Politix Mix - Sullivan, Klein, Palin.

We arrived home from our drive-about yesterday evening, managed to catch a repeat of Bill Maher's TV show, "Real Time" which we'd missed on Friday night. My stomach started to churn when I saw that one of his guests was Andrew Sullivan. I wrote scathingly about him at "Andrew Sullivan - Is Aries Moon to blame?" This time though I found a point of agreement with him, in spite of my hurling a few expletives early on. The panel got to discussing Sarah Palin. Mr Sullivan and I at last agreed. Our Aries Moons were in total accord on this subject - he even used the same word I've used to describe McCain's VP pick - "irresponsible". Mr Sullivan was royally pissed about Palin, became very, very emphatic - even Bill Maher looked a bit stunned at Sullivan's dramatic turn.

Another of Bill Maher's guests was Naomi Klein - a very astute, impressive lady. She and Sullivan had quite a set-to early on, on the subject of capitalism, but, when the subject turned to Palin they reached agreement.

I was keen to see Naomi Klein's natal chart, but have been unable find her time of birth. A 12 noon version must suffice, this will give a partial picture, minus ascending sign, and exact Moon position.

Born 8 May 1970 in Montreal, Canada.



Sun/Mercury conjoined and Saturn all in Fixed Earth Taurus. Mars and Venus conjoined in Mutable Air Gemini, Moon also in Gemini unless she was born 11pm or later. So all personal planets except Jupiter are in Taurus or Gemini. Two very different signs. Jupiter is in Libra, and could easily be in trine with Gemini Moon, depending on time of birth, adding strength to her Airy side.

The most significant aspect between personal and outer planets is Uranus in Libra trine (harmonious) the Venus/Mars conjunction in Gemini, but Uranus is also in irritable quincunx to Saturn in Taurus. More reflections of the dual nature, shown in her Taurus/Gemini line-up.

What does all that mean? I'd say, in a nutshell, it indicates a person with very definite and down to earth views (Taurus), with the ability to communicate these in entertaining fashion and with fluency(Gemini), unafraid to be controversial (Uranus trine Venus/Mars), and perhaps a feeling of inner irritability about the conflict between status quo and the avant garde (Saturn/Uranus quincunx).

Ms Klein is a successful and controversial author: her three titles so far -"No Logo, No Space, No Choice, No Jobs". "Fences and Windows: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the Globalization Debate." "The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism." I feel certain there will be many more books to come, in similar vein.

Back to the rapidly becoming boring subject of Sarah Palin. As we were driving around during the past few days we spotted two stickers in the back window of the same truck which declared "Palin 08!" and "I'm voting McCain To Get Sarah Palin". Sigh. We were in northern Oklahoma at the time. I peeked at the occupant as we passed the truck, expecting to see a female - no - two burly looking males! We did see several "Obama-Biden" garden signs in New Mexico though, and a lone "Obama 08" sticker as we drove home through mid-Oklahoma. Gotta get me one of those!

Superwomen # 2 (+ update)

Update~~ We're away for a few days, on drive-about in SW Colorado. Blogger was experiencing problems when we left home, so unable to post this then... no internet access 'til now. Probably the blog'll hibernate until sometime next week. In the meantime.......

Two very different women, one from each side of the Atlantic. Both driven to travel in the same direction - upwards - into the air! Two true trailblazers, beacons for all women.

Amy Johnson from England, Amelia Earhart from the USA.

Amy Johnson was born in Hull, England on 1 July 1903, and lived there until she attended Sheffield University in 1923 to read for a BA (Bachelor of Arts degree). After graduating, she moved on to work as a secretary to a London solicitor where she also became interested in flying. She took her first flight lesson at the London Aeroplane Club in 1928, but with little encouragement. True, it took her twice as long as most (men) to complete her training. However, she proved to many that her aviator abilities were phenomenal, and her hobby soon became an all-consuming determination, not simply to make a career in aviation, but to succeed in some project which would demonstrate to the world that women could be as competent as men in a hitherto male dominated field. Months after receiving her pilot's license, she became the first British woman to qualify as a ground engineer.

That was just one of many female firsts. Johnson began her love for long-distance flying with a 19 day and 8,600-mile flight on May 24, 1930. That flight marked her as the first woman to fly solo from England to Australia.

Johnson would complete other similar feats in her short life. The Royal Air Force invited her to join the Air Transport Auxiliary, ferrying aircraft from factories to air bases. It was on one of these routine flights on January 5, 1941, that Amy's plane crashed into the River Thames estuary. She drowned. A tragic, too early end to the life of Britain's most famous woman pilot.

Amy's birth chart is challenging. In Yorkshire, England, in those days, she needed to fight hard for equal treatment with men in her chosen occupation - a flier.

Her chart contains 10 square aspects, some of which combine in a Grand Square configuration. Whatever she attempted in her life was bound to present a challenge.



Her Sun in Cancer and Moon in Virgo do not immediately conjure up a woman of great determination and drive. Pluto is conjunct Mercury in Gemini in her 1st house, adding a powerful edge to her nature. Her Gemini ascendant and a Grand Air Trine, harmoniously linking planets in Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, reflect a fascination with flying. Sun and Neptune are within 5 degrees of each other in Cancer - possibly indicating a dreamer of visionary dreams, which her daring and determination brought to fruition.

On the date of Amy's death, 5 January 1941 these are what I believe to be significant factors in the charts.
Transiting North node was within 6 degrees of natal North node/ Mars.
Transiting Pluto opposed natal Sun
Transiting Neptune was conjunct natal Moon, bringing a sad and watery culmination to her earlier dreams.
Eclipses the previous autumn fell at 1 Oct (8 Libra) and 16 Oct. (22.49 Libra). Although these occurred some 3 months before her death, it seems significant that the solar eclipse at 8 Libra was within 2 degrees of her North node/Mars, and the lunar eclipse at 22.49 Libra was within 2 degrees of Amy's Vertex (24.48 Libra).



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Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas on July 24, 1897. She became one of America's most famous aviators. After she had boarded her first plane as a passenger, she later said, "As soon as we left the ground I knew I myself had to fly!" In 1925, Amelia took a position in Boston as a novice social worker. She joined the Boston Chapter of the National Aeronautic Association, and was soon recognized as "one of the best women pilots in the United States" by the Boston Globe.

On April 27, 1926 her life was to change forever. She received a phone call from Captain H.H. Railey asking her if she would like to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. A week later Amelia met with George Putnam, a New York publisher, who she later married. He was in search of the perfect woman to make the Trans-Atlantic flight.

On May 20, 1932, exactly 5 years after Charles Lindbergh's flight, Amelia began the journey. Somewhat off-course, she landed in an open field near Londonderry in Northern Ireland. She asked a man there. "Where am I?".
"In Gallagher's pasture...have you come far?".
"From America", she replied.

