The Astrology Blog 26 August 2019
The Whacky World of Uranus – Changes & Curiosity
“Things can get out of a black hole both on the outside and possibly to another universe. So if you feel you are in a black hole, don’t give up – there’s a way out… Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious.
And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.”
– Stephen Hawking, 8 January 1942
The Greek Island Summer School
Scroll down to the end of the blog for the brand new schedule for 2020, including three visiting tutors – Dr Bronwen Rees, Elisabeth Brooke and Sally Kirkman.
If you are a “last minuter” there are some places left on the last two courses of the season. There are also some great flight bargains, the weather forecast is wall to wall sunshine, and all courses are designed as a study holiday, giving you the chance to meet and mix with like minded people with plenty of free time for relaxing, sunbathing, swimming, exploring the island or boat trips to neighbouring Ithaka and Cephalonia. Optional group meals organised for every evening.
Talking Tarot 28 August
4 of 10 places available
https://joannawatters.com/course/talking-tarot-beginners-course-28-aug-2019/
Working with Tarot 11 September
2 of 10 places available
https://joannawatters.com/course/greek-island-working-with-tarot/
- £325.00 – per course
Contact me direct re info for the best travel deals. Top of the list is a return flight for £139.00!
This Week’s Astrology
First of all some feedback on the astrology that has just unfolded over the weekend. It was the grand finale of a long series of all those horrible quinqunxes, this time involving Mercury, the communication planet –
Friday 23 August
- Mercury 17 Leo quinqunx Neptune 17 Pisces 03.28 BST
Saturday 24 August
- Mercury 21 Leo quinqunx Pluto 21 Capricorn 09.13 BST
As I wrote last week – “the quinqunx is a minor aspect formed when planets are exactly 5 signs apart, when they have nothing in common and no meeting point other than an awkward one. Blind spots, missing links and gremlins are likely to characterize your plans this week but persevere. The one major aspect is to lucky Jupiter who, having just turned direct, is pointing us in the right direction.”
These aspects are like Mercury retrograde – with bells on. As we clicked into Saturday BA sent out thousands of emails telling every customer that their flights were cancelled. Not just for the three planned strike days, but for every day for the next few weeks. Oops. I wouldn’t like to be the person responsible for this … it literally has cost BA millions.
It hit me directly as 6 of the 8 students booked for the final course of the year on 11 September are flying in with BA and were amongst those emailed. I woke up to a pinging inbox of frantic messages. Miraculously we managed to find alternative flights for all 6 of them. Panic over. Then on Saturday evening these same students started getting emails from BA saying that their flights had been reinstated and would be available after all. The full scale of this total balls up only became apparent today (Sunday) when it hit the news that thousands of cancellation emails had been sent out by error and now thousands of people are dealing with the chaos and the frustration of trying to get through to BA – impossible, lines jammed, at the last count they’d received 38,000 calls in the first few hours – to confirm their refunds. What a nightmare.
What’s Happening this Week?
Moving on! Stephen Hawking’s quote about finding our way out of black holes seems especially appropriate after all this hoo-ha. Whatever issue in your own life has been characterized by crossed wires, indecision, wrong information or frustrated hopes should now be settling into a different shape. At least Mercury was also trine Jupiter at the time of these blind spots aspects – so for example my students are all still going to make it over here even though they’ve had to contend with a lot of stress and frustration. It was a huge testimony to their enthusiasm that they all rebooked new flights before even getting their refunds! Don’t worry girls, it will all get resolved – read on!
Another but much lovelier story to fit this astrology was my being contacted by Soul and Spirit magazine asking to interview me – as the winner of the award in their astrology book category in their magazine. Award? Winner? It was one of those “What?” moments. I didn’t even know that my book Be Your Own Astrologer had been entered. It transpired that most authors enter their own books but that mine had been entered by the publishers. Only nobody had let me know. So there’s a blind spot with a happy ending, and thank you very much for whoever voted! The book was reviewed and judged by the delightful Marion Williamson and you can read her write up here.
