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Direction and Destiny in the Birth Chart sounds profound and portentous. Yet Howard Sasportas’s wide-ranging spiritual and psychological insights presented in a down-to-earth and sympathetic way make light of the patterns laid down at birth which provide a template for the life ahead.

  His death in 1992 aged 45 was a tragedy for his friends and for the astrological community who lost an original thinker and a bright light. His books The Twelve Houses and The Gods of Change remain along with his seminars from the Centre for Psychological Astrology which he co-founded with Liz Greene.

   This book draws together three seminar strands of lectures and discussions on Vocation, the Moon’s Nodes and Helpers.

  On Vocation – a summons from the deeper self, he impresses that we are not born expressing our sun sign, which is the heart of the chart, but need to reach out for it. “Your sun sign is given to you but also demanded of you.  We are here to become what we are meant to be.”  The First Saturn Return and the Mid-life crisis are points of adjustment along the way of becoming ourselves.  On vocation there are perceptive comments on the 10th, 6^th, 5^th houses as well as Sun conjunctions with outer planets. With a recurring theme of the usefulness of Saturn – ‘you can’t get growth with it.’

  The Moon’s Node – the path of destiny.  He remarks they are often the key to the chart, which would be my experience also.  “Usually the whole chart confirms or reiterates their theme.” He has a helpful link between the South Node and lunar energy – the pull from the past, acting instinctively, what comes naturally. As opposed to the North Node’s challenge to act rather than react, to be aware and make an effort.  And he reiterates Tracy Mark’s point that both have to be taken together and it is helpful to rework the South Node energy rather than try to delete it.

Helpers:  Moon aspects are highlighted stemming from mother/nurturing issues.

  On Chiron – an archetype that comes in pairs.  The victim is also the healer, including the one who comes looking for guidance. ‘If someone comes for help, the answers are there in the person. Something in them knows what they have to do.’ The astrologer can ‘enliven that part which already knows what to do, rather than telling what you think they should do.’

Which would also be my take – if an individual has an existential crisis the answer usually lies in the Node.

  Howard was born 12 April 1948 1.46 am Hartford, Connecticut, took a Humanistic Psychology degree, moved to the UK, won a Gold Medal on the Faculty of Astrology diploma, graduated in Psychosynthesis, studied Transpersonal Psychology, set up the CPA with Liz Greene, edited a Penguin series of Astrology Books, had a consultation practice and travelled extensively for international lectures.

  In his later years he suffered from ankylosing spondylitis, an inflammatory arthritis that caused some of the bones in his spine to fuse which crippled him and he contracted AIDs from which he ultimately died.

  He had a chart with an extraordinary mix of inspired, adventurous, risk-taking, fun-loving energy sitting alongside punishingly difficult aspects. He had an uplifting Fire Grand Trine of a quick-witted 3^rd house Aries Sun trine a friendly 11^th house Jupiter trine Mars in Leo with his Jupiter opposition Uranus – making his astrological Uranus the driving planet in the performing, entertaining 5th house. His Uranus was sextile his Sun and both were inconjunct a Yod focal point Chiron and Midheaven, giving him not just the ability to be a healer and helper but also the necessity. He said: ‘I was led by an instinct, a feeling of being pushed along by the Yod formation of the Sun and Uranus to the MC – and it affected my choice of work. It drove me. I didn’t have to make a lot of conscious choices.’

 His 4^th house Taurus Moon conjunct a nurturing Ceres opposed his Midheaven and Chiron and squared onto a truly difficult combination of Mars, Saturn, Pluto in Leo in his 7^th. His personal relationships would always present more problems than his professional life. His Fixed sign Moon square Mars, Saturn, Pluto also ruled his 6^th house of health, giving a hint of the rigidity of his spinal condition which afflicted his later years.

  My memory of meeting him was of a good-natured, charming, kindly temperament with little indication of the challenges he faced.

