As we approach the 20-Year Anniversary of September 11, 2001, we are re-sharing Mark Lerner's 19-part written series covering the happenings of that historical and horrific day with insight into the astro-alignments and other significant and synchronistic events. In this post, we are re-sharing parts 1 and 2, with more coming soon.
PART 1: WORLD TRADE/PENTAGON BOMBINGS
by Mark Lerner
Dateline: Sept. 12, 2001 Eugene, Oregon... I write these words less than 20 hours after the worst terrorist destruction to ever strike America on a single day. As Publisher of Welcome to Planet Earth astrology journal for 20 years, I have often shared with you about these type of events -- the Challenger destruction and Chernobyl blasts of 1986, the Persian Gulf War of 1991, President Clinton's crisis in the White House and Impeachment proceedings during 1998-1999. And I have always revealed to you that astrology is truly a divine and mathematical art, language and unique system of understanding world events.
The shocking events of Tuesday (ruled by Mars) Sept, 11, 2001 will show the power of astrology for those who have the eyes to see. What's so important to remember is that we are not dealing with one "bad" aspect or even two. Anything of this magnitude will be shown to have many -- probably several dozen! -- astrological keynotes, themes and energies.
At this time, in Part I, I want to stammer out a large group of astrological indicators -- pointers for all astrology students, professionals and teachers -- so you can start your own research and analysis. Please write to me with your views and ideas. We are about to launch Welcome to Planet Earth as a journal on this web site during the next few weeks, and I will want your e-mails, letters, ideas and input -- particularly on this crucial subject. Also -- on this same Index page, you can scroll down after reading this article or printing out the materials, and find an article I wrote on Saddam Hussein 5 years ago. His chart and presence are still important now -- even though it appears that the terrorist Osama bin Laden is a primary, alleged perpetrator of these evil deeds. In that feature I wrote 5 years ago, I mentioned the important ties between Saddam Hussein and Colin Powell, both born in April 1937. I made certain predictions then and, in many ways, they have to come to pass -- with the presence now of Colin Powell as our Secretary of State.
I recommend that you print out this article and the color chart appearing at the end. Know that I will update this feature within a few days -- once we learn more of the US response to this horrific act on our soil, and the possible individuals/group responsible for the mass murder and havoc. At the end of the feature is my e-mail address where you can reach me with your views. Now here is your key list of the BIG ASTROLOGY FACTORS involved with the events of Sept. 11, 2001. They are not given in order of importance, but all of them are significant and need your careful consideration as astrologers.
Mercury at 14+ Libra exactly rises in NYC as the first plane (American Airlines Flight 11 -- note connection to Sept. 11 and the 11th sign Aquarius, ruling aviation) crashes into the World Trade Center North tower. 14+ Libra is the precise placement of America's natal Saturn from July 4, 1776. Our Saturn as a nation is our Achilles' heel, where we can be very vulnerable, fearful, chronically weak. Mercury rules transportation and trade! Need I say more here. I guess I must because, if you really think about it, Mercury reaching the USA Saturn can mean a stoppage, blocking or halting (Saturn is restriction) of movement. And when this first plane hit -- remember Mercury had winged sandals and was the "Messenger of the Gods," symbolizing this jet in the sky -- it would set off a chain reaction that would throw our entire nation into extreme fear (Saturn). In fact, for the first time in American history, this event, followed by the other plane hijackings and crashes, would close all American airports. Thus, transiting Mercury strikes the USA Saturn, exactly rising in NYC at the first crash itself, and all aviation transportation stops in America. Note that Mercury was in the middle "decanate" or 10-degree sector of Libra -- and this has an Aquarian subtone! To make matters more worrisome, mark October 20-27, 2001 on your calendars. Why? Mercury will go retrograde from Oct. 1-23 and from Oct. 20-27, Mercury will make its direct station at 14+ Libra -- right where it was on Sept. 11 and also back again on our country's Saturn. Ouch! [And from Oct. 6-8, a weekend, the Sun will cross 14+ Libra, while Mars squares this area from Capricorn (Oct. 2-5) and Jupiter squares the same area from Cancer (Oct. 1-12.)]
Mercury was approaching a flowing trine (120-degree pattern) to transiting Saturn as all of the horrendous events were taking place. This Mercury-Saturn trine in the sky would become exact at 6:06PM EDT on Sept. 11, 2001. Why -- we should ask -- should a Mercury-Saturn harmonious link cause so much death and destruction? First of all, let's remember there are many other factors involved. Also -- from the standpoint of the perpetrators of this crime, it was an amazing success! The evildoers managed to commandeer 4 planes, hijack them, kill everyone on board, and use the planes and the people to destroy the twin World Trade towers and strike America's defense establishment at the Pentagon. Thus, the Mercury-Saturn trine represents the stunning achievement of these people. It also reminds us that perhaps even a Saturn placement at 14+ Gemini -- trining the USA Saturn at 14+ Libra -- is not going to give us much that is pleasant. As the Magi Society has written in their books and in several articles in WTPE journal from 1997-2000, Saturn -- while potentially helpful in individual charts -- is almost always a problem or sinister force in mundane astrology.
The Moon in late Gemini was "Void-of-Course" having made its last alignment (a trine to Uranus in Aquarius) at 9:42PM EDT the night before Sept. 11, 2001. We have discussed the Void Moon phenomenon in WTPE many times and did a cover story on this activity about 5 years ago. The Moon is void when it has made its last Ptolemaic alignment to one of the planetary bodies (conjunction; sextile, trine; square; opposition) and will not make another one until the Moon enters a new zodiacal sign. Most researchers advise people not to make major decisions when the Moon is void, that decisions made will not work out as expected. It is suggested not to sign papers, begin a key project, etc. To some extent, it is like entering a mist, a twilight-zone, lasting for a few minutes, an hour or two, and once in awhile, a day or two. However, there are two kinds of void Moons. One negative; the other, positive. I see the negative ones as beginning with squares or oppositions, sometimes with conjunctions of the Moon to, say, Mars, Saturn or Pluto. I see the positive ones as beginning with sextiles or trines, sometimes with conjunctions to, say, Mercury, the Sun, Venus or Jupiter.
