CHART BELOW
DATELINE FRIDAY SEPT. 21, 2001 1:12AM PDT Eugene, Oregon I am writing Part V of this Attack on America series about 6 hours after the end of the President's speech to a joint session of Congress. In this article, I need to present some important ideas that relate to President Bush's momentous address to the nation.
THE SPEECH BY PRESIDENT BUSH
Focused; inspired; very nearly perfect. His most brilliantly expressed talk ever without question. He rose to the occasion and seemed almost Churchillian in stature. Of course, the speech was written by experts, but it needed the right delivery. He gave it the right touch; he looked clear and in control. Everything went well. I just wish he had given it, say, last Friday night or Sunday night to comfort the nation earlier and rally our spirits BEFORE the NYSE and other markets opened this past Monday, falling terribly. My sense is that markets now will begin the process of gaining strength, but perhaps only to regain the supreme financial losses of the past four days.
While the speech was supposed to start at 9PM EDT Sept. 20, he didn't start talking until 9:06PM EDT and really didn't get to the main substance until a couple of minutes later. At that point, the rising degree was 17 Taurus. It seemed like the universe was having him wait until some important cosmic reality would hit. Here is that cosmic reality. 17 Taurus rising, symbolized in Dane Rudhyar's An Astrological Mandala (of Sabian Symbols) in the following manner: "A Symbolical Battle Between 'Swords' and 'Torches.' Keynote: Refusing to depend upon the past, the seeker turns warrior, fighting anew the eternal 'Great War.'" Later on in the interpretation, Rudhyar says this: "The spiritual light within the greater Soul must struggle against the ego-will that only knows how to use the power of this material and intellectual world. There is no possibility of escape; it is the energy that arises out of the present moment -- the inescapable NOW -- that the daring individual has to use in this struggle."
What or who are the "swords" and "torches?" There are many dualities within these images. The Statue of Liberty, rising so close to the WTC, holds the torch of liberty and freedom. There is an eternal flame that burns at JFK's grave in Arlington National Cemetery. But we also remember the torch-lit mass rallies of the Nazis during the rise of totalitarianism during the 1930s in Germany. The flaming sword of the Archangel Michael is a great symbol of divine truth and power in metaphysical literature. Excalibur was King Arthur's magical sword in England's Camelot -- "He who pulls this sword shall be King of all Britain...". However, the history of the sword is usually a violent one, where it is used as a weapon of death, warfare and terror. The battle may represent that between West and East, Christianity/Judaism vs. Islam, although no one wants it, believes that or hopes that ever happens, after the ordeals of the Crusades in the Middle East 800-1000 years ago.
However, there is more on the horizon of the President's moving address than merely a zodiacal degree. The Moon was setting at 17+ Scorpio and right at the midpoint of the Sun and Mars! The Sun (light; power; heart) at 29 Virgo had already set a couple of hours before. Mars (war) exalted in Capricorn (and conjunct the 9th house cusp of international affairs) was beginning its move into the 8th house of death, transformation and the unknown. Nevertheless, think of this awesome planetary picture that was exact within 7 minutes of arc: Sun/Mars=Moon on the Horizon! The Moon symbolizes the public consciousness needing a jolt and getting it in Scorpio. The Sun and Mars on that Moon connect to the subject matter at hand -- the Sun (America's life force) is going to war (Mars)!
But there was more. Two other midpoint structures revealed their potent celestial significance. The beneficent Venus/Jupiter midpoint was right on America's Lunar North Node (6+ Leo) from July 4, 1776. Simultaneously, the sobering, serious and persevering Sun/Saturn midpoint was exactly at the same place! The USA natal North Node is our future and positive destiny point. And President Bush's speech contained both elements -- the fact that we are going to be victorious (Venus/Jupiter) in this future war/battle and that we needed to prepare for losses, sadness and sacrifice (Sun/Saturn). Keep in mind that during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, continuing now and on into the near future, Neptune (religious fanaticism; ideals; imagination; visions; mass movements; mass economic cycles and themes) has been sitting on America's South Lunar Node (6+ Aquarius) -- adding to the intensity and deeper meaning of this speech to the nation and the world.
