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INAUGURATION 2001

PART 3

George Washington Inauguration, 1789
by Zip Dobyns

Mundane astrology, which studies the world, offers a variety of techniques. Horoscopes can be drawn for cardinal ingresses when the Sun enters the cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. Charts for eclipses and other full and new Moons and for major planetary conjunctions can be used. Such charts are calculated for the region of earth in which the student is interested. The planetary signs and aspects will be identical for the different locations, but the chart houses will change. Another type of cycle chart is drawn for the moment in which a planet enters north declination. The horoscope is used until the planet has moved to its northernmost position, returned as far south as it will move, and come back to 0 degrees of north declination. The horoscopes of world leaders can also be helpful, though it is often difficult to get accurate data for them.

Anything which has a beginning, for which data is available, can be useful in mundane astrology. This includes countries, institutions, organizations and events. Since countries and other institutions are normally born in a series of steps, several charts may be used to provide a full picture. For the birth of the United States, we might consider the first act of war between the U.S. and England, the Declaration of War by the U.S., the end of the war, the Paris Peace Treaty, the Resolution for Independence on July 2, 1776, the Declaration of Independence on July 4 1776 (with a totally uncertain time for the crucial vote and signatures), the Constitution becoming the law of the country, the first meetings of the House of Representatives, of the Senate, and of the Supreme Court, and the inauguration of our first president, George Washington.

Washington was inaugurated on April 30, 1789 in New York, the site of the government until the new capitol in Washington D. C. was built. The ceremony was scheduled for noon, but it was very late. Historical records located by my web friend, Doc Cottle, pinpoint the time as between 1:20 and 1:30 PM when the oath of office was finally administered. The time used was "Local Apparent Time" or LAT. Local Mean Time was first used in the U.S. in the 19^th century, with different countries starting to use it on different dates. I am working with a chart set for 1:22 PM LAT. It should be accurate within a degree or so, but the angles could be off a little, so I usually note, when mentioning aspects to angles, that they depend on an accurate time for the chart.

I progressed this chart to noon on January 20, 2001, and discuss some of the local house cusps for Washington D.C. in addition to the cusps for New York. Capital P stands for progressed factors, and capital N for natal factors. The progressions certainly point to change, which could be a smaller change if Al Gore is elected or a larger one if a Republican wins the office. The time I chose, after studying the aspects for many events in our history, puts 0 Gemini 58 on the NY MC and 28 Taurus 0 on the Washington D.C. MC. If this time is accurate, P Juno (equivalent to Pluto) is conjunct the N north lunar node and the N IC, opposite the N MC and south node, and quincunx a conjunction of P Chiron and the P IC . P Vesta is just past the P MC, conjunct N Ceres and quincunx the local N MC.

Quincunxes and oppositions are the aspects most typical of separations. These aspects certainly look like major changes involving both the executive and his handling of power, and the conditions of the public. The MC, like all forms of letter ten, signifies the laws and those who enforce them. Opposite it, the IC represents emotional security issues, homes and families, and the public in general. Ceres symbolizes the nurturing side of Virgo, with overtones much like Cancer. I interpret it as a key to "mothering" or being "mothered."

Mars is always a key to personal action, and therefore typically associated with changes in outer circumstances. P Mars is conjunct the N East Point, an equivalent to Mars and the Ascendant, to reinforce the potential for action and change. P Mars is also conjunct N Bellona, a war goddess, and P Hela, a goddess of death. The patterns point to an executive and/or a term of office with considerable turbulence. The U.S. is likely to continue to share the responsibility for policing Kosovo, for protecting Israel, and for trying to deal with a very unstable world. However, P Mars is also trine N Mercury for successful action by "fire-type" people with initiative and confidence.

Mercury and the Moon rule the signs of Gemini and Cancer, which are in the natal tenth house of the executive. The P Moon is quincunx both P Mercury and the P north lunar node, and opposite N Juno for the inauguration, again pointing to changes. P Moon’s sextile to N Chiron, which is part of a grand trine of N Chiron, N Juno, and P Pluto, all in air signs and earth houses, reinforces the potential for success for individuals who are intelligent, educated, and practical. Pluto, Juno, and the eighth house, the P Moon’s location, are all associated with joint resources, including inheritance, return on investments, debts, etc. The U.S. may continue its economic prosperity, at least for the skilled members of the society.

