The Birth Chart & Solar Return (2020-2021) of the United States

The Birth Chart of the United States of America

The United States' birth time is subject to debate, but this is the chart that makes the most sense to me. With a Sagittarius Rising, the United States of America has a very expansive character, for better or for worse. For those who don't know, the dark side of Sagittarius is a dogmatic one, pushy & preachy, unaccepting of others' belief systems. The first American settlers colonized a country that already belonged to others and continue to this day dogmatically push our ideals onto other nations. Sagittarius is a fire sign associated with freedom and America is known as the land of the free - and in some ways is - but in other ways this is hypocrisy. The first settlers wanted freedom for themselves - but still owned slaves, for example. Still, Americans are known for being open & honest about subjects in which other cultures might find taboo. Sagittarius is associated with "travel," and "other cultures," and America is known as a nation founded on immigration, a country built on multi-culturalism, and people here have many belief systems. It is - ideally - a free country, in which everyone can say & believe what they want.

Uranus on the Descendant or 7th house cusps indicating sudden and surprising changes in our relationship with other nations. Those who are our enemies can suddenly transform into allies and vice versa. Uranus, planet of revolution & rebellion, might also indicate a revolutionary approach to dealing with other countries, seeking to change them or overthrow their existing structures. With Uranus in the chatty & social sign of Gemini, perhaps our country revolutionizes others through the use of communications & media. Mars is also in Gemini, and fairly close to the 7th house cusp, suggesting plenty of open enemies, and an aggressive and war-like approach to dealing with other countries. Mars is applying pretty closely to a square with Neptune, planet of illusion, in the Virgo, suggesting much mythology about the history of wars in our country and plenty of war-time propaganda. Located in the 9th house, this propaganda may be spread in our schools or perhaps throughout the world. Perhaps, we project other countries as villainous when really, the villain is us.

With the Midheaven in Libra, as a nation, we strive towards certain social ideals - of equality, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, etc. A 10th house Saturn in it's exaltation suggests an authoritative (or perhaps authoritarian) government & approach to judicial matters. I see that the Sun in Cancer is closely square Saturn, suggesting that our actual behavior as a nation may not be so in line with these ideals. The square further emphasizes the government's more authoritarian qualities.

Cancer is a sign associated with protection and defense, due to the crab's hard shell. With a 7th house Sun in Cancer, the United States behaves very defensively in it's interactions with other countries. Cancer is also associated with the home and family, indicating the country's patriotic attitude, as well as a drive towards safety and security. Although separating, Mercury Retrograde is also in Cancer opposite Pluto in Capricorn, suggesting a lot of paranoia in our interactions with other nations or even towards each other. As a nation, we are constantly on guard against people who are different than us, and much of this is due to misinformation in our media or plain old lack of understanding.

Venus & Jupiter make a conjunction in the 7th house, Cancer, as well. This is considered to be a very positive aspect, since Venus & Jupiter are traditionally known as the two benefic planets. Interestingly, Jupiter (planet of expansion, growth and religious or philosophical values) is the Ascendant & chart ruler, while Venus (planet of love/relationships, beauty and personal or aesthetic values) rules the Midheaven. This suggests positive interactions with others, good luck in matters related to the home and family, as well as expansion and growth through our country's relationships with others.

Last but not least, the Moon is often considered to be the most important part of the chart, and in a nation's birth chart, is said to represent the people. With the Moon in Aquarius, the people have a deep need for freedom. With the Moon located in the 3rd house (ruling over communications as well as short travels) we especially love our freedom of speech & mobility. With the Moon in Aquarius, the people are also driven towards progress and change, striving to make the country better and better as time goes on, as well as technology. Again, with the Moon in the 3rd house, America will make particular strides in technological progress related to areas of communication. The Moon in Aquarius highlights the idea of America being a nation "for the people by the people." The South Node is also in the sign of Aquarius, while the North Node is located in the sign of Leo, highlighting the balance between the people and their leaders. The issue of being an individual but also living in a society is also emphasized (or the issue of separate states being governed by a united entity), the ability to recognize our unique individuality while also recognizing our responsibilities to the public as a whole. The Moon, although separating, is also trine Mars in Gemini, which suggests that the people are strong and fight for what they want, feel and believe.

America's Pluto Return

Before I analyze the United States Solar Return for the year July 2020 - July 2021, I want to acknowledge that the United States is undergoing it's first ever Pluto Return. As the god of the underworld, Pluto represents destruction and death, and with it, transformation or rebirth. In the sign of Capricorn, our social hierarchies, economic institutions, and systems of governance are being destroyed & transformed. It's interesting to think that Pluto was last found in the sign of Capricorn during the Revolutionary War, opposing the United States' Cancer Sun, leading to the foundation of the nation as we know it. Of course, the foundation of that nation was built on the destruction of native land & the death of thousands, if not millions, of indigenous people.

