Predictions for the USA in 2022

While the transits remain challenging in 2022, a favourable trend shift is foreseen in the emphasis of US society from April. The impetus for greater power and affluence in the Sun period (April 2016 to April 2022) will likely give way to a greater focus on forging a new, more inclusive and upbeat national identity in the Moon period (April 2022 to April 2032). A pronounced shift away from corporate influence over the government and national affairs towards a greater focus on the interests of the American people is likely during this major planetary period.

During that time, more attention is expected to be placed on the economy generating a good income, boosting alliances with friendly nations and laying bold plans for the future. At the same time, progress demands that unjust arrangements be swept aside.

People's sense of what it means to be an American will find more common ground as many highly divisive issues like conservatism vs. socialism, orthodoxy vs. liberalism, patriotism vs. globalism, Christianity vs. Islam, Europe vs. Africa will slowly fade from the headlines as the year passes. 

In part, this increasingly shared vision may be linked to a change in the national leadership, such that a more dynamic and unifying figure emerges to lead the nation. External challenges, like the Covid-19 pandemic are also expected to finally cede ground as summer arrives, bringing long hoped for relief.

However, the transits also suggest significant financial problems are on the horizon for Americans and the world in 2022, especially in the fall. These transits could also be linked to an intensifying risk of conflict with Russia, China and/or Iran.

Analytical roadmap

A singular purpose of this blog is to offer detailed analysis of astrological developments for students of astrology to learn the reliable Systems' Approach method for interpreting horoscopes. Annual predictions for the USA are given due to its importance in the world, but also to showcase the Systems' Approach and the SAMVA USA chart. Indeed, repeat accurate predictions require both an authentic national horoscope and a reliable method of horoscopic analysis. Further, the underlying analysis may be seen to involve several levels. 

1. The first level is the major period. The major period sets the trend in the national life for many years, running from six to twenty years. The condition of the respective planet in the natal chart, based on its house rulership, the sign and house placement and aspects influencing it, will determine this overarching theme. 
2. The second level is the sub-period in operation at any given time. Every major period has nine sub-periods, involving all the planets. Each sub-period can run from a few months to a few years, depending on the length of the major period. The sub-periods impart a strong influence on the major period trend, for better or worse. This is either due to the strength of the planet involved by degree or sign/house placement, beneficial aspects and unafflicted state (very good results) or its weakness, bad placement and/or affliction (bad results).
3. The third level is the transit influences involving the slower moving planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu), which can produce significant events in the national life, especially when they become stationary for two to three months at a time in aspect to each other or planets or houses in the chart. The effect depends critically on their functional nature as per the rising sign. In all charts, there are benefic houses with lords ruling one of the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11 houses and malefic  houses for the lords ruling one of the 6, 8 and 12 houses. Understandably, such influences can be remarkably good/easy or bad/difficult. 
4. The fourth level is the transit influences of the fast moving planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars and Venus), which can serve as triggering influences for the timing of significant events. These are hard to identity over long stretches of time, and hence cannot be covered in detail in the annual prediction for the USA. 

In the 20° Cancer rising horoscope for the USA, Jupiter as 6th lord, Saturn as 8th lord and Rahu and Ketu become the functional malefic planets. Moreover, 1st lord Moon, 2nd lord Sun, 3rd lord Mercury, 4th lord Venus and 10th lord Mars become functional benefic planets in the SAMVA USA chart. 

An example is the USA, where from 2017 there was growing political controversy surrounding the counter-revolutionary Presidency of Donald Trump followed by waves of the Covid pandemic from late 2019. This was accompanied by a sequence of bad periods and adverse transits that brought tremendous difficulty lasting several years.

Shift from Sun to Moon major period  

Looking forward, we will again see a major period change in the year 2022. It is therefore helpful to take stock of history, to gauge the nature of the events that may manifest with the same change in major periods, from Sun to Moon. Of course, a lot depends on the transits, but at least the trend influences should become clearer.

