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| A Tale of Three USAs Dear Sovereign: Doesn't it often seem like there are two versions of the United States? One is the country where, in her main port, is a statue inscribed with an invitation to the tired, huddled masses to seek shelter and relief. The other is the land of Rodney King and other recipients of bigotry and hatred that characterize our national culture. One is the land of Martin Luther King and the other is the land of the Klan and King's assassins, and the police who turned mean dogs loose on him and his fellow civil rights marchers dressed in their Sunday finest in Selma, Alabama. One is the land of opportunity, freedom and justice, and the other is the country where the poor are systematically shut out of the economic and political process, where children starve needlessly, and where millions of African-American men sit in prison cells for possession of the same cocaine that is sniffed and traded regularly in the corporate and political halls of power. One is the land of equality. The other is the land of gross hypocrisy. One is the nation that brings freedom to the oppressed people of the world. The other is the one that deceptively and brutally bombs foreign cultures for profit, sponsors death squads in East Timor and Central America, and hides Nazi officers in South America. One might speculate that this split personality hinted at in the astrology of the United States. If you scan the whole business of the USA's charts on Lois Rodden's Astrodatabank, you will likely get a good headache. Send an SASE to Planet Waves for some aspirin, and then check this link: http://www.astrodatabank.com/NM/USA.htm. This deck of charts offers not just a moment of true chaos, but also the lesson that becoming a country is a process. It's not exactly like being born. But hey, becoming a person is a process. it also demonstrates that astrology is not an exact science. It's an art, a craft and an inexact science. Just like history. We presume unquestioningly that the United States of America was born as a nation on July 4, 1776, one of many dubious facts along the foggy ruins of time. Visions of Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson skipping through the streets of Philadelphia that day with a fife and drum, as bottle rockets pop over their heads, still haunt my mind from the Bicentennial celebration, along with the red, white and blue fire hydrants of my childhood neighborhood. Oh to be a dog. July 4th was the birthday of America, but there are only about half dozen speculated times given, and birth time is pretty important in astrology. One July 4th chart that seems reasonably workable is the first one ever calculated, called the Sibley chart. It's an 18th century document based on statements attributed to Jefferson, John Adams and John Q. Adams, who said they signed the Declaration in the "late afternoon" of the 4th in Jefferson's case, and "late in the day" in the case of both Adams', according to Astrodatabank. This time, more or less, is confirmed by other sources -- such as the marginalia in the Raphael's ephemeris of an astrologer contemporary to the Revolution, a dude named John B. Early. That data is July 4, 1776, Philadelphia, 5:10 pm LMT (Local Mean Time). It's not my favorite USA chart -- I'll get to that one in a moment -- but it's a very interesting document, quite in harmony with the themes outlined in the Declaration of Independence signed the day for which it's cast. To my thinking, it has validity merely for being the first chart of its genre. This chart has a Cancer sun, Aquarius moon and Sagittarius rising. We get the image of someone or something (a country, in this case) with emotional sensitivity and a mind-one's-own-business values system, bestowed by the Cancer sun; of an eccentric, easygoing nation with a strong egalitarian spirit, suggested by the Aquarius moon; and a world visionary, or aspirations to be such, suggested by Sagittarius rising. The USA viewed through this chart is the land of Woody Guthrie -- the land that's your land and my land. It's the nation of Emma Lazerus, whose poem "The New Colossus" is inscribed inside the base of the Statue of Liberty: Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door! The Aquarius moon bristles with the rebellion of the moment. I learned reading my own web page that, allegedly and/or apparently, Jefferson and Franklin were not prancing around the streets of Phillie, Mumia's streets, but rather checking their ephemerides. Susie Madrak has reported that a delay allowed the Capricorn moon to become the Aquarius moon, releasing some of the tension of the full moon aspect (the sun, remember, was in Cancer) and putting the moon in a somewhat more, well, an easier sign overall. The Declaration was a manifesto, a vision statement. It had no binding effect or the force of law. It lists complaints and offers a vision of a better way of doing things. To wit: We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness -- That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. I think the most interesting thing about the Sibley chart is the presence of something called the Great Attractor rising. The GA is an intergalactic point, not your average hunk of