Ramblings, Reflections, and Ruminations From Daniel Giamario

“WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE CHART OF THE UNITED STATES?” PART ONE

This month, I have chosen to focus on the United States Horoscope from this year, 2021, through 2025. Back in 2017 when I helped create the SAMS summit: “Preparing for 2020”, the majority of the attention was on the greater global cycles. It was really obvious that something extraordinary would happen in 2020. During those presentations, as well as in a variety of seminars, vlogcasts, and Facebook posts, in the last few years, I have weighed in on certain important features of the US chart. This article will attempt to give a more comprehensive account of what’s next. As best as I can, I will use the “Three Worlds Approach”. While there are a variety of different charts used by other astrologers for the United States, I continue to value the Dane Rudhyar rectification of the July 4, 1776 as the most useful and valuable when using the Shamanic Astrology Paradigm ™.

2021: Three Major Cycles

1. TRANSITING SATURN CONJUNCT US SOUTH NODE at 6Aquarius35: from Feb.3, 2021–Oct.11, 2021.

This transit can only occur once every 29.5 years and as all Saturn transits, lasts about 9 months. Like all Saturn initiations, it’s a teaching of how to grow, change and evolve via limitations and boundaries. I like to think of it like a referendum on the past history and responsibilities of the US. The lineage of the US is the Gemini job in the Aquarius tribe. This is strongly related to the original intent/dream of the founders: freedom, egalitarianism, a belief in intellect and rationality, and sovereignty and autonomy (not to be confused with democracy). The inquiry revolves around the Aquarian shadow issues I have been writing and speaking about for 4 years now. Is it Saturn controlling Aquarius, in a top down way, or is it prompting a look at authentic Aquarius and the original ideals?

1. TRANSITING LUNAR NODES CONJUNCT the US DSC/ASC Axis of 13Sagittarius10/13Gemini10: Dec.26, 2020—June 26, 2021.

This transit can only occur once every 19 years (or 9 and a half years if alignment is North node with ASC). The transit time-frame is generally about 6 months, 3 months on either side of the March 26 exact point. I have found this transit to be one of the most beneficial transits possible on individual charts. It aligns universal intent with individual intent. With clients, I sometimes say that it’s when the “future” self reaches back to get our attention. In this case, with the US, the “future” point is the North Node aligned with the US DSC at 13Gemini10. This is the US looking for friends, allies and collaborators. I have always felt that the strong Gemini element in the US chart (including Mars and Uranus) is part of its shadow. The US is infamous for using and often selling out its friends and partners. But here there could be a chance to change the road it’s on. Let’s hope for an awakening here.

1. TRANSITING JUPITER CONJUNCT THE US MOON at 27Aquarius12 from April 16, 2021—December 12,2021.

This transit occurs about every 12 years. This cycle of initiation specifically applies to the US Moon, and highlights the entire lineage storyline as seen with the Saturn conjunction to the South Node referenced above. Generally, the intent of a Jupiterian initiation is to expand and activate its target. Expanding an Aquarian Moon can at its best create a soul retrieval of the original intent for the US in having an Aquarian Moon in the first place. This could include a greater ability to see an objective and expanded view of our history, and to honestly address whether the ideals of the “Enlightenment” have been met. The downside of this can be cognitive dissonance, willful ignorance, light polarization, and what can be called “toxic positivity”. There is much that can be seen as hopeful about having the nodal alignment be immediately followed by this Jupiter activation.

2022-2023: Two Major Cycles

1. TRANSITING SATURN CONJUNCT US MOON at 27Aquarius12 from June 4th, 2022—February 12, 2023.

This transit occurs about every 30 years. This initiation, specifically applies to the US Moon, and the lineage storyline of the US, as referenced above with the Saturn conjunction to the South Node. Saturn teaches us how to grow, change, and evolve via limitations and boundaries. I feel that it’s yet another testing ground as to whether the US has “right use” of its Aquarius Moon (and the entire Gemini job in the Aquarius tribe storyline). At its worst, this is yet another possible example of a “top down” attempt by Saturn to control the ideals of Aquarius. This is connected to the “shadow” of Aquarius, including the totalitarianism of collectivism, highjacking of the egalitarian freedom ideals, for the “greater good”, and the belief in trans-humanism, artificial Intelligence, and democracy becoming the rule of the majority. These tendencies are very different from the ideals of “The Enlightenment” that inspired the founding fathers and revolutionaries that created the United States. At its best, paired with the earlier Saturn transit of the South Node, facts and truth could become important again, and objective reality could inspire a change in course that can remember the original ideals of freedom, liberty, and individuality. How the US responds to this Saturn transit will go a long way towards determining how these next two cycles will be experienced.

1. UNITED STATES PLUTO RETURN at 27Capricorn32 from January 22, 2022–October 11, 2023

In most eyes, including mine, this is the Big One. A Pluto return can only occur every 248 years. At best, in certain generations, a person can conceivably experience a Pluto opposition, but never a return. But a country can, and that is about to happen with the United States. Natally, Pluto is opposing Mercury retrograde in Cancer and squaring Chiron. Also of note is that the US has the Sun, Jupiter and Venus all in Cancer, in the 8th house.

