“Round,
Like a circle in a spiral
Like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending or beginning
On an ever-spinning reel...
And the world is like an apple
Whirling silently in space
Like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind.”

The Windmills of My Mind, written for the original Thomas Crown Affair film, performed by Noel Harrison.

Synopsis for 2010

South Africa should enjoy a relatively stable year with no major upheavals. Obviously this does not negate the normal trials and tribulations which afflict the country - problems do not simply disappear. The economy will be much improved for the duration of this year, but specifically in the second half, and this includes moveable assets such as the currency and export items.

The fixed assets, namely the property sector, will enjoy an increase in status but at the cost of some aspect of this portfolio. It is possible that interest rates are raised which will damage the overall upturn of the property sector. There is some affliction looming for the rural areas or the farmlands. Whether this is triggered by weather-related factors or price hikes in fuel or other commodities (yet again), which have an effect on this sector, remains to be seen. The escalation of land distribution and its ramifications will most certainly be a factor in this sector in 2010.

The momentous occasion for 2010 is the FIFA World Cup which takes place in June and July. This event will be successful, although there is the potential for something to derail with regards to communication (television and media) and transport, but the event will bring public acclaim to South Africa. The negative factor surrounding this event though is the aftermath. It is clearly indicated astrologically that for the potential provided by this event to boost the economy and thereby the lives of the people, it needs to be harnessed responsibly and productively by the powers that be. With the astrological afflictions mentioned below to the area of self-undoing of the country, this may be difficult. The big question will be whether or not the government can place its self-serving agenda on the back burner and serve the people who elected it instead.

The people of the country will also be called to account for their actions. The way in which South Africans, from all walks of life, conduct themselves over this period will determine whether or not they adversely add to the vulnerable area of self-undoing or if they are able to rise above it. The event lasts but a month, the ramifications of how it is managed will last for years. South Africans will also do well to keep 2011 in mind as they enjoy a certain amount of reprieve in 2010. 2011 will see a return to restrictive financial conditions, so it is wise to use the loosening of the economic noose in 2010 to settle any debt in preparation for 2011. The potential exists in 2010 for illness or disease to manifest, and the country would do well to take precautions against any illnesses it has experienced on a large scale before, such as Cholera.

Introduction to Mundane Astrology

Astrological charts do not stand alone and are not a law unto themselves. The Primary Mover is the ultimate law unto whose will they bow, but each one is dependant on another more complicated or profound chart, in order to manifest its existence. A horary chart, the first level of astrology in The Tradition, working from the bottom of the traditional hierarchy upwards, is dependant on the nativity, the second tier. There is no point in assessing a horary question for which the nativity provides no propensities, such as “will I win the lottery?” The nativity is in turn dependant on the country's chart in which the person resides, and this is further affected by the charts of foreign countries with which this country (of residence) enjoys relations. These nativities of countries are in turn dependant on the movements of the two Great Chronocrators Saturn and Jupiter, which are in turn dependant on the larger cycles of time.

The World-Year of 360, 000 years, when we have the conjunction of all 7 planets in the first degree of Aries, is the top echelon of scale and time with regards to the cycles. This World- Year is subdivided into smaller cycles, ending with the cycle of a 24 hour day. Each cycle provides a backdrop against which the nativities must be judged as the world does not proceed in a random fashion. It is only when mundane astrology is practiced that the true beauty of astrology is realised, as each chart is quite simply a wheel within a wheel. The cream of the crop in traditional astrology is called mundane astrology, but it is one that is sadly neglected due to its complexity and unrelenting requirement of the investment of many hours of work. As there are very few kings around today to procure the services of an astrologer royal, and combined with our egotistical mind-set where the natal chart is the all-consuming passion, mundane astrology is thus neglected.

The Timekeepers of the Cosmos

“Saturn and Jupiter conjunct every twenty years and these grand conjunctions take place in signs of the same element for periods of 240 years; after 960 years the cycle recurs. These grand conjunctions are judged both from the time at which they occur and from the start of the preceding revolution of the world, the moment when the Sun enters Aries in that year. The charts are cast for the place with whose events we are concerned”. (Footnote 1) We cast our eye on other charts in addition to the grand conjunctions, such as eclipses, New and Full Moons and any other conjunctions such as Mars with Jupiter or Saturn.

The last grand conjunction occurred on 28 May 2000 at 16.05 GMT, and which set the tone for the next 20 years thereafter, until the next one perfects on 21 December 2020. Saturn and Jupiter are the great malefic and benefic respectively, and we have the symbolism of light and dark, positive and negative and the yin and the yang – the very core of life itself, the duality of human nature. Just as when the Lord of Light and his handmaid the Moon merge, so too is it of significance when the Lord of Darkness and the Lord of Plenty enter into a union.

