{"id":8960,"date":"2026-10-18T12:40:26","date_gmt":"2026-10-18T12:40:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=8960"},"modified":"2026-10-18T12:47:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-18T12:47:15","slug":"aspects-for-the-week-beginning-18-october-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lanawooster.co.uk\/?p=8960","title":{"rendered":"Aspects for the week beginning 18 October 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Strictly Come Dancing 2026 \u2013 Part 2<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The second of my musings on this series, which has had many memorable moments already.\u00a0 Here are my next four:<\/p>\n

Jaime Winstone<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Jaime Winstone is an actress, and the daughter of Ray Winstone.\u00a0 She was born in Camden and was suspended from school for rowing with teaching staff. She has portrayed Barbara Windsor as Peggy Mitchell on more than one occasion.\u00a0 She had an unpromising start in the competition, but last night was top of the leaderboard!\u00a0 She was born in 1985, with the Sun in Taurus exactly square Jupiter (exuberance).\u00a0 I must admit I have enjoyed all her dances, though the judges felt she was very undisciplined at the outset.\u00a0 She undoubtedly has a lot of energy for taming \u2013 Anton has called her a Pocket Rocket.\u00a0 Her Sun is conjunct the North Node: acting and performance are part of her karmic mission.\u00a0 With Mercury trine Uranus, she has a brilliant mind.\u00a0 Jupiter closely sextile Uranus show The Inner Entrepreneur Archetype.<\/p>\n

She has had Pluto square her natal Pluto and Neptune square her natal Neptune, but clearly is mastering them now.\u00a0 For the final, Pluto will still be squaring her natal Pluto, and Mars will be squaring her natal Chiron\/Mars (possibility of injury), but Neptune will be sextile her natal Saturn, keeping body and soul together.\u00a0 Her prospect of getting to the final seems slim.<\/p>\n

She is partnered with Carlos Gu<\/u>, last year\u2019s winner.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, we do not have a birth date for Carlos, so cannot factor in his birth chart.<\/p>\n

Will Best<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Congratulations to Will Best for becoming a dad for the first time, last week!\u00a0 I was agog to see how he would manage to fit in rehearsals, and he was last to perform last night, and performed his best dance to date.\u00a0 He hosts Big Brother, with A.J. Odudu.<\/p>\n

He was born in Wandsworth, and his father was a politician, who now sits in the House of Lords.\u00a0 He has built a media career despite his father\u2019s disapproval.<\/p>\n

He is a Piscean, born in the same year as Jaime, with the Moon also in that sign.\u00a0 His Sun is exactly sextile Neptune the ruler of Pisces, the sign of the dance.\u00a0 So in theory he should do well on the dance floor.\u00a0 In my first blog, I had him down as a good mover, but, like Jaime, he did not immediately receive good scores from the judges, though Shirley praised his sense of timing, and Craig and Anton complimented him on his energy.\u00a0 He has a strong character, with the Sun closely trine Pluto.\u00a0 He does have challenges, though, in the shape of a T-square between the Sun, Chiron and Saturn.\u00a0 Mercury in his chart closely sextiles Neptune and closely trines Pluto, which helps with his mental faculties.\u00a0 Mars trines Uranus in his chart, which may signal an aptitude for mechanics or engineering.<\/p>\n

His transits now apply to dancing in the competition, but more importantly to having his first child.\u00a0 There certainly appears to be a lot going on!:<\/p>\n

Pluto is trine his natal Chiron \u2013 a profound healing event connected with the life cycle<\/p>\n

Neptune sextile his natal Jupiter \u2013 a sense of euphoria<\/p>\n

Neptune square his natal Neptune, like Jaime (because they were born in the same year) \u2013 confusion about direction, challenges in connection with dancing.<\/p>\n

At the final, Pluto will still trine his natal Chiron, Pluto will be square his natal Pluto (like Jaime); and transiting Uranus will be conjunct his natal Chiron (perhaps the new challenge of parenting).<\/p>\n

He is paired with Diane Buswell<\/u><\/p>\n

I wrote in 2018, her second year:<\/p>\n

\u201cShe is a supportive Taurean, with Chiron, Mars and the Moon in Cancer (the sign of musical rhythm)\u2026She has Mercury conjunct Jupiter, and\u00a0 she has the North Node at 0 degrees Pisces (the sign associated with dance).\u201d<\/p>\n

It was the year she was partnered with Joe Sugg, made the final, and they have been together ever since, and have a child together.<\/p>\n

Her synastry with Will shows their Mercuries square to each other, communication sometimes at odds. But Her Mars trine his Mercury \u2013 she can motivate him. Her Chiron trines his Sun, she can help to heal and soothe him.<\/p>\n

Her transits this weekend show Mars sextile her natal Jupiter, so she had an extra burst of energy and luck, which helped Will get through. Her transits at the final include the Nodal Axis squaring her natal Venus\u2026she does not look present for the final.<\/p>\n

So far, I don\u2019t anticipate Jaime or Will actually reaching the final.<\/p>\n

