Jenni Harte covers the forthcoming headlines: the G8 Summit, Africa, Michael Jackson, Prince Albert of Monaco, Myanmar and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Ky, the long-delayed Mississipi KKK trial and more.
Brave New World? There’s lots of opportunity. Poor nations relieved of massive debt, Baby Boomers (and India and Pakistan) headed for 2nd Saturn returns-it’s a huge marker for the entire planet and people power working better than ever.
The New Moon at 15 Cancer on 6 July continues last months Full Moon aspects, Mars particularly was the focal point in a wide square to the Full Moon as well as the Sun. And the aspect repeats but the 6 July square is much closer. And Mars is just moving out from a trine to Venus conjunct Mercury in Leo. Jupiter in direct motion in Libra, presents opportunities for relationships of all kinds, however the primary theme is country, home and family, underpinned by Saturn in the final degree of Cancer.
The Full Moon on 21 July is the second in Capricorn, the first exactly a month before. And Mars is still square. Seems that the Cancer/Capricorn, home/work balance continues in the spotlight. Success looks dependent on activating Mars before it leaves Aries and what changes have been made during the past month, a critical time for all.
Saturn enters Leo on 16 July and that’s bound spark off two years of a whole lotta baby-boomer activity…and why not, we’re (the BBs) comin up to our second Saturn return. Bear in mind please that the first baby boomers were born after the end of WW2, if daddy wasn’t home, boomers weren’t conceived. So while I know the boomers includes other Saturn positions, it’s my belief that the Saturn in Leo generation were the first to lead the way towards truly modern lives. Suddenly (well, it seems sudden to me) we’re officially grownups getting ready to retire-according to more antiquated views of life-but with Saturn in Leo, I don’t think many of us will go quietly (NON, NON, NON!), in fact, I expect we’ll be hearing about the amazing new feats the BBs are getting up to. We’ve been called the 'ME' generation…well, get ready for more of that as we continue to redefine growing old (old, hey, I don’t DO old!). Referring to the above lunations, individuals are faced with the dilemma of living to work or working to live and the BBs (well those I know) are definitely pursuing the latter.
COSMIC HEADLINE PREVIEW: Mars enters Taurus, 27 July, six months. What we observe during it's speedy passage in the early weeks of August will bookmark itself for review from the last day of November until Mars stations direct at 8 Taurus 14 on 10 December. Not so incidentally, Mars stations Rx on 1 October at 23 Taurus, the sign and degree of the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction in May 2000. No doubt about it, finances and security issues will be centre stage for the rest of the year and into 2006 when it returns to 23 Taurus in early February. By that time the opening Jupiter Saturn square will have taken place, more of which next issue.
Eclipse Prone Africa: This is probably the most discussed continent in the last 50 years. Huge, complex and troubled and the enormous sub-Saharan region has been particularly buffeted by eclipses for several years. The decision by the G8 to cancel somewhere between 40 and 55 billion dollars of debt to struggling nations there signals both opportunities and a crisis. The potential for economic growth and development in some of the poorest countries in the world is the greatest opportunity in the 21st century. Several African countries are continually under eclipse paths from June 2001 through March 2006 (and beyond): Angola, South Africa, Namibia, Zaire, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Tanzania, Mozambique, Nigeria, Gabon, Congo. Things change somewhat from October 2005 to March 2006 when the paths begin to swing north picking up Libya, Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon, Sudan, Algeria and other points. Any and all of these countries are worth looking at-get out your Book of World Horoscopes.
The eclipse 8 April 2005 over southern Central America and northern South America have also shaken the status quo more recently. Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador especially, and a bit further along, Cuba too, are all in the midst of big changes. Having won independence from the Old World, during the 20th century, America supported numerous dictators in the area. The indigenous population is fed up and wants to take back control of it’s land, foreign policy, trade and, not insignificantly, drugs and oil and there are interdependencies, including common political interests, between these countries that look like demolishing 50 years of American dominance. We’ll stay tuned.
