Category: Business

Astrology Musings – Brexit, 1066 and Hostile Takeover

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Unless you are a mole (no offence, moles), or have somehow managed to insulate yourself from the news over the last three years or so, you must have heard of Brexit – even in the USA.

Well, astrological charts can be cast for nations as well as people. It’s called Mundane Astrology and has a long history. Can it reveal anything?

Well, one method of prognostication is to cast a ‘birth’ chart for a nation (or can be an event) at an important juncture, such as the Norman Conquest of 1066, in England’s case. This, arguably, was the last time England was conquered by military force, so one would think it has to be very significant astrologically speaking, a time when the country was reborn, for good for ill, with a hostile takeover.

Coronation of the Conqueror

To do this, normally the date and time of William the First’s coronation on Christmas Day 1066 at 12 Noon, is taken, bearing in mind that the old Julian calendar was in operation at that time. Adjustments must be made.

Over many years it’s often been said that this chart still ‘resonates’, still represents the character of the nation even and its sensitivity to the movements of the planets today, their positions, including the three ‘outer planets’. These are called transits.

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In this chart the sun is in Capricorn and Aries is rising, two signs which represent the tradition, business and enterprising, often belligerent and warlike nature of England over the past 950 years.

What I find most interesting however, is at the present time we have Uranus and Pluto in the earth signs of Taurus and Capricorn. Saturn is also in Capricorn, which it rules. So, with almost equal measure, you could say that the forces for change vie with the power of the establishment. Who will win?

Force for Change

Looking beyond England for a minute, even for the world as a whole the presence of these two forces for change, Uranus and Pluto, in two earth signs, represents political and financial intrigue, change and chaos, most particularly since Uranus’ entry into Taurus last year. Saturn in Capricorn, however, represents authority, the need to keep things established the way they are.

And right now transiting Pluto is in square (difficult, challenging) aspect from the 10th house to the Ascending (and thereby descending also) degree of the 1066 chart.

Intransigence

I think this represents the fundamental intransigence of the political situation right now. Pluto is stirring up the mud, perhaps slowly ‘draining the swamp’ in the political situation in England, bringing existential questions to the fore about the nation itself, about what it is, where it is going, how it relates to the world. Saturn in Capricorn however wants to resist any such change.

The intransigence is of course between the forces of those who wish to implement the referendum result right now, and those who do not, or if at all, symbolised by Saturn in Capricorn. It is not as straightforward as saying this is radicalism versus conservatism.

Either way, however, drastic, lasting political change is definite, I think. We may see a glimpse of what is to come today, Thursday May 23, when the EU (including the UK) votes in the new European elections.

Mars the driving force?

Pluto has been in Capricorn for some time but Uranus has been turning things over a bit in Aries (England’s rising sign), passing over England’s 1066 ascendant, and now in early Taurus, both sensitive areas of the 1066 chart.

Uranus moving into Taurus hints of sudden financial changes, which might well be to do with whatever deal the UK finally gets, if any.

What is more, when I cast the chart for the moment the polls open at 7 am on May 23 (set for Westminster, London, UK), astonishingly I found Mars closely conjunct a Cancer ascendant, exactly sextile Uranus. I also found the waning Moon just passing the Saturn Pluto conjunction in Capricorn.

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Pluto – now not even considered a true planet, might still have a strong generational effect.

What does this mean? One interpretation is that the forceful, emotionally patriotic stance of the people, who wish to embrace positive change (Mars conjunct Cancer ascendant in good aspect to Uranus) will be very evident in the character of the poll, its driving force if you will.

Fallout

The Moon conjunct Saturn Pluto in Capricorn in the 7th or 8th house (depending on which house system you use) in the electional chart, might indicate the triggering of the fundamental political change, the beginning of manifest constitutional change which will alter forever England’s and the United Kingdom’s stance in the world and how it relates to it.

These are musings only, but I shall be very interested to see what picture begins to emerge with the counting on Friday.

And we may not see the full fallout, that is, what kind of country England finally emerges as, until Pluto leaves Capricorn in 2023 and Uranus leaves Taurus in 2025.

Keeping My Faith

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My Faith Mercury – in all its parlour beauty. Note the lovely rosewood binding.

I’ve had my Faith Mercury parlour guitar for nearly four years now. I remember that it wasn’t a very easy purchase.

So OK, let me explain. I love electric guitars too; I’d had my American Stratocaster for number of years but it simply wasn’t getting played. It wasn’t that I didn’t like it, far from it. I don’t gig so it’s far easier sitting around with an acoustic. I just wanted something smaller, lighter, easier in my lap – a ‘sofa guitar’ you might say.

