The Real US Horoscope-Asking the Best Questions

Asking the Best Question

The Sibley Chart is often cited by astrologers as THE chart of the United States

The question of which US horoscope works best to describe involves more than the United States. As the colonies evolved into a nation-state, new applications of Enlightenment ideas took hold. One argument revolved around government’s responsibility to its citizens and vice versa. The evolution continues to play out down to our time. When the colonies took the bold step of independence from the Crown, it began a new volume in history that revolved around what is a nation and what does it owe to its citizens. One reason the ‘real horoscope’ choice proves so difficult lies with the fact the US experiment was the first of its kind. It would, along with the French Revolution, begin a new chapter toward nation states and away from the more tribally oriented system of dynasty and marriage.

Birth of Nations

Generally speaking, the modern nation state is a legal entity created by the nation for the purpose of regulating itself through the means of a constitution. The nation itself may be considered to be a group of people who share a common heritage, language and culture, and who physically occupy a particular geographical location. Obviously there are many instances of nations who have no state, such as the Palestinians, the Basques or the Kurds, and of states which contain more than one nation, such as the Soviet Union and the United States. but the general pattern holds.
Nicholas Campion, Mundane Astrology, p.97, copyright 1984

This single paragraph answers so many questions (while raising a few more), not just for the US but for the many nation-states founded since the American Revolution. In the case of the United States, this paragraph solves one argument if we accept the premise that the Declaration of Independence was a declaration of nationhood as well as separation from the crown. The problem with nations previously recognized as such, England, France, Lithuania etc., comes from their organic evolution into nation status. Europe’s foundations are tribal. The evolution to the nation in the 18th Century followed the path from tribal to nation status. The United States on the other hand evolved from the well established nations of Europe and in the secularly minded nature of the time; the founders penned a contract proclaiming the birth of the nation. France on the other hand evolved through a complex lineage of tribes turned into manors, manors into monarchy, with all the drama in between. In this stage of evolution from tribe to nation, the nation became embodied in its monarch. In fact, as Mr. Campion observes in the same chapter, The National Horoscope, astrologers cast charts for head-of-state, so tied was their destiny to the affairs of the enterprise. In essence, the Declaration not only broke from the king, but made astrologers break the connection as well. The national horoscope became tied to the nation rather than to its leader.
This distinction does not always solve the problem of when a nation begins in cases such as England or Portugal, but in the case of the United States, the Declaration of Independence indelibly etched the national signature of what we colloquially call Americans into history.

Nation versus Nation State

The quote above implies a nation does not always become a state, as in the case of the

The Articles of Confederation (AOC) was the first attempt to define and run the government of the united states of America.

Kurds and Palestinians. This implies that the nation-state differs from the nation, which may still take a variety of configurations. For instance, Scotland and England are still nations, but operate under the nation-state of the United Kingdom. In the United States the evolution from nation to nation-state occurred within a little over a year, when the fledgeling nation devised the Articles of Confederation. This points to assigning this date, 15 November 1777, championed by David Solte, who rectified its signature to 12:46 pm in York, PA. Some, of course, will advocate for either the signing or ratification of the United States Constitution. Each on this  side of the discussion have valid points.
For now, however, I think we need time for the points in this query to sink in.

Some consider the US Constitution as the “birth” of the nation.

Is Your Nation a Nation-State?

• What does the connotation of the difference between nation and nation-state mean within the confines of mundane astrology?
• Does each horoscope deserve different interpretation according to function?
• What is the function of the nation versus that of nation-state?
• Does the nation serve the nation-state or the other way around?
• Can we apply this “formula” to every question about which national horoscope provides the best insight?

It all comes down to asking the best questions. What would you ask?

Romney-Ryan Horoscope: Challenges Ahead

Composite charts work on the principal that any relationship is a unique entity, with a dynamic different from the involved parties.

Once Mitt Romney chose Paul Ryan as his presidential running mate they entered a relationship that anyone should view as a distinct entity. Astrologers employ a technique specifically meant to address the combination of two individuals: the composite horoscope. By averaging the planet positions at the midpoints, we can calculate a horoscope used to interpret the dynamics of the relationship, as seen on the right.

Ryan-Romney Challenge Condensed

With Internet readers attention spans getting shorter and shorter, I want to make every effort to keep this essay to the basics. We could talk about much in the horoscope–some are more complicated than others and this one tends toward the complex–but there are two to three major features that encapsulate the major challenges the ticket faces as it moves toward election or if it succeeds in winning the presidency.

