POWER OF THE SUN

In vedic astrology the planetary periods play a major role in explaining the trends in life. In this article, the 120 year dasa cycle is explained and its application demonstrated in terms of Sun major period and Sun sub-period influences as per the SAMVA USA chart (Perpetual Union) .

The Vimosattari dasa-bukhti cycle consists of the major periods of 9 planetary bodies in vedic astrology. The major periods of individual planets are of the following order and length.

Planetary periods and their duration in years
Sun: 6
Moon: 10
Mars: 7
Rahu: 18
Jupiter: 16
Saturn: 19
Mercury: 17
Ketu: 7
Venus: 20

Each major period is divided into bukhtis or sub-periods, which follow a prescribed order and are of unequal length. The influence is critically tied to the functional nature of each planet in the chart, i.e. if the planet rules a functional benefic or a functional malefic house. There is no way to quantify the relative influences of the major and sub-period operating. The influence is to be read as per functional nature and influence in the natal chart.

In the SAMVA USA chart, the influence of each planet may be described in the key words below. The description is not finite as each planet has a functional influence in the chart based on the house that it rules as well as a general influence. The house of its placement and aspects are also important. The aspects may be to other houses, to other planets or from other planets. The combined influences of the planet manifest in the national life, both as a permanent natal influence and as a highlighted temporary influence due to transits of the planets and the operation of periods.

Sun: Wealth, status, banks, currency, President, authority, easy gains and foreign affairs. A strong and influentially placed Sun gives strength to the above indications but also periodic problems.
Moon: Self, fame, income, currency and ideals. A strong an well placed Moon, giving powerful sense of self.
Mars: Military, police, fame, industry, know-how confidence and foreign trade. A country with plenty of technical know-how, strong marital class and daring in enterprise. Rahu: Manipulation, government, foreign trade, conflict and upheavals. Vested interests and manipulation in some areas of life.
Jupiter: Conflict, war, financial stability, religion, judiciary and communal harmony. Adamant when challenged and creative avenues for resolving conflict.
Saturn: Easy gains, obstacles and endings, disruption to wealth, status, creativity, foreign affairs, income and Presidency. Easy gains but periodic problems for universities, the President and wealth.
Mercury: Enterprise, commerce, foreign policy initiatives and investor confidence. Initiative to expand business abroad and versatile in diplomacy.
Ketu: Sudden setbacks, violence, racial and ethnic strife, fixed assets and conveyances. Brings problems for racial and ethnic relations. Sudden upheaval in communal harmony.
Venus: Women, arts, housing, financial stability, communal harmony and war protests. Problems for housing. Communal harmony linked to financial stability (debts) or conflict (war).

Dasa cycle I
Sun April 9, 1776 to April 10, 1782
Moon April 10, 1782 to April 9, 1792
Mars April 9, 1792 to April 10, 1799
Rahu April 10, 1799 to April 9, 1817
Jupiter April 9, 1817 to April 9, 1833
Saturn April 9, 1833 to April 9, 1852
Mercury April 9, 1852 to April 9, 1869
Ketu April 9, 1869 to April 9, 1876
Venus April 9, 1876 to April 9, 1896

Dasa cycle II
Sun April 9, 1996 to April 10, 1902
Moon April 10, 1902 to April 9, 1912
Mars April 9, 1912 to April 10, 1919
Rahu April 10, 1919 to April 9, 1937
Jupiter April 9, 1937 to April 9, 1953
Saturn April 9, 1953 to April 9, 1972
Mercury April 9, 1972 to April 9, 1989
Ketu April 9, 1989 to April 9, 1996
Venus April 9, 1996 to April 9, 2016

Dasa cycle III
Sun April 9, 2016 to April 10, 2022
Moon April 10, 2022 to April 9, 2032
Mars April 9, 2032 to April 10, 2039
Rahu April 10, 2039 to April 9, 2057
Jupiter April 9, 2057 to April 9, 2073
Saturn April 9, 2073 to April 9, 2092
Mercury April 9, 2092 to April 9, 2109
Ketu April 9, 2109 to April 9, 2116
Venus April 9, 2116 to April 9, 2136

Let us examine more closely the historical events during Sun major period and the sub-periods in US history, as a guide to what to expect in the forthcoming Sun major period that begins in April 2016.

The SUN rules the following indications in the chart
Lord of 2nd house: Wealth, status, relation with neighbors
Placed in 7th house: Foreign affairs, tourism
General indications: President, government leaders, banks, currency, authority, order
Aspects 7th house: foreign affairs, tourism
Aspects 1st house: Self, fame
Aspected by 8th lord Saturn in the 5th house: Easy gains, inheritance, mining, obstacles, death
Aspect of Rahu to 2nd house: Manipulation of and crisis with regard to wealth and status

Importantly, the Sun is very powerfully placed and influential in the SAMVA USA chart. Its placement is consistent with USA being a country with major influence in the world and its leader, the US President being supremely powerful. That said, there are also problems in view of the aspects of Saturn and Rahu. Now let's examine the two earlier major periods of the Sun and see what influences where preeminent at that time. Remember, that the major period describes the trend, while transits signify the important events.

SUN DASA during the 1st dasa cycle: April 9 1776 to April 10 1782
Main results: Formation of the country on February 2, 1781. All the states agree on a principle of Westward expansion, which is linked to the aspect of 8th lord Saturn to Sun as 2nd lord of wealth (easy gains, inheritance). The colonists were victorious over the British Empire in September 1781, effectively ending the American Revolutionary War. This is linked to the powerful Sun. In doing so, the USA secured control over vast territories by the new nation. Again, this is linked to the aspect of the 8th lord to the 2nd lord.

SUN DASA during the 2nd dasa cycle: April 9 1896 to April 10 1902
Main results: Roughly one hundred years after its founding, the USA had grown in might on the world stage, although it was not quite yet at the zenith. Territorial expansion continued with Hawaii annexed and Utah becoming a state. The Treaty of Paris in 1898 gave the United States control of the former Spanish colonies of Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Guam. During this period, the USA also became a power broker in China, highlighting the influence of the Sun on 7th house of foreign policy. Gold was discovered in the Klondike in 1896. This was followed by the passage of the Gold Standard Act in 1900 ending a period of bimetallism which had resulted in a debasement of the currency. This is very much linked to the strong Sun as general indicator of currency, but also to the aspect of Saturn, which is the general indicator of mining things from the ground. President William McKinley, Jr. was assassinated on September 14, 1901, which is linked to the aspect of 8th lord of death to the Sun. During the second Sun major period, the Progressive Age was born, with relatively more communal harmony concerning earlier disputes over injustices or inequalities.

