The tectonic plates in the great power game are shifting on cue with the outer planet transitions and an October Solar Eclipse pointing to a time of completion and separation from the past.
The fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is marked in the date of the original military coup which brought his repressive father to power on 13 November 1970. That happened with Neptune at zero degrees Sagittarius and Pluto at 29 Virgo. The Assad Dynasty born on a change, dies on a change, albeit a third of a zodiacal cycle on. The Uranus (conjunct Mars) on the 1970 coup chart is also triggered by the recent Solar Eclipse in opposition upending 55 years of brutal rule.
Although Syria 1 January 1944 with its controlling Pluto in the 10th and explosive Mars Uranus conjunction will be prone to strong-man rulers and intermittent violence. So there is no guarantee a jihadist government will be an improvement. Which is not stopping jubilation in the moment. One Syrian is quoted as saying “This is our Berlin Wall moment.”
Iran-backed Hezbollah is on the backfoot after Israel’s recent Lebanon campaign against them and suffering from an Eclipse assault as well with its Mars Venus in Aries catching the recent and next March’s Solar Eclipses for a challenging shake up.
All of which reflects back to Iran, with an elderly, ailing ruler still holding power. His Leadership chart, 6 August 1989 will be unnerved as tr Neptune Saturn move into Aries mid 2025 squaring the Uranus; and more so with tr Uranus square the Mars by August 2025.
Vladimir Putin’s initial Presidency chart, 31 December 1999, marking his long reign in power will find his grip shaken in May 2025 – with a potential topple-of-perch SA Uranus square Pluto late in 2025/early 2026. Which would fit with the Saturn Neptune conjunction being a key changeover period for Russia.
There are too many charts to run through without getting confused but Turkey looks at odds with Russia and Iran – perhaps because of its (maybe) support for the Syrian rebels, hopeful of an opportunity to return the massive influx of Syrian refugees. With a complicating factor of Kurdish rebel factions.
Next late March Solar Eclipse at 9 degrees Aries was around in the same Saros Series in 1989 and is physically expressive, sometimes violent or accident prone.
Previous post Syria – more Middle East turmoil 30 November 2024 gives details of Assad’s presidency and personal chart. “His Presidency chart, 12 July 2000, has been dealt a devastating blow exactly now with the Solar Arc Neptune square Saturn; with 2026/27 looking to be mired in confusion and paralysis with tr Pluto conjunct the Neptune.
His personal chart, 11 September 1965 4.43 pm Damascus is following a similar trajectory – an undermining SA Sun conjunct his Neptune now into 2025; his SA Pluto in a potentially destructive conjunction to his Mars in Scorpio now, and in a total-confusion conjunction to his Neptune in 2027. 2025 sees high hopes dented with tr Neptune square his Jupiter with a major setback from his SA Saturn opposition his Mars in 2026/27.”
Watch and wait as recent history reaches a crossroads.
Marjorie already wrote about Asma al-Assad, but would it interesting to see the family dynamics via synastries (Bashar – Hafez, Bashar – brother commander, Bashar – Asma) and the composite (Asma & Bashar)?
@ Unmystic Mom,
I was also surprised that Donald Trump openly blamed Vladimir Putin for Assad’s regime collapse in Syria. While Trump is known to insult and criticize many people, this was the first time I ever heard him criticize Vladimir Putin.
It is interesting that at least two of Putin’s puppets have collapsed suddenly in just one week. Apart from Assad, the rerunning of the Romanian elections will likely lead to the Romanian far-right candidate (supported by Putin, perhaps not doing so well in the rerun. Also, Trump met directly with Zelensky of Ukraine at the Elysee Palace.
Could some others of Putin’s puppets fall in the coming weeks? Could something about possible Russian influence in the US elections come out? I looked at the previous articles on Putin but nothing about this week jumps out at me. Am I looking at the wrong charts? Should I be looking at the Russia charts rather than Putin’s chart?
If his 1952 birth chart is accurate he has his Solar Arc Sun conjunct his Mars exact exact at the moment which will feel like a collision. Plus tr Pluto trine his SA Uranus for a disruption and his Libra Sun is catching the recent Libra Solar Eclipse for a crisis. Ditto next March.
Thank you for the response, Marjorie.
I primarily use only transits against natal charts when doing an analysis.
When is using Solar Arcs more appropriate and when is using progressed planets more appropriate as opposed to transits?
Perhaps a topic for a fuller post when news is lighter.
I’ve been following the X thread for Cat Men of Aleppo – the shelter/clinic appears no longer to be worried about being attacked & destroyed like back in 2016 or so. Their shelter was gassed and barrel-bombed. Nearly all animals died.
