The Celestial Wheel   An In-depth Forecast   June 26, 2009     The Celestial Wheel Home

#79

Summer/Fall Storms And Summer Sunshine

Dominant Planetary Karmas

     The Celestial Wheel Commentaries* have focused on the ending of the tough two month Venus/Mars conjunction and the upcoming economic and political strife.  The latter is symbolized** by Saturn ending it's transit through the sign of Leo in a cruel reality check.

*The Celestial Wheel offers both Short-subject Commentaries and In-depth Forecasts.  Current forecasting of both types is shown on the home page.  The home page also has a link to Archives, which lists all forecasting since The Celestial Wheel was initiated in July 2002.  Finally on the home page, there's a Google search engine to search by topic and item all forecasting information..

**The planets don't actually cause karma but rather their dispositions map out influences on the earth and humanity.  Vedic Astrology merely reads this map,  like an air traffic controller reads the radar screen.  This is an important distinction, especially as it relieves the Western mind's resistance to the power of fate over free will.)

Venus/Mars

     The unusually long two month Venus/Mars conjunction has brought a plethora of harms, most notably to vehicles, joy, diplomacy and wealth.   Certainly the history books will highlight the bankruptcies of Chrysler and General Motors as major events in U.S. history.  Wealth has expressed itself in greed -- driving stock and oil prices up, while economies globally continue to suffer. Too see an extreme example, read Goldman to make record bonus payout. 

     While there have been several Commentaries about Venus/Mars, see the June 13 entry for a summary and ending information.  There, the Venus/Mars conjunction was explained as ending this past Friday, July 19.  The intention was to specify when Venus would reach Mars.  A June 18 subscriber-direct e-mail, Venus/Mars Calculation Error, clarified, Venus doesn't overtake Mars until June 21 - Sunday.  Also, , it will take Venus some time to escape Mars' influence -- until Wednesday to get clear of Mars' most difficult energy.  This planetary storm will continue to blow until mid next week.  That e-mail is a good example of the rushing ahead energy of Venus/Mars.  This astrologer is not exempt from that energy and didn't take the time to fully analyze these transit positions.

    Similarly, we can see Mars' destructiveness continuing on Venusian vehicles in Monday's Washington DC metro train crash.   Also, this astrologer's motor scooter blew a wheel bearing, but fortunately the neighbor mechanic became Venus/Mars passionate about the repair!  This personal note is included to demonstrate these planetary karmas don't just bring events to other people -- they impact us all in one way or another. 

     On the global basis, the uproars in North Korea and Iran since last week also relate to this Mars/Venus passion in all things.  The May 28 Celestial Wheel commented on the U.S. chart, giving more specific information, emphasis added.

     Although it's hard in the blur of the the months of Venus/Mars energy to remember all the shenanigans, Wednesday's admission by Governor Mark Sanford of meeting his lover in Argentina is a unusual enough to be remembered -- For Republicans, a Long Winter Gets Longer.  Provocatively, Sanford made this voyage of passion just as Venus collided with Mars last weekend.  Too, this article reminds us of Senator John Ensign admitting to his own affair, and then accusing the mistress of extortion!  These are just about as juicy as scandals can get!  More evidence of this conjunction's effects is in Venus also being the arts -- both Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett passed on yesterday, and Ed McMahon died the day before. 

     Recall the April 23 Celestial Wheel stated, expect more scandals across a broad range: finance, real estate, mortgage, civilian government, military, artists/performers and lusty sex. 

     Now that Venus is clear of Mars, expect these destructions to begin to ease off.  However, this does not mean the ending of the planetary strife, only some improvement  -- like a major storm system begins to leave an area, and the deluge becoming just a steady rain.  Another example of this energy is Baghdad Market Bombing Kills at Least 75 late Wednesday evening.  This will continue until Venus escapes Mars in Aries to move into it's own sign of Taurus at month's end.  Still, Mars will then chase Venus through Taurus until mid July.  Yet, as Vedic Astrology is interpreting the many shades of grey issuing from the ever-changing planetary weather, by July 1, Mars' harms to Venus will have largely dissipated -- like intermittent rain after a major storm can be beneficial. 

Saturn's Scorched Earth Game

    Again as discussed repeatedly* in the Celestial Wheel, Saturn's end-of-transit through Leo will be very destructive -- a classic Saturnian reality check on the false optimism and greed brought forward by Venus/Mars this spring and early summer.  The June 13 Celestial Wheel is the current entry on that topic, and it included the specific beginning date of August 7.  The ending date is September 9, when Saturn will thankfully shift into Virgo.

*This forecast purposely repeats previous predictions because the Venus/Mars passion has so distracted everyone that many readers have forgotten that information.

     Here is the cogent prediction, first made in the May 14 Celestial Wheel,

   Note that wealthy, fortunate and expansive Jupiter can't counterbalance Saturn's contracting quality because Jupiter is weak in being both retrograde and crossing into its fallen sign of Capricorn this summer.  So, there's no planetary check on Saturn.

