Across the Great Divide

"I'm sorry to say this, but as an Independent first who found Obama's call to change refreshing and needed at this time ... the left does have it's share of extremists who refuse to see the other side of the argument. This may be news to some ... but the American people are actually in the center."

The USA has a natal Saturn in Libra: the lesson of equal and opposite. My theory is that the two party system is a way to reach this destiny for now. Sometimes separation and civil discord are necessary, while other times, discussion and agreement are the best choices. After years of extreme right wing rule, it appears as though the pendulum is swinging back, although with a slight variation. I think the right might be coming with the swing. Saturn returns to its natal position in two years as progressed Mars turns retrograde in Libra and also heads in the direction of natal Saturn. Some sort of balancing centricity could be in order.

The president is the ambassador to the world and overseer of domestic activity, not in charge of Congress. So often liberals can accomplish more in the field. The jobs are specific and plentiful and people do best within their own capacities. Many liberals think that their favorite person can do a job well simply because that individual is the "most progressive".

But what good is a healthcare plan if it doesn't get passed? How can the competing interests come to agreements? Unyielding divides thwart if not paralyze the process. And now there are so many problems to be solved after years of impasse, that working together might be the only solution. It takes more than policy position to get good legislation enacted.

"Frankly, I don't want a candidate who is in the pocket of anyone -- lobbyists, fundamentalists or progressive bloggers. Obama's purpose is not to appease the particular programs of individuals. He's running for the President of the United States."

Some Information That Might Interest You

"I haven't expressed outrage or Barack-adoration during this whole debate because I have consistently felt - and still feel - that I don't understand enough yet to have an informed opinion, as opposed to just adopting the one everyone else has."
Snarkyspice

I finally came across a good discussion of the FISA bill. I figured there was some maneuvering in motion within the context of a larger picture....

The question, as a matter of political strategy, is how and when to do that work. I don't think this particular bill - which provides no protection whatever from the misuse of FISA - is worth the political capital. As a matter of fixing real problems, and Democrats positioning themselves to fix real problems, this bill is "not the hill to die on."

Good strategy means carefully choosing which battles you fight, and when, so you have the best chance of actually solving some problem. Fighting over this (frankly!) trivial bill seems a waste of our time and energy, because it won't preserve our Fourth Amendment protections regardless. I do want to have a national debate on civil liberties, safeguarding our constitutional rights, and the like. But I'd like that debate to happen in the context of a bill that would have some real impact, and offer some real protections. I don't want to flail away at pseudo-protections thrown up by the GOP in order to distract us from the more threatening intrusions they'd like us to take for granted. Leaning on FISA as if it were the final bastion of the Constitution is leaning on a rubber crutch.

This bill, even if it denied telecoms immunity, wouldn't protect you one iota ... so long as secret, non-reviewable FISA warrants can be used in criminal prosecutions. And we simply don't have the forces on the field to win that battle yet. We'll need both a Democratic president and at least 60 Democratic senators to get that battle won. I suspect that pragmatic political calculation is exactly why Barack Obama has spoken and will act as he does. He knows where the real battle is, and he wants to be positioned to fight and win it.

The whole diary is here. The issue of security and privacy is going to continue for some time. Some people think that secrecy will prevail to the people's detriment but then I ask you, "Why is this out in the open now?" The windows are multi-directional. We've barely begun. If fear were just a fraction of the experience, then education would be the real thing that prevails. Learning about our government is the valuable off-shoot and that's going to gain more and more momentum, judging from this informative and reasonable discourse.

The Angel's Herb or the Devil's Weed?

The bitter with the sweet. Nothing is pure, it seems, in this world. Nothing wholly good or bad. Now it turns out that certain elements in cannabis could be antidotes against cancer. If you're going to live your life cancer-free in this fashion be sure to have plenty of sweets around.

Nurse Jill, the Angel

She's back with her THC: Tender Hearted Care, also known as the active ingredient in cannabis, or ganga as it's known in the great nation of India. Ganga is as old as woman and man herself and himself. I wonder if the Bonobos know something about it. In India, bhang lassis, a very popular beverage, are available for anyone interested in well being -- ganga mixed with yogurt and a healthy dose of sugar. Anti-cancer, anti-anxiety, and pro-Constitutional. Nurse Jill is an expert in cure using the most benign medicines available, all in her little magic bag. She's always on call, and don't worry about being tapped. She's legal.

The Omnipresent i

There was a young lady from Fisa

Whose wires were tapped in disguisa

She was soon driven mad

Lost all the sense that she had

But can anyone really criticisa?

The Fickle Sun

Those of you familiar with me know that I'm not much for maintenance. I clean only what's necessary, on occasion, and I don't have a yard. Mowing would be out of the question as would be watering. Through the years, though, I've gardened when I could, and when I moved to the city I had flowers on my balcony every summer. My latest home is weird.

I get late afternoon sun and now my trees are shading even that, so my petunias did nothing. Zip. Ridiculous. And I'm not crazy about shade plants. So I said, "Aw, to hell with it," and I put some fake ivy out there. No watering at all. Complete freedom. Perfect.

But still, every year I come to this point and ask myself, "Should I get some pansies or something?
Or should I get another fake something or other and preserve my freedom?"

I'll take a look around this evening.

The Realm of Imagination

Sun in Cancer

The Sun is in Cancer once again. Like a flashlight shining under a rock alarms, Cancer likes her privacy and the hot glare of the Sun can send her scurrying. It's no wonder that the subject of "public" privacy came bounding to the forefront.

It's the ancient battle between the light of day and the cover of night, where senses rule and non-linear, non-rational experience dominates. When the two meet, mysterious images come into the light seeking conscious appraisal. Hidden feelings emerge for recognition. As a Cancer I've battled all my life with exposure. Does the sun kill the essence of dreams and my rich imaginary world, or does it add vitality and meaning? Mercury has just gone direct in Gemini becoming the hook for these fears looking for events as a road to understanding.

