US forecast October 26 - November 23, 2017

[Jim Eshelman]

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


USA Mundane Forecast
for the four weeks beginning October 26, 2017

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

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

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

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

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

Libsolars tend to serve as the "final act" of each year's Capsolar drama, and this year will certainly continue that trend: Themes to which this year has been building will converge and come to a head in a dramatic movie-like climax in this last quarter before the (substantially different) 2018 Capsolar. Mostly, this will be fiercely positive - with emphasis on the fierce, because this is not a tame, well-behaved chart of settled old orthodoxies. Conventions are advantageously challenged, shaken, and abandoned.

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

Please read the interpretations for Mercury, Jupiter, and Pluto angular in Chapter 7 of Sidereal Mundane Astrology for a longer list of specific event types that occur when these planets take the lead.

From Mercury-Jupiter (especially with Moon conjunct Venus), we expect a kinder, more comfortable time, more prone to diplomacy and alliances than to antipathies; but three factors ensure that things will not be calm, routine, and predictable. Two are Pluto square Midheaven (0°50') and Moon square Pluto (0°12' in mundo), which signify high-impact events, primarily separative and disruptive, that stun our senses and halt our minds with their intensity. Mainstream and counter-establishment sensibilities form the scrimmage. Unnatural events under Pluto tend to be fiercely political, such as leader deaths, departures, and similar crises, terrorist attacks, severing historic relations, and populist challenges to prevailing authority.

The other shaker is Sun opposite Uranus (1°36'), which fosters events psychologically (and often physically) startling and explosive. These take numerous forms, from great discoveries benefiting everyone to natural disasters, large fires and explosions, sudden violent attacks, and calling leaders to task.

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


BRIDGE PATTERNS
Nearly the entire month, we have a SATURN Zone, as transiting Saturn conjoins one and then another Cansolar angle. This puts an umbrella of hardship over most of the month (a month with a very harsh Caplunar). Though most of the secondary indicators are distinctly political, Saturn stands out for all categories of events that involve significant loss of human life and costly property damage, including losses in general (whether of life, loot, or an athletic competition), economic crises (both financial crises and periods of scarcity, economic narrowing, and deprivation), and natural disasters, among many other possibilities. Saturn owns the show alone October 26-30 and November 17-21.

October 31 to November 10 and again on November 16, we have a JUPITER-SATURN Zone, as Jupiter first squares Capsolar Ascendant and then opposes CanQ Moon. If natural disasters are in store, the most characteristic type is flooding. Even more, Jupiter-Saturn collaboration anticipates economic uncertainty and political horse-trading. The front burner questions on deal-makers' minds are, “What will it cost me to win?” and “What do I gain if I lose?”

The most aggressive wheeling and dealing kicks in November 11-15, a MARS-JUPITER-SATURN Zone. transiting Mars and Saturn both square Cansolar angles while Jupiter opposes progressed Cansolar Moon. Mars and Saturn are the collaborators, and Jupiter either narrows the range of possible events or (we can only hope) alleviates the worst effects. In natural phenomena, expect fierce storms and destruction from flooding. Violent events may occur at festivals, places of entertainment such as clubs or theaters, or religious sites. Politics are even more aggressive, and driven by religious themes themselves - the month seems to be a build-up to these few days of concentrated political combat, and then a winding down before Thanksgiving. Emphasis increases on patriotism and other tribal identifications and loyalties.

Notice how nearly all of these Bridge elements arise out of the Cansolar. Experience shows that daily timing is more likely to show from the CanQ during these times than the normally more vivid CapQ.


SHORT-TERM (Lunar Ingress) PATTERNS

Caplunar (Oct 26)
The Caplunar covers October 26 to November 23, and especially the first week, October 26 to November 2. Mars-Pluto dominates the month: Mars on IC and Pluto on Descendant form a mundane square. Contributing further details, Venus closely squares the angular Pluto and Moon closely squares Uranus. Nothing is partile, but everything is pretty close.

Mars-Pluto signifies a violent, ferocious, often explosive unleashing of force, such as occurs with bombs, other explosions, accidents, war-like aggression, mass shooting, fires, and various natural disasters. Its energies are broadly disrespectful of the law, and long-enduring things crack under the pressures of cumulative stresses.

This is an extension of the general meaning of an angular Mars, which anticipates a wide range of hurtful events and a general air of crisis, and angular Pluto which signals that events are high-impact, separative, and drawing a "no going back" line in the sand.

Adding the Venus-Pluto square tips this more toward war. At least, is signals dramatic changes in relationships (whether alliances or antipathies between nations) and, more locally, stark severing of emotional ties, as in loss of loved ones and harm to communities, stirring (with the widely foreground Moon) powerful emotional responses to emotionally moving, sympathy-inviting events.

