What

What’s Happening to the USA and Federal Reserve:
A brief long-term astrological perspective on our financial situation
by Dulce Bell-Bulley
March 3 2009

The results are in: our economy is in dire need of assistance. This news has everyone concerned and the effect of what is occurring in the United States is felt around the world. This article takes a long-term look at what our financial future looks like by examining the chart for the USA and the chart for the Federal Reserve Bank. This article also explores how we can best live in the quieter, more sensible America that the planets speak of. If you want to get to the heart of this article, scroll down to the timeline, read it, and then read the section on what it all means to you.

Here's the story:

The USA Federal Reserve was created to make money to loan to American banks in 1907 by banker J.P. Morgan. It was signed into law December 23, 1913 by Woodrow Wilson to avoid banking panics and to create a central bank for the United States. The Federal Reserve Bank makes money, loans it the US Government who then must pay interest on the money loaned to them by the bank.

During the Great Depression the gold standard was abolished under an executive order from President Roosevelt confiscating gold. This means that the US dollar no longer was backed by gold, but was as “good as gold” itself. Now the American dollar is being churned out at an alarming rate to be paid back, with interest, to the Federal Reserve Bank.

In the past several years gambling has occurred with money that has not existed. Called CDSs (Credit Default Swaps), legalized by Alan Greenspan, these imaginary hedge bets reached inflated proportions. Coupled with the collapse of the sub-prime market sold to unsuspecting European and Icelandic banks, our economy is struggling in the dust taking other countries down with it.[i] This does not improve our reputation internationally!

The signs of this collapse have been imminent for some time. Yet, we have closed our eyes and continued to over spend, borrow and live a life of consumerism. Until now.

Let’s take a look at see what’s happening astrologically to both the chart for the USA[ii] and for the Federal Reserve Bank[iii].

Both of these charts are receiving direct “hits” from Pluto, the planet of exposure and destruction. Pluto is a very powerful, slow force that changes all it connects with.

To clearly illustrate the power of Pluto transits here is a quote from Liz Greene PhD: “Pluto is the only deity in the Olympian Pantheon whose word, once it is given, cannot be altered by either gods or men. Death is irrevocable; when anything ends or has reached its term of completion, it cannot in any sense of the word be recreated exactly the same – whether it is an individual, a state of consciousness, a feeling, a relationship, or a society. The life may always exist and may build another form, but the old form is finished and can never be precisely repeated because the inner quality of life has changed.”[iv]

Dr. Greene's quote makes very clear that what we are experiencing as a nation, and what the Federal Reserve is experiencing, is life changing, or form changing, and that things will never quite be the same again.

In the USA chart, Pluto is directly opposite the USA’s Venus – the planet representing money and wealth. In the Federal Reserve chart Pluto is directly conjunct the Sun and opposite natal Pluto for that chart. These are powerful transits indicating enormous shifts. Read on to see what all of this means.

Pluto connects with the Federal Reserve until the end of December 2009. After this date the Federal Reserve will no longer be as it is. It will have morphed into something else, or perhaps will rebound under some other form. There is a great deal of secrecy and powerful control reflected in the chart for the Federal Reserve and it is unclear what is happening behind the scenes. An exchange of power or some internal re-arranging as the Federal Reserve attempts to maintain its control on the country’s finances is highly likely. This is a difficult transit to manage but it can bring terrific wealth as much as it can bring utter devastation. By early 2010 we will get a clearer sense on how the Federal Reserve has managed this powerful energy that hits directly at its center.

Pluto opposes Venus in the USA chart until December 2010. This indicates a two year period of extreme financial re-arranging. At this time the nation’s values and items of wealth are seriously in jeopardy and in much need of an overhaul. In a person’s chart, this transit might indicate that the person would make money in a different way, through a career change perhaps, as the person shifts her value set from one thing to another. This can be a financially devastating time as financial matters are destroyed and then slowly rebuilt from the ground up.

