Modern astrology has the benefit of polls and surveys to back up, or sometimes even debunk, its traditional theories. Some of these are very enlightening, particularly regarding relationships. For example, over 70% of people in a long-term romantic relationship will be with a partner whose Sun sign is the same as one of their parents. My sister is a Gemini. Her husband's father is also a Gemini, so he married a woman who has the same Sun sign as his dad. One of my former partners was a Libran - the same sign as my mother. I'm Aquarius - the same sign as his mother. Since we parted, he has gone on to marry someone else who is also an Aquarian, again the same sign as his mother!
Astrological connections between family members are a never-ending fascination. By studying the charts of families you can see patterns repeating time and time again. My ex-partner's family are a great example. He - lets call him 'P' - has the Sun in conjunction to Pluto in his natal chart. So does his brother. His mother has the Sun in an opposition aspect to Pluto, and his wife has the Sun in a trine aspect to Pluto. So, Sun Pluto aspects are a family trait. But that's not all..... 'P's mother has her natal Mercury positioned at 23° Capricorn. So does 'P's wife - and also his brother's wife! All the women have Mercury in the same sign at the same degree. Incidentally, my natal Mercury is also situated at 23° Capricorn, so I guess that's why, albeit for only three years, I too, was connected to this family.
Another really interesting area is the correlation between family Moons. My mother is the eldest of five children. She and all of her siblings have their natal Moons in Mutable Signs. There are four Mutable Signs in the Zodiac - Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. My mother has her Moon in Virgo, two of her sisters have their Moons in Gemini, and her youngest sister and brother have theirs in Pisces. My father also had his Moon in a Mutable Sign - Sagittarius - and my sister has her Moon in Pisces.
But it doesn't end there - my sister's ex-husband also had a Pisces Moon and her second husband has his Moon in Sagittarius as does his brother and both of his parents. With other families, the Moon connection might be different. For example, some family members have their Moons in the same element - Fire, Earth, Air, or Water. Some have their Moons in seemingly random signs, but their Moons will be in aspect to the same planet. I guess, because the Moon actually symbolises 'home' and family', that could explain why it is such a strong linking factor within family groups, bringing harmony and compatibility between the emotions and moods of family members.
Of course, all relationships - family, friends, partners, etc - need strong Synastry components too. For example, my mother's Ascendant is in Leo - and my natal Sun is exactly opposite, in Aquarius. This is called Polarity - more about that in a future article. It's also interesting that the same sign crops up over and over again between family members as a Sun sign, Moon sign or Rising sign. I have recently come across two women who both have Libra Moons. One of them has five children - four of whom are Sun sign Librans. The other has three children - two of whom are Sun sign Librans. The other intriguing connection is that both of these women are also mothers to twins. So, my next area of research is twins - not the twins themselves, but their mothers - and if women with the Moon in Libra are more likely to give birth to twins.*
*Are you a twin, or the mother of twins? If so, what is your Moon sign, and what is your Sun sign? This information would provide a fascinating astrological insight.
In a recent blog article 'Jupiter in Libra', and also at the end of my One Direction Hiatus report, I mentioned an astrological phenomenon involving the 6-year cycle of Jupiter and Uranus which results in new, exciting and phenomenally successful people connected to show business and science. Here's an excerpt:
"There is a very important planetary combination which takes place within the realm of Mundane Astrology (predicting world events) when approximately every six years Jupiter forms an aspect to Uranus. This heralds creative innovations, the beginning of a new trend, stunning success, and phenomenal popularity. These popular innovations happen in the world of science and show business. In the music industry, Jupiter was in conjunction with Uranus in 2010 and One Direction was born. Six years earlier in 2004 when Jupiter was in opposition to Uranus, another Simon Cowell band appeared and took the world by storm - Il Divo. In 1992 with Jupiter trine Uranus - Take That. In 1974 with Jupiter trine Uranus - The Bay City Rollers. These are just a few examples. It does seem that most of these global musical superstars are male groups, but I'm sure some in-depth research would confirm if this is - or is not - the case.
This year marks One Direction's 6th anniversary, and at the end of 2016, Jupiter will be in an opposition aspect to Uranus, so another band is due to appear which will have the same - or even greater - level of success. Who they will be remains to be seen, but if One Direction do decide to return, they might find some tough competition from the new kids on the block....."
