Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican singer whose mellifluous voice helped to turn reggae into a global phenomenon, has died aged 81. Best known among mainstream listeners for songs such as “Many Rivers to Cross”, “If I Follow My Mind”, “You Can Get It If You Really Want”, and Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now” from the Jamaican bobsled drama film Cool Runnings. He also starred in the film The Harder They Come, which was the first major commercial film from Jamaica and helped popularise reggae around the world. He was one of only two Jamaicans in the Hall of Fame, the other being Bob Marley.
Born 30 July 1944 in Jamaica, he had a determined Sun Pluto conjunction in entertaining Leo with his Pluto close to charming and flamboyant Venus. His Sun Pluto fell midway between a creative, inventive Uranus trine Neptune; and his Uranus was in a rebellious square to Mars in Virgo. His Moon in ever-optimistic Sagittarius was further boosted by a square to an enthusiastic Jupiter Mercury conjunction in Virgo
His creative, the eternal-seeker 7th harmonic was strong.
The year 2028 is causing a few flutters of concern with challenging influences coming together though this happens every so often and does not mean the end of times.
By mid 2028 Saturn is edging its way into Taurus to square Pluto – Saturn Pluto is associated with hardship and deprivation, often war. The recent conjunction oversaw the pandemic. WW11 started with Saturn in Taurus square Pluto in Leo. WW1 started on Pluto in Cancer with Saturn in late Gemini approaching the conjunction. It does have ominous overtones but the Falkland War started on a Saturn Pluto conjunction which was UK v Argentina so does not necessarily pull in multiple players.
The January 2028 Solar Eclipse has an Aquarius New Moon conjunct Pluto trine Uranus; with Mars in Aquarius having moved on from the conjunction to Pluto in the Lunar Eclipse two weeks earlier. Mars Pluto is usually associated with ruthlessness and violence – was there for the Ukraine Invasion and various Gaza wars as well.
Charts with concentration of Fixed planets around this mark – are the UK with its 8th house Mars; the EU with its Taurus Moon and Uranus in Leo; and the Maastricht Treaty with its Scorpio Sun. All will feel the effects.
China hay be late to the party’ with a marginally later degree Saturn in Taurus.
The USA chart is on a Uranus Return as it was for the start of the US Civil War though it has had another Uranus Return in 1945.
What may also be significant are the Lunar Eclipses of 2028 at 21 Cancer and 15 Capricorn which will trigger the UK 10th house Cancer Moon and the July one the USA Sun – eclipses are challenges to change. So it will not be a year to stand still.
[Andre I would be grateful if you did not go off on one of your apocalyptic musings – it’ll be tough but that does not mean the world blows up.]
Desperate for a win, Trump has thrown a spanner in the works of the Ukraine situation by trying to force through a Putin-friendly deal with no room for manoeuvre.
The Invasion Declaration chart, 23 February 2022 at 9pm Moscow, had a ruthless Mars Pluto conjunction which won’t close by Solar Arc for another twenty months; though there will be significant movement from August 2026 onwards as tr Uranus squares the Declaration Sun.
Zelensky’s Term chart, 20 May 2019 10am Kiev, which started with a late Taurus Sun Mercury conjunct Algol, will be seriously rattled this December as tr Uranus is conjunct the Sun, returning mid March to early April 2026. He is already sagging not only with exhaustion but corruption scandals within his government and also manpower and equipment shortages. This could topple his administration. Another bout of turbulence which could also upset the applecart will come from tr Pluto square the Uranus picking up from mid February 2026 and running till late 2027. If he stays in situ then tr Neptune square the Mars from late March to late April 2026 and again in October will be sinking-failure phases.
His own personal chart, 25 January 1978 2pm Krivoj Rog, Ukraine, does hint he is running out of steam never mind road. Solar Arc Neptune is conjunct his Sun Neptune conjunction in Aquarius now (and over past few months) for low motivation and indecision. With tr Pluto moving to conjunct his Sun Venus from late March 2026 on and off till late 2027 which will be life-changing. What also flags up is this December with tr Uranus square his Saturn at 28 Leo for a sizeable jolt.
