Astrology 2022 to 2025 – approaching a new world

Back in January 2019, I wrote what turned out to be a very popular blog on 2020 astrology, a combination of my own take and quotes from the work of other established astrologers. Reading back now, although I would change one or two things (for example, I am not a big fan of Bill Gates!), it wasn’t too far off the mark.

2021 and 2022 astrology – tension and conflict between old and new

The intensely stressful 2021 square between Saturn in Taurus and Uranus in Aquarius has been well documented by astrologers. It’s exact three times – 17th February, 14th June, 24th December – although its presence is likely to be felt up to late 2022. Tension and conflict between old (Saturn) versus new (Uranus), establishment (Saturn) versus radical change (Uranus), stability (Saturn) versus instability (Uranus). Taking responsibility for the individual and collective actions of humanity (Saturn in Aquarius) conflicting with shocks and instability in financial systems and a new awareness of the Earth (Uranus in Taurus).

“This confusion of new ways seeking form, amidst the bullying insistence of old greed-based economies, is likely to dominate through 2022, as the Saturn/Uranus square remains in close orb.” Roy Gillett, Astrological Association Journal magazine, Sep/Oct 21

Saturn began its journey through Aquarius at the end of 2020, the important Jupiter-Saturn conjunction having marked a major long-term shift away from materialistic values. Obviously that shift can’t happen overnight! Many individual and collective foundations for a better shared world will have been laid by early 2023.

2023-2024 astrology – on the cusp of revolution with significant long-term endings

Western astrologers are anticipating the first movement of Pluto into Aquarius since the late 1770s. The great destroyer/healer first dips into Aquarius during March 2023, where it hovers for just a few months before moving back into the last degree of Capricorn again. Pluto in Aquarius will really start to happen in 2024, where it remains until 2043-44. Many reading here will already be familiar with what we can expect from Pluto in Aquarius – revolutionary upheaval of many kinds is on the cards. Amongst others, Marjorie Orr has written some interesting short pieces anticipating Pluto in Aquarius, here and here. Previous cycles show the type of world-changing events we can expect.

Many astrologers consider the last degree of each sign of the zodiac as crucial, a kind of “last-gasp” of old energy. Pluto is in the last degree of Capricorn for much of 2023 (the ending of tumultuous economic and structural upheaval that began when it entered Capricorn in 2008) and Neptune reaches the last degree of Pisces in 2024. The very end of a whole Neptune cycle of 164 years – a final burst of magical and enlightened energy, or should that be confused and delusional energy? Such are the mysteries of Neptune and Pisces.

2025 astrology – creating a new shared world

By the summer of 2025, the five outer planets of astrology – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto – will be in very different angular relationships (trines and sextiles) to each other than they were in the dark days of 2020 and 2021. They will also be in completely different and more actively positive signs of the zodiac.

Strong new beginnings are shown by Saturn and Neptune entering Aries, lining up with both Uranus at the beginning of Gemini and Pluto at the beginning of Aquarius. Fresh, dynamic structures and ideals (Saturn and Neptune in Aries) across the world are indicated, combinations of original communication and thinking (Uranus in Gemini) with people power and revolutionary technology (Pluto in Aquarius). Due to the combination of fire and air signs involved, the down side might be that some of this turns out to be nothing more than “hot air” but it will still be an accelerated period of forward-thinking change, continuing in 2026. Bring it on!

With thanks to the late Andre Barbault and his book Planetary Cycles (2016), published by the UK Astrological Association. Consultations and readings available at https://www.timburnessastrologer.co.uk

2020 astrology – the end of an era and new beginnings

Astrology for 2020 – three major conjunctions

“For many reasons, 2019-20 and the years that follow will confront the world economy with reality”, astrologer Roy Gillett in ‘Economy, Ecology and Kindness’ (2009).

Thoughts from other astrologers here and here. Conjunctions occur when planets reach the same point in the sky, as seen from the Earth. Astrologically, according to the planets involved, they signify the end of one cycle and the beginning of another. It is unusual to have three conjunctions involving three of the five outer planets in the same year.

