(Thanks to Christian Adams cartoon, Evening Standard.)
Memo for astro-election watchers: never ever get distracted by polls. They are invariably off.
Following on from the previous November 1 post below and earlier thoughts on the Supreme Court, there does look to be considerable upheavals, disruptions and excitement in the Supreme Court from November 18th till December 20th with tr Uranus square the SCOTUS Uranus. That timeline is also highlighted on Associate Justice Elena Kagan’s chart with her Taurus Sun opposing Neptune at 7 degrees Scorpio; and Sonia Sotomayor’s, Stephen Breyer’s and Samuel Alito’s. So several of the SCOTUS team will be on red alert.
Chief Justice John Roberts has more conspicuous movement on his chart from late December through January; as does Amy Coney Barratt. But one way or another SCOTUS will be moving through stormy seas with mainly Uranian pressure bearing down on the institution itself as well as those serving it right through until after the standard Inauguration date of January 20th.
The next flare up point will be April/May 2021 with major stress showing on various of the Associate Justices’ charts.
Grayson Perry, the talented ceramicist and art documentary presenter, has caused a stir by suggesting the pandemic will clear the arts scene of ‘dead wood’. Given that hundreds of gallery and museum staff face losing their job, his remarks were deemed ‘out of touch and unempathetic’ as well as ‘disgraceful’. Outrage and provocation always were his metier since he was as well known for his transvestite alter-ego Claire, as for his creative achievements.
He was born 24 March 1960 at 6.50am Chelmsford, England, and as expected has a contrarian Mars in Aquarius quadrupled in strength by being conjunct an Aquarius Moon in the 11th and opposition Uranus in the 5th. He also has grandstanding Pluto in his 5th which can be creative and attention grabbing.
His 12th house Aries Sun is in an expansive square to Jupiter and on the focal point of a Yod to Pluto sextile Neptune which will foster an ambitious streak though his sense of self-worth will teeter from too little to too much frequently. He does have a talented Half Grand Sextile of Venus Mercury in Pisces in a passionate opposition to Pluto sextile Neptune and Jupiter in Capricorn – so he has been blessed with ability and luck. Though he’s also always been under a fair amount of strain – he has another quincunx of Uranus to a 10th house Saturn.
He had a tough childhood, with his parents splitting when he was 7 because of his mother’s adultery and he inherited a violent stepfather. He hasn’t spoken to his mother in two decades and is now married to a psychotherapist with a daughter. Much of his work has an explicit sexual content, some of it sadomasochistic and abusive.
The Moon Mars opposition Uranus does explain his ruptured relationship with his unpredictable and angry mother which is what stokes his need to be maverick and shock. He has described her as mentally ill and refused to reconcile with her even when she was dying.
He is married to psychotherapist Philippa Perry, 1 November 1957, who is a Sun, Neptune and Mercury in Scorpio with a Pisces/Aquarius Moon. It’s an odd mix but they’ve been together for two decades so obviously it works. Her Sun Neptune falls in his 7th close to his Neptune so arguably his artistic and her healing careers soak up the non-committal Neptune. Her Moon may conjunct his Venus if she’s a late day baby and her Venus falls in his 9th for an intellectual and affectionate connection.
The infamous Princess Diana television interview in 1995 which rocked the monarchy just got more scandalous 25 years later as BBC reporter Martin Bashir is accused of falsifying evidence to gain access to her. Her brother the Earl Spencer says bank accounts were forged to appear to show courtiers were being paid to give information on Diana to the security services; and tales were spun about the young princes’ nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke, hinting she was having an affair with Charles. All of which would feed into Diana’s paranoia. She agreed to do the interview since she thought it would concentrate on her charity work but she was seduced/provoked into making inflammatory comments about her marriage and Charles’ unfitness to be king.
