The American Dream and Other Delusions: Deeper Reflections on the Saturn-Neptune Conjunction 2024-2027

Occupy Wall Street, October 6, 2011, by David Shankbone, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In this essay, I analyze the Saturn-Neptune conjunction within the context of critical historical alignments and planetary crossings of the Aries Point as well as notable symbolic features of the cycle in western history. I also consider this alignment within the complexity of US imperialism and the current state of the US domestic crises. I discuss the US involvement in the genocide in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, hypercaptialism, cultural narcissism, and reflect on the symbolic meaning of the 2024 election heading into the exactitude of Saturn-Neptune near the US Sibly Imum Coeli (IC). I interpret this cycle as a critical moment of national disillusionment, awakening, examination, and reimagining of the American mythos prompted by challenging domestic issues and international crises.

I have a downloadable PDF version of this essay here.

Introduction

Saturn and Neptune are getting close to their rare conjunction on a significant degree of the tropical zodiac known as the Aries Point (AP). The AP is technically the spring equinox where the Sun's arrival every year in the northern hemisphere initiates the start of spring. Saturn and Neptune will make their exact alignment in February 2026, but they will come very close in 2025. Their conjunctions occur roughly every 35 years, but the occurrence on the AP is a rare astrological event that symbolically reflects an important collective transition and turning point, especially for the United States (US) due to the Saturn-Neptune alignment's contacts to angles and planetary positions in the U.S. Sibly horoscope.

As I focused on in my previous essay on this topic, astrologer and historian Richard Tarnas described the Saturn-Neptune cycle as similar to that of the Saturn-Pluto cycle (that we have recently emerged from due to its conjunction that peaked in early 2020). According to Tarnas, there is often a similar "darkening of the collective consciousness" and “an unmistakable Saturnian atmosphere” during peaks of this cycle (most notably during the conjunctions, squares, and oppositions).[1] However, it is infused with the symbolism of Neptune rather than Pluto. My previous essay linked above explores the Saturn and Neptune archetypes in more depth. As Tarnas argued, disillusioning, disenchanting, and sometimes tragic historical events cluster around these periods in addition to moments in which issues around spiritual faith and morality are deeply examined.[2]  

In contrast to Tarnas, mundane astrologer André Barbault (1921-2019) argued that the Saturn-Neptune cycle correlated with political insurrections related to communistic and socialist movements in the 19th and 20th centuries (and populist uprisings more broadly). In my research, Tarnas and Barbault tracked differing but relevant themes related to the Saturn-Neptune cycle. Barbault also made a prediction for the 2026 Saturn-Neptune conjunction that I will unpack at the end of this essay.

From my previous analysis of this cycle and Tarnas' research on the Saturn-Neptune cycle, it appears we are heading into a challenging collective period, at least throughout the duration of this cycle's peak into 2027. However, I want to discuss what is known as the "Cyclic Index" as it relates to periods of global stability and instability.

The Cyclic Index

The Cyclic Index was developed and expanded upon by French astrologers in the mid-twentieth century following the failure of European astrologers to foresee and predict the outbreak of World War I. In the mid-1940s, French astrologer Henri-Joseph Gouchon (1898-1978) developed a method for determining periods of international crisis. He did this by taking pairs of the five outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto) and measuring the total sum of their angular separations for each year starting from the spring equinox (in the northern hemisphere). He plotted this data on a graph to track decades of time. Low points on the graph seem to correlate with periods of international crisis usually due to the outbreak of war, disease, or economic recession

Astrologer Charles Harvey (1940-2000) argued that what Gouchon discovered was a means of astrologically measuring Plato’s Great Year. Harvey’s articulation of this view is a good description of what the graph appears to reveal. According to Harvey,

“Here was a direct means of assessing how close the planets are at any given time to their primordial conjunction, or minimum of elongation, a time….which Plato related to confusion, chaos, death, and dissolution; or by contrast to what extent the planets are moving away from conjunction, initiating a period of optimism, growth and reconstruction.”[3]

According to Harvey, the clustering of the outer planets at low points in the Cyclic Index reveal challenging and entropic collective periods while the higher points, alongside a dissipation of those alignments, show more positive and constructive periods. This observation does track alongside the Cyclic Index, though I would connect its relation to Plato’s Great Year as more synchronistic rather than literal. Plato did not specifically give details of how The Great Year technically operated and there have been several speculations about what it referred to. However, the general idea that Plato asserts in Timaeus was that “time really is the wanderings of these bodies.”[4] According to Plato, the flow of time and history was deeply linked to the movements of the planetary bodies.

The alignments of the outer planets in the zodiac during these low points in the Cyclic Index and thus their relation to tumultuous historical periods touches on a main feature of the Platonic worldview. It is interesting to note that the periodic conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn and their cyclic alignments through the triplicities of the zodiac were perceived as a nearly thousand-year cycle by Medieval Persian astrologers who likely drew upon this ancient concept and aligned it with Judaic and Islamic ideology and apocalypticism. Jupiter and Saturn were after all the outermost planets with the longest cycles known until the 18th century.

Gouchon’s graph was discovered by Barbault around 1965 and he gave it the name now in use. It is sometimes referred to as the Barbault graph. Barbault used the Cyclic Index alongside his theoretical methodology he referred to as “cyclical cosmology.” It was a key factor in many of his broadly accurate predictions such as his speculations for 2020 in which he alluded to concerns of a pandemic (among other possibilities) as well the transfer of world power from the US to China (if not by the 2020-2023 period, then he argued by the 2032 Saturn-Uranus conjunction). This decline in American imperialist hegemony was also interestingly speculated around a similar timeframe by academic historians studying contemporary geopolitical trends such as Alfred McCoy which I will discuss briefly at the end of this essay. Of the 2020-2023 conjunctions, Barbault warned that it,

“….promises to be like a new constellation of general imbalance in society. Exactly what will happen is uncertain but the risk is generalized chaos.”

Alongside the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic and the accompanying authoritarianism and social division, there were other destabilizing events such as Brexit (the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union) and the Black Lives Matter protests and riots in the US (that broke out in national cities in response to the publicized death of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis). There was also the still largely unexplained and unprecedented rise in excess mortality that occurred globally between 2020-2022, deaths that were not entirely due to acute COVID-19 infections. Excess mortality is the percentage of deaths within a population that occur beyond what is expected each year. This data is collected by health and life insurance companies as well as various world governments. However, research conducted by Swiss Re Institute reveals that excess mortality has persisted ever since the pandemic and is projected to continue for some time, potentially for another decade.

The years 2020-2022 corresponded with an extremely low point in the Cyclic Index, lower even than what correlated with end of World War II in the mid-1940s. According to the Cyclic Index, the world is moving upward out of this low point but will not return to a higher, more stable and constructive period until around 2028, in which there is another drop from 2030-2039 (though it is far more stable than the 2020-2022 period). The cyclic index suggests that the Saturn-Neptune alignment is a transition into a trend of more international stability and suggests this alignment will not be as internationally challenging as the 2020-2023 period of Saturn-Jupiter-Pluto.

Figure 1 The Cyclic Index (Barbault Graph) showing a span of 100 years beginning from 1935. Generated from Alexander Kolesnikov’s interactive graph calculator.

However, the Saturn-Neptune alignment still peaks at a low point relative to previous years, lower than the 2008-2009 Global Financial Crisis. Global destabilizing events are still possible. Also, it is important to note that the Cyclic Index appears to reveal periods of international stability and instability more broadly and thus, difficult periods are possible for more specific regions of the world in relation to the Saturn-Neptune conjunction. Since Saturn and Neptune make challenging aspects to the US Sibly chart, this may be a hard time for the US in many ways, even if its challenges are not as exclusively connected with more international trends and crises like the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was.  

Astrologer Alexander Kolesnikov provides an interactive Gouchon/Barbault graph (as well as Ganeau graphs that he discussed in his article providing more background on the graphs here). These graphs provide more contextual insight when analyzed alongside major world transit alignments.

Pushing Boundaries: The Aries Point

Figure 2 The Fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989; Lear 21 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The last conjunction of Saturn-Neptune occurred in 1989 in early tropical Capricorn, alongside the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the USSR, most prominently memorialized by the fall of the Berlin Wall. Several planets, including Neptune and Uranus, were crossing the AP in the mid to late-1980s. Though that Saturn-Neptune alignment did not exact in aspect to the AP, both planets stimulated it throughout the late 1980s before their conjunction. However, Uranus was crossing the AP axis and completing an opposition with Jupiter.

Figure 3 The Fall of the Berlin Wall: November 9, 1989 @ 6:57 PM Berlin, Germany; note Venus-Uranus on the AP axis, Saturn-Neptune in opposition to Jupiter in early Capricorn.

What makes the conjunction of Saturn-Neptune in 2026 more significant is that it exacts on the AP at 00 degrees of tropical Aries and occurs at a low point within the Cyclic Index (though, as discussed, the graph suggests this alignment carries us out and into more global stability). As mentioned, the AP is the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere, where the Sun's crossing correlates with the shift to spring (in northern latitudes) and autumn (in southern latitudes). It has acquired significance in modern astrology through the influence of Uranian astrology of the 1930s and 40s.

In natal horoscopes, the AP has been perceived as a point of contact between the individual and the larger social world. In some instances, astrologers such as Robert Hand and Noel Tyl referred to it as a potential indicator of fame in a personal horoscope[5]. Kathy Rose argued that the AP carried the symbolism of bringing about a culmination or blossoming of something into visibility or a broader view. Astrologer and journalist Eric Francis argued that the AP reminds us that "the personal is political," and that AP events have widespread global and political consequences that seep into all of our lives.

In my research about the AP on both a mundane and personal level, I have extrapolated the symbolism of "boundary-pushing." Outer planet alignments and crossings of the AP appear to correlate with the emergence of profound boundary-pushing cultural and political movements and technological and scientific breakthroughs, some "good" and others "bad," but also many with a mix of nuance contingent on who or what they impact. After crossing these boundaries, there seems to be no going back for civilization.

Some examples include the discovery of nuclear fission, the development of the atomic bomb and nuclear energy, the evolution of computing technology, the internet, Artificial Intelligence (AI), rocket technology, and space travel. Boundary-pushing cultural movements like the many late 1960s civil rights battles, the LSD-fueled counter-cultural revolution, and even the Moon landing via Apollo 11 that correlated with major alignments opposing the AP are other notable examples.

The AP is conceived as an axis involving the first (usually two) degrees of cardinal signs and the last degrees of mutable signs [Figure 4]. In the tropical zodiac, this would include the transitional degrees from Pisces-Aries, Gemini-Cancer, Virgo-Libra, and Sagittarius-Capricorn. In my research, I have found that the AP appears relevant, at least in terms of mundane significance, within a ten-degree range, a window between 25 mutable and 5 cardinal.

Figure 4 The AP axis within the tropical zodiac

The political and ideological shift that transitioned the Western world out of the Middle Ages and into the Enlightenment has symbolic connections to the AP as well. A Jupiter-Saturn conjunction crossed the AP in 1643 at the start of the English Civil War [Figure 7]. Astrologer William Lilly depicted this conjunction (in hindsight) in the frontispiece engraving of his most prolific work, Christian Astrology, published in 1687 [Figures 5 & 6].

Figure 5 Frontispiece engraving of William Lilly from Christian Astrology

Figure 6 Close-up of Lilly's frontispiece engraving showing detail of the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of 1642

 Following the exactitude of the 1643 Jupiter-Saturn conjunction, and over two decades before the publication of Christian Astrology, Lilly published a pamphlet in 1644 titled England's Prophetical Merlin that made several predictions regarding the alignment and its implications for the then-current monarchical line, specifically speculating about its ultimate subversion.[6] Lilly, however, was most interested in the conjunction's exactitude in tropical Pisces due to the belief amongst Medieval astrologers that Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions in Pisces correlated with events like the "Great Flood" or the births of Christ and Mohammad.[7] Lilly also appears to have perceived it as an apocalyptic omen reflective of the 17th century Chrisitan worldview.

Figure 7 The exacting Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in late Pisces, February 24, 1643. Both planets would cross the AP while within close orb at the start of the English Civil War conflicts. Note also the lunar nodes crossing the AP axis. A total solar eclipse occurred on the AP alongside the spring equinox nearly a month after the exactitude of the Jupiter-Saturn conjunction.

The English Civil War was a major turning point in the Western political landscape (that would have consequences for much of the world). England was then a rising imperial power, but the standard mode of "divine right" of kingship (aka absolutism) was being actively challenged. The boundary of absolute monarchical power that persisted throughout Medieval Europe was getting pushback in the form of a series of conflicts and events that led to the beheading of King Charles I and the temporary suspension of the monarchy. The monarchy was later restored with Charles II but modified as a constitutional monarchy. This was the beginning of a turn, both ideologically and politically, toward democracy and the secular state in the West that would culminate in the French and American Revolutionary Wars.

Figure 8 Portrait of Charles I of England; by Daniël Mijtens, 1629.

The American Revolution began under the building conjunction of Saturn and Neptune (and Jupiter-Uranus) on April 19, 1775 with the battles of Lexington and Concord. The revolution would officially end with the next Jupiter-Saturn conjunction that crossed the AP axis (from Sagittarius to Capricorn) in 1782 alongside the lengthy negotiations that resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Paris of 1783, the formal agreement between the English colonies and British monarch that America could consider itself a sovereign country. There is more to these Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions, such as their grand mutations both at the start of the English Civil War and the end of the American Revolution (their shift from one triplicity, or element, to the next and the end of one 260-year cycle in a particular zodiacal element and the start of another).

Figure 9  The first military engagements of the American Revolution began on April 19, 1775, with the battles of Lexington and Concord; note the waning Saturn-Neptune conjunction and waxing Jupiter-Uranus conjunction (joined by Venus); also note Saturn on AP axis in opposition to Mercury.

Figure 10 The exacting Jupiter-Saturn conjunction of November 5, 1782 that occurred before the drafting of the Treaty of Paris on November 30, 1782.

Figure 11 Transits of November 5, 1782 (outer wheel) of the exacted Jupiter-Saturn conjunction overlayed over the US Sibly chart (inner wheel); note Jupiter-Saturn crossing the Sag-Cap AP axis in opposition to the US Sibly Venus-Jupiter. Note also a building Saturn-Neptune square, echoing the conjunction that occurred alongside the onset of the American Revolution.

There has not been a Saturn-Neptune conjunction exactly on the AP, at 00 degrees of Aries, in the past two thousand years. The closest occurred in the 6th and 9th centuries. In 555 CE, exacting at nearly 7 degrees of Aries but moving in orb across the AP between 554 and 555, a Saturn-Neptune conjunction correlated with the end of the Gothic War. 555 CE was the aftermath of the death, devastation, and financial ruin the war wrought on Italy, and it was ultimately a failed attempt by Emperor Justinian I (482-565 CE) to reinstate the Roman Empire's territorial dominance (after its collapse in 476 CE alongside a Saturn-Pluto conjunction). Like a theme that Tarnas noted in relation to Saturn-Neptune cycles, the ultimate result of the Gothic War was a "death of a dream" in restoring the Roman Empire to its former glory.

Figure 12 Mosaic depicting Justinian I in the Basilica Saint Vitale

The next closest Saturn-Neptune AP conjunction occurred in 878 CE in late Pisces. It correlated in Europe with the death of Charles the Bald (823-877 CE) in 877, one of several fraternal, monarchical rulers of the Carolingian Empire. Charles the Bald's death led to the further fragmentation of the Empire, paving the way for the feudal era in Western Europe, and it set the foundation for what would become the modern states of Germany, France, and Italy. The Carolingian Empire gradually dissolved over the ensuing decade. Additionally, the Battle of Edington that year was a significant defeat and setback for the Vikings and their attempts to dominate England, and it was pivotal to England's eventual unification under the ideological dominance of Christianity.

In both examples, we see major shifts and attempted shifts in the dynamic of power, rooted in a grand vision or ideological orientation. In true AP fashion, as reflective of the Aries archetype, there is a conflict between competing visions, battles over which reality will have supremacy. In the Battle of Edington example, the Viking worldview was the antithesis of the Christian-backed monarchs they sought to usurp with their pagan and pantheistic theology.

This may be another feature unique to Saturn-Neptune AP alignments, a critical turning point within a conflict over a vision of reality between factions vying for power. The Danish King, Guthrum (c. 835-890 CE), who led the Viking army, was forced to surrender and was eventually baptized as part of a peace agreement. The Anglo-Saxon victory, led by Alfred the Great (c. 847-899 CE), was also pivotal in the eventual acculturation of the Vikings via Christianization.

The last most recent Saturn-Neptune quadrature axial alignment that hit the AP axis was the square of the mid-1940s. This was the height of World War II, the race to produce the first atomic bombs, the concentration camps in Europe, and the horrific genocide of millions of Jews and other targeted minority groups who conflicted with the Nazi's totalitarian and supremacist vision for the world. The Nazi pursuit of world domination was, like any such puritanical pursuit, a highly ideological one based on conceptions of a supposed superior human race that was perceived more fit to steer the world toward a technological utopia.

That vision ended, at least symbolically, alongside the horrific detonation of the first atomic weapons on a human population in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in August of 1945 as the US’s retaliation against the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Saturn was moving out of its square with Neptune, but Neptune was joined in opposition to the AP by Chiron and Jupiter [Figure 13]. World War II was a significant turning point in the balance of world power, and it too involved the dramatic death and dissolution of a dream.

Figure 13 The dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki August 1945; note the Neptune-Chiron-Jupiter AP alignment; also note the waning Saturn-Neptune square that exacted on the Can-Lib AP Axis.

Reality Shifts and Checks

Figure 14 1876 engraving of a Salem witch trial; the woman on the floor is thought to depict Mary Walcott, via Wikimedia Commons.

In addition to the "death of a dream," other themes that Tarnas noted in relation to the Saturn-Neptune cycle include “collective disillusionment,” "loss of faith," or the collective processing of the harsh truth or tragic reality, reflecting the "darkening of the collective consciousness" that he argued was like that of Saturn-Pluto cycles. We can see many examples of this. Yet, it also depends on which side you're perceiving the situation. The Battle of Edington was defeating for the Vikings but not the Anglo-Saxons. The USSR's collapse was not as disillusioning for those who opposed the interests of the Soviet Union. Soviet leaders, and the failed vision of a new communist utopia were the most tarnished. Gay and lesbian minorities and those blacklisted by the US government during the McCarthy era suffered far more than most other Americans during the second Red Scare paranoia that overtook the country in the 1950s alongside a Saturn-Neptune conjunction (that I discuss in more detail in my 2023 article here).

Many democratic voters in 2016 were grief-stricken and disillusioned by Donald Trump's presidential win, while his supporters were enthusiastic about the perceived realization of the "Make America Great Again" ideal. There was a hyperbolic perception that overtook both Trump supporters and detractors, from the extreme caricature of Trump as a Russian-backed fascist dictator (comparable to Adolf Hitler) to the messianic political hero that would save America from the clutches of the deep state. Following the first attempted assassination of Trump in June 2024, many of his Christian supporters took to social media to depict Trump's survival as a miraculous intervention from God, despite injuries inflicted on other rally attendees and even the death of a man shielding his family from bullets. As I also discussed in my previous article, Tarnas noted extreme cultural divides that flare up alongside Saturn-Neptune cycles, and this was very much a feature of the 2016 campaign and appears to have emerged yet again leading up to the 2024 presidential race.

Collective paranoia and moral panic are also correlates of the Saturn-Neptune cycle that I have observed in my research. The Salem Witch Trials, the puritanical fervor and paranoia that overtook the North American colonies in the early 1690s, peaked under a Saturn-Neptune square. Prior to the McCarthy era, the first American Red Scare occurred under the Saturn-Neptune conjunction alongside the Russian Revolution and the first wave of widespread paranoia within the United States that communists were attempting to infiltrate and overthrow the nation.

Figure 15 Virginia McMartin, the founder of McMartin preschool in Manhattan Beach, California; photo by Mel Melcon, Los Angeles Times, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The McMartin preschool trials from January 1987 through July 1990 culminated alongside the previous Saturn-Neptune conjunction in Capricorn. Accusations that children attending McMartin preschool in Manhattan Beach, California were involved in satanic ritual abuse spawned a moral panic throughout the US about a ring of satanists, witches, and pedophiles operating through a network of underground tunnels. The trial's final verdict that no evidence existed to support the claims disillusioned many who had come to believe in the grand conspiracy ignited with the initial accusations in 1983.

Figure 16 Alec Perkins from Hoboken, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Saturn-Neptune cycles often do correlate with public revelations related to concealed corruption and abuse of power, shattering an illusory façade and altering the public’s perception and trust. Tarnas discussed this correlation in relation to incidents in which negative pharmaceutical data was hidden and released such as with the Vioxx scandal (I discuss this theme at some length in my previous essay). As Tarnas described it, there can be the surfacing of “new data that disclose a dark reality hidden behind a carefully manipulated image….”[8] The #MeToo movement was started in 2006 under a Saturn-Neptune opposition by activist Tarana Burke who used the social media platform Myspace to raise awareness about sexual abuse of women of color. Throughout 2015-2017 under the Saturn-Neptune square, the #MeToo movement gained enormous traction following sexual abuse accusations against film producer Harvey Weinstein. In 2017, the use of the hashtag became widespread to publicly reveal incidents of predatory sexual abuse among high-profile men.

The year 2006 when #MeToo was launched, financier Jeffrey Epstein faced his first public accusations, criminal charges, and arrest associated initially with unlawful sex with a minor. Those charges expanded in 2019 to federal sex trafficking charges. Epstein died in 2019 in a federal jail cell in New York that year in what was concluded to be a suicide. The Epstein case sparked speculations and investigation into a vast sex trafficking conspiracy involving minors and wealthy elites. His suicide has been speculated to have been a murder covered up to protect a ring of powerful elites involved, reflecting the Neptunian archetypes association with obfuscation, deception, and revelation. Interestingly, under the current Saturn-Neptune conjunction, similar revelations have emerged such as accusations of rape, assault, and sex trafficking involving rapper and record producer Sean Combs (P. Diddy). Most recently, sex trafficking and abuse accusations against the former CEO of clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch, Mike Jefferies (and two others), involving numerous young male models, have surfaced. More such incidents are very likely to come forward over the next two years especially, revealing a shadowy underbelly in relation to various cultural institutions and corporations.

Barbault correlated the Saturn-Neptune cycle with "popular insurrections fueled by ideological beliefs."[9] The start of the American Revolution under a Saturn-Neptune conjunction is one already noted example, and it ignited the battle for the budding American Dream. Barbault also noted major turning points in communist movements and ideologies, such as the birth of Marxism in 1847 and the European Revolution of 1848. Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels’ infamous declaration from the introduction of The Communist Manifesto that the specter of communism was haunting Europe, evoked communism as an embodiment of the Neptunian archetype, as something intangible yet permeating itself within society, invoking paranoia amongst the ruling class. Yet, as I have discussed so far, considering Neptune's notoriously obfuscating nature, such insurrections, grand conspiracies, and accompanying paranoia are not always based on a realistic assessment of the threat. With Neptune, there can be a simultaneous and paradoxical emergence of truth and delusion.

As referenced above, the last stage of the current Saturn-Neptune cycle occurred in 2014-2017. The 2016 US election occurred under this time band, and numerous obfuscating and disillusioning elements emerged, like those noted by Tarnas about the 2004 election of George W. Bush. Both the disillusionment of Bush's re-election in the wake of the disastrous and costly 2003 invasion of Iraq and a controversy over the election results were dominant features.

As I have just mentioned and also note in my 2023 article on the Saturn-Neptune cycle, Hillary Clinton's loss and Trump's victory in that election were incredibly shocking and disillusioning for liberal and democratic voters who, reinforced by the hubristic confidence of polls and political experts, believed Clinton was guaranteed to win and become the first female US president. As I had articulated, "the glass ceiling dissolved rather than shattered." Following that election, a similar paranoia over a Russian conspiracy again overtook political factions within the nation, emboldened by the mainstream media and Clinton's rhetoric, which was used to rationally explain Trump's victory, popularity, and rise to power.

Figure 17 Trump speaking at a campaign rally in 2016; photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The FBI's extensive and nearly two-year investigation into the "Russiagate" conspiracy eventually found it had no basis. Neither Trump himself nor members of his family or campaign had any links to Russia. Trump was not, after all, a puppet for the Russian government. Like with past Saturn-Neptune cycles, there was an imagined conspiracy about a hidden and dangerous insurrection, this time involving the President himself and the Russian government.

Yet, Trump's populist movement, like that of Bernie Sanders, who ran as a democratic socialist and challenged the establishment of the Democratic Party, was more illuminating about Trump's popularity, and it pointed to a Democratic Party that is increasingly perceived among American voters as deeply entrenched with corrupt corporate and political interests.  

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has in fact taken numerous actions to oppose even the rise of leftist populism and leftist third-party coalitions. Former DNC chair Donna Brazile and US senator (and former 2016 presidential candidate) Elizabeth Warner both admitted that the DNC had unfairly taken measures to block Sander's path beyond the 2016 primaries, a harsh reality for Sander's supporters revealing that leftist populism had no way forward within the Democratic party establishment. In both 2016 and again in 2020 (when Sanders ran a second time), the leftist populist movement experienced a shattered dream and disillusionment on multiple levels. Many US voters on both the political left and right had become disenchanted with the US political establishment and the American Dream.

In the 2024 presidential election, the Democratic candidate, current Vice President Kamala Harris, was instantly nominated and given Democratic party donors and delegates despite never receiving a single primary vote (from US voters) due to President Joe Biden's late withdrawal from the race and immediate endorsement of Harris. Before this, the DNC had refused to host debates between other candidates running against Biden for the democratic party ticket, such as Marianne Williamson or Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Additionally the DNC has utilized various legal maneuvers to block ballot access for the Green Party's presidential candidate Jill Stein in swing states like Wisconsin. The same was done to Kennedy when he was attempting to run as a third-party candidate in New York. Ironically, the Democratic party that claimed to be defending democracy from fascism has demonstrated, on more than one occasion, an outright rejection of a fair and open democratic process. This is another factor in the rise of not only populist political movements but also the popularity of third-party candidates.

However, the biggest driver of populism in the US has much to do with an economic system that has perpetuated egregious upward wealth transfer, inequality, and corporate socialism. Yet, these factors are frequently obfuscated by political elites and legacy media with grand and unsubstantiated conspiracies of "Russian interference" or other cultural scapegoats. In the context of the Saturn-Neptune alignments, critical turning points in these obfuscating conspiracies appear to emerge and gain traction.

The American Dream Dissolved

Figure 18 Boris D. Leak, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Hypercapitalism, also known as neoliberalism, is an economic, political, and widespread cultural influence leading to the privatization of nature and the privatized control and capture of numerous public and political institutions. It is rooted in a vision of a market-driven society that took hold of world governments in the late 20th century. It is capitalism fully installed within culture and worldview. Hypercapitalism is an evolution of "trickle-down" economics which, according to anthropologist David Harvey, draws from the core "assumption that individual freedoms are guaranteed by freedom of the market."[10] The core delusional ideal of hypercapitalism being that the wealth generated by unrestrained capitalist enterprise will create a plethora of jobs and economic growth that will trickle down and benefit all.

From the hypercapitalist ideal, corporations and non-government organizations (NGOs) are perceived as more efficient for ensuring freedom, driving innovation, and overall satisfying public needs. However, this is not entirely how things have gone, since the state becomes heavily tasked with bolstering and protecting those interests through corporate bailouts, subsidies, or militarized police forces (to protect private capital interests).[11] Ensuring the "freedom of the market" actually results in government and taxpaying citizens helping to keep it afloat and, at times, restricting their own interests. As it turns out, under hypercapitalism, corporations end up more incentivized to hoard their wealth and cut costs as much as possible through offshoring their production for cheaper labor or choosing to prioritize their highest paid executives and shareholders rather than trickle their wealth down to their lowest paid workers.

Hypercapitalism also has pervasive cultural and psychological impacts. According to philosopher Byung-Chul Han, who has expanded upon the cultural transformation due to neoliberalism first articulated by Michel Foucault, the working class has been transmuted into entrepreneurs of themselves who willingly consent to surveillance and control. Think of how surveillance-prone SmartPhones or the latest data-accumulating apps are enthusiastically consumed and utilized. From the conception of Han's psychopolitics thesis, the neoliberal order has come to dominate its citizens not by brute force but by installing itself and its economized worldview on an unconscious level. Domination is desired rather than overtly enforced. As Han argued,

"Today, everyone is an auto-exploiting labourer in his or her own enterprise. People are now master and slave in one. Even class struggle has transformed into an inner struggle against oneself.”[12]

As Han argued, the entrepreneurial drive of the 21st century reflects the neoliberal worldview's inherent coercive nature, where maximum self-exploitation and an unconscious, interiorized conflict result. The pervasive need for constant productivity and consumption reflects the ultimate endpoint of hypercapitalism: the ceaseless flow of capital and its accumulation. This endpoint has become so pervasive (politically, economically, culturally, and as Han argued, psychologically), it has overcome numerous political, cultural, bodily, and psychic boundaries.

As some recent examples, with ever-rising living costs and inflation, working class citizens are often coerced into various "gig economies" to supplement their insufficient jobs or, while attempting to pursue their dreams, feel coerced to exploit their cars via ride share services, delivering food for corporate food chains, or their bodies on OnlyFans. The latter example reveals how a boundless hypercapitalist system will eventually assimilate and monetize everything, exploiting an individual's most private and intimate resources.

Hypercapitalism also has much to do with the rise of populism worldwide and the many obfuscating narratives that seek to divert and divide society not just in the US but in many Western countries. The enormous wealth gap (in 2024, the top 10 percent of income earners in the US now own 67 percent of the nation’s wealth) and the corporate and privatized capture of many public institutions have led to a precarious situation where US taxpayers are endlessly spending billions for wars, weapons sales to foreign governments, and subsidizing corporate stock buybacks and bailouts. This top-heavy wealth accumulation reveals the true lie that was always inherent to the trickle-down fantasy.

Elected politicians continuously claim that no money exists for vital domestic needs like universal income, healthcare, childcare, or higher education, alleviating the housing crisis, homeless crises, and the incredible rise of living costs, improving failing infrastructure, or fixing a broken and inefficient immigration process. Neither the Republican nor Democratic platforms ever seem to address these issues ultimately and yet always have enough political leverage and government cash to invest in more wars or corporate giveaways.

The extensive lobbying of numerous politicians by weapons manufacturers or pharmaceutical corporations partly explains much of this. Politicians' investments in such industries and the revolving doors between government and high-level corporate positions are also problematic, especially as they impact the regulatory sector. The ability of corporate and other wealthy donors to pour millions into election campaigns means that politicians and their eventual policy decisions are easily influenced by the wealthiest donors.

The 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission ruling (that occurred under a Saturn-Pluto square on the AP axis) blocked the ability of the government to ban these practices, like the use of super PACs, from funding election campaigns. As one recent example, billionaires like Elon Musk and Miriam Adelson have donated collectively over $100 million to the 2024 Trump campaign. Adelson, who is an Israeli citizen and supporter of the annexation of the west bank (and further subjugation of the Palestinian people) is a major reason Trump is so supportive of Israeli national interests. Considering the enormous economic barriers to funding any political campaign, candidates are coerced into spending more time talking directly to (and appeasing) billionaires than the working-class citizens they're supposed to represent. Billionaires don’t just give millions from their coffers and expect nothing in return.

Hypercapitalism is thus aptly described as socialism for the rich. The state ends up more occupied with the interests of the wealthiest citizens resulting in privatized everything, from a pandemic response to the dictions of US foreign policy. Very real human crises and catastrophes are inevitably exploited for profit gain and enriching shareholders somewhere. This is always the bottom line within this US hypercapitalistic system, and it creates numerous problems for many parts of the world where US imperialism creates havoc and political instability via its proxy war involvements, political coups, and the pursuit of spreading its market-driven vision for the world.

The pervasive political and cultural rise of hypercapitalism occurred in the 1980s under the US Ronald Reagan administration (and the UK Thatcher administration). This correlated with a Jupiter-Saturn conjunction that opposed the AP in 1981, exacting in early tropical Libra. There was also a Saturn-Pluto conjunction that peaked shortly after in 1982-83 and thus drew parallels with 2020 in terms of a major shift in world power at the height of a crisis. The SARS-Cov-2 pandemic was, of course, different from the 1980s ending of the Cold War and the rise of HIV and the AIDS epidemic. Still, it brought about a similar decisive moment and "darkening of the collective consciousness" described by Tarnas, as well as an "aura of apocalyptic doom" as I phrased it in a 2016 article. This period was also a low point on the Cyclic Index comparable to 2020.

Figure 19 The release of Apple's Macintosh personal computer January 24, 1984, the day before Reagan's State of the Union Address. Venus-Neptune-Jupiter are aligning on the AP axis in Capricorn. Note also the building Saturn-Pluto conjunction that also occurred the year Orwell wrote 1984 in 1948.

In Psychopolitics, Han pointed to both the literal and symbolic birth of neoliberalism and “a new kind of control society” as occurring in 1984. The year was the title of George Orwell’s infamous dystopian novel about a pervasive surveillance state and authoritarian society. As Han discussed, Apple’s infamous commercial for its Macintosh personal computer product, which aired on January 24, 1984, during the Super Bowl, attempted to brand its product as a tool of liberation and antidote to Orwell’s dire future vision. The commercial was set in a dystopian factory. Robotic-like workers are marching in synch into a dark, vapid room to sit in front of a giant video screen displaying a talking head, presumably Big Brother, shouting the following speech:

“Today, we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives. We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology—where each worker may bloom, secure from the pests purveying contradictory thoughts. Our Unification of Thoughts is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people, with one will, one resolve, one cause. Our enemies shall talk themselves to death, and we will bury them with their own confusion. We shall prevail!”[13]

As Big Brother’s speech echoes through the building, a woman is shown running with a sledgehammer in both hands. She’s shown as strong, athletic, highly bronzed, and wearing a bright white tank top and red shorts. She’s pursued by militarized police adorned with riot gear as she rushes toward the room. When she arrives, she hurls the sledgehammer into the air toward the screen. Just as Big Brother shouts: “We shall prevail!” the sledgehammer shatters the screen as it explodes with a flash of bright, white light. The workers are awakened from their trance while a voice announces: “On January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 won’t be like 1984.”

Figure 20 Screen shot from Apple's "1984" Macintosh commercial.

As Han argued, the antithesis occurred, as not only did the internet and personal computing era birth a novel control society, but one that far surpassed Orwell’s imagination. Though, an irony of Apple’s prophetic statement was that it unwittingly predicted just that, an Orwellian vision quite unlike what Orwell himself depicted. The unconscious installment of the control system, according to Han, birthed a society in which external authoritarian oppression was replaced by the internal and voluntary oppression of the masses.[14] As Han argued, “Neoliberal psychopolitics is SmartPolitics: it seeks to please and fulfil, not to repress.”[15]The compulsion of endless consumption operates under the guise of freedom and liberation. Such a tactic fits perfectly within the ultimate delusion of the American Dream, the boundless material acquisition promised through one’s incessant focus on productivity, self-optimization, and consumption.

January 24th 1984 featured an impressive conjunction of the most idealistic planetary archetypes: Venus, Jupiter, and Neptune on the AP axis in Capricorn. Astrologically speaking, you couldn’t get a more powerful symbol of extreme idealism, romanticism, and delusion, especially related to the earthy, industrious, and achievement seeking qualities of Capricorn. The sign’s planetary ruler, Saturn, in its shadow expression is the archetypal Big Brother, the true cultural authoritarian of the astrological pantheon. January 24, 1984 was also the day before Reagan’s State of Union Address in which he directed NASA to begin the construction of the international space station, conceiving space, in true neoliberal idealism, as a new frontier of boundless scientific and economic expansion.

Figure 21 Pluto crossing the AP axis in Capricorn in the winter of 2008, the height of the Global Financial Crisis.

Over two decades later, in the years 2008-2009, during the height of the Global Financial Crisis, the dwarf planet Pluto, the antithesis of idealism and delusion and the archetype of uncomfortable truths and the eruption of the unconscious, crossed that same degree of the Capricorn AP axis, bringing forth the harsh reality and consequences of the hypercapitalistic leviathan set forth in the previous era. Big banks and reckless Wall Street executives, blinded by delusions of massive and boundless capital gain, had set the world economy on a disastrous downward spiral that would result in millions of Americans losing their homes, jobs, and forever tarnishing the American Dream of homeownership (and wounding the American entrepreneurial spirit).

Through the enormous bailouts, American taxpayers ended up rewarding the very banks who precipitated the crisis, and only some low-level executives would be prosecuted for the crimes. Neoliberalism, fully and systemically installed, made sure the system protected and preserved the top-tier wealth hoarders, and the public footed the bill. While movements like Occupy Wall Street mobilized large public outcry, little has changed since. The year 2020 precipitated the largest upward wealth transfer in hypercapitalist history through the passage of the CARES Act, furthering widening the US wealth gap and upward wealth transfer.

Filmmaker Adam Curtis' long but extensively researched documentary, The Century of the Self, is an accessible and engaging cultural background for much of the shift that occurred in the early 1980s and how it impacted US politics and the branding and marketing practice of politicians. Just like any other freedom granted by end-stage capitalism, choosing a president in the hypercapitalist era reflects what Foucault argued was the economization of culture and individuals and is much like choosing the same product between two competing corporate brands (and with all the accompanying capitalist-fueled tribalism). Curtis' most recent film, released in 2016 (alongside the Saturn-Neptune square), Hypernormalization, is also lucid, prophetic, and thought-provoking about the rise of populism both in Europe and the US, and the critical foreign policy decisions made over past decades that have led to an elite political establishment that seeks to control and confuse public perception through the algorithmic power of the internet.

As Curtis argued, decades ago, the political elite shifted toward an attempt to establish a global society hyper focused on averting chaos and unpredictability by generating a technocratic system seeking to predict and control the future. Disenchanted by a now static and unchanging political system, broader society has retreated into cyberspace, a more simplified, fake world that mirrors back a cartoon version of the self. Since these digital echo chambers seek to eliminate anything that conflicts with individual biases and preconceptions, they provide a safe space from the perceived chaos and uncertainty of the world.

The retreat into illusory digital worlds also reinforces the notion that the American Dream is no longer an attainable goal for most Americans. The real world, one perceived as chaotic, unstable, and filled with economic barriers, becomes far less appealing. As a recent poll conducted by the Wall Street Journal revealed, financial security, a comfortable retirement, and homeownership were considered the most critical aspects of the American Dream. Yet, less than half of respondents believed such things were as accessible as they once were. Since 2016, the belief that the American Dream is still possible with hard work has significantly declined, with half of respondents in 2024 claiming that while it once held true, the dream seems to be rapidly dissipating.

Dissipation of Free Speech and Free Will

Figure 22 RoySmith, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Recent destabilizing events such as the Occupy Wall Street movement, Arab Spring Uprisings, Brexit, Trump's rise to political power, the Canadian trucker protests, and the Free Palestine movement are some ways the internet and social media have destabilized globalist attempts at societal control and are incredibly threatening to political elites. These resistance movements also reflect the growing rise in frustration among the poor and working class and a shift in interest in populist political movements.

Since 2016, there has been the rapid emergence of what journalist Michael Shellenberger has called the "censorship industrial complex" that took root in that same year due to the Obama administration's passage of the Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act. This act emerged amidst the climate of disinformation fears that perceived the threat of foreign electoral meddling as a danger to democracy and domestic stability. However, evidence for foreign interference significantly impacting public perception and voting behaviors has been lacking, with a 2023 study revealing that no meaningful connection existed in the 2016 election. Yet, this rhetoric is continuously used by political elites and legacy media pundits, especially to discredit populist political opposition and third-party candidates.

