The Celestial Wheel Vedic Commentary World societal, economic and political forecasting since 2002   April 1-- 30 , 2006     Doug Riemer VedicPredictiveAstrology.com  vedic@esedona.net  (928) 203-4347  Back to: The Celestial Wheel Archives

April 30, 2006

Celestial Wheel Hiatus

     The planetary stresses symbolized by the historically unique situation of Rahu aspecting Saturn and Saturn aspecting Ketu in March continued into April and were further aggravated by Mars joining the fray April 2.  (See the April 19 Celestial Wheel, below.)   As the duration of a planetary transit affliction determines amount of influence, April has not only been tough -- it became more and more wearing as the month progressed -- depleting mental and physical energy.

     We can certainly see these malefic planets harms in the world situation, the United States and its government officials and leaders.  That stress also kept this astrologer busy assisting clients and dealing with his own issues. such as the car being in the shop for nearly a month.  But, it was this energy loss that disallowed composing and Celestial Wheels since April 20.  (Today, I chained myself to the computer to composed a final April missive.)   So, if you've experienced difficulty getting motivated and focused, its not you but rather a general malaise.

May Will Be A Pretty Good Month

     The April 20 Celestial Wheel did, however, predict that, The month of May will see the planets nicely disposed, for the first time in many months.  However, it was also stated that, These thoughts are directed at your personal experiences and do not suggest in any way that the neoconservatives will rise again from their failures.

     Subscribers responded.  Notably, S.W. in New Mexico wrote, Nice to know at least calmness will come...in May. It will be wonderful to get a full night sleep again and J.C. in Arizona commented, It was good to read something good is on the horizon for May—after the messy confluence of Saturn/Rahu/Mars.  Globalization, Immigration, White House “reorganization” – and I just finished reading a book called “The Laughing Jesus: Religious lies and Gnostic Wisdom” – I am really looking forward to May – since you promised it would be calm.

However, Be Patient A Few More Days

     Following this turmoil May 1 and 2, the Moon will be with restrictive Saturn May 3 and 4, bringing loss. Finally, Venus will cross toxic Rahu May 5 and 6, harming Venus's significations, including: happiness, contentment, relationship, females and vehicles.  You can see in the above chart that Venus currently precedes Rahu.

When May's Sun Will Shine

     May's flowering in your personal gardens will therefore begin May 7.  This comparative beneficence will continue until May 23.  During that interval, the benefic planets are all well disposed: lucky and optimistic Jupiter is strong and unafflicted in Libra, God's grace Venus continues in its exalted sign of Pisces and Mercury's intellect and communications is strong in Aries and Taurus.  (Note: an additional benefit is that Jupiter sits in Venus's sign of Libra and Venus sits in Jupiter's sign of Pisces, giving mutual support.)

Rahu, Mars, Saturn and Ketu Continue

May Strategy

     As benefics symbolize benefits, but not much effort, and malefics bring energy, the suggestion can be made to achieve benefits (or realize previously denied results) by using the malefics' energy to actualize the benefics' benefits.  For example, if you're in the job market, Jupiter, Venus and Mercury can bring an opportunity, but it will take Rahu, Mars and Saturn for you convert that opportunity into a reality.  Of course, keen judgment is required -- like driving a high powered car both gets you to your destination and includes some risk.

     Another quality of your personal experiences results from swimming in the ocean of karmic currents -- the influences that have brought this spring's high gas prices, counter-culture (popular rebellion), immigration issues, the Iraq civil war and seemingly endless setbacks and scandals in Washington DC.. 

(Note: G.W. Bush's chart is destructive until May 15, when he finishes his 19 year Saturn cycle.  Saturn is punishing him for previously misusing its energy by using fear and death rather than duty to the masses and humility.   May 7 is especially harmful to his reputation and close associates.)

    These global karmas cannot be avoided, for some must impact directly, others indirectly.  So, for example, if you were planning a getaway weekend two hours away to attend a Latin concert in San Diego, you may instead decide to spend a day at an outdoor symphony concert in your home town. This wouldn't be as much fun, but its safer, more affordable and uses to advantage Jupiter's music, Venus's pleasures and arts and Mercury's refinement.

