Change is in the ethers now.

The heavenly influences around election times have much to do with the temper of the electorate, and how they are inclined to vote. I believe, with Tolstoy, that the zeitgeist, or current cultural flows, are basic in determining history.

We have many powerful influences accompanying the November 2 election (view Election Day chart). Just that overall influence, of much new energy coming in all at once, is an indicator of change.

In the first place, presidential elections in the U.S. are always in the season of Scorpio, a sign of transformation and regeneration. This year’s election is in the heart of the time when the veils between worlds are thinnest, variously celebrated as Samhain, Halloween, the Day of the Dead, All Souls’ Day, and All Saints’ Day.

This is the Witches’ New Year, when in the northern hemisphere the old growth is dying, and the new buds are starting to show. We divest ourselves of baggage which has outworn its usefulness, and prepare to move into a new cycle at Winter Solstice.

This year on November 2, we are also in the last, or waning part of the lunar cycle. We have passed the full moon illumination, and can now share its wisdom with the collective, rather than striving to fulfill our personal niche, as we do prior to full moon.

Supporting an influx of wisdom and inspiration are the direct stations of the two most visionary planets, Uranus and Neptune, near this time. Neptune turns direct on October 24, and Uranus turns direct on November 11. Protector Vesta ("vests") turns direct on October 28. (See Retrograde Watch in this issue of Daykeeper.) Planets are super-strong around station times. Powerful visions are in our minds now. The question is, What visions? TV watchers tell me that the news now is inundated with photos of "terrorists." Many people will be holding these pictures. Others will be gathering inspiration from many sources.

The current Moon cycle shows the kind and manner of energy with which we are now working.

This Moon cycle begins with a solar eclipse (view Solar Eclipse chart) and continues with a lunar eclipse, and both of these eclipses directly influence the election. (Read more about the eclipses in the Daily Success Guide in this issue of Daykeeper.) Eclipses indicate changes, often big changes, and often surprising.

The current Moon cycle is extremely, and suddenly, of Libran character. Libra’s challenge is balance, to see both sides, and to find a harmonious compromise. Libra is perhaps the most humanitarian sign, and very concerned about human dignity, and an environment which supports it. Justice is Libra’s forte, and she will fight for peace and justice. Libra is the sign on the midheaven of the U.S. Sibly chart, and indicates the goals towards which the U.S. is striving. Libra is very idealistic, and its equalitarian urges dominate the ideals of the United States. So what is eclipsed here—those ideals? Or the current travesties of those ideals? Or will we see a resurrection of those ideals? Kerry, like the U.S., has Libra on his midheaven (view Kerry's chart).

The lunar eclipse is in Taurus, and is total over the U.S. Thus its effect on the nation (and actually much of the world) is strong. Resources, and U.S. power in the world in regard to resources is the theme here (view Total Lunar Eclipse chart).

In the case of this eclipse pair, the solar eclipse blots out the past, and the lunar eclipse brings in a changed present, one which is more conscious than in the past. We can see a more balanced approach to the nation’s use of resources emerge from these eclipses. This possibility speaks to Kerry as a favored choice. The negative possibility is total unbalance of resource use, and stepped-up plunder of the planet. This speaks to Bush as the choice (view Bush's chart). Many of those—and there are millions—who are looking for Armageddon will make the latter choice.

Saturn, ruler of government, is about to turn retrograde. This is like reversing course.

We have another powerful planetary station. Saturn turns retrograde on November 7. Saturn refers to all structures, including government, business, and earth herself. Saturn wants to build, and it is a profoundly conservative influence. We begin now to rethink and redo those structures.

We had an example of Saturn’s influence in government at the November 1994 Congressional elections, when we had a surprising landslide of Republicans receiving the votes to overturn the Congressional balance. Saturn turned direct at that time. And at the same time, the U.S. progressed Saturn turned retrograde (where it will be for another 120 years).

Re-organization is the function of a retrograde Saturn. Prior to November 1994, while Saturn was traveling retrograde, the Republicans re-organized themselves. The results manifested at the 1994 election, when Saturn turned direct.