As Jupiter began an opposition aspect to Uranus at the end of December 2016, and this will continue on and off until the end of September 2017, the question is: Has this planetary phenomenon had any effect yet? Perhaps.....
In the UK, we recently saw a new talent show called 'Let It Shine' on BBC1 every Saturday evening. The premise of this show was to form a new boyband and involved Gary Barlow - plus a panel of celebrity pop stars - searching for five young men to take part in a new Take That musical. The competition unfolded in three stages - in the first, the acts auditioned as solo artists; in the second, they performed in groups; and in the third, they faced the live shows. At the end of the live final show the winning band was Five To Five.
This band could become the next big musical phenomenon as they were formed under the influence of the Jupiter opposite Uranus aspect in the Six Year Cycle. Yes, it's true that this band will be confined to theatres initially and their performances will take place within a stage musical, but at the end of this anything is possible. Many hugely successful groups have started out in this way. For example, in 1965 an American rock band was formed in Los Angeles for a television series called 'The Monkees'. Four musical actors - Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Davy Jones - became the stars of this TV show about an imaginary band who never achieved success..... However, the show was so popular that The Monkees soon became a real band and had massive success - selling 75 million records worldwide.
A similar phenomenon took place years later in the UK when a group of singers - Tina Barrett, Paul Cattermole, Rachel Stevens, Jo O'Meara, Hannah Spearritt, Bradley McIntosh, and Jon Lee - was created by former Spice Girls manager Simon Fuller. The group was formed in 1998 and named S Club 7. They quickly rose to fame by starring in their own BBC television series, 'Miami 7'. In their five years together, S Club 7 had four UK number-one singles, one UK number-one album, and a string of hits throughout Europe, including a top-ten single in the United States, Asia, South America and Africa. They recorded four studio albums, released 11 singles and went on to sell over 10 million albums worldwide.
So, it's possible that new boyband Five To Five could be the next big thing in the world of music. Obviously there are still other talent shows which could produce a new phenomenon throughout 2017: X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, America's got Talent, etc, so, let me know what you think. Any ideas?
I've already published a few articles in the blog about Donald Trump, and during the next few months, I intend to write several more. This is an update article, so please also read again President Trump - The First Year.
Transiting Uranus will form a trine aspect to President Trump's natal Moon in February 2017. During this time he’ll feel more comfortable with himself in his new role and will work on improving his relationships and communication. Making long-term plans and bringing an end to old situations will be uppermost in his mind. In March 2017, transiting Uranus will be in a sextile aspect to the President's natal Sun. Under this planetary influence, he'll want to break new ground in various projects and will be very original in his thinking - although other people may not quite understand, or agree with, his vision of the future.Transiting Uranus will be in a square aspect to President Trump's natal Venus from 8th April to 9th May 2017 - repeating in November 2017, and making it's final contact in February 2018 - bringing emotional shocks and upsets. His close relationships may require greater flexibility.
In August 2017 his Solar Arc Uranus will be in conjunction to his natal Mars, though it’s not exact until 2018. This will bring an extremely unpredictable and volatile period during which he will experience intense restlessness. He will have a great need to break free of situations that have limited his actions, and his reactions will be sudden, passionate and often filled with anger. It's possible that he might make a sudden break from a restrictive situation. Unexpected circumstances may arise that will force him to act quickly. Patience will not be his strongest trait during this time, so he should take great care when making changes, as he could overreact to minor frustrations and act on impulse.
The Solar Eclipse on 21st August 2017 at 28° Leo will be conjunct President Trump's natal Mars and Ascendant bringing a significant shake up to his image. He will experience lot of anger - either towards others or from them. He will also be argumentative, accident-prone and overly stressed. Eclipses can reveal what has been hidden, so will there be secrets coming out in connection to the President himself? When a Solar Eclipse conjuncts the Ascendant, there tends to be an increase in self-awareness during the following 12 months, so he may experience a new way of connecting to the world, or he might enter a different phase of existence. In conjunction to his natal Mars, there will be a growing need to get fully motivated and for new ways of doing things.
Last year, I was often asked about the effect of Juno, so here's a piece about the asteroid of contracts and marriage.
