Month: April 2023

Sarah Bernhardt, nicknamed “La Divine”, is a name that has gone into theatrical legend , a Hollywood-style celebrity before Hollywood even existed, the unmatchable actress who remains forever at the top despite the 100 years that have passed since her death. A Paris exhibition this year will celebrate her talents and extraordinary life as the daughter of a courtesan, who once contemplated becoming a nun but followed instead in her mother’s footstep.

  There is some doubt as to her birthdate. ADB has 23 October 1844 8 pm while Astrotheme (also on the basis of a birth certificate) says 22 October at 2am. Both are below and you can take your pick.

 The young Sarah appeared in the Paris police register (Vice squad). Their Book of Courtesans was a detailed record of high-class sex workers, often actors and dancers, who were the mistresses of princes, aristocrats and the wealthy. Then in her teens she was noted as being popular with “old men and especially members of parliament”.

  After a slow start in acting she eventually performed her most celebrated roles at the prestigious Comedie Francaise, then set up her own company and toured the UK and USA.

Mark Twain wrote: “There are five kinds of actresses: bad actresses, fair actresses, good actresses, great actresses … and then there is Sarah Bernhardt.” DH Lawrence saw her in La Dame Aux Camelias and wrote: “Sarah was wonderful and terrible … she is not pretty, her voice is not sweet, but there is the incarnation of wild emotion that we share with all living things.”

  ‘She was hot-headed, rebellious and frequently mired in scandal. Her stage style was often melodramatic and self-promoting.’ She became an influencer of fashion, an artist and a sculptor, a writer and an activist. During WW1 she entertained troops at Verdun and Argonne despite having had a leg amputated after an injury led to gangrene. She died in 1923 of kidney disease.

 She had a Sun opposition Pluto which makes sense of an intense, dramatic life – with that opposition squaring onto Saturn in Aquarius for a personality, hardened by tough experiences in childhood with no father and abandoned by mother for a year. She certainly had endurance and stamina. The 22^nd October birth date gave her a late Libra Sun opposition an 8^th house Pluto which makes sense of the mark she made on the culture; with a well-organised Saturn in her 5^th house of entertainment, giving her the impetus to run her own business. Her buoyant Uranus Jupiter conjunction opposition Mars would give her a risk-taking, wild streak.

  But you could equally well make a case for the 23^rd birth date with a Scorpio Sun in her performing 5th house; and a 10^th house Aries Moon conjunct Uranus opposition Mars – with an 8^th house Saturn making intimate relationships tricky.

  The 23 October has a marginally more descriptive 22^nd harmonic for an undoubted global super-star.

  Whichever is the right date, that Sun Pluto Saturn T square alongside an exuberant and reckless Mars Jupiter opposition Uranus certainly made for a high-octane personality.

Patricia Highsmith was not in the top rank of writers but two of her psychological thriller novels left their mark on 20^th Century culture when they were turned into memorable films – Minghella’s The Talented Mr Ripley and Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train. A new biopic takes a glance at her racy life with prolific lesbian liaisons but skips over her misanthropy, racism and alcoholism. She frequently wielded a switchblade at one lover, had gin and orange for breakfast, and was massively prejudiced against  “Jews, Arabs and Blacks”. The Price of Salt, the only lesbian novel she wrote, was the only one without a murder and was published anonymously out of deference to her mother, only being claimed forty years later.

  She was born 19 January 1921 3.30am Fort Worth, Texas into an artistic family with her parents divorcing just before she was born and suggestions that her mother may have wished to abort her.  Not surprisingly she had a love-hate relationship with her rejecting and indifferent mother which was never resolved.

  Her chart is complicated with an Earth Grand Trine of a Capricorn Sun (conjunct Mercury in Aquarius) trine a Taurus Moon trine Saturn (Jupiter) in Virgo in her 10^th house, which would give her a tendency to physical sexual encounters. She also had a creative Water Grand Trine of a volatile Uranus Mars in Pisces trine an 8^th house Pluto trine a Scorpio North Node – lost in her own bubble of reality, she’d be driven by intense compulsions and feel constantly trapped. She also had her Mars conjunct Venus in Pisces trine Pluto which would contribute to her promiscuous tendencies.

