Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

USA Mundane Forecast
for the four weeks beginning MARCH 8, 2021
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)
For the United States, the 12 months beginning January 14, 2021 are more severe than 2020. A striking difference is that 2021 will be a year of action, whereas 2020 was more a year of paralysis. Therefore, 2021's threats will be more actively violent and conflictual. Saturn in Capricorn continues to define the time (now joined by Pluto). Autonomous survival and isolative self-sufficiency are hallmarks of the post-COVID world ahead of us.

In the 2021 Capsolar, two partile aspects have the loudest voices.

MARS squares SATURN (0°34') with Mars 0°29' and Saturn 0°18' from an angle. Harsh, hateful, hurtful, and destructive, Mars-Saturn incites destruction and hardship: Deadly violence, fires, explosions, and financial crises are among the kinds of event it accompanies. In an annual chart, its psychological impact is worse: Mars-Saturn fosters hate and the conflict that arises from feeling powerless, shamed, and diminished. In the United States, 2021 will feel like our nation is filled with primitives competing for basic survival amidst widespread hardship.

Nearly as close (but not as closely angular), JUPITER squares URANUS (0°42'). This aspect does not usually occur for disasters (except floods). Jupiter-Uranus is 2021's aspect of recovery and salvation through scientific advances and social revolution. This broadly, boldly liberal combination suggests that we have either a new broadly liberal government or a renewal of liberal political activism in the streets.

Jupiter-Uranus means ideological rebellion (both peaceful and violent) and remapping the larger social contract in which liberal social and political agendas demand wider horizons, expanded opportunities, civil liberties, and enhanced diversity. Inventiveness, new technology, tech vision, futurism, and “good science” engage popular imagination. At its best, it signifies collective optimism and anticipation of good change amidst terrible conditions.

These two dynamics (Mars-Saturn and Jupiter-Uranus) compete throughout 2021, but not in mutually neutralizing isometric tension: 2021 will be a year of activity and activism, though rarely gentle or well-behaved. Mars conjoins Uranus: For the U.S., they are foreground and Moon squares Uranus and Mars mundanely. Mars-Uranus is explosive: If physical bombs aren't detonating then psychological "bombshells" are exploding. It means surprise attack and sudden action, the "lightning war" of blitzkrieg. Moon-Uranus promises swiftly changing circumstances that require rapid adaptation and response. Moon-Mars is most worrisome: Besides its broad sense of emergency and typical Mars expressions of violence, fire, disaster, and damage, it is an aspect of assassination and other severe crises for a nation's leaders. The new president faces unusually severe challenges.

Mars square Jupiter (2°13') suggests economic crisis, especially from aggressive spending. (Jupiter aspects to Mars and Saturn threaten markets just as Pluto, Saturn, and Jupiter in Capricorn show shifting conditions in banking and institutional economic management.) This may not be terrible: We surely need to consume significant resources for economic recovery. Also, this year of action includes spinning up the wheels of industry once more: Mars-Jupiter is consistent with economic expansion (greater industry and productivity), as Jupiter-Saturn is consistent with structural investment. Rebuilding infrastructure is a priority.

Mars-Jupiter is stormy (including destructive weather), but its essential momentum is forward and expansive with an enterprising spirit. I expect it to be useful to recovery. Post-pandemic, I anticipate an era of opportunity for new entrepreneurs and a renewal of entrepreneurial spirit in the country (after so many businesses have collapsed to create a vacuum, and their former principals have lost so heavily: capital investment in new business will be readily available). If that does not occur in 2021, at least the cultural and economic reorganization making it possible will be underway. (A wide Mercury-Jupiter mundane conjunction is optimistic in this regard.)

KEEP YOUR EYES ON RUSSIA. Moscow's ingresses have been vague for several years: This year, Moscow has the same two aspects most closely foreground as Washington. However, Jupiter-Uranus is closer, Mars-Saturn second closest. If we find ourselves in direct competition or conflict, Moscow has the advantage over Washington and may be part of the "surprise attack" threat that Washington's Capsolar shows.

