May 30, 2024, is now etched in US history as an unprecedented event. It’s not an event we wanted as part of US history, no matter what side you’re on. However, we have the rule of law, and no one is above the law – something we’ve all heard many times. This day, was the first time that a former US President was convicted on 34 felony counts in a court of law, by a jury of his peers. The charges were for falsifying business records to conceal a scheme preventing damning information from reaching voters before the 2016 election. Twelve jurors found Donald Trump guilty and a trial by jury is an essential and core part of our democratic judicial system. The justice system has delivered a strong statement and there will, of course, be rippling repercussions.
A few weeks ago, I served on a jury for the first time in a criminal case. It was an enlightening experience that I won’t soon forget. Since it was a District Court, there were only 7 jurors. Seven strangers who came together for a day and a half, deliberated, and reached a unanimous verdict. Then we left the courthouse to go our separate ways back to our separate lives, never (probably) to meet again. The presiding judge reminded us that we, the jury (not he the judge), were making the judgement on the facts presented, beyond a reasonable doubt. We all felt the seriousness of what we were asked to do and the potential effect on the defendant. We deliberated well discussing and listening to each other’s concerns about the evidence.
Other writers will dissect and discuss the many ramifications of the verdict delivered on 5/30/24. I will focus on the astrological chart of the moment the jury apprised the court that a verdict was reached – 4:20PM on 5/30/24. Even as a career astrologer, spanning decades, I continue to be amazed at how the timing of important events are so perfectly reflected in the planetary movements of the celestial clock above us all, and that defines the situation so well.
The chart pattern (distribution of planets) is essentially a bundle or wedge – which means that all 10 planets are tightly grouped within about 120 degrees. This conveys intensity, strength, and power with an urge to consider the wider implications or push/support one’s agenda into larger fields of influence. Libra is on the Ascendant (House 1) ruled by Venus in Gemini conjunct the Sun, the two planets that are beyond the exact 120 degree wedge of planets, placing extra emphasis on Libra’s archetype of fairness, balance, and equality as a central principle (Sun). Venus and the Sun along with three other planets are in House 8 indicating that what we define as fair is subject to collective political definition and will generate (as we’ve already seen) strong visceral reactions. Five planets (half of the chart’s planets) in one arena of the chart emphasizes an area of life which is already described as political, but also pertains to psychological taproots of power, influence, intensity, with the desire and need to influence collective sentiment often through manipulation to gain an advantage.
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One of the most exact mathematical aspects is Jupiter, new in Gemini as of 5/25/24, trine to PlutoRx in Aquarius, this energy is also still new in our consciousness. Jupiter/Gemini at best, supports reason, logic, ideas and clear speech based on facts. By stimulating Pluto/Aquarius seeks to find a greater common truth within situations.
With three planets in Gemini, we need to consider Mercury’s position. Mercury is conjunct Uranus in Taurus, ruled by Venus taking us back to Venus/Gemini the chart ruler, conjunct the Sun/Gemini. Mercury represents the word, the conversation, reason, logic. In Taurus, it adds applied common-sense and real hard facts. Note, this conjunction sits on Donald Trump’s Midheaven (topmost point of the chart) shaking up his world and reputation.
There is another grouping of three planets in Pisces in House5 which includes the Moon, the prevailing emotional sentiment. In Pisces, we are concerned with what’s beneath the surface and we feel energies but cannot always adequately define what we’re picking up. Pisces represents what is hidden, what we prefer to keep secret and yes, it is often about scandals, precognition, illumination and the desire to seek an ideal state of being. The grouping of three Gemini planets essentially squares the three Pisces planets asking impressions to become clear or premonitions to be verified - blending intuition with reason and logic. Saturn and Neptune also in Pisces, close to the Moon express the confusion of values, lack of faith and trust, misinformation and lies – the soup we’re swimming in these days. Saturn, however, betwixt the Moon and Neptune can cut through a morass of information or impressions to define what is real and what is false.
This piece is longer than I expected it to be – Ha! – We can never fully articulate the complexity and range of planetary patterns, there are many manifestations and interpretations of every combination, but we do our best to discuss the essence with the knowledge we have.
Lastly, we cannot forget the most exact aspect, Mars strong in its own sign of fiery Aries and conjunct Chiron/Aries (wounding/healing) and conjoined exactly with the cusp of House 7. Direct courageous action taken toward the principle of fairness (House 7 is the natural House of Venus). In this chart, Aries is the House7 cusp and Mars expresses the fiery imperative to address inequality, to act with certainty, fearlessness and boldness and bring into focus what the Gemini/Pisces square is struggling with.
The vertical axis is 27 Cancer/Capricorn - the concerns of the people, the public, the marketplace, reputation, stability, structure, and protection. The bottom most angle of this axis is 27 Capricorn, which is the USA Pluto. It’s a reminder that in the aftermath of the USA Pluto return (once every 248 yrs.), the task before us, (as we move further into Pluto/Aquarius and soon the start of Neptune/Aries) is to determine whether and how we will keep or define what we as a country stand for and whether we believe in democracy and the rule of law and are willing to protect these principles for the future.