Mitt Romney

Writing in January 2012 I said: Mitt Romney is fast emerging as the favourite nominee for Republican candidate in the 2012 Presidential election. Born in 12.3.1947 at 09.51 in Detroit, MI, his chart shows a lot of red and blue aspects, with just about enough green to deter him from veering into a very on/off, either/or motivation towards life.

The chart image, which can give insights into the person's inner life and motivation, is reminiscent of scaffolding poles around a building and brings to mind ideas of construction, or work in progress as the disconnected aspects seek to complete something and make it whole.

The direction the aspects move in indicates which areas of life the person is motivated tomove towards - upwardly vertical suggests someone who wants to be noticed and recognised as an individual; horizontal aspects show more emphasis is placed on making contact. Romney has both. No less than 4 planets ride high in the chart, with Venus very strong on the MC right at the top. The horizontal reaching out comes via the close Moon/Jupiter conjunction almost on the DC, the point where the person meets the "You" (others) eyeball to eyeball. This is a very useful place for a politician to have pleasant, warm, open and generally friendly planets (pyschological drives) such as Moon (the sense of self gained through emotions) and Jupiter (the drive to genial, open to gaining knowledge and first hand experience). Note, though, that Romney's Moon/Jupiter is opposite his North Node in 1st house, suggesting that his task is to balance out his own needs against those of others, and to not neglect himself along the way. Of interest here, with the Moon's North node in 1st, is that people with this nodal placement can wilfully ignore themselves, especially when there may be things which are too uncomfortable for them to look at and acknowledge, or perhaps which they would rather were kept quiet.

The chart has only 2 complete aspect patterns: an Ambivalence figure and a Projection figure. The former has his high-up Venus opposite Pluto - is he someone who likes to be liked, to be seen to be friendly and to be recognised for this? With Pluto involved, is there an element of power play at work, maybe at an unconscious level? People with this aspect pattern tend to work hard in the red part of the figure and escape and enjoy in the area where the all-blue planet is - in his case Neptune in 5th. Are there elements of real escapism for him? Time with friends and family and in leisure pursuits - games, sport, art, film, socialising?

And what about the Projection figure? These figures are about putting out into the world what is important to the indivual and they work a bit like a projection screen. The planet at the green apex seeks to project what it wants to achieve on to the blue "screen". So in Romney's chart, Mercury up at the top of the chart and strongly placed on 11th cusp is needing to get its message across to the screen which spans 4th/5th houses and is pinned by Pluto and Neptune. Something of a theme starts to emerge here as both these planets are involved in the Ambivalence figure, suggesting both interact and feed into one another.

Romney is nearly 65. His natal chart Age Point is aspecting both Mercury and Uranus and the Age Point in his Moon Node chart is aspecting Neptune and Pluto, both major players in both aspect patterns in his chart. In anyone's chart, this would be of great interest and potential significance; in the chart of a prospective US Presidential candidate, this is certainly so. Watch this space!

Addendum 8th Feb: I said to watch this space and here's a brief update. Romney, I gather, has lost some support over the story of his mistreatment of the family's dog Seamus in 1983. This passed me by in the UK so thanks to a friend in AZ who passed this snippet on to me. He confined his Irish Setter (quite a large dog) to an airtight container and strapped it on the roof of his car, driving for 12 hours with it there - and thought it was OK to do this. Of course, he may have changed since then.....

But today's news is that he's lost to Rick Santorum in the states of Colorado, Minnesota and Missouri (in a beauty contest?!? - the subtleties of American politics are beyond me here), but the question is, how will Romney feel about this defeat? He's also said, reportedly, that he doesn't care about the poor, which won't help his campaign at all, apart from with those who also don't care about the poor. Let's go back to how he might feel, bearing in mind that feelings could be something he brushes aside. His Moon/Jupiter on the DC will have taken a knock, but it's a Scorpio Moon so don't underestimate this guy - he could get nasty. And I wonder if saying that he doesn't care about the poor could be something to do with his Age Point currently aspecting both Mercury and Uranus, so words start coming out inappropriately?

Addendum 24th September: Romney has recently had a week of opening his mouth and putting his foot right in it. The UK press have focussed on his dismissive comments made about those on benefits and lower incomes, and the video of him saying this. He's doing himself no favours and many Republicans must be squirming with embarrassment at his current performance. Things could get very interesting when he and Obama meet for the public debates. Will Romney have got his Mercury under control by then...?

That may be an interesting one to watch as Romney's Age Point is in Aries, not a sign known for restraint. Aries energy often acts/speaks first and considers later, which is not to knock it as it's also a great source of impetus for initiating and getting things done. As well as being in Aries, Romney's Age Point is in the stress zone before the 12th cusp. This is again an area where impulsive, anxious and pushy behaviour may be in evidence, and the individual concerned will be more interested in the qualities and themes of the upcoming house, and not the one the Age Point is in. Does Romney have an eye on 12th house matters? That I wouldn't like to say, but it appears that his current comments and performance do correlate with Aries-like behaviour from the stress zone.

Rafael Nadal

Tennis champion Rafael Nadal was born on 3.6.1986 at 18.20 in Manacor, Spain. He's just turned 25, is currently playing in the major international tennis tournaments and could well be set to win Wimbledon for the second time this year - with his Age Point currently conjunct Jupiter there could be little to stop him!

Nadal's chart image (just look at the aspect structure) is reminiscent of a balancing act, a child's diabolo toy, and it also has the appearance of the trajectory of a ball bouncing across a tennis court, sometimes landing outside of the marked lines.

His overall chart shaping/motivation is a mixture of triangular and linear aspects, suggesting that he can be flexible but also divergent in his motivation and approach to life. There's the potential for a lot of fiery, Cardinal energy. He has an aspect colour balance of 5 red: 3 green: 5 blue, making him predominantly an active "doer". The drive and motivation to be active, assertive and lead the way is strong.

