Tag Archives: Neptune

Jane Austen… Again

Over 200 years after her death, Jane Austen’s popularity continues to soar. Her numerous book spin-offs include plays, film adaptations, soft-core porn sequels and even things like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. With Neptune rising in her horoscope, it appears that everyone can see something different in Austen.

Neptune conjoining the Ascendant in Virgo in Jane’s chart makes her work multi-layered. Her books give us her personal impressions and are true-to-life reflections of daily concerns that strike a chord with readers, perhaps because there is usually some romanticism and often the suggestion of happy endings. But typical of Neptune, we don’t even know what she looked like!

Austen may not always be what she appears, especially as Neptune squares her 4th house Sun in Sagittarius. Commentators have seen her as a conservative, a house-mouse and a feminist (she never married and while tied to her family, she produced great novels). Her Mercury in Sag. in the 3rd attests to her need to write, and it opposes Uranus in the 9th house, giving her an independent outlook. Jupiter in Gemini in the 9th shows her education and the ability to publish, especially as it trines her Moon and Saturn straddling the 2nd house cusp. This aspect is probably part of what has continued to keep her books popular with readers, as Saturn can bring longevity. (While she sold some work during her lifetime, Jane did not make much money at it.) Venus in Scorpio indicates her deep feelings.

The Moon in Libra conjoining Saturn gives Austen a consistent interest in relationships, which were both persistent (especially those with women) and limited (she quickly broke off an engagement). The Moon and Saturn also square Mars in Capricorn in her 4th house, suggesting responsibilities and obligations to the home and family. Her life had limitations. Saturn squaring Pluto in Capricorn shows her pragmatic and realistic side. The Sag. and Capricorn planets combine to make her work both humorous and ironic.

With Pluto trining the writer’s Ascendant in 2020 and returning to its natal place in 2021, the recycling of her brand will probably continue. Hopefully some of it will get to the heart of what makes Jane Austen special.

Jane Austen was born on December 3, 1775 at around 11:45 pm in Steventon, Hampshire, England, according to a letter from her father – see Astrodatabank.
Helena Kelly’s feminist analysis, Jane Austen, Secret Radical, deconstructs Austen’s life and work and provides an encyclopedic look at the history and culture of the time.

Bob Woodward and Neptune

Bob Woodward’s new book Fear: Trump in the White House is the fastest-selling book in Simon & Schuster’s nearly 100 years of publishing, according to the L.A. Times. The veteran journalist has covered eight presidents in his 45 years of reporting. Surprisingly enough, Neptune is one of his most prominent planets!

Neptune closely conjoins the Ascendant and opposes the journalist’s Sun in Aries and Ascendant ruler Mercury in Pisces. This is an unexpected combination and we’d imagine that Woodward might be challenged to tell the truth himself, as Neptune opposite Mercury may present a false view of reality. Certainly in his most significant stories, like Watergate, his long-term analysis lifted a veil or exposed a cover-up. His current book relies on anonymous sources, and one of the most closely guarded secrets of the Watergate story was the identity of Deep Throat, a key informant. So Neptune rising in Libra may show the ability to keep a partner’s secrets as well as tease them out of others.

Neptune and Mercury are ruled by Venus in Taurus and Jupiter in the 10th, which are more open and straightforward. And the rest of the chart is consistent with journalism and sharing information with the public. The Sun in Aries in the 7th house trines Pluto in the 11th and suggests powerful contacts and the ability to tap into key witnesses. The Moon in Sagittarius in the 3rd house is naturally candid in communications and completes a grand trine with the Sun and Pluto. Research and investigative abilities are accentuated by Scorpio on the 3rd house, Pluto’s placement Out of Bounds in declination, and its trine to the Moon in the 3rd.

Jupiter, the planet of ideas and education, is in Woodward’s 10th house of career, exalted in Cancer. His books and articles have focused on the country’s leaders. Jupiter is in mutual reception with the Moon, and the two dispose of all the other planets but Venus.

