US forecast Nov 19 - Dec 16, 2020

[Jim Eshelman]

USA Mundane Forecast
for the four weeks beginning NOVEMBER 19, 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 12 months beginning January 15, 2020 are 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 2023 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 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. The Libsolar is shocking and overthrows existing structures.

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. Events will be harsh and attacking: Mars squares Uranus (0°12'), Pluto (0°35'), and Mercury (2°24'). [NOTE: One outcome of this seems to have been the dramatically different ways that information was processed during the unprecedented Election Day.]

Sun is most angular (WP 0°46'). As anticipated, these events centered 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.) As Sun refers to the president, these aspects weighed heavily against him, describing the "war" to expel him from office. (These battles likely continue, in the courts and elsewhere, through the new month.)

Moon squares Saturn. Much of the impact is in 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)

• START to Nov 24. Saturn
• Nov 25 to Dec 9. Saturn & Jupiter
• Dec 10-15. Jupiter

Transition characterizes Bridge factors this month. Transiting Saturn conjoins Capsolar MC from mid-July through 12/9, marking economic hardship, mounting death tolls, and severe restrictions on businesses and many areas of life.

Beginning on Thanksgiving Eve, transiting Jupiter conjoins Capsolar MC, bringing conditions that surely will draw our gratitude. For two months last spring, this transit brought a temporary sense of healing and recovery with easing conditions, circulated stimulus funds, expanding markets, and reawakened economies. We expect final counts for the presidential and congressional elections (12/9 is the deadline for states to ratify election results). November 25 to December 9 will be a stabilizing transition from the Saturn zone to the Jupiter zone. Beginning 12/10, Jupiter rules the time.

Mars continues in Pisces all month. Expect increased virulence (continued intensification of disease and toxic behavior, hotbeds of infection, seething hurtfulness); unhealed wounds open and festering; betrayals, back-stabbing, back-biting insinuation, and passionate lying. -- Summaries of longer-term trends from outer planet sign transits are here.

SHORT-TERM (Lunar Ingresses)

Canlunar (Nov 6)

20201106 CnLun.jpg

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 remains on the presidency and the resolution of the election. A single glance at the mundoscope is enough for any astrologer to see 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 likely will 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 information delivery. But Sun-Saturn in 0°39' mundane square (with Sun 0°14' from Descendant and Saturn 0°52' from MC) shows removal of leadership, while Uranus to Sun and Saturn shows leadership changes.

Moon again opposes Saturn and Pluto, this time foreground: Pandemic losses scream for response. We see no healing aspects. Either we have no vaccine yet or its distribution is blocked - or it is failing: There is no sense that hardship is abated during these three weeks.

Caplunar (Nov 19)
The Caplunar is dormant. Moon repeats her aspects with Saturn, Jupiter, and Pluto, with Moon-Saturn being partile (0°33' mundo) in Washington and Jupiter nearly so (1°02'). A 0°01' Venus-Saturn square will bring heartbreak to many parts of the world: It is angular, for example, in the American west (Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana); through Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan; exactly through Tokyo and Brisbane; and Western Europe (especially Spain, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands).

• 11/20: CanQ MC on t Uranus.
• 11/21: CapQ MC on Capsolar Mars.
• 11/22: CanQ MC on Cansolar Uranus.

Arilunar (Nov 26)

20201126 ArLun.jpg

The Arilunar covers three weeks, November 26 to December 16, due to three dormant intervening ingresses. This ingress gets to the point: Sun is the only closely angular planet, square Ascendant. It mundanely squares Saturn. Though with wider orbs than in the Canlunar, it gives the same message: The focus is on the president and that focus is negative.

Neptune is widely foreground. Uncertainty remains, e.g., about transition to the new administration and what the lame duck Congress will do in its last weeks. Moon still squares Pluto and now, even more closely, squares Jupiter (0°18'). In this Thanksgiving Day Arilunar, people find new things for which to be grateful: A sense that things are getting better is penetrating mass mind.

• 11/28: CapQ Asc on Capsolar Venus.
• 11/30: CapQ MC sq. Capsolar Neptune.
• 12/1: CapQ Asc sq. Capsolar Mars, MC sq. t Neptune.

Canlunar (Dec 3)
The Canlunar is dormant. Moon repeats aspects to Pluto, Jupiter, and Saturn: Moon-Saturn is wider; Moon-Pluto is partile for Washington; therefore, impact remains high and there is a sense of somewhat improving conditions worldwide.

