Marjorie

Chef Benoit Violier, whose Swiss restaurant was named the best in the world in December, has been found dead at his home in an apparent suicide. His death comes months after that of Philippe Rochat, his mentor and predecessor at the same restaurant, who fell ill while cycling. He seemed to have everything going for him though it is a hugely pressured world.

Born 22 August 1971, he was a charming Sun Venus in Leo square an enthusiastic Jupiter in Scorpio conjunct Neptune in Sagittarius. He also had an Air Grand Trine of Saturn in Gemini trine Uranus in Libra trine Mars North Node in Aquarius – so a thinker and communicator. His Moon and Mercury were in meticulous, anxiety-prone Virgo.

His Mercury was square his Mars/Pluto midpoint with Saturn square his Mercury and opposition Mars/Pluto – a good deal of mental strain from that.

His Solar Arc Uranus was conjunct his Sun, now which can be a shock. And his Solar Arc Mars was approaching an opposition to his Pluto as well as Solar Arc Pluto heading for a square to his Mars, not exactly now but the shadow would be looming. Both of these latter would be exceptionally challenging, putting him under enormous pressure.

What a waste and a shame.

Terry Wogan, one of the most memorable voices on BBC radio and television has died suddenly aged 77. Born 3 August 1938 Limerick, Ireland, he had a mellifluous Irish brogue which rattled on with amusing whimsy, seemingly with no effort, for two and a half hours every morning five days a week. He was educated by Jesuits but lost his faith at 17 (‘with relief’), was married for 51 years, had a happy family life with children and grandchildren and never a hint of scandal.

He had a surprisingly strong chart for someone who seemed self-deprecating, friendly and placid.

His flamboyant, showy Sun Mars in Leo were on the point of a T Square to a private Scorpio Moon opposition Uranus – so he thrived on being an entertainer in a constantly changing environment. His Sun was trine Saturn in self-reliant Aries which would help to keep him anchored down.

His Pluto was conjunct Mars giving him determination, and Pluto was also inconjunct Jupiter in tolerant Aquarius – so influential, pushy when necessary.

His Venus Neptune in Virgo must have been in a significant place in his chart, perhaps on the Ascendant or in his 3^rd, giving him his ability to charm and softening the harder edges of other planets and configurations.

HM Queen Elizabeth is preparing for her 90^th birthday celebrations on April 21^st and beyond and still seems as vibrant as usual. Though she is handing over more of her roles to members of the Royal Family.

Her Solar Return for 2016 has an enthusiastic, successful Jupiter in the 10^th and a sociable Venus in the 5^th so much popularity – plus on the downside, an awkward Mars Saturn which may point to financial cutbacks.

She seems to have got through the tr Uranus square tr Pluto hitting on her 6^th house Pluto without any major health mishaps.

Her next tricky aspect is Solar Arc Saturn opposing her Neptune and conjunct her Mars from early 2017 through 2018 which look uncertain and agitated.

Her relationship with Prince Charles, never easy at the best of times, is insecure and rather grudging through this year.

Singer Phil Collins is back with his third wife, Orianne Cevey, whom he very expensively divorced in 2006, after ‘drifting apart.’ In the interim she remarried and had a child, and is partially paralysed due to complications in an operation.

No birth date unfortunately for her.

He’s born 30 Jan 1951 12.05am London and has a 4^th house Sun Aquarius trine Saturn and opposition an influential and controlling 10^th house Pluto.  He’s also got a highly emotional, self-protective Water Grand Trine of a Scorpio Moon trine Mars Jupiter in Pisces in the performing 5^th trine Uranus in Cancer.

Both a Scorpio Moon and 10^th house Pluto will make letting go difficult.

He’s in a very Neptunian phase at the moment with tr Uranus opposition his Neptune; Solar Arc Neptune opposition his Pluto; and tr Neptune conjunct his 5^th house Mars Jupiter. That can be undermining though also softening and healing.

Their original wedding chart, 24 July 1999 has a Fixed Grand Square of Jupiter opposition Mars square Sun Mercury opposition Neptune – so plenty of energy and optimism, designed for showbiz and glamour.

He’s got a few bumps on his road ahead with a blocked Solar Arc Sun conjunct his Pluto by early 2018 and at the same time tr Uranus moving into his 7^th which is often not easy for close relationships.

The Eiffel Tower, one of the world’s greatest iconic structures and instantly recognisable symbol for Paris, was set under way on 28 January 1887 when the foundations were dug.

That gives a powerful Mars in Aquarius opposition a leadership Leo North Node square Neptune in Taurus and Pluto in early Gemini.

That T square sits right at the heart and base of the France 21 September 1792 3.30pm chart with the focal point Neptune conjunct the France IC, the Eiffel Tower Mars Venus in Aquarius in France’s 1^st house close to its Pluto and the North Node in Leo in France’s 7^th close to Uranus. So truly a national treasure.

