|
|
|
Back to List
During the current Middle East crisis, in which Israeli forces have responded ruthlessly to provocation by the Hezbollah militants of Lebanon, hundreds of innocent civilians are being killed as Israel seeks to eradicate the "terrorist threat" from within that country. The conflict is centred on Lebanon's capital, Beirut, where besides the loss of life there have been scores of people injured and infrastructure destroyed.
There are several national charts for Lebanon cited by Nicholas Campion in "The Book of World Horoscopes".1 Of these, the one that appears to have the most relevance to the present situation is dated November 22 1943, is set for Beirut and refers to the day on which France, the former occupying power, was forced by hostile international opinion to grant full independence to its former colony.2
Looking at this chart, one's attention is immediately drawn to the conjunction of Mercury in Sagittarius, ruler of the 4th cusp, to the MC. This conjunction is opposed by Uranus in Gemini, co-ruler of the Aquarian Ascendant. To me this aspect describes the shocking media reports that have so often emanated from Beirut over the years. The 4th house of the horoscope is also occupied by Mars in Gemini, which rules the 9th house of "foreign relations", and Saturn, the other Ascendant ruler.
The progressed chart shows that Mars has retrograded to conjunct natal Uranus and oppose natal Mercury, dangerously activating the potential for newsworthy conflict. Further violence is indicated by the opposition between transiting Pluto in Sagittarius, co-ruler of the natal 9th cusp, and natal Saturn, while the concept of "wounded victims" is shown by the 1st house opposition of transiting Uranus in Pisces to natal Chiron in Virgo. To these unfortunate aspects one may add the conjunction of solar direct Neptune in Sagittarius to the natal MC and Mercury, adding a dimension of confusion and loss, and the square between solar direct Saturn in Leo in the 7th house of "open enemies" to the natal 9th house Sun in Scorpio. One might also note the 8th house conjunction between solar direct Pluto in Libra and Venus, ruler of that house.
The chart erected for the total solar eclipse that occurred on March 29 has its Ascendant conjunct natal Mars with transiting Pluto squaring the natal Moon in Virgo in the 7th house. The Moon, incidentally, is conjunct the Fixed Star Alkaid, said to be associated with "death and mourning."3 Transiting Mars is applying to conjunct natal Saturn. Transiting Chiron in Aquarius opposes natal Pluto in Leo. The eclipse itself centres on the 2nd house and is connected to the natal Mercury-Uranus opposition, indicating the startling news that would soon reverberate around the world. This upsetting news is also suggested in the eclipse chart by the 10th house conjunction between Mercury in Pisces, ruler of the Ascendant, and Uranus, ruler of the 9th house.
References
1. N. Campion (2004), The Book of World Horoscopes. The Wessex Astrologer, P.190.
2. Ibid, P.191.
3. Janus 3, "Aspects to Fixed Stars".
|
|
|
|
