It’s like that with progressions… they creep up on you without you noticing. But suddenly you realize their effect has been growing and blossoming, and you are already acting them out. As John Lennon says: “Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans”. Mercury progressed may for example catch up with Venus by progression, and for years and years they move on together in tandem. Could that be your new partner’s sister who is always visiting and involved, or have you started a 5-year study of French, or is a sibling born, who will be a part of the family inventory for years to come? Progressions can encompass everything, and you may still not realize their importance.

But transits are different. They do not creep up, they hit like a storm, like rolling thunder, like a wave, like a shock, like a force of nature. Transits are not the unfolding of your inner life as progressions are. Transits are what life throws at you and at everyone else, and the test of character is how you react. As the bible says:
He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous… (Mathew 5.45)
Nobody is going to escape the challenges that human life entails from birth to death, and attitude is all-important when these challenges come along.

Transits reflect of course the current positions of all the planets, and we are all sensitive to the same transits at any given time. They are a collective force to which we individually react according to out nature. The imminent series of seven squares between Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Scorpio will affect every individual through the collective response of society… and some individuals more than others if personal planets or angles are touched. Some people will be the lightning rod through which this planetary energy is expressed, whilst others will just be witnesses to change.

But people are nervous about change. Even if they are in a situation which is not ideal, it is very common to prefer the devil you know to the devil you don’t. Most of the problems that arise with transits occur because of resistance to change. Consider this: People who have undergone a Pluto transit, and have inevitably transformed their lives accordingly, are almost always happy that their life is not as it was before. They prefer the new situation that has arisen. As a general rule people are richer for the changes they have undertaken as a response to the states evoked by transits. This is the key to counseling clients who come at a time of change. They may feel uncomfortable now, but if you were to ask them in two years’ time whether they would like to turn the clock back – they would not.

The trick then is to identify the change that the client secretly wants, which is going to take place anyway, and which is going to make them happier and more fulfilled. Get it? Once this has been done, it is just a question of planning. (Note 3)

Pluto transits

Pluto transits work because a situation which seems impossible to change becomes more and more intolerable. You are cornered; the tiger has you backed up against the abyss. It is dark; you have to jump, but you know not how far and where you will land. You will jump, because you have to; it is just a question of when. Here is another thing: the situation you have been in has for several years been far from ideal. You are not living your life optimally or even authentically. Pluto is not satisfied. He wants to rip the mask of deceit or falsity from your life. He would like to strip you down to the essentials, and from those bare bones rebuild a new, authentic you. This is going to be a real relief for you, because you will be forced to drop something you want to drop, but do not drop out of consideration for others, or because of attachment in another form.

For example, a Pluto transit over the MC will build up slowly over a year or so, during which time your relations to an authority may become more and more untenable. Perhaps a new boss arrives and there is an immediate power battle, which mobilizes all your resources. Or perhaps, if you work independently, the economy simply worsens. Or, a parent continues to dominate in your life.  As the months go by and you obsess about the clash of wills, or about bankruptcy, or about family consequences, you reach the point of exhaustion. You cannot give up the job, because it pays well. But, on closer examination, you were tired of the work. The bad boss may be doing you a favor, forcing your hand. If you don’t go, the company is downsized, and off you go anyway. And you are free to pursue what you really wanted to do all along: passionately engage yourself in work that is meaningful and enriching.

What the astrologer needs to do in this scenario – when the client asks how to improve the situation at work – is to identify what the client is dead tired of, completely finished with. It may be necessary to demilitarize the situation if there is a battle of wills with demonized others; ultimately the client may exhaust himself to no avail. As a rule the client has no idea what will replace the existing situation, and does not believe anything can. Something will, and it is good to explore what this might be, bearing in mind that first the client needs to jump into the abyss of unknowing to discover the invisible treasure. Clients need to know that the world will not end if they act. In fact they will be reborn, with a new appetite for life. They also need to know that the longer they draw it out, the worse it is going to be.

Of course, if a transit activates a natal pattern involving the transiting planet, there are deeper issues involved. The following client came to me just after he had had a medical examination where concerns were raised that he might have a serious ailment. For those into the consultation chart (Dec 18^th, 2003 9.55 CET Copenhagen, Denmark) the fact that Mercury, the horary 6^th house ruler was stationary retrograde, had opposed Saturn in Cancer in the 6^th once, and would do so twice more, amongst other things, indicated a serious illness would be revealed.

Client’s horoscope for Pluto transit

To underline the seriousness of the situation, my client’s progressed Descendant was precisely conjoining Pluto, and Pluto transiting was conjoining his natal 6^th house ruler, Mercury, and would go on to conjoin Mars and ultimately Venus over the next five years. He was very grateful for the prediction at the time, that there would be radiotherapy (Uranus), surgery (Pluto) and five long years of survival struggles which would end positively through an extremely fortunate development. So through radiotherapy and the constant recurrence of the disease over these many years, he had a timeline for cure, which proved to be correct when he was fortunate enough to find a bone marrow donor, which occurred when Pluto transited his very beautiful Venus/Moon trine.

It could be asked how this dire series of events could possibly have a positive slant. But it was the client himself, who informed me that studies have shown that cancer survivors have a better quality and enjoyment of life than people who have not had a life-threatening disease. What the transit did for him was to eliminate the victimhood he had felt in relation to partners and parents. The birth patterns reflected an obsession with the injustices he had experienced. And yes, he had experienced terrible injustices, but the survival battle put this into a quite different perspective. This person has been free of illness for about four years now.

Neptune transits

Do you know the feeling of waking up in the morning fresh and alive, and then it hits you? The same old situation is going on and on. You want to stay in bed. A mood of sadness envelops your soul, sorrow catches in your throat. The sacrifice must go on and it will never end. You can’t fight it; you have lost the battle before you begin. A good film may take you away from it; a good wine may make you forget… for a while. You know what you don’t want to do, but you don’t know what you do want to do. Also, you may be grieving for something you have lost or cannot have.

Neptune wants to tell you, that whatever you have, you will lose it… if not now, then later, and certainly when you die. What you are attached to now is a false friend. It will let you down. What you think is real, is temporary and transient. Tune in! There are new ways of doing what you are doing that will be meaningful and that will bring a higher level of satisfaction, a greater depth of insight, and an ultimately joy that cannot be taken away. To learn this you may be asked to give up what you have, and to surrender to forces beyond your control.

The challenge for the astrologer in this scenario is to motivate someone who has lost motivation, and whose energy is low. The undermining of willpower is particularly noticeable when Neptune transits Mars, an influence that profoundly affects work motivation. The trick here is to get the client to identify what the client does not want to do first. If you have been working for several years behind a counter at a video store, for example, you will begin to wonder if the rest of life is going to be like this, and if it is, what is the point? Discontent is the method Neptune uses to remind you that time is short and must not be wasted. Discontent is a signal, and a signal in this situation is exactly what the client needs. The discontent will grow until you make a move. Any addictions – even excessive TV or gaming – which may be indulged in at this point are merely ways of putting off the inevitable. They will leave you empty. Neptune to Mars demands a more refined use of energy… a rise to a higher level especially physically, through swimming, yoga, Tai Chi and subtle sports. Or moving from selling video to making video, learning Photoshop or something creative.

Neptune reaches the parts of body, mind and soul other planets don’t reach. People emerge from Neptune transits immeasurably richer. Their tree blossoms more fully, their fruit is sweeter. Neptune is all about quality of life, about getting much more out of the moment. Neptune is not about dissatisfaction – you were dissatisfied before, you had just not noticed – it is about being content and satisfied. So clients in despair about love, confused about education, disillusioned about work, isolated from family, or in existential pain, are about to discover the missing ingredient which will make them happy. They will learn that the anchor in stormy seas is in their heart, and that change can come and go, but the heart center will remain.

To help a client with a Neptune transit, the astrologer needs to evoke the existential pain and empathize with it. Empathy is the key; logic and advice are counterproductive. Only when the client feels understood – when the pain is shared – will an opening arise to tentatively explore possibilities. As addiction groups recommend with the serenity prayer:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.

