Joan Crawford, Kate Winslet and Mildred Pierce

James M. Cain’s depression era novel, Mildred Pierce, first filmed by Michael Curtiz as a 1945 Warner Bros. film noir has been adapted by Todd Haynes as an HBO mini series debuting Sunday, March 27, 2011. This time around Kate Winslet stars in the title role originated by Joan Crawford in the 1945 version which earned her an Academy Award.

Joan Crawford is an actress of mythic proportions and Kate Winslet is an extremely talented actress quickly racking up awards and having a career that rivals Joan Crawford in her prime. Both are considered fiercely ambitious, resilient and determined with almost super human work ethics. I thought it would be interesting as a lesson in synastry to see what these two have in common and what may draw Winslet to invite comparison to Crawford. In essence these two actresses are now forming a relationship via the character of Mildred Pierce.

Crawford’s birth information: March 23, 1903, 10:00 pm, San Antonio, Texas. Told by Crawford herself to astrologer Nelle Sliter.
Winslet’s birth information: October 5, 1975, 7:15 am, Reading, England. This is the time of birth found everywhere I’ve looked and although not verified, I’m going with it.

Crawford is an Aries with the Sun in the 5th house and Winslet is a Libra (in fact Winslet is a triple Libra) with the Sun and Moon in the 1st house indicating a very aggressive, Aries type of Libra. Winslet’s creative inspiration may be in direct contrast to Crawford’s, while retaining a commonality which is indicative of opposite signs. Winslet would be driven to balance her interpretation and offer an alternative choice by creating from another direction and showing a different side to the character.

A mini series format provides ample opportunity to flesh out the character in contrast to a 2 hour film condensation of the novel more in tune to Crawford’s direct Aries approach. The creativity of the Sun sign opposition indicates the actresses mirror each other in some way and most definitely fans and critics will take sides. Winslet, being smart and diplomatic in true Libra fashion, would respect, appreciate and admire Crawford yet stay detached, balanced and aware of her own individuality and not be swallowed up by the powerful presence of Crawford’s legend.

Their Saturn’s are in aspect by opposition again giving perspective and awareness regarding their work and reputation as well as pointing up their differences and similarities. There are other interesting aspects between the charts; yet, the most karmic interaction, indicating an unconscious link for channeling energy between the two actresses, would be the nodal connection. This is where we see astrology at work in a very mysterious way and what buttons are being pushed. Winslet’s Sun, Moon, Pluto, Ascendant and Mercury conjunct Crawford’s North Node and Mars. This is an enormous vortex of energy funneled between them. Crawford’s North Node in Libra is bringing out the best of what Winslet’s planets have to offer. In essence she is getting Crawford’s approval, encouragement, support, caring and inspiration from the grave. Likewise Winslet’s nodal axis sits on Crawford’s ascendant/descendant further emphasizing the karmic nature of this contact. There is a give and take and hopefully a healthy debate in discussing the relationship both these actresses have with each other and their interpretation of the character of Mildred Pierce. Some mysterious force throughout time and history links them.

Transiting Saturn all over Winslet’s Libra stellium on the Ascendant indicates career endings and beginnings while opposite Crawford’s Sun suggests a re-assessment of Crawford’s past creative achievements. Transiting Pluto has been squaring Crawford’s Sun for several years (and currently squaring natal Mars, her chart ruler) doing a mighty job of resurrecting her past and transforming her legacy that had been decimated by Mommie Dearest. Her identity has come up for re-examination and purging and in typical Scorpio rising fashion we see “the phoenix rising from the ashes”. No less than 4 new biographies on Crawford have surfaced in less than 2 years. Read this great article written in the January 3, 2011 edition of New Yorker by esteemed film critic David Denby as he tries to put Crawford’s career and reputation in perspective:

http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2011/01/03/110103crat_atlarge_denby

And let’s not forget transiting Uranus has just entered Aries conjuncting Crawford’s Sun helping to give a 180° shift in perspective to her talent, creativity and legacy (Sun rules the 10th). Uranus needs a few years yet to revolutionize Winslet’s career but its ingress into Aries may herald a new beginning for her in terms of roles and direction. After all this is a major return to television after having appeared exclusively in films since her debut in 1994’s Heavenly Creatures. We should keep an eye on Winslet’s career in 2013 as Uranus and Pluto form a very tight transiting t-square to her natal Sun.