    We've seen North Korea and Iran bellicose driven by Venus/Mars passion.  And, Iran's chart is already being badly afflicted by Saturn's seventh house (relationship) transit.  While Iran may calm for a while, the government could fall during Saturn's scorched earth rampage from August 7 to September 9.

     North Korea's chart is not known.  There is disagreement about whether it is August 10, 1945, when the U.S. partitioned Korea into south and north, or around September 9, 1948, when the current government was installed.  Time will be invested to rectify this chart for later Celestial Wheel forecasting.

     For the U.S. the above referenced and quoted May 28 Celestial Wheel can be further interpreted by suggesting economic harms will be in both the private and public sectors  -- and this latter issues from Saturn pressuring Mars, which rules the fifth house of investments and government and government officials.  Also note that this Saturn harm was first predicted in the December 21, 2008 Global Economic Trends For 2009.

This chart of U.S. transits was first published in the June 13 Celestial Wheel, showing when Mars will begin to seriously afflict Saturn by aspect -- black line.      The graphic has been updated by adding Saturn's aspect to Mars -- the red line.  Mars rules (owns) the fifth house of investments, which is also government leaders.  Too, notice that Mercury is also with Saturn in the ninth house of wealth.  Mercury in this chart rules the tenth house, which is government officials.  The tenth is also a house of government in symbolizing carer and the public.  Mercury was caught in the August 1, 2008 solar eclipse on the U.S. chart, and six weeks later the predicted confidence collapse occurred.  So, this Mercury placement is troubling.       These significations obviously point to economic and political problems in the U.S. Note too that President Obama's chart is also injured, for he's now "running" his difficult Jupter/Mars cycle.  Mars is placed in his eighth house of turmoil, where Saturn is transiting.

Transits August 7, 2009

     While a full blown analysis of Obama's chart remains on the to do list, the April 6 Celestial Wheel summarizes the situation.

     No ene believes the U.S. federal government will fall or be seriously damaged soon.  It has unique and far ranging powers to print money, deficit spend and tax.  Dollar inflation must, however, become an issue down the line as the Federal Government keeps expanding the money supply to stimulate growth.  We've already seen long term interest rates move up, and this naturally crimps investment and the housing markets.  The old saying, You can't have it both ways, operates here.  There's also the issue of the Federal Government simply being unable to quickly bail the country out of the Millennium Contraction.  Here's an excellent article from Alternet about the undue optimism about a quick recovery, 'Green Shoots' of Recovery? Don't Fall for the Media's Economic Triumphalism.

     However, State, county and city governments can, and are, failing.  These lower government levels have very limited powers.  None can print money, and nearly all must have balanced budgets.  This, then, is the arena in the U.S. where governments will fall. 

     To see how serious, and looming, the problem truly is already becoming for state and local governments, read, State shutdowns loom as deadlines near.  This can snowball, as counties and cities lose State services and revenue supports.  Recent articles support this prediction: 

US cities may have to be bulldozed in order to survive

States Turning to Last Resorts in Budget Crisis

Rural Mich. counties turn failing roads to gravel

Alabama County Set to Halt Services, Shut Buildings

     This last 6rticle, about an unaffordable $3 million sewer debt, is an alert to Sedona, for sewer and other debts here total $72 million.  A forecast on Sedona has been drafted and will be published when research is completed on whether the City will go bankrupt.  The reason for this concern is that Sedona's sewer and other bonded debt is $76 million, only 11,600 people live here, the population is dropping rapidly and the main revenues source is sales tax, which is down over 20%.  Already, Sedona is no longer a wealthy little town.  It's returning to its origins as a dot on the Arizona map. Workers, whether carpente's, irrigation installers, tour drivers, musicians, readers and healers... report income drops of 30% or more.  Tax revenue reports of a similar decline are inevitable. 

Triple Eclipse

     While Saturn appears to be the chief villain this summer, there is an oddity that deserves attention.  The May 28 Celestial Wheel discussed the upcoming two eclipses next month.  There will actually be a third eclipse, which again, this astrologer in his Venus/Mars haste, didn't not notice.  There will be another partial lunar eclipse August 5. The location will be 19 degrees Capricorn.

    There are two issues with the increase from the typical two to three eclipses in a season.  First, just a few days ago, reports on a new book on this topic hit the press -- Triple Eclipse Series to begin July '09 - What does this mean for the world?  Read the article to determine for yourself whether the warning seems credible.  Unfortunately, this astrologer does not have ready access to the data, and hopefully a copy of the book will come to The Celestial Wheel for review.

