Monday, April 7, 2008
Huge Effects predicted within two weeks from Aries New Moon on April 5, 2008 @ 8:55 PM PDT.
Looking back on this study: Virtual Mega-quake Shows Earthquake Could Inflict Major Damage on Pacific Northwest
The Next China-Taiwan Crisis: 2009-2012
This analysis was first done at the request of a client. It first appeared in print in Considerations Magazine in the August-October 2005 issue.
The crises were marked by solar eclipses in cardinal signs and strong Pluto influences. In 2009, the eclipses will return to the Cancer-Capricorn axis, and Pluto will cross into Capricorn. In 2011, an eclipse opposes the ROC Sun, and Pluto begins to move over the Sun in 2012. Regarding the PRC, Pluto begins to oppose Uranus, and the eclipse opposition to Pluto squares the communist Sun in the next year. In the following years, Pluto will oppose the USA Sun. The eclipse of January 2011 opposes the USA Sun, likely drawing America into the conflict.
Red China has vowed to take back the Republic of China, or Taiwan. In the May 2004 issue of the Boom, Doom, and Gloom Report, Dr. Marc Faber (website-boomdoomgloom.com) points to a report by Wendell Minnick, the Taiwan correspondent for Jane’s Defense Weekly. Mr. Minnick, in "The Year to Fear for Taiwan: 2006", wrote that a mainland invasion is unlikely to be a large-scale operation. Instead, it is more probable to take the following course. Special forces will land days prior to the attack. Assets that are already in place will assist in assassinations of officials and sabotage. The combination of air and missile strikes, rapid deployment forces, and airborne drops would capture key communication centers. The second phase would be the securing of an airport that would be used to ferry in additional elements that would spread out and complete the takeover. Sympathetic Taiwanese would assist the Chinese forces. This decapitation strategy would destroy command and control, likely leading to the loss of Taiwan in as little as 7 days. Taiwan is of strategic importance because the Taiwan Straits there control the flow of oil tankers to South Korea and to Japan. In addition, this is a base for the USA to watch China. The USA would have little time to respond, and if they did so, China could tie up US forces with small attacks on US forces in Japan, or even Hawaii and Alaska. I doubt that the USA would go to war in such an event.
As one man once said, don’t tell me what is going to happen, tell me when. This is the province of astrology. By studying the 4 crisis periods during which Beijing threatened the island nation, we can glean some insight as to the future timing of such an action. The crisis periods were:
1- August 11, 1954 to May 1, 1955: Zhou En-Lai declared that Taiwan must be liberated. On 17 August 1954 the US warned China against action against Taiwan, but on September 3, 1954, the Communists began to bombard Quemoy. In November, Chinese planes bombed the Tachen Islands. On September 12, 1954, the US Joint Chiefs of Staff recommended the possibility of using nuclear weapons against China. On November 23, 1954, China sentenced 13 US airmen shot down over China in the Korean War to jail terms. President Eisenhower refused to bomb mainland China or use American troops to resolve the crisis. The United States signed the Mutual Defense Treaty with the Nationalist government on Taiwan on December 2, 1954. The shelling ended on May 1, and the US airmen were released.
2- August 23, 1958 to January 1, 1959: From 23 August through October of 1958, the Communists resumed an artillery bombardment of Quemoy and Matsu, threatening invasion. Chinese patrol boats blockaded the two islands against Nationalist re-supply efforts. This was accompanied by an aggressive propaganda assault on the United States, threats against American naval ships, and a declaration of intent to "liberate" Taiwan.
3- July 1, 1995 to March 23, 1996: On October 27, 1994, the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk was involved in a three-day running encounter with a Chinese nuclear attack submarine in the Yellow Sea. On June 9-10, 1995, Taiwan President Lee Teng-hui concluded a private trip to a Cornell University reunion. His repeated use of the terminology "Republic of China on Taiwan" was taken by Beijing as a challenge to the "One China" formulation. In response, the PRC conducted tests of missiles from July 21 to 26 in an area near Taiwan's Pengchiayu Island. A series of missile tests and military maneuvers followed. One missile landed only 23 miles from a Taiwanese port. The crisis ended when Beijing said that they would not invade Taiwan but were still committed to one China.
The military exercises were meant to intimidate the people of Taiwan in the run-up to the presidential election. On March 23, 1996, the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan defied Beijing by electing Lee Teng-Hui as their first directly elected President.
4- 1999: The 1999 Taiwan Confrontation began on July 9, 1999, when Lee Teng-Hui, President Republic of China responded to questions by saying "The Republic of China has been a sovereign state since it was founded in 1912. Moreover, in 1991, amendments to the Constitution designated cross-strait relations as a special state-to-state relationship. Consequently, there is no need to declare independence. The resolution of cross-strait issues hinges on the issue of different systems. We cannot look at issues related to the two sides simply from the perspective of unification or independence. The Chinese mainland's promise of a "one country, two systems" formula for Hong Kong and Macau is irrelevant to Taiwan ... the ROC is a sovereign, independent state."
