The Spanish flu epidemic is the one most often mentioned as a comparison for Covid-19. Though the present death rate of just over one million is a blip against the 50 million plus who died of the flu in four waves between 1918 to 1920. The second wave was the deadliest though again that doesn’t look to be the case now. What exacerbated the spread of the influenza back then were troops returning from World War One.

   It took hold in March 1918 on a Saturn Neptune conjunction (in Leo) which is a classic epidemic signature. Both planets were still in Leo though not conjunct by the third wave in early 1919. The third wave was less severe than the second wave but still more deadly than the first. The fourth wave in spring 2020 was in isolated patches but still with high death rates.

  When it started to recede and then disappear in 1920 Saturn had moved from Leo into Virgo and was in an economically restrictive and unstable opposition to Uranus – the global recession of 1920/21 fitted the astro-pattern. And a similar effect will be repeated in different signs in 2021 as Uranus in Taurus squares Saturn in Aquarius.    What followed the recessionary dip was the Roaring Twenties with Neptune in Leo bringing a period of economic expansion and prosperity, most obvious in the USA, lasting until the 1929 crash and the Great Depression following.

  Nothing ever repeats exactly and the planets are in different signs but the parallels are interesting nonetheless. The Saturn Pluto conjunction which was the bringer of the plague this time round will separate by sign late this December and Saturn will move onto the square to Uranus for the economic pain which is undoubtedly coming in 2021.

See post on previous historic plagues: March 22 2020

ADD ON:
Previous Saturn Neptune conjunctions this century were in 1989 in Capricorn and in 1952 in Libra.

In the USA, the 1952 polio epidemic was the worst outbreak in the nation’s history, and is credited with focusing public awareness on the need for a vaccine. Of the 57,628 cases reported that year 3,145 died and
21,269 were left with mild to disabling paralysis. The vaccine had an immediate effect and since 1982 there have been no domestically acquired polio cases in the UK.

 1989/90 saw a small spike in influenza deaths, a localised USA measles outbreak and more cholera deaths in Africa though not at pandemic level.

  Previous Saturn Neptune conjunctions in Aries were in 1703 and 1056. There was an outbreak of  Yellow Fever in New York in 1702 and smallpox in Quebec in 1703 – though they were localised epidemics. Easier in those days when travel was relatively  limited.

1703 had Saturn Neptune in Aries square Uranus in Cancer and trine Pluto in Leo – and was the opener of a century that ushered into the Enlightenment as well as expanding slavery.

 

 

Support for Scottish independence has risen to 58% in a recent poll, much of this due to disapproval of the Boris botch-up over the pandemic and Brexit in comparison to Nicola Sturgeon’s steadier approach. Though, truth to tell, the Covid situation in both countries isn’t dissimilar and much of what Sturgeon blames Westminster for, is part of her devolved health responsibility.

  Whether the numbers would stay that high faced with economic realities is moot – of customs posts at the border, additional tariffs for Scotland’s main export market, currency problems with no GBP backing, and all in addition to rebuilding after the financial hit of the past year, and without the Barnett top up from Westminster.

  The Act of Union between England and Scotland came into being on 1 May 1707 JC and has survived for over three centuries. So it will have been rattled by planetary influences again and again during that time. It’s a glued-together, enduring chart with a Taurus Sun square Pluto Jupiter and, if a start time of 12 midnight is assumed, has Pluto Jupiter and Uranus in the 8^th – so it won’t budge easily.

  Tr Uranus is now back in Taurus as it was in the 1930s just after the Scottish National Party was formed. And indeed as it was in 1853 when the “Home Rule” movement for a Scottish Assembly was first taken up. So the present unrest is following the pattern which questions the 1707 agreement. Two decades after the first Uranus Return in the 1870s tr Pluto in Taurus put additional pressure on the bond in a conjunction to the Act of Union Sun and square the Pluto. And it survived both of those heavyweight influences without dissolving.

  There are some jolts on the Act of Union chart this year into spring 2021 with tr Uranus square the Uranus, and more in 2023 when tr Uranus is conjunct the Act Sun and square Pluto; with a raft of setbacks, uncertainties and dissolving Solar Arcs between 2023 and 2026/8.

   It would look more likely, if it is going to happen in some shape or form, to be in the aftermath of tr Pluto moving into Aquarius in 2023/24 and more so when the Saturn Neptune conjunction in Aries happens in 2026/27.  By that time tr Pluto has been trine the UK 1801 Uranus in 2024/25 for an upheaval and a rebellion; and separating tr Saturn moves into the 7^th house of close relationships in 2026, joined by tr Neptune in 2027.

