December 16, 2002
Regime Change in the U.S.
To mainstream America, the flurry of leadership upheavals last week was nothing more than a coincidence. EPA chairwoman Christy Whitman disclosed that she's ready for a new assignment. Boston's besieged Cardinal Bernard Law and Henry Kissinger resigned from their posts, while Trent Lott struggled to maintain his leadership role following careless remarks during Strom Thurmond's 100th birthday celebration.
The celestial currents ripping through the upper ranks last week featured the Sun (symbolizing leaders) conjunct Pluto (transformation), a combination often ushering in profound political changes. The Sun is conjunct Pluto once every year, but this particular astro-event was accompanied by transiting Uranus conjunct the U.S. Moon, showing how it would shake up (Uranus) the American public (U.S. Moon).
In an astrologically curious twist, Trent Lott (October 9, 1941) explained repeatedly that his comments were a mistake of the head and not the heart. This was the identical strategy used by Jesse Jackson (October 8, 1941) when he called New York City "hymie town" during the 1984 Presidential campaign. Both Lott and Jackson are diplomatic Libras with their Sun opposed to an impulsive and headstrong Mars in Aries.
Lott and Jackson also both have Mercury in Scorpio square Pluto, and this planetary duo is prone to cutting, hurtful remarks. To maintain political correctness the tactful Libra tends to conceal the truth felt in the soul, but when this Mercury gets activated, the subconscious contents may get blurted out. Last week transiting Venus and Mars entered into Lott's Mercury-Pluto square, exposing what the New York Times called his "long shadows of segregation."
Saturn and Pluto Shake Investor Confidence
All three countries in President Bush's "Axis of Evil" revealed last week that they were pursuing a nuclear weapons program. North Korea said it would resume its nuclear program due to Bush's hard-line attitude. Meanwhile intelligence reports reveal that both Iran and Iraq are actively seeking enriched uranium or plutonium, the elements necessary to joining the nuclear club.
As described in last week's column, transiting Mars was conjunct the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant, inspiring a thrust of military power across the global village. Both domestically and abroad, people were experiencing, discussing, and reacting to the ambitious reach of U.S. financial and cultural power as well, often expressed metaphorically as the soaring flight of the eagle*, which is the more exalted symbol of Scorpio.
Ancient astrologers favored assigning countries to particular planets. Nowadays political astrologers prefer to use national charts, but might consider assigning the northeast sector of South America to Neptune, the natural ruler of drugs and oil. Venezuela, the number five supplier of U.S. oil imports, and Colombia, the number one supplier of U.S. cocaine, were both undergoing severe political unrest as transiting Mars and Neptune squared each other last week while aligning with the U.S. Scorpio Ascendant.
Last week's massive war games in and around Iraq demonstrated that the Pentagon is nearly fully deployed and ready to occupy that country. On January 12 Mars squares Uranus, an extremely volatile, explosive combination, and then enters Sagittarius on January 20 where it moves into sympathy with Pluto in Sagittarius. Watch toward the end of January as transiting Pluto opposes Bush's Uranus for the really big moves.
Daniel Radcliffe, Maturing Magician
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" earned vast sums in foreign markets over the last few weeks, enough to push the second installment of the Hogwarts kids over the $500 million mark worldwide. Daniel Radcliffe, who has grown 13 inches since the first film, hinted that he may call it quits after the third one, "The Prisoner of Azkaban."
Daniel Radcliffe was born a dramatic Leo (July 23, 1989; London; time unknown) with Mercury and the love planets Venus and Mars also in Leo. These four planets enhance his radiant self-confidence, allowing him to perform well and thrive at the center of attention. The Sun and Mars in Leo are particularly suited to playing the hero, both in the movies and in real life.
One of the outstanding features of this horoscope is Mercury's connection to all the outer planets, especially the links (by quincunx, or 150 degree aspect) to Uranus, Saturn, and Neptune in Capricorn. This epochal triple conjunction was so influential during 1989 that it brought down the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Empire. Mercury, associated with thoughts and communications, is greatly empowered by these outer planets.
As Harry Potter Radcliffe learns, as do all his fans, that the mind is far more powerful than most people realize. Through imagination (Neptune), discipline (Saturn), technique (Uranus), and desire (Pluto) the mind is able to conjure up whatever it focuses on. This astrological profile tells us what Radcliffe already knew, and said when he was first selected to play the part, "I've always believed in magic!"
* For example see Bill Moyers' interview with author Mark Hertsgaard about his book The Eagle's Shadow: www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_hertsgaard.html
Online classes and personal readings are available. Visit http://neptunecafe.homestead.com/classes.html or http://neptunecafe.homestead.com/reading.html for more information.
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