Saturn conjunct Uranus in Gemini in the 9th house has gained him great acclaim and shows the combination of traditional reporting and unexpected breakthroughs he’s shared with a wide audience. These two planets complete a kite pattern with the Sun, Moon and Pluto, and Uranus trines Neptune and the Ascendant as well. While Bob Woodward’s success has much to do with Jupiter, he also has a wide Star of David (or grand sextile) pattern, one of the most harmonious in astrology, that includes his Ascendant.

The 9/11 release date of Bob Woodward’s book has tremendous resonance for the country, but at the time, the transiting Sun and Mercury were also conjunct his Ascendant and activating his grand trine/grand sextile pattern. Progressed Mercury in Taurus was also trining the Ascendant and nearing a conjunction with 9th house Uranus to make for great excitement about his work.

Bob Woodward’s birth data is from his birth record and rated AA on Astrodatabank.

Malaysia Air Flight 370: a Look Back

Over four years after the disappearance of Malaysia Air Flight 370, the investigation team issued its report. They couldn’t identify what went wrong and ruled out mechanical or computer failure. Air traffic controllers didn’t follow standard procedures when the plane missed its next expected contact. They also confirmed a turn-back under manual control and could not rule out “unlawful interference.”

The horoscope for the flight’s take-off shows the difficult issues ahead. The Midheaven, which represents the pilot (authority), closely squares the Moon in Gemini conjunct the descendant and opposes Neptune in Pisces on the IC. With the Ascendant, this T-square becomes a tight grand cross with Neptune dominating. If we analyze the event chart as a horary, the IC indicates the “end of the matter,” and with Neptune we are left with a watery disappearance and a mystery.

See the keywords for Neptune that I noticed in this chart in 2014.

The Ascendant is Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter in its exaltation (greatest strength) in Cancer in the 8th house, shows the possibility of danger and death, especially as Jupiter opposes Pluto. Jupiter is ruled by the Moon conjunct the 7th house, which also suggests the involvement of someone in the tragedy and confirms the use of the manual controls.

Mercury rules the Virgo Midheaven and indicates the pilot (the authority figure). Falling in the third house in Aquarius, Mercury squares its ruler Saturn in Scorpio in the 12th, pointing toward the flight’s undoing. As Mercury also rules the Moon in Gemini, it’s associated with the pilot. If we consider Uranus to rule Mercury in Aquarius, it forms another close T-square with Jupiter and Pluto and may suggest that the pilot was unbalanced or overcome. Experts on 60 Minutes in Australia presented a theory involving the pilot, though the official investigation team cleared him of a suicide attempt.

Coverage of the Investigative Report is here.

Neptune with Leo

How do artists capture the soul or spirit of humanity? Somehow they are able to reflect the metaphysical, transcendent and numinous (spiritual or holy) in ordinary life. A poet sees beyond the mundane to the essence of life and immortalizes it for the rest of us.

I’ve always enjoyed reading biographies and memoirs to see how lives unfold and the twists and turns of circumstance. The best illuminate something about the human condition. And any biography will help us learn more about astrology.

Frank McCourt in Angela’s Ashes (1996) captured the town of Limerick, Ireland in the 1930s and ‘40s – it’s warmth and weaknesses, wealth and poverty, kindness and cruelty. Given McCourt’s character, talents and the unforeseen events of his life, we get a telescopic view of why he had to be who he was and how closed doors became open windows. McCourt’s interactions with others, for better or worse, provided key events in his life. And his own early experiences of poverty, loss and illness also included great understanding, love and compassion.

His horoscope includes Mercury in Virgo and Venus in Libra, both signs of their rulership, which accentuated his mind, sense of balance and relationships. We can easily see why he eventually became a writer with the ability to share his feelings with others. In his book, he presents his life with affection and humor.

McCourt’s Sun in Leo conjoins Neptune in Virgo. This combination gives him the ability to see the world with an artist’s eye. In a hospital with typhoid fever as a child, he was introduced to poetry and Shakespeare. His father was an alcoholic who loved his family but couldn’t cope with life.