  By 2023 as well tr Uranus, will be on the final leg of a destabilising roller-coaster round the UK’s financial and political planets, which starts in 2021 and extends on. By 2023 tr Uranus will square the 11^th house Saturn which rules the legislature so there may well be changes to Westminster and other political centres. The UK will be shaken and stirred with increasing confusion almost throughout this decade with the Solar Arc Midheaven squaring the financial Neptune by 2024; and then in the latter stages of the decade tr Neptune square the Capricorn Sun.

  What will help to bolster morale though it may or may not affect a Scot-exit is tr Pluto in opposition to the UK Jupiter in 2024/25 and moving into the UK 5^th after mid decade, both of which will revive UK morale and dynamic ambition.

  There is a good deal of water to flow under many bridges between now and 2026 which could affect the outcome of an IndyRef – not at least of which in Scotland is the damaging spat between Sturgeon and Salmond and their respective supporters.

Jacinda Ardern, the New Zealand PM has won a landslide victory in the general election and is projected to win a rare outright parliamentary majority. Her charisma carried her through her first term with a terrorist attack, a natural disaster and the pandemic, although she’s been criticised for not having a clear Covid-19 recovery plan. NZ is also, like elsewhere, in recession and the economy will be an uphill struggle ahead. 

  A while back the result looked as if it might be close but with her Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct her Pluto now she was on a winning streak. Plus tr Uranus is trine her Jupiter last month on and off throughout 2021 and into early 2022. So luck is on her side.

  Her Leo Sun sits in the NZ 10^th so she’s well-designed to boost the country’s ambitions and steer its direction; with her innovative Uranus changing NZ’s image as it sits in the NZ 1^st. There is a slight hint of finances being a foggy area for her with her Neptune opposition Venus falling across the NZ 2/8^th houses.

 Her relationship chart with NZ is powerful with a composite lucky, progressive Sun Jupiter conjunction square Pluto and Neptune – pushily confident together, with a hint of a slightly over-done aura of compassion.

 New Zealand is in for a tough time ahead there’s no doubt with tr Uranus in 2021 conjunct the Saturn and the Descendant – jolts, jangles, economic recession not letting up and trouble with neighbours. Plus the megaton tr Pluto conjunct the Capricorn Sun picking up from late February 2021 onwards, starting three to four years of colossal challenges as tr Pluto moves on to conjunct the NZ Mars and then square the Pluto. It’ll be one of the more testing phases in NZ’s history. With some downbeat patches later this year with tr Saturn conjunct Sun, Mars and square Pluto now till the end of the year.

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What goes up must come down. In the rollercoaster of history, empires and superpowers rise and ultimately fall, sometimes to rise again, sometimes not. Nothing lasts for ever. Spain, France and England/Britain once had empires of unimaginable size – and now they don’t. But they still exist and in varying ways attempt to reconcile themselves to the loss of their former status. Pluto Returns occurring roughly every 250 years can be one indicator of rises and falls. The USA is moving into its First Return in 2022/23. Below are examples from countries which have old enough charts to have experienced Pluto Returns. Thanks to Hugh for a detailed looked at the Roman Empire’s turbulent history over many centuries through the lens of its Pluto Returns.  

England 11 May 973 JC AD chart – Pluto 27 Leo. Pluto Returns in 1956; 1709/10; 1463/64; and 1217/18.  The Pluto Return of 1709/10 propelled the British Empire into existence after the Act of Union with Scotland in 1707 – at its height it was the largest empire in history. The Suez Crisis in 1956 was the consummate humiliation for Great Britain, signalling its fall from world super-power with the empire crumbling fast in the years before and after.

Spain 19 January 1479 JC – Pluto 1 Libra. The Spanish Empire was one of the largest empires in history. From the late 15th century to the early 19th, Spain controlled vast overseas territories. One of the superpowers of the 16th and 17th centuries, it was known as “the empire on which the sun never sets” and reached its maximum extent in the 18th century. It moved through its first Pluto Return around 1724; and began a slow decline at a Pluto half Return in the 19^th Century. The most recent Pluto Return around 1972 saw the dictator Franco gradually relinquishing power, nominating a monarch as successor and handing over the Prime Ministership by 1973.

