David Lynch, the film director, ‘the visionary of America’s subconscious’ and a ‘a singular auteur whose films found poetry in the ugly underbelly of American life’ has died. He ‘saw that if the US dreamed of safety and prosperity and the suburban drive and the picket fence, it also dreamed of the opposite: of escape, danger, adventure, sex and death. And the two collided and opened up chasms and sinkholes in the lost highway to happiness.’

 Best known for Twin Peaks, The Elephant Man, Dune, Blue Velvet he was described as ‘a purebred, corn-fed all-American surrealist and a man who insisted that below our manicured lawns and behind our tidy housefronts lay incomprehensible urges and unholy evil. In his work, the sunny American Dream and its nightmare subconscious were conjoined and inseparable, each unimaginable without the other.’

Blue Velvet for example was ‘a subversive coming-of-age tale in which the boyish naïf played by Kyle MacLachlan falls under the spell of a sexually masochistic chanteuse (Isabella Rossellini) and her brutal gangster lover (Dennis Hopper), it was wide-eyed and wondrous one moment, deeply disturbing the next.’

‘The movie haunts like a Freudian spectrograph of the country’s soul.’

 According to ADB his first film which won awards was about an abused, bed-wetting boy who grew a kindly grandmother from a seed.

 Despite the nightmares permeating his movies and creative subconscious he claimed to have had a happy childhood, albeit constantly moving because of his father’s job as a research scientist in agriculture.

 Born 20 January 1946 3am Missoula, Montana, he had a sharp-witted, communicative Capricorn Sun Venus conjunction and Mercury in his 3^rd house opposition Mars Saturn in Cancer in his 9^th square a 12^th house Jupiter.  

 Mars Saturn can be a destructive energy and juxtaposed with an amplified Jupiter may have given him his sense of a two-tier life/society. Jupiterian success and sunny smiles on the the one hand and ruthless/perverted Saturn Mars on the other. His Uranus in his 8^th would also give him a doorway into deeper realities as would his 8^th house North Node.

 His 10^th house Virgo Moon conjunct his Midheaven suited him for a career that brought him into contact with the public  But being unaspected would give him a sense of disconnection with his environment initially at home and later with society. It would make him vulnerable and feel unsupported, perhaps one reason he ‘let in’ the horrors that lurked below the surface which most manage to blot out.

 The legendary Bob Dylan has been given a Hollywood biopic which has been rapturously received by the upmarket film critics. “A Complete Unknown: Timothée Chalamet embodies Bob Dylan’s once-in-a-generation coolness.

“The rocker is too mercurial a figure for a biopic to ever fully capture him – but this gorgeous film comes as close as you could hope.”

“For anyone under 75, Dylan’s greatest hits have always been heirlooms: somehow just there. Amid the recreated past, the movie restores a sense of how seismic they would originally have been.”

“Timothée Chalamet shines as a brusque and brattish Bob Dylan.”

  Dylan, born 24 May 1941 9.05 pm Duluth, MN, was awarded the the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016 “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”. His songs include Blowin’ in the Wind and The Times.

He has a Sun Venus in Gemini, a common sign amongst popular singers, with the Sun conjunct Jupiter and Uranus in Taurus, all in the 6^th house of work.  He’s got a stellium in Taurus – Saturn Moon in the performing 5^th plus Jupiter Uranus, all in an inspired, creative trine to Neptune and North Node in Virgo. His Mercury in Gemini conjunct his Descendant makes him a communicator; and Pluto in his 8^th sextile his Sun gives him depth and the ability to influence widely. His Sun also squares a 3^rd house Mars in Pisces, so he is assertive, can be get angry about issues.

 His super-star 22^nd Harmonic is strong; as is his literary 21H; and that curious 13^th Harmonic. ‘This number is associated with exploration, genius and breaking with the orthodox. It warns against the unknown and the unexpected. It requires adaptation to change to be successful.’

  Timothee Chalamet, 27 December 1995 9.16 pm Manhattan, NY, has a packed performing 5^th house with a Capricorn stellium of Sun, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Uranus  – with his Sun like Dylan conjunct Jupiter sitting late in the sign before.  Chalamet like Dylan has a Moon conjunct Saturn though in his case in Pisces and his Pluto in the 4^th has certain similarities to Dylan’s Pluto in the 8th.

 Dylan’s Jupiter Uranus is conjunct Chalamet’s Midheaven so definitely a lucky connection on the carer front.

