Aspects for the week beginning 19 October 2014

The Ebola Virus

It is difficult to write astrologically about such a nebulous subject as the Ebola crisis, which with the Islamic State crisis is unifying global efforts at this time.  Saturn is  racheting fear and terror in the closing stages of its journey through Scorpio, while Uranus is about to  square Pluto for the penultimate time in December, so we remain in a heightened state of tension.  Insidious infectious illnesses such as epidemics and  pandemics are ruled by Neptune, and when Neptune and Chiron (healing crisis) were together in Aquarius, an air sign, we were beset by the problem of SARS or bird flu (with the air connection).  Now Neptune and Chiron are in Pisces (the sign of epidemics and pandemics, and a water sign ) we have an intensified panic arising from the Ebola virus, which is spread by bodily fluids.

Sudan 1976

The first recorded case of Ebola occurred in Sudan on 27 June 1976, under a T-square between Saturn, Uranus and Chiron.  The chart for Sudan itself has Chiron on the Ascendant, and Chiron as “the wounded healer” might be very fitting  in this placement in what might be regarded as the “birthplace” of Ebola.  The chart for Sudan also has some potent squares:  Saturn square Jupiter/Pluto,  and a T-square between Neptune, Uranus, and Chiron indicating great challenges.

Tellingly, this first case of Ebola in the Sudan came at a time when Pluto was squaring its natal Sun, indicating a life and death scenario.  The Nodal Axis was also exactly square the Sudan Venus, adding a karmic flavour to events.  Transiting  Chiron was also creating a T-square with Uranus and Neptune and therefore kicking into touch the  nature of the natal T-square.

Guinea 2013/2014

The current crisis began with the death of a two year old in Guinea on 28^th December 2013.  Again, a potent and destructive T-square was prevailing, that of Mars, Pluto and Uranus.  This also echoes a fundamental issue or problem in the nature of Guinea, which has Mars square Pluto natally.  At the time of this resurgence of Ebola  Uranus was opposite Guinea’s Sun,  the North Node (karma) was exactly conjunct Guinea’s natal Neptune (epidemics) and Jupiter (faith) and Neptune (epidemics) was exactly opposite the Guinea Pluto (a deep challenge).

Sierra Leone and Liberia

Two other countries have significantly succumbed to Ebola since that initial crisis, and it is interesting to look at their vulnerabilities natally.  Sierra Leone has an intensely karmic link with disease, in the shape of Chiron conjunct its South Node, opposed by Pluto/North Node.  The Pluto/North Node will be transited by Jupiter next year, and that may bring a breakthrough in the regional fight against the disease.  The chart for Liberia is very different from the 20^th Century state charts, being founded in 1847 by the American Colonization Society for the resettlement of slaves.  It also has a uniquely difficult and explosive triple conjunction of Pluto/Mars/Uranus, probably the most combustible combination of planets, although we are not looking for combustible for the purposes of this exercise.  However, the natal triple conjunction may lay Liberia open to other struggles.  The chart is hit particularly adversely by the chart of the “birth” of Ebola in 1976: Saturn conjuncts its Sun, while Uranus squares its Sun, and Neptune squares its Saturn (all exact hits).

World Health Organization

The World Health Organization was founded on 7^th April 1948, and itself has a very challenging triple conjunction of Pluto/Saturn/Mars, but challenge is the nature of its game.  It declared a state of emergency regarding the Ebola outbreak on 8^th August 2014. Pluto (deep problems) was exactly square to the WHO Neptune (pandemics) at the time!

Hopes

There has been a sprinkling of Ebola cases of care workers outside West Africa, and one of these, an Englishman William Pooley, survived the outbreak after instnsive nursing at the Royal Free Hospital in London, and also has declared his intention to go back to Africa and help – a rare human!

