The Astrology Blog 7 March 2022
All times in GMT
“I’m your neighbor, I don’t need to be kept at 30 meters, I don’t bite, I’m a normal man. Sit with me, talk to me, what are you afraid of?”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressing Putin, 3 March 2022
“Words on the page don’t have the same impact as somebody saying the words to you.”
Rik Mayall 7 March 1958 – 9 June 2014
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Rik_Mayall
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RIK MAYALL
This funny man would have been 64 today. It was a moment of synchronicity when I was looking for something on an entirely different theme and saw the quote above, just as I’d read and chosen the first quote from Ukraine’s president.
I don’t think there’s anyone who would disagree that social media has changed the way that we communicate, for better and for worse. I can’t help but wonder how WW2 would have unfolded if the world had been watching every step, every event, seeing thousands of photos, listening to every word, immersed in it 24/7.
The “for better” is that this kind of coverage takes us there. We don’t have to imagine what it’s like in the same way as the news hungry world of WW2. There’s no excuse for ignorance. Fund raising is soaring to new heights, a clear showing of the annual Sun – Jupiter conjunction that was exact on Saturday at 14 Pisces, just after the New Moon at 12 Pisces, as observed in last week’s blog –
The other side to life affirming and generous Jupiter in redemptive Pisces, who also connects to the 12th House of suffering or sacrifice, is the archetype of The Rescuer. I think this astrology is already reflecting the aid pouring in for Ukraine.
So not only aid from countries, individuals are digging deep into their pockets. Everyone (Jupiter) wants to find a way to help. Some ingenious ideas have sprung up, such as booking airb&b rooms in Kiev. Obviously not to be used, but as a way of getting money to families.
The “for worse” bit is that the domination of messaging, in whatever format we might choose, has practically eliminated the need for the spoken word. Have we forgotten how to pick up the phone when things get sticky? Have we forgotten how to work out our differences just by sitting down together, and next to each other?
Zelenskyy hasn’t. just in case you missed it, 30 meters refers to the meeting between Putin and the French president Macron, seated at opposite ends of a table that seemed to go on forever. Confrontational and symbolic of the distance and difference between them. Of course Macron reported that the “meeting” got them nowhere and that, on the contrary, he now knows that the worst is to come.
VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY
There was a cartoon doing the rounds on Facebook last week which pictured 4 things visible from space – the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Amazon River, the Grand Canyon and the Balls of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. If English isn’t your first language, to have balls is to be brave. That’s why we also have the saying “grow a pair” if we think a man is being a wimp!
So much for the English lesson – but yes the Ukraine president’s surname is correctly spelt with 2 y’s at the end – I think most of us have had a geography lesson too in these last couple of weeks. Hands up those who knew before this war started exactly where Ukraine was in Europe and what colour its flag was and the name of the president? You won’t see my hand in the count.
Zelenskyy is of course now a household name, for all the worst possible reasons. But alongside the reporting of unfolding events are a growing number of testaments to this man’s personality, humour and bravery, and the info that he was an actor and comedian in his former life. Here’s the link to his horoscope –
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Volodymyr_Zelenskyy
In terms of likeability the exact Sun – Venus conjunction in Aquarius jumps out, in the 9th House of the higher mind. I hate to say this but Boris Johnson has also got an exact Sun – Venus conjunction in the 9th (in Gemini) and, no matter what you might think of his politics, apparently he has charm. It’s a point I’m forced to concede, after all, people liked him enough to vote for him. But that’s another subject.
So a Sun – Venus combination is essentially peaceable and good natured, in any sign. In Aquarius though – the sign ruled by both Saturn and Uranus – we can throw in more discipline or stronger beliefs than we would normally expect to see. Bojo unfortunately embodies the worst of Sun – Venus Gemini – all sweet talk.
Zelenskyy is more about real talk. His Ascendant is Gemini. I looked up in my book (written over 8 years ago, I don’t have instant recall for everything I said lol) to see what I’d written about Gemini when it appears as the rising sign. There’s certainly a flavor here of Zelenskyy’s image and approach, links to his talent for comedy, and quite simply the Gemini essential key phrase “I communicate” –
Manner and speech: can come across as nervy, chirpy, flippant or highly curious. Often they are animated conversationalists with a childlike sense of fun. Everything is flavoured by speed or versatility, whether it is actions, thought processes or the speaking voice. Individuals with this rising sign or a first house Mercury usually have a way with words, including perfect comic or theatrical timing or a quick wit. The flipside is flightiness, a tendency to blow hot and cold or to mask real feelings behind a jokey “don’t get too serious” attitude.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Be-Your-Own-Astrologer –
SYNASTRY
Synastry is the word for astrological compatibility – or lack of it. Comparing your own horoscope with someone else’s will clearly show you just how compatible you are, where the strengths or weaknesses of any relationship can be found.