The crisis ended in May 2000, when Taiwan's new president, Chen Shui-Bian, said he will not declare independence nor do anything else that China might consider provocative as long as Beijing does not use force against the island.
The crises were marked by solar eclipses in cardinal signs and strong Pluto influences. In 2009, the eclipses will return to the Cancer-Capricorn axis, and Pluto will cross into Capricorn. In 2011, an eclipse opposes the ROC Sun, and Pluto begins to move over the Sun in 2012. Regarding the PRC, Pluto begins to oppose Uranus, and the eclipse opposition to Pluto squares the communist Sun in the next year. In the following years, Pluto will oppose the USA Sun. The eclipse of January 2011 opposes the USA Sun, likely drawing America into the conflict.
PLUTO IN CAPRICORN 2008-2024
Joyce Hoen DF Astrol S ©
published in The International Astrologer in January 2006
Pluto was first discovered when it was in the sign of Cancer, where it started its journey in 1913, just before World War I (WWI). After WWI the power factions in for instance Russia were in complete disarray, first after the collective murder of the entire family of the Tsar, and the rebellion of the suppressed nation; the result was thorough and lasting, a true Pluto action. Pluto remained in the sign Cancer for 25 years while the European world, its countries' boundaries, its empires, were being ravaged. The power of the aristocracy and monarchies belonged to a previous zodiacal cycle of Pluto a completely new cycle of power had started the power of the "common people" (Cancer).
In a way, it's easy to compare the sign Cancer to the fourth house, especially when mundane astrology or the 'astrology of the world' is being discussed. Toward the end of Pluto's sojourn in Cancer, the forerunners of the Second World War (WWII) could be noticed, a time in which a dictatorial demagogue (Pluto) tried to control the masses (Cancer) who didn't shun collective murder of those who in past times were thought to have had power.
In Western Europe the passage of Pluto through "the fourth house" of the mundane chart thus correlated with the rumbling of wars, although WWII did not truly start until Pluto entered Leo
In 1937/1938 Pluto began a 20-year period in the sign Leo. If we divide the horoscope circle in eight phases - like the Moon's eight phases- one can compare 0 degrees Cancer with a New Moon, a moment at which all is still unaware and the fundament of the entire following cycle needs to be build first - or shaken up as was the case with Pluto when it was in the lowest 'house' of the world's horoscope. The most dramatic period coincided with the point 0 degrees Cancer - 15 degrees Leo, for after that point, when Pluto had arrived in the next (waxing) phase of its total cycle - after WWII -, renewed building and a collective baby boom started. Of course 'children' also fall under the sign Leo.
After Pluto's ravaging at the lowest point in this western "world's horoscope", when for instance weapons were discovered for mass destruction (the atom bomb), Pluto began to proceed upwards in the world's horoscope, rebuilding from the 15 degrees Leo point or, putting this differently, from the first semisquare of Pluto toward the turning point, the first square, at 0 degrees Libra.
The second phase thus started at the first semi-square and finished when Pluto reached the point of the square.i.e. at 0 degrees Libra. Rebuilding was continued during this entire period; people worked very hard, and the nations (Cancer, with which it all started) achieved more and more power over their destinations. Power and money go together, and people continued to earn more to spend. Around the 1960s earnings became higher still, and slowly but surely the people who in a previous Pluto cycle were suppressed, began to earn enough money to obtain power and, ultimately, also status.
Thus, while Pluto travelled through the first quadrant of the new cycle -which started at 0 degrees Cancer- a total turn-around of the powers that were took place. In Russia and Eastern Europe a new dictatorship had risen: that of the people's collectives with a lot of mutual espionaging going on. The time had arrived for the next phase, namely the one from 0 degrees Libra to 0 degrees Capricorn, from about 1971 - 2008. Halfway through this quarter-cycle this new dictatorship in Eastern Europe would start to fall as well, with Pluto in the 8th sign (Scorpio), midway in this second quadrant from 0 Libra to 0 Capricorn.
Matters concerning Pluto often appear to be bloody events, but alltogether it seems that we are in a Pluto-cycle during which "the people" no longer are suppressed.
Right now we have reached the end of this 'waxing' phase of Pluto, halfway through the horoscope's zodiacal circle. During the latter part of Sagittarius we notice that all over the world people hanker after safety, certainty and freedom, and wherever in the world people still are suppressed, they want to escape to the free West, which by now feels nearly inundated by the suppressed of other countries.
What will happen when Pluto will reach yet another new quadrant? To stay with the Moon cycle terminology, this will start in 2008 when the waxing phase has finished and the waning phase starts, i.e. the Full Moon point.
On January 26, 2008, Pluto will move into Capricorn for the first time, to then travel retrograde into the tail end of Sagittarius between June 14 and November 27 of that year. From November 27, 2008, Pluto will stay in Capricorn for 15/16 years 2008-2024.
