Apr 08

Mars conjunct Saturn, Aries eclipse

Today we enter the heart of an eclipse. Do we tremble? Should we be afraid? No. But just remember the most basic rule of eclipse season, i.e.  things planned in weird season, seldom pan out as expected. At their heart, eclipses symbolize an interruption in the natural flow of the cosmos, a tear in the lining, a distortion, and always a play of light and shadow.

North Node in Aries/ South Node in Libra – the Axis of War and Peace

The solar eclipse that accompanies the upcoming North Node eclipse, took place on October 14th last year on the South Node in Libra, and so directly related to the Hamas attack in Gaza, which took place on October 7th. Remember, eclipses are like black holes, they warp our normal perception of time, so events happening weeks before and after the eclipse, still have a direct bearing on it. The Libra South Node, relates to past relationships, past actions, and represents a tipping point or a place of precarious balance. Since October 7th and the Israel reaction to the Hamas attack,  the always delicate, precarious balance in the entire Middle East has been literally shot to pieces.

So now we have the Aries, North Node eclipse. Where Libra is reconciliatory, Aries is forceful, its charge ahead and ill thought out action, oft times leaves a heap of debris in its wake. Aries has the reputation for acting first and thinking after. We live in dangerous times and the ability to show patience, and a willingness to think ahead, are important prerequisite to solving problems.  In the warm up to the eclipse on April 8th, we see a number of aspects coming into play. Firstly the Moon must pass through a phase of besiegement, moving as she does, between eclipse ruler Mars and Saturn in Pisces (on Saturday 6th April). The conjunction of Mars and Saturn, is a problematic coming together of the two malefics. Mars quickens and Saturn shapes or at least, tries to. Here in mysterious Pisces, I sense a tendency for actions to morph into something else. Shapeshifting. Nothing is quite what it seems. Somewhat elusive or possibly even deceptive action. Saturn in Pisces, has no solid ground under under his feet –and Mars not reigned in – has no borders (or very fluid ones at best) – so Mars has freedom to move. Mars rules this eclipse and this conjunction takes is right through to the Jupiter/Uranus conjunction in Taurus on April 21st.

Though much is made – rightly so – of the upcoming Jupiter/Uranus conjunction, the great French mundane astrologer Andre Barbault reminded us that in situations where there is already great tension, the conjunction of Jupiter/Uranus can act like a powder keg. Jupiter and Uranus were conjunct at the start of WW1, the conjunction in 1941 saw an escalation in WW2, between the US, Russia and Japan. A series of triple Ju/Ur conjunctions beginning in December 1968 led to a worldwide increase in social conflicts, which were predominantly characterized by the rise of left-wing politics, anti-war sentiment, civil rights urgency, and in youth counterculture. The upcoming conjunction is in Taurus, makes me think, things will stay radically the same. (source: Barbault article in an old Astrological Association Journal)

I started work on this text a few days ago, this is today’s paragraph. Yesterday, news broke of the Israel Defence Force withdrawing from Khan Younis. Arab sources prefer to talk of redeployment, the movement of troops from A to B. I think we need to be alert to the movement of Mars towards Saturn, even though it is a relatively short planetary cycle (2 year cycle), it is tuned into eclipse season and Jupiter/Uranus. Traditionally Mars rules the king’s allies but also those who rebel against the king. With support for Israel waning and growing calls within Israel for Benjamin Netanyahu to stand down, tension is ever present in the Middle East. What happens next ?

The Mars/Saturn conjunction falls exactly opposite Benjamin Netanyahu’s own natal Saturn in Virgo, in the ninth house, foreign intervention. The growing opposition in the United States to Joe Biden’s policy in the Middle East, could be starting to bear fruit now. All eyes on Netanyahu. Light or shadow?

Jun 14

Upcoming Lectures

On August 3rd I will be giving the following talk for the Aquarius Severn Astrology Group.

The discovery of Pluto : Herstory – What would Persephone say?

The first planet to be discovered in the New World, Pluto’s emergence into collective consciousness has been associated with the splitting of the atom, the nuclear age, the rise of fascism, and to the criminal underworld, the mafia. However the planets arrival is also connected with an unheard voice, which I refer to as Persephone’s. As Pluto himself emerged, so did SHE. ‘Beauty in a jar’, beauty as power, androgynous women and in England the emergence of the sacred feminine and the Goddess Movement, the discovery horoscope of Pluto also points to a re-emergence of the feminine – a validation of female spirituality, sexuality and a validation of feminine political power.. In this talk, Liz will look at Pluto’s discovery from a different perspective.

