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Election 2016: Progressions III – to U.S.

To forecast the outcome of a political election, some Astrologers look at the candidates’ comparative aspects to the U.S. chart to see what their connections to the country are. This is a good thought, but some candidates, like Hillary Clinton, have longstanding relationships with the country, and this technique doesn’t narrow it down to a particular time. We might do the candidates’ progressed aspects to the U.S. chart, which would reveal the point in time that affiliations between the two would likely occur. But I prefer to compare progressed to progressed aspects, which tell us more about each candidate’s connection to the U.S. flow of history as well.

Donald Trump’s progressed Ascendant in late Libra falls right on the U.S. progressed Midheaven (less than 2 degrees past), and his progressed Jupiter, though an extremely slow influence, is a little over a degree from conjoining the U.S. PMC, a close tie. This shows him going toward high government office. However the U.S. PMC falls in his 3^rd house and the U.S. P. Asc. in his 5^th. While both might be more fortunate than not, they are not the strongest of houses.

Donald’s progressed Ascendant and MC in late and early degrees indicate a significant period of change in his life: leaving one type of career and entering a new phase in self-expression, which would be appropriate for a newbie to political office.

His progressed Ascendant is over 2-1/2 degrees from squaring the U.S. progressed Pluto in Capricorn. At the same time, his progressed Midheaven in early Leo is leaving a square to Pr. U.S. Pluto (less than a degree and a half past). Due to midpoint influences, this creates a dynamic T-square. We can see his slogan of “making America great again” in these transformative aspects to Pluto, yet the nature of Pluto signifies more of a crash and burn relationship to me. And with the U.S. Pluto in Capricorn, party authorities are already reshaping Trump’s message and testing his depth, not the other way around.

Donald Trump’s progressed Moon in Cancer approaches a conjunction with the U.S. progressed North Node on Election Day. By the Inauguration, it will be around half a degree of conjoining it. (His progressed Moon also squares the U.S. progressed Venus at the same time.) The Nodes may indicate a sense of destiny playing out. And Trump’s P. Moon and U.S. P. N. Node also line up with his own natal Saturn. These are all significant, however the progressed Moon moves quickly, progressed Nodes are extremely slow, and to my mind, natal Saturn in Cancer is just not great (see my earlier analysis of this progression).

Perhaps more important, Donald Trump’s progressed Venus in Libra conjoins the U.S. Mars in its P. 9^th house. However it will be less than a degree from the conjunction until at least mid-2017, which seems a little late to apply specifically to the election the previous November.

Progressing the Ascendant and Midheaven, especially for questionable times like the U.S.A., adds an additional margin of error. The above charts are what seem to work for me. I use Evangeline Adams’ Gemini rising U.S. chart.

Election 2016: Progressions II

Hillary Clinton’s progressions are much more dynamic and significant than Donald Trump’s, but once again we have to ask whether they specifically indicate success or a new position.

Clinton’s progressed Moon is in Libra in her 11^th house (based on an 8:02 AM birth time) and is nearly exactly sextile Mars on election day, 11/8/16. In addition, transiting Jupiter will conjoin the progressed Moon and sextile natal Mars within about a week. The combination signifies an expanded connection with the public and is excellent for her.

The progressed Moon is leaving a conjunction with Clinton’s Neptune, which highlights the continuing scandals as well as her ill health not long before the election. I feel that approaching aspects are stronger, and Neptune can be confusing, but it, too, may also add to her resonance with the public.

Progressed Mars conjoins her 10^th house cusp, which is a powerful indicator of initiatives in her career. A focal point of Hillary’s chart is Mercury in Scorpio closely conjunct her Ascendant, with Venus in Scorpio also conjunct Mercury from the 12^th house. Progressed Mars has passed a quintile aspect to her Venus, is still about 2 degrees from a quintile to her Mercury, and is over 2 degrees from aspecting her Ascendant. However P. Mars remains very close to quintile the midpoint of her Mercury-Venus-Ascendant as they combine influences.

