“The
Time hath found us.”—Thomas Paine, Common
Sense
Brilliant humanist and thinker Marilyn
Ferguson has long associated Aquarius with the higher potential for human
societies to live more consciously and to accomplish a paradigm shift, a much-needed awakening she first described in her
breakthrough study entitled The Aquarian
Conspiracy, that would help us face and reverse the societal mess we’ve
created by mindlessly following priorities that not only work against our own
wellbeing, but destroy our only planetary home in the process. As the passage
noted above suggests, she’s continued promoting this theme in her work, often
distilling her message and the imperative she sees into one potent phrase,
“radical common sense.”[1]
Ferguson’s use of astrology in her
work seems limited to the symbolic value of the sign “Aquarius” in her titles—she was undoubtedly
influenced by the 1960s-70s pop-culture phenomenon of the “Age of Aquarius” and
could identify with its aspirational nature. Whether the planetary Age of
Aquarius has begun, or if not, when it will begin is endlessly controversial,
however the 60s-70s version held it out as a period during which a radically
improved version of life on this earth and beyond would be possible—a life
that’s more humane, egalitarian, peaceful, enlightened and technologically
connected (in a “space age” kind of way).
This vision was undoubtedly at least
partial inspiration for Gene Roddenberry’s original Star Trek series, 2001: Space
Odyssey, and other sci-fi films of that era.
Following the events of our time,
especially the woefully inadequate way in which the COVID pandemic has been
handled from on high, reminds us that, as Ferguson says, that “society itself
must make sense or decline.” The signs of decline are real in this nation, unfortunately—not
a matter of opinion: Thousands of would-be immigrants are being held with no
regard for health or safety in detention facilities around the nation; millions of men and women who weren’t
legally sentenced to death for their crimes are being housed in criminally
unsafe prison facilities around the nation; multiple institutions and cabinet
departments within our government are now headed by Trump donors and cronies,
rather than experts in the relevant disciplines, and those experts who remain
in key institutions like Health & Human Services, the CDC and the FDA are
in constant fear
that their commitment to warning the administration about the pandemic or
their stubborn insistence on facts will ruffle Trump’s feathers and mean the
end of their jobs.
 |
| Cronyism means the end of competence in government. |
Lying, corrupt dealing and ignoring
the facts is a matter of survival in the Trump administration—as AG
William Barr’s move to dismiss the iron-clad case against Trump buddy
Michael Flynn confirmed once again yesterday. Over and over again we’ve seen
that those who toe the just or ethical line risk dismissal. And this is only
the tip of a corruption iceberg that many in Congressional oversight know is there—they just haven’t been
able to make the allegations stick because Trump has also destroyed our
constitutional system of checks and balances and (witness Barr’s actions) made
holding him accountable nearly impossible.
Despite that, Trump is, indeed, an impeached president who should have been
removed from office, but because his party has been likewise corrupted
into unapologetic cronyism and protecting rather than holding him
accountable (as is their constitutional duty), we are at his mercy for at least
the remainder of this year.
Despite Trump’s obsessive “happy
talk” to the contrary, our vulnerability as a society is hard to overstate
right at the moment. The pandemic—what CNN
recently termed a “hinge event that will change everything”—is forcing us
to reconsider national security from a whole different perspective than usual.
A quick
excerpt explains:
“America's economy has shed more
than 30 million jobs. Indeed, the coronavirus crisis is shaping up to be a
"hinge event" in American history, like the Great Depression or 9/11.
It is reshaping the world,
politically, socially and economically and it is also revealing major
structural weaknesses in American society and undermining already fraying trust
in the capacity of the US government to respond effectively to core security
challenges… How many of us realized, at the start of this year -- only
four months ago -- that entire industries would be brought to their knees, that
unemployment would reach levels not seen in more than 80 years. Who knew that
the most basic social activities -- going to work, attending school, visiting
friends and family -- could be so utterly upended?”
Trouble is, Trump’s current rush to
re-open the economy and send people back to work isn’t going to restore the
nation’s structural integrity, and if it causes another wave of misery and more
prolonged shut-downs, trust in government to solve our challenges will plummet
even further. Will forcing meat-packing companies back to work keep us safe
from the virus? If benefits are withheld from workers who refuse to work in
dangerous circumstances, people may not trust what comes out of those plants,
and rightly so.
 |
| Will people want to buy meat that's processed like this? |
Yet, turning over dollars and
striking “deals” that force others to follow his lead is the only solution Trump
seems to know for anything, and those tactics simply aren’t suited for today’s
challenges.
