Tag Archives: Uranus square Pluto

Big T-square Time

My life has felt chaotic lately and people around me seem to be having the same experience. The wild and woolly T-square of Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto certainly has something to do with it, and Mars in Aries will activate the pattern (while conjoining Uranus) from mid-February through the 1st week of March. Jupiter opposes Uranus exactly at the same time and goes on to square Pluto in early April. Eclipses on February 10 and 26 only heighten the charged astrological atmosphere. Mars, Jupiter and Uranus are also close in declination, further accentuating their connection.Storm

The last gasp of the long-term Uranus-Pluto square has been bumped up a few notches with the addition of Jupiter and Mars. This creates an unsettled feeling, leading to fast-moving events, sudden developments that are then drawn out, people over-reacting, or the necessity to think and act quickly.

Only thing is, while Pluto trined my Moon last month, the rest of these planets aren’t particularly close to hitting anything in my chart. It doesn’t matter. With so many planets involved, this T-square is out there and we’ll all experience it one way or another: directly, through those close to us, or through events in the environment that touch our lives. Those whose horoscopes are more closely hit by these planets will experience much more dynamic change in their lives.

David Letterman and Saturn

David Letterman said goodbye to late-night television after his final Late Show on May 20, 2015. Saturn’s aspects augur predictable change, and Saturn transiting Dave’s 7th house of partnerships, contracts and the public was exactly trine his natal Saturn in the 4th house of security, stability and endings. Transiting Saturn will exactly trine his natal Mars in Aries in his 12th in a few weeks, creating a grand trine. In keeping with Saturn, this was an organized change that was well-known in advance.

The transiting Uranus-Pluto square also has something to do with Letterman’s career transition. Pluto through his 9th house of broadcasting is sextiling his Venus (exact in a few weeks). Venus placed in the 11th how shows a transformation in his colleagues, associates and friends as Pluto activates it. Another flowing aspect, it indicates a smooth development. The 11th house also rules our hopes and wishes for the future, so his goals have changed.

Transiting Uranus will station near a conjunction with Dave’s Aries Sun in July, breaking him away from his dynamic career path and into something completely new. It will exactly conjoin his Sun and square his Midheaven in 2016. Since Uranus promises new vistas and unexpected developments, the talk-show host should have some notable events in his life and career – things will certainly not be dull!

Letterman was born on April 12, 1947 at 6:00 am in Indianapolis (rated “A” on Astrodatabank).

Brian Williams, Uranus and Pluto

As a generational influence, the Uranus-Pluto square has provoked many tumultuous events around the world in recent years. But it also impacts on individuals. Brian Williams was put on a six-month hiatus from his anchor duties at NBC on February 10, 2015, and it’s up to Uranus and Pluto to decide if he’s coming back.

The first astrological question to ask is, Does Williams’ natal horoscope indicate the possibility of a fall from grace? The answer is an obvious Yes.

Born on May 5, 1959 in Elmira, New York according to Wikipedia, Williams has been a news anchor for over 20 years, winning 12 Emmys along the way. His Sun in Taurus makes him comfortable in a well-paying, steady job. Yet his Sun also closely squares Uranus. While Uranus may be the most appropriate planet for live, over-the-airwaves broadcasts, giving Williams the ability to cover swiftly developing news stories, it can still backfire from time to time, bringing about unexpected and even radical developments in his life and career.

Williams also has Mars opposed to Saturn in Capricorn, a planetary combination that demands accuracy and hard work. Disciplinary action will result when he doesn’t follow the rules, since Saturn in its own sign is much stronger than Mars.

Williams’ Sun opposite Neptune suggests the possibility of exaggeration, but it’s a wide aspect, in keeping with the limited questions about the accuracy of his statements in the past. Transiting Neptune had just trined its natal place, and along with Mercury retrograde, revealed the errors in the statements he made on the news on February 3.

Yet transiting Uranus and Pluto are the true players in this astrological drama, and the reason this story has caught the public’s attention. The incident has impacted on Williams personally, but it’s part of the larger influence of the transiting Uranus-Pluto square, being drawn on a bigger canvas. Broadcast news has gotten much softer in recent years, with personalities and popularity playing a larger part. We’re as likely to see heartwarming stories as hard news.

