We’re still working our way through that Jupiter Saturn square, the echoes continue to bounce off walls, country boundaries, polar icecaps, even space. Seems to be no limit to the wit of mankind, or hubris…hmm, wonder if it’s anything to do with Jupiter square Neptune. Although the Saturn Neptune opposition doesn’t really ramp up until late summer and takes no prisoners through June 2007, Neptune opposite the August 1999 eclipse point has returned the focus to oil, AND gas and with Uranus and Neptune in mutual reception, surprises about electricity, too. Well, nobody was really surprised to find out we’re running out of them all AND water! Funny, technology isn’t looking much like a saviour around these matters, not yet anyway… Echoes, eh, kinda like science turned out not to be god, either, huh? Add a bit of spiritual crisis, hey, the fun never ends. Ultimately it’s all about power.

The 29 March eclipse at 9 Aries fell near Iran’s Sun at 11 Aries and spotlit their nuclear development programme. They want access to the same power that the west, and some not too distant neighbours, Pakistan for instance, already have. With a solar eclipse targeting a martial natal sun, they’re not about to quit their own pioneering efforts to establish a nuclear capability. The fear, of course, is Iran and the Bomb. Even talking about nuclear energy is guaranteed to upset someone, most likely those who already have an abundance of it, or ‘permission’ to use it. Then there’s the ‘rogue’ countries determined to develop their own nuclear power but without ‘permission,’ like N Korea. After Hiroshima, it’s easy to understand why this ‘permission’ was desirable but in truth, how can one country legitimately hold back a developing (or in this case, re-developing) nation. So, here’s the most simple but revealing aspect I could find in Iran’s chart that talks about the reality—uranium enrichment. Tr Jupiter has already been close to Iran’s natal Uranus in the 4th house, stationed Rx there and will station direct near the IC before it returns to make actual conjunction in October. There’s a Full Moon near Iran’s Sun in early October it’ll probably kick off again. This story is by no means over.

Iran: 1 April 1979, 15:00 (IRD -4.30, Tehran, 35 N 40, 51 E 26, Asc 17 Leo 17!

Peru’s recent presidential election may reflect the changing odds in Latin America. Rather than continuing US led destruction of it’s one sure-fire capital producing industry and reflecting other new Latin American leaders, there’s a determination not to lose coca. At least that was a campaign pledge from Ollanta Humala, one of the candidates. The election on 9 April was too close to call and goes to a run-off in May. Other Latin American countries have also been chucking out US dominated administrations. The China Post 17 April 2006 (Internet Edition) had this to say, ‘It seems there is a virus spreading through democratic countries, causing infected victims to suffer the consequences of perilously close elections.’ Meanwhile, the young people of Peru, from both financially well-off families and the poor, are tired of waiting for improvement and according to an article in the Financial Times online 14 April (FT.com), they’re eager to leave. Peru’s chart, as you can imagine, is alight with activity. Tr Saturn is suffocating natal Sun at 5 Leo (and a wide opposition from Chiron), going S/D just before the election. There was an exact opposition of tr Mars and tr Pluto on the day of the election with tr Pluto conjunct natal Uranus-0-Neptune. And a closing Pluto square—this country is OLD! More besides.

Peru: 28 July 1821, time unknown, BWH uses noon LMT.

Chad: Eclipse Path Drama: This central African country gets little press but it was directly under the 29 March eclipse and now the facts seem to be emerging. Chad is eclipse prone, 11 of its 14 provinces were flooded around the August 1999 solar eclipse, exactly conjunct Chad’s Sun on the IC. Chad, which began exporting oil in 2003 as tr Neptune closed in on its MC, had declared it would avoid collapsing into civil unrest (a classic result in the region) when it began exports. However, it has fallen into the familiar pattern of other African countries whose per capita income rises dramatically when exports begin but most of the money is siphoned off by a privileged few. Call a spade a shitshovel…it’s the curse of the black gold and things are getting uglier. Check solar arc and secondary progressions, President Idriss Deby has broken off relations with Sudan, and wants to close the borders exacerbating refugee problems. Chad has been politically unstable since independence natal Sun conjunct Uranus). Currently Solar Arc Moon 23 Taurus opposes progressed Moon on the desc.

