Donald Trump

I wrote this post in December 2015, ahead of Trump's inauguration the first time he became president. It was published on the Astrological Psychology website, and I've decided to revisit the chart and republish the article on my own blog, in view of the current focus on the US president following the unprecedented public falling out between him and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in the Oval Office on 28th February 2025.

What I saw in his chart, and wrote about in 2015, is almost 10 years old; has he changed at all now he's back in the White House? I leave you, the reader, to speculate on this and invite you to leave comments.

Now, in 2025, his Age Point is in the 2nd house for the second time (see my co-authored book The Second Time Around). The 2nd house psychologically and physically is about possessions and raises questions and simulates behaviour about what we want to hang on to, and what we are willing to give up. With a 2nd house Age Point the second time around, when the individual is between the ages of 78 and 80, it's often a time of letting go of things and attitudes which have lost their significance or "pull". Trump's Age Point is approaching his 2nd house Neptune, the planet which can, on a less conscious level, be about escapism, ideals, dreams, and it could represent the psychological drive for all of these. On it's highest level the drive will be focussed on inclusion and acceptance of what is, along with a strong ethic of unconditional love and respect for people and the world we live in.

 *  *  *  *  *

 Here's what I wrote in 2015

If you’ll pardon the pun, this man has been trumpeting forth on a variety of controversial subjects for the past few months as he ramps up his bid to be nominated as the Republican Party candidate to become the next President of the United States.

Much as I dislike the views and opinions of this man, I’m intrigued to see if, and how, his mind set and attitudes might show up in his chart.

         14 June 1946, 10:54, Jamaica, NY, USA (Rating AA *)

The overall chart image brings to mind two overlapping images: a well-aimed dart, maybe a paper plane, with the Moon at it’s sharp end, the apex. But look again – the dart, the blue/green quadrilateral ‘Megaphone’ figure, is overlaid by a louder, heavier triangular ‘Ambivalence’ figure, which is reminiscent of a paper “thunderclap” toy, which when held in the hand and thrust through the air like a sword, emits a loud bang. I’m already beginning to connect these initial images of sound amplification and attention-seeking to the windbag-like behaviour that Trump has been exhibiting.

There is no doubt that this man is an impressive and successful entrepreneur. The Sun/Uranus conjunction in Gemini in the 10th house of his chart speaks fathoms of his ability to communicate, think divergently, and possibly wheel and deal too. The Moon’s North Node sits in the middle of this conjunction, indicating that standing out as an individual and making his mark on the world is part of Trump’s developmental path. But wait a minute… he was born the son of a millionaire, and chose to develop his own empire of riches. What he’s possibly neglected here (as far as I know, I’m not a fan or a follower) is the South Node end of the nodal axis. His South Node offers the possibility of balancing the big 10th house “out there” stuff by making a connection with the other end of this axis, namely the 4th house and the collective. His Moon sits in this house, and by default is conjunct the South Node. He appears to be currently tapping into this collective area, but in a way which fuels the needs of his Sagittarian Moon, namely to be outrageous yet still admired at the same time.

It’s interesting to note, too, that both Sun and Moon are intercepted in their respective houses, so Trump will have to shout louder and work harder to express these aspects of his personality in more garish and noticeable ways to get them recognised and acknowledged. Which begs the next question, if we move on to consider the Family Model… how did he as a child (Moon) perceive and experience his father (Sun)? Connected as they are by the hefty oppositions on the 4/10 Individuality axis, things were probably not always smooth. With two key ego planets intercepted, Trump has to divert their expression to go via the third pinning planet in the triangular Ambivalence figure – Jupiter. In the 2nd house of the chart, where possessions are significant, Jupiter’s risk-taking and adventurous entreprenuerism seem to have been capitalised upon to help him make his millions. Yet Jupiter is on the Low Point, making it more challenging for him to do this, so here I’ll cut him a bit of slack as he has successfully made a whole heap of money. It’s more than likely that the intercepted planets have sought a less blocked pathway out into the environment via the Venus/Saturn conjunction in 11th, and through Mars in Leo, stressed before the AC, which could be extremely pushy.