Shellenberger was one of several journalists given limited access to a trove of emails known as the "Twitter Files" after Musk purchased Twitter (now called X) in 2023. The emails revealed serious free speech violations where the government pressured social media companies to censor specific information and deplatform targeted individuals. Testifying before The House Select Committee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government in March 2023, Shellenberger argued that the current war on disinformation via the censorship industrial complex has evolved far beyond its stated intentions and utilizes,

"established methods of psychological manipulation, some developed by the U.S. Military during the Global War on Terror, with highly sophisticated tools from computer science, including artificial intelligence. The complex's leaders are driven by the fear that the internet and social media platforms empower populist, alternative, and fringe personalities and views, which they regard as destabilizing. Federal government officials, agencies, and contractors have gone from fighting ISIS recruiters and Russian bots to censoring and deplatforming ordinary Americans and disfavored public figures."[16]

As Shellenberger outlined, the program's evolution to counter foreign propaganda and election interference evolved to censoring any digital content, even domestic, perceived as threatening to government aims and interests. Hence the emerging designation of "malinformation," that the US Government Accountability Office defined as "Largely accurate information that is based on reality, but may be presented out of context to inflict harm on a person, organization, or country." Malinformation is anything actually true, but determined to lack appropriate context or perceived as potentially harmful by the government.

As many independent journalists investigating these issues have argued, this designation justifies the censorship of information that challenges numerous mainstream and government viewpoints and positions. Within the context of the hypercapitalistic capture of public institutions, including those within the government, government interests often extend to those of many corporations and their shareholders, revealing a censorship apparatus that can be utilized to protect corporate monopolies and their private interests.

As Shellenberger argued, the evolution of the censorship industrial complex arose out of the global surveillance program built under the guise of combating global threats of terrorism. The immense extent of this program was revealed via the numerous leaked documents by the former employee of an NSA contractor, Edward Snowden in 2013. The global spying on potential foreign threats and enemies evolved into a massive domestic surveillance program, through the Patriot Act (passed in reaction to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001), that began collecting and storing the private data of numerous American citizens via cell phone data and private emails.

This leviathan government-corporate war on disinformation, as argued by journalist Jacob Seigal, is now seeking to gain total control over the internet. This is an outspoken aim of many political elites such as Hillary Clinton who, in an October 2024 interview with CNN, discussed the need to take drastic measures to moderate online content such as repealing Section 230 which gave social media platforms legal immunity against illegal activities conducted via their platform by its users. Its repeal would force social media companies to more heavily monitor and censor user content. As Clinton argued,

“Whether it’s Facebook or Twitter, or X, or Instagram, or TikTok, whatever they are, if they don’t moderate and monitor the content we lose total control and it’s not just the social and psychological effects it’s real harm, it’s child porn and threats of violence, things that are terribly dangerous.”

Clinton’s key admission was the aspect of losing “total control,” revealing the true intention behind her message. While Clinton utilized the fear of the internet amplifying criminal behaviors to justify more aggressive censorship tactics on the part of social media companies, within the broader context of the politically destabilizing power of social media, her concern with limiting online free speech has more to do with the threat of populism and civil disobedience fueled by unmitigated free speech. As discussed, Clinton’s electoral loss in 2016 was quickly explained via “disinformation” spread by Russia, a claim that has less basis than Clinton attempts to portray it.

The fear of foreign electoral interference justified the very construction of the censorship industrial complex itself. Recent attempts by the US government to ban TikTok in early 2024 alongside the national rise of university protests opposing the genocide in Gaza is another example of what the threat of online free speech is really about. TikTok became a primary platform for activists involved in the Free Palestine movement for spreading their message, organizing, and revealing the militant crackdowns on university campuses.

Figure 23 Student encampment at Brown University in early 2024; photo by Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The government and social media collaborative censorship problem also extends beyond what was revealed by the Twitter Files. For example, Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently admitted to the US House Judiciary Committee to have received and complied with several government requests to his company in 2021 to censor specific COVID-19-related posts. Zuckerberg additionally admitted to blocking the circulation of articles related to the Hunter Biden laptop story just before the 2020 presidential election, which was falsely claimed, without any evidence, to be Russian disinformation. Evidence has also emerged revealing that CIA contractors also sought to discredit the Hunter Biden laptop story, suggesting that multiple entities both within and contracted by the government are involved in this effort.

These are only a few examples of an extensive censorship apparatus now augmented by advancing AI technology aimed at the control and distortion of public perception for political or economic purposes. The implications of these revelations are an ever-evolving situation that could quickly surpass any journalist or whistleblower's attempts to understand and reveal its true complexity. Han argued that the predictive power generated by what he referred to as "Big Data," makes it possible to calculate and control the future. For Han, this meant the ultimate end of free will:

"Digital psychopolitics transforms the negativity of freely made decisions into the positivity of factual states….Indeed, persons are being positivized into things, which can be quantified, measured and steered. Needless to say, no thing can be free. But at the same time, things are more transparent than persons. Big Data has announced the end of the person who possesses free will."[17]

According to Han, the manipulation of individuals by these emerging technologies of power, and thus the eradication of personal and collective free will, is the inevitable result. The algorithmic-powered promptings of targeted advertisements on various social media platforms are only one aspect of this widespread predictive power and social manipulation on the part of businesses and corporations. Han saw the SmartPhone as the ultimate "devotional object" of the digital age, comparable to a rosary, a means of self-monitoring and control.[18] How social media platforms such as Facebook or X have become venues for the generation of rampant groupthink and conformity, especially during crises like the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, demonstrates the disturbing accuracy of Han's warning.

If political elites succeed in gaining further control of the internet, then such conformity will be much easier to establish. The very broad free speech rights protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution were wisely conceived as a means of preventing the authoritarian control of information that is vital to democracy and a free and open society. If alternative views, opinions, and critique of those in power are silenced, then dissent and organized political opposition to rising authoritarianism can be more easily managed and mitigated. Ultimately, collective perception will be more rapidly controlled leading to the very opposite of what political elites and the censorship industrial complex claim to be concerned with: more misinformation and a less informed population. The misinformation threat points to a clear example of Freudian reaction-formation among the elite political class who claim to be fighting against the very thing they’re creating.

The Genocide in the Room

Figure 24 IDF Soldiers in the Gaza strip, October 2024; photo by IDF Spokesperson's Unit

The 2024 US presidential election devolved into a choice between two brands of state-sponsored genocide. Since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, that resulted in the death of 1,139 people (of which 695 were Israeli civilians), there have been over 42,000 Palestinians killed due to Israel's violent retaliation against Gaza and the occupied West Bank. As of this writing, there are 95,787 injuries, 10,000 missing, and 16,500 dead children. This immense death, destruction, and generational trauma has not stopped since late 2023. The horrific 2023 attack on Israel does not justify the slaughter and starvation of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinian people, many of whom are children and babies.

Those in Gaza and the occupied West Bank are trapped, have nowhere to escape, and no means to defend themselves. Critical infrastructure, including vital emergency medical care, has been nearly eradicated. Those who survive the bombings and other attacks are now subject to starvation and untreatable disease. A study recently published by Brown University Watson Institute’s Cost of War project, found that an estimated 62,413 people have died from starvation and 5,000 from chronic disease due to lack of access to medical care. These deaths are in addition to the over 42,000 killed from direct violence. These numbers also do not include casualties in neighboring countries impacted by the crisis such as Lebanon or Yemen.

Additionally, solely focusing on October 7th obfuscates the decades long displacement and authoritarian oppression of the Palestinian people and other ethnic groups in the region due directly from the founding of the Israeli state. The US government and several US corporate media outlets have been involved in generating a false conception of the Israeli government as a victim of radical terrorists, justified in its endless bombing of Gaza and the occupied West Bank to eliminate Hamas. Criticism of the Zionist ideology and the Israeli government’s hawkish response to October 7th have been labeled as antisemitism, despite numerous Jewish organizations opposing the genocide and Israeli citizens protesting their own government. From President Biden lying about a debunked story of 40 beheaded babies, to the false claims of mass rape on October 7th, numerous influential media figures and politicians in the US have been disseminating disinformation to distort the Israeli government’s decades-long genocidal and colonialist pursuits in the region.

The US is a major supplier of weapons and military aid to Israel. According to the Cost of War project, since October 7th, the US has spent $22.76 billion on military aid to Israel (which it claims is a conservative estimate). The flow of money continues unrestricted under the current Biden administration. The genocide is supported on the left by Democratic elites financially entrenched with lobbyists for the Israeli government (and beholden to neoconservatives and the military industrial complex), and on the right by those same factions and Christian Zionists who perceive the conflict as a critical step in the fulfillment of their delusional interpretation of biblical prophecy. Yet, as with any war backed by the US and western imperial powers, it is fueled by capitalistic interests in which the flow of blood and money go hand in hand.

Photo by CODEPINK

Neither the Republican nor Democratic presidential candidates, former President Donald Trump, nor current Vice President Kamala Harris, have vowed to cut off arms supplies to Israel. Harris has claimed to be focused on a "ceasefire deal" but has consistently pledged support for Israel's "right to defend itself," a paradoxical position given that Israel’s “right to defend itself” is entirely antithetical to a ceasefire deal. Billions of dollars in military aid sent to Israel is in full support of genocide. Not surprisingly, Harris has received endorsements from war-hawk neoconservatives such as former US Vice President Dick Cheney, one of the primary architects of the Invasion of Iraq, an endorsement Harris claimed she was honored by. That Harris is yet another rising political elite is not surprising given that she rose through the political ranks through extremely wealthy connections she established in San Francisco.

Harris has received numerous and generous donations to her senate and presidential campaigns from donors to the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a major lobby for the Israeli government. Harris’ Vice President pick, governor of Wisconsin Tim Walz, blatantly (and perhaps mistakenly) admitted during the October 2024 Vice Presidential Debate that “the expansion of Israel and its proxies is an absolute necessity for the United States.” The expansion of Israel means the eradication of the Palestinian people and the further colonization of surrounding regions. Walz’s statement means that genocide under a Harris/Walz administration will be an “absolute necessity.”

Trump has never criticized Israel's stance nor ever called for a ceasefire. Since his presidential term, Trump has been hostile and apathetic to the Palestinian people. His administration’s proposed “peace deal” plan for the region entirely favored the Israeli government’s agenda of controlling the majority of the region’s territory while continuing the subjugation of the Palestinian people. In a speech given to the US congress in July 2024, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, overtly praised Trump for his support of the Israeli government during his administration. Despite the Biden administration’s massive financial and military support given to Israel since October 7th, during the July 2024 presidential debate between Trump and Biden, Trump went as far as to claim that Biden’s support for Israel wasn’t enough and he should let Israel “finish the job.” Adelson’s recent $100 million donation to Trump’s campaign, as mentioned, also further secures his protection of the Israeli government’s interests.

Figure 25 A wounded Palestinian infant being treated at the overcrowded emergency ward of Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City following an Israeli airstrike on October 11, 2023; photo by Palestinian News & Information Agency (Wafa) in contract with APAimages, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In relation to the plight of those in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, the only difference between the top presidential candidates is that Trump is transparent and outspoken about his position while Harris and Walz veil their allegiance to Israel’s genocidal agenda with obfuscating political rhetoric. The death and destruction within Gaza and the occupied West Bank are already a reflection of the Saturn-Neptune symbolism emerging into consciousness. It is a horrific and devastating tragedy that continues unabated. It will result in further tensions and radicalization within the region that will have negative future consequences for Israel and its allies. Yet, its role in the 2024 election is a critical symbolic reflection of the current state of US imperialism and its highly problematic domestic situation.

The genocide points to the blatant and immense moral corruption of the US Empire, a corruption that is nothing new, but has become so glaringly obvious that only pure ignorance, cultish devotion to a political party, or outright narcissism could make one not notice or care. The choice between two brands of state-sponsored genocide demonstrates how truly spiritually, ethically, and morally vacuous the US truly is and has become. The apathy and narcissism of the top presidential candidates and the numerous representatives in both the House and Senate deeply reflects the shadow of US empire and a harsh truth that US citizens must eventually confront.

Truthfully, those who ambitiously seek such political power are often the most vacuous among the human species. Such ambitious and power-hungry individuals compulsively need to fill an inner void. That void is appeased through numerous external achievements, no matter what those achievements are, whose money they take to achieve them, or who they exploit in the process of their getting.

The hypercapitalistic culture, and even the American Dream itself, were created and perpetuated by an inherent narcissism and psychopathy within Western civilization. More broadly, such narcissism draws from the materialist worldview's devaluation of the subjective, intuitive, symbolic, nurturing, communal, and creative dimensions of the human experience. If the surface, material, and rational are all that matters, then fundamentalism comes to dominate. The "holy land" is no longer a metaphor of an inward spiritual condition but something to be externally sought and claimed.

In the 2000 preface of Requiem for a Dream, a novel published by Herbert Selby Jr. in 1978 under a building Saturn-Neptune square (while Neptune aligned with the US Sibly Ascendent), Selby wrote that,

"I believe that to pursue the American Dream is not only futile but self-destructive because ultimately it destroys everything and everyone involved with it. By definition it must, because it nurtures everything except those things that are important: integrity, ethics, truth, our very heart and soul. Why? The reason is simple: because Life/life is about giving, not getting."

Selby’s novel followed the lives of several individuals who tragically succumb to despair, failure, and addiction in pursuit of their own conceptions of the American Dream. In his 2000 preface, alongside the release of the film adaptation, Selby touched on a core component of the shadow of the American vision, one that understandably (within the specific context of Western history) catalyzed a political system to offset the dangers of consolidated power, collective tyranny, and authoritarian oppression. As the roots of neoliberalism arose within the political philosophy of the Enlightenment that sought to supplant absolutism with ideals of economic and civil freedom, it also embraced the ideal that through honest effort and merit (rather than "divine right" or genetic inheritance) anyone could achieve material wealth. Yet, of course, that ideal never initially applied to African slaves, their descendants, Native Americans, or women. It was an ideal constructed and perpetuated by and for white men. The failure to foresee that the inevitable consolidation of wealth in the hands of a small minority would result in the very same tyranny and inequality posed by monarchs, represents a blind spot inherent to placing economic expansion at the core of the American Dream.

As Selby argued, the American Dream, when taken to its extreme rational endpoint, devalues a core component of human evolution, that we are communal beings wired for connection, sharing, and belonging. Yet also, the external pursuit of happiness also fails to acknowledge what modern psychotherapy, ancient shamanism, and millennia old mystery religions have found to be true, that happiness is not exclusively found in external pursuits. It is more a cultural sentiment than a core American value that “heart and soul” are somehow the source of what’s truly important. Yet, the achievement and power obsessed American culture incentivizes turning away from those aspects of human nature, toward getting rather than giving. There is not a single billionaire that got to where they are through a cultivation of heart and soul, and least of all giving. The bottom line within the American Dream was always boundless consumption and exploitation.

As many experts on narcissism argue, such as psychologist Dr. Ramani Durvasula, the word goes beyond a clinical and diagnostic designation and describes a personality and cultural pattern that has become increasingly dominant in the West and especially in the US.[19] In 1979, under the same Saturn-Neptune square that Selby wrote Requiem for a Dream, Christopher Lasch foresaw this concerning cultural pattern emerging that he described in The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations. According to Lasch, cultural narcissism is cultivated through an obsession with consumerism, self-enhancement, and “all-or-nothing success,” overshadowing values like community building, family, tradition, and shared morality. The breakdown of these core human values and their displacement with fleeting gratifications has resulted in a society without a meaningful collective purpose and a dissipation of substantive aspirations. People expect less fulfillment and meaning from anything they pursue in life. Numerous experiences are reduced to fleeting moments of vacuous consumption.

While narcissism is often understood as a grandiose, egoistic, superficial, and combative personality style, it is rooted in a vacuous inner condition. As Dr. Durvasula argued, a hallmark of narcissism is pathological insecurity which is the “core of the main paradox of narcissism.”[20] External achievements and successes are needed to appease this insecurity and subdue that inner vacuousness. This also explains why narcissism is often found at the top echelons of society, in those who achieve high positions in politics, business, medicine, entertainment, or academia. We live in a society that generously awards high achievement at the expense of those core human values that shaped human evolution. Humans did not survive the ice age through charisma, competitiveness, and self-interest.

This vacuousness is reflected at the heart of the modern conception of the American Dream, its core values, and in the broader political landscape. When Trump’s granddaughter, Kai Trump, spoke at the 2024 Republican National Convention of her grandfather, she solely emphasized her grandfather’s interest in her ambition, high honor roll status, and success at playing golf. She made a joke about Trump attempting to “get inside” her head to beat her at golf whenever they played against one another. As she expressed of her grandfather, “He always encourages me to push myself to be the most successful person I can be.”

Her speech was an attempt to garner sympathy for and humanize Trump after the failed assassination attempt, but it inadvertently revealed the narcissistic values that underlie the achievement obsessed hypercapitalist culture. The obsession with external achievement at the expense of other values is what drives narcissism on an individual and collective level. Only showing interest in a child’s achievements and exclusively pushing them “to be the most successful” people they can be is our collective pathway to the further corrosion of empathy, community, integrity, ethics, and morality.

The state-sponsored genocide of the Palestinian people reveals that in the 2024 election there is no longer a “lesser evil” to choose from. How much lower can a society descend when it is actively supporting and consenting to the slaughter of tens of thousands of innocent people for the sake of profit, power, and a delusional, psychopathic-driven consumption of land. The 2024 election also points to the vacuous core of the American Dream, and it reveals the deep void that the narcissistic elite have gradually pulled the country and the world into. The genocide is being perpetuated by numerous politicians who are seeking “all or nothing success” at the expense of integrity, truth, heart, and soul, values that clearly have no place within the political cult at the helm in Washington, DC.

Further, if the perpetuation of the American Dream as boundless capital flow and accumulation is contingent on the perpetuation of weapons sales, foreign proxy wars, and ecological destruction, it prompts a serious moral and ethical crisis. The accumulation of enormous wealth and resources while those impacted by US foreign policy struggle to feed themselves or that perpetuates the exploitation of the environment, is an unsustainable and inhumane vision to begin with. US imperialism and its destructive foreign policy decisions over recent decades have literally created and shaped the third world. Thus, over 80 percent of the world population can barely meet basic survival needs. In the context of globalization and the extent of US imperialism, it is time for a critical reimagining of the American Dream and its underlying goals.

Back to the Aries Point

Figure 26 Author unknown

Willpower is an Aries theme. The sign deals archetypally with the assertion of will on many levels. It is the primal truth of eat or be eaten, choose or have someone choose for you. The pushing boundaries AP theme expectedly fits with the Aries archetype. Boundaries must be pushed to enact change in our lives or on a societal level. Those with power will not give it up without a challenge. As Frederick Douglass argued, "Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and never will." Historically, unchecked and overreaching power has always been inevitably pushed back against, sometimes aggressively so, as with the English Civil War, French Revolution, or the civil rights battles of the 1950s and 60s.

Aggression and violence are some of the less ideal manifestations of the Aries archetype. When the peaceful assertion of the collective will fail to yield results, and when oppressive conditions persist unerring, anger and frustration will inevitably ensue. This is how Barbault described the insurrectional dimension of the Saturn-Neptune cycle:

"But when hunger brings the wolf out of the forest, human need increases the collective demands of a frustrated population which has no hope."[21]

A hopeless population, especially in the US, is a fitting description for where we currently stand, especially in relation to enacting change through the formal electoral process. It is the manifestation of what Lasche foresaw in 1978, a society that has succumbed to diminished expectations. The political disenchantment of many, evident in the rising popularity of third-party and populist political movements, partly demonstrates this truth. For those Americans who do not yet see and understand this, there is some heavy disillusionment coming that will reflect the painful shadow of Saturn-Neptune.  

Saturn and Neptune will align with the IC and oppose the Midheaven (MC) of the US Sibley chart and will square the US Sibley Venus-Jupiter conjunction in Cancer, a prominent alignment in the US horoscope due to Jupiter's rulership of the Ascendent. Sagittarius and its ruler Jupiter, exalted in Cancer and empowered by its alignment with Venus, points to the archetypal “boundless horizon” that infused itself into the American Dream. The Venus-Jupiter conjunction in the US Sibley chart is a prominent symbol of the US's destined wealth and debt accumulation, especially tied to foreign allies (via the planet's placements in the seventh and eighth houses of the chart). This challenge from Saturn-Neptune to the US wealth/debt symbol suggests a severe economic problem that will come into focus over the following two years.

Pluto's opposition to the Venus-Jupiter conjunction (and square to the US Sibley IC/MC axis) in 2008-2009 correlated with the Global Financial Crisis. A Saturn-Jupiter opposition and t-square with Uranus to the US Sibley Venus-Jupiter correlated with the onset of the Great Depression in 1930. Angular stimulation to the US Sibley chart by world transit alignments has shown illuminating in other ways. Uranus' crossing of the US Sibley IC (and square to Pluto and the US Sibley Venus-Jupiter) correlated with the Occupy Wall Street movement of September-November 2011, which as discussed, was a reaction to the massive government bailouts given to banks complicit in the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-2009 (which itself occurred when Pluto crossed the AP axis and squared the US Sibly MC/IC and opposed Venus-Jupiter).  

Figure 27  The US Sibly chart (inner wheel) and transits for February 20, 2026 (outer wheel) showing the exacting Saturn-Neptune conjunction on the US Sibly IC and squaring Venus-Jupiter. Note the AP aligns with the US Sibly IC, putting the AP axis directly on the IC/MC axis of the chart.

The crossings of Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto over the US Sibley MC correlated with the boundary-pushing cultural and political instability of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Pluto's crossing the US Sibly Ascendent and opposition to Saturn on the Descendent correlated with the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. The American Civil War of 1861-1865 occurred during a Saturn-Neptune opposition (that made a t-square with transiting Uranus) that aligned with the US Sibley MC/IC. Neptune was, like in 2025-2026, crossing the US Sibly IC axis.

With Saturn-Neptune hitting the IC/MC axis of the US Sibly chart, this suggests that much of the Saturn-Neptune symbolism will involve the domestic front as the IC is connected symbolically to domestic issues. The Occupy Wall Street movement was a prime example of this, sparking encampments and protests in numerous national cities. The IC (and fourth house cusp) in mundane astrology reflects issues around land and land ownership within a country.

With the US Sibly IC aligned with the AP, this speaks symbolically to the US’s potential of pushing the boundaries of land ownership and territorial dominance not just within the North American continent, but with other foreign territories. The US is a country founded on settler colonialism and the massive theft of indigenous land. The inevitable westward expansion of US territory and the displacement of Native Americans via the ideal of “Manifest Destiny” reflects this boundary pushing dimension to the US AP fourth house cusp.

Figure 28 "American Progress" by John Gast, 1872.

One of the core aspects of the American Dream was the feasibility of land and home ownership. Today, the dream of accessible homeownership, especially in and around major US cities, is becoming far less within reach among many US citizens. More than half of the US population struggles to pay rent and cover necessities. Homeownership in the US also never fully recovered from the 2007-2009 Global Financial Crisis that proceeded two AP solar eclipses on the US Sibly MC/IC axis in 2006 and 2007. As also mentioned, this was the period of Pluto crossing the AP axis into Capricorn and its opposition to the US Sibly Venus-Jupiter (and square to the MC/IC axis). Similarly, a solar eclipse will occur on the AP and align with the US Sibly MC in 2025 alongside the building Saturn-Neptune conjunction on the IC.

The fourth house, from a psychological and evolutionary astrological perspective, relates to the “soul” of the chart, the deeper and intimate dimensions of life. It points to issues around the home front, kinship, and what astrologer Steven Forrest referred to as “attunement to the inner self.” According to Forrest, fourth house transits are often obscure periods of life that relate to cycles of “self-administered psychoanalysis” and a “process of recreating a myth of ourselves….”[22]According to Howard Sasportas, with Neptune crossing the IC into the fourth house, it reflects a time “to pause and take stock of our lives.”[23] From this perspective, the Saturn-Neptune cycle on the US Sibly IC represents a critical period for the seeding of a new myth, perhaps a reconceptualization of the American Dream itself. This is a time to awaken and deeply assess the values the country has come to operate under. Perhaps this more inward turning reflected by the Saturn-Neptune alignment in the US Sibly fourth house reflects also a constructive potential as Tarnas had described it:

“In perhaps its most admirable form, the Saturn-Neptune complex appears to be associated with the courage to face a hard and often tragic reality without illusion and still remain true to the ideals and dreams of a better world. Instead of provoking despair or passivity, the painful gap between the ideal and the real inspires one to undertake whatever sustained labor is necessary to transform the resistant structures of the world (political, economic, religious, philosophical) in service of one’s highest spiritual intuitions.”[24]

In contrast, though not specifically referring to the US situation and focusing more broadly on global civilization, Barbault was optimistic about the 2026 conjunction. Here is his prediction:

"It is the most benefic configuration of the century and its interplanetary partnership will work for the best in a splendid relaunch of civilization. It contains a harmonious relationship between primordial polar opposites; the coming together of the external and the internal, rational and spiritual, mind and soul... human beings surpassing themselves while experiencing life on a higher level."[25]

Barbault predicted a "splendid relaunch of civilization." He also alluded to some acquired transcendent state through a melding of polarities. Barbault noted the harmonious aspects of Pluto and Uranus making sextiles to the Saturn-Neptune alignment. It is interesting to note that the AP has major symbolic significance related to pushing the boundaries of civilization and technological progress. Critical events leading to the dramatic shift in world power tend to occur alongside such alignments historically. As occurring within the upward trend in the Cyclic Index, and considering these more harmonious aspects, Barbault foresaw a positive uprising occurring on a global level.

In contrast, the more constructive potential of Tarnas’ Saturn-Neptune interpretation framed it as a dark night of the soul that prompts constructive action and has the potential to change various cultural structures that have become maladaptive or misaligned with spiritual or moral aspirations. Reflecting on the evidence and discussions in this essay, I find it hard to have an optimistic view of this alignment, at least in the short term and on the broader collective level. Yet, astrology points to a symbolic reality that underwrites reality itself. From that perspective, astrology suggests that reality is ultimately symbolic rather than literal. We can look at everything happening in the world as a symbol pointing to a shift in consciousness that is reflected in all these events and crises we face.

A perplexing aspect of this alignment is the censorship issue discussed and the ability to distort or manufacture perception on a massive level. The situation speaks deeply to the archetype of Neptune and its obfuscating and sometimes deceiving attributes. This touches on a critical crisis we face: a crisis of reality and perception, a collective confusion about what is true or false, or who to trust or believe. The boundaries of perception and reality will be pushed, but in what direction ultimately? Is Han's dystopian warning about the death of free will to emerge in a way we have yet to see or imagine? Will emerging threats be misunderstood or hyperbolically depicted as in the correlations with Saturn-Neptune and periods of collective paranoia and mass delusion? When consumed in reflective digital echo chambers, each with its curated version of reality, is the possibility of an organized collective pushback or awakening even possible? The battle over a specific vision or ideology is also possible here, or a significant failure of such, and a defining moment in that process will likely emerge over the next few years. Yet, ultimately, what vision or reality will win out?

In my previous essay on this topic, I predicted a thematic global disillusionment and awakening that would manifest in a variety of ways. I argued that it was ultimately time for a radical alteration in our collective worldview. I think the collective disillusionment and hopelessness, and the failure of the status quo system to deliver new possibilities or inspire excitement and hope among the people has more to do with political and metaphysical worldviews that have reached their expiration. The vacuousness and narcissism of the major US presidential candidates (and their associated political parties) heading into this Saturn-Neptune cycle is a revealing symbol about the corruption of the political duopoly and the capture of the system by unrestrained profit accumulation and material exploitation. It also points to a lack of a compelling creative vision not just nationally but within the broader, hegemonic worldview of modernity.

The materialist-secular worldview and its accompanying atheism and existentialism have resulted in a society disenchanted in multiple ways. It has resulted in a technocratic system that perceives humans as mere machines that can be programmed and directed toward predetermined outcomes. Yet, that view is highly delusional. Humanity and its civilization are byproducts of the natural world, a complex non-linear system far from mechanical, static, and controllable. That vision will ultimately fail because it fails to see, understand, and appreciate the complexity and nuance of reality and the nature of consciousness. Chaos cannot be eliminated by advanced algorithms or the weaponization of social theories.

In contrast to this, we have a rising tide of conservative political and cultural ideology. This often reflects a desire to retreat to conservative traditions and a puritanical past. It is partly a revitalization movement that perceives the progressive cultural changes of the past century as dangerous and maladaptive. If only society could go back to some semblance of cultural and traditional purity, things can be restored to normalcy and stability. This is equally delusional when taken to an extreme and it ignores the diversity, equality, and freedom that many of the progressive cultural changes of the past century have manifested. On the far end of this are the delusional authoritarian aspirations of Christian theocratic fascism that seeks to align the US culturally and structurally with traditional Chrisitan values (or what a subset of evangelical and fundamentalist Christian leaders believes those values are).[26]

However, the tension between these extremes points to a middle ground arising that can also be seen as a reflection of the following two decades of Pluto through Aquarius. Are there ways in which radical liberalism has gone too far in the direction of excessive hyper-novelty? Are there ways in which radical conservatism has gone too far in restricting bodily autonomy and civil liberties? Current debates over adolescent gender transitions, abortion, and broader LGBT+ issues within the culture appear to reflect this tension and nuance. They require careful, open debate and consideration rather than overly simplistic and broad, biased conclusions.

In considering Lasche’s argument about the collapse of tradition, family structure, and shared morality as factors that have led to cultural narcissism, in some ways, the conservative view has a point as far as traditional lifeways are concerned. There are many cultural structures that have been instrumental to human evolution and civilizational expansion that have been radically altered over past centuries. Yet, considering more complex societal factors like hypercapitalism, we see this corrosion of structures as not only a byproduct of progressive cultural changes but also economic ones that make the sustainment of certain traditions less appealing or accessible. If buying a home and raising a family is no longer a viable economic option, then alternative structures and lifestyles will inevitably result as humans adapt to changing economic conditions. Metaphysical and cosmological models of traditional religions have become less convincing and appealing due to numerous scientific discoveries and evidence and thus they fail to make rational arguments.

The conversation over the collapse of shared morality is not exclusive to Lasche and has been observed as instrumental to the rise of modern cult-like movements and what psychologist Matias Desmet called “mass formation,” a trance-like hive mind that overtakes a population alongside a serious threat or crises (as well as a host of predeterminate factors).[27] Lack of a collective sense of meaning and purpose was instrumental to this. This was an argument of Hannah Arendt who saw the rise of Nazism as having a similar basis in the collapse of authority and a shared, collective purpose in the modern world. Sociologist Frank Freudi’s work focused on this very issue as having given rise to modernity’s collective hyper fixation on safety and risk aversion that he called the “culture of fear.” According to Furedi, the collapse of centralized authority and shared morality (and excessive focus on individualism) have given rise to a cultish devotion to scientistic morality that perceives and portrays science as “a moralistic and political project” aimed at establishing a consensus to be obeyed, the very opposite of science as a rigorous tool and methodology whose findings are openly questioned and debated.[28]

Since most of human evolution took place within the context of small groups of nomadic, hunter-gatherers, the ability to maintain a shared collective authority, moral code, and purpose was more feasible and instrumental to human survival. The rapid expansion of the global human population, globalization, technological advancements, and ever emerging scientific discoveries have made matters more complicated. Individualism and cultural plurality in modern American culture are also major factors for the difficulty of getting everyone on the same moralistic and ideological page. There are no easy, “one-size-fits-all” solutions to these problems and they reflect a reality humanity must learn to adapt to.

The shadow of these times ultimately reflects humanity’s inability to deal with chaos, unpredictability, and uncertainty and their desperate attempts to make sense of these conditions through the limitations of their worldviews. I would argue that neither technocratic materialists or religious conservatives offer viable solutions nor refreshing insights. The Neptunian archetype inherently belongs to the realm of the chaos gods such as Uranus, Pluto, and many trans-Plutonian objects. Its merging with Saturn incites a challenge to integrate and concretize the ideal and intangible, but it also represents a confrontation with the limitations of our understanding of reality and our ability to control outcomes. Disillusionment is always a consequence of any delusional pursuit of attempting to stamp out chaos and uncertainty from the world, or any hubristic confidence in one’s view of the world.

If there is a positive side to this moment in time it is the potential awakening that will pave the way to new visions and conceptions of reality better informed by those limitations. That will take time to germinate and blossom within the world, but their seeds are being planted now, and each of us, if we manage to escape the trappings of confining digital echo chambers, divisive political cults, or collective mass delusion, can glimpse pieces of it and assist in actively pushing the boundaries of ethically corrupt cultural and political structures (in addition to reality, perception, and even humanity's deeper spiritual potential).

As for the US, many academic historians have argued that the country is a declining world power, and that path has accelerated in recent decades. As mentioned earlier, historian Alfred McCoy anticipated an accelerated decline of US global power occurring along a similar time frame as Barbault, within the 2020-2030 range. At the time of the publication of his last work in 2017, he suggested there was still time for Americans to organize and work through political channels to oppose the military industrial complex’s endless expansion and the US’s dangerous foreign policy maneuvers. As McCoy argued, “the possibility remains that, even at this late hour, the American people could come together—as they did during World War II or the Cold War—to build a more just society at home and a more equitable world abroad.”[29] Those efforts unfortunately do not seem to have made much headway. Yet, this alignment perhaps points to a last chance for a collective awakening to begin mobilizing such a movement.  

As for the American Dream, within the context of unfettered capitalism, it was destined to be an unsustainable mode of being in the world, neglecting humanity’s place as one piece of a vast interconnected ecosystem. This does not suggest that aspiring for a political and economic system that equitably secures material stability for its citizens is a bad thing, but that a system that allows for the delusional boundless accumulation of capital and resources cannot go on forever, especially one predicated on the perpetuation war, genocide, and environmental destruction. The hypercapitalistic extreme of the American Dream derives from the delusional belief that humanity is separate from and more supreme than anything else evolving on earth. Many traditional religious ideologies perpetuate this delusion of humans as somehow transcendent of and supreme to the natural world. This delusion operates unconsciously within even the materialist and scientistic worldviews that deify human ingenuity and innovation as something salvific rather than paradoxical and flawed. Cultural narcissism emerged out of the vacuous core of the materialist worldview but also the religious foundations it grew out of, and it poses significant risks for the survival of humanity, civilization, and numerous ecosystems and living species. Reimagining not only the American Dream itself, but broader conceptions of reality and our place within it, will be crucial for improving global conditions and preserving numerous cultural and ecological systems in the future.

Citations

[1] Richard Tarnas. Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View (New York: PLUME, 2007), p. 469.

[2] Ibid., pp. 469-478.

[3] Michael Baigent, Nicholas Campion, and Charles Harvey. Mundane Astrology: An Introduction to the Astrology of Nations and Groups (London: The Aquarian Press, 1992), p. 169.

[4] Plato. “Timaeus”, in Plato Complete Works, eds. John M Cooper and D.S. Hutchinson (Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing, 1997), p. 1243, 39d.

[5] See Robert Hand. Horoscope Symbols (Atglen: Schiffer, 1981), p. 92.

 Noel Tyl. Synthesis and Counseling in Astrology (St. Paul: Llewellyn, 1994), p. 312.

[6] Anne Geneva. Astrology and the Seventeenth Century Mind: William Lilly and the Language of the Stars (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1995), p. 211.

[7] Nicholas Campion, Astrology and Cosmology in the World’s Religions (New York and London: New York University Press, 2012), pp. 182-184.

[8] Tarnas, Cosmos and Psyche, p. 474.

[9] André Barbault. Planetary Cycles Mundane Astrology, trans. by Kate Johnston (London: The Astrological Association, 2016), p. 85.

[10] David Harvey. A Brief History of Neoliberalism (New York: Oxford University Press, 2007), p. 7.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Byung-Chul Han, Psycho-politics: Neoliberalism and New Technologies of Power (London and New York: Verso, 2017), p. 5.

[13] Apple.“1984,” January 24, 1984. https://youtu.be/VtvjbmoDx-I?si=0Bx8Nu5jEI_cfJij

[14] Han, Pscyhopolitics, p. 40.

[15] Han, Psychopolitics, p. 36.

[16] Testimony by Michael Shellenberger FINAL (house.gov), p. 6.

[17] Han, Psychopolitics, p. 12.

[18] Ibid.

[19] Ramani S. Durvasula, PH.D. “Don’t You Know Who I Am?”: How to Stay Sane in an Era of Narcissism, Entitlement, and Incivility (New York & Nashville: Post Hill Press, 2019), p. 22.   

[20] Ibid., p. 10.

[21] Barbault. Planetary Cycles, p. 87.

[22] Steven Forrest. The Inner Sky: How to Make Wiser Choices for a More Fulfilling Life (San Diego: ACS Publications, 1988), p. 79.

[23] Howard Sassportas. The Gods of Change: Pain, Crisis, and the Transits of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto (Bournemouth: The Wessex Astrologer, 2007), p. 156.

[24] Tarnas, Cosmos and Psyche, p. 477.

[25] Barbault, Planetary Cycles, p. 103.

[26] See: Chris Hedges. American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America (New York: Free Press, 2009).

[27] Matias Desmet. The Psychology of Totalitarianism (White River Junction: Chelsea Green Publishing, 2022).

[28] Frank Furedi. How Fear Works: Culture of Fear in the 21st Century (London: Bloomsbury, 2019), p. 144.

[29] Alfred W. McCoy. In the Shadows of the American Century: The Rise and Decline of US Global Power (Chicago: Haymarket Books, 2017), p. 256.

Be Fierce: Total Solar Eclipse in Aries 2024

Justin Hawkes, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Total Solar Eclipse @ 19 degrees Aries 24'
April 8, 2024
11:20 AM PDT
2:20 PM EDT

Solar eclipses can correlate with profound transitions in our lives, both significant beginnings and endings, which seem to unfold simultaneously. Especially for those living where the eclipse is visible, it can correlate with emotional amplification and confrontations with numerous hidden and unconscious aspects of ourselves and the external world. These can be dramatic periods, but also highly revealing and liberating, especially if we attune ourselves more inwardly to the unconscious mind.

With this eclipse, we are met with a barrage of seeming contradictions. The Aries archetype, ruled by the planet Mars, desires to assert and take willful action. As a north nodal eclipse, we are compelled forward into the future to free ourselves of numerous dependencies and unhealthy attachments. Yet, Mercury is moving deep into its retrograde cycle, bringing up the past and throwing the mind into reflection, revision, and potential hesitation. 

Additionally, Mars will be heading toward a conjunction with Saturn in Pisces that exacts within a day of the eclipse on April 10. This is not a time in which we should take careless or impulsive actions. We should be mindful that whatever we implement and launch now will not likely align with the ego's ideals and expectations. This is a time to focus our shifts more internally and trust that dramatic changes of attitude, perception, and emotional expression will eventually trickle into our external experiences. 

Additionally, the eclipses' exact alignment with Chiron, and wide conjunction with Mercury retrograde, and the dwarf planet Eris suggest a further amplification of wounds and vulnerabilities. If we're not careful, we can easily get swept up in the internal and external chaos of the moment and lose sight of the bigger picture. 

Yet, these symbols also speak to the ability to heal and integrate unfinished business, to learn deeply from the past and utilize our pain and suffering to motivate us toward courageous action in the world to pave the way for a new order and way of being. Reflect on what has been holding you back from your fierceness and ability to claim your destined place in life. Sometimes, going back and turning inward can counterintuitively push us further forward. 

From Disillusionment to Global Awakening: The Saturn-Neptune Conjunction (2024-2027)

Jeffrey Pang from Berkeley, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

*This article was originally published on my Substack page in September 2023, portions of which I presented at the AstroBash evolutionary astrology conference in Borrego Springs, CA.