• 12/5: CapQ Asc sq. t Sun [partile several days].
• 12/7-8: CapQ Asc on t/s Neptune.

Liblunar (Dec 10)
The Liblunar is dormant. Of interest, though, is that Moon aspects neither Saturn nor Jupiter for the first time in months. Moon conjoins Pluto and, for Washington, opposes Uranus (somewhat widely). Circumstances are shifting rapidly, transition remaining the best word for the week.

[Jim Eshelman]

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Nov 16)
Effective 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. There is news! 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 (just over 3° wide). The new information is not only surprising, it is stunning, shaking him loose from his normal state, confronting him squarely, fixing his attention and demanding promises, commitments, and unambiguous answers.

Mercury-Uranus-Pluto, while intense, is neither good nor bad. Modifying aspects that might fill in gaps are mixed. Transiting Sun opposes natal Midheaven within 0°09', which usually brings singular attention in a way that favorably highlights him. It may not be so favorable this time, though, since he also has the doubly-bruising transiting Saturn opposite natal Venus and transiting Venus square natal Saturn. He feels some form of heartbreaking loss.

SIDEREAL DEMI-LUNAR RETURN (Dec 1)
Effective Nov 30 to Dec 14. Transiting Sun is within 2° of Ascendant, unaspected. This is a very pure expression that normally would give an uncomplicated interpretation: He is President of the United States and would be expected to act presidential, to exercise authority, stand as if in a spotlight, and receive honor, achievement, and recognition. Yet, he is likely the lamest of ducks by now. This demi-lunar, therefore, likely describes a late-hour push of executive orders and other strong assertions of authority, plus ego-driven demands for public attention.

It also shows a bizarre, irrational mental state. His natal Moon-Uranus opposition is foreground. Also, his natal Moon and Neptune rotate into 0°20' mundane square, also foreground. Having simultaneous Moon-Uranus and Moon-Neptune natal aspects for two weeks is at least unusual and possibly psychologically unstable. In some people, this could unleash a burst of genius; more commonly it shows that one is vulnerable, wounded, moody, defensive, and fearing rejection, the imagination working overtime.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Dec 14)
Effective Dec 13 to Jan 10. This is the most interesting lunar return I've seen all year. It's powerful and will have profound impact. Regrettably, it's ambiguous in key ways. It occurs the day the Electoral College members vote nationwide.

Transiting Jupiter and Saturn are both within a degree of Ascendant. Jupiter is ever so slightly closer (0°10' from Ascendant vs. Saturn's 0°35'). They are conjoined (0°26' mundo). Is this the chart of a winner or a loser? The chart of someone exercising great authority or balked?

Were this not enough, natal Venus is 0°00' from Descendant, putting two benefics intensely close to an angle. Transiting Jupiter and Saturn both oppose natal Venus across the angles, 0°10' and 0°35' respectively (mundo). The first says he is having a great time sharing pleasure with friends, popular, attractive, celebrating; the second paints him as alone, rejected and neglected, with pleasures limited and little security in matters of love and friendship.

Probably all these things are true at once - which makes this chart both fascinating and hard to read with certainty. Had he won the election, it might show him solidifying his power and ensuring his legacy. As he likely has lost, he may attempt to do the same things, making gains "with a little help from his friends." I side with Donald Bradley's 1948 interpretation of Jupiter-Saturn aspects angular in solar and lunar returns. (I have added emphasis below,)

These configurations... delay or diminish income... any money the native receives will have been worked for strenuously under circumstances which cause him to feel that the effort is not worth-while. People do not enjoy windfalls or win contests... It always denotes either reduced income or further financial obligations which prevent any general improvement in the economic status. Various basic keywords range from "retirement," "indebtedness," and "voluntary self-denial," to "religious awareness."

Along with Jupiter and Saturn sharing angularity and aspects to natal Venus, other factors mark the return chart. The closest aspect is transiting Pluto opposite natal Saturn (0°05' mundo) with both planets within 3° of angles: Something breaks the concrete foundations of his life. (Pluto also opposes his Venus.)

Another feature feeds my uncertainty of what this chart means. Sun conjoins Moon within 1°, though background. Both are within 1° of his natal Sun-Moon. Normally, this would be a mark of great dignity. It surely places him in the spotlight and marks a significant turning point in his life. (Yet, with both luminaries in the immediate background near the 12th cusp, does it not also show him withdrawn and out of sight?)

