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               Forecasts  (complimentary) 

  1.  September 2001 Forecast
  2.  9/16 Supplemental Forecast
  3.  September/October Forecast
  4.  October/November 2001 Forecast
  5.  2002 New Year's Forecast
  6.  2002 Forecast - April 30
  7. April Forecast Update
  8.  Forecast - May 19
  9.  July 1 - A Few More Challenging Weeks...
  10. Forecast Aug 02 - July 03
  11.  Forecast Sept - Oct 02
  12. Holiday Season Forecast

  
News Article Predicting 9-11
  
Prophets of Doom - The Boston Phoenix

 

Forecasts

      September 2001 Forecast
             

     The dog days of August must end, and this year September roared in like an Atlantic hurricane.

     Following is my August 30 emergency e-mail to my financial services clients in response to that day's stock market gyration:

     "Mars, the destructive planet of war, is now in Sagittarius (Jupiter's sign), from which it aspects Pisces (Jupiter's other sign) and Jupiter itself.  As Jupiter is wealth, investments suffer.  There is also a likelihood of rash investing, which would bring losses. 

     That Mars also aspects Venus (wealth) just adds to the severity of the downturn.  At the same time, of course, relentless Saturn continues in Taurus (Venus's sign of wealth), slowing depressing the economy.

     There may also be some religious fanaticism aggravating the situation - Mideast stuff?  I see 9/10 - 9/14 as being really bizarre."

     Mars moved into Sagittarius August 26 and reached full hurricane strength on the 30th.  The financial and religious issues described above become onerous because the south node of the Moon, called Ketu (the tail of a snake or dragon in Hindu mythology) is also in Sagittarius this year.  Ketu, as a fiery spiritual influence, bangs against Mars' fiery worldly nature.  The general result is irritation, extreme sensitivity, loss of equilibrium and accidents.  Events happen very quickly during Mars/Ketu.

     Thus, we find economic woes and religious conflict, which combine to bring chaos and disruption on both a mundane (world) level and to individuals throughout the month.  Recent sharks attacks seem to be a provocative manifestation of this energy.

     The Mars/Ketu conjunction reaches maximum intensity between September 10 and 14, as noted above.  Although everyone should use care in their activities during the entire month, this 4 day period is exceptional.  To avoid problems, stay alert to your environment and avoid risky situations.

     The wonderful photo to the right of last year's lunar eclipse reminds of the continued connection between the heavens and earth, that the wheel of karma inevitably turns. 

 

September 2001 Supplemental Forecast
September 16

     The pressures of the recent difficult fiery conjunction of aggressive Mars with uncontrollable Ketu have greatly eased.  Resolution is likely.  Mars is now 1 1/2 degrees away from Ketu, decreasing the irritation and irrationality of this combination by the hour.

     Other planetary positions are auspicious, and I mention these to give weight to my optimist view.  Today, Venus, (love) is away from Mars’ and Saturn’s’ malefic aspects in moving into Leo (government), which boosts compassion and thereby influences for moderation.  The Sun (power and government, kingship) has exited Leo, where it has been elevating egos and thereby bringing misuse of power.  Lastly, Mercury (intellect) is rapidly weakening in its exalted sign of Virgo, where it has brought excessive brilliance for some.  With little compassion, too much ego and analytical brilliance, Venus, the Sun and Mercury had added fuel to the terrorists' Mars/Ketu fire.

     Other upcoming influences bring further softening, and we should all observe the world and our own feelings to monitor and support stabilization.  On September 20 Mercury will move in Libra to stimulate communication, cooperation and balance.  On September 22, evil Mars moves into a Lunar Mansion owned by Venus, greatly moderating it’s destructive power.  However, we should use some care on September 24 as the perceptional/peaceful Moon crosses Mars at noon.  Let us hope and pray for moderation and no overreaction that day, for a final and desperate terrorist act could occur.

  

     There is a full Moon in wise Jupiter’s sign of Pisces on October 2 at 
8 AM CST.  This is in the Lunar Mansion (Nakshatra) of  Uttara Bhadrapadha.  That secret movement is given here indicates clandestine action, hopefully by the U S and its allies.

     Action against the terrorists will be favored from October 1 to the morning of October 5, as Mars and Jupiter begin to closely aspect each other. 

     Mars’s agression on Jupiter’s ethics brings energy to do the right thing, to fight for what is right, to be chivalrous.  The October 2 full Moon would be the most likely time for this effort to begin, in secret. The down- side of this conjunction is the fanatical zeal we saw on September 11, but with nearly all planetary positions improved, further terrorist acts are unlikely. 

September 22
 
     My 9/16 Supplemental indicated the most likely time for U S action would be from October 1 -5, with the full Moon on the morning on Oct 2 being most likely.
 
     One of the folks on the Yahoo Vedic Astrology group posted the following chart for bin Laden.  While it's a fitting chart, what struck me is that his 18 year Rahu Dasa (cycle) ends October 1, and this head of the snake always gives a bite at the end of his cycle.  Since birth chart Rahu is in his 4th house of the home and transit Rahu is in the 12th of confinement, the indication is for disruption in his home that imprisons him.  Rahu is foreigners, suggesting foreigners grab him.  Jupiter in this chart rules the 6th of foreigners and is dangerous to bin Laden in its current transit through the 12th with Rahu. 
 
     Thereby, this chart supports the early October prediction for action against terrorists.
 
