Slavery Abolished: New Independence - Uranus in Aries

On September 25th, 1927, all forms of slavery were abolished after a treaty was signed at the League of Nations Slavery Convention. The astrology of this day is quite visually astounding. There was a line-up of planets in Libra (it’s not fair), and transiting Uranus had just entered Aries and had formed a conjunction with Jupiter. It is quite similar to the planetary Jupiter-Uranus conjunction we are currently under.

Uranus’ entry into Aries is important because the planet rules freedom, greater consciousness, and demand for change, along with a new vision for humanity. It’s not that I think slavery is completely abolished; we could look at child labour and illegal factories that pay very low wages to its workers. There are numerous other cases where slavery is still heavily prevalent. However, the abolishment of slavery was still a turning point in History. The sign of Aries represents independence and signifies the rights (Uranus) of the individual as a singular identity. I believe it was an important point in humanity’s growth and a major step forward, although we still have a long way to go. The whole period was liberating for the opposite sex, according to astrologer Sue Tompkins, it was the first time that women smoked, drank, cut their hair, voted and went on dates unchaperoned.

Pluto in Scorpio

Pluto in Scorpio belongs to a generation of people involved in a major confrontation with the darker aspects of life, and the most recent transit occurred in 1983 to 1995. Astrologically, Pluto penetrates to the root of all things and describes our urge to destroy what we have outgrown. To most people Pluto appears to be cruel and destructive, it is known as the god of death and represents the end of chapters in our lives. All forms of power, shared resources, merging, sexuality, survival, finance, banking, death and decay are all ruled by Pluto.The myth of Persephone represents the descent into the underworld (Pluto), she was a virgin goddess playing in the field, when the earth opened up and Pluto appeared on his black chariot drawn by fire-breathing horses. The goddess is abducted, taken into the underworld and raped. Persephone’s mother, distraught by the loss of her daughter, sinks into deep depression, and forbids the crops to grow or the trees or bear fruit. For seven years the whole world is cold and barren, while humanity starves. Finally the gods intervene and Persephone is allowed to return to the upper world for six months. Pluto is also linked to toxic states, healing and regeneration, nuclear power, deadly viruses, and any means of mass destruction. In this light, the list of events that happened during Pluto's transit through its own sign, highlights the massive upheaval in all of the above areas and hopefully the attitudes of many towards these areas of life was also transformed.

A famine devastated Ethiopia between 1983 and 1995. The drought had destroyed the entire harvest. Thousands died of starvation. Some trust issue between governments to distribute food properly delayed the grain arriving in the country. Eventually, aid agencies were forced to buy European grain on the open market. In an attempt to shame Western governments into action, Oxfam donated its largest donation, and widespread television coverage of people dying of starvation in Ethiopia was prompting an exceptional outpouring of private donations. In three days, the British public alone donated 5 million, and within two months, the Western public had donated a total of 100 million. In music, the Band Aid single ‘Do They Know its Christmas? , as well as two Live Aid concerts raised millions more.

On April 23 in 1984, U.S and French Scientists identify the virus known as A.I.D.S. Scorpio’s major influence is human sexuality and detoxification through disease. It was no longer safe to have unprotected sex, and both sex and death were merged together like never before. It was much safer to stay committed to one partner, and this embodied the importance that Scorpio placed on fixity in relationships and powerful sense of survival.

On December 3, 1984, a leak in UNION Cabide’s pesticide plant in the city of Bhopal, India, caused toxic gas (Pluto) to escape, killing and disabling thousands of people. It is one of the worst industrial accidents in history. The toxic gas spread out across the city, burning eyes, lungs, and other organs on contact. Around 3,000 people died in the days immediately following the disaster. Tens of thousands more were permanently disabled, and it is estimated that 20, 000 people have since died as a direct result of the leak.

I am not sure how much significance this next event has on Pluto in Scorpio, but the wreckage of Titanic was found on the Ocean floor, on August 31st 1985. Pluto was in Scorpio with a Jupiter (large) Neptune (ocean-liner) conjunction. At the time, the Titanic was the largest ship ever built. When the ship hit an iceberg, 1,500 people on board drowned or froze to death in the ice cold waters of the Atlantic. I will probably look at this event in another follow-up post.

On October 19, 1987, the world’s financial markets suffered a sudden drop in value. The loss was around £300 billion. In the U.S.A. the chairman of New York Stock Exchange said, “This is the nearest thing to a financial meltdown I’ve ever come across,’ while President Reagan announced he was confident that the U.S economy would survive. The crash came after a couple of years of fast growth in a ‘bull’ market - one characterised by hostile take overs and relentless company mergers. Although it was the most drastic drop in the market’s history, ‘Black Monday’, as it was called, did not lead to depression, and it was not long before interest rates began to fall and investors began to buy again.

Other events around this period will be covered in future posts.

Coldest Day Recorded

I am currently sitting in a blanket typing my posts today and having a nice rest. Yesterday, I had to walk quite a long-distance on horrible black ice and my legs are throbbing. The weather has been freezing of late, and it warmed up with the rain, but the resultant effect was icy roads. The climate has warmed up now, but apparently we are headed for more cold weather here in the U.K.

The lowest temperature on Earth is recorded at Vostok Station, Anartica, when the mercury sinked to - 128.6F (-89.2C). On this day, the Sun was in Cancer at 28 degrees in exact square to Saturn. It was the time of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Libra and Jupiter conjunct Uranus in Sagittarius. Perhaps the time was ripe for a new cold weather record to break. Astrologers associate Jupiter-Uranus contacts with breakthroughs, new world records and discoveries. Saturn-Pluto is a particularly cold and ruthless combination with impenetrable defences. I am quite upset that such a cold spell should occur under Sun-Saturn and Sun-Pluto.  I have a Sun-Saturn contact and I know we have a reserved nature, that is less warm, and is sometimes considered to be defensive and cold, but not that COLD. I do sometimes have a worldview that the world is a cold and bleak place, more so when I am feeling particularly depressed about life in general. I think a white snowy landscape makes for an absolutely stunning view. The planet Saturn, according to Astronomers, is very photogenic and is considered to be the most beautiful planet of them all.