  Their relationship chart has a composite Sun Jupiter conjunction in the 5^th which is also fortunate.

Michelle Obama was conspicuous by her absence from Jimmy Carter’s funeral and evidently does not intend to attend Trump’s Inauguration.  Reasons proffered in the media are that she does not do hypocrisy and refuses to put on a false smile to applaud a man who has directly insulted them and she thinks is a danger to democracy. Barack is reckoned to be a supporter of ‘unity’.  [LBJ’s “Better inside the tent p***ing out than outside pi**ing in.”]

  Michelle certainly harbours a strong hostility to Trump with an aggravated composite Saturn Venus opposition Mars in their relationship chart – with the composite Sun at 9 Aries catching the Solar Eclipses right through late 2024 and most of 2025 for rolling jolts plus another from tr Uranus square the composite Pluto before mid year.

 Her Saturn (Moon) in Aquarius opposes DT’s bombastic Mars in Leo and her Capricorn Sun opposes DT’s Saturn – aggravating and chilly.

 Barack and Trump’s relationship chart has a forced acceptance composite Saturn trine Pluto; and a suspicious, doubt-ridden, chilly composite Sun Uranus squaring a Saturn opposition Neptune. Not exactly cosy but the dislike is more battened down.

  Michelle is looking horror struck at the moment with tr Uranus opposition her Mars/Pluto midpoint till mid March; and has a frustratingly stuck trapped, fearful tr Pluto conjunct her Mars from this March on and off till late 2026. Plus a confused, devastating SA Pluto conjunct her Neptune in 2027.

 Barack has his Solar Arc Midheaven conjunct his Jupiter in coming months so looks less stressed; though tr Uranus moving into his 4^th house before mid 2025 will be unsettled domestically and where the family is concerned. He does look emotionally on edge with tr Uranus moving to conjunct his 4^th house Gemini Moon in 2026/27; and even before then tr Neptune Saturn square his 5^th house Venus in Cancer from mid 2025 into 2026. Plus a considerably jolt where partnerships are concerned in 2026 from SA Mars square his 7^th house Uranus.

 He has tr Saturn heading for the nadir of his First Quadrant so he won’t be as motivated or ambitious as in the past and will be keen to step back and give personal matters more attention. 

  There’s no verified birthtime for Michelle though Starkman puts it at 1.56am which puts her at a different phase of life career-wise to Barack. But she also has a few emotional ups and downs coming with tr Uranus square her Moon (?) soon and then square her 4^th house Venus after mid 2025.

 There could be strains on their relationship through this year and the next several, with their composite Venus opposition Sun square Saturn feeling the full weight of tr Pluto hard aspects through till late 2029. Plus aggravations this year with tr Uranus opposition the Mars and tr Uranus square the composite Pluto in 2026/27. So very rock n’ roll and not in tune.  

A search for mother (or the experience of mother) in a birth chart will focus on the Moon house position and aspects and 10^th house planets.

 This is a quick skip round main features which can be amplified by reading elsewhere.

   Where the Moon falls house-wise is what brings nurturing and protection (the mothering energies). Different children born at different times in a marriage or in the mother’s changing circumstances will reflect on the children (and their chart), sometimes producing a radically different experience of the same mother to different siblings. Also the different temperaments of each child will sit comfortably or less so with the mother so where one child may feel accepted, another may feel rejected through no fault of their own.

Moon aspects:  A Moon aspected (conjunct, square, opposition) by Jupiter gives a rosy view of mother, perhaps because of lax boundaries or spoiling, over indulgence though tends to have a superficial feel. Mother feeds sweeties but not genuine deep affection. The adult child will have a tendency not to see the reality of mother/women and will resist looking at the shadow.   

Moon Saturn (Princess Anne and Queen Elizabeth 11) is an emotionally distant mother distracted by duty, responsibility and perhaps difficult circumstances, so instilling in the child a sense of discipline and an acceptance that hard work is expected.  

Moon Uranus is an unpredictable mother, can-feel-rejecting mother, sometimes there, sometimes not, which lays the ground for independence early on and a tendency to be restless, in need of constant change emotionally and domestically.

Moon Pluto is a possessive, controlling mother which is not felt as emotionally supportive but suffocating and results in emotions in the child being shut down and firewalled off from invasion – and defensively becoming over controlling themselves.

