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

May 30, 2006

Mars Bears His Teeth -- Early

     Planet-of-war Mars transited into Cancer last Wednesday, May 24, to join Saturn in a a seven week battle (ending July 12) with this planet of misfortune.

     Transit Mars typically acts very quickly, bringing destruction as it approaches two degrees in a sign/house.  On Saturday, May 27, Mars was at located at 1 degree 20 minutes in Indonesia when the earthquake there struck.  Saturday is Saturn's day of the week, giving additional impetus to this calamity.  Little noticed were news reports of more earthquakes the following day, when Mars had reached two degrees, Two Other Quakes Shake Pacific Rim.

     Yet, Mars/Saturn struggles began even earlier.  In the U.S. chart, Cancer is eighth house of turmoil and catastrophe.  Just one day after Mars moved into Cancer, Washington, DC was rocked by triple controversies: the Senate immigration bill, the Justice Department raiding a Congressman's office and Iraq Haditha massacre of civilians by U.S. Marines. 

     These events are disconcerting because they occurred so very early in nearly two month the Mars/Saturn struggle. 

See The Western Sky After Dusk Tonight

    The May 10 Celestial Wheel Commentary, below, included an image from McDonald Observatory Sky Tips showing the Moon passing through Cancer and by Mars and Saturn tonight.  This observable planetary astronomy is also a warning, for it signals further disruption and violence.  If you miss the display this evening, tomorrow will also be beautiful for the Moon having just passed Mars and Saturn.

Planetary Karmas For The First Half of 2006 -- Part I -- World Transit Chart

     This January 12, 2006 In-depth Forecast followed Mars through the signs/houses to forecast trends and events.  The final section, May 25 To July 12, concluded with,

     Please do try to keep in mind the May 26 Celestial Wheel, discussing fuller meanings of benefic and malefic planetary symbols -- and how these are both needed to promote personal growth and elevation of consciousness.  For example, Saturn's deity, Shiva, is the god of destruction and creation -- clearing away that which is no longer necessary to make room for the new.  Shiva's action can be compared to a forest, which needs periodic fires to get rid of overgrowth and dead logs.  Otherwise, these accumulate to eventually result in a catastrophic firestorm.

A Curious Dichotomy

The World Transit Chart for today shows the Mars/Saturn conjunction in Cancer.  The red lines display aspects (glances).  Rahu aspects Mars/Saturn, intensifying their destructive struggle.  Saturn aspects Ketu in the sixth house of enemies and disease, stimulating both qualities.  Because Ketu is gas and oil, they are a natural focus.      However, despite these difficulties, people aren't hesitating to travel this summer.  How come?  Venus (enjoyments) and Jupiter (expansion and travel) are currently opposite each other, fueling this indulgent behavior.  Travel over Memorial Day weekend was strong, and summer vacation travel predictions also mirror this seemingly irrational behavior.

     Yet, reality is already creeping in, as explained in the today New York Times article, Holiday Travelers Hit the Road, but Scrimped a bit.  It's a signal that economic pressures on middle America cannot be resisted much longer, suggesting the predicted economic recession is close at hand.

May 26, 2006

Benefic And Malefic Conceptual Simplicity

    Celestial Wheel Commentaries and In-depth forecasts often appear to solely address negatives, failing to also offer positive and uplifting descriptions of emerging planetary karmas.  Subscriber V.F. in Arizona alerted me to this in commenting wryly that the May 24 Celestial Wheel (below) was unusually gloomy.

     There are at least three causes for this seeming imbalance.

    Perceiving challenge is as natural to Vedic Astrology's interpretations of upcoming fate as stormy forecasts are to weatherman, and destructive events are to reporters.  The public wants and needs to know about these dangers simply because being  forewarned is forearmed.  The below essay is excerpted from an early Celestial Wheel Commentary, on July 7, 2004 applies a weather analogy to explain,

     Domestic and international conditions are challenging, as stated in the February 22 Celestial Wheel,

     The Indians' use of benefic and malefic planetary symbols for Westerners is at least confusing, and more likely completely misunderstood by most.  Our cultural background and orientation tells us that benefic planets (the Moon, Venus, Jupiter and Mercury) are good and therefore must be good for us -- and that malefic planets (Mars, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu) are bad, which must make them bad for us.

