I’ve studied declination quite a bit, and find that it adds an extra dimension to astrology. It can also be used in forecasting, and I particularly like to look at the progressed Moon’s cycle in declination.  This cycle is especially telling when it reaches its peaks and troughs, which are apt to be significant in terms of career, domestic events and public exposure.

See this article for a basic description of the progressed Moon in declination and how it works.

For certain individuals, the Moon may also progress Out of Bounds in declination (OOB or beyond most planets’ usual limits on the ecliptic), at regular intervals.  When the Moon progresses OOB, we can expect an even greater period of change in the home life, career and public exposure.  I’ve come to think of it as a time that maximizes publicity.  In addition, it can also create a turning point in life.  A writer, for example, may secure a reputation with a great review, or a professional might join a prestigious firm when the progressed Moon goes OOB.  This can set the stage for a successful career, and they may be able to coast on that high point for quite a number of years.

Interestingly enough, both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have Moons that progress OOB in declination!  Let’s look at the progressed Moon in both of their charts to see how it might influence the Presidential election.

We don’t need astrology to tell us that Donald Trump is getting a tremendous amount of publicity – he’s on the evening news every night.  His Moon progresses OOB in the north from approximately ages 68-70 and he recently turned 70, so he’s just past the maximum in his progressed declination cycle.  Trump is a terrific example of this cycle at work – he’s getting even more than his usual publicity and his career is going in a new direction.  In addition to his presidential hopes, after 15 years with “The Apprentice,” he parted ways with NBC last year (2015).

In looking toward the future, it always pays to look back.  The last time Donald’s progressed Moon reached OOB and maximum north declination was from about ages 41-43 (1987-1989).  At that time he bought the the Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City.  At over $1 billion, after a very public take-over battle with Merv Griffin, the Taj claimed to be the largest casino in the world.  It opened in 1990 but went through a bankruptcy soon after.  The NY Times recently called the casino a “protracted failure,” despite making money for Trump.

It was also in 1988, near the peak of his declination cycle, that Donald Trump first explored the idea of running for president.

But since the Moon by its nature is changeable and the cycle itself represents a period of change, it can also be characterized as an unstable period to a certain extent.  Perhaps there was more drama than substance surrounding Trump’s activities at this time.

So what about the Presidential election?  We can say that the progressed Moon in declination represents a high point in Trump’s career and will continue to give him a great amount of publicity through early 2017.  His natal Sun-Moon opposition (not only a full Moon but a total lunar eclipse at his birth)  also ensures drama and some ups and downs in life, especially since they’re in mutable signs.  But as of this writing his exposure is also shining a light on his lack of experience in the world of national and international politics.  Does publicity + career development = the presidency?

I’ll look at Hillary Clinton’s progressed Moon in declination in the next post.