Obama has terrified the Netroots Community on the issue of privacy. The Constitution has become a copy of Moses' tablet imbued with extreme mystical power that must be obeyed with dictatorial force. Never mind that it is a flawed document created by imperfect beings. All forgotten in this mighty imaginary world. Privacy is God. The Constitution is now the umbilical savior. The 4th Amendment, 4th planet Cancer, 4th house. With 4 planets in Cancer, yes, the United States is concerned with privacy. The Sun is just crossing Obama's Venus soon to transit the USA stellium. The deity of light is illuminating as he usually does.

What are they really afraid of? Constitutional violations? Every rule is destined to be violated. The Holy Book has been ejected, after diabolical acts, into the netherworlds they say, and we are doomed without mercy, but it's much more primordial than that.

Cancer governs human instinct, unschooled response. What people are grappling with is trust. Should we trust this unusual man, the chalice holding our dreams at the moment, or is he just another corrupt politician?
Or is it a mask covering fear of change as the attempt to equate him with the past gears up? Or perhaps the fear of authority has made it imperative to diminish him immediately now that he's emerged triumphant. And, of course, the obsession's basic fact -- the masking of people's fears about their own lives, the only thing that really matters. And the feeling of powerlessness to do anything about it. Enter the 4th Amendment. And the love of wrapping the tongue around anything repeatable ad infinitum en masse unsubstantiated by fact. Oddly like the dreadful media icons. They do so love capital letters and the Z sound.

So the latest conflict has uncovered the truth of feeling and imagination, apart from logical reality. The desperate attempt to rationalize is failing since the omnipotent legislation in question is understood by no one, except perhaps the creators in the inner sanctum. Whether or not Obama is to be trusted is based on individual wiring and response. While some are facing the fear that was always lurking in the subconscious, others are opening up further to trust, as the polls indicate.

Sure, privacy is great. I love it with my Cancer in the 4th house, and my house literally excludes everybody from the outside world, save a few fix-it people. But the second you pick up the telephone and dial, you've given up your privacy and no law can guarantee it. Didn't the people sacrifice it when they got online with windows peering everywhere? Doesn't secrecy work both ways? What is anyone hiding and why? And why find out? But no matter how many wires are tapped and words read, there are crevices in everyone that no one can reach. When the light shines, some entities will scurry into dark spots, others will wiggle around and enjoy the heat. Individual preference.

Cancer also governs the reflective mirror that shows us the reverse dimension of reality. Obama is good at this, and now the flip sides of people's emotional bodies are showing their might. Obama, the angel suddenly became a monster as the Sun entered Cancer. It promises to be fascinating as Mercury transits Gemini and people try to apply logic to their fears while the Sun goes deeper and deeper into Cancer, shining under the rocks exposing their true feelings. A terribly mixed up realm I might add.

What the Presumptive Nominee is doing now is making the political chess moves to get elected. And they're the right ones. Considering his name and skin shade he has to be superb. So FISA is moot at this point, although his judgement of the revised bill is intelligent and his approval and criticisms are based on knowledge.

There are simple political calculations behind the Democratic Party's decisions, such an important victory being rather high priority. Once president he can deal with it appropriately. If unconstitutional, the courts can strike it down, all the more reason for him to take the job and appoint federal judges. There are loopholes so he can pursue the perpetrators if he wants. And he with a Democratic Congress can render most of it impotent. It's solely foreign surveillance and some of it is actually useful. And I believe the tapping is done by computers, those sentient beings, little of the endless chatter contacting human ears.

The Sun is in Cancer for a month .... fears will be felt, then on to Leo, privacy forgotten for the moment, Obama the hero once again with the added knowing dark dimension. Then the nomination and historic speech, and forward we go, the confident pulling the fearful by the hand. Hopefully. Rather than kicking them from behind.
The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of: John Anster

Life and Maintenance

Time for an oil change.

Immune To What?

The Sun is at 29 Gemini exactly opposite Pluto in Sagittarius. Hello??? Communication and power anyone? Shriek!!! The Horror!!

The latest panic in needle park is telecom immunity after violation of privacy. Well, well, well. Communication is a big one. Problems galore. Everybody's problem. Who's telephone is it anyway? Who's foolin' who? Wait a second while I take this call.

The telecom industry was formally given massive power in 1996 and now it's a fact, an old story through all of history ... consolidation of control. The game of monopoly. And we still arrived here safely. Hold on a sec ... another call.

So now we have Pluto in Capricorn to deal effectively with the situation. Aspiring prophets have predicted mysterious enslavement by monstrous corporations or equally monstrous governments when Pluto transits Capricorn but they're forgetting one teensy tiny little fact. Power consolidation is everywhere. People, rulers, small business, big business, the smart, the dumb, you name it.

Meanwhile, talk in whispers if you must. In a quiet place away from the shrieking. Upp! Another call. Excuse me.
Painting: Salvador Dali

Wired Up And Ready To Go

The Mercury Affair

We've established that Obama's Moon in Gemini has him connected to the country, articulating her feelings, wired in everywhere. Sweet-talking and sandbagging in the heartland most recently.
The planet Mercury is Gemini's envoy and describes the mental workings as they play out in the individual's style and life. In Obama's case, Mercury has added influence because of the power of his Gemini Moon.
It's interesting to note that he defers to his staff's decisions quite frequently. He was against the logo for the campaign, for example, but his top political advisor said yes. Obama's speeches and commercials are the exception to the pattern, however. His message is paramount and he wants it to be clear and consistent.

