Category Archives: horoscope interpretation

Dueling Elections

When an electional chart works, events should flow smoothly and allow you to accomplish your goal. Might things turn out differently if we started earlier or later? It’s hard to say, since there’s usually no way to compare. But Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland’s 19th century race around the world gives us two departure times for the same goal.

Nellie Bly was an early undercover reporter who famously had herself committed to a mental institution in 1887 and shared her experiences in the sensational New York World. She subsequently exposed sweatshops, jails and lobbying practices. Later, 25-year-old Bly convinced the editors to support her attempt to beat Jules Verne’s fictional record from Around the World in 80 Days. Her ship departed for Europe from Hoboken, New Jersey on November 14, 1889 at exactly 9:40:30 a.m.

Capitalizing on the publicity, Cosmopolitan magazine sent its own writer, Elizabeth Bisland, on the same journey in the opposite direction. Bisland was a freelancer from the south who only had six hours to prepare. Her train left Grand Central Station at 6:00 p.m. the same day for the west coast. How do the event charts compare?

Nellie Bly left in the morning. Jupiter rises, and all the rest but Neptune and Pluto are above the horizon. The Sagittarius Ascendant signifies a long trip, though Jupiter in Capricorn is not at its best (the reporter did pack light, bringing only one carry-on bag). But Venus in Libra in the 10th house of success is a final dispositor of the chart (all planets by traditional rulership lead to it), and its conjunction with Uranus shows the attention-grabbing nature of the event.

While the horoscope isn’t high in essential dignity, rulerships strengthen some key planets. Jupiter in its detriment in Capricorn squares Mars in the 9th house but also exalts it. The combination perfectly describes the pioneering journey and highlights initiative and speed. Mercury in Scorpio in the 10th sextiles Jupiter, and it’s also exalted by Saturn in the 8th house, which trines Jupiter, symbolism for both movement and follow-through (as well as the support of a major publication). Saturn also exalts Mars.

Bisland’s trip of course has the same dignities. But she left after sundown, when most planets were below the horizon, and the Ascendant ruler Mercury fell in the weaker 6th house. (Its sextile to Jupiter conjunct the 8th house may confirm the fact that Cosmopolitan’s editors bribed some carriers to facilitate the trip.) The Midheaven ruler, Saturn, showing the final outcome, is below the earth in the 4th. And while electrifying Uranus now forms a nice grand trine with the Ascendant and MC, dignified Venus is in a relatively weaker position near the 6th house cusp.

As we’d imagine, Nellie Bly completed the trip in about 72 days and 6 hours, receiving great acclaim. Elizabeth Bisland returned to New York 4½ days later. But if the departure times were switched, would it have worked out differently? Event and election charts are not stand-alones, and the natal charts always tell part of the story.

The journey was Bly’s idea proposed a year earlier, and with Jupiter in Scorpio, her Sun conjunct Pluto and Moon all in Taurus, she was determined and had overcome an impoverished background. Transiting Jupiter approached a trine to her Taurus planets at her departure, and transiting Uranus trined its natal place.

28-year-old Aquarius Bisland was also independent and self-supporting. Transiting Jupiter trined her natal Saturn, and she neared her Saturn return, both heavier influences. The trip also reflected her natal Saturn square Uranus, bringing a sudden development to her life. Like Bly, she was probably well paid for her efforts.

I’m not sure an astrologer would have elected either of these charts, though both travelers returned safely. If we wait for the ideal time to act, we could be waiting a long, long time.

Nellie Bly was born on May 5, 1864 in Cochrans Mills, PA. Elizabeth Bisland was born on February 11, 1861 near Fairfax, Louisiana. No times of birth are available.

Data and information is from Matthew Goodman’s Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland’s History-Making Race Around the World.

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Astro-Genealogy

My great-grandmother died in the 1918 pandemic, well before my father was even born.  We only have a few records of her life, though her original birth certificate actually has a time, so astrology can tell us more.