Frank McCourt also had his Moon way Out of Bounds in Gemini. Kt Boehrer felt that this could indicate a “Cindarella” type who experiences hardship in life but succeeds later on.

But perhaps the most telling pattern in this horoscope is Saturn in Capricorn opposite Jupiter in Cancer. (Saturn has almost exactly returned to its natal place as I write this.) Saturn is in its own sign and Jupiter is exalted, showing his experience with those who were resilient, supportive and idealistic, as well as authorities and others who had become hardened or cautious.

McCourt worked his way out of the family’s straightened circumstances (Saturn), returned to the U.S. (where he’d been born) and expanded his circumstances through education (Jupiter). Leading a stable and secure life as a schoolteacher for many years, it was only after his retirement in 1988 (at age 58 and the start of his Saturn return) that he began writing the memoir that captured his early years in such vivid colors.

Frank McCourt was born on August 19, 1930 in Brooklyn, New York, no time is available.

Angela’s Ashes: A Memoir

Donald Trump, Jr.

Capricorn Donald Trump, Jr. is busy with his father’s business, but has admitted he met with a Russian lawyer during the campaign to scope out dirt on Hillary Clinton. The New York Times says he’s already changed his story. With Mercury conjoining Neptune in his birth chart, are we getting the truth?

Trump, Jr.’s Mercury-Neptune mirrors his father’s Mercury square Neptune. Donald Jr.’s Mercury is further emphasized by being at its station – moving from retrograde to direct, and also falls right on his father’s Sun-Node-Moon opposition (Sr.’s natal eclipse).

Transiting Saturn will station right on Donald Jr.’s Mercury in August as it also conjoins his father’s Moon at the same time. They share any transits to this point and some of the experiences that Saturn is bringing up. There may be substance to this story and we should hear more over the next few months.

Transiting Jupiter in Libra conjoins Jr.’s Pluto this month, suggesting that the truth will come out. But Jupiter will also sextile Mercury by the end of August, and go on to trine his Jupiter and sextile his Saturn and Venus in the fall. These are favorable aspects that should facilitate things for him.

We have no birth time for Donald, Jr. Transiting Neptune may be opposing his Moon, further confusing the situation. Transiting Pluto might also be trining his Moon, which could help him, through powerful family members, avoid any culpability. Pluto, when it trines his Moon, should dredge up his family’s past in many ways. Without a birth time, though, it’s difficult to tell which influence will predominate this year.

Prince’s Estate

Horoscopes continue after the people who lived them have passed on, especially where their personal and professional affairs are concerned.  We can clearly see this in the legal proceedings for music superstar Prince’s estate.

By any measure, Prince Rogers Nelson had a remarkable horoscope, reflected in the uniquely multitalented man.  He worked out of his home studio, and created,  produced, arranged and performed almost all the music in his recordings.  With a Scorpio Ascendant, he had tremendous drive, and both rulers are in a tight inconjunct aspect – Mars in Aries conjoining the 5th house of creativity and Pluto in Leo closely conjunct the MC. 

But Pluto is also part of a T-square with focal point Mercury in Gemini in the 7th and the Moon in Pisces conjunct the 4th house cusp.  Prince reached a wide audience, but also had relationship issues, going so far as to change his identity for a period of time due to contractual disagreements.  Prince’s Neptune in the 12th was also the focal point of a yod with Mercury and Mars, showing his wonderful imagination and how he was able to direct it into creative projects.

He died on April 21, 2016 from an accidental drug overdose.  He was 58 at the time and had not left a Will.  Traditionally, the 4th house shows the “end of the matter.”  In an individual’s chart, it also indicates one’s home, property or land – what we might call his estate.  This is where we look to see what happens to the stuff we leave on earth.

The Pisces Moon on the 4th house cusp shows Prince’s vast, multitudinous properties, born of his creative imagination – estimated at $200 million.  The star had two marriages which both ended earlier in his life, and he had no children.  So his estate is divided among his closest relatives – six siblings.  Siblings are ruled by both Mercury and Gemini, and these family members have now become has partners, all trying to look out for their own interests and determine how best to proceed.