A Heads-up For June & July

     May 7 to 23 is an opportunity to catch up after a difficult several months, and it precedes some challenge this summer.  Then, Mars will transit through its fallen (weak) sign of Cancer, conjunct Saturn.  The April 10 Celestial Wheel discussed Mars in Cancer, stating:

     Additionally, the January 12, 2006 In-depth Celestial Wheel, First Half of 2006 -- World Transit Chart

included the following it the Summary

     Although the Celestial Wheel predicted last July's London subway terrorist bombing to the day, the destructive planetary karmas are more spread out this summer.  It may be that instead of one major event, there will be several less signal ones from June 6 to 15.  I am suggesting everyone stay close to home during that interval. With the U.S. chart having a Moon Astrocartography line running through San Francisco, that area is sensitive to earth crust and weather events.  Similarly, the southeast U.S. is sensitive for having Mars and Saturn lines through Louisiana and the Bahamas respectively.  Most provocatively, the Mars and Saturn lines intersect just 30 miles from Niagara Falls. 

April 20, 2006

Last Week And This Week

     Last week, the April 10 Celestial Wheel Commentary suggested that last Tuesday and Wednesday (April 11, 12) would be difficult because both mental planets -- the Moon and Mercury -- were poorly disposed.  Rather than discuss world events, it seemed more useful to offer suggestions for your (subscribers) personal experiences.  Then, of course, Rumfeld was hit with accusations by six generals, which also again brought the Iraq war issue front and center.  Of course, there were more scandals, but these have grown so numerous, it's hard to keep track.  Keith Olbermann on MSNBC noted this late last week, spewing out a list of eight scandals haunting the Bush administration.  Still, some clients reported mental and physical stresses.

     For this week, the April 15 Celestial Wheel reminded that April 18 (Tuesday) was a sensitive date, first identified in the January 12, Planetary Karmas For The First Half of 2006 Part I -- World Transit Chart.  The predictions then were world astrology topics -- Iran, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld.  While it turned out that several clients experienced difficulties (including this astrologer), the big news was the shake-out in the White House staff.  Yet, there's always some charts that turn difficult karmas into boons -- today a Colorado client contacted me about receiving two good job offers, just as Mercury had passed Rahu and she entered a Mercury subcycle.

     This is a good lesson in again never knowing how the planetary karmas will actualize, as well as learning that particularly intense planetary dispositions impact throughout the globe -- from countries to regular folks. I'm still waiting for news about Cheney and Rumsfeld to be released.  It does turn out, however, that April 10 Celestial Wheel predictions about G.W. Bush, the United States and Iraq have been on target.

May Will Be A Pretty Good Month

     The month of May will see the planets nicely disposed, for the first time in many months.  Then, expansive Jupiter will remain unafflicted, Venus will be strong in its exalted sign of Pisces, again unafflicted, Mercury will regain strength in Aries and the Rahu/Saturn/Ketu battling will have eased off.  Take advantage of this sunny spring month to launch projects and enjoy all that the world has to offer.  These thoughts are directed at your personal experiences and do not suggest in any way that the neoconservatives will rise again from their failures.

The Double-Decade Jupiter/Saturn Conjunction

     Back in the last spring of 2004, this astrologer was running Mercury with Saturn, very potent planets for deep and significant writings in his chart.  That was when two In-depth Celestial Wheels about primary and long term karmic currents steering world events were published:

     While I haven't yet (adequately) followed up on the Mideast Bottleneck series, the Jupiter/Saturn conjunction is ripe for commentary.  That forecast's summary stated:

     While U.S. immigration is obviously a critical public policy issue, it impacts other countries as well, making this a global phenomena.  Labor globalization includes factory relocations and outsourcing, the later well described in Thomas Friedman's 2004 book, The World is Flat.  (Note: Friedman calls this Globalization 3.0 and claims it began around 2000.  The Jupiter/Saturn conjunction occured on May 28, 2000.)

     The movement of labor, and where labor is performed, is very complex and also is still very early in its unfolding.  After all, the world is only 1/3 through this double-decade period ending in 2020.  The message here is to acknowledge the ongoing process, and in doing so, understand there are not yet any final answers.

