\u00a0 That showed a performing side, which may be linked with Sun in Libra, but\u00a0 a birth time would possibly\u00a0 emphasize this.\u00a0 When she recorded “Desert Island Discs” in 1993, she chose Ethel Merman’s “There’s no Business like Show Business” as one of her tunes.\u00a0 A turning point in her life came though when she suffered from a foot infection, and sought a different life direction.<\/p>\n

She had already shown an interest in politics, with her mother’s encouragement. She had became a member of the Labour League of Youth when she was 16, at the time when her progressed Sun moved from Libra to Scorpio.\u00a0 The following year, with her progressed Sun conjunct her natal Mars in Scorpio, she was the winner in a speaking competition which took place for young socialists.\u00a0 In the 1950s she worked as a secretary to the Labour politician Barbara Castle, a foot in the door of the political world.\u00a0 She also held such a supportive post in politics in Washington for a while.\u00a0 She was not academic in her school life (and had failed the 11-plus), so it may have taken her a while to build confidence: some of her humour has a distinctly self-deprecatory flavour.\u00a0 Her first foray into direct political responsibility came in 1965, when she won a seat on Hammersmith Borough Council.\u00a0 Eventually, after four unsuccessful attempts, she became an M.P. in 1973 (for West Bromwich).\u00a0 Her star was rising, and she gradually built a good reputation among her fellow M.Ps, and a growing popularity.\u00a0 She became a Deputy Speaker in 1987, and finally in 1992 she “smashed the glass ceiling” and became the first female Speaker.<\/p>\n

Her Speakership<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Before Betty took up this office, speakers were addressed as “Mr Speaker”, but when asked what she would like to be called, she said “Madam Speaker”.\u00a0 Another tradition which she changed was the wearing of wigs.\u00a0 She declined to wear the wig, and after her speakership the tradition was not resumed.\u00a0 She had a signature catchphrase, and that was “Time’s up!”\u00a0 She announced her resignation, after eight years, on 12th July 2000.\u00a0 Transiting Jupiter was square her natal Neptune in Virgo: she was restless on her inner journey.<\/p>\n

Awards<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

She collected an enormous amount of awards and honorary degrees during her life.\u00a0 Naming just a few: In 1993 she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Civil Law from City University London; in 1999 she became an Honorary Fellow of St Hugh’s College Oxford; She gained a life peerage in 2001 (with Pluto sextile her natal Sun\/Mercury), and an Order of Merit in 2005.<\/p>\n

Personal Life<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

For a Libran, it was unusual for Betty Beecroft not to have married or had children.\u00a0 But she would have liked children, and said that she had at least three offers of marriage, which never arrived at a convenient time.\u00a0 Her Venus in Virgo may have made her very discerning in relationships.<\/p>\n

Leisure<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

She took up paragliding in her 60s, a hobby which\u00a0 would suit an Air sign such as Libra, and described it as “lovely and peaceful”, a phrase which is distinctly Libran in nature.<\/p>\n

House of Lords<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

She took up her peerage, and campaigned against Brexit.\u00a0 The future of the House of Lords is currently under question by the Labour party, as the entry of members has been used inappropriately over the last few years by the Tory government.\u00a0 Keir Starmer would like to see an elected House.\u00a0 However, Betty had clear views to the contrary, saying:\u00a0 “It is wantonly destructive. It is destruction that hasn’t been thought through properly.”\u00a0 She was worried about power struggles and constitutional disarray.<\/p>\n

Though she had a colourful personality, she was not a radical politically, coming from the right of the Labour Party, and honouring most protocols and traditions, while dispensing with some.\u00a0 Like the Libran scales, a curious balance or mixture, but one that endeared her to a wide range of people.<\/p>\n

“You never know what people are capable of until you give them the opportunity to show it.”<\/em><\/p>\n

~ Barbara Castle<\/p>\n

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

Today Mercury from Pisces sextiles the North Node in Taurus, setting up a productive element to the day: the karmic wind will be beneath your wings.\u00a0 Communication will be highly significant and imbued with meaning, though subject to differing interpretations according to belief.\u00a0 Solutions can be found: today after ten years of negotiations The High Seas Treaty has been agreed to protect marine life.\u00a0 We have something to show for Mercury (contracts and agreements) in the water sign of Pisces harmonizing with the North Node (karmic necessity).<\/p>\n

Tomorrow (Monday 6th) we have another sextile, that between the Sun and Uranus.\u00a0 You can make this day count, in a spectacular way.\u00a0 Spontaneity and innovation characterize the proceedings of the day.\u00a0 Telepathy and higher consciousness, or liaising with a constructive group, are also favoured.<\/p>\n

Tuesday lunchtime brings a Full Moon at 16 degrees Virgo, which is likely to bring some emotional tension and a desire towards perfectionism and practicality, at the same time as honouring spiritual ideals represented by the opposing Sun in Pisces.\u00a0 Work and service are also principles of this polarity of signs.<\/p>\n

Not long after the Full Moon and its tension, we have a major shift, in the shape of Saturn entering Pisces.\u00a0 This is a big deal, and may be a relief for Aquarians (who will have their big deal arriving soon in the shape of Pluto’s entry into that sign).\u00a0 Pluto will enter Aquarius on 23rd March, so enjoy the hiatus, Aquarians!\u00a0 As you can see (if you don’t already know), March is going to be an important month, especially for people who have their Sun or any other planet at 0 degrees of a sign.\u00a0 There will be changes, some expected, and some not so.\u00a0 Saturn has a slow application, so you may see these changes coming, and some of them may arise from your own cuts and economies.\u00a0 Simplifying your life may be an option.\u00a0 Saturn stays in a sign for two and a half years, so you have time to work with it.\u00a0 One important consideration for Saturn in Pisces is to work charitably for those struggling in society, e.g. in poverty.\u00a0 By the end of the period, the government of the day may be able to put into place something to help, possibly after a huge public outcry.\u00a0 Compassion is always a watchword for Pisces, but excruciatingly so for Saturn in Pisces.<\/p>\n

There are two more sextiles on Saturday (11th), the first being Venus sextile Mars, which takes place in the afternoon.\u00a0 This aspect is given over to pleasure and\u00a0 indulgence, and maybe romance is also on the cards.\u00a0 Art will have vigour, and movement will have artistry or elegance under this influence.\u00a0 Social plans should flourish.<\/p>\n

In the evening, Mercury will be sextile Uranus, giving rise to spectacular and unusual communications.\u00a0 This encourages us to use all the new technology for our communications, and brings new ideas, heightening intuition and telepathy.\u00a0\u00a0 This aspect can amaze you and help you find that “wow” factor.<\/p>\n

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