{"id":7927,"date":"2024-05-19T13:13:50","date_gmt":"2024-05-19T13:13:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=7927"},"modified":"2024-05-25T10:18:06","modified_gmt":"2024-05-25T10:18:06","slug":"aspects-for-the-week-beginning-19-may-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=7927","title":{"rendered":"Aspects for the week beginning 19 May 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

Paula Vennells<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“What is it about this seemingly mild-mannered, devout woman that caused her to preside over a reign of total corporate psychopathy?”<\/em><\/p>\n

~ Marina Hyde<\/p>\n

Paula Vennells, former CEO of the Post Office, appears this week in front of the government’s statutory Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry, over the course of three days.\u00a0 I first wrote on this subject in January, after watching the incredible TV series “Mr Bates vs. the Post Office”.\u00a0 Alan Bates himself has recently rejected the latest offer of government compensation, labelling it “derisory”.<\/p>\n

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

I wrote in January:<\/p>\n

“Paula Vennells has been an easily identifiable villain in the scandal. \u00a0Although not present at the beginning of the subpostmasters\u2019 woes, she was instrumental in the harsh treatment given by the Post Office, and prolonging the agony over a long period of years.\u00a0 She was the chief executive officer of Post Office Limited from 2012 to 2019.\u00a0 She has the Sun in Pisces exactly opposite Pluto, which can be a recipe for deception.”<\/p>\n

Mars in her chart is square to her natal Sun, giving rise to the Warrior Archetype, and physically granting the red hair.\u00a0 We do not have a birth time for her, which may strengthen some of the impressions formed from the Noon birthchart analysed here.<\/p>\n

The strange conundrum of her story and her character is the parallel career of CEO to the Post Office, with her role as a priest in the Christian (Anglican) church. Paula has the Sun in Pisces, which is particularly associated with Christianity. \u00a0One of the negative traits of Pisces’ ruler Neptune can be deception. \u00a0And in addition, her Sun, as well as being square to Mars, is also square to Jupiter, which inclines to a religious leaning.\u00a0 I also observed in January:<\/p>\n

“Jupiter at the very beginning of, the essence of, Sagittarius.\u00a0 This may point to an attitude of over-optimism that the whole thing would go away.\u00a0 It also describes her secondary career as an Anglican priest.”<\/p>\n

She has a very difficult feature in her chart, in a Mutable Grand Cross formed between the Sun opposite Pluto, and Mars opposite Jupiter.\u00a0 The Grand Cross is a highly stressed combination to manage.<\/p>\n

Moon in Leo enjoys power, and the square between Jupiter and Pluto can be liable to the misuse of power.\u00a0 Mercury square Mars indicates The Critic Archetype.\u00a0 But most damaging is the square between Mars and Pluto, extreme harshness given and received in life.\u00a0 Saturn closely trine Pluto equals the Strategist Archetype, and there are examples, to our knowledge, where she tried to influence policies which might have prevented further suffering to the subpostmasters and subpostmistresses.<\/p>\n

In addition her Chiron in Aquarius is unaspected.\u00a0 This means she may not be in touch with her Inner Healer, or it may be very unusual in its manifestation.\u00a0 Pisces is a soft and sympathetic sign, but if it encounters an overload of suffering early in life, the heart can close up.\u00a0 We do not know a great deal about her upbringing.<\/p>\n

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

Paula Vennells grew up in Denton, Lancashire, in a working-class area.\u00a0 Her father was an industrial chemist, and her mother was a bookkeeper and volunteer with the Citizens Advice Bureau.\u00a0 She attended Manchester High School for Girls, and received her further education at Bradford University, reading Russian, French and Economics.\u00a0 On leaving University, she trained at Unilever, then worked for L’Oreal, Dixons, Argos and Whitbread.<\/p>\n

She became CEO of the Post Office on 1st April 2012, under difficult transits, which included:<\/p>\n

Jupiter square her Uranus (risk-taking), Uranus square her Saturn (trying to reconcile the old and the new), transiting Neptune on her Sun (a personal challenge of integrity), and Neptune opposite her Pluto (a deeply complex task).\u00a0 Looking at her astrological picture, she may have been inwardly floundering from the start (paddling furiously under the surface of the Piscean sea).\u00a0 Problems with the Horizon IT system were already known, but she consistently sought to deny their existence.<\/p>\n

