The commotion which has been pervading US affairs over the last few years does not seem to smoothen. After all the questions which have been raised around Trump, now Biden faces the possibility of impeachment. The latest is that Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy has directed House committees to open an impeachment inquiry into President Biden. Obviously, different political sources have taken sides regarding this act, but that is how politics work. The aim of this article will not be ideological at all, rather it is an astrological exploration of the way political events are in fact manifestations of much deeper, collective currents which shape the course of history. At this point, after the major setback of a pandemic which shifted the economic dynamics, the US national scenario is rather complex. We shall remember the turbulent, or never-occurred, ‘transition’ of political power in January 2021, preceded by an extremely polarized battle between archetypal factions, and followed by all the controversies of the way information was handled on either side, a long investigation upon former President Donald Trump, and now a further step in the investigation upon the Biden family. It is understandable that the United States may be going through a very delicate historical phase.
Second Neptune Opposition – 2021/22
To begin this analysis, it is worth to look back at the major transits which have affected the American Independence chart (1776). Sometimes the heavens surprise us with spectacular manifestation on all levels, and the sort of transition which has been affecting the US has been quite symbolic indeed. In fact, from an astrological point of view, it may be said that the country has been walking on a tightrope, mainly as two major transits occurred: its second Neptune opposition, followed by the first Pluto return (which is still unfolding). We shall remember the extreme chaos which ensued during the last year of Trump’s presidency, especially around the closing of the second last Mars-Neptune cycle. That conjunction opposed the USA chart’s Neptune (1776), and it occurred less than a lunar cycle after the onset of the BLM protests. That was a trigger for a major Neptunian transit which extended for a couple of years. The opposition phase definitely brought a decline in the popular trust towards the government, but issues had obviously been brewing for a long time already. The conjunction just retriggered a national Mars-Neptune dynamic which has always been present in American culture (as shown in the 1776 chart). It is easy to identify this archetypal signature in the country’s historical symbiosis with glamour (Hollywood, marketing shrewdness); with this aspect written in the national chart, news which arrive from the States tend to be perceived as major ones. Though it may be quite hard to generalize here, there seems to be an evident talent for ‘glamorization’ of public events and occurrences. Therefore, it is understandable why issues which arise within the USA are generally felt strongly around the world, also when they occur on a purely ideological plane. On the other hand, it has to be said that Mars-Neptune configurations carry the essence of deep social malaise, from a mundane point of view. In fact, at the previous Neptune opposition, the country was walking towards the Civil War, at the apex of its battle against a longstanding issue, that of slavery.
Pluto Return – 2022-25
It is clear by now that the Pluto return has definitely been influential. Events occur synchronistically, so obviously the whole inflation crisis came together with a raging war in Eastern Europe, the regular outpouring of funds to support Ukraine, the backlash of the post-March-2020 wild market speculation, and the election of a president with a majorly Plutonian chart at the time of the national Pluto return. At the very moment Biden was sworn in, Pluto was conjunct the Midheaven in Washington DC. That was perhaps a presage of the deep polarization and general struggle to come. Those familiar with astrological forecasting are not surprised by this type of pervasively synchronistic astrological coincidences. In 2020 I discussed a noon chart for the upcoming inauguration in an article called ‘A Long Presidency Ahead?‘. Little could be imagined about the level of degeneration which subsequently affected the whole process, from Election Day to Inauguration. In another article called ‘January 2021: Astrology at its Wildest‘ I explained the unusual buildup of Fixed planetary tension which occurred throughout the first three weeks of 2021. In fact, the events of January 6th did surprise many of us.
The 2021 Inauguration Chart
Before looking at the possibilities for the near future, it is worth pausing and reflecting upon the very strong symbolism which appears in Biden’s Inauguration chart. As shown in ‘A Tough Ride Ahead‘ in 2021, the time recorded was 11:49 am, on January 20th 2021.
