In October, Jupiter will shed his Cosmic Judge robes (for hanging out in cerebral, justice-minded Libra) and will take on his sexy Black Knight garb...
...a strapping new look that will set hearts aflutter as he steps firmly into the Mars- and Pluto-ruled domain of Scorpio. This brooding, intuitive and potentially ruthless realm will be mildly uncomfortable for the Optimist King, but will definitely suit Game of Thrones fans.
Bear with me here, however—to understand what this new
passage for Jupiter will mean for public affairs, the economy and today’s
geopolitical tensions, it’s not enough to simply interpret the keyword phrases
that will apply; we need to appreciate the broader cosmic context as well. Even
so, the keyword phrases are
compelling:
Growth by any
means, and the ends justify the
means; Extreme defensive measures; Expansive manipulations and power plays;
Expanding one’s reach to avoid
taxation (overseas bank accounts?); The
growth of Plutonian, “survival of the fittest” ideologies and power
dynamics; Expanded policies/actions intended to purge “impurities” (however
those are defined); Cynical use of
growth ambitions to achieve power; Expanded
death tolls; Expanded covert and clandestine investigations.
And more...
Growth in undercover police forces; Growth/Manipulation of hidden power dynamics;
Exploitation of mined resources; Potentially deadly natural disasters; Ruthless, bullying tactics for achieving
success; Growth in organized crime
(money laundering, sex trafficking, etc.) and thuggery; Powerful opportunities for transforming systems of power….etc.
This is a dreary, albeit partial collection of possibilities
for the coming year (Jupiter enters home sign Sagittarius
in November, 2018), and we need to remember that there’s a light at the other
side of Scorpio’s River Styx. Finance-minded constituencies love this transit--and Jupiter loves them back, until he doesn't, so take nothing for granted.
Unfortunately, getting to the light side of Scorpio often demands that
we surrender to an intense process of confrontation, breakdown and clearing.
It’s a character-building passage, and heaven knows, as a nation, we need to
examine our character and come to grips with its darker, moldier corners these
days.
It’s no coincidence that this Scorpio passage transpires in
our national 11th and 12th houses (Sibly): I would argue
that this will be the beginning of an important gestation process. The “baby”
we give birth to when Jupiter reaches the Sibly Asc
will be either a reaffirmed commitment to our positive ideals as a nation, or a sad accommodation with the dark
ideals we saw on display in Charlottesville, sold to us in the name of growth
or security. These are the usual pretexts for sealing a Faustian bargain.
In so far as possible, we need to make this passage a conscious one, as Jupiter transits between
this Scorpio horizon in D.C. and the Sibly 12°+Sagittarius
horizon in January, 2019. That’s asking for a lot from an 11th-12th
house transit, but between these two horizons, we have urgent soul-regeneration
work to do, a process that includes purging
our collective mythos of its accumulated toxins before Jupiter’s homecoming in
fiery Sagittarius. Moving Confederate statues to museums instead of celebrating
them in town squares would be a good start, but it’s just a start.
To purge effectively, of course, those toxins must gurgle to
the surface for all to see. Charlottesville and Trump’s response to it tells me
that we’re already engaged in this tearing down process. It’s all been an
international humiliation, but I am heartened by the outpouring of
counter-protesters in Boston this past weekend.
The last go-round
The issues underlying Charlottesville demand priority, but
Scorpio’s toxin-clearing process will dig up other kinds of collective dirt, as
well. The last time Jupiter ingressed Scorpio was in October, 2005, and the finance
industry was fully committed to Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan’s so-called
“easy money” policies—Scorpio and billionaires
are like Forrest Gump’s “peas and carrots.”
By unleashing “quants” to design ever more convoluted,
algorithm-powered ways to extract profit from thin air (a considerable feat of
Scorpionic manipulation), this Jupiter inspired excessive
risk-taking on Wall Street and laid the groundwork for what Fed Chairman Alan
Greenspan labeled the “irrational exuberance” of the market. This
characterization certainly fit Jupiter’s move into Sagittarius in
November, 2006.
In 2005 and 2006, even before Jupiter entered
Sagittarius, risky, toxic investments (Scorpio/Pluto) in subprime mortgage
loans mounted, expanding the housing bubble (Jupiter), and it was
simply a matter of time before the bubble would burst, devastating thousands of
home owners whose mortgages became “under water.” What better reflection of
water sign Scorpio and its relationship to debt? An “under water” mortgage is
one in which the mortgage amount is more than the market value of the house.
It’s worth pointing out that the 1999 Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act,
passed under the Clinton administration, rolled back key financial regulations
contained in the Glass-Steagall Act (1933) that prevented that destructive
subprime mortgage lending, among other prudent restrictions. The chart for the
1999 act features a strong Aries Jupiter disposing Sagittarius Pluto,
within 3° of the Sibly Asc!
