What time is your Lifeclock?

Age Progression, LifeClock, call it what you will - my experience of it is exactly what my tutor told me 37 years ago when I started studying the Huber Method of Astrological Psychology.

He said it was "gilt edged", and quite simply, it is. And you can use this technique with or without referring to a birth chart.

The chart belongs to actor Tom Hanks, born 9th July 1956 at 11.17 in Corncord, California. Hanks is 67. His Age Point is in the 12th house/area of the chart and his LifeClock time is easing towards the start and end of the 72 year cycle. Realistically he's probably being a lot more selective in any acting roles he takes on, but interestingly is currently involved in the production of a new film, "Here", which involves the use of AI.The story covers the events of a single room with its inhabitants spanning from the past well into the future. Hanks is clearly not giving up yet!

Below is the LifeClock diagram, showing how the Age Point relates to the 12 astrological houses/areas of life experience from birth to age 72 (it begins a second circuit once the individual reaches 72, where there is often a huge surge of energy as we make a fresh start). The hand of the clock always moves in an anti-clockwise direction. It's shown here at age 40.

 

When the Age Point reaches the 12th house and is between ages 66 and 72 (again, use the diagram to navigate by), we no longer need to strive to prove anything to anyone. This can be very liberating. But some high profile people will choose to continue working into this phase, for example politicians, artists, writers, musicians, scientists and spitritual leaders.

A couple more examples. If you're somewhere between 30 and 36, the Age Point and your lifetime "o'clock" will be in the 6th house, where your main focus, if you're in paid or voluntary work, will be on the more serious matters of being successful, keeping your head above water and getting along with your work colleagues. You'll probably be forming realistic views about what you can and can't achieve professionally or work-wise.

Between age 36 and 42, the focus shifts to relationships and partners. At this psychological stage, the ability to make contact with others is at maximum strength and this is often a time of life when we realise there is more potential in life for us than we'd ever dreamed of.

All this, and much more, is covered in my book Age Progression - Understanding Life's Journey Click on the link to fine out more.

 

 

 

Fred Astaire: "Can't act. Slightly Bald. Also dances"

A long read, a chart interpretation and an edited extract from my book

 "Using Age Progression"

Fred Astaire was born Frederick Austerlitz on 10.5.1899 at 21.16 local time in Omaha, Nebraska USA, the son of an American born mother and an Austrian father. His chart reminds me of a see-saw or swing boat seeking to achieve balance; it’s not quite there but it’s not far off either. I also see what could be a Kite configuration spanning the horizontal axis of the chart, but it’s not complete and gives the impression that everything is still docking into the right position to complete this figure, and once again, it’s not quite there yet. One significant thing that Astaire was renowned for was his never-ending quest for perfectionism in his choreography and dance routines.

Aspect structure and Motivation

The aspect structure, on initial inspection, appears to be composed of quadrangular figures, but a closer and more detailed look reveals that this is an illusion as there are interlocked triangular figures along with several linear aspects. The shaping of the overall aspect structure gives information about the person’s inner motivation and what drives them; Astaire’s looks quadrangular, which would make him Fixed/security-oriented, but in fact there is a mixture of Mutable (triangular) figures and Cardinal (linear) aspects. This indicates a flexible and fluid approach to life, being able to move on with changes and go with the flow, but at the same time there is an underlying push of restlessness and determination which comes from the Cardinality of the linear aspects.

The direction of the aspect structure is horizontal, with the rickety and incomplete Kite tipped over from an upright position, as in the diagram, and seen sideways in the chart, flying towards the “You” side. 

This is emphasised by the Moon/Pluto conjunction straddling the descendant and the presence of Neptune in the 7^th house. In spite of his Sagittarian ascendant, with planets in this Sign adding emphasis, it is often planets on or around the DC which are picked up first and foremost by the environment as these are what others first encounter. 

Moon in Gemini is easy to see in Astaire’s slim and lightweight frame and his smoothly shaven face. His looks were quirky and unconventional, but his charm and pulling power are undeniable; a combination of Moon conjunct Pluto and opposite Uranus, with the 7^th house Neptune standing nearby like an overseer. After a Hollywood screen test, producer David Selznick wrote of Astaire: 

“I am uncertain about the man, but I feel, in spite of his enormous ears and bad chin line, that his charm is so tremendous that it comes through even on this wretched test”!

 

Aspect Patterns: The rickety Kite and the need for perfection

Astaire’s Kite is incomplete and in most instances I would decline to “see” a nearly- complete aspect pattern where one does not exist, sticking with what is already there and working with that. However, the near-Kite kept drawing my attention. Incomplete aspect patterns can indicate a lot of energy being expended by the individual to complete the pattern themselves. There is a striving towards bridging the gaps that are there and in bringing the pattern into a cohesive whole. The person may sense that there is something as yet incomplete within themselves and seek to resolve this by trying always to excel as completion of the pattern – and perfection - is sought.

