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Too close to the Sun

by | Jul 7, 2011 | Adrian’s Articles 2004

It was whilst I was cradling my dying kitten on my breast that I began to muse on the apparent split in the astrological world concerning psychological and horary astrology. For a psychological astrologer some of the terms associated with traditional and horary astrology must be something of a mystery. Like “combust” (Note 1) and “cazimi” (Note 2) for example. Just an hour previously I had been viewing the rare inferior conjunction of Venus and the Sun, which was made even more remarkable by the fact that Venus visibly retrograded over the lower face of the sun for the first time in 122 years. The sun momentarily had a beauty spot – but, astrologically speaking, was that a good thing?During the 1980’s revolutionary trends in astrology circles worldwide brought a new consciousness to horoscope interpretation. The individual was placed at the center very much in control of his or her fate, and encouraged to manifest as much free will as could be mustered. The psychological approach, triggered by such authors as Liz Greene (Note 3) and Stephen Arroyo (Note 4), brought a wave of optimism and a deep understanding. If only we could understand the basic psychological mechanisms involved, then we can control them and change our behavior. We could be masters of our destiny. …Read More

Hot Stuff: Venus and the Sun

by | Jul 7, 2011 | Adrian's Articles 2011

There are some (men) who think that there can be no better role in life than being the male lion in a pride. With a choice of delightful females, who also put the food on the table, there is very little for a lion in his prime to worry about. That is unless you happen to be Waldemar, the unfortunate young lion who was put together with two demanding lionesses in Copenhagen Zoo last fall. They ate him. …Read More

The Washington Snipers

by | Jul 7, 2011 | Adrian’s Articles 2002

As I sit down to write this article – October 24th 2002 – two suspects have been arrested for the murderous sniper attacks in the Washington area over the past three weeks. According to CNN, sources identified the two as John Allen Muhammad, 42, a Gulf War veteran and his 17-year-old stepson John Lee Malvo, a Jamaican citizen. As I was about to attempt to predict who was responsible for these killings, I may now have been spared the possible embarrassment of getting it wrong. …Read More

India & Pakistan

by | Jul 7, 2011 | Adrian’s Articles 2002

In these tense days of June 2002, the main focus of world attention is on the border of India and Pakistan. Much to the dismay of India, who claim to have the situation under control, American and EU countries have all advised their citizens to leave both countries now, in the event of a war that could escalate to a nuclear confrontation. …Read More

John McCain – Outsider on the loose

by | Jul 6, 2011 | Adrian's Articles 2011

The Situation in February 2000A couple of months ago I wrote an article about the US election with the data available at the time for the candidates in the running: Bill Bradley, George W Bush and Al Gore. Since then data for John McCain has become available, and a quick study of his chart shows a strong chance of his winning the presidency. To everyone’s surprise he won the New Hampshire primaries, knocking Bush – the other main Republican candidate – into second place. Bush later won in South Carolina, but McCain pulled out another surprise in Michigan on February 22, and in his home state Arizona. At the time of writing Bush is a worried man, even though he has the party machine behind him, as well as considerable funds. In theory McCain is still the outsider, and the next few months will decide which of the two republican candidates is selected in the August party convention. …Read More

MELT DOWN IN JAPAN

by | Jul 4, 2011 | Adrian's Articles 2011

Every astrologer knew it was going to happen. But it still caught them by surprise. You check out the last time it happened (31st March 1927 and 13th January 1928) and study the historical events. But 84 years have gone by and civilization has changed immeasurably, making it difficult to predict what will happen in the 21st century, when Uranus once again enters Aries. Nobody wants to be a prophet of doom, so many predictions have been reasonably upbeat. But we know that once Uranus enters Aries it is just a matter of time before it goes on to square Pluto… and that’s a kind of meltdown, isn’t it?

