Rudolf Steiner, founder of an esoteric spiritual movement, a philosopher, social reformer and educationalist, has attracted devoted followers as well as critics for his racist, antisemitic and pseudo-scientific beliefs (according to mainstream academics). His Waldorf inspired schools opened in Stuttgart in 1919 and have spread across Europe and the USA. Recently there have been scandals involving sexual abuse, a “toxic” culture of bullying. Concerns have also been raised about far-right, anti-vaccination, and conspiracy-theorist ideologies.
He was born according to Astrodatabank on 25 February 1861 at 11.15pm in Croatia, though there are alternatives suggested by devotees. This chart gives a Pisces Sun (conjunct Eris planet of discord) opposition Saturn in Virgo in the 10th square an 8th house Uranus in Gemini. Saturn in Virgo would give him a serious, scholarly cast of mind while a focal point Uranus in the 8th would prompt him to explore what lay beyond rational understanding and make him a divisive figure. His Jupiter in Leo conjunct his Midheaven would bring him success and confidence. His Pluto Mars in Taurus conjunction was ultra-determined, fairly ruthless in pursuing his ambitions.
The first Waldorf School opened on 7 September 1919 in Stuttgart, with Sun conjunct Saturn in Virgo and Venus also in Virgo. There was a super-charged conjunction of Jupiter, Mars, Neptune in Leo. And Uranus in a reforming, revolutionary opposition to Mercury square a Scorpio North Node.
The Uranus in final degree Aquarius is about to catch a tr Uranus square and opposition North Node which hints at a need for radical changes ahead. Indeed the Solar Arc Jupiter, Mars, Neptune moving in conjunction to the North Node and square Uranus over the coming few years does suggest a fork in the road with crises forcing a radical rethink.
When behind-the-scenes political aides become the focus of media attention it usually spells trouble ahead. They fall on their swords or are pushed; and then spill the beans. The UK is following a well-trodden path with Morgan McSweeney exiting stage left carrying the can for Starmer.
In the US, Trump-inspirer Stephen Miller has recently found himself thrust into the national spotlight with the ICE killings and is widely seen as the architect of the mass deportation policy which is meeting increasing criticism.
Born 23 August 1985 4.53pm Santa Monica, CA, he is facing heavy pressure on the career front with a challenge to his chosen direction as tr Pluto square his Midheaven now till mid March and late June to early August. Plus an unsettling/upsetting tr Uranus square his 8th house Virgo Sun mid to end of May this year. He won’t budge easily with Pluto in Scorpio on his Midheaven. But his problems will mount with tr Neptune undermining his influence as it squares his Mars/Node and opposes his Sun/Pluto and Mercury/Saturn midpoints from now to late April, and again late year into early 2027. His major major calamity comes in 2027 with tr Neptune opposing his Mars/Saturn midpoint.
That also shows up in his relationship chart with Trump with 2027 flagging up as an all-round disaster between the two of them. That follows on from one misstep after another from early this August to late December this year.
Susie Wiles, Chief of Staff, who has already rocked the boat with a Trump critical interview earlier this year, does seem to be moving through turbulent seas with tr Uranus square her Pluto until mid March; plus a panicky-failure Solar Arc Neptune opposition Mars and Solar Arc Mars square Saturn across this year. Followed by an applecart-upending tr Pluto opposition her Uranus early August till the end of the year. Plus several Uranian jolts to other midpoints from mid May to end of the year.
Either she is throwing in the towel or clinging on to the mainmast in stormy seas as dozy Don slides deeper into demented Don.
Her relationship with Trump worsens late April this year to late September with late May to mid August being particularly panicky. And a catastrophe or two the first half of this June and across the New Year.
The other forefront aide, communicator Karoline Leavitt, 24 August 1997 Atkinson, NH, like Miller has her Virgo Sun being seriously jolted by tr Uranus square in the second half of this May, and again early 2027. It will be even more tumultuous in her case since tr Uranus moves to oppose her Pluto this June and again across the New Year. Everything will be going up in the air for her, followed by a trapped scary 2027/28. Her Solar Arc Sun is in final degree Virgo at the moment – so teetering on the edge; as her Saturn heads for its First Return.