In the Shamanic Astrology Paradigm ™, Plutonian (and Chironic) initiations are seen as “underworld” or lower world initiations. Pluto’s job is to compost what is dead, decayed and spent. All that needs composting will be composted. And out of that will emerge new growth, new life, a re-birth, or even a renaissance. When applied globally, and not only to the United States, these final few years of Pluto in Capricorn can easily symbolize the death throes of patriarchy, hierarchical controls, and rotten bureaucratic systems. Out of this can come a new and re-animated version of the “circle of grandmothers” and Council of Elders that are dedicated to honoring the remaining wisdom of the past, all the way back to our matrilineal gatherer/hunter roots, as well as conceiving the necessary new ways for caring about the many generations to come. This must involve composting the notion, of the Kali Yuga, that humans have dominion over the earth and its plants and animals. This is leading to the 6th Mass Extinction. Instead what can be possible is a reanimation of a shamanic and animistic awareness that humans are part of the web of life. Without that, humans are alien to their own planet.

2024-2025

1. UNITED STATES CHIRON RETURN at 20Aries08 from April 2024-February 2025

Chiron returns happen about every 50 years, making this the 5th Chiron return for the United States. As indicated above, the Chiron placement on the US chart is connected to Pluto, as well as the Cancerian placements of the Sun and Mercury. Chiron returns seem to have two primary functions: 1) For indicating where a specific wounding or fracture point is located, and 2) to serve as a teacher to help digest the wound and transform it into an elixir, a medicine. The sense I get is that this highlights one of the three main challenges of the US chart. In this case, it’s the shadow side of Cancer itself, meaning provincialism, clannishness, and a disinterest in other cultures, other than its own. This manifests as the blindness of the belief in American exceptionalism, in utter disregard of the objective evidence. This also includes a sentimental Cancerian attachment to notions of our past that actually never existed. And I cannot fail to mention a failure to acknowledge the imperialistic actions, disguised as being humanitarian and exporting democracy. Here is also a connection to the Saturn transits through Aquarius, that revealed another of the shadow elements of the US chart, as explained above. This Chiron return adds on to the implications of the Pluto return. It’s hard to not see this as a deep reckoning and referendum on the original intent and promise of the American project.

SUMMARY

When taking into account the larger global story, including the bottoming out of Kali Yuga, the end and beginning of a 25,920 year precessional cycle, the possible end and beginning of 12 precessional cycles, the great mutation of Jupiter/Saturn and the Fourth Turning of the US, Europe, and even China, it’s quite hard to ignore that something truly extraordinary is taking place. (SEE GLOBAL UPDATE). Whilst this may seem ‘negative’ to some, rather it’s truly a Three Worlds Approach:

1. Upper World: The Universe is unfolding as it should. All is well. Gaia and Great Mystery are orchestrating all this and it is impossible to completely know the intent. If we can see and experience all that is happening from a healthy expression of objective awareness, high witness, and cosmic overview, it can be possible to hold a non evaluative and non judgmental stance. This includes knowing who we really are as sovereign and autonomous sparks of divinity, Atman within the Brahman. Toxic positivity and light polarization is not useful, and only polarizes the darkness.
2. Middle World: This requires a courageous ability to be willing to look directly into the reality of the world situation; the amazing possibilities of transforming the world, as well as the reality of the evil that can exist in Kali Yuga, and at any great “Turning of the Ages”. It has never been more important to find your place on the wheel, know your archetype, and to show up with your contribution. Be willing to question what it really means to be “human” and that maybe trans-humanism and human 2.0 is not actually what we want. Very possibly it’s “devolution” and not a version of linear “progress”.
3. Lower World: I believe that it is important to include the possibility that the 6th mass extinction is natural and inevitable. Composting, and the reality that Autumn and Winter, naturally follow Spring and Summer. Surrender, and the expectable chaos, is completely natural. Here we find the linkage with the Upper World approach. It is critical that we connect with the essence of who we really are, far beyond our knowledge, resumes and peak experiences. And that our frail ego identities are transitory and not of any actual truth or substance. And yet, we have a part to play.

Lastly, the role of a Shamanic Astrologer is to communicate with Great Mystery, to try our best to connect with universal intent, and to play our part in the reciprocal relationship between Great Mystery and an awakened and co-creative human. We inform the “Mystery” as much as it communicates with us. For me, my prayer is that the expectable “suffering” will be as minimal as possible, while also knowing that we are not ultimately controlling the outcome, or the prime reason for any of it.

In PART TWO, I will explore the remarkable additional meanings potentially inherent in the synodic cycles of Venus, Mars, and Mercury; as well as a closer look at the implications of the “Fourth Turning” for the United States, Europe and China.