Actually when Uranus entered Aries 84 years ago there was an 8.0 magnitude earthquake in Tango, Japan (Note 1), but then Japan did not have any nuclear reactors. Weeks afterwards there was an 8.3 magnitude quake in China which killed 200,000 people. It is curious to see that the 8.9 magnitude earthquake, the largest recorded in Japan’s history actually struck when Uranus was at 29.57 Pisces and it was the ravages of the ocean (Pisces) that went on the create the energy (Aries) crisis. The best symbol for this transition point from Pisces to Aries was perhaps the image of a large ship carried into the middle of a Japanese city.

So welcome to Uranus, which is commencing a new 84 year cycle through the solar system. In 1927 to 1928 there was a myriad of inventions like color television, the first TV broadcasts, the flight of Lindbergh from New York to Paris and tremendous advances in commercial passenger flight. 84 years on science has advanced exponentially. In March last year, two months before Uranus made its first (short) entry into Aries, Richard Branson of the Virgin empire successfully launched the first test flight of a commercial spacecraft, and such pioneering innovation is typical of Uranus in Aries. You can already book your flight. (Note 2)

Uppermost in people’s mind at the time of writing – one week after the Japanese earthquake – is the fate of the nuclear reactors in Japan.

EARTHQUAKE: March 11th, 2011 14:46:23 at 38N22 and 142E32 (AS 17.57)

You might expect to see powerful planets on the MC/IC or AS/DS at the time of the earthquake and subsequent devastating tsunami, but there is nothing except MC square Venus. But Pluto is at the exact midpoint of Saturn/Uranus, and Saturn is exactly sesquiquadrate the Moon/Neptune square. And of course Uranus in square the Moon’s nodes… never a good sign when it comes to disturbances on Earth. For those interested in harmonics, the Sun, Moon and Pluto configure as an exact conjunction in the 5th harmonic, in other words they are in exact quintile.  The Ascendant in the earthquake chart is in fact on Japan’s Saturn (Note 3) and Neptune at 29.12 Aquarius is exactly square Japan’s own Neptune… and in the next couple of months Neptune changes sign and will transit Japan’s Mercury at 0.36 Pisces. Obviously the repercussions of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear failure on Japan’s communication and infrastructure will be apparent for months to come.

Whilst Japan builds all major constructions to cope with earthquakes and has training programs for the population in the event of tsunamis, the combination of earthquake and tsunami was enough to create a nuclear disaster for Japan. Reactors automatically shut down with the occurrence of the earthquake, but the tsunami knocked out diesel back-up generators that supply cooling water. It seems even when you stop a nuclear reaction, the fuel still gives off vast amounts of energy, and if the coolant is not constantly circulated, the water turns to steam and lots of explosive hydrogen is produced, which is why the buildings that house the reactors exploded, making it more and more difficult to cool nuclear fuel which is still producing immense heat.

This is the process that leads to meltdown, and as mentioned before, Uranus in fire sign Aries, moving to square Pluto, is the astrological signature of nuclear meltdown. As this aspect gets stronger and stronger over the next four years, this does not bode well for the nuclear industry, which was just entering a new phase of popularity with the growing shortage of oil. Germany, Sweden and Britain are going to have great difficulty continuing their growing investment in the nuclear industry, for which the Fukushima reactor explosions have been a total disaster, even though modern reactors (the Fukushima plant is from the seventies) have in fact many more safeguards in place. (Note 4)

Certainly for Japan, it is unlikely that public confidence in nuclear power will recover in the near future. One of the main consequences for Japan of the entry of Uranus into Aries, will be major efforts to find alternative power sources, which in the long term may be a good thing. Right now, as Neptune changes sign on April 4th to conjoin Japan’s Ascendant-ruler Mercury, which, being in the 10th house is related to government policy, there will be disarray for months to come. Neptune goes on to square Japan’s Pluto, which may bring some kind of dissolution of the Japan’s nuclear industry.

Adrian Duncan 20th March, 2011.