In 1781 and 1782, as the first Sun major period in the SAMVA USA chart came to an end and the first Moon major period began, a significant political shift occurred in America. Thirteen colonies had become independent States and were united in repelling British rule. The States had also united in creating a new sovereign and democratic nation, the United States. This new nation embodied a clear shift from the rule by the British crown to a new American civilian form of government.

The first government of the USA, as a national entity, was the United States in Congress Assembled (USCA). It was created by the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union, which was required to be ratified by all thirteen states. Maryland was the 13th and final State to do so on February 2, 1781. The Articles then came into force on March 1, 1781. Stipulated in the Articles, was that the USCA government began to formally operate on November 5, 1781. John Hanson, from Maryland, was elected to be the first President to serve for one year. His tenure was marred by his weak health.

This formal start of government operations under the USCA happened during the latter half of the first Sun-Venus period. A mere two weeks earlier, General George Washington proved victorious over British General Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown, on October 19, 1781, effectively ending open hostilities of the Revolutionary War with Britain.  Peace negotiations were conducted in Paris, France and these were concluded on November 30, 1782. The peace agreement was ratified by Britain a year later, by which time all British forces were removed from US territory. As a result, on December 23, 1783, in the Maryland State House in Annapolis, George Washington, finally assured that peace was at hand, resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. The action was considered significant for establishing civilian authority over the military, a fundamental principle of American democracy.

In the second cycle of the Vimsottari dasas, from 1901 to 1902, an inspirational young leader took the helm as the second Sun major period came to a close, with the nascent Progressive Era taking firm hold during the second Moon major period. The Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt removed the influence of American monopolies over the government affairs as had been the case under William McKinley and his predecessors, in favour of a government for the people and by the people.

A dynamic shift took place as the second Sun major period was drawing to a close. On Sept. 6, 1901 in Buffalo, New York, President William McKinley was shot. McKinley  had, through war and diplomacy, acquired imperial territories in the Caribbean and Asia; embraced the gold standard; emphasised “reciprocity’’ in trade policy (evoking Trump’s “fair trade” policy), established the Open Door policy in China; and forged the U.S.-British “special relationship.” When he died on Sept. 14, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt became President. Roosevelt left a “larger than life” legacy as an inspirational figure, noted for his bonhomie, courage, being an outdoorsman and a “trust buster”. While his reforms institutionalised the new Progressive Era, they were to a large extent built upon the foundation established earlier by the more modest but equally effective President McKinley. 

In 2021, at the close of the third Sun major period, a generally well liked but weak leader replaced a dynamic but controversial one. A leadership change, bringing a more dynamic personality to the helm, is considered likely before 2022 is out. A political shift involving the removal of corporate control over the government and national affairs is likely.

While reversing a number of policies, Joe Biden has built on major accomplishments of his predecessor, Donald Trump, including tax reforms, deregulation, a rebuilt military with a greater focus on space, and a more pragmatic relationship with China. At the same time, Biden is emphasising a more inclusive national identity as the third Moon major period beckons. It has earlier been suggested that the Sun-Venus period will bring division about the national identity, what Joe Biden calls a "Battle for the soul of the Nation" by trying to bring more liberal values to the fore, reflecting also long neglected minorities. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is fighting to "Save America", based on more conservative values. On a more positive note, the conflict is expected to give way to a synthesis of the opposing views during the Moon period. If history is any guide, such a benign transformation may involve a leadership change, whereby a more dynamic and legitimate leader emerges.

Joe Biden's Libra rising horoscope

Given the above, it may be helpful to consider the horoscope of Joe Biden. A common view is that Joe Biden has a 10° Scorpio ascendant based on his own recollection. However, on the SAMVA discussion list on Io Groups, a better fit is found with a late Libra rising chart. 

This ascendant would explain his fairly charming personality as 1st lord Venus ruling self is conjunct 11th lord Sun ruling goals and friendships is in the 2nd house, where both receive an aspect from 3rd lord Jupiter, ruling communication and divine grace, in the 10th house of career. 