Mariantonia de Stasio was born in Montecalvo Irpino in Avellino, Italy in 1870.  The country was unified in 1861, but the south had a high tax burden, limited medical care, transportation problems and land shortages.  About a third of the town’s residents left for the U.S. between 1892 and 1924.

I’m not sure of the accuracy of the 11:00 a.m. birth time on Maria’s birth record.  But it gives her Leo rising, which seems appropriate, as her photo shows that she had good taste and presented a polished appearance.  She wore a beautiful lace collar and earrings, and her hair is perfectly swept up.

Maria’s Sun in Taurus conjunct Pluto, as well as her Moon-Venus-Saturn T-square, suggest some trauma and limitations in her life.  Her father died before she married at the age of 20.  Her husband, my great-grandfather Donato, travelled to New York City in 1895, and their second daughter died in Italy only a few months after he left.  But with Jupiter trine her Moon and conjunct her Sun, emigrating to the U.S. was probably a good choice for Maria.

Maria and Donato had six more children in New York, one of whom died in infancy.  Census records show that they lived in tenement apartments in Manhattan’s Little Italy on Mott Street and Hester Street.  By 1915 they had moved to Bridge Street in Brooklyn’s Vinegar Hill, on the other side of the Manhattan Bridge. 

Maria’s mutable Moon in Virgo square Saturn in Sagittarius could also indicate their less than ideal housing situations.  She had been trained as a tailor and must have been skilled, with a strong work ethic.  Her oldest daughter Rose was working as a coat finisher when she was only 13.  Like many women of the time, they probably sewed piecework in their home. 

The Moon rules Maria’s 12th house relating to the immune system, and Saturn rules her 6th of illness.  Saturn is then placed in her 5th of children.  It seems like her many responsibilities may have weakened her health.  She might have also suffered from anxiety or even depression. 

The flu pandemic hit NY in the spring of 1918, and became much worse that fall.  With transiting Jupiter and Pluto in Cancer and Saturn in Leo, both youthful signs, it was more dangerous to children (as opposed to the 2020 pandemic with Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn affecting seniors more strongly). 

Maria’s Sun helpfully conjoins Jupiter, but Jupiter in its detriment in Gemini makes it less benefic.  Mercury is dignified in Gemini and disposes the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn, so she probably overcome her limitations with common sense and the help of friends (since Mercury conjoins the 11th house).  But mutable signs can affect the lungs:  Saturn in Sagittarius might constrict her breathing, while Jupiter in Gemini presents potential lung congestion.  She contracted the flu and died of pneumonia less than two weeks later, on October 24, 1918.  Transiting Saturn conjoined her Ascendant, lowering her vitality, while transiting Uranus in the 7th opposed it.  The doctor visited but was unable to help her; she was only 48 years old.

At the same time, Maria’s progressed Midheaven at 25+ Gemini opposed natal Saturn, and her progressed Ascendant at 26 Virgo conjoined her Moon, both activating the natal Moon-Saturn square.  (It seems that her 11:00 birth time may not be that far off.)   

We often find close connections with the horoscopes of family members.  I never met my great-grandmother and we have only one photo to tell us what she looked like.  But her Pluto is only a few minutes from my Moon and the connection is both genetic and after her death!  

 

I wrote more about the 1918 pandemic in New York City here.

Medical astrology information in this post is from Diane Cramer’s book, Managing Your Health and Wellness. 

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The Cosmic Calendar

Christopher Renstrom’s The Cosmic Calendar:  Using Astrology to Get in Sync with Your Best Life provides a wonderful introduction to astrology, and the author’s writing skill and deep understanding of both history and cycles make this a special book.

Renstrom presents the equinoxes, solstices, elements, modes, day and night horoscopes and more with chart diagrams.  These immediately convey the multi-dimensional nature of astrology and provide an excellent introduction to help beginners look at a chart.  With perceptive and evocative descriptions, the Sun, Moon and planets in signs are addressed at length, with short interpretations of Sun and planet combinations.  Christopher writes with sensitivity, insight and emotional resonance and has created a work that’s refreshing, fun and often funny. 

