"The natal chart is like a seed and progressions are the unfolding in time of that into the plant it is to become. Transits, are like a daily weather report. In political astrology, these three factors have to be taken into account!"
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NewsScope has been published continually since 1997. Links to NewsScope articles from September 2015 through December 2017 can be found in the Menu. Back copies dating from 2009 through 2015 are at
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Recent NewsScopes
Jan. 1, 2018 - Trump’s 2018 prospects; Protests break out in Iran; Gordon Ramsay, Celebrity Chef.
Jan. 8, 2018 - Trump’s 12th House Pluto; Saturn Opposite the U.S. Venus; Wolff’s “Fire and Fury”
Jan. 15, 2018 - Astro-Anatomy of a Comment; Total Super Blue Moon Eclipse; Stormy Daniels
Jan. 22, 2018 - Saturn opposes the U.S. Venus; Laurence Fink Touts CEO responsibility; Tom Petty
Jan.29, 2018 - Fake News and the Uranus-Neptune Cycle; Top 5 Astro-Evenys for Feb; Wynn Takes a Hit
Feb. 5, 2018 - Rosenstein, FBI Deputy Director under Fire; Millennials Embrace Astrology; The NYSE
Feb. 12, 2018 - Rachel Brand Heads for Walmart; The Pentagon; Kim Yo Jong’s Historic Visit
Feb. 19, 2018 - Mueller’s Indictment of Russian Meddlers; The Nov. election; Melania Trump’s Juno
Feb. 26, 2018 - March for our Lives; March’s Top Five Astro-Events; The NRA’s Saturn Return
March 5, 2018 - Washington Chaos Going Global; “Trade Wars are Good”; Hope Hicks’ White House Diary
March 12, 2018 - Trump’s Chart in Pyongyang; Stormy Daniels Sues Trump; Oprah Winfrey in 2020?
March 19, 2018 - Stormy Daniels’ Birth Time; Trump and Black Moon Lilith; Stephen Hawking is Smiling.
March 26, 2018 - China Counter-Attacks in Growing Trade War; Top 5 Astro-Events for April; John Bolton
April 2, 2018 - Health Care Industry; Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream; the astrology of Royal Weddings
April 9, 2018 - The NYSE and Trade War; Mark Zuckerberg goes to DC; Kate Hudson’s Love Life
April 23, 2018 - Kim Jong Un, Peacemaker; Michael Avenetti, Stormy’s attorney; Allison Mack arrested.
April 30, 2018 - Trump’s High-Risk Style; May’s Top Five AstroEvents; Paris Hilton’s Online Fame
May 7, 2018 - Trump’s New Lawyer, Rudy Giuliani; NASA’s Mars Mission; Cheryl Burke’s Venus-Pluto.
May 14, 2018 - Strong and Proud, Israel at Seventy; Viktor Vekselberg; Hawaii’s Kilauea and asteroid Pele
May 21, 2018 - Trump’s 2018 Solar Return; Michael Avenatti Update; Meghan Markle's Part of Fortune.
May 28, 2018 - Kim Jong Un Makes Nice; June's Top 5 Astro-Events; Meghan Markle and the Great Mother
June 4, 2018 - Mars Rx in Aquarius; SpaceX Becomes Profitable; Roseanne Barr’s 12th House Mars
June 11, 2018 - Saturn-Pluto Culture Wars; Ambas-sador Dennis Rodman; Spade and Bourdain
June 18, 2018 - Trump on the Offensive; July 12 Solar Eclipse; Cristiano Ronaldo, the best soccer player
June 25, 2018 - Immigration Crisis; China Imposes $50b Tariffs; Atul Gawande, Healing the Health System
July 2, 2018 - Mexico has a new President; July’s Top Five; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Upset Victory.
July 9, 2018 - The Trump-Putin Summit; Jefferson and Adams Validate the U.S. Horoscope; Mr. Rogers.
July 16, 2018 - Louise Hay, th Queen of the New Age, how thoughts become reality with Mercury-Chiron.
