Working with a Global Chart
by Ralph & Lahni de Amicis
Despite the USA’s tendency to consider itself the center of the world, globally it has not been the center of growth or the cross roads of conflict for quite a few years. China, India and other points in Asia, as well as Brazil, have all experienced spectacular growth. Meanwhile, during one of the world’s most peaceful times historically, the Middle East has been in the ‘Martial’ crosshairs.
How can astrology identify the hot spots, the nexus where the year’s energy accumulates and expresses itself on the globe? Clearly location charts are where we would start in answering a location question. But which chart, in terms of place and time, would be the most significant for identifying an annual theme and its important locations?
This is a tempting concept; a single chart that tells the narrative for the whole year. It’s like a physicist’s search for a unified theorem. For astrologers the idea is all the more seductive because, so often, we’re micro-managing in hindsight, looking at charts after the fact, searching for clues about the players, and parsing the year into micro-insights.
But the year is a recognizable cycle and every cycle has a seed point when all of the potentialities are contained in that moment’s program. Once you identify that ‘seed moment’ you can relocate that chart around the globe looking for the spots imprinted by the planets overhead.
For the past dozen years we’ve made yearly forecasts based on the Chinese New Year (CNY); defined by the New Moon in Aquarius. Because one of our specialties is location astrology, we’re working as often with maps as charts. In our research we’ve found these forecasts to be remarkable in their ability to reveal yearly trends, activity and dramas that encompass large parts of a population.
Why did we choose the CNY? For one thing, it is probably the most celebrated holiday on the planet. One in five people on Earth are Chinese, and then add to that the rest of Asia. The new moon in Aquarius is a time when the Earth’s magnetic field draws in! This is the day when you can balance an egg on end. Try it! In temperate zones, it is often the coldest time of year or at least it feels that way), and after the CNY is when most seeds germinate, giving life to the New Year. Zodiacally speaking it is the opposite time to Leo when the solar energy is most manifest and the Sun gets to be the most Leonine.
Up until the 1400’s the Chinese knowledge of astronomy and navigation was unparalleled. A thoroughly practical people, they devoted huge resources to developing tremendous accuracy in their maps. Of course they were great astrologers but that knowledge was reserved for the ruling class. The new Emperor’s rejection of the outside world and destruction of their huge treasure fleets signaled the erosion of their celestial sciences. This started the descent of their astrology from a finely honed tool to a folk art only a half a step up from today’s Sun sign astrology. Yet, since ancient times, the Chinese chose the CNY chart as the pivotal New Year marker; eight days when they closed the gates of the city, scrubbed the town top to bottom and banished the old year amid a cloud of fire crackers.
How does one use these charts to make a forecast? There are two steps in the system; first calculate the chart for a significant city. We use Whole Sign houses and start with Washington since it is the capitol. That initial location isn’t critical because the ‘moment’ of the new moon is the same no matter where you are, even though the local time is different. Next we look at the AstroCartoGraphy and note the location of the planets on the world map. While the rising, setting and IC lines of the planets are significant, there is nothing like having the planets overhead to make a statement in the annual narrative. The character of the planet, its dignities and relationships has to be carefully considered since they color the story and reveal the planet’s effectiveness. Then we relocate the chart for significant cities around the globe to read the themes that are going to play out in those specific places, through their angles and house placement.
Let’s start the forecast by looking back a bit. In 1998 and 1999 the CNY new moon took place over China and then India, a sign of that region’s explosive growth. During 2001, 2004 and 2005 Jupiter has been over Asia. Then in 2006 and 2007 Saturn has been overhead. This shows a huge amount of energy and leverage being exerted here. During this same period the Middle East has seen some heavy hitters overhead, and the years related to the onset of the war in Iraq the sign were clear for drama, disruption, violence and media attention.
Having so many of the outer planets resident in the later signs produces a remarkable trend; globalization on a personal level. That means a greater number of people sharing concerns that affect humanity; global warming, financial crisis, energy resources, pandemics, and water supplies and the list goes on. When Uranus was in Aquarius it made multiple conjunctions with the CNY new moon and we saw dramatic civil rights changes related to the essential prosperity of the lands highlighted by the planets. Now Uranus has moved into Pisces and Neptune is joining those new moon conjunctions in Aquarius. Those shared global concerns include a greater sensitivity to accepting diversity in religious beliefs, while at the same time, religions are increasingly seen as global movements. Now the human rights issues are being expressed politically. Where same sex marriage issues came to the fore during Uranus’s tenure, now Neptune’s contributions include the government providing spousal benefits to their employees irrespective of sexual orientation. Other concerns are the health of the oceans and our ability to believe in government and institutions.
