US forecast February 13 - March 12, 2018

[Jim Eshelman]

USA Mundane Forecast
for the four weeks beginning February 13, 2018
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.


LONG-TERM (Solar Ingress) PATTERNS Map 1 Map 2
The 12 months beginning January 15, 2018 will be a stronger, less forgiving version of 2016. The Capsolar for Washington has Pluto square Ascendant (0°08'), and Uranus 0°42' from Westpoint. 2018 will be unstable, revolutionary, revising, remapping, anti-establishment, and often anti-government. It will embody a spirit of revolution that assaults current systems, tearing at iconic structures. This time, however, a different party is in power. Victory in the 2018 elections will tend to fall to whomever can present himself or herself as the greater rebel.

Pluto signals high-impact, stunning events that sever connections. Mainstream and counter-establishment sensibilities confront each other. Events are fiercely political, such as leader crises, terrorist attacks, bombs, financial crises, and severing historic relations. Natural disasters include hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods.

Uranus signals explosions (literal or metaphorical); sudden rupture, shock, and surprise; and overflowing normal boundaries and limitations. Expect disclosures and revelations, surprise attacks, changes in leadership, protests, revolts, and their counteracting suppression.

Substantial changes in foreign relations are a certainty with a foreground Sun-Venus-Uranus. These aspects are foreground through much of the Americas, so the U.S.'s stance regarding the Western Hemisphere may fundamentally shift.

Venus-Uranus also signals shifting social values, including increased liberty in Venus matters. What would 2018's version of legalizing same-sex marriage be? It may have only been a blip on the radar until now, as Uranus and Pluto insist on startling us with the unlikely and unconceived. "Culture wars" kick up more intensely for the midterm elections. The voice of rebellion is concentrated on those in the highest office.

Universal to the whole world, Moon conjoins Mercury and Saturn. Mercury + Saturn applies to the entire world and, in a more negative way (because it's closer), especially to Washington.

Many Moon-Jupiter aspects in recent Capsolars have corresponded to economic recovery. Expect the opposite from this close Moon-Saturn. Recession is not unthinkable. Capsolars had close Moon-Saturn aspects in 1819, 1837, and 2008, which should concern any student of American money crises. Its record for violent inhumanity is heart-stopping. It also appeared for the Galveston, Labor Day, and Andrew hurricanes: Climate destabilization will escalate faster in 2018 than in any previous year, with tragic, life-smashing consequences.

From Mercury + Saturn, expect worldwide restrictions, delays, failures, or calamity relating to transportation and communication breakdowns. Communication fails either from technical failures or because people simply stop listening to each other. Cybersecurity becomes a greater priority than cyber-expansion. Data integrity is increasingly doubted. Commerce is interrupted in the newly negative environment. More newspapers go out of business, and more small businesses close their doors. Information flow is interrupted and rationed. Moon-Mercury also keeps our attention on the media which, itself, is much of the story.

With Saturn's important passage through Sagittarius, themes of internationalism, immigration, aviation, elitism, hierarchical economic separation, and, well, missiles will take up much of your headline space for 2018.

Moon-Saturn signals hardship, narrowing, sacrifice, loss, and sadness, with little cause for celebration. Bereavement for widely beloved figures, deprivation and disappointment, destructive assaults by people and nature, and other forms of hardship focus primarily on alienation and divisiveness. It will be a good year for undertakers.

Finally, Washington has a Mars-Jupiter PVP conjunction. This furthers the concerns of financial crisis. It could be as slight as the government shutdown of 2013 or as ravaging as the market crash of 1929, but probably will be something between. Resources are squandered, stretched past their capacity. Moon-Saturn does not leave much room for positive expressions of Mars-Jupiter, such as boosted productivity. Religious evangelism and other belief-driven enthusiasm and aggression accelerate. Bigots have louder voices. In nature, as in human affairs, expect stormy weather.


BRIDGE PATTERNS
All month, CapQ Moon conjoins Mercury - an aspect exact February 13 as this new month begins. This is a phase of unfolding the Capsolar's important Moon-Mercury-Saturn theme, described above. Mercury is also the main descriptive planet for the month from the new Caplunar.

Mercury themes are so diverse, I can't list them all. They center on inquiry, curiosity, exchange of information, data processing, and transportation, and so they trigger events centered on the news media, investigators, commerce, and the old stand-by "communication and transportation." Moon-Mercury is strategic and capable at sophisticated deployment. If there are large natural disasters during this time, they will involve extreme wind.

