The Challenging Transits of Autumn 2007: How to Survive

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THE CHALLENGING TRANSITS OF AUTUMN 2007
How to Survive Them And Prosper

By Theodore White, classical scientific astrologer
Published/August 2007


The coming transits of Autumn 2007 will be challenging for much of the world. Global transits show there are major global events just ahead that will test the resolve, and patience of tens of millions of people. I urge everyone reading this to take the time to plan for making any positive changes that they can, and to bring to an end any conventional barriers which may have acted as barriers towards making progress.

These global transits will be difficult for most this coming fall season ~ particularly as Saturn is rising and will be Lord of the months of October & November, with strong influences into December.

The autumn season will be very rough, and will lead to a muted holiday season by December. Those who can read an ephemeris will know that using the time now in late August, and the month of September 2007 well can forstall, and neutralize much of the later influences to come in October, November and December.

Those who are able to make re-adjustments, are able to network with people of positive common interests, and who can be practical, and reliable, will be able to survive this fall season's transit in the northern hemisphere.

According to my calculations, times are changing, and we are heading into a new era that precedes the coming of the next decade of the 2010s. With Pallas now retrograde in Pisces, and contra-parallel to Uranus, while both near to the transiting North Lunar Node in Pisces ~ use this time to prepare for the next six-to-seven years overall. Doing so will save much time, energy, and in some cases, lives.

It is essential to use the remainder of 2007, and early 2008 to realign one's economic and financial situations, so that by the end of 2008, and into 2009, new directions chosen will have been taken that, if applied well, will do much to counter the negative economic transits of the mid-2010s in the coming next decade.

A Rough Fall Season Ahead
If you look at the New Moon transit for September 2007 for the east coast, NY, and Washington, you'll see that Mars is on the MC in Gemini and is situated between tow fixed stars ~ ALDEBERAN AND BELLATRIX. Transiting Mars will be moving toward conjunction with BETELGEUSE, situated at 28-GEMINI.

Applying Placidus Houses, the MC for the September 2007 New Moon is conjoined to BELLATRIX ~ a negative event will take place, worldwide news in the fall season months of September, October, November, and December 2007.

In summer 2007, we've seen some interesting transits of planets conjoined to what are called the four (4) Royal Stars --

Venus/Saturn - conjoined to fixed star Regulus (Watcher of the North)
Jupiter - conjoined to fixed star Antares (Watcher of the West)
Mars - conjoined to fixed star Aldeberan (Watcher of the East)
Moon/Dragon's Head - Aug. 28, 2007 lunar eclipse - conjoined to fixed star Fomalhaut (Watcher of the South)

The planetary conjunctions to the four Royal stars forecasts a powerful series of world events over the next several months that continue into the year 2008. The outlet fixed star conjunction is that of the Moon and transiting North Lunar Node in tropical Pisces, where we find the "watcher of the south" ~ the star Fomalhaut. We can expect events along the lines of this fixed star to take place, which includes, among other events, seismic events, large magnitude earthquakes, and major events taking place on and below the world's oceans, involving large ships and sea-going vessels.

Looking at the transits of October, November, and December, one can see how the stakes are rising. It will be a combination of events taking place around the world, with the Middle East, Iraq, and Iran, highlighted.

HIGHLIGHTED:

War news - escalations, societal stress, pitched battles
Economic - destabilizations, setbacks, re-adjustments, corruption news
Culture - stresses, seperations, pressures, dark moods, mental health issues, depressions

Climate/Weather - anomalous events, droughts, heavy rains, floods, oppressive heat and sudden cool downs

The autumn months will reflect Saturn's coming influences with its ingress into tropical Virgo in early September. The generation born in 1979/1980/1981 are about to experience their first Saturn Returns.

This coming fall season's weather will be dark, cloudy, wet and cold, reflecting Saturn's building influences as it rises ahead of the Sun. Grey skies, and a depressive climate conditions will prevail in October and November, leading to a toned-down holiday season in December.

It is advised to take the time in late August & September to install bright white (not yellow) lighting to use to counter the coming darker climate conditions in the Northern Hemisphere this year. Saturn's influence is stronger with pale-yellow lights. Avoid this kind of indoor lighting. Expect to witness a steep rise in depressive reactions (Saturn's influence) among people because of the poor climate conditions of October & November.