The original Mildred Pierce premiered on 9/24/45 showing a stellium of Sun, Neptune, Jupiter and Chiron in Libra and the HBO series premieres on 3/27/11 with a stellium of the Sun, Uranus, Jupiter and Mercury in Aries; the signs so heavily represented by Crawford and Winslet. Recent transits by Saturn, Pluto and Uranus have activated and continue to activate the cardinal signs.

Joseph Addeo
http://www.josephaddeo.com/

Death of a Star: Elizabeth Taylor

I woke up this morning to the sad news that Elizabeth Taylor, one of the last of the great old-time Hollywood stars had died. It truly is the end of an era befitting of Uranus entering Aries the sign of new beginnings after having been in Pisces (Taylor’s Sun sign) the sign of endings.

We all know planets don’t kill people yet it is fascinating to track the energy surrounding death as represented by transits and progressions. Famous people encapsulate entire generations and we project so much on to them. Let’s see what was going on with Elizabeth Taylor.

While the most common chart used for her is Sag rising, I prefer the Libra rising chart as taught to me by John Marchesella. I think it works better and John is usually right. Someone else can use the Sag rising chart for further exploration.

Birth Information: February 27, 1932, 7:56 pm, London, England.
Ascendant: 3° 43’ Libra.
MidHeaven: 4° 50’ Cancer

Transits
She died on the Saturn-Jupiter opposition in Aries/Libra. Saturn in the first house indicates endings to her physical body and Jupiter in the 7th representing a long journey. Saturn is in an approaching semi-square to her natal moon in Scorpio while Jupiter is in a separating sesquisquare. Jupiter today is triggering the SE from 1/4/11 of 13.39 Capricorn which took place in Taylor’s natal 4th house conjunct her part of fortune and semi-square the moon. Was there something fortunate about this death? Perhaps an easy passing from the womb to the tomb which is a term applied to the 4th house. Both transiting planets are in aspect to natal Venus, her chart ruler, (Saturn opposes and Jupiter conjuncts) again indicating an ending and a long journey pertaining to her physical body.

As mentioned earlier, Uranus is on the world axis at 0° Aries, the birth sign of her natal Uranus and sesquisquare Jupiter.

Neptune and Chiron are conjunct Mars (ruler of the 8th house of death), just zapping all energy, vitality and life out of her.

Pluto is at the IC closely opposing progressed Venus.

The natal nodal axis in health houses and signs at 27° Virgo/Pisces (she had chronic bad health all her life) were in 2° orb to the Lunar Eclipse of 12/21/10 at 29.20 Gemini. That eclipse degree having just been triggered by transiting Sun.

And while I don’t put much stock in the transiting moon it is interesting to note that on the day of death she transits in the deadly sign of Scorpio, Taylor’s natal moon position.

Progressions:
Moon has recently come over the Ascendant, a time of endings and beginnings.

Progressed Sun opposes Moon. This could be a letting go of old habits and ways of living in order to accept new opportunities

The progressed ascendant is 28.28 Scorpio; two degrees past the natal moon. This may be a good indication to rectify the birth to a slightly earlier time.

Venus trines the Sun – a rather pleasant, and loving progression to be found in a death. She was after all surrounded by all her children

Mercury (co-ruler of the 9th house of long journeys) in the 8th squaring Saturn.

And most telling of all, Progressed Neptune, ruler of her Pisces planets, the north node and the 6th house of health turned direct on November 6, 2010. A change in direction for the ultimate connection to the eternal and mystical One from which we all come from.

On a personal note today is Joan Crawford’s birthday. Two of the greatest stars to ever come out of the Hollywood firmament are now forever linked in birth and death to March 23rd. MGM once boasted that it had “More Stars than there are in Heaven”. Well, that is certainly true now.

Joseph Addeo
http://www.josephaddeo.com/

THE SHINE ON SHEEN

Charlie’s Solar Arcs

by John Marchesella

In the last few drops of Uranus in Pisces, Charlie Sheen is having his own personal mid-East revolution. And truth be told, who’s not?

A quick glance at his chart shows the media blitz on his crisis as Bad Boy as well as the wannabee Good Father as represented by the most recent Lunar Eclipse on his Jupiter in Gemini and the transiting square from Uranus. That makes for an awful lot of press coverage!

Progressed Mercury, all-important as the ruler of his natal chart as well as the media god, is leaving the conjunction with warring Mars! Progressed Mars and Venus are leaving the square to the natal Sun too. All of these significators in addition to his natal Gemini Ascendant explain the duality of the crisis at work and in love.

