The old nursery rhyme ‘pussy cat pussy cat where have you been, I’ve been to London to look at the Queen, pussy cat pussy cat what did you there, I frightened a little mouse under her chair’ rang in my head when I read the news stories about President Bush’s impending visit to Tony Blair and Queen Elizabeth next week.
According to news reports, many Londoners are up in arms about the President’s visit and plan to protest his policies, especially the war in Iraq. On November 20, 2003 a protest group plans to topple a statue of Bush in Trafalgar Square. British security is planning to cordon off the protestors, much as they did in a 1999 visit of the Chinese premier to London. Needless to say the security preparations are not going over well with anyone, not Bush’s security people, Scotland Yard, or the Mayor of London, who is incensed that large parts of London may be blocked off to keep Bush away from the sight of the protestors
A noon chart for the date in question shows a few interesting astrological aspects. The first is a Mars and Jupiter opposition, exact in degree. Mars is at 15 degrees of Pisces and Jupiter is at 15 degrees of Virgo. Mars in Pisces has a tendency to internalize anger and aggression, not allowing it full expression. It diffuses it in a sense. Mars in Pisces can be channeled into creative outlets, allowing an individual with that aspect to explore the issue of discordant feelings by painting, writing poetry, going to a film, or meditation.. But for the unaware individual it can be an aspect that lets emotions simmer and boil, much as a teapot on a stove would. Jupiter is the planet of expansion. It is the beneficial cornucopia of the planets. Placed in Virgo, the Virgoan ideal of service to others can reach great heights. It can also become exaggerated. With Mars and Jupiter opposite each other (and an opposition aspect means two energies are not in harmony with each other), Mars in Pisces is sitting on its emotions, which are watery and perhaps unfocused. Jupiter in Virgo is exploding with the desire to help others. This may reach a peak during the demonstrations planned for this day, with the protestors perhaps believing they need to take a stand and show the world and Bush how they feel about the situation in Iraq, no matter the cost.
A T-Square is also in action, with Pluto at 18 degrees of Sagittarius squaring by three degrees Mars and Jupiter. That is an explosive aspect, since Pluto is the planet in charge of atomic energy. Do I think there will be an explosion this day, an actual bomb? I hope not, for everyone’s sake. Do I think there will be an emotional bomb going off? Yes, I do, not just in England at this time but in the world. In everyday life, there will be a lot of emotional tensions, at work, at home and inside ourselves. This is what happens when energy is at cross purposes to itself. The teapot has to get lifted off the stove, or it will explode. With a demonstration going on, all that inner turmoil can find itself turning outward into bottle throwing, etc. That is why with this aspect it is best to try to use the energy creatively and constructively. Sit down with your boss or domestic partner and discuss your issues, rather than exploding at them or yelling at them.
One last item. In the chart (Placidus) I cast for noon in London, 1 degree of Sagittarius is on the Midheaven, the tenth house cusp. The tenth house is concerned with not only our career and life path, but also how other people view us. It is concerned with our status in the world around us. I took note of the fact that on Sunday, November 23, there will be a solar eclipse in just that degree of 1 Sagittarius. An eclipse on an important angle in a chart demonstrates the trend of change in that area. Symbolically when something is eclipsed it can be said to be dimming its light. I think in this case Bush’s visit to London will not be the success he had hoped.
It is said that 'You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time'. For George Bush, who refuses to watch or read news reports, and relies on his advisors to keep him informed as to what is going on in the world around him, this must be a watershed event. The London based newspapers are full of stories asking 'who invited this man to come to London' and polls show a majority of British subjects don't want him to come. No matter how tightly he ties his blinders on, some light is starting to peep through. I wonder if he likes what little he sees.
Copywriter by Isabelle Ghaneh
November 12, 2003