Friday Bite: 26 July 2024

Brat-ology

Kamala – The Paris Olympics

“It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your President. And while it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down… Nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition. So, I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. It’s the best way to unite our nation.” Joe Biden, 21 July 2024

“With this selfless and patriotic act, President Biden is doing what he has done throughout his life of service: putting the American people and our country above everything else.” Kamala Harris, 21 July 2024

IN THE SPACE of nine days, a former president survived an assassination attempt and a sitting president stepped back, and in between, a routine software update caused a global IT meltdown.

In this period of accelerated change, Joe Biden’s address to the nation has all but faded into history and Kamala Harris has gone from relative obscurity to woman of the year! Seven days ago, it appeared Donald Trump’s bid for the presidency of the United States was a slam dunk. Now, he’s bowed out of a debate with Ms Harris citing “Democratic instability”, despite having previously claimed he would go head-to-head with her “any time, any place”.

In my new video, August – Signs of Change, which I recorded on July 21st, I pointed out that without the Obama’s sanction, Harris’s nomination was not a given. Early this morning that backing came. In a joint statement, Barack and Michelle Obama said Ms Harris has “the vision, the character and the strength that this critical moment demands.”.

On Sunday, within hours of Biden’s endorsement, the group Win With Black Women mobilized more than 44,000 women to join a Zoom call; they donated more than $1 million in three hours. It set the trend for an astonishing display of support for Harris. Donations have continued to flow, and at the time of writing, she is one percentage point behind Donald Trump. Nonetheless, a week is a long time in politics, and as we head into August’s volatile alignments, nothing can be assumed.  Of which more shortly.

With so much going on in the United States, the 2024 Paris Olympics has taken a back seat and it was almost a surprise to discover that some events had already taken place this week and the opening ceremony is set to begin in a few short hours.

ON THE EVE of the Olympics, President Macron addressed the French nation and issued a crie-de-coeur, “We need to re-enthuse!”. Amid the political turmoil that has engulfed France, the Games could be just the tonic the country needs. Are we surprised, however, that under such cosmic skies, the Olympics is already a-buzz with controversies and upsets. The football match between Morocco and Argentina descended into chaos when Moroccan fans stormed the pitch: the game was suspended for two hours and when it restarted it was in front of empty stands. On the same night, boos and whistles rang out during the Israeli national anthem prior to the game between Israel and Mali. And then there was the disturbing video that emerged earlier in the week showing a masked figure issuing ominous threats about “rivers of blood”.

Not so much rivers of blood but streams of disgruntled travellers faced cancellations of train services due to “malicious acts of sabotage” on the French high-speed rail network, hours ahead of the opening ceremony. Not to be outdone, Great Britain had its Olympic hopes dashed by footage of the highly decorated horsewoman, Charlotte Dujardin whipping a horse in training. She is suspended and her career and reputation lie in tatters, along with the greatly anticipated gold medals.

The above chart is cast for the opening of the Paris Olympic Games. Instead of the usual parade in a stadium, more than 8,000 athletes will be transported in boats sailing down the River Seine. It promises to be spectacular, but just how spectacular under grey skies and pouring rain remains to be seen. Then, what can you expect with Capricorn rising and Saturn in Pisces!

The chart does not immediately scream: Upset! Sabotage! Protests! It’s not a bad chart but neither is it a glorious chart. There is a Finger of God/Yod configuration involving Mercury inconjunct Pluto and Neptune, which acquires greater significance since Mercury is the most elevated planet and strong in its own sign while Pluto is in the first house. Plus, the Sun in the seventh house of partners is opposed to Pluto. Certainly, we can see communication issues here, disruption and contentious developments but not necessarily acts of violence. As a counter-balance, there is a configuration made up of a trine between Venus and the Moon intersected by two sextiles to Jupiter, the planet of good fortune, abundance and success. I call this shaping “the Hammock” because it strings together three planets in a relaxed and harmonious manner! At the very least, this could offset some of the more troubling influences dominating the events.

Nonetheless, that the next three weeks of the Games will be all joy and celebration is a big ask.

IT MIGHT BE different in the United States of America, but here in the United Kingdom and Europe, Kamala Harris has been the least visible VP in living memory. In the run up to the 2020 election she was very noticeable, until she pulled out, and once Joe Biden was sworn in that was pretty well that. The invisible woman. So, it has been quite the surprise to see this glamorous, animated female taking the Democratic world by storm.

