Revolution spreads in the Middle East: Gaddafi's Libya is next

Revolution is definitely in the air these days in the Middle East. Libya is the latest country to be hit by waves of civil unrest and violence as protesters have taken to the streets and demanded the ouster of long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi. After the protests turned violent, much of the army and police forces were chased away in the eastern part of the country as opposition groups began to take over cities of Benghazi and Tobruk. While the capital Tripoli remains in Gaddafi's hands for the moment, most commentators expect him to lose this stand-off fairly soon.

Why is the entire Middle East seemingly caught up in this revolutionary fervour at this time? Ultimately, the answer to this question lies in the individual horoscopes of the countries in question. After all, why Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, and not, say, Morocco, Syria and Saudi Arabia which have thus far remained quite peaceful and orderly? Logically, there must be something specific to the national horoscopes in the first group that is missing in the second group. My post on the Egyptian uprising showed how specific planetary afflictions to that national chart reflected the overthrow of Mubarak. The same sort of problems can be found in the Libya horoscope, as we will see below. At the same time, we can also suggest some relevant background influences that may have fanned the flames of protest and revolt across the region.

First, I noted back on New Year's Day how the horoscope for 2011 looked quite tense and difficult, and made special mention of matters concerning government and leaders While this horoscope applies to the world as a whole, one can see how the placement of malefic Ketu in the 10th house would result in "increased pressure on government and leaders". Also the ruler of the 10th house (Gemini) of government is Mercury, and it is afflicted by Saturn in this chart by its full strength 3rd house aspect. This is a sort of double whammy against government and might create "significant changes" in governments and their policies around the world. The destructive square aspect between Mars and Saturn probably increased the likelihood of violence and confrontation generally, although this also applied to the suffering produced by natural disasters such as earthquakes. Of course, there was nothing in this forecast that applied to the Middle East and merely highlighted possible general trends around the world.



More specifically, the solar eclipse of January 4, 2011 occurred over Europe and the Middle East. For thousands of years, eclipses have traditionally represented times of change and portent as the light from the Sun disappeared behind the shadow of the Moon. This interruption in the normal order of things was usually received with fear and anxiety as eclipses were regarded as the harbingers of destruction and disease. In this case, the eclipse was visible from all the countries in question, so that may have increased the chances that the region would be witness to some significant changes.

The horoscope of the eclipse was actually quite afflicted, and this was another sign that the ensuing period might usher in some substantial change or at least interrupt the status quo in some way. The eclipse point (Sun conjunct Moon) at 19 degrees of sidereal Sagittarius suffered a double affliction: it was conjunct Mars, symbolizing conflict and possible violence and it was square Saturn, representing suffering and oppression from authority. But what's interesting is that this chart isn't all bad. The very tight trine aspect between Jupiter-Uranus (expansion-optimism, independence-rebellion) and Venus (happiness, sociality, wealth) is a very favourable combination of energies that may well reflect the immense hope and promise of these popular uprisings. It seems clear that the winds of change are blowing through the entire region so that the old ways of doing things are no longer acceptable as people are demanding their fair share. The populations are no longer willing to suffer in silence under the iron grip of a repressive leaders that enrich themselves at the expense of their people. The Venus factor may also reflect the role of economic suffering in this revolts. In a significant departure from the stereotype of the region, the uprisings were not at all religious but grew out of frustration over inflation and a declining standard of living. The Venus-Jupiter-Uranus influence also reflects the broadly-based social character of these popular uprisings. We can also hope that these benefic planets may indicate the eventual success of these revolutions.

Taking the Libyan case, we can see how problems in the national chart quite clearly reflect the current crisis. Libya gained its independence from Italy on December 24, 1951 at midnight in Tripoli. The resulting chart provides the basic contours of the Libyan state as we know it. The ruler of the 4th house (Scorpio) of resources and mining is Mars and it is placed in the 2nd house of assets and wealth reflecting the importance of Libya's oil wealth to its economy. Moreover, Mars is placed in the sign of Virgo which is ruled by Mercury, hence the ruler of the 2nd and 4th houses are in mutual reception, which strengthens the effect of this contact. Mars is conjunct Neptune (liquids, oil) and Saturn (earth, underground resources). Leaders are seen through the placement of the Sun. The Sun is in Sagittarius but it is closely aspected by malefic Ketu. Since Ketu is often a negative influence that is associated with unusual or unpredictable qualities, it is not too hard to see how this might represent an eccentric and dangerous ruler such as Gaddafi who has ruled the country since 1969.

The current transits tell most of the story. Like Egypt's chart, the Sun comes under double affliction from both transiting Rahu and the square aspect from Uranus. The Sun represents government and leaders, so this disruptive Rahu-Uranus square is one reason why there is so much opposition to authority. The Uranus square to the Sun demands change at the top, and the more radical the better. Rahu dislikes order and routine so it may also be behind the urge to change government structures. In addition, this affliction of the Sun may reflect Gaddafi's irrational response to the protests.



The natal Rahu in the Libya horoscope is also clearly activated as we can see that array of Sun, Neptune, Mercury and Mars also conjoining Rahu in Aquarius. This is another source of the chaos and the urge to purge the old ways and bring in a new order.