The group has a newsletter with information on all talks and I believe my talk will be made available on-line for free post event.

On August 8th I will be giving a talk for ISAR UK. It appears the website is down – so I will add the link later. From 7pm UK time

The Ninth House: Dreams, Visons and Visionaries

In astrology, the ninth house is most commonly associated with higher learning, religion, beliefs, philosophy and more generally, the search for meaning. One of the least explored facets of the ninth house relates to dreams, visions and divination in general. In this talk, Liz will take us on a deep dive into the history of the ninth house and will consider the importance once given to dreams as the most reliable means of contacting the divine. In this talk, expect to find out more about famous dreams and those who dreamed them.

On Saturday 14th October, I will be lecturing at the Astrological Association of Great Britain’s annual conference at Yarnfield Park in Staffordshire. All talks are also available as an online package – so do check out the AA website. Looking forward to this talk ..which concludes just 24 minutes before a solar eclipse in 22 degrees Libra. This eclipse falls in my 12 house.

Letting out the Light
‘Out of what storm of darkness .. came this incandescent stone’. Tales of iconic diamonds, gems, curses, fascination and thievery. Why do we love jewels so and what mysteries do they hold ? An astrological journey into the fascinating world of rocks, crystals and gem stones.

Liz Hathway, Master of Arts in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology (with distinction), DFAstrolS, Qualified Horary Craftswoman (Frawley school) is an independent researcher with a special interest in rituals, sacred space, shamanism, magic and transformation.

Aug 13

Salman Rushdie – Shooting the Messenger

Shocked but not surprised – I guess is how I would describe my reaction to the attack on Salman Rushdie. Since shortly before 2pm on Valentine’s Day in 1989, when the Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa (which is a legal ruling on a point of Islamic law) sentencing Salman Rushdie to death, I often felt concerned for his safety. Yesterday – more that 33 years later – in Chautauqua, a young man tried to carry that fatwa out. With an absolutely humungous full moon just behind us – like many astrologers I’m sure – I wanted to look at the horoscopes.

In Rushdie’s chart – the Moon and Pluto are OOB – and the Moon is in cazimi in Gemini- reflecting his amazing resilience while living under extreme circumstances of emotional uncertainty, anxiety and certainly in the early days of the fatwa, fear. Striking in the light of yesterday’s events – is Rushdie’s Mars/Jupiter opposition – which very much plays into the aforementioned Leo full moon -and the fixed grand cross it created (Sun opposite Moon, squaring the Nodal axis, and Mars/Uranus).

The most important and defining horoscope – is for the fatwa itself. Issued under a stationary Mercury in Capricorn (strict interpretation of and adherence to the rules). A cluster of outers setting in Capricorn, Uranus/Saturn/Neptune in that order. Three new planetary cycles gearing up here, and the flavour is Capricornian – no frills, no thrills, ‘sober up’ ‘get real’, highly authoritarian. Thatcher was still in power too!! Pluto stationing in Scorpio, opposite Mars and squaring Venus in the fatwa horoscope – tied tightly in to Mars/Jupiter in Rushdie’s birth chart. The fixed signs dominate, as you can see in this bi-wheel, fatwa is inner wheel, yesterday’s assassination attempt outer wheel.

Communication is so important to writers and to Gemini’s too. Born under a new moon – with Mercury in Cancer, talking is personal and as a result, powerful. Rushdie has become a symbol of free speech and in some ways, a representative of what we have lost. In a discussion on the radio today, it was said that no publisher nowadays would touch ‘The Satanic Verses’ with a barge pole. Essentially the 1989 fatwa put a kibosh on free speech as we know it. Yet, shining like a beacon, Rushdie’s book remains defiantly in print. You can still buy a copy. Fixed signs are tenacious and Rushdie’s Mars/Jupiter opposition, bestows him with courage a plenty.

The chart is for the first publication date. I chose 9 am – because this is the time bookshops would have opened in 1988. We can see Saturn/Uranus moving towards conjunction here, on the galactic center – which to my mind – always introduces a degree of chaos. (Some of my thoughts on the GC can be found here). Uranus is also OOB – so you can definitely expect the unexpected. This is a predominantly fire/air horoscope – dealing with big ideas, grand theories but with Mars in Aries also opposite the Sun (in detriment) – something is striking a very discordant note.

Like many others, I am sending a prayer to Salman Rushdie today. Mars in Taurus – tough cookie. You got this…

Liz Hathway Astrologer

Jul 13

The Conservative Leadership Battle

The race for the leadership of the Conservative Party (CP) is gathering pace. Eight candidates through to the voting stage. With Uranus approaching opposition to the Sun in the CP’s horoscope – it is interesting to see a number of young outsiders vying for the job: Rishi Sunak, Kemi Badenoch and Suella Braverman all born in 1970 with Uranus in Scorpio conjunct the Party’s Sun/Saturn conjunction.

