for the four weeks beginning JANUARY 13, 2021
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)
For the United States, the 12 months beginning January 14, 2021 are more severe than 2020. A striking difference is that 2021 will be a year of action, whereas 2020 was more a year of paralysis. Therefore, 2021's threats will be more actively violent and conflictual. Saturn in Capricorn continues to define the time. Pluto enters Capricorn until 2039. Autonomous survival and solitary self-sufficiency are hallmarks of the post-COVID world ahead of us.
In the 2021 Capsolar, two partile aspects have the loudest voices.
MARS squares SATURN (0°34') with Mars 0°29' and Saturn 0°18' from an angle. Harsh, hateful, hurtful, and destructive, Mars-Saturn incites many forms of destruction and hardship: Deadly violence, fires, explosions, and financial crises are among the kinds of event it accompanies. In an annual chart, its psychological impact is worse: Mars-Saturn fosters hate and the conflict that arises from feeling powerless, shamed, and diminished. In the United States, 2021 will feel like our nation is filled with primitives competing for basic survival amidst widespread hardship.
Nearly as close (but not as closely angular), JUPITER squares URANUS (0°42'). This aspect does not usually occur for disasters (except floods). Jupiter-Uranus is 2021's aspect of recovery and salvation through scientific advances and social revolution. This broadly, boldly liberal combination suggests either a new broadly liberal government or a renewal of liberal political activism in the streets.
Jupiter-Uranus means ideological rebellion (both peaceful and violent) and remapping the larger social contract in which liberal social and political agendas demand wider horizons, expanded opportunities, civil liberties, and enhanced diversity. Inventiveness, new technology and tech vision, futurism, and “good science” engage popular imagination. At its best, it signifies collective optimism and anticipation of good change amidst terrible conditions.
These two dynamics (Mars-Saturn and Jupiter-Uranus) compete throughout 2021, but not in mutually neutralizing isometric tension: 2021 will be a year of activity and activism, though rarely gentle or well-behaved. Mars conjoins Uranus: For the U.S., they are foreground and Moon squares Uranus and Mars mundanely. Mars-Uranus is explosive: If physical bombs aren't detonating then psychological "bombshells" are exploding. It means surprise attack and sudden action, the "lightning war" of blitzkrieg. Moon-Uranus promises swiftly changing circumstances that require rapid adaptation and response. Moon-Mars is most worrisome: Besides its broad sense of emergency and typical Mars expressions of violence, fire, disaster, and damage, it is an aspect of assassination and other severe crises for a nation's leaders. The new president faces unusually severe challenges.
Mars square Jupiter (2°13') suggests economic crisis, especially from aggressive spending. In fact, Jupiter aspects to Mars and Saturn threaten markets just as Pluto, Saturn, and Jupiter in Capricorn show shifting conditions in banking and institutional economic management. This may not be terrible: We surely need to consume significant resources for economic recovery. Also, this year of action includes spinning up the wheels of industry once more: Mars-Jupiter is consistent with economic expansion (greater industry and productivity), as Jupiter-Saturn is consistent with structural investment. Rebuilding infrastructure at many levels is a priority.
Mars-Jupiter is stormy (including destructive weather), but its essential momentum is forward and expansive with an enterprising spirit. I expect it to be useful to recovery. Post-pandemic, I anticipate an era of opportunity for new entrepreneurs and a renewal of entrepreneurial spirit in the country (after so many businesses have collapsed to create a vacuum, and their former principals have lost so heavily: capital investment in new business will be readily available). If that does not occur in 2021, at least the cultural and economic reorganization making it possible will be underway. (A wide Mercury-Jupiter mundane conjunction is optimistic in this regard.)
KEEP YOUR EYES ON RUSSIA THIS YEAR. This year, Moscow has the same two aspects most closely foreground as Washington. However, Jupiter-Uranus is stronger than Mars-Saturn: If we find ourselves in direct competition or conflict, Moscow wins over Washington (and may be part of the "surprise attack" threat Washington's Capsolar shows). - Angularities in the continental U.S. are shown here.
MEDIUM-TERM (The Bridge)
- Jan 14-17: Saturn Mars.
- Jan 18-19: Saturn.
- Jan 20-27: Neptune Saturn.
- Jan 28-29: Neptune Saturn Mars.
- Jan 30-Feb 1: Neptune Mars.
