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The Astrology Blog 27 February 2023
All times in GMT
“In the coming world, they will not ask me: ‘Why were you not Moses?’ They will ask me: ‘Why were you not Zusya?”
Rabbi Zusya 1718 – 1800
“I do believe there is more than what we see, that there is more than just this. I believe that a world that doesn’t have some kind of magic in it, wouldn’t be worth living in.“
Timothy Spall – HAPPY SOLAR RETURN – b 27 February 1957
https://www.astrotheme.com/astrology/Timothy_Spall
SUMMER SCHOOL
COURSES/PLACES AVAILABLE
Here are the six courses planned for the 21st season of The Greek Island Summer School along with the number of places still available on each.
The best way to check current flight prices and choices is to go to Skyscanner. The destination airport is Preveza Aktio (PVK), 45 minutes transfer to Nidri –
17 MAY 2023
- Unlock the Secrets of Medieval Astrology
With Dr Chris Mitchell
5 OF 10 PLACES AVAILABLE
https://joannawatters.com/
24 MAY 2023
- The Astrology of Families
With Elisabeth Brooke
ONLY 1 OF 10 PLACES AVAILABLE
https://joannawatters.com/
31 MAY – no course planned for this week as this is UK schools half term week, but available for a private booking of 1 to 4 people, on requested subjects.
7 JUNE 2023
With Joanna
ONLY 1 OF 10 PLACES AVAILABLE
https://joannawatters.com/
30 AUGUST 2023
- The Astrology of Relationships
With Joanna
5 OF 10 PLACES AVAILABLE
https://joannawatters.com/
6 SEPTEMBER 2023
With Sally Kirkman
6 OF 10 PLACES AVAILABLE
https://joannawatters.com/
13 SEPTEMBER 2023
(May include some astrology – to be decided with those taking part)
With Joanna
4 OF 10 PLACES AVAILABLE
https://joannawatters.com/
https://joannawatters.com/
All enquiries – reply to this newsletter or Whatsapp me 00306976296085 – for questions or to arrange a phone call
ELISABETH BROOKE
So this 21st season of Summer School is filling up steadily and there’s now only ONE PLACE LEFT for Elisabeth’s week on the Astrology of Families. We’re thinking of extending the group to take 12 rather than 10, partly because of the popularity of this subject and partly because for this week (AND for Chris Mitchell’s week 17 May on Medieval Astrology) I’ve got the exclusive use of the block of beach studios, so no problem with finding accommodation for extra numbers. But it also depends on figuring out the teaching area to get everyone in the shade during class hours – working on it.
In the meantime here’s the link again to Elisabeth’s latest blog about family astrology in connection to the Royal Family, followed by some findings of my own that I uncovered when working on my last book.
On the course Elisabeth will be helping everyone to identify your own family patterns and themes.
https://elisabethbrooke.com/
THE ASTROLOGY OF FAMILIES & CHARLES III
Studying the charts of the royals always bears fruit! These horoscopes are all correct to the minute with times of birth and of course their lives are in the public eye.
For example, it is notable how often a first born child has the mother’s Sun sign as their Moon sign. This is considered to be powerful “synastry” – which is astrospeak for compatibility and a spiritual/karmic connection.
- The Queen Mother was a Sun Leo – the Queen was Moon in Leo
- The Queen was a Sun Taurus – King Charles is Moon in Taurus
- Diana was a Sun Cancer – Prince William is Moon in Cancer
- Kate is a Sun Capricorn – Prince George is Moon in Capricorn
There are also astrological themes running through families. Again the royals are a good example –
- The Queen was Capricorn rising, chart ruler Saturn in Scorpio conjunct her Midheaven (status, career, public face)
- Harry is the same, Capricorn rising, chart ruler Saturn in Scorpio conjunct his Midheaven
- William is Sagittarius rising, chart ruler Jupiter in Scorpio conjunct his Midheaven
- King Charles is Leo rising, chart ruler the Sun in Scorpio conjunct his 5th House cusp (the 5th House is where we locate children)
When a planet is “cuspal” like this it carries more weight, which makes total sense in this case as Charles’ whole destiny has been tied up with his duty to have children, to provide “the heir and the spare” to the throne. Charles’ Sun in Scorpio is square his 1st House (self) Pluto in Leo, and he certainly struggled in his younger years to find his sense of self, not least because of the dominant (square) and powerful (Scorpio) father (Sun).
