Aries Full Moon - Rebels With A Cause

Actor Marlon Brando - Moon in Aries

Full Moons are a time of fulfillment, of harvest and scooping up in our arms all the ripe fruits and bounty fallen at our feet as a result of the seeds sown under the previous New Moon. All sounds very fine and dandy but what if the seeds were bad seeds from a duff batch, or good seeds, planted with the best of intentions but then left unattended, neglected and deprived of vital nutrients? More than likely we would stare at the empty or disappointing basket of goodies and scratch our heads in dulled bemusement at best and frustrated anger at worst. This  weekend of 29th September 2012, the Full Moon in Aries could be one of those times when there is a lot of shaking of heads and frustrated anger and our baskets may well contain more than a few nuts and empty shells.The astrological archetypes playing out their dramas at the moment all come under the fiery spotlight of the Aries, Hunter,Harvest or Blood Full Moon.

Actor Jared Leto Moon in Aries
EMI Records tried to sue his band 30 seconds to Mars for $30 million. 
He fought back, making a documentary Artifact, questioning why the band was in debt after generating so much income.

The astrological map, the ‘Great Mirror In The Sky’, is reflecting an image we may find difficult to accept and avoiding looking will not make it all go away. Perhaps it is better to take a careful look at the picture, study it closely and prepare. This is a plain case of 'being forewarned is being forearmed'. The few days leading up to the Full Moon is the Gibbous period, a time to gather information and learn. Lets start by getting some facts in a row and marshaling our arguments in order that we may be better informed. While we are at it, better prepared for what exactly? Well there is little doubt that this Full Moon, falling in the tetchy degree of 7 Aries is going to be a tough one.

(7 Degree/SuperHighway Man & Maps/MisApps) This is the degree that is caught in the snarl-up between Uranus and Pluto, already hit by two squares. (Hot Spots & Lightning Rods - Uranus/Pluto 2nd Square). 
To illustrate the point further, let's try using the analogy of a business to represent the sky chart, at the moment and use the planets as figures within the company. 

Working in ‘The Cardinals & Co' are a few key active players,The Sun – plays the C.E.O. 

Writer Gore Vidal Sun in Libra Moon in Aries

Looking very dapper in his Libra guise, sporting an understated yet sophisticated suit with everything artfully colour coordinated. There is a slight touch of flamboyance and he is elegant, coiffured, beautifully manicured and smelling of expensive cologne. As we take a peek into the room he is sitting in we see that he is cool as a cucumber, exuding the aura of a life led with consummate ease. (Sun in Libra - Perfect Balance).Charming and smooth, a faint smile is playing across his lips despite the obvious highly charged atmosphere in the room. This Boss appears to be quietly and intelligently listening, taking care to include everyone around the table although it would seem that sitting directly opposite him is a pair of animated and rather irate employees.

Actor James Dean Uranus in Aries

This antagonistic duo turns out to be a combination of the full blown Moon, representing the people and revolutionary Uranus, a new union shop steward. Both are dressed in Aries scarlet and appear very fired up, so much so, that they are sitting beside a red banner with an angry slogan hastily written. They do seem to be rabble rousing and egging each other on at the same time, both speaking at the same time and impatient to be the one whose message is being heard. This is a strong combination of energy representing the people and their message is shocking, adrenalised and octane fuelled.

Sitting at right angles to both these parties is: Pluto, The Vulture Capitalist, dressed somberly in a conservative Capricorn suit, cut from a dark cloth and impeccably put together. 

