Uranus square Pluto

Observations following US Presidential election result 9.11.2016 - original post written in September 2011.

Life is full of shocks as the result of the
US Presidential election takes hold and 
the reality of Trump in power begins to sink in.

The on-going Uranus/Pluto square reflects current events. Uranus will remain in assertive and action-oriented Aries for some time yet (2019 according to my ephemeris) and Pluto will be trundling through Capricorn until 2024, giving ample opportunities for the in-depth scouring of established institutions which has already started, as well as for the all-important global wake up that's needed to secure the future of humankind as we know it.

The Square relationship between two planets in astrology is created when both planets are 90 degrees apart. In this diagram, Sun and Saturn are shown square to one another. Using the Huber Method of Astrological psychology, squares are always shown in red, expressive of the active, doing energy they embody. If this energy isn't used, it can fester and turn sour. Squares demand action and require participatory behaviour. If, for instance, you have a square in your chart it's always best to use its energy rather than bemoan the fact that it's there & that it causes problems. It will only cause problems if you do nothing with it - it wants and needs to work.

So what of the current Uranus/Pluto square which moves in and out of exact aspect?

Not since the years of the Great Depression in the late 1920's and into the 1930's have Uranus and Pluto been in the challenging, action-needy, square relationship that they are in now. They will remain so, on and off, for another 8 years. What we're seeing, in terms of revolutions and the changes that are taking place on a global scale in 2016, will be around until 2024.

In the 1930's, Uranus was in Aries, as it is once again now, and Pluto was in Cancer. The Pluto in Cancer generation are now our elders, and many of them remember the times of the Depression and the hard times that went with it. But this time around Pluto is in Capricorn, the opposite sign to Cancer, and this suggests a rather different upheaval and transformation. The areas of life which could be affected are those which are well-established - like banks, governments and other long-founded institutions which have held the power and wielded authority. 
 
Uranus turns things around, upside down, and generally provides an important wake up call. Under the influence of this planet, motivations may change as freedom is sought and people strive to shed the shackles of harsh governance and create new forms of security and stability in their lives, free from fear. The recent revolutions in the Middle East are symbolic of this, along with the fight for freedom in Libya which, as I wrote this back in 2011, was in its final stages as oppressor Gadaffi was hunted down.

With Pluto there are no half meaures; it's an all-or-nothing planet. What needs to go, goes. Opportunities abound for clearing out what is no longer useful or valid. With merciless precision, what is outdated or unwanted is dumped. Expect the effect of these two planets working together via the gritty square aspect to be in evidence for some time to come.

Closer to home in the UK, there were the riots in England - some of them seemingly about sheer greed with people showing no respect for the property of others and taking what they wanted as they looted in shops. But stop and consider for a moment if that kind of unacceptable behaviour on that level is actually vastly different from rich bankers who are still taking unacceptably huge bonuses.
This chart was set up for the start of the riots in England. These started on 7th August 2011 and I set the time for 6 pm as the rioting began in the evening (but was being orgainised via social networking sites before and during the events). The chart itself looks chaotic with a lot of red aspects - squares and oppositions. I'm not going to anaylse it here, but am using it to demonstrate the Uranus/Pluto square in the lower half of the chart. Pluto is in 1st house, Uranus in 3rd (note the use of modern communication technology in the organisation of the riots) and, as I recently wrote about Mars you'll see it's in 7th, opposite Pluto and square to Uranus, forming an Efficiency/Perfomance figure. Add the energy of Mars to the already volatile Uranus square Pluto brew and you have something pretty toxic to deal with. Of course, it all depends on which level not just Mars, but Uranus and Pluto are operating at, and this could range from base level to something a lot higher, less personal and more far-reaching in effect.

With this square around until 2024 it's unlikely we've seen the last of it yet.

For more on aspects and aspect patterns see Aspect Pattern Astrology by Bruno & Louise Huber, and my book Aspect Patterns in Colour.

Huber Astrological Psychology in the US

I'm delighted to announce and let it be known to readers in the US that books on the Huber Method of Astrological Psychology are now available from the American Federation of Astrologers (AFA) based in Tempe AZ.

Details and costs etc. will soon be appearing on the website, but here, as a taster, is a photo of the recently arrived batch of pristine Huber books lined up on their shelves ready for dispatch.

So if you live in the US, read this blog and want to find out more for yourself about the Huber Method, you can now buy Huber astrology books from the AFA as well as from Amazon.

Mars and the England Riots

The recent riots on the streets of London and several other English cities have shown an outbreak of violent and aggressive behaviour which has shocked and stunned. Alongside this, and in swift response, the taking to the streets of bands of ordinary people armed with brooms, brushes and clean-up equipment has been a welcome antidote and a superb gesture of solidarity within the affected communities.

Expressions of the planet Mars can be found in both the behaviour of the rioters and the behaviour of the clean-up squads, the fire fighters, the police as they stood confronted by the violence and the powerful and dignified plea for peace and no more violence by bereaved father Tariq Jahan in Birmingham.

Mars represents the psychological drive to assert, take action, and survive by either fight or flight. It is associated with the sense of smell, which can alert us to danger, and it rules the adrenal glands which produce adrenalin and enable to us to take action and respond.

