US forecast November 23 - December 20, 2017

[Jim Eshelman]

If you are unfamiliar with the methods and interpretations of Sidereal mundane astrology, see my free book Sidereal Mundane Astrology. (A link to the current edition can always be found near the top of the Publications sub-forum.) For standard interpretations, see Chapter 7.


USA Mundane Forecast
for the four weeks beginning November 23, 2017

LONG-TERM (Solar Ingress) PATTERNS Map 1 Map 2
For the twelve months beginning January 14, the United States Year chart promotes greater optimism. It might be the best, most interesting year we've had in quite a while. Jupiter is most angular (IC, 0°56'). Uranus is on Midheaven opposite Jupiter. Sun squares MC and Jupiter.

JUPITER OPPOSITE URANUS brings ideological rebellion - both peaceful and violent forms, as diverse as Woodstock and the storming of the Bastille. Expect remapping of the larger social contract, pushing for wider horizons and expanded opportunities. Medical breakthroughs will accelerate, e.g., there is an excellent chance that the final crack in cancer's defenses will occur this year. Proponents of liberal social and political agendas raise their voices, demanding civil rights and social justice. At best, it brings collective optimism, inventiveness, new tech vision, and futurism.

However, SUN-JUPITER promises plenty of self-serving, elitist "politics as usual" in the mix, motivated by a non-philanthropic tendency of people with money and power wanting more money and power.

With Jupiter most angular, the year is overall optimistic. Expect victories (e.g., military victories and athletic wins), diplomacy and peace, and heightened prosperity, economic expansion, and a spirit of abundance, celebration, and national pride. With Sun angular, the authority of government is a larger, more persistent presence in the typical American's life. As Sun is well aspected, this will be mostly a beneficent presence.

Libsolar Map 1 Map 2
For the three months October 18 to January 15, a positive, upbeat partile Mercury-Jupiter conjunction exactly squares Ascendant. This joins powerful change indicators: Pluto exactly square Midheaven (with Moon square Pluto), and a foreground Sun-Uranus opposition.

Themes to which this year has been building will converge and come to a head in a dramatic movie-like climax in this last quarter before the (substantially different) 2018 Capsolar. Mostly, this will be fiercely positive - with emphasis on the fierce, because this is not a tame, well-behaved chart of settled old orthodoxies. Conventions are advantageously challenged, shaken, and abandoned.

Though bad things do happen under Mercury-Jupiter influence, they are infrequent: This is an uncommon aspect for tragic events. (When they occur, "bad" is in the eye of the beholder: Nearly always, one party has great success to the detriment of another.) Most often, we expect diplomatic success, commercial alliances, trade negotiations, successful conversations and cooperation, and major judicial action. Especially, it is a favorable time for conducting business, so commerce should flourish. People spend more time listening to each other, and mostly good things come from this.

We expect a kinder, more comfortable time, more prone to diplomacy and alliances than to antipathies; but things will not be calm, routine, and predictable. Pluto squares Midheaven (0°50') and Moon squares Pluto (0°12' in mundo), signifying high-impact events, primarily separative and disruptive, that stun our senses and halt our minds with their intensity. Mainstream and counter-establishment sensibilities form the scrimmage. Unnatural events under Pluto tend to be fiercely political, such as leader deaths, departures, and similar crises, terrorist attacks, severing historic relations, and populist challenges to prevailing authority. Also, Sun opposite Uranus (1°36') fosters events psychologically (and often physically) startling and explosive, from great discoveries benefiting everyone to natural disasters, large fires and explosions, sudden violent attacks, and calling leaders to task.

I doubt the hurricane season is over. Besides the Uranus and Pluto, we have a Moon-reinforced Venus-Pluto mundane square (2°) that is geographically distinctive to Washington and nearby areas. In a time of heightened (and likely successful) diplomacy and negotiation, this aspect suggests dramatic changes in relationships, such as secured alliances and treaties; but it also anticipates stark severing of emotional ties, as in loss of loved ones and the destruction of homes and community, on a scale that stuns us. "Government rescue and bail-out" seems to synthesize these diverse elements most widely.


BRIDGE PATTERNS
Several Mars transits to solar ingress angles and Moon cause the Bridge Zones to change frequently during the month. URANUS, transiting Washington's Capsolar Midheaven, is dominant for the entire month, shifting between the other three outermost planets plus Mars.

November 23-25 is a SATURN-URANUS Zone. Expect wide, tense swings between opposites (e.g., freedom-restriction, liberality-conservatism; forces of change and the status quo), with political and practical gridlock until one side gains dominance. Sacred cows may be sacrificed as harsh reality slams the evasive and lazy-minded.

November 26-30 is a MARS-SATURN-URANUS Zone. This continues the Saturn-Uranus themes while intensifying the conflict. Mars joins Uranus on Capsolar Midheaven, with Saturn completing its transit of Cansolar Eastpoint. A new wave of raging natural disasters is certainly possible. Human conflict arises from boldness straining to break loose from recent constraints.

With Saturn's departure, December 1-2 is a simpler pattern, a MARS-URANUS Zone. Restrictions expire. At its best, breakthroughs are possible where constraint has impeded it. The tone is increasingly bold, and the outcome potentially explosive with psychological bombshells and surprise attacks.