Her relationship chart with Trump is on a downward slide in a major way this March with tr Neptune opposition their composite Mars; with an explosive tr Uranus square the Sun/Mars midpoint in April; followed by a long run of instability from mid May right through into 2027 as tr Uranus elbows their composite Neptune opposition Saturn square Venus T square.
Too much information but I am struggling to pin point a turning point where calamity turns terminal in career terms. Jettisoning one aide over the side would hardly be a surprise. But across the board the inner circle do appear to be in considerable disarray.
See previous post: Trump’s trusty wingmen – unravelling by 2028 – 11th January 2026
The long ripple of contamination from Epstein has entangled Norway’s Crown Princess Mette Marit with newly released emails suggesting she was still in contact with him just months before his suicide. She is already on the ropes with the trial starting of her son Marius Borg Hoiby, born before her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, who is charged with raping four women and 34 other offences. He denies the most serious charges.
Questions are being asked about whether she can be queen after this. She is suffering from pulmonary fibrosis and will probably have to have a lung transplant.
Born 19 August 1973 1pm (unconfirmed) Kristiansand, Norway, she was a party girl before she met Prince Haakon with a string of relationships and their marriage was controversial.
She has a showy, attention-seeking Leo Sun conjunct her Midheaven from the 9th trine an excitable and indulgent Moon Mars in Taurus in her 6th house of health. She has an ambitious mini-Grand Trine of Jupiter trine Pluto sextile Neptune. With two yods onto evasive Neptune and needs-maturity Saturn respectively. With her Saturn square a Venus Pluto conjunction = emotionally manipulative and bleak. A complicated personality. Both of her yods are under pressure from tr Neptune, Pluto and Uranus hard aspects in the coming year.
For afficianados of asteroids – Psyche (tribulations on the road to true love) is conjunct her Ascendant in the 1st. Chariklo (endless suffering) and Eris (discord) in her 5th house of children. Chiron, the wounded healer, in her 6th.
Prince Haakon, 20 July 1973 2.12pm Oslo, Norway, a Sun Cancer trine a Pisces Moon, so Watery which is the opposite of her Fire Earth chart. Her Sun falls on his Midheaven conjunct his Venus = good for his career and affectionate. But her Mars Moon on his Descendant hint at a troublesome, argumentative match.
Her Sun/Moon midpoint, the marriage significator, is conjunct his Saturn with duty looming large from his side; and his Sun/Moon midpoint is square her Sun for differing agendas.
Not only is her chart riddled with yods so are her relationships with Prince Haakon (apex Saturn), Epstein (apex Mars) and even her wedding in 2001 has a Neptunian apex yod.
The Epstein link may not recede in a hurry and there may be more coming before Uranus exits Taurus in April – beyond that it could drag on.
She has two children with Prince Haakon and their bond would not split easily with Saturn Pluto aspects running throughout. But he does seem to be backing off with tr Uranus moving through his 7th in recent years and ahead.
Norway, 7 June 1905 11am Oslo, is facing a troubled year or so ahead which may be little to do with this – with tr Uranus square Saturn and tr Neptune Saturn square the 4th house Uranus. What is notable are the Solar Arc Saturn, Uranus and North Node all at 29 degrees, hinting at a cuspal year, clearing out the past to make way for the new. A rethink of the Royals may be part of that process.
See previous post: Norwegian Royals – another family calamity
Trailblazing, sky-ruler Uranus has been moving through earthy, rooted Taurus since 2018 and will exit in April. Past experience of this hybrid mix which recurs every 84 years has been a focus on trade and money, climate and natural disasters and inventions.
During this recent phase there has been an escalation in high-impact climate disasters from drought, severe storms, and floods. Key events included massive floods in Pakistan and China, record heatwaves in Europe and Asia, and intense wildfires in California.
Trade has been highlighted recently with Trump’s cavalier tactics over tariffs and also covers the UK exiting from the EU.
Inventions: Two Taurus areas of food and money feature with weight loss jabs widespread, allowing people to change their physical size; giving them freedom from overindulgence. Developments in reproductive research, growing a human embryo without an egg or sperm, and human skin fertilised to make an embryo.