She had broken several records on this flight: the first woman to fly the Atlantic solo and only person to fly it twice; the longest non-stop distance flown by a woman; and a record for crossing in the shortest time. Later, in 1935, Amelia began to formulate plans for an around-the-world flight. On June 1, 1937 she and her navigator Fred Noonan departed Miami, Florida on that mission. On July 2, Amelia made her last radio contact. Her plane had gone down. Her body was never found. In a letter she had written, "Please know I am quite aware of the hazards...I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail their failure must be but a challenge to others."

Amelia's chart seems much calmer than Amy's. Living in the USA possibly afforded better opportunity to pursue her chosen occupation. I have read that in addition to her flying, Amelia took an interest in the fashion business and designed a range of ladies' flying clothes. She is said to have been always well groomed and fashionably dressed. Leo sun with Taurus rising would likely have added some semblance of stability and appreciation of the material side of life to her obvious daredevil streak.



The stellium in Gemini (2nd house) is probably focal point in her chart, and major factor in her love of flying - though Virgo Mars conjunct Jupiter in 5th and Scorpio Uranus conjunct Saturn in 7th seem significant, if not in her flying, then in her social/romantic life.

Amelia's life did indeed "change forever" as a result of what occurred on 27 April 1926 . Bringing up the chart for that date shows transiting Saturn had reached exactly the spot Amelia's natal Saturn occupied 24 Scorpio - her Saturn return!

