America's Toxic Soul-Sickness and the 2016 Election

Transits for November 8, 2016 reveal more about what's ailing America The Beautiful than they do about which of the two deeply troubling candidates might win the election. Pictured here is the USA's natal chart with transits for election day, as well as the natal charts of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Donald Trump, each with transits for election day as well (Natal positions within the chart circle in black, Transiting positions outside the chart circle in green).

The pain that we're all feeling is Transiting Uranus conjunct Natal Chiron at 19/20 Aries in America's 4th House - our national sense of "home and family". What a poignant illustration of the violent wrenching and rending of our collective identity as an American "family" which is currently the theme of the social and political unrest giving our country shpilkes in our common genektagazoyk.

Chiron is "The Wounded Healer". Chiron's backstory is that he was punished for his compassion by being given a wound that would never heal, and the only relief he could experience was by healing the pain of others. "The Wounded Healer" in America's natal chart is in Aries - ruled by Mars, god of War, aggression, violence. Positioned in our 4th House, it tells of the violent birth of our nation. The wound is in the place of our birth - and Uranus, symbolizing our sense of "uniqueness" and "individuality", transiting through Aries at this time, is conjunct (at the same degree) our natal Chiron. Uranus is also erratic, unpredictable, irregular, unstable, and prone to lightening-flash illumination (on the instantaneous intuitive level of "Binah") and one of the functions of Uranus is to shake someone/something out of complacency. There's no rest with Uranus until you've fixed whatever is broken - and Uranus won't let the status quo emerge until what's gone "wrong" is righted. 

Natal Chiron in Aries in America's 4th House is the violent family origin of the United States, violence done to the Native Americans during our conception and violence done to African slaves and their descendants during our birth. Uranus pressing down on that point in our national chart is the urgent demand for enlightenment and change, coming at a most crucial time.

This position does NOT favor the status quo, and there's nobody more status quo running in the election than Hillary Clinton. This aspect expresses the deepest sense of the injustice of our wound of origin, and demands acknowledgement. Without acknowledgement there is no path to healing - there is just more violence, unrest and dissatisfaction. Another aspect working against Clinton in the USA's natal chart is the Asteroid Vesta (the "Ideal Wife" - or as I like to say, "Betty Crocker in a push-up bra") at 20 Libra in America's 10th (most public) House - DIRECTLY OPPOSITE America's natal Chiron in Aries and Transiting Uranus. America has a Mommy Issue. Nobody personifies that more than Hillary Clinton. She won't be the "Betty Crocker in a push-up bra" kind of public female figure (10th House) we as Americans demand and expect from our female leaders. Americans who feel betrayed or disappointed in their own mothers will take their hostilities out on Clinton at the ballot box - this is illustrated by the Uranus/Chiron transit located in her 5th House (children). America's Inner Child is wounded and that means trouble for Mommy figures.

Interestingly, the rise in popularity of Donald Trump has a lot to do with the xenophobia he expresses on behalf of America. This is because the Uranus/Chiron transit happens in Trump's 9th House ("Foreigners"). Trump's ability to trigger overtly racist aggression in his followers is supported by his natal Mars in Leo, conjunct his Ascendant, which makes a trine (a supportive angle) to the Uranus/Chiron transit in the USA's chart. Trump embodies our collective anger and aggression against the "other", whom we blame for our own woes.

Transiting Jupiter (the Ruling Planet of the USA's Natal Chart because we have Sagittarius Rising, and Jupiter is the Planetary Ruler of Sagittarius) is conjunct America's natal Saturn in Libra on Election Day. Anything Jupiter touches, it EXPANDS. Jupiter conjunct Saturn in Libra is JUSTICE. What is fair, what is right, what is equitable for all parties involved, what is truly "fair and balanced", the very image of the blindfolded woman holding the scales of justice in her hand. This energy is in America's 10th House (public, career, vocation, ambition) opposing the Uranus/Chiron in Aries conjunction in the 4th House (home and nuclear family). It's possible to see Clinton as the archetypal "mother" in the Libra/Venus/10th House urging idealism / justice / fairness opposite Chiron/Uranus in Aries urging offense as the best defense against fear of impending chaos. 