Neptune in Pisces: The Great Flood

As you all I know I have been reading The Astrological Neptune and Quest for Redemption by Liz Greene. The Great Flood myths that colour our view of the cycle of life are particularly interesting, and these are clearly evidenced through-out history in the ongoing sagas around Apocalypse day, Judgement Day and End of the World predictions. The Neptune symbolism of the slate being wiped clean and starting again is a common metaphor for everything in life that we wish to heal, cleanse and atone. Take the alcoholic anonymous groups and the 12 step programs which support the belief that a greater power than the self is an essential part of recovery. Case studies on the after-life have reported that we face a kind of judgement of the Self when a soul reviews its life-time. The twilight years are viewed as a time when we are more reflective and it is seen as a winding down period as the completion of a lifetime nears the end of its cycle and reaches Pisces. We clean out the psychological closet, so to speak.

American T.V Evangelist Jim Bakker has written a book on the ‘coming’ apocalypse. The preacher has Pisces rising with Mars in Pisces conjunct Jupiter opposite Neptune. Mercury is in Sagittarius in a tight square with Neptune. Jim’s mutable T-square involving Mercury-Mars-Jupiter and Neptune is probably a large indicator of the deception and fraud that landed him in prison. Neptune is prone to being indirect, deceptive and this highly religious individual, siphoned 3.4 million from his ministry. Apart from his nebulous behaviour he very much believed in the end days. Jupiter needs a sense of meaning in life and Neptune yearns to merge once again with that unseen force. Musician Oliver Messiaen created a piece of music which he felt captured the moment of the end of the world in all its terrifying and heavenly manifestations. The music had its premier in front of 5,000 prisoners. I guess in some way it was an appropriate audience. The 12th house (Neptune) rules institutions, places of exile and solitary confinement, and no one awaits judgment day more than those who are guilty of crimes. Messiaen had Moon conjunct Neptune in Cancer and Sun and Mercury in Sagittarius square Jupiter.

The 2012 speculation of the world coming to an end could be insanely heightened due to Neptune’s transition into Pisces. Neptune enters Pisces at the beginning of April 2011, and in August of that year it retrogrades back into Aquarius. It re-enters Pisces in February 2012. This may indicate a more fervent interest in the after-life, judgement day and ‘spiritualism. Perhaps people will be swept away by a new spiritual wave of some kind. I believe we may be entering the end of a cycle and sense a kind of collective sense and general feeling of cleansing, cleaning out the closet and washing away our sins and redemption will probably be in evidence. The onslaught of predictions for the End of the World is looming large due to the upcoming Neptune in Pisces transition and collective feeling of being deluged by the Great Flood.

John Lennon: Imagine

Imagine was released in 1971, it is ranked as the 3rd greatest song of all time by Rolling Stone. The natal chart of John Lennon speaks volumes about why this song was written and why he believed it was as good as anything else that was produced by the Beatles. The song was inspired by a poem written in Yoko Ono’s 1964 book Grapefruit. John believed that we are all one country, religion, and one people. Lennon had his chart ruler Mars in Libra conjunct Neptune in Virgo. Neptune represents the principle of dissolving boundaries and it is often boundaries between countries that separate and even define us all as separate nations. The planet is also characterised by its boundless sympathy and is representative of inspired artists, talented actors and actresses, musicians, poets, addicts, idealization, dreaming and dissolution. Mars in Libra expresses their personal drive in a civilized and ethical cooperative manner and works best involved in partnership or group activities. The Mars- Neptune conjunction fights for non-violence and represents the archetypal spiritual warrior. Conversely, its not that all person’s with Mars aspecting Neptune are all non-violent, sometimes anger spills out everywhere, and the feeling of impotence and weakness, often reveals anger that is expressed unconsciously, and in an indirect or deceptive manner. Lennon experimented with LSD which according to his biographer brought him close to erasing (Neptune) his identity (Mars). The transits in 1971 when the album was released, show that Pluto was conjunct his Mars-Neptune conjunction creating extreme and intensified feelings towards his spiritual goals and evolution.

John’s murder in 1980 occurred under the mundane Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Libra. I talked about the conjunction regarding the marriage between Prince Charles and Lady Diana; it represented social economics and a peaceful worldview. It seems contradictory that I would be talking about the murder of John Lennon under the same conjunction. However, following his death, Imagine re-entered the chart at number one for four weeks. Thousands of people paid their respects to him and his values of peace and love. Transiting Pluto in Libra was also conjunct John’s Sun on the Descendant (others). Pluto transits can attract obsessive types, stalking and destructive individuals, it is also indicative of personal transformation in behaviour and lifestyle, ego death and massive changes. The individual may also be involved in power-struggles with men, who are jealous, manipulative and power-hungry.

Pluto in Virgo

Pluto transited through Virgo between 1956 and 1972. It was during this time that the contraceptive pill was introduced, representing the power of the feminine (Virgo) and sexual freedom. However, it also brought more health concerns about sexually transmitted diseases. It became more important to understand the relationship between the mind, body and environment. Pluto in Virgo changed attitudes to work, health and everyday habits, and the transit helped to heal past abuse of the earth's resources. Psychological growth occurred in areas of purification, health, self-help and self-improvement. Society learned new techniques and methods to improve life, and this whole generational cycle dredged up inadequate services and systems.

