Month: April 2025

Mars opposition Pluto which has been a constant and baleful celestial presence since late last October meets its final aspect exactly this Sunday but will hang around in effect for a few days after since the Taurus Sun will hook it into a Fixed T square.

 As above so below. Not only does Mars Pluto in hard aspect tend to accompany certain types of events – see previous posts, Pluto – adding power to energy 7th April 2025; and Mars Pluto – testing courage and confidence 7th April 2025 – it also marks those born under its influence.

[The brewing trouble between India and Pakistan over Kashmir being a case in point – with the Kashmir Accession Signing of 26 October 1947 having a Mars Pluto conjunction with Saturn close by – of which more anon tomorrow.]

 Mars Pluto has an ominous reputation being often connected to ruthless, if not downright criminal behaviour – Richard Nixon and Ho Chi Minh exhibited its do-or-die determination.  Though it can have a more productive outcome giving courage and determination in the face of danger as with astronaut Buzz Aldrin and Mahatma Gandhi.

 With women, it can produce either a submissive temperament and/or a tendency to attract bullying behaviour from outside – poor little JonBenet Ramsay, (mini-murdered beauty queen), Tippi Hedren (bullied by Hitchcock whose Venus was conjunct his Mars/Pluto midpoint). Ian McKellen, born in 1939, spent his early years in wartime conditions which left their mark in a Mars opposition Pluto. Actor Patrick Stewart who grew up with an abusive father has a Mars Pluto conjunction.

 In the Mars Pluto opposition column there are a mix of personalities – some pushy, others finding another outlet for their compacted anger – Bruce Lee, Russell Brand, Woody Allen, Michel Barnier, Justin Trudeau, Rush Limbaugh – as well as Prince Edward, Prince George, Mary Shelley, Cindy Crawford.

 Amongst the Mars Pluto conjunction types – Hillary Clinton stars, as does Paul McCartney, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cher, Ringo Starr, George Michael and the tragic Natalie Wood.

  The most glaring and negative example of Mars Pluto in conjunction was Nero, 15 December 37 AD JC 7.30am Anzio with Mars Pluto Sun conjunct in Sagittarius and admittedly square Saturn which doubles up on the nastiness. The litany of his crimes including the murder of his mother, wife and brother plus a fair few extras and demonstrate the damage an afflicted Mars Pluto can do when allowed to run rampant.  

  Mars Pluto squares – Muhammad Ali, Genghis Khan, Oprah Winfrey, Harvey Weinstein, Andrea Bocelli, Roman Polanski, Martin Scorsese, Justin Bieber.

  Different personalities but all determined, some finding positive outcomes for the demon which drives them and others taking the low road.    

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Liz Hurley has sent the gossip columns into a flutter as she announces an unlikely romantic hook up with three times married plus plus country singer and actor Billy Ray Cyrus, who performed at Trump’s second Inauguration.

  Having had four well-publicised partnerships with Hugh Grant, Steve Bing, Arun Nayar and Shane Warner,  she seemed in recent times to have settled to maternal status squiring her son (and clone) Damian.

Billy Ray Cyrus, 25 August 1961 5.52pm Bellefonte, Kentucky, has had an even more chequered emotional life with three marriages, several children in and out of marriage, and his final match in 2023 with Australian singer Firerose lasting less than a year with accusations flying in both directions.

He is a controlling Sun Pluto in Virgo with Pluto on the cusp of his 8^th conjunct Mercury and Mars also in his 8^th in Libra, so a heavyweight personality. His Moon is final degree Aquarius conjunct his South Node opposition a 7^th house Uranus which perhaps explains his changeable (needs freedom) relationship life.  He also has Venus in Cancer opposition Saturn Jupiter in Capricorn.

 Quite a contradictory temperament.

  Liz Hurley, 10 June 1965 London, no birth time, is not an obvious match though her Sun Mercury in Gemini and her Venus in Cancer all fall in his fun-loving 5^th house and her easy going Jupiter in his domestic 4^th house.  But her Uranus conjunct his Pluto Mercury with her Saturn in opposition; and her Mars Pluto falling in his 8^th house do suggest tumultuous undercurrents. Her intense Scorpio Moon will not sit comfortably with his Aquarius Moon.

