Solunars by Aldebaran Sidereal Academy

USA Mundane Forecast
for the four weeks beginning JUNE 23, 2024

• Outer Planet Sign Transits
• Pres. Biden's Lunar Returns

CAPSOLAR (Jan 15)
Effective Jan 15, 2024 to Jan 14, 2025.
For the full interpretation of the 2024 "year chart," click here.

ARISOLAR (Apr 14)
Effective Apr 14 to Oct 17.
For the full interpretations of the 2024 six-month Arisolar, click here.

CANSOLAR (Jul 17)
The Cansolar is dormant for Washington; therefore, the Arisolar continues (secondary only to the Capsolar) for the new July-to-October quarter. However, worldwide (including the U.S.), Moon mundanely opposes the nearly-partile Mars-Uranus conjunction (Moon-Uranus being 0°06' wide). This suggests worldwide "bombshells" - psychological and, at times, physical bombshells, plus other events characterized by fire + explosion, startling violence, and surprise attacks.


MEDIUM-TERM (The Bridge)
This will be one of the most consequential months for the United States in many years. In addition to the second U.S. Pluto return, this month's Mars-Uranus conjunction will dominate its biggest events, especially as it occurs exactly on Washington's Capsolar Ascendant. Mars' conjunction with Capsolar Ascendant July 13-19 is the most critical time and almost perfectly overlaps the Republican National Convention. Mars-Uranus overlaps the last stretch strong emotion (even mania) of transiting Neptune conjunct progressed Capsolar Moon through 7/19.

• START-6/25: Neptune Uranus Mars Sun
• 6/26-7/12: Neptune Uranus Sun
• 7/13-7/17: Neptune Uranus Mars Sun
• 7/18-7/19: Neptune Uranus Mars Mercury
• 7/20: Uranus Mercury

Mars enters Taurus, setting up the Mars-Uranus conjunction on Washington's Capsolar Ascendant July 15. A day later, the second USA Pluto return occurs. USA progressed Moon squares natal Mars all month (exact July 21).

• Jun 29: Saturn SR 24°21' Aqu
• Jul 2: Neptune SR 4°51' Pis
• Jul 13: Mars enters TAURUS
• Jul 15: Mars-Uranus co 1°15' Tau
• Jul 16: t Pluto co USA r Pluto
• Jul 17: t Mars sq USA r Moon
• Jul 20: t Jupiter co USA r Uranus

CAPLUNAR (Jun 23) Effective Jun 23-Jul 20
Moon exactly on IC is in azimuth square (1°17') to Uranus due west (i.e., on the Vertex). Pluto is more widely foreground. This chart screams for uprising and protest by the people. Even by itself, Moon closely foreground represents powerful emotional response by the people (the herd, or collective masses) feeling strongly about an event. Their collective will, surging upward powerfully from mass mind, often manifests as collective or populist embracing of a focus or issue. When Moon aspects Uranus, life surprises us beyond expectations with sudden, eruptive (breaking out) events marked by rapidly changing conditions that require equally quick adaptation and reorientation, new learning, and new responses.

Also, the specific trio of Moon, Uranus, and Pluto commonly signals civil instability and demands for freedom and social change: populist arousal, riots, and reversals where the people collectively rise up at odds with their government and become the more powerful voice in the hour.

ARILUNAR (Jun 29)
The Arilunar is dormant, though with a Moon-Mercury square raising Mercury themes worldwide. Elsewhere in the nation, a Venus line passes through Los Angeles and curves across the western states to Billings. Uranus-Pluto intersect a little south of Oklahoma City. The longitude of Indianapolis has Jupiter. A Mars line passes closer to Milwaukee than feels comfortable this month.

CANLUNAR (Jul 6) Effective Jul 6-14
Pluto is 0°06' from Nadir and Mercury in the degree of Midheaven (PVP square to Jupiter, which is due west on the prime vertical). Moon conjoins Venus.

While Mercury on MC could emphasize communication and transportation themes, its culmination seems to speak to unusually great press coverage - or the news media actually being the target of the news for the week. Pluto always shows powerful, compelling impact, and Mercury-Pluto combinations especially mean compelling "must see" inquiry and reporting, information collisions and controversy, and, generally, events that stun the intellect and reframe how we think about things. Leadership often hangs in the balance. People's minds are surprisingly changed.

