Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

USA Mundane Forecast
for the four weeks beginning August 5, 2017

LONG-TERM 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 (1°14') 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.

Cansolar Map 1 Map 2
Angular Jupiter (square Asc 1°24') reinforces the strong, mostly positive Jupiter trends of the Capsolar for three months (July 17-October 18), but with a twist: Jupiter now squares a foreground Pluto. In some ways this reiterates messages of the Capsolar's Jupiter-Uranus emphasis, especially regarding social rebellion and remapping the larger social contract (something we have seen in many ways over the last six months, but especially in the battle over health care). Jupiter-Pluto is political and ideological. It challenges existing value systems and the power systems that support them. We have seen this in recent years for terrorist attacks that target cultural values and attempt political destabilization. We also know that, while it can be a king-maker, it is even more likely to drag the uplifted from their pinnacles into stunning ruin. Anything represented by Jupiter is open to extremes and ruin (including meteorological events and the economy - though other current indications do not resemble patterns of serious economic falls, so manifestations more likely will be political).

A Moon-Mercury mundane square for Washington has a 0°00' orb. It is unclear how this pairs with Jupiter-Pluto. Since it joins a wide Moon-Uranus aspect, it surely refers to constant streams of information from discoveries and disclosures, innovations, and novelties. Given its precision for the U.S., this should be an especially good quarter to watch for Moon-Mercury effects. In a time when the news media saturates our awareness, I nonetheless predict it will be even more prevalent - that, in great measure, the news media itself will become the story. Otherwise, besides the celebrity and media element, expect situations (as in business) that involve voluminous paperwork or its digital equivalent, strategy, tactical moves, and news outlets gripping our attention as they rarely do - think of the OJ trial or the days of 9/11.

BRIDGE
Most of this month has no active Bridge zone. However, August 30 to September 2 is a MARS-JUPITER Zone as Jupiter crosses Capsolar Descendant for Washington while Mars conjoins Capsolar Moon for the whole world. Normally, these Mars transits represent a concentrated period of worldwide violence, fires, and other destruction, both natural and human-instigated, but the U.S. seems protected from that version of the aspect or, if involved, we come out a clear winner (as in competitions), with a rousing or renewal of national pride and patriotic evangelism.

Furthermore, in this country, expect different forms of economic aggression, including aggressive spending, driving trade and market forces, and economic expansion, including greater industry and productivity). Concurrently, expect belief-driven enthusiasm and aggression. In nature, expect the unleashed power of the storm as a heightened probability of destruction mingles with unleashed rain and other natural forces.


LUNAR INGRESSES

Caplunar (Aug 5)
The Caplunar, applying to August 5 to September 2 (and especially to the fortnight August 5-19), is one of the year's best. During a time when Jupiter dominates all solar ingresses, Venus and Jupiter take the lead in the Month chart. Specifically, Venus is 0°06' from square Ascendant, in partile aspect with a foreground Jupiter.

This aspect, usually protective against tragic disaster, signifies celebrations, victories, festivities, love, world-witnessed weddings and births, and general happiness. Things are better for a week or two. Major events center especially on celebrities, the economically privileged, and other especially blessed and elite categories of people. So far this year, such indications of peace and serenity in the country have coincided with President Trump travelling, so an executive vacation may be in the wind.

August 5-8 has Jupiter crossing quotidian (CanQ) angles, highlighting the very best this combination has to offer. Concurrently, transiting Sun rides CapQ angles all week, and Capsolar Sun crosses on August 8, drawing focus especially to the president and other solar figures. August 8 also brings transiting Mars to an angle, though: Unless a positive event is themed to sports, military, police, or other martial-heroic figures, expect the week's crises to center on August 8 or the two days following.

Arilunar (Aug 12)
The Arilunar, covering August 12-19, is dormant. It does restore the Moon-Uranus aspect, stronger for Washington than for the rest of the world. Nonetheless, the main expectation is that last week's Caplunar will carry through as if no Arilunar occurred.

On the last two days of the week, a Mars-Uranus square rotates to CanQ angles. Expect at least aggressive bombast, and probably some psychological bombshells. (We'd expect physical bombshells as well, if it weren't for the unusually benefic umbrella hanging over the time.)