For further background see the 2020 seminars, the December Solstice 2020 seminars, and my vlogcasts about the Age of Aquarius and the Jupiter/Saturn “great mutation”

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“WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE CHART OF THE UNITED STATES– PART TWO”

For this Part Two, I plan to cover three topics. First will be a look at how the upcoming Eclipse season impacts the US chart. Then an investigation of the amazing and utterly unique situation with how the eclipses of 2017, 2023, and 2024, cross over the United States, which we can call the “Triple Cross”. This part will include the stunning zodiacal connections. The last section will place the United States into the larger context of its unique saeculum, and the Fourth Turning, which the US is in the final few years of.

THE US CHART and the UPCOMING ECLIPSE SEASON Section One

There are two eclipse seasons each year, separated by about 6 months. The first one in 2021 is from May 26th-June 10th, featuring a total lunar eclipse and an annular solar eclipse. The second 2021 eclipse season is November 19th-December 4th, featuring a partial lunar eclipse and a total solar eclipse of nearly 2 minutes length. At least 3 of these eclipses appear to have strong connections with the US chart and can indeed foreshadow or presage the Pluto and Chiron returns written about in the Part One article, as well as having great relevance to the other 2021 aspects to the US chart.

The May 26th Lunar Eclipse: Although not visible in the US, the South Node at 10Sagittarius43 is nearly conjunct the US ASC. The Sun at 5Gemini25 is very close to the US Uranus, and the Full Moon at 5Sagittarius25 is also near the US ASC. The nodal axis is in alignment with the US DSC/ASC axis, which always signifies past and future destiny, a linkage between fate and original intent. Meanwhile during this first 2021 eclipse season Saturn continues its transit to the US South Node, and Jupiter continues its transit to the US Moon.

The June 10th Annular Solar eclipse will sweep through Canada and just briefly touch the edge of Northern Michigan. Annular solar eclipses are underrated. The syzygy is as exact as a total solar eclipse; only the Moon is just slightly too small to cover the whole of the Sun, creating a unique ring of fire effect. At 19Gemini47, this super new moon will also align really close to the US ASC/DSC axis of 13Sag10/13Gemini10, as well as a pretty close conjunction with the US Mars. Transiting Mars has just recently passed over the US Mars, and also the US Jupiter, Venus, Sun and Mercury.

The December 4th Total Solar eclipse, though not visible in the US, is also quite fascinating relative to the US chart. Happening at 12Sagittarius22, it’s within one degree of the US ASC at 13Sag10. The North Node is 1Gemini44, marking this as a North Node forward looking super new moon, as was the June 10th eclipse. As Pluto is closing in on natal Pluto, with the final Saturn square Uranus about to happen later in the month, and Jupiter making its final pass over the US Moon; I think events surrounding this second eclipse season of 2021, centering on the Dec.4th eclipse, will establish in a major way, which way things turn for the USA, as we now dive deeper with the 2023 and 2024 eclipses.

THE 2023 and 2024 ECLIPSE TRIPLE CROSS Section Two

The eclipse seasons of 2021, and the Jupiter and Saturn initiatory cycles to the US chart are mere forerunners of what is to come. Part One detailed the Pluto and Chiron returns. Now we will look at one of the most remarkable coming phenomena that I have ever encountered. Three different solar eclipses, two total and one annular, in the short space of seven years, will create three crosses over the continental US.

We all remember the marvelous total solar eclipse back on August 21, 2017. A number of us in SAMS gathered in Oregon to witness it. This eclipse, beginning at 5:48AM at sunrise just west of Portland in the Pacific Ocean, then traversed the entirety of the continental US from Oregon, through the heart of America, exiting over South Carolina into the Atlantic. Although lasting but 2minutes and 40 seconds of totality, it was witnessed by many millions across the US, and was quite the sensation. Chart-wise, this eclipse took place at 28Leo50, a North Node eclipse, with the nodal axis at 24Leo13/24Aquarius13. This was closely in opposition to the US Moon, with the South Node also close. We can also notice how connected this is to Donald Trump’s ASC of 29Leo and his Mars at 26Leo. Those connections in greater detail have been covered elsewhere.

THE FIRST CROSS

On October 14, 2023, an annular solar eclipse, at about 6:10AM, will arise in a similar area of the Pacific Ocean west of Oregon, then travelling through Oregon over Eugene, then over parts of Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, then through the Yucatan, parts of Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Columbia, and finally the Brazilian Amazon, and exiting over the Atlantic Ocean. Some significant locations in annularity include Kayenta, Window Rock, Roswell and Los Alamos.

The two eclipse tracks cross just off the Oregon coast. This area has a major fault-line that has generated massive tsunami’s that inundated the Northern West coast only several hundred years ago. This Solar Eclipse occurs at 21Libra08, with over 4 minutes of annularity. This is a South Node eclipse, with the nodes at 24Aries52/24Libra52, really close to the US Chiron. The Eclipse degree is pretty close to the US Saturn. At the time of the eclipse, Chiron is 17Aries31. But most importantly, at the time of the eclipse, Pluto, at 27Capricorn53, is squaring the nodes and near EXACT conjunct the US Pluto, the US having been in its Pluto Return from January22, 2022. (This uses the orb for a person, whilst many of us feel that the Pluto return of the US, as a country, actually could be seen to begin in 2021 and continue into 2024).