Pluto opposite the USA’s Venus indicates a time of complete annihilation in order to “rebirth” the financial and values system of the country. The current Obama plan shows a focus on rebuilding the country’s infra-structure. This is a major shift from the Bush plan which valued military action. This is a classic Pluto/Venus energy as one value overtakes another.

In another way, this same transit demolishes all systems related to money. Our banks and financial institutions are in serious jeopardy, something we already know, and will completely disintegrate if they do not rebuild. I feel this re-building will occur at the grass-roots level with local banks and credit unions maintaining integrity and local investor interest and oversight. The days of huge automated banking systems are quite possibly over. In the meantime Pluto will continue to expose scams and scammers during this time. These exposes are likely to produce anger and rage in the populace – two of Pluto’s feeling responses.

As Pluto finishes up with Venus, the country will experience the country’s Saturn return. Saturn returns for nations, businesses and individuals are associated with a time of testing or graduation. In the case of a country the Saturn return period indicates a testing of leadership. The USA has Saturn in Libra and Saturn is in its dignity in this sign. This indicates that good leadership prevails during this two and a half year period as do ethics and justice. This is a positive sign.

Pluto continues to move steadily in Capricorn, the sign of business, to oppose three planets in the USA chart until 2021. The planets Pluto connects with and the duration of these connections is discussed below, are listed in a time line and then re-stated at the end of this article.

The last time slow moving Pluto was in Capricorn was in the late 1700s; the same time America was birthed as a country to escape the taxes and financial oppression of Britain.

Pluto in Capricorn is restrictive and conservative in nature. Capricorn is practical, responsible and enduring. We are not entering an expansive period. The opposite is true; we are entering a period of constriction. This is what it looks like:

After opposing Venus, Pluto opposes Jupiter in the USA chart, after which it opposes the Cancer USA Sun. This is a long journey lasting well into 2016 and involves a slow and sometimes not so subtle shift to a completely different, more sensible and prudent lifestyle.

Following 2016 Pluto gives the nation a brief rest before connecting with Mercury in the chart radically altering our methods of communication and transportation. This occurs in 2019 and runs through to late 2021.

Meanwhile, early in 2011, Uranus, the planet of change, chaos and awakening, enters feisty, pioneering Aries for the first time in 84 years. This cosmic shift activates the USA chart and hopefully ushers in new (Aries) sources of fuel and technology (Uranus). Uranus stays in Aries, at the bottom of the USA chart for eight years actively promoting growth, change and new methods of thinking and being. This could feel unstable yet it is a highly promising time where the new is given a chance to blossom. The shadow of Uranus in Aries though is war and outrage. Let’s hope we don’t go there either between ourselves, or against others.

However, between 2016 and 2019, in that three year window, Saturn planet of testing and endurance, opposes the very same planets (Venus, Jupiter and the Sun) that Pluto has recently opposed. This indicates a time of hardship and moderation; a time of radical discipline and hard work. It also indicates a time of returning to the land, the increase of family farms, and the growth of grass roots economies. The controlled growth of small towns and communities that are self sustaining are the mainstay of this period. Industries that utilize natural resources and that can be built and developed locally thrive in this austere no-frills environment.

In the meantime we are witnessing the very beginning of the process as the struggle between what was and what is trying to emerge is felt on every side. This is found in the Saturn and Uranus opposition which continues until mid 2010. This powerful transit, last seen in the late 1960s, stresses current structures to the breaking point and invites new bold solutions to correct the problems. This marks a time of great instability, uncertainty and yet it also invites new opportunities and vision.

2008 to mid 2010: Change, chaos, break down. Simultaneously new innovations and much needed reform emerge.

2009 to 2016 Philosophical shifts. Spending habits change drastically. New ideas are formed. The country re-invents itself. The nation draws in, leaves the world stage to focus on “inner life” and issues concerning the health of the nation. Food production is a major theme.

