The New Hampshire primary occurred on February 9 while the moon and Neptune were both in the sign of Pisces. Prior to the primary, I’d wondered how the emotional moon and mystical Neptune would play out in the Neptune-ruled psychic, empathic and malleable sign of Pisces.
Neptune and Pisces can bring gurus or scapegoats, mysticism or delusion, empathy or victimization. Because Neptune has no boundaries, the Neptune-ruled must develop critical thinking to create the needed boundaries in a world where the positive qualities of Neptune can be abused.
Would February 9 bring a scapegoat? I wondered back then.
Who were the candidates with Pisces energy? Democrat Hillary Clinton has moon in Pisces. Republican Jeb Bush has Mars in Pisces.
In politics as in life, one person’s inspiration is another’s greatest fear.
Who was the guru? Who was the scapegoat? Neptune is not Saturn, it has no clear answer.
In retrospect I see there was one strong Neptunian element from the Pisces moon candidate: guilt.
Women’s Guilt
As the primary drew closer, Hillary Clinton invited former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to speak at a rally.
It’s interesting that of all possible emotions and entreaties, guilt would be chosen to sway the voters. I’m not sure how men were expected to respond; it would be interesting to hear what they thought.
first and foremost, an emotion. You may think of guilt as a good way to get someone to do something for you out of a sense of obligation. Guilt is not a very good motivator. It’s more accurate to think of guilt as an internal state. In the overall scheme of emotions, guilt is in the general category of negative feeling states. It’s one of the “sad” emotions, which also include agony, grief, and loneliness, according to one comprehensive framework (Fischer, Shaver, & Carnochan, 1990).
Clinton learned the hard way that guilt is not a motivator. Albright did not succeed in helping her capture the female vote in New Hampshire.
According to Psych Central, guilt is also a destroyer of emotional energy:
Guilt. Rarely has one small word been so widely misunderstood. Guilt is frequently viewed as a virtue, as a high sense of responsibility and morality. The truth, however, is that guilt is the greatest destroyer of emotional energy. It leaves you feeling immobilized in the present by something that has already occurred.
There’s no way to know how Albright’s words influenced the female voter in New Hampshire. But clearly the entreat was an energy-draining moment for the Clinton campaign.
Pisces moon
Clinton’s strength and determination come from a strong fixed Scorpio sun square Mars/Pluto/Saturn in fixed Leo. Any person in any station in life with this aspect is a formidable force. The fixed squares create individuals with incredible drive who control and sustain the roles in which they are placed.
Clinton’s Pisces moon, in contrast, is much more open, flexible and emotional. Pisces moon is sensitive (as is Scorpio sun). Because of extreme sensitivity, Pisces can be escapist, from daydreams to substance abuse.
Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac. Back in the day, Pisces was considered the garbage can of the zodiac as well as the sign of self-undoing. Remaining in states of victimhood is one of the ways Pisces can self-undo (such as staying with an abusive partner). Pisces can find itself the scapegoat, which is a rough role of victimhood and one in which they can’t always extricate themselves.
The guilt that Albright promoted contains a bit of Saturn and a bit of Neptune. The obligation portion of guilt comes from Saturn – “you should” is Saturn’s keyword.
The emotional charge of guilt comes directly from Neptune. If Clinton loses all women lose and it’s your fault.
In the 1990s, Clinton explained her political difficulties coming from a “vast right-wing conspiracy.” While that may be true, the statement evokes self-pity that, again, returns a negative response from the public.
Even Clinton’s detractors would have to admit she’s survived a lot of political attacks and, until now, has survived. A weaker individual would have thrown in the towel long ago. How many of her competitors have survived as much as she has?
Clinton’s Mars/Pluto/Saturn conjunction is at-home in the world of politics. Yet Pisces moon is constantly victimized by it.
If this Pisces moon is elected president, how will the vast right-wing conspiracy react? Transiting Neptune will be moving over Clinton’s natal moon in spring 2021, about four years into the next administration. If Clinton is president at that time, Neptune will be part of that presidency.
For the last week, my cat and I have been arguing about presidential candidate Marco Rubio’s moon sign. Since we don’t know his time of birth, his moon could be in Cancer or Leo.
My cat thinks Cancer; I think Leo.
Leo moon, I argued, explained his preternatural ease with the political process and public speaking. Even his distractors concede he has political gifts. Leo is nothing if not self-confident.
My cat, affectionate and family-oriented, responded that Rubio talks all the time about his grandfather and family, a sure sign of moon in Cancer.
Geminis are good talkers, I responded. And if politicos love their families so much why would they seek the presidency, a sure-fire way to not see your family?
Maybe he has a Leo rising, she responded.
Smart astrological move, I thought. Leo rising would put a Cancer moon in the 12th, or hidden, house. Family life had to be hidden or concealed in some way, a feeling that can be evoked through immigration, legal or illegal.
While this move set me back, I argued that Cancer defense (we all have defenses) is to run inside its shell. Cancer shells are often home, family, food or drink. Running for president means leaving your shell behind.
Since our arguing led to a day of not speaking, I decided to consult the Internet to find the truth. Unfortunately, journalists don’t look for nuanced personality traits until it’s too late – after politicians are elected. Astrologers, thank heaven, are trying to figure it out in advance.
News stories focus a lot on Rubio’s finances, something we see astrologically as well with Venus, Mercury and Saturn in Taurus. It’s the Saturn portion that brings on the lack of material resources or perceived lack. Even when Saturn in Taurus has enough, they often seek more for a sense of security.
Ah, now I had an argument for my cat.
If Rubio’s moon was in Leo, I argued, we’d have a nice, albeit out-of-degree, T-square with Mars (in Aquarius), Venus/Mercury/Saturn (in Taurus) and moon (in Leo).
T-squares, as you know, create tension and drive. To seek something, we have need. The stronger the need, the more the striving. Running for president is some very intense striving, ergo very intense need.
My cat replied that Rubio doesn’t appear to be striving, that he looks so natural and loving and sincere.
Leo moon, I replied smugly. Leo moon.
New Hampshire
Since my cat can neither read nor write and is currently out of the room, I’ll speculate on Rubio in New Hampshire with a chart having moon in Leo.
Next Tuesday in New Hampshire, the primary voting booths will open with the sun in Aquarius and the moon in the early degrees of Pisces.
Pluto, Venus and Mercury will be closely conjunct in the sign of Capricorn. This conjunction forms a transiting grand trine to Rubio’s Venus/Mercury/Saturn in Taurus and Pluto in Virgo. Mars will be in Scorpio opposite Taurus.
The preponderance of earth signs (Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn) suggests practical results. The Mars aspect brings in money, specifically money owed. We see this frequently during political campaigns – the money aspects. There’s lots of spending and lending going on.
If Democrat candidate Bernie Sanders were reading the chart, he might start railing about how political donations corrupt our system. Rubio will probably gain some financial support next Tuesday but Mars will ask for returns.
When do we ever give money without expecting something in return?
Tuesday’s moon and Neptune conjunct in Pisces may bring some precipitation (with fog). This conjunction squares Rubio’s natal Jupiter/Neptune conjunction in Pisces as well as sun in Gemini (a T-square). Rubio may relish the fog of idealism. Sagittarius ideals and Pisces ideals can look the same until you understand that Pisces is truly about self-sacrifice.
