May 14, 2014 — BLAGOEVGRAD, BULGARIA (SUN) — Feature story from the Astrological Newsletter.
Eclipses and the Ukraine Crisis
On April 15th an eclipsed Moon crossed from Virgo into Libra. Beginning in Chitra nakshatra in Virgo, the lunar black-out finished in Libra's part of the same nakshatra. Just prior to the event, Mars had been transiting Libra alongside his bitter enemies Rahu and Saturn. At the end of March we witnessed all three powerful malefics—Mars, Saturn and Rahu—moving in retrogression together in Libra. The dark threesome going backwards in the politically-sensitive sign of the scales (Libra) was a sure indication of tensions to come upon the world stage.
A referendum in the then-Ukranian Crimean peninsula had been held on Sunday March 16th under the Mars-Rahu-Saturn influence wherein the population voted overwhelmingly in favor of Russian protection for their region. It was the day of the full Moon, and the Uttaraphalguni nakshatra in force at the time was favorable for coronation or for the creation of a city-state. This demonstrates that the result of the vote is irrevocable and will continue far into the future.
On March 25th, and while moving in retrogression, Mars re-entered Virgo where he is now making an uncharacteristically long eight-month transit. But his escape from Libra through the back door did not totally disconnect him from the dark influences of the Saturn-Rahu conjunction. Both Mars and Saturn still aspect Mars-ruled Aries, wherein a solar eclipse on April 28th followed the lunar event. Often when the fiery Mars (ruling anger and aggression) and the cold Saturn (governing discontent of the masses) combine, they serve as the provocateurs of conflict. Their bitter enmity, fired by proprietary opposing energies, has taken the form of the ongoing Ukrainian conflict.
Rahu's Curse on the Solar New Year
Sun became exalted in Aries, the sign of the solar New Year, on 13th April. This would-be glorious position of solar elevation has been spoiled since the Sun was bombarded not only by the eclipse but also by Saturn's "debilitated aspect" to Aries in the company of Rahu from Libra. This is a situation that clearly shows how the Sun—ruling leadership—became eclipsed through the agency of violent mobs ruled by the combination of Rahu (lawlessness) and Saturn (worker class). As noted, Mars had been virtually escorted out of Libra by Saturn and Rahu following the red planet in retrograde motion. Thus intimidated, Mars—the ruler of Aries—could not help his friend Sun but was instead pressed into the dictates of Saturn to create violence.
Mars resents going backwards since his nature is forceful and direct. Behind the scenes, exalted Saturn has gained immense power since Libra is the sign of the coming new world trade system now being put into place through the agency of a war in Ukraine that is openly manipulated by outside political interests.
Ukraine declared its independence from the Soviet Union on August 24th 1991. The stars at that time provide some clues as to how this country became the focal point of recent developments. At the time of Ukraine's independence most of the planets were gathered in Saturn-ruled Capricorn and Sun-ruled Leo. The Leo group has Sun, Venus, Mercury and Jupiter; whereas Saturn and Moon are in Capricorn. Both Saturn and Sun were in their own signs. In the recent developments in Ukraine, both Saturn and Sun were exalted, while the signs where both of these planets are located (Aries and Libra) were the signs that underwent the two eclipses on April 15th and 28th. Most interestingly is that Mars was also in Virgo at the time of Ukraine's independence—just as he is now.
Ukraine falls close to the region of Aries on the world map, a sign that is shared by most countries in central Europe. Thus these other Aries-ruled countries are widely affected by the crisis in Ukraine. The eclipse on 28th April was quite interesting since it was not visible in many places during the daytime even as it was ongoing. This is another indication that the workings behind the present crisis in Ukraine are neither completely understood nor visible despite current simplistic media propaganda.
Although sanctions have been imposed against Russia by the West, it is unlikely that the country will suffer drastically simply because Moscow is located in another region controlled by Aquarius. Russia may not increase its involvement in the crisis unless its own interests become heavily involved. (Nonetheless, planetary configurations indicate that there could be some natural disaster or other local tensions that might occur in the north-eastern part of the country.)
Tensions in the region will continue on high alert at least until the Sun enters Taurus on 14th May when he escapes the Aries hot spot. Parts of Ukraine, including Crimea, and some of the east and south regions, also fall under the influence of Aquarius. Rahu will leave Libra and retrograde back into Virgo (with Ketu entering Pisces) on 12th July 2014. That nodal change will put further pressures on Ukraine which is also influenced by Pisces as a sub-ruler. On 20th June, Jupiter enters Cancer, his sign of exaltation, and from there he will cast his protective glance over Pisces. This indicates that Ukraine will obtain the protection of Brihaspati and the tensions will gradually ease for a while. But the biggest planetary movement occurs on 2nd November of this year when Saturn will finally exit Libra and enter Scorpio. With Shani, the planet of the masses and of generations, moving through Scorpio (the negative sign of Mars) the simmering conflict will reveal a different face and will become more global.
Death Knell of the Dollar?
Since the planetary portents point to a tilt in the world economy then—where does the American dollar fit into the coming arrangements of world trade and domination? A new Euro-Asian Union signed by Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia is already in place and will start functioning from 1st January 2015. This pact stands as proof that new trade entities are forming around the world.
But how does the dollar link to these global changes? For some clues, let us examine the history of the US dollar. The dollar was adopted as the American national currency on April 2nd 1792. Surely that day was precariously close to an eclipse in Pisces as Sun and Ketu were both positioned there. Saturn and debilitated Mercury were also in Pisces when the dollar was formed. The green color of the dollar is due to the influence of Mercury. It seems that Virgo must have been rising when the dollar was accepted as America's national currency. The heavy gathering of planets in the 7th house shows popularity for the currency despite the debility of its rising sign lord Mercury. Only through the clever tactics of the banks and the legerdemain of the politicians does the shrinking fiat dollar continue to exist. Is there some connection of Russia with the future of the dollar? Both Ukraine and the dollar are heavily influenced by Pisces. For the eighteen months following 12th July 2014 Ketu will be moving in Pisces while Rahu is in Virgo.
Looking ahead, we see that the next lunar eclipse occurs on 8th October in Pisces. It is followed by another solar event in Libra a fortnight later. These coming eclipses (which occur before Saturn leaves Libra) will put to the wall both Ukraine and the dollar although Jupiter will try to protect both Ukraine and the dollar. Jupiter will cast his friendly glance from his exalted position in Cancer (which occurs within weeks of Ketu's entrance into Pisces). However, once Jupiter moves ahead into Leo on July 14th 2015, things may again turn ugly. If our supposition that Virgo was rising when the dollar was created is correct, then we may see this world standard currency suffer some fatal downturn. For some time now, the US dollar has been slowly fading away as the world medium of exchange, a slow demise that has already caused untold havoc around the world. Although the dollar may not completely disappear and will continue to exist in some form, its position as the international currency appears doomed.
With a coming collapse of world economy, devotees should seriously adopt self-sufficient living as per the instructions of the farsighted Founder-Acharya of ISKCON Shrila Prabhupada. Paper savings may lose their value overnight. As Shrila Prabhupada further warned, "You can't eat nuts and bolts," either. Devotees must prepare themselves by organizing agrarian communities far from industrialized areas. Such communities must work towards becoming locally self-sustainable. The cities which are artificially propped up will become living nightmares when faith in government is lost and paper currency tanks. At such times only Krishna conscious farms will insure that the followers of Shrila Prabhupada will live to preach another day.
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Patita Pavana das Adhikary, Ed.
Abhaya Mudra dasi,
Jyotish Shastris, etc.
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