“The people of the 1960’s weren’t yet aware of what the “Atom Bomb” had really done, what pollution would mean, what a disgusting world was being created. They were too busy watching everything beautiful. It was foretaste, according to Nostradamus, of what would come again much later. In addition, there was a most interesting and unusual planetary conjunction in the heavens of the 1960’s, a Uranus/Pluto conjunction in Virgo, the sign of daily life, natural law, and the cycles of nature. This conjunction reflected a period of radical change in thinking about the quality of daily life and certainly can be tied with the whole concept of “flower-power”. By Liz Greene

In 1956, when Pluto had entered Virgo at 0 degrees (sign of service), federal ruling ended segregation on public buses. It took a great deal of organization, since most black people (Pluto) depended on the bus service to get them to work, and the white city officials did everything in their power to make it difficult, including prosecuting the black cab services that had begun to charge a 10-cent-fare (the same as bus fare). There were several acts of violence and various attempts at negotiation that amounted to nothing. Transiting Jupiter was also at 0 degrees in Libra (Justice and equality) and Neptune (erosion of boundaries) was transiting in Scorpio (Pluto’s sign).

By 1956 a new drug to fight Polio was used, it is a viral disease that affects the nervous system and causes complete paralysis and death. The drug was radically made available. In 1963, when Uranus formed a conjunction to Pluto in Virgo, the U.S President, John F. Kennedy was assassinated by a gunman as he travelled in his car from the Airport to downtown, Dallas, Texas. Political figures, anarchy, and sudden events are ruled by Uranus. John had represented vibrant hope and progress (Uranus) to a new generation of American’s, so his death (Pluto) struck a terrible grief to the nation. Martin Luther King, Civil Rights Activist (Uranus), was also shot dead on the balcony of his motel.

On March 18, 1967, the super tanker Torrey Canyon, carrying 120,000 tons of oil, struck a rock in England. Instantly, its 31 million gallons oil began to leak out into the sea, destroying (Pluto) the majority of marine life,  contaminating the water and creating a major environmental (Virgo) disaster.

Pluto in Libra

Pluto was in Libra between 1971 and 1984 and reflected deep changes in our ideas about marriage, love and human relationships. Sexual equality and the ease of divorce were two of the profound changes which occurred during this generational transition of partnerships. Pluto is known as the timekeeper of the collective, and Pluto's transit in Libra signified the death of relating according to a complacent set of values. Pluto destroys, breaks down old forms and reveals a more honest way to relate (Libra). Libra rules relationships, not only marriage but world relationships, diplomacy between countries, alliances, peace, bridge-building and political parties. Pluto through Libra altered relationships significantly and was prominent at the rise of the feminist movement. Pluto was in Libra in 1979, when Margaret Thatcher became the first lady Prime Minister in England. Transiting Pluto was conjunct the British Descendant in Libra. Evolutionary astrologers would describe Pluto’s conjunction on the cusp of Libra, to signify forced lessons of equality. The Sex Discrimination and Equal Pay Acts also come into force in the U.K in 1975.

An individual born with Pluto in Libra belongs to a generation of people whose sense of survival depends on creating new ideals of human relationship and transforming the structure of laws and legal systems that breed inequality. Pluto in Libra rules the collective shadow of relations in all its forms. It rules what we want to eliminate and what we haven’t sufficiently dealt with. It describes what we haven’t faced honestly and hidden under the proverbial rug. Homosexual relationships at this time were becoming more recognised, Gay Rights and people who live together as a married couple were also given more importance. Relationships fraught with power-struggles were no longer tolerated now that divorce was an option.

The film Clockwork Orange was released with Pluto’s early entrance into Libra. Uranus (anarchist/social change) was also transiting through Libra. The film concerns a delinquent whose pleasures are listening to classical music, rape and gang violence. The movie explored the Librian dilemma about goodness, civil behaviour and abusing liberties. In Northern Ireland, 28 civil rights members were shot by soldiers of the British Parachute Regiment. Fourteen of the protesters died, six of them were teenagers. The incident became known as ‘Bloody Sunday’.

On a side note, the World Trade Centre (Twin Towers) was officially opened in New York City on April 4, 1973. Transiting Saturn was at 15 Gemini (sign of the Twins). The Twin Towers - Saturn Return and the opposition between Saturn and Pluto, brought extreme terrorists that hijacked four passenger planes and crashed two of them into the twin towers. Both towers collapsed within two hours. In 1973, President Nixon made it clear his intention was to bring an end to the Vietnam War and after much protest an agreement (Libra) was reached and signed by all parties.

Royal Wedding - Jupiter-Saturn: England's Natal Chart

The wedding of Prince William has been set for 29th April 2011. The mundane Jupiter- Saturn opposition will be in force, and as I said in my previous post, the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Libra in 1981, marked the much anticipated marriage (Libra) between Prince Charles and Lady Diana. Although the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction often carries greater weight in mundane astrology, the opposition aspect still foretells events connected with social order, religious, legal, formal and economic cycles. The wedding will cost a financial fortune, but apparently this is balanced with the increased level of tourism at the time of the Royal engagement.

I looked at the transits in Kate’s chart for next year. Transiting Jupiter trines natal Uranus, and this usually describes an increased time of excitement, luck and opportunity. Transiting Jupiter is also square natal Sun, signifying a time of self-expansion and so things may well get a little over-extravagant under such planetary conditions. However, Kate has Sun in Capricorn and possesses a sensible and self-conscious nature; she is concerned about social status and about keeping things in order. It must be said that such a large celebration would fall under Sun-Jupiter contacts. Traditionally Jupiter brings providence, joy and strong religious ceremonies. However, astrologers do warn about excessive drinking, eating and partying under such contacts. Since it’s for a royal wedding, I think we can make one exception.

