Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

USA Mundane Forecast
for the four weeks beginning SEPTEMBER 9, 2019
If you are unfamiliar with the methods and interpretations of Sidereal mundane astrology, please see my free book Sidereal Mundane Astrology. (A link to the current edition can be found near the top of the Publications sub-forum.) For standard interpretations, see Chapter 8 of the current (16th) Edition.

LONG-TERM (Solar Ingress) PATTERNS
For the United States, the 12 months beginning January 15, 2019 are dominated by Uranus on IC square Sun on Eastpoint (0°08' wide in RA). Sun-Uranus signals startling events such as surprise attacks, sudden changes in leadership, and technology breakthroughs.

URANUS forecasts explosions (literal or metaphorical), sudden rupture or eruption, shock, surprise, overflowing normal bounds, and revelations. Uranian events often define the character of an era. SUN concentrates attention on the government (especially the head of state) with heightened perception of government’s presence in people’s lives. Sun's aspects to Uranus and Pluto infer rebellion against present leadership and rejection of prevailing political views. Sun-Pluto brings disrespect for the law or those that create or enforce it (which sometimes means removing those in power).

MERCURY CONJOINS SATURN in the foreground. Expect restrictions, delays, failures, or calamity in transportation and communication. Information flow is interrupted or rationed. Data integrity is doubted: cybersecurity remains a higher priority than cyber-expansion. Economic narrowing and backtracking on recovery interrupt commerce. More newspapers and retail close their doors.

Reinforcing the message of economic crisis, MARS square JUPITER exists only mundanely: It is geographically distinctive to Washington. This could be as slight as further government shutdowns or as ravaging as a market crash, but probably will be something between. Resources are squandered, stretched past capacity. Belief-driven aggression accelerates. Bigots have louder voices. In nature, as in human affairs, expect stormy weather.

MERCURY CONJUNCT PLUTO anticipates collisions of information, communication, and ideas. Perhaps opponents in Congress will engage passionately again, unlike the tepid, rigid polarization of recent years. Investigations drill deeply into untapped data to disclose information that reframes how people think. Cyber attacks include remote undermining of critical communication and cyber-control networks.

With Saturn in Sagittarius all year, immigration, aviation, elitism, hierarchical economic separation, and nationalism (anti-internationalism) dominate the public discussion.

Arisolar (Apr 15)
As the July 17 Cansolar is dormant, the Arisolar remains the Quarter chart until mid-October. It shows great severity. Saturn rises within 0°02' in Washington. Pluto is 2°34' below Ascendant, with Saturn conjunct Pluto. Together, Saturn and Pluto PVP square Moon, with Moon-Saturn partile.

With SATURN RISING so closely, expect loss and deprivation, whether of property or human life. The stock market will falter and the economy narrow. Banks are imperiled. Damage from natural disasters increases. Foremost with this Moon-Saturn-Pluto trio, human cruelty rises, hearts harden, and sadness spreads like a dark cloud. Saturn-Pluto brings dramatic hardships with a sense of irrevocable loss or separation. Moon-Saturn means sacrifice, loss, and sadness. Moon-Pluto emphasizes separation, alienation, and departures. The emotional impact of genocide matches these aspects, though of course other physical outcomes are possible.

For the United States, the first consequence of the new Cansolar is that the 2018 Cansolar expires. It concentrated passionate waves of populism with an elevation of thriving unreason fueling herd-mind arousal, disorientation, and deception while undermining trust and confidence. These should abate now. New threats are sharper, more reality based: Cansolar Moon squares Uranus (0°19') for the world and Moon opposes Mars in mundo for Washington.

MEDIUM-TERM PATTERNS (The Bridge)

• URANUS squares Cansolar Moon all month (exact 9/18). This signifies winds of change. Conditions rapidly shift. Something new is breaking the horizon. New technology startles us, changing more or less everything.
• Transiting Mars conjoins Cansolar MC 9/26 to 10/3. This makes these changes and surprises more threatening for a week. Echoing themes of the Cansolar, it brings heightened potential for explosive violence, sudden attacks, or at least a general sense of emergency.

SHORT-TERM (Lunar Ingress) PATTERNS
Caplunar (Sep 9)
The Caplunar covers September 9 to October 6, especially the first week, September 9-16. This month has great potential for diplomacy, peace, and friendship which must, however, overcome equally great drives for profit and power. That's the main dynamic of the month: Earnest, sane desire for specific betterment of conditions in a face-off with traditional big business interests and other profit-driven resistance.

Venus and Mercury are conjoined, each within a degree of an angle (Venus only 0°06' from square MC). As the strongest feature in an ingress, this usually signifies happy news, good press, and the furtherance of diplomacy, negotiations, treaties, and agreements, especially where conflict can be moderated and a functioning peace restored. A desire for optimism requires that we hope things actually turn out that way.

Yet the Caplunar's secondary theme is macho posturing with self-exaltation and a desire to dominate. Combining ecliptical and mundane aspects, Sun, Mars, Jupiter, and Neptune speak of power, the desire for importance and high regard, and a lot of theater. Sun alone has partile aspects with Mars, Neptune, and Jupiter, then they all aspect each other within about 2°. All-out combat is dressed as entertainment.