Moving on to the date of Amelia's crash 2 July 1937: these are some of the factors which I think pointed to the dramatic, and very sad events:
Transiting Mars was within 5 degrees of her natal Saturn/Uranus conjunction, and transiting Moon was in opposition.
Transiting Pluto was close to her natal Sun (5 degrees).
Transiting North node was opposite her Gemini stellium (transiting South node conjunct the stellium).
A solar eclipse had occurred on 8 June 1937, 24 days before the crash. The eclipse lasted for over 7 minutes. That solar eclipse fell at 18 Gemini. Amelia's stellium of Moon, Pluto, Venus, Neptune covers 11, 14, 17 and 21 Gemini.



~~~~~~~~~

These were two remarkable women - possibly the most remarkable of their era. What else they would have accomplished, had they lived, can hardly be guessed, but for sure they would have continued blazing trails.

Back in a few days............

Kenneth Branagh and "Hamlet"

We recently watched a DVD of Kenneth Branagh's movie version of Shakespeare's "Hamlet", known in some circles as "the eternity version" because it contains Shakespeare's play in its entirety. It does tend to go on a bit! The movie was released in 1996, but wasn't available in DVD format until last year.

I'm not a great fan of Will Shakespeare, having been put off by the force-feeding of schooldays, long before his works had a chance of being appreciated by a young Twilight on any level. I've since become fond of some of the Bard's sonnets, but have never felt much affection for any of his plays. Perhaps, as a child of England, I ought to wash my mouth out!

It's a surprise, to me, that the plot of "Hamlet" is based on an old Scandinavian legend see here, and was not, as I'd assumed, purely a figment of Old Will Shakespeare's imagination!

Due to the acting and directing skills of Kenneth Branagh, and the star-spangled cast, I thoroughly enjoyed this version of "Hamlet".

I'll not write about Hamlet's astrology - that has already been done before in other astrology blogs:
AstroFutureTrends
Out The Comet's Ass
to name a couple.



A look at Kenneth Branagh's astrology then. Born 10 December 1960 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Astrotheme gives his birth time as 4.50pm.



This consummate actor and talented director had no family links to the profession. His father was a carpenter in Belfast. His family moved to the British mainland because of "The Troubles" - sectarian unrest between Catholics and Protestants which erupted into a very nasty period in Belfast's history, thanks to intervention of the IRA (Irish Republican Army) and, because Northern Ireland is part of the UK, the British army. At school in England young Kenneth Branagh was teased about his heavy Northern Irish accent, so set about cultivating the elegant tones we hear from him today. He decided, very early, that the acting profession was for him. His career is interestingly documented at Tiscali here.

Via The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Royal Shakespearean Company, London's West End, movies, TV, directing - he has done it all, he portrays modern characters and those from the pen of The Bard with equal skill. He's been called "the greatest thespian of his generation". Still, I can find little to illustrate what kind of man he is. Actors who worked with him on the movie "Hamlet" speak of him fondly in the DVD's special feature section. He has the reputation of being a fun person to work with, always ready for a laugh and joke, but one who can "turn on a dime" from jovial to deadly serious and focused. In his early days he was described as "ambitious and ever-demanding, not easy to work with". I guess he mellowed, as do most of us.

Sun and Mercury in Sagittarius reflect a sunny, larger than life personality, and the "always ready for a laugh" side of his nature. Saturn and Jupiter in Capricorn, with Saturn semi-sextile Sun indicate his more serious, hardworking side, Saturn being especially potent in its own sign, Capricorn.

Natal Moon in Virgo conjoins a very sensitive point in the chart - North Node of the Moon, here's his inner perfectionist. Mars in Cancer in 1st house of self adds energy and perhaps a touch of aggression to the picture, but energy tempered by sensitivity of Cancer, which is also his rising sign. The biographer at Tiscali (linked above) called him the "Kenergiser" - a nice reflection of Mars in first house!

Venus at 00 Aquarius sextiles Mercury and adds a tendency for lateral thinking to the mix - a valuable asset to an actor/director. This is echoed by Uranus (the unexpected) in Leo trining his Sun in Sagittarius, and Neptune (imagination) in Scorpio sextile natal Moon in Virgo.

It's interesting to note that there's not a single Leo planet in Branagh's natal chart. Leo doesn't have it all its own way when it comes to life in the spotlight, a potent mix of emphasis on other signs can be just as effective as a slew of Leo planets.

Presidential Players

I suspect that more words have been written about the characters in this year's US presidential election than almost any other characters in recent history. This has to be attributed mainly to the widespread use of the internet, mushrooming of blogs, and opening up of news sites to readers' comments.

Almost everything that could be written about the astrology of the leading characters in this tragi-comedy of an election has already been written. As I cast around for a new approach I spied on my bookshelf Robert Camp's "Love Cards". The title sounds trite, and if it hadn't been recommended to me by someone on an astrology message board, years ago, I'd never have given it a second glance, and I'd have missed a lot - it's an intriguing book.

Robert Camp uses a system which originated in another book: "Sacred Symbols of the Ancients". It's based around an deck of playing cards, astrology, and some other mysterious ingredient. I don't know what that ingredient is, but the system can be eeerily accurate in assessments of character and when exploring compatibility potential.

Playing cards are fascinating enough in themselves.Wikipedia explains their symbolism, as well as their origins. The deck widely adopted in Europe many centuries ago, and still in use, is described thus:
"Popular legend holds that the composition of a deck of cards has religious, metaphysical, or astronomical significance: typical numerological elements of the explanation are that the four suits represent the four seasons, the 13 cards per suit are the 13 phases of the lunar cycle, black and red are for day and night, the 52 cards of the deck (joker excluded) symbolizes the number of weeks in a year, and finally, if the value of each card is added up — and 1 is added, which is generally explained away as being for a single joker — the result is 365, the number of days in a year. If the other joker is also added, that makes 366 days, the amount of days in a leap year."

Is it coincidental that the cards relate so closely to our calendar? If so, then it's a rather amazing coincidence. Anyway... back to "Love Cards":

The Birth Card (just the first of many categories explored in the book) is comparable to the Sun sign in astrology. "It is the card that ruled our planet on the day we were born. People born under a certain card's rulership will all share some distinguising traits..... The Birth Card is the strongest and most important symbol of who we are in this lifetime."

All that is needed to consult this system is a person's day and month of birth. Let's see what the cards have to say abut the US presidential and vice-presidential candidates. What follows is an absolute minimum, just to give a flavour, it barely scratches the surface of what can be gleaned from "Love Cards".

Sarah Palin has stolen the headlines recently so I'll start with her. Her Birth Card (11 February) is Ace of Spades. Other birthdays covered by this card are June 13, March 9, April 7, May 5, June 3, July 1. The card is called "Card of Ambition and Secrets", and in some circles is known as "The Magi Card." "Most ambitious and material-oriented card in the deck, but also the most spiritual." The book tells us that these people have a lifelong conflict between material and worldly issues and a deep pastlife spiritual heritage. A card of extremes.
Britain's Princess Diana (born 1 July) had this Birth Card, by the way.

Hillary Clinton's (26 October) Birth Card: 9 of Hearts, and Barack Obama (4 August) Birth Card: 9 Diamonds. Nines in all four suits have something in common (as do all groups of numerical or royal cards). Concerning Nines, the book tells us ,among other things, that these people are "never truly fulfilled unless they find ways to give of themselves to others. Many of them take this to the highest level and become saviours of humanity. Many great spiritual leaders and teachers have Nines as their Birth Cards. In many ways Nine is the opposite of the Ace" (see Sarah Palin, above). "Whereas the Ace needs to be selfish and self-centered, the Nine cannot. Each time the Nine tries to do things for themselves they reap untold misery and pain. It goes against the grain of their soul's essence. Nines can develop strong victim-saviour completes and all of them exhibit this to some degree.....". Sound familiar? Hillary Clinton has been said by some writers to consider herself a victim; Barack Obama is often referred to as a Messiah or saviour figure. I notice too, though, that George W. Bush's Birth Card (6 July) is 9 Diamonds, same as Obama's. Oops! "The underlying message for the 9 Diamonds person is that they arrive on the planet with a host of value-related beliefs, ideas, concepts, needs and personal attachments that must be let go of".

