Sun into Capricorn - Winter Solstice

I've written something similar to this in the past around the time the Sun enters the sign of Capricorn, but it bears repeating because we all, myself included, need reminding of things from time to time. And it's always good to reconnect with those events outside of ourselves. Connecting with the position of the Sun in relation to ourselves on Earth is something we can do relatively easily at this very busy time of year. On 21st December the Sun is at its furthest point from the northern hemisphere, making this is the shortest day and longest night of the year. Meanwhile, down in the southern hemisphere the Sun is riding high in the sky as the exact opposite happens.

It may look dark but the light is there, waiting to return

The winter solstice is a festival of light and in the northern hemisphere it coincides with Christmas. This Christian festival takes place at the same time of year as the pagan celebration of the solstice which celebrates the gradual and at first impercetible return of the light of the Sun after the long days of darkness. It's the turning point of the year and marks the return of the light and the rebirth of the Sun (the Son in Christianity...?), together with the promise of the warmth and energy the Sun brings to make crops - essential to life - grow once again after the earth has lain dormant.

This is the time of year when people of all faiths, and none, can express their connection with the earth, our life upon it in relation to others we meet, and our place in the solar system, so

celebrate !

Share the warmth of friendship at the turning point of the year and bring some light and joy into your own life and the lives of others.

What you could do at this time of year to bring light into your own life:

• light a candle 
• call a friend
• perform a random act of kindness
• take a risk and smile at strangers as you walk down the street 
• glow with joy and a warmth of spirit and it will come back to you in spades

Greetings of the season to everyone out there, and may the warmth of friendship be wrapped around you at this time of year.

 

John F Kennedy 50 years on

The 50th anniversary of the assassination of JFK is being marked and remembered as 22nd November 2013 nears. Many people around the world will recall hearing the news, experiencing the shock and the aftermath of this event.

Kennedy was born on 29th May 1917 at 3.00 pm in Brookline, MA, USA. His chart is sparse and graphic.

The aspect structure is almost completely linear and tangential, with only one aspect pattern, the Small Learning triangle pinned by the Mercury/Mars/Jupiter conjunction in Taurus, with Venus and Moon at the other two corners. The chart image is one which conveys a rather gawky, awkward appearance, and the separate semi-sextile at the top of the chart formed by Saturn/Neptune and Pluto has little chance of being integrated into the overall pattern. It would act as a separate, possibly quite strong-willed part of his personality.

I don't intend to make a detailed anaylsis of his chart, but will focus on features which are interesting in the light of what is known about JFK the person and President. Family expectations for him were high. He came from a weathy and influential background, and was brought up in the Catholic faith. His father is said to have been absent, his mother cold and remote. In the Huber's Family Model, the Sun represents the father and Saturn the mother principle (note - NOT the mother, the protective mothering principle). The child, in the Family Model, is represented by the Moon. JFK's Virgo Moon is tucked away on the AC side of the chart and looks quite lonely and isolated. It is close to the 12th cusp so psychologically would be more interested in 12th house matters than in those of the 11th house where it just about has a foothold. Children with a Moon placement such as this tend towards retreating into their own space. 

The Sun, with its loose conjunction to Venus in Gemini in 8th suggests the experience of a father who is charming and communicative, deeply engaged with the matters of a wider society and a networker/businessman. Saturn is part of the detached semi-sextile which spans the top of the chart. Saturn's conjunction with Neptune may indicate a yearning for love and acceptance on the part of the child (JFK himself) but this could have felt way out of his reach, with her being potentially powerful and scary, taking into consideration the connection with Pluto alongside the dominant position of Saturn at the top of the chart. 

JFK was renowned for his womanising and had great charisma. Mercury, Mars and Jupiter, all strongly placed in 8th house and squaring Uranus could convey his pulling power as well as his charm, and Venus conjunct Sun in Gemini - part of the complete Small Learning triangle - would contribute to this, along with his ability to be a powerful orator.

JFK's Age Progression is worth noting - he married at age 36, as his Age Point in Aries crossed the DC and entered the 7th house. This is often a time of opening up to new horizons in life. Marriage made his selection and election as President more likely - the "Camelot" family of John, Jackie and their young children was very appealing. His renowned long term affair with Marilyn Monroe coincides with his Age Point transitting the 7th house, yet his marriage to Jackie appeared solid. 