The news link does describe the social & political issues involved with obtaining supplies and food from Turkey.
Can you please take on board that this is NOT an opinion website for any stray thoughts you may have. Astrology plus factual info for background context only.
I was wondering if anyone here does Horary astrology and if it can be of any use with regards to world events (like what is happening in Syria at the moment).
My mother, who is a Western astrologer (she mainly focuses on Harmonics and relationship astrology), briefly dabbled with Horary astrology back in 1992 and 1993 but has since abandoned it.
I remember she mainly used Horary astrology for trivial purposes. For example, I remember one such incident back in December 1992 when she used Horary astrology to find one of her hairbrushes she misplaced. The Horary astrology told her, with accuracy, that her hairbrush was burried in a warm place nearby.
As it turned out, the hairbrush was sandwiched between an Afghan and a quit on top of the antique hope chest my parents keep at the end of their antique Tester bed.
I’m going to be taking a weekend Horary astrology class the Occultic bookstore I patron is offering (for a fairly resonable fee) starting in January.
I was just wondering if this type of astrology has proven useful when asking about world events.
I note the Assad regime fell on the day Mars stationed at 6 Leo very close to the Syria 1944 North Node at 7 Leo. This would be associated with profound, assertive and transformative action. Mars has however now gone retrograde so some of that energy will be stifled until the planet moves direct again in February 2025. It won’t exactly conjoin the North Node until August 2025 by which time Uranus, Neptune and Saturn will all have changed signs. We will have to wait to see what happens in the interim.
Interesting timing for Putin- at same timetable he looks finished we see trump is as well- or all those cabinet picks seem to have disruption w him at the same period… are they connected to the same downfall/setbacks.
Next year is about technology- but without any reigning in of tech – which has led to more chaos and misinformation than truth, it seems unlikely geo political power will offer anything to the people. It seems we have a cycle or decade or two to go through before we see a course correction.
Hi Marjorie Re two Solar eclipses in 2025 how do you handle “Out-of-Sign
Conjunctions”? In the 29Mar2025 Solar Eclipse we have Merc 00Ar28 conj
Neptune 29Pi57; in the 21Sept2025 Solar Eclipse, Saturn 28Pi27 conj
Neptune 00Ar48. What maximum orb do you use for this type of conj?
When interpreting them do you mix the 2 planets natures? What determines the strength of the conj? More here…..
https://tonylouis.wordpress.com/2024/03/31/out-of-sign-conjunctions/
Some Iman’s are already declaring that the country will be subject to Sharia law. Pity the poor women.
Thank you all for your perspectives and insight. I learn so much when I come here. And yes, Bluesky has been great on the Syrian developments, as Twitter used to be on the Ukraine war.
@Marjorie, those numbers on Russian losses are frightful and unsustainable. Do you have any figures on Ukraine’s losses? Are they comparable?
@Nicole Sours Larson, it’s said Zelenskyi told Trump their losses are one to five/six, which also seems consistent with international estimates. Russia is using meat grinder tactique, Ukrainians obviously can’t afford that.
Zelensky announced this morning Ukrainian military deaths since the beginning to be 43,000, and 310,000 injured.
News just got in Assad is in Moscow and has been granted an asylum. Earlier, it was reported he tried to negotiate with Americans through Emirati and even Orbán.
I honestly think he might have actually never returned from his visit a couple of weeks ago, and this is all smoke and mirrors built by Russians. The ease with which Russians are given away their naval base is suspect.
There has been news of Israel moving into the border buffer btwn Israel and Syria.
“Watching with trepidation and glee, Netanyahu orders military to seize Syria buffer zone”
That guy is really asking for trouble. Is he looking to annex Syria south of Damascus?
Agreed Solaia… it feels like a bear trap
@anna, to be clear, I don’t think Russia has resources to bear trap anyone. They seem to be strained, both military and economically. If not, they would have put much more effort to protecting the bases – they are important for them logistically, without a port and airports in Mediterranean area, they can’t support their operations in Africa, a vital source of income through mercenary activities and natural resources.
What if turkey is acting as russian proxy?
Thanks Marjorie. The numerous ramifications are pretty confusing across the region, as you say. So many interests and factions are involved.