Global Transits Heat Up
Transiting Mars retrograde, especially in Gemini, and near to the constellation Orion indicates a sharp rise in military events. We will see heightening tensions that are the combined results of the failures of a certain generation to restrain itself ~ epecially under these transits. However, those in power rarely listen to the guidance of those who are able to read and intepret transits. Nonetheless, the transits will arrive ~ and as always ~ on time.

Moreover, the battles highlighted by the present and onging Mars/Jupiter opposition and the coming Mars retrograde in November, and re-emergence into tropical Gemini on Dec. 31, 2007, indicates stressful, and violent events. A major military escalation is highlighted by these transits. I have no doubt that the U.S. will become involved in another major war with a new nation heading into early 2008.

SATURN, VENUS, VIRGO AND THE DRAGON'S TAIL
We also see transiting Saturn hovering very close to the Dragon's Tail in tropical Virgo for all of the fall season and into the winter of 2008. This is another sign of malefic global events starting next month (September) and continuing into early 2008.

Saturn's hovering around the South Lunar Node in early Virgo has very strong influences for the world. It is wholly malefic, and during the third week of October 2007, Venus & Saturn conjoin for the third (and last) time in four (4) months in the month of October ~ with the Dragon's Tail. This is a negative conjunction, and I would urge caution in travel, relationships, and major decisions at this time.

For women, it is important to take the time to guard oneself physically and emotionally, without attracting violence to oneself. The Venus/Saturn conjunction conjoined to the Dragon's Tail does not bode well for personal relationships. Note that Mars will have entered tropical Cancer at the end of Sept. '07 and will hover here for months before turning retrograde mid-Nov. '07. This again highlightes personal relationships.

It is best to avoid arguments; especially over money, economics, relationships, etc., considering the recent credit crunch, the severe downturns in the housing markets, and the increasing foreclosures nationwide.

Jupiter in Sagittagius has driven prices up. Saturn's entry into Virgo will drive prices down, to bargain basement levels, but with a price, as mundane transits indicate a period of rough economic times during the fall of 2007 and into 2008. Families are hurting financially. It is important at this time heading into the fall and winter seasons to network with others, and to be of help by combining resources and being of assistance to those in need.

The best way to neutralize this fall's transits is to prepare to navigate them in advance without resorting to inflicting, or, taking part in personal projections onto others, personal/professional dramas which Saturn can crystalize into reality ~ which can turn into violent confrontations that can change destinies.

Rather, better to navigate these transits with a low-profile, calm, and orderly outlook towards the coming new era that starts in mid-December 2007, and picks up speed in January 2008. Those who take the time to prepare for 2008's transits now, will be better positioned to deal with the developing and fast-paced events that take place from 2008 to 2011.

Use the coming benevolent Venus-Jupiter conjunction on Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2008 as a "transit marker" to have professional and personal plans & projects completed to open the special year of 2008 with new opportunities that will have included moving to new cities, and starting new careers, relationships, etc., after the wild and rocky year that 2007 will have become.

While at the mundane level, Venus represents society, and the conjunction to Saturn & the South Lunar Node in early Virgo reflects the general depressive tone of this particular season highlighted by the September eclipse at 18-Virgo. It also reflects the coming Saturn-Uranus opposition piting the old against the new ~ conservative (Saturn) against the radical (Uranus).

Saturn is moving out of its year-long opposition to Neptune, and preparing for its long-running opposition to Uranus in the years 2008-2011, as well as its coming earth trine to Jupiter (2008) and then opposition to Jupiter (2010-11).

This indicates a major shifting of the general public's sense of rights and wrongs, and a serious turn of events in the public's mood as well. With 2008 being an election year ~ things are about to get very nasty, according to these mundane transit. In effect, people are pissed, and the world transits will fuel these strong emotions from frustrations and disapointments of the recent past leading back to the year 2000/2001.

This eclipse at 18-VIRGO on September 11, 2007 will bring back very painful memories of the events of Set. 11, 2001, and, moreover, will set into stone anger and resentment at those whom the people (represented by Venus) think is to blame.

Moreover, the mundane transits clearly indicate that the blame for the economic pressures on families nationwide, including the pressures of war, and everything else that people feel should not be taking place will leak into 2008 in a major way.

