Saturday, May 9, 2020

A blast of fresh Cosmic air: the new Jupiter-Saturn cycle launches in Aquarius



“Radical common sense reflects the growing realization that individual good sense is not enough—that society itself must make sense or decline. Radical common sense is a spirit. It respects the past, it pays attention to the present, and therefore it can imagine a more workable future.”—Marilyn Ferguson, Aquarius Now


“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.