Jade Goody

Jade Goody has been on British television since she first appeared on Big Brother. The show which made her a public figure. Jade was ridiculed by the media because of her ignorance regarding general knowledge, she also cavorted naked in the big brother house, and was accused of backstabbing, bullying, and bad behavior. Jade used poor judgement in many respects. However, despite public ridicule, Jade managed to turn things around and became a T.V personality. Jade had her own television shows, perfumes and other advertising brands. The reality star quickly became one of the most successful big brother housemates accumulating a fortune. Jade’s popularity increased because of her infectious sense of humour, and humble ability to laugh at her own mistakes.

Later Jade was given the opportunity to return to “Celebrity Big Brother” and back to the house that made her a household name. Jade happily accepted the opportunity, but unfortunately she suffered a reversal of fortune. Jade was accused of being a racist bully to housemate Shilpa Shetty. The programme was inundated with complaints about racism claims. When Jade was evicted from the house all crowds were banned for safety reasons. During an interview following her eviction, she said she felt disgusted with herself, and her very publicised return to the house was branded as a very poor decision.

Jade suffered a tough childhood, her father was a drug addict and criminal, and he died of a drug overdose at aged 42. Jade’s mother has also been a drug user, and is a Lesbian. In 2004 a devastating blow was delivered to the young star when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and told she only had a few months left to live. Jade began to plan her own funeral, and was filmed in a running documentary (until her death). Jade was a mother of two beautiful young boys, and was trying to make as much money as she could for her children’s future and education, she wanted them to have the best possible opportunities in life, as it will be difficult for them growing up without a mother.

Jades Natal Chart:

The Sun in Gemini is opposed Neptune, and aptly describes her father’s drug addiction (Neptune rules addictions to substances as a replacement for true spiritual oneness), and the opposition to Neptune describes no solid role model in her life. Jade as an adult is unsure of her own identity (Neptune in hard aspect confuses the Sun's sense of self). Astrologically Neptune can occur in charts where illness robs the individual of their energy and vitality for life. Sun-Neptune can indicate a lost of direction in life, and loss of hope, she may need to find value through a spiritual purpose. Jade has poor boundaries (Neptune) around her sense of self (Sun), and she is left open to be victimised by the press. Jade's personal identity was swamped by the collective. Sun-Neptune falls across the Gemini-Sagittarius axis, and Jade during her life communicated and learned about different people from different backgrounds and cultures, challenging her to expand and find ”unity with the whole”. During her illness she gained a new spiritual “perspective” (Gemini-Sagittarius).

Sun in Gemini trines Pluto in Libra, and this suggests she has the capacity to renew herself, even when faced with crisis, an ease in self-transformation. Jade’s Mercury in cancer describes a sensitive perception to the environment, and she holds subconscious prejudices and fears. Mercury in Cancer feels thoughts, and she can’t always objectively detach. Mercury squares the conjunction of Jupiter-Saturn in Libra. This configuration has challenged her mentally. Jade will often blurt out her thoughts without fore-thought. Jade can be careless (Jupiter) in communicating and often says the wrong thing. The planet Jupiter broadens whatever planetary principle it contacts. Mercury-Jupiter describes how she is mentally being expanded. Jade is challenged to create a balanced (Libra) worldview in using her judgement. Libra is where we weigh up the effects and consequences of our thoughts/actions. The contrast of Jupiter/Saturn describes the ups and downs in her personal life. In one sense Jade has judged others, and has been harshly judged herself.

The aspect of Mercury-Saturn describes her personal insecurities around mental abilities, and Jupiter involved in the configuration tends to overdo in compensation for lack of confidence. The cancer planets in her natal chart describe her sensitivity to moods and feelings in her immediate environment, she feels protective over those dear to her. Venus in Cancer square Saturn can describe an emotionally tough time in younger years, she may feel she is unworthy of love, or has to earn other people's approval.

Mars in Gemini opposed Uranus adds a self-willed dimension to her character, an excitability that is difficult to contain. Angry outbursts are not uncommon with this aspect. Mars in Gemini can be verbally cutting, and when under stress, she can be a rebellious character who needs to make a statement. However, she illuminated collective issues and was a catalyst for change in the media (Gemini) by bringing death and taboo subjects into social awareness (Mars in Gemini -Uranus in Scorpio).

The Transits During her Illness and Death

Transiting Pluto opposed Mercury and Venus in Cancer. T. Pluto squared Jupiter and Saturn in Libra. Jade wanted to be married before she died, and it is extremely poignant exchanging vows with Pluto aspecting Venus. These are her wishes and she was making the most of the time she had left. Planning a wedding and a funeral at the same time is heartbreaking. Transiting Pluto - Saturn describes how she is forced to change. Something inside of her breaks down, and she can be resistant to the fate imposed upon her (Saturn and Pluto rule death). Jade, however, had passed this stage and was making constructive use (Saturn) of this difficult period, she made sure her children’s future was secure. Transiting Pluto aspecting Jupiter, and her future (Jupiter) has been destroyed (Pluto), feelings of hope for a better future can face total despair. Obviously with Libra aspects involved lots of legal documents where being drawn up at this time, for the children, her marriage, and will.

Mercury-Pluto

Pluto’s meaning derives from it’s association with Scorpio and the 8th house. Pluto is associated with Hades a mythological figure, who’s domain is the underworld, the keeper of souls. Again, as I discussed with Mercury-Neptune we are bridging two distinctly different worlds together, one of the rational conscious mind, and the other of the underworld. In Pluto we find all that is repressed, hidden and taboo in society. Mercury is completely neutral in astrology, and in mythology he was the only planet who could travel to the underworld, suggesting the mind can travel anywhere.

Pluto rules all the taboo matters in life, such as death, sex, abuse, murder, crime, rapists, hate groups. In addition, Pluto also rules all the transforming elements in life. The metamorphosis of the caterpillar into a Butterfly. The phoenix a mythical bird rising out of it’s own ashes. Regeneration, renewal, the cycle of death and rebirth. Pluto symbolizes our resourcefulness in a crisis situation, it also rules the mysterious and the unknown.

The further away a planet is from the Sun the more powerful it is. Pluto is the smallest and farthest planet from the Sun. Pluto can change our fundamental perception of reality and this is how the pathway opens for Mercury into Pluto. Through the intellect we become an agent for change and transformation (Pluto).

Mercury is the tour guide of the mind into the lower depths, and we face a long and perilous journey into the dark depths of the unknown, and into the shadow side of life. This may take us into deep depression, paranoia, destructiveness and obsession . In the Tarot Pluto is linked with the Death card, and it is the most feared card in the deck, it suggests an inevitable fate of some kind, an ending which makes way for new cycle of growth to begin. A necessary change, but one that is frightening to the ego. Under Pluto’s domain we are often forced to let go. Pluto will bring us to the brink of devastation, and force us into deep reflection.

Pluto in contact to Mercury is suggesting the perception of a new reality. The process of inner growth will penetrate and transform the mind. Pluto contains a storehouse of riches, but we need to travel deep within ourselves to obtain it. Mercury-Pluto will delve deeply into all nature, primal desires and urges. Transformation of this kind means leaving our previous floor of consciousness, and taking the lift down into the basement. The specific meaning of this mythological journey between Mercury and Pluto, is to attain knowledge, and to “know” one’s own dark depths.

Returning to Soul Astrology

Article by Bradley W. Kochunas: If the abundance of books on a specific subject measures the pulse of popular culture, there is a seeming revival of soul as a topic of cultural interest. Four years after its release, Thomas Moore's Care of the Soul continued on bestseller lists, and his more recent work, Soulmates, has done well in its release. Moore's mentor, James Hillman, has seen his works reissued by a major publisher; and Hillman's colleague, Robert Sardello, has also witnessed his writing move into popular print. In addition, browsing the religion and New Age sections, the number of books with soul in the title appears to have increased markedly over the last several years. The immense profusion of these works suggests a renewed claim to bring soul back to the attention of the postmodern consciousness, to reawaken the sacred in our everyday lives.

