June 5, 2021: Mars and Pluto in an Opposition of Power

June 5, 2021: A 'Full Moon' phase for the Mars-Pluto Cycle

May 24, 2021 Monday: Previously we looked at a DC Horoscope of the May 26, 2021 Lunar Eclipse @5Sag25 (chart shown) and noted the soon-coming Mars-Pluto opposition - exact on June 5, 2021 (26Can27/26Cap27). Obviously, with transit Pluto within orb of US natal Pluto (27Cap33, in 1776 2nd house of our Sag rising charts = National Treasury, Values including Currency, and Possessions), this simultaneously spotlights a Mars opposition to US natal Pluto and this indicates potentials for: a contest of wills, attempts at manipulation, confronting hostile forces, interference in or disruption of the status quo, and/or efforts to gain control. However, Mars in Cancer can be moody, angry, impulsive, and exhibit a lack of perseverance so that sustained follow-through may be difficult. And as you know, the sign of Cancer is tribal, nationalistic, and patriotic but the patriotism may be only superficial.

Yet during periods influenced by Mars-Pluto, emotions run high, brutality remains a method intended to spark fear among the populace, issues of rape may be addressed, concerns over militarism are on the table, plus, forceful seizures and unscrupulous procedures continue to be used.

So for more information, a look back at the current Mars-Pluto cycle which began with their conjunction on March 23, 2020 @24Cap47 (exact at 1:20 am edt; ASC 15Sag40; MC 4Lib29 conjunct the former guy's natal Neptune at apex of a YOD with Mercury-Uranus as its base = nerve troubles; an irresponsible attitude; sloppy work habits), the 2nd house Mars-Pluto conjunction snugs between Jupiter 23Cap13 and Saturn 00AQ04 with karmic Saturn restricting America's Inaugural Sun of the former guy and occurring near the time our national quarantine began due to fears of Covid. (In government Jupiter-Saturn = checks-and-balances.)

So as we know, Saturnian accountability was demanded of that Sun in 2020 but you-know-who is very weak in the area of accepting responsibility for his actions with his natal Saturn in watery Cancer, sign of The Crab that scuttles sideways to avoid all confrontations. Hopefully, due to current criminal investigation, such options won't be available to his nibs for much longer although I've always thought of Herr Spanky as a major flight risk if there ever was one.

Anyway, a comparison of the Mars-Pluto conjunction horoscope (with Mars exalted and working efficiently in earthy Capricorn unlike Mr. Macho in watery Cancer) with that of the June 5, 2021 Mars-Pluto opposition horoscope shows much conflict, anger, fanaticism, and perhaps a suggestion of a police state (via the military). There's also a T-Square between Mars-Pluto square the Moon (25Ari02 in 7th house: mundane Moon = We The People) but the charts also show a determination toward diplomacy as 2021 Venus joins the 2020 North Node so let's support President Biden and his team all we can!

After all, on a diplomatic level, the Mars-Pluto opposition could very well represent Presidents Biden and Putin at the G-7 Summit in Geneva, Switzerland (June 15-16) with the White House and Kremlin pushing for a meeting between them if it can be arranged. If so, will their meeting be a 'hostile confrontation' or an oppositional culmination or fulfillment of some kind? Either way we'll soon find out, won't we?

Above image: NASA's portrait of planet Mars.

On his Quest and the Relocation of Thomas Paine

The political champion turned resurrection man: Out of thy own mouth I will condemn thee; artist Robert Cruikshank (1789-1856); British political cartoon satirizing Cobbett's retrival from America of Tom Paine's bones as "Napoleon watches from St. Helena and Britain erupts in revolution"; Bodleian Libraries {public domain Wikimedia Commons}; PD-1996

May 23, 2021: A few Astro-Notes concerning the indespensible Thomas Paine

by Jude Cowell

While some confusion has existed over the correct birthdate (OS vs NS) and hour for Revolutionary author and Founder Thomas Paine, for my purposes I tend to use his January 29, 1737 11:30 am GMT Thetford, England chart with Ascendant 3Gemini48 rising along with karmic planet of restriction and authority, Saturn Rx 4Gem48. Of course, that's Mercury-ruled Gemini, sign of The Writer, Messenger, Communicator, and Orator (who used to read his works aloud to the public). Of interest is that an earlier version of my SolarFire software gave 2Gem46 which rounded up = "3 Gemini": "A Garden of the Tuilleries" which resonates with Paine's French Revolution involvement and his imprisonment in France.

