In view of the Al-Assad’s regime recent chemical attack on his own nation in the Syrian city of Duma, Donald Trump, the president of the United States, has been contemplating an attack on the Syrian forces. According to media reports, he first stated that the decision would be made in 12-24 hours, but this time passed and his recent announcement says that he might attack them “very soon, or not so soon at all”. We astrologers can understand him – with Mercury retrograde, close to stationing, decision making is a difficult process. Especially for Geminis 😉
Normally, the direct Mercury stations are a welcome change from the previous indecisiveness and hopelessness; projects start to move on, talks are renewed, plans are being made with fresh vigor and decisiveness. But this time, things are different. By a peculiar coincidence, Mercury stations (on April 15) at 4°47′ of Aries, in a very exact square – to the degree AND minute – of the January total lunar eclipse’s Saturn at 4°47′ of Capricorn. This is “hot” – pardon, “cold”. This is very cold, very serious, very damaging. What is more, the July partial solar eclipses’s (see Picture 7) Saturn will be at 4°43′ Capricorn – only 4 minutes off. So – what could this mean? Would cold, exacting, merciless decisions be made, or would the “mercurial” people, like Mr. Trump, realize that the wall that is dividing them from reaching their goal, is too high, and decide to NOT take action?
The world hopes for the last, I should say, because nobody wants war. Attacking the Syrians would be challenging the Russians, with possible dire consequences. The station occurs on April 15 (see Picture 1), a day before the New Moon and just after the Sun’s crossing of the eclipse’s Uranus. There will be shocks and sudden changes, not only on those dates but in the ensuing period which faces another powerful eclipse activation – the nodal transit of the said eclipse. Yet another current modifier is the Jupiter’s return to its eclipse placement. Jupiter, the planet of hope, abundance and expansion, is being helped by an exact Pluto sextile. All of this suggests a change for the better, helped by renewed trust. Let us hope that the change in Mercury’s course plays out as a change in Mr. Trump plans!
Those periods when eclipses are activated by nodal transits, are never easy. Eclipses often lay dormant, or at least do not show all of their effects, until the nodes (or other powerful transits and lunations) activate them. This eclipse was in Leo on the north node, stressing personal pride, ambition, achievement, ego, self-centredness. The January eclipse was on Mr-. Trump’s Pluto – actually exactly on the MP of his natal and progressed Pluto placements. This is tough. It might make one feel powerless – or involved in an intense fight for survival. If one is a politician, this fight can be experienced on a mundane, worldly level. And this is exactly what seems to be going on. But Pluto is Pluto – it is a symbol of force majeure – a force greater than our egos and personal will. Such a transit could play out in Mr. Trump being forced to confess his own (or his country’s) powerlessness – for obvious (political) reasons.
Looking at Al-Assad’s (noon) chart (Picture 2), it is obvious that he is currently driven by much self-confidence and sense of power (the August 2017 TSE in sextile of his Jupiter and the February 2018 PSE in a sextile to his Venus), and that’s he’s being helped by influential friends (Jupiter in the 11th from the eclipse). But the period is also extremely volatile and unpredictable, because his progressed Uranus is passing over his natal Sun (Picture 3), whereas the transitting Neptune (Neptune) opposes his Uranus. He should have avoided Neptuinan means of fighting his enemies – but he was not advised by astrologers, of course 😉
As the current nodal transit – exact on the 17/18 -brings into focus the January eclipse again, let us look at its locational map. Picture 4 shows the most vulnerable areas – locations under stressful influence of the eclipse degree, the nodes and the malefics Mars, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto. As you can see, the Middle East area is marked by Pluto on the descendant and Uranus in square of the AC/DC lines. Not nice, by all means. It shows an area of stress and uncertainty.
On the other hand, this eclipse was not that bad. The eclipse chart doesn’t show any serious afflictions, and because it was on the north node, it gives hope for humanity. We should be aware of the fact that lunar eclipses are more pertinent to the general safety of people (world population) and less to the “kings” (world leaders, authorities). In itself, it is not destructive, therefore measures which would cause more human suffering (on a larger scale), can be avoided. I think we can safely conclude that this is not an eclipse that would cause a war. It is an eclipse accentuating the need for the world to come together and save human lives, not risk to destroy them.
Unfortunately, there is more to come. The July partial solar eclipse (Picture 7) will be dangerously close to the Syrian territory (see Picture 5 for the locational map), with stressful lines affecting other middle east areas. The eclipse itself is going to bring the dangerous Pluto into play – the Pluto which is crossing the ecliptic this year (see my blog of January 4 for more). The eclipse will conjunct the Sun in the chart of Bashar Al-Assad’s election (Picture 6), so, obviously, things will get worse for him again. When? We know that solar eclipses can be felt for at least a month prior to their occurence. And let us remember that this eclipse’s Saturn will be spot on the January lunar eclipse’s Saturn – which is also the degree of the current Mercury’s station. So – there is a link. A decision might be made soon that will have consequences months later – either in the summer months or in the September/October period when the July total lunar eclipse will get re-activated. (Note: Japan is encircled too, due to the strong accent that the region is getting by the eclipse – which will probably result in an increased earthquake activity.)
Summary
In the course of the following days, due to the combined influence of the Mercury station’s aspects with the eclipses’ Saturn, important political decisions, involving strict codes of conduct in case of Bashar-al-Assad’s further provocations, will be made. They will not have an immediate effect but could be used as an excuse for military intervention, later in the year. As al-Assad’s election Sun will oppose Neptune by secondary progression in the summer months, and the July total lunar eclipse will be exactly conjunct the retrograde Neptune in the election chart, he could again revert to chemical attacks then, resulting in another, more serious political crisis, which would have an adverse affect on his leadership and could result in the overthrow of his regime.
I would like to add that the next couple of days, April 14, 15 and 16 in particular, are not going to be easy, as regards communication, travel, commerce and media. There could be mishaps, setbacks, frustrations and delays due to technical failures, and to slowness, forgetfulness and an inability to take action/correct mistakes in time. A major obstruction could take place, disabling proper communication. A stronger earthquake might happen again, possibly in the Mexican or Japan area. Caution is advised while driving. No important decisions should be made before April 21 – the date when much that is and will be weighed upon, will come to fruition.