(Note for astrologers: There are additional provocative transit influences: Mars, which rules the 5th and 10th of government, transits the 6th of enemies and foreigners with fiery Ketu, from which it aspects bin Laden's 12th - and on 9/2 aspects his Ascendant ruler Moon transiting the 9th of long journeys.  Ketu transiting the 6th indicates subordinates work deviously against him.  As Rahu/Jupiter mean conflict, and both transit the 12th, confinement is promoted.  12th ruler Mercury is transiting his 4th of the home.  Doubtless you have other thoughts as well?)

 October/November 2001 Forecast
October 15

Review Recent Forecasts.

1. The September 2001 Forecast, published Sept. 7, predicted religious fanaticism between Sept. 10 and 14. The terrorists attacked Sept. 11.

2. The September 2001 Supplemental Forecast, published Sept. 17, predicted the U S attack between Oct. 1 and 5, with "secret movement" indicated Oct. 2. The actual attack began Oct. 7, and President Bush made the attack decision Oct. 2. (Note: Mercury retrograde from Oct. 2 to 24 has confused communications, suggesting a delay in the attack. Saturn’s organization and focus have also been weak due to its retrograde beginning Sept. 27, also serving to delay military action.)

3. The September/October 2001 Forecast, published Sept. 22 used a likely chart for Osama bin Laden to confirm the Oct. 1 to 5 U S attack and predicted for bin Laden "...disruption in his home that imprisons him." The U S attack has certainly curtailed his activities, imprisoning him in his home, but his current situation is unknown.

4. On Sept. 22, a financial clients e-mail prediction stated "....may be a rise from a market bottom starting then - around 9/27." The market recovery began Sept. 27.

Forecast for October/November 2001

     Further predictions have been put on hold until after the results of the U S attack prediction. Also, Mercury retrograde confusion (Oct. 2 to 24) and lack of Saturnian organization and focus due to its retrograde (beginning Sept. 27) have clouded future
results of the momentum created Sept. 11.

     It is also vital to understand planetary significations influence both individuals and the world. Thus, this astrologer has not been able to organize (Saturn) his thoughts (Mercury) to interpret planetary influences upon the disorganized and confused world situation. These energies affect us personally in our own individual way, but there’s a common thread - it’s tough to look ahead when these two planets are directing attention backward and inward following the momentous event of Sept. 11 A lesson here may be that we need first to look to the past and within ourselves to gain necessary perspective for understanding the current world and our place within it.

     However, the wheel of karma inevitably turns with the planets’ movements, and there appears to be major change just ahead. Here are my thoughts. (Note: times are EDT)

     1. Currently, the Sun (power and government) and Mars (energy) are weak as they both approach the edges of their respective sign positions. The Sun enters its fallen sign of Libra and becomes strong Friday Oct. 19, and this fearful position may bring bullying action. Mars enters its exalted sign of Capricorn on Sunday morning, Oct. 21. This is good because Mars is getting away from mystical Ketu, which has brought such ‘seething anger" and frayed everyone’s nerves. This is also bad because the planet of war will be fully empowered to gain revenge and wreak damage.

     Highly aggressive action by any party is likely Sunday morning Oct. 21, and further action is indicated about noon on Tuesday, Oct. 23. Expect creativity here relating to medicines - biological warfare? President Bush may decide to invade Afghanistan and/or step up pressure upon Iraq or other nations harboring terrorists. Radical Muslims in various countries will protest with violence. Terrorist revenge against the U S and its allies is also expected. These choices are truthfully only guesses and are suggested to give an idea of the range and scope of impending violence.

     2. This elevated and escalating military, civilian and terrorist aggression will continue until about November 4, when Mercury (intellect) and Venus (love and compassion) move together into Libra, the sign of balance, from which they aspect Mars’ warfare sign of Aries. This signifies a toning down of violence and the beginning of reconciliation. However, meaningful progress will not occur until the Sun moves out of its fallen sign and into Scorpio November 17.

     3. The economy and its markets will continue in their uncertain manner until after October 24, when the nature of the conflict becomes clear and Mercury begins forward motion again, bringing further clarity. It is anticipated that then the substantial negative economic impacts of the terrorism war will become known and felt and that the escalated and broadened warfare will further depress markets. Markets, then, will tend to hold up until the last week in October and then slide down until mid November when reconciliation begins.

 

2002 New Year's Forecast
(Composed 12/31/2001)

     The last forecast offered was for the period ending November 17, 2001, when progress toward reconciliation could begin. "Reconciliation" was the wrong word, for Mars, the planet of war, moved into Aquarius November 30, where (in association with Saturn,) violence increased in Afghanistan to bring a quick victory.  Perhaps, then, "resolution" would have been more apt.

     Today we look ahead at international concerns during our second year in the new millennium.

January 1 to February 20

     The heightened violence in the Mideast continues with Mars in Aquarius from November 30 until at least January 10, 2002 when Mars moves into Pisces, a sign owned by Jupiter.

     This combination of Mars’ energy and Jupiter’s ethics brings impetuous to do the "right thing," to be valorous, perhaps even chivalrous. Hope will dawn for a few days that the sparks flying in other Mideast countries will be snuffed out.  However, with the Sun, signifying government, moving into restrictive Saturn’s sign of Capricorn on January 13, governmental power to do good will be held back, and hopes dashed.  Mercury retrograde on January 19 can only add to communications issues, and we may witness misplaced idealism, even fanatical zeal by fringe groups and their sponsoring governments until February 20  Then, Mars finishes with Pisces and enters Aries.

     February 20 until March 1 promises to be volatile with unexpected significant movements by fanatics, for Mars will be powerfully warlike in its own sign of Aries.  Also,  Rahu (an eclipse point and mythological head of a snake) will give a toxic bite as it prepares to leave Gemini after 18 months.  Expect terrorism violence abroad and in the U S during this interval.