Unlike Egypt, the violence in Libya appears to be a significant feature of the uprising. We can see that transiting Saturn recently stationed and turned retrograde at 23 degrees of Virgo. This was exactly conjunct the natal Mars (23 Virgo). Saturn-Mars combinations are often found in situations of extreme stress and are frequent markers of destruction and suffering. The fact that natal Mars is conjunct Saturn in the Libya horoscope makes this transit worse than it already is. Of course, Saturn has been sitting on that Mars for weeks now due to its very slow retrograde motion, so that is another reason why the violence has been quite bad.

The transit of Mars to the natal Rahu on Sunday February 27 may reflect an upsurge in violence. Even if Gaddafi survives after that, he is unlikely to last many more weeks. Transiting Uranus will exactly square natal Sun in April and the Mars-Uranus conjunction on April 3 looks quite nasty indeed and may correspond with a major eruption of violence, possibly involving Gaddafi himself. Ahead of that date, mid-March could also be quite difficult as transiting Mars aspects natal Mars. The ongoing affliction to Libya's chart strongly indicates major changes in the near future. Most commentators contend that Gaddafi will eventually lose in the end, but it is interesting to see how well the chart reflects this probability.

Egypt in turmoil: protests push Mubarak to the edge

Egypt is currently in the throes of an almost unprecedented wave of civil unrest as protesters are calling for the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak and the end to his autocratic regime. Starting in Tunisia in November, the Middle East has been the scene of a series of popular uprisings as runaway inflation and high unemployment have exposed the rotten core of a corrupt and undemocratic system of government that prevails in most Arab countries. The situation is quite chaotic at the moment with both sides digging in -- the opposition is organizing a huge rally against the regime while the Mubarak is relying on the army to keep the lid on things.

The current astrological circumstance shows an fairly high number of potentially significant coincidences. Just from a transit perspective, it is quite telling that all this upsurge in popular opposition is occurring at the time of the conjunction of the Sun and Mars in sidereal Capricorn. This conjunction takes place about once every two years and often reflects a time of taking initiatives and being in a state of competitiveness. It's worth noting that the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 occurred just a month after another Sun-Mars conjunction. The Sun and Mars are the two fiery planets of the solar system and their combination here suggests a time of courage, assertiveness, and aggressive actions. The Sun is usually seen as a planet of vitality, confidence and leadership while Mars symbolizes the more action-oriented side to the equation as it reacts quickly to stimuli, and is impatient for change. It is also the planet of aggression and violence. The fact that this conjunction occurs in sidereal Capricorn, the constellation that represents government and leadership structures, highlights how all this fiery energy is being directed towards changing the Egyptian government and removing Mubarak from office. Since Mars is exalted in Capricorn, some its more positive qualities are more likely to come to the surface: courage, stamina, and heroism. We can see that these qualities are clearly in evidence over the past week as the unarmed mass of Egyptian citizens are defying curfews and standing up for what they think is right. It's also worth noting that the Egyptian army (Mars) is similarly rising to the occasion by refusing (thus far, at least) to crack down and shoot on unarmed protesters.

What makes this Sun-Mars conjunction more unusual and problematic, is that it is occurring this week while in a close trine aspect with Saturn. While the 120 degree trine aspect is not a full strength aspect in Vedic astrology, it nonetheless exerts some influence when it is this close by degree. In the best of circumstances, Saturn represents tradition, routines, structures and prudent constraints on human freedom for a higher purpose. The Sun-Mars desire for change and action is coming in conflict with Saturn's preference for stability and order. More ominously, Saturn's darker side symbolizes loss and destruction, so we cannot be too surprised that there has some loss of life already thus far.



We can see the specifics of the uprising from the horoscope of Egypt. There are several possible candidates for this chart. Britain granted independence in 1922 but it was a conditional sovereignty that was still seen as constraining Egyptian freedom. The July 1952 revolution created an independent state and is commemorated today as a national holiday. However, the final step towards complete autonomy appears to have occurred in the early morning hours of June 19, 1952 when Egypt was declared a sovereign republic. I have to admit a certain level of ignorance of the finer historical points here -- especially on the accuracy of the exact time (1.30 a.m.) of this latter chart -- but for the moment, let's see what the this Republic chart reveals.

The protests began on January 25 just as the Sun and Mars were passing over the natal Rahu in the 10th house of government and leaders. Rahu in the 10th house suggests a tendency towards an acquisitive and headstrong approach to government. Rahu does like not constraints on its action and can be materialistic and devious when it is subject to transit affliction. The Sun-Mars conjunction was therefore activating Egypt's 10th house of government and bringing it into focus. But this is only one fairly short-lived and "triggering" transit influence and it cannot explain the occurrence of the whole uprising.

The historic importance of the current popular movement is better seen through the dasha periods and the transits of slower moving planets. Egypt entered its Saturn major dasha period in August 2009. Saturn can be a difficult influence symbolic of loss and delays and in the natal chart we can see that rules the 10th house (Capricorn) of government and leaders. Moreover, it is weakly placed in the dussthana 6th house with the withering effects of Neptune. This is quite a difficult placement and suggests weakness or deception (Neptune) and confrontation or "illness" (6th house). Saturn is likely to produce more negative results since its sign dispositor (Virgo) is Mercury and it is with Uranus in a square aspect with Saturn again.