  Her Neptune in the publishing 9^th house was unaspected giving her a tendency to be reclusive and to have unattainable dreams.

   Her creative writer’s 21^st harmonic was reasonably aspected, as was her creative 5^th.  Her other creative harmonic, the 7^th, was heavily aspected with an afflicted Mars, hinting at the violence and warped morality of her novels. Seven at the negative end can be cold, self-centred, attracted to alcohol/ drugs and occultism.

  She also interestingly had a notable 13^th harmonic which can indicate a trailblazing personality. But one astrologer pointed out it was strong in Peter Sellers and he associated it with Sellers not knowing who he was.  So identity problems may come with it.   Despite the biopic title, she was not an easy women to warm to let alone admire.

Is the US dollar in trouble?  The Federal Reserve chart and the known dollar charts certainly indicate a devastating three or four years ahead.

  The FedRes 16 November 1914 9am Washington, DC, has tr Pluto in Aquarius opposition the 8^th house Neptune now till mid June and returning throughout 2024 as well – that would point to massive confusion of the variety that accompanies earthquakes, not necessarily literal in this instance but financial. Tr Neptune is also heading (plus tr Saturn) to square the FedRes Saturn Pluto at 1 degree Cancer in 2025/26 into early 2027 which will ratchet up the levels of uncertainty to extreme levels.

  What is significant about Neptune in late Mutable in the next two years is that it mirrors the Wall Street crash of 1929 when tr Saturn was in late Sagittarius, and the Lehman collapse of 2008 when tr Pluto was also in late Sagittarius – both of them moving in to oppose the FedRes Saturn Pluto.

 There are various dates for the start of the dollar.

  The First Dollar coin – 15 October 1794 (see URL below).  That has Jupiter in late Sagittarius conjunct Mars at zero Capricorn. Its buoyancy, courtesy of that sensitive Mars Jupiter marker, was rattled by the astrological pressures of 1929 and 2008. Tr Neptune is aiming to square the Jupiter (= bubble bursting) by 2024 and then undermine the Mars in 2025 along with tr Saturn also in Aries. 2025/6 also sees tr Pluto square the Neptune – no solid ground ahead for several years.

USA Paper Dollar, 10 August 1861 8.30am Washington. Over the Wall Street crash, tr Neptune in early Virgo was conjunct the Jupiter which is a classic confidence-deflating influence. Tr Saturn in late Sagittarius was heading to square the Neptune. By 2008 tr Pluto in late Sagittarius was heading to square the Neptune. Tr Neptune was square the Mars. It will be seriously rattled by tr Neptune Saturn heading into Aries – 2024 to 2027.

The USA Petrodollar, 8 June 1974, was less obviously affected by the 2008 Lehman collapse though by 2010 tr Pluto was putting heavy pressure on the Saturn square Pluto which would cause pain. Tr Pluto is opposing the Mars on this chart this year and next, which is trapped and powerless.

  On these charts, the years between now and circa 2028 look exceptionally discouraging but whether this extends on into the 2030s??

https://astrologicalinvesting.blogspot.com/2009/09/birth-chart-for-usa-dollar.html

Does the progress of civilization depend on erasing history?  The wokerati are at it again hinting that cancelling Pablo Picasso might be on their wish-list because he was a misogynist and cultural appropriator (of African tribal masks).

He married twice, had four children by three women and several mistresses. One mistress and his second wife committed suicide and his first wife plus another mistress had nervous breakdowns. He once said “For me there are only two kinds of women: goddesses and doormats.”  His son developed fatal alcoholism and his grandson committed suicide.

  A decent human being? Certainly not. But he is recognized as the 20^th Century’s most influential artist who shifted the course of painting.

  He was born 25 October 1881 11.15pm Malaga, Spain and had a 4^th house Scorpio Sun opposition a rigid but well-organized Saturn in Taurus in his 10^th.  He had a Taurus stellium in his 10^th of Saturn conjunct a creative creative Neptune and an indulgent pushily confident Jupiter Pluto conjunction opposition Mercury in Scorpio. Stubborn to the nth degree, he did not think rules applied to him, but was designed for great success.

