Winter Solstice 2017: a Neptune and Sun-Saturn Season

DC Horoscope Winter Solstice December 21, 2017: Watery Neptune Ascends and then...

That nebulous, scandal-plagued, hider of secrets, Neptune, rises at Winter Solstice 2017 in Washington, DC and considering the administration of Donald Trump, it seems his first year (barely holding) office will end much as it began--clouded by leaks and shrouded in mysteries with questions of fraud and conflicts of interests on America's menu as We The People move into 2018 with our actual needs and concerns, for the most part, unaddressed.

Now as an astrologer of sorts, I tend to think of higher octave planets as co-rulers or sub-rulers of their respective signs and can't quite bring myself to tag Neptune as 'chart-ruler' here. But the original or traditional ruler of Pisces, Jupiter, is very much so, though perhaps in a Piscean secretive and/or confused sort of way (rather than Jupiter's rulership of its own sign Sagittarius would suggest).

Yet expansive Jupiter's many potential roles in a mundane chart include politician, The General, thespian, banker, investor, CEO, judge, lawyer, mentor, and other masks that pertain to Politics, Religion, or Business.

Plus, as astrologers know, there is one curious thing about soft, mutable Pisces in a mundane sense -- military generals are quite often born under the sign with General George Washington as our primary example. And since America in 2017 is under attack by monster storms and floods once again, we may expect more oceanic actions from Neptune rising, chart-ruler or not, with plenty of confusion, scandals, leaks, corruption, lies, and fraud involved as well.

First, Let's Talk About Solar Eclipses

Now the 1 North August 21, 2017 Total Solar Eclipse manifested in fiery Leo and was coined as 'The Great American Eclipse' by NASA, if memory serves. But did this manifestation of a 1 North Solar Eclipse trigger the fires which have consumed large ares of the West Coast and inland where the eclipse first 'hit' the US as its path of totality raced across our country and took its leave by way of South Carolina? How about hurricanes, typhoons, and floods in the US and across the globe?

As you know, natural disasters often accompany heavy-duty eclipses and total eclipses are the strongest instigators of all. Yet one theme of a 1 North eclipse is: information is distorted and possibly false (Brady) just as it was in 2001 to 2003 in order to finagle the American people under false pretexts into a Middle East war of plunder, racketeering, and conquest. Plus, the government's tactical use of fear is the usual accomplice in these bogus matters, as you know. Exs: the 9/11/01 attacks, "mushroom cloud", "WMD"...you remember Vulcan 'VP' Cheney and the 1% gang's neocon lies. Anyway, their lies are examples of events that demonstrate 1 North's 'info is distorted and possibly false' theme.

Winter Solstice 2017 and Sun-Saturn Energies

And since 1 North first manifested on January 4, 1639 @13Cap48--opposite what turned out to be America's natal Sun position (POTUS), the August 21, 2017 Solar Eclipse in Sun-ruled Leo should be viewed through a (1639) Saturn-ruled Capricorn lens which in 2017 into 2018 provides a Sun-Saturn signature to events and activities which can be clearly seen in the Winter Solstice 2017 horoscope via Saturn entering its own sign of Capricorn conjunct the Solstice Sun (@00Cap00, a Cardinal World Point of Manifestation).

When Karmic Saturn pairs its restrictive energies with the Sun, at least two other Sun-Saturn signatures resonate with this chart and they both relate to current events:

America's natal Sun-Saturn square which denotes potentials for hard work and planning paying off, taking responsibility seriously, karma (reaping what was sown), separation/isolation, a lack of vitality; perseverance, determination. This 'presidential-and-lawmaker' square forms the base of a Fist of God (aka, a Thor's Hammer pattern) aimed directly at US natal Moon (We The People, if you use a late Aquarius position for our national Moon-- here on SO'W we'll soon consider the Solar Eclipse that 'hits' this natal Moon position on February 15, 2018 @27AQ).

Potential expressions of Sun-Saturn = Moon: instinctual caution and self-control; sensitivity to otherwise rigid frameworks; discipline in daily activities (Munkasey); fear; feeling inferior; emotional depression in part due to organic disturbance (Ebertin) (from lack of health insurance and much needed medical care? - jc.) Manipulating and controlling the American public is one of the primary goals of this pattern.

Expert astrologer and author Michael Munkasey, in his section on Politics and Business, adds the following Hegelian dialectic for Sun-Saturn:

Thesis: Form and definition in an enterprise; the will of the people as defined in the principal founding documents; the checks and balances within enterprises as implemented by various administrations.

Antithesis: Pessimism and gloom as a center focus of policy; unreasonable centralization of authority in one location; a leadership preoccupied with the various forms of law enforcement; older and more distanced leaders. (Midpoints: Unleashing the Power of the Planets, Munkasey)

Another Sun-Saturn signature now in force: transit Saturn's off-and-on-again visit to Donald Trump's natal planets: conjunct his natal Moon (which conjoins his natal South Node of the Moon, a Saturnian, separative conjunction denoting emotional distance, bad timing, and unpopularity with and odd attitudes toward women) and simultaneously Saturn's opposition to his natal Sun (ego, pride, goals, hero's journey) when failure to live up to his promises and a neglect of responsibilities leads to discouragement from authorities and a lack of success with his objectives, murky as they may seem.

