Astrology of Today’s News

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Neptune has an over-idealised image in astrology. Yes, it is known to be slippery and evasive, impractical and low energy, but really it’s all about dreams and visions, kindness and compassion, is what I absorbed early on. Yet it doesn’t stack up in practice. Top athletes who need exceptional physical endurance often have strong Neptune aspects to their Suns. Successful businessmen and explorers are often Pisces, which is ruled by Neptune. The Nazi doctor Josef Mengele was a Pisces Sun trine Neptune. John Gacy, who raped and killed at least 33 teenage boys, was a New Moon in Pisces opposition Neptune. When astrologers were asked to do a cold reading on Gacy’s chart, they waxed eloquent about what a nice man he would be.

To go back to basics, in mythology Neptune ruled the watery oceans and waged war on Athena, who ruled the land. As an act of aggression he raped Medusa (who was then very beautiful) in Athena’s temple, in revenge for which Athena turned her ugly and banished her to the far wildernesses. So there’s a decidedly unpleasant streak about Neptune. The sea can be cruel, is certainly cold, changeable, liable to brew up into monstrous storms, can chip away relentlessly at rocky land until it collapses.

Christianity according to Carl Jung was the iconic symbol for the two thousand year Age of Pisces, ruled by Neptune. Yet Christianity, despite its love and tolerance motif, has at its heart an image of gruesomely bloody torture and the acute physical suffering of a forsaken son. Neptune has a dissolving action so physical dismemberment is part of his lexicon. And in certain modes Neptune is anti-life. This ‘vale of tears’ was the old Christian outlook for getting through a life of suffering and mishaps, until you reached the happy land beyond St Peter’s Gates. It’s not that different from the Muslim belief in 70 virgins in paradise in the afterlife. And Islam is also very Piscean/Neptunean.

Neptune rules religion and when you think of the atrocities perpetrated in the name of all that is holy from the Crusades, the Inquisition, the murderous Protestant versus Roman Catholic centuries, to what’s going on at the moment it throws a different slant on Neptune, the spiritual dreamer. Being wrapped up in an all-encompassing Neptunian vision can obliterate everything around that is human and it can be insensitive, often to a staggering degree.

To go back to mythology: Creativity, which is one of Neptune’s talents, was born when Medusa was beheaded and Pegasus, the winged horse, was set free. So there is this paradox about Neptune – revelling in brutality of the bloodiest variety in order to set free the ideal. An eternal war between the physical world and the spirit. But both are true of Neptune, not just the sanitised reaching-for-nirvana half. You don’t get one without the other.

Merged with other planets Neptune can be a powerful force and not always for the good. Neptune Pluto is scandal prone and megalomaniac. Neptune Uranus can be fanatical as well as inspired. Neptune Saturn is associated with epidemics, paranoia, mental instability as well as social reform. Neptune Jupiter rules high-finance, bankers and the like, as well as dodgy gurus.

At the moment we have a Neptune square Saturn. They are polar opposites since Saturn rules the earthly material world, the body, organizations, rules and regulations, practicality, sanity. Neptune hates it all. It tries and usually succeeds in undermining our security in the real world, dissolves the boundary between what is fact and what is fiction, so we start to doubt our sanity. It also undermines the body so you get illnesses, often difficult to diagnose, or epidemics.

On a more positive note it also undermines the patriarchy (I hate the term but Saturn is very much the masculine authority) so women’s rights come to the fore. And Saturn Neptune does have a creditable record in moving social reforms ahead in general. Neptune’s healing energy brought to bear on the rigid status quo.

Neptune brings its duality to bear on the financial sphere (Saturn) as well, since it is associated with conmen and trickery, bringing financial scandals out into the open and overall undermining confidence in economic security.

It starts to fade in influence in a couple of months and won’t be back till the mid 2020s.

As expected, the fizz, sparkle, pop of the Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift romance has spluttered down rapidly, with murmurings from her camp that he wanted to drag her onto the red carpet and was too keen on publicity. ??!!

The astro-reasons are more believable. His Aries Moon certainly spooned with her Sagittarius Sun; and both have Venus in Aquarius. But her Mars in intensely emotional Scorpio is conjunct his Uranus; and her Mars and Pluto both square his detached Aquarius Sun. That was never going to make a long term match.

