A dreary not to say sleazy start to 2022 with the news headlines awash with the fall-out from Jeffrey Epstein as well as covid confusion and questionable, if not downright, corrupt politicking in various quarters.

  A Ghislaine Maxwell re-trial doesn’t bear thinking about after a screw-up by an idiot juror. And Prince Andrew’s Virginia Giuffre case is heading inexorably towards trial unless he settles out of court. Latest reports say mama has opted out and he is footing his own legal bill and will bear any damage payout himself.

   It’s all been said before but there are a couple of astrological oddities worth pondering over as well as reflecting on the full horror of Virginia Giuffre’s story.

  Virginia Giuffre, born 9 August 1983 5.52 am Sacramento, California, came from a troubled home, aged 7 was molested by a family friend, ended up living on the streets as a 13 year old, then in foster homes, was abused by a 65-year-old sex trafficker, who was later imprisoned for alien smuggling for prostitution. She returned to live with her father aged 14, who was a maintenance manager at Mar-a-Lago. Virginia helped out and met Ghislaine Maxwell there  when she was 16 and was offered a potential job working for Epstein as a traveling masseuse with the assurance that no experience was necessary.

Between 2000 and 2002, Giuffre travelled between Epstein’s residences in Palm Beach and Manhattan, (his New Mexico ranch  and island Little Saint James, being trafficked, she said in a TV interview by Epstein to provide massages and sexual services for him and a number of his business associates over a two-and-a-half-year period.

  Beyond horrible childhood and it’s a testament to the ability of the human spirit to survive that she’s upright and smiling at all.

  The barbarity and cruelty of her childhood are well reflected in her Saturn Pluto conjunction square Mars in Cancer which suggests early experiences of being trapped, scared witless not just of sexual abuse but also being killed/destroyed. What she puts upfront is a sunny appearance with a 1^st house Leo Sun and Moon; and she does have a lucky, adventurous Jupiter Uranus in Sagittarius conjunction in a superficially charming square to Venus.

   What caught my eye was the late Cardinal degrees of her Mars in Cancer square Saturn Pluto in Libra since Prince Andrew has his Venus Mars in Capricorn closely in opposition to her Mars and square her Saturn Pluto. Ghislaine Maxwell has her Saturn in Capricorn ditto.

  Epstein himself had Saturn in late Libra conjunct Neptune hooking in as well with his Sun opposition Giuffre’s Mars. Other names who were Epstein associates – Alan Dershowitz has his Venus at 25 Libra;  Donald Trump his Venus at 25 Cancer conjunct his Saturn; Bill Gates has his Neptune at 28 Libra. 

The Sabian meaning for 27/28 Capricorn is ‘an aviary’ = birds of a feather flock together and troublesome gossip. Alex Acosta, the US attorney for Florida, who signed the ludicrously lenient deal with Epstein initially and had to resign over it eventually has his Capricorn Sun at 28 Capricorn.

Rudi Guiliani, another social buddy of Epstein has his North Node at 28 Cancer. Wilbur Ross has his Jupiter at 25 Capricorn. Even Sarah Ferguson, Andrew’s not-quite-ex has her Mars at 25 Libra conjunct her Sun.

  The other connecting astro-link is Virginia Giuffre’s 26 degree Leo Moon which is exactly the degree of Bill Clinton’s Sun and indeed exactly the same as Donald Trump’s and Alan Dershowitz’s Mars in Leo. Bill Gates Jupiter Pluto are closely conjunct as well. Epstein’s Pluto is conjunct Virginia’s Sun and Moon; Ghislaine Maxwell’s Moon North Node are conjunct Virginia’s Sun. Maxwell and Prince Andrew’s Pluto are conjunct Virginia’s Venus.

  It doesn’t prove anything but it is a fascinating cross over of energies of people who were all drawn into Epstein’s corrupt and unsavoury ambit.

  Virginia looks exceptionally stressed from early this February onwards with tr Pluto opposition her Mars and square her Saturn Pluto, running off and on till late 2023.   

