President’s Report - April 2023
Welcome to the April edition of the AANSW newsletter Orbits. The second Saturday of April in normal circumstances would see our monthly meeting at Drummoyne Community Centre, however in 2023, Saturday 8th April is also Easter Saturday. To avoid any time conflict with Easter services or events during the day, the AANSW Committee decided early in the year that this would be an ideal time for a presentation by an international astrologer.
On Easter Saturday, 8th April, international astrologer Faye Blake (formerly Faye Cossar) will be presenting a mini workshop live from Amsterdam. Due to the time difference with The Netherlands, the workshop will be from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm, instead of our usual 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm timeframe. So it could be a perfect time to serve dinner at 6:30 pm and sit down to enjoy Faye’s mini-workshop on Astrolocality. AANSW will return to normal programming for the May meeting on the second Saturday of the month at Drummoyne.
If you would like to attend the April online mini workshop, ‘Why would you go there? Astrolocality Techniques’with Faye Blake via GoToMeeting, please contact AANSW Secretary Kate Holden through the new AANSW website. The deadline for bookings is 12:00 pm (noon) on Friday 7th April and Kate will send the link on the Friday evening. Remote AANSW members and interstate FAA members are very welcome to attend the online mini workshop.
Website and Social Media
AANSW’s new website was launched a few weeks ago and is now up and running, so please pay a visit and give us positive feedback on the features you really like. This major upgrade on the Square Space platform has been driven principally by AANSW Committee member Penny Walters, with assistance from Michelle Mruvanac. At Penny’s demonstration of the new website prior to the start of the February meeting, AANSW’s new branding was also unofficially launched. Penny has played a key facilitating role in the re-branding exercise, and additional graphic design has just been commissioned to further enhance the new AANSW website’s user friendliness.
Our social media presence on Facebook continues to increase, and Ann Leung has generously continued monitoring our social media. Part of AANSW’s digital transformation has involved creating new social media accounts for AANSW including Instagram, Twitter and Facebook Page, and we have a growing number of members on Instagram. Penny is encouraging AANSW members to join the conversation with content or comments, and if you experience any problems please contact Penny Walters at <penny@astrologynsw.com.au>.
Michelle Mravunac will be continuing her ‘roving photographer’ role at AANSW monthly meetings (next in May) and posting her photos online. Michelle will also be interviewing upcoming speakers and posting the interviews online, so AANSW members can get to know the speakers before their presentations. The format of these ‘speaker info’ sessions has been included in AANSW’s re-branding and the final product looks very classy. In the lead-up to the recent launch of the new AANSW website, Anita was coordinating monthly updates to the old website, and she is also filling-in temporarily as Newsletter Editor. So a big ‘thank you’ to Penny, Michelle and Anita for their amazing work in the digital and social media space.
Last month’s meeting on Saturday 11th March
At the meeting of AANSW on 11th March, AANSW Treasurer, FAA office-bearer and passionate astrologer, Anita Ings presented ‘The 12th House - Self Undoing or a Way to Self-Fulfillment?’ In her pre-talk blurb, Anita had asked the following question, ‘How do you find your way through the 12th House labyrinth of the subconscious, secrets, seclusion, self-undoing and karma?‘ Anita certainly delivered more clarity on the 12th House. Her aim is to provide understanding and support to individuals in bringing 12th House energies into consciousness, so they can be integrated in a positive and constructive way. You can read more about Anita’s presentation in the Speaker’s Report in Orbits.
Anita has had a lifelong interest in astrology that led to her achieving the FAA Diploma of Astrology in 2002. She has been the Treasurer of AANSW Inc. since 2002 and a FAA National Council Member since 2003. Anita has served as the FAA President and Vice President since 2006 and she is the FAA Executive representative on the FAA Exam Board. For her contributions and service to astrology and support of the Australian Astrology community Anita has been awarded Fellowship of the FAA and APA and Life Membership of both the APA and FAA (2023). Anita was a co-convener of the remarkably successful 2008 and 2016 FAA International Astrology Conferences held in Sydney. Her passion for astrology has seen her present at AANSW meetings and teach astrology to individuals and small groups. Anita brings to her consultations many years of experience in astrology and a variety of life experiences.
