USA
by Marilyn Muir, LPMAFA
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
On October 29, 2012, when the combined Nor’easter / Hurricane Sandy slammed into the continental U.S., the mega storm devastated a huge area of the Eastern Seaboard. Sandy particularly pounded the coastal areas of New Jersey and New York. Once I completed my research on the development, life and death of Frankenstorm, I wanted to extend my research to see what else I could learn.
Because of the mega storm’s huge impact on transportation, my initial dive into more information gathering involved the New York City subway system flooding, and the flooding and shutting down of LaGuardia Airport which will be covered in later chapters of this workbook. Once those projects were completed, more questions and thoughts presented themselves.
- I could see the effects of Sandy in the New Jersey and New York charts, the states of direct impact.
- Could I see the effects of Sandy in the U.S. chart since 24 of 50 states were impacted?
- Could I see specific connections between the U.S. chart combined with the New Jersey and / or New York charts?
- Could I see specific effects to the Atlantic City, NJ city chart?
- Could I see specific effects to the New York, NY city chart?
- What else could I develop to expand my astrological understanding of this storm and its effects?
This event offers an enormous learning possibility not to be wasted on superficial sampling. Since I had previously constructed all the U.S. statehood noonmark charts for a different research project, I looked first at the effects on the two states most directly impacted out of the 24 states that had suffered the effects of the mega storm. Chapter 2 covered the effects on New Jersey and New York in astrological detail. This article will cover the mega storm impact shown in the U.S. Virgo rising chart, plus the connections between the U.S. chart and the two states’ charts. In case you have not noticed, this study is not for the faint of heart, but for astrologers willing to dig deeper into the astrological goldmine that is this mega-event.
Resource The traditional birth chart for our nation is the date of the Declaration of Independence, which my personal research has determined to be July 4, 1776, 9:36 AM LMT, Philadelphia, PA. Thank you to Astrologer Michael Munkasey for his previous research and conclusions. Of all the chart choices, this one worked best with accompanying events. We will then combine the timed U.S. chart with the New Jersey and New York statehood noonmark charts as provided and enumerated in chapter 2. We must remember we are comparing apples to oranges (noonmark charts to a timed chart).
See my article, “My USA Chart of Choice”,
http://www.marilynmuir.net/articles/my-usa-chart-of-choice/
The chart for the U.S. embodies all events for all fifty states, 48 of which are continental and two of which are separated from the rest by large distances. The U.S. chart also embodies all U.S. territories that are covered by its international umbrella. Obviously, a country can experience many activities in any day, but such enormous devastation should show up clearly. Not all the states and territories were affected by this storm, even with the storm’s 1100-mile diameter, but 24 states were. An event of such high and devastating impact on a country should therefore reveal itself in its natal and progressed charts.
USA
July 4, 1776, 9:36 AM LMT
Philadelphia, PA
First, we will look specifically at the contacts between Hurricane Sandy and the USA charts. I chose the 8:00 PM landfall chart as my beginning point, with the midnight data as alternative. We will be comparing natal to natal with times known in both charts. Because of the trauma and impact involved, I will as usual look only to the hard aspects (conjunctions, oppositions and squares) and use as tight an orb as possible. Event connection aspects are listed Hurricane Sandy (current) to U.S. (natal).
- Sandy Midheaven 21 Aquarius 56 conjunct U.S. Moon 22 Aquarius 36.
- Sandy T-square Uranus 5 Aries 24R, Venus 01 Libra 46, Pluto 7 Capricorn 24, grand cross with U.S. Venus 2 Cancer 43 and Jupiter 5 Cancer 51.
- Sandy Moon 8 Taurus 53 opposite Sun 6 Scorpio 58 and Saturn 2 Scorpio 54, square U.S. N Node 6 Leo 35.
- Sandy Jupiter 15 Gemini 18R conjunct Ascendant 15 Gemini 34, opposite Mars 16 Sagittarius 30, wide square U.S. Ascendant 11 Virgo 46.
- Sandy Mercury 00 Sagittarius 37 square Neptune 00 Pisces 24R, not specifically nor closely connected to the U.S. natal.
- The tightest connections are the Full Moon, the T-square and the storm Midheaven.
Hurricane Sandy’s event diurnal angles applied to the U.S. natal chart:
USA Diurnal
October 29,2012, 9:36 AM LMT
Philadelphia, PA
- U.S. diurnal Midheaven 02 Libra 32 conjunct Venus 01 Libra 17 opposite Uranus 05 Aries 25R, square Pluto 07 Capricorn 23, hard aspect U.S. natal Venus 2 Can 43 and Jupiter 5 Cancer 51.