MEDIUM-TERM (The Bridge)
The month begins upbeat, even celebratory, then turns dark about halfway through.

Mar 8-19: Neptune Jupiter. Neptune squares CanQ Moon until 3/16. Beginning 3/15, CanQ Moon squares ingress Neptune. Jupiter conjoins Capsolar or CapQ Moon until 3/19. These mix unrealistic, disproportionate reactions with a feeling that life-conditions are improving. Immediate threats have backed off, encouraging unrealistic optimism. People need hope and faith that things will get better: This period lets them feel this way, e.g., a vaccine may be in circulation boosting a return of commerce, entertainment, and foreshadowing of normalcy. Other Jupiter-Neptune themes prevail, including social and collective action, belief-driven decisions, unreasoned speculation, and immoderation.

Mar 20: Neptune. CanQ Moon continues to square ingress Neptune. The first day of spring marks a turning point for the month: Conditions now turn more worrisome and then more deadly. For about a day, Neptune stands alone, rousing the herd-mind, stirring uncertainty, insecurity, and trepidation.

Mar 21: Neptune Mars. CanQ Moon-Neptune continues. Mars conjoins Cansolar Moon. Hairs are standing up on the back of people's necks. Conditions feel threatening. Something toxic, infectious, or feverish is amok. The optimism of just a few days earlier fades today.

Mar 22-25: Neptune Saturn Mars. CanQ Moon-Neptune plus Mars' transit to Cansolar Moon continue. Saturn now conjoins Capsolar Descendant. These are the four most acute, hurtful, and probably deadly days of the month with all three malefics calling the shots. The emerging threat stands exposed. Numerous specific adverse effects are much more likely that are consistent with Mars-Saturn, Mars-Neptune, and Saturn-Neptune combinations.

Mar 26-29: Neptune Saturn. Mars withdraws for a few days. Neptune and Saturn aspects continue. With Saturn conditions plus a powerful wave of Moon-Neptune emotion, mass-mind experiences grief, loss, tragedy, and fear, intensified negativity, and an undercutting of security. Sacrifice and renunciation are demanded. Resignations, abdications, exiles, and other removals occur, perhaps due to corruption or scandal. At the time of writing (Fall 2020), a surprise resurgence of pandemic disease seems most likely.

Mar 30 to Apr 5: Pluto Neptune Saturn. Neptune and Saturn aspects continue. Pluto begins to cross Capsolar Westpoint. Pluto intensifies the March 26-29 pattern, adding a sense of existential confrontation. The Capsolar now has Saturn and Pluto transiting its angles together, bringing flashbacks of 2020's apocalyptic feel borne on a wave of mass-mind confusion, disorientation, and uncertainty.

Mars is in Taurus all month. At the time of writing, we've gathered no historic records on Mars in Taurus but suspect that conditions will turn from conflict to peace, with greater focus on life, compassion, kindnesses, comfort, and Eros. Perhaps minds turn worldwide more to anticipation of fruitfulness. -- Summaries of longer-term trends from outer planet sign transits are here.

SHORT-TERM (Lunar Ingresses)

Caplunar (Mar 8)
Effective March 8 to Apr 5, especially the first two weeks, March 8-23. Venus sets (0°39'). Mercury and Jupiter, conjoined on the Vertex in azimuth, square setting Venus mundanely. Sun conjoins Neptune foreground. Moon conjoins Pluto.

This is an unusually good month (at least, the first two weeks). People are happier, social, probably celebrating. Victories, festivities, love, and tales of marriages and births own the news stream. Politically, people are happier. Business flourishes. Diplomatic successes, commercial alliances, trade negotiations, and other successful conversations ensue. Important plans succeed. - Some feature of the events will seem chaotic, disorienting, maelstrom-like, and even ferocious and swarming.

Los Angeles (and much of the California west coast) and the longitude of Chicago and Birmingham are the hardest-hit areas.

Arilunar (Mar 16)
The Arilunar is silent (though with a partile Moon-Pluto mundane conjunction).

