Philip Schofield – stepping out bravely ++

Philip Schofield, one of the UK’s best-known TV presenters, has come out as gay after nearly thirty years of marriage with two grown up daughters. His family and the public are being supportive and it would take fair courage to speak out publicly as he has.

He was born 1 April 1962 2am Oldham England (from memory). He has a quick-witted and communicative 3rd house Sun with Mercury in Pisces also in his 3rd. He does have a tricky chart with his Sun inconjunct an 8th house Pluto and inconjunct Neptune – so sitting on the focal point of a Yod. This would make him feel he never quite fitted into his environment. His Pluto opposition Mars would give rise to frustrations and deep-seated anger issues; and his Uranus also in the 8th is trine a 4th house Venus in Aries so emotionally unpredictable.

Sexual inclinations can’t be seen on a birth chart. Although Uranus in the 8th can be experimental sexually; and Pluto there as well would suggest a degree of inner turmoil.

He’s been under strain recently because of his working relationship with his co-presenter – see post December 9 2019. At that point I wrote: “If Schofield’s birth time is accurate then I’d imagine he is struggling with a few unresolved issues courtesy of tr Saturn heading into the nadir of his chart.”

Just so. Tr Saturn now moving through his First Quadrant from late 2016 – a phase of around eight years – is when he would be forced to sort out personal issues. This time can be less successful because the psyche is intent (even against conscious will) to look at unresolved psychological tangles and find a solution.

Add On: Other indications of a major turnaround in his life are his Solar Arc Uranus moving to conjunct his Midheaven now with tr Pluto square both – and that heralds a massive change. Tr Neptune is also exactly square his Ascendant dissolving his old image and bringing a period ahead of uncertainty about his identity. It won’t be easy with his Solar Arc Sun in a blocked square to his Pluto this time next year with his Solar Arc Mars in a panicky opposition to his Neptune later in 2021. And maybe some financial costs with Saturn moving through his 2nd fairly soon for three years thereafter.

Oddly enough I know someone else whom I discovered recently had come out as gay after a longish marriage with children and he also has Uranus Pluto in the 8th and a stressed Mars – not that this is proof of anything but interesting.

Nathalie Wood – great beauty, tragic and traumatic life

 

Nathalie Wood’s name has emerged after the death of Kirk Douglas with stories of him raping her violently when she was sixteen. It was never proven and she didn’t report the fact that was raped by an ‘older actor’ for fear of hurting her career. But the allegations have never gone away.

She had the nightmare stage mother to end all nightmares who cruelly and relentlessly drove her through a scary life as a child star (see below). Nathalie eventually died in mysterious circumstances off a boat when her husband Robert Wagner and Christopher Walken were present. Questions have lingered but nothing has ever been proven in any direction.

Her synastry with Kirk Douglas was stark with his Saturn in Cancer and Neptune in Leo conjunct her 10th house Sun, Mars, Pluto so he would tune into her deepest fears and be attracted by her vulnerability. His Pluto opposition Mars would also home in on her 5th house Jupiter in Pisces.

TheIR relationship chart had an affectionate, spark-of-attraction composite Sun conjunct Venus which was conjunct Mars, but there was also a brutally dominating composite Mars square Pluto – so not a match of equals for sure. He’d have been 38 at the time.

 

From previous post: FEBRUARY 1 2018.

Natalie Wood was a radiantly beautiful actress who managed the transition from child to adult star and then drowned aged 43 in mysterious circumstances in 1981. Her husband Robert Wagner, who was with her that night, is ‘a person of interest’ in the renewed investigation into her death.

The aura of perfection she portrayed on a screen and projected onto the public could not have been further removed from the reality of her life. Born 20 July 1938 11.18am San Francisco, CA, to Russian-Ukrainian immigrant parents, she had a cruel mother who forced her to undergo frightening shoots and pimped her out to increase her chances of success. She was pushed into acting aged 4; and according to legend her mother told her to remember the day her dog was killed by a truck to evoke emotions for a film scene. She also lied to young Natalie about a film scene where a footbridge over rapids had been rigged to fail – she fell in with cameras rolling and could have been drowned, leaving her with a lifelong fear of water.