Canlunar (Aug 19)
The Canlunar covers August 19-25. Mars is 3°02' below Ascendant, leaving the chart technically dormant, but I think it's quite readable. In some ways, the Canlunar reinforces the Caplunar's message, since Moon squares Jupiter mundanely and Venus ecliptically. Among other things, these aspects are excellent for diplomacy and heightened dignity and pride, though elitism still prevails.

What is different this week is that anger about that elitism starts to simmer on a higher flame. The "have-nots" have had enough. With wider orbs, don't expect major events from this chart, but do expect rumbling and rabble rousing in our brief paradise.

Liblunar (Aug 25)
The Liblunar covers August 25 to September 2. This is the week that physical artillery becomes a little more likely, though vitriolic language may still remain the weapon of choice.

In any case, themes of attack, threat, and heightened anxiety dominate this week. Mars and Mercury are exactly conjoined 1-2° from Descendant, reinforced by Sun; a Moon-Uranus opposition is nearly partile in mundo; and in an alternate mathematical framework that lately has been proving its value, we find a hidden close square of Neptune to the Mercury-Mars conjunction.

Besides the usual Mercury-Mars themes of vehicular accidents and heated words (Are you travelling over the long Labor Day weekend? Be careful!), Mercury-Mars close and angular is a hallmark of war. Declarations of conflict and willingness to strategically mobilize attacks can heat up. As Mercury-Mars also dominates next week's Caplunar, things probably won't come to a head this week, under our month-long Venus-Jupiter protective umbrella; but you will definitely feel things heating toward an eventual boil. Sun-Mars adds testosterone-driven swagger, Moon-Uranus leaves room to be startled, Mars-Neptune stirs panic or at least magnifies anxiety, while Mercury-Neptune leaves people disoriented, making bad choices, and anxious about exactly what is going to happen next.

Hysteria strikes most powerfully within a day or two of September 1, when CapQ MC squares Neptune as Mars creeps within 2° of its Descendant. A day or two earlier, when Mercury crosses CanQ Ascendant, the news media likely will break a significant story to let us in on what is about to occur.

SUMMARY
This will be one of the worst summers of Donald Trump's life. In a time layered with multiple overlapping Jupiter-Pluto expressions, two Moon-Saturn combinations converge (peaking last month). Saturn conjunct MC is now his reigning progression. The Solar Return is filled with harsh aspects. A Jupiter Return in early August provides a respite and an opportunity for reassessment and redirection.

PROGRESSIONS
A two-year conjunction of progressed Sun to natal Leo Ascendant ends as this new month begins. For two years, Trump has had the protection of the gods, and been the centerpiece, the royal hub, the heat at the heart of the spotlight. That phase of his life now ends.

In its place, progressed Saturn conjoins progressed Midheaven. He is weakened and feels progressively increasing burdens, threats, and losses. Much of this has broken forth with progressed Moon to the Saturn-MC, an aspect continuing until August 14. However (see below), Saturn's transit to his natal Moon continues for months. At the end of January, progressed Saturn-MC is exact the same week progressed Moon conjoins his Pluto. A briar patch has sprung up along the road to the end of his first year in office.

The long-term picture for Pres. Trump, therefore, is dire professionally, politically, and even in terms of health. He no longer stands in brilliant sunlight, but in deepening, darkening shadow.

His one positive continuing progression, Venus conjunct Jupiter, lasts for years. He also retains aspects of combat and verbal aggression, with Mars' square natal Mercury and sextile Pluto. But these are the sideshow. The main Secondary Progression panorama is now in the Saturn-MC conjunction.


TRANSITS
PLUTO squares his JUPITER until August 8. This aspect lifts up and casts down, in both cases against the odds. It has lifted him to a pinnacle, and may continue to hold him there, though his risk is a Nixonesque hard casting down on the rocks, given so much Saturn activity.

As this aspect steps back, PLUTO sesqui-squares his PROGRESSED SUN until the end of November, peaking September 1 and November 4. At its simplest, this shows his world demanding that he undergo fundamental changes, that he dismantle himself (or be dismantled by circumstances), and take off on an entirely new life-phase. It is an invitation to remake himself.