Moon Neptune is a mother lacking in psychological boundaries so the child finds it difficult to distinguish between ‘my’ feelings and ‘mother’s’ feelings and indeed others in adult life. Mother may be seen as needy, sick, weak or head-in-the-clouds.

Moon Mars is a mother who blocks assertion and anger, thus building up a reservoir of resentment and anger in the child who will react impatiently with women of all varieties in adult life.

Moon Venus, astrologer Richard Idemon described as ‘the poisoned apple’ – mother offering maternal affection with a streak of sexuality wrapped up in it.

Moon Chiron – the wound is the mother who may have been inadequate and like Moon Neptune tends to make the child more aware of others’ needs than their own which continues into adult life.

New Moon mother will result in the child seeing both parents as a single unit, or perhaps being brought up by a single parent who has to be both mother and father.

Sun opposition or square Moon – parents very different in temperament, almost incompatible and could be divorced, which leaves a lifelong struggle in the adult child to reconcile their masculine and feminine sides. What I want and what I ought to do are always at odds. It does find a resolution but usually only later in life.

An unaspected Moon gives a sense of disconnection, being detached, not at home, less demonstrative emotionally. Can feel vulnerable or unstable, not secure or supported.

Houses:  An 8^th house Moon suggests a grandparent (mother) was the one with whom there was the strongest maternal connection. An 11^th house Moon has mother as a friend rather than a parent/or friends acting as the main emotional support. A 9^th house Moon brings support from books and knowledge. A 12^th house Moon points to a mother who was emotionally absent during the gestation of the baby and who will struggle to form a strong bond after birth. A 3^rd house Moon brings mothering from siblings or mother feels like a sister. A 4^th house Moon suggests that the wider family and sense of roots is what offers emotional security. A 2^nd house Moon – mother and attitudes to to money are intimately connected. A 6^th house Moon can bring a connection between emotional states and physical stamina so mother may have been overly anxious or had health issues? A 5^th house Moon brings nurturing from children in adult life. 7^th house Moon maybe mother as partner rather than parent? Produces in adult life a need for security and support of a close partner.

Planets in the 10^th or the ruler of the sign on the cusp of the 10th –

Moon in the 10^th – mother who instils a need for outer acclaim, often found in politicians’ charts or in public careers.

Mars in the 10^th – assertive, ambitious, angry mother who engenders a competitive instinct in the adult child.

Jupiter in the 10^th – a flamboyant, drama queen mother, who instils confidence and brings luck in later life.

Saturn in 10^th – disciplinarian mother, instils a work ethic, but not good for relaxing or playing, pays off in later life in success.

Uranus in 10^th – zany, erratic, changeable mother, not good for stability or reliability but suits the adult child for an exciting, changeable career.

Neptune in 10^th – a mother who needs support and sympathy, suits adult child for either the healing professions or creative ones.

Pluto in 10^th – a controlling mother who once her domination is escaped produces a strong personality in the adult which can make for a career of influence, though there will always be an issue around power and control.

Celebrity examples are not always a good guide to ordinary living or psychology but the Kardashian family do give some pointers.

Mama Kris Kenner 5 November 1955 6.42 am San Diego, CA has a determined Sun and Saturn in Scorpio straddling her Ascendant with a flamboyantly confident, ambitious and controlling Jupiter Pluto in her 10^th house of career.

 Of the five girls –

Kourtney, 1979, an Aries, has Neptune in the 10^th and an 11^th house Capricorn Moon square Mars in Aries, trine Saturn – not a great chemistry with mother who comes across as needy (Neptune in 10^th) as well as cold, overly-hard-working and unfair in her expectations.

Kim, 1980, despite being a Sun Libra, is the closest to mother in career aspirations with Jupiter conjunct her Midheaven and Saturn in her 10^th as well. Her 4^th house Pisces Moon opposes Jupiter so she’ll see Kris through rose-coloured glasses although a hint of the workaholic mother comes through in Moon opposition Saturn and trine Uranus.

Khloe, 1984, a Sun Cancer with Mars Saturn in Scorpio, she has unpredictable Uranus conjunct her midheaven for a restless, changeable mother who would feel abandoning at times. Her 4^th house Moon opposes Neptune for a mother with too few boundaries who needed nurturing herself.

Kendall, 1995, a Scorpio, with a highly-strung Uranus Neptune in Capricorn in her 10^th has a 12^th house Aries Moon trine an 8^th house Pluto Venus and widely Mars. Mother at an awkward time in her life, very wound up with intergenerational issues flooding in.

