“I am on the cusp of change and the curve is shifting fast.”  Audre Lorde

Standing on the brink can be scary evoking images of cliff edges or even trepidation about being on the threshold of what is unfamiliar. With the four outer planets hovering in that critical phase of transition between what has been and what is about to come there is an over-wrought, push-and-pull mood. The tension comes from the tug-of-war between past securities and the urge to leap ahead across the brink to embrace the unknown.

Pluto has already made the transition into Aquarius. After a few tentative toes in the water last year Neptune is finally into Aries for the long haul a week ago. Saturn is heading for the crossover into Aries by the middle of this month and Uranus sashays into Gemini in late April.

   None of this is news but I have been aware recently of numbers of newsworthy charts which had planets in the final anaretic degree. Again not surprising since they will be catching the aspects from the outer planets so will be undergoing crises or challenges themselves.  But I also wondered whether they were in some way pivotal, albeit unwitting, to times of change which never comes easily – opportunity usually emerging out of crisis or danger. Some will turn their face against evolving to a higher/different level and suffer the fate of being tossed onto yesterday’s scrap heap. The choice at an individual level is change or stagnate. But even those who turn their face the wall may be a necessary part of the process.  

  “Anaretic” derives from the Greek, meaning “destructive” or “killing,” and signifies intense pressure, endings, and the need to complete lessons.

  Those having key anaretic planets can have a ‘dither and dash’ temperament – unable to decide and then making an impulsive leap often in the wrong direction. It can bring a sense of unfinished business connected to the sign involved that needs closure which can lead to poor choices, difficulties or overcompensation.  

 The 29^th degree is known as the “degree of fate” which brings a sense of urgency, stemming from a need to complete ‘karmic’ lessons. Or put it another way a sense that an old cycle is ending and needs to be accounted for before the leap ahead into the new phase.  Associated with an impending major turning point, it is both limiting and motivating. The old becomes insupportable so the new is worth the risk. The end of the cycle brings a “now or never” urgency.

 One sad example is Violet Ford Fletcher, recently deceased last survivor of the Tulsa Massacre, with her Pluto at 29 degrees Gemini, all too evocative of her memoir “Don’t Let Them Bury My Story.”

  J.D. Vance has his Pluto and Neptune in final degrees of Libra and Sagittarius.

 New Zealand has its Pluto in final degree Aries.

The Kent State shooting occurred with Neptune at 29 Scorpio and Jupiter at 29 Libra.

Sun in final degree: Julio Iglesias, Emmanuel Macron, France, Morgan McSweeney (Starmer Chief of Staff), Iran 1501, Xi Jinping’s Third Term.

Mars in final degree: Roy Cohn, US Congress, USA Solar Arc Mars, Jerome Powell’s 2^nd Term at Fed Res.

Uranus in final degree: ICE, Board of Peace and Neptune), Bank of China.

Jupiter at final degree: Donald Trump Jnr.

  Donald Trump has his Ascendant in final degree Leo, the EU has final degree MC and Ascendant.

 Not sure what all of the above add up to except it does seem a critical degree and is hovering around in the celestial sphere as well as in the media spotlight which suggests the certain individuals are consciously or unconsciously, for good or ill, at the centre of a cultural shift.

Add On: More final degrees – Lyndsey Vonn, the skier pushing against common sense has another crash. She has Neptune at 29 Sagittarius in an overly optimistic conjunction to Jupiter with Mars ramping up the enthusiasm nearby.

Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s Chief of Staff, resigns over Mandelson – Sun at 29 Aries and Solar Arc Pluto at 29 Scorpio.

Thorbjørn Jagland. Former Norway PM under corruption investigation over Epstein files. Mars at 29 Sagittarius.

From a previous post:

For those who don’t have a 29 degree planet in their chart they will still feel the effects from the changeover of Solar Arc Sun (every 30 years) to a new sign and Progressed Moon (every 2.5 years). Both of these herald a significant shift with the run up to the changeover being filled with uncertainty, indecision leading to hasty commitments and sometimes crisis – described as sometimes ‘packing a punch’.

  As with the transiting outer planets when they reach the final sign before the changeover there can often be a ‘swansong’ of unfinished business connected to the sign that is being exited which show up as crises.  Pluto leaving Capricorn – money, governmental practice, capitalism. Neptune leaving Pisces – weird ideas, conspiracy theories, religious zealotry. The theory being that a resolution must be found before it is too late – the Trump madness and the UK Post Office debacle being too examples to ponder.

