“Anyone who believes exponential growth can go on forever in a finite world is either a madman or an economist” – Kenneth Boulding, Economist
From an astrological perspective, it is not too difficult to know what the nature of events will be in 2012. We have seen that certain kinds of changes were going to come; now we see the results. In the year 2012 we will be in the pivotal point of this change brought to us by the Uranus/Pluto square* in Cardinal Signs** The square will be exact 7 times from Jun 24, 2012, to March 2015.
This is the most important and longest astrological aspect this year, and in fact the most significant influence since Uranus and Pluto were conjunct in the 1960′s. The last time Uranus was square Pluto was during the Great Depression of the 1930′s. We may be facing another depression equal to the 30’s.
Uranus square Pluto also brings intense revolutions and rebellion against dictatorship. This started last year when we saw dictators fall, but the vacuum created also brings the chance of even more extreme or religious regimes taking control amid the chaos. Remember the last series of squares was in the early 1930′s when Hitler consolidated his power at the climax of this aspect.
To understand Uranus/Pluto energy we look back to the 1960’s when these two planets were conjoined. This is the first square since that time. Whatever was started in the 60’s now needs to be expanded and expressed in new ways. A waxing square can create lasting change.
Uranus and Pluto only form a conjunction once every 125 years and when they do it means the start of a new age. The conjunction was exact in 1965 and 1966, but they were within 10 degrees of each other throughout the sixties. In astrology the conjunction is the vision, the first square is manifesting the vision. How do we now implement the ideas we had in the 1960’s?
This year Uranus ruling sudden, unexpected shocking changes is in a tense square to Pluto which rules deep transformation. Also, Pluto loves to expose the shadow side of those in Power. We can expect a massive overhaul of our political, economic and social systems plus more corruption exposed.
Let us analyze this square and look at each of the two planets and what they bring to this dynamic aspect—the square.
Pluto:
Pluto represents destruction and Capricorn the material world. Pluto transforms and regenerates. Pluto can shake our foundations creating chaos. He will destroy the old power structures.
The square started to coalesce in 2008 when Pluto went into Capricorn. Pluto is the planet of death and rebirth, think of Kali, the dark mother, cutting off heads. Capricorn represents the economy, the government, the large corporations, all of our established institutions and structures. Pluto will stay in Capricorn until 2020 and I expect it will take that long for our economic system to be destroyed and rebuilt.
Several economists said that 2008 was the year economic growth stopped and more importantly that our planet can’t support much more development. Karl Marx, John Stuart Mill and John Maynard Keynes, all said that capitalism has an end date, it can’t go on forever.
Thomas Friedman in the New York Times in March 2009 said, “What if the crisis of 2008 represents something much more fundamental than a deep recession? What if it’s telling us that the whole growth model we created over the last 50 years is simply unsustainable economically and ecologically and that 2008 was when we hit the wall – when Mother Nature and the market both said: “No more.”
Friedman really nailed it by picking 2008. Maybe he is a covert astrologer. I think we are facing enormous crises because of unsustainable economic growth, not to mention climate change. However, the news is not all bad. Remember Pluto rules death and rebirth and the rebuilding that follows Pluto’s destruction may result in conditions and situations that are better then they were before. More on the future later.
Let’s look at the effect that Pluto will have on some of the nations around the world and the Euro. Pluto is going to conjunct the UK Sun and the Euro (currency) Sun in February 2013, and oppose the US Sun the following year (2014). Before it does either of those things it's going to square the French Sun, the Chinese Sun and the German Sun which started this past November and go on through 2012. Events in China should have critical implications globally. The Chinese horoscope has her Sun being squared by transiting Pluto all 2012, a severe test on the leadership. Economic slowdown and internet led rebellions will be difficult to contain in all these countries.
Uranus:
Uranus moved into Aries March 11, 2011 the day of the Japanese earthquake. Uranus is the sign of disruption and rebellion, and Aries is the sign of the individual. Peoples around the world will be protesting for individual rights. Occupy Wall Street began Sep 17, 2011.
Uranus will be in Aries for about 7 years, challenging us to act (Aries) in accordance with who we really are (Uranus). Aries is the sign of the warrior and Uranus is the planet of humanitarian aims. The changes happening in the world will accelerate. The next 7 years will be full of disruptions and battles for independence.
Back in April 2011, I said that the US would not be immune to the protests. In an interview, Michael Moore was very amused about the fact that corporations like Time Warner financed his movie, The Corporation, because they knew it would make them lots of money. They never thought that watching this movie would cause American to go out on the streets and protest. He said that the Occupy Wall Street movement looks like another American revolution. From Michael Moore’s blog, “a majority of Americans are fearful and awaiting a resurgence of the economy so they can resume the life we've become habituated to. When it becomes clear that our elected representatives-federal, state and local-are in cahoots with the thieves who wrecked the economy in 2008, and are now turning us over to them to do with as they please, the dodo will hit the blades.”