Even with all this dismal reality
bearing down at the moment, however, the Jupiter-Saturn cycle launching in
air-sign Aquarius at the end of this year may offer hope for a turn
towards that “radical common sense” Ferguson feels is so essential, so that
cycle will be the focus of this post going forward. We’ll consider a few basic
facts and principles pertaining to this cycle and will then consider how its
dynamics tend to be reflected in the course of events.
Finally, we’ll consider
the actual December 21, 2020 chart for the new cycle and what its potential
might be for the coming election season in regards to Biden. Leaders reflect
their times—will Biden reflect the coming Jupiter-Saturn times in Aquarius?
The
basics
Jupiter rules the environment of
ideas, philosophies and ideologies that inform tangible society-building/maintaining
policies and infrastructures (Saturn), and together these two contribute
to the management of resources and citizen behavior (via the rule of law). The long Earth synod coming to a close this
year—this cycle tends to repeat itself over a long stretch of time in the same
element before finally moving on to the next element—has heavily focused on the
material aspects of life in society (as Bill Clinton once famously said, “It’s
the economy, stupid”), and has resulted in entrenched social systems that determine
who is allowed to prosper and who is not.
It’s no wonder that America’s
reputation is built around being the “Land of Opportunity” with streets “paved
with gold”—a reputation that’s being sorely tested during this final year of
the synod.
Before we consider a couple key
cycles in greater depth, let’s consider some basic Jupiter and Saturn
dynamics and how those seem to operate in the realms of life addressed by
mundane astrology.
Basic
principles
·
Approx. 20-yr. cycle – interestingly, the new
cycles often land in U.S. election years (was this by our Founding Fathers’
design?). This more or less round number makes it easy to approximate when the
high-points (quarter squares) will happen in a cycle – i.e., approx. every 5
years.
·
Saturn and Jupiter transit at an
approximate 1:2.5 ratio of speed. Jupiter completes one orbit in 11.86
years (approx. 12 years), about one sign per year. Jupiter has had deep
resonance in the cycles of human life forever – the Babylonian 12/60 number
system basically encompassed its orbital rhythm and embedded its energies in
Western calendars and archetypal culture. Because of its massive, visible
presence in the Cosmos, Jupiter and the Sun were considered by
many ancients to be co-rulers of this Solar system (ie., with the stature of
Zeus in Mt. Olympus). We do well to recall that Zeus and Chronos (Saturn)
had an adversarial relationship, and their planetary namesakes often do, as
well, although like all good adversaries, they
are capable of producing some very constructive joint efforts.
·
Saturn completes one sign in. 2.46 years, or one
full orbit in 29.46 years (easier to think of as 30 yrs.). Jupiter thus sows the
seeds of ideas more rapidly than the manifesting energies of Saturn
can deliver a finished product. Film production is a great example
here—writers develop ideas and scripts for projects long before one single
frame of film is produced, yet as so often happens, film themes tend to
resonate with society when they do finally reach completion. A couple examples
that were both released during the 1961 Capricorn Jupiter-Saturn cycle:
o
2001: A
Space Odyssey; (Kubrick, 5-12-1968). Ura-0-Plu Virgo; Jup-90-Nep (Leo-Sco).
This film obviously played off the ambitious national achievement of the U.S.
Moon shot program that was planned for 1969 (the film came out in 1968), but
there were larger social and even spiritual themes (Jupiter-Neptune) at play,
such as Humanity’s evolution, fear of the coming computer age, civil unrest and
tyranny (the nation was exploding with unrest that year, with a still-new Uranus-Pluto
cycle), the Vietnam War, etc.
o
The
Graduate. (Nichols, Dec. 21, 1967).
Sexual revolution themes and the desperation of young people trying to find
meaning and love in the materialistic “Plastics” Establishment their parents’
generation expected them to perpetuate.
In this case, Ura-0-Plu formed the rebellious backdrop
for the frustrating Jup-150-Sat energies captured in the film release chart and the narrative.
Realms
of influence for Jupiter-Saturn
Jupiter & Saturn represent two
flip sides of basically every area under their planetary purview. One expands,
the other contracts. One spends, the other saves
and conserves. One speculates, the other analyzes
and plans.
This contrarian relationship is
especially relevant here when it comes to the Law and government - Jupiter
leans toward the abstract, intellectual principles underlying the Law,
especially as it promotes the freedom to
________ (fill in the blank).
Saturn promotes the more
institutional, accountability-focused dimension of the Law and of the social contract that underpins it. One man’s freedom ends where the next man’s
begins—in other words, freedom and responsibility are inseparable
dimensions of life in civilized society, and they capture the Jupiter-Saturn
relationship in a nutshell.
