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Uranus Square Pluto:
The Consequences of the Debt Explosion
by Raymond Merriman
It’s been four years since Pluto first entered Capricorn in January 2008 and
commenced the “Cardinal Climax” era of 2008–15. This was an astrological pattern that
would bring back themes of the 1930s’ Great Depression, for that period was the last
instance in which Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto transited through cardinal signs and
formed hard aspects to one another. In the earlier case, the Cardinal Climax peaked
when Uranus moved through the sign of Aries and formed a powerful square (within a
one-degree orb) to Pluto in Cancer, 1931–34. This time, the Cardinal Climax may also hit
its peak since Uranus is once again in Aries and forming a powerful square to Pluto,
now in Capricorn, within one degree of exact between the summer of 2011 and the first
quarter of 2015.
The difference in these two time periods is between a waning square (1931–34)
and a waxing square (2011–15) of Uranus and Pluto. The former relates to the pain of a
loss or the ending of a matter or an era. The latter relates to the pain of birth, or the
transition from the past into the beginning of a matter or a new era. In other words,
things may look and feel difficult right now, but there is hope for a brighter future —
probably much more hope than was present in 1931–34. Of course, the real challenge
will be to transform hope into realistic solutions and positive outcomes, for even during
birth, serious problems can emerge that threaten the very life of the entity if the correct
actions are not applied in a timely manner.
The problem today is that no one really knows what those correct actions are,
despite claims to the contrary by proponents of widely opposing ideologies.
Understanding the nature of the times we are living in right now is no easy task.
Whenever Uranus is involved in a hard aspect to a planet like Saturn, Neptune, or
Pluto, there is always the element of unpredictability and surprise. Unexpected events
tend to arise that force one in a new direction.
If understanding where we are today is a daunting proposition, anticipating how
we will come out of this situation is even more challenging. All solutions offered so far
are typical of Uranus: They are laden with unknown risks. Some factions of society
want to take those risks, for they see the current direction as obsolete and prone to more
failure. They want to facilitate a New World Order. Others believe that taking those
risks will lead to an even more dangerous and unstable situation. They fear chaos and
another financial meltdown, possibly even a breakdown of society and government.
In 2008, I described the commencement of the Cardinal Climax as akin to
entering The Twilight Zone. You may remember that this classic television show (and,
later, the movie) began with a refrain:
There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a
dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle
ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and
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it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge.
This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the
Twilight Zone.1
Indeed, the events that transpired in 2008 and beyond seemed unreal, as if the
world did suddenly enter a “Twilight Zone.” The mortgage-backed securities market
buckled, stock market values plunged, and banks teetered on the brink of collapse. No
one really knew what would happen. In this period of great anxiety, the Federal
Reserve Board dropped its lending rate to member banks to nearly zero percent. A new
political leader emerged who promised both “Hope and Change” and a new era of
unity that had eluded American governance under his predecessor, and even those
before him.
For the first time in its history, the United States elected an African-American to
its presidency, and one who had virtually no traditional background or experience for
the post he was about to assume. It was all very Uranian in the sense that it was
completely different, all “first-time” stuff for the U.S. populace, who had no clue how it
would end up, but only a hope that things couldn’t get worse and might even get better.
For the majority of American voters, it was a risk worth taking at the time. But it was
also Pluto in Capricorn, so the struggle for power and control was far from over, not
only in America, but elsewhere around the world.
Today the zeitgeist has changed, which is also typical Uranus. We have been in
the Twilight Zone for four years. We are getting adjusted to this new world, even
though we still haven’t a clue as to when, where, and how it will end. Today’s
circumstances and anxieties have all the classic elements of a modern video game or
science fiction movie. That is, there is a perception of good guys and bad guys involved
in the fight between good and evil. The world’s survival is at stake — at least
financially, if not also in terms of worldwide security — as the threat of a nuclear
holocaust or destructive cyber warfare increases each day. Plus, it is 2012! Isn’t this
supposed to the year that the world will end, according to some modern-day
interpretations of ancient texts?
A Real-Life Video Game:
“The Battle for World Survival”
If you get the feeling that you are a character in a video game involving the U.S.
economy, its national security, and the very existence of its democratic government, you
won’t be far off the theme of Uranus square Pluto. In fact, these two powerhouse
planets are rapidly approaching a grand cross configuration with Mars and Jupiter.
Furthermore, this grand cross will make an almost direct hit to the U.S. Sun–Saturn
square. This major geocosmic formation takes place on April 22, 2014, with Uranus,
Jupiter, Mars, and Pluto all positioned at 13° of the cardinal signs Aries, Cancer, Libra,
and Capricorn, respectively. (See Chart, outer wheel.) This is within orb of the U.S. natal
Sun–Saturn square at 11°–14° Cancer and Libra, depending on whether you use July 2
or July 4, 1776 as the founding date. We will use the more common July 4, 1776 date,
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with a chart proposed by astrologers Michael Munkasey and Dr. Zipporah Dobyns and
rectified to 9:36 a.m. LMT (inner wheel).2 Not only does the 2014 grand cross affect the
U.S. chart, but it is also within orb of various charts used for the commencement of the
European Union and the euro currency.