Kylie, 1997, an 8^th house Leo Sun with a 10^th house Scorpio Moon square Uranus Jupiter and her Sun.

 The first two children had the more Saturnine mother perhaps struggling to make a career for herself and she mellowed as she grew older and became more successful. The sense across all five is of a surprisingly needy mother who required her children to mirror her (rather than the other way round) and give her a stronger sense of identity. Their success became her prize.

 The all-time horror mother was Natalie Wood’s stage mother who put her through nightmares as a child star to achieve success for mother rather than herself. Natalie, 20 July 1938 11.16 am San Francisco, had her Cancer Sun conjunct a ruthless Mars Pluto conjunction all in the 10^th and square a Taurus Moon. It’s a miracle she lived as long as she did.

From previous posts. In search see: Moon Pluto,  Moon Uranus,  Moon Neptune,  Moon Saturn,  Moon Mars in different posts from a year or so ago.

Please add below. Older posts under News on top bar or in Search

Never was the financial panic afflicting the UK more clearly marked than on Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England’s term chart. He accompanied Rachel Reeves on her bizarre trip to China which accomplished meagre returns.

  Taking up office on 16 March 2020, his administration chart has a triple whammy of undesirables at the moment – Solar Arc Mars conjunct Pluto for trapped, scary, stuck; SA Pluto conjunct Saturn for equally blocked and deprived, mountainous obstacles; and SA Saturn square Uranus for tensions and outbursts.

  Born 30 March 1959, he has an Aries Sun Mercury in the line of fire of the Solar Eclipses covering late 2024 and most of 2025 for rolling crises; plus a devastating/meltdown SA Pluto conjunct his Neptune this year as well. He will get a lucky break when tr Uranus opposes his Jupiter after mid 2025 and into 2026 squares his Pluto – which may mean a change of chancellor or change of direction for him personally.

 His relationship chart with Chancellor Rachel Reeves was destined to come together in a time of high crisis with a yod of Pluto sextile Neptune inconjunct Mars – and that is being rattled on two legs by the eclipses on the Pluto, tr Uranus opposing the Neptune; plus tr Saturn Neptune opposing the Jupiter Uranus composite conjunction from mid 2025 into 2026.

  The Bank of England, 27 July 1694 JC, similarly is being assailed by an undermining, loss-making tr Neptune Saturn opposition the zero degree Mars in Libra from April 2025 into 2026 at which point Neptune Saturn square the financial Venus. 2025 also has an uncertain tr Neptune square the Saturn February to early March 2025. Confidence will return into 2026 and towards 2027 and beyond.

 Evidently the next major test comes on March 26 this year, when the Office for Budget Responsibility, the official economic watchdog, publishes its Spring Forecast. An emergency Budget cannot be ruled out and she may have to cut her spending plans. ‘Her decision to increase borrowing by £30 billion a year is looking increasingly reckless.’

  March 26 is when tr Uranus is back at 24 Taurus squaring RR’s Sun for a major jolt. When tr Uranus moves into Gemini in July 2025 she’s into major catastrophe zone. And that repeats into 2026. Her relationship with Starmer is under stress at the moment with tr Uranus opposing the composite Saturn exactly now to mid March and tr Neptune opposing the Pluto throughout 2025. But the critical time is probably from July onwards with tr Uranus opposing the Neptune, Sun and into 2026 the Venus.

 Previous sterling crises have occurred with some repeating astro-themes. Black Wednesday 16 September 1992 had tr Pluto conjunct the SA Mars conjunct the financial 2^nd house Neptune; and SA Saturn conjunct Pluto; SA Uranus square the UK Sun.

The 1976 sterling crisis is similar to this one given it happened with the Solar Arc Neptune exactly conjunct the 8^th house Mars; tr Pluto was square the UK Sun, SA Saturn was conjunct the financial Venus in the speculative 5^th house; and tr Uranus was conjunct the SA Mars.

  This time round once the Solar Arc Uranus crosses over the 8^th house Mars in 4 months and will be out of the same degree in six months after which the situation may start to ease.

  Although tr Uranus will square the UK Pluto in 2026 for an upheaval and reset and tr Neptune Saturn will oppose the UK Uranus from mid 2025 into 2026 for additional worries, it was also expected/hoped that the UK would settle once tr Uranus moved out of the 8^th house which is around 2026/27. The unsettled phase from 2021 as tr Uranus rattled up the UK’s four Fixed planets will be over. And tr Pluto is heading to exit the 4^th house which has made the years since 2013 challenging and troublesome at an internal domestic level.