The global disruption of the Covid pandemic leading to upsets of Taurean stability, finances, relationships and the use of technology for personal connections, wfh, and business meetings. Both Zoom and Teams are Aquarian/Uranian.
mRNA was discovered in the 60s and vaccine experiments have been around since the 90s. Not new conceptually – but technical improvements plus an impending crisis… So pre-Uranus in Taurus we have an idea that exists. Then during Uranus in Taurus we get tool maturity + crisis accelerating scale.
The volatility of bitcoins and crypto currencies in an increasingly cashless economy is part of the story of Uranus in Taurus.
Retail apocalypse, shut down of bricks and mortar stores and collapse of retail stores and big historical brands. The rise of ecommerce.
Renewable energy technology.
Taurus and music: Spotify had public listing in April 2018 -caused financial disruptions for musicians and the music business during Uranus in Taurus.
The other Taurean area of interest is sex and the body. Uranus, the castrated sky god, deemed as the astrological ruler of what goes against the biology, brought the trans issue to the fore.
Free availability of pornography in the tech age.
The rise in populism/fascism in recent years also has echoes of the Uranus in Taurus of the 1930s.
Past Uranus in Taurus:
New discoveries. In the later 1930s there were major advances in technology in aviation, radio, and film. On a previous occasion, in the late 17th Century, street lighting was introduced in London. There was also widespread exploration across the globe and major advances in astronomy, including the first sighting of Uranus. Sewage systems and toilets came to the fore.
Trade: In 1600 England starts trade with Asia; two Uranus in Taurus later it moves into Bengal with catastrophic results for the population; 2 million die in a famine and the East India Company raises their taxes and ships the revenues out of the country. The Same Brit company then takes over the North American tea trade, which leads, due to their punitive taxation, into the American Revolution.
Climate/disasters: The Bengal famine narrative repeated in a different location during the mid 19th Century Uranus in Taurus in Ireland. The potato crop failed, which starved a million to death and a million emigrated, with the British overlords, who were partly the cause of the population’s reliance on one crop, continuing to send foodstuffs to the UK.
Inventions: 1767 Uranus in Taurus James Watts’ steam-engine inventions drove the Industrial Revolution into being; and the first mechanical spinning frame for fabric weaving also appeared.
Politics: The previous 1935 to 1941 Uranus in Taurus came on the back of the Great Depression of the decade following 1929, with widespread poverty and unemployment leading to authoritarian regimes emerging in several countries, most notably German with Hitler rising to power from 1933; and Stalin’s Great Purge of 1936-38 with 600,000 being executed in Russia by the state.
Territorial greed is one of its manifestations; as well as inhumane methods in the pursuit of power.
In the UK: Queen Elizabeth 1 and Elizabeth 11 both die under Uranus in Taurus.
From Hugh in previous post for extended version see 2018 post in search: Key to the UK. Uranus in Taurus between 1515 and 1523 was the start of the Reformation and had huge global significance not just for the UK but also for the entire planet. The Stuart dynasty united the thrones of England and Scotland. Roll the clock forward to the late 1680s and Uranus was in Taurus when the Glorious Revolution occurred. It was there again in the early 1770s in the run up to the American War of Independence and the loss of the American colonies.
American downhill skier Lindsey Vonn was airlifted to hospital in Switzerland on Friday after crashing in the final World Cup race before the Games. Despite her ligament injury she is still “very hopeful” she can compete at the Winter Olympics in on Sunday. Her belief in herself is unshakable. In her early career she won four World Cup overall championships – one of only two female skiers to do so and became the most successful American ski racer in history. She made a stunning comeback in 2024 after six years in retirement following a partial replacement of her right knee
Born 18 October 1984 3.26 am St Paul Minnesota, she has a Libra Sun conjunct Mercury Pluto in Scorpio square a Leo Moon giving her added determination. She also has a stubborn Saturn and Venus in Scorpio. That plus a high-vitality, adventurous, risk-taking Mars Jupiter conjunction in ambitious Capricorn will also give her extra confidence.
Ebertin describes Mars Jupiter as will power – as well as rebelliousness against rules and regulations. Her supreme self-confidence added to a tendency to ignore limitations that would hold normal people back allow her to aim high. Her Neptune in final degree Sagittarius conjunct her Jupiter may also give her a streak of super-optimism.