Fixed sign planets at 28 degrees which tr Uranus will trigger does show up in both the Ukraine 1918 and Ukraine 1991 chart – so this December does look like a critical point of upset.
Whether an unfair deal is pushed through or not, the ill-feeling between Ukraine and Russia will roll on for years to come – which shows clearly on both country’s relationship charts.
Vladimir Putin’s 5th term, 7 May 2024, got under way with Neptune and the unlucky Scheat in place, which will be keyed up over coming months into spring 2026. He’ll also feel the ill winds of tr Neptune undermining his Mars/Neptune midpoint from March 2026 onwards though what will really bite, bringing failure and low morale will be 2027 when tr Neptune is conjunct the term Mars.
The crucial question is whether the transiting Saturn Neptune conjunction of 2026 will repeat the earlier experiences of accompanying radical changes in Russia – 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and 1953 Stalin’s death.
The Russia 8 December 1991 chart will be pressured through 2026 though the explosive moments will come late 2026 into 2027, worsening dramatically through into 2028 (which could also include a natural disaster).
The Russia 8 November 1917 chart will be on red alert and insecure from June 2026 onwards with tr Uranus square the Mars – with again 2027 looking like a time of maximum chaos.
Add On: Matthew Syed, as ever a sane voice, in today’s Sunday Times:
“Don’t blame Trump. We’re the ones who falsely raised Ukraine’s hopes
The US president’s cynicism was never in doubt, but why did Europe promise the world and then withhold it?”
Imposing a deal that will dismember Ukraine, annex its territory and permanently thwart its membership of Nato. “Trump’s upside? A 50 per cent share of profits in Ukraine-based investment as a route to further deals with Putin on minerals.”
Why did we dither on weaponry and allow laundered Russian oil to keep finding its way into global markets.
The “West” will have lost a war to “a kleptocratic, failing nation with an economy smaller than Italy’s. This should have been the greatest mismatch since Soviet tanks rolled into Finland in 1939 but we stand on the sidelines while Putin and Trump plot to carve up a sovereign ally in our back yard.”
Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret MacDonald were later inspirations for Klimt. He was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist influential on Art Nouveau and Secessionism. She was an artist and designer working with embroidery, gesso panels, leaded glass and repoussé metalwork, her innovative work inspired by Celtic imagery, literature, symbolism, and folklore. Both were important figures of the Modern Style though she has been marginalised in comparison to him despite his claim that she was the greater genius.
Klimt’s Lederer masterpiece (sold recently) was inspired by Margaret Macdonald’s large gresso panel, The May Queen (a middle section above).
Rennie McIntosh, 7 June 1868 11.15 am Glasgow, Scotland, had a 10th house Gemini Sun with an inventive Uranus also in his 10th opposition a Capricorn on square Neptune Jupiter in Aries in his 8th . He drew his inspiration from deep places within him with such a focus on his 8th and that plus a ‘leadership’ Leo North Node marked him out as a trailblazer. He’d be emotionally intense with his Moon trine Mars Pluto in Taurus and his Saturn on his IC hinted at a domestic life focused on work.
Latterly the couple lived in Port Vendres in Catalan France and then in Hampstead and he died of cancer aged 60.
Margaret Macdonald, born 5 November 1864, Staffordshire, England, met him at Glasgow Art School after her family moved north. She was a Sun Mercury in Scorpio opposition Pluto so every bit as intense and enduring (stubborn) as he was. Her Mars in Gemini was in a hard-working trine to Saturn and inspirational trine to Uranus, with her Saturn probably square her Capricorn Moon.
Neither were easy temperaments and with her Mars conjunct his Sun they would argue though she would also fuel his ambitions.