His Mercury is in Leo, fixed and expressive. Fire flickers from his verbal output creating excitement in the solar plexus region of the listeners. The words reach upward in crescendoes that thrill. He radiates with pride and the audience fans the flames. He has theatrical instincts and I hear the man actually gets upset and impatient, snapping even, when the sound system malfunctions. Fire often makes a zealot out of a planet.

The importance is exaggerated by a very close opposition to Jupiter in Aquarius, and here the conflict between dry intellect and fiery emotion comes into play. While tingling on the edge of your seat when Obama orates sometimes, the opposite happens when he speaks in his professorial tone. You could almost fall asleep. Almost. Unless you like that kind of convoluted even explanation. Airy and cool. The Aquarius also causes him to chop his sentences at times in odd places.

The Aquarian Jupiter adds an advanced intelligence, and frankly, I'm surprised he has the patience to talk to the less brainy, which is almost all of us. He's part of the intellectual creative class in America and it looks like that's where the country might be headed:

In 1990, Obama became the first black president of the prestigious Harvard Law Review, a position that usually falls to the student with the sharpest elbows. Obama won by convincing liberals and conservatives alike of the strength of his intellect, the soundness of his judgment and the merit of his vision. "He was certainly the most all-around impressive student I had seen in decades," said Laurence Tribe, a constitutional scholar at Harvard for whom Obama served as a research assistant.
Obama analyzed and integrated Einstein's theory of relativity, the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, as well as the concept of curved space as an alternative to gravity, for a Law Review article that Tribe wrote titled, "The Curvature of Constitutional Space."
Glenn Johnson: Washington Post

Our President?
Jupiter sees the big picture and Mercury the details at hand, so Obama seesaws between these modes. His larger view sometimes includes the whys, wherefores, and hows, other times not as much. Jupiter in the 12th especially has far reaching vision, vast and nonpersonal, so the personal dimension hampers the expression occasionally, although the Leo dramatic aspect fuels inspiration and actually gets people inordinately thrilled about saving fuel and volunteering in the community. Another factor about Aquarius in the 12th is the alternative wavelength often found when Mercury is involved. This makes it virtually impossible for his opponents to play his game and they are out of their element in the campaigns.

You remember that the Gemini Moon was in trine to Jupiter, so this adds more emphasis, and the fact that it rules most of his professional 10th house says that his communication will be a permanent pillar of his governance. The Aquarian element adds experimentation and Obama has some novel ideas about how to use the Internet to speak with the public. He is a strong advocate and user of modern information technology, one of the reasons he's doing so well in his run.

Mercury-Gemini rules his 5th house of children and here is another facet. He seems to have a special love for his daughter Sasha, and she's a Gemini, a source of great joy in his life. They're meant for each other. The opposition suggests that he's conflicted between attention toward her and the responsibility he feels for the collective with Jupiter in the 12th. This struggle, I would imagine, is greater than what is apparent to most. Especially now when she's so young, in her formative years, and he'll be so busy and distracted. There are always regrets.

The Leo and 5th house connection also illustrates Obama's unusually expressive hands. Many Gemini types use their hands but this man's usage is extraordinary. If you study them you'll see a variety not normally observed in people and an abundance of very creative formations. I've been entranced by this sort of mime-like talent he has. He explains himself with his hands just as much as with his words and they seem to be speaking a language all their own. This could be part of why people around the world understand him. Some universal sign language we miss because we speak English. He often puts his thumb and forefinger together and I wonder what that means. Another one is a cuplike formation in the air as if he's grasping something invisible.

As usual, the plot thickens. An elevated Neptune in Scorpio square Mercury is a doozy. Herein lie Obama's powers of mesmerization arousing ecstasy in some, fear and distrust in others. Fortunately, some are neutral. People think all Merc-Neps are lying and deceitful but this is far from correct. I have the square and I never lie. But you can't say for sure. The ability to deceive is usually equal to the talent for being deceived, so a watchful eye is good, although I've found that my bouts with perpetrators have actually turned out to be beneficial in the long run by directing me correctly in ways I wouldn't have myself.
Another factor with Neptune in Scorpio is the depth, intensity, and urgency of his message. He wants to get to the bottom of things, rooting out causes, and healing breakdowns with his Pluto in Virgo. He's very humorous but the serious determined Scorpio can overpower his sense of fun. It does get through, though, especially in intimate settings and with certain goofy interviewers.

Neptune square Mercury can add poetic beauty, music, and a shimmer unique to that deep sea planet. He's carried away by language and feels its mystical nature. It's the road to his vision. He has universal emotional appeal and will do well in global communication. He already is. Neptune in the 9th adds to his cross-cultural multiracial appeal.

The potential prez especially senses the mystical in words with Neptune in the 9th house of religion. He loves and uses religious imagery in his speeches, and describes in his book the overwhelming sensations of experiencing group celebration in a service at Trinity Church. It marked a turning point in his life. He also is subject to intoxication by religious figures, which made it difficult to leave his church when he had to creating a glitch in his vision quest. It will be interesting to see how it reroutes. He does have a need to express spiritual ideals, not an easy task in all the hullaballoo about church and state.

In a few years Saturn will be in Scorpio crossing Neptune squaring his Mercury, then on to his Midheaven. That would be a time to watch. Weight, density, sobriety, responsibility. Doesn't sound like fun, though his Pluto in Virgo won't mind. But if fortune prevails, it could be a time of solidifying and putting visions into practice. This goes along with predictions that he won't be fully implementing his reforms until the second term after the massive clean-up of the first determined by his MC ruler, Pluto, in Virgo, Saturn transiting. His spirits will thrive as long as he has his basketball court installed.:-) And that's another Mercury favorite, I'd bet. Seeing the constantly shifting angles, making quick accurate moves.