December 3-10 we enter very strange territory with a URANUS-NEPTUNE Zone: With Uranus crossing Capsolar Midheaven, CapQ Moon opposes ingress Neptune. Moon-Neptune aspects bring waves of extreme emotional reaction, fervor, herd-mind arousal, and even panic accompanied by confusion, disorientation, uncertainty, and undermined security. (This affects the whole world, not just the U.S.) When it is paired with Uranus, we expect high-impact and psychologically displacing events, stirring waves of mass reaction, and overflowing the bounds of conventional thinking and expectations - even collective altered states of consciousness. Prepare to enter the twilight zone!

December 11-17, Mars' transits of Capsolar Moon and angles brings a MARS-URANUS-NEPTUNE Zone. For a few days, a sense of crisis - deep worry that may rise to agitated panic - holds the national mind. With transiting Mars opposing Capsolar Moon, and CapQ Moon opposing Neptune (both universal to all parts of the world), while Uranus sits on the U.S. Capsolar MC, expect very troubled, vulnerable mental states everywhere.

Finally Pluto returns to the mix, also on a Capsolar angle: December 18-20 is part of a MARS-URANUS-NEPTUNE-PLUTO Zone. The mix is Uranus and Pluto on Capsolar angles (revolutionary, overturning, anti-government, dismantling, startling, destabilizing, odds-violating) with Mars and Neptune aspecting Capsolar Moons (the agitated states of mind just described immediately above).


SHORT-TERM (Lunar Ingress) PATTERNS

Caplunar (Nov 23)
The Caplunar covers November 23 to December 20, and especially the first week, November 23-30. Jupiter rises, Venus is on Eastpoint, and Mercury makes a hidden aspect (PVP square) to the rising Jupiter. Moon squares Uranus ecliptically (partile), and squares Mars mundanely.

Overall, this is a perfect Thanksgiving holiday chart: The tone is positive, but there is no shortage of upsets and squabbles. I would call it opportunistic. Politics has no less strategic maneuvering, but a great deal more emollient than we have tended to see this year. Mercury's aspect to Jupiter is friendly toward business, commercial alliances, diplomacy and negotiations in general, though it likely shows one party's advantageous success over its opponent.

Venus-Jupiter pairings mark celebrations, victories, festivities, love, world-witnessed weddings and births, and happiness. Events center on celebrities and the economically elite. Although usually these planets are protective against tragic disaster, the lunar aspects open the door to painful destruction which, if it occurs, will either be rainfall-based, or will be marked by remarkable luck that avoids or minimizes casualties. (Unless rain-based, they also are likely to be deflected into a later week of the month.) Mostly, the climate (psychological and meteorological) will be acting like your drunk uncle on Turkey Day.

To this, add the usual Moon-Mars and Moon-Uranus indicators (see SMA, Chapter 7). The Uranus aspect is universal, but the Mars aspect is distinctive to the Washington area and, therefore, to the U.S. We should keep our eyes peeled for locations around the country that show particular vulnerability to harm.

One Saturn or another is on CapQ Descendant all week. The peak days are the 24th and 29th, but the 2° orb makes this mostly uninterrupted. With Jupiter dominance in the Caplunar, these won't be the worst days of the year in Washington, but will bring some difficulties for those in government. Mercury joins Saturn much of that time. Additionally, the 25th-26th Mars-Uranus crosses CanQ angles, drawing out the Mars and Uranus themes of the Caplunar.

Arilunar (Nov 30)
The Arilunar covers November 30 to December 6. This is the week when pending crises come to a head. Most of it seems centered directly on President Trump.

Sun is within a degree of Ascendant, focusing attention fully on the Chief Executive. Secondary angularities of Saturn, Mercury, and Neptune tip things in a frustrating, negative, even noxious direction. Two acutely close lunar aspects, Moon conjunct Uranus (0°02') and Moon opposite Mars (0°34') are explosive and (in the context of angular Saturn) severe.

Mercury conjunct Saturn anticipates restrictions, delays, and failures, transportation calamity, and conditions averse to commerce. Communications break down, and doors thought to be open are now closed. While this appears across a range of circumstances, we especially expect significant bad news for or about the President.

A closely angular Saturn with Moon-Uranus and Moon-Mars partile aspects suggests violent tragedy, whether of the weather or direct human action. Mars-Uranus combos are typical of startling violence, surprise attacks, explosive disclosures and other psychological bombshells, and actual explosive events. With so close a Moon-Uranus aspect, effective for the whole world, we expect rapidly changing conditions that require quick adaptation and reorientation, new learning, and new responses, with civil instability a definite possibility. A partile Moon-Mars is common for crisis in general, especially expressed as violence, blood, fire, bombs, earthquakes, accidents, and other high-casualty destruction.

Mercury-Saturn is also on a CapQ angle as the week begins, so its meaning will become immediately obvious. On the 4th-5th, Mercury and Neptune cross the angles, so it is not a good week for Mercury matters. Also, about the 5th, Venus and Neptune straddle CapQ MC, so expect the usual block of events typical of that aspect. Jupiter is angular in the CanQ on the 4th, which should be the best day of the week.

Canlunar (Dec 6)
The Canlunar operates December 6-12. It reiterates every main theme of the Arilunar but in a weaker form, so we expect last week's trends to continue, and perhaps wind down to a conclusion.

Sun again rises (2°00'). Saturn is distantly foreground conjunct a not-quite-foreground Mercury within 0°01'. We lose the widely angular Neptune but, while repeating the Moon-Uranus and Moon-Mars squares, we add a wide Moon-Pluto mundane aspect, and a non-foreground Uranus-Pluto mundane square unique to the Washington region.