I can also see that through May and July next year, transiting Saturn returns and conjuncts Kate’s Mars. It’s now a time of hard work and persistence. The Jupiterian feeling of expansion and growth will begin to wane, as the reality of her new role is sinking in. Frequently the aspect signifies set-backs at work. At worst, it can sometimes indicate accidents and violence, or anything that blocks or frustrates us. It will be an interesting year for Kate, filled with excitement and optimism and back to the grindstone once Saturn comes around.

The chart for England is based on the crowning of William the Conqueror in 1066. Pluto is currently transiting through Capricorn and moving towards a conjunction with the British Sun in Capricorn. The core purpose and destiny of England is going to go through a period of evolution, change and growth. Pluto transits usually indicate old forms of governments and family tradition (Capricorn) dying, before new structural change can happen. The time of the royal wedding in England, shows the Jupiter- Saturn opposition falling almost exactly on our Ascendant (Aries) -Descendant (Libra) axis, which describes the general conditions of the country, foreign affairs, relationships with other countries, and significant public marriages. Although we could argue that Prince Charles’ and Lady Diana’s wedding that occurred under the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction was not contacting the Asc-Dsc axis of our national chart. However, the conjunction trined England’s Ascendant ruler (Mars). Natal Mars is in Aquarius in the 11th house of the horoscope.

                                                                                                                                                                 

Jupiter-Saturn in Libra - A Royal Wedding - 1981 |  Royal Wedding Part 2 |

Blackout: Uranus conjunct Pluto - 1965

On November 9, 1965, there was a serious disruption to the power supply in the northeaster provinces of America and Canada. The major incident occurred when a maintenance worker set a protective relay to trip too low a value. As a result, an area covering 80,000 sq miles, including Ontario in Canada, and Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, New York, and New Jersey in the United States, was plunged into darkness and did not regain power for 12 hours. The power cut affected 25 million people, and only those areas with independent old-fashioned generators were able to maintain power. Sparks from the affected power stations were widely reported as ‘fireballs’ in the sky, and these in turn became inflated into sightings of U.F.0.s. The official explanation of the ‘fireballs’ was made known the following day.

The “cause” of the North American blackout is shown quite clearly by the exact Uranus-Pluto conjunction in Virgo. Historically, Uranus-Pluto has coincided with the introduction of the contraceptive pill, silicone chip and the computer and technological revolution and is also linked with nuclear power. When Uranus contacts Pluto it is said to represent the most transformative and far-reaching changes that society can experience. According to astrologer Sue Tompkins, “As With the myth, Uranus is the planet to be associated with castration of all kinds and here one can include any situation where something has been cut out or cut off. An individually ‘cutting out’ and becoming emotionally detached from their feelings is another example of Uranus at work”. Uranus rules all things that operate at lightning speed and anything that has an incredible amount of voltage energy, like: shocks, revolts, lightning and flashes. Uranus coincided with the dawn of the technological age. In the idea that man should not be limited by nature.

Pluto, on the other hand, destroys and forces us into darkness. When in Pluto mode we are forced to rely on our survival and primitive instincts. Astrologer Liz Greene ties the Uranus-Pluto conjunction in Virgo with the whole concept of the flower-power generation of 1960’s , the sign of Virgo rules over daily life, natural cycles and the conjunction created radical thinking about the quality of daily life. The energy crisis of 1965 is also linked to the ongoing Uranus-Pluto square today and amplifies the need for renewable forms of energy, and to revolutionize the way power is used. The power (Pluto) cut (Uranus) is symbolic of this heavy outer planetary conjunction. Pluto is the planetary ruler of crisis and Uranus rules disruption and chaos, Virgo is the sign of daily life, work and order. The blackout created all kinds of chaos to normal routine and the functioning system of society. With all the great progress that humanity has made and the way in which we illuminate our world with technological advancement and revolutionary spirit. Pluto represents forces out of our control and we can be plunged into darkness with only our instinctive nature and inner resources to rely on (Pluto). Depending on how well prepared we are for crisis shows how well we cope in times of change.

I recall the blackout and all the fuss about it. My parents spent the day running around to provide us with lights, heat and food. We ate hot dogs cooked over the fireplace in the living room and played games. My Dad had a little transistor radio that provided updates about the blackout and general news.

I clearly recall sitting on the front steps of my house with my good friend Barbara, who lived next door, that night. We were singing, laughing, and killing time while the world sat dark and silent. We sat on the front steps singing our hearts out until about 10:30 or so that night. I recall it being a very crisp typical New York fall night.

One man described the conjunction as “An unexpected (Uranus) crisis (Pluto).  Criminals in prison (Pluto) also used this time as a prime opportunity to create a full scale riot (Uranus). Here is a video report about the sudden (Uranus) blackout (Pluto) that disrupted the lives of over 25 million people for 12 hours.

World Government

I promised to add some of the predictions from the Nostradamus book, interpreted by Liz Greene and Peter Lorie. This prediction takes a look at Pluto's transit through the sign of Capricorn and the possibility of a new world government.

"Natal China: Like East Germany , this horoscope has a Sun/Neptune conjunction in Libra, which reflects the same kind of Utopian philosophy. Despite this noble concept the chart also has a Mars/Pluto conjunction in Leo, reflecting great ruthlessness. Between the years of 2011 and 2012 Pluto transits to form a square to China’s natal Sun when it transits through Capricorn. This suggests great upheaval in the structure of government. The way the astrological natal works, however, is very subtle, because prior to this upheaval we can see the process begin. Somehow secretly.

Nostradamus indicates that a single world leader will emerge. For such an event to occur, there would have to be growth towards a global government.. According to a number of modern thinkers, the only solution to national conflict and individual state anarchy is through the existence of a global military force that is so great and so terrifying that no single nation would dare to break the rules. Stop war by the extreme threat of death. Nostradamus’ verse tells us that the first attempt at world leadership will be short lived and the first leader (monarch) will not succeed, not live too long.