SATURN conjunct his MOON, if we allow a 1°01' orb, is uninterrupted through the fall. On August 25, Saturn is stationary 61' from his natal Moon and starts back across for its final pass. Final passes of repeated transits are important, because their "job" is to ensure the transit's main message fully lands, that the developmental opportunity is not missed. This is a hard transit if one does not adapt to its demands. Practical matters do better than emotional ones. Times are somber and lonely. One becomes distant and cautious, cut off from nurturing. Wounded pride, loss, and feeling misunderstood are typical. Others seem unsympathetic.

He gets one break this month: JUPITER conjoins natal JUPITER August 5-17 (exact on August 10). This overlaps the nicest, kindest lunar ingresses. Jupiter conjunct Jupiter is a turning point transit, one that invites reflection and reorientation in preparation for his next 12 years (possibly the rest of his life, given his age) on matters of career, prosperity, and prestige. He has space to make some new decisions, and he should take advantage of it. While it is happening, most people display a contagious self-assurance, confidence, and optimism, though this is surely compromised by the compounded concurrent Moon-Saturn aspects.

Key brief MARS transits help identify hotpot dates. Their exact days are:

8/6 - t Mars conj. r Pluto
8/21 - t Mars conj. r EP
8/23 - t Mars ssq. r Neptune
8/28 - t Mars ssq. r Mercury
8/28 - t Mars sq. r MC
9/1 - t MARS conj. r MARS (Mars Return)


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 (Aug 3)
Just before the astrological month begins, a new Lunar Return brings a quarter-degree Jupiter-Pluto square to the foreground. We don't need to repeat what this means: It is a thematic aspect of the times, especially within the life of Donald Trump. (WIth Pluto also partile square his natal Jupiter, this makes for double Jupiter-Pluto.)

Does anything tip this aspect good vs. bad for him? Yes: The natal planets closest to the angles are Saturn (0°06'), Venus (0°56'), Neptune (1°49'), and Mercury (0°48'). Saturn, which also squares Ascendant 0°12' in his Solar Return, conjoins it within 0°06' in this Lunar Return. Saturn-Neptune combinations indicate dour (even morbid) psychological states and, with Mercury, produce strong neurotic symptoms that become evident in one's speech, actions, and ability to function.

Nor does the pressure end there. Sun conjoins his natal Pluto (0°11'). Expect high-impact experiences that confront and challenge him and drive him to make a decision he'd rather avoid making. Pressures are intense. His instinct is to flee. Some sort of turning point is forced. Saturn conjoins his Moon (detailed above). These are strenuous psychological times that push one either to a full-on confrontation (Trump's usual tactic) or to leave.

No matter how we look at this SLR, it delivers a similar feel. For example, both luminaries are afflicted - Moon partile conjunct Saturn in the immediate background (where it emphasizes health vulnerability), and Sun closely conjunct Mars in the middleground. He appears psychologically exhausted.

Two important natal aspects are brought to the fore, his Venus-Saturn conjunction and his Mercury-Neptune square. These do not show the best side of a person; e.g., they enhance isolation, dissociate reason from the practical world, and misdirect problem-solving attention away from real issues to chimera. "Sacrifice for duty" has never been his strong suit; will he draw that ability from within himself now?

DEMI-SLR (Aug 16)
Natal Venus-Saturn is highlighted in the Demi-Lunar also. (They straddle IC, their midpoint 0°20' from the angle.) Transiting Uranus is closely angular (square his Venus). Natal Pluto is widely angular.

I anticipate intense inner turmoil over family relations. It is not clear whether even close family relationship will keep anyone in his administration safe if the pressure builds too severely; and severity is a hallmark of the month. Not only is Moon partile conjunct Saturn, it has an even closer mundane square to Mars. Moon aspecting Mars and Saturn, both partile, shows Trump on the receiving end of great severity.

His Jupiter Return occurs right about now, and Venus squares the two Jupiters; but they are all background.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Aug 30)
Just before the end of the astrological month, a new Lunar Return brings a Mercury-Mars focus. Mercury-Mars is also the main feature of the August 25 Liblunar, and next month's Caplunar, and transiting Mars conjoins Capsolar Moon during these same days; so we have every reason to think it the main theme for the nation for the next few weeks.

