Superstar singer George Michael has died aged 53 of heart failure according to early reports. In a glitteringly successful career he sold 100 million records but he seemed to be on an endless self-destruct course with drug and sex scandals dogging his footsteps. He was a heavy marijuana smoker, dabbled in designer drugs and crack cocaine, cruised for sex with strangers and struggled with depression over the death of one lover from HIV, his mother, and the break-up of a long-term relationship in recent years.

Born 25 June 1963 6am London, England, he had a 12^th house Cancer Sun with a chaotic, angry, deeply frustrated Mars Pluto Uranus in Virgo in his 3^rd house.  Mental strain would always be a problem. The 3^rd house rules mental functions – Pluto digs too deep, gets negative especially close to Mars and Uranus adds an explosive, erratic streak. He had a flamboyant Leo Moon but it was restricted by an emotionally damped-down Saturn in Aquarius in the 8^th, which would make it difficult for him to make intimate connections.

His Moon was also square Neptune in Scorpio, which in turn sat on the focal point of a Yod to Venus in social-butterfly Gemini sextile Jupiter in Aries. Such an afflicted Neptune would give him a deep sense of loneliness and make him yearn for peace, solitude and escape from the pressures of everyday life. Marlon Brando and Richard Burton also had Yod focal point Neptunes, so drink and drugs would provide one way of fleeing emotional disorganization and feelings of unworthiness. His Cancer North Node was conjunct his Ascendant giving him identity problems – he struggled to know who he really was.

On top of all this sat lucky, talented, successful Jupiter in Aries in his 10^th which trined his Moon putting a superficial gloss on a fairly tortured life.

He had a strong and stressed 7^th Harmonic (septiles), which can add a spiritual dimension, a seeking soul, though is also associated with drink and drug addictions. His 10^th Harmonic – the ‘Wheel of Fortune’ is heavy, dark and highly strung and contains the seed of good and bad, the rise and fall. Like Mel Gibson, his 19^th Harmonic is also marked which usually accompanies success and prosperity but isn’t a lucky or happy number.

Tr Neptune in recent years had been opposing his Uranus, Pluto and at the moment Mars which would not improve his mental stability. Tr Saturn is on the cusp of his 6^th house of health.

‘You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star.’ (Nieztsche.)

 

The UK has tr Jupiter moving through the 1^st house until November 2017 and several Jupiter midpoints being triggered throughout the year so the mood will be surprisingly upbeat. Tr Uranus is opposition the Jupiter/MC now and through January, being joined by tr Pluto trine Jupiter/Pluto in Jan, mid July to early Sept, late Oct to early Dec 2017 which should engender a ‘we can do it’ spirit.

The major transit will be tr Pluto opposition the 10^th house Cancer Moon from March 2017, on and off till late 2018. The Moon in mundane charts means the masses of the population, so in general refers to public opinion. There are associations also obviously with women and, in the UK, to parliamentary democracy (rule by the people) since the Moon is in the 10^th. The 10^th refers to the ruling classes in government and the Royal Family.

Tr Pluto opposition the Moon will give rise to intense feelings, emotional outbursts, fanatical zeal, impulsive and irrational behaviour, with the darker emotions on display – jealousy, obsessions, suspicion, paranoia. Since tr Pluto is moving through the 4^th there will be mutinous sentiments forcefully expressed, since there is a grindingly slow pulling-away from the past going on, which will meet with strong resistance from some. Tr Pluto in hard aspect to the Moon can bring loss through death or at least mourning for the passing of an old way of life.

The February Pisces Eclipse will be conjunct the UK Pluto and Solar Arc Jupiter which may not have a dramatic effect. The August Eclipse in late Leo will be conjunct the UK Saturn in Leo in the 11^th which rules the legislature, House of Commons and hopes for the future. Saturn + an Eclipse generally lands heavier responsibilities always with the resonance of paying the price for decisions. Not quite ‘you broke it, you own it’ but along those lines. It’s face reality time and get on with it.

The other significant influence will be Solar Arc MC square the 8^th house Mars, following on from the Solar Arc Sun square that Mars over the Brexit vote in 2016. It’ll be exact in six months time, though may trigger early, perhaps with a financial shock, or a disaster. The 8^th house Mars can be high-risk or bring murk up from the bottom of the barrel (the child abuse inquiry etc).

In about two and a half to three years’ time there are a few interesting influences to contemplate. One is the Solar Arc Pluto conjunct the Ascendant in 2019 which will give rise to the impulse to be in control, perhaps as the EU divorce is finalised. With both the Solar Arc Uranus and tr Uranus in Taurus in 2018/19 moving into the 8^th for the years thereafter, which will be erratic as far as business finances are concerned, though not necessarily disastrous. Just up and down and less predictable than before.

In 2019 the Secondary Progressed/Solar Arc Sun will conjunct the Progressed Jupiter which should give rise to a surge of confidence and enthusiasm.