     Also in February, on the 8th restrictive Saturn becomes powerful again as ends its retrograde that began September 27. This means that the securities markets rise that began September 27 (which was accurately predicted) will end as investors bow to Saturn’s realism, of its "show me the money" in an economy still in recession and battered by violence abroad.  A link between increased violence durng the last 10 days in February and markets declines may be seen.  Interestingly, oil and precious metals prices may begin to rise then as well.

March 1 to April 4

     March will likely roar in like a lion, and not just with winter storms.  Mars continues its warlike actions in Aries.  Plus, Rahu will again "bite" when it enters Taurus March 1, but this time Rahu will influence for wealth.  Jupiter (wealth) reinforces this, as it is finally left alone in Gemini and ending its retrograde March 2.  A financial markets rebound reflecting victories over terrorist groups and regimes is likely.  This is definitely a roller coaster period for investors..

April 5 to April 20

     With the terrorism campaign 7 months in duration by early April, there is a possibility terrorism infection will be largely overcome then.  However, on April 4, Mars joins Saturn and Rahu in Taurus, and the world could experience a "train wreck" of major violence in the Mideast, spilling over into other areas with terrorism groups and rogue governments the guilty parties.  It is therefore vital that the free world’s efforts against terrorists, their groups and supporting governments be won by early April to prevent a violence escalation.

     Some dates to be cautious about violent actions are April 7, 16 and 19.

     More to follow. 

     A happy and brave new year, and hopefully brave new world, to you all.

 

2002 Forecast - to April 30
Composed 1/26/01
     

     This supplemental Forecast on terrorism updates the 2002 Near Year's Forecast.  In summery: February will see a gradual building of violence in the mid east, March will roar in like a lion and April will be a turning point month.

     In March, a month-long shift from terrorist organizations to national-level aggression is predicted.  Religious fanaticism will tend less to manifest in terrorist group actions and tend more to fanning the flames of international violence.  

     President Bush will be swept into a karmic flood of world events. A consequence is that the U S leader will lose free will, as a Yoga, called Kala Sarpa, or Time Serpent, impacts.  The suggestion here is that Bush will reap the results of the path he has chosen in the war on terrorism.  This Yoga may activate between March 12 and March 20.

     However, March is also an opportunity for violence to decline, for after March 1, Jupiter's wisdom, ethics and humanitarian influences are finally alone and free in mental Gemini.  

     Jupiter will no longer be compromised by Rahu's insane cravings.  (Rahu is the head of a snake in Vedic Astrology and represents one of the eclipse points.)  

     Success is possible.  The breaking down of terrorist organizations is a  path to peace.  Such efforts must include diplomacy to resolve international frictions heightened by terrorism and inflamed by religion. 

     Should March not deliver stability, then April may
blossom into large scale international warfare in the mid east.

      Again, the concern is for April 6 to April 20.  Astronomically, fiery Mars transits strongly into Taurus April 6,  joining responsible, authority figures Saturn.  Desirous Rahu always moves backward and entered the other side of Taurus earlier, on March 1.  So Saturn's dutiful leadership influence will be debased by Mars on one side and Rahu on the other.  Saturn will find itself in an ever-tightening vice of malefic destruction.  Dates for events that introduce and/or accompany this possible surging escalation of violence remain April 7, 16 and 19.

     Friend and colleague Haizen Paige (www.haizen.com), assisted with this unveiling of planetary influences.  

April Forecast Update

     This is a further supplement to the 12/31/2001 2002 New Year's Forecast and the 1/26/2002 2002 Forecast - to April 30, which discussed the likelihood of international warfare in the mideast during April.  In both forecasts, caution dates of April 7, 16 and 19 were given for a surging escalation of violence.

     This April Forecast Update confirms these sensitive dates and offers a Vedic chart to visually display the celestial map during April.  

     This example chart for April 15 at 2 PM CST is the best graphical representation of the converging malefic planetary influences, and it is an additional date to watch.

      As shown, restrictive Saturn is sandwiched between warrior Mars coming in from the left and Rahu (an eclipse point and head of a snake in Vedic Astrology) coming in from the right in the worldly constellation of Taurus.  

    

     This combination of three malefic planets influences for raging criminal violence - war.

     The Moon, which is perception, consciousness and prana (the breath of life), is India's primary planet, and its passage among these malefics catalyzes destruction of life.  Note that on 9/11/2001, the Moon was conjunct Rahu and opposite Mars.  Also note this past Tuesday and Wednesday were difficult for many as the Moon passed through Taurus and thereby Saturn and Rahu.  April must be more difficult with Mars joining Saturn and Rahu on April 5.

     Another catalyzing influence is the Sun becoming powerfully egocentric as it approaches 2 degrees in Aries.  This is a constellation of action ruled by aggressive Mars and where the Sun is exalted - most powerful.  With intellectual Mercury and playful Venus also in Aries, the solar influence is for creative, but not necessarily well thought out or responsible, governmental action.

     This Forecast is not intended to bring anxiety but rather to encourage awareness and caution.  April will most certainly be a challenging month both globally and on a personal level.

 

Forecast - May 19

     A calendar month May Forecast was not composed because the path ahead depended upon April results.  Further, this astrologer was immersed professionally and personally in May's gathering planetary energies.

     April did bring international warfare in the Israel/Palestine violence, which unfortunately continues.  Benefics Mercury's and Venus’s entrance in Taurus at the end of April did not sufficiently stimulate intelligent cooperation.  (Note: benifics are helpful or "good" planets and malefics are harmful or "bad" planets.)