To complete the cast, a word or two about John McCain (29August) Birth Card: 10 of Hearts, and Joe Biden (20 November) Birth Card: King of Hearts.

Re John McCain's 10 of Hearts- "To truly understand the Tens, we must also be familiar with the Aces" (see Sarah Palin above). "The Aces and 10s are very much alike." 10 of Hearts is the "Success With Groups" card: "A leader, not a follower, has much ambition and could stray off the path of truth as a result"

Joe Biden's King of Hearts - "The Loving Father Card" (Jaqueline Kennedy was also of this group). The Kings all have power, naturally! King of Hearts has power with people and personal relationships - charming and very intelligent. "It is not wise to argue with them, their keen minds can always find a response". The VP debate with Sarah Palin should prove interesting!

Saturday/Sunday Superwomen

I've decided to do an occasional weekend post about women who, in their own way, are or were "superwomen": women who have approached life feeling true equality with men, in some cases even before equality was on the agenda. Beacons.

The women I'll feature won't necessarily be household names. One from each side of the Atlantic this time: Helen Thomas, who has been suggested by my blogging colleague Wisewebwoman as a good subject for investigation; and from across the pond, Englishwoman and traveller of the 19th century, Isabella Bird. I want to take a brief look at their natal charts to try and pinpoint the source of their "super-ness".

Superwoman # 1: Helen Thomas is a reporter for the Hearst News Service, dean of the White House press corps, a White House correspondent, and King Features Syndicate columnist. Thomas has covered every President of the USA since JFK.

"To say Ms. Thomas is old school is not a shot at her age, but rather an honor. After all these years, she still believes the function of the press is to keep an eye on government, and that goes for U.S. presidents, too."

"Thomas is undoubtedly one of the last of a breed, the Tough Broad. When Rory Kennedy asks her if she ever used her sexuality to get a story, Thomas dissolves into laughter. She's also a bastion of Old Journalism -- "If your mother tells you she loves you, check it out," she quips -- a reporter who believes that the main job of the press corps is cutting the president down to size."

"Helen Thomas certainly personifies the difficulties of remaining hard-nosed with people you have to deal with every day, people you might actually like or even pity. She describes the day President Nixon opened a press conference by congratulating her on becoming the first woman to be named head of UPI's Washington bureau. She wondered how seemly it would be to follow this gracious moment with a tough question about Nixon's alleged perjury. She solved the dilemma, she says, by asking the question but feeling bad about it." (Quotes attributed at end of post)

Born 4 August 1920 (coincidentally same day, different year, as Barack Obama) in Winchester, Kentucky. No time of birth available, so this chart is set for 12 noon. Exact position of Moon and ascendant will remain a mystery. Moon, though, must be somehwere between 00Aries and 14 Aries.



Four planets in Leo (Sun conjunct Neptune, Venus conjunct Jupiter) indicate a leader of some sort, full of self confidence. Sun conjunct Neptune is often found in the charts of artistic individuals or novelists. In this case any artistic ability isn't apparent from her public persona, her writing is factual rather than imaginative. But Neptune can also indicate a spiritual nature, which may apply here. Venus/Jupiter - charm (Venus) allows this lady to be painfully honest and critical of those people who intimidate many others. Jupiter rules publication, how appropriate that the publication planet should be part of her prominent Leo cluster in the chart of a woman so closely connected to the press.

Moon in Aries will trine (harmonious aspect) Sun, whatever birth time - bringing Fiery leader Leo and impulsive energetic Aries both clearly into play in her nature.

There's a different side to Helen Thomas, too. A Grand Trine in Water linking Mars with Pluto and Uranus links her energy from Aries (ruled by Mars) in a more sensitive and intuitive fashion to two outer planets - which could be said to signify "the collective mind" of the public. Hard as some of her criticisms may have seemed, there was always a deep and caring basis for them.

Saturn in Virgo sextiles (helpful aspect) Mars in Scorpio - here's a hard-working lady, not afraid to be critical, with Mars in its own sign of Scorpio adding passion to her beliefs and criticisms. This Mars/Saturn sextile is almost certainly part of a Yod formation, with Moon at its arrow-pint, even though her time of birth is unknown. This symbolises that her passionate criticisms and points of view are directed through the core of her inner self (Moon), underlining the fact that they are not based in partisanship, resentment or personal bitterness.

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Superwoman # 2: Isabella Bird. Not a well-known name. It was unknown to me until our trip to the Colorado Rockies two years ago. This lady's travels, at the time they were undertaken, seem nothing short of amazing to 21st century minds. Born in mid-19th century England, she was not part of the feminist revolution, apart from her own personal revolution. She travelled. She travelled a lot, then she wrote about her travels in a very engaging way.

"Bird was a sickly child and spent her entire life struggling with various ailments. Much of her illness may have been psychogenic, for when she was doing exactly what she wanted she was almost never ill. Her real desire was to travel."
Australia, Hawaii, Colorado, Japan, China, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia all featured on her itineraries. It was her book "A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains" which first intoduced me to Isabella Bird. The book consists of journal letters to her sister. I mentioned Isabella and quoted some of her writing in my first ever posts on this blog, in August 2006. They are accessible via the archive links (September 2006) should anyone be interested in reading about our own travels in the Colorado Rockies.

Isabella Bird was born 15 October 1831 in Boroughbridge, Yorkshire, England, no time of birth, so exact Moon and ascendant positions are not known. Again, as in Helen Thomas's chart, four planets in one sign, but this time in Libra: Sun, Mercury Venus and Mars - four personal planets in the sign of charm and tact. These four planets are in harmonious trine with Moon, Jupiter and Uranus in Aquarius, drawing into her nature a love of freedom (Aquarius), evident in her apparent need to travel (Jupiter), as well as a feel that she was "before her time", more especially because Uranus was part of the cluster, and in its own sign, Aquarius, giving extra significance to that maverick planet.



I had expected to find some Sagittarius in this chart, but there's none. Instead there is emphasis on air signs and on Uranus in Aquarius, it's home sign. This lady was ahead of her time, no doubt about it at all.

Saturn is in Virgo again, as in the chart of Helen Thomas. Isabella's hard work came in different guise, as did her somewhat critical nature, which spiced her Libran charm. Pluto in Aries opposes three of her Libra planets - adding a harder edge to that Libran tactfulness. Her basic charm did help a lot in her meetings with a variety of odd-ball and characters she met during her travels.

It's necessary to read Isabella's book to appreciate the tremendous effort she put into her Colorado journey, both on foot and on horseback through, at that time, an uncivilised terrain in the Rocky Mountains.



"I rode up and down hills laboriously in snow-drifts, getting off often to easy my faithful Birdie by walking down ice-clad slopes, stopping constantly to feast my eyes upon that changeless glory, always seeing some new ravine, with its depths of color, or miraculous brilliancy of red, or phantasy of form."

A quote from Isabella Bird appears on this plaque in the mountains (click on photo for a larger version). "This is a view to which nothing needs to be added... This scenery satisfies my soul"



Isabella didn't hold back from criticising some of the characters she met, even her own countrymen, on occasion:

"I longed to tell Chalmers that it was he, and such as he, there or anywhere, with narrow hearts, bitter tongues, and harsh judgments, who were the true "Mrs. Grundys", dwarfing individuality, checking lawful freedom of speech, and making men "offenders for a word"."

So....two females who could be termed superwomen. Their natal charts contain different planetary configurations, but both mix charm with an underlying harder edge. Both charts show planet clusters, which bring extra focus to these individuals, the urge to apply a more than average amount of effort into what was the driving force of their lives. In both cases Mercury (communication/writing) lies in or close to a powerful group of planets, reflecting the fact that it is through their communicative skills that we have become aware of the true calibre of these two females. Neither woman relied in any way on looks or sexuality. Considering each, with hindsight, they stand out as beacons for women everywhere.

Sources
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-helen18-2008aug18,0,1532711.story
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26254188/
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Helen_Thomas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_Bird
....and "A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains" by Isabella Bird.

Awards (and something completely different.)

I thank blogging colleague Anthony North of Beyond the Blog for his beyond kind award to this blog as a "Brainy Blog". I've added the little graphic to my sidebar. I am embarrased, but also appreciative of the kind gesture. I comfort myself that in a literal sense this blog is "brainy": see brain in small header sketch, drawn by my husband.

I've never nominated any blog for any award - not because I don't rate any as deserving - all those I read regularly (and you know who you are) deserve any and all awards I could possibly find to bestow upon them.

All the astrology bloggers in my link list , and any who are missing from there, are all Brainy Blogs, in my estimation - without exception. It'd be a big job to go around them all though, so I choose not to name any blog individually. I'll just say here a simple thank you to all of them, astrological and others for the informative and entertaining, thought-provoking, and only occasionally aggravating ;-) offerings. A big thank you too, to any who regularly read my own scribblings - you also deserve an award - for bravery!

The idea for the Brainy Blog award originates at Mommy Brain Reports


"Mommy Brain Reports is on the lookout for some Brainy Sites! Do you know of any?

Perhaps they have some really interesting ideas, super cool content, or they have some incredible posts that make you really think… Maybe they are your inspiration, or they have helped you out in your quest to be an awesome blogger yourself. Are they someone you can turn to at a moment’s notice for help or advice? Maybe they’re just someone who has encouraged you to be.. well.. You!

In any case, you have to know someone who you would deem a Brainy Blogger! You should let them know how you feel!!!

THANK THEM FOR BEING BRAINY!
Think of at least 5 bloggers that you believe to be “Brainy Bloggers”
Post it on your blog for all to see! Let them know you’ve awarded them by email, twitter, etc or via a comment on their blog!
Share some linky love and link back to both the person who awarded you and back to http://www.mommybrainreports.com
Come back to the Brainy Blog Headquarters".

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AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT (something I could not resist)

Nine-Eleven

"Hatred ever kills, love never dies. Such is the vast difference between the two. What is obtained by love is retained for all time. What is obtained by hatred proves a burden in reality for it increases hatred."
Mohandas K. Gandhi

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A glance at Wikipedia's list of events for 11 September through the years threw up coincidences:

On 11 September 1941 ground was broken for the construction of the Pentagon, headquarters of the United States Department of Defense.

11 September 2001 saw destruction of the western portion of the Pentagon, part of a terrorist attack which also destroyed the World Trade Center, New York.

On 11 September 2002 "Through extreme and coordinated effort, The Pentagon is rededicated after repairs are completed, exactly one year after the attack on the building".

On 11 September 1941 Saturn and Uranus were conjoined, Saturn in the last degree of Taurus, Uranus at 00 Gemini. In 2001 Saturn and Uranus were trined (14 Gemini/21 Aquarius), and in 2002 the two planets remained in closer trine: 28 Gemini/26 Aquarius. I'm unable to translate this as a clear relationship to events, but thought it interesting. This year Saturn and Uranus are opposing each other, not tightly at today's date, but within 8 degrees, in Virgo and Pisces. As has been pointed out by astrologers, the opposition will be exact on the date of the US General election. I'm wondering whether the Pentagon will somehow be in the news again during coming weeks.

It's a Stretch!

The saga of my frozen shoulder continues. Looking at current transits, I see that Mercury, Mars and Venus in Libra are all right opposite my natal Saturn (rules the skeleton) which lies at 12.55 Aries. I guess this is symbolic of the painful "pull" I feel when trying to perform certain everyday actions. I've checked on transiting Chiron (the Wounded Healer) - at present it's around 17 Aquarius, not making aspect to anything in my chart, but by February 2009 it'll be stting on my re-located ascendant, perhaps that's when I'll start feeling improvement, especially as Jupiter will be transiting natal Sun around the same time.

I opted to give the chiropractor I initially visited a cold one (shoulder, that is) after a first appointment which depressed rather than inspired me. I'm of the belief that, contrary to what the good chiropractor implied, any kind of physical activity which is exceptionally painful cannot be doing a body much good. My opinion is confirmed at several on-line sources which state that minimal pain, if any, is the most which ought to be tolerated during stretching exercises performed to help with a frozen shoulder, otherwise further inflamation could ensue, making all the effort counter-productive.

It appears that the actual cause of this problem, in cases not brought on by injury, is a mystery to the medical profession. Most instances of frozen shoulder are self-limiting, it has been found that the majority will eventually return to near normal capability, whether the sufferer does anything to aid recovery or not. This can take up to two years, maybe more, through three phases: freezing, frozen and thawing.

After much research, and surprise at the variety of advice and remedies suggested on-line, I jotted down a list of some of the most common recommendations, and a couple of the more outlandish suggestions. I'm adding these in case any Googling wanderer with painful shoulder might find them of interest.

1. A variety of fairly gentle stretching exercises, performed regularly, on a daily basis.

2. Use of a portable ultra-sound machine or TENS electronic unit to aid massage of the affected area.

3. Trigger Spot Therapy, finding relevant trigger spots and applying pressure to ease pain.

4. Shutting oneself in a quiet room, lying down on a sofa, alone, with a music box playing (I kid you not, a music box is said to be the key to eliminating stress!)

5. Standing neck deep in a warm sea and allowing the waves to massage the body.

6. Elimination techniques for cleansing toxins taken into the body from food and the atmosphere.

7. Heat packs or ice packs applied to shoulder.

8. Acupuncture or acupressure.

9. One or two sites work on the premise that the cause is psychological rather than physical, and ask "what is frozen in your life or your attitudes?"

10. My own doctor offered a cortisone shot, which I accepted but felt no improvement. He said he could refer me to a surgeon for manipulation under anaesthesia. This sounded tempting until I investigated further and read about the possibility of a broken arm occuring during such manipulation, and the need to perform the stretching exercises afterwards anyway. Not for me!

I'm opting for a mix of # 1, 2, 3, and that most elusive of ingredients: patience. If I reach the point of desperation, though I might invest in a music box!

Rachel Maddow: One For The Future?

I wonder who'll be on the political scene in the USA around 10 years from now, say for the elections in 2016 and 2020? One name in the future's political headlines which wouldn't surprise me a bit would be Rachel Maddow. She's 35 now, in ten years she'll be just about the right age to run as a presidential candidate, or be chosen as VP, having perhaps done a stint in the House or Senate in intervening years.