We learn so much from the fact that Cancer “can’t resist the impulse to pick up things and to hold them; to cuddle, coddle and cradle.”  The Moon in Virgo “treats the body like a temple and not a pup tent.”  Jupiter in Leo should “make a big splash, not a big splat.”  Saturn in Aquarius’ “matter-of-fact way of putting things gives you the bedside manner of a Vulcan.”  Each thought is skillfully crafted to enhance our knowledge and awareness. 

Renstrom introduces essential dignities by connecting these fundamentals with the seasons, magically making a sometimes murky topic crystal clear.  The Moon is dignified in Cancer when the Northern Hemisphere is vibrant with life; it’s exalted in Taurus, the time of spring growth.  Venus rules Taurus’ month, when roses bloom, as well as Libra’s, the time for harvests.  Saturn is connected with two months of seasonal cold and dormancy.  The associations are disarmingly simple but also profound, as they strike at the heart of their meanings. 

A marvelous historical perspective is sprinkled throughout, with enlightening anecdotes about Caesar, Cleopatra and the calendar, Newgrange alignments, Roman myths, the discovery of the outer planets and other intriguing tidbits.  The book itself is beautifully designed, compact and easy to read. 

The Cosmic Calendar is like a raspberry cheesecake with the nutrition of a macrobiotic meal.  Read this book to refresh yourself on astrological basics, or simply for the elegant and entertaining prose.  Buy it for friends and family:  it should make a perfect gift for the budding astrologer on your list!

Buy The Cosmic Calendar on Amazon.com.

Out-of-Bounds Doctor

In a stunning settlement, the University of Southern California agreed to pay $1.1 billion to compensate over 700 sexual abuse victims for their experiences with long-time student gynecologist, Dr. George Tyndall.  The agreement is the largest of its kind, an admission of the gravity of the doctor’s behavior.  How is a perpetrator of such extensive abuse able to continue for so long? 

May 22, 2018 (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)

Dr. Tyndall’s prominent T-square shows his long-term position (Sun, Mercury and Mars in Capricorn), his attraction to young people (the Moon in Cancer – a full Moon chart) and his hidden, distorted reality (all square Neptune).  Saturn in Leo in its detriment conjunct Pluto and inconjunct Mercury in Capricorn seems a clear indication of his abuse of his position and power over his teenage patients.  Mars exalted in Capricorn allowed him to persist for nearly a full Saturn cycle of 27 years.  Jupiter in Scorpio sextile Tyndall’s Sun reflects his specialty as well as his ability to escape prosecution for so long.

Tyndall began the job in the summer of 1989, with transiting Saturn conjunct his Capricorn Sun.  He was suspended in 2016 as Saturn conjoined his South Node in Sagittarius.  Complaints of the doctor’s inappropriate comments, traumatizing physical acts and improper photographs of patients began in the 1990s and continued through the year of his removal.  Neptune’s squares seem obvious from both his lack of boundaries and interest in photography.  His offices were described as cluttered and unsanitary. 

Powerful placements and aspects like these don’t necessarily make someone a “bad” person.  Actresses Sandy Dennis and Andréa Ferréol, both born on the same day, channeled their Neptunian energies into more productive lives. 

Perhaps most significantly, though, are the doctor’s aspects in declination.  The Moon, Mercury and Pluto, all placed out-of-bounds (along with Mars just beginning to step OOB at 23 S 27’) show the negative expression of these energies and how Tyndall countered norms, particularly for one in a position of power and authority over young women.  Kt Boehrer associated the OOB Moon for men with having few or no children, and Tyndall also appears to have had none.  His wife, found through a matrimonial service, was around 20 years his junior and eventually returned to the Philippines.

Dr. Tyndall was charged with over 30 felony counts of sexual abuse beginning in June of 2019, as Saturn again conjoined his Sun.  His trial is pending.

Ancestry.com provided the birth date for George R. Tyndall (January 6, 1947 in Plattsburgh, NY, I used a noon chart – no time available).  The Los Angeles Times of December 19, 2018 confirms the year of birth and provided background information for this post. 