In a notable repetition of influences, Hillary’s Solar Arc Uranus conjoins her Midheaven and progressed Mars, while also activating the quintile pattern to her natal Scorpio planets. Uranus conjunct Mars in the 10th is a wild influence concerning status and position. Uranus, though, is not reliable, and there may be more surprising ups and downs for Hillary before November 8^th.

The quintile aspect (72 degrees) isn’t the most commonly used, but most astrologers agree that it’s a harmonious and flowing aspect that facilitates events. This fifth harmonic aspect relates to the 5^th house and the Sun, and both may point toward luck and success. (Quintiles are common, but I do feel they’re a little stronger than sextiles as they’re a smaller division of the circle.)

Clinton’s progressed MC at about 15 Scorpio has just squared her natal Pluto in the 9th, and is a little over a degree from conjoining her Venus. More importantly, however, it’s also falling within the zone of the quintile from progressed Mars. Despite repeated questions of influence or legality (Pluto in the 9^th), she continues to be popular.

Venus rules Hillary’s 7^th house, relating to the public, and her progressed Venus is less than a degree from trining natal Neptune in the 11^th, allowing her to gain ideological support from a broad audience.

Hillary Clinton’s progressed Sun and Mercury in Capricorn are each less than a degree past squaring Neptune. These aspects highlight her loss of credibility, continuing insinuations of scandals, and ill health. However it does seem to me that she is coming away from these Neptunian situations, since they are departing aspects.

I use secondary progressions by true Solar Arc, and other methods will change these aspects. I would not have the confidence to calculate them so exactly by hand, and we therefore must rely on our calculation programs. And of course, Hillary’s birth time is in question, and I’ve focused a lot on aspects to her 10^th house and Ascendant. However, I still believe that her progressions are much more powerful than Donald Trump’s, and that they more accurately point toward winning a new position.

Scorecard: Solar Returns – Clinton. Progressed Moon’s Declination – Trump. Solar Arcs – Clinton. Progressions – Clinton.

I’ll look at transits to each of the candidate’s charts in my next post.

Election 2016 – Progressions

Progressions are a significant part of astrological forecasting. For the Presidential election, I’ll look at the closest progressed aspects within a degree of natal planets and points on Election Day. Do they suggest victory or a new position? What is their nature and strength?

As we saw in the Solar Arc Directions, Donald Trump’s progressed Sun conjoins his Ascendant, which is powerful testimony to his ability to promote himself. The Sun is also quintile Uranus in his 10^th house of status. This is his most important aspect suggesting success or a new direction for his career. However it’s 21’ past exact. While aspects theoretically should be exact for significant life events, we all know that reality is more flexible.

Trump’s progressed Ascendant in Libra is in his 3^rd house, very close to sextiling his natal Mars conjunct his 1^st. This reiterates the themes of self-development, self-promotion and communications, especially as Mars rules his 9^th house.

Perhaps one of Donald’s strongest progressions is his Moon in its own sign of Cancer, just under a degree of conjoining natal Saturn in his 11^th house (exact on 12/2/16). This combination certainly suggests a leadership position and responsiveness from the public, especially since his Saturn rules his 6^th and 7^th houses. But Saturn is in its detriment in Cancer. I’m therefore not sure if it suggests a win. The Moon, however, also sextiles the Midheaven on 12/16, though it’s about a degree and a half from exact on Election Day.

Progressed Mars in Libra in his 2^nd house squares Mercury in his 11^th. Trump has been focused on talking about his values, with a lot of verbal sparring. This combination also shows his engagement with the community (11th). Once again, though, it’s past exactitude – by about 19’ (it was exact in May of 2016).

Progressed Jupiter square Saturn is a much closer aspect, (8’ past), but since Jupiter is a slower-moving planet it’s progressions are extremely slow. Trump’s Jupiter in transit moved about 10’ a day, so the progression was closer to exact about a year ago. More importantly, however, this progression accentuates his natal Jupiter square Saturn and is also activated by the progressed Moon.

Donald Trump’s progressed MC conjoins his 12^th house cusp with no aspects. He is tending toward behind-the-scenes situations, as political positions do, but with no engagement with the rest of his chart, it’s symbolism isn’t more specific.