His aspect patterns (see "Aspect Pattern Astrology" by Bruno & Louise Huber, and "Aspect Patterns in Colour" by myself for more on these) are an Ear/Eye configuration which will give him a tremendous amount of sensitivity and the ability to play intuitively alongside his technical prowess. Saturn at the apex of this small but rather interesting and significant figure is opposite his Sun. With Saturn symbolising the drive for organisation and also signifying the physical body - very important in a sportsman - and the Sun the use of the mind, will and the decision-making processes, these two planets in opposition can work well together, utisilising the active red
energy held in tension between them as and when it is required.
The other complete aspect pattern, a Single Ambivalence figure, will keep him hard at work but will also offer the capacity to rest and escape pressures via the planet at the blue corner of this figure - in his chart this is Neptune. This could be the area of life he withdraws to when not playing tennis, although it can also be brought into play, feeding into the intuitive potential of the Ear/Eye, of which it is a part.

Of current interest and significance is Nadal's Age Point conjunct Jupiter, strongly placed in 5th House and suggesting wider horizons, expansion and the ability to draw on his own life experiences.

To find out more, see the Astrological Psychology Association website for books and courses on the Huber Method.

D-Day Landings: 65th anniversary

The 65th anniversary of the 2nd World War allied D-Day landings in Normandy, northern France, is on 6th June 2009. The chart is set up for 06.30, the time the landings began on 6th June 1944, along a stretch of the coast of Normandy near Ouistreham.

The chart image shown in the aspect structure is reminiscent of the landing craft which transported soldiers from the ships standing off shore to the beaches of Normandy. War-like Mars conjunct Pluto is at the blue pointed end of the triangular Ambivalence figure aspect pattern; on the landing craft, this was the fulcrum which opened the ramp which the disembarking soldiers had to move down into the sea and on to the beach, guns raised and ready. Countless numbers were under fire and perished in this brave endeavour. The linear aspects which zigzag across the prow of the landing vessel image look like cross fire.

In 2004, the 60th anniversary of D-Day was celebrated in France amidst much publicity, and with much press coverage. It's interesting to see that the Age Point was conjunct Mercury at the time of this ceremony; everyone seemed to know about it and it was attended by veterans who took part in the landings operation. The veterans were presented with a medal by the Mayor of Caen. Amongst them was Richard Llewellyn, Founder of the UK Astrological Psychology Institute.

The 65th anniversary and its associated ceremonies and celebrations does not seem to be attracting quite as much attention, even though the Age Point is conjunct the 11th House Sun in the chart for this event. 65 years on the 2nd World war might seem a long time ago to many readers, and of little significance. But my colleague and co-author Richard Llewellyn, was involved together with a paratrooper cousin I never knew. Both took part in the landings. My cousin survived the beaches but was later shot by a sniper weeks before the war ended, and before I was born.

I'm taking this opportunity to honour the heroes, survivors and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Chart Image: how to start interpreting a chart

Here is an extract from "The Cosmic Egg Timer" , the book I wrote along with fellow Huber astrologer Richard Llewellyn, and available from the Astrological Psychology Association Book Shop as well as Amazon and other book sellers:

"One of the most important things we can do when starting to look at a chart is to do simply that - to look. Setting aside and perhaps even temporarily “forgetting” any astrology you already know, the first way into the chart is via the senses, the eyes and the intuition.

Cast your mind back to the time when you were a small child. Maybe you had a coal fire in the house where you grew up. Can you remember looking into the embers of the fire and seeing pictures or scenes, faces or figures? Similarly, you may have done the same thing when looking at clouds in the sky: “That one looks like a dog..........now it’s changed and looks more like a dragon.” and so on. Using your eyes, your senses and your imagination, you were perhaps able to see pictures and images, based on the shapes you saw in the clouds or the embers of the fire.

Using a similar approach when first looking at a chart, we can train ourselves to look for an intuitive picture or image, and we do this by looking at the overall aspect structure which fills the large central area of the chart. In the context of astrological psychology, this area relates to the unconscious motivation of a person. Often the essence of the person is contained within this area of the chart, and through developing the intuition we can gain a sense of the person simply by looking at this central core of the chart and absorbing and reflecting upon the pictures or images that we see there.

You can try this out for yourself using a Huber-style chart. Allow yourself to get a sense of what is in the chart. From this a picture or image may emerge. Some of the images people have seen in charts are as diverse as a flower opening, a tent or marquee, a pyramid, a butterfly, a space rocket, an open book, a yacht, a flag - the variety of images is limitless, and is based upon what has been intuitively seen and perceived from the chart. You may not see an image or picture, but you may have a strong sense of a predominant colour in the aspect structure, or a sense that everything in the chart is spread out, or squashed, or clinging to one particular area of the chart. If you are unable to see an image or picture, be aware of whether you are picking up something in the chart via your other senses.

Prince Charles's chart looks like a "witches hat" roundabout in a children's playground - is life like a never-ending roundabout of waiting to become King?

The approach taught by the Astrological Psychology Association emphasises the importance of taking the time to look at a chart before setting off into the realms of deeper and more technical interpretation. This approach is Jupiterian - using our eyes and our intuition, we look at the chart, taking in the whole picture before moving on to the finer points and details. This is different from a more conventional Mercurial approach to astrological chart interpretation, where facts and detailed information about the chart are considered first and foremost using the logical mind and the overall picture of the chart is not necessarily taken into consideration.

Looking at and absorbing the chart in this way is the first of a series of “foundation stones” or “building blocks” that can be set in place to enable us to find a way into the natal chart. Chart interpretation can be daunting and difficult, especially if there are a mass of other factors to hold in mind all at the same time. Using this Jupiterian approach, where the eyes, the senses and the intuition are engaged first and foremost, we have the ability to begin our exploration of any natal chart in considerable depth, as we start by looking at the very essence and the unconscious motivating energies of the person concerned."

There's lot's more on how to work with charts in "The Cosmic Egg Timer"!

Tennis player Venus Williams's chart recalls the constant movement of both tennis player and ball across her half of the court.

Michelle Obama

US First Lady, "Mom-in-Chief" and now fast becoming a style icon, Michelle Obama was born on 17.1.1964 in Chicago. No time of birth is available, so her chart is set up for noon. With Sun and Mercury in Capricorn, she has no less than 6 planets spanning the Signs of Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces.