Diagnostically speaking, America has trust and secrecy issues (11th House - the community, collective, claal - in Scorpio) and Hillary Clinton's own Scorpio cluster-bomb in her own 12th House (secrets) make it impossible for her to convince the collective mind of America that she isn't hiding something - something they perceive with their own Wounded Inner Child as being "theirs" and not "hers" to keep private. Clinton's own sensitive, easily wounded Moon in Pisces is so hidden deep within her own natal 4th House that nobody except her family & inner circle of "family-like" friends will ever see it. Externally she's the Queen of Scorpionic Self Control. Anyone who watched the Presidential Debates had to marvel at how she didn't roll her eyes at Trump, not even ONCE - a superhuman display of steely nerves and actually the very quality you'd think Americans would value in the person whose finger would be on the nuclear trigger button. But America can't really trust her because she conforms to the subconscious archetype of the secretive, scheming woman in the American collective unconscious. 

America's natal Sun in Cancer (on America's 7th/8th House cusp: "Bring me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free air") squares Transiting Jupiter conjunct Natal Saturn in Libra in America's 10th House (it's our BUSINESS to be fair, just, and righteous - it's our JOB). Unacknowledged and unrepented-for violence against others which accompanied our birth as a nation and our initial growth lurks in our family of origin background, and triggered by transiting Uranus in Aries, manifests as a demand for change - and social chaos is the price we are paying by ignoring that demand. The kind of "change" being offered by Trump is Devolution, "Make America Great Again" a code phrase for an era that, like the Confederate South, is no more. "Look for it only in books, for it is no more than a dream remembered. A Civilization gone with the wind".  On the other hand, the change offered by Clinton is essentially no change at all - and America isn't in the mood to extend for four to eight more years a status quo already untenable to at least half the voting population. 

HRC Natal Chart w/Transits, Election Day

The Moon will be in idealistic Aquarius on Election Day - usually a rational, reasonable day motionlessly (Moon = Emotional Self), although by early evening out West the Moon will have moved into emotional, sensitive (paranoid, psychic, porous) Pisces.  Last-minute undecided voters may be more swayed by humanitarian and universalist (Aquarius) instincts when they show up to the polls. 

Hillary Clinton is a Scorpio-Pisces, and it will be Scorpio-Pisces when the election is called, within 24 hours of the closing polls. It will be her astrological birthday, and she'll be expecting a gift - the trust of the American people. 

Trump Natal Chart w/Transits, Election Day

The transiting North Node in Virgo is in Donald Trump's First House on Election Day. His sense of "karma" or fated-ness of his election is strong, enhanced by transiting Jupiter in his 2nd House conjunct his natal Asteroid Juno AND his natal Chiron - he values (2nd House) beauty (Libra), submissive sexy and physically perfect wives (Juno) and his original wound (Chiron) is in this area (as if we couldn't see that front and center in how he treats and relates to women). Transiting Jupiter is making him that way BIGLY.  The entire Scorpio transit (Sun, Black Moon Lilith, Mercury) happens in his 3rd House (communication). He'll be badmouthing Hillary (Mercury in Scorpio, 3rd House) and using her femininity (Black Moon Lilith) as a "scare tactic" in the days leading up to and including Election Day. Transiting Venus conjuncts Trump's natal Moon in Sagittarius (and opposes his natal Sun in Gemini) in the days before the Election, giving him unexpected "cover", possibly via the women in his family. 

So - which candidate will WIN the election? This will depend on America's collective fear factor. The more fear, the more chance Trump has of winning. The more "Mommy Issues", the more chance Trump has of winning. The more a feeling of "there has to be a change and we just don't care what kind of a change, as long as it's different", the more chance Trump has of winning. The LESS fear and the more idealism, hope, and pragmatic, rational sensibility prevailing on Election Day, the more chance Clinton has of winning. Either way, the winner of the election MUST address America's toxic soul-sickness or that sickness will be the death of our Democracy - quite literally. 

BERNIE OR HILLARY?

Bernie Sanders has practically eclipsed (no pun intended) Hillary Clinton with his performance in the Iowa Caucuses and now, on the eve of the New Hampshire Primary, is poised to become something previously unimaginable to any observer of American politics: the front runner for the Democratic Party's nomination for President of the United States of America.