Saturn's entry into Virgo in early September, it's conjunction with Venus, and the Dragon's Tail in mid-October '07, and Saturn's coming opposition to Uranus along the Pisces/Virgo axis from 2008 to 2011 is pure mayhem in the sense of outrage. Much of what is to come will remind people of the public demostrations of the late 1960s and the early 1970s.

In late 2008, and 2009 ~ there's a lot of action between Saturn & Uranus around the 18,19,20, 21st, and 22nd decgrees of Virgo and Pisces. This reflects the length of time of action from the coming Sept. 11, 2007 eclipse at the 18-degree of VIRGO.

As the Lunar Nodes decline along the Pisces/Virgo axis they begin a new era in mid-December 2007 where a number of important ingresses take place. We've already seen the start of several of them this month of August and these ingresses will continue into early 2008 ~ ending with the coming Venus-Jupiter conjunction in tropical Capricorn at the end of January and in early February 2008:

AUGUST 2007 - month of signs & warnings

Aug. 6/7 - Jupiter stations direct over fixed star ANTARES
Aug. 6/7 - Mars entered Gemini
Aug. 18 - Venus turned to Morning Star
Aug. 28 - Lunar Eclipse at 4-PISCES

September 2007 - a major event month

Sept. 2 - Saturn enters VIRGO
Sept. 5 - Mercury turns S in declination
Sept. 7 - Pluto stations direct
Sept. 8 - Venus stations direct
Sept. 11 - New Moon, partial eclipse Sun/Moon 18-VIRGO

*October 2007 - major event month -

October's transits effectively end the summer of 2007. Weather turns darker, cloudy, gray skies, with rains. Sunlight reduced more than usual this October. Virgo transits (Venus-Saturn-S. Node) very strong. Details, paperwork, documents, bills, etc., irritating people w/ many individuals too picky, too demanding.

Note: The transiting Lunar Node, the Dragon's head will make a conjunction with the Synetic Vernal Point from October 15 to Oct. 29 ~ this is a very sensitive astronomical point that indicates a major changes in life paths for many millions of people.

Oct. 9 - Jupiter square Uranus, exact - travel troubles, watch driving, accidents
Oct. 11 to Nov. 1 - Mercury retrograde - slowdowns, miscommunications

Third Week of October - Venus/Saturn/Dragon's Tail Conjoin - very dangerous conjunction... avoid crowds, fights, arguments, parties, avoid discussing relationships, be low-profile, low-key throughout October.

*Oct. 31 - Halloween, Neptune stations direct. Halloween 2007 is very weird this year, and is not the year for a Halloween party. Transits are plain dangerous this particular Halloween. I'm staying in, and resting, and suggest anyone reading this to do the same. October 2007 is just not the month for parties.

November 2007 - month of recovery, seeking balance, cautions

Nov. 11 - Venus turns S in declination - start quiet plans

Nov. 14/15 - Mars retrograde at 15-CANCER - men over-emotional, weirdos on the street, unshaved males, disoriented, over-sleeping, staying up late at night, drinking, taking drugs, fighting over petty things, getting upset over minor details, mental health issues w/ males. Mars will re-enter Cancer March 4, 2008 through to May 10, 2008... meaning entire period from Nov. 15, 2007 to May 10, 2008 all of the above...

Nov. 23/24 - Uranus stations direct

*December 2007 - major event month, endings & new beginnings

The effects of the Sept. 11, 2007 eclipse are set to take place in this month from Dec. 9 to Dec. 31.

Dec. 11 - Jupiter conjoins Pluto near Galactic Center - religious battles, troubles

Dec. 17/18 - Lunar Nodes change quality from mutable to fixed (until Aug. 2009) - major change of "eras" from the mutable Pisces/Virgo axis to the fixed Aquarius/Leo axis. This new air/fire quality lasts from mid-Dec. 2007 to mid-August 2009 - major national/world changes take place during this nodal era.

Dec. 18 - Jupiter enters tropical Capricorn - new 3-yr. era to 2011 begins - Jupiter will progress faster through the tropical constellations of Capricorn through Gemini (2008-2013). Very useful 5-year cycle for those interested in professional & business advancement. This is a Jupiter cycle not to be wasted.

