Astrology of Now: Beauty and Terror
Gorgon’s Head from 4th century BC. Wikimedia Commons.
“Why is it we are so emotional about this game?” asked the man sitting next to me, biting passionately into a chunk of tortilla.
“Because it is a beautiful game,” I replied, as we watched the black and white ball slide perfectly off the foot of a Spanish player clad in glowing red. “The players weave a spell across the emerald-green pitch. It’s art and synchrony.” Not always true, of course, but the England v. Spain final on Sunday was rather lovely, and strummed the heartstrings enough so that we found ourselves leaping to our feet and shouting with joy — twice for my new friend and just one and a half times for me, an England supporter of the most fair-weather kind.
Football is itself an archetype, a formal rivalry that is resolved in peace. It is both Venusian — graceful, artistic and co-operative — and Martial — a test of strength, the will to win, courage and endurance. Of course, it’s not perfect: cheating, arguing with the referee, sulks, tantrums abound, but more often than not, the best team does win the tournament. And it was so in this case, the Spanish squad won elegantly. And, of course, the melancholy of not winning is also very lovely.
Politics
The world of politics could learn a thing or two from football: accepting the referee’s decision, following the off-side rule, settling a battle peacefully, bringing on young talent, playing gracefully, conceding defeat, synchronising with other players, passing the ball, co-operation, admiration for others skills.
Which brings me to the other event of the weekend: the attempted assassination of Donald Trump at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. That was the subject of some heated discussion at the short OA Salon before the match on Sunday 14 July, and in a nutshell here is what I shared then.
If you follow much astrology on-line, you will probably already have seen the chart for the shooting on Saturday, in which one man, Corey Comperatore, was killed and several other people, including Trump were injured.
Transiting Mars-Uranus, and the fixed star Algol, are all on the midheaven of Donald Trump’s chart. Uranus, the disruptor, has been there for a while, Algol, the Demon Star, is a fixed star so she is always there — and Mars, blood and bullets, came along to trigger the whole thing. The midheaven of our charts is our most public self. Trump is also experiencing a powerful Jupiter transit approaching his Sun, which may be another factor in his current extraordinary fame and visibility. Also extraordinarily, the shooter also was born with a tight conjunction of Mars and Uranus (20 September 2003).
Algol is associated with Medusa, the snake-haired goddess whose gaze turns men to stone. In Greek legend, she was a priestess of the goddess of wisdom Athena, who was raped in her temple by the sea god Poseidon, and punished by the goddess for this disrespect by being turned into a monster. The Greek gods are never fair. Algol is associated with death by decapitation, just as Medusa was killed by the hero Perseus in the legend. In Chinese astrology, this same fixed star is part of a group they call “Mausoleum”. It was long misidentified as the one called “Piled Up Corpses” by westerners, but that cheerful name belongs to a different star in that constellation according to Ian Ridpath. Both the legend of Medusa and the image of Mausoleum associate death with stone though. In the Medusa’s case, petrifaction is caused by her look. And speculating symbolically, one of the fascinating aspects of the event was the frozen moment, the image of Trump bloodied and raising his fist. Sudden death, the frozen moment, came also for two people, the shooter and Mr Comperatore, who died shielding his family.
Was the monster’s head literally transited by Mars, bullets?
Mars triggered Uranus, and Trump is a Uranian figure, literally a disruptor himself. One of the standout features of his chart is the incredibly lucky trine between Uranus, and Jupiter. This is the Teflon Don aspect, and it is perfect. On this occasion, Trump demonstrated that astonishing luck. If he had not glanced away at that very moment, he might have been shot in the head. He also demonstrated an astounding (Uranian) ability to rebound, having the presence of mind to allow the crowd to see his face, after emerging from a pile of security people, and raise his fist. He may not have been aware that this would become an instantly iconic image, but he certainly instinctively knew that the crowd needed to know he was still in fighting form. Mars, which by transit triggered Uranus and Algol, also triggered Trump’s own Mars (by square aspect). And his response to fear appears to be anger. This is not uncommon. It’s fight or flight, and Trump fights. Mars Rising in Leo.
There is yet more Uranus involved too. By transit, Jupiter, the magnifier, is just two degrees from the US natal Uranus, expanding the country’s capacity to shock itself when it looks in the mirror. It’s like a carnival mirror right now, distorted.
We shall see what unfolds from this. There are just two things of which I am certain at this point.
The first is that this begins something. This is not a culmination, or an ending, although it is certainly the result of the violent language used by politicians and public figures in the USA, notably by Donald Trump himself. In fact, in some ways, his own words — for example, his encouragement of the 6 January Insurrection and mocking of the hammer attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband — have come back to haunt him. The effect of this event will be felt for a long time to come — and because this is Uranian, they may be suprising. This brush with death will also change the man himself, how he sees himself and how others see him.
