April 30, 2001
Mars and Chiron, Wounded in Action
Mars turns retrograde on May 11, marking an important astrological flag which
is already influencing personal and geopolitical events. Mars, the planet
naturally associated with anger, war, and conflict, is dramatically
emphasized by its close conjunction with Chiron, known popularly as the
"wounded healer."
These two occupy the last two degrees of Sagittarius throughout the month of
May, and anyone with prominent planets in this zodiac zone (including the
mutable signs of Gemini, Virgo, and Pisces) is especially vulnerable to their
agenda. In a man's chart, the Mars-Chiron aspect is a powerful combination,
and can bring traumatic military experiences.
Bob Kerrey (August 27, 1943; 8:00 am; Lincoln, NB) was born with Mars square
Chiron in the 12th house of secrets and the past. Besides carrying a physical
wound obtained during the Vietnam War, he has long been saddled with a
traumatic psychological wound, the conditions of which were revealed last
week. As transiting Saturn passed over his natal Mars (and squared his
Chiron), he was forced into confessing his role in a massacre of women and
children.
In a woman's horoscope, this combination can bring trouble with the man in
her life. Jane Fonda (Sun at 29 Sagittarius) and Nicole Kidman (Sun at 29
Gemini) are prime examples of this phenomena, with both having traumatic
public disputes with their famous husbands. Hillary Clinton likewise has her
Ascendant, Juno, and Moon in this degree area, so we should keep an eye on
her relationship with Bill over the coming month.
Neptune Turns Europeans into Vegetarians
Since the outbreak of the dreaded Mad-cow and foot-and-mouth disease, demand
for beef has been in a free fall across Europe. Suddenly, Europeans are
seeing the health benefits of vegetarianism, with the number in Italy growing
from 1.5 million to 2.5 million in just the past year, and in Germany the
number of self-professed vegetarians has doubled to 6.6 million.
Trends in the European Community can be monitored by looking at the EEC
horoscope, set for March 25, 1957 (6:30 pm CET; Rome). As discussed in the
March 26 NewsScope, Ceres governs the agricultural industry since this
asteroid rules grains and the domesticated animals fed on these grains,
notably cows. Ceres in the EEC chart is found in fertile Taurus, but is under
great stress by participating in a Grand Cross involving hard aspects to
Neptune, Moon, and Uranus.
The difficult placement of Ceres reflects the challenges the EEC faces to
preserve a provincial farming lifestyle in the competitive global
marketplace. Over the past year transiting Neptune has been squaring the EEC
Ceres, which has had the effect of instilling grave doubts about the beef
supply.
As Liz Greene described in her masterpiece,* Neptune also governs fashions
and popular trends. Neptune hitting Ceres is changing food lifestyles. In
major capitals across Europe, it's hard to find steak on the menu. Haut
cuisine critics have made a huge fuss over the fact that acclaimed Parisian
chef Alain Passard has decided to drop all meat from the menu at his trendy
restaurant L'Arpege.
Timothy McVeigh's Public Execution
On May 16 convicted terrorist Timothy McVeigh is scheduled to die by lethal
injection. 1,400 journalists have already signed up to witness the public
execution, and thousands of demonstrators on both sides of the death penalty
issue will be swarming the fields. Victims' relatives and survivors of the
Oklahoma City bombing attack** will view by closed circuit television.
Timothy McVeigh was born a patriotic Taurus (April 23, 1968; 8:30 am;
Lockport, NY). While we may never know what turned McVeigh into a mass
killer, his planetary placements show a tendency toward violent action as a
reaction to personal, psychological pain. His natal Chiron is in Aries, a
placement very similar in meaning to a natal Mars-Chiron aspect. Chiron
squares his Ascendant, where it shapes his entire worldview with a need to
act decisively and forcefully.
McVeigh's emotional stability is shown by his Moon, which is found in dreamy,
wishful thinking Pisces. The Moon opposite the generational Uranus-Pluto
conjunction brought traumatic experiences which evidently pushed him over the
edge. Mars in his 12th house shows a willingness to act against the status
quo, from behind the scenes.
Now, as transiting Mars and Chiron form a conjunction on McVeigh's Descendant
(marking the beginning of the seventh house of the general public), the
nation gets its revenge. Also, transiting Saturn is passing through his 12th
house, a soul-searching phase which usually brings a need to sort out the
consequences of past action. Saturn will be exactly squaring his Midheaven,
the point of destiny, on May 16.
* The Astrological Neptune, and the Quest for redemption by Liz Greene.
** The Oklahoma City bombing took place on April 19, 1995 at 9:02 am