Saturn-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn, building during 2019, exact on 12th January 2020 and continuing during 2020 and beyond

At the time of writing this piece (January 2019), Saturn in Capricorn has recently moved significantly closer to Pluto for the first time, within about 8 degrees. Correspondingly, warnings of recession are being made by many experienced commentators in the world of global finance and the interconnected crises of capitalism, democracy and ecology appear to be accelerating. During April and May 2019, the conjunction will be within 3 degrees of exact, before easing off then building to January 2020.

Using the western tropical zodiac, the conjunction falls in Capricorn, hence the worlds of economics and politics and other Capricornian themes (hard reality, organization, limitation, integrity) are the focus of a profound transformation. Along with countless other astrologers, I have previously blogged about Pluto in Capricorn (2008-2024) and Saturn teaming up with Pluto in 2020 is a crucial focus of that process. As extensively researched and documented by Richard Tarnas:

“The successive alignments of the Saturn-Pluto cycle coincided with especially challenging historical periods marked by a pervasive quality of intense contraction; eras of international crisis and conflict, empowerment of reactionary forces and totalitarian impulses, organized violence and oppression, all sometimes marked by lasting traumatic effects. An atmosphere of gravity and tension tended to accompany these three to four year periods, as did a widespread sense of epochal closure; “the end of an era,” “the end of innocence,” the destruction of an earlier mode of life that in retrospect may seem to have been marked by widespread indulgence, decadence, naivite, denial, and inflation. Profound transformation was a dominant theme…” Richard Tarnas, Cosmos And Psyche

The astrological charts of Donald Trump, the USA and China are all clearly impacted by Saturn-Pluto in 2020. The Cancerian Moon of the UK chart is already being hit with Brexit and other crises.

Jupiter-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn throughout 2020, exact on 4th April, 30th June and 12th November

Unlike Saturn-Pluto, the second conjunction of 2020 is potentially much more optimistic and creative, although not without a dark side. At its best, Jupiter-Pluto is all about positive healing and re-generation. It signifies upbeat new beginnings, here likely in relation to the broken Capricornian worlds of economics and politics. Many huge drives for success, improvement and achievement in the pursuit of excellence are likely to be launched at this time. Taking genuine responsibility is a key theme but a reforming zeal and obsession with power could be problematic. The old may have to be eliminated as organizations and bureaucracies dig deep into their roots, bringing hidden or secret aspects of reality to light. At its best (think Gandhi or maybe even Bill Gates, who were born with Jupiter-Pluto) this conjunction can sow the seeds for healing the world. The currently scheduled date for the next USA election is 3rd November, immediately followed by the final pass of Jupiter-Pluto.

Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius, exact on 21st December 2020

Many western astrologers have had their eye on this one for a long time. The general historic importance of Jupiter-Saturn cycles has long been observed. Since the 1840s, all the Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions (except a few in the early 1980s) have been occurring in the Earth signs Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. Falling in the first degree of Aquarius, an Air sign. the late 2020 conjunction marks a significant long-term shift towards fairer social attitudes. The change of conjunctions from Earth to Air indicates moves away from, for example, fossil fuels and materialism. In their place come an emphasis on new ideas, information, technology, equality for all and respecting our environment. The decentralized political structures indicated here are very different to the regeneration of corporate power indicated by Jupiter-Pluto above. Perhaps they will combine, or just simply co-exist.

Many thanks to Roy Gillett of the UK Astrological Association for fully drawing my attention to the significance of the 2020 triple conjunctions, both through his talks and his book ‘Economy, Ecology and Kindness’. Also to Julian Venables for banging on (and on!) to me about the importance of the new Jupiter-Saturn cycle a few years ago. I recommend an extraordinary book by Professor Richard Tarnas – Cosmos And Psyche. which (amongst other things) masterfully documents Saturn-Pluto correlations with countless traumatic periods throughout modern global history, ranging from the beginning of World War One to the events of 911 and many more.

I haven’t mentioned the 2020 eclipses, retrograde Mars in Aries or even Uranus in Taurus (further emphasis on radical changes in relation to global finance and ecology) – the above is a deliberately brief and general summary. We may have to wait until Pluto enters Aquarius in 2023-24 for the real revolutions.  Good luck to all – I think we need it!

