Scorpio Solar Eclipse - The Path Of Totality

A total solar eclipse involves the Moon passing between the Earth and the Sun
The Moon's circular shadow is cast over the earth under 'the path of totality'
 we appear to see the Moon covering the Sun.

On the 13th November, 2012 there is a burst of Scorpio energy in the form of a Total Solar Eclipse. A jab of Scorpio energy that focuses the attention and wakes up the system, whatever it touches seems to draw blood and healing antibodies towards it, a combination which occurs at deep subterranean levels, often outside conscious knowledge or control. This eclipse will occur at the point of 21 degrees Scorpio and this is where ‘the system’ will receive its injection of 'kill or cure' Scorpio serum. 

Scorpio wants us to feel something so what do we feel about this eclipse? Lets imagine lighting a fuse on an impressive firework like a roman candle or rocket, then standing back and looking up to watch the display. We feel safe enough no doubt from this distance and we will be absorbed, engaged and delighted by it. Get too close, however and the danger is immediately apparent because it will be blinding, ferocious and completely out of any comfort zone we know. Our Sun is that magical gift of fire that keeps on giving and in return we have given the Sun our awe, admiration, honour and respect throughout the ages. A Solar Eclipse, when the New Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth blocking out the light from the Sun reminds us of the importance of this connection. Although we can often take our relationship with the Sun for granted it is almost impossible to imagine a moment of life without it until an eclipse breaks that connection, even if it is for just those few moments.

Ancient cultures would honour the Sun and they would worship Sun deities and readily acknowledge its intrinsic importance. In the past, an eclipse was often associated with a time of disaster because it was impossible to accept the 'disappearing' Sun at all. Apocalyptic famines, floods, deluges, droughts and general panics, due to unusual events with plagues and en masse disease all appearing to be connected. The ten Biblical plagues of Egypt, for example, are now explained as a chain of natural events leading to a possible solar eclipse. Water turning to blood coming about after the eruption of the island of Thera, now Santorini in Greece and the resultant volcanic pollution. The Thera eruption polluted the water causing the fish to die, the frogs also left the water which led to an increase in insects and disease. The volcanic eruption caused really unusual weather conditions meant hail ruined the crops, bringing in swarms of locusts who love the wet bred fast. The unusual darkness, however, the ninth plague, was the volcanic dust in the air and a probable Solar Eclipse.

Even when we understood more on a rational level the time of an eclipse still continues its long associated with periods of menace when anything unexpected, life threatening and harmful could have the potential to burst on the scene. Equipped with our ‘modern’ mind sets, to this day, we can still feel the hairs rise on the back of necks as we watch the Sun literally disappearing during a solar eclipse, the stillness in the air and the unnatural imposed dark (Vampires, Gemini & The Solar Eclipse). Whilst marveling at the spectacle we all know the Sun will come back into view but for many of us, if not all of us, unconsciously triggered within an ancient part of our psyches and deep inside our brain there still is some part of us that registers a full alert.

As for the fireworks well they are so much more impressive on a clear night than when it is cloudy or overcast but this solar eclipse will not be visible in the northern hemisphere and if we want to literally see it we will have to follow it across the International Dateline, twice. It is especially visible in Cairns, Australia, New Zealand and Chile and is listed to start on the 13th November, 2012. It will be seen in north east Australia at dawn on the 14th November, 2012 but as the shadow path heads east, it has to cross the International Dateline again, moving back in time to the 13th November, 2012 as it heads off towards a west of Chile sunset.

1st Antarctic Total Solar Eclipse viewed by mankind 2003, unusually right on the horizon

As a solar eclipse it should be relatively unobscured by any celestial ‘traffic’ either as it passes along its visible path in the Southern hemisphere. The only red light along the celestial path seems to be a square aspect between Mercury and Neptune, causing more than a little muddle for the clearest of thinkers and orators. OK, so on top of all this emotion we will have to watch what we say as well and that is easy within our present Scorpio-complex. What else can we expect when both the Sun and the Moon are in Scorpio but more complicated emotional landscapes. Like glaciers made up of ancient water with labyrinths and hidden arteries of emotional material teetering on the edge, waiting to break off into a series of icebergs, calving into an endless ice field that still needs to melt and then what? Will we be overwhelmed in a tidal wave of emotional material that has previously never seen the light of day. (Mars in Scorpio - What LIes Beneath).