     Below are four recent news articles addressing some of these complexities:

April 15, 2006

Sensitive Date

     The January 12, 2006 In-depth Celestial Wheel, #65a  Planetary Karmas For The First Half of 2006

Part I -- World Transit Chart, identified this coming Tuesday, April 18, as a sensitive date.

     Iran, already a hot topic, will continue to posture aggressively, but its nuclear threat is more an invention of U.S. intelligence than reality.  Iran is running it's seven year Ketu Dasa, during which period, it simply lacks worldly power.

     Donald Rumsfeld, already under intense criticism, will suffer further attacks and may reflexively fire back his uniquely blunt and cutting way.  This would infuriate Rumsfeld's enemies, escalating further protest against his handling of the Iraq war.

     Subscribers should use care on Tuesday, and the best way to dodge the dissonant planetary karmas is to minimize activities and keep a low profile.

Illegal Immigration

     The April 10 Celestial Wheel, below, in the section, Counter-Culture Activated, remarked, The predicted counter-culture movement -- rebellion against authority -- is actualizing in a surprising way in today's widespread and large-scale immigration protests.  It was also suggested there would be, excessive responses from interest groups, the press and government.

     The media and polling indicate most Americans now agree with the Senate's failed legislation offering illegals with longer residencies citizenship paths and tightening border enforcement.  That generous view will not hold.  It elicits from transit Jupiter being unafflicted in Venus's sign of Libra, in the United States chart's eleventh house of goals, friends and groups.  Jupiter's wisdom combined with Venus's compassion gives a forgiving nature, stimulating humanitarianism.  As the illegal immigration issue continues to be debated, and illegals claim and demand rights without basis of law, this view will become understood as overly indulgent and unfair. 

     A tipping point in pubic opinion could occur May 1, when Mars is conjunct the Moon, again firing up emotions.  Yesterday's Washington Post had a provocative article, Immigrant Groups Split On Boycott, about the planned May 1, massive job and economic boycott that some are calling "A Day Without Immigrants."  Concerns are that many would risk losing their jobs and that, a prominent antiwar group may be playing a leading role in the boycott, linking its cause with the immigrant rights campaign to promote its own agenda.

     Recall the March 29 Celestial Wheel, referencing the Haymarket Square Labor Riot, which has become known as May Day, International Worker's Day.  Then, labor rose up against unfair labor practices by Gilded Age corporations. 

     Now, illegals are demanding the right to work for Second Gilded Age corporations that cut wages for legal citizens by hiring those illegals at poverty level rates!  Of course, American businesses agree with this position to insure the supply of cheap labor.  So, why would they fire illegals?  Further confounding logic are anti-war protestors, who claim the Iraq war is illegal, joining a protest against enforcing existing immigration laws or passing new laws. 

     Considering that anti-war protestors are citizens harmed by the illegal immigrant flood holding down wages and creating massive social services costs, why would they align themselves with that group? 

     The only reasonable answer here is that everyone feels so pushed by the clashing of malefic planetary energies (Rahu, Saturn, Ketu and Mars), they feel compelled to do something, even if those actions are neither consistent nor actually advance their causes.

     It certainly appears that the April 10 Celestial Wheel was accurate in stating, ...immigration will become the primary election issue.  (The country will remain too conflicted about immigration for Congress to pass effective and acceptable legislation before the election, leaving it to the voting public to decide.)  Also, as Rahu (foreigners) will be harmfully Sandhi (dead) and Stationary (powerful) right up to the November 7 election date, it must bring the serpent's toxicity into campaigning, public reactions and voting.

Subscriber Comment

     Predictions for March and April have been for serious and deepening woes for the Bush Administration and discord abroad.  Because my planetary cycles include Venus, which in my chart is hidden in the twelfth house of loss, correct predictions are not seen.  A surprising exception is subscriber V.F. of Arizona, who never comments, phoned me the other day to say that Celestial Wheels this winter and spring have been exactly correct.  Well, no one ever said that before, but maybe he does have a point.

