WILDFIRES IN CALIFORNIA

Above this text you will see the 'birthchart' for The State of California. (9 September 1850, Sacramento) This times the admission of California, the 31st union, into The United States of America. Please click to enlarge.

The motto for the state is 'Eureka'. The motivational phrase for an entity, such as a State, is generally chosen by popular consensus. However, to people who work with the language of symbolism, there is far more to these decisions than meets the eye. Let me explain.... To the Astrologer the fact that there are fires raging out of control in California, the 'Eureka' state, and these fires are called'Wild' fires - due to the erratic nature of their course - speaks clearly of celestial/terrestrial correspondence. The words Eureka and Wild are instantly recognisable to all astrologers as signatures of the highly eccentric and erratic planet Uranus.

Uranus has an extra-ordinary tilt to its axis in relation to its orbital plane and therefore experiences an erratic spin and great extremes of weather. Uranus (formerly known as Georgium Sidum and also Herschel) was discovered on March 13th, 1781. It is of great import to astrologers that on this date Mars and Saturn, the two planets we associate (amongst other things) with fire, were opposite the longitudinal position of Uranus and that the foundation of the city of Los Angeles occurred within six months of this planets discovery.

Over the centuries the planet Uranus has also been noted for its correspondence to seismic shocks i.e., Earthquakes. Additionally, as it was discovered at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, it is the planet most closely associated with electricity and the rapid spread of technology.

It was on 4th September 1781 shortly after Uranus had moved into the sign of Cancer - the birth sign of the United States of America - that the city of Los Angeles was founded.* As this was obviously almost 70 years prior to the formal birthdate of the State of California, it is even more 'coincidental' that the Uranian phrase Eureka was chosen as a motto. It is also noteworthy that many years later, although the World Wide Web was instigated by an Englishman, the 'home' of the Internet and revolutionary technology is thought of as Silicon Valley, California.

Furthermore, in modern times California's ongoing problems with its electricity supply-and- demand has led to certain dates being designated as 'Lights Out' days. So, knowing that California is what we might term Uranian, is it any real surprise to learn that Uranus is particularly 'active' ** in the charts at this time and that a 'Lights Out' day was was scheduled for October 20th just as the sudden wildfires were about to take hold?

Over this now historic weekend Uranus, the planet of electricity and 'wild' events, was transiting the progressed Midheaven of the City of LA chart and the descendant of the State of California Chart. Additionally, like the cogs moving the wheels within an intricate timepiece, the planet Saturn moved by direction ( i.e 1 degree per year) to the Midheaven of the city of Los Angeles i.e. to zero degrees of the fire sign Leo - squaring the Moon and Venus of The Californian State Chart. This happened on 19th October 2007 and will be the first time in the history of the city and state that Saturn has reached the Midheaven by direction.

Saturn moving to the top of the chart speaks of black clouds and dark skies over Los Angeles and the State, as well as a very sombre mood and pressure on the authorities. However we are looking at Uranus so let's return to this planet.......

Uranus was at 29 Aries on the date of the founding of The State of California and this is exactly opposite the position the Sun was transiting at the start of these fires. On the evening of 25th October, California time, the Sun will reach the opposition stage with the Moon i.e a Full Moon at 2 Taurus completing a T square with the directed Saturn of Los Angeles which as mentioned has just moved to O degrees of Leo. The planet Uranus is currently at 15 degrees of Pisces in the sky which is exactly opposite the Sun of the State of California. Mercury, ruling planet of both LA and the State will be at 27 Libra at the Full Moon, opposite Uranus (and Pluto) of the State and on the Ascendant of L.A.

Full Moon's bring things to their maximum intensity and then they slowly subside but with directed Saturn now in square to the Moon and Venus for at least a few years, these fires could signal the start of longterm problems for the State.

All this is information is difficult to assimilate even for the expert astrologer. It is even more difficult to appreciate the synchronicity involved by reading about it. An entire team of statisticians would be needed to compute the chances of Uranus and the Sun being in all these various relationships in the two main charts for California at such a time. So, in order to let you visually take in some of this incredible synchronisation please click on the charts below. Bear in mind that it takes 360 days for the Sun to complete the circle of the Zodiac and the cycle of Uranus is 84 years and the direction of Saturn from o Leo to 0 Leo, approximately 360 years.









There is much more work to be done in looking at the coincidence of all these cycles during this disaster (which translates as 'against the stars') and what directed Saturn at the Midheaven may mean for the State from now onwards. For those who wish to conduct some in-depth research, here is a list of some of the worst wildfires in California this century, based on deaths, destruction or acreage burned**

— October 2003: Cedar Fire, near San Diego, 273,000 acres, 4,847 structures, 15 deaths. Accidentally started by a hunter in the Cleveland National Forest, it was among 15 wildfires that killed 22 people, destroyed 3,640 homes and blackened 750,000 acres of Southern California during a two-week period.