     The May planetary alignment, newsworthy because it is so visible in the western sky, is not dramatic in Vedic Astrology. This astrology’s use of the sidereal zodiac (actual astronomical positions) splits the planets into Taurus and Gemini.  Further, major alignments, as they contain a mix of benefic and malefic planets, good mitigates bad.  Recall the 7 planet alignment in May 2000 was uneventful.

     However, other potent influences heighten tension and violent energies which must bring significant international events these next few weeks.  Mercury’s retrograde from May 16 to June 9 has already caused confusion and a rehashing of previous events and issues, and this includes religious fanaticism.  A morning lunar eclipse in Scorpio on Sunday May 26 kicks off the most sensitive period.  Emotions will be fragile and common sense elusive.  The Moon is fallen in Scorpio, making this eclipse even more destabilizing.

     On Monday, May 27, Rahu (the head of the snake) approaches Saturn within 1 degree, signaling major violence at 3 AM, EST. The Saturn/Rahu conjunction kicked off Desert Storm in 1991.

     Of further concern is that retrograde Mercury crosses the Sun May 27.  This combination ties egos to minds, blinding objective response.  Adding distressed and miserable lunar perception suggests reactions to violence will be excessive and thereby more harmful than the initial violence.  Uncontrolled escalation in mideast hot-spots is the issue, and this includes U S military actions there. 

     Tuesday, May 28 is particularly sensitive, for this is Mars (warfare) day, and Mars aspects the Moon. 9/11 was a Tuesday.  Terrorist acts that day are predicted.

     This volatile period continues through June 12, as Saturn and Rahu continue within 1 degree of separation; and we have a solar eclipse beginning the early morning of Tuesday, June 11, again Mars’ day.

     This Forecast is not intended to alarm but rather suggest caution and caring.  Because planetary transits impact the world through individual actions, be aware you also may find this May 26 through June 12 period difficult.  However, each person's chart and cycles are singular, and while you may not have stressful events to deal with, others around you will, and this is thereby a time for alert compassion.

 

July 1 - A Few More Challenging Weeks 
And A Couple of More Days To Bear With the Strain
     
(Composed 7/1/02)

     The world continues in an uproar for the next few weeks.  Fortunately, the end of July will bring relief from oppressive energy and the opportunity to begin the process of rebuilding.

     Since March, we have experienced: incredible weather extremes, mideast warfare of the cruelest kind, violent accidents and crimes, massive and pervasive business fraud, accompanying securities markets declines and erosion of optimism and hope.

     The primary culprits here are malefics Saturn and Rahu (an eclipse point and head of a snake) which came together in Taurus beginning in March.  Saturn's restrictions with Rahu's cravings nature bring victimizing among people, and in the earth sign of Taurus, disturbed weather.  As these planets continue to grind against each other, the effects build up.  Saturn leaves Taurus on August 22, which will remove the pressure.  A further influence has been the eclipse season (Lunar May 26, Solar June 10, and Lunar June 24) during which many things have been revealed, and this influence is now pretty well over.

     Currently, Mercury (communications) is crossing toxic Rahu and depressing Saturn, and the chart for today shows Mercury in between.  

     This transit effect began last Friday, June 29 and will be over July 5, as Mercury escapes into Gemini.  Concurrently, warlike Mars is transiting wise Jupiter, bringing more tension and judgment issues.  

     Please use care in your activities and interactions with others through the actual holiday on July 4.  If you can delay holiday celebrations until the weekend, these will be more successful.

     Let us all do our best for ourselves and others who are suffering now and begin to look ahead to the task of rebuilding in August.

Forecast  Aug 02 thru July 03
(Composed July 21, 2002)

     Tomorrow, July 22, restrictive Saturn leaves Taurus, where is has been transiting since June of 2000 and wrecking all kinds of havoc, especially during it’s last 5 months in this earth sign.

     Mars, the planet of war and sex has added its violence and degradation to Saturn’s realism and denials since July 5, when Mars entered it’s fallen constellation of Cancer.  Mars exits Cancer August 19, heralding the ending of dissonant planetary energies plaguing the world and many individuals since last September and particularly from March onward of this year.

     However, by the end of July, Mars’ influence will be considerably lessened, and we can look forward to beginning the task of rebuilding: lives, families, institutions, businesses and progress toward peace.

     Here is the basic situation of the slow moving planets with Saturn transiting into Gemini:  Rahu (an eclipse point and head of a dragon in Hindu mythology) is alone now in Taurus, supporting wealth and learning, although Rahu in this 2nd constellation of the natural zodiac will also stimulate tough, even harsh rhetoric.  Ketu (the other eclipse point and dissolving tail of the dragon) continues in Scorpio, routing out secrets and stimulating scandal.  Saturn, alone in Gemini in the 3rd house, promotes leadership and also deeply focused expression, particularly in literary endeavors and material conservatism. The weakness here is deception. Jupiter’s wealth and wisdom thrive in the 4th house of Cancer, where it is exalted, bringing economic expansion and renewed faith and ethics. (Comment: Saturn in Gemini restricts gold and Jupiter in Cancer supports silver, suggesting the latter metal to be a safe haven.)

     So, the 4 slow moving planets having significant effects, are now generally well placed for the next year.  What really catches the attention is that Rahu, Saturn and Jupiter are in the communications houses - 2nd of speech, 3rd of writing and the 4th of education. This suggests not just continued telecommunications and computer advances but also tremendous progress in understanding each other and resolving problems. Given the brutalities, indecencies and dishonesties of the recent past, clear thinking and expression will be needed to grasp the issues and take corrective action.

