The most significant
astrological event this year is Jupiter’s sign change from
Capricorn to Aquarius.
While there is often a short-term pullback associated
with Jupiter’s sign change, the important changes are much
longer lasting and relate not just to a change in the style of
expansionary energy that becomes apparent, but where that change
will show the most substantial impacts – both positive and
negative.
During Jupiter’s transit of its primary
home sign, Sagittarius, stock markets around the world went into
a blow-off, since the combination of the two symbolises exaggerated
expansion. It reached a peak as Jupiter conjuncted Pluto in late
degrees of the sign.
As astrological symbolism, Pluto exemplifies
the capacity to blow things out of proportion.
But, as the two planets shifted signs into Capricorn,
the bubble burst. Excessive optimism was abruptly replaced
with extreme pessimism and fear. Again, Pluto’s presence
blew things out of normal ranges.
When the Jupiter/Pluto changes coincided with
the approach of a long-running series of five oppositions between
Saturn and Uranus, which has natural rulership of stock markets,
the combined effect produced one of the worst years in stock market
history – a year in which multi-decade records were swept
aside during a dramatic plunge of frightening speed.
Pluto’s transit of Capricorn will continue
for years. The very fabric of government, of nations, of
corporations, will be torn down, beaten up and, eventually, be
rebuilt to rise from the ashes like a recharged Phoenix.
That is the nature of Scorpio and Pluto, its ruler.
The Saturn/Uranus opposition series also continues
for years – and as it progresses, it will morph into an
immensely powerful and, in this case, destructive T-square involving
Pluto, of whose power to blow events out of all proportion to
the underlying reality we have seen only the first taste.
So, there appears to be strong supporting evidence
from the astrological conditions unfolding over the next few years
to back up the technical evidence which suggests we have entered
what I referred to last year as The Doomsday Scenario.
It is not the end of the world, but it is likely
to be the end of the world as we know it.
Let’s not get ourselves too frightened by
that concept because we get that every year. The airplane
changed the world as our grandparents knew it; so did the computer,
the Internet, music downloads in MP3 format … and the iPhone.
Constant change at a fast pace comes in waves
… waves that are related to the long-term cycle changes
of the outer planets.
We are at the start at one of the great
periods in the reformation of human history. The world is changing;
it will change very fast; and it will change dramatically –
and be far more widespread than at any other time in history,
if for no other reason than the sheer numbers involved, in terms
of both nations and populations.
To get some grasp on the Who? How? When?
Where? and Why? we should, perhaps, return briefly
to the old Greek myths.
The story of the Gods of Olympus is, above all
else, a creation tale.
In the beginning, all was turmoil and toxicity.
There was Uranus, the sky god, and there was Gaea, the earth mother.
Uranus lay down with Gaea and in a relationship
considered incestuous, produced 12 offspring known as the Titans.
Unsatisfied with his creations, Uranus kept the Titans locked
in Gaea’s womb, which produced great strain and pain for
the earth mother.
According to Hesiod in his book, Theogony,
the youngest was Cronus (Saturn) and he was the most wily, the
most ambitious, the most terrible of her children. Yet,
it was to Saturn that Gaea turned for help.
He used a sickle to castrate his father and seize
power. Replacing one weirdo dictator with another did not,
at first, lead to any improvement in the condition of the world.
Saturn produced his own series of offspring with
his Titan sister, Rhea, but, fearing one of them would
turn against him as he had against Uranus, he swallowed them whole.
The only exception was Zeus (Jupiter), whom Gaea protected
by giving Saturn a stone wrapped in a baby’s swaddling.
When Jupiter matured, he concocted a potion with
Gaea’s help, forcing Saturn to vomit up the rest of the
children – who then divided into two groups to wage war
for control of the world.
Neptune, Pluto and various other players joined
up on Jupiter’s side to wrest control from Saturn; most
of the losers were condemned to the underworld, Tartarus, and
Pluto was given domain over the underworld to keep these “evil”
forces from breaking free.
We can see then, from these old myths, that the
forces and power symbolised by Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune
and Pluto lead to great clashes which change the very nature of
the world around us.
We can also tell from the interrelationships that
Saturn does not have a happy relationship with the other four
Gods.
And so, it is to these old tales we must turn
for guidance on reading the symbolism of the developing astrological
aspects between these planets.
