Anouk Aimee – a New Wave icon ++ Albert Finney

French actress Anouk Aimee, best known for the European cinema classics La Dolce Vita with Mastroianni, Fellini’s and a Un homme et une femme (A Man and a Woman) with Jean-Louis Trintignant, has died at 92.

 She was nominated for an Oscar and known for “her enigmatic beauty”. “Her look combined the playful seductiveness of Brigitte Bardot, the charming melancholy of Audrey Hepburn and the aloofness of Marlene Dietrich.” In reality she struggled with fame and her lack of ambition held back her career.

 Born 27 April 1932 at 12 noon (birth certificate), Paris, France, with actor parents, she had a 10th house Taurus Sun square Moon Saturn in Aquarius in her 6th house and square Jupiter in Leo on her Ascendant. She also had a difficult Mars Uranus in Aries square Pluto in her 12th, perhaps in part a legacy of her Jewish family who had to change their names to avoid problems.

 She was much married and divorced – four times, the last with UK actor Albert Finney – and had multiple affairs with amongst others Mastroianni, Omar Sharif and Ryan O’Neal.  Latterly she lived alone in Paris with ten cats.

  She would be volatile with Mars Uranus and much affected by the traumas of her youth; with a tendency towards’ mood swings from a strong Jupiter and an equally strong Saturn.  In her day she was more than memorable.

Add On: Albert Finney, 9 May 1936, no birth time, UK, had a notable film career in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Tom Jones, Annie, The Dresser, Miller’s Crossing, Erin Brockovich and the James Bond movie Skyfall. But he was an odd choice for Anouk Aimee having four planets in Taurus including his Sun, Mars, Uranus and Venus – which would be a stubborn combo with her Taurus Sun and Aquarius Moon Saturn. His upbeat Moon Jupiter in Sagittarius did fall in her sociable 5th house so he would lift her spirits but his Saturn in her 8th does not suggest intimate bliss. They were together for eight years from 1970 to 1978 and I would imagine that tr Uranus moving into Scorpio in 1975 would be what started it unravelling in a serious way.

  Her 8th house Pisces North Node was tied into the liaison since tr Pluto was conjunct her South Node when she married him and she was on her Half Nodal Return when they split.

 Taurus are an extremely tactile and indulgent sign since there may have been a sexual buzz, stronger than usual, about the attraction which turned out to be a mistake.

Beckham – for richer and richer

David and Victoria Beckham, the UK’s answer to the Kardashians (almost) are finding their brand image is ricocheting from the upswing of last year’s Netflix documentary boost to a definite downer in a snidey Tom Bower unauthorised biography about the couple, known unkindly as ‘Thin and Thick.’ Reviews suggest it is not one of Bower’s best, merely rehashing old scandals about David’s infidelities and hinting at their opaque tax affairs. But despite constant stories about impending splits they roll on smiling gamely for the cameras. They’ve been married for almost 25 years and together are worth £455 million.

  Whether or not this resurrection of old scandals is likely to undermine their money-making brand and socially ambitious yearnings is what is intriguing reviewers.

  I’ve always wondered about Victoria’s Mars Saturn conjunction in Gemini  – 17 April 1974 10.07 am (unverified) Hereford, which will give her a capacity to absorb punishment and put up with less than ideal situations, almost masochistic – but it is being undermined this year and next by tr Neptune square (backed next year by tr Saturn). She looks rattled but will march valiantly onwards through the end of this year at least. She is a Sun Aries opposition Uranus.

 David, 2 May 1975 6.17am London, is a Taurus Sun with (on this birth time) an uncommitted, evasive Neptune in his 7th house of relationships. He looks less than thrilled at the moment now into 2025; with his Solar Arc Neptune conjunct his Midheaven and Moon plus a disruptive tr Pluto square his Uranus.

  As mentioned in previous post (see October 13 2023) his Chiron is conjunct her Sun which will bring a strong connection. And their relationship chart is a complicated entanglement of two yods – one a stratospherically ambitious one onto a go-ahead Mars Sun; and the other a teeth-gritting Mars sextile Saturn in conjunct Neptune hinting at the fantasy image of happy families they project.

