To brighten this time of family festive cheer a new movie hits the screens on December 22^nd called the Curse of the Iron Claw, starring Zac Efron, about the tragic von Erich family, controlled by a hard-driving world champion wrestler father Fritz who outlived five of his six children, three of them dead by suicide. In its heyday wrestling, despite being a pretend sport, was a superstar arena awash with fantasy and riddled with staggering drug problems – steroids, cocaine, and painkillers – all kept out of sight.

 Father Fritz was in reality a Texan who adopted a “Nazi” German persona for his public career, pushed his teenage offspring into tough workout schedules, punished them with a leather strap, and blatantly picked favourites. He marketed them as something that – in some cases – they couldn’t live up to and stooped to cashing-in on their deaths.  

   The film makers were so wary of the darkness of the story they omitted the story of one son altogether.

  And the litany is tragic. One son died at 6 being electrocuted after touching a bare wire and drowning in a puddle. Kerry lost a foot in a car accident but continued to wrestle with a prosthetic boot, eventually shot himself when facing prison on drug charges. David, who lost a daughter from SIDs, may have overdosed or died from enteritis. Mike overdosed after not recovering from toxic shock from a surgery. Chris, an asthmatic, shot himself at 21.’  Kevin is the only one still alive.

 Fritz, born 16 August 1929 in Texas, had a flamboyant Leo Sun trine Saturn in Sagittarius with Saturn in a hard-edged, can-be-cruel square to Mars – with his Sun conjunct his Mars/Pluto midpoint = relentless, ruthless, brutal. He also had a manipulative Pluto Venus conjunction in Cancer probably opposition a Capricorn Moon square Uranus – both controlling and rejecting in the family, constantly double-messaging his children. Plus he had his constantly-plotting-and-planning Taurus North Node conjunct Chiron, maybe in an Earth Grand Trine to his Moon and Mercury.

  The Chiron North Node conjunction may be a key part of his damaging and damaged family life – his development demanded facing his own wounds which clearly never happened. That along with his Moon tied into Pluto and Uranus, Mars square Saturn and Sun conjunct Mars/Pluto.

The children:

Kevin 1957 – a Sun conjunct South Node square Pluto, Sun trine Jupiter – the controlling father, though with Jupiter he’d look for positives about him and his ever-optimistic Sagittarius Moon may also have helped keep him afloat.

David 1958 – Sun square Mars opposition Jupiter – the opportunistic father, aggressive and covering it with a veneer of enthusiasm.

Kerry 1960 – Sun opposition Uranus and a Mars Saturn Venus conjunction trine Pluto – the disconnected and cruel father.

Mike 1964 – Sun Mars opposition Uranus Pluto – a scary father, both control-freaky and rejecting.

Chris  1969 – Sun Uranus square Mars; with Saturn trine Venus trine Mars and Saturn inconjunct Sun – explosive, disciplinarian, self-esteem denting father.

  Apologies for the gloom but family dynamics fascinate me. Interesting that Kevin, the one survivor, does not have strong Uranus aspects to his Sun so would not feel quite so distanced from his father and his look-on-the-bright-side Jupiter and Sag Moon would definitely help.

  What a time to release a feel-bad movie.  

Happy festivities all round and wishing everyone a better new year with less hassle and more fun

Marjorie

“Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true.”  Alfred Lord Tennyson

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”  Søren Kierkegaard

“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.”  Thomas Jefferson

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.”  Albert Einstein

“Don’t live the same year 75 times and call it a life.”  Robin Sharma

Festive good cheer this year is a guilt-ridden distraction from the miseries of Gaza, Ukraine, refugees, climate change and poverty, blasted constantly through the media alongside tinsel froth and gluttonous supermarket largesse for those with money.

  2024 sees the continuation of Saturn in regretful Pisces for the second year, from which it exits in mid 2025. Pluto is still hovering on the cusp of Aquarius, dipping a toe in late January to late February, mid July to early September and late November to late December 2024 after which it moves fully into Aquarius until 2044.

  Neptune is getting up to the penultimate degree of Pisces in 2024 in readiness for the shift into Aries in 2025. Uranus will follow suit exiting Taurus in 2025 for Gemini.

  So we are still standing even more so than usual for the year end with a foot in the old and a foot in the unknown about-to-come.

Looking on the bright side: – Pluto last time round in Aquarius brought social enlightenment and a push for equal rights – the better side of Aquarius, appreciating and living side by side with difference. The emphasis on tribal identity, which reached a peak under the patriotic inclinations of Pluto in Capricorn could hopefully fade.

