US forecast Aug 29 - Sep 25, 2020

[Jim Eshelman]

USA Mundane Forecast
for the four weeks beginning AUGUST 29, 2020
If you are unfamiliar with the methods and interpretations of Sidereal mundane astrology, please see my free book Sidereal Mundane Astrology. (A link can be found near the top of the Publications sub-forum.) For standard interpretations, see Chapter 8 of the current (17th) Edition.

LONG-TERM (Solar Ingresses)
(Summarized from my original interpretation in the January 15 forecast.) For the U.S., the 12 months beginning January 15, 2020 are dominated by Uranus on Eastpoint mundanely square a Sun-Saturn-Pluto conjunction at Midheaven. This difficult year will have more challenges than blessings and sets up even more severe patterns for 2021. Much of what follows is an accurate description of the life-conditions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and civil outrage experienced thus far this year.

• Uranus: Surprises, sudden ruptures or eruption, shock, revelation, overflowing of limits and boundaries, surprise attacks, changes in foreign relations or leadership, riots and revolts.
• Sun, Saturn, and Pluto are the main story: This year will be a horrible struggle with great damage along the way. It seems astrologically inconceivable that Trump's presidency will survive the year.
• Saturn-Pluto: Hardship including catastrophic disasters laying waste to a landscape, feeling irrevocable loss or separation, an apocalyptic time, even (in the extreme) the downfall of cities and nations.
• Sun-Saturn-Pluto across Florida, New Orleans, and coastal Mississippi: Devastating hurricanes this year, after the fashion of Hurricane Andrew. Mars through Santa Barbara County sparks unusually severe fire. See the maps.
• Sun-Saturn: Sad, arduous events; death or restraint of leaders; government gridlock; restrictive, controlling, or failing government that causes or worsens disaster, fiscal crisis, structural collapses, natural disasters, events requiring government oversight and response.
• Sun-Pluto: Diverse possibilities from natural disasters to political confrontation; removing or assailing those in power, rebelling against conventions, disrespect for and disobeying the law.
• Saturn-Uranus: Bubble-bursting, harsh reality, wide pendulum swings between freedom-restriction, liberality-conservatism, liberty vs. safety, change vs. status quo.
• Uranus-Pluto: Destabilizing, revolutionary, revising, remapping, anti-establishment, antigovernmental: a spirit of revolution dismantles current systems and tears down existing structures; people ignore, challenge, or reject precedent, custom, convention, and authority.
• Sun-Uranus: Sudden, startling, explosive, surprise attacks, leadership changes, life-altering technology.

Amidst deep cultural divisions, the nation is hurled closer to a spirit of revolution. As Pluto transitions from Sagittarius to Capricorn, every solar or lunar cardinal ingress through the end of 2003 worldwide will have Sun or Moon conjunct, opposite, or square Pluto.

Arisolar (Apr 14)
As the "quarter" chart from April 14 to October 17, a single aspect marks the Arisolar: Venus square Mars: Venus rises (0°31', dignified in Taurus); Mars culminates (1°33', dignified in Capricorn); and Venus squares Mars (1°03' in mundo). Foremost, this means passion in every respect. People feel powerfully about things. In an election year, we expect inflamed passions to prevail over reason across the terrain of political engagement. More broadly, great restlessness sweeps the land, tempers burn short, and selfish wants win out over any greater social mindfulness. Venus-Mars also frays international relations with wounded alliances and even military attacks.

MEDIUM-TERM (The Bridge)
Like last month, a contrast - exactly opposing symbolism - appears for the world in general vs. the United States in particular. For the world, these weeks should bring happy news, even celebration climaxing around the turn of the calendar month: All month, Progressed Cansolar Moon conjoins ingress Venus and progressed Capsolar Moon squares ingress Jupiter. Both are exact 8/31 (to the ingress position) and 9/3 or 9/4 (to the progressed position).

However, for the U.S. (which, being part of "the world," also will benefit somehow from those benefic progressions), transits to Capsolar angles are harsh. Transiting Saturn conjoins Capsolar MC all month. This transit, back in February, marked the collapse of the stock market and the discovery that COVID-19 was racing through the populace. Expect the same characteristics of enormous death, hardship, and failure.

Also all month, transiting Mars squares Capsolar MC, with three critical dates: Mars makes the exact square 8/29 and 9/21 and is stationary 9/9. During much of this time, it squares Capsolar Mercury.

