Is the UK on the verge of another “Winter of Discontent”?

We all live and experience cycles because eventually the planets come back to the same or similar parts of the universe in their orbits around our Sun, and in so doing they affect similar regions of our zodiac triggering problems or challenges that we may have seen before. In Britain, we may be start to see a situation that harks to the past developing once again, and the chief protagonist in all this is Uranus.

Will 2014 be the year that the financial bubble bursts in the United States?

I was asked by one of my followers on my Facebook page what Uranus turning direct would hold for the US. In answering this question posed to me I had a look back into history and found an astrological trend that is due to continue in the year 2014, one that the general public, politicians, financial officials and indeed those in the highest offices of power in the United States might not want to hear, but one that they should take heed of and prepare for.

United States – Open for business again, but only delaying the pain.

Yesterday, the United States dodged a flying bullet as in congress they agreed to pass a new budget to allow the country to function again. In the past 3 weeks the United States had been in lockdown and as a result thousands of government workers were effectively prevented from going to work as national services, monuments and national parks were shut down. Nobody was getting paid and a yet bigger hurdle was looming as the debt ceiling would have been reached today 17th October. Had that deadline passed then effectively the US would have been unable to borrow money to pay it’s bills, however the US Administrators struck a late deal to raise the US debt ceiling once again. As I see it, this agreement is only delaying the moment when the United States will really have to face the truth about it’s financial position.

Cyprus – Tax on savings causes public panic

Late yesterday, the Cyprus Government dropped a bombshell that not only upset their own population but might also send shockwaves right across the European Union. The Greek controlled part of the divided island has been in a financial crisis in the past year, and as part of an agreed bail out from the EU it has decided to tax people’s savings and bank accounts. Not just the wealthy are affected, this is a blanket tax charging 6% on the ordinary Cypriots and up to 10% on the wealthy. It not only applies to the local population, it extends to foreign nationals too. This has caused consternation and people have rushed to banks to withdraw their money to avoid any penalties. The worry across the continent is that other financially struggling European nations might consider passing similar laws.

Spain – Financial bail out a sticking plaster over a big gaping wound.

I am returning to the issue of Spain again today as I noticed something that I think needs to be highlighted. Over the weekend the man above Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy pocketed a cool 100 billion Euros to bail out the crocked Spanish banking system, however I see this as little more than delaying the inevitable. This bail out is very much related to the previous solar eclipse of the 20th May 2012.

Pluto meets Facies in Capricorn – A history lesson of debt, taxes & rebellion.

In Astrology it is often worth going back into history to work out the lessons from times past. At the moment those in the Astrology world are transfixed by the Uranus/Pluto square that is exact for the first time later this month, however I have turned my attention to a sub-plot that is also going on in the heavens that happens only once in every around 248 years which I believe is no less significant, a conjunction between Pluto in Capricorn and the fixed star Facies.

The European Debt Crisis - Exploring the astrological link between Greece and the Euro

Greece is on it’s knees again as an attempt to set up a far left coalition government in Greece failed and now an emergency administration is being put in place to give some direction to the ailing country. As I have indicated in previous posts Greece will be looking down the barrel of a gun for years to come and they still have to experience a very tough Pluto opposition to Saturn and the Ascendant in 2014. This post however takes a quick look at why Greece has been so intrinsically liked to the problems in with the Euro currency.

Spain – Facing a financial storm in the autumn.

I’ve been looking at the charts of several European nations trying to see if any other countries are due for a difficult time, and facing the upcoming Uranus Pluto with potential financial worries will be Spain. Spain has serious financial problems caused by the explosion of an over inflated housing market back in 2008. Spain also is blighted by 20% unemployment coupled with over 5 million immigrants, who put a great strain on a fragile economy.

Portugal – On the slow road to recovery

All of the recent focus has been on Greece as Europe lurches towards in inevitable crisis but there have been several other European countries who have been really suffering in the past two to three years, Spain, Italy, Ireland and Portugal. I was asked a few days ago by one of my regular readers Rick to have a look at Portugal and today I am pleased to do so. The only problem with Portugal is to know which chart to use since the country has a long colourful history. Because we are looking at modern financial problems, I decided to look at the 1974 Carnation revolution chart, the one formed after the breakdown of Portugal’s overseas empire.

Greece – Second bail out precedes another Greek tragedy?

Is the world, or rather Europe going soft, or mad, or both? I know the Greek people are suffering right now, but they only have themselves to blame for frittering away cash like it was water pouring down a drain. The public sector in Greece before the economic crash in autumn 2008 was hugely over-manned, and the wages paid and especially the bonus culture that grew up within it wasted millions and millions of Euros. Now they are paying the price. Only thing is it the general public, the ordinary Joe on the street that is having to carry the can, and he doesn’t like it one bit. Stringent cuts and austerity measures have yet again caused rioting on the streets of Athens, and low and behold the European Union caved in for a second time and provided a second bail out fund in the region of 110 million dollars. The Greeks have even started to pay back the first bail out they got last year, so how on earth are they going to cover the second one? All this of course is related to the unstable future of the Euro currency. There seems to be no get out clause inbuilt into the system, so if one country fails the whole lot comes tumbling down. Clever eh? From my point of view here in the UK, thank our lucky stars that we didn’t join the Euro, otherwise we would be facing huge problems and riots on the streets of London too; the British do like the odd riot now and again ;)

Occupy Wall Street – The battle goes on. Examining the Astrology of the anti capitalist movement.

