Astrology for the 21st Century

Since the UK is hosting the 2012 Olympics let's look ahead 5 years at the chart for the event.

The first thing to be aware of is that in 2012 Uranus and Pluto will be square one another. This last happened in the 1960s, and the social, technological, scientific, artistic, economic, and cultural changes of that decade are still echoing today. We can expect a similar level of radical change from the next decade.

This Uranus-Pluto square is very, very strongly connected to the UK as a nation. It therefore has a direct relevance to us, to our national psyche, and to us as people. We need to make the most of the opportunity it represents to reorganise, restructure, and renew our country on every level: social, cultural, economic, governmental, familial, material, you name it.

Now to the Olympics.

According to the official website (see below) the Olympics will begin in the UK, in London of course, at 7:30pm on 27th July 2012. The chart for this moment and location shows the Ascendant at 10 Capricorn.

The UK's IC and Sun are at 10 Capricorn........ can you see where this is leading?

The attempt at glorification of the nation and the land itself (Sun at IC in the UK's chart) is being activated by and through this event.

The Uranus-Pluto square at 8 degrees of Aries-Capricorn plugs into the Olympics chart, and the chart of the UK, in an extremely direct way, linking the three components: the local event, the host nation, and the global aspect. The coming together of this trio suggests an ambitious attempt to drastically and radically recreate the nation's relationship to the world at large. The event is constellating this desire in the national psyche, and arguably in the global psyche too.

This Uranus-Pluto square has its midpoint - the point exactly halfway between the two planets - at the UK's Saturn. Saturn symbolises construction, national institutions, the government, the corporate world, and the desire for stability, continuity, protection and safety. Saturn represents the grounding and earthing of unstable energies, which will be much-needed in the UK at this time.

This looks like it is going to be a challenging time for the UK, but potentially one where the country can breathe new life into itself so that it can continue (Saturn) without breaking up under the strain. The management of the Olympics is part and parcel of that longer-term challening process that the UK will be undergoing for a period of years around that time.

References:
http://main.london2012.com/en
http://www.london2012.com/

With all the Harry Potter mania going on at the moment I thought I'd have a look at JK Rowling's chart.

I was particularly interested in what was happening to her Mercury - the planet of writing and books - when she got her publishing deal. It's a nice little astrological snippet that flies in the face of a lot of myths that people hold about transiting planets and aspects.

Rowling's Mercury is at 00 degrees 00 minutes Virgo.

According to her official website autobiography she got her publishing contract in August 1996.

In August 1996 Pluto was stationary, turning direct, at 00 degrees 20 minutes Sagittarius, making an extremely close square with JK's Mercury.

Which just goes to show that neither Pluto, nor squares, nor stationary planets, are anything to be feared.

Horoscopes? Less horror, more scope ;-)

Reference:
http://www.jkrowling.com/

Venus is stationary today - no, that doesn't mean it's made out of paper ;-)

It's turning retro and will remain so until the 8th of September. This only happens every couple of years, and it has an 8-year echo.

Read more about what this retro cycle means at the website: http://www.astrology21.co.uk/p1innerplanets.html

In a previous article on this blog and also on the website Astrology for the 21st Century Tony Blair's Middle East visit was discussed.

He's arrived there today, as his Uranus/Neptune midpoint is just 7 miles from Jerusalem.

Here are the links to those two articles for more information:

The blog article

The website article

A few days ago I wrote about Gordon Brown's astromaps in three countries. At the time I was preparing an article on Brown's astromaps around the world: China, Russia, USA, etc. But things got too busy and I abandoned the article. Yesterday Brown expelled Russian diplomats. What's going on?

Transits-wise, Brown's Pluto is currently less than 5 miles from Moscow. Transiting Mars is, for Gordon, square his MC within less than 30 miles of Moscow. Both of these reflect strong tension, stand-offs, power battles.

In this map the blue area shows the orb, the darker the blue the closer the aspect is to exactitude. You can see that Moscow lies in the bluest part for Gordon.

Click this image to view a full size version in a pop-up window.

Natally, Gordon has his Mars/Saturn midpoint exactly through Moscow, so for him this area is primed for iron will and intransigence.

These transits of Gordon's need to be handled very carefully, but the optimistic view is this: Gordon has a choice in the matter. He is coming into contact with this experience through this place because of something in him. If he changes himself, he will change what he comes into contact with.