Napoleon Bonaparte Pluto in Capricorn (played by Herbert Lom)

This character knows the art of power dressing. He seems to have his arms crossed and quite where his allegiance lies is unclear. The truth is that this ‘Axe Man’, a name whispered behind his back, has been trying for a while to oust the trouble making Union Representative in the scarlet suit, Uranus. This impudent rabble-rouser who originally appeared out of nowhere has been agitating and calling for revolutionary changes within the company for a while. It would also appear that there is a long-range plan to oust the 'Axe Man' Capitalist, to overturn the money-man’s schemes and old hatchet jobs and set up a new system. This is not the first time these two have tried to out maneuver each other but now it has all been brought before the Sun Boss. Pluto believes he has the upper hand since the direct face-to-face conflict Uranus now has with the Sun in Libra can work in his favour. So there he sits, Pluto the asset stripper, with his arms crossed saying very little but nonetheless holding the keys to the Treasury.(The Dark Lord Pluto Applies Direct Pressure)

The Libra Sun Boss, is still trying really hard to get everyone to pull together and work as a unit and be a team but now he seems to exhibit greater signs of irritation. This Boss will not hold with individual members zooming off and doing their own thing because he wants action to be directed towards the common goal because it has to be fair for all concerned. However, Pluto has been having a long struggle with Uranus and they just can not agree but now Pluto appears to be secretly pleased that the Boss has woken up rudely awakened to the fact that there is a troublemaker in town. Uranus in Aries is all lit up by the Full Moon and is aware that swift and effective action may be taken to suppress and rid the company of the identified problem. 

'Cut him and his pals out and I will reward you with the keys to the treasury, go on we can survive without him and his kind' Pluto whispers in the Sun's ear. The Libra Boss and Pluto in Capricorn, the Vulture Capitalist also have their own mini battle of course as neither one agrees with the others methods and both question the hidden motives.  Power struggles and potential coups preoccupy both of their minds and so they harbour their own suspicions about one another. They definitely do not trust each other one tiny bit but have found themselves focusing on a common enemy, the revolutionary Uranus in the red suit. 

Meanwhile the Rabble Rouser Uranus, et al, appear to find some temporary diversion and wonder about the benefits of forming a coalition.

The Sun Boss Libra is highly strategic, understanding the politics, reading both sides and being nobody's fool. He knows the real issue is actually between the Axe Man Pluto in Capricorn and the Rabble Rousing Uranus in Aries and that dragging anything else in as ballast or to be used as chess pieces is all a smoke screen diversion.

How does all this help us? What are these dark forebodings telling us to do? We now know that the days before and after the Full Moon will be stressful. Just like the board room there will be a surfacing of power games and the potential for explosive flared and frayed tempers. We could find ourselves or those we encounter having a sudden rush of blood to the head and wilfully baying for some kind of freedom, needing more self expression and asserting their individuality. Politically any of the global hot-spots responding to the 7-8 degree Cardinal position in the celestial sky will be vulnerable to the full Moon throwing light onto issues and spotlighting unresolved problems. 

Just as equally we may encounter some forms of repression, which goes along with fear induce suppression and lets include various compulsions into this cocktail for good measure. Again on a personal level that suggests a need for further self expression and a realignment of issues of self-worth. On a global level the invisible, silent minorities or majorities could be compulsed to take some form of action in all the many troubled locations already acting as lightning rods to Uranian energies. 

Che Guevara - Uranus in Aries

Unlike all the metaphors that have been used some of us around the world will be more in the middle of it rather than just in some objective figure of speech but we all hope that we are not. Well where is the help then? Is this all just astrological scaremongering? Perhaps all that will happen is maybe a normally placid uncle stays at the bar later than usual, which delays the family dinner, which makes a mother seethe as the potatoes burn, which distresses a father, who hates to see the mother upset as he knows he will get the force of her anger later. I really hope so that this type of scenario explains it all and please note this is a made up best case scenario and in no way reflects anyone's past, present or future family life. We really don't want any more worst case scenarios but they will appear somewhere in the global drama sadly.

Firstly, many people will either unconsciously or wittingly pass through this week paying little or no notice to its finer points. Daily life with it’s rituals will ebb and flow as per usual. Both inner and outer events could seamlessly blur into our repetitive routines. However, a significant number of us will notice and be affected by the shifting currents and the trade winds of change mirrored in the skies.