 Their relationship chart has an enthusiastic composite Mars opposition Jupiter and an ethereal, illusory Venus trine Neptune sextile a constantly changing Uranus Pluto.

  Unless the birth dates are wrong it hardly seems a match made in heaven.

Pic Instagram.

Alarm bells are ratcheting up to defcon level amongst the money men as Trump threatens to take down Jerome Powell, Chairman of the heretofore independent US Federal Reserve. Since his tariff ‘policy’ boomeranged he needed someone else to blame.  The Trump playbook adopted at the feet of Roy Cohn, a McCarthyite and corrupt lawyer, is ‘always be on the attack, to counterpunch whenever punched and to never apologize.’

‘Any move to undermine the independence of the Fed, which manages inflation and has a mandate to support full employment, will spook financial markets.’ ‘The president’s comments have already rattled investors, after his sweeping global trade tariffs roiled markets, sending global equities sharply lower and causing the price of oil to fall below the $60-mark.’ The dollar is down to a three year low and gold is up. ‘With a week to go, April is turning into the worst month for the US stock market since the 1930s Great Depression. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that the Dow Jones Industrial Average is headed for its worst April performance since 1932.’

  Jerome Powell, 4 February 1953, has said he intends to stay till the end of his term in 2026 and there is apparently no constitutional mandate for a president to remove him. He is a steady Sun Mercury in Aquarius opposition Pluto with his Sun Mercury square Jupiter in Taurus so not easy to budge; with a determined Uranus square Neptune Saturn; and an enthusiastic Venus in Aries conjunct Mars in Pisces. His Solar Arc Sun is opposition his Saturn now and his Solar Arc Uranus is opposition his Mars – discouraged and agitated. His midpoints hint at turmoil and disappointment all this year into 2026.

 His relationship with Trump is essentially aggravated with a composite Mars square Saturn as well as distrustful. Gripes and groans, snipes and snarling will go on through May and June and across the summer and beyond.

  Trump’s relationship chart with the Federal Reserve Bank, is also inherently hostile with a composite Mars opposition Uranus square Saturn Pluto – and they don’t come much worse than that. 2026/7 looks even more fraught than at the moment.

  On Trump’s chart, tr Neptune is just into his 8^th house of joint finances to stay for many years which points to flawed financial judgement, evasion, can bring uncomfortable secrets into the open – not helpful where handling money is concerned. Tr Pluto is also just into his 6^th house of health and work which can bring tensions and power struggles with workmates over differing methods as he insists he is right. It also puts strain on health if not handled sensibly.

 His Lunar Return from April 17 for a month has a grandstanding Pluto in the 5^th opposition Mars square an 8^th house financial Sun; with uncertainty in relationships and cooperative ventures. The Lunar Return from 14 May for a month has an ominous Mars in the 8^th opposition Pluto which looks completely trapped; though a 5^th house Sun and Uranus won’t calm his attention-seeking urges. Plus the unknown shock of tr Uranus square his natal Mars running April 28 to May 13 for the final time.

 The US Federal Reserve, 16 November 1914 9am Washington, DC, is moving into troubled times with an undermining tr Neptune Saturn square its Saturn Pluto in Cancer from the final days of this April right through till January 2027. Tr Uranus will also oppose its Mars through 2026 into early 2027 which will bring insecurity, sudden shocks and high tension.

  The USA country chart also has tr Neptune Saturn square the financial Venus in 2026 which suggests losses and disappointment where money is concerned; with a further dip in confidence as tr Saturn and then Neptune square the US Jupiter in 2026/27.

Previous posts:

Trump tariffs – a shoot self in foot decision 3rd February 2025

Trump’s Tainted Touch – SCOTUS, Netanyhu, Fed Reserve 19th March 2025 

Stock Markets in shock as tariffs loom 31st March 2025

Trump tariffs – sound the trumpets for a disaster? 3rd April 2025

Australia looks uncertain as it heads for a May 3 election with polls showing 47% of voters on the fence. The day itself will be every bit as fraught as the Canada election with the Mars in Leo opposition Pluto square the Taurus Sun in place for maximum frustration and divisive intensity. Uranus will be exactly conjunct Algol and Saturn close to Scheat.

