Alice Munro, the Canadian Nobel Literature Prize-winner, renowned as the master of the modern short story and compared to Chekhov, has died at 92. She drew on the lives of her neighbours for stories which became parables about the tests of character faced by people everywhere and managed to invest the humdrum events and parochial dramas of daily small-town life with a haunting significance. “She offered subtle, quiet and often moving observations about sex, desire, work, discontent and ageing; yet her writing was peopled by types whose claustrophobic lives might not have seemed, on the surface, to promise much.”

The novelist John Updike wrote “she moves gimlet-eyed and rabbit-eared through a world of romantic possibilities, marital fury, poignant offspring (daughters, as a rule), and un-ignorable signs of ageing.”

 She was born 10 July 1931 9pm Wingham, Ontario, with a teacher mother and failed fox and mink farmer father. She wrote of her father’s independence, self-sufficiency, forbearance and appreciated his love of history books. Her mother was difficult, distant and ill with Parkinson’s during Alice’s solitary and poor childhood. Yet her death in Alice’s late twenties, brought anguish, anxiety and ulcers which interfered with her writing.

  She starting writing early, excelled at school and college and her first collected short stories won a major award with many others following. Her dream was to write an all-embracing novel but short stories were where she excelled.

 She was of the Shirley Conran generation with the tough Saturn in Capricorn opposition Pluto square an inventive Uranus. In Alice’s case her talent for pushing back the boundaries in her chosen field was aided by a confident Jupiter Pluto conjunct her Cancer Sun in her hard-working 6^th house.

  She evidently regarded herself as ‘a plodder’ which may have had something to do with a heavy 6^th house (Virgo) element plus an 8^th house Mars in Virgo as well as Neptune, and a Taurus Moon. Her Mercury in Leo was conjunct Jupiter but was otherwise unaspected, perhaps allowing giving her a single-tracked ability to concentrate on what interested her.

  What is of note psychologically is her 8^th house Mars – she came from a large family who had intermarried over generations with one great grandmother committing suicide. The other is her Chiron exactly conjunct her Taurus Moon hinting at her unmothered childhood where she had to take over the caring role as her mother’s condition deteriorated. Her mother was her wound which threatened to overwhelm her when she died even though they were not emotionally close.

 Her creative 5^th and 7^th harmonics were strong as was her writer’s 21^st; as well as her leaving-a-legacy 17H and her global reputation 22H.

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The astrological Moon – soft, protective, sensitive, maternal, sentimental, moody, mysterious, evasive, programmed by the past, a seeker of comfort – has as many faces as there are different kinds of mothers.

  In mythology the renowned mothers: Demeter for one is so possessive of her daughter Persephone she wreaks destruction on earth when separated from her.  Hera, the ultimate tiger mother, intent on producing perfect children, ultimately damages them. The nightmare Medea becomes a family annihilator, killing her children because her lover/their father rejected her.

  And then there is Gaia, the ancestral mother of earth. The second hexagram of the I Ching talks of the earth ‘in its devotion carries all things good and evil without exception’. Strength and swiftness combined with gentleness, straight, square, great and enduring. The archetypal mother who stands behind the often imperfect human variants which followed.

  Which house the Moon falls in a chart, at a simplistic level, is what gives comfort because it feels either protective or carries familiar echoes of childhood. An afflicted Moon will tend to bring the negative end of the effects.

Moon in the 1^st house – can project a soft aura of helpfulness and be sensitive to atmosphere, often shape-shifting to fit in with the prevailing influences and dominant people around. Keen to be well thought of. Changeable and moody, with a fondness for food. It does carry a hint of Moon in Aries which can be emotionally over-reactive.

Moon in the 2^nd house of money – need their finances to be secure before they will be happy. Money and possessions bring comfort and they can be fickle, both savers and spenders.  Emotionally fixed so dislike compromise and prefer a steady lifestyle without too much change, Can be stubborn and jealous.

