Month: February 2024

Monica Lewinsky, emblematic of the pre-#MeToo victim-blaming era is stepping out boldly to be the face of a fashion promotion linked to a “get out to vote” campaign. After the personal vilification and slut-shaming she went through as a young intern after her liaison with Bill Clinton was exposed in 1998 she became suicidal, was landed with huge legal debts and then went underground for a decade. She re-emerged having taken a Masters degree at the London School of Economics and started her fight back first with a Vanity Fair interview and then a Ted talk in 2015. She said she had been the most shamed girl that ever lived, “patient zero of losing a personal reputation on a global scale almost instantaneously”, pointing a finger at the internet’s power to hold public hangings by humiliation.

  She was born 23 July 1973 12.21 pm San Francisco, and has a 10^th house Leo Sun and Mercury in Cancer with Mercury square  an excitable Uranus Ascendant opposition Mars in Aries. She is a fighter by nature which will have helped her in her comeback. She shares a Taurus Moon with Bill Clinton, which in her case is square a 4^th house Jupiter and widely her Leo Sun. Her emphasized Moon may have been one factor in her becoming a public target. She wrote: “my trauma has been a microcosm of a larger, national one. Both clinically and observationally, something fundamental changed in our society in 1998 … the scandal had an epigenetic quality, as if our cultural DNA has slowly been altered.”

  Clinton’s Saturn in Leo is conjunct her Sun, a hint of his seniority in age and his Mars Neptune is conjunct her 12^th house Pluto – so he would have a pull of glamour but was also a dominating force. Their relationship chart has an aggravated/unfair treatment Mars Saturn conjunction sextile Venus with the composite Uranus conjunct the Sun and square the composite Moon – on different agendas, disruptive.

  When the scandal broke in 1998 her Progressed Mars was opposition her Sun for a collision-like shock; with tr Uranus square her Moon and about to crash into her SA Mars opposition SA Uranus – an upset on an epic scale.

   She does have tr Pluto opposing her Sun this year and next as she sets out on her next phase. Tr Jupiter through her 8^th at the moment points to a successful transition into better times with success ahead. She deserves it.  Europeans scratched their heads over the whole fandango wondering what all the fuss was about. Only in sanctimonious, hypocritical US did it become an impeachable offence – and the end result was to nearly bury a 22 year old who was hardly the instigator. There are several women from that time including the one who snitched on her who should hang their heads in shame.

Add On: Linda Tripp, a White House secretary became friendly with Lewinsky and then set her up by wearing a wire to record what she said about her sex life. According to co-workers Tripp was not well liked or trusted, was a gossip and keen to be in the know.  Upset by comments about her appearance after the furore attracted press attention Tripp went for cosmetic surgery funded by an anonymous benefactor and later bought a home in upmarket Virginia.

 Born 24 November 1949 8am Jersey City, NJ, she had a 12^th house Sun Mercury in Sagittarius with Neptune in her 10^th and a troublesome combination of a bad-tempered, can-be-destructive Mars Saturn in Virgo and an opinionated Pluto in her 9^th. Plus a likes-money Venus, Moon, Jupiter in Capricorn in her 2^nd house.

  Lewinsky’s Pluto was conjunct her Midheaven so she would perceive her as a threat. Their relationship chart had a competitive composite Sun square Mars and a distrustful Saturn square Venus Neptune.

Add On: Hillary’s relationship chart with Monica has a competitive composite Sun square Mars and a oneupmanship tussle from Jupiter trine Pluto with the composite Pluto being conjunct the Sun and South Node. So an underlying struggle for control. One might wonder about Monica’s mother issues with her focal point Moon. And her Moon is square Hillary’s Mars Pluto which is a toxic crossover.

  Hillary, of course, has father issues with a truly mind- boggling collection of Saturn Pluto Mars in Leo on her IC. She is more than used to high tensions in her home life.  Bill’s glitzy collection of Mars, Neptune, Venus and Jupiter in Libra fall in Hill’s 5^th house so he would bring an element of fun into her lifeas well as a child. His Moon is conjunct her North Node in Taurus in the 12^th – so there will be a deep, hidden connection. She’s not a lady for letting go with six Fixed planets and her relationship chart with Bill has a chained-together Saturn Pluto conjunction square Jupiter in money-magnet Scorpio. There would be compensations though the composite Sun square Uranus does point to a need to lead fairly independent lives.

Posie Parker has made a name for herself travelling round the world promoting her gender-critical views (defined by birth sex) and lobbying against trans activists. She has faced criticism since her talks have attracted racist, white supremacist, neo-Nazi and far-right anti-LGBT groups.