This cycle then, operates at the
heart of the hotly-contested, never-ending debate about the role of government in civil
society. The fundamental question is, what do people and their
governments owe each other? The answer tends to be reducible to a
dialogue between these two perspectives, approximating the Jupiter-Saturn polarity,
which can be seen as the two poles of a spectrum of systems of government that
stretches from:
ANARCHY_________________________________________________________TYRANNY
Several system types fall in between
these two extremes, obviously, but one constant issue seems to be at stake in
almost all of them: the role government
should play in regards to business and
the economy. If a society’s purpose
is to provide a supportive environment for enterprise and innovation while also satisfying human needs that require
large-scale infrastructure (like roads and bridges) or institutions like a
health care system, schools and universities, a balance needs to be struck
between enabling business growth (Jupiter) and requiring businesses to
share their largesse through regulations and taxation (Saturn, with some help
from Pluto).
The amount of political influence businesses are allowed to have is another
perennial political issue that always seems to show up in candidate platforms,
but the Supreme Court weighed in to allow almost unlimited influence in 2010,
with its Citizens United decision. So
as it stands now, corporations wield enormous influence over our elections,
edging our system closer and closer to the “Tyranny” side of the spectrum.
The perennial debates on these
issues tend to also question who should most enjoy the fruits of economic
growth and prosperity. Should prosperity
“trickle down” or “lift all boats?” We’ve
tried both approaches several times in our history and Jupiter-Saturn dynamics
always fall at the heart of these issues.
Here’s where we see the connection
between the Jupiter-Saturn cycle
and our value systems as a nation. Saturn
is dignified in Venus-ruled Libra, which speaks to the
values that are embedded in the rules
and regulations it promotes. Who deserves
to enjoy prosperity? Despite Libra’s reputation for fairness, our
national value system clearly isn’t particularly balanced or even-handed. It’s
more reflected in our Capricorn Sibly 2nd house, and has always placed systemic
obstacles in the way of minority communities and others who weren’t quite “born
to the manor.” Capricorn (ruled by Saturn)
is happy to name winners and losers, which explains why our “Liberty and
equality for all” founding mantra has often fallen short.
Practical
applications
So Jupiter and Saturn
have quite practical applications, which extend even to the physical
dynamics that play out in the realm of politics and national affairs, and to
the way we think about the political
world we inhabit. Jupiter likes to speed the flow of anything fluid, including
capital (it co-rules Pisces with Neptune), while Saturn
tends to slow down or channel such circulation to some purpose (as with a dam).. These speed dynamics impact how the
business of government is accomplished, not to mention the flows of national
finances.
As we’re realizing quite concretely
in these times, our consumerist economy is decidedly dependent (and not always
in a healthy way) upon an unleashed, confident Jupiterian public that’s
not afraid to spend, spend, spend, even exceeding its means. On the other hand,
a Saturnian
public that opts to save and invest for the future rather than spend
beyond its means today is a “problem” for this type of economy.
Jupiter pushes to remove barriers to
spending, for “day trader” speculation and the unfettered global circulation of
capital, while Saturn counsels
self-discipline, sound long-term investing that might follow a few prudent
rules, and frugality. At some point between these two extremes, there’s a
balance between reckless short-term spending and responsible long-term
planning.
In terms of national mindsets, Saturn
promotes structured, linear
thinking, while Jupiter promotes
abstract, integrative, “cerebral” type thinking. For Saturn, details matter; Saturnian thinkers
want to examine data and facts to
analyze the success of a program, for instance. Whereas for Jupiter, the philosophical or ideological “big
picture” is what matters; the Jupiterian thinker is more likely to look for a memorable “motto” or “metaphor” such
as “Make America Great Again” to pursue a desired goal, and the details are for
some underlings to worry about.
 |
| We need to celebrate both types of mindsets! |
There’s a place and time for both
types of mental processing, and being able to mix it up is best, but there are
toxic extremes in both types of thinking as well. This issue may seem to be
more personal than societal, however societies (or segments of society) do
express mindsets at any given time, a phenomenon that seems clearly related to
the Jupiter-Saturn
cycle in force and the ways in which these two interact with the other
outer planets. A dominant Saturn can lead to rut-bound,
overly-linear and bureaucratic thinking, in which the leader (or agency or
official) misses the forest for the trees, and dominant or excessive Jupiterian
thinking can move beyond optimistic expansiveness into a type of
Piscean magical thinking that smacks of Neptunian fantasy and denial).
