China coming to Europe’s rescue, but at a price…

Thirty years ago China was on it’s knees, a 3rd world country run by a communist dictatorship (in truth not much as changed there) battling population growth and world isolation. Now China is an economic superpower, driving the world economy and the one beacon of hope for the European Union which is on the brink of total collapse as the Greek Debt crisis grinds on to a inevitable conclusion. It prompted me to look at the relationship between the two, and I found some surprising planetary placements.

 

Above you will see two charts. The first is the relationship from the European perspective, the second is from the Chinese perspective. From looking at both sides of the coin, you can see the pressures and who helps who and where. You will notice from the charts that the European Venus, the finance planet sits in conjunction to the Chinese South Node. If this was a personal relationship, the Venus person would come to the South Node person offering favours and incentives so that a relationship (Venus) could start. That is exactly what is happening now. Also notice that the Chinese Jupiter, is conjunct the natal Neptune/Uranus conjunction in Capricorn. Neptune/Uranus is very unstable and has one’s head in the clouds, and in a business sense in Capricorn is disastrous. If you look at the house placements here, the European Uranus/Neptune sits in the Chinese house of suffering and serving. The relationship is simple, when Europe suffers (Neptune) through instability (Uranus), it looks to Chinese generosity (Jupiter) to bail them out. We also find the EU’s Jupiter and Venus (the Union’s wealth) sitting in the Chinese 8th house, the house of investment and major financial relations.

Even more interestingly look at the Chinese Mars and Pluto, (both these charts amazingly started at a conjunction between Mars & Pluto indication incredible power), clamped around the EU Leo Ascendant, there is no doubt where the control lies in this relationship, China holds all the cards. The EU Mars Pluto sits in the Chinese 9th house very close to the Chinese Midheaven, so a lot of Europe’s power is dependant on long distance trade with it’s Chinese partner and this of course boosts the Chinese profile. With the Chinese Saturn sitting in the European 2nd house, China’s ambition is dependant on providing Europe money. The European Saturn sits in China’s first house, showing that Europe’s ambition and growth will be dependant on China, as long as the European Union stays together.

This relationship looks very much one way. China’s North Node sits in the Euro 9th house, so her destiny is to extend her tentacles by supplying goods and tourists to the European Union. Europe’s North Node sits in the Chinese 10th house, subservient to the whims of the Chinese leadership and ambitions. As Europe comes cap in hand, the scary thought is that they will forever be in China’s debt.

Greek Debt Crisis – Papandreou throws a spanner in the works in asking for a referendum on aid package.

Oh dear. All the European ministers worked so hard last week to thrash out a new aid package for Greece, and just one week later, the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has decided to hold a referendum to ask the people of the embattled nation if they should adopt the package. On this news the European Markets have gone into a tailspin, losing 4-5% immediately on the news.

This new development comes as transiting Saturn moving through the Greek 4th house is approaching the Greek natal Uranus, as well as making a square to the Greek natal Moon. Look at the signs associated with these 3 planets of and the placement in the chart and the picture becomes clear. Saturn square to the Moon shows the government (Saturn) asking the people (Moon) about the future of the whole country ( Cancer Ascendant associated with the Moon). The Saturn Uranus conjunction shows through Aquarius (Uranus’ sign) the nature of this question. Aquarius sits on the cusp of the 8th house of other people’s money, in this case other country’s money and also is on the cusp of the 9th house of law-making, hence the referendum. Saturn’s sign Capricorn sits on the cusp of the 7th house, the house of relationships with other countries showing the tough stance being taken by the Greeks.