  Astrologer Andre Barbault thought the Neptune Saturn conjunction in Aries due in 2025 would be “the most benefic configuration of the century  [which] will work for the best in a splendid relaunch of civilization.” I’m not that lyrical about it though Neptune in Aries last time did oversee humanitarian advances – the Geneva Convention, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Bahai faith, and the emancipation of the serfs in Russia. It also oversaw the US Civil War with the abolition of slavery at its heart.

  Uranus into Gemini, also kicking off in 2025, has a track record of key scientific and technological advances which change the face of the culture – and that comes on top of Pluto in scientific Aquarius so the tech age is likely to be moving at hyper-speed for good and ill.

  Transformational Pluto is not all sweetness and light, more often than not making the sign switch over on a major war – Crimean War 1853 Pluto into Taurus. World War One 1914 Pluto into Cancer 1914. Spanish Civil War 1938 and WW11 approaches Pluto into Leo. Russia invades Hungary 1956 Pluto into Virgo., UK versus Argentina over the Falklands 1982 Pluto into Libra. Russia invades Georgia 2008 Pluto into Capricorn. The lasting effects can be positive with Pluto in Virgo leading to major medical advances, and before that in Gemini with communication advances. But it tends to have a sledgehammer action e.g the financial crash of 2008; and Pluto into Scorpio in 1984 with the AIDs epidemic, so it can leave its mark in no uncertain terms.

  Uranus in Gemini from 2025 has an uncomfortable track record for the USA being in place previously over the American Revolution in 1775/76, the US Civil War in the 1860s; and the USA entering WW11 after Pearl Harbour. There was a heavy cost in all cases but the end result in each opened up a new road.

  Accentuating the positive – Aquarius can be humanitarian,  Neptune compassionate and Uranus, a freedom fighter.   

 The final Solar Eclipse in 2023 in late October which is still in effect for the first three months of 2024 was a peculiarly difficult one in a Saros series hinting at ‘immense power, anger and force’, as a crisis emerges suddenly. The Hamas attack and aftermath exploding on the back of a powerful, fated final degree Aries New Moon certainly fitted the astrology. In addition that eclipse had a yod of a highly strung Uranus sextile Neptune inconjunct the New Moon – which tends to induce a mood of hopelessness and despair, being stuck, with the advice being to wait. There was also a New Moon opposition North Node square Pluto – so control-heavy and destructive.

 The April 2024 solar eclipse in Aries is inspirational and less stressful though a Mars Saturn conjunction may cause odd mishaps. The October solar eclipse in Libra is about completion and endings, so can be marginally sad, not a time to be for a strenuous push.

  The lunar eclipse in October 2023 hinted at a tendency to push religious and other beliefs as an excuse for aggression with the Full Moon tied into a Mars opposition Jupiter, which is often associated with soldiers of fortune. The March 2024 Libra lunar eclipse is determined though still mired in Neptunian aggravation and delusions.  The September 2024 lunar eclipse in late Pisces could be over hopeful but also shows signs of a  possible move ahead.

  Last but not least the one planet to make a definitive move in 2024 is Jupiter, sticking to fruitful, indulgent Taurus until 24 May and then moving into lighter hearted, chatty Gemini for a year into 2025.

 The ‘lucky’ Jupiter conjunction Uranus in Taurus of April 23^rd 2024 falls on the same day as a Scorpio Full Moon square Pluto so there will be mixed blessings especially given the accident-prone Saturn Mars conjunction in Pisces of a few days earlier.

The tale of Alex Batty who fled his mother’s hippy lifestyle in France to return after a six year absence to his grandmother in England who held legal custody is a heart-warming example of teenage determination. He said it was a life of ‘moving around. No friends, no social life. Working, working, work and not studying.’

He learned languages by himself and studied maths and computing from textbooks but didn’t attend school. His intention is to go on studying, ‘computer science or cyber security or blockchain development and catching up.’

  He said his mother held anti-government beliefs and was a great person but not a good mother.

He was born 13 February 2006 and has an Aquarius Sun conjunct Neptune possibly opposition a Leo or Virgo Moon and square Mars in Taurus and Jupiter in Scorpio. His Pluto in Sagittarius is sextile his Sun and inconjunct his Mars. His Jupiter is in an adventurous trine to Uranus and sextile Venus. Fixed, enduring, stubborn, courageous, lucky.

  What is intriguing is that he shares a North Node in Aries with Suzanne Heywood, who aged seven was pulled away from a normal existence by her father’s dream of sailing round the world. She overcame parental neglect of her education and safety, to self-teach herself from correspondence courses and make it through to Oxford and Cambridge. See post April 24 2023.

