Saturday, May 23, 2009

Conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune - what does it foretell?

The exact conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune occurs this week on May 27th. The influence of this aspect may be noticeable for several weeks, if not months, as Neptune will turn stationary retrograde the very next day, May 28, and Jupiter also goes retrograde June 15. They will then conjunct one another on their second of three passages on July 10. Therefore it will seem as if Jupiter and Neptune are conjunct from now until at least mid-July.

As a rule, this aspect boosts stock markets because Jupiter is the principle of optimism and abundance while Neptune is the planet of hope and faith. We have certainly seen quite a rally in the US stock market since its low in March 2009, however, there is also a negative side to this configuration. If the investment community sees there is a lack of control over spending, or a lack of support if prices start to fall, it can quickly escalate to panic and hysteria. On May 31st, Mercury will also go stationary direct. Combined with Neptune going stationary direct and in conjunction to Neptune, this can represent a period of rumours and misinformation being communicated via the media. The seeds of panic are present, especially given that rating services are about to downgrade Britain’s ability to meet its debt obligations. If faith in the USA presidential leadership is also undermined, there would be cause for equity markets around the world to sell off – instead of rally sharply – under this Jupiter-Neptune conjunction. It should be interesting to see how these astrological themes play out in the next three weeks. Will it be irrational exuberance, or hysteria and panic or maybe a combination of the two? In my view, I think that we will continue to see the volatility in the markets – upswings and downswings from day to day. It will feel like being on a roller-coaster – so for those of you who are not experienced in day-trading, I would advise you to keep your money out of the stock market for the time being.

The front page of Friday’s Wall Street Journal featured a report on the potential downgrade of bonds issued by the United Kingdom, “… sparking global fears about the consequences of massive debts being incurred by the U.S. and other major nations as they try to extricate themselves from the economic crisis.” Could the UK actually default on its debt? Will the USA default on its debt? Is it possible? There is also concern that the Federal Reserve Board cannot account for trillions - not billions – of dollars. Could the Federal Reserve Board go belly up? These are alarming thoughts, but they fit with the nature of the current Saturn Uranus opposition.

Gold will continue to rise in value – of course there will still be volatility – but this is the real safe haven for your money, especially if you are a small investor. It is advisable to have some in your portfolio because the whole world is affected by the economic crisis and gold has no national identity and is therefore the best insurance you can have.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Jupiter Neptune with Mercury Retrograde!

With the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction and Mercury retrograde, we are seeing a period of confusion, illusion, and delusion. It is a time when rumours are running rampant. Just look at what is happening with MP’s expenses in the UK to get an idea of the situation. It is a time when accusations are being hurled about freely, without any regard for the consequences those allegations may have on the reputations of others. It is also a time when denial and lying are in evidence, resulting in great embarrassment. With Mercury retrograde, these behaviours tend to be compounded, for this is a time when words don’t seem to matter too much at all, because everyone denies they said them, or else claims they were misled or misunderstood.

What is really going on and who do you believe? In the US, you may be astonished at Obama’s reversal of his decision to release the photos of torture carried out by US military. This is another domain of Neptune of course. And now the threat of the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) to take the matter to the Supreme Court to force their release, alleging along the way that the Obama administration is not being as transparent and open as he promised during the campaign? Aren’t they supposedly on the same team?

Promises made and then not delivered. Promises made, and then re-explained. You can drown in the sea of misinformation that is flooding consciousness from the political theatre via the media. It is all part of the downside of the otherwise positive Jupiter-Neptune conjunction coming up.

Really, this may be the best time of all to just turn off your television, screen out the press and media reports, and either meditate, relax, or take a holiday. There is little truth to be found out there today, and there is no one you can really believe at this time, except…. inside of yourself. Today’s truth is… inside of you. Everyone in the public eye has another agenda right now and for them, the truth is all about fear mongering and convincing you of someone else’s wrongdoing. That’s not truth.

