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By Anne Ortelee The next national United States of America’s Election Day, November 4, 2008, arrives with progressed, and therefore predictive, conditions we’ve never before seen or experienced in the USA natal chart. Additionally, there are a number of stunning cosmic events taking place in the heavens which activate the USA chart on or around November 4th. We can expect major events! In this article, I am going to describe the energy of events as well as outline some possible interpretations of what we may witness at this major turning point in our nation’s history. But, first, a bit of historical background as we all know, knowledge of cycles and their history helps astrologers accurately predict future events. I am of the mind that the chart of the USA was consciously elected, chosen, and enacted by solid and competent astrologers. They chose it with an eye toward selecting a chart for a nation that supported the principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence as well as their personal beliefs as Freemasons.
The USA July 4 1776, 5:10 pm LMT, Philadelphia, PA chart was publicized by Ebenezer Sibly, an astrologer and Freemason, eleven years after the Declaration of Independence was signed. Washington, Franklin and Hancock, principals in the movement toward independence from the crown of England, were Freemasons and present when the Declaration was “declared” so to speak. Our Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights are based on fundamental beliefs of Masons. Thirteen of the fourteen signatories to the Constitution were members of the fraternity of Masons. Freemason principles include: Faith must be the center of our lives. All men and women are the children of God. No one has the right to tell another person what he or she must think or believe. Each person has a responsibility to be a good citizen, obeying the law. It is important to work to make the world a better place for all. Honor and integrity are keys to a meaningful life. The USA chart chosen by our founding fathers has a profound western or “other” orientation, echoing many of the Masonic principles. Back in 1776, the chart would not have the outer planets. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto hadn’t been discovered. The seven visible cosmic bodies were placed in terrific locations to support and create a country which would thrive by following the golden rules of the Masons. When we evaluate the chart using the Mason rules, we find the USA chart supports those statements. Faith must be the center of our lives ~ Sun rules the 9th house of faith, Sagittarius rising with Jupiter, the ascendant ruler exalted in Cancer placed in the way we appear to the public and do to others. All men and women are the children of God. Sun (men) and Venus (women) surround Jupiter, the Great Benefic (God). No one has the right to tell another person what he or she must think or believe. Sun rules the 9th house (derived third house of the other person’s beliefs). Moon in the 3rd house (derived 9th house of other person’s religious constructs or faith) ensures independent beliefs of what is of value to the other person. Further, Moon in freedom loving, don’t fence me in, independent Aquarius rules the 8th of other’ people’s values. Each person has a responsibility to be a good citizen, obeying the law. Sun and Venus in the 7th, joined to Jupiter, the rule of law. It is important to work to make the world a better place for all. Saturn on in the 10th house, exalted, ruling the second and third house of value, skills and the local neighborhood you live in.Venus, ruler of Saturn is joined to exalted Jupiter in the 7th house of other people. Honor and integrity are keys to a meaningful life. Saturn exalted in Libra and placed in his own 10th house. Jupiter angular in the 7th and ruling the chart with Sagittarius righteousness. In any mundane chart, one looks at the malefic planets, Mars and Saturn, and their placements to see the problem areas for a country. Malefic Mars is in the seventh house, in the mutable, indecisive, chatty, air, powerless, intellectual, curious, sibling oriented sign of Gemini. Our enemies talk about us, gossip about us, are easily divided and not particularly effective, preferring to talk rather than take action. Mercury, ruler of Mars, is retrograde, in non-communicative Cancer, making malefic Mars even weaker. Mars becomes very security oriented with Mercury’s placement in the eighth house of money and assets of others. The natal placement suggests we can buy our enemies cooperation by supporting and taking care of them. It also suggests they select actions based on their financial interests and are of two minds when dealing with us. The placement of Saturn, the chart’s second Malefic, is in Libra, the sign of Saturn’s exaltation. Saturn rides high in the USA chart, in the tenth house. It says we, as a country, must conduct ourselves in an exalted and honorable manner or risk a profound fall from power, particularly during Saturn transits, transits