Astrology of Today’s News

 

 

Vice President Mike Pence – “a Christian, a conservative, and a Republican, in that order” – said in 2002 he would never dine or drink alone with a woman who was not his wife, in order to protect his marriage. Sounds positively Muslim or Orthodox Jewish and relegates female colleagues to a special category of – dangerous/predatory? And discounts the possibility of male male dinners ever being sexually motivated or misunderstood for outsiders. So back to the old Adam and temptress Eve; women defined by their sexuality. One of these days someone will explain to me why religious zealots are incapable of regarding people as human beings, whose gender is irrelevant the bulk of the time, especially in the professions.

His marriage does appear to be a tight working relationship. A Trump adviser said “You can’t get a dime between them.” He evidently calls his wife ‘Mother’.

Pence, 7 June 1959, is a Sun, maybe New Moon, in Gemini (or Moon in Cancer) with his Moon in whichever sign certainly square Pluto – so a possessive wife/mother would fit his pattern. He’s got a passionately enthusiastic and flamboyant Venus Mars in Leo square Neptune with Mars widely conjunct Uranus, so enjoys attention and a high adrenaline lifestyle.

Karen, his wife, 18 Nov 1958 (wiki), Kansas, is Sun Venus and Jupiter in Scorpio (similar to Laura Bush with Sun Jupiter Mars in Scorpio) with her Sun Venus opposing Mars in Taurus possibly squaring onto a late Aquarius/early Pisces Moon. So not short on determination or sticking power, can turn on the charm and probably the anger when it suits her. Definitely not a lady for being pushed around. Her Saturn in Sagittarius opposes his Sun Mercury (maybe Moon) so she’ll instil discipline, a work ethic and possibly has a need to be right at all times being in Sag. Her Moon may oppose her own Pluto and his – so again a possessive mother/home mindset.

Their relationship chart has a tightly controlling composite Sun Pluto conjunction; with the composite Venus on the point of a T Square to an awkward Saturn opposition Mars, which suggests a very one-sided relationship, where the needs of one are suppressed and it can at times feel unkind to the point of emotional cruelty.

Both of them find Trump hard going, Karen especially. There was a spoof news story doing the rounds that Pence himself had gay conversion therapy in his younger years, but it appears to be fake.

   

 

Back in the mists of time, the sceptered isle off the European continental shelf, originally known as Albion, was renamed Britannia by the Romans who conquered the southern parts. Where England first started to pull together as a unified kingdom was on 12 July 927 JC, and later on 11 May 973 JC (Nick Campion).

Both charts will have a validity and the 927 one appears to work best with the Brexit referendum. It has a Cancer Sun, Mercury, Neptune conjunct in Cancer square Uranus in Aries – so visionary, patriotic and rebellious. When the June 2016 Referendum occurred tr Uranus was square the Cancer Sun, as it does at the moment as the Brexit negotiations are kicked off; with the Uranus Return also hanging over the decisive moment in time. Tr Pluto opposes Neptune in 2017 giving rise to high anxiety; then tr Pluto moves to square Uranus for a mighty upheaval in 2019 and opposes the Sun Mercury through till late 2020 – for an extended period of challenge with old structures being pulled down. By 2020 tr Uranus will oppose the Jupiter in Scorpio for a feeling of relief and excitement, followed in 2021 by an insecure tr Uranus opposition Mars. The triple conjunction of Pluto, Saturn Jupiter in Capricorn will at various times oppose the Cancer Sun through 2019/2020 – so a defining moment of historical change. Mind you the triple conjunction of Saturn Uranus Neptune in Capricorn of the early 1990s did the same, so maybe that’s when the seeds were sewn.

Relations with the EU were never easy with a hostile composite Mars trine Pluto; and a suspicious Saturn opposition Neptune square Uranus. The latter is being further undermined by tr Neptune in hard aspect for the next three years. And the composite Pluto is being turned upside down in 2018; with major aggravation in 2020/2021 as tr Pluto is sextile the composite Mars.

