Will do a look round at the  general year ahead when I have a moment; plus countries.  Keep cheerful.

New Zealand, like California, is feeling not just the winds of change but a full-on force 9 gale approaching. New Zealand became self-governing on 17 January 1853, so just two years after California became a state. The NZ chart has Sun Mars in late Capricorn square Pluto in Aries and Uranus in early Taurus. So there will be an extended period of upheaval and radical change as tr Uranus squares the Sun Mars and conjuncts Pluto in 2018; and then moves onto a Uranus return in 2019; followed in the early 2020s by tr Pluto conjunct Sun Mars and square Pluto. It will be fairly similar to the Depression of the 1930s which did hit NZ hard.

It may be partly economic because of Jacinda Ardern’s new centre-left government which has hit business confidence, with Forbes suggesting a recession is inevitable during her term. She is intent on re-asserting government controls which were lifted in the 1980s leading to unprecedented economic growth, and it became one of the richest countries in the world. Drought may also be an increasing problem as well as natural disasters.

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Tramping the Catalan secessionist movement under foot appears to be the Spanish government’s continuing tactic with murmurs that a fresh wave of arrests of nationalists may be unleashed. PM Rajoy stands accused of using the judiciary as a political tool. ‘The speed with which the justice system has responded to the Catalan crisis is in marked contrast to the glacial pace with which it is handling the hundreds of corruption cases involving members of the ruling Popular party.’ (Guardian). 19 of the elected candidates are in prison, on bail or in exile, and face charges that carry up to 30 years inside. An official report into the largely peaceful demonstrations organised by Catalan grassroots organisations in October described them as “sowing the seeds of hate towards the Spanish state”.

A bully-boy strategy is guaranteed to harden attitudes even amongst those Catalans who would favour a unified Spain. Memories of Franco’s dictatorial treatment of the region still rankle and there is a centuries-old dislike of Madrid in the north. Catalans versus Castilians – history never dies.

The Catalonia 11 May 1258 JC chart, is highly unsettled through 2018 with Solar Arc Saturn (forces of repression) conjunct the rebellious Catalonia Uranus; and an explosive tr Uranus opposition Mars from mid-2018 into 2019, with more emotional outbursts following.

The Spain 19 January 1479 JC chart seems to work better than the modern 1975 one. The Aquarius Sun and Jupiter in Taurus have been rattled by the 2017 Eclipses and will be again in 2018. Over confidence could be a problem ahead which what may precipitate the fast-downward slide it’ll hit from April 2018 till 2020 with tr Neptune conjunct Mars and opposition Saturn.

It poses a headache for the EU, not that they care much about democracy or secessionist movements. But relations with Spain are moving into a troubled period till 2020. In some ways more difficult than EU/UK relations. And that shows up both on the EU/Spain 1479 relationship chart as well as the EU/Spain 1975 one.

Politicians never learn. Like Palestine and the RCs in Northern Ireland. Treat them badly, when some turn violent out of frustration meet that with retaliating violence and so it escalates. When it would be perfectly simple in the case of Catalonia to give them more autonomy within a unified Spain and let it all settle down.  NB: PM Rajoy was Jesuit-educated, is pro-bullfighting and has had several corruption allegations made against him all denied and found unproven by the courts. Judges are political appointees.

California’s Thomas fire is now the largest blaze in the state’s history, wreaking havoc on an area greater than New York City, Brussels and Paris combined; and is still only 65% contained. Governor Jerry Brown says devastating wildfires are now the ‘new normal’. This recent outbreak follows a series of deadly fires in the CA wine country in October that burned more than 10,000 homes and killed more than 40 people.

California is facing one of its most tumultuous periods since the 1930s – the last time it underwent a Uranus Return on the state chart, 9 September 1850, which has an exact Uranus Pluto conjunction in last degree Aries. Although California was not the worst hit by the Great Depression, what altered its politics, religion and culture in the mid 1930s was the Dust Bowl migration of poor farmers, who moved in desperation from the prairies to work in agriculture, oil production and film making. Immortalised in John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath.