Bi-Wheel chart: Transits to USA chart April 22, 2014. USA chart is based on research of Michael
Munkasey and Dr. Zipporah Dobyns. Note how they aspect the USA Sun-Saturn square., Also note
that transiting Saturn at this time is in square aspect to the USA natal Moon, which rules (disposes) its
Cancer Sun.
In order to convey a modern-day understanding of this potent astrological set,
what it portends, and the risks involved, let’s elaborate upon the video game analogy.
Instead of the Twilight Zone, let’s call this “The Battle for World Survival.” We’ll define
the two major players in this sci-fi thriller as “The Anointed One” and “The
Obstructionists.” The Anointed One refers to the derogatory name given by some
media conservatives to U.S. President Barack Obama, but it does convey the faith in
“hope and change” that his supporters bestow upon him. He is the one willing to take
the risks, believing that the ways of the traditionalists no longer work and are, in fact,
largely responsible for the plight of the nation (if not the world) over the past several
years. The Obstructionists, of course, is the derogatory name given to Republican
legislators by the Democratic Party and supporters of President Obama. This name
conveys the idea that these Republican political leaders are not willing to risk trying
untested ideas and policies, and they believe that the safer route is to go back to policies
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that worked in the past. To them, the nation’s very existence is in jeopardy if it follows
the policies and ideologies of the Anointed One.
Both the Anointed One and the Obstructionists are thrown into several battles
that could determine the survival of the nation, and even the world. The result of these
battles with other nations, other entities, and a host of major issues confronting the
population will determine victory or defeat. Among the threats posed by other nations,
entities, and issues are:
•
The exploding global and national debt
•
The zero interest rate policy of the Federal Reserve (as well as the Bank of Japan
and the European Central Bank) and its destruction of the middle class and “savers”
•
The race to become the weakest world currency (value of the U.S. dollar and the
euro currency)
•
The value of stock markets — risk of another meltdown
•
The declining value of homes, eroding individual net worth and leading to
record foreclosures
•
The rising price of commodities and goods that are needed to survive (inflation)
•
Taxes and regulation reforms
•
The quest for individual freedom and the potential for social and governmental
revolt
•
Nuclear holocaust and cyber warfare.
All of these issues are potentially contained in the forthcoming transit of Uranus
in Aries, in waxing square to Pluto in Capricorn, at the same time that the 14-year
transit of Neptune through its rulership sign of Pisces is just beginning. Is this science
fiction, or reality? Is this really happening in the United States of America? And how is
this going to end up? Will the Anointed One save the nation at the last minute with a
display of otherworldly powers, or will he press the wrong buttons, sending the U.S.
and world economy into a free fall? Will the Obstructionists succeed in bringing him
down, ending the risks of his remarkable experiments to transform the U.S. into a nonmilitary world superpower and to transfer the wealth from the few to the many in order
to create a more “economically equal” society?
The possible consequences of this game are truly frightening because, in the end,
this is not a game and it is not science fiction. This is really happening and we are
definitely in the midst of a struggle between two starkly different ideologies for the soul
of America. This era, under these aspects, potentially marks a major turning point in the
direction of the U.S., one that could bring forth great innovation, transformation, and
imagination (Uranus, Pluto, and Neptune), or the demise of a great nation via the most
delusional, ideologically entrenched, and self-destructive behavior on the part of
political leaders ever witnessed in U.S. history. It’s the waxing square of Uranus and
Pluto, with Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn. This is as real as it will ever get,
and the outcome is likely to be as bizarre and unpredictable as you could ever imagine.
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And yet, of all the disciplines known to humankind, astrology may be the one
study that offers the most realistic insights into what is truly possible.
Historical Correlations with Astrological Signatures
Most people are aware that there is something terribly wrong in today’s world.
Yet, when anyone — especially an astrologer — attempts to discuss these issues, this
unfortunately intensifies the uneasiness and exacerbates the problem. Because this is
such a strong, emotionally charged subject, it is difficult for people to define the source
of their unrest. There is no clear definition of the problems and no start of real solutions
that leaders can agree upon. There are just opposing sides that actively prevent each
other from enacting even correct choices when the time comes to do just that. Perhaps,
as Dr. Lee Lehman suggests, we should consider that: “Common keywords for squares
are conflict and quarreling, and the opposition is rather self-explanatory. In other words,
the planetary energy that is upcoming until 2020 (the next year of outer planet
conjunctions) is exactly what we have just been experiencing: conflict and tension
without resolution.”3 Lehman’s statement was made in the context that the only hard
aspects of outer planets between 2010 and 2020 are the square and opposition. There are
no conjunctions (“new beginnings”) until Saturn and Pluto meet up in January 2020.
