Sometimes on Solaris Astrology I change tack and have a look at the Visual Astrology picture rather than the horoscope wheel as both techniques are just as valid at predicting what may occur in the months ahead. As we get towards late Summer a very interesting picture starts to form in the skies above us and it may just predict a time when we see some a crisis with the leaders of the world having enough and deciding to act.
I move us forward a couple of months and above is the sky picture for 24th August. You will see the Sun in the stars of Leo close to the royal Persian star Regulus, Saturn sitting with Mars in the stars of the constellation of Libra and Venus sitting close to Jupiter in the constellation of Cancer the crab.
For an ancient Astrologer this would be quite an ominous picture. First up, lets’ look at the position of the Sun. The fixed star Regulus is traditionally known as the “Watcher of the North” and it represents honor and success however this only be achieved if revengeful actions against anyone who does wrong are avoided. If you cannot keep your cool and remain above taking retribution, then all gains accrued will be lost at a later date. This is a link to honor and success when connected to the Sun and it has tended to favour military action in the past. Now I know that this conjunction happens at around the same time each year however the conditions of the other planets in the sky actually make this outcome a real possibility in the Summer of 2014. So what is the reason for all this?
Let’s take a closer look at the state of the other planets. This is a view of Venus and Jupiter over London on the 21st August, just three days before. You will see Venus and Jupiter rising in the morning just before the Sun does, here the Sun is hitting the horizon. Jupiter in visual and ancient Astrology is always known as the “Young Prince” or the “Pretender to the Throne”. There is always someone who is looking to take the top job in life and often they wait their turn until the boss retires or moves on, but sometimes they feel as if they have the power behind them and they move to take hold of the reigns without being asked. This is a powerful Jupiter as it is in a Sulpha’e phase. In ancient Astrology Jupiter as it closed in on a conjunction with the Sun would disappear from the night’s sky for a few weeks and this July, Jupiter does just that as these two bodies meet in a conjunction – Jupiter will be blotted out from view by the closeness of the light of the Sun. Into mid August and Jupiter reappears again in the east in the morning skies and in ancient times this was a time of celebration as the planet of plenty returned. Now Jupiter this time rises alongside Venus, shining her approval on the “Young Prince”.
Venus is the only female influence in the ancient Astrology and her light gives preferment to any other planet that neared her. You may think that Venus is a gentle influence but when seen rising or setting she took on very different personas. When setting she was seen in a mild and peaceful mood known as Venus Hesperus, however when rising in the morning she was much more aggressive and took the name Venus Lucifer. now then, Lucifer is also regarded as the devil and thus the clue to Venus’ mood is clear to see. This is a much more active and difficult Venus and as you will know “Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned”. So we have Jupiter strong as it is rising before the Sun and it is also preferred and given yet more strength and vitality by Venus in a feisty mood. This Young Prince is ready for a battle and will be a real threat to the King or those in charge.
This conjunction takes place in the stars of Cancer, the constellation known by the Egyptians as the cradle of the skies, a place of life and death where the dead passed away and new life was born and entered our earthly realm. In particular at this time Jupiter will be conjunct a faint nebula called Praesepe, the manger or the beehive. This is a symbolic place in the sky and it is joined by the two Asses, Asellus Borealis (the northern Ass) and Asellus Australis (the southern Ass) - yes this is a picture of the nativity. Think for a minute of the picture here, a young Prince being strongly favoured while placed exactly on this star. Is this the time of someone born who will be a leader in the future? More to the point for the moment in time that we are looking at, is this picture explaining where in the world a potential conflict may arise and a leader or group may take center stage, in the Holy Lands perhaps?
If you look at the natal chart of Israel, this Mars Saturn conjunction lands close to the Israeli South Node at 14 degrees Scorpio (this connection is made exactly on 20th August) and more pressingly it will square the Israeli 10th house Saturn Pluto conjunction with Saturn sitting at 16 degrees Leo. This is a difficult double square and indicates potential loss, brutality and maybe huge restrictions or a power struggle or battle. Mars on this chart of course rules the 7th house of open enemies and neighbouring nations and Saturn rules the 4th house of the opposition to the leadership and also the Israeli homeland. This conjunction to me looks like one where tensions will be raised far above normal status and I fear the Israeli administration taking decisive action. Whenever Israel acts, the rest of the world stands up and watches and fears the outcome.
The transiting Israeli chart ruler (Venus) joins the party at this time also being square to transiting Saturn and Mars and remember that Venus is in it’s Lucifer stage rising with Jupiter. Looking at the outer planets, Uranus will be trine to Saturn and Pluto, Neptune inconjunct to the Israeli Moon and Pluto inconjunct to Pluto and Mercury and square to Neptune. Uranus in this trine indicates a sharp shock to the power that be, Neptune inconjunct to the Moon shows suffering of the people and potential sacrifices and the Pluto inconjunct to Pluto and Mercury suggests to me vehicle bombs or other forms of mass destruction are a possibility. Just to prove this point, Mercury here on this Israeli chart rules the 9th house of faith and the 12th of sacrifice and the planet of transportation and messages given connects in a mini grand trine to Pluto and Neptune showing the hidden and secretive nature of the elusive suicide bomber that targets Israeli public transport so often. Might we see a rash of these occurring again?
Israel will also have the transiting North Node conjunct to it’s ascendant at this moment too, an important and critical time and one where transitional changes often occur. Israel will be noticed more by others in the world and be in the news. As a pointer to what may happen this time, the Prime minister of Israel was assassinated the last time the North Node connected with the Israeli Ascendant in Nov/Dec 1995. Previous to this there was another turning point in the country’s history as in May 1977 as the North Node connected to the Ascendant, the right leaning Likud party ruled by Menachen Begin won a historic victory breaking 30 years of consecutive left wing rule. Certainly a major shift in the history of Israel is likely to happen. So what may this be? Let’s return back to the visual Astrology.
The older king or the established administration represented by Saturn is sitting in the stars of Libra and as luck would have it in mid to late August it is joined by military Mars as you can see from both the wheels and the visual picture. The position of these two planets is important as they find themselves in the Symplegades, a part of the sky that often sees vital and often quick decisions being made. The Symplegades are a gateway that most of the planets have to pass through, illustrated via the story of Jason and the Argonauts who had to sail his ship the Argo safely through the clashing rocks in his quest for the golden fleece. The stars of Libra provide that gateway with the star Zuben Eschamali at the Northern Gateway and the star Brachium representing the southern one. This can be a very disturbed part of the sky indeed the last time Mars came passing through here there was the Benghazi attack on the American embassy for the world to deal with. Mars connecting with Zuben Eschamali is an influence that encourages you to go for personal power and for success and it may highlight an ambitious individual who wants to get to the top or make their voice heard. I feel that these connections may be a trigger point for other wider conflicts or crises to happen.
Saturn has been retrograde in this region of the sky for a couple of months and he stays in reverse until mid July, just before Mars comes along to join him, almost as if he is considering his options over the problems he is facing and what justice to hand out. Yes we have a rising young pretender (Jupiter) who seems strong and who is getting the support of Venus, so how to stop him? Mars brings the answer in the form of military force or violent action. I have the feeling that with Mars working with Saturn at this time, their joint forces will bring forth a snap decision to act and somewhere in the world a conflict will fire up or be intensified by governmental decree. It may well be in the Middle East through the clues given by the planets and their positioning or it could be in Ukraine or another hotspot that is bubbling at the time. Might this sky picture indicate a country deciding to make surgical strikes to protect it’s position?