Mars turns retrograde

Despite the Fed's promise of continued low (or no) interest rates for the foreseeable future, the market failed to mount a meaningful rally. Investors appear to be growing uneasy with the yin of a continued weak economy and high employment and the yang of a rising Dollar and the end to the carry trade . Stocks were largely unchanged for the week with the Dow closing at 10,328 and the S&P at 1102. Mumbai fared somewhat worse as inflation fears forced the markets south with the Sensex closing at 16,719 and the Nifty finishing at 4987. I thought we might see more upside on the early week Sun-Jupiter aspect but we saw only modest gains in New York on Monday. As expected, the market turned more negative as the week progressed. Friday brought a small gain in New York which was not too surprising given the fairly close Venus-Jupiter aspect that I noted last week.

With the conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune on Monday December 21, the planets may be indicating an important pivot point in the market here. The hope embodied in the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction has underwritten much of the stock rally of 2009. As the conjunction comes exact this week, we are confronted with the very real possibility that the celestial source code for optimism may becoming more scarce. The UN climate conference in Copenhagen was perhaps a reflection of this hopeful idealism and yet it has been heavily criticized for lacking any specifics. For all the good intentions provided by Jupiter and Neptune, the whole conference may have been more of an exercise in public relations. One wonders if the stock rally could fall prey to the same lack of follow up and practical considerations as the limits of Jupiter and Neptune are revealed by the unforgiving light of day.

Besides Jupiter-Neptune, Mars turns retrograde on Sunday, December 20. This is another potentially malefic influence that could make it more difficult to sustain current levels. Thomas Reider's statistical study of Mars retrograde periods found they significantly correlate with major market declines of more than 10%. This is not a perfect correlation but one that nonetheless merits attention. Reider also found that declines were more likely to occur when Mars was in hard aspect to two outer planets, where one aspect is a conjunction. This isn't the case here, but we do note that Mars is in a hard semi-square (45 degrees) Saturn while Saturn is squaring Pluto. Venus makes a sextile aspect with Jupiter-Neptune on Monday so there's a possibility for gains in the early going, but exact aspects between benefics can just as much spark sell-offs upon their perfection. The other significant aspect occurs Thursday when Sun is conjunct Pluto. While we will see light trading volumes ahead of the Christmas holiday, this pattern seems to be difficult, especially for gold.

Tiger Woods in turmoil

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Tiger Woods, at once the best golfer and richest athlete of all time, has seen his career and reputation dissolve over a period of just three short weeks as a parade of young women (thirteen at last count) have come forward with sordid tales of Tiger's sexual dalliances. The details of Tiger Woods amorous escapades have revealed a whole other side to the man and have laid waste to his carefully cultivated All-American family man image. What started as a strange late night car accident near his home in Orlando, Florida on November 27 has mushroomed into a career and image killer of massive proportions. Not only has Tiger Woods gone on indefinite leave from the golf tour, but his many corporate sponsors are now abandoning him as his clean-cut image takes a beating with each new sexual revelation. For an athlete who stands to earn $100 million in advertising endorsements in 2009, this affair is a considerable blow. And now there are reports that he has moved out of his house in Orlando and his wife Elin Nordegren is planning to divorce him.

For the astrologer, there are several pressing questions. First, can we see what planetary combinations in his birth chart pushed Woods into these sexual exploits? And why did he feel the need to keep up a false front of domestic bliss while leading a completely different life on the road? Second, what specific planetary influences were prominent in late November and December that produced this disastrous turn of events for him? Thirdly, what does his future hold? Can he rehabilitate his image and play golf again?

Woods' natal chart shows athletic talent through the first lord Mercury placed in the 5th house of games and sports. The first lord represents the body or person as a whole and its placement in the benefic 5th house gives success through entertainment. Mercury (3 Capricorn) is also very close to the equal cusp of the 5th house (0 Capricorn) and hence derives greater strength and serves to ratchet up the positive effects of this placement. At the same time, there is a somewhat puzzling aspect from Saturn to Mercury. As a malefic planet, Saturn aspects can cause some difficulties although like all planets, Saturn has a positive side. Here Saturn confers a seriousness and deliberative quality to Woods in his approach to life, and we can certainly see that Woods approaches his golf game with a serious intensity as taught to him by his father. Saturn is well placed in the 11th house of gains here so its aspect to the 1st lord Mercury enhances achievement levels. Saturn is further strengthened by its rulership of the 5th house. Hence, we see a very helpful yoga between the 5th lord Saturn and 1st lord Mercury placed in the 5th house. Woods' wealth is perhaps less obvious here, although we can still spot a useful dhana wealth-producing yoga. Benefic Jupiter (22 Pisces) aspects the lords of both money houses, the 2nd (Venus) and 11th (Moon) in Scorpio. Moreover, both of the money house lords Moon and Venus are conjunct in Scorpio and are aspected by their dispositor Mars. This creates a positive feedback loop for those houses and there promise is greatly enhanced.

On the question of his marriage, Woods' 7th house of marriage is apparently quite strong. 7th lord Jupiter is strong in its own sign of Pisces and placed in its own house. This can represent a successful and well-bred partner and is often found in charts of people who desire to be married. Jupiter is a planet of conventionality and normal success and its placement in the 7th often means that the person respects marriage as an institution and benefits from being in a stable relationship. This may have been one source of Tiger Woods' desire to project a public face upright propriety, especially in terms of his marriage. But the astrological assessment of love and marriage extends beyond the 7th house and needs to include Venus and Mars, the planets of love and sexuality. We can see that Venus is placed in Scorpio, a placement that, if afflicted, is often associated with sexual affairs, passionate arguments and, in some cases, association with permissive and sensuous women. We can see that some of these more negative dimensions of Venus in Scorpio will manifest because it is conjunct Neptune, the planet of deception and illusion, and opposite Mars, the planet of sexuality. With Venus in Scorpio and Mars in Taurus, the sexual planets exchange signs and that creates a highly sexual nature. Moon in Scorpio intensifies emotions and when it is aspected by Mars as it is here, it can heighten aggressiveness and create havoc in relationships. The Neptune influence creates illusion in love affairs, either in a self-deluded sense, or in terms of deceiving others. In Woods' case, it's not hard to see that this may have led Woods' leading a double life. Jupiter in the 7th house is his upright family man side whereas the Venus-Neptune-Moon-Mars complex describes is passionate and indulgent sexual side that corresponded with his many mistresses.

On the question of why Woods' is having these problems now, Woods' chart reveals multiple simultaneous affliction that one would expect from this sort of life-changing situation. A good starting point is that his ascendant is the first degree of sidereal Virgo. This is potentially significant because there are no less than four slow moving planets forming aspects to his ascendant. And since we are using equal house cusps, all those aspects are very close to their respective house cusps. On December 1, just three days after the accident and the beginning of this chain of events, Uranus (28 Aquarius) stationed just two degrees from Woods' 7th house cusp of marriage. Uranus symbolizes sudden or rapid change and it is often implicated in marital break-ups when it is configured with the 7th house cusp or its lord. Here we should note that Uranus is doing double duty because not only is it conjunct the 7th house, but it also squares Woods' Moon (28 Scorpio) in the 4th. Since the Moon represents women in general and the home, it comes as no surprise that Woods has left his family home in Orlando as his wife Erin appears to be preparing divorce proceedings.