Well, to make a long story short, the Moon was void in Gemini during Monday night in NYC and this void cycle lasted until 12:09PM EDT on Sept. 11, 2001. Thus, all the death, conflagration and damage occurred during a void Moon. However, this was no ordinary void Moon! When it began at 9:42PM EDT Monday night before the calamities, the Moon had just united with Mars (murder; death; blood; war) at 21+ Gemini in the USA chart from July 4, 1776! This can only happen once every 27+ days, and when this lunar conjunction to our Mars happened, Uranus in Aquarius (aviation; revolution; shock) was trining the Moon. So, again, from the conspirators' standpoint, it was perfect timing. During a void Moon, security could certainly become lax at airports. Right? The Moon was void -- this potentially leading to failures, mistakes and lack of clarity/focus by security officials. By the time the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center, the Moon had reached 28+ Gemini -- linking to the zodiacal energy of the North Star, Polaris, affiliated with the esoteric first ray of power, will, governance and Shamballa. This 28+ Gemini also just happens to be the exact location of the Jupiter/Saturn midpoint for the plane crash moment itself. The Moon rules the masses, populace, our homeland and deep feelings. Jupiter is anything BIG (doesn't always have to be good!) and Saturn is -- well, we know what Saturn is and can be!
We've already covered a lot, but if you think that's it, you are far from the total picture here. As I've explained many times, with gigantic events you will find numerous astrological signatures occurring and as an astrological researcher, you will have to juggle many charts and aspects -- almost too many to keep clearly in your mind. For instance, let's take a peek at one of the smallest, but by no means insignificant asteroids. That is JUNO. When the late and supremely great astrologer Eleanor Bach, who created the first asteroid ephemeris in NYC (!) back in 1972 (when I began my astrological studies) wrote about Juno, Ceres, Pallas and Vesta -- the first 4 asteroids to be discovered in the first decade of the 1800s -- she was so clear, inspired and articulate. She knew her stuff to an extraordinary degree and wrote many articles in WTPE over the years. Her bound book -- A Graphic Ephemeris of Sensitive Degrees -- was a blockbuster on stations of planets and asteroids, and a goldmine on the concrete and practical meanings of the asteroids. She said, pointblank, that while Juno's positive side was cooperation, diplomacy, the search for happiness in marriage and unions, it's shadow side was terrorism by the weak, powerlessness, abuse and violations, leading to massive rage! Juno ruled over atmospheric storms -- and symbolic, but also very real collective, massive violent storms ripping through the fabric of a society or nation!
As potent as Mercury and Saturn were at this terrorism striking America, Juno is perhaps more important. Last year in WTPE, I pointed out that I thought George W. Bush would beat VP Al Gore partly because Bush and Colin Powell, who was poised to become his Secretary of State, share a planetary placement exactly at 26 1/2 Cancer. This is Bush's Saturn and Colin Powell's Pluto! They're exactly conjunct -- no orb. By the way, it is also the Pluto for Saddam Hussein, born the same month as Colin Powell. Where was the tiny asteroid Juno on Sept. 11, 2001? At 26 degrees and 42 minutes of Cancer -- right on the President's Saturn, and Colin Powell's Pluto! Remember -- negative Juno is terrorism by the weak, making peace-loving people into innocent victims, who then are outraged, and "storm" in response against the perpetrators of the crime! Add one more astro-factor to this Juno reality and you will realize the extreme nature of what was happening. The Mars/Uranus midpoint (where these two planets combine their forces) as the terrorism began on Tuesday morning was 26 degrees and 38 minutes of Capricorn. Thus, we have what is called a "planetary picture" composed of the following: JUNO = MARS/URANUS! Juno is terrorism and the abuse of the innocent. Mars is an act of war and bloodshed. Uranus is aviation, shocking events from the air, revolutionary events with unknown ramifications. What is even more scary is that in the next few days, the transiting Mars/Uranus midpoint will keep moving forward, for while Uranus is retrograde and slow, Mars is direct and picking up speed. Within a few days, the Mars/Uranus midpoint will conjunct America's natal Pluto (hell; underworld; extremes; nuclear fears and weapons; death and mysteries) at 27+ Capricorn from July 4, 1776.
One more amazing point about Juno. In the approximate one hour between the first plane strike against the World Trade Center and the plane crashing into the Pentagon, Juno had moved from about 9 degrees away from the Midheaven to an exact conjunction with the 10th house cusp at the moment the Pentagon was hit. Now the World Trade Center is one major American symbol, a very Saturnian one as a skyscraper, similar to the concept of Capricorn (ruled by Saturn) as a pinnacle, summit or mountain-top. The Pentagon is perhaps the greatest symbol of power in the world. It is the center of American defense, and America is the Earth's remaining super-power. Juno precisely above -- no orb! -- as the Pentagon is struck by terrorists who have hijacked an American plane is the perfect and horrible symbol of intrinsically weak people (the terrorists) who are powerless using any means necessary to strike at what is most powerful in the world -- the US Pentagon. The fact that they used innocent Americans on the plane, and turned them into powerless victims, reveals the twisted cruelty of their negative Juno reality.
