The coming Jupiter-Saturn opposition

When contemplating what influences specific transit aspects are likely to have on mundane affairs in the future, it is often best to turn to history. Indeed, history is often a very helpful guide to what may unfold given certain transits. That said, account must be taken of other astrological factors. This article explores the likely influence of the mutual aspect between Jupiter and Saturn in the summer of 2010, based on a study of similar aspects in the past.

During the past one hundred years, Jupiter and Saturn have made a number of conjunction and opposition aspects. Sometimes, the aspect is long standing and at other times is lasts for only a short time. In vedic astrology, it is well understood that the longer an aspect lasts the more likely it is to have a pronounced influence, for better or worse, based on its functional indications. When these planets become functional benefics, such as for Scorpios, the aspect promises much peace and enjoyment. For signs for which these planets become functional malefics, like Cancer, the aspect can cause strain or a setback. This is especially relevant in the case of the USA, as Jupiter and Saturn become 6th and 8th lords, respectively, in the 20° Cancer rising SAMVA USA chart. When in aspect, the result tends to be some form of violent event that carries with it national significance.

Early 1940s conjunction
From June 1940 to April 1941, when Saturn was debilitated in Aries, these planets were conjunct in a slow moving aspect, while also being conjunct natal Rahu in Aries and the 10th house of the SAMVA USA chart. The aspect took place during the Jupiter-Saturn period in the chart. During this difficult period and transits World War II broke out and the USA watched as Nazi Germany overran and controlled much of Europe while Japan lorded over much of Far East Asia and the Pacific Ocean.

The U-boat assault on shipping in the Atlantic Ocean was almost uncontested from June 1940 to the spring of 1941, sinking over 2 ½ million tons of shipping in the second half of 1940 alone. While the USA began preparations for war and supplied the British with armaments, it must have been a trying time to watch the fascist dictatorships spread their tentacles over formerly peaceful democracies and begin to convert them to fascist dogma. On March 1, 1941, the Nazi’s concentration camps went into full operation, with the secret purpose to systematically exterminate a race of people, the Jews.

Early 1980s conjunction
During the more benign Mercury - Mars period in the SAMVA USA chart, this aspect was again slow moving, from October 20, 1980 to September 23, 1981. Jupiter and Saturn, which are first rate malefics in the SAMVA USA chart and thus likely to cause harm when afflicting each other, were in a slow moving conjunction in the sign of Virgo. Saturn or Jupiter are likely also FMs in a number of other known or unknown mundane charts. This long standing conjunction was associated with a number of assassination attempts, many successful, in the USA and elsewhere in the world. It is interesting that Jupiterian personalities were targeted. One was a humanitarian activist fighting for peace, another was an optimistic leader and the third was a religious leader.

Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn
October 20, 1980 – September 24, 1981: slow moving conjunction
Exact on January 1, 1981 at 15° 54’ Virgo
Exact on March 5, 1981 at 14° 47’ Virgo
Exact on July 24, 1981 at 11° 20’ Virgo
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There were a number of other assassinations or assassination attempts associated with this aspect:
USA: John Lennon, Singer, songwriter and political activits, is assassinated on December 8, 1980. The killer is a deranged man.
ISRAEL: Sheikh Hamad Abu Rabia, Member of the Knesset is assassinated on 12 January 1981
NORTHERN IRELAND: Sir Norman Stronge, aristocrat and politician and Sir James Stronge, 9th Baronet, aristocrat and politician are assassinated on 21 January 1981
USA: Ronald Reagan, President, is shot on March 30, 1981 but survives. The shooter is a deranged man.
ITALY: Pope John Paul II, is shot on May 13, 1981 but survives. The shooter is a deranged man.
IRAN: Mohammad Beheshti, Secretary-general of the Islamic Republic Party, and the head of the Islamic Republic's judicial system is killed along with 71 others in bombing on June 28, 1981.
IRAN: Mohammad Ali Rajai, president, and Mohammad Javad Bahonar, Prime Minister, are killed in bombing on August 30, 1981
BANGLADESH: Ziaur Rahman, President, is assassinated on May 30, 1981.
EGYPT: Anwar Sadat, President, is shot and killed while reviewing military parade on October 6, 1981. The plot was hatched much earlier, while the conjunction was active.[1]

Mid 2010s opposition
These planetary bodies will again be in a long standing contact, an opposition aspect, with Jupiter in Pisces and Saturn in Virgo from April 30, 2010 to September 9, 2010. We could note that Saturn and Jupiter will both closely aspect natal Jupiter in the SAMVA USA chart when the aspect becomes exact on May 23, 2010.