  Born 13 June 1974 12.40pm Taunton, England, she has a 10^th house Gemini Sun conjunct South Node trine Uranus and square Jupiter in Pisces (and probably Pisces Moon). With an influential and ultra-determined Pluto square Saturn Mercury in Cancer and on the midpoint of a Mars in Leo trine Neptune mini Grand Trine.

  If I was being negative (never having heard of her before) I would say over confident, attention-grabbing with a hard streak.

  What did intrigue me though I don’t know what it means is her Sun at 22 Gemini, the same as Donald Trump, which is hardly inspiring. But it matches JK Rowling’s Jupiter at 22 Gemini and Suzanne More, another gender-critical journalist, with Venus at 24 Gemini.

  JK Rowling and Suzanne Moore’s views seem more than reasonable where Posie Parker has a feel of a ramped-up zealot without much discrimination. Or maybe she found herself a bandwagon because she liked attracting publicity.  

What is it about the toxic arguments in vogue these days which exaggerates the difference and creates extreme caricatures of the other side? JK Rowling as I understand it has never voiced anything other than sympathy for people who are genuinely gender dysphoric and has merely argued for defending women’s safe spaces.

ADD ON: Magnis Hirschfeld, 14 May 1868, Kolberg, Germany/Poland and Havelock Ellis, 2 February 1859 8.15am Croydon, England – were early sex researchers who stimulated discussion and controversies at the turn of the 19^th into 20^th century up and the two decades thereafter.

  Hirschfeld, like Freud was a Sun Taurus with an Aquarius Moon and Ellis a New Moon in Aquarius. They launched their theories when the febrile Neptune Pluto in Gemini was in full spate, stimulating new ideas, not all of them overly sane. And continued on through Pluto in Cancer (1914 onwards) which transformed the face of the feminine, released women from domestic servitude to some degree because of WW1 but also had an emotionally destructive effect. Ellis’s work was picked up by Freud. And in later years sex researcher John Money pushed the term ‘gender identity’ and argued that sexual identity is socially constructed which he set out to prove by mutilating two patients who in adult life committed suicide.

  See John Money – manipulating gender boosted his career post June 26 2023. He was a peculiarly unpleasant Sun, Mars, Pluto in Cancer trine Uranus.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-forgotten-history-of-the-worlds-first-trans-clinic/

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Jennifer Lopez’s latest offering has reviewers scratching their heads. “This Is Me … Now: A Love Story review – JLo’s bombastic ode to love and herself” says one. “The bonkers, star-studded musical-biopic-fantasia-mess proves Jennifer Lopez can do whatever she wants,” says another. “JLo’s musical tribute to Ben Affleck was wildly overblown. But this behind-the-scenes documentary is an engrossing insight into their introvert-extrovert romance.”

A self-funded $20 million dollar celebration of the rekindling of her romance with Ben Affleck is stratospherically ego-centric (from her point of view) as well at times evidently as surprisingly self-effacing.

  “It is a film that bristles with the occasionally unbearable tension that exists between her demands as an exhibitionist and his needs as an introvert.” “We’re just two people learning how to compromise,” he says on camera, veering between overwhelming happiness and extreme discomfort. All the more bizarre since the reason for their first split was “the massive amount of scrutiny around our private life.”

  That she is a Leo is hardly surprising though so is he – so clearly they are sun sprites cut from a different cloth.  She was born 24 July 1969 New York, no birth time. Though midday would give her a 10^th house Sun Mercury square Saturn in Taurus on one side and trine a colourfully exuberant Mars (Moon) in Sagittarius sextile Uranus Jupiter in Libra. She has a passionate Venus in social butterfly Gemini square Pluto with possibly a Scorpio Moon conjunct Neptune. Maybe her Sun Saturn are what give her this seemingly desperate need to be in the headlines constantly.

 He was born 15 August 1972 2.53 am Berkeley, California and has a 2/3^rd house Leo Sun in an upbeat trine to Jupiter in Sagittarius. But his Saturn in the 12^th with Pluto and Uranus in his 4^th may be what put the brakes on his attention-grabbing Leo Sun. He also has a Scorpio Moon.

  She is going through a challenging phase with tr Pluto opposition her Leo Sun and then Mercury this year and on till 2026; with tr Neptune Saturn opposition her Uranus Neptune in 2025/26 as well.