April 10, 2006

Donning Vedic Pearls

     Today is a good Muhurta day for first donning a Vedic pearl. the Moon is waxing and nearly full in the sign of Leo, where the Moon is comfortable.  For those three subscribers putting on their pearls this evening, under a beautifully nearly full Moon, I extend to you my best wishes for success with these empowering gemstones.  Calming and stabilizing the Moon's perceptional mind is particularly helpful during this period of continuing planetary stress. 

     This is threading a planetary needle, however, because tomorrow mental stresses become elevated.

Mars Tuesday

     Although today is a good day for the Moon, tomorrow portends to be stressful, for then the Moon transits into Virgo.  There, it will be afflicted by aspects from Mars and Saturn and being conjoined Ketu.  With this triple harm, common sense and peace of mind will be elusive  Further, Mercury, the intellectual and analyzing side of the mind, is in the process of changing signs, -- from Aquarius to its fallen (weak) sign of Pisces.  This transition called Sandhi, means dead, but the meaning here is more specifically weakness.

Mercury Wednesday

     Mercury's day of the week is Wednesday.  This coming Wednesday sees the Moon continuing its difficult Virgo transit, while Mercury moves into Pisces, still Sandhi.  There's an additional complexity here, for the Moon and Mercury will be aspecting each other, and considering their transit positions, minds will be over stimulated.  These dispositions bring rash decisions, uncertainty, jitteriness, changing your mind and compulsive behavior.

Suggestions

     With both mental planets poorly disposed tomorrow and Wednesday, difficult or challenging mental tasks should be delayed.  (Wait to finish your taxes until the end of the week.)  Business activities, communications of all kinds, money, banking issues and computers are specific sensitive areas.

Counter-Culture Activated

     The predicted counter-culture movement -- rebellion against authority -- is actualizing in a surprising way in today's widespread and large scale immigration protests.  Yet, as often stated, one never knows exactly how the planetary karmas will actualize. 

     However, Latino protests fits nicely with the United States' chart, for the Moon/Ketu counter-culture Dasa (planetary cycle) is now focused upon foreigners.  This is because Venus is the third level Dasa planet from March 14 to April 18, and Venus rules both the sixth house of foreigners and the eleventh house of goals, friend and groups.  Thus, foreigners band together to further their goals.  (Note: immigration protests began in the third week of March)   An additional influence is that Rahu (foreigners) continues its transit through the fourth house of the home until November 8.

    With the Moon and Mercury afflicted tomorrow and Wednesday, expect excessive responses from interest groups, the press and government.  However, don't make too much of these, for perceptions will calm beginning Thursday afternoon.  More objective and realistic news reporting and commentary will begin at the end of the week.

Middle America Protests

     Middle America will likely begin to protest in June, when Mars transits into the United States chart's eight house of turmoil to be conjunct Saturn.  Then, the Dasa planets will be Moon/Ketu/Rahu, a mixed up grouping of emotional desire for the past mixing with the future.  A calamity (natural disaster or violence), Iraq and gasoline prices are the likely activators.  June 6 to 15 is the sensitive period, but so far, no specific date is seen.

     Staying with the United States' chart, its Dasa planets change from counter-culture Moon/Ketu to Moon/Venus on October 1.  With Venus more active then than now, immigration will become the primary election issue.  (The country will remain too conflicted about immigration for Congress to pass effective and acceptable legislation before the election, leaving it to the voting public to decide.)  Also, as Rahu (foreigners) will be harmfully Sandhi (dead) and Stationary (powerful) right up to the November 7 election date, it must bring the serpent's toxicity into campaigning, public reactions and voting.

G.W. Bush's Future

     Much has been made of the fact that Presidents elected in a year ending with a "0," as shown in the table below, have died in office.

     I've resisted this curse as not having a sound astrological basis, and after all, it is possible to flip a coin 10 times and it always coming up heads.  Ronald Reagan surviving the gunshot wound also brings this curse into question.  Yet, Reagan also left office with growing Alzheimer's symptoms, which disease was hidden from the public.  So, in a very real way, Reagan's mind was dying.

