Anita Brookner, the Booker-winning novelist of Hotel du Lac amongst many others has died. She wrote stories about women who lived lives of excruciating loneliness which clearly mirrored her own. Born 16 July 1928 in England into a family of Polish Jewish emigres, she describes growing up with parents ‘who should never had children’ and various unpleasant relatives. She escaped her family to live in Europe for many years, working as an art historian, causing them to cut her off.  Her novels came late in life in her fifties out of she said ‘idleness’ but underlying that was a fear of an unlived, drifting life.

She was a Sun Cancer conjunct Venus on one side and Pluto (Moon) on the other. With a Yod of Mars in Taurus sextile Pluto inconjunct Saturn which would be a truly difficult burden to carry. The Yod gives a sense of strain, of never fitting in; and those three planets are fearful, repressive, and highly frustrating.

Her Mercury in Cancer was sextile Jupiter in Taurus which would help; as would an adventurous Mars Jupiter conjunction.

Five Cancer planets would certainly give her a creative streak, though sadly also a yearning for a supportive family which she never had.  Her writer’s 211st Harmonic is very strong.

Luiz Lula, one of the most popular presidents of all time in his term as President of Brazil from 2003 to 2011, now faces the possibility of months behind bars awaiting trial on corruption charges. He could be saved by his nominated successor, President Dilma Rousseff, who has overseen Brazils’ recent catastrophic economic downturn. But whatever the outcome, there’s likely to be widespread demonstrations, some even talk of a looming civil war. His supporters claim the charges are politically motivated by the wealthy elite who dislike his left wing policies and fear his possible return in 2018 at the next election.

Neither the Brazil 7 Sept 1822 4.30pm; or 15 Nov 1889 chart looks cheerful in the next few years. The 1822 has a 14 degree Virgo Sun which has the crisis-inducing Eclipses of 2015/16 bouncing off it.  Plus this year tr Saturn square and next year tr Neptune opposition; with a Solar Arc Sun conjunct Pluto in 2017 as well.  So high anxiety, paranoia, setbacks; with tr Saturn square tr Neptune hitting on the Gemini MC this year as well, sapping motivation and will power.

The 1889 chart has a disruptive tr Uranus opposition Uranus from mid this year, on and off for 12 months. 2017 looks worse with Solar Arc Uranus opposition Saturn and square Neptune; plus Solar Arc Sun opposition Mars  – that’s confusion, disappointment, high tension and anger.

Luiz Lula, 27 Oct 1945, had a tough, poor upbringing with an absent alcoholic father. He has a very stark chart with a Scorpio Sun square Pluto and square Moon Mars Saturn in late Cancer so pretty descriptive. What probably saved him from a downward spiral is Jupiter Venus Neptune in Libra trine his Uranus, sextile Pluto – so he’s got a positive-thinking, optimistic, adventurous streak.

He’s got one moment of cheer this year in June; but otherwise it all looks panicky, undermining and very risky ahead especially in 2017.  Mind you he did have cancer of the throat in 2011 from which he says he has recovered so there may be health issues.

Novelist Pat Conroy, who turned a traumatic childhood into a series of critically acclaimed books, has died. The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini were turned into films. His father was a Marine Corps fighter pilot, whose hobby, as Conroy said, was hitting his kids. ‘I grew up thinking my dad might kill me.”

He was born on 26 October 1945, the day before Luiz Lula (next post) who had a similar experience of his father.

Pat Conroy has the same Scorpio Sun square Pluto, Saturn Mars in Cancer – which certainly fits the military father (Mars Saturn) who is not in control of his temper, is cruel and controlling. Plus he had a more enthusiastic Jupiter Venus in Libra trine Uranus, sextile Pluto which would give him a hopeful streak.

His father, Donald, 4 April 1921 was an Aries Sun square Pluto, trine Neptune. With Uranus trine Pluto, sextile Mars Venus in Taurus. An accentuated Mars in Taurus, as here, can have a nasty and very physical streak.

Extraordinarily they had a partial reconciliation after The Great Santini was published and then filmed, a fictionalised account of his father, which his father decided was nothing to do with him. But he must subconsciously have got a wake-up call. Tr Pluto was then square his Aries Sun so the pressure for change would shift him over. Pat Conroy had several breakdowns after this, so it must have stirred up his childhood fears.

Their relationship chart has a composite Sun opposition Pluto Venus square Uranus – so was always likely to go through huge upheavals; with Sun trine Jupiter giving just enough positivity to be able to heal the rift.

Though the family was a wreck with one several of the children having breakdowns and suicides; the mother insisted family secrets were kept hidden and was appalled when Pat published his books. Though she eventually divorced after 33 years and handed the judge one of his books and said it’s all in there.