In Astro Chat, following Anita’s presentation and afternoon tea, we took a look at the upcoming NSW Election on 25th March. In order to tune up our forecasting skills using traditional Horary Astrology techniques, we first looked at the 2019 NSW Election to identify the astrological factors important in Gladys Berejiklian’s win. The question being posed by the incumbent premier was “will you re-elect my government?” Next we reviewed several other State Elections for QLD (2020), WA (2021), SA (2022) and VIC (2022) to identify the vital astrological factors. Finally, we analysed the ‘Opening of Polls Chart’ [8:00 am, Sydney] to make an informed forecast for the NSW Election on 25th March 2023. In this chart, the Opposition Labor Party’s ruler, Venus in Taurus, was dignified and cosy with the exalted Moon in Taurus [the People]; in contrast the NSW Government’s representative Mars in Gemini had no dignities and was severely debilitated. The presence of a bold and courageous Jupiter in Aries sitting conjunct the Ascendant [the Government] was relevant to the premier’s conduct of his campaign, but not sufficient to overcome the traditional interpretation rules and cosy Moon connection. This was also observed to be important in the SA and VIC election charts.
This month’s meeting on Saturday 8th April - mini workshop from 7 - 10 pm
The AANSW Committee is delighted to welcome international astrologer, Faye Blake (formerly Faye Cossar), who will be presenting a mini workshop on Locational Astrology live from Amsterdam on Saturday 8th April from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. The later start time is due to the time difference between Sydney and The Netherlands. The title of Faye’s mini workshop on Locational Astrology is ‘Why would you go there? Astrolocality Techniques’.
Faye says that Astrolocality often focuses on individual planets, e.g. Venus for finding a partner, and we sometimes forget that our entire horoscope will accompany us when we relocate. The techniques Faye intends to describe can provide powerful tools for healing when we consciously choose to visit places where specific planetary energies are increased or decreased. Faye will give examples of Astro*carto*graphy and relocation, and she will touch on Local Space charts. She will also look at examples from the audience, so if you have specific places you want to discuss, make sure you have them ready.
Faye Blake is founder of the Amsterdam School of Astrology. She is a therapist and business consultant, holds an MA in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology, and has often spoken at major international conferences. Her book, Vocational Astrology, forms the basis of her tailor-made Vocational Apprenticeship program. In addition to her vocational work, Faye is passionate about her Ceres research, the Huber system and Astrolocality. She often posts on these topics, and more in her free blog.
You can find out more about Faye Blake and her research at www.fayeblake.nl and www.asastrology.nl.
Faye Blake’s mini workshop is a ‘must’ to attend, especially with so many people in Australia born overseas. Depending on where an individual was born, the relocated birth chart could end up with a hugely different house emphasis relative to the original birth chart. For example, for an individual born in the UK their planets would rotate roughly five houses clockwise. A stellium in the 4th House by birth would most likely appear in the 11th House by relocation, adding a totally new dimension to their life experience. You can read about Faye Blake’s online workshop in the Events Section of Orbits.
Astrological Commentary on the Impact of Pluto’s ingress into Aquarius
Despite Pluto’s downgrade by astronomers in 2006 to ‘dwarf planet’ status because it wasn’t massive enough to gravitationally clear its own orbit, Pluto does nothing by halves!
Banking Crisis: At 11:14 pm (AEDT) on 23rd March, Pluto moved from cardinal earth sign Capricorn [business, finance, banking] into fixed air sign Aquarius [freedom, democracy, technology] for the first time in over 240 years. Just two weeks prior to Pluto’s ingress, a new banking crisis emerged in USA, initially related to the technology sector. Almost simultaneously, nation-wide protests intensified in France and Israel over their governments taking unilateral action against the democratic rights of their citizens.
In California, on 10th March there was a run on USA’s 16th largest bank, Silicon Valley Bank (“SVB”), sparking a depositor’s rush to exit Signature Bank and several other regional banks. The US Federal Reserve and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) were forced to step in to avert a major banking crisis. These were the second and third largest banking failures in US history, following the Lehman Brothers’ collapse in September 2008. In Europe, Credit Suisse of Switzerland next fell into crisis and had to be rescued by the Swiss Central Bank, which also helped to facilitate a ‘you can’t refuse’ buyout by Swiss bank UBS.