And what of the Megaphone, connected as it is to Sun and Moon, both of them also pinning planets in this figure? A Megaphone in the chart is like having an amplifying mouthpiece to hand, to help express closely held ideals. Regardless of whether or not Trump’s personal ideals are liked or accepted, he’s going to use that figure to make them heard. The Huber’s described the Megaphone thus: “We speak quietly into the narrow end and our voice suddenly fills the room.”

We have a personal choice with Trump though. We don’t have to listen.

 

• Further thoughts on Trump's chart are shared here, on the Astrological Psychology website. Take a look and offer your own feedback.
  

•  For more details of the ‘Megaphone’ aspect figure, see  ‘Aspect Patterns in Colour’ by Joyce Hopewell.

* Chart data from astro.com.

 

 

Coming of Age

Coming of age is usually thought of as a rite of passage of some kind, such as being old enough to vote or going though a cultural ceremony marking the onset of adulthood. The transition from being a child or teenager to being an adult is generally regarded, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, as "the time when that person legally becomes an adult and is old enough to vote, the time when someone matures emotionally, or in some other way."

I've highlighted those words as there are so many variables in the life experiences of individuals that a real coming of age is a moveable feast, and something that can happen whatever age we are. Astrologically, the first Saturn return (the time when Saturn completes one circuit of the Sun) is generally regarded as a significant growing up point. As Saturn takes 29 years to return to the same place it was at when we were born, age 29/30 often brings with it a big "growing up" jolt. Something happens which forces us to change, grow, and mature.

In the context of Age Progression and LifeClock, at that particular age we will have - between the ages of 24 and 30 - gone through the psychological phase of testing out life experiences, maybe "playing the field". Between ages 30 and 36 there's more emphasis on coping with and establishing our existence.

A summary of the psychological phases, as described by Bruno and Louise Huber, is set out in my co-authored new book The Second Time Around:

1. Formation of ego, sense of "I"
2. Creation of personal life, importance of possessions
3. Learning/education
4. Moving on from parental home
5. Testing out life experiences
6. Establishing existence/working alongside others
7. Learning about self in relationships/partnerships
8. Mid-life crisis, change, transformation
9. Forming personal life philosophy
10. Self-realisation, individuality
11. Finding like-minded people, chosen relationships
12. Withdrawal, finding solitude, accepting old age/becoming an Elder

A pychological and emotional coming of age can happen at any time on the LifeClock. We can experience something as an adult which triggers memories and feelings we've suppressed, and which now demand attention. It's like an echo from the past, and having the courage and willingness to work through old and sometimes painful stuff from our earlier years - maybe from childhood, maybe as an adult - can be a real coming of age process as through it we grow and develop more self-awareness.

Such an experence offers the opportunity to let go of something that's been bugging us for years, but was never really resolved. Then we can move on, no longer stuck with the baggage of a particular situation at, say, age 3,15, 24, 36, 57.... or whenever it happened.

If we are on an upward spiral as we journey through life's physical and psychological stages, letting go and moving on from being stuck and held back by the past can take place at any time. It's useful to remember that we can come of age at any stage of life. The development of self-awareness and spiritual growth is an on-going process.

"The Life Clock can indicate where we are in life and how we can make the best of current influences in the light of problems past, present and future" - a quote from Bruno & Louise's book LifeClock.

Never "too old"

 "I'm too old for that". If you've ever said that, or had someone tell you that you were "too old" for something, I hope your inner rebel came out and disagreed!

 

It's the kind of thing people say when encouraged to do something new or outrageously different, go somewhere new, dress in an uncharacteristic way, or behave in a manner which might be out of their normal range or comfort zone.......you get the gist. It's an "Act your age" thing. It's about risk - doing something different - and age appropriateness, along with the expectations of others in your immediate circle, or in the social setting you find yourself in.

What has this to do with astrological psychology and Age Progression? In truth, quite a lot. It depends on where you are, what "time" it is on your individual LifeClock and what psychological life phase you're moving through.

A couple of recent real life examples come to mind. The first is of the two 14 year-old girls I talked to about Hallowe'en last year, asking if they were going to dress up and go trick or treating. At 14, both are, by Age Point, astrologically in the 3rd house/area of life experience. Between the ages of 12 and 18, the focus is on puberty and growing up, and peer groups and friends take precedence over family; it's important to conform, fit in and be connected to current trends and events, especially at this stage of life when young people are feeling their way and finding the peer group where they belong. My expectations were that they could, by this age, be past the Hallowe'en ritual, but I was wrong. 