The Grand Conjunction in relation to South Africa

The grand conjunction chart shares the same house rulers as the South African radix, by sign and close degree, and this in itself denotes that this 20 year cycle will be of importance to the country. The obstacles that the Republic experienced at its birth will present themselves again, 40 years later, although in different forms and guises. This grand conjunction is posited in the 6th house of the South African radix which in itself is of no real significance as it has to connect with the radix in a tangible way. It does this by forming a partile opposition to radix Jupiter antiscion which is posited in the 12th house. Jupiter is radix Lord 1 and from this we can see that this grand conjunction, denoting matters of gravity, affects South Africa in a very personal way. The 6th and 12th axis is also the misfortunes that befall the native, in this case South Africa, through no fault of its own, but the 12th is its self-undoing. This axis certainly highlights that "what ye shall sow so ye shall reap”. The deduction is that for this 20 year cycle South Africa will experience misfortune through its own self-undoing, as well as illness and dis-ease on many levels.

Examples of specific events that occurred within close proximity to the exact conjunction are the following: the Truth and Reconciliation Commission commenced in November 2000 – a prime example of the 6th and 12th axis. Self-undoing (also seen here as the rot caused by a dis-ease) and the misfortune that followed, and the subsequent reconciliation between the two which was brought to light by this grand conjunction; the West Nile Virus infected thoroughbred horses in southern Africa – horses belong in the 12th and illness in the 6th; the outbreak of Cholera began mid 2000 infecting roughly 106, 000 people that year – again the 6th house of illness affecting South Africa in a very personal way. More recently the Caster Semenya debacle highlights this potential yet again. Self-undoing of the country stemming from pride, initiated lies and deceit which resulted in a backlash of international disgrace in the sporting world. Even the inability to curb the escalation of crime, another feature of self-undoing, results in restrictions on the economic growth due to the censure of the international community.

The Aries Ingress

20 March 2000. 9.35am, EET, Pretoria, SAFR, 14 Taurus Asc.

As always, when assessing the chart of the grand conjunction, we must consider the moment of the Sun's entry into Aries immediately before it. In this chart we find Saturn, the great malefic, in an exact conjunction to the Asc, 2 degrees from a conjunction to radix Mars antiscion, Mars being Lord 12 the ruler of self-undoing for South Africa. Mars is also Lord of the Ingress chart, so again the chart alludes to a malevolent significance of 12th house matters. It is important to note that in both these charts the connection is through antiscia – covert, hidden and behind the scenes – a rot that is not so evident but no less powerful in its effects. Saturn and the Ascendant are posited on the fixed stars Almach and Menkar, denoting a sense of “the victim”. This could be assessed in two ways – either South Africa is still paying the price for the many years of (self inflicted) apartheid, and that much of its self-undoing is due to the back foot on which the new democracy of 1994 was initiated, or that even through its own folly and stupidity, it still views itself as a victim, and that it is in the position it is, through no fault of its own.

The South African Nativity

The incorrect birth chart of South Africa is often used which is the chart of 1994 with the advent of the new government and the end of the apartheid era. The reason why this is incorrect is that the baby had already been born, that baby being the Republic of South Africa. As the child grows it takes on many different faces and personalities in the form of new governments, presidents and constitutions, and you cannot set a new birth chart every time that happens, just as you cannot stuff the baby back into the womb when it goes through adolescence. Thailand or India for example, to name but two countries that experience regular change, do not set a new birth chart every time someone in power is overthrown. South Africa is Lord 1 Jupiter who is peregrine and retrograde; its assets are Lord 2, the dignified but retrograde Saturn who also rules the house of communication; its cities and fixed property Lord 4 Jupiter; its rural areas Lord 6, the debilitated Venus; its open enemies and partners Lord 7 Mercury who is peregrine; its ruling power is Lord 10 Mercury and its self-undoing is Lord 12 Mars who is peregrine. We can view the Moon as the people to some degree, although the people are also Lord 1 as they form part of the country, and the Moon is peregrine, posited in the sign of Sagittarius.

The Progressed Chart

The potential portrayed by this chart is not of major significance, seen in the light of major developments or occurrences within the country. The significance of a highly eventful year is denoted primarily by the difficult aspects, squares and oppositions, and also by conjunctions, all of which, bar one conjunction, are lacking for 2010. Fortuna, the treasure of the country, will conjunct Venus Lord 6 and 11. This denotes a change in fortune on some level for the country which will affect the rural areas and farmlands (L6) or the illnesses/diseases of the country, also Lord 6. Much significance is not placed on Lord 11 as the house of friends, but it could denote a positive turn with regards to the allies of South Africa. Fortuna will conjunct and then cross the angle of the Imum Coli towards the end of 2010, and this is of significance.