Meanwhile, perhaps you, dear reader, are familiar with an old SO'W post of April 30, 2006 concerning Mr. Paine and a curious double transit in May 2006 to both his natal Sun and Chiron: Sun to Chiron and Chiron to Sun, a doubly emphasized, simultaneously occurring 'cosmic link' cross the centuries suggesting hints about The Chirotic Quest of Thomas Paine and perhaps activating his spiritual and/or ideological descendants. As you know, a conjunction of Sun and Chiron has to do with self-transformation but one doesn't have to be conscious of it for this to occur - which is a good thing since Mr. Paine definitely was unconscious at his eternal rest in 2006. Yet in life, idealism was prominent via his inspirational Neptune in Mercury-ruled Gemini posited in the 2nd house of Values (money was something of an issue; he's known for donating all profits from his writings to The Cause of liberty and independence, assuming that Congress would pay him later for his efforts but we know how that turned out).

As for the double transits of 2006, it's doubtful that such a noble quest by a Founding Father who promoted the era's noble Enlightenment principles (his Uranus-Neptune opposition!) could have been fulfilled from beyond the grave under the auspices of warmongering profiteers such as Bush-and-Cheney in 2006. For tragically, as you know, any noble course America once promoted, even honored, was cruelly diverted toward 'the dark side' decades ago, not to mention our nation's original stain of slavery from 1619 onward.

Now if you're curious about William Corbett's famous disinterment in New Rochelle, NY of the body of deist Mr. Paine and the subsequent return of Paine's bones to Britain on November 21, 1819, check out The Adventures of Thomas Paine's Bones by Moncure Conway if you dare.

Meanwhile, for your consideration below is a bi-wheel of Thomas Paine's natal chart, center, with an outer horoscope of that very event, set for "just before daybreak" on September 25, 1819 New Rochelle, NY (source: Thomas Paine, by Craig Nelson, 2006), the reputed date and approximate time (using 5:00 am LMT) that Mr. Corbett, his son, and a hired hand, dug up the 'disrespected' remains of one of America's Founding Fathers, Tom Paine, who was denied burial in the Quaker cemetery due to his deism (and criticisms of his former colleagues) which had made him extremely unpopular in America (curiously, his natal Sun at "10AQ" = "A Popularity That Proves Ephemeral" - Jones):

Of course, it's possible that the unholy deed was begun earlier or later than the speculative hour of 5:00 am LMT shown here, but a change won't affect the fact that the 1819 South Node of the Moon @11Lib12 (in his natal 6th house), a Saturnian point of separation, sat squarely upon Paine's Prenatal Solar Eclipse (11Lib42) degree in the 9 New North Saros Series with its themes of 'great physical effort, and a potential for 'violence' (Brady's Predictive Astrology #ad) which suggests the hired hand's toil that morning. Digging a grave whether empty or inhabited involves great physical effort along with the upheaval of disruptive Uranus (20Sag47) at the 5:00 am IC (Ending; Roots) so this also describes the desecrating, even shocking, event as an 'uprooting' took place.

Plus, the 1819 Moon (11Sag41) of physical body was hiding mysteries of her own in the darker light of her Crescent phase (70:12) after floating beyond her opposition to Paine's natal Saturn rising (note that Paine's reputation and authority had suffered in England, too). Meanwhile, transit Jupiter Rx @7AQ28 was in process of conjoining Paine's natal Aquarian Sun (someone famous got 'carried away'!) while a triple line-up of planets all @27Pisces ("A Harvest Moon" - that's some 'harvesting', Mr. Cobbett) had moved beyond Tom's natal Venus-South-Node conjunction (separation from females; isolation) and are opposed by 1819 Venus @27vir40, venal planet of jealousy, envy, and vanity.

Additionally, Tom's natal North Node of meetings and destiny was rising at 5:00 am, and the Sun @1Lib28 was conjunct Nemesis (the unbeatable foe). Well, Cobbett was certainly that, for Old Tom had had no say in the matter of his relocation whatsoever. At least Mr. Cobbett eventually thought better of his controversial actions on that morning and he did stop his criticism of Mr. Paine at some point. Still, that's a mighty harsh, cruel Saturn-Pluto duo surrounding wounded Chiron there, isn't it? And all in Pisces, sign of the victim - and with 1819 Neptune, planet of erosion, undermining, mourning, and loss, conjunct what may just be Tom Paine's natal 8th cusp of Death and the Occult. To me it seems that Mr. Cobbett probably had some measure of exploitation in mind.

