Tag Archives: transits

Biden 2020

What are Joe Biden’s astrological chances of winning the November 2020 presidential election?  His natal horoscope is certainly not as fortunate as President Trump’s, and the incumbent always has an edge. 

Biden was born during World War II, and the era’s characteristic Saturn-Uranus conjunction straddles his Descendant as it opposes his Sun, Venus and Ascendant.  The oppositions are probably responsible for the ups and downs in his life and career, but six planets in fixed signs give a consistency of purpose.  Neptune in his 10th trines and sextiles the oppositions, balancing the energies and making him a career public servant.  A yod with the Moon at its apex and inconjunct aspects to the Ascendant, Venus and Neptune may have also added to the elusiveness of his presidential bids in the past.

But as we near election day in late October, transiting Jupiter trines his Midheaven, while Pluto stations conjunct Jupiter near the trine, helping him promote his message.  In November and December, the approaching Jupiter-Saturn conjunction sextiles his rising Sun and Venus and trines progressed Uranus and Neptune, an unusual combination.  Transiting Uranus also sextiles his progressed Moon and trines progressed Mars in November.  While sextiles are not the strongest aspects in the world, they facilitate things, and the great Jupiter-Saturn mutation into air signs is favorable to Biden.

Donald Trump struggles under the weight of oppositions from the momentous transits in Capricorn while his opponent profits from their aspects to both his natal and progressed charts.  Jupiter and Saturn go on to square Biden’s Moon and trine his 10th house Neptune by the end of the year, suggesting both a change of residence and new career vistas.  (His progressed Moon square natal Saturn, exact on January 1, has similar resonances.)   

Biden’s progressed Mercury at about 25 Capricorn falls right on the progressed U.S. Moon, South Node and Pluto in Capricorn combination as well as the Jupiter-Saturn-Pluto transits in November, which appear to be keeping him in sync with important developments in the country.   

Biden’s progressed Sun in Aquarius will be less than a degree from trining the U.S. Mars and a few degrees from conjoining the U.S. natal Moon (using Evangeline Adams’ Gemini rising chart), showing a closer relationship with the country.  His progressed Moon and Venus in early Pisces are both drawing close to trining the U.S. natal Sun-Jupiter midpoint, which also seems a favorable connection. 

The candidate’s progressed Midheaven at 9 Sagittarius falls in his first house near an opposition to his natal Saturn and U.S. natal Uranus.  This could potentially signify an upset, but given the preponderance of other flowing aspects, I feel it suggests a new phase in his life, along with new responsibilities. 

The U.S. progressed Venus is about a half a degree from conjoining Biden’s natal Moon in Taurus, indicating a close connection. 

The powerhouse in Joe Biden’s chart is Ascendant-ruler Jupiter exalted in Cancer in his 8th house, which trines his Sun, Mercury and Venus.  Not the most fortunate of placements, it has nevertheless helped him win supporters and raise campaign funds.  Progressions of the heavier planets move very slowly, but in an unusual combination, Biden’s progressed retrograde Jupiter in Cancer is within two degrees of conjoining U.S. progressed Jupiter.  At the same time, it trines the U.S. progressed Sun at about 15-1/2 Pisces in a double-approaching aspect (about a degree and a half from exact), and also conjoins the natal U.S. Sun (at about 4 degrees).  His progressed Jupiter is also close to trining his Mercury-Mars midpoint in Scorpio, creating a grand trine with U.S. progressed Sun near his IC, a fortunate combination for considering the outcome of an election. 

The Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius shows Biden in the right place at the right time, and that his momentum continues into 2021.  The conjunction transits his 2nd house, and in January (inauguration month), exactly trines 7th house Uranus while sextiling his Ascendant.  Jupiter also trines natal Saturn in the 7th, which should help in dealing with the public and important partners.  Since Jupiter and Saturn are always close in declination when conjunct, they both also parallel Biden’s Sun and natal 1st house Venus in January, aspects often signifying notable career developments. 

An unusual transit is Neptune stationing closely conjunct Biden’s fourth house cusp in November.  An angular Neptune can be difficult to interpret.  Certainly transiting Neptune closely squaring both Mitt Romney’s Gemini Ascendant and running mate Paul Ryan’s Sagittarius Ascendant in 2012 seemed a strong testimony that they would fail to win their bid for the presidency.  Here it may suggest the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the country and a sense of “shifting sands” underfoot.  As it also closely trines Biden’s natal Mercury in Scorpio (ruler of his 10th and 7th houses), it might be less onerous than otherwise.  On some level, though, it also has the potential to undermine him.  Perhaps the idea of people voting against Trump rather than for Biden is symbolized here. 

The 23 Sagittarius solar eclipse on December 14, 2020 is strongly placed in Biden’s 1st house of identity, and squares transiting Neptune and his MC, while sextiling his progressed Ascendant in Aquarius.  This spotlights his message, but there may be upcoming events that we cannot anticipate as yet. 

See my earlier posts on Donald Trump and Kamala Harris’ nodal returns, the 2021 Inauguration chart (suggesting a change of party) and Donald Trump’s forecast for more. 

I do believe that Joe Biden will win the U.S. presidency in November 2020. 

How to Handle Transits?

The transiting planets bring us situations that often seem to be coming from the outside world. With the heavier planets, we may feel pushed into situations where we must make important decisions – how do we respond?

A century ago, astrologer Evangeline Adams typically advised taking a back seat and waiting for difficult influences to pass. Under a Saturn transit, for example, she felt a person would not be as congenial or magnetic as she ordinarily might be. Things will not go her way. Adams told an anecdote of a husband under difficult influences, whose wife was becoming romantically interested in a young employee of his. She counseled him not to force the issue. The man invited the employee to his home, even leaving him alone with his wife. As she got to know the young man better, the woman realized she may have made a horrible mistake had her husband not been so patient and understanding.