As a teacher and witness of astrology, my primary thought of this chart is that we have much to learn by sitting back and watching exactly what happens. The only thing I can say with confidence is that the period of this return (especially its first few days) is among his most significant in 2020 and perhaps in his life.

However, as a practicing mundane astrologer, my job isn't to indulge in uncertainties but, rather, to declare what will happen. So be it! Based on charts for Inauguration Day, charts leading to the present from Election Day, and the historic success of the quoted 1948 Jupiter-Saturn interpretation, I will say that this Lunar Return marks the time Joe Biden's defeat of Donald Trump is secured; yet there is more to the story, especially in terms of rabbits Trump pulls out of his hat and help that comes to him from friends.

[Jim Eshelman]

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Oct 30)
Effective 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)
Effective 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. (Neptune is 5°39' above and 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).

SIDEREAL SOLAR RETURN (Nov 20)
If final election results are delayed 17 days, they'll arrive under Biden's new solar return. Whether cast for Wilmington or nearby Washington, Ascendant is within 1° of his natal Ascendant (in Washington it's only 0°02'). He has the same natal planets foreground as at birth. To natal Uranus angular, backed by Sun, Venus, and Saturn, we add transiting Neptune, which he has had angular nearly every East Coast solar return of his life.

Natal Uranus is most angular (1°), marking a time for acting as one's "own man," feeling unchained. Transiting Neptune square natal Uranus (1°31' mundo) has been central to most of Trump's presidency and, if Biden is elected, it will mark the first year of his as well. This transit is Twilight Zone level surreal, which may describe the dystopian world of 2021.

The closest foreground aspect is natal Sun conjunct Venus, 1°00' wide and 5° above Ascendant - the best aspect in his chart. However, the most important aspects are from Moon: SSR Moon opposes natal Pluto (0°14' mundo) and squares transiting Uranus (1°00'), highlighting Uranus' transit to natal Pluto (0°25'), the main aspect of Biden's new year. This new birthday chart completely alters Biden's life, therefore. Whether derailment or rebirth, there is no going back: His past is behind him and a sharply differing future lies immediately ahead.

Solar Moon opposite natal Pluto shows someone who refuses to comply with others' expectations or limitations. Others may be uncomfortable around him - there is something alien and outside the norm about him (which is strange for so well-known a figure) - but he nonetheless fascinates them. He will be more private and aloof. Culmination and finality mark the year: What he starts now is the last thing he will do for the rest of his life.

Solar Moon square solar Uranus signals emotional excitement, being taken by surprise, and adaptation to changing circumstances. It, too, marks a turning point and freedom from stereotypes.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Nov 27)
Effective Nov 26 to Dec 24. Transiting Mars is most angular, setting within 0°21'. Broadly showing him attacked or exposed to harm (which could mean an accident), its placement on Descendant is a classic mark of law suits - which might well be flying by then.

However, the closest, most important foreground aspect is transiting Jupiter opposite natal Jupiter (0°47'). This signals victory, advance in prestige, self-assurance, a sense of well-being, and contagious confidence and optimism. Usually it brings a forward nudge (or shove) in career, personal growth, finances, or life-mission. Pluto conjoins (transiting) and opposes (natal) the two Jupiters.

In short, this chart shows Biden confirmed as President Elect of the United States during these four weeks.

SIDEREAL DEMI-LUNAR RETURN (Dec 11)
Effective Dec 10 to Dec 24. For Wilmington, this demi-lunar has no strong voice. Both Neptunes are foreground with transiting Sun, but none is closer than about 6°. A transiting Sun-Neptune square is tight (1°25'). These three Neptune themes suggest uncertainty and confusion or disorientation.

Mundanely, Saturn (0°35') and Jupiter (0°36') square natal Moon. His emotions are all over the place. Perhaps sad news sets his emotions tumbling or a virus drags him down. If he has won, the transition to his administration has begun but things seem foggy: Perhaps the outgoing administration isn't surrendering its place graciously and the President Elect, while ready to get down to work, is at a loss how to do that.

Overall, I don't think this weak demi-lunar is very important.

[Jim Eshelman]

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Nov 27)
Effective Nov 26 to Dec 24. Transiting Mars is most angular, setting within 0°21'. Broadly showing him attacked or exposed to harm (which could mean an accident), its placement on Descendant is a classic mark of law suits - which might well be flying by then.

Yesterday, Biden broke his foot while running and playing with his dog. (I was thankfully wrong but te risk of illness in the two weeks prior, but this one was clearer.