- U.S. diurnal Ascendant 13 Sagittarius 30 and Mars 16 Sagittarius 13, opposite Jupiter 15 Gemini 20R, wide square U.S. natal Ascendant 11 Virgo 46.
- U.S. diurnal Moon 04 Taurus 11 opposite Sun 06 Scorpio 35 and Saturn 02 Scorpio 51, square U.S. N Node 6 Leo 35R.
- Since that involves practically every planet in the diurnal chart, mental note that diurnal Mercury 00 Sagittarius 18 squares diurnal Neptune 00 Pisces 24R, too wide for U.S. natal positions.
Looking at Sandy’s midnight October 29-30th chart, only three points have substantial changes: Moon, Midheaven, Ascendant.
- Sandy Midheaven 26 Aries 22 square U.S. Mercury 24 Cancer 20R and Pluto 27 Capricorn 34R. Time is important.
- Sandy Ascendant 07 Leo 48 and Moon 10 Taurus 52, square U.S. N Node 6 Leo 35R. Time is important.
U.S. progressions to the Hurricane Sandy event, U.S. progressed to progressed and natal:
USA Progressed
October 29,2012, 9:36 AM LMT
Philadelphia, PA
- U.S. progressed conjunction Midheaven 27 Capricorn 58, Pluto 29 Capricorn 15, and N Node 26 Cancer 25R, to natal Pluto 27 Capricorn 34R. Note that Pluto has moved less than 2˚ in 236 years of progression.
- U.S. progressed Sun 7 Pisces 43 separating from square to progressed Uranus 7 Gemini 01, applying to natal Midheaven 8 Gemini 52 and Uranus 8 Gemini 54.
- U.S. progressed Moon 16 Libra 37 and Mars 18 Libra 29R, square Jupiter 15 Cancer 28R, all separating from U.S. natal Saturn 14 Libra 47.
- U.S. progressed Mercury 21 Aquarius 00R conjunct natal Moon 22 Aquarius 36.
- U.S. progressed Saturn 03 Scorpio 12R widely square natal N Node 6 Leo 35.
- U.S. progressed Venus 22 Aries 08 square natal Mercury 24 Cancer 20R.
What about Sandy’s 8:00 PM event connections to the U.S. progressions?
- Sandy Midheaven 21 Aquarius 56 conjunct U.S. progressed Mercury 21 Aquarius 00R.
- Sandy Saturn 2 Scorpio 54 conjunct Sun 6 Scorpio 58, and conjunct U.S. progressed Saturn 3 Scorpio 12R (Saturn to Saturn tight).
What about Sandy’s three changed midnight event connections to the U.S. progressions?
- Sandy Midheaven 26 Aries 22 square U.S. progressed S Node 26 Capricorn 25R, Midheaven 27 Capricorn 58, and to progressed Pluto 29 Capricorn 15.
- Sandy Ascendant 07 Leo 48 and Moon 10 Taurus 52, substantially separating from 8 PM listings, separating conjunction to natal N Node 6 Leo 35.
I do think that is enough proof that the U.S. as a country was seriously impacted personally, as well as the association of the storm with individual states.
New Jersey
As we move to the New Jersey and New York chart connections to the U.S. chart, remember the state charts are noonmark and only the U.S. chart is timed and most reliable. The state Midheaven, Ascendant and Moon are the three points of widest speculation. The balance of the state charts positions are reasonably reliable for this study. We will start with New Jersey as it is the earlier state to establish itself as a state within the U.S. I use hard aspects only as they are the action makers, natal to natal, orbs up to 5˚ because this is a natal-to-natal comparison, but tighter is always better. (Note: remember a noonmark chart always has the Sun close to the Midheaven.)
- NJ natal Ascendant 25 Pisces 12 opposite U.S. natal Neptune 22 Virgo 24, both square U.S. natal Mars 21 Gemini 09.
- NJ natal Sun 26 Sagittarius 58 and Midheaven 27 Sagittarius 26 widely opposed U.S. natal Mars 21 Gemini 09, and widely square U.S. natal Neptune 22 Virgo 24.
- NJ natal Jupiter 20 Gemini 26R conjunct U.S. natal Mars 21 Gemini 09, and square Neptune 22 Virgo 24.