Rachel's new TV show, which has all the hallmarks of being "the one to watch" for those keen on politics, was aired for the first time last night. She has been seen fairly regularly on MSNBC all year, doing pundit duty along with Olbermann, Matthews, Buchanan and the rest, as well as presenting a regular radio show on Air America. She strikes me as the type of person for whom US politics is crying out. She oozes confidence, speaks and debates with a no nonsense clarity, clear grasp of issues, but never loses her calm, friendly approach.

Rachel Maddow was born on 1 April 1973 in Castro Valley, California. I can find no time of birth, so here's a chart set for 12 noon. Moon position will be inaccurate, though it will be somewhere in Pisces. Ascendant must remain a mystery, in the absence of birth time.



Sun and Venus in Aries, Jupiter and Mars in Aquarius, Saturn in Gemini, Moon and Mercury in Pisces. Outer planets in Libra and Sagittarius.

Her Aries and Aquarius planets are in harmonious sextile; Saturn in Gemini also sextiles Sun/Venus in Aries and trines the Aquarius planets - more harmony!
A sweetly linked line-up, indicating a very "together" person, enthusiastic, energetic, abundant intelligence, ability to analyse, and disciplined communicative skills all work together in harmony. Moon and Mercury in Pisces reflect another side of Rachel's personality, her sensitive and comapssionate nature, via Mercury this softens her style, which otherwise might come over as cold or dictatorial, which she definitely is not!

Rachel is well known for her unstinting research and preparation, a reflection of workhorse Saturn in Gemini, and Jupter/Mars in analytical Aquarius.


"The former Rhodes scholar, with a doctorate in political science from Oxford, is writing a book about military politics in postwar America and is famous at MSNBC for bringing a scholarly rigor to her preshow research and preparation. She has been known to arrive at Rockerfeller Center from her Manhattan apartment nine hours before she is due to go on air, cloistering herself in a cubicle with an iPod as she reads and writes on the day's news.
"One of the things that separates Rachel from many people is the amount of fresh information she brings to her storytelling," said Wolff. "She really often isn't expressing an opinion as much as laying out facts that lead to the conclusion."(See here)

Rachel has had a good professional and mentoring relationship with MSNBC colleague Keith Olbermann. Perhaps they relate well to each other because Olbermann's natal Sun at 7.01 Aquarius conjoins her natal Jupiter at 7.04 Aquarius, and is therefore also in harmonious aspect to her Aries and Gemini planets.

It'll be interesting to watch Rachel Maddow's progress from here on.

Monday Moon Miscellany

Monday! The day named for The Moon in many different cultures: European, Japanese, Hindi, Malayan, Korean; written of in poetry and lyrics, included in paintings over many centuries.




To the Moon
by Percy Bysshe Shelley

Art thou pale for weariness
Of climbing heaven, and gazing on the earth,
Wandering companionless
Among the stars that have a different birth,--
And ever changing, like a joyous eye
That finds no object worth its constancy?


There are some wonderful shots of the Moon at Art and the Zen of Design

This example, "Powerline Moon", by Tony Karp, could symbolize Moon in Aquarius, mixing the Moon with the technology of Aquarius.



The Moon will move into Aquarius later this week, but won't grow as full as shown here until in Pisces, early next week.

"The moon develops the imagination, as chemicals develop photographic images".
Sheila Ballantyne(teacher and novelist).

In ancient times the Moon was called Isis, Esses, Luna, Eleusis, and the Virgin Mere; is significant of things of a constantly changing and fluctuating character; is feminine, nocturnal, cold, moist, phlegmatic and fruitful. In mundane astrology the Moon rules (among other things) the public in general, females and liquids.
(From Llewellyn George's "Student Chart Reader of Horoscope Indications").

Astrologically, the sign in which Moon is found in a natal chart indicates the individual's inner self, the type of immediate emotional response to life's situations, external influences, the actions of others. Moon position can also be a guide to attitudes instilled in the individual by family, in childhood, indicates the kind of relationship with the mother, and women generally, also how the individual in question might respond to the public.




Above - A marble altar, preserved in the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, depicts Moon-goddess Selene accompanied by the Dioscuri, or Phosphoros (the Morning Star) and Hesperos (the Evening Star). This is Roman artwork, 2nd century CE.
Selene's great love was a handsome shepherd prince, Endymion, who was granted eternal youth and immortality by Zeus and placed in a state of eternal slumber in a cave near the peak of Lydian Mount Latmos. There his heavenly bride descended to consort with him in the night. Selene gave birth to 50 daughters! Other goddesses were associated with the Moon, in myth, but Selene is the only one represented by the Greek poets as the Moon incarnate.

"Nothing But A Chromosome"

In an article, here, this week Gloria Steinem wrote:
"Palin shares nothing but a chromosome with Clinton" (Hillary Clinton, I hasten to add!)

That's a fair remark, given what I know of them both. Let's see whether, apart from that chromosome, the two ladies share anything astrological. Without even looking at their charts, I'd be surprised if they did. There is one basic similarity though, both have a cluster of planets in a Fixed sign, Scorpio in Clinton's case, Aquarius for Palin. Both are stubborn and determined, loyal to the causes they personally see as being just.

Here's a dual chart with Clinton at center and Palin in the outer ring. Moon position and ascendant should be disregarded because there's no settled birth time for either lady, so the positions shown here are not accurate. Click on chart for a clearer view.




There's no shared personal planet position. Clinton's Venus at 16 Scorpio and Palin's Neptune at 17 Scorpio come nearest, but thats a personal planet and an outer planet, so not really too significant.

The most significant thing I see here is the opposition between Aquarius and Leo planets. Palin's Sun/Mars/Saturn trio closely oppose Clinton's Saturn in Leo, and more widely her Pluto and Mars. Fur and feathers may fly if ever these two finish up on a platform, opposing each other. Think 2012!

David Gilmour & "On the Turning Away"

I can't pretend to be a Pink Floyd fan, in general their style wasn't "my cup of tea". I guess I'm basically square in musical preferences. However, there is one song of theirs which I like a lot: "On the Turning Away", co-written and sung by David Gilmour.


Finding information on David Gilmour, as a person, rather than as a rock star isn't easy. Interviews concentrate mainly on his concerts and his music, rather than highlighting what kind of man he is.

There's a question mark over his year of birth too. Wikipedia and Astrotheme have it as 1946, but several other sites quote 1944. I wonder if, at some point, David wanted to appear to his fans as a little younger than his real age? I'm sure it's been done before. Or maybe the discrepancy came about from a scribbled date where the final digit could be read as a 4 or a 6.

Born 6 March, in Cambridge, England. The dual chart below shows both versions, 1946 in the center, 1944 in the outer ring. It's interesting to see what a difference two years make. There's no time of birth available, so both are set for 12 noon, which means that ascendant and Moon positions will not be accurate. (Click on image for a clearer view)


Sun in Pisces, along with either Mercury or Venus, depending on the year. Either way, that's a nice slice of imaginative, sensitive Pisces. In both charts Mars and Saturn, two powerful and often said to be challenging planets are close together. Exactly conjoined in 1944, in Gemini. Three degrees apart, in Cancer, in 1946. In what little personal information about David I've come across, from transcripts of interviews, he has said that he is shy. He's described as "a quiet man". He has admitted that, on occasion, he has felt very nervous in front of an audience, so much so that, in one film of a concert, his fingers could be seen trembling on the guitar strings! That describes emphasis on Cancer more than Gemini, so tends to favour 1946 as year of birth. As for those conjoined planets, Mars and Saturn, rather than offering challenge, I think in this case they reflect his energy - as seen in performances on stage, and resourcefulness. David has said that he is very keen to get and give value for money - that's a Saturnian trait

"We don't like to cut corners obviously. Things are very expensive and it's very easy to misdirect you money, and put an awful lot of money into something that isn't what I would call cost effective"