July 23, 2018 - The Lunar Eclipse as Mercury Rx; Roe v. Wade Re-Visited; Maria Butina, the Kremlin link
July 30, 2018 - Astro-Event #6: the Uranus Station; August’s Top Five Astro-Events; Tech Takes a Dive
Aug. 06, 2018 - Neptune Conjoining the U.S. Prog. Sun; Hemingway’s Over-Active Mars.
Aug. 13, 2018 - Trump Declares Economic War on Turkey; Women Politicians Trending Up; Omarosa
Aug. 20, 2018 - Mercury in Trump’s 12th House; The Trump Taj Mahal; Brennan: “Trump is Drunk on Power”
Aug. 27, 2018 - Trump’s Midheaven Eclipsed; Mike Pence, Waiting in the Wings; September’s Top Five
Sept. 03, 2018 - Election Day Astrology; SA-PL and Neo-Nazis on the Rise;
Pope Francis Under Fire
Sept. 10, 2018 - Crazytown, USA; Canopy Growth, Weed Stocks Soaring; Jocelyn Bell Burnell recognized.
Sept. 17, 2018 - The Astrology of U.S. Disasters; Hurricane Florence; Willie Nelson Gets Political
Sept. 24, 2018 - Echoes of Anita Hill; October’s Top Five Astro-Events; Chris Hedges on Totalitarian Capitalism
Oct. 01, 2018 - Senator Flake Moved by Venus; Brett Kavanaugh’s Mercury-Neptune; Elon Musk's tweets
Oct. 08, 2018 - The #MeToo Movement advances; October’s Astro-Event #6; Is it Art? The Banksy Effect
Oct. 15, 2018 - Jamal Khashoggi’s Silence is Deafening; Market Sell-Off; Two Stars are Re-Born
Oct. 22, 2018 - Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman; Post-Election Developments; Elizabeth Warren in 2020
Oct. 29, 2018 - Mars in the U.S. 4th House; Top Five for November; Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s Next President
Nov. 5, 2018 - Mueller’s Mercury-Uranus Config; The Migrant Caravan; Gwyneth Paltrow and Madame Ovary
Nov. 12, 2018 - Matthew Whitaker’s App't; Florida Re-Count; Somalian Ilhan Omar Elected to Congress.
Nov. 19, 2018 - California’s Uranus Return; To Brexit or Not to Brexit; The 2020 Jupiter-Saturn Conjunction
Nov. 26, 2018 - Top 5 Astro-Events for Dec; Trump fights for the Wall; Nancy Pelosi Fights for Leadership
Dec.03, 2018 - Mercury Direct Energizes Mueller; George H. W. Bush, the 41st President; Barbara Bush,
Dec.10, 2018 - Echoes from the Watergate; NYSE Update; Ariana Grande’s Generational Influence
Dec. 17, 2018 - Top Five for Trump in 2019; Chief Mick Mulvaney; Loesser's "Baby, It’s Cold Outside”
Dec. 24, 2018 - The Jan. 5 Solar Eclipse Lilith Derails the Markets; Trump Signs Farm Bill, legalizes hemp.
Dec. 31, 2018 - January’s Top Five; Mitch McConnell, GOP Leader; Joe Biden, the Leading Dem. candidate.
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Recent NewsScopes
Jan. 7, 2019 - Trump Threatens lengthy; China’s Slowdown; Merc. Rx on Election Day 2020.
