ARETHA FRANKLIN left our world on Thursday morning, surrounded by family and friends. Barrack and Michele Obama issued a statement saying, “Every time she sang, we were all graced with a glimpse of the divine… In her voice we could feel our history.”

Despite or because of her challenging upbringing – her mother left home when Aretha was five and died when she was ten, and at thirteen she gave birth to her first son and the second a year later – at the age of ten she was already attracting attention with her rich, sonorous voice, releasing her first record, Songs of Faith, four years later.

Astrologically-speaking, a Grand Cross (Venus conjunct the IC squaring the Ascendant-Descendant axis and a Uranus-Saturn conjunction) supplies a reason for her gritty beginnings, her two failed marriages and a series of unfortunate financial pickles. A loose Yod formation (Venus inconjunct the Moon and Neptune) evidence of music in the genes, and also an opportunity for me to point out that configurations with wide orbs can still prove valid.

Ms Franklin died of advanced pancreatic cancer at 9:50 in the morning of the 16th August. 29 degrees of Virgo was rising (conjunct her natal Neptune) with Venus just below the Ascendant. The Sun at 23 degrees of Leo was on her Mid-heaven and Jupiter conjunct her natal Ascendant. I’d say that was a glorious departure entirely worthy of the Queen of Soul.

Long may her voice ring out.

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the week ahead
the month ahead

20th Aug 2018 - 26th Aug 2018

On Thursday, the Sun enters the sign of Virgo giving me an opportunity to talk about this remarkable and often deeply misunderstood sign. Self-deprecating Virgos have a tendency to apologize for belonging to this sign and it is fascinating that many of my clients with Virgo rising insist that there is some doubt over their birth time because they are far more Libran.Well, there is some astronomical truth to this argument.

Virgo is the second-largest constellation and due to the effects of precession the first point of Libra now actually occurs within the borders of Virgo.But I say embrace the Virgin! This is a noble sign, resonating with the themes of service and selflessness. Virgos are some of the most intelligent, hard-working and witty people in the zodiac. And, let’s face it, someone has to tell us when we’re going wrong, why and what to do about it.We should never forget that Virgo contains the brightest star in the night sky – Spica – and if we take the time to seek out the constellation this star is a beautiful thing to behold.

Something of a metaphor for the sign itself.Look beyond the appearance of this unassuming sign and you’ll see its bright and lasting beauty.

August 2018

Leo: Seize the astrological moment and free yourself from old habits and toxic relationships.
Read more...

Cooking Under The Stars

An excerpt from Woman&Home magazine...

Penny Thornton learned how to cook at around the same time she was taking astrology classes. Back in the late 1970s, her then-husband was a sous-chef at London's Dorchester Hotel. Then in the mid-90s, Penny, who was living in the US, had a ten-minute daily slot on the Food Network, combining astrology and food.

As Penny explains, "The relationship between astrology and food is based on the ancient belief that all things in the universe are connected. Animals, birds, fish and plants were all 'ruled' by a planet or sign."

Penny's new book, The Zodiac Cooks, embraces her two passions. It's an amusing and informative gastronomic romp through the zodiac alongside delicious recipes. So read on to find out whether you really are suited to spelt...

Read the full article here

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