The patterns that made Prince such a dynamic artist also challenge the resolution of his estate.  As one might imagine with the Moon opposite Pluto and so much property at stake, 45 parties came forward with claims.  The judge has rejected most of them, but some have appealed his decision. The estate could easily take many years to resolve.

Prince is experiencing his Saturn return throughout 2017, which should help move things forward and confirm the judge’s order.  But transiting Neptune squaring his 8th house Sun from the 4th seems to be the significator for the complicated estate proceedings, which have been both numerous and costly.  The Neptune transit won’t be complete until early 2020, when the court should get beyond much of the confusion.

Uranus will trine Prince’s Midheaven during 2018 to early 2019, which could bring some surprising developments.  The estate is already planning on releasing new albums and concert films.

Prince was born on June 7, 1958 at 6:17 PM according to his birth record on Astrodatabank.

 

Justin Timberlake and Neptune

Justin Timberlake’s new song, “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” hit the top of the charts over Memorial Day weekend, and is being touted as the song of the summer. This infectious pop tune reflects Timberlake’s exact Moon conjunct Neptune in Sagittarius.

“Can’t Stop the Feeling” captures a sense of love, joy and happiness, and the video shows people in everyday life expressing it. Since Justin not only performs the song, but was also a writer and co-producer, it strongly reflects his personality. His Moon and Neptune closely trine his Leo Ascendant from the cusp of the 5th house, giving him the ability to creatively dramatize a special moment in time. The singer-songwriter seems able to effortlessly capture an evanescent feeling.

Sagittarius showcases optimism and expansiveness, but it’s also the combination with Neptune that transcends the material plane and blends it into a sense of higher consciousness. Neptune is certainly at home with music and dance. And look how many joyful Sagittarius-Neptune phrases we can find in the song’s lyrics:

“I fly so high, no ceiling, when I’m in my zone”
“Got that good soul in my feet”
“moving so phenomenally”
“Just imagine”
“Nothing I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance”
“It’s something magical”

Director Mark Romanek (born September 18, 1959) perfectly captures the essence of the song in the music video. His Uranus at 19 Leo conjoins Justin’s Ascendant while trining his Moon-Neptune conjunction in Sagittarius. Transiting Uranus will station in the third fire sign, Aries, in Timberlake’s 9th house this summer, creating a once-in-a-lifetime grand trine. So the hype about “Can’t Stop the Feeling” being the summer’s song is probably correct! Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake was born on January 31, 1981 at 6:30 PM in Memphis, Tennessee, according to his birth certificate on Astrodatabank.

Kumare and Neptune

Vikram Gandhi, a disillusioned Indian-American philosopher who’s followed gurus across India, returns to the U.S. to impersonate one himself. As Kumare, he collects followers in Arizona, trains them in his own form of yoga, listens to their problems and advises that the answers lie within. Along the way he transforms the lives of many of his devotees and is profoundly changed himself. Gandhi is the creator, director, writer and star of the wise and funny film titled Kumare.

How many references to Neptune can you find in the first paragraph? Film of course. And disillusionment is typical of Neptune, since its idealism can lead to illusions. While both philosophy and inter-cultural relations are often characterized by Jupiter, Neptune in this case is more appropriate. Vikram’s studies and research in the U.S. and India have given him information, but not faith. He seeks inspiration from gurus, who are supposedly on a spiritual path, and visits India only to be disappointed.

By impersonating a guru, Vikram takes on a Neptunian disguise and renames himself. He grows his hair and beard, walks barefoot, adopts his grandmother’s accent and wears flowing robes. Traveling to Arizona where he won’t be recognized, he attracts over a dozen followers who want to devote more time to learning yoga, meditation and a spiritual approach to life. Vikram as Kumare, after months in the role, becomes something of a mystic himself, always insisting that “I am not who I appear to be.”

The devotees pour out their hearts to their guru, as they each grapple with life’s challenges and find in him a willing listener and leader. Kumare takes them seriously, meets with them regularly and schedules individual sessions, apparently for no fee. As the devotees find inspiration, Vikram/Kumare becomes more earnest in addressing his followers’ needs, yet avoids interfering in their decision-making process. He has influenced them and they have influenced him in some ineffable Neptunian way. It’s almost as if, in coming together, the group has evoked what it needed; the faith of the guru himself somehow didn’t matter.

