{"id":7625,"date":"2023-10-01T07:41:31","date_gmt":"2023-10-01T07:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=7625"},"modified":"2023-10-01T07:48:33","modified_gmt":"2023-10-01T07:48:33","slug":"aspects-for-the-week-beginning-1-october-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=7625","title":{"rendered":"Aspects for the week beginning 1 October 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

Michael Gambon ( 1940 – 2023)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“Gambon’s iron lungs and overwhelming charisma are able to command a sort of operatic full-throatedness which triumphs over hard walls and long distances”. <\/em><\/p>\n

~ <\/strong>Simon Callow<\/p>\n

One of the greatest actors of our time, Michael Gambon, died this week at the age of 82.\u00a0 He was able to undertake roles of gravitas, such as that of Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, in the film franchise of Harry Potter.\u00a0 Among other well-known roles, he played the Singing Detective in Dennis Potter’s series of that name.<\/p>\n

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

Michael Gambon had Sun in Libra, unaspected, save for a square to Chiron.\u00a0 This accounts for his very independent, individualistic character, with a slightly mischievous edge.\u00a0 He was very much a prankster.\u00a0 As we have no birth time, we only know that his Moon might be in Taurus, or Gemini.\u00a0 At noon on the day he was born, it was exactly on the cusp between those two signs!\u00a0 He had Mercury loosely opposite Jupiter, so there was a wide-ranging mind, but with a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, he could be indecisive, often a feature of the Libran personality.\u00a0 Though with 5 Earth planets and 5 Fixed planets, he would probably stick rigidly to a point of view once decided.\u00a0 He had Venus closely trine Jupiter, which made him a very social being (added to his Libran side).\u00a0 A sense of loyalty was strong, too, with Venus also closely trine Saturn.\u00a0 Mars was unaspected, save for a close conjunction with the North Node, indicating a karmic mission both as a warrior (Mars) and a peacemaker or tough negotiator (the conjunction being in Libra).\u00a0 Uranus closely trined Neptune in his chart, enabling him to take on complex roles.\u00a0 Pluto conjunct Chiron meant he was able to tackle the dark side of humanity in some of his roles – he was adept at playing villains.<\/p>\n

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

Michael Gambon was born in Dublin and brought up in Ireland until he was six years old, when his family moved to London.\u00a0 He was brought up as a strict Catholic, and educated in Kent, but left school at 15 without any qualifications.\u00a0 This may be a reflection of the opposition to his Mercury by the huge exact conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, giving him a lot to overcome.\u00a0 In his first employment path, he went into engineering, which may be a reflection of his North Node\/Mars conjunction.\u00a0 At the age of 24, he fabricated his CV and was taken on at Dublin’s Gate Theatre.\u00a0 This fabrication again is reflected in that Sun\/Chiron square of his birth chart.\u00a0 He was known to be an inveterate fibber as a raconteur.\u00a0 At the theatre, he played in Othello, and auditioning with a piece from Richard III he was noticed by Laurence Olivier who was looking for actors to join his new National Theatre Company.\u00a0 Other actors recruited by Olivier at the time were Derek Jacobi and Frank Finlay who also became heavyweight actors.\u00a0 His first film role was in Othello in 1965, and he played a vet in Ayckbourn’s play The Norman Conquests in 1974.\u00a0 He went on to star in several plays by Ayckbourn and Pinter. In 2001 he played in the film Gosford Park, and from 2004 he took over as the headmaster Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter franchise, after Richard Harris died, which is probably his most well-known role among the younger generations.\u00a0 His acting range was vast and versatile.<\/p>\n

In latter years he found it difficult to learn his lines, and he started to withdraw from stage work in 2014.\u00a0 He was well loved and highly regarded for his acting ability, and although his role as Dumbledore was less demanding than some of his Shakespearean roles, the image of him in his “flowing beard and tassel hat” (as described by Chris Wiegand in the Guardian) is probably the most iconic.<\/p>\n

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

Neptune opposes Mercury tomorrow (Monday 2nd October), which can spark mental confusion.\u00a0 There may be for instance a mental dilemma, or a demand for clarification.\u00a0 It may be difficult to focus, if you are engaged in documentation work.\u00a0 Journeys may be long and complicated.\u00a0 You may need to take care near water.<\/p>\n

On the same day, Venus trines the North Node, a more harmonious influence.\u00a0 This links karma with harmony and love, and reminds us that love is a force underlying a great deal of human interaction, e.g. standing up for one’s country, and protecting loved ones.\u00a0 It also reminds us of the Hindu law of ahimsa<\/em>, or harmlessness, required to neutralize and promote good karma.<\/p>\n

Tuesday (3rd) has a very constructive aspect, that of Mercury trine Pluto.\u00a0 Mercury trine Pluto is mentally harmonious if not challenging us to dig deeper.\u00a0 This aspect is conducive to psychological reflection, and earnest conversations between friends or colleagues.\u00a0 It is good for in-depth consultations and negotiations, and researching past lives.\u00a0 It may help to heal some aspects of the problems encountered on Monday.<\/p>\n

Mars on the South Node on Wednesday (4th) could bring some age-old or ancient strife, some of it karmic.\u00a0 We already know there is a train strike that day, which will bring anguish to many.\u00a0 This conjunction is about addressing past conflicts, particularly in a group setting.\u00a0 In this lifetime, we may be training to be a peaceful warrior, or we may be pacifist.\u00a0 But in some way we come across conflict, just by participating in society. \u00a0It is a chance for us to look at our anger issues and how we choose to deal with them.<\/p>\n

Mercury enters Libra on Thursday (5th).\u00a0 This can bring a new mental focus on cultural themes, which could bring more pure enjoyment: art and music being fundamental areas for Libra, and decision-making. Mercury in Libra is slightly more relaxed than Mercury in Virgo, but having laid plans and attended to essential detail under the previous placement Mercury in Virgo, we can embellish, beautify and smooth things over.<\/p>\n

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