Amazingly, Saturn stationed and turned retrograde on the day the protests began -- quite a coincidence. Of course, astrology suggests that such coincidences are not random and planetary positions have a special significance for events on Earth. Here are a few more more coincidences worth pondering: Saturn has turned retrograde while returning to its natal position within just a few degrees -- a so-called Saturn Return that occurs every 29.5 years. It's worth noting that the previous Saturn return corresponded quite closely (just a few months before) with the assassination of President Anwar Sadat in 1981. Saturn Returns seem to be quite unforgiving to government and leaders since Saturn rules the 10th house (govt.) and it is weak in the natal chart. The recent Saturn retrograde station at 23 degrees of Virgo casts its square aspect to the unequal 4th house cusp (25 Gemini) of people and the population and thereby afflicted both Uranus and Mercury. This Saturn influence emphasizes the hardship of the population and underlines the stressful conditions that the country is facing at this juncture.

Another key transit influence was the conjunction of transiting Ketu (South Lunar Node) to the natal Sun and Mars in Gemini. Ketu is a natural malefic that symbolizes unpredictable or unwanted change. It erases boundaries and exerts an inimical influence on the material world. Egypt's Sun and Mars are in natal conjunction in Gemini -- an interesting echo of the current transiting conjunction of those two planets -- and is therefore afflicted by this transit of Ketu, so government (Sun) and army (Mars) are being faced with challenges to its authority by the upsetting energy of this shadowy lunar node. Ketu was likely made more malefic in this instance due to the extreme affliction to its sign dispositor, Mercury. Natal Mercury is being aspected by Saturn, while transiting Mercury is also in a square aspect with Saturn. A very bad chain of planetary energy there.

Finally, transiting Uranus (3 Pisces) is exactly square to the natal Sun (4 Gemini). Uranus has an energy of independence and rebelliousness while the Sun, of course, represents the government and Mubarak himself. Uranus' square aspect is especially difficult to handle as it creates destabilized situations and can reflect sudden or radical changes. For example, the popular protests in France in May 1968 occurred when Uranus formed a square aspect to the natal Moon in France's horoscope. The Moon represents the people, so it reflected the extremely agitated and rebellious mood of the population as the general strike almost succeeded in toppling de Gaulle's government. We can see much the same story unfolding here on the streets of Cairo.

So how will this situation resolve? Since Uranus is not near a station, the maximum intensity of this disruptive transit will not last too long, perhaps just another week or two before it loses some of its power. Transiting Ketu is already past Mars but will still closely afflict the natal Sun for another month or two at least so that suggests the uncertainty of the situation and pressure on authorities may last for a little while longer. It's quite possible that Mubarak could survive this week, but the charts do not suggest that the overall situation will return to normal anytime soon. The Mars aspect to natal Venus over the next couple of days (Feb 1-2) could see intense stresses placed on the country. Then transiting Venus opposes natal Mars on Feb 6-7 so that may be another difficult period where violence could flare up. So Mubarak may well survive in the short term, but he is unlikely to last into next year. Unfortunately, we do yet not have any timed birth data for Hosni Mubarak himself which might have shed additional light on this question.



More troubling is that Uranus will eventually station in exact square to Mars in the summer, on July 10. Since it will form a t-square pattern with Pluto, this marks a very dangerous time for Egypt. Mars symbolizes the army and conflict, so this suggests a likelihood of some kind of violence or explicitly conflictive situation will occur around that time. This may refer to more internal strife, or the army dividing into factions, or it could represent a war with an external enemy. Rahu and Ketu will be squaring the natal Moon (28 Leo) around that time so that may coincide with situations that are disorienting or disturbing to the people. More pointedly, transiting Ketu will be in aspect with dasha lord Saturn in August so that may coincide with disruptions of authority and law and order. Saturn rules the 10th house of leadership, so this does not bode well either for the government in power, whoever it may be. Early August also stands out as quite eventful as transiting Mars conjoins the natal Sun-Mars conjunction in Gemini. In so doing, it will further complete the nasty t-square pattern between Uranus and Pluto. It looks like quite a violent and destructive time for Egypt.

So even if Mubarak survives the next week, there are several more difficult patterns in the Egyptian horoscope this year that suggest further unrest and violence. And with the exact Saturn return due in October, it would appear that the clock is winding down on the Mubarak government. Regardless of who is in control, Egypt looks like it will be a very unstable and and, at times, violent place throughout much of 2011.

US Congresswoman Giffords targeted in Arizona shooting

America was witness to yet another mass killing on the weekend, this one involving US Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Giffords was shot in the head but is apparently going to survive, although six people died in the shooting spree outside a Safeway in Tucson, Arizona on Saturday, January 8. While it seems that the shooter, Jared Loughner, did target the Democrat Ms. Giffords, a picture is emerging that he was mentally unbalanced and did not have ties to any particular political group. It seems the tragic American tradition of the 'lone nut' has once again reared its ugly head.

There has been much finger pointing in the aftermath of the shooting, mostly towards the right wing media, the Tea Party and Sarah Palin, who liberals claim have used inflammatory rhetoric that created a climate of intolerance and hate. While that may be true, the desperate actions of the confused Loughner remain his alone. The US is now engaged in a round of soul-searching as it attempts to come to terms with its polarized political culture in which the moderate voices are increasingly marginalized.

We can clearly see this outburst of violence in the US horoscope. Violence is the dominion of the planet Mars. Whether it is through war, violent incidents such as these, or natural disasters, the planet Mars will usually be activated by transit whenever there is a significant symbolic injury or loss of life on a national level. Not surprisingly, we find Mars activated both ways: natal Mars is aspected by transiting Mercury while natal Mercury is aspected by transiting Mars. So this assassination attempt and mass shooting had a double dose of Mars. But why Mercury?