Focus on the upside of Jupiter-Neptune. Go an enjoy yourself and find the source of happiness that is within you. Only you can create your happiness, whereas man-made or natural catastrophes are outside of your control. That’s the positive message of Jupiter and Neptune especially under the Mercury Retrograde.

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Pandemics - what does Astrology predict?

Certain astrological aspects show clear links between widespread outbreaks of sickness and the planets Saturn, Neptune and Pluto. As the body’s defenses, immunity to disease and invasive organisms such as influenza are involved, we look to Saturn (symbolic of lack, debility or death) and its transiting aspects to Neptune (symbolic of disease, infection) and Pluto (symbolic of invasive organisms, mass death, worldwide events). The aspects we are examining are the "hard"; 45, 90, 135, and 180 degree aspects, and the 120 degree "soft" aspect, and the 0 degree aspect.

Looking back at history it is possible to ascertain the correlations to the aspects of Saturn to Neptune and Pluto described above, with times when there have been epidemics and pandemics.

Russian flu of 1889-1990; accompanied by a triple 90 deg. aspect of Saturn to Neptune, perfect on 19th November 1889, 3rd February 1890, and 26th August 1890, and Saturn 90 deg. aspect to Pluto, perfect on September 4th 1890.

Spanish flu pandemic of 1917-1919; accompanied by Saturn 0 deg. aspect to Neptune, perfect on 1st August 1917, and Saturn 45 deg. aspect to Neptune, perfect on 7th September 1918.

Asian flu epidemic1957-1958 accompanied by a Saturn 45 deg. aspect to Neptune, perfect on 31st December 1957.

Hong Kong flu epidemic 1968-1969; accompanied by triple 135 deg. aspect of Saturn to Neptune, perfect on 19th May 1967, 16th October 1967, and 4th March1968

Swine flu epidemic 1976; fear of pandemic led to massive influenza immunization program. It resulted in 100,000 people developing Guillain-Barre syndrome, a progressive ascending paralytic affliction, and resulted in the deaths of 5% of those afflicted; accompanied by a triple 135 deg. aspect of Saturn to Neptune, and immediately thereafter, by a triple 120 deg. aspect of Saturn to Neptune. The 135 deg aspect was perfect on 28th July 1975, 2nd February 1976, and 15th May 1976.

Looking ahead to the future, there will be a series of Saturn-Pluto, and Saturn Neptune aspects. They will occur as follows:
- Triple 90 deg. aspect of Saturn to Pluto, perfect on 15th November 2009, 31st January 2010, and 21st August 2010.
- Triple 135 deg. aspect of Saturn to Neptune, perfect on 27th October 2010, 24th March 2011, 25th August 2011.
- Triple 120 deg. aspect of Saturn to Neptune, perfect on 11th October 2012, 11th June 2013, and 19th July 2013.

It is to be noted that allowing 10 degree orbs for the 0, 90 and 180 degree aspects, and a 5 deg orb for the 45, and 135 degree aspects, coupled with the slow movement of these three planets, give a prolonged time frame in which these aspects develop, and later dissipate their power - hence, their capacity to affect the world for long periods of time.

Thus, it is to be expected that the logical outcome of the Saturn, Neptune, Pluto mutual aspects for the period 2009 through 2013 is that the potential for epidemics/ pandemics will be a major concern for those charged with protecting public health. The development of appropriate vaccines is of paramount importance. Ignorance, fear, superstition, delay, and greed can only result in a public health catastrophe. Facts, research, testing, planning and timely delivery of vaccines can help to protect the world populace, and prevent suffering, debility, and death from influenza in this 4 year crucial time-period we have just entered.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

The Great Uranus-Jupiter Conjunction 2010

The Jupiter-Uranus Conjunction is coming up next year and whenever it is in Aries or Libra, there is always a great scientific breakthrough that impacts the world. It will occur in June 2010 at 0 degrees Aries, Sept 2010 at 28 & 29 degrees Pisces and Dec 2010 – Jan 2011 at 26 degrees Pisces.