Compared to last week, then, we see more follow-through and less acuteness, less uncertainty and "getting the lay of the land" disorientation, and increased chance that old structures will weaken or even fall. The tone of crisis continues, but with less acuity and more sense that we are already in the middle of things and starting to manage them.

Venus and Neptune top the CapQ on the 6th, so a day or two either side will bring the usual set of typical events (see SMA, Chapter 7, for a quick summary).

Liblunar (Dec 12)
The Liblunar covers December 12-20. Neptune squares Midheaven (partile) and Venus squares Ascendant (near-partile). Moon opposes Uranus within 0°14. Even though Venus and Neptune are not in aspect, anytime we see this pair we have to anticipate another major mass murder incident, of which Venus-Neptune is the calling card.

More broadly, we expect events characterized by intense devotion, passionate belief, compelling fantasy or role-playing, performance art, disillusionment, betrayed alliances, perceived offenses, diplomatic embarrassment or loss of esteem. It will be most interesting to see how these dynamics play out, e.g., in Alabama's December 12 special Senate election.

Mars and Saturn cross CapQ angles the 14th, which should be one of the more severe days of the year (and highly vulnerable to mass shooting, given the Liblunar's indications). CapQ MC then squares Saturn on the 16th. Jupiter and Mercury cross CanQ angles on the 13th, so expect very positive results within two days of that date - matching our standard description of Mercury-Jupiter (SMA Chapter 7).

[Jim Eshelman]

PROGRESSIONS

Progressed Saturn conjoins progressed Midheaven. He is weakened and feels progressively increasing burdens, threats, and losses. Standing in deepening, darkening shadow, his long-term picture is dire professionally, politically, and in terms of health. A briar patch has sprung up along the road to the end of his first year in office in January.

His positive Venus-Jupiter conjunction lasts for years. However, the aspect of combat and verbal aggression (Mars to natal Mercury) runs its course by December 7, and a different Donald Trump will emerge - one for whom the main Secondary Progression panorama is the rapidly maturing Saturn-MC conjunction.

Additionally, four Solar Arc directions deserve mention, all active for the entire month. Nearly expired (having been active for the last 23 months) is directed Pluto conjunct natal Jupiter, which has propelled him to the peak of power. Also in its last months is directed Mercury square natal Uranus, which has provided the shocking rhetoric of his meteoric rise. But still building to a head are directed Uranus conjunct natal Mars, an aspect of boldness, uncalculated daring, and surprise attacks, and probably shows rough waters ahead. Meanwhile directed Moon opposes natal Ascendant, an aspect of vulnerability.


TRANSITS

All month, PLUTO squares natal JUPITER. Over many months, this transit redefines status, finances, ethics, and reputation, exalting aspirants to unlikely heights and dragging down those at the pinnacle. Specific results depend on concurrent transits and return charts.

PLUTO still aspects PROGRESSED SUN until November 29, an invitation (or requirement) to redefine oneself, marking separation from things that anchor one's life. Old doors close; new doors open.

SATURN aspects his PLUTO until November 24, a burdensome aspect that fit the demands, worries, and responsibilities of being president. Additionally, this impersonal aspect's very impersonableness makes it hardening, distancing, and uncompassionate. He will take on much when it's his idea, and rejects rules others try to force on him. His relationship with Chief of Staff John Kelly will be tested especially.

URANUS squares his SATURN all month (exactly on December 9). Tension stems from struggles between opposites such as stability vs. change. Current patterns are challenged. Material foundations and personal rigidities are shaken. He reacts strongly against others' efforts to control him, is uncooperative, and demands increasing autonomy.

Amidst these difficulties, he has a measure of protection and relief all month from JUPITER square PROGRESSED MOON. This strong transit contributes a sense of well-being and makes him the center of attention. For much of the month, JUPITER squares his PLUTO, from November 25 to December 5 (exact on November 30), a complicated part of a multifaceted Jupiter + Pluto blending that brings relief due to a critical separation, freeing energies from old entanglements and dissolving unwanted ties and commitments.

Key brief MARS transits help identify hotspot dates:

11/30 - t Mars sq. r Saturn
12/3 - t Mars sq. r Venus
12/15 - t Mars oct. r Uranus
12/20 - t Mars oct. r Moon

Addtionally, progressed Solar Return MOON opposes natal MARS most of the month, until December 19. Typically this progression makes one emotionally aggressive, heated, hot-tempered, and quarrelsome. Old hostilities stir and he is likely to find someone to pick on mercilessly, seeking out their vulnerabilities to try to hurt them as much as possible. Expect him to be more impulsive, rash, hasty, and excited than usual.


SIDEREAL SOLAR RETURN
Please see the June forecast for an analysis of Trump's Sidereal Solar Return.
viewtopic.php?f=46&t=1450#p8523


SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Nov 20)
Jupiter-Pluto symbolism dominates this chart in several ways. Because the new Caplunar has Venus and Jupiter on angles, the country is probably in pretty good shape, and Trump might see a positive expression of Jupiter-Pluto. I doubt it, though, because severe planets pair with it. I think this means that the fate of the country and of its president are not headed in the same direction for three or four weeks.

