Tag Archives: U.S. horoscope

USA Horoscopes

Robert Carl Jansky in his 1979 book Interpreting the Eclipses discusses the chart for the United States (page 75). He says that the U.S. horoscope with 7-1/2 Gemini rising closely conjunct Uranus (approximately 2:15 AM on July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia) is the chart “that a majority of astrologers have come to recognize as the correct one.” In his analysis he also considers a Libra rising as well as a Sagittarius rising chart that he credits to Dane Rudhyar.

Donna Cunningham similarly states in her 1982 book, Being a Lunar type in a Solar World that, “Most astrologers use the traditional chart calculated for July 4, 1776 at 2:13:32 AM in Philadelphia” (page 29), virtually the same chart Jansky referred to. Barbara Watters in her book Horary Astrology and the Judgment of Events (1973) also cites a US. Gemini rising chart with Uranus rising drawn for 2:17 AM.

How things have changed! In the years subsequent to 9/11, many more astrologers have accepted a Sagittarius rising horoscope due to the fact that transiting Pluto was conjoining this chart’s Ascendant at the time of the attacks. It seems to me that this event has changed our thinking radically. A major event, surely, but still only one.

And while many astrologers have presented documentary evidence for one chart or another, basically none of them are dispositive.

I use Evangeline Adams’ 3:03 AM Gemini rising chart for 7/4/1776 which has Mars rising and the Moon in the 9th house. Jupiter rules the 7th and is placed in the 1st house. This is strong symbolism for being a nation of immigrants who come from afar. But I can’t support it further except to say that it seems to work for me. And while Astrodatabank gives a source for her data, this does not seem to be based on any documentary evidence that is available.

Earth Day Astrologically

Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970 and is now an annual event drawing attention to sustainability and the environment. The horoscope for Earth Day features the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Saturn all in the sign of Taurus, perhaps the most grounded of the earth signs. Taurus gives Earth Day its practical agenda and highlights the peace and beauty of the earth.

The chart also contains Pluto in the earth sign of Virgo, which suggests the essentials of growth and conservation as well as clean energy. In addition, the Moon and Jupiter are both in Scorpio, ruling recycling and the regenerative forces of nature.

The horoscope for Earth Day meshes very nicely with New York City’s Sun and Mercury in earth sign Capricorn, as well as the U.S. chart, which has the Sun, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter in the home-oriented sign of Cancer and Pluto in Capricorn. I don’t expect that the people who originated Earth Day were astrologers, but as so often happens, the appropriate significance of a horoscope cannot be denied! Blue-green beach, clouds

JFK Redux

The media has been having an orgy, feasting on the 50th anniversary of the death of President John F. Kennedy.  Does astrology show our obsession with him?  Of course. 

Kennedy’s South Node in his 9th house closely conjoins the U.S. Sun.  Judith Hill says in her book, The Lunar Nodes, that the Sun entity (the U.S. in this case) “…may cause you grief or trouble at some point.  Or sometimes they drain you.”  This seems appropriate, if understated, for Kennedy.  Obviously he would not have been killed had he not been president of the U.S.!  Hill also suggests that “It can be a karmic bond.”  For us, the country as a whole, Kennedy as a South Node person seems to be someone that strikes us to the core; we don’t seem to be able to let go of him.  Since the Nodes are diametrically opposed, those who want to know more about his position (North Node) or his at times creepy lifestyle (South Node) are both fascinated. 

The natal connection existed for a long time.  But why is it gaining momentum now?  Not all anniversaries are celebrated.  Transiting Pluto is within a degree of conjoining JFK’s natal North Node in Capricorn, dredging up his past.  To once again quote Judith Hill on this combination, “Pluto brings very deep, intense energy… Some individuals may experience an enhancement of personal powers… Your dharma may be pointed out…”  And Pluto can be obsessive. 

Of course, these are just a few of the many connections between Kennedy’s horoscope, the U.S. chart and current transits.  One symbol that I like is his Mars in Taurus conjunct his 8th house, representing the eternal (Taurus) flame (Mars) at his gravesite (after death – 8th house), being activated now by the transit of Saturn in Scorpio. 

