Writer Edna O’Brien, whose early novels so outraged her  native Ireland they were banned, moved ultimately from outcast to icon as her work was celebrated even in her homeland. She has died aged 93.

Her early novels focused on love and the lot of young women in an unforgiving world and her views on sex were much quoted. “The explorer in woman is as deep and as true as in man”, she once said. “Woman’s longing to stray is more persistent because man’s possibilities are so much wider. … Man is able to mollify his restlessness with other activities, hunting, shooting, fishing. With women it is all poured into the sexual aspect”. She wrote about freethinking, sensual young women who dare to break society’s conventions, to “craven” women who did not dare to make the leap and, later, she wrote about female victims of male violence in war time.

  She was born 15 December 1930 10.30pm (from memory) Tuam, Ireland with a drunk, violent father and overly religious mother, and as a baby was deemed too ugly to be seen. She moved from an unhappy childhood into a bad marriage from which she finally escaped to exile in England where she developed into a glamorous international literary star. But Ireland remained her touchstone – “a land of shame, a land of murder and a land of strange sacrificial women.”

 She had a 4^th house Sagittarius Sun giving her the urge to travel yet stay firmly rooted at the same time. A super-confident Jupiter Pluto in Cancer would help lift her out of the unhappiness of her childhood, as would three planets in inspirational Fire signs – Sun trine an 12^th house Mars in Leo trine an Aries North Node (and Uranus) in her 8^th house. Her rebellious Uranus was deeply buried yet powerful, squaring onto Jupiter opposition Saturn Mercury in Capricorn helping her to lob a hand grenade into repressive Irish attitudes to sexuality and the status of women. She was a trailblazer for the changes which came later.

  Her intensely determined Scorpio Moon in her communicative 3^rd house was sparsely aspected with only a sextile to Neptune on her Ascendant. Though it was square her Mars/Pluto midpoint, hinting at the damaging relationship with her mother.  Her Chiron in the 9^th is described by Melanie Rhinehart as ‘wounded by God’ and often appears where a religious upbringing had a lifelong effect. Neptune on the Ascendant can give a mesmerizing appearance which she certainly had in adult life.

 Her seductive and sensual Venus in Scorpio was square her Mars and trine her Jupiter Pluto so she more than made up for her austere childhood in romantic escapades and fun.

 Her global influencer 22^nd harmonic was strong, as was her writers 21^st and leaving-a-legacy 17^th. Her victim/healer 12^th harmonic hinted at finding an outlet through communication. Her get-it-together 5^th harmonic which builds a substantial life was the strongest. It can also indicate – always on-the-go, inventive, freedom-loving, fast-thinking – sometimes  sensationalistic, self-indulgent, “the player”.

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 Fixed signs dominated in July’s disruptions and with Pluto moving into Aquarius there will be a culture shift ahead from the restless, go-getting Pluto in Cardinal Capricorn years since 2008.

   Fixed energy can be enduring, steadfast, unchanging but also inordinately stubborn and inflexible. It was most notable in the case of Queen Elizabeth 11 with a Fixed T Square dominating her chart of Moon Neptune in Leo opposition Mars Jupiter in Aquarius square a Saturn Midheaven in Scorpio. Never was a chart better designed to plough the same (and often excruciatingly boring) furrow for decade after decade. Joe Biden also comes to mind with four planets in Scorpio with Mars square Pluto and a Taurus Moon,  good for the long haul but obdurate when it came to accepting that change is inevitable.

  An old astro-axiom comes to mind that in a hopeless situation, Cardinal will up-sticks and be off elsewhere to start again. Mutable will bend in the breeze and sigh regretfully as they adapt to new and unwanted circumstances. Fixed will dig in its heels and expects the world to change in their favour and won’t budge until it does. Although even they have to give in to reality at some point.

  On the extreme negative end of fixed, is wilfulness and possessiveness, the latter acting in emotional relationships and in the acquisition of material goods and money. ‘Bull-headed and absolute in demands’. Mars and Pluto are particularly awkward in Fixed signs.