- Feb 2-4: Neptune Jupiter Mars.
- Feb 5-7: Neptune Jupiter.
- Feb 8-9: Neptune Jupiter Mars.
Mars is in Aries all month. During its September Aries transit, news was dominated by fires, election combat, authoritarianism, riots (more peaceful than not) against continuing police violence, and enhanced polarization, so we likely will now experience something similar. Also, Pluto enters Capricorn January 26 (remaining until August 9). -- Summaries of longer-term trends from outer planet sign transits are here.
SHORT-TERM (Lunar Ingresses)
Liblunar (Jan 6)
Effective January 6 to February 3 since the following Caplunar, Arilunar, and Canlunar are dormant. Jupiter (WP 0°20') squares Uranus (MC 2°34'). Jupiter also conjoins widely angular Saturn. These portray much change, reformulation, optimism, hope, and active engagement with a bottom line that things are getting better.
The chart overflows with progressive social and political movement. (Moon square Jupiter, 1°28' mundo, is typical of civil rights moving forward, probably by judicial or activist means.)
Jupiter squares Mars, conjoins Saturn, and squares Uranus: Despite overall optimism, I'm not sure the stock market performs well in January. Also, Moon square Saturn and Pluto shows separation and division. Perhaps this is the disease still having its way, or perhaps it is hardship caused by social violence by whoever lost most in the election.
Caplunar (Jan 13)
The Caplunar is dormant. Moon conjoins Sun and Pluto (effective for the four weeks following), placing focus on the president and on cyclical phenomena such as the stock market.
Great severity and potential for harm lines up near the longitude of the Arizona-New Mexico and Utah-Colorado borders. Los Angeles has Moon-Sun-Pluto tightly conjoined on IC: The SoCal region seems to be a center of great eruption and disruption at a level that stuns people's sensibilities and permanently alters conditions going forward.
Mars squares Saturn within 0°03'. Though it has no practical significance in Washington, Mars-Saturn is angular elsewhere on Earth where its effect will be severe and probably deadly. These include: the American west (either side of the Rockies), the India-Pakistan border, westmost Africa, western Europe (Spain near Madrid, France near Paris, western Germany, and directly through Stockholm), Japan near Sapporo, and Iran.
Arilunar (Jan 20)
The Arilunar is dormant. Moon again squares Pluto (0°12').The most explosive areas are in Southern California near Oxnard and coastal Pacific Northwest.
Canlunar (Jan 27)
The Canlunar is dormant. Moon conjoins Pluto, which has entered Capricorn by 0°03', and opposes Venus (0°48' mundo). Venus-Pluto themes supplement the root message of the persisting Liblunar.
Eastern Texas has a confluence of Venus-Pluto, Mars-Uranus, and Sun-Jupiter lines that suggest intimate, strongly-felt losses from explosive circumstances. (Were it later in the year, I would expect flooding.) Saturn aligns the longitude of Chicago, which includes Milwaukee and Birmingham.
Liblunar (Feb 3)
Effective February 3-9. Mars sets (1°08'), Sun squares Ascendant (1°27'), and Sun squares Mars (0°52') and Uranus (0°39' mundo). The week is fiery and violent with greater aggression and willingness to be combative. This seems volitional, not accidental: Though it may be aimed at the president or the government, it appears, instead, to be their initiative and affirmative acts, i.e., the White House and Congress are getting down to their business of wrangling out tough solutions.
These aspects plus Mercury square Mars and Sun conjunct Jupiter are consistent with war. War seems unlikely during a worldwide pandemic and a new administration, but it is worth mentioning that the lineup of aspects has war as one of its possibilities. (It will have been a volatile month in Tehran since the Caplunar and Arilunar, and nerves seem on edge in Moscow.) Moon's aspects to Venus and Pluto show irrevocable changes in relationships, whether between nations or through the destruction of community and loss of life. Otherwise, we have warring words and aggressive debate laced with the priority of special interests. The main events of the week involve people with money and power working to get more money and power.
Mars setting (square Sun) along the entire eastern seaboard stands likely to draw attention: It is closest through New York, Philadelphia, Washington, coastal Virginia and North Carolina, and southern Florida. Saturn is angular on a curve including New Orleans and Indianapolis. One is nearly inclined to suspect threatening storms months earlier than usually expected: This could be a furious winter. Mars-Saturn converge in mid-Michigan, impacting the entire state.
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