As Ghandi said, we must be the change we want to see in the world.

Apologies for the tabloidesque title ;-)

What is meant here by 'the stars' is literally that - how the planets in Gordon's chart link with the stars using what are called 'parans'. A paran is just like an aspect, but instead of linking one planet to another in this case they link a planet to a star.

In Gordon's chart both the Sun and the Moon form a paran with the star Regulus. This doubling up is interesting, because it means that both levels of identity are involved, the solar level and the lunar level, and that's a biggie. So what does Regulus in paran with these two mean?

Firstly, empire-building. Regulus was a royal star of Persia, and thus of leadership but also of jealousy, rivalry, and vengeance. The Persians saw it as symbolising a king who entered battle for the sake of revenge. Hmmm. Doesn't take a genius to see where this works out in Gordon's life, does it?

One astrologer who works with the stars interprets the Moon in paran with Regulus this way: "you will be attacked by petty politics, and will have to ensure that you do not reduce yourself to the level of revenge, as that will be your undoing." The paran with the Sun gives the same warning.

But these two aren't the only parans in Gordon's chart that talk about revenge.

His Sun is also in paran with Algo, also known as Ras al Ghul, although Gordon's not quite the character from Batman Begins ;-)

The symbolism of this one can be pretty grim, and is replete with psychological depth. However in Gordon's case, as the inheritor of the Afghanistan and Iraq fiascoes, it's quite literal: "piled-up corpses."

Psychologically this star-planet link is about immense passion that create, or consume through rage and the desire for revenge. Blood feuds need to be transmuted and transcended, and the higher potential of this paran consciously, deliberately, and continuously coaxed into play.

More on Gordon's chart can be read over at http://www.astrology21.co.uk

Just looking at Gordon Brown's Transit Maps and seeing that at this very moment his chart brings the Saturn-Neptune opposition down to Earth right through Baghdad. Click this image to view the full-sized version in a pop-up window.

Transiting Jupiter near Baghdad suggests Gordon has an opportunity here at the moment, but it can also be indicative of a haughty attitude that glosses over facts and details, makes bad judgements, and overcommits. The choice is Gordon's alone which it will be.

The transiting Saturn-Neptune midpoint isn't far from Gordon's Pluto through Iraq, which means that here is where he meets his limits to power, and has his influence undermined. It can also point to self-undoing, and is another warning not to bite off more than he can chew.

More positively, it could signal a growing awareness of the need to limit the destructiveness, and to re-envision the situation in a constructively influential way. Yeah yeah, fat chance I know, but the potential is there, alongside the potential for further quagmire. The choices Gordon makes will make all the difference between 'heaven' and 'hell', for the Iraqis first and foremost and most importantly, but also for Gordon.

Gordon's transiting Neptune will stay in Baghdad, conjunct his MC and thus reflecting a need to re-imagine his goals in this area, for quite some time yet, so he surely has work to do in this location. We can expect a lot of his focus to be here. Neptunian experiences can include deceit, of course, and objectives slipping through your fingers. The power of Neptune is not one that politicians are in the habit of harnessing at the higher levels of expression.....

His transiting Pluto is currently hovering around the border between Iran and Afghanistan, which is interesting. It will, over the next few months and into 2008, wander back and forth, and then move into and through Afghanistan. Presumably that will reflect an increasing focus by Gordon on Afghanistan - the more or less 'forgotten' war (forgotten by most of the people of the UK, that is) - but which the Ministry of Defence last year wanted to move troops into from Iraq. It also perhaps suggests that Gordon might see Iran as less of a menace (Pluto's location can be where we feel threatened) and thus he might not be such a menace to Iran, in time, but that needs to be researched with other techniques to confirm or contradict it before floating it as anything other than a suggestion.

Gordon's transiting Saturn will soon move from Iraq into Iran. Serious work to be done, limits encountered, reality faced up to. Before arriving there it will cross Basra, where many UK troops are based, suggesting the same sort of experience. A sense of obligation prevails here....cleaning up Tony's messes? Finishing what Tony started? Or being duty-bound to the commitments to the USA? It's tough at the top, but it's tougher on the ground.

