THE RULERS CONFLICT

While astrologers are primed to watch for lunations, we seldom notice when the nodal rulers are in hard aspect with each other. Typically, this times a significant event, especially when the aspect touches a point in a natal chart.

On the last day of August, the nodal axis ingressed into Scorpio-Taurus, making Pluto the ruler of the North Node and Venus the ruler of the South Node. In the U.S. chart, Pluto is in the first house affecting the people, whereas fast-moving Venus rules the 10^th and the country’s leader. The nodal rules have been in contact twice since the nodal ingress at a degree impacting the U.S. Jupiter, ruler of the Sibly chart. Typically, a theme (or themes) emerge at the time of each contact. We can use the information from one contact to derive projections about upcoming contacts.

On September 12, 2012, Venus was at 6° Leo quincunx a stationing Pluto at 6° Capricorn, placing the two nodal rulers in a contact of frustration. In the U.S., Obama denied snubbing Netanyahu at the U.N.; in Libya, the U.S. Ambassador and three other Americans were murdered; and in the Atlantic, what would become hurricane Nadine (which lasted 21 days and was one of the top five longest-lived storms in history) was named a tropical storm.

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Nearly one month later, on October 9, 2012, the second contact between the rulers formed, with Venus at 7° Virgo trine Pluto at 7° Capricorn. Around this time, Israel conducted a military strike against the Palestinians, killing one, wounding nine, and damaging a mosque and a water tower. In response, Palestinians fired rockets, but caused no damage. In U.S. politics, five days after the first presidential debate, Romney began to rise in the polls. In the Atlantic, tropical storm Patty formed, which would soon become a hurricane.

The first square between the nodal rulers will occur on Saturday November 3^rd. Given previous history, I would expect the news to feature: Israel, the presidential election, and hurricanes. Specifically, I expect war mongering from the far-right eager to show support for Israel.  I am beginning to suspect that the meaning of the impending Mercury station will be a delay of the election: the vote and/or final tally will not take place on November 6^th as scheduled. Finally, a hurricane will be front-page news: another storm could be forming, or alternatively, Hurricane Sandy could endure far longer than expected. In summary, the rulers of the nodes are drivers of events, and when they are active, stuff happens.