Canlunar (Mar 23)
Effective March 23-29. Uranus rises (0°28'). Saturn squares Uranus (2°) and Ascendant. Moon opposes Pluto (foreground). An idyllic month is interrupted by a shock - something that surprises us unpleasantly. Its main feature is described by Saturn square Uranus which, through much of the pandemic, has primarily manifest as opposition or tensions between freedom and safety, lockdown or liberty. This suggests an unexpected resurgence requiring new, strong protective steps. (This week also overlaps the Mars-Saturn-Neptune Bridge combination described above, the worst few days of the month.) More generally, Saturn-Uranus signifies sudden loss, bubble-bursting, harsh reality, and wide swings between polar opposites such as independence-restriction, liberality-conservatism, and struggles between the forces of change and the status quo, often with political and practical gridlock.

Liblunar (Mar 29)
Effective March 29-April 12 (due to a dormant Caplunar). This chart seems insidious, threatening, and deceptive. Mars is exactly (0°49') at Midheaven. Mercury and Neptune are conjoined (0°24') near Descendant. Moon squares Pluto. The chart overlaps a Saturn-Neptune-Pluto Bridge pattern described above.

Mars angular signifies a broad range of hurtful events such as fires or natural disasters. High profile deaths by inflammatory illness or by violence, notorious shooting incidents, military or police activity, and a general air of crisis and are all typical. Mercury-Neptune signifies confusion, disorientation, and bad (confused) choices, with uncertainty taking the form of wondering, “What’s next?” or, “What happens now?” (Impairment of transportation and communication routes. are always possible with afflicted Mercury.) One type of event that draws all these together is bombs and other explosions.

San Francisco is one location especially vulnerable to tragedy. The entire week is volatile (transiting Mars on a CanQ angle) with March 29 showing boiling over of emotions into the streets.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Mar 16) Effective Mar 15 to Apr 12. Last month's frustrations give way to a month of success. Jupiter is 2° from Midheaven, indicating fortune, esteem, elevation, advantage, and luck. Against this, natal Saturn rises (1°), so he judges himself more harshly than the world does: The victories take something from him, cost him at least in enormous labor (and perhaps more). Natal Mercury is the most angular planet (0°58' from square MC). Jupiter squares natal Saturn 1°06' in mundo and natal Mercury 2°33' in eclipto, favoring both.

I see this as a map for making hard, labored decisions that pay off: Successful policies, choices, and actions that win the day and win praise. Jupiter square Mercury shows his ideas and profitable negotiations well-received. Jupiter square Saturn shows stable, earned gains and easing of difficulties and anxieties. Additionally, these decisions will be bold: Transiting Mars and natal Uranus, also foreground, are conjunct (0°52' mundo). He takes risks, breaking outside his usual bounds.

While the above is the gist of the month, several non-foreground mundane aspects are exact within 1° - two of them within 0°00' - showing background conditions of unusual importance. Transiting Saturn squares natal Mars (00'): These successes require struggle and, indeed, require he pay a price. Transiting Uranus squares his Pluto (00') and conjoin his Moon (14'), suggesting that current victories are a radical shift, signaling new directions and altering him permanently. Pluto, already opposite his Jupiter (09'), now also squares his Neptune (07'): His underlying beliefs and prejudices are challenged. Also, if his birth time is exactly correct, transiting Neptune is on his IC (09'). Altogether, these show a month of significant psychological shifting as a backdrop for the primary message of the return.

SIDEREAL DEMI-LUNAR RETURN (Mar 30) Effective Mar 29 to Apr 12. The demi-lunar resembles the SLR and likely shows its fulfillment. However, it covers an unusually difficult time for the nation. Logic suggests, therefore, that any victories are in dealing with an immediate crisis.

Jupiter rises closely, in 28° Capricorn (the most martial degree of the zodiac). It's preeminence speaks of bold success. However, Saturn is also (more widely) rising, their midpoint 42' from Ascendant: He will have to work hard for every gain. Their combination is political: There will be horse-trading and deal-making leading to the success, losing on some things so that he can win where it matters most.

