The Astrology Blog 31 October 2022
All times in BST
“No one can reap the fruit before planting the trees.”
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva – returning president Brazil
“Before you roll those dice, Baby think twice.”
Think Twice – Celine Dion, written by Andy Hill record producer and songwriter, partnered by lyricist Peter Sinfield
If you’d like to receive the weekly blog straight to inbox on Monday mornings, it’s free, and you can either send an email address to me joannaw@otenet.gr to be added to the mailing list or anyone can sign up from the website. Here’s the link for the sign up box –
If you want to see the visual of the wheel with the sign and degree of the planets in your own or any other natal chart, to check against the signs and degrees important this week as outlined in the blog, here’s the link to Astrotheme. Enter your data into the boxes provided, and you’ll also find an invaluable databank of thousands of celebrities:
https://www.astrotheme.com/horoscope_chart_sign_ascendant.php
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Yes, we’re in that witchy time of year. Here’s Elisabeth’s latest blog about artist Georgia O’Keeffe who she describes as “a Super Scorpio” –
Diving deep and surfacing Georgia O’Keeffe. – Elisabeth Brooke
ELON MUSK & TWITTER
Talking about things coming back from the dead …. the Twitter deal did get done!
Astrologically this is an interesting example of long timelines, or backdrops, as described by the slower moving planets taking many months to go forwards and backwards over sensitive degrees in a horoscope.
The usually fast moving Mars is now on that list, and here’s a reminder of their journeys, important for all of us at a universal level and especially important for you at a personal level if you have planets or Angles at or close to these turning points –
| 2022 | Turns Retrograde | Turns Direct |
| Mars | 30 Oct 25.36 Gemini | 12 Jan (2023) 8.08 Gemini |
| Jupiter | 28 July 8.43 Aries | 23 Nov 28.48 Pisces |
| Saturn | 4 June 25.15 Aquarius | 23 Oct 18.35 Aquarius |
| Uranus | 24 August 18.55 Taurus | 22 Jan (2023) 14.56 Taurus |
| Neptune | 28 June 25.26 Pisces | 3 Dec 22.39 Pisces |
| Pluto | 29 April 28.36 Capricorn | 8 Oct 26.07 Capricorn |
The acquisition of Twitter by business magnate Elon Musk –
- Began on 14 April
- He started backing out of the deal in May when retrograde Mercury (changing our minds) crossed his natal Saturn 3 times
- He officially pulled out of the deal 9 July and Twitter threatened to sue him
- 4 October he proposed a deal to buy the company at the original offer price of $44 billion – and thereby escaped a court case
- The deal was concluded 27 October
Elon Musk owns technology enterprises such as Tesla and SpaceX which have made him the richest man in the world. He has the Sun in Cancer as the focal point of a T-Square with Uranus opposite Chiron (conjunct Midheaven, Angle of career and one of the parents). Mars, ruler of the Midheaven and therefore his key career planet, is at 21 degrees Aquarius, which in turn is Uranus’ sign. Mars in his 8th House, one of the money sectors, and the House that in the natural sequence of things belongs to Pluto.
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Elon_Musk
We can see from the list of planets above that this timeline fits most closely with –
- Saturn (business, empire building) and Pluto (plutocracy, wealth of the individual)
- His natal Pluto is 27 Virgo (another earth sign so transiting Pluto in trine, harmonious aspect)
- His natal Mars at 21 Aquarius is right in the middle of Saturn’s path
- Saturn stationed to turn direct conjunct his Mars within just 4 days of the deal being done
- The “sorting winners from losers” Solar Eclipse at 2 Scorpio (Pluto’s sign) fell 2 days later on 25 October
Again it’s the middle contacts of the three legged transits that are showing powerfully, and when these coincide with other features – eg a planet turning direct and an Eclipse – this is textbook predictive astrology. These are the kind of techniques that you can learn with Sally Kirkman or me on next year’s Summer School courses.
Another Eclipse winner – In Brazil former president Lula da Silva beat far-right incumbent Bolsonaro in the presidential election (see, it can be done Boris lol). No horoscope for him but his birthday is 27 October 1945, putting his Sun at about 3 degrees of Scorpio.
WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK?
In terms of aspects, the answer is not a lot. And I’ll just flag up now that next week is the opposite, absolutely packed out with stuff, including a total Lunar Eclipse, so I get the sense that we should make the most of this week. Enjoy a breathing space or find time to catch up with the things that are important to you.
The only aspects fall over the weekend and they’re difficult ones to Venus –
Saturday 5 November
- Venus 17 Scorpio opposite Uranus 17 Taurus 22.23
Sunday 6 November
- Venus 18 Scorpio square Saturn 18 Aquarius 07.35
So this is Venus playing into the big Saturn – Uranus square that is still the dominant feature of our skies, but it is at least now starting to separate – ie the gap between them will continue to get wider between now and the end of the year as Saturn gradually picks up speed and Uranus continues to go the other way.
