Hurricane Ida marked the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina by coming ashore on Sunday as a category 3 or 4 and moving inland it has been downgraded to a category one storm. It is described as the worst storm behind Katrina’s category 5 which killed 1800 and caused $125 billion worth of damage in 2005.
Katrina was always an astrological mystery since it did not show up on the eclipse angles at the time. This time round the previous Lunar Eclipse of 26 May 2021 had the Gemini Sun opposition Moon sitting close to the Ascendant/Descendant axis with the brutal and destructive Mas opposition Pluto in place. There’s nothing much triggering this eclipse chart though the Moon is in early Gemini, but that’s minor enough.
Similarities with Katrina are also minor – in 2005 Mars in mid Taurus was conjunct the New Orleans Sun Neptune in Taurus, whereas at the moment tr Uranus is one degree away from that conjunction. Tr Saturn is opposition its Katrina placing – and tr Pluto and tr Neptune are sitting at 21/22 Mutable signs.
The only chart which flags up much for the location for this event is the rece4ntCancer Ingress which puts Saturn on the Ascendant opposition Mars and square Uranus which looks disruptive and damaging.
Portugal is gradually moving out of confinement with a 70% vaccination rate. But the newly re-elected President Rebelo de Sousa’s 2nd Term chart, 9 March 2021, is limp and lacklustre with a Sun Neptune in Pisces conjunction which doesn’t augur well for a firm and decisive hand on the tiller ahead.
The Bank of Portugal, 15 November 1975, isn’t showing red flags at the moment but will be dragged down by arguments in 2022 and running into a major blockage by 2023.
This coincides with a panicky tr Neptune square the 8th house (financial) Pluto in 2023/24 on the Portugal 5 October 1910 9am chart. The Solar Arc Pluto will also square the highly-strung Neptune opposition Uranus then which suggests devastation and confusion – and could be connected to a natural disaster as well as perhaps economic problems. There will be several years of tough slog and hardship thereafter.
On the Portugal 25 April 1974 5.15pm chart, there are upheavals, divisions and disruption from tr Pluto square the Uranus opposition Mercury this year. Again it will be 2023/24 which are the most discouraging with the two years after that not much better.
On de Sousa’s personal chart, 12 December 1948, a Sun Sagittarius trine Pluto, he looks gloomy, uncertain and tossed about by events this year with a mixed 2022 having its upbeat moments as well as major headaches; and worse in 2023/24.
Antonio Costa, the PM, is not in his easiest phase having a Cancer Sun opposition Saturn which are catching the tr Pluto hard aspects this year and next, so a considerable and depressing slog.
The other two political front runners – Santos looks energised and successful this December; and Rio is not in good shape having his Leo Sun and Uranus battered by the tr Saturn square tr Uranus into early 2022; and an unhappy phase ahead through 2023/24/25.
PS: I need to look back but although some of the above may be local it does rather fit a general pattern of quite a considerable general disturbance as Pluto moves into Aquarius followed by Neptune and Uranus shifting sign.
Justin Trudeau may be regretting his decision to call a snap election on September 20th. It was intended to swap his minority government for a majority one on the back of vaccine-related optimism but he has slid smartly in a downward direction. His image as a golden boy of politics has been tarnished since 2015 by ethics scandals, unkept promises and blackface images.
He was born 25 December 1971 9.27pm Ottawa, and has a Capricorn Sun square Mars opposition Pluto, so a forceful temperament. His Jupiter is in an opportunistic and adventuring square to his Mars in Pisces on the cusp of his 8th; and he has an imaginative, neurotic, not always decisive Neptune opposition Saturn. His Solar Arc Midheaven is squaring his Uranus exactly over the election which does sound like a change of career direction; with two discouraging/bad tempered Saturn transits to Mercury midpoints; and a devastating and confused tr Pluto conjunction with his Solar Arc Neptune.