Pluto transits Capsolar angles all month, as does Uranus much of the month. Saturn continues to transit CapQ Moon for a couple of weeks. These layer as follows:

February 13-21 combines all of these in a MERCURY-SATURN-URANUS-PLUTO zone. This is an especially difficult, challenging time, somber and even sinister. During Saturn-Moon patterns, we have weeks of unusually plentiful, unusually tragic stories of hardship, sacrifice, loss, and sadness, which here combine with uprooting, separative, and even rabidly radical theme. For example, I expect several newsworthy terrorist bombings through the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

February 22-23 is a brief MERCURY-SATURN-PLUTO zone. This feels harsh and merciless, separative and loss-laden. It seems the shock is gone and the grinding hardship remains. It concludes the month of Saturn transits.

February 24 to March 4, we have a MERCURY-PLUTO zone. The tone changes from hardship to confrontation. Expect major collisions, whether of information, communication, or vehicles (but especially of ideas). Consequences of events, stunning the intellect, may be so impactful that they significantly reframe how people think. Challenging unearthed information demands our attention.

Finally, March 5-12 Mars crosses Cansolar angles for a one-week MERCURY-MARS-PLUTO zone. These days have a sense of crisis - for example, they are war-prone, though the combat could be entirely domestic and internal. They speak of violence, though it could be wholly psychological. These days demand attention and leave scars.


SHORT-TERM (Lunar Ingress) PATTERNS

Caplunar (Feb 13)
The Caplunar, covering February 13 to March 12 (especially the first week, February 13-20), is foremost a Mercury chart, with strong support from more widely angular Sun and Jupiter. Moon is exactly square Uranus (0° 13') and widely conjunct Pluto.

Inquiry and communication are chief themes of this month, with a regular stream of revelations and disclosures. All the usual Mercury themes mark the time, including commerce, communication, transportation, and science, with a particular focus (given Moon's aspects) on those who investigate and uncover, whether it be the press, congressional committees, law enforcement, academic researchers, or others.

Mercury, Sun, and Jupiter are closely connected. What a great configuration for business! Besides highlighting Mercury themes, these aspects suggest diplomatic success, commercial alliances, trade negotiations, successful conversations and cooperation, and major judicial decisions. The general picture is positive and protective, although politics do egg things on motivated by a non-philanthropic tendency of people with money and power wanting more. If there is not already a budget deal in Congress (for a deadline the week before), one appears quickly once this chart is in place.

Through it all, Moon-Uranus produces a steady stream of surprises, or even shocks; of revelations and disclosures; and of sudden plot-twists and rapid adaptation to changing terrain. Other than Uranus-Pluto elements, the Caplunar is substantially different from the Capsolar.

Mercury runs near CapQ IC most of the week. Jupiter squares quotidian MC February 15; key events of the week should materialize within a couple of days of that date. CanQ angles touch Uranus on the 15th and Saturn on the 16th, so these Jupiter events will be marked by tension, struggle, and perhaps a clear winner-loser situation: no win-win on this one.)

Arilunar (Feb 20)
The Arilunar covers February 20-26. The chart for Washington is almost entirely about Moon-Uranus: They are conjunct (0°23'), with both partile square Ascendant.

Moon and Uranus both exactly angular reflects unsettledness and rebellion in mass mind. Herd-like gatherings of citizens exert their common (probably angry) voice. The result is challenging and populist, overflowing boundaries, delivering sudden, eruptive, even explosive, shifting conditions of all sorts, including surprise attacks, rapidly shifting conditions that require quick adaptation and reorientation, new learning and new responses, and surprising revelations and disclosures.

Jupiter crosses CapQ Ascendant February 23, for the most positive, prospering, successful day of the week in Washington. (As usual, quotidian crossings are plus-minus two days.)

Canlunar (Feb 26)
The Canlunar covers February 26 to March 12, and repeats last week's themes: Moon is 0°04' from Eastpoint, and Uranus less than 3° from Midheaven; and they are 0°50' from exact square.

The interpretation is the same as that given for the Arilunar, except that the precision of Moon's angularity increases the populist and human interest angle. Foreground Moon represents powerful response by the masses feeling strongly about events.

February 27, CapQ Ascendant conjoins transiting Jupiter and Capsolar Mars. This is a classic mark of a big win - a competitive edge and significant victory from capable aggression. CanQ Ascendant crosses two Plutos on 2/28 and 3/2.