Transiting Uranus is just leaving a trine to Williams’ natal Uranus. This is a generational aspect, but one which usually does provide for more of a sense of autonomy and freedom. And the events have developed over the airwaves and the Internet, attracting a wide audience, in keeping with Uranus’ energies.

Pluto, though, is responsible for the intensity of the fallout. Transiting in Capricorn, it exactly opposed Brian Williams’ Mars, bringing a strong response from the network authorities. But Pluto also exactly trined his Sun at the same time, telling us that it may, indeed, be time to move on, since Pluto often ushers in a new phase in our lives. These aspects continue throughout 2015, so Williams is in a transitionary phase, but nevertheless a powerful one. He has the tenacity and assertiveness to capitalize on his mistakes this year, and will no doubt be negotiating a rich settlement if NBC insists that he step down.

Bill Cosby, Uranus and Pluto

Over a dozen allegations of drugging and sexual assault are aimed at Bill Cosby. The comedian was born July 12, 1937 at 12:30 AM in Philadelphia (data rated “A” on Astrodatabank). His Midheaven is 11 Capricorn 56. The Midheaven of course represents the career, public reputation and status.

With transiting Pluto conjoining his Midheaven exactly next week, Cosby’s reputation as a warm and caring father figure is falling apart. He has already had contracts and bookings cancelled. Pluto tends to unearth the past and bring secrets to light. It can represent complexity and power struggles. Cosby has resolved similar allegations out of court in the past, avoiding public scrutiny. However Pluto is now bringing things out into the open.

Transiting Uranus through Cosby’s 12th house will station at less than a half a degree from squaring his MC in December, suggesting additional revelations or dramatic developments.

If the furor dies down in early 2015 as these aspects wane, I suspect that it will heat up again as Uranus and Pluto close in on Cosby’s Ascendant-Sun-Jupiter T-square. Uranus will activate the T-square as it conjoins his Ascendant from June 2015 through March 2017. Pluto will do the same from the 10th house from late 2018 to late 2020.

The Pope, Uranus and Pluto

Pope Francis has called an “extraordinary synod” of bishops who have traveled to the Vatican from around the globe to discuss church policies from October 5 to 19, 2014. Mercury retrograde should be helpful to them as they review surveys of family religious attitudes and rehash the church’s stance on divorce, contraception and homosexuality. Uranus square Pluto is obviously at work here, as the bishops are analyzing parishioners’ contemporary behavior (Uranus) in the light of Church dogma (Pluto). Given this astrological signature, there’s a good chance for innovation.

Francis was born on December 17, 1936 at 9:00 PM in Buenos Aires, according to Astrodatabank. With an out-of-sign Uranus square Pluto in his own birth chart, he’s been called a “herald of change” by commentators. And in the Jesuit manner, the Pope’s thinking has inspired open discussions at the synod.

In addition, his Mercury at 11 Capricorn 49 is conjoined by transiting Pluto as the synod progresses. The Uranus-Pluto square already activated Francis’ Mercury in 2013 when he requested that every diocese around the world survey its families.

The Catholic Church doesn’t often hold this type of unusual meet-up. The previous one, known as Vatican II, was held from 1962 to 1965. Uranus was exactly conjunct Pluto in October of 1965 when the talks ended. After that time, mass began to be celebrated in local languages and priests turned to face the congregation. These were noticeable, if not monumental reforms, and we can expect similar developments when the bishops formulate new guidelines next year as the Uranus-Pluto square winds down. But given Catholic lifestyles in communities around the world as well as the Pope’s compassionate attitude, there’s hope that the new policies will be more inclusive and better reflect our changing times.

Marijuana in New York

Governor Cuomo signed New York’s medical marijuana bill into law on July 7, 2014 at 1:00 pm in Manhattan. With a wide angular grand cross on the angles of the horoscope for this event, it’s an important major development, despite the fact that New York is the 23rd State to allow medical marijuana and its law one of the most restrictive. Marijuana in NY will be legal only for doctors to use in treating serious illnesses like cancer, epilepsy, AIDS and MS. (Source for the chart data is wibv.com.)