This brings us to an important point in this discussion. Does Evil really exist? Unfortunately, I think we have all learned during the Piscean Age of over 2000 years that human beings, who want to be possessed or obsessed by evil thoughts, energies or beings, can definitely become agents of evil -- leading to strife, death and mass destruction. In Esoteric Astrology and the system of the 7 rays, discussed by Alice A. Bailey and the Tibetan Master D.K. (Lucis Publishing Company books and other esoteric sources), Pluto is strongly connected to the First Ray of Will, Purpose, Creation-Destruction, Power and Government while Saturn is strongly affiliated with the Third Ray of Active Intelligence, Adaptability, Communication, and Creativity. Furthermore, while Saturn is a great tester and teacher, as a planet, it is considered far more evolved than Pluto and is designated as a "sacred planet." Pluto is considered less evolved cosmically and is designated as a "non-sacred planet." As many of you know, we have just experienced (Aug. 5, 2001) the first of three extremely difficult Saturn-Pluto polarities (from Gemini to Sagittarius). The other two will occur on Nov. 1, 2001 and May 25, 2002. These oppositions only occur every 35-36 years -- the last group (also a series of 3) in 1965-1966, from Pisces to Virgo. An opposition by these two planetary bodies is a celestial wake-up call about world violence, misuse of power, and, we might even say, a return of the great "dark night of the soul" for humanity, perhaps similar to what destroyed Atlantis, with the forces of darkness fighting against the forces of light. [Note: There were three Saturn polarities -- Capricorn to Cancer -- during 1931, when the Nazis and Hitler were rising to power in Germany, when Yeltsin and Gorbachev were born in Russia, when the Japanese were wreaking havoc in Manchuria, and -- ironically -- when the Empire State Building, the world's tallest building at the time, opened to the public in NYC on May 1.]
OK... so what does this Saturn-Pluto polarity have to do with the events of Sept. 11, 2001? Sure, the Saturn-Pluto polarity was there, although over 2 degrees apart. Here's the secret: New York City is the world financial capital, is connected to the Third Ray, and therefore linked strongly as a center to Saturn. This city might also be considered America's "throat chakra," our communication center. Washington, D.C. is America's "head center" and is clearly linked to the First Ray and Pluto. Thus, the two cities hit were NYC and Washington, D.C. -- connected to Saturn and Pluto, nationally and, to a further extent, cosmically. [Note: One little, but meaningful aside: Remember how the Iranians in the early 1980s kept referring to America as "The Great Satan"? Satan -- letter-wise and through vibration -- is closely connected to Saturn. To the terrorists behind this attack, New York City appears to be the primary Saturn-Satan Achilles' heel for America.]
I've been hinting here that perhaps Saddam Hussein is connected to all this. Let's not forget that when George W. Bush's father was President we initiated the Persian Gulf War on Jan. 16-17, 1991. At that time, there was a Sun-Saturn union in late Capricorn -- on America's natal Pluto! Again, Saturn and Pluto at work! And remember that even now in September 2001, as the younger Bush is President, we have Juno and the Mars/Uranus midpoint striking at the same area of the zodiac, 26-27 Cancer-Capricorn. This all links to Saddam Hussein, with Pluto at 27 Cancer, and Colin Powell, with Pluto at the same degree. Back in January 1991, Colin Powell was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Now he is our Secretary of State. From 1993-2000, he was out of the government completely, wrote a very successful autobiography, and almost ran for President. If VP Dick Cheney has more heart problems, he may be out as Vice President and Colin Powell could take his place. I have said, perhaps for a decade, that Saddam Hussein and Colin Powell, both born in April 1937 -- with the same natal Mars, Pluto and North Node of the Moon (destiny point) -- may be fated to be at center stage in a great conflagration affecting the world. They are also both born with Jupiter opposite Pluto and we have just finished having three polarities of Jupiter and Pluto in 2000 and 2001. Even if Saddam Hussein is not officially behind all of this, many of his actions have created the martial atmosphere and global-terrorist environment for all this mass destruction. Our war against Iraq and our involvement in the Persian Gulf are what has set Osama bin Laden so "dead-set" against us. And it is also possible that Saddam Hussein has been aiding Osama bin Laden, with advisors, equipment, logistics, hidden funds, fuel, conduits, etc.
This brings us to relocation astrology -- so-called "Astro*Carto*Graphy -- originated by the pioneer Jim Lewis, who passed away earlier in the 1990s. What was novel and unusual perhaps 25 years ago, around the time Jim created this revolutionary breakthrough in astrological analysis, has now become commonplace, particularly in the many astrological software programs that thousands of astrologers use around the world. Once you create the chart for the first plane crash into the World Trade Center, it is relatively easy to create a relocated horoscope for Kabul, Afghanistan, for instance. This will be a chartwheel for the same instant in time -- in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan -- that the plane crashed into the World Trade Center in NYC. When you do that chart, Pluto -- which was around the 3rd house cusp in NYC -- is exactly overhead, the 10th house or Midheaven, the maximum power/peak point of a chart! It seems highly significant that Pluto (death; mayhem; extremes; underworld themes; mysteries and the unknown) was at the top of the chart in the country that harbors and probably supports Osama bin Laden and his group of terrorists. And it is likely that the USA may strike this area in the days ahead -- whether Osama bin Laden is there or not. As we have discussed many times in WTPE journal over the years, Pluto can also represent a person's or country's "blind-spot." If we relocate America's chart from July 4, 1776 to the Persian Gulf, then our natal Pluto is overhead there! This was first pointed out by astrologer Wayne Moody well before America went to war against Iraq in 1991. Wayne is an expert in relocation techniques, has been a major author and contibutor to our magazine since the 1980s, and is continuing his powerful research on highly sensitive longitudes, latitudes, cities and events around the world. The Persian Gulf region is an area of the planet where we will have many problems. Think of not only our Persian Gulf War with Iraq, but also our chronic difficulties with Iran, now Osama bin Laden in nearby Afghanistan and into Pakistan, plus the eternal crisis in Israel, on the other side of the Persian Gulf.