We occupy an age of constant experiment and perhaps in the early part of the 21st century, as indicated by this quatrain, we will see yet another global story unfold. Another important aspect during this same period is is that which occurs as Pluto enters Capricorn, bringing it into opposition with America’s Venus, Jupiter, and Sun, all lined up in Cancer. In the birth chart, this group of planets is in the seventh house; nationally speaking, the house of allies and open enemies. This transit reflects a complete shift in America’s relationship with other countries. The transit of Pluto to the Sun was he aspect in force during the collapse of the Soviet Union, so we can see the potential scale of this situation in relation to America during the this early period in the 21st Century.

England has the Sun in nine degrees Capricorn, and is not affected by the heavy planets until 2012, when Pluto transiting through Capricorn reaches the British Sun. Looking at various countries that have been affected by Pluto transits across their natal Sun positions reflects the major changes in their essential way of governing. On the other hand, the birth chart for the EEC, also has the Sun at 10 degrees Capricorn, and America’s Sun in 13 Cancer is not far away. So this reflects not so much an abdication by Charles, or the end of the British monarchy, but a more global government involving many western countries, leaving their constitutional monarchs alone bit affecting the structure of central government".

Jupiter-Saturn in Libra - A Royal Marriage -1981

 

On July 29, 1981, the fairytale wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer took place at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. Hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets, trying to catch a glimpse of the new princess, while an estimated 750 million watched on T.V. Twenty year old Lady Diana was taken to the cathedral in a glass coach. She wore a dress of ivory taffeta and antique lace, with a 25-ft train, designed by David and Elizabeth Emmanuel. Lady Diana’s walk down the aisle took three and a half minutes.

After the ceremony, conducted by Archbishop of Canterbury Dr. Robert Runcie, the Prince and Princess of Wales travelled in an open-topped carriage through the streets to Buckingham Palace, where they appeared on the balcony and shared a kiss, to the delight of the crowds below, They then withdrew to a private wedding breakfast attended by 120 guests. Less than a year later, the princess gave birth to a son, William. A second son, Harry, was born two years later. By that time the couple’s marriage was already showing signs of strain. The couple officially separated in 1993. Source “History through the Headlines”.

The large scale wedding took place during an exact Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Libra. The contact has a 20-year cycle with the conjunction staying in the same element for roughly a century at a time, moving from earth to air and then to water and fire. Sue Tompkins lists the contact with economic peaks and troughs and legislative changes. The cycle has also coincided with the American Presidential death cycle and often marks great social change. The last conjunction took place in Taurus, in the year 2000. The next Jupiter-Saturn conjunction will take place in in Aquarius at 0 degrees in 2020. It will trine the conjunction of 1981, and this past vision of a harmonious society will come to fruition and will also reflect a new vision of a tolerant humanity and progression into a more inclusive and larger human family.

The conjunction in Libra occurred in Saturn’s exaltation, the sign of relationship, harmony and balance. We would have seen the redefinition of partnership and structure of all interpersonal interaction. Saturn in Libra represents the ideal of relationship and concept of marriage. Society would examine how harmony can be established and maintained? The marriage between Lady Diana and Prince Charles represented the institute of marriage at that time. The unstable period for relationships occurred when both Uranus and Pluto were in Libra and the divorce rate was statistically the highest on record.

 Many reforms have taken place and have effectively been breaking down and transforming ideals. Suitably, the royal wedding took place in the month of Leo (royal sign) and the whole celebratory period of relationship (Jupiter in Libra) and permanence of marriage was now a time to rejoice. The horse drawn carriage and lengthy lace wedding dress set the scene for romantic idealism and reflected a profound change in human values. Libra is unmatched for creating an atmosphere of cooperation, accord and refinement.

Saturn in Virgo 1949 - Britain Gains First Self-Service Shops

Saturn in Virgo - Efficient Shopping

In March 1949, the British government announced that it would licence 100 companies to try out self-service shops, which had already been trialed successfully in America. The move marked the birth of the modern supermarket. Instead of queuing to be served, customers would be able to select pre-wrapped items themselves, put them in a basket or trolley, and take their purchases to a checkout near the exit. It was hoped that the altered layout would reduce staffing requiring thus lowering costs, and make shopping more efficient for everyone.

During this period Saturn had entered the service orientated sign of Virgo and acts as an important marker for this new time-saving and efficient way of shopping for food. Saturn rules limitations, boundaries, structure, self-sufficiency and challenges us to overcome obstacles. The planet compels us to seek solutions, set goals and establish schedules. Virgo is the vessel of service, routine, efficiency, and utilizing time in the best way possible and rejecting that which has no practical value. On a world scale, Saturn in Virgo represents a time to look at working ethics in society and at practical and efficient ways off getting the job done. The president of the London Cooperative Society said” The ’Serve yourself’ service is the system of the future, whether the private traders like it or not. The housewives like it. And that’s enough“.

I was born 30 years later and I can't imagine how we shopped any other way. Now we have Internet shopping and have progressed further. The same year, the sweets ration was finally called off. The sweets rationing began in 1942 with Saturn moving through Taurus, the pleasure loving sign. It is interesting that the rationing ended in Virgo. I read that many women took up smoking when sugar became scarce, so the tobacco industry expected a drop in sales as sugar became more widely available.

First Test-Tube Baby Born

Uranus in Scorpio breakthrough

On July 25, 1978, Louise Brown, the world’s first test tube baby’, was born in the U.K. Her mother, Lesley Brown , had been unable to conceive because of blocked fallopian tubes and had undergone experimental fertility treatment to become pregnant. Their method involved removing eggs from a woman’s ovary, fertilizing them with sperm in a glass (in vitro), and replanting them in the womb. However, until Lesley Browns success, none of the 80 women who had trialed the method had been able to stay pregnant beyond a few weeks.

