Dear Friend and Reader,
With the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympic Games only a day away, today is a great opportunity to take a look at the astrology. I’ve done some research, and bring to you the best readings on the web for the Games.
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World on a String. Photo by Eric Francis.
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Conveniently for astrologers, both China and this year’s Olympic Games have reliable times and dates of origin: China became an independent state on Oct. 1, 1949 around 3pm in Beijing (I’ve now seen both 3:01:36 pm and 3:15pm claimed), and the Games are known to begin in Beijing on Aug. 8, 2008 at 8:08 pm. According to Michael Wolfstar, who relies on the 3:15pm natal chart for the country, “the Aquarius Moon near the Ascendant (the people) is in harmony with the Sun in Libra (the leadership).
“The kink in the system is Uranus, which forms hard aspects to the Sun and Moon, and periodically gives rise to radical changes of direction.”
Wolfstar also recognizes the prevalence of Mars, both in China’s natal chart and in the Olympic Games’ chart, indicating strength and athleticism, but also the possibility of military presence. He explains that transiting Mars and Pluto are moving towards August 17th, when they will be an exact square, which could be the height of athletic competition. Consulting the schedule for the games, there are a fair amount of water sports competing that day: sailing, diving, swimming and rowing (be sure to watch the English rowers, by the way, they’re quite easy on the eyes); so they may be the ones to look out for.
Ralfee Finn agrees that the astrology for the games indicates a challenge, also mentioning Mars. She cautions that this can be a time of strain — and not just on Olympian muscles — and that the best way to cope is by smiling through it; a positive attitude during this time can help to accomplish difficult tasks. Ralfee writes:
“The source of stress and strain is two-fold. First, the Mars/Uranus opposition separates, on August 6th, and when difficult interactions pull apart, either the tension releases on its own, or we feel the need to release it through our actions. This opposition spurs sudden and erratic action, which translates into impulsive deeds and reckless abandon. Unusual achievements are possible under positive Mars/Uranus contacts, and this week would be one of the weeks when working to transform an opposition into a trine would be a worthy endeavor.”
China’s rigidity could also play out in its security monitoring, Christopher Kevill notes. Looking at the Games’ chart, Kevill finds that “Saturn, ruler of Aquarius, is angular and aspects the ascendant quite closely.” Eric Francis has more to say about Saturn:
“Saturn is not exactly everyone’s favorite planet. But it’s certainly one of the most useful and necessary energies…While many astrologers have the unseemly habit of spreading bad vibes about Saturn, refusing to reinterpret and evolve Medieval thinking into a modern context, this transit is [a] great blessing… No, Saturn in one’s sign (or in one’s ascendant or Moon sign) is not necessarily easy and it is often extremely challenging. But the result is growth, not in some abstract New Age workshop terms but in actual experience, reality and results: maturity, confidence and strength.”
Indeed, it seems the running theme for the Olympics in China is strength: physical, possibly military and also with security, all of which makes sense when the world’s best athletes come together for the biggest physical competition we’ve got.
The most important thing to realize is that with competition and stress comes growth: and by keeping a positive outlook, you can use the strength of Mars and the challenge of Saturn to shape yourself into the type of person you’ve always wanted to be.
Yours from Dublin,
Today’s Oracle takes us to the Gemini weekly of June 25, 2004
(The Oracle is a random daily selection from among 10,000 horoscopes written by Eric Francis)
You seem to be pushing an issue or obstacle and it does not look like very much fun. It’s almost as if you’re trying to move a mountain by sending it countless postcards. But look the other direction. You are not trapped; that is the important thing. You are actually free to move about the surface of the planet. You are also free to feel exactly how you feel about any number of circumstances, particularly the ones that seem to be the most limiting or demanding of the most maturity. You will pass this particular test, and you don’t need to force anything, or beg and plead.
Thursday 07 August 2008
Sisyphus (17+ Libra) semisquare Hylonome (2+ Sagittarius Rx)
Pallas (1+ Gemini) trine M87 (1+ Libra)
Sun (15 Leo) sesquiquadrate Aries Point (0 Aries)
Eros (21+ Leo) trine Eris (21+ Aries Rx)
Apollo (0 Virgo) quincunx Aries Point (0 Aries)
Apollo enters Virgo (direct)
Mercury (23+ Leo) trine 1992 QB1 (23+ Aries Rx)
Mercury (23+ Leo) quintile Chariklo (5+ Scorpio)
Mercury (24+ Leo) septile Arachne (15+ Libra)
Eros (22+ Leo) quincunx Uranus (22+ Pisces Rx)
Pandora (12+ Scorpio) square Nessus (12+ Aquarius Rx)
Mercury (24+ Leo) quintile Hidalgo (6+ Scorpio)
Sun (15+ Leo) sextile Arachne (15+ Libra)
Venus (2+ Virgo) square Hylonome (2+ Sagittarius Rx)