Continuing with relocation and mundane astrology, it is always important to consider Solstice and Equinox maps, New and Full Moon horoscopes. In Part II of this feature, I will go into greater depth here, but for the moment you will want to study the Summer Solstice map from June 21, 2001 -- which not only began a three-month cycle for humanity and the world (the summer season not over yet!), but also included a Total Solar Eclipse a few hours later. If you create a map for the East Coast of the USA at that Summer Solstice, beginning the summer season, the primary energies were located in the 2nd house of money, banking, financial power. That's where the Sun, Moon, and a Mercury-Jupiter conjunction were located. On the other side of the zodiac, very close to the 8th house of death-destruction, was Mars (war; murder; bloodshed) with Pluto only a few degrees away. Meanwhile, at the same instant of time, on the other side of the world, in the area of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran, here was the line-up: Sun-Moon-Mercury-Jupiter above (in the power zone) while Mars-Pluto were below (roots; foundations of violence). And further East, Saturn was close to the top of the chart in good old Iraq. Recent New and Full Moon charts have been incredibly strong -- showing America's struggles particularly in the Full Moon maps for July 5 (near our national birthday) and August 4 (right when Saturn opposed Pluto on the horizon in the East Coast!). We also see Mars-Pluto below and Saturn above in Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan at the last New Moon (Aug. 18, 2001) preceding this violence of Sept. 11, 2001. What is very provocative is the next New Moon on Sept. 17, 2001. This will be at 24 degrees and 36 minutes of Virgo -- within 2 minutes of arc (1/30th of a degree) to the Midheaven for America's chart for July 4, 1776. Starting this weekend, and for the next month or so, with the New Moon energies right at the top of our national chart, the President, this administration and the Congress will be acting in a potent and perhaps extreme manner. That's because Saturn -- nearing a retrograde station -- will be above in the chart for the moment of the New Moon and Pluto will be below. Remember -- our good friends Saturn and Pluto in opposition? They will be pushing and pulling at the vertical fabric (heights-roots; government-homeland) of our nation. As this is happening, Mars (warfare; strife; tensions) will rise through the Persian Gulf and Teheran, the capital of Iran! By the way, revolutionary Uranus will set through the heart of Iran at the Fall Equinox on Sept. 22, 2001. More on all this in Part II.
In June, I was prepared to write a big story about a coming crisis for America that I felt would peak in August. I based this on Pluto's station in March 2001 at 15+ Sagittarius, followed by Mars' station in July 2001 at the same degree. But what is 15+ Sagittarius? For the USA, born on July 4, 1776, this is our natal Mars/Uranus midpoint -- energizing both 15+ Gemini and Sagittarius. The Pluto and Mars stations of 2001 were so close to this exact midpoint -- perhaps the most explosive midpoint or all the planetary combinations -- that I felt our country would be getting into some serious martial trouble this summer. I just didn't realize it would explode in early September! I saw the Full Moons of July 5 and August 4 as extremely deadly and remember that when President Bush and the G-7 leaders met in Genoa, Italy back at that time, there was extreme violence by the anti-globalization groups gathering in Europe. Keep in mind that the movie Pearl Harbor came out on Memorial Day weekend. It did extremely well the first few days and then kind of died out. However, it was the real Pearl Harbor of Dec. 7, 1941 that had alerted me to this summer crisis for America in the first place. When the Japanese attacked us on that quiet and peaceful Sunday morning, the Sun crossed 15+ Sagittarius, the USA natal Mars/Uranus, explosive midpoint and giant transiting Jupiter (BIG disaster) was opposite in Gemini. We know the result -- and now people are already comparing this latest terrorism to the Pearl Harbor disaster! Well, they are definitely connected! Through the Sun-Jupiter polarity of Dec. 7, 1941, the USA natal Mars/Uranus midpoint, and this year's Pluto-Mars stations right in the middle of Sagittarius.
This should give you much astrological food for thought. You may as well add on the following for good measure: The Venus/Saturn midpoint was conjunct the Midheaven as the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center. The Midheaven is a peak of power, Saturn is fear-time-end of life, Venus represents our society and the people victimized in the destruction. The Mars/Pluto midpoint at the beginning of the tragedy was within 2/3 of a degree to a conjunction-opposition to the USA Mars, and this same midpoint was 1/3 of a degree square to the USA Neptune. America is born with a natal Mars-Neptune square. We have discussed this in numerous articles in WTPE magazine. It has much to do with our history of racism, internal dissent and violence, the Civil War, Lincoln's Assassination, and also connects esoterically (via Mars and Neptune) to the Sixth Ray of Devotion, Idealism, but also Fanaticism and Religious Fundamentalism. It's ironic that America was founded as a land for religious freedom and tolerance; we are now being attacked by religious fanatics who believe that to die intentionally for your cause is the highest honor. Looking at transits influencing America's chart, we find the following: Venus transiting our Mars/Saturn midpoint; Neptune (confusion; fog; chaos) conjunct the USA South Node (negative fate) and Mars/Neptune midpoint; the transiting North Node of the Moon (the public-destiny) right on the USA Venus (our emotions) in Cancer!; the transiting Moon conjunct America's Mars/Jupiter midpoint, which again is in late Gemini, conjunct the Pole Star, Polaris; Saturn very close to the explosive USA Mars/Uranus midpoint in mid-Gemini.