On November, 10, 1977, Lesley Brown underwent treatment. She became the first woman to undergo a healthy pregnancy, and nine days before her due date, her daughter was delivered by cesarean section. Louise Brown was perfectly healthy and went on to have a child of her own. The success of the process gave hope to millions of couples unable to conceive. For some it also raised ethical issues. The main concern was whether the disposal of fertilized eggs, which is common practice in the process of intro fertilization (I.V.F), is in effect disposing of human lives, if life can be counted as having started at the point of fertilization. There were also concerns at the time as to how this power to create life might be used in the future, by pre-selecting the gender or features of a child and disposing of fertilized eggs that do not meet these criteria. Source: History Through the Headlines.






Uranus’ transit through Scorpio signifies world events surrounding the issues of sex, life, death, resources, occult matters and psychology. Uranus rules futuristic developments, progress and scientific methods. Previously stagnated areas are more progressive and forward moving than ever before! Uranus carries the Promethean vision of a new world and heralds all breakthroughs in Science, technology, social and political structures, and this sometimes involves violent shake-ups of society. The goal is upon improving the quality of our lives and creating “equal opportunities” for all. Those born with the inability to conceive a child, now have a better chance with the intervention of science.

Nostradamus The Millenium & Beyond

Nostradamus The Millennium and Beyond, Prophecies to 2016, is written by Peter Lorie and Liz Greene, first published in 1993. The book contains an Astrological preface that explains the astrology behind Nostradamus' predictions. The opening paragraph says:

"Prophecy is at the best of times a chancy business whether undertaken by a 20th century economist or a 16th century astrologer/clairvoyant. Polls that predict the outcome of presidential or parliamentary election are as liable to error as the apparently impenetrable outpourings of a Delphic oracle. But, despite its strangeness and allusiveness, prophetic vision has an ancient and honorable lineage. It was prophecy, after all - visionary and astrological - that predicted the birth of Christ. Such is the power and fascination of prophecy that we keep on trying, not only to find out who will be the next national leader, but, whether Nostradamus really did predict Hitler, AIDS, and the end of the world."

The allusive business of tapping into symbols for predictive purposes is questioned. The same symbol that may represent an earthquake on a literal level and bring down a building, may appear on the financial level shaking up the economy. Nostradamus didn't know about the outer planets and the author suggests that modern astrologers can add further insight and clarity to these future visions and offer a different perspective.

Besides his prophetic visions, Nostradamus, considered himself a Scientist and he regarded astrology/astronomy as the "celestial Science". According to records stored in the Library, he studied Greek Astrology. Some of his writings adhere to the fact that he had a dislike of amateur astrology, but it did not mean he disputed the power of the planets. Before embarking on his future path, he experienced one of his darkest times when working as a doctor trying to cure the Plague. He lost his wife and child to this deathly disease and his personal reputation was ruined. Nostradamus experienced a relatively difficult phase before beginning his work. However, today, he still stands as one of the most enduring prophets of our time, and perhaps this can be accredited to the long span of his predictions.

The authors of this book claim to offer startling new revelations behind the puzzling metaphors and verses that have confused interpreters for a millennium. Along with the aforementioned fundamental dilemma, many of his writings have been penned in french and Latin and so two different translations are brought forth. Nostradamus is described as having poetic leanings and a powerful sense of the symbolic. However, to add weight and complexity to deciphering his pictorial language, his work is not in chronological order, and therefore interpretation is even more challenging. Studies have concluded that Nostradamus assembles his readings into topics rather than dates. Religion, famine, earthquakes would all be assigned to the same text.

The transit of Pluto is examined through the signs of Scorpio and Sagittarius and the poisons and corruptions in life that are brought to the surface to allow the transformative process to begin. The astrological ages of Pisces and Aquarius are both discussed, with the Aquarian age beginning and overlapping with the Piscean age between 1950 and 2050, and the Aquarian age continuing from 2000 to 4000. Nostradamus would have been aware of the "great age" when forecasting. However, since he was unaware of the outer planets, Saturn would dominate the Aquarian age with its emphasis on scientific reason. The Jupiter "great year" under the Piscean rulership is symbolic of the philosophical and religious beliefs that dominated that time.

It is a fascinating book and perhaps chronicles the challenge of living in an age that is ruled by technology and the responsibility this carries, encapsulating the two rulers of the Aquarian age (Saturn & Uranus). Quote below:

Prometheus took fire from the gods and gave it to man. In effect, this is what was happening to mankind today. We are receiving the powers that were originally supposed to be allocated to God, and we are finding ourselves capable of exercising them. In areas such as genetic engineering, where scientists are able to create life, we are faced by moral and religious dilemmas that would have been settled by the church tied to a stake and set by fire. Do we dare to presume that we are able to make life, change life, create the universe around us? Nostradamus and the Aquarian age state very clearly that we are. "All is beneath his feet, like the seat of the heavens." Everything that was once in the realm of heaven is now the realm of mankind, bringing with it the same responsibilities.

Astrologically we are currently undergoing the evolving cardinal t-square of Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto. The past helps us to understand trends and developments. Prophecies in the astrological community are rife at this present time, due to massive planetary alignments shifting our world's energy. I do believe that prophets could be viewed as rationalists in the sense that what they "see coming" is discerned through common sense. However, the astrological shifts and the coinciding events on earth cannot be ignored as simply coincidence and a much larger patter is at work, involving human destiny.

Cumbria Shootings

Uranus' entry into Aries at 0 degrees, coincided with a sudden outburst of violence. Random (Uranus) shots were fired (Aries) in this sleepy countryside town. The event plays a part in the evolving t-square between Uranus (freedom) in Aries (weapons), Pluto in Capricorn (authority) and Saturn in Libra (compromise). And will most likely involve a fierce debate on gun laws.