JFK was sworn in as President in January 1961. He was 44 and his Age Point was on the Balance Point of the 8th house. The Balance Point experience in Age Progression is one of being able to respond smoothly and easily to the demands of the environment; when the Age Point reaches the Low Point this becomes more challenging. In November 1963, JFK's Age Point had already moved through the Low Point in the 8th house and as he was was driven through Dallas in the open-topped car, waving and smiling at the crowds, with Jackie at his side, he was shot dead.

He was 46 and his Age Point was conjunct his Sun.

Tom Hanks' Search Figure

Actor Tom Hanks was born on July 9th 1965 in Concord, California at 11.17 am.

His latest film is Captain Phillips, an edge-of-the-seat drama based on the true story of Richard Phillips, captain of the MV Maersk Alabama, who was taken hostage when his ship was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. Hanks' performance in this role should put him in the running for an Oscar nomination. 

But what of Hanks the person? What can we learn from his chart and what makes him tick? Looking at the overall aspect structure in his chart, it reveals a restless inner motivation. This suggests that Hanks, whilst able to be flexible, able to adapt to changes and roll with them, is also comfortable with taking off on new projects. He may be erratic at times, surprising those around him, as the linear aspects in his chart suggest. This could be reinforced and fed by his Moon conjunct Uranus. Expect the unexpected?

Hanks has 2 aspect patterns - a Small Learning triangle pinned by Jupiter/Pluto, Saturn and Neptune. This is adjacent to the Search figure, which shares Neptune and Saturn as  pinning planets with the Small Learning triangle. The other planet in the Search figure is Venus, right at the top of his chart. Arguably a very good placement for an actor, taking on different and varied roles.

Search figures are triangular, and the behaviour they exhibit is flexible and has a mutable flavour. They can dodge and weave, change direction and adapt to changing circumstances because they are triangular. Composed of only green and blue aspects they have an escapist quality, and may not be particularly active or productive if they don't have any red aspects feeding in to them. In Hanks' chart, the red aspects in the Small Learning triangle feed into the Search figure and will assist in activating the search by provoking learning which may be connected with the business of the Search figure.

I describe the Search figure in my book Aspect Patterns in Colour. People with this pattern in their charts tend to be bound up with thoughts, ideas and are often on a quest to understand as much as possible about any chosen subject as they can. There's an "if only" feel about the Search figure as the person seeks answers and will search high and low for them. Experience suggests that the planet at the blue/green corner is the one which offers a possible outlet and expression for what has been gained during the search. In Hanks' chart this planet is Neptune.

Neptune is undeniably useful for an actor, especially a film actor, and it could well serve as the outlet point for his acting. But recently I learned something else about Hanks. He was being interviewed on TV and was asked what he would like to be if he were not an actor. Without hesitation he replied that he'd love to be a National Park Ranger. In 2009 he was involved in the production of an award-winning documentary series for public broadcast TV - "The National Parks - America's Great Idea". When Hanks said he'd love to be a park ranger it was with a quality and energy which makes me suspect he was coming directly from that Neptune, at the blue/green corner of his Search figure.

More about aspect patterns in two books, available from the APA Book Shop, Amazon and other booksellers:

• Aspect Pattern Astrology by Bruno and Louise Huber,

• in my book Aspect Patterns in Colour  

• and for full in-depth teaching and tutoring on this subject see the full diploma study course book offered by the Astrological Psychology Association.

The Hallowe'en Uranus/Pluto square

It's Uranus/Pluto time again. These two mighties will be exactly square once again on 31st October, but of course, they have been edging closer, just shifting and wriggling in their seats a bit for some time now as they dock into the exact square position once again.

Here's the chart for 31st October 2013, set for noon in London.

Uranus is on the pointy end of the large, quadrangular Model aspect pattern which has 1 red, 2 green and 3 blue aspects. The Model is large, covering a wide area within the chart, and is fixed in motivation, meaning that it strives towards maintaining and preserving resources, ideas, structures. Uranus itself works along these lines, seeking for the perfect world and the betterment of what currently exists. That's why it's the planet associated with change, revolution and upheaval - these things often have to come first before things can get better.