SUN DASA during the 3rd dasa cycle: April 9 2016 to April 10 2022
This major period is ahead of us. The US has become the preeminent country in the world and will likely retain this status for some more time. The influence of the strong Sun is expected to have a major effect on the national life during its period. An examination of the sub-periods in the national history is also instructive in this regard.

The Bukhti periods of the Sun during the 1st dasa cycle (1776-1896)

Sun/Sun: April 9, 1776 to July 28 1776
- (a pre-natal period) The 13 colonies declare independence and push into motion the legal creation of a confederate union.
Main results: Declaration of Independence is published. Influence of strong Sun on 1st house of self and 7th house of foreign affairs.

Moon/Sun: October 9 1791 to April 9, 1792
- The Bill of Rights is introduced, heralding a major advance in US civil rights.

Main results: The historical Bill of Rights, ensuring the civil rights of Americans comes into effect as part of the US constitution or governing rules on December 15, 1791. The Sun is the indicator of governing rules, the constitution. However, it is also the aspect of Mars as 10th lord to the Moon as 1st lord that is associated with this benign document and the tremendous fame of the USA in its founding days. After all, the Moon is in the 11th house of ideals. As Moon is 1st lord, it also reflects the self of the nation. With Cancer rising, the USA is a caring collective entity, but also quite idealistic.

Mars/Sun: May 4, 1798 to September 9, 1798
- Increase in power of federal government along with increase of states rights.

Main results: Passage of Alien and Sedition Acts (Mars influence) in 1787 countered by the drafting of the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. In effect, the increased power of the federal state by the former was balanced with increased states rights (on behalf of individuals in the states) in the latter (Sun influence).

Rahu/Sun: October 27, 1813 – September 21, 1814
- Treaty of Ghent, ending War of 1812 is signed by the UK and USA. This treaty ended British efforts to restrict US foreign trade and to claim territories in America.

Main results: Treaty of Ghent signed on December 12, 1814 effectively settling the War of 1812. This is consistent with the Sun's powerful influence on the 7th house of foreign policy. The War was started by the USA to reverse international trade restrictions, an influence of Rahu on the 10th house of foreign trade in the chart, which was imposed by Britain (an outside manipulation). The war escalated into battle over British claims to American territories around the Great Lakes region, which involved thus 4th house issues, but Rahu also afflicts this house. Given the strong Sun and other placements, the USA was successful in reversing both efforts of British imperial power.

Jupiter/Sun: October 22, 1827 to August 9, 1828
- A new Federal tax on imports provokes controversy in some states
- Railroad construction expands, increasing access to new territories

Main results: A period of conflict (6th lord influence) due to tariffs by the federal government (Sun influence), involving foreign trade (a 10th house issue) but more so the need of the government to replenish its coffers. The highly protective Tariff of 1828 was vigorously protested. Opponents called it the "Tariff of Abominations" with South Carolina passing the Ordinance of Nullification in an attempt to nullify the federal law. Baltimore and Ohio Railroads begin construction, making vast stretches of land more accessible.

Saturn/Sun: April 1, 1843 to March 13, 1844
- President Polk elected, who favors the annexation of Texas
- State government of Oregon moves into sphere of US Federal government

Main results: Attempt to impeach President Tyler fails in 1843. The difficulty for the President is seen in the aspect of Saturn as 8th lord of obstacles to Sun. In the US presidential election of 1844 Democrat James Knox Polk defeated Henry Clay, a Whig, in a close contest that turned on foreign policy, with Polk favoring the annexation of Texas and Clay opposing. Again the issue concerns the influence of the 8th lord of easy gains, but also obstacles, on the Sun as 2nd lord of wealth. A new government of Oregon moves into the sphere of influence of the USA, which is further indication of this energy of the 8th lord aspecting the 2nd lord.

Mercury/Sun: July 4,1858 to May 10,1859
- Dispute over government authority in Utah resolved
- US foreign policy power increases
- Tensions grow concerning slavery in the USA

Main results: The controversial Utah War begun in 1857, an armed dispute between Latter-day Saint ("Mormon") settlers in Utah Territory and the United States federal government is brought to an end with a peaceful settlement which nonetheless secures the control of the US government over the territory. This situation relates to both the aspect of the 8th lord from the 5th house of "children" to the 2nd lord Sun in the 7th house. Mercury is in the 7th house, ruling also initiatives with "others." The "Treaty of Tien-tsin" asserted the nascent role of the USA as a colonial power, expanding its commercial ties, which is consistent with both Mercury and Sun being in the 7th house of foreign policy. Tensions mount between Northern and Southern states over opposing commercial interests, including tariffs and the practice of slavery. Many government leaders, ruled by the Sun, were strongly against the practice of slavery, but the efforts were nonetheless diplomatic as Rahu is on the MEP of the 10th house. Northern abolitionists deemed government efforts to gently prod Southern leaders as cowardly. This outcome is likely linked to the not so influential Mercury in the 7th house, being moderately combust the Sun in the SAMVA USA chart.

Ketu/Sun: November 6, 1870 to March 13, 1871
- Treaty of Washington settles territorial claims concerning the USA
- Voting rights of African Americans strengthened

Main results: The Treaty of Washington concluded in 1871 between the United Kingdom and the United States settling differences between the two governments with regard to the Dominion of Canada on the one hand and British claims to Alabama on the other. This involves both the Sun in 7th house and the aspect of the 8th lord to the Sun as 2nd lord in the 7th house. The four Force Acts passed by the Congress of the United States shortly after the American Civil War helped protect the voting rights of African-Americans. This is explained by the Sun aspecting the 1st house of self and the conjunction of Ketu to the 4th house, which is the primary influence in the chart to explain the racial and ethnic strife in the history of the country.