Being alone is often a key ingredient of a Neptune transit, which tends to evoke situations when you are removed from your normal environment and left to vegetate, forcing you, even if it is the last thing you want, to feel, feel, feel what is going on within. Rendered passive in this way, you simply have to let go and surrender. And you have to find something to do with your time which – in the absence of practical tasks – will involve something emotionally and spiritually meaningful.

The following client is a photographer (Note 2) who travels extensively in India, and has very close bonds to the Tibetan community, with spiritual teachers both in Sufism and Buddhism, and to top it off a rather uncommitted relationship to an Indian boyfriend. All very appropriate for the Sun conjoining the Pisces Descendant.

Neptune transiting client’s Moon and Descendant

The recent Neptune transit of the Moon in Aquarius in the 6^th house related to a debilitating sickness connected with arthritis of the ankle. Friends and doctors had made her aware that it was now possible to get an ankle replacement, which had a 50% chance of working, though it might not last for more than a few years. Should she get it? My response is that she has is the only one who can make this type of decision but, with Neptune affecting the 6^th, the likelihood of a successful operation is slight, and the chance of medical complications considerable. Her Tibetan advisor suggested she did not do anything, which I certainly concurred with. It was something she would have to tough out.

But what did it really mean? Is not the Moon in the 6^th opposite Pluto rather suspect? Someone actively involved in groups and helping… to the point of exhaustion?  Sure enough, she was involved in charity work, which involved traveling around her home country. Which was difficult with the ankle problem. So perhaps she should stop that. Interestingly, with the emphasis in Pisces, she was brought up in her parent’s pub. Her mother naturally worked all hours, as pubs close late in the evening. This work, which is the equivalent of inviting a lot of drunks into your living room, is also reflected by the Moon/Pluto opposition – the occupation – and my client has almost certainly inherited a similar tendency to invite groups in, even if it is not in her best interests. Neptune is encouraging her to discover how she can do her best work, and this will be more photography and video, as Neptune moves to conjoin her Sun/Mercury trine Uranus over the next few years.

Uranus transits

Are you feeling comfortable? Oh dear. That may not be such a good sign, if a Uranus transit comes along. These transits are sometimes said to come out of the blue, like a bolt from heaven. But actually they probably come when your development appears to have come to a standstill. There is reason to be nervous in a relationship, if transiting Uranus opposes your Venus, and you sit in front of the TV each night with your partner, visit the family at the weekend, and amiably chat about how cohesive your relationship is. Inertia is no friend of Uranus, whose cure for a no-growth situation is disruption and change. Of course, these days (2010 – 2016) a Uranus transit does not come along without a corresponding Pluto transit… which is like opening Pandora’s Box.

Clients in the midst of a Uranus transit tend to be stressed out; this may be having serious consequences for their work, where new technology and networking demands tend to overload the nervous system. Others make radical decisions which bring serious social disruption in their wake. But at least they are making changes. Those people who strive to cling to the status quo – who “don’t know and don’t want to know” – are in for a rude surprise. If relocated because of their work, or ejected by their partner, or alienated from their social circle, they are going to have to find new coping strategies fast.

One of the strategies people under the influence of Uranus adopt is dissociation; they live in their head and are estranged from their bodies and the feelings that reside within. Moving constantly from one scene to another, they feel excited perhaps, but they are not in touch. So an important counseling strategy is to create some islands of calm. Often breathing takes place high up in the chest and throat, and it needs to be centered and controlled. Still, there is a purpose to being plugged in, if it means that the person gets shaken out of complacency. The electric excitement of meeting new people is perhaps just what the client needs to get reinvigorated by life and to find new energy and purpose.

People undergoing a Uranus transit seek circumstances where there is more freedom and space, more cultural diversity, more international or interstate connectivity, more technology and more city lights. The key issue is how to handle these powerful urges without disrupting relationships to partners and family. This generally means having the patience to persuade others of the urgency of the need for change, and how that change will be mutually beneficial. It is no use trying to put the cork back into the bottle… change will come, and everyone can benefit.

Transit of Uranus through client’s 7th house

The following client whose Mercury/Venus in Gemini in the 10^th house reveals a multitalented and multilingual person had been in a very dissatisfying marriage for many years, which probably relates to the Moon/Mars conjunction in Pisces in the 7^th house. When transit Uranus conjoined her Descendant, her husband announced that he had found a job in Greenland, and without further discussion, took the job leaving his wife alone for months at a time. Pisces is often connected with islands. Uranus is often connected with repeated separations and returns – an on/off relationship.

As Uranus travelled through my client’s 7^th house it went on to conjoined Mars and the moon, at which time her partner exchanged Greenland for Afghanistan. On Christmas Day 2007, on one of his few visits home, he walked out and my client has simply not seen him since. Uranus was conjoining the Moon exactly at this time. (But disappearance is a Pluto theme… Pluto was at 28 Sagittarius, exactly opposite Venus at 28 Gemini. Goodbye.) How can this kind of event be interpreted in a positive light? Well, firstly, who wants a husband who makes moves without consultation or consideration, leaving the partner alone for long periods over the years? Only someone with the Moon in Pisces in the 7^th could tolerate that. Here the husband made the decision, but the decision favored the wife. The epilogue to this story is rather good. My client made contact with a person who had always been interested in her, and they fell in love. This person is famous locally for his home-made schnapps. (Neptune conjoined the Descendant… how about that for a happy relationship?)

No transit in and of itself need necessarily invoke drastic and unwelcome change. People who value stability can weather transits and stay on course, whilst people who welcome change are far more likely to use the opportunities brought by transits to set a new course. People react to transits according to their individual values and convictions.

Also, transits rarely come alone. For example Saturn, when it enters Scorpio in October 2012, will trine Neptune and sextile Pluto, which might for example make for a very disciplined psychological and spiritual transformation. In 2006 Saturn in Leo opposed Neptune in Aquarius, and this planetary combination tends to be unrelentingly disheartening. Whereas the conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus in June 2010 would have brought far more excitement and exhilaration. So some transit combinations are more difficult than others. Dealing with transits is a question of attitude. Going with the flow, rolling with the punches and surfing the wave will bring more opportunities than problems, leading to the kind of life you have been wanting all along.

Adrian Ross Duncan. February 13^th 2012

1. This article forms the basis for a talk that will be made at the United Astrology Conference in New Orleans on May 25^th 2012 at 9.00 am. Talk decription:

Every astrologer does it – you peek at the ephemeris and see that Pluto transit approaching and think: Help! But transits are actually just what you have been waiting for, and when they are over, you are the richer for it. Clients often come overwhelmed and in the midst of change they do not understand. In this talk Adrian will demonstrate counseling techniques that help clients overcome their fears in connection with the outer planet transits, empowering them to embrace the change they need to lead a fulfilled and authentic life.

2. In this article I am just dealing with the transits of the outer planets. Both Saturn and Jupiter bring challenges

3. Note this person born hours before a solar eclipse. The eclipse is often seen with photographers. (The shutter, that cuts off the light).

It is not so good to be the United Kingdom in this period, because the horoscope for the political union between Great Britain and Ireland took place on New Year’s Day in 1801 (Note 1). This is a horoscope which has always functioned well and reflected political events in England, and therefore a great deal of social and political disorder can be expected over the coming years. The Conservative government, with its tenuous coalition with the Liberal Democrat is unlikely to survive beyond 2013.

It is not good to be Europe either, because the great founders of Europe have often chosen New Year’s Day to start their major projects… like the Euro.

One reason that the prognosis for the coming years is rather grim is that the situation is already problematic and has been, at least economically, since Pluto entered Capricorn. Furthermore, when Uranus entered Aries on March 12^th 2011, the world immediately got a taste of the kind of events that might be precipitated by the Uranus/Pluto square. As Uranus moved from 29.59 Pisces to 00.00 Aries the tsunami in Japan, which in itself killed about 20,000 people, swept over the Fukushima atomic power station in a catastrophe that has displaced over 100,000 people who will not be able to return to their homes for decades. What started in the ocean (Pisces) had ramifications on energy supply (Aries), and Uranus immediately connected with Pluto in the form of an atomic meltdown – a perfect if terrifying metaphor for this planetary combination. (Note 2)

If people have enough money, there are seldom great social troubles. But now indebted banks and governments – who are vulnerable to a combination of astrological influences which are extraordinarily similar to the 1930’s – are in crisis. Their reaction is to tighten up the economy Capricorn-style. Naturally bankers and politicians are not the ones to have their salaries cut, but it is always possible to reduce the money given to the unemployed, the poor, the single parents, schools, hospitals and pensions, is it not? The European Union is now demanding that banks retain greater liquid reserves, which means that small businesses in need have great difficulty borrowing money. In the USA and England the reaction has been to print more money (quantitative easing), but that is not what is done in Germany, a country which has strong memories of the hyperinflation from the 1920’s. And Germany is the country that decides the economic direction of Europe at this time.