Their relationship chart has an instant-passion composite Venus square Pluto; but also a cold (and too much work) Moon opposition Saturn; and an up-and-down Saturn square Jupiter; plus an argumentative composite Sun Mars which is being assaulted this month by tr Pluto conjunct Mars; and throughout this year by tr Uranus square the composite Sun.

A chemical mix that was never going to be compatible and bumpy transits. He looks marginally more upset than her. If his birth time is accurate, then he may be in for a few less successful years from 2018 for a while.

UK Labour MP Keith Vaz has stepped down from his hugely influential position as Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee which oversees policy on drugs, crime and sexual exploitation, after a media story about him paying for the services of two male sex workers. What he did was not illegal and he initially tried to blame the newspaper for scandal-mongering; but ultimately resigned because of conflict of interest issues.

Controversy has dogged him throughout his parliamentary career, not the least of which was on the expenses issue, but he has slid through until now without scandals impeding his upward trajectory.

Born 26 November 1956 in Aden to Indian-Goan parents, he came to England aged nine, was educated at a Catholic School and thence on to Cambridge. His father committed suicide when he was 14.

He’s a Sun Saturn (Mercury) in Sagittarius square Pluto in Virgo – so he had a tough start in life which has left him with a very determined (and brass-necked) streak. His Sun Saturn is also trine Uranus, so innovative. He’s got a charmingly evasive Venus Neptune in Scorpio square Uranus; and Mars in Pisces opposition Jupiter (Moon) in Virgo – extravagant, opinionated, a tendency to exaggerate, hint of mercenary motives.

He does have a high-tension/sudden change Solar Arc Saturn opposition his Uranus this year; as well as the meltdown Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his natal Venus Neptune. Plus the September Solar Eclipse is square his Sun Saturn which tends to be a time of chickens coming home to roost; and the mid September Lunar Eclipse is sitting almost exactly on his Mars opposition Jupiter (Moon). A game-changing moment of crisis in his life.

His 10^th Harmonic (of self-undoing) is strongly aspected with a ruthless Grand Trine of Pluto trine Mars Neptune (loves publicity) trine Uranus.

The Great Fire of London started around 12.15 am on September 2 1666, destroying nearly 90% of the houses. It followed on from a devastating outbreak of bubonic plague the year before.

As per usual, with a superstitious population, it was deemed that someone had to be to blame – French and Dutch immigrants being high on the list. Astrologer William Lilly was hauled in for questioning since he had predicted it 12 years earlier in a heavily disguised, codified drawing which according to interpretation pointed to the day in question though timed five hours later. See: http://www.skyscript.co.uk/fire.html

It isn’t known how he arrived at his conclusion.

The actual chart has Jupiter exactly conjunct a Pisces Midheaven opposition Sun square Pluto in Gemini – so undoubtedly a huge upsurge of energy. 9/11 also had Jupiter conjunct the MC, so clearly Jupiter not in its beneficial mode. And 9/11 also had a Virgo Sun square Pluto (tied into Saturn) suggesting a powerful event.

The Mars in Scorpio of the Great Fire was heavily aspected in trine to Jupiter and sextiling onto a paranoid Saturn Neptune in Capricorn, as well as being square Uranus – so destructive and explosive, causing panic and confusion. With an Air Grand Trine of Uranus trine Pluto trine Venus in Libra. 9/11 also had an Air Grand Trine of Uranus, Mercury, Saturn, as did the Iraq War of Saturn, Moon, Venus. Both of them were more obviously Air-borne disasters, but I suppose Fire does need air to spread. There are no Fire planets at all in the Great Fire chart.

Lilly probably worked with Eclipse and Ingress charts. The Aries Ingress for 1966 had a brutal Mars (28 Virgo) Moon opposition Venus square Pluto (25 Gemini). The Capricorn 1965 Ingress had an exact Mars square Pluto at 26 degrees – so it would raise flags for the months following. And the Cancer 1666 Ingress had the Mars square Pluto tied into Jupiter and the Sun.

