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The madhouse drama that is Trump’s administration continues to eject flames and debris in all directions. His latest toddler tantrum against being bullied into decent, grown-up behaviour has led to alarm amongst a wide range of hitherto quiescent supporters – and even better has caused several large charities to pull their functions from Mar-a-Lago, which will cost him bucks. No doubt his hotels will see the same fall-out.

James Murdoch, CEO of 21^st Century Fox (son of Rupert who is CEO of Fox News and a great Trump supporter) has spoken out sharply against Neo-Nazis and Klansmen and given a donation to the Anti-Defamation League. His relationship chart with Trump was never great to start with, given a composite Mars square Saturn in their relationship chart; and tr Saturn square the composite Mercury Sun Mars across this summer has exacerbated his dislike. Though it may cause friction with Murdoch Senior since the Senior/Junior  relationship chart has a tr Saturn square the composite Mars late Sept/early October. Though even Rupert may follow some of his Fox TV presenters in distancing himself from the toxic Trump brand, from late September, with definite ruptures come 2018.

There’s a good deal of aggravation with Steve Bannon who has been shooting his mouth off in Mooch style. He’s got an infuriated, aggravated, trapped tr Pluto square his Mars (unless he was born pre 7 am) through this Sept/Oct. Even without that, he’s being frozen by Trump at the moment with tr Saturn square the composite Mars Venus till mid October.

Gary Cohn, chief economic adviser to Trump, is at loggerheads with Bannon and privately ‘disgusted’ with Trump’s post-Charlottesville remarks. The Trump/Cohn relationship chart was always a munitions dump ready to blow with an explosive composite Uranus, Mars, Sun in a deeply suspicious and blocked square to Neptune Saturn; and a power-struggling Pluto square Jupiter. That’s being detonated at the moment by tr Uranus square the composite Sun, with a tranche of escalating difficulties following into 2018.

Former four-star general John Kelly, Trump’s Chief of Staff, looked in pain as Trump went on his rampaging off-page speech. I feel sorry for these guys and the military chiefs who are no doubt staying in place for the sake of the country and having to swallow their bile and their pride to ensure the lunatics aren’t left in charge.

Kelly, a stalwartly persevering Sun Mercury in Taurus square Pluto, trine Mars, is ploughing on in discouraged mood through Sept/Oct, highly irritable at points and sinking at others, with more aggro come November, and worse in 2018.

The latest incumbent in a communication hot seat is former model Hope Hicks, 21 October 1988, who replaces Scaramucci. She’s a Sun Libra sextile Uranus Saturn in Sagittarius; with her Mercury in Libra trine Jupiter square Neptune. Her Jupiter in Gemini falls in Trump’s 10^th so she’ll boost his image; and her Sun and Pluto fall in his 3^rd so she will be his voice-piece. Though her Saturn Uranus conjunct his Moon and opposition his Sun don’t look a great mix. Her life is certainly changing radically with tr Uranus opposition her Sun now and into 2018; heading for the pressured Saturn return later this year; and will be in for a bumpy ride across the New Year with tr Saturn square her Mars and conjunct her Neptune. 2018 looks a sinking year, with worse in 2019.

Her relationship chart with Trump has an affectionate composite Sun Mercury Venus though that squares Neptune – so illusions, delusions and disappointment. There’s a constantly-changing composite Uranus opposition Pluto, which is catching downbeat and jolting tr Saturn squares from late September; and is generally proving to be a let down with tr Neptune square the composite Mars now till late 2018.

Trump has tr Saturn conjunct his Moon at the moment till late September, then gets the face-reality tr Saturn opposition his Sun late Sept/early October. October sees tr Uranus trine his Mars, which will tempt him to prove his machismo with yet more wild and intemperate gestures. Dec 2017 and Jan 2018 see tr Uranus square his Sun/Mars midpoint which is highly insecure and explosive; square his Mercury/Pluto bringing mental strain; and square his Venus/Saturn making him feel unloved.

Tr Saturn in hard aspect to his Full Moon, also impacts on his Sun/Moon midpoint, so I’d imagine relations with Melania are even less ecstatic than usual.