     The West, for all its accomplishments, suffers from this overly simplified black and white view, engendered most powerfully from religious beliefs and reliance on science.  After all, much of Christianity believes we either go to heaven or hell depending upon our actions, and scientists contend a proven theory disproves all other competing theories.  This occurs despite the evolution of religious philosophy and the ongoing scientific process of displacing accepted theories with experiments proving new ones.  The Indian mind is much more subtle and inclusive.

     From an Indian view, we need both benefic and malefic energies, and just as importantly, these must be in balance in order to the person to succeed.  Venus is love, sensitivity, beauty, compassion and creativity, but Venus is also lazy, self-indulgent and frivolous.  Mars is anger, discord, warfare and disease, but Mars is also desire, drive, courage, energy and logic.  Singularly, neither of these planets advances our lives, but together, they stimulate personal achievement. 

     A similarly dichotomy exists between Saturn (contraction) and Jupiter (expansion). The great benefic Jupiter is wisdom, optimism, wealth and expansion, but its negative side is over-indulgence, lack of drive and selfishness and feelings of superiority.  Saturn is death, poverty, separation and loss, but the great malefic also humility, power, selflessness, organization and structure.    Brought together in a chart, these two great planets stimulate contributions to humanity in signifying leaders of all kinds.  

     Note the difference in results between Venus/Mars and Jupiter/Saturn -- the former influencing favorably for the individual, and the latter improving the human condition.  This demonstrates a further subtlety engrained in Eastern consciousness, the perception of shades of gray and colors - compared Western mind's naive good and bad.

A Personal Example

     A personal example also motivated this Celestial Wheel.  Since March 18, my planetary cycles have been Mercury/Venus/Moon.  This sounds very nice -- pleasurable, fortunate and peaceful.  The problem with this combination is that it lacks drive, ambition and energy.  Little is accomplished, opportunities are missed and problems aren't resolved.  On June 12, the Moon yields to Mars, changing the field of planetary players to Mercury/Venus/Mars.  Then, I'll get up in the morning with drive and focus, filling my days with energetic actions to and falling asleep early, tired with the satisfaction of accomplishment.  Of course, Mars will also stimulate challenges, but even those will be beneficial, for they will force me to face and deal with personal failings and weaknesses remaining in this incarnation.

Summary

     Please keep these concepts in mind as you read through future Celestial Wheels -- this forecasting is intended to both enable your understanding of future national and global trends and also to empower your self knowledge and personal growth.  Know too, that these global and personal karmas are

inextricably linked: there are no heroes without war and natural disasters, there are no advocates for fairness and equality without leaders who misuse power, there are no medical advances extending life spans without illness..

    There's an added benefit to subscribers of these challenging times.  If your own personal situation isn't urgent enough for you to make the changes necessary to overcome and resolve challenge, then the pressing weight of malefic energies from current difficult national and global conditions can add the necessary motivation for successful action.  This is an added reason to understand that both benefic and malefic planets must be both necessary and good -- even as it's still aggravating that the neoconservatives have brought only loss, and incipient ruin.  Yet, if we could think like Indians, we would thank them for the opportunity to again rebalance the scales of fairness and humanity.

     In closing, Vedic Astrology is about fate, but in unveiling fate, free will is empowered.  You don't have to be a victim of personal and external fated circumstances and events.  With some Vedic light illuminating unseen karmas, you can dodge some bad malefic/benefic influences and turn others to your advantage.

May 24, 2006

Pandemic Risks

     Given that from May 7 to 23, the planets were generally auspicious for most in their personal lives, national concerns about gas prices, Iraq, the economy, real estate, illegal immigration and the downfall of G.W. Bush have been a contretemps of discontent.  It's only natural, then, that the Bird Flu would take a backseat, or even be shunted aside to avoid blocking even more May's sunshine.  A further reason for ignoring pandemic warnings is that there's little the public can do to shield themselves.  Yet, the risk of a pandemic is only a few months away, giving urgency to paying attention now.

     Pandemic is not just about the Bird Flu, as the May 16 In-depth Celestial Wheel, #66 The Risk Of A Bird Flu Pandemic, ended with the caveat,

     Today, subscriber K.Z. in Illinois sent a BBC article posted today, Alarm at human bird flu cluster, indicating the virus is beginning to spread from human to human in Indonesia.  Here are two more articles on the same topic in today's news: Washington Post, Bird Flu Alert Level for Indonesia May Increase and   Breitbart.com, Human-to-human transmission of bird flu may have occurred in Indonesia: WHO.

     On another Bird Flu front, a News24.com article, 1000s quarantined in Bucharest, stated, Bucharest - About 13 000 people were quarantined in the Romanian capital on Monday as troops and police sealed off streets in response to the city's second bird-flu outbreak, said officials.