This ascendant and benign placement would also explain his generally confident personality that is "capable of getting out of difficult situations", including his documented plagiarism and lies on the campaign trail. The lies would, however, also be related to 12th lord Mercury being in the 1st house MEP, from where it afflicts the 7th house of spouse and others. Indeed. it explains his early struggle with stammering, a tendency for selfishness, as well as the loss of his first young wife and their daughter in December 1972. 

With Rahu, ruling manipulations, in the 11th house of income and friendships, in aspect to his 10th lord Moon, ruling career, in the 7th house of foreign relationships, the chart also explains the alleged corruption involving his family members profiting from deals with his foreign political connections. As 3rd lord Jupiter of communication and action, is placed in the 10th house of career, the influence of Rahu is also felt with regard to his enterprising efforts in the career. Finally, the Libra rising chart, with 5th lord Saturn in the 8th house of obstacles and endings, explains the tragedies involving his children, including the 2015 death of his eldest son, Beau, and the hurtful revelations involving his remaining son, Hunter, as well as the evident decline in his cognitive abilities in the summer of 2021, when transit Rahu stationed over his natal Saturn in the 8th house. 

A transit of functionally malefic planets, Rahu and Ketu, from April to July 2022 is of particular concern, when transit Ketu will become exactly conjunct Biden's 12th lord Mercury at 28° Libra in his 1st house MEP for three months. It is possible Joe Biden may suffer a sudden setback or loss involving his foreign connections, spouse or body, notably the nervous system. 

The second half of April 2022 looks especially difficult for him. Being removed as President due to failing health, as provided for in the 25th Amendment of the US Constitution, is one possible manifestation of this transit. In the event, Kamala Harris, the Vice President, would become President. 

By comparison, if Biden has 10° Scorpio rising, the possible setback would be less, involving a setback to his goals, income and friendships, but also nervous system. Let's hope the best for him.

Gemini rising horoscope of Kamala Harris

If the prediction of health problems for Joe Biden is realised in the summer of 2022, another scenario could also play out. It is possible Biden's failing health will be treated as a national secret (it has happened before). This might be done to facilitate another leader being able to take over, someone who has demonstrated good judgement, strong nerves and resonates with most Americans. Indeed, having been at the helm for just over one year, while working with Harris, it may have dawned on Joe Biden that Kamala Harris is not matched to the difficulty of the job. She may be better suited for a cabinet or top diplomatic post. 

Yet, Harris' horoscope shows no real difficulty for her until the Rahu-Ketu period begins in January 2023. This suggests the former scenario is more realistic for her. A difficulty during the dual nodal period would be related to her natal placement of Rahu in the 1st house MEP, which tends to give a manipulative tendency to the personality. On the campaign hustings, Trump picked up on this and nicknamed her "Phony Kamala". She also has Ketu in the 7th house, which may bring relationships, where the other is somehow separate. She had a relationship with future San Francisco Mayor, Willy Brown, whose public advice was for Harris to decline Biden's offer to become his Vice President, if elected. This is more so as Kamala's 7th lord Jupiter is placed in the 12th house of losses. Additionally. the nodes afflict her 3rd, 5th, 9th and 11th houses, bringing vulnerability to their indications. Kamala became step-mother to Doug Emhoff's two teenage children upon their marriage in 2013.

To be fair, her chart speaks of many talents, but they are all attended by some weakness. The conjunction of a debilitated 3rd lord Sun and combust 4th lord Mercury in the 5th house MEP suggests she has ability to speak in a harmonious way, but lacks confidence and nerves of steel. The placement of 5th lord Venus in Leo and the 3rd house gives intelligent actions. The aspect of 2nd lord Moon in the 11th house MEP to Sun and Mercury, adds status to her life. Moreover, 9th lord Saturn is in the MEP of the afflicted 9th house, from where it aspects the 11th house and 2nd lord Moon. Surely, she has taken many intelligent actions that combine with the support her mentors gave her, resulting in her speedy rise in life. After all, she has become the first woman to occupy the office of Vice President of the USA, a major milestone. With old age and debilitated 11th lord Mars in her 2nd house, there is weakness seen to her goals and status, making them vulnerable to setbacks. 

