This article, the third of a 3-part series, explores the Saturn transit to the Sun in the United States chart coming up in June 2004, as well as other outer planet transits to the U.S. chart. The symbolism reveals further problems for the Bush White House at this time. Like the prophetic “Ides of March” from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, mid June spells trouble for this already besieged administration.

(See Ides of June, Part 1 and Part 2)

The Uranus Factor - Surprising Enlightenment

One reason that the Saturn transit to the U.S. Sun of August 8, 1974 was so precise in its timing was the factor of Uranus in the transits to the U.S. chart at the time. Transiting Uranus was exactly square the U.S. Mercury when Richard Nixon resigned, representing national communication, and interestingly, Chiron was also square U.S. Mercury, conjuncted by the transiting Moon later that night. The transiting Moon also was semi-square to U.S. Uranus. In fact, 8 planets including transiting Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune all aspected the U.S. Uranus on that date.

Incidentally, at the time of the 9-11 attacks, transiting Uranus was conjunct and parallel the U.S. Moon representing the public, trine the U.S. Mars, inconjunct the U.S. Neptune, and sextile the U.S. Chiron. Surprise was very evident in these events, as well as the potential for a new way of seeing the United States’ role in world politics, as an active participant rather than a distant observer of mid-east tensions.

When we look ahead to the June 11ttransit of Saturn to U.S. Sun, we find that Uranus stations retrograde the preceding day, June 10, in square to its natal position in the U.S. chart. The U.S. Uranus is also being squared by transiting Jupiter, opposite transiting Uranus, and aspected by the Moon at this time. These are significant timing factors in the transits to the U.S. chart for June 10th and 11th. Uranus represents surprising enlightenment, and we may expect unusual and startling events to transpire that powerfully affect the national psyche. The underlying purpose of these events will be to shock the minds of Americans into a new and different perspective.

There are other significant timing transits in effect on June 11, 2004. The Sun is exactly on the U.S. Mars that day, while transiting Mars conjunct the U.S. Mercury, and transiting Mercury is very close to the descendant of the U.S. chart, as is transiting Venus. The Mercury/Venus midpoint is almost exactly on the U.S. Descendant.

We can expect some startling developments at the time of the June 11 Saturn transit, possibly involving the continuing deteriorating situation in Iraq, possibly involving the revelation of further scandal in the White House. My own belief is that by the time of the Republican convention this one-term president will not even be able to run for office as his party’s candidate.

The Venus Factor

A number of other important transits line up with the June 11 final Saturn conjunction with U.S. Sun. One is the so-called “Transit of Venus” that takes place once every 1 1/2 years or so ( 584 days) when Venus moves across the face of the Sun and disappears from the evening sky, to eventually reappear as the Morning Star. This period of time, which takes place this year from June 4 to 12, is given great significance in Mayan astrology, known symbolically as Venus’ journey through the underworld, since she vanishes and reemerges as a different bright star. The Mayans thought that when Venus first reappeared her mouth was covered with blood and bits of bone. It was thought to be a time of lawlessness and change in earthly affairs. Bruce Scofield, an expert on Mayan astrology, has correlated news events with the inferior conjunction of Venus and subsequent Heliacal Rise when Venus first appears as the Morning Star. Scofield characterizes this event as “the downfall of leaders, plane crashes and embarrassing situations is high places” and comments that the June 17, 1972 inferior conjunction coincided with the Watergate burglary, while the January 16, 1998 event was the time of Kenneth Starr’s accusation of illicit sex in the White House. (See note below.)

It is fascinating that this year’s Heliacal Rise of Venus is simultaneous to the June 11 transit of Saturn across the Sun in the chart of the United States. The symbolism of both events is the embarrassment of the ruler, trouble for the White House. It is interesting to note that this year’s Heliacal Rise takes place at 16 of Gemini, close to the Descendant of the U.S. chart, and also to the U.S. Mars, which are located at 13 and 21 of Gemini, respectively. The symbolism of the Descendant and the Seventh House is where we meet the rest of the world, in other words, foreign policy. The twin towers of the Trade Center is a Gemini-like symbol of United States financial dominance, and Mars in the Seventh House represents the use of the military in enforcing that dominance. Venus and Jupiter, as well as the Sun, are located in the U.S. Seventh House, as well, making a more complicated picture, and emphasizing the importance of foreign trade in the country’s experience, including the generosity of American foreign aid. With the Transit of Venus across the Sun taking place in this area of the chart, the area of foreign policy is emphasized. In contrast, the January 16, 1998 event was conjunct U.S. Pluto, symbolizing dark and hidden factors of the American experience, in this case, illicit sex. If there is to be an embarrassment at this time, it stands to reason it would be in the area of U.S. foreign policy and military muscle.