As I mentioned on my video, much depends on how many other presidential hopefuls come forward as to whether or not she will get the nomination, but with twenty-four hours to go before the window closes for democrats to throw their hat in the ring, it’s difficult to imagine how and why she would not be the nominee.

Nevertheless, nothing is a given in these extraordinary times, and with the Democratic Convention taking place on the most challenging alignments of the year, her path to the nomination and the election is going to be bumpy to say the least.

It seems to me that there has been a palpable shift in mood and momentum since Kamala emerged from the shadows. In her speech at a Milwaukee high school, she not only galvanized the audience but also Democrats across the country and millions of people in the western world who had all but given up hope of preventing a Trump second term. In thirty-six hours she secured $100 million in donations, and still they come.

It is her appeal to the young, Generation Z, that has been most unexpected. They have embraced her in force, meme-ing and tweeting her. The British pop singer, Charli XCX, who recently released an album called Brat, tweeted “Kamala is brat” which launched a thousand memes.

While there is a strong body of people who question Harris’s ability to defeat Trump at the ballot box, citing her poor record on immigration in her role as Border Tsar and her hard-line stance as District Attorney and Attorney General, there is an equally strong force who believe her background as a prosecutor and the experience she has garnered in her four years in the vice presidency have more than equipped her for the White House.

“… As District Attorney I took on perpetrators of all kinds. Predators who abused women. Fraudsters who ripped off consumers. Cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain. So, trust me when I say, I know Donald Trump’s type.” Kamala Harris, Milwaukee, 23 July.

For once we have a time of birth to work from, and what a difference it makes. Without a time of birth, we would not be able to see Saturn’s all-powerful position on the Midheaven, nor the Kite configuration: Ascendant/North node trine Saturn/MC trine Sun and Ascendant plus, North node sextile Mars and Mars sextile the Sun. The latter aspect may be a little generous, but it is legitimate when taken into consideration with the rest of the configuration.

A Kite is rare, and speaks of a powerful destiny. This configuration is made up of a Grand Trine, which denotes a gift of some description, and a Mini Grand Trine (or Hammock), which boosts the fateful aura of the Grand Trine. Kamala has earned her right to be where she is from past performance. And I mean a deep past, not one in living memory. From this configuration alone, we know that Ms Harris has the astrological credentials to play a lead role in the fate of a nation. And since her Saturn (the apex of the configuration) is the United States Moon, that lead role, if not to be America’s vice president, is to be its president.

That Saturn (28 degrees of Aquarius) is the USA’s Moon, underscores her potential to lead the American nation. You may also note that the full moon of the August 19 Democratic convention is 27 degrees of Aquarius. A sign not only of the huge importance for America of events at this time, but specifically for the future of Kamala.

And there is more. People who have the North node rising are independent. It is their destiny to stand alone. Yes, Ms Harris is a Libra and happily married, but if you have the North node rising, while you are not necessarily a loner, it is your role to stand strong without backing or support for your beliefs and actions. The buck stops with you.

Also worthy of mention is the T-square in fixed signs: Mars opposition Saturn square Jupiter. Mars-Saturn people are hard workers, uncompromising and sometimes unforgiving. It is here we find Kamala, the Pitbull (or the Brat)!

At this point in time, Harris’s solar arc progressed Saturn has reached her Moon and is opposing her Sun, suggesting she has arrived at a pivotal point in her life, a point at which she is to be sorely tested. There are dangers ahead, even a potential loss of face, but depending upon her actions, she can come through the trials and accept the Saturnian responsibilities that are to be thrust upon her.

Transiting Saturn is currently opposing her trio of planets in the fourth house – Venus, Pluto and Uranus. A lesser mortal might collapse under the burden of this transit, but I suspect we shall see Kamala triumphing over adversity, or at least giving it a mortal wound.

Pluto is another figure on her astrological landscape, squaring her Mercury and separating from her Sun. Pluto strips away veneers. There is nowhere to hide and, while a Pluto transit can vaunt you into high office and accordingly transform your life, it can also do the reverse. By solar arc progression, Pluto is conjoined to Neptune, ruler of her tenth house of career and role in life.