The 7th house representing marriage is further stressed at the moment because the lord of the 7th house, Jupiter, is currently conjunct the 6th house cusp around 29 Capricorn. The 6th house is considered a malefic dussthana house in Vedic astrology and is associated with conflict and obstacles. Whenever planets conjoin this sensitive cuspal point in the 6th house, it weakens the significations of the house they represent. The fact that there is a simultaneous activation of the 7th cusp by Uranus and the 7th lord Jupiter to the 6th cusp provides the necessary affliction one would expect in such a serious marital situation. But here we can see there's a third affliction, namely transiting Saturn (9 Virgo) aspects Woods' natal Venus (5 Scorpio). In Vedic astrology, Saturn's sextile or third house aspect is considered to be a full strength aspect that is just as potentially damaging (or beneficial depending on its condition) as the opposition or forward square aspect. While it's not exact by degree, it's still only 4 or 5 degrees off and hence quite strong. Natally, Saturn rules the dussthana 6th house of conflict, troubles, and debt so Saturn has an extra capacity to do harm when it forms tight transits to key natal planets. The other important factor here is that transiting Saturn is moving quite slowly now ahead of its retrograde station in January. As a general rule, the slower the planet, the more powerful it becomes. So Saturn can do more damage here than it otherwise would because it will cast its aspect to Venus for a much longer period of time. Saturn moved into transit range (for sake of argument, about 5 degrees) of Venus in September and it will continue to aspect Venus until July 2010. That is a very long time to have Saturn aspecting any planet and it bodes very poorly for Woods' marriage and happiness generally. We can also implicate Saturn in Woods' significant loss of revenue as different advertising sponsorships have ended. With sidereal Virgo rising, Libra rules the 2nd house of wealth. Venus rules Libra and thus any affliction to Venus may produce difficulties with wealth and assets. The extended Saturn aspect to Venus therefore probably means that Woods will continue to have difficulties on the business front as more sponsors will want to distance themselves from him.

We may also note the role of Neptune here. As we noted, Neptune plays a key role in Woods natal chart as it is conjunct the Moon and opposite Mars. This "Marsified" Neptune may have played a role in Woods' deceptive sexual lifestyle. But Neptune carries this natal energy with it through its transits and we see that Neptune is currently in a vulnerable place in his chart -- conjunct the 6th house cusp. Neptune could represent the role of deception here as some of the women Woods was involved with have gone public against his wishes. Also the 6th house symbolizes both health and legal matters so Woods' may be at the wrong end of legal matters through this current situation. Divorce is definitely on the way but we could see other legal claims made against him, perhaps by his mistresses or even former sponsors.

We should also note the auxiliary role of transiting Mars and Rahu. Transiting Mars (25 Cancer) is currently approaching its retrograde station on December 20 where it will form a close square aspect to his natal Rahu (27 Libra). This is a difficult combination of energies and often describes volatile situations and frustrated or irritated emotional states since the assertiveness of Mars is often transformed into a negative outcome when it mixes with the disruptive or unexpected nature of Rahu (North Lunar Node). Similarly, transiting Rahu (27 Sagittarius) is currently aspecting Woods' natal Ketu (27 Aries). These node-to-node aspects often shake up the status quo although they are not always negative. Given all the other difficult transits in play, however, this Rahu/Ketu influence only serves to increase the disruptive effects of the current period.

Finally, we should say a word of dasha periods. Woods is running Sun-Venus from April 2009 to April 2010. Both planets are fairly well-placed as the Sun is strong in the 4th, a kendra house, with a strong dispositor Jupiter which is swakshetra. We do note the 8th house Mars aspect here which could cause some problems, particularly since Mars rules the 8th house, the most malefic house in the horoscope. Venus is placed in the 3rd house and rules the 2nd and 9th and also receives an aspect from Mars but overall, neither of these planets is hugely damaged. Subperiod lord Venus is in the 12th from main dasha lord Sun, so that is an unfortunate relationship but again it is not really sufficient to account for the huge difficulties that Tiger Woods is currently facing. However much we may want to read off dasha effects simply and directly, I think the critical point here is how dasha lords are always conditioned by the relevant transits. Woods' is running the Venus subperiod and we see his natal Venus afflicted by Saturn for almost a whole year. That is a very significant merging of transits with dashas where transits can turn otherwise positive dasha lords into harbingers of stress and serious life problems. And I would be remiss if I did not point out that Woods' great career success did come during the main Venus dasha period from 1984 to 2004. So clearly, Venus is not a static energy in this chart; it changes its complexion according to the key transit influences.

So what's next for Tiger? With Saturn in aspect to his Venus until the summer of 2010, the near term looks very difficult for him. I would not expect him to attempt any major golf comeback until after this influence has dissipated. The Sun-Venus period will yield to the Moon main dasha period in April 2010 so that may alter the dominant energies in his life somewhat. The Moon dasha will run for the next ten years until 2020. His Moon is debilitated in Scorpio and opposed by its dispositor Mars in the 3rd house, albeit close to a powerful position near the 4th house cusp. This dasha period would indicate mixed results at best although Woods' earning capacity may return to some extent since Moon is 11th lord of gains. We can see that the second half of 2010 may show some improvement since transiting Jupiter enters Pisces which will cast is favourable aspect on the first house. With Jupiter stationing near Tiger's 7th house cusp in December 2010, he is likely to see some kind of boost in his fortunes, possibly involving a new relationship. But it seems even the latter half of 2010 will be marked by setbacks as transiting Saturn and Rahu will activate his Sun in September and October. The Sun represents the ego and the self, so his reputation may take another hit here. And since Sun is the 12th lord of loss, Woods may suffer more financial troubles. Generally speaking, it looks like it will be a long road back to respectability for him.

Al Gore and "Climategate"

Sometimes being the leading light of the most important environmental movement of our time isn't all its cracked up to be. Just ask Al Gore. The former US Vice-President has become the face of the global warming movement over the past ten years through his celebrated book and movie, "An Inconvenient Truth". According to the anthropogenic (i.e. human made) global warming thesis (AGW) that Gore espouses, the world is warming as a result of carbon-based fossil fuels and will cause widespread environmental destruction and economic dislocation unless carbon emissions are reduced. The world was looking to Gore for continued leadership on this issue as he planned to deliver an important speech at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen from December 7-18.

But all that has seemingly changed with the hacking of e-mails from the Climate Reseach Unit in East Anglia, England on November 17-19. These stolen e-mails from prominent climate scientists revealed apparent data manipulation, destruction of data, refusal to share data, denial Freedom of Information requests and blacklisting of journals and researchers who did not share the consensus view of global warming. Over the next week, knowledge of the content of these e-mails circulated on the internet and were eventually picked up by the mainstream media, first in the UK and then in the US. The Daily Show's Jon Stewart scooped the indifferent US networks when he first addressed it on December 1: "Poor Al Gore, global warming completely debunked via the very internet which you invented. Oh, the irony."

While some media outlets have ignored or minimized the significance of the hacked e-mail controversy, so-called "Climategate", it has become an embarrassment to many involved in this issue including IPCC chief Rajendra Pachauri, George Monbiot, the leading British advocate for AGW, and even the White House where the Obama administration dismissed its implications. For his part, Al Gore has gone as far as cancelling his speech at Copenhagen and is no doubt feeling the sting of these e-mails as he fields probing questions from curious interviewers. Most of the key players have assured the public that these unethical and corrupt scientific practices represent only a few rotten apples in an otherwise upstanding scientific community and that the basic thrust of the science is still "settled" and reliable. Nonetheless, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that at least some of the scientific foundation of AGW is now suspect. As a result, the public trust in the impartiality of the scientists themselves has suffered and threatens to undermine any sustained legislative efforts down the road to control carbon emissions through various forms of public policy and taxation. Clearly, Climategate has come at a very inopportune time, just as world leaders were supposed to hammer out an agreement for the reduction of carbon emissions in Copenhagen.