In astrology Uranus transits often coincide with opening up to perspectives we've previously not seen. Sometimes the process is disturbing, because it comes as a jolt or short sharp shock. Pluto transits are similar in that there is an uncompromising and sometimes scary staring of reality in the face, but with Pluto things are more visceral, deeper rooted and have an element of the unspeakable, the unpalatable, even the nightmarish. Both planets have to do with the truth, in their own ways, but this goes for Uranus most strongly.

When Al Gore's documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, was released in the USA on 24th May 2006, transiting Uranus was conjunct Al's Mercury, and transiting Pluto was conjunct his Jupiter. Both Mercury and Jupiter symbolise the media and publishing, as well as education, teaching, and prophecy. A book was published around the same time.

During these transits, the film went on to win lots of awards, including an Oscar, was adopted by schools, influenced politicians in various countries, became the third most successful documentary in the USA, and spawned the Live Earth concerts, promoted as the largest concert series in the Earth's history, and certainly a massive multimedia event estimated to have been broadcast to 2 billion people.

Both these transits are once-in-a-lifetime transits, but not everyone will experience them during their lives. For Al to have both occurring simultaneously points to an extremely significant and major developmental process in his life.

The transits are both still within orb, as yesterday's Live Earth concerts took place, with Pluto conjunct the Galactic Centre, the point in space that is a line from Earth to centre of our galaxy. This point has been said by some astrologers to represent plugging into issues of global and meta-global importance, which certainly fits in this case.

There are two new articles on the website affiliated with this blog:

Blair's New Job - looks at Tony Blair's new role as envoy to the Middle East for the UN, EU, USA, and Russia

Gordon Brown's Cabinet - builds a profile of Brown's team and contrasts it with Blair's last Cabinet, answering the question 'out with the old, in with the new?'

To read the articles click this link:

http://www.astrology21.co.uk

The Spice Girls' announcement of their reformation is a good opportunity to show how astrology works for groups of people.  The band are a good example of astrological group dynamics, with their clear 'girl power' slogan and ethos.

Because not all of their birthtimes are known we have to omit the Moon, which is a shame, and also the Ascendant and Midheaven which don't matter so much for this particular purpose. So we're working with all but one of the planets.

A scan of their charts shows that there are two dominant patterns in their group dynamics. Interestingly, they both reinforce and echo each other. Note that there is no mathematical reason for this 'doubling up' to be the case. In both cases the theme is will-power and the use thereof.

The first pattern is a 7th harmonic connection between Sun, Mars, and the Sun/Mars midpoint. This is the very essence of the energy, vivacity, and 'in your face' attitude that the Spice Girls expressed, and which caught the imaginations of young and teenage girls the world over.

The second pattern is in the 12th harmonic, and is between Sun, Pluto, and the Sun/Pluto midpoint. This is another dynamic of strength and forceful self-expression. The 12th harmonic is not a harmonic of inspiration, as is the 7th, rather the 12th is a mixture of flow and tension, relaxation and effort, and to some extent contains the panoply of human experience. 

Here are some quotes from a computer-produced report describing these planetary patterns. It was written without reference to the Spice Girls, or indeed any other group of people, and so represents an objective statement:

7th Harmonic: The seventh harmonic is one of passion and obsession and, has the potential to both inspire and ensnare. A group combined by this pattern will have an emotional intensity, a slight touch of neurosis, or will hover on the edge of obsession, and from this precarious position they will gain inspiration. If this is a family, the members of this group will be interwoven in a web full of power-plays, and held together by a psychic and spiritual links, and they will both love and hate each other in the same breath. In any other type of group, if they can hang in there long enough together as a team, they can experience a virtually divine inspiration, but the day to day business of the group may prove to be difficult. Passionate and highly creative, but never emotionally stable.

The Sun and Mars combination: This is the ideal pattern for this type of group for it shows that the group's heart is the desire for competition and challenge. It is important that all the members are encouraged by the group to win in their respective arenas, otherwise they will  compete amongst themselves.  This is a group that will fight for what they believe in.  It may be a sporting group, or a group with political or moral cause, which they will assertively work for.  Revelling in the physical, and endorsing physical achievement in its members, this is a rowdy, noisy, physical, successful, and competitive group which, if they can work together as a team, will win more battles than they lose.

