Neptune is featured in November and December

Transits to the U.S. Chart (from last November 1) - this is a regular feature of my astro column using the chart for the birth of the United States (see chart)

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For a look at the candidates' natal charts – see my Notes on the Candidates.

The Neptune archetype was responsible for some of the illusory and idealized (and media-soaked) factors on the national stage last month, and is very powerful again in the present monthly alignments, so that we can expect more of the same. The Full Moon of November 12th triggers transiting Neptune as it trines U.S. Mars, and as Saturn nears its conjunction with U.S. Neptune as well while transiting Uranus opposes it. At the very end of the year Saturn stations retrograde within a degree of U.S. Neptune, and then hits it again in February. The next pass of the Saturn – Uranus opposition is February 4th, so this first month of the new administration next year is likely to be a powerful time in this country that could stimulate both ideals and illusions of what can concretely be accomplished.

In the present month the mid-month timeframe will be the most powerful, and redolent with the unworldly energy of Neptune. Idealism will be present in abundance, together with powerfully enlightened concepts of change that is not only possible but necessary, and also the reality of seeing dreams die that cannot be fulfilled. The sense of this country's beliefs in terms of higher mind will be elevated and placed up on a pedestal.

Will we see the grounding of our ideals in concrete action or the disappointment of their failure to be everything that we wanted? A little of both, no matter who gets in and who is left out in the cold, and no matter who we were pulling for. This country is paying the price for past excess and there just is no easy way out right now.

The Ides of October

From the perspective of mid-month October, the astrology of transits to the U.S. chart is very revealing, considering the suddenness of events in this country lately. In the October skies, Uranus and Saturn are beginning their first of five passes of exact opposition, which will complete on November 4th, Election Day, and as they do they conjunct and oppose U.S. Neptune, symbolizing among other things illusion. The financial picture is partly based on the expectations and the dreams and hopes, and yes, illusions, of investors, and here we see some stress applied to this very factor in the U.S. chart that makes this country such a powerful reservoir of dreams for the rest of the world.

Saturn always limits, but for a reason. We are in other words witnessing a necessary correction. With Uranus involved, the challenges come suddenly, and bring with them a factor of enlightenment. As well as suffering with the fears of the times, we are learning as a nation right now. As the twin powers represented by Saturn and Uranus aspect U.S. Neptune, they also aspect U.S. Mars, tied to Neptune by a potent square aspect, natally, in the chart for July 4, 1776. In the charts of individuals, Mars represents the outward dynamic of energy to accomplish. In the U.S. chart it means the same thing, and also incidentally the military, and also rules the 4th House of real estate and homeland security. Since a T-square is being made from Saturn and Uranus to U.S. Mars, these factors in our national life are being subjected to the push-pull of limitation (Saturn) and wild ideas of future orientation (Uranus); a conflicted sense of stop and go that is reflected in the current stock market yo-yo. We might also note that the possibility is constantly being raised at this time of adventitious action for a better future, represented by Uranus square (and transiting Neptune trine) U.S. Mars -- including the financial stop-gaps the administration is putting forth at this time, and including also the ideas that are constantly being floated right now for green job creation that might get us through.

This is not really news, but maybe the timing of subsequent events could be. The Full Moons of each successive month will emphasize these same factors, with increasing force. Thus the Full Moon of November 12th will strongly aspect transiting Saturn, as Saturn moves to conjunct U.S Neptune (and square U.S. Mars) while the Full Moon of December 12th will square these positions and oppose U.S. Mars exactly. It may well be, in other words, that we ain't seen nothing yet, compared to the final weeks of this climactic year.