The CP has a Sun/Pluto opposition – discussed in an earlier post on my Liz Hathway Astrologer FB page – so to do this job a certain degree of ruthlessness is required. Maggie Thatcher for example – listed in the top of best Tory Party PM’s  – has a Sun/Pluto square in her chart. Thatcher decimated whole communities in the North of England and in South Wales, she brutalized travelling communities (think Battle of the Beanfield fought around Stonehenge), and was finally brought to her knees by the Poll Tax riots. Another oft listed successful CP, PM is Winston Churchill (Boris Johnson’s hero). Churchill has a tight t-square between Mercury in Scorpio opposite Pluto in Taurus – with Uranus in Leo as focal planet. An inspirational motivational speaker, a verbal cannonball – who also promoted the use of chemical weapons against ‘uncivilized tribes’, brutalized the miners in South Wales and among other crimes, was held responsible for the famine in Benghal.

We don’t have a reliable time for the Party, but the secondary progressed Moon will be somewhere in Capricorn. With the steamy days of Johnson and Brexit behind – a rock steady hand,  a true blue,  tried and trusted candidate, will surely have the preference of those members who will vote. The new PM has a lot on his/her plate, the Northern Ireland Protocol for example !!! Mercury in the CP secondary progressed chart teeters on the edge of Aries – where it will join the gang of three – Mars, Neptune, Sun in that order. Given the Scorpio Sun in the CP chart – this makes Mars in Aries by a long shot,  the loudest voice in the room. Very masculine edge here – bring out the sharp knives. The four female candidates are  Suella Braveman- Aries (Sun/Pluto opposition), Liz Truss – Leo (Sun/Pluto sextile), Penny Mordaunt (who astrologically speaking and imho – doesn’t have a chance in hell – messed up her launch ad for starters) Pisces, Kemi Badenoch – Capricorn (applying Sun/Pluto square 8 degs.). Liz Truss and Suella Braverman good contenders astrologically speaking.

Of the men, Jeremy Hunt is of the Uranus/Pluto generation in Virgo – opposite Saturn in Pisces. Hunt would really be a safe, but very boring successor to Boris Johnson. Hunt has Venus as practical director, so he does seek consensus, and a stationary Mercury in Sag – so an enquiring mind. Hunt’s Neptune is conjunct the CP Sun – so he might bring some soothing energy to a clearly tormented Tory Party. On the other hand… we are talking Neptune… Hunt’s Mercury is also stationary. Feels a bit dithery.

Tugendhat (who?) Tom Tugendhat – never heard of him. Ex-army man (thinking of that progressed Aries energy) has the Sun in Cancer square Pluto. His Mars in Aries is conjunct the CP’s sec.prog Mars too. A bit of a wild card, which seems to fit the CP progressed chart – with Mercury moving sign – into Aries very soon.

Rushi Sunak’s chart reverberates very strongly with the CP horoscope. Sunak has Sun in Taurus opposite Uranus in Scorpio. Sunak’s Uranus is tied into the CP’s Sun/Saturn conjunction in Scorpio and makes him a very strong contender.  

My thoughts at the moment, based on the astrology… tends towards the following candidates,  Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Tom Tugendhat or Suella Braverman for next PM. As the race narrows, charts will be posted.

For now – just the CP – inner wheel the Party, outer the sec. prog.

Liz Hathway

Jul 02

Reflecting on Neptune’s Stations

On Monday June 27th, Neptune stationed retrograde in 25 degs 27 Pisces. This station was in a loose square to Mercury in Gemini – which becomes exact today (2 July). Like all the outers, when Neptune stations it hangs around in a specific degree for days at a time and so impresses its presence upon us in profound ways.

The overturning of Roe vs Wade (24 June 2022, 10.00 – Supreme Court, District of Columbia) carries the hallmark of Neptune in Pisces. The new ruling makes victims of millions of women in the US (and those who are poor will suffer the most). The amniotic fluid, the water of life, an inflicted trauma, a shared (political) experience, feelings of anger and outrage which will unite women across the globe. Neptune loves a political cause, a cross to bear, and on both sides of the divide (Pisces is a mutable/double sign) people will surge forward to attack and defend this decision.

