Quincunx, Aversion & Venus in Libra

I always have great fun recording the Academy of Astrology UK weekly podcast, hosted by the wonderful Rod Chang. It's never scripted, we simply pick our topic in advance and then run with it.

This week, Rod, Marcos and myself discussed the 'awkward' and 'frustrating' Quincunx aspect and the traditional concept of aversion, plus an appreciation of Venus in Libra.

And if you enjoy our musings, please subscribe.

https://youtu.be/gYDFrRtqXFM

Empathy in the Birth Chart, Part 2

 In Part 1, we defined empathy and saw how, when we are in defensive mode, empathy is not always possible. Concluding that empathy itself can’t be seen in the birth chart, we discussed, with an illuminating case study, how our chart aspects suggest where our empathy-blocking defences can kick in. In Part 2, more signifiers for defence mechanisms in the birth chart…

Saturn aspects suggest defence mechanisms because Saturn tests, blocks and controls. It represents where we have fears and doubts and lack confidence. All of these are fuel for our defences.

With Venus-Saturn, for example, there might be defences against getting hurt in relationships, manifesting in a fear of letting others get too close. The Venus-Saturn person therefore might un-empathetically hurt and reject someone else before it can be done to them. (See Part 1 for a case study example of how a generational Mercury Square Saturn played out).

Lack of empathy can also come through some of the aspects we might think of as easier. Jupiter types, for example, who are confident, upbeat and optimistic, can sometimes lack tolerance and empathy for those who are struggling with low self-esteem or who, for whatever reason, lack the faith, courage and self-belief to pursue their dreams and ambitions.

Aspect patterns are also a good place to look for defences, especially T-Squares, which so often describe the nitty gritty issues in a person’s life. Grand Trines are also associated with defence mechanisms, because they represent where we hesitate to step out of our comfort zone.

If we think about the zodiac signs, Aries types might lack empathy for those who aren’t fast-paced go-getters; Taurus or Libra might disapprove of Aries' need to be numero uno and label them as aggressive or selfish, not understanding the Aries mission to go through life as a warrior. A Gemini type might be unfairly labelled as someone who can’t commit to one thing, with others not getting that Gemini is here to experience variety and needs to keep their options open. And so on, through the signs…

Back to those sensitive Water signs mentioned in Part 1 and why they might not always necessarily be empathetic. It’s because that emotional sensitivity, if it gets too much, can be defended against to protect the Water person from pain and suffering. I recently watched a Netflix show about teen fairies learning to harness their powers. One of them was an empath, who wore headphones constantly to protect herself from becoming overwhelmed by the feelings of others. Sensitive humans can also feel overwhelmed by their empathy at times and that’s when their psychological defences can kick in, which while offering protection, but can also block empathy.

The Cancerian retreating into their shell is a well known astrological symbolism. Cancerians need to feel safe and at home. They are drawn to people who help them to feel comfortable and once they find them, they seek to keep them close. Whether it’s their blood family or the ‘family’ they choose, Cancerians need to feel cushioned by their relationships. However, this can lead to clannish cliques and those who don’t make it into Cancer’s close circle might feel rejected. This is where a defence might make someone else feel the hurt that the defended person is trying to protect themselves from. The hurt doesn’t go away, it’s just passed on.

Scorpio of course has its famous defensive sting. Using that sting to point out others’ flaws, often with merciless honesty, is Scorpio’s way of protecting themselves from such searing scrutiny. Last of all, we have compassionate, empathetic Pisces; but feeling everyone’s emotions as if they are their own can make porous, sensitive Pisces retreat into victim mode. When Pisces feels that nobody’s problems are as bad as theirs, it’s hard for them to feel empathy. Conversely, Pisces, with a genuine desire to stop someone’s suffering, might go into full rescue mode, but if this is done with pity rather than real empathy, the support they offer can feel dis-empowering.

These examples show that while you can’t judge levels of natural empathy from a chart, you can see areas where empathy might potentially be blocked. Astrology can help with self-understanding and the recognition of where we fall into our defences. We all need defences of course, they are very useful, but by becoming more aware of them we can potentially see where they have become unhelpful and where we might be unwittingly hurting others or not recognising when they might need support and compassion and empathy.

Click here for Part 1 - Empathy in the Birth Chart?

Wondering about life post-pandemic?  A consultation can help you clarify what it might look like and better understand your opportunities, stumbling blocks and options.  Details here: Consultations and Other Services  

With love,

Mandi

 

Olivia Colman – A Venus-Uranus Story

At the Golden Globes on January 7, British ‘national treasure’ actress Olivia Colman, picked up the Best Actress in a Comedy award for her portrayal of the early 18^th Century reign of Britain’s Queen Anne in The Favourite. Whilst this is her second Golden Globe¹ this win sees her poised to become a major Hollywood star. 