Although these indications are certainly potent enough to symbolize his predicament, they don’t seem so potent as to indicate such a relentless stir of drama. So, where might the culprit be? The oft-overlooked 45 degree Solar Arc, which turns every natal position into a hard aspect, making for a tremendous release of energy and creating THE turning point in each individual life. Or, as Bill Clinton said, “The moment when I realized I had more yesterday’s than tomorrow’s.”

It’s a sure-shot tool for accurate forecasting and it’s one that happens for each of us in our mid-40’s, making for the peak experience in the mid-life crisis, amidst the swirl of so many other generational transits and progressions.

The first rule of predictive astrology, however, is to understand the natal potential. And as for Sheen’s natal potential for addiction problems and this life crisis, well, pick something: Saturn in Pisces as the handle of a bucket chart, (plus it is the only retrograde planet which gives it more singled-out attention), the Sun’s configuration with Saturn, Uranus and Pluto has it serve as a sort of channel for such powerful forces, Mars in Scorpio widely conjoined with Neptune, the Moon on the 8^th house cusp and its placement in the indulgent Sagittarius and opposite the excessive Jupiter.

The 45-degree Solar Arc is also cyclical, related to the Solar Arc of 22.5. So, if we did some research on Sheen, we might see in his early 20’s the seed planted for his current situation, which, in turn, is the preview for events of his mid-60’s. But that’s a research project for another day.

Birth data: Charlie Sheen, September 3, 1965, 10:48 PM EDT, New York, NY

John Marchesella can be reached via his website, www.astrojohn.com

SHORT STORIES by John Marchesella

SHORT STORIES by John Marchesella

Less than a year ago, Saturn and Pluto were in transit to the angles of the chart of Iceland, indicating the eruption of volcanic ash. Last year’s eclipses were keyed into those transits too.

Now, these planets have inched forward to form significant aspects to the chart of Egypt, representing a dramatic eruption of another kind. And again, the recent eclipses play a role in the revolution.

According the Nicholas Campion’s “Book of World Horoscopes,” a most trusted authority on the charts of nations, Egypt’s birth data is March 14, 1922, 10:43 P.M. Cairo, 31 East 15, 30 North 30.

We find the MC of Egypt at 4 Libra 06, closely conjunct natal Saturn at 5 Libra 05 Rx, forming a T-square with Venus at 1 Aries 50 and Pluto at 7 Cancer 56 Rx. Obviously, transiting Pluto in Capricorn is having a heyday around these degrees and turning this T-square into a Grand Square, bringing underlying social tensions explosively to the surface.

Transiting Jupiter in Aries is weaving through these degrees too, perhaps adding fuel to the fires of the people of Egypt.

Also in the 10^th house of the chart of Egypt are the Moon at 14 Libra 24 and Jupiter, ruler of the chart, at 16 Libra 31 Rx, clearly affected by the recent station of Saturn. The symbolism of a station is “a grinding halt in order for things to come to a head.”

The Solar Eclipse of January 4^th was closely in square aspect to the Moon too.

We are only early in to all of these transits, and Uranus in Aries is on the horizon, also applying to that natal T-square, so there is still much to unfold and evolve.

However, while each of these planets has something to say about each part of the story in Egypt, it is a clear example of Pluto in Capricorn bringing down the systems of the Old Man that do not serve the people, any of the people of the world.

* * *

Add speaking of Pluto, but on its lighter side, I was delighted to see Mike Brown, the man who instigated the dwarfing Pluto, the promoting of Ceres, and who discovered Sedna and Eris, at New York’s Hayden Planetarium (where, yes, Pluto is long removed from the model of the solar system), on a publicity tour for his memoir, “How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming,” which I reviewed here some weeks ago. (The review can still be found on the blogspot of NCGR-New York, www.astrologynyc.org).

There are not enough compliments for him and his presentation: affable, witty, warm, article, very well humored and passionate about the Universe. And how can he not be with Libra Rising and four planets in Gemini, including Venus as the most elevated in his chart. Three of those planets, by the way, are in the infamous mutable T-square of 1965 and they sit in the 8^th house! Who else would dare to demote Pluto! But it was a joy to see an astronomer with as much love of the sky as we, astrologers, have.

His presentation focused in his discovery of Eris and his challenge to have it accepted as a planet by the International Astronomical Union, which led to the dwarfing of Pluto, et al.

