Vice President Dick Cheney's recurrent health issues have generated much concern and upset in recent days. Speculation about his imminent resignation and potential successor is rampant. Nonetheless, astrology suggests (at least to me) that he will remain in office until the beginning of next year. At that point, a significant health crisis may develop which forces him to consider resignation.
A brief look at the Vice President’s chart for health indicators reveals two significant factors. The first is the sixth house Sun that forms one of the squares of a fixed T-square in the chart. The sixth house is the house of daily routines, both work and health related. Having the Sun in the 6th often implies concerns that require the individual to conscientiously structure his daily habit patterns in order to maintain health. When a sixth house Sun forms one of the squares in a T formation, tremendous stress and tension is experienced by the individual in the domain of the sixth house, and difficult and recurrent health problems can result especially during a powerful transit or progression.
The second factor in the Vice President’s chart that indicates problems in the area of health is the tight square between Uranus, the ruler of the sixth house, and Mercury, the ruler of the Ascendant. A square between these two rulers indicates a dynamic tension between the individual and his struggle to maintain a healthy balanced lifestyle. It further indicates that health issues will erupt suddenly and forcefully (Uranus), especially when there is a significant stimulation of Uranus. On March 6, the day of Cheney’s recent cardiac procedure, transiting Uranus was 22Aquarius09, exactly square his natal Uranus at 22Taurus09.
In order to consider future health-related problems for the Vice President, we should examine the following: problematic or highly stimulating aspects to the ruler of the sixth house, Uranus; planetary action impacting either the Ascendant or its ruler, Mercury; and difficult planetary configurations involving the Sun. We have already seen that the exact transit of Uranus square natal Uranus brought Cheney a trip to the hospital. This transit will return in the last weeks of August and the first few days of September and may well bring a repeat performance, especially around August 23rd when it is strengthened by Mars’ position. Uranus returns for the final transit in December, exact on the 24th, amid more problematic planetary conditions.
In the coming months Uranus, bringer of the unexpected and the unpredictable, will cross the degree of Cheney’s Mercury (ruler of the Ascendant) remaining there for an extended period, from late March through early July. In addition, the warrior planet, Mars, will be crossing Cheney’s natal Mars and squaring his Moon from late March through August. Thus, the Vice President will be on a rollercoaster of activity, stress, and highly volatile situations during the spring and summer months. Although these transits will stimulate powerful mental energy and forceful action, they will take their toll as well, as indicated by yet another significant planetary configuration of the coming months: converse progressed Sun quincunx Saturn.
As the year winds down, Cheney’s converse progressed Sun (8 Sagittarius) moves into a quincunx (150 degree aspect) of his natal Saturn (8 Taurus) indicating increased limitation, fatigue, and burden (Saturn). This progression will be unfolding in the summer of 2001 and grow in intensity until July 2002. The transiting Saturn station of late December, January, and February at 8-9 Gemini is likely to trigger it. Simultaneously, we will see the final pass of Uranus square Cheney’s Uranus (ruler of the sixth house of health) in late December and the final pass of Uranus conjunct Cheney’s Mercury in January and early February. It is around this December – February period that a possible major health crisis looms.
By March, Neptune, the planet of dissolution, will begin its year-long transit of Cheney’s Sun, indicating a more drifting, unfocused period, no longer caught up in the exigencies of politics. At the same time the converse progressed Sun will be moving into closer aspect to Saturn implying greater limitation. It should be noted here that the Sun in astrology is symbolic of the heart, and health issues relating to the heart often show up in transits and progressions to the natal Sun. Thus, a possible scenario emerges for the Vice President of increasing restriction and possible crisis around the turning of the year that may force the need for a less stressful lifestyle as we move into Spring 2002.
