On a recent trip to Belfast, we visited the Titanic Experience.
Located a short trip from the city centre, the exhibition lies, quite fittingly, in the old industrial dock area, for so long the life blood of the city.
As you arrive you see the old yellow Harland and Wolff cranes, nicknamed Samson and Goliath; what better sentinels could there be?
New Meets Old
The centre itself is of course very modern, the style of the design reflecting a new take on the industrial old.
Inside it is huge, and as ever in Belfast and Northern Ireland in general, the staff were very helpful and kind.
Going around, however, although there were several reconstructions of the kind of cabins that could be had on board the Titanic, we were a little disappointed that we couldn’t ‘interact’ with them more.
Lack of Interaction
For instance, you could not walk into the third class cabin. Everything is behind glass, or perspex. Perhaps they don’t want things to disappear, shall we say, considering the volume of tourists they must get.
And also, considering that this event, which occurred in April 1912, was one of the greatest human tragedies of the 20th century, I don’t think there’s quite enough about that human element. Maybe we’ve seen the film too often.
Short Ride
There is a short automated ride around a kind of reconstruction of the shipyard at its height, with all the noises and sights you might have seen. However, I think this is too short and did not convey enough atmosphere for me.
I don’t think it’s quite on a par with the Yorvik museum in York in this regard, for instance, where you get a better sense, I feel, of what Viking York might have been like a thousand years ago – stronger smells and all.
Evocative Style
Just across the way in an old dry dock, lies the SS Nomadic, a much smaller ship, but which allows you to explore more of what it must have been like aboard the Titanic on its only voyage. The styling and the sense of the pre-war period is evocative.
So overall, I think the Titanic Experience does a good job. It’s well put together with lots of detail. There is plenty to keep people of all ages occupied for a couple of hours, on several levels. You get a strong sense, too, of how fundamental ship building is to Belfast, the industry which turned a small town into a boom town in the 19th century.
Sometimes it’s good to get back to basics. Actually it’s fundamental, if you don’t have a base, there’s nothing to build on.
So as the sun is in Gemini at the moment, I thought I’d have a quick look at its mundane house equivalent, the third house.
Gemini is of course the first of the air signs, and is mutable or changeable in quality. It’s ruled by Mercury.
Big Subject
The third house, therefore, is to do with communication – but that’s a big subject, right?
Communication can cover all of this: speaking, writing, office work, learning, education, reporting, walking, riding a bike or motorcycle, driving a car, delivering, local business, visiting…
But it’s also to do with our nearest relations and neighbours; brothers, sisters, cousins etc. and our local community in general.
Phew! It covers quite a lot, which we perhaps might suspect with the airy and mutability associations.
An Example
So what might it mean in practical astrological terms?
One example from the past that I can recall was this lovely lady, sadly long gone now. She had the Sun in Libra conjunct Venus and Mercury in the third house.
I didn’t know her until she was well into her sixties, but she retained a youthful air; quite tall, fast walking and nimble, always smiling, courteous, never having a bad word to say about anyone.
And she could never do enough for her neighbours, simply visiting, chatting, getting groceries, perhaps driving them to the shops.
Embedded in the Community
She was a retired teacher, though still ran evening classes where she lived. She was a big organiser of local events, often for charity. And she had never married – she’d simply been too busy!
She had dedicated her life to the local school for thirty five years, then fully engaged with her community in other ways when she retired.
As you can see, that Sun, Venus, Mercury conjunction in Libra, in the third house, pretty much encapsulates a large part of her life.
copyright Leofwine Tanner 2019
*If you would like a personal astrology report, please contact me at: leoftanner@gmail.com for details.
So, finally, the British PM has decided to call it a day. It was sad to see her so upset though – she’s done her best.
But from an astrological angle, what did the mundane chart of the time of her public resignation show?
Positive
Well, for a start, it’s a more positive chart than some I’ve seen during this protracted Brexit process.
There’s a Leo ascendant and an Aries midheaven. Decisions! Albeit in the negative – she’s leaving.
Leo declares publicly, dramatically. An Aries midheaven, the ‘government’ sector of the chart, shows decisive leadership. Its ruler, Mars, is in Cancer, which may reveal something of the emotive and patriotic nature of the statement.
Open Declaration
The Moon, now in Aquarius in the seventh house, exactly and positively trine Mercury in Gemini, indicates the open declaration to the public, the outside world.
Uranus in the tenth house may reveal a change at the top, though this was hardly unexpected.
In all, this chart to me seems to symbolise a clearing of the air, maybe the chance of a new start, of sorts.
A very interesting quick look – but who might her successor be?
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.
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.
Apley’s church of Saint Andrew really is a little gem.
When we arrived there we were astonished to see just how small it was. There were cars outside, but was there really anyone inside? I mean, how many could you get in there?
Well, it turns out that, on occasion, there are up to 15 worshippers, and there are often christenings too. So as far as the Apley community and ourselves are concerned, small is beautiful.
Apley is a small hamlet between Lincoln and Horncastle, nestled in the gently rolling hills of north-central Lincolnshire, the historic riding of Lindsey that used to be a kingdom in its own right about thirteen hundred years ago.
That said, it was not too easy for us to find, but it’s well worth a visit. The church, for such a limited space, could boast many items of interest, see photographs.
And once more, we were treated royally by our hosts!
Ciscography 