The Eiffel Tower also has an Aquarius Sun Mercury square Jupiter in Scorpio – so confident and proud.

It was closed in 2015 on several days because of terrorist risk.  Over coming months there’ll be increasing unease about its safety with an approaching Solar Arc Saturn opposition Neptune. That doesn’t necessarily signify an event, merely anxiety. There’ll be more jolts and upsets in two and three years’ time for further Solar Arcs colliding.

Marvin Minsky, one of the pioneers of artificial intelligence, has died. As early as the 1950s, ‘he worked on computational ideas to characterize human psychological processes and produced theories on how to endow machines with intelligence.’

Born 9 August 1927 in New York, he had a Sun Leo with Jupiter Uranus in Aries trine Saturn in Sagittarius, with Neptune also in Leo and maybe Moon in Sagittarius – so oodles of inspirational and confident Fire in his chart. His Sun was 135 degrees from Uranus Jupiter so picking up that lucky, risk-taking energy.

His Mars in hard-working and detailed Virgo was in a disciplined square to Saturn and a determined sextile to Pluto. So a solid backing for his ideas.

His creative 5^th and 7^th Harmonics were strong as was his –leaving-a-legacy-for-history 17H

If the unthinkable happens and Trump triumphs, then the new White House family will comprise as follows: 3^rd wife Melania, 26 April 1970, so far very low profile.

Donald Jnr, 31 Dec 1977; Ivanka, 30 Oct 1981; Eric, 6 Jan 1984; Tiffany, 13 Oct 1993; Barron, 20 Mar 2006.

Melania is a Sun Saturn in Taurus which squares Donald’s Pluto; and Mercury Venus in Taurus which squares Donald’s Mars – not the most comfortable of matches though he swears they have never had an argument.

Their relationship chart is all over the place with a controlling/possessive composite Sun square Pluto; and a superficially harmonious Venus trine Jupiter. The composite Mars is under heavy strain from tr Pluto in opposition through from this month onwards till late 2017. Their wedding chart from 2005 is fairly grim.

The synastry and relationship charts of the children with their father show affection plus considerable strains and aggravations.

Ivanka, a Sun Scorpio and Moon in Sagittarius – has her Sun square DT’s Pluto; her Uranus square his Mars Asc and her Saturn conjunct his Jupiter; with her Jupiter Pluto square his Saturn. That translates in the relationship chart to a composite Sun Mercury Mars Saturn Uranus so not remotely easy.

Donald Jnr, a Sun Venus in Capricorn with a Virgo Moon, has his Mars exactly conjunct DT’s Pluto and his Saturn conjunct DT’s Mars Ascendant. The relationship chart has an unkind, evasive Mars Saturn square Neptune, as well as an upbeat Mars Jupiter conjunction.

Eric, a Sun Capricorn Moon in Aquarius, has his Sun in DT’s 5^th with his Jupiter conjunct DT’s Moon which will help. There’s a friendly composite Sun opposition Venus; but also a Uranus Saturn Pluto and a bitter Mars Pluto. So a real mix.

Tiffany, a Sun Jupiter in Libra square Uranus Neptune in Capricorn with a Virgo Moon and Venus has a contradictory chemistry with DT. Her Sun Jupiter conjunct his Jupiter; her Moon Venus square his Sun and Moon. That’s all good. But her Uranus Neptune oppose his Saturn; and her Saturn squares his Mars and her Mars squares his Pluto. The relationship chart shows affection, disappointment and real aggravation.

Barron, a Sun Pisces or Aries and a Moon Scorpio or Sagittarius, has the same relationship chart as Tiff’s with affection and enthusiasm and an undertow of angst.

Ernest Shackleton, the polar explorer, who inspired Henry Worsley to make his nearly-successful walk across Antarctica (see post below), was born 15 February 1874 5am Kildare, Ireland.

On his third polar expedition his ship Endurance became trapped in pack ice and was slowly crushed before the shore parties could be landed. Shackleton took four men in a 20 foot lifeboat on a stormy ocean voyage of 720 nautical miles to get help, returned and rescued the entire crew. He suffered, it is thought, from a congenital hole in the heart incredibly and he died aged 47 of a heart attack.

He had a Sun Venus in Aquarius square Pluto in Taurus and sextile Neptune in Aries. That Sun aspect to Pluto and Neptune is often seen in the charts of highly successful individuals – puts determination behind a vision. He also had a (so called) Mystic Rectangle of an adventurous Jupiter opposition Mars in Aries and Moon Saturn in Aquarius opposition Uranus, which was interlinked by sextiles and trines. So a risk-taker and quite autocratic. His Moon Saturn opposition Uranus was also square a Taurus North Node – tying him into the zeitgeist.