Mars is in Aries all month. It retrogrades back into Pisces at the start of October, so September especially concentrates whatever Mars in Aries symbolism we will experience this pass. -- Summaries of longer-term trends from outer planet sign transits are here.

SHORT-TERM (Lunar Ingresses)

Caplunar (Aug 29)
The Caplunar covers August 29 to September 25, especially the two weeks August 29 to September 5. Psychological bombs go off left and right: The emotional tone of this chart resembles that of living in Middle East area where literal bombs and other forms of domestic terrorism are routine in people's daily lives. I doubt this form of physical violence will literally be true in the U.S. in September, but the feeling of what is hitting us from all sides will be similar.

Uranus squares Midheaven. Uranian months are full of surprises, rapidly changing circumstances, sudden rupture, eruption, or shock, and general explosiveness. With Mars widely foreground, these surprises and shifts are more fiery, aggressive, and hurtful.

Emotional responses of "the people" are severe. Moon closely aspects Saturn, Mars, and Pluto - Moon-Saturn being 0°18 mundo - portraying harshness, hardship, sacrifice, loss, and sadness. These aspects exist worldwide, though Moon-Saturn is closer for the U.S. than for the world in general. Worldwide, Moon is 0°01' from the Mars/Pluto midpoint, significantly raising the chances of fiery, explosive violence and intentional destruction. The stress of the COVID-19 pandemic is straining people's psychological resources more severely. (A wide Moon-Venus opposition likely makes the rest of the aspects operate more personally: They are emotionally cutting and costly.)

The Gulf storm impact forecast by the Capsolar is likely to hit with particular impact on Louisiana and Mississippi. Moon-Saturn lines pass through coastal Louisiana, Mars through Alabama, Pluto through the Texarkana border, all highly vulnerable. Venus is stronger near Houston, so degraded storms with enormous amounts of rain are most likely. Moon-Mars-Saturn square lines through New Orleans and coastal Mississippi and Alabama are the greatest concentration.

• 9/2: CapQ IC = s Neptune.

Arilunar (Sep 5)
The Arilunar is dormant, continuing Moon aspects with Mars, Saturn, and Pluto.

Local impact is quite different than in the Caplunar. Mars through California (between San Diego and LA) speaks of fires. Venus-Saturn-Pluto launch sad stories of personal losses inland in a stretch curving from New Mexico and Texas through Minnesota. Jupiter, rising in eastern Arizona through the Dakotas, brings welcome relief, including positive breakthrough in Colorado where Jupiter-Uranus cross. Saturn offers significant death to central California.

• 9/5: CapQ IC = t Neptune. CanQ Asc = s Moon.
• 9/7: CanQ Asc = CanQ Moon-Venus (peak of the best aspect of the month).
• 9/10: CapQ Asc = s Mars. This is one of the most treacherous, dangerous days (also within one day of transiting Mars' station).

Canlunar (Sep 13)
The Canlunar, covers September 13-19. Jupiter squares Midheaven (0°04'), making the week's strongest message that things are getting better.

But, of course, it's not that simple. Foreground aspects between Moon, Mercury, Saturn and Pluto, plus a hurtful Mars-Saturn square, provide most of the details for the (positive on balance) week. These aspects are most visible in the mundoscope. The closest are:

• Moon-Mercury sq. 0°11' mundo
• Moon-Saturn op. 0°21'
• Moon-Pluto op. 1°24' mundo
• Mercury-Saturn sq. 1°35' mundo
• Mercury-Pluto sq. 1°35' mundo

In an ultimately upbeat week, there are struggles, painful losses, and alienation. Mercury matters will be impacted the most, whether through blocks, shutdowns, failures, or other damage to our communication infrastructure, constraints on the news media, or transportation impediments. During Moon-Mercury periods, events draw abundant media attention and spotlight “human interest” or “public response” themes: This time, any such stories will be Saturn-Pluto in nature (harsh and dramatic, laying waste, irrevocable separation, etc.).

If hurricanes strike this week, the vulnerable areas are Florida (including Miami() and the Carolinas where Moon, Saturn, and Pluto set (the lines continuing inland to Minnesota). Florida is particularly vulnerable this year (from the Capsolar), so any impact there will be horrible. Jupiter reaches from coastal Mississippi northwest through Omaha to the Dakotas, where (other than for excessive rain) we should hear of blessings. Detroit is vulnerable to fires and violence. The California coastline enjoys sunshine.