However, Aquarius also needs to express its own uniqueness and Colman comes across both in interviews and in roles as one of a kind. A profile in the New York Times⁴ described her as the most “ordinary extraordinary person you have ever met,” which reminds us that despite the Aquarian idea of ordinariness and equality, Leo, sign of the special and the extraordinary is at the opposite end of the Aquarius axis. This invites Aquarius to find a unique and singular identity, to shine, whilst still remaining a part of the collective dynamic. In her Golden Globe acceptance speech Colman uses her time in the Leonine spotlight to credit her collaborators – affectionately calling them her ‘bitches’ - and to thank the organisers for the sandwiches – as only an Aquarius would do! By Secondary Progression, her retrograde Venus turned direct in late 1987 and progressed to Conjunct its natal position in June 2002 when she was 28, coinciding with her Saturn return. Two major events bookend these measurements. In 2001 she got married and in 2003 she appeared in cult sitcom Peep Show. Her supporting role as a reluctant romantic interest to David Mitchell’s character got her the attention she needed to land further roles in the comedy genre. 2003 also saw Solar Arc (SA) Venus at 29 degrees Aquarius, having moved 30 degrees around her chart and, echoing her natal Venus-Uranus connection because transiting Uranus was Conjunct SA Venus!

The Favourite is set against a background of war but focuses on life in the ailing and grieving Queen’s court, in particular on her close relationships with the two women who competed for her love and the power that came with it. Rachel Weisz plays Lady Sarah, the Queen’s confidante and lover at the start of the film, but who [spoiler alert] is eventually usurped by her down on her luck cousin Abigail (Emma Stone), who, ambitious to return to her former aristocratic status, inveigles her way into the Queen’s trust and into her bed.

Colman’s portrayal of Anne is all at once beguiling, repulsive, beautiful, absurd, upsetting, darkly funny and incredibly poignant and terrific performances from her supporting actresses make for a compelling and tragicomic triangle.

Born on 30 January 1974 in Norwich UK², Colman has Sun, Mercury and Jupiter in Aquarius. The Sun and Jupiter are squared by Mars in Taurus and Mercury and Jupiter form an Air Grand Trine with Saturn and South Node in Gemini and Uranus in Libra. Uranus also features in the chart’s tightest Square to an intense Venus at 29 degrees of Capricorn.

For all its reputation for quirkiness and individuality (which comes out in Colman’s performances), at heart Aquarius is also the sign of the ordinary common folk. David Mitchell, her co-star in Peep Show, the long running sitcom which gave Colman her breakthrough role, describes her as “normal and nice”³ and she herself often refers to how “ordinary” she is in interviews.

The Sun and Jupiter at 10 degrees and 21 degrees respectively are shy of a Conjunction but a Square from Mars at 15 Taurus forms a midpoint picture, pulling the Sun and Jupiter together. Mars at the midpoint of Sun and Jupiter has been described as “successful application of willpower; zeal; enthusiasm that catches on”.⁵ But the Square to Sun and Jupiter from Mars brings challenges, suggesting that the path towards personal growth and fulfilment of life purpose is strewn with frustrations which demand action and resolution for progress to be made. And indeed, her ‘overnight success’ has been almost 20 years in the making.

This aspect is complicated by both Sun and Mars in the sign of their detriment. It’s an oft overlooked truth that every individual success story is due in often large part to the help of others or is the result of a team effort. It is the challenge of Sun in Aquarius to express an individual identity whilst also being part of a group identity. It’s also to be remembered that although acting throws up many individual ‘stars’, it is in fact a group activity, as each individual performance owes much to the chemistry and ability of the other actors as well as to the quality of the script, production and direction.  In fact, Colman’s co-actors are quick to describe her as a team player and in The Favourite it is the chemistry between herself and co-stars Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz that makes her performance such a brilliant one. And this wasn’t by chance, Director Yorgos Lanthimos gave the actors three weeks of rehearsals to bond and not only does this show on screen it has led to off screen friendships⁶.

Mars in Taurus can bring pressure and frustration around taking action, self-assertion and following one’s desires and the antidote is to find a reliable, practical and grounded course of action. Staying power is of course one of the advantages of Mars in Taurus, with a talent for maintaining and building on wins and successes which in the long term is perhaps more valuable than the quick wins possible with Mars in the more ‘quick off the mark’ signs. That Jupiter at 21 Aquarius is in its Term⁷ perhaps adds the potential for a natural self-confidence that might otherwise be lacking.

