SNOWDEN AND SNOOPING AT THE NSA

On June 5, 2013, information about a top-secret government data collection program was leaked by a 29-year-old NSA contractor and published by the Washington Post and The Guardian. Edward Snowden is currently on the lam after fleeing to Hong Kong and then Russia in attempt to evade the long arm of U.S. justice, which considers him a traitor and a danger to national security.

            Snowden is a whistle-blower and his act of civil disobedience was designed to expose a clandestine program that deserves public debate. “This is what is happening,” Snowden said. “You (American people) should decide whether we need to be doing this.” It’s a valid point.   

            The astrology of this story is fascinating. Eric Francis obtained a copy of Snowden’s birth certificate and the natal chart is shown below (Chart 1). If we focus on the nodes, they clearly describe the motive, circumstance, and timing of the leak. Natally, Snowden’s North Node is in Gemini conjunct Mars (within 1°) and the Sun (widely at 4°). Although the two bodies reside in the 1^st house and are therefore able to act, they are far from the cusp, which decreases this capability. However, since the North Node behaves—actually is—an angle, the energy of both Mars and Sun is easily expressed outwardly and he is able to act with willful purpose. Snowden sees himself (Sun) as a fighter (Mars) and his weapon is information (Gemini). The ruler of the North Node is Mercury, conjunct the Ascendant and ruling the chart. This is a doubly powerful Mercury, strong in its own sign, and contributing intelligence and a propensity to gather information. Despite a lack of formal education, Snowden was a well-paid computer expert who dealt with data.

Chart 1 (click to enlarge)

            The South Node is in the 7^th house in Sagittarius conjunct Neptune, and Snowden martyred himself, sacrificing his life by leaking what he viewed as a necessary truth. Jupiter, the South Node ruler, brought both loss and service. In  the 6^th, conjunct Uranus, and ruling the 7^th, through his daily work with software, he accessed (unspecified) data, which he leaked in the interest of a higher good,  and in so doing,  invited open enemies into his life.  

            Snowden is of the generation with Saturn conjunct Pluto in Libra, sextile Neptune in Sagittarius, which reflects his utopian vision of an accountable, transparent government that has an open relationship (Libra) with the truth (Sagittarius). He is both willing to fight for this (Sun, Mars trine Saturn-Pluto) and sacrifice himself for it (Neptune sextile Saturn-Pluto).  

            The timing of the leak (Chart 2) is related to the Lunar Eclipse on May 25, 2013 at 3°58 conjunct natal Jupiter (the South Node ruler). The time came to release his secret knowledge to the world  On the day of the leak (June 5, 2013), a grand cross had formed, with transiting Mars opposite the eclipse degree at 3°43, transiting Neptune square the eclipse degree at 5°22, and progressed Venus square it at 6°19. Mars activated the eclipse, and information was leaked that compromised Snowden’s happiness and left him in limbo (Neptune), ultimately without a country to call home; he is in a tight place, backed against a corner, with limited options. Transiting Jupiter (carrying the energy of natal South Node ruler) was conjunct natal Mars and the North Node, an indication that Snowden’s act was conducted for what he believed would be the greater good. The transiting North Node was conjunct the natal Moon in Scorpio, further describing the release of secret information (Moon ruling the 3^rd), as well as Snowden’s fear for his life. With natal Venus at the South Bending of the transiting nodes, his level of personal happiness was at an all-time low.

Chart 2

            The government’s response is also shown in the astrology (Chart 3). Snowden’s Mars is conjunct the U.S. Mars, activating the natal U.S. Mars square Neptune; and the government, helped by the media, has painted a bleak and likely disingenuous picture of the hacker, who has reputedly put the country in sudden peril. With Snowden’s Mars landing in the U.S. 7^th house, he has become a formidable enemy. For at least the moment, Snowden’s goal to initiate a conversation has been over-shadowed by a grand chase across the globe, with the U.S. government lobbing threats and warning of dire consequences to any country willing to provide him a safe haven. But with Pluto coming to oppose the Sibly Sun (the President in a mundane chart) and forming a grand cross with natal Saturn and transiting Uranus, like Snowden, the President, who ran for office on a promise of transparency, will find himself backed into a corner and trying to defend top-secret programs, while explaining, once again, why telling the truth is an imprisonable offense, and why undisclosed mass surveillance in a so-called free world is both constitutional and legal.