Secondly the help. Well there is another pattern in the sky mirror, a handy trine between Mercury in Libra and Jupiter in Gemini and if we squint we may just catch sight of it, or more accurately hear it if we listen in. Returning to our imaginary celestial corporation, we can eavesdrop a conversation taking place in the Sales Room. The conversation is so loud it can be heard by everyone anyway. It is between Mercury the I.T expert and Jupiter, the Head of Marketing. The talk is positive, upbeat and full of ideas generally. Mercury in Libra speaks charmingly of co-operation, negotiation, balance and harmony (Mercury in Libra - Postcards From A Refined Mind) and Jupiter in Gemini is open to hearing the message and can expand it with even more plentiful ideas (Jupiter Makes A Move). They are both talking the same language and coming up with multiple clever and novel solutions. 

Actress KIm Basinger Jupiter in Gemini & Actor Richard Gere Mercury in Libra

For us, we can take heart and hope that we can also come up with an idea or a bit of breakthrough thinking. What is more, we can tell others who will also be receptive and excited about the nature of these plans and schemes. Oh yes - we can think our way through it, great. Just as the energy level rises with our spirits and the very exuberance and brilliance generated by Mercury and Jupiter something else is heard. Over the jabbering ten to the dozen both finding the other highly enchanting and educational, our attention is taken away by a low but constant muttering from the Conference Room.
If we take a look at this side room we note a rumble of disagreement between the Head of Public Relations, Venus in Leo, looking radiant, by the way and wearing some very eye catching jewellery. However, whilst looking dazzling she appears to have recently had a very bad run-in with Mars, Head of Sales, who also happens to be the Boss's son. Making matter worse neither party was willing to give way. Previous, salacious gossip abounds about their sexual chemistry anyway, which this very public row has only fuelled. 

Actress Amy Adams Venus in Leo & Leo Di Caprio Mars in Scorpio

Mars has recently been in cahoots with Pluto as they have been seen whispering intensely to each other in dimly lit corridors, rumours are rife. Mars has being sneaking and carrying the argument forward and is now sitting close to those of influence and power.
(Mars in Scorpio - What Lies Beneath)

Writer Paul Thomas Anderson - Moon in Aries & Venus in Leo/Actor Joachim Phoenix - Mars in Scorpio

Actress Amy Adams - Venus in Leo/Actor Phillip Hoffman Seymour - Mars in Scorpio
Venus has now been brought before the Nodal axis board and ‘she’ notices that Mars is sitting way too close to an axis member with important influence, the North Node, hah! he is even mirroring the body language and wearing the same colour waistcoat of black and maroon.
Venus is sitting uncomfortably on her own time bomb as it happens, she has packed her posh handbag with a toxic ‘something’ that could be information or pictures, it is there as a safeguard and is probably unethical but she promises it will only be used under severe duress. This is all highly unstable however and she could lose all control once it ‘got out’. Venus is sitting on the Fixed Star Alphard, you see and that could mean trouble. Alphard is associated with violence, a lack of control and tragedies often associated with unethical principles. 

Actress Susan Sarandon - Mars in Scorpio

She is appealing not only to the eye but also to whoever it is on the other end of the conference call she is part of. We are not sure who is there but most probably they represent the shareholders or other interested parties.Those other interested parties are the North Node in Scorpio and South Node in Taurus and it is they who have hauled Venus in for this conference call, whether to ask her opinion or to grill her over certain accusations is unclear. The Nodes by themselves are conflicting voices, they argue for the company’s vision and best interests. They are conflicted by choices swinging between a vision of going forward by innovation, to accepting and embracing change, to try out and explore new territories and techniques or by consolidation, to keep the status quo, to keep on with old products and services. (Axis Of Power & Possessions - Scorpio/Taurus

Prince Alber & Princess Caroline of Monaco - Both with North Node Scorpio/South Node Taurus