Bashir, born 19 January 1963 12.30pm London (time from astrotheme), has had a chequered career here and in the USA with several slips and mishaps along the way but has finally, bizarrely, ended up as BBC Religious Affairs correspondent. He is at present unwell with coronavirus. He has a late Capricorn Sun with an intense and elusive Moon Neptune in Scorpio squaring onto Saturn in his 10th opposition Mars in Leo – he’ll be attracted to glamour and publicity and be tricky to pin down with such a Neptune. He also has a pushily-confident Jupiter opposition Pluto Uranus square Venus in Sagittarius – has great charm though lacks emotional depth, can be superficial.
His Saturn in the 10th is interesting – Sakoian & Acker remark: “Those with Saturn in this house must exercise extreme caution concerning principles, or disgrace and heavy karmic debts may be incurred. A great price must be paid for infraction of the universal law.” In shorthand, cutting corners always comes back to bite.
Diana’s synastry with Bashir was explosive with his Mars conjunct her Uranus and his Uranus conjunct her Mars – they spurred each other on to an unhealthy level of excitement and risk. His Capricorn Sun conjunct her Saturn were both being rattled by the highly strung tr Uranus in Capricorn (conjunct tr Neptune). Tr Neptune was also square Princess Diana’s Midheaven hinting at her confusion about her life’s direction. The transiting Jupiter Venus Mars in Sagittarius was also just over her Ascendant moving through her 1st giving her a rush of confidence.
The other Royals were less enlivened. The Queen had the tr Uranus Neptune crossing her Capricorn Ascendant and tr Pluto at zero degrees Sagittarius in her 10th inconjunct her Sun – it put immense strain on her and damaged her image. Prince Charles had tr Pluto inconjunct his 10th house Moon, which would rattle his career path considerably. Prince William also had the quincunx stress factor with tr Pluto inconjunct his Cancer Sun, and moving to conjunct his Uranus; and tr Neptune Uranus square his Pluto and trine his Venus. For Harry it was less of a career-defining moment and more of an emotional setback with tr Saturn in Pisces square his Mars and moving to oppose his Sun. With tr Neptune trine his Sun and tr Pluto inconjunct his Pluto.
The BBC is now in the frame for whitewashing the affair. Bashir always was a gritty fit since his Saturn in Aquarius is conjunct the BBC’s Mars and his Mars and Uranus Pluto fall in the BBC’s 4th – but his confident Jupiter falls in the BBC 10th so maybe they reckoned his pluses outweighed his minuses, until now. The BBC doesn’t have its troubles to seek at the moment, a great many of them self-inflicted and the Bashir interview may loom as significant problem next year with tr Uranus square tr Saturn hitting on the BBC Mars as well as Bashir’s Saturn.
After she died Ann Leslie, the Daily Mail journalist remarked that Diana had signed a pact with the devil when she used the media to gain attention and pursue her vendettas about feeling badly treated. It’s never a deal that ends well.
Years ago I made documentaries for the BBC for four years after 11 years in commercial television and the biggest cowboys I ever worked with were in the BBC. Coming from what was supposedly the vulgarian younger cousin it was quite a culture shock having to grapple with the arrogant amour propre that pervaded Broadcasting House and all corners. The BBC does engender extraordinary loyalty but there was every bit as much wrong as right in the hallowed corridors and no DG has ever really managed to sort out the core problems.
The astro-signposts to look out for in what is undoubtedly going to be an acutely muddled and aggravated few weeks after the USA election. Even if Trump loses by a landslide he’s still got almost three months of the graveyard shift to cause havoc. If it is a closer result in key states, he’ll flail around, spraying lies about fraudulent ballots in all directions.
The Lunar Eclipse on 30 November at 8 degrees Gemini Moon/Sagittarius Sun will collide with the USA’s Uranus in Gemini which may spring a few surprises, spark off a few rebellions and wild claims. Mishandled Uranus on an Eclipse can limit freedom, though there is the potential for taking a new road. That Lunar Eclipse in addition to having the see-saw Full Moon also has a Uranus opposition Venus and a frustrated Mars square Pluto – so the divisiveness of recent times won’t have settled much.
The Total Solar Eclipse in Sagittarius on 14th December, the day when the Electoral Collage convenes, is in opposition to the USA Mars in Gemini and conjunct Trump’s Moon opposition his Sun. It will bring a combative mood so arguments will flare and compromise won’t be the mood of the country or the states involved.
