The Astrology Blog 27 December 2021
All times in GMT
“Don’t raise your voice – improve your argument.”
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
“When you do well, it spreads out – it is for the whole of humanity.”
Desmond Tutu
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Desmond_Tutu
DESMOND TUTU
You only have to read Desmond Tutu’s Wikipedia page for about thirty seconds to learn that this was a far more complex man than his image suggests. Even so, he is known for his smile, and you can see why. This was not “a media smile”. It’s a smile that lived in his eyes and you can see the humanity radiating out of his face.
In terms of character and destiny his horoscope makes for fascinating study, in spite of the fact that unsurprisingly there’s no recorded time of birth. In the words of one his biographers, Shirley du Boulay, to the astrologically trained ear his essential Libran nature shines out (sign of partnership, marriage, a deep need for “the other”). His Sun is conjunct Venus (charm, pleasures, comforts, peace, the importance of women) while his Moon in Leo (the Sun’s sign, attention loving but big hearted, generous and passionate, correlates to the 5th House of fun, pleasure, children) is conjunct humanitarian Jupiter, the exuberant Greater Benefic who rules all matters of faith –
Tutu had “a deep need to be loved,” a facet that the clergyman recognised about himself and referred to as a “horrible weakness.” Tutu has also been described as being sensitive, and very easily hurt, an aspect of his personality which he concealed from the public eye. Du Boulay noted that he “reacts to emotional pain” in an “almost childlike way.”
He never denied being ambitious, and acknowledged that he enjoyed the limelight which his position gave him, something that his wife often teased him about. Some critics note a conflict between his socialist ideology and his desire to live comfortably, dress well …. He was, “a man of passionate emotions” who was quick to both laugh and cry … When hosts asked what his culinary tastes were, his wife responded: “think of a five year old.”
In terms of destiny the major hallmark of his horoscope is a Grand Cross in the Cardinal signs – one leg being the personal planet Venus, dignified in her own sign of Libra, and the other three being the tough outer planets of Uranus (Aries), Saturn (Capricorn) and Pluto (Cancer). This aspect pattern is “the cross to bear” and in Tutu’s case clearly symbolizes, obviously amongst other things, the struggles of the world that he shouldered.
OMICRON AND CHRISTMAS ASTROLOGY
So we’ve had the final Saturn square Uranus which has been hanging over the world all year and which came to a grand finale early on Christmas Eve. Within hours of it being exact Greece announced new restrictions, including mask wearing outdoors, double masks in supermarkets, all shops and public transport, and Covid tests for everyone arriving in the country. Hurray. This is a major step forwards in shifting from “even” the vaccinated to “including” the vaccinated, as by now it’s screamingly obvious that being jabbed is an effective protective measure but not a magic cloak. Canada has announced the same.
The rest of the news was predictably and predominantly about travel – or the lack of it – with headlines like “Omicron upends Christmas plans worldwide”, as literally millions of people came up against last minute restrictions, curfews, lockdowns or cancelled flights. This is Saturn language come to life (loves to say NO) square (tension, blocks) to Uranus (the rug puller) but there were clearly no alternatives.
In spite of the fact that Omicron is milder than other variants the crux of the problem now lies in the sheer number of cases. Quality v quantity. Again exactly on that final square on Thursday record numbers of infections were tallied in the UK, France and Italy. By Boxing Day morning it was reported that global airlines had cancelled about 5,700 flights since Friday, and this morning the flight misery stories continued.
Until the spread of this variant I knew very few people who’d actually had Covid, both in the UK and here on Lefkada which has so far got off very lightly, but throughout the last couple of weeks there’s been news every day from the UK of someone else testing positive.
I forgot to make a note of the source but I also read a theory (not a conspiracy one!) by some recognized science body that Omicron was likely to “burn through the States” – and presumably all other countries too – and that this would be a good thing, ie the beginning of the end. As I wrote in last week’s blog, that is also what the astrology suggests. Let’s see how things unfold as the Saturn – Uranus square starts to separate (weaken) with no more plans for a rematch.
But for countless people the damage was done and this is going to be a Christmas that many will want to forget. To rub salt in the wound we had that second (of three) Venus – Pluto conjunctions on Christmas Day itself. At a global level this indicated the loss (Pluto) of a loved figure (Venus), and as it turned out it was the loss of a Venusian man, Desmond Tutu.
If you have planets or Angles at or very close to 25 Capricorn you will have your own story unfolding, whether it was an upended Christmas or dealing with big changes that have far reaching ramifications. Mercury is poised to start writing the next chapter this week, as you’ll see further on.
Christmas Day here at my house btw was lovely, a small group of good friends. But we had to laugh. As we’re now all in our late 50’s/early 60’s the conversations were around how we continue to make an expat living, pension funds or lack of them (Venus rules money), health stories and inevitably Covid. We used to talk about alcohol fuelled dramas and who was shagging whom. How times change, lol.
WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK?
Here’s your at a glance for the week ahead –
Wednesday 29 December
- Jupiter ingress Pisces 04.10
- Mercury conjunct Venus 24 Capricorn 10.29
Thursday 30 December
- Mars 11 Sagittarius sextile Saturn 11 Aquarius 00.23
- Mercury conjunct Pluto 25 Capricorn 09.52
Saturday 1 January
- Sun 11 Capricorn trine Uranus 11 Taurus 09.51
Sunday 2 January
- Mercury ingress Aquarius 07.11
- Sun 12 Capricorn semi-sextile Saturn 12 Aquarius 12.13
- New Moon 12 Capricorn 18.35
- Mercury 0 Aquarius semi-sextile Jupiter 0 Pisces 23.45
JUPITER CHANGING SIGN
So, there are several big events this week and arguably the most important is Jupiter’s change of sign –
Wednesday 29 December
- Jupiter ingress Pisces 04.10
This planet has a 12 year cycle – easy maths, 12 signs of the zodiac so Jupiter spends a year travelling through each one – but because of retrograde loops this isn’t always from the beginning to the end in a straight line.