The Hubers say of people with a Kite that they “strive for perfection, not necessarily because they want to reach a fixed state though, but to be true to themselves, i.e. in all situations to act in line with their innermost convictions and their heart of hearts”

 

 

 Astaire the Perfectionist 

 

I would normally have not focussed too much on the rickety and incomplete Kite in Astaire’s chart, but having started researching details of his life and career, I discovered that he was, indeed, constantly striving for perfection, and, perhaps, to complete this incomplete figure, spurred on by stickler Saturn on the Balance Point in the 1^st house.

Ginger Rogers, his most famous on-screen dance partner, described Astaire’s uncompromising high standards:

“Sometimes he’ll think of a new line of dialogue or a new angle for the story…they never know what time of night he’ll call up and start ranting enthusiastically about a fresh idea…No loafing on the job on an Astaire picture, and no cutting corners.”

He is reputed to have insisted on numerous rehearsals and retakes in order to conserve costs for the actual shooting of a dance number. With so much preparation, the shooting inevitably went well, but Astaire agonised during the whole process, frequently asking colleagues for acceptance of his work. 

Director Vincente Minelli said of him:

“He always thinks he is no good”, 

and Astaire said of himself:

 “I’ve never yet got anything 100% right. Still, it’s never as bad as I think it is.” 

No, it wasn’t. A friend who is a trained practitioner and teacher of the Alexander Technique tells me that Astaire’s dancing is held up as an example of the kind of ease of motion that can be achieved by using just what strength and effort are required, but no more.

 

Age Progression

Astaire’s Age Progression highlights some significant life events too. Using the chart as a life clock, which starts ticking at birth with the moving hand of the clock at the AC and travelling in an anti-clockwise direction, we can pinpoint meaningful events. The conjunction and opposition of the Age Point  with a planet are the most powerful aspects and it is interesting to see how the conjunctions to Sun, Moon, Pluto and Neptune coincide with key events in Astaire’s career. 

At age 31, with his Age Point just into the 6^th house and conjunct his Taurean Sun his tap dancing was recognised as among the best. Robert Benchley, the American humourist and columnist wrote:

 “I don’t think I will plunge the nation into war by stating that Fred is the greatest tap dancer in the world.” 

At age 36-37, when his Age Point was conjunct Pluto, he was involved in making the films he is best known by, with Ginger Rogers as his partner. He not only performed, but choreographed the dance routines, once again applying his unrelenting perfectionist touch to all he worked with. His partnership with Rogers raised them both up to star status, bringing some light relief and offering a distraction, via the silver screen, from the hard times of the 30’s and the darkening days of impending war. 

Actress Katherine Hepburn is reported to have said of the Astaire/Rogers partnership:

 “He gives her class and she gives him sex.” 

I’m assuming she meant sex appeal here but this quote brings a smile to my face as it was made during the period his Age Point was conjunct Pluto.

When the Age Point reached its conjunction with Neptune, Astaire appropriately became more involved with camera and filming techniques. He introduced innovative ideas for filming dance, and insisted that the camera should be stationary and the dance should be filmed in a single shot, holding the dancers in full view the whole time. He also insisted that all the song and dance routines be integrated into the plotlines of the film; the dance was used to move the plot along. Whilst the Age Point was conjunct Neptune, it was also opposite Saturn, his everlasting task-master on the journey to perfection. At this time he applied it to the actual filming techniques.

Astaire supposedly retired from dancing in 1946 and founded the Fred Astaire Dance Studios in 1947 when he was 48, with his Age Point conjunct Mars on the 9^th cusp. However, he did the famous “comeback” that many movie stars of that era seemed to, and went on to make several musicals throughout the 1950’s. He eventually went on to develop his acting career, receiving rave reviews in the 1959 nuclear war drama On the Beach. This coincided with his Age Point opposite Mercury and on the 11^th cusp at age 60.

Saturn at its highest level, where it acts as a wise guide and mentor, promoting deep learning, has the last laugh as far as the quest for perfection is concerned. At the age of 75, Astaire won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor, and a BAFTA award, for his performance in The Towering Inferno as his Age Point made its second conjunction with this planet.

Not bad for someone whose screen test report read:

 “Can’t act. Slightly bald. Also dances."

 

Understanding Age Progression is available in paperback, with full colour ilustrations, and as an ebook at the  APA Bookshop, Amazon, and other booksellers.

 

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.