     Regarding other infectious diseases, KTVU.com reports in, Doctors Make Progress With Mysterious Disease, that the Morgellons disease outbreak has spread to California's Bay Area, Florida and the Gulf Coast.   News@nature.com, Island-hopping virus' ferocity exposed, states,

     And finally, another article from Breitbart.com, Syphilis makes comeback in New Zealand.

     So, if you put off reading The Risk Of A Bird Flu Pandemic, take a few minutes to do so.  It's straightforward and clear.

Watch Mars

     The pandemic forecast focused on Mars as an indicator of infectious disease, and also as the activator for any upcoming pandemic.  As stated in the section, When A Pandemic Would Occur,

. 

Mars/Saturn Impacts On Key Charts

     Mars conjoining Saturn affects charts of leaders as well.  Here are some highlights: 

     For the United States, Cancer is the eighth house of catastrophe, making this country a focus for destruction brought by Mars and Saturn conjoining.

     For G.W. Bush, Cancer is the first house of the self, indicating further damage to his reputation and perhaps physical harm.  Also, with Bush now (Since May 15) in his difficult 16 year Mercury planetary cycle, his communications bring loss.

     For Dick Cheney, Cancer is his twelfth house of hospitalization.  Perhaps the long predicted illness will actually now.

     Finally, for Donald Rumsfeld, Cancer, like in the U.S. chart, is the eighth house of catastrophe.

May 10, 2006

Apologies For The Confusion

     When I copied the April Celestial Wheel page to make a page for May, I inadvertently failed to delete some information from the April 30 Celestial Wheel.  This confused even me when I reviewed the May page today.  The error has been corrected, and if you wish to review again the May 7 entry, it will be much more clear and sensible.

May's Friendly Skies -- At Night Too

     The auspiciousness of May's fair planetary weather (until the 23rd) is both actualizing in peoples' personal experiences and can be vividly seen in tonight's sky.

Here's a graphic from NASA showing a nearly full Moon moving toward conjunction with bountiful Jupiter in the eastern sky tonight.  The sign is Libra.  Tomorrow is actually even more dramatic, as the luminous Moon closes in on a bright white Jupiter.      This combination of lunar benefits in life and Jupiter's expansion signifies overcoming obstacles, optimism, enjoyments and music.  With Venus exalted, it accentuates enjoyments and pleasures.  Romance is particularly favored.      Not everyone is picking daisies of course. Yet, it's a good time to enjoy the world's spring blossoming.

As a astronomical and astrological contretemps McDonald Observatory Sky Tips reminds that malefic Mars is approaching Saturn in the western sky.      This graphic shows their dispositions May 30, again after sunset, in the Western sky, when the waxing crescent Moon will first approach red Mars and then be sandwiched between Mars and yellow Saturn in Cancer.      Mars will transit into Cancer May 24, ending the month's comparative joy and tranquility -- but Mars won't gain strength until May 28 just before the Moon passes by it.  Actually, you can see Mars approaching Saturn now.       So, looking east, the bountiful Moon/Jupiter combination shines, and looking west, summer struggles are signified.

What's Up With Tom Cruise?

Tired of and bored with Cruises antics, I've resisted publishing anything about his chart  -- but since he continues to be visible, here are just a few comments.      Cruise has been running his great twenty year Venus cycle since 1995.  As his Ascendant (body) ruler Venus, ruling also the eighth house of sex is placed in the tenth house of career, he's a natural actor.  Rahu's influence upon Venus stimulate for tremendous charisma, and the Moon guarantees success with the public.      Cruise's minor cycle is Jupiter (11/18/05 to 7/19/08).  This is an interesting Jupiter, for being placed in the fifth house of kingship, it makes him quite regal and very wealthy.

     But Jupiter also stimulates for Cruises to believe he's superior to, and should rule over, others.  Jupiter is also children, and the fifth house is children,  Running its cycle, it's natural Cruise would become a father now.

     So why has he acted so strangely, and why is Cruise's popularity falling?  This is a classic case of Sadi Sati, the seven and one half year period when restrictive transit Saturn crosses the Moon.  Saturn is not only blanketing his public persona, but it is also transforming him by taking away that which is no longer necessary to make room for the new.  However, with his dominating and domineering Jupiterian ego blazing, Cruise will continue to resist decline and unceasingly promote himself.  In June, when transit Mars joins Saturn in Cancer, his tenth house of career, Cruise's behavior will become even more outlandish.  This will cause a further loss of prestige.  As Venus is the mate, he likely won't marry his Kate.