Recently the call for austerity measures, ruthless elimination and harsh choices has rocketed. Mars has got wind of it and is urging on the side of change now ‘out with the old, in with the new’. 'Don’t go with the fuddy duddies who have run the place, granted they have wisdom and have done a good job but now it is time for a new broom', he exclaims. We can all feel so trapped in this continual, complicated, complex enmeshment and heightened high drama that we can become quite resigned and complacent about being able to effect change.  Everything is beginning to feel so taut and tense we could forget that this is a Full Moon which usually means that we will begin to feel confident enough to meet the challenges presented to us. This Full Moon in Aries, a Cardinal fire sign will want us to be nothing less and with the gracious Sun in Libra we may just root through that apparently sparse basket and make something beautiful of whatever's in there anyway.

We have to pay attention to where our own Mars lies with our personal promptings to be brave and take on new challenges. We will want to open our arms to embrace change and make plans to take a few brave steps towards something that we really want. The call is coming, on the end of the line in that conference room just around the corner….

Actor/Director Dennis Hopper Moon in Aries

credits: the nation & frontpagemag & celebs & retrorepros)imbd & ign & zimbio & netwallpaperhd & redbubble & fineartamerica & fanpop & bigbrotheris watching you & blaster
posted by pippa ponton & jphibbs 

7-8 Degrees/SuperHighwayMan/Maps/MisApps

Apple CEO Tim Cook

Whats driving 7-8 degrees of Aries? These are the degrees where Uranus ‘The Awakener’ has been pacing for quite a while, during it's stay it has and continues to prod at Pluto’s current occupation of 7-8 degrees Capricorn. This fractious, frictional meeting appears to be so trigger happy it is set to spark up a few more fireworks. On 19^th September 2012 these two heavy hitters came in more direct contact again, prowling and circling, taunting and testing each other.(Hot Spots & Lightning Rods - Uranus/Pluto 2nd Square)

Apple late CEO Steve Jobs & Microsoft CEO Bill Gates

High drama is playing out all over the world in the midst of these two squares, political spats are causing consternation and fear, economies are crashing and being propped up spurring people to protesting and riot. Somehow in the middle of this Apple launched a host of new products and caused it's own hysteria with the introduction of it's latest smart phone the iPhone5. We are all struggling with a world recession, even America hit a downward spiral wiping out a couple of decades of wealth. The US housing bubble bursting due to shady, over-lending, shadow banking is now seen as the trigger for the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Many blame the bankers as the cause of the problem with excessive greed and ruthless capitalism exposed - still showing its teeth and being fined as fraudulent, as in the Libor case in the UK revealing banks rigged interest rates for their own profit. Yet it appears that even in this economic free fall climate we still desire the new, shiny gadgets of the high end consumer. Since it's announcement date by Apple on the 12th September 2012, the iPhone 5 has been put forward as 'the most beautiful consumer device that we've ever created'.

Apple Store 5th Avenue, New York

By the 28th September 2012, however, Apple had to issue an apology for it's highly criticised and ridiculed Maps App on its new OS6 operating system, after coming under heavy criticism for inaccuracy and really bad navigation since its launch on the 21st September 2012. Google Maps had been used on the first iPhone but the urgency to have an in-house alternative increased for Apple as smart phone rivalries intensified and Google had provided other Android handsets with features not available to the iPhone. Apple has since been accused of prioritising commercial rivalry before the interest of its customers by putting out software before it was really tested.

Tim Cook, who has taken over the running of Apple has his moon in Aries, no birth time so no exact degree but nevertheless, his moon is ‘caught on the wire’ of the current electrified grid surge between Uranus and Pluto right now in the 7/8 degrees agitation.
Synchronously, the Microsoft Chairman, Bill Gates has his moon also in these degrees of Aries and the Guru of Apple himself, the late Steve Jobs also had his Moon at these degrees in Aries. Our Moon signs tell us something about what we are hungry for, what we need and what secures us and makes us feel safe. For those born with an Aries Moon this certainly will involve the thrill of the chase, a need to be first to the post and it is up to the rest of us to keep up, puffing for breath. Be ready and 'maniacally focussed.' 