I try to avoid alarmist astrology, since it’s not really helpful. However, we are at a historical inflection point in 2024. Choices made now will change the course of history. We have already seen that around the world with the great democratic shift, which I wrote about in my last post. But democracies can move in more than one direction as they evolve. The danger of autocracy is real in America: just look at the current Supreme Court.
It is very obvious to friends of the USA who look in from the outside that the polarisation taking place is extremely dangerous. The country must find a way to come together. For different reasons, neither of the current candidates can do this.
Astrologically speaking, the second thing I am certain of is this. This shooting was America’s shadow coming out to play in the daylight. Murdering politicians has been an American past-time at least since the death of Alexander Hamilton in 1804, shot in a duel by his long-time rival Aaron Burr.
Right now, Black Moon Lilith is directly on the US Midheaven. The whole world saw the wild, untamed aspect of America without its magical Hollywood cloak in that shooting.
In the US natal chart, Lilith conjoins Neptune, the mystic and illusionist, myth-maker and magician, right at the top of the sky. This is partly a significator of the American ability to turn dark history into compelling stories: westerns, film noir, HP Lovecraft and Stephen King; partly the spell cast across the nation’s history by religious fervour. There are other effects of this combination, but these two will do for now. In this event, we’ll see them working together. A story will be woven of miracle and near-martyrdom.
Currently, that natal Neptune-Lilith is receiving an opposition from transiting Neptune across the IC. It’s been going on for several years, washing the sand away from the foundations of the country. In some ways, revealing the mythic basis of received ideas: cowboys & Indians, manifest destiny, good cops, guns, exceptionalism.
Addendum
As I finished writing this, the news of Trump’s choice for Vice President, JD Vance, came through. Vance (2 August 1984), among many other accomplishments, wrote the best-selling memoir Hillbilly Elegy. He is a born storyteller. His Neptune? It’s at 29° Sagittarius, conjoined by a hugely ambitious Jupiter out of sign in early Capricorn, so very exaggerated. Currently, it’s being squared by transiting Neptune. His Lilith? 26° Pisces, currently conjoined by Neptune and squaring his own Neptune. It’s a tangle in the signs most prone to excess..
And so, after eight years at the top, successfully transforming the England team from non-entities to contenders, the England manager Gareth Southgate, a thoughtful Virgo, resigned today. While tantrum-tossing toddlers were running the actual government, it was a balm to have a grown-up gentleman guiding this game-obsessed country’s squad. Bye-bye Gareth, may your waistcoat be ever immaculate, and your temper always even!
Fascinating post Christina. Thank you for writing it. It does feel like the beginning of something. I was also looking into this today and went on something of a geeky deep dive into Neptune cycles and the US on my blog. There does seem to be a link to assassinations, which you allude to as well. I also hope the country finds a way to come together. Interesting and historically important times ahead.
A beautifully written piece ! Thank you x
Thanks so much, from this frightened first gen German American struggling to center herself. Whew. The feeling of existential dread is not unique to me and my circle of people, I can assure you.
Another great article Christina, I have been fascinated by the Uranus, Mars, Algol conjunction. I was worried about accidents last Monday but didn’t expect the shooting in the run up to it!
There was a related interesting Radio 4 film radio show last week about the history of Westerns in film. It’s called Screenshot with Mark Kermode and Ellen E Jones. There is a modern resurgence of Westerns with Beyonce and new films but they are inclusive and modern. Perhaps related to Neptune! (I am a highly Neptunist person and I love it! Fortunately I don’t have the addictive part of it). The 60’s hey day of the films, soon became frowned upon in the 70’s, where the depictions of the original guardians of the land had such an offensive depiction. (The spaghetti Westerns of the 70’s changed that part out). Also they talked to an American historian about the erased history of Black cowboys. It’s a genre that won’t go away and people love films of the wild open land but those 60’s films are offensive and an untrue depiction of indigenous peoples. I think it’s interesting in relation to your idea about stories, America had the white male heroes of the land back then. They were myths.
I listened to this too. I always hated westerns as a child because I was on the side of the “Indians”, who were so clearly being totally abused even though their depiction was as “savages”. Children know when something is unfair.
I read a review of Vance’s book, which said it was cold-hearted at the core. He didn’t make anything better, he just got out.
He has been quoted as saying that he wanted to use it to lift others out of that kind of life, but… all talk and no action. No surprise there.
I am currently listening to Hard Times read by Martin Jarvis. It’s an amazingly accurate description of certain current political attitudes on the right. JD Vance is a bit Josiah Bounderby — a “self-made man”. Highly recommend. It’s free on audible.