from other planets, progressions and solar arcs to natal Saturn. Saturn as the accountant, karma keeper and deliverer of results of our actions invites and mandates the Mason’s guidelines. Deviation from “Each person has a responsibility to be a good citizen, obeying the law” is discouraged by the chart. It has a mechanism in place to promptly deliver the results of actions in a public and quite visible manner. Saturn rules the second house, so our financial security as a country, is dependent on acting in a continually responsible and honorable manner as a citizen of the world. We have a lovely chart to support Thomas Jefferson’s observation – “Always commit an act as though the world were looking at you” additional Masonic guide words. The western emphasis, angular and above the horizon orientation of the USA chart suggest the whole world watches what goes on in our country~ we have an exceptionally public chart. The placement of the 5 of the 7 planets on “their”, the other person, one to one partners, and open enemy side of the chart, imply we rapidly reap what we sow, good or bad. Jupiter in Cancer, sitting on Venus and Sun’s midpoint, brings EVERYTHING back home to us as our ascendant is ruled by Sagittarius~ one of Jupiter’s favorite placements. What goes around comes around ~ times Venus, Sun and Jupiter! So forward we go in time as a happy, content do good kind of country, 232 years in time to our upcoming election of 2008. While the USA chart was quite lovely, we have had some of our planets progress into a bit of a muddle lately. Our election is going to show us the muddle in neon lights! Since our founding, we’ve discovered the outer planets, asteroids and Chiron so I will include them in my 2008 election evaluation. Let’s start by looking at the condition of the natal chart’s malefics now. On January 3, 1997, progressed Saturn turned retrograde for 139 years at 3:24 Scorpio until 2136. Saturn is stationary for 5 to 6 days before and after it stops by progression, that period corresponds to 5 to 6 years or 1992 to 2003. Progressed Saturn turning retrograde was trine to Venus in Cancer, ruler of the Midheaven, 11th and 6th houses and vibrated that powerful Saturn in Libra’s placement in the 10th house. Saturn rules our 2nd house of values and our 3rd house of communication and thought. A significant change for the country while Saturn stopped by progression was the Telecommunications Act signed into law on February 1, 1996. It was the first successful attempt to rewrite the sixty-two year old Communications act of 1934. Many public interest groups believe the new act undermines public interest, violates the constitution and decreases access to the public. The act abolished the cross-market barriers that prohibited dominant players from one communications industry, like telephone or television, from providing services in other industry sectors, cable or newspapers. The bill permitted all sorts of new mergers and acquisitions, consolidations and integration of services previously barred under FCC rules and antitrust provisions of federal law. The act included several highly controversial provisions which restrict speech and violate constitutional protections. Progressed Mars joined to natal Saturn by progression in August of 1979. Up until 1979, Mars had been in a balsamic approach to Saturn for the entire existence of the United States. As a result of the balsamic approach and natal placement, Mars’ activities were largely “shielded” from view, not particularly effective and quite “weak” as he loses his power in his approach to Saturn. However, once Mars JOINS to Saturn, in 1979, a brand new cycle begins ~ and Mars’ actions become much more visible. First, Mars is right up there, high in the sky, next to natal Saturn. Second, conjunctions seed a new Mars/ Saturn cycle. Third, conditions have changed as the ruler of Progressed Mars is now Progressed Venus, in her exaltation in Pisces ~ community, connection, love, peace and the higher good for all need to be our guides for all actions. Fourth, if we use Mercury as the ruler of Progressed Mars, because he rules Natal Mars, Mercury is now in HIS exaltation in Aquarius providing a brilliance, vision and detached understanding of the karmic principles of the founding Masons. After looking at that conjunction, I wonder if our Founding Fathers progressed the USA chart forward and said, “Terrific, if the United States of America makes it to 1979, we’ve got a terrific chart set up for the next few thousand years of our existence PROVIDED WE FOLLOW THE MASONIC RULES.” Progressed Mars turned retrograde for 80 years on July 21, 2006 at 18:42 Libra until 2086. Mars rules our 4th, 5th and 12th houses, our nation’ land, children and how we undermine ourselves or our secret enemies. When Mars goes retrograde, the qualities of Mars are reversed. Mars is stationary for 2 to 3 days before and after it stops by progression, that period corresponds to 2 to 3 years or 2003 through 2009, and includes the 2008 election. Llewellyn George says “When a planet is