  The karmic challenge of the Aries North Node is for the individual to learn to stand up what they truly believe and not be hoodwinked into sliding back into pleasing others.

The Solstice is here again with the ingress of the Sun into Capricorn today. In ancient mythology Capricorn was associated with Janus, the two faced god, reflecting back over the old year and looking ahead to the new.

An upbeat Capricorn Sun trine Moon Jupiter sounds uplifting though the midpoint sextile to regretful Saturn in Pisces may dampen the mood slightly. Venus opposes Uranus, sextiles Pluto and trines Neptune for a complicated mix of emotional responses – charming, seductive, persuasive, dreamy, unrealistic and mischievous.

  Mars squares Neptune for some failed plans and also a hint of glamour and pzazz.

  As ever I don’t find the ingress chart too illuminating about events on the ground but others might.  

     Hamas has rejected the prospect of more hostages being released until Israel agrees to end the war in Gaza. Israel says no end to hostilities until Hamas is defeated, and has  drawn up plans to invade southern Lebanon, to drive Hezbollah forces, which pose a greater risk than Hamas, further from the border risking a further escalation of conflict in the Middle East. Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, said the group would not launch a major offensive unless provoked or unless Hamas was on the verge of an overwhelming defeat.

 The Hamas attack in October left 1300 dead with 240 hostages taken and is one of the worst terrorist attacks in history. The subsequent conflict has left at least 20,000 Palestinians dead, 70% of those women and children and 52,000 injured. Israel has dropped more than 29,000 bombs on Gaza since this war began with 40-45% of these unguided. Gaza has a high population density, similar to London. Gaza is now the “most dangerous place in the world to be a child”, according to the United Nation’s child agency, Unicef.

“To find a similar density of high explosives used in a small populated area, we might have to go back to the Vietnam war for a comparable example,” a former Pentagon intelligence analyst said. During the Hanoi bombing an estimated 1,600 Vietnamese civilians were killed.   By contrast, the US-led coalition killed fewer than 20 civilians per day, during the four-month offensive to drive IS out of the Syrian city of Raqqa in 2017. And an Associated Press investigation suggested that between 9,000 and 11,000 civilians were killed in the nine-month battle between US-backed Iraqi forces and IS for the Iraqi city of Mosul which ended in 2017 which amounts to an estimated fewer-than-40 civilian deaths per day. During the almost two years of the Ukraine war, the UN estimates at least 10,000 civilians have been killed.

  A previous Gaza flare up in 2008 which kicked off on a Mars, Pluto, New Moon in Capricorn lasted for three weeks. The 2014 Gaza hostilities starting on an explosive Sun opposition Capricorn square Uranus opposition Mars lasted for six and a half weeks. This one which started on a Martian yod of Neptune sextile Uranus inconjunct Mars in Libra looks like outlasting both. The only faintly hopeful straw in the wind might be Jupiter going direct on January 1^st.  But even if by some miracle there was a pause there is no indication that the broader situation will have changed of a complete deadlock with neither side willing to agree to a two-state solution.

 The Oslo Accord, 13 September 1993, was the closest a peace process ever came to be agreed and it fell to bits with the Palestinians opposing it and the Israeli PM Rabin being shot by a far-right settler two years later.  In 1993 tr Pluto was in Scorpio exactly opposing the Israel 8^th house Sun square tr Saturn – it took immense pressure from international leaders and still did not hold.

  At the moment and into early 2024 tr Uranus is conjunct the Israel Sun for another jolt and challenge to change. But all that has happened is events have pushed Israel deeper into their obduracy. The tendency of Fixed signs is to dig in through times of upheaval, expecting at some point the world will adapt around them. They have extraordinary endurance but little flexibility. And 8^th house merely doubles up on the unbudge-ability. And Hamas with Mars Pluto conjunct in Scorpio are much the same. Immoveable object meets unstoppable force.

   The indications are that Hamas will be destroyed but not perhaps for another two years and as Ben Wallace, former UK Defence Chief pointed out: “history shows us that radicalisation follows oppression”. “Northern Ireland internment taught us that a disproportionate response by the state can serve as a terrorist organisation’s best recruiting sergeant.” Treat people badly and another Hamas will pop up.

  Gaza’s chart is in a state of upheaval until mid March and in considerable anguish for several years thereafter. And there is nothing settled in the Israel chart for years ahead which I will return to with the year end round up. Hezbollah looks edgy in the extreme after mid 2024 at that period when many world leaders’ charts look on red alert.

