World's Oldest Astrology Board Discovered

Representation of Cancer on the ivory board.

Researchers exploring a Croatian cave have discovered a 2,000-year-old astrology board, believed to be the oldest such astrologer’s tool ever found. Surviving portions include 30 ivory fragments engraved with the zodiac signs for Cancer, Gemini and Pisces.

According to LiveScience.com:

"This is probably older than any other known example," according to Alexander Jones, a professor at the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University. "It's also older than any of the written-down horoscopes that we have from the Greco-Roman world ~ we have a lot of horoscopes that are written down as a kind of document on papyrus or on a wall but none of them as old as this."

Archaeologists are uncertain of the board’s origins. Astrology originated in Babylon around 2,400 years ago. Around 2,100 years ago, it spread to the eastern Mediterranean, becoming popular in Egypt, which at the time was under the control of a dynasty of Greek kings.

"It gets modified very much into what we think of as the Greek style of astrology, which is essentially the modern style of astrology," Jones said. "The Greek style is the foundation of astrology that goes through the Middle Ages and into modern Europe, modern India (and) so on."

Radiocarbon dating shows that the ivory used to create the zodiac images dates back around 2,200 years ago, shortly before the appearance of this new form of astrology.

Click here for the complete article.

Click here for more photos of the board and cave.

Croatian cave where researchers found the board.

Same Birth Chart, Similar Lives

People who question the basis of astrology—and there are plenty of them due to today’s sweeping misrepresentations of all things astrological—frequently raise the question of characteristics bestowed upon individuals at the time and place of birth. They wonder, for example, about two people born at the same time and same place. There are some anecdotal legends regarding the situation, but one of the most famous and well-documented examples I’ve run across is cited by historian Benson Bobrick in his 2005 book The Fated Sky: Astrology in History. And I quote:

One such famous case involved an English subject and his king. On June 4, 1738, in the parish of St. Martins-in-the-Fields, two boys were born less than a minute apart. One was William Frederick, later crowned George III, King of England; the other, James Hemmings, an ironmonger’s son. Widely separated by class, yet bound to a parallel fate, these two men, each in his own social sphere, lived out the edict of his stars. In October 1760, when George III succeeded his father on the throne, thereby fulfilling the purpose to which he was born, Hemmings took over his father’s business. Both men were married on September 8, 1761, fathered the same number of children (even, weirdly, the same number of boys and girls), suffered the same accidents, succumbed to the same diseases, and died within less than an hour of each other on Saturday, January 29, 1820.

Mercury went retrograde at 12:06 this morning, Eastern time, and will remain so until May 11. Often abbreviated as "Mercury Rx," Mercury Retrograde ~ often abbreviated as “Mercury Rx” ~ is the three-week period when Mercury appears to move in reverse. This happens because Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun, and when it passes by Earth on its orbit, it seems to be going forward. When it loops back around the Sun, it appears to us be moving backward.

According to today's Tarot.com:

Since Mercury is the planet representing communication and motion, when it goes retrograde, there is a sense that movement-based things -- such as communication, travel, traffic, or business negotiations -- are interrupted and slowed. Cars break down, calls get missed, people say the wrong things at the wrong time. Energetically, it can feel as though the universe is blocking your efforts at progress.

 You can't demand life to flow more smoothly while Mercury's in retrograde. Double-check your work beforehand, set plans in advance and be willing to repeat yourself. Mercury Retrograde is a reminder that we're not as almighty as we think; peaceful surrender is the best weapon against Mercury Retrograde. Go with the flow and take each challenge as an opportunity to meditate on the unpredictability of life.

Astrologer Lynn Hayes says on her blog: “The recent air traffic problems caused by the Iceland volcano is an example of Mercury Retrograde reversals.”

Parallels with the Civil War?

Given the extraordinarily divisive political nature of our country today, I'm intrigued with this astrological reading on the United States by British astrologer Liz Greene. She’s one of the world’s most well-known astrologers, author of several best-selling books on the subject, a practicing Jungian analyst and co-director of the Centre for Psychological Astrology in London.

She based this 2005 reading on the Sibly chart ~ derived from eye-witness accounts of the signing of the Declaration of Independence ~ that puts the birth of the United States precisely at 4:50 p.m. on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia. Greene's reading covers the period in the U.S. from 2008 to 2024.

Here’s what I found interesting:

In the horoscope of the United States, Pluto, as it moves through Capricorn, is opposing the Sun in the natal chart, reflecting major and irrevocable changes on many levels. This aspect has occurred only once before in American history, during the period of the Civil War. Although it is not intrinsically an aspect of war, it challenges the deepest definitions of what constitutes nationhood, and raises many issues of autonomy and the way in which the government is structured and how much authority it may or may not exercise.The deeper issues underlying the Civil War concerned not only human rights, but also the autonomy of the individual states comprising the nation, and these issues may once again rise to the surface as new ways of defining the national identity are proposed.

She goes on to describe some other astrological attributes of the U.S., then concludes with:

Whether or not you favour these changes personally, it would seem that a time has arrived when there is a great new opportunity to affirm the values and ideals of the original founding of the nation, applicable not only to government and to foreign relations, but also to the land itself and the resources inherent in it.