 

 

At least 13 are dead and more than 100 were injured in a van attack in Barcelona yesterday for which ISIL claimed credit; with five terrorists shot dead hours later in a Spanish seaside resort 70 miles away. The initial attack occurred at 4.50 pm on Las Ramblas, a busy tourist street. It’s the worst atrocity on Spanish soil since the Madrid train bombings by Al-Quaeda inspired terrorists on 11 March 2004, which killed 192 and injured more than 2000.

This attack happened when the Moon in late Gemini formed a Kite onto the Fire Grand Trine of an exact Sun North Node conjunction in Leo trine Saturn trine Uranus, with the Moon opposition Saturn. There was also a pushily confident, rule-breaking and emotionally intense 8^th house Venus in Cancer opposition Pluto square Jupiter. Mars in Leo (conjunct the Sun Node), was also on the focal point of a Yod inconjunct Pluto sextile Neptune, so hyper-aggressive.

Next Monday’s Solar Eclipse has the Leo New Moon on the axis conjunct the Descendant; and the Lunar Eclipse of August 7^th had Mars in Leo and the Sun conjunct the Descendant.

At the Madrid bombings, Pluto was also inconjunct Mars, so obviously a highly stressed and brutal time; and Pluto was square a Pisces Sun. Pluto was at 22 degrees Sagittarius and at the moment tr Saturn is at 21 Sagittarius – but there’s nothing on the modern Spain country chart that resonates to that.

The 22 Nov 1972 12.45pm Spain chart does have tr Pluto heading to oppose the destructive Mars/Saturn midpoint within days, which makes sense.

   

 

Civil wars do leave their mark, sometimes for centuries. The English Civil War 1642-1651 pitted authoritarian Royalists against democratic progressives. Though underlying it, was the bitter Roman Catholic v Protestant battle which had been waged since Henry V111 baled on Rome (Vatican) a century before. And that antipathy carried on into the 20^th Century with the Irish troubles and general, lingering anti-Catholic prejudice in the UK. So power and identity politics.

Taking the 11 May 973 JC AD chart for England: When civil war broke out it was on a Uranus Return and tr Pluto was trine the North Mode; so similar to the USA Civil War (see previous post). Neptune was also around in quantity with the devastating Solar Arc Neptune conjunct Pluto; and the undermining tr Neptune opposition the England Taurus Sun, Mars, Mercury and square Pluto.

The last civil war in Portugal was in 1828 which again saw progressive constitutionalists versus authoritarian absolutists arguing over royal succession. The absolutists alarmed by liberal reforms and the French Revolution (1789), controlled the rural areas, combining the aristocracy with a peasantry galvanized by the Church; they lost. There are two charts for old Portugal – 24 June 1128 and 5 October 1143. The 1128 shows the kinds of influences you’d expect with a civil war with tr Pluto square the Cancer Sun and opposition Neptune Saturn. But the 1143 chart has much clearer indications of Nodal pressure with tr Pluto trine the Leo Node, and being conjunct Solar Arc Pluto conjunct Saturn; with the transiting North Node conjunct the Libra Sun. There seems to be less residual hostility from this civil war, perhaps because it did not have the toxic identity/reiligous politics underlying it.

Aspects to the Nodes do seem to point to significant moments in a country’s history. The UK vote for Brexit happened in the aftermath of the tr Pluto square tr Uranus hitting on the UK 1801 Aries North Node in the 7^th house of partnerships and the Sun/Moon midpoint. When Henry V111 split with the Roman Church in 1534 tr Pluto was trine the England 973 North Node.

When Nelson Mandela became President of South Africa, post-apartheid, tr Pluto was opposition the South Africa 1910 Taurus North Node; and it was on its First Uranus Return. When Mandela was released from 27 years in prison in 1990 tr Pluto was just over the square to the South Africa Solar Arc North Node with the tr Node in opposition to the Solar Arc Node.

Other stray thought is how much religion is tied into, not just conflict, but ideas of superiority – the Bible Belt’s notion that the white man was created superior isn’t that different from King Charles 1’s firmly held belief of his divine right to absolute power. In South Africa, the Dutch Reform Church believed that the Apartheid laws were God’s will; races should be kept apart; mixed marriages and relationships are discouraged so races remained ‘pure’. Reverend Ian Paisley’s views on Roman Catholics in Northern Ireland were hair-raising. “They breed like rabbits and multiply like vermin” . Which isn’t too different from some of the Confederates’ views on slaves.