Such magical thinking (“the virus
will just disappear one day”…”I have
a hunch that this time will be
different”) can be deployed as an avoidance tactic, or it can be a sign of some
kind of addictive disorder. Ideally, of course, societies would make the best
use of all these thinking styles to promote and cultivate creative, innovative
thinking that is expansive, technically brilliant and grounded in facts.
Recent trends in the U.S. look to
the “private sector” for such innovation, with government’s role being to
support the efforts of business and to basically get out of the way. In fact,
if we’re to ever solve many-faceted problems like climate change, we have a
serious need for some brilliant public/private partnerships, arrangements that
would reflect a very constructive balance of Jupiter and Saturn
dynamics.
 |
| America was "born" under a fiery Jupiter-Saturn cycle. |
The
Jupiter-Saturn cycle in U.S. history
Before we go any further, let’s
consider the list of Jupiter-Saturn cycles that we’ve
experienced during American history, beginning with the one that was in force
when the nation was “born” in 1776. [See
Table 1 in files]
Table
1. Jupiter-Saturn cycles in American history (set for Washington, DC–Earth
synod (1762-2020)
Conjunction
|
Degree/Sign
|
House
|
Waxing
|
Waning
|
Prog Sib Sun
|
Prog Sib Moon
|
3/18/1762
|
12+Aries
|
-
|
6
|
4
|
||
11/5/1782
|
28+Sagittarius
|
4
|
4
|
6
|
19 Can
|
26 Tau
|
7/17/1802
|
5+Virgo
|
9
|
3
|
7
|
8 Leo
|
7 Aq
|
6/19/1821
|
24+Aries
|
9
|
7
|
3
|
26 Leo
|
17 Lib
|
1/25/1842
|
8+Capricorn
|
4
|
1
|
9
|
16 Vir
|
27 Can
|
10/21/1861
|
18+Virgo
|
12
|
8
|
2
|
5 Lib
|
13 Ar
|
4/18/1881
|
1+ Taurus
|
10
|
2
|
8
|
24 Lib
|
22 Sag
|
11/28/1901
|
14+Capricorn
|
11
|
5
|
5
|
15 Sco
|
1 Lib
|
9/10/1921
|
26+Virgo
|
2
|
6
|
4
|
5 Sag
|
27 Gem
|
8/7/1940
|
14+Taurus
|
5
|
2
|
8
|
24 Sag
|
26 Aq
|
2/18/1961
|
25+Capricorn
|
6
|
8
|
2
|
15 Cap
|
26 Sco
|
12/31/1980
|
9+Libra
|
5
|
3
|
7
|
5 Aq
|
25 Leo
|
5/28/2000
|
22+Taurus
|
9
|
8
|
2
|
25 Aq
|
12 Tau
|
12/21/2020
|
0+Aquarius
|
10
|
6
|
4
|
16 Pis
|
2 Aq
|
Color
key: Orange = Fire cycles; Green = Earth cycles; Blue = Air cycles
Notice the cycles above are color-coded according to the
element they fell in: before the Earth synod that is soon ending, there was the
Fire synod, with centuries of Jupiter-Saturn cycles launching in
either Aries, Leo or Sagittarius. As our history attests,
the U.S. was “born” in a storm of fiery revolutionary ferment and it gained its
intellectual and ideological footing as a democracy (codified in the
Constitution the founders hammered out over years of debate) under the final Fire cycles of that synod.
Also highlighted in Table 1 are the cycles that have been
“anomalous” in terms of element—meaning out of series. The 1802 cycle (coded
“green”) disrupted the Fire series with the pragmatic earthiness of Virgo.
These things happen, although rarely—the next anomalous cycle had to wait for
1980 when Jupiter and Saturn met up in air sign Libra,
portending the element shift we are about to see happen for the
long-term at the end of this year.
It’s worth noting here that anomalous cycles
tend to be fairly eventful and their tone often deviates from the norm in some
purposeful way. In 1802, our founders had to get down to the practical
realities of nation-building, which included a serious focus on acquiring
territory (earth). In fact, 1803 was
the year that Thomas Jefferson negotiated the massive Louisiana Purchase
from Napoleon’s France, acquiring something on the order of 530 million acres of territory, including
the critical Mississippi River port of New Orleans for the new young nation.
 |
| Reagan fired striking Air Traffic Controllers to weaken their union in 1981. |
Fast forward that 1980 anomalous
cycle that launched in early Libra, and a free market crusader with a cheerful
airy personality (Aquarius Sun-Reagan) came into office and began the wholesale
transformation of our post-WWII economic system—a switch many felt was welcome,
but which also marked the beginning of tremendous wealth inequality and the
weakening of American labor. We’re still feeling the impact of this very eventful
cycle.