Venus/Sun: August 10, 1879 to August 9, 1880
- Civil rights advances, with Habeas Corpus legal reform
- Progressive tax changes introduced.

Main results: The Supreme Court affirms the use of Habeas Corpus, thereby increasing civil protection. The Knights of Labor, one of the most important American labor organizations of the 19th century, went public in 1879 with demands for an end to child and convict labor, equal pay for women and blacks, a progressive income tax and more reforms.

The Bukhti periods of the Sun during the 2nd dasa cycle (1896-2016)

Sun/Sun: April 9, 1896 to July 28, 1896
- Gold standard debated to strengthen the basis of the currency (dollar)
- Gold is discovered in Alaska

Main results: Intense debate about the Gold Standard for the currency (Sun) at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in July 1896. Gold is discovered in the Klondike on August 16, 1896, explained by Saturn's aspect to the Sun.

Moon/Sun: October 9, 1911 to April 9, 1912
- Two new states are added to the Union: New Mexico and Arizona.
- Standard Oil is broken up as a monopoly.

Main results: New Mexico becomes state on January 6, 1912 and Arizona on February 14, 1912. As before, this influence highlights the aspect of the 8th lord Saturn to 2nd lord Sun. The US Supreme Court upheld the lower court judgment and declared the Standard Oil group to be an "unreasonable" monopoly under the Sherman Antitrust Act on May 15, 1911 resulting in the company being broken up into smaller units. In the SAMVA USA chart, the 6th lord Jupiter aspects the Moon. The first ever Indianapolis 500 motor race was staged. The Moon is aspected by Mars as lord of the combative spirit from the 5th house of entertainment.

Mars/Sun: May 4, 1918 to September 9, 1918
- USA ends World War I and brokers a peace

Main results: US involvement in World War I is accelerated, which quickly brings an end to the war. President Wilson’s 14 point plan for the restoration of Europe serves as a vision for what ought to follow. The major period of the strong Mars in the SAMVA USA chart brought the power of the USA to the fore and the authority of the Sun in the 7th house was shown.

Rahu/Sun: October 27, 1933 – September 21, 1934
- The first term of a progressive new President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- Major changes in government and economic policies ("the New Deal") restore order and confidence during the Depression.

Main results: In December 1933, the Twenty-first Amendment to the US Constitution repealed the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which had mandated nationwide Prohibition. The prohibition caused significant problems for the law enforcement and legal system associated with the illegal production, distribution and consumption of alcohol in the USA. Hence, its repeal brought more order to the national life, albeit with alcohol again being allowed. The Rahu major period brought major problems with intoxicants and gangsterism. In the Sun sub-period the underlying causes of this problem, the Prohibition was ended and law enforcement activity was increased. The Rahu period also brought a rise (Roaring Twenties) and fall (Great Depression of the 1930s) to the economy. A share price bubble had been created in a rigged stock market. FDR introduced the New Deal in his first term. The "First New Deal" came with his inauguration on March 4, 1933. It dealt with groups; from banking and railroads to industry and farming. A "Second New Deal" in 1934-35 included the Wagner Act to promote labor unions, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) relief program, the Social Security Act, and new programs to aid tenant farmers and migrant workers. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (commonly known as the SEC) was created to enforce federal securities laws and regulating the securities industry/stock market. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) agency is created to improve housing standards and conditions. The Johnson Act was passed to prevent default nations from marketing their bonds in the USA. The Philippine Independence Act is passed, granting independence to the Philippines. Criminal John Dillinger is killed. The Indian Reorganization Act secured certain rights to Native Americans, including a reversal of the Dawes Act's privatization of common holdings of American Indians and a return to local self-government on a tribal basis.

Jupiter/Sun: October 22, 1947 to August 9, 1948
- Following World War II, the USA becomes leader of the “free world”
- The USA organizes economic and military resources at home and around the world to combat Communism, including the founding of international organizations.

Main results: After winning World War II, the US government set out to stabilize the countries most affected by the war according to its vision. Truman Doctrine is a set of principles of U.S. foreign policy laid out by President Harry S Truman in a speech to Congress on March 12, 1947. Truman declared that the United States, as "leader of the free world", must support democracy worldwide and fight against communism. The plan involved containment of Soviet communism and the Marshall plan for reconstruction of Europe after WW II, was its soft side. The plan developed at a meeting of the participating European states in June 5, 1947 began operations in April 1948 which lasted for four years. The US breaks the Soviet blockade of Berlin, which lasted from 24 June 1948 to 12 May 1949, by airlifting supplies to the city. The Berlin Blockade was one of the first major international crises of the Cold War. The National Security Act of 1947, which took effect on September 18, 1947, merged the Department of War and the Department of the Navy into the National Military Establishment, later renamed as the Department of Defense. The Organization of American States founded in May 1948. Under US leadership, the OAS pledged to fight communism in America. The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which is the foundation of the World Trade Organization (WTO), is founded on October 30, 1947. The World Health Organization is established by the United Nations on April 7, 1948. In Leaders of the Communist Party USA were indicted under the Smith Act July 20, 1948. All of these developments are linked to the strong Sun, but also highlight the influence of the 6th lord Jupiter on the 1st lord Moon in the SAMVA USA chart. This aspect of the major period lord, bringing a fixity of determination to the expression of US ideals in the world, was brought to the fore in the national and international life.

Saturn/Sun: April 1, 1963 to March 13, 1964
- President John F. Kennedy is assassinated on November 22, 1963 and is replaced by Lyndon Baines Johnson.
- Civil Rights act proposed on June 11, 1963 by President Kennedy is enacted on July 2, 1964 by President Johnson.
- The Beatles electrify American youth in early 1964.

