Indigenous Wisdom, Astrology, and the Deaths of U.S. Presidents

“Karen Christino, astrology’s historian, has done it again with this fascinating account of one of astrology’s mysteries… it intrigues, informs and educates you about things you may never even have thought possible.”  — Ken Irving, Horoscope Guide

“Christino’s book is a nuanced and wide-ranging weaving of this history… an exceptional work from a seasoned astrologer who weaves techniques and historical details into an engaging, evocative and substantive book. Highly recommended.” — Mary Plumb, The Mountain Astrologer

“…required reading for anyone interested in the astrological history of the United States and the people of the Americas – perhaps the best book on the topic in decades.” –- Armand Diaz, Astrology News Service and NCGR Memberletter  

“… addresses an issue that has long been known in astrology circles but has not been treated in any detail or with such a broad perspective.” –- Bruce Scofield, author of How to Practice Mayan Astrology, 5-star Amazon review 

“If you love history of early USA, the indigenous traditions of North America, and their spirituality, you will find a satisfying and informative read.” — Victoria Smoot, ISAR International Astrologer

Why did seven U.S. presidents elected in zero years die in office?  Is it a curse?  An astrological cycle?  Or part of an 800-year-old Indigenous prophecy?  Why are Tecumseh and his brother the Shawnee Prophet linked to the 20-year cycle of U.S. presidents dying in office?  Tecumseh’s Curse explores Indigenous culture, popular legends and presidential history.  The book analyzes 10 presidents’ horoscopes and 16 inaugural charts, and provides forecasts for the 2021 administration and the Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius era to come.

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From the Introduction:

On December, 2020, two of the brightest objects in the night sky, the planets Jupiter and Saturn, came together. To the untrained eye, two spots of light were simply aligned with one another in a darkly shimmering void. Yet throughout history, cultures around the globe have memorialized this planetary conjunction in myths, legends and stories.

Astronomer and astrologer Johannes Kepler was fascinated with the celestial pairing and associated it with the birth of Jesus Christ, and it’s been linked with the beginning and end of the Inca Empire. Other earthly echoes of this important sky event can be noted in Maya calendars, the ritual destruction of Japanese Shinto shrines, and the prophecies of the biblical Daniel. Why have so many peoples regarded the meeting of Jupiter and Saturn as a momentous event?

250 years ago, Jupiter and Saturn represented the outer-most reaches of our astronomical vision, and to the ancients, they were unequaled, meting out periods of 20, 200 and even 800-year intervals, significant cycles that astrologers have been studying for over 2,000 years. As Jupiter and Saturn represented “the greatest” celestially, they were often symbolically linked with the change in power from one ruler to another. In America, the conjunction has forecast tumultuous changes in our presidency.

U.S. presidents elected in the “zero” years of 1840, 1860 and so on have regularly died in office, and many astrologers have correlated the 20-year Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions with the presidential deaths. These cyclical deaths are also sometimes referred to as “Tecumseh’s Curse.” The celebrated Shawnee chief Tecumseh had fought against William Henry Harrison, the first president to die in office. According to legend, Tecumseh’s brother, Tenskwatawa, after his defeat at the battle of Tippecanoe, predicted death and destruction for Harrison and his successors every 20 years.

Tenskwatawa, also known as the Shawnee Prophet, had taken a number of Harrison’s men prisoner in the battle. He supposedly released a few back with an important message: “Your leader will become a great man in his country. He will meet his death in a zero year, and every 20 years thereafter the leader of your country will die in office.” This is quoted in several different accounts but never attributed to an original source or reference work. It’s not included in serious studies of the people or time. Usually the Prophet makes the statement. Sometimes it’s Tecumseh when he’s dying. In one account it was Tecumseh’s mother after she learned he’d been killed. So it’s most likely not an accurate quote.

But beginning in 1840, seven out of nine presidents who were elected every 20 years have died in office. Ronald Reagan may be an exception as he was shot but survived. George W. Bush had a live hand grenade thrown at him but it did not explode, though the 9/11 attacks occurred on his watch. A new presidential term began in 2021.

What is it about the Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions that resonates so strongly with the United States’ presidents? Is it an astrological cycle, an actual curse, or a myth? Since this is also a Shawnee story, we’ll look at the lives of the leaders Tecumseh and the Prophet, Shawnee history, beliefs and practices, and Indigenous astrology. We’ll then examine the zero-year American presidents and the astrology of the presidential deaths to gain a better understanding of what may happen in the future.

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