Anne Massey’s astrology blog

Susan Boyle Venus story

Monday, May 4th, 2009 | Astrology for You, Current Planetary trends, Venus stories

Venus retrograde has exceptional, innate and often ‘secret’ talent as obviously has Susan Boyle, who appeared as a contestant on the British show—Britain’s Got Talent on April 11, 2009. I highly recommend you listen to the performance on You Tube and check out the Cry me a River recording from 1999 as well. It is so refreshing to hear a beautiful voice not buried under the music. There are recordings without musical accompaniment. Susan Boyle has Venus retrograde in Aries in her natal chart, which naturally fascinates me and re-enforces the statements I made about the Venus cycles in my book, Venus, her Cycles, Symbols and Myths published in 2006 by Llewellyn. I saw Susan’s birth data in NCGR’s E-newsletter in an item written by Jackie Slevin. So, out of curiosity I thought I’d cast the chart and see what made her an instant celebrity. Because my program didn’t have the correct latitude and longitude for her birth town, Blackburn, Scotland, I had to do some additional research. Well, I don’t recall the last time that there was so much discussion about the accuracy of the data. There are two birthdates floating on the web. The verified one is April 1, 1961 at 9:50 AM (-1hr GMT) See footnote 1 However, if you Google Susan Boyle you will find an analysis using this date and June 15 of the same year. It would be easier to state that a beautiful voice belongs to someone with Venus in Taurus as was the case by June 15 that year. Robert Blaschke (www.earthwalkastrology.com) wrote an item for the Mountain Astrologer online blog, which eloquently addresses the prenatal eclipse chart for Susan.

“The eight-year cycles of Venus work to bring us in harmony with dormant desires, talents and agreements we have made at a higher level.”—AM

I am fascinated by Venus, and do believe she is prominently in play in the chart and in the potential outcome for Susan. Here is a bi-wheel chart showing natal planets on the inner circle and secondary progressions on the outer wheel. I have circled points of interest-the Venus factor in pink, the MC in red and the perfecting progressions in yellow. In the centre are the prominent planetary patterns.

Susan has an Aries Sun and a Libra Moon, having been born at a Full Moon. The Mars in Cancer forms a t-square with the luminaries. T-squares represent challenges, drive and motivation—they force us into action. It is very dynamic energy, which also ensures that we need to ‘fight’ for what we desire. That potentially over-reactive, emotionally-charged Mars in Cancer is also in aspect with the Ascendant ruler Mercury in Pisces in the tenth house and Neptune in Scorpio in the fifth house. These three form another pattern, the grand trine, which is about talent and shows things that flow with relative ease. Mars is a part of both of these patterns, which indicates that she will find a way to ‘showcase’ her talent.

The angles of the chart are based on both time of day and location of birth, and are highly personal points. Susan has late Gemini on the Ascendant. The Ascendant shows how we behave, our physical appearance and our primary connection to others. The planet in charge of the Ascendant is Mercury, which is in Pisces, the sign of its fall and detriment. Mercury in Pisces is not logical and linear, it dreams and feels information; the essence of the information. However, Susan’s Mercury is its own bounds and in the tenth house, which shows both ambition and the ability to achieve goals; to fulfill those dreams and desires.

People who have Venus retrograde in their charts, particularly in Aries, Scorpio and Virgo, tend to feel that they do not belong, are not attractive and may have a lack of social skills or social interaction. One of the quotes I found attributed to Susan was: “I know what they were thinking, but why should it matter as long as I can sing? It’s not a beauty contest.” I have found that people who have Venus retrograde have a ‘hidden’ talent, which they will typically cultivate later in life. Charlize Theron has Venus retrograde in her chart and tends to play roles that downplay her looks. She wants credit for her acting not her beauty. I find that an interesting parallel.

I also find that people with Venus retrograde (about seven percent of us) are more likely to work extra hard on behalf of someone else; do their utmost to please. Susan also has Mars in its detriment, which can be over reactive or act on an impulse without thinking it through. Susan’s chart has an exalted Sun but her personal planets, Venus, Mercury and Mars are all in the signs of the planets’ detriment. I find that when planets are in a sign of weakness, they are strong but it takes us longer to access the energy properly and when we do, look out, these are powerful placements. Venus in Aries Retrograde is not selfish but needs to learn to appreciate self on an entirely new level; love has to come from within. Mercury in Pisces is accepting on flaws, inaccuracies and forgiving of mistakes—spirituality and beliefs matter more. Susan was born with an Evening Star Venus in the Balsamic phase; she is here to share her music and is likely to be an exceptionally compassionate person.