Any of the 5 hylegal points crossing an angle denotes movement or significance within the affairs of that house, in this case the cities of the country and its fixed assets, so the property market. It is important, as always in astrology, to be aware of what is happening in the sky at any given time. The two Great Chronocrators, Saturn and Jupiter, will both be dignified for much of 2010 – Saturn will be exalted in Libra and Jupiter will be in his celestial domain of Pisces. This bodes well for the financial markets in general as Jupiter is the natural significator of wealth, and Saturn rules the land and all foundations, so the property market. However, it is all things being equal, and we cannot expect to see a return to the buoyant conditions of previous years. But with this in mind, and the Part of Fortune crossing the 4th cusp of South Africa's birth chart, an upswing in the property market is to be expected, albeit possibly later in 2010 and then for some of 2011.

Fortuna will also trine Mars Lord 4, showing the positive slant brought to this area of the chart and therefore to the country. The only other hylegal point doing anything of note is the Moon who will sextile the radix Ascendant and Mars, and trine Jupiter and the Sun. These aspects again do not show difficulty, but ease, however this does not necessarily mean they will be pleasant. For that we must look to the planets themselves. The Moon as Lord 8, other people's money coming to Jupiter as Lord 1 and to the Ascendant, shows income and this is based, on astrological factors, around the 2010 FIFA World Cup as Mars in the radix is also Lord 5, the country's sporting events, and the Sun is Lord 9 the ruler of foreign countries. Based on the terms of the 5 hylegal points South Africa in 2010 will primarily be concerned with assets (Lord 2 Saturn), illness and rural areas (Lord 6 Venus), and its public persona or government (Lord 10 Mercury).

Although there is little potential depicted in this chart for major occurrences, it must be noted that the usual tides of life will manifest just as they should. The Sun will conjunct Procyon bringing in the element of the desire nature (the base nature of man which tends to be less than savoury) which in turn highlights the 6th and 8th axis of the grand conjunction chart. The Moon will conjunct Vindemiatrix, a fixed star which denotes over estimating one's abilities, folly and “stupid for stupid's sake”. It is highly possible that the events of 2010 could produce income and wealth for the country, but this is the potential only – how this is managed will determine whether or not the visitors to South African shores in June/July return to invest in fixed property and to enjoy the bounty that this glorious country has to offer.

The Profected Chart

Every 12 years the profected chart will be a mirror image of the nativity. The chart for 31 May 2009, for a year forward in time, is then exactly the same as the radix, bringing with it the inherent problems of the birth chart. This is aligned with the grand conjunction chart, highlighting old issues which are presented in a new format and under a new government. With Saturn, the ruler of despotism moving into exaltation, caution should be applied by the leaders of all countries, but especially the South African heads of state. They would do well to heed this astrological warning and remember the words of Lord Acton, in a letter to Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." South Africa has a history of autocratic rule which was established and legalised at its conception in 1961. The profected chart for 31 May 2010 until 31 May 2011 places Saturn as its Lord with the Ascendant posited on the fixed star of Deneb – a sure indication of over-reaching or aspiring to great heights. Saturn rules foundations and we do best to take into account that great heights are attainable, but will become top heavy if the foundation is shaky – and leaders are there to serve the people, who are the foundation.

The Solar Return

31 May 2009 to 31 May 2010:

The 2009 solar return chart has the south node in the 2nd house, and although in a different sign to the cusp, it is very close to it; we have here the potential for restriction of assets in the second half of 2009. Solar return Venus is applying to conjunct radix Venus (1 deg away) providing movement in the houses of illness (possibly the swine flu virus which manifested) and to the allies of the country or within the cabinet. Solar return Mars squares radix Saturn bringing upheaval and strife to matters financial and to areas of communication – Lords 2 and 3 in the nativity. Solar return Mercury is in a partile conjunction to the grand conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. This denotes the change in presidency from Mbeki to Zuma as Mercury in the radix is Lord 10. It also depicts the increase in crime (contrary to government released reports) as Mercury is also Lord 7 the house of open enemies. Solar return Mars which is Lord 12 in the radix will be severely afflicted well into 2010 by the debilitated Venus who rules the house of illness. So the self-undoing of South Africa is once again highlighted, a theme which is woven through all of these delineated charts. The Ascendant on the fixed star of Polaris introduces a theme of betrayal and subterfuge for the latter part of 2009 and early 2010. The Moon posited on Zosma denotes a people who are unyielding and stubborn, again fuelling the overall sense of folly. Fortuna on Zavijava however does promise protection and better times to come, and based on the charts this does bode well for the latter part of 2010. In a SR chart we are more concerned with Natal Arc Fortuna, which in this chart is posited at 16 Capricorn - it is however not doing anything of significance.

