The Astrology Blog 21 December 2020
All times in GMT
“Choice is our point of power. And when we’re not paying attention to our lives, we don’t make conscious choices – which means that we’re living by habit or default.”
“Stop trying to fix things or change things. Simply let go.”
Iyanla Vanzant – American inspirational speaker, lawyer, New Thought spiritual teacher, author and life coach
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Iyanla_Vanzant
ECLIPSE STORIES
The week is ushered in under The Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn and, as discussed in last week’s blog, the way to this momentous event was being paved last week with the Solar Eclipse. So firstly here’s some feedback as we emerge from Eclipse season. We had –
- Monday 14 December the Solar Eclipse at 23 Sagittarius
- Monday 30 November the Lunar Eclipse at 8 Gemini
If you have planets or angles in your own horoscope at or very close to (within 2 to 3 degrees) these degrees then your own story will be unfolding, or significant changes or an outcome will already have happened.
But note that there may also be more to come, part of this story that isn’t yet finished. A reminder that Eclipses always operate in pairs about every 6 months, and that the next eclipses will be picking up roughly the same degrees but the other way around. For now tuck these dates up your sleeve –
- 26 May 2021 the Lunar Eclipse at 5 Sagittarius
- 10 June 2021 the Solar Eclipse at 20 Gemini
TRUMP, BIDEN AND THE USA
Eclipses have “lifetimes” that can run into months, an event followed by the ongoing story and its consequences, but it’s always educational to look at events that show actually on the day of an Eclipse. Last Monday the symbolism was clear and there were many stories to choose from. But the headlines were that it was the exact day that the US began Covid vaccinations with vaccine shipments sent to all 50 states and territories. Healthcare workers were the first Americans to get the jab on Monday morning. Let us hope that this really is a case of the beginning of the end, the lifting of the long dark shadows of the pandemic.
Shadows falling and lifting carry obvious death/rebirth symbolism. Donald Trump was born on a Full Moon, the Sun at 23 Gemini and the Moon at 21 Sagittarius. So he was right in the line of fire for the major Solar Eclipse. The Eclipse themes of sorting out winners from losers, the transfer of power and the tipping point of no going back, could hardly have been more obvious. Joe Biden’s (for whom the Lunar Eclipse counted, with Saturn at 10 Gemini in his 7th House, where we traditionally locate both partners and “open enemies”) election victory was finally confirmed by the US electoral college on Monday. Note that Kamala Harris is a significant part of the picture too with her Ascendant at 24 Gemini.
Other world leaders then emerged from the shadows –
After Monday’s confirmation of Mr Biden’s victory, three world leaders whose refusal to congratulate the president-elect had been commented widely, did so on Tuesday: Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro and Mexico’s Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Donald Trump’s reported refusal to admit defeat even now, even after being eclipsed, is the biggest statement yet of his delusional state. Can you imagine having to work with him or live with him? And what next for him? As observed at other times, events show in the charts of those closest to someone as well as in their own. Melania Trump –
- Has a Sun – Saturn conjunction in Taurus
- No known birth time but the Sun is approximately 6 degrees and Saturn 11 degrees. Uranus will turn direct in the New Year, 14 Jan at 6.43 Taurus
- Uranus will then reach the Saturn by May
- The transit to Saturn is the first of three and reflects the Saturn square Uranus that is the main backdrop for the coming year (Feb, June and Dec)
- Melania also has Moon in Capricorn (Saturn’s sign) square Uranus in Libra (partnership)
- All of this points to disintegration and is most likely to show in divorce. In extreme cases Uranus can indicate psychotic crises which in this case I wouldn’t rule out
EMMANNUEL MACRON
Macron has natal Venus at 22 Sagittarius, conjunct the Eclipse degree of 23 Sagittarius. On Thursday afternoon it was announced that the French President had tested positive for coronavirus that morning. From the news report it was clear that he’d either contracted the virus or developed the first symptoms within hours of the Solar Eclipse which was exact at 16.18 GMT –
Mr Macron attended a two-day European Council heads of state summit, which finished last Friday. However, the French president is considered to have become potentially contagious as of Monday evening, a senior EU official told the BBC.
Last week I was talking about the critical degrees of 0 and 29, and I gave a list of celebrities with planets or Angles at 29 Capricorn/0 Aquarius with a view to the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn transiting these degrees. I should’ve included Macron who has his Sun and Mercury at 29 Sagittarius but more importantly his Ascendant at 29 Capricorn (28.48 to be precise). This means that in addition to the Eclipse he also had Saturn transiting this crucial Angle of his chart, the beginning of the 1st House where we locate the physical body. Saturn is so often an indicator of a health issue being traditionally the “enemy of the Lights”, as this planet is in detriment in Leo and Cancer, the two signs ruled respectively by the Sun and Moon – the Lights or the Luminaries, the life force. My guess is that he’s feeling pretty rough.
