Walking on Water: Obama’s First Term, Part Two

This is Part Two of a series on the inaugural chart, which can be used to see the first four years of Obama’s presidency. The first part covers the powerful and promising Aquarian planetary grouping found in the chart.

The miraculous rescue of the passengers on US Airways Flight 1549 tells us a lot about the Obama inauguration — and his term of office. The planets that prevailed at the time of the most incredible event in the history of air travel are still with us today, as the inauguration takes place.

A Blessing of Planets
In Part One of this series on the Obama inaugural chart and what it tells us about his first term of office, I explored the Aquarian mega-group of planets that will lift and carry us in the coming four years. But wait — there’s more to be sublimely happy about.

One thing astrologers consider when assessing a chart is the condition of the planets in it. Each planet has places (by zodiac sign) where it is happier and others where it is on its worst behavior. The good news is that we have TWO planets in their happiest place, the sign of their exaltation.

Triply Blessed
The first of these is Venus, found in Pisces. Venus, the planet of love and money (or anything we value) and women, is in this sign of spirituality and mysticism. It evokes the highest form of love, which is not concerned with whether the love ever is fulfilled in an earthly way. On the one hand sacrificial, it is also pure and angelic. Since Venus is already a “benefic” planet (that is, one that humans handle well), this is especially helpful.

The second is Mars, currently located in Capricorn. Now, Mars is the planet of war and conflict. At its worst, it is oblivious to the input of others; at its best it is protective and contained in its highly energetic ways of expressing itself. In Capricorn, Mars is a well-managed energy and can be used most constructively. This is incredibly fortunate, as Mars is one of the planets that humans have the most trouble with.

When even one planet is in its exaltation, events tend to turn out mysteriously better than expected. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, it does! This effect is even more auspicious because Mars and Venus are forming a very strong positive contact with each other (a sextile). Venus-Mars is one the primal planetary pairs (along with Mercury-Jupiter, Moon-Saturn, and Sun-Saturn) that make the world work better when they have a harmonious connection.

So, we have an opportunity connection between two favored planets that belong together — a triple blessing. And, if that weren’t enough, Venus and Mars make harmonious contacts to the biggest bugaboo in the heavens right now, the dreaded Saturn-Uranus opposition.

This is the energy under which the crash of Flight 1549 resulted in the survival of all 155 passengers, and this is the energy under which Obama and the nation will begin the journey to reinvigorate the American spirit. We will feel the positive energies of the Venus-Mars combination in the areas of the chart (houses) ruled and inhabited by these planets.

The Not-So-Downside
I mentioned in Part One that Mercury is retrograde in the chart, and what it signifies in our current conditions. Mercury retrograde can indicate a change in the expected timing of events in the areas ruled (or inhabited) by Mercury. This means that events could occur sooner or later than is the norm. It could be the mandate Obama hopes to have in getting legislation through Congress.

Last but not least is the Moon, which will be void of course in Scorpio. Some astrologers have been mystified, others horrified at the prospect of a void-of-course Moon in the inaugural chart. Many believe that the void Moon means that nothing started under it will be completed, or it will come to nothing. This could suggest that Obama’s presidency will be ineffective or come to nothing.

I take it much more literally: At the end of a sign, it signals that we are near the end of an era or way of perceiving the world. We are on the verge of change — for the better, because the Moon in Scorpio is in the sign of its fall (this does not mean that if you have Moon in Scorpio, it is unfortunate — you’ve had a lifetime to learn to manage it). When it leaves its fall, it goes into Sagittarius, a more fortunate position, because the Moon will be ruled by and positively connected to Jupiter, the put-you-through-school Great Uncle who gives you all the atta-boys you need when you need them. So, this Moon indicates that we are sorely in need of change and about to get it.

Finally, the problem with a void Moon is the fact that it doesn’t connect to anything. However this one does: It is on Obama’s Midheaven (point of leadership) as he takes the oath of office. This means there is a connection to the Moon, and it can be used.