Tennis world No. 1 Novak Djokovic is locked up in an Australian refugee detention hotel over the weekend in deportation limbo after his visa was rejected. He claimed medical exemption for entry though it is not known on what grounds, apart from speculation that he used the excuse of a bout of Covid six months ago. In the past he has said he was anti-vaccination and his wife appears to support 5G-Covid conspiracy theories.  

The Serbian star flew to Melbourne to defend his Grand Slam title and his initial exemption raised sharp criticism in Australia, where more than 90 per cent of over-16s are doubled jabbed. Fellow player Rafael Nadal said he wouldn’t be in the predicament he’s in right now if he was vaccinated, and had to live with the ‘consequences’ of his choices.

  Born 22 May 1987 11.25pm Belgrade, Serbia, he has a Gemini Sun in his attention-seeking, game-playing 5^th house. His pro-active, excitable Aries Moon is conjunct his North Node squaring onto a 12^th house Neptune in a publicity-attracting opposition to  Mars in the 6^th. He evidently has mild asthma and gluten intolerance, is mainly vegan and adheres strictly to alternative medicine. Which fits with a highly-strung and hyper-emotional Moon tied into Mars in the 6^th.

   He also has two other oppositions of a charming, though manipulative Pluto in Scorpio in the opinionated 9^th opposition Venus in Taurus; and Mercury opposition Saturn Uranus in Sagittarius – Saturn Uranus does tend to kick against limitations on freedom and can be dictatorial.

  At the moment he has tr Saturn moving below his Ascendant into his lower profile, less successful quadrant since late 2019. This can take time to have an impact for those whose careers run on ego and determination but he will find it increasingly hard to keep up the level of energy or results he had prior to 2020.

  His finances look sound for this year with tr Jupiter moving through his financial 2^nd house until May this year. But Saturn hovering on the cusp of his 2^nd and staying there till 2025 will cut his income back.  Not that he’ll be looking for breakfast any time soon since he has multiple commercial interests.

  At the moment his Progressed Moon is exactly opposition his 12^th house Neptune, tugging on his health-related Mars. Tr Uranus is about to move across his IC into his 4^th from April this year onwards staying there for several years ahead, which may see him uprooting and moving house – but given that he appears to have several spread around the world, it may be more a change of direction career-wise that soaks up the influence.

  His 2022

is a mix of highs and lows with a few lucky breaks through this month. He’ll be in a mood of bullish confidence bringing successful results and money from March onwards on and off till late 2023 as tr Pluto is conjunct his Jupiter/Pluto midpoint – though it can also bring clashes with authorities for assuming rules don’t apply to him. He also has the disaster-prone tr Neptune opposition his Mars/Saturn midpoint from late May 2022, on and off into 2023, which can accompany ill health. Tr Neptune is also in a worrisome, highly-strung square to his Neptune at the same time.

  His chart does not sit comfortably with the Australia chart. The AU rigid and rule-oriented Sun Saturn in Capricorn is conjunct Djokovic’s 12^th house ditzy Neptune and the AU North Node opposes Djokovic’s Sun; with the AU’s Sagittarius planets and late Gemini planets clashing with Djokovic’s Mercury opposition Saturn Uranus.

 The relationship chart has a tussle-for-the-upper-hand composite Jupiter opposition Pluto; and a differing-agenda composite Sun square Uranus and Saturn.  Not a comfortable mix.  

The belated knighthood given to Tony Blair in an elevation to the Order of the Garter in the New Year Honours has aroused fury with more than 500,000 signatures on a petition to stop it. Anti-war campaigners described it as a “kick in the teeth” for the people of Iraq and Afghanistan, and military mothers have threatened to return Elizabeth Crosses, a form of recognition given to bereaved families. The 2016 Chilcot report found that Blair had exaggerated the threat of Saddam Hussein having weapons of mass destruction and joined the Iraq invasion before peaceful options had been exhausted.

   Blair has had to wait fourteen years for his titles customarily given to ex-prime ministers though Ted Heath had to wait 18 years. Appointments to the garter are a gift of the Queen and are made without political advice. Harold MacMillan turned his down twice and Blair doing the same would have been in line with his ‘modernising’ beliefs when in No 10. Alas the ego in an unhappy retirement could not let go the prize of a prestigious, medieval, religious and monarchical Order of the Garter.