In ancient Roman mythology Juno was the Queen of the Gods - the wife of Jupiter. That's why this asteroid symbolises marriage in a chart. The position of Juno indicates the type of person you are likely to marry. Or, to put it another way - the type of person you should marry if you want a successful union. For that reason, Juno represents who you'll end up making a commitment to. Although Venus traditionally symbolises marriage, it is more about partnerships - romantic or platonic. Venus represents who we are attracted to, but Juno symbolises what our ultimate committed partner will be like.
The sign that Juno occupies in your natal chart will describe your ideal long-term partner. So, for example, if you have Juno in Virgo, this shows that your ideal partner will possibly - although not necessarily - be born under the sign of Virgo. It's important to remember that the Juno sign isn't always the ideal partner's Sun sign - it can be their Moon sign or the Ascendant too. The sign of Virgo could also indicate occupation, so this could show someone who works in the medical world, a journalist, an accountant, or a person who performs some sort of service.
However, it's not only the sign Juno is in that gives clues to the life partner, it's also any aspects being made to it by other natal planets. A married couple I know well have some stunningly good Juno stuff going on. The husband is a Sun sign Gemini. He has Venus conjunct Saturn in Cancer which suggests he'd be attracted to an older woman, a mother-figure.
His wife is six years older than him and she already had a child when they met.
His Juno is in Gemini (the sign of the Twins) and it has one aspect - an opposition from Neptune.
His wife is a twin, and she used to be married to a Piscean.
So, this guy's Juno sign literally described his life partner as a twin, and the opposition aspect from Neptune (ruler of Pisces) indicated her former husband.
The wife is a Sun sign Virgo. She has Venus conjunct Mercury which suggests she'd be attracted to a younger man. Her Juno is in Virgo and is also conjunct Mercury. This reveals her life partner to be someone younger who has Mercurial traits.
He's a Gemini, six years her junior.
Another very interesting component to use when analysing Juno's chart position is to use the Duads. I'll explain these in a future astrology article, but basically when each sign is divided into 12 equal sections these are called Duads. In the case of this couple, the husband's Juno is in the Gemini Duad.
His wife is a Gemini.
Using another couple as an example, this time a very famous couple - The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Prince William's natal Juno is in the sign of Capricorn.
Kate's Sun sign is Capricorn.
Kate's Juno is in Sagittarius.
William's Ascendant is in Sagittarius.
So, despite the fact that Kate's birth time is not accurate and therefore her Ascendant is not definite, we can still see that both their Juno positions make them ideal partners.
However, it's crucial to remember that whatever connections you have to someone's Juno, it doesn't mean that your partnership will be perfect, culminate in marriage, or last for ever. First and foremost, you need attraction and compatibility - and that comes from other areas of your chart.
International singing superstar Dame Shirley Bassey will be celebrating her 80th birthday this coming weekend. She was born on Friday 8th January 1937 in Cardiff, Wales, UK. (No accurate birth time).
As a Sun sign Capricorn, Dame Shirley is both down to earth and ambitious. She is resourceful, and an incredibly hard worker with a need to be taken seriously as a professional. Typical of her sign, she will never give up and has tremendous staying power - which is why she is still a top performer after 60 years in the business. The Sun is in a sextile aspect to Saturn and a trine aspect to Neptune in her natal chart, showing very strong creative potential and great dedication.
Mercury in Dame Shirley's natal chart is part of a Grand Cross configuration involving Mars, Uranus, and Pluto. This is a very dynamic planetary influence which indicates powerful, energetic, animated expression, and gives Dame Shirley her amazingly strong singing voice. With this configuration there is tremendous willpower and determination which could lead to irritability and a tendency to overwork. She doesn't suffer fools gladly and will say exactly what she thinks. Highly strung and eccentric, as well as emotionally obsessive and passionate, this planetary influence also bestows great courage and endurance.
With her natal Venus in the sign of Pisces, Dame Shirley has tremendous charisma, and is an expert at flirting. Sensitive and romantic, her love is unconditional. She is unimpressed by status, appreciating and accepting people for what they are on the inside. She couldn't bear to hurt anyone, but will herself have been hurt many times. Venus in Pisces brings superior talent in many creative and artistic spheres - including, of course, music.