Self-sacrifice may appeal to those of a spiritual/religious bent, but could you truly sacrifice everything, including the ego gains from sacrificing?
Pisces is often the scapegoat, the worst type of sacrifice to the shadow side of the masses.
With so many candidates, it’s difficult to imagine who would be the likely scapegoat on Tuesday. There’s very little Pisces in this presidential run. The two remaining candidates with the most Pisces are Democrat Hillary Clinton with moon in Pisces and Jeb Bush with Mercury in Pisces.
But I digress, which occurs often with Pisces and Neptune. Back to the Leo moon center of attention, Rubio.
Keeping the attention on himself may be difficult for Rubio as the moon and Neptune are like a wide, surging river pulling objects downstream. Running for president involves defining oneself as one would carve a statue from stone. Unfortunately, Gemini/Pisces/Sagittarius energy are mutable signs and flexible and truly enjoy the ever-changing experiences of life. It’s difficult for these mutable signs to resist some white-water rafting which is so much more fun than standing in a corner carving a statue.
If Rubio’s moon is truly in Leo, a fixed fire sign filled with energy, this will keep him upright in a tidal wave of conflicting attacks. In fact, he may be more energized by the attacks. Leo is the sign that knows attention is way different than luck. Luck comes in “good” and “bad.” Attention is attention. Kind of like money, I suppose. Money’s source never impedes upon money’s delight.
Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me.
Did you learn this adage as a child? While it may be technically true in a physical sense, words, if you ponder it a bit, cause a lot of hurt.
How many of your fights come from verbal interaction versus physical interaction? What if we were silent all day? How many fights would we have?
Do the math.
Words are a form of communication and are ruled by the planet Mercury. Mercury rules the signs of Gemini and Virgo. Gemini is viewed as the more pure manifestation of Mercury.
In today’s world of instant, ephemeral and often superficial communication, words paradoxically seem more permanent than ever. Once your words and images are in cyberspace, you can’t get them back.
The Republican front runner in today’s US presidential election is Gemini sun Donald Trump who seems a master of words and rhetoric. Gemini sun Marco Rubio isn’t doing badly for a first-run as he’s not a billionaire or sponsored by one.
On the Democrat side, Virgo sun Bernie Sanders is giving the purported unbeatable Hillary Clinton an early challenge.
Words change things.
Candidates Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton are hurting right now from the Mercury-inspired words of Trump, Rubio and Sanders.
Gemini/Virgo Presidents
Only two US presidents have been born with sun in Gemini – Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican George H. W. Bush. Total years in office for these two men was six as Kennedy was assassinated while in office and Bush served only one term.
As with Gemini, only two US presidents have been born with sun in Virgo – Republican William Howard Taft and Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson. Total years in office for these two men was a little over eight (Johnson assumed the presidency after Kennedy was assassinated).
Gemini and Virgo don’t have a strong history in the Oval Office.
Gemini and Virgo are mutable signs (as are Pisces and Sagittarius). Mutable signs are flexible, changeable and fluid.
There are three modes: cardinal, mutable and fixed. Cardinal signs are the initiators. Fixed signs are the maintainers and mutable signs are the changers.
By count, our nation prefers fixed signs (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius). Eighteen of our 44 presidents were born in a fixed sign. Aquarius and Scorpio are preferred in the fixed realm.
Fixed signs project consistency, focus and purpose. They are leaders because they can keep with the cause while others wander off, get bored or were never committed in the first place. Fixed signs are strong. A very common complaint during a presidential debate is that one’s foe has switched positions. In a sense, the presidential process demands the projection of a fixed nature whether you have one or not.
Or has that changed?
Have we finally moved from the Stone Age to the Digital Age in the US presidential elections? Are we now okay with our candidates ebbing and flowing in the waters of the public opinion? Don’t politicians serve the constituency and shouldn’t they change?
Or are we having mutable fun until marriage when we seek that stable, fixed partner?
The Cat’s Opinion
While pondering with my cat a turn of energy in presidential elections, she was very cutting in her opinion of humans.
“Your ideas of consistency are a delusion. Animals are much more consistent.”
When I expressed disagreement, I was assaulted with a list of my own inconsistencies: I don’t wake up at the same time each day (I explained weekends); sometimes I woke up at different times on those days called weekdays (sometimes I oversleep or take off work); I didn’t always brush her in the morning (sometimes I’m running late) and I almost never came home at the same time (does she think cat food grows in the cupboard?).
She then clarified that her own habits were entirely consistent: wake between 4 am – 5 am; eat, get a brushing, poop, go back to sleep, wake later, eat, play with toy mice then back to sleep for the evening. If there’s a full moon, run back and forth around the house prior to sleeping.
While starting to feel hurt, she explained that possibly the American public was being more honest by supporting mutable signs. Maybe we really don’t have solid, fixed opinions about the ever-changing world. Maybe we don’t know what to think right now.
Yes, I responded. Gemini sun Emerson did say that. But now I wasn’t sure what we were discussing. That’s what happens with words.
What about Saturn?
Just as my cat was convincing me that the American public was becoming more openly fluid in honoring and following the changing ideas of a Gemini leader, I stuck in the knife.
“What about Saturn?”
We all know that Saturn is currently transiting Sagittarius, the sign opposite of Gemini. Saturn is the great heavy that brought you time and gravity. When Saturn visits, you are asked to make good on your promises – or else.
Saturn “or elses” can be punishment related to loss of reputation up to physical constraints. If it’s really happening, it’s Saturn.
For Republican front-runner Trump, Saturn makes its full opposition to his sun in the second week of January 2017 – right around inauguration day (January 20, 2017). In the first week of that January, it will be conjunct his moon in Sagittarius. Transiting Saturn will first oppose his Uranus in Gemini at the end of November, several weeks after the election.
The time between election and inauguration is particularly difficult for Trump. Saturn is coming to get you!
It’s easy to say that Saturn will put the brakes on Trump. But will the brakes come from winning or losing? Winning the US presidency could truly be more difficult for Trump than losing. Winning means having a great weight on your shoulders (bones and responsibility are ruled by Saturn). Losing means an independent life saying whatever you want, more in line with his Gemini-Sagittarius freedom-seeking energy.
For Gemini Rubio, the transiting Saturn opposition (and conjunction to his Jupiter and Neptune) has already passed. Rubio has already walked the hot coals in bare feet. On inauguration day 2017, transiting Saturn will square his Pluto (in Virgo). In one way or another, Rubio will face off with some new, powerful forces.
Sanders, as a Virgo sun, experiences the Saturn transit of Sagittarius as a square. Jupiter is currently in Virgo which has given rise to five Virgo candidates (out of a total of 21 candidates). That transit will end in September as Jupiter enters Libra. The Virgo Political Tsunami may end at that time.
Saturn will square Sanders’ sun in mid February. That’s the time of the start of the primaries so we may see some setbacks here.
Sanders has the additional aspect of transiting Uranus (in Aries) conjunct his moon. Without knowing Sanders’ time of birth, we don’t know exactly when this will culminate in exact degree. Aries moon is the passionate and aggressive speech; Uranus has added to that. When Uranus passes, the energy is still there but must exist without the added dose of caffeine.