  When he died on 12 May 1992 5.11pm London, the astrological influences were unusually very precise.  Pluto was exactly conjunct his Midheaven, Jupiter was just into his 8^th, the Sun was only a degree into his 4^th and the North Node exactly on the cusp of his 12^th.  It would feel like a relief.

A lovely man, much missed.

www.wessexastrologer.com

Add On: Richard Idemon, another departed-too-soon astrologer, whose books The Magic Thread and Through the Looking Glass: A Search for the Self in the Mirror of Relationships were republished last year, was a contemporary of Howard Sasportas. He saw the birth chart as a labyrinth made up of a single magic thread leading through a maze to the heart of the chart. His relationship book uses astrology, mythology and Jungian psychology as ways to break free of old restrictive attitudes.

  He was born 8 February 1938 9.37 pm Akron, Ohio and lectured on psychotherapy and psychology to astrologers, he gave talks and seminars extensively and internationally and was also a part-time actor. He contracted AIDs in 1985 and died by suicide two years later.

  He had an exuberant and showy 5^th house Sun, Venus, Jupiter in Aquarius so would delight in having an appreciative audience. He had a knowledgeable, much travelled and restless 9^th house Gemini Moon; and an influential 10^th house Pluto. His Uranus deeply buried in his 8^th house was heavily aspected, being square his Mercury, Jupiter and widely Sun; as well as being on one leg of a yod sextile his Midheaven inconjunct the North Node.

  Like Howard he had complicated relationship planets with a hard-edged, can-be-victimised, can-be-destructive Mars Saturn in Aries on his Descendant trine Pluto and sextile his Moon. He had another wide yod from Pluto sextile Neptune inconjunct Venus Sun.

  I attended a memorable six day seminar in Italy that he gave with Liz Greene, when he had just been diagnosed with AIDs. The lectures were riveting but the undercurrents, not surprisingly, were very unsettling. When he died two years later tr Jupiter was trine his Pluto as he took control of his destiny. Tr Saturn was square his 12^th house Neptune; tr Neptune was just into his 4^th and tr Mars was on the cusp of his 8^th.

The Iranian state is ‘now biggest threat to UK’ was the startling headline to greet Sunday breakfast tables. The Home Secretary’s office has voiced concern that Iranian spies are attempting to recruit members of organised crime gangs to target regime opponents. “It’s a big issue because they are getting much more aggressive and their appetite is increasing. They are very defensive to anyone challenging their regime and just want to stamp it out. They are increasing their agitation.”

  MI5 warned last year that Tehran had been behind ten murder and kidnap plots, and in February this year, the Metropolitan Police said it had risen to 15. Iran International, a dissident TV channel, was forced to stop broadcasting from its British headquarters after Scotland Yard warned it could not protect staff.

 There is pressure for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to be proscribed as a terrorist organisation to make prosecutions for incitement to violence and assassinations easier on UK soil, though the Foreign Office is uneasy about a diplomatic fallout making it harder to revive the international talks on the deal curbing Iran’s nuclear programme.

 The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC) is separate from the army and mandated to ensure the integrity of the Islamic Republic which includes preventing foreign interference and crushing “deviant movements” that harm the ideological legacy of the Islamic Revolution. Currently, the IRGC is designated as a terrorist organization by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and the USA.

  Founded on 5 May 1979 its astrology does clash with the UK chart. A Taurus Sun opposition a no-compromise, rebellious Uranus collides with the UK’s Fixed planets; and the IRGC’s ruthless Mars Mercury in Aries opposition Pluto bears down on the UK’s North Node. The relationship chart suggests that while anxiety and suspicion are rife this year with tr Saturn in hard aspect to the composite Saturn square Neptune, it is 2024/25 when the tension will rise sharply as tr Pluto squares the composite Mars and opposes the composite Jupiter in a fight for the upper hand.