France 19 August 843 JC – Pluto 29 Pisces. Previous Pluto Returns: 1577, 1332, 1088. Around the second Pluto Return in 1337 and the start of the Hundred Years War, France was at the height of its mediaeval glory. The most recent Pluto Return in 1821 saw the death of Napoleon on the exact aspect and the government of France moved into instability thereafter, though the Second French Colonial Empire built up post-1830 became one of the largest empires in history.

Russia 28 March 1462 JC – Pluto 22 Leo. Previous Return 1708/9. The most recent Pluto Return was exact when Stalin died in early 1953. Previous Pluto Return was 1706.

Switzerland 26 May 1231 JC – most recent Pluto Return joined the Council of Europe. Before that 1726.

Austria 18 October 1221 JC – was angling to join the EEC on the most recent Pluto Return, managed it 6 years later. Before that 1714, 1468.

Scotland March 25 1005 JC – the second Pluto Return in 1745 saw the Jacobite Rebellion crushed by the English with savage repercussions. The next Pluto Return in 1991/2 saw Alex Salmond take over leadership of the Scottish National Party which led later to its rise to power. The Pluto Return first was 1252.

Sweden 1523 – Pluto 14 Capricorn. In the 17^th Century Sweden became a great power but had started to lose land and status fifty years before the next Pluto Return in 1768/9. The latest Pluto return of 2015/16 was during European refugee crisis.

Thanks to Hugh for the Roman Empire ups and downs of Pluto:

Rome – the traditional founding date is 753 BCE – Pluto 17 Leo.

The first Pluto Return in 509 BCE the Roman Republic was founded.

The Second Pluto Return coincided with the start of the Punic Wars circa 269 BCE.

The Third Pluto Return oversaw the second settlement of the Augustan Principate around 23 BCE.

The Fourth Pluto Return – 220s CE – the end of the Severan dynasty and the beginning of the 3rd Century Crisis of the Roman Empire which saw near constant civil wars.

The Fifth Pluto Return – 470 CE which saw the end of the Western Empire.

The Sixth Pluto Return – 717-718 CE oversaw the failed Second Arab Siege of Constantinople in (one of the most important events in European History).

9^th Pluto Return – 1204 – the Sack of Constantinople by Latin armies in 1204 (an event that fatally weakened the Byzantine world).

10^th Pluto Return  – 1453 CE when the former Christian capital Constantinople fell to the Ottomans.

Hugh: “I find that a remarkable set of repeated major turning points stretching over 2000 years. I would say those run of events indicate that Pluto Returns played a not insignificant role in the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.”

See November 18 2018 post for more detail on England.

Sweden is under pressure not just from their lax Covid strategy resulting in worse rates of infection and death but from burgeoning internal crime and an external Russian threat. Having opened their doors to refugees five years ago, they unwittingly let in about 40 criminal clans from the Middle East, north Africa and the Balkans who are pushing up crime, with 257 bombings and 300 shootings last year. In these clans, the extended family raises the children to take over the organized crime activities and they have no ambitions to become integrated into Swedish mainstream society. It’s grist to the right-wing politicos but is also a genuine problem which the standard Swedish libertarian approach is not well designed to root out.

  Sweden is also upping military spending by 40% in the next five years as it aims to strengthen its defence amid concerns over increasing Russian activity in the Baltic Sea and heightened tensions in Belarus following a disputed election.

  The Sweden chart, 7 December 1865 3.30 pm Stockholm, is in a scarily tight corner exactly now with a totally blocked and risky Solar Arc Mars conjunct the Sweden Pluto; and an explosive, insecure Solar Arc Uranus conjunct its 6^th house Mars, exact in two months.

  Tr Uranus started to oppose the Sweden Saturn from late May this year for a series of tension-erupting jolts and that repeats across late this month to late November and will then increase in strength through 2021 and 2022. Tr Uranus will conjunct the 11^th house Sweden Pluto from late May 2021 suggesting not only a radical change of trajectory as far as future plans are concerned; but also a serious shake-up in the structure of their once peaceful society. Tr Saturn will also add its own downbeat reality checks along the way. That extends into 2022 by which time tr Uranus will be square the 4^th house Moon with tr Saturn in opposition which suggests more domestic upsets and outbursts of emotion as safety and security become priorities.

  The Sweden Russia relationship chart  also looks under discouraging influences with tr Pluto trine the composite Saturn in 2021/22 with a significant diplomatic upset as tr Pluto also squares the composite Uranus at the same time. And the Eclipses from later this year and throughout 2021 rattling the relationship chart brewing up crises.