Relations with Scotland 842 were also always uneasy with a composite Mars trine Pluto Venus Mercury. Tr Neptune is dissolving the foundations at the moment with tr Neptune opposition Mars in 2017; and then moving into full rupture mode in 2020 with tr Uranus conjunct the composite Pluto. Through 2017/18 as well tr Pluto squares the composite Uranus. However to be noted, these influences will have recurred several times over the long union of England and Scotland and it has held together this far with periodic phases of conflict and disagreement along the way.

The England 973 chart has a fearsome and confident Sun Mars in Taurus square Pluto and trine Jupiter in Virgo – which would certainly fit with a ruthless and successful trading and military superpower. Relations on this chart with the EU are disappointed in 2017/18/19; and tipping into outright hostility in 2018/19; with a long drawn out aftermath to Brexit in 2020/1/2/3 with tr Pluto trine the composite Saturn Uranus. Relations with Scotland 842 are on a Neptunian downhill slide till 2019 and tr Uranus will add its tuppence worth of mischief in 2018/19 as it hard aspects the composite Sun square Uranus. Tr Pluto will square the composite Sun and conjunct Uranus in 2022/23 – so post Brexit will be even more unsettled.

The Scotland 16 March 842 JC chart has an Aries New Moon, with Sun conjunct Pluto in late Pisces; and a gritty Saturn Neptune in Capricorn opposition Mars in Cancer square Uranus in Aries opposition North Node in Libra. Certainly a restless, aggressive (military) country, spilling over with initiative, for whom close neighbourly relations were always testing.

That Cardinal Grand Cross was under extreme pressure from the tr Uranus in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn during the 2014 independence referendum – which was a Uranus Return (happens every 84 years. The previous Uranus return in the early 1930s was when the Scottish National Party was formed.

2016/17 looks downbeat with tr Pluto conjunct the Saturn; and in a state of shock with Solar Arc Mars opposition the Sun. And the Solar Arc Saturn Neptune has been moving across the Aries Sun (2015 to 2021) so a period of discouragement and some disappointment. With some relief and a positive shift come 2020 as tr Uranus trines the Jupiter. But nothing that looks like a game-changing moment in the years ahead.

 

Scottish singer Sheena Easton, a huge recording star in the 1980s, is to make her UK West End debut, age 57, in the musical 42nd Street. For the past 20 years she put her career second to her two adopted children, moving to Las Vegas, where she could sing without touring. She’s been married four times, the longest lasting 18 months and she says never again.

Born 27 April 1959 3.40pm Bellshill, Scotland, she was brought up by her mother, who worked on a factory assembly line after her father’s early death. “I think she gave me her work ethic. She would never pray to find a bag of money, she would pray for overtime. That stuck with me.”

She has an intense, quite bleak and very ambitious chart with an 8^th house Taurus Sun trine a 12^th house Pluto trine a 4^th house Moon Saturn in Capricorn – a practical, business-minded Earth Grand Trine where the planets say a great deal about the Scottish work ethic. That is formed into two Kites by Moon Saturn opposition Mars in Cancer in her 10^th and Sun opposition Neptune. So Mars and Neptune are the two driving planets – undoubtedly talented, assertive, disciplined, not easy within herself or to live with, but a go-getter. Taurus is often found in singers’ charts, as is an emphasised Neptune.

Her Mercury in Aries is trine Uranus in Leo, sextiling onto a charming Venus in Gemini on her MC. Her Jupiter in money-attracting Scorpio is in a pushily confident square to Pluto. Her Mercury is opposition a North Node in Libra (= relationships are the unknown and therefore challenging) square Mars opposition Saturn Moon – so a Cardinal Grand Cross, a whirling cauldron of initiative though also prone to a life of revolving crises. Her Sun opposition Neptune squares onto her Uranus – making her quite fanatical at times and very independent-minded. She’s got quite some chart.

At the moment tr Pluto is poised to move into her performing 5^th so she’ll become more visible in future years. Tr Neptune square her MC won’t make this year a huge success; but with tr Saturn now into her 2^nd quadrant, she’s got a great deal ahead of her.