Pluto has the enormously destructive power of
the “evil” imprisoned in Tartarus at his beck and
call – but, ultimately, falls under Jupiter’s will,
so the effects of the use of the power must eventually morph into
something benefic and productive.
It is why we associate Pluto with complete destruction,
followed by rebirth. The “evil” power is unleashed
to tear down anything and everything which stands in the way of
a total makeover. It is the tale of the Phoenix, which must be
burned to ashes before it can be reborn.
The other component of the Greek myths we need
to take into account when trying to get a sense of why our world
seems to be being turned upside down is the nature of the signs.
The most active of the astrological signs are
the Cardinal ones … Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.
Cardinal signs initiate action – and when
they’re stirred into action, the effects can be very wide-ranging
and far-reaching, especially in terms of the symbolism of the
sign involved.
Pluto’s previous transit of a Cardinal
sign started in the early 1970s in Libra. It changed the
world irrevocably, especially in terms of all close one-to-one
relationships. Marriage as an “institution”
would never again have quite the same compulsion as it did in
earlier centuries. “Living in sin” underwent a social
reformation and “partnership” started to replace more
formal marriage, without much of the social disapproval that had
previously applied.
Given that Libra is a feminine sign, under the
rulership of a Venus interested in equality and fair play, the
Pluto transit here also gave rise to a reborn drive for women
to reclaim a position of “power” in “society”.
Pluto’s symbolism is very closely related
to “power” and Libra, as a sign, relates to “society”.
So, when it comes to Pluto’s current transit
of another Cardinal sign, Capricorn, we know that great shifts
in the balance of power are going to emerge as a central theme.
We know that all the time-honoured “institutions”
that are Capricornian in nature will be torn down and remade in
a form that makes them almost unrecognisable from what was there
before.
And, given that it’s Capricorn, we’re
talking about some really big institutions. Government, nations,
national borders and restrictions, corporations, the power “elite”,
even the police … all these fall under Capricorn control.
Now, how do you think the most wily, most ambitious,
“most terrible” of Uranus’s children is going
to feel when he realises the God of the Underworld has broken
out of Tartarus and unleashed his “evil” forces on
all the institutions Saturn has spent so much time and effort
building to give himself the semblance of some autonomy from Jupiter?
Just a wee bit miffed? Perhaps a tad threatened?
And while he’s squaring off against Pluto,
he’s still engaged in the Uranus opposition series. A war
on two fronts is in the process of being opened up.
And it doesn’t all come to a head until
the second half of 2010 … by which time there is a massive
Cardinal climax of battles.
By that stage, Saturn is in Libra, facing off
against Jupiter and Uranus in Aries … with Pluto in Capricorn.
In mythical terms, we have a repeat of the Great
War Of The Gods which took place way back at the birth of the
modern world.
Jupiter will have joined his grandfather, Uranus,
in the war sign of Aries … his brother warrior-at-arms,
Pluto, is engaged in, quite literally, a scorched-earth raid through
Capricorn … and in the far corner, Libra, where he has some
essential dignity, is Saturn, locked in a fierce battle for power
and control with his original enemies.
Given that it’s Libra, and that he can muster
both dignity and diplomacy from such a position, Saturn will,
eventually, sue for peace.
Jupiter will, after a time, take off his armour
and embrace Venus in the stable, productive and fertile sign of
Taurus, to sow the seeds for a harvest fertilised by the blood
of war.
Between now and the start of 2012, however, we
may have to survive a conflict of, quite literally, Greek mythical
proportions.
Jupiter’s Transit into Aquarius and it's affect on company
profits, earnings and the tech sector
However, you will be pleased to know that Jupiter’s
entry into Aquarian territory is likely to provide us all with
a brief respite from the horrors of 2008 – and before the
Great War Of The Gods enters a new phase.
In astrological symbolism, we associate Uranus
and the sign Aquarius with innovation and breakthroughs, especially
anything related to high-end technology and computer equipment
… in fact, the whole tech sector.
But, it has a more traditional symbolism. As
the 2nd House of the 10th, it rules company profits.
Uranus/Aquarius rules surprises, shocks and the
unexpected; Jupiter rules expansion and growth.