Jan. 14, 2019 - Gov't Shut downs; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Social Media Star; Aquarius Beckoning
Jan. 21, 2019 - Michael Cohen Timeline, with his 15º Cap.Ascendant; Lauren Sanchez, the Other Woman
Jan.28, 2019 - Roger Stone, the Dirty Trickster; Feb.sTop 5 Astro-Events; Tom Brady’s Swan Song
Feb. 4, 2019 - Kamala Harris in 2020; Russia under Pluto spell; Evan Rachel Wood’s Bout with PTSD
Feb. 11, 2019 - AOC’s Green New Deal; Ceres: Co-sponsor; Virginia’s Black Moon Lilith Problem
Feb. 18, 2019 - The U.S. Pluto Return; The 2020 Saturn-Pluto Conjunction; The 2020 Election
Feb. 25, 2019 - March's Top 5 Astro-Events; Nicolas Maduro, Ven.Dictator; Zion Williamson's shoe
March 04, 2019 - Allen Weisselberg, Trump’s CFO; Jupiter-Saturn in Aquarius; The U.S. Pluto Return, 2
March 11, 2019 - Ilhan Omar and Eris; Trump’s Progressed Moon; Kane Tanaka, Oldest Person
March 18, 2019 - Saturn-Pluto and Big Oil; Big Oil’s Horoscope; Greta Thunberg Leads Global Movement
March 25, 2019 - Pluto on the South Node; April’s Top Five; Anthony William, Medical Medium celery juice
April 1, 2019 - Adam Schiff Leads Trump Investigation; Boeing’s 737 MAX 8; Jussie Smollett’s Hoax
April 8, 2019 - Joe Biden’s Touchy-Feely Problem; U.S. Scorpio Rising; Mackenzie Bezos, 4th Richest Woman
April 15, 2019 - U.S. Merc and Taxes; Saturn and Pluto Oppose Trump’s Venus-Saturn; Name That Planet!
April 22, 2019 - Trump and the Mueller Report; The U.S. Pluto Return, Part 3; Bernie Sanders leading the pack.
April 28, 2019 - Top Five Astro-Events for May; The U.S. Pluto Return, Part 4: parallels to the 1930s
May 6, 2019 - 2020 Election Results? Beyond Meat Skyrockets; James Holzhauer’s on Jeopardy
May 13, 2019 - balance from U.S. Saturn in Libra; Iran Poised for War; Presidents Impacted by Solar Eclipses
May 20, 2019 - Roe v. Wade Re-Visited; Eclipse hits Trump-Iran Conflict; Britney Spears’ 730 Evaluation
May 27, 2019 - The Trump-Pelosi Feud; June's Top Five Astro-Events; Hurricane Season and the U.S. Mars
June 3, 2019 - Trump’s 2019 Solar Return; Julian Assange; Kawli Leonard Leads the Toronto Raptors
June 10, 2019 - U.S. Pluto Return and Mars; Chinese Communist Party; Olivia Jade Hit by Saturn and Pluto
June 17, 2019 - Democratic Candidates Debate; Trump Relocated to Tehran; Eliz Warren on the Rise
June 24, 2019 - U.S. Progressed Mars Activated; July's Top 5 Astro-Events; Hopeful Pete Buttigieg
July 1, 2019 - Kamala Harris Hits Home Run; Pluto and the Concentration of Power; Megan Rapinoe, Soccer Star
re: 20-year cycle - Thank you for your insightful NewsScope column. I am not aware of anything else quite like it. Regarding the 20-year American Presidential cycle, I noticed that George W. Bush, elected in 2000, did not die in office. However, during a critical astrological time period of this administration, when I expected the pattern to play out, former President Reagan passed away instead. Sort of a deferred prophecy. Keep up the good work!
re: Trump – You wrote "...the bottom line is that Trump’s days in office are coming to a close just before or, more likely, soon after this Solar Eclipse." This would make Trump's running mate President. Does Pence's chart reflect that? Or will another rabbit be pulled out of the hat? As always, thanks for sharing your passion and gift for interpretations.
re: crash - It has been a previlage to visit every Monday Morning early in the hours every week and has been nothing but an educational experience to read and read to digest what you write; I have to say at my old age your blog and your writings are GOD SENT and exceptionally great to read and learn from.
With that said, as every where now a days you read this coming Capricon stellium of outer planets that is going to happen in 2020 and it is going to crash financial markets and going into recession due to Saturn combining with Jupiter and so on; I realize that we are in the Biggest Bubble created by central banks around the world and it will burst some time. Will you please kindly write on this if and whenever you have to time to do it to see what is your take on economy and financial markets.
re: gender - Apart from whether or not the VP's inclinations extend beyond the normative male-female monogamy, are there astrological signals that may indicate different sexual or gender tendencies in any one particular chart? And with the prominence now of not only homosexuality but also all forms of gender non-conformity and fluidity, as well as transgender, coming to the fore, what are the broader astrological themes that show this cultural/generational change?
