The Celestial Wheel Vedic Commentary World societal, economic and political forecasting since 2002   January 1 -- 31 , 2006       Doug Riemer VedicPredictiveAstrology.com  vedic@esedona.net  (928) 203-4347  Back to: The Celestial Wheel Arhives

January 25

This Week's Stress

    In Saturday's Celestial Wheel (immediately below) I issued a caution for this Friday and Saturday, which is repeated here for emphasis,

Here's a World Transit Chart for today, displaying these Mercury/Sun/Saturn energetics.      Included is a second line, in blue, showing the now familiar struggle signified by Mars and Saturn aspecting each other.      With the additional influence of the perceptional Moon waning and dim in its fallen sign of Scorpio, I advance the caution to begin today.      While it would be nice to report positive planetary dispositions, I can't move the planets around.  And there is the benefit in knowing when you're swimming against the karmic currents.

     Saturday's Celestial Wheel also suggested Dick Cheney's health and reputation are at risk.  Also, with both planetary indicators of government involved (Sun and Saturn), as well as the 10th house of government officials, it appears governments globally, including the United States, face setbacks today through Saturday.  Although G.W. Bush appears to have escaped Saturn losses when this planet of restriction crossed his Ascendant point (self) earlier this week, slow Saturn continues to hover over that point.  Let's see what happens these next few days. -- for the karmic challenge to government must actualize in some way.

    As the Sun and Mercury signify business, and Saturn industrial production (especially for the U.S.), look for further commercial setbacks.  Ford Motor Company's massive cutback announcement and jumpy securities markets could be just the opening scenes of a truly challenging week.

Mars And Metaphysics Rising

     While planetary stresses will doubtless continue for the next several months, the 6 /12 month long Mars/Saturn struggle will be over February 5.  Because the longer transiting planets stay in a sign, the more potent their influences are, and this combination hasn't occurred since before 1800, it's unusual in severity.  I'm personally counting the days -- only 10 to go.

     Because Mars is curiosity, it curiously is also an influence for metaphysics -- 8th house hidden spiritual information and power.  This makes  more sense if we also understand that Mars rules Scorpio, the 8th house in the World Transit Chart's natural zodiac.  So, since Saturn began restricting Mars last July 17, interest in metaphysical disciplines has been stymied.  After February 5, Mars will not only be Saturn-freed to express its interest in exploring the unknown, it will be in Taurus.  From there, Mars will aspect 8th house Scorpio.

     Look, then, for a resurgence in your spiritual interests, and also in your ability to connect.  For those of you in the healing or spiritual counseling business, you will find your energy picks up and abilities sharpen.  Also, considering that 6 1/2 months of Mars/Saturn battling has worn people down, your patients and clients will become both ready for your restorative services.  Finally, from late February through the spring, Mercury (intellect and communications) will be weak and clouded due to a tough retrograde in Pisces, its fallen (weak) sign -- and this will stimulate a greater need for mental grounding and clarity that healing arts people bring clients.

January 21, 2006

Formatting

     Last fall, The Celestial Wheel became the banner for this mundane (world) forecasting publication.  It appeared then that In-depth Forecasts would no longer be composed -- that any lengthy interpretations could be folded into the commentary format used here.

     However, with the inception of predictions for 2006, it became obvious this integration caused a bottleneck.  The last two predictive efforts (World Transits for the first half of 2006 and U.S. chart to March 1) interfered with The Celestial Wheel's original purpose -- that of brief commentaries on current and upcoming planetary karmas, often referencing relevant In-depth Forecasts.

     With my apologies for any resulting inconveniences, I'm reverting back to the earlier two-level forecasting methods -- twice-weekly Celestial Wheel Commentaries and In-depth Forecasts as appropriate.  All, however, remain under The Celestial Wheel banner.

     The Celestial Wheel Archives page now contains links to all Commentaries and In-depth Forecasts, each in its own section.  Take a look and bookmark that page for easy access to all forecasting since July, 2002.   The In-depth Forecasts section now includes the 2006 New Years 2006 predictive efforts:

     January 12,  Planetary Karmas For The First Half Of 2006 - Part 1 World Transit Chart

     January 19, Planetary Karmas For 2006 - Part 2 United States To March 1 (1/19/06

What Happened Last Week?

     Last Monday, January 17, I was amazed to find no spam at my early morning e-mail check.  Buried in the United States chart analysis, I had ignored transit Mercury (communications) being blocked as it crashed into Venus retrograde -- and then became Sandhi (dead) as it changed signs from Sagittarius to Capricorn, too close to the Sun.  At our house, Mercury symbolizes the cat, a teenager and this astrologer's brain.  On Tuesday evening, all three were laid low -- the cat was injured, the girl had the flu and I a migraine.  On Thursday morning, the spam deluge returned, signaling Mercury's communications were restored.  Thursday evening found all of us in a recovery mode -- even the cat.