Al Gore's horoscope serves as a compelling "proxy" for the problems of the global warming thesis at this time. From the bi-wheel chart, you can see that Gore has two very difficult transits occurring at the moment. First transiting Mars (25 Cancer) is conjunct his natal Saturn-Mars conjunction. By itself, this isn't necessarily bad news since Mars can often indicate times are high levels of activity and decisive action. But here Mars is debilitated in sidereal Cancer and hence more likely to cause harm to the significations of Mars and Saturn. A potentially bigger problem is that transiting Mars is slowing down ahead of its retrograde station on December 20. And this station will occur exactly conjunct Gore's natal Mars at 25 Cancer. This seems like too much Mars energy and likely indicates conflictive situations, tension, stress and things not going well in general. Gore's other big transit problem is that Saturn is forming a partial square (4th house) aspect with his natal Moon and his Jupiter. Although the aspect is not a "full strength" aspect by Vedic reckoning, it is nonetheless significant because 1) it is still 75% strength by dik bala calculations and; 2) the aspect is very close to his Moon (just one degree off) and; 3) like Mars, Saturn is slowing down ahead of its retrograde station on January 13 and so it is that much stronger by virtue of its slowing velocity. The Moon represents emotions and the mind as well as the public image of a person. In Gore's chart, the Moon is doubly important because it rules his first house (Cancer) and therefore the Moon's condition is very much tied to his whole persona, both physically through health and through the image he projects to the public. The Saturn influence here greatly undermines all that, since Saturn is symbolizes loss and misfortune and often causes hardships through its aspects. Saturn may even be more damaging to Gore since it is lord of the malefic 8th house (Aquarius) in his chart. We should note that this aspect will be very close for the next two months or so since the station occurs at 10 Virgo (exactly square Gore's Moon) and it will only move backwards very slowly after that and will stay within range of the Moon until February. So while the transiting Mars may cause headaches, awkwardness and conflict for Gore for a few weeks, the slower-moving Saturn has the capacity to knock Gore's image and status down a few notches for several months. By extension, we can infer that the consensus view on global warming will likely come under continued attack for much of this time.

We can also see how Gore's popularity and success would be compromised around this time through his dasha sequence. Gore is currently running his Rahu-Mars dasha which began November 4, 2009 according to Krishnamurti ayanamsha, just two weeks before the e-mail hack occurred. Rahu is not the issue here since it has been very good to him as he became Vice-President when he first entered his Rahu dasha in November 1992. Rahu is very well placed in Gore's 10th house of power and status and receives a wide aspect from benefic Jupiter. While major dasha periods form a sort of background influence, subperiods are most commonly implicated in the ups and downs of life and Mars as subperiod lord would appear to fit the bill here. In his natal chart, Mars is debilitated in Cancer in the first house closely conjunct the 8th lord Saturn. This is a very powerful pattern which denotes a great capacity for energy and action, but the downside of all that malefic energy will never be too far away. The 8th house is often associated with obstacles and embarrassments so Mars inherits some of this energy by virtue of its close conjunction to Saturn. Perhaps the most significant placement here is that the Mars natal placement was being triggered by the transit of Mars exactly to its natal position. It is important to note that his Mars subperiod will not inevitably produce negative results. Indeed, Gore has enjoyed the positive side of his Mars as he became US Senator under the Mars major period in the late 1980s. As always, astrology is about the confluence of planets and their energies. The bad side of Mars was released here because the Mars-to-Mars transit conjunction coincided with the Mars subperiod in an unfortunate cosmic feedback loop. In that sense, the Mars-Mars transit served to punctuate or underline the negative side of the ongoing Mars subperiod.

Al Gore is likely to suffer considerable loss of prestige and respect as a result of Climategate and these Mars and Saturn transits. But what does the future promise? The short term looks quite difficult for him since Mars will stay in Cancer (his first house) until May 2010 and Saturn will be in aspect with the Moon and Jupiter until September 2010. It's quite possible that Gore's situation could actually worsen in early 2010 as the lingering effects of those transits eventually manifest as events rather than simply psychological states such as stress. It seems a safe bet to assume that Gore will suffer further from Climategate and its role in undermining his crusade to save the world from CO2 and global warming. It also seems likely that the "consensus view" on global warming will come under increased scrutiny in the months ahead. Any agreement is therefore very unlikely to make any headway in the US Congress. The problematic Mars subperiod lasts until November 2010 so that will likely preclude any improvement in Gore's situation until it's over.

On the plus side, he begins his main Jupiter period in November so that could change up the energy significantly. Jupiter is well placed in Sagittarius conjunct the Moon in the 6th house, so that may indicate some success in legal affairs or advocacy situations that involve confronting opponents. Jupiter is debilitated in his D10 chart representing status, so perhaps Gore will not quite be able to recapture his previous levels of success. New dashas can sometimes indicate that a person follows a new path or finds new interests as the planetary energy points him in a new direction. Therefore, I would not rule out Al Gore leaving global warming behind and pursuing a new cause once his Jupiter dasha begins. Gore's natal chart features that very idealistic Moon-Jupiter conjunction in Sagittarius. He has a strong sense about what is right and correct and he needs to fight (6th house) for them to feel completely alive. As for the future of the consensus global warming view, perhaps further information could be found in an analysis of the charts of other main advocates such as George Monbiot, Michael Mann, or Phil Jones. So many charts, so little time.

An Embarrassment of Riches: Obama wins Nobel

In a surprising development, US President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. With the Nobel Committee citing his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples", the award has generated plenty of controversy as a large number of observers feel Obama hasn't done enough to warrant such a distinguished prize. Last week's SNL comedy skit "What's He Done" playfully underlined the fact that Obama has accomplished little in his first year in office. The win is an awkward embarrassment of riches for Obama, as it seems to have come in a politically inopportune time with the current stalemate over health reform still very much on his mind.

His Nobel win is a very unusual reflection some simultaneous positive and negative planetary patterns in Obama's horoscope. On the plus side, Jupiter comes to its direct station early next week. This benefic planet therefore sits just one degree away from his natal ascendant and is extra powerful due to its near stationary motion. The Sun is transiting his 9th equal house cusp symbolizing higher ideals (e.g. peace) and comes under the benefic influence of the trinal aspect from Jupiter. Together, this is a favourable placement that can generate greater confidence and recognition and conforms to the positive side of winning one of the world's most celebrated awards.

But we can see the awkwardness of the award also in the Mars-Rahu configuration that occurs with Obama's natal Saturn. Saturn is lord of the first house which is also placed in the first in Capricorn so that provides an important window on the condition of the person as a whole. Mars is a malefic planet suggesting sudden or even violent events. Rahu (North Node) is a planet of unboundedness and exaggeration. The Mars-Rahu influence represents the surprising and unexpected nature of the award, and also some of the difficult political implications of the win. The award is unlikely to help him win over new political support and it seems likely to give further fuel to right wing criticism of him as over-hyped "Messiah" and narcissist, and his program to re-make America. Suspicions that Obama is more talk than action, and more style than substance are likely to increase as a result of this award. No doubt it will provide more fodder for late night comedy shows.