Being into their teenage years, fashion, make up etc. they were going for it big time. One of them said she was going to dress as Super Mario even though she was nearly 15. The other one dressed herself glamourously as a witch with a dark draped costume over black leggings, topped off with a large witches hat. Both wanted to be in on the fun of dressing up and were going trick and treating with friends. Rather than be "too old" to dress up and enjoy the annual trick and treating sugar-fest, they were actively embracing the opportunity to - in this case - act their age.

A few days later I watched a film made in 2015 of a meeting between the Dalai Lama and Archibishop Desmond Tutu. It was simply entitled "Joy" and watching it gave me 45 minutes of pure happiness and joy seeing these two men, both in their 80s at the time of filming, laughing and expressing their joy in life. Like two small boys they held hands, hugged, giggled, and shared insights and views on life and their respective faiths, all interspersed with much laughter, gentle teasing, love and respect for each other.

The Age Point of both men, when this film was made, was in the 2nd house, relating to ages 6 -12 years, where collected treasures and possessions are important and the child soaks up new information. Both men had been there before and this time, as seniors and Elders, they were revisiting this area of life experience, but for the second time around. With maturity, wisdom and life experience to draw upon, they were at home and comfortable being exactly who and what they were. Rather than possessively hanging on to things, they had been able to let go of all expectations regarding what they "should" be like and were at ease being just themselves, in the moment. They had no need to hold on to anything and "act their age", because they were doing so from a higher turn of the spiral, backed up by wisdom accrued along the way.

Both had found their personal style in life. Both had inner peace, expressed love, acceptance and kindness towards others, together with a strong spirtual outlook on life.This second circuit of the circle enables us, in later years, to revisit the energies, optimism and outlook of our younger selves, but on a higher turn of the spiral as we move away from being what others expect of us and towards who and what we truly are.

The Second Time Around, the title of my co-authored book with Barry Hopewell, covers Age Point experiences of real people who, like me, are on the second circuit of the LifeClock.

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.

 

 

 

Doorways

Doors. Portals. Gateways. It doesn’t matter which name you use as they all symbolise a threshold which, when crossed, will take us into a new and different physical place or state of mind. Psychologically, doors can represent the threshold between past and future, between what has gone before and what is yet to come. Doorways, what they represent and what might be beyond them, can be exciting, forbidding, intriguing, scary, interesting, fascinating and stimulating.

Using the natal chart, the on-going movement of the Age Point around it works like a LifeClock, constantly offering opportunities for us to open doors to new psychological life phases and ways of being; the journey is progressive and at each stage there is something new to learn and experience about ourselves and the world we inhabit.

There are the doors which lead us from one House, or area of life experience, of the chart to the next. These doors are probably rather large and impressive as they mark the end of one psychological life phase and the beginning of the next. Being right on the cusp of a House, these doors can be flung wide open to the world in a big way - we have to go through them and we may as well enjoy the view as we do so. Then there are the doors which we pass through as the Age Point changes Sign. Perhaps these doorways are even painted the colour of the element of that Sign, giving hints about what kind of energy might be around. Jazzy, full-on red, sensitive green, soothing blue or contact-seeking yellow?

Joseph Campbell, the author of many books on mythology said, “When you follow your bliss….doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors; and where there wouldn’t be a door for anyone else”. 

His words could be related directly to the movement of the Age Point through the metaphorical doors I’ve been speaking about. Of course, these doors are uniquely your doors and uniquely my doors - they are experienced differently for every one of us. And if we follow our bliss we must do so willingly, knowing that whatever life phase we are travelling through is transient….and that at its end there will always be another door, leading us to a new beginning.

 

The Second Time Around - some thoughts on moving from role to soul

 

"The Inner Work of Age - shifting from Role to Soul" formed part of the research for my recent co-authored book, The Second Tme Around, looking at life beyond age 70+, and the opportunities this phase of life brings for renewal.

It was a book I could relate to, understand and learn from. Not only was it an excellent read, it was a nudge and a reminder of things I'd forgotten. It flagged up things I'd either been mulling over or had received sudden insights about, and is featured in Chapter 3 - What other authors say about this stage of life, in The Second Time Around.

