Every quarter, that is to say when the Sun moves into 0 degrees of a Cardinal sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn) we set up a chart to enable us to consider the likely flavour of the political situation and the weather for the country under consideration.  These charts are known as either the Solstice or the Equinox charts. It seems the majority of astrologers when considering these charts just view them as a stand-alone entity and rarely compare them against the Aries Ingress chart, the chart of the country, and/or the chart of the King or Leader.

For Astronomical reasons in the UK we often have the same sign on the Ascendant at the Aries, Cancer and Capricorn Ingresses, but the Libra Ingress usually has a different sign rising. This year we had Gemini rising at the Aries Ingress and again for the currenent Ingress of the Sun into Cancer.

The Persians gave us a rule that when a Cardinal sign is on the Ascendant of the Aries Ingress chart, you set a new chart for every quarter. Should a Mutable sign be rising, you consider the Aries and Libra Ingresses. It is only when we get a fixed sign Rising at the Aries Ingress does that chart hold good for the entire year.

However, we should also consider every monthly Ingress of the Sun into a new sign and follow the ruler of that sign for the Month.

Generally people are not interested in such detail and the article would cover many pages, so I just focus on a few planets for each quarter.

The Rising Sign of the Ingress chart and its Ruler generally denote the situation confronting the People of the country or area under consideration. The 10^th sign or place from the Ascendant is taken to indicate the party in power. The sign opposite the 10^th, the 4^th, is viewed as the opposition to the government in power.

When using whole sign houses something known as the MC point can float between the 12^th and 8th houses, especially in the UK. The MC point can be viewed as representing the Leader of the country such as the King, President or Prime Minister.

When assessing the quarter charts, we follow the same procedure as for the Aries Ingress chart by assessing the Rising Sign, its Ruler and any aspects made to both of these points. These planets or points should then be considered against the Aries Ingress chart of the year to identify which houses are being triggered. We would then consider the Lunations, Eclipses and any planets that sit on the Nodal Axis.

As Gemini rises, Mercury will be the most important planet to consider for the first half of the Astrological year and will then blend his influence with the planet ruling the Libra Ingress for the Autumn period. 

Mercury is about as far from the Sun as he can be. He is an evening star and will be visible as the Sun sets. He will remain clear of the Sun until the end of July.

Mercury also rules the 4^th sign relating to the land and is located in the Water sign of Cancer, the sign of the Ingress. Abu Ma’shar tells us[1] this indicates a battle occurring in the northern region or in the eastern and the western region, death coming to the people, and pains from ulcers and measles, with a large number of winds and their coldness; the temperateness of the air, a lack of food and drink, and the corruption of the trees and the fruits, especially in the western region. If its latitude is northern, this indicates the blowing of winds, and a large number of simooms (hot dry winds from the deserts). When it is at its greatest distance, it indicates a large number of false rumours and confusion among the people.

[1] Chap V: page 285

If we take Mercury as indicating the People, he is located in the 2^nd sign relating to assets and all that sustains the people. He is currently peregrine or Feral, with his closest aspect from Venus. He doesn’t actually meet up by aspect with Venus until the 18^th July when he stations retrograde at 15⁰ Leo and she passes over the Ascendant degree to 15⁰ Gemini. Although he is visible in the night sky and is placed in a nocturnal sign and position, he has no authority to act or manage his associated affairs.  He is floundering, mute and alone.

As with the Aries ingress he also rules the 4^th sign of Virgo relating to the land, heritage and food production.

Virgo is a cold, dry Earth sign. It is deemed barren due in part to its being associated with the Autumn period when we collect the fruits of the earlier seasons, but it is a time of die back, not growth. Mars is in the early degrees of Virgo, so he is warming up the land but at the same time, he is adding to the dryness.  This combination suggests a dry period (drought) where crops may fail, or not be as abundant as in the past. We could also take this to suggest the “planting” of huge solar panel farms that do not produce food!