Moore offers that what we suffer from is a loss of soul. But what is soul and what does it mean to suffer its loss? Following Moore and Hillman, I would like to keep soul vaguely defined, diffuse, and ambiguous, except to say that I do not mean the soul to be a theological entity or some kind of spiritual substance of the person. Rather, soul is more a perspective on things, the imaginative possibilities within our natures, that part of us that deepens events into experience.1 To quote Heraclitus (6th century B.C.E.), "You could not discover the limits of soul, even if you traveled every road to do so; such is the depth of its meaning."2 Therefore, rather than attempt to precisely define the meaning of soul, I would prefer to circumambulate and amplify it for understanding.

I would contend that soul's absence denotes a loss of depth, meaning, and attachment. In a society driven by disposable consumerism, we have lost a deep understanding of lack, of doing without, of making do, of abstinence, celibacy, solitude, restraint, and limitation. Americans tend toward expansive, growth-oriented, manic, Jupiterian lifestyles and leave no place for Saturnine melancholia. In an effort to increase the levity and leisure in our lives, we have neglected the gravity of existence. We move restlessly about, disposing of dwellings, vehicles, relationships, possessions; changing our beliefs, families, and lifestyles as easily as changing undergarments; and pursuing the fantasy of growth and progress. Read the rest here.

Freedom Fighter: Mars in Aquarius

Mars is active in Aquarian principles, and this position describes a strong opinionated nature with enthusiasm for intellectual debate, or even a strong desire to be a leader fighting for social reform. Wherever Mars is placed in our chart is 'where' we are active and push ahead, and it is here we affirm our identity (Sun). Mars can use brute force and can often be downright thoughtless towards others and is easily provoked. However, Mars also aids us in times of crisis, and especially when fast action is needed. An Aquarian Mars fights battles on behalf of groups, acquaintances and social causes. As an air sign Mars has a brain and a social conscious and is fuelled by ideological principles. Mars in Aquarius motivates the group and is instinctively good at team work, they know how to get things organized, planned and inspire others with their sense of vision. One of the greatest tasks for Mars in Aquarius is seeing himself as a separate individual, apart from the crowd and group. Mars in astrology also represents the tools we work with. Aqaurian tools are: computers, electrical knowledge, astrology, and information technology.

Moon in Aquarius

Jungian Psychology

Article by Noel Eastwood: When I read Stephen Arroyo’s Astrology, Karma and Transformation I immediately became hooked on psychological astrology. Here was an astrologer who understood an individual’s personal life problems by locating the conflicts in their natal chart. By knowing our client’s individual conflict or karmic lesson, astrologers can apply knowledge of psychology to guide them to freedom.

Conflict resides within us all and is seen by its projection onto our outside world especially upon those that we have a close relationship with. To find conflict we need only look at the planetary aspects which symbolise the various types of relationships between the archetypes / planets. A planetary aspect describes what we expect from a relationship or situation. For example, Moon in Virgo opposite Saturn shows that we expect our mother (or mother or wife figure) to be cold and critical. We expect the relationship to be difficult and we will struggle to cope with her negative demeaning comments. It also shows that we expect society at large to be restrictive and unemotional. Conflict, as seen in the planets, their sign and house position and aspects, is one of constant activity. Conflict is fundamental to life, it is a constant and so by finding the conflict we can see the patterns of our behaviours, dysfunctional relationships and exactly why we repeat the patterns of failure in our lives. We actively seek that which is going to hurt us – Moon in poor aspect to Saturn shows that we seek out a nurturing mother figure despite expecting her to reject and dominate us. It is like the moth attracted to the flame, it just can’t stay away, even to its death it will continue to fly back to the life-extinguishing flame. Read the rest here.

The Postcard Bandit

Brenden James Abbott is an infamous Australian bank robber known as the Postcard Bandit. During his criminal career he is believed to have stolen as much as AUD$5 million from a number of banks, though very little of this money has ever been recovered. He is currently detained in the Woodford Correctional Centre and is often moved between this facility and the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre.

In this criminal minds chart we have Mercury and Venus in Gemini forming a T.square with his Jupiter-Pluto opposition. Often, when Mercury in Gemini is stressed, it can signify a multifaceted, versatile and extremely changeable personality. The Gemini energy in his chart on the devious side can be cunning, manipulative and he exemplifies the trickster. The focus is on mental interests but he can get restless and bored easily. Mercury is square to Pluto and this often adds more depth to the mind. However, in this case, it shows up his secretive side, and he knows knows what is going on in the street (Gemini) for his survival. A Mercury-Pluto contact can be very suspicious, and information is often a means of survival. Obviously here we have the mind (Mercury) of the criminal (Pluto), and knowledge is power. Many individuals in the police force have this aspect and they get inside the criminal’s mind.

This Mercury is square to Jupiter too and this aspect may describe poor judgement, and Abbot can be arrogant/self confident about his opinions. We also see someone who spreads himself quite wide in his contacts (Jupiter), and travels long distances. Jupiter when opposed to the lord of the underworld - Pluto, often represents buried wealth. I am wondering where all his stolen money is hiding... Enormous sums of money can be handled through banks with this natal aspect. Sun in Taurus seeks security and a solid material base. The Sun is opposite Neptune can show an evasive and deceptive personality.

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire

LIARS, FIBBERS, CHEATERS, and downright twisters of the truth, how can these traits be seen astrologically in the natal chart, I do believe some propensity to lie can be seen in all the Mercury aspects in astrology they all just do it in different ways, which I will explain later on. There are many reasons to lie and not all lying is for manipulative purposes, some people need to lie as a way to survive, others lie to make themselves appear more interesting. Many people get paid to LIE like journalists, politician’s, clothing assistant’s, and advertisers. Deception can also be used to create a different sense of self, as some individuals are not happy with themselves as they are and want to be like someone else, to gain a desperate need for approval. We are all liars to some degree and we all have the ability to lie or we wouldn’t have Mercury or Gemini in our chart!

The Trickster in Myth and Modern day Movies:

Mercury (trickster) is the god of quick thinking, magic, illusion, communication, and also the divine manipulator. Mercury is considered the protector of thieves and businessmen, is skilled in story telling and games. On the negative side he can be crafty, calculating and false.

Modern Day Trickster’s

Both of these are fictional characters and are very lovable and amusing. Which says a lot about the Mercurial character represented by Gemini and it’s ruler Mercury. The first ”trickster” is Ace Venturer played by Jim Carrey.




Here is a description of Ace in the movie:

Ace Ventura is an eccentric and histrionic detective who specializes in cases involving pet animals. Ace possesses extreme vanity, extraordinary powers of observation, and equally great powers of deduction. He has a tendency to use foul language and to make vulgar jokes, as in the scene where he manually moves the halves of his rump to simulate a speaking mouth. He often draws complex, correct conclusions, but does not reveal them until a critical moment. He is sexually promiscuous, talkative, dedicated, and clever. It is implied in a scene in the first film that he was originally a member of the police force, but left because he resented his superiors pointing out all the mistakes he made.

The second Mercurial character is Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean:



Sparrow is the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean Sea and can be treacherous, surviving mostly by using wit and negotiation rather than weapons and force; although he will fight if necessary, he tries to flee most dangerous situations. Sparrow is introduced seeking to regain his ship the Black Pearl from his mutinous first mate Hector Barbs in the first film, and in the sequels, attempts to escape his blood debt to the legendary Davy Jones while battling the East India Trading Co.