Sun-Mars is aggressive, combative, and fiery, whether of events or temperaments. Sun-Neptune creates a ferocious, disorienting swirl of conditions. Sun-Jupiter eggs on politics and the leveraging of money and power. Mars-Neptune adds fuel to any fire and heightens anxiety in its many expressions. Jupiter-Neptune drives events by beliefs although, if we are fortunate, the prevailing beliefs will be that we all thrive better together than against each other; but beware the sleight of hand skill at distraction of the evening's entertainers.

If weather gets out of control (which, with this much Jupiter involvement, it surely will, especially in the deep South and the Midwest), its form will be storms and tornadoes. Works of art and beautiful structures are commonly at risk if Mercury-Venus joins a destruction pattern. Sun-Venus can be a force for peace (remember our optimism!) but, in the event of tragedy, delivers widespread (and much-needed) compassion.

Venus also squares Mars and Sun, each about 2° PVP. Emotions run strong.

Mercury crosses CapQ Ascendant for breaking news immediately as the week begins. Uranus surprises us 9/13.

Arilunar (Sep 16)
The Arilunar covers September 16-23. Conditions are unstable and rapidly shifting with a good chance of the masses collectively raising their voices in protest.

Moon rises (2°18') and conjoins Uranus (1°49' in mundo). Angular Moon means that the collective voice of "the people" is raised. With Uranus, it is likely raised in protest. Main events center around crowds, gatherings, public convergences, and other expressions of herd behavior. Uranus, Saturn, and Pluto joining Moon in the foreground begin to resemble charts of great mass protests of the 1960s and other points of the past where a people's voice and action were raised against their government. However, most of these orbs are wide: This time, the expression will be milder (though South Carolina may not think the week so mild).

CanQ Dsc crosses Mars as the week begins, flaring animosity.

Canlunar (Sep 23)
The Canlunar covers the last half of the month, September 23 to October 6. It repeats all the loudest symbolism of the Arilunar, with Moon 1°45' from IC, Uranus rising, and Moon square Uranus 2°07' in mundo.

We reasonably expect, therefore, that last week's trends will continue, gaining greater focus and passion. We see greater clarity and concentration, a lessened sense of distraction. Saturn and Pluto are gone from the foreground, so the aggrieved element of resistance is dissipated leaving energies free to focus on change. Circumstances shift quickly and probably take most people by surprise, especially September 26 to October 3 when Mars transits Cansolar Midheaven. (See the Neptune line in Los Angeles-Santa Barbara and parts north, the Mars line at the longitude of Phoenix and Salt Lake City.)

No important quotidian crossings occur for Washington.

Liblunar (Sep 29)
The Liblunar, nominally covering September 29 to October 6, is dormant. The Canlunar (under the umbrella influence of the Caplunar) prevails. However, the Arilunar brings Moon conjunct Mercury (0°15') worldwide and Moon opposite Uranus (2°05' in mundo) distinctive to the U.S.: It's that time of year when new tech announcements are made ahead of the Christmas season, or some breakthrough or new record in transportation occurs. Ongoing populist clamoring may even unveil a noteworthy discovery, revelation, or disclosure related to those in power.

As Mars transits Cansolar MC 9/26-10/3, CapQ angles also highlight Mars a couple of days either side of 9/30-10/3. On these days, events build to a climax that will be specifically Mars-flavored, whether showing incendiary behavior in Washington or out of control fires in the west. In any case, the effect is martial with a sense of urgency if not emergency. What hopefully will land as a victory for justice occurs 10/2 as Jupiter crosses CanQ MC. Perhaps grievously, Saturn reaches CapQ IC and Neptune squares CanQ MC on the last day of the current Caplunar month.

PROGRESSIONS & TRANSITS

Of greatest importance in Donald Trump's chart this month is progressed Moon conjunct progressed Sun which lasts all month and is exact September 16 (very close to Uranus' exact square to Cansolar Moon 9/18). Moon-Sun progressions focus attention squarely on an individual, commonly marking significant new relationships and intimate connections as well as celebrity attention.

More importantly, the Moon-Sun conjunction (a progressed New Moon) marks the birthing of a new cycle or emerging phase while an old phase slips away. Doors can be ripped open and slammed shut with a refocusing upon the direction life is about to head. Everything else happening to President Trump astrologically this month (especially mid-month) takes on an amplified dramatic air. Since progressed Moon also aspects either natal Jupiter, progressed Venus, or both all month, the initial impact of this progressed New Moon will be quite positive for him.

Meanwhile, continuing all month are p Mars sextile r Pluto, the contentious p Mars semi-square r Mars, p Venus trine r Uranus, and p Sun aspects to p Venus and r Jupiter. Several minor transits come and go that do not warrant separate discussion.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Sep 6)
This is an unpleasant month with survival instincts having the strongest hold on Mr. Trump's psyche. Natal Saturn is 0°06' from Westpoint. Transiting Saturn rises more widely, exactly opposite natal Mercury (0°13' in mundo).