  Composite yods do hint that the pair have a fated connection, not necessarily happy, but one which moulds both their lives significantly.  Their togetherness underwent a serious strain when tr Uranus moved into Taurus in 2019/20 and will face another as tr Pluto squares the composite Venus, Mercury, Sun and Mars between now and 2028.

All a nonsense and hardly important but the astrology is worth absorbing.

The two faces of India – Modi and Arundhati Roy

Despite suffering a dip in popularity at the recent elections forcing him into a coalition Narendra Modi shows no signs of easing up his totalitarian grip. India’s most famous author Arundhati Roy is to be prosecuted under the controversial new anti-terrorism law over remarks she made in 2010 about Kashmir. In recent years she has become an outspoken critic of Modi’s government and the laws targeting minorities.

  Modi was sworn in as prime minister for a 3rd Term around 7.30pm on 9 June 2024 which gives a Gemini Sun in a downbeat square to Saturn; a deeply buried financial 8th house Cancer Moon trine Neptune and possibly most significant a ruthless Mars square Pluto.

  The Mars Pluto hints that the move away from liberal policies is likely to continue though how well it succeeds is open to question.

  Modi’s own personal chart, 17 September 1950 also has a ruthless Mars square Pluto which is being upended by tr Uranus opposition the Mars exactly now and repeating on and off into early 2025. Though he may get an uplift from tr Uranus square his Jupiter after mid 2025. His relationship chart with India  hints at increasing problems for him from 2026 onwards with tr Uranus in Gemini causing upsets.

 Arundhati Roy, 24 November 1961, is a Sun and Mars in outspoken Sagittarius square Pluto Uranus, so has courage, grit and a rebellious spirit. Her Jupiuter in Aquarius  is conjunct Saturn in Capricorn and inconjunct Uranus so she will be adventurous, a risk-taker and humanitarian.

  Her Solar Arc Mars is exactly square her Neptune now for a panicky, undermining moment; with hints of setbacks to her activist campaigning in 2026 with her SA Mercury conjunct her Saturn. 2025/26 look particularly fraught with risk for her with tr Saturn Neptune square her Mars/Saturn midpoint. Then tr Uranus starts to rattle up her Sun Mars square Uranus Pluto for several years – a bumpy road ahead.

 Roy’s relationship with Modi is similarly rattled this year and on till 2026 with tr Uranus opposition the composite Saturn, square the composite Pluto; tr Pluto square the composite Neptune and then tr Uranus opposition the composite Mars. Nothing that will be resolved soon.  

NB. Kashmir does seem to be a peculiarly sensitive subject for India, being one of the unsolved partition muddles after the botched British exit in 1947.

Alex Jones – intentionally cruel for profit

Rabble-rousing, conspiracy theorist Alex Jones amplified the appalling suffering of the parents of the 20 Sandy Hook children killed by a mass shooter in December 2012 by claiming it was a “false-flag operation” and the parents were paid ‘crisis actors’. What was worse was that he did not believe a word of his hoax claims but knew that spouting the damaging nonsense would bring a spike in his radio audience and a boost in his revenue stream. And that is evil.

   Even more unbelievable is that 24% of Americans actually believe what he said was true. The parents suffered years of harassment, death and rape threats. They sued Jones and won but to date he has paid nothing and continues to broadcast. A documentary The Truth v Alex Jones just out was described by one reviewer as “a harrowing, borderline unbearable watch.”

 What is of astro-note is that the Sandy Hook mass shooting occurred with Neptune at zero degree Pisces starting its 13 year reign of terror, intent on twisting the truth – mind-bending, reality-distorting, politically damaging with Trump at its core. Neptune exits Pisces in 2025. and not before time. with a faint hope that sanity might be restored.

  Alex Jones, 11 February 1974 11.43pm Dallas, Texas, has his Sun Jupiter in Aquarius sitting on his Midheaven in a heavyweight square to a bullyboy Mars in Taurus; with an attention-demanding 5th house Pluto. He has an Air Grand Trine of Sun Jupiter Midheaven trine Saturn in Gemini and South Node trine Moon Uranus in his 5th. He is a thinker and communicator, not a feeler – and while seemingly not overly avaricious, he craves an audience and ego-boosts. The Tr Uranus square tr Pluto of 2012 were tugging on his prima-donna 5th house Pluto. And transiting Neptune into Pisces was moving across his 10th for a decade of spreading damaging fabrications.