  Their relationship chart has a strong Jupiter which always helps to bring mutual support, optimism and smooths round rough edges; plus a passionate Venus square Pluto. But there is also a composite Saturn opposition Neptune which sets up worries, making for a constant fear the connection is not doing well. Pluses and minuses – it will sag a touch this year with tr Neptune hitting on the composite Venus Pluto and tr Uranus colliding with the Saturn Neptune in 2025 – there will be anxieties ahead. Ben Affleck’s Sun/Moon midpoint, his close relationship signifier, will be less than delirious this year with tr Neptune in opposition through into 2025 with this autumn’s Lunar Eclipse rattling it as well.

 Their wedding chart from 16 July 2022 has a Cancer Sun conjunct Procyon (rise and fall) opposition Pluto, inconjunct Saturn, trine Neptune and sextile Uranus North Node – so it was always going to be a complicated whirl. Their composite Jupiter may save them. But if her birth time is circa midday which seems likely then her Sun/Moon midpoint is square her erratic, unpredictable, constantly changing Uranus Jupiter and also catching tr Neptune oppositions come 2025/26.

  I never trust overblown declarations of everlasting love from celebrities. A touch like Hello weddings it can put a blight on what follows.  

Add On: The rapper Sean Combs known as Diddy has been landed with yet another lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault – all of which he hotly denies, though he did pay off a former girlfriend.

 For two years around 1999, he and Jennifer Lopez were an item, breaking up eventually because of his infidelity. She has never alleged any physical abuse during her time with him.

  Born 4 November 1969 New York, he is a determined Scorpio Sun Mercury opposition Saturn in Taurus with a can-be-ruthless Mars on the cusp of Capricorn/Aquarius trine Pluto and Uranus. It would be a stormy and tricky mix with JLo with his Mars opposition her Sun and his Sun opposition her Saturn. Their relationship chart has a controlling/dominating composite Sun Pluto square Mars with an inflammatory Mars square Uranus; plus an unkind, one-sided Mars trine Saturn.  Not a healthy mix.

  He’ll stay bullish over the next two years but will nonetheless be trapped, infuriated and seriously rattled in 2025 and beyond.

  The dizzying bedhopping and entangled romantic liaisons that were standard for rock stars are brought into focus as Pattie Boyd sells heartfelt and revealing letters from Eric Clapton who pursued her while she was married to Beatle George Harrison. Despite being obsessed and desperately in love with Pattie, Clapton was dating her sister Paula while ostensibly in a relationship with aristocrat Alice Ormsby-Gore.

  Pattie eventually split from Harrison after reportedly finding him in bed with bandmate Ringo Starr’s then-wife Maureen. Before going on to marry Clapton she had a fling with Rolling Stone Ronnie Woods whose first wife, Krissy Findlay, had dated Clapton, married Wood, then had an affair with Harrison.

 She stayed married to Clapton for 10 years until his infidelity broke them up as his mistress got pregnant.  All too exhausting. Though both Boyd and Clapton are now seemingly in long term established relationships with other partners since 1991 and 1998 respectively.

  Pattie Boyd was born 17 March 1944 4am Taunton, England and became a model and photographer. She inspired Harrison’s songs “I Need You”, “If I Needed Someone”, “Something” and “For You Blue”, and Clapton’s songs “Layla”, “Bell Bottom Blues” and “Wonderful Tonight”.

  She has a 3^rd house Sun Mercury in creative Pisces, a sign suited to photography, at home with images rather than words. Her Pisces Sun Mercury is square a troubled and angry Mars Saturn in Gemini hinting at a tough childhood with divorced parents. Most noticeably she had a powerful and confident Jupiter Pluto in Leo in her 8^th, perhaps a hint of why she attracted successful men.

  She was probably better suited to Harrison, 24 February 1943 11.42pm Liverpool, for all his infidelity since his Jupiter in Cancer fell in her 7^th and his Venus in Pisces was conjunct her Sun. His Pisces Sun was conjunct her Venus. But his erratic, unpredictable Saturn Uranus in the 8^th square a fun-loving Pisces Sun in his 5^th would not make for a settled emotional life.

 Clapton, 30 March 1945 8.45pm Ripley, England, also has Uranus in his 8^th for a changeable emotional life and erratic temperament, especially since it forms a volatile square to his 5^th house Mars. His hard-working Aries Sun in his 6^th opposes Neptune and forms a talented Half Grand Sextile to Uranus and an influential/controlling 10^th house Pluto. His marriage to Boyd was marred by his infidelities and domestic violence. In a  1999 interview with The Sunday Times, he admitted to raping and abusing her while they were married and he was a “full-blown” alcoholic who felt entitled to sex.

