Since the beginning of October, numerous terrorist events have erupted in various places in the world, causing a multitude of brutal and sudden deaths, grievous loss for the families of the victims, and fear and anxiety for perhaps millions of those living in the wake of these disastrous deeds. The recent explosion at a Bali nightclub has claimed more victims than any attack since September 11, 2001. A French tanker exploding in the port of Yemen and deadly shots fired at US servicemen in Kuwait are also examples of this recent spate of violence. In the Washington, DC area, a vicious sniper has terrorized over a million inhabitants who now fear such mundane tasks as buying gas for their cars or groceries for their families. Schoolchildren have not been allowed outside for almost two weeks.
Astrologically, since the first days of October, Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, and the Moon, in various combinations and at various times, have been in aspect with Saturn, which is currently making a station in the 29th degree of Gemini. This is an extraordinary amount of stimulation for a planetary energy that tends to bring difficulties and challenges that are often quite painful. When Saturn is extremely active in a chart, due to either transits or progressions, feelings of hopelessness, fear, loss, and despair are a potential result. There is also a strong impetus toward mobilization, concentration, focus, and the feeling of an added burden to be carried. In the charts for all of the DC area sniper shootings thus far, the current Saturn position has been clearly stimulated by transits of one or more other planets in a square, semisquare, or sesquiquadrate aspect. In six of them, the Moon has also been moving into an aspect with Saturn. This intensified Saturn energy, which begins to increase after each attack, indicates the overwhelming feelings of upset and sorrow elicited by these tragic events. *
From October 1st through October 22, Saturn remains almost immobile (from a geocentric perspective) at 29 Gemini, due to its slow shift from direct to retrograde motion. Astrologers have long noted that the 29th degree of any sign carries with it a tinge of sorrow, loss, or discomfort. A planet passing through the 29th degree will normally move forward to the next sign, releasing the buildup of distress at the end of a cycle, and begin a new phase in the expression of its particular planetary energy. On the other hand, a planetary station at 29 degrees, with the planet not moving into the next sign, but instead remaining stationary for several days and then moving backwards, suggests a moment frozen in unresolvable challenges and difficulties, a sense of no real release.
Mercury, from October 2 through October 9, made its own station in exact square to Saturn, from the 29th degree of Virgo, triggering the already strong Saturn energies found in the 29th degree station of that planet. This was the period leading up to the final Senate vote on Bush’s War Resolution. Many, many people in the US, and perhaps in other countries as well, were feeling a heavy sense of foreboding and gloom with the anticipated passage of this Resolution and the increased probability of war that it accomplished. Eight of the Washington area sniper attacks also took place during this period.
In addition to Mercury, both Jupiter and Mars have had exact aspects to Saturn for prolonged periods during the past several days. Jupiter was semisquare to Saturn from October 1 through 8, intensifying the somber impact of the prolonged Mercury /Saturn square. And Mars came into one degree orb of a square aspect with Saturn exactly as the blast hit the nightclub in Bali on October 12, continuing its potent and upsetting agitation of the already difficult Saturn feelings for a further two days.
Currently, Venus is now moving into sesquiquadrate with Saturn from October 16 through 19. Although Venus is not generally considered disruptive, it nonetheless can still act as a trigger for the current Saturn station. This may be particularly true when the Moon moves into a square with Saturn on Friday afternoon, October 18, after about 1:30 until about 5:30 PM. If the sniper has not yet been apprehended, I would suggest caution during this period.
Another potential trigger for the Saturn station and hence suggestive of a period of sorrow or difficulty, comes with the trine of the Sun to Saturn late Monday, October 21 through Tuesday morning, October 22. The Moon will further trigger events on Tuesday morning from about 8:00 AM until noon. ** Again, caution is suggested if the sniper is still at large.
Given the general weakening of aspects to Saturn after these two periods, and the movement of Saturn out of the fateful 29th degree, I think the situation that currently plagues the Washington, DC area may move into a resolution by late on October 22nd, or shortly thereafter. As already mentioned, the strongest Saturn period is already past. The increase of police leads and gathering of relevant clues has led to a glimmering of hope in the community that things are nearing a climax.
*A list of the sniper attacks follows, showing the aspects to Saturn, including semisquares and sesquiquadrates:
10/2/02, 5:20 PM – Saturn 29Gemini01, Mercury 29Virgo39Rx, Venus 14Scorpio27;
10/3/02, 7:41 AM – Saturn 29Gemini02, Mercury 29Virgo17Rx, Venus 14Sorpio37, Moon 28Leo04;
10/3/02, 8:12 AM - Saturn 29Gemini02, Mercury 29Virgo16Rx, Venus 14Sorpio37, Moon 28Leo23;
10/3/02, 8:37 AM - Saturn 29Gemini02, Mercury 29Virgo16 Rx, Venus 14Sorpio37, Moon 28Leo38;
10/3/02, 9:20 PM - Saturn 29Gemini02, Mercury 28Virgo59 Rx, Venus 14Scorpio46, MC 14Aquarius;
10/4/02, 2:30 PM – Saturn 29Gemini03, Mercury 28Virgo41 Rx, Venus 14Scorpio56;
10/7/02, 8:09 AM – Saturn 29Gemini04, Mercury 28Virgo22, Jupiter 13Leo10, Moon 28Libra52, MC 29Cancer;
10/9/02, 8:20 PM Saturn 29Gemini05, Mercury 29Virgo13, Jupiter 13Leo33;
10/11/02, 9:30 AM – Saturn 29Gemini05 Rx, Jupiter 13Leo47, Mars 27Virgo20, Moon 27 Sagittarius37, Ascendant 14Scorpio;
10/14/02, 9:20 PM – Saturn 29Gemini04 Rx, Mars 29Virgo34, Moon 12Aquarius47, Jupiter 14Leo17.
Bali explosion, 10/12/02, 11:00 PM – Saturn 29Gemini05 Rx, Mars 28Virgo03, Jupiter 13Leo57.
**Two potential, approximate times of danger are listed, based on the increase of Saturn activity immediately following, suggesting upset and grief:
10/18/02, 3:50 PM - Saturn 29Gemini02 Rx, Venus 14Scorpio19 Rx, Moon 28Pisces20. In addition note the aspects to Uranus (sudden, upsetting events) at this time: Sun 25Libra16, Uranus 25Aquarius01 Rx, Ascendant 24 Aquarius;
10/22/02, 8:00 AM - Saturn 28Gemini58 Rx, Sun 28 Libra55, Moon 11Taurus55.