This is not the end of a troubling period for the Greeks. There will be a confidence vote in the Government at the end of the week (Neptune opposite Mars); Pisces and Aries the ruling signs both affect the Midheaven and 10th house of the way the country is run (not very well) and the people at the top. We also have transiting Aries approaching an opposition with natal Moon/Pluto next year, which does feel very revolutionary and hints at the people taking things into their own hands as well as transiting Pluto which has been opposite Venus, the money planet ploughing ahead to eventually the Greek Saturn conjunct the Ascendant. This aspect could transform the rulership and direction of the whole country. Hold onto your hats in the next two years in Athens, it is going to be a very bumpy ride…             

**** Update 1st Nov 11 @ 15.00 hrs ****

Things moving very fast in Greece as Papandreou’s party immediately started to rebel (Uranus) against their leader (Saturn). Not surprised about this at all as Uranus is all about moving on to things new and overthrowing establishment ideas. Don’t think a change of leader just yet as natal Neptune which rules the Pisces Midheaven is not being affected by any current planetary action. Watch this space though as transiting Mars squares natal Neptune around 26th/27th November. Could be fireworks at the top of Greek politics.

Eclipse Watch – An upcoming look at the next solar eclipse on 25th November 2011

I have always been fascinated by eclipses, maybe because I am closely associated with the Sun being a Sun sign Leo by birth. The Solaris name I use came to me on the day of a solar eclipse, and the effects of them and the ramifications of the totality point is something I study with great interest. The last eclipse of 1st July caused havoc for many across the world and as I have mentioned on this blog, the effects of that cardinal cross eclipse are still being felt.

I look at eclipses in a certain way. I look at the degree points of all the planets at the exact moment of the new Moon created, as if they burn a line on the horoscope chart. I believe that those points become highly sensitised, especially to transiting planets in the future. With regard to the last eclipse we still have one major hurdle to cross. As Pluto was retrograde at the time of the last eclipse, it has yet to get back to the point of 6 degrees 7 minutes where it was sitting on 1st July. It gets there just 2 days after the next eclipse of 25th November. Trust me, the end of November is going to be a very tricky time. Something big and noteworthy could well happen.

Ok let’s look at the astro weather for 25th November 11. We have a mutual eclipse this time around with the eclipse point at 2 degrees 36 in Sagittarius. This eclipse according to Bernadette Brady (the guru of astrological eclipse watchers) is part of the Saros Series 14N, one she says is quite unusual highlighting times of confusion in relationships, unexpected happenings in financial affairs and bring the possibility of possible illness. She says a lot of confusion will follow after this eclipse, potential despair, and peculiar events may happen.

The chart for the eclipse shows the New Moon in Sagittarius, so issues around Jupiter will be in focus. These are over expansion, wisdom, knowledge, education, religion, law and possibly long distance travel. The chart’s main feature is a grand earth trine which does feature Jupiter in Taurus. The other points of this trine include Mars and a conjunction of Venus and Pluto (Pluto is in earth in Capricorn and Venus is just in Sagittarius a mutual sign). The main theme of this chart I believe is money control, and changes in relationships. The Venus Pluto conjunction shows constriction of money and action (Mars) to cut the overexpansion and wastage (Jupiter). We already know that in the US as a result of the budget deal in August, a pan Democratic/Republican committee is to decide on cuts and where to swing the axe. In the UK we will have public sector strikes planned for 5 days after the eclipse against the cuts in pensions. Venus as well as finance rules relationships, and the influence of Pluto may affect them acutely, making and breaking. As Jupiter is highlighted, we may see international treaties or agreements coming about. Then again, potential treaties may be blocked because of the influence of Pluto. That Venus Pluto is square to Uranus, this Pluto Uranus square will keep on for another 3 years so expect the protests against the financial world and big business like in Wall Street to intensify yet more. One other possibility to consider. Underground religious sects may be formed around now, ones which in times to come may become more prevalent. Pluto conjunct Venus shows underground social movements, and the link to Mars and Jupiter show possible beginnings in faith based groups.