With the Moon in Scorpio conjoining Saturn, the horoscope shows the significant limitations and focus of the law. The question now becomes one of practical implementation. Saturn also forms a tight yod with Venus in Gemini and Uranus in Aries. So the authorities (Saturn) are in effect making exceptions (Uranus) to help people be more comfortable (Venus). A 10-year-old girl with epilepsy, a patient who might be helped by medical marijuana, accompanied the governor as he signed the bill. She was clearly represented by Venus in Gemini.

The transiting Uranus-Pluto square, along with the Sun in Cancer and Mars in Libra, formed a cardinal grand cross conjoining the Ascendant, 4th house, 7th and Midheaven of the horoscope. This extremely dynamic figure also contains Jupiter in Cancer in the 10th which squares Mars. It was easy for the governor’s office to get publicity for this event! The North Node in Libra in the 1st house also becomes part of the wide grand cross pattern. So this development is part of a longer-term trend.

In Brooklyn the next day, D.A. Kenneth Thompson announced that he will no longer prosecute low-level marijuana possession charges, especially for first offenders or users under 17. This has raised some controversy since the other NYC boroughs won’t make similar changes at this time.

Neptune rules intoxicants as well as medicine and compassion. Developments involving use of marijuana in NY may have to do with transiting Neptune nearly exactly squaring NYC’s Saturn in Sagittarius. This aspect will repeat throughout 2015, so there should be more news surrounding these issues in the coming months.

Chris Christie Inauguration Horoscope

Governor Chris Christie is having a tough year – and it’s only January. He had to cancel his inauguration party due to a snowstorm. But he should have picked a better time to be sworn in if he wanted to avoid a snowstorm of legal issues.

Things can abruptly change when you have Uranus squaring your Mars and opposing your Mercury as Christie does. You don’t really have control over what’s going on around you. Unfortunately, inauguration dates are generally not that flexible and Christie re-upped his governorship on January 21, 2014 at approximately 11:30 AM in Trenton, NJ with a grand cross of Venus-Mars-Jupiter-Uranus and Pluto. Litigious Pluto right up in the 9th house of partisanship and legal issues suggests that Federal lawsuits and State investigations will work their way dramatically through the courts.

The astrology of the situation is unfortunately rather obvious. Yet the Governor is no believer, stating at his State of the State address recently that “Choice, not chance, determines your destiny.” Really?

Christie, however, represented by the Sun in the 10th house trine the Moon in Libra in the inaugural horoscope, should probably retain his position and a good amount of his public popularity. However nothing is certain until after Uranus’ aspects perfect in February.

Bill deBlasio’s Inauguration Horoscope

New York City’s new mayor Bill deBlasio took the oath of office at approximately 12:01 AM on January 1, 2014 at his home in Brooklyn. He campaigned on a platform of change, and with a dynamic grand cross in the horoscope for the new administration, there will be major changes in store for the City. DeBlasio is our first new mayor in 12 years and the first Democratic mayor in 20.

Angular planets dominate any horoscope, and with six angular planets in the grand cross, this is a powerful figure. The planets involved – the Sun, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Pluto – are all energized and placed in lively cardinal signs, making for an extraordinarily active and forceful chart.

Jupiter in the tenth house represents the authority figure, deBlasio himself. Since Jupiter is exalted in the sign of Cancer, he’s riding high in popularity and support. Yet he’s besieged on all sides – from influences both inside and outside of the City – so there will be many issues and challenges to address.

Jupiter trines Saturn in Scorpio in the second house, suggesting that stable finances will help keep the new mayor in power. Taxing the wealthy is probably the least controversial thing he’ll do.

Home and family are represented by the 4th house and deBlasio’s priority of affordable housing is indicated by four planets in thrifty Capricorn in the 4th house. Yet the mayor may face opposition from historical preservationists, who are also ruled by Capricorn.

Let’s look at Bill deBlasio’s promise to reform the controversial “stop and frisk” policy. Gemini is on the 9th house of the law and its ruler Mercury conjoins the Sun and Pluto at the bottom of the chart, with all three part of the grand cross. The control (Pluto) of law (Mercury) opposes the mayor (Jupiter in the 10th house). Due to the oppositions and squares in the grand cross, there are strongly differing points of view, so a compromise will have to be reached.