Transformation indeed.

So, the big question. Can Kamela beat Donald Trump (or whomever she must meet on the fifth November)?

Short and sweet. Yes, she can.

Friday Bite: 19 July 2024

Divine Madness

Trump – Biden – Full Moon in Capricorn

“President Trump is a transformational figure, a man of destiny who God providentially saved from death on Saturday. He’s been given a special mission in our country. God’s providential hand has elevated Donald Trump to a different status.”  Ed Tarpley. Louisiana delegate, Republican.

“Trump wears the armour of God.” Steve Banon.

“I’m not supposed to be here tonight… In a certain way, I felt very safe because I had God on my side” Donald Trump.

A WEEK IS a long time in politics. I have had cause to resort to this cliché a couple of times over recent weeks, in large part because of the elections that have reshaped the political landscape in the United Kingdom and France. There were also events in the United States that inspired a whole new conversation about President Biden. Then, overnight, everything changed.

On Saturday evening, at 18:12 in Butler, Pennsylvania, shots rang out. The former president was seen to clutch his ear before being forced to the ground by secret service agents. The scene that unfolded was the stuff of movies. As Mr Trump was bundled off the podium, he paused and thrust his fist defiantly into the air. “Fight, fight, fight!” All this rolled out against the background of the American flag. Iconic doesn’t cut it.

Here is a picture of that moment.

Those of you who read last week’s Friday Bite and watched my video We Stand at a Crossroads will already know that I had suggested Mr Trump should “beef up his security” and “hunker down”, that he would come “under attack” and his Teflon coating was to be tested.

It was not just his Teflon coating.

There have been times when major astrological configurations have failed to preside over life-defining events, although further down the line we discover that crucial decisions and pivotal moves were being made at that very time. Take 9-11 for instance. The ignored memo that warned of an impending attack by Bin Laden was sent on an all-critical alignment on 6 August 2001, yet the Twin Towers came down over a month later on a relatively sunny astro-scape.

Prediction is an imperfect business. However, we astrologers should be prepared to put our money where our mouths are – and without scaring the pants off people who are in the public eye. We must choose our words carefully. The image of the wounded lion I placed at the top of my Friday Bite was full of symbolism. And not just in regard to Donald Trump.

A picture tells a thousand words.

Almost a week after the attempted assassination, it is becoming clear that there was a massive failure on the part of the secret services. We now know secret service snipers had spotted the gunman on the roof of the American Glass Building twenty minutes before he opened fire. The building was some 150 yards from the podium and the shooter had a clear line of fire. The mystery is not why Thomas Matthew Crookes took it upon his twenty-year-old self to assassinate a former president, but how he managed to get on the roof and release several shots in full view of law enforcement, the secret service and many of the attendees.

This was no conspiracy though, simply an incredible catalogue of failures.

Thomas Crookes was born on 20 September, 2003. I have set up a sunrise chart for him since we have no time of birth. The angles of the chart would have been a great help in diagnosing the whys and wherefores of his actions, but a close Mars-Uranus conjunction tells us he had a short fuse, was a good shot, courageous and prone to taking leaps of faith. That he made his move on a Mars-Uranus conjunction that was applying to a square of his natal Mars and Uranus is a perfect example of the resonance factor at work in astrology.

Yet more resonances are evident in the connection between Crookes’ Mars-Uranus conjunction and Donald Trump’s natal chart: it is precisely conjunct the former president’s Descendant. We could almost say, Crookes was destined to be the former president’s nemesis.

Neptune is another key player in the astrology. Crooke’s progressed Neptune was conjunct his natal Mars-Uranus conjunction while transiting Neptune was opposing his Sun. What we might take away from this is that he was a deeply confused young man who had been underestimated and victimized most of his life and this was his way of righting wrongs. And perhaps his way of making his mark. Hours before he set out with his father’s AR-15 rifle he posted a message on the gaming platform, Steam, “July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds”.

Like many young men who take to firing bullets to prove their point, Crookes was a loner and reportedly bullied and ridiculed. As Seamus Hughes, National Counterterrorism Centre, University of Nebraska, opined, “Some people want to become infamous or they just want to watch the world burn.”

Neptune is also resonating with Donald Trump’s chart.