Opposition of Jupiter and Saturn
April 30, 2010 - September 9, 2010: slow moving opposition
Exact on May 23, 2010 at 3° 52’ Pisces and Virgo
Exact on August 17, 2010 at 8° 27’ Pisces and Virgo

With regard to the placements on May 23, 2010, we could also note that there is a similar configuration that took place on September 10, 1921.

Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn
July 16, 1921 – November 4, 1921: slow moving conjunction
Exact on September 10, 1921 at 3° 48’ Virgo

These are some of the events that took place that year.
GERMANY: Matthias Erzberger, politician, was assassinated on 26 August 1921
USA: The Battle of Blair Mountain was the largest organized armed uprising in American labor history and led almost directly to the labor laws currently in effect in the USA. For nearly a week in late August and early September 1921, in Logan County, West Virginia, between 10,000 and 15,000 coal miners confronted company-paid private detectives in an effort to unionize the southwestern West Virginia mine counties. Unionization had succeeded elsewhere as part of a demographic boom that was triggered by the extension of the railroad and was characterized by unprecedented immigrant hiring in the region.
JAPAN: Prime Minister Hara was assassinated on November 4, 1921.

The Battle of Blair Mountain took place as both 6th lord Jupiter and 8th lord Saturn were conjunct in Virgo and the 3rd house, with Saturn closely afflicting both natal and transit Jupiter. As Jupiter is the 6th lord, it has to do with work and and work arrangements. Saturn is also the indicator of working people and Jupiter was afflicting it. There was thus a huge conflict over the right of workers in the Saturnian coal mining industry to unionise. The conjunction took place in the 3rd house and the battle involved the freedom to act.

Interestingly, it could also be mentioned in relation to this labour strife that during the 1981 conjunction, on August 5 to be exact, US President Reagan fired over eleven thousand striking PATCO air traffic controllers. Mercury - Mars period was operating in the SAMVA USA chart. Transit Saturn as 8th lord (endings) was at 12° Virgo and 3rd house (communication), where it also aspected natal Mars (control) in the 5th house (management), while transit Jupiter, as 6th lord (conflict), was at 13° Virgo, where it aspected natal Mercury as 3rd lord (communication) in the 7th house (travel). The nodes also afflicted natal Mars and Mercury. Certainly, this was another key event in US labour history during the 20th century.

Conclusion
In May 2010, Jupiter in Pisces and the 9th house will be in a mutually afflicting opposition aspect to the most malefic planet Saturn in Virgo and the 3rd house of the SAMVA USA chart. Both transiting planets will, at the same time, be in an afflicting aspect to natal Jupiter. As the Saturn sub-period will be operating in the chart, some obstructions to the indications of both Jupiter and Saturn are likely. Some violent events cannot be excluded. As Jupiter is placed in the 9th house, perhaps some challenge from abroad will emerge. As Saturn will be stationary in aspect to natal Jupiter, there will likely be a strain over obstacles and endings to the indications of Jupiter, such as conflict and lack of communal harmony. That said, the opposition aspect of Jupiter and Saturn in 2010 will not be as long lasting as the conjunction was in 1980/81. However, increasing the problems in the summer of 2010, is the aspect of transit stationary nodes in the 6th and 12th houses to their natal placements. As discussed in the article Predictions for the USA in 2010, it will likely be a difficult summer.

References
[1] Islamic militant cells and Sadat's assassination
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0PBZ/is_4_84/ai_n6175932/