When the Endurance became stuck in early 1915 tr Pluto was square his Jupiter, triggering his Mystic Rectangle, and ensuring he had the confidence to push on through intolerable conditions. Over the next gruelling eighteen months tr Pluto opposed his Mars/Jupiter midpoint and Solar Arc Pluto squared his Jupiter – again giving him a crazy hope of survival and luck.

The Endurance was completed 17 December 1912 which made it a Sun Jupiter in Sagittarius opposition Pluto in Gemini – overloaded with a touch too much confidence, especially with the tr Saturn conjunct tr Pluto in late Gemini approaching. Tr Saturn was exactly opposition its Jupiter when it became trapped in ice.

Shackleton’s fellow explorers and rivals were principally Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott.

Amundsen, 16 July 1872 5am Borge, Norway, led the first expedition to reach the South Pole amongst others and died in an air rescue crash aged 56. He had a Sun Venus in Cancer opposition Saturn in Capricorn square Neptune in Aries; with his Sun Venus sextile Pluto.  So again a strong visionary Neptune and Pluto. His Saturn was in a tough trine to Pluto and widely opposition Mars in Cancer. Plus he had an adventurous, lucky Jupiter Uranus in Leo.

Scott, 6 June 1868, was a Sun Gemini sextile Neptune Jupiter in Aries, and semi-sextile ruthlessly determined Pluto Mars in Taurus. With Jupiter Neptune square Uranus.

So prerequisites appear to be Sun aspecting Neptune and Pluto; a heavy Mars; and Jupiter Uranus for good fortune and a love of risk.

Scottish singer Lulu, who has had a long and successful career, is making a charity single. She has revealed that a childhood, living with her parents’ violent relationship caused her to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder so she has sympathy for other sufferers who will benefit from the profits of the single. She says: “There was a lot of violence. My mum and father hammered each other nightly. And I was the eldest. I never slept properly. I was afraid my parents would accidentally kill each other. So that fear has ruled my whole life.“

Born 3 November 1948 1.30am Lennoxtown, Scotland, she has a quick-witted 3^rd house Sun in Scorpio square a 12^th house Pluto. In her 4^th house of home and family she has a Moon Mars in Sagittarius conjunct and also Jupiter in Sagittarius. Her Moon Mars is square Saturn; and her Mars trines Pluto.

The anger in her childhood home is clear from an afflicted Mars in aspect to both Saturn and Pluto – Mars Saturn is cruel, bad tempered and Mars Pluto is ruthless, violent. But there was obviously love there as well with Moon Jupiter in the 4^th.

Her Mars trine Pluto sextiles onto Neptune in the 2^nd so she channeled her fears into a creative, musical career which earned her money.

Her optimistic Jupiter in Sagittarius is in an adventurous opposition to Uranus squaring onto creative and charming Venus in peacemaking Libra.

Tr Saturn is now across her IC into her 2^nd quadrant pushing her into a higher profile role than she has had in recent times. That plus tr Pluto moving into her performing 5^th for many years ahead will make her more visible.

Henry Worsley, a former army office and explorer, died this week while just 30 miles short of his goal of a solo, unassisted crossing of the Antarctic. He covered 913 miles in 69 days, hauling a 148 kilo sledge and raised over £100,000 for injured soldiers.

Born 4 Oct 1960, England, he was a Sun Libra on the point of a T Square to Mars in Cancer opposition Saturn in Capricorn, perhaps formed into a Cardinal Grand Cross by an Aries Moon. So restless, bubbling with initiative, tough.

Mars Saturn is associated with the military and also the ability to endure cruelty, whether directly or survive in cruel conditions. He also had a focal point very determined Pluto in Virgo midway of a trine of Mars to Neptune Venus in Scorpio.

His Mars Saturn Sun T square had moved by Solar Arc to hard aspect his natal Pluto this year – so bringing together the two central elements of his chart, always a significant crisis point.

His chart in aspects is not dissimilar to Ranulph Fiennes, another ex-army, English explorer, who holds endurance records for walking to the North and South Pole, and crossing Antarctica. Born 7 March 1944 he is a Pisces Sun square a Mars Saturn conjunction in Gemini; with Pluto North Node in Leo on the midpoint of a Neptune trine Uranus. So the same accentuated Saturn Mars as well as an emphasised Pluto.

Another ex-army, English explorer of hotter though still dreadful conditions was Ralph Bangold, 3 April 1896, who pioneered desert exploration and walked across the Libyan desert in the 1930s. He also had a striking Mars square Saturn Uranus in Scorpio.

Just goes to show that even the most ‘afflicted’ of aspects can be turned to good use in the right context.