• 9/13-14: CanQ Asc sq. t/s Neptune.

Liblunar (Sep 19)
The Liblunar covers the two weeks September 19 to October 3 (since the next Caplunar is dormant), including the 9/29 presidential debate in Cleveland.

One wonders whether this week's events are reaction to last week's. Moon still aspects Saturn (0°23'), Pluto (0°29'), and Mars (2°27'). People are still adapting to the consequences of Mars-volatilized Saturn-Pluto; for example, news concerning the pandemic may sour. These aspects combined with the angular planets leave a macabre feeling of piling up corpses for counting.

By "angular planets" I primarily mean Neptune (WP 0°12'). (Sun is widely foreground.) For these two weeks, the U.S. primarily experiences Moon-Saturn, Moon-Pluto, and some Moon-Mars through a Neptune filter that adds anxiety, disorientation, heightened emotion, and deep "what happens next" uncertainty.

Weather (or other) heightened anxiety centers on Miami up to South Carolina, where Neptune is angular.

• 9/20: Cap! Asc sq. s Neptune.
• 9/23: CapQ Asc sq. t Neptune.

[Jim Eshelman]

PROGRESSIONS & DIRECTIONS
Progressed local MC conjunct natal Saturn - using his progressed angles in Washington, DC - just entered orb last month. As long as he remains in Washington, the pressure of this progression will build over the next 12 months, with follow-through for another year after.

Long-running progressions continue: p Mars sx. r Pluto & p Mars ssq. r Mars (contentious); p Sun-Venus ssq. (celebrity); and p Mercury sx. r Jupiter and r Uranus (surprising luck and success in business and cutting deals). Progressed Mercury sextile natal Uranus is exact (0°00') in late September, just before this period ends, suggesting surprising revelations or ingenuity coming forth from him. -- Mercury-Jupiter leaves orb at the end of January, 2021 and Mercury-Uranus in May 2021.

Among his Solar Arc directions, d Moon is sqq. r Jupiter and d Mars sqq. r Sun are still building, to be exact near Election Day. Of greatest interest this month: directed Saturn conjunct natal Neptune enters a 1° orb 9/21.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Aug 26)
A new Lunar Return occurs as the Republican National Convention (August 24-27) comes to its climax. We don't know where President Trump will be located physically: It might be Washington and probably won't be Charlotte. He has said that events such as his "acceptance speech," the biggest rally-type event of the year for him, will occur "in some other city."

Presuming he is in Washington when this SLR occurs, he has the stage and his moment to shine as bright as the sun. Transiting Sun exactly squares Ascendant signifying a bright limelight, honor, achievement, and recognition. It's like an opening night on Broadway and an acceptance speech at the Oscars all rolled into one. Undoubtedly he will make it the performance event of the season.

The rest of the SLR is more interesting, though. Transiting Uranus (square MC 1°42') and natal Pluto (IC 1°15') are square within 0°27'. Transiting Uranus to natal Pluto always requires us to say, "Everything changes"; but what is the nature of the changes? We know they will be fundamental and uprooting of the past, but in which direction?

Uranus-Pluto could signify the world dismantling Donald Trump and tearing down, in one swift, seismic blow, everything he has ever built. It also could signify that, defying all convention and reasonable expectation, he rises phoenix-like from smoldering ashes, renewed and unstoppable.

This is part of what will make the event so captivating, the show so compelling: We do not know what plot twists remain, what his writers have planned for the finale. We do know, though, that with this chart - provided he is in or near Washington, DC - everything changes.

SIDEREAL DEMI-LUNAR RETURN (Sep 10)
Sun opposes Neptune (1°07') foreground. Both planets square natal Uranus within 1° and square his angular Moon more widely.

Transiting Neptune square natal Uranus has been with Donald Trump through most of his presidency. By the nature of the planets, it has been difficult to interpret concretely. For most people, this transit marks a couple of years when a temptation or dream inspires them to leap, make changes, and maybe overhaul their life. It always shows fantasy colliding with reality.