She was paid \u00a35m for her time as CEO, but the financial performance of The Post Office declined considerably during that period.\u00a0 She resigned from the post in 2019, and took up a post with the NHS (Chair of the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust).\u00a0 In the same year, she was awarded a CBE (for services to the Post Office and charity).\u00a0 She resigned in 2021, as a result of the growing publicity about the subpostmasters scandal, from the NHS position, and stood down from her Anglican duties.<\/p>\n

The broadcasting of the television drama in January of this year has marked an escalation in her exposure, and shortly after the show was broadcast she issued a formal apology, and her CBE was revoked.\u00a0 Saturn was sextile her natal Saturn (taking some responsibility, and Neptune was transiting her natal Venus (a personal scandal).<\/p>\n

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

Paula Vennells trained for holy orders and was ordained in the Church of England as a deacon in 2005, then as a priest in 2006.\u00a0 According to Tim Adams writing this morning in The Observer, she was a confidant of the Archbishop of Canterbury:<\/p>\n

“Justin Welby reportedly supported her – unsuccessful – candidature to become bishop of London in 2017…The Bishop of St Albans, her diocese, expressed his distress at the suffering of post office employees, particularly as his father had been a subpostmaster.”<\/p>\n

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

The performance of actress Lia Williams in portraying Paula Vennells in Mr Bates vs The Post Office<\/em> was uncanny, at least visually.\u00a0 It’s amazing what styling and make-up can do in television and film!\u00a0 The connections between the actress and Paula were strong in the personal layer of interaspects: Lia’s Sun was opposite Paula’s Mars, and Lia’s Venus was trine Paula’s Sun.<\/p>\n

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

from January’s blog:<\/em><\/p>\n

“The transits for the programme, were Jupiter trine her natal Saturn (a final reckoning), and Saturn was opposite her natal Pluto (a personal nadir).\u00a0 Eight days later, under immense public pressure, she handed back her CBE, with Mars trine her natal Pluto (life forced her hand), Saturn squared her Mars (relinquishing something important to her) and Saturn sextiled her natal Saturn (doing the right thing).”<\/p>\n

The transits for this week’s reckoning show the North Node (karma forcing the issue) trine her natal Uranus, including a shock factor.\u00a0 In mid-June, next month, Jupiter will transit her natal Mars in Gemini, so there may be a temporary respite in intensity, and perhaps a sense of relief that it is all out in the open, having resisted the truth coming out for so long.\u00a0 In mid-April 2025 Saturn will transit her natal Venus in Pisces, which may signal a considerable personal loss, e.g. to her freedom.\u00a0 In the coming years, Uranus will transit and trigger her Grand Cross, beginning with an opposition to her natal Jupiter in early August 2025.<\/p>\n

In this most distressing of sagas.\u00a0 I can’t help seeing a comparison with the current benefits scandal in which vulnerable carers are being asked to repay thousands of pounds (which they haven’t got) to remedy mistakes made by the government.\u00a0 Also, a comparison with the contaminated blood scandal in which the government is dragging its heels in providing the compensation which has been promised.<\/p>\n

If anything comes up worthy of astrological analysis, I will post a comment below.<\/p>\n

“I saw something in the Post Office that was bigger and deeper, maybe it was something about giving back…”<\/em><\/p>\n

~ Paula Vennells<\/p>\n

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

There are eleven astrological features this week, including 3 ingresses, so I will begin without preamble.<\/p>\n

Late this evening, the Sun will be sextile Neptune.\u00a0 It’s a sweet sextile, and as you reflect on the day, you may be in an equable spiritual state and ready for a good night’s sleep.\u00a0 This aspect gives you a better chance of creating beauty and inspiration in your life, conferring spiritual harmony.<\/p>\n

Even later, Mars will be conjunct the North Node, which conflicts somewhat with that peaceful vibe.\u00a0 An early night may ensure that you settle into sleep before the challenges of this conjunction at 14 degrees Aries, though you may dream of ancient battlefields!\u00a0 There is some element of needing to “fight the good fight”, but these two transits together may mean a need and ability to negotiate peace.\u00a0 The worldwide news may be interesting, from that perspective, with contrasting pronouncements by doves and hawks.<\/p>\n

Tomorrow (Monday 20th) brings the first ingress, that of the Sun entering Gemini.\u00a0 With the Sun leaving Taurus, earthy preoccupations may give way to a need for Communication and lightness of heart.\u00a0 In the month of Sun in Gemini any kind of communication goes, writing your book, dealing with your documentation, ensuring that you are walking and cycling to work instead of taking public transport.\u00a0 It all aids the general connectivity, which society needs.<\/p>\n