Mercury in Aspect

Mercury is the planet of communication, verbal expression. Mercury will tell us how we communicate and what we are interested in. I will look at Mercury in aspect to other planets, and lets see how Mercury changes his communication depending on who he is paired with in the natal chart.

Mercury/Jupiter Promises TOO MUCH andcannot deliver what he promised. Mercury-Jupiter can EXAGGERATE!!!! Individuals with this aspect can be very eager and enthusiastic, but they tend to lose interest, and wander off making more BIG PLANS without even putting their last idea into any practical form. The aspect has often been called full of hot air, and often they do not realize how they have exaggerated and distorted the facts because of OVER ENTHUSIASM.

Mercury/Saturn This aspect does not appear to be a LIAR. Here is what Liz Greene has to say on the aspect between these two planets in her book “Saturn a New Look at an Old Devil”.

By Liz Greene: The curious expression of the chronic and uncontrollable liar is also one of the less attractive facets of Mercury-Saturn. But Saturn remains true to form here in that there must be present a reasonable degree of intelligence, sensitivity and complexity in order for such distortion or OVERCOMPENSATION to exist.

Mercury-Saturn often is afraid of appearing dull and less intelligent to others. A lot of these individuals have significant intellectual abilities. However they can bend the truth in order to have their way with people, sometimes at worst this only creates isolation for themselves because of their critical and scheming ways . (it is an excellent aspect for the politician/goverment.)

Mercury/Uranus These types are not prone to lying, as they protest for the TRUTH, but they can often champion one idea/belief rather rebelliously. And then all of a SUDDEN these individuals can turn around and radically oppose the same statement they were championing. Which only tends to make them come across as contradictory. And if confronted with their own contradictory statements they will deny they said such an idea or belief, and be very offended. Individuals with Mercury in aspect to Uranus will often say they are MISUNDERSTOOD.

Mercury/Neptune individuals with this aspect are confused as to what the truth is. They can be highly GULLIBLE themselves, and may therefore understand how other people can equally be prone to deception, and cheat and deceive other people for they know their MENTAL VULNERABILITIES. The IMAGINATIVE quality is often over emphasized and problems of perception can be created . These individuals can make mistakes in judgments and misinterpret the facts. The aspect can also manifest as SELF DECEPTION, and there is also the inability to distinguish between the real and unreal.

Mercury/Pluto This aspect has a natural investigative ability, their penetrating insights can sometimes lack sensitivity. Individuals with Mercury in aspect to Pluto may try to mentally dominate others, they find it difficult to trust others, yet it can be a form of projection as they themselves can be guilty of plotting and keeping secrets. The criminal master mind or the fighter of crime, this aspect understands the psychology of the criminal.

Long Life

Jeanne Louise Calment was a Frenchwoman with the longest confirmed lifespan in history at 122 years and 164 days (44,724 days in total).She lived in Arles, France, for her entire life, and outlived both her daughter and grandson. Because her husband was wealthy, she never worked, instead living a comfortable lifestyle. She became well-known from the age of 113, when the centenary of Vincent van Gogh brought reporters to Arles, as she was the last person living to have met the artist. She entered the Guinness Book of Records in 1988, and in 1993 was declared the oldest person who had ever lived (while discounting the disputed case of Shigechiyo Izumi. Her lifespan has been thoroughly documented by scientific study, with more records having been produced to verify her age than for any other case.

Astrology Chart (no Birth time)

I know what your thinking, an accurate birth time is definitely needed for this post, and I agree. But just look at the exact water trine between her Sun in Pisces trine Jupiter in Scorpio. One of these planets may rule the Asc or the 6th house or 8th house. Astrotheme has her Sun in 1st house conjunct Asc trining an 8th house Jupiter. Water is a “healing element”, and if the Sun is on her Ascendant her lifespan has been enhanced. Venus the planet of love and relationships is in Capricorn (maturity) trine Pluto (growth & regenerartion) in Taurus. The Venus-Pluto trine in earth signifies why she was taken care of financially by her husband. Venus rules relationships, and Pluto is money received from others, both planets are in the material (earth) signs.

Quotes by Jeanne Calment:

*I took pleasure when I could.

*I acted clearly and morally without regret. I’m very lucky.
*I’m interested in everything but passionate about nothing.
*I’m not afraid of anything.
*I’ve been forgotten by our Good Lord.
*Not having children is one less worry. Children are a worry.

Tweet, tweet!

I joined Twitter the other day out of curiosity. I don't really understand the concept, why limit yourself to 140 characters while trying to have a conversation. But it's not really about talking, it's about texting on a computer, and I have to admit I only ever manage short texted conversations, time delays and other things always seem to get in the way.

The Twitter website is a little obtuse to use. Setting up the account was easy enough, though living in the 'Rest of the World' meant I could sign up to send tweets from my phone, but couldn't receive any updates so I skipped that step. It's not easy to find people and it won't allow me to import any contacts from Outlook, though it will from web-based email providers. I started following Maryb without realising I had. And was pleasantly surprised to find that I gained a follower (thanks, Deborah!) without ever having tweeted.

Having browsed a bit it seems that most people use another application, either web-based or downloaded to your computer, to keep track of Twitter such as TweetDeck or TweetChat. Some make it easier to follow chats, where everyone puts a hashtag in their tweets so they are grouped together (as in #xxxchat); and replies, where you address your tweet to a particular person (as in @username). Perhaps it all becomes second nature but I'm not convinced. Still I'll take a gander at #litchat tomorrow as Anastasia is hosting a discussion about expat literature.

So between forums and email and Facebook and now Twitter I spend my time rattling around cyberspace trying to communicate, yet I'm terrible at keeping in touch with people. I miss face-to-face interaction in English and find all the substitutes lacking in some way. Skype or MSN should be better but unfortunately in this house they result in an authority vacuum, so as I try to have a serious conversation, my mother watches as the children cut their doll's hair, raid the kitchen presses and finally climb on my head. It's a little distracting to say the least.

Perhaps I should admit I'm looking for the impossible and accept the substitutes with their failings or maybe I should just get out more....

Tweet, tweet!

I joined Twitter the other day out of curiosity. I don't really understand the concept, why limit yourself to 140 characters while trying to have a conversation. But it's not really about talking, it's about texting on a computer, and I have to admit I only ever manage short texted conversations, time delays and other things always seem to get in the way.

The Twitter website is a little obtuse to use. Setting up the account was easy enough, though living in the 'Rest of the World' meant I could sign up to send tweets from my phone, but couldn't receive any updates so I skipped that step. It's not easy to find people and it won't allow me to import any contacts from Outlook, though it will from web-based email providers. I started following Maryb without realising I had. And was pleasantly surprised to find that I gained a follower (thanks, Deborah!) without ever having tweeted.

Having browsed a bit it seems that most people use another application, either web-based or downloaded to your computer, to keep track of Twitter such as TweetDeck or TweetChat. Some make it easier to follow chats, where everyone puts a hashtag in their tweets so they are grouped together (as in #xxxchat); and replies, where you address your tweet to a particular person (as in @username). Perhaps it all becomes second nature but I'm not convinced. Still I'll take a gander at #litchat tomorrow as Anastasia is hosting a discussion about expat literature.

So between forums and email and Facebook and now Twitter I spend my time rattling around cyberspace trying to communicate, yet I'm terrible at keeping in touch with people. I miss face-to-face interaction in English and find all the substitutes lacking in some way. Skype or MSN should be better but unfortunately in this house they result in an authority vacuum, so as I try to have a serious conversation, my mother watches as the children cut their doll's hair, raid the kitchen presses and finally climb on my head. It's a little distracting to say the least.

Perhaps I should admit I'm looking for the impossible and accept the substitutes with their failings or maybe I should just get out more....