 

The USA Civil War of 1861 was fought over slavery and the independence of individual states from the national government. It cost of 625,000 lives and was the most destructive conflict in the Western world between the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 and the onset of World War I in 1914. It pitted neighbour against neighbour, split families and by the end of four brutal years with two and a half million men fighting, it left the south devastated and left deep scars in the American psyche. It was precipitated by the election of the anti-slavery Republican Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860 who held that all men were created with an equal right to liberty. Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1 January 1863 freed millions of slaves held in the south.

The war started on 12 April 1861 at Fort Sumter, South Carolina at 4.30am. What’s most interesting about this not very startling chart in relation to the USA 1776 chart are three things. 1 The USA was on its First Uranus Return. 2 Tr Pluto was hovering round the square to the US Leo North Node. 3. The transiting North Node was opposing the USA Cancer Sun (exactly in the June 1861 Eclipses).

The nodal connections suggest a significant moment in the country’s history and destiny. When tr Pluto had moved a quarter of a zodiac in 1941 to conjunct the US Node, Pearl Harbour happened. Tr Pluto on the next square in 1986 oversaw the Challenger space rocket disintegrate, the Iran-Contra Affair blew up, and more helpfully Reagan was descaling the Cold War with Gorbachev. (Just as a point of interest tr Neptune was exactly opposite the USA Node when 9/11 occurred.)

The next tr Pluto hard aspect to the US Leo Node, in opposition from Aquarius, doesn’t happen till 2027/2028. What is worrisome about that is the next Uranus Return also occurs in 2028. Both of those aspects were around at the height of World War 11 in 1943/44.

Uranus Returns come round every 84 years and affect every country differently. But they do carry great significance. Russia 1917’s First Uranus Return accompanied Putin’s accession to the top in 1999/2000, where he’s remained ever since.

In the UK the Uranus return in the late 1960s oversaw the start of the Irish Troubles, Enoch Powell’s Rivers of Blood speech, and the Race Relations Act was passed which criminalised racial discrimination. The previous Uranus return around 1885 saw colonial Britain in the ’scramble for Africa’, the Siege of Khartoum, and Irish terrorists in London.

For the USA, the Uranus Return was the Civil War and then World War 11.

I would suspect this nasty spat with Trump and the Alt-Right versus the civilized world is more to do with tr Uranus square the USA Mercury opposition Pluto (see previous posts Aug 13 2017, Nov 12 2016) – and that will subside into next year. But it has exposed glaring fault lines in American society that have been there from square one and won’t go away in a hurry.

Actor Tom Cruise is thought to have broken his ankle in two places after smashing into the side of a building when a roof top leap went wrong as he was filming Mission: Impossible 6 in London. He is famous for insisting on performing all his own stunts and according to reports has gone back the US for treatment, pushing back filming on the shoot by months.

Born 3 July 1962 New York with a putative, unsourced time of 3.06pm, he’s a Sun Cancer in a creative, though not always realistic Water Grand Trine to Jupiter in Pisces and Neptune. That apart his chart is substantially Fixed giving him endurance and perseverance. His Leo Moon and North Node oppose Saturn squaring onto Neptune – so he’s very Neptunian, suited to the film business and also to strong spiritual beliefs, especially with his Sun in the 9^th. Plus he has Mars in ultra-determined Taurus square Uranus – and it is that latter which is interesting since the Leo Solar Eclipse next week is conjunct his Uranus tugging on that accident-prone square. Plus he has tr Pluto opposition his Mars/Pluto midpoint exactly now which is also disaster-prone and highly frustrating, repeating this November. He’ll come roaring back with great vigour and confidence from January 2018 and that will carry him through the year.

His birth time is too iffy to go by. However he will have quite a significant change come 2020 when tr Uranus opposes his Neptune and squares his Saturn, which will be unnerving and fairly discombobulating. Though his Solar Arc Jupiter catching up to aspect that T square in 2022 will give him a renewed boost.

   

 

“She died doing what was right,” were the words of Heather Heyer’s mother, the Virginia paralegal, who died when a car rammed into a group of people protesting against a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville. Heather’s Facebook cover photo read: “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention”; she was active in fighting racism and police brutality.