     G.W. Bush enters his difficult 17 year Mercury Dasa May 15, and this will bring intense mental turmoil for Mercury being conjunct a terrible Saturn and Mercury itself ruling the third house of desires and twelfth house of loss.  As Mercury is the nervous system, and Bush is a tightly wound fellow (which is why he must exercise two hours a day), I believe Bush will suffer a nervous breakdown sometime after May 15.  A stroke is an alternative physical ailment.  However, like Reagan's failing mind, Bush's mental restriction will also be hidden from the public.  When the breakdown occurs, and how long the secret can be held, are as yet unknown. 

     However, the above mentioned June 5 to 16 calamity period for the United States is also extremely stressful for Bush.  Then, transit Saturn sits on his Ascendant (self), and he will be incapable dealing with either/both a calamity and ensuing public protests that blame him.  Faced with being blocked, the mind may overload.  Certainly Bush fleeing to his Texas hideout in late June would be revealing.

April 7

Only Malefics Stimulate Change

     In Vedic Astrology, planets are either benefic (good) or malefic (bad).  Using these labels is, however, misleading to the Western mind.  In Eastern philosophy, malefic energy is necessary to promote change and growth.  Venus and Mars are excellent examples here. 

     Benefic Venus is receptive energy, and malefic Mars is projective energy.  Venus is thereby a lazy planet, preferring ease and comfort.  In contrast, energetic Mars forces change through its significations of discord and violence.  Both are necessary, of course, and they ultimately compliment each other.  Also, Venus is flowers and Mars is agriculturalists.  Without Mars, clearing land, digging out weeds, killing pests and planting, there wouldn't be any Venusian flowers to later blossom.

     The April 2 Celestial Wheel discussed in detail malefic planetary energies -- unusual in degree, occurrence and duration, which have changed the world since late last July.  First came the 6 /12 month Mars/Saturn struggle from July 21, 2005 to February 5, 2006.  Next the closely followed 2 month Rahu/Saturn/Ketu struggle during this March and April.  Is this easy and enjoyable in any way?  No,  Is the ongoing stress difficult and wearing?  Yes. 

     However, have these malefic energies been barraging the neoconservative Bush administration with great effect?  Yes.  Does this pave the way for a possible early ending of this abusive Second Gilded Age late in 2006 with the midterm elections -- rather than continue the suffering and unfairness until its end in late 2008?  Yes.  Will the effort to unseat the neoconservative be worth the later flowering of true democracy?  Yes.  Do we have a choice?  Yes.  Free will can always tip the balance.  Finally, do we have a responsibility to lend our voices and votes to protest?  Yes.

Saturn's Station

     Yesterday, Saturn ended its 4 1/2 month retrograde.  That process requires first slowing down, then stopping for a few days, until April 9.  This motionless is called Stationary Direct, or a Station, and it temporarily boosts Saturn's restrictive power -- like a police car spotlight stopping to focus its glare upon a criminal.

     With Rahu afflicting Saturn, and in turn, Saturn afflicting Ketu, Saturn's Station thereby brings a potent temporary clash of malefic energy.  Basically, Saturn says, Stop.  (Recall, too, that a major consequence of this combination is government incompetence.)

Waking Up Is Hard To Do

     Yesterday morning, I prepped a chart for a client Update at 11 AM, but unable to focus, I saw nothing.  It was only the looming deadline that pushed me to unveil the planetary symbolism.  The problem?  I wasn't awake.  Motionless Saturn impeded mental acuity, and as Mars forced action, I my mind both blanked and overloaded.

     I use this personal example as illustrative, for you subscribers are also similarly affected.  It's best, then, to not expect too much of yourself, or others, these next few days -- until Monday, when Saturn begins un-stick itself and Mars settles down.

     As my spiritual teacher in Florida once encouraged me, "Do as much as as you can today.  Then tomorrow, do some more!"  Well, I got through the client Chart Update and then fell dead asleep for 3 hours.  We should all pace ourselves through the weekend.  Now, if only Vishnu the cat would stop whining and insisting on going outside 20 times each day.

Saturn And Mars Impacts On Selected Charts

     Front page articles in today's Washington Post reveal how these Saturn and Mars energies actualize.  These are referenced in the below charts for the United States, G.W. Bush and Iraq.  (Note: overlay the above transit chart on these birth charts to see where transit Saturn and Mars influence.)