Venus, the planet of artistic expression and relationships is in serious, practical Capricorn. Capricorn is notably hard working and her fierce work ethic is universally recognised within the industry. Capricorn is also a sign that needs clear boundaries and she keeps her married life away from the glare of fame and admits to being a homebody (she wed in 2001 and has three kids).

Capricorn is also the sign where a long apprenticeship needs to be served to gain mastery and Colman must have instinctively understood this at the start of her acting career. When her mother suggested giving it a year, Olivia replied that she would give it 10³. Mars in Taurus is also associated with not giving up (even when letting go might be the best course of action, though not in this case of course).

Venus is also prominent in her chart because it’s in the final degree of its sign, the so-called “degree of fate”⁸ and it’s also retrograde. A natal planet at 29 degrees brings a feeling of inevitability, so it’s no surprise that her 10 years of giving it a go at acting has become a no going back 19-year journey that continues to gain momentum.  Frank Clifford describes a planet at 29 degrees as a “seasoned player”⁸ and indeed this is exactly how Colman is perceived, receiving all the respect due to someone who has worked incredibly hard to make the most of her talent.

In interviews, she expresses the Capricorn traits of being down to earth and understated with a self-deprecating humour. Charles Dance, her co-star in Netflix’s The Crown describes her as having “a wonderful sense of humour but also works incredibly hard and takes the job very seriously”³. 

Her Venus is ruled by Saturn which sits in late Gemini and Saturn is also the traditional ruler of her Mercury in Aquarius (and Sun and Jupiter) which also explains her self-deprecating humour. It also suggests an image of a young Colman covering up her fear of getting it wrong by meticulously learning her lines, of wanting to get it right in every single little detail.

Venus Square Uranus is her tightest Square and the only major aspect of Venus (excepting a possible Square to the Moon). This Square probably owes a lot more to her down to earth quirkiness than her Aquarian planets. Interpreting it solely in relation to her art, it reflects her unorthodox route to Hollywood fame. It also has something to say about her femininity. At 44, whilst many female actors are bemoaning the lack of parts for older women, Colman’s star is rising. It’s also worth noting that whilst she is undoubtedly an attractive woman, she doesn’t possess the flawless and often airbrushed/plastic looking beauty we see in most Hollywood actresses. In a word, she looks authentic, like an ordinary (that word again) woman we might meet in the street and yet there is nothing bland about the way she looks, her looks are also unique and (at least in the world of acting) unconventional. In some scenes in The Favourite she is actually shown as very unattractive with swollen and inflamed gout ridden legs and clownish make up, a manifestation of the repulsiveness that’s a possibility with Venus Square Uranus.

This Square also tell us that she needs freedom to express her art in her own way and that the Square is activated at key moments in her career, suggests she has been using it well.

The other major measurement in Colman’s chart is an Air Grand Trine. It’s a very mercurial aspect pattern involving Mercury and Jupiter in Aquarius, Saturn and South Node in Gemini and Uranus (the higher Octave of Mercury) in Libra. This again explains her talent for wit, which makes her such a good comedienne, her versatile range (despite so much fixity in her chart) and adds the potential for oratory brilliance. To access the promise of a Grand Trine requires a hard aspect into at least one of the planets involved. In this case, it is that Venus Square to Uranus again, that provides the impetus to actualise its potential into an artform.

The gift of the Air Grand Trine is reflected in her own assertion in a 2012 interview about her instinctive style that “you can over-think things – if the script is good, everything you need is there.” She admitted in a recent Radio 4 interview, in her typical self-effacing way, that this was her approach to playing Queen Anne in The Favourite, going off the script rather than the method acting approach of researching every detail of the monarch’s life and personality. This also suggests the intellectual self-sufficiency associated with an Air Grand Trine.

When Colman picked up her Golden Globe, her midlife Uranus Opposite Uranus transit was just coming to an end, but of course transiting Uranus is also simultaneously Squaring her natal Venus with the last exact hit in February 2019 ahead of Uranus settling in Taurus and well timed for this year’s Oscars ceremony for which she received a nomination the best actress award.

Other measurements include Solar Arc Mercury Aries Square Neptune. Positive manifestations include creative expression, barriers dissolving and dream opportunities. Negative possibilities include over-idealism or impatience and impulsiveness leading to disillusionment and disappointment. Neptune in itself is of course an apt symbol for the glamourous world of ‘let’s pretend’ that is Hollywood.

