DONALD TRUMP and THE FALL OF THE BERLIN WALL

How does one write astrology at such a politically charged moment? It's probably when we need astrology more than ever, for this craft requires that we haul ourselves away from our personal responses in order to see what the planets are saying. The planets are not left or right wing. They are not promoting humanity's 'evolution' by favouring who we consider to be the 'good guys'. Their perspective is bigger than that, it is infinite. The best we can hope for is to catch awed glimpses of that infinitude - especially, perhaps, at times when our merely human desires and preferences as to what 'ought' to be are frustrated.

Trump's re-accession to the US Presidency can be seen as the first event in the coming Saturn-Neptune conjunction, both of which planets will have entered Aries by late May 2025. The last conjunction was in 1989, and it led to the fall of the Berlin Wall. A seismic, world-defining event.

This election seems similarly seismic. This Saturn-Neptune conjunction will not have Uranus sitting alongside it as in 1989. It will, however, sextile both Pluto and Uranus. This suggests a powerful transformation that also has an ease to it. The world does not have to fall apart for it to happen.

The US Sibly IC is at 1 Aries, so the US is entering a particularly transformational time, comparable to the Civil War period, when Neptune was also in this place (and, as is soon to come, Uranus conjunct Uranus). At that time, 2 different visions of the US brutally fought it out. I think that gives a clue to the meaning of the current, upcoming transit.

My interpretation is that it is the end of progressive, post-war liberalism as we know it. The battle between left and right has been particularly intense in the US in recent years. In the US, and across Europe, we have been seeing the political right making considerable gains. It has been practically illegal to be right wing in Europe since the war, but all that has been changing, most notably in Germany. Note I am not saying 'far right', because that term is a judgement that comes from the left, and I am trying to be descriptive.

Saturn-Neptune in Capricorn was a collapse of the structures (Capricorn) of the redemptive ideology (Neptune) of Communism. Saturn-Neptune in Aries is a new vision (Aries) of redemption (Neptune) through a move to the political right. Note I am not saying it IS a redemption, I am saying that is how it is seen by those who are voting it in.

Human societies move between left and right over time, when they feel that one has gone too far. The right is like the centre of a wheel, that holds it all together, that unifies. The left is like the perimeter of the wheel, that allows for diversity and creativity. Both have their places, both are necessary.

The next few years will not be pretty in many ways. Think Margaret Thatcher in the UK in the 1980s. She effected a profound transformation from the political right, but there was much misery along the way, and many came to detest her.

I think we will be seeing epoch-making change of that kind in the US under the Saturn-Neptune conjunction. I suspect that Trump will not serve a full term, as he has no major transits propelling him through, and Pluto is entering his 6th House of Health. JD Vance will finish the job, as Pluto empowers his Leo Sun.

All this, however, may not be what long-term history sees as the most significant event of this Saturn-Neptune period. What it may remember most, if Elon Musk has his way, is the first unmanned spaceship landing on Mars in 2026, followed by people in 2028. Now there's an Aries redemptive vision for you!

ISRAEL and IRAN

Whatever you think of the way Israel is dealing with the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza, the snake's head that they need to remove is the regime in Iran, which is funding both Hamas and Hezbollah. All these entities want to exterminate the Jewish race, as the Oct 7th 2023 attack, which provoked the war, showed very clearly. 

On 22nd Oct, Mars will cross the Israeli MC. I expect the retaliation against the Iranian missile attack to occur shortly before that date, to maximise its effect on the US election, so as to favour Trump. Mars will cross the Israeli 10th House Leo Moon in late November, shortly before going retrograde. We can expect maximum military activity from Israel until then, followed by a re-grouping, as Israel's Leonine pre-eminence in the region sinks in.

 

THE STRANGE ASTROLOGY OF THE US ELECTION

It is strange that neither US Presidential candidate has much in the way of major transits to lend power to the coming Presidency. Just a bit of Uranus. Meanwhile in 2025/26 the US Sibly chart will have Saturn and Neptune conjunct the IC, followed by a Uranus Return opposite the Asc. I don't know what it means, but it's very big. It's as though whoever wins will not be President for long, and something else, for better or for worse, will happen that will usher in a new era. Astrologically, Harris is just about the better bet to win, IMO.

 

In 1860/61 there were, remarkably, the same 2 transits from Neptune and Uranus to the Sibly Chart. They ushered in the Civil War and the end of slavery. This time Saturn is involved too. It makes me think 'nervous breakdown', as the country's political polarisation intensifies.

 

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Prediction: the most significant event for humanity under the coming Saturn-Neptune conjunction in Aries, will be Elon's Starship landing on Mars.

 

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Over time Saturn lends us substance, and at the same time leads us to doubt it.

