To kneel or not to kneel

The protests of some NFL players involving the National Anthem and the Flag since 2016, suddenly hit the front pages on September 23, 2017,when President Trump said that anybody disrespecting the national flag and anthem should be fired. The debate has captivated and divided the media and nation likely because it reflects a tension that has been building up in the American psyche for decades. What is at stake are two opposing views of reality, between one that is essentially backward looking and another that is more forward looking. However, there is more to the story and the SAMVA USA chart is uniquely able to shine a light on and explain this complex national issue.

THE SOCIAL JUSTICE PROTESTERS

On the one hand, we have those who want to correct for the mistreatment of certain groups in US history. According to surveys, these are predominantly people that identify as Democrats or non-whites. The protest is led by players in the NFL, which are young accomplished athletes, reflecting also the placement of 10th lord Mars and 6th lord Jupiter in Scorpio and the 5th house of the chart. Indeed, in US history young people have often led movements for social change. The protesters are in sympathy with the goals of groups like Black Lives Matter (BLM) by refusing to stand in pre-game ceremonies and honor the flag of "a country that oppresses black people."  Essentially, this group is emphasising the influences of the weak 4th lord Venus in Sagittarius and the 6th house of the SAMVA USA chart. Both of these houses receive afflicting aspects from the Moon's nodes, Ketu and Rahu in the national horoscope, which explains the recurring social problems in the country. 

TRUMP AND THE PATRIOTS

On the other hand, there are those who want to emphasise the strength and purpose of the country. Typically, these are predominantly voters who identify as Republicans and white, especially those with a deep sense of patriotism. President Trump is the leader of people with this mindset. He recalls the blood spilled by American soldiers to defend the flag and what it stands for. To these people it is a simple issue of it never being right to disrespect the flag. The President is represented by the powerful 2nd lord Sun in Capricorn and the most effective point of the 7th house of the chart. Indeed, a large section of the American people are tired of the problems and have an urge to transcend them. Their mindset is that of the strong and powerfully placed Sun in the chart. The reaction of President Trump placed the protests in another context altogether. His words created a psychic clash among those beholden to the old problem identifying ideas and rallied those in tune with his vision. Such a clash usually accompanies change in the national mind set..

Importantly, the timing of the debate owes to both the period influences and transits.

TRENDS EMERGING FROM MAJOR PERIODS

The Venus major period has ended and the Sun major period has begun. Clinton, Bush and Obama were Presidents during the Ketu and Venus periods. The Ketu period brought social problems of race and morality to the forefront, while the Venus period brought excesses of the rich and growing poverty and inequality to the fore. The Presidents of that time would likely have tolerated such protests of unequal treatment involving racial or ethnic background. Trump, however, has become President at the onset of the Sun major period, as predicted. He was elected because he was psychologically in tune with a collective need to transcend the problems with bold new policies (e.g. tax plan to be "rocket fuel for the economy") to create new well paying jobs that he sees as a means to cure the social problems. His vision is to shift the collective mindset to the Sun like facet of the collective nature, which is now operative in the chart due to the Sun period operating. Trump has little patience for voices protesting weakness or injustices by dishonoring the national symbols. He prefers to take the protesters head on with regard to the importance of respect for the national symbols. While the trend influences support his shift in emphasis, the transits are making it very difficult for him to do so.

CHALLENGING TRANSITS

Adding to the tension is the transit of 6th lord Jupiter into the sign Libra and 4th house on September 13, 2017. As predicted last year, this was expected to "bring the energy of conflict into the house communal harmony" during the transit of Jupiter in this sign. The transit of Ketu into Capricorn and the 7th house also suggests conflictual energy in the national life, involving both foreign policies but also the President, ruled by the Sun  Earlier this year, transit 8th lord Saturn entered Sagittarius and 6th house. This was expected to bring obstacles and endings into the house of conflict. During the summer, transit Saturn went retrograde into Scorpio and 5th house, where it has been afflicted by both natal Saturn but also transit Rahu. This has created serious problems in the country. Saturn will re-enter Sagittarius in late November of this year, increasing the scope for the type of hard-nosed obstructionist politics by the opposition that were witnessed in the Spring of this year. The transit of Saturn in late Scorpio from the late summer has also been especially troublesome for the Leo rising chart of President Trump.

NATIONAL IDENTITY AND SYMBOLS

In 2009 I wrote an article about how the Sun and Moon influence the identity and symbols of the country. The Moon, as the ruler of the sign Cancer in the 1st house, represents the caring side of Americans, while the Sun lends power through authority and leonine magnanimity to the self, due to the close aspect to the 1st house from its placement in the most effective point of the 7th house. Moreover, 10th lord Mars and 6th lord Jupiter in the 5th house also aspect 1st lord Moon in the 11th house, adding fame, courage, expansiveness and staunchness to the national identity. All these astrological energies are vividly reflected in the national symbols.

THE DEBATE

Here is a video clip of a part of yesterday's White House press briefing that brings out the dynamics of this national debate of whether to emphasise national unity through recognition of the nations Ketu and Venus-related problems or the power of the country, as represented by the Sun, in a back-and-forth exchange between a reporter and the WH spokesperson.

References:

Cartoon source:

http://theweek.com/articles/727583/7-brutally-hilarious-cartoons-about-president-trumps-nfl-obsession

Setbacks in the summer

Astrologer V. K. Choudhry (1951-2017), who created the Systems' Approach for Interpreting Horoscopes,  emphasised the importance of predictions for the work of astrologers. 