— November 1993: Topanga Fire, Malibu area of Los Angeles County. 18,000 acres, 323 homes, three deaths. Cause: Arson. The fire was among more than 20 that killed four people, destroyed more than 1,000 homes and consumed 193,814 acres during a two-week period.

— October 1991: Tunnel Fire, Oakland hills of Alameda County. 1,520 acres, 3,276 homes and apartments destroyed, 25 people killed. Cause: A flying ember from a fire believed contained ignited a tree.

— November 1980: Panorama Fire, San Bernardino foothills. 23,600 acres, 325 homes destroyed, four dead. Cause: Arson.

— September 1970: Laguna Fire, San Diego County mountains. 175,425 acres, 382 structures, six dead. Cause: Power lines.

— November 1966: Loop Fire, near Angeles National Forest in Los Angeles County. 2,028 acres, 12 firefighters killed. Power line.

— November 1961: Bel Air-Brentwood Fire, Los Angeles County. 6,090 acres, 484 homes, 21 other buildings. Cause: Believed to be accidental.

— July 1953: Rattlesnake

Finally here's the visual depiction of the impact of the 2 degree Taurus Full Moon over California.











* Chart for Los Angeles taken from Mundane Astrology by Elbert Benjamine 1935 27 Libra rising
** Active in this context means making many aspects to planets or angles
*** No time is known for The State of California Chart. Date taken from Wikipedia

Wildfire data courtesy of Associated Press

THE PROPHECY

As a result of my post on Heretics, someone sent me a copy of a text which is known as The Cathar Prophecy. I can't vouch for its authenticity but it's extremely thought provoking and inspiring so I thought I would share it with you here.

The Cathars were a religious sect from the Languedoc region of France who refused to ascribe to Roman Catholic doctrines and were therefore branded as heretics. They date back to the 11th century and their quest for spiritual liberation from the dogmas became known as Catharism.

The person who sent me this text had recently 'dug it out' for a friend of hers called Catherine. This synchronicity caused me to wonder if the etymology of my name,Catherine/Kathryn,lies somewhere in the Greek καθαροί (Katharoi), meaning "pure ones", a term related to the word Katharsis or Catharsis, meaning "purification".

I say this, not for the accolade of perhaps being thought of as 'pure', but because Catharsis is a very Plutonian word. Whilst I am a Pluto ruled Scorpio, others are obviously not. However it has come to my attention before that all of those with the name Catherine, Katherine and Kathryn with whom I have ever conversed, have spent their lives dealing with issues of their faith and the expunging of their lower nature via very testing, cathartic situations. Do you know any Catherines?

This whole concept of one's name being more than just an arbitrary moniker is nothing to do with astrology per se but it does have connections to the understanding of the entire indivisibility of man, his name, his parents, friends, vocal tones, life circumstances etc, to his environment. This concept can also be termed Cosmogenesis; the principle that the cosmos is an omnipresent, eternal, boundless and immutable state where we are unfolding into a greater understanding of the 'as above, so below, as with, so without' principle of correspondence.

Anyway, I digress...... Here is the Cathar Prophecy proclaiming the arrival on 28 March 1986 of a new Church, one aiming towards freedom from religious sectarianism. As synchronicity( the realisation of holism) would have it, on 28th March 1986 Mercury was retrograde and Pluto was at 6 Scorpio, the position of Mercury today as I write this.

The Church of Love is proclaimed in 1986. -

It has no fabric - only understanding.

It has no membership - save those who know they belong.

It has no rivals - because it is non-competitive.

It has no ambition, because it only seeks to serve.

It knows of no boundaries for nationalisms are unloving.

It is not of itself because it seeks to enrich all groups and religions.

It acknowledges all great teachers of all the ages who have shown the truth of Love.


Those who participate, practise the Truth of Love in all their daily being.

There is no walk of life or nationality that is a barrier.


Those who are, know. It seeks not to teach but to be, and by being, enrich.

It recognises the collectivity of all humanity and that we are all one with the One.

It recognises that the way we are may be the way of those around us because we are that way.


It recognises the whole planet as a Being, of which we are a part.

It recognises that the time has come for the supreme transmutation, the ultimate alchemical act, the conscious change of the ego into a voluntary return to the whole.

It does not proclaim itself with a loud voice but in the subtle realms of loving.

It salutes all those in the past who have blazoned the path but paid the price.

It admits of no hierarchy or structure, for no one is greater than another.

Its members shall know each other by their deeds and being and their eyes and by no other outward sign, save the fraternal embrace.

Each one will dedicate his or her life to the silent loving of their neighbour and environment and the planet, whilst carrying out their daily task, however exalted or humble.

It recognises the supremacy of the great idea which may only be accomplished if the human race practices the supremacy of Love.

It has no rewards to offer, either here or in the hereafter, save that of the ineffable joy of being and loving.