Judi Dench

Judi Dench, a dame of the British Empire for her services to acting, is probably currently best known as "M" in the 007 Bond films - although her status changed dramatically at the end of the latest Bond film Skyfall. Dench was born on 9th December 1934 in York, UK. No time of birth is available so the chart is set for noon, putting her Sun conjunct Venus in Sagittarius right at the top of the chart, as this is a noon chart.

Although there's no time of birth, a fair amount of information can be gained from looking at the overall aspect pattern in the chart, together with the aspects, aspect patterns and their colours. All these relate to inner, often unconscious motivation.

The aspect structure has a slightly off-balance, tipping feel to it - there's a sense of movement and fluidity and even though the overall shaping is quadrangular - making her security-oriented - this drive sits alongside the tangential linear aspects. She will not be one to rest on her laurels, probably always seeking new challenges.

There are 4 red: 6 green: 5 blue aspects in the chart. With a surfeit of green, she will have a strong mutable approach to life, always wanting to try or learn new things. This can easily be related to her continued success as an actor, taking on new roles. Now 79, she shows no signs of easing up on her career.

A lesser-seen but interesting aspect pattern that she has is the Striving figure. This is pinned by Saturn, Moon, Venus and Pluto, with Pluto at the apex. The apex planet is usually the one whose qualities the individual strives towards, and at its highest level, Pluto is about the perfection of being. In Dench's case, I'd view Plutonic perfection of being as what she is striving towards in the acting roles she undertakes. The three ego planets - Sun (by default as it is conjunct Venus), Moon and Saturn - are all involved in the Striving figure, indicating that this aspect pattern could be a major driving force in her acting career. People with Striving figures are always aiming high and striving for goals, but don't always reach them, often collapsing or giving up before the target is reached and the goal attained. Their energy may be erratic, and will not always support the drive needed for a final push to the finishing line. In Dench's chart, I'd say she's overcome this potential hazard; her career to date is testament to that.

To find out more about the Striving figure, see my book Aspect Patterns in Colour- available as an e-book and in paperback.

James Bond and The Beatles

No, James Bond and The Beatles is not the name of a new music group. It relates to something more unusual than that. On 5th October 1962 in London the first Bond movie - Dr. No -  and the first recording by The Beatles - Love Me Do - were both released, 50 years ago today. No time is available for either event, so the chart is set for noon.

It'a an interesting chart. Historically, the Swinging Sixties were poised to take off and in the chart you can see the approaching Uranus/Pluto conjunction in Virgo is ready to form. The chart has mainly green and blue aspects, perhaps reflecting the escapist qualities of film and the creative qualities of music. An Ear/Eye also known as an Information triangle aspect pattern, pinned by Sun/Mercury, Neptune and Pluto sits slighly apart from the overall aspect structure, the blue trine from Sun to Saturn looking like a scanning beam coming from a hovering UFO.

The two red opposition aspects form the internal core of an incomplete Irritation rectangle, itself a fairly rare pattern. The opposition between Jupiter and Uranus has a "wake up" feel to it, and that is precisely what was in the air at the time - big changes started to happen in the 60's. Likewise, Saturn's opposition to the Moon's Node in Leo could also have been calling for a spot of risk taking and approaching life with more gusto. The Irritation triangle is open, with one side missing. It's the side that faces on to the sign of Leo, allowing some of this abundant energy in to what would otherwise be a tightly and rigidly held, highly sensitive, rectangular pattern.

Wasn't that what the incoming vibrant energies of the 60's challenged? The "proper", stiff upper lip approach? The music of The Beatles was in the vanguard of breaking down barriers, and the James Bond films set out to thrill in a way not seen before, even though the Bond novels by Ian Fleming - himself once an agent involved in secret wartime work - had first been published in 1953.

There's lots more about aspect patterns in my book Aspect Patterns in Colour. You can find it on Amazon as well as in the Book Shop on the Astrological Psychology Assocation website.

Meryl Streep and Margaret Thatcher

In Meryl Streep's latest film she portrays Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first female Prime Minister, who became known as the Iron Lady. Streep is highly regarded as a film actress. She has numerous awards and an established, glittering career. This forthcoming film, entitled "The Iron Lady" and due for release in January 2012, is already attracting a lot of attention and interest. Alongside the film previews, here is an astrological overview of the charts of both women.

Meryl Streep was born on 22nd June 1949 at 08.05 in Summit NJ, USA.

The chart image that comes to mind is of the twitching nose of an inquisitive mouse emerging from a crack in a wall. Jupiter at the end of the nose is probing pointedly and directly towards the descendant and could be the first thing people pick up about her. Jupiterian qualities of friendliness and benevolence, along with perception and an openness to new experiences are what she greets the world with. Jupiter would also be a valuable observational tool in helping her gain an understanding of how others live, which could then be ploughed back into her acting roles. It’s also significant that Jupiter is at the apex of the Projection figure.