Where Trump is concerned, an Eclipse conjunct his Moon will test the foundations on which his life has been built with his public image coming under scrutiny. If he’s not standing on solid ground and if he insists on hanging on to old habit patterns it could all crumble to dust. An Eclipse opposition his Sun indicates a major turning point and crisis, which will force him to face that he is not always right. If he fights the need for change it will leave him kicking and screaming.
The December Eclipse is in a Saros Series that Bernadette Brady says has a strong emotional intensity and acute frustration, a sense of fatedness and not being in control. Avoid rash action until it settles down.
December does look extremely fraught and bad-tempered up in the heavens with the final Mars in Aries square Pluto running to the 23rd, which won’t be fun. Mars moves out of its long stint in Aries where it has been causing havoc for some months on January 6th. But just to be un-useful it moves into Taurus and immediately rattles up Mercury in Aquarius, squares Saturn and is conjunct Uranus so January won’t be a peaceful month.
The USA chart apart from the Eclipses – has a blocked tr Saturn conjunct Pluto November 14th to 26th which will be discouraging. Tr Uranus square the Leo Node 21 December to 8 February 2021, which may be more significant than it sounds since the US ‘leadership’ Leo Node does get rattled easily, viz tr Neptune in opposition for 9/11.
There’s also a return of the toxic-rhetoric and hostile-debate tr Pluto opposition the USA Mercury 26 December to 27 January 2021 (repeating later in the year).
Trump’s chart has tr Neptune in an undermining opposition to his Progressed Moon exactly now; a mildly upbeat tr Pluto trine his Mars/Jupiter until November 20th and then a raft of difficulties. Tr Pluto from November 20th till December 26th will oppose his Mars/Node for enraging setbacks, with the discouraging uphill-slog of tr Pluto opposing his Saturn at the same time. Then 26 December to 27 January he has more tantrum-inducing frustrations from tr Pluto opposition his Sun/Mars midpoint; his poisonous-rhetoric and opposition his lying Mercury/Pluto midpoint; and opposition his wounded Venus/Saturn midpoint. He’ll be like a cornered cobra. His Solar Arc Saturn will also within weeks from now be on the degree of the conjunction to his 2nd house Neptune, a harbinger of the financial meltdown to come later in 2021.
Joe Biden, birth time being accurate, has two panicked Neptune transits to separate Mars midpoints at the moment. Part of which could be campaign uncertainties and also the realization of the responsibility he has to face if he gets in. One of them lifts from November 20th onwards, the other trails on until 26th January. He’ll experience an upheaval from tr Uranus square his Pluto from 18th November to 19 December which can go either way – as with Netanyahu into power – or it will bring a rocky ride. He looks marginally upbeat from tr Pluto trine his Mercury/Jupiter midpoint November 20th to December 26th. And is very definitely looking enthusiastic and confident from January 26th to late February with tr Pluto opposition his Jupiter. That successful phase rolls on through till August with tr Pluto trine his Sun/Jupiter and Venus/Jupiter, plus tr Uranus square his Jupiter/Node across mid year and on. Whatever happens he looks in better spirits in 2021/22 with the exception of an insecure tr Uranus opposition his Mars late May on and off for a year.
Trump and Failure: Past experience of how Trump faces losing battles are scary and instructive. Chicago Trump Hotel ran into huge debts in 2008, which for most would have meant ruin. But he counter-sued the lender Deutsche Bank for “predatory lending practices” and sought $3 billion in damages. He was then forgiven $270 million worth of debt.
In 1973 he slammed back at the US government over its charges that Trump’s rental properties had racial discriminatory practices and counter-sued them for $100 million. Two years later it was settled in private with an agreement that the Trump properties change their practices.
He follows Roy Cohn, his early mentor’s diktat – Attack, Don’t Settle, Never Apologize.