We can also note the Venus-Uranus opposition occurs atop Obama's natal Mars emphasizes the notion of an unexpected and jarring experience. Venus is the 10th house lord of status and it is conjunct Mars, the 11th lord of gains, which occupies the 8th house of unearned income. Although he is donating the prize money, the award is nonetheless valued at $1 million. Venus aspects to Mars can often have a stressful or emotional nature to them, particularly if they coincide with other negative planetary influences. Certainly, the Uranus opposition to Mars is not helpful here, and neither is the transiting Mars aspect to the natal Saturn. As a side note, Obama's failure to secure the 2016 Olympics for his hometown of Chicago earlier this week coincided with Mercury in approximately the same place as Venus now occupies. Mercury is somewhat less benefic than Venus, so that may be one reason why the Olympic outcome was more clearly negative than the Nobel prize. Also, at the time of the Olympic mission to Copenhagen, the Sun had not yet moved into its more favoured position on the 9th equal house cusp.

More serious trouble ahead

While Jupiter on his ascendant is offering Obama a measure of support at the present time, this situation will change over the next few weeks as Jupiter begins to move forward again. Obama enters a more clearly negative period as we enter November since his natal Mars (29 Leo) will come under the twin aspect influences of Uranus (29 Aquarius) and Rahu (29 Gemini). Watch for some very difficult situations emerging around October 20 when the Sun comes under the aspect of his natal Saturn (obstacles) and Mars will conjoin his Mercury (bad news, frustration). This will likely mark a deepening political conundrum for Obama. Since Mars is subperiod lord (i.e. bhukti), its double affliction by Rahu and Uranus highlight this late October to December period as especially volatile and frustrating for him. And since Mars symbolizes violence and conflict, it is possible there will be some unwelcome military developments at that time. December also seems like a particular low point for him since Mars will have its retrograde station directly opposite his ascendant on December 19 while Saturn is aspecting his natal Venus. Since Venus is connected to the economy, it is not unreasonable to expect a further deterioration of US economic conditions over the next three months.

Leo New Moon -- August 20

The forthcoming New Moon takes places at 3 degrees of Leo in the nakshatra of Magha just before sunrise in Washington, DC. Overall, it is quite a busy chart in that it contains many close aspects. Generally speaking, it features a number of tense aspects that point to an array of significant problems that could emerge over duration of this lunation cycle (Aug 20 - Sep 18). Magha is sometimes associated with leaders and given its fairly close opposition to the dissolute effects of Neptune, we may see troubles ahead for Obama (see also section below on US politics). Neptune indicates weakening or illness, illusion or deception, perhaps a loss of identity (attention "birthers"!), and a lack of focus.

Given Obama's sagging popularity and growing unease about his health reforms, it would not be unreasonable to expect that he may not be able to make significant progress during the period of this lunation. Of course, the New Moon is a global phenomenon, so this planetary geometry will also pertain to other countries where leaders may be weakening or ill (or is that Il? -- the August 20 New Moon sets over Pyongyang) or give rise to situations of deception and corruption. The Neptune factor in this New Moon may also be an indicator of growing concern over the H1N1 virus or swine flu. While it has been put on the back burner somewhat since its original outbreak and identification back in April and May, health authorities have expressed concern that it could spread more quickly once the fall flu season begins. It will be something to watch for to be sure.

This New Moon also occurs at a time when there is a powerful t-square between Mercury (0 Virgo), Mars (2 Gemini), and Uranus (1 Pisces). Mercury represents trade, commerce and communcation, while the combination of Mars and Uranus symbolizes sudden bursts of energy which can create conflict and suffering. And if we include nearby Saturn (27 Leo) in this mix, we have the recipe for a disruptive event that could have major political and economic consequences. With Saturn, the planet of loss and limitation, sitting in the 2nd house of the economy, we might wonder if the economy could once again be in the limelight for the wrong reasons.

Given the large number of aspects here, it is even harder than usual to offer a specific prediction. The possibilities are very large indeed ranging from a failure of the economic recovery, new geopolitical concerns, to a significant natural disaster somewhere in the world. Whatever the eventual outcome of this Leo New Moon, it will very likely be noteworthy. I note that Pluto rises and Mars sets over Pakistan and Western India so that is one area that may be affected by some notable outbreak of violence or suffering during this time. The Mercury-Saturn conjunction sits atop the Midheaven over Iran which would tend to create stress and frustration for Iran's leaders since the Midheaven (i.e.10th house cusp) symbolizes leaders and government. On a more peripheral note, Venus is placed on the 12th house cusp of this chart which is often a difficult place for Venus. This placement could conceivably correspond with public revelations of a compromising sexual affair or the death of a prominent woman or artist.

Michael Jackson 1958 - 2009

The death of pop superstar Michael Jackson yesterday has sparked an overwhelming outpouring of grief and remembrance around the world. Although more recently known for his bizarre behaviour and various legal and financial troubles, his millions of fans paid tribute to him and his music and the indelible mark he left on the entertainment industry. There are several widely divergent birth times floating around for Michael Jackson, some from apparently reliable sources. And yet unless and until some one sees the birth certificate, his true horoscope will likely remain an open question. Of all the birth times in common usage for MJ, I think the 7.30 p.m. chart offers a plausible window onto the nature of the man and his life events. This is the birth time that Michael Jackson himself provided to an astrologer colleague several years ago when he went in search of a Vedic chart reading. What follows is a brief astrological sketch based on that tentative birth time.

MJ was born on the day of a Full Moon, an appropriate placement for such a famous person. Bright Full Moons are considered very auspicious in Vedic astrology because like the Moon, the person becomes visible and easily noticed. Moreover, this chart has the Moon rising in sidereal Aquarius, which underlines his great fame since the first house is the most important in the whole chart. Fame and success were also indicated by the placement of Saturn on the MC in the 10th house. As ruler of Aquarius and the first house, Saturn placed in the 10th house confers high profile and career success. As an additional boost for success, the 10th lord Mars closely aspects this Saturn in the 10th house. We can also see that Mars was doubly powerful here because it was in its own sign of Aries. It is noteworthy that his Saturn dasha began 1972 when he started to achieve success in his musical career with the Jackson 5 and it lasted into 1991 when he had reached the apogee of his fame with his best-selling albums, Thriller and Bad. While Saturn often gets a bad rap since it is a natural malefic, it's clear that Michael Jackson's Saturn was a key ingredient to his success due to 1) its rulership of the 1st house; 2) its placement in the 10th; 3) the strength of its dispositor Mars; and 4) the absence of any afflicting aspects.

Michael Jackson's horoscope suggests he was an immensely talented and successful person but also isolated and troubled. His Moon (emotions, mind) and Saturn (structure, limits, loss) were in square aspect, a common signature in depressed or lonely people who cannot easily connect with others. The 4th house (Taurus) is also associated with happiness and emotions and it is ruled by Venus. As we've seen, Venus is in an awkward place due to its Mars and Uranus influence and its placement in the dussthana 6th house. When the 4th lord is afflicted and placed in the 6th house it can create emotional problems with parents. It is well known that he was abused by his father as a child.

What else does the horoscope reveal about Michael Jackson? His musical and performing abilities perhaps stem from the association of Mars and Venus. Mars rules his strong 3rd house, the house that is associated with creativity and the arts, and it is well situated in its own sign of Aries. Mars aspected Venus by square aspect hence the 3rd house is linked with Venus, the planetary significator of art and beauty. Venus was conjoined with innovative Uranus in Cancer and this perhaps contributed to his originality and ground breaking performances which launched the era of music videos in the early 1980s. Significantly, Venus-Uranus were in Cancer which is ruled by the Moon, and with the Moon powerfully placed in the first house (self), we can see how his artistic abilities could be translated into the world.

