Mars Ignites London

Mars does not play gently. He’s even more outrageous when he’s Out of Bounds (as he’s been since July 24 until August 22). Amongst clients and friends, he’s raised courage and anger: desires won’t be denied! Early this week, when he stepped into the tension of the coming Uranus/Pluto square, he triggered mayhem and shock in several British cities. Along with the riots, he brought yet another glimpse into our likely tumultuous future. When Uranus meets Pluto—seven times over the next four years—the forces for change and revolution will do fierce battle against the powerful status quo.

“Opportunistic criminals,” PM David Cameron called the Twitter-organized looters and arsonists; he vowed to meet their Mars with his: “We will track you down, we will find you, we will charge you, we will punish you. You will pay for what you have done.”

It’s true, there was an extra Lammas-fueled madness in the streets—the Sun had reached fifteen degrees of fixed Leo; the riots coincided with this traditional cross-quarter celebration of the harvest. But what happens when there is no harvest to celebrate? Without a grain goddess to thank, do people ignite shops and steal consumer goods? Not all of the rioters were economically disadvantaged. But when around the world so many able-bodied people are unemployed, when struggling economies continue to make deep cuts to social programs, when the gap grows ever wider between those who have money and power and those who don’t, it’s easy to see that fuses are readying to ignite all over the world. The Uranus/Pluto square will be exact for the first time in the summer of 2012. Oh, just when London hosts the Olympic Games! Mars loves athletic contests. Let’s hope he behaves.