Yesterday may prove to be quite a significant day in the Middle East. Confident because of the gains they had made and at the start of the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, Ramadan, the leaders of ISIS (the Islamic state of Iraq and Syria) declared the formation of a caliphate, effectively a pan Islamic state covering the area that ISIS has captured. I mentioned this very possibility on my Facebook page because of the movement of Jupiter onto the star of Pollux a few weeks ago. Pollux is a dark influence and it suggested to me the rise of a new damaging ideology. Now Jupiter has progressed onto the star Procyon, a star of taking the initiative and of taking the opportunities while they are there, and indicating the change or progression of one state to another. This duly has happened as the planet of faith linked up with this star. The connections of the outer planets to the stars always tell the story and they have again this time. Jupiter in visual Astrology is known as “the pretender to the throne” and now we have a new one in the form of ISIS, and in particular it’s leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. It is interesting to look at the timing of this announcement a bit more closely so that we can track the progress of this dangerous development in this most volatile of world regions.
The chart I have here is from Astrologer Gary Lorentzen who cast one for an announcement by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the rebels. He declared in Aleppo, Syria, that from that moment on he considered the Islamic State of Iraq co-existent with the Syrian Al Qaeda branch, effectively changing the ISI (Islamic Sate of Iraq) to the ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria).
This is a nasty looking chart with an explosive stellium in Aries, the sign ruled by planet of war Mars also sitting on the Midheaven. We have the Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars and Uranus all in this 10th house, so this was a very public statement of intent and one that promised direct and independent action, self determination and a no nonsense go ahead attitude. Again you can the influence of Saturn retrograde inconjunct to Uranus direct, thus with Uranus having the upper hand this is an amalgamation that would break the mold of old structures and administrations. Certainly their use of the internet and technology to grow and administrate their movements and recruitment highlights this inconjunct aspect as well as Uranus being conjunct to Venus and Mars. Venus and Mars together in Aries in conjunction is not slow in coming forward and always looks for the next target and the speed that ISIS has swept through parts of Iraq bares up this conjunction.
There is an intense, underground and brutal side to ISIS with Pluto square to the Midheaven, the Moon the planet of emotions as well as the chart ruler and Uranus, the planet of revolution and their actions so far very much reflect this square. This is a vicious, unpredictable square laced with emotion and this goes to the very heart of this chart and to ISIS as an ideology and group, with the potential for unspeakable acts in protecting ISIS’s security. There is also a link to the past here, a revolutionary pact based on old or historical values. Saturn in Scorpio trine to Neptune in Pisces suggests spiritual administration in a very matter of fact and strict manner with no compromise and Saturn sextile to Pluto indicates a lot of determination is active here. Remember, these two planets are in mutual reception and thus are working well with each other and are thus much more powerful because of it. ISIS will have to potential to overcome huge odds and will carry on regardless in the most inhospitable of circumstances until it’s aims are achieved. If you cut the head off this snake, another one will no doubt appear.
Jupiter in Gemini in the 11th house of groups and associations indicates cooperation and the bringing together of disparate ideas and groups under one banner or collective. This position also indicated the spreading of a message far and wide and in stating that all Muslims should obey the new “Caliph” in Al-Baghdadi, ISIS is trying to unite the Muslim world against all others. More than any other religion I think, Islam tends to cross state or national borders and those who believe in this religion tend to see themselves as Muslim first before their nationality and this is what Al Baghdadi is trying to take advantage of, the brotherhood tendency of the believers of Islam. The thing is that Islam is broken up into different sects that these days deeply resent each other, from Sunni to Shi’ite and Kurd and this attempt to unite everyone under one banner is unlikely to succeed easily. Nevertheless, the carrot of a pan Islamic region similar to the old Ottoman empire may hold some support. That empire disintegrated in the late 19th century and was carved up by the old Sykes Picot Agreement of 1916 which carved up the Muslim world and imposed the national borders that ISIS are now trying to remove.
The most powerful planet here on this chart though is Mercury, as it sits in the 9th house of philosophy, teaching and religion unaspected in Pisces. This is a Mercury very much tied into this chart as it makes a strong trine to the Cancerian Ascendant. Mercury unaspected in Pisces in the 9th will want to send an overriding spiritual message that has no limits or no boundaries, edicts and ideas that spread unhindered. This is a sending a message that anything is possible and that the idea and idealist vision set out at this moment should dominate over the material world that most of us live in. Is this the position of a pipe dream or a philosophy that wants to educate and to become law? After all the 9th house is a legal house, one of knowledge and faith.
The chart of the caliphate comes courtesy of Astrologer Peter Novak who set a chart in Mosel, Iraq for 19.54 hours approximately the time when Al-Baghdadi made this striking announcement. Peter says the timing is not certain, but to my eyes it seems pretty close to being correct. It sees the a Libran Midheaven flanked on either side by the North Node and military Mars, which is ruling the 4th house of the land and territory. This Midheaven and Mars conjunction is opposed by Uranus and squared by Pluto in the 1st house, a very dangerous and controlling picture that is even more power and control addicted due to the fact that Pluto opposes the Cancerian Sun.
Jupiter the planet of expansion squares the Midheaven and Saturn the planet of administration and harshness sits in the 10th house , so the ambition here is to spread out the Islamic State’s influence as far as one can and to rule through fear and the rule of strict laws and faith based edicts. Again we have the same Saturn retrograde Uranus direct inconjunct aspect on this chart mirroring the original ISIS chart breaking down structure and pushing forward a revolutionary idea.
If you look at the North Node, the point of destiny on the original ISIS chart, it sits at 16.59 degrees Scorpio and Saturn yesterday was at 17.00 degrees Scorpio, exactly conjunct to the North Node signifying a maturing of the ISIS group. Mars very aggressively and actively opposes Mars and transiting Mercury squares Mercury, signifying an announcement. The transiting Sun on this auspicious day of the first day of Ramadan was opposing the natal Pluto, trine to administrative Saturn and square to the Midheaven, revolutionary Uranus and the chart ruling Moon. A powerful moment to launch this idea to the world, yet the Sun and Mercury are hidden away in safety the 12th house. This declaration was made by video, thus not directly seen in public and that may be a result of Neptune, the planet of film and spirituality being trine to the ISIS natal Saturn.
I have long thought that the Saturn in Sagittarius transit that starts at the end of this year would be one where the issue of faith rule would come into it’s own and I am even more convinced that this will be a matter that the world will have to grapple with. How successful this prospective “Islamic State” will be is a matter of conjecture, however the ambitions being posted on the internet of an Islamic region covering the whole of the Middle East, Southern and South East Europe, Northern Africa and East towards India will surely lift the heads of most world leaders out of the shifting sands that they are currently stuck in…