     With this chart's underlying planetary cycle being counter-culture Moon/Ketu, expect continuing legislative and executive branch failures to further fire up public rejection of government officials -- in both political parties and within their advocacy groups.  Also, the hot-button illegal immigration issue will not be resolved by Congress, nor acted upon effectively by Bush.  This issue will thereby become a major contention in the upcoming November 6 midterm elections.

     There is, however, a stimulus for new leadership.  This results because transit Jupiter (wisdom, ethics and law) is transiting the eleventh house of goals.  From there, Jupiter casts a very favorable aspect upon the seventh house of relationship, where both birth chart and transit Mars are currently placed.  The combination of Mars' desire and Jupiter's wisdom stimulates leadership.

April 2, 2006

April Fools

     While there has been, and will be, plenty of April Fools in Washington DC, I couldn't resist a small early April Fools joke in the March 19 Celestial Wheel's listing of onerous issues:

Dick Cheney is taking a remedial shooting class

    No one commented on this -- either because it wasn't funny or the many planetary dissonances, aggravated by Mercury retrograde communications confusion, had distracted everyone?

Are The Planets Settling Down Now?
     Yes, there is some relief from the many planetary ills during March.  Mercury ended its retrograde March 26, and the blocking effects of the March 14 lunar eclipse and March 29 solar eclipse have largely dissipated. 

     Yet, as described in the March 5 and 11 Celestial Wheel Commentaries, other seriously impactive planetary afflictions persist.  First, Saturn aspects Ketu -- intense focus followed by collapse and specifically government incompetence.  Second, Mercury continues to be weak through early May -- disrupting communications and business.   Third, Jupiter and Saturn, the big planets are retrograde -- removing their stabilizing steering influences upon the entire zodiac.  

    {Note:  Saturn is retrograde from November 22, 2005 to April 6, 2006.  Jupiter is retrograde March 5, 2006 to July 6.)

     Thankfully, Saturn' retrograde is almost over, but this is a double-edged sword. 

    The remainder of this Celestial Wheel discusses Saturn, which symbolism for humility, honesty, integrity, responsibility and the welfare of the masses cannot be denied -- and if anyone attempts to do so, slow Saturn shall eventually exert its wrath upon transgressors.  In a very real sense, Saturn is the planet of karma for its requirement that the karmic scales be fairly balanced -- and Saturn is now a primary player in the Celestial Wheel of karma.  In this regard, I recall a Vedic lecturer who claimed that understanding just one planet fully can better unlock the mysteries of karma far better than dabbling in the symbolism of all nine planets.

Saturn In Cancer

     Saturn is the planet of loss and separation, which meanings are integral with its significations of duty, order and responsibility.  Although retrogrades shift Saturn in and out of Cancer, its main transit there began May 25, 2005 and ends July 15, 2007.  Saturn doesn't do well in this enemy sign, ruled by the Moon.  Specifically, in the World Transit chart, Cancer is the fourth house of the home and religious devotion. In the United States chart, Cancer is the eighth house of scandals, secrets and catastrophes.  We've certainly seen Saturn's destructiveness manifest in these areas since mid 2005.

(Note: Provocatively, the eighth is also mystical religion, and because Saturn is the planet of death, man evangelicals believe this is when Armageddon occurs.)

The Saturn/Mars Struggle

     Afflictions to Saturn naturally increase and stimulate its harms.  Long time subscribers recall that from July 21, 2005 until February 5, 2006, Mars badly aspected Saturn, and to make things even worse, Saturn aspected Mars.  The May 5 Celestial Wheel Commentary and the June 5, 2005 In-depth Celestial Wheel, #63 Mars' Summer And Fall Of Discontent, first analyzed this historically unusual and potently destructive mutual aspect of Mars and Saturn,

Here, for a final time, is a graphic of the July to February Saturn/Mars mutual aspect.          Although many do not need reminders, here are some highlights of that destructive interval:      The United States experienced the worst natural disaster ever in hurricanes Katrina and Rita.        The October 8, Pakistan earthquake, killed over 83,000. See the NPR article, The South Asia Earthquake.      Iraq instability moved toward civil war, and in Sudan, genocide escalated.       Oil prices spiked upward and continue at inflated prices.