Pluto in Capricorn evokes a draconian economic policy, whatever the cost, but this means that there is less spending and less money in the system, and this is turn creates a recession. Everybody knows this, but EU governments believe they can handle the social disruption, which will inevitably result. At least that has been past experience. But there is no experience of Uranus in Aries within living memory… and Uranus has not yet even made even one of its imminent seven squares to Pluto. 50% of young people in Spain are unemployed. 46% of young people in Greece are unemployed. In England the figure is 22%. In Germany, of course, 8%. (Note 3) Unsurprisingly there are already spontaneous demonstrations in many countries in Europe. In the coming years governments will fall one by one because of the coming social upheaval, like they have already done in Greece, Italy and Spain. And will do in 2012 in France, and in 2013 in Germany and England.

The big question today is whether the Euro will survive this process. And if it does not, what the global consequences will be.

The foundation for the EU was the Treaty of Rome which took place on January 1^st 1958. (Note 4). The European Central Bank (ECB) was formed on January 1^st 1999, which was also the date that the euro was introduced as Europe’s shared currency. The euro came on the street in the form of notes and coins on January 1^st 2002. All these horoscopes therefore have the sun at 10 degrees Capricorn. The effect of Pluto is to transform something and to completely eliminate its weaknesses. It has a tendency to double or halve, and in the case of the euro it is likely only a few key lands in Northern Europe will be using the euro after 2015.

When a country embraces the euro currency it loses the option of devaluation, which many countries, like for example Great Britain in 1967 – have used as a last resort in an economic crisis. With devaluation it becomes much easier to export and much more expensive to import, and in this way the balance of payments is rapidly, if brutally, restored. Greece, for example, has lost the opportunity to do this, which means all of Europe must shoulder the problem of Greece’s debt. This is the great weakness of the euro. Pluto will solve it, but the process will not be pretty.

For Europe as a basic idea, the long period from 2008, when the first economic collapses began (for example with British bank Northern Rock, Lehman Brothers, and the discovery of the vast indebtedness of Greece) – as Pluto entered Capricorn – to 2015 is a nightmare, but when it is over, Europe will be stronger and equipped to handle the political developments of the 21^st century. The horoscope that best reflects the spirit of Europe is the creation and renaming of The European Union on November 1^st 1993.

The European Union: 1.november 1993 kl. 00.00 Brussels.

In an article in April 2001, referring to the fixed T-square in this horoscope, (Note 5) I wrote:

The shadow side of the EU is its dictatorial and secretive nature, which predisposes it to corruption. There will be a shattering example of this when Neptune conjoins the T-square in 2008 and 2009, which will precipitate another economic crisis. It is at this time that the progressed Sun conjoins the Mars/Pluto conjunction, and this will foreshadow major world political change on many other fronts too. This is a time of European upheaval.
The corruption was perhaps more far reaching that I imagined at the time, because it was endemic in the banking and financial system, which operated, and still operates, on a system of bonuses which has made short-term personal profit more important than the survival of even the financial systems of which traders are a part. Of course the corruption was also in certain governments too, where in Greece for example a huge deficit was concealed, and where in Ireland and Portugal there was extremely irresponsible governance, as there also was in the City of London. The trigger mechanism for the crash in Europe was the conjunction of EU’s progressive sun with the powerful and secretive Mars/Pluto in Scorpio, in opposition to the Moon in Taurus and square Saturn in Aquarius, which was simultaneously activated by transit Neptune. In addition, natal Mercury has progressed retrograde to dwell on the Sun in Scorpio, highlighting the weaknesses of a centrally controlled economical system.

However this EU horoscope is incredibly strong, and it shows that the EU has survival power. The European construction took place when Uranus and Neptune were in exact conjunction – something that only takes place every 171 years – and this suggests that the EU has longevity.

If however the horoscopes for the euro are studied – especially the one for 2002 when the euro began to be used as hard currency in shops – another story is told.

Euro launched – 1st January 2002 kl. 00.00 Frankfurt am Main AS 2.56 LI

This horoscope represents the moment when the euro in 17 of 27 EU countries became available for ordinary use. The ascendant ruler Venus is at 7 Capricorn, close to the sun at 10 degrees, and in 2012 the Uranus/Pluto square will be exact on June 24^th at 8.24 and September 19^th at 6.57 degrees Aries/Capricorn. The indications are that the crisis which Sarkozy and Merkel have been working so hard to avoid will arrive despite their best efforts. The euro horoscope has Mars in Pisces square Pluto, both sesquisquare the Moon, and if Mars as 7^th house ruler represent enemies, then they must be venomous indeed. Speculators, scenting like well-trained hounds the weakness of the euro, will undermine it completely. The sun in Capricorn opposition Jupiter in Cancer is a strong combination, which shows how crucial expansion and growth are for Europe, but when faith in the project is lost it can come crashing to earth.

The key to the political, economic and social transformation process which will take place over the next three years lies with Germany, which along with France is driving force behind the Euro. If the horoscope for the German Empire is studied (Note 6), it can be seen that it was formed on January 1^st in 1871. The sun is at 10 Capricorn and Venus at 15, which indicates an economic crisis well into 2016. Another interesting horoscope for Germany is for the economic union of East and West Germany, which took place on 1^st July 1990… which places the sun at 8.51 Cancer where it will certainly get the attention of the first Uranus/Pluto square in June 2012 at 8.24 degrees. However the decisive horoscope for Germany is probably the chart for the political union of East and West (Note 7):

Union of East with West Germany 3.10.1990 kl. 00 Berlin (AS 4.26 LE)

This horoscope shows the Uranus/Neptune conjunction from this period, which heralded the dissolution of communism on the one hand and start of the so-called New World Order on the other. It is a strong horoscope with a Leo Ascendant with Ascendant ruler the sun sextile Jupiter in the first house. The sun in Libra shows a far more diplomatic attitude than earlier horoscopes for Germany. But transiting Pluto will soon conjoin Germany’s Neptune (and square the sun), and this will probably reflect the elimination of some basic political illusions. Moreover Uranus will be transiting Germany’s Midheaven in 2013, which will evoke a radical reassessment of the current goals of the country, and perhaps even a fragmentation of the euro zone. If this goes to the extreme, then industrious Germany – tired of supporting those lazy countries in the south – will go its own way and drop the euro. Extreme groups will play a decisive role in removing Merkel from power at this time.

If one is bold enough to predict what lies in store for Europe, then the following possibilities arise:

- We will come close to the most negative scenarios presently imagined. Things are already bad, and this is before the seven Uranus/Pluto squares activating all those January 1^st horoscopes.
- Greece, Spain, Portugal will return to their original currency and devalue. Holidays will be cheaper again. (For north Europeans.)
- Of the original 17 Euro countries: Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland, Ireland, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Finland, Slovenia, Malta, Cyprus, The Czech Republic, Slovakia and Estonia… only a small core will retain the euro… and it is not sure that Italy will be among them.
- There will be economic chaos, which will have a roll-on effect in the USA from 2014-2015.
- Banks will continue to tighten up credit, money will be harder to borrow, and house sales will continue to stagnate.
- Draconian government control and austerity measures will lead to social disorder. Dictatorial methods and omnipresent surveillance will widen the chasm between people and rulers and ultimately lead to new government forms by the end of the decade.
- Socialist policies will flower, and socialist governments will be elected in England, Germany and France.