So Obama is Mercurial, no doubt about it. He's wired up, ready to go, Internetted, if not vetted to satisfaction, and will likely be the participant in and the subject of many lively conversations. In trickle down fashion, communication in general will be at its height during the Obama years, people improving as time dances on. And there's even a possibility that the American media could see some positive changes. Imitation is a Gemini favorite. They're nervous in Cableland and chattering like birds of nonsense around the clock, wondering if they might be called upon soon to make a keen observation and a coherent analysis. Anything can happen. And no one's job is secure. Change, you know.

Obama, so intellectually sharp and eager to communicate, so good with an audience, is a fantastic teacher. Get your pencils sharpened.

Whose Fault Is It?

The Staple Singers

I admit it. It can get tiresome how many times I say this, but finding the entity that causes people's suffering is impossible. S*He doesn't exist.
It's not the president, the evil dictator, your mother, your spouse, the sheriff, the white, red, or blue man, not even the earth. The business corporations?? Are you kidding? Who really pulls the strings? Where is the root of injustice? Of self-respect?
It's a big system that involves everyone and everything, including the whole conscious and subconscious realms of each individual. We're guided by attraction and repulsion and know not where the source resides. I think in some ways, we have to trust our luck.

Bad things come. They go. Good things come. And then all the in-between. And the moon grows full.

Nina Simone did a great version of the old Blind Willie Johnson tune Nobody's Fault But Mine. It's been covered by a lot of musicians.

Well, it's nobody's fault but mine
Nobody's fault but mine
If I don't read, my soul get lost
Nobody's fault but mine

My mother taught me how to read
My mother taught me how to read
If I don't read, my soul get lost
Nobody's fault but mine

It's nobody's fault but mine
Nobody's fault but mine
If I should die, my soul be lost
It's nobody's fault but mine

The Crossroads

Hermes was the son of Zeus, king of the gods, and the mysterious nymph Maia, also called Mother Night. When Hermes was a baby he toddled out of his cradle and stole a herd of cattle from his brother Apollo, the sun god. To fool Apollo he put on sandals which faced backward, so that the angry god went in the wrong direction looking for the culprit. When Apollo finally confronted him, Hermes presented him with a gift; a lyre he'd made from a tortoiseshell. Hermes flattered his brother with high praise, telling the older god that the gift was meant to honor the sun god's wonderful skill at music. Apollo was so beguiled that he forgot about the cattle, and in return bestowed upon Hermes a gift of his own ... that of divination. So it was that Hermes became the master of the four elements, and eventually taught people the skills of geomancy, pyromancy, hydromancy, and aeromancy; divination by earth, fire, water, and air. He was always worshipped at the crossroads, where statues were erected to honor him and invoke his blessings upon the traveler.

"Hermes, the Magician, is the guide", so says Liz Greene who equates the two. "This means that somewhere within people there is something which has foresight and can divine what direction to take and what choices to make."

The last full moon in Sagittarius conjunct Pluto is upon us. The Sun will form a conjunction with Venus in Hermes-rich Gemini, and Mercury will be just turning direct in same sign. I get the impression that directions are beginning to be defined as Pluto makes this generational transition. In some boss orchestration, when Pluto comes back to 29 late November for the last crossing, the Sun, Moon, Mercury, and Mars will all be conjunct in Sagittarius. What a trip.

My view? Gemini is one of the most underestimated signs in the zodiac. I think they prefer it that way. The fact that they are given carte blanche to travel the worlds freely, upper and lower, has always been my clue. No one else gets to go everywhere. They do know the routes. And mostly, the crossroads, those spots of possibility.
Illustration: Juliet Sharman-Burke

A More Perfect Father

We need fathers to realize that responsibility does not end at conception. We need them to realize that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child – it’s the courage to raise one.

It’s a responsibility that also extends to Washington. Because if fathers are doing their part; if they’re taking our responsibilities seriously to be there for their children, and set high expectations for them, and instill in them a sense of excellence and empathy, then our government should meet them halfway.

Text from Obama's Father's Day speech. Warning! Churchy and moralizing. In keeping with his Gemini-Virgo square, it's critical, detailed, and reminds people of the work that needs to be done, with the focus on education, one of his major Gemini crusades.

Too Smart?

Moon in Gemini square Pluto in Virgo

The moon governs how sense impressions are received and responded to and placed in Gemini the route from feeling to thought is immediate. What they feel is what they think, so they are good at picking up clues in the environment. Sensitive, aware, tuned in to their surroundings, they are multi-directional. There's an innocence and lack of judgement in pure Gemini as the native is excited about life around him and eager to take it all in. He perceives his place from a personal vantage point -- how it relates to him.

Mercury rules trade, travelers, thieves, and the clever ways of dealing with circumstance, often avoiding brutal direct confrontation. Part mime, part sprite they are quick quick quick, and can be evasive, deceptive, tricky, and hard to trap. Some find Gemini moons less than fully trustworthy, but I've never been alarmed by their wily ways myself, considering I have a Venus in Gemini. They are so quick to forget that you can say just about anything to them and get a pass, unless there are other factors involved. They are full opportunists.

Mercury is the messenger and moon in Gemini is the cosmic postman, connecting everything with everyone in the universal nervous system. Always curious, in touch with the latest news and trends, all news is worthy. The grass is ever greener and horizons are in constant motion. They are lively. And owners of a marvelous resilience.

Mercury is the keeper of the crossroads and there is usually a feeling of being on an ongoing trip with these types. The paths are numerous and the choices just as abundant. Places to go, people to see, things to do, and above all, opportunity. They know the ways of the road and serve as handy guides.

Sometimes they are jacks of all trades and Obama fits that description. He was a community organizer, a teacher, a civil rights lawyer, an author, a state Senator, a US Senator, and now is poised to be president of a country. What next?