Its members shall seek only to advance the cause of understanding, within whichever church, group or family they happen to be.

They shall do good by stealth and teach only by example.

They shall heal their neighbour, their community and our Planet.

They shall know no fear, and feel no shame and their witness shall prevail over all odds.


It has no secrets, no arcanum, no initiations save that of the true understanding of the power of love and that, if we want it to be so, the world will change but only if we change ourselves first.

ALL THOSE WHO BELONG, BELONG, THAT IS THE CHURCH OF LOVE


P.S. Kate McCann is a Katherine

MADELEINE - WHAT IS GOING ON

Note: This post originally included some videos from YouTube relating to the McCann case - hence the title. I decided overnight that I am only adding to all the feeding frenzy around this case by including material like that in my blog. Although the videos were interesting they didn't truly represent my opinion. This reversal is very apt considering Mercury is retrograde in my sign. Mercury Rx often causes us to review our decisions. However I still wish to make the point about the lack of a free press and how Pluto in Capricorn could herald trouble between those who now enjoy freedom of speech and opinion on the Internet and the organisations who stand to lose out because of these freedoms...........

Here's the edited post:

There are many fine freelance journalists and broadcasters in the world but there is no real freedom of speech when it comes to reporting for a newspaper or TV. At the end of the day a journalist's wage is being paid by the media proprietor. The stories that appear may be chosen by editors and producers, but their wages are also being met by that proprietor.

If you had a choice of where to get your news would you turn to The Sun, The News of The World, The Times, The New York Post, The Australian, The Wall Street Journal, or maybe to the Fox Network or Sky TV? Quite frankly it doesn't matter - they are all owned by one conglomerate. The tone and style of journalism may differ but in election coverage, if the top brass have allegiances with one political party, they are hardly going to allow their editors the freedom to run stories that openly support the opposition.

Now this is a given amongst all intelligent people i.e., you don't go and buy The Daily Mirror if you're a staunch Conservative. The problem is that much of the population are not aware that these allegiances extend far beyond political preferences. With apologies to women reading this, it's 'The Old Boys' Network'. Who these media bigwigs went to school with, socialise with and are metaphorically 'in bed with' often has a bearing on what stories you read over your cornflakes.

Even with media outlets who do claim to be unbiased, know that they will sink or swim based on their readership or viewing figures. They also know they can kiss goodbye to any exclusive interviews or stories if they antagonise the PR company handling the clients. This is how Simon Cowell and his ilk maintain their power. Is Max Clifford going to give an editor his next scoop if he had just run a hatchet job expose on one of his clients, like Simon Cowell? No, he'll give it to their rival.

It's a symbiotic relationship. You scratch my back I'll scratch yours.

This symbiosis is teetering on a precarious brink as Pluto enters the last degrees of Sagittarius. PR companies and spin doctors are fighting an uphill battle against people who are determined their truth will be heard. There are only so many legal actions you can take to silence people. Blogging and YouTube has given journalists and producers a platform to (anonymously in many cases) bypass many of the libel laws and editorial controls. Consequently there's been an exponential growth in blogs, videos and in the public hunger for unbiased facts.

In fact the very vehicles that these conglomerations funded to promote their business concerns have now run away with their powerbase. So, as Pluto moves into Capricorn we can expect the the 'Old Boys' Network' to instigate a mighty battle to try and regain control over what truth we do have access to. Luckily many of the people who know the Internet and computer languages inside out are not the 'Men in Suits' but the 'Uranian Mavericks' - the free thinkers, the revolutionaries. These are the people who resist any form of sanction.

In the case of the McCann story I think it is important that people are given the freedom to form their own independent opinions about what has taken place. We have all been invited to contribute to a fund, to look for Madeleine and to spread her picture far and wide. If one openly asks for public participation the McCanns have to accept that the same people have a right to unbiased information about what they have become emotionally and often physically (through searches and campaigns) involved in.

At present the few facts we do know have been lost in a quagmire of conjecture and media spin and in my opinion the McCann's retaining Clarence Mitchell, the new PR man, was a big mistake. The spin he's spinning insults public intelligence. He's only trying to show his clients in a good light but people get suspicious of overkill and slick presentations. The McCanns do need help to navigate this minefield of media intrusion, and they need lawyers to guard against a miscarriage of justice, but they haven't been charged with anything yet and there's something to be said for trusting in the process of the Universe. Trying to control what people think of them may be self defeating.

All you and I should probably do now is focus our intention on getting the best possible outcome for Madeleine. If she is no longer alive that would surely be to give her a proper burial and bring her 'abductors' to justice.

As Joseph Campbell said in the quote at the top of this blog ' Sequences of events from the corners of the world will draw gradually together, and miracles and coincidence will bring the inevitable to pass'

The only huge coincidence I know of is the Murat/Sidmouth/Exeter connection which I have discussed before. I wouldn't underestimate the power of the Universe to be trying to hit us over the head with the answer to what happened to Madeleine, but we are too lost in spin and a circulation and ratings war to be able to see it.

