Sunset time and the Winter Solstice

Sunset at Llandudno, North Wales, on 15th December 2012 at 15.45

Watching the Sun set on 15th December from the top of the Great Orme, a seaside mountain adjacent to the rather grand Victorian resort of Llandudno in North Wales, I thought it would be interesting to look at the chart, and share some of the photos I took of the event. First, the chart.

Three things are immediately obvious.

• The Sun is setting so is right on the horizon, the DC, and at the time was making semi-sextiles to Mars and Venus. How appropriate this was is borne out by the fiery beauty of the event (see photos).
• The Projection figure aspect pattern, a feature of the forthcoming Winter Solstice chart for 21st December and the end of the Mayan calandar, is already in place and will have been for some time. At the time of this particular sunset, the Moon was conjunct Pluto, one of the pinning planets in this pattern (see below for my previous posting on the Solstice chart). Moon/Pluto can be pretty intense - as were the effects on me of the changing aspects of this sunset.
• Jupiter, at the apex of the Projection figure, is in 12th house, so has just risen above the horizon but would not have yet been visible. But look up at night because Jupiter is shining brightly right now and is easy to spot in the night sky. When you find it, look to the right and slightly upwards to find the Pleiades(also known as the "seven sisters"). If you don't look directly at them, you'll see them better. Best of all is to use binoculars to see this stunning group of stars.

Astronomy and astrology can sit side by side quite easily and if you're an astrologer it's always an inspiring and humbling exercise to look up at the sky and relate what you see to the chart. Now for the photos. May the return of the light at the Solstice fill you and inspire you.

 

The setting sun at 15.52....

 

 

 

 

....and 15.53....

....at 15.54....

...and at 15.57

In memoriam for Newtown, Connecticut

Rose. Image courtesy of Maylis Curie

In memory of the children and their courageous teachers whose lives were lost in the senseless massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Friday 14th December

The Mayan 2012 Prophesy

Chart set for 21.12.2012 at noon in London

Is the end of the world coming on 21st December 2012? The 2012 Mayan Prophesy of armageddon and cataclysmic events coincides with the end date of the 5,125 year cycle in the Mayan calendar, and a trawl through the internet will provide far more information on this than I'm going to give here. But the chart for this "event" is worth considering as  astrologers have been giving attention to it for some time now.

What is special about this chart and what can it tell us? I'm approaching this from the viewpoint of astrological psychology, which is not like predictive astrology. Is the world going to end on the Winter Solstice? I doubt it, because dramatic and cataclysmic changes are already happening. Global temperatures and the temperature of the seas are rising and huge chunks of ice in the polar regions are breaking off and melting. Extreme weather patterns and storms are headline news and glaciers have been receding for years. We could say that armageddon is already here.

The chart itself is dominated by one complete aspect pattern - the triangular Projection Figure, pinned by Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto. Jupiter, at the apex and receving only red/green aspects is highly sensitised because of this, making it primed for action. The hopes, fears, perceptions, experiences, knowledge and sensory awareness associated with Jupiter are projected on to the blue screen pinned by Saturn and Pluto. Jupiter is strongly placed by sign in Gemini and will be extremely adept at gathering  a wide variety of relevant information in order to get the big picture.

Saturn is likewise strongly placed by sign in Scorpio, and as one of the screen's pinning planets will be unlikely to take any nonsense. Paring things down to the essential bare bones of survival is indicated here, along with ditching what is no longer necessary. This approach is echoed by Pluto's equally strong sign placement in Capricorn. Change is needed in all areas of established "authority" - change of mind and change of heart too. Pluto, at it's highest level, is about perfection of being. Humankind collectively has to undergo a transformation in order to survive. We can't go on using the planet as a dumping ground for the toxins we produce, and which give us the easy lifestyle we've grown accustomed to.

But of course there will be resistance to this just as there always is to big change. Jupiter is opposite Mercury and Venus indicating polarised viewpoints, discussion and desires as an outcome is sought.....if it will, in the short term, ever be sought. 

I'm reminded of the Chinese proverb: Crisis is Danger and Opportunity. Yes, there's probably danger around in the timing of this event - Saturn and Pluto in their current configuration certainly hint at that. But there are also opportunities there to be taken and used if we wake up to what is going on in our world and environment, and begin to take it more seriously. And this is the energy and drive that Jupiter represents in this Projection Figure aspect pattern in this particular chart and at this particular time. If the world really does end on 21st December none of this will matter. But it it doesn't, it will continue to matter a lot.

