☆ FireBrand ~> astro peek at Russell Brand

In the wake of a Paxman interview, the facebook newsfeed has become a one-man Russell Brand show, with Brand’s call to boycott voting and start a revolution soliciting extreme reaction from all sides. Some want to heed the battle cry and, presumably, die for him, as revolutions are never a civilised affair. But maybe that's not the kind of rEvolution RB is looking for? As others are very much against, generally men of a certain age who find Brand opinionated, trite and wayward. The girls seem to love him, possibly for the same reasons but seen in a different light, seeking a revolution of the heart.

As an astrologer it intrigued me to know what, from the planets’ point of view, does Russell Brand have to make him a magnet for others to either attract or repel in such a polarizing manner? Born with the loquacious Sun in Gemini on the 4th June 1975, at 00:07*, in Greys, Essex, Russell Brand’s horoscope buzzes with a larger-than-life, rather nervous and extremely assertive but deeply sensitive personality, one who loves novelty and variety, to be always on the go in constant communication. One might even say his gift-of-the-gab is a past-life thing; in this life he is to be the wiser media Guru. His destiny is to reveal mastery of the chat, aiming for wisdom's truths. The man even compared His Holiness, the Dalai Lama, in Manchester youth program not so long ago!

His Capricorn chart ruler, karmic Saturn, is deadly serious, in contrast to the playful Gemini Spirit. Coming across as dark and handsome with a devilish twist is also part of the Brand charm; with weighty Saturnian topics such as voting, politics and the environment delivered with clever and light-hearted Gemini wit.  The heavy-weight ruler, Saturn, is in detriment in the sign of Cancer, however, with challenges to the early home life and school, with issues surrounding the matriarch, such as food, mother and authority. Furthermore, Saturn's wide conjunction to Love Goddess Venus is another indication that he needs to take greater responsibility with his approach to women. After the age of 30, Saturn generally matures somewhat and can work the relationship issues that having Saturn in an area that improves when duty bound, by working his body, as well as intellect, the projected Peter Pan grows up to become a fast-talking Spiritual Media Warrior, who is now very much in tune with the present zeitgeist .

Even the title of Russell's recent show, ‘The Messiah Complex’, is revealed in his natal horoscope, as the Sun - which defines ego and identity (in the sign of the informative Twins) opposes Neptune, oceanic planet of spirituality and spiritual oneness. When working well, Neptune can indicate deep compassion and charity, meditation and yoga; but heaven help anyone whose Neptune is out of whack and opposite the Sun, as it denotes drug, alcohol, and all kinds of nefarious toxic abuse and addiction. Save or be saved, Neptune is also the planet of victims and martyrs, illusion and glamor, which makes it as easy for him to ‘lose’ himself (even if he has emotional control issues), and even easier for other to transfer their feelings about his celebrity, as well as political ideals onto Russell. How he deals with such idolization depends upon how profoundly he can tune into the spiritual world for refuge and support.

But what makes Brand’s horoscope really twinkle is how the current movement of the heavens excites the warrior within, urging him to become the knight in shining armor on a righteous cause, encourage people to wake-up to any present iniquity by exercising his gift to articulate rampant corruption.

Russel's chart is tuning into a dynamic alignment called ‘The Uranus Pluto Square’, of which there are seven squares over three years, which started in 2012, and finishes in 2015. This on-going square symbolises a tension between the traditional paradigm of absolute power and authority, and those seeking freedom and equality. Both Pluto and Uranus are generational planets that propel Russell’s scope into the vanguard of the action: Pluto, the planet of life, death and rebirth, activates a place of collective longing in Russell’s chart, while the planet of sudden upheaval, Uranus, sparks his well-placed and passionate Mars, courageous and dynamic planet of action. Whilst being able to mobilise, fight, and guide with giddy enthusiasm, this is the chart of a fireBrand who senses the perils of both the ordinary foot soldier AND the elite major general. Because his natal planet of revolution, Uranus in Libra, resonates with equality and freedom I suspect he sees himself as an innovative visionary, which he is, to a certain extent. At the very least he is the current mouthpiece for many of the disenfranchised 99%, unnerving a 1% - but still we can all applaud his bravery.

One last point is how Venus, the planet of love, is also an indicator of social skills, which sits almost exactly on his descendant, point of marriage and relationship. Even if people don’t always like what he says, they still seem to be fascinated, and dare I say, want his friend.

*Source of birth time: Marcos Prachett