Erin O’Toole,22 January 1973 Montreal, Conservative Party, is doing well at the moment in the polls and has a sprinkling of Jupiters around with tr Jupiter square his Solar Arc Pluto over the election; and confidently upbeat tr Pluto conjunct his Mercury/Jupiter in December with real success through 2022/23 from tr Pluto conjunct his Sun/Jupiter midpoint. He is a Sun Aquarius sextile Neptune and trine Pluto; with a hard-edged Saturn opposition Mars; and an adventurous, lucky Jupiter square Uranus.
Jagmeet Singh, the other front runner, 2 January 1979 Scarborough, ON, is an uber-determined Sun Mars in Capricorn square Pluto. He has mixed fortunes at the election with a disastrous tr Uranus opposition his Mars/Saturn midpoint at the same time as a successful tr Pluto conjunct his Sun/Jupiter midpoint. He’s looking in better spirits in October, upbeat in December and forging ahead in 2022.
Germany is heading for momentous elections in late September which will see Angela Merkel’s exit as Chancellor. Pundits have been confounded with the recent surge up the polls of Olaf Scholz of the leftwing SPD, though he is more popular than his hard-left party. Armin Laschet of Merkel’s CDU party has had a gaffe-ridden campaign and slid badly; as has Annalena Baerbock of the Greens.
Germany was always in for a profound change with tr Pluto opposing the 10th house Uranus this year, back in exact aspect this December; followed in 2022 by tr Uranus conjunct the 8th house Pluto which will bring an even more profound and deep-rooted gear shift.
I must admit to being surprised by Scholz’s striking success in recent weeks since he has had tr Neptune square his Gemini Sun and square his Saturn, both exactly from late July through this month and that influence runs on into early September – which would normally be undermining. Though he does admittedly have his Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct his Saturn and opposition his Sun which would give him a lift. He was born 14 June 1958 and has a Gemini Sun trine Jupiter and opposition Saturn.
There may well be a lengthy period of coalition wrangling after the election and Scholz’s October looks crisis and disaster-ridden but he’ll be into a more successful streak in December.
Armin Laschet, 18 February 1961, a Sun Aquarius opposition Uranus with Jupiter Saturn in Capricorn, does have tr Jupiter in a lucky-break opposition his Uranus over the election exactly and conjunct his Sun by late December both of which are minor but upbeat; with tr Pluto conjunct his Jupiter Saturn through December as well. So maybe just maybe he’ll pull up from his present position.
Annalena Baerbock, 15 December 1980, is an idealistic Sun Neptune in Sagittarius sextile Pluto, with a determined Mars square Pluto as well as Jupiter Saturn in Libra – a mix of soft and hard.
She’s had a lacklustre tr Neptune square her Sun Neptune earlier this year in June and July and it returns in 2022. But tr Jupiter is exactly trine her Pluto at the election and conjunct her Solar Arc Mars in late December – which again are minor influences but she may get some compensation out of the post-election wheeling and dealing.
None have Merkel’s magic touch with Germany with her Jupiter conjunct the Germany Midheaven; and their relationship chart having a successful Jupiter Pluto and enthusiastic Venus Mars.
Scholz’s chart is a bad fit with Germany with a truly difficult relationship chart linking Mars Pluto Saturn and the Sun – so if on an outside chance he got in he would not be popular. Ditto Baerbock. Aschet is a so-so mix with some merits, some anxiety and maybe a resigned sense of being stuck with him.
In Afghanistan the largest British evacuation since the Second World War brought out 15,000 people, including 5,000 Britons and their families, plus more than 8,000 Afghan former UK staff and their families. But Dominic Raab, UK Foreign Secretary, has been getting it in the neck for the negligence of the Foreign Office in not preparing escape routes in advance through neighbouring countries with claims that up to 9,000 people eligible for rescue would be left behind. His disinclination to return from holiday earlier also cost vital days.