12th Harmonic: This is the harmonic of human life which contains joy and laughter, tears and tragedy. For all the lower harmonics are contained in the majestic twelfth. So it could be said that the group which captures this pattern is capturing all of life, and because of this they will share a collective sense of completeness. Within the group, members will have an easy rapport with some of the other members, yet will barely talk with others; with some they may argue and never see eye to eye, while others will powerfully inspire them.  The group, therefore, contains a great diversity of interactive potential, and a broad palette with which to work, whether for creative pursuits or in the achievement of solid results in the world of affairs.

The Sun and Pluto combination that speaks of relentlessness, this group will let nothing stand in the way in achieving its goals. This relentlessness may manifest as the super-human effort of a sporting team, or the dogged determination brought to a long, arduous task. With all this power and force, it is important that the group has a suitable goal, one that is worthy of the force of this strong combination. For if the goals are too easy, too small, too quickly achieved, then the group may find this combination leading them towards a much more sinister expression. Power-plays within the group, paranoia, even racism, can emerge, and the group may find itself preying on weaker individuals both inside and outside the group. This group needs to have a huge goal towards which it strives. The most important gift of the combination, however, is that in the marriage of the energies of its individual members, this group has the power to achieve such a goal.

The Live Earth concerts began today in Australia. In this blog entry I wanted to look at the star parans, which form the background to collective and local events.

The way these work is a bit different to what is usually discussed here; as well as calculating the chart of the concert, timed for the minute it started, to use star parans we also look at the period of the time in which the event falls. For Live Earth, the date and time for the period is 2nd July 2007, at 7:05am AEST, and the place is Aussie Stadium.

Here is a copy'n'paste of a computer-generated report on the themes that are relevant to this period. The Live Earth ethos and purpose can be seen in this, as well as other insights and descriptions into the event.

THE BACKGROUND THEMES WHICH CAN BE ACTIVE FOR SEVERAL MONTHS

Uranus - Public opinion, Public expectations
Setting when Ras Alhague is On Nadir orb 01 mins 41 secs -
  An event that brings hope, or healing, to many

Neptune - The Hopes and Fears of the Nation
Culminating when Zuben Elgenubi is Setting orb 00 mins 31 secs -
  People, in awe of unfolding events; disbelief or wonder

Pluto - The Crises or the Changes that Occur
Rising when Rukbat is Rising orb 00 mins 39 secs -
  The stand or opinion of one person is heard by many
Rising when Scheat is On Nadir orb 00 mins 58 secs -
  A person is heralded as a genius, a discovery is made
Culminating when Markab is Rising orb 01 mins 29 secs -
  Inventions which change the way we live
Rising when Markab is On Nadir orb 01 mins 57 secs -
  Inventions which change the way we live

THE ANNUAL THEMES THAT REOCCUR FOR THIS LATITUDE EVERY YEAR IN THIS ERA

Heliacal Rising Star
Mirfak - Rising 52 mins 07 secs before Sunrise -
  A time of action, the champion returns

Heliacal Setting Star
Facies - Setting 02 mins 25 secs before Sunrise -
  The shadow of war, the darkness of cruelty or aggression

Heliacal Setting Star
Acumen - Setting 02 mins 44 secs before Sunrise -
  Scandal and rumours

Sun - The stars in paran with the Sun on this day
Setting when Rigel is Setting orb 00 mins 11 secs -
  The strength of the government is used to alter, or seek to reform, a situation
On Nadir when Sirius is On Nadir orb 00 mins 32 secs -
  The potential for great and immortal events to unfold
Rising when Procyon is Rising orb 01 mins 14 secs -
  A time of sporting success, or short-lived, ephemeral glories
Setting when Betelgeuse is Setting orb 01 mins 44 secs -
  The successful person

THE ACUTE THEMES THAT ARE ACTIVE JUST FOR THIS TIME PERIOD

Moon - The Emotions of the People
On Nadir when Zuben Elgenubi is Rising orb 00 mins 19 secs -
  Emotions focused on the common good, or the spiritual needs of the collective

Mercury - Business and the Media
Setting when Facies is Rising orb 00 mins 14 secs -
  Harshness, or bad news
Rising when Diadem is On Nadir orb 00 mins 40 secs -
  To value people more than money
Rising when Mirach is Culminating orb 00 mins 53 secs -
  The mediator, finding the middle ground