Further, these two planets are in Mutual Reception – that is, they’re in each other’s signs, the Sun naturally ruling Leo and Pluto being the co-ruler of Scorpio. A Mutual Reception indicates the potential for swapping things over, mutually beneficial arrangements and changes, like having a mistress? The two planets – ie people – receive each other. Astrology gets a lot more interesting when we start asking “Who is this planet?” rather than just “What is this planet?”
Elisabeth Brooke points out in her article that the 5th House is where we also locate lovers –
Charles III’s wife Diana, shown by Uranus 30′ Gemini in the 11th house (the People’s Princess) nearly brought down the House of Windsor after her death. His second marriage to his longstanding mistress, shown by that Mars (with Jupiter) in Sagittarius ruling the 5th. Notice, his Sun is conjunct the 5th house cusp, she is his Soul Mate. Kings do not normally marry their mistresses but she brought Charles in touch with his real self (Sun). As the second wife, Camilla is shown as Saturn at 5′ Virgo in the 2nd, she brings him peace, stability (Saturn) and all the countryside pursuits he loves (Virgo).
So from mistress to wife means that Camilla ends up as the Saturn in Virgo. Feels rather dry and dusty compared to the passionate and clandestine 5th House Scorpio Sun! But this is also fitting symbolism for marrying his real love much later in life. Saturn is Lord of Time.
Back to the Mutual Reception in terms of children I’ve always thought that this was powerful symbolism for swapping roles with William, making way for his first born son. Derek Appleby used to say that Charles would never be King, something I’d agreed with, but unless something dramatic happens in the next two months (coronation on 6 May) it looks as if it’s going to happen.
Will his reign be short lived? If Charles is crowned, on 6 May he will have transiting Saturn at 5 Pisces opposite his natal Saturn 5 Virgo, a transit that will repeat in August and then again in January 2024. That sounds like a lot of hard work, but it may also be flagging up hard going for Camilla. At the time of the Queen’s funeral, obviously a time of great strain and being in the public eye for days on end, Camilla looked absolutely exhausted. Is she physically up to this job? Who would blame her if she wasn’t, not a role that most 75 year olds would want to take on.
The stunning synastry between Charles and Camilla is that they have the same Ascendant, of 5 degrees Leo and therefore the same Descendant of 5 degrees of Aquarius. The latter is the Angle of the 7th House of partnership and all major one to one dealings, and Pluto (248 year cycle) will reach 5 Aquarius in three years time. Pluto brings endings of the irrevocable kind. If one of them steps back from public duty, or if one of them falls ill and is unable to do the job, then my feeling is that the other would step down too. At that point the Mutual Reception would be made as William would take over.
Way before then though there’s another crucial once in a lifetime transit of Uranus (84 year cycle) over Charles’ Sun at 22 Scorpio, starting this summer. The three exact dates of this transit are –
- 20 July
- 8 October
- 1 May 2024
As I’m fond of saying Uranus is the astrologer’s nightmare – unpredictable. But it’s change of the unexpected, sudden or dramatic kind, the rug puller, the thing you couldn’t possibly have seen coming and which upends the best laid plans. Uranus in Taurus (Fixed Earth) is, as we’ve seen, earthquakes, reducing solid structures to rubble in a matter of moments. This works metaphorically too. Watch this space.
In the meantime Chiron is already active in Charles chart. His Midheaven is 13.20 Aries and his natal Neptune is conjunct his IC (beginning of 4th House of home/family) at 14.08 Libra. Today (Monday) Chiron has reached 13.46 Aries and the exact opposition to his Neptune will be 6 March. There are probably more private griefs going on behind the palace closed doors than we realise.
WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK?
Here’s your “at a glance” picture and we can see that it’s a quiet first half to the week as we travel towards the much anticipated Venus – Jupiter conjunction, which I was excited about until I realized it was also conjunct Chiron, so now am not sure how that will play out, but read on. This is immediately followed by the dance between Mercury, Saturn and Pluto all at 29 degrees, the end of their signs, so a grand finale of some kind is in the making –
Thursday 2 March
- Venus conjunct Jupiter 12 Aries 05.37
- Mercury conjunct Saturn 29 Aquarius 14.35
- Mercury 29 Aquarius semi-sextile Pluto 29 Capricorn 16.20
- Mercury ingress Pisces 22.53
Friday 3 March
- Sun 12 Pisces semi-sextile Jupiter 12 Aries 05.41
- Venus conjunct Chiron 14 Aries 17.45
- Saturn 29 Aquarius semi-sextile Pluto 29 Capricorn 21.50
NEXT WEEK
Tuesday 7 March
- Saturn ingress Pisces 13.35
Sunday 12 March
- Jupiter conjunct Chiron 14 Aries 09.00
VENUS – JUPITER CONJUNCTION
In traditional astrology Venus is known as the Lesser Benefic and Jupiter as the Greater Benefic – they benefit us – so any Venus – Jupiter combination is lovely to see. This one in a nutshell –
- VENUS is Aphrodite, goddess of love. She is feminine and rules women, all pleasure seeking, lovemaking, beauty, comfort and luxuries, art, music and the fashion industry. Venus also rules sustenance, everything from food to the money we make in order to live
- JUPITER is Zeus King of the gods, jovial (Jove), optimistic, enthusiastic, planet of opportunity, luck, liberation, good fortune, abundance, generosity both giving and receiving, learning, publishing, truth and justice/all legal concerns. He rules long distance travel, foreigners, all matters or people related to overseas, anything that makes our world bigger and better. Jupiter’s top keyword is expansion
- ARIES – Cardinal Fire, first sign of the zodiac, beginnings, the Spring Equinox is when the Sun reaches 0 degrees of this sign. The ego, sense of self, self love, sense of personal identity and entitlement (I deserve this), independence (I can do this by myself), liberation from how others might react (think what you like, this is what I need to do), directness and immediacy. Anything that can be achieved with one definite decision in that “go for it” spirit. The joy of solitude OR putting an end to loneliness, the combo with Venus and Jupiter can be finding a group or your tribe as well as spelling huge romantic opportunities
Venus catches up with all the other planets on her journey through the 12 signs once a year. So unless they’re caught up in one of Venus’ rare retrograde loops they don’t repeat, they’re one offs, as you can see from this list of Venus Conjunct Jupiter Dates –
30 April 2022 – 27 Pisces
2 March 2023 – 12 Aries
23 May 2024 – 29 Taurus
12 August 2025 – 14 Cancer
9 June 2026 – 25 Cancer
25 August 2027 – 6 Virgo
9 November 2028 – 16 Libra
I’ve noticed countless times that when Jupiter is active that this shows in the gathering of huge crowds. As Jupiter is the peace maker this is usually in a peacable way, my memories off the top of my head being an address by the Pope (Jupiter rules religion) and the crowds at the Queen’s funeral (which was Mercury opposite Jupiter).
In the news this morning Jupiter’s role as the planet of law and justice is showing –
Huge rallies have been held in several Mexican cities against what protesters say are government attempts to undermine the electoral authorities. The biggest was in Mexico City, where organisers say 500,000 people marched on the city’s main plaza. The local government put the number at 90,000.