     If I hadn't been so immersed in putting the U.S. forecast to March 1 on this Celestial Wheel page, I would have (should have) both seen Mercury's problems and reported them to you in advance.  So again, my apologies.

     If you found navigating life difficult last week, you certainly weren't alone -- and neither were your cats and teenagers.  Too, this mental turbulence expressed itself in Iraq's violence spiking, frenzied securities markets and, of course, Osama Bin Laden's message.

     With regard to this last, the January 19 U.S. chart analysis  noted for G.W. Bush that, ...transit Saturn is retrograding back to his Ascendant point (his identity and body), becoming conjunct on January 24...stimulates further loss -- scandals.  January 19 to 24 thereby becomes a sensitive date for scandal.  While none of the brewing scandals have begun perking again (yet), as Saturn also symbolizes death and destruction for Bush, Bin Laden's tape renews that specter.

This Week

     The  U.S. chart analysis  also identified January 27,28 as a sensitive date for Dick Cheney's health and reputation.  Mercury will be combust (burnt by) the Sun, and the Sun will be under close aspect from restrictive Saturn then.  This combination will also impact your personal experiences in mental clarity, business transactions and confidence/power. 

     The suggestion is to take it easy toward the end of the week and coast through the weekend.  Then, you can get a fresh start for the following week.

Upcoming Spring Tensions

     The January 12 World Transits Chart analysis (first half of 2006) identified sensitive dates as February 7, March 5 and April 8.  February 7 is primarily a Mars transit change into Taurus, but March 5 and 18 both include more Mercury afflictions. 

     In working on the U.S. Chart analysis for the interval March 2 through June, it appears that the U.S. Moon/Ketu Dasa planets, Mercury's upcoming March retrograde and lunar and solar eclipses that month will create compulsive and weird conditions, similar to last March's Mercury retrograde -- when Congress convulsed over Terry Shiavo's feeding tube.  These influences also bring the advent of counter-culture, which will be exciting to those of you who resonate with 1960's activism that so advanced humanitarian and true democratic values.

     I'll do my best to publish that U.S. analysis as a Celestial Wheel In-depth Forecast later this week.  In the meantime, while plans you have in place personally should not be shelved, it's best to be conservative from late February through mid April. 

The Mideast

     Following the publication of the U.S. chart analysis through June, I'll do an In-depth Forecast on the Mideast, using the four country charts previously interpreted in the June 2004 Timeless Mideast bottleneck series -- Iraq, Iran, Israel and Saudi Arabia.  This is a karmic clash over oil, and there are already reports on oil supply and price problems issuing from that region.

January 5, 2006

Current Turbulence     

     The World Transit Chart is generally an effective global karmic weather map in its displaying the planets' positions in today's skies..  However, World Transits does not indicate the wide-ranging turbulence since New Years.  Nations' charts for the U.S.and Iraq do show the calamities in these countries, as previously predicted, and Israel's chart is temporarily stressed, signifying Ariel Sharon's illness.  (This, I believe, paves the way for a new moderate, preferably female, prime minister in the spring election.)  

     Perhaps, then, these three countries both identify and confine current tribulations.  Too, I've been working since January 1 on this Celestial Wheel, finding composition blocked, which naturally influences my perception.  Still, it's unsettling there's so much turmoil right at the beginning of 2006.

Recapping 2005 Forecasting

     As the earth has orbited into a new calendar year, it's worthwhile to recap 2005 forecasting.  The next Celestial Wheel will begin to zero in on planetary karmas for 2006.

     Although our calendar year isn't designed to correspond to unfolding planetary karmas (and neither are the planets keyed to our calendar), 2005 corresponds nicely with forecasting.

     Below is a listing of 2005's five In-depth Forecasts analyzing defining planetary positions and movements, followed by excerpts culled from each. (Note that July 3 was the final In-depth Forecast.)

The remainder of 2005 is thereby discussed only in Celestial Wheels.  The September 6 Celestial Wheel's listing of 6 sensitive dates completes this recap.  

     Subscribers are invited to judge for themselves the accuracy and validity of these predictions.

The January 4, #59  Winter/Spring Shifts Of The Major Planets

     Look for major battles in Congress over Bush's audacious neoconservative agenda.

     (About Iraq: the planets) stimulate separation from the U.S. occupation, even as the U.S. attempts to control Iraq.  (These influences) will also separate and pit Iraqi groups against each other. 

     (On G.W. Bush,) While these influences bringing Bush's big plans continue, and actually expand, his enemies are also persistent.  Further, Bush's apparent election victory exaggerates his confidence but not necessarily the capability to execute his big plans.