We know that Donald Trump's sentencing will occur July 11. Perhaps involvement of the courts is the full meaning of Jupiter's connection (Mercury-Jupiter meaning legal proceedings and decisions). Otherwise, the aspect suggests diplomatic success, commercial alliance, trade negotiations, and successful conversations of all sorts. It's a good week for business. Moon-Venus unafflicted also supports diplomacy, negotiations, treaties, and something that makes the people in general happy and is worthy of celebration.

LIBLUNAR (Jul 14) Effective Jul 14-20
Medium-term indications (see The Bridge above) isolate this week (when the Republican National Convention is held in Milwaukee) as threatening. Were it not for that, we would interpret this as a positive-leaning week since Venus is a mere 0°01' from Nadir. This chart still has a positive bias although it likely brings unrecoverable disruptions in relationships.

This comes from Venus' opposition to Pluto along the Zenith-Nadir line. They are favorably supported by close mundane squares to a non-angular Jupiter (Venus-Jupiter being closest). Venus-Pluto means fundamental changes in relationships that signal new alliances or erupting antipathies. I suspect it mostly means severing relationships to our advantage, getting rid of ties that were draining and hurting us, and freeing up energy where we did not expect.

Venus-Pluto also signals events of high social impact including those that transform - for better or worse - society's collective attitudes toward love. Falling during the Supreme Court's recess, this won't be a high court decision, but rather something legislative or arising from a broader social discourse. A foreground Moon-Sun square always means a turning point related to matters that target national leaders or draw concentrated government attention, but it also shows for events affecting marriage and similar relationships. Perhaps it is as simple as a high-profile wedding in the news that draws great public attention.

In Milwaukee, though - the site of the RNC - the chart is ugly. Moon is most angular, signaling arousal of populist emotion and will, with a Saturn-Neptune conjunction also foreground. The Moon/Neptune midpoint is along the horizon. Together, these planets are dark or even tragic. It is unclear whether the ugliness arises from the masses convened or is perpetrated on them. Besides grief, loss, fear, and horror exaggerating negativity (using emotionally amplified words because Moon remains the strongest planet), Saturn-Neptune is an aspect of sacrifice and renunciation, resignation, abdication, exile, and other removals, sometimes due to disclosure of corruption or scandal. Together, these planets are toxic and insidious. All of this has to be scaled down, though, to fit the circumstances of a normally calm, medium-sized city known for its moderation.

SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Jun 30)
Effective Jun 29-Jul 27. Pres. Biden has begun a series of lunar returns that are arduous, disrespectful, draining, and generally difficult. This month's lunar return continues the negative run. It has only one close angularity, transiting Saturn exactly on Descendant. The only other planets even broadly angular are natal Saturn and transiting Neptune, both in the outskirts of the foreground zone. Two Saturns and a Neptune are disheartening, draining both psychologically and physically, inspiring much soul-searching in introspective people like Mr. Biden. Soul-wrenching grief is possible. (All of this occurs while Pluto continues to transit square his Moon, which has coincided with his son's difficulties.)

Figuratively, Saturn makes everything feel heavier, as if it weighs more. Greater effort is required to do things that normally are easy. Responsibilities drag us like weights on our shoulders. It feels easier to withdraw into oneself and persist alone than to stay connected and ask for help.

Though background, we shouldn't ignore transiting Mercury 0°01' from conjunct his Jupiter. This suggests a self-generated reprieve in which he thinks his way through problems and his ideas work to his advantage. He has certain clearcut successes. Somehow, though, they don't dispel the dark clouds.

SIDEREAL DEMI-LUNAR RETURN (Jul 14)
Effective Jul 13-27. Falling in the most difficult week of a profoundly consequential month, this demi-lunar at the very least says that the war is on. Usually campaign face-offs don't occur during either party's convention - they are saved strategically for the immediate aftermath to cut short any "convention bump" the opponent has in the poles. But Pres. Biden is far from quiet and is fully engaged in conflict.

I rely on two foreground Mercuries - including transiting Mercury close to Midheaven - to interpret this as verbal combat. With two Marses and two Mercuries, it is also strategic, whether in his role as Commander in Chief of the U.S. armed forces or in campaigning for re-election, he plans and executes tactically.

However, more seriously, this chart is physically threatening. Its strongest messages are in this month's important Mars-Uranus conjunction (falling near Trump's Midheaven, square his Mars) is on Biden's demi-lunar Westpoint. Biden's own Mars is closely rising. These may simply indicate Mars vs. Mars combat. They may, however, show surprise attack including physical attacks that injure him as well as figurative and literal bombshells.