Uranus Stealing the Show
This week Uranus (now in Taurus) is making his presence felt, as the planets who have all just moved into Virgo, a fellow earth sign, or about to (Mercury) are all making trines (harmonious) to this wild card planet –
Monday 26 August
- Venus 6 Virgo trine Uranus 6 Taurus 16.39 BST
Wednesday 28 August
- Mars 6 Virgo trine Uranus 6 Taurus 11.53 BST
Thursday 29 August
- Mercury ingress Virgo 08.49 BST
Friday 30 August
- Sun 6 Virgo trine Uranus 6 Taurus 04.15 BST
- New Moon 7 Virgo trine Uranus 11.38 BST
Sunday 1 September
- Mercury 6 Virgo trine Uranus 6 Taurus 15.12 BST
Looking at this sequence now that I’ve actually written it down in black and white rather makes my head spin! So let’s start with a reminder of what Uranus stands for. From Be Your Own Astrologer –
Uranus co-ruler of Aquarius was discovered in 1781, coinciding with the French and American revolutions, and the industrial revolution in England. He is the planet of rebellion, anarchy, social advancement, ecology and technology. Both Bill Gates and the late Steve Jobs have strong Uranus/Aquarius features in their horoscopes. In mythology Uranus is the sky god and he rules all that comes “out of the blue”. He challenges all that Saturn stands for, such as hierarchy and traditional rules, and his nature is innovative, explosive, sudden, unexpected, erratic or unpredictable.
Typical Uranian types are primarily different. Brilliant, quirky, nervy, eccentric, unstable, a wild child or a genius, a scientist or social misfit, they are always unusual, unconventional or original in some way.
Uranus is at his most powerful for those individuals who have a Uranian/Aquarian theme to their horoscopes, for example:
- Spike Milligan, groundbreaking, irreverent comedian and strident campaigner, addressing both domestic violence and environmental issues, who suffered from bipolar disorder throughout his life. The “signature” of his horoscope is an Aquarius Ascendant, Uranus dignified in Aquarius in the First House (self/physical body) and in aspect to both the Lights, Sun in Aries and Moon in Gemini.
Also bear in mind that Uranus has only just turned retrograde (12 August, just hours after Jupiter turned direct) so is very slow moving at the moment, “stuck” at 6 degrees Taurus, so we also have a theme of turning points, going back to the things that we’d maybe written off, or processing massive or surprising changes, including our attitude. Uranus is the ultimate X factor, the thing we couldn’t possibly have seen coming, but this picture also adds up to a stunning wakeup call as well as matters unfolding in a totally unexpected way.
Uranus in the natural sequence of things and as co-ruler of Aquarius is also therefore co-ruler of the 11th House of the horoscope, where we find groups and organizations. Echoes of BA here!! This is why I think that everyone will get refunded (trines), and with the link to technology too I also think that this indicates that BA will seriously overhaul their computer systems, which apparently were only recently upgraded lol.
On the day I flew back to London for the last lot of workshops and classes there, 7 August, it was the day that their systems first crashed worldwide. I was travelling back with my niece, we got our flight (delayed), even though the 90 flights before had been cancelled, but we sat on the tarmac for another 2 hours in Greece after the pilot fessed up that although we’d been boarded we hadn’t actually got a takeoff slot … which adds up to the rather lucky fact that we’re now owed refunds, not by BA policy but by EU law which states that if your flight is delayed more than 3 hours you’re entitled to compensation. Uranus (upheaval) in Taurus (money) is definitely showing as winners or losers, but for BA this has to be a major operational turning point.
Anyway, back to the fact that Venus, Mars, Sun and Mercury in that order are all aligning with Uranus this week, just about anything could happen. Long live rebellion! If you’re sick of being a cog in a wheel, or running your life in a way that suits other people but is not that great for you, or if you’re working for a company with old style management, these aspects could be supremely helpful. To clarify that, old style management is controlling and blaming, treating their staff from the viewpoint of “you’re lucky to have a job” and always on the lookout for people doing things wrong, whereas new style management recognizes that their staff are their top asset and treats them as human beings rather than machines.
Richard Branson is well known for being a new age pioneer on this subject and amongst the many quotes you can find from him on his philosophy this one sums it up – “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” His results clearly speak for themselves.