Then a wider view reveals that 1819 Neptune in Sagittarius was opposing Tom's natal Neptune in Gemini (sign of the pampheteer) which denotes that, yes, Thomas Paine was a victim of persecution during his lifetime and even, as we witness here via the lens of Astrology, in death.

Now naturally, several other chart factors are noteworthy so I shall trust you, dear reader, to locate them if you're curious.

In closing, here are details concerning the life and career of William Cobbett (b. March 9, 1763 Farnham, Surrey; d. June 18, 1835 Normandy, Surrey) provided by his Wikipedia bio page where you'll find that Cobbett's last years unfortunately were marked by a case of paranoia.

Recommendations: In case you've missed it so far, astrologer Mark Philips has written very interesting observations concerning Thomas Paine's natal Mercury in Aquarius.

And if you have 58 minutes to spare, don't miss Kenneth Griffith's theatrical documentary Thomas Paine The most valuable Englishman ever!

An Eclipse Series ended in 1931: The End of an Epoch

1931: Britain's Financial Change of Direction and a New Social Order

by Jude Cowell

Many of the historical events of 1931 are significant and a few of them stand out to me such as the 'United Kingdom abandons the gold standard' on September 20/21, 1931 under the influence of the 5 Old South Series (chart shown, below) which ended on September 11, 1931 (in the US; September 12th in the UK).

Oddly enough, 40 years later in the US, Dick Nixon took the US off the gold standard in 1971, the year the 9 Old South Series ended with a final solar manifestation @29Cancer on July 22, 1971. (Perhaps astrologers were involved!)

Inconveniently, I have no information concerning 5 Old South eclipse themes which ran in the background of society in 1931, but I do have a bit concerning 1971's 9 Old South themes: 'idealism, great energy', and/or 'reunions' (B. Brady). However, the initial eclipse in the 9 Old South Series, which began on June 23, 727 OS @4Can16 (conjunct what would become America's 1776 Venus and Jupiter positions), also contains hints of 'quarrels' and 'perverse inclinations' (BB). Could the 'reunion' be American bankers joining British bankers off the gold standard? Just a thought.

So for readers interested in financial topics, here's a pdf from 2012 by Michael Kitson of Cambridge University concerning the advantages (or not) of utilizing the gold standard, titled, End of an Epoch. Perhaps you're familiar with Kitson's work but if not, there it is.

Now I suppose a posting of the the final 5 Old South Eclipse Horoscope for September 1931 would ideally be set for London but since this is Stars Over Washington, below is the September 11, 1931 eclipse chart set for DC, as we always called the capital city when I resided there many moons ago.

Notably, financier Jupiter is in Sun-ruled Leo, the sign of gold, wealth-hoarder Pluto is in the financial 2nd house in business-oriented Cancer, and there's a deceptive if creative Mercury-Neptune conjunction in Virgo with Mercury retrograde in 3rd house of Communications, near the IC of the horoscope. In the 5th house of Speculation and Risk-Taking is Mars in Libra where the planet of energy, motivation, and action can express himself with too much frankness which can cause conflicts in relationships.

Then as you see, the disruptive, 'change of direction', 'cosmic blink' Solar Eclipse itself is posited in the 4th house @19Virgo (near US 1776 Neptune in Virgo, sign of Work, Employment, Service, and Health), a placement which was opposed by transit Neptune in 2020 from contagious, secretive Pisces, and suggests that Britain's financial 'change of direction' in 1931 affected the US economy as well which would be naturally expected between the two nations:

As you see, a dynamic T-Square between the harsh Saturn-Pluto opposition (across the avaricious Cancer-Capricorn axis of investment, business, and ambition) squares erratic, disruptive Uranus Rx in Mars-ruled Aries (in 11th house in DC but revealingly in the corporate 8th house in London). Now even by itself, Uranus in Aries denotes potentials for 'blind zeal, fanaticism, violence', plus, Utopian idealism and can indicate radical political reform. Add both Saturn and Pluto squaring the planet of anarchy, Utopianism, and war, and a dangerous mix results replete with negative karma. Years of financial mismanagement is suggested (which I believe there was).