In any event, during this adverse period, a difficult transit will occur in the fall of 2023, when the transiting nodes become stationary in her 11th and 5th house MEPs, in aspect to their natal counterparts, suggesting a crisis involving manipulations and estrangements in her life. 

As 2022 begins...

In early 2022, the Sun-Venus period will be finishing its operation in the SAMVA USA horoscope, associated with weakness and division in the national life. This is more so as a few transits of functional malefic planets have been disturbing the good going further as the old year closes.

Since October 2021, transit Rahu has been stationary conjunct 1st lord Moon in the 11th house. This transit has brought confusion about the national identity of Americans, as well as their source of income, goals and international alliances.

Adding to the difficulty is the transit of 8th lord Saturn in the most effective point (MEP) of the 7th house (5° +/- the 20° rising degree in the chart), where it is in exact aspect to natal Ketu in the 4th house MEP as the year opens. This aspect has brought plenty of obstacles or endings, as well as some easy gains, to marginal populations, like undocumented or illegal immigrants. Saturn in that position also adds difficulty to the national identity and foreign policy.  

Transit 2nd lord Sun is in the 6th house of conflict and controversy, along with transit 4th lord Venus. As the Sun is under aspect from natal Rahu on New Years day, the President may be feeling strain, however, it would be an annual occurrence. With the sub-period lord there until end February 2022, the communal harmony is definitely not at ease.

Transit 6th lord Jupiter is in Aquarius and 8th house, adding further obstacles to the national life, in the form of an explosion of Covid infections as the year ended, however, with fewer deaths than before. This owes to more widespread use of the mRNA vaccines, better prophylactics and a milder variant, Omicron. 

Most importantly, as the year opens, Americans are undergoing a certain catharsis of identity, to expand their concept of what being an American is all about, in order to open the way for a brighter national future in the coming Moon major period.

With transit 8th lord Saturn moving through the 7th house MEP in January 2022, there will be plenty of tension involving foreign policy. However, as Saturn is moving at normal speed, the influence is not seen to produce a long lasting crisis.

In February, transit Ketu will move over 6th lord Jupiter in early Scorpio and 5th house, adding separative qualities to the national debate and conflictual matters. Meanwhile, transit 6th lord Jupiter in the 8th house MEP will be under the aspect of natal Ketu. Transit 8th lord Saturn will also pass over 2nd lord Sun at 24° Capricorn and 7H MEP, placing pressure on the President. On February 21, 2022, the latter two aspects become exact.

On April 14, 2022, transit Jupiter will emerge from Aquarius. While it will then enter a mutual aspect to its natal counterpart in early Scorpio peaking in early May, it is expected the Covid pandemic will have wound down by then.

The Moon major period

In mid April 2022, as the Sun major planetary period ends and the Moon major planetary period begins, a healing effect is expected to develop in the country. Even if political differences may remain, more agreement among Americans is likely about who they are as a people and what the focus of their activities should be. 

In the national horoscope of the USA, the Moon as 1st lord is at 7° 20 Taurus and the 11th house.  As the Moon is exalted in this sign, its indications should flourish in the national life.

This is gains more importance, if we recall that the Moon is lord of the sign Cancer in the ascendant. As such it is the ruler of the chart. 

In a general sense, the Moon rules "the public administration especially the management of food, hospitality and healing. The Moon also is an indicator of masses, 'Women’s Power', professions include training, public relations, administration and healers." 

In a functional sense, the Moon as 1st lord governs "the general conditions of the country as a whole, state of law and order, people and their general outlook, public health, government, reputation, valor and its position in the world. 

Moreover, the 1th house rules income, gains, and future plans. It also rules friendly international alliances. 