First, in the Lunar Return itself, Pluto is 2°28' before Ascendant and Jupiter 3°42' before MC. They are in near-partile mundane square. The chart is unquestionably dominated by this Jupiter-Pluto square which, as we have said for several months, either exalts to unimaginable heights or drags from the pinnacles those who have reached them. Donald Bradley summarized the aspect in a Lunar Return thus:

No flights of imagination are allowed by this planetary combination, which is the harbinger of the end of an old and beginning of a new cycle in the native's relationship to his career, his financial status, and the outside world. (Cf. the speedy coronation of new kings.) It is the marker of crises which make or break the native's reputation, by forcing grave issues out into the light of day, for all to see and judge.

Much of the severity attached to this aspect comes from Mars partile square the rising Pluto. For a second Jupiter-Pluto (and a double dose of severity), this Mars-Pluto square falls within 1° (and Mars within 0°14') of Trump's natal Jupiter: This is a "bad Jupiter." Finally, while Jupiter and Pluto are equals in the SLR itself, and transiting Pluto (with Mars) exactly aspects his natal Jupiter, the culminating transiting Jupiter also aspects his natal Pluto (about 2°), an aspect usually best summarized by "gain or advantage arising from separation."

Despite this triple-expression of a single theme, the chart turns out to be more complicated. Its next strongest aspect is a partile Moon-Mars square (mundane), which at least means he is kept incredibly busy, and usually means there is agitation from attack or combat. Combat is a key word of the month with Sun square his natal Mars (partile). Natal Mercury and Saturn straddle Descendant (Mercury closer), reinforcing the busy-ness theme and keeping him preoccupied with technicalities, while the SLR itself has Moon conjunct Mercury and Saturn.

And then, as a clincher, that rising Pluto that squares his Jupiter is mundanely opposite his setting natal Mercury. He is preoccupied with all of those data and technicalities because Pluto-Mercury means "it's time to show the goods" - intellectual confrontations, of course, and unavoidable (often undesired) facts to be sure, but also being compelled to produce answers and results. The least we expect will be new opinions that are independent, unusual, and out of the box. Quite possibly, all of this Jupiter means that the answers are being demanded by a court of law.

Pluto's square to his natal Jupiter crosses SNQ angles November 24-25. Transiting Mars crosses Q Descendant November 27, and transiting Jupiter-Uranus November 28. Pluto crosses Q MC (square his Jupiter) December 2.

DEMI-SLR (Dec 4)
Mars opposes Uranus across the horizon, all quite close. (Uranus is partile conjunct Descendant. All orbs in the pattern are under 2°. The basic expectation of the time, therefore, is sudden (even explosive) aggression, taking unusual risks without regard to danger, surprise attacks, and sudden surges of energy and effort.

Venus makes partile hidden aspects (PVP squares) to both Mars and Uranus. In simple terms, these actions strain relationships. In a mundane chart, this would open the possibility of openly warlike behavior, and we expect much the same in Trump's personal behavior.

Reiterating and deepening this trend, his natal Venus and (a little wider) Saturn conjoin SLR Midheaven, and both square the SLR Mars and Uranus. (Mars square natal Venus and Uranus square natal Saturn are both 0°06' wide. Uranus to Venus and Mars to Saturn are each about 2°.) All year, whenever Trump's Venus-Saturn has found prominence, he has been dismissive of inconvenient alliances and willing to trade away anyone that is inconvenient. He likely has fewer friends as time goes on, and strains in interpersonal relationships intensify during this fortnight.

All this occurs, in the context already described above, of transiting Pluto square his natal Jupiter while transiting Jupiter squares his natal Pluto.

Transiting Jupiter crosses his SNQ Descendant December 10, paran natal Saturn on Q IC. Progressed Jupiter (also square his Saturn) squares Q MC. It seems he gets a great break that day, some advantage or win that implies forgiveness or at least eases worries and stresses for the moment.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Dec 17)
A new Lunar Return in the last days of the Caplunar month is complex, with at least a dozen and a half separate important considerations. These group into a smaller number of clusters.

Most importantly, Sun and Moon are in virtual precise (0°07') mundane conjunction within a degree of SLR Descendant. Aspects this powerful signal that this is one of the most important Lunar Returns of his year. Exact Moon-Sun aspects signal a cross-roads, turning point, or phase change. The conjunction, in particular, represents the start of a new cycle in life, although - Moon being not quite to the conjunction yet - this takes the visible form of old cycles closing to make way for something new. Doors can be ripped open and slammed shut! There is refocusing on the direction in which that life is proceeding. Assertiveness is strong and driven by an instinct that destiny demands a new road.

Falling on Descendant brings focus on close relationships of all types, whether in cooperation or competition. He seeks attention and ratification of his importance from others, not from within himself. More than usual (if that's possible!) he draws attention and is the center of it - the eye of it!

But the relationships that matter most this month are severe ones (or more precious ones suffer significantly). Saturn also sets, and conjoins both luminaries. Incompatibility stands exposed. Competition and separation outpace cooperation. Sun-Saturn and Moon-Saturn bring burdens, a sense of hardship and abandonment, and more to handle and manage than any of us would care to have.

A foreground Mercury-Venus conjunction (and a mundane Moon-Venus) gives some grace and the opportunity to be heard. These, however, are weaker than the Moon-Sun-Saturn set.

Natal Sun also rises closely (and natal Uranus less closely). The two Suns are in close opposition across the horizon, again emphasizing that he is in the spotlight, the hub of swarming attention. Ego needs are intensified, and form the eye of the storm. It is probably one or another form of his solar nature that is most especially the center of the new month's events.

Mercury opposes natal Uranus (foreground, partile). New things are learned! This may mean that Trump himself makes important discoveries, is surprised, and develops insight, or that information about him is brought into the public arena.