Jupiter entered Pisces on 13 May but only got as far as 2 degrees of this sign before turning retrograde and sliding back into Aquarius. This second ingress is therefore important because it’s the real thing. Jupiter is going to steam through the whole of Pisces between now and 10 May, no going back into Aquarius.
In terms of what this might mean globally the first thing to note is that Jupiter is in dignity in this sign (feminine sign of dignity, Jupiter’s better known sign is masculine Sagittarius) so that’s the first tick. Jupiter rules all kinds of goodies but one of the things at the top of the list is travel, and therefore the attached concerns of freedom and all things international.
Jupiter in Pisces (co-ruled by Neptune that many link to the spread of Covid) is the archetype of the Protector and may well add up to the option to travel because of protective measures making the world a safer place. I don’t think any of us had realized how massive the subject of travel really is until we weren’t allowed to do it anymore.
At a personal level if you have any planets or Angles in Pisces then at some point in the coming five months you’ll be having a Jupiter transit – ie Jupiter reaching the same degree and sign as a natal position. You have to look this up to find out your exact dates but Jupiter transits are considered to be the best – eg opportunity, progress, travel, learning, blessings and abundance.
Regardless though of whether you have Pisces placings in your own horoscope or not this is a major new cycle with a lot of positive vibes. New faces are in the mix too and those who come into our lives under the auspices of Jupiter are fortunate for us. If you’re single and searching start by paying close attention to who you meet as we go into the New Year.
MERCURY – MAKING YOUR MIND UP
When we get big events, like the Saturn square Uranus/Venus conjunct Pluto sequences, then even when they’re officially over they take a while to move off. This means that for a while the faster moving personal planets continue to play into the patterns already formed, re-invoking their symbolism and their messages.
So if the big astrological aspects are the event, the subsequent aspects to the two planets involved are the consequences, the ripple effects, the answers or the rescue remedies.
This week action/anger man Mars picks up the Saturn – Uranus square (eg getting flights back up and running, trying to get your travel refunds, acrimonious fall outs etc!) and at the same time running alongside we can see Mercury catching up with Venus and then Pluto –
Wednesday 29 December
- Mars 11 Sagittarius quinqunx Uranus 11 Taurus 01.04
- Mercury conjunct Venus (retrograde) 24 Capricorn 10.29
Thursday 30 December
- Mars 11 Sagittarius sextile Saturn 11 Aquarius 00.23
- Mercury conjunct Pluto 25 Capricorn 09.52
Sunday 2 January
- Mercury ingress Aquarius 07.11
Mercury’s aspects are significant because not only are they re-invoking this second of three Venus-Pluto meetings but they’re also the final aspects before Mercury changes sign. Mercury is everything to do with communication so it’s catch-up time with friends or family or a lover who were absent at Christmas, or it’s making up after fall outs, or negotiating a relationship breakup, or restructuring your finances, saying no to things you can’t afford or cancelling things you wish you’d never agreed to in the first place – you get the picture. It’s also being told things after the event, but decide not to over react to things that are already a fete accompli.
Whatever you may have on your plate right now in terms of difficulties or dilemmas this would appear to be a week of things like tough decisions or a great deal of soul searching. You’re unlikely to be dealing with a final version as Venus is retrograde and Mercury will also be turning retrograde in a couple of weeks time and then returning to Capricorn (in fact will turn direct at 24 Capricorn on 4 February, and that’s the REAL finale) but the more we can get to grips with our stuff now, the less daunting the ongoing challenges will be. In theory ….
Whatever your own context just be aware that feelings are running high, and deep, and not just within close relationships. There’s been a lot of fear and a lot of isolation going on, and many of us are a long way off living what we would call a normal life. Yet life goes on and the New Moon in purposeful Capricorn is the major hallmark of the start of the New Year –
Saturday 1 January
- Sun 11 Capricorn trine Uranus 11 Taurus 09.51
Sunday 2 January
- Mercury ingress Aquarius 07.11
- Sun 12 Capricorn semi-sextile Saturn 12 Aquarius 12.13
- New Moon 12 Capricorn 18.35
- Mercury 0 Aquarius semi-sextile Jupiter 0 Pisces 23.45
You can see that the New Moon (when Sun and Moon are conjunct) again picks up the Saturn – Uranus so this may also signify events that are part of a “moving on” picture. Definitely don’t drag the past into the New Year with you like a ball and chain. Capricorn the Mountain Goat loves a project and goals, no matter how steep the climb. Anything in the career building department gets a huge tick, as does anything achievement orientated on your New Year’s Resolutions list.
The theme of fresh starts and looking forwards is supported by Mercury’s first activity after changing sign, a minor but positive aspect to Greater Benefic Jupiter, both at 0 degrees of their new signs, holding hands as they start out on their new journeys. It doesn’t matter that Mercury will turn retrograde in a couple of weeks time, some details will change again but the important thing is to get started.
Wishing you the best possible New Year’s Eve,
See you in 2022!
With love from Greece
Joanna