Chart 3

  

VENUS AND MARS CONJUNCTION

On Sunday April 7, 2013, at 12:57 a.m., Venus and Mars formed a conjunction at 20° Aries. This was especially significant since it involved the two rulers of the nodes (considering Mars as the co-ruler of Scorpio). With Mars ruling the North Node, we could expect Martian (war, guns, protests,) events to manifest. With Venus ruling the South Node, there would also be some form of sacrifice, physical loss, or spiritual enlightenment in the Venusian realm (money, love, happiness, relationships). So, what type of Mars-Venus events have transpired?

            North Korea is preparing for war. As a new 29 year-old leader readies an unused nuclear site for missile deployment, additional U.N. sanctions are slapped on the impoverished country. Outside North Korea, countries in power are ‘walking back their rhetoric’, trying to defuse a building threat. In the natal chart, Jupiter is at 20 Sagittarius (natal Moon nearby at 15 Sagittarius) forming a partile trine with the conjunction, suggesting the country’s optimism they will benefit from this grandiose aggression.

            On Sunday, March 31, in an Elite Eight game of March Madness, college basketball player, Kevin Ware suffered a debilitating leg injury that left 6 inches of his femur sticking out of his leg. In his natal chart, Uranus and Neptune are conjunct at 18 Capricorn and natal Mars is at 19 Cancer, forming a t-square with the transiting conjunction. The day following the accident, there were questions over who would pay the medical bills and whether or not Ware would retain his scholarship the following year.

            Hillary Clinton was back in the news last week, appearing in public without her glasses and looking healthy and fit amidst much discussion of a presidential run in 2016. In her natal chart, Saturn is at 21 Leo and formed a trine to the transiting conjunction, and pundits appeared ready to hand her victory in the next presidential election. Also at this time, the transiting North Node at 17 Scorpio is conjunct her natal Venus at 16 Scorpio, and the love for her is gushing.

            President Obama took a pay cut. In his chart, 18 Aquarius is rising, and was sextile to the transiting conjunction. In sympathy with those that have been furloughed due to the sequester, Obama proactively repaid 5% of his salary to the treasury. Since by law, he is not allowed to take a pay cut, he was forced to write a check to the IRS.  The same week, enraging his base, he submitted a budget proposal that would cut both Social Security and Medicare.  

            The Keystone Pipeline has also been in the news. Last week there were three significant crude oil spills, with the largest in Arkansas, where twenty-two residents were evacuated after a significant leak. This has impacted the ongoing debate/protests about the Keystone Pipeline that will transport Canadian tar-sand oil to the refineries in Texas. Intended for export, the pipeline will create few sustainable jobs and provide little economic benefit to the U.S.  In the U.S. natal chart, Chiron is at 20 Aries, suggesting the most recent spill is a wound that has upset and is certain to galvanize activists.

 Meanwhile, the battle over new gun regulation in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook massacre rages on. Two weeks ago, it seemed the battle was lost after the Senate appeared reluctant to even hold a vote against tougher regulation, despite 91% of the population desiring more restrictions. On the popular news program 60 Minutes, the parents of the murdered children spoke out about their loss and vowed that their fight was just getting started.

            Cyprus has also made headlines after that government decided to ‘tax’ bank deposits. This act of aggression sent the country into turmoil and threatened a bank run as depositors swarmed the banks seeking to withdraw their money. On April 3rd, an agreement was reached with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) that promised new austerity for the country in return for a Euro bailout.

            These are just a few headlines in the recent news. In the next few days keep an eye out for additional developments that fulfill the Venus-Mars symbolism. The current headlines illuminate those events that are likely to reappear over the next year as these two planets realign by aspect.