You know almost without looking that Uranus just has to figure strongly in Branson’s horoscope. Sure enough, he has Uranus at 6 Cancer in the 11th House (therefore in what is called Natural House, getting an extra point) exactly trine big thinking and entrepreneurial Jupiter dignified in his own sign at 6 Pisces. Note that these are empathic water signs too, that Branson’s Sun sign is also Cancer – sign of family. He’s known for treating his staff as kin.
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Richard_Branson
Uranus rules groups which is great news for the incoming students on Wednesday, we should be in for a lively week. If you want to learn a subject or extend your social circle this is the ideal time for joining groups related to your own interests. And not just online either. If you’re conscious of needing stimulus, new friends, a lover or serious partner then getting back into circulation is the best thing you can do right now for your personal life, especially as all of these Uranus transits are supported by the New Moon. Whatever new chapter opens for you at this time could sweep away the old and revolutionise your life.
Do we also need any words of caution? How do we distinguish between rash or self sabotaging behavior and rebellion of the healthy and empowering kind? My advice on this subject is always to quote Anita Moorjani (author of Dying to be Me) who says, “do something because of the way it makes you feel. Feelings are underrated”. She’s a Pisces lol. And ok we’re not all instinctive Pisceans or Neptunian types, but she’s got a real point. Venus, the love and pleasures planet, is amongst the rush into Virgo but this is not her best sign. Venus is “exalted” in feeling Pisces and is therefore in “fall” in the opposite sign of analytical Virgo. Guard against picking apart your feelings or looking at them from a distance. Instead just feel them and know that they don’t have to make sense. Then see how this changes the picture and how this can guide you or point you to the right decision making, ie finding what is right for you.
Uranus on his way through Taurus certainly supports the idea of breaking with the tradition of doing something because it’s always been done that way, or just for the money. The picture could hardly look better for an overhaul of personal values and deciding on our priorities. To go back to Stephen Hawking, note too that Uranus/Aquarius are associated with being curious
Only one other aspect is happening, at the very end of the week just after the Mercury – Uranus trine –
Sunday 1 September
- Venus 14 Virgo trine Saturn 14 Capricorn 18.50 BST
This feels helpful as Venus aligning harmoniously with serious Saturn – strong in his own sign and getting ready to turn direct in the middle of next month – speaks of laying firm foundations, building important relationships in a way that will make them last, asking for the commitment you need, OR it’s endings of the constructive kind. Leaving a relationship or a job that is making you miserable, and which will therefore be dominating your entire life, is the single best thing that you can do to get back on track.
Venus – Saturn contacts can be about recognizing once and for all what is not working in your life, what is not satisfying you, and letting go of it. Even if this is an ending seemingly forced upon us it usually turns out to be for the better. Going even further with that, even losing something that we wholeheartedly believe that we want can turn out to be a blessing that will become apparent a long way ahead. Our job now is to accept that which is denied us as gracefully as possible because it simply isn’t in our life plan. And that is what your horoscope is – your life plan.
Venus is also money and in the sign of Virgo is associated with frugality. So this aspect to Saturn is also great for spotting the leaks, the cash bandits, and for putting in firmer boundaries around spending. Look at where some short term self denial will pay off for longer term plans. And in the wake of all of that whacky Uranus stuff look at the elements in play that are, by contrast, stabilizing and reassuring.
Have a great week, and don’t forget to look up at the stars!
With love from Greece
Joanna
THE GREEK ISLAND SUMMER SCHOOL 2020
Here is the schedule of courses for 2020. All courses start with Wednesday as the day of arrival, flights back the following Wednesday. These are study holidays so you have four study days, finishing at 3.30pm to allow beach and siesta time, and two full free days.
It is not yet possible to book flights as these become available usually around mid October. For now the important thing is to let me know if you want to put your name down for any of these courses so that I can then let you know as soon as the flights or other travel package options are released.
joannaw@otenet.gr
Whatsapp 00306976296085
Wednesday 6th May (Friday 8 May is bank holiday)
Talking Tarot
With Joanna Watters
Tarot is magical, fun, easy to learn – and incredibly helpful! You can do everything from looking at daily concerns to your picture for the next six months to asking specific questions – such as love, money, work, moving or anything that is currently close to your heart. Learn the card meanings in depth and how to choose spreads. Suitable for beginners to intermediate levels.
