The Celestial Wheel       October 13 2014       Back To The Celestial Wheel

The November 4 Midterm Elections

(November 13, 2014 -- See Elections Wrap-up at the end of this forecast.)

Preface
      The U.S. chart is naturally primary, actually determinative, for midterm elections.  There is no candidate bell-weather chart.  Midterm elections, lacking a presidential race to pull the winner's party ahead, are problematically diffuse with hundreds of Congressional seats, governorships and local elections, 

     Since he isn't running, President Obama's chart is greatly secondary.  Yet it still counts!  Obama's current low popularity pulls the Democrats down.  On the other hand, major events leading up to November 4 can lift up Obama's popularity, and thereby Democratic candidates as well.  His chart strengthens beginning October 15 with Jupiter coming into his Dasa lineup.  That can turn Obama's current hard-driving energy from a handicap into a benefit to regain some support.  His air war against ISIS and efforts to combat Ebola are opportunity areas.  Too, the American electorate's mood is like quicksilver in its mystical paranoia, explained below.  Still, Obama will be swimming against the tide of racism, outside campaign money hammering him and the public blaming him for continued economic strife.

     This analysis first describes the U.S. chart's significations for government officials.  Next the Dasas (planetary cycles) are considered.  Transits -- where the planets in today's skies -- are then layered-in to enable conclusions.

Significations For Government Officials

     The planetary significator in democracies for government officials is Saturn -- the servant to the people, the masses.  The house significator for government officials is the 10th house of the public and authority figures.  (For monarchies and dictatorships, the Sun, which is the king, is the planet of government leaders.  The Sun also symbolizes government in general.)

     While there is a lot going on in the U.S. chart for Saturn and the 10th house, following are major karmas. 

     Saturn in this chart is manipulative and a Saturn-strict conservative, but there's an ambivalence that can also be a true servant to the masses -- liberal.  (Bill Clinton, G.W. Bush and Barrack Obama all have potent Saturn's, which energy they used in its full spectrum.)  Saturn in the 10th house gives it great strength.  Plus, with the doubled karma of Saturn, the planet of government officials, placed in the10th house of government officials, these folks have a major, even oversized, role in the country.  But sometimes that position will lift officials up, just to later drop the down.

     The 10th house is ruled by Mercury (the mind and the nervous system), making it key to understanding this house.  (the ruler of a house holds half the house influence.)  Mercury is placed with fear-inducing Rahu in the 8th house of calamity, life, death, sex, scandal and hidden things -- metaphysics and secrets.  The Celestial Wheel characterizes this fearful Mercury as mystical paranoia, which runs through the entire culture, not just government officials.  As quicksilver is Mercury, it is no wonder government officials are so often embroiled with secrets and the scandals that quickly turn elections -- like quicksilver.

     The U.S. Vedic chart below shows Saturn throwing an aspect (blue arrow) to the 7th house of relationships and the social nature, where four planets are placed -- magnifying its influences even more.  When government officials do well or badly, the media becomes frenzied, and the mystically paranoid public cries out.

     We can sum up these karmas by stating, Powerful government officials sometimes misuse their influence behind the scenes, and when those secrets are revealed, they are knocked down by a distrusting and fearful public.

     Mars, the planet of discord and desire, is placed in this loaded 7th house of relationships, making the U.S.'s social nature and interactions always discordant, complex and intense -- America's creative destruction.

     The red arrow shows Mars' aspect to Saturn.  This is the clincher, for Saturn's old, slow, cold nature clashes with Mars' youthful, fast, hot energy.  Mars pushes immobile Saturn ahead, and Saturn slows impetuous Mars down.  Tensions and struggles result.

     If you've been paying attention to The Celestial Wheel, you recall we just had a Mars/Saturn transit conjunction this past August, which peaked August 25.  The August 17 VedicLeaks (Subscription needed) explains the energetic.  Now, look at what had already happened in that gathering energy by the 21st, as explained in a VedicLeaks for that day -- flooding on 3 continents, hurricanes building, riots in the U.S.  Note, that the U.S. starting bombing ISIS in Iraq August 8.

     Because Vedic Astrology is the slow deep absorption of the nonlinear Eastern mind, here's a cogent description of immovable Saturn with aggressive Mars by the famous, Chakrapani Ullal (emphasis added) to further unable your understanding of the Mars/Saturn combination.