Venus - The Social Conventions
Setting when Menkar is On Nadir orb 00 mins 22 secs -
  Society's values are challenged
On Nadir when Zuben Eschamali is Setting orb 00 mins 28 secs -
  The political manipulation of the people
Setting when Deneb Algedi is Rising orb 00 mins 30 secs -
  Society's appreciation of its art

Mars - The Events of the Day
Culminating when Capella is Rising orb 00 mins 32 secs -
  An action, by a group or person, of free-spirited independence
On Nadir when Altair is Rising orb 00 mins 54 secs -
  A military solution, to attack, to go to war, to act bravely
Setting when Procyon is Culminating orb 01 mins 26 secs -
  A rash or violent act, or a sudden break-through achievement
On Nadir when Arcturus is Culminating orb 01 mins 38 secs -
  Aggression or bold action

Jupiter - The Type of Action which is Favoured by this Period of Time
On Nadir when Regulus is Rising orb 00 mins 15 secs -
  To act with confidence, or at times to have an air of nobility
Setting when Bellatrix is Rising orb 00 mins 16 secs -
  The unlikely hero
On Nadir when Alpheratz is Setting orb 00 mins 48 secs -
  Bold action, haste

Saturn - The Law and Civic Order
Rising when Markab is Setting orb 00 mins 00 secs -
  Safety is sought in tradition, protocol or the upholding of the law
On Nadir when Zuben Eschamali is Setting orb 01 mins 54 secs -
  The needs of the nation outweigh the needs of the individual

So Tony Blair has a new job - envoy for the USA, Russia, the UN and the EU to the Middle East, so he'll be dealing with the Israel and Palestine issues. Astrology can show a person's relationship to location by mapping the birthchart onto the surface of the Earth. Since Blair will be based mainly in Jerusalem, here is a computer-done interpretation of his relationship, by birth, with that location. Following that is a computer-done interpretation of his current transits for that area of the Earth, showing how he currently relates to that place, in addition to his birthchart's permanent relationship with that place. The benefit of the computer-produced interpretation is that it's pre-written and generic, not tailored to who Tony is, what he's going there for, etc.

NATAL CHART - BLAIR IN JERUSALEM

* Ascendant Trine Saturn * (Orb: 0 Deg 14 Min)
You take on serious work in this area and you are able to successfully accomplish tasks. You are responsible and hard-working, and others treat you with respect. Unless other astrological factors indicate otherwise, you may be a bit too serious or lonely in this area.

*** Ascendant 3/16 Venus (Orb: 0 Deg 03 Min)
Romantic relationships are likely to be strong, but also require some adjustments and face some challenges. If you handle situations wisely, you can make a happy life, but you do need to make some changes to your life style and your way of relating to others.

* Ascendant Trine Neptune * (Orb: 0 Deg 41 Min)
You enjoy creative and imaginative times with others while in this area. You may act in uncharacteristically silly or childish ways - and enjoy it! A good place to spark your imagination and creativity.

* MC Square Mars * (Orb: 1 Deg 11 Min)
You are ambitious about career goals while in this area, and you feel an urgency to steer your life in a new direction, but the process requires some patience, and unfortunately you are likely to feel frustrated and perhaps even angry at times as you struggle to make changes in your life. Try to avoid hostility both at work and at home.

* MC Septile Mercury * (Orb: 0 Deg 19 Min)
This area is excellent for attending school, conducting research, or being involved in study of any kind. Mental concentration is good.

* MC Novile Venus * (Orb: 0 Deg 23 Min)
In this area you are likely to have a pleasant home life with kind, loving friends and family members. Your work environment is likely to be friendly and warm as well.

* Descendant Quadnovile Mars * (Orb: 0 Deg 53 Min)
You find yourself involved in caring and protecting for family and friends while in this area. You become an activist for children and families.

* Ascendant 1/16 Uranus (Orb: 0 Deg 12 Min)
Plans are not likely to turn out as expected while you are in this area. You will meet some very interesting and unusual people, but there is a tendency for relationships to change. People may move or other situations arise that change the original plan.

* Asc Conjunct Jupiter/Uranus * (Orb: 0 Deg 20 Min)
A great place for you to be! A feeling of optimism and expansiveness permeates your activities, and you encounter progressive people who know how to open doors, and they willingly help you and cooperate with you. You are likely to be successful here and to have some exciting and interesting times as well.