  Both the Iran 7 October 1906 and 1 February 1979 charts are an uncomfortable match with the UK. The relationship chart of Iran06/UK has another power-struggling composite Jupiter square Pluto and uncooperative Sun Uranus.  The Iran79/UK has a hostile-dislike Mars square Pluto, a distrustful Saturn Neptune; and an uncompromising Sun Uranus. Both relationship charts are being pressured through 2023/24.

 The IRGC will be revving up for a determined push in 2024/25 with tr Pluto in a confident opposition to its Jupiter but will be running into a major setback by 2025 with Solar Arc Saturn opposition its Mars.

  Iran has in recent years seemed a distant menace and the UK is hardly important on the world stage so why this should be brewing does seem more than odd.  

Meghan Markle’s Solar Return from her birthday on Friday is mixed with a lucky 9^th house Jupiter Uranus conjunction and a high-vitality Jupiter trine Mars in the 1^st. So no shortage of get-up-and-go. A hidden 12^th house Sun Venus could suggest creative activities behind the scenes though it is contradicted by an attention-grabbing 5^th house Pluto.

  The two main issues would appear to be 1) money with the North Node and Chiron in in the 8^th suggesting it will take effort to cope with joint business responsibilities. And b) close relationships with a separated/critical Saturn on the Descendant and an uncommitted/disappointed Moon Neptune further into the 7^th.

  It’ll be interesting to see how her SR 12^th house Sun conjunct Black Moon plays out since it can indicate a sense of being an outcast and provoking a counter-culture urge to stand out against the conscensus.

  Detail on her chart transits etc in previous post June 26 2023.

  Harry’s Solar Return from 15 September this year is less conflicted in some ways with an Earth Grand Trine of Uranus trine Pluto trine his Virgo Sun which suggests change certainly but also an ability to pull projects together. The only downside being it is formed into a Kite by Sun opposition Neptune – idealistic at best, muddled and evasive at worst.

  A California-located Solar Return, like Meghan hints that money and relationships will be the two key areas. The North Node and Chiron in his 2^nd hints that effort will be required to get a grip and overcome past conditioning about being reliant on others.  And Sun, Moon, Mars in his 7^th hints at vulnerability and dependence on a partner with arguments along the way.

  Taking a birth place Solar Return (not that he is likely to relocate) puts a lucky Jupiter in his 10^th alongside Uranus – hinting at positive changes of direction with the potentially idealistic Neptune in the 9^th of travel, perhaps pointing to his Africa project bringing satisfaction.  Money is again an issue.

His transits, Solar Arcs etc continue to be difficult until 2027 – See previous post Prince Harry 9 May 2023.

The Hollywood dream rarely translates into domestic or family bliss. As evidenced by the tawdry drama which has left Tori Spelling living with her five children in a camper van as her multi-millionairess mother Candy instagrams about her blooming roses from her palatial pad.

 The back story starts with Aaron Spelling, renowned as the most prolific TV producer in US history with Hart to Hart, Dynasty, Melrose Place, Beverley Hills 90210 to his credit. He died in 2006 leaving his widow Candy, a theatre producer and philanthropist, seriously wealthy. She has for years evidently had a fractured relationship with her daughter Tori, 16 May 1973 1.13 am, LA, (recently split from husband Dean McDermott) and according to reports had offered to sort her out a house which she refused.

 Tori Spelling, who started as a child star aged six under her father’s guidance, had her first major role at 17 in Beverley Hills 90210. She and her brother evidently ended up with under $1 million each from their father’s $500 million estate and her second marriage to Dean McDermott, 16 November 1966, has followed a rocky road, through infidelities, five children and her mental problems.

  She has a stubborn Sun, Mercury in Taurus opposition an intensely emotional and secretive Scorpio Moon with her Moon square Jupiter in Aquarius.  She has a dreamy and unrealistic Venus in Gemini opposition Neptune in her 10^th square a whirlwind, excitable 1^st house Mars in Pisces. Her 8^th house Pluto and Uranus will give her a sense of being driven by forces she does not always understand.