On a personal level, I have never been a George W. Bush supporter, but at that moment he seized the initiative and matured into a real President for the nation and the leader of the free world. I only hope he carries that momentum on into the future. Note that because his Sun is exactly conjunct America's Sun (13+ Cancer), he -- like the nation -- will be having three Jupiter transits (success; opportunity; good fortune; expansion of consciousness) over his Sun in the months ahead. The last time he and the nation had such a Jupiter hit was in June 1990 and it was quick, occurring only once. In previous Parts to this series, I have discussed some of this. But the President's exact Jupiter crossings over his Sun will occur on Sept. 27-29, 2001, Dec. 5-8, 2001 and May 16-18, 2002. One highlight in the speech was his showing a police badge (shield) from George Howard, a fallen NYC officer who lost his life helping those at the WTC on Sept. 11, 2001. The badge was given to the President by the policeman's mother (signifying zodiacal Cancer, the President's Sun-sign). Solar Cancerians are strongly connected to mothers, the home and roots. Now that America itself (its homeland and main home cities -- NYC and Washington, DC) has been hit for the first time since the War of 1812 (when the British burned our White House), it is perfect to have George W. Bush as our President. To be a Cancer (the Crab) is to naturally want protection (the Crab shell), shielding, coverage. Hence, the President's near obsession recently about the Missile Defense Shield -- which will naturally be another development over the next few years, as a further "protective shield" over our nation against rogue nuclear terrorism. Note: During the speech, the President made another big move, by executive order, concerning "home" (Cancer) by his naming Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge as the new Secretary of Homeland Security (talk about Cancer!), a Cabinet level position.
A few more thoughts on the speech. America's Pluto degree (27+ Capricorn) was at the Midheaven of the chart. Pluto connects to death-rebirth, extremes, lack of negotiation or debate, will, purpose, and ruthless use of nightmarish powers. Venus (victory; search for a return to peace) was conjunct one of the great stars in the sky -- Regulus, the little King of the constellation of Leo, at 30 degrees of that sign. In Esoteric Astrology by Alice A. Bailey (overlighted by the Tibetan Master D.K.), there is the following statement on page 300: "The influences of Sirius, three in number, are focused in Regulus, which is, as you know, a star of the first magnitude and which is frequently called 'the heart of the Lion.'" And President Bush's Sun at 13+ Cancer is united with the zodiacal influence of the great star Sirius! Sirius relates to Cosmic Love/Wisdom (the 2nd Ray in Esoteric terminology); Regulus (which was using Venus as a "step-down" energy at the speech) is linked celestially to Sirius. An unusual cosmic circuit occurred at this address, which is a good reason why it was so electrifying and enlightening for the American people and freedom-lovers all over the globe. Jupiter (America's chart ruler and significator of gains and success; ruler of the sky) was now less than 1/2 degree to our Sun placement from July 4, 1776.
In WTPE astrology journal, in two issues last year, I indicated that President Bush is going to have a rocky time in 2003. I will be explaining this again in a new series of articles to appear in the new magazine-format of Planet Earth Astrology on this web site in the next few weeks. Now that America has been attacked and our President has grown in stature, he is also becoming much more of an international target from those who want to do ill to our nation. Accordingly, security around the President will be tightened to a degree never seen before in our history. Did you notice that VP Cheney was not sitting behind the President, where he would normally be located at such an address? This was done deliberately in the wake of the terrorism. It's being said that the two of them will rarely -- if ever! -- be together in any public way in the future.
Safety and security themes are clearly related to the asteroid Vesta. I explained this very carefully in a previous Part in this series. It is noteworthy that the USA Vesta from July 4, 1776 is at 19+ Taurus. This is the only planetary body in that sign when the USA came into existence and it was that area of Taurus (and the USA Vesta by extension) that was rising as the President stood before Congress, the nation and the world, and described how we would restore our security and safety in the weeks, months and years ahead. Vesta is also our National Security agencies (like the CIA, FBI, NSA) which have been and will remain super-active in this greatest criminal search in the history of America. Some of you may remember that back in October 1994, America experienced its first Secondary Progressed New Moon in 30 years. The degree of that union -- starting a new 30-year cycle on inner levels for our country -- was 19+ Aquarius. That is exactly squaring our natal Vesta. I said then -- in WTPE, Fall 1994 -- that over the next three decades our nation would be tested in terms of safety and security like never before. This 19+ Aquarius Progressed New Moon for America in 1994 also occurred right on the Ascendant in the chart for the First Powered Airflight by the Wright Brothers on December 17, 1903. [This is a chart we will examine in the next Part.]