*I have another more recent essay on this topic here

Introduction

Beginning in 2024, the planets Saturn and Neptune get closer to their conjunction in tropical Aries, specifically at a point coined by modern astrologers as the "Aries Point"--the place where the Sun ignites the vernal equinox in the northern hemisphere. Additionally, this conjunction occurs alongside two other infrequent conjunctions exacting within roughly the same time frame: centaur object Chiron with dwarf planet Eris and Uranus with dwarf planet Sedna. Similar to 2020 and surrounding years, these alignments represent challenging collective integrations but also hold constructive and meaningful potentials that I'll explore in this article while looking at the archetypal natures of the planets involved, the Aries Point, and past historical correlations. 

While Saturn and Neptune will make only one exact alignment in February 2026, this Saturn-Neptune conjunction period will have significance from March 2024 through April 2027 in using a 15-degree orb. Like the Saturn-Pluto conjunction that peaked in January 2020, its correlations were relevant from January 2018 through December 2021, evident in the way in which much of the heightened collective fear and authoritarian pressures as a result of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic peaked at the exact conjunction period in early 2020 and began to wane entering 2022. We can anticipate a gradual building crescendo of the Saturn-Neptune themes starting in early 2024, amplifying in early 2026, and phasing out in 2027. 

Saturn and Neptune’s exact conjunction February 20, 2026 alongside close conjunctions of Chiron-Eris and Uranus-Sedna.

However, like all significant world transits such as these, their correlations and consequences linger for some time, often coming back into focus or further elaborating with future quadrature axial alignments of the same planets. Considering, for example, the significance of the Saturn-Pluto conjunction (and Saturn-Jupiter conjunction) of 2020, we can anticipate as well, another challenging collective period picking up in May 2027 through May 2030 due to the Saturn-Pluto square, a likely continuation of many themes and issues from the 2020 conjunction.

What I will explore here deals with world transits and speaks to events and issues primarily impacting the collective. More favorable correlations and cycles will overlap within this timeframe, and there are periods when more difficult themes amplify and then lessen. Also, correlations of these cycles will vary considerably on the individual and local levels. There are equally positive and constructive potentials where we can use these periods for immense spiritual and circumstantial growth, as I discussed in my 2019 article on the year 2020. Even when such challenging collective cycles touch upon sensitive areas of an individual's natal chart, the correlations that emerge within the person's life are likely to be much different than the extreme challenges that appear on the world stage. On the individual level, we have more ability to alter circumstances and transmute potential challenges into successful life changes and accomplishments. 

I do not intend to fearmonger here. You are likely to encounter much of this because synthesizing all this material and thinking critically and deeply about it is difficult. Yet, also, I want to be honest, and I believe that astrologers should not merely present idyllic positivity concerning this content because we should be able to help people prepare for potentially difficult collective periods. The correlative potential of 2020 was an excellent example of this. As Tarnas stated in Cosmos and Psyche, 

"The natural human tendency is to want to know that the general outlook for the foreseeable future is uniformly positive and will only get better, with blue skies as far as the eye can see. Yet there are advantages to knowing of a potentially challenging reality in advance, facing it squarely, preparing for it, and recognizing its signs and characteristic motifs, its dangers, and its positive potential when it is consciously assimilated and enacted." [1]

As Tarnas expressed, humans are innately prone to hopeful future anticipations. This is very hardwired, likely due to the immense difficulties ancestral hominins encountered throughout their evolution. Yet also, it may reflect humanity’s innate spiritual awareness and potential which I do believe informs much of how we perceive and respond to reality. This positivity also lies beneath the perpetual "progress" of civilization and culture, as humanity has an inherent optimism for a better tomorrow. This "progress" inherent to increasing social complexity has clear advantages for the endurance of the human species through the project of civilization. However, as Tarnas also stated, preparing for less-than-ideal moments in the future is tremendously beneficial to make the best of it when it inevitably arrives. This was my intention in writing my 2019 piece and earlier writings on the subject of 2020.

Additionally, humans strongly dislike uncertainty, and thus anything that provides certainty is also attractive. Prophecies of either doom or hope tend to be more easily understood than what a deep study of astrology reveals: a reality that is more nuanced, paradoxical, and open-ended. While knowledge of future astrological cycles can provide some certainty (this is why we study astrology, after all) when delineated completely, they also provide an equal amount of uncertainty since, as Tarnas argued, astrology is archetypally but not concretely predictive. There is much we cannot know about what exactly these cycles will bring forth in a tangible and literal way. This latter point is important because while I will discuss many past historical correlations, it is not possible to know which of those themes will emerge and how.

Concerning fearmongering, if we take merely one thing from 2020 away, it is that while the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic was a serious threat and did (and will continue to) have consequences, the fear reaction initially brought forth by the media and world governments was pathological, far exceeding the reality of the actual threat at the time. While in the US, the pandemic is currently estimated to have resulted in over a million deaths, severe cases of COVID-19 (the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 viral infection) were limited to a much smaller subset of a high-risk demographic than most of the national and world population. This fact was revealed in very early studies. [2]

As I discussed in my Pluto in Aquarius article, "Pluto in Aquarius: Through the Shadows to a Wiser Tomorrow" and delve more deeply in my upcoming book, this pathological reaction resulted partly from what sociologist Frank Fuerdi called the "culture of fear," where risk aversion and public safety are at the helm of moralistic pursuits within modern, secular societies. However, as I also discuss in other writings, this is inflamed by the context of neoliberal hyper-capitalism. This political and economic policy framework leads to the egregious empowerment of an elite class and corporate entities that have progressively assimilated numerous institutions of power. Thus a small percentage of privatized interests utilize this moralistic pursuit as a tool of social and cultural manipulation for increasing profits and control, and fear is very much at the center of it.

We can anticipate that while there will likely be some serious and sobering events to deal with during this Saturn-Neptune cycle that are very real, there will also very likely be a distorted response and representation on the part of the legacy media (long-standing, corporate owned media corporations) and world governments that will attempt to divert our attention to particular solutions or specific reactions and behaviors conducive to political and economic interests. This is the nature of the beast, the hegemonic structures of political and economic power in the West (and much of the world) and it is something to become conscious of in today's increasingly complex, globalized society. 

Tarnas noted and demonstrated in Cosmos and Psyche, that the Saturn-Neptune cycle has correlations similar to that of Saturn-Pluto, and thus we can anticipate a similar challenging period, perhaps even manifestations consequentially related to those that unfolded in 2020 and the proceeding years (since they occur close together in time). The Saturn-Neptune conjunction, especially as a transition to the Saturn-Pluto square of 2027-30, is a notable cycle and something worth thinking about and attempting to understand so that, as Tarnas expressed, we can manage it by "facing it squarely, preparing for it, and recognizing its signs and characteristic motifs, its dangers, and its positive potential." [3] Ultimately, I will be attempting to situate this cycle within a meaningful and purposeful context so that we can understand the necessity of our collective, archetypal fate rather than framing such events from a place of victimhood or fear. 

Lastly, based on my astrological worldview and understanding of astrology, I do not believe that planetary alignments directly cause events to occur on earth. What I will be discussing here represents a symbolic reflection of celestial events. Ultimately, I believe astrology reveals a synchronistic phenomenon inherent to the universe, or per the hermetic axiom, “as above, so below.” In other words, what happens in the sky somehow reflects what happens on earth.

The Saturn and Neptune Archetypes

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Saturn and Neptune archetypes are considerably antithetical, though together they do form an underlying theme and focus. Saturn represents concrete, measurable, predictable, and consciously recognizable boundaries and restraints. In contrast, Neptune represents an awareness of those aspects of life and reality that are significantly amorphous, ambiguous, unknowable, and therefore difficult to distinguish and define. Simply put, Saturn deals with pragmatism, certainty, and "reality," while Neptune pertains to the imaginary, mysterious, "hyper-real," or idealistic. However, one interesting similarity between Saturn and Neptune is their relation to our understanding of reality. 

Neptunian perception is not inherently false but one that is not easily subject to rational explanation or that fits within the framework of an accepted worldview. Additionally, Saturnian "reality" is itself not always representative of truth but sometimes what is determined by authorities or agreed upon by consensus (for political, economic, or other complex social reasons). Thus, reality is something that is always shifting and changing culturally or due to our evolving, collective understanding. Ultimately, reality is relative to our place in time and space. Science, for example, is constantly shifting reality based on new evidence and insight. While the positivist materialist ideal is that a clear and objective view of reality will someday emerge from rigorous scientific experimentation, this has remained only an ideal and belief despite science's incredible insights and breakthroughs.

As it relates to the mundane manifestations of these archetypes, Saturn relates to currently recognizable domains of authority, control, and regulation such as governmental bodies, regulatory agencies, institutions of knowledge, and notable public figures affiliated with such things--Presidents, Prime Ministers, various heads of state, even CEOs and corporate executives at the helm of corporate power. Saturn represents so-called experts and other authorities of specialized knowledge, such as lawyers, doctors, scientists, or public health officials. 

Psychologically and circumstantially, Saturn, the Roman syncretic version of the Greek god Cronos, represents the boundaries and limitations of time and matter, the "way things are." Again, since our understanding of reality is something that is shifting, it represents the way things are now, based on the current moment in time. Saturn can represent the endurance of adaptive and maladaptive cultural traditions and institutions that have stayed the test of time or actively resisted change through authoritarian and coercive dominance. In both the Greek and Roman variants of Cronos/Saturn, respectively, the archetype is associated with limits and constraints of time. It thus represents an awareness of mortality, death, and decay. In relation to the societal level, Saturn also represents the necessity of some level of conformity to laws, customs, traditions, and other cultural regulations within all complex social systems (and within nature).

Conversely, Neptune relates to all matters of faith, belief, revelation, mysticism, illusion, and "higher powers"--an awareness of supernatural forces or agencies and very tangible forces of nature beyond the power of individuals or large collective groups. In a modern conception, Neptune could relate to the looming mysterious presence of such supernatural elements like UFOs or spiritual entities to more mundane things like hurricanes or viral outbreaks that defy our ability to control and contain. Again, while many of Neptune's correlations may be illusory, they can also be genuine and merely lie beyond our ability to fully predict, measure, and understand.

Depiction of Neptune using AI generation in Midjourney v5

In a mundane sense, it is helpful to conceive of Neptune's manifestations, as with all transpersonal planets in astrology, with Timothy Morton's conception of "hyperobjects." Hyperobjects can be tangible things in the world or ideas beyond a human being's ability to fully grasp and comprehend since they exist over vast distances of time and space and involve numerous complex interrelationships. Hyperobjects are inherently non-local and, therefore, cannot be traced to a single point in space and time, such as climate change, neoliberalism, or technological networks. The non-local aspect of the Neptunian archetype is an important takeaway, as its correlations often reveal realities in which there is no specific point or source but something that could emerge from numerous vectors. The UFO phenomenon is an excellent non-mundane example of this, as it involves a diversity of mysterious experiences and phenomena but does not seem to point to a single source, origin, or explanation (even though numerous grand narratives are used to make sense of it).

Neptune therefore actively defies boundaries and restraints. Named after the Roman god of the seas (or the earlier Greek Poseidon), the nature of Neptune very much matches symbolically with that of a watery or other malleable, non-graspable substance, able to slip slowly and surreptitiously through the cracks as well as completely overwhelm and devour structural barriers. Therefore, Neptune threatens all Saturnian certainty about the world and universe. It works to seep into places, reveal weaknesses, and dissolve structures, unveiling vulnerabilities and blind spots. 

Neptune can represent the polarities of faith and disbelief, enchantment and delusion, awakening to truth and disillusionment with beliefs. Neptune relates to all types of mystics, gurus, and spiritual catalysts but also grifters, charlatans, addicts, or the delusional or psychologically unstable. Neptune reveals the boundaries between certainty and uncertainty and ultimately reveals the reality that there is always "a bigger fish," so to speak, always a force or power that evades our understanding and ability to control and predict.

In another sense, Tarnas characterized Neptune as the "imaginative-spiritual-religious axis" and Saturn as the "literalist-skeptical-scientific-axis," and this very closely sums up the archetypal essence of these two planets and how they differ. [4] The conjunctions of Saturn and Neptune operate reciprocally. Saturn impacts Neptune and Neptune impacts Saturn. For example, the Saturnian confrontation with reality imposes itself on Neptunian belief and faith, manifesting, for example, as collective disillusionment and loss of faith. The Neptunian dissolution of barriers and boundaries acts on the Saturnian systems and structures, manifesting as a collective feeling of losing control. The manifestations of these two archetypes are varied, and historical periods related to them deeply reflect this, as I will explore next. 

Saturn-Neptune Historical Correlations

Policemen in Seattle wearing masks made by the Red Cross, during the influenza epidemic. December 1918; photo in public domain

The correlations discussed below reflect the more challenging nature of Saturn-Neptune periods as they emerge in relation to world events. Again, it is important to point out that much of what emerges on the world stage more often appears to reflect the shadow dimension of this archetypal combination. However, further study of this cycle could reveal more nuanced collective correlations, where positive manifestations likely emerge equal to those more difficult. I focus more so on the challenging manifestations here since these are likely to get more focus due to a fear driven culture and collective worldview. Again, this discussion is not meant to create fear but rather serve as preparation for the way in which it is likely that media and political discourse will hyperfocus on those more problematic correlations. Yet also, it serves to help others either mentally or circumstantially prepare for more difficult collective periods which may or may not directly impact them.

In Cosmos and Psyche, Tarnas compared the Saturn-Pluto and Saturn-Neptune cycles through a "dominance in both of Saturnian themes and the unmistakable Saturnian atmosphere." [5]. As the world witnessed in 2020, the symbolic correlation of Saturn as empowered by Pluto was reflected in numerous ways, especially as Tarnas described as a "subtle but pervasive darkening of the collective consciousness". [6] The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, as most of the world experienced it (especially in the beginning stages), brought forth a definite "darkening of the collective consciousness" as many struggled with rampant fear, panic, and uncertainty, especially as a response to the fear-driven messaging from media, politicians, and public health officials. 

In relation to the political domain, Tarnas noted how Saturn-Neptune periods appear to highlight extreme polarities, such as religion vs. secularism or "faith-based vs. reality-based." In the US, these polarities are particularly poignant as secular and liberal ideals are often pitted against those of Christian conservatism. The antithetical framing of "evolution vs. creationism" is a simplistic example of this, particularly in American culture. Most recently, the Saturn-Neptune square aspect of 2013-16 appeared to correlate with a particularly amplified sense of collective divisiveness, especially in the way that Former US President Donald Trump became such a divisive cultural symbol and the media-driven "culture wars" between "left" and "right" began to heat up significantly. However, Eris and its conjunction with Uranus during this period was also a potent symbolic reflection of this I will discuss in the next section. Considering that this divisiveness appears to be an ongoing feature of US political and cultural discourse, the 2024-27 Saturn-Neptune period will likely be a critical turning point related to it. 

Tarnas also related a sense of "tragic loss, the defeat of ideals and aspirations, the death of a dream" in relation to Saturn-Neptune cycles, and used as one example, the re-election of Geoge W. Bush during 2004 alongside the Saturn-Neptune square as exemplifying a collective loss of faith in the democratic process. This was a very similar framing and reality of the election of Donald Trump in 2016 in which many liberal voters and politicians mourned and lamented his election since it was depicted as an "existential threat to democracy" by the Democratic Party and numerous legacy media organizations. In relation to Bush, Tarnas described "a pervasive experience of discouragement and depression, resignation, pessimism, despair, and dazed disorientation that descended on many in the following weeks and months like an immense dark cloud." [7] Again, this was a nearly identical experience for democratic and liberal voters during the 2016 Saturn-Neptune square and the election that year, where many feared Trump's election and the populist movement he mobilized was the equivalent of a fascist takeover of the country. 

While the invasion of the US Capitol Building on January 6, 2021 was spawned by Trump's inaccurate claims of election fraud (which some argue was an outright insurrection and others that it was merely an unruly protest), Trump's supposed insurrection did not materialize as feared. This is ironic given that, for example, such oppressive government regimes both historically and in fiction take power during a crisis or catastrophe. If such a takeover was planned, it is clear it posed little to no threat, which contrasted significantly with legacy media framing that depicted Trump as the greatest political threat of our time. Such a crisis was the 2020 pandemic, which occurred under both the Trump and Biden administrations. There were many elements of Trump's election that exemplified the illusory or even delusional end of the Neptunian archetype, both from Trump himself and his detractors. For example, the claims of his supposed involvement with the Russian government and rumors that his presidency was not only a fascist takeover, but one backed by Russia. While a twenty-two-month formal investigation conducted by former FBI director, Robert Muller, and the US Department of Justice as outlined in the  2019 Muller Report , did find significant evidence of Russian interference in the 2016 election, it failed to find any links between Trump and members of his campaign and the Russian government to alter the election outcome. No charges were made against Americans said to be colluding with Russian interests. According to the report, "the investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities." [8] As it turned out, the paranoia over Russian infiltration within the US via the Trump family or his campaign was entirely illusory, despite incessant media and political rhetoric claiming otherwise.

Donald Trump at a presidential rally in Huntington Beach, CA; photo in public domain via Wikimedia Commons

In reflecting on the themes of the Saturn-Neptune square that occurred alongside these controversies, the disillusionment that came with Trump's victory over then-presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, fed into the cognitive dissonance that helped perpetuate a grand conspiracy to make rational sense of it. Yet, such a conspiracy ultimately obfuscated what I argued are the genuine economic problems that significantly influenced Trump's rise to power, namely the larger, systemic impact of neoliberalism and the economic oppression it perpetuates on the working class. Trump ran on a compelling message of economic reform and recovery which many populist voters found attractive. Additionally, Trump's outspoken pushback against elite cronyism in Washington DC and within his own party ("draining the swamp") and corporate media (emblematic of his "fake news" rhetoric) also played a role as many economically disadvantaged Americans blame these power disparities for their material conditions. In sum, Trump spoke to the very real growing distrust among American voters of the elite political establishment.

Bernie Sanders, while running on the Democratic side in 2016 (and again in the 2019 primaries), also spoke to these issues but from a democratic socialist rather than conservative standpoint and he similarly brought forth a populist movement opposed to elitism and corruption in the American political establishment. The exaggerated framing of Trump's involvement with a grand Russian conspiracy reflected a "collective paranoia" that does seem to be a feature of the Saturn-Neptune cycle as I will discuss in connection to both the early 1900s Red Scare and McCarthy era and the fears that surrounded a perceived communist invasion within the US. Yet, as mentioned, it is also important to point out that many of Trump's promises also reflected the imaginary or idealistic "pie in the sky" dimension of the Neptunian archetype such as his idealistic framing of "Make America Great Again" which didn't materialize as promised (the same neoliberal policies persisted, the rich still got richer, and he failed to enact numerous policies nor win re-election in 2020). Similarly, so too did the leftist populist movement of Sanders which sought but failed to reform the Democratic Party establishment or the Democratic Party and National Committee's own tattered dream of putting into office the first female President of the United States via Clinton (the glass ceiling dissolved rather than shattered). Additionally, the idealistic framing of Trump as messianic and salvific among some segments of his supporters also reflected both Neptunian idealism and delusion. For example, the "Q Anon" conspiratorial community, some of whom were part of the Capitol Invasion on January 6, perceive Trump as a heroic and messianic figure fighting against a perceived evil pulling the strings in Washington, DC. 

Another correlation with the 2005-2007 Saturn-Neptune opposition made by Tarnas was the 2005 flooding of New Orleans as a result of Hurricane Katrina that summer. Tarnas noted how the event exemplified forces overpowering humanity, especially an inability to defend itself, as well as the "bitter disappointment with the government's massive failure and negligence." [9] The shoddy infrastructure within the city worsened the tragic flooding of the city and widespread suffering that endured, and the slow and insufficient response on the part of the government to assist during the crises revealed serious governmental incompetence and lack of empathy. The catastrophe in New Orleans appeared to correlate with a Neptunian force (via a hurricane and flooding) revealing weaknesses not only in the city's infrastructure but within the domains of power and governmental authority, the destruction of an illusion perhaps for many, and a harsh confrontation with the reality of political corruption.

Tarnas also noted that significant Saturn-Neptune periods correlated with the endings of both the First and Second World Wars as well as the Cold War, correlating with a "collective sense of physical and spiritual exhaustion, disillusionment and low morale." [10] As another example, the entire American Civil War was fought during the Saturn-Neptune opposition of 1861-65. Of this, Tarnas noted a "sense of being caught in a futile and endless "quagmire." [11] The same was true of the Korean War during the Saturn-Neptune conjunction of the early 1950s and the Vietnam War through the 1950s-70s (in which key moments of its escalation occurred under Saturn-Neptune alignments such as the Gulf of Tonkin incident). Saturn-Neptune periods appear to correlate on occasion with situations that appear futile and exhausting, as there can sometimes be no clear solution or way of the struggle or crisis. A sense of collective hopelessness can be a result. Additionally, they sometimes occur at the end of an enduring battle and correlate with a period of mourning, loss, and coming to terms with the devastation of the situation. 

As alluded to in discussing the election of Trump, the 1950s Saturn-Neptune conjunction correlated with the McCarthy era and the hyper-paranoid atmosphere that surrounded the tensions between the US (through its embrace of capitalism) and communism. This was similar to the "Red Scare" of the early 1900s, which also coincided with a Saturn-Neptune conjunction through 1916-18 (also the cycle of the "Spanish Flu" I will discuss soon). In the 1950s, Senator Joseph McCarthy made numerous, unsubstantiated claims of widespread communist invasion within the US and especially within government sectors. This led to the destruction of careers and reputations of many working in government and the blacklisting of numerous Hollywood celebrities who were accused of actively conspiring with communist forces. 

Homosexual minorities were also heavily villainized during this period of American history. The McCarthy era led to accusations that gays and lesbians were working in concert with communist forces to infiltrate government positions and more broadly, American culture. They were accused of corrupting the youth, and the cultural climate of this era heavily influenced the construction of extreme homophobic sentiment within the United States, the result of which had been a significant catalyst for the modern LGBT+ movement and "coming out" as a way of declaring one's sexual identity as a symbol of pride rather than shame. During the McCarthy era and surrounding years, numerous gay, lesbian, and presumably bisexual men and women had to conceal their sexuality since they risked losing their jobs or tarnishing their reputations. The broader "Gay Liberation Movement" of the late 1960s built upon the activism of the earlier "Homophile Movement" ignited in the 1950s, comprised of gay and lesbian activists fighting against the homophobic policies implemented by the US government at this time. [12]

Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

What is interesting about both the Red Scare and the McCarthy era is the way in which the threat of "communist invasion" carried the symbolism of Saturn-Neptune, especially how communists were perceived as non-local entities intruding and slipping through the Saturnian barriers. In relation to homosexuality, especially since the cultural construction of sexual identity was less common (most had to hide that fact and conform to societal norms), homosexuals were framed as hidden enemies, much like communists, who could be anyone, a neighbor, coworker, friend, or family member. The "enemy" blended in and was difficult to detect, exemplifying the non-localized aspect of Neptune I discussed earlier. Despite the fact that some homosexual groups affiliated themselves with radical political ideologies, these larger conspiratorial fears were entirely fabricated and thus reflected the delusional manifestation of the Neptunian archetype, especially the way in which homosexuals were perceived to be actively organized alongside foreign communist forces and thus framed as enemies of the state who were conspiring to destroy and corrupt American culture and its values. The threat during this period, or at least the extent promulgated by government propaganda, was not real but entirely exaggerated and imagined. 

Another theme Tarnas noted was "Dark nights of the soul and severe challenges to religious faith." [13] Tarnas related this in two examples to the horrific suffering experienced from the Asia tsunami in late 2004 leading into the Saturn-Neptune opposition (in which over 200,000 people died in fourteen countries) and during the height of the mass genocide within the 1943-45 Nazi concentration camps during a Saturn-Neptune square (this square contacted the "Aries Point," which I will discuss in the next section). According to Tarnas, "Often individuals during these periods question the existence of an all-loving God who would permit tragic events and vast human suffering." [14] Events of this magnitude reveal a reality in which a perceived "evil" is permitted and chaotic elements are periodically allowed free reign. Ultimately, they reveal that the existence of a benevolent arbiter does not exist in the world we experience (or at least it doesn't intervene to prevent tragedy from happening), and such realizations can be incredibly uncomfortable to accept, sometimes catalyzing intense cognitive dissonance. 

The so-called "Spanish Flu" (it did not originate in Spain) was the last major pandemic since the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak of 2020. Beginning in early 1918 (alongside the waning Saturn-Neptune conjunction), a novel H1N1 influenza A virus mutation began circulating worldwide at the end of World War I and resulted in immense human suffering and loss of life. It is estimated that between 50 to 100 million people died as a result of the virus and it infected approximately 500 million globally. [15] The pandemic resulted in three waves, the second, which peaked in October 1918, was the deadliest (though reports during the first wave were concealed due to its political implications during the end of World War I). The death toll of the 1918-19 influenza pandemic far exceeded that of the 2020 pandemic, and it disproportionately impacted younger adults than did SARS-CoV-2. The reasons for this are often attributed to a hyperreactive immune response of otherwise healthy and young individuals (resulting in cytokine storms). However, other hypotheses suggest various environmental and lifestyle factors. For example, medical herbalist Paul Bergner has argued that a "perfect storm" resulted from an array of factors such as low vitamin D levels (due to long hours in indoor factory jobs), inhumane working conditions (where sick leave and pay were not mandated at the time), significant air pollution from coal burning, and severe malnutrition from standard western diets (high sugar, white flour, and mostly canned foods) were to blame for the high mortality among younger, working-age men in particular (deaths were highest in those aged 20-40). Bergner also argued that overdoses of aspirin and digitalis were common in hospitals and contributed to overall mortality. Malnutrition is one factor that is accepted among the medical consensus as having contributed to severe secondary bacterial infections of the lungs. However, there is also substantial evidence of aspirin overdoses. A paper published in 2009 by Karen M. Starko in Oxford’s Clinical Infectious Diseases, argued that toxic levels (unknown to physicians at the time) were being administered and contributed to severe cases of hyperventilation and pulmonary edema (fluid retention in the lungs which exacerbated bacterial lung infections). [16] According to Starko, the hyper-immune responses as a result of the viral infections were not likely to cause most deaths and aspirin overdoses were a significant contributing factor. As Tarnas noted, the Saturn-Neptune conjunction of the 1918-19 period correlated with the end of World War I, and thus the correlation of "physical and spiritual exhaustion" was undoubtedly present and also coincided with the futility of influenza outbreak and failure of the medical system to effectively combat it.

The 1918-19 influenza pandemic therefore exhibited a severe loss of faith, perhaps in a higher power for many, but also interestingly in relation to the scientific/medical establishment at the time and science itself. Unlike the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the 1918-19 influenza pandemic had more of a Neptune to Saturn quality, as there was little the medical establishment could do to prevent the waves of immense suffering and death (in many instances, modern medicine at the time may have contributed more to it). In contrast, due to the rapid production of the novel SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations, there was a collective sense of hope that the viral spread could be stopped, and the pandemic overcome, especially in the late 2020 and early 2021 period. The 1918-19 pandemic occurred a decade before the discovery of penicillin (for the treatment of secondary bacterial infections), and vaccine technologies were in their early stages of development, and thus there were no effective treatments or preventatives developed to combat the pandemic. Much like the nature of Saturn-Neptune I have discussed so far, there was a greater sense of a powerful force (the virus) overcoming the Saturnian boundaries (and authorities) with little effective defense. Widespread helplessness was a critical feature of this pandemic, as well as immense disillusionment as the scientific/medical establishment had no solutions, and thus the experts and authorities were themselves helpless to stop it. Again this seems to differ from the Saturn-Pluto cycles, where there is often empowerment of authority (even if exaggerated) rather than deflation of its power. 

Camp Funston, at Fort Riley, Kansas, during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic; photo in public domain

As some historiographical interpretations present, the 1918-19 influenza pandemic was a harsh reality check about the limitations of medical science at the time. Especially coming out of the First World War in which there were impressive advances in military weaponry, the pandemic was a humbling realization that science had not yet delivered entirely to its ideals, especially in medicine. This theme may be relevant and potentially something that could be anticipated concerning the 2024-27 period, as there may be similar reality checks related to a variety of measures and poorly tested solutions implemented during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic which could have serious collateral consequences. As I will discuss further, numerous measures, from implementing a novel vaccine technology amid an active pandemic to widespread global lockdowns, relied on little or untested hypotheses and were entirely experimental (despite assurances from media, politicians, and public health officials). The full ramifications of these experiments will take time to emerge and become clear. 

This brings me to the last theme of the Saturn-Neptune cycle I'd like to flesh out here and as discussed by Tarnas. In Cosmos and Psyche, Tarnas also noted that the Saturn-Neptune cycle correlated with themes involving drugs and toxicity, as well as revelations of corruption on the part of pharmaceutical corporations. As Tarnas described, Saturn-Neptune periods seem to bring forth,

"Problematic reactions, side effects, and abuses of drugs of all kinds, prescription and otherwise, and increased public awareness of these problems, often as a result of new data that disclose a dark reality hidden behind a carefully manipulated image, as in the corporate abuse of testing protocols and suppression of negative data." [17]

Tarnas pointed to various drug scandals during the Saturn-Neptune opposition of 2004-07 involving, as a few examples, the pharmaceutical drugs Vioxx, Plavixx, Bextra, and Celebrex. Vioxx, for example, was a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that its manufacturer Merck developed as an alternative to other NSAID drugs because it was shown to be better tolerated on the stomach. Vioxx was approved by the FDA in May 1999 after a clinical trial was conducted. However, as was revealed to the public over the 2004-07 Saturn-Neptune opposition period, Merck intentionally omitted some deaths of participants in this early trial, and it was later revealed through litigation that data manipulation was also conducted to intentionally make the drug look safer than it was. [18] While Vioxx was better tolerated than other NSAIDs used for chronic pain conditions such as osteoarthritis, it unfortunately led to an increased risk of heart attack or stroke which could occur within weeks of taking the drug. [19]

Merck finally withdrew the drug from the market in September of 2004, just as Saturn and Neptune came within 15 degrees of orb. [20] However, throughout 2005-07 of Saturn and Neptune's exact oppositional alignments, a barrage of lawsuits was filed against Merck, resulting in a $4.84 billion settlement fund set up by Merck. This was the largest pharmaceutical settlement ever at the time. Tragically, it was estimated that between 40,000 to 60,000 people died from cardiovascular complications due to taking Vioxx before the drug's withdrawal from the market. [21] However, as is common with corporate-level corruption and "white collar" crime in a neoliberal, hyper-capitalistic culture, no one was held accountable for these deaths. Instead, Merck merely paid out billions of dollars to victims, but still managed to make a billion in profit from the drug and continued to conduct business as usual thereafter.

The corruption between pharmaceutical corporations and regulatory authorities has been an ongoing issue of concern, especially as it becomes clear that significant financial interests are at play and a concerning revolving door exists between private, regulatory, and academic sectors. [22] As was naively ignored (or genuinely not known due to scientistic propaganda) during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, is the fact that regulatory capture by privatized interests has been systemic and deeply entrenched within numerous medical and pharmaceutical industries, especially where huge profits stand to be made from positive research data. This capture and privatization create convenient narratives around science favorable to certain interests but often destructive of actual science. As Jon Jureidini and Leemon McHenry argued in 2022 in the British Medical Journal,

"Scientific progress is thwarted by the ownership of data and knowledge because industry suppresses negative trial results, fails to report adverse events, and does not share raw data with the academic research community. Patients die because of the adverse impact of commercial interests on the research agenda, universities, and regulators." [23] 

According to Juredidini and McHenry, the privatization of medical and scientific knowledge poses significant risks to the public. Jureidini and McHenry extensively outline what they refer to as a "crisis of credibility" within academic medicine in their 2020 book, "The Illusion of Evidence-Based Medicine: Exposing the Crisis of Credibility in Clinical Research. Concerningly, numerous drugs promoted as "miracles of science" most often fail to live up to this ideal, revealing how such framing reflects a deceptive marketing strategy of pharmaceutical corporations and their marketing executives. Prescrire, an independent drug bulletin, for example, has estimated that of all new drugs entering the market, only 2 percent are a notable advancement over what already exists.[24] "Miracle drugs" are an extreme exception, certainly not the norm, and as the Vioxx scandal revealed, what is framed as miraculous is sometimes tragic. 

As I argued in my 2019 piece about the Saturn-Pluto and Saturn-Jupiter alignments in 2020, the societal and cultural impact of neoliberalism, an economic policy framework that uses the state apparatus for the prioritization of market interests (prioritizing corporate interests and a wealthy elite class), would take a significant and symbolic turn in 2020. As I argued in my Pluto in Aquarius piece and retrospective analysis of 2020 in my upcoming book, that turn was reflected in the authoritarian and totalitarian expression of numerous pandemic policies and mandates and the unprecedented upward transfer of wealth during the crisis. The serious problems within the pharmaceutical industry and regulatory sectors were not resolved prior to 2020 (they may, in fact, have become far worse), and I argue that it is very likely that within the 2024-07 Saturn-Neptune conjunction, many issues related to interventions implemented during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (and many not directly related) will inevitably come more to light as they have during past alignments. Yet, as with the Vioxx example, the problems of which the larger public becomes aware are already underway and likely, the negative consequences and outcomes of this corruption will have already occurred. 

The Aries Point 

Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, lunar module pilot of the first lunar landing mission, poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag during an Apollo 11 Extravehicular Activity (EVA) on the lunar surface; photo in public domain via Wikimedia Commons

As mentioned, Saturn and Neptune will align precisely on the Aries Point in early 2026 and will cross this area of the zodiac throughout this period. A study of alignments occurring here will be useful for gaining insight into the next decade, as a conjunction of Saturn and Uranus will occur in early tropical Cancer in the early 2030s. The Aries Point (AP) is technically 0 degrees of the tropical zodiac sign of Aries. However, modern astrologers typically agree that any planet or point placed at 0 degrees of any cardinal sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra, or Capricorn) is said to be on the Aries Point, making aspects to the first degree of Aries either by square (0 degrees Cancer or Capricorn) or opposition (0 degrees Libra). Further, the orb for touching the AP extends to about 28 degrees of the preceding sign (28-29 Gemini, 28-29 Virgo, 28-29, Sagittarius, and 28-29 Pisces) to 0-2 degrees of the cardinal sign itself (0-2 Aries, 0-2 Cancer, 0-2 Libra, and 0-2 Capricorn). Therefore, there is a four-degree orb range for contacting the AP. However, I find this orb to be more flexible and general rather than precise, especially in relation to world transits. For example, more complex conjunctions involving several planets loosely straddling the AP vicinity appear to correlate with events with a consistent symbolic and thematic flavor.

The AP depicted on the left as the first degree of Aries. All late mutable and early cardinal sign degrees designate AP zones within the zodiac.

In the context of horoscopic natal astrology, placements on or making hard aspects to the AP (within this four-degree range) are often said to correlate with the individual having the potential for fame, particularly through the symbolism of the planet involved. For example, Mercury on the AP would signify speaking or writing as a vehicle for fame, or in relation to the Ascendant, signifying more so the personality or outward appearance of the individual. For example, in an article demonstrating the significance of the Aries Point in relation to solar arc directions (an astrological predictive technique), astrologer Kathy Rose argued that the "Aries Point offers the clear potential of enhanced visibility." [25] Further, Rose suggested that the AP "indicates the presence of energy insistence that pushes a planet or angle into public view." [26] Rose likened the AP to the symbolism of an opening rosebud, calling it the "bloom zone." [27]. In this context, the AP brings about a culmination of expression that is directed and catalyzed into the world, particularly into larger public and collective awareness.

Astrologer Noel Tyl described the AP as "every being's connection to the larger world," and further stated that "there is the potential of public projection for the person in terms of the planet, point or midpoint configured with it." [28] According to astrologer Robert Hand in Horoscope Symbols, the AP was considered significant as far back as ancient Greece, but was reconceptualized in the 1920s and 30s through the Uranian system of astrology as conceived by Alfred Witte. Tyl's statement regarding "every being's connection to the larger world" paraphrased the works of two notable Uranian astrologers, Hans Niggemann and Gary Christen. Hand's view of the AP agreed with what has been discussed so far, stating that the AP,

"represents the most impersonal but also the widest social contacts: one's relationship to the larger world around one. Hence it is associated with fame and greater social significance. If one ever becomes famous or makes a significant impact on society outside one's circle of friends and associates, it is through symbols that relate to the Aries Point." [29]

Again, Hand connects the AP to fame and broader social outreach. This yang quality of the AP makes sense given the archetype of Aries itself and the symbolism of the spring equinox where the Sun begins to rise higher in the sky and the days become longer, both symbolically and literally, extending the power and influence of astrology's "greater luminary" (the Sun). In a more mundane context, astrologer Eric Francis, writing in Planet Waves, argued that the AP is connected with "events with strong influence on personal and global affairs." Elaborating on this concept, Francis stated that the AP "reminds us that the personal is political and that every individual is connected to a larger public life." [30] Again, the symbolism of the personal meeting the transpersonal is emphasized here, suggesting, as did Kathy Rose, that the AP "is an extremely sensitive and powerful zone in the zodiac..." that connects the individual to social interests and attention. [31]

Since Saturn and Neptune will make an exact alignment on the AP in February 2026, we are dealing with a collective-level event (or series of events) rather than an individual, and the nature of collective events themselves is already societal and transpersonal. How does the AP then operate in relation to world transits? In considering Francis' argument, the AP relates to collective events that somehow involve the individual or directly affect them (or in some way call the individual to involve themselves in a larger societal issue). Yet, also, as Francis stated, the AP has a strong influence on global affairs. I would expand this to suggest that events that correlate with alignments on the AP have more widespread significance for humanity and civilization, or have a larger global impact somehow through extending our collective reach into a wider field of possibility. 

The last significant alignment on the AP occurred in June of 2010 when Jupiter and Uranus made a conjunction precisely at 0 degrees of Aries. In using the four-degree orb rule, this conjunction would have been significant beginning late May to late September of that year. Interestingly, Jupiter and Uranus both stationed retrograde just as Jupiter entered 3 degrees Aries and they crossed the Aries Point together again (though not exact) in August and September 2010. 

Given the correlations relevant to the Jupiter-Uranus cycle that Tarnas coined as "Cycles of Creativity and Expansion" in which an array of artistic, technological, and scientific breakthroughs tend to happen alongside them, there were several such incidents during this time. One interesting example was the successful launch of Space X's Falcon 9 rocket into orbit in June 2010 just as the conjunction exacted. This led to a later launch and the first successful docking of a commercial spacecraft with the International Space Station which occurred in May 2012, and several commercial launches thereafter. Overall, the successful launch of Falcon 9 in June 2010 was symbolic of a new era of commercial space travel. This correlation is interesting given that a Jupiter/Uranus conjunction also occurred exactly opposite the AP at 0 degrees of Libra during the Apollo 11 mission and Moon landing. Just as Jupiter and Uranus exacted during the Falcon 9 mission, so too during the entire Apollo 11 mission which occurred from July 16-24 of 1969. Both missions exemplified technological breakthroughs and new horizons expanded just as Tarnas described, but also considering the symbolism of the AP, they also had broad societal significance, especially in terms of their implications for the project of civilizational expansion. We can also look at these events more symbolically to examine them a bit more deeply beyond the literal level. For example, both events are highly emblematic of the nature of "cardinal" signs generally and especially of Aries and the symbolism of the AP--catalytic, yang, outward reaching, assertive, domineering, and pioneering. They represent humanity's desire to colonize new frontiers and push beyond the limitations of the imposed boundaries of the planet and biology. 

The first launch of Space X’s Falcon 9 on June 4, 2010. Note Jupiter and Uranus exacting on the AP in Aries as well as the T-square involving Saturn in Virgo and Pluto in Capricorn.