   

 

Ready, steady – and the mis-steps and dirty tricks begin. First off, Theresa May’s letter, on any sensible reading, suggested the UK’s co-operation on security was dependent on getting a good Brexit deal. Outrage across the EU and she’s had to backtrack. Now the EU have dropped a bombshell in the small print of their response, using the future of Gibraltar as a bargaining chip. Spain now has a veto on any deal – and definitely wants Gibraltar back 300 years after signing it over in the Treaty of Utrecht. The 30,000 residents (all true-blue bulldog Brits) voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining in the EU by 96 per cent. The clause has taken British officials by surprise and is a major diplomatic defeat. Recent “unlawful incursions” of Spanish state vessels into British Gibraltarian waters have led to MPs saying that Spain’s behaviour as a Nato ally is becoming “increasingly unreliable”.

The ‘friendship treaty’ at Utrecht which set up British rule over Gibraltar was signed on July 13 1713 (Gregorian calendar if going by Utrecht time). That chart has certainly suffered a major shock as of now with Solar Arc Uranus square the Mars exactly at the moment; and not improving over coming years with the Solar Arc Uranus/Pluto midpoint square Mars by 2020 and by Solar Arc Pluto by 2023. All of which looks trapped and enfuriated. Tr Pluto will oppose the patriotic Cancer Sun in 2018/2019 for a hugely pressured time, moving on to bitter arguments with tr Pluto opposition Mercury in 2019/2020. Tr Neptune is conjunct the Jupiter in Pisces, exact now, and repeating till late 2017 which will undermine confidence; with an exceptionally highly strung Solar Arc Neptune opposition Uranus late 2018/2019.

The relationship chart with the UK looks aggravated and insecure from late this April, on and off till early 2018 with tr Uranus square the composite Mars; in a state of upheaval in 2018/19 with tr Pluto trine the composite Uranus; and frosty to the point of separation in 2018/19 with tr Saturn square the composite Mercury, then Sun and Venus.

Relations between Gibraltar and Spain 1975 chart, always hostile at best with an aggravated composite Mars Saturn in a suspicious, non-supportive opposition Neptune square Moon, and a fight-for-control composite Sun Pluto – is under very discouraging Saturn transits this year into 2018; and thoroughly jangled in 2018/19. And it won’t get easier as tr Uranus moves in the early 2020s to hard aspects the composite Venus, Saturn, Mars, Moon and Neptune.

   

 

Jared Kushner’s star is definitely rising with a five-impossible-things-before-breakfast kind of portfolio – reinvent government administration, fix the Israel-Palestine problem, sorting out Mexico etc etc. One wonders quite how this is going down with Stephen Bannon since the Kushner/Bannon relationship chart, not great at the best of times, was always going to be at a low ebb with tr Saturn conjunct the composite Sun exactly now; and then square the composite Uranus Pluto over the next two months.

And this is over the period where Donald Trump’s relationship with Bannon is sagging badly with tr Neptune opposition the composite Mercury at the moment and moving on to oppose the composite Sun Saturn from mid May to mid July – and repeating later in the year and through 2018.

And now that Ivanka Trump is being pulled firmly into the inner circle, there’ll be more anti-Bannon aggro, since she definitely dislikes him (and probably vice versa) with a composite Mars Pluto Uranus in their relationship chart. That is catching the tr Saturn squares from late May; and even before then there’s tr Uranus opposition the composite Saturn from late April which will erupt tensions into the open.

Someone is going to have to take the blame for the cataclysmic start to the Trump reign with his approval ratings in freefall – and it could well be Bannon.

Regulus, the regal Fixed Star, is strong in Donald Trump’s chart with his Ascendant (and widely his Mars) conjunct, as well as his Solar Arcs of North Node, Uranus and Sun all congregating around that end of Leo into Virgo position over this period up to 2020 and beyond.

I don’t work much with Fixed stars, so thanks to astrologyking.com for selected thoughts below. Regulus gives violence, destructiveness, military honor of short duration, with ultimate failure, imprisonment, violent death, success, high and lofty ideals and strength of spirit, and makes its natives magnanimous, grandly liberal, generous, ambitious, fond of power, desirous of command, high-spirited and independent. This is one who takes command and gives orders. These persons work well in the military and can achieve high goals and honors here. The commanding personality extends even to their love life, since everyone is merely a stepping stone for their pleasures and ego.