The Democratic National Convention will be held July 25-28th of 2016 in Philadelphia. During that time, crucial aspects to both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton's natal charts are occurring.

(Note on the pictured charts: Bernie's birth time is unknown, therefore the Houses in which his planets fall are unknown. I'm using the 8:05am birth time for HRC, quoted by both her and her own mother, although there is controversy* and not every astrologer agrees on this birth time)

Looking at Bernie and Hillary Clinton's natal charts with Transits for July 25th, it's striking that both of them share a sensitive, compassionate Pisces Moon, as well as Mars in Fire signs (his in Aries, hers in Leo). Both portray themselves as "sensitive"to other, and as  "fighters", but they're stylistically different. Mars in Aries is "The Fighter". Mars here is in its home sign (Aries) and expresses itself as impulsive, spontaneous, energetic, courageous, belligerent, reckless, impatient.
Mars in Leo is dramatic, optimistic, self-confident, imperial, grand, theatrical, and extremely sensitive to criticism. Both Mars in Aries and Mars in Leo are "rescuers" of those they perceive as less advantaged or more needy than themselves. Mars in Aries can literally "ram themselves" (imagine the Ram's horns, the Ram being the Zodiac symbol of Aries) in the head, banging away over and over to make a point - think Bernie Sanders' now familiar litany about Corporate America, Wall Street, Campaign Finance Reform, etc. - he doesn't deviate from his message.

Unfortunately, Hillary's Mars in Leo at 14 Degrees is conjunct her natal Pluto in Leo, also at 14 Degrees. Mars/Pluto conjunction in Leo is MASSIVE POWER, MASSIVE CONTROL, and sorry to say, massive entitlement and hubris. It's a kind of "royalty" (Leo) expectation of power and control (Mars/Pluto) and it's an explosive combination - only her extremely tightly-wound stellenium in Scorpio (Mercury, Venus, Chiron and Sun) conspiring with her ultra-disciplined and ultra-aware of how the public perceives her Saturn in Leo that keeps her from exploding in public. She HAS "leaked" some of that massive, powerful stuff before, and it clearly scared folks - because, TRUTH: She's a woman; and if we were looking at a man's chart we might laud him for his toughness instead of suspecting him of being a power/control freak.

People accuse Hillary of being "secretive", and they're right. She's secretive and probably even paranoid - with good reason, because she's a target for the most vile GOP smears in history, AND because she's got an ultra-paranoid stellenium in Scorpio in her 12th House. SHE KEEPS SECRETS, maybe not because the content is so very confidential, but because she doesn't TRUST others (again, with good reason from every point of view!). Her Sun, the Asteroid Chiron (the "Wounded Healer"), and her planets Venus and Mercury are all in Scorpio, Venus/Chiron in Scorpio makes a big, hard Square to her natal Mars/Pluto conjunction in Leo: SECRET RELATIONSHIP "DEALS" BETWEEN LOVE AND AMBITION. This could be her played-out-in-public tolerance and (seeming) forgiveness of her husband's public betrayal as the price she realized she would have to pay to retain and grow her personal ambition and power. Again, nobody would think of criticizing a man for these kind of arrangements, and it's only fair to point out that her rival for the nomination, Bernie Sanders, has been divorced, fathered a child out of wedlock with a woman he never married, and remarried again after that. Nobody has yet to make those facts a reason why he isn't fit to govern at the highest level - but Hillary, being a woman, will have to 'splain and spin her "Stand By Your Man" relationship philosophy to a generation of women voters who would have kicked old Bill to the curbside for what he did.