Where was the potent and disturbing Saturn-Pluto polarity at this speech? Striking the 2nd and 8th house cusps very closely. Amplified by Vesta, itself so close to Saturn, we see a cosmic statement about the recent catastrophe to our nation's economy (second house ruling money, banks, material resources, assets) and the international world of high finance (eighth house ruling other countries' funds; IMF and World Bank, which recently canceled their meetings for late September, due to fears of violence; the flow and circulation of world trade, goods, oil, supplies, etc).
In our next installment, I will take a look at Pakistan's chart and that for the birth of the "Age of Flight," but let's end this session with a focus on Mercury. Mercury links with words, information, language. The President has not been known as a great thinker or intellectual giant. But something magical happened on this night in his life -- affecting us all. The President was born on July 6, 1946 with Leo rising and a Mercury-Pluto conjunction almost exactly rising. His natal Mercury and Pluto are separated by only 3/4 of a degree! A person born with Mercury on the Ascendant is usually very verbal, outspoken and good with words. Perhaps the President has had a problem with language for many decades because he never had to LIFT HIMSELF UP DURING AN EXTREME CRISIS [PLUTO!] and now that America is being hit by one of its greatest crises -- certainly the strongest since JFK had to face the nuclear Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 -- President Bush has "found his voice" (Mercury conjunct Pluto). It's a voice (Mercury) that will lead us in a war against world-wide terrorism (Pluto).
Perhaps this is President Bush's destiny and that's why he, rather than VP Al Gore, had to be in the executive seat of power at this time. We will probably never know the truth of this. And there is still the so-called "curse" of presidents being elected at Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions in earth signs not leaving the presidency alive during the past 160 years. [Important: When America was born on July 4, 1776, there was one major planetary polarity (not including Chiron opposite Juno). That polarity was Mercury retrograde in Cancer opposite Pluto retrograde in Capricorn. It is and has been a big part of our financial, political, social and international struggle (tug of war psychologically) as a nation for 225 years. President Clinton (born on Aug. 19, 1946 -- just about six weeks after President George W. Bush] has a Mercury-Pluto union in Leo that has a 4-degree orb. He almost decided to go after Osama bin Laden and his terrorist cells/network earlier in the 1990s. But it is now left to our current President, with an almost exact Mercury-Pluto conjunction, to lead that war. He represents the "answer" to our nation's need to unify the warring principles of Mercury and Pluto when our nation came into existence. This reveals how spiritual destiny -- via the will of the electorate -- often directs the choice of presidents!]
Some news analysts -- while praising the President's speech almost universally -- did say it was one of the more bellicose speeches ever by an American president. But that's exactly what had to be expressed -- America is going to war. It is highly significant in this regard that transiting Mercury (trade; business; transportation) -- the planet that was exactly rising in NYC when the first plane slammed into the WTC on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 -- was located at 24+ Libra during the speech. America's natal Mercury is at 24+ Cancer. Thus, Mercury in the sky was making a precise "First Quarter Square" to its own placement from July 4, 1776! What an appropriate symbol! -- as the "First Quarter Phase" is considered universally as a "crisis in action"! This speech was a clarion call (Mercury) to action, during a major crisis, given by a President born with a Mercury-Pluto union rising. It was a speech I'll never forget and I'm sure one that will be remembered by our nation for the rest of the "terrorist decade" of the 21st century.
Copyright 2001 by Mark Lerner and Great Bear, Enterprises, Ltd. All rights reserved.
[Mark Lerner is the publisher of Welcome to Planet Earth journal. To reach him, please send an e-mail to markgobear@aol.com You can also write to: Mark Lerner, PO Box 12007, Eugene OR 97440. Please also see our Special Offer To Friends Of Planet Earth Astrology at the top of our Index Page for various services, discounts and important information.]
