The Astrology Blog – 10 August 2015
The Greek Island Summer School 2015
A quick reminder that there’s only course left to run this year in Greece, which is Synastry – The Astrology of Relationships starting 7 September. This has proved to be an exceptionally popular week and there are 2 of 12 places remaining. Let me know asap if you’d like to find out more and you can also go to the end of this newsletter for more info about the course.
All times posted in BST
It’s of little surprise that the Synastry week is almost fully booked. In my astrological practice over the last 30 years there has hardly been a consultation in which love was not mentioned, and more often than not it’s at the top of the list. Understanding Synastry – astrological compatibility or incompatibility – could save us a great deal of trouble and heartache! As the love planet Venus continues on her retrograde journey through Leo I find myself, again unsurprisingly, surrounded by love stories of the complicated kind.
I’ve been asked for a checklist – as I do for the times for when Mercury is retrograde – so here it is!
• In a difficult or failing relationship? The fault lines are likely to be under extra stress and strain
• Deal with the key issues before the cracks widen past the point of repair
• This applies to all loved ones, not just partners
• Love difficulties – relationship not necessarily lost, but under review
• New romance likely to start with hesitation or secrecy on one or both sides
• Any issue linked to affairs will be highly sensitized
• Unfolding events and experiences throughout the six week period of Venus’ retrograde journey are crucial to the outcome with regard to relationship decisions of all kinds
• No matter how sure you may be about a new attraction, try not to rush – there is a lot that you don’t know about this person, and vice versa
• Venus also rules money – watch the power balance around money in key relationships
• If there’s a major purchase or investment on the cards it’s a time for very thorough research, not impulsive buying
• Be extra vigilant in all your financial dealings
• Balance the books – retrograde is great for “re” words such as repayment if money is owed or owing
• Venus also rules beauty – any major work not advised, such as plastic surgery
• Get “back” in touch with those who’ve been on your mind, especially women, and make sure they’re ok
• If you can help, financially or emotionally, just do it!
Venus rules women and, in the news, the top retrograde Venus story has to go to Donald Trump, who is running for president in next year’s US elections, and his clash with journalist Megyn Kelly:
Mr Trump was one of 10 Republican presidential candidates in a TV debate co-hosted by Ms Kelly on Thursday, which was watched by a record 24 million people. Early on in the debate, Ms Kelly asked him why voters should elect a man who has called women “fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals”.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-33833516
Um, good question? Unfortunately his reaction, referring to blood with the implication that her anger was related to her menstrual cycle, served only to confirm the concern of a deeply entrenched contempt for women. In Trump’s horoscope the astrological signature for misogyny is Venus conjunct Saturn. In the world of psychotherapy contempt is recognized as emotional violence. The media now is suggesting that this, along with his dismissive statement that he hadn’t got time for political correctness, might just be the thing that dislodges him from the top of the opinion polls, pointing out that essential presidential qualities include diplomacy.
However, he may yet brazen his way through with pure force of personality. With an exact birth time of 10.54am Donald Trump has Mars at 27 Leo conjunct an Ascendant of 29.58 Leo, so all the recent activity at 29 degrees of Leo – the fixed star of Regulus, also known as the Heart of the Lion, denoting ambition, success, status and leadership – has been highly relevant to his presidential campaign. The big (Jupiter) debate (Mercury) was on the Mercury/Jupiter conjunction on Regulus at the end of last week and the controversy has certainly jet propelled (Mars) him onto front pages everywhere.
http://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Donald_Trump
Last week I talked about the theme of transitions as both Mercury and Mars changed sign. In my book Be Your Own Astrologer you’ll find “takes” on all the planets through the signs, and last week I quoted from it for Mercury arriving in Virgo. Mars moved into Leo in the early hours of yesterday (Sunday) and here’s the snapshot for this fiery and bossy combination, which is textbook astrology when seen in the context of being Trump’s Mars conjunct his Ascendant (public persona, approach and physical appearance):
Mars in the Sun’s sign is a royal, commanding, creative and powerful combination. These individuals have forceful personalities and their talents are usually expressed in a centre stage way. Their self belief is wholehearted but they secretly need others to believe in them too. They are highly motivated by praise, recognition and adulation. The Mars drive coupled with the Leo knack for drawing a crowd creates a showmanship quality, charismatic performers and “the show must go on” work ethic. In business this is the archetype of the Managing Director, the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) and the entrepreneur, such as Donald Trump.
This placing often bestows an excellent physique. Amongst the women we find statuesque types such as Charlene Princess of Monaco, and supermodels Yasmin Le Bon and “The Body” Elle McPherson. Amongst the men think Harrison Ford as Han Solo in Star Wars or as the intrepid Indiana Jones, and “The Boss” Bruce Springsteen whose best-known albums “epitomize his penchant for finding grandeur in the struggles of daily life.” (Wikipedia)
The themes of transition continue as Mercury and Mars get underway on their new journeys, and also it’s now Jupiter’s turn, which is even more significant as “The Greater Benefic” changes sign only once every 12 months –
Tuesday Jupiter ingress Virgo (12.12)
In traditional astrology this is Jupiter’s sign of “fall” – the sign in which Jupiter’s expansive qualities struggle for expression. In my book I sum up this placing as:
Positives: meticulous, discriminating and efficient
Negatives: joylessness, servitude or too many personal sacrifices
For Jupiter types this change of sign is especially important. For me (Sag) Jupiter in Virgo will be travelling through my 9th/10th houses and signals the end of holiday time, and hopefully the overwhelming heat too, and getting back to work, preparing for the course here in Greece in four weeks time and more workshops in the UK at the end of October. There’s often a health link too with Virgo, so Jupiter in this sign is about toning down the high life and looking after ourselves, but also keeping work hours realistic. There was an article yesterday in the news about a new government health campaign aimed at those who don’t get enough sleep – ie those who habitually have less than 6 hours a night.
Here’s the usual link for checking the sign and position of your natal planets:
http://www.alwaysastrology.com/birth-chart-calculator.html
What else is happening this week?
The Sun is the leading light in the second half of the week –
Thursday Sun at 20 degrees of Leo trine Uranus at 20 degrees of Aries (11.28)
Friday New Moon at 21 degrees of Leo (15.55)
Saturday Sun conjunct Venus at 22 degrees of Leo (20.23)
This is a dynamic line up of planets in fire signs, with the New Moon falling in positive aspect to both Uranus and Venus. Love or money matters in particular could unfold rapidly or in a surprising way. Go back to the checklist at the beginning of the blog for the retrograde Venus key issues as this New Moon is likely to swing the spotlight onto any of these that are pertinent to you.
The last word goes to Mercury as he makes his first aspects as he starts his journey through Virgo –
Thursday Mercury opposite Neptune (02.13)
Saturday Mercury trine Pluto (20.55)
The communication planet in a challenging aspect to Neptune (deception, delusion, grief) and a positive aspect to Pluto (depth discussions, final decisions, revelations) paints a mixed picture but overall it signals a shift from denial/confusion to clarity/deeper understanding. We all, to one extent or another, often find it hard to speak up or to accept any kind of inevitability, or to accept the things we simply don’t want to believe, but these Mercury aspects seem designed to bring any such matters to a conclusion – especially as the Mercury/Pluto contact falls within half an hour of the Sun/Venus conjunction. Potentially powerful stuff!
Here’s to enlightening times, with love from Greece,
Joanna
