Ceres and democracy in the USA

May 2021

A version of this reworking and updating of an earlier post appeared on the TMA blog in May 2021.

Democracy in the US definitely needs some updating … and I think Ceres represents democracy and can give advice as to what is needed. But why do I think she is important? I have been an avid fan of her since her upgrade in 2006, and have carried out a lot of research to help uncover her meaning.

Apart from my research on elections here in the Netherlands, the UK and in the US, and Brexit, (there are many posts on these topics on my blog) her position in the heavens convinced me that she plays an important role in democracy. She is between Mars — the last personal planet, our will, and the first social planet — Jupiter, laws, strategy and vision for groups, including countries. She is the go-between of the will of the people and political systems. As such, she negotiates and sticks up for all underdogs against the powerful ruling classes. She said “NO” to Jupiter and Pluto in the myth in order to get what she wanted. In my view, she represents a strong, wise, feminine archetype.

But first – do countries have a vocation?

Vocation or calling is one of my specialties. I really enjoy encouraging my clients to find and embrace what they really love to do. I feel each one of us has something to contribute to the whole. And we become good at what we enjoy if we allow ourselves time to do these things.

I believe companies, as well as countries, have a calling too. I am halfway through writing a book for astrologers on how I use this idea in business astrology. However, here I wish to discuss how the universe seems to be involved in getting the right people in the right place if only we give it a chance. I wrote a post way back in 2006 about how companies seem to attract the right people to fit the company purpose.

The US elections

Before the 2020 elections I wrote:

“I want to wade (with some trepidation) into the US elections. I think given more options the US ‘entity’ would probably choose neither Biden nor Trump. But she really only gets a choice of two. Elizabeth Warren has a lot of links with the US chart, so it would have been interesting to see what would have happened to her had she been a candidate.”

No Virgos!

What started me off on this topic was finding out that Virgo (along with Aries) was the least favoured sign for a US president. I decided to do some research. All the signs are represented – hence my original post title ‘Anyone can be president.’ But on closer inspection it seems that some signs are more equal than others. For me the Sun sign is relevant as I see it as an important part of vocation. And you can fulfil your vocation best in a country or organisation that fits with your own calling.

There have been:

Sun signs US Presidents
 
Aries 2 Thomas Jefferson
John Tyler
Taurus 4 James Monroe
James Buchanan
Ulysses S. Grant
Harry S. Truman
Gemini  3 John F. Kennedy
George H.W. Bush
Donald Trump
Cancer 4 John Quincy Adams
Calvin Coolidge
Gerald Ford
George W. Bush
Leo 4 Benjamin Harrison
Herbert Hoover
Bill Clinton
Barack Obama
Virgo 2 William Howard Taft
Lyndon B. Johnson
Libra 4 Rutherford B. Hayes
Chester A. Arthur
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Jimmy Carter
Scorpio 5 John Adams
James K. Polk
James A. Garfield
Theodore Roosevelt
Warren G. Harding
Sagittarius 3 Martin van Buren
Zachary Taylor
Franklin Pierce
Capricorn 4 Millard Fillmore
Andrew Johnson
Woodrow Wilson
Richard Nixon
Aquarius 5 William Henry Harrison
Abraham Lincoln
William McKinley
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Ronald Reagan
Pisces 4  George Washington
James Madison
Andrew Jackson
Grover Cleveland (Nr. 22 and 24)

However, if we look at who actually fought and won elections, the picture changes, especially at the top of the list. Virgo and Aries stay at 2, but Aquarius comes top with 11, with Pisces at 8, followed by Leo and Taurus at 6. Scorpio (the sign of Joe Biden) is now 6 too; Cancer, Libra and Capricorn come in at 4 and Gemini, the sign of Trump, is at 3 including him, which is the same as Sagittarius – the rising sign of the US in the Sibly chart that I use.

There are 5 presidents who never won an election. This is due to the way the system works if a president dies in office. The Vice-President then serves out the term. Eight presidents died in office, 4 of whom were assassinated.

Originally I thought Scorpio might be high due to the fact that elections were held in November, but that wasn’t always the case. I had thought the inauguration day might give a Sun sign an advantage, but the 20th of January has not always been inauguration day – it was in March for a long time, and in any case that day can sometimes have the Sun in Aquarius and sometimes in Capricorn.

Aquarius explained?

So none of that really explains why there are so many Aquarians winning elections. War is partly the culprit, as Franklin D. Roosevelt won four elections and served between 1933 and 1945 as the longest serving president. This can no longer happen as the number of terms a president can serve is now limited. In some ways Aquarius seems a rather unlucky sign as five of the Aquarian presidents died in office, (including Roosevelt), two of whom were assassinated, Lincoln and McKinley. And there was an attempt on Reagan’s life as well.

My theory!