  Both Harrison and Claton had intense Scorpio Moons and both had dominating Pluto in their 10^th.  In both relationship charts there were Mars Pluto combinations, leading to anger issues and resentment.

  It is interesting that all three have 8^th house planets emphasizing Martin Mortiz’s point –

  “The eighth house is associated with entanglements, power games, boundary crossings, or dealing with taboos.”

And despite it all she was bemoaning recently that there are no ”’proper men’ around nowadays. She clearly liked it rough and stormy.

Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, is under attack from a variety of angles – accused of being under the control of “Islamists” by going soft on pro-Palestinian marchers; renaming the underground lines at a cost of £6.3 million – Suffragette, Windrush, Lioness, Mildmay, Weaver and Liberty lines –  which is a ‘multicoloured nod to the capital’s diversity and some obscure elements of history’.  And is now facing questions about spending £117,000-a-year on a ‘night tsar’ in charge of rejuvenating night culture in the city, who has been jetting around the world as London’s nightlife declined.

 Khan, a former MP and lawyer, from a Pakistan immigrant family was born in London 8 October 1970 and is an independent-minded Sun Uranus in Libra with a ferociously determined Mars Pluto conjunction in Virgo and an equally determined Saturn in Taurus opposition Venus Neptune in Scorpio. He probably has an Earth Grand Trine of Mars Pluto trine Saturn trine his Capricorn Moon. His work ethic will be strong.

  He’ll sag a touch through March with tr Neptune opposition his Pluto and be jolted and jangled by and jangled by tr Uranus conjunct his Saturn in April and opposition his Venus in May across the next Mayoral election, as well as his SA Pluto being opposition his Saturn – which could suggest a less than happy phase for him. Though tr Jupiter also in Taurus close to tr Uranus could save the day for him.

 The chart for his first swearing in 7 May 2016 hints at considerable setbacks later this year into 2025 which may or may not be connected to the results of the forthcoming election.

Geroge Galloway is not exactly connected but he is standing in the Rochdale byelection waving the Palestine flag for all he is worth in the hope of rallying support from the Muslims who are a substantial chunk of the electorate.  Born 16 August 1954 6am Dundee, he was a Labour MP ousted for his criticism of the Iraq War, who went independent, and has had an on off ‘colourful’ career in politics since, is pro-Corbyn and blames the Ukraine invasion on NATO.  A flamboyant, ultra-determined, attention-grabbing Sun Pluto in Leo on his Ascendant is trine Mars in Sagittarius; and his lucky Jupiter Uranus in Cancer is in a can-be-fanatical square to Neptune.

  He does not look overly hopeful in March into early April with a failure-strewn tr Neptune square his Mars, but that does not pick up until the election is over. Depending on the accuracy of his birth time he may have his SA MC nearing a conjunction to his Jupiter which will give him a boost if not now then in the next year or so.

 In many ways Rochdale is emblematic of the total dysfunction of UK politics. The Labour and Green parties have ditched their candidates, the Conservative is on a long-planned family holiday, the Lib Dem remains, but pulled out of the most high-profile political event, a local BBC radio debate. ‘The most energetic campaigning last week came instead from the political fringe: George Galloway, serial byelection winner and founder of the Workers Party of Britain, and Simon Danczuk, the town’s former Labour MP who was suspended by the party for sexting a 17-year-old girl and is now standing for Reform UK.’

  “We don’t deserve this,” said a voter. “This town does not deserve to be this short of anybody decent to vote for.”

  Rochdale itself has an uncomfortable reputation having been Cyril Smith’s constituency when he was an MP for two decades, outed as a serial child sex abuser only after his death. More recently it was the focus of outrage after the failures of the police to protect teenage victims of grooming gangs emerged.

 The town which has an ancient history was incorporated in 1856 and given a coat of arms on 20 February 1857 – which gives it Uranus in last decan Taurus so now on its Second Uranus Return.

It must sit on some very odd ley lines

ADD ON:  Lee Anderson who accused Sadiq Khan of being under the sway of “Islamists” was described by the Daily Mail as “not one of life’s diplomats. A brash ex-Nottinghamshire miner, the Tory MP for Ashfield wades into sensitive debates with all the subtlety of a flying mallet.” However clumsy his words there appears to be a good deal of support for what he was trying to express –  that pro-Palestinian demonstrators are spreading hate and division freely in demonstrations.