  Both Pisces and Aquarius tend to get distorted in soundbyte astrology – Pisces = mushy compassion and Aquarius = humanitarian idealists.  In action Pisces can be chillingly inhumane, evasive and downright dishonest when in negative mode. Aquarius can be hustlers, out for their own benefit, not spilling over with unconditional love for their fellow brothers and sisters with some having a tendency to become true believers and fanatics.

Born around the same month as Jones was right-wing Sarah Palin and John Gotti Jnr, an American former mobster, acting boss of the Gambino crime family from 1991 to 1999. An earlier Aquarius was Jorg Haider, the Austrian Nazi politician, 26 January 1950, who was a Sun Jupiter Venus in Aquarius trine Mars Neptune in Libra so relatively similar to Jones.

  A heavy Air concentration can lack empathy and produce ideologues – fanatically attached to a theoretical ideal.

  Jones ahead has tr Uranus square his Jupiter now and into early 2025 for a lucky break, plus tr Jupiter moving over his Ascendant this year also for an undeserved uplift.       Though tr Neptune square his Saturn also this year into next will bring uncertainty. It could be another three or four years before he gets a proper comeuppance with his SA Saturn square his Mars and opposition his Sun and following that opposition his Jupiter. But tr Neptune and tr Saturn moving out of his 10th into his 11th from 2025 onwards will shift his compass in a new direction which may leave him flummoxed about what comes next.

South Africa – struggling to realise the dream ++ Ramaphosa sworn in

The South African election setback for the ANC, which has held power since 1994,  has led to a national unity coalition government to the relief of most voters, tired of high levels of poverty, inequality and crime, power cuts and corruption in party ranks. Though Cyril Ramaphosa of the ANC will remain president which is not altogether positive.

 Nelson Mandela must be despairing from beyond to see what his lifelong freedom struggle against apartheid has turned into.

 The South Africa, 31 May 1910, chart does have a lucky, sighs-of-relief Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct the Uranus this year. Though there is still a discouraging tr Pluto square the Saturn this year and next; with 2026/27 looking panicky and trapped with SA Pluto square the Neptune and then Mars.

 The new South Africa 27 April 1994 11am Pretoria chart, a Sun Mercury in Taurus, reflects disruptions from this August onwards into 2025 with a rebellious electorate from tr Uranus opposition the Pluto Moon. There will be a considerable setback in 9 months from SA Saturn conjunct the Mars; and instability in 2026/27 from SA Uranus square the Pluto; and major confusion up to 2030. Nothing that suggests this government will wave a magic wand to cure problems.

 The ANC, 8 January 1912, is facing a disruptive and insecure year with tr Uranus conjunct the Mars exactly now, running into early 2025; and an influence/power-sapping tr Neptune square the Pluto this year as well as a an enthusiasm-denting SA Saturn square its Jupiter. So remarkably descriptive of recent events. 2027/28 look troubled and unsuccessful years – so again nothing that looks like a sudden turnaround.  

 Cyril Ramaphosa, 17 November 1952, Soweto, is a controlling Sun Moon Scorpio square Pluto with a harsh Mars in Capricorn opposition Uranus square Neptune Saturn in Libra. He looks thoroughly rattled this year into early 2025 with tr Uranus opposing his Sun and square his Pluto.

 The modern 1994 South Africa chart looks more than unsettled inn the second half of this decade with tr Pluto square the Sun, tr Neptune conjunct the Mars and tr Uranus square the Saturn.  Maybe the 2030s will be kinder.

  Ramaphosa is due to be sworn in on June 19th around 11 am which does not look inspiring, no matter the time, with a Sun square Neptune. Plus a risky/ruthless and frustrating Mars square Pluto. And if it is 11am there are several yods – hinting at strain.

Add On:

  Cyril Ramaphosa was sworn in on June 19th at 12.24 pm. This puts a charm-offensive Sun Venus on the Midheaven on the focal point of a yod inconjunct a Scorpio Moon sextile Pluto – the Moon is also opposition an 8th house Uranus – all of which hints at a less than enraptured electorate and a good deal of strain as the government attempts to throw its weight around in a fairly erratic manner. The Sun square a lacklustre Neptune in the 6th is not encouraging or progressive with hints of employment problems from Neptune Saturn in the 6th – as well as financial/economic ones with Mars on the cusp of the 8th and Uranus in the 8th. There is likely also to be continuing problems with corruption with hidden Mars in the 8th in a ruthless square to Pluto. The unrealistic, impractical, indecisive Sun square Neptune moves by Solar Arc to exact by late 2025 so the coalition may not survive for long.

