This is pulled up from late December: The next Solar Eclipse on 26 February 2017 is at 8 Pisces conjunct Neptune in a Saros Series Bernadette Brady describes as bringing pleasant surprises, sudden happiness, joyful events and lucky breaks or wins. Positive changes in people’s lives.

There is also at the time of the eclipse an adventurous Jupiter opposition Uranus Mars square Pluto which could go several ways – over-confident pushes to prove a point, too much control and an aggressive Saturn trine Mars Uranus – but none of these are in aspect to the Eclipse itself so should have less long term effect. Eclipses should cast a shadow over the following six months, and just before.

It’s difficult to tell where it will brew up events in the world. The midheaven runs through Greenland and down through Brazil. UK/London is catching Mars Uranus.

The Lunar Eclipse of 11 February 2017 is at 22 Leo/Aquarius in a Mystic Rectangle trine/sextile Uranus opposition; a three Grand Sextile with Saturn involved – it could be lively. Jupiter always helps. New Zealand is catching it on the MC/IC axis.

The 21 August 2017 Solar Eclipse is at 28 Leo, conjunct Mars and trine Saturn and Uranus. A Fire Grand Trine. With a Cardinal Grand Square of Jupiter opposition Uranus square Venus opposition Pluto. [See previous post November 11th]. It’s in a series which puts pressure on personal relationships, with tiredness and maybe health issues. Hasty decisions warned against.

It’ll be seen across the USA and does impact on Donald Trump’s Ascendant Mars, so could be quite a jolt. Mars triggered by an Eclipse tends to go into fighting gear and usually provokes a crisis.  It’s exactly on the MC/IC through mid America – Kansas City to Winnipeg and west.

The Lunar Eclipse of 7 August 2017 is at 15 Aquarius/Leo conjunct Mars and trine/sextile Jupiter, so confident and combative. The USA catches that on the MC/IC axis.

 

Spiro Agnew, Richard Nixon’s vice president, resigned in 1973 having faced charges of extortion (financial kickbacks), tax fraud, bribery and conspiracy. The charges were pled down and he later claimed they were an attempt by Nixon to divert attention from Watergate, though they seemed to have been true.

He was born 9 Nov 1918 9am Forest Hills, Maryland. He was a Sun Venus in Scorpio square Neptune and trine Jupiter Pluto in Cancer in the 8^th, so no slouch when it came to making money or being slippery.

When his fall came tr Pluto was conjunct his Midheaven starting to move through his 10^th and conjunct his Solar Arc Neptune, which is a double whammy of devastation and career disgrace. Tr Saturn was conjunct his Pluto and moving to conjunct his Jupiter.

So it was very clear from his chart that his career was going to end in catastrophe.

There’s nothing remotely similar on Donald Trump’s chart. The only financial aspects he has are a double dose of Pluto Jupiter by Solar Arc, and two transits: of Jupiter through his 2^nd and tr Pluto square his Jupiter – so he’s in full over-blown confidence gear and reckoning that rules don’t apply to him – for this year anyway. He does have Neptune, ruler of his 8^th, in his 2^nd house square his Mercury, so he has an inbuilt evasiveness when it comes to cash and disclosing his secrets. Tr Saturn will catch up to his Neptune but not for another four years plus.

   

 

The Australian Tennis Open brought out the best in the oldies and goodies with Roger Federer and Serena Williams winning, and Rafael Nadal making it to the final.

The first round on 16^th January kicked off at 11 am, Melbourne, putting Saturn conjunct the Midheaven, which seems apt for experience and age. Federer, 8 Aug 1981, and Williams, 26 Sept 1981, both have several planets in Libra which will have been boosted by tr Jupiter in Libra, though nothing too exact. Williams had tr Pluto square her Jupiter in Libra; and Federer had tr Pluto trine his Venus in Virgo – so success and popularity.

Federer has tr Saturn out of his low profile seven years which will have helped; Nadal is still in his though has tr Pluto sextile his Jupiter in 2018/19 which will give him a lift.

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In the febrile and chaotic atmosphere after Trump’s inauguration with hysteria mounting (just the way he likes it) it’s all too easy to be drawn into apocalyptic fears of the fascism of the 1930s returning. That came on the back of the Great Depression of 1929/30 with Pluto in Cancer opposition Saturn square Uranus; and Hitler came to power in 1933 when Uranus in Aries was square Pluto. That certainly upset the status quo but not in the libertarian sense that we saw with the Uranus Pluto conjunction in the 1960s or the recent square which oversaw the Arab Spring and an Obama Presidency.

More than anything what drove fascism in Europe was the temperaments of the leaders involved. Hitler as well as being a sadistic thug, had the megalomaniac Neptune Pluto conjunction in Gemini, which historically has been associated with Attila the Hun and Tamerlane The Great, both vengeful empire builders; and Neptune Pluto spawned the great nasties of the 20^th Century – Stalin, Mao Tse Tung. Hitler, Mussolini, all born towards the end of the 19^th Century, who either had it exact in their chart or spent their formative years under its influence. Mercifully we’ve been spared that. Though Bannon does have the fanatical Uranus Neptune hard aspect, which he shares with Lenin and Joseph McCarthy.

It’s more likely that the convulsions ripping the USA apart at the moment are more connected to the tr Uranus square the USA Mercury opposition Pluto this year, plus the Leo Solar Eclipse this August [see post ‘USA 2017’, Dec 26^th 2016.]

Richard Nixon came to power on the back of the Uranus Pluto conjunction of the 1960s, signed treaties with China and the USSR, pushed through desegregation, ended the Vietnam War and established the EPA. So he wasn’t all bad though his time in office was tarnished by his VP Spiro Agnew’s resignation over financial corruption and Watergate – both Nixon’s and Agnew’s resignations happened on the tr Uranus square the USA Mercury opposition Pluto. Nixon was followed by Gerald Ford (more power to Congress, less to the President) and then Jimmy Carter.

The approaching Saturn in Capricorn (from 2018) conjunct Pluto in 2019/2020 will certainly be repressive economically – and emotionally downbeat – with the likelihood of a more major war than usual. (In addition to the normal endless squabbles going on somewhere at any given time.) Saturn Pluto tends also to be suppressive when religious beliefs are concerned.

Not a brilliant year ahead for the USA but it’s a high- stakes game astrologically from the Leo Eclipse and Uranus on Mercury Pluto, so the fall out could be considerable.

What will be interesting is to see how some of the ‘big beasts’ that Trump has nominated cope with his self- ( and Bannon) generated mayhem. Mattis and Tillerson especially are not men who will appreciate being hauled into their private game of anarchic pandemonium.

[See also: Narcissism Dec 2^nd; and Post-Truth Dec 17.]

  

 

California is gearing up for an almighty separatist squabble as rebellion mounts against the new White House inmate. California is as far as it is possible to be from the rust belt in politics and Donald Trump lost the state to Clinton by 4 million votes. Some reckon, as the sixth largest economy in the world, they could do nicely on their own. A quarter of all immigrants in the USA live in California; and just over a quarter of the state’s population was foreign-born. They need half a million signatures by next year for a referendum to run. Not that Congress will  ever allow it to happen but they’ll have fun trying.

California, 9 September 1850, is in a slough of despond in 2017/18 with tr Pluto square their Saturn; But it’s 2018 which will be interesting as CA faces a Uranus Return; with tr Uranus also conjunct Pluto. Plus a gung-ho Solar Arc Mars opposition Jupiter. Sadly tr Neptune will also be opposing the CA Virgo Sun, which will be deflating. But there will be revolutionary vibes hanging around.

The relationship chart between California and the USA is volatile at best with a composite Sun Mars Jupiter square Uranus; plus a latched-together and resenting-it Saturn trine Pluto. Oddly enough the composite North Node is at 10 Leo, the exact degree of Trump’s Pluto and Mars/Saturn midpoint – so his brutal approach hits the relationship in quite the wrong place. Tr Pluto is opposing the composite Saturn and trine the composite Uranus in 2017/18 so a mix of deep despair and unrest.

Civil wars start in the unlikeliest of places.

   

 

The upcoming French elections (April 23/May 7^th) are more wide open than ever with Francois Fillon mired in a scandal about payments made to his wife. With tr Neptune moving to square his Mars and conjunct his Pisces Sun just before and through the election, he doesn’t look hopeful at all.

Neither does Emmanuel Macron, the independent: He’s certainly on an upsurge at the moment with his Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct his Mars, exact at the moment, though still in effect over the two-stage election on April 23/May 7. He’s also got tr Jupiter conjunct his Pluto over the first round which should give his confidence a boost. But what is probably a sinker is tr Neptune opposition his Mars/Pluto midpoint over both rounds – which is usually bad news for election wins = being damaged by smears, suffering under attacks, lacking energy for resistance. [Post Jan 17 2017].

Benoit Hamon, socialist, pro-Eu and far-left, is an outsider who doesn’t look too upbeat in May.

The can’t-possibly-win-can-she candidate Marine Le Pen may well be helped by fate if Fillon is irrevocably damaged.

Born 5 Aug 1968 12.20 am Neuilly sur Seine, France she is a Sun Mercury in Leo with an ambitious 10^th house Mars so certainly ambitious. But what marks her chart out as singular is a very tough, strained Yod, the toughest, of Uranus Pluto sextile Neptune inconjunct Saturn in Aries. Saturn also sits as a singleton, the only planet in her relationship hemisphere, which channels the energy of the rest of her chart. Saturn in Aries is self-reliant, tends to be unsympathetic, dismissive of the needs of other, hard. It will have given her a sense that she has a special mission in life which sets her apart from the common crowd. She’s certainly not a fitter-in. But this Yod demands real maturity to make it work. A fated change can bring a turning point which will test the individual to the limit and can set them on a path of social responsibility; or it can bring self-defeating actions which end in failure.

She’s looking upbeat and confident in the early stages of 2017 with tr Pluto trine her Jupiter/Pluto and then her Jupiter/Uranus. And she has a bouncy tr Jupiter through her 1^st house over the next year. Tr Uranus will conjunct her Yod focal point Saturn exactly at the time of the second round. That will really test her mettle to see if she can rise to the challenge of the Yod or end up in failure. Tr Pluto will be opposition her MC then which will certainly shake the ground under her feet. Plus a couple of mild but useful Uranus transits to Jupiter midpoints.

Le Pen as President of France would give Angela Merkel nightmares. Le Pen’s afflicted Saturn is opposition AM’s 10^th house Neptune and square her Sun Uranus; and Le Pen’s Mars in Cancer is conjunct AM’s Sun Uranus and square AM’s Neptune; and Le Pen’s Uranus Pluto squares AM’s Mars. It would be a brutal fight for the soul of Europe. [Dec post].

Her closest adviser is Florian Philippot, 24 October 1981 11.20am Croix, France. He has tr Jupiter moving cross his 10^th till the autumn which is usually successful; plus tr Uranus opposing his 10^th house Jupiter Pluto which can also be lucky breaks and a complete turnaround in his life. Plus an even larger lucky break from Solar Arc Jupiter conjunct his Uranus which will be exact exact to within minutes over the election. He’s also got three less helpful influences but he’ll be buoyed up all the same.

Le Pen’s Yod does need a strange turn of fate to get into gear. Given her main opponent is tipping over and the world has gone berserk with Trump and Brexit, she might just make it.  It’s almost certainly the time she’ll be as near as she’ll ever get to the Elysee Palace.

Looking at the remaining Middle Eastern countries – Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt – all have varying internal problems, some with elderly rulers in failing health, so some upheaval ahead may be put down to change of rulership.

The Iran 1906 and 1979 charts both look uncertain in 2017 into 2018; with major disruptions through 2018 to 2021. The Ayatollah Khamenei has prostate cancer and isn’t expected to survive much longer. His chart looks shaken every which way in 2018 with tr Uranus hitting his formidable T Square of Mars opposition Saturn square Pluto. His leadership chart is edgy and insecure this year presumably with Trump in situ and very undermined from 2018 onwards.

Saudi Arabia, 15 Jan 1902 3.45am is heading into a challenging financial downturn in 2017/18 with tr Pluto conjunct Saturn. There may be some upswing from tr Uranus square Jupiter this year but it also squares the Capricorn Sun, so will be a time of escalating change. The years 2019/2022 look exceedingly confused, uncertain, fairly devastating; with high insecurity. Their Jupiter may come to their rescue on the back of it but it’ll be a time of forced change.

King Salman of Saudi Arabia’s Reign chart, 23 Jan 2015 1am, will be shaken into crisis by this February’s Pisces Eclipse conjunct the 4^th house Moon Neptune Mars which looks like family and internal problems. With a sense of closure and certainly a major jolt in 2018.

Oman, 23 July 1970, another absolute autocracy, is picking up problems late 2017 and through 2018/19 with Solar Arc Uranus conjunct the Saturn and tr Pluto trine Saturn, so economically not great and highly unsettled; with a risky tr Uranus square the Sun and Mars in 2018/19. Qaboos bin Said Al Said, Sultan of Oman, born 18 Nov 1940, on the throne 23 July 1970, will face major shocks in 2018/19, which show up on both these charts, with his personal chart extending difficulties into 2022.

Egypt, is already in trouble with the 1922 country chart in confusion through this February with the Pisces Eclipse and tr Neptune both conjunct Uranus and square Mars; and looking very blocked late 2017/2018. Abdul al Sisi, the President’s term chart, 8 June 2014 11.18am is very unstable at the moment with Solar Arc Pluto square Uranus exactly; and sagging badly, as well as at high risk in 2019 with tr Neptune square the Sun and Solar Arc Mars opposition Uranus. However that chart has lucky wild card Jupiter tied into it so may ride out the storm. Al Sisi has as tough a chart as Ayatollah Khamenei so is unlikely to keel over easily.

  

 

Trump has been in trouble with Pope Francis since he started his wall-building plan to shut out Mexico. The Pope questioned his Christian credentials which got the expected heated kickback.

The Pope,17 Dec 1936 9.01 pm Buenos Aires, is a Sun Sagittarius which is conjunct DT’s Moon, which should be OK. Except that the Pope’s determined Pluto square Mars is in hard aspect to DT’s Saturn Venus; and the Pope’s Saturn squares DT’s Uranus – so different agendas leading to continual aggravations.

Their relationship chart has a composite Sun opposition Mars Neptune, so irritable, mutually unsupportive – and that is getting the tr Saturn squares to all three composite planets at the moment and through this year, so the freeze is deepening. There’s also a Saturn Uranus opposition Jupiter, with Saturn Uranus trine the composite Mars Neptune – so nothing that suggests a rapprochement will be likely.

 

Trump’s executive order to ban entry to travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries – Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen – which has been causing global criticism and chaos at airports with conflicting instructions from department heads  – was signed at 4.27pm January 2017. Countries such as Saudi Arabia and Egypt, who produced the majority of the 9/11 terrorists; and Algeria and Tunisia, responsible in part for the recent European ISIS atrocities are not included.

There’s a New Moon in Aquarius in the 7^th, which is unaspected apart from a semi-sextile to a muddled Neptune in the 8^th. There’s a hard-edged Saturn square a 9^th house Mars Venus. The 9^th refers to foreign countries and travel and Saturn puts blocks and delays in the way of movement. The divisive and disruptive Uranus MC opposes Jupiter in the 4^th squaring onto Pluto Mercury in the 6^th. Arguably Jupiter in the 4^th points to safe domestic space; though with employment consequences onto the 6^th; and fierce arguments from Mercury Pluto.

The 7^th house New Moon is odd – it suggests vulnerability and need of relationship support, which given that it’s likely to result in less support is counter-productive. With the Node in the 2^nd opposition the 8^th house Neptune there may be financial consequences.

It’s initially only a 120 day ban; but, if extended, it’ll run into real problems late this year as tr Saturn squares Mars exactly, and be facing a complete turnaround come 2018 with tr Pluto square Uranus.