This article will therefore ask the questions: How did we get here? Where are we
actually right now? And how and when do we get out of this mess?
The basic premise of this article is simple: In 2012, we will begin to experience the
more serious consequences of the worldwide debt explosion. But the world will not end. Our
renaissance,4 which was really launched with the Capricorn Climax in 1988–93 (when
Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, and the North Node all transited through Capricorn), will
resume, once this threat to the world financial system is completed.
As with all forecasts, there is a worst-case/best-case scenario that is dependent
upon choices still to be made. And then there is the “probable case,” if there are no
significant changes in world leadership and the leaders’ behavior or decision-making.
After all, astrology and the astrologer are only “choice-revealers.” We are not “choicemakers.” We can describe the conditions in effect and yet to arise, but the choices that
world leaders make ultimately determine the outcome. However, based upon the
current political and economic direction of the world today, combined with an
understanding of the geocosmic signatures unfolding in 2012–15, the probable
outcomes seem relatively clear. We just don’t know the specifics of the path they will
take.
There will likely be surprises, simply because Uranus in Aries is so prominent in
2012 and will remain in Aries until 2018. And Uranus rules surprises. In addition,
Uranus will begin its very challenging waxing square aspect to Pluto. This is the First
Quarter phase of their 112–142-year cycle. That is, every 112–142 years, these two
planets come into conjunction with each other, and their first square aspect (known as a
“waxing square”) occurs 26–47 years after that, depending on Pluto’s position relative
to the zodiac (which varies widely, due to its highly elliptical orbit). Thus, the waxing
square between Uranus and Pluto also takes place every 112–142 years. In financial
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astrology, Pluto rules debt. Therefore, as financial and mundane astrologers, we have a
strong sense that the worldwide debt situation could still get worse before it gets better.
And it is not just financial astrologers who are concerned about the future of the
world economy. As noted author and Wall Street columnist David Wessel wrote on
December 22, 2011, “Today, for the first time in generations, it is time to contemplate a
world without a risk-free asset. The consequences of that are truly hard to fathom.”5
Indeed, there is greater risk and uncertainty in today’s financial world than we have
witnessed in several generations. But these risks also present unusual opportunities.
In the meantime, the “probable” outcome that I foresee, given current conditions,
is that stock markets and economies of the world will experience another meltdown (similar to
October 2007 – March 2009), in which many world stock indices will lose at least 48% of
their value. Once the rally that began in March 2009 ends, a bear market could
commence that lasts two to four years. Additionally, this escalating debt explosion will put
at risk the governments of many nations, due to an increase in social unrest and a quest for
individual freedom and equality — the Arab Spring expands to other nations.
This premise and these outcomes are based upon four geocosmic signatures:
1. Jupiter transiting from Taurus to Leo. This is a historically bearish period, but
it could be delayed by the even more powerful Uranus–Pluto waxing square, which will
be discussed shortly.
2. Saturn moving into Scorpio, in mutual reception with Pluto in Capricorn in
late 2012 and lasting into September 2015. This is a “Time of Reckoning” with all things
pertaining to Pluto and Scorpio, like debt, deficits, and the effects of many more
government taxes and regulations.
3. Uranus in hard aspect to Pluto. This has perhaps the strongest historical
correlation with political, economic, and social transformation, along with great unrest
among the populations of many nations.
4. Uranus in Aries, 2011–18. This represents the global quest for individual
freedom, also coinciding with social unrest, revolutions, and revolt against
governmental authority, as with the Arab Spring.
Jupiter Transiting from Taurus to Leo
Let’s begin with a review of the history of Jupiter through the signs of the zodiac
and its correlation with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), the most well-known
U.S. stock index. The study showing this correlation comes from the programming of
astrologers Sergey Tarasov and Alphee Lavoie of AIR software (www.alphee.com) and
covers the movement of the DJIA as it relates to every transiting degree of Jupiter
through the zodiac since 1872. In other words, it covers the past 140 years. (See Figure
2.)
Since Jupiter takes about one year to go through each sign of the zodiac, this
study covers more than eleven cycles of Jupiter through each sign. Even though the
study focused on the DJIA, I believe it will also be similar for European stock markets at
this time, since Europe and the U.S. are closely linked in terms of their economies and
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stock markets. Both regions are confronted with serious economic challenges due to the
allowance of the debt explosion that became all too apparent in 2008, when Saturn and
Uranus entered opposition to one another, with Pluto (debt) in Capricorn.