  On a quick scan through examples: last degree Taurus Sun – Cher and Laurence Olivier.  Last degree Capricorn Sun – Janis Joplin, Dolly Parton, Al Capone. Not sure I would draw any great conclusion from those examples.

  Last degree Moons seem trickier:

29 Aries Moon – Celine Dion

29 Taurus Moon – Friday Kahlo, Riven Phoenix, Henrik Ibsen.

29 Leo Moon – Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher.

29 Virgo Moon – Jack Nicholson, Deepak Chopra, Betty White

29 Scorpio Moon – Jennifer Lopez, Melinda Gates, Ellen Pompeo

29 Capricorn Moon – David Beckham, Prince George, Napoleon 1, Robert Kennedy Jnr.

29 Pisces Moon – Kim Kardashian, Hilary Clinton, Catherine Zeta Jones, serial killer Wayne Gacy.

  Interesting to hear from those who have final degree planets. 

PS Fun example. The Great Stink in London of 1858 – a stench that was so noxious from untreated human waste and industrial effluent that it led to a major overhaul and introduction of new sewage systems occurred when Uranus was at 29 degrees Taurus – and that’s an appropriate astro-signature. Taurus being earthy and fairly anal – and up-in-its-head Uranus moving into Airy Gemini wanting freed from the grosser aspects of city living.

Add On:

Rupert Murdoch – Venus 29′ Aquarius – making an impulsive leap, often in wrong direction.

Oscar Pistorius – Sun 29′ Scorpio (square Mars) and Reeve Steenkamp Saturn 29 Libra (conjunct Pluto and trine his Mars).

Peter Mandelson – Saturn 29’ Libra

Michael J Fox & George Clooney – Saturn 29′ Capricorn

Harvey Weinstein – Sun 29’ Pisces

Cillian Murphy  29 Aries Chiron in painful square to Saturn 29 Cancer.

Jerry Hall Jupiter 29 Leo conj Pluto 26 Leo

Sir Mick Jagger: Chiron 29 Leo; Neptune 29 Virgo

Chris Hemsworth 29′ Saturn in Libra conjunct Pluto  square Mars.

Kate Hudson has Sun at 29 Aries square Moon at 29 Capricorn opposition Jupiter 29’ Cancer.

Jeremy Corbyn –  Uranus 29 Gemini and Saturn 29 Leo. 

Ed Miliband is UK Secretary for Energy, dubbed ‘Red Ed’ by his brother David when he beat him by a hair breadth in the 2010 Labour Party leadership elections, courtesy of backing from trade unions. Ed’s Net Zero policies are divisive, with criticisms of higher running costs and Tony Blair saying they are doomed to fail in the long run.

  Ed Miliband born 24 December 1969 2pm London (biography), has a Capricorn Sun in the high-minded, crusading 9^th house opposite a Cancer Moon square Uranus and Pluto. With Uranus on the focal point of a Cardinal T square, he will be a social catalyst pushing for reform. But he’ll tend to be overly extreme, impatient and highly strung. Without an outlet for his radical activism he could become a social misfit, willful and defiant. His Uranus is further emphasized being at the apex of a yod inconjunct Mars sextile Saturn which will double up on his urge to be a trailblazer. He could make far-reaching changes but his Uranus could also backfire due to his intolerance and defiant attitudes.

 He also has an up-and-down Saturn in Taurus opposition Jupiter in Scorpio which is trine/sextile his Sun, so he will be subject to mood swings.

  With another yod of Pluto sextile Neptune inconjunct Saturn which can carry heavy karmic lessons if not handled with maturity. Tr Neptune (and Saturn) will square his Sun in March and April this year, Neptune repeating till early 2027, which will be undermining and not supportive of high ambition. His Solar Arc Sun is also square his Neptune at the moment for much the same swampy effect.

  His Solar Arc Uranus will square his Mars late 2026/27. That is followed by tr Uranus will square his Mars in 2027/28 for much the same jolting shocks and insecurity as well as rash over-reactions. Tr Neptune will oppose his Uranus in 2028/9 – so a long running Neptunian droop for him over the next few years. En passant tr Uranus will also oppose his Neptune for the final time this April for a nerve-stretching run of three weeks. I can’t see him progressing up the ladder.

  His brother David, who resigned from Westminster in 2013 to seek his satisfaction elsewhere is now CEO of the International Rescue Committee in New York City. Born 15 July 1965, he is a Sun Cancer trine Saturn in Pisces. His Uranus Pluto oppose Saturn and square Jupiter so he will also have reforming zeal along with a dollop of good luck and a mellower feel than his brother. His Moon is in Aquarius.