In France, two weeks of protests nation-wide in France had been triggered by President Macron unilaterally raising the pension age from 62 to 64; while in Israel weeks of protests were triggered by the unilateral action of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government to change the judicial oversight of parliament by Israel’s Supreme Court.
The Global Financial Crisis (“GFC”) of 2007-2008 had its seeds in late 2007 when banks stopped trusting each other, and blew up into a full scale crisis after the collapse of Lehman Brothers on 15th September 2008 in the absence of government intervention. These events timed perfectly with Pluto’s ingress during 2008 into Capricorn, the sign of business, finance and banking. How ironic that Pluto’s imminent departure from Capricorn, to make a preliminary visit to Aquarius from 23rd March to 11th June, should bear witness to another banking crisis, this time emerging in Silicon Valley. There are no prizes for guessing which sector of business SVB supported - the high technology start-up sector - notably one of the main fields of interest of Aquarius!
One of the major lessons learned from Pluto’s passage through Capricorn [2008-2023], that some banks are just ‘too big to fail’, seems to have been acknowledged by central bankers around the world. With the stability of the global financial system at stake, central banks cannot afford to leave a large bank to fend for itself, should it come under sustained pressure, even if events are due to a bank’s own failed strategy (which is notably the case for both SVB and Credit Suisse). Ironically, Credit Suisse had been strong in the GFC and did not require support, while UBS did require assistance but learned its lessons and changed its practices. In the intervening years, Credit Suisse had become much more risk oriented, and on 15th March, the Swiss central bank had to step in and give the bank financial support while the Swiss government ‘persuaded’ its main competitor, UBS Bank, to buy Credit Suisse.
Many of the lessons from the GFC in 2008 seem to have been well learned. The global financial system is vital to all nations, and its stability must be supported at all times. Pluto will move back into Capricorn from June 2023 to January 2024, and perhaps this ‘last hurrah’ for Pluto in Capricorn will show if the gnomes of banking have really mastered the message.
Pluto in Aquarius: Pluto last transited Aquarius in the late 18th century [1778-1797/98], during a time of revolution - the French Revolution, the American War of Independence, the Industrial Revolution underway in Great Britain. It was a time of many inventions - the steam engine, spinning mule, advances in chemistry, the chemical composition of water, hot air balloons, the discovery of Uranus (planet of invention). What is clear is that Pluto’s last passage through Aquarius was a time of revolution and invention.
Present day in France, there has almost been revolution on the streets. President Macron even had to cancel King Charles III’s first overseas visit as monarch due to safety concerns!
Two of the major interests of the fixed air sign Aquarius are democracy and high technology (including artificial intelligence), and both topics have been in the news significantly in the last few days. In the February 2023 presentation to AANSW, ‘Autocracy vs. Democracy’, my focus was on Western democracy and its existential battle with autocracy, principally exhibited by China and Russia, just as the world is moving towards the hugely significant Saturn-Neptune conjunction in Aries in 2025, supported by Pluto in Aquarius and Uranus in Gemini.
Democracy: On 29th March, 6 days after the ingress of Pluto into Aquarius, US President Biden convened his second ‘Summit for Democracy’, with 121 attendees mostly online [Ref: “Biden eyes ‘turning point’ for democracy”, Shaun Tandon, The Australian, 31st March].
President Biden described the event as a ‘turning point for our world toward greater freedom, greater dignity and greater democracy.‘ He continued, ‘I believe this is the defining challenge of our age and, today, we can say that the democracies of the world are getting stronger, not weaker. Autocracies of the world are getting weaker, not stronger.’ (I’m not sure China and Russia would agree with this - they both described the summit as hypocritical!)
UN Secretary General said the world was facing a ‘dramatic upheaval’ whereby democratic values were ‘under assault’ (that sounds like Pluto in Aquarius!).
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy described his nation as the defensive line against Russia’s threat to all democracies, ‘We should get rid of the illusion that compromising with evil can give something to freedom. The enemies of democracy must lose - and only this can be the basis of true security for democracy.’ (that also sounds like Pluto in Aquarius!)