I was thinking about the remarkable Arab Spring, 2011 (sparked off in Tunisia in December 2010) – and saw it connected with the Jupiter/Saturn cycle, in that case the springtime opposition in a cycle that began in May 2000 with the conjunction. I wondered what had happened at the square in that cycle. In December 2005 there was a Jupiter/Saturn square in Scorpio and Taurus, with Nodes in Aries. December 2005, it turns out, was a dangerous time for Assad, following the assassination of the Lebanese Prime Minister:
“A UN investigation implicated high-level Syrian officials in the Hariri assassination, and the UN Security Council threatened sanctions. “In December [2005], Assad was on the ropes,” Francona says. “It wasn’t a question of when he would be deposed, but who would depose him.” cfr.org
In an article, written at the time of the Arab Spring by Nick Campion, he notes:
“The current revolts in the Arab world appear to many to be unpredictable. However, the Persian astrologers of 2000 years ago developed a system for measuring political upheavals according to the cycles of Jupiter and Saturn, a point which is of interest as the two planets are currently in an opposition: horoscopically Jupiter is in Aries opposed to Saturn in Libra.” zyntara.com
So here we are in a new Jupiter/Saturn cycle, that began in December 2020 in a new element, air. And here comes a Jupiter/Saturn square exact on Christmas Eve 2024 and Assad has finally fallen. ‘Watch and wait’ as you say, as the ripples spread out across the global pond.
And looked what happened to Tunisia. Sad. Started well and ended up plus ca change.
My worry exactly I expressed below.
@Marjorie, I wouldn’t draw direct parallels between Northern Africa and Middle East. These countries are less divided ethnically and religiously (yes, I know there was more diversity at one time) than Middle East. There also are, generally speaking, less foreign power interests West of Suez channel. Libya is an exception.
Therefore, while I think Tunisia was left on its’ own, Syria will continue to be on the radar for foreign powers. As Russian and Iranian influence vanes, I’d expect Saudis and various Gulf States stepping in. There already was a report by Reuters on Bashar al-Assad trying to negotiate a last minute flee deal with the USA through Emirati contacts.
Obviously, this is not good news from human rights point of view in general, but lead to more stability.
I agree, Marjorie. Frying pans and fires do tend to spring to mind. Today is the anniversary of Yeltsin’s announcement of Russian independence, 8th December 1991. Curiously, it had Jupiter 13 Virgo. Tr Saturn is currently 13 Pisces. Nodes of Russia 862 are 12 Virgo/Pisces. Romanoff dynasty, 1613, Sun 12 Pisces. Plus so much more, as you’ve posted. More unravelling to come.
The in Syrian economy is already fragile, the many factions are adding to the complexity and we can’t overlook that the Mars Pluto opposition, (though it swings back and forth from Leo to Cancer and back again) will be with us until April next year. When in Fire and Air, it has the potential to be volatile, given the situation there.
However uncertain the future seems, it’s clear Syrians everywhere, no matter what their religious or ethnic background is, are celebrating today. My aunt, who lives at a sleepy comune by Russian boarder best remembered for a battle where Finns ambushed Soviet military compound during sent a message telling the dozen Syrian refugees who arrived there in 2015 and have sticked running a restaurant are riding circles and playing music at the center.
My reading of this remains the same as in the end of November. Something is amiss in Kremlin. Russian war economy finally collapsing is one reading, but there could be others related to Putin’s incapacity to hold the power. In any case it seems Russians were surprised, as were Iranians. Turkish may have the best intel on the ground, and likely infiltrators at Assad’s closest circles, because SNA (Turkish backed fraction) started moving fast in North once HTS made gains in South.
They are celebrating, but are they aware of realities? I don’t think at this time a partition, which is probably a de facto situation in situ, is a possibility formally, but is this country at all governable with Sunni, Alawite, Druze & Christian, Kurdish, and Yazidi parts of the territory all maybe wanting different things? Do all these factions have any similar ground on which to build the future?
@El Aznar, the civil war has raged for 14 years now, al-Assads were in power for 53, I honestly think people were just fed up. I just listened to a frankly breathless podcast episode that came out on Wednesday of “It Could Happen Here” on Syria, and the Dutch journalist interviewed went to dissect some main players’ shifting power structures. He also said that since he’d worked at rebel controlled areas, he essentially didn’t have access to Damascus, and a lot of what happened seems to have initiated there.
@Solaia – always you present a keen sense of politicas. Thanks. If Putin is on shaky ground – and legs – who is next in line to replace him?
@larryc, I mentioned this elsewhere, according to reporting by Finnish newspaper “Iltasanomat” in August, the main fractions were between the usual suspect, Nikolai Patrushev who is now essentially Putin’s Chief of Staff and Russian arm manufacturer Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov. They are both in Putin’s age group,but Patrushev has a son Dmitry, who was named one of the Deputy Prime Ministers earlier this year, and who he is pushing for succession.