Dani Dyer<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Dani Dyer has the Sun in Leo, like her namesake dad Danny. When he found out through the programme \u201cWho do you think you are?\u201d that he was descended from royalty, he was proud as punch.\u00a0 Leo is associated with royalty.\u00a0 Unlike her father she has an unaspected Sun, which represents an unusually free spirit.\u00a0 Mercury closely sextile Mars confers good co-ordination \u2013 she is confident about putting herself forward for physical challenges such as the SAS programme (in which she came second).\u00a0 Mercury closely trine Jupiter means she has an optimistic frame of mind.\u00a0 But Mars exactly opposite Jupiter means that she can go over the top at times.\u00a0 Not so last night, her beautiful but restrained dance left her second from bottom on the leaderboard.\u00a0 Her energy (Mars) is complicated, as it squares Chiron and the North Node, and Saturn.\u00a0 So it may not be consistent.\u00a0 And with Jupiter closely square Saturn, she doesn\u2019t always make balanced choices, and can sabotage herself.\u00a0 Mars and Jupiter have six squares between them.\u00a0 The compensation in her chart is Saturn trine Pluto, she has the Strategist Archetype.\u00a0 She is also good with Change: witness Uranus closely sextile Pluto.<\/p>\n

Her transits for this weekend were favourable: two good sextiles and a good trine.\u00a0 She is clearly a good dancer, so hopefully she will pick up again next week.\u00a0 At the time of the final she has Uranus trine her Uranus, so towards the end of the contest she could surprise us.\u00a0 She may peak, I feel, at the time of the semi-final, when Mars will trine her natal Jupiter.<\/p>\n

She is paired with Nikita Kuzmin<\/u><\/p>\n

After the pairings show last year she injured her ankle, and both she and Nikita hoped to be partnered again.\u00a0 Their chemistry was commented upon last night, and the astrology bears this out.\u00a0 His Sun is opposite her Venus \u2013 often found in marriages. His Mars is opposite her Venus \u2013 there is a spark, watch out Mr! And his Venus is conjunct her Uranus \u2013 a definite attraction.<\/p>\n

As for Nikita himself, I wrote in 2021:<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has an unaspected Sun in Capricorn, which may mean he is a free spirit.\u00a0 His Moon is in musical Libra, and he has a dynamic conjunction of Mars, Venus and Uranus in Aquarius.\u00a0 He has Chiron in Scorpio\u201d<\/p>\n

So they both<\/em> have unaspected Suns (quite rare): both free spirits.\u00a0 Couples choice should be spectacular.<\/p>\n

His transits this weekend include: Pluto on his Venus, Neptune square his natal Sun, Uranus trine his natal Mars, and Chiron square his Neptune.\u00a0 It looks as though he has got a lot going on in his life, but perhaps on the dance floor he will continue to be able to be thoroughly professional.\u00a0 Maybe these transits are reflected in their relatively low score last night \u2013 the judges seemed to imply he didn\u2019t push or challenge Dani enough.<\/p>\n

His transits at the final: Pluto trines his natal Mars\/Venus; Neptune still squares his natal Sun;Uranus still trines his natal Venus\/Mars, but he loses two of his squares.\u00a0 He could at a pinch get her into the final, but around the semi-final Mars squares his natal Pluto, so he may have an injury preventing them from getting to the final.\u00a0 I will predict their presence at the semi-final, however.<\/p>\n

Cach Mercer<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Cacherel Damani Mirjah Mercer, born in Islington, is an English television personality, dancer (hip hop and afrobeat) and model. I had no previous knowledge of him before this Strictly series.\u00a0 Like Dani, he apparently won a previous series of Love Island.\u00a0 I have watched it occasionally, but hadn\u2019t remembered him.\u00a0 But from the first episode, he has intrigued me, and last night he was at the top of the leaderboard, with Jaime.\u00a0 As we shall see, his transits support him going all the way.<\/p>\n

Of particular note in his birth chart, he has Mars exactly sextile Neptune (he is a highly sensitive mover) and he has Mars loosely conjunct Pluto (he is a powerhouse of energy).<\/p>\n

He has the Sun in Pisces, the sign of Dance.\u00a0 Shirley says: \u201cYou are light on your feet, gifted\u201d. \u00a0<\/strong>His Sun is square Mars, so he is a ball of energy. Mars conjoins Pluto in his chart, he\u2019s a powerhouse of energy.\u00a0 With the Sun trine the North Node, he is a Performer.\u00a0 Mercury exactly sextiles Venus in his chart, a good communicator, he comes from the heart (that may have enabled him in Casa Amor).\u00a0 He has Mercury conjunct Uranus, so is an original thinker; and Mercury exactly sextile Pluto (he is a deep thinker).\u00a0 He struggled with the ballroom brief last night, but half way through the week, he started to inhabit his \u201cIcon\u201d, Frank Sinatra, in a breathtaking way.\u00a0 Venus closely trines Pluto, so he\u2019s got the music in him.\u00a0 Motsi says: \u201cIt\u2019s genius the way you work with the music\u201d. He also has Mars opposite Jupiter, enthusiasm allied with energy, like Dani. Jupiter trine Neptune, blesses him with faith, while Saturn square Uranus may have brought personal earthquakes in his life.<\/p>\n