Amidst quite a bit of the humor and poetic imagery he used to describe the planets, he referred to Neptune, ironically, with pity and put down. Evidently, the mysteries of its astronomical nature confound astronomers about the outer limits of Universe. Brown’s comment was, “Poor Neptune, He gets blamed for whatever can’t be explained by astronomers, but He does deserve it because actually He’s a very sneaky planet!” Methinks, Dr. Brown knows a thing or two about astrology that he’s not letting on to publicly! Or perhaps he’s just really tapping into the depths of the Collective. In any case, it’s nice to be in the back pocket of a renowned astronomer.

Brown is very generous with his knowledge, and I encourage you to visit his website, www.mikebrownsplanets.com to learn more about the process of dwarfing astronomical Pluto while still respecting the astrological Pluto.

* * *

Control freaks of the astrology community, ALERT! Have you seen the Void of Course Moon schedule for this year!

Not only because of Neptune’s ingress into Pisces, (but as Dr. Brown said, He does get blamed for things, and in this case, rightly so), but particularly when that happens, most of the planets will be in very early degrees of the signs, making for long periods of Void of Course Moons, not to mention the havoc that comes with them….unless you know how to handle the Moon’s Void.

If you look ahead in your ephemeris (and pleeeeze, new students of astrology, get some version of an ephemeris, and not just rely on your computer program), you will see weeks, such as the week of April 26th, June 27^th, July 5^th, which are mainly Void, and many other whole days scattered through the year with such long periods.

So, if you are a person, as I am, who has to have things running like a well-oiled machine, then plan your errands, appointments and to-do lists carefully and efficiently, as well as fulfilling those lists and tasks, when the Moon is NOT Void, and keep taking those yoga classes, meditations and daily routines when the Moon IS Void.

Am I advocating fear of the Void of Course Moon? Of course, not! Fear of the astrological gods is silly. But reverence for them is smart. That’s what’s meant in the wisdom of “For every season, there is a purpose under heaven.” Know the astrological season, and you’ll know your purpose.

Egypt

Quite exciting times in Egypt as our friend Uranus planet of liberation, freedom, revolution, equality, fraternity, democracy and chaos is at it again. Let’s read the astrological symbolism in a simple and straightforward fashion. Uranus is at the final degrees of Pisces, the last sign of the zodiac. Pisces and the 12th house are about enslavement and prisons and the Egyptian people have been enslaved and imprisoned for quite a while. The dreams and imagination of what is possible in Pisces is being awakened by Uranus in Aries. As the planet enters the first sign of the zodiac revolution, new beginnings and a pioneering spirit are in order. Everything that has been dormant and brewing in the dark is ready to break out into a new vision. It’s the birth we all wait for in life in order to take action. Aries is a war sign and the military is taking over in the interim before democracy has a chance to unfold. The military is sending signals it will be committed to a transition to democracy. According to global news reports Egyptian Army Generals will amend the constitution to allow free elections by September.

The horoscope of modern Egypt is set for June 18, 1953 at 11:30pm Cairo. "Realizing that their time had come, the radical [army] officers engineered a second coup on 18-19 June, the culmination of which was the proclamation of the Republic at 11:30 p.m. GMT on 18 June in Cairo. . . ." Campion, "The Book of World Horoscopes" (Second Edition), p. 144.

In this chart Saturn is at 20.34 Libra. President Mubarak resigned on Friday, February 11, 2011 as transiting Saturn is at 17 Libra; Egypt’s Saturn return. President Mubarak took power on October 14, 1981 after the assassination of Anwar El Sadat when Saturn was at 13.51 Libra. This is the Saturn return of his ascendancy to power as well. For world leaders Saturn returns are either an enhancement of power and reputation or a falling from grace. Essentially what we have here beginning in 1953, is that at every Saturn return in Libra there has been changes to the government, structures, traditions and Egypt’s reputation and place in the world. Libra is a diplomatic sign so we can hope for consciousness to rule supreme in the sign of its exaltation.

Solar Eclipses are waves of new energy. The most recent one was on January 4, 2011 at 14° Capricorn. In Egypt’s 1953 birth chart this degree lies opposite its natal Uranus at 17° Cancer. In President’s Mubarak’s ascent to Presidency chart of 10/14/81 the eclipse degree squares the Saturn in that chart at 14° Libra.

Finally the current Solar Eclipse belongs to Saros Series 13 North. To quote Bernadette Brady in her book “The Eagle and the Lark” regarding this Saros Cycle: “This is an eclipse family of groups and associations. Its energy is about large, ambitious group projects. These group projects will require a separation or the breaking of a bond that already exists. The individual (country) may well experience this eclipse initially as a separation and then as joint achievement.”