     There is one period this winter, however, that will threaten and perhaps even overwhelm hard-won gains in wealth, peace and stability.  Beginning January 7, 2003, Saturn will retrograde back into Taurus, rejoining Rahu to precipitate more victimizing. On the exact same day, Mars will enter Scorpio, joining Ketu, which was the combination bringing violence on 9-11.  

     An example chart for January 27 is below, showing Saturn again with Rahu and Mars again with Ketu at the most difficult time.  (Note, the Moon, symbolizing the benefits in life, is sandwiched between Mars and Ketu that day at 10:14 Am, EST in Scorpio, its fallen constellation.)  While the entire Mars transit through Scorpio until February 23 is threatening, January 27 can bring a violent calamity or even the beginning of the invasion of Iraq.

     The remainder of the year, through July 2003, will again support the rebuilding process.  April and May will be particularly fine months, for several planets will be in their exhalation constellations then.  Likely violence in January and February thereby can be quickly quelled in the spring.

     The other point of concern is President Bush, who will experience Saturn in his 12th house of loss beginning tomorrow for the next two years.  Bush will be particularly vulnerable until mid November, and he will be powerless to change his fate.  This is not the prediction of death Western Astrologers offer but rather  suggesting downfall, or at least irreparable damage to his reputation. Bush is the wild card here, injuring the recovery and stability through the fall, but also possibly negating a war with Iraq in January February.

Forecast  Sept - Oct 02
  
(Composed 9/1/02)

     This two-month Forecast follows the July 21 annual forecast "August 02 - July 03" by looking more closely at the upcoming months of September and October.

     First, however, here’s a quick recap of the last six weeks since that annual forecast.  It was suggested that the end of July would bring the beginning of a process of rebuilding.  Thus, restrictive Saturn’s departure from wealthy Taurus July 22 signaled the bottom of stock market declines on July 23.  Further, fierce Mars’ weakening destructive influence in its fallen sign of Cancer (by the end of July) signaled a tailing off of degraded desire and violence. Interestingly, the market recovery was volatile until Mars finally exited Cancer on August 19, and daily swings have since returned to normal levels.  Also, high-profile sexual predations of children ended when Mars left Cancer.  President Bush’s inability to advance his Iraq war agenda, his broadening rifts in international relations and a growing perception that his business dominated domestic policies are out of synch with public opinion are all evidential of his ongoing lack of power.  His is indeed a fated presidency - predestined to reach the White House and predestined to fall from favor.

     September and October promise continued improvements in basic life areas, including the economy and bellwether market indices, progress toward peace and interpersonal relationships.  Venus and Mercury will be in particularly excellent positions during this period.

     Venus, the planet of love and grace today exits its fallen sign of Virgo and enters Libra (a sign it owns and his productive in), where it will stimulate compassion-based balanced thinking and material benefit internationally, in interpersonal relations and for the economy.  While some saber-rattling will continue, prospects for peace will be greatly enabled, and violence will calm.  Because Venus goes retrograde (apparent backward motion) in October, Venus will stay in Libra through the end of October, extending this run of problems resolution and progress toward happiness and contentment.

     Mercury’s communications and business traits have been enhanced since August 21, when it entered its exalted sign of Virgo, and it too will have an extended stay in this excellent sign due to retrograde motion beginning September 15.  Mercury in Virgo both dampens conflict and promotes fruitful debating of issues.

     The economy is expected to make significant yet cautious progress during September and October, and stock prices will accordingly march steadily, though cautiously, upward.  Silver continues to be an excellent hedge, and real estate will also benefit. Despite President Bushs’ power loss, and perhaps even because of it, diplomatic efforts in the volatile mideast and east will advance with a more balanced international consensus.  It is even possible the Israeli/Palestinian conflict will be perceived by the combatants as unacceptable, stimulating agreements for peace.  A key factor here is the likely emergence of potent leaders both overseas and within the U S with effective, humanitarian-oriented philosophies to fill the White House leadership void.  Look for such consensus building to come from both the west and east, and U S congressional campaigns bring a great opportunity for candidates to feel the public pulse in promoting platforms responsive to the entire electorate over more narrow business interests.

     It should be noted that against this backdrop of a favorable celestial map this fall, the upcoming 9-11 anniversary must dampen optimism during September and thus curtail any ambitious efforts at conflict resolution and economic growth.  October, then, will be the month of gain.  Yet, there is a silver lining here as this sobering interval will promote healthy caution.

Holiday Season Forecast
Composed Dec. 9, 2002

     Today’s national news spotlights new studies on what makes people happy, certainly a timely issue with the holidays and the new year and potential new war approaching.  Contentment, forgiveness, altruism, lack of materialism, actively doing what you do best, being in the company of friends and family and staying in the "flow" are psychology’s new hallmarks for mental health.  These are also the recipe for getting out of ones solar ego, as well as for peace.

     Of course, this "new" psychological theory is truly ancient, and Hindu philosophy is literally built upon detaching from desires, forgiveness, work without expectation, good deeds, staying in the "now," the value of personal associations...  These bring fulfillment, which the Indians believe is happiness, and thereby also contentment and peace.  While examination of other belief systems will yield the same fundamentals, India’s age-old philosophy focuses most deeply upon the path to fulfillment, which dictates detachment and happiness to gain enlightenment - the abandonment of the ego and the liberation of the soul.  Consider that India is the only major country which has never invaded another, and the end result of personal peace intertwines with international peace.  Reflect that India’s Vedic Astrology is centered upon the perceptional Moon, the planet of peace of mind, contentment, cooperation, perception, nurturing, relationships and the group.