  The brothers have an explosive chemistry with David’s Mars conjunct Ed’s inflated Uranus. Their relationship chart has a hostile, power struggling composite Mars square Pluto Uranus which tr Uranus was in hard aspect to when the 2010 split occurred.

Father Ralph, 17 January 1924, was a bleak Capricorn Sun square Saturn in Scorpio; with a dogmatic Mercury opposition Pluto; a revolutionary Uranus trine Pluto and a never-say-die Mars in Scorpio.

At the risk of overdosing on Trump and raising tensions further –  there is an astrological hotspot approaching which connects the February 17^th Solar Eclipse at 28 degrees Aquarius square Uranus to many of the White House acolytes

 The eclipsed New Moon relocated to Washington DC sits exactly on the Ascendant, hinting that even more than usual (!!) the US seat of government will be the focus of global attention.

 Donald Trump has his Mars in Leo opposed by the Solar Eclipse which sits on his Descendant suggesting his already unstable temper will get the better of him as his “full speed ahead” Mars goes into overdrive, picking fights wherever he goes. It can lead in addition to heated arguments to physical exhaustion; contusions; accidents and illness. Sitting on his Descendant, hints at a need to rethink his approach to relationships.

 The Saros series of this eclipse is not in itself a high-risk one according to Bernadette Brady, though communication muddles and restrictions can lead to feelings of tiredness; with a hint that working through difficulties one by one will be sensible. Not the Trump way.

 The Solar Eclipse is also conjunct the USA Sibly country chart Aquarius Moon (and conjunct the Solar Arc Mars). This will brings up the past for America and is a time of testing the foundations on which present stability is built. Public image comes under scrutiny so criticism will be likely where there are failing. The country may be at tipping point with a good deal of anger spilling out.   The USA Congress also has the Solar Eclipse conjunct its Mars so there may be more pushback from that quarter.

  Like Trump, J.D. Vance also has the Eclipse conjunct his Descendant for a hard look at his close relationships with a challenge to alter his approach.

 Many of the close circle will also be rattled up in coming months – eclipses run up in effect before the due date and cover the coming six months.

  Susie Wiles has the eclipse opposition her Pluto, as does Steve Witkoff, Stephen Bannon, and John Roberts of the Supreme Court. Usually this brings major challenges and a need for change which will probably initially be resisted. The hint is transform or wither in decay. With a further possible dimension which is involvement in controlling relationships difficult to disengage from with a heavy cost involved.

Jared and Ivanka Kushner both have their Uranus being squared by the eclipse, as does Tulsi Gabbard, Kash Patel. This suggests changes and unforeseen circumstances over which they have no control. A sudden letting go of everything that is old and useless. Nervy.

Scott Bessent, Karoline Leavitt have the eclipse opposing their Sun which usually brings a crisis with a necessity to face the fact they have been wrong. Prompts a complete rethink of attitudes which if ignored will bring consequences.

Eric Trump has the eclipse conjunct his Moon which will make him feel he is standing on very shaky ground. Melania has her Venus in late Taurus being squared by the eclipse for an emotional upset

 Other eclipse targets include NATO with the eclipse opposition the Sun. ICE with the eclipse conjunct their Uranus.

 Israel will also be in the firing line of the eclipse with their Mars in Leo and Netanyahu’s Mars in Leo both being opposed by the eclipse. So there may be a flare up there. Iran’s Pluto (opp Mars) will also be squared by the eclipse.

  It is usually a mistake to joint too many dots together and assume all of the above eclipse aspects are being triggered by the same event.

J.D. Vance’s wife has just announced her pregnancy with their fourth child so his eclipse on the Descendant could be part of that. Melania may be unnerved by her documentary not turning out to be the hit of the decade.

  But it certainly does seem to be affecting Trump and his nearest so worth reviewing as it rolls through.

Even Andrew Neil in the Daily Mail thinks “we are past peak Trump.”

‘President Trump peered over the brink at the mayhem in Minneapolis this week – and quickly pulled back. His personal approval ratings, already shaky, took a further dive. Even loyal Republicans were recoiling at the excesses of a poorly trained paramilitary force, unaccountable and out of control.’

But Neil also points out that the US economy is doing well with growth of over 5 per cent by the last quarter. Productivity growth is booming way above European levels too.