If, however, it is all mental, verbal, and political, Biden might be coming out of the first two weeks of his difficult SLR fully on his game. Transiting Mars-Uranus oppose his Mercury (Mars closer mundanely than ecliptically) and transiting Mercury makes a slightly wide mundane square to natal Mars. He's quick, precise, creative, with his mind flooded with ideas. He's restless, impatient, probably irritable, and does, of course, have to watch that he doesn't trip too much over his rapid-firing tongue. He's probably even mischievous, playful, and daring, given how Mars-Uranus acts on its own and in combination with Mercury.

We shouldn't ignore transiting Jupiter 0°01' from conjunct natal Saturn, even though it's only middleground. He'll feel the exact transit on its own regardless of the lunar return (and the demi locks it in place for two weeks). This gives a sense of, "All is forgiven!" Difficult charts lie ahead, but this one gives him a chance to bring a new game.

I just posted the following on a mundane astrology page on Facebook:

The four weeks beginning June 23 will be among the most consequential for the United States in recent times. We already know of three major events, probably of pivotal historic importance, occurring in those four weeks: The Supreme Court's annual end-of-term major impact decisions the last week of June; Donald Trump's sentencing July 11; and the Republican National Convention July 15-18. (We could add the Biden-Trump debate 6/27 as a lesser event.)

Two caveats before I commit myself at the end of a limb easily sawn off the tree: First, terrible events are rarely quite as bad, nor wonderful events quite as good, as strong converging aspects make us expect. Usually, such aspect convergences capture the nature and quality of events, almost invariably capturing the correct tone and the psychological characteristics of the moment, but not always the scale of the manifest event, which can be elusive. Second, something that I suspect is true of many of you (and that I know is true of me) is that there is something in us that wants to put astrology on the map be predicting the next Pearl Harbor, JFK assassination, or 9/11. We don't want there to be another Pearl Harbor, JFK assassination, or 9/11 but, knowing that these things happen from time to time, we want to be there to predict it as an affirmation of astrology's power and legitimacy. I think we need to be mindful of this tendency in ourselves anytime we think we see that sort of train speeding down the tracks.

With those two caveats as my only safety net, I need to be blunt:

If anything that resembles a "new American Civil War" will occur in this era, its opening shot will be the opening gavel of the Republican National Convention July 15. 1/6/2021 may have been its preamble - its Boston Tea Party (to mix war metaphors) - but July 15 is when the first cannons fire and the war is on.

These aspects may, of course, simply anticipate a few weeks or months when the psychological tone resembles civil war. We've had that, on and off, for years. But the particular convergence of mid-July seems to go much beyond that. Of so many concurrent indications, here is the short list of major factors:

1. The USA's second Pluto return is exact July 16. The entire year is feeling its three exact Pluto-Pluto transits, but one of them happens to occur on the second day of the convention.
2. Transiting Mars-Uranus conjunction on USA "year chart" Ascendant. The month's most important aspect is Mars conjunct Uranus at Sidereal 1°15' Taurus. This year's Capsolar (Sun's entrance into Sidereal Capricorn, the 'master chart' of the year) has Ascendant 1°59' Taurus. We can, in any case, expect noteworthy fiery, explosive, eruptive, violent national-impact events within a day of July 15. - If you consider fixed star aspects important in longitude, I'd be silly not to mention that Algol is at 1°26' Taurus.
3. USA progressed Moon squares natal Mars all month. This is per the Hazelrigg chart, with the aspect exact July 21 and the applying partile orb stretching a month earlier than that.
4. Reiterating that, transiting Mars squares USA natal Moon July 17. This is often the match that lights a fuse if the fuse actually exists.
5. Both the USA chart and Biden's chart have converging violent indicators. Biden's personal astrological month beginning June 29 is terrible and disheartening. The second half of that month, beginning July 14, places him directly in the crosshairs of severe conflict at least (perhaps "just politics") - but it looks violent.

I could double that list and still only touch what I consider major indicators. These, though, are the loudest, easiest to summarize, and most likely to catch your attention.