     Chakrapani closes with, Mars, when aspecting the Saturn, gives power to Saturn.  The power of Mars is energy and action.  It makes people awaken to the challenges of life and become action oriented.  I add here the opposite, which also occurs in the U.S. Chart, Saturn, being responsibility and structure, when aspecting Mars, constrains and focuses Mars' unruly hot energy to mold new useful things from the ruins of the old.  The Phoenix rising from the ashes.

     As Saturn and Mars are malefics, their influence in the U..S. chart for advancing society is the opposite of smooth and easy gains benefics like Jupiter and Venus bring.  With Saturn/ Mars, progress is rough and tumble -- doing it the hard way.  Saturn/Mars is like blasting a tunnel under a river, rather than building a bridge over it.  That's why U.S. politics is so divisive, and why major steps ahead are fought over for years and years -- even for long periods after legislation has been passed.  It took 15 years before the last state adopted the 1968 Medicaid Program.  Sometimes, the foes never give up, as we see in Social Security, racism and abortion.

Dasas

     The U.S. chart is running its 7 year Mars Dasa from November 30, 1998 to November 30, 2015.  The above statement, Saturn, when aspecting Mars, constrains and focuses Mars' unruly hot energy to mold new useful things from the ruins of the old fits.  Again, The Phoenix rising from the ashes.

     We can understand this Dasa through the lens of a previous 3 Dasa sequence, which puts Mars Dasa into broad historical perspective.  This Dasa sequence ran from the late 19th century into the early 20th century and is repeating now:

    Already nearly 6 years into the current 7 year Mars Dasa, we've experienced a lot of his destructive energy in what The Celestial Wheel has called the Millennium Contraction.  Not only has Mars crushed the economy,  his selfish nature has enriched the already excessively powerful 1% at the expense of the rest of us.  Politics has been one long battle of attrition -- like World War I trench warfare.  Congress has continuously blocked Obama's agenda, reduced needed domestic spending, shut down government and threatened debt limit increases.  Since the Second Progressive Age won't begin until late 2015, should we expect the upcoming Midterm Elections to be any different from the heavy-handed, influence-peddling, mystically paranoid behavior Mars Dasa has already brought us in spades?

     What about the the Saturn/Mars combination for government officials that Chakrapani stated, It is because of this planetary combination that people or countries can make radical changes which would otherwise take ages. These changes ultimately bring progress? And this, Saturn, when aspecting Mars, constrains and focuses Mars' unruly hot energy to mold new useful things from the ruins of the old ?

     Even though we're in the midst of pitched battles, there has been some of this progress, difficult to see through the fog of war -- and quite amazing in the face of Republican obstinance at all government levels.  The Affordable Care Act is gradually reforming health care -- insuring more people, improving preventative care and slowing inflation.  Income tax rates for the rich were moved up -- the first time since 1982, when Reagan starting dropping them -- and the deficit has been halved.  Some social issues, like gay rights, marijuana, the militarized police and women's rights, are advancing in small steps.  Environmental concerns are slowly being addressed:  limiting coal use, alternative energy, improved transportation.  Most importantly, the wealth and income inequality gap has become a glaring public issue, reminding of Bill Clinton's famous, It's the economy, stupid.  Internationally, we've ended the Mideast wars and are carefully/gingerly attempting to tamp down the latest conflagration -- ISIS -- rather than act again to makes things worse.  At the very least, focusing upon these issues now lays the foundation for their resolution during the upcoming Second Progressive Age.  The Phoenix hasn't risen from the ashes yet, but its wings are flapping.

     After taking a Mars-whipping for nearly 6 years, the nation is in an uproar.  As two kindly middle-aged Walmart clerks in the toys and crafts section told me the other day, Everyone is going nuts now.  Fear, depression, disgust, jealousy and anger is a nasty combination.  Tempers flare.  People bicker over little things.  Each month, families have to reduce, or cut out completely, services and products they not so long ago took for granted from A to Z  -- astrologers to zoos.  A victim this past summer was movie attendance at a 17 year low, and this fall.  All the major studios are laying off workers. 

     The touchstone, however, may very well be $5 ground beef -- making unaffordable the classic American hamburger -- setting off a seething anger that hunger pervades America, the greatest agricultural producer on the globe.  All should be well fed.  This has really pissed everyone off!  That's Saturn/Mars energy for Chakrapani's radical changes.  Revolution is in the air, and who would have ever guessed the price of hamburger would be the catalyst?

