Weekly column: Saturn Pluto semi square echoes of a pandemic past

Review

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell laid the groundwork Friday for interest rate cuts ahead, though he declined to provide exact indications on timing or extent. “The time has come for policy to adjust,” the central bank leader said.

—Jeff Cox, “Fed Chair Powell Indicates Interest Rate Cuts Ahead,” August 23, 2024, www.cnbc.com.

 Global equity prices continued their Mercury retrograde rally into last week’s three-star geocosmic critical reversal date (CRD) of August 16-19, with several making new recovery highs late in the week. As reported in three special stock market update reports this past week, the strong 2-week rally following the low of August 5, when Mercury retrograde began, is not only highly unusual but confirms August 5 as the primary cycle low. It also looks like a greater 50-week cycle trough, for rallies of this magnitude tend to happen only after longer-term cycles begin. Thus, there is a need for special updates and revisions of our prior trading strategies, with a new outlook for the next few weeks.

In Asia and the Pacific Rim, equity markets exhibited interesting divergences. The Australian ASX, Japan’s Nikkei, and India’s NIFTY indices all displayed strong rallies into late last week. The NIFTY and ASX tested their recent all-time highs (ATH). The Hang Seng of Hong Kong also had a rally, but much weaker than the aforementioned indices. And China’s Shanghai Composite (SSE) actually fell to a double bottom and back to its lowest level in six months. All is not well in China, as it is behaving as the weakest of all the major global stock markets. This may be a drag on the world economy soon if conditions in China don’t improve.

European indices all had decent rallies last week. Most notable were the indices of Germany and Switzerland, which are forming double and triple tops to the yearly highs. The recovery in the Netherlands AEX has only been corrective so far. London’s FTSE had a better than average rally, but the excitement was greater in Germany and Switzerland.

In the Americas, Brazil’s Bovespa soared to a new all-time on August 21. The U.S. markets were also strong, but, as of yet, have not made new all-time highs. They are close, and with Uranus about to turn retrograde, they could explode and do so soon since Uranus loves to break any long-term support or resistance zones, such as previous all-time highs.

In other markets, Gold was a stellar performer, rallying to another new ATH of 2570 on August 20, right into MMA’s three-star CRD zone of August 19. Silver had a good rally, too, testing 30.00 again on August 20, but well off its yearly high of 32.75 made back on May 20, another MMA three-star CRD. Thus, there is still a case of intermarket bearish divergence between Gold and Silvers as Gold approaches the time band when its 50-week cycle low will be due. Potentially profitable trading opportunities may be arising in both Gold and Soybeans, as the last week’s powerful geocosmic combinations coincided with a new all-time high in Gold and a new 3.5-year low in Soybeans.

Bitcoin and Ethereum were flat until Friday, trading within the range of the previous week’s high and low. However, following Fed Chairman Powell’s welcomed announcement of impending interest rate cuts, BTC broke above 63,000 and out of congestion. With Uranus and Mercury about to change direction, we could see BTC and Ethereum make a surprise approach to new all-time highs shortly, too, as long as BTC can stay above 63,000. Crude Oil fell to a new 5-month low of 71.46 last week (August 21). Again, this was within the MMA geocosmic time band for a big reversal (August 16-19 CRD), which could yet indicate a primary cycle trough and sharp multi-week rally has begun.

Short-term geocosmics

Independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anticipated exit from the presidential race could benefit Donald Trump…. With Kennedy and other alternative candidates off the ballot, , half of the voters backing them would support Trump and one-quarter would back Harris, the late-July poll found. Harris’s 1-point lead with Kennedy in the race turned into a 2-point deficit without him… The (Democratic) party and affiliated groups invested heavily in blocking Kennedy from state ballots and highlighting his eccentricities to voters.

—Natalie Andrews, Aaron Zitner, and Alex Leary, “Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Expected Exit Could Help Trump, Hurt Harris,” August 22, 2024, www,wsj.com.

Last week’s powerful mutable and fixed T-squares involving Uranus (Full Moon) and Saturn (with Venus, Mars, and Jupiter) coincided with a major volcanic eruption in Iceland. It also coincided with a stunning switch in the dynamics of the U.S. presidential election with Robert Kennedy’s announcement that his run as an independent candidate would end as he joined forces with Republican candidate Donald Trump after Kennedy was deliberately obstructed from participating as a viable candidate by the Democratic party. That behavior may end up being costly for the Democrats and Kamala Harris in a tight election. Furthermore, last week’s powerful geocosmic combinations coincided with a new all-time high in Gold and a new 3.5-year low in Soybeans. Potentially profitable trading opportunities may be arising in each.

Threats from nature and in the realm of world economies and national politics are not over, given the onslaught of geocosmic signatures yet to come. First, we find Uranus changing directions on September 1, the same day that Pluto retrogrades back into Capricorn until November 20, for the last time in about 240 years. Uranus’ changing direction is always a wild card for financial markets and natural events such as high winds, tornadoes, hurricanes, electrical blackouts, and earthquakes. At the same time, Pluto is highlighted as having symbolic associations with volcanic eruptions. Together, they can represent threats to growing conditions, especially in areas where crops are well into their growth cycle and maybe even ready for harvest. This might add to the reasons why Soybean and other grain prices are getting attractive.