I don’t think it’s going to be this orderly once Putin goes, I wouldn’t count out the possibility of civil war at least in parts of the country with strong ethnically non-Russian population.
I’ve listened to some pundits who have said there are those waiting in the wings even worse than Putin, but I hope and pray that is not the case. Would it be accurate to say that throughout its history, Russia has never really known anything but harsh, authoritarian rulers?
I’d like to echo larry’s appreciation of your posts, Solaia
I’d like to add my thanks and appreciation, too, Solaia.
I’d have thought that Dmitry Medvedev would be the obvious successor for Putin.
Too weak. A second-rate player.
@Unmystic Mom, as André said, Medvedev hasn’t been relevant at least since Putin dismissed him (formally, he resigned) in early 2020. But the things between them might have gone sour as soon as mid-2010s. Other than seen as weak, he has a serious drinking problem, even by the Russian standards. But much like Trump, I don’t think Putin is very interested in having a dynasty or even larger political legacy. If his TOB is correct, he has a Gemini Moon, a mirror image to Trump’s Sadgittarius (although these aren’t conjunct).
In Assad’s Age 5Harmonic Chart for 59+ in a biwheel with his natal
we have Age Harmonic Pluto, ruler 10th, career, conj natal Descendant
and square AH Jupiter at the MH…..”Conflicts and secret intrigues involving
secret enemies & opposiition. A toppling from power.”
https://ibb.co/1ZL57JL
Just for some perspective regarding size, Syria is the size of the US state of Washington. The other two that come close are South Dakota and Nebraska.
In Asia Kyrgyzstan is about the same size, as well as Cambodia.
In Africa it is Senegal.
In Europe it is Belarus that comes close to. It is twice as big as Portugal and France is almost three times bigger than Syria.
All these countries in the Middle East, Syria, Jordan, Emirates, Yemen, and even Iraq are countries because the allies made them so after WW1. They are all ruled by families, tribes, etc. On the other hand, Iran, Turkey, Russia, Israel, and Egypt have their own cultures and history cemented for centuries. This is not to diminish the Arabic culture but quite frankly, I never understood why Syria was a country in the first place.
Hopefully Iran and Russia’s represssive regimes to fall next.
Diana Cooper predicted in 2012 that Israel will attempt to gain control of water and land, refusing to share with other states. It will experience an earthquake which will destroy half of the land. Any view of this in the charts.
A friend sent me the losses on the Russian side in Ukraine which are horrifying and at some point will be insupportable.
Fighting day 1017 (December 6, 2024) of Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Estimated average Russian total and daily losses, both killed and injured.
• 751,910* since the start of the war – 739 Russians every day
• 392,680* in 341 days of fighting in 2024 – 1151 Russians every day
The fall of Syria was far too fast and decisive and the military presence of Russia in Syria was too large.
It’s almost like Syria was given up without a fight from both Syrians and Russia. It’s as if the entire place was abandoned to Israel, the US and Turkey.
I can’t help but think this is somehow linked to Ukraine war. US wants complete control of Middle East. Putin wants a peace deal with Ukraine. Russia gives up Middle East, in return US pushes Zelensky to agree to a peace deal.
Next could be Iran. Will Russia abandon them too?
I think Marjorie is telefgraphing something with that “elderly, ailing ruler” line.
Much more perhaps than planets now I am interested in the psychology and sociology of it all. How does a regime such as this happen in the first place? When people gain power, why do they resort to the most vicious acts to hold onto it? What is it in humans that keeps people killing each other and inflicting damage on the other? Hasn’t also history taught all the dictators that at a point in time they all fall, one way or the other?
I see that the media now reports Assad’s aeroplane might have crashed and speculating if he is alive. Of course, that is fertile ground for theories of a fake assassination via a missile hitting the jet and Assad and family getting new identities. Which is something some still believe happened to Saddam. And maybe Gaddafi?
In any case, I wondered where he might have fled. Russia? Iran? There is talk of the Emirates, I think, too.
Locke argues that in the state of nature a person is to use power to punish to preserve his society, which is mankind as a whole. After states are formed, however, the power to punish is to be used for the benefit of his own particular society…
There was a quote recently from I think an Arab citizen of somewhere who said it was only the leaders who were interested in fighting over power. The ordinary people just wanted to go about their lives, so the shopping, educate their kids etc and not be hassled,
The Guardian reports the Assad family has been given asylum in Russia; his plane landed there.
Yes, Moscow. Makes me wonder about his astro cartography in that location.