Mid 2010 to late 2012: Testing of country’s leadership. Strong ethics and hard work are modeled.

Mid 2013 to mid 2014: Surge of hope, time of plenty. Increased emotions as the country gifts food to other nations and stores food.

Having outlined the major themes for the next several years it’s important to ask what this means for you.

Clearly the restrictive and transformative nature of this time excludes big spending. It is not a time to get into debt. It is time to get out of debt. We are returning to the very early values of our forebears who would not purchase anything unless they had the cash for it. This is contrary to what the modern day American believes and how she or he functions. So your spending and saving habits are likely to change, in keeping with the energy and lessons of the time. Purchases are likely to be for high quality long-lasting products that hold their value over time. Our landfills are less likely to fill up as quickly as they have in the past as furniture, toys, and tools are repaired and recycled back into the community.

Home industries are likely as transportation costs increase, particularly when Pluto opposes Mercury (2019 to 2021). If you have creative ideas about clothing, home décor, children’s issues, technology, food production, indeed anything at all that is useful, your time is coming. Anything that can be built and used close to home is most secure, easy to get to and least expensive in future years.

Food is especially important during this period. Vast exploitation of the oceans and sea life may trickle greatly due to the constrictive nature of the times. In other words, if you’re in a landlocked area, eat lobster now as it may be very rare and costly in the future.

Huge corporate farms will be augmented by smaller community oriented farms that will most likely be organic in nature. It’s also more than time to have access to a garden space or have the ability to store and preserve food.

There is no inflated value in real estate. One’s home is merely that, a home. It is not a vehicle with which to gain extra money. Real estate values should stabilize by this summer but new construction seems to be halted for some time. At the same time, older structures are seen to have value and remodeling is likely not just of homes, but community buildings. There is reluctance during this time to break new ground. Cities may work diligently to re-organize their public spaces for the growing of food, nature trails and so on. This is a conservative period in architecture where homes and public buildings are converted into more energy efficient systems. Those in the solar and green industry should do very well at this time especially if they are willing to work with existing structures.

Your greatest asset during these times is your health, the health of the soil and water of the area in which you live, and your ability to have access to fresh produce and food. Also of vital importance is the strength of your community. Political divisions are pointless. Republicans and Democrats are in this together. Anything you can do to invest in your local economy will sustain it at the grass roots level where the new economy is growing.

These are highly unusual days and years. Yet, we are at the brink of time where we are called to a simplicity we have desperately lacked. Most of our physical and psychological ailments are associated with dreadful busyness. The days ahead may not be very comfortable, but they will be very meditative. All we can do is slow down and enjoy them.

Father Thomas Keating refers to these times are being full of “Divine Economy” [v]- a period in which we have what we need but no more. I agree with that. The conservative, sensible, restrictive nature of Capricorn, the sign through which transformative Pluto is moving, redirects our attention to the simple things in life.

We are a Cancer country. The USA has Venus, Jupiter, Sun and Mercury in this home loving, leadership oriented sign. Our real interests lie here, at home, in the production of food (which Cancer rules). Historically, our attention has been drawn overseas to foreign wars by our feisty Mars on his two headed Gemini horse. But in 2006 our Mars turned retrograde turning our energy inward, away from those distant deserts and jungles, back here to the motherland.

In many ways this is our second revolution; our second chance at a new land. If you like, you can find security by investing your time in your local community garden or in the protection of water rights for your area. You might like to change to solar power, put up a wind mill or otherwise make your home your self-sustaining castle. If you have money to invest, your local economy is the best place as are the industries that promise sustainability. Our days of gluttony are done.

[i] Death of the American Empire Tanya Hsu 10.23.08 Global Research

[ii] USA Chart: Sibly July 4, 1776 5:10 PM Philadelphia, PN

[iii] Federal Reserve: December 23, 1913 Noon, Washington DC

[iv] Liz Greene Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil 1976 Samuel Weiser Inc

[v] Father Keating quote from student in his class.