The Family Model: David Cameron's new baby

In astrological psychology, the Family Model is a very useful tool for understanding how an individual might have experienced their family set-up when they were children. All too often, some of the conditioning received during formative childhood years sticks around far longer than is necessary for adults and can cause problems and hang ups throughout life. Working with the Family Model can help people recognise and accept this, enabling them to move forward making their own life choices rather than be quite so heavily influenced by the expectations laid upon them in childhood.

In the Family Model, the Sun represents the father or the person who took on this role, and is ideally placed somewhere in the upper part of the chart. Saturn represents the prime person who looks after the safety, caring, nourishment, stability, structure and well-being of the child. Although both parents do this, it is the mother (or someone who takes on this role) who provides the primary mothering principles. Saturn is ideally placed in the lower half of the chart. The child is represented by the Moon, ideally placed somewhere on the horizontal axis of the chart where contact can most easily be made. For more on the Family Model see my book The Cosmic Egg Timer, available at the APA on-line Book Shop.


British PM David Cameron recently became a new dad unexpectedly early whilst on holiday in Cornwall. Florence Rose Endellion Cameron was born on 24.8.2010 in Truro at 12 noon - time quoted by Cameron in BBC News interview. With a noon birth the Sun is at the top of the chart where it can shine and be seen, a fitting place for a father who is Prime Minister...but will he be able to live up to her Virgoan high standards when she's older?! Her Sun has all 3 aspect colours lighting it up, so potential exists for her to develop her own sense of self with considerable awareness.

Saturn is not best placed as it's not in the lower half of the chart where it can offer optimum stability and grounding. It's interesting to see that Saturn is placed just before the 12th house cusp, indicating that mum Samantha (dubbed SamCam by the media) might prefer, as wife of the PM and mother to Florence and her other two children, to stay in the background and away from the glare of publicity. Saturn receives just red/green asepcts, indicating a touchy sensitivity. The overall shaping of the chart shows a Fixed motivation, so stability is going to be important for Florence.

Moon is in the lower half of the chart and is conjunct Neptune in 4th house. Florence may well enjoy and need the security of home and family, to the extent of not wishing to move far away, even when she's old enough to do so. Neptune conjunct Moon could indicate some special creative talent, but with an Aquarian Moon she could well want to do her own thing. This could prove interesting, as Moon is opposite Sun (she was born on the Full Moon); there could be clashes between her and dad.
Florence's chart has a relatively unusual aspect pattern - the Irritation Rectangle - which is pinned on 3 of its 4 corners by Sun, Moon and Saturn - the planets representing the Family Model. This suggests a close and binding relationship could exist between her and her parents, one she might not easily break away from because of its binding nature and its sensitive red/green combination of aspects.

Astrological Houses - Where in the World are You?

The 12 astrological houses are divisions of time and space which are applied to the birth chart to divide it into 12 separate areas, each one relating to a specific field of life experience and expression. There are many house systems used in astrology, most of them unequal apart from the equal house system, which is a very basic and simplistic method of house division.

The Koch house system is used in the Huber Method of Astrological Psychology as it gives the most reliable results when working with Age Progression, using the correct time of birth.

The houses are the environment we live in, and this changes all the time, depending where we are and who we're interacting with. We may be in the 6th house when at work - but what if you work from home? Does the 4th house then become your place of work? Or do you have a designated "6th house" room or area in your home where you do your work? Supposing you are a child minder working in your own home? The 5th house is sometimes associated with children and creativity so does your living room treble up as 4th, 5th and 6th house? If you work alone and in isolation like, for example, a night time security guard, you could be on your own and very much in the 12th house - but this is also a 6th house setting as you'll be at work.

This begs the question of whether the boundaries of the houses should be regarded as rigid? Or are they more dynamic, something which is movable and adaptable because one area of life flows into and intersects with another? That sounds much more like real life to me, where astrology becomes far more than a theoretical appraisal of us and our place in the world around us, and takes on tangible shape and meaning as we interact with the environment in which we find ourselves.

Robbie Williams weds

Pop singer Robbie Williams is going through a significant life phase. He's recently announced that he's rejoining Take That, the boy band (now a very successful group of grown men!) where his career took off, and he's just got married.

Robbie was born on 3.2.1974 in Newcastle-under-Lyme, UK.

His chart is set for noon as no time of birth is available. I wrote about his chart when I discussed it live on air at BBC Radio Stoke 6 years ago, when he was 30. Being a local lad, the media in Stoke-on-Trent are always keen to follow his career and life events. You can read what I said about Robbie's chart in 2003 here, at the Astrological Psychology Association web site, and at the BBC Radio Stoke and Staffordshire newspage archive.

So what of Robbie and Ayda, who wed on Saturday 8th August in Robbie's back yard (aka known as a beautiful estate overlooking the San Fernando Valley in California!). I was invited back once again to Radio Stoke to talk about how these two might fare as a married couple, and you can read a brief news item onwhat I said.