Neptune and the 2020 Election

Astrology is not the best at determining outcomes.  We can always describe the astrological weather and types of events to expect, but predicting a result is a different matter.  It’s far more effective to describe what planets are operating and how they might alter the status quo.  Pluto relentlessly erodes what it touches, Neptune dissolves things, Uranus can shatter, Saturn gradually reframes, and Jupiter refreshes situations. 

For political elections, we are astrologically considering the likelihood of an outcome.  When we add personal bias and agendas to the mix, we can understand how challenging it can be to predict a result.  Analyzing the kind and amount of change an individual may expect is one way to approach it.  Another is by studying long-term planetary cycles.  An important combination this year is the progressed U.S. Sun leaving its conjunction with transiting Neptune. 

On election day in 2016, transiting Neptune retrograde at 9 Pisces 16 was very close to the U.S. progressed Sun at 11 Pisces 28.  These placements were also approaching a trine to the U.S. natal Sun at about 13 Cancer, allowing Neptune’s cloak to stealthily wrap itself around the country.  Neptune advances only a little more than 2 degrees each year.  On election day 2020, with the U.S. progressed Sun at about 15-1/2 Pisces and Neptune stationing at 18+ Pisces, the aspect is beginning to depart from the conjunction. 

This suggests that some of the Neptunian confusion and complications the country has faced in recent years will gradually begin to lift.  Neptune rules otherworldly transcendence, dreams, images, illusions, healthcare, drugs, contagion, disintegration, empathy, charity, idealism, isolation, the oppressed, secrets and deception, among other things. 

By 2000, the influence of pharmaceutical companies had already led to a national health crisis, and deaths from opioid overdoses peaked in 2017.  The coronavirus pandemic is a Neptunian development all its own, but it also exacerbated the opioid crisis and brought to light the flaws in the American healthcare system. 

The proliferation of the Internet, smartphones and other mobile devices, communications satellites, distance learning and web conferencing has kept people glued to screen images. 

Donald Trump, the real estate developer turned TV personality who was elected president in 2016, is truly a Neptunian character.  His administration popularized the terms “fake news” and “alternate facts” to describe media coverage, promoted a nostalgic return to fossil fuels, and issued executive orders limiting the rights of refugees (many of whom were incarcerated).  Through mixed messages and skepticism, he encouraged a mistrust of journalists and healthcare professionals, fueled conspiracy theories and further polarized the nation. 

Neptune and Pisces have surely been influencing many aspects of our lives. The country entered an economic slump caused by a trade war with China that became a recession with the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.  But feminist, LGBTQ and Black rights movements coalesced during this time.  

Another interesting feature of the 2020 election is that transiting Neptune in Pisces is activating all of the major candidates’ horoscopes.  It stations in square to Donald Trump’s natal 10th house Uranus in November; opposes his progressed Moon in Virgo the day before election day; and goes on to exactly square his Sun-Moon opposition in March of 2021.  The station squares Mike Pence’s Sun-Mercury midpoint in Gemini, exactly squares it in January and squares his prominent Mercury for the first time in April 2021. 

The Neptune station in November opposes Joe Biden’s Midheaven, exactly opposing it for the final time in February of 2021.  The station transits Kamala Harris’ 10th house as it opposes her natal Venus in Virgo and opposes progressed Mars in Virgo in October and January.  Which candidate has the vision for the future?  Ultimately it’s a judgment call. 

I’ve looked at the 2021 Inauguration horoscope, the Nodal Return cycle, and the candidates’ forecasts.  The tides comes in and tides go out, and so it is with astrological developments.  As it seems to me that Donald Trump resonates more strongly with recent Neptunian developments, I believe the tide has turned against him as a politician. 

2020 Vice Presidents

I always consider the Vice Presidential candidates when evaluating an election, checking on how they’re interacting with notable transits like Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn and their progressions.  Both Pence and Harris show important changes in their lives in the coming months. 