Seen in a wider perspective, we are witnesses to a political transition, which will lead to the end of a whole political system. It is not sufficient to compare this transition to earlier historical periods, because things have changed exponentially in the world. The internet has made information available to all. Smart phones knit us all together in an enormous network which has little to do with normal political power structures. Things have changed. Bosses must listen to employees. Companies must listen to customers… if they ignore the wishes of customers for just a few days, they will hear their death knoll on Twitter and Facebook. The same will be true of banks who make unreasonable charges and politicians who do not listen. It’s all on film and you can view it on YouTube. This is the dictatorship of the proletariat. For good and ill the people will take power and old political and economic dinosaurs will be found in the graveyard of history.

Adrian Ross Duncan 20.12.2011

1. United Kingdom 1.1.1801 00.00 London (Book of World Horoscopes – Nick Campion 1995)
2. Tsunami Fukishama: 11.03.2011 14.46.23 Sendai, Japan (AS 17.58 Leo)
3. http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/12/why-is-unemployment-in-spain-so-unbelievably-high/249300/
4. The Treaty of Rome: 1.01.1958 kl. 00.00 Rom (AS 6.11 Vægt). (BOWH) For more information on EU and the euro read: http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/bulletin/1999/1099lead.pdf
5. Read: http://www.world-of-wisdom.com/04_articles/2001/04_eu.htm
6. The German Empire: 1.01.1871 kl. 00.00 Berlin (BOWH)

Barack Obama. August 4^th, 1961. 19.24HonoluluAS 18.03 AQ

The horoscope for the USA (Note 1) has Venus at 3.06 and Jupiter at 5.50 Cancer, and these positions have been hammered by the transiting Pluto opposition and Uranus square. No wonder theUSis in crisis, and Obama along with the country. But in 2012 this crisis must abate, because the transits will be over. This suggests that many of Obama’s economic initiatives will appear to work, and the economy will improve. So, whileEuropegets deeper into trouble, theUSAwill emerge a little stronger.

At the election in November 2012 people will remember that Obama has had his successes, particularly the elimination of Osama bin Laden, and his ability to extract US troops from two wars Bush bequeathed him. TheUSAhas its IC at 1.03 Aries, and the transit of Uranus over this point has symbolized this unique man who has come into the White House, as well as the uncertainty affecting theUSgovernment. As the election approaches, some things will settle down.

By the time of the election,Neptuneis in Pisces in a long-term trine to Saturn in Scorpio, and this is a more left-wing than right-wing signature, showing a collective need for social reform and concern for the underprivileged.

US election 2012: November 6^th, 2012. 6.00New YorkAS 7.08 SC

The Moon in Leo crosses over Obama’s Sun during Election Day making a sextile to Venus in Libra on the one side, and Jupiter in Gemini on the other… in other words the two benefics are favorably aspecting his Sun, and the Moon focuses this.  Jupiter will have conjoined his Moon earlier in the year, suggesting that he has once again managed his grass roots supporters expertly. Mercury is stationary retrograde, which means its square to Neptune will repeat twice more, so it is not difficult to imagine a lot of claims of fraud, particularly with voting systems and disenfranchisement.

But otherwise it is an unremarkable chart. When Obama was elected in 2008, there was an exact and extremely rare opposition between Saturn and Uranus, which was very appropriate for a change in political structures and the victory of the new and young. Even Obamas own chart shows little drama as 2012 draws to a close. The progressed Mars, which squares his Saturn from 2011-2012 reflecting the hard struggles of the current period, is over. There are no major transits until Neptune squares his Moon in 2013 (though it is very close in the summer of 2012). The terrible Uranus/Pluto sesqui squares to his Ascendant are over, as are the aspects to his Venus.  This is not Sarkozy, with the Uranus/Pluto exactly hitting natal Moon/Mars. And precisely because so little is happening, my guess is that he will be re-elected, because if he is re-elected nothing much changes.

However his Ascendant progressed will be at 22.16 Aries and coming uncomfortably close to a square to progressed Saturn retrograde at 23.12 Capricorn, which is an indication of insurmountable obstacles. But probably this reflects difficulties in his next term, and by the time progressed Ascendant squares natal Saturn at 25.19 towards the end of his second term, then he will have become ineffective.

But whoever becomes president of the United Stateson Americafrom January 20^th 2013 to January 19^th 2017 is not to be envied, and here’s why. The progressed Sun of theUSA moves in square to its Uranus progressed at the end of 2011, and will make the exact square to radix Uranus at the time of the November 2012 election. There is going to be profound discontent amongst the people at the time of the election. This politically polarized country will become more and more difficult to rule as President, and civil disobedience will be on the rise. What makes this really serious is that transit Uranus will also square theUS Sun from April 2014 to February 2015, simultaneously opposing the US Saturn in Libra – Congress.  Pluto is of course involved too, and will oppose theUS sun from March 2014 to October 2015. This is quite catastrophic for the President and Congress, and theUSA will become ungovernable at this time.

Adrian Ross Duncan 9^th September 2011

Note 1. Using the Sibley chart July 4^th, 1776, 17.10.40 Philadelphia AS 12.21 SG

Nicolas Sarkozy is born at a very significant time in 1955, when Jupiter conjoined Uranus in Cancer and squared Neptune. This is a very visionary cycle and corresponds to the ascendancy of television in the USA, and the use of media to propagate ideals. In Sarkozy’s case the conjunction with Jupiter at 23 Cancer and Uranus at 25 Cancer falls on the Sun/Mercury conjunction of that most significant moment for France– the storming of the Bastille (Note 1), so probably he channels something of the revolutionary exhilaration of this moment. Sarkozy also has a fixed T-square with Saturn in Scorpio square a Pluto/Mercury opposition at 26 Leo/Aquarius. This is almost exactly on the fixed cross involving Pluto, Uranus, Jupiter and the Moon, on the date when Louis XIV was executed. (Note 2) The same ruthless spirit is sure to be found in Sarkozy, and anyone getting involved in a discussion with him, will be relentless ground down… Sarkozy is a man who does not change his ideas and prefers to give ultimatums.

1. Nicolas Sarkozy January 28^th, 1955 22.00 Paris AS 26.07 VI

The demise of Dominique Strauss Kahn who was to oppose Sarkozy in the French presidential election on April 22^nd next year, may perhaps have brought a certain satisfaction to the French president. Strauss Kahn is said to no longer be a credible candidate for the opposing socialist party, even though the whole thing with the housemaid in the luxury New York hotel was a setup, perhaps just for personal gain, or perhaps more ominously for political gain. (Note 3)

So perhaps Sarkozy will find himself up against Segolene Royal – one of several socialist candidates hoping to compete – once more. They contested to 2007 presidential elections which Sarkozy won.

2. Segolene Royale. September 22^nd, 1953. 16.10Dakar,Senegal AS 8.58 AQ

Royal’s horoscope is a really good example of a “socialist” chart. She channels the Saturn/Neptune conjunction of 1953 (right on theFirstRepublic’sNeptune) and has Moon in Pisces exactly trine Uranus. She is a genuine left-winger who believes in sacrifice for the greater good… a true enemy of capitalism. She has her Sun at 29 Virgo, which is the position of the Sun in the very first horoscope for theFrenchRepublic(Note 4) reminiscent of George W Bush’s bond with the USA.

It is possible that Sarkozy does not know yet, but he is going to lose this election.  Looking at the election chart, there is a new moon in Taurus in a grand trine with Mars and Pluto, which does suggest a major clean out… surely a transformation of government. Actually the new moon in the election horoscope falls on Strauss Kahn’s Sun/Venus conjunction, but he is out of the picture, isn’t he? What is rather interesting about this chart is the position of Venus at 15 Gemini.

3. French Election. April 22^nd, 2012. 8.00Paris. AS 0.04 GE

Venus goes retrograde later on at 23.59 Gemini which strongly activates Royal’s Jupiter sextile Pluto/Venus sextile Neptune/Saturn. After the first election on April 22^nd there will be a run-off (if there has been no clear winner) on May 6^th and with Venus trine Saturn activating the magnificent sextile pattern at this later date, this would favor Royal. The fact that Venus is retrograde could show some sort of comeback for a woman.