Main results: On July 26, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which was founded by the USA as part of the Marshall plan, voted to admit Japan as a member, thereby extending important economic policy cooperation to this Asian economy. On August 5, the United States of America, United Kingdom, and Soviet Union signed a nuclear test ban treaty. On August 18, the American civil rights movement had a milestone when James Meredith became the first black person to graduate from the University of Mississippi. On August 28, during a 200,000-person civil rights rally in at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., Martin Luther King, Jr. gives his famous I have a dream speech. September 15, civil rights movement receives a setback when the 16th Street Baptist Church is bombed, killing four children at an African-American church in Birmingham, Alabama. On November 22, President John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas while riding in a motorcade. Transit 8th lord Saturn was exactly conjunct natal 2nd lord Sun in the SAMVA USA chart. Alleged lone assassin Lee Harvey Oswald is arrested, but he is then killed two days later, while in police custody, by Jack Ruby in front of TV cameras. November 24, the newly sworn in US President Lyndon B. Johnson confirms that the United States intends to continue supporting South Vietnam militarily and economically. January 8, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson declares a "War on Poverty" in the United States. On January 20, Meet the Beatles, the first Beatles album in the United States, is released. Two weeks later, on February 7, the Beatles arrive on their first visit to the United States, completely captivating the attention of young people and creating an excitement rarely felt in the national life. On March 14, a jury in Dallas, Texas finds Jack Ruby guilty of killing John F. Kennedy's assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was enacted on July 2, 1964, but was originally introduced by President John F Kennedy in his civil rights speech of June 11, 1963, in which he asked for legislation "giving all Americans the right to be served in facilities which are open to the public—hotels, restaurants, theaters, retail stores, and similar establishments," as well as "greater protection for the right to vote." The CRA was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed racial segregation in schools, public places, and employment. The influence of Saturn and Sun in the SAMVA USA chart is strongly felt during this major-sub-period combination.

Mercury/Sun: July 4, 1978 to May 10, 1979
- US President Carter brokers a peace deal in the middle East.
- Following the tragic killing of San Francisco Mayor Moscone, a woman is elected to the position, Diane Feinstein
- USA establishes formal diplomatic relations with the Peoples Republic of China

Main results: On September 5, 1978, the Camp David Accords begin. The peace negotiations between Menachem Begin, Prime Minister of Israel and Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt are instigated by President Carter, reflecting both the strong Sun in the chart, but also the Mercury as planet and lord of communication in the house of foreign policy. The peace accords were signed on September 17. On December 10, Begin and Sadat win the Nobel Peace Prize. On October 10, President Jimmy Carter signed a bill into law that authorizing the minting of the Susan B. Anthony dollar. This new coin entered circulation on December 13. The Sun rules the currency. November 18, the Jonestown mass suicide, where Jim Jones leads his People's Temple in a mass murder-suicide; 913 die, including 276 children. November 27, in San Francisco, California, city mayor George Moscone and openly gay city supervisor Harvey Milk are assassinated by former supervisor Dan White. These awful events are linked to the stationary transit of 8th lord Saturn in the most effective point of the 2nd house in SAMVA USA chart. On December 4, Dianne Feinstein becomes San Francisco's first woman mayor, serving until January 8, 1988. This progressive event is linked to the strong Sun in the chart. December 19, John Wayne Gacy is arrested for the killings of 33 boys and young men, linked to the harmful aspect of transit Saturn in the chart that fall. On January 1, 1979, formal diplomatic relations are established between the People's Republic of China and the United States of America. This is consistent with the influence of the Sun in the 7th house of foreign policy of the US chart. March 19, the United States House of Representatives begins broadcasting its day-to-day business via the cable television network C-SPAN, increasing the public transparency of the work of the legislative assembly. This is also consistent with the strong Sun but also the communicative nature of major period lord Mercury as also lord of the 3rd house of communication.

Ketu/Sun: November 6, 1990 to March 13, 1991
- USA leads an international coalition of military forces to free Kuwait

Main results: On November 29, 1990, the USA got the United Nations Security Council to pass UN Security Council Resolution 678, authorizing military intervention in Iraq if that nation does not withdraw its forces from Kuwait and free all foreign hostages by January 15, 1991. On January 16, 1991, a US-led international armada attacked Iraq to liberate Kuwait, the so-called Desert storm, a blitzkrieg of unprecedented proportion. The Ketu major period is linked to sudden explosive events. On February 26, on Baghdad Radio Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein announced the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait. March 5, Iraq released all Gulf War prisoners. On March 10, 540,000 American troops began to leave the Persian Gulf. The Strong Sun explains the US motivation to not engage in direct rule for its own sake. Rather the country relies on having an influence through its unspoken authority in the world. March 3, an amateur video captured the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers, stunning the country and resulting in changed perceptions of acceptable behavior in law enforcement. March 13, the United States Justice Department announced that Exxon has agreed to pay $1 billion for the clean-up of the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska.

Venus/Sun: August 10, 1999 to August 9, 2000
- Microsoft, the largest US software company, is found to violate US anti-trust laws
- US gives back the Panama canal, strengthening ties with Latin American countries
- US government shares technological advances with population

Main results: On October 13, 1999, the United States Senate rejected ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). On December 31, the Panama Canal comes completely under Panama's jurisdiction. March 10, 2000, the NASDAQ stock market index peaks at 5048.62, signaling the beginning of the end of the dot-com boom. April 3, in the legal case of United States v. Microsoft, Microsoft is ruled to have violated United States antitrust laws by keeping "an oppressive thumb" on its competitors. May 2, Bill Clinton announces that GPS access equivalent to the U.S. military would be available for regular citizens. June 1, the multilateral Patent Law Treaty (PLT) is signed. July 20, the leaders of Salt Lake City's bid to win the 2002 Winter Olympics are indicted by a federal grand jury for bribery, fraud, and racketeering.

Conclusion
While it is sometimes hard to disentangle period and transit influences in a chart as well as the ever present natal influences, it is nevertheless possible to discern certain salient influences during the Sun periods in the SAMVA USA chart. The Sun tends to bring out the authority of the US government at home, bringing order to the national life when it seems to be sorely needed, but also the massive influence and stature of this country abroad. Indeed, with such a strong Sun, the USA has earned the title of 'Superpower'. Moreover, as the Sun is the 2nd lord, which rules wealth, it is no surprise the country has also been termed an "Empire of Wealth." These energies find their way into the national life most prominently during the Sun periods.

References
Wikipedia articles on various subjects

Boom, bust and war?