At the same time, we are under a retrograde semi-square from Saturn to Pluto, the first 1/8 harmonic aspect following their conjunction in mid-January 2020 when 1) Covid broke out and 2) Iranian General Qassem Soleimani was assassinated by the U.S. The first 1/8 of a cycle is when themes that were present under the conjunction return. Additionally, Saturn, in a hard aspect to Pluto, also represents a threat to crops through acts of nature, such as extreme temperatures, dryness, high winds, or floods. The latter also may be highlighted September 1-12 when Mars squares Neptune (September 3, indicating heavy rains), followed by the Sun in opposition to Saturn and square Jupiter (September 8-12, indicating geopolitical threats and possibly endangering the safety of political leaders since it activates the Saturn/Pluto semi-square). It will be an interesting time for the first debate between Trump and Harris.

However, we also note that transiting Mars will trine the New York Stock Exchange’s Jupiter and Neptune, now through next week. This has a bullish bias for U.S. stocks on its own.

Longer-term thoughts: The US election

Mr. Trump has let Ms. Harris claim the mantle of change, though she has been Mr. Biden’s sidekick all along. This is political malpractice. He has also given Ms. Harris the chance to sound the notes of optimism that Americans always want to hear from a candidate. Mr. Trump focuses so much on America’s problems—“American carnage”—that Ms. Harris can dominate the field even with generalities like hope and opportunity.

—Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal, “Kamala Harris Offers a ‘New Way Forward’ of Platitudes,” August 23, 2024, www,wsj.com.

The next conjunction (of Saturn-Neptune) of 2026 is centrally placed at the beginning of Aries and in a triangular quartet of planets with a double sextile to a trine between Uranus in Gemini and Pluto in Aquarius. It is the most benefic configuration of the century, and its interplanetary partnership will work for the best in a splendid relaunch of civilization.

— André Barbault, “Planetary Cycles: Mundane Astrology,” translated by Kate Johnson, The Astrological Association CIO, London, UK, 2016.

 This is the time of year when I start writing the annual Forecast Book. After studying the cosmic lineup for 2025, two words come to mind that express a common American refrain: “Holy sh-t!” This is big! The planetary setups in 2025 symbolize a huge opportunity (and danger) regarding the direction the world will take. It’s not a cliche for astrologers to think the future of the world is about to change dramatically. It could be very hard, but it can just as easily be the beginning of something extremely constructive. I’m going to drink some of that Kool-aid and project thoughts on why I think it could be the start of something very positive for the world and the start of a new and constructive direction for humankind.

We already know that 2025 will be the start of the “Aries Vortex” (lasting into 2027), as outlined in recent webinars and interviews. This is when Saturn and Neptune, a 36-year cycle, conjoin at the midpoint of Uranus and Pluto. The latter two planets will be in a harmonious trine aspect in early air signs. And it all funnels into 0° Aries, the “world point.” You could take any one of these cosmic signatures and write a book about their importance. I use the word “holy” because of Neptune, the planet of the spiritual path that rewards a life of virtue and compassion. With Saturn, it is also a path of commitment and discipline. Saturn rules authority, government, and its leaders. However, with Neptune, it can also symbolize spiritual authority and mastery, as in behaving with a consciousness about spiritual values and exhibiting virtuous acts when positive. When negative, it symbolizes corruption and the willingness to manipulate and deceive others.

Just as important and powerful, the midpoint of Uranus and Pluto can be extremely disruptive and even shocking in the obsession to implement radical changes and reforms. Fortunately, they are in a favorable trine aspect, but with midpoints to Saturn and Neptune, these radical changes can go either really badly (as in coercion) or really wonderful (as in new reforms supported by the consensus of the masses, which is guided by the principle of “More Power to the People”). It probably depends on the attitude, behavior, motivation, and underlying agendas of world leaders who are leading this revolution in consciousness and practice. If the call of destiny is for unity over division, then words that uplift and empower will carry a lot of weight.

With Neptune, people will buy into words if they lift up the spirit. They want that. They can be inspired to demand that of their leaders, and leaders who are in tune with their people will respond to that in kind. With Saturn, there is also the danger of buying into pessimism and fear, fighting against radical change, and wishing to go back to a past that is no longer possible. People will seek safety and protection rather than embark upon the unknown risk of going forward and working in unity with others they do not yet trust. Whenever Saturn and Neptune are connected by aspect, it is always an issue of trust versus fear, which in turn results in taking chances versus paralysis (Uranus and Neptune, respectively). Which candidate inspires which emotion? In reality, astrology – the planets and the cosmos – don’t care. It says either candidate is capable of inciting either of these emotions. In the end, what matters will be the behavioral choices after the election.

Yet, as I look at these moving parts of the cosmos, I think 2025 will be a powerful year. And it will determine whether or not the world moves more towards harmony and the promise of a “New Aira.” It’s possible, no matter who is elected. The conditions of the world are likely to unfold in such a way that events themselves—and the reactions to them—will shape the character of the leader(s). And from this source, the “future” for years to come.

Personally, I am very impressed with the potential for positive new directions and healthier relationships for humankind on all levels starting in 2025. Symbolically speaking, it’s almost like a magic spell is being cast over the planet. The seasonal ingresses of the U.S. look very good for its leadership and its role in guiding the world into this “New Aira.” America is a leader again! It’s not falling apart as I read these signs.

Holy sh-t! I didn’t expect to see this. But now I fully understand what legendary Mundane Astrologer Andre Barbault saw a decade ago when he wrote the quote given at the beginning of this section on “Longer-Term Thoughts.” This “interplanetary partnership will work for the best in a splendid launch of civilization.”