Click here to read the full chart.

Bombing the Moon

Anyone with even a brief exposure to astrology knows how vitally important the Moon is to this arcane practice, so it makes sense that the astrological community might be upset with NASA’s plan to bomb the Moon tomorrow morning in search of traces of lunar water. (If you haven’t heard about it, here’s NASA’s explanation.) One of the most cogent analyses appeared yesterday from respected astrologer Melody Scott Zindell of Boulder, Colorado. Here are some snippets she posted on her blog under the title "Bombing the Moon and Karma." It's best read in its entirety.

The chart for this event is strikingly graphic. In astrology, the Moon correlates with the sign Cancer, and the nodal axis of the Moon is what is being referred to when we use the terms North and South Nodes. This event chart shows Mars conjunct the South Node in Cancer at 26 degrees. Mars is the archetypal warrior. It is how we get what we want and governs anger and aggression.

. . . This event may be a karmic gateway that really shakes things up. In astrology, the Lunar Nodes have always been associated with karma. We are not born blank canvases to be painted on by others. We come in with definite personalities, gifts, challenges and lessons we seem to be fatefully pulled to learn.

. . . The last time the Nodes were in this same position (late 1990) the Persian Gulf War was started and the World Wide Web was taking off. We also had the largest deployment of women in military history. The cycle before that (late April 1972) Nixon authorized a massive bombing attack with the Vietnam war, privately saying, “The bastards have never been bombed like they're going to bombed this time.” Protests against the bombings erupted in the US. This is also the summer that terrorists killed 11 Israeli athletes and the attempted assassination of Gov. Wallace. This time around war and the threat of war abounds while we go off planet with our aggressive orientation and bomb the Moon.

Click here for Melody Scott Zindell's blog.

[Whether or not you think there's anything to astrology, you have to admit the world these days is awash in major change, consistent with the current celestial alignments. Just look at the overturn of the old order in Japan a few days ago and the tumult our own country is experiencing on a number of critical issues. Lynn Hayes of North Carolina has been a practicing astrologer for 25 years and is recognized for her insightful analyses. She writes the daily Astrological Musings blog for Beliefnet.com and compiles her monthly Skywatch readings for subscribers. From the new Skywatch, here’s part of her astrological overview for September.]

The big news for September is the third phase of a major planetary cycle that began on the US election day in November of 2008 and will have a total of five phases. Under this cycle the conventional way of doing things will battle against new ideas and change. . . . This planetary cycle is operating not only on a global level where it is affecting politics in nearly every country around the world, but also on a personal and psychological level.

In our personal lives, especially if these planets (Saturn and Uranus) are aspecting our own chart, this can feel very much like we're being pulled in two different directions. The natural reaction to an opposition is to allow ourselves to go to one extreme followed by the other, but this is not the most helpful approach. If we remember who we're dealing with here, we can face this planetary cycle in a conscious way that offers us the benefit of change (Uranus) while maintaining a sense of stability in our lives (Saturn). Saturn wants us to be responsible and disciplined and preserve order, and Uranus says forget the structures and start something new. Walking that tightrope is a challenge, but it can be done!

Later, she adds:

. . . We will have a bit of a break from the planetary intensity in October. We'll need it though, because the planetary energy will heat up again in November when Saturn moves into Libra and prepares to face off against Pluto. Now is the time to prepare our internal resources and achieve greater integration and balance between the Mind, the Physical, the Emotional and the Spirit within.

[Several times on this blog I’ve quoted financial astrologer Ray Merriman, whose readings are familiar to a number of financial institutions and analysts, and who has an uncanny ability to evaluation and predict economic trends. That’s why I was pleased earlier this week to see the financial website Bankrate.com feature Ray (photo below) in an article by reporter Jay MacDonald. Here are some excerpts.]

Wouldn't you have liked a little advance warning about the great market meltdown of 2008?

Ray began writing about it in 1991.

In astro-lingo, it's called a Cardinal Climax. And it's a nasty bugger.

"A Cardinal Climax occurs when three of the four outermost planets (Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and/or Pluto) enter different 'cardinal signs' and thus form what are known as T-squares to one another," Ray says.

"Cardinal signs are the signs that begin each season -- Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. Since these far-out planets move so slowly in their orbits around the sun, such a pattern is quite rare. It occurs every 80 to 90 years."

You've probably guessed by now that the last Cardinal Climax occurred in the 1929-to-1934 time frame. Hmmm, Grandpa did mention something about breadlines back then.

But before that, it occurred in 1841 to 1852 and 1759 to 1778.

"Each of these coincide with severe economic downturns and heightened social, even revolutionary, tendencies," Ray says.

If you're keeping an astro-scorecard, Pluto entered Capricorn in January 2008, Saturn will enter Libra in late October 2009 and Uranus will enter Aries in late May 2010. They will be making "hard aspects" to one another through 2015.

"I've been forecasting this period 2008 to 2015 as a daunting challenge for the economy since then, and of course, we now see that this astrological cycle and its correspondence with the same historical themes is once again occurring, right on time," says Ray.

Click here for the complete Bankrate.com article.

Click here for Ray Merriman’s website.