 Recent examples in the news of the worst of the worst of Fixed energy include Gavin Plumb, 25 February 1987, who plotted the kidnap, rape, and grisly murder of tv presenter Holly Willoughby and targeted four other women and teenage girls. He was a Sun Pisces trine Pluto, sextile Neptune but his chart was dominated by Mars in Taurus opposition Pluto in Scorpio almost certainly square an Aquarius Moon.

Another is Hongchi Xiao, 5 February 1963, convicted of gross negligence manslaughter when a 71-year-old diabetic woman at his ‘slapping therapy’ workshop died, having been persuaded to come off insulin. He had assured that her condition could be healed by a method of self-healing which is said to expel ‘poisonous waste’ from the body through slapping and stretching. He is a Sun Saturn in Aquarius opposition Mars square Neptune – an overdose of Fixed, with a punitive streak from Mars Saturn and inclined to off-the-wall notions with a focal point Neptune. Tom Cruise born the previous year with a proliferation of Fixed signs, North Node, Venus and Uranus in Leo, Saturn in Aquarius, Neptune in Scorpio and Mars in late Taurus has some similarities – certainly enduring but holding  unorthodox beliefs.

 Another (minor) example which caught my eye is former tv presenter Jan Leeming, looking good at 82, but complaining she has had ‘such bad luck’ with men, having five failed marriages behind her. Lack of self-awareness – of being able to learn from life – also seems to be a negative Fixed characteristic. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. She is a Sun Capricorn, but has Venus in Aquarius opposition a Leo Moon square Saturn Uranus in Taurus, with Pluto in Leo square Mars in late Aries.

  In the hothouse atmosphere of family relationships an overdose of Fixed can cause problems. Tv presenter Nadia Sawalha, 18 November 1964, has a famously stormy relationship with her younger sister Nadia, 9 September 1968. Admittedly both were born in the tumultuous Uranus Pluto marked in their charts which would not help. But both have strong Fixed qualities about their charts. Nadia has a Scorpio Saturn and Neptune square Saturn in Aquarius; and Julia has Mars in Leo square Neptune in Scorpio. When stubborn meets stubborn head on, finding a compromise is not easy.

  The greatest strength of Fixed is also its greatest weakness. Bamboos bend in the breeze. Oak trees, which can’t bend, fall over if the wind is strong enough.

This is a bit of a stretch (above) but I am feeling satiated with US political shenanigans and with the endless repetition of the world’s woes – Gaza, on and on and on, financial cliff edges, climate change/net zero.

  Though come to think of it Israel has the Fixed chart to end all Fixed charts with an 8^th house Taurus Sun and Mars plus Saturn Pluto in Leo in the 10^th.  As admittedly has the UK but maybe two world wars and loss of empire finally let in some daylight.

Making Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030 is the new UK Labour Government’s impressive mission put into the hands of Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero. Great British Energy (GBE) is being set up, to be headquartered in Scotland and the founding statement was unveiled on 25 July 2024.

  GBE has a tied-together Half Grand Sextile of Sun opposition Pluto sextile Mars in Gemini sextile Neptune in final degree Pisces (and Scheat). Ambitious but an uphill battle which given Miliband’s lacklustre previous track record is worrisome.

  Born 24 December 1969 (2pm?) London, he has a Capricorn Sun square Uranus in Libra and Pluto in late Virgo – keen on leading edge technology certainly. He has an up-and-down Jupiter in Scorpio opposition Saturn in Taurus which won’t give him great judgement; and neither will his impulsive, scattergun Mars in Pisces inconjunct Uranus. Now that I look he has a yod of Mars sextile Sun inconjunct Uranus – that could make him an agent for enlightened change or a fringe activist who flies ahead regardless on his pet crusade. He has a last degree Neptune in Scorpio.

 Oddly enough despite his elevation he has an aggravated Solar Arc Mars conjunct his Saturn this year which usually accompanies setbacks – and he has tr Pluto leaning on his unstable Jupiter opposition Saturn this year and next so will be on highs and lows. But his real test is 2026/27 which is when Keir Starmer’s chart is showing maximum stress. In Miliband’s case he has tr Uranus in an insecure square to his Mars alongside tr Neptune and tr Saturn square his Sun. His relationship chart with Starmer is sagging in 2025 and catastrophically bad through 2026/27.

