Schapelle Corby
Schapelle Corby
Australian Schapelle Corby has attracted much media attention since being arrested in Bali in October 2004 for importing four kilos of marijuana in her unlocked boogey-board bag. She has always proclaimed her innocence and much of the general public believes her. Subsequent incidents at Sydney’s cargo terminal and the testimony of an Australian prisoner have indicated that she may have had the drugs planted in her luggage. Yet so far in her trial (now finished and awaiting the sentencing date at the end of May), the defence has been unable to conclusively prove her innocence. She has been subjected to unthinkable media harrassment on the way to and in court, generally having a pretty miserable time of it.
Corby's Arrest
Whether she is innocent or not may never be known. This author is not one to readily jump at the ‘it must be your karma’ line, yet her birth chart does reveal patterns that indicates a major karmic event in her life.
Corby was arrested on October 8, 2004 in Denpasar, Bali and her transits and progressions for that date are powerful. A most striking indicator is that it was her progressed lunar return which always takes place at the age of 27, just before the Saturn return between 28-30. There is much of a fated quality about the progressed lunar return, for instance the list of rock stars who have died at this age is endless. This is not to say that Corby would necessarily meet death at this age, it is simply the fated quality of this lunar cycle.
The Moon, amongst other things, represents the past and old unregenerated patterns; it is our unconscious and hence our shadow. The past represents all actions which have brought us to this present moment, hence is related to karmic seeds sown and karmic fruits harvested.
Corby’s Moon is at 8 Taurus 39’ and at the time of her arrest her progressed Moon was at 7 Taurus 51’, extremely close. As well, solar arc Pluto was closely opposing the Moon, contributing its subterfuge element. Taurus Moons are well known for their need of financial and material security, as well as a generally acquisitive nature. Was Schapelle tempted to make money by being a ‘drug mule’?
The progressed Moon return therefore, is going to trigger any karmic seeds that have ripened along the line of these Taurean themes. Hence from the karmic point of view, it does not matter whether she is ‘guilty’ of the Bali offence or not, karma may have played itself out from previous actions, whilst she has seemed an ‘innocent victim’ and ‘unjustly accused’.
Justice is ruled by Libra and as her Taurus Moon is placed in the Libran seventh house, some of this rubs off. Libra is also Corby’s rising sign and Saturn (exalted in Libra), is of course the Lord of Karma. At the time of Corby’s arrest, transiting Saturn in Cancer was making a close applying square to her Libra rising by 41’ of arc.
Libra is the scales of justice and the law; transiting Saturn squaring her ascendant has been relentless on this theme. Since her arrest, Saturn has been transiting back and forth over her Cancer Sun and midheaven – representing the authority of the Indonesian government. This latter aspect has also been responsible for her high public profile, backed up by her progressed Sun in Leo conjunct her progressed midheaven and natal Saturn. (Saturn is again prominent.)
Cancer the Crab symbolises imprisonment - with its hard shell and the rocks under which the Crab takes shelter – it emphasises the pains and penalties of wrong orientation – whether in this life or another; hence transiting Saturn in Cancer can drive this lesson home.
Corby also has Moon’s north node in Libra in the twelfth house of prisons and secret enemies. The Libra node was also being squared by transiting Saturn during Corby’s time in remand. Possibly more importantly, Corby’s Pluto is in Libra in the twelfth house, averring more to secret enemies and underhanded dealings – perhaps those who ‘brought her undone’.
Yet transiting Jupiter (also related to the law), on its second pass over Pluto in Libra, may have been the (slightly) benign influence which reflected the prosecution going for a life sentence instead of the death penalty. (Also, solar arc Jupiter sits on her Sun in Cancer in the ninth house of legal matters.) Transiting Jupiter makes its third and final hit over Pluto in mid July, two months after her sentencing at the end of May. This final hit could reflect a pardon or her being transferred to an Australian prison but is highly unlikely.
This negative outcome is reinforced because in mid-July transiting Saturn is in the last degree of Cancer conjoining Corby’s natal Mercury which rules her twelfth house of imprisonment and ninth house of legal matters. It seems unlikely that she would get any immediate breaks, especially as natal Mercury/transiting Saturn squares the rising sign and the progressed Moon is square to natal Saturn.
Another factor that may reflect the whole incident is progressed Mars in Gemini closely opposing Neptune, the latter associated with all kinds of substance use and abuse. Criss-crossing this opposition and creating a grand cross, is solar arc Saturn, progressed Mercury (ruling 12th) opposed by transiting Uranus. This is a fascinating pattern and comes into exactitude in March 2006, on and off until January 2007. It could signal some sort of freedom that is brought about through Uranian influences. Uranus is esoteric or soul ruler of Corby’s Libra rising.
Uranus
has played a prominent role already in the chart for the arrest on October
8, 2004 (about 2.30 pm) – it was conjunct the rising sign in Pisces
opposed by transiting Venus in Virgo, squaring natal Venus, dispositor
of her Taurus Moon and Libra Rising. The transiting midheaven in Sagittarius
completes a grand cross at the time of her arrest.
Phillip Lindsay © (May 2005)