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Year End Eulogy
by Steffan Vanel 11/30/03
This is probably the last column I will write which will be available to be read during these remaining days of 2003. That fact, and my desire to return to the dominant theme of the American Karmic experience at this time, due to recent current events, have led me to postpone, once again, the continuation of my Astrological analysis of the soul and psyche of George W. Bush.
In my book: The United States of America: A Celestial View, which was written in the winter of 2001-2002, I wrote: “Whatever we did not learn.....during Vietnam, we will have to face between late 2003 and late 2005.”
One of the Astrological factors which serves as the basis for this prediction involves the Mars in the Seventh House of Partnerships and Relationships in the Astrological Birthchart of the U.S. This position of Mars creates a tendency towards conflict and aggression in relationships with others, and a pattern of rushing into battle when opposed.
This Mars is square, in tension with, Neptune, thus creating a tendency for confusion, illusion, delusion, victimhood and martyrdom. During Vietnam, Pluto, transiting in the sky, was in conjunction with the Neptune and Squaring the Mars. Right now, and peaking during 2004 and 2005 is Pluto moving into a square to Neptune and opposition to Mars. Basically the same aspects as during Vietnam, only a little bit heavier.
Seeing this in our future during the winter of 2001, 2002, I wrote: “The positive potential of Pluto’s arrival is that it may very well force the death and rebirth of the negative manifestations of Mars and Neptune in our national character. Perhaps we can recognize the limitations of relating to the world through Martian, i.e. military approaches. Through this Plutonian death/rebirth we will definitely be more connected to the world we live in.”
I wrote this before the invasion of Iraq was clearly on the horizon. When the spectre of war with Iraq arose I stated at my lectures that I feared it would be just like Vietnam. We would go in with Mars, i.e. military energy, and it would become Neptune, a swamp of confusion, delusion, victimhood, and martyrdom.
I have been traveling in Europe for the past few months. Magazine covers in every country have been stating the obvious: Iraq: The New Vietnam?.
A few months ago I wrote a column predicting that the time period between November 26 and December 6 of this year bore some particularly intense tension. In that column I wrote:
"On November 26, Mars in Pisces, will make an exact square with Pluto in Sagittarius. This is something which the whole planet will be experiencing collectively. However, on December 1, Mars, again in Pisces, will make an exact square with the natal Mars in Gemini in the US chart. And, on December 3, Mars will make an exact opposition to the natal Neptune in Virgo in the US natal chart. The US will be experiencing this grand cross of tension from the Pluto/Mars square in the sky upon our own natal Mars/Neptune square during this time period.
What will this manifest? God only knows. The transiting Mars will be traveling through our third house, the Gemini related house of mental communication. It seems that at the least there would be a great deal of mental, communicative acrimony. With our natal Mars in the house of relationships with others, this tension should definitely involve our relationships with others."
Today is November 30th, so I have no idea if something further will occur in the next few days, but clearly the theme of confusion, victimhood and martyrdom involving our partnerships with others was blasted into our experience on Thursday, November 20 when terrorist attacks against British targets in Turkey took place. These were obviously timed to coincide with our President’s visit with our closest ally and partner in our Martial, militaristic involvements. The message is clear, partnering with the U.S.A. makes you vulnerable to aggression, violence, victimhood, and martyrdom.
I have with me a copy of the current edition of the European edition of Time Magazine. The themes of violence, partnerships, victims, martyrs, Vietnam, appear on virtually every page. The cover story is of course the bombings in Turkey, with such quotes as “With Bush visiting London, Bombs hit two British targets in Istanbul. Protestors fill Trafalgar Square, and Britons worry that being America’s best friend makes them Al-Qaeda’s favorite new target.”
And from Osama Bin Laden: “We reserve the right to respond at the appropriate time and place against all the countries participating in this unjust war, particularly Britain, Spain, Australia, Poland, Japan and Italy. The Islamic countries who participate will not be exempt.”
In reality it was largely Turkish Muslims who were killed in these last attacks. A French terrorism expert stated that for Muslims to kill fellow Muslims during the Holy Month of Ramadan was an act of ‘unspeakable extremism.’
I know that most of you are well aware of these facts. It is just that they truly reflect the Astrological Karma bearing down on the U.S. right now. Clearly, our Martial aggresiveness has brought our allies and partners into the Neptune/Mars confusion, violence, victimhood and martyrdom which we are party to. Witnessing this is for the purpose of forcing us to look deeper into ourselves and the wisdom or lack thereof of our actions.
By the way, other articles in this issue of Time include one entitled ‘A Dearth of Troops,’ where it says: “While the U.S. and its allies have dithered for months over whether to deploy more troops outside Kabul, Afghanistan’s countless warlords have established a reign of terror in the nation’s small towns and rural areas.”
Another mentioning the likely discovery of the remains of antiwar candidate Howard Dean’s brother in Vietnam, and the following quote by Cherie Blaire, wife of our staunch ally Tony Blaire, but also a prominent human rights lawyer. The speech was given in Washington on American opposition to the International Criminal Court: “It seems inconceivable that a state committed to the rule of law, such as the U.S. would refuse to investigate and prosecute its nationals should there be reliable evidence that they had been involved in international crimes.”
To return to another aspect of the on-going, major Astrological theme being brought to bear upon the U.S.A.’s experience of itself at this time: Pluto moving through the United States’ Sagittarian First House of Self-Image and Personality. To reiterate what I have stated before, in my book and previous articles: Sagittarius Rising gives a self-image of oneself as being honest, upright , and morally strong, whether true or not. The Planet Pluto was less than one degree from that Ascendant on September 11th, and will be traveling through our first house of self-image until 2018. In that time period our whole self-image of ourselves will go through complete death/rebirth.
One purpose of the functioning of Pluto is to force one to look deeply at oneself, to see where you are truly coming from. Is it from love and faith in yourself and life and God/Divine Spirit. Or is it from fear and lack of faith in yourself and life and Divine Spirit.
Many Americans are using this Pluto energy to look deeper into ourselves, into who we are and how the world experiences us. Unfortunately, it seems that George Bush and his cohorts are, instead, trying to become Pluto. They are trying to control and manipulate with total obsessive power, and to completely destroy all perceived enemies. It is not a good idea, however, to take over the power of a God, especially one like Pluto. Greek tragedy is full of the results of such hubris.
The first exact square of transiting Pluto to our natal Mars will be on January 27, 2004. The choices which we make in this time, particularly in this next election, could decide our fate for years to come. I pray that we may choose wisely, with consciousness, love and faith.
Steffan Vanel
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