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US forecast Oct 22 - Nov 19, 2020

Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 7:47 pm
by Jim Eshelman
USA Mundane Forecast
for the four weeks beginning OCTOBER 22, 2020

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

LONG-TERM (Solar Ingresses)
(Summarized from my original interpretation in the January 15 forecast.) For the U.S., the year beginning January 15, 2020 is dominated by Uranus on Eastpoint mundanely square a Sun-Saturn-Pluto conjunction at Midheaven. This difficult year will have more challenges than blessings and sets up even more severe patterns for 2021. Much of what follows is an accurate description of the life-conditions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and civil outrage experienced thus far this year.
  • Uranus: Surprises, sudden ruptures or eruption, shock, revelation, overflowing of limits and boundaries, surprise attacks, changes in foreign relations or leadership, riots and revolts.
  • Sun, Saturn, and Pluto are the main story: This year will be a horrible struggle with great damage along the way. It seems astrologically inconceivable that Trump's presidency will survive the year.
  • Saturn-Pluto: Hardship including catastrophic disasters laying waste to a landscape, feeling irrevocable loss or separation, an apocalyptic time, even (in the extreme) the downfall of cities and nations.
  • Sun-Saturn-Pluto across Florida, New Orleans, and coastal Mississippi: Devastating hurricanes this year, after the fashion of Hurricane Andrew. Mars through Santa Barbara County sparks unusually severe fire. See the maps.
  • Sun-Saturn: Sad, arduous events; death or restraint of leaders; government gridlock; restrictive, controlling, or failing government that causes or worsens disaster, fiscal crisis, structural collapses, natural disasters, events requiring government oversight and response.
  • Sun-Pluto: Diverse possibilities from natural disasters to political confrontation; removing or assailing those in power, rebelling against conventions, disrespect for and disobeying the law.
  • Saturn-Uranus: Bubble-bursting, harsh reality, wide pendulum swings between freedom-restriction, liberality-conservatism, liberty vs. safety, change vs. status quo.
  • Uranus-Pluto: Destabilizing, revolutionary, revising, remapping, anti-establishment, antigovernmental: a spirit of revolution dismantles current systems and tears down existing structures; people ignore, challenge, or reject precedent, custom, convention, and authority.
  • Sun-Uranus: Sudden, startling, explosive, surprise attacks, leadership changes, life-altering technology.
Amidst deep cultural divisions, the nation is hurled closer to a spirit of revolution. As Pluto transitions from Sagittarius to Capricorn, every solar or lunar cardinal ingress through the end of 2003 worldwide will have Sun or Moon conjunct, opposite, or square Pluto.

Libsolar (Oct 17)
Three high-risk months (mid-October to mid-January) likely redefine the U.S., rewriting "life as we know it" and paving the way for whatever "new normal" comes after. The Libsolar is shocking and overthrows existing structures.

The 0°05 Uranus-Pluto mundane square (about 1° from angles) is destabilizing, revolutionary, revising, and remapping. New conditions are unbound by precedent, custom, or convention and challenge or reject authority.

Mercury with Uranus and Pluto is typical for travel catastrophes, especially air crashes; but also for earthshaking disclosures of information, major tech breakthroughs, and radical departures from the way information is processed or handled. Best outcome: A medical breakthrough in the COVID-19 pandemic. Worst: An attack on our country (especially cyber-based, possibly the power or information grids) or efforts to overthrow the nation's fundamental structure. Events will be harsh and attacking: Mars squares Uranus (0°12'), Pluto (0°35'), and Mercury (2°24').

Sun is most angular (WP 0°46'). The easiest conclusion is that events center on the presidential elections. Sun's closest aspects are a mundane opposition to Mars (0°09') and ecliptical square to Saturn (0°36'). (Sun also aspects Jupiter and Pluto.) If Sun refers to the president, these aspects weigh heavily against him, describing a "war" to expel him from office. In the alternative, the heart of the nation itself is attacked by foes assailing the America's identity.

With Moon square Saturn, I fear much of the impact will be the anticipated new COVID-19 wave. However, some of the impact is political, hopefully with Moon-Mercury-Mars-Uranus-Pluto signifying disclosure of information useful to our reinvention, rather than subversion of our electoral system.

MEDIUM-TERM (The Bridge)
Transiting Saturn conjoins Capsolar MC all month, exact on November 15. In February, this marked the stock market's collapse and the worst COVID-19 impact. We probably have experienced something similar through this second July 13 to December 9 passage.

Mars is in Pisces all month. During Mars' earlier Pisces transit this year, we saw increased virulence (intensification of disease and toxic behavior, hotbeds of infection, seething hurtfulness); unhealed wounds open and festering (e.g., racial violence and outrage); betrayals, back-stabbing, back-biting insinuation, passionate lying; and the very Piscean theme of wearing masks. -- Summaries of longer-term trends from outer planet sign transits are here.