  Born January 1967 he is a Sun Mercury in Capricorn in an argumentative square to Mars; with Uranus Pluto in Virgo trine Virgo and opposition Saturn in Pisces. Mouthy and excitable.

  He was never going to get on with Sadiq Khan no matter what the point at issue since SK’s Sun Uranus clashes with LA’s Mars. And SK’s Mars Pluto is conjunct LA’s Uranus Pluto and opposition his Saturn. Their relationship chart has a power-struggling (for the upper hand) Jupiter Pluto conjunction tied into a distrustful yod and an explosive Mars Uranus conjunction plus an evasive Sun Neptune. Not a happy twosome.

  I am as critical as any about successive Israeli government policies of ill-treatment of Palestinians which have stoked up trouble. That does not mean I appreciate the anti-Semitic hatred that is displayed by a thuggish element of the pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Nor am I anything but condemnatory about fundamentalist religious efforts to impose Sharia law, tramp over women’s and gay rights or facilitate the abuse of children. The UK has always been appallingly lax about saying THIS WILL NOT DO. They pussy foot around trying not to upset the sensibilities of those with different values and in the end devalue the culture of the country. The German newspaper Bild’s list of suggestions for immigrants see 3^rd December 2023 post was not far off the mark.

  The French (who admittedly are racist) are also admirably firm about upholding the secular values of their country.  They recently tossed an immigrant who had been resident for some decades back to his birth country because he ranted against the values of France. And it did not go through expensive years of appeal courts. Decision and off he went.

  Bitter unhealable divisions, conspiracy theories, loss of faith in leaders and the emergence of down-the-rabbit-holers issuing messianic calls to their gullible followers make for a a feverish and scary atmosphere.

  In the USA an increasingly unhinged Trump soars ever onwards. In the UK the latest byelection in Rochdale which should have been a shoe-in for Keir Starmer has ended up a toxic mess with the Labour candidate ousted because of anti-Semitic remarks, creating a vacuum for George Galloway who has made Gaza his rallying cry. The House of Commons this week collapsed into shambles with fears that MPs are at risk of their lives if their vote upsets fanatics.

 UK’s failed PM Liz Truss is in the US murmuring about the dark, deep state while cosying up to MAGA election deniers. And Richard Tice of the UK Reform party, climbing into double digits in the polls, proclaims at the party conference: “The sun shines on the righteous. And we are the righteous. We are the reformers.” Hallelujah.

  Matthew Syed in The Times remarks today: “Psychologists tell us that conspiracies tend to emerge when people cannot face up to empirical reality.” “Blaming shadowy forces isn’t just convenient for these political chancers; it is a comforting distraction for the rest of us, too — the bread and circuses of the social media age.”

  I’ve been trying to work out whether the mental disintegration and chaos is down specific USA and/or UK astrology or is a global phenomenon triggered by Pluto moving into Aquarius and the dying days of Neptune in Pisces and Uranus in Taurus before shifting on. Though Russia/Ukraine and the Middle East powder keg would suggest otherwise. 

 It sparked a thought about psychological transitions which are not a smooth process from yesterday to tomorrow. The old ego shell/mindset needs to be dismantled and thrown away before a new interface with sanity emerges. Pluto at work deconstructing and reconstructing. Without the old certainties there is fear, vulnerability, a risk of collapse into madness before new solid ground emerges in future.

 “The world has always gone through periods of madness so as to advance a bit on the road to reason.” Hermann Broch

  The USA is in meltdown about the possibility of the increasingly deranged and demented Trump being voted in by his deluded fan club. The UK in 2022 went through three prime ministers, four chancellors of the exchequer, three home secretaries, three health secretaries and five education secretaries. Plus a catalogue of abysmal failures by various public bodies. And Queen Elizabeth 11 died who had been a beacon of stability for so long.

   The old certainties are gone. Reasoned argument is drowned out by too much divisive noise megaphoned by social media.

  On the UK chart, the four Fixed planets forming a wide Grand Cross have been under assault from transiting Uranus for several years, culminating this spring to early 2025 in a square to the 11^th house Saturn, ruling the legislature. It was always going to be a few years which shook the UK to its foundations.  Plus tr Uranus moving through the 8^th house until 2027 which apart from financial effects was going to cause psychological disturbance/change at a deep level. Not to mention Solar Arc Uranus also moving through the UK 8^th for the past five years and aiming to collide with the UK 8^th house Mars on the same degree this July/August and exact in mid 2025. That may bring a financial shock of considerable proportions or a major accident, but at a deeper level will jolt the national psyche, possibly bringing up more anger and rancour before it moves on.