Mark Zuckerburg’s decision to stop fact checking on Meta/Facebook and cosy up to the new Trump administration is causing frissons of alarm.

 With Zuckerburg’s Taurus Sun sitting exactly on Trump’s Midheaven it might seem like a match made in heaven for progress with joint ambitions; with MZ’s Jupiter falling on DT’s Descendant which for a nanosecond may give an illusion of mutual support. Though if/when it goes sour it will turn into rivalry and clashing egos. MZ’s Sun opposition Mars in Scorpio does collide with DT’s Mars in Leo and MZ’s Saturn in Scorpio falls on DT’s IC so it is not exactly a warm and comforting combo. 

  Their relationship chart will hit a few humps and bumps as tr Saturn opposes their composite Uranus, Saturn, Pluto and square Venus now till early March 2025. But it is the composite Mars which is worth focusing on since it will catch the March Aries Solar Eclipse in opposition which may lead to a few eruptions thereafter.  There may be some light relief from July with tr Uranus opposition the composite Jupiter.

 MZ’s personal chart, 14 May 1964, hints at a fair amount of Uranian turbulence ahead as it is conjunct his Sun after mid March for three weeks; and rattles up a couple of his Mars midpoints from this May onwards. His Neptune in Capricorn also won’t appreciate tr Saturn Neptune in square from late April into 2026 bring uncertainty and disappointment.

 One intriguing future influence is his Progressed Mars moving to direct motion and then to square his Saturn – without a birth time it is not possible to time exactly. But this will bring a leap forward of significant proportions followed by a major major setback.

  Of the odd bunch surrounding Trump, tr Uranus into Gemini would seem to be one trigger for upheavals, causing tensions between DT and Thiel from this July. The DT/Musk relationship is already under uncertain influences with tr Neptune square the composite Saturn Sun now and on and off till early 2026; tr Uranus causing explosions of impatience now in opposing the Mars now till mid March 2025; and upsetting the applecart by 2026/27.

 Musk and Dominic Cummings is a definite no-no with serious dislike which is worsening from mid 2025 onwards. Ditto Musk and Bannon and Thiel.

 Zuckerburg and Musk, between whom there is no love lost at the best of times, will hit major problems in 2026 and on with tr Saturn Neptune square the composite Mars and tr Uranus conjunct the composite Venus.

 It’ll be like trying to herd feral cats keeping this lot in line with their master’s bidding.

Coping with overwhelming crisis in a time of chaotic uncertainty and constant diverse conflicts requires the ability to stand back from the melee. Either taking a historical perspective – ‘we have lived through worse before’ and ‘this too will pass because it always has done.’ Or going inwards – ‘if you can’t sort the world’s problems you can sort yourself.’

  Attention is being drawn to the writings of Renaissance philosopher Michel de Montaigne, born as Pluto moved into Aquarius in 1533, a time when the Reformation upended Europe, Cortés conquered New Spain, civil war engulfed France and Suleiman the Magnificent brought Islam to the gates of Vienna.

“He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears.”

  His essays promoted the idea that man must discover his own nature in order to live with others in peace and dignity.  His approach made him a favourite with Virginia Woolf, Friedrich Nietzsche, Gore Vidal and Lord Byron.

  He was born 28 February 1533 JC 11.30 am Chateau de Montaigne, France, and had his Pisces Sun in his 10^th house conjunct Neptune in late Pisces. His Pluto in Aquarius was in his 8^th conjunct Mars and widely Venus, all square his Taurus Moon. Such a powerful 8^th house tied into his Moon would not make him easy to live with but would bring him influence. His Mercury in Aquarius was in his communicative and optimistic 9^th house sextile Jupiter; with his Jupiter in turn in a hopeful square to Neptune. He also had Saturn conjunct Uranus sitting on his Cancer Ascendant which at best made him an original thinker though it could give him a tendency to obstinacy.  

QUOTES:

“My life has been full of terrible misfortunes most of which never happened.”

“The value of life lies not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them… Whether you find satisfaction in life depends not on your tale of years, but on your will.”

“Lend yourself to others, but give yourself to yourself.”

“I know well what I am fleeing from but not what I am in search of.”

“He who establishes his argument by noise and command shows that his reason is weak.”

“Nothing is so firmly believed as what we least know.”

“There is no passion so contagious as that of fear.”