Liblunar (Mar 4)
The Liblunar is dormant, so the Canlunar persists another week. What the Liblunar does bring is more Moon-Uranus, so the trends already present for two weeks will continue.

March 6 and 9, CapQ IC crosses Neptune. These will be the center days of confusion, disorientation, over-reaction, and a kind of insanity (more than the usual). Also on 3/9, the Cansolar's volatile Mars-Uranus crosses CanQ angles, so expect an attacking, explosive, blind-siding tone. A Jupiter crossing 3/12 welcomes in the next Caplunar.

[Jim Eshelman]

PROGRESSIONS
Progressed Saturn conjunct progressed Midheaven was exact in January. We have watched the president's position weaken. He has been challenged by increasing burdens, threats, and losses. His long-term picture is dire professionally, politically, and in terms of health.

Compounding the sense of personal crisis are two Moon-Pluto progressed conjunctions. Progressed Moon conjoins natal Pluto until the 19th (it peaked January 26). Beginning the 18th, progressed Moon conjoins progressed Pluto, in a seamless handoff. Concurrently, Moon sextiles progressed Mars. Moon-Pluto expressions already part of Trump's character include refusal to comply with others' expectations or standards, and little regard for convention or for other people or their feelings. What happens under this progression, though, is more acute. Expect separation, isolation, a wish to escape from pressing conditions, perhaps someone's death, certainly a culmination that involves crossing a threshold that has no going back. Everything that has been pressing and challenging him comes to a head with these two Moon-Pluto progressions.

Some positive (protective?) patterns for Trump begin this month. With a long-term progressed Venus conjunct natal Jupiter, he now begins progressed Sun semi-square natal Jupiter.


TRANSITS
URANUS squares natal SATURN until February 26. Tension stems from struggles between opposites such as stability vs. change. Current patterns are challenged, shaking material foundations and personal rigidities. President Trump reacts strongly against others' efforts to control him, is uncooperative, and demands increasing autonomy.

Beginning February 23, URANUS squares his VENUS. The expected impact on relationships extends to foreign relations. So far, we have seen his aggressive stance toward North Korea, other shifting foreign relationships, and spurts of abandoning allies - behaving unfaithfully to them despite his own expectations of unflinching loyalty from others.

Until March 8, SATURN squares natal NEPTUNE. (It is exact February 22.) This is a demoralizing aspect filled with frustration and disillusionment. Dreams fail. Security feels undermined. Personal demons and troubled mental states may emerge. He comes to feel he has few or no options. Health can weaken. Abdications and removals are not unusual.

During the first week, until February 21, there is solace as JUPITER aspects natal NEPTUNE. This eases psychological pressures and brings hope and religious-like faith in one's dreams and ideas. Yet it fades just before Saturn to Neptune is exact, meaning that the time from about the 22nd will be much darker than the days before.

After these are faded for the month, two other brief transits stir aggression and unusual ferocity. Transiting Mars conjoins Trump's Moon March 4 and opposes his Sun March 7.


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 (Feb 10)
Matters come to a climax in the new SLR February 10. Pluto exactly rises (0°43'). A line is drawn in the sand. He stands alone, separated from others just as Pluto separates his new future from life as it existed before February 10.

Conditions remap his reality. We have a clue as to the area in which this decisive remapping occurs, because rising Pluto squares natal Jupiter. This SLR gives Pluto a further shot at remapping Donald Trump's career, wealth, ethics, and esteem. The aspect either exalts the unlikely to positions of startling eminence, or drags the uplifted off their pinnaces to ruin. The aspect alone does not tell us which way things will go this time for Donald Trump.

Another sign of his being alone and cut off is his natal Venus-Saturn conjunction on Descendant. There is sadness, a spoiled party, a lost dearness.

Furthermore, transiting Pluto, still many degrees (and a couple of years) from opposite his Saturn in the zodiac, is much closer to opposite his Saturn mundanely. Thus, both Uranus (by half-degree ecliptical square) and Pluto (by wider mundane opposition) strongly aspecting Trump's Saturn; this shakes the concrete and certain in his life, threatens his security, and digs deeply into his closet for skeletons. He could use relaxation and play, and isn't likely to get them.

One aspect deserves mention, though it has uncertain importance. SLR Sun squares Jupiter within 0°30'. Falling from the 1st house to the 10th, in classic house-driven astrology it would be an important sign of luck and eminence. The aspect is not at all close to the angles, though - it is middleground. I am inclined to insist that it must carry an element of salvation and uplifting with it. Were he not the most powerful man in the world by some accounts, and reportedly quite irreligious, I would read this as great benefit and grace from someone in great authority and power, or even from Higher Power.