 And last but not least Pluto in Aquarius will trine the UK Uranus at one degree Libra for an upheaval (and enlightenment?) and make a confident opposition to the UK Jupiter at one degree Leo this year and next with a disruptive (and liberating) tr Uranus square the UK Pluto in 2025. And a Progressed Moon through a season of endings in the 12^th until October 2025.  

  None of this solves any problems but it does make it obvious that the UK is undergoing a seismic change which was not going to happen without collateral damage.

  The USA lacking a settled start time is trickier to compare. Though the Pluto Return of the past two/three years would bring to the surface a fanatical intensity. The Solar Arc Saturn conjunct the USA Mars this July which will produce a collision-like setback is still to show its hand. Running on in 2025 ther SA Saturn will square the US Neptune – which will bring uncertainty and confusion. The Solar Arc Sun will also square the US Mars by 2026 and oppose the US Neptune in 2027 – so whatever that USA Mars square Neptune represents will be brought sharply into focus for several years from 2024 to 2027. And Neptune into Aries (along with Saturn) will start to square the US Venus and Jupiter through till late 2027 which is likely to be financially disappointing and enthusiasm/confidence-denting.

  All countries will react differently to the celestial transitions between 2023 and 2026 and it may be that it is both global and particular.

Previous Pluto into an Air sign Libra in 1971/72 oversaw the Munich massacre when Israeli athletes at the Olympics were murdered by the Arab terrorist group Black September. The Troubles started in Northern Ireland with Bloody Sunday with the seemingly intractable Roman Catholic v Protestant, Republican v Unionist schism.  The seeds of Watergate were sown and the UK joined the EEC.  

Air rules ideas, ideologies and communication. Pluto clearly stoked up intense and fanatical differences of viewpoint with, in certain cases, a violent outcome.

“You cannot carry out fundamental change without a certain amount of madness.” Thomas Sankara

“In a mad world, only the mad are sane.”  Akira Kurosawa

“The world of men is dreaming, it has gone mad in its sleep, and a snake is strangling it, but it can’t wake up.” D. H. Lawrence

“Genocide is not just a murderous madness; it is, more deeply, a politics that promises a utopia beyond politics – one people, one land, one truth, the end of difference. Since genocide is a form of political utopia, it remains an enduring temptation in any multiethnic and multicultural society in crisis.” Michael Ignatieff

[PS This is not what I started to write, really intending to focus on the Rochdale byelection but that is only a symptom of a larger malaise.]

 Princess Ira von Furstenberg who has died, a niece of Gianni Agnelli of Fiat fame,  glided through a life of obscene wealth, a shining light of European high society, who at 20 had already been married to two of the 20th century’s most notorious playboys, Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe, who invented the resort of Marbella and the Brazilian industrialist Francesco “Baby” Pignatari. The marriages failed and on she sailed the epitome of the jet set.

  Her first marriage at 15 when she married von Hohenlohe, 31 lasted five years after which she opted for the 44-year-old Pignatari. When that marriage she collapsed she gave up on matrimony though she did flirt with the idea of Prince Rainier of Monaco after Grace Kelly died. She went on to become a B movie actress in a string of sex kitten roles which fitted her promiscuous Venus Mars conjunction in Gemini.

  She was born 18 April 1940 5.55pm Rome, Italy with hints of her opulent lifestyle from a Sun Jupiter in Aries inconjunct Neptune. But in complete contrast, the underside of the Midas touch was her Sun conjunct Saturn square a 10^th house Pluto. Both blessed and cursed. Over burdened with the trappings of money with houses in Mayfair, Madrid, Lake Geneva, Rome and Paris but deprived of human reassurance and warmth.

  Her mother Clara Agnelli, 7 April 1920, ran away when the young Ira was 12 with an Italian count, which caused a scandal since adultery was a crime. She had the same astro-mix as her daughter with a feather-bedded Jupiter Neptune conjunction square Mars. But that sat alongside a harsh Uranus trine Pluto trine Mars with Uranus opposition Saturn – making Saturn the driving planet. Her Saturn in Virgo was conjunct her daughter’s Virgo Moon and square Ira’s Venus Mars – not a happy connection.

 The Agnellis are in the news for another reason at the moment with John Elkann, 1 April 1976, the named successor of the Agnelli billions after his grandfather Gianni died two decades back, duking it out in court with his mother Margherita.  Margherita, 26 September 1955 8.14 am Lausanne, is a charming Sun Venus in Libra with a ferociously determined Jupiter Pluto in Leo square Saturn in Scorpio.  But she is well matched by her son John who has an Aries Sun opposition Pluto square Mars – controlling, competitive and not one to give way under any pressure.