Nigel Farage – an enthusiastic troublemaker ++ his ties with UK, Rishi and Boris

Nigel Farage, scourge of the Tories and the cartoonists’ delight, is represented today in political entymology as the death-watch beatle as well as Saturn devouring his father. A confirmed eurosceptic, he has been a thorn in the Tories’ side since Maastricht, being a founder member of UKIP, a catalyst for Brexit, with a jack-in-the-box propensity for bouncing back from obscurity. He is now leading the right-wing populist, anti-immigration and anti-net zero Reform Party, which in one poll is overtaking the Tories.

  Born 3 April 1964 4.30pm Farnborough, England, he has an intensely, determined 8th house Aries Sun which is conjunct the UK’s 7th house North Node, a key astro-influence at Brexit. He also has an exuberant 8th house Jupiter in Aries trine his Sagittarius 4th house Moon. His Saturn in Pisces is conjunct the UK’s Pluto, either giving him the ability to cooperate with the UK in significant matters of state and commerce – or his chaotic Saturn opposition Uranus (Pluto) blocks the UK’s capacity for constructive change  and gives rise to suspicion and political intrigue.

 He does have Jupiter moving across his midheaven exactly now for a year ahead for a boost. But tr Neptune conjunct his Jupiter/Saturn midpoint now to early September suggests losses and pessimism. Tr Pluto square his Venus/Mars midpoint until July 17th will be aggravated and prone to grudge matches and outbursts. From the 17th of this month tr Pluto conjunct his Sun/Neptune midpoint = devastation, labouring under a tragic illusion, though it may not completely dent his good humour.  September on to early October looks undermining on the career-front.

  Not sure this adds up to him sailing into No 10 or even leading on the opposition benches. The Tories are terrified he’ll act as a spoiler, further diminishing their chances.

 What a muddle.

Add On:

Farage’s relationship chart with UK is dominated by a downbeat composite Saturn North Node opposition Neptune square Sun Mercury – so undermined by doubt and suspicion; though there is a ‘fated’ yod of Mercury sextile Mars inconjunct disruptive Uranus – which makes sense of him as the mischief-maker.

His relationship chart with Rishi Sunak also has a yod onto the composite Sun inconjunct Neptune sextile Pluto – again tied together in a spooky way by political ambition but destined to wobble around erratically. With a firm-dislike and chilly Mars Venus opposition Saturn.

Farage’s relationship chart with Boris Johnson has an over-hopeful/disappointing composite Sun opposition Neptune and an exuberant composite Mars Jupiter conjunction but the latter  sits uneasily in trine/sextile to a Uranus Pluto opposition Saturn – and the composite Mars is logjammed this year and next.

Celine Dion – good news after a setback

Singer Celine Dion who thought her career was over after contracting the autoimmune, neurological disorder Stiff Person Syndrome which has no cure, is preparing for a new show in Las Vegas. Although she will live with this condition for the rest of her life, the therapy she is undergoing to lessen the muscle spasms will help her to sing on stage again.

 She was born 30 March 1968 12.15pm Charlemagne, PQ, Canada, had an unhappy childhood but emerged as a teenage star under the tutelage of her future husband Rene Angelil, who was 25 years older. She is mother to his three children, all conceived with in vitro fertilization.

  She has an Aries Sun conjunct her Saturn and Midheaven from the 9th but what is significant in her chart is a 10th house last degree Aries Moon conjunct Mars in Taurus on the focal point of a yod inconjunct Uranus sextile Neptune. A 10th house Moon suits her for a public degree especially beside pro-active and determined Mars and the Neptune Pluto adds a layer of stratospheric ambition. But it also suggests a vulnerability in the areas ruled by the Moon – body, motherhood, emotions. A yod apex Moon is super-sensitive, tends to be emotionally disorganized early on and is insecure.