Venus in a trine aspect to Mars in Dame Shirley's natal chart attracts positive attention as she radiates charm, vitality, and enthusiasm. Her creative talent comes so naturally to her that she may sometimes, even after many decades in the music business, still be surprised by her own popularity. She actively enjoys bringing pleasure to other people through her work. Interestingly, many opera singers have this planetary combination in their charts, and I have no doubt that she could also have had great success in this particular musical genre if she had chosen to do so. When Venus and Mars are in a very harmonious aspect such as the trine, it brings balance between masculine and feminine energies. Therefore, Dame Shirley has the ability to combine strength with grace, power with elegance, and passion with sensitivity.
In Dame Shirley's natal chart, Venus is in a sextile aspect to Uranus. This shows the ability to get along with people from all walks of life. Tolerance is very important to her and she hates insincerity. In relationships, she needs freedom and personal space, so unusual set-ups such as long-distance romances would not be a problem. Venus symbolises music and the very positive aspects from both Mars and Uranus emphasise Dame Shirley's singing talent in a very dynamic way.
In 1953, when Dame Shirley signed her first professional contract, transiting Uranus was in an opposition aspect to her natal Sun. This planetary influence would have brought an intense need for personal freedom and independence at this point in her life. New experiences and radical changes are a hallmark of this aspect, but so too are unexpected events, impulsive decisions or spontaneous actions. This is exactly what happened to Dame Shirley when, in 1954, at the age of only 16, she discovered that she was pregnant. She did not return to continue her singing career until two years later in 1955. In February 1956, her first single 'Burn My Candle' was released, and she had her first hit a year later in February 1957 aged 19 with 'The Banana Boat Song'. In January 1959 she had her first number one hit with the song 'As I Love You'. The rest, as they say, is history.
All of this was indicated in her chart by several important planetary influences, including: Solar Arc Venus (music) in a square aspect to the natal Nodes (popularity); Solar Arc Juno (contracts) conjunct natal Mercury (the written word & the media); Solar Arc Saturn (commitments) opposite natal Juno (contracts); Solar Arc North Node (popularity) conjunct the natal Sun (show business, in the spotlight); Transiting Jupiter (good fortune) trine natal Pluto (big money) to name but a few....
LOOKING AHEAD
Since the end of February 2016 transiting Pluto has been in conjunction to Dame Shirley's natal Sun. Continuing until the end of December 2017, this planetary influence will bring a period of great change and a major turning point in her life.
With Solar Arc Uranus conjunct Dame Shirley's natal Pluto throughout 2017 and into 2018 it is highly possible that some kind of memorable event will occur, and it could have a profound impact in certain areas of her life. Something, or someone, will affect her in a very significant way. Under this planetary influence she may encounter strong-willed individuals as either allies or competitors, and because of this, certain issues may arise which could bring an intense need to uncover something that is hidden. Circumstances could force Dame Shirley to get to the bottom of some mystery. This planetary effect could have far-reaching consequences and as a result, Dame Shirley may leave behind a part of her past forever and bring certain conditions in her life to an end.
With her Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct a World Point (0° Aries), it doesn't look as if Dame Shirley will be slowing down. This planetary position tends to bring a powerful desire for self-improvement, reward and recognition. It seems that she will be hugely optimistic for some reason and she'll have a strong urge for adventure. In Dame Shirley's Annual Degree Projection chart Mercury is also conjunct the same World Point, and this planetary influence suggests a connection to writing or public speaking, and the generation of powerful, new ideas. Communication will be a strong theme for Dame Shirley during 2017. I get the feeling that there will be important news about, or an important message from, her. Having already performed three songs for Bond movies throughout her career, it's a well-known fact that she would love to record a fourth. Maybe this will be the year that her wish comes true.....
Dame Shirley Bassey is a strong, independent lady who knows what she wants and won't allow anyone to push her around. Not a diva - but most definitely a class act.
Donald Trump’s first year as president will be erratic. With his Solar Arc Pluto conjunct his natal Jupiter (exact in December 2016) and tr Pluto square his natal Jupiter in January 2017, then again from July to early September, and finally during November 2017, his confidence will soar. He'll make several more outlandish promises which will possibly create a significant backlash, legal problems and conflict with authority.
However, with transiting Saturn in opposition to his natal Uranus at the end of November 2016, and then conjunct his natal Moon and in opposition his natal Sun from the end of December 2016 until late January 2017, a severe reality check could shake him up when the responsibilities he’s acquired will suddenly dawn on him. These negative planetary influences will return from July to October 2017 when his public image will take a nosedive. In turn, this will impact unfavourably upon his personal life.