I should mention (with that U.S. progressed Moon-Mars square approaching) that U.S. presidents' deaths while in office have tended to cluster around progressed Moon in the Hazelrigg chart at or near the U.S. natal Mars-Neptune. We have also had dozens of occurrences of progressed Moon to Mars-Neptune without a president dying in office, yet this progression always has to raise an eyebrow and invite a closer look. As Biden's chart so closely resembles, by its primary factors, charts of presidents who died while in office, anticipating this is one of those "9/11 Effect" sort of events: I don't want any harm to come to him at all, yet I'd be derelict as a forecasting mundane astrologer, not to keep an eye out for it happening.

So, there you have it. This will not be a sleepy month and, in fact, may be the next Fort Sumter.

This is now complete.

Excellent, thanks Jim.

Jim Eshelman wrote: Wed Jun 19, 2024 10:43 am First, terrible events are rarely quite as bad, nor wonderful events quite as good, as strong converging aspects make us expect. Usually, such aspect convergences capture the nature and quality of events, almost invariably capturing the correct tone and the psychological characteristics of the moment, but not always the scale of the manifest event, which can be elusive.

I think this really encapsulates what I've been chasing for quite some time with astrology: some way to capture the "scale of the manifest event." I'm seeing both on my own and in these charts that this is, as you say, often elusive.

I feel like it's probably not going to be any different in this regard, but part of me really wants to (and will eventually pursue) that line of thinking that you said someone else used for predicting major events like presidential victories - just calculate every conceivable chart and weigh benefic vs malefic, more or less, in the aggregate.

One consideration in this, Mike: I think ALL "forecasting" is of psychological phenomena, i.e., inner experience. I don't think astrology predicts events at all. That events happen art all is a failure (or perhaps a softer word like "learning process" or "trial run"). The ideal - what the universe needs from us - is to have a string of inner experiences.

This makes all events projections. (Projections may be true or false: They're simply what you experience outside of yourself, in others or in the environment, when you deny the experience or expression of some part of yourself.) Sometimes we are ignorant of something moving through us that we need to experience; sometimes insensitive or insufficiently in-turned; sometimes we need a reflection of someone or something in the environment to model it for us first; sometimes more complicated scenarios.

But the bottom line is that we only get events - in the sense of things we experience as being mostly or entirely external to us - if we do not complete having the experience internally. An important variable in predicting whether events will happen is then to find a way to tell whether someone will be able to process a string of experiences without needing to project them.

We mostly don't have this.

To a limited extent we do, though. I've often thought, for example, that the main reason Saturn events are so difficult, and the reason they seem so reliable external is that a basic characteristic of Saturn is resistance. As we begin to become more Saturnian in the onramp to a Saturn transit, we become more resistant - more denying - and, swoosh, the circumstances start reflecting into events that appear external to us.

And so forth. Malefic events are the easiest to see and people often seem to entirely miss good events. That's probably because the malefic energies set up resistance, combat, division, denial, obscurity, and the 'good' energies simply are felt for what they are.

On a Facebook page devoted to mundane astrology, after posting Biden's new SLR I added the following. I've restructured it as bullet points to make it easier to read here.

Since this is a "preview of coming attractions," I'll say more about Joe's run of unusually difficult returns that began last month with detailed interpretations coming later). All of these presume he's in Washington the day they occur.