Mars conjoins CanQ Ascendant for a day or two as the new month begins, concentrating events on the first couple of days. CapQ MC squares Jupiter October 29.

Arilunar (Nov 2)
Covering November 2-8, the Arilunar most vividly repeats trends of the Caplunar. For a week, the Month and Week charts give a single message. Mars exactly squares Ascendant (0°12'), supported by the other two malefics more widely foreground. Under this triple darkness, Moon's partile alignment with a background Venus-Uranus opposition (0°28' in mundo) cannot be taken as a sign of peace.

Mars is foreground for a wide range of hurtful events, including fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, explosions, and accidents. High profile deaths by inflammatory illness or (more commonly) by violence, notorious shooting incidents where many are killed, significant military and police activity, the inauguration of war, actions causing great violence and damage in the name of war, and a general air of crisis and assault facing political leaders all are characteristic of angular Mars, which also is strikingly absent for peace.

The Moon-highlighted Venus-Uranus opposition marks substantial changes in relationships between nations. We see childlike “ooh & ahh” wonder or excitement, as if for fireworks. Shifting social values may be at the heart of political conflicts (another assault on abortion rights or other women's health rights? or wider social divisions?).

By the end of the week, CanQ angles reach Jupiter and Pluto, showing sharp political or economic shifts in Jupiter matters.

Canlunar (Nov 8)
Clearly the best week chart of the month, the Canlunar operates November 8-15. Jupiter and Venus straddle IC (their midpoint conjunct the angle). This is especially good to see because the worst Bridge aspects of the month peak during this week, and this Canlunar may redirect some of that energy to less destructive paths. Saturn hangs around Cansolar angles all month, and will be felt in this benefics-masked week as well.

Of course (to get it out of the way), the most likely hardship with Venus and Jupiter angular is destruction from excessive rain. For example, having one pro-precipitation lunar ingress is typical for hurricanes, amidst more broadly destructive charts. Other violence is likely to manifest at clubs, festivals, or major recreational events, or to involve the economic and cultural elite.

But with a strong Jupiter in the Libsolar, let's be optimistic of a positive turn of things, a week of happiness and celebration for the country. Venus-Jupiter marks victories, festivities, love, and world-witnessed weddings and births.

Moon square Uranus is partile. It joins two background mundane aspects that are geographically distinctive to the Washington area, Mercury-Neptune and Mars-Pluto, which add "What happens now?" disorientation and great unleashed force (perhaps enhancing the hurricane expectation).

Jupiter, already strong in the Week chart, is conjunct CanQ Ascendant as the week begins, joined by Pluto - a major shift in Jupiter matters is afoot, carrying over from last week, and lasts several days. CapQ Ascendant touches Mercury and Neptune on the 12th-13th, and Mercury and Venus on the 14th-15th.

Liblunar (Nov 15)
The Liblunar covers November 15-23. Mercury is most angular, and Mercury square Neptune is the chief aspect. Supporting these are Moon opposite Uranus (partile) and a Mercury-Jupiter mundane square.

Mercury square Neptune marks confusion, disorientation, and bad (confused) choices. Uncertainty often takes the form of wondering, “What’s next?” or, “What happens now?” Impairment of transportation, communication, and commerce routes occurs. One expects to hear the accusation "fake news" even more than usual.

Angular Mercury itself brings obvious themes of commerce, communication, transportation, and technology. Often it simply means that the news media is more actively mobilized. Special broadcasts, media events, and incidents that interrupt normal broadcasts for news reports (especially if they take over the airwaves for a long stretch) are all Mercurial. With partile Moon opposite Uranus, new reports and disclosures startle us - surprise is part of the disorientation.

With the hidden Mercury-Jupiter aspect, these events likely involve the courts - some sort of major judicial action.

A Sun-Uranus square crosses CanQ angles November 17 (with effects two days either side), spring surprises on those in high office and providing explosive, startling events out of Washington. By November 21, this becomes Mars-Uranus, so surprises turn to explosive shock.

[Jim Eshelman]

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

Progressed Moon aspects still highlight Uranus' decades-long progressed opposition to his natal Moon. Progressed Moon also sextiles Neptune. Feeling increasingly vulnerable, he is blind-sided by surprises. He is in a phase of shifting conditions and increasing stress, caught between a need for emotional reassurance from familiar things vs. variety, change, emotional excitement, and the unfamiliar. Expect unanticipated, even embarrassing, disclosures and revelations.

His positive Venus-Jupiter conjunction lasts for years. He also retains aspects of combat and verbal aggression (Mars to natal Mercury and Pluto). But these are the sideshow. The main Secondary Progression panorama for now is the Saturn-MC conjunction.