Elsewhere: The G8 Summit Meeting at Gleneagles, outside Edinburgh will dominate headlines around the world, not least because of the expected gathering of thousands of protesters who will be making quite a lot of noise in a effort continue the pressure on the G8 members to continue their efforts to reduce debt of some of the poorest countries, deal with Aids and come up with a plan to reduce global warming-not much on the agenda then. The New Moon on 6 July opens the meeting and the astrological possibilities for increased global cooperation, establishment of new relationships-and changing existing ones for the better-are potent. The UK, hosting the meeting has made a tremendous effort already, PM Tony Blair and especially Gordon Brown the Chancellor, to get agreement from the biggest industrial nations in the world to help lift indebted countries out of poverty. Tony’s a Taurus and as Mars crosses back and forth over his Sun at 16 degrees, he’ll be very feisty, in his last term as Prime Minister he’s determined to leave his mark. G8 Meeting 6-8 July 2005. Gleneagles, Scotland, (56N18, 3W43).
Michael Jackson acquitted of all 10 felony counts. The jury began deliberations on Friday 3 June-just as Venus left tell-tale Gemini and the Moon entered sturdy Taurus-and came to their decision Monday morning 13 June. The judge finished reading the verdict, acquitting Jackson of all 10 felony counts as the Moon sailed across the top of Jackson’s chart, where he’s got quite a pile up of planets, and by the time the final verdict was read it had reached and passed his Sun at 6 Virgo. He’s been in shock, Uranus is transiting his Moon having already opposed his Sun at 6 Virgo and Pluto at 2 Virgo. The unexpected? Too right.
Michael Jackson: 29 August 1958, 12.09 EST, Gary, Indiana, (41N36, 87W20). Asc, 15 Scorpio. Data: Rodden. Verdict read: 13 June 2005, 14.10 PDT, Santa Maria, California, (34N57, 120W26). Asc, 8 Libra (with tr Jupiter rising) .Data: Internet, everywhere.
Prince Albert of Monaco is apparently NOT gay, in fact earlier this year came the third claim (so far) that he’s actually an experienced baby-maker. I don’t know whether the current claim by Nicole Coste, the mother, that the Prince is the father of her child Alexandre, is true but there seems to be evidence (even, she says, a birth certificate signed by the Prince-now gone missing-the BC not the Prince) that suggests it could be. Yeah, well it’s definitely a Pluto thing, tr Pluto’s been squaring his natal Sun on and off for a while now. If you believe that there are astro-markers for parents and their children (almost always the case), the contacts between Alexandre and Albert’s charts are startling. Remember the recent transiting Mars Uranus conjunction in Pisces? Yeah, well, little Alexandre’s got one of those- Mars 6 Pisces, Uranus 1 Pisces-and the news report came just about the time of Mars’ first return visit to Uranus since he was born. Check this out…the Prince has natal Pluto at 0 Virgo 32, exactly conjunct Alex’s Sun and opposite Alex’s natal Uranus. Alex’s Mars Uranus is trine the Prince’s
Jupiter/Node/Neptune conjunction in the 5th! Nice one! Don’t have the date that Nicole and the Prince were ‘together’ in December 2002 (celebrating her 31st birthday-when’s THAT?), when she got pregnant, but on 1 December 2002 the prince was in the throes of tr Saturn opposing natal Saturn and tr Mercury was exactly conjunct tr Pluto at 18 Sag. Alex has got natal Pluto at that exact position and Mercury opposing the Prince’s Sun. There’s more but I’ll leave it to you if you’re interested.
Alexandre Costa: 24 August 2003 (time unknown), Paris, France, 48 N 52, 02 E 20. Data: Paris Match Magazine. Prince Albert: 14 March 1958, 10:50 AM, Monte Carlo, Monaco, 43 N 45, 07 E 25. Asc, 22 Gemini. Data: Monaco’s official website. By the way, the Prince will be invested as His Serene Highness on 12 July, following the end of the official mourning period for his father Prince Rainier III who died 6 April 2005. This is Monaco’s first investiture for more than 50 years, hence, a Chiron return for Monaco and the Grimaldi family.