Tim Cook is ready to pioneer new products and push into new territory but he will also have to be ready for a head-to-head competition and will hit the ground running. Born on the 1^st November 1960, Cook has been steering the Apple Corporation helm for a year now. By all accounts he appears to be doing a very good job under the giant shadow of Steve Jobs, man and mythology. 
           
The 5th October 2012 marked the anniversary of Steve Job's death and Apple replaced their homepage with the tribute video 'Remembering Steve Jobs.'
Cook's continued success may well depend upon his ability to innovate and produce the ‘right’ products and services, take chances and risks of his own and see them come off. He has grasped the baton, or light sabre, passed down to him from Steve Jobs and is staying nose-to-nose with Bill Gates, if not ahead in this Aries Moon race. The future looked as rosy as a freshly picked Red Delicious and prospects were as shinning as a new high tech product in any Apple store. However,suddenly Apple appears to have 're-acted' to competition and come out a bit 'rash' all sounding very much like tech-god Uranus blowing a few circuits in Aries while Pluto looks on from the shadows and re-groups in Capricorn. 

Tim Cook's birth chart:

There are so many other interesting points of contact between these three digital supermen. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs have their Sun's in 5 degree water signs, Gates is Scorpio and Jobs was Pisces. Plus Bill Gates Sun is conjunct Neptune (Pisces ruler) as does Tim Cook Sun in Scorpio giving both their Sun’s a distinctly ‘Piscean feel’ to them.

Both Gates and Jobs were also born with Saturn in 21 degrees of Scorpio whilst Tim Cook has his Mercury, the messenger of the Gods, at 22 degrees Scorpio.(The Dark Lord Pluto Apply Direct Pressure)
Tim acts as the carrier/go-between (mercury) to both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs Saturn who are the edifice and structure of these multi-billion dollar corporations. Just as all their Moons are ‘caught on the Cardinal Cross wire’ activating and pressuring this section of their charts, so too is this Scorpionic section highly activated and involved as Saturn ‘The Controller’ prepares to move into Scopio in 6th October 2012. For Bill Gates this will mean he will face his Saturn Return, for Tim Cook, the placement of Saturn on Mercury is a time of deep self questioning. This will not be exact for both of them until the end of 2013 but for Microsoft and Apple the rumbling competition has begun in earnest. The 'Maps App' iPhone5 embarrassment has perhaps signalled a kink in the road and maybe a re-route ahead....where to go next? 
                                         credits: apple press info & washinton post & arstechnica & businessinsider & macworld 
posted by pippa ponton & jphibbs

Disputed Waters In The China Seas

In Chinese astrology 2012 is the year of the water dragon. The dragon becomes more patient less arrogant in water, making wiser, calmer,more careful and more sensitive decisions.
In Western astrology can we rely on Saturn in Scorpio to take on that responsibility. 

A swell of antipathy and discord is bubbling away in Asian waters, brewing and building the focus is on islands in the East China Sea, the very names of which are conflicted. To Japan they are Senkaku, China calls them Diaoyus and Taiwan and Korea are also in the melee, naming and claiming access to these waters. China's claims of sovereignity over nearly all of the South China Sea has dragged other ASEAN state members, Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia into the political maelstrom and leaves the United States in an uncomfortable position.  

China's PLAN (People's Liberation Army Navy)

Ships are definitely sailing into choppy waters around the Southeast Asian maritime commons.These islands geographically are around 25 degree north 123 degrees east, but politically they have been chopped and change ownership, governorship or stewardship.These 'disputed waters' for many years may have been changing metaphorical hands but potential disputes appear to have been left dormant and in fact avoided. Mao Tse Tung preferred to leave the matter undecided entrusting it for future generations to wrangle over. It now looks suspiciously like that wrangle time has finally come with the second Uranus/Pluto square. (Hot Spots & Lightning Rods - Uranus/Pluto 2nd Square).