His Transits this weekend are mainly bright and positive: Pluto trine his natal Jupiter (all power to him); Neptune sextile his natal Jupiter (all faith); Jupiter opposite his Uranus (joy and surprise) and the North Node sextile his natal Chiron (karma and healing together).<\/p>\n

For the final: Pluto will still be trine his natal Jupiter; transiting Uranus will be conjunct his natal Jupiter, the power of surprise; Saturn will be sextile his natal Neptune, discipline aligned with inspiration; and Mars square his natal Mars (the will to win).\u00a0 It looks good!<\/p>\n

He is partnered with Maddy Ingoldsby<\/u>, who is on this dance floor for the first time.\u00a0 She announced herself as being very strict at the outset, but is also a Pisces, so they are a dream team.<\/p>\n

Although born 4 years apart, these two have a great deal in common, chartwise.\u00a0 They are both Pisces, comfortable on the dance floor.\u00a0 It all helps the synastry.<\/p>\n

She has Venus conjunct Neptune, inspired in the Arts including dance.\u00a0 Her statement that she says she is very strict as a teacher could derive from Saturn square her Nodal Axis, which may be a clue to that.<\/p>\n

Her transits this weekend include Uranus square her natal Mercury, mentally stretching \u2013 she did admit Cach was challenging, but the result was gold.<\/p>\n

Her transits at the final show Chiron on her North Node in Aries (significant karmic healing), Jupiter trine her North Node (she will feel she has done a good job), the North Node sextile with her natal Pluto (she too looks blessed at the final).<\/p>\n

Of these four contestants, Cach has far and away the best prospects for the final.\u00a0 But I predicted Chris Appleton had the best out of the first four I wrote about, and he went out early!\u00a0 I did see problems ahead, however, for Delta Goodrum and Kai Widdrington, and they are currently out due to her broken rib \u2013 we do not yet know whether she will return.<\/p>\n

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

Tuesday (20th<\/sup>) brings a square between Venus and Pluto which may disrupt relationships and be psychologically discombobulating.\u00a0 On the world stage, there may be more unedifying examples of man’s inhumanity to man, and the vagaries of global finance, oil prices rising etc.\u00a0 Deep feeling issues may be preying on your mind.\u00a0 These will require some psychological soul-searching for a true interpretation, and may spur on honest-as-you-can-be interpersonal communication.\u00a0 You may not be able to fix the wider conflicts, but you can apply your wisdom to personal and local conundrums.\u00a0 Approach issues authentically but sensitively.<\/p>\n

Wednesday (21st<\/sup>) is easier to negotiate, with a trine between the Sun and the North Node, a kinder influence, signalling hope and some resolution.\u00a0 Karmic developments (North Node) are likely to be about power and creativity.\u00a0 At this time, the Universe bears a karmic gift.\u00a0 This can help your actions and creations to fall in line with, and be in sync with, your own karma and the collective karma.<\/p>\n

On Friday (23rd<\/sup>) the Sun enters Scorpio.\u00a0 When 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 though see two sides becoming more entrenched in a stand off.<\/p>\n

Two features are brought to our attention on Saturday (24th<\/sup>).\u00a0 The first occurs in the early hours: a conjunction between the Sun and Venus at 0 degrees Scorpio.\u00a0 It\u2019s a congenial conjunction. If you are an artist or a musician, it is the day you can produce your best creative output or performance.\u00a0 If neither, then love or money may be beneficiaries of this combination.\u00a0 Positioned at the start of Scorpio, it will be grittier than the average Sun\/Venus conjunction, in that love and harmony won\u2019t just be a surface thing \u2013 conversations about relationships could be more interesting.\u00a0 <\/em>It occurs in the early hours of the morning, so you could have super-sweet dreams, with depth.<\/p>\n

At breakfast-time that day Mercury will be Stationary prior to turning Retrograde in Scorpio.\u00a0 Most people will see this as an alert to take good care of their communications for the three-week period.\u00a0 Mercury Retrograde has almost become a common phrase these last few years (though hubby confessed he had not heard of it recently!) so we all have preconceptions, experiences and strategies in connection with it.<\/p>\n

My own personal take is that it is over-hyped and people have seized upon it as a compelling collective idea, which gives it extra power.\u00a0 Technology can go wrong at any time (and Mercury represents the mind and communication, where Uranus is more associated with technology).\u00a0 However, our minds are absorbed with technology (witness the power of social media, and addictive doomscrolling), and Mercury Retrograde sometimes flags up that an upgrade in our equipment or perspective is needed.\u00a0 Just be clear in your communication in this three week period, and read the small print.\u00a0 Mercury goes Direct again on November 14th.<\/p>\n

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