Welcome to the COSMIC UPDATE

My COSMIC UPDATES are a way of looking at items and people in the news from an astrological perspective. And while I try to make the text as understandable as possible I realize that some of the astrological jargon baffles the general reader. 

COSMIC UPDATE: 27^th August 2001

Included in this week’s Cosmic Update: 

• Gary Condit – what was that?

My question, of course, refers to the first television interview that Gary Condit gave on Thursday 22nd August. At his request he spoke to anchor-woman, Connie Chung, on America’s ABC network. It was a mesmerising half-hour event. Candour was in short supply: evasiveness was in abundance.

To those of you who have no idea who Gary Condit is, let me fill you in. He is a Democratic congressman who has been the subject of intense speculation since the disappearance of twenty-four year-old political intern, Chandra Levy, on 30^th April.  It is believed – and this is all we can say at this point because in true Clintonesque style – he of the famous quote, I-did-not-have-sex-with-that- woman – Condit has not actually admitted to having an affair with Chandra, at least not in public. However, it is believed that Condit was not only having a relationship with Chandra at the time of her mysterious disappearance but at least one other woman. Condit is, by the way, married and, as he went to great pains to inform the television audience on Thursday, for thirty-four years.

The reason I have decided to spend a little time here on Gary Condit is that his behaviour since Chandra’s disappearance has been enigmatic to say the least. He has gone about his political business, as if nothing had happened. According to Chandra’s parents, he has been less than forthcoming with them and the police, who have interviewed him four times, appear to be no clearer now about Condit’s part in her life and disappearance than they were at the outset.

That Condit is trying to preserve his privacy and to comply with his lawyers’ instructions is clear. However, he has clearly missed the PR point. By revealing no distress about Chandra and distancing himself from the Levy’s and their investigators he is demonstrating a kind of callousness and disconnection that borders on the behaviour of a sociopath.

 
GARY CONDIT – SOLAR CHART,
April 21 1948, Salina, OK
(Click For Enlarged Image)

In any solar chart, the sun sets the horoscopic circle in motion so to speak. There are no real house positions or axes. As a sun Taurus, Gary Condit emerges as a sensible, down to earth, charming man. His Mercury in Aries, makes him a quick thinker, somewhat argumentative and forceful in debate. His moon in Libra makes him a natural diplomat, a skilful politician and amplifies the charm of the Taurus sun. Mars in Leo makes him proud, insubordinate, one of life’s leaders and performers.

However.

Mars conjunct Saturn

Mars is conjunct Saturn – one of the most difficult and certainly harsh aspects in astrology. On the plus side, this two-some gives him true grit, staying power, authority and self-control. He has had much to prove in life. He has set himself high standards. He is a high achiever and his own worst critic. But the downside to Mars-Saturn conjunctions invariably emerges in cruelty, callousness and ruthlessness. Furthermore, in the Fixed sign of Leo, the staying power of Mars and Saturn becomes entrenchment and intractability in the extreme.

An aspect like this would certainly explain Condit’s ability to disassociate himself from any pain or suffering he might be inflicting on other people. This planetary combination would also allow him to take the position that his actions are completely justified. He is a Right Man.

It must be added that this Mars-Saturn conjunction is relieved by its participation in a Grand Trine, whose other contributors are Jupiter in Sagittarius and Mercury in Aries. Thus, he may not be as truly disaffected and lacking in compassion as he seems.

Venus conjunct Uranus in Gemini

Now, if you’re looking for an explanation as to his infidelity look no further than the Venus-Uranus conjunction in Gemini. Venus in airy Gemini is already restless and reluctant to commit but tied to volatile Uranus it predisposes the individual to many romantic episodes, before, during and post marriage. Of course, some people with this combination manage to remain faithful to the person they love for a lifetime but most do not.

Moon conjunct Neptune in Libra

Since the moon represents emotions and the feminine its conjunction to idealistic and illusory Neptune suggests he has a very romanticized idea of women and he does not deal with his emotions honestly. He says one thing and means another. And since the moon is in Libra, he’ll do anything to avoid a confrontation. It is probable that women disappoint him: each woman he connects to appears to be a true reflection of his desires and needs but since this is an anima projection, once the hormones have dissipated and the real woman emerges, he feel betrayed. She has changed. He has to leave the relationship.

I am intrigued that Chandra Levy has a moon-Mars conjunction in Pisces squared by Neptune, which acts in a very similar way to Condit’s Moon-Neptune conjunction. It would not surprise me at all if both of them had a completely different version of their time together and a totally opposite view of what the relationship was about.

As a political animal, experienced in avoiding point blank questions and dangerous ground, any direct request from Chandra about the future of their relationship would have been artfully dodged by phrases out of every commitment-phobic’s hand book: why spoil what we have now by worrying about the future? Aren’t you as happy as I am?

Libra Rising

Sadly, I do not yet know the exact time of Condit’s birth but taking his facial features into consideration I would not be surprised to find Libra on the ascendant. And since there is a lack of real difficulty in his solar chart at present 16 degrees of Libra rising (with 18 degrees of Cancer on the Mid-heaven) would make a lot of sense -  the two major eclipses of 2001 focus on this Cardinal degree area.

Final Thoughts

In my last look at the Chandra Levy affair (COSMIC UPDATE July 23^rd) I speculated that perhaps between 15^th – 19^th August when transiting Uranus activated her chart we would learn more about the mystery, maybe even discover where she was. Not quite. But four days later, on the 23^rd August, Condit made his first public comments about Chandra’s disappearance in the aforementioned Connie Chung interview.

As time goes by it seems increasingly likely that in that all too familiar Neptune/Pisces way, we may never discover what really happened to Chandra. However, Gary Condit by his very presence will continue to be a focus for her life and disappearance. And with transiting Pluto edging nearer his Venus-Uranus conjunction we can be sure that more revelations about his life will emerge over the next eighteen months. He is unlikely to be re-elected to Congress, which would be one reflection of transiting Pluto to natal Venus since his whole lifestyle would be drastically altered. His marriage may not even stand the Plutonic test.

I don’t like the look of Gary Condit, which is no reason to condemn him. But I do wonder about his Mars-Saturn-Pluto connection in Leo. I believe he would do anything to retain his position and I also believe he remains truly convinced that he has done nothing wrong. And while he may not be a psychopathic killer I suspect he is an emotional psychopath. Thus, his rationalization of events may bear little resemblance to their reality. And I suspect Chandra Levy is not the only woman to be reduced to a minor episode in his life, a woman of no importance.

Please click on COSMIC ARCHIVES (July 23^rd) for more astrological detail of the Chandre Levy affair.