Her chart resembles an open box - the lid is propped open at an angle but is held firmly in place by some of the closely-grouped planets. Although the orientation of the chart would change if her time of birth was available, the image would remain, albeit with the lid facing a different direction. It would be open to a different area of the chart altogether, and not to 11th House as it is here. But let's just stick with the open box image because a great deal of openness comes across from this striking woman when she's seen on TV. I specifically here call to mind her recent visit to the UK when Barack Obama attended the G20 conference in London.

Michelle had her own programme of visits, and the most notable and striking images and footage of her was at a multi-language girls' school in London where she encouraged the girls to become the very best they could. She spoke openly and from the heart and she gave high fives and hugs rather than handshakes.

Her chart, composed of triangular aspect patterns and linear aspects shows a flexible and adaptable motivation, laced with restlessness and the need to go off and do her own thing. Her colour balance of 2 red: 3 green: 3 blue aspects indicates little ability to rest and switch off, with plenty of restless and sensitive activity being most likely. This is not a lady who will sit and twiddle her thumbs for long, as her very active role in the presidential campaign showed.

Michelle has two aspect patterns in her chart: a Learning Triangle and an Ambivalence Figure. The Learning Triangle is pinned by planets Jupiter and and Uranus (which is conjunct Pluto - this conjunction is found in the charts of the '60's generation), with the Moon's Node at the 3rd corner. For me, this aspect pattern suggests learning which will stretch boundaries and bring insights and revelations. If the House where the Moon's Node is placed were known ( we don't know because we don't have the birth time) I could say more about the area of life where she has the greatest and most rewarding lessons to learn. As it is, the Node in Cancer suggests a pull towards involvement with the wider collective and the need to feel part of a family; in Michelle's case this is expressed through her "Mom-in-Chief" role as well as her commitment to her country.

The Ambivalence Figure shows Mercury opposite the Node, and indicates that mercurial pursuits could come easily (she is a lawyer). The work - indeed the struggle - may go on internally between committing to her current role and the pull to have her own career. This aspect pattern has an "escape" corner where the 2 blue aspects meet. Uranus sits here, maybe not offering much restful escape, but it provides an interesting pivotal planet for both this aspect pattern and the Learning triangle. Change was the keynote of Obama's campaign, and is reflected in his Uranus being on the "You" side of his chart in 7th House, and close to the DC. Michelle, too, will embrace change and ride its waves more easily with her adaptable motivation. With Pluto conjunct Uranus, she may actively welcome it.

Her Sun in Capricorn, although relatively weak by Sign at 26 degrees and not strongly aspected, is supported by it's one-way conjunction to Mars. These two Cardinal planets are two of a kind in that they are will-oriented. In Capricorn they will help her stick with it when the going is tough because the long-term goal is what is important, no matter how long it takes to get there.

For more on Planets and Aspect Pattern Astrology see the Huber's books, available on line from the APA Book Shop, along with my books Aspect Patterns in Colour, The Living Birth Chart and the Cosmic Egg Timer which cover all these topics, and more besides.

Kate Winslet

Kate Winslet is currently picking up a swathe of awards leading to speculation that she'll also get an Oscar this year. Her current films on release - The Reader and Revolutionary Road - are attracting much comment in reviews, as is her emotional acceptance speech following her recent Academy award for best actress in The Reader.

Winslet was born on 5.10.1975 in Reading. The time of birth for her that I've found most frequently is 07.15, and although this is not verified, I'm going with it. The visual image I see in the chart is an open mouth with a long tongue sticking out catching an insect - rather like a frog catching a fly! The "insect" is Mars, placed in Gemini - maybe a good placement for an actor? If I were working with Winslet on her chart, I'd want to know about how she experiences that Mars as it's in the 9th house, is loosely aspected but is in a high and visible position.

The chart is "I" sided with a large stellium of planets on and around the AC. This suggests a focus on her personal sense of self, perhaps on her image and how she seeks to portray it, as there are no less than 5 planets in the 1st house, 4 of which are in Libra. Add to this consideration that Sun, Moon and Pluto are closely bound together right on the AC and there is the potential for a powerful person who may initially wrap this up in velvet gloves because these planets are in Libra, which doesn't rush open-armed towards making a big fuss. However, with Sun conjunct Pluto in this configuration, Winslet is no wimp and is not afraid to be outspoken, especially with reference to the way the media have commented on her weight and figure.

Winslet's inner motivation, as shown by the overall chart shaping, is a mixture of Mutable and Cardinal energy. She can be tangential and restless, looking for new paths to follow, new experiences to be had, most probably to add to her acting portfolio. Sitting alongside this is the Small Learning triangle in her chart, which has a Mutable motivation. This means she can draw on this when she needs to learn a new skill or technique and can adapt and mould herself around this new experience. This triangle has a fixed quality to it in that all 3 planets involved - Venus, Saturn and Uranus - have Fixed qualities. The learning journey starts with the planet at the red/blue corner. That's Uranus, which looks for change in order to bring greater security and stability to life at a new level. Saturn will be challenged to shift already- established boundaries in this learning journey and Venus will be called upon to harmonise what is taking place. As the 3 planets involved here are either on, or close to, a Low Point it's very likely that this learning process will take place on a deeply felt inner level.

For more on aspects patterns see Aspect Pattern Astrology by Bruno and Louise Huber, and my new book Aspect Patterns in Colour, both available at the Astrological Psychology Association on line Book Shop. You could also enrol on one of our courses and learn about aspect patterns for yourself, under the guidance of a fully qualified tutor.

Aspect Pattern Astrology: The Ambivalence Figure

I'm posting an extract about an aspect pattern from my book, The Living Birth Chart,available from the APA on-line Book Shop.In the Huber Method of Astrological Psychology, aspect patterns offer interesting indications of a person's behaviour. This example uses the chart of a real person. The book has many such examples, with feedback from the individuals concerned on how they experience their own charts.