And does this tie into the #metoo movement, which calls down the male power privilege with respect to sexual exploitation?
re: astrology - It’s fascinating that astrology, something our present civilization views as fundamental to an individual’s character, is ignored by deeper analysis. Love your column. It’s my first thing to read on Mondays.
re: NewsScope - As always with many many many thanks for your kindness and keeping us interested in Astrology and writings.
re: Pluto Return - Thanks for all you write. Ever since you said Hillary would not be President (in spite of my most fervent wishes and all those polls saying she was ahead) I totally trust your political assessments. Your column on the Pluto return is sobering to be sure. But there is another strain of conservatism that might need to be recognized. That of the government institutions, and the press, which are still doing their jobs, for the most part. One thing for sure, the American Empire (not that I really love that term) is going into eclipse, if not by being outstripped by the likes of China, India, or Europe, but because we haven't gotten our own house in order, and have let our worst characteristics run amok.
re: Mueller report - What happened with Mueller's investigation. Nothing on Trump. Seems like much ado about nothing--except for the dudes who went to jail.
A. Stay tuned! Watch as Pluto turns retrograde while oposing Trump's Saturn. Also, Eris is now at 23º44' Aries, exactly squaring Trump's Saturn (orb: 0º04').
re: pages - This is probably nothing but I feel I should mention it , I have this site in a bookmark on my phone and for some reason when I access Neptune cafe it has Not Secure next to the name, this has just started showing up , it doesn’t happen to anything else I go to, was wondering if something is happening with the site...or what ???
A. It's because Google deems my site not mobile friendly. Fixing it would mean re-designing dozens of pages and I don't have the time to do that. Not to worry that it's being hacked though. Thanks for the feedback.
re: candidates - Of all the announced Democratic candidates for president this Swalwell has the most connections to that 25 degree Aquarius moon you reference often in regards to electability. He has Mars 25 degrees Sag, Uranus 25 degrees Scorpio and his moon for noon shows 28 Aquarius so if born earlier in day may actually be right on 25 degrees!
re: UK - There is so much going on right now in the news!! Maybe you already predicted it, but do you think the U.K. will have another referendum? If Brexit happens, the ensuing recession would spread to Europe like a cancer. It’s been funded and supported by the far right and Putin. Putin, of course, wants to restore Russia in its formal glory as a superpower to rival the US, and do do that, he needs to split and divide the West. Ergo, he supports Brexit. Trump wants a hotel in Moscow, and he is willing to do anything to make that happen, no matter what the cost.
re: Trump - Have you predicted yet whether Trump would finish out his presidency? With the Mueller report completed when Mercury is retrograde, would that hinder his case and be good for Trump? Or does the retrograde in this instance signify uncovering of secrets?
re: Trump - After you wrote about Trump's progressed Moon moving on top of his natal Mars, I noticed Trump's recent threat, "I got the cops and the military and Bikers for Trump..." What a fascist!. When I heard that, I thought of his progressed Moon
A. Yes, that braggadocio is a clear manifestation of his martial self-promotion.
re: NewsScope – I’ve been reading NewsScope for ten years, every Monday. Can’t wait til the next issue, thanks.
re: Bitcoin - There seem to be multiple charts for "Bitcoin". Bitcoin has been around long enough now to see a pattern in its valuation: dramatic price drops of 70%, followed by dramatic price increases, followed by drops, etc. Is there a Bitcoin chart that fits this valuation pattern? Is Bitcoin set to become the first international non-state medium of exchange? Thanks for your interesting site.
A. I have written about bitcoin's chart in the distant past (see bitcoin), but it's certainly worth another look.
re: Trump - Your piece on Uranus transits to the US ascendant: It does point to radical change but not a great sign if you were the one currently in power, yes? And does Trump's chart ever show signs of incarceration? He'll likely skate any federal charges, but it seems NY jails are ready and open for his business...
re: Trump - Doesn't transiting North Node conjunct Trump's natal Sun in 2020 weigh heavily in favor of his re-election?