Should we even speculate about the so-called "astrological mandala"? The use of symbols for every degree of the zodiac -- originated by Dr. Marc Edmund Jones and revised later by Dane Rudhyar, two of the greatest astrologers of the 20th century? It is fascinating to do so. When the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center, 15 Libra was rising (Mercury, too). Symbol? Circular Paths. Seems obscure, right? No! Not when you watch TV and see them showing the radar maps of how all the planes moved West and -- all of them CIRCLED BACK (!!!) EAST -- to do their deadly damage. Circular Paths. Yes... in the air, with air sign Libra rising, and Mercury, ruling transportation, on the Ascendant, and in the second decanate of Libra, ruled by Aquarius (aviation). When the next plane crashed into the World Trade Center about 18 minutes later, 18-19 Libra was rising. Symbols? Two Men Placed Under Arrest and A Gang Of Robbers In Hiding. How appropriate! Symbolically, at the very least, the two men are Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. They are also represented by the two planes striking each of the two towers!
We will see where all this will lead. Note that using what is called Tertiary Progressed analysis (based on each day after birth equaling a lunar month), we will find very strong connections between President Bush, America and the power of Pluto and Juno. It turns out that as the terrorist acts occurred, the President had just experienced his Tertiary Lunar Return, something that only occurs about every 2 years and 2-3 months. However, the President is born with an exact Moon-Juno union in mid-Libra! Remember our whole discussion about Juno, terrorism by the weak and powerless, and the storms and outrage generated by the victimized who have the power to strike back. Watch out, world! President Bush is about to get very Juno-like, and not in an easy-going diplomacy-like way. And on Sept, 11, 2001, the Tertiary Progressed Moon and Pluto, for the USA, were exactly square. [Note: It will also be significant to study the charts (perhaps several) for New York City, Washington, D.C., and for the times each plane took off. If the media reveal the birthdates of the chief pilot for each plane, those horoscopes will be telling. Incorporation charts for American Airlines and United Airlines will also need to be reviewed.]
Do you work with declinations -- planets North and South of the Celestial Equator? You should and it is an intrinsic part of astrological work. In the last few months, Mars (planet of war) has been -- what is called -- "out of bounds," well past 23+ degrees South of the Celestial Equator. It reached as far as 27+ degrees South in the latter part of August. It was located at 26 degrees and 48 minutes South on Sept. 11 and the Moon's first alignment, after leaving void status, and entering Cancer was an opposition (struggle) with Mars at 2:56PM EDT on the day of the plane crashes. And the Moon was at 23 degrees North of the Celestial Equator, not far from a contra-parallel to Mars. This Moon-Mars opposition was very symbolic of the USA (a Cancer Sun-sign nation, ruled by the Moon) in polarity to the forces of Mars (war and bloodshed directed against us) from an "out of bounds," extremist enemy we couldn't see! This is another part of the whole astrological picture. Until Part II -- when we will also look at the main chart below in greater detail -- good luck with your studying and e-mail me with your ideas and views. [President Bush's chart is contained within the Election 2000 feature -- located below Your Cosmic Kalendar, on our Index page. I will include USA chart in Part II.]
PART 2: ATTACK AGAINST AMERICA
By Mark Lerner
"Earth-shaking fire from the center of the Earth, Will cause the towers around the New City to shake: Two great rocks will war for a long time, And then Arethus shall color a new river red...." Century 1 Quatrain 87 by Nostradamus, circa 1550s
Dateline: Sept. 14, 2001 2:40AM PDT Eugene, Oregon. It's now been about three days since the first American Airlines Flight -- Number 11 (Aquarius -- the 11th sign of the zodiac) -- slamming and exploding into the World Trade Center at 8:47AM EDT on Sept. 11, cosmically awakened America, a sleeping tiger. We have started showing our stripes quickly by our national rescue efforts and will undoubtedly do so martially and internationally in the days and weeks ahead. Since writing and posting Part I, less than 24 hours after the attack in New York City and Washington, D.C., I have been inundated with many of your e-mails. Thank you very much. We are all on the same wavelength. Many of you have offered quatrains from Nostradamus, shared your insights and great astrological ideas. I'd like to utilize this space to elaborate on my discussion of the big astrological factors involved with this horrendous crime against all peace-loving souls and nations. Even with this second report, there will still be much more to cover in the weeks ahead.
In traditional astrological work, on the mundane or worldly level, horoscope maps for every Equinox and Solstice are considered very important. Each one is definitely valid for the three-month cycle of the season beginning at that point. And each map is usually erected for the capital city in a nation. [Note: Some researchers feel that the Aries Ingress -- Sun entering Aries -- is perhaps influential for the entire 12 months to follow, as Aries is the beginning of the zodiac. Charles Carter, one of the great British astrologers of the 20th century, indicated that the Capricorn Ingress -- Winter Solstice map for the Northern Hemisphere -- might also be effective for a year.] I mentioned in Part I of this story that the Summer Solstice chart (June 21, 2001) -- influencing three months through Sept. 22, 2001 -- reveals something quite significant.
While the media is reporting some of the hijackers involved may have been quietly developing their aeronautical skills for possibly 5 years (!) here in the USA, the Summer Solstice 82 days before the tragic events of Sept. 11 is filled with meaning. In looking at that map, calculated for our nation's capital, we find an approaching Sun-Moon union, a separating Mercury-Jupiter union, with Mercury in reverse, all in the 2nd house of the moment. There is an extraordinary emphasis on 2nd house matters -- money, banking, assets. "Trade" (think here of World Trade Center) is obviously accentuated as well because Mercury (ruler of commerce and transportation) is in that house, moving away from its second conjunction with giant Jupiter (international concerns; long-range planning and journeys) in the last month. Plus -- the fateful indicator of the North Node of the Moon (the Dragon's Head) is also seen residing in that 2nd house of national financial affairs. By itself, this would be reasonably okay. However, on the other side of the chart, sits a retrograde Mars (warfare) in Sagittarius, like Mercury retrograde, and very close to the 8th house cusp, signifying death, destruction, the underworld forces. That Mars has just been opposing its own placement in America's chart from July 4, 1776 in the few days before the solstice. And close to Mars is its "cohort" -- extremist, secretive and terrorizing Pluto.
