In the Shadow of the Eclipse: A Watershed Time for the US

July 21, 2009

by Terry Lamb

The eclipses in Cancer and Capricorn are always significant for the US, because the nation has so many planets in these signs: Venus, Jupiter, Sun, and Mercury in Cancer; Pluto in Capricorn. (See the chart at left.) Every 9.5 years, we enter a new period when the eclipses occur here, one that lasts for about 18 months. In the shadow of an eclipse we can see everything. The unconscious, which is usually hidden in the brilliant light of the Sun, can't hide when we are eclipsed.

Before Liberty There Is Life.
Cancer and Capricorn are the “survival” axis. We could say that the US as a nation is very sensitive about its ability to survive. This sensitivity was certainly triggered in the wake of 9/11, especially with the fear-mongering that reigned supreme once Saturn entered Cancer in mid-2003. It is this sensitivity that leads to the reactionary stance of some gun-owners that they must be able own any gun under any circumstance. The slogan, “Don’t tread on me,” has been associated with the US since the American Revolution.

Cancer-Capricorn Eclipses in Recent History
The last time the eclipses were in Cancer-Capricorn was July 2000 – December 2001. The Lunar Eclipse before 9/11 was on July 5 and conjunct the US Sun. The Lunar Eclipse chart cast for New York City or Washington DC was critically tied to the 9/11 events. Nine years before (July 1990 – December 1992), the US became the sole superpower as the USSR collapsed.

These eclipses contact the US chart in two primary places: The Lunar Eclipse placed the Sun conjunct (and the Moon opposite) the US Sun (2̊ orb) and square the US Saturn (1̊ orb); the Solar Eclipse places the Sun-Moon opposite the US Pluto (2̊ orb). The US Mercury Rx is indirectly involved.

The Lunar Eclipse in the US Chart
Whenever the Sun in a chart of a person or other entity is eclipsed, it is safe to say that the person/entity will be reassessing their identity. This was certainly true 9 and 19 years ago, and it is even more true today as Pluto in Capricorn approaches its first return since the country’s inception. What issues tie into this?

• Where does the US stand on civil liberties, and what will it do to recognize and stand behind international law (such as the Geneva Conventions)? How will the nation address blatant violations of the conventions by VP Dick Cheney, Sec-Def Rumsfeld, and others?

• How do we see ourselves — as a nation that takes care of all its citizens, or as a super-capitalist libertarian dream that lets the underprivileged fall to the bottom and be used by the powerful?

• What is our position on the rights of the individual? Do we have the right to health care? The right to the privacy of our own bodies? The right to direct our own health care?

When a nation or a person has Saturn square Sun, it means their feet are being held to the fire. With an exalted Saturn, a position of privilege cannot be abused without penalty. This is codified in the Constitution and in law. Equality is the standard to which we must all aspire. Current issues related to this include:

• The blatant racism that is coming to the surface through an unbelievable Republican double-speak (calling Judge Sotomayor a racist while being the real racists).

• The still prevailing sentiment that the financial masters of the universe on Wall Street and Fleet Street are above the law.

• The challenge to see the truth behind the smoke screen regarding the economic collapse.

The Solar Eclipse in the US Chart
With the Solar Eclipse triggering the US Pluto, it takes us right to the heart of our identity, because the nation was born out of a revolution. It was nothing less than a transformative idea in government, an experiment. This is the first test of whether the experiment is succeeding. The big issue that we must deal with is, quite simply, a return to democracy. Are we a plutocracy (with an all-powerful president-king), an oligarchy (with all powerful businesses), a soft fascist state (with security placed above individual rights)? Here are some of the issues:

• Money is not speech. Campaign finance reform is the key to bringing the essential balance of power (constitutional checks and balances, the vote of the people) back to the nation.

• A corporation is not an individual and should not be treated as such. A corporation is amoral and does not die a natural death. Corporatism can only be overcome by reversing this court decision.

• No one in government should be above the law. It will bring the death of the nation. If the Bush Administration is allowed a free pass on torture and other antics, a situation will arise on the US Pluto return (if not before) that will so change the form of the nation as to kill it.

There are signs of hope and life. AG Eric Holder is in the process of pursuing indictments against select Bush Admin officials (yet to be named). We have a new Supreme Court Justice who is likely to see through the convoluted arguments that lead to the twisted decisions that have come out of the Roberts court thus far.