Tr Saturn will square her Neptune over the next few days which in normal people produces uncertainty but athletes tend to process difficult influences in a way that utilizes their power – using stress as a motivator. So who knows? Her Solar Arc Venus is also conjunct her Mars exactly now to within two minutes of a degree which will redouble her bounce. What would concern me is tr Uranus in a calamitous square to her Mars/Pluto midpoint which was in place over her recent accident and continues in effect till mid March.
Does anyone have a birth date for Austin Applebee, the 13 year old Australian boy who swam 4 kms to raise the alarm when his mother and siblings were at risk out at sea? An amazing feat.
A ray of sunshine breaking through the dark clouds will come with this coming August’s Total Solar Eclipse at 20 degrees Leo. [Sorry not tomorrow.]
The 10 South Saros series points to a time of breaking out of a negative situation which has seemed hopeless into a more positive space with more options available. Worries will clear. Solutions will appear and need to be grasped.
The new-era planets will be aligned with an Air Grand Trine of Pluto in Aquarius trine Uranus in Gemini trine Venus in Libra with Venus opposition Neptune (Saturn) in Aries. And Neptune Saturn will be trine Mercury Jupiter in Leo. There is admittedly an errant Mars in Cancer square Neptune and inconjunct Pluto – but by and large it should be an Air Fire feste – inspiration and bright ideas.
Robert Burns is celebrated every year on the anniversary of his birth on January 25th with suppers, haggis, bagpipes, accordions and renditions of his best known songs – “A Red, Red Rose”, “A Man’s a Man for A’ That”, “To a Louse”, “To a Mouse”, “Tam o’ Shanter”, “Halloween” and “Ae Fond Kiss”. Hogmanay the world over is welcomed in with his “Auld Lang Syne”. What is extraordinary about him is his prolific output of 300 to 400 songs crammed into a short life which ended when he was 37, especially given his poverty stricken childhood which damaged his health and his struggle to earn money as a bookkeeper and excise man in his adult life. And the global reputation he has sustained since.
He is regarded as a pioneer of the Romantic movement, and a source of inspiration to the founders of liberalism, expressing sympathy with the French, and American Revolutions, for the advocates of democratic reform and votes for all. And became popular even in Russia.
Born on 25 January 1759, at 7am (unverified) in Ayr, Scotland, he was the eldest of seven children of a self-educated tenant farmer. He grew up in hardship, and the severe manual labour of the farm left his constitution weakened.
He had an eye for the ladies and is believed to have fathered a total of 12 children with four different women, though some sources suggest up to 13. Nine of these children were with his wife, Jean Armour. He died on 25 July 1796, a few days before his son Maxwell was born.
Three strands stand out clearly in his chart. He had an Aquarius Sun, Venus and Mars with its humanitarian leanings, inclining him to libertarian and democratic ideas. “A Man’s a Man for aw that” and “We are all Jack Thamson’s bairns” which latter translates as we are all equal in the eyes of God.
His Venus Mars conjunction would give him a strong passionate and sexual drive.
He also had an exact Uranus in Pisces square Pluto giving him a revolutionary fervour.
On this birth time his 8th house creative Neptune would also help to project his reputation far and wide; and in opposition to Mars attract publicity.
When he died tr Saturn was just into his 6th house suggesting the birth time may be accurate; with his Solar Arc Neptune square his Sun.
“I am on the cusp of change and the curve is shifting fast.” Audre Lorde
Standing on the brink can be scary evoking images of cliff edges or even trepidation about being on the threshold of what is unfamiliar. With the four outer planets hovering in that critical phase of transition between what has been and what is about to come there is an over-wrought, push-and-pull mood. The tension comes from the tug-of-war between past securities and the urge to leap ahead across the brink to embrace the unknown.
Pluto has already made the transition into Aquarius. After a few tentative toes in the water last year Neptune is finally into Aries for the long haul a week ago. Saturn is heading for the crossover into Aries by the middle of this month and Uranus sashays into Gemini in late April.
None of this is news but I have been aware recently of numbers of newsworthy charts which had planets in the final anaretic degree. Again not surprising since they will be catching the aspects from the outer planets so will be undergoing crises or challenges themselves. But I also wondered whether they were in some way pivotal, albeit unwitting, to times of change which never comes easily – opportunity usually emerging out of crisis or danger. Some will turn their face against evolving to a higher/different level and suffer the fate of being tossed onto yesterday’s scrap heap. The choice at an individual level is change or stagnate. But even those who turn their face the wall may be a necessary part of the process.