  Juergen Maier, 12 January 1964, a former Siemens UK chief executive, is to spearhead Great British Energy. He has an ambitious Sun Mars in Capricorn, with his Mars road-blocked by a tr Pluto conjunction till this December. But again it is 2026/27 which look devastating for him with SA Pluto conjunct his Neptune and SA Neptune conjunct his Sun.

 Of the other Labour Cabinet members: Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is struggling through this year with her final degree Pisces Sun sagging under Neptune; and again her 2026 with the exception of one ray of sunshine is noticeably panicky.

 Health Secretary Wes Streeting is likewise penned down by negative events in 2026/27, though admittedly he has an impossible job.

  I wonder what the future brings? The poisoned chalice of a decade plus of Tory rule with no money in the kitty, nothing working as it should plus outside events, do seem to be taking their toll.

John Mayall known as the godfather of British blues has died. His influential band the Bluesbreakers was a springboard for stars including Eric Clapton, as well as bassist John McVie and the drummer Mick Fleetwood, on their way to found Fleetwood Mac. He remained a “musician’s musician” for most of his career, eclipsed in name recognition by artists who had graduated from his famed blues academy.

 The years of the mid-1960s, he said, “were a special period in British music history” – the foundation of all today’s rock. “Our source was all the American black music that Americans weren’t listening to,” he said. “People mention Eric Clapton, Cream, Fleetwood Mac, the Animals, the Rolling Stones: all these people came out of a small time period – four years. We were all so dedicated to where this music came from and the injustice of the fact that the blues was not appreciated in America. We were damned if we were going to let it go on being unnoticed.”

 He was born 29 November 1933 7.30am Macclesfield, England, with a father who played the guitar in pubs. After army service in Korea and four years at Art college in Manchester he formed his first band and worked as a graphic designer.

  He had an extraordinary chart with a restless and bubbling-with-initiative Cardinal Grand Cross of Uranus in his performing 5^th (often found with rock musicians) opposition Jupiter square Pluto opposition Venus. Not short of confidence, drive – and charm. He also had an Earth Grand Trine of a Taurus Moon also in his performing 5^th trine Mars in Capricorn trine Neptune; with creative, musical Neptune square his 1^st house Sagittarius Sun. He was certainly a go-getter, and well grounded.

 His two marriages ended in divorce and he is survived by six children, Gaz, Jason, Red, Ben, Zak and Samson, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

 His creative 5^th and 7^th harmonics were strong not surprisingly, as was his giving-pleasure 9H; and his global influencer 22H.

Panic is in the air everywhere and economic journalists tend to see catastrophes beyond every bend in the road. But there are worrying indicators beginning to flash red. One is government debt which is massively up everywhere. Biden probably spent more even than Trump. In the UK, newly-arrived Starmer is discovering there is no wiggle room for spending on welfare improvement since the cupboards are bare with public debt already over stretched. France is heading for a knuckle-rapping from Brussels for the scale of its overspend.

  There is evidently another worry which to economic illiterates (like me) sounds like the pre 2008 financial leveraged jiggery pokery.

 Trying to simplify (what I don’t entirely understand) is the insertion of private equity into  –  everywhere – family homes to supermarkets and cosmetics companies — even hospitals. Think about veterinarians being bought over by finance companies. Think about the Royal Mail being bought on debt.

An analyst cautioned in April there were “natural questions about the risks of these financing arrangements, and the growth in kinds and quantity of leverage, or ‘leverage on leverage’, throughout the ecosystem”. The debt that ties private equity in with the banks, insurance companies and other groups means that any stress in the industry could ripple across the wider financial system. “The opacity, complexity, and interconnectedness of the sector have made assessing its developments difficult.” “There should not be a pocket of the market that touches on so much of the economy in such a sizeable way.”