‘Man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn.’ Robert Burns.

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As an example of transformational government, the abject failure of the SNP in power in Scotland since 2007 makes one wonder what Pluto in Capricorn has really been doing. Educational standards have plummeted; on health, waiting lists are estimated in the worst cases to be 25 times higher than in England. The ferries service to Scotland’s islands is falling apart. There are too many ‘freebies’ – prescription charges, University tuition etc – and not enough economic growth to sustain the handouts

And now taxation is to rise sharply even for relatively low income earners which is likely to send the wealthy running for the border and make the economy less not more dynamic.

   Alex Salmond, a highly articulate and charismatic SNP politician, was sworn in as First Minister in May 2007 just as tr Pluto was poised to move in Capricorn and was succeeded in 2014 by Nicola Sturgeon who made her controversial exit in early 2023 as tr Pluto was about to move into Aquarius. So the SNP tenure has been firmly stamped by Pluto in Capricorn. The patriotic theme of Capricorn makes sense as does a degree of arrogance, and can go along with dictatorial regimes, but not the practical incompetence.  Nor the tiresome and toxic ranting cybernats who are still screaming blue murder if anyone voices  criticism = points out the truth.

 Scotland’s current GDP deficit is 15.1 per cent compared to the UK’s 5.2 per cent;  the annual public sector expenditure is currently almost £107 billion, while total revenue from taxation is only around £88 billion.

   Both the Scotland Devolution Act of 17 November 1998 and the Scottish Parliament opening 1 July 1999 are afflicted with quincunxes. The 1998 chart has Mars sextile Sun Venus inconjunct Saturn in Aries which requires maturity and self-discipline to make it work; otherwise it can be self-defeating. The 1999 chart has the Sun and Pluto on the focal point of two separate yods, the downside of which can be ego-centric and control-freaky if not handled skilfully.

The SNP chart, 7 April 1934 with its Aries Sun, Mars and Uranus opposition Jupiter square Pluto in Cancer opposition Moon was always going to be ramped up and in fighting form through the past decade. But that momentum has now faded. The Libra eclipse recently and the Aries eclipse in April 2024 will give the SNP chart a major jolt.

   An oddity en passant – Salmond was sworn in with a Taurus Sun conjunct Algol (square Neptune opposition Saturn). Sturgeon was sworn in with the Sun Saturn in Scorpio opposition Algol – so hugely potent energies were bubbling.

  I am still intrigued to know what is going on with the Scotland Act of Union (with England) chart 1 May 1707. It has a Taurus Sun square Jupiter Pluto in Leo so was always strongly tied together and was never going to be an easy split – which looks even less likely now. But there are hints of a shift with tr Uranus conjunct the Sun and square Pluto Jupiter in early 2024; with uncertainty mounting over the coming months as well from SA Neptune square the Saturn, followed in 2025 by SA Mars conjunct the Neptune which will be panicky and undermining.

 Not sure what any of this adds up to but interesting to see the SNP peak and retreat, as well as pressure mounting to revisit the terms of devolution perhaps. Politically the way ahead will not be clear since Scotland’s recent addiction to free entitlement is likely to lean them towards Labour but that won’t do the economy any good.

A homeopath has not been appointed as head of the Royal Medical Household, despite all yowls from the tabloid press. A GP with an interest in complementary therapies alongside conventional medicine and a pioneer of ‘social prescribing’, Dr Michael Dixon has been chosen. The latter aims to help patients improve their mental and physical health by connecting them to activities and groups in their local community, taken up by the NHS in 2019 thanks largely to Dixon, who argued it could help with over-medicalisation and soaring health costs.

 Though the Royals have famously always been advocates of homeopathy with Queen Elizabeth, her father King George V1 and the Queen Mother all known to be users.

  Homeopathy has always been controversial and attracted hostile resistance since it was first mooted in 1796. Working on the basis that ‘likes cures like’, it dilutes down substances that cause ailments to a degree where the additive is chemically indistinguishable, which is what riles the purist medics.

 The original inspiration came from Samuel Hannemann, a German physician, 10 April 1755 11.59 pm, Meissen, Germany,  who regarded medical practices in his day as being ineffective and sometimes harmful. He was a pro-active Sun, Moon and Mercury in Aries, keen to take initiatives. He also had an inspirational Fire Grand Trine of Pluto in Sagittarius on his Ascendant trine Moon trine an 8^th house Neptune. And a Mutable T Square of Jupiter in Virgo opposition an experimental Mars Uranus in Pisces square good-for-research Pluto. A focal point Pluto can uncover deeply buried truths but tends to attract hostile resistance since often the ideas proffered are before their time.