In vedic astrology planetary periods are of major importance. The Rahu major period can be associated with material progress if Rahu is not afflicted or afflicting in a chart. If Rahu is afflicted or afflicting in a chart it tends to be associated with manipulations that may result in signficiant gains but which usually leads to exposure and significant losses. Rahu is also linked to intoxcants, manipulation for selfish ends and criminal activities. Among the professions, Rahu rules unscrupulous salesmen, diplomats, winemakers, shady characters and criminals. During the 18 year Rahu period in the SAMVA USA chart (Perpetual Union), from 1919 to 1937 all these traits of Rahu were brought into the limelight of the national life of the USA in one way or the other. This article highlights the events and gives an astrological explanation for them. It then answers the question if the present crisis is comparable to the Great Depression of the 1930s and if it is likely to lead to war as it did then.

I. Rahu: rise and fall
Rahu can bring a sudden pronounced rise in the life followed by an even greater downfall. This is because under the influence of Rahu materialistic gains are often achieved on the basis of manipulations rooted in selfish desires. Once the manipulations are exposed, as they invariably are, a crisis ensues involving a loss of the benefits. The scandal engulfing Tiger Woods' marriage in December 2009 is a good example of the expression of this energy at an individual level. He cheated on his wife. Once it was exposed, she left him and took the kids. His commerical standing as the world's leading professional golf player was also damaged, with many sponsors dropping him. This is exactly the pattern seen at a national level during the Rahu major period in the SAMVA USA chart, which lasted from April 1919 to April 1937. This is the time in US national life that has been called the “Roaring Twenties” (1919-1929) and the Great Depression (1930-1939). Another example of this energy in the national life is during the Rahu sub-period, which ran from 2003 to 2006. This was within the major period of Venus as 4th lord of fixed assets in the 6th house of financial stability. The overriding emphasis was thus on mortgage debt. During the Rahu sub-period, highly toxic sub-prime mortgages were sold to financial institutions in the USA and around the world. This was a clear case of deception and manipulation, with the mortgages being rolled into structured products (SIV's) which reduced the transparency of their risk. Those chicks came home to roost in the Jupiter sub-period (2007-2008), when yet another major financial crisis erupted.

II. Rahu: intoxicants, manipulation and crime
Rahu is associated with intoxicants and underworld activities and this phenomenon was closely linked to the US Prohibition, the rise of American Gangsters and their violent criminal activities and battles with law enforcement trying to contain the expansion of organised crime.

The rise: The Roaring Twenties
The 1920s is usually referred to as the Roaring Twenties and sometimes as the Jazz Age. Scientific advances and material progress ushered in modernism, which gave mankind the feeling it existed outside of nature and was no longer bound by its laws. The cultural life became transformed, with the musical genres gravitating towards incoherence, such as jazz, or carefreeness, typified by life in the speakeasys. The lifestyle of women changed during the 1920s, including their increased smoking and general flouting of social and sexual norms. The 1920s has also been referred to as “the lawless years” when crime reached unprecedented heights in the national life.

Instant gratification
In the 1920s, companies began to offer consumers loans to buy their big ticket items. The concept of "buy now, pay later" and "instant gratification" caught on and household debt began to grow in the USA. This loan policy eventually found its way into the stock market. Astrologically, Rahu aspects the 6th house of financial stability in the SAMVA USA chart. This suggests that debts may become a source of instability.

The birth of the boom
During WW I, the US public began to buy Liberty Bonds to enable the government to fund the war effort. However, based on earlier stock market panics, the public was suspicious of the stock market and few people invested in stocks. In the 1920s, financier, Charles Mitchell, CEO of the National City Bank, saw an opportunity to market stocks and securities to the public. As he was a talented salesman he succeeded in marketing a broad range of securities to the public. By 1925, 3 million investors had invested in the US stock market. Technology also made trading easier. The idea of a "bull market" took hold and the US investing public began to view Wall Street as the source of "easy profits." The rise of the stock market enabled leading participants to rise from ordinary means and become the financial superstars of their age. The public was driven by greed and buying "on margin" enabled people to buy many times more worth of stocks than the amount they had on hand. In 1928, stocks rose 50% in one year. Women stepped out and entered both college and the stock market. Astrologically, it is easy to see how greed greased the wheels of reckless bank lending with a huge leveraged stock bubble being created.

A dark underside
Fitting the Rahu period, there was a dark side to the developments, in terms of “rampant manipulation" and "insider trading". Most people did not know this, but the stock market was actually a giant rigged gambling casino with the odds stacked against the ordinary investors. It was customary for the shrewd insiders to hype certain stocks with the public pouring into those stocks. At that point, the insiders dumped their holdings and ordinary investors took a bath. At the height of the 1920s boom, in March 1929, Paul Warburg warned of a stock market crash and a depression, but he was drowned out with phrases like "it’s a global economy" and "this time it's different." President Hoover even stated that the there was no reason to worry as the financial market was built on the "fundamentally sound" US economy. The strong influence of Rahu in the SAMVA USA chart, including its aspect to the 2nd house of wealth, is consistent with the manipulation of the stock market. 8th lord Saturn in the 5th house of speculation also aspects the natal 2nd lord Sun in the 7th house, increasing the desire for wealth and pulling in foreign investors as well.

The fall: The Great Depression of the 1930s
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s. It was the longest, most widespread, and deepest depression of the 20th century, and is used in the 21st century as an example of how far the world's economy can decline. The depression originated in the United States, starting with the stock market crash in October 1929, but quickly spread to almost every country in the world.

The market becomes volatile
In September 1929, volatility began in the stock market and it continued in October. In mid October, Thomas Lamont, the CEO of the investment bank J.P. Morgan, wrote a letter to President Hoover stating that the “market will self-correct” and the “future is brilliant.” A famous economist in his day, Irving Fischer, proclaimed that “stocks have entered a permanently high plateau.” A most banal karmic trap had been sprung. Astrologically, the SAMVA USA chart entered the Rahu-Ketu period on October 19, 1929. As transit Rahu and Ketu were stationary over their natal placements and also in the most effective points of the 4th and 10th houses, major trouble would be predicted with this transit-to-natal conjunction, especially when the transit nodes are stationary. It is the most difficult aspect known.