We unfortunately don’t have a time of birth for Mike Pence.  Declination moves  slowly, and his progressed Moon is on the less fortunate downslope, though offering the possibility to coast along in a position.  Are there any indications for a major change?  I think so. 

Pence has a notable Venus conjunct Mars in early Leo squared by Neptune in Scorpio in his birth chart.  These squares will become a T-square with the transiting Jupiter-Saturn conjunction between the crucial months of November and January, scattering his attention and hampering his efforts.  In addition, Jupiter and Saturn contraparallel his Mars in December, causing many frustrations.  The aspects are more notable since natal Mars is also inconjunct Saturn.  While Pence has nice sextiles from transiting Jupiter and Pluto to natal Jupiter, it may not be enough for re-election. 

Mike Pence’s controlled and low-key image is probably due to his natal Saturn in Capricorn contraparallel a Venus-Pluto parallel (all within about a half a degree).  Between late October and January, transiting Jupiter and Pluto will both activate the natal contraparallel.  This is another combination involving the year’s momentous transits that also suggests significant life developments.

Progressed Venus in Virgo has moved another degree closer to squaring Pence’s natal Sun.  While the Neptune station in November is about two degrees past an exact square to both, it activates them at a crucial time, creating another T-square, and T-squares are purveyors of change.  President Trump’s progressed Moon at about 18 Virgo is also moving away from Pence’s progressed Venus as both experience the Neptune transits.  Outside events, such as the pandemic or economic recession, may feel out of their control and impact negatively on re-election. 

The Vice President has the Sun conjunct Mercury in Gemini in his birth chart.  Mercury is prominent, as it’s placed Out-of-Bounds in declination and disposes all other planets but Saturn.  As a conservative radio host and politician, it’s allowed him to share his message.  But his progressed Sun will be about 15 Leo and progressed Mercury about 11 Leo by the 2021 inauguration.  In February and March, transiting Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius will oppose his progressed Mercury, and by May, transiting Uranus will square it, creating a third T-square and suggesting significant new developments in life that may be unanticipated or contrary to his intentions. 

Transiting Jupiter opposes and contraparallels Mike Pence’s progressed Sun and Uranus in February, as Jupiter parallels natal Jupiter and trines his Sun.  He should be moving toward new vistas by then, and will certainly land on his feet.

We stand on firmer astrological ground with Kamala Harris, who was born in California, where birth records are available.  As other astrologers have noted, Harris has quite a strong birth chart.  Her Ascendant and North Node in Gemini form a grand trine with her Sun in Libra and Saturn in its ruling sign of Aquarius conjunct her Midheaven.  This shows a consistent focus on career and the ability to gradually move to positions of greater authority.  The pattern opens out to a rare Star of David or grand sextile, an active and dynamic pattern with nine planets and points and four oppositions involved. 

Like Mike Pence, Kamala has Jupiter at 24 degrees.  Transiting Jupiter through her eighth house will create a grand trine with her Venus in Virgo in September and Jupiter in Taurus in November.  This shows support for her efforts and events running in her favor.  Her progressed Moon, exalted in Taurus, has been activating her earth-sign planets, and will trine natal Pluto in December, oppose her Neptune in January and go on to trine natal Venus in early February.  This run begins and ends with favorable influences for success while her progressed Moon also double-approaches a conjunction with progressed Jupiter. 

From late October through December, the transiting Jupiter-Saturn conjunction also sextiles Harris’ progressed Venus at 26 Scorpio (close to conjoining running mate Joe Biden’s Sun). 

The candidate’s progressed Sun in late Sagittarius exactly conjoins her Descendant in December, bringing her before the public as it approaches a sextile to her natal Sun over the next four years.  At the same time, she’s experiencing a Nodal Return (exact in early October, see my earlier article on that here).  And finally, her progressed Sun conjoins her natal South Node in January.  While the South Node may not seem like a favorable conjunction to western astrologers, it could signify Harris being drawn along by karmic forces.  In any event, she is at quite an important turning point in her life and career.