First, the technicalities: Mercury and Mars are conjunct on the SLR Midheaven, their midpoint 0°05' from the angle. Both conjoin Trump's natal Mars, which is only 0°11' from MC. Additionally, these all fall on Trump's natal angles. Finally, SLR Moon is exactly on the prime vertical, placing it in a hidden mundane square (orb 0°54') with SLR Mars.

In an ordinary person, Mercury-Mars of this sort especially implies arguments, verbal conflict, rhetorical aggression, extreme agitation, and similar psychological states. The risk increases of transportation accidents, but most problems come from conflict, thriving on combativeness, and slips in self-control.

When the native is president of the United States, we have to consider mundane implications. Diplomacy fails. Sabers rattle. Even charging to war can occur, all consistent with the more general description already given. Knowing the president's temperament, the least we can expect is aggravated verbal aggression.

This is now finished. Notice that in the Other Locations section, I've moved the text to a new place between the two maps. I think this will make it more viewable.

I reserve the right, as always, to edit this any time before the Moon enters Capricorn.

New Orleans is already flooding! Some areas are under 10" of water, and more rain is expected tomorrow. See above under Other Locations for the Caplunar.

Jim Eshelman wrote: Sun Jul 16, 2017 2:17 pm August 5-8 has Jupiter crossing quotidian (CanQ) angles, highlighting the very best this combination has to offer. Concurrently, transiting Sun rides CapQ angles all week, and Capsolar Sun crosses on August 8, drawing focus especially to the president and other solar figures. August 8 also brings transiting Mars to an angle, though: Unless a positive event is themed to sports, military, police, or other martial-heroic figures, expect the week's crises to center on August 8 or the two days following.

Today is August 9, and we're talking elsewhere about a possible DJI top today (Jupiter ended yesterday), brought on by Trump announcing today that if North Korea doesn't shut up, they'll face fire and fury such as the world has never seen.

Fits.

I usually wait until the end of a prediction cycle to critique it, but I want to get a few things down right now - because, so far, in the first half of this astrological month, predictions have been farther off than perhaps any prior prediction cycle.

Yes, Trump went on vacation, and I got a few small details right that nobody cares about; but the main feature of these first two weeks (a full Caplunar and a dormant Arilunar) have centered, more than anything, on Charlottesville, VA and all the things that have spilled out and spun off from that. This is NOT a period best marked by Venus, Jupiter, and their mutual aspect.

Sure, I can make a case for either of these planets (though less so for their combination). There were numerous surrounding details of the Unite the Right rally that fit the two planets. JSAD IMHO correctly captured the malicious, xenophobic expression of Jupiter, for example., But Venus-Jupiter - whether alone or, especially, in combination - do not reflect the massive hate and acute division of the days since. These are especially the national effects, and what we expect to see reflected in the Washington, DC charts.

Trumps charts - and my forecasts from them - are right on target. No problem there. It's the mundane charts - usually far clearer than any personal charts - that soar. Not this month - or, so it seems.

Therefore, this is a great opportunity to learn something.

I've been spending recent months examining additional techniques within the solar and lunar ingresses on file - primarily the methods in my "Stretching the System" chapter of the current edition of SMA. I've learned a lot, think I see where all the results are going to fall, and just have to keep plowing through, calculating and examining the couple of thousand charts to get a final tabulation. But this month's lunar ingresses give us an unusually good opportunity to put some of this to practical use.

So... for starters... the main chart of the last two weeks has been the August 5 Caplunar. Its two angular planets are Venus (06' from square Ascendant) and Jupiter (foreground, about 6° above Descendant). They are in close mundane square. That, in a nutshell, is the Caplunar for Washington.

The August 12 Arilunar is dormant. It returns a Moon-Uranus conjunction to the mix, but that's all.

Here are a few technical methods of examining these charts that have been under investigation, with some comments.

MERIDIAN ALTITUDE CONJUNCTION (MAC). It was proposed that planets having, within 1°, the same altitude as the MC or IC had a variety of angularity. This has been a disappointing technique to examine, because there are so many extraordinary examples - I was ready to be impressed with it. However, in tabulating the actual results with the major catalogue events, I find nearly as many miserable examples. The technique isn't reliable. We have roughly a 50-50 or 60-50 chance of being right in estimating what will happen from a MAC, which is another way of saying the results are random.