Planet Waves space debris. This point is the location of convergence of a million galaxies, ours among them, at an extremely high rate of speed -- 24 million miles per day. That's how fast we're going, and we're going in the direction of mid-Sagittarius. This point has really interesting psychological dynamics, among them, people really love us, or really hate us. And no matter what, a LOT of people are affected by whatever it is America happens to be. Nobody had a clue about the Great Attractor in the 18th century and it was the first thing I noticed when looking at the chart. It got an official Gee Whiz rating. Impressive and beautiful chart that this is, it has its political limitations. The late David Solté, a contemporary scholar of US charts and the national horoscopes of many other countries, said that in his interpretation, the Declaration was a moment when 13 independent colonies decided to act as a united force against a common enemy, but not yet officially declaring themselves one actual nation. That came later, a year later, with the Articles of Confederation. The Articles, unlike the Declaration, had the force and effect of law; they were the basis for running the country until the Constitution was enacted a decade later. David narrowed the time of the signing of the Articles down to about a three-hour window on Nov. 15, 1777, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., then rectified the chart to 12:46 p.m. LMT. Rectified means the astrologer who developed the chart took some fuzzy data and tuned it up -- in this particular case pretty strong data to start with. For example, unlike the July 4 chart, which has anything from Gemini to Virgo to Sagittarius rising, Scorpionic America, as Solté's chart is called, is solidly in range of Aquarius rising. The rising sign's ruler, Saturn, is conjunct Mercury in Scorpio. Not exactly Little Miss Sunshine. This chart also has a Scorpio sun, much more befitting of a nation like America (in reality, not just image) than a Cancer sun. Its agenda is less about making you muffins and, for the long haul, taking on your huddled masses, and more about getting the job done. That's one thing you can almost always count on a strong Scorpio-type for. No offense to Cancarians, but the Scorpio sun (particularly with all that support from Saturn and Mercury) is a little more, well, heavy duty. It's a few shades darker, too. Very nice that it's in the 9th house of this chart, where "the sun rejoiceth," according to William Lilly, one of the old greats. So success is portended, and it's international success (9th house theme) at all those fine Scorpionic themes we could not live without. Like sex, power, money, death, inheritance, taxes, deep karmic bonds, particularly where agreements involving sex and death are concerned. Scorpio is the sign of the mysteries of birth and death. If that's not America, I don't know what is. Just go to church one Sunday and listen for 10 minutes. Just turn on CNN and listen for 10 seconds. Then we have that Gemini moon. We get the two major emotional facets phenomenon of that moon; the two sets of needs; and something of a permanent affliction of grief suggested by the conjunction of the moon with the first asteroid Ceres. That moon also suggests we're the "bread basket of the world," but there's also a sad story around the way we treat kids. Often the transits and progressions reveal how well a chart works. I am particularly fond of something called "secondary progressions," the most common kind used by astrologers. They track the chart a day per year. In other words, your transits for your 44th day of life become your progressions for your 44th year. It's like a scale model of time. And very strange things happen in these scale models. One thing that happened recently was that Scorpionic America had a new moon by progression, which happens every 29 or so years. But it wasn't just a new moon -- it was an eclipse, and eclipses happen every 175 years. And it happens that one occurred in October 1998. We all remember what was going on then, correct? From the transcript of the United States Senate just 12 weeks later (a very short period of time where progressed events are concerned, and in this case quite exactly suggested): SERGEANT-AT-ARMS: Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye. All persons are commanded to keep silent on pain of imprisonment, while the House of Representatives is exhibiting to the Senate of the United States, Articles of Impeachment Against William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States. Eclipses suggest radical breaks in continuity. My sense is this was the first shot we heard in the revolution that we thought began in November 2000, or September 2001, the birth of the next New Colossus. Happy Independence Day. ++ --- [Lois Rodden is mentioned earlier in this article. Lois, one of the truly brilliant astrolgers of our time, who perfected the art of data collection and data rating. died last month. See obituary at : http://www.stariq.com/Main/Articles/P0004540.HTM or http://www.solsticepoint.com/astrologersmemorial/rodden.html] Planet Waves by Eric Francis http://www.PlanetWaves.net/ Birthdays This Week This is no ordinary year in the life of anyone with a Cancer