We have also been under a Scorpio Sun that has been operating its follow-spot on the world stage as well as on our own emotional minefields. Now it is being followed by the Moon so closely that for a moment it will be eclipsed. Main stage we have also got Saturn acting as a life jacket in Scorpio or maybe 'Saturn's strait jacket' urging us to be a bit more dispassionate, or at least 'keep our heads above water' and 'stay afloat' until he gets the measure of things. Here we have Saturn in Scorpio, sleuthing with objectivity and compassion and systematically contending with not being drowned in feelings. It appears that Scorpio is generally where the action is in our charts, just now. Saturn will be continuing to carry out investigations there for a couple of years and the solar eclipse wake-up calls will be stepping across the Taurus/Scorpio polarity until 2014. This is also where the moon's Nodes are until March 2014. (Axis of Power & Possessions -Scorpio/Taurus) Not an easy time then as none of us are really willingly to go to 'Pandora Box' openings. Those boxes are really heavy to carry around, everything starts to rot in all this icy Scorpio water and anyway things either unexpectedly bob to the surface or get washed up and discovered by Saturn in Scorpio beach combing. (Saturn in Scorpio - Snake Charmer Karma)

Cairns in Queensland, Australia will be the place to be about an hour after sunrise on the
14th November, 2012, where the moon will completely cover the solar disk and then display
a total eclipse of the sun for about two minutes. 50,00 visitors are expected but cloudy skies are predicted.

We will have to look to our Scorpio planets, houses, zones or angles in our charts. If this is your Ascendant, Sun or Moon you will have to start to take notice the potential changes that can come with these intense circumstances. This will also involves the couple of degrees either side of the eclipse path of 19/23 degrees Scorpio and pulling in its opposite sign of Taurus and also the other fixed polarity of Leo and Aquarius.

What could it mean for us if we are caught up in its sweep as the infa-red Scorpio searchlight begins its scan? If it is your Mars, for example, or your 1st house zone then it is these aspects of your psyche that will receive an invitation to entertain the wake-up call of this Scorpio eclipse. With Mars, your attention will become much more focused on what you need to do to ‘get what you want’ and how to express your drive as well as your frustration, which is only thwarted drive, in a more productive and healthy way. On or around the eclipse you may want to initiate a project or at least instigate a situation and know that you will have to wait for the fruits of this energetic, brave, proactive play in a few months time. Mars will always be up for a fight though so bear in mind the need to exercise some caution and as much patience as you can.

Listed here are Heads of State and countries whose birth charts have the 19-23 degrees of Scorpio falling on a natal planet. I have used the Whole Sign House system aware that some added variables could alter or change some of the charts.

China: Has Venus at 19 degrees in its 9th zone of ‘International Relations, Ethics & Legal System’.

India: Has Jupiter at 19 degrees in its 6th zone of ‘Service, Workers & The Public Servant’.

Pakistan: Has Jupiter at 19 degrees in its 8th zone of ‘Financial Institutions & Transformation through Crisis’.

Iran: Has Uranus at 20 degrees in its 12th zone of ‘Hidden Enemies, Subterfuge and Corridors of Power’. 

Iranian Fajr-5 rockets launched Gaza strip

On the 15th November, 2012 sirens sounded in Tel Aviv for the first time since the Gulf War, causing panic, crippling the mobile phone service after missiles were fired from Gaza towards the city. The Israelis have said that the missiles fell short or into the sea while the Palestinian militants issued a statement claiming responsibility saying that they had fired Iranian made rockets. Tel Aviv is about 80 kilometers from Gaza suggesting the use of the Iranian Fajr-5 rockets, which have twice the range of the rockets previously used by Hamas. On the 16th November, 2012 one rocket landing in a field outside Jerusalem.

Spain: Has Saturn at 20 degrees in its 10th zone of ‘Government, Ruling Classes and Status’.

The U.K Prime Minister David Cameron: Has Neptune at 20 degrees in his 2nd zone of ‘Personal Finances & Assets’.

Poland: Has the Sun at 21 degrees in its 11th zone of ‘Helpers & Governing Legislature’.