In the 1946 chart Mars/Saturn in Cancer trine (120*)Sun and Venus in Pisces. This is a soft Watery harmony, helping to negate any destructive tendencies from that Mars/Saturn conjunction.

Another plus for the 1946 chart is Neptune in Libra opposite Mercury (communications planet) in Aries - creativity and imagination from Neptune, with energy from Aries to bring it to the fore. As Neptune rules his Pisces Sun, this ties in well.

The song which started me on this tack? "On the Turning Away", lyrics written by David Gilmour, Pink Floyd's guitarist/vocalist, and Anthony Moore. The music reminds me of a traditional Celtic melody.

There are lots of YouTube videos of live versions of this song, but my choice is a video which, rather than showing the musicians, concentrates on the lyrics.




"On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we wont understand
Dont accept that whats happening
Is just a case of others suffering
Or youll find that youre joining in
The turning away

Its a sin that somehow
Light is changing to shadow
And casting its shroud
Over all we have known
Unaware how the ranks have grown
Driven on by a heart of stone
We could find that were all alone
In the dream of the proud

On the wings of the night
As the daytime is stirring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord
Using words you will find are strange
And mesmerized as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change
On the wings of the night

No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away
From the coldness inside
Just a world that we all must share
Its not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that therell be
No more turning away?"

Predictions

Yesterday I followed a link to website "Visions of Reality with Elizabeth Joyce" and an article posted on 17 January 2008: "Psychic Predictions for the 2008 Election"
Some of this lady's predictions haven't materialised exactly as set down, yet in a strange way an alternative view of her words might still prove to have been (accidentally?) accurate. Note especially the last four lines of this brief extract!

"For sure my psychic sense sees that a woman will occupy the White House as vice president as a result of the 2008 election, but not president. It’s just not Hillary’s time yet, as I have psychic stated for the past three years.

The male presidential candidate who runs with a woman vice presidential candidate on the ticket will win the election by a landslide. Obama or Gore will take the lead. What others are not thinking about at this time are the coming earth changes. They begin heavily after the February eclipses. America may call on and try to draft Al Gore to enter the presidential race. Psychic predictions everywhere state that we are reaching a point where the public is intrigued with the idea of a female president, but as a country we tend to take cautious steps.

If Barack Obama wins the nomination, Hillary Clinton may consider his invitation as the vice president, but his life will automatically be in danger. This “back seat” will be very difficult for Hillary to accept. Typically, you don’t want a vice president who is equally strong as the presidential candidate, but in this case it will benefit Obama, because he is “so green behind the ears,” as my grandmother, an excellent psychic, used to say. Hillary can beneifit him with her first hand knowledge of how the Oval Office is run.

My psychic sense tells me that not only will a woman become the nation’s first Vice President at the 2008 election, but she will be sworn in as president when the male president is forced to step down due to serious health issues or worse. I have also psychically stated that we will have a one-term president in 2008."


The scenario this psychic envisioned (back in January) was probably Obama winning, with Clinton as his VP, a possible assassination attempt forcing him to resign, leaving Hillary Clinton as president. As it has turned out this is unlikely to happen, but the premise of a female VP taking over as a result of the president's illness, or other reason, does remain a possibility, should John McCain win the election.

I felt intrigued enough to get out my tarot deck and ask: "What do I need to know about the outcome of the General Election?"

3 CARDS ~~~~
7 of Pentacles/Coins
The Hanged Man
The Moon

7 Pentacles/Coins relates to a time of contemplation, taking stock, and capitalizing on gains, adjusting any areas of weakness. This is apt and applicable to both Democrats and Republicans, now their respective conventions are out of the way.

The Hanged Man - a card of the Major Arcana, so more important in the reading. This card is said to be ruled by Neptune. Odd that! I've written on several occasions that when I see Obama, I think Neptune, in all its fogginess and illusion. The Hanged Man card symbolizes self-sacrifice, sometimes a period of feeling "in limbo", its message is that this is a time of waiting and requires patience, a need to watch as things develop. Being ruled by Neptune means that the card also has an undertone of spirituality.

The Moon - Again, from the Major Arcana. This card is said to relate to Pisces in astrology, Pisces' ruler is Neptune, which relates back to the previous card - a thread runs through this! The Moon card relates to highly charged emotions, a confused state of mind, feelings of fear, perhaps delusion or deceit. All is not exactly as it appears to be. Moon also signifies organic change, change led by nature, rather than manipulated change.

So..... the three cards together? Confusing! First card is clear enough, and fits the situation as it is at present. The two Major cards present uncertainty - I'm going to opt for a view that all may not be as it seems now, there is much more still to emerge. These two Major Arcana cards, for me, relate more to Barack Obama than John McCain. I could invent a scenario to fit, but it would be fiction. I'll wait, and try this experiment again in October.

Un-Aquarian?

To paraphrase an old rhyme, oft recited to me as a child when being naughty: ("There was a little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead, When she was good she was very very good, But when she was bad she was horrid.")When Aquarius is good, it's very very good, But when it's bad, it's horrid. The same can be said of any zodiac sign of course - two sides to all of 'em.

In American politics there are now two people with what I'd categorise as the "horrid" side of Aquarius prominent in their natures - Dick Cheney and, new to the national scene, Sarah Palin.

I probably see both these characters in negative light due to their politics and beliefs, which are diametrically opposed to my own. I have Sun in Aquarius, as well as Aquarius rising when my chart is re-located to Oklahoma. Perhaps, if those two characters knew me, they'd see me as the negative side of Aquarius, if they deigned to consider astrology which, of course, they wouldn't!

In Aquarius, because of its reputation for eccentricity and unpredictability, one is apt to encounter much variety in how the sign reflects back through personality. Something I try to keep in mind also is that, before the discovery of Uranus, Saturn ruled Aquarius, along with neighboring sign Capricorn. Negative Saturnian traits might account for much of what I see as the "horrid" side of Aquarius. As a quick rule of thumb, for those unable to fully analyse a natal chart, I think it's valid to approach Aquarius-driven folk with the thought that they might display prominent traits of either Uranus or Saturn - very different. Another option, perhaps more common, a subtle mix of both.

In the case of Cheney and Palin, their old fashioned Conservative views and policies, and the beliefs and values they embrace loudly yell "Saturn here!" to this observer. The the humanitarian traits for which Aquarius is generally known these days are harder to identify, nor do I see much originality or inventiveness. Unpredicatable Aquarians? As folk ruled by Saturn they are eminently predictable.

I watched Sarah Palin's speech at the Republican Convention last night with interest. She delivered it well. I understand that most of it was prepared for her, so it's hard to say whether she actually believed what she was reading. Does she really see herself as "a pitbull with lipstick"? My thought afterwards was that, astrology apart, here is a seminal American version of Margaret Thatcher. (I used to think this about Hillary Clinton before I really listened to her - I was so very wrong about that.) I lived through Thatcher's reign in Britain, and believe me - it was not pretty! It's sad that so many Clinton supporters seem to be throwing their support to McCain/Palin as a way of "getting back" at the Obama campaign for the way Hillary was treated. It's a classic "cutting off nose to spite face" attitude, and it's scary. There's some proper astrology talk on Palin and her speech by Matthew the Astrologer, today.

Here's another scary thought - what about the much vaunted Age of Aquarius? What if it doesn't bring "harmony and understanding, sympathy and love abounding", but a load of old Saturn instead ?