This is reflected in a ‘brutalised’ collection of Sun, Mars, Pluto in Cancer in her 10th with a forced-to-be-self-reliant Saturn in Aries in her 7th. Her sensitive Jupiter in Pisces was in her performing 5th house; and she had the creative Uranus trine Neptune of the time, though with both planets in hidden houses, making her highly strung and fairly erratic.

When she died in the early hours of 29th Nov 1981 the transitting Saturn Pluto conjunction was moving through her 1st house pushing her deeper into her emotional issues and away from career ambitions. The tr Saturn Pluto conjunction had just finished opposing her natal Saturn and would soon be square her 10th house Sun, Mars, Pluto which is heavy duty, depressing, highly stressful. I doubt she’d have survived the next two years even if she had not drowned.

There was little happening on her Solar Arc directions vis a vis her natal chart – though transitting Saturn was conjunct her Solar Arc Venus and tr Pluto conjunct her Secondary progressed Venus, so a highly emotional and not easy time. Tr Uranus was square her Jupiter; and tr Jupiter was conjunct her Solar Arc Neptune and opposition her natal Moon – which might point to a merciful release.

Robert Wagner, whom she married twice, doesn’t have an easy chart, 10 February 1930 1.45am Detroit, Michigan, being part of the Saturn opposition Pluto Moon square Uranus generation – so used to very tough times and difficult emotional relationships with women. Plus he was a Sun, Venus in Aquarius so would be fairly detached. There’s almost no cross over in their chart – he certainly had a Cancer Moon but not conjunct Natalie’s Cancer Sun. His Sun squared Natalie’s 8th house Uranus and Natalie’s Moon squared his Mars – so it was hardly a meeting of souls. Their relationship chart has a cool Saturn Venus square (= work getting in the way), an argumentative Mercury opposition Mars Uranus – nothing much that sounds like deep affection. Though she’d probably not be capable of really accessing her feelings because of her mother. And he is pretty battened down as well.

Like Natalie, his chart didn’t have much going on directly at the time of her death from transits – though it was a heavy time in his life with the tr Sat Pluto just off the square to his 8th house Pluto – so tremendous financial and psychological pressures. Tr Pluto was just off a conjunction to his SA Neptune so the previous months would have been devastating. Tr Uranus is opposition his Solar Arc Uranus suggesting a definite jolt and break with the past. Tr Uranus had just crossed the conjunction to their composite Venus which would have pulled them apart emotionally over the previous months as well.

Their relationship chart was exceptionally argumentative with a Sun Mars conjunction opposition Mercury and a passionate Venus Pluto trine as well as a cool Venus square Saturn. It would blow very hot and very cold.

Her own chart had a fair amount of Neptune around at that point on the midpoints – hinting at confusion, drink, poor judgement and possible poor physical co-ordination.

The only thing on Wagner’s chart which is notable is tr Pluto square Mars/Pluto which is trapped anger, frustration – and could as easily be explained by having to cope with a tragic accident.

He certainly had a short fuse with a 3rd house Mars Mercury and she of course had that mind-blowing Mars Pluto Sun conjunction in her 10th so she’d not be backwards about stamping her foot either.

On the astrology I’d think an accident was the most likely explanation – though it has a shivery feel of the finger of fate given what her mother put her through early in life.

He’s now 87 so tricky to say whether adverse influences are health or otherwise related. But he looks devastated this month and on and off to late 2019 with tr Pluto conjunct his Mars/Saturn midpoint. That coincides with CBS 48 Hours documentary digging it all up again this Sunday. His Solar Return for this year has an angry/trapped Moon Mars in the 8th, an image-denting Pluto in the 10th and a disruptive Uranus on his Ascendant.

 

Trump & the USA – buffeted by aggressive eclipses

 

The Solar Eclipses this year are in spine-straightening Saros Series. The late December 2019 Solar Eclipse at four degrees Capricorn heralded a sense of traumatic transformation and significant endings running in effect for several months across the beginning of this year.

The 21st June 2020 Solar Eclipse at zero degrees Cancer is associated with difficulties, restrictions, inhibitions, separations and illusions. Bernadette Brady remarks in The Eagle and the Lark that this eclipse brings blocks and ’the individual is prone to misjudging his or her strength and is best advised to wait before taking any real action.’ It was around previously in 2002, 1984, 1966, 1948, 1930 and 1912.