His mood is dour. Natal Saturn foreground exposes our insecurities. We hear the skeletons rattling bones in our own closets and feel the encroachment of our own shortcomings. Typical Saturn behaviors arise in response: we become demanding, controlling, cautious, barricaded, evasive, and territorial. Health can suffer.

With transiting Saturn also foreground, this behavior is a natural response to greater demands by the world. Survival is threatened, even if it's only psychological (ego) survival. Circumstances narrow, restrict, delay, and frustrate. Money is drained, especially with transiting Saturn square natal Jupiter (with Jupiter bereft of the benefit of being foreground). Saturn opposite natal Mercury is quite acute: He feels unheard, criticized, and discouraged. He must be methodical, conscientious, and attentive to meet the demands. His business interests and attempts to communicate suffer.

Additionally, a T-square of seven planets occurs in the deep background, producing three partile aspects that provide background information. Sun conjoins Mars (0°09'), reflecting outright combat and struggle. Mercury opposes Neptune (0°14'), which deepens his communication and business problems and adds evasiveness, misdirection or misrepresentation, confusion, and disorientation: all proffered facts are suspect. Third, Mercury squares Jupiter (0°57'), which might give him negotiating advantage or may merely mean that all this concerns a legal matter. Finally, Uranus squares Pluto (0°22'), suggesting an "everything changes now" impact that dismantles existing structures.

Mr. Trump's progressed Moon-Sun conjunction is exact during this fortnight.

SIDEREAL DEMI-LUNAR RETURN (Sep 21)
Natal Pluto squares Demi-lunar Ascendant (1°26'). Decisions come to a head (either because one is ready to decide or despite the fact that one is not). Most people withdraw into solitude under this influence, though I do not have enough of a record on Donald Trump to know if that is his usual mechanism.

Conditions likely make him feel cornered, though. The three other important factors in the Demi-lunar are all challenging, even threatening, at least with a sense of urgency. Transiting Mars squares natal Moon (0°18'), which is inflammatory - possibly affecting health but especially affecting temper with feelings that one is under attack. Transiting Uranus squares that angular natal Pluto (0°32' in mundo), which overthrows current patterns and circumstances, Finally, with natal Mars and Pluto foreground on either side of Midheaven, their midpoint is 0°21' from the angle signifying pent-up rage and power straining to find expression, possibly explosively. He is vulnerable to burnout while intolerant of any authority.

Think a trapped, caged animal threatened and with no visible avenue of escape.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Oct 3)
I believe the new personal astrological month for Donald Trump will be as strange as any episode of The Prisoner (including the final one). It will have three hallmarks: (1) Deception flies everywhere, in every direction, with no stable fact flowing either into or out of his purview. (2) Donald is the luckiest duck of the season and totally gets away with things against all odds. (3) This occurs despite the fact that nobody believes him in the first place.

To say the same thing differently, not even he knows what movie is playing in the theater but there must be plenty of butter for the popcorn. It's possible, by the way, that this is the map of a true psychological break with reality or, in the alternative, an inspiring bit of unreasonable luck to a creative song-and-dance man.

Mercury-Neptune double-dips this month. His natal Mercury-Neptune square is angular as Mercury rises (2°44') and Neptune squares Ascendant (1°40'). Additionally, transiting Neptune (conjunct MC) is in mundane square to natal Mercury (2°18'). - See what I mean? It's not clear who is being more duped! (Transiting Sun is in partile ecliptical square to his Mercury and mundane conjunction with his Neptune.)

Across the Eastpoint axis, transiting Jupiter opposes natal Uranus within 0°01' (in mundo) or 0°17' ecliptically. It's close! Under this transit, we find our originality applauded and encouraged, we gain from new ideas, our personal sense of uniqueness is exalted (he'll love that!), and, most importantly, we have a surprise run of unpredictable luck. Besides, it's an angular Jupiter. It benefits him.

Neptune at Midheaven squares that Jupiter and Uranus, so the luck is not only unexpected but unreasonable. There is truly no explanation for it. Jupiter-Neptune contributes the sense of theater. Neptune-Uranus makes it theater of the macabre. Jupiter-Neptune to his Uranus accentuates the contrast (one might say the chiaroscuro) between fact and fancy.

Neptune is not the only planet that transits his Mercury in the foreground. Saturn opposes his Mercury, widely but acceptably, with Saturn also widely square Neptune in mundo. Saturn to Mercury means that nobody listens to him. Saturn and Neptune both to his Mercury means that there is no stable factual line between the concrete and the surreal. Saturn and Neptune to his Mercury also is typical of psychological breakdown, even a hallmark of suicide, but not nearly close enough here to suggest that extreme effect: I mention it, rather, only to paint a picture of the style of distortion of his thinking right now.

Even that isn't the whole story. Two more partile aspects (away from angles) show potent background themes off the main stage, serving primarily as backdrop. One is the severe square of transiting Mars to his natal Saturn (0°35' in mundo), breaking up stagnant patterns but not without rattling skeletons and calling debts due. Transiting Venus also squares natal Saturn (ecliptically, 0°32'), another sign of emotional and practical cost.