1. Chronology of World History – Ken Polsson

2. Check out http://www.virgingalactic.com/

3. The Meiji chart from 1889: Feb 11th 12.05 LMT Tokyo (AS 9.50 GE)

4. Modern systems can shut down and cool fuel without power being available, and have double and even triple backup systems. www.guardian.co.uk 20.03.2011

Saturn in Leo and the Grand Cross

by | Apr 7, 2011 | Adrian’s Articles 2005

If astrological tradition is anything to go by, then Saturn has been going through a particularly difficult period in these years. Give it the limitations of Capricorn with plenty of hard work, self-discipline and obstacles to overcome, and Saturn is quite happy. Perhaps not actually happy, but at least not disgruntled. Put it in soft and vulnerable Cancer, and it behaves quite inappropriately. What can it do with all that need for security and belonging? Saturn is a bit stiff when it has to deal with all the mushy emotional stuff, but if you want a nice hedge, fence or wall, then Saturn will be pleased to oblige.Perhaps that is why Israel has been so busy constructing their “fence” since their progressed new moon, which took place at 14 Cancer in September 2001 at the time of the terror attack on New York . Winding its way a little too far into Palestinian territory on the West Bank , this massive construction is a testimony to just how clumsy Saturn can be when in exile in Cancer. America , reeling from the grave wound inflicted on its financial heart, was hardly in a position to object, and feeble protests from EU countries were brushed off as anti-Semitism. Europe does not have a strong record for protecting Jews.

Walls do not last forever, but a good wall should last 29 years – if the Berlin Wall is anything to go by – so Palestinians can expect their trumpets to reduce the Israeli wall to dust around 2030. (Note 1)

The equivalent wall in America is the Homeland Security Act, which has effectively prevented many of the best young foreign brains from entering the United States and created the impression amongst those who have managed to enter the country – and added photos of their irises to the vast homeland security database – of a brave new world indeed. America is a Cancerian country, so security has been something of an issue post 9/11 and during the Saturn in Cancer period. It is not surprising then, that the electorate re-elected their Cancer president, George W Bush in 2004. He was the candidate smart enough to campaign on a platform of security.

On July 16th 2005 , Saturn moves on into Leo and the issue of security will fade from public awareness, to be replaced by concerns about leadership and problems regarding mass entertainment, child-rearing and celebrity affairs. Saturn was last in Leo from 1976 to 1978 when it made some very uncomfortable squares to a deadly Uranus in Scorpio. This was a “death of the future” period with black clad children and punks – who with their Mohican haircuts, and (just to make the message completely clear), metal chains and sharp objects piercing the skin – viciously parodied hippy dreamers. Johnny Rotten himself, of the very Uranus in Scorpio “Sex Pistols”, did manage to immortalize the heartfelt patriotism of the young with his unforgettable “God Save The Queen”. I guess that’s exactly how enthusiastic Saturn in Leo gets about royalty… no wonder it is in exile there.

Clearly the older generation from this period will have felt that a bit of discipline would have been quite a good thing for the young punks, and perhaps some of them will have thought wistfully about that golden age from 1946-1948 when Saturn combined with Pluto in Leo. That was a time when toilet training was all the rage, and young bottoms were placed on potties with the military discipline that was to be expected after 5 years of war.

If there is a sense that Saturn in Leo evokes resistance in children and the urge to tighten up in parents, then we can expect the Saturn ingress in 2005 to bring heavier demands on children as regards education and general behaviour. The perception that children are spoiled and being corrupted will lead to authoritarian attempts at repression. These attempts are doomed to fail – there is no Pluto conjunction to crush resistance now, just an opposition to Neptune to undermine Saturn.

It is the Neptune opposition that will dominate Saturn in Leo as regards children, gambling, life quality, celebrity scandals and anything else concerned with Leo. The Saturn/Neptune synod takes place every 35 years, and the last opposition was in 1972, when limits on oil led to a disastrous economic crash in the West. As Saturn enters Leo here in 2005 and a powerful grand cross is formed, preliminary conditions for later economic downturn are liable to be established. Looking at the graph for this period it can be seen that direct and retrograde Mars knits together Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune over a six month period activating the energy of the four fixed signs and producing a stagnant climate where energy gets inextricably mired.

An erstwhile celebrity in Britain is Tony Blair, who was born under the exact conjunction of Saturn and Neptune in 1953.