The most moving story though by a mile is this, the video reduced me to tears –
A football match in Istanbul between two Turkish teams, Beşiktaş and Antalyaspor, saw thousands of teddy bears thrown onto the pitch by fans. The soft toys will be given to children who survived the recent deadly earthquakes which shook southern Turkey and northern Syria.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-64783651
The symbolism jumps off the page. Here is Venus (soft toys) Jupiter (thousands of them) for children who’ve been wounded and traumatized (Chiron).
So look out for the combination of these three working together in similar ways in your own world. When I saw those teddies raining onto the football pitch it instantly made me think of how we are all connected, every single one of us. Jupiter does the universal. These are not just foreign kids, nothing to do with us, we are all children of this world. Through the stories that reflect this symbolism we are all linked simply by being human, and the hallmarks of compassion and humanity are our guiding principles in all our individual dealings as well as out in the world.
It also made me think about the numbers game. When someone buys a teddy for a troubled child this counts. When everyone buys a teddy for troubled children, that’s awesome. I’d love to meet the person who was the brainchild behind this. And maybe the bottom line of this Venus – Jupiter – Chiron trio is to claim the gift of giving. Spoil your loved ones, that’s what I say, and pay special attention to those who need help of any kind. Acts of kindness can go a very, very long way.
CHIRON – THE WOUNDED HEALER
So let’s say more about Chiron, who was discovered in 1977, coinciding with the rise of the holistic health industry and the subsequent spiraling awareness of the mind – body – spirit connection.
In terms of astrological tradition Chiron is the new kid on the block, without an official sign of dignity, yet he has already found his way into most Ephemerides, the book of tables that tracks the journeys of all the major planets. Chiron is an asteroid as opposed to a planet but is here to stay.
And as Jamie Partridge writes – https://astrologyking.com/
In Greek mythology, Chiron was the wisest of the Centaurs who taught astrology and herbal medicine. So Chiron is associated with wisdom and proficiency in botany, music, astronomy, divination, and medicine. Chiron heals through medicine, astrology, Tarot, and your hands and words. In its highest manifestation, Chiron heals through thoughts alone.
Melanie Reinhart originally proposed Chiron as co-ruler of Sagittarius, a symbolically appropriate placing for Chiron the Centaur, but later concluded that as Centaurs are creatures without dominion, perhaps we do not necessarily need him to rule any particular sign at all. His importance lies in how he points to the issues that accompany the path of awakening, such as health crises, life-changing experiences, meetings with teachers, recapitulation of old trauma or major insights.
In mythology Chiron is recognized as the most superior Centaur, standing apart from his unruly brethren. Civilized, knowledgeable and kind this skilled physician, teacher, astrologer and oracle is a fount of ancient wisdom. Ultimately, he is the archetype of the Wounded Healer as, unable to use his healing arts upon himself, Chiron gave up his god status in order to die and thereby end the eternal agony of a poisoned arrow wound. The full power of his message is captured in his “rebirth”, being returned to source and immortalized in the constellation of Centaurus.
Those with Chiron prominently placed in their horoscopes often take up the mission for the collective, notably in the role of mankind’s healers or educators whose work is destined to survive them for all time:
Bill Gates whose gift of technology has revolutionized the face of modern life worldwide has Uranus (co-ruler of Aquarius, rules technology) opposite Chiron at 0 degrees (powerful new beginnings) of Aquarius (the collective).
Alexander Fleming had Chiron conjunct the Greater Benefic Jupiter in Taurus, sign of physical matter, in the 11th house of the collective. His discovery of penicillin continues to save millions worldwide.
Steven Spielberg, whose movies address the deepest human wounds of war, terrorism, the Holocaust and the slave trade, has the Moon conjunct Chiron in Scorpio.