Consultations and readings available at https://www.timburnessastrologer.co.uk

The Aquarian and Uranian nature of progressive rock

Aquarius

As both a fan and musician, I have had more than a passing interest in progressive rock (prog rock or prog) for the last forty years. As an astrologer for the last thirty years, I noticed some time ago that Aquarian and Uranian themes are very common in the charts of many progressive rock musicians and that the whole musical genre is essentially Aquarian-Uranian in nature. From the often original and experimental nature of the music, to the eccentric musicians themselves, to the frequently intellectual lyrics in search of the truth. Not all Aquarian and Uranian musicians are prog rockers and not all progressive rock musicians have Aquarius or Uranus strong in their charts but the link is there.

Progressive rock gradually evolved out of the late 1960s, beginning with the more experimental sides of the likes of The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, The Beach Boys and others. “Progressive” and “experimental” are of course words that are frequently associated with the astrological symbolism of Aquarius and its ruling planet Uranus, both being concerned with challenging existing conventions and exploring new territory. It has been suggested that Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) by The Beatles was the first progressive rock album and it certainly has many features that have come to be recognised as prog rock trademarks. There is an overall concept, a colourful album cover – a piece of art in itself – and an extraordinarily wide range of musical and lyrical influences. Others have suggested that In The Court Of The Crimson King (1969) by King Crimson was the beginning of progressive rock. By the 1970s and the likes of Pink Floyd, Genesis and Yes having established themselves, progressive rock had emerged as a subgenre in its own right. The term “prog”, sometimes used in a jokey or derogatory sense, appeared much later.

Unusual and quirky (Aquarius) time signatures and unconventional song structures are often a feature of progressive rock. Rather than conforming to the more typical 4/4 rock and pop beat, artists such as King Crimson, Pink Floyd and Porcupine Tree often use alternatives such as 7/4 or 13/8. Pink Floyd’s Money on Dark Side Of The Moon and Peter Gabriel’s Solsbury Hill are examples of using a 7/4 time signature. Aquarian progrock often breaks the musical rules in all sorts of ways – the traditional verse and chorus structures are frequently avoided in favour of extended instrumental sections or other alternatives. Unpredictability is the name of the day, although critics have observed that this can seem musically pretentious, sometimes appearing to sound different for the sake of being different. Such criticism is of course unlikely to bother a musician with several planets in Aquarius or a strong Uranus in their birth chart, who will follow their own path, regardless.

Dave Gilmour, Sun square Uranus

A quick look at the astrological charts of famous progressive rock musicians confirms the prominence of either Aquarius or many close aspects between Uranus and the personal planets. Guitarist Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd was born a Pisces Sun with a square to Uranus. In a 2014 interview promoting Floyd’s The Endless River album, producer Youth gave a perfect Sun-Uranus description when  commenting on his experience of working with Gilmour:- “It’s funny with David, you think he’s going to be one way and then he goes completely the other. He’s unpredictable like that, and that’s good” (1). Keyboard player Rick Wakeman of Yes has Moon and Jupiter in Aquarius, flautist and singer Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull (a brilliant eccentric if ever there was one!) has Mars conjunct Uranus in 10th house. The extraordinarily gifted and uniquely intelligent guitarist Robert Fripp (King Crimson) was born with a close Venus conjunct Uranus trine Jupiter and another multi-talented guitarist and musician Steve Hillage (originally with the eccentric and sometimes brilliant Gong) was born with a close Mars conjunct Uranus at the apex of a Cardinal T-square. Kate Bush, who made her spectacular live comeback in 2014, has pretty much transcended all genres but the strong prog leanings are there. She has a natal Sun-Uranus conjunction and almost certainly, depending on the time of birth, Moon in Aquarius.