Many of the karmic Saturn-Pluto-Uranus trio's variety of potential expressions are listed on the chart lower right and across the bottom of the chart but I'll type them for you here, mainly because they imply that it was not only in the financial realms that turmoil and upheaval were occurring in 1931, and suggest, of course, the rise of despotism and tyranny which tends to have an easier time gaining a claw-hold when a Uranus-Pluto square is in force which suggests apathy in society, and a Saturn-Uranus square forms which denotes a period when an old order can give way to a new order:

'Sudden violence; mass murder; harsh conditions; cruelty; poverty; power plays at the top'; "brutal efforts to start a new order" (Tyl).

So as you know, dear reader, society has been under the influence of such planetary squares in our day as well, first between Uranus and Pluto, now between Saturn and Uranus, as tyranny and totalitarianism challenge Democracy in the US and in various locations across the globe. You'll recognize the tendencies of certain anarchists toward blind zealotry and acts of violence for they're easy to spot along within the concurrence of similar attitudes and objectives from the 1930s brought into our era as 'fascism' attempts again to take control of society, particularly in America. After all, if America should fall, so goes the rest of the world.

The Social and Economic Order of the 1930s

Then revealingly, another highly influential event occurred in 1931 (May 15th), especially among those of a Catholic persuasion, which relates to the above topic squarely within the economic realms of society, and this was the encyclical Quadragesimo anno (the 'reconstruction of the social order') issued by Pope Pius XI in which he dicusses "the ethical implications of the social and economic order" and "the major dangers" "arising from unrestrained capitalism, socialism, and totalitarian communism." Well, yes. The Vatican hierarchy does interfere at times - certainly in the Nazi era with the church's famous capitulation in 1933.

In closing, and if you wish, follow the above link for more 1931 events which may grab your fancy with other 'endings and new starts' among them.

June 21, 2021 The Confederacy Enters a New Lunar Phase

by Jude Cowell

May 18, 2021: Some time ago here on SO'W a 'noon' horoscope of The Confederacy appeared with astro-notes added. Historically, the date and location of the seditious founding of the conspiratorial organization are known (February 4, 1861; Montgomery, Alabama; at 'noon' = Air-Fire Sun @16AQ-Moon @15Sag: 'larger-than-life ideals; preaches pet causes' - the Harveys) but an exact hour is not, hence the 'noon' timing.

This I mention this evening due to current events and conditions in the US (ex: murmurs of a 'civil war' in the offing, rebellious, violent acts) - and because progressing the 1861 horoscope in order to check the regressive entity's current phase of evolution, if any, reveals that The Confederacy enters a Secondary Progressed First Quarter Lunar Phase very soon - on June 21, 2021 with SP Moon @22Libra32 (Moon rising in Montgomery) and SP Sun @22Can32 at Midheaven ('MC'), an ethereal Air-Water blend of conscious and unconscious energies. (As you know, fixed stars are not used in progressions.)

So as you see in the bi-wheel charts, below, the entity's new lunar phase of activity begins very near Summer Solstice 2021 (exact June 20th 11:32:23 pm edt) which, as always, suggests a potential for events that have global significance, on or around that date and going forward. Of course, The Confederacy's SP 1st quarter 'crisis in action' phase indicates a Sun-Moon square which denotes built-up tension and inner conflict between wants and desires vs how to achieve such aims and goals. Apparent is a restlessness to focus on objectives during this phase and other planetary factors suggest impatience with restrictions so that rash actions may seem like a good idea 'at the time' for this blunt, socially awkward combination which tends to make sweeping generalizations as it attempts to rationalize its positions and actions.

To me this rationalization seems like vagueness used as a tool for deflection and denials of guilt but please note, dear reader, that as a direct descendant of such seditious folk of the 1860s, this modern-era American reserves the right to dissent from their bigotry, hatred, and fondness for societal conditions of the 1850s; for karmic progress to be achieved in the United States of America there's a dire need to 'forgive the unforgiveable' - just as there is in the Middle East: two 'ancient conflicts', here and there, but one is much more ancient than the other. Now you might disagree, but there it is.

Meanwhile, Cancer is a tribal sign known for expressing nationalism and patriotism (however superficial or misguided) when it comes to social concerns and politics. Certainly, with these SP solar energies, self-protection is a guiding force of Moon-ruled Cancer, scuttling sideways like a crab whenever challenged, while a cool Libra Moon can tend to focus on unimportant things and may avoid accepting responsibility when it 'feels' it necessary (Ebertin).