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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MANIFESTATION OF PLUTO: NEWTOWN

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Eric Francis has posted the noon birth chart of Adam Lanza, the twenty year old who gunned down twenty-six people last week, and there, at the November 13, 2012 solar eclipse degree of 21°57 Scorpio is Adam's natal Pluto at 22°6 Scorpio. As the late Robert Blaschke has said: solar eclipses are malefic. The eclipse stimulated Adam’s Pluto (natally trine Mars and sextile a partile conjunction of Uranus and Neptune), and last week when transiting Mars cast a sextile to the eclipse degree and the transiting North Node, he grabbed his weapons. In addition, transiting Uranus was conjunct natal Mercury at the North Bending of the natal nodes, trine transiting Mercury, when something in his brain, snapped. Given the involvement of transiting Neptune, psychotropic drugs may have been involved.

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            It is important to remember that the speed of the nodes is extremely variable. Their movement slows as an eclipse approaches and they can remain in a single degree for two months. For example, at the November 13^th eclipse, the transiting North Node was at 26°3 Scorpio, and it stood at this degree throughout October and November. In early December, the node entered 25° degrees, and by January it will be at 24°. By then it will have picked up speed and will cover 8° by April. At this time, it will slow again in advance of the May 10, 2013 solar eclipse at 19° Taurus. Because of this variable speed, any planet near an eclipse degree can be doubly activated. The planet is first thrown into crisis by the eclipse, and then stimulated for a prolonged length of time by the transiting node. For Adam, with the transiting North Node conjoined (3° degrees) his eclipse-activated natal Pluto, what he expressed outwardly was the archetypal energy of the dark planet.

What a sad statement of our society that this troubled twenty year-old youth felt so disconnected from others that this was his answer to whatever was disturbing him. If Pluto symbolizes the personal unconscious, that part of our psyche that is irrational, cruel, heartless, resentful, and raging, which ‘normal’ people manage to lock up and safely contain, well his materialized and broke free last Friday morning. The carnage was from Pluto, unleashed in the outer world. 

HILLARY AND THE VENUS-NORTH NODE CONJUNCTION

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Last week, Venus conjoined the North Node and two powerful women made news. The first was Hillary Clinton, preparing to end her term as Secretary of State amidst wild speculation she will run in 2016 for president. According to a Bloomberg National Poll published the day of the conjunction, 70% of Americans have a ‘mostly or favorable view of Clinton.’ Since Venus symbolizes a woman, the North Node indicates physical manifestation, and Scorpio represents power, that a powerful woman would make news was not too startling.

            But why Hillary?

The transiting conjunction provides no context, which is only obtained through the interactions of the transits with the natal chart. So, I was surprised to see the transiting North Node and Venus conjunct the natal South Node. Hillary was having a half-nodal return, a time when the North and South nodes exchange notes about the manifest and unmanifest realms. Since the transits activate the nativity, with the South Node stimulated, I was expecting some manner of loss. Typically, no matter how spiritual the South Node may be, its activation almost always coincides with suffering or loss. Yet, what was expressed here was high standing and professional accolades. This was doubly puzzling since the transiting North Node was square natal Saturn at the transiting South Bending, further suggesting some outward loss for Saturn (standing, authority). Nonetheless, here she was, practically being elected president four years in advance (transiting Venus-North Node trine natal Moon). I interpreted the meaning of the natal South Node as service; she is sacrificing herself for the country.

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            However, yesterday, news surfaced that at the ‘beginning of the week’ (likely Monday or Tuesday, December 10-11), Clinton picked up a stomach virus, became severely dehydrated, fainted and suffered a concussion. As a result she would be unable to testify on the Hill this week about the Benghazi attacks. On Monday December 10, 2012, transiting Venus was at 23°27 Scorpio, in partile conjunction with her natal South Node (applying 7'), conjunct the Ascendant, natal Mercury, progressed Chiron, and square natal Saturn. Here was an unhappy loss (Venus conjunct the natal South Node) from a manifest (North Node) head (first house) wound (Chiron) that negatively affected her health (Venus ruling the 6^th), left her unconscious (natal Mercury in the 12^th) and unable to fulfill her professional duties (Saturn at the transiting South Bending).

            What of the other woman? Read on…