Now when you use relocation techniques to calculate the same chart -- but now for the region connecting Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, etc. -- you find the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn all above (power in the heights) while the Mars-Pluto union in Sagittarius is below (power and violence in the depths). When you return to the solstice in America, you find something very nasty happening at the eastern horizon. 26 degrees of Taurus was on the Ascendant -- closely squared by revolutionary Uranus (also ruling aviation, shocks, surprises). However, 26 Taurus is also the "zodiacal intercept" or placement* for the most violent star in the heavens -- Algol, the beta star in the constellation of Perseus, head of the Gorgon Medusa, in Greek mythology. Algol is derived from the Arabic for "Al Ghoul," connecting to "evil spirit," "devil" or "evil." Astronomically, Algol is actually what is called an "eclipsing binary." There are two stars together and from our vantage point on Earth, one star occults or eclipses the other. The effect is to create variations in brightness. [*Note: Due to unusual conditions related to latitude and the horizon, Algol itself may not have been visibly on the Ascendant at the solstice in Washington, D.C. However, its zodiacally influential degree was -- that's the point here.]
Stars were used much more routinely in ancient astrology. Remember -- the world didn't have electric lighting! Millions of people lived under the night sky, under the stars -- and not in smoggy cities. Dozens of stars were catalogued, studied and researched by the astrologers of Chaldea, Egypt, India, Arab lands, Greece, Rome. Most researchers, like Reinhold Ebertin in his famous Fixed Stars and Their Interpretation, hold that Algol prominent is often connected with extreme injuries, tragedies and accidents. Let's put it another way -- Algol's zodiacal degree strong on June 21, 2001 was a very bad omen for America. It also suggests that our nation's capital was weakened over the summer months. Almost as if that Algol influence was like a stellar beacon to the perpetrators of this attack.
Near the end of Part I, I began discussing a system of progression that many astrological students do not utilize. It's called Tertiary Progressions. I was first introduced to the subject by Robert Hand at a lecture he gave in Seattle back in the late 1980s. I was so intrigued by his work that I bought the tape of the lecture and have listened to it dozens of times since. Then, when I created our special Welcome to Planet Earth Moon edition a few years ago -- still available for $8 and containing 29 fascinating articles, all on the Moon! -- I wrote a special feature on this extraordinary technique. Many of you know that Secondary Progressions are where each day after birth is equal to a year of life. This system is connected to the Sun (solar year) and has been in use for hundreds of years. Tertiary Progressions are where each day after birth is equal to a lunar month. It is a progressed system utilizing the Moon cycle -- 27.3 days -- rather than the Sun cycle of a year. I find it works with great precision and tertiary maps for events can be very potent. In addition, you can analyze the day-to-day major tertiary progressions.
I already gave out information on President Bush's tertiary lunar return in mid-Libra just as the attack occurred! This was more intense for him because natally he is born with the Moon so close to Juno (terror by the powerless; see first article). But now I want to share some vital information about America's tertiary progressions. I have utilized a USA chart calculated for July 4, 1776 (the date most people use) at 4:47:09PM EST in Philadelphia, PA. This is the chart that researcher Barry Lynes developed back 20 years ago in Massachusetts. It is a few minutes different from Dane Rudhyar's 5:10PM (or so) chart offered in The Astrology of America's Destiny paperback from the 1970s. Both maps give Sagittarius rising. We have used the Barry Lynes' chart since Welcome to Planet Earth began in the summer of 1981. I think it is the valid one.
Using tertiary analysis, we find that on July 6, 2001 -- just after America's annual birthday, one day after a potent Full Moon very disturbing for America, and the day of President Bush's 55th birthday! -- the USA tertiary Sun and tertiary Mars came into a conjunction at 6+ Libra. This kind of happening -- an extremely inflammatory and potentially violent Sun-Mars union -- can only occur for a nation, person, business or entity every 55+ years. For instance, the last time our country experienced this fiery union on inner levels was on March 2, 1944 as we were preparing for the D-Day invasion in France on June 6th of that year. The next time the Sun and Mars will meet via tertiary progression for the USA will be on February 15, 2059. But note the degree of the recent Sun-Mars union -- 6+ Libra. President Bush was born with Neptune (religious views; ideals; devotion; confusion; chaos; 6th ray vibrations, on a negative level relating to fanaticism) at 6 Libra. It's been theorized that the plane that struck the Pentagon may have been heading for the White House or seeking Air Force One. The plane that crashed in Pennsylvania never did reach its target. It's being said that passengers on that flight may have tried to overtake the hijackers. Might they have learned of the previous attacks by cell phone and sensing a looming disaster fought for their lives and also attempted to prevent the hijackers from piloting this 4th plane into the White House? We will probably never know, although the black box has been found from this aircraft.
Speaking of Mars, President Bush is under a lot of Mars duress. His Secondary Progressed Mars is relentlessly approaching a square -- tense, frictional 90-degree aspect -- to his natal Sun in Cancer in his 12th house. This becomes exact on March 15, 2002 -- connecting 13+ Libra to 13+ Cancer. But it is already becoming very strong. Since Mars connects to war, violence, strife, bloodshed and acute, inflammatory happenings, this is a cosmic signature that our President will be increasingly feeling the drum-beat of Mars in his blood, emotions and psyche. In fact, at the Winter Solstice on December 21, 2001 -- ruling over and influencing the three months to follow, which includes the precise Secondary Progressed Mars square to our President's Sun -- transiting Mars will be at 9 degrees and 25 minutes of Pisces. In that solstice map, Mars will be making a flowing and exact 60-degree link to transiting Mercury at 9+ Capricorn and an harmonious trine to transiting Jupiter at 12+ Cancer. Sounds pretty good, right? Not when you take the Winter Solstice Mars OUT from that map and place it as a transit into President Bush's chart! Then you see that Mars will be EXACTLY opposing his natal Mars at 9 degrees and 18 minutes of Virgo! Our President is already "under pressure" from transiting Juno at the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 right on his natal Saturn; now we will have to worry about the increasing power of Mars in his life -- natally, by transit, secondary progression and connected to America's tertiary Sun-Mars union from July 2001.
