Pope Francis I

The cardinals have chosen their new pope. Jorge Mario Bergoglio has become Pope Francis I, naming himself after St. Francis of Assisi. He was born on 17th December 1936 in Bueonos Aires, Argentina. No time of birth is available so his chart is set up for noon. [Edit - see below for update 23rd March as correct data and chart added.]

And what an interesting chart it is visually. A zig-zag linear set of aspects looking like giant legs striding forward, intersected by one complete aspect pattern - an Irritation triangle.

In the chart set for noon it is positioned horizontally, but be aware that it would be in a different position if his correct time of birth was known. Pinned by Mars, Saturn and Neptune, and composed of green and red aspects, the Irritation triangle acts like a small green dagger which comes out and unexpectedly "stabs" by giving vent to something which has irked the individual. It may be that they speak out vehemently about injustice - in the case of Francis this is unlikely to be a personal injustice that is felt and could be far more likely to be about gobal rights and wrongs. I only speculate here....but it's something to watch out for. He comes into office with a record of being refreshingly humble and connected with the outside world. The pinning planets in this figure suggest an ability to stand up for himself (Mars and Saturn) but also to stand up for his faith and for inclusivity (Neptune).

Might there be a sense of humour at work too? His Sagittarian Sun is conjunct Jupiter but is also conjunct the North Node - as a spiritual figure we might expect that he's well aware of fulfilling his personal destiny, but we don't know in which area of life, according to his chart, as we don't know his birth time which would put his Node in the house/area of life which he'd need to develop.

His overall inner motivation shows two modes of behaviour - mutable and able to adapt using the triangular shaping (the Irritation triangle) and cardinal (pardon the pun) and restless, making him potentially edgy and initiatory using the disconnected linear aspects.

For more on how to spot motivation in aspect colour, chart shaping and aspect patterns, see my co-authored book The Cosmic Egg Timer.

Update 23. 3.2013
My thanks to Giovannina Celeni who has contacted me (see comments), saying: The birth time is 21h (9 PM). An hour ago, the Argentina astrologer Claudia Rizzi has sent a copy of the birth certificate. The pictures of it are on the Astro-Databank page. This gives the data the highest AA rating of being accurate.

Chart with correct birth time of 21.00

The updated chart for Pope Francis shows the main features discussed above still in place, but with an additional semi-sextile between Moon and Mercury, giving him an almost-but-not-quite-complete Small Learning triangle. This pulls his Moon/Venus conjunction into a more direct working and ongoing learning relationship with Mercury and Uranus. 

The correct birth time shows some very interesting features. A few initial thoughts on these: 

• Uranus is the highest planet in the chart, in the cardinal area of the 10th house; already he is establishing his own approach and is refreshingly different. He's already shown he has a mind of his own when it comes to pomp and ceremony.

• Neptune is now at the bottom of the chart, very strongly placed on 3rd cusp. Francis is reputed to be a man of the people, and more humble and "ordinary" than his predecessor.

• The new birth time places the Irritation triangle on the 3/9 communications house axis, where he can use it to speak out ( see what I previously wrote about this aspect pattern).

• Saturn is stressed before the 9th house cusp. Will there be issues about control, organisation, protocol, tradition?

• His Sun in Sagittarius is on the Balance Point of the 6th house, where it will find ease of expression in his calling

• The chart direction/motivation is a mixture of horizontal and vertical aspects - good for making contact with others and good for asserting his individuality as a leader.

Happy 100th Birthday

I'm sending very special happy birthday wishes today to my friend's mum, Sylvia, on her 100th birthday. Sylvia was born on 6th March 1913 in Harrogate, Yorkshire. She's no idea of her time of birth, so I've set her chart up for noon, just to have a look at the chart of a centenarian who also happens to be someone I know. This is the first time I've known someone who has reached their 100th birthday, so this post is my small tribute to Sylvia on her special day.

Sylvia has recently become a great-grandmother for the first time, and this is probably the best 100th birthday present she could ever have. Let's have a look at her chart.