There is some hope for breakthroughs in getting the pandemic under control next year when Jupiter goes into Virgo next August, the sign of Health, though not of Pandemics! Cautious hope may be given to the Jupiter transits to the affected nations, but they may bring breakthroughs, and are worth recording:

Sierra Leone

13/14^th November 2014: Jupiter transits the Sierra Leone Uranus

2^nd January 2015: As 13/4 Nov, but with Jupiter retrograding

1^st July 2015: The third pass of Jupiter over Uranus, moving forward

25^th/26^th August 2015: Jupiter transits the North Node of Sierra Leone (a karmic turning point)

6th September  2015: Jupiter transits the Pluto of Sierra Leone

4^th/5^th December 2015: Jupiter transits the Moon of Sierra Leone

Guinea

25^th/26^th August 2015: Jupiter transits the Pluto of Guinea, which is within one minute of the position for the North Node of Sierra Leone (a turning point for both, indicated at the same time)

Liberia

18^th November 2014: Jupiter transits the Liberian Mercury (which represents health, though not pandemics); note that its Mercury is conjunct the Sierra Leone Uranus, so it is only a few days later than a possible helpful transit to Sierra Leone’s chart.

29^th December 2014: As 18 Nov, but with Jupiter retrograding

2^nd/3^rd July 2015: The third pass of Jupiter over Mercury, moving forward

11/12^th November 2015: Jupiter transits Liberia’s Venus

Aspects

If you experienced last week as a pleasant one, this week too may be congenial, although not quite as much as last week.  There may be the opportunity to take small steps towards your goals, and steady progress can be made or built on to last week’s.

Tomorrow (Monday 20^th) dawns with a sextile between Venus and Mars, which is great for balancing your inner male and female, and outer relations too.  For instance, you may have been using your female side a great deal recently, and may need to re-introduce her to your male side.  There may be archetypes, sub-personalities or past life selves who need to be introduced to each other, such as your inner male warrior and your medieval woman who is furious at being left behind while the male went to war in the Crusades.  They may need to come to a peaceful resolution.

Working with this, and coming to a happy balance between the two, will enhance your experience of Mercury conjunct the North Node tomorrow.  This aspect may feed you information about karmic matters, such as current dilemmas in society.  Perhaps in discussing this or listening to a discussion you form new ideas of your own and receive new insights based on what you have heard.  This aspect also favours karma with siblings, or neighbours.  The transit of the North Node through Libra continues to help us focus on the karma of our relationships.

In the evening, Mercury sextiles Jupiter, bringing a triumphant finale to the first day of the working week.  It is a good time to close a brilliant deal, complete a scintillating module of study or research, have a good laugh with a friend over the phone, or expand your mind with a new interest.

Late morning on Thursday (23^rd) the Sun enters Scorpio, and life takes on a more uncompromising direction, after the smooth gliding of the Sun through Libra.  Be prepared to stand up for what you believe in, or be left behind by those who practice what they preach.  All our voices need to be heard, when it comes to current social dilemmas and political climates.  Before we know it we will be asked to vote in the 2015 elections and pick the least worst party.  We need to look inwards at what is truly important, and the sign of Scorpio helps us to prioritize at that level.

In the evening Venus follows the Sun into Scorpio, so Love and Creativity will both be singing from the same hymn sheet, the very wholehearted Scorpio theme.

Here’s a short song list:

Onward Christian soldiers

The Power of Love (both the Jennifer Rush version and the Frankie Goes to Hollywood version)

River Deep, Mountain High

An hour later, at 21.57 Hrs, there is an eclipsed New Moon at 0 degrees Scorpio, which will particularly affect those born around this date.  It will still be a good day to begin new ventures, but will have the sense of a turning point, with the emphasis on the unseen.

Early on Saturday (25^th) Venus catches up with the Sun to create a conjunction in early Scorpio.  This can produce an intensity and deep experience of love.  If you do experience this, you may want to share any excess with those who are receiving very little, and seek them out if you can.  There are many human conditions to which love is the answer!  As the Beatles said, Money Can’t Buy You Love (arguably a Scorpio song).  Is there someone you have been neglecting lately, for instance?

And finally, more help arrives in the evening, when Mercury is stationary, prior to turning direct again.  You may then begin to unravel the complex knots in communication which have taken place in the last three weeks while Mercury has been retrograde.

The week in bullet points:

• Tomorrow – sensuality; karmic information; enterprise for budding apprentices
• Thursday – greater intensity; the greatest intensity for some
• Saturday – unconditional love; communication starts to improve