May 17, 2004

The Double Whammy Neptune Cycle

Although a solid 95 percent of President Bush's conservative base continues to support him, lately he's been getting plenty of flak from the same group. Since Bush's approval rating has fallen to around 42 percent, many Republicans are openly questioning his Iraq policy, including Senator Pat Roberts, the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee who complained of Bush's "messianic instincts".

Astrologically, the planet Neptune carries the "God is on Our Side" theme, and the U.S. is now in the midst of a long term, double whammy Neptune cycle. Neptune is now turning retrograde while very close to the U.S. fourth house cusp, which is the foundation of the chart, and the point associated with patriotism and nationalism. Simultaneously, transiting Pluto is forming a square to the U.S. natal Neptune, a factor associated with the Iraqi quagmire.

Neptune, the natural ruler of religion and spiritual trends, combines with the point of domestic conditions (4th house cusp) to create a pervasive climate of religious nationalism. The fusion of the church and state is a central policy of the Bush administration, and although Congress doesn't like it, Bush's evangelical constituency and conservative radio allies continue to persuade middle America.

The doubled Neptune influence has many other manifestations. Neptune rules oil, and the recent run-up of gas prices has fueled a bout of national anxiety. Neptune also rules drugs and scandals, and last week pharmaceutical giant Pfizer pleaded guilty and paid out a phenomenal $420 million to settle claims. And Neptune rules photography, and likewise, the release of photos depicting tortured prisoners has brought a huge scandal.

Sonia Gandhi, The Return of India's Dynasty

Last week voters in India sent Prime Minister Vajpayee packing, and returned the Congress Party to power, the party that has led the Hindu country for 45 of the 57 years. The Congress Party is controlled by the Nehru-Gandhi family, and the current heir is the Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, who married Rajiv Gandhi and became an Indian citizen in 1983.

Sonia Rajiv's horoscope (December 9, 1946; 9:30 pm; Lusiana, Italy) shows the sudden thrust to fame and victory, as well as some severe stresses shaping up in the immediate future. Last week transiting Jupiter, the planet that often brings good fortune, was at it's most powerful point (standing direct) while forming a very favorable trine to her Midheaven, her point of honor. That got her elected.

More problematic is the transit of Pluto, which is in the midst of her dynamic Sun-Mars-Uranus configuration. Sonia's Sagittarius Sun is given courage and a fighting spirit with a conjunction to Mars, and these two planets oppose Uranus, bringing plenty of excitement as well as danger into her life. Sonia's Mars was deeply afflicted (P2 MC opp Mars) at the time of Rajiv's assassination on May 21, 1991.

Simultaneously, Sonia's progressed Mars is opposing her Saturn in Leo, and will be exact in early July. This combination will likely bring tumultuous political conflict, but also holds the potential for the new Prime Minister to be physically attacked. The first week of July is exceptionally dangerous for Ms. Gandhi since Mars enters Leo to activate this underlying planetary complex. Hopefully, her own astrologers will warn her about this time frame.

Brad Pitt, International Film Star