Tonight's 'Secret Moon' Solar Eclipse Holds Power

Tonight's eclipse occurs at 10:35 p.m. EDT.

[Here's part of a post from Lynn Hayes's Astrological Musings blog ~ one of the best for those of us fascinated by the practice of in-depth astrology yet who are not actual astrologers. Her blog in recent days has focused on tonight's eclipse and its astrological implications.]

From the beginning of the use of astrology, somewhere over 2,000 years ago, eclipses have been used to time significant events. In a typical year there are two pairs of eclipses, but this year there are an astonishing six, indicating that this is a significant year for change.

The upcoming New Moon is not only an eclipse but also the second New Moon in Cancer, a phenomenon also known as the "Secret Moon." Because Cancer rules the Moon, it is particularly powerful in Cancer and because this is an eclipse of the Sun, the lunar influence is even more powerful.

The Moon presides over all issues of emotion, but also our emotional connections to each other and to our ancestral history. Cancer is known for its concern with family matters but that sense of family extends beyond the nuclear family, and even the extended family, to the entire tribe of which we are a part. Some of us have strong family ties; others of us create our own tribes that serve the family role.

Because of the intensity of the triple conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron and Neptune which is still tighly in alignment, many of us are more sensitive and more highly reactive than usual. Under the eclipse the influence of the solar conscious mind is diminished, and the emotional power of the Moon stands raw and undiluted. The Triple Conjunction is already stripping away the veneer that we have built to protect us from ourselves; the eclipse may accelerate the process of unmasking the vulnerability (Moon/Cancer) that reveals our true heart.

Click here for Lynn's complete blog post.

[One of my favorite astrology blogs is AstroTableTalk by a fellow calling himself Dharmaruci, out of Glastonbury, UK. Here’s part of a fascinating post from last week entitled simply "Iran." Here he examines the birth charts for Obama and Ahmadinejad. This is only the opening part of the post ~ click on the link if you want to read the rest.]

Ahmadinosaur was born 10/28/56, time unknown. He has Sun conjunct Neptune in Scorpio. At its best, this combination has passion, insight, loyalty, imagination and compassion. Maybe in private Ahmajihad does. Maybe, like Hitler, he is in private a vegetarian who likes children. But in public we see this combination at its worst, the snake (Scorpio) who can sway the crowds (Neptune). You cannot trust anything he says. He also has Moon in Leo/Virgo, conjunct Pluto. I think his Moon is more likely to be a grandiose, self-serving Leo, and the conjunction to Pluto ties in with his Sun in Pluto’s sign of Scorpio: he has a hunger for power, and knows how to get it and keep it.

It is interesting that Barack Obama, now his principal foreign opponent, has Sun square Neptune and Moon square Pluto. Their Moons square – possibly a bit widely – and their Suns square, again a bit widely. Their Mars’ oppose (7 degrees).

As with Bush and bin Laden/Saddam Hussein, the stage is set, astrologically at least, for a personal enmity. Obama and Ahmadinejad have a kind of similarity to their charts that clashes. With Obama’s own Sun-Neptune and Moon-Pluto challenges, Ahmadinejad is a reminder to him of his own shadow side. It is hard not to demonize Ahmadinejad, precisely because he is so demonic. When you demonize someone, you write them off as evil, and no longer see their individuality. It will be interesting to see how, over time, Obama deals with Ahmadinejad, now that he has been ‘re-elected’.

Click here for Dharmaruci's entire post.

Click here for his AstroTableTalk astrology blog.

[Lynn Hayes of North Carolina has been a practicing astrologer for 25 years, plus being busy at the keyboard. She writes the frequent Astrological Musings column for Beliefnet.com and compiles her monthly Skywatch readings for subscribers. From the new Skywatch, here’s part of her astrological overview for May.]

The big news in May is the triple conjunction of Jupiter, Chiron, and Neptune. We have been building up to this for quite some time – this is a tremendous force for healing and for realigning our inner sense of purpose to fit with our outer dharma and destiny. You can read more about this major cycle here. This planetary combination unlocks the longing of the soul to experience a life that has a deeper meaning (Neptune) combining with the necessity to work through any blocks and painful experiences that are standing in our way of that goal (Chiron).

The expansion of this process in a way that can be beneficial or simply more painful is facilitated by Jupiter. Jupiter is usually considered a positive influence, and because it provides an expansive force when combined with Chiron it can be a wonderful aide to the healing process. But that healing process when Chiron is involved requires that we revisit our wounds, and this can be extremely difficult too, depending upon the way that our individual charts are involved.

Click here for Astrological Musings.

Click here for Skywatch.

Good financial astrology can be quite interesting because the accuracy of the forecast is quickly quantifiable. Certainly one of the most respected financial astrologers is Ray Merriman of Merriman Market Analyst. Here he points out how the market has been tracking with Venus's path into retrograde and back.

Venus now ends its retrograde motion as it turned direct on April 17. Since Venus rules assets and things of value (like stocks), there is cause to be concerned that the trend that preceded Venus turning retrograde may now return. That would be the bear market. But in many historical cases, a reversal from a high as Venus turns direct doesn’t necessarily result in a decline that takes out the low of the retrograde period. With Jupiter fast approaching its conjunction to Neptune in late May through mid-July, there is a geocosmic basis for thinking that any decline right now may hold above those lows of March 6-10, and then be followed by another rally to higher highs. Jupiter and Neptune are normally very optimistic and hopeful about the future.