     It is, however, encouraging during this period of multicultural strife and violence that western psychology has suddenly discovered what makes people happy, and by extrapolation, peaceful.  Perhaps the planets’ generally auspicious placements since the end of July, and particularly wise Jupiter in its exaltation sign of Cancer, have promoted this new psychological understanding, this rediscovery of millennia-old understanding that our western society’s egocentric Sun must be tamed to gain happiness.  Western Astrology is naturally solar-primary.  Perhaps the day will come when the Eastern cooperative Moon supersedes the Western egocentric Sun.

     As we approach the holidays, there is a potent planetary irritation existent, for violent and desirous Mars is closely conjunct loving and forgiving Venus in Libra, the constellation of relationships. Mars/Venus is passionate attachment, expressing itself in quarreling, agitation and aggression.  These must disrupt happiness, and now psychologists and Indian philosophy both believe so.  This conjunction, unusual for its duration, began during the last week of November, is most forceful from December 6 to about December 20, and then decreases until it ends at New Years.

     This Forecast focuses upon the Mars/Venus conjunction to help us all avoid its excesses that can break relationships, stimulate disappointments and destroy happiness during this year’s pivotal holiday/new year season.  Individual happiness is needed now to gain the peacefulness that can avoid or blunt the international calamity that has been feeding upon the long-standing cultural/religious discord evidenced so dramatically on 9-11.  This risk for calamity has been predicted for the period from January 7 to February 23, with January 27 spotlighted. 

     Venus’s receptive and forgiving love is changed to temperamental passion by Mars’ aggressive energy.  Arguments within existing relationships - lovers, mates, family and friends - are stimulated now, and to avoid permanent breaks, efforts to detach and forgive are the sole remedy.  New love affairs blossom, but these tend to burn out with heated intimacy, resulting in emotional pain.  Venus’s materialism is pumped up by Mars, suggesting care in impulsive gift buying to avoid overspending and over-expectation of both gratitude from recipients, as well as in the gifts we may receive.  (See the 12/3 Stock Market Forecast, below, predicting a downtrend, which limits holiday spending.)  Regarding family relationships, Mars is brothers, and Venus is wives and daughters, indicating that during this period, we should be most sensitive to, and non-judgmental of, these loved ones.  In Venus signifying vehicles and Mars accidents, travel with awareness and avoid excesses that can trigger accidents

     As Venus is pleasures, Mars’ energy stimulates overeating, sweets, fats, alcohol, drugs and other overindulgences, and these also stimulate the harmful passionate actions described above.  Use care in choosing holiday events and activities, especially if you are entertaining, for you are responsible to your guests.

     It is best to focus on moderation in all things, looking beyond yourself to the needs of others and avoiding pressurized situations.  In some cases, you may find it literally impossible to restrain your passionate impulses, and sometimes you may find yourself attacked by others, but your awareness of this sensitivity will be a great aid in deflating and deflecting aggression and objectifying your reactions.  Your forgiveness is the only remedy in unavoidable clashes, for resentment breeds aggression.  Spend time as you can with family and friends, for not only does isolation bring misery, but those closest to you need your support the most.  Enjoy Venus’s performing and visual arts, at a peak during the holidays, for these support love and depress Martian aggression.  Reach out to those less fortunate, for your generosity strengthens Venus’s compassionate love and transforms Mars’ destruction into energy to do good.  Attending spiritual and religious functions is helpful in the internal struggle between Venus's love and Mars' war, as well as propitiating peace in the world.

     With these thoughts, I wish all of you a happy, fulfilled and peaceful holiday season as a prelude for the new year of 2003, when only these values can promote peace within ourselves and throughout the diverse, but ultimately one, world community of mankind.

 

 

     

 

 
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MONDAY, JAN. 07 2002 Feedback

Prophets of doom
Jihad terrorists surprised America on September 11, but apparently more than one astrologer saw it coming

BY CHRIS WRIGHT


photo



WHEN THE FIRST plane struck the World Trade Center at 8:48 a.m. on Tuesday, September 11, President Bush was in Florida, lecturing a classroom of second-graders about the importance of reading skills. What was meant to be a run-of-the-mill photo op produced one of the more telling photographs of that awful day. In it, White House chief of staff Andrew Card is bending down to deliver the news that a second plane had thundered into the second tower. You can see the shock, the dread, on Bush’s face. And who can blame him? America had just been wrenched from a sunny weekday morning into a cataclysmic war, and it seemed no one was prepared for such an event — not the CIA, not the FBI, not the State Department, and certainly not the president himself.

"I’m trying to absorb that knowledge," Bush said, recalling the moment in a recent Newsweek interview. "I’m the commander in chief, and the country has just come under attack."

Not everybody, however, was as flabbergasted by the news as the president. In fact, there were a few Americans who responded to the terrorist attacks with a resounding "Told you so."

In June 2000, Lynne Palmer, a 69-year-old Las Vegas resident, published her Astrological Almanac for 2001 (Star Bright Publishers). On page 95 of the book, buried among advice on the best days to go to the movies and worst days to lend people money, Palmer had written, in an odd combination of the obvious and the prophetic: "Avoid terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001."

PALMER WASN’T the only astrologer to see trouble brewing in the fall of 2001. Apparently, the sky has been heaving with a confluence of terrible portents lately — a Perfect Storm of clashing, menacing astrological signs. But no one had divined upcoming events with the acuity of the Dolly Parton–haired author of Is Your Name Lucky for You? (Star Bright Publishers, 1999) and Astro-Guide to Nutrition and Vitamins (American Federation of Astrologers, 1993). "Only one person predicted the date of the attacks, and that was Lynne Palmer," says veteran astrologer Robert Hand, a relatively highbrow practitioner of the art. "I don’t know how she did it. Things looked chaotic, but I could not have foreseen September 11. I looked and looked and I don’t know how anyone could have predicted it to the day."