 Dean McDermott was hardly a brilliant fit with his powerhouse and powder keg collection of Pluto, Mars, Uranus in Virgo falling in her 8^th house and his evasive Neptune being conjunct her Moon.

 But it is her relationship with her mother which is truly tricky. Candy Spelling, 20 September 1945 4.40 am LA, is a Sun Virgo widely square a 10^th house Uranus, marking her out for an unconventional career. She has Mars in excitable Cancer trine a 7^th house Pisces Moon and square an overly optimistic, though lucky, Jupiter Neptune in Libra in her financial 2^nd house.

   She and Tori are at cross purposes with Tori’s supercharged and high-wire Mars in Pisces conjunct Candy’s sensitive Moon; and more significantly Candy’s Pluto opposition Tori’s Jupiter setting up a power battle for the upper hand.  That translates in their relationship chart into another composite Pluto Jupiter hard aspect; a chilly Moon opposition Saturn; and a ego-clashing Mars opposition Neptune.

 Aaron Spelling, 22 April 1923 12.30pm Dallas, Texas, had a Taurus Sun on his Midheaven, with a creative Water Grand Trine of an 8^th house Uranus trine Pluto Moon in Cancer trine Jupiter in Scorpio – well-designed for a successful entertainment career.

  Tori’s relationship with him was if anything trickier than with her mother. Their relationship chart had a chilly and controlling composite Sun square Saturn Pluto; with a tough, unfeeling composite Mars trine Saturn Pluto.

  What a tangled web – family dynamics at their most damaging. Tori and her father shared a Taurus Sun, and Uranus in the 8th and also Chiron in Aries. What is also intriguing is that Tori’s South Node in Cancer is conjunct her mother’s Mars North Node and her father’s Pluto. So she would and will be constantly pulled back into her dependent Cancer South Node because of the parental dynamics.

  The recent May Scorpio Lunar Eclipse was exactly conjunct Tori’s Moon to set up her present domestic crisis. And with tr Saturn moving down through her 1^st Quadrant and heading for her 2^nd house she doesn’t look to be coping well financially or otherwise ahead. She’ll settle more happily when Jupiter moves into Gemini from the middle of 2024 onwards.

Yowls of disagreement from the Biden camp have met Fitch’s unexpected downgrading of America’s hallowed triple A credit rating. Economic numbers are always subject to vicious argument but the key to the mark down may be political rather than economic. Fitch did note there was an “expected fiscal deterioration over the next three years” and “a high and growing general government debt burden”. But also noted an “erosion of governance” over the past two decades “that has manifested in repeated debt limit stand-offs and last-minute resolutions”.

 The FT remarks: “the political ecosystem is so polarised that it is hard to imagine Congress taking the sensible steps needed to tackle America’s fiscal problems.” The ideal scenario would be Trump knocked out and Biden steps aside which could enable “centrist political forces to prevail – where sensible bipartisan fiscal policies might emerge in Congress to tackle the debt.” But if Trump remains standing and, worse, wins he could, as before, threaten the independence of the Federal Reserve, deliver unfunded tax cuts and fail to trim spending.

The US Federal Reserve chart, 16 November 1914 9am, Washington DC, is in trouble this year, next year and worse in 2025. Tr Uranus opposes the Scorpio Sun for major jolts, jangles and sudden events from the middle of this month till mid September and then on and off into early 2025. Tr Pluto has been opposing the zero degree Neptune from earlier this year as it moved into Aquarius and will be back from January 2024 on and off to the end of the year – bringing confusion and a sense of devastation. Into 2025 tr Neptune and Saturn will square the Fed Res Saturn Pluto which will raise levels of uncertainty and anxiety to new levels. And the following year SA Neptune will conjunct the Sun for an unhelpful year where financial security is concerned.

  Jerome Powell, 4 February 1953, Chairman of the Fed Reserve, looks road-blocked and discouraged with tr Pluto square his Saturn until late October, as well as panicked about failures this year, extending on till early 2025 with tr Neptune conjunct his Mars and then undermining by conjunction his financial Venus in 2025.