This could get eerie. The Dow Jones Industrial Average made a 12-year low on March 6, the day Venus went retrograde. Those lows have held throughout this Venus retrograde period. On Friday, April 17, Venus turned direct. On that same day, the DJIA posted its highest level since March 6. As stated several times since February, “…any market that makes a multi-week high or low around the time Venus turns retrograde could begin a counter-trend move that will last into the time Venus turns direct, +/- 10 trading days. Venus turns direct this week, April 17, so we are clearly in that time band now for a crest of some importance.”

For Ray Merriman's complete forecast for the coming week, click here.

One of my favorite astrology blogs is AstroTableTalk by a fellow calling himself Dharmaruci, out of Glastonbury, UK. Here’s part of a long and provocative post from last week, “Uranus-Pluto: It’s Time for Big, New Ideas.”

The 1929 Crash led directly to the Great Depression, they were part of the same process. In 1929, Uranus and Pluto were 10 degrees off a square, so I think we need to see that degree of separation as valid. This July Uranus and Pluto will be just 5 degrees off a square, so a fortiori this square is already very much with us, destroying our present reality in a big way, but also starting to provide the inspiration for some big new ideas.

We may, for example, see a resurgence of Communism. I was watching a French philosopher being interviewed on TV, and in response to this idea, the interviewer said isn’t that old hat, a dated 20th century idea that’s been proved wrong? And the philosopher said no, we just got the application wrong, but as an idea it still remains valid. But, he added, we also need some new ideas as well.

The capitalist model we have been living under is taking a hammering. The politicians are having to drop their ideologies and be intensely pragmatic in order to save the world economy. So space is opening up for new ideas.

Click here for the complete post.

Some Longer-Term Financial Insight
from Raymond Merriman

As much as financial analysts and talking heads on TV financial shows are projecting even lower interest rates, my interpretation of geocosmic and cycle studies suggest just the opposite. We are very near to a critical turning point, and once it turns, we may not see these low interest and mortgage rate levels again in our lifetime. I happen to be in the camp that this deflationary period is going to end very abruptly with a new inflation monster. Combined with the forthcoming stimulus package, and ramped up government spending programs and unbelievable federal deficits, I think that by the time we get to the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction in the spring and summer, we have shifted from deflationary fears to inflationary fears.

For more, click here.

Astrologers Weigh In on Child's Murder
from Maria Barron

Astrologers posting on one of the Web’s most popular true-crime forums predicted that the body of missing Caylee Marie Anthony, 2, of Orlando, Fla., was hidden in her own neighborhood and would indeed be found, despite the passage of months and the failure of massive searches. One even predicted in November that important evidence would be unearthed Dec. 11, and another saw a service worker playing a key role.

If the child’s remains found by a meter reader Dec. 11 about a half-mile from the Anthony home are determined to be Caylee’s, which logic and probability say they are, the astrological sleuths at Websleuths.com will have several new and notable confirmations to their credit, testifying to their skill in interpreting charts cast not only for the people involved in the case, but also for the questions that arise, as they arise.

To continue article, click here.

Further comment on Obama's Inauguaration
from Nancy Sommers

As has been shown repeatedly, one of the primary indicators of a presidential administration is the Inaugural chart, drawn anew for the exact birth moment of each successive four-year term. The Inaugural chart gives a general description of the feel of a presidential term, as well as pointing to the times when difficulties and crises are likely to unfold. The movement from the jurisdiction of one Inaugural chart to the next always indicates a huge shift and a significant turning of the page into new territory.

The Inaugural chart of January 20, 2009, is no exception. It will follow the very difficult 2004 chart which indicated a deep dislike of the Bush administration by the people (Saturn conjunct the IC, semisquare the Moon, opposite the Sun), as well as enormous frustration and failure at every turn (Saturn opposite Sun, Mercury, Venus, square the Nodes and Jupiter, conjunct the IC, quincunx Pluto, and semsiquare the Moon). The 2009 chart, in contrast, suggests a much more even- keeled and well-liked administration, although significant challenges and difficulties will be encountered over the next four years.

For more, click here.

Summary of Predictions:

Obama Winning by Slight Margin,

Palin Has Hurt McCain's Chances,

Uneasiness Heading Toward Inauguration,

Saturn/Uranus Making Predictions Very Difficult

From 1864 drawing by Thomas Nast for Harper's Weekly.

For this final Election Astrology post prior to Tuesday’s election, I’m summarizing my findings from following a dozen or so astrology blogs for several months.

Culling comments from the blogs was difficult because some of the astrologers clearly used astrology as a basis for propounding their own political preferences and opinions, which can get tiresome. Also, most of the astrologers' political postings dropped off significantly during October, as financial turbulence became the subject of more astrological scrutiny. Besides, almost everything that was going to be astrologically charted regarding the presidential election had been done by the conclusion of the Republicans’ convention in September.

As you can see, much of what the astrologers have said tracks well with what mainstream political analysts and pundits are telling us daily in print and broadcast. The difference is that the astrologers have consistently been saying it earlier.