The IC point falls in the hot dry sign of Leo, again suggesting drought conditions. Notice, I am not saying we will be in for a wonderful hot summer, but it is likely to be drier than average over these three months.  June may be wet due to the three planets in Cancer, but July and August are likely to be dry.  This does not bode well for the average pay packet of the working man as food prices may start to rise and, if the Government carry out their stated plans to ramp up Geo-engineering, who knows what will happen! Already trees are showing signs of stress due to the aluminium and other metals in these geo-sprays. Now some States in America have banned any form of geo-engineering in the skies above their land.  The IC point also refers to the opposition to the Prime Minister or Government. I will come back to this further on.

We should also consider the bound ruler of the Ascendant and the Moon as representing the people. The degree of the Ascendant falls in the bounds or term of Venus as does the Moon. With Venus strong in her own sign, it does suggest a little brightness! She is a morning star, a Warrior Princess and she is accompanied by an exalted Moon. They support one another and are also supported by Mars, the night time participating ruler. These three will try to work together to bring about the Nocturnal manifesto, but Venus and the Moon are held in the 12^th sign relating to prisons, institutions and is “stuck” there. When the Moon is in Taurus, this is her sign of exaltation and should promise something good. The Moon is waning and her next aspect is to Mars, then immediately to the exalted Jupiter. This may suggest a prominent older woman may experience some medical issues, but should pull though and emerge in the limelight. This may also relate to some more issues arising from the 2 Gender issues that have been highlighted during the Spring quarter.

Venus remains as a Morning Star right through until January 2026. She actually has quite a lonely journey through the Summer quarter. As noted above, she has a sextile with Mercury mid July and then forms a square aspect with Saturn early August. This may prove somewhat challenging as Saturn is retrograde and in fall. There is some respite when she conjoins exalted Jupiter on the glorious 12^th August, but other than that, it does seem there will be challenges for all matters related to matters of the 5^th, 10^th and 12^th. She will then move to trine Saturn 26^th August but this aspect does not promise harmony as Venus has no dignity in Leo. She makes no further aspects to the other planets until after the Libra Ingress.

The MC degree again falls in Aquarius and is ruled by Saturn. At the Aries Ingress, Saturn was in Pisces, he has now moved into Aries, the sign of his fall. It is not all bad as Saturn does have participating rulership in the fire triplicity. In plain English, this means he is not totally in the gutter. His nature is warmed up but he is still very brittle and dry and he can easily snap. If you think of Lead, when cold you can break it, when warmed up it becomes malleable. It is still heavy and grey, but can be shaped and moulded. Saturn inserts his ray between the Sun and Jupiter from a predominating square. This aspect may spell trouble as he seeks to divide the Sun from the exalted Jupiter. It is almost as though Saturn is jealously guarding his relationship with the Sun in whose Exaltation sign he is in. At the same time, Mars also sends his ray back between the Sun and Jupiter. Mars is acting as a protector and as Jupiter rules the 10^th and 7^th signs, Mars works to protect the malefic rays of this dictatorial Saturn from damaging Jupiter.

Saturn is about as malefic as he can be as he has strength by position. He rules the 8^th of death, in heritance and the assets of our partners. He also rules the house of Law, Religion and Foreign Affairs. This placement suggests there may be issues over foreign laws being introduced in our country, more legal warfare against the people of the Country and issues around partnership deals.  A Trade deal with America has been hailed as a Triumph in the previous quarter, but we now pay 10% on goods that were previously exempt.

The MC in this chart can be taken to indicate the Prime Minister.  This speaks of a person who seeks to control the populace, their movements and their land through his predominating position and will enforce his rules through Laws that are not beneficial to the people of the land, but help those from overseas. This position is unlikely to be challenged until Mars moves into Libra on the 7^th August and will oppose Saturn who is now retrograde. Will the PM reverse some of his policies in order to stay in power? The 9^th sign also relates to Religion. As yet, the UK is still without a religious leader and the rise in the Venusian ruled religion is leading to a change in our previously strictly controlled Legal system. It may not be until Saturn retreats back into Pisces on the 1^st September before there is any change in this situation, but it may take until November when Jupiter confronts Saturn before we have any developments relating to our Heads of State during this period.