•  T-square: Venus conjunct Mercury, opposite Uranus, all square the Moon, Neptune, Jupiter conjunction
• Sun opposite Pluto
• Mars square Saturn

Some relative positions indicate smooth going for the ticket:

• Sun opposite Pluto, Pluto sextile Moon conjunct Neptune (Sun is also trine the Moon-Neptune conjunction
• Mercury trine Saturn

Mercury conjunct Venus opposite Uranus, both square the Moon, Jupiter, Neptune conjuncton

The T-square Deconstructed

To provide an idea of how seriously we should take t-squares, we can look back to the 2009-2011 period. Then Saturn opposed Uranus and squared Pluto, a very similar configuration to the Saturn opposite Pluto square Uranus t-square of the early 1930s. Though the circumstances are different, these t-squares represent the challenges everyone dealt with (the farther a planet is from the Sun, the more it relates to collective issues; conversely, the closer to the Sun, the more personal). At both times external (oppositions) and internal (squares) challenges met about the same time to create a situation that took years to resolve. Obviously, we cannot assume that personal t-squares equal the more general ones summarized here, but it should give us an idea of what t-squares represent.

As in other areas, the best way to view a complex scenario breaks it into its simplest parts. Thus, we get a list of angles (astrologyspeak=aspects) between the planets in the configuration. Where possible, I link them to corresponding interpretations on various sites. While reading them, try to keep in mind that each aspect makes up one part of an entity; how much the energy each planet represents contrast or blends with that of another is just as important as each characteristic. [Blogger's note: you may have to scroll to find some of the corresponding entries].

• Moon square Mercury
• Moon square Venus
• Moon conjunct Jupiter
• Moon square Uranus
• Moon conjunct Neptune
• Mercury conjunct Venus
• Mercury square Jupiter
• Mercury square Neptune
• Mercury opposite Uranus
• Venus opposite Uranus
• Venus square Jupiter
• Venus square Neptune
• Jupiter square Uranus
• Jupiter conjunct Neptune
• Uranus square Neptune

Before even speaking to needing to balance all of these factors , look at the sheer number of aspects, fifteen! Put it this way. Would you not be concerned if a relationship you depended on, depending on your managing fifteen levels of input? How does one keep track of so much? Bear in mind that even though squares are known for challenge, some of them represent only negligible obstacles. On the other hand, some of these composite aspects indicate considerable barriers to managing this partnership.

Ryan-Romney Horoscope Details

Some of aspects (Mercury conjunct Venus, Mercury square Jupiter, Venus square Jupiter) in the t-square point to smooth sailing. If this interpretation is correct, the two men genuinely like each other and bring out the best in each other. Others, particularly those involving Uranus and Neptune. Venus square Neptune suggests that either party may hold an unrealistic view of the other. Mercury opposite Uranus warns of an ongoing restlessness, with hardly an opportunity for respite. Venus opposite Uranus points to a penchant for an unique relationship so strong that conventional approaches are eschewed; Jupiter square Uranus doubles down on this last tendency, adding instability and unpredictability. Uranus square Neptune, generationally oriented, suggests a frustration of not reaching ones ideals. As important as these aspects prove here, in a situation involving the public, part of any political campaign, Moon aspects dealing with the collective mood deserve special focus.

Emotional Connections

The Moon moves quickly through the zodiac, representative of stations in life. How a public figure connects to thee public is shown through lunar aspects. In the theme of restlessness, idealism combines with the potential miscommunication (Moon square Mercury, conjunct Neptune, square Uranus). This tendency already shows up the current debate over Romney’s choice for VP. Paul Ryan is known as an outspoken follower of Ayn Rand, the objectivist behind much of Republican philosophy in the late 20th Century into this one. Does he let this ideology guide his politics and policies? By many accounts Mitt Romney was pressured into picking Ryan. Will this obvious nod to Libertarians and the Tea Party undermine the top of the ticket? If so, how will either side react? Will the need to appeal to the ideology of the base turn off precious independent voters? Does the need to stick to ideology matter more than victory at the voting booth? Each of these questions rise repeatedly in the few days since Ryan’s selection. These add to the image problem Romney had before selecting Ryan.