In this Jupiter cycle graph, we can see that the stock market bottoms when
Jupiter is in early Aquarius. It tops out when Jupiter is in late Aries – early Taurus and
then sells off for two to three years as Jupiter goes into Leo.
Figure 1: Filtered waves of Jupiter’s correlation to the U.S. stock market as kit moves through the
degrees and signs of the zodiac, from the programming of Sergey Tarrasov and Alphee Lavoie, since
1872..
The current stock market bottomed in March 2009 when Jupiter was at 13°
Aquarius, not far from where its historical bottom was due (around 6° Aquarius),
according to this graph. The market was then scheduled to rally close to the time when
Jupiter left Aries and moved into Taurus. This ingress actually took place on June 4,
2011. You can see on a chart of the DJIA that this index and many others around the
world made a two-year high between May 2 and July 21, 2011, after which the indices
declined sharply for at least five months, with many down 20–40% from those highs.
(See Figures 2 and 3.)
A more in-depth review of the past actual stock market performance when
Jupiter hovered around 0° Taurus revealed that, over the last 25 years, the DJIA had
topped out when Jupiter was between 23° Aries and 7° Taurus. Jupiter was in this
sector of the zodiac May 2 – July 21, 2011. It returned to 0°–7° Taurus between October
7, 2011 and March 7, 2012, as this is being written. Once again, stock prices rallied.
But we must keep in mind that Figure 1 is a summation of the mean movement
of 11 cycles. In some cases, the rallies and the declines were much higher and lower
than in others. These can be well above or well below the mean movement shown here.
Thus, it is important to note that, when past historical cases are studied carefully, there
have been instances in which the long-term cycle top unfolded well after Jupiter left 7°
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Taurus. Two of the most notable exceptions occurred during or close to the last two
instances when Uranus and Pluto were also in hard aspect: 1929 and 1966. In each case,
the DJIA made new all-time highs when Jupiter was in the next sign: Gemini.
Figure 2: The German DAX stock market fell over 30% after the double top on May 2 and July 21, 2011,
when Jupiter left the 23º Aries – 7º Taurus sector.
Figure 3: The U.S. stock market also fell hard after Jupiter transited 7º Taurus July 21, 2011. And then
it started up again as it retrograded back to 7º Taurus on October 7, 2011.
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Let’s look at the stock market between 1928 and 1932 (Figure 4), when Jupiter
was in Aries–Leo. Note that the market topped out on September 2, 1929, when Jupiter
was at nearly 15° Gemini. The market had become range-bound, trading within a rather
narrow price range, after Jupiter was past 7° Taurus, but then it spurted up smartly
once Jupiter entered Gemini in June 1929. In fact, the market rose sharply and was no
longer in a methodical, measured advance until it peaked in early September 1929.
Then, it lost 90% of its value by July 8, 1932, as Jupiter had advanced to 23° Leo. We do
not have to be reminded what happened to the economy then.
Figure 4. The stock market all-time high of September 2, 1929, when Jupiter was in Gemini.
Let’s now turn to another example where the stock market went up to make a
new high when Jupiter moved into Gemini, and not down after Jupiter left 7° Taurus, as
Figure 1 would suggest. Jupiter was in Aries–Leo again between 1964 and 1967. (See
Figure 5.) Once more, the market did not stop its advance when Jupiter was in the first
7 degrees of Taurus. It fell somewhat sharply after Jupiter entered Gemini in April 1965.
But then it posted a powerful rally to a new all-time high in February–March 1966, the
first time ever that the DJIA reached 1,000. Jupiter was turning stationary direct at the
time, at 21° Gemini. By October 1966, shortly after Jupiter moved into Leo, the DJIA had
fallen 25%. It didn’t see the 1,000 mark again until 1973, seven years later.
Besides the fact that, in both of these instances (1928–32 and 1964–67), the market
made all-time highs with Jupiter in Gemini and then plunged until Jupiter was in Leo,
there was yet another astrological factor these two times had in common: Uranus and
Pluto were in a hard aspect. In fact, these are the last two times that Uranus and Pluto
have been in hard aspect, which is the same condition that is now present through
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March 2015. In other words, stock market prices have a history of exploding higher —
beyond the norm of the mean filtered wave of Jupiter’s correlation with stock prices —
when Uranus and Pluto are also making a hard aspect. That is happening again in 2012–
15. The rally in stock prices may end with Jupiter in early Taurus, as suggested by the
mean averages to Jupiter, or this rally may continue to go higher, even to new all-time
highs, during the time Jupiter transits Gemini and within the time frame of the Uranus–
Pluto waxing square, June 2012 through March 2015.
Figure 5: The DJIA at the all-time high in early 1966 as Jupiter was in Gemini. Again, the low was
when Jupiter transited into Leo.