As you will see from the above chart, aside from the Mars-Uranus conjunction, which is perched on his natal Midheaven, at the moment of the shooting, the Midheaven was conjunct his natal Neptune (5 degrees Libra) while his progressed Neptune (20 degrees Sagittarius) was conjoined to his South Node and the Moon, and opposed to the Sun. (Trump was born on a lunar eclipse.) Also of significance: the Ascendant at the time of the assassination attempt (15 degrees Sagittarius) was squaring Saturn and the Part of Fortune, which in turn were squaring Trump’s natal Uranus.

Five degrees of Libra (his natal Neptune) has become a significant degree for Mr Trump. It was the degree of the lunar eclipse on 25 March this year. (And, as I often say, the signature of an eclipse can imprint itself on the chart of an event that occurs months after or before it.) On 25 March, an appeals court reduced the $454 million bond the former president was required to post in order to protect his assets while he appealed the civil fraud trial judgement against him. Within hours of that victory, his net worth rose by billions when his media company was listed on the New York Stock exchange.

Neptune could be said to be the God particle. It is the planet that invites us into the realm of spirit and soul. We go beyond the boundaries of the physical world with Neptune. However, while it is the planet of the divine it is also the planet of deception. That natal Neptune has played such a prominent role in recent events for Mr Trump certainly supplies a reason to believe a divine hand is at work. Then again, depending upon your viewpoint, maybe there is a whole other force at work…

Sunday’s full moon, as I have pointed out on my channel, will form an inconjunction with Trump’s Ascendant, as will Pluto and Neptune, creating a Finger of God configuration. Aside from this alignment setting the seal on his candidature for the presidency, it most certainly echoes the sentiments of millions of MAGA followers that he is divinely protected, the saviour of America.

SUNDAY’S FULL MOON could also play a pivotal part in President Biden’s decision as to whether he will step down or continue to campaign for a second term.

The above chart has my red pen scrawled across it in the hopes that you will see the transits and solar arc progressions that are currently in play. The most significant transit is Pluto’s square to his natal moon, which has been instrumental in so much of the turmoil and controversy that has haunted his term in office, and which is the focus of Sunday’s full moon. Also, highly significant, is transiting Saturn’s conjunction to Mr Biden’s IC, which suggests not only a period of struggle and pain, but that time has run out. Solar arc progressed Saturn is squaring his natal Uranus in the seventh house while transiting Mars conjoins Uranus, both of which are indicative of the conflict he is experiencing at the hands of his “partners”.

Since the disastrous television debate on 27 June, calls for President Biden to step down have come from all corners of the Democratic party. Thus far, he has stood firm on his intention to continue to serve the American people and lead the party into the election. However, on Wednesday, Adam Schiff, California congressman, called on the president to “pass the torch”. The following day, it came to light that two more top Democrats – Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries – have met separately with Mr Biden and urged him to consider stepping down. Former House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, has been vocal in her belief that Biden should go.

With these developments coming at this time, in the shadow of Mars conjunct Uranus, Mercury square Uranus and a full moon in Capricorn conjunct Pluto and squaring his natal Moon, all the signs are that the fight is over. And, as I have suggested in previous Friday Bites, President Biden could well make his announcement to step down this weekend.

I have set the above chart from the perspective of Washington since I believe what happens at this time – and I am including the Trump assassination and his anointing at the Republican convention – is pivotal to the future of America.

This full moon, conjunct Pluto, is conjunct the US natal Pluto. (America is going through its Pluto return and reinventing itself.) This full moon marks an ending. An ending we are seeing played out in the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee and in the political demise of President Biden.

The United States is in the process of becoming a new version of itself. The old Republican Party is dead and a new one arising in its place. Going are the democratic principles America was founded upon and in are coming nationalism, protectionism and a whole lot of other isms that will turn the United States into a fortress or a prison under the rule of an autocratic president.

On Thursday, as Donald Trump accepted his nomination for the presidency in front of a jubilant and adoring throng, President Biden was diagnosed with Covid and announced he would be in isolation for a short period.

Whether or not the president has Covid, this withdrawal coming at such a time and under such alignments, is ominous. It may be only a matter of hours before Joe Biden addresses the country.

It is always a sad moment when once great lions must acknowledge they have lost the battle with time.