One possibility is that Mercury is the ruler of the 10th house of government in the US horoscope. (An aside: while I acknowledge there are dozens of possible charts for the US, I am using the 6.30 p.m chart as popularized by James Kelleher. It is not perfect, but few charts are.) The target of the attack with a member of Congress, and so she may be symbolized by Mercury. The fact that the Mercury-Mars contact was duplicated in both natal and transit planets likely underlined its great importance for the country as a whole.

Another major affliction to this chart (and all US charts regardless of birth time) is that the natal Sun was afflicted by a t-square involving transiting Saturn and the Sun. The Sun is the planetary significator of government and its involvement in this difficult t-square no doubt played a role in this unfortunate incident. Saturn symbolizes loss, setbacks, delays, and sadness. Some of the questions being asked about the role of the media, the conservative movement, and the entire US political system likely reflects the impact of this Saturn on the Sun. With Saturn slowing down ahead of its station on January 26, it is extra powerful here, so we may see a protracted debate and a possible further erosion of confidence in the US government as this aspect remains in range well into February. It could be a very tough time for the country and the administration.

The other pattern that stands out in this chart is that Rahu and Pluto are currently clustered around the ascendant in this chart. Rahu can be a disruptive influence, as it seeks to interfere with the status quo and bring about change at any cost. In some situations, this can be positive as oppressive traditions are cast off in favour of new ways of doing things. But in this case, Rahu is with Pluto, a planet with a troublesome reputation. Pluto is closely associated with power, and the aggressive pursuit of power. The Rahu-Pluto conjunction can represent a selfish striving to achieve one's own goals, regardless of the consequences. It can bring about change, but it is usually painful and it may not pay sufficient heed to legal or acceptable means. Since the ascendant is the body of the country as a whole, the current climate of mistrust, repulsion, and internal questioning may also be a reflection of this clustering around the ascendant. Fortunately, Rahu will soon move off this point, although Pluto will remain in close proximity to the ascendant for much of 2011. Pluto's square with Uranus in August will highlight the US ascendant once again. The t-square involving Mars, Uranus and Pluto around August 9 also suggests the possibility of more violent and shocking situations. This pattern will be a good test of this particular chart since it will occur right on the angles.

New Year's Chart for 2011

January 1, 2011 00.00 EST Washington, DC

With the coming of a new year brings another astrological opportunity to foretell the future. Lord, what fools these mortals be! I don't claim to make a definitive set of 2011 predictions here; that is way beyond my abilities and the scope of a short article on a website. Instead, I offer an analysis of the New Year's Chart and assess its patterns for any clues for the upcoming year. I have found this chart to a useful tool in forecasting, even if it is often fairly general and impressionistic. But what it lacks in comprehensiveness, it more than makes up for in simplicity. It's all there in one convenient chart. Astrological purists may protest that this chart has no astronomical correspondence (e.g. eclipses, lunations, etc) and it also has no specifically Vedic credentials. True enough, but there is an enormous symbolic significance to the stroke of midnight on December 31/January 1 every year, and one that increasingly involves the whole of humanity. If there is any connection between the cosmos and consciousness, it should manifest in charts such as these that bind the calendar to the human spirit.

The New Year's chart for 2010 had a tight Saturn-Pluto square aspect across the 1st and 4th houses. At the time, I thought this might pertain more to a reorganizing of social institutions and social structures, especially as it pertained to the economy. While there was some changes in the Eurozone and the EU as the debt crisis claimed some early casualties and spawned the introduction of a bailout fund, most of this aspect appeared to manifest more physically in the form of the unusually large number of natural disasters in 2010. The 4th house represents land in general and its affliction here by Pluto and Saturn suggested destruction and damage. The Haiti earthquake of January 12, 2010 killed over 200,000 people. This occurred when the Saturn-Pluto square was triggered by retrograde Mercury when it conjoined Pluto. The US gulf oil spill in May was another major natural disaster that also reflected this tense Saturn-Pluto energy.

In the 2010 write-up I noted the close Mercury-Rahu conjunction that occurred in close aspect with Mars. At the time, I thought this might manifest as technology "that goes awry" in some way, and causes some kind of conflict. I noted how this might be more revelations like the Climategate email scandal at the end of 2009. In retrospect, I think the WikiLeaks story in late 2010 encapsulates these planetary influences quite well. Julian Assange's efforts to release leaked diplomatic cables online (Mercury) caused an enormous amount of embarrassment (Rahu) and conflict (Mars) and revealed how vulnerable large organizations have become in the wired world. The possibility of breaches of security and secrecy is very much in the spirit of Mercury and Rahu since Mercury is concerned with communication and technology and Rahu seeks to upset the existing order of things.

With the Moon conjoining malefic Ketu in the 10th house, government was the object of significant opposition and change in 2010. In last year's article, I suggested that this would mean significant change in leadership and policies. While there were some major changes in the US and UK, I'm not quite sure this Ketu influence bore fruit as I thought it might. In the US, the Republicans took control of Congress and forced Obama's Democrats on their heels late in the year. In the UK, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats swept the ruling Labour Party out of power and began a strict austerity program to deal with a difficult fiscal situation. Meanwhile, many European governments had to cope with the internal contradictions of the EU and the prospect of bailing out its weaker economies in Greece, Ireland, Spain and Portugal.