The moon describes what makes one secure and the Moon in Gemini feels safe in the world of the mind. Sometimes they rely on conversation too much and their high level of nervous energy can fuel the chatter even more. Many have great verbal talent and can articulate from the direct feeling center of the moon, persuading the audience with ease. Some are good mimics and often will pick up phrases to repeat bordering on the cliched. Platitudes or deep truths, all the same. Their lack of discrimination is refreshing to some, annoying to others.

Other people are experienced as siblings and the playground games are ever so enjoyable. As high and mighty as Obama tries to appear, the daily gossip and intrigues are probably appealing, but he certainly won't admit it. He doesn't care for CNN, but where would his Gem moon really be without it?

Gem moons often have-had mothers who were emotionally distant but mentally close. Sometimes the child misses some of the normal nurturing from the mother and he feels compelled to prove how intelligent and clever he is. In my own case with a Venus in Gemini opposite the moon, my mother was always at the neighbor's house in lieu, often, of mothering me. She was proud of my school report cards though. And my teachers loved me. So pleasure came from being smart. Many Gems get along easily with others in their natural sibling way. They also believe they can talk their way out of anything. And many can.

Things get complicated when aspects come into play, and in Obama's case, there's a square to Pluto in Virgo. The usual Gemini non-discrimination goes out the window giving way to Virgo's need to analyze, compartmentalize, and organize, especially with compulsive Pluto involved. Virgo tries to choose what is essential and what to delete. That can be challenging for Gemini who finds everything interesting. Every vantage point worth studying.

When the moon squares Pluto, a person frequently feels overpowered by the sensations in the universe around him. He often overcompensates, attempting control, and with Gemini and Virgo, the need to cultivate brilliance becomes primary. The desire to know it all competes only with the urge to put it all together. The square to Virgo is also obsessively self-critical and a more perfect union is definitely a plus. The Gemini-Virgo square uses the rational approach to problem solving by way of thorough intense analysis. Not for everyone.

Mercury was the only god in the pantheon who was allowed to go into Pluto's underworld and come back to the surface, and there is often a depth to Geminis that is not apparent from appearances. In aspect to Pluto the knowledge of life's underside is increased and power struggles based on this configuration can be problematic, or highly creative. Probably both.

Because Pluto also rules his Scorpio Midheaven, the interest in mastery and achievement becomes more pronounced. Intellectual might at its height. Transformation of the entire life the aim.

But there is another aspect to consider. A lovely close trine to Jupiter in Aquarius in the 12th. No wonder he was an organizer for the poor and powerless. This takes the personal Gemini to the nonpersonal collective realm, especially in the 12th house. Jupiter also rules most of his 10th house so it's intimately tied to his professional goals and how he will govern. The moon at the foundation of Obama's chart is the basis from which he experiences everything in his life and what actions he takes. It's a feeling of brother-sisterhood and that's probably part of why the young are so comfortable with him. And some of the old are waiting for him to grow up, which he never will at his fundamental root. Forever curious, always willing to learn something new, always experimental, adding flexibility to his fixed autocratic Leonine ways, yet always entertaining the possibility of overdoing and controlling with a heavy hand. The best thing I can think of is ... don't let him do it! He did say he wanted to change the world and that is ambitious. We might have to control him on that one. Or was it "we" that was directed to change the world? I get confused.

Rising Rivers

Pluto leaves Capricorn

Residents of Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and surrounding areas are now engaged in a full on fight for their lives struggling against rising water, short supplies, and failing levees.

In the last days of Pluto in Capricorn, the reminder has hit home about our failing infrastructure. Floods in Iowa, the place where the election began, are bringing to light the collective sorrow carried by the oceans of Neptune, the dissolution and the need for rebuilding. The need for cooperation and concentrated group effort. Iowa has a Sun-Venus conjunction in early Capricorn.

She also has Saturn conjunct Neptune in Aquarius on the USA Moon and Obama's South Node. He's there sandbagging today with many many volunteers from around the country. Uranus in Pisces in mutual reception with Neptune is also bringing it to consciousness as both planets are stationing retrograde. The North Node transiting in Aquarius bodes well for the grassroots assistance movement. The Mississippi River is expected to crest Monday or Tuesday in Quincy right before the Full Moon in Sagittarius meets incoming Pluto. The Iraqis are standing up for themselves just as Pluto squares the 29 Pisces of the invasion chart. The sorrows symbolized by the flooding are calling attention to the job ahead when Pluto returns and goes forward into Capricorn for good.

Des Moines has Pluto at 24 Gemini exactly where the Sun and Venus are today. Transiting Mercury is on her Gemini Sun all transmitting the message under the Gemini-Sagittarius lunation. One little step at a time since Katrina awakened the country. One levee at a time. One person, one vote. Donating is simple online.

Verbal Thrust and Parry

I noticed where Obama has been sparring forcefully with McCain lately. Hard and rapid. Precision response. This goes a long way back. They've been doing it ever since the Illinoisyan arrived in the Senate, yet they worked on some significant legislation together. Some of it's interesting. McCain can get some pretty creative circles going. Both of them convoluting quite well. And maintaining what resembles or mimics logic.

I knew Obama had Mars in Virgo, but I was wondering where his lashing tongue was described in his zodiacal wheel. And now I know. Of course! Aries the warrior rules his 3rd house of communication. That explains the clipped thing he does. But most of the house is ruled by Taurus, so the dagger is sheathed in his beautiful Venusian voice. Ruler Venus is in Cancer, thus the emotion. The 5th house lends the theatrical flair. Ruling Mars in Virgo says the guy can make a mean analysis.

I will say this. I have a Sharp Mercury-Mars square with Venus in my 3rd house. I'll debate Obama anytime, even though I am far less educated.