His day of grace could be February 12, when SNQ Ascendant squares progressed Venus conjunct natal Jupiter. However, with a foreshock on 2/14, he then enters an especially difficult few days 2/18-2/22: On Valentine's Day, his SNQ Descendant crosses Pluto, consistent with high impact, separating, "line in the sand" events. The quotidian angles then cross natal Neptune (exactly square transiting Saturn) 2/18, progressed Neptune 2/19, natal Saturn 2/20 (square Uranus), and natal Venus + progressed Mars 2/22. For him, these are dire, emotionally strained days of inner darkness and personal loss.

DEMI-SLR (Feb 24)
Some of the most vivid changes and opening of new information, ideas, and possibilities occurs in the second half of his personal month: In the Demi-Lunar, Uranus is 1° from Ascendant; Pluto is more widely foreground. Therefore, the universe brings him dramatic shifts and reorientation. His natal Venus, Jupiter, and Neptune are angular (Jupiter only 0°07' from WP), so his response to this is idyllic confidence - perhaps unrealistic confidence.

I say unrealistic because Pluto squares his Jupiter in the foreground, Uranus squares his Venus, and there is a wide Moon-Mars opposition. His status continues to be challenged. One wonders if he has shed too many allies and friends. Saturn squares his Neptune almost exactly (0°08'), and Uranus is partile square his Saturn, with meanings as outlined above.

His best day of the fortnight is 2/28: SNQ IC crosses progressed Venus and natal Jupiter. Expect harsh confrontation 3/3 with transiting Pluto and progressed Saturn angular. Natal Saturn makes for a bad day 3/7, and Uranus (square natal Venus) shakes things up in an entertaining way 3/8.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Mar 9)
Two powerful, difficult Venus combinations own President Trump's new Lunar Return. The first could be either positive or negative; but the second leaves no doubt which way things turn for the month.

First, Pluto (setting 1°26'), Venus (culminating 1°56'), and Mercury (culminating 3°26') are in close mutual mundane aspects. (Venus square Pluto is only 0°30'; all three combinations are within 2°.) Potentially, this could be positive and powerful - something awe-inspiring that touches and moves both mind and heart; or, it could a mind-stunning loss, separation, even alienation, cutting him off from those things his mind and heart hold most dear. Above all, it is consequential, and demands that emotionally and mentally he confront unfiltered reality and respond to it.

We can be sure that this pattern will manifest negatively (painfully) because of the second strong Venus pattern. Trump's natal Saturn is 5°01' below Ascendant, his Venus 5°54' below Ascendant, and his Neptune 5°59' west of IC. That is, he has a mundane Venus-Saturn conjunction square Neptune, all within a degree (and Venus-Neptune within 0°05'). He has the Venus-Saturn at birth (though not so close), but does not have the Venus-Neptune and Saturn-Neptune. The aspects speak of heartbreak, anguish, and betrayal.

A few more factors add details. For example, transiting Pluto squares natal Jupiter in the foreground. (Natal Jupiter is actually the most angular planet, 0°06' from square Ascendant.) This Pluto-Jupiter means what it has meant for months, either (a) great exaltation of the small or (b) great dragging down of the mighty. Also in the foreground, transiting Mercury closely opposes his Neptune and squares his Venus-Saturn. That SLR Mercury aspects both natal and transiting Venus seems to add grace to this - kind words of friendship or comfort (condolence?) - while Mercury to Saturn and Neptune shows frustration, disappointment, difficulty sorting measurable fact from immeasurable fiction. It seems that some stream of information is tied to his heartache, some frankly bad news (since Mercury is closely square a very widely foreground Saturn).

There is conflict, anger, and some acting out with Moon conjunct Mars in the background. Non-angular partile aspects include Uranus square his Venus (see above) and Sun square natal Uranus, so there are abrupt surprises for everyone.

SNQ MC conjoins transiting Uranus on the 8th and 9th, making it the most likely day of surprises. Though leaning past the bounds of the current Sidereal month, we see his progressed Moon-Pluto conjunctions coming to SNQ Ascendant on the Ides of March and a few days before.

[SteveS]

I am very interested in seeing if world markets, led by the US market remain volatile with this partile Moon-Uranus feature. And, then, when this partile aspect separates, to see if Markets settle down. Of course, this Moon-Uranus feature symbolizes more than just markets.

