STARTALK ~ Libra to Scorpio October-November 2006

NORTH KOREA NUKE?

With Sun in Virgo, North Korea's government is a quirky, Stalinist throw-back to the time of its founding September 10, 1948. Ruler of the Virgo Sun, Mercury is in Libra just over a day away from an exact conjunction to Neptune. That connection shows a proclivity to all sorts of fantasy and deception (both projected and self) from the leader (Sun) to the media (Mercury).

North Korea's Progressed Sun (Progressed into secretive Scorpio since about 1991) has traveled this year until it is forming an activating right angle to the place of Pluto in the 1948 chart. Pluto[nium] is linked with nuclear weapons among other things and is a planetary analog to North Korea's founding Mars in Scorpio as well as to that Progressed Sun. There are many astrological factors that describe the situation but none that clearly suggest whether Monday's blast was nuclear or an imitation in order to get attention (NK badly wants talks with the US alone in order to build prestige with China but the US insists on six party talks or nothing).

October is one of those oddly named months, following from the eighth month of the old Roman calendar; so, we get a tenth month with a name that signifies eighth. October and Scorpio suggest the focal turning of the year (from the Northern Hemisphere perspective anyway) toward darkness.

The last day of October concentrates the message with what Latin cultures call Day of the Dead, that Pagan Euro cultures call Hallowe'en (holy evening), and that is often also connected with the Pagan celebration of Samhain (sow in, sound like cow in). Celts and Pagans would have bisected the time between the solstices and equinoxes to form the "cross quarter days" so that Samhain would more precisely be celebrated with the Sun at 15 Scorpio the 7th of November. Pagans are believed to have moved the celebration back about a week after the arrival of the Gregorian calendar. Anyway, the point of the evening and following day's celebration was manifold but part of it was believed to be for a happy communing and sharing with departed friends, family and ancestors in the hope of obtaining guidance. The Euro-Christian cultures see Hallowe'en as All Souls Day and the following day, November 1, is All Saints Day.

The Mid-Term Elections

Tuesday, November 7, is Election Day.

Up for election are:

All 435 House seats (2 year term)
33 Senate seats (6 year term)
36 state governorships

Polls open at 7 AM and close at 8 PM

CHARTS CONSIDERED

Charts of the candidates in combination with poll opening/closing charting for the areas they might represent is probably the most thorough way of making an astrological evaluation of the Mid-Term Elections. I have insufficient time and very little relevant birth data for a detailed analysis of any of the individual races. What I can do is evaluate Election Day. I will do that for three areas. For an overall national look I will use Washington, D.C. for a charting location, and since I currently live in Florida will also take a look at charting for the capital, Tallahassee, and for the Broward County seat, Fort Lauderdale.

With the communication planet, Mercury, intersolar, between Earth and the Sun, and the Moon in Mercury's Sign, Gemini, we can expect information and misinformation overload that day. Retrograde Mercury will only enhance the likelihood of disputes and distrust of the elections practically everywhere. Expect more complaints about access and concern about the security and accuracy of voting and tabulation methods.

The Moon's final aspect in Gemini will be to oppose Pluto in Sagittarius suggesting abundant emotional extremes. With Sun, Mars, Venus, Mercury, and Jupiter all in secretive Scorpio, many people may just stay home in frustration at the government in general and in disgust at the scandals, corruption, and misinformation coming from our leaders.

As voting commences the entire group of planets in Scorpio is prominent, especially Mercury and Venus, suggesting support for women candidates and perhaps that greater numbers of women make it to the polls.

In Tallahassee, at 7 am the Sun rises precisely and Saturn is at the top of the chart suggesting fixity that supports the status quo, and probably a continuation of Republican governance for Florida.

While many of the astrological indications seem to support "more of the same", Uranus, of change and revolt is prominent when the polls close. So we may expect surprises relative to the location. Where an incumbent was thought to be a shoe-in the outcome may go to the challenger and vice versa. There is a powerful indication of that for Palm Beach and Broward Counties in SE Florida where there is a simultaneous angularity with Uranus of change at the MC at the same time Pluto of death and transformation is setting (Zodiacal measure, uses the celestial latitude and longitude of the planets). Another form of that same paran or simultaneous angularity finds Uranus at the top and Pluto setting in Chapel Hill NC (In Mundo measure, based on the right ascension and declination).