Happy Hour

The Density of the Moment

Wednesday, I went to a meeting of the DNCC -- the Democratic National Convention Committee.
Denver, by some quirk of fate, gets to host the gathering where Barack Obama will be nominated for president of the United States. Of America.

The feeling in the group was expectant. The historic nature of the event was mentioned frequently, without going into details, with a sort of hushed awe, attempting to be matter-of-fact. The sun was shining brightly into the large packed room with gorgeous brick walls and beautiful soft lighting within. We knew something.

I could not imagine what kind of person would take on this burden of responsibility, the need to meet such high expectations, as the world waits in excited anticipation. But here he is.

In perfect synchronization, Obama's birth certificate was made public just as the primaries ended and the time has come to get to know this unusual man. None other than an Aquarius Rising. Many who are fond of Obama noticed one thing. The more people get to know him, the more they like him. He's got his less than stellar parts, mind you, but it's funny watching others start to feel the urge to protect and defend him like the old timers do.
Our brother.

Lots of astrologers will be chiming in, some trying to predict this and that, but it's your own personal perceptions that matter. And there's no rush. Looks like we're going to have some time with him. You can't predict by the chart alone what the result will be, the needs of the time determine more than anything how things go. This developing leader will be as great as we, all of us crazy people, make him. A piece in progress.

Pluto returns to Sagittarius in two days for a final joy ride before this Virgo-endowed Busy Kingbee takes the helm and gets things organized.

The Obamination

The 21st Century and the First
Global Representative

There's a lot going on -- many facets to this stunning political event. This odd man, Barack Obama, seemed to materialize out of nowhere representing a unique mix of race, religion, and ethnicity, come to represent the new cyber-connected global community. The idea that a guy by the name of Barack Hussein Obama, a guy with deeper colored skin than what is normally placed on the skeleton of the leader of the western world, could be the president of the United States is pretty much unbelievable. The joyous reaction worldwide is an indication that he really is a leader for all of us, not just this country. The first one, I feel, for the modern time.

It's a different world we live in now. Previously, humans fought one another on an earth that seemed to be abundant into eternity. But now the earth herself has become the adversary encouraging a planetary effort to think about cooperating and together saving our precious resources; working in tandem with natural cycles. Man against nature, or with, as it will have to be.

Obama's message of unity could be the symbol of what is required to solve our earth's problems now. The oil situation is certainly going to affect geo-political affairs as is water supply. His man of the worldness is a symbol of the cross cultural exchange that has reached grand proportions. He's a good one to facilitate communication and understanding. He speaks a universal language. But he's the end result of a long series of events and is merely filling a slot. I speculate that his best accomplishment so far has been his role as agent in awakening the collective to it's need for active participation in government, while Pluto goes on to the advanced 4th quadrant and the end of the Age of Pisces.

I always wondered what I was doing here since I stubbornly refused to get online for years and years.
But it captured me.
I think the blogosphere has been part of a preparation as the Uranus-Neptune mutual reception forged new pathways in the universal mind through the use of the Internet. The community was created in the last years and then came the community organizer. We're ready.

The Army Forms

Uranus stations at 22 on Obama's and USA's Mars

All across the country the grassroots are mobilizing to perform the task of getting Obama into the White House, and to start the transformation of the American government during the Pluto transit through Capricorn. The Obama Organizing Fellows, a nationwide training program for community organizers, has been kicked off. In Washington the revolt against the Bush administration is in full swing with "hearings" scheduled and voices shrieking. Even in Iowa, where it all started, there is flooding with no help from the government. I suspect they know they made the right decision that crisp night in the cornfields.

In case you want a good government it's a good idea that John McCain not be elected. For some, fear stands in the way of trusting his opponent. But the choice is simple. I've been asked how to neutralize the fear and misconception that have become habitual for the group as a whole and here are some thoughts and suggestions:

Obama is a tool of the global elite conspiring to control the planet. If one uses the rational mind, the chances for this being fact are zero. If one delves into fantasy, then he could well be a Grand Bishop of the 7th Order, or something like that. This one is impossible to prove, so you're on your own.

Obama is just another politician. Yes. He's another politician. But what a politician he is.

He is a product of Chicago politics and is corrupt. Fortunately he learned in one of the most corrupt cities in the country so he knows what he's dealing with. Everybody is questionable sometimes. And there are always explanations for the curious. He's not corrupt. He's shiny spanking fresh, healthy, highly skilled, vigorous, and functioning well.

He is too beholden to corporate interests. Contrary to popular belief there is not one monolithic corporate global empire. There are many competing factions. Some support his presidency, some don't. He will have to get along with Wall Street even while implementing his reforms. The fact that he's being supported by everybody's money is ground-breaking, and his effort against the control of lobbyists is genuine. He's been doing it all along. The control of big business has been a long time in the making and everyone is responsible. Humans are greedy by nature. The removal of the corruption will also take time but the structure can't be dismantled all at once. The whole planet is involved and survival needs to continue while change is in progress. So Obama will be in relationship with corporations.

He's in the palm of Israel. This one is one of the most difficult, and as with all the problems, some compromise is required in order to be elected. I suspect that he is less pro-Israel than he says but he's dealing with exceptionally influential groups and nothing can really be done until he gets into office. Still it will be a battle. I reserve judgement on this tricky one for now.

He talks about building the military. This is not to wage war. And it's not about weapons. It's actually a preventative measure to have a strong military force and ours is weak. Embarrassing. He suggests civil service as a means to an education and I wouldn't be surprised if some sort of alternative draft comes along. Maybe, maybe not. But with progressed Mars going retrograde a new defense system is due for the country. And a new approach to conflict.

He's a deceiver and a memerizer. A visionary reformer in the office of the presidency of the United States is not an everyday occurrence and some exaggeration is a necessity on the trip.