The increase of population is now at its peak, and if Cancer means birth and Pluto is -of course- the most important and collectively strong factor, we may presume that this increase will last until 2008 and will decrease thereafter! Because unfortunately, the populationgrowth creates tremendous problems in Western Europe, living space (Sagittarius) becomes smaller and smaller, with the result that collective migrations are now taking place, looking for space and individual possibilities to expand. The population growth keeps demanding more and more regulations for the simple reason that we, 'the people', can't always cope with the concept of freedom and misuse our planet and the still open spaces so badly because we're still fighting for our own safety, thereby endangering the safety of others and of nature itself. Pluto is now still in the quadrant of 'mutual relations' between people (Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius), but the planet will move into a more collective quadrant (Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces) - the quadrant which asks us 'how will we all find a space that keeps us individual yet together; how will the world work it out on a grander scale?'.
A new kind of suppression is noticeable already the suppression by rules that are imposed upon us by outside forces, the authorities (Capricorn). It is also possible for us, individuals, to try if we can work with fewer rules by using our own disciplines better, by taking responsibility ourselves, as members of 'the people'.
Action is always followed by reaction. Whenever we take too much freedom individually, without regard for others, there will be a reaction. This may be imposed upon us by the ruling powers. During the sign Cancer the people murdered these rulers in order to claim power for themselves.
Now the people (that is, 'we') have gained power and occupy positions of political influence and authority. Will these same authorities this time be killed in a hostile manner, or will the people (we) show that we can handle individual freedom by actually accepting responsiblity?
Responsibility or rule? Rules originate when people don't take personal reponsibility; where there is chaos rules need to be created in the interest of the collective safety. Whenever we accept personal resonsibility, we'll need far less rules. Will it become possible during the Pluto in Capricorn period to have global governments that are formed by us, i.e., governments we personally created - apart from a collective new global dictatorship (also created by us) which will impose all sorts of laws and rules? The promise Pluto in Capricorn gives us is not at all a bad one - but are people capable of listening to their inner voice, or will they only take liberties and permit themselves to do as they like, at the cost of others? That is the question. Can we, "the people" who wanted the power in fact handle power? That is the question. This is always the question when Pluto occupies the tenth house of an individual's chart; power and the lack of it in relation to our social status are the order of the day in such cases. This theme exists because Pluto tries to use power in a pure, clean way, NOT at others' expense. Will it become possible to observe that our global governments will show far more prudence? - that people will take reponsibility for their own actions? - (just listening to our inner voice and our conscience should be sufficient) - so that all the objectionable rules will no longer be necessary? We will be tested from 2008 onward, and to begin with we might experience lots of noise and violence before we finally understand and can put it in practice - for Pluto is not a surgeon who leaves festering wounds. On the contrary should wounds occur they will be noticeable and they will cry out to be cleaned.
What can we do as individuals, when we are powerless and feel bullied by the collective powers? Just this: bring the power back to where it belongs - to ourselves. We, as people, have no power over circumstances beyond us, no matter how much we try to attain omnipotence to cover our fears. All we have is power over our own reactions and our inner life. Every individual is able to make a difference in this world. Our inner voice is far more important than any dictatorship - no matter whether this is a dictatorship of the times, of fashion, of status, or of entire global governments. Let's free ourselves of the dictatorship of status, of striving and distancing ourselves from ourselves. Take the power back and keep it with you; lead your life in harmony with your inner self, with nature and the people around you. Let's busy ourselves with all this rather than perish in the maelstrom of the collective force of social status, positions and powerful respectively powerless relations. We are in a prolonged Pluto cycle in which we must learn how to handle power, a cycle in which individuals ultimately need to be free to be their own self, without this happening at others' expense. Pluto in Capricorn appears to be the culmination of what was happening during Pluto in Cancer, when the planet was discovered and showed us that power belonged to the people. The people, that's us, you and me and all the others. Can we create a better world with Pluto in Capricorn by showing that we need fewer rules from the outside world and simply listen to our inner rules - the rules we all possess anyway?
We haven't reached that point yet in the coming year Pluto will first be making a conjunction with the Galactic Centre (at 26 degrees Sagittarius). In 2008, times will have changed again, and personally I definitely feel I'm still in the Pluto-in- Sagittarius phase, so that I cannot do better than speculate what will occupy us in the future. Still, astrology shows us in theory which themes will become of importance. It is evident that from 1995, when Pluto began its journey through Sagittarius, a huge revival of near "obligatory success" in the world took place. Sagittarius is rather expansive, very enthusiastic and full of vision. The economy continued to exist by the grace of all sorts of slogans regarding visions of the future that, for a great deal, rested on pantomime and balderdash. All this took place in a world full of advertisements of succesful power brokers making telephone calls in the streets for instance. Reality will overtake them all from 2008 on. I will be breathing with considerable more ease when all this economic coaching and all the balderdash about huge sums of money will become more realistic. However, I will also sadly say farewell to that part of the period Pluto-in-Sagittarius that brought us a great stimulant for meeting other peoples, other cultures, much travel, and the adventures of new worlds.