  The curse of Succession – the Rothschilds, the Guinness family. Less can be more when it comes to happiness. Rich may be better than poor, but too much filthy lucre and it turns toxic.

Sigmund Freud is deemed the founder of psychoanalysis and catalyst for the century of self and psyche exploration, some might say self-obsession, which followed.  His ideas naturally grew out of the writings of several who went before, however much he discounted their input, but he won the prize for being the standard bearer.  His theories infiltrated everyday culture and language, as well as drama and fiction.

  Not surprisingly he attracted criticism – the Freud bashers, in particular Frederick Crews, Jeffrey Masson, Michel Ornfray etc   – who picked holes in his notion of the oedipal complex (which was overly masculinized and sexualized young infants), penis envy and the death instinct and lambasted the process as not leading to a cure.  But he has withstood the test of time and remains an icon to a highly significant culture shift.

  He was born in 1856 but his psychological work started to bear fruit around the mid 1880s as Pluto moved into Gemini, followed by Neptune; with Uranus moving into Libra.  The Air signs proliferated as a ferment of new thinking got under way.

  Born 6 May 1856 6.30pm Freiberg, Germany, he himself was heavily Taurus with his Sun conjunct an inventive, rebellious Uranus with Mercury and Pluto also in Taurus. He did have his Gemini Moon and Saturn in Gemini in his 8^th which may explain his serious study of sexuality – of interest to his Taurean earthy nature anyway.

   His Chiron in Aquarius places him with others who in Melanie Rhinehart’s words ‘become the vehicle for controversial collective ideas and may suffer for the response they receive.’ With Chiron in Gemini he would be an effective communicator. That plus his leadership/ independent-minded Aries North Node in his 6^th house of work would all contribute to his drive to put  theories of healing out into society.

 Of the Freud bashers only one has a birth time – French philosopher, Michael Ornfray, 1 January 1959 Argentan, France a Capricorn Sun with a Virgo Moon – and perhaps more significantly Mars in Taurus in his 4^th which collides with Freud’s Sun Uranus in Taurus. One might speculate Ornfray’s hostility to his father or father figures in childhood led in part to his tilting at the Freud windmill. I might also argue that his Pluto and Uranus in his 8^th would give him a fear of in depth exploration.

  Jeffrey Masson, 28 March 1941, Chicago, in his The Assault on Truth, argues that Freud may have abandoned his seduction theory because he feared that granting the truth of his female patients’ claims (that they had been sexually abused) would hinder the acceptance of his psychoanalytic methods in the heavily patriarchal society in Vienna of the time.  Masson, a Sun Aries has the Jupiter Saturn conjunction in Taurus and Uranus in Taurus all hitting Freud’s 7th house Sun, Uranus, Mercury.

 Frederick Crews, 20 February 1933, Philadelphia, the author and literary critics evidently became obsessed in his Freud-bashing. He is a Sun Pisces with only his Chiron in Taurus which is conjunct Freud’s Uranus Mercury.

  As the New Yorker writes: “Even as writers were discarding the more patently absurd elements of his [Freud’s] theory — penis envy, or the death drive — they continued to pay homage to Freud’s unblinking insight into the human condition. That persona helped Freud to evolve, in the popular imagination, from a scientist into a kind of poet of the mind.”

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/08/28/why-freud-survives

Freud’s astrocartography indicates the USA is where his ideas would have most traction on the west and east coasts. His creative, build-a-life 5^th harmonic is powerfully aspected; as is his healer 12^th and breakthrough-genius 13H, leaving-a-legacy 17H and global influencer 22H. As is his wheel of fortune 10^th harmonic hinting at the ups and downs of his reputation.

  From an astrological viewpoint it is significant he came to spread the word in the late 19^th century with Pluto Neptune and Uranus all in Air signs.

  It is also worth remembering Ernest Becker, the Pulitzer prize winning author of The Denial of Death.

” The hostility to psycho-analysis in the past, today and in the future, will always be a hostility against admitting that man lives by lying to himself about himself and about his world. * The individual  has to protect himself against the world, and he can do this only as any other animal would; by narrowing down the world, shutting off experience, developing an obliviousness to the terrors of the world and to his own anxieties…..* We don’t want to admit that we are fundamentally dishonest about  reality, that we do not really control our own lives.” 