Afghanistan: Has the Mars at 22 degrees next to Pluto at 24 in its 1st zone of ‘Personal Space & The National Mythology’.

Palestine: Has the Sun at 22 degrees in its 3rd zone of ‘Communication and Transportation Networks & Neighbouring Countries’. 

Hamas declared 'Open War' with Israel after the assassination of Hamas leader, Ahmed Jabari on 14th November, 2012, he was held to be responsible for extreme terror attacks inside Israel. Hamas then declared that Israel had 'Opened the Gates of Hell' and began to set off longer-range missiles, thought to have been provided by Iran and reaching Tel-Avivi and Jerusalem the densely populated cities of Israel. Palestinians are posting tweets and blogs focusing on the Isaraeli attacks on Gaza, recording and transmitting drone attacks and explosions and then broadcasting live to the Arab world, in particular.
'We don't want to get into Gaza if we don't have to. But if they keep firing at us … a ground operation is still on the cards....'If we see in the next 24 to 36 hours more rockets launched at us, I think that would be the trigger.' Israel's deputy foreign minister, Danny Ayalon (CNN 17th November, 2012).

Hamas one of the two main political groups in Palestine won a majority of seats in parliamentary elections but never took control of Palestinian, still led by President Mahmoud Abbas, of the main rival party, Fatah who control the West Bank. Hamas is regarded as a terrorist group by the U.S., Israel and Europe. Hamas really wants to encourage its growing alliance with the new Islamic leadership in Egypt and other Islamic regimes in the Arab world and so its aim is not only military but diplomatic. 

Jordan’s King Abdullah: Has the Moon at 23 degrees in his 11th zone of ‘Helpers & Hopes for the Future’.

Bear in mind the recent American presidential elections on the 6th November, 2012. Right on the day of the election with a Mercury station all the political pundits appeared stumped and baffled saying that it was too close to call the winner. (U.S. Presidential Election Astrology - Obama vs Romney). One of the major astrology markers indicating President Obama's re-election was this solar eclipse occuring in his 10th house zone of Status, Reputation and Authority.

Also keep in mind that an eclipse will leave its fingerprints on the celestial windowpane for about 6 months. It may be easy to forget about it as it passes over and we move on with our lives but remaining conscious around the issues highlighted by this Scorpio eclipse for however brief a period will prove worthwhile. Our eyes are drawn to the area anyway. On the weekend of the eclipse there may well be an incident a surge of emotion an easily identified event which will mark the spot. X may be where the ball lands but the ripples will continue to reverberate for up to 6 months later, remember. What happens during this solar eclipse is the seed that will sprout in a few months time.

Read Julie Demboski's A Little Something on the Upcoming Eclipse for a great interpretation of the Eclipse Sabian Symbol here
Read April Elliott Kent's Big Sky Astrology for her insights on where the 2012 Eclipse falls in your chart here
               
credits: universe-beauty.com & nasa/getty & earthsky & nasa & astronomical association Queensland & wired science & CNN & Haaretz
Gloria project
posted by pippa ponton & jphibbs

U.S. Presidential Election Astrology - Obama vs Romney

President Barack Obama vs Mitt Romney

The world is waiting to see who will be the next President of the United States of America. The polls are all predicting a close run race and there is a tight margin separating the two candidates. The candidates are neck and neck, eyeball to eyeball and toe to toe. The negative campaigning has been a raw, tooth by jowl, teeth bared and buried in each other’s necks, affair at times. All the professional forecasters and pollsters are in agreement though that this race is still too close to call.

What is astrology forecasting saying or is that also too close for ‘the stars’ to call. As in any lively, organic and multi-voiced debate, opinions have really varied. At the New Orleans United Astrology Conference (UAC) in May 2012, astrologers went for a narrow victory for President Obama as reported in USA Today. This is hotly debated and there have been increasing astrological voices deciding the result will actually go Romney’s way. Who is your money on?