And the economic recovery continued to sputter along in Western countries as the various government stimulus plans have so far prevented the dreaded double dip recession. This was largely in keeping with the optimism of the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in last year's chart as well as the close proximity of Venus to the Sun. Since both of these combinations are positive, there appeared to be enough good planets to preclude anything too serious on the economic front. And in many countries, especially in Asia, the economy bounced back strongly, albeit with a disturbingly high amount of inflation. That is perhaps a reflection of Neptune's idealism with the irrepressible optimism of Jupiter -- too much of a good thing?


2011

The New Year's chart for 2011 looks less obviously dramatic than last year's, although there are definitely some powerful aspects. Saturn is still in sidereal Virgo in the 1st house and therefore may extend the general state of caution, if not malaise, for much of the year. This is likely to reflect continued uncertainty in the economy and the sense that we are 'just muddling through'. The economy as a whole looks mixed at best. On the plus side, Venus rules the 2nd house of wealth and assets and it is well placed in its own sign of Libra and receives an aspect from benefic Jupiter. That may well prevent any worse case type economic scenarios from taking place.

But the other money house, the 11th symbolizing income, tells another story. The 11th house contains the sign of Cancer and is ruled by the Moon. The Moon is debilitated in Scorpio in this chart and what's worse it is in an exact quincunx aspect with Ketu and an exact semisquare aspect with Saturn. While neither are considered full strength Vedic aspects, the lack of orb in both of them is reason enough to expect some economic problems in 2011 that could generate major changes (Ketu) and losses (Saturn). The Moon is also significator for the public in general so this will tend to reflect a sense of dislocation and reserve. More positively, the Moon is aspected by Jupiter in this chart, so

In terms of natural phenomena, the 4th house is afflicted by the conjunction of Pluto, Rahu and Mars. This suggests that we may again see a higher than normal number of earthquakes and volcanoes in 2011, although perhaps not as many as we saw in 2010. Mars (violence) is squared by Saturn (destruction) here so there will likely be considerable loss of life as a result of these events. The October-November time frame may be most noteworthy in this respect due to the Sun-Saturn conjunction and Mars-Rahu aspect.

The situation of Mercury is interesting in this chart because it receives the fulls strength 3rd house aspect from Saturn and is also in a partial aspect with Mars. That is a very afflicted condition and suggests that communication, technology, and transportation will be areas of suffering and disappointment in the year ahead. We can therefore expect more WikiLeaks-type intrigues or perhaps computer hacking that causes internet shutdowns or even some incidents of cyberwarefare. All are very possible outcomes with Mercury, Mars and Saturn in alignment. April may stand out in some way in this regard as Mercury will retrograde opposition Saturn at that time.

And as in 2010, Ketu stays in the 10th house in the 2011 New Year's chart. Ketu is a force for change and discontinuity, so there may be increased pressure on government and leadership for 2011. With the 10th lord Mercury also afflicted by Saturn, there is a good case to be made for more significant changes in government and their policies around the world. This is not an election year in the US, but it still may signify some new approaches to problems, perhaps involving the economy.

On a more positive note, Jupiter is in close aspect with Uranus in Pisces in the 7th house. This conjunction will likely bring forth major technological innovations that will make a significant contribution to the world. These innovations may be disproportionately associated with liquids (Pisces) and social interaction, especially between nations (7th house). The fact that this conjunction occurs in the 7th house may also see new or strengthened international alliances that prove to be successful in their efforts.

So the overall picture is very mixed for 2011. The strength of Venus and the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction would appear to provide continuing positive energy to provide hope and optimism for the future. And yet the difficult position of the Moon and Mercury is more worrisome and suggests that there will be major challenges in the economy, communication and transportation.

Testing Sarah Palin's birth time

Sarah Palin continues to be a force to be reckoned with both in the Republican Party and in US politics. Will she run in 2012? It's very possible given her generally favorable horoscope but it's difficult to make a definitive prediction because her birth time is still unknown. There have been a few birth times floating around for Sarah Palin. When she arrived on the national political scene in 2008, two unconfirmed times soon developed their own legion of followers -- 4.40 pm and 9.43 pm. While I tended to favor the 9.43 pm time, I still had my doubts as neither had any supporting documentation. Instead of rectifying the chart, I simply let the whole thing drop. McCain and Palin lost the election and Sarah emerged as her own unique form of celebrity carving out a space somewhere between politics and entertainment. The Washington Post meets TMZ.

In late 2009, a new time surfaced that promised to have a little more going for it. Taken from a newsletter of the town of her birth, Sandpoint, Idaho, Palin apparently came into the world at 6.00 pm on February 11, 1964. This isn't quite the gold standard for accuracy since there is no birth certificate or hospital record that accompanies this claim. But it is the best of the three because the other two had no evidence at all. While I think we need to treat this time with kid gloves since it is based on some unknown person's memory, it's still worth a look. Here is a very brief rundown on her 6.00 pm chart in terms of its plausibility. What parts of her chart make sense and what parts do not?

Sarah Palin born February 11, 1964 6.00 pm Sandpoint, Idaho

On the plus side, her Sun-Mars-Saturn conjunction is angular in the 7th house, and hence very powerful. She has enormous energy and willpower and does not back down from a fight. The other bonus about this stellium is that is forms a close square aspect with the MC, the unequal 10th house cusp. The MC (Midheaven) represents status and career and having these planets in tight aspect to this point likely increases both her desire for status and the ability for her to get noticed.

Leo is the rising here in the first 1st house and that is certainly a possible ascendant for her given her natural flair for leadership, loyalty and upbeat personality. At the same time, I don't like to put too much stress on the rising sign because we could make plausible arguments for many signs here.