Margaret Ferrier, the MP condemned for travelling by train from London to Scotland despite testing positive to Covid, is still sitting though ousted from the SNP. She describes her actions as a “blip” and “out of character”. After being tested but before results came in she attended church, then travelled for five and a half hours on the train to London. Then having found she was positive she reversed her journey since she didn’t want to self-isolate in a hotel.

  Born 10 September 1960, she has an ego-centric and nervy Virgo Sun and Mercury on the point of a T square to an adventurous/opportunistic Jupiter in Sagittarius opposition Mars in Gemini. She also has an unyielding Pluto trine Saturn in Capricorn; and a stubborn and indulgent Taurus Moon. Her Jupiter is also in a risk-taking and lucky trine to Uranus.

   At the moment she has tr Uranus opposition her Saturn/Pluto midpoint which Ebertin describes as “the ability to make sudden decisions in the most difficult situation”. From late November for a few weeks she has a mix of luck and stress; with more upbeat Jupiters into 2021. 2022 may be a different matter with more of a slide downhill thereafter.

  Nothing succeeds like brass neck. This does appear to be the era of shamelessness. It’s difficult to embarrass those who don’t have a sense of honour or integrity.     

Nigeria’s youth are out on the streets protesting against police brutality, in particular the federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a notorious unit long accused gross human rights abuses, including extortion, harassment, torture, and extrajudicial killings and demanding justice for victims. President Muhammadu Buhari has now promised to disband Sars and enact police reforms.

  Nigeria gained independence on 1 October 1960 from British colonial rule with a stark chart of a tough Mars in Cancer on the Ascendant in a hard-edged opposition to Saturn square a Libra Sun and sextile/trine Pluto. It is Africa’s largest economy with the world’s third largest youth population; and has been through civil war and military coups in the past sixty years. It has a reputation for political corruption and high crime, some of it international as well as a thriving economy.

   Transiting Uranus in Taurus is moving to form an Earth Grand Trine to the Nigeria Pluto and Saturn this year and next, so could arguably be well placed to get a grip of practical problems and build on its commercial talents though with some disruption as well. There will be more mutinies and arguments come 2022 when the Solar Arc Mars is conjunct the Pluto for a major setback few months.  Even before then there will be anti-social or activist uprisings, again involving the young with Solar Arc Pluto conjunct the 5^th house Neptune in 2021.

  Tr Pluto sextile the Pisces Midheaven in 2022/23 might give hope of a more stable direction for what should be a prosperous and thriving country.

  What’s interesting in parallel are the protests in Thailand against the bizarre young king against whom no criticism may be voiced – except it is. See previous post July 29 2020.

It’s almost as if Pluto in Capricorn is gearing up for a blowout to leave its mark before it exits Capricorn in 2023/24 – and not before time.

The USA stands on the brink, facing a historic fork in the road, with the most polarised climate since 1860. It won’t matter much whether Biden wins outright and then faces a hostile Supreme Court and perhaps Senate as Obama did, road-blocking his agenda; or Trump finagles in via the skewed and undemocratic Electoral College system. The challenge is whether a much overdue overhaul of the revered and ancient Constitution is faced up to in coming years.

  Legal brains suggest three possibilities ahead – 1) civil war; 2) the break-up of the USA via peaceful secession of various states a la Scotland’s possible exit from the UK; or 3) stagnation similar to the decline of the once mighty Turkish Ottoman Empire over the final two centuries of sclerosis.

  This prologue, above and below, is a precis from an excellent piece by Edward Luce in the FT.

https://www.ft.com/content/b159bce5-83e7-4f8e-ab0d-4123660ab539

 Trump’s actions have shattered faith in the idea of checks and balances and the Barrett SCOTUS nomination could light the fuse that ends in a full-blown crisis over America’s founding creed.

    Some think the third option is the most likely, as America drifts into becoming the “sick man of the west and reconciles itself to the fact that renewal is not possible. Rather than providing a blueprint for modern reforms, the constitution acts as an entrenched roadblock to change.”

  Norman Ornstein says: “If the system is the same in 2030 as it is now, America will start to fall apart.” “The US Senate is an affirmative-action programme for white, rural, Christian conservatives, who have an increasingly powerful veto over America.”  