DeBlasio’s tenure as mayor will probably be filled with polarizing elements (4 opposition aspects) and diverse factions squaring off against one another (8 squares), although he is empowered to pursue his agenda. With the epoch-making Uranus-Pluto generational square prominent in the administration’s horoscope, we can certainly expect some surprising and even dramatic events surrounding the new mayor and the City’s progress.

Pluto and the U.S.

Planetary stations are one of astrology’s most important predictive tools.  From our view on earth, when a planet stations, it appears to remain at a particular degree, then reverses its path in the sky (due to differing planetary orbits).  Since the transiting planet’s energies are more sustained and focused at this time, the station increases its impact.  As Pluto stationed from September to early October of 2013 at about 9 Capricorn, it approached an opposition to the U.S. Sun and had a number of dramatic and obvious influences on the country.

On October 1, 2013 the U.S. government went into a partial shutdown.  The Congress and Senate couldn’t agree on a funding bill, with some conservatives trying relentlessly to reverse Obamacare.  Meanwhile, the health care law was implemented and state health exchanges became active.  In addition, both houses of Congress must raise the national debt ceiling by October 17 or risk downgrading U.S. credit and other negative financial ramifications.

Pluto often relates to financial affairs, big business, power and control; the opposition aspect indicates polarization.   The Federal government power struggles have been all over the news as hundreds of thousands of government workers were laid off.  Yet Pluto relates to transformation and won’t oppose the U.S. Sun exactly until 2014.  Things will continue to change, and probably some consensus should be reached by the end of October 2013, when Saturn stabilizes the U.S. Sun.

Uranus, as it continues to square off against Pluto, should bring some dramatic changes to the U.S. in 2014.  This story is definitely not over yet.

Uranus square Pluto and New York City

The dynamic duo of Uranus square Pluto leaps forward, zapping the New York City horoscope and initiating a new episode in the City’s history throughout 2013 to early 2014.  It suggests a time of great transition that opens a new phase of experience, associated with sudden and unusual events and large scale changes in circumstances.  It favors reclaiming what works, as well as experimenting with new ideas.

Evangeline Adams described Uranus as bringing about epoch-making conditions, temporary uncertainty, and feelings of an unsettled or hectic time.  She added that, “Fate may seem to shuffle your cards,” and that we should “guard against fantastic schemes and unscrupulous promoters.”

Pluto unflinchingly breaks down the old and worn-out while recycling the best.  While this transit can empower the City and transform its identity, there could also be power struggles and conflicts with authority.  The bureaucracy may struggle for control before it’s restructured and overthrown by something more efficient. 

Hurricane Sandy seems to have been one of the events that kicked off the transit just a few months before the exact “hits,” demanding Pluto’s restoration and Uranus’ innovation.  Some 2013 events that reflect Uranus square Pluto include:

 Expansion of recycling to include most plastics;

Completion of the Freedom Tower;

Micro apartments certified and moving forward;

Thousands of new wheelchair-accessible cabs and green cabs in outer boroughs.

Citibikes program started with approximately 5,000 bikes;

#7 subway extension and Second Avenue line under construction toward 2014 and 2016 openings;

Repair and rehabilitation of the Brooklyn Bridge from 2011 to 2014;

Movement of business away from banks and toward technology.

The Sun relates to leadership and after 12 years with Michael Bloomberg, the City will have a new mayor in January of 2014.  (The City has not had a Democrat as mayor in 20 years.)  I believe that these shifts will be part of some major developments.

New York City is facing a $2 billion+ budget gap.  It has tremendously growing pension and healthcare obligations for its workers.  And contracts with 300,000 in municipal unions have expired in the last 3-4 years and remain to be negotiated.  Pluto will be pushing the new administration to make tough choices. We hope that Uranus will also offer some unique and innovative solutions. 

 For astrologers, Greater New York was created on 1/1/1898 at 12:01 AM.  New York’s Jupiter, Ascendant, Sun and Midheaven form a T-square in the cardinal signs Libra, Capricorn and Cancer, balancing the arts, business and home life.  Transiting Pluto hits this pattern throughout 2013.  Transiting Uranus galvanizes it from early 2013 through early 2014.