THE CONJUNCTION OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH NODE RULERS

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A number of notable events occurred on the day (Wednesday January 16, 2013; 8.43 pm EST) Venus and Pluto conjoined. The conjunction brought the rulers of the lunar nodes together and marked the beginning of a year-long cycle (ending November 16, 2013). The themes that appeared this day, should arise with regularity whenever the two planets aspect each other in the coming year. What were these events? 

            Although quickly passed over by the mainstream news, I was excited to see the resurrection of the proposal for single payer health insurance in the form of a bill Democratic House members are planning to introduce in attempt to lower health care costs. Given Venus is the planet of money and Pluto the planet of death and transformation, it is an auspicious time to start talking about a reasonable cost necessary to protect health.

            On this day, a number of expatriates working in a B.P. oilfield in Algeria were kidnapped, suggesting that next year the procurement of oil from undemocratic countries may be a problem. The kidnapping itself evokes images of Persephone (Venus) being kidnapped by Hades (Pluto) as she innocently collected flowers (oil) and was transported to the underworld. True to form, the personal accounts of those who lived to tell the tale of terror, sound harrowing.

            The third thing that happened and which received much attention, was President Obama’s twenty-three point plan to enact sensible gun regulation in the wake of the Newtown massacre. The conjunction reflects the murder of innocents, with the mutual reception between Pluto and Saturn suggesting legal regulation becoming a reality. However, with Saturn set to station and move retrograde away from Pluto back in the direction from whence it came, the moment of opportunity may pass without much transformative change.

            The following day, three additional events occurred, with two coming from the sports field. Lance Armstrong, America’s premier cyclist came clean after years of denial to using banned drugs. In his confession to Oprah he appeared uncontrite and unapologetic: he did what he had to do to win. This un-repentance seems reflective of Venus with Pluto in the sense that although he cheated, deceived and played dirty (Pluto), he did so for the best of reasons – he wanted to win and feel good about himself (Venus). It will be interesting to see what the legal response to his confession will be.

            Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te-O also made news, when it came to light that his long-time girlfriend who died from leukemia in September and was such a source of inspiration to him, was not real. He either made her up, or was the victim of a hoax. Venus with Pluto tells the tale of corrupt love, a dead woman and romance, and relational deceit.  The legal fallout from this should also be interesting, although it is unclear to me, why this is such a scandal. Perhaps at any other time, it might not have been.

            Lastly, the stock market rallied on Thursday with the news that Republicans would not hold the debt ceiling hostage and would agree to raise it without a fight in order to pay the bills the country has accrued, thus temporarily protecting the currency from further downgrade and the country’s fledgling recovery. In essence, Congress was going to play nice (Venus) in order to protect the profit of big business (Pluto) who stood to lose the most in another currency downgrade. However, the problem wasn’t put to rest forever, but for three months, when Venus and Pluto will make their first square. Expect more action on this front at that time.

            

MYSTERIOUS PLANE CRASH

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Hillary Clinton has been in the news again and was featured in the ISAR ezine (vol 720), where Marguerite dar Bogga provided links to reports that the Secretary of State was injured in a plane crash in Iran that left her ‘unconscious and bleeding profusely,’ and a Navy Seal dead. The date of the crash is unclear, but reports seem to place it on or around Friday, December 14, 2012. On this date, ABC News reported that a U.S. plane made an emergency landing in Iran. According to government officials, the Navy Seal reputedly killed in the crash, committed suicide in Afghanistan the following week, leaving behind a wife and daughter.

            Until her hospitalization, Hillary had not been seen in public since December 7.  She was said to have been ill with the stomach flu that left her dehydrated and resulted in her fainting. She hit her head, which led to the concussion that sent her to the hospital and the MRI discovery of the blood clot. She was hospitalized on December 31 and stayed three days. Her release under the spotlight of the press came on January 2. However, her release was brief and she was readmitted within the hour. Nonetheless, she returned to work on January 7^th, looking healthy and in high spirits.

