Will the Real Barack Obama Please Stand Up? Our President, One Mercury Cycle Later

June 5, 2009

It’s one Mercury cycle into the first term of President Obama, and not surprisingly the media have responded unconsciously by issuing several reports on what our new president is REALLY like. In particular, the feature section of May 25th issue of Newsweek was devoted completely to such assessments from several commentators and news analysts.

This gives us a chance to reevaluate him in light of his birth chart. Most of the reports describe him as being “harder” than he portrayed himself during the campaign, but I wonder if that's just the surprised response of those without the enlightened perspective that his birth chart provides.

He Is a True (Sun in) Leo.
“He has learned that he enjoys power — the capacity to shape reality in his image and by his lights.” (Jon Meacham, What He’s Like Now, Newsweek 5/25/09) The Sun outshines all other bodies in our heavens when it is above the horizon. Even in the night sky, it directs the movement of the planets with its unseen hand. The Sun rules Leo, which is the placement of Obama’s Sun. It the sign of the sovereign, the one in whose presence all other light pales. This does not mean that Obama presumes to take this royal role, but he does have that air about him. Other words or phrases that are used to describe him are (except where noted, from Meacham):

• moving as he wishes to move, the world bending itself to him
• shapes policy, even in sub-policy areas (e.g., auto maker restructuring plans)
• prefers to stand alone, not using others as policy authorities
• catlike (Christopher Hitchens, Jacob Weisberg) = Leo the LION
• He sticks out his chin when challenged, his eyes flashing, and wants the upper hand. (I saw this petulance in one of the debates with Hillary Clinton.)


He Is, According to His Chart, Designed for Power.
If there is a theme in Mr. Obama’s chart, it is the (right) use of power. Although there are checks and balances there that create caution and have at times slapped him down (his wife is one), he is built for the redirection and management of power. Key power points in his chart include:

• Sun in Leo (its rulership)
• Jupiter conjunct Saturn: This is a well-known traditional placement of great leaders. It was in the heavens when Jesus was born (by the most reliable records), which is why the three magi (read: astrologers) went searching for him. Martin Sheen (who played President Bartlet in The West Wing) has this conjunction, as does Dick Cheney.
• Mars in Virgo: This placement makes him efficient and dedicated, good with details and hard-working. It also contributes a note of humility (one of those checks and balances).
• Uranus conjunct North Node (Pluto not far away): The deep desire (and perhaps destiny) to be an agent of change.

Some of the writers’ phrases that speak to these contacts are:

• He revels in his power (in an understated way).
• He loves that all of what he’s doing matters.
• He feels his authority and effectiveness.
• little small talk, no smarminess
• wholly businesslike, “time is valuable”
• He finds crisis [to be] defining, bracing, and useful.
• He exhibits pragmatism and a willingness to change his mind when presented with new info.
• He is realistic about his decisions and the possibility of making mistakes.
• He takes “A Highly Logical Approach” (Meacham).

He Plays Well With Others.
Mr. Obama is the ultimate balancer. With the Sun opposing his Ascendant, he often seeks reconciliation as an end in itself, whether with Congress, foreign powers, or Republicans (often to the dismay of his supporters). Jacob Weisberg (Getting to Know Obama, Newsweek 5/25/09) complains about the moral hollowness of this approach, making the following points in unwitting support of this part of his chart:

• For Obama, the middle ground is the high ground.
• He seeks true reconciliation of opposite factions.
• He enjoys engaging opponents.
• He lacks a moral stance - what does he believe? Examples: He repudiates but won’t investigate torture. He supports gay equality but won’t take action (marriage or military).

He Is a Cool Cat.
We already see the feline in the lion, but that coolness comes from his Aquarius Ascendant (rising sign). But how cool is he? Aquarius, a winter sign in the northern hemisphere, can be downright cold. He also has Jupiter and South Node in Aquarius.

• He is cool in crisis.
• His economic policy is self-described as “ruthless pragmatism” (His Jupiter-Saturn also fits this characterization.)
• He cuts off meetings when it covers familiar ground
• His habit of confidence and self-reliance (coming from his fatherless childhood, says Meacham) “creates the impression of iciness”.