Born 29 May 1985 (net obit), she was a Sun and Mars in Gemini opposition Uranus, so feisty in defending what she believed in. Her Mercury in Taurus opposed a conscientious Saturn in Scorpio; and she had Jupiter in can-be humanitarian Aquarius; with probably a Libra Moon. Heather’s Mars was conjunct Trump’s Sun with her Uranus conjunct his Moon and in opposition to his Sun Uranus. So a clash of opposites.

James Alex Fields Jr, 26 April 1997, has been arraigned on second degree murder charges and denied bail. He had allegedly been abusive of his wheelchair-bound mother, has neo-Nazi views and perhaps a history of schizophrenia. He’s a Sun, Mercury, Venus in Taurus square a highly-strung Uranus Neptune. With his Mars in Virgo trine Venus and inconjunct Jupiter, as well perhaps as being square a Sagittarius Moon. His Jupiter is like Heather’s in Aquarius, which as well as being idealistic can be fascist, certainly suggests adherence to a cause. He’s also got a forced-to-be-self-reliant Saturn in Aries in a bleak trine to Pluto. Heather’s interface with Fields had a composite Jupiter Pluto which is always a struggle for the upper hand.

Given that Heather’s tragic death has become a pivotal factor in dragging Donald Trump’s image even lower, what are disturbingly suggestive are the cross-overs between the charts. What is eerily precise is Heather’s ‘relationship’ chart with Fields, whom she’d never met but there’s always a karmic link between victim and perpetrator no matter how random the crime. Their composite Sun falls on Trump’s midheaven and their composite North Node is exactly conjunct Trump’s Saturn in Cancer. So it really was a catalytic event in the trajectory of Trump’s slide from approval. The composite Mars in the Heather/Trump relationship chart is also conjunct Trump’s Saturn Venus; with the composite Pluto Saturn Uranus squaring Trump’s Sun and Moon. All combining to knock him right off track.

David Duke, former KKK leader, has already made his views known about even Trump’s first prevaricating response to the violence (see post Aug 13 below), which he has since – two days too late – firmed up into a condemnation of evil racist thugs and criminals. Born 1 July 1950 11.37am Tulsa, OK,  Duke is facing multiple setbacks and collisions over the next two years with his Solar Arc Sun conjunct his Saturn in 2018, followed by Solar Arc Mars square his Saturn in 2019. And his relationship with Trump is infuriated at the moment and this November, and diverging further towards the New Year.

Interesting thought. If Steve Bannon is ousted which signs are he may be; and goes into full alt-right vengeful mode; then a goodly chunk of Trump’s core fan base will be at odds with him. Bannon’s Breitbart hosts a fair amount of the white supremacist propaganda, so it’s not beyond the bounds of possibility that he’ll get attacked from all sides.

   

 

In theory Brexit happens at midnight between March 29^th and 30^th 2019 – if it sticks to schedule. Though there may be an extension if negotiations drag on, or even an earlier pull-out if there’s an impassable deadlock and crockery goes flying.

It’s not too interesting a chart though there’s an angry Mars in Taurus on the Descendant trine a Capricorn Moon Pluto (Saturn) in Capricorn, so a sombre, aggravated mood. Located to London it puts a swampy Neptune on the IC. The ‘deprived/hardship’ Saturn Pluto is in the 2^nd house of finances as is Jupiter – so money will be a loaded issue. Uranus, as to be expected with a split, is emphasised being on the point of a difficult T Square of Node in Cancer opposition Moon Pluto (Saturn).

On the UK chart tr Uranus will square the 10^th house Jupiter from the 7^th house, for a moment of great relief at a partnership split. Solar Arc Pluto is within months of being conjunct the UK Ascendant which may in part feel like taking back control. However the Solar Arc Moon also opposes the 11^th house UK Saturn, which suggests a population out of step with the legislature – ie. unpopular politicians. Tr Saturn is exactly opposition the 10^th house (= rulers) Moon so a separation from the past. Tr Uranus and Solar Arc Uranus are also gearing up for a rocky ride through the UK 8^th house of joint and business finances, which isn’t necessarily a disaster, just very roller-coaster with swings up and down. Tr Uranus stays there from 2019  till 2027. Tr Saturn Pluto is wending its way through the UK 4^th which looks like a problematic time for – the common people, the foundations of society, agriculture.