THE SECOND CROSS

Back in 2017, it was pretty well known that the path of the eclipse would intersect with the path of another total eclipse of even greater duration (4 minutes and 28 seconds) that would also traverse a large portion of the continental US. On April 8th, 2024, at about 6:41AM, in the Pacific Ocean, the path of totality crosses Mexico over places like Mazatlan and Durango, and then through Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Maine, and Northeast Canada, exiting into the North Atlantic from Nova Scotia. Many large cities will fall under the umbra. Quite likely, even more people will witness this eclipse.

The second cross happens over Carbondale, Illinois and the whole general area of the New Madrid Earthquake fault. Many things have been, and will be written about this. This fault-line, near the Mississippi River, was the location of the largest earthquake in US history in 1812.

This eclipse happens at 19Aries24, with the nodal axis at 15Aries37/15Libra37, and is a North Node Eclipse. It’s nearly opposite the degree of the 2023 eclipse. But what is incredible, is that the eclipse is exactly conjunct Chiron at 19Aries24. The US has Chiron at 20Aries08, and in the throes of its fifth Chiron Return. It’s hard to make this kind of stuff up. (See the two Sabian symbols for 20 Aries below) The transiting South Node is also conjunct the US Saturn. Meanwhile, Pluto has, by now, entered into Aquarius.

THE THIRD CROSS

Considerably less well known, is a third cross. The path of the 2024 eclipse will cross the path of the 2023 eclipse in Texas, directly over San Angelo. San Antonio very nearly gets to be in the cross. As this is written in May of 2021, consider the significance of Texas in light of the primary global narrative unfolding now. If you consider the included diagram of the three crosses, notice the shape and any possible meaning there. There are many clues. It will certainly be interesting to see how this all unfolds.

“THE FOURTH TURNING” Section Three

To develop a larger context for understanding the possible meaning and intent of all this, I now turn to a rather important source of information for me; a book written in 1997 called “The Fourth Turning” (by William Strauss and Neil Howe). In addition to providing a new context for the Timeline material in the Shamanic Astrology Paradigm ™, it also provides an amazingly useful view of United States history. There is no astrology in the book, but it’s remarkably useful nonetheless. Sometime ago I reviewed this book in the newsletter.

In summary, the authors use the ancient Etruscan concept of the saeculum, a time period of about 90 years, a concept that originated from when they noticed that at any given time, the oldest respected elder was about 90 years old. They then also noticed that within that same 90 years, four generations would come and go.

This has a marvelously useful application to US history (and apparently all of Europe and even China, but not Russia). For example, a fourth turning has occurred about every 90 years or so, at a really major turning point in US and European history. The American Revolution was at a Fourth Turning from 1773-1794. The US Civil War was a Fourth Turning 1860-1865. And the next Fourth Turning was the Great Depression and WW2 circa 1929-1946. The current Fourth Turning began with 9/11/2001 and is speculated to end around 2025. Totally fascinating that this corresponds to the US Pluto and Chiron returns. The triple cross eclipses over America should certainly get our attention, if we are willing to look at history. Each Fourth Turning for the US has resulted in a total shift into a different national paradigm. But none have been with these additional factors. What can we expect?

Will it be the death of the American experiment? Will it be another revolution, and the breakup of the US as we have known it? Will it be something like post WW2 with the Cancerian development of the largest middle class ever? Will it be the sellout of the Black population after the Civil War? Or will the dominant energy of Saturn and then Pluto in Aquarius implement the technocratic, trans-humanist, top-down, Homo Sapiens 2.0, Great Re-set agenda of the New World Order? Or instead, maybe a Great Awakening, with the restoration of Primal Earth/Gaia, and a commitment to personal autonomy and sovereignty, with the greater emphasis on our humanity and connection to Spirit, Divinity, and with the capacity to co-create with Great Mystery. I vote for that one!

Just as in 2017, SAMS produced a summit called “Preparing for 2020”; in the same vein, I write these articles to prepare us for 2022-2025. It’s way better to be aware of all this, and learn from history. Awareness of all possibilities can help enable our ability to use the “Three World’s Approach” and to be better able to apprehend what role each of us, individually, is to play, as we align with our life purpose and take our place on the mandala of life.

 

SABIAN SYMBOLS FOR 20ARIES

From Rudhyar:

PHASE 20 (ARIES 20°): A YOUNG GIRL FEEDING BIRDS IN WINTER.

KEYNOTE: Overcoming crises through compassion.