He is not willing to sacrifice principle for political loyalty, even though his principles may still be difficult to see in his actions at this early stage. This can be linked to his Moon squaring Pluto.

A Bushel Full of Subtlety, Ambiguity, and Contradiction
His chart is full of subtle planetary interrelationships — with contradictory energies that he is constantly forced to (attempt to) blend. With such inner challenges, it is no surprise to hear him described as embracing complexity with the sophisticated intelligence of a well-developed mind. Obama says,

“The American people, I think, not only have a toleration but also a hunger for explanation and complexity, and a willingness to acknowledge hard problems. I think one of the biggest mistakes that is made in Washington is this notion you have to dumb down things for the public.”

As a person with strong Neptune contacts — and elected under its beams — public perception has been idealistic, even verging on idolatry. Now that Mercury has completed a revelatory retrograde past Neptune, we can see more of the real man, and the media are dutifully providing a sobering reflection of our new leader.

© Terry Lamb

Will Anything Be Accomplished by the G20 Meeting?

This weekend leaders from 20 nations, representing 85% of the world’s wealth, met to discuss the world economic crisis and make some decisions about what to do. The meeting started with a toast by George W. Bush prior to a “working dinner” at approximately 7:30 PM EST in Washington DC. How well successful will the G20 leaders be in heading off a greater global economic crisis? The details are in the chart of the event, shown here.

What Stands Out
Central to the situation is the energy of the Saturn-Uranus opposition. I have talked about this ad nauseam, but it must be brought up again as the most significant factor in the chart. This is because these two planets were at the highest (Midheaven) and lowest (IC/nadir) points in the heavens when the summit commenced.

However, this highly charged configuration receives mostly harmonious contacts from other planets. This says that, although there is a crisis, there are constructive ideas, even solutions that will be proposed. Notable among these are the contacts made by Jupiter, which trines Saturn and sextiles Uranus.

Just as with any situation, nothing’s perfect. The Moon — the timer, mood-setter, and representative of the public — is in Gemini, and it is about to make challenging connections with Saturn and Uranus (a square to each). This suggests that the leaders will not be of one mind, that there are many disparate viewpoints to be reconciled. This indeed seems to be the case, with (one pillar of Gemini representing) the powerful G7 versus (the other pillar of Gemini representing) the less-developed and under-represented nations like China and India.

The Moon’s placement implies conflict, which would have been evident right away due to pre-meeting statements, but during dinner they were avoided as the Moon passed Saturn-Uranus and made a trine to Neptune. However, on Saturday, all the disparate ideas came out as Moon made an opposition to Pluto. This was potentially explosive and would have had to be handled with diplomacy.

While the Moon is not a particular helpmate, Mercury the Messenger and Communicator is on the side of resolution. It made a trine to Uranus that would be felt all day, even on Friday. Despite anyone’s mood, there was a spirit of problem-solving and a setting aside of differences.

Jupiter Trines Saturn at Last: Sane and Sober or Ideological to the End?
One of the configurations I’ve been touting was strong over this weekend. Jupiter and Saturn have been heading toward their last of five trines, and the moment of perfection arrived this weekend. This pattern has been a double-edged sword, giving us the opportunity for a soft landing, but perhaps also the complacency to believe in a false hope that it’s already over. The leaders in the Bush Administration and business (the same thing), still bingeing on an obviously faulty ideology, have refused to accept that they’ve dug us into a truly deep hole and that they don’t have the slightest idea of how to dig us out. They don’t want to admit that more regulation — and enforcement of current regulation — is called for.

This is the complacency that trines are famous for, especially when one (or more) of the planets is debilitated. Jupiter in Capricorn, while a lovely placement that works well for many people, is not generally used well by the collective or those who have not developed some wisdom. This is our fearless leaders giving away our $700bn dollars to the banks, who are hoarding the money, using the cash to devour each other, and refusing to give it to the intended recipients — borrowers like us.

However, more rational minds, like Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy, have some very good ideas of what to do. These more rational minds are represented by a very pragmatic Saturn in Virgo, and soberly remind us that there is no easy fix. Our Jupiter-in-Capricorn leaders are a sorry lot, and although they had hoped to be the white-knight saviors of the world markets (as opposed to economies), they are being revealed as the ideologues they truly are.