The planet at the apex is the projection source- in Streep’s chart it’s Jupiter - which transmits it qualities down the sensitive green quincunxes to the blue sextile aspect which forms the screen. The screen, in turn, receives and makes the imagined images visible, but always according to the planets which pin the ends of the screen. You could say that this aspect pattern, with it’s connotations of screen and projector, would make life a cinch for a film actor, but it’s not as simple as that. In charts with this aspect pattern what has to be considered is whether projections are made consciously or unconsciously. I’ll assume that because of Streep’s breadth of experience and her success as an actor, she’s using this Projection figure consciously, and it would be of enormous value to her in the acting roles she undertakes.

In this aspect pattern we can see the possible influence of meticulous Saturn, concerned as ever with form and pinning the screen of the Projection figure. But the Sun/Uranus conjunction at the other end of the screen brings invention, creativity and the ability to move outside the box and assume a wide variety of different roles, not least in her latest role of Margaret Thatcher.

Margaret Thatcher was born on 13th October 1925 in Grantham, UK

Like Streep, who plays her in the film, Thatcher also has a Projection figure in her chart. Whereas the apex planet in Streep's Projection firgure is Jupiter close to the descendant, Thatcher's is Uranus in 4th house, dominating the collective lower hemisphere of her chart and indicative of her drive to change society, something she denied existed in 1987 when she said: "And, you know, there is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families."

Planets forming the screen are Sun/Mercury and Moon/Neptune. Both conjunctions were in evidence during the Thatcher years of power: Sun/Mercury in her forceful delivery once her voice had been lowered to create more of an authoritative tone and she'd developed her tough and immobile stance, as evidenced in the miner's strike and the Falkland's War. A softer side was sometimes visible in her attention to image and more feminine traits. In a film preview of "The Iron Lady" she agrees to give up wearing hats (these were her trademark when she was Minister for Education, before becoming party leader and eventually PM) but she refuses to give up wearing pearls. It's also interesting to see her Moon as the highest planet in the whole chart, and stressed before the MC. People with Moon in this high position expect to be noticed and recognised. They feel important, often because the expectations put upon them as a child were very high.

To find out more about aspect patterns see Aspect Pattern Astrology by Bruno & Louise Huber, and my book, Aspect Patterns in Colour. Available from the APA Book Shop, Amazon, American Federation of Astrologers in the US and Virgo Moon Pages in Australia.

Colin Firth & "The King's Speech"

Colin Firth last night won a BAFTA for his role as King George VI in The King's Speech and is hotly tipped to win an Oscar as well. Update and edit 28th Feb: Last night he won the Oscar for Best Actor - congratulations to Colin Firth!

Born on 10.9.1960 in Grayshott, UK, his chart is set for noon with no time of birth available. It's possible, though, to take a look at his inner, unconsious motivation using the aspect patterns and their colours in his chart, together with the placement of the planets by Sign.

Firth has 3 planets in Virgo - Sun, Mercury and Pluto - making him something of a perfectionist as all Virgo qualities will be reinforced with ruler Mercury in its own sign together with Virgo Sun/sense of self and Pluto adding intensity and depth to his expression of Virgo qualities. This is apparent in his acting, in which he offers an exact and in-depth portrayal of the character he is playing. In The King's Speech I was at times moved to tears by the intensity and sensitivity of his portrayal of a man whose childhood conditioning had stunted his expression of his true self.

Firth's overall aspect shaping is a mixture of triangular aspect patterns and linear offshoots which don't form patterns or shapes. This indicates a flexible motivation with a tendency to be tangential, going off doing his own thing and possibly being changeable; not all bad when you're an actor, with each new role bringing challenges of getting under the skin of the character and requiring this degree of flexibility. The colour balance of 5 red: 1 green: 5 blue aspects suggests a strong either/or approach to life.

The all-red Efficiency/Performance figure, fired up by Jupiter and Mars, and with Mercury at the apex, looks good for an actor, who has to communicate well, powerfully, be physically fit and bring all relevant life experiences to the role he's cast in.

There are 2 Dominant Learning Triangles in the chart - one direct and one retrograde - meaning that some things he'll pick up and learn very easily, others will need more application and trials before the lesson is learned. Both learning triangles include the green quincunx between Moon and Jupiter which, in this very red/blue chart seems highly important. Jupiter will percieve and participate in life, gaining experiences and impressions; Moon will tap into feelings and emotions. It's interesting to see how both these planets connect with Mercury at the apex of the Efficiency triangle, feeding into what and how he communicates.