[Jim Eshelman]

Arilunar (Feb 20)
The Arilunar covers February 20-26. The chart for Washington is almost entirely about Moon-Uranus: They are conjunct (0°23'), with both partile square Ascendant.

Moon and Uranus both exactly angular reflects unsettledness and rebellion in mass mind. Herd-like gatherings of citizens exert their common (probably angry) voice. The result is challenging and populist, overflowing boundaries, delivering sudden, eruptive, even explosive, shifting conditions of all sorts, including surprise attacks, rapidly shifting conditions that require quick adaptation and reorientation, new learning and new responses, and surprising revelations and disclosures.

Jupiter crosses CapQ Ascendant February 23, for the most positive, prospering, successful day of the week in Washington. (As usual, quotidian crossings are plus-minus two days.)

Welcome to the new Arilunar; and, guess what? In the aftermath of the Florida shootings there are, indeed, protests, lie-ins, and marches occurring and planned for the near future.

When I wrote the above, I had no idea what kind of protests might pop up. I supposed they would be anti-Trump, but it didn't seem anything was primed for that. But... by the time we're here... there most certainly is something on the popular mind, more or less as described in the second paragraph above.

Meantime, with new indictment announcements from Mueller this morning, the Caplunar is still going strong:

Caplunar (Feb 13)
...Inquiry and communication are chief themes of this month, with a regular stream of revelations and disclosures. All the usual Mercury themes mark the time... with a particular focus (given Moon's aspects) on those who investigate and uncover, whether it be the press, congressional committees, law enforcement, academic researchers, or others.

...Through it all, Moon-Uranus produces a steady stream of surprises, or even shocks; of revelations and disclosures; and of sudden plot-twists and rapid adaptation to changing terrain.

[Jim Eshelman]

In case you live too far east to have noticed, a severe cold front has dropped from Canada into Washington, and moved all the way down the West Coast. Look at the two Saturn lines (indigo) in theses maps for the Caplunar.

Caplunar (Feb 13)

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

In case you live too far east to have noticed, a severe cold front has dropped from Canada into Washington, and moved all the way down the West Coast. Look at the two Saturn lines (indigo) in theses maps for the Caplunar.

There was vehicular ice dancing in Omaha yesterday morning, again this morning and expected for tomorrow morning. Canceled garbage pickup because those trucks only want to play hockey.

[Jim Eshelman]

I think this run of 15 indictments, in what are cumulatively well over 100 counts, is what Trump's SLR signifies. In brief:

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Feb 10)
Matters come to a climax in the new SLR February 10. Pluto exactly rises (0°43'). A line is drawn in the sand. He stands alone, separated from others just as Pluto separates his new future from life as it existed before February 10.

Conditions remap his reality. We have a clue as to the area in which this decisive remapping occurs... [Pluto is] remapping Donald Trump's career, wealth, ethics, and esteem. The aspect either exalts the unlikely to positions of startling eminence, or drags the uplifted off their pinnaces to ruin... being alone and cut off... There is sadness, a spoiled party, a lost dearness...

...this shakes the concrete and certain in his life, threatens his security, and digs deeply into his closet for skeletons. He could use relaxation and play, and isn't likely to get them... I am inclined to insist that [Sun square Jupiter] must carry an element of salvation and uplifting with it. Were he not the most powerful man in the world by some accounts, and reportedly quite irreligious, I would read this as great benefit and grace from someone in great authority and power, or even from Higher Power.

The Demi-SLR that occurs tomorrow, and will start being felt today, seems to accelerate this:

DEMI-SLR (Feb 24)
Some of the most vivid changes and opening of new information, ideas, and possibilities occurs in the second half of his personal month... the universe brings him dramatic shifts and reorientation... his response to this is idyllic confidence - perhaps unrealistic confidence... His status continues to be challenged. One wonders if he has shed too many allies and friends. [Reference to Saturn-Neptune and Uranus-Venus transits.]

[Jim Eshelman]

Notice that we have left the time when transiting Saturn was conjoining Capsolar or CapQ Moon, and we have stopped having every couple of days an event of large, tragic loss of life; (It was there for about month.)

[SteveS]

Excellent point. IMO, when we see outer planet partile transits to Cap Moons & Solar Ingress angles-- we see more sharper/prolonged manifestations of the planet's symbolism. These situations are important to note in SMA because the manifestations last longer.

[Jim Eshelman]

This morning's central Michigan shooting appears right on a Canlunar Pluto line. I'm sure there's more to it than that, but this was the easy part to check.

Canlunar (Feb 26)