These discoveries and disclosures set the predicted new cycle into motion, breaking up old, locked-in patterns and generally shaking up his status quo; for all this occurs in a chart that also has middleground squares (0°08' wide each) of Pluto to his Jupiter and Uranus to his Saturn.

Secret shames and doubts touch the soul whenever natal or progressed Saturn crosses a quotidian angle, as happens for Trump December 19. That is the main Q contact until just after Christmas... which takes us into next month's forecast.

[Jim Eshelman]

Full disclosure: I may not be able to finish this before the new Caplunar come in early tomorrow morning,. I will at least have the first post at a stage where no further editing will change meaning. Trump Watch is done for the transits and the first lunar, so I'll have the other lunars finished before they come in. The Other Locations section is mostly just posting map, so being tardy isn't really an issue with that: The predictions for that page are de facto whatever SMA Chapter 7 says about the lines, whether I write anything else or not.

Later, Moon 27° Sagittarius. The first post of this thread is finished. On to the next, as much as I can get done tonight. Trumps new SLR and his transits are already done.

Later, 11/24. The rest of Trump Watch is done. Just the maps to post now.

[Jim Eshelman]

There are a whole lot of people that have been talking to the special counsel... and things seem to be accelerating. Many observers are remarking that they seem on a tight time schedule.

Please read Trump's current SLR interpretation above with this in mind.

[Jim Eshelman]

The Moon has entered Aries, and the morning is off to a roaring start in Washington. Here's a reminder of what the Arilunar portends.

Arilunar (Nov 30)
The Arilunar covers November 30 to December 6. This is the week when pending crises come to a head. Most of it seems centered directly on President Trump.

Sun is within a degree of Ascendant, focusing attention fully on the Chief Executive. Secondary angularities of Saturn, Mercury, and Neptune tip things in a frustrating, negative, even noxious direction. Two acutely close lunar aspects, Moon conjunct Uranus (0°02') and Moon opposite Mars (0°34') are explosive and (in the context of angular Saturn) severe.

Mercury conjunct Saturn anticipates restrictions, delays, and failures, transportation calamity, and conditions averse to commerce. Communications break down, and doors thought to be open are now closed. While this appears across a range of circumstances, we especially expect significant bad news for or about the President.

A closely angular Saturn with Moon-Uranus and Moon-Mars partile aspects suggests violent tragedy, whether of the weather or direct human action. Mars-Uranus combos are typical of startling violence, surprise attacks, explosive disclosures and other psychological bombshells, and actual explosive events. With so close a Moon-Uranus aspect, effective for the whole world, we expect rapidly changing conditions that require quick adaptation and reorientation, new learning, and new responses, with civil instability a definite possibility. A partile Moon-Mars is common for crisis in general, especially expressed as violence, blood, fire, bombs, earthquakes, accidents, and other high-casualty destruction.

Mercury-Saturn is also on a CapQ angle as the week begins, so its meaning will become immediately obvious. On the 4th-5th, Mercury and Neptune cross the angles, so it is not a good week for Mercury matters. Also, about the 5th, Venus and Neptune straddle CapQ MC, so expect the usual block of events typical of that aspect. Jupiter is angular in the CanQ on the 4th, which should be the best day of the week.

[Jim Eshelman]

Mueller has charged Flynt with knowingly lying to the FBI. (Only one count, so you know there is a cooperation deal in place.)

Please read the Arilunar forecast, and Trump'SLR forecast with this mind. I think the only detail I have wrong is that currebt events are bad for commerce.

Pluto's square to his natal Jupiter crosses SNQ angles November 24-25. Transiting Mars crosses Q Descendant November 27, and transiting Jupiter-Uranus November 28. Pluto crosses Q MC (square his Jupiter) December 2.

This, of course, has some orb to it. When CNN broke the news about 9:30 AM EST, Trump's SNQ had the following:

22°11' Sag SNQ MC
22°50' Sag t Pluto
23°28' Vir r Jupiter

[Jim Eshelman]

Moon has entered Cancer. Here is a review of the Canlunar predictions, which resemble last weeks with a few differences. (Reread the Arilunar for that.)

The Mercury-Saturn conjunction is only 0°01'. We're seeing this on a LOT of charts right now, and over the next month or so, so we have a chance to learn new stuff by watching its manifestations. These are especially important because Mercury-Saturn themes dominate the next Capsolar in a way that affects the entire world. The more we know now, the more accurate the 2018 predictions will be

Canlunar (Dec 6)
The Canlunar operates December 6-12. It reiterates every main theme of the Arilunar but in a weaker form, so we expect last week's trends to continue, and perhaps wind down to a conclusion.

Sun again rises (2°00'). Saturn is distantly foreground conjunct a not-quite-foreground Mercury within 0°01'. We lose the widely angular Neptune but, while repeating the Moon-Uranus and Moon-Mars squares, we add a wide Moon-Pluto mundane aspect, and a non-foreground Uranus-Pluto mundane square unique to the Washington region.

Compared to last week, then, we see more follow-through and less acuteness, less uncertainty and "getting the lay of the land" disorientation, and increased chance that old structures will weaken or even fall. The tone of crisis continues, but with less acuity and more sense that we are already in the middle of things and starting to manage them.

Venus and Neptune top the CapQ on the 6th, so a day or two either side will bring the usual set of typical events (see SMA, Chapter 7, for a quick summary).