     So, far, we've discussed only the male Mars Dasa, not yet the subcycle planets that further influence Dasas in a decreasing way.  There are actually 4 such subcycles.  The first subcycle planet is currently female Venus, the planet of love -- 10/25/13 to 12/25/14.  You can see in the above chart graphic that Venus is in the 7th house of relationship.  That makes her kind and forgiving.  But because Venus rules the 6th house of enemies and 11th house of goals in the U.S. chart, she's a fighter for what's right, a vigilant protector of her family.  Thus, Venus subcycle brings women into the political process -- the oft repeated Celestial Wheel assertion that on November 4, Mom will clean house.

     But notice, Venus is with Mars in the 7th house, and since the Dasas now are Mars major and Venus minor, this combination is activated, turned on.  Most basically, Mars/Venus means passion in all things.  Mars thereby stimulates female Venus further in being a militant and aggressive mother-protector.  While the hard right is certainly passionate about their agenda, nurturing Venus stimulates greater passion from women to protect their families. We can describe this as Mars-militant Mom will clean house November 4.

     The second subcycle planet operating now is Mercury -- September 30 to November 30.  This brings the lineup of Mars/Venus/Mercury.  The first section of this analysis --  Significations For Government Officials, discussed how Mercury is a significator of government officials by ruling the 10th house of government officials -- and being placed in the treacherous 8th house.  This karma brings turmoil to candidates -- secrets revealed, scandals, fearfulness, even paranoia of a vengeful God!  Further, Mercury combined with Mars, is shifty opportunism, deception, shrewdness.  In fact, Mars/Mercury is the combination for thieves, liars, lawyers and politicians.  Add in creative female Venus energy, and all sorts of amazing underhanded tactics come forward, including bizarre sex scandals.

     The third subcycle is Rahu, from November 3 to 12 -- through election day and continuing a week later.  This Dasa lineup, then, is Mars/Venus/Mercury/Rahu.  It's difficult to get ones arms around the complexity of this planetary symbolism, but knowing that Rahu  -- the head of the dragon eclipse point -- brings intense and uncontrolled events, is illuminating in itself.  Placed with Mercury in the 8th house of treachery, all kinds of real and imagined problems will arise before, during and after the election.  It is unlikely that several important races will be decided on election day, and there will be major outcries of unfairnesses and illegalities across the nation.

Transits

     Let's first revisit last summer, when the benefic planets were very strong and the malefics weak, leading to the the June 26 VedicLeaks stating, The Benefics -- Mercury, Venus & Jupiter-- are all well disposed by sign, and they will continue thus for the next several weeks, really through July and well into August.  That is good, unequivocally.  Take advantage of that to improve your situation and enjoy the summer as well.

     Then in August, the challenging August 25th Mars/Saturn transit conjunction came (mentioned above to describe Mars/Saturn energy.)  We can sum this up by stating Renewed suffering then further stimulated disappointment, frustration and anger in an electorate weary of economic strife for 6 long years.  This is key for a sour and foul national mood before the fall campaigning began.  It's akin to a performer stepping onto the stage before a hostile audience.  Before she sings her first note, her reception is colored by the crowd's mood -- hot, tired and angry for her being 3 hours late!  Candidates this fall face a similarly tough crowd, disgusted after 6 long years of economic pain, while the rich grow richer.

     Looking ahead, the October 2 VedicLeaks, titled Struggling Through October, stated, In October now, the planets are becoming difficult.  This has been mentioned several times in VedicLeaks entries.  Today's discussion sets the stage by explaining how and why the celestial winds are stormy this month by briefly discussing several planets.  These karmas turn foul into stench.  The summary on the home page distilled the analysis,

     These transit positions are clearly stormy weather on a turbulent Dasa river of life for the candidates.  Returning to the analogy of the performer with a rough crowd, now she has to dodge eggs, even rocks thrown at her!  We can see some further and more specific karmas from these transits, paraphrased excerpts from the October 2 VedicLeaks.

The Sun and the Moon are afflicted by eclipses -- October 8 total lunar 21 October 23 partial solar.

     First, everything happening is under the blocking influences of the fall eclipse season, which creates instability.  Thereby, all the planets are sensitive and vulnerable.  The lunar eclipse is over, but the more potent solar eclipse is ahead on October 23.  The Sun is a male planet and the government, which is different from government officials.  Unfortunately, Venus and Mercury will be right in the middle of the solar eclipse, which afflicts them badly.  While eclipses serve to block, when the light of the Sun and Moon is eclipsed, the skies darken, and hidden stars shine.  Thereby, eclipses also reveal.  The solar eclipse October 23 will be s 6:28 Libra, the sign of relationships and the U.S.'s 11th house of friends and groups.  With the Libra being the Sun's fallen (weak) sign, his nobility is reduced to ignobility -- lowlife.  This suggests information revealed in these areas will despicable, even salacious, giving a confirming karma to the scandals Mercury may bring (see below).