  Born 6 May 1953 6.10am Edinburgh, Scotland, his over-confident, indulgent and money-magnet Jupiter in Taurus caught the late November 2021 Lunar Eclipse. Jupiter on an Eclipse can bring luck but also challenges involving trust and untrustworthiness. It repeats in 2022 along with the other Eclipses which will rattle his Sun.

  More pointedly the tr Uranus square tr Saturn is bouncing off his ‘public career’ 10^th house Aquarius Moon with more jolts in February; and two of his Jupiter and two Mars midpoints are also being rattled every which way with losses and setbacks into spring.

  Tr Pluto is also conjunct his Midheaven this month and again later in the year which can damage status and reputation and block career progress. Plus tr Uranus is moving off his Moon to conjunct his Sun from May onwards, following tr Saturn’s sobering square to his Sun late this month into February. His 4^th house Pluto will also catch tr Saturn oppositions this year and tr Uranus squares in 2023. Upheavals, disruptions and bumps along the road with hints from the universe about the need for long overdue changes – which is Fixed Sun Moon, Pluto and Jupiter will resist.

  He’s already been through a punishing few years since 2016 with his Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his Neptune, then his Saturn and finally opposition his Mercury last year and ongoing at the moment and through this year. So the fallout has been unrelenting.  And it won’t let up with his Solar Arc Sun aiming to square his Neptune Saturn in 2023/24; along with a ‘collision’ Solar Arc opposition his 10^th house Moon in 2023. Then his progressed Mars is square his Neptune Saturn in 2025/26.

  He won’t escape a reckoning on his past misdeeds for a very long time to come.

Despite anxious rhetoric about Iran’s aggressive intentions towards the west, the state of their crumbling economy doesn’t suggest they are in any position to gear up their war machine. The inflation rate is running at a staggering 35% by last month and that is down on earlier in the year. Food prices are up by 70% on last year. But with a new hardline president Ebrahim Raisi in place, there seems little hope of compromising with the USA to remove economic sanctions.

  Both the Revolutionary Iran 1 February 1979 chart and the democracy 7 October 1906 chart have significant Neptune transits indicating a lacklustre, worrisome, non-progressive 2022 and 2023. The 1979 chart points to a consistently undermining few years from 2024 to the end of the decade.  The 1906 chart will slump in 2022, run into major obstacles into 2023 and financial losses by 2025.

  The Bank of Iran, 18 August 1960, follows the same pattern with tr Neptune square the Jupiter which usually flags financial and economic hopes collapsing; with worse in 2023 though there will be a concerted push to turn the situation round in 2023/24, which will only have partial success.

  Ebrahim Raisi, a frontrunner to replace the 82-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was sworn in on August 5^th this year as President, replacing the more moderate two-term Hassan Rouhani. His inauguration completes hard-liners’ dominance of all branches of government.

  His Sagittarius Sun is catching the tr Neptune square throughout 2022 which doesn’t suggest a firm grip on Iran’s problems. By 2024 his Solar Arc Saturn and then Mars will square his Sun for major setbacks running on for two or three years.

  His Term chart will be shaken and rattled this year with the Fixed T square of Sun Mercury opposition Saturn square Uranus being detonated by tr Uranus – for a bumpy ride where forced change will be the order of the day. With a calamity or several from later April onwards and more serious disruptions in 2023.

  Joe Biden’s chart relocated to Teheran puts his determined Mars in Scorpio exactly on his Descendant and square his Pluto in the 4^th – so he won’t be budging. The USA relationship chart with Iran 1979 will be pressured in 2022/23 with tr Pluto square the composite Sun and sagging badly in 2024.  The EU also looks discontented with Iran in 2022 and re-setting diplomatic relations altogether in 2023/24 with a considerable upset.

Such a shame for a wonderfully cultured, civilized and highly educated country – as it was despite the Shah’s secret police etc.

As 2022 gets under way China’s dream of becoming the global economy’s No 1 is fading. “The east is rising, the west is declining” is the communist party mantra but the regime’s commitment to zero Covid, plus a property market bust are putting a spanner in the dragon’s works. The USA is expected by economists to out-grow China in 2022, reversing the order of the past two decades. India also outgrew China in 2021. Doomsayers have been prophesying a China dip for years but analysts says ‘this time is different’ with the risk of a deeper and longer slowdown there. The result could be “a China-related negative shock to global activity.”