Likewise, crime is dropping dramatically, down by double digits. It is expected that the latest homicide rate will be four in 100,000, making it the lowest since records began in 1900. But, again, Trump gets little credit, partly because he’s too busy depicting Democrat-run big cities as cesspits of crime and lawlessness for most folk to be even aware of the wider picture.’

ADD On:

Ukraine is not looking overly cheerful in relation to the February eclipse. The 1918 country chart has an emotionally upsetting conjunction to its Venus. The 1991 chart has the eclipse opposition Mercury in Leo and the zero degree Virgo Sun which points to a crisis.  The eclipse relocated to Kiev has a frustrating stuck Mars in the 8th and a hopeful though worrisome Saturn Neptune conjunct the Midheaven.

  Zelensky’s personal chart has the eclipse opposition his Saturn in Leo which could dent his confidence and reputation and he may be landed with extra responsibilities and blame for the actions of underlings.

 Others with Saturn in late Leo getting a similar message are Tim Waltz and Amal Alamuddin (George Clooney’s wife). And Belgium.

Three with the eclipse in hard aspect to their Jupiter are Bill Gates (Jupiter Pluto conjunction in Leo), Peter Thiel and Tony Blair. The temptation to over extend will loom large and they could be their own greatest enemy though will blame others when things go wrong. Luck will come and then disappear. Learning trust will be vital (as will avoiding the untrustworthy).

Bill Clinton has the eclipse opposition his late Leo Sun as he faces the fact that he is not always right and is prompted to undergo a personal re-evaluation.  NATO with a 1 degree Virgo Sun is facing the same.

Alan Dershowtiz with his Mars in late Leo will be on argumentative form as his anger is sparked.

 The Russia 1917 chart also has the eclipse opposition the Moon and Mars which will be emotionally unsettling internally as well as angry and combative.

Keir Starmer and Ghislaine Maxwell both have the eclipse opposition their Uranus – which can bring an opportunity for greater personal freedom, though if ducked will bring the opposite in terms of limitations.

Mention love and rom-com fans go weak at the knees, their eyes glazing over. But the myth of Psyche, the mortal wife of Cupid, points to the heroic journey demanded before she can come together with her soulmate.  She has to undergo trials and tribulations on the path to true love which can only be gained by acquiring wisdom, temperance or moderation, courage and justice.

 Psyche is the latest asteroid to be graced with an astrological exploration in Anne-Marie Chabellard’s book In the Name of Love. A French author she has degrees in biological science and psychology with an interest in the Jungian approach to astrology.

 As she remarks  ‘the relevance of using asteroids is far from winning unanimous support.’ But her own detailed studies of celebrities and her own clients persuaded her that there is a convincing case for keeping an eye on the asteroid Psyche, especially when it is spotlighted by the progressed Sun. She quotes Howard Sasportas as saying he saw “the progressed Sun as a torch which shines on whatever it is touching.”

 Psyche, a giant asteroid, was discovered on 17 March 1852 and has a five year cycle round the Sun, spending a variable amount of time in each sign of the zodiac, varying from two to ten months. A NASA mission, launched 2023, is currently under way with findings expected by 2029.

 There are examples of Psyche in operation under the prompting of the progressed Sun from John Lennon to Robert Kennedy and Simone de Beauvoir.

  Psyche in aspect to the Sun is explained as pointing up the key relationship with the father for example with Maggie Thatcher. Intriguingly also with Jackie Kennedy whose wayward father ‘Black Jack’ Bouvier may have drawn her to Aristotle Onassis. Her Psyche was conjunct Onassis’s Chiron exactly which may explain a little of a relationship that seemed unlikely. J.F.K also had his Psyche square his Sun with his own father issues and his Psyche was conjunct Jackie’s Neptune.  

  The USA has its Psyche conjunct the Sun. And the Charles/Diana wedding also had Psyche conjunct the Sun. Father issues looming large?

  Psyche in interpreted through the 12 signs with preliminary hints on transits.

 The Royals are covered with an intriguing connection between the seniors and the late Queen Elizabeth 11’s conscientious 6^th house Pluto. Prince Philip had his Psyche exactly conjunct her Pluto and her Psyche fell close to his Sun Mars in Gemini. Theirs may have started out as a soulmate love match but the strains of a Royal life took its toll. They managed against the odds to go through trials and tribulations to remain even closer at the end of long lives so it is noteworthy to see such a strong connection.

 As with all astrological research on asteroids, centaurs and Fixed stars, it takes perseverance to winkle out what is most enlightening. What persuaded me looking at the charts of two couples I know with long-lasting marriages which in no way seemed ‘meant’ but have remained united, there are clear Psyche crossovers.