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The map at the top is a different view of my previous map showing where I think Madeleine is most likely to be found. Click on map to enlarge. The lines have a small amount of leeway and so an orb taking them slightly more NE and East could possibly apply. The yellow line shows another direction from Madeleine's birthchart. One of my colleagues has had success with this method with missing people so I've added it in. This runs NNE/NE

A HAPPY HERETIC

Did you avoid walking under a ladder today or did you read your horoscope today - then you are an Heretic and the Jupiter (religion) Uranus (rebel) square seems as good a day as any in which to out you! In case you are unaware, the dictionary definition of an heretic is:

A person who holds controversial opinions, especially one who publicly dissents from the officially accepted dogma of the Roman Catholic Church.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:- "All forms of divination are to be rejected: recourse to Satan or demons, conjuring up the dead or other practices falsely supposed to ‘unveil’ the future. Consulting horoscopes, astrology, palm reading, interpretation of omens and lots, the phenomena of clairvoyance, and recourse to mediums all conceal a desire for power over time, history, and, in the last analysis, other human beings, as well as a wish to conciliate hidden powers. They contradict the honor, respect, and loving fear that we owe to God alone" (CCC 2116)

If you wish to read more of the Catholic doctrines about astrology you can go here

Are you a happy heretic though or does your religious upbringing still cause a modicum of guilt when you peruse the astroblogosphere or read your daily forecast? If push came to shove would you trust your astrological symbols and your inner wisdom to guide you in times of strife or go straight to a Church? Jupiter/Uranus squares like the one we have today are all about addressing those feelings and the tension they cause. Usually the JU/UR aspects coincide with news items that cause further angst for those who cling tightly to the dogmas - but provide release for those who were wavering. They certainly bring astrology and 'new age' philosophies into more prominence for their duration and the release comes about through a realisation that you are not alone in thinking outside of the box. Aquarians and those with Uranus strongly placed or aspected in their chart do this on auto-pilot, others may find their slightly subversive outlook on the world to be a hindrance that sets them apart, thus they suffer tension between what they say and what they actually feel.

Personally all I can see in the Catechism above is a belief in the separation of Man from God and yet the irony is it is solely due to those who were brave enough to indulge in heretical thought and speech throughout history that we have been enlightened and discovered that God is within us, not outside. If we are sent to 'hell' for practising astrology it would surely be of our own making (and in this lifetime) and not due to some sentence passed on by a God sitting in judgement.

Anyway, that's me spouting a bit of Jupiter/Uranus heresy for you! Others are at at it too, subtly, and often unconsciously, chipping away at those barriers and beliefs that divide us into the Religious and New Age camps. This week in the UK we read astrologer Debbie Frank revealing all about her regular visits to counsel Princess Diana at the Palace and, despite their staunch Catholic beliefs, the McCanns appear to be admitting openly to using 'alternative' methods to locate their daughter, Madeleine and giving these practices some credence. The Vatican have discovered a misplaced (yeah right!) Papal Absolution from the 17th Century decreeing that The Order of the Knights Templar were not heretics. We might even go so far as to suggest that British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown or one of his political advisors takes a peek at their daily horoscope. This week in The Mail, Jonathan Cainer openly advised Brown that this was not a good juncture to call an election. Lo and behold Labour did a surprise U-turn. Okay it may not have been down to Jonathan's advice but who knows! The propensity for a surprising turn of events and for people to pay more attention to 'alternative' beliefs is exactly what JU/UR speaks of.

It is a human right to be free, to find your own path through life and to follow any belief or philosophy which supports your personal unfoldment. Where this right is denied and freedoms are quashed, then the tension causes rebellion, uprisings and revolutions (as we are seeing in Burma). It goes without saying that Al-Qaeda's war against the West is rooted in religious dogma. That's what makes this period particularly worrisome for the security forces as JU/UR can incite the religious fanatic to impulsive and erratic behaviour even beyond the norm.

Those born with the two planets in aspect in their chart are New Agers personified - radical thinkers. They spend their lives refusing to kow-tow to any orthodoxy and traversing the 'road less travelled'. Only the fearful remain locked within the confines of prescribed thought. So, go on, if you are on the fence or at heart divided, plunge in and be a happy heretic. Join the legions of us here on the Net blogging away. Speak your truth and open your mind to other possibilities. Life isn't stranger than we think - it's stranger than we can think.

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Also in the news pertaining to more JU/UR correspondences. GE (General Electric) have laid off over 1000 employees with the closure of a light bulb factories. In fact GE are in the news a lot this week JU (General-large/huge) Electric (UR)

The Tate Moderns Turbine Hall has unveiled what its describes as an 'electrifying ' piece of art JU/UR is the aspect of electricity and the universal symbol for electricity is a jagged lightning bolt.