Dec. 19 - Saturn stations retrograde - (until May 2, 2008) - relief
Dec. 30 - Venus enters Sagittarius - guard impulses, moderate
Dec. 31 - Mars re-enters tropical Gemini - war news, build-ups

January & February 2008 - major event months

*Note - Jan. & Feb. '08 are busy months. Mercury, Mars, Uranus & Pluto are very active in relation to the Moon's transits. The global events at this time are directly related to the previous transits and eclipse of Sept. 2007.

Jan. 21 - Jupiter trine Saturn - work towards practical goals, positive
Jan. 30 - Mars stations direct at 24-GEMINI - more war news
Feb. 1 - Venus conjoins Jupiter 9-CAPRICORN - excellent for spirits

Conclusions ~
The transits from August 2007 to mid-December 2007 reflect a serious, and emotionally draining time for many people due to the transit conditions. Virgo and Pisces are highlighed.

As mutable signs, and with Jupiter already transiting the mutable Sagittarius, along with Saturn entering the mutable Virgo, the New Moon and eclipse of September 11, 2007 clearly show rough waters ahead ~ particularly the fall months to mid-December 2007, when conditions lead to a new era that opens the period 2008-2011 ~ stressing the coming Saturn/Uranus opposition along the Pisces/Virgo axis ~ it is a time of radical changes butting heads with conservative outlooks.

The eclipse of September 11, 2007 shows that the need for change must be acknowledged in real, seen progress during the lead-up to 2008, or a societal revolution will emerge in the years leading to the decade of the 2010s.

This is a time of major changes for the world and in the lives of billions of people. It is advised for those who understand transits and astrologers who give guidance to help others to navigate them, to begin to do so now, just before the onset the autumn equinox in mid-September, and if able, before the New Moon of September 11, 2007.

Surviving 2007 and to prosper in 2008 will mean to be able to carefully navigate the events of spring/summer and especially the fall season of 2007 in order to reach 2008 ~ a major "earth" aspect year that is reflected in the coming Jupiter-Saturn trine from Virgo to Capricorn, as well as the positive Venus/Jupiter conjunction at the end of January 2008 and early February 2008.

Applying Capricorn-like goals, and plans will work well for those who are looking to make a new start for the years 2008, 2009 and 2010 ~ which are special years based on the transits of Jupiter, Saturn and the trans-Saturnian planets of Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. The true feel of the 21st century will begin to take shape next year (2008) and by the year 2010, many people will have noticed that times have changed.

Avoid being drawn unwillingly into the dramas and projections of others; especially those whose own personal greed over recent years have gotten them into trouble. The celestial influences show there are many frustrated and unhappy people out there. Many of them are immature, and looking to blame others who are not at fault for their own problems.

Beware this year, heading into the third week of October through late November, and again, around Dec. 17, 18, 19, and again, in the months of January & February 2008, for those who are unable to leave well enough alone, and who do not want to move on with their lives.

Also avoid impulsive (Sagittarius) actions during the late autumn that are not well thought out prior. Details matter with these particular transits of the fall season. Failing to pay attention to them could have dire consequences for the lazy of mind and heart.

RELATIONSHIPS & NEAR-TERM TRANSITS
Transits indicate to me that the events of October will have many people thinking in November, and December how to leave situations they have outgrown ~ especially regarding professional and personal relationships. There are people out there, who by December 2007, will be considering ending relationships without telling their significant others. If this is done, because of fears of violence, then consider the timing of such actions, as Mars will be retrograde by mid-November through the end of January 2008. Matters of the heart are strongly tested this autumn. it is wise for those who are intent on making changes to do so in as quiet, and discreet manner as is possible. Watch what you say, and whom you say it to ~ even if it is a close girlfriend. Loose lips can sink ships.

The month of November 2007 is a tough month for personal relationships (Venus square Mars). After the events of October, many relationships will be rocky to say the least, and by December, the economic situations that have developed since spring/summer 2007 will have become dire due to the onset of the approaching holiday season.

The second week of December 2007 offers the best transits for smoothly ending relationships one has outgrown while making sure one has thought carefully about what to do next. Many people will attempt to use Dec. 31, 2007 to suddenly end relationships and scoot. It is better to do so earlier in the month rather than using New Years' Eve, as some will do because Venus will enter Sagittarius on that date. However, Mars will re-enter Gemini, retrograde in motion, on the same day.