Author Connie Zweig, a retired psychotherapist, draws on her personal experience of being an Elder alongside her professional work with others, also Elders, travelling the path from role to soul. She likens Elders to teachers or mentors, those who willingly pass on the wisdom of their life experience, not from a place of ego, or of needing recognition for their know how, but simply because they are at ease with themselves just as they are and don't need to prove anything, or be how others might "expect" them to be.

Zweig suggests that as Elders, behaving in this way, give hard-won knowledge to the next generation, welcoming a new generation of seekers and agents of change. The ego is set aside; it has no place when role or roles, which might have defined us during our more active working life, are dropped as the essence of soul begins to find it's place.

Whilst reading the book and reviewing my own status as Elder (yes, I'm old enough for this) I had some significant, transformative experiences and insights as I'd been evaluating myself and my relationships, contacts and friendships – their value, importance and permanence. I examined the depth, richness and quality of my current interactions with others, and realised that I’d become far more selective and discriminating about who I choose to spend time with. No longer willing to waste time or energy or pussyfooting about with relationships which don't hit the spot for me, I’m far more comfortable now being straight, truthful and outspoken.

In this Elder phase of life, I’m far more perceptive and discriminating about who I can trust and who I can’t. As for my "role", I'm not really clear if I now have one. Yes, I'm a retired teacher and as such I can always seize what is called "the teachable moment" with children and adults alike, but retired it's a lot easier being a volunteer in the classroom rather than being in charge.

I’ve made personal and psychological changes to myself and my outlook over the past couple of years, and I’ve questioned what my role, if any, is meant to be – or if I even need a “role”. Volunteering is one way Elders shift from role to soul - they become more involved in sharing their skills and knowledge and energy in society, for the benefit of others. And of course, they get a lot back from doing so, quietly being themselves and not needing the ego boost.

Age Point echoes - 36 and 72 years

While researching my recent co-authored book - The Second Time Around - a number of contibutors to the book, who were sharing their own experiences of the Age Point moving around the chart for the second time, noted the "Echo Effect".

Using the chart as a LifeClock, the hand of the clock moves, in an anti-clockwise direction, around the lower half of the chart. Staring at the ascendant (AC/zero point/birth), it takes 36 years to reach the descendant (DC) which is opposite. In astrological psychological terms, this lower half of the chart relates to the unconscious. OK, we're not exactly unconsious from age 0 to 36, but we do have significant formative, shaping experiences which we are challeged to work with and through, surviving and establishing ourselves as indiviuals along the way. During this period we have the opportunity to learn much about ourselves through the contacts and relationships we make, and the responsibilities that go with making our mark in the world.

At age 36, the hand of the LifeClock crosses the DC and, like sunrise waking the earth at the start of the day, we "wake up" to a new perspective on life. Some people speak of finding this age and time of life like being "halfway there" (maybe to old age?) but many people experience an increased sense of maturity and a deeper understanding of their place in the world at age 36.

Even with no astrological knowledge, this age and period of life can feel significant and meaningful; people have described it as a time of waking up to the possibility of new horizons. There is an insight into the immensity of what this next stage of life can offer - I've heard it described by clients who recognised this time as the "world is my oyster" moment.

An echo effect is at work with the 36 year point of the cycle and it's second stage, the next 36 years, leading to one circuit of the circular chart at age 72. Sigificant psychological events that happened in childhood, or between ages 36 and 42, can ping back into consciousness as they are revisited from a new perspective at 36 years or 72 years later.

The 72 year period seems to be of particular significance as we re-enter the 1st house/area of life experience. We're there, literally, for the second time around and we have the first opportunity to experience consciously the energies and events encountered in early childhood, at a time when we had no possibility of assimilating potentially traumatic experiences.

Memories and echoes of this past, or from 36 years earlier, of events we experienced - good or bad, beneficial or painful - surface. Unresolved issues may demand attention and, with the wisdom of life experience to draw upon, it's possible - with some willing work on our part – to clear these. There may be insights, understandings, new perspectives, forgiveness and letting go of things from the past which are no longer relevant of useful – especially if we’re on an upward spiral and a spiritual path.

T.S.Eliot says it far better than I can, and in fewer words:

What might have been and what has been point to one end, which is always present. Footfalls echo in the memory down the passage which we did not take towards the door we never opened…..