Women and European Research Funding

The European Union recently released a report about gender and research funding in Europe with interesting results. Not surprisingly, they found a lot of variation from country to country and field to field:

No very systematic patterns appear in the data obtained. No clear relation could be observed between the proportion of women in a field and their chances of success in obtaining funding. For instance, in some funding schemes and organisations women had higher success rates than men in engineering and technology or in natural sciences, the most male-dominated fields across Europe, and in others lower. Nor was any large and universal imbalance observed in favour of men. However, some cases of imbalance can be observed, with various degrees of statistical significance. In a number of cases, on the contrary, women have significantly higher success rates than men. An example is the Dutch NWO, where, because of low representation of women in research, particular attention is paid to the quality of evaluation, and where promotion of women in research is an important policy goal.

But the funding story is more complicated than just whether there is bias against women applicants in evaluating grant proposals. It turns out that women generally ask for less funding. As the report sums it up:

The gendered patterns in application behaviour are a very serious problem: women are less likely to apply for funding than men and they request smaller amounts of money.

And

Women apply or re-apply less, apply to less prestigious sources, requesting less funding, and for shorter duration.

There are a number of possible reasons for that difference: a higher fraction of women are fixed-term or part-time positions where they are ineligible to apply for many grants, women may be less integrated into scientific networks, and may have less social support. In that light, it seems particularly unfair that women who do get grant funding may find themselves burdened with non-research tasks that reduce their productivity. As the report explains:

A new finding however was that receiving funding can have deleterious effects: according to the authors, ‘women may suffer an ‘inverse Matthew Effect’ where their initial success leads to demands on their time as high profile members of an under-represented group which make it harder to sustain previous levels of research activity.’

And why does it matter? Well, for one, there is the loss of potential women colleagues who find themselves unfunded or underfunded. And the report noted that when looking at prestigious awards there is a significant difference between men and women:

Very strong gender imbalances were noted among the awardees of highly prestigious grants, positions or prizes in many countries.

So what can be done? The report's recommendations include:

• Monitor and encourage research on gender equality, especially with regards to funding statistics.
  
• Increase the number of applications from women researchers by encouraging and training women to apply for more funding and offering measures to improve work-life balance.
  
• Improve the gender balance among the "gatekeepers of research funding"
  

While I think the suggestions are reasonable, I don't think it's an easy task. In particular, the application rate of women for research grants seems to be affected by a number of issues of varying complexity. I don't think there's necessarily an easy way, for example, to improve the involvement of women in informal science networks heavily dominated by men, particularly those that combine social and professional interactions. If a woman doesn't feel comfortable (or is excluded from) heading to the pub with her lab mates she may very well be missing out on advice and inside knowledge that gets bandied about in those situations. There's no way to create rules to change such social interactions, although social networks for women scientists may help. Putting measures into place now meant to improve the situation is a step in the right direction.

(via an editorial in Nature about the report )

Download the European Commission report: The Gender Challenge in Research Funding: Assessing the European national scenes (pdf)

Download the related European Commission report: Women in science and technology: Creating sustainable careers (pdf)

Tags: women in science, gender gap, grant funding

Forging the Diamond Soul: The Saturn Cycles

Article by Anne Whitaker: During the first cycle, the major task is to find a place to stand in our lives and perceive a few reliable landmarks from which to take bearings, so that we can face life more than retreat from it. Then from 29-30 onward, we can begin to extend and deepen the various possibilities that our lives contain — a process culminating in the second Saturn return at the age of 58-59. After this point of stock-taking, the third and final cycle begins. However, before being able to define clearly what the psychological changes and challenges of the three cycles are, it is necessary to define the essence of what the Saturn archetype brings into our personal lives.

I find it beautifully symbolic that the cycle of the progressed Moon runs closely with the Saturn cycle. The progressed Moon talks about our inextricable connection with the rhythms of life — its cycles and its limits. It describes the necessity of separating out and moving on from one period of experience to another if we are to develop texture and complexity. But it also explains our drive to be safe and secure and to keep ourselves on familiar territory. The progressed Sun challenges the latter need, pushing us to differentiate, to take risks, to "follow our bliss".

The Saturn archetype, however, contains BOTH dimensions of this inner sol-lunar dynamic described by the progressed Sun and Moon, and it can be seen as their external worldly agent. Saturn as life's challenging, defining, and shaping principle clearly says to each newly born individual "Anything you can achieve in your life is confined by the inevitability of your mortality, and by the given described in your birth chart. In terms of complete Saturn cycles, you have three to work with at the most. Now get on with it — see how far you can go!" At the start of life, all is potential. As the Saturn cycles unfold, they describe how that potential gradually crystallizes, concretizes, until by the end there is nothing left to develop in this lifetime. The challenges presented by Saturn have at their core the demand that we become who we are, and who we can be, as fully as possible, by separating from that which we are not and could never be.

There are important differences in the developmental demands of the stages symbolized by the three major cycles of Saturn. The first, from birth to ages 29-30, is the thesis stage. It is the most intensely physical, energetic, and least conscious cycle. It is about building the platform on which to stand in life. The second cycle, from 29-30 to 58-59 is the antithesis stage. Read the rest here.

You Rang

I was reading the book “Spiritual Astrology” by Jan Spiller and Karen McCoy last night, and couldn’t help but giggle at my Moon in Pisces description for a past life: Past lives spent in monasteries or convents, or otherwise shut away from society. These past life monastic experiences have lead to certain material dependencies that you feel are necessary to maintain your healing spiritual consciousness. You are used to having others take care of you, cook for you, and set your daily routine. In the monastery for example, someone rang the gong, signalling when you should get up, when you should go to church or temple, when you should eat, and so forth. Consequently, you have never developed self-discipline, which is a task for this lifetimes, you are learning to accept responsibilities and to “ring your own gong”. You are used to living in a timeless reality, but in this lifetimes you need to learn the practical value of infusing celestial reality into daily life by sticking to a routine and by paying attention to being on time. These factors can make your life strong and give you confidence in relating your spiritual consciousness effectively to daily living.

Although I laughed at the thought of myself in a past life waiting for the gong to ring before I would eat or wake up. The essence of the reading is true, as I am not good at routines. I am definitely an escapist from reality or what I call "the boring mundane chores of life” what we associate with Virgo and the 6th house. I can see how necessary routine is for body, mind and spirit, and will definitely incorporate a more set routine into my daily life, but it’s difficult to break old unconscious habits (Moon).

The zodiac sign of Pisces, 12th house, and the planet Neptune in astrology can easily lose touch with the physical world. I personally fit into the “daydreaming” category of Pisces/Neptune and I dream away the days as if time will wait for me to catch up. The dream state itself can feel like a timeless reality; you sleep for 6 or 8 hours and while you sleep there is no concept of time. And other more (negative) time wasting Neptunian’s may be drug abuse or alcohol addictions and these people lose all sense of time by losing their physical senses, and in this state time certainly seems to slip away. In Neptune's world there is no responsibility, no clock or boundaries.

I remember watching a documentary on a man put in prison (12th, Neptune's house) for 20 years for a crime he didn’t commit, and when he was released from incarceration a whole lot had changed. Yet, he had the task of re-adjusting to a normal life again, and in some ways learning to be independent again, as the "real" world beckoned. This involved setting up a home, getting a Job, and doing things for himself (all earthy qualities). However, all of this was proving extremely difficult for him. He was basically learning how to re-orientate himself to normal daily living again (6th). Neptunians understand this dilemma all too well. Time itself seems to belong to Saturn because he represents age, understands responsibilities, and knows limitations. Neptune is like an eternal dream state, you fall into.

Unaspected Planets

I have been hunting around for articles to feed you astrology junkies, I have located some interesting food for thought.

Aspects form a vital component of the interpretation of the natal chart. They link the planets that are the active and dynamic factors of the horoscope. Each link means that a piece of our psychic energy is making contact with another part, and that these parts not only influence each another and can work together (or work against each other), it is also particularly true that they see each other and experience each other consciously. This makes it possible for us to get to know ourselves.