See chart : Tony Blair 6.05.1953 6.10 BST Edinburgh (AS 4.50 GE)

Saturn and Neptune are of course very strongly linked to social idealism, and there can be little doubt that Blair – with Ascendant ruler Mercury in Aries opposing the conjunction – passionately believes in applying socialist dreams to create a socialist utopia. With five powerful planets in the 12th house, he probably feels a religious conviction that he is a channel for change. Given that his Taurus sun is square Pluto, any convictions will tend to have a fanatical edge, and with Jupiter also in Taurus, his beliefs tend to be unshakeable. You never get Blair admitting he is wrong.

The Neptune transit to Blair’s Moon in Aquarius was the beginning of the dissolution of his celebrity status. With the vast majority of the British people vociferously against any involvement in Iraq , he supported Bush and declared war. Here the weakness of his Mercury opposition Saturn/Neptune came into the open, for this is an aspect noted for smokescreens and lies. People in Britain felt they had been lied to – and they were – and Tony Blair was revealed to be an ordinary politician very out of touch with his electorate. With transit Neptune moving on to square Blair’s Sun, he managed to win his third term as Prime Minister, but with a greatly reduced majority.

See chart : United Kingdom 1 Jan 1801 0.00 LMT London (AS 7.10 LI)

With the coming grand cross in fixed signs, Britain and Blair are likely to bear the brunt of the economic difficulties on their way. Saturn in Leo will station in opposition to Blair’s Moon at 11.30 Aquarius in November 2005, and his unpopularity is liable to peak at this time. Bearing in mind that 1801 Britain has Mars at 11.46 Taurus in the 8th – in exact square to Blair’s Moon – an implacable resistance is likely. Noting that transit Mars returns to this position in August and November 2005, and January 2006, there will be enormous focus on the deception that occurred when Neptune squared Mars and Britain went to war, and on any economic corruption or scandal that may have resulted. The retrograde Mars suggests withdrawal of troops.

Quite apart from that, the coming grand cross will trigger 1801 Britain’s grand cross involving Saturn at 23 Leo, Neptune at 18 Scorpio, Venus at 16 Aquarius and Mars. This rare constellation will have a profound effect on British political life. The pressure on Blair from 2005 to 2006 will be huge, and his survival is probably at stake. The subsequent pressure on Britain in 2006 and 2007 from the continued Neptune/Saturn opposition, which peaks in June 2007, will create a continued economic downturn and acute discomfort for New Labour.

One of the basic points of the grand cross is Jupiter. When transiting Scorpio it brings knowledge of secrets, and in political terms economic power play and corruption. Jupiter squares Saturn in December, dwells in square to Neptune in the winter of 2006, then squares Saturn twice more in June and October 2006 just as Saturn moves up to oppose Neptune. This is an extremely powerful aspect pattern, and the summer of 2006 is obviously the most dangerous period for Blair. This will also herald economic power battles in the world’s largest economies. Economic cartels will be revealed to have corrupt methods, and Saturn in Leo will reflect political attempts to limit the economic corruption of previously respected leaders.

It is very likely that falling oil production – reflecting the Saturn/Neptune opposition – will trigger an economic crisis in this period. It seems that the activation of the UK chart means that Britain has a central role, and is also profoundly affected by the economic pressures. There are no indications that Britain will give way under pressure – so in relation to the European Union, the lack of flexibility that manifests at this time will severely undermine EU structure. As far as the EU is concerned generally, there will be huge disillusion about further expansion – but when Jupiter later moves into Sagittarius, moves to include Turkey will probably go ahead.

Apart from Britain , another country with significant planets in fixed signs – and a country very sensitive to the Saturn/Neptune cycle – is Russia . The 1917 Revolution chart (Note 2) has a Sun/Mercury in Scorpio in T square to Saturn in Leo opposing Uranus in Aquarius, so the Saturn return here is likely to pile the pressure on Putin too. The 1991 “Flag Up” horoscope has a Venus/Pluto conjunction in Scorpio, so this too is affected by the Saturn/Neptune opposition. Putin has seemed to live a charmed life until now, but he will be in trouble from 2005 to 2007, with special focus on economic scandals. His persecution of oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky of the Yukos oil company may come back to haunt him, or he may go on to dismantle the empires of other oligarchs. Still, unrest in Russia is likely to undermine his position.