Hillary's natal Jupiter is at 0 Degrees Sagittarius, in her 1st House. The general rule "A Planet is not established in a sign until it reaches 1 Degree" is very much at work here. Hillary SHOULD have been "lucky" (Jupiter in Sagittarius) but she missed it by a couple of inches every time. 1st House Jupiter keeps her in the public eye but not always for the best reasons. Her North Node at 23 Taurus conjunct her DC (7th House Cusp - the area of marriage and equal partnerships, legal matters, etc.) is a FATED law career (opposite her natal Mercury, her "Communicative Self" in Scorpio 12th House) which may have ultimately derailed because of secrets and secretive dealings (even when there's not necessarily anything to hide!) and a FATED marriage (North Node on 7th House Cusp), both of which were "supposed" to bring her security - but neither did, really. Her Vertex (the "Rabbit's Hole" of the natal chart, a la Alice in Wonderland) in Cancer in her 8th House tells of a woman whose instinct to nurture, care-take and possess (Cancer) is the "Rabbit's Hole" of her 8th House - sex, death, rebirth, reincarnation, SHARED RESOURCES, inheritances, in-laws, SHARED VALUES, and "intimate stuff you share with others"), the hole into which she always falls down. This could also indicate a morbid fear of poverty (which seems illogical considering how wealthy the Clintons are). But there's nothing "logical" about the Vertex, it's an irrational point on the chart which functions to illustrate the virtual Rabbit's Hole / Achille's Heel at work in one's life.

Not knowing Bernie Sanders' birth time is a distinct disadvantage in this discussion. However, looking at the placement of his natal planets, it's easy to see why "Democratic Socialism" took hold of young Bernie Sanders when it did.  His natal Pluto at 5 Leo and natal Chiron at 9 Leo are closely conjunct and his "Wounded Healer" (Chiron) was traumatized by the destructive power (Pluto) in Leo ("royalty", the upper/ruling class). He feels compelled to fight (Mars in Aries) for justice (Venus in Libra) and, like Hillary Clinton, has a powerful Stellenium, but in Virgo (hers is in Scorpio, as mentioned before). His Sun, North Node, Neptune and perhaps most importantly, his Mercury are all in Virgo. Bernie's Mercury is at 29 Virgo, and the 29th Degree of any sign is known to be the "Ultimate" or "Critical" degree. Mercury is his "Communicative Self", and as we've now all seen, he communicates with his 29th Degree of Virgo Mercury, which has analyzed umpteen million different facts, synthesized them, and spits them out as digested - "this is useful and therefore good, this is not useful, and therefore bad", and even destructive. Virgo's role is "borer", to separate, sift, analyze, and remove what is useful from what no longer serves.

Bernie is relentless and might be reckless (Mars in Aries) BUT all that Virgo puts the brakes on a bit  and forces him to run everything through his super-sharp analytic skill set. "Is it fair?" is the question he asks himself (Venus in Libra) when pondering an issue. Mars in Aries might vote for impulsive action, the stellenium in Virgo would check the impulse against Moon in Pisces (what does he feel/intuit about a decision) and Venus in Libra ("Is it Fair?").

Bernie's Saturn at 28 Taurus could be a hint of stubborn and dogmatic allegiance to a preconceived notion or belief in which he's already invested value. The most glaring example I can think of is how reluctant he was to believe the Department of Veteran's Affairs was as idealistic about its mission as he was. However, once scandal really was proven to him, nobody was more zealous about cleaning it up. As the New York Times put it: "Faith in Agency Clouded Bernie Sanders’s V.A. Response". That's a classic example of Saturn at 28 Taurus TRINE Mercury at 29 Virgo.

The NYT writes: "Mr. Sanders eventually changed course, becoming critical of the agency and ultimately joining with Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican, and other colleagues to draft a bipartisan bill to try to fix the veterans health care waiting list. ... But a review of his record in the job also shows that in a moment of crisis, his deep-seated faith in the fundamental goodness of government blinded him, at least at first, to a dangerous breakdown in the one corner of it he was supposed to police. Despite inspector general reports dating back a decade that documented a growing problem with wait times, Mr. Sanders, who had served on the committee for six years before he became its head, was quick to defend the agency and slow to aggressively question V.A. officials and demand accountability."  Again - textbook rigid Saturn in stubborn Taurus supported by his analytic communicative self - because his birth time is unknown, it's useless to speculate in which House this phenomenon occurs, but it does. The political question becomes: is it scalable? Does this propensity towards loyalty to the ideal (ideological) at the expense of the pragmatic real (as Hillary's propensity towards secrecy, justified or not) reveal a reason why voters who now #FeelTheBern might eventually experience a #BernOut?