But enough already!  Let’s put this guy to rest. 

There have been a lot of books lately on the Nodes.  I haven’t read them all, but I highly recommend Judith Hill’s excellent book, The Lunar Nodes (Stellium Press, 2009).  It describes eastern, western and contemporary approaches, natal placements and transits.  She really speaks from her own and client’s experiences.  It has a great Table of Contents and Bibliography though unfortunately no Index.  Buy it at Amazon.com:  The Lunar Nodes: Your Key to Excellent Chart Interpretation

Neptune and the War of the Worlds

Orson Welles’ broadcast his War of the Worlds Halloween radio show on October 30, 1938 at 8:00 PM from the CBS studios in New York City (see the data here).  The radio play was carried by affiliate stations across the country. Some people assumed the story of Martians invading the Earth was real. While historians today tend to feel there was less panic than we’ve been led to believe, the incident demonstrated the power of technology to influence the public, and Orson Welles became famous.

The illusion of truth comes under the purview of the planet Neptune. Some people initially felt uncomfortable with the new radio technology because people could be “there” and yet “not there” at the same time, something like disincarnate spirits. Interestingly, transiting Neptune at the time of Welles’ broadcast was nearly exactly conjunct the U.S. Neptune (a Neptune return, which occurs approximately every 162-164 years, give or take). It was also nearly exactly parallel its own place in declination.

I use Evangeline Adams’ Gemini rising U.S. chart, which has Neptune square the Ascendant. Saturn is also closely contra-parallel Neptune in many U.S. charts. To me this reflects Americans’ preoccupation with image, the proliferation of celebrities, glamour, advertising and marketing, and the conflict between illusion and reality. And so the transiting Neptune in 1938 reiterates and accentuates these themes.

Orson Welles was born on May 6, 1915 at 7:00 AM in Kenosha, WI according to his birth certificate (see the Astrodatabank entry). With Gemini rising himself, he had an immediate resonance with America. His Jupiter in Pisces in the 10th made him a teller of tall tales, especially as it squared his and the U.S. Ascendants.

Welles’ powerful Jupiter in the 10th was also closely parallel a perhaps even stronger Mars in Aries in his 11th house, both in their ruling signs. And transiting Neptune activated these, nearly exactly contra-parallel Welles’ Jupiter and parallel his Jupiter at the time, bringing up the Neptunian ideas of deception, misunderstanding and image vs. reality. Welles gained great notoriety as a result of the broadcast, and become seduced by Hollywood. His first film Citizen Kane came out in 1941.

Some of the exaggerated response from the public to The War of the Worlds in 1938 was probably due to the disturbing events in Europe that would soon lead to WWII. Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin were already in control and Jews were actively persecuted in Germany. But that is a much larger Neptunian story.

Pluto and the U.S.

Planetary stations are one of astrology’s most important predictive tools.  From our view on earth, when a planet stations, it appears to remain at a particular degree, then reverses its path in the sky (due to differing planetary orbits).  Since the transiting planet’s energies are more sustained and focused at this time, the station increases its impact.  As Pluto stationed from September to early October of 2013 at about 9 Capricorn, it approached an opposition to the U.S. Sun and had a number of dramatic and obvious influences on the country.

On October 1, 2013 the U.S. government went into a partial shutdown.  The Congress and Senate couldn’t agree on a funding bill, with some conservatives trying relentlessly to reverse Obamacare.  Meanwhile, the health care law was implemented and state health exchanges became active.  In addition, both houses of Congress must raise the national debt ceiling by October 17 or risk downgrading U.S. credit and other negative financial ramifications.

Pluto often relates to financial affairs, big business, power and control; the opposition aspect indicates polarization.   The Federal government power struggles have been all over the news as hundreds of thousands of government workers were laid off.  Yet Pluto relates to transformation and won’t oppose the U.S. Sun exactly until 2014.  Things will continue to change, and probably some consensus should be reached by the end of October 2013, when Saturn stabilizes the U.S. Sun.

Uranus, as it continues to square off against Pluto, should bring some dramatic changes to the U.S. in 2014.  This story is definitely not over yet.