Moon in the 3^rd house of siblings, everyday routines, communication and thinking patterns – brothers, sisters, even cousins can stand in for mother in terms of providing emotional support. Emotional patterns from childhood may affect attitudes and thinking clearly not always easy since they tend to be easily influenced by those close. Prone to daydreaming. Curious and restless.

Moon in the 4^th house of family, roots, childhood, the earth – a happy home life is a necessity, comfort gained from knowledge of the family lineage. Theoretically it should indicate as Moon in Cancer does a special connection to mother but I have known cases where the father was the one providing the stability and security. Moody, a tendency to brood rather than be upfront. Possessive of family members.

Moon in the 5^th house of children, romance, entertainment and speculation – emotional connection to and fondness for children, in certain cases children are used as comforters, changeable in romantic relationships, attention-seeking and can be dependent. Impulsive where financial speculation is concerned.

Moon in the 6^th house of work/service and health – physical energy is often affected by emotional state which can interfere with work. Fondness for small pets. Interest in food, diet and hygiene. A worrier and a perfectionist.

Moon in 7^th house of close relationships (and enemies) – need the security of a one-to-one relationship. Can marry less for love and more for the offer of enduring support. Sensitive to others’ needs, dependent. Good at dealing with the public.

Moon in the 8^th house of transformation, death and rebirth, confidential matters, sex and joint finances – intensely emotional, passionate, secretive, never admit being hurt, in touch with unseen forces that lie beyond reality, interest in the paranormal and spiritualism. Finances connected to family or close relationships for good or ill.  A grandmother will be important childhood influence, an emotional support.

Moon in 9^th house of travel, knowledge, belief systems, social customs – comfort in childhood often comes through books and in adult life through travel. Interest in foreign cultures, often lives abroad for a portion of life. Sustained by intellectual interests with a curiosity about spiritual and religious belief systems.

Moon in the 10^th house of career and reputation – often aim for a public career where their ‘Lunar’ nose for social trends helps their ambitions. Politicians who interact with the general public and others are influenced by their mother. Women can be helpful in career.

Moon in 11^th house of friends, group and social/community interests and long term plans –  comfort comes from friendships rather than family. A knack of excelling in group activities. Dislike of being isolated or alone. Friendships may be superficial and not constant.

Moon in the 12^th house of secrets, the unconscious and creativity  –  felt under-mothered early on with a tendency to compensate in adult life by staying emotionally introverted. Need peace and a protective space. Easily hurt. Hyper-sensitive, can be psychic.

  That is a skimming of Moon in the houses – I am sure there will be lots of examples which may widen the meanings so do pitch in.

Putin has seized the start of his fifth term with all-systems-change Uranus in the 10th to shake up his senior security officials and rein in military spending, indicating a major shift in the handling of the Ukraine war. Out goes Defence Chief Sergei Shoigu, rumoured to be involved in corruption as well as criticized for runaway spending, chaotic mobilisation of reserves, poor tactics and setbacks on the front line. In comes a pliant technocrat, economic expert Andrey Belousov, who has never served a day in the army. Shoigu moves to head the country’s security council, distancing him from discontent over patchy progress in the war.

  The outgoing head of the security council, Nikolai Patrushev, is also moving to a new post as yet to be revealed.

 With the exception of tr Uranus square the Jupiter in the Ukraine 24 August 1991 2.31pm chart, which might bring a moment of light relief this June, December and early 2026, there is not much to suggest an easing of strain on beleaguered Ukraine. There’s a deprived-slog tr Pluto conjunct the Ukraine Saturn till late 2025.  The relationship chart between Ukraine 1991 and Russia 1991 also indicates the two still being caged together with frustration, fear and destructive influences through this year and on till late 2026.