The eclipse point is square to Neptune and Mars. Is this a hint towards collective action? Neptune if anything is left wing, more socialist than capitalist. Is the world going to move towards more socially based policies on the back of this eclipse? Are the protests of mobs and collective groups going to force the hands of the leaders of the world? Uranus is also trine the eclipse point, so in the next 6 months while this eclipse is in action, I can see more change, progression and people continuing to taking things into their own hands, as in Libya. On a financial sense, there is another hint to change. We have a mini grand trine formed by a Neptune/Saturn trine with Venus at the point. I wonder if the capitalist system that we know now including banking is going to be tweaked with more emphasis on protecting the general population. With Mars, Jupiter (through a nasty inconjunct aspect), Uranus & Neptune directly connecting with this eclipse in Sagittarius, I get the feeling that we will see quite a few unusual, unexplained disasters and accidents, especially long distance travel based, maybe by ship or by plane.

Finally, I always look to see if any malefic planets are currently retrograde and will thus pass over the eclipse degree in the future. This often brings date to watch out for, times when unfortunate events may occur. Immediately we notice that Uranus is retrograde. Uranus will revisit it’s eclipse degree at Xmas 2011. This is relevant as after the last eclipse on 1st July, as Uranus hit it’s eclipse degree, the Norway tragedy happened. Something similar could happen, a shocking disaster that will reverberate around the world.

Ok, does this eclipse hit any countries directly. The effect of an eclipse on the US is always difficult to pinpoint, as we do not the official birth time of the country. I favour either a Sagittarius or Scorpio ascendant, in this case, the eclipse hits in either the 1st (Scorpio Ascendant) the overall prosperity of the nation or the 12th (Sagittarius Ascendant) in the house of hidden enemies, welfare state, institutions like hospitals and prisons and those in need and suffering.

In the UK, the eclipse hits in the 2nd house so money and financial issues will tend to suffer, no surprise there then. The eclipse is also almost exactly square to Pluto. The financial squeeze is really going to hurt. As a side issue to the UK, the eclipse hits the natal Scottish Sun (25th Nov 1034). Might the issue of independence really start to hit home at this time? Pluto will be opposite the UK Midheaven very soon and conjunct the Scottish natal Mars. I can see action being taken to force the issue.

In Russia, the eclipse hits in the 4th house, the house of the land and the workers. Natal Pluto is almost on the Russian North Node also in the 4th opposite to natal Pluto in the 10th house of those in charge. As I mentioned earlier, this eclipse may see the rise of the political left. Is this the rise of communism again in Russia, taking tighter control of the state? This is a regenerative influence, and the likelihood of Putin re-taking control of the Presidency which seems a dead certainty, may well herald a return to the bad old days of socialist leadership.

With Israel, the eclipse hits in the 2nd house like in the UK, so financial and issues of national wealth are going to be under pressure. Natal Saturn lands within 2 degrees of the Israeli ascendant and exactly square to the Midheaven so I see a change at the top, precipitated by protest. The Palestine chart finds the eclipse in the 3rd house of local issues, transport, the press, internet as well as neighbouring nations and it is trine to natal Mars which is being hit by transiting Uranus. That Uranus also squares to natal Saturn (exact) and is square to it’s own position. I get the feeling that relations between Israel and the Palestinians are going to get soured and violent, possibly as the hope of a Palestinian state is crushed by opposition of other nations, especially the US.

Greece has been in the news recently so how does the eclipse affect the Greeks? The eclipse hits in the 5th house of entertainment and pleasure. Sport is also found here as are children and social functions. Are these going to be curbed, limited and affected due to the continuing financial pressure? The eclipse is trine to the natal Sun and sextile to the Moon Pluto conjunction. it appears to me that  Greek society as a whole is going to remain rather depressed and constricted, for the time being at least.

The European Union may well benefit from this eclipse. The eclipse hits very close to the North Node in the 4th house. Here is a new energy to push forward and bring new initiatives. Mars squares the nodal axis and trines the European Midheaven, so action should be taken to make the union work better, Mars will be in the first house at the time giving the European leaders plenty of initiative. The only thing is, will Europe be able under the complicated structure that it is be able to grab these new chances to restructure and renew what is necessary to change?  

If you want to know about any other specific country and how I see things fairing there, please email me and I will add to this post if I can track down the country’s natal chart.