Oh, broke his FOOT? Hee hee, in the Sidereal zodiac Mars was angular in Pisces.

[Jim Eshelman]

And so another month wraps up. Moon enters Capricorn anew this afternoon. Attempting my usual periodic review of the state of our science (and encouraging anyone else to give their own opinions on how well I did):

The Capsolar has pegged the year, almost in detail. This has become a perennial observation, that the Capsolar, despite covering the largest stretch of time, is the single most accurate descriptor we have. Month after month, I usually end up observing that the annual forecast pegged the month best.

I examined the Libsolar's performance in its own thread. I'd say about 90% of the forecast was correct. It doesn't feel as sharp, but that could be my own limits; but, objectively examined, it hit the right details with only a few things not appearing (e.g., people aren't travelling much so there weren't any major aircraft disasters). My main complaint of the Libsolar would be that the conditions correctly anticipated in the chart didn't seem to have the right proportion, e.g., pandemic deaths are there but almost an afterthought. (Perhaps, by now, the fact that people are dying in ever-increasing record numbers isn't the biggest story of the quarter, but just "another minute, another death.")

After the Capsolar, the next most consistent forecast tool has been the Bridge. In 2021 I'll be relying much more heavily on the Bridge and making my remarks on the lunar ingresses shorter (essentially switching the importance I've given them in the past). Lunar ingresses perform spectacularly for major events (as are studied in SMA), but have been bothersomely minor in week-by-week forecasts. By this, I mean that if anything is going to disappoint me in a forecast (in looking back on a month), it will be the lunar ingresses. They're not bad, they're just not always that obvious.

The Bridge this month correctly caught the main theme, I think, which is that we passed out of Saturn transiting Capsolar MC into a time of Jupiter transiting Capsolar MC. I treated this as, "Saturn's transit is a bad time, Jupiter's transit is a good time, and where they overlap is a time of transition"; and I think this captured the last few weeks accurately. We didn't get some specifics forecast, such as more stimulus money, but the switch from pessimism to optimism has been occurring, the presidential election squabbles have been resolved, and vaccines have been approved and are being delivered on this "transits to the Capsolar" schedule.

Outer planet sign transits continue to define the time. I don't emphasize them much because they cover such large swaths, but they continue to mark those times. I include them at the end of every monthly forecast so they are always on hand (and Saturn in Capricorn has been one of the most successful forecast tools all year). One just becomes repetitious in citing how accurate these are, including Mars in Pisces this last stretch having the predicted increase of virulence etc.

That leaves only the lunar ingresses. I think they were OK but not sterling. I think the very best feature were the shifting Moon aspects which, as expected, have operated worldwide if ecliptical and distinctive to the U.S. if mundane.

The Canlunar correctly caught the three weeks during which the outgoing president was confirmed removed. Also government gridlock (e.g., over further stimulus money). Other details were pretty good. Moon aspects suggesting "Pandemic losses scream for response" and "no healing aspects" seems to be correct during the Canlunar's time (before November 26). This chart was better than most lunar ingresses.

The 11/26 Arilunar confirmed the president's removal. I'm not sure whether my confusing remarks about confusion were correct, but I think the masses did find cause to be thankful on Thanksgiving.

The lunar returns of Trump and Biden (as expected) performed well, charting the election unfurling correctly, probably catching what we know of their personal state correctly, and even catching the (good for astrologers, "ouch" for Biden) occasion of Biden breaking his foot.

So... I probably did better this month than usual.

But what do you think?

[Jupiter Sets at Dawn]

Stuff has been going by so fast this year, I can't keep up, and it appears that's true for a lot of people. But it is important to go back and point out hits (and misses, although there haven't been many this cycle). So many times someone posts predictions or even asks for predictions, but never comes back and says what happened. We can't assess how well this stuff works or doesn't if there is no follow up.

I did notice this:

I examined the Libsolar's performance in its own thread. I'd say about 90% of the forecast was correct. It doesn't feel as sharp, but that could be my own limits; but, objectively examined, it hit the right details with only a few things not appearing (e.g., people aren't travelling much so there weren't any major aircraft disasters).

The major disaster was inside the planes. And cars. Transportation. People traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday. Now the rates of infection, hospitalization and death numbers are way up, but are starting to come down, exactly in time with the holiday travel. I think planes should be grounded from Dec 22 through Jan 2, but that's not going to happen. (We did it when 9-11 happened. This is as dangerous.)

[Jim Eshelman]

Agreed.