Transiting Saturn squares Harris’ Sun and Moon in late November.  With so many oppositions in her chart and the Sun and Moon key components of her grand sextile, I believe this indicates new responsibilities.  In February 2020, when Saturn first activated the opposition, she called on the Trump Administration for a plan to combat the pandemic.  In August, shortly after the second exact squares, she was named the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate.  These themes would be consistent with her election.  Her progressed Moon also contraparallel natal Saturn in the tenth in late December is a similar influence which may include changes in residence, lifestyle and responsibilities. 

All the candidates this year have natal or progressed mutable planets or points that are activated by Neptune, which may relate to prevailing confusion over the coronavirus pandemic and their various approaches to it.  In Harris’ case, transiting Neptune stations in opposition to her natal Venus and progressed Mars in Virgo from October through January, bringing up issues in her natal chart.  Progressed Moon opposes Neptune at the same time.  These are difficult aspects to delineate, although Neptune goes on to more favorably trine her natal Neptune before election day. 

Kamala Harris’ Moon progresses Out of Bounds in declination, making for significant periods of time in her life.  It is now on the more fortunate upslope, but will peak in her early sixties, a time when she may attract even more attention or prominence – perhaps as the Democratic presidential candidate in 2024.

The two Vice Presidential candidates both have mixed aspects.  I’m influenced by Biden and Trump’s forecasts, as well as Harris and Trump’s Nodal returns and the 2021 inauguration horoscope.  What stands out in Pence and Harris’ analysis is that notable developments are promised for both, which would hold true for a change of administration.  Saturn rarely surprises us.  With hard aspects from Jupiter and Saturn for both candidates, the current trajectory of Trump’s team polling lower than Biden’s will probably continue, with Kamala Harris moving into a new job. 

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. 

Trump 2020?

In evaluating presidential candidates, I look at several astrological factors.  Whether they win or lose is basic, but can be complicated, although there are often clear indicators for success or failure.  Does it look like they’ll have a change in responsibility or residence?  And what about their continuing relationship with the country? 

The natal chart is the most important element.  Donald Trump attracts attention with his Sun conjunct Uranus birth eclipse.  It brings surprising successes, but, I’ve always felt, will include equally notable falls from grace.  Belinda Lai has included a detailed analysis of Trump’s birth chart on AstroPastures and I agree with her analysis that the mutable pattern tends toward one-shot situations, rather than long-term appointments. 

Trump has many challenging transits in the coming months.  Between October and February, transiting Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto all oppose the president’s Venus.  Jupiter and Pluto exactly oppose his Saturn in November and December, close to the election.  (They will trine his Midheaven near that time, too, but since Venus rules his MC and Saturn relates to career, I feel the oppositions carry.)  Pluto also opposes his natal Venus for the first time on February 18, 2021, drawing him to begin a new life direction.   

Progressions may be more notable in terms of where a person is going in life.  The president’s progressed Mercury in Leo, near his Mars-Pluto midpoint, sextiles natal Uranus in late September, and transiting Uranus sextiles his Mercury in late October.  Mercury co-rules his 10th house and is prominent in the 11th so this could point toward unexpected support.  But his natal Mercury lacks dignity, and none is added by the sign or 12th house placement of the progression.  He can expect help from loyal associates behind the scenes, and there may be a court decision in his favor.  But I feel that the challenging aspects outweigh the rest of the picture. 

Trump’s progressed Ascendant at 29 Libra 57, denotes the end of a phase in his life.  His progressed Venus, Jupiter and Ascendant in Libra will all take exact squares from the heavy Capricorn transits from late October through December.  (These may also explain his catching the coronavirus in early October.)

His progressed Midheaven, showing his status and career development, is equally afflicted.  The Jupiter-Saturn conjunction in Aquarius will oppose both his progressed Midheaven and progressed Saturn in January of 2021 from the bottom of his progressed chart (traditionally the “end of the matter”).