- NJ natal Mercury 7 Sagittarius 50 opposite U.S. natal Midheaven / Uranus 8 Gemini 52-54, all square U.S. natal Ascendant 11 Virgo 46.
- NJ natal Venus 11 Capricorn 50 opposite U.S. natal Sun 13 Cancer 01.
- NJ natal Mars 24 Cancer 31R conjunct U.S. natal Mercury 24 Cancer 20R.
- NJ natal Uranus 29 Cancer 26R opposite U.S. natal Pluto 27 Capricorn 34R.
- NJ natal Saturn 24 Aquarius 28 conjunct U.S. natal Moon 22 Aquarius 36.
Teaching Moment: Triggering a Cluster Look at the clustering of aspects from 20 to 27.5 mutable and the smaller cluster at 24 to 29.5 cardinal. Whenever you have a cluster that contains many multiples, remember that to trigger a single point within that complex is to trigger the whole of the complex. In my experience, the complex cannot truly be separated for activation. The activations would remain in effect from the first contact to the earliest degree until the last contact to the latest degree of the entire complex!
WOW! Those are a lot of aspects between natals. This is a very odd combining of charts. The original thirteen colonies and their citizens and actions gave life to the USA Declaration of Independence. Later discussions relative to the ratification of the Articles of Confederation led to the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights establishing an official U.S. governing body in which the creation would embody and govern the creators. That is true of New Jersey, New York and all the rest of the original thirteen colonies. Any state that entered the union after those thirteen originals would come into an existing governing body. My reasoning is that the balance of the states admitted were literally adopted in because they were actually outside the original grouping. Metaphorically, that means that the original states were in a natural parent / children relationship and the other 37 states were adopted into an existing family. I had never thought of that possibility prior to the moment I wrote it. The universe contributed another potential insight! Hmmm.
What activated in both the natal complexes and their progressions to show the devastation represented by Sandy? Did any new aspects form? These will not be all natal activations, so we will tighten the orbs.
- NJ progressed Midheaven 6 Leo 26 and Sun 7 Leo 55, conjunct natal U.S. N Node 6 Leo 35.
- NJ progressed Moon 3 Cancer 59 conjunct U.S. natal Venus 2 Cancer 43 and Jupiter 5 Cancer 51.
- NJ progressed Mars 22 Virgo 26 conjunct U.S. natal Neptune 22 Virgo 24, bingo!
- NJ progressed Jupiter 15 Cancer 16, 2+˚ past conjunct U.S. natal Sun 13 Cancer 01.
- NJ progressed Saturn 9 Pisces 41R opposite U.S. natal Ascendant 11 Virgo 46.
Do any of those aspects correlate to the 8:00 PM NJ landfall of Sandy? What we saw continually active in the charts in chapters 1 and 2 were mid-mutable due to the transiting Mars / Jupiter opposition in Gemini / Sagittarius, early fixed due to the Full Moon / Sun / Saturn across Taurus / Scorpio, and early cardinal due to the Venus / Uranus / Pluto developing T-square. Additionally, I am watching early mutable due to the transiting Mercury / Neptune square at 00 Sagittarius / Pisces, because of its wind / water signature.
- early fixed: NJ progressed Ascendant 00 Scorpio 49 and Uranus 00 Leo 59 – bingo!
- mid-mutable: NJ progressed N Node 15 Sagittarius 48R.
- early cardinal: NJ progressed Moon 3 Cancer 59.
- early mutable: no close contact.
The midnight event diurnal angles for the NJ noonmark chart offer:
- NJ diurnal Midheaven 10 Scorpio 51: the 8:00 PM event Moon was 8 Taurus 53, but the midnight Moon was 10 Taurus 52 – both bingo!
- NJ diurnal Ascendant 16 Capricorn 38 opposed NJ progressed Jupiter 15 Cancer 16.
- NJ diurnal Moon 5 Taurus 23 – Note: the Full Moon itself was 6 Taurus 48.
New York
I think I have proven the case for U.S. / NJ / Sandy, so let us see what we can find with U.S. / NY / Sandy. Same rules, hard aspects, tight orbs apply. NY natal to U.S. natal:
- NY natal Midheaven 2 Leo 45, Sun 4 Leo 13, and Uranus 00 Leo 45, widely conjunct U.S. natal N Node 6 Leo 35R.
- Note NY natal Moon 09 Taurus 37 widely aspects the above.
- NY natal Jupiter 14 Cancer 26 conjunct U.S. natal Sun 13 Cancer 01.