BBC in crisis

I've set up the foundation chart for the BBC as it thrashes its way through a major crisis in the wake of the recent child abuse scandals involving the late former BBC presenter Jimmy Savile. The crisis has deepened and events have moved fast - the long-established Newsnight programme on TV appears to have gone awol and the Director-General has resigned, but has been awarded a full year's salary on his departure. You can catch up on the whole sordid chain events at www.bbc.co.uk

The BBC was established under Royal Charter on 1st January 1927, in London. No time for it's foundation is available, so we have a noon chart, but one which reveals some interesting information. The Capricorn Sun, which is always at the top and on the MC in a noon chart, is currently beginning to come into the orb of transiting Pluto. A transit from Pluto is always going to bring change, disruption and a thorough clear out of any rubbish that's been hanging around, perhaps hidden or concealed. Like a surgeon lancing a boil, Pluto will purge - and the BBC has to purge the stigma of paedophilia and child abuse on its own premises - accusations which have come to light following the uncovering of Jimmy Savile's behaviour. It's reputation as "Auntie", as it's fondly referred to, and it's status as a highly respected global broadcaster is at stake.

Also noteworthy is that the Sun is opposite Pluto in the chart, strongly re-enforcing the theme of change and the need to transform. This opposition is on the cardinal Cancer/Capricorn axis; Sun and Pluto are planets with cardinal qualities. The whole situation shouts loudly that something has to be done - immediately.

The foundation chart shows two quadrangular structures. One is composed of blue/green aspects, is pinned by Sun, Moon, Mars and the North Node. It's made up of a Search figure and a Projection figure, both idealistic and relatively passive in themselves, but egged on and animated by the red Node/Pluto opposition. Could this be part of the current wake up call?

Dominating the chart, however, is the quadrangular Streamer pinned by Mercury, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune. The Streamer has its own direction, the leading planet at the corner with the long aspects (in this case, Neptune) leading the way. This planet receives all three aspect colours (red, green, blue), giving potential for growth. The Streamer can choose the direction it takes, but its goal will be to learn, communicate and acquire information. Great stuff for a broadcasting organisation, but it's time to sharpen up the sharp end and sidestep any Neptunian obfuscation and lack of clarity. As no time for this chart is available, we don't know which house Neptune might be in. And as it's the houses, which are the environment and the outside world, where the expression of each planetary drive comes into its own, knowing the time of birth for the BBC foundation chart would be very interesting indeed.

You can read more about all 40 aspect patterns used in the Huber Method in my book Aspect Patterns in Colour available in book and ebook format. As for the BBC - this is rolling, unfolding story and there's sure to be more to come.   

Hurricane Sandy and the Uranus/Pluto square

Chart for landfall of Hurrcane Sandy - 29 October 2012, 20.00, Atlantic City, New Jersey

It's being called "Frankenstorm", and now it's reached landfall it's causing havoc and destruction along the eastern coast of the US. Its effects are being felt far inland, with heavy snowfall in Virginia and lashing winds and rain. If you're reading this in the US you'll know more about it than I do, but it's headline news here in the UK and what people caught up in this storm are having to face and cope with is very much on my mind. Stay safe and take care if you're in the thick of it.

I've set the chart for landfall and it's an edgy-looking chart with plenty of red oppositions, and the ever-present Uranus/Pluto square. The red oppositions cross and form what looks like a Star aspect pattern. In the Huber Method of Astrological Psycholgy, a red Star pattern can indicate tearing implosive energy. But a Star which crosses in the centre of the chart - like this one - does not create a problem. In this chart, the centre of the chart is symbolic of the eye of the storm, an area of mostly calm weather found at the centre of strong tropical cyclones. The storm rages around it.

A look at the positions of some of the planets shows Jupiter on the AC opposite Mars on the DC, on the 1/7 Encounter axis. Jupiter expands and enlarges all it has contact with; the rage and ferocity of Martian energy in this storm is not to be under-estimated. This opposition is completely linear, not attached to anything else, and will behave like a see-saw or push-me/pull-you until it wears itself out.

The Sun is in Scorpio, a sign not known for taking prisoners, and is conjunct Saturn making this a formidable combination of energies. As it's also Full Moon, they are opposite the Moon and span the 5/11 Relationships axis. Will people be looking out for themselves in this crisis, or remembering to help each other? Hopefully the latter.

And what about Uranus and Pluto? Uranus sits in a strong position in the 11th house. It's in the cardinal zone of the house and to me seems to be crying out loudly that it's time to make changes  and use more of the new, clean, ecological technology that will bring some respite to what we're doing to our planet. Climate change isn't a myth - it's here and happening now. Weather patterns are changing dramatically and yet politicians and climate-change deniers sleep on.

Pluto at the other end of the square is stressed before the 8th cusp. Stressed planets have to shout and be pushy to get themselves noticed. Pluto before the 8th cusp is yelling "Wake up before it's too late". The 8th house is about society at large and our shared resources as well as transformation and death, and Pluto is ultimately urging us, as human beings, to perfect ourselves.

This reminds me of what Christopher Fry says, in his poem Sleep of Prisoners:

"It takes so many thousand years to wake,

But will you wake for pity's sake!"