The Apollo 11 Moon landing on July 20, 1969. Note Jupiter and Uranus exacting their conjunction in opposition to the AP in Libra; the transiting Moon also passing by.

The dropping of “little boy” over Hiroshima, Japan, the first atomic bomb used on a human population, August 6, 1945. Note Chiron opposing the AP in Libra and widely conjunct Neptune and squaring Venus, also squaring the AP from early Cancer.

June 1944 during the height of the Nazi concentration camps just under a year prior to their collapse in 1945 at the end of World War II. Note Saturn in Cancer and Neptune in Libra making hard aspects to the AP axis.

Given the nature of Jupiter-Uranus cycles, the events that correlated with these conjunctions were framed in a more positive light in terms of the successful attempt to push biological, physical, and technological boundaries. The idealistic, optimistic, and expansive nature of these events also symbolically relates to the archetype of Jupiter, the "greater benefic" in classical astrology. However, if we consider the ideas put forth by other astrologers related to the AP and those of these two events, the AP itself seems to be related to "pushing boundaries" or "asserting confidence" or a "pioneering spirit" more generally. While the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction itself contains many of these qualities, they appear to be amplified in relation to the AP, correlating with milestone events that push the limits of our known reality. Scientific and technological advancements inherently contain these attributes since they are contingent on defying the boundaries of biology and physics and allowing humans to do things (or know things) they previously could not. 

In utilizing this logic then, we can speculate that cycles with a more challenging or difficult archetypal nature occurring on the AP would relate in some way to the potential pitfalls of this "pioneering spirit" and the desire to push the limits of our known reality and its limitations. Not every attempt to defy physics or biology has succeeded or has led to ideal outcomes. In fact, it is more often that a scientific hypothesis will be incorrect, will make the wrong prediction, or sometimes have problematic results. Conjunctions of outer planets on the AP are quite rare and many happened centuries ago where their historiographical interpretations are questionable, so accurate data pertaining to these alignments is sparse. 

However, following the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction on the AP, in 2011, Uranus' passage over this point itself correlated with the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami. One interesting event connected to this and related to the above symbolism was the meltdown and eventual decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Fukushima, Japan. The meltdown has had widespread impacts on the local and global environments, as hundreds of tons of radioactive nucleotides will be entering the ocean for decades. As one example, the future, long-term consequences of the bioaccumulation of these particles in large fish consumed from the Pacific Ocean are not fully known. The event symbolically represented the negative consequences (human-made radioactive materials entering the environment) of attempts to defy physical and biological restraints imposed by the natural world as well as the powerful and consequential interaction between both human and natural disasters.

The mushroom cloud of the 'Little Boy' bomb over the province of Hiroshima in Japan in 1945. Brought about by the US Armed Forces and the US Air Force; photo in public domain via Wikimedia Commons

As another example, the height of the Nazi genocide in the concentration camps occurred during a Saturn-Neptune square that was exacted on the AP. Saturn in Cancer made a square with Neptune in Libra within the AP four-degree orb range in 1944-45 (Eris was also involved in a wide square and opposition from 6 degrees of Aries). As mentioned in my Pluto in Aquarius article, the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime involved numerous Nazi scientists and physicians who carried out legitimate scientific experiments on prisoners. Behind these horrific crimes against humanity was a hubristic attempt to defy not only political boundaries but also biological ones. The delusional belief in a "superior" human race, or the production of such, was behind many of these experiments and murders, exemplifying the dark side of the AP's associations, as I have discussed them. This is not to suggest that events occurring in the 2024-27 timeframe will be similar, but rather the way in which the Nazi-led genocide exemplified both a sense of humanity's delusional attempts to transcend nature as well as an event that had a major historical imprint and global consequences. In the latter, for example, many doctors and scientists were convicted during the Nuremberg Trials of the 1940s leading to the Nuremberg code which prohibits non-consensual, uninformed participation in medical-scientific experimentation which some critics of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination mandates argue was violated in the 2021-22 period. [32]

To circle back to the themes I have extracted in relation to the AP, I feel confident in making the prediction that the 2024-27 Saturn-Neptune period will involve a similar confrontation with the shadow related to hubristic attempts to overcome biological, political, and physical limitations alongside an accompanying disillusionment, humiliation, and loss of faith. Yet also, considering the symbolism of the AP, such an event or events will somehow have global significance and ramifications, impacting large swaths of the world population. Lastly, such events will very likely leave a major historical imprint and have ramifications for future public policy or moralistic conduct. This symbolism also fits within the broader themes of the cycle of Pluto in Aquarius, in which I discussed the shadow and negative consequences of "hyper-novelty." Ultimately, however, this confrontation with the shadow of hubris and hyper-novelty leads to greater awareness of humanity’s limitations and ideally, more humility and a greater reverence and respect for the natural world, universe, or cultural wisdom.

The Chiron-Eris Conjunction 

Photo in public domain via Wikimedia Commons

The Chiron-Eris conjunction occurs alongside the Saturn-Neptune conjunction period with an orb encompassing a similar timeframe. Since Eris is a recent discovery (as of 2005), little has been documented related to its historical correlations, especially those involving Chiron (also discovered as recently as the 1970s). However, I do believe that Eris' symbolic significance made an appearance in the correlations of 2020 as Eris was in a close square to the Saturn-Pluto conjunction that exacted that year. 

Eris is named after a chaos and trickster goddess from Greek/Roman mythology. In myth, Eris is associated with the manifestation of strife, discord, and war as infamously displayed in myths such as one involving an apple Eris throws into a wedding party on Mt. Olympus (to which she wasn't invited) causing a tussle between Goddesses and the start of the Trojan War. Eris is also the sister of Ares or Mars, the Greek and Roman god of war respectively. I have come to associate with Eris the themes of collective divisiveness and feelings of chaos that exhibit her trickster dimension--the upturning or even sometimes reversal of traditions and norms. This latter theme can also be extracted from the synchronistic events that proceeded from its discovery, such as the demotion of Pluto from planet to dwarf planet and the overall changes to the traditional model of the solar system (as well as the ensuing controversy over the use of the term planet). However, as I believe in a meaningful and purposeful universe, I ultimately conceive of this chaotic and divisive nature of Eris as a necessary experience for the expansion of consciousness and awareness. I do not have the space to elaborate much on this here, but I think this is an important component of Eris, especially in relation to its conjunction with Chiron where the underlying intention is collective healing and integration.

As another example, alongside the Saturn-Neptune square of the 2013-17 period, Eris made a conjunction with Uranus, which I believe was a reinforcing symbolic reference to the particularly divisive nature of this period, the remnants of which became significant factors during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In the US, the election of former President Donald Trump during this conjunction strongly reflected this sense of chaos, as numerous predictions made by political experts and polling data indicating Hillary Clinton's inevitable victory turned out to be wrong, and the fear of democracy's destruction and of American political traditions was rampant, especially among the Democratic party. Of course, this also reflected aspects of the Saturn-Neptune square where authorities and experts faced humiliation and a situation they could not control (in addition to the polarizing potential outlined by Tarnas).

Several aspects of the pandemic became culturally divisive symbols and heavily politicized, such as masking vs. not masking, obeying vs. rebelling against lockdown orders, or receiving vs. refusing the novel SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations. The Trump administration was still in power during the rollout of the initial mRNA Pfizer and Moderna vaccines and it was responsible for their tax-funded subsidization and "Operation Warp Speed" that quickly made them a reality. The administration’s urgency to produce an effective vaccine itself had huge political motivations as Trump faced re-election in the fall of 2020 when the vaccine roll-out began. The rapid production of the vaccines and their eventual emergency use authorization by the FDA resulted from a confluence of unprecedented scientific breakthroughs as well as significant political and economic interests. Critically, despite early studies never testing the vaccine’s ability to prevent transmission (something that Pfizer’s head of international markets openly admitted to the European Parliament in October 2022), this very issue was at the heart of the “left” vs. “right” culture war rhetoric around the vaccine in the US, with more liberal or democratic voters framing vaccination as a moralistic duty and far more likely than conservative or Republican voters to readily accept them. [33] According to Gallup polling data from July 2020, 30 percent of Democratic voters versus just 7 percent of Republican voters expressed they would wait for the release of a vaccine before returning to normal activities, suggesting that far more Democratic than Republican voters were likely to be supportive and compliant with the mass vaccination strategy and social distancing measures implemented during the initial year of the pandemic. [34]

The vaccinations, much like masking and acquiescence to social distancing and lockdown orders, became a culturally divisive and political symbol that created sharp distinctions between individuals and it inevitably devolved into a heavily politicized "left" and "right" issue with "anti-vaxxers" or anyone who opposed vaccine mandates being framed, as one example, as being "far-right", such as the Canadian truckers who protested against vaccine mandates in 2021. [35] As I have discussed elsewhere, this framing of the vaccinations also reflected more broadly the moralizing nature of science and scientific discourse in modern, secular societies (and within the context of the positivist, materialist worldview), as science is often exploited by powerful interests for political and moralistic objectives. Additionally, the issue of scientism, which conceives of science through the lens of religiosity (where science is conceived monolithically and its byproducts are treated with reverence, as salvific, and morally righteous), added to the cultural complexity of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

The sense of an upturning of the natural order via the pandemic was also present (in relation to the Eris archetype), as lockdowns and social distancing put an abrupt stop to the normal functioning of society. Eris, in one correlative manifestation, appears to correlate with the creation of stark and widespread cultural divisions that make their way to prominence on the world stage in some way. Additionally, alignments involving Eris also appear to correlate with collective periods in which there is some sense of chaos having been unleashed upon society or within the world in which the normal, predictable flow of life appears to break down. There are, of course, far more correlations to be made with Eris, and these are only a few possibilities. 

Chiron is known as the "wounded healer" from Greek mythology since he was an immortal centaur (and healer who practiced medicine, herbalism, and astrology among other things) who was struck with a poisoned arrow by a group of drunken centaurs. Due to Chiron's immortality, he was afflicted eternally with a "mortal" wound that would forever cause pain and agony, yet he persisted in helping others through his healing crafts. Many astrologers associate with Chiron themes surrounding wounding and the healing of wounds. From my view, Chiron is symbolic of deep vulnerabilities, trauma, and defects that are often perceived as incurable or sometimes heavily fixated upon. Yet, confronting and integrating such wounds can lead to deep healing and the discovery of hidden talents and gifts contained within them. From a psychological and evolutionary astrological perspective, Chiron confronts us with pain but also ways in which it can be transmuted (he was eventually liberated of his immortality and became the constellation Sagittarius). 

Interestingly, Chiron and Eris also made a conjunction alongside the conjunction of Saturn and Neptune during the 1918-19 influenza pandemic. Both conjunctions happened simultaneously as they will in 2025-27. Additionally, both Eris and Chiron made a square to Pluto at this time (who had recently squared the AP during World War I). The influenza outbreak uncannily reflected the global emergence of "mortal wounds" in the guise of sometimes incurable and deadly viral infections. The sense of chaos related to this collective wounding was also present, as there was not much the authorities nor medical science could do to stop or successfully treat the infections (and in the case of potential aspirin overdoses, interventions may have made things considerably worse). It was a humbling confrontation with an overpowering force of the natural world which revealed profound vulnerabilities.

Both Chiron and Eris will be within orb of squaring Pluto yet again during the 2025-27 period, and therefore there are some similarities with the astrological alignments of the 1918-19 influenza pandemic. I am not suggesting that a new pandemic will emerge or that an identical situation will be faced. However, these similarities are notable and should offer some significant insight into this upcoming period. As I mentioned earlier, it is possible that these alignments relate to recent and still developing issues. For example, the viral variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus have not ceased to spread and continue to cause infections, hospitalizations, and deaths (though as of this writing, those numbers have tended to trend downward since the outbreak began in 2020 and the infection has evolved to create milder infections). As some experts argue, the emergence of ongoing and more highly infectious variants suggests that widespread herd immunity to the virus has not occurred, and we are not actually in an endemic phase. [36] Alternate hypotheses that have been ignored by legacy media, world governments, and public health authorities may, for example, turn out to be relevant as many virologists and vaccinologists argue that strategies such as mass vaccination during an active pandemic could have negative consequences in the following years, specifically in relation to the evolution of the virus. Warnings from such experts as Belgium virologist and vaccinologist, Dr. Geert Vanden Bossche, may turn out to be relevant since the dominant narrative around the virus’ endemicity does not appear to explain the current situation. Bossche argued that the mass vaccination strategy implemented during the initial waves of the pandemic will result in more infectious variants and eventually the emergence of a highly virulent variant in highly vaccinated countries, resulting in another deadly pandemic in the near future. Organizations such as the Front Line Covid Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC), an organization of physicians and health care practitioners utilizing alternate therapies (such as safe, repurposed pharmaceuticals) outside of mainstream approaches to treat SARS-CoV-2 infections, could be helpful resources in the event the pandemic takes an unexpected turn, especially considering the complex levels of corruption previously discussed.

To return to the political arena, the politicization of the pandemic and its policies implies a troubling tarnishing of certain public institutions, political parties, and their leaders if widespread disillusionment occurs due to the potential consequences of failed pandemic solutions and policies. For example, if Dr. Vanden Bossche's hypothesis proves correct (or partly correct), it would result in a period of disillusionment with numerous political and public health authorities, especially those in the US who openly and unquestionably advocated and embraced novel and little-tested solutions during the pandemic. For example, such a situation, which Dr. Vanden Bossche had warned would be a "global health catastrophe" could lead to further empowerment of support for extremist politicians and populist movements, especially in future elections. 

In considering Chiron and Eris, these symbols could also speak to the amplification of the wounds wrought by this rampant cultural divisiveness, especially as featured in US political discourse. As Tarnas had also demonstrated, the Saturn-Neptune periods themselves appear to correlate with moments of hyper-polarization within the culture. Yet, I believe, the deeper purpose of these problems and crises is the potential to heal, mend, and integrate the wounds associated with and at the root of them. For example, while uncomfortable to admit, we are sometimes catalyzed to profound realizations about (or to proactively address) the root causes of suffering through crises or dark nights of the soul, where hitting rock bottom opens the possibility of seeking solutions and new perspectives on a situation. Perhaps, the ultimate purpose of Eris' strife and divisiveness is to make us realize that our separation is ultimately an illusion and that we have more in common than we might think while bound by political barriers and identities. The nature of whatever threat or problems emerge alongside these cycles may be such that they force us to realize our common interests and conditions and find ways to come together rather than further divide ourselves.

Lastly, in considering the symbolism of Chiron in relation to the healing arts and the correlation many astrologers make with its discovery and the rise in popularity of alternative healing modalities in the 1970s onwards (such as energy or bodywork, astrology, herbalism, yoga, or acupuncture), this may point to a potent area of solutions for many issues related to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, as well as another issue for the culture wars narrative. There may be a significant theme here related to uncovering ancient wisdom and practices to help find solutions and augment modern treatments for the ongoing problems associated with the virus. Ultimately, tapping deeper into both the body and natural world’s healing wisdom could be a fruitful area for uncovering ways to mitigate further harm and damage from the virus as it continues to evolve and this period could relate to a greater awakening to the need for alternate healing approaches.

The Uranus-Sedna Conjunction

Julio Palomo, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

I will briefly speculate on the potential meaning of the synchronic occurrence of the Uranus-Sedna conjunction within the 2025-28 timeframe. Sedna is another recent discovery of the early 2000s as with Eris. As with all trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs), Sedna relates to the emergence of themes and constructs arising deep within the collective unconscious and thus has a significant transpersonal dimension. Additionally, within Inuit culture and mythology, Sedna was partly an underworld deity who resided in the sea, and thus the symbolic connection with the unconscious is significant. Sedna was known by various names within the cultural groups of the Arctic regions, but generally, her name and archetypal essence break down to "sea woman" or "woman of the sea." It is also interesting to point out that the name Sedna may not have been her real name, but one used as a pronoun to not speak her actual name out of respect since she was highly feared. [37] This may be an important aspect of her astrological meaning I will return soon. 

As with all mythologies, there are also numerous variations of stories related to Sedna. The central myth of Sedna operates as a means of transmitting the Inuit cosmology, serving as a creation story as well as setting up the purpose of certain spiritual and shamanic practices. Within most versions of the story, Sedna is a beautiful young woman who lives with her father and has remained unmarried either because Sedna herself rejects marriage offers, or her father does so since he does not want to let his daughter go. In some versions, Sedna marries a dog or a bird either because she cannot choose a human suitor, or because she is deceived by the animal who disguises itself as an attractive man. Sedna becomes disenchanted with her decision when she discovers that her husband isn't human and/or finds herself in sub-par living conditions since her chosen suitor is unable to provide for her adequately. Due to this, her father intervenes, sometimes killing her animal husband or simply taking Sedna away. 

In many versions, Sedna goes across the sea with her animal husband, and she and her father must travel back by boat when she escapes. In response, the animal husband (or his friends if he was killed) causes a severe windstorm while Sedna and her father are in the boat creating dangerous and tumultuous conditions. Out of desperation, her father throws his daughter overboard. Sedna clings to the boat with her fingers, but her father begins to chop each of them off. As the fingers fall into the sea, they become various sea animals, especially those commonly used as food sources by Arctic peoples (such as whales and seals). After losing her fingers, Sedna descends to the ocean floor and becomes the "woman of the sea." Revenge is often sought by Sedna against her father such as sending her dogs (a symbol of death) to chew off his limbs, or her father takes his own life out of guilt and is consumed by the sea himself. Either way, it is perceived that both Sedna and her father reside deep in the sea (the underworld), with Sedna herself living in a house on the sea floor. 

It is also important to point out that the various names for Sedna also related to other female deities who were associated with animals of the land or air. However, there is interchangeability between these beings. For example, there was a female deity who controlled caribou and thus influenced the success or failure of hunting. Yet, Sedna also at times had the ability to influence caribou hunts. [38] Within this context, the Sedna archetype can be conceived as having broad associations with animals, survival resources, food supply, and natural world more broadly. While Sedna is often conceived in connection to the availability of sea animals (a main source of food for Arctic people), she can be conceived as a kind of "earth goddess" even if this may not have been how she was traditionally understood. 

There is also a connection between Sedna's hair and sea animals. Since she no longer had fingers, she couldn't brush her hair, and so it became unruly and consequentially entangled the life-giving sea animals, and therefore the people of the land would occasionally find their food supply diminished. Shamanic practices often involved the shaman descending into the sea to meet with Sedna, sometimes brushing her hair for her and untangling the animals so the food supply would be stabilized. [39] There were numerous beliefs and practices that involved contacting or paying respect to Sedna to ensure a stable supply of food animals, yet also practices that related to sex and childbearing. Since Sedna was conceived as the ancestor of animals and other groups of humans, she related to all symbols of nourishment and life-giving. The central Sedna myth is also connected to the seasonal cycle, such as Sedna herself as symbolic of summer and her father of winter. Sedna's departure with her husband across the sea symbolized the disappearance of the Sun in the winter months, and her father's rescue of Sedna then symbolized the Sun's return in the summer. Again, there is a connection with the waning and waxing of life-giving properties and conditions. [40]

It is not a far stretch to extract from these many myths an underlying theme connected with the astrological Sedna and more broadly the natural world, ecological systems, and the life-giving resources which derive from them. There may be associations here with food and the food supply, as well as the complex interconnections between various elements of the natural world, and the need to respect and have reverence for them. As the Inuit people relied heavily on these animals for their survival, and Sedna and related deities influenced their increase or decrease, the Sedna myths (and related myths) dictate the many ways in which the natural world and natural order of things must be treated with respect and maintained. Additionally, there are themes here involving betrayal and deceit, as with variants of Sedna's deceitful husbands or Sedna's father throwing her into the sea and revenge being enacted consequently. It is possible, for example, that Sedna may also relate to the consequences of violating the natural order of things, turning against it, or failing to adequately respect it. Sedna's name used as a pronoun to avoid uttering her real name may be relevant here, as an earth deity that must be approached with respect and caution. 

It may also be relevant that the myth holds some prescriptive elements, such as the shamanic practices in which the shaman must go down to Sedna and comb her hair to ensure the stability of the food supply. This perhaps suggests the need to connect deeper with the natural world in order to change any imbalances that might appear. There is a rational conclusion here that betraying or turning one's back on nature and failing to understand or have reverence for its complexity can have negative consequences and lead to diminished life-giving elements. In order to correct that imbalance, humanity must "descend" like the shaman and connect deeper with the natural world, perhaps to better understand it or acquire a deeper appreciation of it. 

Sedna glyph; Denis Moskowitz, released for free use., CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

It is interesting that Uranus (god of the sky), in Greek mythology, was also deeply connected with the Greek creation myth in which he was both born from Gaia and became her husband and the two went on to birth the entire Greek pantheon. Uranus and Gaia had children (the Titans), and Uranus sought to oppress them by keeping them hidden in the cavernous regions of the earth so they wouldn't usurp his authority. Later on, one of Uranus' sons, Cronos (the Roman Saturn), is called upon by his mother Gaia to castrate Uranus to put an end to the oppression of her children. Cronos succeeds and tosses Uranus’ testicles into the sea. Later, Cronos himself eats his own children to prevent his dethronement and then his wife, Hera, conspires to put an end to it by disguising a stone as if it was Cronos’ son Zeus, which he swallows up instead. Thus, there is a kind of perpetual theme of betrayal, rebellion, and revolution contained in these myths. 

One other interesting aspect of the Uranus myth I find interesting is its connection to the duality and tension between the sky and earth, between Uranus and Gaia. Synchro-symbolically, Uranus has become associated with the tropical zodiac sign Aquarius, which is an air sign that connects in the elemental scheme to the mental plane (the realm of ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and ideologies). Thus, we can extract from this a symbolic tension between human thought and the natural world or between mind and matter. Of course, this tension also drew heavily from Platonism which greatly influenced the Greek world and then entered more broadly into Western culture through Judaism and Christianity. Modern astrology has also adopted an association with the astrological Uranus and the Promethean archetype, notably argued by Tarnas. [41] Prometheus also betrayed or defied the gods (specifically Zeus) by stealing fire and gifting it to humanity which allowed for the development of civilization. I outline more of these connections in my Pluto in Aquarius article and upcoming book. The synchronicity of Uranus' discovery around major historical revolutions also ties the Uranian archetype with themes of technological progress and innovation as well as social "revolution." 

The merging of these Sedna and Uranus themes via their literal conjunction and symbolically through their mythological associations seems to describe a predominant theme of modernity, industrialization, and hyper-capitalism more broadly. For example, "hyper-novelty" or "hyper-change," which I have discussed is how technological progress outpaces natural or biological systems' ability to keep up and adapt, are argued to be the root of many imbalances within ecological or biological systems, symbolizing the tension between the rapidly made innovations of the mind and the ingrained evolutionarily derived systems of the nature. Such imbalances are conceived to lead to ecological destruction, climate dysregulation, or even many disease processes. Since Uranus' correlations are often "sudden" and "unanticipated," there may be a significant theme related to the ways in which novelty and "progress" have inadvertently impacted the natural world, perhaps through the emergence of a specific crisis or problem that comes to light at this time. Yet, also, it can also represent a period in which our innovations and technological advancements can be better informed and designed from a deeper appreciation and understanding of natural systems. Ideally, the integration of these archetypes via the conjunction symbolizes the ways in which these antagonistic forces clash but also come together and can begin to co-exist more harmoniously. 

Mundane correlations of this conjunction may relate to disruptions, alterations, as well as innovations, and novel changes to the food supply, some of which could have positive and negative consequences. It is likely to be a feature of the Saturn-Neptune conjunction and its placement on the AP that we are collectively focused on many hubristic attempts to push beyond the boundaries of the natural world, and therefore many of these changes may be perceived as more threatening or problematic. Overall, the deeper lesson of this period may be a way to integrate both innovation and human ingenuity with the wisdom of the natural world--learning to respect and fully understand natural systems before attempting to impose interventions. As I have discussed so far, the issues related to neoliberal hyper-capitalism which has led to a concerning destruction of scientific integrity and ethics will need to be faced and dealt with to avoid further crises and potential catastrophes related to tampering with systems we do not fully understand. While these reflections represent perhaps a portion of the reflective significance of this conjunction, far more could be said, and a deeper study and analysis of these cycles would likely yield a more nuanced and complex symbolic interpretation.

Hope in Hard Times 

Mohsin Ali, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

While I have mostly presented the more negative manifestations of these alignments especially in the exploration of the historical correlations, there are positive potentials. For example, while there was a barrage of problems, crises, and challenging outcomes alongside the Saturn-Pluto conjunction of 2020, there were also constructive manifestations and results. In my early 2019 piece on the Saturn-Pluto cycle of 2020, I stated that "we can look at challenges and even suffering as forces which sculpt formidable strength within individuals. Such experiences catalyze growth, action, and change.” Additionally, I argued that it was possible through a "courageous acceptance of difficulty to add dimension to our experiences, or to provide the incentive for action and thus change." From the perspective of modern astrology, difficult transits and aspects afflicting sensitive areas of the sky or individual horoscope represent a moment conducive to enacting meaningful changes, shifts, and breakthroughs as they often represent the confrontation with uncomfortable or challenging circumstances that force us to move beyond the normal structures and patterns of our lives. Yet also, while these cycles may be presented as challenging in a collective sense, our individual experiences of them are vastly different.

For many, the pandemic, which led to prolonged periods away from normal routines, tasks, and responsibilities catalyzed deeper reflection, prompting shifts of life direction. The disruption of normal life catalyzed critical life evaluations and subsequent changes. In a more transpersonal sense, I argued that the events and challenges of 2020 would "reveal the deeper, unconscious underpinnings of our cultural, economic, and political structures." I think more so in hindsight, historiographical representations of the pandemic will discuss how it revealed previous blind spots and less conscious realities about economic structures, institutions, and world power helping to pave the way to more just and accountable social systems and structures in the future. 

Similarly, Tarnas argued that the Saturn-Neptune cycle might serve as the inspiration to "undertake whatever sustained labor is necessary to transform the resistant structures of the world (political, economic, religious, philosophical) in service of one's highest spiritual intuitions." [42] Tarnas argued that the disillusionment often brought about alongside Saturn-Neptune periods could serve as catalysts for a proactive transformation of society and culture and for strengthening authentic and enduring visions. According to Tarnas, Saturn-Neptune cycles bring forth the "courage to face a hard and often tragic reality without illusion and still remain true to the ideals and dreams of a better world....". [43] In this sense, the illusory facades and deceptions collapse and dissolve revealing more solid, meaningful, and relevant dreams of what's possible. 

In another sense, I often conceive of the combination of Saturn-Neptune, especially within the context of a rare conjunction (and a more direct fusion of these archetypes), as unique opportunities in which we are more directly challenged to make tangible, pragmatic, and real that which we've long kept in the realm of possibility, imagination, and unrealized potential. In other words, to make a dream a reality. Amid a revealed illusion or a painful tarnishing of a previous ideal, we are called to infuse back into the world (or into our own lives) much-needed inspiration and spiritual meaning and wisdom. These periods, while difficult and holding the potential to wipe away those fantasies and "pie in the sky" delusions that no longer (or never did) serve an adaptive function in our lives or world, also serve to reinforce and re-enliven our faith in that which is true and unshakable, therefore deepening faith and trust in a higher purpose, mission, or ideal. 

From the perspective of evolutionary astrology, there is a meaningful and purposeful fate that views these cycles as arriving at an appropriate moment in time both collectively and personally. The reciprocal exchange between the archetypes suggests on the one hand, the time has come in which we've outgrown some ideal, dream, or fantasy and on the other hand, we've become deeply entrapped and restrained by a myopic and shallow understanding of and view of the world or universe. The Saturnian end indicates a need to bring our guiding ideals more in alignment with the reality of the world the way it is now, and the Neptunian aspect suggests the world needs to dissolve its faith in expired cosmologies, worldviews, and systems of authority/power and reimagine new possibilities or embrace a more expansive and holistic understanding of reality or the universe. For example, hubristic positions on the part of authorities reveal that absolute certainty can never be attained, reminding us of our true place in the greater scheme of the universe and planet on which we inhabit. Such realizations can lead to deeper respect and reverence for "higher" forces of the cosmos or the natural world. Yet, they can also be humbling reminders of where we are, individually and collectively, in the web of life, and a greater sense of humility can be a result considering this broader perspective or realization. These periods can also serve as powerful moments of "awakening" to a more meaningful, purposeful, or sometimes more enchanted conception of the cosmos and natural world. Paradoxically, disenchantment in one view of reality consequentially enchants another and our conception of reality is broadened.

Summary/Conclusion

Image in public domain via Wikimedia Commons

From the data analyzed throughout this article, the primary conjunction of Saturn-Neptune throughout 2024-27, appears to reflect a difficult collective moment in that it correlates with a variety of events and cultural developments catalyzing immense difficulties for large populations and specifically for world leaders and authorities. These can be periods of immense collective disillusionment or disenchantment related to both mundane and spiritual authorities in which critical truths are revealed, which tarnish some previous trust or faith. These can also relate to periods in which some threat or enemy, which may be real to some extent, is greatly exaggerated, overblown, or entirely imagined, leading to periods of "collective paranoia" and confusion as to the true nature of the problem. In relation to accurately described threats, there can be significant aspects that are not well-understood or obfuscated, and therefore the response or solution may fail or even worsen the problem. 

As a kind of overall "essence" of Saturn-Neptune periods, there is a collective humbling occurring in which previous hubristic attempts are shown as such, revealing the true vastness of "greater powers" (politically, ecologically, or spiritually) and the limitations of society's worldviews and progress. Additionally, as Tarnas argued, these can be periods of immense divisiveness and cultural conflict in which extreme views and positions are pitted against each other. Many of the emerging crises, problems, or conflicts that arise alongside these alignments can be difficult to solve and may be experienced as a kind of futile situation. However, Saturn-Neptune periods can also represent periods of collective reimagining of cultural and societal structures to replace those that have dissolved, collapsed, or proven themselves maladaptive or false. Collective and personal faith is tested in which a more strengthened spiritual or creative vision emerges as more enduring. 

The occurrence of the Saturn-Neptune conjunction on the AP alongside the conjunctions of Chiron-Eris and Uranus-Sedna appear to relate to an underlying theme of this upcoming period related to the consequences of pushing too far past boundaries within natural or cultural systems. Subsequently, there may be a period of re-awakening related to the need for respect, reverence, or deeper reflection of our place within the larger web of life both on earth and within the greater universe. Events or crises that emerge could have the potential to have broadly global impacts and effects and relate to a profound shift in global awareness and understanding related to the human condition. Therefore, this period reflects a global awakening, humbling, and reimagining of hierarchical systems and structures, both cultural and ecological, and the limitations we have in altering them and the larger consequences of doing so. 

Notes and References

1. Richard Tarnas. Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New Worldview (New York: PLUME, 2007), p. 469.

2. Lyudmyla Kompaniyets, PhD et al. "Underlying Medical Conditions and Severe Illness Among 540,667 Adults Hospitalized With COVID-19, March 2020–March 2021," Preventing Chronic Disease, Vol. 18, July 1, 2021, https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2021/21_0123.htm#:~:text=Among%204%2C899%2C447%20hospitalized%20adults%20in,%25)%20were%20the%20most%20common.

3. Tarnas, Cosmos and Psyche, p. 469.

4. Ibid, p. 476.

5. Ibid., p. 469.

6. Ibid., p. 470.

7. Ibid., p. 471.

8. Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller, III, Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election, Vol. I, March 2019, p. 9, https://www.justice.gov/archives/sco/file/1373816/download.

9. Tarnas, Cosmos and Psyche, p. 471.

10. Ibid, p. 471.

11. Ibid.

12. See: George Chauncey, Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World 1890-1940 and John D'Emlio, Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities: The Making of a Homosexual Minority in the United States, 1940-1970.

13. Tarnas, Cosmos and Psyche, p. 472.

14. Ibid., p. 473.

15. Patrick Berche, "The Spanish Flu," La Presse Médicale, 51.3, 2022, 104127–104127.

16. Karen M. Starko, "Salicylates and Pandemic Influenza Mortality, 1918–1919 Pharmacology, Pathology, and Historic Evidence," Clinical Infectious Diseases 49:9, November 15, 2009, 1405–1410, https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/49/9/1405/301441

17. Tarnas, Cosmos and Psyche, p. 474.

18. J.S Ross, K.P. Hill, C.P. Gross, H.M. Krumholz, “Promoting Transparency in Pharmaceutical Industry-Sponsored Research,” (2012), American Journal of Public Health, 102:1, 72-80.

19.  See discussions of rofecoxib (Vioxx) in Jon Jureidini and Leemon B. McHenry, The Illusion of Evidence-Based Medicine: Exposing the Crisis of Credibility in Clinical Research (Mile End, Wakefield Press, 2020).

20. Food and Drug Administration, “Vioxx (rofecoxib) Questions and Answers, September 30, 2004,” https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/vioxx-rofecoxib-questions-and-answers#:~:text=Vioxx%20is%20a%20prescription%20medicine,adults%2C%20and%20painful%20menstrual%20cycles.

21. D.J Graham, D. Campen, R. Hui, M. Spence, C. Cheetham, G. Levy, S. Shoor, W.A. Ray, “Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction and Sudden Cardiac Death in Patients Treated with Cyclo-oxygenase 2 Selective and Non-selective Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs: Nested Control Study,” (2005), Lancet, 365, pgs. 475-481.

22. Maryanne Demasi, “From FDA to MHRA: Are Drug Regulators for Hire?,” British Medical Journal, v. 377, June 29, 2022, https://www.bmj.com/content/377/bmj.o1538.

23. Jon Jureidini and Leemon B. McHenry, “The Illusion of Evidence Based Medicine,” British Medical Journal, v. 376, March 16, 2022, https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj.o702.

24. https://english.prescrire.org/en/Summary.aspx

25. Kathy Rose, "The Aries Point Bloom," The Mountain Astrologer, Aug./Sept. 2013, https://www.roseastrology.com/article/AriesPointBloom/roseastrology_AriesPointBloom.pdf, p. 45.

26. Ibid.

27. Ibid., p. 44

28. Noel Tyl, Synthesis and Counseling in Astrology: The Professional Manual (St. Paul: Llewellyn, 2004), p. 312.

29. Robert Hand, Horoscope Symbols (Atglen: Schiffer Publishing, 1981), p. 92

30. Eric Francis, “The Greatest Aries Point Show on Earth,” Planet Waves, June 18, 2010, https://planetwaves.net/astrologynews/209971547.html.

31. Rose, “Aries Point Bloom,” p. 45.

32. See for example, Dr. Aaron Kheriaty, The New Abnormal: The Rise of the Biomedical Security State.

33. “Pfizer did not know whether Covid vaccine stopped transmission before rollout,” news.com.au, (October 11, 2022),

34. Justin McCarthy, “News Roundup of Gallup COVID-19 Coverage,” Gallup, https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/308126/roundup-gallup-covid-coverage.aspx

35. See for example this Politico article from 2022: https://www.politico.com/news/2022/02/06/ottawa-truckers-convoy-galvanizes-far-right-worldwide-00006080

36. Helen Branswell, “Covid-19, a disease with tricks up its sleeve, hasn’t fallen into a seasonal pattern — yet,” STAT, August 23, 2023, https://www.statnews.com/2023/08/23/covid-19-has-not-yet-fallen-into-a-seasonal-pattern/.

37. Frédéric Laugrand and Jarich Osten. “Representing the ‘Sea Woman,’” Religion and the Arts 13:4, 2009, pgs. 477–495.

38. Ibid., p. 486.

39. Ibid.

40. Newell H. Wardle. “The Sedna Cycle: A Study in Myth Evolution.” American Anthropologist 2:3, 1900, pgs. 568–580.

41. See Richard Tarnas, Prometheus the Awakener.

42. Tarnas, Cosmos and Pysche, p. 477.

43. Ibid.

Pluto in Aquarius: Through the Shadows to a Wiser Tomorrow

“Promethean Horizon” by Chad Woodward via AI generation (Midjourney v5).

Pluto began transitioning into tropical Aquarius in March 2023, having transited Capricorn since roughly 2008. Pluto will complete its transition into Aquarius in late 2024, making its final passage out of Capricorn in November. The themes of this cycle are just beginning to emerge on the world stage, and this transitional period will give us a taste of what's to come over the next two decades through the year 2044. The burning question for everyone interested in astrology and its application to world events is, quite obviously, what does this mean? 

As a Gemini, I'm here to simplify and complicate things and leave you with some answers but also many questions. First off, Pluto's sign transits are inherently complicated. One might think that a simple perusal through history to look at past Pluto in Aquarius periods would suggest what to expect. This is partly illuminating. However, this tactic is slightly clouded by the fact that all of the major historical moments that occurred while Pluto was in Aquarius happened to also coincide with other planetary cycles involving Pluto (not to mention a host of other planetary cycles and thus, ultimately, astrology is about synthesis). In other words, are those major historical events related to Pluto in Aquarius, or the planetary cycles believed to correlate alongside them? I will argue both (a very Gemini response) but lean more toward the latter.

For example, the American and French Revolutions of the late 1700s coincided with the opposition of Pluto and Uranus. The French Revolution was also the political and intellectual catalyst for the American Constitution, which became the US law of the land under Pluto in Aquarius. While, yes, Pluto was in Aquarius, this Uranus/Pluto opposition (think back to the conjunction of the late 1960s) was what astrologer and historian Richard Tarnas called "Epochs of Revolution" in his monumental work Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New Worldview. Before I continue, I want to point out that Uranus and Pluto will form an opposition during this Pluto in Aquarius cycle, but the exact oppositional contact will happen while Pluto is technically in Pisces (the following sign). However, both planets come within “orb” (within 15 degrees of each other) during the Pluto in Aquarius period around 2042. Therefore, cultural and political events similar to the American and French revolutions (and more, as I will discuss) will be more likely toward the end of Pluto’s transit in Aquarius but peaking more so in 2046-2048.

This framing of the Uranus/Pluto cycle as revolutionary is very fitting, considering that during the cycle of Pluto in Aquarius just before the 1700s cycle (in the 1500s), Nicolaus Copernicus published De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres), specifically in 1543. This work demolished the classical Earth-centered model of the universe and is perceived by numerous scholars and historians as the symbolic birth of the "scientific revolution." This all coincided with an opposition of Uranus and Pluto while Pluto was in Aquarius. It also serves as the backdrop, partly, for the gradual demise of astrology from its enmeshment with power in the West through the dissolution of Aristotelianism at the end of the Middle Ages. 

You might have noticed some interesting patterns here. I'll call this a synchronicity, and I argue that it's an integral and real aspect of reality (and how astrology inherently works). Pluto takes about 248 years to orbit the Sun, and it will return to Aquarius in roughly that time span. Over two centuries had passed since the scientific revolution and Enlightenment when the American and French revolutions were sparked, leading to the tangible and symbolic replacement of monarchical and Church power with more democratic and secular forms of governance. The first Amendment of the US Constitution ratified in 1791 under Pluto in Aquarius (and the still waning Uranus/Pluto opposition), was an inherently secularized enshrinement of the "separation of church and state," protecting religious freedom and preventing the formation of a state religion. In France, "Loi de Séparation de l'Église et de l'État," which means "Law of Separation of Church and State," was passed in 1905 (during the next Uranus/Pluto opposition) but was a direct result of the French Revolutionary period.

Science and the scientific revolution were central to the modern conception of the secular worldview, which also places empirical and evidence-based approaches to knowledge application (especially in relation to politics and public policy) above those deemed "religious," "faith-based," or "inspirational." Secularism attempts to prevent the rise of tyranny from "religious" (or non-naturalistically derived) ideas and zealotry. While this conception arose in ancient Greece, such as within Aristotle's naturalistic philosophy (naturalism is the philosophical root of modern science), the 17th and 18th centuries brought these ideas to their modern contours. The result is a neat and clean cultural differentiation between the "religious" and "non-religious." Whatever is "religious" goes over there in some private domain, and whatever is "secular" becomes more acceptable in public venues. Simple, right? Well, it's a bit more complicated (cue my Gemini rant).