Aspects showing that not everyone is happy include P Venus in Capricorn square N Vesta and N Neptune in Libra in the second house. The second house and Libra are both ruled by Venus, which carries the meaning of pleasure. The Taurus house represents pleasure in the physical world which is under our own control; money we earn and personal possessions and appetites. Juno, as noted above, is like Pluto, pointing to shared money, possessions, and pleasures. Libra also is associated with shared pleasure, though both letters seven and eight can be competitive as well as cooperative. Neptune signifies the capacity for empathy and compassion for everyone. When this is lacking, it can produce victims. The aspects fit a continuation of our increasing disparity between the rich and the poor. The message is repeated by long-term squares from the lunar nodes to Pluto. The nodes can be interpreted as two more Moons in the chart, signifying the need for emotional security, which often draws people into relationships, homes, and families. Pluto, as already indicated, marks our capacity to share mutual security with lasting, peer relationships.

P Saturn’s long-term trine to N Moon, and P Pluto’s quincunx to it, give us a mixed picture for the security of the public. Continued success is promised by Saturn, while tension and frequent changes are suggested by the P Pluto quincunx. The P lunar nodes hold a long sextile-trine to N Saturn. The long-term aspects do not support a "doom-and-gloom" scenario for the country, though some ups and downs are inevitable. They do fit the need for education, a theme endorsed by all of the presidential candidates, to help the people at the bottom of the society.

Much more might be said, but I want to take a quick look at some of the personal name asteroids. I will list their aspects, and let readers try to decide who is more likely to be the winner. If astrology shows one’s state of mind, the prominence of all of them fits their being the focus of a lot of mental attention.

N Johanna is in 0 Pisces 44, opposite P Jupiter. P Johanna is in 2 Pisces 46, on the local Descendant. N Johnadams is in 17 Taurus 0, sextile N Moon. P Johnadams is retrograding in 13 Cancer 10, conjunct N Washingtonia (for our capital). N Jakoba is in 20 Taurus 17, sextile N Saturn, trine P Venus, and quincunx N Vesta. P Jakoba is retrograding in 21 Cancer 4, trine N Saturn, opposite P Venus, and square Vesta and Neptune. N Johnny is in 11 Cancer 8, sextile the N Sun, trine the Part of Fortune, octile P Mars, and opposite P Pallas. P Johnny is in 17 Libra 54, conjunct N Juno, semisextile P Mercury, trine P Pluto, octile the N Ascendant in Washington (if this time is right), and quincunx P Saturn.

N George is in 24 Pisces 34, conjunct P Ascendant if I have the right birth minute for the chart, plus it is quincunx P Neptune, semisextile N Mercury, and quincunx N Georgia in 24 Leo 16. P George is retrograding in 1 Taurus 52, conjunct N Venus, square N Uranus and Antivertex and quincunx the N IC (if this time is right). P Georgia is in 28 Libra 58, quincunx the N south lunar node and local MC, trioctile N Mars, sextile P Vesta, and octile P Ceres.

N Albertina (for Al Gore) is in 24 Cancer 5, square N Mercury and P Neptune, trine N George, and semisextile N Georgia. P Albertina is in 19 Libra 17, just ending a trine to N Chiron but still trine Pluto, opposite P Moon, and quincunx N Saturn, the P Ascendant in Washington, and the P south lunar node to form a yod. There are many other fascinating asteroids, but I will just add that Albertina is conjunct P Starr (for Ken Starr) and P Ganesa (the elephant-headed Hindu god who may represent the Republicans). Does that mean that Al will triumph over Starr and the Republicans, or vice versa, or does it just picture the confrontation? P Albertina is also semisextile P Williams, which could stand for either Bill Clinton or Bill Bradley.

The preceding patterns include separation, harmony, and conflict aspects. Two candidates will separate from their goal of being president. Gore will obviously leave the Vice Presidency. If Bush wins, he will leave Texas. If McCain wins, he will leave the Senate. If the new president is personally threatened, as is the U.S. history with Jupiter-Saturn conjunctions in earth signs in the year of his election, the man with more harmony might be the one who does NOT win??? Any psychics want to try to guess? We hope to have a message board on our site, and might tally the guesses of both astrologers and psychics.

Copyright © 2000 Los Angeles Community Church of Religious Science, Inc.

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