TRANSITS
PLUTO aspects PROGRESSED SUN all month, peaking November 4, an invitation (or requirement) to redefine oneself, marking separation from things that anchor one's life. Old doors close; new doors open.

SATURN opposes his SUN until November 4, then SATURN aspects his PLUTO the rest of the month. These burdensome aspects fit the demands, worries, and responsibilities of being president. Additionally, Saturn-Sun has been eroding him with blocked ego-expression, strained vitality, discouragement, and feeling unappreciated. Saturn-Pluto is less personal, its very impersonableness making it hardening, distancing, and uncompassionate. He will take on much when it's his idea, and rejects rules others try to force on him. His relationship with Chief of Staff John Kelly will be tested especially.

URANUS squares his VENUS until November 8. 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.

URANUS squares his SATURN beginning November 6. Tension stems from struggles between opposites such as stability vs. change. Current patterns are challenged. Material foundations and personal rigidities are shaken. He reacts strongly against others' efforts to control him, is uncooperative, and demands increasing autonomy.

Beginning November 17, PLUTO squares JUPITER. Over many months, this transit redefines status, finances, ethics, and reputation, exalting aspirants to unlikely heights and dragging down those at the pinnacle. Specific results depend on concurrent transits and solunar returns.

From mid-month, President Trump has several protections. Most importantly, JUPITER aspects his natal and progressed MOONS November 7-21, and SUN beginning the 15th. Expect an up-tip in the polls and surprising immunity from negativity, especially just before Thanksgiving.

Key brief MARS transits help identify hotspot dates:

11/2 - t Mars conj. r Neptune
11/7 - t Mars sq. r Mercury
11/11 - t Mars oct. r Mars
11/18 - t Mars oct. p Sun
11/20 - t Mars conj. r Jupiter


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 (Oct 24)
Moon (0°09') and Saturn (1°27') are conjoined (< 2°) on IC, their midpoint exactly on the angle. Natal Sun (1°25') and Uranus (4°) are on Midheaven. Transiting Saturn opposes his Sun exactly, 0°00'.

Whether or not Donald Trump is having a lovely autumn, he may well be having a great fall, The emotionally grueling, diminishing, draining Moon-Saturn, characteristic (especially on IC) of a deep personal sense of loss, also assaults his identity, his pride, and his elevated stature. He is under great burden from outside causes. These conditions cut him deeply and personally. He will need enormous strength, perseverance, and support to survive this well. As it mostly overlaps this month's Caplunar, which shows great violence and force, we reasonably expect a difficult, severe time for him and the nation.

DEMI-SLR (Nov 6)
If the president weren't already married, I'd predict that he just might get married during these two weeks.

In any case, a wedding is likely the best example, or at least metaphor, for the main events of this fortnight. Sun closely conjoins Descendant. Nearby, Venus and Jupiter are both foreground, with Jupiter conjunct Sun on one side and Venus on the other. This speaks of a gracious, celebratory occasion with his primary focus less on himself than on another - his other. Under these placements people are liked, awarded, exalted, socially singled out for toasts and gifts. It could be a state occasion (and, even then, the chart suggests more grace than is typical of Trump).During half of this chart's term, the country also has a Venus-Jupiter themed lunar ingress for a week.

Other aspects give a similar feel, though with a little anxious twinge: His natal Venus is also angular, on IC with natal Saturn. (Venus + Saturn is not unusual for the commitment of marriage.) Venus receives close mundane squares from Sun and Jupiter: same message as above. Saturn receives close mundane squares from Jupiter and Venus: besides reiterating the Venus-Saturn theme, it seems to suggest that the Saturn plays at its best, such as pride for rolling up his shirt sleeves and accomplishing something. It is favorable for real estate matters, and for his economic well-being in general. (I do hope this event is more than his signing a tax cut into law!)

Hidden in the background, only visible in mundo, Moon opposes Saturn within about half a degree. Underlying big concerns are not wholly set aside by this Demi-Lunar, but he probably can forget about them for a while.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

Trump's current Lunar Return, beginning on the 26th, with Saturn conjunct the Moon on the IC, is showing it's strength this morning as Sarah Sanders does her best to convince people Manafort and Gates, the campaign chairman and his assistant, (whose arraignment is just about over (at 2:25 PM Eastern) were just volunteers in the Trump campaign for a very short time and barely had anything to do with it and hardly even met Trump, much less knew him well. The reporters are trying hard not to laugh, but clearly some are having trouble.

It appears another person, Pappadoplous, pled guilty to something three weeks ago, and I believe that's the real story here.

[Jim Eshelman]

Just to be sure it's covered in here, early this morning (October 30), two Trump campaign figures, including former campaign manager Paul Manafort, surrendered to the FBI in response to indictments handed down last Friday. A third figure from the Trump campaign had already plead guilty, it was announced today.