For all of his career success, MJ was notable for his strange and turbulent love life. He married twice, but neither lasted very long and both of them seemed more like public relations stunts designed to deflect attention away from the persistent charges of sexual abuse and pedophilia. Relationships are seen through Venus and the 7th house and MJ's 7th is ruled by Sun which is well-placed in Leo although it is aspected by Saturn. While Saturn rules the benefic first house, it also rules the 12th house (Capricorn) which is related to hidden or secret matters. This 12th house influence on his 7th house would increase the likelihood of an unusual or unhappy love life. For its part, Venus is greatly troubled by virtue of the Uranus conjunction which can create desire for different or unusual partners. The Mars aspect to Venus is another destabilizing influence on relationships. The 8th house and its lord are more closely connected with the sex act itself and we see transgressive Rahu there in the 8th. Mercury rules the 8th and it is in tough shape since it is retrograde in early Leo, leaning towards the 6th house, and worst of all in a trine aspect with Ketu. Like Rahu, Ketu can introduce an element of 'weirdness' into the equation.



We can see that Mercury was a weak planet for MJ because it was during his Mercury dasha (1991-2008) that he gradually lost his popularity and saw his difficulties grow on various fronts. Ketu dasha began in 2008 and he was running Ketu-Venus at the time he died. Ketu is in a particularly vulnerable place in his chart since it is gandanta, that is, it sits on the cusp between Pisces and Aries, or a water and fire sign. When planets are situated near this zodiacal 'no-man's land' they lose strength and are more prone to deliver life challenges and hardship. As we've seen the subperiod lord Venus was significantly weakened by virtue of its 6th house (health, illness) placement with Uranus (sudden or rash actions) aspected by Mars (harm, strife). MJ's transits were also very stressful. Transiting Saturn (loss, disappointment) had just stationed (21 Leo) opposite his 1st house Moon (21 Aquarius) in May and was still forming a very close aspect at 22 degrees of Leo. The transiting conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune (2 Aquarius) was closely opposite MJ's 8th lord natal Mercury (2 Leo). The 8th house is associated with serious diseases and sudden developments. Since it was natally weak, Mercury could not withstand the draining energy that Neptune was contributing. The otherwise positive effect of Jupiter did not translate here. Given the multiple afflictions to the chart, it was simply a bit player in a much larger tragedy. Perhaps the gentle calming Jupiter influence was reflected in the fact that he apparently died of an overdose of Demerol, a powerful opioid. As a short term triggering transit, the subperiod lord Venus (25 Aries) was in a tight conjunction both with transiting Mars (24 Aries) and his natal Mars (28 Aries). This is therefore a double Venus affliction by Mars, a planet that does not mix energies well with Venus.

Iran election protests

Mass protests and rioting broke out in the aftermath of a contested election result that saw victory declared by incumbent hard-liner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over the moderate challenger Hossein Mousavi. In an unprecedented move to mollify opposition protesters, Iran's religious leadership under Ayatollah Khameini has agreed to a partial recount of the results. Just where these protests may lead remains unknown, as a new generation of young Iranians try to seize the this opportunity to bring their country into the 21st century.

The astrological indications for this uprising is quite clearly seen in the horoscope of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as it was declared on April 1, 1979 at 3 p.m. The dashas provide the first hint of trouble as the chart began running Rahu-Moon in March 2009. Rahu is conjoined with malefic Saturn in the 2nd house in Leo suggesting uncertainty or trouble surrounding the speech and communication which are 2nd house indications as well as possible economic losses. One doesn't want to put too much emphasis on dasha lords which have a long term background influence (Rahu runs from 1993 to 2011) but it's interesting how Iran's economy has suffered in recent years and the current economic slowdown is not helping matters any. Also more of its citizens are becoming aware of the gap between the official government line and the everyday reality in the street so this is another possible manifestation of an afflicted 2nd house.

Perhaps more important is the minor period lord Moon which runs from March 2009 to September 2010. With Cancer rising, the Moon is the chart ruler and we can see that it receives the full strength 10th house square aspect from Saturn in the natal chart. Saturn tends to be associated with hardship and privations, so one would expect to see some basic sorts of afflictions with the natal Moon to correspond with the current unrest. To make matters worse for this Moon, the aspect from Saturn is just one degree from exact and so it has more capacity to do damage and it rules the malefic 8th house (Aquarius) of upset, obstacles, and scandals. Clearly, the Moon minor period is very problematic for Iran.

If anything, the transit situation gives an even clearer picture of trouble as it is an extremely afflicted chart. Uranus, the planet of quick or sudden occurrences, is just minutes away from the natal Mars in Pisces in the 9th house of religion and law. Symbolically, this can mean explosive (Uranus) anger (Mars) directed at religious authority (9th house). This is an massive amount of energy since Uranus vastly increases the scale of anger and violence that we traditionally associate with Mars. Uranus is going stationary retrograde on July 1, so it is infused with extra incendiary power in the coming weeks.

Transiting Ketu is conjunct the natal Jupiter in the 1st house and this combination often signals changes in philosophy and underlying principles. Interestingly, Jupiter rules the 9th house of religious authority in this chart and is exalted in the first house in Cancer, a plausible enough signature for a theocracy ruled by fundamentalist clerics. Ketu (aka the South Lunar Node) is a planet that symbolizes transgressions and change, and is considered a separating or world-denying influence. Ketu transits to Jupiter, therefore often mark times of legal or religious controversy. Certainly, the essential principles of the Islamic Republic are being called into question by an increasingly Westernized and technologically-savvy younger generation who are seeking a more moderate co-existence between Islam and modernity.

In addition, transiting Saturn is conjunct the 2nd house Rahu, and this is another expression of failing propaganda as Rahu, the "dragon's head", is a source of deception in speech and is no longer believed by a majority of Iranians in the wake of this apparently rigged election.

The next few days will likely see an escalation of the situation as Venus and Mars will conjoin at 21 Aries in near-exact aspect to the natal Rahu. This comes exact on June 22. The question is: will the government back down and re-run the election or might it even be on the verge of collapsing altogether? Certainly, the chart has a level of affliction that suggests major changes are afoot over the next year or two. After the Moon subperiod, the Mars period runs from Sept 2010 to Oct 2011 and given the close proximity of transiting Uranus to the natal Mars during that time, Iran is likely going to see continued instability and conflict. The planets suggest that the least likely outcome is that the protests will just fizzle out and things will return to normal. I would not be surprised to see some significant concessions to the opposition here. To be honest, the chart has such a high level of affliction that does not rule out any conflict scenario including "regime change".

Certainly, Ahmadinejad's own chart (October 28, 1956) is extremely stressed as Saturn has recently stationed exactly opposite his natal Mars (21 Leo) but that could still only account for the current crisis, rather than any additional hardship that may foretell his ouster. I do note, however that Saturn-Uranus opposition will conjoin his natal Venus (2 Virgo) in September so that is likely to spell continued problems for him. Saturn will station at 10 Virgo in his 12th house in December, so that is another period where he will have many troubles. Given all these afflictions, Ahmandinejad's days as president are likely numbered.