Interestingly, in the United States' natal chart, Pluto is found in the 2nd house (ruling over resources) opposite Vertex conjunct Part of Fortune in the 8th (shared resources). Vertex is said to be a 'point of destiny' (as it Part of Fortune) symbolizing 'turning points' or unexpected twists of fate. This aspect, being in the U.S chart natally, suggests a dramatic twist of fate in relation to the countries' resources, as well as it's power dynamics. Interestingly, Pluto was transiting Cancer, opposite the U.S natal position, during the Great Depression in the 1930's.

The Pluto Return will not be exact until February 2022. However, while there are still two years to go before we reach the pinnacle, we are already seeing it's effects as the conjunction draws nearer. Pluto in the 2nd house of the U.S. natal chart indicates economic collapse, and a massive restructuring of the economy. In addition to death and rebirth, Pluto rules power dynamics, manipulation, and coercion, as well as secrets. Pluto, as the modern ruler of Scorpio, exposes whats hidden. With Pluto moving closer to a conjunction with the U.S natal position at 27 degrees Capricorn, the skeletons in America's closet are being exposed. The foundation of America's economy was largely built on the slavery of African people, but many of us are surprised to be learning that this is still going on today in the form of mass incarceration. Black people are arrested and imprisoned at a much higher rate than white people, and given harsher sentences for pettier crimes, while big businesses like McDonalds and Starbucks profit off of prison labor. Hopefully, America's Pluto Return will see an end to such an unjust economy. We can already see it now with the movement to defund the police and abolish prisons.

The Solar Return Chart of the United States

I wasn't sure what exactly to put for the location, but using the country's birth place (Philadelphia), this Scorpio Rising chart is produced. A brief glance at this chart and I already find it very interesting. With a Scorpio Rising, falling into the United States' 12th house, there is likely to be a lot of secrecy, on the part of our government, and a lot going on that us common people don't know about, perhaps even conspiracies. Scorpio energy is intense and extreme. While Libra, ruled by Venus, represents unity, I think of Scorpio, ruled by Mars, as representing division. Perhaps the extremist & divisive nature of both our government & the beliefs of it's citizens leads to our country's own undoing.

Interestingly, the Sun is located in the 8th house, traditionally known as the house of death. While this "death," is not usually literal, it often represents a loss of some sort and this year may very well result in the death of our country as we know it. The Sun is separating from a conjunction to Mercury Retrograde, which could indicate misinformation or miscommunications of some sort. The North Node on the 8th house cusp suggests perhaps that this transformation was fated to happen. Of course, the 8th house also rules over shared resources, and the Sun opposite Moon in the 2nd house indicates much focus on our country's resources.

With the 2nd house Moon in Capricorn, economic issues are highlighted. The Moon, here, represents the people and with many people out of work, as a result of the coronavirus, and others sacrificing their own health to go back, the people are primarily concerned with their own resources. It's not only an issue of maintaining their possessions & wealth but a matter of affording to live. With Jupiter, Pluto, and Saturn also here, there may be limitations on what we can afford but also a transformation regarding how our economy works. And if the 2nd house represents the peoples' resources on an individual level, the 8th house represents the country's resources, what they are willing to redistribute among the people. The people may push for another government stimulus package or perhaps something more effective than that, like U.B.I. (or full-blown redistribution of wealth) and the government may resist. It's also quite possible that resources may be scarce, and the people may compete to obtain them, like we saw with the toilet paper incident. The Moon makes a trine to Uranus in the 6th house which suggests that new technological developments in the health sector will help fulfill the people's emotional and material needs.

Interestingly, much to my own surprise, Gemini Venus is well-aspected in the 7th house. This suggests that our relationships with other countries abroad is actually quite pleasant & peaceful at this time. With chart ruler, Mars, in it's home sign of Aries and located in the 4th house, it's at-home that we need to worry about. Mars is not only conjunct Chiron, indicating pain, sickness and deep wounds coming to the forefront, but also making a t-square to the Moon in the 2nd & the Sun/Mercury in the 8th. This, to me, suggests a civil war, perhaps as a result of the economic issues mentioned in the last paragraph. Perhaps, a war will break-out over the issue of wealth inequality and widespread economic despair. Because Mars is sextile Venus, this internal war may benefit other countries somehow, or perhaps other countries will assist us with some kind of aid.

Conclusion

Back in 2017, I predicted that 2020 would mark the beginning of World War 3, but maybe not, or at least, in any case, America's place in it is not what I thought it would be. Perhaps, this will not be a war against others, but a war among ourselves, or as my friend, Perry, put it, "WW3 is not a traditional war. It's no longer nation vs. nation. Its the people vs. the system." On the bright side, the 8th house does not just represent endings but new beginnings, and Chiron does not only represent pain but healing as well. Perhaps, this war is necessary to secure a better tomorrow.