It does, however, happen that one or more planets do not receive or make any major aspects. They stand apart, and are therefore unintegrated. They have no direct influence on other planets (or psychic dynamics), and are themselves also not influenced, so they can exhibit extremes in their effects. We notice this particularly in an all-or-nothing attitude: quick to exaggerate, or precisely the opposite: not responsive in the least. In any case, whether a planet is unaspected depends particularly on the question of how large an orb we use. If we allow very large orbs, then there is little chance of having unaspected planets. If, however, we allow very small orbs, there is in fact a greater chance of having one or more unaspected planets. So, if we want to involve unaspected planets in our interpretation, we will first need to think about the question of orbs. And with this issue, unaspected planets can be of service to us. Read the rest here...

Shirley Phelps

Shirley Phelps is a member of the Baptist church, Shirley and her family are involved in a Law Firm. However, "The most hated family in America" hit the headlines over controversial campaigns at funerals, with signs saying thank god the soldiers are dead.

A Need to Feel Connected to the Deeper Elements of Life

Shirley Phelps has great strength, will and fortitude, she is coloured by passion, intensity, and a strong need for control. Shirley can be very loyal to those most close to her (Scorpio planets). With her Sun in Scorpio she finds her vitality through being passionately involved in her life purpose, and this means that she can be unflinching in her efforts to achieve what she wants.

An Awareness of the Darker Elements in Human Nature

Shirley can feel suspicious and mistrustful of life, and if she is expressing the lower archetypal energy of Scorpio, she can be ruthless and unforgiving. Scorpio is an emotionally honest sign, but also uncompromising in nature. The deeper undercurrents of life will always be working through her. The darker elements in her personality will have to be brought into consciousness (Sun), and worked with constructively.

The Sun is conjunct Neptune, and this often indicates a weak sense of identity, and lack of realism. Shirley can be attracted to charity work, any type of work that involves serving the collective. The Neptune world is included in her sense of destiny and purpose. The father (Sun) is idealized, and because of this I am not convinced she can separate her own goals from her father’s. Neptune waters have a deep longing to redeem the father. The planet Neptune can sacrifice personal identity, and her life can gravitate towards something higher and aspirational. However, Shirley has poor boundaries around herself, and unless she erects a strong ego, she can feel overwhelmed with emotional undercurrents.

A need for Rebellion

The Sun squares Uranus in the natal chart, and this means that Shirley identifies with the "outsider", and feels separate from society. Sun-Uranus is a strong willful and rebellious aspect, and she can take an extreme view of life. The more people challenge her - the more willful she becomes. There is a strong resistance to obeying the rules in society, and she enjoys courting controversy. The planet of communication Mercury is also in square to Uranus, and this combination has been described in many astrological textbooks as having "extremely fixed views". Shirley likes to think differently from everybody else, and can be rebellious with her ideas and viewpoints. Shirley is intelligent, but uses all her mental energy to create a strong reaction from the public. Activists of all kinds often have this type of chart, and violence or shock tactics are often used to create a stir, in order to get their opinions and ideas across, and to get the “people” to listen.

Mars-Jupiter-Neptune conjunct in Libra/Scorpio. Does this aspect speak volumes! Mars/Jupiter has been called the “crusader” aspect, and Shirley as we know battles over religion. Coincidentally this is also a good combination for Law (or trouble with the law). Mars conjunct Neptune pursues an ideal vision and aims to “redeem society”.

The Element of Pain, Restriction, and Loss of Meaning in Life

Saturn in Sagittarius can work in many ways astrologically. Obviously, in the media we see a woman at protests who is extremely verbal on gods message, and believes she is the mouthpiece for God. People who do not follow her philosophy are sinners who are going to hell. In astrology Saturn in Sagittarius or in the 9th house has been linked to dogmatic teachings in religion. Shirley's father, is a pastor of the church, and has been feeding his child’s mind with his interpretation of the bible, since she was young. Now she has the task of learning what meaning she alone gives to life and religion. Wherever Saturn is placed in the natal chart we feel that we have been denied something vitally important. As a young girl if she had grown up in a different environment her views may be different. This placement can in certain circumstances take a narrow minded approach to life. The task with this placement is to come to her own vision of life, and find meaning from within.

L'Oreal-UNESCO USA Fellowships Awarded

The five postdoctoral researchers who were awarded 2009 L'Oreal USA Fellowships for Women in Science were honored at a special ceremony at the American Museum of Natural History on Thursday. Each of the winners will receive a $60,000 grant for scientific research and career development. The awardees:

Dr. Beena Kalisky: Kalisky is a postdoc in the lab of Kathyrn A. Moler in the Department of Applied Stanford University. According to the press release, she is "developing a new system for detection and characterization of individual nanomagnets. The instrument designed will scan over a large number of particles and individually measure their magnetic properties. This will help in the gathering of pertinent information for the exploration of the nanomagnets' possible applications."

Dr. Aster Kammrath: Kammrath is a postdoc in the lab of Frank Keutsch in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. According to the press release her research focuses on "the pathways by which molecules emitted by human activity or natural sources are involved in climate change and pollution problems. This work aims to help set appropriate emissions controls to minimize the production of carbon dioxide, other greenhouse gases and aerosol, which could help reduce respiratory problems."

Kammrath has said that it was her mother who helped her discover science:

"She instilled in me a passion for solving problems and understanding the real-world application of the scientific method," she says.

Dr. Nozomi Nishimura: Nishimura is a postdoc in the lab of Chris B. Schaffer in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University. Her research involves "testing the role that blood vessel dysfunction plays in triggering Alzheimer's disease. This research will look at how clots or bleeds in the smallest blood vessels in the brain could seed the accumulation of A-beta proteins, an indication of plaque in the brain which often occurs in Alzheimer's patients."

Dr. Tiffany Santos: Santos is a postdoc in the Electronic & Magnetic Materials & Devices division of the Center for Nanoscale Materials at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. Her research involves "a class of materials called transition metal oxides, with a wide array of properties, that have numerous potential applications. This research aims to uncover new materials, which could potentially help reduce power consumption and increase the energy efficiency of information technologies, such as data storage devices and memory chips."

Dr. Erika Sudderth: Sudderth is a postdoc in the lab of David Ackerly in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of California at Berkeley (the press release says Brown University, so she may have recently moved). Her research is focused on understanding "the constraints, thresholds and limits of ecological responses to precipitation, which is arguably the most important controller of ecosystem processes. This research aims to understand the mechanisms driving ecosystem responses to climate change."

(I plan to update the post as the various institutions release additional information)

For more information about the awards, see:

• L'Oréal-USA For Women in Science Official Web Site (requires Flash)
• L'Oréal USA For Women in Science on Facebook

Tags: women in science, L'Oreal-UNESCO Fellowships

Jupiter, Chiron, Neptune: Another Dose

The general flavour of the conjunction has had me questioning its relation to current events. Here in the UK, we had a break-out of Swine Flu, and the biggest outbreak of measles in years. Astrologically, Chiron can be linked with physical problems of this magnitude. According to Liz Greene’s Barriers and boundaries:

"Chiron is often linked with physical problems, of both an organic and functional nature. Bitterness and disillusionment can express themselves somatically- perhaps in really lethal diseases like Cancer, but perhaps more frequently in a general lowering of resistance, leading to a predisposition of infections. Abscesses and boils, which are often linked with Pluto, may also reflect Chiron’s inability to throw off infection. This is a kind of somatised infection, a retaining of poison, and an inability to fight off the nasties, which enter the system from the outside, it is as though the body is saying, “What’s the point? Life is horrible anyway, so I just won’t bother to fight.” I have seen a number of examples of Chiron relationship with toxic conditions. Any of you who have ever gone through any dietary procedure to clear toxins will know that one of the immediate emotional effects is rage."