Peter Gabriel’s Aquarian birth chart

At their 1970s peak, Genesis were one of the most interesting and innovative progressive rock bands. A very English group of musicians making clever and eccentric (Aquarius/Uranus) music, fronted by Peter Gabriel’s clever and eccentric theatrical performances.  Although Genesis became more commercially successful after Phil Collins took over as singer, most prog fans consider that the more interesting and original ideas (Aquarius/Uranus) started to run out after first Gabriel and then Steve Hackett left the band. Both Hackett and Gabriel have natal Sun, Venus and Jupiter in Aquarius, being born one day apart on 12th February 1950 and 13th February 1950 respectively. The Aquarian urge for freedom and independence would have played its part in them branching out to pursue extremely successful solo careers, each achieving substantial international recognition for their artistic brilliance across a number of musical genres.

Gabriel – Sun, Venus and Jupiter in Aquarius

With his Aquarian Sun and other 7^th house Aquarian planets on display to the public, Peter Gabriel is the living embodiment of the most highly evolved Air sign. A major feature of Gabriel’s birth chart (2) is a powerful close opposition between Pluto in Leo on the Ascendant and Jupiter in Aquarius on the Descendant. Gabriel has achieved huge recognition and success as both a Pluto in Leo rock musician and a Jupiter in Aquarius visionary humanitarian. The tension between these two is mediated by a gifted and magical conjunction between Mars and Neptune in Libra, a perfect combination for a socially conscious artist and musician. He has often been years ahead of his time (Aquarius), from his founding of the Womad festival, to his support for world music through his record label and recording studio, to his involvement with one of the first music download services, OD2. Receiving the Prog God award at the annual Progressive Music Awards in London, September 2014 from comedian and prog fan Bill Bailey (there’s a fair bit of Aquarius in his chart too), Gabriel said:- “Despite prog probably being the most derided musical genre of all time there were – as today – a lot of extraordinary musicians trying to break down the barriers to reject the rules of music… We didn’t always get it right, but when it did work we could move people and get some magic happening.” (3)

Steve Hogarth and Fish – Mars in Aquarius

Mainstream progressive rock was carried into the 1980s by Marillion, who are still going strong today. Both the original Marillion singer Fish and new boy Steve Hogarth (who has actually been with the band since 1990) have a prominent Mars in Aquarius. It has often been said that guitarist Steve Rothery is Marillion’s greatest musical asset, and Rothery was born with an almost exactly stationary Uranus in Leo. (Astrologer Stephen Arroyo recently observed that due to the use of computers, the importance of natal stationary planets is now often over-looked (4), something that contemporary astrologers might want to bear in mind.) Marillion were years ahead of everyone (Aquarius) when they famously first used crowdfunding to raise money for an American tour in 1997. As with many newer and lesser known 21^st century prog acts, the Aquarian internet has continued to be essential to the band, enabling them to build a worldwide fanbase whilst remaining largely independent (Aquarius) of the music industry.

Francis Dunnery – an astrologer with Sun trine Uranus

No piece on astrology and prog would be complete without a mention of Francis Dunnery, who is himself an accomplished astrologer. The inspired ex-It Bites and ex-Robert Plant guitarist and songwriter has a close Sun-Uranus aspect and Saturn in Aquarius. Appropriately, he runs his own label called Aquarian Nation.

Although progressive rock has always survived and thrived underground, it was uncool for many years. Since Radiohead’s OK Computer in the late 1990s, prog rock’s influence has become increasingly acceptable in the mainstream again – prog is no longer quite such a dirty word!

Notes

1. “The Making of The Endless River”, Prog magazine, October 2014, p.44.
2. Peter Gabriel, born 4.30 pm, 13^th February 1950, Woking, England. Time of birth is from memory, according to astro.com databank.
3. “Peter Gabriel honoured at Prog music awards”, BBC News website, 12^th September 2014.
4. “Experiments and Experience with Astrology: Reflections on Methods and Meaning”, Stephen Arroyo, CRCS Publications, November 2013.

A shorter version of this article is included in The Book of Music Horoscopes (2018) published by Flare Publications, UK.

Consultations and readings available at https://www.timburnessastrologer.co.uk

The astrology of rock and pop musicians

Birth chart for Elvis Presley

I recently gave a talk on “The Astrology of Rock and Pop Musicians” to the Brighton and Hove Astrology Circle, a very enjoyable evening. After a few questions (e.g. Why do we pay the top rock and pop stars so much? What is their role in society? Has the music business – as we know it – had its day?) I zipped through about forty different charts, beginning with Bill Haley and ending with Kanye West. I could have done the charts for Punishment of Luxury’s drummer or the singer from Other Lives but I figured that big names from the last sixty years or so were far more interesting for everyone, including me.