Living 'in the Now' is really better suited to Pluto in Capricorn than to Pluto in Sagittarius, for Now we live in the Future (Sagittarius). Capricorn is Time itself. Collectively we will be living in the Now more and more our future depends on it. The past and its abuse of power will certainly be brought to light and cleaned up, but unrealistic visions of the future will also belong to the past.
We will handle the principle of living in the Now better; day after day we need to be aware of how we regard the world using our own reponsibility rather than someone else's, which is helpful to others. By the year 2008 I will start living in the Now, and I'll be discovering how this feels, this new period with Pluto in a new sign and in a new quadrant. My quess is that it won't be easy-going during the first few years as large 'tension aspects' will occur with Uranus, Saturn and Pluto in the cardinal signs in 2010. The world will change, that's a certainty.
Hopefully we will witness large corporations, so powerful now and misusing these powers, (and made up from the people who took over the power at the beginning with Pluto in the "fourth" house) go under in favour of a better use of power. A better use which is not at the cost of others, and which will show more responsibility for the environment in which we live and which we share with each other, and this will not depend on outside factors, but on us. Our status might become ruined, but that is 'only' ego.
Our soul will want to express itself and will call for us to join our inner being so that we will be able to stand strong and whole in the outside world - not with a false status, not under the yoke of leaders or even boards and committees busy only with attaining status. Actually, 'status' will be out of fashion once Pluto will be in Capricorn ... ah, what a liberation!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
The Pisces New Moon
The Pisces New Moon by Kaye Shinker The Pisces New Moon is March 7, 2008 at 12:14 PM EST, chart set for Washington DC.* | CURRENT MOON |
*The New Moon in Pisces occurs on March 7th 2008 at 12:14 PM EST. I'm using the coordinates for Washington D.C. but the New Moon has a double stellium in Aquarius and Pisces so make a chart for your part of the world.
New Moon forecasts show general trends for the month, here is the overview of the month ahead.
For Washington D.C. the planets do not appear in money houses, therefore the economic activity will attract little attention. Every sector of the economy is regrouping and trying to staff their businesses with dynamic leadership who know how to seize an opportunity.
Jupiter is at 16 degrees Capricorn
Jupiter at 15 degrees of any sign is an indicator of a change in economic emphasis. This is the point where you begin to consider sectors that relate to Taurus and Scorpio. One of the sectors attributed to Taurus is Financial stocks. The problem right now is that an investment in this sector would suggest that you could be catching a falling knife. This is when you look very carefully first at price history before you set up a chart. It isn't always true but patient stock holders will sell as the price returns to previous highs thus slowing the upward movement of price. Case in point, the Dow Industrials Index.
Service industry needs to retool
Police, fire and service workers have been very busy especially with the Northern Hemisphere snow cover setting record levels. Replacement parts for the equipment of military and police organizations will need to be ordered. Companies that supply parts will succeed.
Transportation issues including autos will insist on practical consideration. Transportation is experiencing a complete overhaul. People are curious about the changes, but reluctant to buy. They want to know that new fuels are available and convenient. Many are concerned about repairs. Saturn is in House 3
Colds and Flu continue to cut into worker productivity
The flu season continues with folks using every remedy available. Pharmaceuticals and the companies that sell them are exposed to critical research. Over the counter medicines, chicken soup, honey and tea will help. These remedies will attract media attention. Read the labels and invest in the companies with remedies that work.
Election prattle pauses
The challenge in this chart is the opposition of Mars to Pluto which starts several days before the New Moon. The opposition says that a conclusion has occurred. The markets will have a better idea about the ticket of each political party and how they will be impacted by each candidate.
International trade agreements will occupy government. All are important, but those concerning the distribution of raw materials will bring controversy. What is amazing is the exchange of talent and inventions as we march into a new era of energy sustainability.
New Media wins
The New Media is taking over one click at a time. Even the local TV news led by weather is being displaced by the internet weather sites. People have given up schedules and waiting for the weather forecast is not an option.
Air, ships, and rail companies will probably demand most of the attention of investors. They need to offer efficiency and convenience to their customers and deal with the high costs of labor and fuel.
Foreign money is moving in to pick up some bargains and spending time at the various resorts around the country. Those with unique properties will have a high occupancy rate especially if they can provide linguists. Mercury leads Neptune and Venus through the ninth house
Musical Chairs
CEO's, CFO's, CIO's and their cadre of managers are playing musical chairs. As I discussed last month the changes throughout corporate landscape will be very newsworthy. There is a bounce in the price of equities where the leadership of the company is changing. Traders who carefully watch the insider trading lists as well as other corporate changes can make a quick profit. Stock buy backs, mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures are the games noticed by Wall Street. The New Moon and Uranus are in the 10th
Goldilocks has dumped Santa and is playing the field with the Seven Dwarf's mining interests. There is a rumor that she is contemplating moving into the story of Ferdinand the Bull and divesting herself of an interest in the Three Bears.