  Her husband died in 2016 when tr Uranus in Aries square tr Pluto in Capricorn were colliding with her Aries Saturn and Midheaven. And from late 2018 tr Saturn moved into her 6th house of health for two years to join tr Pluto which had been there since 2012; at a time tr Uranus was conjunct her Moon – putting considerable additional strain on her health. When she admitted the SPS diagnosis in 2022 she said her health problems had been around for some time.

  Over the past year and a half regenerative Pluto has been transiting square her Moon as it approaches the exit of her 6th house. Into 2025 she should find health less of a forefront issue. She will have good luck financially coming from tr Uranus square her Jupiter this July and on and off into 2025. Though tr Pluto square her Mars this year and next will be slow going at times.  Her overly optimistic Jupiter square Neptune may tempt her to push herself too hard – and it won’t be quite as easy as she hopes. But still small steps in the right direction.

McIlroy, Gadd, Spencer – Taurus in turmoil ++ Bradley Wiggins

 Taurus relationships are clearly going through the celestial tumblewash with golfer Rory McIlroy’s on-off divorce, Richard Gadd’s stalking drama-doc, and Earl Spencer’s divorce.

 McIlroy and Gadd were born within a week of each other in May 1989 on the 4th and 11th respectively. Both have Sun Taurus opposition Pluto with the triple conjunction of Uranus, Neptune, Saturn in Capricorn across the zodiac from Mars conjunct Chiron in Cancer.

  According to reports (to be taken cautiously) McIlroy dislikes being on his own and has a track record of replacing partners. He is an odd mix with a controlling, beyond-stubborn Taurus Sun opposition Pluto sitting side by side with a volatile, dislikes-compromise Mars opposition Uranus. Not an easy temperament. His Moon is late Aries/early Taurus probably trine Uranus.

  Control and anger issues will loom large and presumably stem from his father coach/mentor promoting his golfing career from an early age. Mars conjunct Chiron is associated with the warrior energy – and can work two ways, one in vigorous self-assertiveness and the other when the anger is buried in unconsciously triggering angry responses in others.

  It is a fascinating pairing McIlroy and Gadd – one uses his chart’s energy to take control and stay in charge as he rattles through a rolodex of relationships. Whereas Gadd, perhaps because of a Leo Sun square Pluto = possessive mother, has tended to suppress his controlling tendencies and thus invites them in from outside. Houses will also make a considerable difference in whether the energy is directed outwards or restricted.

 Earl Spencer, 20 May 1964, is about to divorce his third wife Canadian entrepreneur Karen with a hot-shot lawyer now on retainer, having found the strain of writing his boarding school abuse memoir caused a marriage breakdown. He has a last degree Taurus Sun with Jupiter Mercury in Taurus opposition Neptune; and Uranus Pluto (Moon) opposition Saturn.  Karen, 6 June 1972, was an odd mix being a Sun Saturn in Gemini with an Aries Moon to his earthy Taurus Sun and Virgo Moon. Gemini/Taurus can work – viz Queen Elizabeth with Prince Philip but it is a match of opposites.

  No great conclusions apart from the usual coincidence of headline hoggers – and a faint feel that Taurus in aspect to Uranus upends its customary dislike of change.  

ADD ON:

  Another Taurus in turbulent seas is Sir Bradley Wiggins, former race and track cyclist, Olympic gold medalist and winner of the Tour de France, at his peak in 2012. He has now evidently rollicked through a fortune of £13 million to end up bankrupt and homeless.

 Born 28 April 1980 3.20pm Gand, Belgium,  he has an extraordinarily complex chart.  His far-travelled 9th house Taurus Sun trine a lucky Jupiter in Virgo in his 12th is the only simple aspect. That apart he has an entrepreneurial Fire Grand Trine giving him immense self-belief but all sitting in his emotional, hidden houses with Mars in Leo conjunct North Node and Jupiter in the 12th trine Mercury in Aries in his financial 8th trine Neptune in his 4th. It is formed into two Kites with Mercury opposition a 2nd house Moon Pluto in Libra and Neptune opposition Venus in his 10th – with that latter opposition squaring onto Saturn in Virgo in his 1st.