We are going to cut out any astrology complications today by putting one astrological method to the test using the principle of keeping it simple, short and sweet. We are going to see astrology working at this fundamental level. Of course the techniques employed can be elevated and can take on a lot more sophistication, astrology can display far more subtleties, colours and textures but the basic method, in theory, should deliver the main sign posts. We will obviously have to avoid the contentious muddle over accuracy of birth data which would effect the outcome if true. Also the important fact is that Mercury will station, going retrograde on the day of the election results, the 6th November, 2012. The last time Mercury was retrograde on Election Day was the 7th November, 2000 that meant a Florida recount of votes and finally a Supreme Court decision to finalise George W Bush as the winner. Nevertheless, we will still use just the whole sign house system, the outer planet transits and the position of the progressed Sun for each candidate. There is also a brief nod towards the total eclipse of the Sun effect. 

Lets start with Saturn, the hard worker, the planet of ‘tuff it out’, just 'scrub in and get on with it'. Currently it is prowling through the dark corridors of Scorpio, churning up debris from the base line and bringing it in for further forensic work. Make no bones about it, this Saturn really means business.
Here is Barack Obama's birth chart using The Whole Sign House system

Barack Obama - His Saturn, planet of Hard Work is in his 10th house of Status, Authority & Reputation. It is at the most elevated section of his chart and will take a few years yet before it starts to descend. He is at the height of his power and at the pinnacle of his career during this time. Saturn is all about authority and here it is in the most visible part of Obama's chart. We see him working hard, we see him struggle with the real problems and we see him grimly determined. This will increase his possibility of winning.

Saturn is also quincunx his Moon. Obama is being seen as having to work hard in his position of authority (Saturn in 10^th) and also adjusting (quincunx) to the people ‘folks’ (Moon). His first debate showed him as too aloof and hesitant but since then he has struggled to rectify and realign the public opinion. On a personal level of course the moon is Obama's home and family and this must be thrown into having to do a total 
re-adjustment to the needs of the election and the crisis posed by super storm Sandy.

Here is Mitt Romney's birth chart using The Whole Sign House system

Mitt Romney - His Saturn, planet of Hard Work is in his 6th house of Working Conditions, Health and Service to others. Whilst on the ascent it will take a few yet before it climbs into a more visible and obvious section of his chart. Those couple of years mean more time at the coal face, more graft and with less obvious rewards. That decreases his possibility of winning. His Saturn is about to quincunx his North Node so his hard

work at the coal face, Saturn in 6th, will mean he will adjust how communicates and thinks in the future, he may have a rethink about his true destiny (North Node in Gemini). On a more personal level his health may have taken the brunt of his punishing election schedule.

Uranus next. Currently it is zapping and charging up President Obama’s 3rd house of Communications, Short journeys and Neighbourhood. Over this election period Obama's Uranus is not making any major aspects. He will simply feel it as a hectic whirlwind of increased communications and travel schedules. There was the possibility of shocking and upsetting news stories being brought to ‘his doorstep’ and this upset, no doubt relates to super storm Sandy and all its tragic repercussions. 

Uranus is currently charging up Romney’s 11th house of Rewards, Associates and Helpers. It will be felt as surprising and sudden gifts in the form of financial donations or help from an endless variety of sources. Friends and supporters will give him energy in all its forms. Uranus is making a trine aspect to his North Node and this will feel like a whirlwind of adrenaline pumping up his belief in his destiny, as if receiving a lightning bolt jolt of energy. He and his supporters must feel as if he is in the right place at the right time.

Now for Pluto. He who shall be obeyed, the Dark Lord, Mr Power Hungry himself. Pluto is in Capricorn and demands that we conform to his laws. He could behave much like the shark in the film ‘Jaws’ menacingly moving through the water, suddenly seen then unseen, revealing just enough of himself to arouse a heightened panicky emotion.

For Obama the shark is circling his 12th house of Subconscious processes, Alone time and Spiritual solace. Planets in this zone of a birth chart are barely visible, the Pluto shark is swimming in the deepest of deepest oceans. This is also the part of our chart that symbolises the deepest, darkest corridors of power. Pluto is currently coming up to trine Obama's own personal Pluto which is a positive experience and quite a relief.

For Romney the shark of Pluto is circling his 8th house of Other people's resources, Crisis and Transformation. This Pluto shark is swimming in icy waters and it's power can be brutally raw and acutely devastating.