October will see Jupiter's station (23 Capricorn) on the 7th house cusp in the Iran chart so that could indicate a new period of calm, perhaps involving other countries such as the USA. Conceivably, this could occur after the establishment of a Mousavi-led government. Less dramatically, it could represent a compromise third candidate taking the reigns of power. In any event, with Saturn heading for its June 2010 station (4 Virgo) in close opposition to the Mercury-Mars conjunction in the Iran chart, one should think that we are entering an era of continuing difficulties rather than heralding some happy new day of moderate Islam in Iran. Therefore I think is more likely that we will see a protracted struggle between the forces of moderation and fundamentalism. Anyway, let's see how the Venus-Mars conjunction plays out in the coming days so see where the trajectory is going.

New Moon in Gemini

New Moon June 22 2009 3.35 p.m EDT Washington, DC
As I noted in last month's newsletter, the very close harmonic aspect between Mercury and Mars in May 24 Taurus New Moon may well cause some significant problems for Mercury-ruled affairs. The events of the past week indicate that some of that energy has already been released. GM declared bankruptcy on June 1 as the US government is now a part-owner of America's largest car marker. Saturn was close to the 4th house cusp which often indicates "the end of the matter", so that is somewhat appropriate for symbolizing the end of US auto industry in its previous form. Mercury rules transportation, so it's not too much of a stretch to see that the negative Mars influence here was somehow implicated. Yesterday's fatal crash of an Air France jet off the coast of Brazil is another possible expression of this Mars affliction to Mercury, the planet of that rules transportation. North Korea also re-emerged as a concern for world leaders as they detonated an underground nuclear device on May 25, just one day after the New Moon. Besides the prominent Mars in this chart, I wonder if the Sun coming under the aspect of distorting Rahu (North Lunar Node) might point to uncontrolled (Rahu) actions from leaders such as Kim Jung-Il (Sun). Interestingly, the Sun-Moon conjunction in the May 24 New Moon chart falls near the cusp of the 12th house, representing faraway places and secrecy.

The Gemini New Moon of June 22 looks fairly intense with a number of tight aspects that are highlighted in the Washington, DC chart. Given the United States pre-eminent position in the world, I am focusing on the DC chart. If this is astrological US imperialism, so be it. The Sun-Moon conjunction occurs exactly on the equal 9th house cusp closely opposed by Pluto. To make matters a little more pointed, the New Moon occurs in Ardra, a nakshatra that is not know for its calming or uplifting effects. It is associated with storms, moisture, toxins, limitations an purging. The 9th house represents foreign countries, so this may indicate some harsh or crude exertions of power on the world stage. The 9th house also represents law and religion and having that kind of affliction there may point to problems with Obama's recent Supreme court appointment of Sonia Sotomayor. Religious figures may also be in the news from late June onwards, in the form of conflict or disputes. Benefic Jupiter also aspects the New Moon, so we shouldn't be too pessimistic about the outcomes of 9th house matters. Another unusual characteristic of this chart is that the nodes are sitting exactly square the ascendant, as Ketu conjoins the equal 10th house cusp and Rahu is on the 4th. This placement may foretell unusual or eccentric actions by leaders and governments, ("thinking outside the box") and family and educational settings may undergo some upset or significant changes.

Another key configuration for the Gemini New Moon is the exact conjunction of Venus and Mars in close trine aspect with Saturn. This pattern creates a lot of pressure on Venus-ruled matters such as women, art, and money. On the plus side, the Mars and Saturn influence can translate Venus into more real manifestations of its often subtle energy, such as an artistic vision realized, albeit often under less than perfect circumstances. More negatively, this can be just a bad pattern for female energy, as it seems to be defined in terms of males (Mars) or the "real world" (Saturn). Mars is supported by Venus here, so that can bode well for athletic or physical endeavours, especially those that are connected with ancient or traditional practices (Saturn), such as yoga.

New Indian government

The new Congress-led Indian government under Manmohan Singh was sworn in May 24 at 6.34 p.m. IST. This is quite a strong chart with the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction very close to the 4th house cusp. This placement will tend to aid in the maintainence of domestic tranquility. Prosperity is more mixed here since Jupiter the karaka of wealth and also lord of the second house of wealth is conjunct the dissolving influence of Neptune. So on one hand wealth creation is improved because the 4th house placement supports the 2nd house but the Neptune influence may indicate that some of the wealth may be illusory or unsustainable in the long term.

Mercury is retrograde and forming a close aspect to the ascendant and this may mean that the government will be activist and in the news with its various programs. It may also change its direction on some issues that could lead to confusion. The Sun in the 7th house is in a close aspect with Rahu suggesting a prominent leadership role under PM Singh but it also indicates that his actions may ruffle more than a few feathers. This is perhaps a reflection of the free market economic reforms that are planned. Singh's government will likely implement a significant number of reforms that will be upsetting to many people. The fall period seems troubled by the Saturn-Pluto square. Transiting Saturn (7 Virgo) will come under the disruptive influence of the aspect from natal Rahu (8 Capricorn).

North Korea tests nuke

North Korea (Sept 9 1948) has been causing some problems for the world community recently with its underground nuclear test. Saturn stationing on its Sun (22 Leo) is one possible explanation for its stubborn and headstrong behaviour. The Sun represents government and leaders and Kim Jong-Il is as intransigent as ever with this defiant gesture against the wishes of the rest of the world. Transiting Ketu on natal Venus (7 Cancer) suggests problems with relationships. Indeed. We can speculate that the effect of the stationing Jupiter in close aspect to the Gemini ascendant may be the success of the test and perhaps the attention it has brought. North Korea uses its nuclear policy as a bargaining chip for food and material from other countries. As frustated as the US and Japan may be, the successful test will likely improve North Korea's chances for greater concessions.

Pluto is on the 7th cusp now and will aspect the ascendant and Uranus over the next year or two. This is suggests some major tensions are likely to lead some significant changes in the make-up of the country. The Saturn-Pluto square due this fall is likely to increase the stress felt inside and outside the country since it will activate the ascendant/Uranus conjunction.

New Moon -- Aries to Taurus

Given that the Sun and Moon are the two most significant bodies in the sky, the lunar phases provide useful clues to the prevailing energies that inform the month to come. The New Moon of March 24 featured a strong Sun in the 10th house suggesting a greater visibility for government and leaders. April has seen the Obama administration continue to take the lead on a number of fronts including the salvaging of the US auto sector. The prominent Mars in the 9th house of foreign countries in that chart may also have signified some friction involving North Korea's missile launch and more generally may reflect Obama's overseas trip in early April to the G20 summit and later in his swing through various European and Middle Eastern countries which caused some consternation in conservative circles. And of course, the swine flu did originate outside of the US in Mexico so that is another plausible expression of tension and difficulties involving foreign countries.

As we noted in the previous newsletter, the last New Moon on April 24 contained several intriguing and potentially troublesome patterns. In light of the recent swine flu scare, the Mercury square to the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction was a plausible expression of this energy. In fact, I suggested that this aspect may be related to "communicable diseases" among other things, and that the the Sun/Moon square to the nodes Rahu and Ketu might be a sign of strange incidents or situations when nothing appears to be going right. While fears over the H1N1 influenza outbreak seem somewhat exaggerated at this point, it's clear that the prospect of a flu pandemic on top of an already failing economy could be seen in terms of the weird Rahu/Ketu type of energy where insult is piled on top of injury. I also noted that the the Mercury-Neptune aspect might reflect "deceitful communications", and given the growing questions concerned the sweeping WHO pronouncements and the media fear-mongering, that notion may not be far off the mark. Look for more of that kind of distortion of Mercury's energy over the next two or three weeks. With Saturn in the 10th house of that April 24 New Moon, the US government will likely be seen as strong and capable in the coming weeks. This may be the natural outgrowth of its protective efforts towards the American people over pandemic fears as well as overseeing the bankruptcy and reorganization of the auto sector.

