6 November 2024
For almost a year, since the candidates for US president became clear, I have been studying the astrological charts of Donald Trump, Joe Biden and more recently, Kamala Harris. Many people asked me what my prediction would be, for who would win the election. Despite repeated deep dives into the candidates’ charts, the only conclusion I could draw was that it was too close to call. Auspicious and inauspicious attributes of these three persons’ respective charts were in quite close balance. A win or loss for either the Republican or Democratic candidate was, in my view, equally arguable.
One other chart, however, kept drawing me to the conclusion that it was more likely that Trump would win – namely the chart of the United States itself. 2024 marks the 248th anniversary of the birth of the United States as a country, if one takes July 4, 1776 as the birthdate. While in the Vedic model of astrology the outer planets of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are not considered, I am nonetheless aware that they can be used in other astrological systems with useful effect. Pluto is in those systems the planet of deep upheaval, and takes 248 years to return to its original natal position. Regardless of the astrological system one uses, planetary returns signal a resurgence of the significations of that planet. Just as Saturn returns lead us to take stock of ourselves and our own lives, Pluto returns can signify volcanic types of change from the deepest core of one’s existence. So here we are in the United States of America, potentially on the verge of a deep change in the very fiber of the nation’s character. This is not to say that all of the resulting changes will be bad, but Pluto returns are rarely (if ever) reported as being comfortable.
Returning to a jyotish (Vedic astrology) reading of the US chart, taking July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the birth date and place, with a time of 5:10 PM, we can observe several salient combinations: Rahu, the north node of the Moon, began its major planetary cycle shortly before Trump was elected president in 2016. In 2024, the Mercury sub-cycle is operative. A 5:10 PM birth time gives Sagittarius rising – an apt face for a country founded on principles of freedom, justice, and diversity – and places Rahu in the 8th sign of Cancer, also in the 8th house of deeper meanings, probing (and at times) unmerciful inquiries…Rahu is the shadowy North Node of the Moon, head of the writhing cosmic serpent, insatiable wild card, acting on the deep karmic axis toward some kind of progressive evolution, the doorway through to some greater light – if only we can find it…Mercury meanwhile is in the 7th house of relationships in Gemini, the sign of communication, intelligence, and (sometimes undisciplined) curiosity – which although in the 7th sign also falls in the 8th house. In essence, the time calls for a reckoning of self. It is interesting to note also in the US’ annual chart for this year that the Sun, in its solar return position in Gemini, falls in the 12th house of this year-248 chart, in effect setting on itself (12th house of dissolution). Furthermore, year 248 puts the annual progressed ascendant in Cancer in the 8th house compared to its nativity. The 8th house is most commonly labeled as the “house of death,” or perhaps for our purposes better said, “the house of transformation.” Let us hope that what we experience in the coming time for the United States is more the latter. We all need to remember that astrology reveals tendencies, but does not absolutely predict outcomes.
The US birth chart:
and the 248 progression:
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