As Neptune-Uranus nears its climax, I'm reminded that Garth Allen called the aspect "Freedom From Conscience," under which influence, "it seems that nobody gives a damn about what is right or wrong, rather asking if it is convenient." We have seen this behavior routinely from Donald Trump and it surely will come to a head under the this Demi-Lunar Return with bold "swinging for the fences" strokes. - The transit, incidentally, is exact (0°00') in October and then, for the final time, on the most portentous of days, January 20, 2021 - the date of the next presidential inauguration and the day transiting Pluto opposes his Saturn exactly for the third of five times.

A foreground transiting Sun-Neptune opposition shows chaotic, disorienting events and emotion swirling about one like a maelstrom, as if one were at the uncalm center of a storm. All of Trump's skills as circus barker and ringmaster will be on display, showmanship foremost. The aspect is self-deluding, fuels delusions of grandeur if they exist, and invigorates one's private demons, suspicions, and feelings of persecution. Nonetheless, it can be useful, placing at his disposal all his powers of forging a reality: Sun-Neptune is an emperor self-weaving his own fictitious clothes. For the short fortnight of this chart's life, it may serve him.

With natal Moon exactly angular (EP 0°30' in RA) and his natal Moon-Uranus opposition foreground, he feels events with unusual acuity and remains fluid and adaptable to the rapidly changing conditions.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Sep 23)
No natal or transiting planets are very close to the angles of this SLR. President Trump may not be in Washington when it sets up (in which case, I'll add a supplemental interpretation when we know where he was). Transiting Neptune and natal Uranus are both weakly foreground, leaving one aspect - transiting Neptune square natal Uranus (0°18') - the primary message of the chart.

Drawing on what was written above for the Demi-Lunar: For most people, this transit marks a couple of years when a temptation or dream inspires them to leap, make changes, and maybe overhaul their life. It always shows fantasy colliding with reality. As this transit nears its climax, I'm reminded that Garth Allen called the aspect "Freedom From Conscience," under which influence, "it seems that nobody gives a damn about what is right or wrong, rather asking if it is convenient."

We have seen this behavior routinely from Donald Trump and it surely will come to a head now. The transit will be exact October 4 and then, for the final time, on the most portentous of days, January 20, 2021 - the date of the next presidential inauguration and the day transiting Pluto opposes his Saturn exactly for the third of five times.

The 9/29 presidential debate occurs during this period with Neptune-Uranus the strongest influence.

Background partile aspects likely take on greater importance, given the lack of strong angular activity. Foremost of these is a Mercury-Saturn square (0°03') partile square natal Saturn. Mundanely, Mars exactly aspects Mercury-Saturn, adding belligerence (no surprise) and ferocity of attack. Under these aspects, things go wrong, communication breaks down, and snafus occur at the very least.

This level of psychological pressure brings out the worst side of a person. Since Mars and Saturn also square and oppose natal Venus (partile), the military-scale attacks he unleashes (whether of the nation's problems or his political opponents) brings no compassion to the table and leaves him feeling friendless and abandoned.

Month by month, we have been watching the charts of a psyche under increasingly unbearable stress, perhaps approaching its breaking point.

[Jim Eshelman]

PROGRESSIONS
Joe Biden's progressed Saturn is stationary all year. That station, however, is exact September 9. - This station is a years-spanning astrological event. Progressed Saturn has been in the same minute of longitude for three or four years and will continue at 16°39' Taurus for another four or five years. It isn't a mark of loss (given that he has already had great victories this year). Rather, the settling into that station about the time of the 2017 Charlottesville rally that propelled him into running for office is coming to a climax right now - just after he accepted his party's nomination and roughly the week his presidential campaign begins in earnest. Whatever the outcome of the November contest, this is a destiny moment for Biden: This year and the next four years (the duration of the station) will ink the ledger for the final audit on his life.

Emphasizing that this is coming to a head right now, we also find a progressed Moon-Saturn square, already in orb as the month begins and exact September 15. Moon squares progressed Venus a few days earlier, September 4.