So below is a partially mocked-up bi-wheel intended for the curious, not my usual over-full effort of penned-on study notes but it's all I can manage for you this evening so why not fill in the charts with your own astro-notes at your leisure?

Center Chart: The Confederacy's Secondary Progressed ('SP') Horoscope progressed (via the 'day for a year' technique) to its First Quarter Lunar Phase beginning June 21 2021; Outer chart: Transits for June 21, 2021, same hour, both charts set for Montgomery, Alabama.

You'll note that Transit Mars @6Leo30 planet of activism and anger, makes a Return visit to the entity's SP Mars position (6Leo30) and, significantly, Transit Uranus, planet of disruptive events, rebellion, and anarchy, has been activating SP Pluto (in the intolerant, stubborn, possessive sign of Taurus) suggesting a period of 'abrupt changes, hidden fears, and with potentials for 'explosive conditions' and/or 'revolt' in society.

Add to this the difficult energies within the recent Uranus-Pluto Cardinal squares by transit, plus, the transiting Uranus-Pluto midpoint in mid-Pisces opposing and triggering the (three) Great Conjunction/s of Uranus and Pluto in the mid-1960s, mid-Virgo, and we're experiencing a difficult period of detructiveness, yes, but also indicated is a time of great inventiveness and a tremendous elevation of consciousness for those in society who are open to receive such 'woke' vibrations.

(For more details see Sun Sign-Moon Sign by Charles and Suzi Harvey. #ad)

Israel w May 2021 Lunar Eclipse and a Nemesis Return!

May 2021: Conflict, Domination, Suffering, and Loss in the Middle East

by Jude Cowell

Monday May 17, 2021: After taking a weekend break, this week is slammed with astrological tasks and tasks in the real world. However, this morning I've managed to cobble together the following bi-wheel with the State of Israel's 1948 Horoscope, center, and the Lunar Eclipse of May 26, 2021 @5Sag25, outer.

Obviously, the ongoing Saturn-Uranus square tells a tale of war, conflict, rigid authority figures, and upheaval, as noted on the chart, with the Saturn-Uranus duo signifying Israel and Palestine, and their square a very 'touchy' aspect and the duo suggesting 'violent people' (Ebertin).

What the Lunar Eclipse, a Full Moon across the Gemini-Sagittarius axis of truth and ethics, will reveal or uncover I do not know and I should confess that in the last couple of years my eye left the hotbed area of the Middle East. Probably my last major notice was when Tr*mp was utilized to announce the removal of Israel's capital city from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, as per the Scriptual 70-year Fig Tree Prophecy (1948 + 70 = 2018).

Now as you can see, there are Fists of God in the 1948 and the 2021 horoscope. The May 26th Lunar Eclipse's Ascendant @28Vir12 ("29 Virgo" = "A Man Gaining Secret Knowledge From an Ancient Scroll He Is Reading") is apex of a Fist with the Saturn-Uranus square at its base. As a midpoint picture (listed, lower right corner) potentials are for: 'rebellion; provocation; separation (Ebertin); sudden indifference to law' (Munkasey). Noel Tyl adds, 'the loner's position is established'.

Yes, that's President Biden's natal Moon @00Tau59 conjunct 1948 Descendant! See The Guardian's May 16th article Joe Biden feels political ground shift as Israel-Gaza conflict rages on due to his decades-long "resolute defense of Israel" which is quite unsurprising since, in the past, Mr. Biden has declared himself to be a Zionist.

(Note that yours truly always separates Israel's National Zionist hierarchy from the good people of Israel. They, and the Palestinian people, obviously deserve much better than they're getting from the power-craving leadership on both sides. 'Malicious scheming' is afoot via 2021 Neptune-ASC = Mercury which also suggests being 'guided by erroneous perceptions' - Ebertin; naturally, misjudgment follows). Add 1948 Uranus @24Gem21 to 2021 Neptune-ASC = 'being hindered, harmed, defamed by others; sudden troubles and/or illness through others'.