Trump has a number of close progressions, though some of the most significant are either not especially close or are past exactitude. Self-development is reiterated, but I don’t know if this suggests success. The progressed Moon is one of the most important, but gives a somewhat mixed message as it conjoins Saturn.

(I’ve been very exacting with the progressed degrees. But note that the fastest progressions – the Ascendant and Midheaven in particular, and also the Moon – may not be exact due to inexact birth times or calculation issues. )

I’ll look at Hillary Clinton’s progressions next time so we can see whose are more significant.

Election 2016 – Solar Arcs

Let’s look at the Solar Arc directed planets for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton to see who has more powerful directions on Election Day, November 8, 2016. (I use these simply as a kind of progression and not with midpoint pictures.)

Donald Trump’s directed MC, relating to career and status, is conjunct his 12^th house, with no major aspects to planets in his birth chart. His directed Ascendant is in his 3^rd house, just past conjoining directed Mars (a high point for assertive communications). It approaches a trine to his Mercury in the 11^th, but it’s a little over a degree and a half away.

Trump’s directed Sun opposite Moon, as well as his Nodes, straddle his Ascendant-Descendant axis. This is strong testimony of coming before the public and gaining much attention, and is very consistent with his campaign. Yet the South Node conjoining his 7^th house cusp, which relates to the public, suggests a lack of support for a major position in the material world.

Directed Mercury from the 1^st approaches a square to Uranus in his natal 10^th house. The issues of communication and career excitement are brought up. But this aspect, too, is over a degree and a half from exact on election day. I’m not sure whether the more radical changes in his career that are indicated by Uranus will occur from mid to late 2017 or earlier. These are the closest aspects.

Hillary Clinton’s directions are stronger. However we must remember that her birth time is not certain, which makes aspects involving the Ascendant and Midheaven questionable. (I use her 8:02 AM chart.)

Hillary’s natal Moon square Uranus directs to angular houses, making it more prominent. Directed Uranus is less than half of a degree from conjoining her MC, and her directed Moon is in her 7^th house. This combination shows both her support from women, as well as the fact that she’s breaking new ground as the first female presidential candidate from a major party. To my mind, this is a very important direction.

Hillary’s directed MC falls in her 12^th house, only about 7 degrees from conjoining her Ascendant. Given the orb I use, I feel that it’s already activating her Ascendant, which is significant. It’s also just a degree from conjoining her Venus, showing the possibility of much support from behind the scenes. (Venus also rules her 6^th house of service, her 7^th of the public and partnerships and the 11^th relating to the community.)

Solar Arc Neptune is nearly exactly trine her natal Saturn in the 9^th, allowing her to reach a wide audience with her message. Similarly, her directed Jupiter in her 3^rd house is within a degree of trining her Neptune in the 11^th house, giving her a strong resonance with the community (11^th) for her ideas (the 3^rd house and Jupiter). (Directed Mercury, also in her 3^rd, has passed a sextile to her natal Jupiter, but is less than a degree away, also supporting her message.)

Hillary has more close Solar Arc directions for election day than Donald. She wins this round of astrological consideration. So far we have Solar returns going to Clinton, the progressed Moon in declination to Trump and now Solar Arcs to Hillary.

I’ll look at secondary progressions for each candidate next.

Election 2016 – Progressed Declination II

Like Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton’s Moon also progresses Out of Bounds in declination. The peaks and troughs of her cycle are very telling as well.

Clinton’s most recent peak, from about ages 61 to 64, included her first presidential run and the much of her term as Secretary of State. These life changing events represent a peak in terms of public exposure and career developments. In keeping with the nature of the Moon, both her presidential campaign as well as her role as Secretary involved much travel and therefore an unsettled domestic situation. In addition, while she was focused on public service throughout the Moon’s OOB phase, her goals and position certainly changed during this time.

On the Moon’s previous progression OOB in the north, (at about ages 34 to 37 or 1981 to 1984), Hillary was in the middle of her first term as First Lady of Arkansas and had just given birth to her daughter Chelsea. Once again, the changeability of the Moon is clear: her husband lost the Governor’s office for the subsequent term and was re-elected while Hillary’s Moon was still OOB.