Through 2017/2018 tr Pluto is square the CA Saturn in Aries for bleak times and hardship; into 2018 tr Uranus will conjunct the CA Uranus Pluto from late April, on and off into early 2019, which will be a tremendous upheaval. There’s a downbeat Solar Arc Venus conjunct Saturn, around now as well as a disappointing and undermining Solar Arc Sun conjunct Neptune. Tr Neptune will oppose the CA Virgo Sun from May 2018 to late 2019 which will also be morale-sapping. And by 2020/21 the Solar Arc Saturn will conjunct the CA Mars for what could be another disaster. By 2023/24 tr Pluto will have caught up to square the CA Uranus Pluto for another series of radical changes.

The 1930s wasn’t a disaster for California since the film and other businesses were flourishing, but it certainly underwent a major transformation.

A tough chart needn’t mean a bad outcome if a demanding lifestyle is chosen. Rescuing violent gang members certainly qualifies. Father Gregory Boyle runs the largest and most successful gang rehabilitation and re-entry program in the world in Los Angeles. His Homeboy Industries supports 10,000 men and women a year, who are working to overcome their pasts, find a new future, and break the inter-generational cycles of gang violence. He has just published a new book Barking To The Choir, a follow-up to his earlier bestseller Tattoos on the Heart. “Gang violence is about a lethal absence of hope,” he says. “Nobody has ever met a hopeful kid who joined a gang.”

Born 19 May 1945, one of eight children, was ordained as a Jesuit, and after a stint in Bolivia settled to work in LA.

He has a late Taurus Sun widely trine Jupiter; Mars in Aries trine Pluto, sextiling onto an innovative Uranus; and Mars opposition Neptune square Saturn and North Node in Cancer; and a Virgo Moon. His Mercury in stubborn Taurus also squares Pluto. Mars Pluto Uranus connected even by sextiles and trines is an explosive mix – and he said in his younger days he used to get very angry. His Mars square Saturn would also make him prone to erupt. But such a focal point Saturn does give – eventually – executive and organising ability, and self-discipline.

He’s had leukaemia for the past 14 years which makes his work even more laudable.

He’s got several well-aspected Harmonics, especially the 22H and obsessive-dream 11H; as well as the breakthrough/genius 13H; and the spiritual seeker 7H.

Historically the Jesuits had a terrible reputation but in more recent times they have been behind the promotion of liberation theology which emphasizes a concern for the liberation of the oppressed.

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Why would you turn up at a family lunch to greet a new incomer who has an African-American mother with a blackamoor brooch on? Princess Michael of Kent has never gone out of her way to be likeable but that is a faux pas of astonishing proportions. (Photo credit: Mark Cuthbert)

Born 15 January 1945 of German-Hungarian descent with a Nazi father, she married Prince Michael, the first cousin of the Queen, after her first marriage to a banker was annulled by the Vatican.

She’s a Sun Capricorn trine Jupiter; with a fairly hard-edged and definitely unsentimental chart. A cool, opinionated Air Grand Trine of Neptune in Libra trine Uranus trines her Aquarius Moon which opposes Pluto; and she has a resentful Mars in Capricorn opposition Saturn square Neptune.

Neither Prince Charles nor Prince Harry look enamoured of her this month; though Charles is more resigned at being tied to her by duty. Though that may not survive as the Queen’s influence fades. Even HM herself is looking seriously disappointed in her with perhaps ructions come the spring. As I understand the Kents still live in Kensington Palace with the Queen presumably footing the bill.

The other Royal ladies certainly dislike Princess Michael with Kate more aggravated than usual this month with her; and she sets Camilla‘s teeth on edge, with more tensions coming towards 2019.

Not that her relationship with Prince Michael is that easy either, since her Saturn is conjunct his Jupiter Sun in Cancer dampening his enthusiasm and joie de vivre; with her argumentative Mars in opposition; her Mars and Sun in Capricorn fall in his financial 2^nd house (go figure), his Mars (Pluto) probably opposes her Moon, and her Uranus is in his 7^th. He does have Saturn Uranus on his Descendant so was always likely to pick a fairly contradictory and autocratic partner who was hard work.