SHORT-TERM (Lunar Ingresses)

Caplunar (Oct 22)
The Caplunar covers October 22 to November 19, especially the fist week, October 22-30. Jupiter, Pluto, and Mars are strongest. Jupiter leads, 0°05' from Descendant, with Pluto 2° away and Mars square Ascendant 1°.

For the month when presidential and other pivotal elections come to a head, the power themes are quite clear. The portrayal is refreshingly honest, an open competition hard-fought like testosterone-driven athletes engaged on a sports field. Ideologies clash with evangelical fervor in a fashion that enthuses and inspires heroism. Jupiter-Pluto strives to overthrow the incumbent as a challenging team takes on last season's champion in a travelling trophy rematch.

And the crowds will roar: Foreground Moon shows surging waves of response in mass mind, an unusually strong engagement of the people in the process. Presumably this means record-breaking voter turn-out.

Continuing tragedy also exists in this otherwise positive, optimistic month. Saturn has hovered near 0° Capricorn for weeks, aspecting Moon in every lunar ingress. This time, they conjoin within 0°47'. Moon-Saturn (effective worldwide) means hardship, sacrifice, loss, and sadness, a baseline of bereavement, shortages, disappointments, and death. Mundanely, Jupiter, Pluto, Moon, and Saturn squeeze within 6° of each other and the horizon, so all the above themes are interwoven. The hard-fought competition is the people's response to their tragedy. (Think "Hunger Games," perhaps.)

We could, of course, view this as a strong and afflicted Jupiter. Especially with the exact Moon-Saturn conjunction, Jupiter strong and aspecting Mars and Pluto has marked times of economic crisis (prosperity's downfall), sometimes from natural disaster and sometimes from destructive spending and overreach. Perhaps that will happen now, too, though the more formidable message of the chart, I think, is the enthusiastic contest described above.
  • 10/22: CapQ IC on t Uranus. CanQ Dsc on t/s Pluto.
  • 10/25: CanQ MC on s Mars, Asc on s Sun.
  • 10/26: CapQ Asc on t Jupiter.
  • 10/28: CapQ Asc on t/s Pluto. CanQ Dsc on t/s Saturn.
  • 10/29: CapQ Asc on s Saturn.
Arilunar (Oct 30)
The Arilunar covers October 30 to November 6, including Election Day November 3. Although most are expected to have voted in advance (in person or by mail), the psychological tension building to Election Day itself likely will be as great as in past quadrennial elections.

One aspect dominates the week: Sun opposes Uranus (1°01' mundo) with both planets square Midheaven within 1°. This promises crowd-stirring surprises and change, much like sudden turn-overs in a championship game. Furthermore, Sun-Uranus aspects have marked changes in leadership. Uranus was angular for Julius Caesar's murder, the deposing of the last Roman emperor, King John being backed into signing the Magna Carta, the deaths of Queen Victoria and five U.S. presidents, the Romanov executions, Archduke Ferdinand's murder, Mussolini's murder, the Iranian Revolution and deposing of the Shah, impeachments of Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, Richard Nixon's resignation, and the abdications of King Edward VIII and King Juan Carlos.

The simplest reading, therefore, is that this week marks a collective decision to replace the current president. However, we won't know that outcome immediately. A foreground Moon-Mercury opposition (suggesting a strong wave of popular involvement) squares Saturn. Mercury-Saturn in late 2000 earned the nickname "the hanging chad aspect" for its role during weeks of delayed vote counts and data mismanagement. That is probably a feature of the 2020 count as well.

Worldwide, Moon squares Saturn (1°07') and Pluto (2°22'). The pandemic continues.
  • 10/30: CanQ MC conj. t Mars.
  • 10/31: CapQ Asc conj. t Saturn.
  • 11/4: CanQ MC sq. t/s Jupiter.
Canlunar (Nov 6)
The Canlunar covers three weeks, November 6-26, due to the dormancy of the Liblunar and Caplunar. With Sun 0°14' from Descendant, for these three weeks the preoccupation of the nation will be on the presidency and the resolution of the election.

A single glance at the mundoscope above is likely enough for any astrologer to say that the outcome is negative for the president. He is removed, deposed, withdrawn. We have a change of leadership.

Of course, the dominant aspects have other expressions that we are likely to see as well. Sun-Saturn often means government gridlock, mismanagement, failure to deliver, or imposing restrictive conditions. Sun-Uranus shows a string of surprises. Moon-Uranus (0°14') shows the need to constantly adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. Mercury's ecliptical square to Saturn (0°14') and mundane square to Pluto (0°25') show struggles over delayed or blocked delivery of information.

But Sun-Saturn in 0°39' mundane square (with Sun 0°14' from Descendant and Saturn 0°52' from MC) - with both aspecting Uranus - surely show the removal or change of leadership.