  The US Federal Reserve Bank, 16 November 1914, is under severe pressure and panic as tr Saturn Neptune move into Aries from May 2025 onwards to square the Saturn Pluto in Cancer; with a further layer of panic in 2026 with Solar Arc Neptune conjunct the Fed Res Sun and tr Uranus in an insecure square to the Mars.

 The Bank of China, 1 December 1948, is also heading for 2026 as a crisis time, building up from this year onwards as tr Neptune squares the Uranus and peaking when tr Saturn Neptune square the Mars Jupiter at the same time as a tr Uranus square the Pluto in 2026 as well.

 Bank of Australia is in serious trouble in 2025/26. Bank of Canada ditto in 2026/27. Bank of Switzerland is into calamity zone by and through 2025. France hits high stress from mid 2025, worsening through into 2027/28.

 The European Central Bank, depending on whether the original 1973 chart or the later 1 January 1999, or even 1 June 1998, is showing extreme stress from mid 2025 right through for several years.

  All of the central banks will be coping with additional turbulence as they face the csonequences of having borrowed too much when the going was cheap.

  The huge private equity firms which are behind much of the other worry are tricky to pin down astrologically since they often start as private firms without dates and then sell multiple times over the years.

 But the Carlyle Group launched on Nasdaq on 3 May 2012 will not respond favourably to Uranus moving into Gemini from mid 2025 and will be more stressed in 2026 and by 2027 is looking blocked and deprived.

Blackstone, 1 October 1985, is heading for the buffers in 2025 as its Solar Arc Pluto squares its Mars, which if accurate will grind it to  a halt. Followed by hugely disruptive 2026 as SA Pluto is conjunct the Uranus.

 Dyal Capital which merged into Blue Owl, 19 May 2001, is feeling a chill wind at the moment with tr Neptune square the Mars; with major jolts and upsets in 2026/27.

 Whether it is political leaders or greedy financiers leading the way, the end result never seems to be helpful.

See previous posts: Banks at Risk 17 March 2023; Debt levels 26 October 2023.

Solar Arcs in action can be a key indicator of life-changing events. Two cases in point in the news – one is radical preacher Anjem Choudary who has been found guilty of directing a terrorist group al-Muhajiroun banned under UK law. Seen as a radicalising network its former members were involved in the London Bridge killing with eight dead and at London’s Fishmongers Hall in 2019 with two dead.

  The head of the Met’s counter-terrorism command, said al-Muhajiroun’s “tentacles have spread across the world and have had a massive impact on public safety and security”. The organisation has been linked to international terrorism, homophobia, and antisemitism. Choudhary did spend two years in prison after 2016 but emerged to continue on the same track.

 Born 18 January 1967 in London, he has two major configurations in his chart. One is a Cardinal Grand Cross of a Capricorn Sun Mercury opposition Jupiter square Mars opposition  ? an Aries Moon. Ambitious and overflowing with initiative. The other is a Water Grand Trine of Saturn in Pisces trine Neptune trine Jupiter, formed into two Kites by Saturn opposition Pluto Uranus in Virgo, and Sun Mercury opposition Jupiter.

  At the moment his Cardinal Grand Cross has moved by Solar Arc to collide with his Water Grand Trine/Kite – and that is usually an indication of a life crisis of considerable proportions. His SA Sun is conjunct his Saturn; and his SA Mars is heading to square his Pluto; his SA Neptune is square his Mars.

 In addition his Water Grand Trine has moved by Solar Arc to rattle up its internal components – with SA Uranus Pluto conjunct his Neptune and his SA Saturn opposition Neptune.

  On transits he has tr Pluto still exerting pressure on his Grand Cross till late this year as well as tr Uranus shaking up his Neptune/Grand Trine.  

  Interesting astrology – though extraordinary he was still at large. I am sure if he had been born in France they would have turfed him back to Pakistan, his parents’ country of origin after his first prison sentence, citizenship or not.

  The Al-Muhajiroun chart is also showing signs of a reversal with its natal Mars in Aries opposition Pluto Saturn moving by Solar Arc to collide with its Uranus.