Deep progress may be made on Wednesday (22nd) when the Sun trines Pluto.\u00a0 There may be the sense of an ending, which clears the way for a new beginning or rebirth.\u00a0 You may have to make a decision which brings about change.\u00a0 <\/strong>It is time to construct a new psychological mindset: one which is creative but also bears in mind the changes and cycles which are transforming our lives at this time. You may have felt that you haven’t got very far with a goal, but may receive an indication in this period that you have done better than you thought, your patience is rewarded, or that a pipe dream could become a going concern.\u00a0 You may have cause to remember fondly the dearly departed.<\/p>\n

Thursday (23rd) is quite a day, with 5 Aspects creating an aspect overload!\u00a0 I will resort to a timetable:<\/p>\n

8.29 a.m. – Venus conjunct Jupiter<\/u><\/p>\n

First we have the great conjunction of Venus and Jupiter at 29 degrees Taurus, in line with the Pleiades.\u00a0 In terms of beneficence, this is one of the year’s highlights.\u00a0 It is an aspect of celebration, social pleasure, and romance.\u00a0 There may be announcements of engagements, for example.\u00a0 Look out for some good news, and crack your best jokes.<\/p>\n

10.50 a.m. – Venus sextile Neptune<\/u><\/p>\n

So next up we have this sextile.\u00a0 This aspect can bring soothing waves of serenity, which hopefully you may experience (extra kudos to those who have been able to maintain it since Sunday’s Sun sextile Neptune).\u00a0 People may come more into tune with each other.\u00a0 New artistic avenues may flourish.<\/p>\n

13.53 Hrs – Full Moon at 2 degrees Sagittarius<\/u><\/p>\n

(Apologies for switching to the 24-Hour clock.\u00a0 It’s not a mistake, it’s just how I like it!)<\/p>\n

This particular emotional high tide concerns the expansive bigger picture (Sagittarius) in your life, your psyche, or the world.\u00a0 If you are feeling such a maelstrom in your life, then you may need to start by going within to that still small spiritual centre, find peace (hopefully drawing from the positive Neptune aspects this week), then make your responses from that place.<\/p>\n

20.30 Hrs – Venus into Gemini<\/u><\/p>\n

The second ingress of the week, bringing a lightness and freedom of heart with the new placement.\u00a0 It demonstrates a more mental focus to relationships, and increasing communication around love, art and money. Your diary is likely to be full of engagements during the period that Venus travels through this sign, which takes us up to 17th June.\u00a0 We’ll all be social butterflies, deftly spinning plates in social circles!<\/p>\n

21.44 Hrs – \u00a0Jupiter sextile Neptune<\/u><\/p>\n

Last but definitely not least, this sextile between the outer planets could bring spiritual benefits and uplift, whether you subscribe to conventional or alternative religions.\u00a0 This sextile allows religion and spirituality to work together well.\u00a0 Higher solutions can be found to even practical problems, filtering down into consciousness from the causal planes.\u00a0 In raising our consciousness now we have to find higher ways of looking at things, and that includes practical solutions (Jupiter-Neptune are not practically minded, but can inspire us to new practices).\u00a0 It’s a heavyweight aspect in terms of importance, so make the most of it.<\/p>\n

Saturday (25th) is another important day.\u00a0 It begins with a profound but likely successful trine between Venus and Pluto.\u00a0 This aspect can settle your deepest feelings into a more comfortable psychological context.\u00a0 It helps us through changes and transformations on a human level.\u00a0 Venus in harmony with Pluto benefits both love and money.<\/p>\n

In the evening, there is a major ingress of Jupiter into Gemini.\u00a0 Yay! Gemini, this is your year! \u00a0We may experience a surge of optimism.\u00a0 Not that Jupiter in Gemini is necessarily better than Jupiter in Taurus, but a change is as good as a rest.\u00a0 It brings new ways to better our lives.\u00a0 We are moving on, philosophically.\u00a0 New ideas will be coming in, and new ways of thinking.\u00a0 We\u2019ll be thinking deeply about the processes of our thoughts, and receiving insights.\u00a0 Communication will also be stimulated, both in your personal life and in the Communications industry.\u00a0 Publishing too may have a revival, and initiatives in Education. You may see a change of consciousness.\u00a0 If you are a Gemini you can look forward to growth this year, with a special surge when Jupiter transits your actual natal Sun.<\/p>\n

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