There's a very interesting planetary influence coming up for President Trump when his Progressed Moon enters the 12th sector of his natal chart in April 2017. This planetary influence will last until June 2019 and will bring a period of endings, emotional confusion, escapist tendencies, and a longing for solitude. Being in the spotlight continually will begin to be a problem for him. I experienced this personally when my own Progressed Moon entered sector 12 in February 2013. I actually wrote an article about it for the blog last year just as it was coming to an end. Here's the link:
http://ephemeralarc.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/New%20Beginnings
For everyone who goes through this, it is a very tough time, and for me, it began with two very personal and stressful events. After that, I was plunged into a state of depression. I would definitely not have wanted to be in the spotlight or in a position of great responsibility during that period in my life. It will be interesting to see what happens to Mr Trump. Having said that, he is very adept at putting on a positive face, so, in public, it may seem like business as usual.
Starting in 2017, and continuing for two years, President Trump's Solar Arc Moon will be in an opposition aspect to his natal Ascendant. This planetary influence may bring adverse publicity and a possible loss of popularity. He could experience an increased need for security during this period, and there will strong links with women. There will also be a powerful feeling of deja vu - maybe another encounter with Hillary?
In May and October 2017 and then again in March 2018 transiting Uranus will be in a trine aspect to Mr Trump's natal Mars. This planetary influence will bring the inclination to make snap decisions, and he will have to try to channel his impulsive urges. However, this is a positive aspect which could bring favourable results. He will be more courageous when facing new challenges and have great confidence in his abilities.
In January, February and March 2018 Mr Trump's Progressed Moon will be conjunct his natal Pluto - and at the same time his Solar Arc Uranus will be conjunct his natal Mars. Intense but buried feelings could emerge under this planetary influence which could result in extreme reactions. A few secrets may be revealed. This will be a very feisty and potentially explosive period. Certain people or events may trigger fundamental changes in his life and he will either become much more - or much less - popular.
We're all still reeling from the shock that Donald Trump will become the next President of the United States on 20th January 2017. I know of only ONE astrologer who correctly predicted that Trump would win this election. The rest of us studied the charts and although the indications were roughly 50/50 it seemed to point slightly more towards Hillary Clinton. Even that famous publication The Astrological Journal had a headline on the front cover a few weeks ago entitled: Why Hillary Clinton Is About To Become America's Next President. For the past few days I've seen many astrologers posting apologies on their websites for 'getting it wrong', and I feel I must add my own apology too.
During the next few weeks, I will attempt to discover what the future holds for the USA, and for Donald Trump. I'll also take a look at the chart of Mike Pence who is now (probably) destined to become the new Vice President. However, the question remains: How did everyone - astrologers, political experts, the media - get this election result so wrong? Could it be that when Trump announced the election was rigged, it actually was - possibly in his favour? Should there be an inquiry? Should America overhaul its voting system?
It's important to get this situation in perspective. As I said in a previous article Donald Trump is a performer and he loves being in the spotlight. During his election campaign he spouted a lot of controversial things and soon realised that this brought him the attention he so clearly craves. So, he continued being controversial and attracted the kind of individuals who really do believe those things. If these really are Trump's opinions, then there will be trouble from the people who didn't vote for him. But if, as some commentators are suggesting, this was just 'campaign rhetoric', then his supporters will turn against him.
It's a well known fact that politicians are not straightforward or completely honest. They target a certain group in society and tell them what they want to hear. This is the way they increase their own popularity and garner votes. However, once they have achieved the power they desire, those pre-election promises tend to evaporate. This is very likely to be the case with President Trump. Not only is much of what he said probably just a bluff, he will not actually be allowed to implement many of his dubious policies.
More soon.....
Modern astrology has the benefit of polls and surveys to back up, or sometimes even debunk, its traditional theories. Some of these are very enlightening, particularly regarding relationships. For example, over 70% of people in a long-term romantic relationship will be with a partner whose Sun sign is the same as one of their parents. My sister is a Gemini. Her husband's father is also a Gemini, so he married a woman who has the same Sun sign as his dad. One of my former partners was a Libran - the same sign as my mother. I'm Aquarius - the same sign as his mother. Since we parted, he has gone on to marry someone else who is also an Aquarian, again the same sign as his mother! 