The chart is ruled by a major tension between clusters in Aquarius and Taurus. The newborn Jupiter-Saturn cycle, which had just begun in future-oriented and subversive Aquarius, became linked with the Sun in this chart. This triple conjunction squared the partile Mars-Uranus conjunction in Taurus, which is in the 12th. The polarized alignment of a nearly perfect First Quarter Moon with the Jupiter-Saturn-Uranus storm definitely presaged tension. The issue of the Void-of-Course Moon is also a possible influence which did resonate with the idea of crisis.
We should remember that Mars was at the very end of Aries when the storming of the Capitol occurred, on January 6th. Therefore, the current presidency was born on the ashes of that traumatic event; a critical period founded upon crisis. With such a major cluster in the 10th House, and the presence of Pluto at the Midheaven, the archetypal load of recent events has been huge. It seems obvious that the Biden administration has been going through a rough patch; there are different ways of seeing the actions which the government has taken regarding all sorts of policies, but the essence of this mandate remains one of deep crisis. To this we should also add Biden’s age-related physical and mental difficulties which have raised a lot of controversy. One of the major points of interest which I discussed in ‘A Long Presidency Ahead?‘ was the applying Sun-Saturn conjunction of the Inauguration chart. This implied that at some point the Sun would align with Saturn by Secondary Progressions. It seemed reasonable to hypothesize that the third year of presidency might take a toll on either the leader (Biden) or would simply redefine the course of the presidency itself. With Saturn, especially in traditional terms, we always deal with ‘closures’ or ‘delays’. The gatekeeper is quite on time when it acts on mundane and individual events, oftentimes bringing burden, responsibility and slowdowns. Generally speaking, the brighter side of Saturn is obviously related to achievement and respect, in line with the idea that hard work pays off. In that article I pinpointed August 2022 as a peak moment for a situation which would potentially start developing in 2021. This consideration originated from the fact that in August 2022 the progressed Sun would reach the Sun-Saturn midpoint of the Inauguration chart. Looking back, it is now possible to identify that the Inflation Reduction Act was passed on August 16th 2022, under a Sun-Saturn opposition. The measure came as a Saturnian solution to the raging issue of inflation, with an impact on taxation. The Sun-Saturn midpoint of the Inauguration chart is at 2Aquarius23, and the progressed Sun was at 2Aquarius27 when the act was signed on August 16th. The act was also devised to spur domestic clean energy producement and usage, nevertheless its efficiency upon inflation has been questioned. The point of interest, from an astrological point of view, is that the Act was passed during an important phase of the inner development of the Inauguration chart. This reminds us that important mundane charts essentially withhold information about their own future development, in the same fashion as a natal chart does. It seems quite symbolic, though in a more mysterious manner, that the raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property occurred in August 2022 as well. Though he should have been external to the facts related to the Inauguration chart, the manifestation of events was synchronistic (we will see that this synchronism occurred again). This is nevertheless reasonable if we consider the government chart and its inner development as elements which pertain to the most influential figures of a nation and to the acts of the government itself. The storms of 2022 were also accompanied by the prolonged Saturn-Uranus square in Aquarius and Taurus. The aspect, which represented the critical waning square of a cycle which had begun around the Fall of the Soviet Union, had been active throughout 2021. Apart from putting into question the Eastern European geo-political balance which had been fairly stable since the beginning of the cycle (late 1980s), the 2021/22 Saturn-Uranus transit also brought a generalized sense of being collectively unable to ‘move forward’. In fact, the contrasting action of conservative Saturn and revolutionary Uranus also manifested through a fierce conundrum about large-scale vaccinations and COVID measures.
In ‘A Long Presidency Ahead‘ I also referred to the importance of the extensive Mars-Neptune square of 2022/23. The red planet’s retrograde phase in Gemini elongated the duration of this aspect, creating a major theme of information distrust (remember the beginning of Elon Musk’s adventure at Twitter). The interesting fact is that the aspect would directly address Trump’s natal chart, especially the Luminaries. I also commented on the Capricorn Ingress chart of 2022 set for Washington DC. The angularity of a partile Sun-Jupiter square seemed to indicate important issues for the government during the following season. The House Oversight Committee Investigation on Biden’s family was initiated on January 11th 2023. It is also worth noting that a raging investigation was ongoing against the Trump Organization. The angularity of Sun-Jupiter therefore manifested as a major judicial dynamic at national level.