  His Moon aspects were troublesome with his Sagittarius Moon in his performing 5^th house on the focal point of a Yod to a hard-edged Mars sextile Saturn – emotionally disorganized, overly-defensive, not adaptable, self-defeating because of lack of trust. A Yod Moon often seeks public approval since a large audience of admirers is easier to handle than one-to-one intimacy. His Moon was conjunct a Sagittarius North Node which would connect him to the public/zeitgeist. His Moon was also square Uranus making his emotional responses erratic and giving him a fear of commitment as does his Sagittarius North Node.

   His Venus was also stressed, being in a square to Mars which can go alongside an insensitivity to the needs of partners; and was on one leg of a challenging Yod sextile Moon inconjunct Saturn.

  His global super-star 22^nd harmonic was notable as was his leaving-a-legacy-for-history 17H and his creative 5H.

  However monstrous he was, there is no doubting his talent or the mark he left on culture.

  It may be beyond the comprehension of the sanctimonious firebrands but precisely those psychological quirks which made him toxic in relationships were precisely those which drove his creative inspiration. Artists tend to be damaged human beings who plunder the turmoil of their unconscious to produce their art. Picasso’s no doubt excruciatingly irritating narcissistic over-confidence allowed him to step outside the conventional bounds of art as it had been, and plough his own furrow to become a trailblazer. Who he was and his creativity are irrevocably interlinked and yet paradoxically his art stands separate from the flawed man who wielded the brush.

  On a personal note I was never a great fan of Picasso, but I am getting thoroughly sick of the mindless screeching that goes on as revisionism becomes the coming thing. It reminds me of a thought from psycho-analysis about the fascist state of mind (delusional narcissism) which purges out the past and, having emptied itself, looks forward to a future entirely of its own creation. A future without history is a scary thought.

  Picasso’s chart does have his the Solar Arc North Node exactly opposition his Sun this year as his reputation comes under attack.

A new world order is the hope that the BRICS alliance of nations offer as an alternative to the West. Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa are pinning their hopes on a New Development Bank seen as a substitute for the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. It is open to new members with Egypt, UAE,  Uruguay and Bangladesh taking up shares and interest being expressed by Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Argentina, Mexico and Nigeria.

 Originally started as a Goldman Sachs investor ploy for developing economies that were booming, it has switched tack  since with only China achieving sustained growth. The alliance is now offering a diplomatic forum and development financing, outside of the Western mainstream. As such it stands against the G7 – Germany, France, UK, Italy, Japan, Canada, US and EU.

  On the political front since the start of the Ukraine invasion, the BRICS countries have distanced themselves from the West and are not taking part in sanctions against Russia. There is near-historic levels of trade between India and Russia and Brazil is heavily dependent on Russian fertilizer.

  A political analyst commented: “ some European and US policymakers worry that the BRICS may become less an economic club of rising powers seeking to influence global growth and development, and more a political one defined by their authoritarian nationalism.”

  BRICS held its first summit on 16 June 2009 in Yekaterinburg, Russia which gives a Gemini Sun opposition Pluto square Uranus in Pisces – such a Uranus is status-quo-upsetting and a trailblazer but erratic and perhaps inclined to be contrarian. There is a high-finance and hopeful Jupiter Neptune conjunction; plus a passionately enthusiastic Venus Mars in materialistic Taurus trine Saturn on one side and Pluto widely on the other.

  The North Node is at zero Aquarius which may give a sense of a moment in destiny having arrived. But there will be failed plans for two or three years ahead as tr Neptune wends its way round the central BRICS T square; and heavy pressures across the turn of the decade as tr Pluto squares the Venus and Mars. Where it may come into its own would be the early 2040s as tr Pluto is conjunct the Jupiter and the Solar Arc Jupiter connects with Uranus and squares the Pluto.

  The G7 group is difficult to date since it has evolved in stages from an original informal foursome. But one start-up meeting occurred on 25 March 1973 in Washington. That gives an Aries Sun and Venus in a controlling opposition to Pluto and a successful sextile/trine to a weighty and influential Jupiter Mars. If the chart is sound then the next few years will see major problems with a trapped, frustrated tr Pluto conjunct Mars in 2023/24 and tr Neptune Saturn in Aries blocking the Aries Sun and financial Venus and Pluto between 2025 and 2027. It could rise again thereafter and across the turn of this decade into the 2030s. But it could be an iffy chart.