31 May 2010 to 31 May 2011:

The fixed star of Vindemiatrix colours the solar return Ascendant. We have discussed this star previously as the Moon traverses across it in the progressed chart. Again, the exquisite beauty of astrology is laid bare for us to see, if only we would humble ourselves enough to do so. The grand conjunction of 28 May 2000 showed the path South Africa would do best not to walk, but should South Africa and its powers that be plus its common folk choose to disregard that, the thorns and brambles they will encounter on this path are many. The Mid Heaven is posited on the fixed star Dirah which alludes to the mythology of the twins Pollux and Castor, and possibly the “king” will be torn between doing the right thing for his country and submitting to the more basal urges of self gratification in 2010. These stars are also associated with death and it will be interesting to observe how this manifests. Saturn in the solar return chart is posited on Zavijava so it does appear that the assets and finances will improve in 2010. This is further underlined by the movement between the directed chart and the radix. Solar return Jupiter squares radix Moon - we see difficulty between Lord 8, the money of others and South Africa. This could manifest as a result of the FIFA World Cup (again) where high expectations of income are not met. The solar return nodal axis is posited across this 2nd and 8th house natal axis of finances as well. Jupiter is soon to change sign and lose dignity which will occur closer to 2011– Jupiter as Lord 1 – so this is a negative for the latter part of the 2010 period being assessed. Solar return Mars is in trine to natal Venus, again linking the axis of the 6th and 8th houses discussed when we assessed the grand conjunction chart. Natal Arc Fortuna is at 28 Aries: trine radix Moon and square radix Saturn. Again Lords 2 and 3 (Saturn) and Lord 8 (Moon) are highlighted and there will be a change pertaining to money matters. House 2 is also our self esteem and our opinion of others, just as house 8 is the opinion of others of us - this again highlights the warning provided by the other charts that our image is at stake, and that South Africa would do best to place its long term image at the forefront, especially concerning the FIFA World Cup.

The Eclipse Charts

To fine-tune the timing of any major events we need to assess the lunar returns of the nativity to determine in which months these events are most likely to occur. As there do not appear to be any major ground-breaking events, there is little point in delineating 12 lunar return charts. However, that is why we have eclipse charts as well in our astrological tool box, to fast track us to a particular period, should we see that there is a connection between that specific eclipse and the radix. We have 3 eclipses in 2010 which connect with the nativity of South Africa: Solar Annual 15 January 2010, Partial Lunar 26 June 2010 and Total Lunar 21 December 2010. The Sun/Moon conjunction of the solar eclipse in January, posited in the radix 2nd house, is in a partile square to radix Venus, Lord 6 and 11. This in itself may not mean much unless we have congruent testimony about the affairs of this house from the other charts, which indeed we do. Again we see a connection to illness and to allies, and we must never forget that the 11th house is not only friends (allies) but also the king's advisors – so the cabinet.

Eclipse Venus is in a partile conjunction to this Sun/Moon conjunction and she thereby makes a square to natal Venus – we have seen this connection before in the solar return chart, albeit a conjunction in that chart. Lord of the eclipse here is Jupiter which is Lord 1 in the radix. So in January there should be an event which brings the 6th house into play in a very personal way for South Africa. In June the lunar eclipse which is a Sun/Moon opposition conjuncts and opposes Mercury. Mercury is Lord 10 and Lord 7 – so events pertaining to the government or the “king” and the country's public image as well as to partners, others and open enemies (7th house). The FIFA soccer World Cup is again highlighted as it falls exactly over this period. Lord of this eclipse is Mars, the ruler of the 12th house and of Lord 5 – the house of the sporting event. The lunar eclipse in December again conjuncts and opposes a planet and this time it is the Moon – the ruler of the 8th house of other people's money in the radix. This eclipse highlights the change in sign and dignity for Jupiter in the solar return chart and the difficulty pertaining to financial issues in that same solar return chart.

Conclusion

There are numerous (other) charts which can be delineated in order to fully understand a country and its destiny, such as pre-natal eclipse charts, and the like. However, what is advisable is for astrologers to sink their (milk) teeth into a country and then to familiarise themselves with its nuances slowly, over many years. As stated at the beginning of this article no chart should be read in isolation, especially with regards to states and great nations, dynasty's and kings and potentates. It is only by laboriously assessing charts, year in and year out, that one gains a true understanding of the basics, the rest evolves over a lifetime – the very reason why one always remains a student of astrology. It is also imperative to understand, when assessing the future of any nativity, that astrology cannot make events occur on our behalf. It depicts the potential, but it is up to us to both use and maximise that potential. A lot depends - as with so much in astrology - on whether the native acts or is prepared to sit back and be acted upon. The latter tends to produce results rather less pleasant than the former. (Footnote 2)

Footnotes

1. The Real Astrology, John Frawley, pages 127 – 138 referred to throughout this article.
2. John Frawley.