Timing the charts will also reveal what’s happening now for each individual. For example your own chart may indicate a new romance, but you need to see how it’s showing in the other person’s horoscope too.
Funnily enough someone asked me last week if two Aquarians are good together? I gave my usual reply which is that it isn’t just about the Sun signs, there’s so much more to consider, such as the crucial Angles of the Ascendant (self) and Descendant (significant other). But I also told her that I always remember one of my first teachers Maggie Hyde saying that, of all the signs, only Aquarians were really any good with a partner of the same sign.
Back to Zelenskyy, whose wife Olena Zelenska is born just two weeks after him on 6 February 1978. Can’t find a time of birth for her but the Sun and Venus have stayed close so she also has this conjunction, her husband’s is at 5 degrees, Olena has the Sun 17 Aquarius and Venus 21 Aquarius, opposite his Moon at 17 Leo.
Synastry between the Lights – the Sun and the Moon – is powerful by any aspect. Her Mercury is 3 Aquarius (conjunct his Sun/Venus, and Mercury is a key planet in synastry for indicating like mindedness) and she may also have the Moon in this sign, or in the previous sign of Capricorn.
TRANSITS
The fact that they are born only two weeks apart means that they’re sharing the same transits, two of which are major.
Taskmaster Saturn has a cycle of 29.5 years so spends roughly 2.5 years travelling through each sign and is currently two thirds of the way through Aquarius
- Saturn has just opposed his Moon 17.43 Leo (opposite sign to Aquarius, exact on 19th Feb) and conjuncted Olena’s Sun, is now at 19 Aquarius, will reach Olena’s Venus in the second half of March
- Saturn will get as far as 25 Aquarius and then turn retrograde 4 June
- Will turn direct again at 18.35 Aquarius 23 October, so that turning point is directly picking up their synastry of his Moon/her Sun & Venus
- This journey also means that Saturn will be picking up the exact opposition between Putin’s Pluto 22 Leo and Ukraine’s Moon 22 Aquarius, a three legged transit that won’t complete until next January
- The nuclear threat is running through this as Pluto rules atomic power and symbolizes literal or symbolic endings or destruction. If you’ve ever lived through a Pluto transit of your own then you’ll have experienced some kind of death/rebirth experience
- We got through the Mars – Pluto conjunction last week by the skin of our teeth after Putin’s army attacked and seized a nuclear plant in the southeast of Ukraine. A Russian “projectile” hit a training centre, not any of the six reactors. Insanity. Inevitably this has triggered global alarm and NATO are now walking on eggshells
URANUS
The other big transit for the president and his wife is what is called the Uranus Half Return. Uranus has an 84 year orbit but you can’t just divide that in two –
From Be Your Own Astrologer –
As he makes his 84 year lap Uranus will eventually cross over all the other planets and Angles, but it is his halfway point that is especially important. For example, if natal Uranus is at 4 degrees of Libra then Uranus will have reached his halfway point when he arrives at 4 degrees of Aries. Note that Uranus is erratic in nature and also has an erratic orbit so this midpoint of his journey falls anywhere between the ages of 38 and 42.
This is called the Uranus Half Return, commonly referred to as the astrological midlife crisis. Some area of life is restructured, sometimes dramatically, and often this manifests as a claiming of something unlived up until this point, a sense of “if I don’t do it now I never will”. Divorces, marriages and “last chance” babies are incredibly common at this time.
The last time I talked about this astrological event was last June in relation to Matt Hancock’s horoscope – when he broke lockdown rules and was caught in a clinch with his aide Gina, photos splashed all over the media, he immediately got sacked and he left his wife for the other woman. That looks like a walk in the park now compared to what Zelenskyy and his family are now up against.
- Zelenskyy – Uranus 16.07 Scorpio in 6th House (where we locate the armed forces)
- Olena’s Uranus 16.19 Scorpio, virtually the same position as this planet moves slowly, but position in terms of House unknown without a time of birth
- Transiting Uranus currently in the opposite sign of Taurus will oppose his natal Uranus in Scorpio 28 May – 28 November – 17 March 2023
- There are always three dates for the Uranus Half Return as the retrograde phase lasts 5 months, so Uranus comes back again over any degree and then back for the third and final hit after turning direct
- Next turning points are Uranus turning retrograde 18.55 Taurus 24 August and turning direct again 14.56 Taurus 22 January 2023
So whatever way you look at things there are consequences reverberating into the beginning of next year. And remember that Uranus was exactly opposite Putin’s Venus when he gave the order to invade Ukraine.