The trough in Hillary’s progressed Moon cycle found her in the White House with her National Health Reform program abandoned in 1994 (around age 47). Her husband was also having an affair with Monica Lewinsky at that time.

As Hillary again runs for President, her progressed Moon is on the downslope (heading south). This is not as strong a position as Donald Trump – she’s spent much more on advertising than Trump, for example, having to work harder for the publicity that Trump is naturally attracting in his OOB Moon phase.

Election 2016: Progressed Declination

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.

Election 2016 – Solar Returns

The Presidential election this fall is a major contest and the outcome can be determined astrologically. To do it, we need to consider a wide variety of techniques. In this post I’ll look at the Solar Returns for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

The contest has changed recently, since Trump has a new Solar Return that began on his birthday in June. Trump was in NYC for a campaign rally on June 13, 2016 (the exact time of the return may fall on the day before the calendar birth date), and I’ll assume he was also in NY that morning, when his Sun returned to its natal place. At this writing, many reporters suggest that he’s become more controversial in recent months.

Trump has won support by being a political outsider, but as the Republican presidential candidate, he has alienated party leaders. A Latino judge who Trump criticized recently ruled that the fraud suit against Trump University would go to trial. These events show issues with authority figures, and Trump has Uranus conjunct the Midheaven this year. It forms a stressful yod with the Sun conjunct Venus in the 11^th house and Mars in Scorpio in the 4^th, a combative pattern.

The T-square of Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune is very close in Trump’s Solar Return, indicating his controversies involving minorities and immigrants (afflicted Jupiter).

Hillary Clinton is closer to the end of her Solar Return year, which also fell a day before her birthday, when she attended a private event in NYC. Questions of Clinton’s trustworthiness continue to dog her, her e-mail scandal seems to have a life of its own, and she has flip-flopped on a number of issues. Her Solar features Neptune conjunct the Midheaven, showing a questionable reputation. While Neptune squares Saturn in the Return, it also has some excellent aspects, forming a grand trine with the Cancer Ascendant and the Sun in Scorpio in the 5^th house. Neptune also sextiles Pluto in her 7^th, which might ease the public’s skepticism of her somewhat.

Hillary’s 10^th house of status and position ends up being more favorable than Donald’s.

The Ascendant is a significant point as well, representing the candidate. Trump has the Moon in the 3^rd closely sextiling his Solar Ascendant in Leo (the same sign rising in his birth chart). Hillary also has favorable quintile aspects between the Ascendant and the benefics Venus and Jupiter in her 4^th house, in addition to the grand trine involving her Solar Ascendant. While the Ascendant is also inconjunct Saturn, highlighting her emotional reserve and keeping many from warming up to her, the flowing aspects add more weight. Hillary’s Ascendant also ends up being more favorable than Trump’s.

Angularity adds power to planets and both candidates have angular planets in their Solar Returns: Trump has Uranus conjoining the Midheaven and Mars in the 4^th house; Clinton has Venus, Mars and Jupiter conjunct in her Solar 4^th house, Neptune on the Midheaven and Pluto in the 7^th. Hillary’s Solar Return is more powerful with more angular planets.

I always like to consider essential dignity as well. In his Return, Trump has Mercury in Gemini and Mars in Scorpio, strong in their ruling signs, but Mercury opposes Mars and Mars is also the focal point of the yod. While Clinton has Venus in its fall in Virgo, it forms a mutual reception with Mercury in Libra (each other’s ruling signs), and disposes of the rest of the planets. Mercury, though, is part of a T-square with the Moon, Uranus and Pluto. Neither candidate appears much stronger through essential dignity.

But Hillary Clinton’s Solar Return ends up being more favorable overall, with a better aspected Midheaven and Ascendant and more angular planets. There’s much more we could say about the Solar Returns, and this is only one part of the analysis we need to do to forecast the outcome of the election.

Note: I use relocated SR charts in the Tropical zodiac and do not correct for precession.

Is Personality Stable?

It depends. As astrologers, we know that some people, with a mutable emphasis in their birth charts, have more changeable personalities, while others (say, with a significant Uranus or Pluto in their horoscopes) have charts that suggest dramatic change over the course of their lives. Still, psychologists have been arguing about the question for decades.