Born 25 February 1974 in Bucks, he has a legal background, was a Brexit-ing Minister and supporter of Boris Johnson for leader, so shoe-horned in as an ally. He has a Sun Pisces square Neptune inconjunct Pluto – supersonic ambitions but none too practical. His Mars in bulldozer Taurus is in an opportunistic square to Jupiter, an enthusiastic trine to Venus in ambitious Capricorn, semi-sextile Saturn in Gemini and inconjunct Uranus – which is quite a scattergun combination. In Brussels he was dubbed ‘turnip’ for his negotiating strategy – a play on the Dutch word for a boring vegetable.
His life is due a total upheaval in 2022/23 with a career-loss-making tr Pluto square his Jupiter/Saturn midpoint and square his Uranus as well. Even before then he’s sagging through this year.
None of which is of earth-shattering importance except he joins the long list of questionable Boris cronies, who stay in high position despite egregious failings.
What intrigued me was the Foreign Office itself since over the years it has been singularly inept in a variety of situations.
The modern version was put in place on 17 October 1968, which gives it a troublesome Yod of an arrogant/pushy Jupiter Pluto in Virgo sextile a charming, slippery, well-meaning but ineffectual Venus Neptune inconjunct a hard-hearted Saturn in Aries. The Saturn opposes a Libra Sun and Mercury, all of which can be self-defeating unless it finds a backbone. At the moment the Solar Arc Saturn is square the Mars which makes sense of this ‘setback’ and the fall out is likely to continue for some months ahead.
The original Foreign Office, 27 March 1782 has an Aries Sun opposition Neptune and sextile Pluto; with Sun and Neptune square Saturn opposition Uranus Jupiter. So reasonable similarity to the modern chart.
Sirhan Sirhan, the Palestinian militant who shot Robert F. Kennedy in 1968 and was sentenced to death, later commuted to life in prison, may be cleared for parole after 53 years inside. Two of the Kennedy children appealed on his behalf but it still has to be signed off by the California Governor Gavin Newsom. He said he did it at the time because of Kennedy’s support for Israel.
He was born 19 March 1944 2am in Jerusalem and has a 3rd house Sun Mercury in Pisces – oddly enough Pisces is a sign that often crops up with ISIS zealots – Neptune’s cold-blooded idealism. His Sun is also in a hard-edged, can-be-cruel square to Mars Saturn in Gemini.
Robert Kennedy’s Mars in Scorpio was conjunct SS’s Midheaven and Kennedy’s Pluto conjunct SS’s Descendant so it would be a hostile and combative interface.
When the shooting took place at midnight on 5th June 1968 in Los Angeles, Sirhan’s Mars Saturn (in traditional astrology associated with assassination) had moved to conjunct his Descendant and Kennedy’s Pluto; and tr Saturn in Aries was conjunct Sirhan’s Solar Arc Sun; with his Solar Arc Uranus square his Mercury (Sun). There was a potent transiting Yod at that point of tr Neptune sextile Uranus Pluto inconjunct Saturn, so it was a key trigger for Sirhan with his Solar Arc Sun feeling the full force of it.
His relationship chart with Robert Kennedy had a stressed composite New Moon opposition Pluto square Uranus – a disruptive and rebellious chemistry; with the signature ‘assassination’ composite Mars Saturn conjunct as well.
The USA at that point having been rattled by JFK’s death five years before was even more unnerved with tr Pluto moving to square the USA Mars and then conjunct the USA Neptune. In 1963 when JFK was killed, tr Uranus Pluto in Virgo was square the USA Uranus and sitting on the Mars/Uranus midpoint. The 1960s was a longish phase of panicky upsets courtesy of Uranus Pluto in Virgo.
Another significant point – Sirhan’s Pluto North Node in Leo is conjunct the USA ‘leadership’ North Node – which was the point badly hit by 9/11, so is an extremely sensitive marker where the USA’s pride and reputation are concerned.
Sirhan looks on a downward slide ahead no matter what happens with tr Neptune square his Saturn this year and then his Mars/Saturn midpoint and on to conjunct his Sun before mid decade.
Charlie Watts, long time drummer with the Rolling Stones, has died. The quietest, least riotous of the group, he was married to the same wife for nearly six decades, disliked fame and the whole rock n’ roll notoriety and, apart from one lapse in the 1980s, steered clear of drugs.