"The Ambivalence Figure is frequently found in charts. It’s triangular, so has a Mutable motivation, making it work in a flexible way, adapting to change as necessary. But it’s made up of red and blue aspects with no green aspects involved, which gives it with a “black/white” way of operating as it uses the red aspect to get active and “do”, and the blue aspects to enjoy life and just “be”. In the Ambivalence figure, the red working energy is held in tension in the opposition aspect, and much working energy is used here. The more relaxed blue energy in this pattern has a focal point where the two blue aspects meet. The planet here is sometimes called the “escape” planet as the person will use and express the qualities of this planet when they switch off from work, relax and enjoy themselves. The ambivalence in the name for this aspect pattern refers to its work/rest cycle of behaviour. People with this pattern are pulled between two opposing forces - doing and being (the effect of the red and blue aspects). They might be getting on with the job in hand and putting a lot of effort into it, yet all the while they long for some rest and relaxation, looking with longing at whatever the blue “escape” planet represents for them in their lives. When they have completed their work tasks and take some time out, they will enjoy this for a while, but when that niggling feeling comes along that they really ought to be doing something, or that it’s time to get back to work, they flip right back into red, working mode. Then the whole cycle repeats itself again.

Each aspect pattern will be modified and influenced by the planets that are involved, so this always needs to be held in mind when looking at aspect patterns in individual charts.

Gareth - 1.3.1973, 04.45, Crewe, UK.

In this chart, there is an Ambivalence Figure, pinned by Mercury opposite Pluto, with Jupiter in the blue corner as the “escape” planet. The conjunction of Moon with Jupiter perhaps emphasises the need to escape! One visual image we might see in the chart is of the head of a comical cartoon figure, rather like the “Road Runner” rooster, with its wide open mouth or beak pointing towards the “You”. We might also see a flower which is opening up with the tips of its petals reaching towards the “You” side of the chart. Note also that there is considerable vulnerability here as these images show the central core of the chart exposed to the “You” with no aspects to protect it. There are more planets on the “I” side of the chart, so Gareth will not like feeling “invaded” or overwhelmed on first meeting new people. There is a strong focus of planets around the AC and in the 1st House, suggesting he will be more of a private person, and will need time to himself. The planets people first contact on meeting him are Saturn and Pluto on the “You” side; he might be a little cautious and reserved at first, and he doesn’t suffer fools gladly! The direction is mainly vertical, and the chart shaping is triangular, with some linear aspects. He is flexible and adaptable, as the predominantly Mutable motivation suggests, with a touch of restlessness. He has 4 red, 4 green and 5 blue aspects, so there’s quite a lot of sensitivity and nervous energy to expend and he may not always get enough time to relax and “be”.

Gareth works in research, using Mercury and Pluto in the red opposition part of the Ambivalence Triangle. With these he gathers the facts and analyses the data that he needs to produce reports on various topics. He currently works as a researcher in the energy sector, has researched health care, and for many years prior to this he was undertaking intensive research for his PhD. Both Mercury and Pluto are psychologically on the 3/9 Thought axis, reflecting the nature of the work they are applied to and emphasising the theme of thinking and ideas. Periods of intense work involving gathering facts, studying and analysing them have always been interspersed with the need to get away and travel.

With Jupiter as the blue “escape” planet he has often chosen adventurous activities and solo trips as an independent traveller. Gareth has long had a taste for hot-air ballooning, gliding, flying lessons, fast cars and routes less travelled. Jupiter as the blue “escape” planet in this pattern is conjunct the Moon, suggesting that he gets a lot of enjoyment and fun in his time off, which balances out the intense work and mental concentration involved in the red aspect in this pattern."

For more on aspect patterns, see Aspect Pattern Astrology, The Living Birth Chart and The Cosmic Egg Timer - all available from the APA Book Shop, Amazon and other on-line retailers, in book or e-book format.

Prince Charles turns 60

Prince Charles recently turned 60, and his Age Point entered the 11th house of his chart, where Uranus sits waiting for a direct eyeball/eyeball meeting when he reaches 63. I don’t intend to dwell on his Lifeclock but will share a few thoughts about his chart image and the Family Model in his chart. Charles was born on 14.11.1948 at 21.14, in London. Here is his chart, and beneath it I’m showing a picture of a “Witches Hat” roundabout, the sort that was found in children’s playgrounds in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, but which are not seen so often now (probably another victim of our ubiquitous Health and Safety regulations).His chart image reminded me very much of one of these roundabouts, the sort I used to play on when a child, and which could give a very exciting ride indeed if it was rocked from side to side as it went round and round. Before I found the picture, I’d noticed Saturn in the 2nd house of Charles’ chart, appearing to hold the edge of the conical “Witches Hat” just like the woman in this picture. The Family Model, unique to the Huber Method, describes Saturn as the mother figure, the person who takes care of our physical needs and well-being when we’re growing up and lays down many of the rules, most often with our best interests at heart. (“Eat your greens”; “Wash your hands”; “Look both ways before you cross the road” etc.).

Saturn in the 2nd house - the area of personal possessions and security - seems very appropriate and indicative of the Queen wanting to ensure the safety and continuation of the monarchy. Saturn in Virgo is not flowery or expressive. Feelings are unlikely to be shown. In the deepest recesses of memory I recall a story about Charles, aged about 5 years old, greeting his mother after she’d been away for several weeks on a foreign tour. There was no hug and kiss, maybe a handshake (?) but it was a far cry from the wide open arms Diana greeted Princes William and Harry with on the Royal Yacht after she and Charles had been away on a foreign tour. The Queen is of a generation who learned not to give a public show of emotion, not to rock the boat (or Witches Hat), and she, of all people, would want to ensure the steadiness and safety of her heir.

This is a vertical chart with an aspect structure reaching up to the top of the chart where the Moon is placed as the highest planet. Conjunct the North Node, Charles’ rather lonely and exposed Taurean Moon is very weak by Sign and is intercepted. For him as a child, and later as an adult, his emotional needs may not have been heard or recognised when expressed. When the Moon is the highest planet out of Sun (father figure), Moon (the child) and Saturn (mother figure), the individual can feel they are the most important person in this family triad, but also that they have extremely high expectations laid upon them.

It’s interesting to note that when he married Diana, his Age Point was making a challenging square aspect to his Moon . He joked , when asked if they were in love, “Of course, whatever that means”. When he married Camilla, his Age Point had recently transited his Moon suggesting that she was, as he’d always implied, his true love.