Generally Speaking . . .
Ignoring the whys and wherefores, the inaugural chart describes what we’ll experience over the next four years at general influences. The areas of national concern that where conditions will improve are:

• the mood of the people
• all workers/laborers, civil servants, armed forces, public health
• foreign relations, open enemies, and war
• the judiciary, high courts, higher education, long-distance travel, the media, immigration, Secretary of State
• the head of state (Obama) and the party in power
• the legislature, esp. the House, goals/policies, allies
• crime, hidden enemies, CIA/spies, plagues/epidemics, hospitals, secret societies, prisons

Areas where conditions will be slow or more difficult are:

• the nation’s finances/wealth
• domestic travel, public education, transit and travel, postal service, commerce, internet, radio/TV (all communication overseen by FCC), phones, the digital switch
• living conditions, interests of the people, real estate, agriculture, weather events, mining, domestic resources
• children, fun/sports/entertainment, stock market, the Senate

Area where there’s both an up and a down side:

• the Treasury, Federal Reserve/other reserve banks, national debt

Winners & Losers
To sum up, we can name some winners and losers for Obama’s first term:

• Winners - Democrats, blue-collar and green-collar workers, civil servants, those in public service, armed forces, health care providers/alternative health providers
• Losers - (right-wing) Republicans, the wealthy, investors, health care industry

Although, if you believe in Obama’s ability to be post-partisan (or at least bipartisan), perhaps he can create a world where everyone is a winner. That’s what our new Leo leader has in mind, and he may just be able to pull it off.

In Part Three of the series, we’ll look at the specifics in the areas of the national interest.

Post-Debate Planetary Pondering

It all hinged on the Moon. It was in late Capricorn during the debate, past any other planets in the heavens when measured by zodiacal degree. In energetic terms, the Moon is a trigger of action through our urges. When it is past the other planets (called void of course), we get down time, or as the I Ching says, “No action furthers.” This means that whatever actions we take during this time (until the Moon enters a new sign) will only work if they are the end of a matter. Activities started during the Moon’s void of course period tend not to develop.

The Town Hall Debate and the Void-of-Course Moon
The Moon was in its void period all during the debate. This says that activities begun during this time will come to nothing. We can extend that interpretation by noting that the Moon is associated with the public. This means that the public will not be changed by whatever happens during this time. The end result? Public opinion will not be changed by the debate; the debate will have no effect on the polls or electoral prospects of the candidates.

More precisely put, whatever trajectory the candidates are on, this debate will not change it. This is exactly what happened. Obama is up in the polls since yesterday, but this is unlikely to be due to the debates, since he is continuing on the rising trajectory he experienced beforehand. There was no bump from the debate itself, at least so far.

Beyond the Polls
This is quite separate from the notion of who won the debate, but the Moon can be used to ascertain who was favored by style and mood. Here the favor goes to Obama. Even though the Moon was past all the planets in their current positions, it was in direct contact with McCain’s Moon and Obama’s Saturn, both in late Capricorn. The Moon magnetizes energy to wherever it’s found in the heavens. Therefore, it drew energy to each of these planets in the candidates’ nature.

This was amply displayed in their demeanor and influenced the debate’s outcome. Whenever the Moon contacts our own Moon, it makes us more sensitive and moody. This was noted in the feisty attitude that came across in McCain’s speech and body language. He tossed the microphone, fidgeted, grimaced (that was not a smile, folks) in anger. When the Moon contacts our Saturn, we may feel more responsible, burdened, or work harder. If we use it well, we will rise to the challenge it presents. Barack Obama uses his Saturn well, as we’ve seen by his sense of responsibility, ability to bear up under hardship, and (nearly) unwavering focus on the good and the true.

This suggests that Obama’s demeanor will trump McCain’s and according to the pundits and analysts, as well as overwhelming public opinion, it did. In addition, we who observe the planets know a secret about Saturn and Moon when they are placed in Capricorn. That’s that Saturn is always going to trump Moon in this sign. This is because Saturn naturally does well here, while the Moon is very uncomfortable with this sign’s energies.

It is no surprise that both candidates were described as aloof or cold, because Capricorn is considered cold, and that’s where all the energy was during the debate.

For the next and final debate, the Moon is active, and Mercury is still and beaming its concentrated energy our way like a spotlight, and the whole world will be watching. Stay tuned to get a forecast of what will happen at the next debate.