Their relationship chart was complicated with a competitive composite Sun square Mars; a chained-together Saturn Pluto pacified by a connected Jupiter; an upbeat and affectionate Jupiter, Venus, North Node, Mars imprinting their togetherness on the cultural mood of the time; and most significantly two yods bringing them together in a way that affected the destiny of both.
One of their most famous creations was Miss Cranston’s Tea Room in Glasgow. Catherine Cranston, 27 May 1848, was a leading figure in the development of tea rooms (as an alternative to pubs) and was a major patron of Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Margaret MacDonald, for his work on her home Househill and the tea room. She had a Gemini Sun like Rennie McIntosh which in her case was square Neptune and sextile a tough-minded Mars Saturn in Aries. She had a revolutionary Uranus Pluto in Aries so would be on the leading edge of new developments. Her Jupiter in enthusiastic, showy Leo was square Rennie Mcintosh’s Mars Pluto and Margaret’s Scorpio Sun and Pluto as she gave them an outlet for their intense visions.
Pity poor Karoline Leavitt, the highly articulate, polished blonde spokesperson for Trump as she is forced to defend his ever more outrageous comments. Describing his ‘Quiet Piggy’ retort to a female journalist asking about Epstein as “frank and honest”, she is rapidly moving into Comical Ali territory. He was Saddam Hussein’s mouthpiece who caused worldwide amusement before the 2003 Iraq invasion with his wildly-at-odds-with-reality television statements.
I haven’t caught up with her responses yet to his tantrum over Democrats telling military personnel to refuse illegal orders. On his Truth Social he posted “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH”. Even by his standards he appears to be heading down a slippery slope.
Never mind his delusional ravings about the economy. “This is the golden age of America, because we are doing better than we’ve ever done as a country. Prices are coming down and all of that stuff.” The reality is that beef is up 14 percent since January, coffee 19 percent from last September, and a loaf of bread often closer to $4 than $3. Health insurance costs rose this year by six percent on average and likely to rise even more in 2026 as subsidies are phased out.
There are also major cracks within the MAGA tribe on a variety of issues.
Political appointees come and go in any administration but Leavitt might be a useful barometer for what is to come as she is increasingly being forced to defend the indefensible.
Her Virgo Sun sits exactly on his Ascendant, as befits his communication channel.
Her relationship chart with Trump which has been more fraught than surface appearances suggest will move back into high-stress territory from March 2026 onwards with an undermining tr Neptune opposition the composite Mars. That is at the same time as his 2025 Inauguration chart has its bully-boy Sun Pluto opposition Mars square Moon closing to exact by Progression. Extreme anxiety is hinted at from mid May 2026 onwards when tr Uranus opposes the composite Neptune, followed by a potentially separating tr Uranus square the composite Venus into 2027.
Not forgetting the swamps and storm winds to come over this winter with tr Neptune on Scheat which will be buffeting the 2025 Inauguration chart as well. Interestingly his Inauguration chart has (lying) Nessus conjunct Venus Saturn in mid Pisces, rattled up the the recent September Lunar Eclipse.
Leavitt’s personal chart is showing jolting changes with tr Uranus square her Virgo Sun in May 2026 and will continue to rock n’ roll thereafter with tr Uranus opposition her Pluto on and off into 2027. If she sticks around it won’t get easier.
Likewise Susie Wiles, Chief of Staff, 14 May 1957, in her relationship with Trump is frustrated and trapped now till early December; with late April through to late September 2026 sagging badly because of circumstances or cracks in their togetherness. One way or another confidence-undermining influences run on through 2027 to early 2028. Plus major disruptions also through 2027.
All of the above are running alongside two conspicuous and troubling influences on the USA chart. One is the Solar Arc Sun square the Mars within a few months for an upsetting, collision-type event, followed by an undermining, directionless SA Sun opposition the USA Neptune around spring 2027. At the same time as tr Neptune (Saturn) squares the USA Venus and then the USA Jupiter in a confidence-eroding run from late March 2026 on throughout 2027 to spring 2028 – all of which look financially stressed and bubble-bursting.