 Though tr Saturn will clear the discouraging, indecisive square to the Australia country chart Neptune opposition Mercury Jupiter just as polls open and the Mars Pluto will gradually wane in the aftermath.

The choice is between Anthony Albanese and his Labor government and Peter Dutton leading the Coalition opposition.

Anthony Albanese, 2 March 1963, is a Sun Pisces opposition Uranus Pluto in Virgo possibly square a Gemini Moon – flexible, changeable, difficult to pin down. With a serious Mercury Saturn in Aquarius in a keen-to-do-good square to Neptune which in turn is in a publicity attracting square to Mars in Leo. Half Fixed and Half Mutable, lacking in Cardinal planets which give initiative.

 Tr Jupiter is square his Jupiter immediately after the election which will be a fleeting moment of cheer. He’ll be rattled perhaps by global events  late May and first half of June; and on a successful run in the second half of June to early July, which repeats in November and early 2026. But further into July and onwards he looks trapped and infuriated.

 Peter Dutton, 18 November 1970, is a charming, determined Sun, Jupiter, Venus in Scorpio in an up-and-down opposition to Saturn in Taurus; with a volatile, impulsive Mars Uranus conjunction in Libra.

 Just to be really unhelpful to astrologers looking for answers he has over the election tr Pluto square his Sun/Uranus midpoint and his Mars/Jupiter midpoint and opposition his Mars/Saturn midpoint. The first could go either way sending his life onto a new track. The second spells success and luck. The third indicate setbacks and calamities and a definite loss. In May he’s looking stuck and confused.

The usual mish mash of maybes and mights.  Both look less than thrilled in 2027/28 whatever is going on – facing mountainous obstacles and not making much headway.

Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pope, a vocal champion of the world’s poor, dispossessed and disadvantaged, and a critic of corporate greed and social and economic inequality has died. He was a divisive force within the Vatican speaking out against extravagance and privilege, calling on church leaders to show humility. ‘His views riled significant numbers of cardinals and powerful Vatican officials, who often sought to frustrate Francis’s efforts to overhaul the ancient institutions of the church. But his compassion and humanity endeared him to millions around the world. His death is likely to exacerbate sharp divisions within the curia, with conservatives seeking to wrest control of the church away from reformers.’

  His death came at 7.35 am this morning after a respiratory crisis in February that developed into double pneumonia; and he already had chronic lung disease with part of one lung removed as a young man.

 He died at the exact moment Pluto was conjunct the Moon and the Midheaven with Algol exactly conjunct the Ascendant and Uranus. Amazingly precise.

  Born 17 December 1936 9pm Buenos Airies, Argentina, he had a Sagittarius Sun and Jupiter in his hard-working 6^th house with progressive, reforming Uranus in his 10^th square Pluto on one side and Venus Moon in Aquarius on the other. His Sun was in a compassionate, idealistic square to Neptune opposition his Saturn in Pisces on the cusp of his religious 9^th house. His Mars in Libra in his outspoken 3^rd house was square Pluto giving him courage and determination.

 He died as his Solar Arc Midheaven was passing over his Pluto and tr Saturn was one degree past the square to his Sun – and tr Jupiter was just into his 12^th house of peace and contemplation.

 His election chart, 13 March 2013 7.06pm had a Jupiterian yod inconjunct Saturn sextile Pluto so had the capacity to change society for the better. Transiting Jupiter was almost conjunct the Solar Arc Jupiter as he passed, amplifying his record; with tr Saturn having been square recently.  More significantly tr Neptune was exactly conjunct the Mars and the Solar Arc Venus for disappointment and loss.

 Tr Jupiter was moving across the Vatican 10^th when he was elected hinting at a time of promise ahead. But his natal Saturn in Pisces opposition Neptune was square the Vatican Gemini New Moon suggesting his compassion and criticism would not go down well.