A. It certainly helps, as does transiting Saturn, Pluto, and Jupiter trine his MC. Note that by definition, the Lunar Nodes are aligned with the eclipsed planet. However, many other factors should be considered, especially how his opponent's chart looks. Basing any forecast or prediction on one indicator is a sure way to miss the boat. Favorable transits can be totally over-ruled by hard progressions, for example.
re: Trump - Anticipating Trump's visit to the UK, Theresa May's people were warned not to schedule meetings lasting longer than 30 minutes "because of problems with his concentration span.’. Officials were told that, when a meeting exceeds that time limit, Trump just just checks out and 'starts doodling’. There's also been a lot of speculation about his drug use--- Aderall in particular. In addition, hundreds of mental health professionals expressed their concerns, issuing an analysis and a warning to all of us. Plus, his increasingly bizarre behavior indicates major problems.
Would you please consider looking into Trump's mental health?
re: 2020 - I read with some real concern your probably correct analysis that the US 2020 election will be under very real stress from continued [Russian] sabotage. Unhappily, what you also need to consider is that Bernie Sanders’ “independent Democrat” candidacy and generous fund-raising may also be part of that sabotage plan. Sanders candidacy is a classic diversionary tactic to peel off and divide the more liberal voters away from the larger Democratic candidate. Whatever his own motives – and I am not questioning these by any means – his “further left” views make him an ideal candidate for generous funding from black sources and even covertly from the Republican party itself. The Repubs will never attack Sanders; just watch.
July 8, 2019 - Int'l Climate Emergency; California Earthquakes; Cory Booker and the 2021 Inauguration
July 15, 2019 - Plutocrat Jeffrey Epstein Arrested; Trump Re-Elected? The Democratic Field Narrows
July 22, 2019 - Ilhan Omar Takes Center Stage; The Heat is On; Space Travel in the Age of Aquarius
July 29, 2019 - Russian Meddling in 2020; Top 5 Astro-Events; Boris Johnson, the UK’s New Prime Minister
Aug. 5, 2019 - Scorpio Rising, Part 2; Trump Tweet Tumbles Markets; Uranus Disrupts White Supremacy
Aug. 12, 2019 - U.S. Mars Activated; M. Williamson Touts Spiritual Renewal; Slovakia's Zuzana Čaputová
Aug. 19, 2019 - The JU-SA cnj; Hong Kong Fights for Independence; Greta Thunberg and the climate
Aug, 26, 2019 - Top 5 for September; Trump and King George III; Bolsonaro and the Amazon fires.
Sept. 2, 2019 - Madeleine Westerhout fired; Hong Kong’s chart; Alexandria Villaseñor Protest at U.N.
Sept. 9, 2019 - Biden’s Prog Mercury at a Standstill; The Eighth Harmonic; Saturn and the U.S. Gerontocracy
Sept. 16, 2019 - The Fist of God; Presidents and the U.S. Moon; LoveSac Wins over Consumers
Sept. 23, 2019 - Trump and the Ukraine; Justin Trudeau Melts under Saturn-Neptune; Brad Pitt Stars in Ad Astra.
Sept. 30, 2019 - October's top five astro-events; Elizabeth Warren on the rise; Trump's Black Moon Lilith
Oct. 7. 2019 - Trump’s Relocated Lilith; Bernie Sanders in Trouble; Greta Thunberg and U.S. Politics.
Oct. 14, 2019 - Rudy Giuliani and Lilith; Gener-ational Mental Health Trends; Simone Biles Wins
Oct. 21, 2019 - Lilith over Syria; Impeachment during Mercury Retrograde; Dismiss or Convict?