Past experience has indicated that twisting the astrology to get overly hopeful about the fall of dictators and the like is usually unwise. But all the signs are there of the USA finally falling out of love with Trump. His relationship chart with the USA is sending up distress signals with tr Neptune square the composite Sun from late April 2026 onwards with more high-tension eruptions from July 2026 as tr Uranus squares the composite Saturn – both running through 2027. Not all coming up roses despite the brag and bombast which can only get more desperate as even he (maybe) is forced to face reality.
[Andrew Neil, the journalist, who is sensible, reckons there’ll be nothing much to emerge about Trump from the Epstein files since it would have come out before now. But his defeat at the hands of his own in backing down and agreeing to publish is indicative of a weakening of his power platform.]
See previous post on Leavitt and Wiles: White House – two women at the top. 1st May 2025
PS: Someone should point out to Trump that pigs are amongst the most intelligent of animals.
A Gustav Klimt painting, nearly destroyed in a fire in WW11 when looted by the Nazis, has sold for a record-breaking $236.4m. Latterly it had been owned by the Estee Lauder heir.
Klimt born 14 July 1862, Vienna, Austria, after a conventional start painting murals, became famous as a “painter of women”. ‘Eros, sexuality and femininity were variously interpreted by him as alluring danger. Life, love, and death can be determined as the important themes of his work.’ His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe.
In real life he had many relationships with women and fathered at least fourteen children.
He grew up in poverty with a gold engraver father, one of seven children. One sister died young, another became mentally disturbed leaving their mother depressed and three brothers had artistic talents though, Ernst, the closest to Gustav, died in his late twenties.
Gustav Klimt was a creative Sun Cancer with an Aquarius/Pisces Moon. He had two conjunctions forming a Mutable T square with Uranus Venus in Gemini opposition a Sagittarius North Node square Saturn Jupiter in Virgo – light-hearted, lucky, hard-working, tuned into the cultural mood of the moment. Plus a publicity-attracting Neptune Mars conjunction in Aries. His Pluto was sparsely aspected being only sextile Mercury and maybe conjunct his Sun/Moon midpoint. An unaspected Pluto can be intense, fuelled by compulsive urges of great power but over time does need to be held in check.
The most expensive artwork ever sold at auction was Salvator Mundi by Leonardo da Vinci, which sold in 2017 for US$450.3m.
There is little that connects the two painters, one born 400 years after the other, apart from talent and luck – talent on its own not always being enough to bring success in life or the hereafter.
Leonardo da Vinci, 23 April 1452 (Gregorian Calendar) 9.40 pm Vinci, Italy, was a Sun Taurus in his creative and audience-attracting 5th house in a determined square to Pluto. His Moon conjunct Jupiter in Pisces was on the focal point of a yod inconjunct Pluto sextile Neptune on his Midheaven. With a second yod from his Jupiter Moon sextile Sun inconjunct his 10th house Neptune. Neptune, the dream-weaver and image-creator was highlighted as was confident, expansive, fortunate Jupiter. In some ways a more obvious super-star artist chart.
Dick van Dyke, the legendary entertainer and comedian, will be 100 years old in less than a month. His performances on screen and stage over seven decades won him numerous awards and made him a household name with the Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Poppins and Diagnosis Murder. He has been married twice, with a long affair in between and most recently at 86 married a make-up artist 46 years his junior.
He has an upbeat Sagittarius Sun conjunct Mercury sitting in his performing 5th house. But there are stand out features in his chart. One is a heavily aspected Neptune in Leo on his Ascendant which is trine his Sun and on the focal point of a yod inconjunct Uranus sextile Jupiter. His Neptune is also square Mars Saturn and Moon in Scorpio in his 4th hinting at a turbulent childhood. His Mars Saturn are also in a creative though stressed Water Grand Trine to Pluto trine Uranus. His spaced-out Neptune probably protected him from the difficulties of his childhood and his ever-optimistic Sagittarius Sun would also help.