   The China 1 January 1912 chart, (which works better than the 1949 one on events) has a worrisome Solar Arc Neptune opposition Saturn exactly now so there’s a high-anxiety start to the year with restrictions chafing and causing unrest as tr Uranus is conjunct the Saturn. More concerning for the authorities will be the tr Pluto conjunct the Uranus from March on and off till late 2023, which will be disruptive, suggesting a significant change of direction and even rebellious protests.  There will be a few lucky breaks in June but followed by disastrous setbacks in July onwards. Where the real trouble kicks in will be 2023 to 2025 with a series of Neptunian sinkers and financial upsets; with the possibility of destructive quakes by 2025 and in the few years following.

  The China 1 October 1949 3.15pm chart, is just as jumpy this year with setbacks from tr Saturn opposition the Mars Pluto this month and next; and aggravations and upheavals from tr Uranus square the Mars Pluto in Leo from late this April on and off for a year. It could be trouble with neighbours, such as Taiwan or the downward drag of tr Saturn moving through its lower profile First Quadrant which picked up last year and sticks around for years to come. It also tugs on the China financial Venus which will make this year and next edgy on the economic as well as foreign relations fronts.

  The Bank of China chart 1 December 1948 looks stressed at the moment and in a state of upset with tr Uranus square its Pluto; though it is 2023 when mounting disadvantages and losses show up with the years between 2024 and 2026 being calamitous.

  Xi Jinping’s Term chart, 24 October 2017 12.30 pm has luck on its side with a Sun Jupiter conjunction but it will still find 2022 tormented and undermining with tr Neptune square the Saturn in addition to loss-making disruptions from two badly affected Jupiter midpoints. It will feel plagued by instability with tr Pluto square the Uranus through January and again late year; and be under considerable pressure in 2023 with plans failing and extreme frustration as obstacles mount. There will be an ebullient push in 2024/25 but over-confidence may cause its own problems.

  His own personal chart, 15 June 1953,  follows much the same pattern with a lacklustre, indecisive 2022 from tr Neptune square his Gemini Sun; and jolts in 2023 from Solar Arc Uranus square his Sun as well. But it is 2025/26 which will test his grip with Solar Arc Saturn Neptune opposition his Mars and tr Saturn Neptune square.

  Interesting times indeed.

Jupiter, the expansive planet of high ideals, enthusiasm, confidence and luck moves through Pisces, sign of compassion, creativity and dreams every twelve years.  It was around earlier in 2021 from late May through June and July in Pisces, returned on the last days of December to stay until early May 2022, returning finally in November and December 2022.  It’s a more disjointed stay than usual with retrogrades on the cusp.

  The lazy interpretation would be soggy sentimentality, charitable largesse and spiritual growth though looking back on past occurrences it has coincided with less beneficent events – not all of which admittedly could be ascribed to this relatively minor influence.

1950:  Apartheid legislation was enacted in South Africa. Korean War starts, several avalanches in Europe kill 240.

1962: Cuban Missile crisis. 440 dead in Barcelona floods. Big Freeze in England for 3 months.

1986: Iran-Contra exposed.

1998: Andrew Wakefield’s medical hoax anti-vaxx paper.

2010: Iceland volcano. Deepwater Oil Spill. Stock Market crash.

  There were significant deaths –  Marilyn Monroe and Patsy Kline in 1962, Duke Ellington 1974.

  And positive new beginnings – Robert Schumann’s declaration sowing the seeds of the EU 1950; Coventry Cathedral consecrated 1962. Desmond Tutu became the first black Anglican bishop in South Africa, 1986. The Good Friday Agreement and the European Central Bank and euro currency 1998.

  There are also smatterings of spying scandals – from the Rosenbergs to wikileaks. The Argyll divorce and the Prince Andrew/Sarah Ferguson marriage were also Jupiter in Pisces events.

  The more obvious factor were memorable showbusiness starts, which makes sense of artistic, filmic and musical Pisces.