direct, its power of its own inherent nature is normal, when retrograde the influence is subnormal among the benefics and abnormal among the Malefics.” We can expect the Mars retrograde progression to produce abnormal behavior of Mars. What would abnormal behavior of Mars in Libra look like? First start with what Mars in Libra looks like ~ charming, generous, amiable, cooperative, persuasive, entertain and be sociable, interested in new ideas, quick to seek justice where ever it is lacking, leader of others, confuse your desires and ambitions with others, lack self reliance, need to develop ability to stand alone, lazy, and feel everyone should abide by your rules. It promotes development of observation and perception skills, clear vision, refined taste, enterprising, and idealistic being. Now, IF we look up the reverse of those key words for Mars, we find dull, tightfisted, disagreeable, uncooperative, unconvincing, annoying, hostile, close minded, unjust, loner, greedy, selfish, ambitious, dependent, follower, neglectful, blinded, cloudy vision, coarse taste, copycat, sluggish, and slothful. With the condition of our nations two founding progressed malefics in mind, let’s proceed to the chart for the election. Cast for November 4, 2008, 6 am Washington, D.C., we find ourselves in the day of the Moon as the sun hasn’t risen yet and the hour of Jupiter, making the Moon and Jupiter exceptionally powerful in the chart. Moon and Jupiter are joined, in Capricorn, a sign they both hate, their detriment and fall respectively, in the third house of communication. Moon and Jupiter are in aspect by parallel creating an extra super conjunction of rather difficult energy. The ascendant is in the path of fire and the moon is moving slowly suggesting further difficulties on election day. Venus is out of bounds in Sagittarius giving her a wild energy ruled even as she is ruled by Jupiter in a sign he hates. Pluto, in the very last anaretic degree of Sagittarius, is also ruled by Jupiter in a sign he hates. For Capricorn, we look to Saturn found high in the sky in Virgo. Saturn rules the Moon and Jupiter in Capricorn. Saturn is in his Capricorn decant of Virgo so Saturn is extra Capricorn Saturn-y (if that is possible) making the Moon and Jupiter extra cranky and unable to communicate, flow, relate or smooze, as well as affecting both Venus and Pluto. The 3rd house of communications and the 4th house of the nation are ruled by Saturn. Saturn is exactly, TO THE MINUTE, opposite to Uranus in Pisces retrograde suggesting unexpected events, situations and problems ~ carrying that perverse, diffuse, flowy, retrograde Uranian energy over to the Moon and Jupiter found in inflexible Capricorn. If we look at Neptune as the modern ruler of Uranus is Pisces we find he is buried in 4th house. Neptune has a “secret” aspect of a declination parralel (conjunction like) with the Sun, ruler of the midheaven and the ultimate outcome of the election. Jupiter, the traditional ruler of Pisces, as has been discussed, has many, many problems. Jupiter’s issues suggest the will of the people who expect to communicate their desires will not be heard due to the Uranus in Pisces opposition to Saturn in Virgo. Mercury rules Saturn when Saturn is in Virgo. Mercury is found in the hidden and secretive 12th house, at the anaretic degree of 29:39 Libra. That is the same degree as the Saturn/ Pluto conjunction of 1982-83. The Saturn / Pluto conjunction from 1982 was experiencing its profound opposition on 9-11, in Gemini and Sagittarius respectively, when the World Trade Center was attacked. Our existing government permitted NORAD to allow jet planes to make U-turns in the sky for several, unchallenged hours. We realized we were powerless and unprotected even as we discovered our own government ignored 56 separate warnings that Osama Bin Laden was going to attack us using commercial airplanes as bombs.We find Mercury is square to the Moon and has a declination parallel (conjunction like) aspect to Chiron, suggesting communications from the public (Moon) are both wounded and not carried properly forward but distorted in a secretive 12th house, undermining way. Stationing, retrograde USA progressed Saturn at 3:24 Scorpio is the same degree as the 2008 election chart ascendant of 3:44 Scorpio. The shared ascendant degree suggests that events related to secondary progressed Saturn stationing and going retrograde in Scorpio, particularly the media consolidation that took place during the station, are particularly important to the upcoming election ~ it is the SAME degree out of 360 possible choices! Those same 5 voices created by the media consolidation are going to tell the rest of the 303,455,271 of us how we voted as a country. Remember, whoever counts the votes in an election declares the winner. Or, perhaps, better said, whoever tells us what the vote was decides who the winner is.