  Biden’s Term chart is about to hit its bumpiest patch within weeks and extending over the next six to eight months with one setback after another. There’s nothing to indicate this will be financial specifically but it could include that. The Term chart does have the North Node in the 2^nd suggesting that not relying on debt will be an imperative, though it is a celestial hint that may be ignored.

  There is also that notable Solar Arc Saturn conjunct the USA Mars by mid 2024 and then square the Neptune by 2025 on the USA country chart – which will be a time of mishaps, confusion and high anxiety.

  The last time there was a similar SA Saturn hitting the USA Mars Neptune was in 1935/36 when Roosevelt’s New Deal created millions of new jobs and his Social Security Act provided Unemployment compensation and pensions for the elderly – in the face of much Republican and business criticism. He was expected to lose the 1936 election but held on to get a second term.  And for historians to ponder the previous one was 1845/46.

Justin Trudeau, the Canadian PM, is separating from his wife of 18 years Sophie. They have been seen together publicly less frequently in recent years, though they attended the coronation of King Charles III together in May.

 He has spoken about the challenges in their marriage, writing in his 2014 autobiography: “Our marriage isn’t perfect, and we have had difficult ups and downs.” They began dating in 2003, when she was working as a TV personality and since then has become known for her charity work around mental health and eating disorders.  His father Pierre Trudeau, a former PM, also announced his separation when in office, as he split after six years from Justin’s mother Margaret.    

  Justin Trudeau, 25 December 1971 9.27pm Ottawa, Canada, has all the classic Astro-signatures for a marital separation. Neptune has been moving through his 7^th house of one-to-one relationships for several years bringing disappointment and lack of commitment. And it has been joined almost simultaneously this year by transiting Saturn which usually widens cracks and his Progressed Moon, which shows up emotional lacks – so the time had come. His Sun/Moon midpoint, the marriage significator, was also wilting last year with tr Saturn conjunct and will be upended in 2024 with tr Uranus square.

  His wife, Sophie, 24 April 1975, is a steady Sun Taurus though it is in an independent-minded opposition to Uranus. Her Jupiter in pro-active Aries is in a super-confident opposition to Pluto square a downbeat Saturn. Her Venus in sociable Gemini is in an idealistic (unrealistic) opposition to Neptune and square an excitable Mars in Pisces.

  His earthy Capricorn Sun chimes with her Taurus Sun and his Venus in friendly Aquarius is a good fit with her Venus in Gemini. But that apart it does not look too entwined a connection.  He’s an odd mix of do-or-die- determined and overly controlled with a Mars opposition Pluto; and vague/creative/neurotic with Neptune opposition Saturn.  Her Libra Moon is around his Uranus and opposes his Aries Moon with her Saturn square his Moon – much unpredictability and rigidity in their home life.

  Their relationship chart does have a hint of passion from a composite Venus opposition Pluto; but there is a disappointing/unrealistic composite Sun square Neptune; and worse a Mars square Saturn. This last suggests a relationship in which one had to suppress their identity to keep it afloat – which always leads to resentment.  Tr Saturn is conjunct the composite Sun and square Neptune this year; with tr Neptune having been undermining Mars and Saturn last year.

  Her chart has tr Pluto square the Uranus this year and square her Sun in 2025/26 so she’s on a journey of considerable change.

  Their relationship is nothing like as tempestuous as was that of Pierre and Margaret Trudeau, which regularly hit the headlines. It had a competitive, argumentative composite Sun Mars conjunction and a disruptive Uranus opposition Moon Mercury square Pluto.

  Pierre, 18 October 1919 7.03am Outrement, Canada, was a supreme charmer with a Libra Sun on his Ascendant and a radiantly hopeful Jupiter Neptune in Leo in his 10^th and an inconstant Uranus in his romantic 5^th. Margaret Trudeau, 10 September 1948 1pm Vancouver, was later diagnosed as bi-polar and had a 10^th house Virgo Sun with a volatile 8^th house Uranus trine a 12^th house Mars in Scorpio.  