Other matters continue to fill the news. Moon again opposes Saturn and Pluto, this time foreground: Pandemic losses scream for response and there are no healing aspects. If we have a vaccine by this point, either its distribution chain is blocked or it is failing: There is no sense in the chart that hardship is abated during these three weeks.
  • 11/6: CapQ Asc sq. s Uranus. CanQ MC sq. t/s Pluto.
  • 11/9: CanQ MC sq. t Saturn, Asc sq. t Uranus.
  • 11/11: CanQ MC sq. s Saturn.
  • 11/12: CanQ Asc sq. s Uranus.
Liblunar (Nov 13)
The Liblunar is dormant (as is the Caplunar following it). Worldwide, Moon squares Jupiter and Pluto (1°) and Saturn (2°). Jupiter and Pluto are conjunct within 0°04'. Worldwide, therefore, there is a sense of turning a corner, reversing the tide, healing or correcting wrong conditions, even reconstructing a social order, though still with the Moon-Saturn grip of tragedy.

Otherwise, the Canlunar persists for the U.S. until November 26 when a new Arilunar again has Sun closely angular and aspecting Saturn and, again, lasts three weeks.
  • 11/15: CapQ MC sq. s Venus.

Trump Watch

Posted: Thu Nov 21, 2019 7:48 pm
by Jim Eshelman
PROGRESSIONS & DIRECTIONS
Progressed Moon squares natal Uranus until 11/16. Revelations and disclosures are afoot. I doubt this is to his benefit since progressed Moon aspects progressed Saturn all month, exact 10/27.

Long-running progressions continue: p Saturn conj. p L MC (weight, demands, & loss centered in Washington); p Mars sx. r Pluto & p Mars ssq. r Mars (contentious); p Sun-Venus ssq. (celebrity); and p Mercury sx. r Jupiter and r Uranus (surprising luck and success in business and cutting deals). -- Mercury-Jupiter leaves orb at the end of January, 2021 and Mercury-Uranus in May 2021.

Solar Arc Mars octiles natal Sun exactly on 10/29.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Oct 20)
Oct 19 to Nov 16. Mercury-Uranus continues (even strengthens) as the chief theme. Transiting Mercury and Uranus (closely angular) are opposed within 0°31'. This always signals discoveries, disclosures, and revelations, surprising news, mental enlivening, and excitement. With an afflicted rising Jupiter square anticulminating Uranus (1°10'), these look to be to his advantage, probably though unethical or illegal means.

Transiting and natal Mercury are the most angular planets - each about 1° from an angle (in 2° mundane square). We can certainly expect, in the last weeks before the election, that Trump will be talking talking talking and tweeting tweeting tweeting: These Mercuries place an extreme emphasis on information flow.

Among other foreground planets, two partile aspects weigh against him: Transiting Pluto (0°42') and Saturn (0°43') mundanely oppose natal Saturn (which is at their midpoint to the minute). Both transits undercut his position and confront him with the direct consequences of his actions.

The final presidential debate is in Nashville October 22. For Nashville, Sun is at Midheaven; both Sun and Midheaven square Saturn. The focus is on him personally, his identity, and his presidential character and the focus is negative, even punishing. Natal Neptune, 1° from Zenith, squares natal Mercury (setting): Dishonesty and persuasion (but also insecurity and being rattled) are foremost. Saturn-Pluto opposite natal Saturn, one of the worst aspects of the SLR, is across Eastpoint. This debate hurts him.

SIDEREAL DEMI-LUNAR RETURN (Nov 4)
Nov 3 to Nov 16. Occurring in the hour when, in most election years, we know the outcome, this SLR is almost silent: Transiting Neptune is 9° from the horizon. No natal planet is foreground. It seems we know nothing, so we likely don't know the outcome of the election for a while.

Non-foreground partile aspects may have a stronger voice in the absence of angular activity. A transiting Mercury-Saturn square aspects natal Venus-Saturn. The news (whether publicly reported news or private polling) does not make him happy.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Nov 16)
Nov 15 to Dec 14. Once more, Mercury-Uranus strongly dominates President Trump's charts, just as it dominates important ingresses of this time. Transiting Mercury is 0°38' from IC, Uranus 0°21' from MC, and they are in 0°16' opposition.

Again, we forecast surprises, discoveries, and disclosures. Since these are transiting planets, the world surprises him (not the other way around). His foes may think that such exposures and disclosures surely will be to his great detriment, though most people find this aspect angular in a lunar return to be thrilling and exhilarating - some new topic or insight that sets one forth on a new path. Bottom line: Mercury-Uranus exposes the naked truth of a situation.

This has personal impact on Trump: Mercury-Uranus squares natal Pluto. The new information is not just surprising, it is stunning - shaking him loose from his normal state - confronting him squarely, fixing his attention and demanding promises, commitments, and unambiguous answers.

