February

February 2022

February 4, 2023

Onward Christian Soldiers

Onward Christian Soldiers is nineteenth century hymn with such obvious militaristic connotations it has been omitted in some years from the hymnals of major churches, notably U.S. Presbyterian and Lutheran. Of course the Salvation Army marches on.

Although this hymn is well known, read the opening stanza and refrain to understand the martial issue.

first stanza
Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
going on before!
Christ, the royal Master,
leads against the foe;
Forward into battle,
see his banner go!

refrain
Onward, Christian soldiers,
marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus
going on before

White Christian nationalism is not just alive but revolting further against America's inevitable multiculturalism. It's useful to remind ourselves of this marching as to war challenge to the Second Progressive Age. The 1968 immigration law, by eliminating national origin quotas, opened the door to global immigration, most of whom came from non white countries. Now over a half century later, we have a mixed race Vice President in Kamala Harris -- Indian and Jamaican ancestry. And Republican Nikki Haley, born to Indian parents, is poised to enter the presidential race.

Wow! While MAGA extremists hit new lows with stunts, like MAGA Republicans in Congress replacing the American Flag pin with one of an AR15, the country will most likely see non white women leading presidential contenders in Harris and Haley.

Picture above is U.S. Representative Anna Paulina Luna, the first Mexican-American woman in Congress.

The irony here is nearly beyond belief for this party of old white men.

The November 5,2021 Winters Of Our Discontent addressed the issue of the MAGA crowd. Below are excerpts,

Remember Rahu Dasa is 18 years, beginning in 2015 and ending in 2033. So we're actually still in Rahu's introductory years, and it won't be until 2033 that this Dasa fully expresses itself in restoring shared democratic values. Similarly, when the U.S. ran Rahu Dasa the first time from late 1775 to 1793: the colonies rebelled against the King, the Constitution wasn't signed until 1787, and George Washington wasn't elected as the first president of this new revolutionary country until 1789.

...The current U.S. Dasas are Rahu major and Saturn minor. This long, rough and destructive combination began January 5, 2021 and will end November 12, 2023 -- nearly three years and two winters of discontent and suffering.

Here's the U.S. chart. ...Rahu is in the deep and dark eighth house of calamity, where the dragon dives down to pull up dangerous hidden karmas. Among these is fear of dark skinned people, for Rahu signifies those who aren't white. Mysticism rears its head, complete with its most bizarre expressions. (QAnon is based on the belief that a shadowy group of carnivorous pedophiles feast on children's brains to gain immortality.) These two influences result in what the Celestial Wheel has long termed mystical paranoia.

That mental Mercury is conjunct Rahu in the eighth results in this mutable planet symbolizing, among other things, the social nature, the public and government officials. Rahu spoils all of these, and by dredging up eighth house horrors, makes the person (the nation here) feel under attack, anxious and distrustful.

United States
July 4, 1776 at 6:17 PM Philadelphia

As stated in the above, Rahu major and Saturn minor Dasas began January 5, 2021 and will end November 12, 2023. Keep in mind that this combination is so toxic that it began just one day before the January 6, 2021 U.S. Capital attack. So, this year until mid November will see unceasing White Christian Nationalism as the white ruling class fights against the rising tide of multiculturalism.

Recall that Dasas are the fundamental predictive tool in Vedic Astrology, and transits are secondary. Now let's just consider Saturn's transit positions.

Saturn finally left Capricorn after over three years -- January 25, 2020 to January 17, 2023. That witnessed MAGA battles but also the beginning of COVID.

Saturn is now in Aquarius. Again from the November 5,2021 Winters Of Our Discontent,

We could breath a sigh of relief except that then Saturn will then be in Aquarius with the all-important Moon. This is the heart of Sadi Sati, when Saturn destroys that which is no longer necessary to make room for the new. This is much like Rahu, described above, Rahu is the destroyer of today and thereby the creator of tomorrow. This is why the Indians say Rahu is like Saturn.

Because the U.S. chart's Moon rules the eighth house of catastrophe, she's a very sensitive planet. Transit Saturn's affliction turns the Moon's benefits in life upside down.

Saturn will stay in Aquarius with the U.S. Moon until the spring of 2025 -- during which time retrograde motion will make Saturn cross the Moon three times. This will be very rough.

It would be great to have better news, but the planetary karmas are what they are. They do promise, however, advancement in cleansing the nation of white supremacy and the underling racism.