“You cannot disgrace a disgraceful man; you cannot make a shameless man feel ashamed; you cannot make a cockroach a cockroach, because it is already a cockroach.” Mehmet Murat Ildan
The assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin on 4th November 1995 successfully destroyed the one real chance of peace with the Palestinians and changed the course of history. Rabin with a military background had been able to persuade the electorate to overcome their fears, let go of the past and forge an accord with their neighbours. He came to see Palestinian resistance not as a military threat to be crushed, but as a political grievance requiring resolution.
But the then leader of the opposition, Benjamin Netanyahu disagreed and rabble roused at demonstrations, with the crowd chanting “Death to Rabin”. In July 1995, Netanyahu walked at the head of a mock funeral procession featuring a fake black coffin. He was asked to dial down the rhetoric, warning that the prime minister’s life was in danger. He declined. Four months later Yigal Amir, a young religious Jewish nationalist, shot Rabin, who refused to wear protective clothing, at a peace demo. He died of his wounds on the way to hospital.
The election the following May elected Netanyahu to power for the first time, where he remains today. For all but 20 months of the last 25 years, the right and centre-right have held power.
Rabin, born 1 March 1922 4.17pm Jerusalem, was an innovative Sun, Uranus, Venus in Pisces; with Jupiter Saturn conjunct in Libra opposition an 8th house Aries Moon square Pluto – controlling and also influential, persuasive and as is the way with a focal point Pluto inclined to arouse hostile resistance because his ideas were ahead of their time.
His shooter, Yigal Amir, 23 May 1970 11.30pm Herzliya, Israel, came from an Orthodox Yemenite family, and has a religious/idealistic Neptune in Scorpio on his Midheaven sextile a troubled Pluto Uranus in his 8th house. When he carried out the killing the highly strung tr Neptune Uranus in Capricorn were square his Jupiter and tr Pluto was conjunct his Midheaven and Neptune – none of which would help to keep him stable. He remains in prison.
The Israel country chart at that time had the destabilizing tr Uranus Neptune conjunct its IC at the base of the chart, uprooting it from old certainties and throwing it into confusion. The Israel Solar Arc Pluto was in a power-struggling and one-upmanship battle in the months before in square to its Jupiter.
Interestingly – astrologically-speaking – Rabin’s healing Neptune was conjunct Israel’s warlike 10th house Saturn Pluto, whereas Amir’s unyielding Saturn Mercury in Taurus are square it. Amir’s Mars is also conjunct the Israel Uranus for an explosive connection.
Netanyahu, 21 October 1949 10.15 am Tel Aviv, who arguably walked over Rabin’s corpse to gain power had the tr Neptune Uranus in Capricorn square his Libra Sun and Moon at that point as well as trine his Virgo Midheaven; with his Solar Arc Pluto square his Uranus. Uranus, the wild card, thrusting him into high office.
Netanyahu hooks into the worst of the Israeli temperament having his Pluto conjunct the Israel Saturn and his Mars in flashy Leo conjunct the Israel Mars and square its Taurus Sun; with his Sun Moon conjunct the Israel Ascendant and his Jupiter conjunct the Israel IC.
Israel is, in many ways, at an even more significant point in its history now with the triple conjunction of Saturn Pluto Jupiter in Capricorn congregating around its IC and brewing up domestic discontent for years ahead. The Solar Arc Pluto Saturn is straddling its Ascendant now; but more pointedly tr Uranus is moving to square the Pluto from mid 2021 onwards and then the Saturn, conjunct the Sun and finally square the Mars – all between now and 2026. Tr Neptune will also undermine morale and enthusiasm as it squares the Uranus and Jupiter in 2022/23. Israel’s trajectory will be bounced this way and that with upheavals, disruptions and considerable economic damage, more so than most countries.
Wendy Williams, the nationally syndicated television talk show host, has been causing concern amongst fans for her distracted appearance on a recent show. She has spoken in the past about her substance abuse problems with cocaine and she also suffers from Graves’ disease, hyperthyroidism and lymphedema, so will undoubtedly have her off days.
She was born 18 July 1964 at 9.30 pm New Jersey, and prior to getting her TV show in 2008 was a radio DJ known in New York as a “shock jockette” for her brash personality and on-air spats with celebrities. She has written a New York Times best-selling autobiography and six other books.