Other cycles that tend to stand out are those in which
the waxing and waning numbers are heavily out of balance, one way or another –
although the one cycle in this list where the numbers are in perfect balance (1901)
was pretty eventful for different reasons. President McKinley was assassinated
in 1901 and T. Roosevelt came into office – quite a different kind of leader
who shifted the prevailing balance of power at that time towards the Executive
and away from Congress (this was a Capricorn cycle that launched
opposite Sibly Sun (leader) and squared Sibly Saturn (Congress). The
assassination happened while Uranus opposed Pluto in mutable signs, as
well, so that dramatic milestone probably superseded the tendency towards waxing/waning
equilibrium.
Even though every Jupiter-Saturn
cycle since 1762 has played some part in building this nation, it stands to
reason that the cycles during which our major military and social unrest
milestones have transpired would also stand out. To examine how this has
happened, we will consider an important historical example ahead in more depth.
Notice that I’ve added Progressed
Sibly Sun and Moon information
with each cycle in Table 1, for the
sake of keeping track of how the nation’s evolution responded to the outer
planetary dynamics of the time. We’ll keep this information in mind when we
consider the two historical cycles below—it can reveal interesting dynamics
that we might otherwise miss.
Finally, the signs and elements of
the various cycles are obviously important, but sometimes the modes seem even
more significant. Cardinal cycles tend to be action-oriented and aggressive;
Mutable cycles tend to be unstable and given to change, which is often
especially true with the economy and/or hostilities between us and others;
Fixed cycles tend to stabilize or cement whatever the situation is. None of this works in a vacuum, however: the
Jupiter-Saturn cycle works in
concert with the other cycles and these interactions contribute greatly to how
the cycles manifest in policies, events and so on.
 |
| The 1840's were a critical period for forging the American identity. |
Cycle
examples
In January, 1842, Jupiter
and Saturn conjoined at 8°+Capricorn,
(Chart #1, below), and the
chart for that meeting is as dramatic as the times were in forming the American identity. Benjamin
Harrison had died the first month he was in office in 1841, leaving vehement
states’-rights defender John Tyler as president until 1845. The tension between
states’ rights and federal authority over issues like slavery was gradually
becoming a major conflict between northern “free” states and southern “slave”
states whose economies—this was a Capricorn cycle, after all—depended heavily
on slave labor. All of this was complicated at the time by the Mexican-American
War (1846-48) from which the U.S. acquired several territories whose future as
free or slave states was then thrown up for grabs.
Also driving events of the time was
the fortune-frenzied westward expansion of the nation—the 1848-49 California
Gold Rush and its aftermath for Native Americans who were being more
aggressively displaced from their lands than ever. All this intensity and
militarism was being stoked by the waning end of one Uranus-Pluto cycle in Aries
and the beginning of the next one, in the final degree of Aries,
in June 1850.
The launch of this Aries
cycle ushered in a last-ditch effort to negotiate a legislative deal
between free and slave states—the so-called Compromise of 1850, a package of 5
major bills that historians credit with delaying the onset of the Civil War. A
raucous mixture of Fire and Earth energy, this cycle seems to have stoked the
flames of resentment over what the South perceived as unfair economic
disparities and unequal congressional representation with the more populous,
industrial North. From Wikipedia:
“Under the compromise, Texas surrendered its claims to
present-day New Mexico and other states in return for federal
assumption of Texas's public debt. California
was admitted as a free state, while the remaining portions of the Mexican
Cession were organized into New Mexico Territory and Utah
Territory. Under the concept of popular sovereignty, the
people of each territory would decide whether or not slavery would be
permitted. The compromise also included a more stringent Fugitive Slave Law and banned the slave
trade in Washington, D.C. The issue of slavery in the
territories would be re-opened by the Kansas–Nebraska Act, but many historians argue
that the Compromise of 1850 played a major role in postponing the American Civil War.”
Clearly, a nation-building cycle
like Jupiter-Saturn
should stand out during times like the ones described above. Let’s see
what that looks like in Chart #1.
Chart
#1. Jupiter-Saturn cycle, 1842,
January 25, 1842, 9:42:09 p.m. LMT, Washington, D.C. Tropical Equal Houses, True Node.
We discussed earlier the importance
of how many waxing and waning outer planetary cycles there are in any given
chart, and this chart is dramatic in that regard, with one waxing cycle (Uranus-Neptune) and nine waning cycles (all the Jupiter-
and Saturn- related cycles, plus Uranus-Pluto and Neptune-Pluto).