  Looking at the IMF chart, 27 December 1945, it reflects a fairly calamitous three to five years ahead so the G7 chart may be accurate enough.

  The only thing you can guarantee is that China will use BRICS to its own maximum advantage.

Yet another Supreme Court scandal has blown up with reports that Justice Clarence Thomas apparently violated ethics laws by accepting luxury trips from billionaire and GOP donor Harlan Crow, estimated at circa $500,000, for more than two decades without disclosing them. A ProPublica report said “The extent and frequency of Crow’s apparent gifts to Thomas have no known precedent in the modern history of the U.S. Supreme Court.”

  In recent months, SCOTUS has faced increasing scrutiny over a range of ethical issues, including the lack of transparency surrounding potential conflicts of interest and a whistleblower’s claim that wealthy Christian activists sought access to justices at social gatherings to shore up their resolve on abortion and other conservative priorities. Thomas recently failed to recuse himself in a case involving the plot to subvert the 2020 election outcome in Arizona, even though his wife, Virginia Thomas, advocated for such subversion.

  A Senate investigation of this instance could help demonstrate the need for Supreme Court ethics reform with stricter rules for Supreme Court Justices.

  What is noteworthy is that the SCOTUS Pluto in Aquarius (conjunct the Sun) is at 18 degrees and therefore due for a monumental shake up come late April/into early May, so it may not be possible to sweep this one aside.  Tr Neptune is also conjunct the Venus from early May onwards, which is a continuation of tr Neptune conjunct the SCOTUS Saturn last year – a two year stretch of its reputation taking a considerable hit from a disappointed public.

  John Roberts, 27 January 1955, the chief justice who was recently sounding aggrieved at the criticism being aimed at the Supreme Court is continuing through a confusing 2023 with tr Pluto square his Neptune with jolts and jangles from this June onwards, more so in 2024.

 Clarence Thomas, 23 June 1948 9 pm Pin Point, Georgia, is a Sun Venus Mercury in Cancer with a tough-minded, extra-stubborn Saturn Pluto in Leo squaring his Taurus North Node; an Aquarius Moon on his Ascendant; and an opportunistic Jupiter in Sagittarius opposition Uranus squaring on to a secretive Mars in his financial 8th. At the moment his Solar Arc Saturn is square his Moon (birth time being accurate) putting a damper on his public image. Tr Neptune is continuing to wend round his Jupiter, Uranus, Mars T Square from last year which is not only undermining to morale and high hopes, it can drag grubby secrets out into the open. Plus his Solar Arc Neptune is conjunct his Jupiter over coming months.    Tr Saturn is moving into the lowest dip of his First Quadrant which is often when banana skins crop up, misjudgments abound and failure looms. His Saturn will also rattle up a few tense eruptions from mid May onwards as tr Uranus collides by square. Much of the same rolls on through 2024 with worse in 2025 as tr Neptune Saturn in Aries square his Sun, Mercury, Venus in Cancer and tr Uranus detonates one of his disaster midpoints.

 Ginni Thomas, his wife, 23 February 1957, is a Pisces Sun in a controlling opposition to Pluto and an evasive trine to Neptune; with her Neptune in a can-be-fanatical square to Uranus. She looks more stressed in 2024/25 than now. Though her relationship chart with Clarence does indicate that 18 degrees Fixed is a key component – with a composite Pluto opposition the North Node at 18 Aquarius. That is being upended by tr Uranus at the end of this month into May and again from mid June onwards.

  This spate of bad publicity may not bring a wholesale clean up of SCOTUS but there are rumblings in the undergrowth.  

  The wrecking ball that has knocked the SNP not just sideways but face-planted into Loch Ness has shocked supporters into appalled silence and even bitter enemies are gasping with astonishment. Gone is Nicola Sturgeon, the glory girl First Minister, deliverer of multiple election wins. Doubly diminished is her husband Peter Murrell, the power behind the throne and SNP chief executive for two decades, who was arrested yesterday over an investigation into party finances, held for over 12 hours and released without charge, though searches in their home are still ongoing.

  Their marriage always was a bone of contention, blurring the dividing line between the affairs of party and the affairs of government – and exacerbated criticism of ruling party with too tight a grip on power and lacking in transparency.