• His JULY 14 DEMI-LUNAR is more contentious and combative than weighty, with transiting and natal Mars most angular (plus a Mercury and some Uranus) and a transiting Mars-Uranus conjunction.
• His JULY 27 LUNAR RETURN looks objectively better and subjectively miserable (with some sort of psychological reprieve or feeling let off the hook), with natal Neptune and Saturn angular aspected by a transiting Jupiter-Neptune square.
• The AUGUST 11 DEMI-LUNAR breaks the pattern with natal Jupiter exactly on Zenith and Moon exactly setting: he's psychologically onstage and feels good about himself and what he's doing. (This covers the Chicago DNC.)
• His AUGUST 24 LUNAR RETURN immediately after the convention goes another direction - being the first of chart to bring Uranus' opposition to his Sun-Venus to an angle - and feels liberating. (Foreground planets include transiting Uranus 0°24' from Ascendant, natal Sun 0°19' from Dsc, natal Venus 1°+ from Dsc, and somewhat wider natal Mercury, Uranus, and Pluto.) It feels liberating and unleashing.
• His SEPTEMBER 7 DEMI-LUNAR continues the Uranus to Sun-Venus trend (with other details).
• His SEPTEMBER 20 LUNAR RETURN is a flat chart - nothing angular at all (perhaps he's not in Washington when it occurs? or a chart that simply has nothing to say? it feels vacuous).
• His OCTOBER 4 DEMI-LUNAR has Jupiter exactly angular (0°09') but its only foreground aspects are Saturn exactly square his Sun-Venus (plus natal Saturn and Uranus closely angular): I'm not sure what to make of it for sure but suspect events the world considers objectively honoring and uplifting that nonetheless place too many demands on him.
• His OCTOBER 17 LUNAR RETURN feels like it "changes everything" with transiting Pluto and Uranus on angles (close mundane square) with natal Mars Mercury and a little Moon and Jupiter: Pluto aspects his Moon still; Pluto ad Uranus closely aspect his Mercury. The indications seem advantageous and winning. Natal Mars-Jupiter suggests being successfully competitive.
• His OCTOBER 31 DEMI-LUNAR his combat in the high-intensity spotlight with Sun and Moon on Descendant together with natal Mars. (he's aggressive and competitive though I worry about the impact on his well-being, i.e., he gets hurt in this final-week demi-lunar.)
• His NOVEMBER 14 LUNAR RETURN brings two Marses to angles and natal Pluto exactly on MC (plus Moons angular): This suggests the fight continues with fists flying and, at least within himself, events are decisive, final, and conclusive (whether objective events or existential confrontation): This is also the week of his miserable new Solar Return.
• His NOVEMBER 28 DEMI-LUNAR has complex signals that mostly center on Sun aspecting the transit of Saturn to natal Uranus: His hands are tied, he is surprised and in new territory feeling constrained and probably diminished.
• His DECEMBER 11 LUNAR RETURN has no transiting planets angular, only natal Moon, Mars, and Jupiter (from strongest to weakest): Can the combat still be going on? (If so, he has a good moment, or good fortnight.)
• His DECEMBER 25 DEMI-LUNAR has brightness for Christmas since it occurs exactly at sunrise. His two natal angular planets are Jupiter and Neptune - with transiting Sun square his Neptune. He is passive, in-turned in what may be mostly an occasion of faith for him.

Jim Eshelman wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:25 pm CANLUNAR (Jul 6)
...Perhaps involvement of the courts is the full meaning of Jupiter's connection (Mercury-Jupiter meaning legal proceedings and decisions). Otherwise, the aspect suggests diplomatic success, commercial alliance, trade negotiations, and successful conversations of all sorts. It's a good week for business. Moon-Venus unafflicted also supports diplomacy, negotiations, treaties, and something that makes the people in general happy and is worthy of celebration.

It looks like the Dow is going to close out the week over 40K.

Yep, waiting on my test for the "outstanding incident" July 26 S&P SLR Mars-Saturn for at a possible correction in the markets. The tech sector reminds me so much of the dot.com bubble in the 90s.

My personal view is that the interpretation of Biden's current SLR was unusually good (below). I read it again this morning and (other than the inference that family might be involved) more or less every interpretive phrase is precisely right. (Usually, we are doing well to get the right tone.)

Regarding the Demi-SLR, I think I need to wait until it's over to assess the details. It just began. We have a week and a half to go. (We already have the Covid-19 diagnosis, though.)

Jim Eshelman wrote: Wed Jan 03, 2024 5:25 pm SIDEREAL LUNAR RETURN (Jun 30)
Effective Jun 29-Jul 27. Pres. Biden has begun a series of lunar returns that are arduous, disrespectful, draining, and generally difficult. This month's lunar return continues the negative run. It has only one close angularity, transiting Saturn exactly on Descendant. The only other planets even broadly angular are natal Saturn and transiting Neptune, both in the outskirts of the foreground zone. Two Saturns and a Neptune are disheartening, draining both psychologically and physically, inspiring much soul-searching in introspective people like Mr. Biden. Soul-wrenching grief is possible. (All of this occurs while Pluto continues to transit square his Moon, which has coincided with his son's difficulties.)

Figuratively, Saturn makes everything feel heavier, as if it weighs more. Greater effort is required to do things that normally are easy. Responsibilities drag us like weights on our shoulders. It feels easier to withdraw into oneself and persist alone than to stay connected and ask for help.

Though background, we shouldn't ignore transiting Mercury 0°01' from conjunct his Jupiter. This suggests a self-generated reprieve in which he thinks his way through problems and his ideas work to his advantage. He has certain clearcut successes. Somehow, though, they don't dispel the dark clouds.

You may also find Bidens Jun 30th, SLR angle midpoints interesting, especially the Mc=Ju/Ne.