Time past and time future, what might have been and what has been point to one end, which is always present.

Four Quartets: Burnt Norton

Will Parfitt reviews The Second Time Around

Retired psychotherapist and teacher of psychosynthesis and Kabbalah, Will Parfitt has contributed our first review of the recently published book The Second Time Around.

 

First a disclaimer: I am a contributor to this book which includes the stories of 25 people reflecting on key elements of their life and experiences getting to 70 or older. I am only “into astrology” in a very minor way but have always found the Huber approach, used here, to be very informative on a psychological level. This book delivers!

I haven’t considered the astrological stuff in here, it is a bit beyond me really, but it is fascinating to read different peoples’ experiences and how, unexpectedly, we can consider 70+ is a favourable time for growth and renewal in our lives, with the opportunity to finally move beyond the limitations set by our earlier life experiences.

So, bottom line is, you won’t be disappointed if you purchase this book which I imagine will become a classic astrology title in years to come, opening up new levels of research and interest. And even without the astrology it is engaging and revealing reading.

The Second Time Around

Two years in the researching and writing, my new book, co-authored with Barry Hopewell, was published in early December.

Overview of The Second Time Around

The years from age 70 onwards do not necessarily have to be years of gradual decline. In truth, no-one relishes the thought or the reality of getting old, but The Second Time Around does throw some positive light on the subject.

The Age Progression of Bruno & Louise Huber’s astrological psychology tells us that age 70 and beyond is a favourable time for growth and renewal of our lives, as we begin to circle around the Life Clock of the birth chart for the second time. From birth, we move around the natal chart in psychological and developmental steps and stages, each taking 6 years. We develop, grow and learn from our life experiences at each step of the way.

On reaching age 70 - and depending on how self-aware we are -  we have the opportunity to move beyond the limitations which we may have had since childhood or our adult years.

The research documented in the book is aimed to validate the theories of the Hubers, regarding the Life Clock and the realities of life at age 70+. We include the real life stories of 25 practitioners and non-astrologers, including their reflections relating their charts to key psychological events of their lives. We also relate the Huber theories to the understanding of other astrologers and psychologists.

It seems that at this stage of life we face a choice. We can continue to learn from past experience and grow in a spiritual direction towards wisdom, or we can stay at the same kind of psychological and developmental level we were at in our earlier lives, perhaps begrudging the inevitable slow decline in our faculties.

If we choose the former path some sort of Life Review can help us find our way to
renewed life. Astrological psychology, the birth chart and use of the Life Clock can very much help us in this process, enabling us to identify and move beyond habitual patterns and obstacles to growth.

The Second Time Around is available from booksellers and Amazon.

Publication Details

Paperback, 192 pages. First published 4th December 2023 by HopeWell, Knutsford, England.
ISBN: 978-0-9956736-7-0

 

Age Progression: prepare to be amazed!

Age progression is a relatively new and simple approach to the use astrology in understanding psychological crises and periods of growth throughout our lives. And it's not predictive - far from it.

The approach presented in the Huber's definitive book on the subject can be used even by beginners to gain a better understanding of themselves and their lives, and can help experts in the helping professions to work faster and more securely with other people’s problems.

Age progression is Bruno and Louise Huber's unique approach to understanding the element of time in the horoscope, and their book on this subject includes  discussion on how this relates to other approaches of astrological progressions.

The essential feature of this approach is the age point, which moves through the houses like the hands of a clock and indicates the unfolding life of the human being.

LifeClock was first published as two separate volumes over twenty years ago, and  is presented here in a single integrated volume. The content covers the structural and qualitative elements of the age point method and its application in life phases and cycles. 

This is followed by rules for interpretation using age progression and plenty of  detail on the significance of aspects made by the age point. Later chapters address the use of age progression in counseling, and the detailed progression of the age point through the houses over a lifetime. Examples of the application of age progression in this book include C.G.Jung and former American president Jimmy Carter. 

While working with this book, you will be able to apply and examine the age point method (the big hand on your life clock) in your own horoscope. This will give you an overview of the cyclic unfolding of your life and will most likely convince you of the effectiveness and value of this surprisingly simple approach to astrological timing. 