So back to the US chart. What might that attract? And what might the people want? The Moon in a country chart represents ‘we the people’. In the US chart known as the Sibly chart, which many astrologers use, the Moon is in Aquarius! So anyone who resonates with this sign seems to have an advantage. These words from the Declaration of Independence have a very Aquarian feel too: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.’

So perhaps it is not so surprising that Aquarians rule. (But of course I knew that :)) Anyone want to donate a few million so I can have a go? I’m sure we could get around the birth-place issue!

aquarius

Aquarius embroidery by Creative Fabrica

But what about Pisces?

At first glance, the horoscope many use for the US would not seem very Piscean. However, when you add my favourite, Ceres –  the dwarf planet that I associate with democracy – this changes. Ceres is in Pisces. I think for a long time the US has acted out the Sun in Cancer – from patriotism to family values to protectionism, and the aspects with the Sun with Jupiter – think big, expansion, bigger is better, religion. And Saturn –  rules from government and a business focus. But since Ceres made a comeback in 2006, she (often in the form of women) is standing up for the earth, women and the less advantaged in the population.

Ceres in Pisces in the US chart represents the possibility of a compassionate and visionary democracy.

A little history

Here are a few examples from previous presidents who have won at least 2 elections:

President Planets in Aquarius or Pisces
   
Thomas Jefferson Mercury in Pisces
Ulysses S. Grant Ceres, North node in Aquarius
Venus in Pisces
George W. Bush Ceres in Aquarius
Bill Clinton Ceres in Aquarius
Barack Obama Jupiter and Ascendant in Aquarius
Dwight D. Eisenhower Jupiter in Aquarius
Richard Nixon Moon, Uranus in Aquarius
Venus in Pisces
Abraham Lincoln Venus, Ceres, Jupiter, Pluto in Pisces
Probably Aquarius ascendant – his birth time is a bit uncertain.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Sun, Mercury, Venus, Ceres in Aquarius
Ronald Reagan Sun in Aquarius
Venus in Pisces
George Washington Mercury in Aquarius
Sun, Venus in Pisces

Of course, because the Sun (which represents leaders) in the US chart is in Cancer, Cancer will often be part of a president’s horoscope as it is with some of these presidents above. However, it seems that having planets in Aquarius and Pisces helps.

Last two elections

So what did the cosmos have to choose from in the last three elections?

In 2008, Obama (Jupiter and ascendant in Aquarius) was up against John McCain, who had Moon in Aquarius with Saturn and the Ascendant in Pisces. Perhaps Jupiter beats Saturn:) But in 2012 he was against Mitt Romney, who blows my theory – there’s always one! He has Sun, Mercury, Mars and Ceres in Pisces and Venus in Aquarius. That must have helped him get as far as he did. What Obama has that Romney doesn’t have is a planet in Cancer. Obama’s Venus is in Cancer – matching the US Venus and Sun – so perhaps that and other connections he has were a stronger factor.

And then of course there is Trump vs. Hillary Clinton. Clinton’s birth time has long been a topic of discussion among astrologers. It is likely she has the Moon in Pisces, however late on the day she was born the Moon went into Aries. Her ascendant is unconfirmed. I will assume for this topic she has the Moon in Pisces.

And so to Trump

Again, without using Ceres, Trump has nothing in either of our top signs. But Ceres is in Aquarius for him too as it was for a few of the earlier presidents. Maybe Ceres beats the likely Moon of Hillary! However, Trump does have a lot of Cancer energy – Mercury, Venus and Saturn – so that is a really important link with the US chart which gave him a possible advantage in 2020 too.

So what about Joe Biden?

Joe’s a Scorpio, and has three other planets in Scorpio, so he will be determined! Like Trump, he too has nothing in either of the top signs if you don’t use Ceres. He has Ceres in Pisces! But he has Jupiter in Cancer too, so that was a factor in his favour.

Joe Biden Donald trump

Biden vs. Trump Photo illustrations from Bloomberg

So it was Aquarius vs. Pisces or Moon vs. Ceres

I wrote before the elections: “Using my arguments and limiting it to Ceres and the Moon, this time one question is: Will the vote follow what the people need on an emotional level – the Moon? In which case Trump should win, as his type of democracy matches that emotional need. Or will they go for Ceres in the US chart – the type of democracy and environment they want – Pisces? In which case Biden should win.

It all depends …

… on the level of consciousness of the US voting public. Trump’s Aquarian brand of democracy resonates with the more negative side of Aquarius. The rebels, the individual right to do whatever you want, the cold,  I-know-best-and-I’m-never-wrong side that Aquarius can have. He will attract people who want an uprising.

Biden will attract people who wish for a more compassionate, inclusive type of democracy. However Pisces energy can easily be seen as a victim or a sort of martyr. A democracy that is an unrealistic, do-gooder type of system. His message could be too vague. And he does seem to be hiding, compared to Trump.

Both types of democracy could be good – the best for the US would be a system that embraces the good in both signs. Freedom and equality for individuals AND compassion and support for everyone. These don’t have to be mutually exclusive.”