 

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The limitations of material existence are, from Saturn's point of view, to be worked with, to create a vessel for the spirit. From Chiron's point of view, those limitations are to be accepted as inherent, and as a prompt to turn our gaze to the outer planets.

 

Chiron is the crack in the earth, through which the oil riches pour upwards from the depths. Saturn is the rig at the surface that makes something of them.

 

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SATURN-NEPTUNE AND THE 'I' WORD

I think the Saturn-Neptune conjunction at the start of Aries in 25/26 will have everything to do with an uprising, probably quite ugly, against the uncontrolled immigration in both the US and Europe. Protest (Aries) against porous (Neptune) borders (Saturn). This is supported by the fact that it is politically impossible to talk about. If you try to talk about it, you get dismissed as 'far-right', a now meaningless term.The issue we cannot even mention in the UK is Muslims and any problems there might be with that section of the population. When something cannot be talked about, trouble is on its way. 

 

The Saturn-Neptune conjunction will be bang on the IC for the US Sibly chart, the homeland symbolism being perfect for this issue. It's why I think Harris will probably win. If Trump wins, he will defuse the issue by continuing with the wall. The astrology does not look like it will be defused. Saturn and Neptune will not be far behind in starting to hard aspect the Sun, Moon and Angles of the UK chart.

 

 NATURE, NURTURE & KARMA

There's Nature, there's Nurture and there's Karma. Karma is the most powerful factor in who we are. Astrology, through it's concept of the Nodes, understands this. Indeed, the 'evolutionary' astrologers centre their chart interpretation around the Nodes. They are probably right to do so, but wrong to call themselves 'evolutionary', for the soul is not 'going' anywhere. Indigenous people think cyclically, and astrology thinks cyclically, whereas the idea of evolution is linear and hierarchical, a product of the mind alienated from nature.

With its insight, through the Nodes, that who we are is essentially a profound mystery, astrology is the best antidote to modern psychotherapy, which reduces the individual to an effect of her childhood. And to science, psychotherapy's watchful elder brother, which reduces the individual to an effect of DNA and environment.

We are cause, not effect, driven to live out the rich patterning of the North Node.

 

 

 

 

THE STATE OF THE UNION

THE STATE OF THE UNION

Normally when a leader is elected, they have some strong transits that power them through their term of office. Trump's first Presidency had Neptune squaring his Sun and Moon; Biden had Neptune opposite MC followed by Pluto square Moon and Uranus opposite Sun.

I am left scratching my head, however, at the astrology of this year's candidates. Trump will have Uranus aspecting his Angles, Kamala her MC. And that will be that. It will be over for both of them in a couple of years. What sort of Presidency will that be? There is no sustained or steady progress here. After a rocky Uranian start, they will be a lame-duck President for the final 2 years of their term.

If I had to hazard a guess as to who will win, I would say Harris, because Uranus will be active for slightly longer, and in sign.

 

Looking at the US Sibly Chart for the next 4 years, we see Neptune opposite MC followed by a Uranus Return. The last time Neptune was here was in 1860, the beginning of the Civil War. And, remarkably, there was also a Uranus Return. This, perhaps, tells us why Harris/Trump won't get much done: the present polarisation and division in Congress, and the culture wars in the wider culture, are likely to become more intense and to paralyse the country. This fits well with the divisive, Angular Uranus Return in 2027.

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Chiron's suffering is perfectly curable if we listen to the outer planets, for he is the bridge to them. The pain associated with Chiron only seems incurable if we attempt to address it according to collective norms and values. He is the call to our individual destiny. He asks us to be courageous. In the stories, he was the wise centaur who educated heroes such as Jason, Achilles and Hercules.

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Cancer edges slowly and sideways towards the divine light of Leo, hanging on to what is familiar and homely as she goes.

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THE US PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Very few people are able to be remotely impartial about Trump. There is so much to dislike and disapprove of about the man personally, that no-one looks below the surface to ask but what did he do as President? What are his policies now? In this respect he is a great challenge to one's ability to be objective. It is much easier, and you will get far more approval from your peers, if you continue to froth at the mouth at the mere mention of the man's name. Caution: do not confuse your frothing at the mouth with insight into the Donald.

Kamala is still in her honeymoon period as a candidate, and further buoyed by the recent Democratic Convention. Everyone has an opinion on Trump, which is not likely to change much at this stage. We know, or think we know, him. We don't know Kamala very well.

Above is the chart for the first of their debates on 10th Sept. How does it impact the 2 candidates' charts? Keeping it simple, I would say that the strongest influence in the sky at that time is the Sun-Moon-Saturn-Jupiter mutable Grand Cross.