Since the April 24 New Moon is "in effect" until May 24, it's very possible that the swine flu will continue to be an ongoing concern. Indeed, the May 24 New Moon at 9 degrees of sidereal Taurus still features the Mercury square to the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction because Mercury begins its retrograde cycle on May 7. What makes this pattern potentially worse for the period May 24 - June 22 is that Mercury is in a very close harmonic aspect with Mars. This increases the likelihood of problems relating to Mercury-ruled significations. These significations include communication (such as the internet), disease, trading (international trade agreements, or the stock market, for example), and transportation, (especially involving accidents). On the plus side, Jupiter and Neptune are just minutes away from an exact conjunction for this New Moon so that ought to help hope prevail over fear. The Jupiter effect on Neptune may also create an atmosphere of idealism where higher principles and aspirations for humanity such as sharing, oneness, and collective responsibility receive greater publicity and stimulate the public consciousness. This should be a good time for any UN-related organizations and initiatives, as well as supportive for liberal or socialistic social policies by the Obama administration and other governments around the world. Also of note, the forthcoming Taurus New Moon will contain to exhibit further nodal influence by virtue of the trinal aspect from Rahu to the New Moon. This could indicate more surprising or disruptive developments which will likely amplify the difficulties contained in the Mercury-Mars-Jupiter-Neptune configuration. Saturn also falls very close to the unequal 4th house cusp, (or IC) and this may also tip the scales towards the troublesome side of the Taurus New Moon coming to the fore in some tangible way. The 4th house can refer to the "end of the matter" so endings and closings may be more prominent from late May into June in the United States.

Swine flu: real threat of media scare?

The swine flu threat has emerged as a significant development in recent weeks after originating in Mexico in mid-April where it has caused over 100 deaths. While the number of cases and deaths remains quite low around the world, there is real concern by governments and health authorities that a dangerous pandemic is possible. While I alluded to the possibility of some kind of disease threat in last month's newsletter based solely on the New Moon chart, this matter deserves a closer examination. Just how serious could this flu outbreak become?

Many Western astrologers are pointing to the close conjunction between Chiron and Neptune at 2 degrees of sidereal Aquarius as a poignant astrological signature for this disease scare. Chiron, a planetoid beyond Saturn's orbit discovered in 1977, is said by some to symbolize "the wounded healer" and therefore is secondarily connected to health matters after Neptune, which is the primary significator for illness in Western astrology. While I do use some Western notions such as Neptune, I am more agnostic on Chiron's role in this flu outbreak. A cursory review of recent flu outbreaks does not reveal an obvious Chiron influence. The 1918 Spanish Flu featured an extremely rare configuration as Neptune crossed very close to the ecliptic at the same time as Saturn opposed Uranus. Lesser flu outbreaks in 1957 and 1968 also do not strongly implicate Chiron. Whatever the role of Chiron might be here, I tend to focus on the planets that have a more firmly established symbolism. At present, Neptune is conjunct Jupiter which ought not to indicate disease or pandemic but rather the opposite, such as the ending of disease since Jupiter is a benefic influence. Perhaps one can argue that Jupiter acts as an expansionary or magnifying energy here for Neptune's penchant for disease and weakness, but that seems counterintuitive. Perhaps the Jupiter influence here refers to the media hype (Jupiter = bigness/exaggeration; Neptune = image/media), or perhaps to the finding of a quick cure for H1N1.

Saturn is the traditional Vedic ruler of disease and we note that it is soon coming up to its direct station on May 16. At that point, it will be motionless in the sky and thereby exert greater force. Saturn is in the middle of a year-long opposition cycle to Uranus which began last November. Another exact opposition is due in August. Uranus is a destabilizing energy which can bring out the negative side of Saturn such as disease and hardship when it is in tense aspect. This is basically the case now, so we have to consider the Saturn-Uranus opposition as a contributing factor to the swine flu outbreak. And as mentioned above, the Spanish Flu in 1918 was characterized by the same Saturn-Uranus opposition so there is at least some historical precedent. But it is noteworthy that the swine flu scare of 1976 that never materialized also coincided with a Saturn-Uranus aspect, although it was a square. Perhaps that instance lacked the additional planetary affliction to actually create an infectious influenza. Perhaps the worst post-war flu pandemic occurred in 1958, as the Asian flu killed over one million people over a one-year period. It's interesting to note that Saturn was parallel to Neptune as reckoned by latitude, a pattern that brought together both traditional and modern rulers of illness.

While the apparently positive Jupiter influence on Neptune is heartening and would tend to suggest that this current flu outbreak will not be very severe, I am a little worried by some afflictions I see in some key natal charts. Using the Houck USA chart, the Saturn station will closely aspect the natal Mars within one degree. Mars rules the 8th house of serious illness in this chart, although Mars more often is connected with violent or sudden situations rather than situations that are drawn out. That chart seems to indicate that some significant suffering involving will occur in the next month or two, although it could relate to something other than the swine flu. The more often cited 1776 USA chart is also indicative of some Neptune-type situations since Neptune will make its retrograde station just two degrees from the natal Moon (4 Aquarius) in the 2.18 sidereal Libra rising chart. The Moon represents the population as a whole, and Neptune is clearly a marker for disease and illusion, so we have the possibility for some kind pandemic, or more optimistically, of a pandemic scare. Again, Jupiter's presence on that degree ought to provide some protection from the worst case scenario. More worrisome is that transiting Ketu will conjoin the natal Mercury in this chart in July-August, and given Mercury's association with transmission and communication, we need to be aware of the possibility of trouble on those fronts.

So it's a mixed picture. The planetary patterns don't clearly show a worsening pandemic, but there is still some risk that it could intensify over the summer. The Mercury retrograde cycle that begins on May 7 under the distorting influence of Rahu will be the first test. Mutation of the virus is always a possibility, since Rahu has that potential to disrupt the current state of things. Hopefully, the difficulties I foresee in the US charts over the next few months refer to some other stressful situation such as a relapse for the economy or stock market, or perhaps some other new challenge. Obama's chart also shows siginficant Mercury-related problems over the coming months as Ketu transits over his Mercury at 9 Cancer. These may be related to the economy and indeed this is the most likely outcome. However, they could also relate to national health since Mercury rules Gemini which is his 6th house of health. What is also interesting is that the nodes will activate the Sun-Mercury conjunction (6 Capricorn) and the Moon (5 Scorpio) in the Obama inauguration chart in June and July. One potentially important date to watch is the time around July 11 when Mars aspect Rahu and both these malefics will form close aspects to the aforementioned planets in the inauguration chart.

Thailand in Crisis

Thailand natal chart April 21, 1782
As the recent wave of violent protests by the anti-government "red-shirts" wind down, Thailand's future political and social stability remains an open question. This peaceable kingdom known as the Land of Smiles has become riven with factional struggles that has divided the population across a range of different issues. At the centre of the cleavage is the controversional leader Thaksin Shinawatra, whose populist coalition won elections in 2001 and 2006 but was removed from power due to corruption charges. His supporters believe that he was unjustly denied the reigns of the government by judiciary and military elites. The current government is in the hands of the Democrat party who regard Thaksin as a criminal with no legitimate claim to power. How this split will be resolved is uncertain, since both sides are increasingly intolerant of the claims made by the other. Moreover, neither side appears to have a clear majority in parliament that would stabilize the situation if new elections were held. As a BBC analysis has suggested, there are no clear winners in the current phase of the conflict.