It is likely that any revered leader or high-profile individual will be vulnerable during the Saturn transit of Leo. Public scepticism will put people off hero-worship, and questions will be asked about what well-known people are doing in their private lives, and how they are using the vast sums of money at their disposal. Pop stars, football players and other stars would be advised to keep a low profile. The likelihood of celebrity sexual scandals is high, as Jupiter in Scorpio focuses on secrets, sexuality and corruption. Public disillusion will reach new heights.

As Jupiter makes the contact with Neptune , bubbles will be inflated and rise to huge heights. The last Jupiter/Pluto square took place as Dot Com company lastminute.com went public, and the crash that followed – devastating thousands of technology companies – happened as Jupiter went on to conjoin Saturn in Taurus. The latest bubble has been the property boom, which is the result of many factors – not least globalisation and the easy transfer of money across borders. Those who have cashed in their equity and partied over the last few years will be experiencing sizeable hangovers. The lesson of Saturn in Leo is clear – the party is over.

Adrian Ross Duncan 15.06.2005

Adrian Ross Duncan was editor of the Astrological Journal from 1998 to 2001, and author of Doing Time on Planet Earth and the recent Astrology: Transformation ad Empowerment. His articles, software and other astrological offerings can be seen at www.worldofwisdom.co.uk

1. Construction was started the Berlin Wall on August 13th 1961 , and demolition started on November 10th 1989 .

2. Russian Revolution. 8 Nov 1917 2.12 St. Petersburg (AS 14.20 VI).

3. Russia – Flag up. 25.12.1991 20.45 Moscow (AS 25.16 LE)

Data from Book of World Horoscopes.

 

Dangerous Seas

by | Apr 7, 2011 | Adrian’s Articles 2005

A conservative calculation concluded that sixty thousand people were killed in the capital city alone. Not one church or government building was left standing after the earthquake and the subsequent tsunamis and fires. How many others perished on the coastline of Spain and Morocco could never be exactly computed. Waves over ten meters in height swept over the harbor, sinking all the ships and those that had taken refuge in them. The whole harbor disappeared, complete with ships, and no trace of them was subsequently found. In the space of half an hour the city of Lisbon disappeared off the map in what was the greatest natural catastrophe of its time.There have been many earthquakes since, with great loss of life, but the Lisbon disaster stretches across the centuries to form a link with the Sumatran tsunami as regards magnitude and loss of life. The ocean was the killer in both cases. Not surprisingly then, there are remarkable links between the two charts for the events. …Read More

REVOLUTION IN THE MIDDLE EAST

by | Mar 29, 2011 | Adrian's Articles 2011

The entry of Uranus into Aries may have manifested itself most dramatically with the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, but there have been a rapid unfoldment of events elsewhere… specifically in the Arab world.

Just when it seemed that there was no alternative to repressive or unstable Western-back Arab governments on the one hand, and Muslim fundamentalism and Al Qaeda on the other, a completely unpredictable groundswell of popular discontent has shaken governments In Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain.

Astrologically, two factors are at play. Firstly Uranus moving into Aries brings popular unrest which is met by the repressive tendencies of Pluto in Capricorn. Secondly Neptune’s imminent entry into Pisces brings a transition from the awareness afforded by technology afforded by mobile phones and social media (Aquarius) to a profound sense of suffering and lack of privilege (Pisces). This combination gives a violent need to right wrongs.

At the time of writing, one week after Uranus’s arrival in Aries, the western governments (primarily France, the United Kingdom and USA) have responded to calls from the UN – backed by the Arab League – to establish a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent President Gadhafi’s forces from crushing revolutionaries who want to overthrow him. It’s the usual story of course – the West only wants to selectively remove dictators (they are not bombing Saudi Arabia, are they?), but then again, who wants Gaddafi, who has historically supported terrorism, to continue is reign of power and massacre tens of thousands of people?