Today, secularism has joined forces with other worldviews, such as materialism. I often use the term secular materialism to refer to the overarching belief system that espouses a faith that religion is an objectively definable thing in the world and that physical matter is all there is. Thus consciousness derives entirely from quantifiable and measurable material. Therefore, death subconsciously becomes an enemy since this single life is all we have (and so death must be combated and ultimately eradicated: YOLO!). Sociologist Frank Furedi argued in his many books, most notably, Culture of Fear: Risk Taking and the Morality of Low Expectation, that modern society (due to the collapse of centralized authority and cultural emphasis on individualism) has devolved into a kind of "cult of safety" in which safety and risk aversion have become our collective, moralistic pursuits. As Furedi argued, this moralistic pursuit of safety is at the helm of state power and cultural influence in the West (and it reveals quite a lot about the historical context of the past few years).

Secular materialism (and the complex advancements in computer technology) has also fed into budding religious movements such as transhumanism, which is basically rooted in a Zoroastric/Judaic/Christian apocalypticism. As anthropologist Robert M. Geraci argued in Apocalyptic AI: Visions of Heaven in Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and Virtual Reality, apocalypticism refers to a highly polarized conception of reality that ultimately generates a sense of alienation. This alienation is solved cosmologically by creating a new future world that purifies and dissolves the past conflict. This purification of the world also involves new bodily forms and an idyllic conception that the tensions inherent in the prior state of dualism will eventually be resolved. 

Transhumanism, like many of its ideological roots, conceives of a dualistic tension inherent to reality, most principally, biology vs. technology. Encapsulated within this archetypally is the Descartian body vs. mind polarity, the classical reason vs. emotion, or the Zoroastrian/Judaic/Christian light vs. dark and thus good vs. evil paradigm. In the transhumanist worldview, nature, the body, and inevitably death become the negative and "bad" sources of pain and suffering, and the mind and its technological artificial intelligence (AI) appendages are the "good" sources of future salvation. In many transhumanist conceptions, the singularity (the point at which AI surpasses human intelligence) will lead to a future in which human consciousness will be uploaded into a computer hive mind, robotic bodies will far outlast biological ones, and thus eternal life will be possible. 

As Geraci pointed out, the Judaic and Christian mythologies provide the skeletal framework for this worldview. From the perspective of the psychiatrist Carl G. Jung, these myths exist in a collective unconscious and re-emerge in recycled in new forms. Jung also had much to say about the pitfalls of these polarizing myths and worldviews. According to Jung's enantiodromia conception (which derived from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus and become a feature of Hermetic and alchemical teachings), whatever we psychologically set ourselves against eventually assimilates us. For example, if we declare something out in the world as evil and seek to eradicate it, we eventually become the very evil we sought to destroy. This is because, according to Jung, the psyche seeks wholeness and integration rather than further fragmentation. Also, any perceived evil "out there" is a reflection of repressed "evil" within oneself (since the inner and outer are connected). Denying and repressing one’s tendency toward evil grants that aspect more power within oneself and invites external confrontations with it. This all ties into Jung's conception of the shadow, a constellation of repressed aspects of one's psyche. I'll come back to the shadow, so keep this in mind. 

Okay, so back to the previous two Pluto in Aquarius periods (that also happened to coincide with Uranus/Pluto oppositions) and science, secularism, and transhumanism. Did science and secularism succeed at keeping religion from interfering with the affairs of the state? Is science even at odds or in conflict with so-called "religion" or spirituality, or is this a distortion from another worldview? Have some of these post-Enligtenment worldviews become the very things they set out to eradicate or control in the world? Science and secularism have spawned ideologies that could be defined as essentially religious. And since these ideologies are considered secular, the very project of secularism, of preventing the formation of a state religion and maintaining religious neutrality, comes into question.

Scientism, for example, is a belief system that espouses that science is the only means of discerning truth, and everything else (art, intuition, myth, astrology, or other modes of symbolic thinking) is devalued, ridiculed, or sometimes actively persecuted. Scientism has also distorted science as some unquestionable authority derived from an established consensus of experts rather than a continuous process of revision, skepticism, and open debate. And Scientism often presents specific scientific data as dogma and decrees rather than one of many potential hypotheses or theories. Hence, as Furedi argued, science serves as our moral authority today, and phrases such as "The Science says" reflect a "moralistic and political project" rather than the true essence of the scientific method [1]. Scientism and its adjacent worldviews, such as atheism or materialism, have faith-based assumptions and beliefs, as all "religious" ideologies do. As ethnobotanist and psychedelic advocate Terence McKenna argued, the entirety of modern scientific cosmology rests upon "one free miracle," a faith in the still unproven "big bang" in which all of the stable and measurable laws of the universe somehow magically arose from nothingness [2]. A belief that nothing gave rise to everything is simply equivalent to believing in a divine or supernatural catalyst since either lacks concrete, empirical evidence.  

As I argue in my (still in progress) book on Pluto in Aquarius, Scientism and the overarching worldview of secular materialism, have their own zealots, dogmas, and terrifying forms of tyranny as any Western religion has had. Modern totalitarian movements, as historian and political philosopher Hannah Arendt argued, exploited the cultural mythos of a utopian future built via scientific progress as well as how the Enligtenment’s influence on shaping individualism and a cultural obsession with rationality paved the way to such nightmarish political realities. The Nazi totalitarian state was built upon this mythology and also conducted numerous inhumane and egregious scientific experiments in support of it. The technological-scientific elite that former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned about seems to have replaced the high priests of the old religions, and the cultural cult of safety unconsciously seeks salvation and redemption from them whenever faced with a crisis, uncertainty, or the prospect of death.

Furedi’s last work before the 2020 SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, an outbreak of a novel respiratory viral pathogen that killed millions of people worldwide (I’m sure you’re familiar), was How Fear Works: Culture of Fear in the 21st Century. Published in 2019, Furedi prophetically characterized several issues that emerged due to the culture of fear, particularly how science has been moralized and “experts” are paraded via (corporate-owned) media corporations as moral authorities. According to Fuerdi, “Statements like ‘The Science says’ serve as the twenty-first-century equivalent of the exhortation ‘God said’….It has more in common with a pre-modern revealed truth than with the spirit of experimentation that emerged with modernity”[3]. During the pandemic, several mantras such as “trust the science,” “follow the science,” or “believe in science” were parroted by various medical experts and media pundits ironically representing science as the exact antithesis of what it is: as some unquestionable moral authority. Violations of “The Science” were used to make rampant moral judgments on others and to vilify and divide individuals and communities in truly inhumane ways. Indeed, science devolved into a “religious” movement and ushered in an atmosphere that resembled, if mainly archetypally, the Spanish Inquisitions or totalitarian movements. There were calls from very high-profile and influential people (and everyday people) to silence anyone questioning “The Science” and even strip them of basic civil liberties.

While followers of “The Science” might think they’re safe from religiosity, numerous post-modern arguments suggest that religion is not objectively real like the secular materialist worldview would lead us to believe. All worldviews have neat, clean, and insular logic and consistencies which make rational sense within their own context. Yet, step outside that context, such as prehistoric America or any contemporary hunter/gatherer society still enduring today against the challenges of globalization, and you'll quickly realize that such a neat and clean model of religion breaks down. Not all cultures can clearly distinguish what secularism defines as religion or religious behavior from anything else they do. Truthfully, the secular definition of religion, as anthropologist Telal Assad argued, reflects the unique historical processes of the West. While it has a definite cultural reality, it fails to apply cross-culturally and is, therefore, very shortsighted.

Today, the conception of religion also largely reflects political and legal nuances. My view, and one I argue in my book while drawing from Michel Foucault and various anthropologists, is that what we call religion and religiosity is just normal human behavior that can't be cleanly detached from within any culture. It reflects what happens when the very human desire for certainty gets encapsulated in grand narratives and becomes embedded in complex relations of power and hierarchy. If upon death, one enters the kingdom of heaven or if nothing happens at all, there is certainty about it, and that can be psychologically processed far better than uncertainty can. By the way, when humans are attached to their certainty, they will go to extraordinary lengths to defend it, hence "religiosity" devolving into violence and tyranny. As Furedi also argued, “The use of the term ‘The Science’ in public debates expresses its advocates’ insecurity with the absence of certainty. This leads to a defensive posture where scientists are reluctant to entertain the possibility they might be wrong and their critics might have a point”[4]. The world witnessed this groupthink mentality in countless ways for several years following the initial outbreak, and it deeply reflected how the fear of uncertainty could go far in distorting the very integrity of individuals and their philosophies, all for the sake of offering hope, security, and protection from uncertainty during a novel and ever-changing pandemic situation.

Secularism makes sense as a uniquely historical backlash against prior theocratic modes of governance and tyranny. The idea of religion is, therefore, an attempt to socially quarantine so-called "superstition" or "magical thinking" and keep it from infecting the rational and reasonable affairs of the state and the project of science (which is conceived in a variety of ways). However, the religiosity of Scientism (and its ideological appendages) contains just as much “superstition” and “magical thinking” as any other faith-based belief. The public and many experts readily embraced untested (or little tested) and uncritically examined “solutions” during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak even long after evidence emerged placing their usefulness into question, such as prolonged, widespread lockdowns, six-foot distancing guidance, mask and vaccine mandates, and highly novel pharmacological interventions, all under the hope and faith that the threat could be eradicated and the world returned to normalcy. Perhaps such hope and faith and blind adherence was well-intentioned, yet in a paradoxical reality, good intentions can have harmful outcomes. What if Jung was correct that we can't eradicate what we are? What if humanity is inherently prone to what we term "religious" behavior, “superstition," or “magical thinking,” no matter how much Scientism attempts to stamp it out through its myopic obsession with rationality (enantiodromia, anyone)? What if the idyllic vision of a utopia of any kind, whether supernatural, political, scientific, or technological, is just a fantasy of the human mind that probably serves some evolutionary purpose (such as social cohesion for maintaining the project of civilization since it appears to have a highly adaptive function)? Ultimately, what if humanity will never eliminate risk and uncertainty, no matter how certain it is that it has?

In my research, I extracted three themes inherent to the Aquarian archetype, more so relevant to its application to mundane astrology: knowledge, novelty, and social cohesion. If they occur in any order, social cohesion would probably come first, but I thought it sounded better this way. It has a ring to it, methinks. I gathered this threefold nature of mundane Aquarius using the lens of synchronicity and through the very literal cultural evolution of the sign from its Mesopotamian roots. We can trance an interesting mythological lineage from the Mesopotamian god Enki/Ea to the Greek titan Prometheus, and even to figures such as Jesus, transhumanist conceptions of AI-augmented computer technology to advanced alien species as conceived within modernity's UFO cults, disclosure movements, and various New Age syncretisms. 

By the way, I am not debunking Jesus, UFOs, or an advanced AI salvation, but rather pointing to a worldview in which such things are archetypally linked and reflect the same symbols within the collective unconscious. In many ways, in whatever form these symbols take, they are often involved in grand narratives that provide certainty, and thus they can be conceived as expressions of religiosity. Whether they reflect an objective or concrete reality of some kind matters less in a universe in which consciousness permeates everything, and thus mind, and the external world is intimately linked. Unconscious, symbolic archetypes can have very concrete manifestations in the world, but also psychological ones. Either manifestation can be read symbolically.

Okay, so what I am getting at here is that Aquarius (especially in its shadow expression) synchronously reflects the savior deity in its many guises, a figure who liberates humanity from its baser, biological, and bestial existence to one more "godlike" and transcendent. Aquarius also connects to apocalyptic mythologies of various kinds. The flood myth, present in early Mesopotamian texts (and most famously as the story of Noah's Ark in the biblical book of Genesis), spoke of a time when a previous world was destroyed and replaced with a purified version. Enki/Ea was intimately involved in this event, saving some humans and other living things and placing them upon an ark. Akkadian scholar Hans Galter argued that the Mesopotamians interpreted this story as a very real transition in how humanity gathered knowledge, for example, a transition from internally derived knowledge acquisition to scholarly knowledge collection. As Galter put it, the myth symbolized the transition "from sages to scholars"[5].  

This wise observation suggested that millennia ago, people understood how scholarly knowledge collection fundamentally transformed culture and allowed for civilizational advancements. From every culture's inherent ethnocentrism, I'm sure that the Mesopotamians believed they had achieved its ideal, yet they unlikely conceived of how far that transition would take us. In a way, as of now, AI symbolizes an apotheosis of human knowledge collection, or at least the more formative steps to it as reflected in Large Language Models (or machine learning) utilized in popular platforms such as OpenAI's ChatGPT currently writing up essays for college undergrads and something this author finds a helpful research assistant (but no, it didn't write this essay, I swear!). Enki/Ea, and later Prometheus, was also responsible for gifting humanity the tools and knowledge needed for its civilizational and scientific endeavors.

This brings us to novelty and genius, which are essentially built upon the knowledge and genius of the past. Novelty and innovation don't magically appear out of thin air (though interestingly, Aquarius is an air sign). Every innovative leap or genius idea started from things already conceived and established, thus the ideal of science as a perpetual process of improving upon existing knowledge by replicating testable hypotheses and theories. All of this, of course, requires social cohesion or collaborative efforts. Even the mythical lone genius or mad scientist draws from past efforts and previously drawn conclusions. Thus, maintaining cultural traditions is central to this. A few thousand years devoid of some cataclysmic global event is why humanity has achieved the technological and social complexity it has. The intellectual and innovative capacity of the Mesopotamians was no different from ours today. 

Many astrologers have established that Aquarius rules geniuses, but it also relates to all kinds of outsiders, heretics, and exiles. As with the apocalyptic myths, the archetypal essence of alienation is inherent here. As astrologer and Jungian analyst, Liz Greene argued in The Astrology of Fate, and in reflecting upon Jung's interpretation of the Garden of Eden myth as a syncretism of the Promethean theft of fire myth, "isolation from fellows is a profoundly painful dilemma for the socially minded Aquarian. [6]" As Jung argued, like Prometheus' theft of fire from Zeus to gift to humanity (and thus to make them "godlike"), the Eden myth also represented the price paid for the acquisition of "fire," or rather, "knowledge" plucked from the tree at the behest of the serpent Lucifer (a very Promethean character). From Jung's conception, the expansion of consciousness leads to alienation as it separates the more conscious from those less so. It is interesting to point out that, archetypally speaking, there is interchangeability between the Christianized Lucifer and Greek Prometheus and other savior figures like Jesus. This is also reflected in how technology (or even UFOs) can be conceived as both salvific and condemning. For example, not all AI experts are optimistic transhumanists, but outspoken prophets of doom, warning of AI armageddon (a topic that gained prominence during Pluto's first cross into Aquarius). 

As the saying goes, "It's lonely at the top." Enlightenment, or any "special" knowledge, comes with a price. Greene argued, "All the traditional Aquarian fields of endeavor--science, invention, social welfare, psychology, even astrology--are tainted with this loneliness which is the price of offending Zeus"[7]. Of course, such a paradigm gets inflamed within a highly polarized conception of reality in which there are humans and gods, good and evil, or an underlying antagonism between a "lower" and "higher" order of things in the universe. This conception didn't dissolve at the dawn of the Enlightenment. If anything, this polarized and apocalyptic conception has persisted even more; in fact, it appears to have literally manifested in the drama unfolding on the world stage in which highly polarizing elements are the topics of the day, and perpetual class struggle lies at the root of so much oppression. Marxism, for example, is inherently apocalyptic--the underlying desire to eradicate this struggle to give way to a communist utopia deeply reflects this. Karl Marx was interestingly born with Aquarius rising during a Pluto/Uranus/Neptune square—a highly Promethean character.

From an astrological, Hermetic, Jungian, and thus archetypal view of reality, the world is embodying these myths in a very real and tangible way, and the more unconscious we are of this, the deeper we go into them and the more polarizing the world appears to become. Several zodiacal signs embody duality (in fact, duality is inherent to the codified, western astrological system). Yet, if only synchronously so, Aquarius does appear to reflect an intrinsic duality, especially since, as I argue, it contains some essence of Western apocalypticism. Duality is a part of our third-dimensional existence and central to our subjective experiences. However, how we conceive of this duality changes our relationship and attitudes about it. Duality can be perceived as necessary and complementary or the result of some antagonistic relationship or divine condemnation. In the former, the necessity of duality allows for reconciling opposites and paradoxes, unleashing breakthroughs in perceiving the underlying unity of the universe.

According to historian of astrology Nicholas Campion, the first astrologer to add more complexity and nuance to the zodiac signs was theosophist and entrepreneur Alan Leo [8]. Before Leo, astrologers used a rather simplistic listing of qualities or associations when discussing zodiac signs, but they lacked much descriptive depth. The more deeply psychological characteristics of zodiac signs came a bit after Leo in the latter 20th century. However, Leo forged a new conception of the zodiac, allowing signs to provide immense descriptive detail. Leo, as far as I know, first made the association between Aquarius and dual serpents--a reconception of the two parallel wavey lines (the Aquarius glyph traditionally symbolic of water). This connected for Leo to the Eden mythos. In his typical theosophical way, he imagined this through the lens of the encroaching Aquarian age and the "evolution" of humanity to a higher, more enlightened spiritual existence. For Leo, those born with Aquarian placements, for example, did not yet exhibit the full potential of the sign, as the new age was still dawning upon humanity.

According to Leo, "As the last of the fixed signs it [Aquarius] has been symbolized by two serpents, the one the serpent of wisdom and the other the old Adam or serpent of the earth. In this symbology lies the mystery of human destiny" [9]. For Leo, wisdom symbolized the "higher self-conscious ascent" into humanity's ultimate potential in the Age of Aquarius, while the "old Adam" was in reference to the bestial "lower nature" which needed to be controlled for the higher potential to be attained. Leo presented a theosophical reconception of Aquarius, drawing upon numerous spiritual and esoteric traditions. Theosophy, which espoused the conscious evolution of humanity to a more ideal, humanitarian, or spiritually enlightened future existence, came to significantly influence what is today referred to as the modern "New Age" as well as modern astrology.  

Numerous New Age worldviews contain apocalyptic undertones, often combining the theosophical progression toward spiritual Enlightenment. Though, there is no homogenous New Age ideology, and today, even theosophical offshoots are highly varied and diverse. However, many of these worldviews seem to draw upon the similar Zoroastrian/Judaic/Christian dualistic worldview, where humanity's earthly existence is somehow at odds with its divine nature or potential. Yet also, there are obvious Platonic elements as well, such as an ascent of the soul into the cosmos. Even some Hellenistic (Greco-Roman) astrology expressions had apocalyptic motivations and influences; thus, it is not inherently new. As I argue, whether spiritual, technological, or political "evolution" toward some more idyllic future state need not matter. The root of the idea is very old and appears to endure within the collective unconscious and mythic memory.

By the way, I am not arguing that this is inherently bad or wrong, shouldn't be, or does not reflect some truth about the world or universe we experience. Synchronicity might suggest that it does. Suppose a past deluge mythologically exists from ancient memory and within the collective unconscious. In that case, it makes rational sense why the idea of the eventual or cyclic purification of the world would persist (and potentially why this transition toward scholarship was catalyzed to help determine, predict, and thus prepare for the next one). Yet, perhaps with such a polarizing worldview, we should become more conscious of it since ignoring its archetypal foundation breeds more polarization rather than the unity that's unconsciously desired. Perhaps, to reach a wiser tomorrow, we should look more within than without for the source of our troubles. While I'm a bit cynical of any perfected future state of human existence, I believe that humanity makes improvements, learns from its mistakes, and attempts to improve conditions for future generations, despite numerous interests (and maladaptive cultural blindspots) that often counter these attempts. 

I have said very little about Pluto (pun intended, as it is pretty small). While no longer considered a major planet by some astronomers and is instead classed as a dwarf planet, Pluto still packs a punch from the astrological point of view. I argue that early 2020 was a case in point with Pluto's conjunction with Saturn. Read my article I published in early 2019 predicting that crisis. I flesh it out retrospectively in my upcoming book and have touched on it here. For brevity's sake, I argue (as do many other astrologers) that Pluto deals with the collective shadow. You could say that on the mundane level, Pluto cycles are about doing our collective shadow work, integrating those repressed, denied, and ignored dimensions of humanity and culture.  

Pluto cycles are difficult because they present us with stuff we don't like and often don't want to see. Pluto also dredges up that core human wound or Achilles heel--the dreaded uncertainty of the universe. Yes, it is often during Pluto cycles that we are confronted with specific uncertainties related to the archetypes it contacts and a host of unintegrated shadow material from the collective unconscious. What are the shadows of knowledge, novelty, and social cohesion? I will get deep into this in my upcoming book and relate it to many current and developing world affairs. Also, as an underworld deity, Pluto relates to a literal and symbolic death and transformation of those themes. 

But I won't leave you hanging entirely. Over the next two decades, as with many Pluto in Aquarius periods, the world's knowledge acquisition and dissemination strategies, conceptions of social organization, and technological capacities will be transformed, and the seeds of an even greater transformation will also be planted (as with the scientific, American, and French Revolutions). Since Aquarius is also a sign associated with the constellation of a human figure pouring water from the heavens, this sign deals with humanity itself--its ideas, worldviews, cosmologies, and complex social structures. What needs to be dealt with within ourselves to get to the task of creating a wiser tomorrow? How might we have been walking zombie-like lately, unaware of the many ways we have become our (and maybe the planets') own enemy? How are we shooting ourselves in the collective foot? 

If there is any sign that deals most profoundly with collective issues and their dark side, like groupthink or what psychologist Matias Desmet has called "mass formation," it is Aquarius. I don't think we'll necessarily enjoy the shadow work required to realize how these human vulnerabilities have paved the way to some hellish situations, and it is all inherently paradoxical. Following the herd is sometimes wise, and other times, not so much (especially in a highly complex social world). Another theme I pulled from my research is the saying, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." I touched on this in discussing the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and how good intentions are not always good. Reflect back to the apocalyptic mythos I just discussed, especially those of the past in which well-intentioned humans attempted to reach a heavenly abode only to create quite the opposite (hence the nature of polarizing worldviews). How many attempts at reformation or attaining some utopia wrought destruction, suffering, or literal genocide? Or how can a desperate attempt to stay safe and reduce risk ironically create more danger? What happens when a culture attempts to eliminate contingency entirely and desperately clings to rational control?

Scientism, transhumanism, and various New Age belief systems may well create (if not already) some real hells in their unconscious pursuit of utopia, reformation, and certainty, as have all apocalyptic worldviews. We will have to reckon with that reality over the next two decades in a way that will be uncomfortable, sometimes painful, but, ultimately, for the best. Grand narratives never quite seem to pan out, so I don't attempt to espouse one. In fact, if astrology has taught me anything, it's that while the future may be archetypally predictive, it's more often filled with surprising plot twists nobody could have imagined. When we surrender to uncertainty, we might find that those surprises and accidents make life most interesting.

Lastly, to come back to the theme of novelty, human innovations are sometimes incredible and miraculous but also sometimes terrifying and dangerous. Again, within the polarizing framing of humans and gods, this often gives way to conceptions of a "godlike" elite or individuals who believe themselves ordained by a higher power or mission to "play with fire." Of course, I use fire in reference to the Prometheus myth. The divine fire of the gods can illuminate the world but also destroy it. Playing with fire, that is, utilizing the power of the gods with hubris, is a very dangerous game and can create some collateral burns. Pluto in Aquarius will reveal the many ways in which such powers may need to be curtailed, and that might happen through some tough collective lessons and experiences through the shadow of novelty. This theme, by the way, emerges within a complex interaction of astrological archetypes, involving not just Pluto and Aquarius but also Uranus and Saturn and combinations of these planets and the Aquarian sign. I analyze this phenomenon more deeply in my book.

Evolutionary biologists Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein coined the term "hyper-novelty" in their recent book A Hunter Gatherer's Guide to the Twentieth-First Century. Hyper-novelty is a similar concept to hyper-change, often utilized by former US Vice President Al Gore regarding the threat and dangers of anthropogenic climate change. According to Heying and Weinstein, hyper-novelty refers to how our technological progress is accelerating faster than our biology or the natural world can adaptively manage [10]. As Heying and Weinstein suggest, this pace of acceleration often ignores wise heuristics such as "Chesterton's fence," suggesting the use of caution before tampering with systems that aren't fully understood. Of course, as biologists, Heying and Weinstein referred more specifically to biological systems. However, it can also apply to technological ones, like the rapid development of AI technology platforms or quantum computing, just as it does to novel pharmaceutical products and interventions.

One other overarching theme I deal with deeply in my book is the way that complex economic systems, such as neoliberal hyper-capitalism, have made these concerns even more pressing. If profit motivation and the financial bottom line also rise to the helm of state power and interest, how does that further present us with dangers, especially when "playing with fire." In other words, when novelty and knowledge acquisition are pure capitalistic enterprises rather than truly humanitarian ones, how might this lead us into hazardous territory? Worse, how has this, combined with Scientism, distorted science, and its endeavors? Can we really trust "The Science" when debates are censored, heretics are silenced, and corporate interests lobby universities, congressional representatives, or health organizations? And worse, if Scientism is a new religion, has the secular worldview failed to account for this blindspot via its narrow and ethnocentric definition of religiosity? 

Is there hope? Is a wiser tomorrow possible? As a Gemini, I'm both a cynic and an optimist. I may have a bias that the universe, or at least from our point of view, is paradoxical. Our divine task is to rise above the paradoxes and perceive the underlying unity. Therefore, the universe may not be ultimately paradoxical but one unified whole or consciousness. The next zodiac sign, Pisces, deals more with that reality. Still, Aquarius points the way, and Pluto, through this sign, is our bridge to discovering the innate unification of reality we unconsciously desire and what Western apocalypticism both wants and resists. Of course, the drama is rather juicy too, and if Jung taught us anything, some part of us keeps us tangled in it all. Pluto in Aquarius will require some challenging collective work, as all Pluto cycles do. Still, I hope it will help us create a wiser tomorrow. The Enlightenment brought great ideas and solutions into the world just as it made new problems. Science is an extraordinary tool when applied humbly and consciously, and it has undeniably helped us better understand the universe while improving living conditions. Yet, distorting science for moralistic or political motives or taking science to a hyper-rational end-point in which all other views into the nature of reality must be condemned or eradicated will further damage our collective heart and soul. Making science and technology out to be some salvific diety is a problematic unconscious projection eradicating the paradox inherent to science, obfuscating its destructive potential. Yet, so too is the opposite demonization of such things. Technology is both miraculous and potentially disastrous, capable of Promethean liberation and enslavement. Our collective work starts by looking deeply into our own darkness and doing our best not to demonize it, especially not to demonize each other. We must transcend the paradoxes and polarities and see that our perception of evil is not something to be cleansed and eradicated from the earth but something to learn from through acknowledgment, understanding, integration, and love. We are all human, after all, not gods, at least not in our flawed and fleshy ape bodies and minds. While we cannot escape our humanity (especially by denying it), we can become more conscious of it. And a bit wiser, too.

References

[1] Frank Furedi. How Fear Works: Culture of Fear in the 21st Century (London: Bloomsbury, 2019), p. 144.

[2] Rupert Sheldrake, Terrence McKenna, and Ralph Abraham. The Evolutionary Mind: Conversations on Science, Imagination and Spirit (Rhinebeck, NY: Monkfish Books, 2005).

[3] Furedi, How Fear Works, p. 144.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Hanns D. Galter, "The Mesopotamian God Enki," Religion Compass 9/3 (2015), 10.11, p. 72.

[6] Liz Greene. The Astrology of Fate (York Beach: Samuel Weiser, 1986), p. 255.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Nicholas Campion. Astrology and Popular Religion in the Modern West: Prophecy, Cosmology, and the New Age Movement (London and New York: Routledge, 2016), p. 71-72.

[9] Alan Leo. Astrology for All (New York: Cosimo Classics, 2006), p. 23.

[10] Heather Heying and Bret Weinstein. A Hunter Gatherer's Guide to the Twentieth-First Century: Evolution and the Challenges of Modern Life (New York: Portfolio/Penguin, 2021), xii.

Mars Retrograde in Gemini 2022-2023

Artist's conception of Mars trojan asteroids; by Pablo Carlos Budassi, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Retrograde period: October 30, 2022- January 12, 2023

Mars in Gemini: August 20, 2022- March 24, 2023

Mars will increase in brightness and visibility in the night sky over the next several months as it reaches its opposition to the Sun. At this point in the two-year Martian journey around the Sun, the red planet will display an optical illusion known as apparent retrograde motion. Mars retrograde cycles occur roughly every two years (every 26 months) and repeat in the same zodiac sign every 15 years. This year's Mars retrograde will appear in the tropical sign of Gemini, a sign it is currently transiting since late August. This upcoming Mars retrograde cycle will last two and a half months. Mars will occupy Gemini for a total duration of nearly seven months! It is extremely rare for Mars to stay in this sign for so long. 

The last Mars retrograde cycle that occurred in Gemini was in January 2008, when Mars stationed retrograde initially in Cancer in December 2007, moving backward into Gemini and striking an opposition with Pluto across the Aries Point (the first degree or so of all cardinal signs: 00 degrees of Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn). Pluto had also then recently moved into Capricorn. January 2008 was interestingly the buildup to the Global Financial Crisis, which impacted numerous world economies. In the U.S. horoscope, Mars is placed at 21 degrees of Gemini, and in 2008, Mars stationed direct (ended) at 24 degrees Gemini. 

This year's Mars retrograde cycle begins at 25 degrees Gemini on Oct. 30 and crosses over Mars in the U.S. horoscope, stationing direct at 8 degrees Gemini on Jan. 12, 2023. My reference to 2008 is not a prediction of a recession or event to the scale of the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-2009. The 2008-2009 period correlated with the buildup of the Saturn/Pluto square, a cycle we just experienced the peak of in January 2020 with the conjunction of Saturn and Pluto. For more on this cycle, view my article written in early 2019. Additionally, Mars is not stationing directly on a planet in the U.S. horoscope as it did with the Sun in 2008, though it will station close to the U.S. Mars position.

However, it is interesting that the U.S. is currently facing a recession related to events correlated with the Saturn/Pluto cycle. The U.S. is additionally experiencing a Pluto return where Pluto transits back to its position at the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Mars will also retrograde into a square with Neptune during this cycle. Mars will be within orb (within a certain degree range) of squaring Neptune for nearly two months and will repeat a final square in mid-March 2023 before leaving Gemini for Cancer. Additionally, Mars will be out-of-bounds for most of this retrograde cycle. Out-of-bounds refers to a planet going beyond the Sun's highest or lowest declination. It will be interesting to note the quality of world events, especially in the U.S., as this cycle unfolds. 

Mars' retrograde square with Neptune this year is a complex integration. Yet, it is not beyond our ability to work through and utilize for personal, collective, and spiritual growth. My astrological worldview sees such difficulties as serving a purpose and places our conflicts in the context of greater meaning. In this article, I will explore the potential significance of Mars' retrograde cycle in Gemini, its square with Neptune, and what insights we might uncover to best prepare for it. 

Lastly, it is important to note that not everyone will experience this cycle as significantly as others. Those with mutable sign placements in Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces will note correlations more in their personal lives. Most notable would be placements such as Mars crossing or stationing on an angle of the natal chart (such as the Ascendent, Descendent, or Midheaven), or the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, or Mars. Even more, will be placements within the degrees of Mars' retrograde cycle (8 to 25 degrees Gemini with a few degrees on either side). Of course, any aspects Mars retrograde makes to natal placements can have significance.

Mars Retrograde General Meaning

Diagram of the geocentric trajectory of Mars through several periods of apparent retrograde motion (Kepler, Astronomia nova, Chapter 1, 1609)

Retrograde cycles such as those involving Mercury, Venus, or Mars often correlate with complex situational dynamics. In the case of Mercury and Mars especially, aggravating or irritating issues sometimes emerge via the reemergence of problems thought to be resolved or dealt with. This is one reason these cycles have such a bad reputation within astrology circles, though, as we will explore, there are constructive and positive potentials to these cycles. 

Mercury, Venus, and Mars retrograde cycles are significant because these planets typically move rapidly through an area of the sky and our natal chart. Thus, a transit from Mars typically lasts only a few days to a week. When Mars turns retrograde, it spends several months in a sign, three weeks at specific degrees, and passes over areas of the chart multiple times over several months. 

Mars retrograde symbolizes the emergence (or reemergence) of Mars-related themes and issues that develop more complexity in a specific sign and area of the natal chart (house or aspects to planets). There are other dimensions to this, such as revisiting unresolved issues from the past, serendipitous-type encounters, or experiencing significant life events (more so if Mars stations on or near natal placements in the chart). Yet, overall, the Mars archetype dominates a specific area of the sky and chart and develops more significance and meaning during this time. 

What Does Mars Mean? 

MOSSOT, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Like Saturn, Mars was considered by classical astrologers as a malefic planet. Malefics were traditionally believed to cause or foreshadow misfortune and destruction. Unlike Venus and Jupiter (known as benefics), Saturn and Mars had unpleasant consequences, sometimes described as inherently evil. Of course, the modern conception of this has changed; at least the vocabulary used to describe malefic and benefic planets is vastly more nuanced than classical astrology. Also, on a personal level, Mars transits rarely manifest in such a dire way.

Still, the roots of these concepts are useful because they reveal the correlation between significant Saturn and Mars events and experientially challenging situations, especially as they relate to collective/world events. The Global Financial Crisis is one good example, as is the year 2020 when Saturn and Mars aligned with Pluto in Capricorn in March of that year, the height of the pandemic's onset, global lockdowns, and various authoritarian measures. 

Mars is associated with the warrior archetype and is traditionally related to conflicts, battles, confrontations, divisiveness, and destruction. Mars can correlate with the emergence of such things; however, we need to think more deeply and archetypally about those associations. More likely, a Mars retrograde cycle would correlate with the emergence of symbolic versions of those associations.

We all know that life can be difficult and messy. There are painful things that happen to us that we can't control, but there are also painful things we could have avoided if we knew better or had more confidence in ourselves. It is inevitable that we get hurt at various points throughout our lives, and the longer we live, the more that truth becomes real. 

Occasionally, we encounter situations or people in life that try to harm, take advantage of, exploit, or dominate us. And life also requires that we afflict harm on other living things for survival or to defend our autonomy. 

There are also many dimensions to life that can feel like a battlefield that aren't literal battlefields. For example, there are moments we have to stand up for ourselves, defend someone or something else, or cut some harmful person or experience out of our lives. Ultimately, I believe those experiences have a purpose because we get stronger and wiser if we respond well to them. We become more resistant to threats in the future and better able to avoid them when we see them coming. 

We grow from painful experiences. They aren't meaningless, even if we adhere to an exclusive materialist or atheistic worldview. Pain, by the way, can result purely from free will. The challenges or difficulties that emerge under a Mars transit can be entirely self-selected. Building muscle, for example, is something that hurts but something we might choose to do. 

Let's think about this further. We encounter this archetype every day. Our immune systems constantly fight off viruses, bacteria, or fungi. We kill plants and animals and eat them to survive. We implement and defend boundaries forged in personal and societal relationships. We experience various forms of cultural segregation. We cannot escape participation in the inevitable destructiveness and divisiveness of life. Creation and destruction are intimately linked. Autonomous entities have to defend their autonomy. No matter how we live our lives, these archetypal experiences will inevitably involve or find us. 

The archetype of Mars describes battles, conflicts, and divisions, but it is also a planet that deals heavily with action, free will, and desire. We could say that the archetype of Mars embodies the desire to live and to defend that desire. Mars is often strongly associated with the primal aspects of the brain/psyche, our fight or flight (or freeze) responses to danger, and our aggressive, lustful, and fear-based emotions. Sexuality and sexual desire play a role here too. The Mars archetype could well represent survival and reproduction. Mars cycles or placements can relate to how we express or encounter these aspects of being human. It is a planet that embodies how we get what we want, defend it, and assert ourselves to claim space in life and protect it. 

Mars in Gemini 

Michelle Maria, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

As ruled by Mercury, the Gemini archetype is associated with the mind. It connects significantly to various domains of the mental and linguistic dimensions, such as the flow of verbal/non-verbal communication and information. We associate this sign with curiosity, high stimulation, perceptual/intellectual diversity, restlessness, teaching, and learning. In sum, we could say Gemini represents gathering information or data to form an understanding or view of the world and the various ways we interact with or describe it.

How can the pursuit of information, or the acquisition of truth or perception, become a battlefield where words, thoughts, ideas, or speeches become weapons or enemies? This is easy for us to conceive today, where Twitter wars happen daily, and powerful institutions have essentially waged war on misinformation. Especially in the shadow of the pandemic, the acquisition and dissemination of information are perceived as dangerous endeavors. 

We hear a lot about the dangers of false or misleading information today, yet the response, such as the silencing of free speech, gets overlooked in mainstream discussions. Censorship is a well-utilized tactic of authoritarians to silence information they deem as threatening. This is not to suggest that misinformation is not a problem, but the events of 2020 have catalyzed a concerning wave of censorship and the public's acceptance of it. Regardless of whether one disagrees with the censored information, it is hard to deny that allowing powerful institutions to censor whom they decide is a slippery slope that can quickly snowball out of control. 

Linguistic information has incredible power over human beings because we rely heavily on it for survival. The human capacity for sharing information is the most complex among mammals. No other animals on the planet use language to discuss the past, present, and future with the complexity that humans do. The human brain's higher neuronal capacity (more neurons than other primates or animals) also means prioritizing our visual and linguistic advancements over other senses. Thus, our ancestors relied heavily on information shared verbally to survive effectively in natural environments. It likely all started with the question, is this safe to eat or not? 

Information is thus a powerful currency, and human societies have fought over it for millennia. Today's Twitter wars, platform bans, and censorship campaigns do not differ much from the motivations behind the Library of Alexandria's destruction, the Spanish Inquisitions, or Nazi book burnings. On an individual and collective level, confronting information that threatens our beliefs is also fraught with stress and fear because it results in cognitive dissonance. This is the psychological discomfort experienced in encountering information contradictory to what we believe to be true, and it can lead to highly irrational behavior. Human beings react to this experience with denial, rejection, hostility, or avoidance of the information, or they can choose to accept it and move through the discomfort. The latter requires some time, courage, and putting egos aside.

Mars retrograde in Gemini reminds me of a specific quote from don Juan, the Yaqui sorcerer that anthropologist Carlos Castaneda apprenticed under while conducting fieldwork in the book, The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge (1). At this point in the book, Castaneda struggled to integrate his first experience with Peyote (what don Juan refers to as Mescalito), especially after hearing about his behavior while under its influence. 

While Castaneda recalled his Peyote experience as a playful, ecstatic interaction with a dog, the next day, he learned how he had wildly chased after the dog barking loudly, played with the dog for hours while drinking from a water bowl, and eventually peed on the dog before passing out (pg. 46-47). Castaneda explains to don Juan that

 "Peyote had produced in me, as a postreaction, a strange kind of physical discomfort. It was an indefinite fear or unhappiness; a melancholy of some sort, which I could not define exactly. And I did not find that state noble in any way." (pg. 48) 

don Juan simply replies

 "You are beginning to learn." (pg. 48)

Castaneda's struggle at this point in the book could be described as an experience of cognitive dissonance. His behavior contradicted the perception he had of himself. In fact, don Juan lectures Castaneda later about being too self-focused and missing much that is happening around him. Don Juan also explains the way in which Mescalito can pull one out of themselves to teach them, echoing the modern understanding of how psychedelic substances can allow individuals to observe their mind, thoughts, and behavior objectively. Castaneda confesses that he doesn't feel cut out for the learning that Mescalito provides

"This type of learning is not for me. I am not made for it, don Juan."