Finally, let’s apply the Election Day chart to the USA natal, secondary progressed and solar arc charts for that day. There are many interesting aspects but a few, in particular, draw this astrologer’s eye. First, transiting Pluto arrives on the USA chart’s equatorial ascendant ~ suggesting we, as a nation, experience a Pluto transit to our country’s ascendant. Those of us who have felt Pluto’s energy know the power of that dwarf planet at the far reaches of our solar system to have his way with and profoundly transform whatever he touches. Second, Pluto is square to the USA midheaven and IC suggesting a severe challenge to the structure, foundation, appearance in the world and direction of our country as Pluto pushes on both the roots and branches of our democracy by square. Third, the transiting karmic nodes are squaring solar arc Neptune in Taurus as well as joined to Solar Arc Mars in Aquarius ~ Mars is able to take deceptive action via Aquarius (computers and the air waves). Fourth, the fast transiting Moon in Capricorn is going to set off Solar Arc Uranus and Secondary Progressed Pluto both joined to each other at the anaretic degree of 29 Capricorn when the polls close and the votes are counted. Uranus and Pluto triggered by the Capricorn Moon suggest profound explosions and collapses around our second house values of what is important to us. We trust our authorities, some times to a bad result. Think of the people who were told by the authorities to wait at their desks in the World Trade Center and perished when the second plane crashed into their building. Fifth, transiting Neptune is sitting on Solar Arc Venus in Aquarius and retrograde, progressed Mercury in Aquarius. This screams paperless voting machine ballots that can be manipulated (deceived by) Neptune in Aquarius. If I can get a receipt from McDonalds for a Big Mac and fries, why can’t I get a receipt for the most precious of my rights as a citizen of this great nation? Sixth, transiting Mars in Scorpio, powerful, controlling and oh so secretive, is about to enter the 12th house of hidden enemies. Mars in Scorpio squares the Neptune/ Venus/ retrograde Mercury configuration of paperless votes found in the second house. Mars at 21 Scorpio is operating under the sextile energy and solid cover of right and wrong, often prissy Virgo beliefs provided by natal Neptune at 22 Virgo in the 9th house of the rule of law. The premise of our democratic system was based on people following the golden rules of honor, justice, fair play and right. But, as every smart Virgo knows, there are flaws in each and every system. And, every smart Virgo knows exactly where to push to get results inspite of the flaws. The fact that Virgos DON’T “push in a bad” way has to do with Virgo’s sense of honor. Mars in Scorpio, however, has no such scruples. Mars plays to win, regardless of the means needed to justify the end results. In fact, Mars in Scorpio thinks Virgo is rather quaint in her adherence to the principles of honor, right, fair play and justice for all. So very 1776 of her! Seventh, transiting, retrograde Uranus at 18 Pisces in the 3rd house is opposite to Solar Arc Pluto at 18 Virgo and transiting Saturn at 18 Virgo in the 9th. If there isn’t a paper trail, you can’t prove a thing, especially in a court of law. Oops, memory is gone if the paper is gone ~ or never existed. Kind of like the Chinese laundries of old, can’t we institute a no ticket, no shirt policy ~ no paper trail, no vote? Eighth, progressed Venus at 18 Aries is opposite to retrograde Mars at 18 Libra and Solar Arc moon at 17 Libra. Venus rules the natal sixth house so we can expect record turn outs as the working class, ruled by the 6th house plus the Moon in Libra in the 11th house of groups are very active. However, Venus IS in her fall in Aries. Secondary progressed Venus rules the secondary progressed Taurus midheaven as well. Venus answers to that retrograde secondary progressed Mars in Libra bringing in our lovely words of dull, tightfisted, disagreeable, uncooperative, unconvincing, annoying, hostile, close minded, unjust, loner, greedy, selfish, ambitious, dependent, follower, neglectful, blinded, cloudy vision, coarse taste, copycat, sluggish, and slothful. Ninth, notice all the 18s, in semi-sextile or inconjunct aspect to each other. I think of semi-sextiles as the blind spots in a chart ~ we have to look to see if a car is in our blind spot before we change lanes in a car. We have to look before we notice the semi-sextiles in our blind spot. Semi-sextiles can blind side us! Inconjuncts always require either a Virgo or Scorpio type of adjustment before proceeding forward. Inconjuncts can get stuck in endless arguments like whether a chad is hanging or not. Finally, lets add some numerology ~ all those 18s add up to 9 ~ a culmination and karmic number of finishing up a much bigger cycle. Please allow me to introduce myself Copyright © 2007 Anne C. Ortelee Anne Ortelee can be reached at 212-879-2766 or [email protected]. She writes a Cosmic Weekly Weather Report, with a Mundane astrology section where she expounds, rather conspiratorially, on the political scene and current events. Visit her writing at either www.thecosmicpath.com or www.astroanne.com. |