Israel's 1948 Fist/s of God are listed, left side (Pluto-NN = stretched to Saturn-NN, and highlighted in green with Jupiter Rx @27Sag38 at apex: 'attaining a position of power by force' ('28 Sag' = "An Old Bridge over a Beautiful Stream'). Well, the bridge could be beautiful if 'forgiving the unforgiveable' were accomplished (1948 Chiron in Scorpio). But as you know, this is an ancient conflict (2021 South Node conjunct 1948 Nemesis = divine retribution; the unbeatable foe - conjunct warring Antares). Plus, the Lunar Eclipse of May 26, 2021 basically times a Nemesis Return for Israel while simultaneouly eclipsing the State's 1948 position of Nemesis!

So as you see above, there are several more chart factors worthy of note but the Nemesis Return of Israel and the current conflict, loss, and suffering between Palestine and Israel make it difficult, even risky, for my Pisces Moon to reveal more so I shall leave it to you, dear reader, to consider the rest if and as you wish.

Why McConnell Is About to Blow Up the GOP - Thom Hartmann

May 14, 2021: Oh wow this recent segment from Thom Hartmann is so good it has to be posted to SO'W! In case you haven't seen it, Thom proposes multiple possibilities for why master politician Mitch McConnell is behaving seemingly as reckless as he is and Thom's 'rant' (of sorts!) is well worth a few minutes of your time:

Check out a related astrological post: Horoscopes: Power Couple Biden and McConnell and Have a Happy Weekend, Everyone, Masked or Mask-Free!

June 24, 2021 Cap Full Moon reacts to the June Eclipse

May 12, 2021: The June 24th Full Moon, seen below, suggests public reaction to the June 10, 2021 5 North Solar Eclipse (19Gem47) themes of "prophetic dreams, visions, insights from the Unconscious" (Brady). However, Saturn-ruled Capricorn is about consolidation, facts, business, investment, law, and government so what dreams and insights should be brought into reality? What insights can be realistically used to benefit our social and political conditions?

Notably, transit Mercury the Messenger and negotiator, here @16Gem15, will speed on to conjunct and possibly activate 5 North eclipse themes on or about July 2, 2021. Many people's dreams around that time, if not before, should be quite fascinating and perhaps contain helpful solutions for what ails us. Of course, eclipse influences last for approximately 6 months until the next solar eclipse draws near with its themes, and overlapping has been known to occur.

Now here's a famous quote from a Sun Cancer-Moon Capricorn writer-dramatist:

"Every man thinks God is on his side. The rich and powerful know He is." - Jean Anouilh (1910--1987; born in Bordeaux, France with Sun @00Cancer and Moon @2Can54 - and this is a post about a Full Moon spotlighting his words!)

DC Horoscope: June 24, 2021 Full Moon @3Cap27 oppo Sun @3Can27, across the 3/9 axis when the chart is set for Washington DC (a phase of culmination, fulfillment, full awareness, relationships); Hour of Jupiter Rx (in green). ASC 20Lib55 sports a few midpoint pictures (detailed on the chart) with Venus @27Can04 in blue as chart-ruler, however, Venus makes no applying aspects so her sign, degree, and house position are emphasized. Then as you see, angular Venus conjuncts Midheaven ('MC'), The Goal and Career Point of the chart, while opposing Pluto (26Cap05) at 'IC', the Foundation of the chart (and within orb of the US Pluto Return/s, exact in 2022). Potentials of this opposition are penned on the chart (upper right in blue) including cut-throat competition, underhanded manipulation, and lack of trust undermines relationships.

Plus, we should be aware that an opposition between venal Venu$ vs powerful Pluto ($$) has been known to attract violence, and the pair suggests private wealth hidden in secret places. It also contains bankruptcy potential and can denote a breakdown in the social fabric which anti-democratic forces are attempting to hoist upon us now under cover of the pandemic and its resulting economic difficulties which President Biden is in process of easing - without any cooperation from congressional Republicans, the party of obstruction whenever it comes to the needs of the American people.

(Despite McConnell and the other sore losers, Joe Biden's vaccine roll-out has been the most successful project Washington politicians have aced, maybe ever!)

Significantly, the Full Moon in ambitious Capricorn leads a Locomotive shape of the planets which suggests people or high-powered executives who are ruthlessly determined on success. And with the Moon out-of-bounds, these may be socially detached folks, even those secluded within ivory towers, those who are emotionally estranged from society who only care about business endeavors, politics, and taking or retaining control.

