To me, the jury is still out on the void moon (the moon is said to be void after it makes the last aspect to another planet before entering the next sign), but today I received an email from a reader quoting a newsgroup post that said
“Please help me with the astrology of Obama’s campaign. He announced his run on Feb 10, 2007, 10:13am CST, Springfield IL. Asc 8TAU42. Source – BBC covered the event live with a local time ticker which froze at the moment of the announcement. I was watching.
At first glance there are serious problems. A voided waning Moon in Scorpio – void in the classical and modern sense. In fact, it is very seriously void, with the next ptolemaic being a square to radix Mercury 14 degrees later.
The V/C tables that I consulted indicate that the moon was not void of course until the following day, but looking at the chart of the event it certainly does appear that the moon had made its last aspect before passing out of Scorpio.
Astrological lore instructs us not to enter into any ventures when the moon is void of course. Astroprofile, a great resource for all kinds of data, says “It is a time of the minutes or hours of chaos, disruption, nothing works right…times when we make bad decisions.”
It’s interesting then that Obama, with an announcement chart that includes a void of course moon, has shot from last place into a strong lead in the presidential campaign. Perhaps what the void of course moon has done, rather than doom him to a bad decision, is to offer up results that have broken all of the rules of political campaigns.
There are a surprising number of exact (1 degree orb or less) aspects between the Obama announcement chart and the US Sibley chart:
- Neptune in the US chart exactly trines the Midheaven in the announcement chart, perhaps explaining the “mania” in “Obamania.”
- The Moon in the announcement chart exactly trines the US Mercury, suggesting that the emotional motivations of Obama’s candidacy (Moon) are in harmony with what the people of the US are thinking (Mercury).
- The Sun in the announcement chart makes an exact trine to the US Mars, suggesting that the essence of Obama’s candidacy (Sun) has the capability to energize (Mars) the American people.
- Pluto in the announcement chart makes a sextile to the Moon in the US chart that suggests that Obama will transform (Pluto) the way Americans feel about their country (Moon).
- Jupiter in the announcement chart make an exact sextile to Saturn in the US chart, indicating that Obama’s candidacy expands the optimism (Jupiter) of the established power structures in the country (Saturn).
- Mercury in the announcement chart exactly squares Uranus in the US, explaining the way Obama’s oratory (Mercury) creates a radical urge for change (Uranus).
- Neptune in the announcement chart forms an exact sextile to Chiron in the US chart, identifying the mystical fervor (Neptune) that Obama’s candidacy has inspired, and the hope that the nation can be healed (Chiron).
Perhaps Obama will lose, but there is no question that his candidacy has had a profound effect although not in the way that anyone could have predicted. And perhaps that is the lesson of the void of course moon!
Update 3/1: Sally McDonald, one of the web’s experts in mundane astrology (I am merely a dabbler; my specialty is people rather than events), writes that the Moon in the announcement chart makes it easier for Obama’s natal Saturn and Uranus to work together effectively and harmonize the structure that Saturn creates with the urge to overturn the status quo of Uranus. She adds that the the Moon and Mercury in Obama’s chart, which form a sextile in the chart, both are inconjunct (30 degrees) his Venus at 1 degree Cancer which is being opposed right now by Pluto, forming a perfect Yod in his chart. The Yod is the “finger of fate” aspect that indicates an important destiny of some sort. The transit of Pluto is clarifying that destiny and bringing it into fruition.
posted March 1, 2008 at 1:27 am
Well, Lynn, thats a good bit of information to know.
Thanks for sharing
posted March 1, 2008 at 6:52 am
Thanks Beth
posted March 1, 2008 at 9:19 am
I have however read in the past and wish I could now recall the source of the extended analysis on this whole subject for mundane issues that void moons really do spoil the picture. McGovern seemed to be the great rising presidential star but started on a VOC moon and dropped out of sight. So just perhaps..
posted March 1, 2008 at 11:47 am
Lynn,
This is from an article “The Void of Course Moon” by astrologer Robert Wilkinson at Aquarius Papers whom I greatly respect. What’s your take on the article? (link below)
” . . . And in what I believe is the most important consideration regarding the VOC Moon in some charts, I have found the Moon is NEVER void of course for you if your chart has a planet at the end of a sign, regardless of what it is or is not doing with the planets in the sky. For example . . . ”
“. . . In my opinion after 35 years at this craft, the Moon is never void of course, except perhaps for a few hours once in a while for a few people. The rest of us, especially those of us with planets in the late degrees of a sign, will always experience activity associated with those planets when the Moon is in the last degrees of any sign.”