Most of them saw big trouble for McCain in September when he selected Palin, even though the media and GOP was going wild over her. Her chart has some real trouble spots in it. Most of the astrologers saw something negative due to happen in October. Some were uncertain, others suspected it might be financial, and a few such as Ray Merriman nailed it early and well.

So here are the major conclusions I found:

Barack Obama will win, probably by a small margin. 

I have not found any astrologer still seeing John McCain winning on Tuesday.

An Obama victory was seen as early as May – even when he was battling through the tough primary against Hillary Clinton – when a panel of seven prominent astrologers used various astrological methods of analysis, and then announced their predictions at the United Astrology Conference convention in Denver. Actually six saw an Obama victory and one said it was too close to call between Obama and McCain, but that Clinton was not in the picture.

McCain’s campaign has sustained two powerful blows in the past two months.

One was his selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate. Her birth chart – at least as much as can be gleaned from a questionable time of birth – has been a major wound to McCain's chart. The second blow has been the nation’s economic troubles, which have played directly into some of his chart’s weaker areas. Here’s how Charlene Litchenstein summed it up:

Had I made my prediction in September, I would have predicted John McCain to win, despite the drag that Sarah Palin had on his astrology birth horoscope. I do think that if he had chosen someone more compatible with his birth chart he would have had a stronger candidacy overall with a victory that could not be hampered by any outside event. This is based on the assumption that the shocking event I saw a few weeks ago is the economy and stock market and we are done with any further surprises before the election. . . I predict Barack Obama to win in a very close election - closer than it should be considering the state of the economy.

Saturn-Uranus Opposition is complicating everything.

I’ve discussed this in an earlier post. Here’s how Benjamin Bernstein, writing for the Organization for Professional Astrologers, put it:

Even those who called it for Obama, however, noted an extraordinary synchronicity: Uranus and Saturn make an exact opposition on Election Day! Uranus rules shock, unpredictability and surprise, thus throwing a "wild card" energy into the mix. However, this aspect can also be interpreted as revolutionary new paradigms (Uranus) overcoming the old order (Saturn). Since the outermost planet (Uranus in this case) always has more power, I interpret this aspect as favoring the candidate who more truly represents change (Obama). . . The power of the "wild card factor", created by the Election Day Saturn-Uranus opposition, cannot be underestimated.

Concern about the period leading to Inauguration Day in January.

An ominous tone was set as early as March, when financial astrologer Ray Merriman – highly respected for his work with banks and other institutions – wrote this twist on the Saturn-Uranus opposition, since echoed by several other astrologers:

. . . But it is not so easy to choose who will win, for with Uranus, anything can happen, and surprises are more than likely the order of the day. As an extreme, under this signature, there can be no certainty that the candidates selected to represent their parties even make it to election or inauguration day. Something disruptive is always a possibility, especially with Saturn and Uranus in hard aspect, complemented by Pluto about to move back into Capricorn at that time (November 26, which is between election day and inauguration). I am not predicting assassination, for these symbols can mean many things. But the last time Saturn and Uranus were in opposition, and Pluto was involved, was in the mid-1960’s. Both political and racially-motivated assassinations stung the USA deeply during that time.

Ultimately, the strange and powerful opposition of Saturn and Uranus gives the astrologers an “out.” It is such a rare alignment of contradictory behaviors that it has hampered everyone’s ability to predict with precision.

“It's the single most screwed-up election from an astrological perspective in decades,” says Robert Hand, one of America’s leading astrologers.

After the election, I’ll select a handful of astrologers who seemed to have made the most consistently accurate calls and will follow them as we head toward Inauguration Day to see what they’re saying.

Is McCain 'Mercurial'? 

Possible Troubles for Obama?

And What About the Retrograde "Shadow" Effect?

It’s difficult to follow astrology blogs when you’re not an astrologer. It’s like looking at a maze of equations scrawled across a blackboard when you don’t know calculus. It means I have to find clues to determine the validity of some of the claims being made, usually by checking the comments other readers post and by comparing the readings to news reports.

In the few weeks remaining, I'll be focusing on some fascinating election horoscopes from several of the respected professional astrologers I've been watching. For today’s Election Astrology, I’ve picked two astrologers with large followings and who seem to command considerable respect among their peers.

• Nancy Sommers, who writes Nancy’s Blog, which attracts hundreds of comments every time she posts something and who has accurately predicted a number of aspects and behaviors regarding this presidential campaign.

• Ray Merriman, a professional financial astrologer of long standing whose analyses are followed by several financial institutions and whose posts now contain more campaign analysis due to the impact of the current financial troubles.
  

Angry McCain, Calm Obama

Two days before last Wednesday’s presidential debate, Nancy presented a detailed reading of both McCain and Obama related to the specific time of the debate. (If you’re interested in the complex details, click here.)

She wrote: “ … It is this aspect that will be under a great deal of pressure during and after the debate, suggesting McCain will be very agitated, angry, and unhappy.” Then, following a detailed explanation, she wrote: “ … While McCain seems to be at some kind of nadir for the mid-October debate, Obama will be at his zenith." And she concluded: “In the face of McCain’s crankiness, Obama will once again demonstrate calmness and strength, with an extraordinarily appealing and compelling quality that pervades his presence.”