Look, I’d got other acoustics (I’ll come back to them another time) but not a genuine 12 fret join-at-the-neck acoustic. They are usually called parlour guitars due to the fact that they were originally made in more genteel times for ladies to strum in their parlours. How quaint, I thought. I’ve seen plenty of women who can handle much bigger guitars than this, but again that’s another story.

You actually traded in the Strat?

So, once I’d come to terms with the knowledge that parlour guitars weren’t necessarily the exclusive property of women, I had to make a decision. Yes, I was going to trade in the Strat! What? It was hard to let it go: Heck, even the smell of it was great.

Yet, when I first took hold of that light Faith Mercury parlour it was the perfect fit for noodling, fingerstyle playing which is basically where I’m at these days. You might call it the quintessential songwriters’ guitar and I’ve been known to write a few.

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Nice touch.

The Faith Mercury is a perfect wee beastie: The simple Faith logo on the headstock, solid woods all round with a spruce top, trembesi back and sides and some beautiful rosewood binding to boot, which I really love. Mine has the glossy top, with matt finish back and sides. The solid trembesi, I am told, sits tonally somewhere between rosewood and mahogany. Sounds great.

Not boxy out of the box

However, perhaps the most surprising thing, considering it’s a parlour guitar, is that it’s not that boxy sounding; in fact there’s a fair amount of bass and thus a fuller, richer sound than I was expecting. It was in tune ‘right out of the box’ as the saying goes, and it’s so easy to play, the action just right for me. And by the way, it wasn’t actually a box but rather a very nice case emblazoned with the Faith logo.

My only ‘quibble’ is the fact that it doesn’t smell like a Martin (Martin owners will know what I mean) – but you can’t have everything, I suppose. Faith make some fantastic, great value guitars and I wouldn’t hesitate buying another. The only problem is making a choice. I’ve always fancied another Faith Mercury with the scoop and pick up. Equally I’d like a Venus, but which one?

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The grain of the solid trembesi wood is particularly impressive.

Bog oak – is that a thing?

Then there’s the one made with that ancient bog oak, was it? Actually I think they’ve made several by now. One day I will make my mind up. I just hope I don’t have to trade in another to get one.

But get this. About a month ago my wife said, “can you teach me to play guitar?” After getting up off the floor and saying “yes, of course, Darling,” I wondered which of my several acoustics she would prefer to learn on. Absolute no brainer, the Faith Mercury won hands down. “It’s just the right shape for me,” she said, having struggled just a little with the others. Now she’s already trying to pick out the ‘Game of Thrones’ theme tune and I can’t get a look in!

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Oh, did I say Grovers too?

It looks like parlour guitars are indeed very suitable for women and most especially the Faith Mercury. I’ll just have to remind her that it’s actually my guitar!

Leo Tanner 2019

http://www.faithguitars.com

A Bull Market for Taurus?

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Ironically, Uranus in Taurus could be like ‘a bull in china shop’.

Where will we be by 2026?

It has often mystified me how the second sign of the zodiac, that particular 30 degree division of the ecliptic, got associated with the bull – Latin name Taurus. I’ve read theories but I guess the real truth is lost to time somewhere in ancient Mesopotamia and Greece.

Taurus in pure astrological terms is the fixed earth sign. Earth is pretty fixed as it is but add the ‘fixed’ condition to it as well..? From this it gets its traits of solidity and dependability. OK, a bull is solid – but is it dependable?

Taurus is ruled by Venus, some say the more negative side of the lesser benefic planet. From this Taurus is also associated with beauty, but perhaps a more particularly sensuous, earthy type of good looking things. In the human anatomy the sign is said to rule the neck, that natives may have weak spot in this part of the body, especially if the Sun or planet in the sign is ‘afflicted’ by negative aspects.

The sign is also associated to the second house in birth charts, which is all to do with our personal security and money, basically the Taurean traits applied our personal world. In mundane terms too, Taurus rules money, finance and securities. Aries is said to plough the first furrow, it initiates. Taurus is all about consolidation, big time.

However, last year the ‘outer planet’ Uranus entered Taurus for the first time since the early 1940s, which ended a tenure spanning back to 1934. Naturally, you don’t have to be a brilliant student of history to know what was happening in the world then.

But let’s not be alarmist. What does it all mean? Taurus is money, Uranus breaks up. It could be that by 2026 when this shaker-upper of a ‘planet’ leaves Taurus, our views on money, what it is, how we use it – might be radically different from what they are now. We should also remember that Pluto remains in Capricorn until 2023. Capricorn is the cardinal earth sign and is politics, the establishment, big business. This combination may represent a double whammy for the way things are at present.

My prediction (I know many would say that it’s an easy prediction to make) is that the world of 2019 compared to 2026 will have radically changed. We might see digital currencies running the world by then, which would entail along with it drastic changes in lifestyle.

And there’s no reason why it shouldn’t actually change for the better, for once. That goes for you too, Taurus.