SA Mercury is also currently applying to a Sextile to her Sun, putting a spotlight on creative self-expression this year. Already, SP Venus is Conjunct her Sun, shining a once in a lifetime spotlight on her talent, showing how far she’s come on her journey since SP Venus was Conjunct its natal position and Square her Uranus which, as already noted, coincided with her first breakthrough role – Uranus is of course associated with breakthroughs of all kinds.

You can read this article in full in the March/April edition of Infinity Astrological Magazine 

Notes and References

¹ Colman’s first Golden Globe was awarded in 2017 for best supporting actress in TV drama The Night Manager. Notably, she didn’t turn up to the ceremony because she didn’t think she had a chance of winning

² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olivia_Colman - birth time is unknown so a solar sign chart is used. The Moon is either in Aries or Taurus depending on birth time and is not considered in this analysis.

³ https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2018/dec/22/olivia-colman-2019-screen-queen-the-favourite-the-crown-les-miserables

⁴ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/22/arts/olivia-colman-the-favourite-the-crown.html

⁵ Synthesis and Counselling in Astrology, Page 787, Noel Tyl, Llewelyn, 2004 Edition. 

⁶ https://www.screendaily.com/features/olivia-colman-talks-fame-and-the-favourite-you-have-to-be-a-bit-better-behaved/5135473.article

⁷ According to Ptolemy’s Table of Essential Dignities

⁸ https://www.isarastrology.org/news/289/frank-c_-clifford-the-power-degrees-of-the-zodiac-part-2

A Gift from the Heavens?

Venus and Jupiter are the ‘nice’ planets, the ‘benefics’ of traditional astrology. While things are never that black and white, it still should gladden your heart that both Venus and Jupiter emerge from their retrogrades on the same day, 18th November.

Is the sky sending us a gift? Is this a portent of good luck and good fortune? Let’s hope so, but let’s also remember that we have free will. We are not living in medieval times, when we believed that everything was preordained by God and the heavens.

We have a choice whether to accept Jupiter and Venus’ turnaround as a gift or not. I’m inclined to think it is. Remember, both planets are in signs where they are at their strongest, where they rule - Venus in Libra and Jupiter in Pisces. Balance, peace, harmony, compassion, communion, cooperation, love and beauty are some positive keywords for these placements.

If we accept this gift, then it’s up to us to decide what to do with it. Do we think, ‘ah that’s nice’ and then put it on a shelf and forget about it, or do we think more deeply about the meaning of the gift and try to use it wisely?

I’ve decided to use it. I’m setting up some meetings for next week that will hopefully help me take a first step towards a brighter future. Fingers crossed and good luck to you too, I hope you are able to enjoy a little bit of sunshine and happiness to clear away any cosmic doom and gloom that you may be feeling.

The Sabian symbol for 28 Libra (Venus’ degree of turnaround) is: “A man in deep gloom. Unnoticed, angels come to his help. For 24 Pisces (Jupiter) the symbol is: “An inhabited island”.

This is a positive turning point. Help is coming. You are not alone. Or perhaps you are in a position to help another? It's up to you.

See Astrology for November for more insight into Venus and Jupiter's direct station

With love,
Mandi
http://www.mandilockley.com/

Retrograde Venus Transits

Venus is a fast moving planet, making a full circuit of the Sun approximately every 20 months. A transit of Venus to a natal planet or angle is therefore only a one day event, which may not materialize into anything more than having a pleasant encounter or two.

A retrograde Venus transit is a more significant event though because when retrograde it travels back and forth over the same degrees of the zodiac three times.

This Venus Retrograde lasts from October 8 to November 18 and covers 27 degrees of Libra through 13 degrees of Scorpio.

If you have any planets or angles in those degrees of Scorpio or Libra, or in the opposite degrees (27 degrees of Aries through 13 degrees Taurus), it’s a transit worth paying attention to. (You can get your chart at http://www.alabe.com/)

What Does This Transit Mean?

Going over what every individual Venus transit might mean would take up a lot more space than I have here and it depends on what planet or angle it is transiting….but generally speaking Venus transits are meant to be pleasant, sociable, romantic. However, this retrograde transit, mostly in Scorpio, takes things deeper than that. It’s a time to review Venusian things and how you express and handle them. Venusian themes include relationships, values, self worth, how we share and give and yield to others, the soft and sweet side of life, the feminine, emotional stuff, the things that money can buy, how attractive we feel, what and who we are attracted to.