She has a hard-working 6th house Cancer Sun trine an intense 9th house Scorpio Moon which opposes a 3rd house Jupiter in Taurus – communication is her thing. And with a rebellious Uranus Pluto in Virgo in her 7th she’ll come across loud, strong and unpredictable.
What’s clear is that she is moving into a highly pressured phase in her life with tr Pluto opposing her Sun from February 2021 for two years thereafter, which will change her priorities. Plus a debilitating run of Neptune transits squaring her enthusiastic Venus Mars in Gemini from next spring onwards on and off till late 2022 which will lower her energy and optimism.
At the moment tr Saturn is making the final opposition to her Sun which is always downbeat and the triple conjunction of Pluto, Saturn, Jupiter is moving through her hidden 12th so she will be conflicted either psychologically and physically – not an easy time for her now or ahead.
Gisele Halimi, a Tunisian-born feminist MP and lawyer who fought to decriminalise abortion in France and spent her life trailblazing for women’s and other human rights, has died aged 93. She sought justice for torture victims in Tunisia and Algeria, under French control when she started practising law, strengthened French laws against rape and campaigned for the end of the death penalty.
When she was born on 27 July 1927 4.30pm La Goulette, Tunisia, into a poor, conservative Jewish family, her father was so disappointed she was a girl he wouldn’t admit to her birth for several weeks. That sowed the seeds of her rebellion and lifelong drive for equality and fair treatment for women. She refused a teenage arranged marriage and left home to study law in Paris.
She had an intense 8th house Leo Sun in an inspired and attention-demanding Fire Grand Trine to an adventurous Jupiter Uranus in Aries trine Saturn in Sagittarius. That was formed into an even more talented Kite by Jupiter Uranus opposition her Libra Midheaven, making her MC the leading point of her chart. She threw her all into her career. She also had an emotionally intense Pluto, Moon, Mercury in Cancer in her 8th, hinting at her obsessive concern for women’s rights.
Her communicative and legal affairs 9th house had an idealistic Neptune along with a dynamic Mars (in a disciplined square to Saturn) and persuasive Venus, that along with her Libra Midheaven and Saturn in Sagittarius – all pointed to the law as a consuming interest.
Her superstar 22nd Harmonic was strong as was her get-it-together 5th and her seeking-soul 7H. Also notable were her obsessional-dream 11th and breakthrough-unorthodox 13H.
Shirley Jackson, once dubbed ‘Virginia Werewoolf’, an American horror writer and self-proclaimed witch, is now a shining star with a bio-pic movie about her life and destructive marriage mesmerising critics and audiences. Her short story The Lottery caused a scandal when it appeared in The New Yorker in 1948 – about a village draw which was to choose the resident to be stoned to death — even by members of their own family — in a ritual sacrifice to ensure a good harvest and general prosperity. Thousands cancelled their magazine subscriptions and it was banned in South Africa.
Her own life was only marginally less odd than her fiction starting with an unpleasant mother who didn’t hide her disappointment that her overweight daughter wasn’t prettier and more feminine, and telling Jackson she was the product of a failed abortion. There was also a hint of sexual abuse in her childhood. Her fascination for the supernatural and magic became an obsession in her teens. She then married a literary critic Stanley Hyman, whom she met at university, who cheated on her constantly, relating the tales of his affairs to her. He did nothing to assist her in the house with four children, demanded she wait on him hand and foot, was jealous of her success which far outweighed his own and only gave her a portion of her earnings.
Not surprisingly she ended up depressed and addicted to psychoactive drugs. She also, understandably enough, had a vindictive streak, putting curses on publishers. It was said she wrote ‘not with a pen but with a broomstick’. She died aged 48.
She was born 14 December 1916 7.15 am San Francisco and had a Sagittarius Sun on her Ascendant which would give her a full-on personality, though to some degree damped down by a downbeat and fey Saturn conjunct Neptune in her 8th along with a hidden Leo Moon. Saturn Neptune can be neurotic, paranoid and in the 8th would make her troubled with a wild imagination and fears which got out of control. Which may be why she turned to magic to regain an illusion of control. Her witchy streak would also be partly associated with an intense, hugely frustrated and enraged Pluto opposition Mars Mercury, which does suggest a dominating cruel father whom she replicated in her husband. Mercury Pluto would give her a dark and poisonous streak.