But what happens after Jupiter finally leaves the Taurus–Gemini sector of the
zodiac where long-term cycle crests generally occur? Stock prices tend to decline while
Jupiter is in the sign of Leo. That will happen July 16, 2014 – August 11, 2015.
Saturn and Pluto in Mutual Reception
The second geocosmic factor coming up is Saturn moving into Scorpio in mutual
reception with Pluto in Capricorn, starting on October 5, 2012 and lasting through
September 18, 2015.
Saturn and Capricorn have to do with accountability, whereas Pluto and Scorpio
pertain to the urge for reform. Thus, this combination points to a “Time of Reckoning”
with all things pertaining to Pluto and Scorpio, like debt, deficits, more taxes, and new
government regulations. Note that the last time Saturn and Pluto were in mutual
reception and headed toward their conjunction was 1776–86. That was a time of
reckoning for both England and France, due to these very issues: debt, deficits, and
taxes.
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Saturn and Pluto will also be in a waning sextile while they are in mutual
reception. Sextile aspects are generally considered favorable by astrologers. The waning
sextile of December 2012 through October 2013 implies a sobering awareness that this
debt crisis cannot be solved overnight. However, with the favorable aspect, a plan can be
formulated during this time that could eventually end the crisis. That is one of the
functions of sextiles: to make plans and to organize an intelligent effort to solve a
problem or create a benefit.
According to these planets in this sextile aspect, that will likely require a practical
and realistic five- to eight-year plan that extends from the sextile in 2012–13 to the
conjunction of Saturn and Pluto in January 2020. I would suggest allowing an orb of one
year on either side of the conjunction in 2020. In order for the plan to work, many
nations must be willing to make the necessary economic sacrifices (Saturn in Scorpio) to
get back to a stable economic foundation — one that reverses this debt explosion that
has been allowed to happen and to continue, despite the promises of politicians to “fix”
it.
As I see it, the best-case scenario will involve accepting sacrifices and austerity
by controlling spending and/or increasing taxes. But if tax increases last very long, they
will thwart the economic activity necessary to sustain a longer-term recovery. These
taxes must be temporary and must be used to pay down the debt, not to start other
unaffordable government programs that simply continue the exploding debt crisis with
no interruption at all. And in line with the president’s verbal message, these taxes must
be “fair.” That is, all people should be willing to help their government to pay down its
debt. All citizens should be invested in this country and involved in its economic
rescue. However, we know that will probably not be the case, which will just exacerbate
the polarity between the Anointed One and the Obstructionists. After all, in order to
pay down the current debt, the contribution that would be required from each and
every citizen of the U.S. would exceed $50,000 (according to Rick Santelli of CNBC
News).
The worst-case scenario would occur if governments increase taxes and also
continue to increase spending. In other words, instead of using the increased tax
revenue to pay down the debt, governments are more likely to use it to increase
spending on new projects they cannot afford, which will lead to bankruptcy, default,
and more credit downgrades. This is the dark side of Saturn in Scorpio in mutual
reception with Pluto in Capricorn. It is also the dark side of Uranus square Pluto. With
Pluto and Scorpio involved, these are the consequences of the debt explosion. In this
scenario, the prices of basic goods are skyrocketing (inflationary), whereas the rewards
for saving and investing in property are decreasing in relative value.
There is no “magic bullet” that will miraculously pull the world out of this
exploding debt crisis — not with Pluto in Capricorn and Saturn in Scorpio, in their
waning phase and headed to a conjunction in 2020. Historically, the waning phase of
the Saturn–Pluto cycle (16–20 years, from opposition to conjunction) is all about
accountability and coping with the consequences of past actions, which can no longer
be avoided, especially with Saturn (consequences) in Scorpio (debt). It is a sobering
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period that is in force from 2001 to 2020. Constructively making it through this period
requires sacrifice and practical solutions, with no more false promises of miracles from
politicians whose primary motive is simply to be re-elected and hold onto power.
Figure 6: The stock market during the 1873-1878 Depression. Note that the stock market was still
making high as late as 1876 even though the economy was suffering. The Uranus-Pluto waxing square
occurred October 1876 through August 1877, during the time when stock prices fell the hardest.
Uranus in Waxing Square to Pluto
The third and most important geocosmic factor to consider is Uranus in hard
aspect to Pluto.
With Uranus in Aries being explosive and Pluto in Capricorn representing debt
and accountability, this is another aspect that can truly correspond to a debt explosion.
This signature has a history of also coinciding with market collapses as well as political,
economic, and social transformation and unrest. Just look at the last two periods in
which these two planets were in a square to one another: 1931–34 and 1873–76. The later
period coincided with the Great Depression, higher taxes, and huge debt issues. The
earlier period was known as the “Gilded Age” of 1873–76. It coincided with the Panic of
1873, which lasted through 1878, the longest economic depression in U.S. history.