Born 2 June 1941, he was a Sun Gemini square Mars in Pisces with Jupiter and Venus also in Gemini. He had Saturn Uranus in Taurus trine Neptune and maybe a Virgo Moon. Gemini is a common sign amongst pop singers/stars though he really preferred jazz. Uranus trine Neptune of the generation produced many fine musicians and singing talents.
His wife Shirley, 11 September 1938 (net sources) has a hard-working Mars in Virgo as well as Sun Neptune in Virgo with a self-reliant Saturn in Aries. In recent years the Watts had bred Arab horses at their Devon farm which fits her Virgo planets. Her Jupiter in Aquarius was square his Saturn Uranus so she would be a motivator and encourager when he got down.
Their relationship chart has a close and possessive composite Sun Pluto Mercury in a chained-together square to Saturn. With a enthusiastic Jupiter sextile Mars (Moon); a needs-space Venus square Uranus; and an intense Mercury Pluto Sun sextile Mars. Evidently if he was home for too long away from touring she became irritated so it was a bond suited to separations.
His relationship with Mick Jagger had its pluses and minuses with Mick’s powerhouse Sun Jupiter Pluto in Leo conjunct Charlie’s Pluto and Mick’s wayward Uranus conjunct Charlie’s Sun. But the relationship chart had a high-energy and successful composite Sun Jupiter square Mars. With undertones of aggravation and tensions from Mars trine Pluto.
Aaliyah, the young super-successful singer who met a tragically early death at 22 in a plane crash, is in the news with a 25 year old album – One In A Million – now on release on streaming services for the first time. And for less edifying reasons being named in R Kelly’s sex trafficking trial as having married him on forged documents when she was 15 and he was 27. Her parents whisked her out of the liaison a year later.
Born 16 January 1979 in Brooklyn at 8.43 am (unverified), she did have a heavy chart with a Sun Mars in Capricorn in the 12th square an 8th house Pluto. Her Saturn in Virgo was in a creative square to Neptune.
Kelly is also an ambitious Sun Capricorn square Mars and both share(d) Jupiter in Leo in aspect to Venus for PR charms.
Their relationship chart had a passionate composite Venus square Pluto and a needs-space, differing-agendas Sun square Uranus – hot while it lasted but never designed for the long haul.
If her birth time is sound, then his controlling Pluto Uranus fell in her 7th house of close relationships so he’d be a disturbing influence. Worse his Mars was conjunct her Pluto for a damaging and risky connection. His Pluto was also conjunct her North Node as he directed her career and took her over.
When she was killed in the Bahamas on an over crowded small plane with a dodgy pilot, the tr Saturn opposition tr Pluto was in a direct collision with her Solar Arc Uranus.
R Kelly, in court at the moment denying everything, looks bullish ahead with tr Pluto picking up two of his Jupiter midpoints. But tr Neptune is dissolving the ground he stands on this year and more so in 2022/23.
What a fated life. Her victim 12th harmonic was strongly marked; as were her self-defeating and self-destructive 10th Harmonic and 16H.
“What you see is what you get” applies to some, but Shakespeare wasn’t wrong in his estimation that “ all that glisters is not gold — gilded tombs do worms enfold.” The gulf between the public image and the private reality is always most marked with political or celebrity figures, who sell a seductive slice of their personality for mass consumption and bury the rest and in a few cases create an entirely false persona.
Before elections when feelings are running high it is all too easy to become misled and ignore part of the birth chart that does not fit the brand that is being marketed.
I was always concerned about Barack Obama’s Neptune – in Scorpio square Mercury and Sun and Jupiter. Compassionate, idealistic, a dream-maker certainly – but practical? decisive? having the necessary ruthlessness to push through essential but painful policies – hmm.
David Cameron – all smarm and bonhomie with a charming Libra Sun Venus and Moon Jupiter in Leo. But what did he do with that wayward 12th house Uranus Pluto? It was always going to emerge to catch him out.