The Sun is low down, right at the bottom of the chart, which is the most challenging placement for this planet. The Sun/father figure and the examples of leadership and autonomy he can give is best placed above the horizon where the Sun can shine and be seen. In Charles’ chart, the Sun is in an entirely separate aspect structure from Moon and Saturn, and it too is intercepted. Whereas Saturn, representing the mother in the Family Model, does have a direct link to the Moon - the child - the Sun does not and appears to be apart and disconnected.

You can find out more about the Family Model in my co-authored book, The Cosmic Egg Timer and in my latest book, The Living Birth Chart. Both are available from the APA on-line Book Shop.

The Armistice - 100 years on

The signing of the Armistice to end the First World War, also known as the Great War, took place in a railway carriage at Compiegne, France on 11.11.1918, at 11.00 am. Every year since, rememberance of those who died in this most bloody and dreadful war, and in all subsequent wars, has been made in Britain, Europe and further afield.

The chart is set up for the signing of the Armistice. The chart image is reminiscent of the zigzagging crossfire that took place across “No Man’s Land” on the battlefields and from the trenches. The chart shaping is predominantly Fixed - a lasting peace was hoped for but war again broke out in 1939 as the Age Point in this chart made an opposition to the Sun. The chart shows an emphasis on red/green aspects, indicating heightened sensitivity and awareness. Pluto is conjunct the descendant - the “You” side of the chart. This to me seems to symbolise the transition and transformation from the power, devastation and destruction of the war, but at the same time it also reminds me of the ultimate sacrifice made by so many in this truly appalling war. Pluto in Cancer is a reminder, too, that few families went untouched by the loss of loved ones, my own included. A whole generation of young men, and young women, too, who went to nurse at the Front, were lost or lost someone close to them.

Rememberance of the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice is currently being featured, celebrated and remembered worldwide. 1918 - 2018 - one hundred years, but a drop in the ocean of time. In those years much has happened, and is still happening, to make us aware of the useless futility of war. Remember - yes, and with feeling, but don’t be complacent. Peace and compassion are always worth striving for.

A few personal comments. My Great Uncle Jim fought and died in the First World War. He was a Private in the Royal Marine Labour Corps and was the brother of my grandmother. Here is a letter he sent to her and my grandpa from Le Havre in December 1915, into which he’d inserted a photo of himself in uniform. He signs the letter “Your ever loving brother Jim”, and under his signature adds a note: “Let me know what little thing I can get the children from France”. The children were my dad and my aunt.

Private Jim Small died on 2nd August 1917, and is buried at Boulogne Eastern Cemetery in France. His grave is inscribed with his name, rank and regiment together with the inscription “Not ours but thy will be done”. Another symbolic reminder of Pluto.

Suzanne Fischer, Soprano

I confess to having a personal interest in looking at Suzanne’s chart as she is the grand-daughter of my neighbours and I’ve seen how she’s been reaching for the stars over the past few years. Suzanne is a singer, and is developing a blossoming career in opera. In April 2015 she begins a season singing in the chorus with the Glyndebourne Festival Opera.

I first saw her perform in the local high school production of “Les Miserables” and even then was telling her I’d have to have her autograph before she got famous and had her name in lights! I now have the autograph, along with her birth data (7.5.1987. 05.15, London) and her permission to look at her chart.

Suzanne comes from a musical family. Her grandparents, my neighbours, are retired professional musicians. Her great-grandmother played the violin, both her parents are professional musicians and her uncle is a composer and recording artiste. Suzanne studied music in Edinburgh and won a scholarship to train for a year in Milan. She embedded herself in the Italian culture before starting her course there, attending language schools and living and working with an Italian family. Her dream to sing professionally began to be realised when she gave a concert in the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, several years ago, making a CD of the songs she performed. Click here to read more about Suzanne and catch up on her fast-developing career.

Now to her chart. The visual image I see is a juggler or tightrope walker - certainly a performer of some kind - and there is a sense of movement and of balance being maintained. Her chart shaping is a mixture of Dynamic/Mutable and Linear/Cardinal energy. This suggests her inner motivation is flexible, adaptable, restless, forward-looking and enthusiastic. She could be tireless when she gets her teeth into something, and with a colour ratio of 3 red: 2 green: 5 blue aspects, she will need to stay aware of not over-extending herself. She lacks slightly in red aspects, so she may not always achieve as much as she aims for all in one go. The knack may be to take things more steadily and aim for a consistent build up. In terms of voice training this would be important so she doesn’t get over stretched too soon.

The direction of the aspect structure is another mixture, this time of Vertical and Horizontal aspects. The Vertical aspects point towards the planets at the top of her chart - Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Neptune, as highest planet in the chart, can indicate high ideals, visionary aspirations, and could also refer to her “rising star” potential in the field of the arts. The Horizontal aspects pull in her Sun/Mercury in the 1st house and Pluto just before the DC. Don’t mess with this lady - she has a lot of powerful potential and she may well speak her mind and tell you what she thinks, pulling no punches! As Pluto is on the DC, others, when they meet her, may find she can come on strong and they will pick up that she’s not going to suffer fools gladly.

The aspect patterns in her chart are a Search figure and a Single Ambivalence figure. Both triangular patterns have as their outlet point the Venus/Jupiter conjunction in 12th, indicating that this area of her life, where she retreats to recharge her batteries or practise and perfect her art, is going to be very important. The Moon’s Node, as part of this conjunction, may make it easier for her to switch off and take time out for herself. She may have to balance out this tendency by being willing to be out there and “on call” for others; maybe this is something she could bear in mind when she starts performing.

At 21 her Age Point was in the 4th house of the chart, when she was psychologically moving away from the conditioning and expectations of her childhood and teenage years, and began forming her own rules for life. The Age Point at this time was in the Sign of Leo, often associated with artistic expression in the performing arts. Her Moon is also in Leo, a sure fire indicator in her chart that she will enjoy performing and being on stage. Leo can be larger than life, and it seems that Suzanne, en route to the bright lights, is on track here. But I don’t for one moment expect that this will be an easy journey as there is much hard work, discipline and dedication involved. Suzanne’s Taurean Sun will stand her in good stead here, and perhaps the added bonus is that Taurus is generally regarded to be the Sign of singers.

I have featured Suzanne's chart in my book Using Age Progression. This book is packed full of real life examples of Age Progression at work, and is available from the APA Book Shop, Amazon and other retailers.