- NY natal Mars 20 Virgo 02 conjunct U.S. natal Neptune 22 Virgo 24.
- NY natal Ascendant 27 Libra 42 square U.S. natal Pluto 27 Capricorn 34R, and opposed Mercury 24 Cancer 20.
- NY natal Saturn 9 Pisces 54R conjunct U.S. natal Descendant 11 Pisces 46, and square U.S. Midheaven / Uranus 8 Gemini 52-54.
NY progressed to U.S. progressed:
- NY progressed Moon 26 Cancer 53 conjunct U.S. progressed N Node 26 Cancer 25R opposite progressed Midheaven 27 Capricorn 58 and Pluto 29 Capricorn 15.
- NY progressed Neptune 22 Libra 49R opposite U.S. progressed Venus 22 Aries 08.
- NY progressed Pluto 18 Aquarius 08 and Venus 26 Aquarius 10 midpoint square U.S. progressed Ascendant 17 Taurus 25.
- NY progressed Jupiter 19 Cancer 51R widely square U.S. progressed Moon 16 Libra 37 and Mars 18 Libra 29R.
- NY progressed Uranus 01 Leo 10R square U.S. progressed Saturn 3 Scorpio 12R.
Looking at the Sandy aspects that were commonly active, again: Mars / Jupiter opposite mid-mutable, Full Moon / Sun / Saturn early fixed, Venus / Uranus / Pluto T-square early cardinal, and Mercury / Neptune square early mutable:
- early fixed: NY progressed Uranus 1 Leo 10R, and natal Uranus 00 Leo 45 and Midheaven 2 Leo 45.
- mid-mutable: NY progressed Midheaven 14 Pisces 51, Saturn 14 Pisces 03, Sun 17 Pisces 52, and Mercury 19 Pisces 44R.
- early cardinal: closest is the NY progressed Ascendant 07 Can 09, too wide.
- early mutable: NY progressed Mars 01 Pisces 41, a hit!
The event diurnal angles for the NY noonmark chart show:
- NY diurnal Midheaven 10 Scorpio 51 – yes, that is right, same as the NJ diurnal MC! The 8 PM event Moon was 8 Taurus 53 and the midnight Moon was 10 Taurus 52, bingo!
- NY diurnal Ascendant 16 Capricorn 13 opposed NY natal Jupiter 14 Cancer 26, and square Neptune 18 Libra 33.
- NY diurnal Moon 5 Taurus 21 square NY natal Midheaven 2 Leo 45 and natal Sun 4 Leo 13.
Again, I think I have proven the case for U.S. / NY / Sandy. I was continually astounded at the commonality between NY and NJ for this horrendous shared event. Note: NJ is 221 days older than NY natally; perfect and very visible example.
And they say this stuff does not work!
Teaching Moment For more information between either pairing, NJ to U.S. or NY to U.S., remember that the relationship between any two entities is always a two-way street. It is as valid to compare U.S. to NJ as it is to compare NJ to U.S. as given in this material. My best analogy when comparing person-to-person relationship charts for example is for those involved to think about what it means for Venus #1 to aspect Saturn #2 and what it means that Saturn #2 aspects Venus #1 from the other side. My analogy is to exchange the word “aspect” to “sitting on”. Would you rather have Venus sit on Saturn or Saturn sit on Venus to provide experience? Now there is an eye-opening question. Which experience would you like personally? Did you ever think of what an experience might be like from the “sitter’s” perspective? The static position is the natal chart. In this study, the activating position is the progressing or transiting position.
The same concept and analogy works in any relationship pairing and not just relationship between people. Mundanely, the state affects the country, and the country affects the state. The impact hit the state directly, but that state is contained within the country, which is likewise impacted. Now look to the possibility of recovery.
Under such devastation, will the impacted state help the relatively less severely impacted country? Or conversely, will that impacted state need to be helped by its “umbrella” country? The states were devastated. Those states had to look to the larger more generally impacted country for aid and recovery. Just look at what the U.S. Congress did with that particular ball in their court. When asked for help, Congress dragged their heels and took weeks to respond. Weeks while the citizens / residents suffered. Congress was finally shamed into action, and it did take shaming to force action. Could you do that to your own child or family? Can you tell I was incensed at the lack of compassion evidenced by our elected representatives, our Congress? ‘Nuf said.
Please look at the following spreadsheet to see all this information in a color-coded aspect format.
Next, we will tackle two of the cities impacted by Hurricane Sandy, the direct hit to Atlantic City, and the adjacent direct hit to New York City.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.