Because we are talking primarily Scorpio here for this Venus transit, this brings the urge to purge in Venusian areas of life, the need to check whether our handling of all things Venusian is healthy, or whether we are straying into the shadow side of Venus. Examples could be a tendency to give yourself away to please others, or letting yourself be pushed around in a relationship. Or perhaps you are taking advantage of others who are trying to please you. Such questions may need to be asked if this Venus retrograde is forming a transit in your chart. Money questions may also need to be asked. Are you spending too much on luxuries or are you denying yourself the good things in life unnecessarily? Where do you need to ‘balance the books’ in your life? Consider what your core values are. Are you living them? Do you need to get back to them or redefine them?

That all said it would be wise to put off any major relationship or financial decisions until the retrograde is done and dusted. Even though Venus turns direct on November 18, it will not be clear of its retrograde shadow until December 20, so this date should be noted if you’re looking for a benchmark.

Another Clue To Your Retrograde Venus Transit…The Venus Eight Year Cycle

Venus has a synodic cycle* of eight years. This means that if you go back eight years in an ephemeris you will find that Venus occupied the same degree of the zodiac. So, if this current retrograde Venus is making a transit to one of your planets or angles, think back eight years for a clue about what it might mean. How did you relate back then? Have you outgrown certain relationships over the last eight years? How have your social and personal values changed? Do you need to get back to a past and more authentic way of relating? Or do you need to move on from past relating habits? Only you will know the answers and in fact, only you will really know the questions to ask.

Around the Houses

It’s also worth noting which House Venus retrograde is traveling through, whether it makes a connection to a planet or angle or not. For example, the whole retrograde will occur in my Sixth House, so issues of work and service will come up for review. Do I give too much to my work or not enough? Do I value the work I do and does the work value me? How do I serve others, how do others serve me? Are my relationships healthy, or are they making me ‘sick’ on some level? Questions I will be considering.

Some First House Issues for Venus Retrograde: Ego values, relationship with self, self-esteem issues, self enjoyment, how you present yourself to the world physically and socially.

Some Second House Issues for Venus Retrograde: Money ~ how you earn it and what you spend it on. Your personal and physical assets, what you value, how you value yourself.

Some Third House Issues for Venus Retrograde: How you connect and communicate with others, relationships with siblings and neighbours, your attitude to learning and education and what value you place on it. Your mindset.

Some Fourth House Issues for Venus Retrograde: How you value your roots, heritage and family background. Your atttitude and values around home and family, how you relate to family members.

Some Fifth House Issues for Venus Retrograde: How you value your own creativity and self expression. Your relationship to your children. Your attitude to gambling and risk taking.

Some Seventh House Issues for Venus Retrograde: How you relate to signficant others including marriage and bussiness partners. Your open enemies. Issues around the type of people you attract / are attracted to.

Some Eighth House Issues for Venus Retrograde: Money issues, especially the resources of others or money you don't earn (such as inheritances etc.) This transit could be a good opportunity for some profound healing around your relationships or financial management.

Some Ninth House Issues for Venus Retrograde: Your values, ethics, religion, spiritual ideas and life philosophy could come up for assessment. Questions around higher education, travel, foreign matters.

Some Tenth House Issues for Venus Retrograde: How you value status and reputation. Your ambitions and the relationships/connections you need in order to achieve them. Professional collaborations. How your boss values you and relationships with parents and authority figures.

Some Eleventh House Issues for Venus Retrograde: Your relationship to peers, friends, acquaintances and groups. How you value group efforts. Your social conciousness and the value you place upon it.

Some Twelfth House Issues for Venus Retrograde: Where you are your own worst enemy. Dealing with unhealthy relationships that sabotage your emotional/social 'health'. The value of service, retreat and the spirtual life.

What About You? What Planet/s will Venus retrograde transit? What House/s will Venus travel through? Leave your comment below...

Wishing you a healthy, productive and pleasant Venus retrograde time.

*It’s not necessary to understand the synodic cycle to understand this article, but if you are astronomically minded and/or curious to learn more you can read about it here: http://www.lunarplanner.com/HCpages/Venus.html

Image credit: NASA/JPL/USGS

With love,
Mandi
http://www.mandilockley.com/

Venus & The Capricorn Solar Eclipse

This January's Capricorn New Moon is a Solar Eclipse, which carries a very special message from Venus.

First up, what's an Eclipse?

An Eclipse occurs when the Earth aligns with the Sun and Moon during a New Moon or a Full Moon. During a Lunar Eclipse, the Earth passes between the Full Moon opposition of the Sun and the Moon, temporarily blocking the reflected light of the Moon. A Solar Eclipse occurs under a New Moon, when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, blocking out the light of the Sun. Eclipses come in pairs, with a Lunar Eclipse following a Solar Eclipse a couple of weeks later, or vice versa, and we usually experience two pairs of Eclipses each calendar year. The January 15th Solar Eclipse follows the Lunar Eclipse on December 31st.