An Informed Prediction

In my opinion, success at the polls for Romney-Ryan comes down to answering these questions. From my admittedly biased perspective this ticket lacks the clarity to reach its goals. The continual reference to restlessness combined with confusion over ideology will muddle not only the message to the public, but within the campaign itself. Mitt Romney already has a reputation as a flip-flopper, conveying an image of phoniness. With Ryan the message becomes more complex, more open to scrutiny. Across the campaign, Mitt Romney has moved from gaff to gaff. Will he, or should he convey his message or Ryan’s? If the ticket begins to flounder and Romney looks to be the cause, will Ryan ‘go rogue’? His objectivist leanings do suggest this last is a distinct possibility.

Other Stuff

So far we have concentrated on the T-square. For good reason: six of the ten

Composite sun opposes Pluto from the 12th House to the 6th. Sun conjoins the Ascendant. Themes of secrecy and power struggles are indicated

traditional planets make up part of the configuration. But other planets also inform this relationship. Of these, Sun opposite, across the horizon, particularly stands out.

In a relationship with composite Sun opposition Pluto, the most difficult problem will be power struggles. At times such a relationship will seem more like a ‘competition than a love affair, marriage, or friendship. And there is a real danger that if this relationship breaks up it will degenerate into open warfare.

One or both of you must learn to curb your desire to dominate the other. Even if you justify your need to dominate as being for a good cause, still it
must be curbed.
Robert Hand Planets in Composite

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Knowing that Super Pacs have great control over both men–those contributing $$millions to a campaign want something in retain–and that Super Pacs by definition are secretive, makes one begin to wonder? Who told Romney to pick Ryan and why? Since Ryan is obviously being groomed for the presidency, who backs him and why? Does either side know the others side of the deal? Sure, all speculation, but not out of the line of plausibility.

The most difficult result of this Sun placement is that it may make the relationship self-defeating for both of you, particularly if you not
completely honest with each other. Unless you disclose all secrets, they will ­cause one or both of you to behave in a way that will undermine -
the relationship but your own self-esteem as well.
ibid

Sounds like much to work out in two and half months. Win or lose, this brief and incomplete look at the combined Romney-Ryan horoscope suggests a story that endure well past the 2012 election.

2012 Elections

Excellent and thorough, Frank. I like the systematic approach and elimination of distracting current rhetoric. Your use of astro-cartography toward the end shows me that it does have some value although I much prefer Johndro’s methods whic
h although a bit tedious are quite precise. I agree that the invisible planets (Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto) are not part of the traditional dignity scheme but I do think they have their own adjunct set of dignities and can be used in a traditional manner. For the national chart I prefer Sibley and he has served well but, each has his preference and historical justification. I can only cite tradition and performance. I like your inclusion of the eclipses and ingress, and the focus on Mercury changing station. I do generally use a different house system but usually that doesn’t make much difference. These are technicalities but do bear on the delineation.

Based solely on the Sibley chart, the ingresses, and that of the sitting president, I have already made my predictions which include the aftermath through 2014. I’ve been fooled by opening of the polls charts too often in the past. Simply using candidate charts is also often misleading. I have some confidence in my findings using this approach, of course, that could be misplaced. Logic is an excellent way to go wrong with confidence. Yet, observed developments appear to be supporting the expected developments. I did also take the comet 96P.Macholz into account (perihelion 23 Cancer 07/14/12) and don’t yet have the data on the approaching predicted bright comet of 2013. Anyone else use comets ?

Maybe I missed something but I don’t recall seeing a conclusion to the analysis. What are you predicting specifically based on these charts ? Does the current administration continue ? How do conditions change or do they ? Any insight into economic and diplomatic repercussions or is there no significant change ?

If the inauguration were a medical horary (the client or patient as the nation), how would we judge the complaint and its cause and what prognosis would we give ? As time permits, that might be a fruitful exploration. Very different approach but maybe useful.

Keep up the good work, Frank. We’ll see how things turn out.

Opening a blog on US horoscopes

Hi. This is Tony Dickey, user name, deek. I’m opening this blog on US horoscopes. There are many and I don’t think they have ever been truly tested. This site will give us a place to post horoscopes, discuss and improve our ideas about which horoscope best fits the United States of America.

Lots of work to do, so I’m keeping this short. I’m way open to ideas and really have no idea how this will end up. You can join in by registering as a subscriber.