Astrology & Newspapers

The newspaper column below was from a series by Carl Payne Tobey, a respected American astrologer in the mid-20th century. I used this in one of my early blog posts (28 October 2006) and thought it worth another airing.

One of C.P. Tobey's quotes:

There is so much that has been taught that is not true, and we need its elimination because it has caused severe mental indigestion. As in other educational areas, we have had too much brainwashing in astrology.

Click on the above quote for a bigger version of the illustration.



I wish a current astrologer would offer something akin to this. The usual 12 sign predictions for day, week or month are all very well if in the hands of experts who can provide a mix of astrology, wisdom and even the arts. These are few and far between. A straight Sun sign column soon loses its charm. I suspect more readers, new to astrology but with a passing interest in the subject, would feel inspired to carry on learning if they had the opportunity to regularly read something similar to the columns Carl Payne Tobey used to produce.

I guess that today's newspapers are not willing to invest sufficient space in such an exotic idea. Astrologers are unlikely to be wealthy enough to buy blocks of space for themselves, or to afford to pay for an artist's contributions. Newspapers in general, these days, are having a tough time competing with internet, blogs, My Space, Face Book etc. etc. I fear that simple astrology presentations, such as the one illustrated here, are a thing of the past. It's a cause for regret.

Urania

Occasionally I ask myself what's the source of my longtime interest in astrology. My parents had no knowledge of the subject, nor did any close relative that I know of. None of my contemporaries have ever shown the slightest interest. The only people I've known who cared about astrology at all were a few work friends, none of whom were of my own generation.

Discussions of where astrology is to be found in a natal chart come up frequently on astrology forums. Many people seek to identify a source for their love of the subject, seeing it reflected in their own astrology must prove very satisfying. I've often looked for clues in my own.

Aquarian Sun with Uranus conjunct South Node of Moon might be a helpful start. Aquarius and Uranus have been said to have links with astrology. Countless people with Sun in Aquarius couldn't care less about my favourite subject though, so there's more to it than that. My Moon in Aries didn't, on first thought, seem helpful in this regard, but I made a recent discovery - Asteroid Urania lies very close to my natal Moon. This celestial body was named for the Muse of Astronomy (and by association astrology). Natal position of Urania can be checked at Extended Chart Section of Astro.com. Urania is #30 in the list of asteroids there.

Urania, as I came into the world, lay at 20.58 Aries, around 3 degrees from natal Moon, and trine Venus in Sagittarius. Does this solve the puzzle as to the source of my keen astrological interest? Whether it does or not, it works for me. I rather like the idea ! And whether there's an astrological reason for my love of astrology or not, it will continue, of that I am absolutely confident.

"In Greek mythology, Urania (Ουρανία), which means "heavenly", was the muse of astronomy and astrology. She is usually depicted as having a globe in her left hand and a peg in the right, and her foot on a turtle, symbol of silence. She is able to foretell the future by the position of the stars. She is often associated with Universal Love and the Holy Spirit. She is dressed in a cloak embroidered with stars and keeps her eyes and attention focused on the Heavens. Those who are most concerned with philosophy and the heavens are dearest to her." (See here)



Above: Urania, Muse of Astronomy (from Henry Peacham's 1612 Minerva Brittana)

Top:Small photograph of statue in the Vatican: Urania, Muse of astronomy. Marble, head and torso: Roman copies after Greek originals from the 4th century BC, rest of the body: modern restoration. The head does not belong to the body.

Judy Collins

I'd forgotten all about Judy Collins, but was reminded while searching for a video to use in my previous post. What a beautiful voice - described by one writer as "liquid silver".

Judy has been steeped in music from her early teenage years, thought of by some as a child prodigy. Daughter of a musician, she started out as a classical pianist:

"At 13, Judy made her public debut performing Mozart’s “Concerto for Two Pianos.” But the music of such artists as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, and the traditional songs ofthe folk revival, sparked Judy’s love of lyrics and, by 16, she had moved from playing the Steinway to playing guitar."

It could be said that "the rest is history".

"The music of...... the early sixties folk revival generated her intense interest in folk music and emphasized the importance of lyrics. As a folk artist in her own right, she recorded songs by Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Phil Ochs, John Lennon, and Randy Newman. Collins’ musical endeavors have ranged from folk to pop-rock to standards to Broadway ballads."

Her love of folk music must have served as inspiration for her social awareness and activism.

"She participated in the 1964 Freedom Marches in Mississippi and was a political activist during the Viet Nam War. In song, she protested against a war she saw thought unjust (Dylan’s “Masters of War”) and she honored those that fought as in her ode to Korean War veterans (”Walls”). Collins always poignantly portrays her cause."

"She has been a representative for UNICEF since 1994 and promotes landmine awareness. She wrote “Song for Sarajevo.” Subsequently, she made goodwill treks to Bosnia and Vietnam."

In her autobiography Judy told of being struck down by polio at age 10, a bout of tuberculosis, and losing a battle for custody of her son. Many years later she had to live through the devastating experience of losing her son, 33, to suicide in January 1992. She has struggled with substance abuse, bulimia and depression, has written several books documenting her challenges, sharing the wisdom she gained. This is a multi-talented, brave and compassionate lady!

She was born on 1 May 1939, Seattle (or Seattle Heights) Washington State, at, according to one source on-line, 11.55 am. That time may or may not be reliable, but I've used it for this chart - which shows Leo rising, appropriate for her career in the spotlight.



Sun in Taurus, the sign ruled by Venus - planet of the arts, including music. If birth time is fairly accurate natal Sun is close to the mid-heaven angle, a very strong point in the chart, and relates especially to public standing and professional matters. Uranus lies just 7 degrees away, also in Taurus, within orb to be considered conjoined to her natal Sun. So here is her social awareness and activism - such traits are often associated with Aquarius. She has no Aquarius planets, but because Uranus rules Aquarius and is so close to her natal Sun, the effect is similar to having an Aquarian Sun - even more intense, I suspect.

To keep this reasonably brief I'm going to concentrate on how her natal planets connect with each other.

There's a a Grand Trine in Earth harmoniously linking Uranus, Neptune and Mars. I'd say that this Earthy link-up has helped her to weather her various storms, and provided a rock solid psychological base.

There are some less helpful patterns in her chart also, at least one Grand Cross, perhaps two.

"The Grand Cross consists of four or more planets spread at intervals of approximately 90°. Thus, a cross or two oppositions is formed in the chart. This configuration generally indicates a person living under continuous stress and facing a seemingly never ending series of challenges. Likewise, the Grand Cross is also representative of the individual is never able to rest until his purpose is actualized. This aspect places your life in a constant state of tension and upheaval." See here .

The tightest Grand Cross links Saturn/Mars/Moon/Pluto by square aspect (90*) and includes two oppositions - Mars/Pluto and Moon/Saturn. The planets involved, other than Moon are known as being challenging individually, so you can imagine them acting in concert! The Moon involved with these planets indicates that emotional issues play a prominent part in on-going challenges. This configuration corresponds with her life pattern of stress and difficuties.

I was spoilt for choice as to which video of Judy Collins to post. In the end I opted for an informal version of "Turn, Turn, Turn", written by Pete Seeger.



Information gleaned from:
http://www.charlierose.com/guests/judy-collins Interview about her son's suicide
http://www.wma.com/judy_collins/Bio/Judy%20Collins%20Bio.pdf
http://www.guitarnoise.com/profile/judy-collins/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judy_Collins