Trump’s progressed Moon in Virgo squares his natal Uranus in the 10th in October.  The transiting Neptune in Pisces station squares natal Uranus in November, while progressed Moon opposes transiting Neptune close to election day, creating a T-square.  Transiting Neptune’s continuing aspects from the 7th house aren’t yet exact, but will include squares to his Sun, Moon and Nodes, forming a grand cross and eroding his popularity.  The December 14 solar eclipse at 23 Sagittarius also activates the grand cross. 

In addition, the progressed Moon is within a degree and a half of conjoining the Midheaven of Joe Biden’s 8:30 a.m. birth chart!  It’s as if he’s ready to hand over the reins of government.  Or we might say that his work ethic and health situation enhance Biden’s reputation. 

The progressed Moon in declination may show periods of time when one achieves great popularity or notoriety.  Trump’s Moon progressed Out of Bounds in declination between the ages of 69 and 71, presenting a very unusual period of time when he won the 2016 election.  His progressed Moon is now on the downslope and has not been OOB for a few years:  he no longer enjoys the responsiveness from the public that he did four years ago.

Trump has some positive progressions, including progressed Moon approaching a trine to progressed U.S. Moon and his progressed Sun near a trine to U.S. progressed Ascendant.  However the most notable thing is the number of progressed to progressed aspects that are departing (I count 13 of them under 4 degrees), showing his path moving away from the country’s.  The U.S. progressed Moon at 22 Capricorn, South Node at 26 Capricorn and Pluto at 29-1/2 Capricorn are all reinforced by the transits in the same sign that afflict his birth chart. 

All of this is within the context of the bigger picture.  Donald Trump is experiencing a Nodal return, which often coincides with a life-changing time.  See my earlier post on Trump and Kamala Harris’ Nodal returns.  And the Inauguration chart, with its prominent Saturn square Uranus, also suggests a change in the party in power.  My earlier Inauguration 2021 post shows that this has historically been the case with many new administrations of the past. 

I do not believe that Donald Trump will begin a second term as President of the United States.  If he’s somehow re-elected, I expect he will face very difficult challenges indeed.   I hope to post about Biden’s horoscope soon.

Edgar Cayce’s Birth Time

The famous psychic Edgar Cayce said he’d had 37 astrological readings, and nearly half of the astrologers felt his birth time was incorrect! Cayce’s Mercury in Pisces made him visionary and eloquent, but outside of his trance states, exact details may not have been a strength. And since Mercury sextiles his Moon conjunct Neptune, confusion might also follow.

Cayce was born in the 19th century, when many American birth times weren’t recorded, so astrologers often rectified their charts. Several astrologers in touch with Cayce in the early 20th century offered him their own, “quick and dirty” rectifications on his time of birth.

Myra Kingsley, who’d worked for Evangeline Adams, wrote to Cayce with a horoscope interpretation, saying, “I have the chart drawn up for about 3:30 p.m. by West Kentucky time, as I am quite sure, due to your unusual ability, that you have a late degree of Leo rising, and the Sun in the eighth house.”

American Federation of Astrologers founder Ernest Grant had requested Edgar’s birth data and some notable life events, and shared that, “I rather believe that you were born either about 1:10 p.m. or somewhere between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.”

Thomas Sugrue, in his biography There is a River, quoted Cayce’s grandmother for a time of “three o-clock exactly.” But his biography fictionalizes dialogue and life events, so would not necessarily be trustworthy.

In a 1936 letter, Edgar clearly stated that he was born at 1:30 P.M. on a Sunday afternoon, quoting “the actual record from my parents, the physician and the birth certificate record.” While in a trance state for a reading for himself in 1919, Cayce, through his metaphysical source, provided a 3:03 p.m. birth time. These are the only two documented times that we have; others have been altered by astrologers or those not consulting the original records.

Edgar Cayce regularly differentiated between physical birth, the time of a baby’s first breath, and soul birth, which could occur many hours later. I believe that the 3:03 p.m. time provided by the reading was Edgar Cayce’s soul birth time (rounded off and given to Edgar’s grandmother by Sugrue decades later). The original birth certificate time of 1:30 was probably near his physical time of birth. The readings consistently said that physical birth times should be used for horoscope interpretations.