“Anaretic” derives from the Greek, meaning “destructive” or “killing,” and signifies intense pressure, endings, and the need to complete lessons.
Those having key anaretic planets can have a ‘dither and dash’ temperament – unable to decide and then making an impulsive leap often in the wrong direction. It can bring a sense of unfinished business connected to the sign involved that needs closure which can lead to poor choices, difficulties or overcompensation.
The 29th degree is known as the “degree of fate” which brings a sense of urgency, stemming from a need to complete ‘karmic’ lessons. Or put it another way a sense that an old cycle is ending and needs to be accounted for before the leap ahead into the new phase. Associated with an impending major turning point, it is both limiting and motivating. The old becomes insupportable so the new is worth the risk. The end of the cycle brings a “now or never” urgency.
One sad example is Violet Ford Fletcher, recently deceased last survivor of the Tulsa Massacre, with her Pluto at 29 degrees Gemini, all too evocative of her memoir “Don’t Let Them Bury My Story.”
J.D. Vance has his Pluto and Neptune in final degrees of Libra and Sagittarius.
New Zealand has its Pluto in final degree Aries.
The Kent State shooting occurred with Neptune at 29 Scorpio and Jupiter at 29 Libra.
Sun in final degree: Julio Iglesias, Emmanuel Macron, France, Morgan McSweeney (Starmer Chief of Staff), Iran 1501, Xi Jinping’s Third Term.
Mars in final degree: Roy Cohn, US Congress, USA Solar Arc Mars, Jerome Powell’s 2nd Term at Fed Res.
Uranus in final degree: ICE, Board of Peace and Neptune), Bank of China.
Jupiter at final degree: Donald Trump Jnr.
Donald Trump has his Ascendant in final degree Leo, the EU has final degree MC and Ascendant.
Not sure what all of the above add up to except it does seem a critical degree and is hovering around in the celestial sphere as well as in the media spotlight which suggests the certain individuals are consciously or unconsciously, for good or ill, at the centre of a cultural shift.
Add On: More final degrees – Lyndsey Vonn, the skier pushing against common sense has another crash. She has Neptune at 29 Sagittarius in an overly optimistic conjunction to Jupiter with Mars ramping up the enthusiasm nearby.
Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s Chief of Staff, resigns over Mandelson – Sun at 29 Aries and Solar Arc Pluto at 29 Scorpio.
Thorbjørn Jagland. Former Norway PM under corruption investigation over Epstein files. Mars at 29 Sagittarius.
From a previous post:
For those who don’t have a 29 degree planet in their chart they will still feel the effects from the changeover of Solar Arc Sun (every 30 years) to a new sign and Progressed Moon (every 2.5 years). Both of these herald a significant shift with the run up to the changeover being filled with uncertainty, indecision leading to hasty commitments and sometimes crisis – described as sometimes ‘packing a punch’.
As with the transiting outer planets when they reach the final sign before the changeover there can often be a ‘swansong’ of unfinished business connected to the sign that is being exited which show up as crises. Pluto leaving Capricorn – money, governmental practice, capitalism. Neptune leaving Pisces – weird ideas, conspiracy theories, religious zealotry. The theory being that a resolution must be found before it is too late – the Trump madness and the UK Post Office debacle being too examples to ponder.
On a quick scan through examples: last degree Taurus Sun – Cher and Laurence Olivier. Last degree Capricorn Sun – Janis Joplin, Dolly Parton, Al Capone. Not sure I would draw any great conclusion from those examples.
Last degree Moons seem trickier:
29 Aries Moon – Celine Dion
29 Taurus Moon – Friday Kahlo, Riven Phoenix, Henrik Ibsen.
29 Leo Moon – Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher.
29 Virgo Moon – Jack Nicholson, Deepak Chopra, Betty White
29 Scorpio Moon – Jennifer Lopez, Melinda Gates, Ellen Pompeo
29 Capricorn Moon – David Beckham, Prince George, Napoleon 1, Robert Kennedy Jnr.
29 Pisces Moon – Kim Kardashian, Hilary Clinton, Catherine Zeta Jones, serial killer Wayne Gacy.
Interesting to hear from those who have final degree planets.