ADD ON:

His wife Martha Barnays 16 July 1861 7am Hamburg, grand  daughter of the Chief Rabbi of Hamburg, married the atheist Freud after a tempestuous four year engagement and became a model wife and mother despite the entry of her sister Minna into their home with whom Freud seemingly had an affair. Martha was surprisingly independent-minded with a 10^th house Uranus square her Moon, though her controlled 12^th house Leo Sun square Pluto would no doubt curb some of her more rebellious traits. But she would fit his pattern since he had Uranus in his 7^th and would look for an unconventional wife.

 Their relationship chart is a mix of an affectionate composite Sun Venus square a dreamy (unrealistic) Neptune and a teeth-grindingly difficult Moon Pluto square Saturn, trine Mars. Aggravating below the surface.

  Her sister Minna, maybe 18 June 1865, no birth time, was another unconventional, wilful Sun Uranus conjunction in Gemini which was conjunct Sigmund’s 8^th house Saturn which does not sound encouraging. But she also had a seductive Venus Pluto in Taurus which was conjunct his Sun Uranus which would ignite a spark.

 Daughter Anna Freud, 3 December 1895 3.15pm Vienna, Austria, was a Sun Sagittarius opposition Pluto Neptune in Gemini, trine/sextile Jupiter in the 4^th – so she would be mesmerised by her controlling father. Though they would clash since her Mars Uranus in Scorpio opposed his Sun Uranus and his Saturn was conjunct her Moon. It would be a tense and at times  competitive relationship.

   She was evidently at odds with her mother with a scratchy, uncomfortable composite Sun, Mars, Saturn conjunction in their relationship chart.

Accused of keeping two children in a ‘concentration camp-like setting’, two defendants claimed the abuse they inflicted was necessary to teach the children how to properly repent for “sins” and to cast the evil spirits out of their bodies.

  “Mumfluencer” Ruby Franke with a multi-million fanbase on YouTube and her business partner Jodi Hildebrandt were given 60 years in jail for child cruelty in a case the prosecutor said was the worst he had seen in thirty years.  

  Franke appears to have repented for her actions though Hildebrandt who thinks God communicates directly with her  continues to see herself as the victim. She views the devil, as well as the children, as the perpetrators.

  Franke said she was “led to believe that this world was an evil place filled with cops who control, hospitals that injure, government agencies that brainwash, church leaders who lie and lust, husbands who refuse to protect and children who need abuse.”

  Schizoid delusions apart, what it reminded me off was a comment years ago by Ellen Bass who wrote Courage to Heal about abuse survivors. She had spoken at one point to Ralph Underwager, an American minister and vehement supporter of those accused of child abuse, who co-founded the US False Memory movement. She said she thought one crucial difference between them was she thought of babies as innocents entering the world while he saw them as evil, sin-carriers. How a religion that started with Jesus saying ‘suffer little children to come to me’ ended up with a twisted exorcist mindset is beyond me.

  Ruby Franke, 18 January 1982, is a Sun Capricorn square Saturn Pluto in Libra which suggests a bleak upbringing, leaving her attuned to harsh conditions. She has her North Node in Cancer opposition her Sun which should in time bring about a more caring approach to family – but clearly she is not there yet.

 Jodi Hildebrandt, 15 June 1969, was a “life coach” who claimed to cure her clients of ‘distortion’ and live in Truth. She is a Sun Gemini with a formidably confident square to Pluto, South Node, Jupiter and Uranus in Virgo. Her cold Venus Saturn conjunction in Taurus is inconjunct Mars which has an unpleasant feel to it.

 Their relationship chart does have a controlling composite Sun opposition Pluto and Jupiter i initially good as a power couple but only as long as both stay together on the same track. Franke looks as if she could be cowed into submission. Hildebrandt looks more overly dominant. Both their South Nodes are strongly connected to their Sun and other planets – pulling them backwards into unevolved ways of behaving.

  Franke had six children in all with husband Kevin, 9 October 1978, a Sun Pluto conjunct in Libra.

  The oldest two – Chad, 2 February 2005 (net sources) has a Sun Neptune trine Jupiter and a Mars Pluto conjunction  inconjunct Saturn – a mix of an evasive father and extreme fear/cruelty.

  Shari Franke, 3 March 2003 (net sources) has a Pisces Sun square Pluto and Saturn opposition a wide Pluto Mars conjunction – never given choices, badly treated.

  Mars Pluto runs through the children’s charts and the relationship charts of all including Kevin with mom Ruby.  She may have tried to offload responsibility elsewhere for her warped mindset but she will have to own the personal gratification she got from it at some point.