Look at the chart for Washington DC for February 6 2008 at 10:45 pm EST. The financial crisis is implicit in this chart, Scorpio in the second house of finances, with its ruler Mars in Gemini, in the ninth house, deferring to Mercury, combust and retrograde in Aquarius, squeezed between the Sun Moon conjunction and Chiron. Pluto, Jupiter and Venus in Capricorn in the fourth house foretelling the onslaught of foreclosures. All three planets lead back to the retrograde Saturn in Virgo in the 12th house of dissolution. Then that Saturn defers to that poor Mercury.
Now look at the location maps, the CNY New Moon conjunction, complete with Vesta, Neptune, Mercury and Chiron line up over China, Korea, and Japan, with Jupiter and Venus over the Chinese heartland. This was the year of the Chinese Olympics on 8. 8. 2008, (a date that reduces to an 8) at 8:00 pm. It takes place at the 17th degree of Aquarius and of course the number 17 reduces down to another 8, a number related to business and balance. This part of Asia owns a large portion of America’s debt.
At the same time, Saturn and Mars, over America, are both retrograde in Mercury ruled signs. Over Hawaii is Ceres in Taurus which relates back to the Venus in Capricorn. Taking these three players together, the appeal of a tall, young, energetic dark man with a mellifluous voice to act as shepherd, commander and parent is apparent. In the 2009 CNY chart Saturn and Ceres, both retrograde in Virgo, are found over Washington DC. This describes the shepherd (Obama?) arriving and putting regulations in place. Over Tehran we find Mars and retrograde Mercury, both in Capricorn, relating them back to that Washington placed Saturn. Witness the demonstrations over the Iranian elections. Where is the Sun, Moon, Jupiter conjunction? Over Afghanistan and Pakistan, the site of increased financial and military expenditures!
Over the past several years the generational planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, one by one have made, or will make a series of conjunctions with the CNY lunations. Isn’t that a good description of the onset and evolution of globalization? First, Uranus the awakener sets its imprint on the seed, and then Neptune, the believer, inspires a shared sense of humanity. What is going to happen when Pluto, the transformer, infuses future years with his deeply held codes, out there for all to see in the sign of Aquarius?
The CNY charts for 2010 and 2011 are interesting, especially if you live in China, Japan or Australia. That is where the CNY planets are overhead at the Aquarius New Moon. For the United States, the situation is quite different. In 2010 only Mars Retrograde in Leo is near the east coast, a muted and at times a frustrated position. The full weight of this planet falls on the Buenos Aires and Montevideo, so heads up down south. The big players look like England where Saturn is overhead, Japan, Argentina and Australia. Argentina may increasingly reach out to China as a trading partner. Meanwhile, with Washington having Saturn rising in its chart, expect greater cooperation with England, even a willingness of the White House to defer to Whitehall.
In 2010 the violence markers have moved away from the Middle East, replaced by Pallas Athena, the advocate and diplomat at 20 degrees of Scorpio, an area known for brillance. Will we see Hilary Clinton’s fine Scorpio hand at work there?
The 2010 CNY conjunction includes Chiron and Neptune over Japan, China and Eastern Australia. Will this area take the lead in the natural healing arts as well as drug research and production? Will they provide a synthesis of these two approaches? This is common in China now, where acupuncture is used for pain suppression during operations. Will they champion a healthier, financially sensible approach to health? Japan has one of the oldest populations on the planet and their numbers are shrinking, so they are well motivated to focus on promoting well being that doesn’t bankrupt either the government or the citizens.
In 2011 the CNY skies over the USA are clear. Once again the planets are clustered over Asia, with Mars and Ceres bracketing the New Moon conjunction, definitely a sign of energy and disruption. With Ceres there will there be an agricultural revolt? There is something to be said for having clear skies above. Europe many times is in the clear and they move along with remarkable maturity and sanity for years on end. This year Saturn retrograde in Libra is over the Eastern parts of the European Union including Helsinki and St. Petersburg so it may be time for the EU to go back and take responsibility for agreements made during the inclusion of so many new countries. Look for very restrained progress in this area.
Maybe the USA will be happy for a year without over-the-top trouble. With so many IC lines running through Washington, the USA’s focus may be on resolving domestic issues. In both 2010 and 2011, a great deal of America’s leverage is through Saturn in Libra, showing a less aggressive, more diplomatic approach to cooperation. In 2010 the USA may have to get over thinking of itself as the center of the world, and instead as one of the responsible parents, but not the only one.
Ralph & Lahni de Amicis are professional speakers, consultants and authors of over a dozen books. Their astrological specialties are location and health. They are also Master Herbalist and Naturopathic Physicians. www.Spaceandtime.com
© 2009 Ralph & Lahni de Amicis
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