Stanley Hyman, 11 July 1919, New York, had a Sun Jupiter in Cancer which fell in her intense 8th conjunct her South Node, pushing her back into her past rather than helping her move forward; and a ruthless Mars Pluto conjunction in Cancer which fell in her 7th house of relationships. He fitted her nightmare pattern exactly, poor woman. Her Moon opposed Uranus squaring Venus, hinting at a mother who was not a stable support and may well have contributed to her over eating with Venus being involved. Seeking comfort from food since it wasn’t available elsewhere.
What was her saving grace was an inspirational Fire Grand Trine of Sun trine Jupiter in Aries trine Moon which would give her some uplift through the difficulties of her life.
Her relationship chart with her husband was a toxic mix of love and hate with an affectionate composite Sun Venus opposition Mars square Pluto – a dance to the death. That Sun Venus opposition Mars forms a composite Half Grand Sextile to Jupiter and Neptune Saturn. There was as much holding them together as was destroying her. What a tortured life. Her strongest Harmonic was her creative though often finely mentally balanced 7th. Seven in numerology is traditionally regarded as a spiritual number, endowed with a different kind of imagination, often artistic skills. Need peace. Perfectionism. A seeking soul. Also attracted to alcohol/ drugs and occultism.
Joe Biden’s errant son Hunter continues to be the focus of right-wing attacks with a dodgy New York Post piece, disclaimed even by its own reporters, about an alleged laptop containing incriminating files – and complaints that the media are avoiding covering the story for partisan reasons. A recent Republican Senate report found that Hunter Biden’s lucrative work at a Ukrainian energy firm while his father was vice-president was “problematic” and “awkward”, but found no evidence that US foreign policy was influenced. The BBC comments: “It does however detail the breadth of his connections to questionable foreign interests and business leaders in Ukraine and China – creating “criminal financial, counterintelligence and extortion concerns”. It suggests Joe Biden’s son was profiting from his family name – a potential conflict of interest that is unsavoury but not unusual in Washington’s corridors of power.”
Hunter has a known history of drink and drug abuse.
Born 4 February 1970, he is a charming Sun Venus in Aquarius, with an up and down Jupiter in Scorpio opposition Saturn in Taurus; and a volatile and reckless Mars in Aries opposition Uranus. He was injured when two years old along with his brother Beau in a car crash which killed his mother and sister. In the aftermath Joe Biden, then a young Senator, travelled home daily ninety minutes each way from Washington to ensure he was there for them.
Despite a recent gushing WPost piece about Joe’s unconditional love for his son, it is not that easy a relationship. Hunter’s Neptune is conjunct Joe’s Sun, Venus so his father will find him elusive, evasive and slippery – perhaps the drug problem also fits here. Hunter’s Saturn is conjunct Joe’s Taurus Moon for a defensive barrier. More troublesome Hunter’s Pluto sits in Joe’s 10th which does give him a capacity for damaging Joe’s reputation and /or involving him in political and profession intrigues. Hunter’s Uranus is also in Joe’s 10th which could be destabilizing.
Their relationship chart does have an affectionate and close composite Sun Venus trine Pluto and Jupiter. But there’s also a hard-edged and aggravated composite Mars trine Saturn and a Neptune square Mars, both of which suggest differing agendas and lack of mutual support on one side or the other.
What will be interesting to watch out for, astrologically speaking, is tr Pluto conjunct the composite Mars from late January 2021 onwards for two years. In the event of Biden winning, junior may well find himself hemmed in and fuming about it. If Joe loses then Hunter might get part of the blame. But one way or another it won’t all be sunshine and roses for two years ahead.
There’s a delicious sense of being hoist on their own dirty dealings for the pro-Trumpers who have spread around so many claims of ‘fake news’ that no one believes any smears any more, whether there’s a smidgeon of truth in them or not.