Of course, everyone wants to know whether this is a good or bad outcome for him (as it probably marks the time when we get final numbers on the election). Mercury-Uranus-Pluto, while intense, is not necessarily good or bad. We have several support aspects, though, which could fill in details; however, these also are mixed. Transiting Sun opposes natal Midheaven within 0°09', which seems to bring singular attention in a way that favorably highlights him. It may not be so favorable, though, since he also has the doubly-bruising transiting Saturn opposite natal Venus and transiting Venus square natal Saturn. The events anticipated by this Lunar Return are, to him, a heartfelt loss.

The Biden Report

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 2020 12:27 pm
by Jim Eshelman
SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Oct 3)
Oct 2-30. For Wilmington, this SLR is an assault on Biden's Jupiter, which usually means his esteem, public standing, honors, and cash flow. This is a tough, perhaps demoralizing chart for the month people start voting nationwide.

Natal Jupiter 1° below Descendant is normally good; but transiting Saturn (Asc 2°) and Pluto (stationary, Asc 3°) oppose his Jupiter. Saturn-Jupiter hasn't always been hard on him (he was nominated president under it), and transiting Jupiter is also widely foreground (7°); but, normally, Saturn-Jupiter reduces status and standing. - His voice has a receptive audience (natal Mercury on MC 3°; Moon op. t Mercury 0°37' mundo).

SIDEREAL DEMI-LUNAR RETURN (Oct 17)
Oct 16-30. Transiting Venus squares MC within 0°10' in Wilmington. Transiting Neptune sets within 0°19'. Venus and Neptune are in close mundane square. There is an old saying that "Venus-Neptune never hurts while it's going on" and, while not universally true, it tends to be true. Whether "love drunk" in romantic thralldom or immersed in enchantment, fantasy, or vision, Venus-Neptune marks an absorption in pleasure. It coincides with pain (during or after the aspect's term) if events end in disillusionment or embarrassment, what Donald Bradley called a "hurt inside" that drives us home alone in self-pity, dazed by an unhappy turn of events.

So... the outcome of this chart really rests on whether Vice President Biden's vision is realistic. He is clearly enchanted for these two weeks, his mood lighter. He seems able to bring significant emotional force, even enthusiasm. How he feels when it's over depends on whether it's been just a fantasy.

On 10/22, the final presidential debate occurs in Nashville. For that location, the strongest planet is natal Uranus on Midheaven. He surprises us - probably pleasingly, since Uranus' closest aspect is to natal Venus. However, he does not get through it without having to give up something dear to him: transiting Venus squares natal Saturn (2°11' mundo).

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Oct 30)
Oct 29 to Nov 27. Like Trump, Biden has an Election Day lunar return that says... as little as possible. As with Trump, Biden's only foreground planet is transiting Neptune, and it is not closely angular.

So... we don't have an outcome right away. We have neither clarity nor certainty.

Even the partile non-foreground aspects are mixed and unclear, e.g., Mercury-Saturn aspects natal Jupiter, a mixed message especially since Saturn-Jupiter has not been unkind to him this year.

Perhaps most significant is a Full Moon with Uranus, including a Sun-Uranus opposition (0°37') square natal Pluto within half a degree. Moon-Sun aspects show a turning point, a new life change. Similarly, the transits to Pluto show his life irrevocably altered somehow. Events of this lunar month permanently shift who Joe Biden is and how his life flows.

SIDEREAL DEMI-LUNAR RETURN (Nov 13)
Nov 12 to Nov 27. Unclarity persists in the second half of the month. This time, natal Neptune dominates (1° from Dsc). In addition to uncertainty - being in a fog - it likely shows anxiety and doubt. His vulnerabilities are exposed. Overall, his personal well-being seems under assault though his standing in the world seems enhanced.

Something insidious targets those vulnerabilities: The transiting Mars/Neptune midpoint is half a degree from Ascendant. (Transiting Neptune is 5°39' above and transiting Mars at its station 6°33' below.) This may show a health crisis (something infectious, invasive, and feverish). He is vulnerable to, and strongly feeling, something poisonous to his body or psyche. Emotions are magnified (anxiety, dread, terror, anticipating danger or misfortune). A wider Venus-Mars opposition amplifies emotions further and may show a greater cherishing of life's fires.

Of supplemental aspects, the most important is transiting Uranus opposite natal Moon (0°02' mundo), part of a larger Moon-Mercury-Uranus complex. It signals renewal, mental refreshment, excitement, a sense of change or turning point, with an inquisitive, curious mind. (Uranus still squares his Pluto 0°10'.) The transiting Jupiter-Pluto conjunction is narrowed to 0°08', which the whole world is feeling. More personally, Jupiter squares natal Uranus (0°46' mundo).