The short version for Election Day is low turnout; disgust; confusion and/or disputes about balloting; stubborn support of incumbents or incumbent Party; and surprises and upsets after the polls close.

I apologize that I've not got a strong enough sense of the Parties from an astrological perspective to say yea or nay to the question of who takes or retains House or Senate. There are several different charts given for the Parties and differences of opinion as to astrological indicators for them as well (e.g. Saturn = Democrats, Jupiter = Republicans). Until I have charts that have a solid historical basis and that I feel properly represent the Parties I will forego the "which side wins" question.

THE NATIONAL CHART

A look at what I see as dominant with regard to a July 4, 1776 chart are transiting aspects from Pluto to 1776 Mars and Neptune. With Mars (the god of war) at a progressed retrograde station for the first time in the nation's history and Pluto opposed Mars' natal position we might well expect ongoing concern with the current wars to influence voting. Since the US chart shows Mars square Neptune it seems characteristic of this country to get into wars due to some illusion or confusion (sinking of the Maine, Gulf of Tonkin, etc.) often involving oil (Neptune). Will we respond to maintain the status quo out of fear of terrorism if we "cut and run" from Iraq; or will we "throw the bums out" due to corruption, deception, and international policies that may be feeding the terrorism they intend to prevent? Free will operates collectively as well as individually.

Mercury Leaves Retrograde Zone December 4

Although Mercury is retrograde from October 28 through November 17 it makes good sense to watch the entire cycle.

Sep 1 12:51 AM 8° 38' Virgo Superior Conjunction
Oct 8 8:56 PM 9° 05' Scorpio D Mercury enters Rx zone
Oct 16 8:35 PM 18° 10' Scorpio Maximum East Elongation
Oct 28 3:17 PM 25° 04' Scorpio goes Retrograde
Oct 29 2:00 EDT > 1:00 EST Daylight Saving Time ENDS
Nov 8 4:31 PM 16° 20' Scorpio Inferior Conjunction, Transit of Mercury across the face of the Sun *
Nov 17 7:26 PM 9° 05' Scorpio goes Direct
Nov 25 9:36 AM 13° 25' Scorpio Maximum West Elongation
Dec 4 4:04 PM 25° 04' Scorpio D Mercury leaves retrograde zone
Jan 7 1:03 AM 16° 33' Capricorn Superior Conjunction

* The first Mercury transit since May 7, 2003, and the last until May 9, 2016.
Starts 8 Nov 2006 19:12 (2:12 PM EST)
Ends 9 Nov 2006 0:12 (7:12 PM EST)
– Dynamical Time (TD) data thanks to Astro-Pro.com

The transit is visible before sunset throughout North and South America and in its entirety from Hawaii (on the 8th) and New Zealand (morning of the 9th).  [Never gaze directly at the Sun, use the same techniques and precautions as for viewing solar eclipses.]

This retrograde story in aspects

One of the effects of planetary retrogrades is often "three-peat" aspects. The retrograde planet makes an aspect, repeats the same when retrograde, then in forward motion goes on to repeat the aspect a third time.

The current Mercury retrograde period finds Mercury making important aspects with Mars, Pluto, Neptune, Jupiter and Saturn (as well as a conjunction with Venus on Election Day – one of the reasons I suggested an increase of women voting and of women elected to office).

Mercury hit Mars in mid September along with news of horrible slaughter in Baghdad and in other parts of Iraq. Next Mercury aspected Pluto in October for more attention to death connected with religion and education (Pluto in Sagittarius). November 10-15 will reveal more or revisit past events as Mercury backs through aspects to Pluto and Mars again to finish with the series in November (21-22 for Pluto) and December (9 for Mars). Individually we examine and reexamine our sense of assertiveness, aggression, and fighting spirit as well as the areas of our life that are lost due to all kinds of attrition.

The Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, killed

How sad. I see the planet of the long journey, Jupiter, was by Progression conjunct his Sun and by transit conjunct his Sun's Ruler, Neptune (he was a Pisces).

That day the Sun in the sky was opposite Uranus of surprise and the unexpected. Uranus in Pisces was in close trine to that Jupiter in the sky that was with Irwin's birth Neptune.

There is more interesting astrology but the suggestion is of a quick, "Whoops! Crikey!" sort of transition for him.

"The Crocodile Hunter" was born February 22, 1962, and was killed abruptly on September 4, 2006, by the sudden, unexpected strike of a stingray barb that penetrated near his heart.

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Original text © 2006 Tim Rubald