Her Moon-Mercury conjunction in Capricorn in the 6th house is interesting because it focuses on her pragmatic, no-nonsense approach to problems, and emphasizes her role as a fighter. The 6th house is all about defending, protecting, and nurturing and we can see that Palin embodies a lot of those qualities in her public projection. She defends the interests of the average person, or silent majority against the various elites that she feels have taken the US in the wrong direction. The 6th house emphasis often makes a person think more strategically as action is tied to careful planning and making the right executive decisions.

Again, this is quite plausible although one could make the case that this Moon-Merc conjunction could occur in a number of houses.

One thing that troubles me about this chart is that Ketu (South Lunar Node) is in the 5th house of children. This is normally seen as a malefic influence that reduces offspring or causes them some harm. Palin has 5 children and while one has Down's syndrome which would confirm a Ketu placement here, there are simply too many kids here that one would expect. Admittedly, the lord of the 5th is Jupiter and its well placed in Pisces with Venus in the 8th house. So that might improve her fertility somewhat. Also, from the perspective of the Moon, her chart looks much better. Moon is with 9th lord Mercury (very good) and the 5th house is Taurus, which is ruled by Venus, which is exalted in Pisces with fecund Jupiter. So it's conceivable that the strength of her Chandra Lagna chart compensates for some of the weakness from her Rasi natal chart.

Another perplexing question concerns her appearance. She won a beauty contest as a young woman and is known for her good looks. This should show up in the horoscope in some fairly obvious way. Very often, people who are known for their appearance have benefic planets like the Moon or Venus involved with the angles, especially in the 1st or 7th houses. In Palin's 6.00 pm chart, however, both Moon and Venus are pushed back to the 6th and 8th houses. This is not what one would expect from a person who is so easily recognizable in the public eye and whose attractiveness is widely discussed and appreciated.

One possible explanation of physical attractiveness for this chart might be that the midpoint of the Moon (11 Cp) and Venus (8 Pi) is about 10 degrees of Aquarius -- that's almost exactly opposite the ascendant. This is not as clear an indication as I would like for pleasing appearance but it is worth considering nonetheless.

Perhaps the best way to determine the correctness of a chart is to match it against events. I note that McCain offered her the VP spot on Aug 27, 2008 just as the Sun was conjunct her 6.00 pm ascendant. I won't bother going into a thorough recounting of significant life events here, but I do think there is something to be said for this chart.




The upcoming Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in early January will offer a useful test of this 6.00 pm time. With her MC at 3 Taurus, Jupiter and Uranus will conjoin on Jan 4 while in exact sextile (60 degrees) to this point. This is very often a positive influence on a chart and should correlate with a situation or event that increases her profile and boosts her status and reputation. Transiting Venus will also aspect the MC exactly right around that first week of January, so this arguably should make it even better.

If Palin was actually born a little before 6 pm then it's possible that the positive event may be moved up a little, maybe to the last week of December. In any event, this will be an important test of the 6 pm chart. If nothing much happens, then I would lose some confidence in this time.

Regardless of whether this 6 pm time is correct, transiting Saturn is opposite her Jupiter for much of January. So while we may gain some boost from the early January pattern, the Saturn opposition looks more problematic, especially since it will station directly opposite her natal Jupiter. On the plus side, this could mean that she will be facing up to her responsibilities and doing what is necessary to move forward. But Saturn stations can he difficult to handle because they tend to drag on for so long. I would therefore expect there to be some downside here in this Jan-Feb period. Saturn is often a very constraining influence and since Jupiter rules the 5th of children, so one possibility of this transit is that Palin may be distracted by some situation involving one of her children.

Obama compromises on tax cuts; health care plan ruled unconstitutional

It's been a tough couple of months for President Barack Obama. To no one's surprise, Obama's Democrats were trounced in November's midterm elections as the Republicans took over the house and reduced the Democratic majority in the Senate. As I noted in my previous October post, Obama's prevailing planetary influences at that time were generally poor as transiting Ketu was conjunct his Venus and Rahu and Pluto formed a semisquare (45 degree) aspect to his ascendant. Specifically, I noted that this Ketu-Venus aspect might cause some change and disruption while the Rahu-Pluto aspect might make Obama feel "compelled through external circumstance to make adjustments".

Well, Obama has definitely had to make adjustments to the new political reality in DC. This was perhaps no more evident than Obama's quick surrender on the tax cut bill where he forged a compromise with the now invigorated Republicans to extend the Bush tax cuts on all income levels, including the very wealthy, in exchange for increased funding for unemployment benefits. While the tax cut compromise is generally popular which may help his re-election chances, it has alienated Obama's Democratic base as many former supporters are now expressing disappointment and questioning their allegiance to him. More troublesome, however, is the recent ruling by a Virginia judge that Obama's landmark health care reform is unconstitutional, thereby throwing open the possibility of long and messy court battles that could embolden Republicans to fight it out politically as well. Nonetheless, this compromise may boost his appeal with independent voters in 2012 so it remains to be seen what its long term effects might be.