[SteveS]

Jim wrote:

The Mercury-Saturn conjunction is only 0°01'. We're seeing this on a LOT of charts right now, and over the next month or so, so we have a chance to learn new stuff by watching its manifestations. These are especially important because Mercury-Saturn themes dominate the next Capsolar in a way that affects the entire world. The more we know now, the more accurate the 2018 predictions will be

Interesting observation. When I looked at 2018 Capsolar several months ago, that partile Moon-Mercury-Saturn conjunction caught my eye relative to DC’s acute angular 2018 activity. Will be very interesting to see how this 2018 Capsolar manifests itself.

[Jim Eshelman]

The Moon-Mercury-Saturn is what I call a universal aspect, which simply means an ecliptical aspect which, therefore, is operative everywhere on Earth. (This contrasts with mundane aspects, which are only operative in particular locations.)

For Washington, the foreground planets are similar to this year. This year we had Sun, Jupiter, Uranus, and Pluto foreground. Next year, it is Sun, Venus, Uranus, and Pluto, with Pluto being strongest, and Sun-Venus-Uranus aspects most important. But in the background, Moon, Mercury, and Saturn are all squeezed into 2°27' of the ecliptic, so everybody ill be feeling it.

We have so much of this Mercury-Saturn in mundane charts and critical personal charts for the next month-plus (due to Mercury's retrograde cycle) that I think we should watch how it operates now and try to pick up some fine points for the new year.

PS - Not to turn this into a 2018 Capsolar thread... Mercury-Saturn in the Capsolar will be on angles as follows:

MC - Parts of India, Bangladesh, and obscure western China.
IC - Through the middle U.S.but especially Mexico City
Asc - Much of Western Africa and through much of Europe, with special focus on Ivory Coast through Morocco and Tunisia, then most of eastern Europe, including a lot of potential hotspots. (I particularly don't like how Rome looks, but it's not alone.)
Dsc - No place in particular
Squares to angles - Add Great Britain, Portugal, Spain, western Africa, New Zealand (right on it!),

Geopolitics aside (in which I wonder if the Sagittarian themes will also play heavily), there are a lot of areas here highly vulnerable to earthquakes and destructive storms.

[SteveS]

We have so much of this Mercury-Saturn in mundane charts and critical personal charts for the next month-plus (due to Mercury's retrograde cycle) that I think we should watch how it operates now and try to pick up some fine points for the new year.

I understand. Since you are more mentally tuned in to your personal mundane sight, let us know any possible conclusions about this month long Mercury-Saturn. Maybe Trump's decision about Israel/Jerusalem for the beginning, leading to increasing terrorist's attacks??

[Jim Eshelman]

My boilerplate text for Mercury-Saturn in mundane charts reads:

Restrictions, delays, failures, or calamity relating to transportation. Communication breakdowns. Commerce interrupted.

Nothing strange, right? I do note that "bad for commerce" or "commerce interrupted" hasn't been accurate for the last week if we mean things measurable by the stock market, which (despite slowing down yesterday) boomed. We could get nit-picky and say that tech stocks were responsible for part of the drop (sounds Mercurial), but I don't think that ws it - I think it was Trump-related news.

In contrast, Mercury-Jupiter is generally good because, underneath everything else, I think it shows that people are actually listening to each other. Listening to each other helps diplomacy flourish, lets commerce happen smoothly, lets other "successful conversations" occur, and lets success occur in general.

So, for Mercury-Saturn, I'm expecting more signs of people not listening to each other, not valuing what the other has to say. What are the consequences of this? Well, all sorts of things. For example, diplomacy faiuls, business has roadblocks, people have less success. There is a different tone in the air, including distrust.

Mercury-Saturn is also well-known for "all sorts of little things going wrong." This, too, may trace back to not enough information. It routinely brings major frustrations more than major stops, with disappointment
being one of the most useful words. In personal astrology, it causes a lot of Freudian slips, self-sabotage, unconscious defeat mechanisms, and these are responsible for most of the problems people run into.

I think we'll see much of this same sort of thing mundanely, but I'd like to actually watch a long stretch of it to find out.

The natural disaster remarks I made were more in the spirit that where the aspect is angular in an ingress, we have Saturn angular for that spot! Furthermore, it's a "boosted" Saturn - something else going on - and that something else is Mercury. Most of the areas I named are especially vulnerable to earthquakes, hurricanes, and/or tornadoes.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

My boilerplate text for Mercury-Saturn in mundane charts reads:

Restrictions, delays, failures, or calamity relating to transportation. Communication breakdowns. Commerce interrupted.

Nothing strange, right? I do note that "bad for commerce" or "commerce interrupted" hasn't been accurate for the last week if we mean things measurable by the stock market, which (despite slowing down yesterday) boomed. We could get nit-picky and say that tech stocks were responsible for part of the drop (sounds Mercurial), but I don't think that ws it - I think it was Trump-related news.

Money laundering is also commerce.
I think there's been a lot of commerce interrupted, just not anything on the stock market, nor on main st. This week has been filled with news of bad commerce being interrupted. See Manafort's attempts to justify what he was doing in Ukraine landing him in it up to his shoulders.

[Jim Eshelman]

Mercury-Saturn = scrutiny?

[Jim Eshelman]

Regrettably, Sidereal Mundane Astrology was correct again. I predicted typical Venus-Neptune events (which primarily means mass shooting events) within a day or two of the 6th. Today, the 7th, there was a school shooting in Aztec, NM.

