Samhain 2008

With that said, these days I am invariably getting a lot more people asking me astrological questions about world politics and economics, and especially about the upcoming 2008 American Presidential Elections. Some of you may think that a little strange, but for those of you who do, I would respectfully remind you that astrology has long been the mistress of politics. Since it's inception.

And so the answers are always complicated. As you know, when you are looking at astrological predictions and strategies, there are no shortcuts, you have to do the math (all of it) and show your work. And when you are dealing with a Gemini, there are no simple explanations. So here is the short version. There is a lot more detail on my website.

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So in a nutshell, the good news is that astrologically the transits for this election are the cleanest ones we have had in a good long while. There is no Mercury Retrograde, no Moon Void of Course, and there is only one retrograding planet, Uranus. Because the chart is cleaner, the election should be, as well.

But there is a big difference between cleaner and clean. The downside of the election day transits is pretty intense. And there are several pieces to that. One is that pesky retrograde Uranus. He is the ruler of elections. And surprises - things that come at you out of the wild blue yonder - and so I would definitely expect a few. Uranus also rules revolutions and rebellions, so if there are some serious surprises, shenanigans in the vote count, or if there are any assassinations (or even attempts), I would expect the American people to be significantly less docile about it than they have been the last two elections. Especially November 11th - 13th.

Another concern is that America's birth chart is still undergoing a series of pretty substantial Pluto and Neptune transits. Neptune is famous for making things cloudy and unclear, and for making people moody, irrational and confused. Neptune also rules deception, and while the American people are a lot wiser and more aware of the ways in which they have been mislead and deceived, I don't think we are out of the woods yet. We are simply ending one chapter and beginning another - hopefully better - one.

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In closing, Samhain is always the official end of one harvest season and cycle and the beginning of the next. But this year, the Scorpionic emphasis on transformation and redemption is so much more powerful than usual. Regardless of the cycles you are in, my strategies are always in some way based on the old adage of, "hope for the best, but prepare for the worst, so you can handle anything in between." Sort of conservative, I know, but I feel that philosophy reflects the very best of conservatism.

This time of year, keep your hopes high, and your contingency plans at the ready. And as you are, in effect, building a mystery, you have to be at least a little bit surrendered to the pace, the process, and the outcome. Stay strong and focused, open minded and willing. Be ready to take a stand for what you believe in. Be detached, and not a drama queen. And if you get stuck, call me. We'll figure it out.

Blessings to you!

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