The Cancer factor

Any planets in Cancer can’t be ignored as the US is looking for Cancer qualities in its leaders. As mentioned, Trump has this energy, which can be seen in his family-oriented nepotism and his protectionist policies. I have written more about Trump in a previous post. This is the energy that gave him an advantage over Hillary Clinton, I think.

Joe Biden is a bit different. Although he doesn’t have as much Cancer energy as Trump, he has Jupiter – the planet of politics and strategy in this sign.

Done and dusted now

We know now who won, but not without some sad happenings on the way to the inauguration. As many others, I too did not like the look of the inauguration chart. I wrote:

Trouble brewing

“I don’t often say this, but I think in the current climate, this is quite scary. There are several planets in Aquarius, a sign of wanting to be right! The Moon is what is known as void of course. In some charts this is taken to mean ‘nothing will come of the matter.’ Could this mean the inauguration can’t go ahead?”

US inauguration

The chart for the US Presidential inauguration 2021

“The Moon is in the very last degrees of Aries, a very strong position in a combative sign. However, more worrying in the current climate is that Mars and Uranus are together and very near the Ascendant. This could indicate stubborn (in Taurus), aggressive (Mars) rebellion (Uranus). Add to that Pluto right overhead at the top of the chart and we have the potential for powerful and devastating acts.”

(It turns out that some of this happened before the inauguration which thankfully went smoothly, albeit with heavy security).

“Ceres is in Pisces by this time, but she is right next to Neptune, which could imply total confusion about the democratic process. Of course all of these positions could provide the catalyst for powerful, positive reform and new caring forms of democratic reform.”

I hope this is how it will work out. In Biden’s first 100 days we have seen his determination to get on with it!

We have a role model

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Photo Reuters

RIP RBG

I was sad to hear of the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsberg. What a remarkable woman. She was a much needed force on the Supreme Court of the USA (SCOTUS) and will be sadly missed. Looking at her chart I was struck by the fact that the same themes emerge in the Supreme Court chart and in hers.

In the triangle on the charts below are all the planets in Aquarius and Pisces. The inside chart is of the US which I discussed above – with the Moon in Aquarius and Ceres in Pisces. But look at the middle chart – SCOTUS. It has 3 planets in Pisces – Mercury, Saturn and Venus, and 3 in Aquarius –  the Sun, Ceres and Pluto.

Scotus horoscope

Chart of the USA surrounded by SCOTUS chart and RBG chart with a focus on planets in Aquarius and Pisces

And on the outside is the chart of RBG. We don’t have a birth time for her, so her MC shown in Pisces is not accurate. However she still has Sun, Venus and Ceres and the North Node in Pisces and Saturn in Aquarius. I find this quite an astonishing fit with the US chart – in particular Ceres in the US and in RBG’s chart at almost the same point! She is a wonderful example of what US democracy could be – Ceres stands up for women and all the disenfranchised. In Pisces, Ceres is compassionate but according to the myth she confronts privilege, greed (Jupiter) and power (Pluto). She is tough, as was Ruth.

With the outpouring of grief and respect after RBG’s  death, it seems that many are determined to follow her lead.

My thoughts in May 2021

On a different note, when Ceres was conjunct Mars and exactly on the US Ceres in Pisces, George Floyd was murdered. I wrote a post on this too. This was the event that reignited BLM. A subject close to Ceres’ democratic heart!

But back to inauguration day. This Ceres is very Neptunian at the start of this administration. The chart, shown above, gives the flavour for this administration. Ceres was in Pisces closely conjunct Neptune. So I think there is hope for more compassion and getting back to what was intended, as the US Sibly chart also has Ceres in Pisces, as does Joe Biden. A realignment with the democratic DNA of the US?

The day of the inauguration

What actually happened at the inauguration augurs well too, I think. I was glued to the screen watching the event as the Ascendant and MC passed through the various planets. Astrology really does have a sense of humour! We had the perfect expression of Mars and Uranus in Taurus as they crossed the Ascendant. Lady Gaga was the perfect voice (Taurus) for performing the National Anthem at that precise moment, and Uranus would have been proud of her outfit! What a wonderfully positive expression of Mars-Uranus.

As Joe Biden spoke his first words before midday, Pluto was exactly on the MC, very fitting for a Scorpio president and something that shows he means business in his will to radically transform the US.

However later, Ceres and Neptune in Pisces sextiling Venus, in the form of a young woman, stole the show. When the Ascendant hit 18 degrees picking up Mercury and the Ceres-Neptune conjunction, after Amanda Gorman had read her poem, the world fell in love with everything about her. What a fitting symbol for a new type of democracy, a young, black, woman who is a gifted poet. Oh yes — Ceres was present!

amanda gorman

Amanda Gorman steals the show at the 2021 presidential inauguration of Joe Biden.

Faye Blake

A post on all the asteroids at inauguration day by Demetra George.

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