Hi-Tech and Artificial Intelligence: With the recent development of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) tools such as ChatGPT we are becoming exposed to a new technological force which is different from the software or apps on our laptops or phones. How long before they can ‘think and fend for themselves’ and humans are not required?
On 29th March, an open-letter titled, ‘Pause Giant AI Experiment’, coordinated by the Future of Life Institute, a non-profit organisation, was released publicly, signed by Elon Musk, Apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak, and other hi-tech figures. [Ref: “Tech execs lead calls for pause in AI tools”, Deepa Seetharaman, The Australian, 31st March].
These hi-tech figures and major AI researchers are calling for a time-out of six months on the exceedingly fast development of new and powerful AI tools, to allow safety standards to be defined governing all future AI design.
Yoshua Bengio, director of the University of Montreal’s Montreal Institute for Learning Algorithms, said ‘We’ve reached the point where these systems are smart enough that they can be used in ways that are dangerous for society.’
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in February, on the next releases of ChatGPT, namely GPT-4 and next generation GPT-5, ‘A race starts today. We’re going to move and move fast.’
Max Tegmark, president of the Future of Life Institute, said, ‘It is more of a suicide race. It doesn’t matter who is going to get there first. It just means that humanity as a whole could lose control of its own destiny.’ (that sounds like Pluto in Aquarius, and could turn out to be one of the major challenges of the Aquarian Age)
Australia’s Indigenous Voice: Australia is on the verge of transformation and a major new beginning with transiting Pluto in Aquarius harmoniously aspecting the nation’s Nodal Axis. With Pluto’s brief move into Aquarius, the process is now underway. Prime Minister Albanese announced the words for his referendum question on 23rd March, just as Pluto was preparing to enter Aquarius late in the evening of 23rd March and engage with Australia’s North Node. The advisory scope of the Indigenous Voice would extend to executive government as well as parliament. Legislation was then introduced on 30th March to facilitate a referendum on the Indigenous Voice in the October-December period of 2023. This legislation now passes to a parliamentary committee to report on 15th May, with a vote expected in June.
The nation’s astrology, however, suggests that 2025-2026 rather than 2023 is the ideal timing for transformation. The major focus of transits in the national chart at this point remains very challenging with squares by Neptune to Jupiter, Mercury, Chiron and Neptune throughout 2023 and 2024. Great care will be required to navigate the potential confusion, deception, ideology, lack of clarity and more, that these transits will facilitate.
Pluto retrogrades out of Aquarius back into Capricorn on 11th June 2023, and does not return until 21st January 2024, when it will remain in Aquarius until early September 2024. The other major transit series in 2023 involves Saturn, which closely squares the Nodal Axis from October to December during the proposed timeframe for the referendum. This transit will likely bring delays and close legal scrutiny of the whole process around the Indigenous Voice. In the event that the referendum should fail in late 2023, rest assured that this journey will not be over - it is only getting started. Mr Albanese’s place in history will be assured - he will be remembered as the Prime Minister who introduced the transformational journey towards Indigenous recognition and consultation, and who pushed the nation to change.
In 2025, Pluto will make a long-term sextile to the North Node in Sagittarius and a long-term trine to the South Node in Gemini, while transiting Uranus will conjunct the South Node which will ensure the nation moves on from the past. Neptune and Jupiter will form a Grand Trine with the North Node in 2026. Achieving the grand vision of Indigenous Recognition in Australia will be much more possible then.
Invitation to April Meeting of AANSW
AANSW invites you to join with like-minded people at the online mini-workshop on Saturday 8th April on GoToMeeting. If you would like to attend, please register with Kate Holden by 12:00 pm (noon) on Friday 7th April for the online mini-workshop,‘Why would you go there? Astrolocality Techniques’, presented by Faye Blake on Saturday 8th April from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Please arrive online in good time, as announcements and introductions will start around 6:45 pm, and the mini-workshop with Faye Blake will commence at 7:00 pm sharp.
For advanced news of monthly AANSW meetings and future events, please refer to Orbits and to the brand new AANSW website. You don’t have to be a member of AANSW to attend our meetings, everyone is very welcome.
Dr Neil Hair, AANSW President
Dr Neil Hair, AANSW President