 He is undoubtedly immensely talented, but money would be a key issue with his compulsive need to boost his security and stay in control clearly backfiring. Fire is a go-getting energy but not practical. His Saturn on the focal point of a Mutable T square would make him defensive and highly strung.   And last but not least he has a 3rd house Uranus on the focal point of a Fixed T Square to Mars North Node opposition South Node. That will make him a law-into-himself, resistant to advice.

  There seems no reason why he should not get himself back on his feet though 2025 will be rocky with tr Uranus square his Mars. Tr Uranus will also square his Jupiter so some pluses as well as minuses.

Just as a stray thought tr Jupiter is moving across his 10th now into next year which is clearly not a success marker but more to do with him hitting the headlines again.

Robert F Kennedy Jnr – a hopeful outlier

Robert F Kennedy standing as an independent is seen as a threat to both sides since he could siphon away votes in key swing states. For sections of the electorate disillusioned with both main candidates he seems like a reasonable protest vote though with no real hope of winning.

 A tentative birth time has turned up of 5.32pm from a friend of a friend of an astrologer – to be treated with caution.  That would make him a 6th house Capricorn Sun Venus which would fit with his ‘Virgoan’ anti-pollution and health campaigns; with a 12th house Uranus Moon would might explain some of his oddball beliefs. Plus Neptune, Saturn, Mars in his 4th which could mirror his uncle JFK and his father being assassinated.  So is feasible.

  Jupiter is moving through his 11th into 2025 keeping his optimism high. Though Saturn through his 8th into 2025 might wish for more support financial and otherwise. There is nothing much showing on his Midheaven apart from a mild tr Jupiter sextile and his Jupiter Return. His Solar Arc Midheaven has nothing bar an approaching tr Neptune Saturn square into 2025 which will not be encouraging.

 His chart does have a Capricorn Sun, Venus, Mercury opposition Uranus square Neptune which is on the final legs of tr Pluto in hard aspect finishing up over the election – pressured and not entirely realistic. Through this month tr Uranus square his Pluto will be disruptive and may indicate a change of direction, repeating late November/December and spring 2025. This August and September look edgy and irritable with things generally going wrong. January 2025 will be discouraging.

From a previous post: 21 April 2023

Robert F Kennedy Jnr has announced he is trying for the Democratic nomination for the 2024 Presidential. An environmental lawyer and best-selling author, he is the son of Robert Kennedy and nephew of JFK. He has a sterling record in protection of waterways, the fight against polluters and upholding the rights of indigenous peoples. And a less commendable one for promoting the scientifically discredited link between vaccines and autism and being a leading proponent of COVID-19 vaccine misinformation in the USA.

  Born 17 January 1954 in Washington, no birth time, the third of eleven children, he was nine when his uncle died and 14 when he was flown to his father’s side after he was shot in 1968. He has an earthy, ambitious and resourceful collection of Sun, Mercury, Venus, North Node in Capricorn opposition Uranus square an idealistic Neptune. His Capricorn planets are inconjunct Pluto and widely inconjunct Jupiter – giving him a singular Yod. His Uranus sits in opposition to his Capricorn planets making it the key planet in driving his Yod – a reformer, revolutionary, trailblazer and/or anarchist.

  He also has a relentlessly determined Mars Saturn conjunction in Scorpio with his Mars inconjunct Jupiter and square Pluto – so he does not give way to pressure or threats.

  He has certainly carved out his own individual road, having been scarred early on by two family assassinations.

   Tr Pluto is in its second year of being conjunct his Sun and Mercury so he will be undergoing massive changes. His Solar Arc Mars is conjunct his Sun probably late 2023/early 2024 which may derail his hopes since that always produces a collision of sorts. Tr Uranus through 2024 and into 2025 is square his Pluto suggesting a major and radical change in his life moving ahead.  He does have his Jupiter Return over the election itself. He will be an outlier in the running who may drop off fairly quickly but he could also be hoping to pick up breadcrumbs from the exposure.

  His chart has strong similarities to his father’s. Robert Kennedy, 20 November 1925 3.11 pm Brookline, Massachusetts, was a Sun Scorpio square Neptune with Saturn and Mars also in Scorpio; and Moon, Jupiter, Venus in Capricorn with a confident Pluto opposition Jupiter. He had a healing, creative Water Grand Trine of Uranus trine Pluto trine Saturn with Jupiter as the driving planet.