     

 

Julian Assange has been talking about the US election, slamming Hillary Clinton for being establishment, initiating the Libya intervention and imprisoning Chelsea/Bradley Manning. And trailing the hint that payback might have been one reason for the leaking of emails about her. He said Trump was not a DC insider so might offer the possibility of positive change. And said there was no need for wikileaks about Russia since it already had ‘vibrant publications’ and open debate.

[Dozens of journalists have been killed in Russia in the past two decades, and Freedom House considers the Russian press to be “not free” and notes: “The main national news agenda is firmly controlled by the Kremlin.” URL: goo.gl/gW6Q29.]

Wikileaks released emails about Clinton and her campaign in the weeks before the election, which it is thought may have come from Russia. Assange is still in the Ecuador Embassy in London resisting extradition to Sweden where he is being investigated on rape allegations which he denies.

Hillary’s chart certainly clashes badly with Assange’s (3 July 1971 3pm Townsville, AU), since her formidable, controlling Saturn Pluto Mars in Leo are conjunct his midheaven and his Mars is opposition her Saturn – so he’d feel she was suppressing and dominating him, triggering his anger (and maybe his woman issues?).  Their relationship chart has a power-struggling composite Sun Pluto Venus sextile Saturn and Neptune – so hostility and suspicion; with an explosive Mars square Uranus.

Donald Trump on the other hand has his Sun in a friendly conjunction to Assange’s Venus in Gemini with Trump’s Moon in opposition; with Trump’s Mars in Assange’s 10^th – furthering his ambitions? That relationship chart has a wide friendly composite Sun Venus trine a ‘false optimism’ Jupiter Neptune; and a business-like Sun Saturn.

Assange’s relationship with Putin is hardly harmonious with Putin’s domineering Pluto in Assange’s 10^th and Putin’s Mars square Assange’s Pluto. If Assange ever moved to Russia he’d find it was a whole different ball game to the one he imagines at the moment. But that relationship chart has an intensely emotional Venus Mercury Pluto as well as a pioneering Sun Uranus in an opportunistic opposition to Jupiter.

Just shows how insane the world has got if erstwhile darlings of the liberal tendency support Trump and Putin. The mistake Assange and others of his ilk make is assuming simple-mindedly that ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’. Assange hates Hillary so anyone else who dislikes her must be an ally. Strange bedfellows indeed.

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Today there’s an exact Half Grand Sextile of Jupiter in Libra opposition Uranus sextile/trine Saturn in Sagittarius and Venus in Aquarius – all at 20 degrees. Good for any babies born now since the trines and sextiles give talent and free flow of energy.

Saturn Uranus is innovative but not too revolutionary; Jupiter Uranus is adventurous but its gambling tendencies will be held in check by Saturn. Venus Jupiter is frivolous and indulgent; Venus Saturn is sophisticated and more sensible. Saturn Jupiter instils a good balance between idealism and materialism.

A quick run-down on the planetary aspects and positions in 2017.

Two out of the outer planets shift sign. Jupiter is in Libra until October, and then in Scorpio for a year thereafter. Saturn finishes its three-year stint in Sagittarius this year, moving into Capricorn on the 21^st December to hang around until 2020.

The Solar Eclipses (see previous post) are in early Pisces in February and late Leo in August; the Lunar Eclipses are in Leo in February and Aquarius in August.

Venus is around in Aries longer than usual – Feb, March and May.

There will still be faint ripples from Uranus square Pluto. It is pulling apart but will it hard aspect the Sun, Mars and other planets in fairly quick succession during certain months so will be felt. What will help (some of the time) is Jupiter in Libra also in aspect, which can bring a ray of sunshine, though can also lead to over-confidence, brash behaviour, conflicts etc. In January, April, July and October the Sun picks up Uranus Pluto. Mars does the same in February, July and late November/December.

July looks an especially stressed month with Mars in hard aspect to Pluto and Uranus, as well as the Sun to Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Pluto. Late November and December also look fraught as Mars in Libra picks up Pluto, then Uranus and the Sun around this time meets Saturn for the first time in Capricorn, which will put a damper on festivities.

Saturn does trine Uranus in May which could bring beneficial and constructive changes. And Jupiter will be much in evidence which at a personal level should bring good news, but out in the world maybe the other sort, since it tends to be disaster-prone or induce over-pushy actions.

 

Actress and writer Carrie Fisher, best known as the original Star Wars Princess Leia and daughter of Debbie Reynolds and the late Eddie Fisher, is in intensive care after a heart attack.

Her bitingly funny screenplay Postcards from the Edge was about her relationship with her actress mother growing up in a Hollywood family; and she has spoken openly about her bi-polar disorder and drug addictions.

Born 21 October 1956 12.49pm Burbank, California, she has a Libra Sun conjunct filmic Neptune in Scorpio in the communication 9^th, with Mercury in Libra also in the 9^th. She also has Jupiter Venus in Virgo in the 8^th opposition Mars in Pisces, so intense, lucky, scattered, highly-strung. With Pluto also in the 8^th in a bleak square to Saturn in Sagittarius which is in turn trine a 7^th house Uranus. So she would have far-reaching influence with 8^th the house emphasis, but with a tendency towards depression and difficulties maintaining committed relationships.