Nature’s seasonal rhythms imply an oscillation between living and dying. Through creative imagination man can “fly over” the cycle, and discover means not only to escape from the fatality of seasonal decay or deprivation, but to assist other living entities to survive through crises. Migrating birds fly south (cf. symbol of Aries 12°), but by establishing a partnership with other creatures unable to escape wintry deprivation or death, man can maintain the life of the spirit (symbolized by birds) steady through all crises if, like a “young girl,” he is widely open to the promptings of love and sympathy.

At this fifth stage of the symbolic sequence we witness human activity motivated by sympathy overcoming the seasonal phase of impotency. Life potency in nature spirits reaches a higher level in the human being. The theme is THE TRANSMUTATION OF LIFE INTO LOVE.

From Lonsdale:

ARIES 20: An empty courtyard.

Nothing is left. Reality is scattered. Self-obliterated. The familiar rendered irrelevant. Apocalyptic changes, personal and collective, take over. No being, only action. You become a projectile of intent, literally identify with what you can do now. A barren wasteland of an inner world. A thrust outside. Stark and surreal. You feel compelled to dare, pushed over the edge, no going back–destiny as frenzy. And in this wild, volatile mix, creative forces are released that would never come out any other way. Yielding to the role of the purging and cleansing agent of changes, you are unable to wriggle out of anything ever again. 

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An Investigation Of The Astrological Chart Of The United States: 2021-2025
Part 3 of 4 by Daniel Giamario

THE NEPTUNE AND GEMINI FACTORS

Introduction and an embarrassing admission

I have been working extensively on the chart of the United States for maybe six months now, in monthly “ramblings” newsletter posts, a number of FaceBook posts, as well as seminars and vlogcasts. I have covered the quadruple eclipse pathways, the Chiron return, the Pluto return, as well as important Jupiter, Saturn and Lunar Node transits. I have even been mentioning the US natal Neptune square to Mars. But through email exchanges with Greg Knell, who has become a marvelous researcher in related areas of inquiry, out of nowhere, I realized that I had totally not seen that the United States is in its Neptune opposition! I just had not noticed! Very humbling indeed! This part three will hopefully remedy this situation. I will weave this currently happening second Neptune opposition to the natal US Neptune into the larger scenario that I have been developing. And I think you will agree that it’s as important as any of the other factors so far presented.

The Neptune Factor

I believe that the natal square of Neptune to the US Mars is one of the most important elements of the US chart. Neptune is 22Virgo25 in the 10th house, and Mars is 21Gemini22 in the 7th. Using the windows of initiation that we use with the Shamanic Astrology Paradigm ™ applied to a natal chart, here is a complete accounting of cycles of 2021-2022 related to this US natal square. The window of initiation lasts from March 3, 2021—December 4, 2022.

March 3, 2021 Neptune begins square to US Mars

March 30, 2021 Neptune exact square US Mars number one

March 31, 2021 Neptune begins opposition with US Neptune

May, 1, 2021 Neptune in exact opposition to US Neptune number one

August 21, 2021 Neptune in exact opposition to US Neptune number two

September 29, 2021 Neptune exact square US Mars number two

January 29, 2022 Neptune exact square US Mars number three

March 1, 2022 Neptune exact opposition to US Neptune number three

December 4, 2022 Neptune SD at 22Pisces38—END OF INITIATORY WINDOW

An Inquiry into the intent; and plausible interpretations

Neptune is allocated to the Celestial/Upper World within our Three Worlds Approach. The intent of Neptunian initiations is quite different from that of Uranus, also allocated to the Upper World. When considering Neptune, think of the Mystery School of Pisces and the feeling function of water. It’s a transpersonal energy that is the love, the “Ananda”, of the archetypally feminine embrace of the “One Reality”. It has little or no interest in the ordinary reality of the Middle World. With transits, and when it’s a major significator on a natal chart, Neptune can convey a hunger for ecstatic experience, altered states, and mystic vision. Empathy, compassion, and connection to the loving embrace of that “ananda” can be quite possible, and advocated. BUT, from the vantage point of ordinary Middle World reality, this can be deeply confusing, ungrounded, and even delusional.

Signs and planets resonate in different ways with each other. The elements and modalities also matter a lot. Sometimes there is a flow, sometimes deep contrast; sometimes resonance and mutual support, and sometimes difficult challenges. More rarely, little or no connection is evident at all, and some alchemy is required. The Shamanic Astrology Paradigm ™ makes no judgment of good or bad here, as each possible combination represents the intent to develop an authentic synthesis.

As suggested in the earlier articles, I consider the issues associated with Mars in Gemini as being one of the three main areas of shadow on the US chart. (The others being the shadow of Aquarius, and a patriarchal and clannish Cancer). It is the symbolism of Mars in Gemini that has often labeled the United States, by psychologists and astrologers alike, as a Puer country. With Neptune as his initiator, natally, and with this hugely important Neptune transit happening now, this is just such a combination that requires alchemy to create a healthy synthesis. Gemini is an air sign and Neptune/Pisces is water. One thinks, whilst the other feels. Gemini is quite individualistic, impersonal, and a “free electron”, whilst Neptune is transcendental and transpersonal.