     Also, as stated in the September 12 Celestial Wheel Commentary, ...For Bush, Mars/Saturn attack his tenth house of career and first house of recognition/fame, we could see a federal government crisis this fall.  Last, for Dick Cheney, this destructive combination hit his ninth house of luck, his twelfth house of loss and his Sun (health and career).  Cheney's amazingly low 18% approval rating reflects those harms.  Taking these issues together, global stresses have increased, and the neoconservative agenda began to unravel.

     Yet, as impactive as the Saturn/Mars struggle has been, it is but a prelude, an introductory act to an unfolding drama.

Saturn Aspecting Ketu

     The January 12 In-depth Celestial Wheel, World Transits for 2006 In-depth Forecast described the challenges caused by Saturn aspecting Ketu -- intense focus followed by collapse and specifically government incompetence. 

    That analysis stipulated the close proximity (1 degree) of this aspect, which brings their catalyzing transit impacts, during the entire month of March, (when) retrograde Saturn will be backing toward an exact aspect to Ketu. 

    Specific global harms/conflicts are to the aforementioned government incompetence, as well as:

     oil

     religion (Muslim violence over Danish cartoons)

     debts

     warfare

     enmity

     bird flu. 

    Specific harms to the United States, similarly include government incompetence and:

    industrial production

    income

    popular rebellion (counter-culture)

    loss of property.  (The continuing New Orleans disaster or a new occurrence of property destruction)

    Chronic illness

While Saturn/Ketu influences have certainly actualized, Saturn aspecting Ketu is truly only part of the dissonance, for Rahu also aspects Saturn.      The World Transit Chart for today (right) displays these double transit aspects -- Rahu to Saturn and Saturn to Ketu.      Without getting into too much obscure Vedic detail, head-of-the-dragon Rahu amplifies Saturn's restrictions and stimulates pushing ahead hard and victimizing, or being victimized.   In turn, Saturn's aspect to mystical tail-of-the-dragon Ketu is similarly exaggerated.      Rahu/Saturn/Ketu is difficult to describe, but the word hard comes to mind.

     Not only does the world, and the United States, suffer from these influences -- everyone is beset in one way or another with desires to overcome challenge and succeed only to find achievement abruptly thwarted.  Saturn teaches patience, whether we like it or not, and sometimes especially when we don't like it.

     Eerily similar to the Mars/Saturn struggle, which hasn't occured since before 1800, this clash of malefic planets is also unique in modern history.  We should keep this singularity in mind as we are powerfully driven to advance but often frustrated in the path we choose.

      Transits impact most potently (bringing events) when the planets are 1 degree apart.  In the beginning of March, Saturn was 1 degree away from Rahu's aspect, and because Rahu and Ketu are always opposite each other, Saturn's aspect to Ketu was similarly 1 degree away from exact.  Note how close these are now in the above chart graphic, just 4 minutes apart at 10 degrees 22 minutes and 10 degrees 24 minutes.

     It was stated above that Saturn ends its retrograde April 6.  As Saturn is the planetary tortoise, and ending retrograde is a process of slowing down, stopping and reversing course, Saturn continues to hoover at 10 degrees Cancer for some time -- until the end of April. 

     Here's where it gets really interesting.  Rahu and Ketu, which normally move backwards, occasionally reverse direction for short periods, which similarly results in their staying within a small degree area.  That hovering quality occurs this spring and also finished at the end of April.  At that time, Saturn will be at 10 degrees, 58 minutes and Rahu/Ketu at 10 degrees, 2 minutes.

     Transit effects increase with their duration, which is why the above described over 6 months Saturn/Mars struggle was so destructive.  Similarly, the Rahu/Saturn/Ketu transit affliction, lasting 2 months, from March through April, will be more severe for its longevity. 

     In summary, the above explanation is the long way of saying that April brings a continuation of the aggravations we've experienced in March.  However, as difficult as the world, and your individual situation may be, know that Saturn's restrictions can bring either elevation of consciousness or loss of self, and you have a choice -- even as Saturn requires you to choose.