Quick action slashes stroke risk. Strokes fall under the correspondence of JU/UR as they suddenly, and often fatally, affect the electrical circuitry in the brain.

What does JU/UR mean for you? Definitely do the lottery this week. If you are looking for one of those Eureka/ lightning bolt moments that breaks you out of a deadlock, get your thinking cap on now. Watch out for anti-social conduct and being outspoken but also if you are feeling this way ask yourself truthfully if it's a reaction to an inner knowing that it's time for a change. Seek out an astrological consultation or any form of 'alternative' therapy and prepare to be surprised - the square means the astrologer may pull you out of your comfort zone. If you are a Sagittarian or Pisces watch your relationship with Aquarians and vice versa, they may shock you this week. Question your long held assumptions about religious dogma, strive to see how you could incorporate new age views with your religious beliefs!

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Finally here's a JU/UR tip to other astrologers. Top astrologer Christeen Skinner once told me to always look at three charts to get the measure of a person - the house system of your choice (I'm beginning to favour equal) the Heliocentric chart AND the Draconic. I've been experimenting more and more with the final one recently and I have to say it is astounding. It fills in all those gaps and makes you want to shout Eureka! If you think of a dress in a shop window, when you see it from a distance you see it just from the front, as you get closer you see its detail and can get a sideview, only if you get in the shop can you walk around it and see it in its entirety; 3-D, three charts. Thanks Christeen x

THE DIANA INQUEST & JUPITER/URANUS CYCLE

On 9th October 2007 the planets Jupiter and Uranus form a 90 degree angular relationship. These JU/UR aspects are manna from heaven for astrologers and metaphysicians as they often coincide with surprise information, or miraculous events, which force people to step outside the box and consider topics (or news) that tests their normal life philosophy. Back in February 2006 I wrote a long article entitled The Jupiter/Uranus Cycle and 2010 This looks at how this cycle appears to be yet another cosmic thread in a tapestry being woven in the lead up to the Mayan 'end date' of 2012.

You may be reading this post to hear about 'The Diana Inquest' but before we get to that I have taken a look at my astromaps to see where on the Earth's surface this JU/UR square is likely to have some ramifications for us between now and their next aspect in 2009. I noted a confluence of JU/UR lines right through the Maldives. (These tiny islands are not shown on my larger map but you can see their location in the smaller image). Last week a group of revolutionaries (a JU/UR concept) set off a nail bomb on the island of Male, bringing shock to thousands of foreigners (JU/UR) who view these islands as idyllic retreats, devoid of the western woes of crime or fear.

In truth there have been ongoing tensions and occasional outbreaks of violence between opposition activists and government forces controlled by President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who has ruled the country for 29 years. Astrologers will note that 29 years is the Saturn return of the Presidents rule and therefore the JU/UR lines highlighting this region point to an increased likelihood of an overthrow of the government there by 2009.

As if this isn't enough to worry tourists or inhabitants of these islands, there has also been an announcement that climate change is slowly sinking the entire chain of Maldive Islands. Here is the map of the JU/UR crossings, click to enlarge.

Elsewhere in the world we find crossings and lines reflecting celestial influence on terrestrial locations running NE of Australia and extending down midway between Australia and New Zealand. This is of interest because of the recent spate of Earthquakes. Although Pluto is usually involved in Earthquakes too, the primary astrological indicators of a seismic shock (UR) of a great magnitude (JU) in places unused to such events, is the JU/UR cycle.

Lines also run off the Western Coast of Africa, the area by Senegal, The Ivory Coast and around to Nigeria and Cameroon. The latter two being of particular significance for events of a 'shocking' JU/UR nature. Similarly JU/UR lines run out in the ocean off the coast of Mexico, Guatemala and Peru.

You may be wondering about Burma (Myanmar). Here's that map below and as you can see there is a JU/UR paran crossing through the North and Mars is making its way across the country. These are all Geodetic maps and as such they show us symbolic positions of the planets and the symbolic divisions of the globe into 12 sections starting at Greenwich. The Sign of Cancer starts over Bangladesh and it was just as Mars was moving from Gemini into Cancer that the Internet (JU/UR) services were cut, the Junta escalated their attacks on the Monks and Peace Activists and Freedom of Rights groups such as Amnesty International were stepping in. All these concepts are of a Jupiter/Uranus nature. Mars reaches Rangoon by 12/13th Oct and the Jupiter/Uranus parans descend down the map to reach Rangoon then too. It is this period when we will hear most of the truth about this 'Saffron Revolution'.

Interestingly Aung San Suu Kyi the noted Prisoner of Conscience in Burma, has her natal Mercury (her Sun ruler) at 1 degree Cancer and a wide Jupiter/Uranus square.