  In 1950 the Archers, the world’s longest running drama, piloted on BBC radio and is still running.

   In 1962 West Side Story wins the Oscar, the Rolling Stones make their debut, Johnny Carson takes over the Tonight Show for a 30 year stint. That Was The Week That Was, the hugely influential UK satirical TV comedy with David Frost launched.

In 1974 People magazine launches. Abba win Eurovision to launch their stratospheric career.

In 1986 Pixar animation was founded going on to win multiple awards in later years. Lorimar Pictures also launches to great success – Being There etc. Phantom of the Opera opens and later becomes Broadway’s longest running show.

1998 – Titanic becomes first $1 billion grossing movie. The first ipad is launched.

  Here’s looking forward to starry new beginnings.

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New Zealand gave 2022 a cautious welcome with Covid restrictions easing, having moved through a sombre few months recently with the Solar Arc Saturn squaring the Sun.

  That has now passed on but the country will still be facing significant challenges ahead which are not too obvious at the moment with the economy giving every indication of bouncing back. Tr Pluto will continue the pressured conjunction to the NZ Capricorn Sun through this month and again later in the year, but more portentously tr Pluto will conjunct the high-stress Sun/Mars midpoint in February and from March the frustrating, trapped Mars for a tough two years ahead. Indeed this is followed in 2023/2024 by tr Pluto square the NZ Pluto and then the NZ Uranus – so the whole phase from 2021 right through till 2026 will be ones of momentous change and disruption.

  The NZ Saturn will be rattled around by tr Uranus conjunct early February to mid March this year which will bring tensions to the surface, but that will be fairly minor disruption. Not all plans will work out as hoped this year and next with tr Pluto conjunct the Jupiter/Neptune midpoint; and 2023 will have an accident-prone or other setbacks from Solar Arc Saturn square the NZ Mars.  Since the 4^th house Mars is being targeted from several directions it will trigger a fair amount of domestic aggravation and anger.

  The Bank of New Zealand chart, 1 August 1934, points to a regressive year in 2021 with the Solar Arc square the Sun but that has now passed. The transiting Saturn will oppose the Sun and conjunct the Saturn from this March on and off till early 2023 which will have its moments of discouragement though this influence comes round not infrequently. The next significant astrological influences will be 2023/24 with tr Uranus square the Sun and Saturn; with a heavily restrictive tr Pluto square the Mars/North Node midpoint in 2023/24. Which fits the pattern of other central banks all showing strain as we move towards mid decade.

  Jacinda Ardern’s popularity rating is sliding but not disastrously so. Her Term chart from 6 November 2020 11 am will be jolted and jangled by the tr Saturn square tr Uranus hitting on the Sun in January and then April this year; and there will be a dreary slog from tr Pluto conjunct the Saturn continuing on from last year through to the year end.

  Her own personal chart, 26 July 1980, has the uncertain, undermining tr Neptune opposition her hard-working Saturn in Virgo throughout 2022 till early 2023. 2023 will also be lack lustre with her Solar Arc Neptune opposition her Sun and 2024 being a year of sudden upheavals for her.

  I’m sorry to be dramatic about the country’s transits ahead but they do point to a disruptive phase of considerable magnitude.  The previous times transiting Pluto was in hard aspect to the same planets were:

1938 and through WW11 with tr Pluto in Cancer in opposition. And in 1983 to 1988 with tr Pluto in Libra in square – though not much happened then that was overly obvious apart from a stock market crash at the end.  Part of this time round may be battling climate change.

The legendary Betty White whose TV career spanned eight decades, the longest uninterrupted career of any actor in television history which scooped her eight Emmy awards, has died just two weeks short of her 100^th birthday. She is best known for The Golden Girls but she moved from one groundbreaking performance to the next from early on, becoming one of the first women producers in Hollywood with the 1950s TV sitcom Life with Elizabeth which broke with convention in including a black performer at her insistence.

  She honed her image as a ditzy blonde through talkshows, gameshows, sitcoms and multiple autobiographies but the reality was a tough, savvy operator in the LA shark pond. She was cast in the The Mary Tyler Moore Show as a character who was sweetness and light in public but “vicious as a barracuda in private”. She played it to perfection.