In my book Aspect Patterns in Colour I describe the Model as "a predominantly blue/green firgure, making it sensitive and receptive, with one red aspect providing energy and drive. Its component parts are a Dominant Learning triangle, a Projection figure and a Small Talent triangle. The red/green planet is alert, influded with nervous energy and a focal point within the figure." Uranus is the red/green planet in this aspect pattern at this time.

The presence of a Model in a chart suggests high aspirations which should not be distracted by pessimism because the Model's centred persistence can offer courage and hope to others. Along with Pluto in square to Uranus, the other pinning planets are Mars, with Sun, Mercury and Saturn conjunct in Scorpio joined by the presence of the Moon's Node. 

The energies in that conjunction are something to be aspired to in the overall, global state of affairs of humankind, and the call to be persitent, courageous and work in hope to make needed changes in the world, rather that give up, are in evidence in many areas of life. Organisations such as Avaaz, 38 Degrees, WWF and Greenpeace are living examples of this. And of course, there are many more.

Hallowe'en, when this conjunction occurs, has a become a commercialised time of Trick or Treat. According to Wikipedia the meaning of Hallowe'en, a contraction of "All Hallow's Evening" is a yearly celebration, observed in some countries on October 31st, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows or All Saints and the time in the church's year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs and all the faithful departed believers. It is also the Celtic feast of Samhain, also known as Calan Gaeaf, the start of the dark time of the year when spirits or fairies could cross into our world and the souls of the dead were particularly active.

Putting Hallowe'en alongside this Uranus/Pluto square and the Model aspect pattern that will form at the same time, here are  few questions which you might like to consider

• what would you like to change in your own life?

• what would you like to change in the world?

• how responsible do you feel about making these changes?

• how much courage would you need?

• how much hope do you have about such changes?

• how could you engage with the energies of the Scorpio planets in conjunction at this time?

• do you have some Uranian fire in your belly to get you started?

The acts of courage of yesterday,

If they seem to us

To be old fashioned,

Have retained entirely their capacity

To arouse the heroic deeds

Of today.

The dust which can cover them

Does not come from decay,

It is the proof of tears 

And battles of yesteryear.

Pere Andre Marie

The astrology and psychology of relationships

Relating - part of everyday life

Relationships form a vital part of our everyday lives, yet they are probably the one thing where we feel we get things wrong, or misread the signals being given out. The question we might ask is "How can astrology help us be more successful in our relationships?"

In order to improve the way we interact with others, most often on a one-to-one basis, an understanding of where we are coming from ourselves can be very helpful indeed, and this is where the natal chart and astrological psychology can be a great help.

Chart A

Here are two charts.  The aspect structure in both is horizontal, indicating that the person is motivated towards contact with others, which is good news in the context of relationships. Both individuals will be willing to go out and meet people, make contact and form relationships in their lives, because relationships are important to people whose charts show a horizontal direction in the overall aspect structure (of course, this can only be accurately ascertained with an accurate time of birth).

Chart B

Although in astrology generally we might like to think that what we project out into the world to those we interact with and relate to comes from the 1st house, this is not necessarily the case. When taking an astrological/psychological look at the chart, the planet or planets in the 7th house are those which are most significant.

Planets on the DC (descendant) of the chart are those which are picked up on first by people we meet, followed by any planet or planets which are closest to the DC. If there are no planets on the DC, look to see which are closest. This is because whatever planet is there will respresent the quality/energy that will meet others when they first meet us.

Chart A has Sun/Moon in Cancer on the DC. They are opposite Neptune, so from this we could infer that this person is very willing to make contact with others, will do so with warmth (Moon involved) and also compassion/sensitivity (Sun/Moon opposite Neptune).

Chart B has Pluto in Scorpio on the DC. This is opposite Sun/Mercury, so from this we could infer that this person will be a striking, potentially powerful person (some might also experience them as a bit scary or be aware they are no pushover), but they will still be willing to communicate and make contact with others, and will draw on the energies of Sun/Mercury in opposition. They could be powerful communicators.

Both of these charts belong to real people, and both are featured in my new book Using Age Progession - Understanding Life's Journey. Available from the APA Book Shop, Amazon and other booksellers.