  The other Solar Arc in the news in a completely different arena is dressage rider Charlotte du Jardin, described as the dominant competitor in her field, winner of six Olympic medals, including three gold, plus multiple other titles. She has withdrawn from this year’s Olympics after a four year old video of her whipping a horse in training has appeared.

  Born 13 July 1985 Abridge, England, no time,  she is an excitable Sun Mars in Cancer with an obsessively conscientious and perfectionist Saturn in Scorpio on the focal point of a T square to a Mercury opposition Jupiter. With Saturn maybe opposition a Taurus Moon for an early morning birth. At the moment her Solar Arc Uranus is exactly opposition her Mars as her reputation and career disappear down a drain.

She may also on an early morning birth have tr Pluto conjunct her Midheaven which also can accompany a tumble from a high position. Four years ago tr Pluto would have been opposing her Mars which would have triggered her can-be-short-tempered Sun Mars.

Venezuela is heading into an election this weekend which if played fairly would see the downfall of autocrat Nicolas Maduro, who took over in 2013. His administration has overseen a wrecking of the economy of the oil-rich state with GDP down 80% and has precipitated the emigration of eight million people, a quarter of its population. Despite promises to pull back on corruption, which eased US sanctions briefly, the election is likely to be rigged as the Opposition party streaks ahead in the polls.

 The favourite Maria Corina Machado has been banned from standing on trumped up charges so she is campaigning for Edmundo González, a year-old former diplomat. Many of her campaign staff and volunteers have been arrested.  Observers say the regime will meddle to the end, setting the stage for a contested result and possible post-election violence.

  Venezuela, 5 July 1811 3pm Caracas, is edgy this year with tr Uranus opposition the Mars in Scorpio through until early 2025; with a disruptive Solar Arc Sun square the Uranus later this year into 2025. And an undermining SA Neptune conjunct the Sun come 2026/27.

 Maduro’s First Presidency chart 19 April 2013 2.05pm, has a yod onto control freak Pluto which makes sense and a forceful Sun Mars in Aries which is catching the final tr Pluto square this September to late November = frustrated, high-risk, trapped. With two legs of the yod being buffeted by tr Uranus square the SA Moon and tr Saturn square both the natal Jupiter and SA Jupiter over coming months.  If the start time is accurate then he will being give a sharp elbow in the ribs come mid 2025 onwards with tr Uranus conjunct the Midheaven.

His personal chart, 23 November 1962 9.03pm Caracas, has a stroke of luck and a confidence boost now till early August, followed by a disruptive, possible violent few weeks till late September; with jeopardy through December into spring 2025.  If he does finagle his way through to a tainted win, he will face his moment of significant change as tr Uranus moves to opposes his Mercury and Sun in Sagittarius from July 2025 into 2026.

Kamala Harris has been endorsed by Joe Biden in his belated withdrawal from the presidential campaign with other senior Democrats pitching in support.  But the delegates of the convention  on 19 August are not legally bound to back Harris. If one candidate steps forward to oppose Harris, the dam could break and several others could enter the race. Given that the convention opens on a Full Moon square Uranus divisions and upsets seem more than likely.  Harris is not universally popular with a shaky track record; though there will be issues around the handover of Biden’s campaign war chest which may be influencing endorsements of her at the moment.

  She looks like a sure bet to lose if she leads the race. Tr Neptune will be in a discouraging square to her Mercury/Saturn midpoint now to early September. Tr Neptune then is square her Sun/Saturn and Moon/Saturn midpoints through September to mid October.

   She also has a catastrophic-setback tr Uranus conjunct her Mars/Saturn midpoint late November to late December; repeating in spring 2025. Tr Uranus conjunct her Jupiter through this phase will tug on her Neptune which will probably undermine Jupiter’s lucky touch. Tr Saturn is also hovering around the blocked, high-tension opposition to her Uranus, Pluto Venus in Virgo throughout this year and early 2025.

  Her relationship chart with the USA is edgy and aggravated. With Joe Biden the relationship with the US had a degree of affection alongside anxieties; and with Trump there is a fairly well knit-together bond along with doubt and disappointment.