ADD ON:

Justin Trudeau is heading into an unpredictable 2024 with tr Uranus conjunct his Midheaven from August 2024 onwards into 2025 which suggests a change of career direction, forced or voluntary (assuming birth time is accurate). Worse, he has a panicky-failure tr Neptune conjunct his Mars from May 2024 into 2025; and then joined by tr Saturn both oppose his Pluto in 2025. So his ruthless determination will crumble into a puddle.

 His Term chart, 26 October 2021 is also in trouble this year with tr Pluto in a paralysed, scary square to the Mars and square the Sun/Mars midpoint for more of the same into and throughout 2024. He will get some luck from tr Uranus square the Jupiter – but it won’t outweigh the negatives.   

Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world, has had yet another military coup to add to its turbulent and constantly changing political history since taking independence from the French on 3 August 1960. The largest landlocked country in Africa, it exports uranium, but faces challenges to development due to its position, desert terrain, low literacy rate, jihadist insurgencies and the world’s highest fertility rates. Prigozhin’s Wagner Group has been active within its borders and welcomed the coup, though the Kremlin expressed concern.

  Niger is the second largest supplier of natural uranium to the EU, which is needed to fuel its nuclear power reactors. An EU spokesman said the bloc had enough uranium inventories for three years in the event of Niger cutting off supplies. In that time they could diversify to production sites in Canada, Australia and Namibia and elsewhere.

 The Niger independence chart does suggest a fairly cataclysmic year with a raft of challenging influences. Tr Pluto is trine the Mars with tr Saturn opposition the Pluto and square Mars. There is a confused/devastating Solar Arc Pluto conjunct Neptune this year as well. And a rebellious tr Uranus square Uranus and Venus.  Tr Pluto is also just starting to move across the 10^th house hinting that a dictatorial government is more than likely for the decade plus ahead.

  Despite being a former French colony there were until recently ties to their colonial overlords, having a currency that was pegged to the euro and they banked half of their foreign exchange reserves with the French Treasury. In 2020 French National Assembly agreed to end French engagement, including the foreign reserve deposit requirements.

  The relationship chart between Niger and France looks set to be on an exceptionally bumpy road ahead with a separating tr Saturn conjunct the composite Saturn and opposition Sun this year. Plus a run of explosive, disruptive Uranus transits to the composite Uranus, Mercury this year and Mars square Jupiter Pluto in 2025.

 Prigozhin’s relationship chart with Niger looks well-stitched together.

Comic actor Paul Reubens who created the much-loved children’s character Pee-Wee Herman to great success in the 1980s found his career halted after an indecent exposure arrest in the early 1990s. That was followed a few years later with a child pornography charge. He claimed he was an erotica collector – and had a stash films and magazines, as well as a sizable collection of mostly homosexual vintage erotica. Afterwards  he could not be in the company of minors without the permission of their parent or legal guardians. He did return in 2010 for a Broadway revival and was resurrected in the 2016 Netflix movie Pee-wee’s Big Holiday.

  He was born 27 August 1952 in New York with his father having flown for Britain’s Royal Air Force, the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II, and later became a founding pilot of the Israeli Air Force during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.

  Paul Reubens had a Virgo Sun but his chart was dominated by Pluto conjunct South Node in Leo square Jupiter in Taurus opposition a Scorpio Moon and Mars. He was a powerhouse of confidence and determination, driven by anger and the need to stay in control, emotionally intense.  He also had the Neptune Saturn conjunction in Libra square Uranus of the time – creative, highly-strung, determined.