Derrick Bird had a stellium of planets in the compromising, harmonious and peaceful sign of Libra. However, he also had the Moon in Aries forming an opposition to Mars (birth time is uncertain). A natal Moon-Mars contact often signifies angry feelings and argumentativeness is described by Mercury (communication) in hard aspect to Mars (anger).

A disagreement with his fellow Taxi drivers enraged him after he accused them of stealing his fares. Bird's Librian (stellium) nature would strive for compromise, justice and fair play. Venus in Scorpio diposits his Librian planets and forms a square to Pluto, signifying jealousy and deep feelings of betrayal. According to a news report, Derrick's twin brother and solicitor were colluding to send him to jail for tax evasion, and his family refused to bail him out. Derrick sought justice. Libra is always conscious of the scales unbalanced.

Transiting Pluto in Capricorn (exposing power & authority) formed a square to his natal Mercury-Mars contact in Libra. Transiting Pluto in hard aspect to Mars indicates that he would be prone to self-destructive and ruthless behavior. A Mars/Pluto transit often describes an episode of extreme violence and can equally bring on feelings of depression and anger. Rage bottled up tends to erupt and it could be described as a kind of volcanic 'meltdown'. Pluto seeks to unearth the past and what we haven't sufficiently dealt with and often puts us into situations were we  fight for survival.

Transiting Uranus opposed natal Mercury, and he decided to be a law upon himself and not care what rules he broke (Uranus/rebellion). Under this transit, in particular, it is difficult to smooth out differences and find compromise. Breakdowns in communication are another feature of this contact and what is said is often taken the wrong way. Judgement can suffer too. The aspect suggests transportation difficulties. Uranus opposite Mercury signifies the fall out with neighbours, siblings and the local community.

Neptune formed an exact square to his natal Venus in Scorpio. This may indicate the deception (Neptune) and betrayal over money matters, wills/resources (Venus in Scorpio) and of course the tax evasion (Neptune). We can't blame transits, otherwise we would all commit unimaginable crimes when things get too difficult. The month of Gemini and Uranus' entry in to fiery Aries had quite the wake up call, involving a Twin /Taxi Driver (Gemini) on a shooting spree.

The Wait is Over: Uranus in Aries

Here is more information by Liz Greene for the transit of Uranus through Aries:

As Uranus moves through Aries, the awakening of new spiritual values and the enriching of the creative imagination give way to a more extroverted and disruptive energy. Because Aries is concerned with the crusading spirit in human beings which seeks to change the world according to a grand and fiery vision, there are likely to be many movements erupting within the collective - political, religious, scientific and artistic - which seek to utterly overturn and transform existing structures and ways of thinking in order to achieve a clear dream of progress. This is likely to be a time of revolutions in thinking, and perhaps also revolutions on a more mundane level as collectives seek to assert their individual values against the threat of a uniform globalisation. There is some turbulence reflected by this seven-year transit of Uranus, because its disruptive, innovative energy affects us on intuitive rather than practical levels. This means not only shifts in the ways in which we define freedom and individual rights, but also a potential time of new scientific discoveries as the human mind seeks new forms through which to inaugurate progress.

Astrodienst Formed/Jupiter-Uranus 

Astrodienst web enterprise was seeded under the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Sagittarius, 1983. Coincidentally, Liz Greene, was introduced to astrology during her own Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Gemini. The natal chart has a stellium of planets in Virgo/service in the seventh house/public. The Saturn-Pluto conjunction is also present indicating a powerful company.

Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Aries 0 degrees: Updated

The conjunction of Jupiter-Uranus in Aries is getting close. Right now, the excitement and anticipation should begin to increase as we all begin to feel the abundance of this transit. Jupiter is a great expansive energy and when it contacts another planet it expands the body of the archetype. The conjunction in astrology is a potent aspect by itself, but the meeting of these two planets occurs at a cardinal degree (0) which is said to be critical. The predictions for this pairing aligning in the sky are exhaustive, but we know something significant will happen and astrologers are predicting a scientific breakthrough of some kind at this juncture.

On a personal level the transit coincides with freedom, new possibilities, and exciting sense of what the future could hold. It foretells a phase of good fortune, windfalls and new friendship. The spirit of rebelliousness beckons and a brand new futuristic worldview. In Mythology, Prometheus/Uranus stole fire from Zeus/Jupiter to give to mankind and was punished by Zeus for his willfulness. Each time this pair come together the myth is reenacted and we advance towards a more "god like" position. However, with great discoveries and enhanced knowledge, we must handle them with even greater responsibility.

Astrologer Liz Greene, was introduced to astrology during a transit of Jupiter-Uranus which formed a conjunction in Gemini in the 7th house. After a meeting with astrologer Mrs Hickey, she was urged to explore astrology further. I do own all of the books she has written on astrology and she is considered a leading expert in the field and has benefited many astrology students.

Quote from "Astrology of Fate" by Liz Greene and insight into the transit on a personal level:

Naturally I was quick to inspect the transits and progressions in operation at the time of my meeting with Mrs Hickey and its subsequent repercussions. The most striking transit at work was Jupiter passing through Gemini and making a direct station on my natal Uranus in the seventh house. This is a classic interpretation of a 'fated' (or synchronous) encounter, which brought opportunities in its wake but left my life as quickly as it had come. I have learned since to pay close attention to the transit of Jupiter, for although they often pass quickly and without noticeable concrete benefits for the person who is waiting for heaven to shower manna on him, they often coincide with opportunities which can greatly expand one's vision and understanding. But one must act on such openings which appear in the curtain that masks the inner world. We might do well to remember Zeus, who with lightning quickness pursues and mates his chosen paramours, and then vanishes as quickly, leaving them fertilized with a semi-divine child to bear.

