Recent “mostly peaceful” protests—spectacular as they are with burning buildings and looting—are not unique in America’s history. Street violence seems to be a part of its national character. Race and anti-immigrant riots, violent strikes, protests accompanied by murders and looting, and occasional insurrections, occur almost every year. Frequently, such incidents of civil unrest take place several times a year and flare up almost simultaneously in different locations. In addition, some of our crime-ridden inner cities are even more dangerous than Afghanistan or Honduras, and there are enough firearms in the hands of the populace to equip an army. Born during a violent revolution, the U.S. seems to carry the genes of civil disorders, and it is reflected in its astrological chart.

Pluto’s Aspects to the U.S. Ascendant

In the U.S. astrological chart, there are three planetary configurations where at least two planets and/or the Nodes form exact stressful aspects to each other. One of these configurations is directly responsible for an identity crisis that periodically occurs in the U.S. This configuration includes the Ascendant which stands for the nation as a whole and the national identity in particular. Unfortunately, the Ascendant forms stressful aspects to Ceres, which symbolizes among other things agricultural workers and other kinds of low-wage laborers. The Ascendant also forms stressful aspects to Mercury (business, stock market and trade) and Pluto (military-industrial complex and financial institutions). As a result, every time transiting Pluto forms a stressful aspect to the U.S. Ascendant, this also affects Mercury, Ceres and Pluto in the U.S. chart. These transits of Pluto occur once every 20-40 years and always mark profound cultural changes in the U.S. resulting in a national identity crisis. This crisis usually includes a war or a violent civil unrest, frequently both. Thus, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s as well as the Vietnam War coincided with Pluto forming a square to the U.S. Ascendant. At about the same time, the U.S. Ascendant also received squares from Saturn, Chiron and Uranus. Under the influence of these four heavenly bodies, America underwent an identity crisis changing its identity from a society of racial segregation into a nation of racial equality. Well, at least in principle. In reality, a great many of the American Blacks, perhaps most of them, still live in poverty in crime-ridden areas with practically no possibility of upward social mobility. Hopefully, the current identity crisis will change this not only for the people of color but for all the homeless and poor and undocumented.

The current identity crisis came into effect with Pluto’s semi-square to the U.S. Ascendant in February 2019 and will continue until Pluto last conjunction to the U.S. Pluto in December 2023. To read more, log on “Mostly Peaceful” Protests: An Astrological Forecast.

Mars in the U.S. Chart

In the U.S. astrological chart, Mars is involved in one of the most stressful configurations there forming a square to Neptune and a semi-square to the Lunar Nodes. Neptune in the U.S. chart rules the 4^th House of Home, Family and Real Estate. In political astrology, the 4^th House also stands for the relationship between various social, ethnic and racial groups within the American “family.” Due to the exact square between Mars and Neptune this relationship is always tense. Whenever planets form stressful aspects to each other they exhibit strong tendency to manifest their “dark side.” Thus, the dark side of Mars is anger and aggression, while Neptune’s—substance abuse, deception and confusion. Since both Mars and Neptune are in mutable signs of Gemini and Pisces, the tensions between the various groups tend to rapidly rise and frequently result in social unrest when Mars in the U.S. chart receives a stressful aspect from a slow-moving transiting planet. Naturally, the U.S. Neptune and the Nodes are also negatively affected by such transits. This explains the fact that violent demonstrations and labor strikes, racial and ethnic riots and social unrests are very much an integral part of the American national character. Indeed, there have been hardly a year there without an incident of social unrest. Since Neptune in the U.S. chart stands for religious institutions and South Node is located in the 2^nd House of Money and Property, such incidents are usually accompanied by destruction of property and burning or vandalizing churches and synagogues. 

Times to Riot

So, most of the incidents of civil unrest in the U.S. flare up when Mars in the U.S. chart receives a stressful aspect from Uranus, Neptune or Pluto and, sometimes, from stationary Jupiter or Saturn. Such incidents of civil unrest also occur when transiting Mars is involved in a stressful configuration with transiting slow-moving planets while forming stressful aspects to the U.S. Ascendant, Ceres or Pluto, and this is what took place from May 27 through June 2 of 2020. Also in this period, transiting Neptune formed a square to Mars in the U.S. chart, and this square will be in effect through August 2020, and once again from February 2021 through January 2023. So, be ready for a bumpy ride. 

Future Forecast

The current “mostly peaceful” protests are far from over. The level of violence may rise again in mid-July and stay elevated through November. Also, the protests will continue flaring up from time to time through January 2023. To read more, log on “Mostly Peaceful” Protests: An Astrological Forecast to be posted in a few days. As has been the case in many instances of social unrest in our history, counter protests to the Black Lives Matter of equal or even greater intensity may also occur.

The World Renewed

The current Saturn/Pluto conjunction is the very beginning of the new Saturn/Pluto cycle (2020-53). Such conjunctions occur only once in 33-40 years. They last for a year while marking dramatic and positive transformations worldwide. To read more, log on National Identity Crisis. In spite of the pandemic and street violence—or maybe because of them—this conjunction will renew our world. So, “Do not let this crisis go to waste.” Now, is a great opportunity to make your life anew! Do not delay changing your life and use this opportunity wisely! This is especially true for those with the Sun, Moon or the Ascendant from 22° through 28° of Capricorn, Aries, Cancer and/or Libra, and/or from 7° through 13° of Sagittarius, Pisces, Gemini and/or Virgo. To read about how an astrological analysis can help you to adapt to these positive, inevitable and irreversible changes, log on Astro-Economic Consulting.