Over a month after the end of the seminar, having shaved his beard, cut his hair and returned to western garb, Vikram goes back to Arizona to reveal himself. His students are shocked and only a few are angry but most don’t care. One has lost 70 pounds, one has left an unfulfilling relationship to become a yoga instructor herself, and a stressed-out lawyer has grounded her emotions with her new practices. This is surely a Neptunian story all around, abounding in both deception and transcendence, and the film reminds us of the blurred lines between illusion and reality.

Kumare premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival on March 13, 2011 with the Sun and Mars in Pisces. It was released on June 20, 2012 with Jupiter in Gemini and the North Node in Sagittarius both squaring Neptune in Pisces. See more about Kumare.

Pop Astro

Astrology got a lot of press in the 60s, but in 1967 the familiar song, “The Age of Aquarius,” had it wrong. “When the Moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars, then peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars” is nothing but New Age gobbledygook! Any astrologer knows that Jupiter only heightens Mars’ war-like nature.

But we now have Echosmith’s song, “Bright,” which makes much more astrological sense. The singer is in love and says, “Did you and Jupiter conspire to get me?” Very appropriate since Jupiter may bring us luck and help expand our lives with a new relationship.

She goes on to say that, “I think you and the Moon and Neptune got it right, ‘cause now I’m shining bright.” This line captures the warm, happy feeling of being in love that the emotional, dreamy planets, the Moon and Neptune, can convey. The singer says, “I get lost in your eyes,” and “You make what doesn’t matter fade to gray,” both of which we may associate with Neptune’s ability to heighten our senses and transcend physical reality.

I guess we’ve progressed a little in the last 45 years! “Bright” is about observing the night sky (astronomy) but also the underlying suggestion that the planets are influencing our lives (astrology!). And the symbolism the lyricists chose is perfectly appropriate.

Neptune and Racial Identity

Civil rights activist Rachel Dolezal, who claimed to be African American, resigned her position as President of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP on Monday after her parents revealed her on nationwide TV as a white woman. Neptune is the planet of deception and misrepresentation, and we find plenty of it in Dolezal’s horoscope.

Rachel Dolezal was born in Lincoln County, Montana on November 12, 1977. The Moon conjunct Neptune in Sagittarius created confusion regarding her family background. With black adoptive siblings and an African American ex-husband and child, there was diversity among her family members (Moon in Sagittarius). But Neptune also blurred the lines of her own personal identification.

Mercury is in Sagittarius, the sign of inter-cultural exchange, and with three planets in this sign, it’s not surprising that she identified with those of different backgrounds. Sagittarius also rules education, journalism and activism, and Dolezal was also a university instructor with a weekly newspaper column, both positions she’s also lost.

Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius, is placed in Cancer in her horoscope, the sign of its exaltation, making it one of her strongest planets. She gained success by speaking out for racial equality and civil rights. But since Mercury is closely quincunx her Jupiter, she went too far, as both Sagittarius and Jupiter may do, in actually describing herself as African American.

Transiting Neptune in Pisces was stationary and squaring Dolezal’s Sagittarius Moon when her true racial identity was outed. While Neptune often deceives us, it can also bring to light earlier misconceptions. Mercury was stationary-direct at the same time, and the news media leapt on the story, correcting the record.

In her birth chart, Dolezal has Saturn squaring her Sun in Scorpio. Transiting Saturn recently conjoined her Mercury and was nearly exactly squaring her natal Saturn at the time she lost her jobs. Saturn is often the antidote to Neptune as it brings us down to earth. Hard Saturn transits can alter our position and status, especially when they’re not legitimately earned, and particularly for someone with a challenging natal Saturn. Rachel Dolezal, now 37, will have to reinvent herself once again.

The Washington Post included an image of Dolezal’s birth certificate on their website, here