My book, Using Age Progression, includes 37 examples of how the Huber's LifeClock is experienced in the charts and lives of real people - among them are some famous celebrities as well as people who generously offered to share their life experiences with me while I was working on this book.

There are numerous posts on this very subject on this blog; type Age Progession into the search window on the sidebar, take your pick, read the book(s) and try out Age Progression for yourself. 

I think you will be amazed.....!

King Charles III

I wrote this post a few months ago, when it became clear that the Queen's health was ailing, and that Charles - then Prince, now King - was intensifying his input into royal duties.

The sudden passing of the Queen on 8th September 2022 at Balmoral, and the transfer of  power from reigning monarch to heir apparent, is formally taking place as I write.

I have already commented on the charts of Charles and the Queen - links are given in the text below - so there is nothing much I can add right now at this sad and historic moment in time. One thing I have speculated on, looking at Charles's chart as he is proclaimed King, is that Pluto, which his Age Point is fast approaching, is connected in a Small Learning triangle with Sun and Mars, which may prove  interesting to observe as he eases - or maybe catapults - into the role he's been waiting for all his life.

I wish him well. A new, high profile role at age 73, pushing 74, is quite an undertaking, especially when there is mourning and a deep sense of loss to be dealt with on a personal level.

For me, on a personal level, it's feeling quite strange adapting to there being no Queen any more and hearing/reading the words "King Charles".The Queen has been there for me, and so many people, all of our lives, as a kind of backdrop, and it's as if the scene-shifters have been in, removed the old backdrop and have installed something entirely new and sightly alien as it's not yet familiar.

 

*   *   *  *  *

On Tuesday 10th May 2022 Prince Charles stood in for the Queen at the state opening of Parliament and read, on her behalf, the overview of what the government plans to achieve in the forthcoming parliamentary session. It's an occasion filled with traditional ceremonial pomp, headed by the Queen who, for the last few years, had not worn the crown or her regal robes and has opted for the comfort of a nice matching coat, dress and hat ensemble. 

This time, however it was a bit different. At 96, she's having mobility issues and has recently cancelled several public engagements. It seems cruel and unrealistic to expect an elderly lady who has devoted her life to her role, designated by birth, to turn out and be undertaking such stiff and formal public engagements when she'd probably be happier in her slippers at home. This time Charles did the job for the first time, accompanied by son and heir Wills. It looked a rather sombre event, with wife Camilla wearing black and Charles and Will in very formal attire. When they filed into the House of Lords, looking very serious, they could have been going to a funeral. Perhaps, in a way, they were.

As the crown was placed in front of the empty throne, usually taken by the Queen, Charles looked intently at the crown, his face deeply serious as I suspect he contemplated what his future will be as king. To me, it looked like a real, tangible moment of recognition.

How does this relate to Charles' chart and his Age  Progression - where he is on his life journey and what psychological life stage he is at? A few thoughts on this:

Charles is 73; he'll be 74 in November. In terms of his LifeClock (click to see details of the Huber's book of the same name) his Age Point crossed over his Leo Ascendant at age 72 and is now travelling through the 1st house for the second time. This is often, for people in their 70s, a kind of second childhood when there is more time to do the things they've not had time to do when working, a time for relaxation, pursuing new interests, enjoying grandchildren etc. and not a time to be embarking on a new career or a lifestyle laden with responsibilities of state.

Of course, Charles has a privileged life but it's always been different, with the need to stay within accepted boundaries and live by protocol laid down by generations of tradition. But with that look on his face, I wonder if the reality really hit home and hard? What's currently going on in his chart?

His Age Point is approaching his 1st house Pluto, which is always symbolic of power, and power will certainly be his when he's king, although how he will use it is going to be important. He'll become the head of the family firm and the event will be a bitter-sweet one as it means he'll be experiencing the loss of his mother at the same time. Pluto is not to be dallied with, nor is the power it embodies to be taken lightly as it ultimately - on its highest level - has to be used for the greater good, and not personal gain.

At the top of his chart, intercepted in the 10th house, sits the Moon and the Moon's north node. The north node is a signpost indicating the way forward via personal grow and development. The 10th house is a public place; the Moon there, conjunct the node, suggests it could be somewhere he could learn to shine and come into his own. The downside is that both Moon and node are in Taurus, an intercepted sign, making getting this aspect of himself "out there" and recognised, will not be easy. 