In a paragraph above, I mentioned the influence of Neptune for President Bush. As the attack took place, transiting Neptune -- retrograde and naturally moving very slowly, being so far from the Earth -- was located at 6 degrees and 21 minutes of Aquarius. Keep these degrees AND minutes in mind -- as I will share something very crucial in a few moments. When America was born on July 4, 1776, the Lunar Nodal Axis was focused at 6+ Leo-Aquarius. Hence, the USA South Node is 6+ Aquarius. What does it mean that all this colossal damage and unspeakable death occurred with Neptune sitting on our South Node? The South Node is often considered a place of "old karma," the influence of the past, what we have done routinely, over and over again, so that it has become habitual, ingrained, perhaps unthinking. Some researchers have likened the North Node to Jupiter (the future; potential; opportunity) and the South Node to Saturn (the past; old failures; inherent weaknesses and vulnerabilities). If this is true or even partly true, then Neptune's presence on our South Node may also refer to the linkage between Neptune, as one of the great sacred planets in the solar system, and the mysterious 6th Ray in Esoteric Astrology and Metaphysics. It has been said by experts in the field that the 6th Ray -- associated with Devotion, Religion, Idealism and, when extreme, Fanaticism for a Cause -- has been so potent during the Piscean Age of the last 2000+ years, but is now waning in influence as the 7th Ray of Ceremonial Order, White Magic and Synthesis takes its place, as a primary ray vibration for the incoming Aquarian Age. So, Neptune on our South Node could easily symbolize the fanatical order of disciples creating this terror, carnage and international chaos.
Now comes something of an experiment. In the hours after the attack, when I was watching television, on the Fox News channel they suddenly flashed a month-day-year for when the Pentagon opened. The date given was January 15, 1943. It was on the screen for a while and they also indicated it cost about $83 million to construct the Pentagon. If that is the correct date, it is amazing -- for on that day, Pluto (death; extremes; underworld; mysteries) was located at 6 degrees and 21 minutes of Leo. Compare that placement to transiting Neptune on Sept. 11, 2001 in the above paragraph. You will see that transiting Neptune was precisely -- no orb at all! -- opposing the Pentagon's Pluto. (Get it? The fanatical group related to Neptune polarized to our power in the defense department.) It's also intriguing that if the Pentagon opened and began its life on Jan. 15, 1943, then transiting Pluto at that time was crossing America's Lunar North Node. This is perhaps a symbol of our being a super-power in the world (Pluto for the Pentagon on America's Dragon's Head as a permanent influence).
Back in the summer of 1999, astrologers all over the world were fascinated by the Total Solar Eclipse at 18+ Leo on August 11, 1999. At that time, there was also a Grand Cross in the middle of the fixed, power signs of the zodiac -- with Saturn in Taurus opposite Mars in Scorpio, and both of these traditional malefic planets squaring the Sun-Moon in Leo opposite Uranus in Aquarius. Many people connected this event to a Nostradamus quatrain referring specifically to 1999 -- one of his most famous quatrains. What's important to note is that major Total Solar Eclipses can remain in power for many years. And this one was extraordinary in potency. Venus at 18 degrees and 24 minutes of Leo on Sept. 11, 2001 was only 3 minutes of arc away from the total eclipse degree. This has a two-fold influence: (1) It seems to stress the power, magnetism and creative side of the perpetrators who utilized this Venus transit to the 1999 Eclipse as a kind of springboard for their actions. (2) Venus represents the emotions generated, the families devastated and loved ones lost in the series of attacks. In other words, Venus passing over the previous Total Solar Eclipse degree suddenly saturates Venus itself with the "eclipsed" energies from the summer of 1999 -- when a giant "cosmic cross of crucifixion" struck humanity.
Even more important with a Total Solar Eclipse is to remember its "path of totality." To the ancient astrologers, the path of totality of an eclipse was of crucial significance. It would be those areas of land and on the earth which would "bear the brunt" of the celestial energies released by the eclipse! The path of totality for that August 11, 1999 eclipse was from the North Atlantic Ocean (off the coast of North America), cutting across the Atlantic Ocean, going in between London and Paris, through Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, the Black Sea, Turkey, Northern Iraq, Central Iran, Southern Pakistan and ending in India. It was watched by millions of souls as it occurred and many in America watched those occurrences on television here at home. However, the path of totality seems to represent a line of negative (eclipse) energies linking the volatile Middle East (Iraq-Iran-Pakistan -- also close to Afghanistan!), with both Europe and the Atlantic Ocean, leading to Canada and America. This pathway may actually exist on etheric or invisible energy levels! And the forces of evil and darkness may be utilizing it even now to spread death, fear and violence to the Western world.