The Hijack of Gemini

This inquiry now needs a deeper dive into Gemini itself. A major inquiry of mine is recognizing that the eternal essence of signs (the Mystery Schools of Life) and of the planets, often have meanings attributed to them that are assigned and projected onto them, by whatever culture is dominant. I have often felt that the most often used descriptions of the “Sun Signs” are more often than not, the shadow of those signs, and not their essence. For example, for many years now I have attempted to show that Capricorn, as well as Saturn, have been hijacked by hierarchical patriarchy and Father God religions. Other often used examples can include Scorpio, Taurus, Libra and Virgo. A case can be made that all have been distorted. But what about Gemini?

Shamanic Astrology makes a distinction between signs and constellations. We actually integrate the sign- based directional zodiac with the constellational zodiac. We can recognize that each constellational pattern, over the course of 26,000 years, can line up with each of the signs. The sign zodiac is an archetypal form that is Earth-based, whilst the constellational patterns are stellar; like the reciprocal relationship between Earth and Sky, and between Soul and Spirit. This is a deep, controversial, and not so easy to understand subject. It is one of the central areas of inquiry of our school from the very beginning, and a key to understanding “The Turning of the Ages”. It is also represented by the school’s logo.

Let’s first look into the constellation of the Twins (also confusingly called Gemini). It’s a giant Roman numeral two, that stands just above the intersection of the galactic plane (the Milky Way) and the plane of the solar system. These planes intersect within the circle of stars that the Lakota call “The Sacred Hoop”. Numerous ancient traditions from around the world see this as where incarnating souls enter into this world. It’s often called the Silver gate. We refer to it as the Galactic Edge, the opposite point in the sky of Galactic Center, known as the Golden Gate. One can imagine that the incarnating soul must first encounter this gate of duality and polarity, go through it, or try to bypass or transcend it. It does seem to be a requirement for being here.

I was recently inspired by a presentation from Lisa Renee of the organization Energetic Synthesis (ES). She also sometimes discusses the distortions and inversions of the signs, though generally refers more to the distortions around the meanings of constellations. She is also the one who suggested that we are actually at the end and beginning of 12 times 12 precessional cycles, more than 300,000 years of our species emerging from the “Great Dreaming”. As the Sun is now in the Gemini constellation, it’s a good time to explore the distortions, and how they may relate to our inquiry into the United States horoscope.

There are really deep rabbit holes you can go down, in exploring the initial concepts that relate to the primary constellational groups, of which the Twins (constellation Gemini) is an important one. It seems that originally it was a man and woman. The ancient Egyptians saw them that way, and as lovers. In ancient Sumeria, Lahmu and Lahamu (likely Pollux and Castor) were part of the original Gemini constellation known as Mashtabba. They were seen as the first gods, male and female, born from the chaos that was created by the merging of Apsu, the waters deep beneath the Earth, and Tiamat, the personification of salt waters. Different cultures projected different stories, including rival brothers, brother and sister incest, and male homosexual love. But I feel that, in essence, the Twins represent the primary role of duality and polarity, including life and death, and other such dualities. This includes archetypal masculine and feminine, that is sometimes, confusingly in my view, called the Law of Gender. The suggestion is made that the actual human births of twins originally were a boy and girl. Interestingly, in my considerable experience in working with the charts of twins, twins who are different sexes do really well together, whilst same sex twins almost always are rivals, thus strangely proving the hijack story of rival brothers.

A related subject is that how, now, at the bottoming out of the Kali Yuga, and at a great Turning of the Ages, there is near complete embrace of digital technology. The trans-humanist philosophy and artificial intelligence (AI) desire to translate everything (and I do mean everything), even human consciousness, into digital bits of on and off. These views translate consciousness into a mere byproduct of the brain. The brain is likened to a computer with the same series of binary on and off bits. I believe that this may be the ultimate highjack of the Twins, and why I hate to use the term binary. The brain is way more analog than digital, and is water-based, not silicon, that cannot evolve and respond to consciousness, as water can. The late great astrologer, Ed Steinbrecker, warned us of this reality decades ago, when asserting that truly spiritual music cannot come close to conveying its purpose through a digital medium, as it is soul-less. Rockers like Neil Young have argued the same. A deeper dive into this is best at another time.

So how does this relate to our inquiry? Clearly, the essence and imagery of the Twins has somewhat contributed to the meaning of the sign of Gemini. As was an inquiry in Ptolemy’s ancient mystery school: “What is the proportion that the constellation informs the sign?” Yes, they knew about the difference. Our school is constantly wondering the same thing! So we have the sign of Gemini often seen as a sign of polarity and duality, with an attachment to thinking. It’s also well known how often that Gemini types are the least sexually polarized, with the greatest amount of ambiguity, often bi-sexual or as they like to say—sexual. But somehow, in the creation of the sign/directional zodiac archetype, the water beginnings was left out, and the sign Gemini was allocated to masculine air, with a Mercury ruler-ship. At least, with Mercury, Virgo, an archetypally feminine sign, was also given a Mercury ruler-ship. But still there is no connection with water. Remember that Neptune and Gemini will need some alchemy.