The Celestial Wheel 2002-2023©
Doug Riemer

February 14, 2023

Happy Careful Valentines Day

During these stressful times when so many over the globe are suffering, the media spits out report after report of ill doings and our personal experiences are often fraught with challenges -- Valentines Day comes like an oasis in the desert.

So, indulge yourself in loving your mate, friends, associates, even enemies. For remember, no good deed remains unpunished!

That being said, today is also astrologically fraught with overstimulated emotions, accidents, discords, frustrations, confidence issues and depression. But although the fate described by the planets is challenging, we do have free will and can transform these negative karmas into positives ones by loving others -- and ourselves too.

Below is the transit chart for today. Take a look at the arrows. Angry/aggressive Mars aspecting the perceptional Moon in her fallen (weakest) sign of Scorpio stirs everything up -- like angry seas. Repressive Saturn also aspects the Moon, bringing depression and confidence issues. But again, we have the ability to turn these lemons into lemonade.

So, today is a careful Valentines Day. Be loving but moderate, helpful not helpless, comforting but not demanding...

Transits February 14, 2023

The Celestial Wheel 2002-2023©
Doug Riemer

February 18, 2023

Yet Another Sky Show

Recent Celestial Wheel entries have discussed several notable conjunctions -- Moon/Jupiter and the three Martian Eclipses. Most are December 2022 entries.

Examining these astronomical events by explaining how to view them and their astrological implications is not a departure from The Celestial Wheel. It's just another topic in this wide-ranging effort to reveal truth. After all, Spirituality can only be the search for truth. It just happens these recent conjunctions have come in a grouping, with naturally their attendant astrology.

In Vedic Astrology, combinations are often seen multiple times in charts being currently analyzed. This repetition stimulates the astrologer to investigate and learn about these repeating combinations -- especially in areas he/she hasn't understood well. The technique is called the Spirit of Jyotish instructing the astrologer. (Jyotish is the Hindu name for its astrology.) Remember, Vedic Astrology is a spiritual discipline and part of Hinduism. While God doesn't allow us astrologers to predict the future without limit, it seems he's happy to give us some assistance in understanding celestial planetary patterns.

Looking up at the heavens to see the connection between astronomical combinations and our experiences on earth is one of these lessons -- providing the same information for both astronomy and astrology. It is absolutely valuable as a reminder that we are not isolated in the cosmos, which is different from saying We are not alone in the universe. Instead, the lesson is As above, so below. Or, as the Celestial Wheel often notes, There is order in the universe. Too, with sidereal based Vedic Astrology, matching the astronomical heavens, a trained eye can look up and also see the astrology. In fact, that's how the Indians were informed. This, from the home page of TheCelestialwheel.com explains,

Yet, there is the lure of believing there are alien civilizations that have touched the earth in some ways. With regard to these interactions, which being must be far beyond our mental grasp, is the saying Aliens are technological angels.

Meanwhile, there's another, truly spectacular combination, which has already begun, with the planets being exactly conjunct early in the morning March 2 -- Venus and Jupiter. Plus, coming up on April 20 is a powerful total solar eclipse. So the string of potent planetary combinations continues. Don't forget to look up and learn!

Earthsky.org explains about the Venus/Jupiter conjunction,

Venus, the brightest planet, is climbing higher in the west after sunset each night. And – wowser! – it’s moving closer to the 2nd-brightest planet, Jupiter, now descending into the sunset glare. Watch for these two bright worlds in the western twilight. By February’s end, they’ll be super noticeable … ready to dazzle you! Don’t miss them near the waxing on February 21 and 22.

These are the two best benefic planets. Here's the Vedic chart to match the EarthSky image. While the Moon is an added benefit, she passes through signs in just two and a half days and is thereby not a huge player in this conjunction.

Transiting Planets February 23, 2023

Astrologically, Venus and Jupiter are also in excellent sign placements. Venus is exalted in Pisces, and Jupiter rules Pisces. These two planets combine for a breath of early spring warmth and light during the darkest of winter. Venus' love and grace combined with Jupiter's wisdom and abundance indicate only the best, including humanitarian karma. This could serve well, for example, in Ukraine and certainly could smooth the waters in Rahu-turbulent U.S. More on this combination in a later entry.

The powerful April 20 solar eclipse will be maximum at 4 degrees Taurus and 3:30 PM EDT. It won't be visible in the U.S. As eclipses block and reveal, one area of interest is how much further Trump will be harmed following warrior Mars bombing his Sun and Rahu from later this month to March 12 -- what the Celestial Wheel has termed roadkill. Again, upcoming entries will discuss this further.