Numerous secondary progressions are ongoing. Progressed MC opposite natal Saturn depends on his exact birthtime, so may not be authentic: If real, it creates diverse expectations (from assuming enormous responsibility in times of unprecedented difficulty to losing a competitive contest). More reliable are three interplanetary progressions:

• p Venus sq. p Saturn (sep. 31'). This aspect is separating, expiring the first week of January.
• p Mercury sqq. r Saturn (ap. 01'). Normally an aspect of loss, difficulty, and being tripped up by one's own words and self-defeating slips, this aspect is most critical. His progressed Mercury is nearly stationary, so this aspect remains within 0°01' orb through the end of the year (the whole election season). It was 0°00' wide earlier this year while he was somewhat muffled by the isolation conditions of the pandemic.
• p Mercury op. r Jupiter (ap. 12'). This is normally an aspect of great success. Though not as close as Mercury-Saturn, it is quite close, building to 0°00' orb in November 2021.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Aug 10)
Biden's lunar returns for Wilmington are puzzlingly silent throughout the campaign season. He may relocate at different times, of course, but likely will not be on the road in the traditional campaign sense.

For example, his 8/10 SLR (under which he accepted the nomination) has transiting Neptune square Ascendant (0°22') as the only strong factor and natal Saturn (Asc 5°) as the only other foreground factor. Transiting Neptune conjoins natal IC (0°37') most of the summer. Similar themes are deepened by the non-foreground transiting Saturn square natal Neptune (0°37' mundo).

These imply floundering and failing, which we did not see at the convention. Background partile aspects show a poor start at what, instead, was a highpoint two weeks of his life. This SLR looks more anxious and worrisome than anything we actually saw.

SIDEREAL DEMI-LUNAR RETURN (Aug 23)
The Demi-lunar immediately after the convention is kinder and perhaps shows a post-convention "bump" on the polls . However, no angularity is strong, so it is likely (mostly) a state of mind shift.

Transiting Venus and Jupiter are foreground and opposite (2°35'), suggesting gentle happiness, social graces, and popularity. That's the chart!

Natal Neptune rises widely, transiting Neptune conjoins natal IC; cash and esteem are strained with Mars and Saturn both aspecting natal Jupiter within 0°10'; but primarily, the time is described by this gentle Venus-Jupiter opposition along the meridian.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Sep 6)
Transiting Jupiter is 4° from IC in Wilmington. No foreground aspects exist. Natal Neptune and transiting Pluto are barely (barely!) foreground and have little to contribute.

If this sets up in or near Wilmington, it promises a positive, winning time when he receives esteem, respect recognition and general positive regard and advantage. Fund raising should go pretty well for him. A partile Moon-Venus mundane square adds popularity, affection, and happiness.

SIDEREAL DEMI-LUNAR RETURN (Sep 19)
The general tone is upbeat. September 29 is the first presidential debate in Cleveland. Vice President Biden's checklist in preparing for this debate should be to stay in Wilmington ten days earlier when this Demi-SLR occurs. It's strongest feature there is natal Venus (0°04') and Sun (1°10') square SLR Ascendant, portraying him as presidential and charming.

Other planets are foreground, but only widely. Natal Saturn and Pluto suggest he is sheltering in place. Transiting Venus adds "affection received. "

Besides natal Sun conjunct Venus angular, the one aspect of note is transiting Venus conjunct natal Pluto (1°20' mundo). I am unclear what this means for his public life. The aspect typically marks key turning points in relationships (positive, negative, or neutral): This could be either a personal crisis or enhanced charisma and popularity. For Cleveland, the aspect is closely angular: Natal Pluto 0°57' from Descendant indicates that the time he is there will redefine his current life in some fundamental sense. Transiting Venus 2°39' below Descendant puts a positive spin - affection and popularity - on the critical event.

Either way, the general tone is upbeat.

[Jim Eshelman]

There has been so much grief and loss accurately forecast in this year's charts - the many forms of Saturn-Pluto (including, lately, Moon's aspects to Saturn, Pluto, and often Mars in every lunar ingress) - that it might be easy to miss that, yes, RBG's death yesterday was covered in the most straightforward way by the Bridge aspects and Capsolar.

If, years from now, we were looking back at the single point-event of her death, out of the context of the broader 2020 trends, the charts would get high scores for accuracy: The Capsolar with a foreground Saturn-Pluto conjunction (combined with Sun) as strongest factor. The Bridge with transiting Saturn conjunct Capsolar MC (also conjunct angular ingress Sun, with transiting Mars also square MC).

Then came the Caplunar with Moon conjunct Saturn on one side and Pluto on the other, square Mars. (Moon-Saturn is 0°18' wide mundo.) Add Uranus square MC for surprise and sending things topsy-turvy.

For the day, the CapQ elevated Moon at the quotidian Midheaven.