     Second, as explained above, last August's solar eclipse signaled the confidence collapse, as well as the September hurricane disrupting oil refineries in Houston -- the latter also predicted.  (This was a really great Celestial Wheel prediction.)  When an eclipse hits a planet in a chart, the results can be devastating for about six months.  Hit means within 2 degrees.  So each eclipse affects 4 degrees.  Two eclipses thereby harm a space of 8 degrees  The zodiac is a circle, 360 degrees.  So, each eclipse season 8 out of 360 degrees is harmed, or just over 2% .  But, if there are 3 eclipses, then the eclipsed area increases to 12 degrees, a 50% increase to over 3%.  If the chart of a major nation, or leader, is hit, then the eclipse can cause severe damage.  Even without believing the triple eclipse book's warning, this third eclipse increases risk.  of course, solar eclipses are more potent in the Sun being the self and leaders.  Lunar eclipses tend to affect the mind and benefits in life.  Too, both lunar eclipses are partial, deflating that influence.

     Regardless, as The Celestial Wheel is for you subscribers, pay attention to these eclipse dates and sign locations. If any hit your Vedic charts within two degrees, you will be impacted  -- eclipsed in some way.  Eclipse effects begin about a week before the actual eclipse, peak at the eclipse day and fall off fairly quickly within about five days.

     July 7 partial lunar eclipse at 21: 24 degrees Sagittarius

     July 21 total solar eclipse at 5:26 degrees Leo Cancer

     August 5 partial lunar eclipse sat 19:43 degrees Capricorn

Another Solar Concern
     Climate change appears to result from both greenhouse gasses and the solar sunspot cycle.  Lots of sunspots add heat, and low sunspot levels cool the globe.  NASA explains, Deep Solar Minimum.  This is why there are news reports on both global warming and global cooling -- and we've most recently seen unusually cool weather in the western U.S., while the East Coast experienced deluges.  It seems inescapable that these contrasting influences must stimulate more weather extremes.

     This is obviously not a celestial situation that can be interpreted in The Celestial Wheel. It may, however, give hints about this summer's Atlantic hurricane season.  As note above, the U.S. chart is running malefics Mars with Rahu  in its planetary cycles (Dasas) this summer, which is very dangerous.  Saturn becomes he third level Dasa planet from August 15 to October 15, which coincides with Saturn's rampage from August 7 to September 9 in the ninth house of fortune. 

Oil & Gas Price Rise

     Another issue is that Mars will transit to Ketu in early October in the eighth house of catastrophe, in the sign of Cancer -- the home.  Tail-of-the-dragon eclipse point Ketu is gas and oil, and the June 13 Celestial Wheel predicted that will signal... another major oil price boost.  As with oil/gas prices rising last fall from the hurricane strike on Houston (referenced above), it appears that major hurricanes from August 7 through early October will be the driving force behind a boost in oil/gas prices.*  Recall Mars collided with Ketu last summer in the same sign of Cancer, pushing gas prices above $4.  See the May 2, 2008 Celestial Wheel for that accurate prediction.

     This summer and fall will certainly dispel the current false optimism  -- both by Saturn and the Mars/Ketu conjunction.

(*June 30.  Oil and gas prices would also be pushed up by foreign governments falling, especially already turbulent Iran.  However, violence in other oil producing countries in the Mideast and elsewhere, can bring the same result.  See, Nigerian Rebels Drive Up Oil Prices.)

Take Advantage Of The Summer Sunshine

     Yes, everyone is weary from the unceasing pressures of the Venus/Mars conjunction.  And certainly this In-depth Forecast hasn't offered encouragement -- so far.  Referencing again the June 13 Celestial Wheel,

     There are always things each of us can do to adjust to this third economic shock in the continuing earthquake that is the Millennium Contraction, which very well may continue, for several more years, beginning in the spring of 2015, the economy will have fully transformed and sustainable economic growth will resume.

     In late 1942, when WWII was devastating Europe, Winston Churchill said, Now this is not the end.  It is not even the beginning of the end. but it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.  He could have said the same thing in 1933 during the Great Depression, and those words ring somberly true today.

    Major change is rarely welcomed, but now absolutely necessary.  We all must reshape our square pegs to fit into the emerging round holes that will be the fabric of future society.  Since this contraction began with the real estate bust, a house analogy is apt. 

     When you remodel your home, the first stage is demolition.  Removing the unnecessary, unaffordable and outdated requires tearing out major sections of the home.  If the house is too big, you may even remove rooms.  Then comes the rebuilding, which can actually be more difficult for the expense and workman installing updated components.  During these two basic remodeling tasks, the house becomes more and more unlivable, and ugly too.  Only when the improvements are nearing completion can we see and benefit from them.

     It takes great patience, focus, effort, a plan and the willingness to let go of long held and comfortable habits.

     Like many, you may believe you can slip by with just some minor changes, for either you feel secure or you believe the millennium contraction really won't amount to much  -- that it will magically fade away.

    If you remain unconvinced, wait until September 9 to see Churchill's statement about the end of the beginning could have been made this summer  -- and then until October for the second shoe to drop.

     Alternatively, pay attention to this reasonably favorable period until August 7 to do your lifestyle remodeling.  You'll be glad you did.  Making your home a refuge from the world is a good starting plan.