This is self explanatory as it relates to the great country of Egypt.

Joseph Addeo

HOW I KILLED PLUTO And Why It Had It Coming

HOW I KILLED PLUTO

And Why It Had It Coming

Mike Brown, 267 pages, Speigel & Grau, New York, 2010, $25

Reviewed by John Marchesella

God giveth and God taketh away. And Mike Brown took away our beloved Pluto as a planet, but he gave us this wonderful memoir of his time from 1999, when he had an un-scientific hunch that a tenth planet would be found beyond Pluto and he made an even more un-scientific bet on it with a colleague; to a bit passed the time when Pluto was lessened to dwarfed status, Ceres was promoted to dwarf planet, and his own discovery, Eris, was also recognized as a dwarf planet.

The author provides the inside story on the compelling news that we watched unfold in the New York Times a few years ago, when the International Astronomical Union was trying to decide on Pluto’s status according to the definition of the term, “planet,” or as Brown argues, the non-definition of “planet.” He speaks about his own inner process of giving up the glory of discovering the tenth planet, Eris, which had to go to dwarf if Pluto was going down too.

Even before his work on Eris, Brown gives the story of also discovering Quaoar and Sedna, as well as the frustrations and injustices of the politics of the solar system that IAU is.

If you are thinking this is little more than a science journal (as I did when I cracked the book open), then think again! Brown is an engaging, warm and well-humored writer with, not only an obvious passion for the skies, but also a passion for educating about the skies. He brings astronomy down to earth and shows us how the planets are all around us in our everyday lives if we just pay attention.

Most surprisingly, this turns out to be a love story. Thoroughly woven into the fabric of the astronomy is the very romantic story of meeting Diane, the woman who would become his wife, and the birth of their child, Lilah. These events in his life closely coincided with the discoveries of Sedna and Eris, respectively. In his very personal revelations of love and parenthood, Brown shows how the individual is a microcosm for the greater Universe. Here, and in his descriptions of how he chose the mythic names for his discoveries as well as for his daughter, we see that Brown is as much poet as he is scientist, and all human.

Astrologers will be glad to know, on occasion, he makes a brief mention of us in his book in no derogatory way! He speaks of our rapid use of newly discovered planetary bodies in our horoscopes, but more philosophically, he states early in his story about his love of the skies, “It’s impossible to know, but it’s always hard not to feel that in some way, for me at least, perhaps the early astrologers were right: Perhaps my fate actually was determined by the positions of the planets at the moment of my birth.”

Back in the day of his trials and tribulations with the IAU when Eris was still known as Xena, I had an e-mail exchange with Brown, regarding his birth data. With his permission, I used it in article about his chart. It is repeated here for your information: June 5, 1965, 2:35 P.M., Huntsville, AL.

Snowiest January EVER!

It’s official. New York City had its snowiest January on record EVER breaking the old record from 1925! Another huge snow storm arrived with a one-two punch on Wednesday, January 26 dumping a total of 19” of snow in Central Park and elsewhere in the northeast with comparable totals – twice the amount the National Weather Service forecast. Why is this happening now? Well, the culprit is Saturn, Saturn and Saturn! The weather people didn’t predict this one right because they are not familiar with our wise old friend Saturn. They were all saying it would only bring 6 to 10 inches of snow and that it would hit quickly and be out of here. On a Saturn station storms stall and slow down. Again, as in the blizzard of Christmas 2010 we had high winds, thunder snow and lightning. The morning of the 26th found the city blanketed with 4” of snow when all predictions said it would be a light dusting early in the day with intensification overnight. Well, the first part of the storm lingered and was much stronger than predicted followed by the second, more intense, wallop overnight which once again crippled the northeast. Nothing is easy on a Saturn station. Think of words like serious, crippling, stalled, stuck, station, struggle, delay, challenge, work, slow down and paralysis. Yes, Saturn is living up to its reputation of bringing people and places to their knees. This storm happened on Mercury’s day while Mercury was at 17° Capricorn ruled by Saturn stationing retrograde in its exaltation sign of Libra at 17° not far off from squaring the solar eclipse degree of January 4 at 14° Capricorn. Now as Saturn retrogrades for the remainder of the winter closer and closer to the eclipse degree I can only foresee a cold, bleak, bitter and frigid winter continuing. Plan ahead!

Joseph Addeo
http://www.josephaddeo.com/