THE DIANA INQUEST
A fascinating tit-bit of information that will delight other astrologers made its way to my eyes today, The Inquest into the death of Princess Diana began as precisely 11.02 am (2nd Oct 2007). The proceedings take place at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.
Here is the chart:

Fittingly we find Scorpio rising and a Moon/Pluto opposition from the 8th, A Venus/Pluto trine and of course the Jupiter/Uranus square. So expect to hear some compelling and somewhat shocking evidence. Those brought to Court will attempt to exercise their full rights to tell the truth as they see fit but it's Jupiter (the Courts and Royal Family) who are in the position of strength in this chart and with Mercury and its dispositer Mars and Moon in Gemini in the 'hidden' houses (12th and 8th), suppression, skullduggery and a war of words will ensue behind the scenes. It's not pretty and once again I believe it will erode public faith in the authorities. With Pluto heading to Capricorn, what does emerge, either in Court evidence or via conjecture could sound the death knell for Prince Charles' chances of quickly ascending to the Throne.

With the Moon OOB (out of bounds) at at declination of 28 degrees, one thing we can be sure of, this will knock the McCanns off the front pages for a while and give the media and chat forums another story to run wild with. Will we get at the truth? I doubt it, but let's note what happens around the 23rd October and return to this subject then.

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Update : Here's one event in Nigeria - JU/UR is concerned with freedom and a UK Oil worker who had been kidnapped in Nigeria has just been freed.

SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIPS

I've never given half of my page over to this type of announcement before, so you can be sure this is special. Annie Lionnet a colleague, friend, Faculty teacher and brilliant astrologer is hosting a workshop on 21 st October 2007. If you are in the UK and are inclined by the current Libran energy to address your love life, I highly recommend the following......

Creating successful relationships with astrology
annie lionnet
sunday 21 october 10am-5pm

at

The Inner Potential Centre, 36 Kelvedon Road, Fulham, London, SW6 5BW

However joyful or painful, the relationships we attract always offer us the opportunity to learn something new about ourselves. They act as catalysts, bringing unresolved issues to the surface so that we can complete and heal them.

Our astrological birth chart describes the kind of people we are drawn to and feel a deep connection with. It also describes the people who are attracted to us. Sometimes these attractions are positive, affirming, loving and fulfilling. But we can equally find ourselves in relationships which only seem to cause us grief and unhappiness. Working with your individual birth chart, this workshop will enable you to gain a deeper insight into how and why you attract certain people into your life. Often our choices and our expectations are unconscious and this can lead us to repeat patterns which can be unfulfilling and even destructive. As we become more conscious of our patterns, we are able to make different choices and begin to feel more confident, whole and balanced.

In this workshop we will:

• Explore your relationship dynamics to help you reach a deeper understanding of the experiences that you attract into your life
• Discover why certain patterns and themes seem to recur
• Learn how you can begin to attract happy, healthy and fulfilling relationships into your life

Please bring to the workshop details of your date, time (if you know it) and place of birth.

Maximum 12 participants
Admission £50 (concessions £30)

Annie Lionnet is a professional Astrologer and Life Coach. She teaches astrology at the Faculty of Astrological Studies and has a busy practice in both London and the West Country. Annie is passionate about personal development and has been running workshops for many years. She is author of several books, including The Astrology Directory. Her book on life coaching will be published in November 2007.

www.annielionnet.com

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Mercury and Mars Change Signs.

The Sun is now in Libra whilst Mercury and Mars are about to change signs. Mercury will go into the water sign of Scorpio and Mars into the water sign of Cancer. The sign of Libra is often thought of as being peace loving, fair and balanced. As I have pointed out on these pages before though, this is not wholly accurate. Libran's strive to attain these traits, but as their opposite sign is the warrior planet Mars they don't always succeed. Until they have fully integrated their shadow side Librans can be given to selfishness, impulse and quarrels, or team up with people who live these traits out for them. This polarity issue is a life long quest and may be the reason why the ancients gave Venus rulership of war and peace. It certainly why we know that the longest lasting relationships and agreements occur between those who can give and take in equal measure. When the Sun is in Libra though we are all called on to address any imbalances in our relationships. Annie's workshop addresses this well.

Out on the global stage finding that happy medium and a sense of proportion will be key in the face of highly emotive and even explosive situations this month - especially those that threaten to destabilise anything of a Venusian correspondence i.e. Diplomatic relations, alliances and the economy.

Quite obviously the economic scales have swung out of balance at the moment due to too much debt and borrowing. With Mars in Cancer from this weekend it may be more difficult than thought to rein this in. Mars will be in Cancer through to May 2008 (with a brief interlude in January and February). This speaks of a marked move away from logical actions towards emotionally driven ones. The result may be tears, moods, tantrums and some highly passionate exchanges throughout this entire period. One thing Mars in Cancer does not incite is calm reasoning! As the USA is a Cancerian ruled nation we can expect heightened emotions there too and sadly homeland security may also be much in evidence.