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Emmanuel_Macron
Back to how things show in the partner’s chart Brigitte Macron has a Pisces Descendant (beginning of 7th House of marriage), a sign ruled by both Jupiter and Neptune. In her natal chart she has Neptune 22.30 Libra conjunct Saturn at 24.01 Libra. These sit opposite her Sun 23.20 Aries conjunct Venus 22.57 Aries.
Mars is exactly opposite that Saturn degree this week who in turn is exactly square Pluto this coming Wednesday. Far too easy to be alarmist about tough astrology but he’s definitely in the wars and thankfully has top health care on hand.
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Brigitte_Macron
VACCINATIONS & MUTATION
The vaccination programme is underway but this isn’t a magic wand in terms of offering instant results. So for now more shadows fell last Monday, including in the UK when Matt Hancock announced both tighter restrictions for millions, forcing thousands of businesses to close again, and also a new variant of the virus. I’m no epidemiologist but from what I’ve read, and from what I’ve been told by medical friends, all viruses mutate and in fact this can be a necessary step in the virus weakening as well as strengthening. And the mutating has already been going on since the start –
This is a virus that evolved in animals and made the jump to infecting people around a year ago. Since then it has been picking up around two mutations a month – take a sample today and compare it to the first ones from Wuhan in China and there would be around 25 mutations separating them (BBC)
But with major pandemic points being in the news on the Solar Eclipse the astrological picture suggests that the situation really is at a critical point.
Another Eclipse theme is “what happened in the dark” – ie when you weren’t looking, what was happening behind closed doors, and so on. Eclipses often reveal new landscapes, a shifting of power and changes of the “no going back” variety. When the light comes back on again we can see what we’re doing or arrive at a clearer understanding of what we’re dealing with. Thus the emergence of this new variant of the virus at this time fits these themes.
JESY NELSON
There were personal stories in the news too which illustrate these eclipse themes. When you read something on the day of an eclipse like a member of a band announcing their departure you just know that they’ll have a planet at the eclipse degree. Jesy Nelson’s leaving the highly successful girl group Little Mix was reported in the news last Monday and, sure enough, she has her Sun at 23 Gemini – exactly opposite the Solar Eclipse degree –
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Jesy_Nelson
WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK?
YULE – MIDWINTER … WITH A DIFFERENCE
I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling that there should be some kind of fanfare or roll of drums as we finally arrive at the Winter Solstice. In ordinary times this would be something to celebrate, the festival of Yule being the moment of Midwinter and the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. It’s the ultimate symbolic “death/rebirth” moment as from this moment the days start getting longer again. As Elisabeth Brooke writes in A Woman’s Book of Shadows witches celebrate the winter darkness at Yule but at the same time they also celebrate the coming of the summer. One defines the other.
Back to our ongoing theme of critical degrees (0 and 29) the Sun moves this morning from 29 Sagittarius to 0 Capricorn, following Mercury who did the same thing last night, immediately followed by the Jupiter – Saturn conjunction who both changed sign at the end of last week –
Sunday 20 December
- Mercury ingress Capricorn 23.08
- Sun at 29 Sagittarius
Monday 21 December
- The Winter Solstice Sun ingress 0 Capricorn 10.03
- Jupiter conjunct Saturn 00.29 Aquarius 18.22
- Sun semi-sextile Saturn 21.53
- Sun semi-sextile Jupiter 22.23
- Moon ingress 0 Aries 22.38
- Moon sextile Saturn 23.34
- Moon sextile Jupiter 23.37
In other words, this is no ordinary Solstice. It’s interesting to see how this moment is being underlined as the Sun then makes semi-sextiles (exactly one sign apart) to both planets, followed by the Moon. I don’t normally mention lunar aspects as obviously there are several of these most days but I couldn’t help but be struck by both Lights being the first in line to form aspects to the Grand Conjunction, all within a few hours of each other and Moon in Aries, first sign of the zodiac.
The other big deal about the Jupiter – Saturn conjunction is that it is also what is known as a mutation. Astrology can be so literal sometimes, as this is happening just as the virus itself mutates into a new form that’s the main cause of cancelling Christmas. From an astrological craft point of view though this means that there’s a change of element. The conjunction, which happens every 20 years, has fallen in earth signs for the last 200 years but for the next 200 years it will fall in air signs. Rather than my waffling on about what this might signify have a look at Jessica Davidson’s feature here which says it all –
https://jessicadavidson.co.uk/2020/11/02/the-jupiter-saturn-cycle-and-the-great-mutation/
JUPITER – SATURN ZEITGIEST CONJUNCTION
Zeitgeist is a concept that means the “spirit of the age”. The first showings of the Jupiter – Saturn message were unmistakable over the weekend. Jupiter = freedom including long distance travel and all matters related to overseas, Saturn = restrictions and rules, Aquarius = the collective, everything from small groups to mankind as a whole.