Pretty accurate, and consistent with several post-debate polls.

New Problems for Obama?

So here’s her take on the weeks leading up to the November 4 election.

• On McCain: “In addition, there are two further aspects that are specific to the 6:25 PM chart that suggest a very trying, depressing time for McCain that began in late September and continues to be very potent through October 19, slowly diminishing over the week or so thereafter.”
  

• On Obama: “There is, however, some stress that develops for Obama from around October 16 through October 25, due to Saturn’s transit semisquare his Mercury (2Leo20) and quincunx his Ascendant (18Aquarius03). Perhaps, it is just the weightiness of the times adding to the sobriety and thoughtfulness (Saturn) of his demeanor. But it seems likely he may lose some of his sparkle during this period and become more fatigued and off his game. A cold or laryngitis is possible that will encumber him in some way. Alternately, the increasingly vituperative attacks from the Hate Talk Express may begin to do some damage. It may be that his wide lead shrinks a bit during these ten days.”
  

This should be quite easy to track via the headlines.

Retrograde Shadow Period Could Be Critical

In his current Weekly Market Preview, Ray Merriman says the election could be strongly influenced by something astrologers recognize ~ but don't always take into account ~ known as the “shadow" periods of the current Mercury retrograde:

Many astrologers believe that the Mercury retrograde principles pertain not just to the time Mercury is actually in retrograde motion, but also during the times that it is in the Mercury retrograde “shadow” periods. This may be a critical point in forecasting this year’s election, for sometime between September 3 and 15 McCain held a 4-point lead over Obama. But since that time, the polls have switched 2-12 points in favor of Obama, depending on which poll you follow.

If the momentum shifts back to McCain after Mercury returns to direct motion (October 15), as the classical principles of Mundane Astrology would suggest, then McCain may still have a chance to pull this out. But if the valid zone of recovery includes the Mercury retrograde “shadow period” as well, then the momentum change in favor of Obama would continue to grow through October 30. Conditions and/or sentiment wouldn’t return again to the pre-shadow period until the end of the month.

In this case, it would be too late for McCain to come back, barring some new and sensational revelation. In fact, Obama would be more likely to win in a landslide, just as the last Senator from Arizona to run for president experienced in 1964 (Barry Goldwater). The 1964 election was the last time we were within the orb of the Saturn-Uranus opposition.

So, watch the daily news. According to this, we should see some shift in poll numbers, favoring McCain. Unless, of course, the Mercury retrograde shadow continues to fall across his campaign.

By the way, Madam Lichtenstein just began what promises to be a fascinating look at election day. Her first installment discusses November 4 itself, and next she'll tie it to the charts of McCain and Obama specifically. She's good, so this should be interesting!

Election Day Remains Strangely Uncertain

The County Election by George Caleb Bingham, 1851

More than any other aspect of this extraordinary presidential election year, it’s Election Day itself ~ November 4th ~ that intrigues me as I survey my group of astrologers.

The dozen or so professional astrologers I’m watching can’t seem to get a collective fix on that day, except that there’s something seriously volatile about it. (These astrologers as a group, by the way, have been substantially on-target regarding the current world financial crisis.)

As a layman, not an astrologer, I’ve learned this: Saturn and Uranus move into direct opposition early on November 4. Saturn relates to conservatism and status quo, while Uranus is creative and revolutionary. This 180-degree alignment occurs rarely ~ only twice before in the past 100 years ~ and can spell trouble.

Nearly four months ago, I posted comments from writer Barry Orr, who had found that many astrologers were saying this about Election Day:

• The election will be postponed or canceled due to national emergency; or,
  
• One or more candidates will leave the race; or,
  
• Fraud or data problems will produce a rigged race.

Here’s a sampling of what the astrologers are now saying as Election Day approaches.

From Terry Lamb at Astro-Pol:

This is the situation I have been most concerned about with the Saturn-Uranus opposition becoming exact on Election Day. The forces of the status quo are pitted against the forces of change, and it could get nasty. Oppositions are aspects of separation, and separation breeds fear. Fear breeds conflict (and greed). These are factors in the behavior we are seeing to prevent the sea change in government that is desired, expected, and should occur. This is what could delay the outcome of the election.

Lynn Hayes at Astrological Musings sees this:

In any case, the astrological signatures suggest that the election once again will not be settled on Election Day. Mercury changes signs that day, moving from Libra where it is all about collaboration, to Scorpio where our thoughts become more intensified and interested in matters of power. Scorpio also signifies things that are hidden, and perhaps ballots (Mercury) could be lost or stolen (Scorpio).

By the way, she just today began an interesting two-part explanation of the Saturn-Uranus opposition.

And another astrologer I’ve not been following ~ a certain Madam Lichtenstein ~ has this to say:

But transiting Saturn also will oppose Uranus on Election Day. This can bring powerful, unpleasant surprises. It also will conjunct Saturn which indicates that a major cycle is closing and a new one is beginning. When people go through a Saturn conjunct Saturn it is called their Saturn Return. In this case it is the Presidential Saturn Return. During the return phase we want change NOW but it either doesn't happen or, if it does, it is not what we want or expect. It is a time of great learning. Further transiting Saturn will square Venus which can create some sore losers. Stress and tension without any resulting harmony.