 The Vatican, 7 June 1929 11 am Rome, is moving into a ferment of change with tr Uranus aiming to conjunct the Jupiter and Midheaven and square the Neptune through June into July.

See previous post: Pope Francis – facing Saturnine realities 20th February 2025.

Add On. The original Rome chart of 21 April 753 BC JC seems to work well against the sacking in 401 AD by the Visigoths and another sacking in 1527 and its liberation by Allied troops in 1944.

JMW Turner, the pre-eminent English painter, was born  250 years ago this week. He is hailed as the father of modernism though other say he was a classicist prone to wild exaggeration.

 He was born 23 April 1775 at 1.10am in London,  Cockney son of a barber with an angry, impatient, violent mother who died in a Hospital for Lunatics when he was 19.

  One critic described him as ‘unbalanced to the point of madness, cussed and ungovernable, weird and creepy.’ His mother is given as a reason for ‘his tearing up of the rule book, his arrogant disregard of the laws of technique, composition and method, his ecstatic worship of what others view as nothingness.’

 ‘On paper, it is landscape art, but in reality it constitutes a delve into deep and melancholy fissures of the psyche: a swirling madness that found release and a safe way to emerge in paint.’

 He had an earthy, rooted Taurus Sun at odds with a likes-to-shock Aquarius Moon; and had two talented Grand Trines, one Earth and one Air. His Jupiter Venus in Taurus was trine Pluto trine Neptune in Virgo in the 8^th; and an Air Grand Trine of Moon trine Uranus in the 4^th trine Saturn in Libra.  Practical, rooted in nature and a thinker and communicator.

  A strong 8^th house could be the intergenerational trauma inherited from his mother. He lived with his father for thirty years in his adult life, though formed a relationship with his housekeeper and died of cholera when he was in his 70s.

 Interestingly his Mars in Leo was inconjunct his Pluto as was the case with the Italian artist Caravaggio whose realistic, religious paintings could not have been more different. Born 29 September 1571 JC in Rome he also (probably) had an Air Grand Trine of Aquarius Moon trine as Libra Sun trine Neptune in Gemini. He was known as ‘a violent, touchy and provocative man’, continually involved in brawls and running from the authorities; perhaps veering towards madness. He died aged 40 either from fever, syphilis or was deliberately killed.

 Another artist born in late April was bird painter JJ Audubon, 26 April 1785 in Haiti. His major work, a colour-plate book, The Birds of America is considered one of the finest ornithological works ever completed. He had a Taurus Sun and an Air Grand Trine of Venus in Gemini trine Pluto Saturn in Aquarius trine Neptune in Libra.

  I am intrigued by the Mars inconjunct Pluto in Turner and Caravaggio’s chart. A previous post on garden designers –

Piet Oudolf – gardens to soothe the soul ++ inconjuncts – healing 12th harmonic 8th April 2024 –

suggested that inconjuncts, reflected in the 12th victim/healer harmonic, is a healing aspect. Which may have been true with Turner. The 150 degree angles are constantly trying to find a way of merging incompatible elements to reduce discomfort.

 The Mars inconjunct Pluto natally turns out as a Mars Pluto conjunction in the 12^th harmonic which in Caravaggio’s case appeared to have done little to heal his rambunctious temperament. But maybe his art was a way of channelling his darker, destructive feelings since he painted violent struggles, torture and death in line with the religious imagery that was acceptable at the time.  

The outer planets grouped together bring significant cultural phases – enlightenment, creativity, war, hardship – and mark those born when the aspects are in place with specific traits.

 For example, 1941 had the Saturn Uranus Jupiter conjunction in Taurus when World War 11 was at a critical point and those born around then had particularly heavyweight personalities.

 1947 had Saturn Pluto in Leo for deprivation at large and stubbornly, enduring types.

1953 spawned the hippy dippy energy with Saturn Neptune in Libra square Uranus in Cancer – hope for a better society.

The mid 1960s with Uranus Pluto in Virgo opposition Saturn in Pisces coincided with revolutions and chaos globally and produced inventive though erratic personalities.