Astrological Psychology Association: 25 years old

The Astrological Psychology Association in the UK was founded on 8th June 1983, at 12.30 pm in a pub in London, at a meeting which took place between Richard Llewellyn and Pam Tyler, an American astrologer who introduced Richard to the work of Bruno and Louise Huber at the Astrological Psychology Institute in Switzerland. They met together to discuss the possibility of founding an astrology school which would teach the psychological work of Bruno and Louise Huber, with the specific intention of making the material available to the English-speaking world.

Today, 8th June 2008, marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of APA - its Silver Jubilee. I’m proud to have been involved with the school since 1986, first as a student, then as a tutor (which I still am) and from 1991, as Principal when I took over the helm from Richard Llewellyn, the founder. Let’s have a look at the foundation chart.

For me, the chart image speaks of searchlights or strong beams of light which are mobile and can change direction to illuminate different areas of activity, a valuable thing to bear in mind as API (UK) has to be able to move with the flow of current interests. The shaping/motivation of the chart is a mixture of Dynamic, Mutable energy and Linear, Cardinal energy offering the ability to engage with the course of change yet also to be tangential and able to change direction quickly. The vertical direction of the aspect structure leaves no doubt about the aspirations of APA - to be recognised for the unique and outstanding courses which it offers! Sun/Mars are strongly placed in the Cardinal zone of the 10th House, but they sit alongside the Moon’s Node suggesting that this area of existence and expression is one which has to be developed and lived fully. Neptune in the 4th House is conjunct the South Node, so it may be too easy an option to stay safe and cosy down there with ideals and visions of what we might be, and not develop the will of the 10th House Sun to move forward and achieve autonomy and full recognition.

The colour balance of 2 red: 3 green: 3 blue is inclined towards being caught up in thought and ideas, maybe to the detriment of taking action. The chart is “I” sided, with an equal emphasis on the upper and lower hemispheres. Can APA connect with its roots in the lower unconscious area of the chart? I think so; stressed Jupiter/Uranus close to the IC is a focal point. Can it reach its highest aspirations and assert its individuality in the upper, conscious half of the chart? Possibly….but this takes effort and the use of the will. The pull of the South Node in the 4th House may sometimes prove too tempting, too strong to be ignored. So the message here is “don’t rest on your laurels; harness the power and strength of Sun and Mars in Gemini in the 10th and let the world know you exist - shout it from the rooftops!”. That's what I'm doing!

Both Sun and Mars are strong by Sign, and are prominently placed near the MC in Gemini. Sun/Mars, placed as they are high in the chart, have another strong supporter nearby when it comes to recognition: the Moon sits high and proud on the 9th cusp. This is a strong Moon by Sign and by House. Here, on the 9th House level of higher learning, the engagement with and commitment to astrological psychology of the UK Astrological Psychology Institute can shine and speak out loud from the heart. It can shout aloud about the importance of astrological psychology being the fantastic tool that it is to promote personal and spiritual growth, help people to achieve their potential and become more truly what they may be.

To find out more about strength of planets by Sign and by House, see The Cosmic Egg Timer co-authored by myself and Richard Llewellyn and available on line from the APA Book Shop and from Amazon.

Touching the Moon

Just back from a memorable trip in the US, hence no postings for a while, but there have been plenty of interesting experiences while I've been on my Jupiterian travels. I always have my astrological eyes open, and was thrilled to see my own chart image "for real" .

When I first started learning the Huber Method and was looking for images in my own chart, I saw a space command capsule which had been launched from a launch pad and was on a journey to the Moon. In America I visited the NASA Space Centre at Houston and saw the huge Saturn V rocket, which was displayed in sections showing each stage of the rocket, finishing with the command capsule shown above.

It was exciting stuff to see that final stage of the rocket - the command capsule - and really connect with my chart image.


I got to touch the Moon, too! Here I am fingering a piece of heavily guarded Moon rock. . . .


. . . and holding the whole thing in the palm of my hand.

Jason Orange of "Take That"

I have a bit of a special interest in Jason Orange as he attended one of my astrology courses in South Manchester a few years ago. On enrolment night at the College of Further Education where the 12 week course was being held, I was asked by one of the organisers to talk to "the young chap over there" who was interested in joining the course. I chatted to him about what he'd learn on the course and he decided to enrol, although at first he sounded very sceptical and suspicious about it. I had no idea who he was (not being into the UK boy bands who were hugely popular in the early 1990's) but when the class started there was a flutter of something interesting going on as the ladies present visibly preened their feathers and became rather smiley and friendly in his direction. Someone whispered to me "Is that Jason Orange?" I said yes, and asked why she wanted to know. It was then I discovered that he was one of the Take That pop group

After the initial flutter of excitement from the class, things settled down as Jason was a thoroughly nice person who joined in everything and was just like any other member of the class. And the ladies, being regular common-sense Mancunians, didn't stay distracted by his presence for long.

What of Jason's chart? (which he learned to draw up for himself). He was born on 10.7.1970 in Manchester, but didn't know his time of birth so we used noon, as is shown in the chart here. His is a very striking looking chart, and the image it conjures up for me is of high powered activity, fast movement, perhaps of someone whirling with an arm and leg outstretched - use your imagination a little here, half close your eyes and you'll maybe get the picture! It was only later that I learned that Jason got into the acting scene because of his skill as a break dancer; this is graphically reflected in the chart image.

With an inner motivation to be restless, changeable and dynamic, his chart has a high ratio of red and green aspects which will make him react and respond sometimes sensitively and be a bit touchy (well, he does have his Sun in the Sign of Cancer and Cancerians can be moody), but it also makes him very aware to what's going around him, and suggests he has a lot of nervous energy. Cancerians have an innately caring nature and love hearth and home.

His chart doesn't have any fully complete aspect patterns, because none of the aspect lines join up to form either triangles or 4-sided figures, but Jason does have an almost-complete Small Talent Triangle, made up of 3 blue aspects which don't all quite meet up at the apex where Moon, Uranus and Pluto are. A Small Talent Triangle indicates a still-developing talent, one that the person has to work on and perfect. The planets at the apex, which does not quite meet up, will have to work extra hard to develop the innate talent and get it out into the world. It has to be used and developed over a period of time, polished and made perfect. With Moon involved, it's likely that working at his talent and improving it would be something Jason would enjoy. The presence of Uranus alongside Moon gives his unique talents a quirky touch too.