Happily, only three people died, which is low for recent events.

[Jim Eshelman]

Today is the Alabama Senator election. Most of the charts (conveniently cast for Montgomery) show confusion and strong emotional swings, plus an unusual focus on a solar figure... probably the role of President Trump.

The Canlunar has been dominated by a rising Sun, square Neptune. The CapQ brings Neptunes to the angles today and tomorrow. Transits to Capsolar include Uranus exactly square Asc, with Sun flipping through for the day to make a Sun-Uranus effect. I really can

If Moore wins it will because Trump pressed the point that he needs a Republican in the Senate for the raw numbers on votes, and that Trump's overall agenda depends on it. It won't be because of Moore himself.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

Jones won. The Senate is 48 Dems, 2 Independents, 50 Repubs, and Pence. McConnell said Strange will stay on till the next session and then Jones will take over. But by then the Dems who were accused of misconduct will leave, so he'll still have a chance to shove bills through.

But Jones WON.

[Jim Eshelman]

Yes!

Thank you, Steve.

[SteveS]

A-lot of us Alabamians have known the Judge was a snake--even before the sexual perversion came to light.

[Jim Eshelman]

A-lot of us Alabamians have known the Judge was a snake--even before the sexual perversion came to light.

Good to know ...since it was pretty obvious to the rest of us, too. He was openly and unapologetically a disgusting person even before he emerged as a truly disgusting person.

As Colbert said Monday night, a Roy Moore is exactly what a lot of Alabamans are looking for... especially the police.

[SteveS]

As Colbert said Monday night, a Roy Moore is exactly what a lot of Alabamans are looking for... especially the police.

IMO, more so with the religious bigotry of the Church's in the Bible Belt, which I sincerely believe is the worst evil on the planet. Believe me I know with mucho experience in a Board Room with the President being absolutely brainwashed by the Church! Judge thought the Church would get him elected but he was --for the first time in his snake life--the Church did not pull him through to a higher power position. I am encouraged for the first time to see this shift in Bama.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

IMO, more so with the religious bigotry of the Church's in the Bible Belt, which I sincerely believe is the worst evil on the planet.

Total agreement.

[Jim Eshelman]

Some people (maybe some of you!) would think I'm nuts for this, but...

My long-term view of our rights is that rights are more something to grant than to claim.

That is, if people were more intent and granting or basic rights to each other, nobody would have to worry about whether to claim them for themselves.

Take freedom of religion, for example: The big issue is people claiming their own freedom of religion and notf realizing that it means everybody else (everybody else) has the same right. If the focus were on giving others (everybody!) freedom of religion... (you get the point).

The problem is made worse when somebody's religion (in their view) says they have to make sure it's the only tolerated religion. Plays hell with universal rights.

[SteveS]

The problem is made worse when somebody's religion (in their view) says they have to make sure it's the only tolerated religion. Plays hell with universal rights.

Exactly

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

Religion is what's supposed to encourage people to raise other people up - but it doesn't. It mostly supports the we vs them mindset that believes you have to knock other people down or get knocked down yourself.

You can't grant somebody else rights. They're born with them. You can only block their free exercise of their rights, or support them when they re-claim them from somebody else trying to block them from exercising them. Before people will help you reclaim your rights, you have to assert you have those rights and are being blocked from using them.

I guess that puts me on the side of people claiming their rights. Defending their rights?
(Who do you think you are trying to grant my rights to me anyway? I got yer granting my rights to me right here. Waves shotgun. Get off my lawn! )

[SteveS]

I hear you JSAD.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

"The fire broke out on Dec. 6 just before 5 a.m. at an encampment under Interstate 405 and Sepulveda Boulevard in Los Angeles County, the department said. " (Dec 6, 2017)
ABC News http://abcnews.go.com/US/skirball-brush ... d=51746393

"The 422-acre Skirball Fire broke out at 4:50 a.m. Dec. 6 on the east side of the 405 Freeway near Mulholland Drive. It destroyed six homes and damaged 12 others, and at one time prompted the evacuation of about 700 homes and an apartment building. It also shut down the 405 Freeway for several hours."
CBS News https://www.cbsnews.com/news/skirball-f ... epartment/

Apparently that was a homeless camp.

[Jim Eshelman]

As part off assessing the forecast and, generally, looking in the rearview mirror...

The new tax bill isn't signed yet. The House has to re-aff it, then it goes to Trump for signature and that's not likely to happen within the next hour (before Moon enters Capricorn). Nonetheless, from the political point of view, this tax legislation has been the chief feature of this Caplunar. I think it's a very good example of how mundane charts don't have moral elements. They are descriptive of psychological states, impressions, actions, reactions, etc., and of events that spin out of these or that stir these responses, and therefore can anticipate kinds of behavior, and our best approach, usually, is to describe that anticipated behavior on its own terms.

These last few weeks have seen a confluence of Jupiters, with a little malicious steak running through the middle.

The Capsolar, of course, is Jupiter-dominant (though not Jupiter at all). I suppose we can even find the Jupiter-Uranus and Sun-Jupiter aspects specifically descriptive of the tax overall: Jupiter-Uranus for "Jupiter-related changes" (on a scope not undertaken in 30 years at least), and Sun-Jupiter in its typical manifestation of people with power and money acting to get more power and money. The economically elite will likely have their revenue-enhancing changes before the Capsolar expires in a month. I didn't really anticipate this with Jupiter-Uranus, but I did speak of it under Sun-Jupiter.