The 14th December 2020 23 degree Sagittarius Total Solar Eclipse casting its shadow over the following months is strongly emotional about relationships or money, can involve lust and anger. There is a sense of fatedness and individuals feel they are caught up in situations or relationships beyond their control. This will bring acute frustrations and the advice is to avoid rash actions. It was around before in 2002, 1984, 1966, 1948, 1930, 1912.

Mercifully the following two eclipses from mid 2021 onwards look much more cheerful.

In the context of the USA elections: – the December 2020 Sagittarius Eclipse will be critical for Trump since it is conjunct his Moon and opposition his Sun. Eclipses conjunct the Moon tend to bring up the past, with public image under scrutiny and habit patterns come under review as well. The Sun opposition the Eclipse is a crisis time for the ego when mistakes have to be faced and changes made.

This Eclipse is also opposition the USA Mars in Gemini, which echoes the explosive Inauguration chart since it suggests high levels of anger and argument, almost open warfare, with no compromise being the motto of the moment. It will also be exactly conjunct the Trump First Term Saturn and square Mars. There’s always a price to pay when Saturn hits Eclipses, mistakes owned and responsibility taken for sorting out self-created muddles – and part of that may be the mega-trillion dollar debts run up during this administration.

The Lunar Eclipses throughout the year will also elbow Trump and the USA chart. The June 5th Lunar Eclipse at 16 degrees Sagittarius will oppose Trump’s Uranus which will bring a considerable jolt; with the July 5th Lunar Eclipse at 14 degree Capricorn conjunct his Term’s focal point Pluto which again like Uranus offers a stark choice between change or decay. This Lunar Eclipse will also collide with the USA Cancer Sun so it does suggest a critical moment in destiny where decisions have to be made and junk tipped overboard.

The November 30th Lunar Eclipse at 9 degrees Gemini will hit on the USA Uranus.

Roll on 2021.

An add-on which may be special pleading since I truly dislike Trump. Last month’s Lunar Eclipse hit the Trump Term Pluto which sits on the focal point of a pushily-confident Jupiter opposition Uranus. That Jupiter was always going to save him a load of trouble and squeak him undeservedly out of tight corners – with Jupiter Pluto exemplifying his rules-don’t-apply-to-me approach. When Eclipses tug at Pluto it suggests that something radical needs to change otherwise what follows is disintegration and deterioration. On the Term chart also Pluto has moved by Solar Arc to square the Uranus exactly now which by rights should indicate instability. Admittedly Jupiter is standing by with a safety net but it may be there’s more than meets the eye about his ‘victory’ and (cross fingers) there could be more that crawls out from under stones to back up the astrology. Part of which may be his failing health.

Mike Pence – playing his cards close

Mike Pence is looking remarkably chipper over the election and inauguration. He will have some sticky moments before then with a disruptive, explosive, insecure tr Uranus square his Mars from this weekend to early March, when his relationship with Trump looks in turmoil. And his connection with Trump moves into undermining, swampy territory from late March through April with tr Neptune square the composite Sun on their relationship chart, repeating in September and early 2021.

Pence also has a discouraging, unloved tr Saturn opposition his Venus in late March to early April, and again in the second half of June. Late May and early June also see a jangled tr Uranus square his Mars/Uranus midpoint. But what will keep him afloat this year and next is tr Pluto sextile his Jupiter in Scorpio picking up from later this month on and off for nearly two years ahead and exact over the inauguration next January. He also has tr Pluto conjunct his Solar Arc Jupiter now till late 2021, exact over this year’s election.

Add on: Forgot to mention he has tr Saturn opposition his Mars at the inauguration and square his Neptune just after – that can be accident-prone, setbacks or aggravation. But his Jupiters will save him a deal of grief. Doesn’t mean he’ll be a central player, just that he is not feeling too discouraged.