We should not therefore, actually be surprised
when numbers start appearing in the next few months showing a
“surprise” turnaround in company profits and earnings.
This is the current talk of Wall Street and the
talking heads on television – that the recession will be
over as we enter the latter half of this year.
Indeed, Jupiter’s removal from Capricorn,
where it has escalated the fear levels to historic highs, does
allow for a dramatic easing of financial tensions. His entry into
Aquarius emphasises the sort of “New Deal” innovations
likely from The Obama Ascendancy will produce a period of respite
from the turmoil.
The talking heads and the commentariat will pronounce
the death of the recession and the birth of a new Bull.
I really don’t want to mix up ancient Hebrew religious mythology
with the Greek, but it does have a nice little tale about what
happens when everyone starts dancing around, singing the praises
of Bullish idols!
In a natural zodiac, Sagittarius and Aquarius
are sextile to each other. In short, they are not such dissimilar
energies that they cannot co-operate with each other.
With Jupiter in Aquarius and Uranus in Pisces,
the two old Gods are in mutual reception. This is like two Kings
visiting each other’s domain.
The effect is compounded because the primary ruler
of Pisces, Neptune, is also currently in Aquarius.
We have then a situation where all three are constrained
in how they act and what they can do. One King can’t make
ructions in another’s domain while his own domain is playing
host to his host.
Just to make this clear – while these three
Gods are in mutual reception they lack almost any power to cause
harm to the symbolism characterised by the other’s sign
rulership. They are relatively free to act in benign, useful,
charitable ways.
And just before Jupiter enters Aquarius, Saturn
went Retrograde, which should aid considerably in producing a
temporary lull in the developing Great War Of The Gods.
Therefore, with Saturn becoming less direct in
his ability to restrict, to limit … to be a hard-nosed,
hardball party-pooper … the conditions are ripe for a stock
market rally which could surprise everyone by its strength and
reach.
We could see surprise growth in the tech sector,
a turnaround in company profits that shocks everyone, and a growing
optimism that we’ve found “a brave, new path”
to salvation.
The Jupiter Square Theory in Financial Astrology and the Law of
Supply and Demand
Students of Kaye Shinker’s Textbook
for Financial Astrology will already be aware of Kaye’s
breakthrough research relating to what I usually call the Jupiter
Square Theory.
Kaye’s thoughtful analysis of Jupiter
in Aquarius is available on the website. A central tenet
of Kaye’s work in this area is that the sign through which
Jupiter is transiting will experience an abundance of supply.
She says: “Aquarius rules science,
research, spaceships, satellites, communication devises, and airplanes.
Picture these in abundant supply and, therefore, cheap.”
The law of supply and demand stipulates that
when there is more supply than demand, prices fall – and
so do the profits of the companies which produce the supply.
Under this theory then, any company producing
goods ruled by the sign Jupiter is transiting is likely to suffer
share price falls because profits are falling.
In short, Jupiter produces an “excess”.
We were wondering, as Jupiter began its shift to Capricorn, just
how this “excess” would manifest, because we were
discussing how there could be “too much government”,
“too many corporations”.
And wowie! A year of unprecedented government/official
authority intervention to shore up the world’s financial
system and stock markets; governments stepping in to shut stock
markets down; stepping in to bailout failed banks and corporations;
burning the midnight oil in emergency sessions to pass urgent
legislation.
“Too many” corporations and banks
going to the wall, being swallowed whole by competitors –
in a weird reflection of Saturn swallowing his own babies!
So, while it takes an almost huge leap of faith
to wonder just how Jupiter might display this “excessive”
tendency in Aquarius, we know exactly what happened during his
not-so-distant transit of Sagittarius in conjunction with Pluto
… and how that huge bubble got instantly deflated when the
duo shifted to Capricorn.
Another central tenet of the Jupiter
Square Theory is that those goods produced under the symbolism
of signs square to Jupiter’s current transit will be in
short supply – and, therefore, prices will increase, along
with the profits of the companies which produce them.
This is where the huge leap of faith is required.
But, before I come to the square signatures, there
is another vital element of Kaye’s work which needs to be
understood. And it is this … that the most striking effect
of the Jupiter transit occurs as the planet is moving forward
within the first 15 degrees of the sign.
From Aquarius, Jupiter squares Taurus/Scorpio
– the signs which rule the entire banking, insurance and
financial sector; the sector which went into worldwide meltdown.