1982 and 2001 had Saturn in hard aspect to Pluto conjunct in Libra and then in opposition in Gemini/Sagittarius respectively – wars at large and stubborn personalities.

1988-90 had the triple conjunction in Capricorn of Uranus, Neptune, Saturn – massive global changes and inventive, disorganized and tumultuous personalities born then.

The mid to later 1990s had the highly strung, obsessive, inspired Uranus Neptune conjunction in Capricorn and then in Aquarius.

  When subsequent major planetary movements aspect those bunched birth planets by transit, that particular generation moves through a time of unrest and forced change.

 For example the 1947 Saturn Pluto in Leo types would find tr Pluto in Scorpio tricky as it squared their Fixed Saturn Pluto from 1984 to 1996.

The jangled mid 1960s births would find the 2001 tr Saturn in Gemini opposition tr Pluto in Sagittarius hugely unsettling; and tr Uranus through Pisces from 2003 for seven years would also bring forced and sudden changes.

The 1953, 1982 and 1989 and early 1990s births with strong bunching of Cardinal outer planets would find the tr Uranus in Aries square tr Pluto in Capricorn through the last decade challenging.

 The up and coming tr Neptune Saturn in Aries in 2026/27 and then tr Neptune beyond that for many years will impact in particular on the late 1980s/early 1990s triple conjunction generation.

Tr Neptune Saturn in Aries now and in 2026 is likely to ignite their hope for a better society since they have Saturn Neptune natally – with a focus on women and workers’ rights and advances in health care. Though it may also bring high tensions with tr Saturn Neptune square their natal Uranus with fixed and obsessive ideas, a difficulty facing reality, along with an upsurge of creativity. Uranus Neptune in the past has been connected in particular to religious art as well as mathematics.

Tr Saturn square a natal Neptune can bring uncertainty and a difficulty distinguishing between reality and fantasy.

Tr Saturn square a natal Uranus tends to bring eruptions, high tensions and a tendency not to practice what is preached, can be autocratic.

Tr Saturn square natal Saturn – a staging post when life needs to be reviewed and decisions taken about what comes next.

Tr Neptune square a natal Saturn has a tendency to dissolve notions of what is real and what not; and perhaps to undermine established structures and attitudes out in society.

Tr Neptune square a natal Uranus will exacerbate their can-be-fanatical streak making them tricky to hold balanced discussions with.  

GEN Z RELIGION

  If the gen z generation – late 1990s into the noughties – are taking to religion it is interesting since it is likely to be connected to Uranus and Neptune in Aquarius in place then.

‘Uranus combined with creative, spiritual Neptune is a highly strung influence, inspirational in art, science and social thinking, with high ideals and soaring vision.’

‘The meeting of enlightening Uranus with spiritually and artistically visionary Neptune has coincided with the production of the greatest religious art of our history.’

 Born under Uranus Neptune – the Book of Kells; the Abbey Church of St Denis which set a trend for the Renaissance cathedrals that spread across Europe; Giotto’s painting of the Padua frescoes; Botticelli and Perugino frescoes in the Sistine Chapel; Michaelangelo, the greatest of the religious painters, was born at the start of the conjunction; William Blake painted his illustrations for The Book of Job.

 Some Gen z-ers may not only go to church but also to contribute art works of note.

Canada goes to the polls on the 28^th one day after the tense, aggravated Mars opposition Pluto which will still be in effect. The run into polling will bring hostile debates and a heated mood with much at stake.

 Pierre Poilievre should have been a shoe-in after Justin Trudeau’s limp performance but the Trump-effect with wild claims about annexing Canada have brought Mark Carney, Trudeau’s replacement, to the fore since he is seen as better equipped to handle the surreal situation.

  There is only one birth time and nothing too obvious appears on any of the main charts; with the exception of a fortunate/confident tr Jupiter conjunct the Sun/Mars midpoint on Carney’s chart at the election which is minor. And equally minor Saturn transits to midpoints over the election and the days thereafter putting a damper on his mood. Carney, born 16 March 1965, 7.56am Fort Smith, NT, Canada, is a Sun, Venus, Saturn in Pisces with Uranus, Moon, Pluto, Mars in Virgo, so more volatile than he looks. Plus a high finance Jupiter in Taurus opposition Neptune.