Photoshop Sharks meme about New York after super storm Sandy

We possibly need some relief from that intensity. For an out and out celebration and party time signs and banners, we need look no further than Mr Joyful Excess himself, Jupiter. Currently Jupiter's party trick consists of walking backwards whilst juggling and all the while dispensing leaflets, vuvuzelas, noise-makers  and paper hats - Jupiter is currently retrograde in Gemini. 

For Obama it is one big party right now as Jupiter flips though his 5th house of Fun, Fans and Creativity. What is more we are all invited to the celebrations, since on the day of the election, Jupiter forms a sextile aspect to Obama's Sun in the 7th zone of The Public. Personally he will feel as if his whole being has expanded with sheer joy and happiness.

For Romney Jupiter is puffing up his 1st zone of Personal Style, First Impressions and Personal Space. He will appear hopeful, optimistic and expansive, if not rather arrogant and superior. On the day of the election Jupiter will form a tough square aspect to his Mercury in the 10th zone of Reputation & Authority. If Mercury is all about his thoughts and communications then his thoughts are about his reputation and authority and they appear to take quite a dark turn.

All in all then using these basic factors it looks like Barack Obama and the Democrats will be the ones rejoicing and Mitt Romney and the Republicans having to engage in a hard re-think.

Finally a word on the two candidates Progressed Sun’s, which tells us about the path their inner personal journeys will take. For Romney it is an earthy, solid Taurus. For him these years are about building, sustaining, providing and securing. He will want to be consolidating and grafting from the bottom up, slowly and determinedly working towards his goals. His Progressed Sun is passing through his 12th house of Subconscious Processes, Alone Time and Spiritual belief so this time is also when he can be sustained, as well as build on, his deep faith and private prayers. The next sign post along his progressed Sun's path is a powerful opposition to his Moon in a couple of years time across his service axis. So some sort of a turning point then, involving his faith and service to mankind and to his own God. 

For President Obama, his Progressed Sun just newly entered a 30 year cycle in the air sign of Libra. For him these years are a time of balancing, fairness, judgment, harmony, popularity and strategy. It is passing through his 9th house of Internationalism, Morality, Publicity and Wisdom. A time when he can broadcast his opinions, receive international fame and get his message across to the world. The next sign post along this road is a sextile to his Mercury. This is a time of opportunity and ease, doors will open and new ideas and people will flood in and since this Mercury is in his 7th house of The Public then it is likely that we too will be more connected and informed and have more access to the presidency.

Of course we can always resort to the 'Redskins Rule'

'Redskin Rule' used as a superstitious predictor since 1937 and been right 17 out of 18 times.
Rule is if Redskins win their last home game prior to election the incumbent party will win.
The 'wrong one' was George W Bush disputed win over Al Gore.
Caroline Panthers beat Washington Redskins on 4th November, 2012

Or the oddly accurate 7/11 Rule.

7/11 convenience store chain use their method of getting customers to choose
their 'steaming cup of democracy' for their 4th election

There is always the bizarre Halloween mask poll to take note of.

Since Ronald Reagan's Halloween mask outsold Jimmy Carter's in 1988 since then a tally has been kept.
Obama masks at 68% have outsold Romney's

Family Circle equally bizarre 1st Lady Cookie-Bake off poll (Bill Clinton was 1st 'male' 1st Lady in Democratic primary)

Family Circle magazine since 1992 runs a cookie bake-off between the two 1st Lady's
Michelle Obama won

Astrology's final word. The up and coming Total Eclipse of the Sun on the 13th November 2012, so slightly after the election date, is going to be fascinating since the Eclipse will affect the following six months. For Mr Romney it falls in his 6th zone of Daily Routine and Schedules so all of his attention will be drawn to sorting out and dealing with the massive changes to the day to day running of his life, as well as for those who have worked for him. For President Obama it lights up his zone of Status & Reputation. The next six months for him will have focus on his authority and ambitions with immediate attention being turned to his professional role. (Scorpio Solar Eclipse - The Path of Totality)

He may have 99 problems but perhaps 'Mitt aint one'

Using the astrological criteria as stated it looks like a tightly-run presidential race all right and one which still appears to end up with Barack Obama being elected once more as President of the United States of America.
                   
credits: callie shell & fetchtoto & travel.aol & papundits & Time & saltlaketribune & guardian & sunnewsblog & urbanlegend

posted by pippa ponton & jphibbs