The protests are happening around the world because it is a world transit; it affects everyone even though the immediate causes may be unique in each case. The riots in London consisting of about 250,000 people, many throwing rocks at Star Bucks and MacDonald’s, indicates that in the West the rebellion is anti-capitalism. The riots in the Middle East are mostly against authoritarian rule. They both want freedom (Uranus in Aries) from oppression (Pluto).
Our Future:
Bad News
The solar eclipse on May 20, 2012 looks very ominous for Israel. This very same eclipse also negatively impacts the chart for Iran. The June 4, 2012 eclipse hits the US ascendant (Sibly chart)
This may mean that we get involved in this conflict. Pluto hit the US ascendant on 9/11. Since Pluto will be squaring the US natal Sun/Saturn Square which will be exact in 2014, the US may suffer a major depression starting this year and for years to come and a war may be seen as a way out of this depression (also replicating the events in the 30’s).
Mars, the God of War, goes retrograde this month on January 23rd until April 13, 2012. The ancient astrologers believed that whoever attacked another during Mars retrograde would be defeated.
Good News
The choice to be optimistic is the most important political choice an individual can make -- Paul Gilding
I recently read a book entitled, The Great Disruption: Why the Climate Crises Will Bring On the End of Shopping and the Birth of a New World by Paul Gilding. He states
“The now emerging failure of growth means our current model of social and economic progress is now in the messy and painful process of dying. The only choices we get to make are how and when we change, not whether. We have to redesign the economy, and with it much of our politics, personal expectations, and market, to fit in with the immovable physical reality of a finite planet.”
I used to give lectures on Voluntary Simplicity back in the mid nineties and I would cite a study by Donella Meadows called Limits to Growth, published in 1972. I was so young and idealistic then, maybe not so young, but certainly not the cynical old Crone I am now. I thought as soon as people learned that we are going to crash they would start to change. But instead we went into denial and it will probably take a sudden crises before we wake up. And according to Gilding, we will do extraordinary things when the crises hits.
We will have the opportunity to recreate ourselves. I have seen changes happening, especially among the young. The people who will do well during 2012 will be those willing to let go of unnecessary material possessions, jobs that are just about amassing wealth and toxic lifestyles or relationships. Despite the challenges facing us as suggested by the aspects and eclipses, 2012 should be a year for great opportunities to those who are able to adapt to changing conditions. We also feel that conserving resources and leaving a smaller footprint on the earth would be wise and also liberating.
“Although the consumer sector and material goods would contract, the service and public sectors would expand dramatically. When we look at the world, we see a huge number of unmet needs: caring for elderly, restoring the environment, educating illiterate and unskilled youth, repairing decaying roads and infrastructure, providing health care, creating community markets and local enterprises, retrofitting the urban landscape for sustainability and many more. Because there are an enormous number of unmet needs, there are an equally large number of purposeful and satisfying jobs waiting to get done. There will be no shortage of employment opportunities in an Earth-friendly economy.” Duane Elgin
I believe we are all connected to each other and to the earth. So we have felt these changes coming for a long time. Even those who were not aware of climate change or the future of the economy started setting up farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture, recycling centers and other cooperative types of organizations and systems. Across the world there are cities and towns adopting sustainable practices, some joining the Transition towns movement.
I am now seeing extraordinary things happening in my own community. This is the time that grassroots efforts will probably carry far greater impact than ever before. Here in Greenbelt, Maryland we have community bio intensive gardens and are planning orchards of nuts and fruit. Two hundred forty households have signed up for wind energy to date. We are also setting up a barter network. We have created a partnership to build solar panels for one of our local churches and plan on more of these types of partnerships. We have had workshops on dehydrating food, sprouting, weatherizing our homes and soap making. We have groups of people meeting in circles discussing and acting on ideas about voluntary simplicity, resilience, and climate action.
I think the best thing we can do is to support these kinds of programs and try not to get dragged into the negativity and despair that is all around us because our old world is ending. Hopefully, we can change to a resilient, sustainable society without too much upheaval.
Janet Kane
Archetypal Astrologer
*Square Aspect: A tense 90 degree aspect between two planets, they are not harmonious so it is difficult to get them to work together.
**Cardinal signs : Aires, Capricorn, Cancer and Libra are the signs that bring dynamic disruptive change especially if in a challenging aspect to other cardinal signs. Cardinal signs denote pivotal moments in history. It is life giving energy that invigorates, strengthens and vitalizes activities.