At the time Jason joined my class "Take That" had disbanded. One member of the group, Robbie Williams, is now world famous, and you can read what I've written about his chart here. "Take That" re-formed in 2005 (without Robbie) and are now well established once again, touring to sell-out audiences. For me, it was especially good to see Jason and the other members of "Take That" on stage at the new Wembley Stadium in London when they performed at the memorial concert for Diana, Princess of Wales. And now they are back on the scene, I've become a firm fan of Take That this second time around! So Jason, if you happen to be reading this - good on you! And all the best for your future, now you're back on stage where you belong.

Photo from Jason Orange appreciation website

For more information on aspect patterns and astrological psychology, see www.astrologicalpsychology.org

If you liked this posting about Jason, read what I said about Robbie's chart and Robbie's wedding to Ayda Field on BBC Radio Stoke, where you can also listen to me talking about astrological psychology and Robbie's chart.

Barack Obama

Democrat Barack Obama has won favour in Iowa in the first stage of his bid to become the next US President. Born on 4.8.1961 in Honolulu, no time of birth is available so his chart is set for noon. Because the birth time is unknown, the orientation of the aspect structure is likely to be different from that shown here, but nonetheless, it is visually a very striking chart. Viewed in this position, with the noonday Sun right at the top, it appears like a moving, ruffling fan.

(But see more recent posting "Barack Obama Revisited" 5th August 2008 too, as his time of birth has since become available. You might like to read this first though, then move on to the update).

There is a striking conical shape to this structure which indicates a flexible, Mutable inner motivation. With 4 red, 4 green and 6 blue aspects, Obama's tendency will be towards action/reaction, sensitivity and awareness. His chart shows a line up of planets in Leo, and his Leo Sun is strongly placed in this Sign at 12 degrees. An interesting feature is the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter as tension rulers in the chart. These two don't necessarily sit well together, and the image of Dr. Doolittle's "Push me - Pull you" creature comes to mind! Saturn and Jupiter together could be like driving with one foot on the accelerator and the other on the brake. Jupiter in Aquarius will want to go forward at its own pace with no holds barred; Saturn in Capricorn will provide a steadying influence and could act like a wet blanket too. On the plus side, any ideas, new projects, talents, skills and high ideals will be formulated, underpinned with responsibility and made manifest in a thorough manner. A tension ruler in a chart acts like a filter through which everything experienced or expressed passes. Jupiter in this role could welcome all comers; Saturn will steadily suss out situations and provide a protective influence.

Obama has an interesting aspect pattern - a Megaphone- pinned by Mercury, Venus, Moon and Jupiter and composed of 1 red, 3 green and 1 blue aspect. Already ( via the wonders of colour coding!) we can see that this pattern is composed of predominantly blue/green aspects, and is pinned by blue (Fixed quality) and green (Mutable quality) planets. The literal translation from the German word for this aspect pattern is a "whisper bag". What does that mean in the context of this particular pattern?

Bruno, Louise and Michael Huber say of the Megaphone pattern, in their book Aspect Pattern Astrology, " We speak quietly into the narrow end and our voice suddenly fills the room. The other way round it works like the old-fashioned ear trumpet, as used in the past by the hard of hearing". This pattern is about communication - receiving it and giving it. This is supported and emphasised by the inclusion of Mercury as a pinning planet. The area of the chart that it occupies is important, but in Obama's case we can't know this without having his birth time. The high blue/green ratio of aspects in this pattern highlights its idealistic, imaginative qualities. From what I've heard of Obama's speeches, he knows how to use his words well. The Hubers also say "This person is a thinker who extracts a lot of information from communication, which he can then check for value and truth".
How Obama will fare in the next round remains to be seen. But one final thought. This man is 46. According to the Huber's LifeClock, psychologically he has recently been through the Low Point of the chart which is the low point of the whole life and a significant turning point in the life journey, when inner changes are made. This can be a time of frustration and crisis as well as a time of transformation and personal change. I've deliberately not researched Obama's life story in order to write about what I see in his chart, so there's no way I can know whether this might have significance to him. In the context of his bid to be selected as Democratic Presidential candidate, it's on the plus side that he's been through this personal Low Point prior to the 2008 elections.

Addendum: For an update on Obama's chart, now that his time of birth has become available, see my posting "Barack Obama Revisited", August 5th 2008.

Ricky Hatton, champion boxer

There's currently a lot of focus on UK boxer Ricky Hatton in the news, mainly because he's meeting with Floyd Mayweather in a much-publicised boxing match this weekend in Las Vegas. I'm no boxing fan, but I was intrigued to see what Hatton's chart looked like, especially as he's a "local lad" and is featured almost daily on the local BBC News.

Hatton was born on 6.12.1978 in Stockport UK. No birth time is available so his chart is set for noon. What was initially surprising was to see that his chart has only linear aspects. No aspect patterns are formed at all. Linear charts have a Cardinal quality. The motivation is go ahead, initiatory, always on the move towards the next goal, erratic and tangential.

Take a look at the chart image. It's composed of zig zagging lines, going back and forth from one side of the chart to the other. The image that comes to mind here is of Hatton in the ring, dancing on his toes as he weaves and dodges this way and that, fists up and head down.

Linear charts indicate restlessness. The next goal on the distant horizon is the one which is sought, and when it's gained, another will take its place. There's a constant moving on, not with smooth flowing movements, but in sharp, staccato, tangential ones.

Hattons' colour balance is 1 red: 2 green : 4 blue. His chart lacks red "doing" energy and drive, but this is compensated for somewhat by the 2 powerful conjunctions he has: Sun, Mercury and Pluto in Libra and Mars, Venus and Uranus in Scorpio. Conjunctions indicate seedling talents we have which need to be developed in order to fulfill their full potential. Libra is one of the most harmonious Signs, often associated with diplomacy and keeping the peace, so again it's a bit surprising to find out that pugilist Hatton is a Sun Libra person! Leave Libra aside though, and the power of Pluto in this conjunction with his Sun makes sense when considered in the context of his profession. Pluto can pack punches!