And here’s the leap … Jupiter in the
sign ruling company profits will produce a surprising turnaround
in balance sheets, and especially of all firms still surviving
in the financial sector.
One other aspect of “shock/horror/surprise”
could be an unexpected outcome in terms of technology companies
… the Nasdaq sector.
Kaye certainly expects all goods produced by this
sector to be in abundant supply. She is also expecting some significant
technical breakthroughs with Jupiter in Aquarius.
We need to be aware then, because of mutual reception
and the inability of a King to cause damage while visiting a domain
when its King is enjoying a reciprocal arrangement, that the positive
“exciting new breakthrough” component may well overshadow
the implied negative of falling technology profits.
We should all keep this in mind when looking at
the Nasdaq, especially for the first half of this year, because
it is extremely likely that some companies are going to break
out on a surprise ride higher, on the back of exaggerated expectations
of great profits from innovations.
Kaye also says: “Stuff ruled by Leo,
the sign opposite Aquarius, will also be in abundant supply. For
example: entertainment, casinos, and gold.”
The Jupiter opposition sometimes produces a shortage,
rather than an abundance. Or, perhaps, we should say a perceived
shortage.
Opposite Capricorn is Cancer, the sign which has
general rulership of food. Remember last year when the price of
food went through the roof? When rice prices went so high alarm
bells and warnings of dire catastrophe facing the world’s
poor had the United Nations in turmoil? When rice was so high
the Japanese started giving away all the (to them) inedible rice
they’re forced to buy from the United States in return for
shipping cars and plasma televisions?
Gold, of course, never was and never will be “abundant”.
If Jupiter produces a surprise turnaround in company profits and
we get a surprisingly strong stock market rally – and both
of these should be in our mindset for the first half of 2009 –
gold prices may well drop.
But, that will be merely a lull.
When the Great War Of The Gods resumes in earnest,
stocks are likely to go into another, perhaps even worse, freefall
and the demand for gold, physical gold, will send price of the
metal, and share prices of the miners, into the stratosphere.
These great wars occur roughly every 60 years.
Not all of them take place in Cardinal signs, where the
effects are more dramatic.
But the Cardinal signs were activated in the 1930s.
Before that similar arrangement involving Saturn, Uranus and Pluto,
there had been one during the 1870’s.
The following excerpt is courtesy of Wikipedia:
Sept. 18 The Panic of 1873.
Unbridled railroad speculation, combined with overextended credit,
had severely weakened the U.S. financial structure. When the
leading American banking company, managed by government agent
Jay Cooke, suddenly declared bankruptcy, the stock market plummeted.
The New York Stock Exchange closed its doors by the end of the
month. That year alone, 5,183 businesses worth a total of over
$200 million failed. The nation suffered a heavy depression
that lasted until 1877. Throughout industry, wages were cut
by more than 25%, and approximately one million industrial workers
were left unemployed.
The three were also waging war with each other
in 1965, although at that time Uranus and Pluto were conjunct.
It happens to be the year the USA officially sent combat units
to Vietnam. In the 1870’s, it was combat units to Panama.
We get some idea then from history that we are
seeing only the start of a period of massive social, financial,
political, and diplomatic turmoil for the United States, in particular.
Someone far more skilled than I really needs to
write this history – and it needs to be made compulsory
reading for Presidents as these periods approach.
Because it is quite clear from Wikipedia’s
description of the 1870’s that this is not “a slow
learner” … this is a “no learner”. The
same mistakes are allowed to run totally out of control and wreak
massive social and financial damage over almost a decade before
they’re resolved.
Will it be “different this time”?
History tends to suggest not. At the end of
1965, Wall Street crashed, slowly recovered over the next couple
of years – and crashed again.
Supposedly, the USA learned the lesson during
the 1960’s that it is not a very good idea to put a large
number of ground troops into a combat zone where guerilla-style
warfare is being conducted by the enemy. That “lesson”
and all the books written about changing styles of warfare were
forgotten – even with the even more recent lesson of the
Soviet experience in Afghanistan.
The 1960’s were also, of course, a period
of massive public division in the United States – as were
the 1870’s and the 1930’s.