None of these yet implicate Trump directly. They do make it devilishly hard for him to continue claiming that "the whole Russia thing" is a fraud talked up by the Democrats to explain away their losses last November. There is surely more to come.

Here are some excerpts from the Trump Watch section above.

SATURN opposes his SUN until November 4... Saturn-Sun has been eroding him with blocked ego-expression, strained vitality, discouragement, and feeling unappreciated...

URANUS squares his VENUS until November 8. 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.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Oct 24)
Moon (0°09') and Saturn (1°27') are conjoined (< 2°) on IC, their midpoint exactly on the angle. Natal Sun (1°25') and Uranus (4°) are on Midheaven. Transiting Saturn opposes his Sun exactly, 0°00'.

Whether or not Donald Trump is having a lovely autumn, he may well be having a great fall, The emotionally grueling, diminishing, draining Moon-Saturn, characteristic (especially on IC) of a deep personal sense of loss, also assaults his identity, his pride, and his elevated stature. He is under great burden from outside causes. These conditions cut him deeply and personally. He will need enormous strength, perseverance, and support to survive this well. As it mostly overlaps this month's Caplunar, which shows great violence and force, we reasonably expect a difficult, severe time for him and the nation.

[Jim Eshelman]

Moon is now in Aries. Besides the general prediction below, and the Mars-line through Pennsylvania etc. on down to DC, warnings are out for south Florida and south Texas.

Arilunar (Nov 2)
Covering November 2-8, the Arilunar most vividly repeats trends of the Caplunar. For a week, the Month and Week charts give a single message. Mars exactly squares Ascendant (0°12'), supported by the other two malefics more widely foreground. Under this triple darkness, Moon's partile alignment with a background Venus-Uranus opposition (0°28' in mundo) cannot be taken as a sign of peace.

Mars is foreground for a wide range of hurtful events, including fires, earthquakes, hurricanes, explosions, and accidents. High profile deaths by inflammatory illness or (more commonly) by violence, notorious shooting incidents where many are killed, significant military and police activity, the inauguration of war, actions causing great violence and damage in the name of war, and a general air of crisis and assault facing political leaders all are characteristic of angular Mars, which also is strikingly absent for peace.

The Moon-highlighted Venus-Uranus opposition marks substantial changes in relationships between nations. We see childlike “ooh & ahh” wonder or excitement, as if for fireworks. Shifting social values may be at the heart of political conflicts (another assault on abortion rights or other women's health rights? or wider social divisions?).

By the end of the week, CanQ angles reach Jupiter and Pluto, showing sharp political or economic shifts in Jupiter matters.

[Jim Eshelman]

Trump is headed to Asia right now, so there are different dynamics from his lunar returns than if he were in Washington. (Again we have Jupiter charts for him, beginning about tomorrow, when he's actually travelling.)

In his current SLR, Venus is angular in Manila - he may actually have a good, social time there. But Saturn is angular through Southeast Asia, so the most important conference is likely to once more see him on the outs.

Etc.

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

TRANSITS
PLUTO aspects PROGRESSED SUN all month, peaking November 4, an invitation (or requirement) to redefine oneself, marking separation from things that anchor one's life. Old doors close; new doors open.

SATURN opposes his SUN until November 4, then SATURN aspects his PLUTO the rest of the month. These burdensome aspects fit the demands, worries, and responsibilities of being president.

Events of today, November 4th: Commerce Secretary Ross has just been exposed as being currently in business with Putin's daughter among other Putin cronies. Mueller is reported to have enough evidence to charge both Flynn and his son.

DEMI-SLR (Nov 6)
If the president weren't already married, I'd predict that he just might get married during these two weeks.
In any case, a wedding is likely the best example, or at least metaphor, for the main events of this fortnight. Sun closely conjoins Descendant. Nearby, Venus and Jupiter are both foreground, with Jupiter conjunct Sun on one side and Venus on the other. This speaks of a gracious, celebratory occasion with his primary focus less on himself than on another - his other. Under these placements people are liked, awarded, exalted, socially singled out for toasts and gifts. It could be a state occasion (and, even then, the chart suggests more grace than is typical of Trump).During half of this chart's term, the country also has a Venus-Jupiter themed lunar ingress for a week.

Jim hit it out of the park on this prediction. Trump's going to have fun on this two week Asian trip. He loves the state dinners and ceremonial events and flattering honorifics. This is his idea of what being President of the US is supposed to be.

[Jim Eshelman]

The Democratic candidate, Ralph Northam, has won the Virginia governor's race.

See the maps above for the Caplunar and Arilunar - looking at Virginia - to see the patterns of the most aggressively contested, hard-fought site of this Election Day.