  The Constitution, 4 March 1789, is beset by major confusion exactly now, running on from 2019 with tr Pluto square the Neptune; and continues on an increasingly disruptive track with tr Uranus throwing in firecrackers and causing upheavals in square to the Pluto in 2022 and moving on to square Venus and then the Mars in 2025; with tr Saturn dampening enthusiasm and erring on the side of conservatism – with aggravated arguments – from 2022 as it is conjunct the Pluto, Venus, Mars and then crosses over the Sun Saturn in Pisces in 2024.

  All of which coincides with the USA 1776 Pluto Return in 2022/2023 with lingering after effects.

   The Supreme Court (SCOTUS) 2 February 1790, is in a state of acute uncertainty in 2021 with tr Pluto square the Neptune from late January (till late 2022) and tr Neptune conjunct the Saturn from March onwards for a year; plus a troublesome, rebellious and defiant tr Uranus square the Uranus late this November into December and repeating next spring, and facing even greater instability and challenges to its direction as tr Uranus square the Sun after July 2021 and Pluto in 2022. 2022 is also picking up the downbeat tr Saturn in Aquarius conjunct Sun and Pluto and a high-tension Solar Arc Saturn square Uranus in 2022 as well.

   The USA First President chart, 30 April 1789 12.45 am New York, is also in for an exceptionally rough ride with tr Uranus conjunct the Taurus Sun in April and again over the New Year; at the same time as tr Neptune continues to conjunct the Saturn through into January 2022 as well.  2022/3/24 have a raft of roller-coaster difficulties as tr Uranus is conjunct the Pluto and then tr Pluto opposes the Uranus in 2023/24 which could upset the applecart.

The USA 1776 chart shows 2021 as a time of panicky failure with tr Neptune square the Mars with the hostile and toxic debates running on as tr Pluto continues to oppose the Mercury. Then the Pluto Return in 2022/23, followed by setbacks from Solar Arc Saturn conjunct the Mars and square the Neptune in 2024/25.

  It certainly fits the thought that suggests this election won’t resolve much, indeed may exacerbate tensions and strain with the liberal push for change running into entrenched conservatism. It also fits Kissinger’s thought that Trump is the kind of figure who turns up at the end of an era. A Pluto Return can bring about the Icarus-like fall of an empire which rose on the previous one and he might just the unwitting exposer of the flaws in the USA governmental system (a la Pluto in Capricorn). Given the Cancerian nature of the USA – shining a critical light on the past and revered forbears, and letting go the old traditional way won’t be easy.

Phil Collins, drummer with Genesis and solo artist, is involved in a matrimonial muddle with a difference. His third wife, the much-botoxed and back-combed Orianne Cevey, whom he married and then expensively divorced some years back and then got together again, appears to have married again unbeknownst to him. She is still living, presumably with new hubbie, in Collins’ Miami house, has changed the key codes and is refusing to move out. Much legal wrangling to follow.  They have two late teenage sons.

  Collins, 30 January 1951 12.05 am London, has a 4^th house Aquarius Sun trine a 12^th house Saturn; with an enthusiastic Mars Jupiter in musical Pisces in his performing 5^th, trine an intensely emotional Scorpio Moon in his 1^st house trine Uranus.  So a Water Grand Trine which is talented, healing for others if not himself, but tending to make him live in his own bubble of reality. And he has a controlling and influential Pluto in his career 10^th.

  Orianne Cevey, formerly a translator, born 24 March 1974 in Switzerland, is a New Moon in Aries trine Neptune and opposition Pluto – super-ambitious and controlling. She’s also got a showbizzy Mars opposition Neptune.

  Apart from both sharing a Venus in Aquarius and Jupiter in Pisces it’s not that obvious what the attraction was for a double stint at togetherness. Her Sun opposition Pluto sits on top of his 12^th house Saturn; her rebellious Uranus is conjunct his Ascendant and Moon.  Her Mars is in his 8^th and her Neptune in his 2^nd, so money would have been an issue.

  Their relationship chart does have an optimistic and supportive composite Sun Jupiter though it opposes a needs-space Uranus and a struggle-for-the-upper-hand Pluto. The composite Venus is in a cool opposition to Saturn with a hint of passion from a sextile to Mars.  It’s a so-so chart which would be fine as long as they could live out the power-couple Jupiter Pluto but once that went adrift it would be a tussle.

  Tr Pluto is moving to square the composite Mars perhaps as early as this New Year but certainly extending on and off through next year which will be a bitter and aggravated barney.