EDITORIAL

Welcome to a new issue of the Journal for a new year, with a new editor. It is with some trepidation that I take over from Robin Heath, who single-handedly transformed the old, cosy yellow Journal to a modern, graphically pleasing and easily-read Journal. It is only when confronted first-hand with the enormous bulk of articles, which have to be edited, sometimes retyped, sorted for quality and subject matter etc, that one realises what a job Robin did both in terms of literary and aesthetic standards. Following in Robin's footsteps feels rather like going on-stage after Jimi Hendrix has just done a gig.

The Journal has for me been a beacon in the astrological world during my 19-year exile in Copenhagen. I subscribe to a number of astrological magazines, but none have shown the same consistent quality as this one, which I have always devoured from cover to cover, whilst heavier, more colourful yet poorer-quality magazines have gathered dust on the shelf. When I first arrived in Copenhagen, I rented quite "by accident" the house vacated by the former president of the Danish Astrological Association (which I later became president of), and similarly it feels that Providence has had a hand in luring me back to the UK with the duties of Journal Editor. It is a strange thing, that I flew out of England on the exact day Margaret Thatcher was elected in 1979, and on the two subsequent occasions when she was re-elected, I was leaving the country by plane (after short visits) on the very day she reassumed office. My mind is of course apolitical, but my body obviously inclines to the left. With Tony Blair firmly ensconced (and with the Uranus/Jupiter conjunction in Aquarius how could "New" Labour not win?), my body has decided to return.

As a crash course in recovering my "Englishness" (difficult, because I am Welsh) I am pleased to present a great article by Brian XXX on British Prime Ministers. Get my history sorted out. And to follow it up an article by Paul Mayo, with thoughts about Britain at the advent of the Millennium. Paul has also contributed with a letter which I feel has some significance for astrologers, and falls into line with my own wish for a higher profile for astrologers, and a greater recognition of the potential contribution that astrologers can give to society.

One of the things that has fascinated me about English astrology, after being steeped in continental astrology for so many years, is the division between some practitioners of a divinatory approach (as in horary) and those who practise what could be called a more scientific, or sober, approach. Perhaps things have changed now, but I have always had the impression that never the twain could mix in English astrological circles. (Indeed within the horary establishment there seems to be a plethora of views which can't mix either. It's always been a subject of amazement to me that skilled astrologers, who agree on 98% of basic principle can use so much precious ammunition arguing about the remaining 2%). As a lover of both astrology styles - it's all magic to me - I'm simply a believer in planetary motion. I mean, I'm really for it. Inasmuch as an editor has the ability to form a journal, then my Libra Ascendant is going to have fun seeing how right everyone is, and promoting a tolerance for any viewpoint, so long as it is founded in planetary movement. This Journal with then be a forum for practitioners rather than theoreticians.

In this connection it is a pleasure to start the Journal with a piece about the practice of Christine Skinner, lovingly fashioned by Garry Phillipson. I'm really grateful to Garry for the work he has put in, and hope that others will be inspired to portray working astrologers, so that we can learn from them in the Journal. In the Student Section Peta High writes about F.M.Alexander, embellishing her article with a study of his harmonic charts - surely an underestimated tool in birth horoscope interpretation. In the Horary section the Japanese practitioner Hideaki Shuseh Kokubu, Q.H.P. has done a fine piece of detective work, working backwards, as it were, to deduce rules for election horoscope used by the imperial family both in the past and present. In the Research Section XXXX, using 31461 timed horoscopes from the Taeger data archives, comes up with powerful statistical evidence for recognisable signatures for writers, and has a few surprises in store. Angela Arnold continues with her irreverent analysis of the 12 signs, so if you are weak of heart, and your Sun is in an Earth sign, skip this section.

Talking about planetary motion, we have definitely be seeing a rather coquettish Venus with the advent of the New Year, wouldn't you agree? It is an extraordinary fact that Venus, which goes retrograde 5 times every 8 years, describes via this motion the shape of a 5-petalled flower, because the retrograde cycle starts each 8th year from almost exactly the same degree. Mars, rather less artistically but no less appropriately describes what appears to be a shield. On 27th October Venus caught up with Mars in heavenly consummation - this was the time the Chinese Premier had his historical meeting with the American President. Not very romantic, I know, but I'm sure they held hands. Perhaps readers has tales of more passionate romances begun at this time, and have noted how in December Venus lingers in Capricorn, reluctant to detach from Mars. They plug on intertwined in heavy waltz, through the square to Saturn in Aries, wading on through the miring conjunction with Neptune, until ... crash! on Boxing Day they tremble in Aquarius. Dare they proceed through the explosive battlefield of Uranus. Mars, dashing as ever, plunges on emerging on the other side as a New Man, purged by his sextile to Pluto, exhilarated by the Promethean initiation. Venus, horrified by the prospect of violence and the unknown, turns tail, and - preferring the swamps and confusion of Neptune and the safe slog of Capricorn - retrogrades back to the comfortable chains of the known. Better the devil you know (Saturn) than the devil you don't (Uranus).