In 1969, the first Moon landing occurred during a Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Libra (0 degrees). Jupiter is the largest body in the solar system and its expansive nature governs large adventures. Uranus rules science, astrology, progressive movements, outer-space and futuristic inventions. Therefore,  "One giant leap (Jupiter) for man, one giant leap for mankind" (Uranus) really does capture the essence of the time. According to astrologer Barbara Goldsmith, "these are times when some kind of significant breakthrough happens for the world."

The 1983 conjunction in Sagittarius coincided with the first woman to travel into space and first African American entered the solar system later that year. We also saw the greatest bigamist go to trial. Giovanni Vigliotto marred 104 women across 14 countries and was sentenced to 28 years in prison. The final episode of M*A*S*H was the most watched episode and it appears that we all gather around our television sets during these planetary movements.  T.V is the universal medium and transmits to a large mass of people.

Amidst the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction in Aquarius in 1997, it was announced that the first sheep had been successfully cloned. Bill Clinton banned funding research into human cloning. The first ever space burial occurred on April the 21st of that year. Pegasus carried the remains of 24 people to the stars. I hope they rest in space (bad joke).  Princess Diana died in August, and the funeral was another massive television event with 2 billion people tuning in to watch. The birth of another set of septuplets happened in November and was the first case that all survived past infancy. Predicted world events are the Fifa world Cup in June/July in 2010, The International Space Programme will record its longest occupation in space history. 

The Twelve Gates Predictions

A space exploration into new territory and discovering something new about space. Plenty of political excitement and new leader/new reform. Some kind of knowledge that leads to a breakthrough  in science, astrology, astronomy and in all types of technology. In fact, all Uranus related subjects will do well. A broadcast on television with LARGE ratings.

A new law could bring freedom for parts of society and new developments in religion and all types of higher education. The universe-ty of life can feel more abundant now if you have natal planets plugging into this transit. The Internet could show growth with futuristic looking computers that are faster and new technology. Sports should do exceptionally well at this time and a world record could be broken.

Moon Landing

Apollo 11 was the fifth mission of the Apollo Project and the third to take humans to the Moon. The space flight was launched on July 16, 1969, and it culminated in Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin walking on the Moon. The resounding success of the mission was heightened by its fulfillment of President Kennedy's statement of hope in 1961: 'I believe that this nation should commit itself tot he goal, before this decade is out, of landing man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth.' The Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Libra (0 degrees) occurred at the same time. Jupiter rules expansive journeys and Uranus rules outer space. The large television (Jupiter) broadcast (Uranus) marked a major event of our time. The year 69 closely resembles the symbol for Cancer. The fourth sign of the zodiac, which is ruled by the Moon. However, this isn't real astrological symbolism. It was Cancer's birthday too, with the Sun moving through Cancer (69) and entering the critical degrees.

The critical degrees are the beginning of a sign and the last degrees of a sign are also said to be critical (27, 28, 29). Some astrologers believe a planet is weaker when it reaches the end of sign, but it proves the lunar energy was particularly potent. Hopefully, 2010/11 will be just as exciting for us. I wasn't born during the time of the Moon landing, but I was here during the cloning of Dolly the Sheep under the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction in Aquarius in 1997. It wasn't the same as man landing on the Moon (sulks), hopefully we have something great to talk about in the years to come with this next conjunction. I can't stand all this waiting....

Saturn-Uranus-Pluto: 2010

Change is inevitable with the square between Uranus and Pluto, however, Saturn's resistance to change from both the outer planets can create a tricky situation. Politics is where transformation will happen and there be an overthrowing of a political leader during this phase. A battle between the old and new, will also dominate this time.

The main line of defence for Saturnian authority is diplomacy (Libra) and mediating through difficulties. Disruption of the status qua and sudden urge for freedom and independence in society (Uranus in Aries) comes after the long prevailing feeling of repression and control.

Uranus violently rips through structures, creating chaos. Pluto in Capricorn has been digging up dirt on various establishments, including banks, the government and social workers. The death of outworn systems that no longer serve a purpose will be replaced.

Understanding the Future

Lyn Birkbeck's, "Understanding the Future" is about the upcoming transits from now until 2020. Here is what it says on the back of the book and it will you give you an idea of what the book is about:

" Hold on tight - the next dozen years are set to be the most momentous of our lives. Humanity stands at a crossroads between a continuous descent into dark materialism and the spiritual path back to the light. And a great cosmic event is forcing this elemental choice upon us - now.

Understanding the future reveals the great Pluto-Uranus alignments of the past, from the period of Roman history convulsed by the slave revolt of Spartacus to the most recent wave, in the 1960's, which ushered in an era of unprecedented cultural and technological revolution."

The author makes some predictions of what may happen in the upcoming years through these energy shifts. Lyn Birckbeck, firmly believes that these times can be harnessed constructively. Major Saturn/Pluto transits are discussed as he takes a look back at history. He has found that this particular contact seems to coincide at the time of major earthquakes. And only recently, earthquakes hit both Haiti and Chile, during our current Saturn-Pluto phase.

" Saturn is the ground we stand upon; Pluto, the Lord of the Underworld, is underground. When they come into collision during Major Storms, this can manifest as government versus guerrilla/insurgent, or in a literal way as geophysical upheavals - mainly earthquakes. As you will find throughout this book, Major Storms involving any of the planets can stress the actual physical state of the planet Earth, but it would seem that Saturn/Pluto, by virtue of what they represent, are particularly 'responsible' for earthquakes and the like."

The Uranus/Pluto square may bring an increase in mental illness, anti-social feelings and increasing health problems. Outrageous forms of art and music surfacing which express this deep, intense revolutionary period. Technological advances and exciting discoveries. However, past innovations may have a downside and serious side effects begin to show. Internet crisis, political changes/shocks and nuclear accidents, rise in gangs, violence, are other possible events.Check it out if you can and see what the future holds.