There are many possible opposition candidates to Sarkozy at the time of writing, but it does not matter to the outcome, which is that Sarkozy is going to be moving out of the Elysee Palace.  The finger is already on the ejection seat, and as Uranus squares his Moon/Mars conjunction whilst Pluto exactly squares it, scandal and disgust at power play and underhand actions will result in his dismissal. His Moon/Mars conjunction is impossibly fiery, and old ghosts will come to rest, which may make the Strauss Kahn scandal seem like peanuts. His wife Carla Bruni has been reported to be struggling to curb his notoriously aggressive temper. Indeed she may soon give up. In one interview she portrays the small but unnerving head of state as a “fiery despot who requires constant effort to keep calm”. (Note 5)

Sarkozy cannot possibly sustain his position with the double transits of Uranus/Pluto to this key placement in the birth horoscope. Strauss Kahn had his moon at 3 Aries, and he was shot down when Uranus conjoined it… out of the blue. A similar unwelcome surprise will almost certainly hit Sarkozy. A new epoch will begin inFrance, and with the Saturn/Neptune trine becoming a dominant trend from 2012-2013, the socialist inclinations ofFrancewill probably come to the fore again.

Note 1: The storming of the Bastille took place on July 14^th, 1789

Note 2. The execution of Louis XIV took place on January 21^st, 1793 at 10.20 inParis.

Note 3. See my article “Naughty Men”

Note 4. The FirstRepublic. September 21^st 1792. 15.30ParisAS 25.33 CP. This marked Day One, Year One and was the beginning of a new French calendar, later abandoned, which was based on the astrological signs!

Note 5. Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1147069/Sarkozys-temper-scares-people-French-First-Lady-Carla-Bruni-admits-controversial-interview.html#ixzz1XNPkq09x

Adrian Ross Duncan

23rd Sep 2011

Sun Leo, Moon Gemini and Ascendant in Aquarius

Born on 4^th Aug 1961, Honolulu, Hawaii

Birth Chart of Barack Obama

Here’s what World of Wisdom birth horoscope reports says about Barack Obama:

His Character:

… [With the sun in Leo, Obama] has warm human qualities which ensure that his is at the center of events and at the focus of other people’s attention. He invests a great deal of his energy in his work. Recognition and appreciation of his efforts by colleagues is important for his self-esteem, and people will generally look up to him at work.

… he is a very socially oriented person with a driving vision of his fellow human beings, a well suited man for work in humanitarian areas. He can strike out on a unique course in life and pave a way into the future which can be inspiring example for future generations.

… As the Sun is in the opposition of Jupiter in his horoscope one of his greatest professional assets is his optimism and ability to envision and empower the future. Obama has the capacity to occupy a high profile position in which his charisma and personal identity play a leading role.

His Father:

… On a professional level almost anything is possible with Obama – as long as he feels that what he does is meaningful.  Obama’s early connection with his father was special in some way. He may feel he had an intimate contact with him on a spiritual level, although later events will prove that he deluded himself in this respect.  His father will embody this ideal and most probably fail to live up to it.

His Feelings:

… On emotional front he is a restless soul with an insatiable appetite for new impressions. He has a superb talent for communicating with other people.

… Obama’s career can be profoundly influenced by the world of feeling and by public mood.

His Career:

… He can play an important role channelling the hopes and dreams of on the one hand large numbers of people… he may feel a strong identification with his country.

… Barack Obama has strong opinions and has the ability to win respect when he puts across his point of view. He commands attention when he expresses his ideas, and coupled with other factors, this can give him both creative and leadership abilities. On one level or another he is an excellent organizer and full of ideas about how to make things function efficiently at work.

… There is a sense that destiny steps into his path and guides him in a new direction. This will often mean that he will get involved with – or cross paths with – a very powerful group with a strong ideological orientation. He may be required to take a position as regards the use and misuse of power on a collective level. Obama can expect to be challenged in a mysterious and fateful way, and his personal integrity will be put to the test.

His Mind:

… Success comes when he works with communication in one form or another. He may excel in the arts or in public speaking. He brings a human element into your professional dealings, and advancement will often come through the goodwill of others.

… Mercury in opposition to Saturn shows Obama has a logical and disciplined mind, and special skills as regards working out systems and performing tasks which require patience for long periods of time. He is very good at spotting mistakes and errors. In his dealings with others, he is a very good at tuning in to their ideas, and he will go very far – perhaps too far – to avoid confrontation and argument.

Adrian Ross Duncan

4th August 2011

For a man who was head of the International Monetary Fund and positioning himself to be the next president of France, this event is the biggest disaster in a life characterized by riches, political power and fame. How could this have happened?

HOROSCOPE: Dominique Strauss-Kahn 25^th April, 1949. 11.10 am Neuilly, Paris (AS
0.24 LE)

He does not have the horoscope of an incarnate sexual predator. Mars is strong in Aries and Venus strong in Taurus, so it is certainly the horoscope of a man with strong appetites. With Ascendant ruler in Taurus and the 10^th conjoining a dignified Venus, he is ideally suited to work in the financial world, and Mars in Aries in the 10^th shows him as a born leader, the trine to Saturn in Leo and the 2^nd house, indicating that he is hard-working and a strong and responsible leader with some inhibitions about self-worth, obviously compensated for by a high-status life.

Although he is a member of the socialist party in France, he has always been on the right and supported privatization, which is a signature theme of Sun/Venus in Taurus square Jupiter, where free trade and right-wing values predominate. He lost the leadership battle for the French socialist party to the more left-wing Segolene Royal in 2006.

It is conceivable that the conjunction of Mars with the North Node accentuates sexual appetites. He has a history of sexual “conquest”, the most controversial being his clandestine relationship with married employee Piroska Nagy. The IMF censured him for misusing his position but no further action was taken. He acquired in France the title of “Great Seducer”. Being a Frenchman, he probably took this as a band of honor, but when his job took him to the USA, he was warned by friends that his cavalier attitude to sex could get him into trouble. Indeed, he himself said to journalists early in 2011 that the only danger to his career would be someone getting bribed to allege sexual harassment. In fact on April 28, 2011, Strauss-Kahn had stated he was “worried his political opponent, Nicolas Sarkozy, would try to frame him with a fake rape”.

It would not in fact be very difficult to do, as Strauss-Kahn has historically needed little
encouragement to embark on sexual escapades. So let’s have a look at the events astrologically:

HOROSCOPE: Strauss-Kahn “attack” on maid: 14^th May 2011, New York (AS 19.03 LE) Time “around 1 pm” Reuters.

In this event chart, it is very possible that the sun represents Strauss-Kahn. Certainly, when he was in court on Monday, the sun was on the fixed start Algol. He lost his future on this day and subsequently resigned from the IMF post. If the time is right, Neptune on the Descendant shows that this “relationship” is not what it seems to be. What catches the attention in the chart is the fact that Mars is in exile in Taurus and Venus in exile in Aries, and that they are in reception. Furthermore, Mercury – which has already been retrograde and conjoined Mars twice in Aries – is right up with Venus and goes hand in hand with her into Taurus. So, honestly, who is Mercury?

Venus in Aries must be the maid… in exile. She emigrated from Guinea three years earlier, and apparently has a teenage daughter. After the alleged attack, she subsequently rang her
brother in tears, who recommended she go to a lawyer. In fact the close conjunction of Venus with Mercury implies an extremely close relationship with the brother. The situation of Venus and Mercury changes immediately after the event, with both moving into Taurus in sextile to Neptune, which would provide a pretty effective smokescreen. Venus comes into a much better position, also financially. Mercury goes on to conjoin bad boy Mars in Taurus, which it conjoined before at 28 Aquarius on 21^st February and then retrograde at 13 Aries on 19^th April at which point it turned direct in opposition to Saturn. In other words Mercury has a history with Mars, and Mars/Mercury conjunctions are notorious for trickery. This is the Mercury that is 11 minutes of arc from Venus at the time of the attack. It was a setup.

It could be said that Strauss-Kahn has himself to blame for so easily engaging in a sexual
relationship with a hotel maid. Born into a world of privilege, rich beyond measure, enjoying his penthouse hotel suite at $3000 per night, probably arrogant and with a strong sense of entitlement, this was the guy working to save the world economy. The thunderbolt that has struck him is probably reflected by the fact that there has been a progressed new moon in his horoscope (on the US Venus) conjoining Uranus whilst transit Uranus exactly conjoined his Moon in Aries in his 9^th house. Interestingly enough, there is a progressed Mercury/Mars conjunction in Gemini on his progressed MC trining Neptune, and as Mercury rules his 12^th house (the cusp of which is conjoined by Uranus), this could reflect secret enemies at work.