In terms of other synastry note that the Descendant – the beginning to the 7th House of partnership – is also where we locate open enemies.
Zelenskyy | Putin | Ukraine |
Uranus 16 Scorpio | Venus 11 Scorpio opposite Jupiter 19 Taurus | Pluto 17 Scorpio |
Pluto 16 Libra | Sun 14 Libra conjunct Saturn 17 Libra | |
Moon 17 Leo | Pluto 22 Leo | Moon 22 Aquarius |
Asc/Desc 22 Gemini/Sagittarius
Jupiter 27 Gemini |
Mars 26 Sagittarius |
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING THIS WEEK?
This isn’t a packed out week in terms of planetary activity. We’re travelling towards the only major aspect of the week which is the Sun – Neptune conjunction (once a year) and along the way Mercury is the only planet making any kind of noise –
Tuesday 8 March
- Mercury 28 Aquarius semi-sextile Pluto 18.04
Thursday 10 March
- Mercury ingress Pisces 01.33
- Sun 20 Pisces semi-sextile Saturn 20 Aquarius 11.18
Sunday 13 March
- Mercury 5 Pisces semi-sextile Mars 5 Aquarius 09.45
- Sun conjunct Neptune 23 Pisces 11.45
The semi-sextile aspect repeats three times this week. It’s a minor aspect, created when planets are exactly one degree apart, and one that I don’t always list if there are bigger events going on. But sextiles (two signs apart) are considered to be highly benefic, so it follows that half a sextile can be half as good! So observe them and see what unfolds for you, but note that in other respects the Mercury contacts are not easy.
Mercury’s link to Pluto is the last event before changing sign and moving on into Pisces, so double whammy in terms of any kind of finale, such as an irrevocable decision. Pisces is Mercury’s sign of both “detriment” and “fall” – great for the arts, creativity and the imagination, not so great for the truth – and the second minor aspect is to god of war Mars. Look out for arguments, especially the ones that no side can win.
SUN – NEPTUNE CONJUNCTION IN PISCES
Neptune has a 165 year orbit so spends ages travelling through each of the signs, and won’t move on into the next sign of Aries until 2026. In the meantime then Neptune is said to be “dignified” in his own sign of Pisces, but whether in a good or a bad sign this is still an outer planet with its good/bad two sides of a coin. From a craft point of view Neptune is co-ruler of Pisces, Jupiter is the traditional ruler.
This planet is gathering strength in terms of importance –
- The Sun – Neptune conjunction is once a year
- The Jupiter – Neptune conjunction is once every 13 years
- The next Jupiter – Neptune is fast approaching, will be exact 12 April (next one is 23 March 2035, at 21 Aries) https://astrologyking.com/jupiter-conjunct-neptune/
- Saturn will make the minor semi-sextile to Neptune 17 May, and repeats this 6 January 2023
Have you noticed that with all the dates I’ve referred to that there’s a lot of activity with January as the finale? This is relevant to Ukraine but also to us at a personal level, if only because we’ll be observing and wondering and worrying from a distance.
Remember that there’s nothing like the sign of Pisces for “escalating and inflating”, Pisceans are known for being super sensitive and they win hands down for empathy, BUT the other side to the coin is super touchy. One drop of water from a wrong word can spiral into a whole ocean of other feelings. Jupiter expands whatever he touches and Neptune blurs the edges, either with romance or deception, depending on your own context! Anxiety management is paramount, especially if you think you’re drinking too much – Neptune rules the booze – or having sleep problems.
If you have planets or Angles at or close to 23 Pisces then some major event in your own life will be unfolding. This might link to caring for others but, wherever there’s a choice, look very carefully at where you may be making far too many sacrifices at the expense of your own life and needs.
I have a sense that this week’s Sun – Neptune conjunction will be paving the way to the far more important Jupiter – Neptune. So, as ever, pay close attention to what unfolds for you this coming weekend as events could be packed with clues and pointers with regards to a personal matter, or to things that will make more sense in a month’s time. If I had to choose one theme as being top of the list it would be reality checking. Don’t believe everything you hear or are told. Check the facts.
Next week we’ll be on the road to the Spring Equinox, preceded by a Full Moon in an exact aspect to Pluto (again), and also Mercury and Venus both picking up Uranus, so until then stay cool, stay calm. I admire Olena as a role model who it’s reported told her own children in that ultimate Aquarian way, no tears, no drama,
With love from Greece
Joanna