 Belousov, the economist, 17 March 1959, now handed the poisoned chalice of the Ukraine campaign, is a late Sun Pisces trine Jupiter; with confident Jupiter square Pluto. He looks slightly overwhelmed this year with his SA Pluto conjunct his Neptune. His relationship chart with Putin (1952) looks rattled across July/August and through 2025 with wins and losses.  That odd July hot spot which appears in many Middle Eastern and other charts pops up between them as well so there may be more than Ukraine on their plate. Though the Ukraine invasion chart also has a 26 degree Taurus North Node so it will be part of the celestial pinball hit.

 The Putin 7 October 1952 birth chart which has been disputed may well be accurate since the relationship with Shoigu shows yup precisely with tr Uranus square the Mercury Pluto exactly now. And is also reflected in the shift with Patrushev on that relationship chart.  

Tens of thousands of Georgians have demonstrated in Tbilisi to protest a controversial “foreign influence” bill backed by the government which is seen as a move towards authoritarianism and restriction of free speech. A commentator said: “What’s happening here right now is an absolute face-off between people who want Georgia to have a European future and the person who does not.” A similar law in Russia since 2012 has been used to marginalise voices challenging the Kremlin.

 This is also a clash between the young Georgians and an older generation with a predominantly conservative Orthodox Christian background who dislike imported western ideas such as the promotion of equality for LGBT+ minorities.

  In the middle of it stands Bidzina Ivanishvili, a multi-billionaire with a personal fortune estimated to be equal to a third of the country’s GDP, ‘much of it made in the shady and shambolic Russia of the 1990s.’ He has no formal government role on paper but his influence is vast.

Since the 1990s Georgia has cracked down on corruption and worked towards gaining membership to the EU, a step supported by 89 per cent of the population, according to one poll last year. But there has also been recent democratic backsliding, with the EU making recommendations for political reform, including “de-oligarchisation”, a direct reference to Ivanishvili.

  Georgia declared independence around 12.30 pm on 9 April 1991, Tbilisi, Georgia and has a 10^th house Aries Sun which was buffeted by last month’s Solar Eclipse as the country faces the worst unrest since 1991. Tr Uranus will conjunct the Venus for emotional reactions in June and again in November (after the October election) and again in early 2025. So the ramped-up mood won’t subside anytime soon.

  The Aries sun is inconjunct Pluto and Pluto is opposition Venus and square Moon – so the national temperament will always be super-intense. It was in a state of high tension over the Russia Ukraine invasion in early 2022 when the Solar Arc Sun was opposition the Pluto.  There is also an up-and-down Jupiter opposition Saturn for mood swings; and the inventive but nervy and can-be-fanatical Uranus Neptune conjunction in Capricorn of the time. That Uranus Neptune is moving by Solar Arc to square the Pluto later this year into next with a devastating SA Neptune square the Pluto, followed in 2027 by what could be a rebellion or revolution as SA Uranus squares the Pluto.

 The relationship chart between Georgia 1991 and Russia, 8 December 1991, has a tussle-for-the-upper-hand built in with a composite Jupiter opposition Mercury Sun square Pluto. When the Ukraine invasion took place tr Saturn in Aquarius and tr Uranus in Taurus were both shaking up that T square by hard aspect. Tr Uranus is in its final assault this month and again late December to mid March 2025 – so protests against the Russian-isation of the country will continue.

 Ivanishvili, 18 February 1956, certainly has a chart for a mega-billionaire with an Aquarius Sun opposition a super-lucky and determined Jupiter Pluto in Leo; with his Mars in Sagittarius trine Pluto Jupiter and sextile his Sun. Not short on chutzpah.

 He’s in a couple of years of significant upheaval with tr Pluto opposition his Uranus, finishing late this year; and tr Uranus square his Jupiter Pluto from this July into 2025 when it squares his Sun. He’ll lose as much as he wins. Tr Pluto is also square his Neptune and conjunct his Mercury through this year and next so muddles, evasions and worries.

 His relationship chart with Georgia 1991 is sagging badly at the moment through till early 2025 – with the April and October solar eclipses rattling up the connection between them.   

