…and it will happen again. As a Sci-fi junkie, I will never miss an opportunity to reference the Reimagined Battlestar Galactica, with all of its esoteric themes. But while this quote is uttered frequently during the course of that series, it does not originate with BSG. It was actually the first laid down by J.M. Barrie as the very first sentence from his classic novel, Peter Pan. In both creative endeavors, the cyclical nature of events is addressed and reoccuring patterns are examined. As an astrologer, this vantage point is at the core of how I and my peers explain and comprehend the world around us, using the movements and relationships between the material bodies in the Solar System and larger galaxy as the words, grammar and syntax of our language.

I have had this quote on my mind since Jupiter transitioned into Capricorn, but particularly since January. I have read endless commentary from my peers discussing the intensity of this period, with Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto all occupying the cold, dry, remote sign of the goat. We could all see the signs that we were heading for difficulty. Some astrologers have engaged in what borders on apocalypse word porn, to a nearly sociopathic level. Some others, as a response, took the new-age mental oblivion route of claiming that such anyone who has trepidations of this time period are alarmists who are manifesting their own fears.

I personally take a more measured approach as it relates simply to the transition of Jupiter from Sagittarius to Capricorn, which is thematic of the time period. We cannot have endless expansion and abundance, which Jupiter favors. Just ask our waistlines. We become dull, lazy automatons. Conversely, if there is no respite from endless need, want, discipline and contraction, there really is not much point to anything. Hence the essential need for the cycles and ebbs and flow of our lives. Also, hence the need for convenient word descriptors in our astrological toolbox such as dignity, debility, domicile, detriment, exaltation, fall, etc.

I could go on and on about the philosophy behind some of these topics, but I am pressed for time today. There is no doubt that we are dealing with times that are as trying as they were during the Great Depression. The scope and length of time surrounding this Saturnine contraction insures that we are facing a greater global economic recession than those following 9/11 or the market collapse of 2008. This isn’t fear-mongering. Those are facts. We don’t get to the point where we learn the lesson and rebuild our lives and paint the positive spin unless we engage in a honest appraisal of the facts. There is also no doubt to me as a healthcare worker, a Christian and as astrologer that we are being forced to examine the reality of our governments, our science, our apathy, and our relationship to the natural world. Joaquin got that right in his poignant and eloquent award speech. We are disconnected from the natural world, from our communities, our families, our gods. God will always use any opportunity to get our attention.

Ok, down to brass tacks. There are two charts I want to glance at today as guideposts going forward. The first is the chart for a possible Corona virus patient zero and the second is the Aries ingress chart, which occured within the past 12 hours. Happy Vernal Equinox, by the way. First up, Corona patient zero. Public health officials have focused in on a possible patient zero as having presented to an ER in Wuhan, China on November 17, 2019. I am citing China as ground zero, because those are the facts that we are presented with at this time.

If anyone feels I am unfairly targeting the Chinese people, rest assure that is not the case. As a Westerner, I can turn my nose up at the wet market practices in China, and I agree that they are horrific. However, I have to admit that the way we treat the animals we have deigned acceptable to eat in this country also live in similarly horrific conditions, living on top of each other, fattened to the point that they can’t move, living in such close proximity that they pass infections on to each other, etc. I could go on, but the topic is extremely, mind-numbingly unsettling to me. I don’t know that I have the stones to go vegan, and I do not necessarily agree that I would have to do so to become more connected to the natural world as Mr. Phoenix suggests. But there is no doubt that there is plenty of room to point the finger back on ourselves here, in so many ways.

This is the patient zero chart. We have to throw out the ascendant and therefore all the houses in this chart, because we do not know a time. I chose 7pm for the time, because it seems like a likely time a person would knock off work and go to the ER. The single biggest point I would choose to emphasize here is Mercury retrograde in Scorpio. I have seen quite a few people focus on the more recent Mercury retrograde in this pandemic. The only thing Mercury rx accomplished recently was to remove our blinders with regards to this issue. As soon as Mercury fell back into Aquarius, the rubber band Mercury pulled back was released, and the momentum of our awareness surrounding Corona was released, at least on the global level. Obviously, China and Italy were already well into the thick of this. Mercury in Pisces is not keen to distinguish lines and details. Mercury in Pisces retrograde is particulary damaged.