Look at the issues that arise over the coming month and see how many carry themes related to these underlying issues.

• The soldier captured by the Taliban — is he being tortured?

• The health “care” corporations — will they win the battle over healthcare reform legislation?

• Swine flu — will the less-privileged have equal access to a vaccine and care in the event of illness (and what will it do to all of us if they don’t)?

• Torture prosecutions — what is going on?

• Justice Sotomayor — has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

• Perhaps the biggest bomb of all: The Family — the secret “Christian” house on C Street in Washington, where fallen members’ transgressions are justified and sanctified, even applauded. It’s the home of Mark Sanford, John Ensign, Tom Coburn, and Zack Wamp. How Cancerian is that?

President Obama’s Eclipse
The Solar Eclipse also contacts President Obama’s Saturn-Jupiter conjunction. This will trigger a test of his leadership ability, and we’ll get to see his true mettle.

The eclipses coming at the end of year and through January 2011 will continue to light up this part of the US chart. The effects of each will build on the ones before. Stay tuned for more developments.

Between the Shadow and the Light: Tales of Uranus and the Summer Eclipses

by Terry Lamb

July 2, 2009

We are currently feeling the dramatic effects of two planetary patterns. On Wednesday (July 1), Uranus began its 5-month retrograde period, while the energy is building toward a Lunar Eclipse on Tuesday (July 7). Another eclipse, a solar on July 21, is also being felt now.

Amy Klobuchar Is Psychic.
The last drama of last fall’s election is over: Al Franken will be sworn in as the junior senator for the State of Minnesota sometime next week. Amy Klobuchar (the senior senator from Minnesota) and I were right. She said that he would be sworn in by “the time the corn reaches knee high” (traditionally by the 4th of July).

I was right in expecting the Lunar Eclipse to be involved in the timing, and Uranus too played its role. Uranus is actively opposing Senator Franken’s Saturn, is about to back up over it for the second of three contacts. Uranus is the “clearer of the path” sudden-style. The Lunar Eclipse opens a new chapter in our book of life. Finally, Frannie Franken will get to take that bag that she had packed in the corner and finally move to Washington. There are other contacts too , enough to know that this is a milestone event in Franken’s life. Sun to Uranus-Venus tells us it’s a sudden change; MC to Venus says it’s good news; Sun quincunx his Sagittarius Moon suggests an awkward change of residence made in haste. Saturn to his South Node tells me that it fulfills a deep longing to serve — it’s a dream come true. He is also going to serve on the Health Committee, symbolized by Virgo.

Also noteworthy are two major aspect patterns focused on Mercury. The planet of winged feet and humor, so important to a Gemini, is in a T-square to Saturn-Uranus and a grand trine to the Moon in Libra and the Aquarian threesome (Chiron-Neptune-Jupiter).

The eclipse is focused right on his Venus and the MC for the announcement of the court decision. Al Franken goes to Washington!


What Do Michael Jackson and Billy Mays Have in Common?
Uranus exactly squared the Vertex in Jackson’s chart. This alternate but sensitive Descendant is often featured in sudden “pressure-cooker release” events. For Billy Mays, Uranus was opposing his Moon (with Saturn conjunct it), and the Solar Eclipse on July 21 would have been on his Sun (a classic heart attack contact).

In both men’s charts, the Aquarian triple conjunction (Chiron-Neptune-Jupiter) is strongly featured. While they are more idealistic than dramatic like Uranus and the eclipses, they are more powerful even if on background. For Michael Jackson, they were exactly conjunct his IC, a potent force that perhaps led him to decide (on some level) that he couldn’t climb out of the hole he was in. Both men were born in 1958 and going through their Chiron returns. Chiron’s completes at 51 years, and it is a time when in some cultures a person would be considered free of social obligations. It is also involved in transitions of all sorts, including death.


Health Care on the Operating Table
Health care reform is also on the front burner right now, and this leads us naturally to think about Saturn in Virgo. Can we reach the goal of restructuring health care before Saturn leaves the sign? Perhaps in some ways. Teddy Kennedy introduced a new plan that includes a public option and that will cost considerably less than the plans so far proposed. This appears to be the choking point for many legislators. Will Kennedy’s Uranus “splash” make waves in the legislative process? Yes, but they will probably not reach shore until the fall.