That's too bad for this current example in particular, because there were (literally) killer MAC contacts with both the Caplunar and Arilunar. Both had a Saturn-Pluto "conjunction" right on MC for Washington. This fits more or less every detail of the last week's events. For example, the Caplunar has altitudes of 27°43' for MC, 27°55' for Pluto, and 27°58' for Saturn. That's impressive! Except... we can't rely on it, because actual observed results have only been right about half the time. We don't get an easy answer from this one.

NON-FOREGROUND ASPECTS. The Caplunar had some non-foreground aspects that describe the last week's evens quite well. Consider a Sun-Mars conjunction and Mercury-Neptune opposition, both < 4° wide. (In the mundoscope, Sun-Mars is only 1°33'.) However, these aspects exist for all parts of the world. Nothing links them to the United States in particular. Furthermore, one of the first things confirmed in the first several months of studying the SMA methods is that aspects of foreground planets are preeminently descriptive of these events, but not those of the non-foreground planets.

Now, it could be that these are important this time simply because they lasted in space so long. They were ongoing transiting aspects entirely separate from whether they were highlighted by any particular ingress. Due to Mercury's station, it had been in about the same degree, closely opposite Neptune, for days. It was stationary the day of the rally. But Sun-Mars, which had been conjunct for so long, had moved on and were about 6° apart. That isn't the kind of aspect that would be highlighted without angularity.

Other than the drawn-out Mercury-Neptune opposition in space, there wasn't anything in this category.

NON-FOREGROUND MUNDANE ASPECTS. A different category are non-foreground mundane aspects in an ingress. These are location-specific because they are mundane aspects - they don't exist for the whole world, just for certain regions (like angularity). These are showing fairly well in the supplemental methods research, and probably will emerge as supplemental information - nothing primary, but perhaps "background details." However, there are no examples of them in the Caplunar.

NONFOREGROUND PLANETS ASPECTING FOREGROUND PLANETS. These have been showing quite well in the supplemental research. The theory is that a foreground planet is affected by whatever aspects it in a valid aspect, and perhaps non-foreground planets "count" in this. These are some of the best results in the supplemental research, and might be the hitherto "missed" information for the current Caplunar.

The foreground Jupiter is only 13' from square a middleground Pluto. Jupiter-Pluto aspects accurately describe many details of the last week's events. In particular, if this were an attack by foreign terrorists, we would accept in a second that Jupiter-Pluto's particular kind of "overthrow the values system" or "remold the social paradigm" or "overthrow the reigning power structure" was a fit. I now think it was a mistake not to give stronger emphasis to this aspect.

I'm still not sure that it would have allowed me to anticipate the kind of central event of the fortnight, but it would have led to descriptions in the right direction. <My boilerplate interpretation for the aspect is, "Events challenge or assault existing value systems, ideologies, and the political and other power systems that support them. Attempts at political destabilization may occur." More could be said along the same lines.

Those are my current thoughts on what is going on in this Caplunar.

Thoughts?

Congress is scattered across the country and Trump is in New Jersey (was in NYC when he reacted to Charlottesville) because the White House is being upgraded. Do you think that might have moved the location of any of the lunars?

Jim Eshelman wrote: Sun Jul 16, 2017 2:18 pm DEMI-SLR (Aug 16)
Natal Venus-Saturn is highlighted in the Demi-Lunar also. (They straddle IC, their midpoint 0°20' from the angle.) Transiting Uranus is closely angular (square his Venus). Natal Pluto is widely angular.

I anticipate intense inner turmoil over family relations. It is not clear whether even close family relationship will keep anyone in his administration safe if the pressure builds too severely; and severity is a hallmark of the month. Not only is Moon partile conjunct Saturn, it has an even closer mundane square to Mars. Moon aspecting Mars and Saturn, both partile, shows Trump on the receiving end of great severity.

Well, Steve Bannon isn't family, but he's about as close to it as anyone in the White House that isn't actual family. Reports from inside are that the decision has been made to dump him, and negotiations are going on about how and when to do it.

This is consistent with what I had in mind when writing the above, even though it isn't exactly what I wrote; and it's right on schedule. If I'd said "inner circle" instead of "family," it would have been quite correct.