Mars in Gemini has quite a history as a masculine principle. On one hand, a puer aeternus, an eternal youth. Also he was a bard and shape-shifter. He was a prototype of the Greek Hermes, setting up “herms” whenever he made a visit to a lover. This is also the prototype for the Native American kokopelli, the travelling flute player, but was also a fertility symbol. Before patriarchy, he was the original version of what later became the hunter. But, originally, he was one who became the animal, danced with the animal, and then the animal would sacrifice itself to the clan or tribe for its sustenance. In our contemporary times, Gemini men are now often seen as immature, ungrounded, changeable, unreliable, not capable of commitment, and a sophist, without the depth of having authentic values. The US has seen at least two examples of this with Obama, and presidential candidate, John Kerry, paradoxically an anti VietNam protestor, but now a WEF principal. But I think that this is: ALL PART OF THE HIJACK, and not the eternal essence of Gemini.

In my view, as one of its three shadows, Mars in Gemini, can easily describe the US as a puer culture, addicted to immature entertainment and diversion. Add sophistry as the propaganda of the mainstream media. Sexuality is relegated to virtual pornography and masked encounters. And even worse, the genuine and primordial duality of archetypal Male and Female has been diluted and homogenized to a tepid androgyny, with an ever increasing list of gender options, all designed to create division and separation, from our essential humanity connected to divinity with our sacred 12 strand DNA. (please note, I am not speaking out against the totally legitimate rebellion against the male and female roles assigned to men and women by hierarchical patriarchy). This is all part of the Gemini hijack.

So we find the United States, in its just second Neptune opposition, and the incredibly important Square to Mars, at a junction point typified by confusion, delusion, and most of all, bifurcation. It’s an illusory bifurcation, and part of the highjack. And don’t forget, all the other factors, outlined in Parts One and Two!

THE NEPTUNE OPPOSITION HISTORICALLY

Neptune’s cycle is 165 years, therefore aspects like oppositions, squares, and returns are rare, unique, and hugely significant; particularly when corresponding with other outer planet cycles, and the Fourth Turning junctions.

I will only highlight here the previous Neptune opposition and the one and only Neptune return. My friend and new research assistant, Greg Knell, has done a really extensive research into all the outer planet cycles, including the Neptune squares. I will include his extensive research as a resource for this article. I basically agree with most all of his interpretations. It can be really useful for deeper astrological and historical research about the United States.

First US Neptune Opposition: April 15, 1857—February 11, 1859

This is the run-up to the Civil War. Even today, there is a great deal of confusion about what that war was actually about. I will not take sides here, but today our view is clearly bifurcated, of that time, as well as right now. The country was clearly split into two then. The writers of the Fourth Turning only see 1860-1865 as a very short Fourth Turning. I suspect that this first Fourth Turning actually started with this first Neptune opposition, which, of course also squared the US natal Mars. Soon following the Neptune opposition was the US Uranian Return in 1861-1862 at the height of the war. Soon after came the deceptions and shattered idealisms of reconstruction and the “Jim Crow” era. Interestingly, a Pluto square happened before this Fourth Turning, whilst during the one we are in now, the Return is at the same time. Possible this Fourth Turning lasted until 1871, when it was clear that the United States was actually a corporation.

First US Neptune Return: September 28, 1938 — July 25, 1940

This time, a major Neptune transit occurred right in the middle of the second Fourth Turning. The dates given by the authors of the book “The Fourth Turning” are 1929-1946, thus starting with the stock market crash, including the “Great Depression”, the start of the nuclear age, up until the end of WWII. A Pluto Opposition, from 1936-1938, led directly to the Neptune Return. Interestingly, a major Uranian transit, another Uranus return, directly followed in 1943-1945. Quite an amazing sequence indeed! How can anyone doubt that these are incredible astrological symbols for a Fourth Turning. For those who go beyond the mainstream narrative, a great deal of deception and confusion existed in the run-up to WWII. Major US companies were supporting and profiting from the Nazi effort, including IBM, who supplied the card machines the Nazi’s used to catalog and tag the “undesirables”. A larger portion of the US population wanted the US to stay out of the war. And maybe half sided with Germany, before the events of Pearl Harbor. Much research has also shown the amount of deception around the Pearl Harbor attack. So much more could be shared about all this, but once again we find bifurcation.

Second US Neptune Opposition: March 3, 2021—December 4, 2022

So, here we are now. The currently unfolding Fourth Turning is said to have started with the 9/11/2001 event, that brought in the anti-terrorist legislation, among so many other significant changes, including a new generation, replacing the millennials. Maybe the generation after the millennials could be called the I-Gen! Most have seen the end of our currently unfolding Fourth Turning as 2025. That certainly corresponds a lot with the cycles of the first two. The Neptune opposition started this year. It continues through 2022, where it is joined by the Pluto Return. And then, for the first time, we find a Chiron return, the fifth since 1776, occurring in a Fourth Turning. This dominates 2024. Uranus is the outlier, with the next Uranus return not occurring until 2027. Much to speculate on with that knowledge!