The market crashes
To everyone’s surprise, in the afternoon on October 23rd, there was a sudden sell-off in the automotive stocks. When the market opened on Thursday, October 24th, later known as "Black Thursday", the crash began in earnest. Investors watched in stunned disbelief as stock prices plunged. No one wanted to buy, everyone wanted to sell. On that same day, leading investors met secretly in a hastily convened meeting at J.P. Morgan. They quickly agreed to pool their money in a $250 million fund with the express purpose of buying select stocks. The aim was to stem the slide in stock prices and restore confidence of the investing public. At first this seemed to work. The market stabilized later in the day and remained calm on Friday and Saturday. However, on Monday, October 28, the banks were facing a liquidity crunch due to the reduced value of stocks. As a result, they began to send notices out to their borrowers instructing them to come up with more collateral for their loans. If they couldn’t, the banks would be forced to sell their shares at the market rate and a significant loss. The deadline was set for 1.00 pm on the following day, Tuesday October 29. This development ensured that Monday became the worst day in stock market history. On Tuesday, the powerful selling continued and by the close of that day, stocks had lost 22% of their value at the open of business on Monday.

Astrologically, it is clear that such a nasty combination of period and transit influences can bring the worst outcome, especially when natally afflicting in the chart, as is the case in the SAMVA USA chart.

Banks in trouble
After the stock market had taken a hit, the focus began to shift to the banks, who had lent enthusiastically to people interested in investing in the stock market. As liquidity became squeezed, there were runs by depositors and banks began to go out of business. By early 1933, when the US Bank Holiday took place, hundreds of US banks had been closed or been restructured.

Unemployment, a national scourge
With bank lending dwindling fast, companies began to shut down and people were laid off. Unemployment increased sharply. In a mistaken effort to protect companies, a trend of economic nationalism emerged, with tariffs being raised which slowly choked of international trade, deepening the depression. The astrological influences are clear; the fall phase of the Rahu period was more significant than its rise. Those who had inflated the economy in the boom years, now saw all they had desired taken away and many became destitute. It is also noteworthy that Rahu afflicts the 10th house, which rules foreign trade. This is consistent with the mistaken effort to try to protect the economy by raising tariffs but in doing so the economy was hurt even more as the trade collapsed.

II. The prominence of intoxicants and crime
The 1920s saw the birth of liberalism, social and political turbulence and increased transatlantic cultural exchange that followed the end of the First World War, as well as the export of American jazz culture to Europe. Rahu is prominently placed in the chart, suggesting a popular tendency to indulge in smoking and intoxicating substances. While such practices are ever present, it is no accident that smoking increased rapidly in the 1920s and 1930s.

Women during the 1920s
The social influences did not leave women untouched. A "new breed" of young women appeared in the 1920s. The so-called “flappers” wore short skirts, bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered acceptable behavior. Flappers were seen as brash for wearing excessive makeup, drinking, treating sex in a casual manner, smoking, driving automobiles and otherwise flouting social and sexual norms. Astrologically, this is seen in the aspect of Rahu to the 6th house in the SAMVA USA chart. Venus is natally placed in this house and hence this influence was strongly felt by women during the Rahu period.

Prohibition in the United States (1920 – 1933)
The Prohibition in the USA is a 14 year period when the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol for consumption were banned nationally as mandated in the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The so-called "Volstead Act", which entered into force on January 16, 1920, established the legal definition of intoxicating liquor. Though the Volstead Act prohibited the sale of alcohol, it did little to enforce the law. The illegal production and distribution of liquor, or bootlegging, became rampant, and the national government did not have the means or desire to enforce every border, lake, river, and speakeasy in America. By 1925, in New York City alone, there were up to 100,000 ‘speakeasy clubs’ where alcoholic beverages were sold illegally. Speakeasy operators routinely bribed police to leave them alone or to give them advance notice of raids. Astrologically, this is seen in the placement of Rahu in the most effective point of the 10th house of the SAMVA USA chart. While Rahu rules manipulation and crime, the 10th house rules the executive government, including law enforcement. These dynamics were therefore stongly felt during this period.

American gangsters of the 1920s
The social scene of the 1920's not only encouraged prohibition, but it also sparked new waves of gang-related crime such as, bootlegging and bank robbery. The most notable American gangster of the 1920s was Al Capone, who led a crime syndicate dedicated to smuggling and bootlegging of liquor and other illegal activities during the Prohibition Era of the 1920s and 1930s. Capone was notorious for his control of large portions of the Chicago underworld, which provided an estimated US $100 million per year in revenue. This wealth was generated through all manner of illegal enterprises, such as gambling and prostitution, although the largest moneymaker was the sale of liquor. Capone used an unprecedented level of violence in the conduct of his criminal activities, which drew the ire of his rivals, and spurred their retaliation.

Mob wars
The Mob wars were especially pronounced in the second half of the 1920s. These wars reached their peak with the so-called Saint Valentine's Day massacre, when the gang led by Al Capone massacred members of rival Bugs Moran’s gang. Although he was never successfully convicted of racketeering charges, Capone's criminal career ended in 1931, when he was indicted and convicted by the federal government for income-tax evasion. Even after Al Capone was behind bars, the government’s battle with organised crime continued well into the 1930s, as vivified by the famous tv series, The Untouchables, starring Robert Stack as Elliott Ness. Again, this is clearly seen in the chart with Rahu in the most effective point of the 10th house and aspecting the 2nd house of wealth, the 4th house of communal harmony and 6th house of conflict and the courts.

Bank robberies of the 1930s
In the first half of the 1930s, an epidemic of bank robberies in the Midwest was orchestrated by colorful criminal gangs who took advantage of superior firepower and fast getaway cars to bedevil local law enforcement agencies. Such robbers were often viewed as somewhat noble in their assaults upon the banking industry, which at the time was evicting many farmers and families from their homesteads. The fact that the robbers frequently took stolen cars across state lines (a federal offense) gave the federal authorities the right to pursue them. The powers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation were broadened in 1935 and by 1939, the FBI had become pre-eminent in the field of domestic intelligence. Rahu aspects the 6th house, which is ruled by Jupiter. As Jupiter is one of the indicators of banking, it is not a surprise that gangsters were busy robbing banks during this period and the difficulty law enforcement had to catch the crooks.