Barron Trump, just turned 18, briefly emerged into the political arena as a Florida delegate to the Republican convention in July only to be hastily withdrawn by his mother Melania, who has always been protective of his privacy.

  This is only en passant since the astrology could be interpreted either way.  But since he has a challenging, high-stress and undermining set of astro-influences through this year it is worth noting.

    Born 10 March 2006 5.30am New York, he has an over-controlled chart with a possessive mother 10^th house Pluto which squares his Pisces Sun, adding a ditto father into the mix. Poor kid can’t have ever felt he had any choices.

  At the moment his Progressed Mars is opposing his Pluto for an infuriating and frustrating road-block of a year. He’ll feel trapped and possibly scared – it draws to exact over the Inauguration and just beyond. Plus tr Neptune is in an undermining conjunction to his final degree Pisces Sun from exactly now till early September, again on and off till early 2026. The September Lunar Eclipse will also catch his Sun for a crisis of direction.

  With tr Saturn moving across his Ascendant into his less successful, lower profile First Quadrant from early 2025, he may want to back away from ambitious plans and with tr Uranus opposition his 9^th house Moon in 2025/26 he may well decide to move home/country which would suit him. He is/was close to his grandparents and evidently speaks Slovenian. Relocating his chart to Melania’s birthplace puts his Sun on the Midheaven and his Jupiter and Moon in the 5^th so it could well suit him.

  But his relationship charts with both parents have composite yods which suggests bonds he can’t escape, however much they induce strain.

 See previous posts: 20 January 2024 and 3 October 2023 for further details.

Shirley Conran, a dynamo and trailblazer –  designer, journalist, novelist and campaigner to liberate women in the kitchen, bedroom and at school –  has died.

  Born 21 September 1932 3am Hendon, England with a wealthy, small businessman father who was also a violent alcoholic,  she studied painting at Cheslea, married designer Terence Conran in her twenties and had two children. After her divorce, she switched to journalism, becoming women’s editor at the Observer magazine, and then  “Femail” at the Daily Mail.

   Struck down a year later by the debilitating myalgic encephalopathy (ME) virus, she fell into debt but retrieved her situation by writing the bestseller Superwoman – “life is too short to stuff a mushroom” – which sought to liberate women from the tyranny of housework.

  Next on her schedule was a raunchy novel, Lace, which urged women to take control in the bedroom and everywhere else in their lives. Other bestsellers followed. Still not finished, in recent years she embarked on Maths Action, to promote maths as a suitable subject for the female sex. She had three husbands in all and three divorces but remained close to Terence throughout her life.

  She was born at that tough but inventive and inspired time when there was an enduring, gritty Saturn in Capricorn opposition Pluto (conjunct Mars in Leo) square Uranus in Aries. It would give her a temperament ideally suited to disrupting norms, pushing through social reforms and trailblazing new paths. Though her dislike of compromise and overly individualistic approach would not make for easy one-to-one partnerships and cooperation. She had a 2^nd house Sun Mercury in Virgo, perfect for a money-earning career from communication; with a Gemini Moon in her 10^th house of career, giving her a ‘nose’ for what would suit prevailing trends of public taste – and squaring Jupiter Neptune in Virgo would give her a dose of optimism and strong self-belief. Her scary, unstable father is well described in Saturn opposition Mars Pluto

 A Cardinal T square onto Uranus would give her a revved-up, hyper-restless temperament. An 8^th house North Node would also early on give her an exceptionally needy streak, with financial tugs of war likely but as she got it on track, her business acumen brought her stability and security. Her emphasised Saturn in the 6^th would give her a workaholic streak though also hinted at health issues and after her ME struck it forced her for the rest of her life to spend three months of each year in bed in a darkened room.  And still she accomplished more than most would in ten lifetimes.   

Her breakthrough 13H was strong as was her leaving-a-legacy-for-the-future 17H.