What is the general meaning of an Eclipse?

Eclipses are very dramatic events to observe, as those lucky enough to have witnessed a Total Eclipse of the Sun or watched on a clear night as the Moon disappeared behind the shadow of the Earth, will verify. However, you don’t need to directly experience an eclipse for its symbolism to reflect in your personal experiences. The old adage as above, so below, stands firm.That said it is difficult to predict exactly what will happen when an eclipse touches your personal astrological chart. Their effects are sometimes exciting, sometimes stressful, often passing by without having any sort of obvious effect at the time, only to manifest as an event some weeks later. In most general terms though, eclipses represent endings and new beginnings, times when the light goes out and something is taken away, creating a space for something new to germinate. If a particular Eclipse falls on a planet or point in your natal chart and you want to work consciously with the energies, they are good times for beginning the process of releasing and letting go of outdated, worn-out emotional baggage.

What are the themes of the January 15th Solar Eclipse?

In Capricorn, this Eclipse highlights all the themes and issues that fall under the sign of the goat, whose goal is to climb and conquer every mountain, step by step by step. Yes, Capricorn is the upwardly mobile organizer-administrator of the zodiac, a practical, material, get things done kind of guy. Driven by ambition and the need to progress, Capricorn is associated with managers, politicians, business people and authority figures in general. Capricorn often gets a bad press, but we need these energies, otherwise there would be worldly chaos.

When I look at the chart for this Capricorn Eclipse, I am drawn to the Saturn-Pluto Square. This is because Pluto is in the sign of this Eclipse, Capricorn, and Saturn is the ruler of Capricorn. With Saturn and Pluto's alignment coming to another exact angle at the end of January, the tensions of this challenging aspect are building once again. We can look to Venus for some interpretive clues as to where we might particularly focus our attention during this time. This is because Venus, also in Capricorn, is conjunct the Eclipse and in a mutual reception with Saturn in Libra, who has just turned Retrograde.

What does this all mean? Well, I think there are three strands of possible interpretation here.

Firstly, if we take Venus to symbolize money, and we take the Saturn-Pluto square and the planets in Capricorn, to be about, on one level, big business, big money and politics, we have a clear message for the world. This Saturn and Pluto alignment can all too easily bring out the shadow side of Capricorn, which is rigid, over-structured and cold, a dark place where making progress in the material world is the only thing that matters and integrity and taking responsibility for our actions go out of the window. Have we not witnessed this already in the excesses of an unregulated financial market and the moral bankruptcy of our politicians? Just this week, the press announced that the one-off windfall tax on city bonuses in the UK has done nothing to curb bumper payouts by the major city institutions. Tell that to the hard-up homeowners who last year were forced to make mortgage payments by credit card! Eclipses are about endings and new beginnings, so clearly something has got to seriously change in the way our society handles the business of money and distributes its wealth.

Secondly, Venus is about relationships and with Saturn in Libra having just gone Retrograde at the time of this Eclipse, this is a good time to review how we relate to others. I discussed this in some depth in my last blog, so I won’t repeat myself here. Here’s the link: Saturn Libra Retrograde: Relationship Revision Time

Lastly, Venus represents feminine energies. I have been writing in this blog since I started it about the need to find a powerful, fresh perspective and respect for feminine values. Think of Capricorn’s opposite sign, Cancer. Ruled by the Moon, Cancer is also archetypically feminine, representing the mother, the nurturer, the ebbs and flows of our emotions. While Capricorn thrusts us out into the world, Cancer brings us home again safely. As I mentioned at the beginning of this piece, Eclipses come in pairs, so we must also consider the Cancer Lunar Eclipse which helped us to ring in 2010. These Eclipses together remind us to balance the ‘out there’ with the ‘in here’, harmonise our work life with our home life and exercise compassion and fairness along with ambition and the need to progress.

All the same, just as with Capricorn, we need to ensure we don’t fall into the shadow side of Cancer, which can be needy, over-protective and emotionally manipulative. We should seek to express the higher expressions of both signs, a space where we can nurture ourselves and others and where we are willing to serve with integrity and discipline and administrate progress through responsible action and the right use of our emotional and material resources. In essence, Cancer and Capricorn really are two expressions of the same energies, constantly flowing towards and away from balance, an eternal dance of opposition and harmony.