The new variant of the virus is so far said to be no more virulent but more contagious, apparently spreading fast through London and SE England, and there was an immediate response from other European countries. The Netherlands and Belgium suspended UK flights and Italy, France, Germany and Ireland are planning to follow suit. On Saturday (the day that Jupiter followed Saturn into Aquarius) Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced a new tier four level of restrictions, scrapping a planned relaxation of rules over the Christmas, news that effectively cancelled (Saturn) festive plans (Jupiter) for millions of people. Great.
But a reminder from last week – we have the coming together of two planets of opposing principles, and also on the critical degree of zero –
- Jupiter – The Greater Benefic – expansion – optimism – can do – happy having fun – says yes
- Saturn – The Greater Malefic – contraction – pessimism – have to – happy being miserable – says no
If astrology is “for” anything it’s for acceptance. From an astrological point of view the symbolism makes total sense. And when you can see something in the astrological frame of reference this in turn is comforting. No matter how tough a situation might be, if it’s showing, it’s part of the plan. We don’t have to understand the “why”. We have to understand only that it is thus.
In the bigger picture frame of reference it’s also worth remembering that Saturn entered Aquarius earlier in the year (22 March) but only got as far as 2 degrees of this sign before turning retrograde (11 May) and retreating back into Capricorn (1 July). Historically then we knew what was coming as 22 March was the exact date that many countries went into their first lockdown, including Greece.
So Saturn reflects the repetition but this time won’t retrograde back into Capricorn, and neither will Jupiter. In itself this is progress as Jupiter was in his sign of “fall” in Capricorn throughout this year and also made those three conjunctions with Pluto, the master of demolition jobs and black holes. Those are finished too. Also the Jupiter – Saturn conjunction won’t repeat – this is a one off. The only repeating theme for next year is the one I’ve already mentioned in relation to Melania Trump’s chart, the three squares of Saturn – Uranus, but not worth speculating at this point other than to say that it’s undeniably disruptive and not great news for world economy.
We have three more major aspects in the second half of the week, starting with the Mars square Pluto that I mentioned above in relation to the Macrons –
Wednesday 23 December
- Mars 23 Aries square Pluto 23 Capricorn 14.45
The good bit is that Mars is powering forwards in his own sign and therefore this square, although difficult, is not long lasting. It does however suggest something non negotiable – like cancelled plans. In your own life, with this square falling in the post eclipse climate and being the first major aspect after the Grand Conjunction, look out for the coming to light of information that is new to you and could change the way you think, influence a decision or reveal what is in fact already decided and unchangeable.
On Christmas Day and then in the early hours of next Monday Mercury and then the Sun align with Uranus –
Friday 25 December – Christmas Day
- Mercury 7 Capricorn trine Uranus 7 Taurus 07.06
Monday 28 December
- Sun 7 Capricorn trine Uranus 7 Taurus 03.26
Trines are harmonious aspects and Uranus is the co-ruler of Aquarius. If nothing else these aspects fit the themes of the collective living by new rules and connecting through technology. Whatever actual or virtual get-togethers you’re able to be part of on Christmas Day there’s the chance to enjoy some real fun and interaction.
But these aspects also suggest to me a raising of awareness and thinking ahead. Capricorn is the sign of the Mountain Goat, surefooted and picking its way to the summit, synonymous with making plans and setting goals. The Uranus/Aquarius combination is associated with objectivity, brilliance, even genius, and reminds us that there are always new ways of looking at things. We might feel as if life is being dictated to us at an unprecedented level and, in some ways, this is true. But in spite of the pandemic life goes on and, back to Iyanla Vanzant’s first quote at the top of this blog, we all still have the power of choice in so many other ways.
If my client work this year is anything to go by there’s already been a big shift in terms of realizing who we want to be around, and who we don’t. Going out to a place of work, being away from a partner or family for most of the week, is becoming a thing of the past for many. Relationships that survived only through not having to be together for too much time are ending.
There’s a lot of clarity in the voice of Aquarius, but also very strong opinions, so we have to guard against imposing our beliefs. We don’t have to convert others to our own way of doing things or, conversely, live by someone else’s rules. It’s about learning from each other rather than always thinking we have to fix and change things. The irony of the Uranus/Aquarius combination is that it rules the collective yet is associated with originality and differentness, ideas to carry forwards with you. Whatever isn’t working out for you – and especially if there’s a “yet again” tag on that – is a chance to turn a setback or disappointment into a lesson. I’m seeing a lot of evidence for this at the moment. It’s not new to say don’t cling to the past, but right now it feels more accurate to say don’t cling to the outdated, whatever that might be.
Until next week, have the best possible Christmas,
With love from locked down Greece!
Joanna
I very much enjoyed your blog entry and find it valuable and much food for thought. Please add me to your blog email list. Thank you. basialouise@gmail.com
thanks Barbara – done!