These numbers suggest a critical turning point, and with Jupiter-Saturn
conjoining in the 4th house (set for Washington, D.C.), it
appears some kind of “endtimes” is anticipated. This exceptional situation is
reinforced by the fact that the chart “skeleton” (ASC-DSC; IC-MC) is hung on
the “Zero”-point cardinal axes (Libra-Aries; Capricorn-Cancer).
Venus rules this Libra
chart from its position conjunct the No. Node (Capricorn)—the
aggressive pursuit of the land-and mineral-related wealth of this fabulously
rich new nation basically defined this cycle.
Saturn’s influence weighs heavily,
disposing Capricorn placements, which significantly for the masses of
westward migrants, are opposed by Cancer points pertaining to the
“People” (Moon-conjunct-Chiron). Between battling the elements, hunger,
dangerous terrain and defensive Indian tribes, a lot of the pioneers—and Native Americans—of that day never
made it.
For its part, Jupiter co-rules the potentially
volatile Uranus and Mars placements in Pisces—made
more volatile and unstable by the mutual reception between Uranus and Neptune
(Pisces-Aquarius). A
particularly telling signal that this cycle would see the outbreak of violence
is found in the Mars/Pluto midpoint (2+Aries) falling conjunct the Aries
DSC and widely square Jupiter-Saturn.
Considering the importance of his
role during the Civil War, it’s interesting to note that Abraham Lincoln was
elected towards the end of this cycle in 1860, and that his election
immediately sparked a backlash in the South and its secession from the Union,
which then led to the outbreak of hostilities in April, 1861.
 |
| Abraham Lincoln visiting a Civil War encampment. |
Leaders reflect their
Jupiter-Saturn times
We don’t often think about them in
these terms, but I would argue here that the leaders in any given decade tend
to reflect something about the Jupiter-Saturn cycle in force at the
time, as well as some of the major dynamics in these cycle charts. We’ll
examine how this worked in regards to Lincoln and how it might work with Biden, if he’s elected in the fall. This is
something that needs more confirmation through research, but since a president
is at least somewhat known by their policies, it makes sense that there’s some
resonance between this planetary duo in any given cycle and the presidents in
charge during those times.
Of course, we would expect to find
more resonance during periods with significant historical milestones and
particularly influential leaders, so with that in mind, let’s begin with the
1842 cycle we considered above and Lincoln (Biwheel #1 below).
Biwheel
#1: (inner wheel) Natal, Abraham
Lincoln, February 12,, 1809, 6:54 a.m. (AA, bio) LMT, Hodgenville, KY;
(outer wheel) Jupiter-Saturn cycle, 1842, January 25, 1842, 9:42:09
p.m. LMT, Washington, D.C..
Tropical Equal Houses, True Node.
1842 Jupiter-Saturn sextiles Lincoln No.
Node (Scorpio) and Mercury (Pisces) and squares Lincoln Venus (Aries). In
terms of his fitness for the nation-building agenda of Jupiter-Saturn, Lincoln
was remarkably attuned to the times. Even so, his Venus trines his Saturn-Neptune
conjunction (Sagittarius)—if “fortune” was shining on him, it was a mixed blessing.
This Sagittarius
conjunction squares his 1st house Mercury-Ceres-Pluto conjunction
(Pisces), reflecting his seriously depressive nature and experiences of
great loss. This was borne out by not only the constant experience of loss
associated with the war, but the personal loss of a dear son in childhood that
put both Lincoln and his wife Mary Todd in a prolonged state of tragic grief.
1842 No. Node conjoins Lincoln Moon
(Capricorn), which opposes 1842 Moon-Chiron-So. Node conjunction (Cancer). These
aspects reflect Lincoln’s emotional fitness for his rise during this Capricorn
cycle and they also reflect how intense the sorrow and wounds
experienced by Lincoln were, who of course, was assassinated for his troubles as
soon as the Civil War ended. He dared to push the limits of the social norms of
the times, especially by liberating the slaves and basically abolishing the
plantation-based way of life in the South with the 13th Amendment.
We can see his potential for pushing such limits in the way transiting Eris
conjoined his Aquarius Sun here, which was
widely conjunct his Pallas (Aquarius) and
trine Mars (Libra).
 |
| Lincoln rose to the challenges of his time with dignity and empathy. |
It’s worth noting here that at the
time of the 1842 cycle launch, the Sibly Sun had progressed to 16°+Virgo, opposite Lincoln’s
Ceres-Pluto-Juno (Pisces) in his 7th house. He was caught up
in battle on both personal and public levels (Neptune disposes his
Pisces points from his 10th), and it was probably difficult for him
to know whom to trust. Sibly Progressed Moon fell conjunct
the 1842 Moon-Chiron-So. Node conjunction noted above in Cancer,
reflecting the hardship and trauma being experienced by the American
people during this period. Lincoln’s Moon suggests that he was quite
“tuned in” to that hardship—likely the source of the sensitive, uplifting
sentiments he expressed in his Gettysburg Address. Short on words, but profound
and deeply insightful.