Mercury is the planet we associate with commerce and this moves into Scorpio today. Scorpio is a fixed sign and so should denote more stability but its also a sign of transition. Scorpio is ruled by Mars and Mars is entering the sign of its fall, Cancer. Here it finds little power to act. The fact that Mars will be in this lunar ruled sign brings added weight to the notion that we are entering a time of instability and fluctuations in the money markets and diplomatic relations across the globe. I think we will see much energy put into trying to make cut backs at home and off load property that is falling in value while Mars is in Cancer. Whether these measure will succeed is down to your views on money and its real value. If your security and sense of worth is dependent on a rising market it may be harder to flow along with the ups and downs.

Whether in personal relationships, or on the world stage, there's certainly no chance of hiding from the truth when Mercury is in Scorpio. Secrets are revealed, intense conversations are held and tough decisions made. For some of us there will be news of a death or other type of ending in coming days and weeks. For others news of births and regeneration in areas of the life you once thought dead. The reason behind this is that, principally, Mercury is the planet of news, announcements, discussions and contracts whilst Scorpio is the sign of transformation from one state to another. Although some of these messages will be profound and life changing in a good way - someone has to win the 88 million Euro Millions rollover this weekend - for others they will feel like a temporary descent into the abyss as the realisation hits that a door is finally closed.

The fact that Mars moves into Cancer shortly after Mercury changes signs, backs up this forecast because Mars into Cancer speaks of an outpouring of emotion - especially in a family setting or situation. Please remember though that an outpouring of emotion can be good or bad. Extreme joy and celebration at an announcement and grief and sadness are simply opposite ends of the same scale. The difference only lies in the interpretation we give to it - is it bad or good? It's neither, it just is. It's only how you deal with it that is the issue. Scorpio and Cancer are water signs, they clear the way for new circumstances to enter one's life and keep it flowing.

It's also important to put things in context; you and I but also our children are all facing the same planetary shifts. A young child is not going to be facing debt problems and neither is tomorrows lottery winner! My daughter is a Libran. Her pet hamster, Nibbles, just died. Mercury rules small pets, Scorpio points to a departure or transitional state. There will certainly be an 'outpouring of grief' in our home for a while over the untimely demise of poor Nibbles but it's hardly the end of the world! All that generalised forecasts such as this one can do is alert you to the main themes in the ethers. The level of transition and emotion that planets moving into Scorpio and Cancer may cause for you will be directly proportional to your psychological needs at this time. To be a truly rounded person one needs a healthy balance of physical, mental and emotional stimuli.

To paraphrase Annie's words above, events and people in our life act as catalysts, bringing unresolved issues to the surface so that we can complete and heal them. Whatever comes your way in coming weeks you can be sure that ultimately it's all good. To state a truism, life is an unfolding process not a series of unconnected events. Current planetary cycles are moving us all on towards a new era in 2008 and then we start edging ever closer to 2012. More on that topic soon.

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Picture at top of page 'Pritty Heart' by Ella Cassidy. A Libran aged 9

MERCURY AND THE RUMOUR MILL

Sorry but I'm still on my soapbox about lack of accountability (see last post). On May 3rd 2007, coincidentally the same day that Madeleine McCann disappeared and the Saturn/Neptune opposition was gaining in its intensity, a young boy drowned in the UK. The boy and his sister got into difficulties whilst allegedly collecting tadpoles at the side of a lake. The boy's step-sister also fell in but managed to stay above water and was retrieved by some local anglers. Some local community police officers (PCSO's) rushed to the scene but as the boy had disappeared from view they had no idea where to look for him and so remained on the lakeside.

Just as in the McCann case, the police have been criticised for not doing more at the height of the situation, questions are being asked as to why the policemen didn't immediately jump into the large lake and start looking for the boy. Questions have been asked since 3rd May as to why Police didn't immediately realise Madeleine had been abducted and do more to find her.

In a weird parallel during this 4+ months of rumour, conjecture, false reporting and inability of anyone to clearly state the facts, these Policemen in the UK and Portugal have had to endure trial by media and hearsay. In the UK headlines such as 'Police look on while boy drowns' or 'PCSO's say it is not their responsibility to save lives' have appeared. Only today a highly respected British journalist takes a full page swipe at these Policemen known as Blunkett's Bobbies for not being more heroic. The whole remit of the PCSO (Police Community Service Officer) is now under scrutiny and their role, efficiency and value is being called into question at a time when we can ill afford any further erosion of authority (but it looks inevitable -Pluto moving towards Capricorn).