Forced to Disclose the Gender Pay Gap

A new equalities bill has been put into place recently, it will force those in power (Pluto in Capricorn) to disclose the gender pay gap in their organisation. The bill is to increase fairness and diversity and help Britain in the global economy. Age, race and gender discrimination will be under new equal laws. The new equalities bill is taking place under the current conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune in Aquarius. Jupiter in Aquarius believes in equality, and Neptune in Aquarius has greater openness to the differences between people. However, with Chiron in Aquarius it describes the collective wound, and bitter, painful reality of social prejudice still existing no matter how many laws are passed.

The recent political scandal over government expenses is still dominating the news. MP's wasting Tax Payers money. Pluto in Capricorn reflects deep mistrust in the government.

Abuse and Negligence, Who's not doing their Job?

A high number of child abuse reports have surfaced since Pluto moved into Capricorn. Authorities and outdated systems are exposed. The abuse of Baby P highlighted the low standards of Social care. The Fritzl case followed and just recently a report is out on the systematic abuse in state institutions run by religious congregations. The department of education has failed to carry out inspections, and children have been abused for years. A clean sweep in all these areas is desperately needed so that better systems are put into place.

Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe personified Hollywood glamour, a 50’s sex goddess. Yet behind her glamorous past, lives a sad and lonely girl. Marylyn was born Norma Jeane Mortenson on June 1st, 1926 in Los Angles California. Before she was born her father abandoned the family, thus she would never know his identity. Norma Jean spent most of her childhood living in foster homes and orphanages, after her mother suffered from severe psychological problems and was committed to a mental institution. Marilyn was sexually abused very early in her life, which must have left emotional scars on this fragile sensitive little girl. Marilyn married at 16 years old to find security, but she divorced him after a few years. Marilyn Monroe became one of our biggest stars and glowed under the media attention. However, she could never fully escape the memories of her unhappy childhood, and her painful past would forever haunt her. Tragically, Marilyn’s life was cut short by an accidental overdose.

Leo is rising in Marilyn’s chart, the first house being the house of identity, shows Marilyn’s attraction to glamour and the theatre. It is extremely important for a Leo Ascendant to stay true to her identity. The image Marilyn projects is that of the Leo, warm, radiant, yet with an emotional vulnerable fragile look (Neptune in 1st). A Leo rising needs to develop a powerful sense of self, and this could have given her the strength to express the more sensitive personality factors, without being overwhelmed by her emotions. The Sun in the 11th house can have more difficulty shining for itself as we have the “audience” in the 11th house and the need for approval from others and society.

The Sun is in Gemini in the 11th house, and this represents her need to express herself through communication and socializing. The Sun in Gemini has a friendly nature with many interests. Gemini is flirtatious with a strong need for variety. Marilyn’s development in life was focused on group involvements, and future developments. The Sun in Gemini/11th could describe her purpose of being in the media. A sense of purpose and destiny can be found in social, humanitarian, or political activities through the 11th house. Another celebrity who has Sun in Gemini/11th is Angelina Jolie who has become a spokesperson for many humanitarian charities, expressing the sign and house placement of the Sun can have the effect of sustaining and fulfilling a person, because we are expressing our own individuality (Sun). Thus, for Marilyn friends and social contacts become very important, she has to have a social circle, but on some level there is still a deep sense of loneliness and feeling of rejection which has come from her early roots (Moon-Saturn). Mercury the planet of communication conjuncts Marilyn’s Sun, from the 10th and her aspirations and goals are achieved through important contacts.

Natally, the Moon in Aquarius needs to feel free to interact with many people, this emphasises her communication needs and other social contacts i.e. Gemini placements (11th). Aquarius when paired with the Moon may emotionally try to rationalize feelings; this would have been difficult due to Neptune aspecting the Moon. Marilyn has very good social skills and knows how to interact with other people instinctively and feel connected through friendships/groups, although she may sacrifice a part of herself in her deep need to belong (Moon-Neptune). With the Moon in Aquarius, she may also use her friends and social contacts as a way of avoiding intimate relating. The Moon Conjuncts Jupiter, in the 7th house so she can be highly sensitive to public opinion and this expands (Jupiter) her need for the public, and socializing, and there can be a need to be what others want her to be. Some 7th house moons feel married to the public!

On a psychological level, a person with the Moon placed in the 7th house of the natal chart may look for the idealized image of mother through the partner, and marriage may be sought early on in life for the security it offers. Marilyn has her Moon square to Saturn in 4th Scorpio, and this restricts her in finding emotional happiness through partners because of her melancholic dissatisfaction stemming from the past. Marilyn can be uneasy with deep personal intimacy and feels inadequate in this area. The first house Neptune can create emotional confusion, and a fragile emotional nature, she is needing and yearning for an ideal home and mother (Moon/Neptune). On a very deep level of Marilyn’s emotional being, she feels a deep loss and sadness and she longs to escape from reality. The star finds emotional fusion in her drinking and other addictions.

The Nodal path (direction of the soul) shows Marilyn has her South Node in Capricorn - 6th and her North Node in Cancer 12th showing a need to take care of her spirit and soul, she needed to learn how to connect to her emotional and feeling nature, to nurture others and allow herself to be nurtured.

The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly effect is about a boy called Evan, he suffers severe traumas, and blacks out frequently. When consciousness returns, he has no recollection of what happened. Evan has inherited these blackouts from his father who is locked away in a psychiatric unit. One day, he was reading through his old diary when he realizes he was transported back to his childhood and changed events in his past, and his current reality, but each time he changes something there are further and often devastating consequences.

The "Butterfly Effect" explores all the Plutonian themes in life, it's one of my favourite movies. The emotional shocks come thick and fast, and it's hard to catch your breath before another twist of fate alters reality again. The movie received mixed reviews. The scenes rapidly move in sequence, and explore uncomfortable themes like madness in the family, abuse, violence, seriously disturbed children, insanity, prison, prostitution, amputation, explosions, drug abuse, murder, suicide. The film doesn't deal with any of these themes in depth, it's more focused on the impact of playing with fate. Buckle your seat belt for this movie.

Mr Billionaire

Warren Buffett (born August 30, 1930) is an American investor, businessman and philanthropist. He is one of the world’s most successful investors, and the largest shareholder and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He was ranked by Forbes as the second richest American with an estimated net worth of $50 billion as of September 17, 2008.

Often called the “Oracle of Omaha“, Buffett is noted for his adherence to the value investing philosophy and for his personal frugality despite his immense wealth. His 2006 annual salary was about $100,000, which is small compared to senior executive remuneration in other comparable companies. When he spent $9.7 million of Berkshire’s funds on a business jet in 1989, he jokingly named it “The Indefensible” because of his past criticisms of such purchases by other CEOs. He lives in the same house in the central Dundee neighborhood of Omaha that he bought in 1958 for $31,500, today valued at around $700,000.
Buffett is also a notable philanthropist. In 2006, he announced a plan to give away his fortune to charity, with 83% of it going to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In 2007, he was listed among times 100 most Influential People in The World. He also serves as a member of the board of trustees at Grinnell College.

Named richest man 2008! The Investor

You got your eye on the Jupiter/Pluto in Cancer! Pluto is the focal point of a Cardinal t.square involving Venus in Libra and Uranus in Aries. I have read Cancer is the sign which has good business acumen. Some people underestimate the crab. In astrology Cancer can be intuitive and have the canny ability to predict future trends. We speak of Cancer as the great investor in astrology, this sign saves, collects and holds on tightly. The mother image in Cancer reflects the nurturer, and here she is the mom of great wealth (Jupiter-Pluto). Mr Billionaire is a man who protects his investments and is concerned about his future investments too.

