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…

SUSAN RICE AND THE VENUS-NORTH NODE CONJUNCTION

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On Thursday, December 13, 2012, one day after the partile conjunction of transiting Venus and the North Node, Susan Rice withdrew her candidacy for Secretary of State amidst the political brouhaha over the Benghazi attack. In Republican circles, she has been widely criticized, particularly by Senator John McCain, for reiterating White House talking points on the Sunday morning news shows. Pundits have opined that his wrath is a response to her aggressive stance against him in the run-up to the 2008 election when she campaigned for Obama.

            As is too often the case, Susan has no recorded birth time. In these instances, a fountain of information can be gleaned from the nodes. Natally, Mercury rules the North Node, and Jupiter rules the South Node. This year, progressed Mercury will conjunct the progressed South Node, an indication of some manner of loss for Mercury. On Thursday the transiting Sun was conjunct this pair, activating the aspect. As a result of misinformation, received and delivered, she withdrew her name from consideration(Mercury ruling the North Node outwardly expressing the loss of the South Node).

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Meanwhile, the transiting Venus-North Node conjunction was conjunct the natal Sun. A repetition of aspects is a signal to pay attention: something important is happening. (Here the combination was between the Sun and a node). The natal Sun is square Saturn in Aquarius that was at the transiting North Bending. What appears to have materialized in Susan’s life was John McCain’s heavy hand of authority: he did not appreciate her power (or sincerely believes she has used it inappropriately – transiting Venus in detriment in Scorpio). In addition, the White House that provided the talking points, did little to support her (Saturn square Sun). Realizing her own weak position, Susan decided not to pursue a higher position of responsibility. Although the houses would shed further light on the circumstances, the nodes and the planets conjunct and square them, often supply sufficient information to tell the story.  

THE NEWTOWN MASSACRE

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The event chart of the elementary school shootings that killed twenty young children and six adults highlights the nodal axis and the South Node ruler. At 9.40 a.m., the time CNN reported the shooting began, the transiting North Node was conjunct the event MC. As I describe in my book, the angles and the nodes are astronomically – and astrologically – similar. I envision the angles and nodes as windows that allow the entrance of the astrological energy that brings aspecting planets to life. With the node and the MC together, the window is broad, and the incoming force is all the more powerful.

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            In the event chart, Venus, the ruler of the South Node was conjunct the North Node. In Scorpio, the planet of happiness, relationship, and love, is in detriment and more likely to express negatively. Since planets conjunct the North Node manifest outwardly, and the South Node ruler is typically related to loss, sacrifice, or sorrow, this was what Venus brought to bear to a children’s school on a cold December day: heartache, sadness, and loss of love.

            Pluto, ruler of the North Node, was in a yod with Saturn and Jupiter. Pluto is currently in partile sextile to Saturn and the planets are in mutual reception; both were quincunx Jupiter, debilitated by sign and retrogradation. The configuration was activated by the Moon, which had just left the degree of the apex planet, Jupiter, and its conjunction to Pluto. I view yods as a frustrating combination of energy that has no resolution. This yod expressed in the irrational actions of a twenty-year-old with assault weapons, and helpless children and teachers with no avenue of escape. The configuration describes the outward manifestation of terror and death to innocent children in an environment under the control of authority and typically assumed to be safe.

            Mercury in detriment in Sagittarius is also significant as it is in the degree of its first station on November 6, 2012 – a degree activated by the station. Mercury was opposite the November 28^th lunar eclipse degree of 6°47 Gemini, while the debilitated Jupiter was conjunct it. A lunar eclipse denotes culmination and events that unfold quickly and have far-reaching effects.

            I suspect that when the birth data of the shooter (and victims) are known, that the eclipse degree, nodes and yod will contact significant points in natal charts. Until then, the investigation continues, and a heartbreaking weekend ten days before Christmas unfolds without twenty children and six teachers who leave behind presents under joyless trees and loved ones asking ‘why’?