"You always exaggerate."

"This is not exaggeration."

"It is. The only trouble is that you exaggerate the bad points only."

"There are no good points so far as I am concerned. All I know is that it makes me afraid."

"There is nothing wrong with being afraid. When you fear, you see things in a different way." (pg. 48)

As a result of his discomfort and fear of Mescalito, Castaneda rejects further learning through Peyote use. He has confronted realizations that terrify him and challenge his worldview. Yet, don Juan's response that fear alters perception is the crucial point here and leads to the infamous quote. On a separate evening from the previous discussion, don Juan gives Castaneda wisdom he had memorized from his teacher while he was apprenticing to be a sorcerer himself:

"A man goes to knowledge as he goes to war: wide-awake, with fear, with respect, and with absolute assurance. Going to knowledge or going to war in any other manner is a mistake, and whoever makes it might never live to regret it." (pg. 51)

This quote refers to don Juan's earlier suggestion that "When you fear, you see things in a different way" (pg. 48). Fear can throw us off our usual route to developing a perception, either shutting down our ability to think critically and clearly or as don Juan suggests, fear can embolden respect for the knowledge we seek to have. As don Juan further on explains

"When a man starts to learn, he is never clear about his objectives. His purpose is faulty; his intent is vague. He hopes for rewards that will never materialize for he knows nothing of the hardships of learning."

"He slowly begins to learn--bit by bit at first, then in big chunks. And his thoughts soon clash. What he learns is never what he pictured, or imagined, and so he begins to be afraid. Learning is never what one expects. Every step of learning is a new task, and the fear the man is experiencing begins to mount mercilessly, unyieldingly. His purpose becomes a battlefield."

Castaneda then asks 

"What will happen to the man if he runs away in fear?" 

"Nothing happens to him except that he will never learn. He will never become a man of knowledge. He will perhaps be a bully, or a harmless, scared man; at any rate, he will be a defeated man. His first enemy will have put an end to his cravings." (pg. 84)

Don Juan alludes to the reality that learning is a process of developing the strength to endure the cognitive dissonance experienced due to chronic disillusionment or disenchantment. When one sets out on a learning path, they will inevitably encounter information and perceptions that challenge what they expect to find. The truth is often counter to our ideals, beliefs, and expectations. And yet, to acquire true knowledge, persistence and endurance are required to push through the discomfort.

There is likely some valuable wisdom to gather from don Juan's words as we move closer to Mars' lengthy retrograde in Gemini. Mars in Gemini is a time to utilize our fear to approach information with respect or to endure cognitive dissonance and come out with altered perception and understanding. While we can relate to these issues throughout our lives, Mars' extended trip through Gemini could bring some pivotal events to the surface that deal with the need to approach knowledge as a warrior facing the battlefield. 

Other Mars in Gemini issues might involve taking a firm stance on a particular side of a cultural issue, defending a belief, perception, idea, or set of data relating to a specific understanding of the world. It might involve fighting against some perceived misinformation or attacks to censor or silence. Critical opportunities might surface to assert our truth or perception. We're likely to see some critical collective events in the U.S. dealing with these themes, especially as Mars retrogrades over Mars in the U.S. horoscope. 

Mars Square Neptune

Murray Foubister, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The Neptune archetype represents an awareness of something greater than one's self, perhaps greater than the sum of one species or planetary biosphere. We might refer to this archetype as an awareness of God/Goddess or the Universe. However, Neptune equally relates to natural forces that can overpower humanity, such as weather phenomena, natural disasters, or viral pandemics. Is it possible to fight against or fully resist such forces? Or is it better to surrender to what happens and allow one's will to be shaped and guided? Certainly, such experiences give us a true perspective of where we stand in the universe. 

Mars in Gemini can feel overwhelmed with strategies, potential targets, or threats. The Gemini archetype represents a myriad of stimulation inundations that can complicate defining a clear action plan amid too many choices. Neptune's square adds another element of confusion or deception. It could be difficult under this cycle to know who or what to fight or defend against. We might find that certain goals are more complicated than we anticipated or that taking on a project or task requires more time and effort. 

Mars square Neptune might correlate with losing momentum, strength, or passion, a period of questioning a mission or battle. Disillusionment and disenchantment are other possibile manifestations, especially about information, data, or beliefs that initially fueled motivation toward a particular cause. Perhaps a battle strategy once thought to work is found ineffective. Dissillusionment can occur due to overestimating strength or tactical abilities. We should be aware of overinflated confidence, strength, or power. Humility and a willingness to alter a mission or strategy is a must.

Yet, Mars square Neptune can also be a time to reinvigorate our passion or mission through a vision or ideal that motivates us to act. When it comes to Neptune, surrender the usual Mars-like tactics of fighting, pushing, or asserting control. It is a time to realize we are not entirely in control. There are forces larger than we are, and we can learn from them. Humbly admit your limitations and allow your mission to be reshaped and redirected. If you feel blocked by uncertainty, fear, or loss of faith, trust that clarity will return, and taking some steps back to restrategize will help you ultimately succeed later on. 

Conclusion 

This is an exceptionally notable Mars retrograde cycle given its length, out-of-bounds status, and the long duration of its square to Neptune. This is a time best utilized to reflect deeper on our actions, choices, impulses, desires, and "battle strategies," especially as they relate to gathering knowledge and information. Anticipate a shift in the assertion of willpower and the targets/end goals you've been after. Trusting and allowing your will to be shaped and guided may be a more beneficial Mars square Neptune strategy. 

In the bigger picture, a retrograde inner planet represents a significant shift of activity in the sign and house(s) it backtracks through. Sometimes that manifests as a literal reversal of something in that area, especially if planets occupy that house and the retrograding planet contacts them. It's important to remember that this isn't always a bad thing; there can be both positive and negative reversals. While Mars can bring challenging issues to the surface, as the planet of action, it also deals with opportunities to assert autonomy, independence, and confidence. 

Mars will be retrograde for two and a half months, so life will go on as it usually does. However, we should be extra mindful of our motivations and impulses and remain realistic about the nature of our choices more than usual. Remember, this is not a time when we should halt or hold off important actions. Quite often, delays or blocks related to previously mentioned issues prevent us from moving as quickly as we anticipated, especially in the weeks surrounding the stations of Mars (Oct. 30 and Jan 12). This is a time to be patient and trust there is a larger reason for any frustrations or obstacles. Perhaps, a renewed vision for a passion, strategy, and mission is emerging now. Expand your vision of what's possible and trust that clarity will emerge if you're willing to make an effort to alter your tactics and perspective. 

1. Castaneda, Carlos. The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge (New York: Pocket Books, 1974).

A Solstice Eclipse: New Moon/Solar Eclipse in Cancer 2020

Photo by Callan Carpenter / CC BY-SA

New Moon/Annular Solar Eclipse @ 00 degrees Cancer 21'

June 20, 2020

11:42 PM PDT

June 21, 2020

2:42 AM EDT

June's New Moon is an annular solar eclipse in tropical Cancer. It also occurs alongside the solstice (summer in the northern hemisphere and winter in the southern). The eclipse will be visible from most of Africa, parts of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Russia, Indonesia, and Melanesia. This New Moon/solar eclipse represents the epicenter of the current eclipse season, a brief period of rapid inner and outer changes occurring in both personal and collective fields. Eclipses can correlate with increasing intensity in relation to developing events, but they also have their own specific correlations that can take time to gestate and manifest.

What makes this encroaching eclipse unique is that it falls on the first degree of Cancer, activating the cardinal axis of the tropical zodiac. The last eclipse to occur at this exact degree was a total solar eclipse on June 21, 2001. And before this, the last eclipse to activate the cardinal axis occurred on December 22, 1889, at the first degree of Capricorn.

While I won't go into the details of these past eclipses and their (delayed) correlation with significant historical events, I will say that considering the challenging astrology of 2020, this eclipse is likely to be significantly involved in much the same way. Yet, at the moment, let's first look at this eclipse as a potent new beginning, a collective and personal reset moment that can seed potentially powerful potentials and possibilities.

New Moons are always a fresh start, but when they're also a solar eclipse (especially nearly total), that symbolism becomes exceptionally pronounced. Occurring on the cardinal axis and very close to the lunar north node, this New Moon/solar eclipse has a powerful outward and mobilizing thrust. Such is the nature of cardinal energy--dynamic and catalytic.

Solstice means "sun stands still." During the summer solstice, the Sun stops ascending and begins descending toward the autumnal equinox. During the winter solstice, the Sun stops descending and begins ascending toward the spring equinox. Both solstice points symbolize the attainment of a point of limitation in either a peak (summer) or a trough (winter). They indicate moments of reflection and achievement of perspective from a position of pause or rest.

The sign of Cancer has the notorious correlations with the inward dimensions of life experience, commonly emphasizing domestic concerns--safety, security, and protection. Cancerian energy can also relate to the stimulation of nationalism or relate specifically to national security and stability issues. This New Moon/solar eclipse likely marks a decisive turning point in several domestically related concerns or questions.

Yet, Cancer is also symbolic of the healer and nourisher, carrying significant symbolism relating to the womb, a place that gives and sustains life. If we also consider the archetype of the home, we must go beyond the standard vision of the nuclear family to the heart of humanity's earliest tribal bonds. Cancer symbolizes a connection to our past as well as our need for loving intimacy and trusting relationship.

Cancer encapsulates a sense of longing for belonging and the understanding that the world is sometimes a dangerous place. Having a place of refuge and safety can provide protection and reassurance, but also, over-attachment to safety can lead us to endure a dull and passive existence. Yet, at heart, Cancer is not passive. It is cardinal energy after all, and it symbolizes taking the initiative to secure oneself and others from external threats.

Current events strongly speak to these themes. We are amid much civil unrest here in the United States, relating to abuses of power negatively harming the health and safety of the people. Specifically, black Americans are disproportionally the victims of violence inflicted by police. Calls for defunding, reforming, or abolishing police departments nationwide are currently getting louder alongside the peak of this eclipse and season.

Yet, while magnifying current events, this eclipse also seeds new events and developments that will likely unfold when the eclipse degree is re-activated. Mars activates this solar eclipse by conjunction on April 24, 2021 and then again Jan 21, 2022 by an opposition. Globally significant events around those dates are likely. Mars may play a significant role in this eclipses' future manifestations, considering its square aspect to the eclipse from Pisces.

And alongside Mars, Neptune widely squares this eclipse, stimulating the imaginal potential of Cancer. As with the lunar eclipse two weeks ago, there are still some elements of obfuscation related to this New Moon/eclipse, but there is a creative and visionary catalyst as well. Mars can relate to a heightened level of aggression, outrage, and defensiveness, but also the arrival of motivation needed to begin creating or dreaming a new foundation.

The challenge of this eclipse lies in its push to reach out and be proactive. Cardinal energy requires action, and so this is an essential point for pushing in new directions. However, consider also Mercury's retrograde cycle reinforcing the inward dimension of Cancer and the New Moon generally. Typical advice includes caution with pushing too fast or too hard.

Use this eclipse to step back and gain perspective and gently and mindfully plants the seeds of change. With the occurrence of this Cancer solar eclipse, and both Venus and Mercury retrograde, this moment also brings us powerfully to the past to revisit, resolve, release, or re-create. At least as I imagine it, we are merely consciousness moving along a spiral of change and expansion. Naturally, we will come back to places we've been before or feel drawn toward nostalgic experiences and encounters. This moment is imbued with such revisiting.

Trust is a potent keyword for this New Moon/solar eclipse. Saturn's quincunx aspect from Aquarius speaks to the challenge of being vulnerable and susceptible to limitations wrought by authority. There are restrictions placed on this New Moon, delaying or withholding a complete heart-opening and connection. Harsh realities that must be accepted.

However, limitations aren't necessarily a bad thing. My mantra for the Saturn/Pluto conjunction era (a period lasting until roughly the end of 2021) is "creativity thrives in uncertainty." In uncertain moments, we're forced to be adaptable, flexible, and willing to accept an undetermined future. Uncertainty can free us from the trap of redundancy and push us to take new risks. Of course, be cautious and take your time, but trust what's emerging and coming forward with this New Moon/solar eclipse.

And while the past can be enticing, consider this eclipse's close conjunction to the lunar North Node. Embracing the future doesn't mean ignoring, subjugating, or erasing the past altogether, but using the wisdom from the past to build a more sustainable and fully informed future. With more challenges that lie ahead of us amid the historic conjunctions of this year, we could use a moment to pause, step back, and carefully plan the next big move.

For personal readings with Chad Woodward, click here.

Reimagining Possibilities: Total Solar Eclipse in Cancer 2019

Alchemist-hp (talk) (www.pse-mendelejew.de) [FAL]

Total Solar Eclipse @ 10 Cancer 38’

July 2, 2019

12:16 PM Los Angeles

3:16 PM New York

8:16 PM London

July 3, 2019

3:16 AM Beijing

5:16 AM Sydney

July's New Moon is a total solar eclipse in the tropical sign of Cancer. The eclipse will be visible predominately oversea and for most regions of South America. Eclipses are more meaningful for the specific regions where the eclipse path falls, but also, eclipses can be experienced as more pronounced lunations for everyone else.

This month's total solar eclipse is a potentiated New Moon that will correlate with the initiation of significant changes and developments over the next six months. New Moons are new beginnings, and total solar eclipses symbolize the first steps in a vital transformative process. Eclipses, by their very nature, are inherently about change. Ancient people viewed them with fear and trepidation, as negative omens, sometimes indicating the death or dethronement of those in power.

Indeed, inherent to the symbolism of the total eclipse itself is that the Moon, a symbol of hidden, obscure, and irrational natural forces momentarily overpower the Sun, a symbol of stability, authority, and rationality. Eclipses bring about an accelerated pace of change, typically beginning from within oneself and radiating outward. Especially in the days surrounding the eclipse, the urge to change things up can more profound than usual.

Cancer points to changes more so on the inner realms, the domestic life, the heart and hearth. This eclipse can stimulate intense sensitivity, domestic dramas, and a pronounced urge to protect, defend, and nurture. The Moon, in Cancer, is especially strong in its ruling sign--accentuating the intuitive, psychic, and sentimental. In opposition, however, is Saturn, equally strong in its ruling sign, Capricorn. In looking at the eclipse chart, one can't help but notice the significance of the Saturn/Pluto conjunction near the lunar South Node.

By itself, Saturn demands growth and maturity, which requires letting go of what's become too comfortable. There is an inherent element of discomfort in this eclipse, and bringing Pluto into the picture, we might feel a "now or never" kind of vibe to this collective change-making process. This eclipse will culminate in early January of next year, at the epicenter of the Saturn/Pluto conjunction, likely to be a precarious moment on the geopolitical stage, especially in the United States (if it isn't already).

What's brewing now both personally and collectively will endure a critical reality testing early next year, so keep that in mind. If you choose to "follow your heart," you'll need to defend that choice in the face of challenges. Of course, that's central to do what you feel is right because it isn't necessarily the easier path, but the one that's likely the most rewarding. In the moment of this eclipse, it's also easier to keep busy to avoid facing your feelings about a particular matter.

The South Node in Capricorn tempts us to make things harder for ourselves, too, through exhausting ourselves so that we don't have to face our soul's calling. Perhaps, the astrology has some profound wisdom to espouse about what's happening "out there" as well. The eclipse accelerates the intention of the Cancer North Node, which invites us to heal before we rebuild because we risk restoring over a faulty and unstable foundation.

Healing isn't simply imaging "love and light.”. Healing takes time and courageousness to talk things out, feel things out, and face some painful truths. Sometimes, that's a messy process, and with Chiron square the eclipse too, it pierces deep into some vulnerable places. No, this eclipse isn't likely comfortable, but that's a part of this season for change. Mercury turns retrograde soon too, and we're already in the shadow. We'll have all of July to rethink and ruminate over what's coming up for us now so prepare for some deep, internal revisions, introspection, and setbacks. Reimagine any delays, disappointments, or detours as opportunities to acquire a new perception and vision.

2020: In the Shadow of Saturn and Pluto

By Jamie Kern, via Wikimedia Commons

Astrology's primary theoretical suggestion is that life reflects the cosmos, as above so below. Anything born at a specific moment develops, culminates, decays, and dies in synch with the persistent motion of the planets. Not just human life, but the life of humanity's creations--its ideas, innovations, and civilizations, all endure and expire beside the churning of the sky. The most primordial and easily observed of these cycles is that of the Moon, which begins and ends its cycle within roughly one month.

The New Moon begins the cycle at the conjunction of Sun and Moon, culminates at the opposition (the Full Moon), ending and starting again at the following conjunction/New Moon. And between these new and full phases, exist symbolic points of tension, struggle, and crisis--the waxing square (between new and full) and the waning square (between full and new). These four primary aspects are known technically as quadrature axial alignments, and they occur between all planets and objects in the sky.

In our theory of astrology, the dynamic aspects of planets correlate with specific archetypal themes which emerge in both personal and cultural shifts. These four quadrature axial alignments became the focus of astrologer and historian Richard Tarnas' monumental work, Cosmos and Psyche: Intimations of a New World View. Before the accessibility of personal astrological software, Tarnus painstakingly studied the cycles of the outer planets and their correlation with history.

In Cosmos and Psyche, Tarnas observed that peaks within cycles involving Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto correlated with poignant sociopolitical shifts and changes. He noted, for example, how the counter-cultural revolution and the American/Russian space race of the late 1960s (culminating in the Moon landing in 1969), correlated with the rare conjunction of Uranus and Pluto, occurring once every 100 some years. That same Uranus/Pluto cycle, Tarnas noted, correlated with the birth of the scientific revolution through the publication of mathematician/astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus' De Revolutionibus under a Uranus/Pluto opposition in 1543.

Another dynamic cycle featured in Tarnas' book was that of Saturn and Pluto, two planets set to conjoin in tropical Capricorn in early 2020. It's been over 500 years since Saturn and Pluto last conjoined in Capricorn, but their conjunctions occur every 31 to 37 years in different zodiac signs. Much like the New Moon in the lunar cycle, Saturn and Pluto will begin a new development in 2020, bringing an end to the previous cycle which opened at the conjunction in the early 1980s.

In Cosmos and Psyche, Tarnas stresses that astrology is archetypally but not concretely predictive. In other words, astrology cannot explicitly predict the future, but it can predict the future's archetypal resonance. I won't be making those kinds of concrete predictions that you might imagine when you think of astrology. We're going to explore the current moment from an archetypal vantage point drawing on some notable historical correlations.

Astrology is not very good for telling you exactly what will happen in definitive, concrete terms. Archetypes, as Tarnas also beautifully demonstrated in his book, have an inherent multivalency. Archetypes can manifest within a varied range of possibilities. So while it's possible to look at past cycles and find similarities to the present, it's impossible to know which of those previous manifestations will occur for certain.

I highly suggest reading Tarnas' Cosmos and Psyche if you're interested in this topic. I can only cover in a general manner what is an incredibly complex subject. I'm going to explore how this aspect might show up, especially in the United States which is approaching its 2022 Pluto return alongside the exact Saturn/Pluto conjunction in early 2020. And we'll also consider the Saturn/Jupiter conjunction in late 2020.

Tarnas suggests using an orb of 15 degrees on either side of an aspect when looking at historical correlations. In using this wider orb, the approaching Saturn/Pluto conjunction encompasses the time between January 2018 through December 2021.

The aftermath of the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers in New York City, Photo credit: 9/11 photos on Visual Hunt, via Wikimedia Commons.

As mentioned, the conjunction phase is one point within the various quadrature axial alignments of Saturn and Pluto. Dynamic Saturn/Pluto periods also occur at the square and opposition phases. While the last conjunction occurred in the early 1980s, the most recent Saturn/Pluto periods occurred at the opposition (June 2000-April 2004) and the waning square (Nov. 2008-August 2011). Several notable events occurred within these time bands. Under the opposition period from 2000-2004 were the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, as well as the subsequent US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Under the next square, the global financial crisis erupted in the years 2007-2008 at the brink of the Saturn/Pluto square (2008-2011). In Cosmos and Psyche, Tarnas describes quadrature axial alignments of Saturn and Pluto as "cycles of crisis and contraction." Throughout history, we see evidence of the Saturn/Pluto cycle correlating with periods of economic austerity, conservative empowerment (on a global scale), disease pandemics, the start of wars, and sometimes the rise of fascist/totalitarian powers and ideologies.

Saturn and Pluto also correlate with these same themes emerging in culturally significant art and literature, such as several famous works of dystopian fiction. It was at the tail end of the previous Saturn/Pluto conjunction, in the spring of 1984, when author Margaret Atwood wrote The Handmaid's Tale while residing in West Berlin, seven years before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Atwood's novel takes place in a near-future New England when environmental ruin and a pandemic of infertility spawns a conservative revolution which effectively suspends the US constitution. The empowerment of a brutal totalitarian regime, resembling a theonomy (a hypothetical Christian government, ruled by divine law), forces the sparingly fertile women to serve as handmaids for the elite, bearing children in service for humanities' preservation. Women are forbidden from reading and writing, and stripped of their rights to hold property and handle money.

Gay men, dissidents, and those refusing conversion to the state religion are executed, their bodies hung along public walls. Those considered “non-persons” such as sterile, unmarried women, feminists, and lesbians are sent to the "colonies" to clean up radioactive waste until their death. Atwood's dire vision depicted a post-American, totalitarian government to osmose both Christian and puritanical overtones, true to the dominating ideologies which helped shape the construction of the American empire.

Interestingly, the Handmaid's Tale has reached its first Saturn return since its publication in 1985, regaining popularity over thirty years later as a Hulu original series with two seasons and a third currently in production. In the midst of the Trump administration, Atwood’s novel feels chillingly pertinent to our current times, a compelling warning of how in moments of crisis or collective frustration, extremely conservative ideologies can rapidly gain dominance.

George Orwell's dystopian, sci-fi classic, 1984 (the year Atwood wrote The Handmaid's Tale), was written under the Saturn/Pluto conjunction in 1948, the same cycle that correlated with the initiation of the Cold War. Aldous Huxley wrote A Brave New World from May to August 1931 under a Saturn/Pluto opposition. Based in a futuristic "negative utopia," as Huxley described it, A Brave New World also presented a frightening vision of the future, written as a parody of H.G. Wells' more optimistic, utopian novels of the early 1900s.

The original Guy Fawkes mask used in the film adaptation of V for Vendetta; photo by Enrique Dans from Madrid, Spain

V for Vendetta, a British graphic novel written by Alan Moore, was originally published as a multi-part series starting in 1982, under the last Saturn/Pluto conjunction. The iconic "Guy Fawkes mask," worn by the novel's protagonist, V, has become a global symbol of revolt against tyranny, mostly through its ubiquitous use within the hacktivist community, Annonymous. The story depicts a dystopian, near-future United Kingdom set in the 1990s, where a fascist, police state takes control proceeding a nuclear war. It gained global popularity after the release of its film adaptation in 2006.

Saturn, Pluto, and Capricorn Archetypes

Untitled, known as Saturn Devouring His Son, Devoration or Saturn Eats His Child by Francisco Goya

In astrology, an essential archetypal quality of Saturn is that of preservation, as well as endurance within the midst of extreme hardship or austerity. Pluto, the God of the underworld, invokes the darkest depths of the planets it contacts, revealing the underbelly and repressed, unconscious motivations. Pluto appears to empower the planets it touches, morphing their expression into sometimes inflated caricatures beyond normal bounds.

Pluto also relates to the principle of entropy and regeneration. Pluto brings about transformation, sometimes through a descent into the unconscious, or through the volcanic eruption of repressed psychic contents. When Pluto is active in collective or personal events, an old order dies and falls away, and a new way of life emerges from the debris. In this sense, Pluto's archetype is destructive, but sometimes, destruction is necessary for the seeding of new life.

Saturn represents the archetype of time which derives from its earlier Greek title, Kronos (or Cronus/Cronos), the God who devoured his children to prevent his dethronement. For both the Greeks and Romans, the Saturn/Kronos association with time reflected the observation that time eventually devours all things, and thus Saturn's archaic associations with the passing of seasons and agriculture. Saturn invokes the qualities of restraint, maturity, and death, just as the flow of time leads to the inevitable transitions of each stage of life.

Saturn, Internet Archive Book Images, via Wikimedia Commons

Saturn presents limitations, challenges, and necessities; it seeks to preserve authority, traditions, structures, and conventions. Saturn can actively work against progress; it is the impulse for control of instinct and chaos, seeking to provide strict or harsh securities, boundaries, and divisions. It can present us with seemingly insurmountable barriers, yet also the opportunity to fortify strength, willpower, persistence, and autonomy.

As Pluto conjoins Saturn in the coming few years, we will experience a dramatic amplification of the above-mentioned Saturnian archetypes within the collective psyche, as well as a glance into their darkest or most terrifying manifestations. This current period is thus a moment of a leviathan-like Saturn, a time when we will witness an extreme boost of conservative dominance and the collective need to strengthen and solidify boundaries physically, culturally, and politically.

As an added layer, Saturn and Pluto will conjoin in Capricorn, where the Sun initiates the winter solstice each year in the northern hemisphere. Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn resonate with the archetypal dark, cold, and precarious winter. In the traditional, western astrological system, Saturn is the ruler (or lord) of Capricorn, and its placement here technically empowers Saturn's power and expression.

15th century depiction of Capricorn, from Medieval book of astrology, via Wikimedia Commons.

Capricorn, much like Saturn, is the archetype of authority and elderhood, and in its darkest face, what astrologer Steven Forrest calls the "crushing patriarch." Both Capricorn and Saturn symbolize systems and structures which seek to preserve their dominance at any cost, just as Kronos ate his children to avoid being deposed. The shadow of Capricorn is the oppressive autocrat or controller who exploits crisis and breakdown to acquire leadership.

Indeed, throughout history, it is in times of crisis, hardship, and uncertainty, that autocrats have gained control by enticing the desperate and fearful populace with the promise of restoring convention and offering protection from the unknown. And the contracting aspect of Saturn/Pluto alignments so often manifest as a collective yearning for regression, to restore society to an idealized, past era of simplicity, stability, and control.

Such was the case in 1930's Germany with the rapid ascendency of Nazism and the start of Hitler's dictatorship under the Saturn/Pluto opposition of 1930-1933. Or in Italy, under the fascist dictatorship of Mussolini during the Saturn/Pluto square 1921-1923. That same cycle correlated with Stalin's seizure of the Communist party in Russia, and Hitler's momentary prison time in which he began writing Mein Kampf, the ideological vision which would, at the following Saturn/Pluto alignment, enrapture the nation of Germany.

Jupiter/Saturn Conjunction 2020

While there's a unique archetypal quality to the peaks within the Saturn/Pluto cycle, it does not occur in a vacuum. The ever-changing sky correlates with the uniqueness of every moment. However, many cycles overlap which can create similarities within specific historical periods.

A unique feature of the previous conjunction of Saturn/Pluto in the 1980s was its correlation with Jupiter's conjunction with Saturn in air sign Libra. In 2020, Jupiter and Saturn will conjoin in Aquarius, another air sign, drawing a parallel to the early 1980s. The Jupiter/Saturn conjunction is a complex topic unto itself; however, it's important to mention because of its historical correlations with economic and social upheaval.

The Jupiter/Saturn conjunctions occur in the same element for roughly two centuries. From 1802-2020, the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction occurred in earth signs. The 1980s saw the first shift of Jupiter/Saturn into air sign Libra. But the following conjunction went back to earth, with Jupiter/Saturn conjoining in Taurus in May 2000. The transition of the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction from one element to another is called a Grand Mutation which has been underway from late 1980-late 2020.

Many astrologers point to the development of the internet and accompanying technologies within this period as meaningful correlations with the Jupiter/Saturn Grand Mutation into air signs. Indeed the air archetype relates symbolically to the mind, communication, and connection. The internet explosion of the 1990s led the way to a rapid acceleration of communicative technologies that connected the world in ways hardly imaginable at the brink of the 1980s.

We are likely to see the genesis of another major socioeconomic shift under Saturn's conjunction with Jupiter in 2020. Jupiter/Saturn conjunctions represent a fusion of tradition and innovation, the melding of antagonistic desires--to maintain the status quo and yet to seek freedom from it simultaneously. These are periods where traditional systems, methods, and approaches are forced into reformation.

Similar even to the backdrop of WWII, during the Saturn/Pluto opposition and Jupiter/Saturn conjunction in earth sign Virgo, the 2020s is likely to be a highly precarious and uncertain period which paves the way for a new social and economic order. With Jupiter and Saturn conjoining in Saturn's domicile sign of Aquarius, we still get a powerful Saturn dominating over Jupiter. Symbolically, the expansiveness of Jupiter must contend with Saturn's limiting nature.

However, Aquarius is symbolic of the "outsider's perspective" and the desire to achieve independence and autonomy. This conjunction is likely to correlate with economic and political policies emerging from previously alienated voices and minds, as well as the desire for liberation from the constraints of the past. It may be the outsider's perspective as well as the collective yearning for independence, that drastically changes the social and economic landscape over the next 20 years. So, what might crumble in the wake of this socioeconomic revolution?

The last two centuries of Saturn/Jupiter conjunctions in earth signs correlated with the industrial revolution and its ramifications. The shift from earth to air has dramatically shifted the collective focus from the shaping of material empires to those of the mind--an elevation of systems and structures from the land to sky.

The internet revolution unleashed several social and economic structures from the limitations of physical space. Consider the storage of mass amounts of data and information onto "cloud networks," or how much of our daily life revolves around smartphones and wifi signals. Jupiter and Saturn's conjunction in Aquarius begins the next two centuries of conjunctions solely in the air element and in a sign associated with innovation, ingenuity, and independence, this is likely to begin a revolutionary social and economic shift.

The Aquarian archetype represents the other face of Saturn since it is Saturn's second ruling sign. While Saturn in Capricorn is the conservative face, Aquarius is more progressive and freedom-seeking. It is indeed a critical requirement of growing up that we claim independence and freedom from the structures, beliefs, and dependencies of the past. One cannot become an adult without a necessary phase of individuation, often through defiance or rejection of the formative life.

In true Saturnian fashion, that process of differentiating ourselves from the past is often painful and scary. It suggests willingly abandoning familiarity for the acquiescence of autonomy. Usually, there is a need to dissociate or even alienate oneself from family, society, and culture to find one's unique way in the world. The developments spawned under the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction in Aquarius are likely to carry this theme of strengthening independence and throwing out old beliefs, ideologies, and theories that no longer work.

On the economic level, we could witness the crumbling of the individual's dependency on physical institutions and constraints. While the 2020 period of Saturn/Pluto's conjunction will likely be constraining, Jupiter and Saturn's conjunction beyond it will help to offer up new solutions which can lead to fresh approaches to managing the economic, social, and political challenges. In that sense, the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction provides a bit of hope in a moment of darkness.

If we look back at the early 80s, we note the rise of a little-known, economic and ideological development that came to dominate the world, Neoliberalism or economic liberalism. We also see a similar wave of conservatism and greater appeal for populist, political leaders. As mentioned, the simultaneous occurrence of Saturn/Pluto and Jupiter/Saturn in the 80s creates an interesting parallel to the approaching time-period, and thus we are likely to see some similar themes and trends emerge.

Neoliberalism & Corporate Dominance

Ronald Reagan at the Arrival Ceremony for State Visit of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom, by Jack Kightlinger (Official White House photographer), via Wikimedia Commons.

As Saturn and Pluto were approaching notable orb of conjunction in 1980, Ronald Reagan was elected president of the United States. As is often the case with Saturn/Pluto alignments, Reagan rode a wave of rising conservatism within the nation. The same was true in the United Kingdom, with Margaret Thatcher, leader of the UK Conservative Party, winning the United Kingdom general election in May 1979.

Both Reagan and Thatcher heavily glorified the free market, and equally promoted the idea that businesses, instead of the government, could better serve the needs of the people. The 1980s saw the rise of the corporate world and its dominance over many facets of society. The injection of advertising and product placement in editorials became standard practice. It was a decade when corporate interests would begin their tacit manipulation of the free press. Today, we can connect the enmeshment of corporate lobbyists and elected representatives directly to the policy changes of the 80s era.

It was Reagan and Thatcher, along with libertarian economist, Milton Freidman, who significantly popularized Neoliberalism, which has since become the predominant economic and political ideology across the world. During this time, with the help of corporate advertising, market research, and rampant polling, US and UK culture were suddenly bewitched to prioritize the satiation of public desire above anything else. Proponents of Neoliberalism suggested that excessive government involvement promoted enormous waste, stagnation, and inefficiency, and thus welfare was shunned in favor of empowering privatized corporate dominance.

By Alejandro Alvarez, via Wikimedia Commons

The 1980s saw a building rejection of government regulations and high taxation, resulting in deep tax cuts for the rich and corporations, under the belief that the wealth would "trickle down" and thereby boost the economy. This lead to a massive wealth transfer from the poor to the rich that surged wealth inequality not just in the United States, but across the globe. By the mid-1990s, the wealthiest 1% of the American population held 40% of the nation's wealth, double the share from twenty years prior. Today, as we approach the next Saturn/Pluto conjunction, the top 1% own more wealth than the bottom 90%. And working wages haven't increased since.

The 1980's Saturn/Pluto conjunction was, economically speaking, a great time for big businesses and the wealthy (the Saturnian structures themselves), but not so much for the working class. Do we see any parallels today? In the United States, the new GOP tax plan has continued the same Neoliberal ideology that was given a boost under Reagan and Thatcher, resulting in the most significant corporate tax cut in US history.

But Neoliberalism isn't solely a right-wing ideology. It first took root under US president Jimmy Carter and UK Prime Minister John Callahan and has since become the dominant policy on both sides of the political spectrum. US president Bill Clinton effectively destroyed America's cash assistance programs through his welfare reform bill, The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. Clinton's Neoliberal "welfare to work" rhetoric has been appropriated and rebranded today by the Republican party. In early 2018, Trump announced his plan to, “lift our citizens from welfare to work," echoing the Clinton era position against the welfare dependent.

Al Gore and Newt Gingrich applaud to US President Clinton during the State of the Union address in 1997, from White House Official Site, via Wikimedia Commons

Under the Neoliberal ideology, the economic plight of the homeless lies solely in their laziness or inability to take the initiative and better themselves. Negligent banking practices, privatization of social services, the complexities of human development, or institutionalized racism and violence are never to blame.

The Saturn/Pluto square of 2008-2011, under the US Obama administration, correlated with the shameful bailouts of the big banks and Wall Street, the very institutions responsible for creating the collapse through their reckless affair with stock derivatives and subprime mortgages. Working Americans were left with the burden of cleaning up the mess, costing taxpayers $21 billion in bailouts.

The US Financial Inquiry Commission, in its Jan. 2011 report, concluded that, "the crisis was avoidable and was caused by: Widespread failures in financial regulation, including the Federal Reserve's failure to stem the tide of toxic mortgages; Dramatic breakdowns in corporate governance including too many financial firms acting recklessly and taking on too much risk; An explosive mix of excessive borrowing and risk by households and Wall Street that put the financial system on a collision course with crisis; Key policy makers ill prepared for the crisis, lacking a full understanding of the financial system they oversaw; and systemic breaches in accountability and ethics at all levels."

Occupy Bank of America March 15, 2012, Occupy Wall Street targets BofA with a rally and march, by Mike Fleshman, via Wikimedia Commons

A recent report from the environmental non-profit group, the CDP, in collaboration with the Climate Accountability Institute, found that just 100 companies are responsible for 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Chevron, BP, Exxon Mobile, and Shell were implicated as the highest emitting companies since 1988. In the current crisis of global climate change, the blame unsurprisingly falls in the hands of corporate entities empowered by the tax cuts and subsidies from the nascent Neoliberal period.

At a moderated discussion at Rice University in Houston, former president Barack Obama boasted that his presidency was responsible for making America the largest oil producer in the world, stating that, "And you know that whole suddenly America’s like the biggest oil producer.…that was me, people."

Unregulated corporate power lies at the root of Neoliberalism, which has fueled globalization and the current environmental crisis. It's an ideology that has infected both sides of the political aisle, promoting the strangely skewed belief that the right of a company to make a profit is a higher priority than the needs of the people.

The 2008 global recession resulted in 1.2 million American households lost due to foreclosures and millions left unemployed. And yet, not a single Wall Street executive was prosecuted for their witting sale of toxic mortgages. It was the same unregulated corporate power that initiated the Great Depression in 1929, a result of laissez-faire economics, much the predecessor to Neoliberalism, just as Saturn and Pluto reached orb of opposition the following year.

Photo by Chopper Dave, via Wikimedia Commons

While Ronald Reagan was considered rather moderate when it came to his conservative politics, preserving Medicaid and Social Security as two examples, it was under his administration when homelessness would rapidly increase across the US. The closing of mental institutions throughout the country forced the mentally ill onto the streets. Today, with ever-increasing wealth inequality, the gentrification of major cities is spawning preternaturally, pristine corporate landscapes which push and displace the lower classes further to the margins of society.

With an ideology that promotes maximizing economic freedom no matter the cost, many find themselves beleaguered by a cold, harsh world where profits are placed over human compassion and welfare. Such is the nature of Saturn/Kronos when brought to its darkest and most frightening expression in the shadow of underworld ruler, Pluto. Under the approaching Saturn/Pluto and Jupiter/Saturn conjunctions, we can anticipate another significant chapter change in the evolution of Neoliberalism.

This moment in history represents the closing of the previous cycle, and yet the beginning of a new step. In contemplating the current situation, the next few years looks to be an extremely challenging period, especially for the poor, working class, and the economy. Saturn/Pluto alignments have shown to embolden corporations, the elite, and authoritarian leadership. The Trump administration is continuing the same Neoliberal ideology just as all administrations have since the late 1970s, and in that sense, it's business as usual.

We are likely to see, not just in the US, but across the world, political powers which seek to minimize government regulation and embolden private interests. It's now clear, after 30 plus years of Neoliberal dominance, that its effects are not working out for those at the lower rung of the economic ladder. Therefore, this period is likely to result in increasing civil unrest and frustration, as we've recently seen in France and spreading elsewhere, and the rise of populist leaders who attempt to empathize with the struggles of the 99 percent of non-elites.

By Umar Shahid, via Wikimedia Commons

The backlash from the struggling lower classes is bound to result in a tightening of oppression, control, and retaliation from governmental and corporate powers. As we look beyond the Saturn/Pluto conjunction and consider Saturn's conjunction with Jupiter, a new order will emerge from the outsiders--many geniuses, rebels, and the marginalized are likely to gain power and help shape new structures, and incredible technological innovations will help to catalyze that.

However, the dark side of this cycle, as I've discussed, is that so often, leaders exploit the suffering of the struggling to embolden their nationalistic and sometimes fascist movements. This appears to be a significant risk here in the United States especially, with the Saturn/Pluto conjunction touching the US Pluto alongside its Pluto return. The underworld is now emerging, forcing us to acknowledge the most unsettling and frightening aspects of American culture and its political/economic structures. Neoliberalism is likely to play a major role, reaching a demise or further elaboration. Astrology doesn't tell us which.

But the rising tide of nationalism and conservatism at this current juncture is something we should be wary of as the US approaches its presidential elections in 2020. Saturn/Pluto cycles are often periods of widespread, global backlash against progressive, social changes. Under US president, Ronald Reagan, there was a strong racially driven opposition against the effects of the civil rights movements of the late 60s. Many believed that blacks entering the workforce were jeopardizing job prospects for the white, working class.

Today, under the Trump presidency, similar rhetoric is heard, as many white, right-wing voters blame their economic hardships on immigrants and welfare programs, seemingly ignorant of the effects of Neoliberalism over the past three decades. Donald Trump's blatantly racist and misogynistic comments, his obsession with the construction of a border wall between the US and Mexico, appears to echo many of the trends which built momentum in the early 80s, though far more dangerous and extreme.