I think this counts as on the money. I assumed "family" included Bannon and maybe Miller when you wrote that.

Jupiter Sets at Dawn wrote: Thu Aug 17, 2017 8:11 pm Congress is scattered across the country and Trump is in New Jersey (was in NYC when he reacted to Charlottesville) because the White House is being upgraded. Do you think that might have moved the location of any of the lunars?

My instinct was "no" when I read the question, because I think the capital itself is the ego-center to which the country as a whole responds. But, since that's just a theory, I thought I should work.

Though the Caplunar changes for Bedminster, NJ, it stays effectively the same. Instead of Venus being minutes from square Ascendant, it's 1°12' from IC, with Jupiter a little closer to Descendant (4°10'). That does have the effect of pushing their mundane square to the edge of the usual 3° orb (which I guess is an improvement - their aspect was the least fitting part of this), but it's otherwise about the same. We have the same essentially exact square of a middleground Pluto to the foreground Jupiter.

Breitbart just posted one word on Twitter... "WAR"

I have to go buy more popcorn.

It's possible, according to MSNBC, that this was decided two weeks ago, and Bannon was asked for his resignation and gave it then. That's why Bannon felt OK giving that interview on the record

The traders on the NY Stock Exchange were cheering and high-fiving when the news was announced on the floor.

Jupiter Sets at Dawn wrote: Fri Aug 18, 2017 10:50 am Breitbart just posted one word on Twitter... "WAR"

I have to go buy more popcorn.

It's possible, according to MSNBC, that this was decided two weeks ago, and Bannon was asked for his resignation and gave it then. That's why Bannon felt OK giving that interview on the record

According to Breitbart, the White House is saying Bannon submitted his resignation August 7. If true, then it contradicts NY Times leak this morning that the White House was trying to figure out how to do this.

The traders on the NY Stock Exchange were cheering and high-fiving when the news was announced on the floor.

DJIA went up briefly (just a little), then levelled back down. They'll be down for the week.

As I watched Facebook practilly exploding with the effects of Bannon's departure, I was reminded of another prediction already posted about today. I'm pretty sure I would never have gotten the exact event from this, but the symbolism is right (and there's stuff to learn from linking it to today's bombastic events).

For the Arilunar period August 12-19, I wrote:

Jim Eshelman wrote: Sun Jul 16, 2017 2:17 pm On the last two days of the week, a Mars-Uranus square rotates to CanQ angles. Expect at least aggressive bombast, and probably some psychological bombshells. (We'd expect physical bombshells as well, if it weren't for the unusually benefic umbrella hanging over the time.)

Jim Eshelman wrote: Sun Jul 16, 2017 2:17 pm Canlunar (Aug 19)
The Canlunar covers August 19-25. Mars is 3°02' below Ascendant, leaving the chart technically dormant, but I think it's quite readable. In some ways, the Canlunar reinforces the Caplunar's message, since Moon squares Jupiter mundanely and Venus ecliptically. Among other things, these aspects are excellent for diplomacy and heightened dignity and pride, though elitism still prevails.

What is different this week is that anger about that elitism starts to simmer on a higher flame. The "have-nots" have had enough. With wider orbs, don't expect major events from this chart, but do expect rumbling and rabble rousing in our brief paradise.

Mars rising, played off against Moon aspects with Venus and Jupiter. I think we saw it all yesterday.

Last night, the president announced an escalation in our involvement in Afghanistan.

But during the day, the nation had the large tailgate party it's ever had, as eclipse watches lined the diagonal scar across the country or watched (out their windows or on streaming media) a natural wonder well-understood but only occasionally seen. Businesses lost unknown tens of millions in productivity in a huge impromptu recreation. (And then, today, the market is opening quite high for the first in, what, a couple of weeks?)

Last night the president announced his new plan for Afghanistan, which was basically, "I'm not going to tell you what we're going to do but Pakistan better help and we're getting India involved."

Trump is going to Arizona tonight to attack John McCain, tell people not to vote for Jeff Flake, and maybe to pardon that sheriff.

As Harvey gears up for another assault on the coast, the National Weather Service is saying it will start heading toward Louisiana. (They're also talking about the effects that will happen "before the weekend," which literally equates to "while we're still under the current Caplunar.)