Ascendant conjunct Regulus: Great honor and wealth, but violence and trouble, sickness, fevers, acute disease, benefits seldom last, favor of the great, victory over enemies and scandal. “The Native shall be a person of great note and power, too much exalted, and attain to high preferment and honors, although descended from the meanest parents – the Native shall die an unhappy death; or at least that all his honors, greatness and power shall at last suffer an eclipse and be set under a cloud.” (Guido Bonnets)

Elsbeth Ebertin studied historical events with the accompanying planetary configurations; ‘when Mars or Saturn are in conjunction with Regulus, especially exciting events are always recorded e.g. assassinations, coup d’états, revolutions, revolts, demonstrations, overthrow of heads of state and similar events’. Though in this case she was looking at historical events not an individual chart, but presumably has much the same meaning.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens when his Solar Arc Uranus is conjunct his Mars, exact in 15 months’ time, though probably triggering before then in a highly disruptive, explosive way that will test his self-esteem and likely lead to wildly macho responses. And the coming late August Leo Eclipse this year will rattle up his Mars, Ascendant, Solar Arcs Uranus, North Node and Sun as well. So quite a challenging, crisis-ridden time.

In Roman times a slave used to ride beside the commander in chief whispering continually in his ear ‘memento homo’ – remember you are only a man – intended to keep their feet on the ground when glory went to their heads.

   

 

Turkey is increasingly a cause for concern with the authoritarian President Recep Erdogan seeking even more draconian powers in an April 16^th vote on constitutional reform, batting off insults at EU countries, cosying up to Saudi Arabia and Russia and now in a war of words with Greece.

Greece refused to extradite Turkish military officers involved in a recent coup against Erdogan; and now Turkey is brewing up a historic argument about where the border between the two countries lies. The fear is of an accidental flare-up that blows out of control with almost daily dogfights between armed jets and naval incursions of Greek waters by Turkish research vessels. If Turkish nationalism, being fanned at the moment, spilled over into an attempted invasion on Greek soil, it’s difficult to know with the mayhem in Washington and NATO being constrained quite what the global response would be.

The Turkey chart is certainly moving into a highly-strung, fanatical eighteen months with tr Neptune conjunct its prominent Uranus in Pisces, which is tied into a Water Grand Trine. Interfacing with reality may not be that easy; plus the February eclipse was conjunct Uranus which will produce a lightning bolt effect. Tr Uranus opposes the 4^th house Mercury Saturn in Libra through April, across the vote, so it’ll be a time of high tension and excitability. What’s ominous is a Solar Arc Mars opposition the Turkey Pluto (again on one leg of the Grand Trine), exact with a couple of months – that could be completely blocked but can also point to ruthlessness and rage as a response. Into 2018 tr Neptune squares the MC (start time being accurate) which is lack-lustre and not pro-active.

Relations between Turkey and both the Greece 25 March 1821 and Greece 24 July 1974 charts look dire over the next two to three years. Tr Pluto is conjunct the composite Sun, Saturn Venus on one at 18/19 Capricorn; with a peak of tensions  from this May onwards. On the other relationship chart there’s aggravation this year and next with tr Pluto trine the Sun and Mars; and possibly worse in 2018/19 with tr Pluto conjunct the composite Jupiter which usually ends up in a macho stand-off.

Erdogan’s 2014 Presidency chart was always odd with a Virgo Sun opposition Neptune and trine Pluto – on one reading, it looks weak, but on another it’s megalomaniac. And there’s certainly a brutal Mars Saturn conjunction in Scorpio which is getting the tr Pluto sextile in 2017/18, so military involvements were always going to loom large. The February Pisces Eclipse impacted on the Sun and Neptune, so it’ll be interesting to see which way the April 16^th vote goes. His personal chart also caught the Eclipse with his Pisces Sun within a degree – and that is usually a good going crisis. He looks on edge at the moment, less than confident and thoroughly boxed in by Sept/Oct; with an over-pushy 2018/19 landing him up with dented enthusiasm and possibly financial problems; at the least the balloon of his idealistic flights of fancy bursting.

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The letter formally informing the EU of the UK’s intention to leave was delivered in Brussels today at 1.25pm. It puts charmingly upfront Venus in Aries exactly on the MC conjunct a 10^th house Aries Sun, so definitely pro-active. There’s also a divisive/rebellious Uranus Moon Mercury in the 10^th trine Saturn – which could be positive since it points to organizational creativity and the ability to manage resources, as well as  to promote new systems which are not unduly disruptive.