Tomorrow will be the 2nd month since the beginning of the Occupy Wall Street movement, a rolling protest that has gathered in steam and size as it’s effects and influence have spread around the world. As I write the main focus site for the group Zuccotti Park in Lower Manhattan, has been cleared by the New York police, however this will only enliven the protest yet further. It is a direct reflection of the current Pluto/Uranus square which is still in operation and will be for the next 3 years.

Silvio Berlusconi – Stepping down as Italy slides into financial meltdown

He has been at the head of Italian politics in three separate periods since 1994, a huge figure of influence who courts controversy, however this time I doubt if the great survivor can escape the clamour for him to step down. Yesterday, he said that he would be resigning, and if the transiting planets are anything to go by, this time he will have to be true to his word.

China coming to Europe’s rescue, but at a price…

Thirty years ago China was on it’s knees, a 3rd world country run by a communist dictatorship (in truth not much as changed there) battling population growth and world isolation. Now China is an economic superpower, driving the world economy and the one beacon of hope for the European Union which is on the brink of total collapse as the Greek Debt crisis grinds on to a inevitable conclusion. It prompted me to look at the relationship between the two, and I found some surprising planetary placements.

Greek Debt Crisis – Papandreou throws a spanner in the works in asking for a referendum on aid package.

Oh dear. All the European ministers worked so hard last week to thrash out a new aid package for Greece, and just one week later, the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has decided to hold a referendum to ask the people of the embattled nation if they should adopt the package. On this news the European Markets have gone into a tailspin, losing 4-5% immediately on the news.

Italy – Mamma Mia! Yet another European country is due to default on it’s debt.

As the European Union lurches from one crisis to the next, the biggest casualty so far looms ever larger on the radar screen. Italy, the third largest economy using the Euro, the 10th largest in the world is seriously in danger of defaulting on it’s debt payments. As it stands Italy’s debt stands at a whopping 130% of GDP. Not much chance of turning that around in the next few weeks, is there? If Italy defaults, this will place huge pressure on France and Germany who will have to carry the majority of the burden, if that is, they decide to do so.

Italy’s chart problems are very obvious if you look at the natal chart. The chart was formed on 2nd July 1871 in Rome at 12.30pm. It features a very strong cardinal t-square with the Sun and Jupiter (the planet of knowledge, wisdom and faith) in close conjunction. Both are in maternal Cancer in the sign of the family. What more appropriate symbol of traditional Italy? That the family is taken so seriously can also be seen with Capricorn on the cusp of the 4th house. That conjunction opposes stern Saturn  in Capricorn alongside the emotional Moon  (representing the people) in the 3rd house of communication and the press. Here in the opposition we see the influence of strong conservative faith Saturn opposite Jupiter (the planet of religion) in the 9th house, and also in Jupiter opposite the Moon we see the extravagant emotions of the Italian people. This opposition squares Mars conjunct the ascendant. All this emotion, faith, and communication is done with flair and panache. This is a feisty country, passionate and often in crisis.

Uranus in the house of government show the Italian tradition for rebelling against an administration as soon as it has taken it place in Rome, Italian politics are always in a state of flux. With a square from Uranus to Neptune, you can see that corruption and dirty dealing is inbuilt into the Italian system. This Neptune also trines to Venus in the 11th house giving the country and the people a sense of style and a love of beauty and fashion. With Aquarius on the cusp of the 5th house, this creativity is cutting edge, fresh and unusual. Venus makes a square to Pluto in the 8th house showing a real passion for sport, culture and entertainment. This also probably accounts for the liberal & rather sexual attitude to the treatment of women; where else in the world would you get an ex porn star being elected to Parliament? Pluto in the 8th house also gives a clue to what is going on right now. Pluto represents change, constraint, death, destruction and regeneration and the 8th house in mundane (national) astrology is associated with other country’s finance. Scorpio ruled by Pluto sits on the 2nd house of the Italian money and finance supply, so safe to assume that any difficult transits from Pluto or to Pluto would hit Italy financially and Pluto sextiles the Midheaven too, the public face and reputation of the country will be severely affected.

Now, the Italian Saturn (part of this hugely stressful t-square sits at 6 Capricorn, the Moon lies at 8 Capricorn, Jupiter at 8 Cancer, Mars at 7 Libra, the Sun at 10 Cancer and a little further on the ascendant at 13 Libra. All these planets lie at early cardinal degrees and all are at the mercy of transiting Pluto which is gearing up to hit this 7-10 cardinal degree zone in late 2011, through 2012 and into 2013. Pluto is ruthless and will completely shake up the whole Italian economy. This is a transformation on a huge level coming up, and the debt crisis is only going to be the start. The beginning will of this will be as Saturn crosses the Italian ascendant in the middle of this month. Italy has come under greater and greater scrutiny in the past couple of weeks as Saturn has been approaching this point, and in the process activating the natal t-square. Watch out for the default notice to be served on Italy then. The process of Italy’s European partners bailing her out will start as Jupiter enters the 8th house (the other people’s finance coming to the rescue). Behind this generosity, the pain that the Italian economy will have to go through to reform and to repay back the money owed is going to be huge. In simple terms, Saturn is bringing the fear, Jupiter the temporary relief, but Pluto will bring the long lasting change.