Underneath the Stars: London Uprisings, Stock Woes

Much as we like to dish on celebs, there’s been a lot more happening in the headlines. So we’d be remiss not to mention life beyond the red carpet this week, especially as Mercury retrograde heats up political and economic tension.

There are two things happening causing all the unrest. Mercury and Uranus, both planets involved with spreading a message of change, are retrograde (moving backward) in Fire signs. Retrogrades can ignite unrest and bring up buried tensions. Furthering this, there’s a tense T-square (three-way tug-of-war) between angry Mars, destructive Pluto and rebellious Uranus. This could unleash bottled-up anger and frustration, as well as the violence we’re seeing in the news.

How has this shown up? After the happy headlines of a royal wedding and preparation for the 2012 Olympics, London has been beset by burning shops, looters, and clashes between police and civilians. Riots (or “civil unrest” or “uprisings,” if you prefer) are sweeping through London, as images of the burning city flash across the news. Hotheaded Mars is in Cancer, which rules the emotions, while transformational Pluto is in Capricorn, the sign of governments and authority. The protests were sparked after a 29-year-old man was shot to death by authorities. Racial tensions have ignited as a result (the slain man was of Afro-Caribbean descent).

Frustrations around Britain’s stalled economy could also be inciting the spread of uprisings. The T-square aspect between Mars, Pluto and Uranus is causing a breaking point — squares (90-degree angles) create such friction and contrasting energies that something has to give. We expect that this tension will continue throughout the month, but may peak this Friday at the Aquarius full moon. Aquarius is the sign of social justice and revolution. This full moon will oppose Venus in Leo, indicating that things may get more dramatic before they improve.

Meanwhile, the Mars-Uranus-Pluto T-square is also affecting the U.S. economy. Mars in Cancer is building the tension around financial security, while Pluto is retrograde in Capricorn, ruler of banks and world economies. The market has been described as “volatile” — a word that befits all three of these destabilizing and reactive planets. Not quite the birthday present that Leo Barack Obama had in mind, but with Mars in his karmic 12th house, he’s dealing with the economic “chickens coming home to roost,” the result of several presidential generations’ worth of shaky financial policies and market fluctuations. Oh boy.

So, hang tight during the ups and downs of this August. If drama comes near, walk in the opposite direction — unless, of course, you have something important to say. As we write this, the sound of tooting horns and shouts from protestors at nearby Verizon headquarters are filtering through our open windows from several blocks away. Late-summer protests are definitely all the rage. But is anyone listening? We shall see.