When Jupiter and Uranus move into an alignment of 36 degrees, usually during the preceding year, we get a glimpse as to the nature of this breakthrough. The last Conjunction in Aries was when Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic. Not just an American Experience but a World Experience, an achievement of the Human Race. In July 1969, when it occurred in Libra, man landed on the Moon.

In 1968, during the 36 degree approach, we began sending astronauts around the Moon, preceding the actual lunar landing. This vanguard alignment will occur around the middle of 2009. At that time, humanity will become aware of the breakthrough about to occur. This is also true of the changes that will occur in our personal lives as a result of the Jupiter-Uranus Conjunction— we will begin to sense them, the new direction in our lives, during 2009.

Jupiter and Uranus are aligned every 14 years but only every 42 years does this alignment occur in Aries or Libra. In any sign, I have found this Conjunction to represent an expansive time in my life:

1969— I won a scholarship to Chethams School of Music and which marked the beginning of my studies for becoming a concert pianist.
1983 – I changed careers totally and won a scholarship to Manchester Business School to study for an MBA and move into business and finance.
1997 – I moved country and took up astrology as my full-time career.

Think about what happened to you during these cycles in your own life. There were difficult experiences but, overall, these were highly expansive periods in my life. It is a progressive cycle so that it is much easier to do progressive things.
Where this Conjunction falls in the natal horoscope shows where we feel compelled to take a risk with our lives, to experience adventure, to explore our creative potential and to overcome the fears in our lives. Some of us will not want to change and will resist the changes, whereas others will take a leap of faith into a new dimension of being. The world is changing and we must, with the motivation of the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in both Pisces and Aries, change with it.

Relating and intimacy under this Conjunction will be experienced through a sense of community, connecting with what has been lost in a new, dynamic way.
In modern times, when humanity takes a leap in consciousness, this is paralleled with great advances in technology, psychological understanding of ourselves and a renewed demand for human rights. Especially with the conjunction in Aries, there will be many technological breakthroughs connected with one very major breakthrough. Such a major breakthrough can stun the thinking of the masses, uprooting us from the past so that we can take a leap of consciousness. Zero Aries is the “World Point” so that this specific conjunction will have a global impact. We live in exciting times!!

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Astrology and Swine Flu Outbreak

As always, the planets can explain events occurring around the world. Over the last couple of weeks there has been the swine flu outbreak. With Jupiter and Neptune in close conjunction, everyone wants to know if this will become a pandemic, serious enough to shut off borders between countries and stifle commerce. The tendency with Jupiter is to go “over the top” and Neptune is not able to see the situation clearly. So here we have the authorities having a knee jerk reaction by raising the alert of a pandemic to level 5. However, it is likely that this will not turn out to be a major pandemic. Jupiter and Neptune are principles that can coincide with mass hysteria and panic, and not reality. This suggests that it will not become a pandemic.

Mercury goes retrograde on May 7th until May 30th so don’t go out and buy a new computer or any piece of technology. Try not to upload any new software into your computer during this period. Allow extra time to arrive at your appointments as delays and miscommunications are to be expected. Don’t schedule any very important meetings or any job interviews during the retrograde period. It’s a great time to complete any outstanding projects that you already had underway and also a wonderful time to do any in-depth research. As far as the financial markets are concerned, I expect them to move in a direction for 1-4 days, pause for about 20 minutes, and then swing in the other direction for another 1-4 days.

The biggest focus will come between May 15th and 18th, as three things happen then. First, that will be around the middle of the retrograde period, when sudden reversals happen. It is more important than usual because Saturn will be turning direct on May 16th and heliocentric Mercury will be entering Sagittarius from May 18th – 30th). (Heliocentric Mercury is viewed from the Sun rather than the Earth.) Saturn stations in a bear market have been associated with a high in a bear market. Also, heliocentric Mercury in Sagittarius tends to correspond to sharply rising prices in precious metals and currencies, and declines in stock prices.

The other thing to remember is that during Mercury retrograde, whatever you think is supposed to happen, usually doesn’t! Many things go exactly the opposite of what you anticipate. So my recommendation would be to take any profits you have sooner rather than later.