Stock Market Comments For The Week Beginning March 31,2008
Written by Raymond Merriman
Review and Preview
After posting important lows the previous week on March 17, stocks markets around the world were all over the place last week. In the U.S.A., the Dow Jones Industrial Average and NASDAQ Composite topped out on Monday-Tuesday’s lunar reversal date, and then sold off considerably throughout the rest of the week, closing near their weekly lows on Friday. But in the Far East and Pacific Rim, the Japanese Nikkei, India NIFTY, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng indices all traded at their highest levels on Friday. The All Ordinaries of Australia topped out on Wednesday. In Europe, London’s FTSE and Germany’s DAX indices each made their highest marks since March 17 on Friday, whereas the Swiss SMI and Netherlands AEX indices topped out a day earlier. It was most definitely a week of uncertainty and hesitation, but not at all out of character with the astrological and cyclical indicators that were in effect.
Precious metals, currencies, crude oil and grains all attempted comebacks last week, but failed after peaking out in the Sagittarius Factor zone of last Wednesday-Friday. When the Moon is in Sagittarius, these markets frequently end sharp rallies and then give back a good portion of the gains they just made. That pattern happened again last week.
Short-Term Geocosmics
We are in a rather strange transition period right now. On the one hand we are just ending the time band when Venus is in translation to the forthcoming Saturn-Uranus opposition (March 15-28). As suggested during the past two weeks, this period corresponded more to a rally than a further decline in stock indices throughout the world, probably because Venus was in its exalted sign of Pisces this time. Two weeks ago, everyone on the planet was convinced the world economy was on the verge of collapse and depression, and stock markets were in a mini-panic. Most pundits expected that to continue. But instead, on March 17, the first trading day after this time band began, stocks around the world started a surprising rally (it was not surprising to financial astrologers, but to the rest of the world). Now, instead of predicting a global depression, world-wide stock market collapse, and the end of the financial world as we know it, many market analysts are suddenly forecasting a recovery and proclaiming that the worst is over. What a difference a fortnight makes! What a difference a transit to the Saturn-Uranus opposition makes. If I didn’t understand astrology, I would say the world is crazy. But because I do understand the subject to some extent, I am more of the opinion that these economic gurus are instead just fickle – at least when it comes to convictions in their beliefs espoused of the moment.
During this period when the Venus translation is taking place, we also note that a translation of the Sun to a Mars-Pluto opposition is unfolding (March 21-30). With Pluto turning retrograde April 2, followed by Venus in a square aspect to Pluto on April 8, we have to be aware that the forecasts of a great and miraculous recovery may also be pre-mature. Pluto, after all, rules debt, and debt has been the big problem since last August. These aspects of the next two weeks indicate that the debt problem is not behind us. There is still more fallout likely to happen very shortly. But is it enough to send stock values to new yearly lows? That remains to be seen, and the answer determines whether or not the 4-year cycle trough is behind us or still ahead.
One key may lie in the important Venus-Uranus conjunction of this past Friday, March 28. If that indeed acts as a reversal signature, it could lead to a rally, as the U.S. stock market has declined into it. If it does not act like a reversal signature, it may instead unfold as a breakout signature, where once again the floor of the market gives way to an elevator ride south. With Uranus, you never know if it is a reversal or a breakout of important support and/or resistance.
Longer-Term Thoughts
Another reason why stocks may reverse right here is because Jupiter is making its first of three sextiles to Uranus on March 28, the same day that Venus forms a conjunction to Uranus. Anytime aspects form between Jupiter and planets outside of its orbit, it is considered a longer-term planetary signature. And the rule is: the longer the planetary cycle that is unfolding, the longer the stock market cycle that correlates nearby. Jupiter-Uranus has a periodicity of 14 years. It is not as long as aspects between Saturn and planets outside of its orbit, such as the Saturn-Uranus opposition that will take place November 2008 through July 2010. But it is long enough to be considered an intermediate-term correlate to market cycles, such as a 50-week or greater stock market cycle.
In terms of Financial Astrology, Jupiter is considered a dynamic of growth and gains when in favorable aspect, or hysteria and large losses when in adverse relationship. The sextile is considered a favorable aspect. Uranus is the principle of surprises and the unexpected. When markets fall in price around the time of this signature, we look for sudden and powerful rallies to follow shortly afterwards.