Ayda Field, a TV actress and Robbie's girlfriend of some 3 or more years, was born on 17.5.1979 in Los Angeles. Her chart is quite different from Robbie's - his has a Fixed shaping making him motivated towards security and stability. Ayda's chart is Dynamic, with triangular and linear aspect patterns, making her far more adaptable and flexible. Robbie will tend to need security and to know where he is with things, whereas Ayda will be much more likely to be flexible and go with the flow. This could create a good balance between the two of them.

Aquarian Robbie, with Sun/Jupiter in this sign and at one of the arms of the Kite figure in his chart, will want a certain amount of airy freedom & space; Ayda's strongly emphasised sign of Taurus will be more focussed on earthy practicalities as well as having a yen for good living (she's married a multi-millionaire!). This earthiness, in turn, could provide Robbie with the grounding and security he needs. Robbie is now 36, the time when the Age Point reaches the DC and crosses from the lower to the upper hemisphere of the chart. It's a time of coming into your own and of waking up to the many more possibilities which lie ahead. Life can feel like it's opening up anew, or big time. Robbie's marriage and his return to Take That are both indications of this.

With no birth times for either Robbie or Ayda, I 'm not going to be more specific. All that's left is to wish them both well and say that I'm pleased to hear that Robbie at last appears to have a good woman in his life!


Robbie and Ayda, but not, I assume, on their wedding day!

Saturn in Libra

Saturn entered the sign of Libra on 21st July 2010, and will stay in this sign until October 2012. The chart is set for Saturn's grand entry into Libra, at 17.20 (when it was just one second into the sign) on 21.7.2010 in London.

Interesting chart with a Double Ambivalence figure dominating. The opposition in this figure includes Saturn conjunct Mars at the top of the chart and close to the MC, opposite Jupiter conjunct Uranus down at the bottom and close to the IC. This particular Double Ambivalence figure doesn't have a green quincunx as shown in the sample here, which means there is a more black/white, either/or flavour to this particular configuration. Saturn and Mars together make a formidable couple - determined, strong, fearless and the conjunction of these two planets always makes me think of Roman Centurion, a military leader. These two stay together for a short while until Mars moves on and away in early August. Jupiter/Uranus stay together for a bit longer, opposing Saturn and presenting challenges to the authority of this stickler of the solar system. Jupiter/Uranus could allow things to get out of hand; Saturn provides the checks and balances and helps in bringing some realism to bear.

What might be some of the manifestations of Saturn in Libra? We're already into times of tightening belts and being far more cautious with spending on luxuries. There is a touch of "make do and mend" about - fashion is not always to be followed slavishly and people are returning to vintage styles, searching charity shops for bargains and making/knitting their own.

If Libra stands for diplomacy and fair play, and Saturn for calling a spade a spade, then it's very interesting that British PM David Cameron has recently ruffled some foreign feathers by his plain, truthful speaking about two countries (Israel with reference to Palestine, and when in India, with reference to Pakistan). This is a refreshing change from the usual bland diplomacy. It's also interesting to learn that women's lib is undergoing a resurgence - fair and equal pay, recognition, treatment and consideration of women is still sadly lacking. Saturn in Libra ? Bring it on!

For more info on aspect patterns, visit the On Line Book shop.

The Planets go Hiking in Lion Country

I recently visited the Chisos mountains area of Big Bend National Park in the south of Texas where mountain lions (cougars) and black bears roam. This was the sign by the trail near the cabin where I was staying, and I read it carefully before setting off on a hike, especially as I'd heard that a lion had been seen chasing deer near the reception area the night before! I was hiking with a small group, in daylight, so the likelihood of seeing a lion was pretty small....nevertheless, Saturnian caution was advised. Here's the trail we were hiking along (note: plenty of undergrowth as cover for lions...)

And here's how I was reacting on that hike, very aware of the drives, characteristics and motivations of some of the planets:

Mercury - I was using my ears, listening out for any rustling sounds in the undergrowth and paying attention to all details around me, such as tracks on the ground.

Jupiter - my all-round peripheral sensory awareness was very alert, my senses were primed and I was aware that what I was doing contained an element of risk (but hang on, said my more rational Sun, it's broad daylight, lions usually hunt around dusk, or when it's dark. Never mind that, chipped in Saturn, remember you read an article earlier this year about someone being attacked by a cougar in broad daylight....).

Venus and Saturn were in cahoots for this hike, making sure that what I was wearing was practical and sensible - sensible clothing and shoes, sunhat, sun screen, bottle of water etc. - all tasteful of course...

Sun made the decision to go on this hike, with Mars tagging along to provide the energy and impetus to do so, keeping me going when walking uphill got a bit challenging in the heat, and staying on red alert for fight or flight if I did see a lion.

Did I see a lion? No. But it was interesting to observe my reactions to this situation and the feelings that went with them. The nearest I got up close and personal to the local wildlife was when a skunk crept up behind me in the dark and stood pretty close. And no, it didn't spray.