 Trump’s relationship with Kamala has implacable dislike with a composite Sun, Mars, Pluto, Venus conjunction – which won’t subside until well after the election is over.

 Barack Obama has hints of disappointment in his relationship chart with her.

  The summer of churning chaos looks like continuing.

In Bangladesh, student protestors are  embroiled in violent demonstrations against the government over corruption and unemployment. The army has been deployed with at least 105 reported dead so far, a curfew has been imposed and the internet shut down. The protests began this month as students demanded an end to a quota system that reserves 30% of government jobs for family members of veterans who fought in Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971 against Pakistan and benefits members of the ruling party, led by Sheik Hasina. She  has ruled since 2009, overseeing a severe crackdown on political opponents and critics while corruption has flourished. “Enforced disappearances” by paramilitary forces are frequent and and tens of thousands of political opponents have been jailed. She won a fifth term in January in an election widely documented as being heavily rigged.

 About 40% of young people in Bangladesh are unemployed as the economy has foundered post-Covid. A commentator said: “With no real alternative at the ballot box, discontented Bangladeshis have few options besides street protests to make their voices heard.”

 Bangladesh is the eighth-most populous country in the world and densely populated countries with nearly 170 million living in an area of 57,320 sq miles. (USA covers 3.8 million square miles and UK 94,000 for comparison). It shares land borders with India and Myanmar.

 Gen Z Movement in Kenya are posting in support with a rallying cry to move into ‘a leaderless, tribeless, genderless’ Revolution. (See previous post: Kenya 15 July 2024).

 Bangladesh  became independent on 26 March 1971 at 6pm, Dacca,  which gives a New Moon in Aries square Mars in the 4^th hinting at an argumentative populace. Pluto in the 12^th on the focal point of a yod to Venus sextile Mercury would point to behind-the-scenes dirty-dealings, power-play and corruption. Tr Neptune is opposing that Pluto through this year until early 2025 undermining the power structure. Tr Uranus is also squaring the Venus on one leg of the yod now and into almost mid 2025 which will also bring pressure to bear for a change in the country’s direction.

  The Solar Eclipse this October and next March are also rattling up the Bangladesh Uranus – so long overdue change will become an even more pressing issue.  The early years of tr Neptune and Saturn in Aries will not be easy as they cross over the Bangladesh Moon and Sun in Aries and square the Mars between 2025 and 2028. 2026 looks particularly undermining with SA Mars square the Neptune.

 Sheikh Hasina, 28 September 1947, has a deceptively charming Sun, Neptune, Venus in Libra but she is also one of the tough, unyielding Saturn Pluto in Leo generation; with Jupiter in money-magnet Scorpio opposition a plotting-and-planning Taurus North Node square her Saturn – which is obstinate to the nth degree and will make her reluctant to share the driving seat with anyone. The Libra Solar Eclipse this October and Aries Eclipse next March will elbow her Neptune Venus in Libra which could see her initially evading problems but it will be upsetting.

 Her initial prime ministerial chart for this five term run, 6 January 2009, has a ruthless Mars Pluto conjunction, as well as an autocratic Saturn opposition Uranus. It is facing considerable setbacks at the moment from SA Saturn square Mars, though will remain bullishly confident to the end of this year. Thereafter there will be a gradual undermining of her authority with tr Saturn Neptune square her Administration Pluto from mid 2025 onwards; with further shocks in 2026 and more disasters for her in the years following if she is still there.

  Interesting question from a reader – how the boomer generation politicians align or otherwise with the Gen Z generation.

  The boomers start in the last 1940s with the enduring and stubborn Saturn Pluto in Leo – and another Saturn Pluto hard aspect (opposition) was around in 2001.  So bulldozer meets brick wall for some old and young.  The Gen z-ers also mainly have Uranus and Neptune in Aquarius which will seek to undermine those early boomers as it opposes the 1940s Saturn Pluto in Leo. And the later boomers in the 1950s had Uranus square Saturn Neptune so will clash with the Gen Z-ers with similar Uranus Neptune. I’m never too sure of these wide categorisations of the generations since they don’t really fit the astrology neatly.