“THE VOID OF COURSE MOON”
http://www.aquariuspapers.com/
as…oid_of_cou.html
posted March 2, 2008 at 7:29 am
Robert’s point, and a point many other astrologers has made, is that while the classic VC calculations take into consideration only the Ptolemaic (classic) aspects, the Moon is always making an aspect of some kind to some planet.
I keep thinking I’m going to do some diligent testing with the VC moon but I just don’t have the time. In any event, I try to discourage people from “living by the ephemeris.” You don’t want to change your life based on planetary influences, but you do want to know what kind of astrological weather is coming so you know if you need to bring an umbrella or a raincoat
posted March 2, 2008 at 9:33 am
Did you ever consider that perhaps this is all nonsense and the voiding of the moon has no real effect on what happens with things in the real world. Obama is doing well because he is charismatic, straightforward and a better choice than Clinton! Not because he made his announcement at a certain moon time
posted March 2, 2008 at 9:55 am
What I’ve experienced more and more in my life is that the more I’m I’m in tune with (and listen to) my inner guidance, the more I intuitively know what’s coming for myself. And I can work through the issues/feelings mentally and emotionally to bring about the highest expressions of the planetary energies. And then when I check the ephemeris afterwards,(which I do – not on a regular basis) it confirms it. It’s working from the inside out. When I change it internally then I don’t need external happenings to get my attention to work through patterns. Of If I do, they are much easier and gentler.
This way I can choose to work on bringing about the highest expressions of what I’m feeling and intuiting and not programming myself or getting caught in the language of what books etc. have said the aspects will bring (based on the past). I believe we’re shifting into a new paradigm and that we need to be open to new ways of interpreting planetary energies and cycles
posted March 2, 2008 at 1:42 pm
From Debbie Kempton-Smith
“In every presidential election from 1900 through 1972 one of the two major party candidates was nominated with the Moon Void of Course. Every one of the candidates nominated with the Moon Void of Course lost.
“Jimmy Carter’s 1980 nomination came in a Void of Course Moon.”
[ John Kerry's 2004 nomination and Al Gore's 2000 nomination came in a Void of Course Moon. ---DK-S]
My own comment: repetitive patterns must be paid attention to. While it is true with high awareness you can overcome many negative planetary energies, few people have this type of awareness. And it is certainly easier to go with the flow than swimming against the tide
posted March 3, 2008 at 8:54 am
Thanks for posting this Beth, I went to Debbie’s site and the quote about the nominations is actually from astrology Al H. Morrison. It would be interesting to see a research study on this, perhaps if I ever have the time I’ll do it.
The Democratic national convention is 8/25-28. The Moon will be VC 8/25 from 4:52-7:19 pm, and on 8/27 from 7:13-9:51 pm. So let’s track it and see what happens.
Every time this topic comes up I resolve to track the VC Moon in my personal life again (I did it years ago when I first heard of the phenomenon and found no corollaries). But then I get busy and forget about it
posted March 3, 2008 at 8:55 am
Joann, I completely agree with you: This way I can choose to work on bringing about the highest expressions of what I’m feeling and intuiting and not programming myself or getting caught in the language of what books etc. have said the aspects will bring (based on the past). I believe we’re shifting into a new paradigm and that we need to be open to new ways of interpreting planetary energies and cycles. And this is what I teach my clients as well. This is the alchemical process of the astrological cycles that changes the way the planets operate within us as we open up to the energy of those planets. Thanks for posting!
posted March 8, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Does any one know Hillary Clinton’s time of her announcement ? I thought I heard Debbie Kempton Smith says that John McCain announced during a VOC ? I’m not 100% certain ? Debbie did talk about the presidental canidates and the VOC on the Alan Colmes radio show
posted March 8, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Opps ! I forgot to mention that the Democratic National Convention is held during a Void of course Moon ? The dates are August 25-28 2008
posted March 9, 2008 at 8:05 am
From the web it appears that Hillary’s announcement to form an exploratory committee came on January 20, 2007. The moon remained in aspect to Saturn all day.
She said “I’m not just starting a campaign”, so for all intents and purposes this is her announcement chart