Crisis and Contraction

Reagan addressing the Annual Convention of the National Association of Evangelicals ("Evil Empire" speech), Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

Another risk with this current Saturn/Pluto cycle is the synchronistic emergence of crisis. The 1980s saw the height of the Cold War, a time when Reagan declared the Soviet Union "the evil empire," similar to George W. Bush's "axis of evil" speech (under the Saturn/Pluto opposition of 2001-2004). Fortunately, the Cold War came to an end after the 80s era Saturn/Pluto conjunction and did not result in nuclear war.

As mentioned, the attacks on the World Trade Center occurred during the previous Saturn/Pluto opposition (2000-2004). It's clear that the events on 9/11 forever changed the political and economic landscape of the US, as well as the entire world, symbolic of the Saturn/Pluto archetypes, a transformation of the world order. In the midst of the 9/11 crisis, airport security checks hugely expanded, and many freedoms and liberties were restricted.

The implementation of the Patriot Act after 9/11 led to the construction of the behemoth surveillance state which has since collected mass amounts of private phone and internet data. The National Security Agency (NSA) spying campaign took on enormous and complex proportions, gathering not just the private data of Americans, but that of citizens abroad. The extent of the NSA spying program was leaked in June 2013 by Edward Snowden, under the Uranus/Pluto square, which as briefly discussed earlier, is much the antithesis of the Saturn/Pluto archetype.

Photo by Amada44, via Wikimedia Commons

But as was the case with the Cold War, the Saturn/Pluto conjunction can bring both beginnings and endings. As the current cycle has correlated with the vast spread of Neoliberalism across the world, we're likely to witness its failure and decline. However, as was the case with modern terrorism, said to have begun in 1946 under another conjunction of Saturn/Pluto, that crisis has worsened, inflamed and supported by corrupt, US foreign policies. The global AIDS crisis, which began under the last Saturn/Pluto conjunction in the 1980s, reached pandemic proportions in Africa under the Saturn/Pluto opposition in 2000-2004.

Promising new HIV treatments and preventions have recently become accessible, and so perhaps, we could see a decisive turning point in the AIDS narrative soon. However, a new disease pandemic is another possibility under the next wave of Saturn/Pluto, as was equally the case with the bubonic plague under the Saturn/Pluto conjunction of 1348-1351. But let us remember, astrology is archetypally but not concretely predictive.

We cannot, in looking at the conjunction alone, predict precisely what kind of crisis will erupt. Astrologer Robert Hand, writing in 2001 about the approaching Saturn/Pluto opposition, admitted that, "I would like to be able to give a definitive judgment about the likelihood or unlikelihood of war, but I cannot. I don’t think that astrology is capable of that." Based on the historical data alone, we can only speculate on the possibilities, such as Hand did in early 2001.

I would suggest, however, that given the past conjunction's correlation with the rise of Neoliberalism and the corporate world, there will be a dramatic change in our corporate and economic structures. And a crisis involving those structures is a high probability. Pluto igniting the US Pluto return in Capricorn in 2022, adds another layer of symbolic significance about an encroaching breakdown and transformation of US economic structures. How exactly this will play out, or what specific factors will lead to it, we cannot say. But the signs are already looming, and the shadow is erupting on the world stage.

Hope in Hard Times

Photo by MateeKhan, via Wikimedia Commons

Is there a positive side to the Saturn/Pluto cycle? First, we can look at challenges and even suffering as forces which sculpt formidable strength within individuals. Such experiences catalyze growth, action, and change. There is no life without pain. Indeed, pain is a requirement of being alive. We can reframe our view of the Saturn/Pluto cycle from a victim's perspective to a courageous acceptance of difficulty to add dimension to our experiences, or to provide the incentive for action and thus change.

From an evolutionary astrological view, life isn't all the product of chaos or chance. There is an intelligence guiding the flow of life, a fate to which we are in some way meandering our way through. With that said, are there not periods when we need to step back, conserve, even question previous advances? Is contraction always a bad thing? Can excessive liberalism at times become a problem, or can things progress too soon and too fast? While yes, the world stage appears to depict a hyper-inflated, cartoon version of astrological archetypes, often disconnected from the more profound wisdom or teachings of the planets, there is still perhaps a greater purpose to any difficult moment of life, even a purpose to a collective backlash against progress.

It is to that greater purpose I would encourage us to seek to embrace or understand, if only just to hold that intention with a sense of humility, of surrender to what we don't yet know or understand. In our personal lives, as it is in the collective, we can, through the acquisition of expanded consciousness, align ourselves with the mysterious, cosmic agenda, whatever that is. While we cannot control what happens on the political or cultural stage, we can be inspired by it, motivated to action in our uniquely personal way.

With Saturn empowered in Capricorn by Pluto, and set to align Jupiter in air sign Aquarius, a new structural order is on the verge of its birth. Revolutionary, technological innovations, ideas, and realities will come forth at this time. What can you do to help shape it? How can you implement a new order in your own life? What will you construct from this foundation of solidity? Saturn's more positive face is construed by the virtues of tenacity, relentless commitment, accountability, and self-discipline. And perhaps, if we each embraced responsibility for not just our physical selves, but our darkness, the collective could resist the tempting hypnosis of authoritarian sway.

The peaks of the Saturn/Pluto cycle are indeed difficult times, but they can also reveal the deeper, unconscious underpinnings of our cultural, economic, and political structures. It seems a compelling phenomena that these periods bring to the surface quite literal manifestations of these archetypes, in the form of political leaders and external crises. But we can hold on to the hope that this cycle will pass, and new themes will emerge in the near future.

Let us hope that we've learned from history, that humanity has the wisdom to step back from the edge of the abyss when the signs emerge. Let us hope that we can transcend the dangerous pitfalls of fear, prejudice, the rapid breakdown of critical thought, and the external projection of self-hatred. With that said, Pluto empowering Saturn can correlate, on the individual level, with the empowerment of individual purpose or destiny, a time when we can rise to some daunting challenge and consistently forge our way to victory. Always, as above so below, and so within so without. The planets, an indeed life itself, always have something to say. May we be so blessed to receive the message.

Close Encounters: Earth, Sun, Moon, and Mars

Photo by Georg Slickers via Wikimedia Commons

Mars is nearing an intimate flyby with our home planet soon. Intimacy in astronomical terms is about 35 million miles, but if you've been paying attention to Mars lately, via the night sky, you've seen that's quite a statement. On July 26/27 (depending on your time zone), Mars will make its exact perihelic opposition to the Sun. 

If you looked down from above the solar system, you would see a straight line formed between the Sun, Earth, and Mars. If you could somehow perceive the orbital paths of these objects, you'd notice that both Earth and Mars run along an ellipse and that both planets were at their closest points relative to one another. 

This opposition of Mars and Sun is one of three rare and significant events at the close of this month, and all of them involve the infamous, red planet. Following the Sun and Mars' exact opposition, a total lunar eclipse occurs July 27/28, entirely or partially visible for much of the globe except North America and Greenland. 

This eclipse occurs in conjunction with Mars, as the red planet emits its orangish-red beams just beneath the eclipsed Moon. This eclipse will also be the longest lunar eclipse of the 21st century, lasting about an hour and 42 minutes for those on the direct path, such as Eastern Africa and the Middle East. 

And finally, on July 31/Aug 1, Mars will make its closest approach to the Earth, crossing that roughly 35 million mile mark. Mars hasn't been this close to Earth since 2003, and before that, nearly 60,000 years. We are speaking of a few million miles difference for some other Sun/Mars perihelic oppositions, but when it comes to astronomy, numbers seem to count. 

In astrology, Mars is a challenging planet to integrate. It's not a "bad" planet, that is, it doesn't always portend tragedy or crisis, but its emergence into both the personal and collective field is often uncomfortable. I believe that's because Mars is a catalyst, and whether we're responding to pain, anger, or fear, something is prodding us into action. 

Mars' perihelic opposition to the Sun always occurs during Mars' retrograde cycle, every two years. When Mars is retrograde, it's a chance to make adjustments to our aggressive, sexual, and passionate nature. But this cycle, Mars is a little bigger and brighter than usual, and perhaps that physical closeness relates symbolically to a heightened sense of passion, lustiness, aggression, or a willingness to fight. 

As an astrologer, I think that the archetype of Mars exists within us all, but that everyone's response to it is different. Mars has a "primal" vibe, in that it relates to thoughts, feelings, or compulsions which are seemingly beyond rational control. As Mars makes its opposition to the Sun, that primal wave will take over the ego momentarily, and we are given a window into that unfiltered, and untamable void. 

It's what we do with our passion, rage, or fear that matters most. Some things are beyond our control. People may trigger us, a health issue can arise, or an accident. Perhaps nothing so serious shows up for you, but you're feeling fed up with the way things presently are. Catalysts can arrive both inwardly and externally, but what we do with them, how we let our experiences define us, is indeed the most critical work. 

The synchronicity of a historical lunar eclipse and Mars' closest terrestrial encounter is both beautiful and intimidating. Always, on the global stage of political/cultural changes, we see the most cartooned version of astrology, such as a building aggression surging out of control. But with Mars retrograde, something different might show up, a critical adjustment or shift in the tide of war. 

With Mars on the lunar South Node, we know that some karma has ripened, some past, unresolved or unexpressed frustration seeks closure and release. With the Sun now in Leo, nearing the lunar North Node, we can only do our best to take the higher road, to stand confidently and courageously in our power while acknowledging the heart. 

Leo's positive face is that of generosity but also humor. Taking things too seriously could blow up in our faces. The higher road might also suggest the lighter path, where laughter is good medicine and reminds us of our humanity. Beware of the pitfalls of extreme alienation or "higher than thou" attitudes. Remember that a unique feature of humanity is the necessity of community. 

The negative face of Aquarius, the tropical zodiac sign both Mars and the lunar eclipse will reside, is anti-social-like apathy or the rebel without a cause. A Mars-like field as potent as this reminds me of Carl Jung's hypothetical enantiodromia, which warns us that when we polarize against an evil other, we risk eventual assimilation of that which we fight.

In looking at the astrological clock, it's evident that we could all use a catalyst, so let us be thankful for the reminder that life is worth living and that there are things worth fighting. Mars is the warrior after all, but a warrior defends what is sacred and vulnerable. There are harshness and injustices in the world, but Mars inspires us to protect what matters. 

In our fighting, let's not lose sight of compassion, or fall into the trap of making our enemy a literal embodiment of evil. There are profound lessons in a moment of terror, and immense strength acquired through every battle, no matter how small. And when you look out into the world, realize that everyone is in the midst of a personal crusade, even if you can't see it. Use that insight to connect yourself to the greater whole, and perhaps not feel so alone. 

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. 

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The Revelation 12 Sign: Is It Really Astrology?

The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed with the Sun by William Blake. 

As many of my readers are probably well aware, I’m not a Christian. I’m going to assume that most of my readers probably aren’t either. But, to be respectful here, I’m not going to make any attempt to denounce Christianity in this article. My spiritual and philosophical views are rather varied, and my own personal “beliefs” (if you want to call them that) reflect a synthesis of many things that work for me personally, which means that organized religion doesn’t work for me.

Naturally, that conflicts with many of the beliefs of Christianity. I’m also an astrologer, but that doesn’t really conflict with Christianity entirely. Actually, there are Christian astrologers (and they’re good at what they do). I want to make it clear that I don’t believe in a lot of things that Christians believe, but I don’t think that’s a problem in discussing the legitimacy of the popular “Revelation 12 sign” and I think that many rational people within the Christian community will agree with me on many points in this article.

Also, this article isn’t my attempt to make anyone look stupid, or to dissuade anyone from believing in the prophetic context of The Book of Revelation (Revelation) or the spiritual significance of the Bible. However, it is my strong conviction that Revelation and the Bible were never intended to be literally interpreted. With that said, the Revelation 12 sign brings up an interesting discussion about astrology and biblical prophecy that needs to be addressed. Also, the Revelation 12 sign is another opportunity for astrologers to better inform the public about what we astrologers actually do because the debunking of the Revelation 12 sign from the scientific and astronomical communities is going to impact the public’s perception of what astrologers do, unfortunately.

The Revelation 12 sign is a theory proposing that on September 23, 2017, a certain “alignment” of planets and stars occurring over Jerusalem will signify the beginning of Jacob’s Trouble, also known as the Tribulation Period as outlined in Revelation. This “theory” suggests the literal fulfillment of the prophecy of Revelation, i.e. the rapture and the eventual end of the world. Now, “literal fulfillment” is the important point here.

Not all Christians agree on the interpretation of Revelation. For example, historicists look at the book through the broad lens of history. Preterists think that it describes events that happened in the 1st century or during the fall of the Roman empire. And futurist interpretations are really at the root of the Revelation 12 sign theory and suggest that Revelation describes future events. This falls into alignment with a literal or fundamentalist interpretation of biblical passages. However, an idealist or symbolic interpretation (something I would suggest if you take it seriously) looks at Revelation from a metaphoric standpoint.

If you study religion, theology, AND occultism, you soon realize the Bible’s esoteric nature. Basically, you could suggest that the Bible is filled with veiled astrological metaphors, which is true, but not the whole picture. You see, the astrology of the Bible is not really astrology as we understand it today, but rather something called astrotheology. Horoscopic astrology and astrotheology are quite different, as is the difference between alchemy and modern day chemistry. Astrotheology is more congruent with shamanism and mysticism and was an integral aspect of many ancient, religious cults. A rigorous discussion of this subject is beyond the scope of this article. There are many books on this subject and if you’re interested, I’d strongly suggest researching this.

For our purposes here, I’d like to point out that the “theory” of the Revelation 12 sign is not astrology as I would practice it or as many of my colleagues would practice it. The belief or theory of the Revelation 12 sign is more in alignment with astrotheology and prophecy, not western, horoscopic astrology. But before I go further, let’s flesh out this Revelation 12 sign. It all begins with this prophecy from Revelations 12: 1-2:

“A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth … She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod.”

An image of "The Revelation 12 Sign" on September 23, 2017 using Starry Night software. 

On September 23, just after the equinox and the New Moon, proponents of the Revelation 12 sign suggest that this prophecy from Revelation will literally happen as an alignment of planets and stars in the sky. As you can see in the image above, the woman is said to represent the constellation of Virgo; the Sun is at her shoulders (“clothed with the Sun”), the Moon is at her feet, three planets in the constellation Leo (Mercury, Venus, and Mars) are visually “aligned” “above her head” along with nine of the most visible stars in this constellation (making 12 “stars”), and the planet Jupiter is stationing direct near her abdominal area.

Jupiter is said to symbolize the male child this woman is giving birth to. The fact that Jupiter is recently stationing direct, which means that it’s shifting from retrograde (an apparent backwards movement through the sky) to direct motion, further reinforces the theory and belief that Jupiter is symbolic of the birth of a child in Virgo’s abdomen, because this retrograde period takes 42 days, which is the approximate period of gestation in the womb.

Now, it’s certainly intriguing and this particular setup of planets is quite rare, but let’s get real here. This isn’t the first time this kind of alignment has occurred since Revelation was written. In an article featured on The Catholic Astronomer, astronomer Christopher M. Graney, pointed out that in the last one thousand years, similar configurations have happened at least four times: September 24, 1827, September 6, 1483, September 5, 1293, and September 14, 1056. I’m very grateful for Mr. Graney’s work in finding these past configurations, because I really didn’t have the time or interest to do this myself.

You can use an astronomy software program (like Starry Night which I use, or Stellarium) to easily verify these dates for yourself, which I did. While these past configurations are not identical, they’re extremely close and are enough to warrant a validation of this prophecy at those times as well. Maybe the rapture already happened in 1483 and we just haven’t realized it yet?

It’s also possible that Revelation, if it has any prophetic or symbolic value, was probably never meant to be taken as a vision of literal future events at all. It’s possible that Revelation, and the Bible itself, are filled with veiled astrological metaphors meant only for those initiates who could decode it and understand the symbolism. It was extremely common for alchemists and initiates of mystery religions and cults to write material coded in esoteric symbolism. This was a way of keeping non-initiates from understanding the true message, cult secrets, and also a way of protecting the secrecy of the cult from persecution. The popularity of the Revelation 12 sign reflects the exoteric understanding of Christianity, and it misses the likely truth that Christianity today is not what it was over two thousand years ago.

The same is true of astrology. In fact, astrologers today are just now uncovering the techniques, beliefs, and practices of astrologers who lived thousands of years ago. We’re just now beginning to understand the origin of western astrology. Even with this newfound material, we still barely understand how these ancient astrologers practiced, how they understood time and space, or how they even thought. In light of these discoveries, it’s obvious that early Greco-Roman astrology and the astrotheology of the Bible are not the same thing, by any means.

In fact, modern astrologers don’t actually use the constellations. The large majority of astrologers today use either the tropical or sidereal zodiacs. The signs of these zodiacs are named after the constellations, but are not the same thing in a technical sense. The tropical zodiac was already in use long before the Bible was written, and was used in tandem with the sidereal zodiac during the height of Hellenistic astrology during the reign of the Roman empire.

When astronomers try to say that your Sun sign is actually the sign before it, they apparently don’t know that western astrologers don’t use the constellations at all, but rather the tropical zodiac, constructed from the Sun’s seasonal cycle. The sidereal zodiac attempts to line up the signs with the constellations, but fails to do so completely because the signs of the sidereal zodiac occur at 30 degree equal increments, while the constellations do not. The constellation of Virgo is 40 degrees wide!

The reason astrologers no longer use the constellations is due to something called precession of the equinoxes. This is the gradual shifting of the constellations relative to seasonal points and planetary alignments over a period of thousands of years. For example, roughly two thousand years ago, during the spring equinox in the northern hemisphere, the Sun was in the constellation of Aries, but today it occurs near the end of the constellation of Pisces.

This is also where the belief in the astrological ages comes from, and the suggestion that we’re moving into the “Age of Aquarius”  since the Sun on the equinox is moving from the constellation Pisces to Aquarius. But, to go back to Revelation 12, I don’t think that this particular passage from the Bible was referring to a specific “alignment” of planets on September 23, 2017. In fact, whenever this configuration occurs, it happens near the Sun, where no one could ever possibly see it! You won’t see any of these planets or stars on Sep. 23. You’ll only see the Sun, and I wouldn’t recommend looking at it (unless you still have some leftover eclipse glasses).

From The Book of Revelation ; a study of the last prophetic book of Holy Scripture by Clarence Larkin, 1919. 

This “great sign” that “appears” in the sky doesn’t actually appear at all. Doesn’t anyone think this is a little suspect? Or did the prophet of Revelation know that two thousand years later we would have the astronomical software to see the “great sign?” I’m thinking probably not. Also, referring to the planets Venus, Mercury, and Mars and the constellation Leo as the “twelve stars” that appear above the woman’s head, is really some serious twisting of the facts to make things fit perfectly.

There are actually more than nine stars in Leo. The nine “stars” in the the Revelation 12 sign are the most visible stars in the constellation, but there are several more, as well as above the Virgin’s head that are technically not in Leo. Also, while we know that ancient people may have referred to planets as stars, they actually knew the difference. The word planet is Greek for wanderer, which refers to a star that moves. While they may have thought of planets as “wandering stars”, they knew there was a difference between stars and “wanderers” because they had a word for it.

The constellation of Virgo also refers to a virgin! Yes, last time I checked, with the exception of the birth of Christ and Mary’s supposed immaculate conception, virgin’s don’t give birth to children. Okay, that’s not a strong point, but I thought it was kind of funny. The Revelation 12 sign is also somehow tied into the belief in “Planet X” (and a whole host of other viral internet ideologies like the “Flat Earth Theory”). The belief in Planet X originates from the work of Zecharia Sitchin and his many books about the fabled planet “Nibiru”, but particularly his most popular, The Twelfth Planet.

According to Sitchin, Nibiru enters the inner solar system periodically, close enough to cause weather changes and massive destruction on Earth. Sitchin primarily made connections between Mesopotamian artifacts to support his thesis that Nibiru is a planet inhabited by a race of extraterrestrial beings called the Annunaki, who descend upon the Earth whenever their planet is in the neighborhood. Sitchin suggested that these aliens actually created the human race, and that the deluge mythologies from Mesopotamia and the bible actually refer to Nibiru.

Now, how Christian conspiracy theorists on YouTube are getting caught up in Sitchin's literal interpretations of mesopotamian mythologies is beyond me (unless you decide that the bible is now an account of aliens creating humans). I do think it’s possible that extraterrestrial beings may have interfered with human evolution. Do I whole-heartedly believe that? No. But I’m not going to dismiss that as a possibility. It’s plausible, and it’s an interesting hypothesis. Also, there is much credence to a Planet X.

In fact, astronomers are still looking for a large planet, known as Planet Nine, that’s creating gravitational anomalies in the Extreme Trans Neptunian Objects, but it still remains hypothetical. Could this planet be Nibiru? Is it coming into its cyclic passage through the solar system creating havoc and destruction on the planet? I doubt it. And if Nibiru actually does exist, is it inhabited by a race of extraterrestrial beings? I’m going to say, probably not. These are all fascinating ideas and speculations, and they make for great works of fiction, but there just isn’t enough evidence to convince me of their actual validity (and I’ve actually read all of Sitchin's books).

The hypothosized orbit of Planet Nine; image via Wikimedia Commons.

So, why would anyone believe in the Revelation 12 sign or the planet Nibiru? Why do people periodically get swept up in paranoid fantasies about the end of the world? If you go back through history, especially since the writing of Revelation, these kinds of predictions and speculations have been going on for a very long time. It’s nothing new. I mean, let’s go back to medieval Europe during the bubonic plague and imagine what they thought was happening as they watched everyone around them dying (with Revelation probably at the forefront of their minds). The Revelation 12 sign is not really that unique. As we have seen, it’s happened before.

I think that these reactions are a natural response to uncertainty and change. We’re living in a world and society that’s becoming increasingly complex and fast paced. Everything is changing, and rapidly. Technological progress and scientific understanding are happening at an increasingly faster rate. We’re living in a period of human evolution that’s probably never happened before, and if it has, we have no record of it. As a result of this increasing complexity and advancement, people get scared. They want to have some sense of control over what’s happening.

It’s possible that what’s happening in the world, for the most part, is beyond our control. For astrologers, we look at a world possessed by mythology. I believe that these myths have power and that they influence people on a very real, psychological dimension. I also think that the Christian mythology is important, and it’s influenced all aspects of our culture, even within the institutions of scientific skepticism. Again, that’s a lengthy conversation, but I point that out because I don’t think anyone is immune to myth even if they don’t believe in a literal battle of “good versus evil”. That battle is still being waged within the unconscious of all people influenced by western culture.

I think that humanity is in a process of awakening. To me, this process is endless, because it is the process of evolution itself. As we awaken, we realize the vast complexity of reality, and at each stage, we have varying reactions to that. Here in the U.S., the current political establishment appeals to a percentage of the population that wants to revert back to a more simplistic period of American history. We’re seeing this trend not just in the United States, but across the world. For an astrologer, this appears to be an archetypal inundation within the collective consciousness, and understanding it objectively helps us keep some distance from being taken over by it.

But the solution to what’s happening in the world lies at the heart of evolution: adaptation. I think that humans have survived some extremely difficult situations throughout our time here. Given the advancements in science and technology, I think we’re more equipped to survive now than we have ever been. I think it’s time that we embraced change and chaos, and do what we can to continue our journey here on earth, whatever that looks like.

In conclusion, many astronomers (including Mr. Graney mentioned above) go on to debunk astrology along with the Revelation 12 sign. This is unfortunate, because their discussion of astrology is always poorly researched. It’s clear that astronomers don’t study astrology, and therefore are not qualified to make any claims about it. They often use the same rhetoric in their discussions, emphasizing poorly written Sun sign horoscopes, as if those represent the entire field of astrology and those who practice it. This is entirely untrue, and forges a very limited perception of astrology in the public eye.

To compare the fanatical beliefs and astrotheological prophecies of the proponents of the Revelation 12 sign with the entire field of horoscopic astrology, is rather absurd. Unfortunately, this is a common trend with astronomers and scientists, who, with their very narrow, ad hoc understanding of astrology, try to “debunk” something they know very little about. To experienced, professional astrologers, who study, research, and practice astrology their entire lives, the Revelation 12 sign is insignificant astrologically speaking, but it’s interesting because it opens a discussion about the Bible and astrotheology as a whole. We could suggest that the believers of the Revelation 12 sign are actually debunking the literal interpretation of the Bible through their unwitting obsession with astrotheology.

The myth of Revelation, however, is definitely significant from a symbolic or archetypal perspective, and I think that it’s playing out within each of us, and in the world, whether we believe that or not. That is an entire discussion by itself, but for now, I’ll leave you with this: the world isn’t literally coming to an end. The Sun will be around another 5 billion years, and the Earth will be habitable for at least another billion. A meteor strike or nearby supernova explosion could always happen, and yet the Earth would likely still be here, though we might not. But our demise isn’t the demise of the Earth. It’ll move on with its evolution, so let’s move on with ours. These myths may actually be part of that evolutionary process, and working through them within our own lives and on the world stage, may be a very crucial piece of our human story and evolution here on Earth.

Shine On: Total Solar Eclipse in Leo 2017

Total eclipse of the sun taken in Chita, Russia on March 9, 1997; photo by 名古屋太郎 via Wikimedia Commons. 

Total Solar Eclipse @ 28 tropical Leo 53'

August 21, 2017

11:30 AM Los Angeles

2:30 PM New York

1:30 PM Chicago

7:30 PM London

2:30 AM Hong Kong

4:30 AM Sydney

6:30 AM Aukland

*The U.S. times above are for the precise conjunction of Sun and Moon as measured from the center of the Earth, not the times for the maximum phase of the eclipse if you plan to view it. Also, NEVER watch a solar eclipse without using eclipse glasses or a special filter. For eclipse safety and viewing times, please read this article. 

This much anticipated total solar eclipse in tropical Leo is here (much anticipated for those visiting or living in the United States, especially those on the path of totality). For thousands of years, eclipses were viewed by many cultures as negative omens, often feared and revered by those who witnessed them, and for obvious reasons. Especially with a total solar eclipse, the experience is mesmerizing, visceral, and eerie. In a little over an hour, the Moon passes over the Sun, creating a darkening of the sky, a drastic drop in temperature, and during the few minutes of totality, spectators witness spectacular visual effects such as the appearance of the solar corona, the emergence of stars and planets typically hidden, and sometimes, in rare cases, shadow bands (which appear as shimmering, wavy shadows on white or very lightly colored objects below). 

It’s no wonder that our ancestors viewed eclipses with terror and came up with various superstitions about them. Science has done much to dispel this superstition, and has given us a more precise technical understanding of why eclipses happen, but science has also stripped the magic and archetypal reality away from the modern mind. Those who witness a total solar eclipse cannot deny their own experience which is profound and unforgettable. In that moment, a beauty and power that’s hard to describe overtakes you. Even the most staunch materialist will be consumed with awe by the sheer magnificence and mystery of the experience, even sometimes drawn to tears. Something primal inside of us responds to this, even if it’s just a mechanical fluke of nature. As an astrologer, I avoid making outlandish claims and speculations when it comes to astrology, but I also study the subject and observe its relevance in my life and the life of friends, family, clients, and notable figures.

And because of that, I can say with much certainty that eclipses, like any other astronomical event, have a direct correlation with human life. There is convincing evidence that throughout history, eclipses that occur over a specific region perceptibly impact that place in significant and notable ways. Aside from their historical implications, they can accelerate interpersonal changes, life transitions, and amplify emotional and psychological constructs within us. And collectively, a rapid series of events begins to unfold. What will happen with this particular eclipse? I don’t know concretely, and I won’t pretend that I do. Eclipses are hard to understand while they happen, and because they tend to develop weeks, months, and even years after the event itself, they’re more discernible in hindsight. But, especially with a total solar eclipse, the symbolism speaks volumes. The Moon, a symbol of the irrational, unconscious, and hidden dimensions of life experience, momentarily overtakes the light of the Sun. 

The Sun symbolizes the rational, apollonian archetype related to the visible world we see and interact with. A solar eclipse is a powerful New Moon, which is a symbolic death and rebirth of the lunar cycle. Thus, what I can say with confidence is that a large shadow will be cast across the United States and a powerful, unconscious narrative/mythos will overtake the collective mind of this country. Many people will be swept up in a collective drama with origins lying deep within the collective psyche, or what psychologist Carl Jung called the collective unconscious (the repository of repressed psychic content within a given culture). We will also witness some very drastic external changes happening in this nation from here on out, especially since the U.S. is nearing its first Pluto return alongside a conjunction of Saturn and Pluto in 2020, and will also witness another total solar eclipse in 2024. What that will all look like, I don’t know exactly, but I think we are already seeing it emerge on the world stage as I write these words. It is a dynamic process of death, rebirth, and an upwelling of contraction.

A viewer of the Solar Eclipse on Aug 11, 1999 in Paris, France; photo by Arnaudh via Wikimedia Commons. 

I’d suggest looking into the work of scholars who specialize in studying historical and economic trends, as well as mundane astrologers with that kind of analytical expertise for a better understanding the unfolding historical narrative. My focus is more so on the personal dimensions of astrological application. For a more mundane perspective on this eclipse, do read my article here. This New Moon/total solar eclipse occurs at the final degrees of Leo. Leo is a fire sign of yang polarity. The solar eclipse also creates a fire grand trine between Saturn in Sagittarius and Uranus in Aries. The trine to Uranus is particularly significant in its precision, and can empower the rebellious, revolutionary, and unstable elements surrounding this eclipse. Personally, it can feel like a dramatic, passionate, and creative uprising within each of us (as well as collectively). This solar eclipse seeks to awaken within us a renewed desire for life, vitality, and self-expression which serves to liberate and free us from limitations and past constraints.

As always with Uranus, previous barriers and obstacles are suddenly and unexpectedly cleared, making way for new avenues of experience and opportunities to express individuality. For good or ill, this eclipse is empowering individuals to step out and gain more visibility in the world. The wider trine to Saturn can help us gain more traction, as well as bring forth the fruits of hard work, discipline, and sacrifice. If you’re feeling motivated to bring forth your creative energy now, you should feel a sense of greater confidence and courage to do so. If you’re unclear of what you want to create or express exactly, this eclipse can help catalyze movement by igniting inspiration and motivation to make some drastic changes within yourself and within your personal life. These changes will unfold and develop in the coming weeks and months. 

With the south nodal lunar eclipse in Aquarius just two weeks ago, we crossed a threshold of accelerated release and dissipation of past patterns, attitudes, and behaviors that have been limiting the flow of life force, creativity, passion, and vitality in our lives. This north nodal solar eclipse in Leo is like a great awakening of excitement and zeal. While certainly we can take some positive steps, and gradually begin expressing our talents and willpower, there’s a negative side to these symbols too. Leo can indicate a blindness as a result of overt subjectivity and egocentricity. It can also incite an over dramatization of the ego (or false self) which can empower others to overstep boundaries and impose themselves tactlessly and harshly. Be mindful that what you’re expressing now is actually in alignment with your authentic self, not something imposed on you externally. Eclipses can also relate to a difficult transition or even a sudden fading away of the past, which can be painful for some.

The positive side of Leo is the ability to bring forth our creative, child-like self in healthy ways which helps to inspire and enliven others. Tantrums and misguided revolts are an expression of the fear based components of the inner child and will work to harm or otherwise keep us from fulfilling our true potential during this eclipse. Remember, that the greatest of all revolutions are within. Uranus’ close trine to this eclipse encourages us to liberate ourselves and gain more autonomy and independence to be who we are. If you’re feeling the need to step into this fire, do so. This eclipse will express both the positive and negative faces of these energies. Seeing that western culture is rather unconscious of its own myths and demons, the demons are likely to run amok here. But you have the power to face your own, and by doing that, you’ll be creating not only the life you want and deserve, but also helping to bring us all back to wholeness.  

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Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. Evolutionary Astrology can help.

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Insights into "The Great American Eclipse"

Total solar eclipse on July 22, 2009; photo by kubotake via Wikimedia Commons. 

As usual with rare astronomical/astrological events, a lot of speculation, rumor, hype and superstition surround it. The unfortunate part of this is that it spreads a lot of fear, anxiety, and then, when some momentous event doesn’t in fact happen, it reinforces a perception among the general public that astrology again failed and got a lot of people worked up over nothing. As you probably now know, next week’s lunar eclipse leads into a total solar eclipse in Leo just two weeks later on Aug 21. It will only appear as a total solar eclipse for those residing in Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, south eastern Georgia, and South Carolina. For everyone else in the U.S., it will appear as a partial eclipse (still a pretty cool experience).

As you may or may not know, as an astrologer I stay away from making radical predictions and claims. While I’m not completely against the idea that there are many predetermined events in life, I think that for the most part, consciousness can alter and change our experiences. I think that life is a mixture of fate and free-will. So often, our predictions fail to manifest as we expect them to. That could be partially a result of faulty technique, but I think it more often has to do with the fact that astrological symbolism is multivalent. Each sign and planet has an array of possible expressions. Even with a finely tuned, time-tested technique, astrologers will never be 100 percent accurate in predicting the future. One thing that I’ve learned about astrology, especially the more I engage with it consciously, is that it’s so often hundreds of steps ahead of me.

I’m more often completely surprised by how things actually turn out. In hindsight, I look back and the event certainly fit the symbolism, but never could I have imagined the end result. I think most of us experience life like that. Astrology shouldn’t be used to control your choices or dread the future, but rather to help you make more conscious and informed choices. Rarely do the worse-case scenarios ever manifest as we feared. With that said, and considering where the U.S. currently is politically, this event is pretty interesting. The first thing to consider is that eclipses are not isolated events. Eclipses open a portal in the zodiac that becomes an active hot zone. Planets that cross over or aspect the degree of the eclipse can trigger its manifestations for weeks, months, or even years into the future. The first step in analyzing this eclipse is to consider that it’s emphasizing the United States because it will be visible here and cross from coast to coast, which means that it’s making a statement about this country. The next step is to look at what kind of eclipse it is. Since it’s a solar eclipse, it’s basically a supercharged New Moon. It symbolizes a dramatic end and beginning of something.

Death is a natural part of life. That’s an obvious statement, but so often we choose to forget it for good reasons. We’re here to live our lives; there’s no sense in dwelling on death while in the thick of life. But I think every nation, or anything that gains considerable power in the world, creates an illusion that it’s somehow omnipotent and immortal. As an American myself, I grew up with this belief pounded into my head that my country was the “greatest” and would never end. I obviously didn’t grow up to believe that. All empires meet their end. Everything dies. While we might not have the capacity to comprehend it, the Sun will die too. The entire Universe will cease to exist. These unsettling thoughts threaten the ego, that dominating part of our consciousness that has gained such power over the western mind.

Empires come and go, just as people do. As the Buddhists would say, “all is impermanent.” I think eclipses are fascinating because they generate this very real sense that there’s something more powerful than we are. Like an earthquake or severe storm, we’re suddenly minimal in comparison. Our existence is instantly put into perspective. It would seem that this eclipse kind of sends that message to America: “you’re not the center of the universe and there are greater powers than you.” You can interpret that in many ways. I’m certainly not predicting the fall of the American Empire over this eclipse, but it may well signify the beginning of an end in terms of how we’ve perceived ourselves as a nation. Consider the tropical sign of Leo, and consider how this eclipse occurs at the end, the anaretic degrees of this sign.

Leo is a fixed, fire sign of yang polarity. It’s ruled by the Sun. It carries this symbolism of gravitas, presence, and a sense of permanent ruler ship and power. The Sun is the center of our solar system. The Sun forces all planets to orbit around it, but as I just said, the Sun will not have rule forever. It too will die. I think this illusion in the American psyche of being the dominating and fixed power center of the world needs a serious reality check. It has mobilized a movement of people who seriously lack perspective, and I think that’s a dangerous thing. I think the United States needs some humility and respect of other perspectives. And I think it’s highly possible that this eclipse signifies the beginning of the end of this illusion. Many would say that began long ago, but I’m not sure it’s reached the collective consciousness of the United States just yet. Perhaps it soon will.

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. Evolutionary Astrology can help. Click here for personal readings. 

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President Donald Trump and the U.S. Horoscope

As you may be aware, this “Great American Eclipse” touches the horoscope of President Donald Trump. You’ve probably heard of him. I’m going to steer clear of expressing any personal bias or opinions about him here. The eclipse touches on Donald Trump’s Ascendant. This is the sign that was rising on the eastern horizon at the time he came screaming into the world (I imagine he was probably pretty vocal with a 10th house Gemini Sun, but maybe not). In modern astrology, the Ascendant is the cusp of the first house, and in ancient, Hellenistic astrology (which tended to favor whole sign places over houses), the first house was known as the Helm. In simple words, this place originally signified where we steer the ship, that is to say, how we direct our lives. In modern, evolutionary astrology, the Ascendant is a symbol of our persona or outward mask. This is separate from our public mask. It’s more personal and one on one. It’s what my teacher, Steven Forrest, calls the mask we wear at a cocktail party.

I would argue that the mask we see of Donald Trump is more described by his 10th house and the sign that falls on his Midheaven because it’s what he shows to the public (though you’ll soon see that his Ascendant and Midheaven are interchangeable). Using equal houses, Trump has his Sun conjunct Uranus and the North Node in Gemini in his 10th house. We see a statement about a person who has greatly emphasized public and career matters (10th house) and that he’s using radical and rebellious vocal expression as a means of getting ahead in life (Uranus conjunct Sun). With a strong 10th house statement, Donald Trump is deeply concerned with status, reputation, and making a stamp on the world. With Uranus making such a statement here as well, Donald Trump is a rebel and has an eccentric public persona. With Taurus on his Midheaven, immediately we see a fixed, stubborn, and determined edge to this. Taurus is an immovable sign, and it symbolizes energy that stands tall and firmly entrenched.

The ruler of his Midheaven is Venus which is separating from a conjunction with Saturn in Cancer in the 11th house. This reveals that a big part of his public image depicts him networking and schmoozing, but also gives a traditional, conservative side (Saturn in Cancer) to his otherwise eccentric and radical Uranus vibes. The 11th house is known traditionally as the house of dreams, hopes, and friends. With Saturn placed in Cancer and conjunct Venus, this placement also shows a person who is fated to have a history of separations and challenges in his friendships and relationships (which will be very much public knowledge). Also, from a modern perspective, this Venus/Saturn conjunction in Cancer paints a person whose public image is predicated upon laying out nostalgic dreams and visions of the “good old days”, promising security, safety, and practical goals. Do we see his, “Make America Great Again” slogan emerging from these symbols?

Donald Trump's chart (inner chart) with transits (outer wheel) during the total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017. Note the eclipse to the left of the chart on his Ascendant. Equal houses and tropical zodiac.

President Donald Trump’s Saturn/Venus conjoins Mercury in the U.S. Sibley horoscope. These nostalgic dreams and visions hit a powerful chord in the American mind. Donald Trump’s Ascendant falls in the last degrees of Leo, and is ruled by the Sun. This brings us back to his equal 10th house Gemini placement conjunct Uranus. Thus, there is a strong synergy between his personal persona and public image. With a Leo Ascendant, Donald Trump’s personal style is one that is showy, dramatic, attention getting, and loud. With Mars close to his Ascendant, there is an element of assertiveness, aggressiveness, and a “warrior” like quality to this. Mars, the planet of war, reveals a highly combative and forceful persona which amplifies the fire element in his mask.