A Mutable Presidency?
While my cat thinks the American public is openly acknowledging its constantly evolving opinion in an ever-changing universe, I’m expecting Saturn to bring them back to the land of the concrete through Saturn’s old trick – fear. Saturn has things to protect like family, reputation, jobs, homes and cars.
“Maybe you don’t have enough mutable energy,” my feline said with purring accusation.
I was quite offended. This is a cat who still has a Pick Rick (Santorum) poster over her litter box from the 2012 election.
“Shall we take down the Santorum poster now that he is dust in the wind?” I asked.
“It’s not over till it’s over,” she replied then changed the subject. “It’s already six o’clock, where’s my dinner?”
Each sign of the zodiac has what’s called a key phrase. Four Seasons Astrologyhas a very nice listing of key phrases for both signs and planets. Here are the key phrases for the signs of the zodiac:
Aries: Key phrase: “I Am.” Adventurous, pioneering, courageous, competitive, direct, impatient, selfish. Ruled by the planet Mars.
Taurus: Key phrase: “I Have.” Sensual, earthy, loyal, materialistic, stable, stubborn, jealous, possessive. Ruled by the planet Venus.
Gemini: Key phrase: “I Think.” Mental, curious, nervous, communicative, chatty, distracted, social. Ruled by the planet Mercury.
Cancer: Key phrase: “I Feel.” Intuitive, sensitive, moody, domestic, emotional, nurturing, indirect, insecure. Ruled by the moon.
Leo: Key phrase: “I Will.” Dramatic, generous, enthusiastic, assertive, playful, vain, dignified, proud. Ruled by the sun.
Virgo: Key phrase: “I Analyze.” Logical, serious, modest, critical, clean, practical, discriminating, orderly. Ruled by the planet Mercury.
Libra: Key phrase: “I Balance.” Artistic, refined, charming, diplomatic, cooperative, fickle, idealistic. Ruled by the planet Venus.
Scorpio: Key phrase: “I Desire.” Intense, secretive, powerful, resourceful, magnetic, persistent, suspicious. Ruled by the planet Mars.
Sagittarius: Key phrase: “I Understand.” Honest, philosophical, independent, dogmatic, outgoing, blunt, optimistic. Ruled by the planet Jupiter.
Capricorn: Key phrase: “I Use.” Persevering, practical, disciplined, ambitious, conservative, patient, pessimistic. Ruled by the planet Saturn.
Aquarius: Key phrase: “I Know.” Idealistic, eccentric, unconventional, humanitarian, intellectual, tolerant, independent. Ruled by the planet Saturn.
Pisces: Key phrase: “I Believe.” Mystical, sensitive, submissive, compassionate, indecisive, self-sacrificing. Ruled by the planet Jupiter.
The key phrase for Capricorn sun and Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz is “I use.”
Ted Cruz Uses
Last week Cruz created a video short that included his wife and two daughters. According to this USA Today article, it was aired as an infomercial in the Iowa markets during the December 19 edition of Saturday Night Live.
In the infomercial, Cruz is reading Christmas stories to his children including “How Obamacare Stole Christmas,” “Rudolph the Underemployed Reindeer,” and “The Grinch Who Lost Her Emails.” These “Christmas stories” clearly reference Cruz’ political foes in the Democratic Party.
“Frosty the Speaker of the House,” who Cruz tells us in his infomercial, is “melting before Congress” is Paul Ryan, one of his Republican allies. Cruz sarcastically criticizes both friends and foes alike.
The last story that his daughters beg him to read is titled, “The Senator Who Saved Christmas” which pictures Cruz putting the star atop a tree.
My, oh, my. I thought candidate Donald Trump was the one whose head didn’t fit through the door.
Capricorn Cruz clearly “used” his daughters (and wife) for political gain although he drew the line at others “using” them.
Ted Cruz at Nixon.gov
While politicians have mentors, Ohio Astrology likes to find the spiritual political mentor during the election process. In the best of times, we like to think ourselves unique; in the worst of times, we like to find a kindred spirit. For Cruz, that kindred spirit is clearly Richard M. Nixon.
Where to begin?
Capricorn sun
The easiest comparison is that both Cruz and Nixon had sun in Capricorn. Capricorn is associated with discipline, caution and control. Discipline, caution and control don’t sound like much fun, but what individual, whether business person, athlete or artist, doesn’t need these traits to succeed?
Discipline, caution and control can also help one persevere into an unwelcoming crowd. Nixon was known for a brilliant mind but mean and narrow personality, yet he became president. His dogged persistence is to be admired.
Is this beginning to sound familiar?
Cruz and Nixon both demonstrate the shadow side of Capricorn which includes the excessive need for control, a meanness of spirit, a rousing of fear and paranoia (Nixon more than Cruz, but I’m expecting this to emerge in Cruz as the mud gets packed tighter and slung harder).
Success is the Capricorn throne and the crown is made of respect.
Nixon, we know, lost most, if not all, of his Capricorn gains to wade in the dark side of Capricorn – a sense of humiliation and failure from forced resignation of the presidency. Humiliation and failure are Capricorn’s deepest fears.
Moon in Aquarius/conjunct Uranus
Nixon had moon in Aquarius, which is ruled by Uranus. Uranus was also in Aquarius, but not technically conjunct. Cruz has moon in the more peaceful Libra but with Uranus conjunct. Both Aquarius and Libra are air signs which are associated with intellect. Both men possess powerful intellectual and debating skills.
This is a powerful and often a dangerous position. There is high emotional tension. Sometimes the affections are strangely and (possibly) tragically bestowed; there is an element of perversity and great determination, which may be directed wisely or unwisely, but very rarely follows any conventional or usual course. The interests are nearly always strange, and both mind and feelings differ from those of ordinary humanity, often giving rise to conditions with which it is exceedingly difficult for another to deal, because the native is deaf to reason and seems unable to help himself, there being a veritable paralysis of the judgment. Perhaps it is most perilous in Fire, and least so in Earth and Air, but I have known strange people with this aspect even in the latter element-they are, however, less excitable than those having it in Fire, their vagaries being more often intellectual. Things ordinary and common do not satisfy the nature at all, and the constant search for the marvelous may lead the native into all kinds of fantastic cults. Note particularly the strength of Mercury and Jupiter, for these planets may determine the measure and direction of the influence.
Both Nixon and Cruz are generally disliked as individuals but respected for their intellect. As Cruz himself said during the opening speech of one of the debates, “If you want someone to grab a beer with, I may not be that guy.” According to this Dallas Morning News Article:
Cruz is polarizing, and has been from the moment he emerged on the national stage. He’s alienated most Senate colleagues. That endears him to many conservative voters, even as others find him repellent.
The moon/Uranus (or moon in Aquarius) person is definitely independent in the Uranus sense but is also driven by moon compulsion. In the case of the conjunction, there was uneven or erratic emotional (moon) support from the early childhood, especially from the mother. This leads natives to seek independence from others’ emotional support. In other words, they develop an “I don’t need you” mentality. Rationality is a refuge against a world that is unreliable emotionally. Reason is always reliable because it appears to be the consistent and permanent.