The recent upsurge in civil unrest is manifested by a number of afflictions to the relevant horoscopes for Thailand. The chart of the founding of the current Chakri dynasty (Apr 21, 1782) shows transiting Ketu conjunct the natal Moon at 11 Cancer. (Please see chart above) Ketu is often a disruptive influence and here it is more likely to produce problems since it sits in the 6th house of conflict and ill-health in the natal chart. The Moon represents the people as a whole and the mood of the nation, so that pattern coincides with a sense of unease and upset that pervades the kingdom. Transiting Pluto (9 Sagittarius) is approaching a conjunction with natal Saturn, suggesting a transforming or eroding of order and structure that bind the country together. This is a long term influence over the next 1-2 years, so this is one reason why Thailand's unsettled politics are unlikely to be resolved any time soon.

More immediately, transiting Saturn (21 Leo) is moving to station in a harsh square aspect against the natal Mars (19 Taurus). While this direct station will not occur until May 16, it is very close now and is one of the main astrological indicators for the violent protests that forced martial law to be declared in Bangkok. Mars-Saturn aspects often denote destruction and violence since the aggressive and assertive energy of Mars is distorted by malefic Saturn. We may expect sporadic incidents over the coming weeks until Saturn has once again resumed its direct motion and moves away from the natal Mars. In particular, the time around April 27 and the Mars-Ketu aspect may see another unfortunate violent of conflictual development in this situation. Then on May 6, Mercury will go retrograde at 7 Taurus which will conjoin the natal Mars in the 1932 chart (Please see chart below). This could also represent a combative political development.

The situation is similarly troubled in the chart for modern Thailand, which came into effect as a constitutional monarchy was adopted after a coup on June 24, 1932. In this chart, transiting Pluto is opposite the natal Sun (9 Gemini), symbolizing tensions and struggles over power and authority. And like the 1782 chart, we find the Moon similarly afflicted as Saturn is stationing just a few degrees from the IC (4th house cusp) and a few degrees from the natal Moon. The 4th house represents the population as a whole and the Moon symbolizes the people, or national mood. Transiting Mars (violence) and Uranus (change) are conjoined in square aspect to the ascendant reflecting a sudden explosion of energy and violence. Moreover, Mars and Uranus are transiting over the equal 10th house cusp, which represents government and leaders.

The political situation should stabilize somewhat after Saturn moves direct May 16 and as we approach the Jupiter station in June since this will aspect the ascendant of the 1932 chart. But watch for a possible deteroriating situation in August and September as the Saturn-Uranus opposition occurs in exact square to this ascendant. The period from December to February 2010 if anything looks more difficult for government and leaders as the Saturn-Pluto square will set up on the natal Sun. This points to a possible change in government and a lot of anxiety and frustration with the power structure in Thailand. Interestingly, the 1782 chart also seems to be in a stressful condition as the Saturn station at 10 Virgo will activate the natal t-square of Sun (10 Aries), Saturn (10 Capricorn) and Uranus (8 Gemini). This combination of planetary energies indicate that Thailand may be going through a time of profound political and social transformation.

The role of the much-beloved King Bhumipol is the wild card in all these developments, since he alone seems to have enough authority to quell any significant differences of opinion. So far, he has resisted the temptation to make a clear public statement for either side. This reluctance may reflect his advancing age (the King is 83) and widespread reports of weakening health. Given the rough transit pattern in early 2010, the power and sanctity of the monarchy itself may be called into question.

Thailand June 24, 1932

Obama's first 100 days and his upcoming Mars bhukti

As the warm glow of his historic inauguration fades into the background, President Barack Obama now faces more familiar political battles over the stimulus and banking proposals. With most Republicans opposing the huge stimulus package, the oft-mentioned new era of bipartisanship and change in Washington seems to have gone missing. While Obama's tasks to rebuild the economy are momentous, it's clear from his horoscope that the acrimony in DC foretells more difficult times ahead for the new president.

According to the Vimshottari dasha system and Krishnamurti ayanamsha, Obama will enter his Mars subperiod or bhukti on or around February 26. As a minor period in the Jupiter major dasha period, the Mars bhukti will run until early February 2010. Of course, Mars is known as the planet of conflict, action, and executive power so it may not be surprising that Obama's efforts are meeting with some significant opposition, even before the full onset of the Mars subperiod. What's perhaps more telling is that Mars (29 Leo) occupies a powerful place in his horoscope, namely, the 8th equal house cusp (24 Leo). It is also just a few degrees away from this cusp in different house systems, and less than one degree away from the Alcabitius 8th house cusp. The 8th is considered a potentially malefic house, and any planet near its most sensitive point, the cusp, is said to be strongly imbued with 8th house energy and can be heavily afflicted. The 8th house represents change and transformation, as well as obstacles, death, and embarrassments. Obama's 8th house Mars is the main reason why so many astrologers have predicted that there will be an attempt on his life during his tenure.

Certainly the emphasis on change is appropriate here and we can expect Obama's efforts to re-invigorate the US economy to initiate structural change that will transform the workings of the economy through greater government involvement in key institutions like banking as well as promoting long term (and long overdue) changes in health care and environmental policy. Since Mars also symbolizes vitality and action in this house, Obama will take on a strong leadership role, and will be seen leading a revolution in American life. But given Mars' natural malefic status, it is reasonable to expect that there will be an increase in the opposition to these initiatives. With the 8th house also representing "other people's money", the Mars period will also feature profligate spending by his administration which will likely generate resentment and conflict. Given the forecast for massive deficits and a ballooning government debt, we don't really need the astrology to warn us about something that it so self-evidently true. It's nonetheless interesting that it is reflected in his chart in a fairly clear way.

Obama's natal Mars is fairly strong, however, given its dispositor Sun is angular in the 7th house and conjunct benefic Mercury. This may mean that we may enjoy significant success in his efforts to transform the American economy. However, it's not without some notable weakness: its placement in the final degree of Leo will reduce its ability to realize ambition and will open the door to some noteworthy negative outcomes during the coming 12 months. With the ongoing opposition of Uranus to his Mars through most of 2009, conflict will predominate and may emerge suddenly and in unusual places. This includes the greater chance for conflict overseas. The economy will likely experience another significant setback in late 2009 and early 2010 as Saturn will station while aspecting Obama's 2nd house Venus. Since the 2nd house represents wealth, we can expect another major contraction of economic activity at that time.

Closer at hand, I'm looking at the time around March 12 as indicating a significant event as Mars conjoins his Ketu and Sun joins Uranus in opposition to his Mars. Even with the helpful effects of the close proximity of slow moving retrograde Venus in trine aspect to his Sun at that time, the presence of these apparently malefic configurations seems to point to some kind of negative event, one that may be violent or rooted in conflict. This could be an incident involving US armed forces, or an outbreak of violence in a strategically important area of the world, such as Israel and the Middle East. I should note that Israel is likely to be an ongoing burden to Barack Obama as Israel's natal Saturn sits on his 7th house cusp indicating a negative energy that prevents happiness, and incurs heavy responsibilities. Obama will likely feel trapped by the US's historical commitment to support Israel which will limit his ability to broker a peace deal. It may also suggest that Obama will not blindly support Israel and his attempt to meet both parties half-way will alienate members of the Israeli lobby.

So for all the promise of change and meaningful bipartisanship, Obama's incoming Mars bhukti suggests that Washington will be as divided as ever, as the economy worsens and his bold, new programs encounter strong resistance from various areas of American society.