Her Taurus Moon in the 4^th is trine Jupiter Venus, so stability for her comes from a settled home life and perhaps early on relationships to grandparents.

 

Princess Alexandra, first cousin of the Queen is 80 tomorrow, and still working hard at her charity duties. Despite scandals over the years, she has always maintained a dignified front and the Queen’s friendship. Her father, Prince George, Duke of Kent, was a flagrant libertine, unfussed whether his conquests were male or male. When he was killed in a plane crash in 1942 it left the family in relative poverty. Her mother Princess Marina was half Russian, half-Greek. So she comes from stalwart Royal stock.

Born 25 December 1936 11.20am Princess Alexandra has a suitably regal Sun Jupiter in Capricorn in her 10^th, so designed for duty and social status. Though her Sun Jupiter are trine Uranus, so she will be less conventional than her cool, defensive Saturn on her Pisces Ascendant lets on. Her Saturn opposes a 7^th house Neptune squaring onto her Sagittarius Midheaven and North Node, so she channelled her compassion (Sat Nep) into duty, and perhaps was less committed to her emotional relationships as a result. Neptune in the 7^th is often inaccessible or vague about commitments.

One of the stories the Daily Mail dredged up today is of her daughter Marina, who in a fit of rebellion sold her story to a newspaper telling of her ‘snarling’ mother and drunken father. Alexandra will certainly have a temper with her Mercury opposition a 5^th house Pluto square Mars in Libra – so when she blows a fuse it will get nasty. Pluto in the 5^th suggests over-control where children are concerned with subsequent resentment.

She married Angus Ogilvy, a City financier who ran into trouble with a financial corruption scandal and had to resign. He was born 25 Dec 1936, and his Virgo New Moon, Venus, Mercury in Libra all fell in Alexandra’s 7^th house, which is a good partnership match. Though rumours have always floated around about a long affair between Alexandra and Prince Philip (hotly denied, but amongst the aristo set anything is possible). Philip, 10 June 1921, has his Venus conjunct her Uranus and trine her Sun Jupiter so there certainly would be warm feelings. And the relationship chart has an affectionate composite Sun Venus trine Pluto which emphasises the point.

Her relationship to HM Queen has stayed strong from childhood onwards and there is also a friendly composite Sun Venus on their relationship chart. Though there is also a trickier composite Pluto opposition Saturn Jupiter square Uranus, so it would have its ups and downs and periods of strain.

   

 

The Berlin market killer has been identified as being shot by Italian police when he was picked up on a routine stop and pulled a gun.

Anis Amri, 22 Dec 1992 near Kairouan, Tunisia, was a Sun Capricorn with a Sagittarius Moon; with a highly-strung, can-be-fanatical Uranus Neptune in Capricorn in an aggressive and volatile opposition to Mars in excitable Cancer; and a tough Saturn in Aquarius square Pluto.

Tr Uranus was exactly opposition his Mars/Uranus and Mars/Neptune midpoints when he drove the truck into the Christmas market, heightening his confused state and irrationality.

ISIS, 15 Oct 2006, claimed responsibility and his relationship chart with ISIS has an exact brutal Mars square Pluto (Venus) which tr Neptune is hard-aspecting now. That could be undermining. But Mars Neptune Pluto can also stoke up violent megalomania and a love of publicity. There’s also an ‘idealistic’, can-be-delusional Jupiter square Neptune.

Like so many other jihadists he had a criminal past, and ISIS offered an opportunity to channel his aggression into a cause.

ISIS may be losing territory fast in the Middle East but they aren’t beaten by a long chalk as they turn their attention to sowing discord on the European mainland. They will be rattled through 2017 with tr Uranus opposition their Sun Mars; but look suspiciously buoyant come 2019/2020 with tr Pluto sextile their Jupiter. What should be their undoing is tr Pluto opposition their Mars in 2021/22.

PS. Birth dates are always questionable in these cases even from passports or police wanted posters since often terrorists use different aliases and presumably different or forged birth certificates.

 

 

 

 

  

 

Lithuania and Latvia are two ex-Soviet satellite countries on high alert given Putin’s recent belligerent comments and actions in the Ukraine.

There’s a handful of charts for both countries, which doesn’t help, from 1917/18 and the 1989 to 1991 USSR meltdown.

Lithuania 11 Dec 1917 with a putative time of 9.44am Vilnius is taken by local astrologers as independence. That chart has a trapped, frustrated, high-risk tr Pluto trine Mars picking up from mid March 2017 till late 2018. With an undermining tr Neptune square the Sagittarius Sun in 2019. The relationship charts with Russia 1917 & 1991 are edgy and unsettled through 2017/18.

Latvia became independent on 21 Aug 1991 11.25am Riga. That chart looks highly stressed in late 2017 with a risky Solar Arc Sun conjunct Mars; and discouraged in 2018 with Solar Arc Saturn opposition Sun in early 2018. Relationship charts with Russia again look under severe pressure in 2017 and explosively insecure in 2018.

So the problem won’t recede with Putin on a confident push all round, now backed (most probably and extraordinarily) by the new US President.