While independence from emotional support from others can free one in many ways, the lack of emotional connection as president caused Nixon a bit of agony. I suspect it would be the same for Cruz.
Saturn in Taurus
Another aspect both Cruz and Nixon share is Saturn in Taurus. Often the natives with this placement feel a sense of physical want. Often they grew up poor and had to work and/or buy their own necessities. Even if they did not, there is a sense that others have more “stuff,” from cooking pots, to cars to careers.
With sun in Capricorn and Saturn in Taurus, there is the sense of the self-made man, a strong image in American life. I grew up poor and struggling while my peers had silver spoons in their mouths . . .
This sense of lack was very apparent in Nixon who created a secret “slush funds” to fund his campaign. Cruz probably has no need for such a fund as the non-secretive Super PAC seems to have replaced the secret slush funds.
Nixon, an intelligent man, fixed the sweating issue by allowing makeup in future television appears. He also later “used” television to his advantage.
Cruz was born with Pluto in Virgo (his at 29 degrees). Virgo is also ruled by Mercury. Like Nixon, Cruz is of a generation that is evolving how it communicates. Cruz, like all candidates, knows the power of television and today’s power of social media and satirical TV shows and news.
Could you imagine in 1960 candidates campaigning on comedy shows?
The Checkers Speech
Much of Nixon’s personality is revealed in his famous “Checkers Speech.” In this 1952 speech, as he was running for Vice President, Nixon responded to the claims that he created a political slush fund and used that money for personal use.
The speech is a glorious demonstration of Nixon’s Capricorn sense of working harder than others while being attacked by his enemies. He goes into great detail about his paltry wages (Saturn in Taurus) and his expenses.
While Nixon didn’t bring in his daughters as did Cruz, he certainly mentions them to evoke the pathos he is seeking. His wife does, toward the end of the speech, make an awkward appearance:
I should say this, that Pat [Nixon’s wife] doesn’t have a mink coat. But she does have a respectable Republican cloth coat, and I always tell her she would look good in anything.
And:
A man down in Texas heard Pat on the radio mention the fact that our two youngsters would like to have a dog, and, believe it or not, the day before we left on this campaign trip we got a message from Union Station in Baltimore, saying they had a package for us. We went down to get it. You know what it was?
It was a little cocker spaniel dog, in a crate that he had sent all the way from Texas, black and white, spotted, and our little girl Tricia, the six year old, named it Checkers.
Cruz Christmas Classics differs in one important way. While both Cruz’ and Nixon’s videos have a heady glow of self-righteousness, Nixon is definitely more self-pitying. Yet, both invoke the savior. For Cruz, it is himself. For Nixon, it is Eisenhower:
Why do I feel so deeply? Why do I feel that in spite of the smears, the misunderstanding, the necessity for a man to come up here and bare his soul? And I want to tell you why.
I love my country. And I think my country is in danger. And I think the only man that can save America at this time is the man that’s running for President, on my ticket, Dwight Eisenhower.
On the other hand, for Cruz to put his children in a mean-spirited video then cry foul when they are then used by the media has some of the Nixon self-pitying paranoia that made him so unappealing.
Why Nixon? Why Cruz?
If the unlikeable Nixon made it to the top of the mountain, could Cruz?
Nixon ran during the turbulent 1960s which released chaotic energy that created fear. Nixon promised law and order to ameliorate the fear.
From the Checkers speech:
You say, why do I think it [our country] is in danger? And I say look at the record. Seven years of the Truman-Acheson administration, and what’s happened? Six hundred million people lost to Communists.
And a war in Korea in which we have lost 117,000 American casualties, and I say that those in the State Department that made the mistakes which caused that war and which resulted in those losses should be kicked out of the State Department just as fast as we can get them out of there.
Communism is gone (like the wind) and Korea exists in its tenuous state. Times have ‘a changed and today our war is with the Middle East:
Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz called on the United States to acknowledge “the evil” of “radical Islamic terrorism” following a series of deadly attacks on civilians in Paris, telling reporters moments before a religious liberty rally here at Bob Jones University that “we are at war” with the Islamic State. At least 129 people were killed in the coordinated attacks at several cites around the French capital.
I’m now at that age where the political process is pure theater having seen the same promises made over and over again. Democrat Hillary Clinton promises to tax the richest of the rich. Why haven’t eight years of Obama accomplished that? Or eight years of Clinton the Male?
During the primaries, the candidates always but always develop a “tax plan” which is pure theater. The tax code never eases, never becomes more simple. And there’s always the candidate with the flat tax plan. It never happens.
The Republicans want to make America tough and strong “again.” Is not the power to blow up the world strength enough? We are strong and there is war. What’s the true origin of war?
One political selling point that never dies is fear. Studies have shown that “bad is stronger than good,” in that we are more affected by a negative event (such as losing money) rather than a positive event (such as winning money). In effect, we fear loss. Possibly we have this “negativity bias” because we are all facing the ultimate loss eventually – death.
Cruz isn’t the only candidate selling fear. But like Nixon, with whom he shares some important astrological markers, he may be the most effective.
The sun is in Sagittarius from the end of November through mid December, changing to Capricorn just before Christmas. In this country, we are very Sagittarius during the month of December – we eat, drink, sing, shop and spread cheer.
Or, at least, we used to.
This year our Sagittarius cocktail has not a slice of lemon, lime or olive. Instead it has a wooden sliver that may cut your finger as you pick up the glass.
You might have noticed.
Sagittarius
Let’s step back for a moment and talk about Sagittarius energy. Astrology.com has a nice article about Sagittarius traits. Here are the first two paragraphs:
Sagittarius, the ninth sign of the zodiac, is the home of the wanderers of the zodiac. It’s not a mindless ramble for these folks, either. Sagittarians are truth-seekers, and the best way for them to do this is to hit the road, talk to others and get some answers. Knowledge is key to these folks, since it fuels their broad-minded approach to life. The Sagittarian-born are keenly interested in philosophy and religion, and they find that these disciplines aid their internal quest. At the end of the day, what Sagittarius wants most is to know the meaning of life, and to accomplish this while feeling free and easy.
It’s the Archer that represents Sagittarians, although in this case it’s a Centaur (half man, half beast) that is flinging the arrows. Centaurs were the intellectuals of ancient Roman mythology, and Sagittarians are quick to consider themselves their modern-day counterparts. Those born under this sign are clear thinkers, and choose to look at the big picture most of the time. They also like it when others agree with their well-thought-out point of view. The alternative to this, for better or for worse, is a Sag who can become argumentative and blunt. That’s not to say that these folks are intransigent — Archers will listen to what others have to say, in keeping with the Mutable Quality assigned to them. Indeed, Sagittarians are enthusiastic consumers of information (and enthusiastic in general), the better to get the answers they need. It’s also a good idea to give Sags lots of room to explore their world. Once these folks start to feel hemmed in, they’ll become impatient and difficult.
Sagittarius is an archer, not a farmer or doctor or lawyer. Archer. Archers shoot arrows.
Late astrologer Linda Goodman had much more to say about the Sagittarius passion for causes and the ability to offend through directness than you’ll find in the online articles.
Saturn in Sagittarius
On Christmas Eve 2014, Saturn moved from the sign of Scorpio in to the sign of Sagittarius. As Saturn is far away, it went “retrograde” (appeared to move backward) soon after and in September of this year began forward again through Sagittarius.