In this, President Biden will surprise allies and opponents alike, breaking (perhaps radically) out of his usual bounds: Foreground natal Pluto (Dsc 1°30') and Uranus (IC 4°03') form, for a fortnight, a mundane square (2°33'). Having a natal Uranus-Pluto square for two weeks, he feels unbound by precedent, custom, or convention and is willing to ignore, challenge, or forcibly reject them. He negotiates open to new ways and wider horizons. He calls for new solutions and approaches.

Though the outcome is ultimately successful, he doesn't get his way on all of this novelty. Transiting Saturn squares natal Uranus within 0°00' mundanely. It also opposes natal Pluto. His wish to be unrestrained and ground-breaking is blocked. External restriction vs. desire for freedom is a primary theme.

Numerous background aspects supply details: Jupiter squares his Mercury (17'), signaling good negotiations and well-received ideas. Mercury and Neptune conjoin (22') within 1° of his IC, suggesting mental chaos and confusion surrounding issues. Pluto continues to oppose his Jupiter (23') and now squares his Sun (31' mundo): We see him changed by the presidency and earning increased respect.

Jim Eshelman wrote: Sat Nov 14, 2020 12:47 pm MEDIUM-TERM (The Bridge)
Mar 22-25: Neptune Saturn Mars. CanQ Moon-Neptune plus Mars' transit to Cansolar Moon continue. Saturn now conjoins Capsolar Descendant. These are the four most acute, hurtful, and probably deadly days of the month with all three malefics calling the shots. The emerging threat stands exposed. Numerous specific adverse effects are much more likely that are consistent with Mars-Saturn, Mars-Neptune, and Saturn-Neptune combinations.

We're in the middle of this. Yesterday's significant shooting is surely one expression of this.

Reviewing the Liblunar forecast:

Jim Eshelman wrote: Sat Nov 14, 2020 12:47 pm Effective March 29-April 12 ...insidious, threatening, and deceptive. Mars is exactly (0°49') at Midheaven. Mercury and Neptune are conjoined (0°24') near Descendant. Moon squares Pluto. The chart overlaps a Saturn-Neptune-Pluto Bridge pattern described above... a broad range of hurtful events such as fires or natural disasters. High profile deaths by inflammatory illness or by violence, notorious shooting incidents, military or police activity, and a general air of crisis... confusion, disorientation, and bad (confused) choices... “What’s next?” or, “What happens now?” (Impairment of transportation and communication routes. are always possible with afflicted Mercury.) One type of event that draws all these together is bombs and other explosions.

San Francisco is one location especially vulnerable to tragedy. The entire week is volatile (transiting Mars on a CanQ angle) with March 29 showing boiling over of emotions into the streets.

I don't know about San Francisco, but the week has two clear hits for this: (1) A nationwide wave of shootings (at least 20 since the Atlanta spa shootings) that is in dramatic contrast to the last year, and (2) the Derek Chauvin trial that, while not representing new violence, has had the nation's attention focused on extreme, deadly violence.

Other things during the week that fit the above: Continued pandemic concerns as the nation hovers on the brink of a new surge (with the CDC director, nearly in tears, calling it “impending doom”). A car rammed a security barricade at the U.S. Capitol, a cop and the driver were killed.

Reviewing the Caplunar:

Jim Eshelman wrote: Sat Nov 14, 2020 12:47 pm Effective March 8 to Apr 5... Venus sets (0°39'). Mercury and Jupiter... square setting Venus mundanely. Sun conjoins Neptune foreground. Moon conjoins Pluto.

This is an unusually good month (at least, the first two weeks). People are happier, social, probably celebrating. Victories, festivities, love, and tales of marriages and births own the news stream. Politically, people are happier. Business flourishes. Diplomatic successes, commercial alliances, trade negotiations, and other successful conversations ensue. Important plans succeed. - Some feature of the events will seem chaotic, disorienting, maelstrom-like, and even ferocious and swarming.