   Additional thoughts to previous posts – 19 March, 15 February, 3^rd February 2023.

  Peter Murrell, 8 December 1964, has Boris Johnson’s Jupiter in Taurus opposition Neptune in Scorpio (conjunct Venus) described by Ebertin as scandal prone due to instability and certainly has a tendency to varnish over the actualite. Murrell also has a combustible Sagittarius Sun square a volcanic Uranus, Mars, Pluto in Virgo – for a man with a public image so meek he was known as mouse, he was not what he seemed.

  He is a few weeks past his Second Saturn Return when reality bites and his Mutable Sun and Virgo planets will not enjoy the pounding they get from Saturn, planet of retribution, in 2024. At the moment he has the same influences as collapsed Boris in a heap. Uranus in hard aspect to his Jupiter and Venus Neptune which has brought him down to earth with a bump.

 Nicola, 19 July 1970 3.16pm Irvine, has tr Pluto opposing her Mars at zero degrees Leo now till mid June, and again on and off throughout 2024. That is a deeply frustrating, trapped, scary influence and mirrors Peter Murrell’s tr Pluto square his Sun/Mars midpoint running at the same time. Their woes won’t disappear in a hurry.

  Nicola looks poleaxed exactly now (mid March to early April) and again October to mid November and across the New Year and January 2024 – so one can only assume she would know in advance about the party finances investigation coming to a head now. Which raises all manner of questions about the timing of her resignation and the election of Humza Yousaf, the continuity candidate, who might not have fared so well had these events transpired before his election on a narrow margin to become leader and FM. Though it makes sense of why he was elected with tr Uranus conjunct his Mars in Taurus which usually accompanies a shock and insecurity rather than a triumph.

The SNP, 7 April 1934, has tr Uranus exactly square the Aquarius North Node now, sending their cause off track. The Solar Arc Uranus is also exactly conjunct the Pluto for a disruption and an upheaval; and the Solar Arc Pluto is exactly opposition the Mars in Aries and conjunct Jupiter .That latter often leads to an above-the-law arrogance and thinking they cannot not lose which often rebounds in conflict with authorities.

  The Scotland 25 March 1005 chart is in a discouraging year with tr Pluto opposing the Saturn; and more significantly tr Uranus opposition the Pluto at 18 degrees Scorpio – arguably a turning point in destiny.

  Life is achanging – first Boris gone, then Trump indicted and now Scotland forced to rethink its direction. Pluto in Aquarius plus Saturn in Pisces – plus that history-changing 18 degree marker of Uranus North Node from last August sending out ripples to upset the status quo ante.

Cartoon: Grateful thanks to the Telegraph.

  The full Trump circus was on parade for the court hearing with the notable exception of the two senior ladies of the tribe – Melania and Ivanka. The wifely absence may have been down to seething rage because of his humiliating infidelity with the porn star. Ivanka may not have wished to be associated with a tawdry cameo from her father’s lurid past, but she also seems to be separating herself from his political ambitions moving ahead.

 What is interesting astrologically speaking is that Saturn moving into Pisces appears to have signalled a cut-off point for both relationships. Not surprising given that tr Saturn is now just into his 7th house and staying for two years ahead.

 DT’s relationship chart with Melania has a controlling composite Sun square Pluto which tr Saturn is at the moment and through this year pulling apart. Plus tr Pluto is square the zero degree Taurus North Node making this a moment perhaps where their destinies diverge. And tr Neptune is in an undermining square to the composite Venus from the middle of next month on and off into 2024.

  Ivanka’s relationship chart with her father always was an eye-opener with a composite Sun, Mars, Saturn, Uranus conjunct – a one-sided, aggravating and damaging relationship with undercurrents of deep resentment. Tr Saturn is now into an enthusiasm-dampening and irritating opposition to the composite Sun and Mars  and next year continues to oppose the composite Uranus, Pluto and square Moon – so the gulf will widen. Ivanka is now into her forties which is often a time that women, downtrodden by their childhoods, empower themselves and exert their own identity.