The EU chart looks financially devastated in March 2019 with Solar Arc Pluto almost exactly conjunct their 2^nd house Neptune. Solar Arc MC is conjunct Pluto in the months thereafter which will feel like a dead-halt; and the Solar Arc Node is conjunct the EU Sun – so deep reflection needed about what is a decisive point in their destiny. The EU chart also has tr Uranus just into their 8^th house of business finances for the following 7 years; and tr Saturn Pluto is going through the 4^th. Like the UK, the EU has four planets in Fixed signs, spread-eagled across the chart in a Grand Cross, so the years of tr Uranus in Taurus in hard aspect to those Fixed planets from 2019 onwards will be ones of disruption, upheaval and forced change for the EU. The UK’s really jolting portion of the Uranian ride comes later from 2021 to 2024/5.

The Eclipses in 2019 look fraught. Set for London, the January 2019 Capricorn Solar Eclipse has Uranus exactly on the Descendant squaring onto Pluto opposition Node, with Pluto Saturn conjunct the Capricorn New Moon. And Saturn Pluto continues to weigh heavily being in opposition to the July 2019 Cancer Solar Eclipse. The Lunar Eclipse for January 2019 has the Full Moon squaring onto Uranus; and the July Lunar Eclipse is conjunct Saturn Pluto again. Won’t be too much singing, dancing and firework displays, methinks.

 

[Pic The total solar eclipse of November 3, 2013, near Sierra Leone. Credit: Rick Fienberg / TravelQuest International / Wilderness Travel]

 

Useful to see how the Leo Solar Eclipse conjunct certain politicians’ charts works out. This isn’t an exhaustive list. Any other suggestions welcome.

Donald Trump has the Eclipse conjunct his Mars and Ascendant in Leo, making him even less in control of his temper than usual. The key to an Eclipse on Mars is to learn how to handle anger sensibly otherwise it leads to physical strain and/or accidents, never mind volcanic arguments. Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel also both have their Mars conjunct the Leo Eclipse, which could send them into aggressive overdrive. As does Bin Salman, the overly impulsive Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. And Zimbabwe.

There’s a fair raft of prominent politicos with their Pluto conjunct the Eclipse. A Solar Eclipse conjunct Pluto can either bring empowerment/transformation or, in the face of refusal to change – decay and destruction. Al-Sisi, President of Egypt (Pluto in Leo opp Mars square Scorpio Sun, so it will rattle up all of that control-freak, ruthless energy). The EU’s Jean-Claude Juncker (Pluto opp Mars). UK Chancellor, Philip Hammond and US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joseph Dunford, born within days of each other, have the Eclipse conjunct their Pluto Jupiter (square Saturn) – so amping up their confidence and drive for control. Steve Bannon also has a late Pluto in Leo, perhaps conjunct Moon. The EU’s 12^th house Pluto is also conjunct the Eclipse. UK PM Theresa May has her Pluto in the firing line as well.

Jeremy Corbyn and Emmanuel Macron both have the August Eclipse conjunct their Saturn – paying the price for past decisions, having to shoulder heavier responsibilities and be realistic. The UK has its 11^th house Saturn also conjunct the Leo Eclipse, which will put pressure on the legislature at Westminster.

Iraq’s Leo Sun is almost exactly conjunct as they struggle to regain control of territory from ISIS and bridge the sectarian divide. Usain Bolt’s Leo Sun is also conjunct as he retires and faces a complete change of lifestyle. Afghanistan’s Sun is conjunct as well and its Uranus closely in opposition to the Eclipse, so very unstable.

Kim Jong Un’s Leadership chart has Neptune conjunct – which tends to bring self-deceit.

James Mattis, has his Venus conjunct, which will bring a sense of crisis, and forced independence. No guardian angel to depend on, so having to go it alone.

Previous Eclipses in this Saros series, which cast their shadow before and after for several months, have been risky for US presidents.

1998/9 – Clinton impeachment, Dec 98 to Feb 99.

1981 – Attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan in March.

1963 – Assassination of JFK in November.

1945 – Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs dropped. Death of FDR (by natural causes).

1927: US local politics. Chicago’s Pineapple (= hand grenades) Primary. 62 bombings, 2 politicians killed just before. A corrupt city government, politicians with ties to organized crime (Al Capone).

1909: Assassination attempt against anti-African-American President William Howard Taft while on a visit to Mexico.

 

 

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