Kirk Douglas – from unlikely beginnings he strode stage and screen

 

The legendary Kirk Douglas, one of the old-style Hollywood stars, and father to Michael has died aged 103. He was renowned as difficult to work with and admitted to having anger issues, the legacy of a poor childhood with an aggressive alcoholic father, a Russian-Jewish immigrant rag peddler, but he was also liberally-inclined. He helped dissolve the blacklist against communist writers in the late 1950s, by hiring the non-grata Dalton Trumbo to rewrite the Spartacus script and giving him an on-screen credit, rather than the noms de plumes he’d recently become accustomed to.

Born 9 December 1916 10.15 am New York, he was a Sun Sagittarius in a lucky, confident trine to Jupiter in Aries, sextiling onto a maverick Uranus in his 1st house. His restless Gemini Moon opposed his Sun and fell in his performing 5th house. His Venus squared Uranus and he had Neptune Saturn on his Descendant so committed fidelity wasn’t his style and he had endless affairs through both of his marriages. He also notably had a do-or-die-determined and ruthless Mars in Capricorn opposition Pluto.

That last aspect clashed badly with his son Michael, 25 September 1944 10.30 am New Brunswick, New Jersey, who is a Sun Neptune in Libra square Saturn opposition a Capricorn Moon. He would experience his father with suspicion, creative certainly, but also exacting and critical as well as evasive. And scary to boot since that Mars Pluto is volcanic when it lets rip. Although they made up in the end there was a long and fractious period when there was major strain between them. Their relationship chart is a classic of love and hate with a composite affectionate Sun Venus and a resentful, hostile Mars trine Saturn Pluto.

His second wife Anne to whom he was married for sixty five years said she accepted his affairs since she was more European though it was an odd match. Born 23 August 1919 in Germany, she had a stalwart and stubborn Sun Mars in Taurus on the focal point of a T Square to an Aquarius Moon opposition Neptune; with her Sun Mars sextile a super-confident Jupiter Pluto in Cancer. She was a strong, enduring personality who was clearly able to live with his wandering ways for the benefits the match brought. Their relationship chart had a needs-space Sun conjunct Uranus but it also opposed an affectionate Venus and squared onto an expansive and lucky Jupiter. Though it wouldn’t be easy at times with a composite Mars trine Pluto.

Trump – a fight for the soul of America

Trump’s approval ratings have improved significantly since his impeachment because of positive responses to his Iraq policy, trade deals and the economy. Liberals and the liberal media watch with horror-struck outrage as he stumbles on spewing lies in all directions, kicking over the constitution, breaching protocols, backed to the hilt by a supine GOP. Tom Joseph of twitter feed @TomJChicago reckons he’s heading off the edge with dementia. On his State of the Union speech he wrote: “Cranked up, most likely on stimulants and Levodopa, Trump struggled all night with body jerking, teeth baring, arm trembling and a podium death grip. His dementia Tour de Force climaxed with this neurological body jerk/spasm.”

And yet like Rasputin, Trump just keeps on trucking.

Trump does have tr Jupiter now moving through his 5th house for a year which will boost his confidence and make him grandstand more than usual. He’s also (birth time being accurate) got tr Pluto trine his Midheaven from now-ish which is generally constructive on the career front running till late 2021. But apart from that his astrology is all pressured, challenging, obstacle strewn.

Tr Pluto is opposing his Mars/Node at the moment and his Saturn which suggests being under mountainous strain and feeling trapped. Tr Saturn is also opposition his Venus exactly now (recurring twice before the year end) which tends to dent popularity or at least brings a sense of being unloved. It could also have financial implications.

Tr Pluto then moves on to oppose his Sun/Mars midpoint, Venus/Saturn and Mercury/Pluto from February 22nd till early July and again late December till late January 2021.

Pluto on Sun/Mars = fanatical, unscrupulous, tendency to overtax strength, violence, trapped, in some cases associated with cardiac problems.

Pluto on Venus/Saturn = exceptionally lonely, feeling unloved, can be perverse and sometimes is associated with glandular problems.

Pluto on Mercury/Pluto = doubles up on the demagoguery, fraudulent speech, tendency to overtax nervous system, dogmatic to the nth degree.

