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London is also the capital of the United Kingdom. Greenwich
Mean Time sets the hour for UK citizens and Parliament ratifies our country’s
laws. As such, London is the epicentre of our country from which changes, trends
and fashions often ripple outwards. Astrologically, it is also the ‘birth place’
of the nation and is used to calculate the UK’s birth chart.
It is useful to look at this chart because it helps to put the
city into a national context and give it some ‘family’ background, as it were!
Using the 1801 chart, the UK has a Capricorn Sun with Libra
rising. The Libran Ascendant, which rules first impressions, suggests a people
who are, on face value, a charming and pleasant nation with a natural sense of
diplomacy and a liking for social niceties.
It would explain the very common observation made by
foreigners who, when encountering British people for the first time, often
remark on how polite & agreeable everyone seems. It also explains the seeming
dislike of confrontation that is part of the British national character and the
love of balance and symmetry in art and architecture.
However, once you scratch the surface, Capricornian qualities
of materialistic ambition, the need to make an impression (albeit subtly) and a
liking for social rank & order become apparent. Britain’s obsession with the
class system and their pride in family lineage could account for the placing of
the sun here. The need to do things ‘properly’ and the somewhat stuffy,
conservative nature of many of our institutions may also be explained by the
authoritarianism of Saturn, ruler of Capricorn. The Old Boys culture associated
with many gentlemen's clubs and public schools, is very typical of the
patriarchal characteristics of Capricorn too.
A Cancer Moon in the 10th house (status and personal achievement) near the Midheaven
indicates a nation of sensitive, introverted home-bodies who place great value
on family life and who are wary of strangers or of changes to the status quo. The fact that this aspect is so
near the Midheaven of the chart, might also be why British people aspire to be
home-owners and are such DIY enthusiasts. It really rings true to say that for
British people their home is their castle – this is where they feel free to
really express themselves and where they like to surround themselves with people
who are comfortable and familiar.
Cancer here also shows a people who value the traditions and
possessions of the past, perhaps accounting for the great popularity of antique
collecting, our love of history and genealogy, as well as the deep-seated need to preserve our
heritage.
Together with the Capricorn sun, this Cancer Moon may also
explain why the British are so resistant to change, something we see every time
the government proposes reform. The unknown is scary for Cancerians, despite
their love of travel and adventure. The Moon is the natural ruler of Cancer, so
this is a strong placement within the overall chart.
Of course everyone will at once remark that the rest of the UK
find Londoners quite different to the people they encounter elsewhere/outside
London.
The Gemini Ascendant, which London has in common with our
former Prime Minister, Tony Blair could be why - it is more extrovert, communicative &
adaptable, and encourages a love of all things new and modern.
It can also make people a little glib and inconsistent. Many
people joke about London being a city of blaggers. Mercury is the trickster and
can be a little cunning so perhaps it is no coincidence that we have so many
salesmen, politicians and lawyers in our midst! In any event, being ‘street
smart’ and a little canny is all part and parcel of surviving in the Big Smoke
and, I guess it just comes with the territory. Is it any wonder then that this
Labour government, more than any other, has been accused of more having more
spin than substance?...
Whilst still on the subject of Tony Blair, you may want to
have a look at Marjorie Orr’s predictions for Blair’s Third Term Government,
now that he has left office to see if she was right. The negative Neptune aspects that occurred in August
2004, which recurred in September and December 2005, are worth looking at in
particular. This influence, which she predicted would last until the end of 2007,
was interpreted as severely testing the
government's grip on reality. I am sure the Tories might have something to
say about that! It will be interesting to see what happens to
new Prime Minister and Piscean, Gordon Brown during this testing time, especially with regard to
monetary policies…As an aside, this aspect can rule oil, water or gas disasters
so the fluctuations in energy and petrol prices may be something to watch for!
Marjorie also explains how a nasty Mars-Uranus conjunction,
characterized by disruptive and explosive occurrences – may even have manifested
in the London bombings. For more info, go to:
www.star4cast.com
I know many of you will be wondering why astrology has not
managed to predict big atrocities like 7/7 or the Tsunami. This is a very
sensitive area of astrology and should perhaps be left for another discussion on
ethics and whether astrology is really meant as a tool to predict things like
death and disasters. A number of experienced astrologers have tried to
make sense of what happened. If you would like to investigate this further, you
can visit: www.star4cast.com
and
http://www.astrology.co.uk/news/poverty.htm
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