 Even Hillary and Bill Clinton are bound together against the odds. Her Psyche is conjunct his Chiron and widely his Jupiter. While his Psyche conjunct his Pluto is square her Chiron and widely conjunct her Mars Pluto (4 degrees).

   The Charles/Camilla match have both their Psyche’s in aspect to the other’s Mars for a spark.

  Much to learn with further study.

  This book is an admirable deep dive into what Psyche has to offer in a chart.

Starmer’s much lauded visit to China to thaw the ice age of relations and embrace Xi Jinping without managing to address China’s human rights abuses or fears of surveillance on UK territory has left analysts perplexed. Meagre gifts bestowed by Beijing were visa-free travel for visits of less than 30 days; stemming the flow of Chinese motors being used in the Channel; and tariffs on whisky halved, from 10 per cent to 5 per cent.

  The relationship chart between Starmer and Xi Jinping may not mean much if Starmer goes soon – but it has an ominous Mars in early Cancer being undercut by tr Neptune in late April at the same time as tr Uranus squares the composite Pluto – so something will go up in the air.

That also shows up as a time of disappointment, uncertainty and upheaval on the China 1912/UK relationship chart with tr Neptune square the composite Saturn and opposition Jupiter as well as tr Uranus opposition the composite Uranus.

  One sometimes wonders if Starmer knows what he is doing – he has a tin ear when it comes to political nous.

Saturn Pluto evokes thoughts of war, hardship and deprivation but it has an often overlooked ability to create. Associated with the magician it can wield power for good as well as ill.

  Liz Greene talks of the obsessiveness, intense frustration and self-destructive quality of Saturn–Pluto contacts in a chart — purification through ordeal by fire. But the combination does bestow formidable strength and an ability to withstand pressure. Achievements of substance occur through slow, patient hard labour. Stamina counts when they are around.

  Out in the world Saturn Pluto conjunctions come round roughly three a century; with Saturn Pluto squares and oppositions every seven or eight years so they are not infrequent occurrences.

 Reviewing the list below of events, there are wars and disasters aplenty with the approaching Saturn square Pluto approaching in 2028 causing some consternation. What is missed are the progressive and positive events that also fell under the Saturn Pluto banner at different times.

In the US, the Voting Rights Act was signed.  Roe v. Wade: The U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion nationwide. The death penalty was abolished in the UK. The Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage. The passage of the Affordable Care Act in the US.

 There were also cooperative and peace initiatives. European Expansion: The UK, Ireland, and Denmark joined the EEC. The Hague Peace Conference of 1899. The end of the Great Game between UK and Russia 1907. The Irish Free State born in 1922. Egypt given independence, ditto Morocco, Gambia, Tunisia. Apartheid ended in South Africa.

 There were culture-changing inventions – the first compact disc (CD) player was introduced. Wikipedia launched. Apple brought out the first iPod. The launch of the iPad and Instagram.

Dr. Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine was released for public use. The first permanent artificial heart was implanted in a human.

 Saturn Pluto hard aspects can be spine-straightening and even when they coincide with wars they need not be global ones, indeed most often not.

  1982 as one example with Saturn Pluto conjunct in Libra saw the UK v Argentina Falklands War which drew world attention but was a localised spat. Israel invaded the Lebanon which would raise Middle East tensions but again did not ripple out to affect those outside.  

Recent Saturn Pluto hard aspects:

1899 – Saturn in Sagittarius opposition Pluto in Gemini. Start of the Second Boer War in South Africa and the Philippine-American War, following the U.S. ratification of the treaty ending the Spanish-American War. The first Hague Peace Conference aimed for global disarmament. 

1907 – Saturn in Pisces square Pluto in Gemini. Major financial turmoil with the Panic of 1907 in the US, sparking bank runs and leading to banking reforms like the Federal Reserve. First universal suffrage elections in Europe in Finland. The Anglo-Russian Convention marked the end of the Great Game = struggle for supremacy in Central and South Asia between the British and Russian Empires. Romania’s massive Peasants’ Revolt

1914 Saturn conjunct Pluto in Cancer. Start of World War 1

1922 – Saturn in Libra square Pluto in Cancer. The Irish Free State officially began, followed quickly by the Irish Civil War. In Italy Benito Mussolini and his Fascist Party took power after the March on Rome. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was formally established. Britain granted Egypt nominal independence, ending its protectorate. The last Ottoman Sultan was expelled, marking the end of the Ottoman Empire.