January & February 2008 should be used well by being low-key, low-profile, and pushing ahead with one's goals and plans straight to the date of May 9, 2008, when Jupiter goes retrograde at 22-CAPRICORN while Saturn will have turned direct in motion on May 2, 2008.

Jupiter's motion from the time of writing (late August 2007) to early May 2008 offers the best opportunities to start a new career in a new town, so to speak. After May 9, 2009, slow down, stop, re-assess, enjoy the summer of 2008, and wait to re-inplement any future plans until September 7-8, 2008 when Jupiter moves direct in motion again, and performs another (and stronger) earth trine to Saturn during the autumn months of 2008. At that time, Venus and Mars will be conjunct in Libra ~ for many people this either means a reaffirmation of a continuing relationship, or the start of a new relationship with a new person.

It is wise to prepare for 2008 by clearly thinking through one's plans of action and timing them to maximize one's success in starting a new life for 2008 with the minimum of problems associated with such changes.

In this way, the transits of autumn 2007 are neutralized while goals can be set, and met to take advantage of the calming, and practical Jupiter-Saturn trine of 2008 and the coming world transits that take all of us into the challenging and radical decade of the 2010s.

Peace.

Theodore White, CSA
astro730@yahoo.com
Theo

Mortgage Crisis and Transits

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HOUSING MARKETS:
Subprime Mortgage Mess, Corruption, & Foreclosures

SATURN OPPOSES NEPTUNE

Most people at this time in summer 2007 have heard of the crash in the American housing markets and the resulting credit crunch, as markets over the summer dived on news of what is being called the worst housing crisis since the Great Depression.

Transits revealed this back in 2003, when Saturn ingressed into tropical Cancer; however, much of the corruption during the real estate boom did not become known by the public until spring 2007.

Saturn's opposition to Neptune along the Leo/Aquarius axis in August 2006 revealed the extent of the damage that has spread worldwide through money markets, and massive mortgage-loan packaged hedge funds, or collaterized mortgage loans, over the last seven-years that have
collapsed ~ cascading around the world causing the failure of large banks in France, and Germany that have had to be saved from collapse by the European Union, and central banks.

At the start of the Saturn/Neptune 2006 opposition, we find that professionals watching the mortgage industry were worried about what they were discovering, highlighted here in an August 2006 discussion titled, "Is a Housing Crisis Approaching?

"For some insight into this issue, let's pull some data from a fascinating discussion in Barron's this past weekend. Lon Witter puts forth a different and intriguing notion. Witter observes that we don't have a Housing bubble, what the U.S. has is a lending bubble. His evidence is how loose the lending standards have become, and why not? The banks ultimately just flip the loans to the Fannie Mae (Federal National Mortgage Association, on the NYSE: FNM), where foreclosures and defaults become the headache of buyers looking for greater risk and return.

Witter claims his careful look at the reasons for the rise in housing give a good indication of the impact housing may have on the stock market. He observes the causes (in chronological order) of the rise and ultimate fall of Housing:

"The collapse of the Internet bubble, which chased hot money out of the stock market; rock-bottom interest rates; 50 years of economic history that suggested housing never goes down, and creative financing."

More specifically, Witter's expectations are colored by rather disturbing data:

? 32.6% of new mortgages and home-equity loans in 2005 were interest
only, up from 0.6% in 2000;

? 43% of first-time home buyers in 2005 put no money down;

? 15.2% of 2005 buyers owe at least 10% more than their home is worth
(negative equity);

? 10% of all home owners with mortgages have no equity in their homes(zero equity);

? $2.7 trillion dollars in loans will adjust to higher rates in 2006 and 2007.

Traditionally, Mortgages have been low risk lending, as the loan is securitized by the underlying property. When banks were lending less than the value of the property (LTV), to people with good credit, who also were invested in the property (substantial down payments) you had the makings of a very good business: low risk, moderate, predictable returns, minimal defaults.

That model seems to have been forgotten. THIS IS REMINSCENT OF THE S&L CRISIS -- where lenders did not have any repercussions for their bad loans!

As bad as the above numbers look, the thinking behind them is worse:

"Lenders have encouraged people to use the appreciation in value of
their houses as collateral for an unaffordable loan, an idea similar to the junk bonds being pushed in the late 1980s. The concept was to use the company you were taking over as collateral for the loan you needed to take over the company in the first place. The implosion of that idea caused the 1989 mini-crash.