On the downside there’s a gridlocked and bitter Mars in Taurus trine Pluto suggesting it will be an uphill struggle with hostility spilling out at times. And the Uranus Moon Mercury opposing Jupiter square Pluto hinting at a conflict between differing philosophical viewpoints, and a fight for control and the last word. With Saturn square the Sun which moves to exact by transit from March 2018, which is somewhat early for the separation – unless it’s a withdrawal into no deal.  Indeed tr Saturn will square Venus MC earlier than that in January 2018 – setbacks and chilly relations.

The Sun itself is anyway square an unyielding Saturn/Pluto midpoint and opposition an argumentative Mars/Node. And Pluto is square the Sun/Moon midpoint which is a fair description of a difficult, long-drawn out and aggravated divorce. And the MC (time being spot on) is square the head-in-the-clouds Jupiter/Neptune, which suggests harm through impracticality or thoughtlessness.

[See posts: March 20 and 24^th.]

   

 

How to keep a sense of perspective with rising fears of global and domestic turmoil everywhere, power-hungry demagogue leaders, rampant corruption and nepotism? Go read Sarah Dunant’s excellent (as ever) novel In the Name of the Family about the Borgias and Machiavelli.

Set in the febrile and brutal times of Renaissance Italy of the 15^th century, it focuses on the family of Pope Alexander, a byword for corruption in the Vatican, whose illegitimate son by his mistress, Cesare Borgia, a Cardinal turned soldier rampaged across the country, attacking and seizing independent City States. Alexander’s illegitimate daughter Lucrezia Borgia stamped her own infamous mark on history though there’s some doubt about how much of the wild tales of incest and murder swirling around her was urban legend and how much fact. She made several dynastic marriages which favoured her family’s status

Niccolo Machiavelli also appears, a Florentine diplomat and historian, who despite his reputation for political deviousness became renowned as an astute philosopher who inspired Enlightenment democratic thinking. He served as an envoy at one point in Cesare Borgia’s circle.

[NB. Some dates which follow are questionable. See astro.com.]

 

Machiavelli, 2 May 1469 JC 11.07 pm Florence, Italy, has a chart that makes sense, with a slippery Neptune on his Scorpio MC in a paranoid opposition to Saturn (trust no one!); and an intellectual Air Grand Trine of an Aquarius Moon North Node trine Mercury in Gemini trine Uranus in Libra. His 8^th house influential-behind-the-scenes Pluto was in a tough-minded, resourceful-in-crisis opposition to his Mars squaring on to his Mercury. So his words carried weight. And no doubt an amiable Jupiter in the 7^th in a sugar-coated square to Venus would help in his diplomatic role.

Pope Alexander, 31 Dec 1430 JC 7.24am Jativa, Spain (might have been Jan 1 1431) had an ambitious and cold Sun Saturn in Capricorn on the point of a T square to Mars in Libra opposition Uranus – so cut out for executive power, not good at sharing the driving seat, explosive and a risk-taker. He also had an entrepreneurial Fire Grand Trine of Uranus trine Neptune in Leo trine Venus in Sagittarius, so overflowing with confidence and keen on expansion.

Cesare Borgia, 13 Sept 1475 5am Rome (??) looks about right with a bullish Sun Pluto in Virgo trine Jupiter in Aquarius; Jupiter in turn opposed a military/cruel Mars Saturn in Leo; with Saturn in an autocratic square to Uranus. He was killed aged 33, after his father’s death when he was no longer as protected; and probably had syphilis.

Lucrezia Borgia, 19 April 1479 JC 12.30pm Subiaco, Italy, has been cast as a femme fatale and certainly knew how to throw a party, or endless streams of them. Whether the stories of incest with her brother and her propensity to poison enemies is true is debatable. She had a charming and indulgent Taurus Sun Venus; but with a determined Mars in Taurus as well in a ruthless/gutsy trine to Pluto. Plus an inspired though highly strung Uranus Neptune in Sagittarius in an expansive opposition to Jupiter. She contracted three marriages, had affairs, and possibly eight children, before dying aged 39.