  One commentator said: ‘While not an obvious trailblazer like Joan Rivers, White was a quiet revolutionary in her way – a gloved knife rather than a Rivers-like axe smashing down walls, whose onscreen jibes came with a sweet smile instead of a sneer.’

 She was born 17 January 1922 at 6.38 pm Oak Park, Illinois, was married three times, the last one a keeper, had no children and was a keen animal activist.

  Her practical and ambitious Capricorn Sun in the hard-working 6^th was conjunct a charming Venus and trine a Virgo Moon so keeping busy was what she did best. Her Sun Venus were also square Jupiter in fair-minded Libra in her 3^rd so she’d communicate easily and have an upbeat, enthusiastic approach. Where she got her grit and tenacity was a Water Grand Trine of Pluto trine a determined Mars in Scorpio trine Uranus. Water Grand Trines are creative and can be healing for others.

  Oddly enough PD James, the crime writer, born two years earlier had the same Grand Trine and she had a dark streak which isn’t as obvious in Betty White’s bouncy performances but she would need a core of titanium to survive as long as she did in television.

  Betty White’s Uranus was in her 7^th house of close relationships so she would find one-to-one commitment in marriage cramped her style and her first two attempts were short lived. Her North Node was also in Libra so her development would depend on her becoming less independent and self-sufficient. Her third husband, Allen Ludden, 5 October 1917 4pm Mineral Point, Wisconsin, felicitously had his Libra Sun conjunct her North Node so was able to make an enduring match. She described him as the love of her life. He did have an Air Grand Trine of his Libra Sun trine Jupiter Moon in Gemini trine Uranus which would key into her Jupiter which would smooth round problems. It was by no means an easy combination but there was enough Jupiter and Neptune in their relationship chart to swirl it in good feelings.

The Royals won’t put on as united a public front for Prince Andrew as the Maxwell siblings have done for Ghislaine. Even the Queen may be belatedly facing up to the fact that she’s reached, if not a point of no return, certainly a fork in the road where her allegedly favourite son is concerned.

  Her relationship chart with him is heavily Neptunian with the composite Sun opposition a Moon Neptune conjunction, so swirled in illusory hopes and unrealistic expectations. It took a hit when he was forced to exit his trade envoy job in 2011 after his dodgy Middle and Far Eastern political and financial connections were exposed as well as his friendship with Epstein. At that point tr Pluto was squaring the composite Moon and tugging on the composite Sun and Neptune.

   The tr Uranus square tr Saturn has recently been chipping away at their composite Midheaven Mars opposition Pluto  – with tr Saturn exactly conjunct the Midheaven at the moment. A serious reality check.

  Her own Moon at 12 degrees Leo is also being pounded by tr Saturn in opposition in early January and tr Uranus square in March, so she will feel under-supported and distressed.

  Prince Charles and Andrew were never bosom buddies with a competitive composite Sun Mars in their relationship chart; and a chilly composite Moon square Saturn. That latter is being walloped around by the tr Saturn square tr Uranus exactly now through till March as well.

  Prince William who harbours a strong dislike of his uncle Andrew will be involved in intense and perhaps bitter discussions from March onwards as he makes his view clear, presumably on the damage that having Andrew visible at Windsor is doing to the monarchy. The years between 2023 and 2026 will see William at his most determinedly hostile.

  Sarah Ferguson, the divorced but still financially supported/housed and 150% cheer-leading former wife, will find the sands shifting under her feet. Her relationship with Andrew is sagging badly from May this year onwards, with upsets mid year and on in similar fashion into 2023. A Royal watcher remarked recently that they are each other’s only support. And what lies ahead for her through 2023 to 2025 looks fairly dire with a poleaxing series of blocked, discouraging and aggravated Solar Arcs.

It’s sad to think of the Queen having to cope with this mess at her age, though perhaps if she’d sent him into exile years back, or been stricter about his dodgy connections, it would never have reached this point. And heaven knows she lived through Princess Margaret’s eye-curling loves and dissolute habits, never mind a couple of her uncles whose behaviour would have felled the monarchy decades back if there had been a more invasive media then.