A second example of quite how devastating Neptune’s stations can be, involves some of the most vulnerable people on our planet. I am of course referring to the enormous loss of life in the back of a swelteringly hot truck, near San Antonio last Monday. Fifty three human beings like fish out of water, trapped in the back of this vehicle, exchanged the earthly for the eternal. Many years ago during an extremely stressful period, I suffered from hyper-ventilation, the inability to properly fill my lungs with air, was awful. The Moon in Gemini – square Neptune in the discovery of the bodies horoscope – see below – speaks volumes Miraculously, a small number of people survived, children and young people mainly, traumatized for the rest of their lives. Neptune has an affinity with lost souls, these people died without dignity, and are little more than numbers, invisible victims in the global human trafficking trade

But Neptune also allows us to connect, to re-connect, to offer thanks, to say a prayer, to light a candle, to participate in imaginary ways in acts of remembrance. I have done all of these things these last days. A dear friend burying her brother, a dog walking friend who I have missed these last weeks, and I just yesterday discovered is incurably ill. Under the tidal wave of a Neptune station we can get swept away. We need to stay grounded. We need to keep solid ground under our feet.

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    Feb 11

    Venus conjunct Pluto in Capricorn

    The current Venus retrograde cycle in Capricorn will see Venus thrice conjunct Pluto, which is a pretty rare astrological event. When Venus last retrograded in Capricorn in 2013, Venus stationed direct tantalizingly close to Pluto, just a degree separated them – but they did not quite ‘hook up’. This means that for an exact repeat of this particular triple Venus/Pluto/Capricorn conjunction we have to look back to Pluto’s previous transit through the sign, from 8 Jan 1762 – 4 April 1777*. Again, during this transit, while Venus did retrograde twice, only one of those retrograde periods involved a triple Venus/Pluto conjunction (these conjunctions were on: 19 December 1770, 12 January 1771 and finally 19 February 1771 in 19 degrees + Capricorn) during which time Beethoven was born. While Venus turns retrograde every 18 months, she will only make a long stay in a handful of signs and these longer retrograde stays recur at 8 year intervals. We will have to wait until Pluto enters Pisces for the next triple Venus/Pluto conjunction, a series which fall between 20/1/2057 and 16/4/2057 in 17-19 degrees Pisces. Just let that sink in a minute. That’s 35 years away, so we have a long wait.

    Continue reading

    Feb 22

    Jupiter Trine the North Node: Applied Wisdom Promotes Growth

    With Mercury now moving forward in Aquarius, Jupiter’s beneficial trine to the North Node in Gemini and the Sun’s sextile to Uranus (both on Thursday) – there is a sudden openness to new and innovative ideas.  Expansion is the key. The North Node in Gemini brings progress through important meetings with the minds of others. The element air remains prominent- and it offers us a new perspective, a bird’s eye view of situations. The ability to transcend, analyse, share knowledge and gain new insights which the element air offers us, serves to open up new pathways. Continue reading

    Feb 08

    Upcoming New Moon in Aquarius Reminiscent of the 1962 Mega Aquarius Stellium

    Look out for Thursday’s New Moon !

    Great line up in Aquarius this week. So… Just a little extra on the 1962 mega eclipse in Aquarius, which had all the traditional 7 planets in this sign. It seems to me to have been related to the space race, the Ranger Three mission for example, was launched in 1962 with 6 planets in Aquarius. That ability to rise ourselves up has been fundamental in human development. The ankles are ruled by Aquarius, and it is the ankle that enabled humans to stand up and walk, whereby freeing up the hands for new tasks and in the process, Continue reading

    Jan 23

    David Bowie: Station to Station

    Hi Astrology Lovers,

    I am just making a very quick post to pick up on something I mentioned in my weekly YouTube film. While discussing the Sun/Uranus square, I mentioned an album of David Bowie which was hugely influential both in terms of his career and in terms of music in general. This little citation is taken from Wikipedia ‘

    ‘Station to Station was a milestone in Bowie’s transition to his late 1970s ‘Berlin Trilogy‘. Bowie himself has said of the album, “As far as the music goes, Low and its siblings were a direct follow-on from the title track”,[36] while Brian Eno opined that Low was “very much a continuation from Station to Station“.[65] It has also been described as “enormously influential on post-punk” Continue reading

    Dec 31

    The Astrology of 2021 in A Nutshell…

    Dear Viewer and Astrology lover …

    First of all I want to wish you a happy and healthy New Year.
    So … What kind of a year lies ahead ? Firstly add 2021 together and the number FIVE is the key.. Talking,  Hierophant in the Tarot. Or the quintile in astrological terms. We can learn a great deal in 2021, both individually and collectively.  The Hierophant is wise and learned, the quintile is innovative and highly creative. Continue reading