  His healer 12^th harmonic is exceptionally strongly aspected.

  Dr Michael Dixon, 12 May 1952, is a good match with King Charles since MD’s Chiron falls in Chas’ 6^th house; MD’s Jupiter is conjunct Chas’ 10^th house Moon and MD’s Sagittarius Moon is probably conjunct Chas’ Jupiter. MD’s Neptune is conjunct Chas’ Venus and MD’s Taurus Sun falls in Chas’ 10^th opposition his Sun.

  I have never found homeopathic remedies worked for me but I like a good many of the alternative therapies and approaches, especially acupuncture and some herbal remedies. The French who tend to be hypochondriacs have a multi-faceted approach. In recent years having major dental work done I would be given a prescription before each surgery for antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, painkillers and homeopathic remedies as well. On one occasion I was even give a prescription for opioid painkillers and homeopathic pills all on the same piece of paper. Weird.

  French pharmacies will also hand out Red Yeast Rice for bringing cholesterol down as an alternative to statins which friends who switched to it said worked well. Not all alternatives are sensible as Tina Turner found out having relied on them to bring her blood pressure down and they didn’t. So common sense helps as well.

Dying with Dignity is creeping back up the agenda in the UK with the late Diana Rigg making an impassioned case to legalise assisted dying in a message recorded shortly before her “truly awful” and “dehumanising” death from cancer three years ago. TV presenter Esther Rantzen has now added her backing saying she has joined the Swiss assisted-dying facility Dignitas as an option as her terminal cancer proceeds.

  There are now several other European countries and ten states in the US, as well as Canada where assisted suicide is allowed under certain circumstances.

  There are two astrological themes tying many of these charts together. One is Algol  which appears prominently in the Dignitas chart, 17 May 1998 Zurich, with a Mars Sun in Taurus conjunct Algol. Despite the Algol’s malevolent reputation as the Blinking Eye of the Demon, linked with evil, suffering, pain, death, intoxication, and tragedy it does have another  purpose. Which is to force us to face suffering and horror and not brush it aside. Death is the ultimate fear, which Dignitas tackles head on.

 Ludwig Minelli, 5 December 1932, the human rights lawyer who founded Dignitas has his Chiron conjunct Algol.

 Esther Rantzen, 22 June 1940 1.50 pm Berkhamstead, England, has her 8^th house Uranus conjunct Algol which makes sense of wishing a clean exit. The 8^th house being the chart area of death and transformation.  She also has a Jupiter Saturn conjunction in Taurus in her 8^th house with Jupiter wishing for an easy transition as opposed to Saturn which fears the opposite.

  The other theme is Aquarius. Esther Rantzen has a heavily aspected Moon in Aquarius (opposition Pluto square Jupiter). Ludwig Minelli has Saturn in Aquarius. Dignitas has Neptune (Moon) and Uranus in Aquarius.

  Much of the early and later legislation from 1997 in Oregon onwards was under the shadow of Uranus in Aquarius and later in the European countries – Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium – with Neptune in Aquarius as well.

  Maybe it is a hint of more to come with Pluto adding its heft to the Aquarius momentum. Aquarius being scientific and anti-the biology is keen to take control of natural processes and intervene where necessary. Its emotional detachment may allow for a reasoned debate about the ultimate taboo and lay down better ground rules. In addition Uranus in Taurus is now in orb of a conjunction with Algol over the next three years adding to the groundswell of opinion.

Add On:  Canada’s MAID (medical assistance in dying) legislation was first passed on 17 June 2016 with Sun Venus in late Gemini conjunct Betelgeuse; and a last decan Moon Mars in Scorpio. At that point on the Canada chart the Sec. Progressed Mercury, Saturn, Sun and Mars were all passing through the Canada 8^th as was tr Saturn and tr Mars Moon.

EXIT one of the oldest and largest organisations for living wills and physician-assisted suicide was founded on 3 April 1982 in Zurich. “Its work is dedicated to the cause of human self-determination. Options offered by EXIT include living wills, legal counsel, and – if need be – safe and dignified end-of-life care. The number of members of EXIT Deutsche Schweiz is currently over 160,000 and rising. The affiliated francophone organisation, EXIT (Romandie) in Geneva counts around 35,000 members.”

  That chart has no connection to Algol but it does have a Sun opposition both Mars and Saturn which last two planets are associated with death. There is also a wide yod onto Chiron.