Saturn is the slice of wood on the Sagittarius cocktail glass.
Sagittarius (ruled by Jupiter) is expansion and Saturn is contraction so you have an energy pattern of a rubber band being expanded and contracted all the while flying through the air hitting people in the eye.
Café Astrology has a nice write up of Saturn and Saturn-in-Sagittarius. Some excerpts from the article:
Saturn in Sagittarius is looking for practical applications of our personal philosophies. We may be firming up our belief systems, but should avoid rigid thinking. There can be a sense that our freedom is curtailed or limited in some manner until we realize that freedom is not about escaping responsibility – it’s what we can enjoy after tending to our responsibilities. Saturn in Sagittarius will test our moral sense. If we’ve become too moralistic, we may be challenged to walk the talk and practice what we preach.
Sagittarius is a very outspoken sign, but with Saturn here, we may take more time with, and before verbalizing, our ideas and opinions. There can be a lot of time taken on formulating and sharing ideas, as we tend to want to be totally correct. There is a big difference between asserting ourselves from a place of healthy confidence, and asserting ourselves brashly and blindly, which can give us a false sense of confidence or bravery. This Saturn transit discourages the latter as we work on the former.
Group responsibility for actions of one or more in that group (i.e., guilt by association)
The 2016 presidential race began as Saturn entered Sagittarius. It’s fascinating to an astrologer that the presidential nominee front-runner in the Republican Party Donald Trump has moon in Sagittarius. Another two Republican candidates also have moon in Sagittarius: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and business woman Carly Fiorina (In past blogs, I mistakenly thought Carson had moon in Sagittarius but was using the wrong birthday).
It’s no wonder the Republicans are getting all the attention right now! The moon is our reactive, emotional response. In Sagittarius, the desire to fight and defend principles is strong. Everyone is shouting and those in the energy pattern know they need to shout the loudest to be heard right now!
What’s even more fascinating is that Christie and Fiorina are both Virgo sun. Jupiter is currently transiting Virgo which is energy in square to Sagittarius (both are mutable). These two candidates are the embodiment of the energy we are currently experiencing.
Jupiter in Virgo combined with Saturn in Sagittarius creates the profound statements and critical responses we hear almost daily right now – not only in the election process but in our culture.
The three outer planets are Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. All changed signs in the three years of 2008-2011. That indicates a global shift of consciousness.
In 2008 when Pluto moved into Capricorn, we saw a global financial collapse. Folks across the globe were dealing with national and personal financial issues. By 2011 when Uranus entered Aries financial recovery was adequate for political uprising – possibly all that was revealed in the financial collapse shed light on the inner workings of global politics. About the same time, Neptune moved into Pisces creating the desire for more spiritual connection.
When Uranus entered Aries in 2011 for a seven-year journey, we saw the beginnings of the Arab Spring. Uranus is still in Aries and the revolution has spread. In the United States, it’s a cultural revolution, a cultural civil war.
Saturn takes about 2.5 years to transit a sign. Combined with the outer planet energies, the shouting over moral and cultural issues in the US will last through the presidential election and throughout the first year of the next president’s term. Saturn will not move into Capricorn until January 2018. At that time, there may be a sense of law and order prevailing. However, Saturn will hook up with Pluto in Capricorn a bit later which may also indicate law and order that is mandated by power (Pluto) which can be quite restrictive.
On the Democrat side, we have three candidates, none with Sagittarius sun or moon. Nominee Bernie Sanders, however, has moon in fire-sign Aries. Like Christie and Fiorina, Sanders also has sun in Virgo and is known for passion (which sounds like shouting). Let’s add Sanders to the list of those embodying the current energy pattern.
The moral of the story, is that to win the 2016 presidency, you must shout. Let’s see if a moon-in-Sagittarius nominee prevails on the Republican side.
Sagittarius, like any sign, may shout, but isn’t always shouting. Sagittarius is passionate about beliefs and often defends the underdog. Saturn in Sagittarius is a great time to put the rubber to the road with your beliefs. If you don’t like trash strewn about the neighborhood, are you willing to go out and pick it up?
Saturn in Sagittarius combined with Uranus in Aries also creates violence to defend and support beliefs. This is another challenge of this aspect. Has killing others ever truly changed a belief? Why do we get so angry when others don’t agree with us?
Hopefully when Saturn is finished disciplining and organizing Sagittarius energy, we’ll follow passion that promotes wellness for all rather than passion that promotes and defends fears and insecurities.
Fear and insecurity – that’s Saturn too. How much of our belief system is tied to fear and insecurity?
If you’re romantically involved with an astrologer, the best way to keep the flame burning is to add to all your stories a date and time. For example, on your first date your astrologer will ask what appears to be an innocent question:
“So when is your birthday?”
You normally would answer something like, “August.”
But if you respond, “August 17, 1995 at 2 pm in Philadelphia,” your date will be excited like a child on Christmas morning. Of course, he/she will also rush off to the bathroom with cell phone in hand to cast your horoscope.
If you don’t get a call for a second date, you know you have a cursed chart. But if you do get a second date, you know the match is made in heaven (or, at least, the sky).
If you’re already married to an astrologer, always add astrological detail to your stories to show your love. For example, if you are talking about a fight with your boss at work, you may be tempted to say:
“We fought over a deadline. He is so inflexible and won’t lift a finger to help.”
Instead, to keep your astrologer spouse interested, say:
“My double Virgo boss (which lets your spouse know that he is a demanding perfectionist) won’t let me extend the deadline (because then you won’t be perfect and get a gold star from authority) and won’t lift a finger to help (your spouse will know it’s because he’s involved in some obsessive-compulsive activity or is afraid to get dirty).”
Or you could just say, “My boss has a lot of Virgo energy” and your spouse will be on your side.
Mickey Mouse
While channel surfing through the Decades channel, which covers daily This Day in History, I learned that Mickey Mouse was born/launched on November 18, 1928.
I’m an astrologer; I got excited.
Exact date in hand, I ran to the ephemeris (book of planet locations) to take a glance at Mickey’s chart. On this date, the sun was in Scorpio, the moon in Capricorn or Aquarius.
Scorpio is charismatic, like Mickey. Moon in Capricorn or Aquarius seemed, however, a bit remote and suspicious and untrusting of others. Was that Mickey?
As I pondered it, I realized that I don’t know the true personality of Mickey Mouse. As I searched for traits to describe Mickey, I could come up with none.
As any researcher would do, I consulted a panel of experts (i.e., Facebook n=104) and asked for adjectives to describe Mickey Mouse. The response was 0 percent.
I then consulted a family member who visits Disney World regularly and asked for five adjectives to describe Mickey Mouse. She produced two then stalled: cute and funny.
Does Mickey Mouse have a personality? If he doesn’t, why does a nation adore him?
Mickey’s Three Personalities
Searching for Mickey’s chart online, I found three different “times of birth.” The first two dates appear to correspond to shorts being released. The third date, November 18, is when Steamboat Willie was officially released and seems the more official date of Mickey’s coming out:
Not a fan of Mickey Mouse myself, I learned more about his personality though the article Siri, Mickey Mouse and Apple’s cult of personality, Mickey’s original manifestation was rougher with emphasis on physical gags:
… In his initial incarnation, Mickey thought nothing of abusing a few animals and taking revenge on his enemies.