Chad: 11 August 1960, 0:00 CET (-1) Fort Lamy, Chad, 12 N 07, 15 E 03. Asc 26 Taurus.

The United Nations General Assembly voted, last March, by huge majority to replace the existing Human Rights Commission, repeatedly criticised for it's membership composition; some member countries have awful human rights records and some of those were selected as chair! The Commission was also criticised for political posturing and finger-pointing with generous lashings of blame. Umm, yum. So, out with the old and in with the new Human Rights Council. See that Jupiter Saturn square playing out again?

The vote took place on 15 March 2006 (NYC) and after some serious sleuthing, I found a time…12:15 PM EST, from ‘Breaking News’ online version of The Jurist, Legal News & Research from the Univ of Pittsburgh, PA, where Jeannie Shaw writes, ‘The AP (Associated Press) is reporting that the UN General Assembly (official website) has just approved a resolution creating a new Human Rights Council.’ Thank you Jeannie (Genie?).

The old Human Rights Commission chart shows the Sun at 28 Aquarius opposite the Moon (time depending) and a Mercury/Venus conjunction at 2 Pisces also opposing the Moon. No doubt money and favours were distributed amongst the already well-off with another story for the poor? The Sun is trine Jupiter, exactly, and trine the North Node, exactly! The best intentions. But the Commission also has a Mars Saturn conjunction in Cancer, (like the UN 6 months before), square Neptune in Libra. Any positive action taken is easily dissolved and negative activity remains hidden. Now the Human Rights Council (the new HRC) will be dramatically changed but perhaps most interesting is the fact that on 9 May, the date of elections for membership, tr Venus opposes tr Moon and picks up the UN’s stellium in Libra, bigtime. This comes just a few days before the Full Moon 13 May. Tr Jupiter conjoins UN Mercury in Scorpio in the 7th house. Partnerships will be announced but things will not be what they seem. Saturn opp Chiron square Jupiter square Sun and Mercury and this transiting square picks up UN Pluto. We’ll be hearing a lot more about the difficulties that the new HRC has to cope with even before it’s first meeting in June.

United Nations: 24 October 1945, 16:45 EST (+5), Washington, DC, 38 N 53, 77 W 02. Data: BWH. Human Rights Commission: 16 February 1946, time unknown (I used noon). Data: UN website.

Human Rights Council created: 15 March 2006, 12:15 EST, NYC, NY, 40 N 45, 73 W 57. Asc 17 Cancer. Data: The Jurist online.

I was alerted to Dr Wafa Sultan’s broadcast on Al-Jezeerez by Helen Schnitzer but everyone has by now heard about her TV debate last February with a professor of religious studies, Dr al-Khouli, you have haven’t you? She was glorious. She commented: “...the clash we are witnessing around the world is NOT a clash between civilisations but between civilisation and backwardness, between barbarity and rationality”. She also said the clerics had misinterpreted the Koran and the cleric’s objections seemed entirely churlish and defensive. The broadcast is still viewable so you can HEAR it for yourself. I looked for transits to Islam’s chart. Islam has Jupiter at 7 Pisces 34 opposite Uranus 1 Virgo 17 and Neptune 5 Virgo 16. On the day of broadcast tr Sun was at 2 Pisces 3, tr Venus opposed the Sun, tr Mercury opposed Mars and tr Chiron was exactly conjunct South Node. Actually the list goes on forever, all relevant, all worth finding.

No data for Dr Sultan but we do have a chart for Islam: 16 July 0622, 18:45, LMT (-2:39), Mecca, 21 N 27, 39 E 49, Asc 27 Capricorn. Data: BWH

A new space tourism firm, Bigelow Aerospace of Las Vegas, Nevada, owned by hotelier Robert Bigelow, has reserved space on a couple of converted Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles which will launch inflatable space habitat into low earth orbit later this year! Launch dates are being kept a secret (as is everything to do with ICBM’s). Ultimately, Bigelow says it will to provide 330 cubic metres of living space. If this experiment works, you may well be booking hotel rooms in space. A fitting announcement with Mercury conjunct Uranus all through March into April. Or you might prefer a Neptune/Jupiter sea view, if you can afford it. Around Christmas 2007 for £3,500 a night you can stay underwater with Poseidon Resorts 60 ft below the surface near a coral reef off Fiji. Or, if you can’t wait or that’s too expensive, how about the honeymoon package at Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, Florida, it’s only $1,195 a night…for two! They also have a much cheaper, Luxury Aquanaut Package, a bargain at $395 pp/per night.

