| Part 2: The Stars for John
Kerry by Curtis Burns Second of a three-part series on Election 2004...and beyond In part one of this series, we looked at what the astrological powerhouse George W. Bush was for the election. This month we focus on John Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate. Does he have the stuff to win? What kind of president would he be? How does Kerry connect up with the collective U.S. psyche according the chart? This article's analysis will be based on Vedic Astrology, also called Jyotish, which is probably the precursor to modern Western-style astrology and which is becoming more and more popular in the U.S. Vedic Astrology is more focused on spiritual/karmic issues, and it has a very strong emphasis on actual life circumstances. My style of interpretation synthesizes elements of both Vedic and Western Astrology. I also detail the astrology of John Kerry more comprehensively on my website, www.StarWorldNews.com. To begin with, John Kerry is a full moon person; that is, the Moon in his chart is fully illuminated by the Sun. This gives him great personal power and charisma. Because his Sun and Moon are strongly connected with the aggressive planets Mars and Uranus (by astrological aspect), Kerry is a very assertive mover and shaker on the scene. Kerry initially came into prominence as a Vietnam-vet turned anti-war activist, taking part in demonstrations and government hearings. Kerry's socially conscious politics is presaged by his very strongly placed and well-dignified Jupiter in the tenth house of success, fame and reputation. If he were elected, Kerry would presumably be a more ideological player as opposed to one who uses a show of strength to motivate or "sell" his ideas (à la George W. Bush). But because of Kerry's Mars, which is prominent through its connection with his Sun and Moon but placed in a sign (Taurus) that Mars is not compatible with, I am tempted to say that he might display the lesser Martian qualities; that is, be impulsive, reactionary and incendiary in his own right. Issues relating to the use of force, as in further military actions, seem to be indicated in his chart. Continuing the Mars/aggression theme -- Kerry is a Scorpio (both his Sun and his Ascendant), which is ruled by Mars. Scorpios have the capacity to effect deep and profound change both within themselves and their environment. Their modus operandi is to be somewhat dark, secretive and hard to understand; obsessive at times, but invariably moving us along the necessary, yet sometimes traumatic, path of evolution. Scorpios activate the deep, hidden psychological complexes in us, and they are very magnetic and powerful. Since 9-11, America has been moving along a dark path; seemingly becoming very imperialistic and authoritarian in the war against terrorism. Astrologically, John Kerry seems to "fit in" this politically expedient frame of mind. When hard choices need to be made, John Kerry is the man to make them. In addition to his Jupiter, Kerry also has an extremely powerful connection to the birth chart of the U.S.; his Sun and Ascendant fall right on the U.S. birthchart Ascendant (July 4, 1776; Philadelphia, PA; 5:12 pm). Further, this puts his powerful Moon, Mars and Uranus (as noted in the above paragraphs) into a very strong aspect to the nation's Ascendant. This basically means that Kerry becomes the activator and embodier -- in a strident way -- of America's psychological or karmic identity. Due to the Scorpio/Mars/Uranus configurations, this energy would not be as "peaceful" as some people might wish. Kerry's Jupiter in close opposition to the U.S. birth chart's Moon would be, however, a very positive influence, especially in how the public accepts and receives him and how the debate can be maintained on a higher level. Regardless of who wins any presidential election, the Constitution dictates that each new administration starts in Washington at exactly Noon the following January 20. The chart drawn up for that moment in 2005 is not for the faint of heart. In many ways, it repeats the pattern of the 2001 inauguration chart, which opened the doors to 9-11, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, economic downturns and increased government power. In the next Inauguration chart, Mars, as the indicator of aggression and war, will be conjunct Pluto, which is known as the great intensifier of whatever it connects with. This malevolent combination of planets conjunct Kerry's Sun and Ascendant (and therefore also aspect his Mars and Uranus). This is extremely powerful energy that will be locked in the next administration's astrology for the entire four-year term. As I said above, Kerry's Sun and Ascendant are conjunct the U.S. birthchart Ascendant, so the whole magnitude of the potential intensity/disruption is at least double of what you might normally think. In any chart, the Ascendant is the most unique and individual-specific point of interpretation that signifies the particular "mask" or personality that interfaces with the world. Connections between two charts where one person's planet is connected to another person's Ascendant (or the Ascendant of a group chart) indicates extremely close ties that seem past-life related. Kerry, therefore, having a connection to the U.S. Ascendant indicates a strong resonance with the group destiny or karma of the nation. This connection is so strong that I think it might override the fact that Kerry's personal cycles are less fortunate than George Bush's. Metaphorically speaking, Bush may have more wind in his sails, but it seems that Kerry has more of what we need at the moment. And what America and the world seems to need now is some strong medicine, whether it be strong leadership, extreme interventions in the economy and affairs of the nation, or even events that alchemically wake us up to the higher spiritual needs of the hour. As of this writing (early September), Bush is showing a small lead in the polls and seems to be winning the battle of perceptions. And as I noted last month, the unfolding of his chart cycles -- or dasas -- indicate he could be hard to beat in November. Kerry, on the other hand, entered a new major planetary period (Vedic maha dasa) ruled by Mercury in 2002. According to his chart, this Mercury cycle is excellent for getting the word out and assuming a position of leadership, due to its position in his navamsha chart (spiritual destiny), but it doesn't compare in strength to George Bush's astrological cycles at this time. Also this summer, transiting Pluto has been in conjunction with Kerry's Sun; controversy has dogged him. Accordingly, he has been pushing the envelope in the attainment of his ambition, willing to pay any price to get ahead. Looking into the future, Kerry does have positive developments starting in November 2005, an Ashtottari major period, ruled by his powerful Jupiter, will last for quite a long time; however that will not activate until one year after the election. Additionally, a Narayana dasa, which starts in December 2005, gives Kerry another big boost. It would seem that Kerry's boat will be coming in, but a little too late for the November elections. That being said, Kerry could be propelled into office by virtue of his connections to the U.S. national astrology alone. Then, his very strong Ashtottari Jupiter period, as indicated above, would activate in about a year's time, carrying him into a real "renaissance" politically; but I could be stretching things here. You could almost say that Kerry is peaking at this very moment because of the Pluto transit, and that the good grace in his life is making him a strong contender but not necessarily the victor. In part three of this trilogy I will look at some of the major issues that will be facing the next administration and world for the next few years and decades through the cycles of the planets above us. The good news is the message of the planets for our future is very soul-compelling, dramatic and important to understand. Stay tuned. Curtis Burns has been practicing astrology since 1988 and uses a powerful synthesis of Eastern Vedic and Western Astrology. He specializes in helping business people, professionals, and motivated persons to become more successful by incorporating information from their charts to formulate life goals and plans. Curtis also edits a very popular astrological website, www.StarWorldNews.com, which has many features including free reports, forecasts and frequently updated articles on the astrology life in the world today. To inquire about personal astrological consultations, call him at (612) 823-9104, or e-mail at curtis@starworldnews.com. Copyright © 2004 Curtis Burns |
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