A ravaging terrorist attack has left America reeling in its wake. The entire country is in shock over the viciousness, brutality, and scope of the devastation. From the point of view of astrology, the confluence of very strong Saturn configurations as well as the transit of Pluto on the US Ascendant may be linked to the present tragedy.
The crossing of Pluto over the US Ascendant during the past year has brought about enormous transformations in the American psyche. Although Pluto in its positive manifestation can bring about leadership and the focused and conscientious use of power, this planet all too often will make itself known in the ruthless use of power, manipulation, coercion, and violence.
The Ascendant in a national chart indicates the people and the state of the country as a whole. As in an individual chart, the Ascendant in a national chart is a highly significant point, and transits and progressions to it are felt by the entire country in a profound way. Thus, Pluto transiting the US Ascendant can bring with it a sense that the country and its people are being manipulated or controlled. It can further bring violence, terrorism, destruction, and intense power struggles in its wake, depending on what other planetary influences may be involved. Pluto tends to give the experience of powerlessness struggling to regain power or, on the other hand, the will to use and sometimes abuse power.
The first crossing of Pluto over the US Ascendant was from approximately November 14 through December 12, 2000. A Mercury/ Pluto conjunction on December 12 provided the final powerful thrust of that phase of Plutonian energy. I will not go into the amount of manipulation and coercion that happened to our country during that month. The story has been told repeatedly, and it will never be forgotten.
The second crossing of Pluto to the US Ascendant during June and the first half of July, 2001, was a retrograde crossing and therefore more muted. Nonetheless, we saw the tremendous power struggles politically that are one manifestation of this transit. The implied power struggle between the US and the rest of the planet was also highly visible. The massive demonstrations in Europe during Bush’s visit in June and the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol without the US were some of the incidents during this period. There was also an American military mobilization in the Middle East due to a terrorist threat.
The final strong forward-moving thrust of this energy comes during most of September. With it has come the most deadly and vicious act of terrorism ever perpetrated against the United States. The World Trade Center, the heart of American financial power, has been destroyed. The Pentagon, the brain center of the American military, has also been attacked. Astrologically, we have entered a new and more deadly phase in the Pluto transit. This is because Jupiter has now joined Pluto by a quincunx (150 degree) aspect. Jupiter tends to expand and increase whatever it touches. In this case it is the intensity, violence, and ruthlessness of Pluto that is expanded and experienced by the people of the country (the Ascendant). This Jupiter transit goes through September 19. About 10 days later Mars will come to irritate and inflame the Pluto/Ascendant configuration from September 30 through October 3. Either of these transits could well signify massive retaliatory strikes by the administration, especially since these same planets also are quite active in Bush’s chart simultaneously. There is clearly the potential for tremendous violence between September 11 and October 4, 2001.
The significant Saturn progression that has played into this tragedy is the converse progressed Sun (29 Scorpio) semisquare Saturn in the US chart at 14 Libra. Though this may seem a minor aspect to some, it is noteworthy that the Ascendant/Mercury conjunction of the chart for the first attack was at 14 Libra, and the transiting Saturn was at 14 Gemini. Moreover, the Midheaven of that same chart was at 14 Cancer. This converse progression will continue to strengthen until approximately March 16, 2002. It brings with it difficulties, loss, sorrow, burdens, and financial difficulties. It seems to indicate the bereavement period we will feel as a nation as well as other hardships, financial and otherwise. On the day of the attack the transits mentioned caused a very strong activation of this progression.
I have previously predicted (see Timeline) strong aggressive action by Bush during this autumn period, and the reason for such action is becoming clear. I have also predicted a brief increase in his popularity during September continuing possibly into early December. This clearly relates to the need of Americans to rally around their leader in time of attack from without, as well as the likely positive response to military strikes that he will demand in retaliation to this ghastly act of terrorism.
Thus, the Pluto transit to the US Ascendant, the first in our nation’s 225-year history, has brought in its wake deep wounds to our individual and collective psyches. Both the Coup and the terrorist-wrought inferno of September 11, 2001, have transformed us indelibly, leaving scars that will remain for a generation and beyond. Each experience has taken from us our innocence and our sense of invulnerability as Americans. We come away with a new depth in our understanding of the burdens and the struggles of life on this planet.
After October, the intensity of Pluto that we have lived with for the past year will begin to dissipate. Though politicians will still disagree, some of the partisan rancor will soften. We are, however, left with a great deal of Saturnian influence, both in Bush’s chart and the US chart. The difficulties with the economy will not go away, and Bush will continue to struggle on many fronts and have a very difficult period until about April.