1931 – Saturn in Capricorn opposition Pluto in Cancer. Two years into the Great Depression. The Empire State Building opened. Spain became a republic, Japan occupied Manchuria.

1939 – Saturn in Taurus square Pluto in Leo. World War 11 begins with UK and France versus Germany. Russia invaded Finland. Germany and the Soviet Union signed a non-aggression pact with secret plans to divide Eastern Europe. Nazi persecution of the mentally ill and Jews.

1947 – Saturn in Leo conjunct Pluto. Major geopolitical shifts, with the bloody partition of India Pakistan, the start of the Cold War with the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan, and the UN approval of the Palestine partition.

1955 – Saturn in Scorpio square Pluto in Leo. The start of the U.S. civil rights movement. The Warsaw Pact was signed by Soviet-aligned nations. West Germany joined NATO. Dr. Jonas Salk’s polio vaccine was released for public use.

1956 – Saturn in Sagittarius square Pluto in Virgo

The Suez Crisis with a failed Anglo-French-Israeli intervention in Egypt. Soviet suppression of the Hungarian Revolution. Khrushchev denounced Stalin. Elvis Presley rose to fame. Morocco and Tunisia gained independence. Apartheid Protests in South Africa.

1965 – Saturn in Pisces opposition Pluto (and Uranus)in Virgo.

Vietnam War escalated  as did major student protests against it. The Indo-Pakistani War broke out. In the U.S, the Voting Rights Act was signed.  Malcolm X was assassinated. The death penalty was abolished in the UK. Gambia gained independence. The Beatles.

1973 – Saturn in Cancer square Pluto in Libra. The Yom Kippur War led to an oil embargo, and an energy crisis in the West. Vietnam War ended. Chile Coup: Pinochet seized power. European Expansion: The UK, Ireland, and Denmark joined the European Economic Community (EEC). Roe v. Wade: The U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion nationwide. The Watergate scandal unfolded leading to Nixon’s resignation in 1974 with Saturn still square Pluto.

1982 – Saturn conjunct Pluto in Libra. The Falklands War between the UK and Argentina. The Israeli invasion of Lebanon with the Sabra and Shatila massacre. The release of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. The first compact disc (CD) player was introduced; the first permanent artificial heart was implanted in a human.

1992 – Saturn in Aquarius square Pluto in Scorpio. The Bosnian War began, with the Siege of Sarajevo starting. In South Africa white voters approved ending apartheid negotiations. Bill Clinton was elected US President, and the US/Russia declared the Cold War over. Czechoslovakia began its peaceful dissolution into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. LA Riots after the Rodney King verdict. The Maastricht Treaty forming the EU. The UK left the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) on “Black Wednesday”.

2001 – Saturn in Gemini opposition Pluto in Sagittarius. 9/11 Al-Qaeda terrorists hijack four planes, crashing them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and one in Pennsylvania, killing nearly 3,000 people and launching the “War on Terror”. The U.S. invaded Afghanistan in response. Escalation of the Second Intifada between Israel and Palestine and conflicts in Macedonia. Massive accounting fraud at the Enron corporation was exposed, shaking corporate America. Wikipedia launched. Apple introduced the first iPod. The Netherlands became the first country to legalize same-sex marriage.

2010 – Saturn in Libra square Pluto in Capricorn. Several  major natural disasters – devastating earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, massive floods in Pakistan, the eruption of the volcano Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland, which disrupted European air travel and the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The passage of the Affordable Care Act in the US. The launch of the iPad and Instagram.

2019/20 – Saturn conjunct Pluto in Capricorn. 2019 – The devastating Notre Dame fire, major anti-government protests in Hong Kong and Iraq, political upheaval in Venezuela and Sudan. 2020 – the global COVID-19 pandemic. Major social movements like Black Lives Matter protests after George Floyd’s murder.

2028 – Saturn in Taurus square Pluto in Aquarius.

2035 – Saturn in Leo opposition Pluto in Aquarius.

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Deflecting from domestic unrest and failures into foreign forays is standard for unpopular political leaders but having been voted in on an avoiding-military entanglements-abroad platform, Trump’s latest broadside against Iran is unlikely to appeal to his MAGA voters.

 A build-up of US military forces in the Gulf with a naval fleet headed by the Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln could be the forerunner to new US airstrikes on Iran within a few days. Despite Trump’s recent supportive rhetoric about anti-regime protestors recently, this chest-beating appears to be more about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The recent unrest with widespread street demonstrations violently suppressed by the authorities has led to many thousands of deaths.

