Sorry so sorry
this weary world would not stop
Take me anywhere
copyright Francis Barker 2019
Haiku: Sorry
Category: news
The Proms: An Extraordinary British Tradition
The Proms begin today, July 19, perhaps the quintessential British cultural event, held each year in several venues in London between July and September, though most notably at The Royal Albert Hall.
The word proms is in fact a shortening of the term Promenade Concerts, a cultural phenomena which had its origins in 18th century London, which took place in pleasure gardens where the spectators were allowed to move around the orchestras. The word promenade is a borrowing from the French language, meaning to walk.
Music for the masses
In the 19th century this style of concert moved indoors as well, leading eventually to the establishment of ‘The Proms’ on August 10 1895 at the Queens Hall, Langham Place by the well known impresario, Robert Newman.
The idea was to offer the experience of classical music to the general public, with lower ticket prices in an informal setting. It has to be said that the idea worked, with a comprehensive schedule of performances spanning over two months.
Too English?
However, the Proms do have their detractors. For instance, I have heard it said more than once that they are too English. Whilst there is certainly a great deal of flag waving, a cursory look at the famous ‘Last Night of the Proms’, will reveal flags from all over the world.
What is more, much time and energy has been put in to diversifying the content, with the inclusion of world music, as well as folk music from all over Great Britain and Ireland.
copyright Leofwine Tanner 2019
Astrology Musings: The Conservative Minority Government, June 9, 2017 – Always Going Nowhere?
Astrological charts can be cast for events as well as people, otherwise called Mundane astrology.
Having failed to win an overall majority to the surprise of many, PM May went to Buckingham Palace to form a minority government at 12:30 PM on June 9 2017.
I cast this chart at the time and it was pretty obvious that the making of clear cut decisions was going to be difficult, if not impossible. Minority governments always have to tread carefully anyway.
Mutable Angles
For a start, the chart has the angles, that is the rising sign and midheaven, in mutable signs. Change, uncertainty, constant flux – these are all the qualities of this present administration. Not good if you want to finalise decisions, come to agreements in regard to Brexit.
Also, at almost the exact time the government was formed, there was a full moon in mutable signs once more, the Sun opposing from Gemini. Again, mutable means constant movement, fluidity.
This full moon seems to symbolise the ongoing, constantly changing, yet ultimately intransigent relations between the government and the opposition, and the establishment against the people, as it has come to be seen.
Impressionable Relations
What is more, we have Neptune in Pisces (mutable) very close to the descendant, which is all about how the government relates to the outside world. Neptune has been negatively associated with impressionability, confusion, perhaps even deceit with this placing; think of a thick sea mist preventing you being able to see where you are going in a boat.
I think this pretty much describes the events over the passed two years. The endless confusion, rumours of behind the scene deals, the complete lack of clear progress – in anything. It might be argued that we also see here the befuddled nature of the ‘deal or no deal’ Brexit negotiations, which, at times have descended into complete farce at Westminster, with the UK and EU literally talking a different language.
The Good News?
On a more positive note, Jupiter is in the second house of financial affairs, in a wide trine aspect to the Sun. To me this shows that despite the political chaos, UK PLC has continued to do financially well, relatively better than most other European countries, at any rate, despite warnings of Brexit.
There is also a nicely positive aspect between Venus in Taurus 9th house, and Mars in Cancer in the 11th. There may well have been financial opportunities, helping hands from abroad, like that free trade deal with the USA, which has never materialised – at least not yet.
On the whole though, I think we can see that this was not a good time to form a government, to put it mildly.
Astrology Musings – Brexit, 1066 and Hostile Takeover
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.
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.
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.
England: Lincolnshire Church Targeted… Again
I’m sorry to say that Gosberton church in south Lincolnshire has been targeted by lead thieves once more, within 48 hours of the first incident.
All I can do is point you to the link below for the full disturbing story:
Ciscography 