First of all, my apologies for being silent at such a crucial time. I’ve been hard hit by a nasty flu, but am on the mend. While I’ve not been well enough to write I have still had my computer open to http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/ the best source for news from the Middle East and absolutely essential, along with Egyptian-American journalist Mona Eltahawy, for keeping up with the revolution in Egypt.
Volatile Aspects
There are two important astrological triggers for change coming up this month. First, on Feb. 5, the Sun and Mars will be conjunct at 15 degrees of Aquarius. In geo-political astrology The Sun indicates national leadership and Mars, of course, rules the armed forces. This could be the moment for a military coup, but in Egypt the army has been solidly with the people. More likely in this situation, with the conjunction squaring Mubarak’s sun, I expect Mubarak to try and fail to assert control over the army.
In the Egyptian Independence chart the conjunction is in the second house. We should hear this week from Egypt’s financial managers, bank officials and capitalists declaring what is needed to maintain and repair the Egyptian economy which is now paralyzed.
In Mubarak’s own chart the Sun rules the 4th house (political opposition/parties out of power) and Mars rules his 7th house (open partners and opponents) and his 12th (secret partners and opponents) The conjunction, at the cusp of his 10th house (leadership/reputation) squaring his Sun suggests a clumsy over-reach. Expect Mubarak to declare “enough already” and to try to stop the demonstrations. It could get ugly, but with the Army siding with the people, I expect any violence to be contained. Still, police forces loyal to Mubarak may engage in provocative violence.
Jupiter and Uranus both fresh into Muhammed El-Baredei’s 10th house strongly affirm the appearance that he will be the next Egyptian president, a transitional figure for the new government. While he has a very high profile in world politics his support in Egypt is broad, but shallow. He’s been living abroad as a diplomatic official for many years and people don’t feel that he’s really connected to them, but they do recognize him as sincere, competent, and broadly acceptable in a situation where real domestic opposition has been strangled for 30 years
The Sun-Mars conjunction is in El-Baredei’s 8th house suggesting that he’s busy in behind-the-scenes work with Egypt’s bankers and creditors, probably with the IMF and World Bank.
Jupiter and Pluto in Liberation Square
The next big astrological event is Jupiter squaring Pluto. Exact on February 25, that will be felt from the 16th to March 6. Already a powerful transformative aspect this happens with transiting Pluto opposing its natal position in the Egyptian chart, and transiting Jupiter making a t-Square. Pluto moving through Egypt’s first house (The Soviet Union fell under a similar transit) and opposing its natal position sets up a revolutionary dynamic, and Jupiter (squaring both ends of the opposition) invites opportunity to act. In Egypt’s fourth house it favors the opposition to the ruling party. When the square is nearly exact a Sun-Mercury conjunction in Pisces will be aspecting that T-square, suggesting a very open and even messy mix of voices joining into a new government. By this time expect the Muslim Brotherhood to make their own intentions clearer.
Jack Fertig: Star Currents 