Chinese protestors with Mao Zedong portraits outside Japanese Embassy, Beijing

Matters have accelerated with China referring to Japan's prime minister Yoshihiko Nodo as obstinate and quite frankly wrong for saying that Japan would not compromise. Anti-Japanese protests in China has become violent with the Japanese embassy vandalised and Japanese cars and businesses set on fire and destroyed. This old wound was opened by the Japanese government on September 11th 2012, buying the islands privately from a Japanese family, who had previously leased it. Reasons for this they stated, was in order to prevent Japanese nationalists radical plans for them.

Japanese activists raise the flag after Uranus/Pluto 1st square

Activists from China and Hong Kong sailed into the disputed islands, Japan swiftly arrested them. The South Korean president Mr. Lee took an unprecedented trip into the Kokdo Sea of Japan to which Japan took offense. Against Japan’s prime minister Yoshihiko Noda’s advice, two Japanese ministers visited a war shrine honouring their imperialist past. Mr Lee issued a statement asking the Japanese Emperor Akihito must apologise for war crimes and colonial rule otherwise he ‘need not come’ to South Korea. All these acts are stirring up patriotic and nationalist fever on all sides, a fervour which has been fertilized by decades of misinformation, skewed education of actual history and simmering unresolved wounds. Flags are unfurling, chains are rattling, banners are waving and trenches are being dug. Riots in China, protests in Taiwan and fervent rhetoric in all the countries involved has continued. One Chinese newspaper actually suggested the solution be that China use the atom bomb on Japan. Japanese citizens suggest that China's claim to the islands is only recent and plainly economic. America maintains its neutrality but on a recent visit to Asia, Leon Panetta, the U.S defense secretary reiterated his countries pledge of ‘mutual defense with Japan’ which underlines that any attack on these islands will include American involvement. The US future plans also includes a move of at least 60 percent of its navy to the Asian/Pacific area.

One islet in the group called Uotsuri-jima or Diaoyu Dao

It has been argued that this sabre rattling between the Asian heavy weights, China and Japan, is toothless and a storm in a teacup, brewed and stewed, served to divert and diffuse from more obvious ‘home’ troubles. Both nations have political systems which are in a critical changeover period. China has it’s crucial party elections in December and the Japanese government is on brink of defeat. The economic imperatives may help to stay the wobbly hand, the trade and financial benefits accruing from these countries mutual agreements should act as an encouragement to détente and a further deterrent to war. The islands in dispute consist of five uninhabited islets and three barren rocks, 7 square kilometres, 120 nautical miles from Taiwan, 200 nautical miles from mainland China and 200 nautical miles from Okinawa, Japan.

What about the astrological climate and where are the water signs? Contested waters, boundaries and avoidance all speak of the signs of Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces and the planets, Mars, Saturn, Neptune are probably involved. 

Mars, the god of war, always ready to defend, thirsting for a head to head contest and spoiling for fight, is in the water sign of Scorpio (Mars in Scorpio What Lies Beneath). In early October, Mars will move into the sign of Sagittarius, which can be prone exaggeration, taking the moral high ground and broadcasting its political views very loudly indeed. This is acting with, not only high moral but fertile ground for the shouting of slogans, the hyperbole of religion fervour or political flag-waving and galloping over  previous border demarcations. 

Sagittarius is a fire sign, the mythical Centaur, half-man/half-horse and loves to range and roam and explore and push boundaries. In this heated political context, however all of those qualities and traits may be highly inflammatory. As it is Sagittarius, lets go with the positive side, it can often be all about the roar and race with a little less vicious bite. Fire signs can all stand on their hind legs or in this case, high horse and point indignant fingers but a clear voice of cool reason, an emotional appeal or solid tangible beneficial result can immediate bring about a sharp U-turn. We are involved with a Mutable fire sign here as well, burning bright and of some real use when there is a purpose to gallop towards.