What story of love is this? Mars discovers too late that his loved one has beaten a retreat, and must wait until March before Venus returns to the degree of desertion, at which time a reconciliation is in order via his sextile from his new abode in Aries. Sunsign astrologers are surely going to have a good time writing copy for the Venus-ruled (Taurus/Libra) and the Mars-ruled (Aries/Scorpio) in this long period. How many people in the world will dance this waltz in unknowing homage to these celestial lovers? (And if you have a story - I would really like to receive it for inclusion in the Journal).

China has, coincidentally, the Moon at 3 degrees Aquarius (where Venus turns tail), and the Ascendant at 5.57 Aquarius, where Mars goes on to conjoin Uranus on 27th December. Interesting, right? If I remember rightly - and the memory isn't what it used to be - the last time Mars conjoined Uranus (in January 1996, just as Uranus was changing sign), China started testing rockets in the narrow straits between Taiwan and the mainland, as a subtle(?) signal to prevent thoughts of constitutional independence in Taiwan. We can expect China to have made some heavy noises this time too. (You'll know by now, but this is written mid-November). Of course, this conjunction could trigger economic upheaval - especially because the November New Moon conjoins Pluto and falls on the Midheaven in Tokyo. Generally speaking it seems that the protracted Mars/Venus conjunction has been giving the economy a shaky ride, and that the square to Saturn in November saw strenuous efforts to contain market jitters. Should be fun, then, with the Mars/Uranus. Venus tells a story of being safe (Capricorn) and sorry (conjunction Neptune 3 times, sob). Mars shows that risks pay. End of that affair.

The New Moon/Pluto was perilously near that nasty degree of flight, which might not bode well for the Mars/Uranus. If I was a female American astronaut on Mir, I would return to Earth (Capricorn) with that retrograde Venus, and let the male risk-takers do the space-walks. It's obvious Mars wants to be on Mir, anyway. Or dropping bombs.

Keep your eyes on the skies in 1998, and have a good year. The big event to watch is the change of sign of Saturn and Neptune, with Saturn in Taurus (money, resources) squaring Neptune which is in Aquarius for the first time in 150 years. This will almost certainly signal a tightening of credit as the square forms, first on 25th June, then on 1st November (but this time with Neptune back at 29.30 Capricorn) and finally on 6th April 1999. I think we can all expect social discontent, as the economy tightens to accommodate the transition to the single European currency, which is after all what 1999 is all about. As Neptune hovers on the border, we will witness the transition from business concerns (Capricorn), to social concerns (Aquarius), and those with the finger on the pulse would do well to tone down personal ambition and go for the collective dream. Whilst Saturn, hovering between Aries and Taurus, will find impetuous initiative giving way to economic reality. And while it looks bleak for Dow Jones, it's no doubt good for the spirit.

That's enough planetary motion for this editorial. Please remember that the quality of your Journal is completely dependent on the quality of the material submitted. Please send your articles, letters and reviews in, but follow the these golden rules, which Roger Elliot as erstwhile guest editor came up with:

• Remember you are writing for astrologers, not philosophers. Keep to astrological subject matter and avoid the highbrow. (I have a lot of potted philosophy articles!)
• Write with style ... no point in spoiling a good article with poor expression.
• If the article is technical, make clear diagrams, and consider if all the information is necessary for the reader. (The reader doesn't want to slog through reams of figures.)
• Write to length. Maximum words 4500, preferably a lot less. Pithy two-page articles are at a premium.
• Write so that everyone can understand. Ideally all articles should be able to be fitted in to the Student Section.
• And some practical golden rules from me:
• If you've written on a computer send the disc as well as the print-out! (A 31/2 disk please)
• Send a print-out of the horoscope along with data. And don't forget your source!
• If you have Email, use it! Attach your article as a file with your Email.
• Do not format your article at all on disk. Send either as Word files, ASCII or Text files. (i.e. Save the article specifically as a text file as in "article.txt")
• If you don't have a computer, not to worry, if the material is good, it will be written in.