Rahu is too strong now -- stationary September 24 to November 7.

     Incumbents will take a beating, Rahu, on the other hand, is too strong now, for he's in one of those rare intervals when he is literally stopped in the sky -- which empowers him.  Rahu became stationary September 24 and will remain the deadly motionless serpent until November 7.  One potent effect of this Rahu is he sits on the U.S.'s Saturn, which symbolizes government officials.  He grinds them up.  That the U.S. chart will be running Rahu in its Dasa November 3 to 12 confirms this transit karma, making it deadly.

Saturn is weak has he approaches the end of its stay in Libra -- November 2.

     A repeating karma for incumbents losing is Saturn, Saturn is weak has he approaches the end of Libra, getting ready to shift into Scorpio November 2.  Saturn is particularly difficult for he is so slow. Thereby, Saturn, the great malefic, withholds its worst harms until the last weeks of a sign transit.  Libra is the seventh sign of relationships.  In the U.S. chart, Libra is the eleventh house of friends/groups/goals.  Saturn will be causing havoc with all these significations this month -- which certainly fits with election troubles.  Because Saturn moves into terrible Scorpio November 3, which is the U.S. chart's 12th house of loss, there's another karma for incumbents to lose their jobs.  Even though Saturn is not active in the Dasas, this end-of-sign Saturnian influence is considerable.  Further, as Saturn must be active in the Dasas of many candidates, those will be the most likely to fail in their bids to keep their positions.

Mercury turns retrograde October 3 for three weeks ending October 24.

      This weakens it.  And, during the retrograde, it runs into Rahu.  Then Mercury runs into Rahu again after turning forward October 30.  This creates tremendous anxiety -- feeling under attack.  Remember, Mercury is one of the planets signifying government officials.  Mercury's retrograde and accompanying eclipse afflictions throw wrenches into the campaigns' communications machineries.  Too, when afflicted, Mercury brings arrogance and excessive pride, a trap Republicans tend to fall into, resulting in their "snatching defeat from the arms of victory."  Further, as Mercury is ones reputation, and it is placed in the 8th house of scandals, Mercury ruins reputations.  Lastly, on November 4 Mercury will be weak changing signs, mixing up all kinds of communications -- voting.  That the U.S. chart will be running Mercury in its Dasas all October and November heightens this karma.  The dust won't clear on these elections for weeks and weeks, putting the entire country under stress, like in the Bush/Gore election of 2000. 

Mars is strong in his own sign, but not so good for this being hidden dangers Scorpio.

     Mars heightens antagonisms in campaigns, making some truly ugly, When Mars transits into Sagittarius October 20, that will be into the first house in the U.S. chart.  He will aspect the seventh house of the other -- other persons.  Then, instead of fighting against enemies abroad, the U.S. will be fighting itself.  With all the other planetary challenges this month, the elections will be a real brawl.  The outcomes of many races may not be agreed upon for a long time after November 4.  That Mars is the primary Dasa planet in the U.S. chart puts this karma on the top of the heap.  This influence naturally combines with Mercury's in harming the elections.

Conclusions

     President Obama may be able to regain some support, boosting Democrats, especially if Republicans  discredit themselves.

     Campaigns will be bitter, hard-fought contests with underhanded and deceptive claims and actions.. 

     More than the usual number of candidates will be subject to scandal, some very juicy, costing them their races. 

     The U.S. electorate is ready for bear in this midterm election.  Turnout can be high.

     Females should turn out in larger numbers than expected to vote incumbents of both parties out, as well as swell the ranks of Democratic voters.

     The Republicans' penchant for arrogance will work against them when the masses to go the polls.

     The election process will be problematical, with some races not be decided for weeks. 

Aftermath

     Disrupted midterm elections will disrupt the nation.

     Beginning November, 16, three planets will be transiting the U.S 12th house of loss -- Saturn, the Sun and Venus.  Added to that harm is Saturn will naturally afflict the Sun and Venus. 

     Starting November 24, Mercury will join the trio, and it will also be afflicted by Saturn.

     Relief won't begin until mid December, when Venus, Mercury and the Sun begin to clear out of the 12th and enter the first house.  Still, Saturn will remain in the 12th, gnawing away.

     Government, government officials, wealth and business will all be adversely impacted.  This could be the next asset bubble burst -- the stock market.  Further, as the 12th house is far and distant places and hospitals, both the ISIS and Ebola issues could really flare up again then.