Edgar Cayce was born on March 18, 1877 at 1:30 p.m. LMT, in the small town of Beverly, Kentucky (Christian County – 36N45, 87W32). I would rate it “AA,” from the birth record. Birth data is listed in reading 254-2, Report 4 and 294-8, Report 13 in the Cayce database. (The soul birth time is also from reading 254-2).

Edgar Cayce’s readings and many records of his life are available to members of the Association for Research and Enlightenment. I write the “Celestial Forces” column for their magazine Venture Inward, which covers many metaphysical topics. Sample issues are available here.

Jupiter in Capricorn

Jupiter in Capricorn is traditionally in its “fall” – since Jupiter wants everything big and upbeat, and Capricorn likes things simple and realistic. It’s a bit of a conundrum to have the planet of expansion in the sign of contraction and restriction. But obviously some make it work! These people may not find lucky breaks as often as those with Jupiter in more compatible signs, but those with Jupiter in Capricorn often achieve positions through genuine hard work and earnest application to their goals. Their careers can be long-lasting, and we remember many of them well after they’ve passed.

Some become quite accomplished at what they do, and find a commitment to their work. Jupiter rules the higher mind and ideals, and the sign of Capricorn makes them pragmatic realists. Many are self-contained and low-key, not flashy.

Government Boosters
Jupiter and Capricorn share an interest in larger issues, which can include the government. So it’s no surprise to see many with this placement in positions of authority. They often conduct themselves with Capricornian decorum:
Elena Kagan, Amy Klobuchar, Beto O’Rourke, Barbara Bush, Gerald Ford, Margaret Thatcher, Madeline Albright.

Memorable Classics
Jupiter’s need for self-expression meets Capricorn’s ability to be succinct and pithy. These examples show how memorable Jupiter in Capricorn can be:
Langston Hughes, Emily Dickinson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Emily Bronte.

Authentic Voices
Jupiter in Capricorn may also bless many with the ability to accomplish their goals – no matter what area of life Jupiter chooses to expand to. These individuals can have a deeply personal connection with their ideals, along with a Capricornian authenticity, sharing with others who they really are, perhaps based on hard-won personal experience:
Alyssa Milano, Pope Francis, George Takei, Caitlyn Jenner, Prince Harry, RuPaul, Edgar Cayce, Malcolm X, Vanessa Redgrave.

Astrologers
Astrologers can also be Jupiterian idealists with an interest in Capricornian timing. Based upon the number of astrologers with this combination, it seems a common one:
Linda Goodman, Noel Tyl, Steven Forrest, Marion Mayer Drew, Kim Farnell, Cheiro – and many more.

Inspired Careerists
The folks that follow may not seem like typical Capricornians – somehow the emphasis is on an expansive Jupiter. But they also have long-lived careers and continue working – not satisfied with being a “flash in the pan.”
Tilda Swinton, Courtney Vance, Miley Cyrus, Marie Kondo, Mark Zuckerberg, k.d. lang, Katy Perry, Dwayne Johnson, Lorde.

Humorists
Another commonality between this planet and sign is comedy. It can bestow a dry sense of humor, good timing or an appreciation of irony. Those who have it also seem to be down-to-earth and grounded:
Scarlett Johansson, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Gwynyth Paltrow, Sofia Vergara, Kathy Griffin, Valerie Bertinelli, Mary Tyler Moore.

Questionable Ethics
There’s a down-side to every astrological combination, and we might say that those with Jupiter in Capricorn can go too far or be too ambitious, insensitive to others in pursuit of their goals, or even become autocrats. With Saturn ruling Capricorn, however, they may ultimately pay the price for their bad behavior:
Benjamin Netanyahu, Paul Manafort, Linda Tripp, Michael Flynn, Bill Cosby, Dustin Hoffman, Saddam Hussein, Richard Nixon.