Uranus, part of the retrograde learning, is also part of the Ambivalence figure which also involves Jupiter and Mars. These 3 aspect patterns, linked as they are, will work together to feed into the whole mode of being flexible and adaptable, but with the red/blue Ambivalence figure there may be a need for independence, freedom involved. For more on these and all 40 aspect patterns used in the Huber method, see my new book, Aspect Patterns in Colour.

Firth's BAFTA is well-deserved; let's hope he gets the Oscar too.

Stephen Fry's Small Talent triangle

If you're reading this because you're interested in finding out more about the aspect patterns used the Huber Method, click on the tabs at the top of the page, see my book Aspect Patterns in Colour and take a look at the Astrological Psychology Association's website, where you can learn about these on one of our courses for yourself, under the guidance of a fully qualified tutor.

Actor and presenter Stephen Fry was born on 24th August 1957 in London. Best known in both these roles either side of the Atlantic, Fry is also very popular amongst the Twitterati who follow his thoughts and witty musings.

No time of birth is available so his chart is set up for Noon. This makes for some interesting speculation as the overall aspect structure is small, tightly packed and only fills one of the four quadrants of the chart. Which one this would be, had we the correct birth time, it would be interesting to see. Whichever quadrant is emphasised, this will always leave the remainder of the chart a wide open space where Fry could well feel vulnerable to the inrush of environmental pressures and expectations.

The chart image I see is of a small conical hat, in this particular orientation set at a jaunty angle. The dominant shaping and aspect pattern is the triangular Small Talent triangle pinned by Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter/Venus at the apex. The overall chart shaping/motivation is triangular with several linear aspects making Fry adaptable and flexible but with some strong restless traits too. He comes across as laid back, polite, friendly - almost the quintessential Englishman - but he's also likely, with these linear aspects, to take off at a whim and do his own thing. It's no secret that he is bi-polar, with mood swings, nor that he went missing in 1995 when appearing in a stage play in London, raising concern over his whereabouts. He'd had a breakdown and took off on his own. Aspects of his bi-polar condition could be attributed to the linearity in his chart, but that is purely my own speculation and shouldn't be taken as anything other than that.

Of his ego planets - Sun, Moon and Saturn - his Sun is weak by Sign (Virgo) at just over 1 degree into the Sign, but this may be offset to some extent by its conjunction with Pluto (even weaker by Sign, but with considerable "oomph" to boost his Sun/sense of self when needed). His Leo Moon is strong by Sign and is possibly prone to erratic and inspired responses via the weak conjunction to Uranus. Saturn is by far his strongest ego planet at almost 8 degrees Sagittarius, and it is strongly aspected.
As part of the Small Talent triangle, Fry's Saturn can be instrumental in grounding and making manifest the still-developing talent this figure embodies. The creativity brought by Uranus as the other corner of this triangle, and in conjunction with the Moon, may be significant in his acting roles. However, I've watched Fry acting on TV and in films, and feel he brings a lot of himself to his acting roles, which directs my attention to the Jupiter/Venus conjunction at the apex of this figure. The Hubers, in Aspect Pattern Astrology, say "The apex of the triangle is always a kind of goal direction"; Jupiter/Venus in Libra would certainly want to be liked! They also say of people with this figure "These are happy people who enjoy life without over-extending themselves. They plan their energies, are careful and selective in their goal setting. Once they have decided on something and it has captured their interest, all goes smoothly". All-blue figures do have a harmonious approach to life; Fry's Small Talent triangle is no exception - the potential is there for harmony and creativity and this is supported by the overall rather blue chart.

It's interesting to note that, now aged 52 and with his Age Point in the 9th house of his chart, Fry's latest programme for TV in the UK was a documentary about travelling across and up and down the US in a black cab. It wasn't that good because he had so little time to spend in each place, but it was a fitting topic for the 9th house!

For more information on all topics mentioned in this post visit the APA on-line Book Shop.

Joanna Lumley, the Gurkhas and Gordon Brown

Joanna Lumley, British actor and now political activist, was born on 1.5.1946 at 19.30 local time in Srinigar, Kashmir. She has hit the UK headlines recently as she's long campaigned to allow Gurkhas, who have fought for Britain, to settle here.

Yesterday Lumley went to see Prime Minister Gordon Brown to put the case for the Gurkhas, following the government's defeat in wanting to restrict their rights of residence. Gurkhas are Nepalese with a key role in the British army, with whom they have fought for 200 years. Lumley's father fought alongside them in the 2nd World War, as did my older cousin. They were held in very high regard in my family with their reputation is of fearless fighters.