* MC Opposition Saturn/Uranus * (Orb: 0 Deg 49 Min)
There is a tendency to get into stressful situations at work, and this can negatively affect your domestic life as well. Struggles between conservative and liberal views can result in confusion and stagnation among your colleagues and co-workers. Finding the right balance between creativity and spontaneity on one hand and commitment, dedication, and meeting responsibilities on the other hand is a challenge you face in this geographic area.

Descendant Trine Pluto (Orb: 1 Deg 47 Min)
You do things with passion and conviction while in this area. Others may enlist you to participate in their zealous mission. Fortunately, these activities, in general, are likely to be of a positive nature.

MC Quintile Sun (Orb: 1 Deg 16 Min)
You are able to pursue your work with a more serious professional, more sophisticated approach than you can in many other areas.

Descendant Biquintile Sun (Orb: 1 Deg 12 Min)
Professional employment opportunities are strong in this area, and you are likely to succeed in your profession here.

MC 1/16 Moon (Orb: 0 Deg 39 Min)
If you live in this geographic area, you probably find that your colleagues are too old-fashioned in their approach, and you find yourself getting stuck in old habits. With some effort, you can get your life on a new foundation but it does require cleaning out the closets, effort, and the courage to let go of old habits.

Asc Conjunct Mercury/Pluto (Orb: 1 Deg 01 Min)
A good place for research and study. You attract people with strong views and you may get involved with people or groups that have a strong point of view on particular subjects.

MC Opposition Uranus/Neptune (Orb: 1 Deg 03 Min)
Your imagination and intuition are very strong here. You feel motivated to look at things in a new way. Your work and career are likely to take unusual twists and turns. You are extremely sensitive and may have mystical experiences, but you need to also try to maintain a healthy, positive life style so that there is stability, continuity, progress, and advancement in your life as well.

TRANSITS - BLAIR IN JERUSALEM - CIRCA 27TH JULY 2007

MC Conjunct Uranus/Neptune * (Orb: 0 Deg 01 Min)
Your imagination and intuition are very strong here. You feel motivated to look at things in a new way. Your work and career are likely to take unusual twists and turns. You are extremely sensitive and may have mystical experiences, but you need to also try to maintain a healthy, positive life style so that there is stability, continuity, progress, and advancement in your life as well.

* IC Conjunct Venus * (Orb: 1 Deg 45 Min)
A beautiful place for you to live! You can make a dream home here. If you are married, this is a great place to settle down. Romantic relationships tend to become deep and serious so if you want to avoid getting married, avoid this geographic area! Strong, loving friendships are also likely to develop here.

* IC SemiSquare Mercury * (Orb: 0 Deg 43 Min)
In this geographic area you are likely to find yourself involved in debates with others over many different topics. Difference of opinion with colleagues arise and must be resolved. It is possible for you to communicate clearly, and with skillful handling, problems can be resolved.

* Descendant Triseptile Mercury * (Orb: 0 Deg 38 Min)
Good mental concentration and focus, a good place to study or read. Communications tend to be serious.

* MC Binovile Mars * (Orb: 0 Deg 22 Min)
In this geographic area you are likely to be able to create or find a work environment that is pleasant and relatively stress-free, which is conducive to good productivity as well.

* MC 3/16 Pluto (Orb: 0 Deg 27 Min)
You are likely to become deeply entangled and enmeshed with others at your place of work, and complex interpersonal dynamics can make your situation a difficult one to improve or work out of.

* Asc Conjunct Mercury/Mars * (Orb: 0 Deg 59 Min)
You are mentally stimulated here, but also inclined to arguments and disagreements with others. A good place for studying, learning, and writing, but you must exhibit some patience and self-control to maintain harmonious relationships.

Ascendant Trine Neptune (Orb: 1 Deg 32 Min)
You enjoy creative and imaginative times with others while in this area. You may act in uncharacteristically silly or childish ways - and enjoy it! A good place to spark your imagination and creativity.

Ascendant SemiSquare Sun (Orb: 1 Deg 29 Min)
You get a lot of attention in this area, and you are able to achieve a good deal, but it also requires a great deal of effort as well, and you sometimes may feel like you are struggling too much.

IC SemiSextile Sun (Orb: 1 Deg 27 Min)
In this area there are good career and work opportunities, but some adjustment and flexibility is required of you because your work is likely to change in ways that you had not anticipated or hoped for.