As time moved on, Mickey’s rough edges were softened, along with his nose and ears, but what remained was his can-do attitude, a pervasive sense of optimism that hard work would win out in the end. This resonated with depression-era audiences looking for an escape and also for hope that things would get better if they worked hard enough.
It wasn’t always this way. In earlier shorts produced by Walt’s studio Mickey was a main character, but he was also simply a tool to be used for a laugh. There was very little sense of self-awareness or consistency on display and many of his appearances were just strings of physical gag humor.
Walt continued to refine the character in his famous story sessions, where he would act out the parts of all of the cartoon’s cast to his animators and help to define what those characters would or wouldn’t do according to their nature. As attention was paid to Mickey, he grew to be more of a wholesome front man for everything Disney, and in doing so lost some of his mischievous spark.
Now we have an adjective to describe Mickey – wholesome.
What is Mickey Mouse’s True Personality?
Mickey’s true personality may be transpersonal, as he represents so much to a nation but contains so little as an individual. Astrologically, there is one interesting change between the May, September and November charts. The outer planet Neptune moved from Leo to Virgo and was in one degree of Virgo on November 18, 1928.
Neptune’s sign position indicates the kind of cultural expression manifested by the imaginative and creative faculties of mankind in a given 13-year period. The generation that has Neptune in a given sign shares a common spiritual destiny. The intuitive and creative faculties of such a generation will take on the qualities of whichever sign Neptune occupies.
Neptune rules image, film and fantasy. Your truly Neptunian soul is often living in a world other than this one and Neptune at its worst is lost in fantasy. Neptune is ethereal, inspiring and difficult to explain to others. Neptune is intuition. Neptune is fog that dissolves boundaries.
Neptune in Leo would spiritualize Leo qualities.
Leo is a fire sign associated with romance and self-expression. Leo is the leader and actor, with loads of charisma, who is often the center of attention. Leo, like all fire signs, seeks the spirit and is filled with energy. Leo seeks the spotlight for the self.
Sound like Mickey?
Maybe this sounds like Mickey to some. But the movement from Leo to Virgo early in Mickey’s development seems to describe the quick evolution of an edgy Mickey to a “cute and funny and wholesome” Mickey with few discerning characteristics.
Virgo is the sign of health, work and service. Back in my early days learning astrology, Virgo was often represented by the servant. Those with strong egos and desire for attention (i.e., Leo) do not make good servants. Servitude requires a weaker or, at least, a more flexible ego. Virgo in its desire for perfection represents a type of purity.
Neptune idealizes the sign in which it is placed. In idealizing Virgo, Neptune is idealizing the opposite of its nature – perfection and purity. Neptune is a watercolor painting while Virgo is a coloring book. Virgo categories and organizes while Neptune dissolves.
Mickey is the manifestation of Neptune in Virgo with an idealization of perfection, a state that does not exist because perfection is different for each person. While Mickey might have been born with a host of characteristics, Neptune in Virgo cast a veil over that personality and presented us with purity. Neptune is sacrifice and the imaginary Mickey clearly had no problem sacrificing his intense Scorpio traits for the spiritual essence of Virgo. Mickey is the servant or “wholesome front man” for all that is Disney.
Mickey does have a personality, a single-trait personality of purity that allows us to find our own personal perfection through his image. This is what makes Disney “the happiest place on earth.”
From Thanksgiving to just before Christmas, the sun is in Sagittarius, a sign associated with expansion. In the US, we spend lots of money and eat lots of treats during Sagittarius then retreat into winter solace and resolutions during most of Capricorn.
This year’s Sagittarius energy has the added input from Saturn which is transiting Sagittarius. This holiday may seem lest festive due to Saturn inserting harsh realities into a time when images of optimism and abundance are normally prevalent.
Last year I pondered deeply, very deeply, about Santa’s sign of the zodiac, and this year I gave more consideration to Mrs. Claus and the elves.
Santa, to me, is a Sagittarius as I wrote about at length here.
Sagittarius is the mutable fire sign.
The elves I believe are pure Virgo as Virgo is the sign of work. Santa’s elves are helpers, content to work in the cold North Pole (don’t call it a sweat shop – no one is sweating) while Santa gets all the credit due to his exuberant jolly nature, corpulent physique and bright red outfit.
Traditional images of Santa’s realm lead me to believe that his elves are male – something I need to continue pondering. If there are no female elves, then where do little elves come from? That too is a bit Virgo in that sexuality isn’t present – elves are simple…
Wondering if fame existed before television and film, I happened upon the book The Frenzy of Renown written by Leo Braudy. Leo, now that’s the sign associated with fame through self-expression. What a coincidence!
Was author Braudy a Leo sun? Research proved him a Gemini sun which explains the 618 pages of erudition on a subject others barely bother to study. Few books are written on fame although after Braudy’s work you probably don’t need another.
Braudy was born as Pluto entered Leo (2 degrees) heralding in the “Me Generation.” Braudy’s moon in Capricorn probably didn’t get Leo-like attention during a generation spreading its self-expressive Leo wings. I wonder if his own generation didn’t seem odd to him thereby bringing on his desire to understand this energy called “fame.”
The Fame Trajectory
According to Braudy, fame not only existed before television, it existed as far back as Alexander the Great (4th century BC). Fame, the relationship of individual to society, has merely evolved through time based on the cultures in which it resides.
Alexander, for example, tried to exceed the deeds of the gods. The Romans favored personal fame (of the idolatry sort) but evolved it into societal fame (fame representing the city or society). Christians moved fame into a personal, spiritual quality. The 18th century and beginning of the end of many monarchies made fame available to the other classes of men like artists and writers (but fame must be earned). No longer did one need to be an aristocrat or of a religious order to earn fame. Later the rise of democracy brought the possibility of fame to all.
(I should note here that this work is truly thorough and I can’t do it justice here).
Rethinking my original question, I can see that television and media have followed the same trajectory as fame itself as described by Braudy. Television began with a few gods (beginning as usual with male) like Ed Sullivan, Walter Cronkite, Johnny Carson, the Beatles, etc.
Like society’s evolution, television and film left the hands of a few male gods and aristocrats, spanned into more segments of society until just half a century later it is fully democratic. Today one doesn’t need to be produced by the gods of Hollywood. One can get a camera, make a film and post it on YouTube. The development of hand-held devices and social media allow us express visually and continually.
In the article If You’re not Paranoid, You’re Crazy the author discovers that all the information he has provided to social media is now responding back to him with information and guidance based on his every action. Our author, like many, is also realizing that those we haven’t willingly shared our information with are also in the know on our every behavior. It’s making him a little nervous.
Way back in the 1980s after Leo sun Madonna became hyper famous (capital F) I saw the media hound her while jogging and she didn’t like it much. I wondered why individuals spend so much effort to be famous only to dislike it when in full flower. (Yet, according to this article, she now misses the constant attention).
Braudy’s book also helps explain this phenomenon of seeking then avoiding attention as the difference between Roman public fame and Christian private fame. This paradox is a pattern throughout the history of fame. In today’s democratic fame, many now experience this conflict as the need to share extensive personal information on social media then the fear of overexposure that results.