So as you see, there are dynamic energies in the chart via a Mars-Saturn opposition (4A32; obstacles; delays; resentment or resistance of authority) and the squares to rebellious Uranus that are involved: Mars square Uranus (5A23; difficulties, delays, frustration, threats) and of course the ongoing Saturn-Uranus square (0S50; past vs future; generational clash between seniors and young folk; old order uncomfortably replaced by the new; violent people).

Obviously, contentiousness, obstacles, delays, and political stalemates continue, however, the Sun Cancer-Moon Capricorn blend of conscious and unconscious energies can be very perceptive, dutiful, and professional yet family-oriented.

Well, it seems to me as if pessimism is what 'they' want from us and I refuse to comply! (Moon-Neptune = Saturn). Plus, as you know, the Moon-Neptune duo suggests potentials for sympathy, receptiveness, strange influences, exploitation, and/or an intensely vivid dream life and the activity of the subconscious (with the last two resonating with 5 North eclipse themes). Solutions may be found in dreams!

So What About Protective Jupiter?

Significantly, with expansive, optimistic Jupiter recently entered into his retrograde phase (until mid-October 2021), there's a revealing midpoint picture with the Great Benefic at apex. Saturn-Neptune = Jupiter suggests potentials for 'religion conceals deceptive practices; a sense that reality is just a vision (which resonates with 5 North themes, incorrect as it is); fortunate answers, as noted on the chart; and optimistically, yours truly would add, funding (Jupiter) for social safety net programs (Saturn-Neptune, social programs and the illness axis; of course, other indications for this planetary trio are possible but I'll leave them to your imagination).

Now we should also mention that US natal Mercury Rx conjuncts the MC opposite US natal Pluto at IC and suggests that government surveillance, intelligence gathering, and propaganda are on this Full Moon's menu along with 'vulnerable roadways' (infrastructure), 'disruptive political talk', 'news of orbital weapons or space exploration', 'secrets concerning transportation' or 'satellites', and/or 'self-destructive impulses in business' (paraphrasing M. Munkasey).

Well, the Sun's "A Cat Arguing With a Mouse" and the Moon's "A Party Entering a Large Canoe" are revealed by the rays of the June 24, 2021 Full Moon as We the People react in Saturnine fashion to the energies and ideas reflected by the dreamy June 10, 2021 Solar Eclipse so we may find ourselves or others 'interminably quarreling with the nature of things' (4Cancer) and demonstrating an 'inability to get along with anybody' (4Capricorn; Jones).

But if this doesn't describe you, dear reader, I'm glad!

Liz Cheney Ousted as Trump's Mercury Rises

Rep. Liz Cheney 116th Congress Official Portrait {public domain}

May 12, 2021 Wednesday: At 9:00 am edt this morning on Capitol Hill in a meeting lasting "about 20 minutes," congressional Republicans voice-voted to oust Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming from her leadership position in the Republican Party. A voice vote means that no member had to be publicly embarrassed by their weasel vote.

Curiously, the natal Mercury of Donald Tr*mp (8Can51) was rising at exactly 9:00 am (ASC 8Can01) - or perhaps not so curiously since the 'ouster of revenge' was done at his command. Voting Mercury exalted in Gemini, and contentious Mars in Cancer and rising in 1st house, were both out-of-bounds of the Earthly plane suggesting the former guy taking his revenge on Liz Cheney from his desk way down in Mar(s)-a-Lago.

The fluctuating Moon @00Gemini, ruler of the Ascendant and thus of the proceedings, conjuncts fixed star Alcyone, keyphrase: something to cry about, but I'm guessing that ultimately the tears won't belong to Liz Cheney if the proposed formation of a new political party is successful, a third party ('29AQ': "A Third Wing on the Right Side of a Butterfly" - Jones; with the vote's 9th house Jupiter @29AQ, a critical-crisis degree).

For if a third political party with conservative, anti-Tr*mp leanings is successfully formed, it's possible that Cheney's bid for the presidency, perhaps in 2024, will make the right kind of waves that her father will be proud of. If you will, as VP Dick always said.

Closing Note: Checking out Carelli's astro-portrait of the Natal Mercury of Donald Tr*mp can provide a Mercurial image of the orange gossip-monger.

Trump's Health Plans Still Killing Americans (w/ Wendell Potter) - Thom Hartmann

May 10, 2021: Here are Thom Hartmann and author and advocate for health insurance payment reform Wendell Potter:

Tweet at Thom as you wish @Thom_Hartmann