The July 1666 Solar Eclipse had Uranus closely conjunct the Descendant/chart axis, making it a powerful significator of a disruptive event’ and the Cancer New Moon was square Mars and opposition Saturn (conjunct Neptune) – accident prone; and the Lunar Eclipse of June 1666 had the Full Moon at 25 Sag/Gemini with Pluto at 26 Gemini squaring onto Jupiter. Ebertin says of Jupiter Pluto in its most negative mode : “ Loss of social standing and one’s wealth. The misfortune to lose everything.”

Lilly evidently took London to be a 14 degree Gemini place. Looking at London crisis events I’m not sure I wouldn’t make it a later degree Gemini. The London Blitz of 1940 started with Neptune at 24 Virgo; the Brixton Riots of 1981 had Neptune at 24 Sagittarius. The 2008 Lehman collapse which caused a meltdown in the City of London had Sun 23 Virgo opposition Uranus 20 Pisces square Pluto at 28 Sagittarius. The Great Fire had Pluto at 28 Gemini. So last decan of Gemini seems more likely.

Mother Teresa, the saint of the poor, will become a Vatican-stamped saint on Sunday, which has resurrected the old complaints about her harsh approach to suffering. One critic said “Standing firm against planned parenthood, modernisation of equipment, and a myriad of other solution-based initiatives, Mother Teresa was not a friend of the poor but rather a promoter of poverty.” One doctor was outraged about the appalling lack of hygiene he uncovered – reuse of hypodermic needles, the shortage of medical care, systematic diagnosis, and necessary nutrition, as well as the scarcity of analgesics for those in pain. She seemed to think that suffering was a noble end in itself – a ‘Gift from God’, she said, so did little to alleviate it amongst those she supposedly cared for.

Born 26 August 1910 2.25pm? Skopje, Macedonia, she was a Sun Mars in Virgo trine Saturn in Taurus; Saturn square Venus and a Taurus Moon trine Mars, which I must say did give me pause for thought when I first saw her chart. It seemed hard for a figure of compassion. She had an Earth Grand Trine of Mars trine Uranus trine Moon, which would make her good with money although perhaps limited in imagination. That was formed into a Kite by Uranus opposition Neptune which can be fanatical. So visionary Neptune was the leading planet, fuelled by that tough, uncompromising earthy energy.

Her healer 12^th Harmonic is pretty potent tying together Mars Pluto Neptune, which would certainly suit her for working amongst the poorest of the poor in Calcutta. But also has hints of ruthlessness hiding behind religiosity.

Neptune can be a cosmically cold planet.

(Photo: ITV)

Poldark and Tom Hiddleston have slumped in the twitter lust polls since ITV’s Victoria launched Rufus Sewell back into the spotlight as the tragic but charming Lord Melbourne, who mentors the young queen before her marriage.

His best work has been done on stage and in BBC costume dramas – Middlemarch and Charles 11: The Power and the Glory and now he’s back with another winner.

Born 29 October 1967 he has five planets spread out through Virgo – Jupiter, Moon, Venus conjunct Pluto conjunct Uranus – so very earthy, rebellious, slightly chaotic. His Sun and Mercury are in intense Scorpio sextile Mars in Capricorn, which in turn squares Saturn in self-reliant Aries. Plus a wide-ish Yod of Jupiter sextile Sun inconjunct Saturn which is difficult to handle well. He’ll always have felt like an outsider.

He’s quite a mix of seductive, restless and adaptable, tough, used to hard conditions. He said once: “My favourite things are just wandering from place to place, going to cafés, taking photographs. My favourite day is a happy accident.”  Both of his marriages were very brief.

He looks in good spirits this month with tr Pluto trine his Jupiter/Uranus as good crits roll in. With more good news through Dec/Jan with tr Uranus opposition his Solar Arc Jupiter.

Both presidential candidates are in their late 60s/70, so their physical stamina will be a genuine concern. Health isn’t easy even with an accurate birth time which gives house positions. Assuming Hillary’s 8.01am birth time is accurate: it did seem to work for her concussion and blood clot in December 2012, which produced tr Uranus square Mars/Node which fits with an accident; and her Solar Return had Neptune in the 6^th trine Sun Saturn which is fragile health for the months ahead.