Of course any single signature has to be tempered with other planetary signatures that are happening at the same time. In this case, as Jupiter forms its favorable sextile to Uranus, other significant Pluto transits are taking place. The later are more worrisome. So it will be interesting to see how the drama plays out in the next two weeks between this favorable Jupiter-Uranus aspect, and the heavy transits involving Pluto.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Stock MArket Comments For The Week Beginning March 24, 2008
Written by Raymond Merriman
Last week was another classic example of how Financial Astrology works so well in tandem with classic technical studies and basic chart formations. On March 15, Venus made its opposition to Saturn, the first leg of its “translation phase” to the Saturn-Uranus opposition, March 15-28. As stated in last week’s column, “On the positive side, Financial Astrologers can point to the idea that Venus is at least now in Pisces, a sign in which it is exalted. They can also point to the fact that the first passage will be the opposition of Venus to Saturn, which takes place this weekend, March 15. Oftentimes when a market is falling into this aspect, it will bottom, and then stage a sudden recovery just as soon as it is over.”
The collapse of stock markets around the world the prior week spilled over into Monday, March 17. The “mini-panic” plunge represented new yearly lows in many of these stock indices, while others held smartly above their lows of January 22. This is a chart pattern known as Intermarket Bullish Divergence,” and when it happens as close to an important geocosmic signature as Venus in opposition to Saturn, it can be followed by a healthy rally.
We saw this phenomenon in effect in the Far East. The Japanese Nikkei, for example, had a free-fall all the way down to 11,691 last Monday, its lowest price since July 2005. In the next three trading days, it rallied over 800 points and closed near its weekly high. The Australian All Ordinaries also fell to a new yearly low, down to 5130 on March 17. But new yearly lows were not made in Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index, or in India’s Nifty Index. Both took out the lows of January 2008, but not the lows of last summer.
In Europe, the Intermarket Bullish Divergence signature was in even more evidence last Monday. Germany’s DAX and Switzerland’s SMI indices fell to 6167 and 6769 respectively, their lowest levels since October 2006 and October 2005 respectively. But both the Netherlands AEX and London FTSE held well above their January 22 lows. Furthermore, each of these indices appears technically poised to rally more this coming week.
The same divergence was present in the United States. Last Monday’s low in the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 11,756. This was even higher than the 11,731 low of the prior week, March 10, and well above the 11,634 low of January 22. But the NASDAQ Composite fell to 2155 last Monday, below its 2202 low of January 23, and in fact to its lowest level since September 2006.
Although the action in the stock indices of the world continued to be erratic and surprising, they were rather tame compared to that in the commodities. Gold, for instance, made a new all-time at 1017.50 on Monday, March 17. But by Thursday, just three days later, the yellow metal was already back down to 914.50. And Silver was hit even harder. After posting a new 28-year high of 2094 just the previous Friday, March 14, it collapsed over 400 points by Thursday of this past week. This was right in line with what our weekly subscription reports had forecasted – a decline of at least 300-500 points after the CCI (Commodity Channel Index) reached one of its rare overbought levels discussed therein. A similar fate awaited the Crude Oil market. After posting another new all-time of 111.80 on this critical March 17th date, black gold fell all the way down to 98.95 intraday on Thursday, just three days later. The pattern it formed on this decline contains the possibility of more to come, suggesting that perhaps the all-time high is in. This would be consistent also with our call for a 50-90% drop to begin in crude oil from an all-time high achieved by the first half of 2008, per our Forecast for 2008 publication. And finally we are seeing similar breakdowns in the grain prices, especially Soybeans, which staged three limit down days during last week’s shortened 4-day trading week. This too is consistent with our analysis given in the Forecasts form 2008 book, in which we postulated that this would be an almost ideal growing season due to the Jupiter-Saturn trine, combined with overplanting of Soybeans by farmers, thus likely to yield a huge crop this year.
Short-Term Geocosmics
The translation of transiting Venus to the forthcoming Saturn-Uranus opposition will end on this Friday, March 28. When the Sun made this translation February 27-March 10, we speculated that stock prices around the world might fall hard, much like what happened in January. And it did. But we suspected the pattern might reverse in this current translation period, because Venus was in Pisces, where it is exalted and thus much stronger. And typical of Uranus time bands, the market has a way of doing just the opposite as what one might expect. As we ended last week, everyone on the planet seemed to think that the financial fabric of the world was about to totally unravel. I don’t ever remember the “D” word (Depression) being bandied about so much as I saw in the European financial press last week. To say that the financial community was in a panic last Monday would be an understatement. The mood was utter despair and hopelessness, sort of like one might expect with planets in Pisces, with Venus in opposition to Saturn.
But Financial Astrology teaches us that when the investment community’s mood is bleak, and markets are declining into these types of planetary periods, it is time to buy. Once aspects to Saturn leave in a declining market, prices tend to rise immediately afterwards.
Still, we cannot say the market has confirmed that the worst is over. More bad news probably lies ahead in the next two weeks, as Pluto will turn retrograde on April 2, and the full moon of March 21 formed a T-square with Mars and Pluto. Whether stock markets fall again to new yearly lows remains to be seen. But with Pluto being highlighted so remarkably in the next two weeks, the problems with debts, defaults, and more financial write downs by major world financial institutions, is probably not over.