However, when one cuts through the drama and falsehoods, it now transpires that the officers (Saturn) in both cases obviously weren't intentionally negligent but arrived at a scene of chaos and confusion (Neptune). In the UK, they could not see the boy and had no idea how long he had been under. To wade into a shallow lake of water and start frantically feeling around for a living person is one thing, but to jump fully clothed into a deep water to retrieve a dead body could have been inviting a greater tragedy when they knew properly equipped teams were on their way. Likewise, in Portugal it is easy, when being realistic, to see how most people would initially consider the girl had wandered off and not been abducted. The doors were left open and most children of Madeleines age regularly creep across landings and negotiate corridors to find their parents bed in the black of night, why wouldn't this girl simply have wandered off to find her parents. What if she felt sick or was having a nightmare?

I don't know. In both cases it's difficult to judge the rights, wrongs or even truth of it because we weren't actually there - but neither, in either case, were the parents. Whilst the thought of losing a child is unbearable for any adult to contemplate, again what amazes me, in the case of the drowning, is that these parents are appearing on TV slating these two men and indeed the entire PCSO system and no one is asking them ' What responsible adult allows an 8 and 10 year old to play near deep water? ' What possessed you to leave them for even a minute?' Some reports (but what can we believe) say a parent was nearby to the lake. If that is so they were obviously not close enough to jump in themselves, so it must be deduced they were too far. Same with the McCanns. If their reasoning is that they left them because they could easily see the apartment and doorway, it was obviously too far if they didn't see the abductor.

It's a natural reaction to look around for someone else to blame in a tragedy, in fact anger and feelings of guilt are a well documented part of the grieving process, but many of these tragedies wouldn't occur if there was more personal responsibility. We say we don't want a 'Nanny state' but it seems that's exactly what many adults do need.

With regard to the McCann case and the endless false trails, rumour and spin, the very fact that the Saturn Neptune opposition was the predominant background aspect in the sky on May 3rd tells me that much of this case and the myriad of theories will prove to have been rooted in fantasy, fiction and lies. One highly regarded astrologer, Michael Munkasey, has this to say about Saturn Neptune oppositions:

'Respected persons involved in questionable practices' and 'You can purposely deceive others about your intentions and go to elaborate means to ensure that your lies are not discovered'.

That'll give the supersleuths a field day. Who could these delineations fit -the Police; the Parents, Murat, the friends....

One question keeps praying on my mind but I am hoping that I have just fallen victim to believing what is in the newspapers. Kate McCann said in a TV interview that she knew immediately that Madeleine had been taken because of the state of the room - and her Cuddle Cat was on a high shelf. If that is so, the only person who could have put it there is the abductor. Therefore wouldn't any mother immediately be begging the police forensic team to examine it for prints or DNA, and console themselves with cuddling up to another favourite toy in public. Maybe she did?

I've also seen no stories whatsoever about the employees at The Ocean Club, yet by the law of averages at least one employee, even if they are not involved in this, would surely have some background that the more prurient 'Red Top' hacks would think warranted a quick story on the 'slow' days. Likewise I have never heard any theory that might involve another child or youth calling into the openly accessible McCann flat. Everyone has been asked to say if they saw an adult.

Somehow, in someway the planet Mercury (and/or its higher octave, Uranus) will be shown to be symbolically involved in this when it has a resolution. Let's look at what Mercury pertains to in astrology.

MERCURY
The symbol for Mercury is derived from the Caduceus which consists of a rod and two snakes twined around it which signifies a riddle which needs mind and reason to be comprehended.

According to Munkasey and other sources, Mercury relates to :
the signs of Gemini and Virgo,
Duality
Doctors,
Educators,
Journalists
Linguists
Youths - under 20 yrs
Confidence Tricksters
Criminals
Roads
Close neighbourhood, or environs
Neighbours
Camper Vans
Railway trains
Suitcases
Box on top of car (Luggage rack case)
Journeys by road
Perjury
Experts
Messengers/people always on the move
Shops
Schools/Creche/infant school
Supermarkets
Tennis Courts
'Servants' i.e assistants, employees, Clerks, tradesmen
Concrete water course
Alley way
Parking lot
Friends of one's children ( 11th from 5th)
Respiratory system
Stairways
Waterpipes
Telephone
Storage facility
Restaurant
Silo
Storehouse for dairy products
Mobile home (3rd from 4th)
Paddock
Pharmacy
Dry cleaners
Porter
Maid
Military regime
Bicycles


In it's higher octave Uranus relates to
Mental breakdowns
Sexual perversion
Independence
Shocks
TV/Computers/technology
Radiographers
Scientists
Homosexuality
Friends
Clubs
Internet Groups

I can't figure this perplexing saga out. If it weren't so serious it'd be like a game of Cluedo. Maybe some word on that list will jog someones memory or lead to putting 2+2 together and making 4 instead of anything but the correct answer.

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Re the credit crunch;I'm no financial expert but I was listening to one the other day and he advised that until the Banks can guarantee larger amounts, that no one has more than £30,000 deposited in any one Bank, Building Society or Internet Account. Spread your savings around. Sounds like sage advice to me, but may prove to be a problem for those with very large savings but don't blame me, I'm just being the Mercurial messenger!