"Astrology is an art of interpreting the reputed esoteric influence of stars/planets on human affairs. It is called divine science and it enables one to peep into the mysterious future."

Indeed, it is only with repeat accurate predictions that we gain confidence in our interpretations of horoscopes. Below is an overview of four accurate predictions for the USA this summer, made on December 28, 2016, based on the Systems' Approach  and the SAMVA chart for the USA.

I. PREDICTION: Setbacks in the Summer

"After June 13, the aspect of Rahu to transit Saturn is expected to become more intense, when two things begin: i) the Rahu sub-period, and ii) a transit station of Rahu at 0° Leo and 2nd house. ... Significant events involving fatalities or death-like experiences are likely..."

I. OUTCOME: Members of US Congress attacked by gunman

On Wednesday, June 14, 2017, at 7:09 am EDT, U.S. Congressman Steve Scalise and three other people were shot and wounded by James Hodgkinson, who opened fire with a rifle during a baseball practice of the Republican team for the annual Congressional Baseball Game in Alexandria, Virginia. Scalise, the only member of Congress to be hit, was shot in the hip. Rep. Mo Brooks, who was also at the practice, witnessed the attack and said he saw someone with a rifle behind the third base dugout. Scalise crawled into right field, bleeding. Senator Jeff Flake and Rep. Brad Wenstrup, a former combat surgeon, ran to assist Scalise after Hodgkinson was shot. Sen. Rand Paul, also a witness, said he heard "as many as 50 shots". Scalise, initially conscious, went into shock while being taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center in critical condition, where he underwent immediate surgery. On September 28, Rep. Scalise returned to the House, receiving a hero's welcome, where he gave a speech about his experience related to the traumatic events.

II. PREDICTION: Setbacks for the Summer

In addition to the aforementioned influences suggesting deaths and death-like experiences the following was also mentioned. "Moreover, transit 8th lord Saturn will become stationary at 28° 30‘ Scorpio and 5th house on July 5 until October 10, when the aspect from Rahu is applying. At the time when transit Rahu is aspecting both transit and natal Saturn, transit Saturn and natal Satrurn will also become closely conjunct, well within 1° but not exact. The aspect becomes closest in late August...The economy, working people, mining sector, or easy gains may experience a setback in the summer." 

II. OUTCOME: Destructive hurricanes

From mid August to mid September 2017, Hurricane Harvey unleashed flooding, causing 84 confirmed deaths and over $100 billion in property damages in Texas and Hurricane Irma brought over 140 mph winds and lots of rain causing 124 deaths and $65 billion worth of destruction of property, some of which took place in Florida. US insurance companies were hard hit by the damages. The setbacks, even if one-off, were significant in terms of the national economy.  

III. PREDICTION: Setbacks in the Summer
"The malefic influences are thus further increased due to iii) the stationary movement of transit 8th lord Saturn and  iv) the conjunction of transit and natal Saturn. The setbacks associated with these combined aspects could manifest with regard to obstacles, challenges or a crises regarding the legitimacy of US foreign policies, the territorial integrity of the country or its resources. 

III. OUTCOME:  North Korean Missile Crisis reaches boiling point

From early July and into September, North Korea escalated the arms race on the Korean peninsula by launching long range missiles capable of delivering a nuclear war head, while also conducting nuclear testing and setting off a hydrogen bomb. The leader of North Korea threatened to attack Guam and destroy the US mainland. President Trump returned the threats that North Korea would be destroyed if it attacked the US or its allies. The crisis is sufficiently serious to threaten the USA, evoking memories of the deathlike threat of the Cold War."

IV. PREDICTION: Setbacks in the Summer
"Any fast moving transit contacts in the time period can trigger significant events in this regard, such as on August 17, when transit 2nd lord Sun becomes conjunct transit stationary Rahu."

IV. OUTCOME: Media uproar over Trump's comments

President Trump, indicated by the Sun as the leader of the country, got caught up in media storm on August 16-19 for saying that left wing agitators behaved just as badly as right wing protesters protesting the removal of civil war monument on August 13, when one person was killed and dozens injured. Importantly, these events transpired before the Solar Eclipse of August 21, which was therefore not a cause of the uproar, as some tropical astrologers indicate.

CONCLUSION

It was noted that the transits involving Rahu would be tense from April to October, but peaking in the Summer, when setbacks were likely to occur. The nature of the likely events was also described and the events have unfolded fairly closely to what was predicted. This is further raising the confidence in the Systems' Approach and the SAMVA USA chart.

PS A fifth accurate prediction pertains to the autumn.

V. PREDICTION: Shifting trends in the fall

"On September 13, 2017, transit 6th lord Jupiter will enter Libra and 4th house, where it will remain until October 13, 2018. This transit is likely to bring the energy of conflict to the house of communal harmony." 

V. OUTCOME: Growing controversy over "National Anthem protests"

The National Anthem protests began in 2016 with Colin Kaepernick, a NFL football player, refusing to stand in pre-game ceremonies and honor the flag of "a country that oppresses black people." On September 23, 2017, U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking at a rally in Huntsville, Alabama, said NFL owners should fire players who kneel during the national anthem, and encouraged fans to walk out.  In the games immediately following Trump's statements, the protest gained broader participation when over 200 players sat or kneeled during the anthem, others linked arms with their teammates or raised fists, and three teams chose to stay in the locker room for the anthem. Many fans have reacted angrily by burning their NFL paraphernalia and staying away from games.