War and Illusion

Uranus 22 Pisces
Jupiter conjunct Neptune

The United States has Neptune in the 22nd degree of Virgo. The current president has Mars at 22 Virgo. Together they square US Mars in Gemini. It's no wonder that Uranus stationing at 22 Pisces in opposition to this point has brought to consciousness the conceptions, or should I say misconceptions, about violent combat, killing humans, and the justification, even glorification, used by people to absolve the guilt they naturally and fortunately feel about such actions. The spiritual necessity is also an argument used by Mars and Neptune.

When Jupiter last conjoined Neptune, the human population was entertained with a speech about global unity and peace next to the great pyramids of Egypt. It was an uplifting theatrical event for many viewers.
Now that the final conjunction is upon us, the identical individual spoke to the same planetary inhabitants about the goodness of war.
This has caused confusion in the collective psyche, not the fault of the speaker, really, since the times indicate a review of the dilemma, especially now that Saturn is in Libra with its urge toward balancing war and peace.

The shocking nature (Uranus) of the last two speeches, generously woven with war propaganda, has disturbed the collective and brought forth the desire to shove it under the Persian rug. That might not be a wise idea since two wars being waged by the country, one soon to be raging further, is cause for concern. The opportunity to discover magnified awareness is here, considering Uranus, the nation's natal Saturn return ahead, and Mars retrograde in Libra by progression also in line to be crossed by Saturn. A good time for intelligent application of logic.

It's interesting that the latest external war is a civil one and the Mars progression along with the coming cardinal transits indicate a civil battle of our own, but I'll get back to that in a moment.

The peace speech was terribly problematic for many reasons. It was arrogant, presumptuous, deceptive, historically invalid, cloying, contemptuous, and perhaps slightly too rushed considering it was a declaration of permanent war without consultation with those required to enact it on the ground.
It's the attitude of the country. Fun and games. Haphazard and cavalier. The speaker merely elucidated the underlying patterns of thought.

The idea that wars are justified is a big problem for humanity. The nihilistic view of inevitable war is depressing and not a good rationalization for the current one.
The philosophy of war is useful in the classroom, but on the battlefield, it's too late to ponder the right and wrong. Reason becomes pure mission. It's true that war leads to peace and back to war, but this law of physics is not a good argument when real people are being killed and immediate response is called for. Generals, soldiers, preachers, philosophers, and so on, all have specific jobs and in terms of real battlegrounds, it works best when they know exactly what the tasks are.

With Neptune involved, the country revels in the mythical warrior and savior role which she had in WWII, despite the atrocities she committed. But the current war doesn't fall into that category and no amount of rhetoric can really alter that. It's fascinating that the escalation was so perfectly timed with this call to arms, and the upcoming trial of the 9/11 suspects adds to this oddly perfect timing. We're about to be treated to the burning towers again in another attempt to sell the mushroom cloud phantasmagoria if all goes as planned. But could this be the chance to turn away from this age old game that doesn't seem to be working well right now? Could this be by the grace of fortune some of the reasoning behind this bizarre scenario? A peace prize for the propagation of war? Could the dissolution apply to this endeavor as well? Maybe there will be some peace ahead. Who can tell?

A good first step for this Neptune-Mars nation would be a closer gaze at the harsh reality of the murderous act sans romance. The identification of evil is in the realm of religion, not for politicians. War and religion have never been a good mix. To put a metaphysical face on a war for profit and regional domination could in itself almost be placed in that evil realm if one were inclined to make that judgement. The job of judge and executioner is held for select humans, not just anyone at whim. To label anyone as evil is not an act to be taken lightly when ending the life of another by force is the result of the labeling. Attempted spiritual rationalization of killing will ultimately not work, I don't think.

Mars retrograde in Leo
The Return of the Axis of Evil

In perfect synchronization, Mars is now retrograde in warrior-king Leo. The annoying superiority, the American birthright to exceptionalism, is beginning to wear on the country's psyche. Now the brown man has taken up the white man's burden of civilizing the primitive peoples of the planet. Civilizing in a most uncivilized way, I hasten to add. The courage of the Sun King Warrior has its place in fairy tales, and maybe even occasionally in the real world, but honest protection of benevolent elements is probably rare with armies of humans on a kill.

The least liked part of the declaration for me was the statement about this country's moral authority. That's ludicrous and the talk fully becomes ridiculous at this point. The monologue can't be taken seriously, another stroke of fortune, and history must be having a good chuckle. To say that we've killed for moral reasons and to secure the safety of the planet is largely false. Queries at ancient burial grounds will verify my position. And to apply that great moral obligation to the current wars doesn't have credibility. The assumption of moral superiority is one of our biggest problems, I feel, in all areas of living. It's a difficult thing to judge.

But all things happen for reasons of sequence and orchestration. The rage building up around the country will come in handy. The disillusionment of the Jupiter Neptune conjunction along with the bipolar trip from hope to despair and back again, and forth again, and back and forth ..... is prep for the cardinal years, as dizzying as it can be. The aggravation might be just the right thing.

Reality and/or Disillusionment

I'm a silver lining expert. I've yet to encounter another human creature who can find something good in any situation more easily than I can. But I'm relinquishing that need temporarily while Uranus finishes up in Pisces. This final Jupiter-Neptune conjunction has dropped the shoe but I find it a relief. Now there's a little less to fear. You can sweep up the pieces of illusion, melt it all down, and form it into a nice new shape to your liking. Illusions are plastic. Might as well do it now before Aries gets here. A last minute sculpted masterpiece. Mars in Leo also knows about this.

Pisces is a perfect time to float in the vast sea of confusion and even futility, basking in the moment in view of an unknown future that you get tired of looking at. The dreamer brings chaos and foggy roads to be navigated before clear direction is encountered in Aries. The cardinal entities are progressive in the sense that they bring action. Forward motion. One knows what to do, both personally and collectively, just as one doesn't know what to do right now. It's not the time to do. It's the time to be.

I'll go out on a limb and say that we're not likely to perish as a species. Events will lead people ahead to logical conclusions and new puzzles. I think it's a time of letting circumstance guide outside the strengths and weaknesses of particular humans. It's going to happen anyway. Leadership is always intact in some respect. It's required. It's everywhere.

Aries and Capricorn mean battles with the system and the group can safely count on that. Civil discord is scheduled and the breaking apart is really revving up now. Citizens against the government and vice versa. People against big business. Corporations having trouble with the government and the consumers. Party against party. Conflict within the parties. Factions within factions. Separations and a diminishing desire to be like others. Aries. You can see the beginning of interesting arguments among the blogs, all favored by Saturn in Libra, differences to be actualized further with Uranus in Aries when independence and the fight for individual identity arise within the confines of relationship.

I, myself, am quarrelsome, but I find my desire for hands on conflict diminishing somewhat, possibly due to advancing age and electrochemical change.