  By bizarre coincidence his chart bears some similarities to pop star Lizzo, who is presently being sued by three of her former dancers over claims including sexual, religious and racial harassment, discrimination, assault, false imprisonment. Born 27 April 1988 2.30pm Detroit, Michigan, she has a Taurus Sun conjunct Jupiter opposition Pluto square Mars in Aquarius – determined, overly confident, pushy, angry.  She also has a Saturn Neptune conjunction tied into Uranus.

  Mind you she was born eight days before Adele who has the same Sun Jupiter opposition Pluto square Mars T square – so it can be lived out in different ways.

The creative temperament and quirks tend to go hand in hand.

America’s painfully slow attempts to hold Donald Trump responsible for his various transgressions is heading for a climax with his criminal indictment for attempting to overthrow the democratic result of the last election. No president has faced criminal charges before Trump. The closest parallel is Richard Nixon, who resigned rather than face impeachment and was pardoned by his successor Gerald Ford, who believed a presidential trial could rip America apart.

  Key to the indictment are the notes which VP Mike Pence took when he told Trump he had no power to overturn election and was told “you’re too honest.”

  Given that it also feels like the last final battle for the soul and integrity of the United States, it is fitting that the Judge Tanya Chutkan, 5 July 1962, has her Cancer Sun at the same degree as the USA and her North Node is in Leo also a match.

In November 2021, Chutkan forcefully rejected Trump’s attempts to block the House select committee investigating January 6 from accessing more than 700 pages of records from his White House. She has previously said of Trump: “Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not President.” She has presided over dozens of criminal cases against alleged January 6 rioters and has repeatedly gone over what prosecutors have requested for prison sentences.

  Her stalwart Mars in Taurus falls on Trump’s Midheaven and her Uranus falls on his Ascendant conjunct his Mars – an explosive combination that has the capability of upending his image and career. Her forensic Saturn in Aquarius also blocks and opposes his 12^th house Pluto so she’ll be up to his tricks.

  Their relationship chart is ploughing through heavy seas from late February 2024, through 2025 as well with tr Pluto square the composite Saturn; with a major upheaval from late May 2024 onwards; and 2025 looks mired in confusion.

Jack Smith, the special counsel, 5 June 1969, is no slouch either with a super confident Jupiter Pluto Uranus in Virgo which squares Trump’s Gemini Sun, Uranus and North Node opposition Sagittarius Moon – a formidable collision.  Their relationship chart also shows early 2024 as the starting point for a two year run of devastation and muddle as tr Pluto squares the composite Neptune; plus tr Saturn throwing a cold dose of reality onto the composite Venus, Saturn, Sun.

  Mike Pence, 7 June 1959, who gritted his teeth throughout Trump’s term to his shame, has finally cast off the shackles. Their relationship chart has a controlling Pluto, Mars, North Node conjunction on the focal point of a Sun trine Neptune Saturn – bullying, fearful, suspicious, distrustful – hardly a merry twosome.  The central Pluto is being upended by tr Uranus in square from last month, repeating in mid November/early December and again March 2024.

Trump’s legal woes are legion;

Mar-a-Lago classified docs trial date 20 May 2024.

Stormy Daniels hush money trial scheduled for 25 March 2024.

Georgia election meddling, charging decisions to be announced this summer.

Jean Carroll seeking damages of $10m for defamation, trial set for January 2024.

  Before getting overly hopeful about all this being terminal to his career hopes, he does have (sigh, as per usual) undeserved good luck and confidence boosts running mid this November to early March from two Jupiter midpoints, alongside other less favourable influences.

 On the downside his Solar Arc Mars squares his 12^th house Pluto for another few months which is scary and trapped; his SA Pluto is also in a discouraging and blocked square to his Saturn this year; and will trigger his sensitivity to being unloved in 2024 as it squares his Saturn/Venus midpoint.

  Tr Pluto will oppose his Saturn/Pluto midpoint for a monumental struggle from late February 2024 on and off into 2025. Late April to late May 2024 he looks aggravated, bad-tempered and inclined to let fly with tr Pluto opposition his Mercury/Mars midpoint.