Ironically enough, the stock market was making all-time highs into 1876 as the previous
Uranus–Pluto waxing square unfolded October 1876 – August 1877. (See Figure 6.) The
economy was crashing, but the stock market did not follow until Uranus and Pluto
neared the time of their first exact square. That was also the period when the
Republican Party stole the presidential election for Rutherford Hayes (the Compromise
of 1877).
An equally important time to compare to today’s period would be the mid 1960s,
when the conjunction between Uranus and Pluto took place. The forthcoming square is
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the First Quarter cycle (also known as a waxing square), which will feature many of the
themes and behaviors witnessed at the time the cycle began with the conjunction in
1965–66.
We have seen the first manifestations of the Uranus–Pluto waxing square when it
came within one degree of exact in July–August 2011. Despite the promises of leaders to
correct the debt and deficit spending after the meltdown of 2008, nothing really
changed. In fact, the debt issue has continued to explode throughout Europe and the
U.S. The Standard & Poor’s (S&P) credit rating of the U.S. was downgraded for the first
time in its history, and the country is now on watch for further downgrades if the debt
situation worsens. In Europe, at least 15 nations were identified as on the verge of a
credit downgrade. On January 13, 2012, S&P downgraded the creditworthiness of nine
of those nations: Cyprus, Italy, Portugal, and Spain by two notches, and one notch for
Austria, France, Malta, Slovakia, and Slovenia. On February 14, 2012, Moody’s rating
service downgraded six of these nations and warned that it may also cut the ratings of
both the U.K. and France soon. But the threat of further downgrades is not limited to
just the U.S. and Europe. Japan is in trouble as well, especially because 2011 represented
the first time in 30 years that there was a trade deficit for that nation.
Figure 7: The price of Gold during after the S&P credit downgrade of the USA, when Uranus and
Pluto were also within one degree of their waxing square in late July 2011.
For a clue of what to expect in financial markets, just look at what happened to
the value of gold and stock prices throughout the world when Uranus and Pluto came
within one degree of an exact square in late July and August 2011, and the credit rating
of the U.S. was downgraded. Stocks plummeted into October, but gold soared over $300
to new record highs in September. (See Figure 7.)
Further clues and other alternate courses of stock market direction can be
deduced by referring back to the graphs of the DJIA in both the 1931–34 and 1965–66
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periods (Figures 4 and 5). In 1931, Uranus and Pluto came within one degree of their
exact square from June 7 through July 10. At that time, the DJIA was already involved
in a sharp sell-off. The DJIA continued to decline to its 72-year-cycle low in July 1932,
which was between the first and second of the five passages of the Uranus–Pluto
square. If the stock market follows the same course this time, it would fall hard into a
low sometime after the first of the seven waxing square passages on June 24, 2012 and
before the last passage in March 2015.
But it is also possible that the DJIA will follow a more bullish course, similar to
what happened during the conjunction of these two planets from October 1965 through
June 30, 1966. During that period, the DJIA soared to 1,000 for its first time ever (early
1966). It wouldn’t see that level again for seven years. If, for some reason, the U.S. stock
market doesn’t make a long-term cycle crest with Jupiter transiting through early
Taurus, followed by a steep decline when Jupiter enters Leo, we may instead see the
powerful Uranus–Pluto square propel stock values higher into a crest with Jupiter in
Gemini — and then a devastating decline over two to four years. As I understand the
correspondence of astrology to stock prices, it is a matter of when, not if, there will be a
sharp stock decline.
The only question is whether that decline begins from a crest that happens before
the Uranus–Pluto square becomes exact (when Jupiter is in early Taurus) or from a crest
that happens during this waxing square time frame after June 2012 and ideally when
Jupiter is also in Gemini. In the former case, the stock market is apt to fall sharply (at
least 48%, in my opinion, based on non-astrological factors) while Uranus is in square to
Pluto. In the latter case, the crest may not be achieved until after the first passage and
before the last passage, and the low might not occur until well after the aspect is over. It
probably depends upon who wins the video game — the Anointed One or the
Obstructionists — for the policies of the winner will either save or bury both the stock
market and the economy, here and around the world.
Uranus in Aries
As we contemplate the threats to the financial world today, we might ask
ourselves some questions: Did it have to be this way? Did nations need to lose their
creditworthiness and be downgraded? The answer is No. Does it have to continue this
way? No. Will it continue this way? Probably. And that is why gold still makes sense as
both an investment and a hedge against the prolonging of this financial crisis. It is the
hedge against currency uncertainty (a topic for another day), which in turn is a result of
the exploding debt crisis.
