Planetary shifts point to major changes ahead

        

 

The turn of this decade will be marked by three outer planet conjunctions pointing to a tectonic shift of greater than usual significance. Economic and financial turbulence will be part of it.

The bleak Saturn Pluto conjunction, requiring grit and perseverance through tough conditions, draws closer through 2019 and comes exact at 22 degrees Capricorn in January 2020. Capricorn rules big business, high finances and government. It never returns to the exact aspect again but the austere mood will hang around till late 2020.

2020 also sees the much more upbeat though still materialistic Jupiter Pluto conjunction in Capricorn in April, June, November 2020. A few will make more money, others will continue to suffer.

By December 2020 there is a Jupiter Saturn conjunction in Capricorn, moving in tandem into Aquarius, also in December.

Saturn Pluto conjunctions come round roughly three times a century – most recently in 1982, 1947 and 1914. Jupiter Saturn conjunctions occur every 20 years.  All three together are rarer.

Triple Conjunctions: The only recent example of all three planets in the same area of the zodiac was around 1819/1820, although Saturn Pluto then in Pisces preceded the Jupiter conjunction to both.

What’s interesting is that 1819 saw the first major peacetime financial crisis in the United States followed by a general collapse of the American economy persisting through 1821. The downturn was followed by a resurgence as the USA economy moved in a new direction thereafter. First Saturn cuts back, then Jupiter expands.

In the UK, 1819 saw the Peterloo Massacre when the cavalry charged a crowd demanding the reform of parliamentary representation, against a backdrop of famine and high unemployment. The immediate effect was a clamp down on protests and although it did nothing to speed reform it is regarded as a turning point and in later decades progress was made.

Saturn Pluto in Capricorn:  The last time Saturn and Pluto were together in Capricorn was in January 1518 as Martin Luther’s Protestant Revolution got under way. He spearheaded the split with the Roman Catholic Church and his use of the Gutenberg printing press to reach a broader audience moved mass communication one step forward.

Jupiter Saturn conjunctions (December 2020) are, in theory, about finding a balance between idealism and materialism. It is also associated with iconic figures born under their influence, or US Presidents elected in those years, being cut down. Princess Diana and John Lennon are two examples, along with JF Kennedy. The raison d’etre being that Jupiter gets ahead of itself and flies too high, like Icarus towards the Sun, aiming to become god-like. Saturn then steps in, scythe in hand, with the reminder that all men are mortal. Balance and humility help.

There’s little doubt that a major financial downturn will be part of what’s coming. In addition to the always- restrictive Saturn Pluto in 2019/2020; there’s a financial-bubble-bursting Jupiter square Neptune in January 2019, repeating across the summer and into the autumn of 2019; and by 2021 Uranus in Taurus will square Saturn in Aquarius, usually an indicator of financial instability. So a longish three year period of economic bad news globally.

As a consequence there will be civil unrest (like Peterloo in the UK) and activists will step up to highlight corruption in an effective way (like Luther) but in the financial and political spheres, rather than religious. Though progress is always slow under the repressive Saturn Pluto.

Jupiter coming late to the party is a help since the difficulties come first and the solutions later; rather than high hopes followed by disappointment. It’ll also help that earthy, ambitious, money-minded Capricorn gives way to airy Aquarius – first with Saturn Jupiter in late 2020 and then Pluto as it moves into Aquarius in 2023/24. So the mood will gradually lighten with less focus on acquisitiveness, and more on ideas, ideals and scientific progress. Not that Aquarius is all wonderful – it can be overly stubborn, produce ideologues and fascists, as well as humanitarians.

The leading countries most affected will be: The USA with its Mercury opposition Pluto picking up the full brunt of the triple conjunction, exacerbating the bitterly divisive internal debates. Saudi Arabia with its own triple conjunction in Capricorn suffering a grind-down-and-rebuild few years. China with its 12^th house Jupiter in Capricorn at risk of a full-scale contraction, then expansion economically. Australia with its Capricorn Midheaven catching the triple conjunction leading to a forced change of direction. Germany, with its 10^th house Uranus square Neptune being triggered by the triple conjunction could see an outbreak of USA-style extremist arguments and a sharp change of direction during a turbulent three years. And the UK with its 10th house Cancer Moon being opposed, suggesting changes in rulership and an unsettled populace.

One financial name leapt out as sitting in the eye of the financial storm – Amazon and Jeff Bezos. Amazon’s first sale, 16 July 1995 has a last decan Cancer Sun opposition Uranus Neptune in Capricorn so will be severely shaken; as will Bezos, 12 January 1964, with his last decan Capricorn Sun. Neither will escape unscathed. Nor will Jared Kushner with his 20 degree Capricorn Sun.

There’s a risk of getting apocalyptic about what’s coming up. Saturn Pluto isn’t enjoyable but it usually produces the grit and resourcefulness to cope with tough conditions; and we go round this circuit three times a century so it isn’t terminal. Jupiter Saturns come and go, five a century.  The last triple conjunction – of Saturn Uranus Neptune – pulled down the Berlin Wall.

Who knows? There could be an effective Martin Luther-type leader rising up to hammer a few nails into the coffin of the cash-and-power mismanagers.