Interestingly when I wrote my Venus book, I researched several celebrity charts and found many, including Tom Hanks and Charlize Theron, who got their break with Venus at their Midheaven or with Venus. Susan’s Venus is prominently in the eleventh house, and since mid-December 2008 Venus has been in her tenth house, which is an area associated with status, career and fame. In my Venus book, I wrote: “In the eleventh house we build our virtual castles in the air. We have gifts in this house that we want to birth into the World.” Through sustained effort we gain success, and when Venus is retrograde in the natal chart, the timing tends to coincide with the Venus cycles. We have these at eighteen month intervals in five different signs: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Scorpio and Capricorn currently. In January 2010 Venus begins her full phase at 21° Capricorn 32′, did you begin something new in 2006, that you have worked on for four years? The next Full Venus in Aries takes place March 28, 2013 at 8°Aries11′; what did you hatch during the Winter-Spring of 2009 that you want to come to fruition four years from now? If you have personal planets or points at this degree, it will be personal.

Venus stays in Aries until early June 2009, and mid-May Venus moves into Susan’s eleventh house and makes a conjunction with her Venus. Every eighth year around her birthday Venus has been retrograde—those years are 1969, 1977, 1985, 1993, 2001 and 2009. Because she has Venus retrograde her reaction to the energy is stronger and more personal. Incrementally her status has been changing. This time those Venus degrees spelled instant success, which came on the day Venus retrograde back into Pisces for the first time since 1758!! I love Venus!!

On the second wheel, I placed the secondary progressions for April 11, 2009, the date of the broadcast that launched a career. In it, look for the yellow circles in the above chart illustration, progressed Mars is applying to an exact opposition to progressed Jupiter, one of her career planets. This aspect connects with her natal Jupiter, which is a part of her grand trine, between chart ruler Mercury and Mars. The progressed Mars is conjunct the progressed Ascendant which is at 4° Leo. Her Ascendant progressed to Leo in October , beginning a new phase in life.

On a side note, there are Hellenistic Lots (or Arabic parts) in astrology, which calculate the relationship between the planets and the Ascendant.See footnote 2 One of these lots, that of Mars, also referred to as the part of Victory, is at 4°Leo 18′-she is a winner already regardless of the final competition.

Note that transit Neptune has been in Susan’s tenth house since early 2005 and will remain here for an exceptionally long time (until 2023). In 1999, Neptune was conjunct her Jupiter and she recorded “Cry Me a River” and spent her life savings to have a demo CD professionally recorded. Jupiter in her chart is in the ninth house and in a Gauquelin sector, just behind the Midheaven, which is said to produce prominence to the planet. Jupiter and Saturn, which is the ruler of the Aquarius Midheaven are conjunct in the chart (out of sign) and parallel each other.

Had she been a client I would have instantly concentrated on the fact that Venus was in her tenth house from mid-December 2008 through mid-May 2009; five long months. Also the March 27, 2009 Sun-Venus Retrograde conjunction at 7° Aries 16′ was on her progressed Midheaven and close to her natal Sun at 11°Aries, and the retrograde station at 15° Aries 17′ was on her eleventh house cusp. (I use Koch houses.)

On April 11 Venus retrograded into Pisces for the first time since 1758. This to me is significant, but I doubt that I would have used it in the analysis, but used it as a timer to talk about going back to try something new. For those curious about the performance, it aired at 19:55 DST in Britain with 23°Libra 43′ on the Ascendant and 1°Leo 28′ on the MC. The final airs live May 30, 2009. Venus will be at 23°Aries 47′ and Mars will be at 29°Aries 09′; Mercury at 22°Taurus 52′, stationary direct. The Ascending degree at 19:00 (7PM) is the same as the Moon on the day of Susan’s April 11th performance. Susan’s Venus is at 26°Aries 23′ and Venus will be at that degree June 2, 2009. Now the Mars-Jupiter aspect by progression is separating, Venus is applying to her Venus-is she likely to consider some of the offers being made prior to the final broadcast. Could the little girl in the competition be the winner? I assume it is the viewers who vote.

The fame is there in the chart, as is the talent and this year in particular, the chance of getting a job-she is unemployed-is better than ever. I would not bet on a win, but would do more than merely speculate on success, I’d buy the CDs.

Copyright Anne Massey, May 4, 2009

Footnotes:

Foot Note 1Bounds are segments of the zodiac, also called terms, which belong to the seven of the classical planets.
Foot Note 1
VEN DIRECT 22 Jan 1992
Moo enters Sag 8 Feb 1992
Moo enters Cap 29 Mar 1994
Mar enters Leo 6 Dec 1995
Moo enters Aqu 9 May 1996
Moo enters Pis 24 Jun 1998
SAT RETROGRADE 24 Jul 1999
Moo enters Ari 17 Aug 2000
Mer enters Gem 27 Jul 2000
Moo enters Tau 25 Oct 2002
Asc enters Leo 9 Oct 2002
MC enters Ari 12 Jun 2003
Moo enters Gem 26 Jan 2005
PLU DIRECT 24 Jan 2007

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