I wrote about this and other aspects of Charles' chart when he turned 60. Read what I said here. 

Also see what I've written about the Queen's chart here. Her Age Point is now in the 4th house for the second time and there are currently no contacts with any planets, but note her strong Saturn at the top of the chart. A strong indicator that she's the Queen and head of the family firm.

Vladimir Putin

This interpretation of Putin's chart was written by fellow astrologer David Kerr in 2014. I am including it here, with David as guest author, in view of the current situation between Russia and Ukraine and the threat of Russia's imminent invasion of Ukraine. David focuses on the Double Ambivalence figure in the chart; I focus on the Trapeze.

 

Vladimir Putin, 7th October 1952, 09.30, St. Peteresburg, Russia

 David writes: The eye is immediately drawn to the stellium in the 12th house and the aspects which emanate from it are reminiscent of the levers in an old-fashioned railway signal box, quite appropriate for someone who can be quite truly said to have his hands on the levers of power. The aspect pattern consists largely of fixed figures, a Trapeze and a Double Ambivalence figure. This suggests someone who is able to operate on a large stage, can learn much from a wide variety of experiences, but in spite of that is fairly inflexible. We can see that from his handling of the Chechnya situation, the lessons of history from Stalin right back to Tsar Nicholas 1 have not deviated Putin from his implacable efforts to impose Russian control.  

As befits a former KGB official, Putin is secretive and keeps his cards close to his chest, as shown by the 12th house planets including Mercury. On the other hand, Jupiter in the 7th allows him to present a more affable face to the world. These planets form the poles of the Double Ambivalence figure. This ambivalence is reflected by political commentators who cannot make up their minds whether Putin is a neo-stalinist or a closet reformer. The open and outgoing Jupiter is ultimately controlled from the conservative and secretive blue corner by Sun and Saturn so there is likely to be something in the closet. The enigma is compounded by having an unaspected Moon. Emotion does not obviously figure in Putin's makeup and it this adds to his inscrutability.  

 

On the 8th of July Putin's age point will enter Leo. [Editorial comment:This was so at the time of writing; Putin's Age Point is now in Libra and in the 12th house,where the stellium of planets is. His Age Point has recently been past the 12th house Low Point and he will be 70 in October]. When the age point enters a sign it activates any planets in that sign, regardless of which house they are in. In this case [when David wrote this in 2014] it is Pluto. Pluto is a transpersonal, spiritual, planet, but when it is on an angle as it is here it can be used, or abused, in the outside world.

Putin's Pluto is conjunct South Node, so there might be an atavistic tendency to exercise power in a Stalinist fashion. On the other hand, South Node is conjunct the IC, firmly in the collective zone, the people of Russia, and the controlling 12th house planets are in Libra, the sign of justice. Putin describes himself as a true servant of Russia so perhaps the evidence of the chart shows the sincerity of his goals, whatever methods he may employ to reach them.

 

Joyce offers an extract from Aspect Patterns in Colour:

Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, has a Trapeze in his chart. Its pinning planets in the 12th house stellium (Sun, Mercury, Saturn, Neptune) are shared with two other aspect figures. However, the Trapeze dominates and its internal thinking and learning processes will feed into the Double Ambivalence figure and the all-blue Small Talent triangle (not discussed in this post). 

Strong multiple aspects from the stellium radiate out to the other pinning planets – red squares to Uranus, green quincunxes to Jupiter and blue trines to the Moon’s Node. But it is the stellium that holds the eye and indicates a formidable driving force of his will (Sun), his need for firm structure (Saturn), his ability to communicate (Mercury) and his ideals (Neptune) which drive this Trapeze along. Putin has headed the direction and mindset of Russia in the 21st century. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing the rule of law, yet corruption is also said to have increased. 

 

Bruno and Louise Huber describe someone with a Trapeze as having “a larger-than-life personality”. On the one hand, we have the outgoing Putin engaging with world leaders using Jupiter in 7th linked to Mercury, Saturn and Neptune. On the other hand there is the more inscrutable Putin with his strong-by-sign Sun dominating from the 12th, a master mind who controls and manipulates, pulling the strings like an arch puppeteer.

 

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.