The chances of health care reform passing before the summer recess are slim, but the eclipses enhance that possibility, however, because they hit the chart of the US at significant points. The Lunar Eclipse is very close to the US Sun, while the Solar on July 21 contacts the US Pluto. These factors make it certain that new, critical information will be revealed in July.

Although wide-ranging in their nature, each of these events and issues are characterized by the sudden change that characterizes both Uranus and eclipses of the Sun and Moon.

© Terry Lamb

Power to the People! Pluto, Jupiter, and the New Iranian Revolution

June 25, 2009

by Terry Lamb

When I wrote about Iran last week, it was before we knew how both people and government would react and interact as millions of Iranians began to rebel against four more years of Ahmadinejad in the presidency. In that article, I considered only the chart for the formation of the republic, rather than the revolution, for that shows the viability of the government.

However, the conscience of the people may be seated more reliably in the chart of the revolution two months before. I say this because the current revolt clearly peaked as we reached the culmination of the yearly Pluto cycle — the opposition to the Sun which occurred on Tuesday (June 23). Pluto does not strongly impact the chart of the Iranian government, but it does the chart of the revolution! (Chart shown below.)


Pluto Is a Primary Timer.
On the weekend of the election, Jupiter was making its retrograde station, and the people responded with Jupiterian confidence. The following weekend, however, Pluto became the dominant planet, and Grand Ayatollah Khamenei assumed absolute power in violently quashing the peaceful demonstrations. Neda Agha-Soltan, a quiet bystander, was shot dead in a random act of violence by the basij militia. She has become a symbol of the new revolution and the Plutonian power of the people.

In the chart for the Islamic Republic of Iran, Pluto whispers. However, in the chart of the revolution, it shouts. If we are looking to see what the people will do and when they will do it, observation teaches that the timing will come from the chart for the Islamic Revolution. The primary timer in that chart is Pluto, which is sitting at the top and proclaiming, “Power to the people!”

Where Does It Go From Here?
In the aftermath of the crackdown, the demonstrations seem to be morphing into a general strike. This is how the previous government was brought down. Protests continue, but with telecommunications in a stranglehold the movement may be having difficulty organizing. We on the outside are having difficulty finding out what’s going on, but what we are hearing is not good: Detentions, disappearances, and deaths are becoming more frequent.

If it were only Pluto, there would be a lull in the action, but there are many other planetary events involved. Many of these I covered in my first article on the subject. Key dates to watch in the near future are (+/- a few days):

• July 1(Uranus stationary retrograde): conjunct potentially volatile Mars/Mercury in the chart of the republic

• July 21 (Solar Eclipse): This Sun-Moon conjunction (New Moon) in an incredibly intense total eclipse. It makes contacts in both charts for Iran. In the chart of the republic, it is conjunct 12th-house Jupiter, suggesting an increased level of sick, injured, and incarcerated people. The prisons are swelling with dissidents.

In the chart of the people (the revolution), the eclipse contacts progressed Jupiter (Cancer) and Venus (Capricorn), which are in an exact opposition to each other. This speaks to the plight of women in Iran (symbolized by the shooting death of Neda Agha-Soltan). These fall in houses 5 and 11 respectively, symbolizing a shift in public sentiment, loss of playfulness, and strictures on legislative forms of government.

• August 5 (Lunar Eclipse): This Full Moon (Sun-Moon opposition) is a weak Lunar Eclipse. The Moon conjuncts the Sun of the revolution chart. This can create overt action on the part of the people as they attempt to assert their freedoms against an oppressive government. This is the general time frame for Ahmadinejad to be sworn in for his new term as president.

The Pressure Is on the Religious Leadership.
Jupiter — natal, progressed, and transiting — features prominently in the coming weeks. It was at the Jupiter station (in freedom-loving Aquarius) that the new revolution began. Among other things, Jupiter connotes religious leaders, law and the judiciary. It also represents the honor of a nation. Venus opposing Jupiter by progression indicates an active drive to become a true res publica, a republic or government motivated by the wants and needs of the people, instead of those of the theocracy.

It has become increasingly obvious that, whatever the appearances, Iran’s true rulers are the Imams of the Governing Council. They and the puppet president of the hard right are currently running Iran under martial law, against their constitution.

This progressed opposition also indicates that there is dissent among those on the Governing Council, and this we have seen as Khamenei has said one thing and the more moderate Ayatollah Montazeri something else. When the Solar Eclipse hits this opposition (and the Jupiter of the Republic), can the religious leadership hold to its current position and structure? Almost certainly not. Something will change.