  Melania has tr Pluto square her Jupiter in Scorpio at the moment and Ivanka has tr Pluto square her Sun/Jupiter midpoint – both similar influences – which will give each the confidence to push back on bullying and coercion. Both have Mars at five degrees mutable, Virgo and Gemini respectively so will run into a setback late April/early May, early August and late January 2024.

  Both are having a jangled year in 2023, Ivanka more so than Melania.

 Don Jr will follow the same trajectory as his father this year with jolting shocks and catastrophes through May, mid December to mid March 2024; and strokes of good luck through June and beyond.  He’s sagging more than somewhat across the election.

  Eric has an aggravated relationship chart with his father, with a composite Mars, Venus opposition Sun which is on a downhill slide for the next three years.

Tiffany, who did turn up in court, has a marginally worse relationship chart with her father even than Ivanka with a composite tyrannical and erratic Pluto opposition Mars Uranus. Her togetherness with papa is on a rocky ride through 2023/4 and sinking into a swamp thereafter for two or three years.

  Nothing much to add to previous Trump posts March 31 2023, 17 November 2022, 26 January 2023. Except that tr Saturn will oppose his Sun/Moon midpoint in 2025 which could suggest a marriage split though it can also indicate unpopularity for a politician.  Late August 2024 his Progressed Venus squares his Saturn making him feel unloved and unpopular; and his Progressed Moon is square his Pluto over the election month which won’t be a singing and dancing time even if tr Jupiter is moving across his midheaven. As per usual pluses and minuses.

Finland became a NATO member yesterday as a direct result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which was launched by Putin in the expectation it would check Nato’s expansion and weaken Western cooperation. Finland’s entry will more than double the size of NATO’s border with Russia, adding another 800 plus miles. Finnish support for Nato membership leapt from a third of the population to almost 80% last year.

  The application had been delayed by Turkey who have also blocked Sweden from joining because of its support for Kurdish militants. Sweden does not share a border with Russia and can count on bilateral security guarantees from the US and UK even without membership.

  The Nato chart, 24 August 1949 11.42 am Washington, DC, indicates a significant change of direction with some disruption as tr Uranus is exactly square the 10^th house Pluto at the moment. There are ominous signs of aggravation brewing from two Solar Arcs, exact within four months but in effect all year – Solar Arc MC square Mars and SA Mars square Uranus. It’ll be a nervy, explosive, tinderbox phase. The Finland/NATO relationship will equally be on edge from the middle of next month with tr Uranus square the composite Mars repeating mid December to mid March 2024 – which may just be Russia upping the rhetoric or being provocative.

  The Finland 6 December 1917 3pm Helsinki country chart has relatively similar planetary position to the Russia 8 November 1917 chart with both having Uranus at 20 degrees Aquarius. So both are in a status-quo-upsetting year.  One by choice and one having tripped through bad judgement into a quagmire.

  Late 2024 looks trapped and scary on the Finland chart with Solar Arc Mars opposition the Pluto but that could be for any number of reasons, including financial ones. This year is a hugely significant juncture for Finland with Pluto crossing its Midheaven, bringing an urge to take control of future direction. Pluto is also conjunct the Venus now exactly and on and off till late 2024 which will heighten emotional reactions considerably.

  The Finland/Russia 8 December 1991 relationship chart which showed up last year’s alarm and concern with tr Pluto square the composite Mars Neptune, hints that 2024 may see diplomatic relations cooling further with a separating tr Saturn in hard aspect to the composite Sun, Venus and Pluto – as well as a turbulent tr Pluto conjunct the composite Uranus into 2025 as well. 

The signing took place at 2.46/7 pm in Brussels on 4 April, which puts a heavily aspected Mercury in Taurus on the Zero Taurus midheaven square Pluto – so very much a Pluto in Aquarius event. Mercury also sits on the midpoint of a Mars in Cancer trine Saturn which has military association. There is a Sun Jupiter in the international 9^th. Saturn in the 7^th – chilly relationships with those closest.

  There is also an exact 2^nd house Virgo Moon opposition an 8^th house Neptune both in close aspect to the Fixed star Alkaid in Ursa Major at the end of the tail of the great bear. Perhaps the disappointment on the Russian side though that is probably over hopeful.

  Edgy times for those living close to the bear’s lair. Well it probably always has been but more so at the moment.

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