Uranus in Aries is only too happy to show off its explosive power, so the Tomahawk missiles are flying and Stealth bombers are doing their bit too. It would be naïve to think that this initial UN-supported action will immediately be the end of the matter. On Monday 21st March 2011, the sun will enter Aries to conjoin Uranus then square Pluto, and even more dire, on April 2nd Mars will enter Aries again activating the Uranus/Pluto combination. That is an astrological signature for violent destruction, and it is unlikely that Gaddafi will pack his bags and go as President Mubarak of Egypt did.

Mubarak lasted exactly 30 years as Egypt’s dictator, respecting the cycle of time of Saturn’s orbit around the sun. But Gaddafi has been in power since a bloodless revolution on September 1st, 1969 – 42 years in all – and his Moon in Aries trine Pluto in Leo has shown him to be an accomplished survivor. It is difficult to see clear signs that he is about to disappear from the scene without an exact birth time, but it seems obvious that Uranus is soon to transit his Moon in Aries, or that Pluto is about to square it, which will certainly constitute a threat to his survival. And of course, 42 years is exactly half of Uranus’ orbital period. He came with a revolution and will go with a revolution.

Libya itself, founded on 24th December 1951, is experiencing its exact second Saturn return and 5th Jupiter return, which is quite a strong indication of political change. Founded with Saturn in Libra and Jupiter in Aries, it is now being restructured under yet another Saturn in Libra and Jupiter in Aries.


LIBYA: 24.12.1951 Noon Tripoli.

Libya has Jupiter at 5 Aries – which is the approximate location of Gaddafi’s Moon (Note 1), so the Uranus/Pluto square is activating Libya’s Sun/Jupiter square, and this is a far clearer indication of the demise of Gaddafi, because Sun/Jupiter is a perfect description of the country’s leadership style… and it is about to be changed forever. It is interesting to see in Libya’s progressed horoscope that Mercury is now conjoining the sun, and both are arriving at the North Node in Pisces, which does suggest the dissolution and eclipse of leadership and considerable chaos following.

Writing about the Arab world reminds me of an article I wrote in 2005, predicting a restructuring of the Middle East. I am quoting it below… but what a pity I got the year wrong!

Article by me in 2005 on http://www.world-of-wisdom.com/04_articles/2005/02_middleeast.htm

“It seems that Egypt too is facing upheaval. It looks like Mubarak’s attempt to quieten revolutionary voices by allowing an active opposition may result in his actually being removed by 2007. So, over the next two to three years we will witness a profound restructuring of the Middle East. Fears that militant Islam will gain the upper hand will probably be unfounded though. In Iran nobody wants a continuation of 26 years of theocratic government, and neither is it likely that religious fundamentalism will gain strength as Pluto enters the last degrees of Sagittarius. The people want a taste of the freedom they have seen on satellite TV, so ultimately they are likely to reject religious oppression and embrace democracy – Arab style.”

1. Gaddafi is born on June, 7th 1942.

Adrian Duncan.

URANUS IN ARIES – Radical new departures

by | Mar 21, 2011 | Adrian's Articles 2011

On March 12th 2011 Uranus moves into Aries, where it will be until March 2019. The world is in for a time of fireworks and radically new developments on all fronts, especially highlighting extreme leaders and revolutionary groups impatient for change. Uranus has an 84-year cycle around the sun, and the last time it entered Aries was in 1927, which coincided with the release of Hitler from jail (Pisces) and his subsequent rise to Fearer for the Arian race. The same will not happen in the 21st century, as globalization and the internet bring liberation to each individual. How this freedom is administrated may however be a problem.

Uranus did actually enter Aries in the summer of 2010, coming half a degree into the sign before going back to Pisces… a period which coincided with the raucous world cup celebrations in South Africa and explosion of noise and color which we were treated to. But here in March and April 2011, Uranus will be joined by the sun, Mars, Mercury and Venus – together with Jupiter – in a fiery celebration of pioneering plans and individualism.