 The sorry saga of Prince Harry’s family troubles continues to hog the headlines as his whistlestop London visit did not coincide with a meeting with his father but did manage to push the King’s return to duties off top spot.

  Despite my reluctance to dip a toe in the star-crossed seas of the Royals’ fortunes at present, there are signs of ructions between Harry and Camilla in particular but also his father this month and on.

  Harry’s relationship chart with Camilla has a hostile composite Mars opposition Uranus Pluto square Jupiter, so tussles for the upper hand will be in evidence – it is catching tr Saturn hard aspects this year, from March, worsening in April and high tension at the moment, repeating through till spring 2025. There is a jolting/separating tr Uranus square the composite Sun from 12^th of this month for two weeks and again late December to mid March 2025 – which could lead to more eruptions.

 His relationship chart with his father which in essence is not much better than with Camilla with a no-compromise, resentful composite Mars square Uranus Pluto may erupt into ill-thought out comments from the 19^th of this month right through till mid August and repeating in early 2025. That is when tr Saturn squares the composite Mars and opposes the composite Uranus. The composite Sun, Venus and Saturn, Mercury are all catching this year’s eclipses.

 Harry’s own chart has a litany of tricky influences which could jolt him into awareness – or not. Tr Saturn is square his Mars in Sagittarius and opposition the Virgo Sun this year and next for a hopefully come-down-to-reality crunch. With a complete-change-of outlook/future plans from his Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his Uranus, exact in three months. Solar Arc Saturn square his Sun for another sobering drench of reality mid 2024 and a directionless SA Midheaven conjunct his Neptune in 2026/27.

 Tr Saturn will continue to drag its way through the nadir of his low profile first quadrant until late 2025 – which is a time unresolved psychological issues surface to be sorted and financial woes may become evident.

  On midpoint transits he looks thoroughly rattled by a disaster/calamity 12^th of this month for two weeks and again late December to mid March 2025 as tr Uranus opposes his Mars/Pluto midpoint; with tensions in July and on into 2025; plus plus and more catastrophes in 2025 with tr Uranus opposition his Mars/Saturn midpoint. This decade draws to a close with a dead halt SA Mars square his Pluto – he’ll be remarkably pleased to see the back of it. And may emerge hopefully wiser.

  Why couldn’t he come across without a fanfare of publicity to see his father at a convenient time out of sight of the cameras?  He’s not exactly tied by an arduous work schedule.

  I can’t work out what it is about his chart/psychology that gives him the propensity/knack of dominating the headlines in a way that throws shade on other family members.  It isn’t quite ego/narcissism but something else at work. Spooky – so much anger plus 8th house.

 “There is a tide in the affairs of men

Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;

Omitted, all the voyage of their life

Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

On such a full sea are we now afloat;

And we must take the current when it serves,

Or lose our ventures.” Shakespeare, Julius Caesar.

  Out of the shallows and shadows for a brief spotlight of attention have popped a handful of 1970 minnows hoping for the big time. Which after consideration of the astro-coincidence could well be the effect of the Aries/Libra eclipses hitting their Pluto and Uranus respectively.

 Kristi Noem, 30 November 1971, right-wing governor of Dakota, a Trump VP hopeful, is an imaginative though not realistic Sun Neptune opposition Saturn with Jupiter and Mercury also in outspoken (=no filter) Sagittarius. She dashed her chances with ill-advised bragging about putting down an ill-mannered dog. Even in gun-loving US this seems to have been a misstep as she discovered when tr Saturn squared her Jupiter, dampening her enthusiasm. She was born only five days after Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s weird, wild and wayout aide, who is never short of an acerbic barb of criticism.