By holding and grounding these energies in balance, we can each, in our way, create a vessel to positively carry forward the current planetary energies, energies which seem to be prompting us ever more urgently to create a new way of equality, fairness, responsible individual freedom, cooperation and community. Something I think Saturn in Libra would very much approve of.

Will this Eclipse Affect You?

This eclipse will be particularly relevant to you if you have a planet or angle between 23 and 26 degrees of Capricorn or between 23 and 26 degrees of Cancer. In particular, if it's your birthday on 14 or 15 January or 14 or 15 July, this is a powerful eclipse indeed, with the potential for major change in the air for you. If you do not know if you have planets or angles in the relevant degrees and/or signs you can quickly download your own birth chart which will provide you with this information in a simply understood way at http://www.alabe.com/

Further Resources

For a more detailed explanation of Eclipse phenomena, click here> to read an article by astrologer Celeste Teal, author of the book Eclipses.

In his blog for The Mountain Astrologer on this Eclipse, A New Power Emerges, Gary P Caton, discusses the bigger picture.

For NASA's webpage about this eclipse including eclipse path maps, click here>.

If you want to learn more about how to work with the energies of Eclipses on a personal level see my blog Working with Eclipses

Here again is the link to Saturn Libra Retrograde: Relationship Revision Time which poses lots of questions about how we interrelate.

Also, a link to my pieces on the current Saturn-Pluto squares.

Additionally, astrologer Donna Cunningham’s Sky Writer blog has many useful posts to help with Saturn-Pluto issues and a whole range of other stuff.

For more on the Cancer Lunar Eclipse of 31 December and how important I think the sign of Cancer is to the upcoming Cardinal T-Square, see Astro Energies for 2010.

With love,

Mandi

http://www.mandilockley.com/

Astrology of a Lottery Win

I’ve been joking recently about winning the lottery.

With Transiting Pluto (transformation/power) Conjunct my Sun (self) in the 8th House (other people’s money) could it happen? Well, the Sun rules my 5th house (gambling, speculation), so maybe! Add to the fact that lucky Sagittarius is the sign on the 8th house cusp and maybe there’s more of a case? However, the ruler of the 8th, Jupiter, is not in such great shape being in Detriment in Gemini, even though it’s on the cusp of the 2nd house (assets/possessions) and disposited by Mercury, the ruler of the 2nd.

Sadly, my astrology buddies think this is mostly wishful thinking on my part. Well, I can prove them all wrong, because last week I did indeed win the lottery. Steady on though before you all get in touch with your requests for monetary support, I only won £10! Still, that’s better than a kick in the teeth don’t you think?

I don’t have much of a history for winning things, especially not by luck. Any wins (such as when one of my short stories won a prize) have tended to come about via the 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration route and even then I tend to come in only second or third.

I thought it might be very interesting, therefore, to see what triggered my recent (modest) lottery windfall.

Well, well, well, if the Moon in Cancer wasn’t opposing my Sun in Capricorn at the time that I got the email letting me know about my prize! It is often the case that long transits (such as transiting Pluto Conjunct my Sun) are triggered by faster moving planets or even the Secondary or Tertiary Progressed Moon. In this case it was transiting Moon, moving through my 2nd house, that seemed to act as the trigger for this win.

Because Jupiter rules my 8th house and because Jupiter is the planet of luck/abundance, could he be involved as well? Well there are a few Jupiter contacts, but a little tenuous. Tr. Jupiter Sq. Neptune? Tr. Jupiter exactly Trine Secondary Progressed Jupiter? Hmm, I’m not sure about that.

But what about Venus (often associated with money, or at least with how we spend it)? Well Venus in Sagittarius was exact on my Nodal Axis and very close to my ASC-DC axis. Transiting planets on the angles of a birth or event chart are also often the trigger for events.

How does this compare with other wins I’ve had? Well there haven’t been many to be honest and I’m darned if I could remember the dates. However, in June 2008 we had a sweepstake at work on the European Soccer Championships and I drew Spain. I drew up a horary chart to ask whether Spain would win. The chart didn’t look too bad, but as I’m not a horary expert I couldn’t really call it. However, I decided to put my money where my mouth was and also place a bet on Spain to win with a real bookie! Spain won and I swept up, winning nearly £150 in total!