Where we can be assured that Schwarzenegger will be back, the same cannot be said of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who has seen his 2012 presidential ambitions go up in smoke. In fact, with the progressed new moon falling in his 12^th house, obscurity is the likely result over the next two years… hopefully not in a prison cell. Transiting Jupiter will transit his Venus/Sun conjunction three times in 2011, the final conjunction to the sun being in February 2012, when justice will be delivered.  57% of the French people think it is a plot, and his wife and ex-wife categorically deny that he could do anything violent. But here we have a Frenchman in New York, and he shouldn’t be flaunting his libido around, should he?

Adrian Ross Duncan. June 14^th 2011

For those who practice astrology, it quickly becomes apparent that men project Venus in their horoscope on women, and are attracted to the kind of woman that Venus in house and aspect represents, whilst the same is the case for women and Mars. This projection mechanism is not ideal, and is the source of much trouble in relationships. Similarly there are collective projections which change as Venus and Mars travel through each sign in turn. It is interesting therefore that two men who have been in the spotlight whilst Mars has been in Taurus are Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dominic Strauss-Kahn – one muscle man and California governor, and the other money man and head of the International Monetary Fund…money and muscle being qualities strongly associated with Taurus.

Mars, which is said to rule the signs of Aries and Scorpio, is in exile in the opposite signs Libra and Taurus. Schwarzenegger is an Austrian in California and Strauss-Kahn and Frenchman in New York. But being in exile, or detriment, for Mars in Taurus also means that the weaknesses of Mars are exposed. Mars is always interested in sexual conquest, but when it is in Taurus in it easily seduced by the pleasures of the senses.

Mars in Taurus is a very naughty boy indeed.

Perhaps that is why the news broke that Arnold Schwarzenegger had not been able to resist impregnating is maid, which resulted in a child being born in 1988… a secret that came out with the entry of Mars in Taurus on May 11^th 2011. This was one day after his wife Maria Shriver announced that they were to be separated after 25 years of marriage. There are further suggestions that he misappropriated government funds, using official vehicles to drive elegant consorts to luxury hotel suites, availing himself of his security detail to get
them into his room by the service entrance. Of course it can get boring in a hotel room, but wasn’t he supposed to be looking after the state of California?

HOROSCOPE:  Arnold Schwarzenegger 30^th July 1947 4.10 Graz, Austria (AS 19.07 CN)

His horoscope shows a Sun in Leo conjoining Saturn and Pluto in the 2^nd house, which in his early days was ideal for exhibiting his body, and of late has also been useful for governing a state which has been teetering on the verge of bankruptcy. A Sun/Saturn/Pluto conjunction is indestructible, and so his role as Terminator was a perfect expression of his character.

Mars in his horoscope conjoins Uranus in Gemini and the 12^th house, a high-risk combination; when he was 23 he lost his brother through an accident. A Mars/Uranus conjunction in the 12^th May indicate some particularly virulent secret enemies, and it may also show risky sexual adventures. He loves motorcycles and had an accident on his Harley Davidson in 2006.

He was elected as governor of California on October 7^th 2003, and retired in 2011 to pursue his film career, which, because of the current scandals, he has now put on hold. His period as governor coincided with the entry of his progressed Sun into Libra and the movement of his progressed Ascendant from Leo to Virgo, showing a change of emphasis from showmanship to service. As he took over governorship progressed Mars conjoined his natal Venus at 26 Cancer, activating USA’s Mercury/Pluto opposition. This last aspect may
actually indicate his ongoing secret lusts being satiated in secret encounters using his security detail to cover things up!

So Schwarzenegger entered a life of political service in 2003, and with his Ascendant ruler the Moon in tough Capricorn and the 6^th he probably worked just as hard and conscientiously as he did when he was building those magnificent muscles we all love. Still, the Moon has also proved to be his (temporary) downfall… for is not Moon in Capricorn in the 6^th house square Neptune the maid?

The transit of Pluto over this moon position has mercilessly exposed his weakness. Psychologically the moon in exile in Capricorn square Neptune shows deep unhappiness and unfulfilled emotional needs, both in relation to his mother and his new chosen country. The maid, a constant feature of his home life, fulfilled needs that were not fulfilled elsewhere. With his Venus in Cancer too, which couples romantic needs with domestic pleasures, he surely wants to be looked after.

During the period of his governorship his progressed Venus in Libra has conjoined progressed Neptune, exactly mirroring Bill Clinton’s Venus/Neptune conjunction, and all the romantic indiscretions it implies. At the end of his governorship, It is all-change for Schwarzenegger. His MC progressed is at 00.00 Gemini, having just (appropriately) conjoined the Pleiades, or Weeping Sisters, showing major career change. His Mars has moved out of Cancer, where it has been for over 40 years, and into Leo, showing a new need for showmanship, playfulness and romance. And Mercury has progressed into Scorpio, unfortunately squaring progressed Mars, reflecting sexual scandal and damage to
prestige.

Not too damaging, I am sure. He will probably find success as a writer/director and we will surely be seeing him again on the silver screen in new roles, because nothing will ever terminate the Terminator.

Adrian Ross Duncan 7^th June 2011

At the same time, the economies of India, China and Brazil have flourished, and China is on the way to supplanting the US as the world’s leading economic power. Of course, as the USA has a Venus/Jupiter conjunction at 3-5 degrees Cancer, it has been hit especially hard by the opposition from Pluto. How this all will end is difficult to say, but it is likely that the power of corporations, governments and banks will be drastically transformed by the time Pluto leaves Capricorn in March 2023.

On a personal level, Pluto transits from Capricorn will be hard and uncompromising, bringing down structures whose foundations have never been strong. Pluto is completely unsentimental… whatever you hold dear, but is inauthentic or lacks viability, will have to be eliminated. Only the lean and mean survives. Survival is the primal urge, and everything must bow before that. When the lifeboat is sinking, everything not essential to flotation must be thrown overboard. Pluto in Capricorn brings the steely will to act in this manner.

The following descriptions show the generic effects of Pluto over the four angles with a following commentary on how the specific Pluto-in-Capricorn placement modifies this influence.

Pluto over the Ascendant – Lifestyle transformation
This is a major period of transformation in the way you live your life, the personal choices you make and the way you present yourself generally. The time for compromise has gone; you cast off the old clothes and the old style and immerse yourself in an experiment in authenticity. You uncompromisingly drop an old lifestyle in favor of a new, and this can affect a lot in your life – work, relationships, values and taste. This is part of a psychological transformation process which can see you making radical choices to get down to the bare bones of the meaning and direction in your life. This process brings a new intensity especially emotionally and erotically. There can be major power battles. It can feel as if you are caught up in something beyond your control. The end result however, is that you feel empowered and strong after dropping elements of your lifestyle that no longer feel genuine or meaningful.

With a Capricorn Ascendant, the Pluto transit will affect the skeletal structure of your life, and you will want to reduce your choices to the bare bones, opting for what is necessary for your future path and casting off what is not. You will particularly question your ambitions and work patterns, and ask yourself if they are conducive to happiness. Pretense is cast aside, and you will embrace a tougher persona, which people can take or leave. Basic fears about insecurity and attractiveness will be confronted. If someone is to like you, then they have to see the real you.

Pluto over the Midheaven – Career transformation
This is a major period of career transformation that arises because you have reached a state of exhaustion or meaninglessness in your current professional direction. Power battles with authority figures or faceless institutions wear down your resources. The question arises as to whether you would prefer to do something completely different. Superficial ambitions and goals just will not do it for you anymore. You long to work with a process of discovery and investigation, to get to the very roots of an issue, and you are prepared to give up material security if it means that there will be more depth and meaning in your working life. This process is sure to lead to a major reorientation of life goals. This can also affect family life, perhaps because relocation becomes an option for you. The crucial thing at this time is not to hang onto old outmoded goals just for the sake of a security that you will lose anyway.