We are nearly to the point when the full consequences of the debt explosion will
manifest. Change will take place, signified by Uranus in Aries squaring Pluto in
Capricorn. But such change will not likely be a result of enlightened or popular
decisions. More likely it will be due to the force of circumstances. Pluto in Capricorn
represents consequences and is about to receive an electrical jolt from Uranus in Aries
forming a waxing square.
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If we look back at the history of world stock markets, we will see that severe
downturns have been the norm when Uranus transits between 22° Pisces and 23° Aries.
In 1761, the British stock market bottomed as Uranus was around 13° Aries. In February
1842, the U.S. stock market bottomed with Uranus at 22° Pisces. The stock market low
of the Great Depression happened on July 8, 1932, as Uranus transited 23° Aries. This
time around, the low in stock prices so far occurred on March 9, 2009 as Uranus was
again at 22° Pisces. In the prior cases, the level of decline was usually between 77% and
93%. So, was that it on March 9, 2009? Was that the end of the great stock market crash
associated with Uranus in 22° Pisces through 23° Aries? Possibly. But that low occurred
at the very earliest degree of Uranus in the suggested range, and it was a loss of only
54% in the DJIA. This would make it the mildest of all of these long-term cycle lows.
The orb of time for this long-term cycle low remains in effect until April 2017.
Yet, Uranus in Aries is not only about the possibility of financial and stock
market meltdowns. It also correlates with the urge for individual freedom. Both Uranus
and Aries are astrological symbols of independence. Uranus is specifically associated
with the rebel and with acts of rebellion and revolution. But Uranus also pertains to the
masses, a wide swath of the population that shares this urge, or even rage with the
status quo, when Uranus is in Aries. This can incite others into actions to overthrow any
authority that represses the urge for freedom. It demands a change of leadership when
basic rights are being ignored or trampled upon.
You can see that the drive for change in leadership is happening all around the
world over the past year. It is especially occurring in those areas where the leadership
has been repressive of basic human rights, denying freedom to individuals in their
quest for economic opportunity. Many people think this worldwide uprising is an
aberration and that it is already over. It is not. Many people also think it will only strike
in the Middle East, but that’s not true either. Uprisings are taking place in China and
Russia as well, and even Europe and the U.S. are not immune.
This Uranus in Aries urge for change and reform is not limited to just the
government. It also pertains to multinational businesses and banks, which appear to the
masses to be benefiting, during these critical financial times, at the expense of the
common man. The zero interest rate policy of the Federal Reserve Board, for instance,
has possibly done more to destroy the financial security of the middle class by taking
away the earned interest income of savers. (In 2007, savings were generating an earned
interest income of 5%; since 2008, that has decreased to about 0.1%, a difference of 98%.)
Not only has this punished savers, it has also thwarted consumer spending (thereby
holding down the extent of the economic recovery and jobs growth) and the receipt of
tax revenues by the U.S. government. Earned income from savings is taxable. That
source of revenues for the U.S. has all but ceased to exist, corresponding to the 16%
decline in tax revenues since 2008.
The major beneficiaries of this lower interest rate policy are the banks and
speculators of financial markets. But the banks have not (until recently) been lending
out the monies they receive from the Fed at these very favorable low rates. According to
a Wall Street Journal report on February 1, 2012, 64% of all start-up loan requests in 2011
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were rejected by banks. It is easy to see why banks and bankers (including the Federal
Reserve) are being viewed so unfavorably — almost as unfavorably as Congress, whose
approval rating is hovering around just 10%. And this is all part of Uranus in Aries —
where the individual demands more economic freedom and equality — coming into a
powerful square to Pluto in Capricorn, which is the urge to reform, transform, or even
bring to an end these agencies that contribute to economic and income inequality. Taxes
are another source of this same discontent, as suggested by Pluto in Capricorn and
Saturn in Scorpio. No one is happy. Most of us realize that we are caught in this video
game that others control, and we want to know how to get out.
Soon, we will demand a way out. All this frustration and dissatisfaction are
building up to a crescendo that geocosmic signatures identify as April 22, 2014, plus or
minus a few months. A second astrological peak of the Cardinal Climax occurs then,
with the exact grand cross involving Uranus, Pluto, Jupiter, and Mars all at 13 degrees
of cardinal signs. (See Chart.) The first peak occurred in early August 2010, when the
Federal Reserve Board announced that it would launch a controversial quantitative
easing program; this was close in time to the announcement of the Greek financial crisis
that started Europe into a financial tailspin, and only a few months before the Arab
Spring erupted in early 2011.
What does this forthcoming grand cross in cardinal signs indicate? It says, to me,
that the power to change the destiny of this world is rapidly transferring into the hands of the
people who aspire for the freedom signified by Uranus in Aries. It says that long-standing
institutions, and the leaders who support them, are in danger of being torn down. That
may be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on whether these transformations are
done with the support of the masses.