He's looking for power and glory to satisfy his ego. He has a North Node in Leo. The opposite is true. He doesn't get enough glory. The night of the nomination is a case in point. The spotlight was stolen. But that's nothing new for him. He'll get his recognition in time.

He will disappoint. Of course he will. And he'll delight. My own experience has been that whenever something hideous happens I'm assured that he'll take care of it.

He's all talk and will change nothing. It remains to be seen, does it not?

He's very good at what he does. Brilliant, so far. There are two choices. It's simple.

I Can't Believe It

I'm pinching myself. This goofball is the mastermind that just procured for Barack Obama the Democratic nomination for the Presidency of the United States. His campaign manager ... David Plouffe.

Plouffe ran the whole operation. He was solely in charge of the fundraising and doled money out to Obama accordingly. He studied districts in every state of the country and learned how delegates were apportioned, then planned the road campaign to match. He predicted almost every contest close to the nose. And he pursued his strategy calmly from beginning to end without distraction. They say he's some sort of numbers nut that pretty much stays out of the way of everything.

I love his hairdo!! 41 yrs. old. Uranus-Pluto in Virgo.

The Intensity of ResponsibilityPluto in Capricorn

Those of us that have worked as community organizers have, on special occasions, listened to and given similar halftime pep talks before. But this is the first time I’ve heard anything like it on this large a scale from no less than a presidential nominee in the United States. This is the first time I’ve heard this from somebody in that position, somebody that understood even the basics of community organizing, much less who expressed a belief in it and had “showed us the money” by having accomplished the turning an entire country into… a community.
Al Giordano: The Field

I posted this downthread and I'm repeating it here since it fits so well:

One of the reasons I favored Obama is because of his Mars in Virgo. A hard worker. The trine to Saturn in Capricorn adds a lot of discipline. It's why he was attracted to community organizing, which is on the street, day to day effort. He likes that. It's why he ran a great campaign. I figured it would translate into a guy who could get the job done well, something my tax-paying dollar would like.

Saturn in Virgo prevails.

Congratulations Senator Obama

May you have a safe and joyous journey to the Presidency.

Fondly,
Jm

Let's Sing & Shout!

DNC Turns Away Lobbyists and PACs
I actually cried when I read this (something about this campaign keeps getting stuck in my eye): I am a flat broke (deeply in debt) single mother graduate student, and I had to make a donation when hearing this news. In terms of what it means to me, personally and politically, and what it could mean for my children and this country, it is too damned important to not say loudly and clearly that this is a move we support, in whatever increment possible. Shout it from the rooftops, baby: the time has come.
Liora

Right on. There are something like 60,000 lobbyists in Washington, D.C. That is what every piece of progressive legislation in Congress is up against. As the Chinese proverb says, the longest journey starts with the first step, and the DNC has taken an important step.

Keep shouting from the rooftops!
Willh M



The bold and brazen Sister Rosetta Tharpe, mother of all rock guitarists. What a lady!

Bridges Burned, Bridges Built

Pluto (destruction and re-creation) is days away from crossing back into Sagittarius to eliminate bridges that are ready to come down in preparation for building new ones. The world is crossing into the most advanced part of the astrological wheel. Minneapolis in all her bravery is wandering through a maze trying to figure what to do with her falling bridges, while the current political madness has selected the spot as its symbol.

Clinton has Mars, Pluto, and Saturn in Leo, Obama has Sun, Mercury, Uranus, and the North Node. All are being opposed by transiting Neptune and the North Node in Aquarius. Leadership is the issue, collective need is being highly emphasized. The added factor is Hillary's Scorpio stellium. She's burning bridges.

Obama is a complicated man -- a political animal with his shady parts, but just as much the visionary in classic mode looking beyond personal gain. Achievement itself is his gain. He wants to do great things, and of course, he's the person for the time. In fact, he is an exceptional leader. We all know it.

The Clintons and what they represent are too decayed to be of use and this is what Pluto in Capricorn just initiated. The rooting out of governmental abscess and the beginning of clean, functional, more efficient restructuring. We are entering largely Cardinal-Uranian times and she has almost none of these emphasized in her chart. She doesn't fit the requirements of the time ahead. An impossible combination and no voting style could have affected the ultimate outcome. The Pluto in Leo generation's model of self aggrandizement and acquisition is converting to a new form of expression. "What does Hillary want?" is not the question the nation is trying to answer.

It's a decisive point. The rights and wrongs of the candidates and even their policies are not as important now as the thrust across the bridge into a new dimension and this does require genuine leadership. Obama is a bridge to an awakened more active and informed electorate, although it'll take decades to repair, tune it up, and evolve. People can love the Clintons, hate them, have no feelings, or any other options, but the fact is, they are honestly deep in their psyches as anxious to move on as everybody else. It all works out. New terrain ahead. Maybe I'll even do my Aries scout thing.

The Game Changing Begins

Obama has come in like gangbusters. I'm even surprised being fully aware of his revolutionary rage. He (and we) just got sprung from his opponent's impossibly oppressive Mar-Saturn-Pluto conjunction authoritarian prison and he's taken off like wildfire. I've never seen such a thing. An age old tradition knocked out in a day. Like a thoroughbred out of the gate.

Uranus, the planet of rebellion and liberation, is making a long station exactly opposite his Mars and USA Neptune, and square USA Mars. The revolt is heating up with Mars crossing his Leo stellium adding fuel. Soon Pluto in Sagittarius will add even more. Uranus will be at 22 all the way to the beginning of August, when Saturn squares USA Uranus. They don't know what just hit them. All of the events are in the grand sequence of the Saturn-Uranus opposition. Man against system.

Walking the walk, not just talking. I get chills just thinking how great this country could be if our energy and creativity were unleashed.
Bluesman

Me too. I plan to let my own creativity be included. I have a natal Mars-Uranus square after all.