Now the house is the bank's collateral for the questionable loan. But what happens if the value of the house starts to drop?"

A good example of how this is unfolding at lending institutions comes from Washington Mutual: You may recall Washington Mutual laid off 2,500 employees in their mortgage broker department earlier this year. As LTV went above 100%, and then as property values decayed from recent peaks, the collateralized aspect of these mortgages suddenly is at risk.

Here's how this has played out over the past few years via WaMu's ARM loans (data via Washington Mutual's annual report):

- 2003 year end, 1% of WaMu's option ARMS were in negative amortization (payments were not covering interest charges, so the shortfall was added to principal).

- 2004, the percentage jumped to 21%.

- 2005, the percentage jumped again to 47%. By value of the loans, the percentage was 55%.

So each month, the borrowers' debt increases; Note there is no strict disclosure requirement for negative amortization -- Banks do not have an affirmative obligation to disclose this to mortgagees.

Thus, a large part of our housing system have become credit cards. And according to Witter, "WaMu's situation is the norm, not the exception."

Even worse, Witter notes that negative amortization is booked by the banks as earnings. "In Q1 2005, WaMu booked $25 million of negative amortization as earnings; in the same period for 2006 the number was $203 million."

This situation is unsustainable. Witter's housing and market forecast is rather bearish:

'Negative amortization and other short-term loans on long-term assets don't work because eventually too many borrowers are unable to pay
the loans down -- or unwilling to keep paying for an asset that has
declined in value relative to their outstanding balance. Even a relatively brief period of rising mortgage payments, rising debt and falling home values will collapse the system. And when the housing-finance system goes, the rest of the economy will go with it.'


By the release of the August housing numbers, it should become clear that the housing market is beginning a significant decline. When this realization hits home, investors will finally have to confront the fact that they are gambling on people who took out no-money-down, interest-only, adjustable-rate mortgages at the top of the market and the financial institutions that made those loans. The stock market should then begin a 25%-30% decline. If the market ignores the warning signs until fall, the decline could occur in a single week."

As we saw yesterday, the housing data has begin that downside surprise. We have yet to see if July's downward acceleration was a one off or the start of something much more ominous.

Anecdotally, a friend who is a Real Estate attorney in Virginia emailed the following after yesterday's discussion:

'We're seeing substantial increases in foreclosure volume, with more loans going to sale and being bought back by note holders. Most are loans, which have originated since 1/1/05. many are conventional ARM
loans. Foreclosure investors are now sitting on the sidelines.

Huge increases in available real estate up and down the I-95 corridor with stuff sitting for extended periods, even in resort areas."

Thus, our Housing driven Economy has now moved into the next phase: the long glide downwards in prices, sales volume, and foreclosures."

THE MORTGAGE CRISIS OF FALL 2007:
Bursting of the Housing Bubble
Jupiter inflates, Saturn deflates


The best way to neutralize this fall's transits is to prepare to navigate them in advance without resorting to inflicting, or, taking part in personal projections onto others, personal/professional dramas which Saturn can crystallize into reality ~ which can turn into violent confrontations that can change destinies.

Saturn's long transit of Virgo (26 months) and another four months by retrograde in the year 2010, takes place in a sign ruled by Mercury. This transit will have a devastating, nearly depressing, effect on those severely affected by the downturn in the housing market nationwide, and will drag down important sectors of the American economy (along with other nations connected economically to U.S. housing around the world.)

This feeling of betrayal by the general voting public will lead to the coming Saturn/Uranus opposition that begins in earnest in the year 2008, and will continue throughout 2009, into 2010 ~ the status quo (Saturn) being challenged by the new & radical (Uranus) will be highlighted starting in October/November ~ during the U.S. presidential election ~ and continue into the start of the next decade.

Those people who are financially strapped by housing (sellers) and those holding mortgages & properties that are falling in value can remedy the situation by protecting themselves legally. Saturn's opposition to Neptune since August 2006 (along with transits prior to this pre-dating 2006) indicates widespread corruption in real estate and housing in general ~

See ~ http://www.mortgagefraudblog.com

Many homeowners will be able to protect themselves should they take the time to discover if they have been subject to mortgage fraud. The sad reality of what has resulted in a major credit crunch in the United States and Europe is that many families are losing homes, and businesses as a result of huge gambles with properties over the years since 1998. In effect, the chickens have come home to roost, and Saturn's transit is making this all too clear, with Jupiter's position in Sagittarius helping to spread the pain all around.