What part of Louisiana? Well, here is a map of where Mars exactly squares Midheaven in the Liblunar. I think it will be wider spread than this - you can see on today's radar maps two areas, one hovering right over Houston and one from New Orleans reaching into Alabama. But the red line on the map shows a spot that can be expected to be especially merciless (perhaps new landfall?).

I think this week's Liblunar forecast is a good learning/teaching moment. It is especially a good example of the point I often make that astrology shows the psychological state of an event, not the event itself - that it is easier to tell how people will be feeling than it is to tell what happened to make them feel that way.

In doing predictions, it's always walking a narrow beam to know when just to describe a state of mind and when to try to venture into isolating specific events. One will be right most of the time if one only does the former, and one will look more impressive if one succeeds at the latter.

Below is the full Liblunar forecast. No mention is made, for example, of hurricanes (though Louisiana was correctly identified later in the same forecast). But read the second paragraph: Doesn't this describe the actual states of mind of people in the hurricane region (and other people who care about them)?

Regarding military matters, I wasn't that far off. This whole interpretation (woven in and out of it) describes reaction to this week's North Korea launch of a missile over the top of Japan. It doesn't jump off the sentences, but it's all there (including the fact that we're still in a restraint stage).

The worst days of the week are about to begin... and Trump' new SLR just set up, so I have to go read what I wrote about that... but I thought I'd highlight the above points. We really do know how to grab the tone of a time and place and, sometimes, to single out more particulars.

Liblunar (Aug 25)
The Liblunar covers August 25 to September 2. This is the week that physical artillery becomes a little more likely, though vitriolic language may still remain the weapon of choice.

In any case, themes of attack, threat, and heightened anxiety dominate this week. Mars and Mercury are exactly conjoined 1-2° from Descendant, reinforced by Sun; a Moon-Uranus opposition is nearly partile in mundo; and in an alternate mathematical framework that lately has been proving its value, we find a hidden close square of Neptune to the Mercury-Mars conjunction.

Besides the usual Mercury-Mars themes of vehicular accidents and heated words (Are you travelling over the long Labor Day weekend? Be careful!), Mercury-Mars close and angular is a hallmark of war. Declarations of conflict and willingness to strategically mobilize attacks can heat up. As Mercury-Mars also dominates next week's Caplunar, things probably won't come to a head this week, under our month-long Venus-Jupiter protective umbrella; but you will definitely feel things heating toward an eventual boil. Sun-Mars adds testosterone-driven swagger, Moon-Uranus leaves room to be startled, Mars-Neptune stirs panic or at least magnifies anxiety, while Mercury-Neptune leaves people disoriented, making bad choices, and anxious about exactly what is going to happen next.

Hysteria strikes most powerfully within a day or two of September 1, when CapQ MC squares Neptune as Mars creeps within 2° of its Descendant. A day or two earlier, when Mercury crosses CanQ Ascendant, the news media likely will break a significant story to let us in on what is about to occur.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Aug 30)
Just before the end of the astrological month, a new Lunar Return brings a Mercury-Mars focus. Mercury-Mars is also the main feature of the August 25 Liblunar, and next month's Caplunar, and transiting Mars conjoins Capsolar Moon during these same days; so we have every reason to think it the main theme for the nation for the next few weeks.

First, the technicalities: Mercury and Mars are conjunct on the SLR Midheaven, their midpoint 0°05' from the angle. Both conjoin Trump's natal Mars, which is only 0°11' from MC. Additionally, these all fall on Trump's natal angles. Finally, SLR Moon is exactly on the prime vertical, placing it in a hidden mundane square (orb 0°54') with SLR Mars.

In an ordinary person, Mercury-Mars of this sort especially implies arguments, verbal conflict, rhetorical aggression, extreme agitation, and similar psychological states. The risk increases of transportation accidents, but most problems come from conflict, thriving on combativeness, and slips in self-control.

When the native is president of the United States, we have to consider mundane implications. Diplomacy fails. Sabers rattle. Even charging to war can occur, all consistent with the more general description already given. Knowing the president's temperament, the least we can expect is aggravated verbal aggression.

It came out last night and today, mostly today, that Mueller is working with the NY State Attorney General Schneiderman.
This is important because Trump cannot pardon anybody for state charges, only federal.