Tony Blair dazzled the UK with his boyish enthusiasm in 1997 – Mars Jupiter on a Gemini Ascendant – and for a few months the country was energized. Then the unbudgeable, control freak started to emerge – Taurus Sun square Pluto opposition Moon.
Joe Biden won the election on promises of compassion and empathy – and he does have a generous-spirited Jupiter in Cancer trine a Sun Venus conjunction. But he’s also got Mars in Scorpio square Pluto which is anything but touchy feely – can be ruthless, brutal, hard-hearted and loathes taking advice which will feel like being manipulated to him. He has an extraordinarily Fixed, obstinate to the nth degree temperament.
The Telegraph in talking to people close to the administration points to a picture of a stubborn-headed and defensive president and a staff too afraid to question him. One said, “the downside of discipline is if you’re running things like an autocracy, and you broker no dissent internally.”
His Inauguration chart does have dictatorial Pluto on the midheaven – which again was mystifying and did not sound like a Democratic president. But the astrology will out one way or the other. This administration chart also has Uranus square Saturn, which he has conjunct in his natal chart – and that combination can be autocratic, not practising what it preaches.
According to reports Biden is good at shutting out ‘media noise’ which can be useful since news outlets can get worked up to hysterical levels and then it all blows over. But it can also mean his antennae are blunted for issues which will damage his reputation.
It’s worth keeping a lookout over the next month since the Progressed Moon on the Term chart with conjunct the 12th house Mars Uranus which does look exceptionally rattled. And Biden’s Pluto square Mars is catching the tr Saturn hard aspects over the next few months and tr Uranus will oppose the Mars for the final time in this November and again in early 2022.
PS. This post is about the astrology not the politics so I’d be grateful if you would leave out party political comments.
Add On: Boris Johnson has an appealing Libra Ascendant for his birth chart set to New York (where he was born) and a rousing Sagittarius Ascendant set for London. He’s also got a charm-offensive Sun Venus in Gemini and spell/fantasy weaving Jupiter Neptune – all of which obscures the streak of nastiness, hostility and power-driven which dominates his chart – from Mars in Gemini square Pluto Uranus and Saturn.
His relationship with Biden is inherently hostile and tense as well as suspicious with a composite Mars Pluto trine Saturn and Saturn opposition Neptune. And that can’t be fixed.
Biden and the USA:
Joe Biden has his Jupiter conjunct the USA Mercury opposition Pluto so he will present as an encourager and motivator for the country. His Midheaven is conjunct the USA Neptune which will foster a more compassionate tone though it also squares the USA Mars so will provoke arguments as well. Though he isn’t as heat-provoking as Trump whose Sun was conjunct the USA Mars with his Moon in opposition and his Saturn was conjunct the USA Mercury for a downbeat connection.
What may be most important is Biden’s Pluto conjunct the USA ‘leadership’ Leo North Node which should help to shape the USA’s path ahead and bring about a transformation. Trump’s Pluto is also conjunct the US Node though not as closely and he clearly had a Plutonic effect on the USA – Pluto being destructive and power hungry as well as an influencer.
Biden’s relationship chart with the USA has a friendly composite Sun Venus Mercury sextile Jupiter; but also an explosive composite Mars square Uranus and sextile Pluto – part of this latter will help in pushing through significant policies of change but will also lead to disruptive discussions and differences.
Add On: Kamala Harris is not a great fit with the USA. Her Libra Sun opposition Aries Moon sit in square to the US Pluto opposition Mercury. And the relationship chart has a disruptive, explosive Mars Uranus square Neptune and trine Pluto which is being seriously rattled over this year and next by tr Pluto in opposition to the Mars and Uranus and tr Neptune square the Saturn this year. She won’t inspire confidence.
Her astrocartography shows her Sun shines brightest in Bejing being on the Midheaven there. Afghanistan is a no no with Saturn on her IC. Iran/Iraq are combat zones with her Mars on the Midheaven. Pakistan and India are troubled areas for her.
For previous post with more detail on Harris see July 3 2021