  If his birth time is accurate then tr Uranus conjunct his Midheaven from late May into June 2024 will send his career/life’s direction off course in a surprising way. That repeats into 2025.  Even more to the point tr Uranus will square his Mars early July to early August 2024 across the Republican Convention. Usually this explosive influence causes insecurity and a major ego-dent which often results in a reckless kickback to boost machismo. Although (urgh) he does have tr Jupiter moving across his Midheaven and 10th house from May 2024 for a year which is usually successful or at least high profile.

 His Solar Returns (for what they are worth) suggest this June 2023 to June 2024 will haul in money, see him grandstanding and smoke-screening like mad.  His SR June 2024 to 2025, is not too favourable with a hidden 12^th house Sun, a directionless Neptune in the 10^th and a regretful Saturn in the 9^th house of legal affairs.  Not a total disaster but not triumphant either. Never say never where Trump is concerned but it is certainly not the Jupiterian feste over the 2024 election which swept him to power in 2016.

  Trump’s continued popularity in the USA is (astrologically-speaking) connected to two major factors. One his Gemini Sun opposition Moon is conjunct the USA argumentative and divisive Mars and squares the USA Neptune – so he tunes into the ‘glamour’, publicity-crazed (and delusional) streak in the US psyche; and secondly his Venus Saturn in Cancer tie into the US’s Mercury opposition Pluto which attracts fanatical, rabble-rousing, conspiracy-heavy opinionators.

  His relationship chart with the USA is fairly chained together with a composite Sun trine Pluto, sextile Saturn. It is moving through a muddled, disappointing 2023/24. But the key moment may come early next July to early August across the Republican Convention. At that point tr Uranus square the composite Jupiter which usually brings relief from tension. But whether this means the country is freed from the prospect of another chaotic Trump term or great celebrations since he has overcome the machinations of the deep state (otherwise known as the Justice Department) is not clear.

  My eye is drawn to the USA Mars which in mid 2024 has the Solar Arc Saturn conjunct the Mars, which does suggest a considerable setback – or disaster/accident. Whether that is tied into Trump or other international or legal complications is not clear.

 One last thought about Trump’s extraordinary ability to float above a sea of chaos and stratospheric pressure and I apologise if the analogy seems tasteless. But it reminds me of a comment I read years ago that those who survived the concentration camps best in WW11 were the mentally ill or schizophrenic, since their inner worlds were so jumbled and scary that the outside did not impinge to the same extent.

  In Trump’s case anyone else would have taken a heart attack by this time – and indeed tr Uranus square his Mars next July is often associated in the elderly with cardiac incidents. But he may manage to brush it off as incidental he has done his entire life.

  I worry for the USA – the state of the nation is not good.    

Add On: Melania has not been much seen of late though she sticks close to Trump’s residencies and is reportedly supporting his 2024 run. Though given how underwhelmed she was by his last White House stint she may well be saying one thing, meaning another.

  How much use her chart is in gauging his possible fortunes is tricky since she might well be relieved with an election no-show or loss. Or even freedom from the marital bonds. Their relationship chart does have an undermining tr Neptune square the composite Venus now but it is 2025 when it will move into times of turmoil with tr Uranus conjunct the composite Sun, tr Uranus square the Pluto and tr Pluto square the Neptune – and that is quite a pressured set of separating influences and possibly devastating circumstances. 

  Her own chart is rattled at the moment with tr Uranus conjunct her Mercury over this last set of charges; and into disaster-territory with tr Uranus square her Mars/Saturn midpoint from the middle of this month till mid September and on and off until March 2025, including across the Inauguration. Tr Pluto is also opposition her Mars/Pluto midpoint up to and through December 2024 which is scary, trapped and enraged.

  For most these would indicate a clear no-no to a win but her antipathy to a public presence could suggest the opposite – but whichever way it plays out she is certainly not a happy housewife over the next eighteen months and indeed beyond.