[This late February to early July period, and again late December to late January 2021, and again to the end of 2021 – is when tr Pluto is opposing the Mercury on the USA 1776 chart starting the grinding and bitterly fought battle through the US’s Pluto Return two years later. Some Republicans said they had to vote with Trump against the impeachment because they feared the culture war that would break out if they didn’t support him.  This transit of Pluto battering on the USA Mercury opposition Pluto is likely to lead in that direction.]

To return to Trump, late this March till early October he has a couple of Neptune hard aspects to Uranus midpoints suggesting lack of energy, muddle-headed, nervous exhaustion.

His relationship chart with the USA, despite the polls, indicates the start of a two year run of aggravation from now till late 2021.

Into 2021 he has tr Neptune hitting on his Moon and Sun/Moon midpoints and a couple of Neptunian swamps which will affect him mentally as well as physically from Solar Arcs later in the year.

Nancy Pelosi doesn’t look as if she is winning much. She has a Solar Arc Sun square Neptune and a Solar Arc Saturn square Jupiter around now both of which aren’t successful; plus a plans-not-working-out tr Pluto trine Neptune now and on and off till late 2021. More losses and failed plans late this month till July and again across the New Year to late January 2021. She’ll have a small stroke of luck from mid April for two weeks but that apart is pushing into a headwind.

Of the Trump sprogs, the most upbeat looks to be Ivanka, who has tr Pluto square his Jupiter Pluto in Libra from late this month on and off till late 2021.

The Saturn Pluto conjunction appears to be acting as expected with repressive force, trampling over decency, might-makes-right-wins however unfair, the underdog gets trampled. And not just in the USA though it is the most egregious example. In the UK Boris is acting like a tinpot dictator dismissing fears over US food standards as mumbo-jumbo, mishandling climate change and adopting a wildly unrealistic approach to EU negotiations as if he had the upper hand, described by analysts as a ‘mad man’ strategy. All too bizarre.

Palestine Peace Plan – dismissed as a bad joke

 

The long awaited, much trumpeted Trump/Kushner Palestine Peace Plan has been roundly condemned on virtually all sides – ‘Trump and Netanyahu have made Mideast peace an even more distant prospect’. ‘Nothing more than a deal between con artists trying to escape their legal problems.’ (Netanyahu facing corruption charges ditto Trump.) ‘ The most deranged, farcical tragi-comedy in Middle East history,’

In the plan the land that the Palestinians will control are ‘sliced and diced by Israeli controlled roads to isolated settlements. Passage between Gaza and the West Bank will apparently be unfettered, but entry and exit out of Palestine will be subject to Israeli security. Palestine won’t have its own port or airport. It will get “earmarked” facilities run by Palestinians in Israeli ports – but subject to Israeli security.’

‘It is impossible to deny that the situation of the Palestinians is one of the worst they have known in their history.’ ‘Mostly it is a matter of dehumanization. In the eyes of many – the Palestinians are nothing more than invisible mice. The humiliating tone of this plan, which was concocted between American Jews and Israeli Jews – which reflects more than anything the celebration of the surrender of the weak and the trampling of their dignity. The deal – which wasn’t negotiated with Palestinian leaders, and was announced without a single Palestinian present – greenlights Israeli annexation of around a third of the West Bank, leaving the Palestinians with a set of isolated islands in a sea of Israeli territory.’

Both the Palestine Independence Declaration chart of 14 November 1988 and the Gaza 9 November 1917 indicate the real disruptions won’t come until 2021 and on to mid decade. Both charts are Scorpio with other Fixed planets which are being upended by tr Uranus hard aspects from next year onwards with rumblings this. The same goes for Israel with its 10th house Leo Moon Saturn Pluto and finally Mars all in the line of fire from tr Uranus till 2025. It’ll be a bumpy ride in the region. The relationship charts between both Palestinian charts and Israel also point to the same rough timeline. The Palestine 1988 /Israel chart is under discouraging influences this year and starting to rock n’ roll in 2021/22. The Gaza/Israel chart also on edge and more so in 2022/23.

Jared Kushner, 10 January 1981, whose ‘vision’ it was, has his Mercury in Capricorn square Pluto in Libra under pressure from tr Pluto hard aspects for the next three years suggesting bitter, hostile and hard-fought debates with no quarter given on any side with consequent mental strain from that. Shades of the USA 1776 chart with its Mercury opposition Pluto being walloped over the next three years as well.