The ill wind of war
The depression took hold in other countries and the rise of nationalism and fascism in some countries created conditions for war. When the period of Jupiter rolled around in the SAMVA USA chart, in April 1937, the winds of war had begun to blow in Europe and Asia. The Spanish Civil War broke out in July 1936, the second Sino-Japanese war started in July 1937 and the Third Reich absorbed Austria in April 1938 and Czech Sudentenland in September 1938. This is also consistent with the chart as Jupiter rules the 6th house of conflict and is in mutual aspect with the Moon as 1st lord of self in the 11th house of hopes and ideals. This gives the US a warrior like disposition, such that it never backs down from a provocation. This 16 year period saw the US enter World War II after Japan attacked the Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The USA also entered the Korean War in June 1950. In both wars it was fighting for its ideals.

The good news
If we want to draw parallels to the present time, we can immediately spot something good to say. While the present financial crisis reflects the natal placement of Rahu in the chart, it has been brought out due to a bubble in the housing market and the euphoria of the Roaring Twenties was likely not attained, although speculation became rife and extravagant displays of wealth and excess developed as they did during the Gilded Age. As the crisis is occurring during the Venus major period, which will in a few years be replaced by the period of a strong and propitious Sun, this suggests the economic and financial situation will not become nearly as dire in the USA in coming years as it was in the 1930s. Moreover, the US is not expected be to dragged into a major war in this or the coming major period as it was during the Jupiter period beginning in the late 1930s.

2010: An economic odyssey
That said, the transits in 2010 will continue difficult for the USA, with further financial problems likely during the year, especially the summer months. Moreover, the transits do not exclude the possibility of some military conflict or acts of violence. Importantly, the outlook for the US economy in coming decades is fundamentally better than it was at the beginning of the 1930s.

Conclusion
It is clear that the major issues during the 18 year period in question were focused on the indications of this (invisible) planetary entity, Rahu, including greed, excess, intoxicants, losening of morals and crime - or materialism in general. Interestingly, historian Paul Johnston remarked in his work, the "Modern Age" that this age is considered to have begun in 1919 with the scientific proof of Einstein's Theory of Relativity. This gives another good fit with what would have been expected in the Rahu period that man began to consider himself above the creation itself.

References
The Prohibition in the USA (1920-1933)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prohibition
Speakeasy clubs during Prohibition
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speakeasy
Flappers of the 1920s
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flapper
Al Capone, notorious crime boss (1923-1931)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_capone
Great Depression of the 1930s
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_depression

From Gilded Age to Progressive Era

From the late 19th century and in the early 20th century, there was a major political shift in the USA , which is very much aligned with the planetary periods in the SAMVA USA chart (Perpetual Union). In fact, while planetary transits explain the significant events, the periods give an amazing insight into major trends in US history. The chart indicates a similar major shift will take place in US politics from around 2016, with a general improvement lasting for several decades.

The Gilded Age (1865-1896)
The Gilded Age is considered to have reigned in the USA for roughly the three last decades of the 19th century. [1] This age began with the reconstruction following the destruction of the Civil War. Moreover, as the western lands were conquered, the massive infrastructure development expanded into the West. The Gilded Age was a period characterised by rapid population growth and extravagant displays of wealth and excess of America's upper-class during. Businessmen created industrial towns and cities in the Northeast with new factories. Railroads and the telegraph gradually connected all parts of the country. Along with the super-rich industrialists and financiers, an industrial working class emerged and it pushed for greater political representation.
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While the conflict was raging, the businessmen were referred to as "robber barons" due to their use of overpowering tactics and sometimes unethical manipulations. The labor union movement was small at the founding of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) in 1886, but continued to grow. Laws to curtail monopolistic business practices (Sherman Anti-Trust Act) were passed in the early 1890s. The Panic of 1893, which produced a depression that lasted for several years, led to a major political realignment in the election of 1896. The election sounded the death knell of the Gilded Age and the birth of the Progressive Era.

At the middle of the 19th century, the USA and Europe were judged to be at the same level of productivity and per-capita income. However, over time Europe fell steadily behind the USA. The USA showed a fundamental advantage in fostering and exploiting innovation. Moreover, American’s were more willing to work hard and long. In other words, there was a steady reduction in hours worked per person in Europe compared to America. Moreover, after the Civil War in the USA , there was increased political unity there, which fostered large-scale material-intensive manufacturing and a set of marketing innovations. [2] Importantly, the economic dynamism is very much seen in the natal potential of the SAMVA USA chart and is, therefore to one degree or another, an ongoing feature of the national life. Accordingly, while the major periods of Mercury, Ketu and Venus in the 19th century were associated with economic progress it was attended by sever panics and recessions as well as great social upheaval and tensions.

Astrology of the Gilded Age
From 1861, the three malefic sub-periods of Rahu, Jupiter as 6th lord and Saturn as 8th lord reigned during the Mercury major period. Mercury rules the 3rd house of initiative and transportation and is placed in the 7th house of foreign affairs, while widely combust the Sun. While a planet that is expected to bring positive influences, it is moderately weak and thus liable to setbacks when transit afflictions are significant. The three abovenoted sub-periods of functional malefic planets were operating in the period of the Civil War and its immediate aftermath. As has been discussed earlier, natal placements provoked by transits of slow moving malefic planets explain the outbreak and convulsions at this time. The Ketu period (April 1869-April 1876) brought initial progress in terms of rebuilding and expanding cities and infrastructure, but also the social and ethnic upheavals in the post-war period associated with black rule in the South and misuse of Chinese labour. Ketu is a planet of separation and sudden events, and in the chart it afflicts the 4th house of collective harmony and fixed assets. More than any other placement it reflects the problems with racial and ethnic tensions in the national life of the USA. The Venus period (April 1876-April 1896) saw an accelerating economic development but with significant imbalances. After all, Venus is the ruler of the 4th house, afflicted by Ketu and is natally placed in the 6th house of opposition and conflict, which is also afflicted by Rahu, the planet of manipulations. The position of black people worsened dramatically, notably in the South during this period. A growing middle class required political representation and the first attempt was made to reign in the monopolies of the "Robber barons" and ensure their fair dealings. There were also significant economic and financial setbacks in this period, including the "Panic of 1873" and the "long recession" as well as the "Panic of 1893", which also brought with it a recession, one which lasted for three years.