Of course, we could also examine
Lincoln’s chart against the 1861 Jupiter-Saturn cycle, which launched
at 18°+Virgo and—as we
might expect with the Civil War—it played out as a very unstable, mutable
period. In fact, that cycle point squared Lincoln’s Jupiter (Pisces), and
with Jupiter
disposing his Sagittarius Saturn, Neptune and MC, we
can see that his chart continued to be tightly interwoven with the times.
Notice that the Sibly Sun progresses one
degree per year, meaning that in many of the cases detailed above, it’s
progressed into a new sign before the beginning of the next new cycle. As
alluded to earlier, this speaks to how the nation’s perspective evolves along
with these cycles, altering our discourse in subtle, but very real ways.
For instance, the progressed Sun sign
switched from Aquarius to Pisces in 2004, as G.W. Bush won over John Kerry by
relying on some controversial tactics, such as a group of so-called “veterans”
spreading Neptunian misinformation about Kerry’s military career.
This sounds like nothing unique
today, but through a combination of a Progressed Sibly Sun in Pisces
tracking pretty closely with Neptune’s transit through its home
sign of Pisces, we’ve perhaps become accustomed to Neptune’s distortions and
“alternative facts.” In 2004 the public’s willingness to accept
blatant misinformation was a relatively new phenomenon that was on the rise.
The rise of social media in the wake
of the 2009 Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in technology-oriented Aquarius
was likely a factor, as well, because social media helped the doubts sowed
by the “Swiftboaters” to stick. This use of conspiracy-thinking and
misinformation gathered steam during the Obama years, enabling the Tea Party
and Alt-right media to flourish and gain considerable political clout via
Breitbart, the Drudge Report and many others, all of which helped pave the way
for the Trump candidacy.
Perhaps the last half of the Sibly
Sun’s Pisces progression can be put to better use – accompanying the
final years of Neptune’s Pisces transit, it could help us to become a more
compassionate, empathetic nation, which is sorely needed right now. Importantly,
now that the progressed Sibly Moon has
crossed over into Aquarius, we’re
starting to see more respect for Science
and fact-based information—not a moment
too soon!
 |
| Joseph Biden - will he reflect Jupiter-Saturn 2020? |
Fast
forward to December, 2020
Continuing our exploration into the
ways in which our national leaders tend to reflect the Jupiter-Saturn cycles
under which they lead, Biwheel #2 below
sets Joe Biden’s nativity against the Jupiter-Saturn cycle chart for
December 21, 2020.
Let’s begin.
Biwheel
#2: (inner wheel) Joseeph Biden,
November 20, 1942, 8:30 a.m. War Time, Scranton, PA; (outer wheel) Jupiter-Saturn
Cycle 2020, December 21, 2020, 12:08:17 pm ST, Washington, DC. Tropical Equal Houses, True Node,
Interchart
Kite: 2020 Jupiter-Saturn (Aquarius)
trines Biden Neptune (Libra) and Biden Uranus-Saturn conjunction (Gemini); this
grand trine is intersected by 2020 Jupiter-Saturn opposite Biden Jupiter/Pluto
(midpoint, 1°+ Leo). The
trines to Biden’s Saturn are wide, but I would say they’re allowable under the
circumstances. This is an incredible array of cheerful, communicative air
energy shot through with surprisingly strong “core power” that Biden is capable
of wielding in the highest office. He’s proven in the past to be an effective
politician (before “politician” became a dirty word), and this 9th
house Pluto probably has had something to do with that, especially
since he’s specialized somewhat in defense and foreign affairs. It also hasn’t
hurt that his chart is ruled by a dignified Cancer Jupiter that falls
trine
his Sun-Venus conjunction (Scorpio).
If we stretch the orb a bit, his Jupiter
also trines his Sagittarius ASC—he’s bigger than
life when he’s unhampered and at his best.
If Saturn alone was opposing
this midpoint of Biden’s, it could delay his rise to power and favor those who
are trying their best to destroy his reputation and political viability. Here
we have both Jupiter and Saturn opposing, however, so he
should have more opportunity to face the attacks, recoup and strengthen his
position. In combination with the grand trine—which amazingly encompasses all of his other outer planets, this
configuration feels more positive than not for him being able to express his
highest potential in the collective realm.