Eclipses also affect everyone personally of course. If you want to know how the next coming eclipse will affect you, and you have all your birth details (name, date of birth and time of birth) then please click on the link below which will take you to a page where you can order a special eclipse report. I will look at the transits of 25th November against your chart and suggest the best course of action for you over the following 6 months.

To get your own eclipse report click on the link here - Your Personal Eclipse Report

The Euro – Update on Europe’s financial crisis.

Just a quick update on the fate of the Euro which I first wrote about on 11th July  - (Europe's Debt Crisis). At the time I didn’t pay any attention to the transiting Nodal Axis, however with panic starting to spread, it is time to see how they are having an effect on the European Currency. If you wish to see the Euro’s natal chart click the following link - Euro Currency


The whole problem stems from the Greek economy going into free fall - Greece's financial woe. In June, I reckoned that Greece would officially go bankrupt in November/December 2011, and I still stand by that timing. Interestingly when looking at the transiting Nodes against the Euro, there seems to be a close correlation between the two. Currently the transiting North Node is approaching a conjunction with natal Pluto. This is a critical time where major changes that have been in the pipeline, or things that have been put off for a while have to be activated. These are large undertakings, transformative ones. These changes with the Euro will be started in November 2011 when the conjunction takes place. Just before this, the transiting Nodal axis will square natal Mars. Will the ideas and solutions that come out of this crisis be over hasty?
The Nodes move clockwise around the chart, so the next contact with a natal planet will happen at the start of March 2012 when the South Node connects with natal Saturn. This is bad news and shows considerable weakness in the currency. I see this as the pre-cursor to transiting Pluto connecting with the Euro’s Sun in 2013, heralding the beginning of the end for the Euro as we know it.

Italy – Mamma Mia! Yet another European country is due to default on it’s debt.

As the European Union lurches from one crisis to the next, the biggest casualty so far looms ever larger on the radar screen. Italy, the third largest economy using the Euro, the 10th largest in the world is seriously in danger of defaulting on it’s debt payments. As it stands Italy’s debt stands at a whopping 130% of GDP. Not much chance of turning that around in the next few weeks, is there? If Italy defaults, this will place huge pressure on France and Germany who will have to carry the majority of the burden, if that is, they decide to do so.

Italy’s chart problems are very obvious if you look at the natal chart. The chart was formed on 2nd July 1871 in Rome at 12.30pm. It features a very strong cardinal t-square with the Sun and Jupiter (the planet of knowledge, wisdom and faith) in close conjunction. Both are in maternal Cancer in the sign of the family. What more appropriate symbol of traditional Italy? That the family is taken so seriously can also be seen with Capricorn on the cusp of the 4th house. That conjunction opposes stern Saturn  in Capricorn alongside the emotional Moon  (representing the people) in the 3rd house of communication and the press. Here in the opposition we see the influence of strong conservative faith Saturn opposite Jupiter (the planet of religion) in the 9th house, and also in Jupiter opposite the Moon we see the extravagant emotions of the Italian people. This opposition squares Mars conjunct the ascendant. All this emotion, faith, and communication is done with flair and panache. This is a feisty country, passionate and often in crisis.

Uranus in the house of government show the Italian tradition for rebelling against an administration as soon as it has taken it place in Rome, Italian politics are always in a state of flux. With a square from Uranus to Neptune, you can see that corruption and dirty dealing is inbuilt into the Italian system. This Neptune also trines to Venus in the 11th house giving the country and the people a sense of style and a love of beauty and fashion. With Aquarius on the cusp of the 5th house, this creativity is cutting edge, fresh and unusual. Venus makes a square to Pluto in the 8th house showing a real passion for sport, culture and entertainment. This also probably accounts for the liberal & rather sexual attitude to the treatment of women; where else in the world would you get an ex porn star being elected to Parliament? Pluto in the 8th house also gives a clue to what is going on right now. Pluto represents change, constraint, death, destruction and regeneration and the 8th house in mundane (national) astrology is associated with other country’s finance. Scorpio ruled by Pluto sits on the 2nd house of the Italian money and finance supply, so safe to assume that any difficult transits from Pluto or to Pluto would hit Italy financially and Pluto sextiles the Midheaven too, the public face and reputation of the country will be severely affected.

Now, the Italian Saturn (part of this hugely stressful t-square sits at 6 Capricorn, the Moon lies at 8 Capricorn, Jupiter at 8 Cancer, Mars at 7 Libra, the Sun at 10 Cancer and a little further on the ascendant at 13 Libra. All these planets lie at early cardinal degrees and all are at the mercy of transiting Pluto which is gearing up to hit this 7-10 cardinal degree zone in late 2011, through 2012 and into 2013. Pluto is ruthless and will completely shake up the whole Italian economy. This is a transformation on a huge level coming up, and the debt crisis is only going to be the start. The beginning will of this will be as Saturn crosses the Italian ascendant in the middle of this month. Italy has come under greater and greater scrutiny in the past couple of weeks as Saturn has been approaching this point, and in the process activating the natal t-square. Watch out for the default notice to be served on Italy then. The process of Italy’s European partners bailing her out will start as Jupiter enters the 8th house (the other people’s finance coming to the rescue). Behind this generosity, the pain that the Italian economy will have to go through to reform and to repay back the money owed is going to be huge. In simple terms, Saturn is bringing the fear, Jupiter the temporary relief, but Pluto will bring the long lasting change.

As Europe struggles with the mounting debt crisis, will the Euro collapse under the pressure?

I’ve looked at both Greece and Ireland in previous months and the problems their debts are causing, and the spectre of Portugal defaulting their debts, even Spain and Italy possibly in the future is building up pressure on the Euro currency. It stands to reason that Germany and France, who are shouldering the burden of propping up their weaker neighbours are at some point going to say “non, nein, no more”, unless these countries find a solution to paying their own way and not relying on others. Trying to get everyone into a “one size fits all club” was never going to be easy, was it?

The Euro as a currency was born on midnight Jan 1st 2002 in Brussels, Belgium. There was great fanfare I remember with fireworks going off in Brussels to celebrate, however from an astrological point of view one would have immediately noticed a most overly optimistic chart with very stressful undertones. Those stresses are now starting to come firmly into view. On the chart we have a Sun/Venus conjunction in Capricorn opposite Jupiter in Cancer. Sun Venus is optimistic and ambitious and Jupiter in Cancer is inclusive, making everyone feel welcome and comfortable. This is a huge feeling of goodwill about this aspect. Yet Jupiter is retrograde and somewhat inwards looking. Were the celebrations felt more deeply within those who created the project than the population of Europe who were going to use the currency – was this a currency to satisfy the needs of the bureaucrats rather than that of the public? The security nature of Jupiter in Cancer seems to suggest that it was an “in-house” creation. Jupiter trines to Mars in Pisces which smacks of “over-confidence”, not worrying about the details, blithely going ahead and not being able to see potential pitfalls along the road. Mercury is quindecile to Jupiter suggesting that biased overblown ideas were behind the creation of the Euro. Idealism was present, idealism that the Euro was a huge step on the way to creating the United States of Europe. The Moon sits in proud showy Leo in the 10th house, this is the centrepiece of the whole grand project.

Below all these big aims and lofty ideals were stresses and strains on the chart. The Moon is subject to two oppositions from Mercury and from subversive Neptune and is at the point of a very stressful Thor’s Hammer formation, with a controlling heavyweight Pluto/Mars square at the base. A Pluto Mars square hints at great control and secrecy with veiled intentions. It also shows of internal power struggles and fights for ascendancy. As I see it, when the pressure is on and this aspect is activated by transit, or when one of the elements of the square (Mars or Pluto) makes a stressful connection by transit of progression themselves somewhere on the chart, then there must be a creative resolution of the problem through the apex planet, otherwise the result could be wholly destructive. That fact that the apex planet Moon is in fixed Leo means that a creative solution may not be so easily implemented. The fact that both Neptune and Mercury oppose the Moon suggests that some sticking plaster solution may be tried, trying to keep emotion down by misinforming (Neptune/Mercury) and giving out optimistic signs (Jupiter) that everything is alright and all the partners of the Euro are in agreement, whereas behind the scenes there is a fierce battle going on (Moon/Pluto) in how to proceed and keep the Euro stable. At the moment, Ireland has had one bail-out and Greece two keeping the markets at bay and keeping the Euro steady, however how long can this last?