I wanted to look at Lumley's chart to see if there were any significant LifeClock and Age Point aspects to planets at this time of her high profile fight for Gurkha rights; there are. Lumley's Age Point is in the 11th House and in Libra, the Sign which seeks fair play and justice. It is coming into conjunction with Neptune, the planet associated with high ideals, visions of what may be, selflessness and compassion. Lumley is doing something she passionately believes in, and she's doing it for others, not for herself or to advance her career or raise her profile.

At the same time as her Age Point conjuncts Neptune in her natal chart, the Age Point in her Moon Node chart sits on her Mars/Pluto conjunction in Leo. Aspects coming from the Moon Node chart force out our responses to events in the outside world.

Lumley is liked and much respected as an actor and presenter with her glamorous style and intelligence. With Mars /Pluto qualities backing and supporting the Neptunian urge to support Gurkha rights, Lumley spoke of her meeting with Gordon Brown in terms which were like silk and fire:

She said Mr Brown had taken the matter "into his own hands" and would come up with a "solution" to the issue of residency rights by the end of May. Lumley described her meeting with Mr Brown as "extremely positive" and said the prime minister was "wholly supportive" of the Gurkha cause.

Lumley said she wanted Gurkhas to be given the same rights to settle as soldiers from Commonwealth countries who had fought for the UK. She said Gordon Brown was a "man of integrity" and she was "absolutely confident" that an agreement could be struck now that he was intervening personally over the issue.

"I trust him," she said of the PM. "I rely on him and know he has now taken this matter into his own hands."( source: news.bbc.co.uk)

In effect, Lumley has boxed Brown into taking action in a very classy and stylish way, effectively demonstrating a combination of Neptunian ideals underpinned by a Martian and Plutonic-like energy - not unlike the formidable fearlessness of the Gurkhas themselves.

Kate Winslet

Kate Winslet is currently picking up a swathe of awards leading to speculation that she'll also get an Oscar this year. Her current films on release - The Reader and Revolutionary Road - are attracting much comment in reviews, as is her emotional acceptance speech following her recent Academy award for best actress in The Reader.

Winslet was born on 5.10.1975 in Reading. The time of birth for her that I've found most frequently is 07.15, and although this is not verified, I'm going with it. The visual image I see in the chart is an open mouth with a long tongue sticking out catching an insect - rather like a frog catching a fly! The "insect" is Mars, placed in Gemini - maybe a good placement for an actor? If I were working with Winslet on her chart, I'd want to know about how she experiences that Mars as it's in the 9th house, is loosely aspected but is in a high and visible position.

The chart is "I" sided with a large stellium of planets on and around the AC. This suggests a focus on her personal sense of self, perhaps on her image and how she seeks to portray it, as there are no less than 5 planets in the 1st house, 4 of which are in Libra. Add to this consideration that Sun, Moon and Pluto are closely bound together right on the AC and there is the potential for a powerful person who may initially wrap this up in velvet gloves because these planets are in Libra, which doesn't rush open-armed towards making a big fuss. However, with Sun conjunct Pluto in this configuration, Winslet is no wimp and is not afraid to be outspoken, especially with reference to the way the media have commented on her weight and figure.

Winslet's inner motivation, as shown by the overall chart shaping, is a mixture of Mutable and Cardinal energy. She can be tangential and restless, looking for new paths to follow, new experiences to be had, most probably to add to her acting portfolio. Sitting alongside this is the Small Learning triangle in her chart, which has a Mutable motivation. This means she can draw on this when she needs to learn a new skill or technique and can adapt and mould herself around this new experience. This triangle has a fixed quality to it in that all 3 planets involved - Venus, Saturn and Uranus - have Fixed qualities. The learning journey starts with the planet at the red/blue corner. That's Uranus, which looks for change in order to bring greater security and stability to life at a new level. Saturn will be challenged to shift already- established boundaries in this learning journey and Venus will be called upon to harmonise what is taking place. As the 3 planets involved here are either on, or close to, a Low Point it's very likely that this learning process will take place on a deeply felt inner level.

For more on aspects patterns see Aspect Pattern Astrology by Bruno and Louise Huber, and my new book Aspect Patterns in Colour, both available at the Astrological Psychology Association on line Book Shop. You could also enrol on one of our courses and learn about aspect patterns for yourself, under the guidance of a fully qualified tutor.

Monty Python’s Flying Circus, John Cleese, Michael Palin and the need for a bit of laughter

I wrote this post back in 2008, amid the gloom of the banking crisis, when it felt as if a bit of light relief was needed. Have things improved since then? It's debateable. But the 6 remaining members of the Monty Python team have, in late 2013, announced they will be making a come back, and tickets for their scheduled show at the O2 Arena in London sold out in 43 seconds. The Pythons are back in the news, and oldies as they may be by now, the promise of their humour can still draw the crowds. Here's what I wrote in 2008, including a look at the charts of  John Cleese and Michael Palin.