So the advice is to wait things out. My mother, who studied and practiced in the 1970s, would have suggested the same thing. She was always cautious, advising that no one make any kind of important change during difficult planetary weather. When conditions clear up, you will see things more plainly.

Today, I think things have changed somewhat. Divorce is more common and people often admit the limitations of their relationships. And many also believe in limitless free will and the ability to personally change things.

With outer planet transits, though, sometimes we may have few choices about how to proceed. Heavy Uranus transits, for example, can bring sweeping changes that leave few options available. And it’s a regular occurrence to find career limitations on a transit of Saturn to your Sun.

We should do what we can to get through challenging periods. Astrology is not the best at forecasting outcomes, but is better able to describe the type of situation to expect and the timing and length of an influence. In addressing any transit, we also need to keep the birth chart in mind. For some, a transiting planet will bring great change; for another a passing development. These considerations will help put things in perspective.

Barbara Walters and Saturn

TV journalist Barbara Walters is probably one of the best known women in her field. With the Sun, Mercury, Mars and Ascendant in Libra, she became known not only for presenting the news, but also for her relationships with the great, near-great, famous and infamous people she interviewed. Typically Libra, she projected a cool and classy image that attracted others to her.

On May 16, 2014, Barbara appeared for the final time on her show The View, where she’d had success since 1997. Born on September 29, 1929 at 6:50 AM in Boston, Massachusetts, Walters turned 84 towards the end of 2013 and experienced her Uranus return from 2013 to early 2014, a transit that typically occurs in the 84th year. This transit is a major one for those who live to experience it. For Barbara, with natal Uranus in the 6th house, the return marks the end of a major part of her working life in the Uranian field of television broadcasting.

But it is Saturn, who so reliably marks periods of life change, that pinpoints the timing of Walters’ career transition. Transiting her second house of income and exactly trining her Pluto conjunct the 10th house of status and reputation at her last appearance, Saturn has allowed her to gracefully sign off from a fabulous career.

Uranus square Pluto and New York City

The dynamic duo of Uranus square Pluto leaps forward, zapping the New York City horoscope and initiating a new episode in the City’s history throughout 2013 to early 2014.  It suggests a time of great transition that opens a new phase of experience, associated with sudden and unusual events and large scale changes in circumstances.  It favors reclaiming what works, as well as experimenting with new ideas.

Evangeline Adams described Uranus as bringing about epoch-making conditions, temporary uncertainty, and feelings of an unsettled or hectic time.  She added that, “Fate may seem to shuffle your cards,” and that we should “guard against fantastic schemes and unscrupulous promoters.”

Pluto unflinchingly breaks down the old and worn-out while recycling the best.  While this transit can empower the City and transform its identity, there could also be power struggles and conflicts with authority.  The bureaucracy may struggle for control before it’s restructured and overthrown by something more efficient. 

Hurricane Sandy seems to have been one of the events that kicked off the transit just a few months before the exact “hits,” demanding Pluto’s restoration and Uranus’ innovation.  Some 2013 events that reflect Uranus square Pluto include:

 Expansion of recycling to include most plastics;

Completion of the Freedom Tower;

Micro apartments certified and moving forward;

Thousands of new wheelchair-accessible cabs and green cabs in outer boroughs.

Citibikes program started with approximately 5,000 bikes;

#7 subway extension and Second Avenue line under construction toward 2014 and 2016 openings;

Repair and rehabilitation of the Brooklyn Bridge from 2011 to 2014;

Movement of business away from banks and toward technology.

The Sun relates to leadership and after 12 years with Michael Bloomberg, the City will have a new mayor in January of 2014.  (The City has not had a Democrat as mayor in 20 years.)  I believe that these shifts will be part of some major developments.

New York City is facing a $2 billion+ budget gap.  It has tremendously growing pension and healthcare obligations for its workers.  And contracts with 300,000 in municipal unions have expired in the last 3-4 years and remain to be negotiated.  Pluto will be pushing the new administration to make tough choices. We hope that Uranus will also offer some unique and innovative solutions. 

 For astrologers, Greater New York was created on 1/1/1898 at 12:01 AM.  New York’s Jupiter, Ascendant, Sun and Midheaven form a T-square in the cardinal signs Libra, Capricorn and Cancer, balancing the arts, business and home life.  Transiting Pluto hits this pattern throughout 2013.  Transiting Uranus galvanizes it from early 2013 through early 2014. 

Uranus square Pluto

Uranus square Pluto can define a generation, since both planets move slowly and the aspect lasts a long time, being highlighted particularly from mid-2012 to early 2015.  These two planets stir things up and break down existing conditions.  Their long-term transit is associated with sudden and unusual events and large scale changes in circumstances.   Uranus and Pluto previously combined in the mid-60s, ushering in a notable period of change in society.

 Pluto relates to transformation, recycling and renewal.  It works gradually and can rid us of what’s not working while capitalizing on what is.  Uranus often operates quickly, and may bring surprising developments.  It has the effect of shaking things up and at times may act unexpectedly.  What these two planets have in common is breaking away from the past and making way for the new. 

 Many authors have linked Uranus square Pluto to government and financial upheavals, the use or abuse of power and technology, increased activism, and notable climatic events.  In some places change might be radical or revolutionary, with transformation possible even on a global scale.  We’ve already seem Uranus square Pluto at work in Arab Spring and other rebellions against authority, the leaking of government documents, extreme weather conditions and some city and even state financial crises. 

If this planetary combination is hitting any of your personal planets, you could find some ups and downs.  This is a transitionary period of time.  The unexpected may happen and you might need to adjust.  However Uranus and Pluto both suggest that you continue moving ahead toward the future.