All the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) are about taking initiative. Aries is about energy, enterprise and new beginnings. The sign of Cancer is protective and withholds until it feels secure enough to make the move at the right time. Libra is very charming and aims to please and is rather skilled at negotiating. Finally we have Capricorn, he is the business head in this branch of signs and he builds, constructs and manages the building, and is often the controlling type. Sun in Virgo trines Saturn in Capricorn, so this Saturnian energy helps him with his excellent sense of timing. Virgo does the checks and has the analytical abilities needed for business skills. We are looking at a man who is naturally good at business. We can also see that there are more hard aspects (red lines) than easy ones (green lines) in the natal chart. Most astrologers agree that hard aspects do have more drive than trines. In business a Cardinal T-square or fixed T-square work well for the native. Jupiter-Pluto handles large amounts of money. The sign of Cancer is something to invest in (think in terms of building a nest) but a nice big golden nest for Warren Buffet!

America: Mercury-Pluto

I Bought the Nostradamus book the other day. Liz Greene has given her astrological views of different countries and world events through the translations of Nostradamus himself. She briefly explained the chart of America in the book, and here is some of what she says on the aspect of Mercury-Pluto in America's natal chart.

“According to Dane Rudyhars chart of America: Perhaps one of the most significant aspects within the birth chart of the USA with which we can make some judgement about the future is the Mercury and Pluto opposition. This configuration within an individual’s natal chart signifies a most interesting potential character. Seen as a characteristic of a nation, it would illustrate well, on the positve side, great subtlety, an interest in the invisible or hidden side of life – such as concern in America for psychoanalysis, spiritualism, and religious cults. America was the first country to conduct reputable experiments in parapsychology. This along with an ability to penetrate to the truth and recognize the lies of others.

On the negative side it can reflect obsessive secrecy, deceptiveness, and undercover dealings. It’s one of the astrological placements that can (not necessarily will) produce a superb liar. As a national characteristic, it has it’s good points, one is a willingness to explore the world of the psyche. Other counties such as the United Kingdom and France, seen reluctant to do this. In the UK even C.G Jung is not taught within university curriculum’s, except within the religious departments. In America it is possible to acquire a degree in mythology and there is even discussions on the “West Coast” of starting astrology courses within universities because interest in these hidden aspects of life is not considered “weird”.

An area of negative aspect of Mercury-Pluto opposition is corruption in economic dealings in the form of secrecy. The amassing of wealth appears an immoral or unethical activity. Ironically, Americans see themselves as open, honest and frank in all areas of life. They criticize the British for being withdrawn, lacking in expression of their emotions, and non communicative. Yet beneath the surface of apparent extroversion, Americans can sometimes be private about their inner lives. This is supported by a Mercury-Pluto opposition from Cancer to Capricorn in the American natal chart, which is a specific configuration that reflects a collective difficulty in expressing thoughts and feelings, and communication which appears to be open but conceals a great deal. The ubiquitous use of jargon, “buzz” and slang words, and “politically correct” expressions all reflect this kind of evasion. This is a general trend rather than a personal failing and suggests things are never quite as they appear to be, especially how America as a whole expresses itself to other countries, and in the way the government presents itself to the people. This enigmatic characteristic is typical in individuals of the Mercury-Pluto aspect.

We saw this aspect most readily within the 1992 presidential election in which everyone seemed on the surface to b so enthusiastic, flag waving and excited. But at the same time there were rumours of numerous “dirty tricks” to discredit the candidates. This can be seen as a style of communication within the natal chart, even a congenital condition, of putting things away obliquely. This is part of the American way. ”

Steven Forrest/Mars in Aquarius

Mars in Aquarius in 3rd House

The third house represents our communication and ability to express ourselves, short journeys, siblings, cousins, it is associated with early schooling and our attitude and relationship with knowledge itself as well as the environment in which we live and work. Any tools of communication such as the telephone also come under this house; it rules writing, speaking, and communication. Steven Forrest an American pro astrologer; author of “The Inner Sky,” operates a large counselling practice in NC and has authored many articles and composed texts for computerized report-writers. He graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1971 with a degree in religion and has an active interest in astrological education, running a busy astrological apprenticeship program. Steven is Chair of the Kepler College Advisory Council and a member of the ISAR Ethics Committee.

Steven has Mercury-Mars in Aquarius conjunct in his 3rd house. This combination shows an active mental life, with his busy involvement in astrology (Aquarius rules astrology, technology, and social causes). Mars in the 3rd house represents his motivation to write. Steven Forrest is a member of the International Society for Astrological Research, which encourages the highest standards of quality in astrology. The program offers a course on ethics awareness; this is all representative of his own Aquarian high standards.

Nicole Kidman

I do like Nicole Kidman, but in certain films she doesn’t seem to radiate a lot of warmth. I thought her best role was in the movie “Dead Calm” she was excellent in this. I wondered what in her chart astrologically is giving a somewhat cooler actress. The Astro-Data bank puts her Asc in Scorpio (controlled sign).

1.Nicole has Sun in Gemini (air sign) the Sun is disposited by Mercury in Cancer square to Mars/Saturn, and perhaps this is why I see the fiery red hair and passion, but then she appears very controlled (Saturn) in her actions (Mars).

2.Saturn is in detriment in Aries (identity & confidence) in the 6th house. If the data is correct Scorpio rising is ruled by Mars in Libra (Detriment) and opposed Saturn (fall) and this may explain the rigidness I get from her. The Planets in these signs have difficulty with expressing themselves with confidence. Saturn also causes great difficulty when she tries to express her Mars qualities and so she may overcompensate. Or at times appear as if she lacks spontonaeity.

3.The Sun and Moon are also square Uranus adding to her intellectual detachment.

4.Nicole has a fire grand trine involving Saturn, in some acting roles she has been praised because of the controlled energy she brings and her enthusiastic nature, and in other roles she has an almost cold appearance.

I find this interesting because I consider myself a controlled persona with Saturn on the Asc (identity & confidence) opposed my Sun (self expression).

Stephen King: Horror

Stephen King, has this to say on why we like horror: "I think we are all mentally ill; those of us outside the asylums hide it a little better- and maybe not all that much better, and after all. We’ve all known people who talk to themselves, people who sometimes squint their faces into horrible grimaces when they believe no one is watching, people who have some hysterical fear of snakes, the dark, the tight place, the long drop….and of course these final worm and grubs waiting patiently underground. When we pay our four or five bucks and seat ourselves at tenth row centre in a theatre showing a horror movie, we are daring the nightmare".

King believes fairy-tales take away the shades of grey… it urges us to put away our more civilised and adult penchant for analysing and become children again, seeing life in pure black and white. Horror movies provide psychic relief; it’s the invitation to lapse into irrationality and even outright madness. Stephen goes on say "That love, kindness, and loyalty are all emotions we applaud. The status qua, what is socially acceptable. We exhibit these emotions and society reinforces it. While other less acceptable emotions are put away. If we share the brotherhood of man we also share the insanity of man".

I found the movie Carrie (written by King) to be particularly disturbing, one of the horror films which really gets under your skin. The transformation of Carrie didn’t have a happy ending, and the movie I still find creepy today, and there are so many horrors out now that every surprise is expected, and the music clues you in when something scary is about to happen. The movie is psychologically unnerving, and all dues to Sissy Spacek, she was amazing in this role. Carrie in the movie had telekenesis, and I was reading about the power to move objects with your mind in Liz Greene’s book The horoscope in Manifestation. The discussion turned to poltergeist activity and then the movie Carrie, quote below.

Audience: Since we are on the subject of the supernatural, could complexes have anything to do with poltergeist activity.