With Capricorn on the MC, you have always had authority issues, from the earliest moment of proving yourself to your parents, to living up to the expectations of your boss. With Pluto transiting this point, power battles take place as your projections on authority figures take exaggerated form, almost as if your fears of not living up to demands become demons. The battle is hard, but in the end you shake off pressure from others and rely on your own strength. If this means taking on more authority yourself, with the perceived unpopularity that can bring, so be it.

Pluto over the Descendant- Transformation in relationships
This is a major period of transformation in your relations with others, especially on an intimate level. However much you would like to control another person and get emotional guarantees or relationship security, it is not going to happen at this time. Relationships that lack authenticity will be abandoned, whilst those which are meant to be will be strengthened – but only after an exhaustive period of psychological transformation. The lesson in life now is that dependence on others is a false security. Control or submission, manipulative tactics, the use of erotic power – these things will only lead to desperate and intense emotional upheaval. This process will lead to far greater psychological awareness in your dealings with others. A partner may also go through harrowing extremes at this time. Whilst your support is required, strive to avoid getting dragged into the abyss.

With Capricorn on the Descendant you prefer to be the softy, whilst your partner often has to bear the responsibility for structuring your life. Pluto on the Descendant shatters this comfortable arrangement, and you have to grow up fast. Those you have endowed with the authority to rule you become more demonic, and you are forced to assume control. This is a drawn-out drama which is exhausting psychologically, but ultimately the tables are turned as you eliminate the power others have over you. You are responsible for yourself alone.

Pluto over the IC – Uprooting
This is a major period of transformation in your family life and attachment to the home. Many issues from the past get dredged up and examined, and those bonds that do not pass the test of your ruthless investigation will be left behind. You feel a compelling need to build a new foundation for your life, and loyalties that are based on dependence or emotional blackmail can no longer be accepted. This is a time to examine what is going on underneath your feet – the cellar, the drains, people living below – because something is undermining the ground on which you stand. This process will lead to the creation of new and healthier foundations. You long for authenticity and depth in your family life, and if necessary you are prepared to uproot the family to achieve this purpose and even inaugurate major professional change. A wider restructuring of the extended family can mean that you start a new chapter in your life.

When you have Capricorn on your IC, you are familiar with the stamp of authority and control which has ruled your life from childhood to now. Furthermore you have assumed heavy responsibilities for the people who are dependent on you, and this in turn can lead to rigid structures which are simply not conducive to growth for anyone. The arrival of the Pluto transit here ends the pretense. You did not want this prison either, and you are now afforded the chance the break the chains and tear down the walls that stifle emotional growth. The whole foundation of your domestic and professional life is changed.

All these transits are to be welcomed when they come. They bring the opportunity for change which you have been longing for but have refused to acknowledge for years. Because we are all attached to the people and things that surround us, and inherently wish that everything will remain stable, there is often pain and disorientation with these transits. But invariably the person in question looks back from a vantage point of a couple of years into the future, and is eternally grateful for the changes that have taken place.

Adrian Ross Duncan May 20, 2011

Neptune in Pisces is having none of this technological euphoria. The world may be a magic place, but there will be a growing awareness of suffering. People are the same, right?
So why does 1% of the US population control nearly 50% of the nation’s wealth? Why, in the Arabic world, is the voice of democracy not heard? These are not political questions; with Neptune in Pisces they come from the heart of all those people who can suddenly talk together on their mobile phones, Twitter, Facebook and everything else. The dissatisfaction witnessed in the Middle East here in 2011 is just the very beginning of a massive redistribution of wealth, which will be complete by the mid 2020’s, and if it is not, the entry of Pluto into Aquarius at this time will ensure it is subsequently done by any means available.

On a personal level transits from Neptune in Pisces brings a softer compassionate touch. But they will surely also bring confusion and a more poignant awareness of the transience of life. Neptune in Aquarius brought the opportunity to lose oneself in brilliant science fiction adventures like James Cameron’s “Avatar”. Neptune in Pisces will bring uncompromising social realism, and perception will be that society is sick. The way out of the dilemmas Neptune in Pisces brings, will be through compassion, generosity, philanthropy and spiritual awareness.

The following descriptions show the generic effects of Neptune over the four angles with a following commentary on how the specific Neptune-in-Pisces

Neptune over the Ascendant : Spiritual directions

This is a major transition period for you, both in the direction your life is taking and in your lifestyle, and the relationships connected with this lifestyle. The big question that presses upon you now is where are you going, and why? Because if life is not meaningful for you – and there are indications that you are very dissatisfied – then you will not find the motivation to plug on. Materialism, career success, partnership, family… none of these things will give you everything you need. Something is missing, and that missing ingredient is very difficult to define. Like the difference between a fine wine and plonk. This period of dissatisfaction and longing leads you to search within to find inner meaning and significance. This can lead to musical, cultural or artistic interests, or an interest in spirituality, caring and healing. Outwardly many areas if your life – like job and relationships – can go through a period of dissolution as you reject material solutions and listen to your inner voice. Inwardly you ultimately discover spiritual and emotional riches, which were the missing motivational ingredient. The suffering is worth it.

When you have Pisces rising, Neptune feels like it is coming home, so for you there can be a dawning of great insight… an insight that is denied to many other people. Your natural urge to empathize will be accentuated, and from being a misunderstood outsider, you may get recognition for your ideals, dreams and visions. But this is a disorientating period nonetheless, and a profound discontent about the direction your life is going will lead to non-material choices where Nature, creativity and spirituality are the abiding values.

Neptune over the Descendant: Relationship disillusion

This period is a time of transition and change in relationships. If you have founded your own security structures on other people, you can expect these structures to dissolve. Experience will show that you actually cannot control what others do in your life, so you may as well give up trying. An attitude of acceptance and surrender will get you furthest now. Close partners may find themselves in unhappy circumstances, in which case it is more important for you to give them space than to come with solutions. Partnerships can succeed only if you are united around a higher purpose – perhaps a spiritual purpose. Love based on romantic notions or with any kind of narcissistic element will be exposed as illusory, and you will be let down. This period of dissolution or powerlessness in connection with relationships can ultimately lead to richer and more rewarding emotional bonds. You are likely to encounter creative media types or spiritual people now, who give your life new meaning.

If you have Pisces on the Descendant, you are used to organizing apparently disorganized people, but this character trait will be made redundant by partners who insist on their right to be chaotic and go for their dreams. This may be a lesson to you to let go of the details and see the bigger picture. All attachments dissolve, always. The partner lives within you and is a product of your dreams. A spiritual opportunity comes your way now, both through your partner, and through inspiring people who can baptize you into a new world of music, myth and magic.

Neptune over the Midheaven: Career dissolution

This is a period when there are profound changes in your goals and ambitions leading to a major career shift. You probably sense this already in that it is difficult for you to find the motivation to continue with old work patterns which have no higher meaning for you. The question to ask is: can I continue to do what I am doing for years to come, and will I be satisfied with that choice on my death bed? If the answer is no, then you must listen to the inner voice that demands that you use your life on something more satisfying and meaningful. Even if there is a temporary dissolution of your security – if you have to take time off, or be unemployed for a while – it is worth developing talents that are unique to you and seeing if they can lead anywhere professionally. People and the environment, or creative expression, become more important than recognition and so-called success. This period of career dissolution may lead to you find just that niche that will fulfill you in the future. To some extent there may also be career developments that are beyond your control, but if they result in you not continuing with your line of work, there is a deeper meaning behind these changes… to work with what you love.

With Pisces on your Midheaven, true satisfaction in your career can only come when you follow your dreams. Your agenda is not status or raw ambition… you want to make a difference to quality of life through your work. Now is the time to drop out of the rat race and start nurturing the values you really believe in as far as profession is concerned. If you are creative, this might be the path to follow. If your heart goes out to those who suffer, then it may be social work. Sticking at what you do not like will only put you on the slippery slope to failure, so believe in your dreams.

Neptune over the IC: Dissolution in the environment
This is a time when unusual developments in your domestic situation dissolve the foundations on which you have built family life. Your normally sense of security slips through your fingers; the water seeps through the dyke, the sea undermines the cliff. This is the time to learn that the outer frameworks of domestic life are subject to the depredations of time, as is everything else. There is just one place that can never dissolve, and that is the home deep within your heart. By building up your connection to your inner self, you create the foundation stone for all future growth. This period of domestic dissolution leads to a sense of homelessness or rootlessness, not just in connection with your family, but also in your career. You need to work and live in an environment that will be meaningful to you far into the future, so the wise move now is to let go of situations that you are tired of. Unhappy or vulnerable people can come to stay, evoking a deeper compassion within. Property now is subject to insoluble problems, for example connected with damp or swindle.