Longer-Term Thoughts
The big news in Europe last week was the hysteria about a coming financial collapse. It seems that the financial media is not just focused on a recession anymore, but a full blown depression. The European market analysts seem convinced that nothing can save the USA banking system now. No matter how much money the FRB pours into the system or how low they lower the interest rates, the future of the USA – and hence world - economy is doomed. We are in for a serious washout unlike anything we have seen since the 1930’s. Upon returning back to the states on Wednesday night, it appears that pessimism in the USA is almost as serious. But not quite.
If we look at long-term planetary signatures and their correlation to economic history, we can make a case for both a positive and negative viewpoint. First of all, I would suggest that Jupiter in Capricorn exaggerates (Jupiter) the fear of an economic downturn (Capricorn). The Federal Reserve Board is a Capricorn entity, and transiting Jupiter in its natal Sun and Jupiter sign (of Capricorn) leads me to believe they can still pull a "rabbit out of the hat" and prevent an immediate collapse. I believe they are acting quickly and boldly in exactly the way they have to act. Sure, it may seem like it is too late, and the hysteria can create a feeding frenzy leading to a collective self-fulfilling prophecy. If enough people lose confidence, then of course the markets and economies of the world will crumble, regardless of the planetary signatures. And we saw some of that last week. But with interest rates coming down quickly and with the U.S. Government about to send out $150+ billion dollars in tax rebates, and with a lot of money now in the hands of mutual funds as a result of retirement savings accounts contributions that are now due, it won’t take much to suddenly uplift this economy and the stock market. Once the market starts to rise, these money managers will yank all that cash and buy stocks in huge quantities. And once that happens, the headlines of the major financial publications around the world will be dumbfounded, and will probably proclaim something of a miracle just happened. Why not? Uranus is in Pisces all year (symbol of miracles), and about to be sextiled by Jupiter in its first of three passages this year, on March 28. The danger may not be that market is about to collapse, but rather that it is about to launch to a new round of some serious buying by the funds who are sitting on large cash positions.
If this happens, the financial pundits will declare the problems are behind us. But they are not. Well, they may be temporarily behind us for a few months, for these geocosmic signatures may have an effect lasting a few months, and these stimulus packages perhaps about the same, like just enough to get us close to the election. Once they wear off, the possibility is strong that these same problems will resurrect once more when Saturn begins its square with Pluto (2009-2010). How appropriate to see all this unfolding on Easter weekend, a symbolic time of death and resurrection. Enjoy the respite while it lasts (if it lasts), and try to construct your future financial strategies while you have this opportunity.
Last week was another classic example of how Financial Astrology works so well in tandem with classic technical studies and basic chart formations. On March 15, Venus made its opposition to Saturn, the first leg of its “translation phase” to the Saturn-Uranus opposition, March 15-28. As stated in last week’s column, “On the positive side, Financial Astrologers can point to the idea that Venus is at least now in Pisces, a sign in which it is exalted. They can also point to the fact that the first passage will be the opposition of Venus to Saturn, which takes place this weekend, March 15. Oftentimes when a market is falling into this aspect, it will bottom, and then stage a sudden recovery just as soon as it is over.”
The collapse of stock markets around the world the prior week spilled over into Monday, March 17. The “mini-panic” plunge represented new yearly lows in many of these stock indices, while others held smartly above their lows of January 22. This is a chart pattern known as Intermarket Bullish Divergence,” and when it happens as close to an important geocosmic signature as Venus in opposition to Saturn, it can be followed by a healthy rally.
We saw this phenomenon in effect in the Far East. The Japanese Nikkei, for example, had a free-fall all the way down to 11,691 last Monday, its lowest price since July 2005. In the next three trading days, it rallied over 800 points and closed near its weekly high. The Australian All Ordinaries also fell to a new yearly low, down to 5130 on March 17. But new yearly lows were not made in Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index, or in India’s Nifty Index. Both took out the lows of January 2008, but not the lows of last summer.
In Europe, the Intermarket Bullish Divergence signature was in even more evidence last Monday. Germany’s DAX and Switzerland’s SMI indices fell to 6167 and 6769 respectively, their lowest levels since October 2006 and October 2005 respectively. But both the Netherlands AEX and London FTSE held well above their January 22 lows. Furthermore, each of these indices appears technically poised to rally more this coming week.
The same divergence was present in the United States. Last Monday’s low in the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 11,756. This was even higher than the 11,731 low of the prior week, March 10, and well above the 11,634 low of January 22. But the NASDAQ Composite fell to 2155 last Monday, below its 2202 low of January 23, and in fact to its lowest level since September 2006.