Mars operates at 3 distinct levels which can be described as

"Asleep" automatic survival behaviour with little or no self-awareness, such as anger, aggression, action to ensure survival;


"Waking" behaviour which is coming into greater awareness but is largely "me" oriented, such as assertiveness, competitiveness, an awareness of goals, bellicose and conflict behaviour, physical expression of energy and recklessness;


"Awake" behaviour which is fully conscious, directed and focussed, such as courage, focussed leadership and heroic action.

The rioters and looters were expressing and living out Mars at mostly the Asleep level, with some elements of the Waking level included, for example in the bellicose, the expression of conflict when confronted by police and ordinary citizens, and their reckless and mindless "me, me, me" behaviour.

There's an overlap of expressions of the first two levels of Mars between rioters and others - those who confronted the looting gangs. Fire fighters, police and the ordinary people who saw off gangs of rioters to protect their own property were of neccessity being assertive, with the goal in mind of preventing damage to people and property and they were using a lot of energy to do this.

But the main thrust of of Mars' drive and expression for those who confronted and acted in the public good to protect and lead was at the Awake level. At this level, fear doesn't get much of a look in, although it's there. The person will include their fear but not allow it to dominate. Instead it will be directed towards energising them to stand firm, show leadership and heroism and courage in the face of danger.

Rupert Murdoch

Rupert Murdoch: Born 11.3.1931 at 23.59 in Melbourne, Australia.

Rupert Murdoch and his son James of News International will today appear before a select committee of the British Parliament to answer questions about the phone hacking scandal which is being played out day by day in the UK and now in the US, like an ongoing saga.

A look at this man's chart is timely, since his power and dominance of the press, broadcast media and in the UK, of political life, is due to be thoroughly washed in public and hung out to dry in no uncertain terms. And frankly, about time too.

Murdoch's chart is is dominated by triangular aspect figures, indicating an underlying motivation of adapting to change and the ability to move on and keep moving. The aspect colour balance of 3 red: 4 green: 6 blue aspects suggests more of a thinking, considering and weighing up of issues approach, using the green aspects rather than a knee-jerk response using the red ones. This man is a thinker; some might say, in light of the current scandals coming to light, a schemer.

The aspect patterns fill the lower half of the chart, leaving the top half relatively empty. Only Neptune sits on high, alone. His Neptune is currently having light shone on it by Age Progression as Venus, which it is linked to by the green quincunx aspect, is also aspecting Neptune at the same time. Interestingly, his Nodal Age Point too is making an aspect to Neptune.

The Nodal Age Point often brings to light things which have been hidden or repressed, forcing them out into the light of day via events in the outside world. It's very tempting to look at the symbolism here - Neptune can indicate illusion, even deception, at it's lowest level - and in the 9th house which could be "high places" like the law....need I say more? Neptune in Murdoch's chart is currently a point of focus, and based on his past known record, it's highly unlikely that he would have been using Neptune at a more enlightened and higher level.

His aspect patterns - a Dominant and a Small Learning triangle, and an Ambivalence figure - offer the capacity to learn on a large and a smaller, more specific scale. His Sun is involved in all three patterns, with the most interesting pattern being the Ambivalence figure. The Sun is at the all-blue "escape" point of this pattern, conjunct Mercury, and the planets in opposition in the active, working part of the pattern are Saturn and Pluto, not exactly the kind of duo you'd want to meet with in a dark alley. Pluto, not particularly strong by either sign or house, sits in 7th house of Encounters, flanked by Jupiter and Mars. It's opposite Saturn in 1st house, making this a potentially formidable combination in the area of working and networking with others. Murdoch is known to have had power over many influential people, such as politicians and police. I see his 7th house line up as Pluto with his bodyguards - Mars very strong in 8th house as his "heavy" and Jupiter on the Balance Point in 7th exuding bonhomie, charm and hosting extravagant events.

As I write, events are still unfolding and will continue to do so for some time to come. The cleansing of the Murdoch Augean stables has begun.

Cancer the Crab

Cancerians - those who are born with the Sun in this sign - are generally closely linked to their family, home or neighbourhood in some way. It is the sign which has affiliations with the collective, and group consciousness.

The symbol for Cancer, the Crab, is described by Louise Huber, in her book Reflections and Meditations on the Signs of the Zodiac as "two bowls merging in an open circle through which everything can flow. The upper bowl shows movement to the left representing a step backwards, a striving towards the starting point, the source of life, the beginning of existence. The lower bowl shows movement from left to right representing a step out into the world in order to prove oneself and realise oneself."

Cancerians can reflect, in their nature and approach to life, the crab as it exists in the natural world. They may approach things sideways rather than head on (as the crab itself scuttles in a sideways direction towards its destination), and at times they may be very sensitive and moody. Ruled by the Moon, the feelings and emotional responses of Cancerians - a Water sign - may ebb and flow just as the tides are affected by the phases of the Moon.

These suggestions, together with what I say about the sign of Cancer on my AstroChat Channel, (see below) are just starters and are not the definitive word about this or any of the signs. For more, see the courses and books available at the Astrological Psychology Association website, where you can learn more about all the signs, planets, houses, and how to interpret charts using the Huber Method for yourself.