As the transit chart shows, Obama is still coming under the humbling influence of transiting Ketu to his natal Venus. Using a whole sign house system, Venus rules the 10th house (Libra) of career and status in his chart, so this is one reason why he is coming under attack at this time. Ketu isn't always bad news of course, but it does often correlate with times or reassessment of goals and quickly changing circumstances as they relate to career. Obama may well be losing his liberal outlook here and shifting to the center as Ketu may be encouraging a sense of accommodation and revision of his ideals. Ketu is perhaps more negative here because its dispositor, Mercury, is retrograde and transiting through Obama's 12th house of loss and isolation (Sagittarius).



Taking a closer look at the transit chart, we can see that Obama's compromise and subsequent criticism came during the quadruple conjunction of Mercury, Mars, Rahu and Pluto in Sagittarius. All of these planets were aligned in opposition to his natal Venus in Gemini within just a few degrees. Transiting Ketu is even closer to his Venus here, suggesting the necessity of more revisions to status and changing circumstances in the workplace. He signed the agreement on December 6, just as Mars (frustration, excess energy) was not only aspecting Venus (status), but also coming to a very close 8th house quincunx aspect (150 degrees) to his natal Mercury. Mercury rules his 9th house of justice and ideals/principles so the Mars affliction to his 9th house lord supports the notion that he altered his beliefs to adjust to the new realities of Congress. The Virginia ruling against Obamacare came down on December 14, when the Mars-Mercury aspect was even closer. This aspect therefore represents conflict or opposition to his ideals for universal medical coverage of all of US citizens. We can also spot that transiting Sun (ego, self) was afflicted by the square aspect from his natal Mars that day, and this symbolizes the setback he suffered since his health care plan is seen as the centerpiece of his whole administration.



What lies ahead for Obama? Transiting Saturn is now close to his equal 9th house cusp and will station just one degree from there in late January. This could also conceivably be implicated in Obama's ongoing woes, although the picture is less than clear. Saturn is a natural malefic, but its role in his natal chart is much more positive due to its rulership of the 1st house and its conjunction with benefic Jupiter. With Saturn transiting close to this house cusp for an extended period, there will likely be more negative fallout for Obama. Transiting Ketu will still be in a close conjunction with Venus for another month so that will likely correspond with a general atmosphere of defensiveness. On the plus side, Jupiter will aspect his MC (unequal 10th house cusp) and then move on to boost Mercury in mid-January and especially early February. There may be some events that improve his reputation as a result of this Jupiter influence. Since Mercury rules his 9th house, he may get some relief on the judicial front, perhaps from a favorable ruling involving an ongoing piece of legislation such as health care.

But on balance the next month or two seems like a uphill battle. Retrograde Mercury will station under the square of his natal Mars from just before Christmas to shortly after New Year's so that does not bode well at all. This could involve conflict or violence either at home or abroad that will cause him some worry and frustration. The Sun and Mars will conjoin his ascendant in early February and will thus activate the alignment with Saturn. This may correlate with a significant event that does not look positive. I hope to update the possible impact of this alignment in my next post.

WikiLeaks' Julian Assange surrenders to police

The media storm around WikiLeaks and its controversial founder Julian Assange reached a frenzied pitch yesterday as Assange surrendered to British police. The organization whose stated aim to expose oppressive and corrupt regimes around the world is all over the media these days following an unprecedented release of classified US diplomatic cables. Operating since 2006, WikiLeaks is an organization that publishes leaked or anonymous information on the internet so that journalists and internal whistleblowers do not have to face prosecution by their domestic governments. Wikileaks has been thrust into the media spotlight in the past week due to the compromising and embarrassing nature of the leaked information for the US and many other countries.

This latest chapter in the WikiLeaks saga has brought its founder and editor-in-chief Julian Assange into the public limelight. Yesterday, he surrendered to British police as there were international warrants for his arrest from sexual assault charges brought by two Swedish women. Born in Townsville, Australia on July 3, 1971, Assange is a journalist and publisher largely motivated by fervent left wing beliefs-- he refers to the US government as "an authoritarian conspiracy" -- and seeks to hold the wealthy and powerful to account and reveal corruption and other transgressions of power. Although he is using the unregulated internet to his advantage, he sees himself in the same mold as a traditional journalist who seeks to uncover truth wherever it finds it. However, Assange is a hugely polarizing figure with the US right wing accusing him of terrorism or worse and arguing for his immediate capture or even assassination, while the left wing regards him more as a 21-century version of the muckraking journalist folk hero who speaks truth to power. For everybody else in the middle, there is confusion and uncertainty about what the implications might be for the future of world diplomacy.

Natal Chart for Julian Assange, born July 3, 1971

Julian Assange's horoscope confirms many of the widely accepted views of his personality. His close Sun-Uranus square reflects his antagonism towards authority and convention and his inherently rebellious nature. He resists routine and normal ways of doing things and prefers novelty to tradition. Certainly, his whole anti-authoritarian philosophy is very much in keeping with this Uranian view of the world. Sun-Uranus squares are often unpredictable and change their directions quickly and without warning. Assange has emerged as an enigmatic figure, as there are many accounts of his itinerant lifestyle and long working hours. Even among his admirers on the left, he is seen as a person who thinks too highly of himself and whose unlikeability serves to undermine his aims. Sun-Uranus people can often get caught up in their own unique views of the world, often to their own detriment.