Although the action in the stock indices of the world continued to be erratic and surprising, they were rather tame compared to that in the commodities. Gold, for instance, made a new all-time at 1017.50 on Monday, March 17. But by Thursday, just three days later, the yellow metal was already back down to 914.50. And Silver was hit even harder. After posting a new 28-year high of 2094 just the previous Friday, March 14, it collapsed over 400 points by Thursday of this past week. This was right in line with what our weekly subscription reports had forecasted – a decline of at least 300-500 points after the CCI (Commodity Channel Index) reached one of its rare overbought levels discussed therein. A similar fate awaited the Crude Oil market. After posting another new all-time of 111.80 on this critical March 17th date, black gold fell all the way down to 98.95 intraday on Thursday, just three days later. The pattern it formed on this decline contains the possibility of more to come, suggesting that perhaps the all-time high is in. This would be consistent also with our call for a 50-90% drop to begin in crude oil from an all-time high achieved by the first half of 2008, per our Forecast for 2008 publication. And finally we are seeing similar breakdowns in the grain prices, especially Soybeans, which staged three limit down days during last week’s shortened 4-day trading week. This too is consistent with our analysis given in the Forecasts form 2008 book, in which we postulated that this would be an almost ideal growing season due to the Jupiter-Saturn trine, combined with overplanting of Soybeans by farmers, thus likely to yield a huge crop this year.
Short-Term Geocosmics
The translation of transiting Venus to the forthcoming Saturn-Uranus opposition will end on this Friday, March 28. When the Sun made this translation February 27-March 10, we speculated that stock prices around the world might fall hard, much like what happened in January. And it did. But we suspected the pattern might reverse in this current translation period, because Venus was in Pisces, where it is exalted and thus much stronger. And typical of Uranus time bands, the market has a way of doing just the opposite as what one might expect. As we ended last week, everyone on the planet seemed to think that the financial fabric of the world was about to totally unravel. I don’t ever remember the “D” word (Depression) being bandied about so much as I saw in the European financial press last week. To say that the financial community was in a panic last Monday would be an understatement. The mood was utter despair and hopelessness, sort of like one might expect with planets in Pisces, with Venus in opposition to Saturn.
But Financial Astrology teaches us that when the investment community’s mood is bleak, and markets are declining into these types of planetary periods, it is time to buy. Once aspects to Saturn leave in a declining market, prices tend to rise immediately afterwards.
Still, we cannot say the market has confirmed that the worst is over. More bad news probably lies ahead in the next two weeks, as Pluto will turn retrograde on April 2, and the full moon of March 21 formed a T-square with Mars and Pluto. Whether stock markets fall again to new yearly lows remains to be seen. But with Pluto being highlighted so remarkably in the next two weeks, the problems with debts, defaults, and more financial write downs by major world financial institutions, is probably not over.
Longer-Term Thoughts
The big news in Europe last week was the hysteria about a coming financial collapse. It seems that the financial media is not just focused on a recession anymore, but a full blown depression. The European market analysts seem convinced that nothing can save the USA banking system now. No matter how much money the FRB pours into the system or how low they lower the interest rates, the future of the USA – and hence world - economy is doomed. We are in for a serious washout unlike anything we have seen since the 1930’s. Upon returning back to the states on Wednesday night, it appears that pessimism in the USA is almost as serious. But not quite.
If we look at long-term planetary signatures and their correlation to economic history, we can make a case for both a positive and negative viewpoint. First of all, I would suggest that Jupiter in Capricorn exaggerates (Jupiter) the fear of an economic downturn (Capricorn). The Federal Reserve Board is a Capricorn entity, and transiting Jupiter in its natal Sun and Jupiter sign (of Capricorn) leads me to believe they can still pull a "rabbit out of the hat" and prevent an immediate collapse. I believe they are acting quickly and boldly in exactly the way they have to act. Sure, it may seem like it is too late, and the hysteria can create a feeding frenzy leading to a collective self-fulfilling prophecy. If enough people lose confidence, then of course the markets and economies of the world will crumble, regardless of the planetary signatures. And we saw some of that last week. But with interest rates coming down quickly and with the U.S. Government about to send out $150+ billion dollars in tax rebates, and with a lot of money now in the hands of mutual funds as a result of retirement savings accounts contributions that are now due, it won’t take much to suddenly uplift this economy and the stock market. Once the market starts to rise, these money managers will yank all that cash and buy stocks in huge quantities. And once that happens, the headlines of the major financial publications around the world will be dumbfounded, and will probably proclaim something of a miracle just happened. Why not? Uranus is in Pisces all year (symbol of miracles), and about to be sextiled by Jupiter in its first of three passages this year, on March 28. The danger may not be that market is about to collapse, but rather that it is about to launch to a new round of some serious buying by the funds who are sitting on large cash positions.
If this happens, the financial pundits will declare the problems are behind us. But they are not. Well, they may be temporarily behind us for a few months, for these geocosmic signatures may have an effect lasting a few months, and these stimulus packages perhaps about the same, like just enough to get us close to the election. Once they wear off, the possibility is strong that these same problems will resurrect once more when Saturn begins its square with Pluto (2009-2010). How appropriate to see all this unfolding on Easter weekend, a symbolic time of death and resurrection. Enjoy the respite while it lasts (if it lasts), and try to construct your future financial strategies while you have this opportunity.
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