“Not being able to govern events, I govern myself.”

“I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly.”

“The most certain sign of wisdom is cheerfulness.”

“The truth of these days is not that which really is, but what every man persuades another man to believe.”

   “Freedom of will is the ability to do gladly that which I must do.” Carl Jung’s paradoxical maxim can be seen as a motivational urge to make the best of a bad situation by wearing a happy smile. Or at a more profound level as an encouragement to accept who you are and live that out with enthusiasm.

 Gauquelin’s work with astrology indicated, as I recollect, that the most successful were those who lived out their birth charts most fully. Which resonates with another of Jung’s thoughts “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”  Stay unconscious and you’ll be buffeted by outer events for which you are seemingly not responsible but in some mysterious way are part of who you are.

Patterns of life fascinate me and more the older I get. How seemingly random life experiences happen again and again. Even with growth of self-awareness (and consciousness) there seems to be no escaping some level of repetition – which can usually be found in the chart if the individual is keen to know the whys and wherefores.

  The birth chart lays out personal temperament, psychological dynamics and the pattern of a life. It does not pin point what can best be described as ‘grace’ or in different parlance level of soul evolution. Or the level of conscious versus unconscious that operates within the individual’s life.

  Accepting the hand of cards you were handed at birth, reflected in the birth chart, would appear to be the way to fulfilment. Which means kicking envy (they are richer than me) and regret (I never won Wimbledon) to one side and becoming fully invested in who you have the potential to be – i.e not designed to make mega-millions or be a sporting superstar. Be yourself.   

  But can you ‘choose’ to become conscious? I have never been able to decide whether that is a choice or not, since some individuals are predisposed to be curious and dig for answers where others have a different temperament and are content/resigned to plough the same furrow without scratching the surface or plumbing the deeper mysteries.  Indeed there is an argument that the glue which holds society together are the less-than-fully-conscious ones since they offer cohesion, structure and stability. While the constantly-questioning ones threaten to upset the applecart. Of the latter variety, some become trailblazers and inspired leaders, while others are creative or troublemakers.

   Harsh influences accompanying challenging experiences bring positive results? Positive change usually only comes through pressure – not quite as extreme as a breakdown means breakthrough but heading in that direction. There was an intriguing hypothesis by Julian Jaynes in his Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind book which posited that major climactic crises and natural disasters two/three thousand years ago caused significant changes and advances in human consciousness.

  Some temperaments come alive in moments of high stress and sink into a gloom when life become settled and calm. Squares in a birth chart teach resourcefulness and resilience. Too many trines/sextiles don’t. Life and psychology are complicated.

  Astrology while it does not have all the answers has more than enough to make it invaluable. The only explanation I have ever seen which even touches on a possible explanation is an analogy with theoretical physicists David Bohm’s thoughts on an implicate universe which unfolds into the explicate order. The implicate universe which is a realm of potentials and possibilities is what astrology taps into and that unfolds in a variety of possible ways into external reality, but within the constraints of the underlying pattern – if that makes sense.

  Sun sign astrology though simplistic can be astonishingly accurate in terms of temperamental inclinations, including the signs which distrust astrology or say they do. Top of the list would be Taurus – maybe too earthy and practical to be drawn into what feel like mystical realms. But also I suspect more to do with Taurus’ underlying drive which is for power. They dislike the idea that they are not masters of their own fate. When the truth is we are and we aren’t.

  My remedy for most lives it to find a context which suits your temperament (and chart). If you have a substantially Cardinal chart you are a sprinter, not a marathon runner and have an overdose of resourcefulness and initiative. Find a lifestyle with frequent new starts and variety.

  All Fixed? Go for an unchanging lifestyle where you are ploughing the same furrow for ever. Periods of change are inevitable and will cause strain.

Too much Mutable – blown around like a feather in a strong wind, you need to find a calm centre out of which to operate and be grateful for your ability to be flexible and fit in with prevailing trends.

  Heavy Mars Pluto or Mars Uranus aspects – you won’t turn yourself into a suburban plodder no matter how hard you try. You need crises, excitement, thrills and risk otherwise you’ll constantly be creating disasters just to feel alive.

 Random thoughts.  Astrology works in its own peculiar way and has some limitations but used sensibly it will bring more freedom to act not less.

