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One of the primary predictive techniques of the medieval astrologers was to cast a horoscope for both the equinoctial and solstice times of the year. These four principal charts would determine the mood of the coming season. The seasonal markers were when the Sun entered the beginning degrees of the cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. The current Cancer solstice sees the Sun reach its highest northerly declination, marking the longest day and shortest night for the northern hemisphere, and reversing in the south. Solstice is drawn from ‘stice’ meaning still, and ‘sol’ the Sun. This chart is erected for the day that the Sun stands still and changes course toward a southerly direction. Effectively it changes the energy balance between Sun and Earth, and we’ll examine what this new flow implies. Of interest in these seasonal charts is the global position of Mars. It pinpoints geographic hotspots. In my quarterly ‘Eye In The Sky’ column for the Federation of Australian Astrologers magazine I have illustrated the effect of Mars over the past year. Last June it fell above London, prefacing the underground and public transport terrorist attacks. It culminated over Pakistan in late September coinciding with the Pakistan earthquake. It was above Turkey for December signaling the outbreak of the avian flu virus. MARS IN THE MIDDLE Ingress chart set for Jeruslalem
This June Mars hovers directly over Israel, Syria and Lebanon, suggesting a further climax in the ongoing violent saga of Israeli - Palestinian relations. Mars rises through Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, through Egypt and the Sudan, and in crossing the Red Sea also passes closely over Medina, a city central to Mohammed and the birth of Islam. Mars is also exactly above Moscow, and rises across New York. It’s these locations that bear watching. A Mars/Saturn conjunction, square Jupiter and opposite Chiron, signals red alert time, when President Bush and the US should be doubly aware of terrorist threats against its treasured institutions in New York, and overseas. The President has the actual Mars/Saturn combination rising at his Ascendant. It’s a time of pushing against greater obstacles, and may even signal a period when there are physical threats upon him, or he experiences uncharacteristic ill health. The recent killing of Iraqi insurgent mastermind Al Zarqawi, could also spark renewed revenge attacks on prime western targets. The Empire State building, born of the Depression years and still standing in defiance of it, is one obvious target. This grand American icon of engineering was opened at 11.15 am on May 1 1931 under a Taurean Sun squaring Mars. Later that evening, President Hoover switched on the superstructures lights from Washington. The Empire State building, eerily having regained its title as the tallest building in New York city, is now host to many of the telecommunication circuits serving the city. Its radio mast was originally added in 1951 and appropriately the birth horoscope of the building has Uranus, the planet of technology and electricity as its highest planet. On July 28 1945, when ominous Pluto came to join the building's birth Mars, an Army B-25 plane, lost in fog, flew into the side of the skyscraper. Fourteen lives were lost, yet remarkably an elevator operator survived a one thousand foot plummet as the building shook with impact. The Cancer Ingress of 2006 will bring both Saturn and Mars (carrying the square to Jupiter) across the Mars position of the 1931 opening. Of course this may pass with only minor incidents, as the building has weathered difficult transits before, but astrologically speaking, it is a potentially more hazardous time. Although many banks have been making an absolute killing in the markets and in profit margins generally, the weeks leading into the Cancer Ingress will feature free-fall market corrections, and many financial institutions will really feel the crunch. What we have occurring here is Jupiter, the planet most linked to an expansionary economy, being challenged by Saturn, which governs the principle of contraction. They have been called the planets of bull and bear, boom and bust. When they form a more challenging aspect such as the square, it signals a re-arrangement of affairs, and the unpredictability of the markets in times of change tends toward promoting Saturnian fear and withdrawal, rather than Jupiterian optimism. Bank slides may be part of the washup. One of those affected is the Bank of Japan, born October 6 1882. This bank is integral to the Japanese economy and faces tougher progressions over the coming year. The Financial Picture We’ve had two powerful astro-signatures affecting the economy which has seen some rocky markets during May. June will tend to sort a lot of that out and watch particularly around the solstice time of the 21st. The signatures have been a nice Grand Trine last month between Mars, Jupiter and Uranus. This should have granted breaking technology and scientific funding, plus flight and emerging technologies, plenty of support. Jupiter is the planety of futuristic optimism and Uranus favours the individual free-market economies. This formation came to be in late November of 2005, repeated in early may 2006, and will finish late August, early September this year. From September 2006 another powerful cycle will dominate and that is a Saturn - Neptune opposition, which will see leadership changes worldwide, a correction of markets, and locking in with the Jupiter/Saturn square toward the end of October, indicates tightening economies. What we’re seeing building in mid June and peaking between the 17th and 23rd, is a squaring of Saturn and Jupiter being joined by Mars, which can often act as a market timer. So we should get a taste of this contraction, as it’s very strong on the 18th and 19th. Now this would tend toward a contraction as Mars joined the more skeptical Saturn. World markets generally began a downward slide over a fortnight leading into the solstice. Even the consistent and strong ASX felt this contraction.
In a personal
sense it will be affecting all those born at the beginning of the fixed
signs Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. So careful planning, perhaps
even some downsizing or hard decisions needing to be made during that
period for those born toward the end of April, July, October and January.
Both the Iraq Kingdom and Iran (Islamic rule) horoscopes are touched by the Mars/Saturn combination, which promises a much more spirited opposition to the latter's nuclear development plans. Iraq of course remains a hotpsot, but I still favour the beginnings of a gradual pullout later in the year. In a previous article I mentioned that the leaders of the US, England and Australia, if the astrolgical pattern of Saturn through Cancer and Leo worked as in the previous century, would not see out their terms of office. In the case of British PM Tony Blair this certainly seems the case. US President Bush remains, although with diminishing public approval. Australian PM John Howard seems unaffected, although the rumour drums are now beating that he may step aside before time. At the time of writing it seems hard to imagine, although the Australian horoscope also supports changes at the top. CHANGING CHANNELS Look for new developments regarding the future of Channel Nine, the long time market leader in Sydney television. The Mars/Saturn conjunction in square to Jupiter, lands right on the Moon/Venus of the Channel Nine horoscope. It marked the time that Australian television broadcasting began at 6.30 pm September 16 1956. Nine was born with an Aquarian Moon, making it the ideal broadcaster for the common collective. The Moon's configuration with Venus guaranteed popularity and the channel made good use of the star system. Personalities like Graham Kennedy, Bert Newton, Don Lane, Brian Henderson, Don Burke and Darryl Sommers became household names. Kennedy was an Aquarian and his own Venus was aligned precisely to Channel Nine's Moon. The Moon is the public and Kennedy reigned supreme as the first real King of Television in Australia. Current planetary indicators mirror the cost cutting at the Nine network, and make it initially more difficult for the station to perform in the ratings battle. The longer-term future will smooth that out and Nine should be performing well again especially during 2008. Many have speculated that Jamie Packer will sell of his Nine network interests to concentrate on casino and other diverse investments. Yet strangely, although he may not have the entrepreneurial nature of his Sagittarian father and grandfather, his horoscope closely matches Channel Nine's. For example the Nine horoscope places beneficial growth planet Jupiter on James' birth Sun, plus power and mass media Pluto upon his Venus. Although James would no doubt approve a culling of Nine’s budget, the station also offers him a public platform, as well as many other benefits. It may not be so wise to divest these considering the positive aspects of the two horoscopes. Certainly it has already conferred much financial advantage to James, as was predicted by the two original horoscopes.
Copyright © Ed Tamplin June 2006 |