What did my chart look like? I can’t remember the time and date of the bets, but the Final was on 29th June, so I drew up the chart for that. Transiting Pluto was 4 degrees off my Sun and transiting Sun had just passed my natal Sun four days before. So if you use big orbs, it does still kind of follow my first theory! However, in this chart, Neptune seems to be quite important. Transiting Moon was exactly opposite my Neptune perhaps triggering the Square that Transiting Neptune, Chiron and Node were all making to Natal Neptune. In my chart, Neptune is in the Scorpio in the 6th, ruling the 11th. Neptune is the only planetary contact my lonely Sun makes – a semi-square, so it’s quite important, I guess. Hmmm, now I’m really confused (Neptune – confused – geddit?)!

This is not an area of astrology I have studied much to be honest, as you can probably tell, so would be interested to hear from anybody who has and perhaps down the line I’ll look at the charts of some real lottery winners to see what was going on for them when they struck lucky.

I’ll write a smug blog from my tropical island if I do scoop the jackpot, but in the meantime I wish you all lots of love, luck and happiness.

Mandi
http://www.mandilockley.com/

Postscript: This reminds me of the joke about the man who prayed to God to win the lottery, but never won. Finally, God said to him, “meet me halfway son, buy a blinking ticket!”. We should remember this when we are looking at our transits – working positively with the energies of the planets, symbolically speaking, opens us up to the space where opportunity becomes possible. If we ‘stay at home’ and do nothing, opportunity will have a harder time finding us.

Ingress Update: Venus & Mars

Today, 14th October, Venus ingresses (moves) into Libra, where she will flow forwards through the sign of the scales until 8th November.

Libra’s last connection in Virgo was a conjunction with Saturn yesterday. Tense discussions with partners about sharing, cooperating and joint finances may have been on the agenda and this theme is set to continue for the next day or two, because Venus’ first cosmic frisson as she moves into Libra is a Square to Pluto in Capricorn. Feelings can run high as we realize that our current issues with partners around how we share our lives and our resources go much deeper than we may have imagined.

But take heart if things feel volcanic because Venus is very happy in Libra, the sign that he rules. Venus in Libra wants to share, cooperate, compromise and work out an equitable solution that benefits both parties. Mercury in Libra, just out of the shadow of his recent Retrograde, is there to help keep discussions balanced and friendly. Harmony will be restored.

If thing do get heated, it might be wise to remember that Libra actually needs conflict. Why you may ask? Surely Libra is the sign of peace? That’s right, but without a conflict to resolve Libra doesn’t have a job to do does she?

After the Libra New Moon on the 18th October, you should have a clearer idea of how to move forward with a renewed sense of equilibrium and balance. Holding that feeling in the months to come will prepare you well, as will Saturn’s move into Libra* at the very end of October. The good news is that Saturn is also happier in Libra, much more than he could ever be in Virgo. While Saturn in Libra will still work you hard, he will at least provide you with top class tools with which to get the job done.

Venus in Libra will be particularly pleasing if you have strong Libra in your chart (Sun, Venus, Moon in Libra for example, or Libra Rising).**

On 16th October, Mars ingresses (moves) into Leo, where he will spread his warmth right up until June next year. Mars usually only spends a month or so in one sign, but in Leo, he will go Retrograde, hence the long sojourn.

So, the planet of the warrior in the sign of the lion will have a lot of ground to cover and re-cover. How will it be? Well, compared to passive Cancer, where Mars’ energy felt slow, inward facing and frustrated, Leo is a much happier placement for him.

If you have strong Leo in your chart (Sun, Mars, Moon in Leo for example, or Leo Rising)** this is an opportunity to grow your confidence and capitalize on an increase in energy and enthusiasm with which to face life’s ups and downs. Strength comes from confidence, and so does the ability to act more quickly and more proactively. For sure, much drama will ensue, because this is Leo’s way. Warrior Leo types want to be centre stage and are prepared to fight off all-comers to get there. Now is your chance and I wish you all the love and luck in the world, because for all your hubris and egocentricity, underneath you are all heart. Once secure in the adoring love and attention you need, it would be hard pressed to find a warmer, more generous soul.

If you put Venus in Libra together with Mars in Leo, what do you get? Well, in short, a very good love match indeed! The Botticelli painting of Venus and Mars above, pretty much sums it up. So, if you feel inclined, please use the time between 18th October and 9th November to indulge in a little romantic lovemaking, perhaps with a soupcon of fun and creativity on the side.

*N.B. Saturn will Retrograde back into Virgo in April next year and then will be back in Libra for the duration from July.

**If you do not know your chart and want to see if you have strong Libra or Leo in your chart, you can quickly and easily download a free birth chart from http://www.alabe.com/ which also includes a basic interpretation or email me at mandi@mandilockley.com or see my website at http://www.mandilockley.com/ if you would like to enquire about a personal astrology consultation.

*Hugs*
Mandi