David Friedman, the US Israel Ambassador, another Orthodox Jew like Kushner, who assisted with the ‘Peace’ plan, 8 August 1958, is a Sun Uranus in Leo square Mars; with Mercury Pluto in Virgo and Mercury trine Mars in Taurus so no slouch when it comes to slamming his views on the table and not budging. He was born only a few days away from Fred Goodwin, the disgraced dictatorial former RBS bank chief and Madonna.

Pamela Anderson & Jon Peters – a Cancer Gemini mismatch

Pamela Anderson’s hitch-up with movie producer and Streisand ex Jon Paters, even by Hollywood standards was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it affair, with their marriage lasting 12 days before they parted for a period of contemplation. ‘Life is a journey and love a process,’ she intoned in a statement.

Born 1 July 1967 4.08 am, Ladysmith, Canada, she is best known for Playboy and Baywatch, has had a complicated romantic life (extremely), recently been associated with Julian Assange and is a committed animal rights activist.

She’s a Sun Cancer square Saturn in forced-to-be-self-reliant Aries, with a volatile Aries Moon opposition Mars, and the unsettled, disruptive Uranus Pluto in her 4th house. She has said she was multiply abused as a child.

Jon Peters, 2 June 1945 7.30am Los Angeles, was a hair dresser, hooked up with Barbra Streisand, became a producer, ran Sony Pictures for a decade, has had a checkered career since with a sexual harassment suit virtually ending it according to wiki, and been married and divorced four times. He and Anderson had a fling decades back and only recently got together again.

He’s a wayward Sun Uranus in Gemini in an expansive, risk-taking square to Jupiter, with an impulsive Venus Mars in Aries. Their synastry is not good – with his critical and/or emotionally damaged Saturn conjunct her self-protective Sun; his rebellious Sun Uranus square her Pluto, and his Mars Venus conjunct her Moon and opposition her Mars. That latter would provide an initial spark but all too soon it would turn into arguments.

Their relationship chart has an affectionate composite Sun, Venus, Mercury conjunction but it squares the composite Moon and trines Neptune – for a mismatch in moods and expectations. Plus a power-struggling Jupiter Pluto square Saturn and a mutually unsupportive composite Mars square Neptune which would lead to ego clashes.

They married on the exact Saturn Pluto conjunction with a needs-space Sun square Uranus and a Moon Mars square Neptune Venus for glitz and illusion/delusion. Not an auspicious day.

Ireland elections – a three horse race

Sinn Fein have topped the polls for the Irish election on February 8th alongside the opposition Fianna Fail Party, led by Michael Martin. Leo Varadkar’s party Fine Gael, in government at present, is lagging behind. Though neither FF nor FG say they will form a coalition with Sinn Fein.

Varadkar, the country’s youngest leader has been a success on the international stage but despite a vibrant internal economy appears to have fallen out of favour.

Born 18 January 1979 he is a Sun Mars in Capricorn square Pluto, which is catching the discouraging tr Saturn conjunct his Sun Mars later this month. He will get an uplift from tr Uranus square his Jupiter in March followed by confidence-denting downbeat Saturn transits to two Jupiter midpoints April to mid June.

Micheal Martin 1 August 1960, is a fiery Leo Sun square Neptune with Venus, Uranus also in Leo trine Jupiter in Sagittarius, plus a stalwartly determined Mars in Taurus and a Scorpio Moon. His chart doesn’t show much (without a birth time) around the election itself but he’s certainly in a year of significant change with tr Uranus opposing his Neptune and square his Sun late April onwards. With a stroke of luck in April.

Mary Lou MacDonald, the Sinn Fein leader, a sturdy Sun Saturn in Taurus with a super-confident Jupiter Pluto in Virgo is on an upswing with tr Pluto trine her Jupiter/Pluto midpoint from late February onwards with major changes ahead as tr Uranus is conjunct her Sun from July onwards. Before then she’ll walk a winding path – catastrophes in March, good luck mid April till early May and high-tension in late May/June – but she’ll battle along in good spirits with that Jupiter/Pluto midpoint keeping her afloat.