Looking back at the time when Uranus was in Pisces, a number of important events took place which perfectly reflected its influence. Terrorists, real and supposed, where imprisoned on the American enclave of Guantanamo, based on Cuba, where they were held without trial. As Uranus enters Aries, these prisoners have mostly been dispersed. Imprisonment and terror are of course major themes of Uranus in Pisces. There was also the sudden destruction from the sea that took place with the tsunami on Christmas 2004. Technologically we have seen the rise of the hybrid electric car, the democratization of television with YouTube, the ascendancy of animation in movie-making and the complete interconnection of world peoples through cellphones and the internet.

When Uranus goes through Aries, we can expect something new and surprising. How will the world look at the end of this period? Cars could be an example. How many people would buy anything other than a flat screen TV today? It is impossible. Everyone can see that the huge TVs of the past are technological dinosaurs. Who will be buying petrol driven cars in 2020, I wonder? One of the pleasures of a laptop computer is its mobility and lack of cables. Who will not be sorry to see the disappearance of cables, transformers and adaptors which a revolution in power creation and storage would bring? With the sun being exalted in Aries, solar power will become a ubiquitous source of electricity.

Uranus in Aries will awaken a taste for freedom in every individual, and any restriction of the natural right for self-expression is likely to have explosive results. Perhaps that is why we are seeing revolution in Egypt at this moment, which is having a contagious effect on many other Middle Eastern countries whose rights have historically been subjugated both politically and through their religion.

The unfortunate thing about Uranus in Aries in the coming decade is that it is in square to Pluto during much of this period, echoing a similar Uranus/Pluto square in the 1930’s. This combination leads to extremism, and forces beyond the control of human agencies tend to release cataclysmic change. Currently Pluto in Capricorn has evoked emergency powers in governments to save the banks and the capitalist system, which is the foundation of western civilization. The trouble is that in the West riches have been concentrated in the hands of just a small percentage of the population, and whilst they have benefited from government intervention, everyone else has not. The richest 1% of the US population has more combined wealth than the bottom 90%, and this is a trend that has been increasing for over 20 years.

My prediction is in fact that this inequality will not be the case in 2024, when Pluto leaves Capricorn and enters Aquarius. Forces in society will have had a leveling effect which will have eradicated the plutocracy that controls wealth and power today. In fact, in 2020 there will be a Saturn/Jupiter conjunction in Aquarius – the first for about 800 years – which inaugurates a 200-year period where equality will be the dominating political force.

The period from 2011-2016 will highlight social tensions that are a direct result of the imbalance in the distribution of resources. Uranus in Aries shows anarchic groups, whilst Pluto in Capricorn shows autocratic government using the power of surveillance and digital control to maintain the status quo. If that seems like an unequal struggle, think again. The case of Julian Assange of Wikileaks revealed the power of small groups of computer-savvy individuals who were able to bring giants like MasterCard/Visa, PayPal and other agencies like Amazon to their knees in cyber-attacks, which were intended to avenge their closure of services to Wikileaks.

Clearly Uranus/Pluto will see the ascendancy of cyber terrorism on a scale far greater than we have experienced up to now. If you like to surf on Google, use net banking, Skype to loved ones – if you like to do anything in this modern world we live – you are vulnerable. Trains, buses, planes, satellites –everything – are interlinked by an extremely complex, and extremely vulnerable network. Aggrieved individuals who have grown up in a digital reality will be able to navigate this world and create damage if their needs are not addressed. Their reward will be a sense of power in a world where they have felt powerless. They will do it just for the hell of it.

Cyber threats are more likely to come from loosely affiliated groups than from governments, who could also of course create havoc through cyber terrorism but do not, because they do not want to expose themselves to reciprocation. World war as was experienced in the last century is unlikely to an attractive option for any government today, and most governments would unite to counter cyber threats, just like they have united against religious terrorism in the past. But disruption is sure to come, because people will be suffering from the consequences of economic collapse. These trends will most likely be apparent from 2012 – 2015, which is when the Uranus/Pluto square triggers important planetary positions, especially the sun, in the horoscopes of the EU, USA, United Kingdom and China.

