April 05, 2008:

Luna conjuncts Sol in Aries at the 17th degree. This Aries New Moon forms the apex of a T-square involving Mars in Cancer and Jupiter in Capricorn. The best way to set the will and emotions into harmonious conjunction to begin new projects would be to focus on the void in Libra (relationships and fairness) at the 17th degree.

If that’s not a good spot for you, you might choose to pass on this time for your astrological New Year’s resolutions because there is a lot of tension and potential stress in this pattern; it’s more like a grin-and-bear-it moment favoring stasis rather than the beginning of new projects, which could be marked by an intensely active tendency towards emotional turmoil having to do with an increase in restrictive energies. 

In the news, we are hearing about governmental initiatives to create new laws purporting to shore up the economy, and to do away with environmental laws concerning the borders, while attempting to increase surveillance of ordinary citizens accoding to the notion of policing “Homeland Security.”

Since there is a void in Libra, efforts to increase legislation to improve domestic security could get hung up in a battle over fairness, as could hastily enacted or unilateral personal initiatives.
Article: From the ACLU: “Newly Unredacted Documents Show Lack of Oversight in Military Domestic Spying Powers”

The Solar Return Chart for Tehran, Iran 2008 indicates a softening of rhetoric and change of belief as to the definition of Iran as a threat.  (Mercury, Venus and Uranus in a Pisces stellium in the eighth house.) 

The same Pisces stellium is sextile to Jupiter in Capricorn in the fifth house, which opens opens the door to creative diplomacy in issues involving governments.

Mars in Cancer in the eleventh house trines the solar-return Sun in Pisces in the eighth house, creating an actively sympathetic environment from friends wishing to alleviate suffering that takes place behind the scenes.

There could be some positive change during the next year for Iran involving a softening of the rhetoric of religious war (natal Mars and Mercury in Pisces in the eighth house.)

On the other hand,  transiting Pluto is making an out-of-sign square to Iran’s Mercury and Mars, so all is not well, and the positive elements listed above could be severely threatened by hanging onto a powerfully destructive and bellicose stance. 

However, an out-of-sign square is mitigated in intensity, so there is, on balance, the possibility of improved diplomatic relations with Iran, provided of course, that efforts made in that direction are sincere (Pisces rules beliefs and behind-the-scenes deception; the eighth house indicates disintigrating circumstances.)

Iran Solar Return 2008

Article: “US Moves Towards Engaging Iran”

 – Robin Jenkins