We can see that this configuration, as with any, is a mixed bag. I have learned to be cautiously optimistic with trines, and conversely that squares and oppositions sometimes bring better, if more painful, outcomes. That being said, I think the Saturn influence in this pattern is a great help. We need a healthy dose of realism if we are to solve the problems. Fortunately, there are world leaders who have a better grip on how economies work and are not blinded by trickle-down free-market ideology. This suggests that the Jupiter-Saturn trine really is good news.

Uranus to the Rescue!
Believe it or not, Uranus the Awakener is our rescuer. It represents the paroxysms that have shaken the world’s financial systems over and over again. This blunt truth-teller is reporting quite faithfully that the system is badly out of balance and needs to be reshaped, perhaps even reinvented. This gives the Bush team a chance to stop deluding themselves. Everyone is subject to Uranus’s shocks, the more so if we have ignored or been unable to decipher the evidence before us.

Although Uranus is in the illuminating (but painful) opposition to Saturn, it is sextile to Jupiter. This is an opportunity aspect. If we are alert to openings around us, sextiles are those not-so-obvious windows of light into the world of positive change, especially where Jupiter and Uranus are concerned. The harmonies from Jupiter suggest that the solemn reality of the situation might just humble the Americans into new, healthier perspectives.

With a Little Help From Their Friend
The ultimate representative of obsessive ideology is none other than Pluto in Sagittarius. Although it doesn’t have to be used this way, it can be associated with all extreme and zealous viewpoints and ideologies. And boy oh boy are we ready to see it move into the reality-revealing sign of Capricorn! While it made its brief spin into Capricorn January 25–June 13, our leaders were faced with the horror that they had colluded in creating. It was an economic Pompeii in the real world. People were frozen in place, in shock.

Now we’ve had a chance to grapple with the issues and get used to them, and while they won’t go away any time soon, we’re perhaps a little better prepared now as Pluto makes its final ingress into Capricorn. Pluto is in Sagittarius in this chart, and it reminds us that not much can be done because it is at the end of an era, not the beginning. They will have to wait for substantive measures until Obama takes office.

Obama decided to send surrogates to represent him rather than be at the meeting himself. While the other leaders were eager to meet him and disappointed that he didn’t attend, Obama did not want to be associated with the Bush economic doctrine. Bush has remained adamant about maintaining his policy positions, and Obama wants as much distance between himself and these policies as possible.

The Outcome of the Meeting
We can see the outcome through the final aspect that the Moon makes and by the aspects made between the rulers of the Ascendant and IC. The Moon’s final aspect in Sagittarius is an opposition to Pluto: The summit meeting ends without a meaningful resolution. Internal conflicts still exist.

However, there is a bright light rising on the horizon. The ruler of the Ascendant is Mercury; of the IC is Jupiter. These two planets are headed toward a lovely sextile. There is a door of opportunity through which the G20 leaders can walk if they turn the knob and open it. When the new Obama administration comes in on January 20, there will finally be progress. Although the G20 will not meet again until April, Obama will be swift to meet with leaders individually and begin to implement the policies he wants to introduce. This is probably the best portent of all.

Between the Worlds: Obama’s Transition Period

Is there life after the election? You betcha! It may have been inconceivable to think of what life would be like after the election, but here we are. It’s like jumping off a cliff — we witnessed history as Barack Obama was transformed into the president-elect.

So what happens now? He selects his staff and cabinet, and puts together an entire administration in 74 days with a little help from his friends. From an astrological point of view, however, there’s more to it than that.

Remember the first “nanny-gate”? This was the one with Zoe Baird, the one where President-Elect Clinton made her his first choice for Attorney General. She was nixed when it was discovered that she had hired illegal immigrants to serve as her nanny and chauffeur and did not pay social security taxes on their wages. “Trouble with women” could have been predicted in the process, because Mars was retrograde in Cancer during most of his transition period. (In fact, a second woman, Kimba Wood, was also withdrawn from nomination for the post for similar reasons.) In short, the planetary events that occur during the transition are not without consequence.

Transition 2008
And never have there been so many perils, or such dramatic planetary patterns to reckon with. Let’s hit the highlights to get an overview of what to expect.