If you're curious and want to read more, just do a Google search on “Election Day” with the word “astrology” and you’ll get tons.

Wall Street Crisis, The Depression, and Bail-Out

Call this a special edition of Election Astrology. 

Scanning several astrology blogs for campaign news, I keep coming back to Ray Merriman’s site. He’s a professional astrologer and president of The Merriman Market Analyst, Inc. For years now, banks, financial institutions, investors and traders have used his financial prognostications, and he’s even written astrological software enabling traders to spot potential turning points in stocks. If you’re interested in financial trends, I encourage you to explore his website.

Or you can go ahead and laugh. Just keep in mind that J.P. Morgan said, “Millionaires don’t use astrology. Billionaires do.”

So here’s Merriman’s take on the current Wall Street bail-out being negotiated in Washington.

Are you kidding? I mean, seriously, as a Financial Astrologer, or student of Astrology, would you really recommend the White House and Congress to rush through a $700B bailout agreement that could bankrupt the country in a “New York minute,” just as Mercury is starting its retrograde motion (September 24-October 15)?

Basic Astrology 101 teaches us not to make hasty decisions under Mercury retrograde, for inevitably (or so it seems), the matters agreed to do not work out well, or at the very least, require substantial modification afterwards. The idea is that one does not know, or adequately understand, all the facts required to make a well-informed decision. To say that not all the facts are known in this “Financial Rescue” proposal of Treasury Secretary Hank Paulsen, would be an understatement.

In somewhat typical Aries fashion (Paulsen is an Aries), the Treasury Secretary warns that failure to act at once will send the economy into a serious recession, an economic crisis. Not that anyone who has been reading this column for the past nine years would be surprised (yes, we began forecasting the period of 2008-2015 as a potentially very serious economic crisis period for several years now, based solely on Financial Astrology), but still, when the fullness of the crisis hits, the last thing you want to do is to compound previous mistakes by making agreements in haste before all the ramifications are considered clearly. And that is exactly the danger posed when Mercury is retrograde – especially when Venus (and soon Mars) are in the economic-crisis sign of Scorpio, and most especially when Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto are quickly moving into their T-square formation, a pattern that has not been seen since 1930-1931.

People ask me all the time if I think there is any possibility of a 1930’s Depression again, and my answer is, “Yes. But there doesn’t have to be." After all, the outcome is always the result of a combination of planetary cycles AND personal choices of our leaders. Historical cycles don’t have to repeat, but they are doomed to repeat when we fail to apply the lessons from those previous times.

Click here to read Merriman’s complete column.

A Round-Up of Readings

NOTE: Here’s a selection of current political commentary from reputable astrologers. Hey, they can’t be any farther off than the so-called “experts” and “analysts” appearing nightly on CNN, Fox, ABC and the like. I’m sticking to comments drawn from specific charts and readings and not just the astrologers’ personal opinions and political biases.


Election Day

“In any case, the astrological signatures suggest that the election once again will not be settled on election day. Mercury changes signs that day, moving from Libra where it is all about collaboration, to Scorpio where our thoughts become more intensified and interested in matters of power. Scorpio also signifies things that are hidden, and perhaps ballots (Mercury) could be lost or stolen (Scorpio).” Lynn Hayes, Astrological Musings

“One gets a sense already of the power of the Jupiter Pluto victory to the young contender, Obama, but if it comes to a fist fight in the manner of the 2000 election - the last Evening Star election where Venus radiated Pluto - then the victory will go to the one who can wield the most money and power.” Dharmaruci, AstroTableTalk

Upcoming Debate

“The first debate is on September 26 and seems likely to benefit Obama more than McCain. Jupiter will be semisquare Obama’s Midheaven suggesting optimism, expansiveness, and success, whereas Saturn will be square McCain’s natal Jupiter and opposite McCain’s progressed Saturn, while Uranus will conjunct his natal Saturn, suggesting he will be stiff, somber, and uncomfortable.” Nancy Sommers, Nancy’s Blog

John McCain

“Using this 8:38 am time for McCain, the astrologer will find that his prospects for getting elected look very good. Transiting Jupiter turns direct over the next week while squaring his Libra Ascendant, bringing him renewed enthusiasm and opportunities. Especially favorable is that his progressed Midheaven will be conjunct his Venus (his chart's ruling planet) on Inauguration Day. However, as transiting Saturn heads to his twelfth house Neptune, much of the stardust may fall off Palin, and she may be more widely seen as an inappropriate choice.” Michael O’Reilly, Neptune’s Café

Sarah Palin

“In the meantime, the adoration Palin inspires will be very strong through September 27, with progressed Moon opposite Venus, and will diminish slightly thereafter as this aspect wanes, but not completely, due to the continuation of progressed Venus square the Sun, exact around the election. Scandals will continue to swirl around her right up to the election (progressed Moon semisquare Neptune) and beyond, right through December (transiting Neptune conjunct the Sun) with continuous questions over the ethics of her past behavior and the honesty of her statements.” Nancy Sommers, Nancy’s Blog