The Pluto Factor

The current transits to the chart of the United States include Pluto’s opposition to U.S. Mars, within half of a degree on June 11, and its square to the U.S. Neptune, as described above. The past three years of Pluto transits to the United States chart have, in fact, been very powerful, beginning with the Pluto-Saturn opposition, with transiting Pluto and transiting Saturn lining up across the sky from each other across the Ascendant-Descendant axis of the U.S. chart, and strongly aspecting the U.S. Saturn. The opposition was exact in August and November 2001, with the U.S. Ascendant at the approximate midpoint of the degrees Pluto and Saturn occupied in September. This opposition had been discussed in great detail both before and after the events of September 11th (see the August 2001 Mountain Astrologer article by Robert Hand, and my article on The Terrorist Attacks of September 2001).

As Pluto and Saturn opposed each other across the Ascendant-Descendant axis of the U.S. chart, Pluto begins to cross the Ascendant of this national chart for the first time. What does it mean for Pluto to cross the Ascendant of the chart of an entity? For individuals, it only happens once in a lifetime, if at all, since Pluto takes over 240 years to go around the zodiac. When this transit takes place it implies a massive transformation in the way we are in the world, in the way we appear to others, in our soul purpose. We may also have to deal with compulsive behavior, perhaps even a compulsion to power and violence, which may also manifest as violence toward ourselves as well. All these psychological factors that are characteristic of Pluto conjunct the Ascendant may be extended to the American national character in these last few years.

The spiritual meaning of these types of compulsions emerging to the surface is to uncover dark factors in the nation’s character that have been hidden in the past, and that need to be acknowledged for growth in self-awareness and eventual healing. The domination by this country of other nations in the world is not a new thing. But maybe this is our last best chance to really see it for what it is and move beyond it. This domination must in the final analysis be fear-based, I believe. The emotions of the American people have been manipulated into the attack on another sovereign power, but let us not forget that the emotions are there to begin with. Many American soldiers carried a picture of the burning towers with them into battle.

Pluto, therefore, symbolizes a profound transformation in the consciousness of the country that began with September 2001 and is still going on today. Before a new structure can be created on an existing site the old structure must be swept away, just as a snake sheds its skin as part of a necessary transformation for the growth of the organism. This is natural law. The Unites States must metaphorically shed its old patterns in order to change and grow as a nation-culture. What are these factors that need to transform and shift in this epoch making time?

There has been an isolationism in U.S. foreign policy and a tendency to use other societies for our own benefit. And among the people of this country there has been a tendency to bury their head in the sand rather than face these grim realities. The U.S. media is complicit of course, but so is the U.S. population. There has always been a tendency in this country toward waste and excess. The original westward expansion at its core was an exploitation of the resources of the vast countryside, also at the expense of Native American peoples, the original inhabitants of the land. This is the past and cannot be changed, but what can change is the consciousness around what was done, and how we as a country move forward.

An interesting exercise is to imagine a different Iraq than the one that we invaded. What if Iraq was a European power, with Germanic people, suffering under a brutal dictator (a dictator created by the United States, by the way). Would we so carelessly invade and kill in that case?

The racism and xenophobia underlying this war of occupation for mid-East oil, is certainly one of the dark secrets that must come to the surface of public awareness in this Plutonian era, in order that it be acknowledged and dealt with in some fashion. What is not acknowledged becomes toxic and lashes out, which is the story of the terrorist agenda and also of the American impulse toward vengeance. Who in all this is the real terrorist we may ask.

Pluto symbolizes the death of the old and the re-birth of the new. In order for the re-birth to take place, the old structure must be destroyed. Thus the violence and destruction associated with Pluto. But when we are in chaos we must recognize that the light of a new dawn lies in wait for us, beyond the chaos. Do not dwell in the chaos. Await the birth.

Footnotes:

For Bruce Scofield's article, see The Mountain Astrologer for December 2000, Mercury Direct section: Sex and the Plumed Serpent: Mesoamerican Venus Cycles MYTH & STORY.