I’m sure there’s no need to recount the stormy period that
followed from there, as this Pluto tightened its conjunction and
opposed Gemini Saturn across the Sibly horizon on September 11, 2001. Yes, Jupiter
and Pluto
(and their ruling signs, by extension) have been constant players on Wall
Street and in regards to our national security and wellbeing.
So, yes, for our Jupiter-ruled nation (Sagittarius
rising, Sibly chart) there could be some dicey times ahead, as Jupiter
launches its boat across Pluto’s River Styx. Let’s examine
the ingress chart alone, set for Washington, D.C.
Chart #1: Jupiter
enters Scorpio, October 10, 2017, 8:25:23 a.m. DST, Washington, D.C. Tropical Equal Houses, True Node.
Jupiter rises at the ASC (Scorpio), opposite Uranus (Aries). This
Jupiter rises like a grand, but ominous-feeling apparition on the horizon. We
can imagine a scene from the indigenous history of the Americas, as Cortez’s
ships came into view for the first time. Some peoples had no vocabulary to
express what was approaching, and so they didn’t really “see” the ships for
what they were.
Make no mistake, Jupiter has intense plans for this
voyage—opposite Uranus, they may even be shocking and revolutionary. Considering
that Jupiter’s
exact opposition would have happened
before this ingress, there may be shocking/revolutionary developments already
in progress that Jupiter’s move into Scorpio will help us to begin processing
from a deeper perspective. Remember—this is happening in the Sibly 11th and 12th,
so the nation’s unconscious impulses are likely to surface.
We can’t help but be blown away by the synchronicity here: Jupiter
rises in the chart of its Scorpio passage,
not just anywhere, but in the seat of our government, Washington, D.C.! Should we take the post-Charlottesville
statements by the alt-right that they’ve “declared war” on D.C. seriously? Is
their movement (which smacks of Scorpio’s dark side, to be sure) about to enjoy
a massive growth spurt that tears the country apart (opposition to Uranus)?
Or, will Jupiter’s aim of purging
our national toxins be co-opted by the distracting forces suggested by
co-disposing planets, Virgo Mars, Capricorn Pluto and
others? Here’s where we need to consider more closely how this chart works with the Sibly.
Biwheel #1: (inner wheel) USA – Sibly chart,
July 4, 1776, 5:10 p.m. LMT, Philadelphia, PA; (outer wheel) Jupiter
enters Scorpio, October 10, 2017, 8:25:23 a.m. DST, Washington, D.C. Tropical Equal Houses, True Node.
Interchart Mutable
Grand Square: Ingress Mars-Venus (Virgo)
conjoins Sibly Neptune (Virgo) and opposes Ingress Chiron (Pisces); this axis
squares Sibly Mars (Gemini) opposed Ingress Saturn (Sagittarius). The
sabers are rattling with the Mars and Saturn activity we see
here, and considering how tightly these points tie into Trump’s natal Full Moon
configuration (chart not shown), it’s fair to be concerned that his trigger
finger will be quite itchy by this time (if it isn’t already). The chaotic
atmosphere we’ve come to expect from his White House is on full display here,
and we might expect some of his military advisors to be in the spotlight.
This doubling down of Mars activity is also concerning
because Mars co-disposes Ingress Jupiter with Capricorn Pluto.
We’ve talked a lot about Pluto’s ongoing transit into its
return position in the Sibly 2nd house, but here we’re starting to
see that it’s not just talk—it’s actually getting close enough to start
counting orbs. Ingress Mars-Venus are trine both Plutos,
and Mars
pretty exactly trines the Pluto/Pluto midpoint!
So, the corporate military establishment (Virgo-Capricorn)
appears well-funded and poised for action here, and this is doubly significant
since Sibly Neptune (Virgo) is also involved—Mars transiting Neptune
speaks to delusion-based actions, and in the context of the mutable
grand square, we can expect these to be carried out in a chaotic, over-stressed
manner.
The oppositions and squares to Ingress Chiron speak for
themselves: all these chaotic misadventures take a toll on the nation as a
“home” for its people (4th house). Infrastructure bill? Never heard of it!
The complex aspects that Ingress Venus is caught up in
here—including her cozy trine relationship with the Capricorn Plutos—evokes
an interesting connection from Sumerian mythology known as “Inanna’s descent
into the Netherworld” that’s worth a longer explanation:
“In the poem, the goddess, Inanna descends into the Underworld,
apparently seeking to extend her powers there. Ereshkigal is described as being
Inanna's older sister. When Neti,
the gatekeeper of the Underworld, informs Ereshkigal that Inanna is at the
gates of the Underworld, demanding to be let in, Ereshkigal responds by
ordering Neti to bolt the seven gates of the Underworld and to open each gate
separately, but only after Inanna has removed one article of clothing. Inanna
proceeds through each gate, removing one article of clothing at each gate.
Finally, once she has gone through all seven gates she finds herself naked and
powerless, standing before the throne of Ereshkigal. The seven judges of the
Netherworld judge Inanna and declare her to be guilty. Inanna is struck dead
and her dead corpse is hung on a hook in the Underworld for everyone to see.”