In closing, let's go back to the most recent completed planetary combination -- the January 30 Third And Final Martian Eclipse. As stated in that entry, the first two Martian eclipses were impactful with major events the same day at the eclipses,

The December 7 Martian eclipse saw China end its stringent COVID restrictions. (government) That is a big deal.

The January 3 Martian eclipse coincides exactly with the Republican majority in the House tied in knots for four days selecting a Speaker. This too will have longer term ramifications.

Consider how these two Martian eclipses that have brought major health problems in China and major political instability in the U.S.

Nothing of merit occurred on or about the January 30 Martian eclipse. But as eclipse effects last at least a week before and after the astronomical event, the Turkey Syria earthquake on February 6 falls into this interval. And there were no other planetary conjunctions or afflictions by planets aspects -- glances -- around the earthquake date. Saturn, which is form and structure and things under the earth is usually the telltale for earth crust events. Saturn had left Capricorn January 17 to enter Aquarius, but except for temporary weakness around this sign crossing, there wasn't any affliction to Saturn. It seems that the third Mars eclipse January 30 triggered a still somewhat weak Saturn to indicate the earth's tectonic plates would shift.

February 26, 2023

Mars Attacking Trump

Last fall, The Celestial Wheel identified an upcoming Mars retrograde attacking Trump. Mars targets his Sun, which is the self, as well as head-of-the-dragon Rahu, with an aspect to the perceptional Moon.

The September 23 2022 Trump Through The Fall introduced and focused up violent Mars on Trump's Vedic chart.

Mars will enter the next sign, Gemini, October 17, turn retrograde October 30, re-enter Taurus November 13 and return to forward motion mid January.

...you can easily see (arrows) Mars will be attacking his Rahu and Sun (self) during the calendar months of October and November. And the midterm elections are November 8!

The Celestial Wheel has long posited that Trump destroys both political parties and then blows himself up. Well, at the very least, it's gonna be very noisy!

In Vedic Astrology, this trio of Mars, Rahu and Sun is an explosive recipe -- already blowing up. Of course Trump will continue to fight back but without effect -- except to stir up his base, of course. For autocrats their fall back positions are always religion, finished by violence.

And again from that entry, below are Mars' movements across Trump's chart,

Although transiting planets are within range at 4 degrees from planets they approach, the energy does increase until they are exactly conjoined. So, let's look at the exact conjunction dates.

Transit Mars will conjoin Trump's Rahu October 6 and Sun October 25.

Transit Mars will turn retrograde in Gemini October 30 and then retrograde over Trump's Taurus Sun again November 14 and Rahu again November 27.

These Mars combination Mars haymakers on Trump's Rahu and Sun will mortally injure him. Yet, Trumpism won't roll over easily, nor quickly.

Thus, we should also look ahead further for when Mars turns forward again January 13 and runs over his Rahu and Sun for a third time -- Rahu March 6 and the Sun March 12. This sure looks like road kill to me.

Over the fall, visuals of Mars on Trump's chart were refined. Here are two from the October 22, 2022 One More Calamity.
The first shows Mars' path through Trump's tenth house of career and eleventh house of goals and groups. The second is his Vedic chart showing Mars in Taurus with the aspect to the Moon.

As explained above, Mars made his first two passes over Sun/Rahu with aspect to the Moon in mid October and late November. His failures in the midterm elections, loss of influence and donors and horrific legal issues ready to land on him have set the stage for Mars' final Sun/Rahu/Moon crossing in early March.

Right now, Mars is at 24° Taurus, closing fast on his 27° Rahu 28° Moon and 29° Sun. Four degrees is the typical first strike distance for Mars attacking other planets. So, Trump is at risk now, and that destructive energy only increases for the next two weeks until Mars 12.

The beautiful and tremendously auspicious Venus/Jupiter conjunction can't save him because these occur in Pisces, his eighth house of calamity. Yes, he'll get some energy and good fortune from this combination but that will be a thin blanket in a blizzard -- or sunlight peaking through the eye of a hurricane. And this being a transit, Venus/Jupiter is a temporary and superficial protective energy.

And yes, his Dasas (planetary cycles) improve somewhat, from this very tough lineup during the fall and early winter. (Note, Dasa planets decrease in power in the subperiod planets -- like in September the subperiod planets were Mercury and Mars.)

This new February 22 to June 13 third level Jupiter Dasa planet is naturally auspicious, but is it truly protective enough to ward off Trump's legal enemies? Perhaps a few will fall by the wayside, but some must bring wounding strikes that can be mortal.

Let's see what happens.