Keith Emerson, keyboard player and co-founder of the progressive rock group Emerson, Lake and Palmer has died, of perhaps self-inflicted gunshot injuries, having been suffering recently from ill health.

Born 2 Nov 1944 10.15pm Todmorden, England, he has another of those charts (see Conroy and Lula following) which are half eye-blinkingly difficult and the other half quite cheerful.  He had a 4^th house Sun Mars in Scorpio square Pluto, trine a 12^th house Saturn. And a lighter, livelier T Square of Venus in Sagittarius in the performing 5^th opposition Moon Uranus in Gemini square Jupiter in Virgo.

His father was ex-military and encouraged him as a child to pursue his musical interests which included classical piano. He was flamboyant and wild on stage but was described as highly creative and a ‘gentle soul’.  His chart is replete with quintiles and septiles, so strong creative 5^th and 7^th Harmonic charts.

He’d have a fair few demons inside which he clearly kept hidden with Sun Mars and Saturn being in hidden, Water houses.

Barack Obama is rowing back smartly from criticisms of David Cameron in which he said, in a nutshell, that DC had made a botch of Libya, created a sh** storm; and had to be persuaded not to be a free-rider on America’s military coat tails. It now appears DC is the closest partner Obama has had. Which can’t say much for the others since their relationship has been terrible from the get go.

Cameron’s Saturn opposes Obama’s Mars in Virgo with DC’s Uranus Pluto conjunct O’s Mars. As if that wasn’t aggravating and blocking enough, DC’s Mars in Leo is conjunct O’s Uranus North Node.  There is a whisper of good feeling from O’s Leo Sun crossing over with DC’s Leo Moon – but there again the Leonine energy isn’t always too good about sharing the spotlight.

Their relationship chart is excruciatingly bad with a power-struggling composite Sun Pluto Mercury conjunction which is also conjunct an explosive Mars Uranus. Were it not for Pluto keeping an iron grip they might well have come to blows before this.  Tr Saturn has been square the composite Uranus, Mars, Sun Pluto already this year and repeats right through till late October. Tr Neptune has been opposing the composite Uranus and moves to oppose Mars from now, on and off into 2017 – so if anything the chemistry between them is getting worse through Obama’s last months in the White House.

Another story about Madeleine McCann perhaps being found, this time in Paraguay, is being discounted.

She disappeared on 3 May 2007 in the evening in Faro, Portugal, on a Saturn opposition Neptune square Sun Mercury on one side and square a Scorpio Moon on the other. Saturn Neptune is muddled, confused, prone to conspiracy theories which is perhaps why the aftermath caused such a welter of conflicting theories. There was also an explosive Mars Uranus square Jupiter Pluto – so bold, audacious, ruthless.  There is some movement on that chart later in 2017 but whether it points to an outcome I wouldn’t be sure.

Both Gerry McCann and his wife Kate look disappointed and discouraged this year and next. He has tr Saturn opposition his Gemini Venus Sun Mars; with tr Neptune square Venus this year and Sun in 2017.  Kate has tr Saturn square her Pisces Sun this year and tr Neptune conjunct in 2017.

Both have tr Uranus trine their Jupiter in 2018 which could bring relief from tension.

South Africa’s Madeleine McCann story of a child abducted from hospital just after birth 19 years ago had had an unhappy ending.

Zephany Nurse born 28 April 1997 disappeared when she was only 3 days old and was only discovered last year when an older sister attending the same school saw a likeness and DNA tests were done. Her abductee mother is now facing charges but the girl appears not to want to leave her and return to her biological parents.

She’s a Sun Taurus like Madeleine McCann; with her Sun conjunct Venus and both trine Mars in Virgo; her Sun Mercury in Taurus is square Neptune Uranus. So charming, stubborn, assertive and highly strung. She also has Saturn in self-reliant Aries trine Pluto, sextile Uranus – so a tough life, making her independent.

When her real identity was discovered her chart was riddled and still is by Neptune Jupiter transits and Solar Arcs – happiness which turns out to be illusory. Her abductee mother appears to have turned her against her real parents.  The tr Uranus square tr Pluto may have been hitting on her Capricorn Moon as well.

Her Moon may be in an Earth Grand Trine to Mars and Venus Sun which will, if so, tend to make her reluctant to leave one rut and shift over to a home and family she never knew.

Iran’s election first round was hailed as a triumph for the pragmatists and reformists, despite many being disqualified before the race had begun. Though the balance could shift in the second round, and in any event the highly conservative Guardian Council and other power centres will block any moves they see as undermining their influence.