What is the freedom that people really seek, as indicated by Uranus in Aries? I
think it is twofold: the mundane freedom of economic opportunity, and the social
freedom of an escape from loneliness and isolation. The latter is exemplified by the
powerful emergence of social networking sites via the Internet.
This is the message of Uranus in Aries square Pluto in Capricorn. The direction
of our collective evolution, I believe, is to connect with one another, and in that process,
the individual’s quest for freedom — especially for economic freedom — will only
become greater, as signified by the prominence of Uranus in Aries through 2018.
So, how is this video game of “The Battle for World Survival” going to end? Will
the Anointed One and his supporters save us, or destroy us? Will the Obstructionists
save us, or destroy us? Or will we finally realize that derogatory and polarizing terms
like the Anointed One and the Obstructionists don’t bring us closer together into a
unified effort designed to solve these critical problems? This name-calling makes things
worse, bringing out the darker elements of these challenging geocosmic patterns that
are rapidly approaching. More likely, such behaviors make this period of
transformation more painful than it needs to be. It doesn’t really have to be this way.
A difficult few years lie ahead, but our renaissance that began during the 1988–93
Capricorn Climax is not over. It’s just reloading. It’s just Uranus doing its dance — its
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“birthing ritual” — with Pluto. It’s a waxing square, not a waning one, between these
two powerhouses. And waxing squares are the pains of birth, not death.
References and Notes
1. See www.imdb.com/title/tt0052520/quotes (accessed in March 2012).
2. This is based on personal conversations between Dr. Dobyns and myself and is
closely related to the research of Michael Munkasey. Both astrologers used a Virgo
rising chart for July 4, and this is the time that I settled upon after conversations with
both of them.
3. Dr. Lee Lehman, “Sustainability Issues in 2012 and Beyond,” in The Mountain
Astrologer, Dec. 2011/Jan. 2012, p. 39.
4. The well-known Italian Renaissance peaked during the years of the Uranus–Neptune
conjunction, followed by their mutual reception (1478–1509). In similar fashion, it may
be said that the world achieved another peak of renaissance during the period of
Uranus conjunct Neptune (1993) through the mutual reception of these same two
planets (2003–11). In this context, a renaissance pertains to a profound transformation in
the field of communications that affects the way we conduct business, economics, and
banking, and how we collectively see the world (or the universe).
5. David Wessel, “Fewer Ports in a Global Storm,” Wall Street Journal, December 22,
2011.
© 2012 Raymond Merriman – all rights reserved
Raymond Merriman, C.A.P., C.T.A (Registered Commodity Trading Advisor), is president of
The Merriman Market Analyst, Inc. He is a financial markets analyst and editor of the MMA
Cycles Report, a market advisory newsletter that specializes in stocks, interest rates, currencies,
precious metals, and grains. He has served as president of ISAR and received the Regulus Award
for Enhancing the Image of Astrology as a Profession at the 1995 UAC. He is also the author of
several books on financial astrology, including his annual economic forecasts. Ray can be reached
at [email protected] or via his Web page: www.mmacycles.com
CHART/FIGURE CAPTIONS:
Chart: Bi-wheel
Inner wheel and house cusps:
U.S. chart (Munkasey and Dobyns rectification)
Outer wheel:
The cardinal grand cross of April 22, 2014
Notice how the transiting planets aspect the U.S. Sun–Saturn square; also, note that
transiting Saturn is square the U.S. Moon, which disposits the U.S. Cancer Sun.
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Figure 1: Filtered waves of Jupiter’s correlation with the U.S. stock market as the planet
has moved through the degrees and signs of the zodiac, since 1872 (from the
programming of Sergey Tarasov and Alphee Lavoie).
Figure 2: The German DAX stock market fell more than 30% after the double top on
May 2 and July 21, 2011, when Jupiter left the 23° Aries – 7° Taurus sector.
Figure 3: The U.S. stock market also fell hard after Jupiter transited 7° Taurus on July
21, 2011; then the market started up again as Jupiter retrograded back to 7° Taurus on
October 7, 2011.
Figure 4: The stock market reached an all-time high on September 2, 1929, when Jupiter
was in Gemini.
Figure 5: The DJIA was at an all-time high in early 1966 as Jupiter was in Gemini.
Again, the low occurred when Jupiter transited into Leo.
Figure 6: The stock market during the 1873–78 depression. Note that the stock market
was still making high as late as 1876, even though the economy was suffering. The
Uranus–Pluto waxing square occurred October 1876 through August 1877, during the
time when stock prices fell the hardest.
Figure 7: The price of gold after the S&P credit downgrade of the U.S., when Uranus
and Pluto were within one degree of their waxing square in late July 2011.
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