This eclipse represents on one level a death of that image and style, and the way he makes decisions, choices, and asserts himself in the world. Hitting an angle of the chart (the Ascendant) is also very significant as the beginning of a critical shift in his consciousness and personal life. On another level, the solar eclipse requires a rebirth of his personal and public image, one that is likely to be dramatic in its change and transformation. Thus, what we could expect here is to witness a major shift in how Donald Trump represents himself, which may come as a result of a crisis or challenge to his reputation. This will utterly change the freedom he has to make decisions and lead others. Since the first house and Ascendant are tied into themes involving leadership as well, we see the death and rebirth of a leader in one way or another. How exactly that manifests is partly up to fate, and partly up to Donald Trump’s own free will.

Also, the first house and Ascendant represent the physical body, and it’s possible we may see some health related issues arise from this. From these symbols we can ascertain that Donald Trump is going to be “eclipsed” in the coming weeks and months. What that actually looks like, we’ll soon see. The eclipse occurs in the ninth equal house/place in the U.S. Sibley chart. This chart is the most commonly used by astrologers, and really proved its validity during the events of Sept 11, 2011. In traditional astrology, the ninth house was known as the house of the “king” or “God” and governed issues dealing with foreign travel/relations, divination, religion, and even astrology. Since we live in different times (though technically not much different), we can conclude that this “Great American Eclipse” will change much of our national ideology/beliefs, foreign relations (policies) as well as our “king”, which we could say symbolically represents the President of the United States.

The U.S. Sibley horoscope (center chart) with transits during the solar eclipse on Aug 21, 2017 (outer wheel). Note the eclipse making an opposition to the Moon in Aquarius in the third house. Equal Houses and tropical zodiac. 

In evolutionary astrology, the ninth house deals with encountering shocking perspectives and the formation of personal ethics, philosophy, or worldview. Its shadow exhibits dogmatism and defensiveness against foreign views and perspectives. So for the country as a whole, there’s a dramatic shift in our perspective as a nation, and a change in our national ideology. The eclipse also makes a challenging opposition to the natal Moon in Aquarius in the third house. This Aquarian Moon, looked at through a modern lens, symbolizes the “revolutionary” soul of America and our need to be a “progressive” and rebellious nation via the Aquarian association with Uranus. The third house came to be known as a house dealing with communication in a broad sense, though traditionally it was called “Goddess”, and dealt topically with issues surrounding travel, relatives, and siblings.

I believe that the third house association with communication is an important modern shift in its symbolism. It can indicate the transmission of news and gossip. American culture is so highly influenced by the media which now expresses itself mostly through the internet. We see here an eclipsing of our media, and also the revolutionary spirit of America. This is being directly challenged by the “King” as well as a foreign influence or through foreign relations. It will stimulate much gossip and theorizing to take place surrounding these issues, or will utterly change how Americans communicate over time. I’m sure that given the nature of recent events and speculations, we could imagine all kinds of scenarios here.

From the evolutionary view, the third house deals with the ability to form unbiased perceptions. Opposite the ninth, the third house supports the asking of questions as opposed espousing a definitive underlying truth. In it’s shadow, similar to the ninth, it seeks to defend a given perception of reality and limit the flow of information, leading to a scattered pursuit of useless facts and ideas. It’s interesting that the themes of these two houses are rather hot topics with the current presidency. It’s presented us with a lot of questions about what the truth really is, who to actually trust, and whether the facts are really what we think they are.

I think theses symbols also speak to the reality of the times we currently live in. We are at a point in this country where we need to be very careful of simplifying and polarizing the issues on the table. I don’t think it’s as simple as making one side “good” and another side “bad”. There isn’t much of anything in life that’s that simplistic. Life is complicated and messy. The truth isn’t so clean cut and dry. I think that as we approach this eclipse, Americans need to be really careful of taking any particular side, no matter how hard that is. If you really want the truth, these symbols suggest moving beyond any rigid assumptions you might have about reality, and choosing to look beyond your usual sources of information to find it. I think that’s important advice, and something we might find to be a necessity in the very near future.

One last observation here. The Moon rules the eighth house in the U.S. horoscope, which is traditionally called the house of death. That's always sounds a little ominous, but it also deals with issues pertaining to shared resources and debt. There are several critical placements in this sign and house, including the Sun and Mercury, and if using whole sign houses, both Jupiter and Venus as well. This was not seen as a favorable house for placements in earlier traditions, though even in modern astrology the eighth house is not a particularly comfortable place. It invokes a sense of having to face uncomfortable realities, usually pertaining to ones mortality. It's possible this eclipse will dredge up some unsettling truths which will deeply effect our national security and may well impact America's shared resources. 

Consider that currently, America's only major economic export is war. This sad truth is what led many to believe that Donald Trump could restore our self-sufficiency as a nation. I think the reality of whether or not this is possible is going to very quickly sink in here. And on a basic symbolic level, the Moon is a statement about our nation's heart, hearth, and safety. This eclipse brings into the collective consciousness of the nation an awakening realization to the threat that not all is as safe and secure as we might imagine. The synchronicity of that correlating with the eclipse hitting Donald Trump's Ascendant reveals that as President, he must alter his image somehow, to get the public to earn his trust as a leader. In looking at his current ratings, that may be a very difficult challenge. 

Life feels overwhelming when faced with things outside of your control. Understanding yourself is key to finding your power and place in the world. While you can't control fate or the chaos of life, your destiny belongs to you, something you can always strive for to gain command of your life path. Evolutionary Astrology can help.

Follow me on Instagram for weekly astrological updates.

The Path of Heart: Venus Retrograde 2017

Western buttercup in bloom; photo by Chad Woodward, February 2017.

Venus Retrograde in Aries/Pisces 2017

March 4-April 15, 2017

Venus turns retrograde on March 4, 2017 in tropical Aries. Venus will transit from 13 degrees of Aries to 26 degrees of Pisces this cycle. It turns direct on April 15 after 42 days of retrograde motion. These roughly 40 days of Venus retrograde are often quite significant for relationships and “matters of the heart”. The planet Venus correlates primarily with the bonding instinct. When she turns retrograde, many relationships undergo a notable transformation, but there is a lot more to it as you will soon learn. The Venus retrograde cycle runs on an eight year rhythm. She stations retrograde at five different points in the zodiac and returns to roughly the same locations every eight years (yes, she forms a near perfect pentagram in the sky). 

The Venus retrograde cycle correlates strongly with the development of situations that reach critical turning points every eight years. This particular cycle echoes back to March-April 2009. You may want to reflect on this past cycle to gain some understanding about what’s happening now. Relationships cover a lot of territories. We form relationships with people. That one is obvious. We can also form relationships to other sentient beings like plants, animals, and “higher entities”. Venus is associated with both Libra and Taurus. The Libra face of Venus deals with “bridge building” and rapport--the instinct to form connections between self and other. 

The Taurus face of Venus deals with the more interior dimension of Venus--what we place value upon in life and how we value and show love for ourselves. The goddess Venus/Aphrodite is the quintessential love goddess. In both her two faces, Venus deals with love for other beings and for ourselves. Venus is the brightest “star” in the sky. We know that Venus is not actually a star, but it’s radiant glow certainly gives it that illustrious, star-like appearance. Like Mercury, Venus is never too far away from the Sun (an actual star which is certainly brighter). Due to this fact, Venus can either be seen rising before the Sun or setting after the Sun. 

It is during these retrograde phases that Venus switches from evening (known as Venus Hesperus) to morning star (Venus Lucifer). At the midpoint of the Venus retrograde cycle (also known as New Venus), the Sun and Venus form what’s called an inferior conjunction where Venus is between the Earth and the Sun. After Venus slowly emerges from this conjunction, it will be seen rising before the Sun each morning until the superior conjunction (when Venus is on the far side of the Sun). These two conjunctions create a Sun, Venus, Earth alignment. During Venus retrograde, it is moving at its slowest, it’s closer to the Earth, and it spends several months in roughly one sign of the zodiac. 

To understand Venus retrograde, these fine details are important. Venus is the archetypal “heart”, not really the actual organ, but the “heart center”, like the heart chakra. It represents that place inside of us that seeks peace, love, understanding, common ground, and relational stability. We associate Venus with beautiful things and people, experiences that have this calming and sedative effect on the body. When you look at something beautiful, how do you feel? When you see someone incredibly attractive, where do you feel it? Beauty fills us with this warm fuzzy feeling in the heart center in the body. Culturally, we often talk about “following your heart”, listening to that place inside of you that is guided by blissful feelings. Mythologist Joseph Campbell summed it up in this catch phrase, “follow your bliss”. 

The pattern that Venus' cycle creates from our geocentric perspective. 

We don’t just experience life through the mind and ego. That is of course how we’re culturally conditioned to see the world--logically and rationally. Venus isn’t either of those things. Venus is that heart centered desire for something idyllic--something beyond reason and common sense. Venus wants everyone to get along and live a harmonious, blissful existence. It seeks to connect and with whomever it comes into contact with. While that’s not an entirely realistic goal, it does say a lot about what happens in our social interactions. Even in the most awkward of exchanges, there seems to be something inside of us that attempts to find common ground no matter what. Some of us are better at that than others. Usually, Venus is strong in these people’s charts. 

Venus is this bridge-building impulse within the psyche. When we have common ground, when we’re at peace with people in our lives, we can relax. We calm down. We don’t have to worry so much about where other people stand. When we look at a beautiful painting, sculpture, natural setting, or listen to breathtaking music, we equally feel this sense of calm and ease with the world. And when we slow down, when we relax and really listen, we can hear the heart. How do we follow the heart unless we can hear it? You can’t hear it if you’re up in your head all the time thinking about how you’re supposed to be following your heart. You need to stop, quiet down, and listen.

How do we learn about other people if we just talk about ourselves all of the time? We don’t. We have to shut up and listen to others. Venus also deals heavily with empathy--the ability to put yourself in someone else’s place to understand what they’re experiencing and where they’re coming from. So, when Venus is retrograde, the heart is louder! Venus is the closest to the earth when it’s retrograde. This is a time to slow down and get out of your head. Sometimes during these cycles we’re kind of forced to slow down by circumstances around us. Between the stations of Venus (when Venus stops and changes direction), Venus reaches its inferior conjunction with the Sun. It is engulfed by it; the heart undergoes this alchemical transformation. Venus is descending into the heart of the Sun to become reborn. 

When Venus is retrograde, all of these Venusian themes are much louder than usual. Our relationships (our ability to relate and bond with others) undergo a transformation. You may notice a lot of shifting dynamics within your interactions with other people. You may reevaluate all of your partnerships (friendships, professional, and marriage/intimate partnerships). You may notice certain shadows, flaws, and blind spots in others that you didn’t see before. You may focus heavily on such things within yourself. You may become preoccupied with beautiful things. You may discover or rediscover beauty in some new way in your life. You may also come closer to finding your own unique “heart path”--that thread through life that is guided by your bliss. There is a lot of reevaluating going on during Venus retrograde, shifting values and priorities.

You may heavily reevaluate yourself, what you’re worth and worthy of. That may deeply impact your relationships and how you connect with others. To get the most out of Venus retrograde, you need to go with the flow. Take some time to slow down your life and check in with your heart. What does it have to say? What does it need? Tend to and take care of this powerful place. Learn how to feed it. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as the saying goes. This is a time to discover what you find beautiful so that you can actively seek and attract it into your life. Give your heart what it needs during this time. Be gentle with yourself and the people you love.

This is an opportunity to go deeper, to see how far you can reach both inwardly and outwardly. When Venus is reborn, you will feel some new and expanded capacity for love. You can love a whole lot more, but only if you take the time to listen, slow down, and trust where your heart is leading you. It may defy logic. It’ll probably be a little uncomfortable, but if you choose the path of heart, you’ll really be living. You’ll know what it means to thrive. That is not something the mind knows how to do. Only the heart knows how to really feel life in its wholeness--to see beauty in both the joy and the pain. 

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Standing Rock at the Precipice: The Astrology of NODAPL

Dakota Access Pipeline protest site near Cannonball, ND August 15, 2016; photo by Shane Balkowitsch via Wikimedia Commons. 

You’ve likely heard about the ongoing protests against the construction of an oil pipeline on unceded territory of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe in North Dakota. It all began on April 1, 2016 when dozens of tribal members from various nations rode on horseback to set up camp near the construction site--the portion of pipeline that was to be placed beneath Lake Oahe which connects to the Missouri River. It is the only source of clean water for the people of Standing Rock as well as many other indigenous groups. It equally supplies water for 18 million people downstream. The protesters, who call themselves water protectors, traveled to the site to peacefully protest and pray to the land in which their ancestors are buried. They feel that this pipeline not only threatens this vital water source but also violates treaties made between the U.S. government and the Sioux nation, infringing upon sacred burial grounds and historically significant sites. 

“They’re going under the river 500 yards from my son’s grave, my father’s grave, my aunt who I buried last week. I really love my land, and if that pipeline breaks everything is gone,” Ladonna Allard, a member of the Standing Rock, told the Guardian. Oil pipelines are notorious for leaks causing massive environmental contamination and requiring large scale clean-up operations. Like the Keystone XL pipeline, the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) has been subject to ongoing delays due to fierce opposition from protesters and environmental groups. However, unlike Keystone XL, DAPL doesn’t cross the Canadian border and is not considered a federal project. It’s privately funded and its construction is subject to approval by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). 

On Dec. 4 2016, the USACE denied an easement for the texas-based subsidy of Energy Transfer Partners, the company behind the pipeline construction. This proved to be a short lived victory for the water protectors and many felt it was a distraction intended to remove the No Dakota Access Pipeline (NODAPL) protests from the media. There was already very little coverage of the story by the mainstream press and, for the most part, complete silence from politicians before and after the 2016 election. Coverage of the DAPL protests has derived entirely from alternative media outlets and activist groups. As expected, shortly after his inauguration, President Donald Trump issued an executive memorandum expediting the completion of DAPL. As of this writing, on Feb. 7,  the USACE has stated their intention to now grant an easement which will give Energy Transfer Partners permission to continue construction beneath Lake Oahu. 

Lake Oahe; image by Doc Searls via Wikimedia Commons.

The camp at Standing Rock grew into the thousands over several months since the water protectors arrived in April 2016. Tribal nations across the U.S. and the world have joined forces to fight DAPL. Many non-native people also came to Standing Rock to show support and protest peacefully, including thousands of U.S. veterans who arrived just as the easement was denied back in Dec. 2016. Activists across the country held protests, demonstrations, and marches to voice their opposition to DAPL. The water protectors’ primary plea is for the pipeline to be rerouted from its present course so that it doesn’t threaten their sacred sites and source of clean water. In fact, the pipeline was already rerouted from its previous course just north of Bismarck, a highly populated city which, according to a 2010 census, is 92.4 percent white. 

The ongoing fight at Standing Rock is not only an environmental justice issue, but one involving racial and class discrimination. American History is tainted with stains of genocide and relentless oppression against Native Americans and many other ethnic minorities. The residents of Bismarck, just like the people at Standing Rock, opposed the construction of this oil pipeline that could potentially cause massive environmental harm. Yet unlike Bismarck, the voices at Standing Rock have only been faintly heard by Energy Transfer Partners and the USACE. It would seem that it’s far easier to exploit a subjugated minority group (who suffer a 63 percent unemployment rate) than the residents of Bismarck. 

Energy Transfer Partners has gone as far as hiring police from various departments throughout North Dakota to protect their pipeline. These militarized police forces have, in the name of defending corporate interests, inflicted harm upon American citizens, the very people they are supposed to protect. This abuse of power is one of the most egregious examples of the corruption that has infected the heart of corporate and governmental relations in America today. Attack dogs, tear gas, rubber bullets, concussion grenades, and water cannons (in freezing temperatures) have been unleashed on the water protectors. They’ve been harassed, arrested (even kept in dog kennels), and overall treated as criminals on their own sacred land. 

People marching to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline near San Francisco City Hall; photo by Pax Ahimsa Gethen. By Pax Ahimsa Gethen (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Of course, this is nothing new for the native people of the U.S. American history is filled with the gruesome assault on native people. And yet, so many, including many of our elected (and supposedly “progressive”) officials, have remained silent about the injustices that are happening at Standing Rock. I’ve been following this story since the summer of 2016, yet just recently thought of looking into the astrology. It’s difficult to pinpoint an exact time for the construction of the chart that would symbolize the fight at Standing Rock. April 1 is really the symbolic day that it all began. That morning, tribal members left on horseback to travel to a camp near the site. After some research and slight rectification (a method of testing a chart against various dates to adjust the time), I came up with April 1, 2016 @ 1:04 PM, Cannonball, ND, around the time they arrived according to video tweets from Unicorn Riot. We could also theoretically look at a time when they departed. Yet, this chart seemed a better fit than earlier variations as you’ll soon see.

I rectified the chart to 1:04 PM after looking for significant angular activation on days of critical developments (planets hitting the Ascendent, Nadir, Descendent, or Midheaven). For example, on Dec. 4, the date that the USACE denied Energy Transfer Partners an easement, Jupiter was conjunct the Nadir (fourth house cusp) trine the transiting Moon conjunct Mars. Venus was conjunct the radix Moon in the 6th house and sextile the radix Venus in the 9th. The transiting Sun was also exactly trine the radix Sun in the 9th. The secondary progressed Moon was conjunct the Descendant (seventh house cusp). These were all rather “positive” aspects. With stimulation from both classical “benefics”, Jupiter and Venus, and a nice trine from Sun to radix Sun, this indicated the symbols of a celebration which the water protectors certainly indulged in that day.

Taking this chart to be merely symbolic of the fight at Standing Rock, let’s see what it has to say. I will look at this chart from a classical approach and then interpret it from an evolutionary lens. To begin, the chart has tropical Leo rising. I adjusted the Ascendant (ASC) to 4 degrees of Leo which gave a sabian symbol of, “Rock formations at the edge of a precipice.” Interestingly, the opposite symbol, on the Descendent (DSC) is, “A council of ancestors.” This was immediately intriguing to me. With Leo rising, the ruler of the chart is the Sun, which is elevated in the 9th house and exalted in Aries. This gives the ruler of the chart, and thus the water protectors themselves, a tremendous advantage and considerable power and influence. 

The Sun is free of affliction from any malefic planets though it does receive a trine from Saturn which is actually quite supportive. The only trouble with this chart is the Moon. The Moon is in detriment in Capricorn and it’s void of course. On April 1 of that day, the Moon went void of course at 11:39 AM. Could the Sun’s exaltation overpower this negative omen from the Moon? When the Moon is void of course, it means that “nothing will come of the matter” or “the situation is out of your hands.” Let’s imagine that the Moon, the fastest moving planet, carries out our wishes and expectations. The Moon helps us manifest the things we desire which emanate from the unconscious, emotional terrain within the psyche. When the Moon is void, she is of no help to us. She cannot make use of our will or desires at these times. Now, considering that we don’t exactly know the official start of the fight at Standing Rock, and that the water protectors actually left for their trip to the protest site on horseback before the Moon went void, this may not have the greatest power over the will of the water protectors.

Yet, if it does, it may have much to say about the realistic result of the peaceful protest itself. Meaning, it’s possible that this fight, the ultimate rerouting of the pipeline, may be “out of the hands” of the water protectors. But that Sun is powerful! In Aries, it shows a group of people who are ready for battle. Aries is the warrior, the trailblazer, and the daredevil. There are three planets in Aries. Both Mercury and Uranus are conjunct each other and the Midheaven (MC) in the 10th house in Aries. This reveals the public persona that this group will create for themselves: those who are vocally opposed (Mercury) to the pipeline, willing to fight (Aries) and rebel (Uranus) against any authority (10th house) to the bitter end. Uranus and Mercury on the MC in Aries gives Standing Rock a powerful voice to spread a message publically about the injustices they face. 

With the Sun exalted in Aries and also conjunct the MC with Mercury and Uranus, this reveals a group of radical warriors willing to withstand and face any challenge. From the evolutionary perspective, the emphasis in Aries shows that the water protectors are destined to face tremendous stress and opposition. While the Sun is exalted, its placement in Aries foreshadows that this is a fight that will strengthen their group identity. Aries tells us that they must face some serious fears and cultivate immense bravery to carry this mission out. When Aries is highlighted, there is an element of risk, thrill, and considerable stress involved--all elements we have seen manifest at Standing Rock. 

The chart with transits on Dec. 4, 2016 when the U.S. Army Corps denied easement requiring an environmental impact study before further construction. This has now been revoked and DAPL has been granted easement. Note Jupiter on the IC with three more passes to go. 

The Sun in the 9th house in Aries paints the picture of true spiritual warriors that are fighting and defending their religion and beliefs. Interestingly, while the 9th house has a correlation with “foreign travel”, the very people who first settled on these lands are perceived by the rest of us as foreigners. Their customs, traditions, and way of life seem alien to westernized Americans, which they have fought to preserve against all odds. This strong Arian energy is something that the indigenous Americans have had to cultivate merely as a means of survival. The Moon in Capricorn reveals much about the group soul. In the 6th house, there is a deep concern about survival and the preservation of their daily life (6th house). 

Capricorn is concerned about the future and planning ahead. The emotional impetus of NODAPL is exactly that. The Moon is their home, their sacred land. In Capricorn, we feel a sense of urgency within these people driven by the fear of the dangers within the environment. The Moon is very widely conjunct Pluto (by over 9 degrees). Pluto has been in Capricorn since 2008, which began with the Global Financial Crises that shed light on the corruption of big banks and the government’s inability to hold them accountable. Many big banks have in fact invested in the pipeline. Pluto in Capricorn in the 6th house reveals a threat to survival and personal and environmental health. The Moon’s close proximity reveals the core emotional and karmic reasons for this standoff. Pluto also makes a square to the Sun (ruler of the chart), the MC, Mercury and Uranus. This further reveals a conflict that the water protectors (Sun in Aries 9th) must face and the hardship they will endure from the corruption of a big and powerful entity. 

Pluto is certainly a worthy opponent for this exalted Sun in Aries. The ultimate mission of these water protectors is highly thwarted by Pluto. This reveals that a compromise will likely be made, because in a square, neither side will back down. This tells us that the fight at Standing Rock is one that, even despite any “official” decision, will continue for some time. Looking at the South Node of the Moon, the core of any evolutionary reading, we see it in Pisces in the 9th house conjunct Chiron, Ceres, and Venus. The ruler of the South Node, Neptune, is in Pisces in the 8th house. This is all rather telling. As we know, Native Americans have been the victims of mass genocide for hundreds of years. Chiron conjunct the South Node reveals a deep, karmic wound of dissipation and loss of identity (Pisces) at the hands of foreigners (9th house). 

Neptune in Pisces in the 8th, the house of death, reveals a dark history of the native people facing the constant threat of annihilation. The South Node in Pisces has the feel of a ghost, unseen and unnoticed. Deeply buried in the karmic past, we see a people who feel unheard and forgotten. We see the soul of a nation that has seen the darkest side of humanity. With Venus and Ceres conjunct the South Node as well, we see that they have been able to band together and maintain a strong bond upholding their beliefs and customs. Yet, Chiron reveals the reality that these bonds, traditions, and way of life have succumbed to deformity and defectiveness. Ceres, the grain goddess, and its association with food and nourishment, tells of a wound related to malnutrition and poverty. We also see, quite poignantly, Pisces’ association with water. 

People marching in protest to the Dakota Access Pipeline; photo by Pax Ahimsa Gethen. (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Chiron speaks quite clearly to the threat of “wounded” (Chiron) water (Pisces/Neptune). The North Node of the Moon is in Virgo in the 3rd house conjunct Jupiter. It’s ruler, Mercury, is in Aries in the 10th, conjunct Uranus and the MC. From our evolutionary lens, we see that this protest, whether it succeeds in rerouting the pipeline or not, will have a greater impact on informing the world about this injustice, hopefully inspiring others to stand up against corporate and governmental corruption. The North Node in Virgo in the third house conjunct Jupiter reveals that these native groups must learn new skills and means of communication to get their message out. Many have teamed up with various legal groups to fight the pipeline in courts and to help communicate with police forces. Mercury conjunct Uranus in Aries in the 10th house urges the water protectors to continue to fight and rebel against the structures that seek to oppress them. 

Jupiter conjunct the North Node illustrates the unresolved wound within these indigenous groups of not feeling heard, noticed, or taken seriously. It also reveals the power of authority figures over them, who used a complicated foreign language (such as legalease) to oppress and dominate them. Jupiter’s presence here suggests that the water protector’s higher destiny involves taking a big risk--even risking it all, to stand up and be heard by the world. It also suggests the need to use this complicated language, previously used against them, to fight back. The presence of Jupiter may involve the need to take legal action. While many mainstream media organizations have persistently ignored the water protectors, the power of the internet and alternative media has given them a platform to be noticed (symbolized by Uranus conjunct Mercury).  

Saturn in the 5th house also makes a square to the nodal axis. This symbolizes a karmic “skipped step”, something that was left unresolved in the past but must now be integrated. Saturn has clear associations with authority figures and government. In Sagittarius, it relates to the further wounding and violence perpetrated upon these people by the ideologies and beliefs of European immigrants. A square is an overpowering influence, one which the ancestors of the water protectors couldn’t resolve previously. It speaks to past patterns of enduring daunting challenges that leave the karmic memory with a sense of futility and depression. The way to resolve it now is to persist against all opposition and accomplish something great. Saturn in the 5th house symbolizes a wound inflicted upon children and future generations, and the need to make a dramatic statement to preserve their traditions and spiritual beliefs. 

The chart with transits in mid April 2O17 with Jupiter's second pass to the IC. 

Looking ahead, it seems that Jupiter’s recent retrograde may give some support. All hope is not yet lost. Jupiter is set to conjunct the IC again in mid April 2017 in its retrograde phase (assuming this chart is radical and has predictive value). Just as it did in Dec. 2016, this Jupiter contact could indicate another victory for the water protectors, or another construction delay of some kind (considering Jupiter’s retrograde motion). Jupiter will station one degree from opposition to the radix Sun at 13 degrees of Libra from May to early June of 2017. It will hit the IC one last time in early August 2017, and so perhaps, if the God of good fortune smiles upon the bold efforts of the indigenous warriors, some good news or compromise will come. Early August looks potentially promising, with the Sun, then in Leo, making a trine to its radix position as it did from Sagittarius in Dec. 2016. The Sun will be joined by Mars in the first house of this chart, giving great willpower and new direction to the water protectors.

Venus turns stationary retrograde in early March conjunct the radix Sun near the MC. It then turns stationary direct in mid April while conjunct the radix Venus. Mercury also turns retrograde shortly after, and then stations direct in early May conjunct the radix Mercury/Uranus in the 10th. It’s hard to say if all of this retrograde activity is positive or not. Hitting major placements in the chart, we can see some definite significant happenings taking place with the fight against DAPL. With the symbolism of retrogrades, we can anticipate a delay; some lengthy chain of events that drags out the battle. It’s likely, considering the circumstances, that this may involve legal proceedings at this point. When the easement was denied in Dec. 2016, Mercury was in the shadow of its retrograde, one week before its station near the radix Pluto in the 6th. Thus, we can expect these events to manifest from March through perhaps mid May with a definite highlight around mid April. We can only hope that Jupiter’s retrograde cycle brings a solution or compromise (Jupiter in Libra) which will likely occur in the August time frame. 

The protest at Standing Rock also coincides with the opposition of Jupiter and Uranus. The cycle of Jupiter and Uranus historically correlates with periods political and cultural upheaval, leading to widespread demonstrations, marches, and protests worldwide. The last phase of the Jupiter/Uranus cycle peaked in the summer of 2010, during the height of the Occupy Wallstreet movement and the Arab Spring uprisings in the middle east. This next opposition phase will be active through the end of 2018 using wide planetary orbs. With this in mind, it’s quite likely that the battle for this sacred land is not over yet, and we’re likely to see more opposition against similar projects in the very near future. 

As I briefly mentioned above, the sabian symbol for the rising degree is, “Rock formations at the edge of a precipice.” Not only does this symbol allude to Standing Rock, the tribe whose land is being directly violated by Energy Transfer Partners, but it speaks to a profound truth about the indigenous people of the United States. They and the legacy of their ancestors, are indeed like these symbolic rock formations, ancient and yet still standing tall at the edge of a precipice. Yet despite the uncertainty of the moment, sitting on the edge of a cliff, they persist, defying all the forces that seek to take them down. They are a people whose way of life is on the verge of extinction. If we care at all about those who first nurtured and cared for this land, then we must too stand with Standing Rock. We must stand at the precipice with them and fight for the injustice that has been inflicted upon them. It is the destiny of the water protectors to fight, that much is clear, and it is their destiny to be heard. 

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The fight at Standing Rock is not over. Cheyenne River Sioux and Standing Rock Sioux have filed a lawsuit as of Feb. 9, 2017 in response to the USACE granting easement. There is another legal challenge to the Dakota Access Pipeline organized by Revolution Truth, a grassroots-based, human rights organization dedicated to protecting democratic principles and civil liberties. They are in need of funding to bring the case. 

Visit their gofundme page here
Revolution Truth website
RT interview with Tangerine Bolen

Here are some other ways you can support Standing Rock. Many need help with legal fees and cleanup costs....

Donate directly to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

Sacred Stone Legal Defense Fund

Lakota People's Law Project

Rise With Standing Rock

NODAPL 2017 Action Hub

Further Reading

The Treaties of Fort Laramie

Standing Rock Reservation

Declaration On The Rights of Indigenous People

United Nations Document on DRIP

Looking Ahead: What Astrology Reveals About Future History

A composite image of Earth; photo by NASA/ GSFC/ NOAA/ USGS, via Wikimedia Commons

Over the many years that I’ve studied astrology I’ve learned that life is an endless blending of cycles and waves of experience. Each day and every moment is a microcosm of the larger cycles that envelop the world. If you want to understand where we are collectively and where we’re going, take a look at the interactions between the planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and some recent discoveries. They won’t fail to give you at least a weather forecast understanding. I don’t think that astrology can concretely predict the future, but it can provide a rough archetypal sketch that can be incredibly useful in discerning upcoming trends. 

We are currently reaching the end of the Uranus/Pluto square, the second peak of a cycle that began with the conjunction of Uranus and Pluto in the mid to late 1960’s. What happened then reached a crisis point from roughly 2012-2015. If we use a broader, ten-degree orb, the entire Uranus/Pluto square epoch encompasses the years 2007-2020. Richard Tarnas, a true authority on this topic, calls the peaks of the Uranus/Pluto cycle, “Epochs of Revolution”. As we saw throughout the 60’s, this period carried on the implementation of many progressive issues in the political arena. 

Two obvious highlights here in the United States: the first African American president and the national legalization of same-sex marriage. If we look back at the 60’s, the fight for civil rights for gays and blacks were at the forefront of the progressive movements at the time. These topics have gained considerable legitimacy and momentum during this period. The recent election (of 2016) is also a profound reflection of the “revolutionary spirit” of this cycle. Presidential candidates such as Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, and Hillary Clinton all carried themes of breaking through the boundaries of tradition and creating upheaval in the status quo. 

Looking ahead, we see this process slowly diminishing and giving way to a drastic shift in the archetypal narrative in the next few years. The two major cycles to look out for are the upcoming Jupiter/Uranus opposition and the Saturn/Pluto conjunction. In particular, the Saturn/Pluto conjunction will likely correlate with a significant backlash against the liberal regime of President Barack Obama. While many people expected Hillary Clinton to become the first female President of the United States, Donald Trump gained victory, and because of that, there will be a definite shift of power to conservative republicans. 

The Uranus/Pluto cycle is a developmental process. The major breakthroughs that have happened during the square are stepping stones in a larger process that will fully peak at the opposition phase in the mid to late 2040’s. It’s possible, for instance, that the vision and movement catalyzed by Bernie Sanders, of creating a more democratic, socialist leaning American society will be more within reach at that time. We will also realize the full consequences of technologies that have developed throughout this cycle including the reality of mass surveillance revealed to the world by Edward Snowden (a major revolutionary figure of this period). 

It’s important to realize that what follows is only a rough sketch of significant, upcoming cycles. Every moment in history is unique because we must consider all cycles involved. To do that in an article would be impossible; to do so in a book would be exhausting. Also, as an evolutionary astrologer, I feel that human will and consciousness can elevate an archetypal complex to a higher level of expression. While it’s certainly much harder when we’re dealing with masses of people, it’s still possible that people can change, and that outcomes may not be so dire as they might initially suggest at first glance.

*The time frames listed represent the entirety of a particular era using 10 or 15 degree orbs between the planets involved. The exact contacts listed are not meant to predict anything on those dates, but are simply the peaks of the cycles discussed.  Often, the symbolism of a particular era becomes more evident at the latter phase of the time band. 

The Jupiter/Uranus/Eris Opposition

Day 14 of Occupy Wallstreet; photo by David Shankbone [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Oct. 2016-Sept. 2018
 
Exact contacts:
Dec 26, 2016
Mar 2, 2016
Sept 27, 2017
 

If you want to plan a creative breakthrough or revolution, do it under the peaks of the Jupiter and Uranus cycle. The last conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus occurred in the years 2010/2011 alongside the building Pluto/Uranus square. There was a lot more going on than just these two planets, but they definitely correlated with an amplification of this collective, revolutionary impulse. We saw uprisings all across the globe, including the Arab Spring uprisings throughout the Middle East and Occupy Wall Street in the U.S. 

The opposition phase of this cycle, which will hit its peak in late Dec 2016 through September 2017, will be the climax of what began around the 2010 time period. What might it look like? People across the world will be increasingly upset with oppression and restriction. Jupiter combined with Uranus wants to expand to new heights and horizons. Many visionaries, artists, and scientific geniuses will make breakthroughs in their fields delivering to us entirely new perceptions of reality and glimpses of what’s possible. But don’t expect to receive these gifts just now. New discoveries and creative works often take place during the cycle and reach the public at later phases.

What you will see is another intense wave of civil unrest and resistance to oppressive conditions in the form of marches, protests, and demonstrations across the world. There will be a collective mood that embraces a sense that new things are possible and infinite frontiers are within reach. Here in the United States, we’re likely to witness the empowerment of revolution and a sense that the status quo is actually changing. In some ways it might, but we must also realize that this archetypal current is easily co-opted by those in power to steer the masses in favor of their own agenda. 

Eris conjunct Uranus is a bit of a mystery since Eris is a recent discovery and we don’t know much about her yet. I do think that Eris, the trickster goddess of chaos and discord, will correlate with the release of unconscious forces within the collective psyche that will be frightening and difficult to fully comprehend. Her conjunction with Uranus is likely the beginning of a new revolutionary movement within the collective psyche that we will understand more fully in hindsight. I feel that Eris may be pointing to the limits of cultural imprinting, seeking to liberate and give voice to deeply repressed, primal impulses which exist in the collective unconscious, as many Trans-Neptunian objects symbolize. The next significant stage of the Jupiter and Uranus cycle, the conjunction, will peak on April 20, 2024. Expect the birth of another wave of revolution then.

 
Saturn/Pluto Conjunction

President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan pay their respects to the caskets of the 17 US victims of the 1983 attack on the United States Embassy in Beirut during the last conjunction of Saturn/Pluto. Image courtesy of the Reagan Library, via Wikimedia Commons.

Jan 2018-Dec 2021
 
Exact contacts:
Jan 12, 2020

Imagine the breakout of disease, the threat of atomic warfare, terrorism, fascism, intense economic contraction, or apocalyptic doom. You now have a good sense of the Saturn/Pluto cycle. That doesn’t mean all these things will actually happen, but their threatening presence often looms within the atmosphere under significant stages of this cycle. The conjunction and opposition phases often correlate with the rise of highly conservative regimes and the confrontation with their dark side. The last opposition took place from July 2001 through June 2002. You might note that Sept.11 fits right in that time band which paved the way for the invasion of Iraq. The last square between Saturn and Pluto occurred from late 2008 through 2010 and coincided with the Global Financial Crises. 
    
Major historical contacts between Saturn and Pluto are what astrologer/historian Richard Tarnas calls “Cycles of Crisis and Contraction.” If you want to understand the full history of this cycle fleshed out, read Tarnas’ book, Cosmos and Psyche. In it, we find correlations of this cycle with the rise and development of international terrorism, fascism, economic downturn, outbreaks of war and disease, and a lot of other unsettling things. This cycle, in particular, will occur in Capricorn and will touch the U.S. Pluto during its Pluto return. Pluto takes approximately 248 years to orbit the Sun. This is the first Pluto return since the birth of the United States. It will be a critical period where we must confront the shadow of America, and deeply reassess our true destiny as a nation.

It all looks rather ominous, but we’ve made it through plenty of other cycles and I’m sure we’ll make it through this one too. While this is likely to be an extremely challenging phase, especially here in the U.S., I’m hopeful that it will also bring to our awareness the need for more accountability, integrity, and ethics within our political structures. I’m hoping that along with the rise of the darker, shadowy elements of this nation there will be a systemic transformation of the establishment. This period has the potential to wake a lot of people up to dimensions of reality that have been deeply repressed, but that might only happen after incredible restrictions and challenges are placed on us for a period of time. 

If you’re hoping for a progressive government in the years ahead, I wouldn’t count on it. It may be another eight years before we see more liberal or progressive leaning politicians take the lead again. There is an element of fear and austerity within this cycle, so if you feel you should prepare for that, I’d suggest doing so. I’m not predicting anything specific, but historically, these are highly uncertain and difficult periods especially for the economy.  

I have an in-depth article on the Saturn/Pluto conjunction here.

Saturn/Neptune Conjunction

A view of Hurricane Katrina over Louisiana and Mississippi on August 29, 2005 during the beginning stages of the Saturn/Neptune opposition; image from the NASA Earth Observatory website, via Wikimedia Commons.

Mar 2024-Apr 2027

Exact contact: 
Feb 20, 2026

Saturn and Neptune symbolize two very different ends of a spectrum. Saturn represents concrete form and worldly manifestation, while Neptune symbolizes the transcendence of the world and the dissolving of boundaries. Imagine that Neptune symbolizes faith, belief, hope, and spiritual yearning, while Saturn symbolizes skepticism, cynicism, rationality, and an aspiration for orderly structure. When these two planets combine, they often correlate with historical periods that pit the rational against the irrational. Such has been the case during the most recent Saturn/Neptune square which peaked from 2015 through 2016 and made its last contact just two months before the 2016 U.S. election. The peaks of the Saturn/Neptune cycle can correlate with periods tainted by the sense of extreme divide and polarity between opposite points of view.

It can generate a sharp contrast between things like religion and science or Democrat and Republican. Saturn can impose a sense of limitation on Neptune, correlating with a collective mood of immense disappointment, loss of faith, or despair. Saturn/Neptune cycles can also correlate with the death and breakdown of a dream or ideal. Such was the case with the recent election; the incredible ideological divide within both parties such as Bernie Sanders versus Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump versus the rest of the Republican establishment. 

Neptune can have a dissolving effect on the very structures we rely upon. With Saturn square Neptune we witnessed the breakdown of the two-party system, a loss of faith in the democratic process, and a collective sense of hopelessness with the American Dream. Past cycles have also coincided with ending of wars (such as both World Wars, the Cold War, and Vietnam), correlating with a collective mood of exhaustion, sorrow, and mourning. However, there is also an opportunity during these times to build bridges between both worlds, between the faith-based and evidence-based. The Dalai Lama, a spiritual leader who truly exemplifies the high end of this ideal was born under an opposition of Saturn and Neptune.

While these periods often correlate with periods of prodigious uncertainty, confusion, and collective disillusionment, they also help to provide awareness of certain blind-spots within our political, economic, spiritual, and scientific establishments. They are opportunities to reach beyond the boundaries which divide us to ultimately reveal the underlying commonality between us all. During these cycles, it’s important to distance yourself from any extreme view or party. The truth is likely between the dividing poles. This upcoming conjunction in 2026 occurs on the Aries Point, the first degree of the tropical sign of Aries. This cycle is likely to be incredibly significant for the entire world. Aries, the sign of the warrior will give this Saturn/Neptune alignment a thrust of power that has the potential to shake up the globe. 

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