            So, what happened? Unfortunately, without a timed chart, it’s hard to tell. Regardless, a noon chart set for Ahvaz, Iran, viewed in the context of her natal and progressed chart, shows interesting features. As mentioned in previous blogs, she’s undergoing a half-nodal return. The North Node is transiting her Ascendant, activating the natal South Node, Mercury and progressed Chiron (which we now know expressed as mental loss arising from a head wound). Around this time, transiting Venus, ruler of the transiting South Node, was conjunct the North Node: loss associated with the South Node ruler manifest outwardly through the channel of the North Node. Venus rules the 6^th, 7^th, and 11^th houses, so the loss affected her health, partnership (including open enemies), and hopes and dreams.

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The biggest threat to life is shown by the progressed Moon at the midpoint of progressed Saturn and Pluto, a violent midpoint that when aligned with the Moon, presents a planetary picture Ebertin considered ‘the tragic destiny of a woman.’ The transiting Sun was trine natal Saturn and transiting Mars formed a yod with the natal Moon-Saturn quincunx, suggestive of a serious accident. The possibility of the involvement of an airplane (Uranus) is reflected by the opposition of the transiting Sun to natal Uranus, and the yod formed between transiting Uranus, the natal Sun, and progressed Mars. However, this could also be interpreted as a sudden, unexpected, accidental blow to the head.

The threat to life is shown by the exact conjunction of transiting Pluto to the progressed Sun, and transiting Chiron conjunct the IC forming a grand cross with progressed Mars, transiting Jupiter, and transiting Mercury.  Extending the orb from 4° to 5° draws in transiting Neptune at the IC and natal Jupiter in the 1^st (activating the old and new rulers of the 4^th house, and the end of the matter). Taken together this complex alludes to a fundamental wound and a serious accidental injury (progressed Mars sextile transiting Saturn) that cannot be discussed, with truth hidden in a nebulous shroud.

            That’s not to say the truth won’t come out. As the transiting North Node retrogrades across Hillary’s Ascendant and conjuncts natal Mercury and the progressed South Node, and squares progressed Saturn (at the South Bending of the transiting nodes) between January 28 and February 6, there will likely be news, as Scorpio’s secrets leak out into the open, leaving the administration (Saturn) in a vulnerable position.  As for Hillary’s health, it remains at risk as long as transiting Pluto is conjunct her Sun, and the progressed Moon is conjunct Saturn (the Grim Reaper). The May solar eclipse is also threatening since it opposes natal Mercury (ruling the 8^th house) and is square Saturn, while the lunar eclipse falls on her Sun, dimming the life force. 

A NEW YEAR’S BLOW

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Hillary Clinton’s current health issue can be tied to the transit of the North Node to her Ascendant where it is conjunct natal Mercury and the South Node in a half nodal return. When she fainted following dehydration around December 10, 2012, the aspect was activated by transiting Venus (ruling the 6^th house of illness) crossing the recent solar eclipse point (21°57 Scorpio) and contacting her Ascendant and the natal and transiting nodes. 

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With Venus involved, the injury probably appeared more benign than it actually was. However, since Venus rules the transiting South Node, there was loss associated with the lesser benefic (a loss compounded by the influence of Scorpio where Venus is in detriment). Transiting Venus, carrying the energy of the transiting South Node was conjunct natal Mercury and square natal Saturn, which expressed outwardly (conjunct the transiting North Node) as an injury to the brain in the form of a concussion (Saturn ruling the 3^rd house of the mind).  Structural damage to the skull and thinking process is further indicated with natal Saturn situated at the South Bending of the transiting nodes.
             Three weeks passed before an MRI showed a blood clot in the brain. By now, transiting Mars (blood) was in Aquarius square her natal Sun, reflecting the life threatening event.  Natally, Hillary has the Sun and Pluto in mutual reception, and Mars is conjunct Pluto in Leo, suggestive of a genetic blood disorder arising from circulatory issues (heart’s pumping capacity). This aspect is currently trine progressed Jupiter (which magnifies everything) and was activated by transiting Venus (ruler of the transiting South Node) when she was hospitalized. Although Hillary is said to be responding well to treatment, the transiting North Node is still approaching the Ascendant, the solar eclipse degree, natal South Node and natal Mercury, and square to natal Saturn, an indication she is not yet out of the woods.

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