Is this Saturn Neptune or what? Or Jupiter in Scorpio square Neptune in Aquarius? Or mutual reception Uranus and Neptune? More on this to come.

Nepal moves closer to anarchy every day. After a decade of maoist insurrection, strikes and sometimes violent student demonstrations, critics of the government have now been joined by white collar workers in Kathmandu. Members of the Nepal Bar Association participating on Thursday 13 April demanded the restoration of democracy but hundreds were beaten and/or arrested as King Guyanandra’s troops moved in. The Nepalese Human Rights Alliance say at least 3,000 protesters have been taken to temporary detention centres where they are held without charge. Many people are missing. The country has been in turmoil for a decade with strikes frequently interrupting normal activities and 13,000 dead. With the clampdown on professionals, the US Embassy in Kathmandu announced reduction of activities and has advised family members of staff and non-emergency employees to leave. Transiting Saturn has been lurking around Nepal’s Moon, and opposing natal Mercury. The March eclipses hit natal Jupiter at 25 Pisces in the 12th house and natal Pluto in the 6th. And, always more of course.

Nepal: 24 February 1975, 3:07 GMT, Kathmandu, Nepal, 27 N 45, 85 E 25, Asc 21 Aries 40.

The Venus Express which went into orbit around the planet on 11 April, has sent home the first pictures from Venus. By using a technique which allows Venus’s atmosphere to be ‘backlit’ the images, seen through clouds, provide the first glimpses of Venus, both day and night. Scientists are also hoping to discover why Venus’s atmosphere moves much more quickly than the planet itself. I suggest the greenhouse effect creates heat that pushes out and therefore moves the atmosphere faster. I could be wrong, I’m an astrologer, not a scientist. But I think I’m right.

The Guerrilla Gardeners phenomenon that began back in 2000 has bloomed in South London in spring 2006. You might not think this is World News, but it is…it really is. Weed filled round-abouts, magically materialising flower boxes and abandoned corners of car parks have been filled with hardy, drought-resistant shrubs and plants, hyacinths and primroses, lavender and rosemary and more. About two years ago, Richard Reynolds, 28, began planting up the dismal area around his home at Elephant and Castle. The group now numbers in the hundreds and more are joining the movement every day to plant, mulch, water and weed in the face of vandalism, run-away cars and other obstacles but it’s something the local councils aren’t trying to stop. Meanwhile, cash is flooding in and members receive emails with notice of the time and postcode of the next project. This is a totally good news story and I hope the movement grows until it covers the globe. Well done Guerrilla Gardeners.

Now, obviously Mr Reynolds, who’s bio I could NOT find, is somewhere around a Saturn return. We DO, however, have a chart for London and there’s a lovely astro-story. It’s hilarious actually. I use the London GLC chart which has 29 Scorpio Asc, 23 Virgo 24 MC. We begin. Transiting Mars in Taurus spent months and months in London’s 5th and 6th houses, during which time Mars stationed RX conjunct natal Jupiter at 25 Taurus 26 in the 6th house. London’s in the middle of tr Uranus opp natal Mars-0-Uranus in the 9th and tr Uranus is also conjunct natal Saturn. (I’m lovin this). More. Tr Pluto square natal Moon on the IC, tr Jupiter conj natal Neptune in the 12th and a tr Neptune/Neptune square. So much 12th house action, the GG’s only come out after midnight, too good. Oh, both March eclipses were VERY active in London’s chart. This is a slightly tired story but it’s such a feel-good one and the transits made me laugh out loud. Have a look, and a chuckle.

London GLC, 1 April 1965. 0:00 BST, 51 N 30, 00 W 10, Asc 29 Scorpio.

Last but not least: in June 2006 the nodal axis shifts from Aries/Libra to Pisces/Virgo. This will, without fail, deliver a huge change of focus til December 2007, not least of which the eclipse axis. It’s time to learn to trust our intuition. And get ready for scandals and dreams.

 

All country charts: Book of World Horoscopes (BWH) unless otherwise noted.