Had anyone actually displayed even some vague
semblance of avoiding the previous mistakes as this Great War
Of The Gods rolled around again, one might hold out some hope
of avoiding the Doomsday Scenario, but it’s all the same
old same-old … military combat, credit running out of control
and causing a financial collapse, and massive social division
threatening to rip society apart.
It’s as if the American Presidency and the
American Establishment are nothing but puppets jerked around by
the old Gods of Olympus who can’t believe these suckers
have thrust themselves into another Greek tragedy where the players
change, but the lines don’t.
It is actually pathetic, in the proper sense of
that word, as well as in the more pejorative, modern sense.
The second most significant
astrological event for the year is the continuing role of Saturn
in this high drama.
As the old year departed, Saturn turned Retrograde,
providing some temporary relief – and a revision of all
the areas it touched on during 2008.
In a personal chart, a planet Retrograding across
a personal point or planet is viewed in this way … the first
Direct pass presents the problem and we begin trying to come to
grips with it; when the Retrograde across the point occurs, it
gives us the opportunity to look at the problem in a new light
and to review whatever solutions we’ve started to put in
place to try to ameliorate the problem.
If this second step is successful, the third pass
– again Direct – tends to see us actively moving forward
again, as the solutions we put in place begin to have real effect
and impact.
If the second step is stuffed up … the 3rd
pass brings the roof crashing down on our heads.
The problem with this Saturn-Uranus series is
that it’s a rare 5-hit passage.
Undoubtedly, the Obama team has been working on
its own plans to try to rescue the situation and will already
have begun reviewing the ad hoc responses hurriedly cobbled together
by the Bush White House, the Bernanke Federal Reserve and the
Paulson Treasury as they were continually enveloped by a new wave
as the crisis unfolded.
Since the President-elect will officially become
President on January 20th, virtually the entire world will be
hoping to see a comprehensive plan of considered responses, rather
than the mere crisis control measures forced on the incumbent
team by the speed of the downturn.
And since Saturn makes its next exact hit to Uranus
in early February, it seems not unlikely the world is not going
to be forthcoming with unreserved praise for the first initiatives
from Team Obama.
Still, there will be time to perfect the initial
agenda before Saturn makes its next hit in mid-September.
The word “perfect” is apt here … since Saturn
is a very rigid task master and when it comes to perfectionism,
no-one can ever quite match a Virgo’s expectations.
The difficulty will be long-running, because late
this year Saturn will move into Libra, initiating the T-square
configuration – and dramatically upping the ante by engaging
Pluto directly.
In the midst of all this big-picture turmoil,
we get a year with four Mercury Retrogrades plus a Venus and Mars
Retrograde … and a late January Solar Eclipse, just to ensure
that Aquarian themes of shock/horror/surprise continue for many
months!
The eclipse, at 6 Aquarius, will occur on Australia
Day, January 26. Mars will enter Aquarius on February 5,
the same day Saturn opposes Uranus.
By April, Mars will have moved along to be conjunct
Uranus and opposing Saturn … before it shifts into its primary
sign, Aries – and triggers the developing Saturn/Uranus/Pluto
T-square.
Venus will give us a taste of the T even before
that, since she goes Retrograde in Aries in early March and decides
to have three hits of her own at Pluto!
Mercury starts its first Retrograde of the year
at 7 Aquarius – just to add some extra oomph to the Solar
Eclipse point.
About the only potentially positive symbolism
of this Aquarian overload is that it is taking place literally
in conjunction with Jupiter – so we’ll all be hoping
he’s feeling very benefic after being released from a year
in Cappy captivity!
This then, dear reader, is the year we face …
a period in which there is great strife unfolding between the
Gods of Olympus.
It begins with hope that a brave new path can
be found to avert disaster.
The reality is much more likely to be less than
ideal.
Because, to be very, very blunt and just a tad
uncharitable, that, too, is Aquarian symbolism. Aquarian/Uranians
often have extraordinarily high ideals – as well as the
extraordinarily stubborn will to push them through.
The finished product, however, tends to be less
than ideal.
A little, in fact, like Titans … creatures
which seemed like a fine idea at the time, but had to be pushed
back into the womb from whence they came because they were too
mad and too bad to be let loose upon the world.
***
Randall Ashbourne is a former journalist and political strategist
who trades the Australian market.
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