We’re all Madonna. We’re all famous. And we are learning our lessons on fame.
Astrological Fame
While certain signs, like Leo, are more associated with fame than other signs, we can level fame (and any other quality) and see how each sign likes its fame (when they choose it) based on the qualities of the sun.
The sun is the conscious self, how we want to be seen. The sun is the “I” in “I am.”
The fire signs seek fame through personal self-expression, leadership and motivation of others. Aries prefers the fame of maverick action; Leo seeks fame through self-expression that doesn’t need justification; Sagittarius seeks fame through sharing wisdom as the philosopher or social activist.
The earth signs seek fame through work, assets and career. Taurus seeks fame through capital accumulation and personal property; Virgo seeks fame through work and efforts to help those in need; Capricorn seeks the fame of authority in society.
The air signs seek fame through communication, writing and social relationships. Gemini seeks fame as the journalist; Libra seeks fame as the mediator and builder of partnerships; Aquarius seeks fame through creating the ideal social plan.
The water signs may be less inclined to seek fame (capital F) due to great sensitivity which can lead to the need for privacy. In Braudy terms, they may seek a more spiritual fame. Cancer seeks fame in family and community settings by making sure all have what they need; Scorpio seeks fame for uncovering what others can’t find; Pisces seeks fame of the most spiritual sort often sacrificing in the name of others.
Dealing with Fame
Today we seem to have personal fame whether we desire it or not. Enter the social media environment and you’ve “opted out” of the ability to lead a totally private life.
And if you’ve opted out of social media, you will still be asked to fill out a great number of online forms that provide information to others on your health statistics, work history and marketing preferences.
Fame is no longer a choice.
Your sun may give you hints on how to deal with your fame, sought or unsought. And if you can turn off the fame button, will you be like Madonna and try to flick it back on? Are we all now caught in the paradox of fame?
My cat asked if we should buy some popcorn for tomorrow’s Democratic Presidential Debate. I replied that I’d have to check first to see if we could watch it for free since we don’t pay for television.
“We can’t watch the debates for free?”
While my feline’s learning is deep, her memory is shallow.
“Remember that we couldn’t watch the Fox News debates live or travel to Cleveland to see them because it was a private event? Today one must pay money to participate in the political process.”
She remembered.
She remembered too, after I reminded her, that her favorite, Rick Santorum, was relegated to the early debates in Cleveland that occurred while working class Americans were traveling home from work.
“I’ve given up on Santorum,” she replied, curtly.
“Money, once again, makes a difference,” I reminded her. “Santorum has none.”
It was an evening of remembrances.
“I’ve moved on,” she stated. “I support Marco Rubio.”
At least this time she’s picked someone closer to her age.
The Democratic Debate
Tuesday’s debate occurs with sun and Mercury in air sign Libra. Air sign (Libra, Aquarius, Gemini) equals “debate” so the conversation should be interesting.
If you are familiar with Libra debating techniques, you can also expect the debate to continue infinitely with no resolution. While Libra likes to debate and weigh all the info (and weigh and weigh), it very much dislikes the light at the end of the information gathering – Decision. Libras avoid making decisions like cats avoid water.
While the sun is in diplomatic, poetic Libra, the moon will have just moved into intense, emotional Scorpio, the sign in which we do actual voting here in the US. I expect this debate to be the best of what a debate can be – pleasant overtones with subtle, under-the-belt hits with a steel bar.
I can’t wait.
With an additional three planets in Virgo (Venus, Mars, Jupiter), there will also be the usual “you said this . . .” kind of stuff.
Transiting Neptune (in Pisces) opposes the Virgo planets so expect more fog – all kinds of fog.
Transiting Uranus (in Aries) and transiting Pluto (in Capricorn) are still locked in a T-square duel that creates earthquakes, uprisings and conflict.
Let’s take a look at how the energies of Tuesday will affect the candidates.
The Candidates
Lincoln Chafee – The major aspects involve the sun and moon. The other transiting planets are in early degrees of signs while Chafee’s chart skews toward the higher degrees. While the average person may find relief from hard aspects, if you’re seeking attention on the national stage, you might want some aspects as the friction that starts the fire.
The sun will be conjunct natal Neptune and Saturn in Libra. When the spotlight does shine on Chafee, we may view a type of artistic melancholy rather than spark of fire, although Chafee has sun in fire-sign Aries.
The moon in Scorpio will oppose natal Venus and Mars in Taurus. While Chafee has lots of fire in his chart (sun in Aries, moon/Pluto in Leo), it’s the more gentle aspects of his aggressive personality that will be brought out and trampled upon.
Venus and Mars in Taurus enjoy physical pleasure. Money, assets and wealth may be a target on Chafee’s chest. While he’d like to talk about how he’s going to take the United States into a progressive and exciting future, we may instead hear someone ask how he afforded that big house.
Two transiting aspects that provided energy to Chafee have passed – Uranus in Aries (in the degree of his sun) and Jupiter in Leo. Chafee is a calmer person now, which is nice for personal life but not necessarily helpful in public life.
Hillary Clinton – Our Scorpio-sun candidate will have Scorpio moon visiting. When the moon visits, events become unpredictable and your regular guy-next-door may turn into a vampire.
Without going into all the aspects on this high-profile candidate, I think we can simply discuss Scorpio energy. Scorpio is one of the fixed signs; fixed means it’s strong and focused. In the element of water, it represents fixed emotion. A baby smiles, then cries, then laughs then throws a rattle at you. That’s not Scorpio (that’s mutable). The Hatfields and McCoys holding battle for generation after generation is Scorpio. Obsession is Scorpio. Love that doesn’t waver is Scorpio. Emotional honesty is Scorpio.
Because of Scorpio’s fixed emotional nature, it’s very intense in projection and generates equally intense responses. Scorpios love or hate and are often loved or hated in return. If you’re a Scorpio that’s being ignored (ala Republican ex-candidate Scott Walker), then you’re not fully emanating your emotions.
Clinton receives the love and hate of textbook Scorpios. Natal Mars/Pluto/Saturn conjunct in Leo square this energy adds to the intensity to get what one wants. Being square, Leo is also a fixed sign. Mars/Pluto/Saturn in combination is very heavy, both for the holder and receivers. Mars is assertiveness/aggression; Pluto power and transformation; Saturn discipline and control.
That’s intense. Tomorrow will be intense. Every day for Clinton is intense.
Martin O’Malley – This is another serious soul with sun in Capricorn and moon in Scorpio. Additionally he is of the Uranus/Pluto in Virgo generation which is serious about work, health and the environment.
Tomorrow’s sun in Libra is square his ambitious sun in Capricorn. O’Malley will be challenged to show diplomacy in relation to authority. Libra energy demands that bad news be wrapped in silk covering. Capricorn prefers “do it because I said so.”
Natal Neptune is conjunct the moon providing oodles of charisma and much of the sexual kind. This should bode well for the image-making media of television. Would he dare wear Scorpio black to accent his nature?