However, SUN-JUPITER promises plenty of self-serving, elitist "politics as usual" in the mix, motivated by a non-philanthropic tendency of people with money and power wanting more money and power.

Where it really started gearing up was in the Libsolar, with that exact Mercury-Jupiter conjunction exactly square Ascendant. This is an aspect of diplomacy - in this case, not between nations, but between factions. The Republican law-makers had very successful negotiations and general (profitable) business dealings among themselves. There are other specific characteristics of Mercury-Jupiter that were anticipated, and accurately described, under the Libsolar in passages originally written last September; for example,

Though bad things do happen under Mercury-Jupiter influence, they are infrequent: This is an uncommon aspect for tragic events. (When they occur, "bad" is in the eye of the beholder: Nearly always, one party has great success to the detriment of another.) Most often, we expect diplomatic success, commercial alliances, trade negotiations, successful conversations and cooperation, and major judicial action. Especially, it is a favorable time for conducting business, so commerce should flourish. People spend more time listening to each other, and mostly good things come from this.

The maliciousness I mentioned is in aspects involving Capsolar Moon and its progressions. As the Bridge section outlines, in addition to Uranus and Pluto transits to Capsolar angles, the CapQ has a progressed Moon-Neptune opposition, and Mars transits Capsolar Moon. These have all been building since at least the 11th, with all the forces coming together beginning December 18 and continuing past today into the next week.

Finally, the November 23 Caplunar itself. Again, it was mostly Jupiter. It looks like a "good time for all" chart, but the "for all" part didn't work out so well. Look at the chart yourself, and see the patterns; but here are some quotes of what was said about it.

...Jupiter rises, Venus is on Eastpoint, and Mercury makes a hidden aspect (PVP square) to the rising Jupiter. Moon squares Uranus ecliptically (partile), and squares Mars mundanely.

Overall, this is a perfect Thanksgiving holiday chart: The tone is positive, but there is no shortage of upsets and squabbles. I would call it opportunistic. Politics has no less strategic maneuvering, but a great deal more emollient than we have tended to see this year. Mercury's aspect to Jupiter is friendly toward business, commercial alliances, diplomacy and negotiations in general, though it likely shows one party's advantageous success over its opponent.

Venus-Jupiter pairings mark celebrations, victories, festivities, love, world-witnessed weddings and births, and happiness. Events center on celebrities and the economically elite...

I'm not sure whether the December 12 Liblunar (which switched thematic gears) plays into this or not but here is an interesting passage, speaking of its Venus-Neptune dominance:

...we expect events characterized by intense devotion, passionate belief, compelling fantasy or role-playing, performance art, disillusionment, betrayed alliances, perceived offenses, diplomatic embarrassment or loss of esteem.

Of course, this came in the same day that Roy Moore was trounced in Alabama.

[SteveS]

Jim wrote:

I think it's a very good example of how mundane charts don't have moral elements. They are descriptive of psychological states, impressions, actions, reactions, etc., and of events that spin out of these or that stir these responses, and therefore can anticipate kinds of behavior, and our best approach, usually, is to describe that anticipated behavior on its own terms.

Exactly Jim, well stated. IMO, we always need to look at these mundane charts for DC in the light they cast on psychological states of being pertaining to power structures within the Beltway and speculative's how they may affect these power structures.

[Jim Eshelman]

NY Times just broke the news that, in "early December," Trump became furious with the expansion of the Mueller investigation and "told advisers in no uncertain terms that Mr. Mueller's investigation had to be shut down." (The investigation had reportedly started looking into Trump's business dealings through Deutsche Bank. Trump backed down when assured that these reports were incorrect.)
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/10/us/p ... ember.html

We've often said here that it's hard to judge these mundane forecasts because there is so much we don't know about what is actually happening. I wish we had a date for this one, but at least we have a general time. Here, though, are thing forecast for the "early December" 2017 period:

Progressed Saturn conjoins progressed Midheaven. He is weakened and feels progressively increasing burdens, threats, and losses. Standing in deepening, darkening shadow, his long-term picture is dire professionally, politically, and in terms of health. A briar patch has sprung up along the road to the end of his first year in office in January. [...]

[Transiting] URANUS squares his SATURN all month (exactly on December 9). Tension stems from struggles between opposites such as stability vs. change. Current patterns are challenged. Material foundations and personal rigidities are shaken. He reacts strongly against others' efforts to control him, is uncooperative, and demands increasing autonomy. [...]

Additionally, progressed Solar Return MOON opposes natal MARS most of the month, until December 19. Typically this progression makes one emotionally aggressive, heated, hot-tempered, and quarrelsome. Old hostilities stir and he is likely to find someone to pick on mercilessly, seeking out their vulnerabilities to try to hurt them as much as possible. Expect him to be more impulsive, rash, hasty, and excited than usual. [...]

DEMI-SLR (Dec 4)
Mars opposes Uranus across the horizon, all quite close... The basic expectation of the time, therefore, is sudden (even explosive) aggression, taking unusual risks without regard to danger, surprise attacks, and sudden surges of energy and effort.

Venus makes partile hidden aspects (PVP squares) to both Mars and Uranus. In simple terms, these actions strain relationships. In a mundane chart, this would open the possibility of openly warlike behavior, and we expect much the same in Trump's personal behavior.

...All year, whenever Trump's Venus-Saturn has found prominence, he has been dismissive of inconvenient alliances and willing to trade away anyone that is inconvenient...