Uranus will of course do more than just clash with Pluto, and its transit through Aries will bring wonderful new opportunities for those willing to take a risk. Fortune favors the brave, and Uranus in Aries is a gift for those with a pioneering spirit. Nothing is impossible with the energy and will.  The magnificent long term trine to Uranus from Jupiter in Leo will bring fantastic rewards in 2014, even when the Uranus/Pluto square is at its peak. Anyone with important planets form 15-20 degrees in Fire signs is going to have an extremely successful period. Likewise, when Saturn makes a long term trine from Sagittarius to Uranus from late 2016 to 2018, this will be a wonderful period for building on a new and optimistic framework, especially for those with planets in the last decanted of Fire signs. This will be the period when technological change takes root and really benefits people, and when a new enlightened system is established on the ruins of the destruction of antiquated forms of government.

For the individual sun signs the following advice may be helpful as regards to coming to terms with revolutionary change in specific life areas:

Aries: Resist autocrats in your professional life and venture forth on your own creative path. You have a message of hope to spread, and you can be an example to others as a pioneer.

Taurus: Resist the temptation to be influenced by extreme ideologies that capitalize on your fear of instability and material loss. The greatest rewards are in your spiritual life.

Gemini: Join exciting groups that bring unity and enlightenment, but expose those people who awaken anxiety for the sake of personal power. Be a part of a visionary community that expresses hope.

Cancer: Pioneering career initiatives bring an economic revolution. Adapt constantly to change and focus always on the future. Don’t let others sabotage your vision through their anxiety.

Leo: Broadcast the revolution and reach out beyond borders to ally yourself with groups who share your vision of the future. You are a winner. Avoid getting ground down by power-hungry bureaucrats.

Virgo: This is an epoch of inner change. Confront anxieties about self-expression and give up control – what have you got to lose? Spiritual and psychological change brings a new foundation.

Libra: Let go of anxiety connected with relationships and give partners space… they will take it anyway. Liberate yourself from domestic tyranny and get involved with groups who open your consciousness.

Scorpio: Adjust to a constantly changing work environment and try to get involved with international colleagues. Let go of all previous ideas and allow a transformation of your ideas to take place.

Sagittarius: Embark on a creative odyssey and shock and surprise others with what you are capable of. You become a world citizen and create the philosophical framework for a new future.

Capricorn: Resist autocratic tendencies and allow a spirit of freedom and experimentation to permeate your home and family life. Let birds fly from the nest. Spiritual and Psychological development.

Aquarius: There is so much new to learn! There is freedom all around you, also in love relationships. Resist the tendency to obsess about forces beyond your control. You provide the ideas for new groups.

Pisces: Dare to take a risk and discover how you can revolutionize your earning power through capitalizing on your unique talents. Keep fanatical groups at a safe distance and ally yourself with professional geniuses.

The above influences are meant as a source of inspiration, and can of course be applied to the personal horoscope too, according to which house Uranus falls into. Actually sun sign astrology can be rather powerful, so even these general influences are likely to be of some relevance.

For those people who want to invest in what Uranus in Aries may bring, it is a good idea first of all to withdraw investment from areas associated with Uranus in Pisces, for example media groups like Disney and DreamWorks, or industries like oil, medicine and ocean technologies. Solar power is an obvious choice, and probably gold will continue to be a very safe option for years to come. Regrettably the military looks like a good bet because world tensions are liable to increase, not least between China and India, which are becoming the new world superpowers to rival the US. Pioneering ventures may also thrive, and in this context some of the private initiatives for space travel are liable to have success. I think the general rule is only to invest if you like risks!

Investment and developments are also liable to be strongly affected by the transit of Neptune through Pisces. This is likely to bring profound changes in social media like Facebook (goodbye all those virtual friends), and there will be a new emphasis on solidarity with the underprivileged and charity initiatives. The wise industry in this period will embrace a compassionate policy and address the needs of the environment and the people negatively affected by their enterprises.

It will be a privilege to live through the dynamic period that is now starting. The entrance of Uranus into Aries inaugurates a new 84-year cycle of world development, and changes will happen breathtakingly fast. The new generations brought up in the virtual as well as the real world will have some real surprises in store for us!

Adrian Duncan