Mercury rx in Scorpio is the original author of the Corona story, and I would like to point out that Mercury had just completed its big transit of the Sun six days prior. Mercury deals with telling stories and disseminating information. Mercury in Scorpio deals with a thorough, probing examination of the information it is presented. Mercury with its hairline tight transit of the Sun harnesses the light and heat of the Sun through a magnifying glass and burns away whatever is in its path. All talk of fire aside, Scorpio also deals with things like still water and unsanitary conditions. So, Scorpio is telling that tale. Mercury completes its retrogade journey within three days of patient zero. If we cite a two week incubation period for the Corona virus in the body, we arrive at November 3rd, which is two days from the start of the retrogade period. I have stated before that I do not ascribe to the idea that Mercury in phasis is particularly relevant, due to the amount of time it is in phasis by definition. I am arriving to the conclusion that rather than eliminate it as a concept, I would be inclined to cut the time period in half to 3.5 days instead of seven.

So Mercury identifies the flaws in the system and communicates this information to Saturn, Pluto, the South Node and Ceres in Capricorn. This chart could also be a Ceres ingress chart, an idea in which I will have to save for another time. I am not as comfortable using asteroids, but I always include Ceres. One thing I heard said about Ceres and I cannot cite the source is that Ceres nurtures by…..(insert the qualities of the sign she is transversing). Well, Ceres in Capricorn, bolstered by Saturn in his own domicile nutures us by contraction and discipline. We are all feeling that now. We are also dealing with a virus which targets the elderly and spares the young. I am not on the Boomer hating band-wagon, but I would say there is some pretty heavy karma for that generation, especially here in the US, where a single generation of people, representing a fraction of the world’s population, devoured a disproportionate chunk of the world’s resources. My contention and concession for them is that probably anyone would have dropped the abundance ball.

Mercury cooperates well with Capricorn, but has no idea what Jupiter and Mars are up to. Jupiter and Mars play well with each other and the 12th part of Jupiter is close to Mars. Mars has existed in a contentious capacity with the Capricorn grouping, although he is pulling away from them. Mars in his detriment is a warrior for justice in Libra and his aggression is supported by a strong Jupiter. If there was any element of foul play from any person, group of people or government, I feel that it is possibly illustrated here. It is virtually impossible for us to know the truth on this matter, and I would not fall for any rhetoric from any government or official who points the finger. Mercury in Scorpio does not have the answer to that question. He does not play with Libra or Sagittarius. This pairing of Mars and Jupiter could very well point to the unjust accucastions made by blustering gasbags:)

A brief glimpse of the US Aries ingress chart:

Scorpio Ascendant places us right in the thick of the quagmire defined in November. The Ascendant is ruled by Mars, who is the sect malefic. He is applying to the out-of-sect benefic, Jupiter. Prudent, restricive action will likely safe-guard our health, but Saturn is the unfettered out-of-sect malefic here. We will take loses. The angles are fixed, which is sustained energy. Where we find ourselves is where we will remain for a while. We will likely be hunkering down for more than two weeks.

The sect light is the Moon in the 4th. She is in aversion to her ruler, Saturn, and engaging in a lovely, cooperative relationship with the sect benefic, Venus in Taurus. Venus here accomplishes everything she promises. Again, this supports prudent action, humanitarianism and the sharing of resources. We are all willingly embracing tenants of socialism in this crisis, and I have personally found a major Taurus emphasis in the charts of famous people with those leanings. Taurus is rarely a hoarder. That would be an unfair modern interpretation of Taurean principles. Venus plays nice with everyone she needs to in this chart. We are experiencing an increased sentiment of bi-partisianship or a-partisianship at this time, with exceptions, of course (Venus 12th part in Scorpio). Exalted Sun in Aries is in the 6th house of health and of the common folk. We are likely to rise to the occasion here and the overall health of the citizens of our nation will not be as hard hit as other countries.

Within days of this chart, Saturn rolls into Aquarius. His elemental qualities are no longer as cold and dry. This bodes well for the natural dissipation of the Corona virus. He cooperates well with a warming Sun in Aries. These two guys arrive in the nick of time. Not necessarily to prevent serious changes to our way of life, but certainly to safeguard to very essence of our lives themselves. Saturn, a diurnal planet, prefers to reside in masculine Aquarius versus feminine Capricorn. Tensions will be eased, but society will be transformed. Now, like with the 1918 Spanish Flu, as well as with other viruses, Corona is likely to re-emerge later this year. Coincidentally, Saturn will retrograde back into Capricorn and we will experience a long transit of Mars in Aries, because he will also retrograde. Do not rest on your laurels. And try not to be caught up in contentious sentiments later this year.

I am attaching this painting, entitled Spring, painted by Giuseppe Arcimboldo in 1563, just to inject a bit obsurdity into our lives.

Also, do not be surprised if I tweak this 10,000 times.