Another key chart pattern is his conjunction of Mars and Rahu (aka the North Lunar Node). Actually, it should be noted that Assange's Mars sits in the degree of its highest exaltation at 28 Capricorn. Here Mars' strength and best qualities of assertiveness, leadership and executive power are emphasized. This seems to be in keeping with Assange's reputation as an indefatigable crusader and tireless worker. Some accounts have him working without food or sleep for days on end. The conjunction of Rahu with Mars would tend to exaggerate and further strengthen his martial disposition although it may make him overly combative or even vindictive at times. Rahu tends to magnify and distort the planets it is associated with so its contact with Mars here ramps up Assange's identity of being a fighter, but it may unbalance him in some ways, too. When this conjunction comes under stress through a malefic transit contact, his Mars energy may get the best of him and he will suffer the consequences of his hasty or rash nature. When Mars and Rahu are favourably aspected, however, he is more likely to fight his enemies with courage and find success.

His Mercury is aspected nicely by Jupiter so this is one important source of his intelligence and ability to communicate, including working with computers. Jupiter is a planet of wisdom and respect so its influence on Mercury is one reason why he has been successful in his various journalistic efforts. Since his birth time is unknown, I like to use the Chandra Lagna chart that relies on the position of the Moon to mark the1st house and interpret the horoscope from there. His Mercury is in the 10th house (Cancer) from his Libra Moon so that suggests his communication skills will be involved with his career and status in some way since the 10th house is associated with life goals and objectives. Jupiter is in sidereal Scorpio and so it is placed in the 2nd house from the Moon -- a good indication of wealth through speech and overall prosperity.

His Sun and 1st lord Venus are placed in the 9th house from the Moon, suggesting that justice and higher principles are very important to him, even if he seeks to blaze a new trail (Sun-Uranus) involving his ethical beliefs. Clearly, he is not a mere attention-seeker and deeply believes in the ideas that are behind his actions. The Sun and Venus are in Gemini here, so that adds to the quickness of his mind and his aptitude dealing with information and communication.

For all his apparent Uranian and Rahuvian excess and eccentricity, Assange's Moon may be his saving grace. As the significator of the mind and mental health, the Moon often reveals a person's emotional situation. His Moon is placed in sidereal Libra and does not receive an aspect from any planet. Its dispositor is Venus and it is likewise unafflicted and well-placed in Gemini. Such a strong Libra Moon is no doubt a great help to Assange throughout his many stressful activities. The Libra Moon enamours him to other people and gives him an innate charm that allows him to be quite persuasive in arguing his case and encouraging people to work with him. The fact that he appeals to so many people on the left is perhaps testament to his strong Libra Moon. At the same time, it's worth noting that some of this emotional stability will be undercut by the fact that his Mars-Rahu conjunction is in the 4th house from the Moon. The 4th house is the house that represents the emotions and peace of mind. Having Mars and Rahu in the 4th can bring emotions quickly to the surface, so he may overreact to difficult situations from time to time. Of course, all of this analysis is somewhat limited since his time of birth is unknown.



His current circumstance may be seen in the positions of transiting Jupiter and Saturn. His sudden fame and notoriety are evidenced through the recent station of Jupiter (29 Aquarius) in November that was in exact trine (120 degree) aspect with his natal Mercury (0 Cancer). Jupiter transits to Mercury often bring positive results pertaining to career matters and the the fact that it was a direct station ramps up the significance of this moment of good fortune considerably. Even now a full two weeks after the station, slow moving Jupiter is just at 0 degrees of Pisces and thus is still boosting his natal Mercury. Assange's natal Mercury is placed in his 10th house of status so his sudden thrust into the limelight was likely coincident with this powerful aspect from Jupiter.

But fame apparently has come at a high price as Assange has been facing sexual assault charges for several weeks now. His WikiLeaks site has been blocked while his Paypal and bank accounts have been taken offline by international authorities. By turning himself into British police, Assange appears to be confronting some very Saturnian realities in his horoscope. Transiting Saturn (21 Virgo) is now in exact aspect to his natal Rahu (21 Capricorn). Saturn-Rahu contacts often bring unwelcome interruptions in the status quo that constrains or restricts the individual. What makes this Saturn transit arguable more damaging is that Saturn is in the 12th house from the Moon, the house of loss and isolation. Moreover, Rahu is conjunct Mars in his natal chart and Mars is a planet that symbolizes punishment. So that transiting Saturn aspect to Rahu is actually invoking Mars -- exalted though it is -- and this may be an additional factor in Assange's arrest and imprisonment. As noted above, the Mars-Rahu conjunction will tend to be lead to unpleasant situations when it is involved with a malefic planet by transit, as is the case here with Saturn.

So what does the future hold for Mr. Assange? Without knowing his exact birth time, it is a lot harder than it otherwise would be to make astrological predictions. Nonetheless, we can see that transiting Saturn will remain in fairly close proximity to that aspect with his natal Rahu for the next two or three months. Saturn will turn retrograde in late January at 23 degrees of Virgo at such time it will again fall under the influence of Rahu. The first half of February could be especially tough sledding as transiting Mars will conjoin his natal Rahu and then Mars. The absence of any major Jupiter aspects during this time suggests that he is likely to have more frustrations than victories until February at least. More troubling, however, is that transiting Saturn will end its retrograde cycle in May and June at 16 degrees of Virgo -- almost exactly square Assange's natal Sun. If anything, this is an even worse influence than what he faces at the moment. Transiting Ketu also conjoins his Venus at this time, and this is another probable negative influence that suggests troubles from authorities. I wouldn't want to predict definitively what the outcome of this period might be, but his situation is clearly quite serious given the fact that he's already under arrest. Things look likely to go from bad to worse for this 21st-century anti-authoritarian crusader for the first half of 2011 at least.