Where are things headed? Well, I will continue my series in the days and weeks ahead. For instance, there is a New Moon on September 17, 2001 at 24 degrees and 36 minutes of Virgo. I knew that degree area seemed significant and it is exactly at the USA Midheaven or 10th house of maximum power, our executive leadership and authority. What will occur in the 29+ day solar-lunar cycle starting on Sept. 17th? I mentioned the so-called "Sabian Symbols" from Dr. Marc Edmund Jones and Dane Rudhyar in the last article, in discussing the rising degrees in Libra during the first two plane crashes. But now you will be astounded to know what the next New Moon Sun-Moon symbolism will bring. The 25th degree of Virgo in the zodiac -- America's natal Midheaven exactly and the next New Moon (when America will surely act in some fashion militarily in the world) -- is symbolized as follows: "A flag at half-mast in front of a public building. Keynote: The social acknowledgement of a job well done and a destiny fulfilled." What have we be seeing in the last three days everywhere we go -- publicly? The American flag at half-mast! In front of post offices, federal buildings, people's homes, parks, stadiums, businesses, and even in other countries around the globe. And the symbolism of our flag at half-mast will be very potent, real and evocative in the next month. Note, too, that the USA Constitution was adopted in Philadelphia on Sept. 17, 1787 at 11:29AM LMT. The New Moon of Sept. 17th will strike our Constitution Sun placement precisely -- within 3 minutes of arc. And what is the Constitution? It is the foundation of laws that makes America a beacon of light, reason and freedom to the world! In fact, we find that transiting Mars in Capricorn at the plane attacks was on the Lunar North Node for our Constitution and opposing the Constitution Mars. In addition, the transiting Moon at the attacks was right on the Constitution Juno (terrorism by the weak and powerless; causing a storm of rage by the victimized, in this case, the American people).
On October 24, 2001, for the first time in our history, the USA Secondary Progressed Sun will reach our natal Moon at 26+ Aquarius. The Sun can be an agent of enlightenment, radiance, strength, power and healing. The Moon represents our homeland, feelings, collective psyche, roots, sense of family and communion in the depths of our being. Remember that America is a Sun-sign Cancer country and we currently have a President who is a Sun-sign Cancer, whose zodiacal Sun placement is right on our country's Sun! Could it be that this horrible tragedy, that may have killed over 5,000 people, will be turned around in a positive way to awaken our nation and bring us together in a manner never seen before? If America -- in concert with its allies, and even some nations we have never had as allies -- can lead a march against terrorism, then perhaps a new birth for civilization will occur. We may be able to transform this horror into a victory. It will not be easy, because terrorists are in dozens of countries and certainly within our midst. Any future "war against terrorism" is so different than America vs. Japan in World War II or England or the Soviet Union standing against the might of Nazi Germany.
In closing this time, many people are wondering about the significance of the date -- September 11. Why 11? After all, oddly enough it was American Airlines flight #11 that started the entire sequence of disasters. What's going on here? Well, earlier in this article, I discussed the Total Solar Eclipse of August 11. There's another 11. Remember, too, that when the Ayatollah Khomeini came back to Iran from exile in France (February 1, 1979 after the Shah of Iran left that country in mid-January 1979), he had to wait 10 days before the Prime Minister Shahpur Bakhtiar resigned. Islamic Fundamentalism was given full reign in Iran on February 11, 1979. And that Islamic Fundamentalism is the same Fundamentalism that has since then swept across the Muslim world -- influencing Osama bin Laden and many other terrorist movements.
In Nicholas Campion's The Book of World Horoscopes, he gives several charts for Iran, and one of them is for the arrival of the Ayatollah on Feb. 1, 1979. However, he also points out the significance of Feb. 11, 1979. I remember those days and what was happening. To me, the February 11th date was more significant -- certainly as the old Prime Minister was still in power until Feb. 11th. What confirms this now is that transiting Uranus at these attacks was at 21+ Aquarius -- the Sun placement from Feb. 11, 1979. Uranus is revolution and also aviation, shocks and surprises. In addition, Uranus itself, back when Islamic Fundamentalism was born, was located at 20 degrees and 55 minutes of Scorpio. Frighteningly, during the last 10 days of this coming October and into the first week of November 2001 -- a period of a couple of weeks which will include Mercury stationing exactly back at 14+ Libra where it was on Sept. 11, 2001 and the next Saturn-Pluto polarity, plus Jupiter stopping and turning retrograde (Nov. 2, 2001) -- revolutionary Uranus will make a direct station at 20 degrees and 55 minutes of Aquarius. We're talking here absolutely no orb, friends!!! Not even 1 minute of arc or 1/60 of one degree. This is extraordinary stuff astrologically. What will it mean for Islamic Fundamentalism to have this Uranus square precise after 22+ years? What will it mean for America, which is the main "ruler of the skies," aircraft, missiles and technology to have Uranus (ruling aviation) so powerful in October-November 2001? America is where the Wright Brothers launched the human-powered air age on December 17, 1903 when the Sun and Uranus converged at the Galactic Center in late Sagittarius (sign of long-distance journeys). To see our own planes and people used against us on Sept. 11th is an image none of us will ever forget -- just as we could not forget President Kennedy being murdered in Dallas and our seeing it over and over again on the Zapruder film and in TV documentaries over the years.
Are all the "11" vibrations trying to tell us something? Is it reminding us to collectively give birth to a positive Aquarian (11th sign) age out of the ashes of the Piscean dispensation? Note this e-mail that arrived for me last night. "Mark: I read your first article on the astrology of the disaster last night. Amazing!!! Late after midnight, while still watching TV, they went to the Pentagon. Gave the latest info on the rescue mission. But get this -- They put up the stats of the Pentagon about 3 dates -- the last date listed was 9-11-1941, the day the building was completed and next to the date were the words written: '60 years to the day'.... Look into it, Mark. Research and write the astrology of it for us... Love and Blessings, Kara" As per Kara's suggestion, I will investigate further and if any of you have the documented date for the opening of the Pentagon (its birth) and can validate the date Kara mentions for the completion of construction, please do e-mail me. And know that there are no coincidences here: the name Kara starts with a "K," the 11th letter of the alphabet....
Stay tuned for more in this series - Parts 3 and 4 will be posted shortly!
Copyright 2001 by Mark Lerner and Great Bear Enterprises, Ltd. All rights reserved.