Oct. 28, 2019 - November's top 5 astro-events; Merury rx updated, brings an unusually positive phase and insights
Nov. 04, 2019 - Trump’s Phone Call with Zelensky;
Hygeia, the Health Care Dwarf Planet
Nov. 11, 2019 - Mercury Occults the Sun, the chart set in Washington; Bloom-berg Prepares to Run
Nov. 18, 2019 - Lessons from Watergate; Nixon and Trump Parallels; The Trump Impeachment Horoscope
Nov. 25, 2019 - Dec.’s Top Five; Trump’s Natal and Progressed Midheaven and the impeachment hearings
Dec. 2, 2019 - The unflap-pable Adam Schiff; Mike Pence waiting in the wings as impeachment proceeds.
Dec. 9, 2019 - Pete Buttigieg and the Saturn-Pluto Conjunction; The June 21, 2020 Solar Eclipse
Dec. 16, 2019 - Tribal Politics under Saturn-Pluto; The December 2020 Solar Eclipse hits Trump’s Sun
Dec. 23, 2019 - Economic Crash? How close are we to The Age of Aquarius? The New Age
Dec. 30, 2019 - January’s Top Five Astro-Events; Carl Jung and The Age of Aquarius; Global Warming
re: NewsScope - Great work! Your columns this week are really awesome and show young astrologers how to do mundane or political astrology. You have provided us with truly stellar work. Thanks so much.
re: Scorpio - Your powerful column this morning has convinced me the US Ascendant is indeed Scorpio. I have seen your other writings on this subject and was intrigued. You have now tipped the scale. I will be defending your view on other astrology sites.
re: Scorpio - I have often mulled over your notion that the USA chart has a Scorpio Ascendant - today you made the best arguments for it. I recall, as an immigrant with a perspective from other cultures, that what struck me the most about this country is that it is one of extremes; the Americans I have met in my travels reflected both the very best and the very worst. Also, following your other arguments regarding the Revolutionary War, it was really more about taxation (without representation) than human freedom.
re: U.S. Moon - I am aware of the "most important link a candidate needs is the US Moon at 25 Aquarius." But have all the US Presidents had this in their chart? If not, who didn't, and what in their chart overrode that? Thanks for your comments this morning; disturbing as I find them.
A. All of them since FDR have has this connection, which shows the importance of media in conveying a candidate's essence. Prior to FDR, connections to Pluto dominated, which was more about connecting to the elite. I've written in depth about this, and you can read more here.
re: Beyond Meat - My hubby bought Beyond Meat stock after your report, and it’s done pretty well. Keep the stock tips coming!
re: Macron - Monday's read: Once again your insights are nothing short of amazing. I’m curious: When Le Pen was ousted by Macron, against the "stars wishes", what was the thing that pushed him into the winner's circle? Your very interesting look at past presidents and how they got to be one, reveals the "norm." But there are those who didn't fit the mold. Do they, the odd-men-out-but-in, share something?
NewsScope for January 6, 2020
By Michael O’Reilly
Qasam Suleimani, The Power Behind Iran’s Geopolitical Aspirations
In a statement issued by the Pentagon, the U.S. drone strike against Qasam Suleimani was carried out “at the direction of the President.” Beyond the political backlash this incident has inspired in Washington, Suleiman’s killing will likely have far-reaching geopolitical consequences, noting that Iran has promised revenge. Previously, presidents Bush and Obama declined to take out this general, citing the likelihood of war with Iran.
A suggested birth time of 6:50 am gives Suleimani Aries Rising (March 11, 1957; Kerman, Iran), and places Eris – the Goddess of Chaos and Discord -- right on the Ascendant. His meteoric rise to leadership positions during the Iran-Iraq War, the scars on his face, his bravery in battle are all attributes of an Aries Ascendant. This places his many Pisces planets in the 12th house, which has made him the power behind the throne, the leader of the Revolutionary Guard that supports Iran’s Islamic government.
There’s no question that General Suleimani was a man accustomed to violence and ready to use it whenever it served his purpose. Mars in Taurus squares Pluto in Leo, a signature that in itself promotes this tendency. Add in Mars’s square to Black Moon Lilith in Aquarius, and the inherent obsession with power and dominance reaches monstrous dimensions. Note that American mass shooter James Holmes had a similar configuration with his Lilith squaring a Mars-Pluto conjunction.