The Star of Our Show: Saturn Opposes Uranus
Expect the unexpected when these planets are in play. We held our breath hoping for a decisive outcome on Election Day, and we got it, but we truly didn’t know whether the Republicans could pull it out at the last minute, whether through their last-gasp get-out-the-vote effort or through election fraud shenanigans. But Obama won, as every indicator suggested he would. (Now, ask the people in Minnesota if there was any unpredictability in their electoral process! They still have yet to get an outcome to the senate race there.)

Saturn and Uranus both change directions during the transition period. Uranus returns to forward motion on November 27 (Thanksgiving Day), while Saturn turns retrograde (on December 31). These are such slow movers that they are virtually stationary for weeks at a time. Saturn is still in motion but slow, while Uranus is nearly still now. This is both momentous and complex, and of such long-standing duration that while it is a constant factor in our lives, it is felt most when it is triggered by a fast-moving planet like the Moon, Sun, Mercury, Venus, or Mars.

The Moon triggers Saturn-Uranus every week for 2½ days, and these dates are worth watching because they allow us to see what’s in the works. When the other triggers make contact, they result in more significant events. For example, I’m sure you noticed some volatility in the stock market on before, during, and after the election. This cannot be explained away simply as an effect of the election on investors. Venus was in contact with Saturn and Uranus, augmenting feelings of insecurity.

Roughly speaking, the Saturn-Uranus contact portends a sea change in social, political, and economic trends spurred by dramatic problems that cannot be solved by the usual bland measures. They are global in scale and are felt across issue areas, from the economy to the environment to our personal priorities. The best way to see how it is playing out is by watching what occurs on the dates when these planets are highlighted. After November 3–5, it is worth watching November 26–28, December 5–15, and December 29–31. The Moon triggers Saturn and Uranus every Thursday and Friday through mid-December, then every Wednesday-Thursday through mid-January. This will establish a weekly rhythm that you’ll notice of tension and release. One of the easiest places to observe this is the stock market, as the market will be more volatile (up or down) on these days.

Sun and Mercury square Chiron and Neptune
These contacts, which are tightly tied in space and time, are less significant. The first of them (Sun square Chiron) occurred on November 7, coinciding with the selection of Rahm Emanuel as Chief of Staff and with bad employment and retail sales figures. While many feel good about Emanuel’s new role, the Republicans in the House are experiencing some consternation.

The remainder of these contacts will occur through November 17, presumably clearing more of the fog surrounding the economy. We have to know what’s really been going on all these years, with people who have been suffering now being acknowledged so the new Administration can do something about it.

Jupiter Trines Saturn
The breath of fresh air in the mix is the ongoing harmonious contact between Jupiter and Saturn. These rulers of society’s structures (including the economy) suggest that some constructive measures can be taken to dull the sharp edges of the economic downturn. Most auspicious is the fact that the G20 are meeting next weekend to discuss the world economy. Although Obama has been invited, he will send advisors rather than attend himself. Meanwhile, he has been making persistent recommendations for particular actions to take place before he takes office, and it seems to be in the world’s and nation’s best interest if these actions are taken. Whether Congress will be able to pass an economic stimulus package is doubtful. Even when the minority party sees the handwriting on the wall in the form of what’s best for and what is the will of the people, they seem determined to play partisan politics; but there is always hope for anyone to change.

Pluto Enters Capricorn — Again.
When Pluto re-enters Capricorn on November 26, we may see a dolor settle over the culture as it did earlier this year. It may be a glum Christmas for those who associate it with showy gifts and material delights. But the silver lining is the adjustment to a deeper, more charitable set of values, as we rediscover what is really meaningful in our lives — our loved ones and the simple pleasures of being together, or of simply being well in ourselves.

This will be in tune with Obama’s pragmatic, bottom-line approach to governing. He is no ideologue; he will make decisions without reference to what his party wants him to do if he thinks it is right for the country. Politics of course plays into this, but he will first try to educate an attentive public before taking an unpopular decision to help others understand his reasoning and get on board with him.