Liz:That is another area in which the psychoid nature of complexes may be evident. The energy of the complex is operating independent of the individuals physical body. The complex is running loose, autonomous and telekinetic. On a subtler level, the same principle is in operation when someone prangs your car on the day transiting Mars is square to your Uranus. The other driver may also have a transit of Mars to Uranus, or a natal Mars-Uranus square. Where has that person come from? How did they wind up just behind you in the traffic queue?

Audience:But poltergeist activity is much more dramatic.

Liz: Yes, but I think it is the same dynamic. The most popular theory of poltergeist activity seems to focus on “disturbed” adolescents, whose powerful emotional energies are in some way connected to the moving objects. No one knows how this happens, but it is generally agreed that there is a young person, often pubescent, at the centre of all this activity. Do any of you remember the film Carrie? Sexual energy in an adolescent can be incredibly powerful. If it is totally blocked from consciousness, it may well have the power to affect material objects. I cannot “prove” what I am saying. It is merely speculation. But if anyone has a better suggestion, do let me know.

Stephen King

Astrologically King has got his vivid imagination and writing ability from his Sun in the analytical sign of Virgo which is diposited by his Mercury-Neptune conjunction in Libra. Mercury-Neptune is well known for it’s imaginative faculties. The Sun in Virgo squares Uranus in Gemini - some astrologers believe Uranus should be exalted in the sign of the twins because, it enhances mental ability. The Sun-Uranus aspect is tight in his natal chart, and involves the two Mercury ruled signs (Gemini and Virgo), he expresses himself through intellectual innovation. Uranus rules a collective influence of new ideas. King certainly likes to shock, and scare the living hell out of us at the same time (laughs). The Sun in Virgo orders his environment and can be an introspective sign.

Family Background

As a young boy King's father suddenly left the family without warning while out buying cigarettes (Sun-Uranus). King apparently witnessed one of his friends being struck and killed by a train, though he has no memory of the event. His family told him that after leaving home to play with the boy, King returned, speechless and seemingly in shock. Only later did the family learn of the friend’s death. Some commentators have suggested that this event may have psychologically inspired King’s dark, disturbing creations, but King himself has dismissed the idea. King used drugs for a period of time, but sought help and has since been sober. King was involved in a bad car accident and needed five operations and physical therapy.

The Astrology of Unusual Accidents

I thought it would be interesting to look at the charts of people killed in the most unusual accidents. I have different cases of accidental death here, from the self-inflicted gunshot, to accidental fire, and even electrocution. According to astrological observation and research, the signs most prone to accidents are in fact the mutable signs; these are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces. The Jupiter ruled signs (Sagittarius and Pisces) can commonly indicate careless accidents, and the Mercury ruled signs (Gemini and Virgo) are prone to diseases of the mind. The planet Mars can represent physical danger and a red warning flag, and let’s face it the war god acts on impulse, and does not think about the consequences.

The personality/psychological link with accidental incidents can be obvious especially in view of the following cases. Accidents Involving gas or drowning can be related to Neptune. The planet Mercury rules transport in our immediate environment inclusding bikes, scooters, cars, etc. For any immediate transport accident we look to Mercury, Gemini,  or the 3rd house. For long distance travel we look to Sagittarius, Jupiter or the 9th house. Astrologers look to the natal chart to explain external events by analysing the inner workings of the individual. Should we, however, take full responsibility for an accident? Is an accident exactly that, an unexpected event that is no ones fault? We are made up of “psychic energy” and the stuff we are made of permeates every part of life, and our accidents often refelct our own personality.

Self inflicted Gunshot

Clement Vallandigham was an Ohio Unionist of the Copperhead faction of anti-war, congressional representative opposed to Lincoln. Vallingdom dies at the age of 50, after accidentally shooting himself with a pistol.He was representing a defendant in a murder case for killing a man in a barroom brawl. Vallandigham wished to prove the victim had in fact killed himself while trying to draw his pistol from a pocket while rising from a kneeling position. As Vallandigham conferred with fellow defence attorneys in his hotel room, he decided to show them how he would demonstrate this to the jury. Grabbing a pistol he believed to be unloaded, he put it in his pocket and enacted the events as he imagined them to have happened, shooting himself in the process. Vallandigham proved his point, since the defendant, Thomas McGehan, was subsequently acquitted and released from custody. Vallandigham, however, died of his wound.

Natally Clement has a mutable T-square involving Mars in Virgo opposite Jupiter in Pisces, and this implies careless (Jupiter) actions (Mars). Chiron and Pluto are also in Pisces, and ALL square to Uranus in Sagittarius. This configuration has accidental written all over it. Mars is the planet of violence and impulsiveness and Uranus rules the unexpected surprise, shocking, or accidental events. Mars rules firearms and weapons of all kinds, and his Mars-Pluto aspect can indicate extreme forms of violence. Jupiter is in Pisces squares Uranus in Sagittarius. This heightens the probability for accidents. I have seen the combination of Mars-Jupiter in many charts involving the dare devil type and it describes actions that are not thought out carefully. This is an extremely tense configuration involving the mutable signs and all T-square accidental Uranus.

Martha Mansfield - Severely Burned when a Cast Member Tossed a Match that Ignited her Civil War Costume


While working on the film The Warrens of Virginia, Mansfield is severely burned when a match, tossed by a cast member, ignited her Civil War costume of hoop skirts and flimsy ruffles. Mansfield was playing the role of Agatha Warren, and had just finished her scenes and retired to a car, when her clothing burst into flames. Her neck and face were saved when leading man, Wilfred Lytell, threw his heavy overcoat over her. The chauffeur of Mansfield's car was burned badly on his hands while trying to remove the burning clothing from the actress. The fire was put out but she sustained substantial burns to her body she was rushed to a hospital where she died in less than twenty-four hours.

Natally Martha has a tense and violent mutable t-square involving Mars in Virgo at the apex of a tense t-square to Saturn in Sagittarius and Pluto in Gemini (Mars-Saturn-Pluto). Mars rules fire and Pluto is an explosive energy, and this combination is highly inflammable. The planet Saturn restrains the energy of Mars and I have seen this contact in the chart of a little girl who was killed in a fire. Both Mars-Pluto and Mars-Saturn are classed as violent aspects. The whole combination describes anger that has a tendency to be bottled up and restrained, and it can build up to potentially violent consequences. Natally Mars-Pluto can be uncontrolled fire, and deep seated rage. Martha’s psychic energy is powerful and full of rage and anger.

J.G Parry-Thomas - Head Partially Decapitated

He was killed at Pendine Sands in March 1927 while trying to regain his own world land speed record that had been broken just weeks earlier by Malcolm Campbell on the same beach. He was suffering from influenza and turned down a lucky black cat charm from a little girl, announcing, "I will put my faith in my maker!" His car, Babs, used exposed chains to connect the engine to the drive wheels while the high engine cover required him to drive with his head tilted to one side – the right. On his final run the right-hand drive chain broke at a speed of 170 mph (270 km/h), partially decapitating him. Astrologically, Venus, Saturn, Chiron and Pluto all conjunct in Gemini (transport), Pluto is in Taurus at the 29th degree. Mercury in Aries squares Jupiter in Cancer. He does not always think the consequences through, Aries is impulsive and fast.

Claude Francois - Electrocuted: 

While standing in a filled bath, he noticed a light bulb that was not straight, tried to straighten it and was accidentally electrocuted. That was the official version. There are those, who believe other accounts including foul play. Whichever is true, with Claude François having died at only 39 years of age, his death brought a wave of public sympathy for a French "national treasure'.

The Sun is in Aquarius in the 11th degree and is square to Uranus. Astrologically we would describe his personality as progressive, interested in technology and someone who needs to be different from society, we might describe such a strong combination of Aquarian energy as electric with a need to shock others or with a futuristic focused personality. He has a Mars-Jupiter contact and again in mutable signs, which suggests carelessness.