Forecast Archives #54

#54
The Political Conventions
July 26, 2004

A. Tracking Celestial Events
The March 30 Forecast, #46 The Times They Are A Changin, listed thirteen astronomical events promising to shake up the world this spring and summer from April 7 to July 10. These events were identified to unveil a heightening of planetary energies during this pivotal four month period. The subse- quent Forecasts used the events from the list to learn how history would unfold for the U.S. neocon- servative movement, the Mideast and the double-decade transformational era (globalization) signaled by the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction in May 2000.

This Forecast generates a similar celestial event listing through November 30 and analyzes the two political party conventions. While celestial events for the remainder of this summer and fall are not as impactive as those this past spring and early summer, the methodology of using them as a guide is productive. These thirteen events are listed at the end of this Forecast in section D for reference.

The July 7 Celestial Wheel relates in discussing how and why Astrology is event-driven, why astrology appears too often to predict struggle and change rather than peace and contentment. Below is that short essay in that day's log, using a sky analogy,

The stars and planets at night are celestial weathermen, moving in patterns of purpose that describe the coming sunlit skies. The sky is a blue background with clouds floating through it. It is not the tranquil blue we see when we look up, for we examine instead the clouds that determine the weather -- what is changing. When an astrologer reads these patterns of purpose from the celestial map, he illuminates the clouds of karma floating in the sky of worldly reality.

Astrology, then, is about the clouds of karma, not the tranquil blue background. Astrology is about events, a duality of good and ill, stimulating change -- just as clouds bring both nourishing rain and destructive storm. The astrologer's clouds of karma drive the worldly reality, the forces for change that push us forward beyond peace and contentment to grow.

If you seek just tranquility, don't listen to astrology. However, if you wish to deal with your karmas and grow from them, then astrology can promote your progress by pointing out future challenge and opportunity.

B. The Democratic Convention (July 26-29)
This event promises to be a spirited display of patriotism with the Sun and Mars in Cancer (home) and the mental planets Jupiter and Mercury in Leo (government). Because Cancer is violent Mars' debilitated (weakest) sign, and Mars is closing in on its exact point of debilitation, some discord is unavoidable. This will tend to come from Republican protestors. Terrorist violence at the convention seems unlikely.

(Note: A more sensitive period from July 30 to August 3 (See event #1 below), follows the conven- tion. During these four days, a righteous and indignant Mars will roar, and a weak Venus will be incapable of encouraging compassion. There will be heated rejoinders from Republicans and heightened Mideast violence. Iraqi insurgents objecting to the U.S. occupation and non-aligned terrorists will increase attacks to further discredit the hated Bush administration. In this odd way, the rebellion in Iraq and terrorists elsewhere become John Kerry supporters. The Blue Moon on Saturday July 31 will bring heightened rhetoric from pulpits on Sunday, some exhorting terrorism on Monday and Tuesday.)

C. The Republican Convention (Aug. 30 -- Sept. 2)
The latter half of August leading up to and through the Republican Convention will be much more challenging. On August 10, Mercury begins its semi-annual retrograde, confounding communications through September 3. August 17 and 18 signal government disruption. Then the Sun is weak as it transits into Leo, and Mercury/Mars/Moon conjoin in Leo, kicking off destructive impulse.

That Mars and the Sun continue together in Leo suggests Mideast violence right through the conven- tion. Event #4 is the most troubling. Jupiter loses its protectiveness as it weakly changes signs. Slow Saturn always waits until the end its transit to deliver its worst calamity and misfortune. Government instability, terrorism, economic problems and stock market declines are areas of concern. Public opinion polls for Bush and republican congressional candidates must slide throughout August.

The run-up to the Republican Convention therefore promises to be a difficult time for the entire party. It will struggle against August's miscommunications, misfortunes, and declining polls prior to (and through) this convention, which really is just a promotion for already selected candidates.

The full Moon will kick off the convention in high spirits August 30, but this will also stimulate protests both outside and within the convention. There will be disgruntlement and infighting within the party for Bush's failures that he will be hard pressed to calm and hide from the press. In fact, Bush may be so vitriolic that he alienates moderates rather than unites the party. It seems unlikely the convention will give the Republicans a boost and instead may result in a public backlash. As with the democratic convention, I don't see terrorism at this convention.

(Note: A terrorist attack in the U.S. will be likely in November, perhaps as soon as the election but more certainly by midmonth. The planetary energies bringing this risk is the conjunction of Mars with Ketu, events #10 and #11. This will be discussed in a future Forecast.)

D. Celestial Events July 20 -- November 30, 2004

(Items in bold red are primary)

1. July 30 -- August 3: Mars transits from Cancer to Leo. Venus transits from Taurus to
Gemini.

2. August 10: Mercury begins retrograde until September 3.

3. August 17 & 18: Sun transits into Leo. Mercury/Mars/Moon conjoin in Leo.

4. August 23 -- September 5: Jupiter is weak as it transits out of Leo into Virgo. Saturn also
becomes very weak (harmful) in Gemini as it transits into Cancer on September 5.

5. September 3 -- 14: Mercury regains forward motion September 3. Saturn ends its difficult transit
on September 5. The Sun closes in on Mars to conjoin September 14.

6. September 14 - 18: The conjoined Sun and Mars transit into Virgo.

7. September 25 -- October 11: The Sun, Mars, Mercury and Jupiter combine in a stellium in Virgo.

8. October 14: partial solar eclipse.

9. October 16 -- 25: Mercury and Sun transit Ketu. Venus begins transiting Virgo (its fallen sign).

10. October 28: total lunar eclipse.

11. November 2: Mars joins the Sun and Ketu in Libra.

12. November 12 -- 15: Mars conjoins Ketu. Sun transits into Scorpio.

13. November 22: Venus conjoins Ketu.