     (About this Second Gilded Age) Bush is a manifestation of a movement, not the movement itself, which is why he stole the election a second time.  It was this new Gilded Age, not Bush, that persevered.  Yet, as the flag bearer, his failures must also be those of the neoconservative movement. 

The February 6, #60  The First Baby-Boomers

       (This Yoga gives) a lifelong drive for mastery in the person's field of endeavor, which brings long term success, often at the expense of others -- victimizing without conscience, but sometimes too, being the victim. 

       The sinister quality many of these people embody has shaped our culture through their influence upon entertainment, business and politics. 

       The U.S. presidency has been held since 1992 by two Saturn/Rahu Yoga men, married to women with the Yoga, and for whom victimizing is endemic. 

       For elections, look for candidates with the Yoga running against others without the Yoga.  The former have the power to dominate, with no holds barred.  Further, candidates have victory-insurance if the spouse also has the Yoga.

The February 21, #61  Kama & Kendra  -- Desire & Power 

     The U.S. planetary cycles of Moon/Mercury/Venus confirm... the continuation of this second Gilded Age.  The purity crusade, government corruption, business deregulation and efforts to dismantle the New Deal are continuing.  However, domestic economic problems and challenges abroad can derail further and significant neoconservative gains.

     G.W. Bush has a predominance of Kama (desire) in his chart and is currently possessed by overwhelming ambitions and unshakable confidence.  ... However, Bush does not now possess the Kendra (power) needed to impose his vision of expanding democracy upon the world, nor to force his domestic neoconservative self-proclaimed voter mandate.

     I've long predicted that Iraq is Bush's great misadventure.  What happens in Iraq must determine both his international success (hinging on his vision of democratizing the Mideast) and Bush's ability to push through the neoconservative agenda -- to dismantle the New Deal and subsequent progressive gains in equality, fairness and business regulation.

     Desire can only achieve short term success and long term failure, especially if desire motivates through fear-based lies.  Bush is, after all, the consummate boy who cried wolf. 

     The prediction here is for the impending U.S. failures in Iraq will sufficiently harm Bush's reputation that he will be unable to advance his international democracy crusade and fail in forcing Congress to pass his neo-conservative agenda.  The resistance Bush is already experiencing in his major agenda items -- the 2006 budget, Social Security privatization and guest worker program for illegal aliens -- will only grow as he, Rice and Rumsfeld fail in Iraq.  Thus, Bush will be effectively hobbled and thereby less capable of harm.  However, he may become more dangerous for impetuous and foolish use of his presidential power.  (Domestic spying?)

The April 2, #62  A Not So Far Horizon 

     The January 4 In-depth Forecast, #59 Winter/Spring Shifts Of The Major Planets and its sequel, the February 21 #61 Kama & Kendra -- Desire & Power, predicted instability in January and February, violence and discord during the first weeks of March and the Mercury retrograde communications issues March 20 through April 12.  It was not, however, anticipated how difficult this last interval would be.  (Note: The last two Celestial Wheels, March 21 and 28, did detail the Mercury retrograde planetary energies.) This Forecast puts these changes into perspective to anticipate what may lie over A Not So Far Horizon,as a result of changes this winter and spring.

     Looking ahead, there's a planetary configuration this summer that may trigger an economic downturn.

On July 7, Mars will have moved into Pisces to be conjunct Rahu, a combination of excessive religious desire and violence.  Opposite Mars/Rahu will be Jupiter/Ketu, the doubled-up religious influence.  These planets all aspect each other, and as Mars' projective energy catalyzes events, a religious-inspired catastrophe could occur at that time.  Restrictive Saturn's position in the fourth house suggests real estate would be harmed.

     The United States is running its ten year Moon cycle....  This is a repetition of the Moon's first cycle in the 1880s Gilded Age, highlighted by government corruption, business greed and a theocratic purity crusade. 

     In the U.S. chart, the Moon rules the eighth house of the occult, and Rahu and Mercury are both placed in the eighth house.  Because the U.S. subcycle is Mercury (September 2004 to March 2006),   America's mystical and paranoid religious nature is fully activated.  This has manifested in G.W. Bush's second term neocon/evangelical alliance of extremists -- the Second Gilded Age is in full bloom.  However, the difficult planetary dispositions since January have dealt Bush setbacks.  Highlights include: resistance to Social Security privatization, the quagmire in Iraq and public outcry over unsustainable budget and trade deficits.

     The July 7 Mars/Rahu conjunction also occurs in this fourth house, which signifies, not just devotion, but also fixed assets, including real estate.  This suggests, as it does with the World Chart, that a violent event at that time would harm real estate.  ((Soon after the July 7 London bombings, real estate demand began to weaken in some areas as early as last summer.)