In the 1960s, the world of psychology accepted the fact that personality was stable – that we can be categorized as certain types of people and will consistently behave in particular ways. Yet when Walter Mischel, PhD began his professional career, he reviewed the literature and saw that none of the studies he consulted supported that conclusion. Instead, in his 1968 book, Personality and Assessment, he revealed that personality is not stable over time. Consistency was an illusion. Despite the research behind the book, it was controversial. People just didn’t want to accept that personality was unstable. On a gut level, we want to believe that we know who people are and can predict their behavior.

What Mischel also found, and others have supported, is that the different situations that we find ourselves in can very much change behavior. One may have one type of personality at work and another at home. And certainly, people change over time. An alcoholic can recover, a criminal may rehabilitate himself, a 30-year marriage can dissolve when the parties develop differing goals.

With astrology, we see why all of these variables are possible. The birth chart is stable – we live with that pattern throughout our lives. But we also experience different cycles and phases as we move through the years and decades. Progressions will change our personal emphasis in life, and transits will alter what the world is showing us. So in some sense, we are both consistent and changeable. And astrologers also have the extraordinary ability to forecast these trends.

Drawing Up Horoscopes by Hand

Like most astrologers my age, I originally learned to draw up horoscopes by hand. Computers quickly changed all that and made it much quicker and easier to calculate charts. But I could never let go of hand writing the aspects.

I didn’t like how they looked on the print-outs, no matter how many different wheel styles I tried. And more importantly, they never made much sense to me that way.

So I’ve always used a computer to print out charts, but still keep my colored pencils to draw in the aspects myself. I figure them out the old-fashioned way, Sun-Moon, Sun-Mercury, Sun-Venus, etc. As I work through them, I familiarize myself with the chart and discover many connections and patterns that I might have otherwise missed. When I’m finished, I feel like I have a good impression of the person’s horoscope, its highlights and issues.

Technology facilitates many things for us these days, but may also take away some levels of our experience. My gut feeling on this was recently confirmed by a NY Times article reviewing studies of handwriting vs. keyboarding. It appears that more brain circuits are activated with manual writing, increasing mental activity and ideas. And, as I somehow suspected, handwriting may also help us process new information better.

Justin Timberlake and Neptune

Justin Timberlake’s new song, “Can’t Stop the Feeling,” hit the top of the charts over Memorial Day weekend, and is being touted as the song of the summer. This infectious pop tune reflects Timberlake’s exact Moon conjunct Neptune in Sagittarius.

“Can’t Stop the Feeling” captures a sense of love, joy and happiness, and the video shows people in everyday life expressing it. Since Justin not only performs the song, but was also a writer and co-producer, it strongly reflects his personality. His Moon and Neptune closely trine his Leo Ascendant from the cusp of the 5th house, giving him the ability to creatively dramatize a special moment in time. The singer-songwriter seems able to effortlessly capture an evanescent feeling.

Sagittarius showcases optimism and expansiveness, but it’s also the combination with Neptune that transcends the material plane and blends it into a sense of higher consciousness. Neptune is certainly at home with music and dance. And look how many joyful Sagittarius-Neptune phrases we can find in the song’s lyrics:

“I fly so high, no ceiling, when I’m in my zone”
“Got that good soul in my feet”
“moving so phenomenally”
“Just imagine”
“Nothing I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance”
“It’s something magical”

Director Mark Romanek (born September 18, 1959) perfectly captures the essence of the song in the music video. His Uranus at 19 Leo conjoins Justin’s Ascendant while trining his Moon-Neptune conjunction in Sagittarius. Transiting Uranus will station in the third fire sign, Aries, in Timberlake’s 9th house this summer, creating a once-in-a-lifetime grand trine. So the hype about “Can’t Stop the Feeling” being the summer’s song is probably correct!

Justin Timberlake was born on January 31, 1981 at 6:30 PM in Memphis, Tennessee, according to his birth certificate on Astrodatabank.

Karen Christino

Astrologer and Writer