  It is the largest increase of US military assets in the region since B-2 bombers dropped 30,000lb bombs on three of the Iran’s nuclear facilities in June last year. At that point Saturn Neptune were in early Aries with Uranus in final degree Taurus.

  The Iran 22 December 1501 chart does have tr Uranus opposing the Pluto from the first days of February to the end of the month for extreme turbulence and given that the Pluto is opposing Mars on this Iran chart it does suggest a high-risk time, more so than last June.

 The Iran chart also has its Sun at final degree Sagittarius which has just finished the tr Neptune square with tr Saturn following suit within days.

 The upcoming February Solar Eclipse located to Teheran has Pluto on the Descendant which is descriptive of relationship tensions and the New Moon itself at 20 degrees Aquarius is also square the Iran Pluto exactly.

 Relationship charts between the USA and Iran 1501 and Iran 1 April 1979 both look pressured and turbulent.

 The 2025 Inauguration Second Trump Term chart has tr Saturn conjunct the Neptune/Node midpoint exactly now = losses, deceit, untruthfulness. And moving to square the Neptune/Pluto midpoint in March which has a range of meanings from obsessions, mental torment to an association with nuclear issues.

 The USS Abraham Lincoln, hull laid down 3 November 1984, has a formidably determined Sun in Scorpio conjunct Saturn on one side and Pluto on the other. It looks edgy at the moment as it awaits orders from the USA with Solar Arc Neptune square the Sun at this year; tr Saturn conjunct the Neptune exactly now bringing uncertainty.

 I was pondering on an increasingly-wandered and unhinged Trump’s early indoctrination by his mentor Roy Cohn:

Never admit fault or apologize.

Attack and counter-attack: with greater force.

Use the media: to one’s advantage, even creating chaos.

“Never back down”: and “make stuff up” if needed.

Historical novelist Thomas Mallon, who wrote the 2006 novel Fellow Travelers, the basis for the 2024 The Apprentice film about Trump’s rise via Roy Cohn remarked: “One surprise – not evident when I was starting the novel 20 years ago – is that Cohn would have a vampiric afterlife. And of course he owes that to Trump.” Cohn does keep coming back from the dead. “Insofar as he personally affected Trump’s thinking and behaviour, one realises that Cohn has had an impact on the republic, albeit at intervals, for 70 years.”

  ‘Cohn is best known now for the lessons he taught Trump, but even before that he was an outsized figure running through US politics and culture (McCarthy etc). To note his most flagrant hypocrisy, Cohn was a gay man who persecuted other gay people out of their government jobs during what became known as the Lavender Scare of the 1950s. Throughout his life, he bullied people and tried to bully facts. He died of Aids in 1986, insisting publicly that he had liver cancer and denying to the end that he was gay, despite taking his lovers along to public events.’

 What is notable is that Cohn, 20 February 1927, with five planets in Pisces including his Sun also had his Pluto in Cancer conjunct the USA Sun – a limpet vampire who never lets go. He also had his Mars in final degree Taurus which tr Uranus will be conjunct in March – so interesting to see what happens if his conditioning of Trump goes awry.

  His relationship with Trump was unsurprisingly controlling with a composite Sun square Pluto which hooks exactly into the fanatical USA Pluto in late Capricorn; with their composite Mars exactly conjunct the USA Sun.  A spooky tie-up tapping into the heart and soul of the USA.

The ICE shooting of two civilians this month has shown up cracks in the support for White House methods of handling the immigration problem.

Greg Bovino, Commander from Border Patrol has been moved out of the front line. Born 27 March 1970 in California, he is a defiant, uncompromising Sun Aries opposition Uranus with a tough-minded, unsympathetic Mars Saturn in Taurus. Which matches ICE’s Saturn opposition Mars Pluto in Sagittarius.  

  Rennee Good shot in Minneapolis on 7th January was born 2 April 1988 in Colorado, and was a Sun Aries square Neptune (Saturn Uranus) in Capricorn and inconjunct Pluto in Scorpio. Triple conjunction personalities tend to be highly strung, innovative and can be chaotic. Her Pluto inconjunct Sun and opposition Jupiter would tend to run her into conflict with authorities.

  Her Mars in ambitious Capricorn in a passionately enthusiastic trine to Venus in Taurus was sextile Mercury in Pisces for an ability to speak for those who needed support. The recent Solar Eclipse in late Virgo was opposition her Mercury was oddly prescient as she stepped forward to support her cause.