Endless news reports about the credit crunch, failing banks, the global economy and now inflation send me hurrying urgently to find something to make me laugh. I found a page on the BBC website devoted to “What’s making you smile?” together with a jokes page. This one worked for me:

What do you call 12 investment bankers at the bottom of the ocean?

A good start.

And here's another one I've had by email:

What's the difference between a banker and a pigeon?

A pigeon can make a deposit on a Ferrari.

What’s making you laugh, smile, feel a bit better in the face of the current gloom? With Uranus opposite Saturn moving ever closer to exactitude on 4th November, perhaps we need to step away for a while from the heaviness of the Saturnian gloom and look for something to jolt us out of our stasis. We could simply look for some good news, but that’s not always easy to find. You’ll find it here at Positive News, which always provides a refreshing alternative view.

For this post I’ve opted to go back a few decades to Monty Python’s Flying Circus, the outrageously anarchic, satirical and often slapstick TV programme first broadcast by the BBC on 5.10.1969. I’ve set the chart for noon in the event of no actual time of “birth” and in London, from where it would have been transmitted.

What can we see in this chart?

• it’s very red/green in the aspects colour ratio - 4 red: 4 green: 6 blue - lots of reactive responses and plenty of ideas flowing

• there’s a Small Talent Triangle and a not-quite-complete Trapeze aspect pattern (for more on aspect patterns see Aspect Pattern Astrology and Aspect Patterns in Colour in Books tabs at top of page). These patterns indicate creativity and ideas, reflecting the motivation of the high ratio of green aspects

• the stellium of four planets in Libra and one in Virgo has an anarchic/transformative quality with Uranus (the anarchic humour) and Pluto (the cutting edge freshness and change of approach using intellectual and visual humour). In this stellium we also find OTT Jupiter conjunct the Sun and Mercury sits at the apex of the Small Talent triangle as the witty agent of delivery and communication.

I’m including the charts of two of the creators of Monty Python - John Cleese and Michael Palin - partly because they were my favourite “Pythons”, partly because they both went on to develop their careers in film and travel (Palin) and film, TV series and organisational training (Cleese), and partly because they both took part in the memorable “Dead Parrot” sketch . But more of that later.

John Cleese was born on 27.10.1939 at 03.15 in Weston-super-Mare. The aspect structure in his chart covers a large area, indicative of him being able to move into many areas of life. The image reminds me of his appearance in an episode of Monty Python where he worked for the Ministry of Silly Walks. He was seen on his way to work walking in an alarmingly eccentric way, and at the time this spawned a fair amount of imitation from uninhibited members of the public, usually when they’d had just enough drink to loosen their inhibitions.

The chart shaping/motivation is a mixture of fixity and flexibility, suggesting that Cleese best operates creatively within a defined framework. His character Basil Fawlty (who he created) in the brilliant TV series “Fawlty Towers” has something of this about him. Fawlty is mad, eccentric and unbearable, but only when his carefully constructed environment is upset by the unexpected. Cleese has a colour ratio of 5 red: 5 green: 4 blue; the excess red/green drive and motivation echoes that of the Python chart shown above. Outrageous, anarchic and creative Uranus sits on the Balance Point in the 9th house. It’s the highest planet in the chart, so is prominent, and on the Balance Point it gives the ability to work effectively and efficiently. This can be seen in Cleese’s script writing for both Monty Python and Fawlty Towers, along with his acting/performance.

Michael Palin was born on 5.5.1943 at 11.45 in Sheffield. His chart is very different in appearance, with a large, open area on the “You”/DC side and most planets on the more private AC side. Palin might feel vulnerable to the potentially invasive influences of others, preferring his own space, with the aspect structure clinging to the “I”/AC side of his chart. His chart has a restless flexibility to it; he won’t need structure in the same way that Cleese might, and his extensive travelogues for TV give a flavour of how he is able to adapt to new experiences. His colour ratio/motivation of 2 red: 2 green: 6 blue veers strongly to being laid back and relaxed. This comes across in his travel programmes; he seems a real “Mr. Nice” who you’d quite happily invite into your own home.


















As in Cleese’s and the Python chart, Palin’s Uranus is also prominent. Tightly conjunct Mercury, it’s in the stress area before the 11th house cusp, so has its sights set on 11th rather than 10th house matters. This means ideas, people of like mind and shared ideals will be of greater interest. With Python humour having a strong intellectual, satirical and anarchic streak, the 11th house focus for Uranus/Mercury in Palin’s chart not only fits, it pulls in his intercepted Moon. It offers the Moon - our sense of self through feelings, the inner child - a doorway into the world where some of these drives can be expressed, possibly in an outrageous and innovative way.