Outlook for the Future
In October 2023, Pluto will station direct at 27 Capricorn53. This may represent the last part of a long transit which has really shaken the economical equilibrium of the nation. The issues which may still surface from the collective unconscious are likely to push the nation forward, as it reaches the end of this long phase. This does not mean that it is going to be easy. In fact, chances are that the Pluto station will coincide with the emergence of more issues, scandals, resignations or simply collective dissatisfaction. Nevertheless, it is possible to equate the whole transit to a major purge for the nation, and in the process a lot of unconscious stuff is likely to surface collectively. One of the main topics in focus is the typical Capricornian structure of State and Institutions. Over the last few years, as the return was approaching and then unfolding, lots of countercurrent ideologies have become more popular. The distrust towards the so-called ‘Deep State’ has taken over a large portion of the collective, often giving more voice to major conspiratorial currents as well. Looking at it from an archetypal, generational point of view, this is clearly a manifestation of the apex of a long transit of Pluto in Capricorn. As the planet moves into Aquarius for good, the criticality of the future will be even more pressing than the issues of the past.
Looking ahead, two major astrological occurrences need to be noted. In the Inauguration chart, the progressed Sun with meet Saturn in late January 2024, and then progressed Saturn in June 2024. Potentially, something may come to a closure when these aspects perfect. The question is how deeply will this relate to the incumbent president and therefore to the stability of the government. Also, it may just relate to a change in the financial circumstances. So far, the Federal Reserve has been following an austere path with regard to interest rates, hoping to stop inflation from growing and to reduce it. The latest on Biden’s possible future impeachment may also be an aggravation of circumstances in relation to this Saturnian dynamic. Nevertheless, this is still quite unclear and no clear judgements should be made apart from stating hypothetical outcomes. Therefore, between January and June 2024 some other major shift or development can occur within the political scenario of the USA.
Chiron return – 2024/25
Transits of Chiron through Aries take quite a number of years, due to the eccentricity of its orbit. Next year, the fifth Chiron return will start for the USA. Nevertheless, the transit has practically be active since the last station of the asteroid, which occurred within orb of the national chart’s placement. It is possible that the transit will eventually bring out a more authentic side of the typical American warrior behaviour. That would be a positive outcome. The first thing that comes to mind is the generational conception that the US need to act like a palatine for justice throughout the globe. One may wonder how the Chiron return may address this, given the current conditions of the nation from an ideological, economic and political point of view.
Jupiter-Uranus conjunction – 2024
It seems clear at this point that the major astrological event of 2024 will be the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction at 21Taurus49 (April 2024). There are a few reasons why this new cycle may be considered quite important. First of all, the escape of Jupiter from what I usually refer to as the ‘Low Index Zone’ will be a significant moment of collective rebirth.
We should keep in mind that over the last three years, all the planetary pairs involving social and outer planets (from Jupiter to Pluto) have been very close to their respective conjunction stages (either in the balsamic phases or early waxing). This is generally referred to as a moment in history which has a Low Planetary Index. As the fastest planet of this group moves out of the zone bound by Uranus and Pluto (less than a perfect trine), we may experience a collective lessening of the restrictions which have held contemporary society from moving forward with renewed confidence.
I would like to clarify that the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction will not coincide with a moment of maximum Planetary Index, since that would require further growth in each of these planetary cycles. In fact, the next maximum will occur around the turn of the decade, in 2030. Nonetheless, the exit of Jupiter from this area of planetary concentration, which goes from Capricorn to Taurus, is likely to prove quite significant. As I have explained elsewhere, a similar phenomenon occurred in the early fall of 1945, when Jupiter made a ‘rebalancing’ conjunction with Chiron and Neptune in Libra. That was a very different conjunction indeed, but the idea of Jupiter ‘reemerging’ from the darkness of its journey within the Low Index Zone still applies. There is evidence that such a transit has been pivotal in different historical eras. Another reason why the 2024 Jupiter-Uranus conjunction may prove to be quite significant is the fact that it will bring some sort of culmination to the financial shakeups which started around the ingress of Uranus into Taurus, back in 2018. In fact, it was right around that time that the idea of decentralized finance really became popular, and lately even the idea of regulated digital currencies has also been circulating. Another major area of interest can be energy production. It is possible that the following 13 years (Jupiter-Uranus cycle) may prove quite helpful for a transition to cleaner energies.