Suleimani’s 12th house Sun in Pisces, along with Mercury and Venus, square Saturn in the 9th house, underscoring his behind-the-scenes alliance with Iran’s Shia government. The strong Pisces and 12th house influences suggests the large-scale plan to spread Shia power throughout the Middle East, beyond Iran’s actual national borders. With Eris on his Ascendant, he naturally took to spreading chaos and discord wherever U.S., Saudi, and Israeli influence was in effect.
He was taken out at 1:30 am on January 3 shortly after landing at the Baghdad airport. He had arrived to personally oversee his campaign against the American Embassy in Baghdad, displaying an over-confidence that he would not be targeted. A Mercury-Jupiter conjunction near his Midheaven reflects this over-confidence. Also at the time, his progressed Mars was exactly conjunct his 4th house cusp, the point of endings and new beginnings. Transiting Mars in Scorpio was challenging his natal Mars-Pluto square.
Helping to verify the angles, the transiting Moon was conjunct his Eris and Ascendant at 8º Aries. The transiting Lunar Nodes were also squaring his Ascendant. Many other exact hits from the transits to the natal or progressed chart help confirm this speculative birth time. Most importantly, his progressed Sun at 21º Taurus had just entered his dramatic Mars-Pluto-Lilith configuration, suggesting that he had recently initiated a new campaign for spreading Iranian influence through violence and mayhem.
Pluto and Global Warming
(This is another excerpt from my feature article in this month’s Dell Horoscope magazine)
In the United States, unprecedented outbreaks of tornadoes, wildfires, severe flooding, drought, supercell storms, and record high temperatures have become the norm. The vast majority of scientists who specialize in meteorology are all in agreement that the climate is warming up due to human activity. NASA, the United Nations Panel on Climate Control, and innumerable non-governmental organizations have long warned that time is running out for the world to agree upon and take collective action against this trend.
The election of Donald Trump in 2016 ushered in a wave of climate deniers, and consequently, unbridled support for the oil and gas industry, including support for the producers of the dirtiest fossil fuel, the coal industry. Americans are psychologically split about global warming. On the one hand, 83% of Americans believe that increasing use of renewable resources is a top priority for the country’s energy policy. Polls indicate that Americans have become increasingly convinced that global warming is real, with 70% admitting that they’re worried or concerned about it.
On the other hand, they continue to leave a massive carbon footprint by making the giant gas-guzzling SUVs and pick-up trucks the best-selling autos. Currently, two out of every three vehicles sold today are SUVs, minivans, or pickups. This is a huge problem for our planet. The disconnect between choosing bigger and less fuel-efficient vehicles and the growing global warming crisis is a kind of collective schizophrenia. Americans as a whole seem mesmerized by material accumulation, no matter what the damage to the planet may be.
It’s a self-destructive trend that evokes Pluto. Since 2014 the U.N. Panel on Climate Change has warned us that we have only a few years to get our act together, that the Earth is on an irreversible course of climatic disruption unless nations agree on dramatic cuts in pollution. At the same time, the U.S. is heading into its first Pluto Return. Pluto was at 27º Capricorn when the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. It returns to its natal position 246 years later, in 2022 and 2023.
The Pluto Return, as in any planetary return, refers to the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new one. When we consider Pluto, the death and re-birth phase becomes a central theme. In the same way that the New Moon marks the end of a 30-day cycle and the beginning of the next one, Pluto’s return marks the end of a 246-year cycle and the beginning of a new one.
And in the same way that astrologers refer to the closure phase as beginning in the last quarter of the cycle, Pluto has been in its closure phase since March 2000 when it was at 12º Sagittarius (when Pluto was octile natal Pluto). So from 2000 through 2023, the American scene is under the influence of Pluto’s last hurrah before the nation is somehow re-born. The synchronicity of the U.S. Pluto Return unfolding at the same time as global warming reaches a critical point unites the two: the astrology is manifest as a real threat to our collective well-being and even survival.
to be continued...
Transiting Pluto makes the first of three conjunctions to the U.S. Pluto on February 20, 2022 (2/02/2022)