“Astoundingly bad in virtually every way – a conspicuous evidence of desperate efforts to cobble its under-explained and yet somehow overcomplicated mythology into something coherent.” (The Wrap). You didn’t like it, then? Netflix’s newest offering Bright and its most expensive to date, starring a “lost and on auto-pilot” Will Smith, has clearly misfired at a cost of $90 million.

It is described as an urban fantasy crime in a world where both humans and others – Orcs, Fairies, Elves, Centaurs, Dwarves etc – co-exist. Dogged LAPD cop Smith with an Orc rookie constable discover an ancient, powerful magic wand, only to encounter a darkness that will ultimately alter the future and their world as they know it. Metacritic gives it 29 out of a 100 and a sequel has been commissioned. Only in Hollywood.

Will Smith, 25 September 1968 1.45 am Philadelphia, PA, has had a sterling career in commercial terms, starring in box-office record-breaking blockbusters, but he’s clearly misjudged this one. He has a quick-witted 3^rd house Libra Sun conjunct a free-spirited and rebellious Uranus and a Scorpio Moon, which is a tricky mix to balance – both freedom-loving as well as intensely emotional and possessive especially about family. Plus a super-confident Jupiter Pluto in Virgo. But what marks his chart out as unusual is a Yod of Pluto sextile Neptune inconjunct Saturn in Aries in his 10^th. Yods, sometimes known as ‘finger of destiny’ usually give a sense to the individual that they’re different from those around and they can feel uneasy initially about not fitting in. Until they find their direction and then become single-minded in pursuit of their chosen goals. A focal point Saturn is demanding in terms of self-discipline, self-control and maturity. If mishandled it can be self-defeating. His Saturn also opposes his 4^th house Venus Mercury, so he will fall into moods of discouragement, feeling he’s not loveable enough or good enough.

Saturn in the 10^th often ends up in an executive position, being a good organiser. But he’ll be going through tough times in 2019/2020 with tr Pluto square his Saturn which will – after a fair struggle – push him onto a new track. 2020 won’t do his confidence much good with tr Neptune opposition his Jupiter then, which may be financial disappointments; as well as an accident-prone Solar Arc Mars opposition his Saturn which could affect his career ambitions. But for all that he’s got stamina and will be boosted along the way through till 2021 by his lucky Jupiter and Jupiter midpoints picking up helpful transits from Pluto.

There’s more to him than a pretty smiling face, that’s for sure. But undoubtedly Saturn now in Capricorn will be dimming his morale a touch as it squares his Sun in January.

Catalonia’s forced election hasn’t gone the way the Spanish government hoped with separatist parties holding a slim, though reduced, majority in the new assembly. PM Mariano Rajoy’s hard-line tactics have backfired, with Spanish stocks falling and the euro weakening on the result. It’s not clear who will be given the right to form a government, with Catalonia at the moment under direct rule from Madrid and the separatist leader, Carles Puigdemont, still exiled in Brussels. The majority of Catalonians would probably opt to stay in Spain with more autonomy for the region, but his heavy-handed approach (Saturn in Scorpio opposition Mars Moon in Taurus square Pluto) increased local resentment amongst a proud and stubborn people against the central government. 16% of Spain’s population live in Catalonia, and it produces: 25.6% of Spain’s exports; 19% of GDP; 20.7% of foreign investment.

Carless Puigdemont, 29 December 1962, Gerona, is a Capricorn Sun trine a rebellious Uranus Pluto in Virgo, which in turn is in a pushily-confident and opportunistic opposition to Jupiter. He looks generally bullish in the year ahead, especially from early January. Though less certain of his prospects from mid May as tr Uranus opposes his Sun/Mars and will be less sanguine about his cause in two years time when he’s hit by Solar Arc Saturn square his Sun; and tr Pluto conjunct his Sun/Saturn for two years.

The Spain, 22 Nov 1975 12.45pm chart, looks set back on its heels exactly now with tr Saturn opposition Mars; with tensions rising from July 2018 onwards as tr Uranus squares the Saturn; and financial worries in 2019.