For those who have curiosity, during the time-frame of the Fourth Turning at the founding of the US, thought of as from 1773-1794, we find a Neptune initiation happening from October 14, 1774 to August 13, 1776. The Plutonian and Chironic initiations were from 1776 through 1778. And Uranus was from 1776-1777.

Re-visioning Neptune in Pisces in square to Mars in Gemini.

The most important thing I think is that alchemy is required to create imagery that is not the increasingly obvious down sides of the Neptune square Mars in Gemini on the US horoscope. Try to imagine the union of celestial and transpersonal watery Neptune in Pisces with the thinking function Air of Gemini. Neptune is just fine when dealing with Upper World issues, not so much with the Middle World of ordinary reality. One may think of fog, mist or blowing rain clouds. It’s rather easy to get a sense of Neptune’s gifts, particularly with being in his most resonant sign. But that is not quite so easy to see what Gemini, as a sign, can give to a Mars that is in the Aries synodic overtone at this time. A major clue, though, is in the origin story of the original Twins, the previously mentioned Lahmu and Lahamu, born of salt water and deep underground water. Modern research recognizes four states of water, including a connection with plasma. Water also exists in all three worlds. What if the authentically air element of Gemini, in the directional/seasonal zodiac, would remember its constellational watery origins? The magical, puer/eternal youth, shapeshifting, and cavalier Gemini energy, could be tempered by feelings. Not only human feelings, but also the Ananda: of the feeling of Love emanating from Source. The key here, at this time, is the deep experience of grief, and of grieving. There is much worth being able to grieve about at the current time, for self and for the planet herself. Grief is not a word that comes to mind for Mars or Gemini, or for that matter, Aries. But, as ab-original peoples around the world have known, genuine grief, is as authentic an essence as is joy. For out of grief can spring art and new creation. Authentic grief can only arise when one has truly loved. They are deeply connected.

Mars will enter the underworld August 23rd. Amazingly on September 2nd, transiting Mars will be at 22Virgo25, the US Neptune. So not only will that be just a few days after the second exact Neptune opposition to the US Neptune, and still in the initiatory window of Neptune square natal US Mars in Gemini, but Mars himself, is now there in the same alignment, just after entering the underworld. The purpose of the underworld journey for Mars, is to fully surrender, be vulnerable, and to grieve, particularly so for his people.

In the Shamanic Astrology Mystery School, we have attempted the revision of the Mystery School of Gemini to be something quite different than the Sun Sign descriptions. Rather than a sign trapped and bound to the thinking function, and to duality and polarity; rather it’s the experience of what happens when you have gone beyond that, whilst still valuing thinking. This would require learning how to surrender, and how to get to a certain kind of “crazy wisdom”, beyond black and white, and beyond reason. This is when the mind is relieved that it cannot know it all! But your thinking prowess and unbounded curiosity, is still a source of joy, your special and beloved pleasure lobe. In this inquiry, we can now add the additional element of watery Pisces and Neptune, revealed to be always there from the beginning of the origins of the Twins. Possibly, now, we may discover how the alchemy may actually be achieved.

Will the experience of the United States in its Fourth Turning reveal the successful accomplishment of this alchemy? It has not previously happened in its history. Let us intend that this upcoming underworld journey of Mars can shed some hopeful light on all this.

I will leave you here with my favorite quotes for Gemini and Neptune. See what alchemy you can apply here!

Neptune

“I opened my heart to the whole universe, and noticed it was Loving, and I saw the great blunder my teachers had made, scientific, delirium madness” – Roger McGuinn from the song 5D

Gemini

“The Truth? Why the truth is simply an excuse for a lack of imagination” —Garrick the tailor, from Star Trek, Deep Space Nine

RESOURCES

Part one and two of “An Exploration of the chart of the United States of America: 2021-2025” by Daniel Giamario, edited by Barbara Taylor

Greg Knell’s fabulous research

The Fourth Turning, by William Srauss and Neil Howe, 1997

The books of Robert Lawlor, about ancient ab-original history and the” dreamtime”.

Lisa Renee of Energetic Synthesis: www.energeticsynthesis.com

The Shamanic Astrology Handbook: by Daniel Giamario with Cayelin Castell

The seminars with Daniel Giamario from 2020 and 2021: the global updates and on the US chart, find on www.shamanicastrology.com

Daniel Giamario vlogcasts on the US chart and on sex and gender: found on www.shamanicastrology.com, and on the YouTube channel.

The seminar of Daniel Giamario and Erik Roth on the Venus/Mars sagas, available on www.shamanicastrology.com.

Daniel Giamario’s article: “Why we use the Signs and love the Constellations”. https://shamanicastrology.com/archives/3522#more-3522

Cayelin Castell’s great videos on signs and constellations also easily found on www.shamanicastrology.com.