Sylvia has a relatively uncommon aspect figure in her chart - a Detective - which means the person's motivation is to get to the bottom of things, absorbing information from the surrounding environment and never giving up along the way. Rather than focus on this aspect pattern, I'm going to take a look at the positions of the three Transpersonal planets - Uranus, Neptune and Pluto - because these are generational planets and their placement by sign is shared by people of the same generation who experienced a similar background of national or world events.

In 1913, when Sylvia was born, the world and the social scene in the UK was vastly different from today. If you watch Downton Abbey you'll have an idea of how different it was. The First World War had not started, the Bullnose Morris Oxford car went on sale, women didn't have the vote and Suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst was sentenced to 3 years in prison. Later that year, Suffragette Emily Davidson ran to her death in front of the King's horse at the Epsom races and stainless steel was invented in Sheffield.

Uranus was in Aquarius - in Sylvia's chart it's conjunct Mars - and this reflects the spirit of the age in the UK with so much focus on the Suffragette's campaign to gain votes for women. By the time Sylvia was old enough to vote, all women had gained emancipation. New inventions would have been flowering under the generational influence of Uranus in its own sign.

Neptune was in Cancer, and in Sylvia's chart is unaspected (although as we have no time of birth this would not neccessarily be so). The generation of UK women born with Neptune in this sensitive, caring and family-oriented sign grew up to become mothers and housewives - as was expected of them at the time. Many women continued to go into service in this period, but with the start of the First World War this would change, with women taking a more active role in society.

Pluto was in Gemini, the sign of communication and discourse. Communication in all its forms was undergoing big changes as motor cars appeared on the roads, people who could afford telephones in their homes had them installed and the Post Office began parcel deliveries. On the world stage, the second Balkan War broke out in 1913, a precursor to the events which led to World War 1.

Sylvia must have plenty of tales and reminiscences of days gone by and of what life was like before air travel, TV, mobile phones and texting but I hope she gathers upa huge armful of good memories - and congratulations from the Queen - on her special day.

Happy Birthday Sylvia!

John Kerry

Chart of John Kerry, the new US Secretary of State, who was born on 11th December 1943 at 08.03, in Fitzsimons, Colorado.

 
John Kerry has recently become Secretary of State in Obama's second term of administration, replacing Hillary Clinton who has stood down for health reasons. Kerry is no newcomer to high profile politics, having run for President in 2004. Kerry based his 2004 campaign on opposition to the Iraq war, but he and his running mate lost the race, finishing 35 electoral votes behind the Republican ticket headed by President George W. Bush.
 
Kerry's chart shows some interesting features - a Bathtub aspect pattern which fills the upper hemisphere of his chart, leaving the lower half virtually untenanted; a lot of tension with 3 red oppositions on the 1/7 Encounter axis which spans the AC/DC area; a stellium of 4 planets in Gemini; an 8th house North Node conjunct Pluto; Neptune on the MC, and now, at age 69, his Age Point is opposite Uranus.

First the Bathtub, a quadrangular figure with 3 green quincunx aspects. Security comes from learning, asking questions, seeking out information - all features of the Bathtub figure with its excessive green aspects -  but it may be difficult to hold on to all of this as the Bathtub is upside down in the chart, and the contents can easily be lost. Pluto and the Moon's Node in 8th house are on one of the corners of this figure, reflecting the drive to make changes in society - he's not a Democrat for nothing! The Moon's Node here, alongside Pluto, demands a selflessness which Kerry has embraced. He comes from a strong faith background, served in Vietnam and has received military honours.

At the time his Age Point was moving over the 4 planets in the stellium - Uranus, Mars, Moon and Saturn all opposing his 1st house Sun - he was gaining experience and standing in the political field and developing his political career. Appropriate then, that his Age Point was also in the sign of Gemini, renowned for it's ability to gather information and communicate it readily. It looks as if his 1st house Sagittarian Sun, strong by both sign and house, is in control of those 4 stellium planets, decisively directing them from the rear. Idealistic Neptune is the highest planet in the chart and is stressed before the MC so will be drawing on the energies of the planets it aspects - Uranus, Venus and Mercury - and it may well embody a dream or vision that he's working towards. Right now, his Age Point is opposite Uranus - who knows what his ideas for the future are in his new role as Secretary of State? The press say "Secretary of state's choice of maiden voyage – to UK, Europe and Saudi Arabia – has a familiar 20th-century feel" following his recent meeting with UK Foreign Secretary William Hague in London. We shall see....