Neptune, God of the high seas, is in the critical degrees 28/29 Aquarius the water bearer, and 0-1 of its own water sign, Pisces. These degrees the ‘anaretic’ degrees, are considered wobbly and unstable, times when matters connected to the symbolism of the sign can get way out of control, we suffer the deluge and we are awash with it. The last time Neptune surged through these degrees was the tragic and horrific Japanese tsunami of 2011. Then the water moved in suddenly overwhelming huge swathes of the Japanese coastline. 18,000 people died in that disaster, many more people were left homeless and a Japan as a nation rocked back on its heels with about £145 billion to repair the damage.

Japan hit by tsunami after a massive earthquake 2011

Saturn, the God of restrictions and boundaries is in the critical degree of Libra and more importantly is also about to shift into the water sign of Scorpio on 6^th October 2012. Saturn moving signs happens every two and a half years and is deeply significant whenever it happens. This time the move is out of the diplomatic and charming sign of Libra, now breaking up due to the anaretic degrees it occupies, and into the more strident sign of Scorpio with a lot more deep feelings beneath the surface, past hurts remembered and not forgiven until they are resolved. Minister Lee Hong-yuan brought up a old war wound just recently, the sore and sensitive subject of ‘comfort women’. These were Korean women herded up and forced to have sex with the Japanese military in WW2. Saturn has been called the planet of karma, what goes around comes around and reap as ye sow, a sure sign that issues concerning old seeping wounds and self-respect will be immediately placed on any conference table. As Saturn enters Scorpio it is in mutual reception to Pluto,(signs that play host to each others ruling planet) which continues to battle out its squares with Uranus in Aries. Saturn entering Scorpio is going to get highly involved and will be making its presence felt, hopefully as a constraint and limiting stricture for the darker face of Pluto in Capricorn controls.

On top of this activity is the massive backdrop painted in the colours of revolution, rebellion, crackdown, control and out-and-out tension of the Uranus-Pluto square (Uranus vs Pluto). This square is volatile already and triggered by the full moon on 29^th September 2012 and hanging over our heads like the sword of Damocles. Small infractions and minor misdemeanours are suddenly nervous making flash-points that can potentially escalate into a full blown heave-ho's and outright conflicts.

Hopefully, these Disputed Waters will becalm and be resolved diplomatically with the best arrangement being that the islands and their waters become a peaceful designated wildlife sanctuary, a most welcome and needy addition to global biodiversity. The fact is these tiny, uninhabited island are not really the prime targets, the rich fishing grounds, large reserves of natural gas and control of key shipping lanes vital to global trade are in hard facts the real bounty. Taiwan is apparently 'pushing ahead' to set up a national marine park, 140 kilometres west of the disputed islands, it currently holds three islets, Pengjia, Mianhua and Huaping and surrounding waters measuring about 750 kilometres. China, while apparently running fast and furiously into the future and a greater international status still appears to adhere to its glorious 'imperial age' style of foreign policy with 'loss of face' statements and falling foul of 'barbarianism'. Japanese exports to China are in the balance with about £216 billion of trade in jeopardy at a time when the Japan's economy really need it and a national election approaching and China wanting to hit the Japanese economy hard.

Japanese protest 'loud but tightly controlled through Tokyo'

Saturn in Scorpio is good at sharing out of assets it is also good at setting up regulations and best of all transforming issues of power and control that have become rigid and fixed. I expect that we are all looking for Saturn's style of wise guidance and certainty when we are faced with so much insecurity.

A note to end on is the odd fact that Dragon years appear every 12 years in Chinese astrology but Water Dragon years only every 60 years and the last time was when the Sino-Japanese Peace Treaty was signed in 1952, formally ending the war between the two countries. Will it now see an end to the Sino-Japanese economic war now?

credits: business insider & dangerroom & google earth & wikipedia & Mark Ralston/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images & BBC news asian/pacific & washington post 
posted by pippa ponton & jphibbs