MERCURY – SATURN – PLUTO
Here’s the thread again for these three planets. The most important link in the chain is the conjunction of Mercury and Saturn, but then both of them make the minor aspect of the semi-sextile (one sign apart) to Pluto before they both move into the next sign of Pisces, and in turn Saturn and Pluto also make the semi-sextile. So it’s quite a complex dance between the three bodies –
Thursday 2 March
- Mercury conjunct Saturn 29 Aquarius 14.35
- Mercury 29 Aquarius semi-sextile Pluto 29 Capricorn 16.20
- Mercury ingress Pisces 22.53
Friday 3 March
- Saturn 29 Aquarius semi-sextile Pluto 29 Capricorn 21.50
NEXT WEEK
Tuesday 7 March
- Saturn ingress Pisces 13.35
CRITICAL DEGREES
0 degrees of anything is a beginning, 29 degrees of anything is an ending. This doesn’t have to be critical in terms of a crisis, although it can be, but look out for themes of finales, closure or inevitable conclusions.
A big story in the news in the US is the trial of lawyer Alex Murdaugh. On 7 June 2021, three days before a hearing on his finances was scheduled, he called 911 to say that his wife Maggie and son Paul had been shot.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64645725
You can read the whole story on this link but the bottom line is that the investigation led to his being charged with the murders and has uncovered embezzlement on a colossal scale. The ostensible reason for this is his addiction to painkillers –
On the stand Mr Murdaugh tearfully admitted to taking millions from settlements meant for his clients, stealing $3.7m (£3m) in 2019 alone. It was wrong, he said, but he was desperate: his addiction had drained his bank accounts.
Um, since when did painkillers cost millions of dollars? Here’s the worst possible showing of Venus (money) Jupiter (lots of it, taken through breaking the law, Jupiter rules justice and all things legal) to fund an addiction (obviously amongst other things) by cheating clients of their settlements for their suffering (Chiron). If you’re involved in any kind of litigation yourself for injuries or suffering I would say that the time is right for pushing for answers and for challenging anything that seems to be obstructing the course of your personal justice.
For Alex Murdaugh though it’s Saturn who’s the key player in terms of deciding his fate. He was born on 17 June 1968. Obviously there’s no way of finding a time of birth for him but this puts his Jupiter (justice, liberty) at the critical 0 degrees of Virgo. This is one of Jupiter’s signs of detriment, reflecting the trouble he’s in, and more importantly Saturn will therefore transit opposite this point next week when he changes sign, ie reaching 0 degrees of Pisces.
Is he going to jail? Oh yes. Saturn the machinery of authority leaning his full weight on that detrimented (weakened) Jupiter speaks of accountability and the end of his freedom. He’ll probably appeal. Saturn is going to get as far as 7 degrees of Pisces but will then turn retrograde on 17 June – Alex Murdaugh’s birthday – and retrograde back to 0 degrees of Pisces, turning direct again at 0.30 Pisces on 4 November. Only then will this story reach full closure.
In our own lives this tough line up speaks of bringing a matter to a close, especially if you have planets or Angles at 29 degrees of Aquarius (or opposite sign of Leo) or 0 degrees of Pisces (or opposite sign of Virgo). If this is you then you will already know the context (your own story) as end degrees tend to relate to things that have already been unfolding for a long time.
At a more general level the combo of Mercury with these tough outer planets can signal things like cancellations, bad news, the end of the road for anything that’s been hard going, running out of options or answers, having to get to grips with something we can’t change, and so on. The plus side is that if this relates to finally quitting a job or relationship then you can now start packing your bags for that new journey. Grit your teeth and push on through. And on that point Saturn rules the teeth so if you’ve got dental issues now’s the time to get them fixed.
So next week will continue to be part of these finales and transitions, when Saturn actually changes sign and we have the Jupiter – Chiron conjunction. The Venus – Chiron is once a year but the meet up with Jupiter is roughly every 14 years (I can’t find the actual data online but flicking through my Ephemerides I can see that the two would’ve last met up in May 2009 at about 24 Aquarius) so it’s rarer and therefore more significant. We’ll also have Mercury on his new journey through Pisces, heading for a conjunction with the Sun at 26 Pisces midmonth, and the Full Moon in the opposite sign of Virgo,
Until next week, with love from Greece
Joanna