Some of this Sun/Pluto was evident yesterday in a item on our local BBC News, when Hatton was shown in the US ahead of the fight, giving a press conference along with opponent Mayweather. Whereas Mayweather was smartly dressed in shirt, tie and waistcoat, Hatton appeared in a soft black hat and black t-shirt. Written on the t-shirt in white, gothic-style letters was the word "Affliction", and beneath that was the emblem of a large and powerful eagle, with wings spread wide. Pure Pluto. Then there was a stand off between the two men. Whether this was staged or not, I have no idea, but they stood with chests touching, literally eyeball to eyeball, and this stand off seemed to be led by Hatton. Must have been getting his Pluto out again.

As I said, I'm no fan of boxing, but appreciate that it can be a great thing for some young lads (and maybe girls?) as it focusses and channels energy which might otherwise be used destructively within society. The British comedian Norman Wisdom comes to mind - he learned to box whilst in the army and this gave him a discipline he'd been lacking as a youngster. Clint Eastwood's film "Million Dollar Baby" I nearly dismissed and didn't see as it was about boxing - but I'm glad I went as it offered an interesting insight into the training, triumphs and dangers of this sport.

Will Hatton win on Sunday? Well, not having looked at Mayweather's chart, and not having Hatton's time of birth rather cancel out any chance of putting my head on the block there. All I can note is that Hatton has recently had his 29th birthday, which marks the first Saturn return. This often coincides with a big test in life, together with the need to take on more responsibility.

Bruno Huber - Pioneer in Astrological Psychology

Bruno Huber was born on 29.11.1930 at 12.55 local time in Zurich, Switzerland. He would have been celebrating his 77th birthday this year, and this is an appreciation of the man and his work, as well as a tribute to him and the opportunity to share something of his chart with readers.

Bruno was a true pioneer in the field of both astrology and psychology, as he blended together the psychosynthesis of Roberto Assagioli, with whom he studied and worked alongside in Florence, with the very best of traditional and conventional astrology, drawing from its basic foundations and roots. With this combination of modern growth and spiritually oriented psychology (psychosynthesis is sometimes known as “the psychology with a soul”) and sound astrological understanding, Bruno created an astrological psychology fit for the 21st century and beyond.

I wrote about Bruno’s chart in The Cosmic Egg Timer, saying “Using the senses and intuition as we look at this chart, we may be struck by its strong, upward-reaching appearance. This may be the chart of someone who has high aspirations, who seeks to move upwards in their own individuation process. Blending this with the technical know-how we already may have about working with the chart image, we may see mountains in the overall chart structure, and a series of mountain peaks reaching across the top of the chart. These spring from a pyramid shape which gives a broad and solid base to the image in the central area of the chart. The shaping of the aspect structure as a whole suggests a combination of Fixed motivation (the four-sided “pyramid” figure) and Mutable motivation ( the large triangular shapes).

The triangular shapes dominate and stand out, suggesting more emphasis on a Mutable motivation than one which is Fixed. There is a feeling of quivering, actively sensitive movement in this chart, with the “mountain peaks” at the top hinting at different focal points of interest, ambition, achievement and heights to be scaled, yet always moving upwards from the solid base across in the lower half of the chart. As well as reflecting the essence of the man, the mountain peaks are reminiscent of his native Switzerland. In reality, Bruno was no stranger to the mountains as he skied and cycled in them. And his life’s work involved intense empirical research into human potential, problems of the human psyche and of the psychological-spiritual development of the individual, using the unique blend of astrology and psychosynthesis which is now known as the Huber Method.”

Mercury sits at the top of Bruno’s chart, right on the MC and on top of one of the mountain peaks mentioned. He was a very good communicator and teacher - I always found his talks, lectures and seminars very stimulating. Mercury is one of the planets in the Dominant Learning triangle in the chart and links with the Jupiter/Pluto conjunction, highlighting Bruno’s transformative perception of astrology and psychology, which he ably communicated to the world via that mountain-peak Mercury. Uranus, the planet associated with research, is strongly placed on the 2nd house cusp, and connects via a blue aspect to the Sun atop another of the mountain peaks. On-going learning, empirical research and the constant exploration of new but well-founded ideas in the areas of astrology and psychology were a significant feature of Bruno’s life and work, and were lifeblood to him.

His untimely death in 1999 means that he is still missed by those whose lives were touched by him (myself included) but he would surely be full of joy to see that his work is being continued in his native Switzerland through the smaller schools and teaching centres for astrological psychology which Bruno envisaged as part of his legacy; in the UK by the Astrological Psychology Association, and in Spain by the Spanish Huber School. The books that he and Louise wrote together are all in print, with more currently in the pipeline, and are available in English from the APA Book Shop. This means that Bruno’s work and the work of the Huber’s can continue to be available to students of astrological psychology worldwide.

See my short introductory video on astrological psychology on my Astrochat channel on You Tube.

The Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope

Over the next few days, Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire is celebrating 50 years of the Lovell Radio Telescope. It’s creator, Sir Bernard Lovell, now in his 90’s, will be giving a public talk at the Observatory as part of the celebrations.

When I learned that the famous radio dish received its first space signals from the Andromeda Galaxy, on 2nd August 1957, I thought I’d set up the chart (time as noon, location Goostrey) just to see what it looked like.

Wow! Just look at that chart alongside the photo of the telescope! It’s oriented this way because of the time I set it up for, but with a different time the whole chart structure would move around - just as the telescope does when it’s tracking signals from space. The chart image bears an uncanny resemblance to the telescope itself.

There are two interesting and relevant aspect patterns too. The blue/green Ear/Eye Information triangle is one of them. This figure picks up and stores information and messages of all kinds. The other is the Shield, a quadrangular figure. The Hubers say in Aspect Pattern Astrology that this figure is relatively rare and has high absorption power; appropriate then for the chart of the first signals received from space by the telescope.

The radio telescope itself is an impressive sight, and can be glimpsed unexpectedly from different parts of the surrounding countryside. It was used to dramatic effect in an episode of “Dr. Who” when there was a nail-biting showdown between the Doctor and the Master who were battling it out high above the ground on the structure of the telescope.