Wednesday 13th May
Evolving the Soul: Mindfulness, Astrology & the I Ching
with Dr Bronwen Rees
In this course we will be exploring the birth chart from an ancestral and karmic perspective. You’ll learn how to use your chart as a blueprint for the soul’s journey, how ancestral energies may be holding back your progress, and how these manifest in the chart. Learn how mindfulness techniques help release the energies of the chart. We will also be working with the basics of the I Ching (The Book of Changes) and combining this ancient wisdom with findings in modern science. The aim is to align more closely with your soul’s intent and to uncover practical methods for navigating our own way through the current great transition in which we find ourselves.
Depth psychotherapist and spiritual pioneer, Bronwen works with integrating ideas from the East and West into a method of understanding that can lead to self-transformation. She is published widely and has run many different retreats and workshops over the decades. Formerly Director of Transformational Management in a Cambridge business school, she set up the East West Sanctuary in Hungary, running retreats on psychotherapy, Buddhism, and sustainable business, and now teaches psychotherapy, runs workshops in the UK and is working on a Hungarian translation of the I Ching.
Wednesday 20th May
Astrology, Herbs & Health
with Elisabeth Brooke
Your birth chart shows how you can attain optimal health by working out your innate constitution or temperament with reference to the four elements, Fire, Air, Earth and Water and the four Temperaments, Choleric, Phlegmatic, Sanguine and Melancholic. In Traditional Herbalism healing herbs are ruled by the seven planets, so you will learn which herbs best suit your Temperament and their individual medicinal virtues. A day trip to look at some of the beautiful herbs growing around Nidri will be arranged as part of the course.
Wednesday 27th May
Astrology, Karma & Destiny
with Elisabeth Brooke
Your birth chart shows your Soul’s journey, how you chose to come in to this life. The Sun, Moon and planets illustrate how different aspects of your destiny work out in your everyday life. Working with your own chart, and those of famous people, you can begin to understand how to maximise the gifts of your horoscope and how the issues and challenges of your personal astrology appear both in your life and those of loved ones. This course offers you the opportunity to discover creative ways to surmount challenges. Knowledge is power, and understanding our deepest motivation allows us to live the best life possible.
Wednesday 3rd June
Practising Astrology – Chart Interpretation & Predictive Techniques
with Joanna Watters
The aim of this course is to discover how to “move” on a horoscope, how to convert the astrological information into meaning and bring each chart to life with accurate interpretation. We will revise the traditional symbolism of signs, planets, houses and aspects with the aim of deciphering patterns and applying this technique to as many charts as possible, including your own. You’ll also learn how to work with transits and other timing techniques for predictive work.
AUTUMN TERM
Wednesday 26th August
Discovering Astrology
with Joanna Watters
Lift astrology out of the sun sign columns and discover the fascinating world of horoscopy, the symbolism of the signs, planets and houses. Learn how to draw up a horoscope and take your first steps in chart interpretation and making predictions, for yourself and others.
Wednesday 2nd September
The Working Astrologer
with Sally Kirkman
Have you ever wondered how to develop your astrology to the point of making it your profession? Sally has done exactly that over the last 30 years and on this course she will share her journey with you. Learn everything from how to write a good Sun sign column or astrological features, how to prepare talks and conduct private readings, how to use an astrology website and other social media, how to promote your work into the areas that most interest you and get your name known.
Wednesday 9th September
Working with Tarot
with Joanna Watters
This course is suitable for students who already have some knowledge of the Tarot but want to learn more about card meanings and how to do more effective readings. We will focus on interpreting the symbolism of the cards within the context of a particular spread, at both a psychological and predictive level, how to arrive at meaning within a general spread and also how to answer specific questions. Ideal for those wanting to build their own practice – or if you just want to be a better Tarot reader!