As noted above, although Jupiter is in Cancer the sign of his exaltation, he is combust and works behind the scenes unseen.   In Carmen we read Chap 1.6: “The phase under the rays causes [one] to meet with entrapment, treachery, and concealment, in the same way as the phase out of the rays [causes it to be] with visibility, and with what does not escape detection”[1]. This last sentence is more in relation to horary, but nonetheless the principle remains.

Jupiter emerges from the rays around the 18th/19th July in the pre-dawn sky signalling a change in relation to the houses ruled by Jupiter. Around the 12th – 14th August not only do Venus and Jupiter conjoin, but Sirius also rises over the horizon. For the Egyptians this was an auspicious time as it used to herald the rising of the Nile. What could it mean for the UK?

The last time Jupiter was at the same position as Sirius rose, was in August 1942. This of course was World War II. If we look back to this time in our history, the 12th August was when Churchill and Harriman (USA) met with Stalin in Moscow. Here is an excerpt from Churchill’s speech:-

…we will continue, hand in hand, whatever our sufferings, whatever our toils, we will continue hand in hand, like comrades and brothers until every vestige of the Nazi régime has been beaten into the ground, until the memory only of it remains as an example and a warning for a future time.

— Winston Churchill[2], 

As I write this (May), we are once again in a war situation with our current Prime Minister seemingly determined to go to war against Russia unless Russia agrees to bow to the EU/Nato demands.

Russia is against the incursions of NATO onto their borders, while Ukraine demands to become a member of NATO. Although the NATO issue had its roots further back, part of the reason for the Minsk Treaty signed 5^th September 2014 in Belarus, was due to NATO suspending cooperation with Russia. The main issue for the Minsk agreement had been the fighting in the Donbass region and the slaughter of many Russian speaking Ukrainians by the Azov Battalion. In an interview in 2022, Angela Merkel admitted in a televised speech, the reality of the Minsk Agreement:The Minsk accords were signed to “give Ukraine time” to strengthen itself, according to ex-German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was in office from 2005 to 2021, in an interview published on Wednesday in the Zeit newspaper.  Merkel said “The 2014 Minsk agreement was an attempt to give time to Ukraine. It also used this time to become stronger as can be seen today. The Ukraine of 2014-2015 is not the modern Ukraine.”[3]

As we know, full scale war developed on the 24^th February 2022 and sadly continues to this day. In his televised speech on the 10^th May 2025, Starmer says: (0.23) There is no glory in aggression and conquest. Glory comes from fighting for your country defending your people and winning the peace[4]. Starmer clearly does not see the irony in his speech as both countries are fighting to defend their people! During this speech, Starmer also promises more financial and weapons support for Ukraine pulling us further into this dreadful war.  

I find it fascinating the stars are aligning once again for a scenario that could see troubles for more years ahead. Let us hope the coming together of Venus and Jupiter will bring peace to all.

Here is the chart set for the UK for the Venus Jupiter conjunction on the 12^th August at 6.30BST

There is one final point to cover, the Lunar Eclipse prior to the Libra Ingress.        

As the Moon is below the horizon, this will just play out as a Full Moon on steroids. The only planet that is picked up by the Aries Ingress is Mars who was at 20⁰ Cancer and Jupiter is about to move onto that degree. In the Aries Ingress chart, Jupiter was in the 2^nd sign relating to the assets and support of the people, so we may see a “mini-budget” as Labour seek to fill their coffers at the expense of the people yet again. In this chart Mars rules the 2^nd house and is placed in Libra, the assets of others!

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Jupiter in the 5^th of this lunation was to bring peace and prosperity to all?

We can all dream!

[1] Carmen trans Dykes. 2017. Appendix C XXVII.

[2] Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Conference_(1942) 10^th May 2025

[3] https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/merkel:-minsk-agreement-attempted-to-give-ukraine-time

[4] Speech given on the 10^th May https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpZNSJN28d8.

[1] Carmen trans Dykes. 2017. Appendix C XXVII.

[2] Taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Conference_(1942) 10^th May 2025

[3] https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/merkel:-minsk-agreement-attempted-to-give-ukraine-time

[4] Speech given on the 10^th May https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IpZNSJN28d8.