With Pisces on your IC historically there have been chaotic circumstances in your family life and roots. The arrival of Neptune here evokes even more rootlessness. The river turns to flood, and your vulnerable roots lose their grip. Your house may be made of straw, but your heart is in the right place. You empathize with the homeless and those who experience sickness and isolation. The inventory in your home may be washed away, and anchors may come adrift, but you discover there is something that you can never lose. It was the only thing that is permanent in your life… your heart, which is where the true value of your being resides.

The last section of this series, Pluto over the 4 angles will be coming within about 10 days.

Adrian Duncan 14th May 2011.

In astrology there are no more powerful influences than the transits of the three outer planets – Uranus, Neptune and Pluto – over the four angles of the horoscope.

The first, fourth, seventh and tenth house cusps are derived from the exact birth time and place of a person, and are therefore more personal than anything else. They make the actual framework for an individual’s life: the Ascendant (1st house) shows what is rising on the eastern horizon, the Descendant (7th house) what is setting on the western horizon. The Midheaven (10th house), or MC, shows the highest point the sun reaches at noon, and the Immum Coeli (4th house), or IC, shows the lowest point the sun reaches under the earth around midnight.

In symbolical terms therefore, the Ascendant shows You, and what is personal about you, like for example the impact you make and appearance. The Descendant shows the Other… whoever you happen to encounter who becomes a counterpoint to your existence and an object onto whom you project qualities which you tend to deny in yourself. The MC represents your highest goal… the fruit of your ambitions, whilst the IC represents your family and heritage… the mysterious roots of your past.

When outer planets transit personal planets like the Sun or Venus for example, there is not necessarily a change of structure. But when one of the outer planets passes over the four angles, there will be a change in the framework of your life. If you live to the age of 84, you will experience a Uranus transit over all four angles, and each event will be immediately recognizable. (When Uranus transited my Ascendant, I lived in India for a year. On its transit to my Descendant 42 years later, I find myself in India once again.) A Neptune or Pluto transit over the angles is much rarer, and correspondingly deeper and more far-reaching. You will not experience a transit of these two planets over more than two angles in your lifetime.

The short interpretation for these transits is that Uranus brings freedom, enlightenment and autonomy, Neptune brings confusion, idealism and a spiritual baptism, and that Pluto brings crisis, psychological insight and transformation. However, these influences are much nuanced and are naturally modified by the sign the transiting planet is in during the course of the transit. And with Uranus and Neptune having just changed sign (to Aries and Pisces respectively), and the comparatively recent arrival of Pluto in Capricorn, the outer planet transits to the four angles will be subtly different to how they were a few years back.

Uranus transits, with Uranus now in Aries, will bring far more dynamism and action than earlier when it was in Pisces. Just as Bush could not capture Osama bin Laden when Uranus was in Pisces, a sudden commando raid under Obama did the job with Uranus in Aries. Likewise, it is a mistake to think that the miring down of US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan in the Uranus in Pisces period will repeat itself in the Uranus in Aries period, when fast campaigns will tend to work. Collectively the world wants action.

On a personal level, action is also the key to working with current Uranus transits, whilst patience and going with the flow may have been more effective in the Piscean period. Previously brave initiatives will have dissolved in the face of unpredictable factors which undermined autonomy. Now it will actually pay off to take a risk. Those with alternative-style beliefs would have listened more to clairvoyants with Uranus in Pisces, but with Uranus in Aries they will want to feel in control of their own fate through personal autonomy and action.

The following descriptions show the generic effects of Uranus over the four angles with a following commentary on how the specific Uranus-in-Aries effect modifies the experience.

Uranus over the Ascendant: Revolutionary new departures

You have reached a point in your life when you no longer can continue on a conventional path. To live your life according to old mores and conventions is inconceivable – you need excitement, experimentation and change. This means that you make a choice for freedom rather than restriction, and naturally this has consequences for the way you choose to live your life in the future, and for your personal relationships. Basically this is a consciousness-raising epoch when long-distance travel or contact with really exciting groups stimulates you to make changes in your lifestyle. New interests linked with New Age values absorb you. You tend to be uncompromising in your choices now – authorities have no influence on you at all. You are swept off on a wave of exhilarating change. This exciting period leads you to embark on a life that is focused on what is unique about you.

As this affects your Aries individual qualities, your urge for freedom and independence will be explosive. You will be completely unreceptive to suggestions that you tone down your urge for radical change. Never before have you felt so completely that the time is Now. You have a duty to be a personal example to others, and bravery and honesty will be your guiding lights.

Uranus over the Descendant: Freedom in relationships

A new epoch is starting in your life regarding the way you relate to the world and important people who are close to you. Change comes now because of a growing need to see the world and experience new people – people who inspire you to think in radical new ways. This brings consciousness growth in connection with groups and perhaps also new connections abroad and travel. Existing relationships must adapt and provide far more space now, so that both you and your partner can evolve and grow.

Neither you nor your loved ones can tolerate restriction, dominance or manipulative behavior – love is also about setting people free. If you are in a relationship that you have longed to get out of, this could be the time. If you are not in a relationship you may well meet an unusual person, a foreigner perhaps, who takes you on a wild ride. If you have enemies at this time, don’t underestimate them, as you are vulnerable to a surprise attack. You take the freedom now to learn new and rather unconventional skills for dealing with people, and this can change how you work professionally. This period can be expected to a new life full of freedom and possibility.

With Aries on the Descendant you enjoy the challenge of balancing a partner who is demonstrably an individual. Now, with the Uranus transit, this individual comes with a universal declaration of independence, which can spur you to examine your own dependence and bring more space to the relationship. Give freedom to those you love, then give some more. It is a liberation. As the Descendant is also “over there”, this is likely to bring trans-continental adventures.

Uranus over the IC: Gipsy life

A new epoch is beginning in your life connected with your roots and domestic circumstances. You shake loose many attachments to the past and have the desire to be footloose and free. Oppressive family pressures are not for you at this time, and you make choices that increase your freedom of movement. If this was 19th century America, you would be heading out West. There is a gipsy spirit which can result in you moving home or at least traveling a lot between different home bases. It is also possible that people who come from an exotic environment spend time in your home now, awakening you to the big, wild world. Desire for renewal, excitement and change can also affect your career, inspiring you to be more independent. If you have been contemplating relocation or moving abroad, this is the time to do it. This will lead to a new and freer home life.

As you have Aries on the 4th house cusp, you are always ready to make a fast decision concerning the family. With the Uranus transit, you are likely to demand extreme bravery from those dependent on you. And anyone you are dependent upon, particularly parents, you will liberate yourself from in no uncertain terms. This influence is likely to bring domestic disruption because of your need to tear yourself away from roots that are perceived to be tying you down.

Uranus over the MC: Exciting career changes

A new epoch is beginning in your professional life as you tire of old goals and missions and are gripped by an urge for more freedom and independence at work. If you have been thinking of striking out on your own, this is the time to do it. You chafe under authorities at this time, but you may be fortunate to find an enlightened and exciting team of people with whom you can work. Ideals are more important than materialism, and if you can travel internationally, or involve yourself with international groups, it could not be better.

This is the time to make a break with traditions and authorities of all sorts, and to capitalize on the unique talents in your possession. More satisfaction will be gained by working freelance than if you continue in an old boring role. This may well lead to a new professional era when you fully realize your potential.

When you have Aries on the 10th house cusp, you do not need much encouragement to strike out on your own. The Uranus transit will launch you into a different orbit, and you will either start your own completely unique career, or drop the nine to five job and become free-lance. The first sign will be a clash with the powers that be, whether this is the boss or parents. The only way they can hold on to you now is by giving you complete freedom.

In the next two sections of this article, I will be dealing with Neptune in Pisces and Pluto in Capricorn as they transit the four angles of your chart.

Adrian Duncan May 2nd, 2011.