  His relationship with Canada indicates he is seen as being helpful in times of hardship. His relationship with Trump will be explosive from mid May onwards and on and off into early 2026; and if anything more infuriated and hostile through 2026/27.

 Pierre Poilievre, the only other politician with a chance of forming a government, 3 June 1979, is a Sun Gemini square Neptune and square Saturn; with Venus Mars in Taurus opposition Uranus. He does have a yod of Pluto sextile Neptune inconjunct Venus, which has Solar Arc Jupiter square Neptune at the moment – hinting at a life-changing phase. Though Jupiter Neptune can go either way which is no help. His midpoints are blocked over the election and through May with a glimmering of luck from mid May onwards. Nothing conclusive.

 His relationship with Trump hints at an ongoing struggle for the upper hand as an essential part of their chemistry with more stand offs in 2026/27 than immediately.

 Jagmeet Singh, 2 January 1979, an intensely determined Sun Mars in Capricorn square Pluto has a lucky tr Uranus square his Jupiter/Node midpoint from late May through June and later into 2026. 2026/27 will seem him powering ahead with confidence with tr Pluto opposition his Jupiter.

His relationship with Canada is cool and workmanlike, rather than popular – and with Trump he looks increasingly up in arms into 2026 and onwards.

Yves-Francois Blanchet, 14 April 1965, is a charming Sun Venus in Aries with the over-hopeful Jupiter in Taurus opposition Neptune; and the volatile Mars Pluto Uranus in Virgo opposition Saturn.

  He has tr Uranus conjunct his Jupiter late May into June which like Poilievre could go either way – since it was what collapsed Boris Johnson.  His relationship with Trump is hostile at best and more challenged than usual over the next two years.

  All of which adds up to no clarity whatsoever on the election.

El Salvador is the focus of the latest of Trump’s squalls with the establishment as he ordered the deportation of alleged Venezuelan gang members, invoking the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, only previously used during war. The Supreme Court has now insisted on a pause (with two dissenting voices) saying the men have not had a change to contest their case in court. In his second inaugural address Trump pledged to “eliminate the presence of all foreign gangs and criminal networks bringing devastating crime to US soil”.

The notorious mega-jail in El Salvador under the authoritarian and autocratic President Nayib Bukele, is filled with local gang members after his severe policies cleaned the streets and brought the homicide rate down to the lowest in South America.

Bukele was born 24 July 1981 San Salvador, ten days before Meghan Markle, and is a Sun Leo conjunct North Node with Mars in Cancer square Saturn Jupiter in Libra; and a Taurus Moon.

 His Term of office, 1 June 2019, has a harsh Saturn Pluto conjunction in Capricorn with Mars in Cancer conjunct North Node; and Venus trine Saturn Pluto – not much given to sentiment or sympathy.

Bukele’s Venus falls on Trump’s Ascendant and his Neptune is conjunct Trumps Moon opposition Sun. Good feelings and delusions. But there will be hitches, glitches and eruptions this June and on and off into spring 2026 as tr Uranus squares the composite Saturn.

 Trump’s relationship chart with SCOTUS will be explosive from the 28^th of this month into mid May with tr Uranus square the composite Mars and conjunct Venus; with more bitter differences cropping up in 2026/27.

El Salvador, 21 September 1821, has a tough, unrelenting, highly-strung chart given to cruel and power-hungry rulers. The Virgo Sun opposition Pluto square Uranus Neptune is being undermined by tr Saturn Neptune now into 2026. The harsh Saturn Jupiter opposition Venus square Mars was being triggered during Bukele’s move against the gangs sweeping them into jail in great numbers.

 Bukele’s relationship chart with El Salvador mirrors the oppressive nature of the country itself with a composite Pluto opposition Saturn Mars and Jupiter.  A few upsets can be expected as tr Uranus moves into Gemini from July onwards.