Natalie Elphicke, 5 November 1970, a Tory MP who has defected to Labour despite being noticeably right-wing, causing consternation to a deserted Sunak as well as Starmer heavily-criticised by his own followers. She is a Sun Jupiter Mercury Venus in Scorpio  with Neptune also in Scorpio – and more significantly her volatile, overly excitably Mars Uranus conjunction in Libra is in line for the upcoming October Eclipse with her Pluto in late Virgo catching the late September Lunar Eclipse in opposition.  

 Marjorie Taylor Greene, 27 May 1974, a Gemini who is another loose cannon with her Uranus in Libra square Mars in Cancer and her Pluto in Libra square Saturn. The two Solar Eclipses and March Lunar Eclipse are all rattling up her Uranus and Pluto.

Russell Brand, 4 June 1975, fending off allegations of sexual assault has taken the unusual step of embracing religion in a much publicised immersive baptism. A Sun Gemini opposition Neptune, he has his Mars Jupiter in Aries as well as his Pluto and Uranus in Libra – all catching the eclipse fever this year.

 As indeed does his buddy Bear Grylls, 7 June 1974, tv presenter, survival expert and adventurer, with whom he dunked together. Grylls is another Sun Gemini opposition Neptune with Pluto and Uranus in Libra.

 And last but not least Jay Blades, 21 February 1970, tv presenter of The Repair Shop, now on sabbatical after the breakdown of his 18 month marriage and murder of his uncle. He is a Sun Venus in Pisces with Uranus in Libra and Mars in Aries and Pluto in late Virgo. All of this year’s eclipses are rattling up his Uranus, Mars and Pluto.

  The Saros cycle of the April Solar Eclipse hinted at relationship strains and a need for freedom – presumably whether wished for or not. That would be magnified as the eclipse collided with their respective Uranus above. Eclipses connecting with Pluto hunt at the need for a radical change or stagnation will set in.  The October Solar Eclipse is in a Saros series of separation or at least closure, finishing up what belongs to the past.

  All eclipses have a potential for making positive changes if handled in the right way.

Vladimir Putin was sworn in on May 7 around 12 noon for his fifth term, looking unassailable having overcome his dip of last year. He is now set to hold power in Russia until at least 2030, which would make him the longest-serving Russian leader since Catherine the Great in the 18th century. The US, UK and most EU states, except France, refused to send ambassadors because of the invasion of Ukraine and the rigged election in March in which he won with 87 per cent of the vote.

 His swearing in chart is not as brutal as the 4^th term chart which had a Mars Pluto conjunction square Uranus though there are diluted hints from an 8^th house subversive Mars sextile Pluto. As last term and the term before, Lady Luck is on his side with Jupiter in the 10th conjunct Uranus and Sun. If the timing is around 12 noon or just after there are hints of financial disappointments and problems with Neptune and Mars in the 8^th house of international and business finances.

   Looking for (faint) hopes of him exiting stage left, his initial Presidency chart, 31 December 1999 which sagged badly last year with heavy Neptunian influences, looks jarred and jangled this August, perhaps because of global unrest. That is when tr Uranus squares the Mars – and that continues into 2025. But it is 2026 which looks de-stabilising with SA Uranus square the Pluto and blocked in 2027 with SA Pluto conjunct the Sun.   This coincides, if his 7 October 1952 birth date is accurate, with signs of disruption  between himself and both the Russia 1991 and 1917 charts with 2026/27 looking particularly high stress.

Although at first sight not similar, there are astro-connections between Catherine the Great and Putin with both having a North Node in Aquarius (= wedded to a cause) and a ruthless Mars, Pluto, Saturn tie. Catherine reigned as empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, having come to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter III.

  Catherine, 2 May 1729 2.30am Stettin, Germany was a Sun Mars in Taurus sextile Saturn inconjunct Pluto so despite her reputation as an enlightened promoter of culture and the arts she had a power-hungry streak. Under her long reign, Russia experienced a renaissance of culture and sciences and the recognition of Russia as one of the great powers of Europe. It makes sense why Putin might wish to emulate her though he is falling short on culture and international respect.