Palmer, meanwhile, remains unfazed by her astrological coup. "There are certain planets that rule certain things," she says, "and those planets were in alignment." In fact, Palmer didn’t even know the attacks had occurred until a friend told her. "I don’t look at the news much," she says. "My friend called me. I looked in my [2001] almanac and I had it. I make all sorts of predictions and I forget about them. But I had ‘Watch for danger falling from above,’ ‘Avoid fire.’ It was eerie."

Eerie, yes, but not unique. Following September 11, stargazers all over the country pored through their prior predictions to see if they, too, had foreseen America’s so-called New War. Hand was one of the astrologers who came up trumps. In an article posted in the August edition of the Mountain Astrologer online magazine, Hand wrote a long, lyrical essay foretelling "restrictions on our freedom of movement," the "ruthless energy of change," and "unrest in the Middle East."

Though Hand’s dates were not as specific as Palmer’s — he saw strife occurring between August 5, 2001, and May 26, 2002 — his predictions were nonetheless chillingly prescient: "Things pass away and then something new comes into being. We have times when things seem to reach a period of stability and permanence; then there is a period of decay, when they begin to break down and go wrong.... It is as though we were driving down a well-defined road with a clear objective, and either something we did not anticipate is forcing us onto another road or the road itself is being transformed."

In April 2001, on the same site, astrologer Jim Shawvan wrote of "something sudden" about to occur, "a surprise attack, a terrorist bombing." He continued, "Civil wars and conflicts in the Third World often build up slowly, with many warning signs; however, when the only remaining superpower is attacked, the preferred approach seems to be terrorist action with no warning." Shawvan also wrote that "[Bush] may judge it necessary to threaten or even use force in Afghanistan or Pakistan or both."

In the simplest terms, Shawvan reached his conclusions by observing the overwhelming presence of Mars — the planet of conflict and strife — in astrological charts he had drawn up for Bush. There was also, he says, a Mars line going through a map of Afghanistan. With this knowledge in hand, he deduced that there’d be the potential for America to go to war with Afghanistan. In an earlier interview with the Phoenix (see "Calling the Shots," This Just In, October 11), Shawvan called his predictions "purely an intellectual exercise." He added, "You use your knowledge of the facts and then put things together."

Such a commonsensical approach to astrology is surprisingly common. Indeed, many astrologers view themselves as more aligned with sociologists and historians than with psychics and mediums. "This is not closing your eyes and seeing things," says Hand, who also named Afghanistan as a potential point of international conflict. "I specifically named Afghanistan based on historical probability. You have to know something about the world."

Shortly after the terrorist attacks, the astrological publisher Llewellyn Booksellers published Civilization Attacked: September 11, 2001 & Beyond, in which a selection of America’s top-shelf astrologers weighed in on such topics as "The psychology of terrorism" and "The long-range effects of September 11, 2001." One of the more remarkable aspects of the book is an accompanying blurb from its publisher, Carl Llewellyn Weschcke, who wrote that astrology is "the one science that can analyze time to bring understanding about the antecedents of the event, about the people involved in carrying it out, and the forecasts helpful to decisions that must be made."

The "science" claim notwithstanding, most astrologers will readily admit that making predictions based on planetary movements is essentially an intuitive pursuit. "Astrology is not a science," says Hand. "It’s a craft. It has no solid foundation. We don’t have a theoretical structure from which we make our predictions. We really don’t know what causes these influences. We don’t know that at all."

 

INDEED, DESPITE the intellectual veneer afforded the practice by the likes of Shawvan and Hand, astrology relies to a great extent on the kind of symbolism that used to get medieval Gnostics hot under their burlap collars. "Here’s a little bit of weirdness," says Hand, his voice rising in pitch. "The World Trade Center was opened when Saturn was in Gemini. It collapsed when Saturn was in Gemini. And what does the World Trade Center look like? What did it look like? A gigantic Gemini glyph! That fits into the category of one of those ooh-ooh-ooh moments."

The most significant ooh-ooh-ooh moment for many astrologers in the months preceding September 11 came when they noticed a relatively rare opposing alignment of two fundamentally opposed planets: Pluto and Saturn — the planet of wrenching change and the planet of adamantine continuity. As Hand points out, the last time such an opposition occurred, the Soviets were embroiled in a bloody conflict in Afghanistan. "They stand like two opponents facing off against each other," he wrote in his Mountain Astrologer essay. "The medieval astrologers referred to the opposition as the aspect of perfect or complete hostility. They regarded it as the worst possible aspect between two bodies."

In the introduction to Civilization Attacked, astrologer Stephanie Clement wrote, "Throughout this book, the authors make frequent mention of Saturn and Pluto and their relation in the sky right now. They are in opposite parts of the heavens, very close to 180 degrees apart.... Together, Saturn and Pluto reflect qualities of cruelty, a tendency towards violence, and fanatical adherence to one’s principles. This is not a fun combination."

Quite. Yet it’s easy to say such things with the benefit of hindsight. The fact is, any practitioner of mundane astrology — which entails the study of societal forces — worth his or her salt should have spotted the danger before the events of September 11 took place. Yet only a handful actually did this — at least publicly. One astrologer who did was Doug Riemer, a practitioner of Indian, or Vedic, astrology. In a newsletter he sent out at the end of August, Riemer wrote, "There may be some religious fanaticism.... Mideast stuff? I see 9/10–9/14 as being really bizarre.... Although everyone should use care in their activities during the entire month, this 4 day period is exceptional. To avoid problems, stay alert to your environment and avoid risky situations."