What Jupiter Sextile Pluto Reveals

Now let's consider the chart-ruler's applying aspects to see how things will proceed from December 21, 2017 into 2018. Since I've already excluded Neptune as chart-ruler (but see Neptune's two primary aspects, below), let's look at expansive Jupiter @15Scorpio, the Eagle Point, posited in the 8th house of Corporations, CEOs, Shared Finances, Credit and Debt. Jupiter applies to only one Ptolemaic aspect in the chart, a sextile (60 degrees; 3A19) with powerful Pluto. If we consider the two planets as 'actors' in a scene we discover that Jupiter sextile Pluto denotes those who sabotage themselves by their rigid opinions, secretiveness, evasiveness, willfulness, inflexibility, and an obsessive fear of loss. In addition, they have a hard time letting go of old relationships which no longer serve or are now inappropriate, and are desperate to overcome feelings of vulnerability. Living by their own rules, their focus on loyalty or its lack can trigger problems in friendships and other alliances.

Taking offense when not treated with dignity, a Jupiter-Pluto sextile suggests those who continue to be motivated by past slights which are never forgotten, another example of being unable to let go. Good at psychological warfare and taking pride in their self-reliance, they often must face their losses and crises alone for others may abandon them, plus, they are reluctant to ask for help from other people. Another inability to let go is seen by a lack of forgiveness for those who withhold information from them or who misinform them in order to keep them 'in the dark' (Epstein). After all, knowledge is power.

Then if we consider the applying Jupiter sextile Pluto aspect by transit, it denotes a time of analyzing one's skills and talents with the goal of using them more efficiently in order to benefit from this helpful energy. Opportunities may arise for increasing one's power and control or for understanding how this may be achieved (Skalka). And naturally with contacts between Jupiter and Pluto we tend to think of people who promote large-scale projects (exs: infrastructure, wall construction, etc), wealthy donors, other huge investors, global bankers and financiers--and power-hungry plutocrats.

Winter Solstice 2017 for Mr. Trump

Now if you are familiar with the Solar Return 2017 horoscope of Donald Trump, you know that 00Cap00 falls within his SR 3rd house of Communications, Siblings, Short Journeys, and the Lower Mind. (Thanks, Pat, for catching mea culpa!) So one topic we might think of is his older sister Maryanne, a judge (via judgmental Saturn, the old man/woman, with Donald playing the solar role). Another thing that first occurs to everyone's mind when it comes to Donald Trump is communications--speeches, tweets, insults, and all so I shall leave it for you to decide how he may best use the astrological energies of Winter Solstice 2017 and beyond into 2018.

Perhaps a future SO'W post concerning Trump's Inauguration Solar Return 2018 will soon appear here--assuming that he continues in the role of POTUS until January 20, 2018 without hitching a ride on the helicopter of ignominy!

~:~

As you see, evasive Neptune is involved in two applying aspects in the above chart:

1. Mercury square Neptune (1A27) which echoes Mr. Trump's problematic Mercury-Neptune square of distorted perceptions, falsehoods, confused rhetoric, over-promising, indiscretion, and "the sneaky mind" (Oken); 2. Mars trine Neptune (3A59) denoting potentials for successful but hidden activities, investigations of the occult or perhaps probing into mysteries or crimes, medical breakthroughs, increased intuition or insight, and/or energetic work with charities, entertainment, oil or gas industries, marine life projects, photography pursuits, prison systems, military projects, the Internet, work in or against Big Pharma, and/or action concerning the trafficking of drugs and/or sex workers.

But wait! There's one more chart factor that relates directly to current events and that's the Earth-Air Sun Cap-Moon AQ blend of energies which 'click into place' as soon as the Sun reaches 00Cap00. You see, this blend has at least two former US presidents born under its influences--Woodrow Wilson and Richard Nixon. It's a blend of a "practical idealist" who is "up front' yet private, very ambitious, and has a good business sense. In their book Sun Sign-Moon Sign, the Harveys give two interesting Images for Integration for this blend:

"An historian points the way to the future...Having struggled unaided to the peak, a mountaineer hitches a ride on a passing helicopter." Wonder if this can possibly mean that Mr. Trump will follow the example of the resigning Mr. Nixon...?

Okay, there's my Political Astrology view of Winter Solstice 2017 as seen through my preferred 'common good' lens. How about yours? Care to share?

9.13.17 Update: here's a related post: images of DC Horoscopes 2017: Autumn EQ and Winter Solstice displayed on the same page...September into December into January and February until Spring Equinox (Aries Ingress), March 20, 2018.

Image: Neptune Ascends, a pencil drawing by Jude Cowell; this drawing originally appeared in my Secret Moon Art collection.