The Democratic National Convention will be held in Philadelphia on July 25-28th of this year. The Sun will be conjunct Bernie Sander's Pluto (transformative change) in Leo. The Moon will cross over his Mars in Aries on Monday, July 25th, giving him tremendous emotional energy. Jupiter in Virgo will trine the Moon's conjunction at 20 Taurus with his Black Moon Lilith - expansion and enlargement (Jupiter) of his profile with women (Moon, BML) and in Taurus, "Mother Earth" - environmentalism.

The Moon will then cross over Bernie's Saturn in Taurus on Wednesday, perhaps an indication of a solidifying structure and conjunct his Uranus at 0 Gemini on Thursday morning. Uranus at 0 Gemini is only 2 degrees from Saturn at 28 Taurus - this Saturn/Uranus conjunction is "The Grouch and the Anarchist", or "The Wise Old Man and The Fool". With the Moon directly on these pressure points, the emotional impact of his persona and his policies will challenge the Democratic Party's most fundamental and closely held identity perceptions.

Transiting Uranus at 24 Aries will conjunct Bernie's natal Mars at 23 Aries. This is EXPLOSIVE ENERGY - no other way to read Uranus/Mars in Aries transits! Will his campaign explode or implode? Transiting Mars in Scorpio adds even MORE energy (aggression?) as it makes hard Inconjunct (Quincunx or "Yod") to the Moon's conjunction of Saturn and Uranus. This aspect compels me to warn readers that it might also indicate, G*d forbid, extreme aggression against Sanders in the form of violence. Let's hope the "explosion" will be one of enthusiasm instead!

Transiting Chiron, the "Wounded Healer", will be exactly conjunct Bernie's Moon in Pisces at 24 degrees. He will be seen and perceived by his supporters as a compassionate, empathetic and willing to take extreme measures to heal the scars of injustice in our society, and by his detractors as the ultimate "Bleeding Heart Liberal". 

Transiting Jupiter at 20 Virgo will be conjunct Bernie's North Node, his karma or "Tikkun" point. Jupiter expands everything it touches. This is his moment. The Transiting North Node conjuncts his Sun at 13 Virgo! Destiny calls, and the call will be extremely LOUD. One way or another, Bernie Sanders is going to fulfill his destiny at the DNC. Either he'll become the nominee or he'll have forced a good portion of his agenda on Hillary Clinton, who will have to go far left in her campaign promises in order to compete with Sanders. Either way - it's his star time.

Transiting Chiron will be very close to Hillary Clinton's Moon in Pisces as well, and in her 4th House (home and family, domestic security) her image as a mother and grandmother may go a long way towards softening her hard reflection her self-defensive Scorpio stellenium causes. Letting herself be vulnerable (a risk for a woman in politics, as displays of emotion are usually used against them) might be a risk she's forced to take as the race comes down to the wire. Transiting Sun in Leo will Square Hillary's natal Sun in Scorpio AND her natal Asteroid Ceres in Taurus. If Hillary doesn't get into environmental advocacy well before the convention, she may be "exposed" by the Leo Sun as not caring enough about "Mother Earth".

During the beginning of the Convention, the Moon will conjunct Transiting Uranus at her natal asteroid Hades at 25 Aries. Unexpected "hell" may be abruptly (or embarrassingly) glimpsed and it may have something to do with a woman / women (Bill's other women?). Then the Moon will transit through Taurus, conjuncting her natal Ceres (the "good mother" and "proud grandmother" on display) and finally, her North Node at 23 Degrees Taurus, on the cusp of her 7th House. HER karmic / "Tikkun Point" gets hit by the transiting Moon during the Convention, just as Bernie's gets hit by transiting Jupiter. In her case, the Moon/North Node opposes her natal Mercury in Scorpio and she may choke on her words - or not be able to fully and deeply and thoroughly express herself the way she truly longs to - and in fact, MUST do, in order to win the nomination. Hillary Clinton  must overcome her reticence to show deep emotion and vulnerability to win trust - and yet to do so, she must overcome immense innate challenges. We'll see if she rises to the occasion - for if she does, and becomes the nominee, her acceptance speech (Mercury) might go down in history (Herstory!) as one of the most transcendent and meaningful moments in the history of American women.