A reminder of their key symbolism – so a “don’t mess around with fireworks” warning is an obvious immediate interpretation!
- SATURN – Lord of Time, rules ticking clocks and our mortality. His domain is authority, career, duty and responsibility, pessimism and realism. In action Saturn is the bringer of solemnity, frustration, obstacles, boundaries, health issues, limitations and endings, the things that are seemingly dumped on us or that we are powerless to change. Plus side is results that come through taking things seriously, being “a grown up”, being effortful, hardworking, constructive and committed, in for the long haul.
- URANUS – is the sky god and he rules all that comes “out of the blue”. He challenges all that Saturn stands for (ie Saturn makes the rules, Uranus breaks them) and his nature is therefore innovative, sudden, unexpected, erratic or explosive. The rug puller, the springer of surprises, the thing you couldn’t possibly have seen coming. The astrologer’s nightmare, the unpredictable planet! Ask Liz Truss.
Throw into the mix that Venus is the love, money and pleasure planet but is already in difficulty being in Scorpio (her sign of detriment) and you can see that these are not easy combinations. Secrecy, jealousy, affairs, intense sexual attractions, control/power issues, things out of control, a woman creating or experiencing serious problems – these are the kind of hallmarks to look out for.
Also eyebrow raising news such as sudden splits or sudden get togethers, unexpected matches or unconventional relationships.
Also a point worth making, this came up in client work last week, it’s usually highly beneficial to “be the adult” in the situation but NOT at the expense of infantilizing another person. In other words, taking on all the responsibility in any close relationship can turn us into the Control Freak and allows the other person to continue as The Child. If you’re in any kind of unbalanced relationship – romantic, friend, business – it’s time to focus on where and how you can bring about true equality. What is your responsibility, and what isn’t?
MARS NOW RETROGRADE
In terms of backdrops the big event is that Mars has been slowing down for weeks and finally turned retrograde yesterday –
Sunday 30 November
- Mars turned retrograde at 25.36 Gemini 14.27
To recap from last week –
Mars turns retrograde approximately once every 25 months for periods of around 65-80 days at a time, so nowhere near as frequent as Mercury (3 times a year, 3 weeks at a time). Mars won’t turn direct again until 12 January (at 8 Gemini) which translates into Mars spending 7 months in Gemini instead of the usual 2 months.
Think scenic route! What we would normally expect to be an A to B journey could take either a lot longer than expected or will take us the long way around.
Also as with all retrogrades look out for the “going back” and “re” themes, everything from getting back with an ex to rethinking and reshaping a plan. Being in the double sign of Gemini underlines the theme of choices, options – this or that, here or there, this job or that job, stay or go – but also two things or more at the same time.
As I’m rather fond of saying astrology can sometimes be very literal, and amusing, in its simplicity. Mars is men, Gemini the Twins is twos = two men. I mentioned this to a client who’s actively involved in the dating scene in the search for a serious partner. She has a Sagittarius Ascendant (the self) and therefore has the opposite sign of Gemini on her Descendant (the other). She laughed and said yes, I’ve just met two new men, and guess what, they’re both called xxx. Yes they both had the same name and it wasn’t even an especially common one either!
Note that Mars in Gemini means that Mars is in Mercury’s sign – so a lot of retrograde Mercury themes may start to make themselves felt. I’m having serious internet connection problems. Gave up trying to get through on the helpline, went into town to the phone company office, booked a technician, he arrived two days later – said he couldn’t sort the problem perfectly but could improve it. I had to settle for that. So far not much improvement noticed! Will definitely have to start looking at other options, what a pain! We are all so reliant on our technology.
At a universal level Mars is the god of war, he rules action and speed, so is unsurprisingly also associated with accidents. I always say to pay close attention to what happens on these big turning points and the news over the weekend has made depressing reading, with the tragedies in Seoul and India, both seemingly disasters of the “waiting to happen” kind. Turning points can be tipping or breaking points.
We also have the worsening war situation in Ukraine and the latest Chinese snap lockdown in support of their zero Covid policy, which saw thousands locked inside Shanghai’s Disneyworld – going nowhere until they test negative.
So to have the action planet looping backwards feels like going nowhere fast, going backwards, something coming to a screeching halt, changes of heart or plan, the need for or the right time for plan B, rethinks on the “how to” and the timing of any plan, project or desire currently close to your heart.
Top advice – do nothing in a hurry. The saying act in haste, repent at leisure, comes to mind. In simple terms a retrograde Mars is the opposite to rushing into something. In the physical body Mars rules the head – no going in headfirst and steer clear of anyone else’s hotheaded behavior too. Take your time, whether it’s getting to grips with a new job or getting to know someone new, take the urgency out of a situation wherever possible and take the longer view. Focusing on what we want an outcome to be can help us make the right moves, decisions, compromises or sacrifices along the way,
Until next week, with love from Greece
Joanna