I think this is progress in the number of vaccinations nationwide, the opening up of restaurants and recreational places (not always a good idea, but clearly happening and showing expanded social and recreational activity), plus the subsidy checks flowing out to folks and perhaps including the layers of Pres. Biden's multi-trillion dollar recovery and expansion plans rolling out. There is clearly a sense of opening up, return to normal, reclaiming life, even when this is deceptive or premature.

Passed legislation continues to be expansive. Judge Garland was approved by the Senate 70-30 as Attorney General (and, in general Biden's cabinet approvals were completed). More children are headed back to school.

But also it's been a month of awakening violence. (I think the Bridge shows this much better than the ingresses.) The March jobs report was fantastic with two and a half times the number of new jobs in February, steepening the slope of a rising trend.

Reviewing the Bridge:

Jim Eshelman wrote: Sat Nov 14, 2020 12:47 pm Mar 8-19: Neptune Jupiter... These mix unrealistic, disproportionate reactions with a feeling that life-conditions are improving. Immediate threats have backed off, encouraging unrealistic optimism. People need hope and faith that things will get better: This period lets them feel this way, e.g., a vaccine may be in circulation boosting a return of commerce, entertainment, and foreshadowing of normalcy. Other Jupiter-Neptune themes prevail, including social and collective action, belief-driven decisions, unreasoned speculation, and immoderation.

This month has mixed violent and other negative events with very strong positive ones - perhaps the best positive wave in over a year. Specifically, during these 12 days: CDC relaxed Covid-19 guidelines for fully vaccinated people. The number vaccinated has significantly increased and picked up the pace. The U.S. government bought another 100 million vaccine doses. The coronavirus relief bill became law, among other things distributing much-needed subsidy checks to Americans.

Meanwhile, blizzards and tornadoes probably represent another expression of Jupiter-Neptune; I should have mentioned tornadoes especially, given the time of year. Against the positive trends were waves of deadly shooting incidents.

Mar 21: Neptune Mars... Hairs are standing up on the back of people's necks. Conditions feel threatening. Something toxic, infectious, or feverish is amok. The optimism of just a few days earlier fades today.

Nothing known to me.

Mar 22-25: Neptune Saturn Mars... These are the four most acute, hurtful, and probably deadly days of the month... The emerging threat stands exposed. Numerous specific adverse effects are much more likely that are consistent with Mars-Saturn, Mars-Neptune, and Saturn-Neptune combinations.

The Boulder, Colorado King Soopers shooting made the nation aware that, since the Atlanta shootings, there had been continuing wave of these - that things were getting more violent. Of comparable severity (maybe more immediate to many), a wave of deadly tornadoes ripped through the South.

North Korea conducted its first weapons test since Biden became president. Biden called on Congress to immediately ban assault rifles and high-capacity ammunition magazines.

Mar 26-29: Neptune Saturn... mass-mind experiences grief, loss, tragedy, and fear, intensified negativity, and an undercutting of security. Sacrifice and renunciation are demanded. Resignations, abdications, exiles, and other removals occur, perhaps due to corruption or scandal... a surprise resurgence of pandemic disease seems most likely.

The twin, vague threats of a potential virus "fourth wave" resurgence and almost daily gun violence continued, but I don't know how much these were really on people's minds. Flash floods through Nashville killed a few people, destroyed homes, and forced evacuations. Perhaps the strongest effect is that the new trial for Derek Chauvin began in Minneapolis, holding popular attention with gruesome, barely watchable images of horror. CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, nearly in tears, said she felt “impending doom” about a fourth surge of the coronavirus.

Mar 30 to Apr 5: Pluto Neptune Saturn... Pluto intensifies the March 26-29 pattern, adding a sense of existential confrontation. ...flashbacks of 2020's apocalyptic feel borne on a wave of mass-mind confusion, disorientation, and uncertainty.

I don't think it was that severe compared to the week before. The hovering threats of virus and shootings were at least always in the background and the Chauvin trial continued. Scandal hit Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL). Johnson & Johnson announced 15 million doses of defective vaccine being dumped.