ADD ON:  Astrology has traditionally been associated with the planet Uranus, named after Ouranos the sky god, castrated by his children and thus not of the biology. Uranus is also associated with the Greek mythological figure of Prometheus, (from ancient Greek possibly meaning “forethought”). He is best known for defying the Olympian gods by taking fire from them and giving it to humanity in the form of technology, knowledge and, more generally, civilization.

 Although astrology is lumped into the paranormal it is the most rational of the ‘unexplained’ domains of knowledge. Clairvoyance, spiritualism etc I would class as Neptunian. Astrology based (simplistically) on number crunching is a more cerebral method.

  The following may be an obscure not to say obtuse explanation but it makes sense to me. I worked in television at a time when film (Neptunian) became obsolete and digital (Uranian) came in.  It caused sadness since there is a magic about a film (Neptunian) image, a lustre/aura that cannot be dissected (= put into words) – it defies rationality. Whereas a digital (Uranian) image, made up of thousands of pixels, can be broken down.  Digital (Uranus) belongs to the rational world of numbers and words – and produces a similar though less incandescent image.  

 The difference between Neptune, (the dream-maker), and Uranus (the knowledge-bringer) in this instance is subtle but clear.

 Astrology is hugely complex and has to contend with a realm of possibilities not certainties. Complexity and fluidity may seem irritatingly chaotic and confused but such is life and human psychology.

Anthony Hopkins who lost his home in the Palisades fire issued a zen-like message of stoic calm in the aftermath.

“As we all struggle to heal from the devastation of these fires, it’s important we remember that the only thing we take with us is the love we give.”

  Born 31 December 1937 9.15 am Port Talbot, Wales, he has his Sun, Mercury, Venus in Capricorn in his creative, self-protective 12^th house with a determined Jupiter opposition Pluto . His Neptune in the 8^th (a frequent movie star placing) opposes Saturn and squares a Sagittarius Moon. At the moment his Solar Arc Moon in Pisces is exactly opposition his Neptune, moving through his 2^nd house of personal finances as is transiting Saturn. So it will be a substantial financial hit just at a time he no doubt thought he could take it easier on the earning front.

 Tr Neptune is moving to conjunct his 2^nd house Saturn throughout 2025 and tr Saturn won’t exit his 2^nd house for another two years – so it will be an uncertain time. Tr Uranus is also hovering over his IC on the cusp of his 4^th house which suggests upheavals at home. Plus his Solar Arc Mars is conjunct his 4^th house South Node at the moment

  But he also has tr Pluto conjunct his Jupiter through 2025 so he will cope with renewed vigour and drive.

 The previous fire which badly damaged his then London home when he was away in January 2000 happened when his Progressed Moon in Pisces was also moving through his 2^nd house and rattling up his Saturn opposition Neptune square Moon – so that does seem a sensitive trigger point in his chart. In 2000 as well tr Saturn was conjunct his SA Mars conjunct his Uranus which is much more descriptive of a disaster event.

 His Mutable Grand Cross of Saturn opposition Neptune square Moon opposition Chiron would seem to suggest a life pattern of constant flux where Moon areas of home are concerned. Which is emphasised by a 4^th house South Node. Sliding back into home and a self-protective nest will be tempting but is not his destiny.

Mel Gibson, 3 January 1956 4.45pm Peekskill, New York, has more obviously catastrophic influences with tr Uranus opposition his Mars in Scorpio exactly now and heading to oppose his Saturn in Scorpio and square his Pluto throughout 2025 to early 2026. Tr Pluto will also be conjunct his SA Mars throughout 2025/26 so it will be a frustrating time.

 Billy Crystal, 14 March 1946 7.48am New York, has a fair amount of activity hitting his Taurus Moon though more in the aftermath – and tr Uranus opposition his Chiron soon as well.  His SA Mars will oppose his Moon in coming months and tr Pluto will square his SA Mars Saturn for several years ahead. His SA Neptune is also conjunct his Jupiter which will undermine his optimism and often has negative financial implications. 

Paris Hilton, 17 February 1981 2.30am New York, has her Jupiter Saturn in Libra conjunct her Midheaven catching last October’s Solar Eclipse and next March’s Aries Eclipse. Her Solar Arc Pluto is also square his Mars for an act of violence, ruthless energy slowing her progress. Her Progressed Mars is also conjunct her Solar Arc Sun Mercury in her 4^th exactly now – which will pile on the pressure.

  The effect on each individual is likely to vary depending on whether they had insurance, had other homes and how invested they were temperamentally in having a solid domestic foundation to their lives.