Morning in Varanasi

I love this town. So full of life you can't imagine. Naked sadhus, sari-wrapped beauties, boats, bells, chimes, songs, slapping chapatis, the slap of sticks hitting cows' rear ends (they roam free), all in a symphony day and night. My irreverent father came to visit me there and suggested one day, "Hey! Let's go down to the burning ghats and see what's cooking!" The guy always made me laugh.

I lived for awhile on the Ganges in a houseboat so tiny it could hold 5 ft. me and little else. Naturally I didn't entertain much. But I did play nightly for the international hippie crowd on larger boats. And in a house by the river. Guitar. Songs. Drums. All out in the open. Never a dull moment.
Varanasi, India: Richard Anson

She Loves Her Man

But I'm only human, a coward at best
I'm more than certain he'd follow me west
I got a man, crazy for me
He's funny that way

The Moon is in Cancer again crossing O's Pluto transit opposite Venus and the Sun in Gemini is conjunct Venus. He has a special something with women. The proverbial je ne sais quoi. He always has a house full of them so obviously he knows how to live and work with the fair and tender. His Venus in Cancer adores the gender. Grandmother raised. Oh there are a handful of women who are diminishing him and not recognizing his amazing accomplishments at the moment, but they are in the minority.

Michelle Obama is a reserved Capricorn who shows no open disdain for men despite great achievements in her male dominated high power world. At first she was reluctant to show too much open affection for her partner but with her North Node in Cancer, she seems to be relaxing and displaying more intimacy. Her South Node in Capricorn is world weary and all too familiar with the brutal ways of the streets, and thus, she is a good protector. For this country as well.

I think the Obama Presidency will be a transformational time for women, as Pluto comes to oppose USA Venus in Cancer. With Nancy Pelosi at the helm in the House of Representatives together with his obvious respect, affection, and plans to honor women with positions in his administration, the result could be excellent. Michelle will be a great influence as a women who's achieved phenomenal success yet is unafraid to show her devotion to her husband and help him achieve his dreams.

Mother, lover, body guard, common sense advisor and disciplinarian (he cooks, so I understand). She's even trying to get him to quit smoking. He's smoking anyway, with or without cigarettes.

A Profound Historic Moment

The New Moon in Gemini -- brother/sisterhood -- is upon us soon to be followed by a big fat round silver glorious Full Moon conjunct Pluto in Sagittarius. There's going to be a lot of joy let loose in this country. I'm ready and willing. Take me up!

That Curious Minneapolis Bridge

Once again Minneapolis is in the news, or neighboring St. Paul, and one can't think of Minneapolis these days without thinking of her collapsed bridge now being rebuilt. Is it cosmic? Wouldn't surprise me.

Senator Obama has decided to acknowledge his nomination right there, in the exact spot the Republicans are holding their own nominating convention. Hmmmm. The nerve of the upstart claiming the territory, framing the debate, as they say, and leaving his vibes in the Excel energy center. This relative stranger who possesses no doubt that he's going to be the next president of the United States of America, as he likes to call it. Of course, he could be paving the way to the promised coalition with his adversaries. Who knows?

He'll be delivering his victory speech tonight and wouldn't you know it? It's the new Moon in Gemini, the sign of speech and communication. New directions is the theme, I understand, and Mercury is retrograde in Gemini for a reverse look, coupled with Uranus and all his wild cards. Mars is under the influence as well.

But even of further interest is the coming full moon conjunct Pluto just back in Sagittarius..... the bridge we've been so diligently trying to cross. Could this Minnesota bridge symbolize a greater crossing? Say one into the 21st century for example. A new frontier, considering Uranus soon in Aries. You can't keep Mars in the house. And you can't keep his ice a secret.

Well, St. Paul has Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto in Aries. That ought to get it kick started. Even the bridge itself is a bridge between the cities, if I'm not mistaken. And their personalities are quite different. I must say, this Saturn-Uranus election is quite out of the ordinary. Lots of education involved. That leads me to believe that we are as a whole in an unusual place, on a bridge if you will. Under construction.

The New Kid in Town

There's talk on the street it sounds so familiar
Great expectations everybody's watching you.
There's talk on the street, it's there to remind you
That it doesn't really matter which side you're on.
The Eagles

"Make no mistake about it. The decision rendered today by the Democratic National Committee's rules panel showed that Barack Obama has displaced Hillary Rodham Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, as boss of the party. Losing what they needed today proves that for the first time in 16 years the Clintons are no longer in charge of the Democratic Party. There is a new boss in town."
Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

Mr. Obama is planning to mark the final election night of this primary season in St. Paul. "That’s where the Republican convention is going to be," said David Axelrod, the campaign’s chief strategist. "It seems like a good place to start the discussion about which direction we’re going to go as a country."

Mars is conjunct Obama's Sun in Leo. And speaking of direction, Uranus is exactly opposite his Mars and USA Neptune trine Jupiter, square USA Mars. A departure from the norm. Added to that is the Sun in Gemini conjunct USA Uranus. Lots of youth, vitality, and possibility. The North Node continues in Aquarius and lands in the inauguration chart carrying forth its influence for the next four years.

It gives me goose bumps to see potential in its beginnings of realization. It stirs me just as much to see the opportunity for a new kind of government. Because of the Neptunian-Aquarian aspects there is the chance that the Democratic Party and Congress are inching toward becoming more inclusive of the common citizens. How much remains to be seen. We've funded this candidate and he owes us. And it's up to the people to influence the new game in town.

The future is not what someone else tells us it is. The future is what we decide it's going to be.
Barack H. Obama

A Question Came Up Tonight

Do you know the muffin man
The muffin man, the muffin man,
O do you know the muffin man,
That lives in Drury Lane?

No I don't, actually. I'd like to.