There are a couple of aspects I have yet to touch upon. Uranus is peregrine in Aquarius showing that this was a social project which in truth was a bit of a creative gamble, Uranus is reckless by nature. It is sitting in the 5th house of speculation, and with all bets there are two outcomes, you can win or lose. You can’t sit on the fence. Saturn trine to Neptune is interesting as this is very conservative, you cling on rigidly to your beliefs. Those who created the Euro will fight tooth and nail to preserve it, until it is too late, that is. Then of course, Neptune being the stronger planet (the slower moving of the two will always prevail) will start to disintegrate all that belief causing confusion and ultimately a shift in strategy. That shift in strategy is also highlighted by a very stressful Saturn/Pluto opposition. Saturn and Pluto can show huge success when well aspected, but when confronted by pressure it is a combination that can completely destruct. Remember when the Euro had lift off, for the first few years of it’s existence the Euro surged ahead in value against all currencies. Now that the financial problems of Europe are coming to light, how long is it before the markets see the currency as hugely overrated? There is a ticking time bomb waiting to go off on this chart. Pluto destroys before things are rebuilt (Saturn).

The horoscope of the Euro suggests to me the scenario of a beautiful house built in an earthquake zone. At the moment we have the tremors going on shaking the house, but the foundations (the Pluto/Mars square, the Neptune/Saturn trine and the Saturn/Pluto opposition) are holding firm. The only thing is the big one is on it’s way and when it hits, the whole house may come crashing down.

So when is this time bomb going to go off? Well this bomb has a long slow fuse. Pluto, part of that stressful Saturn/Pluto opposition is approaching the nadir (bottom) of the Euro chart, by Solar Arc progression. At the same time by transit it is approaching a conjunction with the Euro’s natal Sun. Pluto has already made contact with the natal Venus at 7 degrees Capricorn and will return to hit exactly in January and finally in November next year. This connection is already starting to send shockwaves through the European community (Venus has social connotations). In 2013 as I see it, the deconstruction of the Euro will begin. Transiting Pluto hits the natal Sun 3 times through out 2013 making final exact contact in December of that year but the effects will continue for a year or two afterwards. In 2013, transiting Uranus will also be making a square to the natal Sun. Remember Pluto destroys so that new growth can begin and Uranus will add shock value. Uranus hits from the 7th house, so will the relationships (7th house) between the European countries which host the Euro start to splinter?  Maybe the Euro will be dropped by some countries or it will mutate into a different form completely? One can only but speculate right now. At the same time Solar Arc Pluto will oppose the natal Midheaven and square the Natal Ascendant in the summer of 2015, although the effect will be start to be felt a year or two ahead. This is changing the public face of the currency, entering a new era, possibly the destruction of the old model to be replaced by something new; perhaps the currency will cease to be at all? In the autumn of 2014 Solar Arc Mars squares the Ascendant and Midheaven too, this sounds like decisive and forceful action being taken to change the face of the Euro & Saturn trines natal Uranus so radical progressive new ideas and structures will be forming. Change will come quickly at this time and not without pain. 

One thing I can categorically say is that in 4-5 years time, the Euro will have a different look or structure to it. The European Union will also being facing a crisis or three as well in late 2014 as transiting Saturn connects with the European Pluto/Mars conjunction in Scorpio – now that’s an explosive connection to look forward to, which has the potential for the European Union to explode completely!!

A topic I will return to at another time…