Bird Flu

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

included the following it the Summary for May 25 to July 12 Bird Flu.  This information was repeated in the April 30 Celestial Wheel.  

     While the Bird Flu is spreading geographically and may become contagious to people soon, that prediction is not for a pandemic -- when infections become widespread.  An In-depth Celestial Wheel on this topic is underway and should be published in a day or two.  Using previous flu pandemics in 1918, 1957 and 1968 as models, it appears any pandemic would begin at the earliest this coming fall.

May 7, 2006

New Celestial Wheel Commentary Page

     A new month brings a new corresponding Commentaries page.  If you need to reference previous Celestial Wheels, everything published since the formal forecasting was initiated in July 2002 can be found on the Forecast Archives page.

Venus/Rahu Tribulations

     The April 30 Celestial Wheel gave caution for the first 7 days of May about harms to Venus: Venus will cross toxic Rahu May 5 and 6, harming Venus's significations, including: happiness, contentment, relationship, females and vehicles.  Venus and Rahu are also addictions and airplanes.  Patrick Kennedy suffered a drug-induced car crash, a U.S. helicopter crashing in Afghanistan killing 10 and a British helicopter was shot down in Iraq, killing 5.  This morning, a client reported an emergency trip to a daughter hospitalized for a drug overdose.

    A caution was also given about G.W. Bush, May 7 is especially harmful to his reputation and close associates, which actualized in Porter Goss abruptly resigning without reason Friday, followed by the revelation yesterday in the New York Daily News ,

     That many of the parties were held at the Watergate Hotel stimulates the question, Don't they ever learn?  Already, bloggers are writing about Hookergate.  It will be interesting to see how this drama hits Bush today through Tuesday -- for there's more scandal to be revealed.  This will add fuel to the pressures which are predicted to cumulate in Bush having a nervous breakdown.  (See the April 10 Celestial Wheel.)

     Tony Blair's loss of confidence and cabinet reshuffle also relate to Venus/Rahu.  Blair has an exalted Venus in his eleventh house of friends and groups, and his underlying planetary cycles include Venus and Rahu.  That the Venus/Rahu transit combination occurs in his eleventh house added karmic weight to Rahu spoiling his incredibly fortunate Venus -- which has so long protected him.

     That the Dow Jones Industrial Average reached a new high Friday also relates to Venus (wealth) in its exalted sign of Pisces intensified by Rahu -- the head-of- the-dragon eclipse point.  As Rahu is also illusion, this market boom won't last.

The Real Estate Bubble

     In case you're one of the last holdouts in believing the real estate market continues to be strong, below is a photo taken today from my driveway showing my three neighbors' real estate signs circled in red.  Sedona was a hot spot last year, with prices increasing 50% during the first half of 2005,  New listings sold in days. The slide down started last August, as previously predicted.  (See the June 5, 2005 In-depth Celestial Wheel, Mars' Summer And Fall Of Discontent.)  Interestingly, a Realtor client in Bradenton, Florida, which had the highest price appreciation in the nation last year, reported that the market simply stopped dead last August.

     At the end of any real estate boom, inventory builds up as properties don't sell and later-comers put theirs on the market.  After some months of houses staying on the market, sellers begin to drop their prices.  Price drops of 15% to 20% are likely in previously hot areas.

     A record high stock market and continued strong national economic growth reports are Rahu illusions -- disguising the reality that middle America is experiencing exacerbated economic stress, which in turn harms real estate.  See, Rising Expenses Have Consumers Feeling Pinched.  That Rahu is transiting the United States chart's fourth house of property (February 22, 2005 to November 13, 2006) makes property a Rahu lesson in greed -- huge gains followed by losses.

Mars Conjunct Saturn In Cancer

     The prediction for June 5 to 15 being dangerous for violent Mars conjoining with Saturn in Cancer, but instead of one major event, there will be several less signal ones from June 6 to 15, is augmented by 6/06/2006 being a 666 date.  The Denver Post May 1 article, "666" sense: Date marked with caution explains, that 666 signifies the Mark of the Beast or the Antichrist to some organizations and believe June 6 is a date that could trigger problems.

Still, May's Sun Will Shine

     Despite all the concerns nationally and internationally, as well as all of us sharing, in one way or another, economic stress and bonafide worry for the future -- today through the 23rd, May's sun will truly shine.  Take advantage of this interlude.