Since this is a Solar Eclipse (a New Moon), the shift will be profound but it is likely to be internal to the Governing Council and not evident to those outside at first. We may have to wait for other contacts to Iran’s charts to ripen over the next year.

It’s Not Over.
If Jupiter has the megaphone right now, Pluto will take center stage next year. This is when Pluto makes its two stations in contact with the angles in the chart of the revolution. Its retrograde station on April 7, 2010 (5̊ Capricorn) is exactly square the Ascendant, while the direct station on September 14, 2010 will be exactly on the MC. These are dates of maximum intensity on points of maximum sensitivity. They will define the boundaries of a period of extreme tension in Iran, if not unrest that leads to the formation of a new government. It is also possible that Iran will enter a new dark period of plutocratic control, with no guise of democracy, in the coming 18 months.

The Third Path
There is a third possibility. If the change is internalized, a quiet and gradual shift could take place that gives the people what they want and need over time. So much of the current response from the government is about face-saving. Gradual change permits the mullahs to save face and could lead to the best outcome, resulting in a freer society and preventing Iran from fragmenting into a number of small warring tribal regions.

© Terry Lamb

Time for Change in Iran? An Astrologer Looks at the Possibilities

June 19, 2009

by Terry Lamb

The Islamic Republic of Iran has seen protests unprecedented in its brief history. Around the world, we watch in horror of the violence and awe at the courage of those who are standing up for their rights. What can astrology say about this moment in Iranian history? Will it be a footnote or a turning point?

Iran was born in violence, and it shows in its chart. From the Sun opposition Pluto to the Moon opposition Neptune to the unaspected Uranus in the 4th (the people’s) house — the chart for the current republic is full of challenge. Now those points are being triggered as the latest election reveals suppressed conflict and the desire for greater freedom.

The People Want to Expand. (Jupiter SRx with Chiron-Neptune in Aquarius)
When the election results announced a win for incumbent president Ahmadinejad on Saturday, June 13, the strongest planet in the astrological heavens was Jupiter — nearly at a standstill to its retrograde. This is the planet of expansion, and the fact that it is highlighted right now tells us that the Iranian people are chafing at the suppression of their freedoms.

Jupiter, if you will recall, is in a triple conjunction with Chiron and Neptune in freedom-seeking Aquarius, so we have to consider the impact of these three planets on Iran’s chart. Ironically, they do not make strong connections to the chart of the nation, and this speaks volumes. It tells me that, although the people seek freedom, they have no connection to the processes that leads to reform in government. Their movement, their wishes, will be disregarded, at least initially.

The People Want to Be Free. (Saturn-Uranus, Uranus SRx)
Saturn and Uranus, which have been opposing each other, are also central to the events in Iraq. Uranus is also near its station, getting ready to turn retrograde on July 1. This strikes at the real heart of the Iran chart, falling at the midpoint of its excitable Mars-Mercury conjunction. Between now and July 1, the volatile energy of Uranus will intensify, making people more prone to take up a cause, regardless of the danger.

Saturn is on the North Node of Iran’s chart, reminding the people (including its leaders) of its original purpose for being — its responsibilities to the citizens. There are very pragmatic (Virgo) reasons for a moderation of policy back from the extreme expressed by Ahmadinejad.

As Saturn and Uranus continue to interact, a long-term process of adjusting power in the Iranian republic will take place, but the change will take place as a series of eruptions. It will not be complete until next summer.

The Essentials of the Situation will Unfold in July and August.
July and August bring contacts to Iran’s chart that will reveal how the current government will deal with the crisis in the short run. July and August brings several events of note, but there are others in the fall as well:

The Essentials of the Situation will Unfold in July and August. (Eclipses)
July and August bring contacts to Iran’s chart that will reveal how the current government will deal with the crisis in the short run. July and August brings several events of note, but there are others in the fall as well:

• The solar eclipse of July 21 (July 22 in Iran) is exactly conjunct Iran’s Jupiter (29̊ Cancer).

• The two lunar eclipses of the summer square Iran’s Pluto (July 7) and contact all of Iran’s angles (August 6).

• The opposition of the Sun to Jupiter is also significant (August 14). Jupiter retrogrades back until it connects with Iran’s Descendant. This will occur on October 12 and occurs near to the time of other planetary peaks happening in the fall.