Like Shawvan, Riemer based his predictions largely on the looming presence of Mars. "In the latter part of August, Mars — the planet of war, desire, anger, sex, all these worldly things — moved into the sign of Sagittarius," he explains. "Mars went into the sign of Sagittarius in Jupiter. Jupiter is religion and philosophy. At the same time, Mars crossed one of the eclipse points of the moon. Eclipse points are very frightening. When you have all this come together, it leads to a righteous, seething anger. It can create craziness and fanaticism. I remember looking at this and thinking, ‘Wait a minute. Something terrible is going to happen.’ "

Despite the accuracy of his predictions, Riemer admits to being disappointed that he didn’t call the exact date of the attacks. "My mistake was saying the 10th to the 14th," he says. "Because each planet has its own day of the week, and Mars’s day is Tuesday. I missed that, otherwise I’d have said Tuesday morning."

MAKING ACCURATE predictions is all well and good, but beyond reading their horoscopes in the newspapers every now and then, do Americans actually take any notice of this stuff? "Well, I have one client who called me a week before the catastrophe," says Riemer. "She told me she was flying from Washington, DC, to New Orleans and I said, ‘Okay, but get home before the 10th.’ She called me that Tuesday morning and said, ‘Thank God I didn’t stay until the 11th!’ She thought I’d saved her life. Certainly, she’d have been stuck in Washington having a horrible time. Astrology is not just knowing about life, it’s planning the life, taking advantage of opportunity, and overcoming challenge."

He adds, "It would have been helpful if someone in government had taken notice of some of these predictions."

Fat chance. Not since the astrology-loving Nancy Reagan inhabited the White House have astrologers had the luxury of having a president who took them seriously. "We deal with individual people who study our stuff," says Hand. "We can give those people ways of making things work better in their lives. But when we make predictions for public events, we have no impact. We can’t say, ‘This is going to happen, so we should do this now.’ No one pays any attention. People don’t give a damn. So we can only say, ‘Okay, here comes the shit about to hit the wall.’ More importantly, not only do people not listen, when we get it right they explain it away afterwards. Well, this current opposition [of Saturn and Pluto] will be hard to explain away."

Such frustration is commonplace among astrologists. "I’ve had clients ignore my advice for 44 years; you get used to it," says Palmer. "People are afraid to look at this stuff. It’s scary. But fear attracts fear. We have to raise our consciousness and see what we can do to rise above these bad aspects. But people aren’t looking. They’re in denial."

Nonetheless, says Riemer, widespread dismissal of the astrologer’s work does not make that work any less important. "For an astrologer to say, ‘Don’t bother telling because no one’s going to listen’ — that’s self-defeating," he says. "I think we have a duty and a responsibility to publish our predictions. We should keep information available. Because, and I’m serious about this, there is a huge train wreck coming. The train is about to come off the tracks."

Well, of course we don’t want to hear predictions like that. It’s unsettling enough to think that there may be a cosmic equivalent of the TV Guide ("Tuesday, 8:30 p.m., Chris Wright goes out and gets drunk [repeat]"), let alone that there’s a train wreck a-coming. "Americans hate fate," says Riemer. "Well, there is fate in genetics — you were fated to have a certain height, certain skills. And you were fated to have free will. Astrology indicates free will, it unveils hidden karmas."

Fair enough, but who really wants to discover that his or her hidden karma involves a date with an errant 747? After all, it’s one thing to fret about an impending catastrophe, but it’s another thing entirely to be told that the catastrophe is bearing down upon us, preordained and inescapable. This objection, astrologers insist, reflects a fundamental misreading of the relationship between astrology and determinism.

"What people who don’t study astrology don’t understand," says Hand, "is that there is a bivalence involved. There are two possibilities — one good, one bad. Astrology helps us understand what must be done now to face the future. A lot of people believe that astrology can show that everything is preordained, and I don’t believe that. There is indeterminacy everywhere, in physics, everywhere. Will is indeterminate. That there will be a certain crisis on a certain date might be determined, but how we handle it is not. If change was not possible, then astrology would be pointless."

INDETERMINACY COULD very well be the only bright spot at the end of our collective tunnel, because if our astrologers have got it right, we’re in for a very grim few years indeed.

"In late April, early May [2002]," says Doug Riemer, "the sign of Taurus (material things), Saturn (restriction), Mars (war), and Rahu (fanaticism) all come together. It’s a terrible combination, and I think there is going to be incredible violence unless we resolve things now. We have a choice, we fix things now or we have a major war in the spring and it’s going to be horrible. All astrologers are worried about this. Enlightened beings are very concerned about the next five or six years. This is a very sensitive period."

Lynne Palmer’s predictions are equally dismal. "The New York chart has some rough aspects coming up, scary ones," she says. "New York City has to be very careful of more air crashes and sleeping terrorists. And charts for the US have very bad, very deep problems, very bad. The aspect of Saturn and Pluto are coming back next year, even worse than now. The really rough period is going to be from February 2003 going into 2005. Pluto is ascending. Pluto rules missiles. We could have a nuclear attack or germ warfare."

Until that happens, though, there’s the business of everyday life to take care of. Palmer, for instance, recommends that Americans use caution when having pedicures next year. Early 2002 seems to be a particularly bad patch. "Do not," Palmer writes in her almanac for the year, "cut ingrown toenails on the following dates: January 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 ..."

 

Chris Wright can be reached at [email protected]

 

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Issue Date: December 13 - 20, 2001

 

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