Jupiter Enters Aquarius.
On January 5, Jupiter enters Aquarius. We will be thrust into a new, egalitarian and more hopeful energy. With Jupiter now rushing headlong toward Chiron and Neptune, we may not have everything we want, but we can dream, can’t we?

This signals a shift in mood and tone in the culture, and there will be a growing excitement about moving into the future, an anticipation of the new world we will enter once Obama takes the oath of office.

Mercury’s Next Retrograde
Mercury turns retrograde on January 11 and will remain so until January 31, after the inauguration. When Mercury is retrograde, we learn something that we never knew before. With Mercury retrograde in the inaugural chart, we can see that a relatively inexperienced leader is thinking outside the box, but with it conjunct the Sun and Jupiter, it works in a beneficial way.

I can’t predict what Obama will do based on what the planets are doing in the heavens, and I wouldn’t want to try. But it is good to note the dates on which he takes decisions, because we will be able to predict their success rate by when he does so. In addition, we could expect “tests” of leadership to arise on the any of the dates mentioned in this post, particularly November 26–28, December 5–15, and December 29–31. I’ll provide updates on what unfolding events mean as these dates occur.

I think we will be amazed at the composure and aplomb that rises up in Obama’s character in response to the tests and challenges that lie ahead. He has spent a lifetime outside the box, and that’s how he’ll be thinking as he prepares to uphold the Constitution on January 20.

The World Dares Hope: Why Obama’s Message Connects With the World

As the campaigns wind down, the presidential candidates are returning to their core message. For Barack Obama, it is one of unity, change, and hope. Yet, we are currently experiencing a huge economic crisis, and the outcome is as yet unknown.

Do we dare hope for a better future? Is Obama’s message realistic or pie in the sky? It isn’t over till it’s over where the election is concerned, but regardless of the election’s outcome, how much does this message of hope resonate with the people?

Hope itself is a Jupiterian-Neptunian concept. It is expansive, optimistic, upward and outward moving. I’ve already talked about the role of Neptune in the election and in Obama’s life (“Obama, McCain, and the Great Man Potential”). In addition, there has to be some way for people to hook into his message, and that comes from the planets that are moving to the heavens at the time. These planets show us the trends, moods, and interests of the population at large.

Hope Is Written in the Heavens.
The planets are indeed resonating with a message of hope. First, we currently have strong Neptune, whose energetic peak is occurring over the end of October and the first half of November. Second, Jupiter is in a strong and harmonious configuration with several other planets at this time.

Principle among these is its trine to Saturn, the “time-for-realism” guy. Jupiter trining Saturn says that we can get real about hope and optimism. In particular this resonates with Obama’s nature, because Obama has these two planets involved with each other in his birth chart, triggering a phenomenon called recurrence. Recurrence is a very powerful psychological process. Whenever a pattern that is ingrained in our nature is repeated in our environment, it is highlighted and reinforced again in our experience. Since Obama has these planets in contact with each other (a very significant thing in itself because it occurs infrequently), his idea of leadership and how to change the world (meanings for Jupiter-Saturn) will gain traction with the public.

This brings us back to the message of hope. People are conscious of its lack in their lives now, often more acutely than they have in years. They hunger for it, long for a return of the American Dream, which for many has seemed unattainable for years. Even as the dream morphs into something new, many Americans are discovering that what they wanted so much as little as a month ago is no longer of the slightest interest to them. They’re trading in their dream of an SUV in favor of a compact car, or suddenly become grateful for the home they have.

A Glimmer of Light
For the world, Jupiter’s trine to Saturn is a glimmer of light in the darkness of economic uncertainty. Whether he is seen as an able leader with good plans or as a symbol for what can be accomplished by someone who started his life in a world of prejudice and poverty, he has been bestowed a mantle of leadership and idealism by people around the world. With his steady hand at the helm of power (they believe), they can be heartened and ready to sacrifice for a better future they now feel more confident about. It won’t take long for Barack Obama to make a decision that displeases some group or faction, and he has weaknesses like anyone else. However, his message and perspective are nearly perfect for this time — at least, his is the cream that is rising to the top due to this resonance between his inner nature and the desires of the people. So reasonable hope for our future is written in the stars independent of the election and who wins it, but it happens to be personified by the junior Senator from Illinois.