Comedians often come out of difficult backgrounds which are at odds with their light hearted banter.
‘Nessus, is considered by many as the bad boy of the centaurs, but he also has a positive role, to use William Burroughs’ expression of “wising up the marks” and making us better equipped to deal with the risks and dangers we inevitably face.’ Ben Belinsky’s new ebook gives the lowdown on “Nessus”, the third centaur 1993 HA2, which runs in an elliptical orbit between Saturn and Pluto, so carries a dark energy.
Key words for Nessus: ruthless, manipulation, lying, confidence trick, double-dealing, revenge, rape, sexual abuse, poison (including emotional poison),curses /removes curses.
It is no surprise to see Nessus on Harvey Weinstein’s Descendant opposition his Mars in Scorpio square Pluto – a bully in relationships. His elevated status started to collapse in 2014 when tr Nessus was conjunct his North Node. Karma.
Two other intriguing examples from Ben Belinsky’s research are Tony Blair whose Nessus is conjunct his Taurus Sun which does fit with Teflon Tone. But even more so when the Iraq attack took place as tr Nessus was square his Mercury opposition Neptune Saturn focusing attention on the ‘dodgy dossier’ which was his excuse for supporting GW Bush.
Winston Churchill was another with his Sagittarius Sun conjunct Nessus which the author puts down to his intuitive sense that Hitler could not be trusted. In addition, Churchill’s Moon was conjunct Chariklo with its ability endure the unendurable – “Never, never, never give up!”
Meghan Markle has Nessus exactly conjunct her Ascendant and her Procyon – perhaps hinting at the untrustworthy reputation she has attracted. With Procyon, the Fixed star of the wheel of fortune, the rise and fall.
Nessus quotes
“Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to make you commit injustices.” Voltaire
“During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.” George Orwell
“A paranoid is someone who knows a little of what’s going on.” William Burroughs
“One who causes others misfortune also teaches them wisdom.” African Proverb
Robert Jay Lifton, the psychiatrist who shed light on the darkest chapters in modern history including Chinese brainwashing, Hiroshima, the Holocaust and the Vietnam War, has died aged 99.
His later investigations into war crimes and the experiences of Vietnam veterans in the early 1970s led him to formulate his theory of the “atrocity-producing situation” in which he believed ordinary people could commit acts of such extraordinary cruelty as the My Lai massacre.
His book The Nazi Doctors: Medical Killing and the Psychology of Genocide was based on interviews with both perpetrators and victims. He argued the Nazi doctors committed their crimes using a process of personality “doubling”, whereby the moral medical practitioner was psychologically divided from the immoral “killing self”. The book drew criticism from those who felt Lifton’s approach was too forgiving. Lifton responded that humanity best serves the future when it confronts its own potential for evil rather than dismissing it as “unexaminable”.
The research for Nazi Doctors took an emotional toll, and he had frequent nightmares in which he or his family were imprisoned in camps. On hearing this, a friend and Auschwitz survivor remarked: “Good, now you can do the study.” It remained an important lesson for Lifton. “One has to offer the self to the suffering in some degree,” he said.
He was born 16 May 1926, no birth time, in New York, a week after |David Attenborough and three weeks after Queen Elizabeth 11, so he shared their stalwartly enduring Fixed chart. In his case his Taurus Sun exactly conjunct Algol was opposition Saturn square Neptune opposition Jupiter.
His Pluto exactly conjunct Sirius (the brightest star in the sky) was in a courageous and determined trine to Mars in Pisces with Mercury sextile Mars which fits with writing about the darkest of subjects.
See previous post on Algol: Greg Wise – an Algol that breeds empathy 24th March 2024 by Marjorie
‘Despite Algol’s malevolent reputation for destruction it has another purpose which is to force us to face suffering and horror and not brush it aside.’
