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.
***
http://astrologicalinvesting.com/html/articles_pages/articles-ra-Astrology-WarOfGods_stock%20market.html