In her Oct 2015’s Solar Return she did have Saturn in the 6^th which can also mean exceptionally hard work, which it certainly will have been, or it can be health issues. There’s nothing in the Solar Return for the year from October 2016 in the 6th house, though some of her Neptune midpoints and her Mars/Pluto are stressed from Nov into 2017 and beyond. But that could mean the pressure of the rolling crises which the presidency always brings. What I might worry about is tr Pluto trine her Saturn/Neptune this December and again through 2017 which can coincide with illness. Plus tr Uranus moving into her 6^th house of health (very birth time dependent) from May 2017 onwards till mid 2018. In a younger person that wouldn’t be a worry, since it’s more likely to be job-related.

Plus if her birth time is accurate then tr Saturn is moving midway through her 1^st quadrant so ambitious projects will drag more on her energy. She’s really pushing against the grain of what her psyche wants. And again sometimes the psyche just says enough. You won’t listen, then I’ll make you slow down.

Looking at the Huma Abedin email in which she talked about confusion, I’m not sure without other details I’d read too much into that. She was travelling absolutely non-stop and meeting a bewildering number of people, when jet-lagged half the time.

Donald Trump, again age-related has several sticky influences that will bring high-tension this month and next, and can therefore can be a heart indicator. His Solar Return from June 2016 for a year has Pluto in the 6^th square Neptune opposition Jupiter – which does suggest at least challenging pressures on his energy.

Mind you Obama had the same afflicted Pluto in his 6^th on his natal Solar Return from August 2008 over his first win, but he was younger and less likely to keel over from the unrelenting pressure.

Solar Returns aren’t always that great a guide, since they can be very so-so in the information they provide. You’d have been hard pushed to predict Obama’s first win either of his natal or Washington, DC Solar Returns. His 2^nd win was certainly more obvious with Jupiter conjunct the MC located to DC.

Donald Trump does look remarkably chirpy from late Nov right through till late January with tr Uranus trine his Sun/Jupiter which is sudden success and good fortune. Though equally he has his Progressed Moon conjunct his Saturn through the second half of November which looks downbeat.

Urgh, I just want it over.

The tectonic plates are shifting mid Atlantic, pulling the USA further apart from Europe, which wasn’t the way it was supposed to happen. US political leaders aggrieved over the EU’s €13bn tax penalty for Apple are muttering about possible US retribution; and US corporate heads are saying there are wider ramifications from the “devastating blow” to the principle of legal certainty in Europe. Now France has called for a complete suspension of talks on the Transatlantic pact which was intended to unite Europe and North America in a vast free trade zone, accusing the US of blocking any workable compromise.

A commentator said: “The project is infinitely more than a trade deal. It is part of a strategic push to bind together the two halves of North Atlantic civilisation at a dangerous moment when the Western liberal order is under threat. The two sides are currently drifting towards divorce.”

The grass-roots, anti-globalisation activists have said that TTIP is a secret capitalist cabal which would allow the international conglomerates free rein and damage the interests of working people and national governments. [See post June 28 2016]

Intriguingly it has been said that Brexit was ‘the first primordial scream against this emerging world order’ and now the collapse of TTIP may be the second. Interesting times.

France never did sit comfortably with the USA and memories of their anti-Iraq stance and freedom-fries are still fresh. The USA 1776 Aquarius Moon is conjunct the France Pluto opposition Uranus square Mars in Scorpio – so emotionally a complete collision. The relationship chart has a few positives but those will be submerged by the hostility of a composite Mars inconjunct Pluto; and a tension-inducing, divergent-agenda Uranus Saturn conjunction. That latter is being stressed at the moment with tr Pluto opposition the composite Uranus till early December; and tr Uranus square Saturn early in 2017; with aggravation dragging on for years as tr Pluto moves on to oppose the Uranus/Saturn midpoint and then Saturn in 2019/2020.

The EU isn’t much better vis a vis the US with the EU do-or-die-determined Mars in Sagittarius square Pluto clashing with the US Uranus. That relationship chart has an emotional-shock tr Uranus conjunct the financial composite Venus exactly now, and again in 2017; with a dragging, discouraging tr Pluto sextile the composite Pluto Saturn now and in 2017; as well as a seriously disappointing, undermining tr Neptune opposition the composite Mars in 2017/2018.

So even a change of US President and indeed French and perhaps German leadership next year isn’t going to bridge the gulf.

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