Cleese and Palin performed he Dead Parrot sketch together in a Monty Python episode. Here’s an extract, just to give you a taster and to take your attention off Saturn for a moment and give you the opportunity to enjoy something more Uranian. The scene is a pet shop. The characters are the customer, Mr. Praline, played by Cleese, and the shop owner played by Palin:

Mr. Praline: I wish to complain about this parrot, what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.
Owner : Oh yes, the, ah, the Norwegian Blue... What's, ah... W-what's wrong with it?
Mr. Praline : I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. It's dead, that's what's wrong with it.
Owner : No, no, 'e's ah... he's resting.
Mr. Praline : Look, matey, I know a dead parrot when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.
Owner : No no, h-he's not dead, he's, he's restin'!
Mr. Praline : Restin'?
Owner : Y-yeah, restin.' Remarkable bird, the Norwegian Blue, isn't it, eh? Beautiful plumage!
Mr. Praline : The plumage don't enter into it. It's stone dead!
Owner : Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!
Mr. Praline : All right then, if he's resting, I'll wake him up! (shouting at the cage).'Ello, Polly! Mister Polly Parrot! I've got a lovely fresh cuttle fish for you if you wake up, Mr. Polly Parrot...(owner hits the cage)
Owner : There, he moved!
Mr. Praline : No, he didn't, that was you pushing the cage!

You can see the whole sketch by clicking here - enjoy!

Charley Boorman

Actor and adventurer Charley Boorman was born on 23. 8.1966 in Wimbledon, London. No time of birth is available so I've set his chart for noon, which puts the Sun on the MC at the top of the chart. This is unlikely to be accurate, but it's interesting to note that Charley has his Sun in Leo (just!) and is an actor. I've noticed that many showbiz personalities and actors are Sun Leo's - they love to be centre stage and in the spotlight!

Charley travelled with fellow actor Ewan McGregor ( see his chart on 21st October posting) from London to New York by motorbike in 2005. This year both men took another motorbike trip - Long Way Down - as ambassadors for UNICEF, travelling 15,000 from John O' Groats in Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa.

Charley's overall chart shaping shows a mixture of Fixed and Mutable motivation. Of Fixed motivation, I say in my book "The Cosmic Egg Timer": A chart with a Fixed aspect structure has figures of four or more sides. It looks solid and firm, and its overall quadrangular shaping suggests that the unconscious motivation of the person will be towards security and stability. They need to know where they stand, to feel safe and secure and to enjoy the substance of life. Fixed energy has an established quality. It seeks to keep things pretty much the same, unchanging, firm and solid. To preserve what is there is its main purpose.

Of Mutable motivation, I write: Here the chart is composed of triangular figures which give a feeling of fluidity, suggesting that the person will be able to adapt and adjust quite readily to life circumstances. They will go with the flow, and will not be too upset by change. Mutable energy is moving energy. It adapts and moves on, seeking to keep this momentum of fluidity, shifting, changing but not stopping.

What does all this suggest about Charley? He's likely to show a mixture of both types of behaviour - on the one hand he wants security, maybe in specific areas of his life. On the other hand, he can adapt readily and take changes and challenges in his stride. I watched the whole series of "Long Way Round" and to date, the first episode of "Long Way Down" which is being shown on BBC TV. My observations of Charley in these screenings is that he's been far more laid back about things that went wrong, or delays along the way, than was Ewan McGregor. The Mutable motivation was more in evidence, yet there appears to be a strong Fixed secure "core" to Charley. It's clear that his family is extremely important to him - he spoke often of missing his wife and daughters during the Long Way Round trip.

When there's no time of birth available a lot of relevant and insightful information about the person can be gained by considering the chart shaping/motivation, as I just have, and the aspect colour balance/motivation, as I will now.

Charley's chart has 2 red: 2 green: 9 blue aspects. That is a lot of blue energy (that's where his more laid back approach to life may stem from) and blue energy is similar in nature to the fixity in Fixed motivation. One feeds and supports the other. In "The Cosmic Egg Timer" I say A person who lives life in a "Blue" way seeks substance, security, serenity and stillness, and they would be concerned with the very act of BEING, to enable them to experience and enjoy life. Such a person might have a lot of blue aspects in their chart. Blue aspects have a fixed quality, seeking security and stability.
Charley's chart lacks red aspects so he will function best with someone whose chart has an excess of red aspects: cue Ewan ( see his chart opposite) with his excess of red aspects! The two make a complemetary pair, which is evident in their successful partnership on this trips.

You can read Charley's log of the Long Way Down trip and read more about motivation, aspect shaping and colour in my book The Cosmic Egg Timer available from the APA Book Shop and from Amazon.