The Moon, as 1st lord, aspects 10th lord Mars in Scorpio and 5th house, giving fame to the USA, based on the progressive laws of the country, its legislature, government, military, industrial might and technical achievements.

Moon also aspects 6th lord Jupiter in the 5th house, giving a warrior like stance, whereby the nation does not back down from a provocation.

All of these areas should do especially well in the national life during this ten year long major period.

June and July should be mostly a peaceful time, with no major transit afflictions seen, aside from transit 6th lord Jupiter aspecting natal 10th lord Mars in Scorpio in early June, when some short-lived controversy may involve the police, military, foreign trade or the legislature.

In the first half of August, transit Rahu in Aries will cast an aspect to natal 4th lord Venus at 24° Sagittarius and the 6th house MEP. Some events are likely to arouse a short-lived disturbance to the communal harmony or a sense of unease. 

A crisis is likely in the fall

Rahu will proceed to become conjunct the MEP of the 10th house at 20° Aries on September 24, where it will become stationary until December 23, 2022. The peak of the stationary movement of transit Rahu will be at 19° Aries, where it will also be conjunct natal Rahu at 18° Aries. 

This stationary transit to natal aspect was earlier seen during the onset of the Great Depression in late 1929. However, at that time, the period was bad, the Rahu-Ketu period. Long standing manipulations of share prices on Wall Steet had propelled them into the stratosphere. When the Ketu sub-period began in mid October, a sudden bursting of the asset bubble took place. This shock ushered in a multi-year period of painful adjustment in the national life, characterised by a collapse of banks, mass unemployment and with poverty spreading throughout the land. As Rahu rules crisis and Ketu rules fear, a newly elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt said in his inaugural address in March 1933: 

 "So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."

Earlier such stationary transits took place fleetingly in early 1967 and 1986, with limited influence. However, when they went stationary closer to the 1929 degree, the following effects registered:

- in the summer of 1948, during the Jupiter-Sun period, transit Rahu stationed at 21° Aries, when the "Red Scare" began to affect the employment of suspected communists and the Berlin airlift took place. An atmosphere of fear was doubtless created for those Americans of a liberal bent.

- in the summer of 2004, during the Venus-Rahu period, transit Rahu stationed at 17° Aries, when the Iraq war was being prosecuted and the Abu Ghraib prison abuses came to light, serving to spoil the reputation of the USA. As an act of revenge, islamic terrorists began the practice of releasing a videotape of a US citizens being beheaded, causing widespread revulsion and fear.

At the time of the upcoming transit to natal nodal conjunction at 19° Aries, the Moon-Moon period will still be operating, which is far preferable to the Rahu-Ketu period. As the crisis period of three months ends, the upbeat trend of the Moon period should therefore resume. Nevertheless, the transit to natal nodal conjunction is always difficult, especially when in a house MEP. 

"The tenth house rules executive, parliament, administration, foreign trade, law and order. The close afflictions to the tenth house or its lord by the malefic planets spoil the reputation and indicate setbacks for the international position of the country."

The crisis that could unfold would therefore be expected to reverberate through the national government, foreign trade, the national legislature, and communal harmony, with a fear inducing effect. Some manipulation is likely to come to light, that generates a crisis marked by panic or fear. 

In late September,  transit retrograde 6th lord Jupiter will also be aspecting natal 10th lord Mars, adding tension for the government, military or police. A riot, possibly involving identity issues, is possible at that time.

In early October, transit 8th lord Saturn in the 7th house MEP will become exactly conjunct 2nd lord Sun in the 7th house MEP, adding pressure for the President, asset prices and the US dollar. This challenging time will last until mid November. 

From early November to mid December 2022, transit Jupiter will go stationary at 4° Pisces and 9th house, where it will be in mutual aspect to natal Jupiter at 4° Scorpio and 5th house. This aspect suggest quite a bit of conflict in the national life, linked to the management of the country and the judiciary and foreign relations.

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Today marks the 15th anniversary of the discovery of the SAMVA USA chart on December 31, 2006.

Happy New Year!