This is clearly a turning point in Iran’s history. With Jupiter and the eclipses involved, a change in leadership seems likely. There is a rift among the clerics of the Assembly of Experts as to what direction to take with this situation. The Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, called the shots on the events related to the election so far. The real shift in power may come when a new Ayatollah is chosen that indicates a shift in the philosophy of the ruling council of clerics.

A Peaceful Transition Is the Only Good Solution.
Many commentators have speculated that internal changes are due. One DailyKos reporter states,

My theory, for what it's worth, is that Mousavi’s victory was originally acceptable to Khamenei, not really being THAT drastic a change considering the Supreme Leader is still the one in charge; however, it WAS a drastic change to have the kind of pro-democratic fervor in the streets leading up the the election, and (if numbers leaked from the Interior Ministry are correct) to have 3/4 of the Iranian electorate vote for the two reformist candidates, leaving Ahmadinejad and the other conservative candidate in the dust. Khamenei saw this coming, panicked, and a fraud was hastily assembled.

Regarding a potential outcome, he comments that the Supreme Leader will string out the election investigation process to diffuse the protests. It is unlikely that the protests will continue at this level, but if they do, they will be put down violently, Tiananmen-style. But he says that Khamanei and the theocracy will fall together.

If Iran falls suddenly, a blood bath could ensue, resulting in the fracturing of the country into smaller tribal units. He says that, “Change must happen very slowly and peacefully for the theocracy to be overthrown.” With so many planets involved in the process, it bodes well for Iran's leaders to make a slower, if not more graceful, transition to a government that takes individual needs and the urge for freedom into account.

In the short run, there will be continued unrest and volatility at least through July 1. The eclipses and other events could be reflected in continued popular activism through mid-August. It is hard to imagine that the population could sustain their show of peaceful solidarity for long periods; short outbursts are more likely. However, many dedicated Iranians feel that now is the time for change, and they are not likely to give up any time soon.

© Terry Lamb

Get Ready, Mr. Franken! An Astrological Update on When He’ll Be Called “Senator”

June 9, 2009

by Terry Lamb

On the first day of business after Mercury returned to forward motion (following a 24-day retrograde), the dragon of the Franken-Coleman court battle emerged from the deep. In this, the final throes of the battle over the Minnesota (US) Senate seat, the Minnesota Supreme Court heard arguments from both sides, principally from Coleman, who filed the suit. Here’s what Talking Points Memo reporter Eric Kleefeld said following the day’s events:

It's always a tricky business to read clues into the questions that judges ask the lawyers during these proceedings -- despite some basic assumptions about how this works, judges can surprise you. But if we just go by the basic assumptions, it didn't look good for Coleman, with the judges asking pointed questions of [Coleman’s attorney Joe] Friedberg that at certain points amounted to ridicule of him for putting on a shoddy case.

The four judges quoted by Kleefeld, three of them conservatives appointed by current Republican governor Pawlenty, all expressed deep concerns and doubts about the viability of the Coleman case.

Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop
On the 4th, it was reported that Coleman will not take the case beyond the Minnesota Supreme Court according to insiders. However, there is no speculation at this point as to when the Minnesota Supremes will rule on the case.

Mercury Rules!
If you recall, in my article of April 23, “Please Be Seated, Senator Franken: An Astrologer Looks at When It Will Happen”, I gave a time line for when we might see a shift of fortunes for Mr. Franken. I suggested that key dates in the process would tie to Mercury’s retrograde, which started on (Senator-Elect?) Franken’s Sun-Mars in Gemini. Here’s what I said then:

It is possible that, during the three weeks of Mercury’s retrograde, the race will be below the radar.

This is in fact what happened. However, in the subsequent list of significant dates, I overlooked that a planetary station is also a time when related events can occur. I should have added May 30-June 1 as a period when we might see progress in the case, which we did.

To cut to the chase, this was perfect timing astrologically — perfect in that it fits the Mercury time line and perfect in that it bodes well for Franken. Not only were the judges openly skeptical of Coleman’s case, but the fact that Mercury (ruling thought and communication) had just changed direction bodes well. It suggests that the judges will be “thinking straight” when they make their ruling.


So, When Will It Be?
The next date that comes up in the Mercury time line is June 14. This is when the planet makes its third and final contact with Franken’s planets. (Since the 14th is a Sunday, we might expect an announcement on Monday, June 15.) While this chart does not particularly favor Franken, the overall pattern is worse for Coleman.