A comparison to the second cycle of the periods of Mercury (-April 1989), Ketu (-April 1996) and Venus (-April 2016) may be helpful. The Mercury period was associated with the Reagan boom and the stock market upheaval of 1987. Problems with banks and Savings & Loans in the 1980s and into the early 1990s were associated with an economic recession in the early 1990s. In terms of infrastructure development, the growth of the internet, personal computers and cell phones have been some of the signal events, creating a new set of billionaires. The role of the USA also changed following the fall of Soviet Communism and this caused some political challenges associated with the US taking on the role of global policeman. During the Venus period, a housing boom and collapse was followed by a financial crisis and an economic recession in 2008/09. In racial and ethnic relations, the US has had ongoing challenges. The Rodney King beatings ushered in racial riots in LA and other cities in the early 1990s. In the Venus period, President Clinton became caught up in the sordid Monica Lewinsky scandal, resulting in legal proceedings leading to his impeachment but not removal from Office. The "political correctness" of speech became the source of several national incidents involving racial epiteths of radio personalities in the Venus period. Following the "9/11" attacks in 2001 there was a surge in patriotism and concerns arose that civil liberties would be curtailed. At the same time, this period has seen the election of the nations first black President. While great hopes have been attached to the election of President Obama, it is possible he will not accomplish as much as many are hoping for and that the reforms enacted will in the first instance only add to the financial and economic problems. Alternatively, there may be some backlash to such social progress. The good news is that the period of Venus is about to end.

The Progressive Era (1897-1920)
The Progressive Era in the United States was a period of reform which ushered in the 20th century as progressive century. [3] The Progressive Movement, as a response to the challenges of industrialization, urbanization and immigration, advocated a wide range of economic, political, social, and moral reforms. Initially the movement was successful at local levels, and then it progressed to state and gradually national. Both the reformers and their opponents were predominantly members of the middle class. In U.S. history, the term progressivism refers to a broadly-based reform movement that reached its height early in the 20th century. The initial progressive movement arose as a response to the vast changes brought by the industrial revolution. While the Progressive period has been associated with reforms, there were plenty of problems and challenges that had to be met in those days. [4] However, the tenor of national life was much more positive than in the earlier Gilded Age.

The Panic of 1907 interrupted a decade long period of high economic growth in the USA. While the panic was real, its effects were soon drowned out in continued economic dynamism. A V-shaped recovery set in already in 1908. After 1913, the US economy surged further ahead, due to its early exploitation of the great inventions of electricity and the internal combustion engine, while Europe was distracted by wars and interwar economic chaos.

Astrology of the Progressive Era
During the Sun period, dynamism returned to US politics. The Sun is the general indicator of the President and the government leadership. It is also the functional lord of the 2nd house of status and wealth. As the Sun is strong in the most effective point of the 7th house, it influences both foreign policy and the 1st house of self. This placement explains why the USA is an empire and each chief executive is among the most important politicians on the world stage in his day. History shows that the Sun period is associated with a strong if not unrivaled position of the USA in the world. The Presidency of William McKinley (1897-1901) was associated with the gold standard and pluralism among ethnic groups. The 1896 election is often considered a realigning election that marked the beginning of the Progressive Era and McKinley presided over a return to prosperity after the Panic of 1893. President William McKinley was assassinated in 1901, during the Sun period. This is consistent with 8th lord Saturn afflicting the natal Sun in the SAMVA USA chart. Theodor Roosevelt became president and he moved the Republican Party further in the direction of Progressivism, including trust busting and increased regulation of businesses. Roosevelt coined the phrase "Square Deal" to describe his domestic agenda, emphasizing that the average citizen would get a fair shake under his policies. On the world stage, Roosevelt's policies were characterized by his comment, "Speak softly and carry a big stick". Roosevelt's Presidency, as was that of his successor Howard Taft, was for the most part during the Moon period (April 1902-April 1912). The Moon as 1st lord of self is placed in the 11th house of ideals and income. Americans are generally practically oriented but also idealists and ready to defende what they believe is right. The Moon is mutually aspecting with Jupiter as the 6th lord of conflict and Mars as 10th lord of the executive. The inclination is therefore not to back down from foreign provocations. The Moon period would also be expected to bring fame and importance. Roosevelt was the force behind the completion of the Panama Canal; he sent out the Great White Fleet to display American power, and he negotiated an end to the Russian-Japanese War, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

The birth of the modern auto industry in the USA can be considered to have taken place on January 14, 1914, when Henry Ford introduced the assembly line for the increasingly popular Ford model T. It is no surprise that this took place during the Mars period (April 1912-April 1919), which is associated with industry. As Mars is strong and well placed in the 5th house of creativity in the chart and is in mutual aspect with the Moon, as 1st lord of self, the period therefore coincided with important advances in industry. The link to the Moon gives Americans a sense of technical ability, coined in the phrase "Yankee know-how". The wide ranging technological achievements of the USA are very much associated with this combination in the chart. The World War I broke out during this period and the US participation was limited, but critial putting an end to the war and making the USA a leading peace broker following the war.

Conclusion
We can see that the Gilded Age was replaced by a much more confident and progressive era in US national and political life. This is consistent with the major planetary periods of the time. The national life in the USA since the 1980s has been characterised by great economic progress, with notable advances in communications infrastructure. However, imbalances, financial panics and social tensions have also been there. The forthcoming periods of the Sun (April 2016 - April 2022), Moon (- April 2032) and Mars (- April 2039) indicate that the US will experience a return to considerable progress in the national life during these periods, associated with policies that lead to a reduction in tensions over inequality or injustices, consistent with earlier such periods in the national life.

References
[1] Wikipedia: The Gilded Age
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilded_Age
[2] Robert J. Gordon, 2004, “Two Centuries of Economic Growth: Europe Chasing the American Frontier” NBER Working Paper No. 10662.
http://www.nber.org/papers/w10662.reftxt
[3] Wikipedia: The Progressive Era
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Era
[4] Progressive era slide show
http://americanhistory.pppst.com/progressive-era.html