This impacts on Kamala personally through her Venus in Virgo. Virgo in a politician is popularity. With tr Saturn opposing it, she is going to have to earn it. Retrograde in Pisces, this is not an easy Saturn. It is good for collectives, but it needs to be channelled thoughtfully. Kamala's weakness is needing notes to speak from. She doesn't have that political instinct that knows what to say in the moment, which Trump has in spades, whether or not you agree with him. Her tactic of wanting the microphones unmuted is, I think, in the hope that Trump will keep interrupting her, and look bad for that. The lack of uninterrupted time in which to speak may also help conceal her difficulty with performing unscripted and thinking on her feet. If Trump wants to win, he will have to shut up sometimes. Like he had to with Biden because of the muted microphones, and it worked in his favour, as Biden had the space to undo himself.

 

The Grand Cross impacts powerfully on Trump’s chart, much more than it does Kamala’s, hard aspecting his Sun-Moon opposition in Gemini-Sag. In this case the Saturn is not so much about earning as reaping, because he is known and has a track record as President.

Saturn likes tangible evidence. Kamala is weak on specific policies. She comes out with generalities such as going forwards not backwards, and that her positions might have changed but her values haven’t. Trump can very specific, when he isn’t spewing aggressive soundbites.

My prediction is that this debate will favour Trump. If Kamala is referring to notes, Trump will make mincemeat of that. If she isn’t, he will be able to dance around her and make her look fumbling. This is reflected by Saturn tending to work against her, and in Trump’s favour.

As for the election itself, Uranus is impacting both the candidates’ charts as their main transit, as well as squaring the US Moon. This makes it very hard to predict. There could well be further unusual, unexpected events. We have already had the assassination attempt, and Biden stepping down. And whichever candidate is elected – and who is to say in this Uranian election if the candidates still will be Trump and Harris – they will have a rocky time as President, as Uranus continues to unsettle and divide and startle.

 

THE CV OF A CHAOS SHAMAN

I have a fantasy novel, the Shapeshifters Trilogy, with an American publisher. They are being very slow! Here is the CV I wrote for the inside cover:

Shapeshifting first happened to Barry Goddard in 2000, when a T-Rex turned up during a dance, took him over, and slowly wandered around the room, taking its first curious look at the earth after a 100-million-year absence. Since that time a menagerie of Animals has gradually presented itself, taking turns at feeling what it is like to be Barry Goddard. Roaring, whistling, speaking in tongues, and clearly no longer a rational well-behaved human, the Animals try to keep Barry behind closed doors to avoid the attentions of the men in white coats. But the Animals are always at his shoulder, taking care of him. In 2021, a Wolf showed up and suggested he write the Shapeshifters Trilogy, an offer he could not refuse. It has been a great adventure. When in human form, Barry lives on Dartmoor in the UK, and writes regularly for social media on Astrology and Shamanism. He also does Astrology readings.

 

Below is the chart for when I began writing my first book (The Medicine Wheel) in 2021. 

 

 It's a great chart. I might start to have some serious success in the next few years, as Neptune squares the Venus (popular appeal) and Pluto conjoins the Jupiter-Saturn. It may be my book on Chaos Shamanism, currently being written, that steps into the zeitgeist.

 

THE ENGLISH JUNTA

Sir Keir Starmer has a tight Sun-Pluto conjunction in Virgo, opposite Jupiter. The administrator (Virgo) who has found himself in a position of great power (Jupiter-Pluto). He has a huge majority, rules the Labout Party with an iron fist, and can do what he wants. How many of us could handle that?

The signs so far are worrying: he branded the protesters collectively as racist thugs, and has shown no inclination to listen to what the legitimate majority of them are unhappy about. And he has had the wrongdoers, both offline and online, in jail in record time, using his inside knowledge of the justice system as Director of Public Prosecutions. It already seems clear that, in his haste to keep control, innocent people have also been jailed.

Empathy and bringing people with him are not his strong points. He is a charisma-free zone, and was elected as an act of desperation by the British people. Using the law (Jupiter) to make the population do his bidding seems to be how he thinks. The working classes, which as Labour leader he is supposed to represent, probably hate him already. Currently, he is acting like the head of an army junta. Labour has its values, but freedom of the individual has never been top of its list.

 

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The cat sometimes spends hours asking to be let in through the posh entrance, before swallowing his pride and using the cat flap. "Don't you know who I am?" This tells us something about the nature of Leo. On the subject of which, 2 nights ago I had a dream in which I was sraightforwardly Leo Rising, not Virgo, as I have always been. Many astrologers also insist I must be Leo Rising. Below is my newly painted house. QED. NOT Virgo 🤣

 

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Integrating Mars energy is a soul journey for most women in the second half of life, just as Venus is for men. I think that the feminist critique of men, that sees them in largely negative terms, is mostly unlived Mars, projected in its shadow form. We men are generally much better than the public discourse would have us believe.