PS Fun example. The Great Stink in London of 1858 – a stench that was so noxious from untreated human waste and industrial effluent that it led to a major overhaul and introduction of new sewage systems occurred when Uranus was at 29 degrees Taurus – and that’s an appropriate astro-signature. Taurus being earthy and fairly anal – and up-in-its-head Uranus moving into Airy Gemini wanting freed from the grosser aspects of city living.
Add On:
Rupert Murdoch – Venus 29′ Aquarius – making an impulsive leap, often in wrong direction.
Oscar Pistorius – Sun 29′ Scorpio (square Mars) and Reeve Steenkamp Saturn 29 Libra (conjunct Pluto and trine his Mars).
Peter Mandelson – Saturn 29’ Libra
Michael J Fox & George Clooney – Saturn 29′ Capricorn
Harvey Weinstein – Sun 29’ Pisces
Cillian Murphy 29 Aries Chiron in painful square to Saturn 29 Cancer.
Jerry Hall Jupiter 29 Leo conj Pluto 26 Leo
Sir Mick Jagger: Chiron 29 Leo; Neptune 29 Virgo
Chris Hemsworth 29′ Saturn in Libra conjunct Pluto square Mars.
Kate Hudson has Sun at 29 Aries square Moon at 29 Capricorn opposition Jupiter 29’ Cancer.
Jeremy Corbyn – Uranus 29 Gemini and Saturn 29 Leo.
Ed Miliband is UK Secretary for Energy, dubbed ‘Red Ed’ by his brother David when he beat him by a hair breadth in the 2010 Labour Party leadership elections, courtesy of backing from trade unions. Ed’s Net Zero policies are divisive, with criticisms of higher running costs and Tony Blair saying they are doomed to fail in the long run.
Ed Miliband born 24 December 1969 2pm London (biography), has a Capricorn Sun in the high-minded, crusading 9th house opposite a Cancer Moon square Uranus and Pluto. With Uranus on the focal point of a Cardinal T square, he will be a social catalyst pushing for reform. But he’ll tend to be overly extreme, impatient and highly strung. Without an outlet for his radical activism he could become a social misfit, willful and defiant. His Uranus is further emphasized being at the apex of a yod inconjunct Mars sextile Saturn which will double up on his urge to be a trailblazer. He could make far-reaching changes but his Uranus could also backfire due to his intolerance and defiant attitudes.
He also has an up-and-down Saturn in Taurus opposition Jupiter in Scorpio which is trine/sextile his Sun, so he will be subject to mood swings.
With another yod of Pluto sextile Neptune inconjunct Saturn which can carry heavy karmic lessons if not handled with maturity. Tr Neptune (and Saturn) will square his Sun in March and April this year, Neptune repeating till early 2027, which will be undermining and not supportive of high ambition. His Solar Arc Sun is also square his Neptune at the moment for much the same swampy effect.
His Solar Arc Uranus will square his Mars late 2026/27. That is followed by tr Uranus will square his Mars in 2027/28 for much the same jolting shocks and insecurity as well as rash over-reactions. Tr Neptune will oppose his Uranus in 2028/9 – so a long running Neptunian droop for him over the next few years. En passant tr Uranus will also oppose his Neptune for the final time this April for a nerve-stretching run of three weeks. I can’t see him progressing up the ladder.
His brother David, who resigned from Westminster in 2013 to seek his satisfaction elsewhere is now CEO of the International Rescue Committee in New York City. Born 15 July 1965, he is a Sun Cancer trine Saturn in Pisces. His Uranus Pluto oppose Saturn and square Jupiter so he will also have reforming zeal along with a dollop of good luck and a mellower feel than his brother. His Moon is in Aquarius.
The brothers have an explosive chemistry with David’s Mars conjunct Ed’s inflated Uranus. Their relationship chart has a hostile, power struggling composite Mars square Pluto Uranus which tr Uranus was in hard aspect to when the 2010 split occurred.
Father Ralph, 17 January 1924, was a bleak Capricorn Sun square Saturn in Scorpio; with a dogmatic Mercury opposition Pluto; a revolutionary Uranus trine Pluto and a never-say-die Mars in Scorpio.