Mississippi Return: When I graduated from high school in New Jersey in 1964, the US was deeply divided along racial lines. The Mississippi Freedom Riders (they travelled in a coach) were civil rights workers, mainly young people from 'up north,' who went to the south to assist black voters to register. Amongst them were James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, who disappeared and were found 44 days later, beaten and shot dead. In 1967, Edgar Ray Killen was tried, with 17 others, on federal charges of violating civil rights. Seven were convicted but not Killen, then 38 and an ordained Baptist minister. This case has gone on unresolved for 40 years but Killen is finally being tried. The victims were arrested on 21 June 1964 on a bogus traffic violation and jailed but released 'shortly after dark'. Members of the Ku Klux Klan were waiting, notified by Deputy Sheriff Price, and the civil rights workers were not seen alive again. The trial began 13 June 2005 closely following a Uranus opposition to Uranus in 1964 and as the trial opened, the tr Moon was exactly conjunct that Uranus.
Freedom Riders killed: 21 June 1964, 9pm (??-not long after dark), Philadelphia, Mississippi, 32 N 46, 89 W 07, Asc 1 Aquarius. Trial began: 13 June 2005, 9am (??), Philadelphia, Mississippi.
SORRY! Co-incidentally, on the same day that the KKK man’s trial began, the US Senate formally apologised for it’s failure to enact anti-lynching laws. Nearly 5000 people were lynched (mostly innocent black men) in the US beteween 1882 to 1968! Decades after turning down requests for a Senate apology, it’s happened. Think on this, those young freedom riders could have been lynched in 1964, not just beaten and shot dead (and I could have been one of them!). Lynching went on in the southern US at the same time as the British Rock invasion of America and men landing on the moon! On 13 June, tr Sun was conjunct US Mars, tr Mars was exactly conjunct US IC, tr North Node was exactly conjunct US Chiron, and tr Mercury was conjunct US Venus and Jupiter! Plenty more but who needs more? I use the Sag rising chart for the US: 4 July 1776, 5.10pm, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 39 N 57, 75 W 10. Asc 12 Sag 21.
Burma, (aka Myanmar), has been keeping Aung San Suu Kyi, a democratically elected leader, under house arrest on and off (mostly on) for many years. The most recent incarceration has been for about 2 years. But there’s now significant, if belated, pressure from around the world to release the Nobel Prize winner. The military has ruled Burma since 1962 but now several high placed officials are on trial for corruption-which doesn’t necessarily mean things would change very much, but it’s an opportunity. European trading partners have, thus far, dragged their feet for years about imposing sanctions. Dramatic political developments may follow a combined effort from students, pro-democracy groups and various ethnic rebel groups in May 2005 when a series of bomb blasts in Rangoon killed dozens and wounded hundreds.
There is building pressure from within and outside of the country to release Aung Suu Kyi, a hero to Burmese. A comparison of her natal chart and Burma’s is revealing. Both Burma and Aung have natal Moon in mid Libra, conjunct Neptune and she is the clearly acknowledged heart and voice of the Burmese population. Her natal Sun is conjunct Burma’s Uranus, her life is completely dedicated to revolution and restoration of a true democratic government. Aung’s Uranus, trine her own Moon and Burma’s, sits on Burma’s descendent, she will not ever change her position until real change takes place. Her Jupiter in Virgo is conjunct Burma’s MC, she has never held back her beliefs and opinions, and again, is seen as the voice of the country. Current transits to the Burmese chart suggest that the Summer Solstice 21 June 2005, will trigger her Mercury at 1 Cancer 33, her message of peace and freedom will be widespread, the world press is watching. The New Moon 6 July at 15 Cancer crosses Burma’s natal Neptune, then natal Moon, it also opposes Burma’s tight Sun Mercury conjunction at 13 Cancer in the 2nd, international economics will definitely play a part in the coming months and may be enough to guarantee Aung’s freedom, tr Mars is conjunct the North Node in Aries, exactly opposing Burma’s natal Moon. Activities and agreements at the G8 meeting may at last bring an end to her house arrest. International protests, in time for her birthday, include 6000 birthday cards delivered to the Burmese embassy in Washington, the band REM is supporting protests (good on 'em), and protests at Burmese embassies around the world are scheduled.
Burma: 4 January 1948, 4.20am (NST -6.30), Rangoon, Burma, 16 N 47, 96 E 10. Aung San Suu Kyi: 19 June 1945, time unknown, Rangoon. Data: internet.