If this date slips by, new planetary cycles seize the spotlight, principally Jupiter, which begins its four-month retrograde period on the 15th, followed by a series of three eclipses. While Jupiter’s imprint on Franken’s chart might get him to move house (like, going to Washington?), in Coleman’s chart it is more like the death knell for hope. Jupiter joins with Chiron and Neptune in opposing Coleman’s Leo Sun. This is the same cluster that undermined Sarah Palin’s hopes in November (well, that and her unique unfitness for the job).

Do We Have to Wait for the Eclipses?
The eclipses should seal the deal. They trigger Franken’s and Coleman’s charts with equal vigor, and ironically show slightly more pleasant contacts to Coleman’s chart. However, they are the contacts one might associate with retirement or taking a vacation (e.g., Sun sextile/Moon trine Neptune), not leaping into the fray in the nation’s capital. In Franken’s chart, they show a sudden change (Sun conjunct Franken’s Venus-Uranus in Cancer) around July 7, like the kind when you suddenly start doing something completely different. The third eclipse, another lunar eclipse is also conjunction Franken’s Midheaven, the point of public recognition. This is precisely the kind of contact we would expect in a major change in public statute, such has having the title “Senator” in front of your name.

The third eclipse does not occur until August 6. This is during Congress’s summer recess, and common sense suggests that he’ll be seated before this time. However, it gives undeniable support to Franken’s eventual ascent to his new position of service to his state.

Governor Pawlenty, to his credit, has said repeatedly that he will sign the document certifying the election when told to do so by the courts. This does not appear to be an impediment to the swift resolution of the situation once the court announcement is made.

© Terry Lamb

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

Create Your Own Weather: Critical Mass, Firestorms, & What They Don’t Want You to Know About How It Really Works

by Terry Lamb

May 26, 2009

It’s always a breath of fresh air and a hit of real sanity (not the fake sanity that the conventional world offers) to visit San Francisco. On last week’s visit, my good friend Linea told me about Critical Mass. This isn’t a physics discussion, it is an “organized coincidence”, where over 2,000 cyclists take over the streets on the fourth Friday of every month. Since then the movement has spread to over 300 other cities around the world. It is described variously as an intentional community, a way to connect with others “outside the steel box” of your car, and a way to raise consciousness about alternate means of transportation.

It is testament to the power of single-minded groups. When they sweep through the city, they become a rolling force field. Critical Mass creates its own momentum and affects the momentum of the whole city. While they are crossing town, traffic stops as signage and stop lights are ignored. The riders are fully regaled, text-messaging madmen (and -women) for their cause.

It Also Happens to Fire.
When the wildfires swept through southern California in 2003 and again in 2007, I learned something chilling about fire: When it’s big enough and bad enough, it creates its own weather. The heat causes dramatic updrafts that shift and intensify winds, until fire storms develop. They consume the countryside in giant gulps, throwing huge whirling balls of flame into the air. The fire creates whirlwinds, cyclones, and smoke that fills the sky with darkness.

Create Your Own Weather
Both wildfires and Critical Mass create their own weather, and they exhibit for us an important physical and metaphysical law: We can do it too.

We find ourselves in the midst of the most significant planetary pattern since the triple conjunction of Saturn-Uranus-Neptune in 1988-92. The new triple conjunction of Jupiter-Chiron-Neptune opens the door to healing the Great Wound within us, on all levels from the most personal to the lesson(s) that all humanity needs to learn. We will see this played out in political ways, from the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court to the launching of a nuclear test by North Korea as attention-seeking behavior.

We will reveal our wounds so we can heal them. (To experience the link between wounding and healing in an evocative way, see the short video on Chiron by Humanity Healing.

As we encounter these lessons, from dreaming a new economic model that supports the people to living sustainably on the planet to learning to love one another, we can create our own weather. We can do it as individuals, but we can do it most effectively in community. This conjunction of planets is found in Aquarius, the sign of community and the sign of the new/next Age of Humanity. Under this pattern, which starts a 13-year, a 14-year, and a 100+ year cycle, we will find ourselves drawn to form community with like-minded individuals. Like Critical Mass, and like the firestorms of southern California, we will shift and flow, creating our own weather, our conditions of reality that others will adapt to — not in a malevolent way as with the fires, but in a joyful and live-affirming way. This is the model for change that we will find ourselves thrust into, drawn effortlessly into the flow of the good and the true.

© Terry Lamb