For more on the Bathtub and all 40 aspect patterns used in the Huber method, see my book Aspect Patterns in Colour available in conventional book format, and as an e-book. See previous post for details!

Astrology E-books or real books?

Are you an e-book or a real book person? Which do you prefer - the tactile sensations of handling a real book, its smell and the feel of its cover? Or are you happy to travel light, with your e-books safely downloaded on to a reading device, which can be a very convenient alternative.

Those who prefer the real, hard copy book thing will probably indulge their Jupiters and/or any planets that are in tactile Taurus. Those who are the techno-lovers of transportable e-readers will be indulging all things Uranian and Aquarian in their charts.

I like to have the choice of both - I like real books and I like the convenience of my e-reader when I'm travelling away from home and my bookshelves. I also like the range and choice of books I can take with me on an e-reader, and I make sure it's packed ready with plenty to read before I go away (although I can, of course, download books from anywhere which has to be an advantage!).

All the books I've written are now available in paperback and e-reader versions, including Aspect Patterns in Colour - and it is presented in full colour in the e-reader version so you the reader will gain the greatest benefit from learning about the 40+ aspect patterns that are used in the Huber Method of Astrological Psychology.

Bruno and Louise Huber's introduction of colour into their use of the natal chart was ground-breaking and significant. The psychology of colour and its importance is covered in the Diploma course training offered by the Astrological Psychology Association, and the use of colour is often what attracts newcomers and experienced astrologers alike to the Huber Method. Colour is an integral part of the inner motivation, as shown by the overall aspect structure in the chart and in the individual aspect patterns. Each pattern operates in a distinctive way and reveals how motivational behaviour may be expressed and observed in everyday life.

Don't take my word for it - if you're interested in astrological psychology, a book - or an e-book - is a good place to start!

Pope Benedict stands down

Pope Benedict XVI born on 16.4.1927 at 04:15 in Marktl, Germany

The Pope has announced that he is standing down at the end of this month, February. The last time a Pope resigned was 600 years ago, and this news came out of the blue, taking the world, especially members of the Catholic church, by surprise.

But is it really surprising that an 85 year old man, clearly in ill health and with low energy, wants to stand down from such a high profile office? Benedict, whose real name is Joseph, has not been a particulary charismatic figure, nor as popular as his predecessor. With an aspect colour ratio of 3 red: 3 green: 3 blue in his chart, this might suggest that his energy and inner motivational drive is perfectly balanced, but equal numbers of aspects of each colour suggests there's never enough resting/consolidation time, and that there's too much output of energy. This brings an imbalance which can be sapping to strength and drive.

Benedict's motivation, according to the shaping and aspect patterns in his chart, is to be flexible and restless. He has unaspected Saturn high up in the chart too, which suggests the potential for a lack of feeling and being grounded. The majority of his planets are below the horizon, psychologically in the collective area of the chart. This is where he will feel most comfortable; the demands of high office and of being a prominent figure will have been felt keenly.

Benedict's Age Point is currently in Gemini, in the cardinal zone of the 3rd house of the chart. His Age Point was last here when he was aged 13 - 14, so he's meeting this area of life as an old man, not a young teenager, and with all of his life experience in tow. Decisions such he's made will not have been taken rashly or in a hurry. 

Currently, his Age Point is within orb of unaspected Saturn, to which it is making an opposition. From the psychological perspective of the 3rd house, he is able to view Saturn, and all it may represent for him, from a distance and bow to the needs of his physical body, which needs a rest (Saturn gives the individual a sense of self through the body). Benedict has had the wisdom to acknowledge this and act on it.