Transiting Venus at 15 Leo will be conjunct Hillary's natal Pluto / Mars conjunction, HOPEFULLY "sweetening" any diabolical aspects of her power/control/entitlement issues - but the downside is that although Venus in Leo is "The Queen in her castle, Queen of all she surveys", that's NOT the image a "Progressive" Democrat will want to project to the public. 

If the 8:02am birth time for Hillary Clinton is right, Jupiter (good fortune, expansiveness) will be transiting her 10th House (her public persona, her business/vocation) in Virgo, as well as the transiting North Node. These two important transits of her 10th House is a powerful indication of good fortune and karmic "fated-ness" or destiny sweeping her away in full view of the public, but not without a fight. Mars at 29 Scorpio - the ultimate, critical degree of the most intense sign of the Zodiac - will conjunct her natal Jupiter at Zero Sagittarius. Remember the mention of her not-as-lucky-as-it-should-be Jupiter at the beginning of this missive? Mars comes in its most intense, passionate, focused, nuclear-powered form and if there's a metaphor for "pressing your luck", this is it.

So - what's going to happen in July? Bernie or Hillary?
I can't tell you that - what, am I a fortune teller? No way. I'm just delivering the astrological "weather report". As Bob Dylan said: "You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows", but as I say: "You DO need an astrologer to know which way the Planets go". As we move throughout the Primary season and closer to the Democratic Nominating Convention in July, we'll keep our eyes on the skies (and the news) and bring periodic updates via this blog as well as our FACEBOOK PAGE (which was linked to our TWITTER ACCOUNT @Astrolojew during Mercury Retrograde, so there's a password issue).

With all disclaimers firmly in place, the lengthy analysis is offered to illustrate that both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton are approaching the nomination with both an internal and external perception of "destiny". "Too Close to Call" because their intensity and commitment is equally matched. Sanders will give everything he's got to get there because he's swept up in the climax of a lifetime of idealism. Hillary Clinton will give everything she's got to get there because she's swept up in the climax of a lifetime of almost-but-not-quite. Neither are quitters. Both are prepared to go the last mile and beyond. Let's see what happens next!

Bernie in the Sky with Diamonds

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders was born 14 Elul, 5701 (6 September, 1941) in Brooklyn, NY. It was Shabbat, Parshat Ki Tietzei. 

The Full Moon of Elul is always in Pisces. Although his birth time is unknown so we can't calculate his Ascendent (Rising Sign), we can see his Mars in Aries - Venus in Libra opposition as a perfect balance of harmonious, naturally placed energies - this person was BORN a "feminist". 

He has powerful Virgo placements in his chart - his Sun, North Node ("Karmic Setpoint / Tikkun Point"), Neptune, several asteroids, and most strikingly his Mercury at 29 Degrees Virgo (29 is the "critical" or "ultimate" degree of any sign). He is MR. ANALYSIS. Virgo's role is to sift and to separate what is useful from what is not useful - that's why they call Virgo's "picky". They call themselves "discerning", which would be more accurate. 

Mercury, the ruling Planet of Virgo, at Virgo's "ultimate" degree, is the quintessential analytical communicator. His Saturn in Taurus gives him an internal, fixed structure which is illustrated by a lifetime of persistence and consistency.  

Uranus at zero degrees Gemini is interesting, as the general rule is that "a Planet is not established in a Sign until it reaches 1 degree". Any zero degree Planet is like a free-form energetic free-fall and sort of like a Joker is to a deck of cards. Uranus is his "unique" self, and this placement almost abrogates the ego need for differentiation and individuation. Combined with his compassionate Pisces Moon, it's no wonder he self-identifies as a "Socialist".  

Pluto/Chiron conjunction in Leo is the most striking indication of someone who is willing to effect radical change in order to right a wrong and heal what is wounded.

Starting this week, transiting Jupiter will be in VIRGO until the middle of September, 2016. Jupiter EXPANDS everything it touches. This is going to be GREAT for Bernie. Keep on watching the stars to see how it all unfolds.