That said, he finds himself in a
very difficult position right now, when it comes to campaigning and warding off
what look like disinformation attacks, designed to undermine his candidacy and
credibility. We can see all this being reflected in 2020 Neptune (Pisces) opposite
Biden MC (Virgo)—a current transit that will persist for a very long
time
(counting orbs), even after the election. Neptune
rules pandemics, mis- and dis-information and forces that undermine one’s
vitality, so it’s an obvious connection, however there’s a deeper danger here
for a would-be president: that all this Neptune arrayed against him will sap
his enthusiasm and drive for the challenges ahead and will tempt him to simply
give up. IMHO, he doesn’t deserve to see his laudable career ended that way.
The bullying Biden’s likely to
experience next year (assuming he’s elected) can be seen in the 2020
Mars-Eris (Aries) square his Jupiter (Cancer) and in the inconjuncts
with his Sun-Venus conjunction (Scorpio). There could be a lighter side
to these aspects, of course, and the 2020 Pluto opposition (Capricorn) to
his Jupiter
may strengthen his hold on power for the road ahead—we need to hope
that he surrounds himself with strong, capable people who run interference for
him with some of the more mean-spirited character attacks.
 |
| Biden is unafraid to show his empathy and humanity. |
2020 Jupiter-Saturn also falls inconjunct
Biden No. Node (Virgo), suggesting that he will need to make some
serious adjustments if he wants to be a good “fit” for this new level of public
service. This won’t be because Biden’s a beginner at all this—he has far more
experience in the White House and with foreign leaders than Trump does—but it
could be a signal that Biden will have to work at embracing a policy agenda that
the Aquarius cycle will support. Not only will he have a host of alliances to
repair, the sorry remains of a wrecked federal government to put back together and the confidence of a pandemic-wracked
nation to restore; he’ll have all the technological imperatives of a full-blown
climate change crisis to deal with. He has some very big shoes to fill—something
like an FDR for the 21st century, and he’s pushing 80!
Interchart
Grand Trine: 2020 Moon/Neptune (midpoint,
Pisces) trines Biden Jupiter (Cancer) and Biden Mercury (Scorpio). This
suggests that Biden will be able to tune into the mood, opinions and needs of
the public (2020 Moon) and will be able to communicate and respond in ways
that resonate. The trines between 2020
Moon and his Jupiter (Cancer) and Sun-Venus
conjunction (Scorpio) suggest that the public will need him to project compassionate, yet strength-based idealism and “sky’s the limit” kind of optimism in his leadership style, yet we
will need him to ground everything he does in facts and expertise. He
will be sorely “tried” in the fires of this election, but people will respond
if he can come out a stronger leader on the other side.
It’s difficult to say if the 2020
Uranus (Taurus) conjunction to his Moon-Part-of-Fortune (Taurus) will
be simply disruptive, or perhaps disruptive in a surprising, life-changing way—as
in a fortuitous turn-of-events around election time. Uranus disposes the Aquarius
cycle and squares its launch point here, reinforcing the importance of
being on the more progressive side of technology and climate change-related
issues. Since Uranus is going to be positioned around the same early degrees
in Taurus
between now and then, this also points to the importance of his
campaign building a digital presence
that rivals Trump’s. Those who get all their political news from Facebook need
a fresh new presence whose sole aim isn’t to enrage and divide people.
That said, there are more than a few
challenges that will confront Biden before the election—including the “Death Star”
of negative ads that Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale is promising will begin
“firing” soon. We all know what happened to the “Death Star”—curious choice for
a campaign metaphor!
 |
| Biden's VP pick needs to reflect 2020 Jupiter-Saturn times, too! |
Final
thoughts
As we’ve seen, there’s a lot more to
the Jupiter-Saturn
cycle than meets the eye, and I suspect there will be more to say about
the upcoming cycle as the time grows near. For now, it’s hard to overstate the
importance of this cycle for the crisis we are living through with COVID and
its many debilitating side effects. It
helps to remember, I think, that we are not just approaching a new cycle in December; we’re approaching a
whole new Air synod that will last
for about 140 years.
Looks to me like it’s time for some “radical common sense!”
Be well, be safe!
 |
| May we all catch a breath of fresh air! |
Raye
Robertson is a practicing astrologer, writer and 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 2020. All
rights reserved.
[1]Marilyn
Ferguson, Aquarius Now: Radical Common
Sense and Reclaiming our Personal Sovereignty, Weiser Books, Boston, MA,
2005.
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