From a purely political point of view, it should also be noted that the conjunction will occur rather close to Donald Trump’s Midheaven. More surprisingly, we can note that his relocated Midheaven to Washington DC is 21 Taurus, so he will experience the conjunction quite strongly. It is hard to fully predict the outcome of such an erratic planetary configuration; in fact, Barbault defined it as ‘explosive’. It will surely open up a thirteen-year chapter for Trump, for better or worse.
Nevertheless, it may be hard to imagine his complete disappearance from national interest, even though some of his political opponents have been quite sure about that. There are other important transits to consider, such as the recent Neptune square to his Sun, which has eroded his image but also turned him into a martyrial political figure for many. However, a full analysis of his astrological situation would go beyond the scope of this article. The only thing we can astrologically understand at this point is that there is potential for more revolutionism and ideological impact, considering Trump’s rampant popularity. Despite the divisive (Uranian) nature of his chart, he still holds together vast amounts of people from an ideological point of view. Financial astrologer Christeen Skinner has repeatedly hinted at future potential for secession in the country. I personally find it difficult to completely rule out the possibility that such a prominent Jupiter-Uranus conjunction may somehow boost Trump’s popularity again. Given the Uranian flavour, the archetypal imprint will be obviously controversial and reactionary. Moreover, as we will see next, the USA is heading towards its next Uranus return.
In this article I will refrain from making an analysis of the chart for Election Day of 2024, simply because it is too early to judge any possible developments. It can be noted that some pivotal transits will occur during that period, but it is not ideal to judge them or compare them against any of the candidates’ charts, since there can be so many variables involved between now and the end of the campaign. Moreover, there are some emerging candidates who can even end up playing a pivotal role.
2025 Presidential Inauguration chart
Nevertheless, I would like to make a major consideration about the 2025 Inauguration chart. Assuming that everything will run according to plan, the next US President should be sworn in on January 20th 2025 around noon (Washington DC time), as it is customary. Following the same logic which has been applied to the current Inauguration chart in this study, the applying Sun-Pluto conjunction will be of major importance. With the Sun less than a degree from Pluto in early Aquarius, there is reason to believe that the next presidency may potentially run into a major national crisis during the first year. How it could play out is truly difficult to understand at this point, but the possibility of social unrest and inner divisions is quite strong. We should not forget the amount of reactionism which previous transits of Pluto in Aquarius have historically brought around the world, so this is a possibility. The reason why this is likely to be important is that the nation will be heading towards its third Uranus return, which is going to occur in 2027-29. In an article named Gemini – Virgo & American History, published in November 2020, I explained the astrological connections between the transits of the coming years and those of the mid-1800s. Also, in 2020/30 – Mundane Astrology Forecast, published in April 2021, I included a passage in which I explained the importance of the next Jupiter-Uranus cycle as a new chapter for the US. The implications of the changes initiated next year will be strongly felt around the Uranus return in 2027.
The nation may experience extreme dynamism when Jupiter will square Uranus across 9 degrees of Virgo-Gemini in the second part of 2027. This reactive configuration will strongly act upon the American Independence chart’s Uranus. Generally speaking, previous transits of Uranus across 8-10 degrees of Mutable signs have coincided with ideological polarization, popular divisions or military action, such as in 1860/61 and 1944. The next return will be accompanied by the passage of Jupiter through Virgo, which will likely intensify the country’s quest for renewal.
Excerpt from 2020/30 – Mundane Astrology Forecast (published by me on this blog in April 2021)
Images created with Solar Fire v9.0.29