Saturn, now traveling through Cancer, is in a very crucial place for the U.S. Saturn brings lessons and challenges. It is now, at this election, opposing the U.S. Pluto. In that position it presents obstacles to U.S. power, which force it to restructure itself in a more realistic fashion. This transit continues until June 2005. This can speak to both Bush and Kerry supporters.

These specific sky happenings are stimuli to set off an event. They are the trigger for action.

The matrix for this election is Wounded Healer Chiron and Builder Saturn, more or less opposite one another from August 2004 until February 2006.

However, there is a long-lasting configuration which has been setting the stage for this election. It has been occurring all year, and will be continuing into next year. It is at a particularly expressive point at election time.

Chiron is the core. (Go into the archives and read something about Chiron’s current work in the September Daykeeper, which featured Chiron.) Chiron has a 50-to-51-year erratic cycle. Its function is to realign our energies in a more functional fashion. Chiron is our social (and personal) chiropractor.

Saturn is faster, with a 29-30 year cycle. It has been hanging close to an opposition to Chiron during the last few months, and will continue to do so into March 2005.

Chiron and Saturn are both now in cardinal signs, and in those signs which are the main polarity of the U.S. chart, Capricorn and Cancer. Cardinal signs initiate, and both of these signs initiate action which aids security. Chiron in Capricorn is disruptive to the establishment in order to realign it. Saturn in Cancer puts up defensive walls to protect the self. Together they are like a demolition-rebuilding team.

Mars is the trigger for manifestation.

Energizing them both is much faster Mars, the go-getter planet. As Mars circles Chiron and Saturn, it makes conjunctions, squares, and oppositions, which stimulate Chiron and Saturn to action. The combination is very defensive, and can be cruel and at times unpredictable.

I begin this cycle with the Mars-Saturn conjunction on May 25 at 12 Cancer, conjoined the U.S. Sun. Then the Pentagon put out a call for more bullets, and Mr. Alawi, with some-time CIA connections, was appointed interim prime minister in Iraq. I end it with the Chiron-Saturn opposition in February, 2006, at 6 Aquarius-Leo, conjunct the U.S. Nodes, our destiny axis.

Stressful connections between any two of these three planets during 2004 have all been associated with important turning points in national affairs.

Well, right now Mars is in Libra, sign of war and peace. It squares Chiron in Capricorn at the October 27 lunar eclipse. And as it moves further along in Libra, it will soon square Saturn in Cancer. This square occurs on November 8, when Saturn turns retrograde. This, then, will be the thrust of Saturn’s energy on its retrograde journey: a Mars infused with healer-maverick Chiron. Questions here might be: Is war or peace a more effective defense? How do we re-organize our government to more effectively create war? Or peace?

Mars on Election Day is exactly between its two squares—of Chiron and of Saturn. This, too, is a position of balance, and it doubles the Libra effect. In addition, Mars squares the U.S. Mercury in Cancer, energizing the perceptions of the U.S. population. But in which direction? Libra says that both sides will be expressed. (At the 2000 election, Mercury was turning direct in the last degree of that sign of balance, Libra.)

The Election Day chart has Saturn at the top, a conservative influence, and Chiron at the bottom, a disruptive influence. Mars sits on the Ascendant, energizing both sides. Before the day is over, Moon in Cancer (conservative) will conjoin the U.S. Sun and create a trine with Vesta (protection).

We see indications which favor both Bush and Kerry. "Security" is the key, and thus whichever candidate makes people feel more secure will get the votes. Kerry makes many people feel more secure, but on the other hand ever since 911 the Administration has been busily creating an atmosphere of fear, together with the idea that Bush can protect us.

Again, suspense may last until after the election. Whoever wins, there will be a great deal of re-organization in government. Chiron conjoins the U.S. Pluto in February 2005 to begin a major upheaval of the power structure which will last through 2005.

Vote! Claim your stake in the new direction of the country.