“Transiting Neptune is the major influence in her horoscope over the next few months since it's conjunct her Sun. While she most likely will find this phase disorienting due to the intense learning curve of being on McCain's ticket, Neptune here also makes her a big unknown as seen from the outside. She will be associated with many of Neptune's symbols, especially faith, oil, scandals, and the Cinderella factor.” Michael O’Reilly, Neptune’s Café

Barack Obama

“One major drawback in Obama's horoscope is that he has no planets in the tenth house, which goes against the historical record of elected presidents. A national leader needs tenth house planets to govern, to give the impression that he's in charge. Obama's planetary emphasis is in the seventh house, where he leads through the medium of the people he has around him.” Michael O’Reilly, Neptune’s Café

Joseph Biden

"The best indicator of a democratic victory can be found in Joe Biden's chart -- November 20, 1942, Scranton, PA, 8:30 AM. Uncanny. You've heard plenty of talk about the Saturn-Uranus opposition at 18 Virgo and Pisces on election day. Well it just so happens that Joe has a midheaven at 19 Virgo, putting 19 Pisces on the IC. Several minutes variation could even make it exact. Saturn on the MC means a change in status and a new position of authority. Uranus on the IC means a separation from home. It's a radical change for Joe since he's never left home, commuting by train every day from the Senate throughout his career. This is an excellent sign that Obama and Biden are going to be the next president and vice-president of the United States. I'm not one to predict but this is too obvious." JM, raging universe

Was McCain's VP Pick in the Stars?

As you can see from some previous postings, I’m watching several astrology blogs to see what they foretell about the upcoming presidential election. 

One reason is because this election is so fascinating, complex and unpredictable. The second is because of Richard Tarnas’s book Cosmos and Psyche, a thick and well-researched volume from a respected academian that blew me away with its uncanny correlations between world events throughout history and their astrological alignments.

Quick on the draw today was the respected astrologer Pat Paquette of Vashon Island, Washington, who authors the “Pisces Chronicles” blog. She admits being startled by McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate.

“When I saw it in the headlines this morning, I blurted out loud, ‘Oh my god, McCain is going to win!’” she writes.

Instead of using birth charts for this prediction, she looks at the chart for Inauguration Day, a method she says enabled her to predict Bush’s 2004 victory long before the election. (Far less of a challenge, I'd say, than this election.)

She says election day 2008 displays a Venus-Uranus conjunction opposite Saturn – in other words, women, youth and rebellion. “I initially thought it might mean Hillary would be the first woman president of the United States,” Paquette writes. “When that didn’t happen, I thought it perhaps represented Obama’s youth, but I kept waiting for new of a woman.”

Nearly every astrologer I follow has, up to now, been seeing an Obama victory in November. So now I want to see if the Palin pick prompts them to rethink their readings of the charts.

Click here for The Pisces Chronicles.

An Astrological Profile of Sarah Palin

Here are some of Palin's personality traits as compiled by astrologer Lynn Hayes of North Carolina on her Astrological Musings blog. The boldfacing is mine.

"For the McCain ticket, Palin brings credentials where McCain, with his pro-choice history, is lacking. She enhances his "maverick" status, which has waned in recent months as he waters down his personality for the presidential campaign. Unlike McCain, Palin is an active churchgoer (Pentecostal) and wants creationism to be taught in schools alongside evolution, bridging the mistrust the Religious Right holds against McCain.

"Astrologically, she has at least four planets in Aquarius (Mercury, Sun, Mars and Saturn) and possibly the Moon as well, if she was born after noon. Aquarius is the sign of the activist, the renegade - the individualist who isn't afraid to buck the system. With no planets in water signs other than Chiron, Palin is not a very emotional person and this is heightened by the strong Aquarian influence which is more interested in rational thinking and ideas than emotional viewpoints.

"That Aquarian individuality is tempered with a triple conjunction of Saturn and Mars to the Sun. Saturn is the ancient ruler of Aquarius, and lends its focus on solitude and a tendency towards rigidity which in the case of Palin may exacerbate the fixed nature of the Aquarian personality. Palin is conservative under the Saturn/Mars/Sun conjunction, but the Aquarian influence makes her quirkily so.

"Neptune squares her Sun - the very same aspect in Obama's chart that has suspicious astrologers claiming Obama is deceptive. (See my earlier article.) Neptune/Sun aspects tend to show that the individual has experienced difficulty expressing herself as an individual, and that there is a tendency for others to be unable to see her clearly because she becomes a hook for their projections.

"Palin's birthchart also shows that she has an exact opposition from Chiron to Pluto, and by association to Uranus as well. I would be surprised if she has not had painful experiences in her life - that Chiron/Pluto opposition indicates an indivdiual who must continually face her inner demons so that they can be vanquished.

"This is an interesting time for Palin," Hayes continues, "transiting Saturn has been aspecting this opposition, coinciding with the birth of her son with Down Syndrome. Transiting Neptune is affecting her as well - passing over first her Sun, then Mars, then Saturn over the next several years. This Neptunian time shows that she is prone to overidealizing the realities in her life, and there is a danger of not seeing things as they really are."

Click here for Astrological Musings.