Mick Jagger, a lot of Leo

The Pluto in Leo generation (1940-1958) came into the world with the potential for powerful, larger than life, individualistic, creative self-expression. As Pluto entered the early degrees of Leo, the likes of The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Mick Jagger and Joni Mitchell were born. Neptune also entered Libra at about the same time, bringing ideals of love and peace, music being an obvious outlet for the transcendent Neptunian energy. Nearly all the great rock and pop stars of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s had this combination of Pluto and Neptune in their astrological birth charts. Punk rockers such as John Lydon (Johnny Rotten) and Captain Sensible were born near the end of Pluto in Leo, helping to bring to a close the generational expression that The Beatles started.

Birth chart for Taylor Swift (time of birth not confirmed)

Kurt Cobain

Robbie Williams

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course there have been a wide range of interesting characters in the rock and pop world who were born after 1958. Amongst others, I had a quick look at the charts of Kurt Cobain (sensitive and visionary Pisces with the explosive Uranus-Pluto famously on the Ascendant), Bono (the responsibility of a strong Saturn in Capricorn and lots of Earth), Robbie Williams (the eccentric and positive but inflated self-importance of a close Sun conjunct Jupiter in Aquarius, I confess to being a bit of a fan!). I wasn’t always able to find accurate birth data for the more recent stars such as Ed Sheeran, so I went with just the date of birth instead, which can still give considerable insight. Along with everyone born at the end of the eighties and the beginning of the nineties, Aquarian Ed has the potentially consciousness-raising Uranus-Neptune conjunction in ambitious Capricorn. One would expect that to be in some kind of prominent position in his whole astrological chart, if or when the time of birth is discovered.

Thanks to Phoebe Wyss, Julian Venables and everyone at the Brighton group. Another talk from me later this year.

Consultations and readings available at https://www.timburnessastrologer.co.uk

Gabriel and Hackett astrology

From an astrological point of view, these two musical giants had a lot going for them from the start. With their birthdays next door to each other (Steve Hackett born 12th February 1950, Peter Gabriel born 13th February 1950) both horoscope charts have very similar important features. Although obviously not everyone born at that time grew up to be key members of legendary progressive rock greats Genesis, or for that matter, then go on to have hugely successful and artistically brilliant international solo musical careers!

The sign of Aquarius features strongly for Peter and Steve. The essential Sun sign is there, together with traditionally the two luckiest planets Venus and Jupiter. Typical Aquarian qualities include originality, experimentalism and humanitarianism. Venus and Jupiter here show artistic expression and personal development that is eccentric and unorthodox, qualities obviously expressed to the full, both with Genesis and throughout their solo careers.

In terms of the four elements of Fire, Earth, Air and Water, the social and intellectual development of Air is very much the strongest, with Water the weakest (perhaps paradoxically, as Aquarius is sometimes known as “The Water Bearer”). Aquarius is known for a certain emotional detachment, and possible emotional difficulties for Peter and Steve will not be helped by a relative lack of planets in Water signs. Peter is likely to suffer more here, due to the rather heavy and depressing Moon in Capricorn on 13th February. By contrast Steve was probably born with the emotionally lighter and more optimistic Moon in Sagittarius the day before. (Have since found what appears to be a reliable source for Hackett’s time of birth, placing his Moon in early Capricorn. Tim)

Other strong features of their charts are a beautiful Mars and Neptune conjunction in Libra (the drive to turn a beautiful dream into reality, with somewhat magical talents) nicely linked to a Jupiter and Pluto opposition. The latter combines an egoless, humanitarian optimism with a darker, deep-rooted drive for personal power that is all about Big Time ego!

These two gentlemen remain a unique inspiration to many people on many levels. Thank you Mister Hackett and Mister Gabriel.

A slightly different version of this originally appeared in Eclectic Moonlight, a 2007 online magazine.

Consultations and readings available at https://www.timburnessastrologer.co.uk