“When Inanna discovers that her husband, Dumuzid,
has not mourned her death, she becomes ireful towards him and orders the demons
to take Dumuzid as her replacement.[6]”
Venus and Mars (Dumuzid?) conjoin in this
Ingress chart like husband and wife, but Mars (not at his best in Virgo) may
suffer greatly for his heartlessness. There are no military solutions to
today’s geopolitical quandaries, and if we pursue military options simply to
expand our “power” as Inanna sought to do (there are corporate profits and
mineral rights at stake, after all - Ingress Venus-Mars trines Plutos),
we are inviting the stripping away of our honor, integrity and reputation in
the world. The “Queen of the Underworld” (Ereshkigal/Pluto) will bring us low.
Final thoughts
In Scorpio, Jupiter in our national chart will spring
trap doors open as it tempts our darker impulses: at what point is More and Bigger, for the
sake of More and Bigger (a Jupiterian pitfall) simply not better? Perhaps when it's more off-shore oil drilling, more coal mines...more recklessness with the environment.
Faustian bargains like these will likely taunt our politics, but Trump himself may begin feeling that he’s losing his “edge.” From just before last year’s election, Jupiter has been softening other, harsher transits to his chart by its presence near Trump’s natal Jupiter (Libra), and it’s now moving out of orb quickly, leaving Saturn to conjoin his Moon and oppose his Gemini Sun-Uranus-Node from Sagittarius.
Faustian bargains like these will likely taunt our politics, but Trump himself may begin feeling that he’s losing his “edge.” From just before last year’s election, Jupiter has been softening other, harsher transits to his chart by its presence near Trump’s natal Jupiter (Libra), and it’s now moving out of orb quickly, leaving Saturn to conjoin his Moon and oppose his Gemini Sun-Uranus-Node from Sagittarius.
In
good times, Trump is difficult to deal with; how will he be in these tougher times coming up?
Jupiter will be traversing his 3rd house while it
transits our Sibly 11th and 12th, so he is likely to become
more protective and secretive about his immediate environment and about his viewpoints
on issues. If this is even possible, he’s likely to become more intensely focused
on the economic dimension of his job (and on his own businesses, which have never stopped concerning him). In regards to the country, this focus makes sense as the national budget
and debt ceiling become the big issues this fall (Jupiter trines Sibly
Venus-Jupiter in Cancer).
As Jupiter edges deeper into Scorpio,
it will also trine Trump’s natal Mercury (8°+ Cancer) and square his Pluto (10°+Leo), so he will probably
seek out experiences that make him feel energized and validated. We can expect
more campaign-style rallies and even more attempts to control his media coverage,
especially if the Mueller investigation reaches a critical point (likely around
the time of that Scorpio-Leo square).
But these are the easily predictable possibilities. With Jupiter
traversing his 3rd house of communication and mental resources, there
are likely to be less obvious dynamics in play, as well. For starters, Scorpio
co-rulers Mars and Pluto will continue to steel his
resolve, so those wondering when he’ll be gone are going to have to be patient.
These same co-rulers will provide him with the possible
distraction of wars to wage (hot and cold, “trade” wars): we’ll see what his “big
announcement” regarding Afghanistan is later today. Interesting timing for such
an announcement, on “eclipse day!”
Finally, in regards to all the talk of Trump’s possible
mental health issues, that perhaps he’s in the early stages of dementia, etc.—time
will tell. About a month after Jupiter enters Scorpio, it moves
into trine position with transiting Neptune, creating a grand water
trine with his Mercury.
Trines are not necessarily a positive when it comes to
mental issues—they tend to unleash whatever repressed material is lurking in
the mind, and in Trump’s case, this will unleash his mouth (as if he’s been that restrained already). Of
course, that will further feed the speculation about his mental health. Toxic
tweet-storm are likely to persist.
Trump’s natal Mercury square Neptune (Cancer-Libra),
with Mercury
disposing his Sun-Uranus conjunction (Gemini) could
certainly account for all the speculation: he is naturally an erratic,
delusional thinker, who likes to craft his own “realities” as he goes. But these
placements also explain why some say he’s “crazy like a fox.” Let’s just say
for now that the Cosmos will be testing his mettle, mental and otherwise.
It will also be testing our
mettle, as a nation—and that may be a good
thing, ultimately. Happy Eclipse Day!!
Raye
Robertson is a practicing astrologer, writer and former educator. A graduate of
the Faculty of Astrological Studies (U.K.), Raye focuses on mundane,
collective-oriented astrology, with a particular interest in current affairs,
culture and media, the astrology of generations, and public concerns such as
education and health. Several of her articles on these topics have been
featured in The Mountain Astrologer and other publications over the years.
She is
also available to read individual charts—contact her at: robertsonraye@gmail.com.
© Raye Robertson 2017. All
rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment