Finland became a NATO member yesterday as a direct result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which was launched by Putin in the expectation it would check Nato’s expansion and weaken Western cooperation. Finland’s entry will more than double the size of NATO’s border with Russia, adding another 800 plus miles. Finnish support for Nato membership leapt from a third of the population to almost 80% last year.
The application had been delayed by Turkey who have also blocked Sweden from joining because of its support for Kurdish militants. Sweden does not share a border with Russia and can count on bilateral security guarantees from the US and UK even without membership.
The Nato chart, 24 August 1949 11.42 am Washington, DC, indicates a significant change of direction with some disruption as tr Uranus is exactly square the 10th house Pluto at the moment. There are ominous signs of aggravation brewing from two Solar Arcs, exact within four months but in effect all year – Solar Arc MC square Mars and SA Mars square Uranus. It’ll be a nervy, explosive, tinderbox phase. The Finland/NATO relationship will equally be on edge from the middle of next month with tr Uranus square the composite Mars repeating mid December to mid March 2024 – which may just be Russia upping the rhetoric or being provocative.
The Finland 6 December 1917 3pm Helsinki country chart has relatively similar planetary position to the Russia 8 November 1917 chart with both having Uranus at 20 degrees Aquarius. So both are in a status-quo-upsetting year. One by choice and one having tripped through bad judgement into a quagmire.
Late 2024 looks trapped and scary on the Finland chart with Solar Arc Mars opposition the Pluto but that could be for any number of reasons, including financial ones. This year is a hugely significant juncture for Finland with Pluto crossing its Midheaven, bringing an urge to take control of future direction. Pluto is also conjunct the Venus now exactly and on and off till late 2024 which will heighten emotional reactions considerably.
The Finland/Russia 8 December 1991 relationship chart which showed up last year’s alarm and concern with tr Pluto square the composite Mars Neptune, hints that 2024 may see diplomatic relations cooling further with a separating tr Saturn in hard aspect to the composite Sun, Venus and Pluto – as well as a turbulent tr Pluto conjunct the composite Uranus into 2025 as well.
The signing took place at 2.46/7 pm in Brussels on 4 April, which puts a heavily aspected Mercury in Taurus on the Zero Taurus midheaven square Pluto – so very much a Pluto in Aquarius event. Mercury also sits on the midpoint of a Mars in Cancer trine Saturn which has military association. There is a Sun Jupiter in the international 9th. Saturn in the 7th – chilly relationships with those closest.
There is also an exact 2nd house Virgo Moon opposition an 8th house Neptune both in close aspect to the Fixed star Alkaid in Ursa Major at the end of the tail of the great bear. Perhaps the disappointment on the Russian side though that is probably over hopeful.
Edgy times for those living close to the bear’s lair. Well it probably always has been but more so at the moment.
I would be grateful Solaia and others if you could point out the trollish posts. I bin the most obvious ones but some slip through.
Sigh. I started with such lofty pretensions about being open-minded and being informed by all sides until it became obvious this was a mug’s game and let in the ranters, ravers, deceivers and idiots. I don’t subscribe to the ‘everyone is entitled to their opinion’ if it is based on skewed facts or delusions let alone bamboozled by malicious propaganda.
The ability of human beings to change their minds even when informed by new facts is tragically flawed (see Kuhn’s Paradigm shift). It never fails to amaze me.
I think Finland will be a huge asset to NATO with its long-standing experience of dealing with the Bear and its can-do attitude. And those lamenting the loss of ‘neutrality’ should remember that without respect for sovereignty there can be no neutrality. In the same way that there can be no freedom without responsibilty (concepts our societies are currently wrestling with).
Switzerland is the biggest hypocrite in this context, manufacturing arms and then refusing to sell them to those who need them to defend their sovereign territory or those that would pass them on to that country, and in WWII essentially operating as a Nazi vassal state in exchange for its ‘freedom’ in the guise of neutrality. Neutral it is in name only, then and today. Switzerland has only got away with this farcical stance because of its challenging geography for any invader. As a nation it is well prepared to defend itself but I wonder how it would react if one of those large hydrogen colliders under lake Geneva were to blow up leaving them with a very deep crater and possibly no allies to turn to. The price of neutrality.
Correction: Large Hadron Collider.
We can only hope that Finland becoming a NATO member, will further advance the perception of the fact that this is Americas war against Russia and that they are sacrificing the Ukranians in this war and become another dissenting voice to this war
Excuse me? I’d be grateful if you could elucidate on this thought and explain how? Thanks.
i completely agree with you. And so many other europeans.
Thank you
@WEB maybe reread some Finnish history before getting your hopes high.
@ WEB,
The United States didn’t want this dreadful war in Ukraine – our leaders tried desperately to de-escalate it. The Russian Federation is the sole aggressor here, period. Various geopolitical and international relations experts have offered a litany of hypotheses as to why the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine – some speculate Ukraine’s abundance of natural resources and rare earth minerals are the reason…others speculate Pan-Slavic ideology was the motivator (Putin would like Ukraine to be another vassal state like Belarus). I personally, think antisemitism might even be a reason (Vladimir Putin is undoubtedly a White nationalist and antisemitic…and I’m sure it infuriates him that a predominately Slavic Eastern Orthodox Christian country like Ukraine would democratically elect an ethnic Ashkenazi Jewish person as their President).
At the end of the day, nobody REALLY knows why Putin invaded Ukraine. However, deflecting blame and not holding the actual aggressor (Russia) responsible certainly doesn’t solve matters.
@Chris Romero, I love your patience here. I already know these obvious trolls won’t listen or even engage when their arguments are challenged, but it’s good to be “on record”.
@ Solaia,
Believe me, it takes a lot of self discipline. However, I do find these Russian / Putin sympathizing commenters exasperating – especially after reading the outrageous and disparaging comments about “the West” they’ve posted on this thread.
We don’t really know who we’re talking to though; ever since the barbaric and brutal invasion of Ukraine, internet troll farms like the China’s 50 Cent Party (Wumao) and Russia’s Internet Research Agency have been barnstorming various social media platforms with fake profiles. So, for all we know, the anti-NATO, anti-West, and anti-Ukraine people commenting on this thread could easily be a Wumao or a Russian bot….we just don’t know.
Ok, after “debunking”, some astrological overview here too. Historically speaking, I actually think that the fact Finland 1917 chart has held for over 100 years of continuos democracy amazing in itself. The other 1917-1918 charts have had one or more distruptions. I’ve often wondered what’s the key here, and since there whole issue of Independence vote ending time unsettled, I think the most important indicator is Mutable, but ever pragmatic Moon/Mars in Virgo. The will and capacity to solve issues rising have been there since the 1920’s, with tens thousands of Reds coming out of prisoner camps after a Civil.War. But there are also seeds of failure for non-viable solutions.
I would say that right now, NATO is a viable solution fot Finland. Also something we can contribute into due to Solar Sign trine.- essentially, I actually see NATO as a more congenial alliance for Finland than the EU. Effectively a similar situation to the UK ( a country Finland has had good relations with for 100 of 103 years of Independence).
@Unmystic Mom, Russia will never invade a NATO country. Baltic States, with a combined population below Finland, have been members since 2004. They will never even try.
And yes, Finland has conscription for men, voluntary service for women. Once people finish their military service, they remain in reserve into their 50’s. Most, if they are not Officiers, don’t have a Wartime position, though. My dad received reservist officer training, and would join training until he was in the early 50’s, reaching the rank of Major. My husband never served beyond then compulsory 9 months, but does have a wartime positioning due to some special skills.
But we are not Switzerland – nobody needs to carry a gun. Most guns are for hunting, but sometimes, there are some strange coincidences. For instance, I have three cousins, one male and two female. They were all taught to shoot by their father, also a reservist officer and a hunter. Two female cousins were vegans for a while, and still vegetarians, but enjoy shooting. Male cousin still hunts, too. And they still can sit at the same table.
@Solaia,
Thank you for a first-hand perspective. I did not mean to cause offence, but was merely reflecting on possibilities.
And I concur with the point above about NATO being a better fit for some countries than the EU. They are very different beasts.
@Unmystic Mom, yes, no offence taken. I know yours are bona fide considerations. International media isn’t, generally speaking, paying much attention to Finland outside some social issues, and they’ve completely missed some key points.
I can certainly see the urge for Finland to join NATO due to the recent Russian actions in Ukraine.
But will Finland come to regret it if Russia invaded some other NATO country? Because with a long continuous border with the Big Bear, indeed the longest contiguous border, they may be the first to be attacked.
NATO membership is a double-edged sword for Finland.
Then again, interestingly, like the US, Finland has a long history of gun ownership. Indeed, I believe that Finland has universal male conscription and a duty/requirement to bear arms, as opposed to a right. So at the very least, that is one country that the Big Bear may find hard-going.
In any case, as a wag had said, the Ukraine saga has demonstrated to the world that while many thought that the Russian Army was the second-strongest in the world, it turned out to be the second-strongest in Ukraine.
December 6, 1917 biggest manmade disaster, pre-atomic bomb…
Are there any possible correlations between the Halifax Explosion and Finland?
“At 9:05 a.m., in the harbor of Halifax in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, the most devastating manmade explosion in the pre-atomic age occurs when the Mont Blanc, a French munitions ship, explodes 20 minutes after colliding with another vessel.
As World War I raged in Europe, the port city of Halifax bustled with ships carrying troops, relief supplies, and munitions across the Atlantic Ocean. On the morning of December 6, the Norwegian vessel Imo left its mooring in Halifax harbor for New York City.”
Source: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/the-great-halifax-explosion
Marjorie, Thank you for your amazing work and teaching <3
@Beth, this is interesting, because even though I remember listening to a podcast on Halifax Incident, I somehow didn’t realize it happened in 1917, yet alone December 6th. And, this is interesting, it really must have been close to Finnish Parliament’s Independence vote.
I also recall reading that there actually were vessels with Finnish sailors involved with recovery – going to sea was one way of avoiding possibility to be drafted to Russian Army, and especially Swedish speaking Finns from the West Coast had a long history and good reputation as sailors, especially in traditional Tall Ships, that still were widely used in the early 20th Century.
I also found this Finnish language article that (Google can translate some) actually states the vote for Independence may have taken place the same time the incident happened. Apparently, Parliament books don’t state the exact time the vote took place, but it likely was in first two hours of the session, and not later than 3 pm
https://www.mtvuutiset.fi/artikkeli/103-vuotta-sitten-tapahtui-historian-toistaiseksi-pahin-vahinkorajahdys-erityisesti-tama-seikka-tekee-siita-suomen-kannalta-kiinnostavan/8005314#gs.u7b6qt
@ Solaia
Long time to reply, thank you for responding to my query!
Gosh, really hoping that @Marjorie is referring to a different poster about being “trollish”
Kind regards, Beth
Tragedy of Finland, Sweden and Germany losing neutrality. Finland puts Ukraine in more danger and itself. Incomprehensible actions to provoke a situation to a serious new level.
@gerald
i totally agree with you.
The western world is ruled at the moment by war mongers or fools not thinking through the results of their actions.
But much more interesting and of huge influence on coming world events is the total demise of the US dollar that is coming fast.
@ Aline,
It’s obvious you haven’t been keeping up with our economy. The U.S. Dollar is doing just fine – may not be the “bull market” we were hoping for…but we’re not anticipating a bear market anytime soon.
As for the absurd notion that the Global North is ruled by “fools” and “war mongers,” it’s obvious that you haven’t been keeping up with other global affairs either.
The Russian Federation is the aggressor here – not the West, not Ukraine. Period. And do stop with the cockamamie hypothesis that poor nuclear-armed Russia was just “defending” itself from Ukraine (a country that doesn’t contain nuclear weapons and poses no threat to anyone) and NATO expansion.
For starters, Putin is well aware of the stipulations NATO has in place. Ukraine, unfortunately, doesn’t meet the criteria to join NATO at this time because they have occupied territory (Crimea and Donbas) within their borders.
Norway, Estonia, Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania have been members of NATO for years – they all border the Russian Federation. When have they ever posed a threat?
Anyway, it infuriates me when uninformed people treat the Global North / West as the “bad guys” but are more than willing to make excuses for nations like Russia and China when they engage in human rights abuses.
People like to blame the Global North / West / NATO for being the so-called “war mongers” but they fail to see all of the “war mongering” nations like Russia has engaged in. Since the 1990s, the Russian Federation has left a trail of destruction in Abkhazia, Chechnya, South Ossetia, Ingushetia, and Syria.
For example, the U.S. conducted 19,000 airstrikes in Syria in the 2010s (targeting military targets)…but did you know the Russian Federation conducted over 71,000 airstrikes in Syria – and they were indiscriminate bombings that targeted residential areas (like the ones in Ukraine).
@ chris
well, you are entitteled to you opinion. And so am i.
It is here not the place of accusations, and i am sorry if my opinions upsets you.
We leave in democratie where there is still free speech and freedom of opinion.
Or not ?
@aline, you are a Dutch person, right? Again, please, come and live next to an imperialistic,
totalitarian, expansionist nuclear power before talking about “neutrality”. We never were that, just surviving.
@solaia
we all have to live with our own geographie and our own neighbourgs. Like it or not we all have problems due to our own geographie and have to make the best of it. I agree that some neighbours can be nasty. That happens also in real life.
I was born after WOII and I know very well how a country is devasteted by war and I don t think you have any idea of it.
So, i don t think arms are the solution of any dispute. And sending joung boys to the front line and to their death either.
After all a time will arrive when peace must be reached.
I don t think russia will be destroyed. But ukraine might be.
Aline, Respectfully. Hitler did not get stopped from invading his neighbours by everyone playing nice and peace-brokering. It took armed resistance – US, UK, Free French etc and to a degree Stalin – to kick him back into his bunker.
@ Aline,
I don’t think the Russian Federation will be “destroyed” but I do not think they’re going to succeed in conquering Ukraine.
By the way, do you hold the Russian Federation responsible for any of this? Certainly you’re not trying to justify the arbitrary invasion of a smaller nation (Ukraine), the abduction of its children, war crimes, indiscriminate bombings, destruction of its cultural heritage, and looting of its art…or do you?
@ Gerald,
I disagree with you. I don’t believe for a New York second that Russia’s brutal and unjust invasion of Ukraine has anything to do with concern for NATO expansion. If Vladimir Putin genuinely “feared” NATO expansion, then why didn’t he invade Estonia, Lativa, or Lithuania back in 2004 when they became official members?
@Chris Romero, I have some truly astonishingly anti-American real life friends in Italy, but I guarantee all of them understand exactly why Baltic Countries and now us Finns wanted to join NATO. These two here seem to be spreading a certain narrative, that’s all. Don’t know why, but I also have noticed, that since Pizzagate days, certain narratives tend to be spread through astrology boards.
@ chris
Yes, i have read somwhere that putine eats little children. That does not mean i believe everything that is written or said.
With internet you can nowdays inform yourself and broaden your views. Internationally there are many publications on the matter that disagree with each others .
In a conflict, there are usually two sides. Unless third and forth parties meddle in a conflict, having perhaps also covert interests in the outcome. So things are not black or white.
I am not partisan. And could not care less about american democrats or republicans.
And would never adhere any european parties or their ” ideologies” for that matter.
I like to inform and think by myself. Always did.
But as i said before, you are entittled to your own opinion
@gerald, I can’t speak for Germans – who, if you haven’t realized, haven’t been neutral since the late 1940’s – or Swedes – except the few co-workers who’ve asked only half jokingly we’d help them with the process -, but please stop infantilizing Finns. We’ve been one of the most literate and educated Nations in the World for decades. We’ve paid a price for standing up against Soviet Union, and seen the faith of our neighbours who missed manpower. We knew what we were doing during the Cold War pledging “non-alliance”, we certainly know what we are doing now. We want to survive, or better, even thrive.
@ Marjorie, as said, it was 14:46 turning to 14:47 in Bruselles. I think still Leo Rising? A lovely gesture from our now outgoing MoFA Pekka Haavisto, who handed over Finland’s ratification of Swedish membership the moment Blinken received our papers.
Also, truly remarkable 24 h in Finnish politics, as Sanna Marin announced she won’t search re-election as the chair of SDP in September, neither a seat in next Government today 11 am in Helsinki. An extraordinary ballsy and savvy move, since this will probably both pave a way to her comeback, AND give SDP a viable possibilty as a Government partner with winning Coalition Party, who always saw Marin as a hardline leftist, but might be able to negotiate with a “trade union” Socialist. As previously seen on Marin’s chart, she is a brilliant politician, and has a capacity to bounce back.
test
Marjorie, from a Dutch news post
the official paperwork was handed to Secretary Anthony Blinken at 14:58
Also CNN shows a live video of the Finnish flag being raised marked 3:49 PM in Brussels
https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/04/europe/finland-joins-nato-intl
@Anita and Marjorie, 14:46. Watched online. It was delayed due to Turkey deposition of their ratification. Finland ratified Sweden directly afterward.
@marjorie
dear marjorie, also respectfully to you.
Mr hitler benefited greatly from the US and UK banking establishment to finance his war against europe and jews. This was also facilitated by the BIS in Basel.
There was just like now with the ukraine war , money ” to be made”. This is nowdays well documented and has been published. Only after Pearl Harbourg did things change.
Common men never benefit from wars. They only die or get maimed. Only finance and bankers benefit from wars. That is why i follow very narrowly what is happening at the moment to the US dollar and its inevitable demise. Read what is happening with new international commercial treaties where the dollar is now excluded. There is a huge amount of printed $ money, soon worth nothing if not in use any more. It is scary. And i think it is very worrying also for western currencies.
I don t think the comparison of putine with hitler is right. The historical background is completely different. But you are entittled to your opinion.
Stalins’ ussr lost ” to a degree” 25 millions citizens fighting against hitler among whom ukrainians. That also is factual. .
Thanks Marjorie. Very edgy indeed. It’s interesting what you say about the Finland/Russia composite. The Neptune-Mars at 26 Libra is conjunct the 26 Libra Mars for the Russian invasion of Crimea on 20 February 2014. The Moon’s Nodes were 29 Libra then. In July, the Nodes enter Aries, squaring Pluto at 29 Capricorn – suggesting echoes of that event, and it’s subsequent deadly ramifications. The April Solar Eclipse, 29 Aries, is also involved since it aligns with the South Node of the invasion. Perhaps it suggests many chickens coming home to roost on all sides of this terrible situation.
Also very concerning is the Mars in Libra square Pluto in Capricorn at 27 degrees this October, Finland’s MC. By then, the Nodes are 24 Aries. The Finland/NATO Pluto is 25 Cancer, Uranus 27 Aries, with the Finland/Russia Jupiter at 24 Cancer.
This Cardinal degree area appears to be meaningful and sensitive – when Crimea was ‘transferred’ to Ukraine, on 19th February 1954, Neptune was 25 Libra, with the Nodes at 23 Capricorn/Cancer. The invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022 had Mars 22 Capricorn, Pluto 27 Capricorn.
As you say:
“It’ll be a nervy, explosive, tinderbox phase. The Finland/NATO relationship will equally be on edge from the middle of next month with tr Uranus square the composite Mars repeating mid December to mid March 2024 – which may just be Russia upping the rhetoric or being provocative”
I noticed something else that could be relevant now. In the post Cold War enlargement of NATO, on 29 March 2004:
“Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia were invited to begin accession talks at the Alliance’s Prague Summit in 2002. On 29 March 2004, they officially became members of the Alliance, making this the largest wave of enlargement in NATO history.” NATO website
Mercury was 27 Aries that day. There was a Solar Eclipse at 29 Aries on 19th April, 2004, square Chiron 25 Capricorn. Moon’s Nodes 29 Libra/Aries for the invasion of Crimea, and here comes this April’s 29 Aries Solar Eclipse again.
Hasn’t Ukraine applied for NATO in 2022?
@ A, they did, as did Moldova, but the protocol won’t be initiated in war time.
@ A,
Unfortunately, NATO has a number of stipulations that prohibit nations from joining if they have occupied territory within their borders. For example, in Moldova, there is the pseudo breakaway republic of Transnistria and in Ukraine, there is occupied Crimea and now the Donbas.