[See Minneapolis shooting – twisting the truth. 8th January 2026.]

Alex Pretti, 1 March 1988, shot in Minnesota last weekend, was a kind and determined Sun Pisces trine Pluto in Scorpio; with the highly-strung, generational triple conjunction of Uranus, Saturn, Neptune in Capricorn all in a volatile conjunction to Mars. His showy Leo Moon was probably opposition Mercury and trine a charmingly, upfront Venus Jupiter in Aries; with his Mercury in a dogmatic square to Pluto.  Without a birth time there was not much showing on his chart, though as is often the case he was approaching a truly difficult time with tr Neptune now square his Uranus at zero Capricorn and soon his Saturn and Mars later this year.

[The earlier erroneous date of November 1988 was taken off the internet. NB. Be wary of the echo chamber which repeats mistaken information and then sets it in concrete.  Thanks for for the correct info JP. The previous November birthdate with a stellium in Scorpio did not seem to fit with reports of his temperament.]

 Both Rennee Good and Alex Pretti had Pluto in Scorpio opposing Greg Bovino’s Mars Saturn in Taurus so their stance would get under his skin. Both their triple conjunctions clashed with the ICE Mars in Sagittarius – and were being undercut by tr Neptune Scheat as well as tr Saturn in square. Both their Plutos square ICE’s Neptune, creating confusion for the organisation.

 Tom Homan, 28 November 1961, has now been stepped up to take over from Greg Bovino  He is certainly tough enough with a Sun Mars in Sagittarius in a never-say-die and can-be-ruthless square to Pluto.  His relationship chart with Trump has a composite Saturn opposition Mars Neptune square Uranus – which is a harsh and potentially explosive relationship.  

  Trump is pulling back from certain of his draconian policies with regard to ICE’s action and getting in a tangle with the NRA by suggesting Alex Pretti should not have gone to the protest with a gun. I’m inclined to agree for once but it hardly sits well with the backwoodsman MAGA ethos.

  Insightful piece on Trump recently in the FT. “Trump is the wrong answer to the right questions.”

“Trump isn’t the solution to any of the world’s problems, but he does have an unerring ability to see where the fractures and faultlines in the old order are. By challenging the status quo, he has focused the minds of world leaders on the desperate need to create a new and better order.

Those who oppose the US president and are seeking a better way towards a new world order would do well to think about real answers to the questions he raises. Domestically, for example, Democrats running in the midterm elections this autumn need strong ideas about how to craft a better immigration policy: Trump’s ICE raids aren’t the answer, but nor is a totally open border.”

Mark Tully, the BBC “voice of India” over sixty years, garnered respect with his impartial and knowledgeable reporting from within his adoptive home. Rajiv Gandhi evidently refused to believe rumours of his mother Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984 until Tully confirmed it on the radio. The affection for him transcended political affiliation. He was given one of India’s highest civilian honours and on his death, the nationalist PM Narendra Modi led the tributes to him.

  He was born in India, like George Orwell, into a prosperous British family representative of the old Raj so it is all the more to his credit he emerged as a trusted voice in modern India. Sent to boarding school young in a ‘miserable’ England, he eventually ‘came home’ when at 29 he got a job in the BBC’s India bureau in Delhi.

   For 24 years, he presented a weekly spiritual programme, on Radio 4. In between, he produced documentaries and wrote a series of books on India. ’His works constitute some of the most vivid and insightful chronicles of India’s transformation from an improbable post-colonial democracy into a major world power.’

  Born 24 August 1935 10 am Kolkata, India, he had a stellium in journalistic Virgo ranging from the Sun, Mercury and spiritual Neptune to Venus in his community-minded 11^th house. His Sun, Mercury, Neptune opposed a serious, sober Saturn in Pisces in his performing 5^th house. His Saturn opposition Sun were in a talented Half Grand Sextile to Uranus in Taurus sextile a Cancer Moon.

   His 1^st house enthusiastic Mars Jupiter in Scorpio sextile his Mercury Neptune would add an adventurous streak. What is probably most significant is his Pluto conjunct the Midheaven which, used correctly, would be what gave him extraordinary influence.

  The modern India chart shares his Jupiter in Scorpio and his sensible Saturn sat in the India 10^th  bolstering his reputation for balance and probity. His Pluto MC were conjunct the India Cancer Moon producing a strong emotional bond and giving him an interest in promoting a picture of Indian life.