Natal Saturn in Aquarius indicates a certain lack of connectedness with the crowd. O’Malley may come off more as old-fashioned or traditional when the audience may want progressive and forward-thinking. His Mercury is in Aquarius so he may be able to pull off progressive talk; but square his moon there may be rational, forward-looking ideas followed by talk that implies fear of the future.
Transiting Saturn in Sagittarius is still far from O’Malley’s natal Venus in Sagittarius. Later, this may cause him problems and suggest focus on the love life. Skeletons in the closet of love have brought down many a candidate. This Saturn transit squares natal Uranus/Pluto so O’Malley will be challenged (in a big way) where his actions don’t meet his words.
Transiting Neptune is near O’Malley’s Jupiter in Pisces. This is another indicate of charisma. A natural charisma may make up for whatever faux pas occur tomorrow for O’Malley. But there’s still trouble on the way with Saturn.
Bernie Sanders – With transiting Uranus (in Aries) moving over natal moon and Mars, expect aggression and lots of it.
Sanders’ aggressive moon is in conflict with his Virgo sun which has a weaker ego structure. But I can guarantee this man relentlessly picks (and picks) at those around him. He’s a natural born athlete and critic; sportscaster is the first profession that comes to mind as a backup career plan for Sanders.
Tomorrow’s moon in emotional Scorpio may be a cloud overhead for Sanders that he completely ignores. His Aries energy is in opposition to tomorrow’s Libra sun. Sanders may rant but be completely out of step with the energies around him.
I’m imagining Sanders getting mean and nasty and then saying sorry (natal Venus in Libra opposite moon /Mars). He may want to keep Donald Trump’s techniques in mind. If you’re mean, just go with it. Don’t apologize; say something even meaner when responding. But don’t be mean then apologize – that will show the Virgo/Aries conflict.
Transiting Saturn is currently opposed to Sanders’ natal Uranus in Gemini (and technically opposing natal Saturn but out of sign). The Saturn opposition to natal Saturn is a life milestone. It’s a time of challenging authority, for the second time for Sanders. About 29 years ago Sanders may have done something equal in energy to running for president.
Jim Webb – This candidate is definitely different from the others with Mercury, sun and Venus in Aquarius and moon in Taurus (but potentially Aries).
If moon is in Taurus, he will appear much calmer than the other candidates. He may be too calm and appear rigid. Aquarius is the fixed air sign and Taurus the fixed earth sign. That’s a strong combination but unexpressive emotionally.
Aquarius knows what it thinks and has developed its ideas through careful consideration. Aquarius is the genius and humanitarian of the zodiac so he should have some interesting concepts to present.
Natal Mars and Saturn are conjunct in Cancer with transiting Pluto in Capricorn opposing. Webb’s home life is usually difficult at best and now going through changes and transformations. Aquarius likes its freedom so leaving home for long periods of time may suit Webb well.
Sun in Libra tomorrow works well with the Aquarius energy. He’ll connect to the vibes around him. He may have trouble when moon in Scorpio starts getting nasty. Unless his moon is in Aries, he’ll probably shy away from calling his opponents ugly (like a certain Republican candidate).
Webb seems to be a scholar more than politician with so much air. In addition to Aquarius, he has Neptune and Jupiter in Libra and Uranus in Gemini. We may have, at last, a rational debater.
Is it possible we could have a debate where an idea is discussed civilly, intelligently and long enough so that we know how the candidate thinks?
With five candidates (unlike the Republican 10 or 11), it is certainly possible.
In the late 1980s, one of my college professors shared this story while showing us a famous building during a geography class. It’s been many years so I’ll paraphrase:
During the holidays we visited friends who showed us their vacation pictures. We saw the wife, Rose, in every single shot. Rose in front of the palace; Rose in front of the museum; Rose in front of the skyscraper. I suggested that next time my friend take a picture of Rose behind the building.
Searching for this professor, I discovered he passed away. I wonder what he would have thought of today’s proliferation of “selfies.”
Maybe if someone had sent this professor a selfie he would have requested a selfie behind the building. Or maybe he would request an “otherie.”
Uranus is the planet of inspiration, sudden shifts and enlightenment entered the sign of Aries in March 2011. Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, a fire sign and is often quoted as saying, “Me first.” Aries represents the self (as in “selfie”).
According to this Wikipedia site, the term “selfie” became a common buzzword in 2012. Like many other thoughts, ideas and inventions, it didn’t arise one particular day but gained momentum over time until suddenly (Uranus) everyone was saying it.
(As an aside, the visual aspect of the selfie probably arises from Neptune moving into Pisces in early 2012; Neptune rules film and image.)
Marketing has also evolved to respond to a “selfie” culture. Many marketing programs today have the description “My” as in MyPanera Rewards or My Verizon.
My, my, my, have times changed.
Uranus in Aries
In early 2011 almost as soon as Uranus entered Aries, several Middle Eastern countries rebelled (another Uranus term) against their governments. This was called the Arab Spring.
Aries is ruled by Mars, the god of war. Aries is a fighter, competitive and forceful. Aries fights for self-determination and individuality. Aries is “me” not “we” so uprisings reflect the fire energy of Aries, but not necessarily the desire to equal the playing field. Aries didn’t write Utopia, a Pisces did.
Where the populace sees no need to overthrow the government, Uranus in Aries appears to be the increased expression the personal self. The selfie appears part of that as well as marketing tailored specifically to my person and my habits.
A dark side of Uranus in Aries is a rise in personal violence, “My Personal Vendetta” or “My Personal School Shooting” in the US. Individuals initiating random violence is a great low of this energy. Of course, individual violence is not new; what’s new is the seeking of attention through this means.
With energies, I always like to think about what we don’t see in the news. Uranus in Aries in your individual life might simply be standing up to authority, saying no for the first time in your life or simply refusing to participate in situations that compromise your self worth. If you get the urge to slap people around at the same time, hopefully you go to the gym instead to work off the warrior energy.
Uranus in Aries like all energies has a specific characteristic which can be manifested in a number of positive and negative ways.
Uranus in Taurus
Like all energies, Uranus in Aries will pass. In mid 2018, Uranus will move into Taurus. Taurus is the fixed earth sign. Where Aries is concerned with self, Taurus is concerned with material reality.
Possibly Uranus in Taurus will bring up the property rights of all the Uranus in Aries creations of self-expression that occurred on social media.
Uranus in Taurus will also bring sudden changes to the physical and financial landscape. While it’s a bit early for astrologers to send in their Uranus-in-Taurus predictions, in a couple years you’ll probably be reading astrology blogs about financial crashes and physical earthquakes.
Keep in mind that Taurus always follows Aries – this can nullify the effects of dire astrological predictions. In childhood development, we know a baby is not aware of others. At a certain age the baby then becomes aware of others in the environment as separate entities. That is Taurus.
Aries is the uprising and forming of a new country. Taurus is the marking of the boundaries of the country, creating an economy and defending the borders. Aries breaks through the eggshell and Taurus must look to survive in the very real environment of friends and foes.
Taurus naturally follows Aries so the environment will exert itself. People will see the difference between your corporeal reality and the picture you posted on social media. Your real self may need to meet your branded image (i.e., your resume needs to match your skills). You’re informed now so that you have two and a half years to sync them up (which is also the Saturn in Sagittarius cycle which requests that you sync your beliefs with your actions).
Ohio Astrology 