     Much more analysis can (and will) be done on this topic, most especially consideration of the June, 2004 In-depth Forecast series on the Mideast, The Timeless Mideast Bottleneck.  I concluded that analysis by stating, In summary, there's a convergence of karmas in these four key Mideast countries occurring now that will transform the Mideast.  The question is, will the area further disintegrate into chaos or rescue itself?  The time period here is the eighteen months when Rahu and Ketu transit through Pisces and Virgo -- February 2005 to November 2006.  This Forecast suggests that transformation has already begun and may be propelled ahead with a major event July 7.

     The June 5, #63  Mars' Summer & Fall Of Discontent 

     In reviewing this forecasting, three fairly distinct chronological intervals emerge:  A. Gathering global and domestic winter/spring challenges from January through early June are described in the first three Forecasts. B. The fourth Forecast predicted an event harming real estate at the July 7 Mars/Rahu conjunction.  C.  Mars' destructive six month transit through Aries from July 21 to February 5 was summarized in the May 5 Celestial Wheel.  That is the topic of this Forecast.

     ...the April 5 Celestial Wheel compared G.W. Bush's chart with the transiting planets for July 7, noting the weirdness that five planets --  Sun, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury and Venus -- are all returning in early July.  ( Return in astrology means that a planet in today's sky crosses a birth chart planet.)

     ...this configuration suggests for Bush a rebirth of some sort.  This could take many forms -- illness, bodily harm, downfall, failure or even renewed religious fervor. ...So finding this great oddity in Bush's chart, which signifies some sort of transformation for him, gives confluence to the prediction for great change initiated in early July.  (Bush returned home from London to a storm of criticism that continued through the fall.)

     Regardless of what does or does not happen at the early July Mars/Rahu conjunction, more powerful and enduring planetary karmas will occur during Mars next sign transit, through Aries.  This was identified and described in the May 5 Celestial Wheel

     (Mars and Saturn) are very difficult when they join, for active Mars' opposes lethargic Saturn.  Saturn thereby chafes under Mars' prodding. Mars/Saturn combining in Aries stimulates warfare and physical cruelty.  Selfishness and jealousy drive oppression in which the ends justify the means.

     Mars typically transits a sign in two months. The six month period of this Saturn-conflicted Mars transit (July 21, 2005 to February 5, 2006) literally triples Mars' ability to harm. 

     We can understand now how the winter/spring setbacks set the stage for a July 7 event, triggering an economic downturn during Mars' July -- February transit through Aries.  In Cancer, all three signficators of real estate are brought together in a destructive combination depressing real estate.

     The July 3, #64  The July - 7 Mars/Rahu Conjunction 

     Thus far, I've predicted Mars/Rahu bringing a religious violent event (or events) July 5 -7 that triggers a real estate downturn during Mars' subsequent six month transit through Aries beginning July 17.  I've also stated in Celestial Wheel commentaries that G.W. Bush is intimately involved with this turmoil and that he: is facing increasing resistance at home and abroad, is beset with enemies, will experience some sort of re-birth, may lose his temper and that Iraq is his great misadventure.  Finally, I connected Rahu's signifying aircraft with the large number of unusual aircraft incidents since the Mars/Rahu conjunction began June 6.

     Bush's nineteen year Saturn cycle is ending, signifying inevitable scandal and downfall.  Current afflictions to Jupiter stimulate its significations for enemies and foreign travels.

     In closing, keep in mind that (The July 7) Mars/Rahu (conjunction) is the trigger about which Mars and Saturn battle from July 17 to early February, 2006. (The Mars/Saturn struggle is the dominant planetary influence for the remainder of 2005)

     The remainder of 2005 was summarized in the September 6  Celestial Wheel, which cited six upcoming sensitive dates, the turbulence for each being incited by the Mars/Saturn struggle:

     1)  Certainly when the Moon again transits through Pisces and Aries, where transit Rahu and Mars reside, there will be a repetition of the emotional stresses many Subscribers experienced when this last occurred -- August 22 - 24.  This month, the Moon passes through Pisces and Aries September 18 -- 22.

     2)  On September 27 and 28 the Moon will again pass through Cancer, the same disposition that brought the New Orleans' levees failures.  As this is high hurricane season, especially for the Gulf of Mexico, and the U.S. chart is again vulnerable, those are the most likely dates for another hurricane disaster.

     3)  On October 3, there will be a Solar Eclipse in Virgo, with the Sun additionally under close aspect from Saturn.  This is negative for government.

     4)  The fall Lunar Eclipse will be October 17 in Aries, when the Moon will also be conjunct Mars.  This indicates violence.

     5)  I'm also concerned about November 14, when Mars will be retrograding back to an exact aspect with Saturn, and the Moon will be with Mars.

     6)  The final sensitive date is November 30 at 3 PM.  At that time, the transiting planets will all be antagonistic -- malefics Mars, Saturn and Rahu, will be particularly destructive.