sun, moon or rising, and the energy comes into vivid focus this week. The presence of four major planets in your birth sign -- Venus, Saturn, the sun and Mercury, suggests a degree of vitality and creative expression that's paralleled only by how strong activity is in your fellow water sign Pisces, where Mars and Uranus illuminate your 9th solar house. This is the house of international expansion, spiritual growth and many great possibilities. Pisces on the cusp of this house makes you a natural born visionary; Mars and Uranus there add fire, inventiveness and a true sense of daring. Saturn in your birth sign is certain to present just the kinds of challenges to which you will rise and become a better, more clear and more disciplined person, in short, someone far more in tune with who you are, what you need and what you have to offer. You will make payments over the next three or so years on this package, but they are low interest and the product, the result, will be more than worth it. Saturn's recent emergence into your 1st house came with you rising above the surface of a long period of isolation, withdrawal or deep renewal. Having hidden yourself in the womb of creation for so long, it may feel strange to be out in the light. The challenge of relationships, as I'm sure I've been hinting in the horoscope, will be fully understanding your friends, loved ones and intimate partners -- but doing so in an unusual way that involves really integrating their viewpoint into your own. Saturn is, after all, the ruler of your house of relationships, and now it's in your first house, that of yourself, your identity, your awareness and how other see you. It is the house of action. The presence of Saturn suggests a truly significant, and authentically different, time in your life. This will -- indeed, it already is -- demanding many new adaptations, structured discipline, enforced changes and true maturity. I have every bit of faith that you will be a better, happier person for it, especially given that, by all indications, you will be learning how to talk about your own needs as well as you respond to those of everyone else. Aries (March 20-April 19) It is one thing to distinguish truth from lies, and quite another thing to do something about it. Your chart is calling for action right now. Most likely that's going to start as action within your home and immediate family. Yet your perceptions are changing on a far more vast scale, and it seems clear that your ability to look at anything and discern what about it is an intentional deception is at its best in your life, so far. Each choice you make and each concrete step you take based on what you notice will strengthen your vision and anchor your sense of commitment to reality. Avoid concrete action and you could lose this precious gift. Taurus (April 19-May 20) A person close to you may be painfully aware of a spiritual deficiency. You can help immensely by being present in whatever capacity they need, though a little more responsive would be the side on which to err. Remember, too, you can feel their pain so acutely because you have been through something so similar so recently. Everyone must go through their experiences at their own pace and in their own time, but you stand as a living reminder that it's possible to come out on the other end a stronger and more compassionate person, offering the lesson that being more independent does not mean being alone. Gemini (May 20-June 21) Saturday's rather spectacular conjunction of Mercury to the sun may do more to point the way beyond past difficulties than any aspect in quite a while. This is the picture of being clear about how you feel as opposed to what you think. The difference is less annoying once you can work with it tangibly. To put it perhaps in oversimplified terms, how you feel empowers you, and what you think (for the most part) makes you doubt yourself. You have nothing to doubt right now, and many reasons to rest in the strength of your heart and trust the validity of what you need the most. Don't settle for second best. Cancer (June 21-July 22) Recent developments have served to make you more mentally aware of certain emotional patterns -- as will events of the next few days. You have to live with yourself, and you have to live with the people you encounter and have joined with in your journey. Events of recent seasons have demonstrated that what has the power to heal also has the power to do harm. What determines the difference? To a great extent, you do. Your skill at handing challenging circumstances has not left you out of your depth. In fact, you are now finding out how clear you can be when it really matters most. Leo (July 22-Aug 23) This is usually a strange time of year for you, when so little seems solid enough to hold or walk on. But you're getting the idea that with a little adaptation, you can turn into a water cat. Most of your dealings are with the unseen world, which is to say that the circumstances and people in your life right now are under the influences of various psychic and emotional conditions that you may be able to discern but which they are less likely to see or feel. This gives you a distinct advantage, particularly when it comes to long-term business arrangements. As you know, what's good for you can work for everyone. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) You are finally getting some of the public recognition you deserve, and getting over the notion that you're too specialized for your own good. You need to keep in mind that for the foreseeable future, people will be seeing you very differently than you thought they did in the past, when you feared that self-confidence was not your strong suit. That belief cost you quite a bit of time and money, but if you stick to your current plans, you will more than make up for past struggles and losses. As it turns out, what is true has a lot in common with what you believe to be true, particularly when it comes to yourself. Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) It's been many years since planetary movements better supported your professional ambitions, and with four major elements (the sun, Mercury, Venus and Saturn) crossing your house of reputation and power, you would be wise to set your most visionary ideals into motion without further delay. The quality of indecision on which you have so structured your personality has no place for you now. Look beneath your tendency to vacillate and you will actually see that the insecurities from which you suffer have very little to do with you. Donate them to the local thrift shop, so that this way someone with far less wholesome intentions than yourself may pick up a dose of healthy doubt. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) No one can escape what they create, but we can keep creating and find ourselves in a truly new place. It's obvious that your beliefs are now being tested; you know so much is possible, yet you're also in a position where you must confront certain worldly limits. While faith knows no bounds, it can find itself in a crisis. Remember, if past pain, loss and grief were able to limit the power of healing, this world would be going nowhere fast. The world aside, you, at least, are making substantial progress on an inner healing mission that cannot be stopped by any external factor. Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 22) Track carefully the situation in your household. I'll use fish keeping as a metaphor -- there are those times when a maintenance log really helps. What was the pH a month ago? When did you add those glass catfish? Note what happens when, and how you feel about it at the time. Also, it would be prudent to be mindful in your relationships with your parents or parent-figures and in all matters involving real property, such as your house or any land you may own. If you're the type who usually has housemates, now is an excellent time to either take six months off from that gig, or screen new ones exceedingly well. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) By now you may have figured out that seeming constraints and restrictions bestowed upon certain relationships are working almost entirely in your favor. You have no need to be afraid of Saturn, in your opposite sign or any other sign. In actual fact, the world is in a position where it must, at the least, take your viewpoint into account. All that needs to matter is that you will be noticed, and to a far greater degree than you've anticipated. By this logic it's quite adequate that you make the meekest effort to notice the needs of others. This will get both you and your worldly partners a very long way. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) You do need to reassess a variety of values in your life. Perhaps start with the prices you both demand and offer for human efforts and creative products -- those of yourself and others. It may be that you need to ask for more and pay less. It may be that you need to extend the overall duration of commitments in professional relationships, and take the long-run approach even though you're not necessarily getting your due at the moment. As it stands today, the future is your greatest resource. This holds true for both professional and personal partnerships. But you might want to look closely at the valuable commodity known as right now. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) You may have noticed that the pace of existence and the intensity of experience in your life have picked up substantially. With both Mars and Uranus in your birth sign, you might say your karmic metabolism has increased; but Saturn's presence in Cancer suggests that your level of responsibility for what you create is much higher than any time in recent years. You need to raise your awareness to match your pace, or lower your speed to match your awareness. But most of all, the stars are saying focus on what you want, because what you focus on is what you're going to see the most of. How do newspaper horoscopes work? Planet Waves Weekly and PlanetWaves.net are edited by Eric Francis, with help from Chelsea Bottinelli and the Vision List. This newsletter is $49.95 per year and published 52 times per year plus the monthly horoscope. We encourage our readers to contribute their artwork and writing to the Planet Waves project and to cultivate themselves as creative forces in the unusual and socially formative times in which we live. |
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