Both the Iran 7 Oct 1906 and 1 Feb 1979 9am charts indicate upheavals plus major anxieties/confusion this year. The 1906 chart has tr Neptune conjunct Saturn and tr Pluto trine Mars as well as tr Saturn square the Mars Saturn opposition.  Both have Uranus transits to their respective Plutos which does indicate change and disruption.  The March and September Eclipses are, as last year, also bouncing off key planets, so a challenging time. This September’s Virgo Eclipse looks especially critical.

The key is Ayatollah Khameini who is reputedly ailing, though he is extraordinarily tough with a Fixed T Square of Pluto opposition Mars square Saturn. However tr Uranus will square his Cancer Sun from late May, on and off for a year, which will provide a few jolts.

His Leadership chart, 4 June 1989, has weathered more than a few storms in recent years as the tr Uranus square tr Pluto was in hard aspect to the Uranus Neptune Saturn in Capricorn.  But that has now passed over. What it’s facing this year is tr Saturn opposition Sun Jupiter at the moment, lowering enthusiasm and confidence; with tr Neptune in square in 2017 and after – so a general downhill slide.

President Hassan Rouhani, the centrist President, took over on 3 Aug 2013 at 5pm – this gives a powerful and innovative though risky Pluto opposition Moon Jupiter Mars square Uranus. Tr Pluto is opposing his Presidency Mars all this year which is frustrating and the Pluto Uranus square closes to exact by Solar Arc in five months’ time, so a tricky and unstable time for him.

George Martin, the English record producer, composer, conductor, who became known as the fifth Beatle for his game-changing involvement in their early albums, has died. Unlike his music business colleagues he recognised in the Beatles a new pop phenomenon and went out of his way to nurture their output.

Born 3 January 1926 2.29pm London, England, he had an intensely private Capricorn Sun in the 8^th opposition a determined Pluto in the financial 2^nd house. His chart is dominated by two main configurations. One a Fixed T Square from a charming, artistic Venus in Aquarius conjunct his MC opposition to a musical Neptune square an obsessively conscientious Saturn in Scorpio in the hard-working 6^th.

Even more significant is a creative, emotionally self-protective Water Grand Trine of North Node in Cancer trine Saturn trine a maverick, innovative 10^th house Uranus, formed into an even more talented Kite by North Node opposition Jupiter on the cusp of the 9^th for a worldwide reach in his achievements.   He had talents in abundance, luck, drive and the ability to endure.

His two creative Harmonics (5^th and 7^th) are strong; as is his leaving-a-legacy-for-history 17H; and superstar 22^nd Harmonic.

His relationship with Paul McCartney and John Lennon was friendly and affectionate and key to their careers obviously. GM’s Gemini Ascendant was conjunct Paul’s MC and Sun; with GM’s lucky Jupiter and Venus falling in Paul’s performing 5^th. GM’s Capricorn Sun was in John Lennon’s 10^th, with GM’s musical Neptune in Lennon’s 5^th.  Though the latter was a more troubled, complex relationship.  In both relationship charts there was a Uranus square Pluto suggesting a potential to revolutionize all three lives and the pop music industry in which they were involved.

Maria Sharapova, the Russian professional tennis player who has admitted to using a banned drug on, she says, medical advice, has seen her lucrative sponsorship deals fall away. Last year she earned a reputed $30 million.

Born 19 April 1987 in Nyagan, Russia, with two suggested birth times of 3am and 2pm, she’s a Sun Aries trine Saturn Uranus in Sagittarius and a Sag/Capricorn Moon. So fiery, disciplined, a go getter.  She’s known as a powerful, aggressive and noisy player.

Her chart, otherwise, is riddled with quincunxes.  A Yod of Mars in Gemini sextile Mercury (Jupiter) in Aries inconjunct Pluto – will give her a ruthlessly competitive, controlling streak though the strain caused by the inconjuncts means it will act erratically. Bil Tierney says of this Yod: “ If mismanaged, this powerful Yod could suggest inevitable changes which may de-elevate the individual to a more frustrating level of obscurity and isolation.”

She’s also got Mars inconjunct Neptune – so again a sense of strain, of never really fitting in.

Although she’ll get a minor lift soon from tr Uranus conjunct her Sun/Jupiter midpoint she’s got a less than pleasant two or three years ahead. Her Solar Arc Mars will oppose her Neptune in 2017 which will be panicky and undermining. Solar Arc Pluto opposes her Mars, triggering her Yod, in 2018. And that’s worse – trapped, enraged, powerless; with a jolting tr Uranus conjunct Sun then as well. She’ll stay bullish throughout, but doesn’t look good.