Buyers are reported to be waiting on the "sidelines" until housing prices fall. However, there is more to this than just "waiting." Many first-time buyers are being forced by the credit crunch to wait as many banks which made huge, and risky loans, have tightened and restricted (Saturn) their loan policies to the point of frustrating new buyers.

This will make the year 2008 a "stabilizing year" with incredible buys in commercial & residential properties throughout the country. Yet, because there are nearly 4.7 million unsold properties on the U.S. market in 2007, the resulting housing crisis will have plunged the U.S. into a recession; despite the expected lowering of interest rates by the Federal Reserve on September 18, 2007, to lessen the pain.

The fact of the matter is that the Fed did not re-act at all to the housing crisis, and the resulting liquidity shock experienced by banks, and mortgage-lending companies. At the time of writing, nearly 45,000 U.S. workers have been laid off from bankrupt mortgage companies, and many more thousands are expected to lose their jobs by the time November 1, 2007 arrives.

Jupiter's coming ingress into tropical Capricorn in mid-December 2007 will be in its "fall" and will also take place in Saturn's domicile of Capricorn. Prices will fall, with an excess of supply in the housing markets and reduced demand results in a recessionary climate in late 2007 and early 2008.

The good news will be that Saturn's transit in Virgo will produce an earth trine to Jupiter, allowing for some stabilization in the markets. However, this will not prevent the fast-rising foreclosures that have (and still are) taking place nationwide in 2007. There is more pain ahead in the housing industry for many years to come ~ over the entire transit of Saturn in Virgo, and into the decade of the 2010s.
Theo

Fed Cuts Rates

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US Federal Reserve Likely To Cut Interest Rates by 50 Basis Points By Dan Denning on Sep 18th, 2007

Speaking of currency, the US Federal Reserve announces its rate policy decision later this evening Aussie time. Here?s our prediction: a cut of 50 basis points in the funds rate (the rate at which banks lend to one another) and a cut of 50 basis points in the discount rate (the rate at which the Fed lends to banks). It will look either like a total panic or decisive leadership, depending on your perspective.

It?s an ambitious forecast. But in addition to facing rising oil prices, the Fed faces a recession. Americans are only now starting to see how much the housing bubble boosted employment (construction, mortgage brokers, real estate, DIY home hardware) and consumer spending (cash-out refinancing and home equity lines of credit). Without that stimulus to employment and consumer spending, the economy won?t just grow less fast. It will shrink some.

And what about the politics of a rate cut? In the current political environment, the Fed will act to boost employment and housing at the expense of a stable currency. This could be very bad news for the dollar. But on the verge of an election year in the States, and under a growing drumbeat of stories about foreclosed homeowners and victims of predatory lending, the Fed has about one good chance to shift the public mood.

For more, see ~ http://www.dailyreckoning.com.au/intere ... 007/09/18/
Theo

Saturn's Transit & The Credit Crisis

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As Saturn's transit continues into the early degrees of tropical Virgo and towards its conjunction with the Dragon's Tail, we also see Jupiter's speed pick up in Sagittarius, leading to its coming December 2007 conjunction with Pluto, now at the Galactic Center in the heart of Sagittarius.

The world markets continue to reel from what is being called the "Panic of 2007." Considering the transit of the Lunar Nodes from mutable to fixed, and with Jupiter's coming ingress into tropical Capricorn, along with it's earth trine in 2008 to Saturn in Virgo, it appears a stablization of the world financial markets is afoot. The question is, will it last, and will the stablization be in time?

The Credit Crisis Could Be Just Beginning

By Jon D. Markman
Sept. 21, 2007

Satyajit Das is laughing. It appears I have said something very funny, but I have no idea what it was. My only clue is that the laugh sounds somewhat pitying.

One of the world's leading experts on credit derivatives (financial instruments that transfer credit risk from one party to another), Das is the author of a 4,200-page reference work on the subject, among a half-dozen other tomes. As a developer and marketer of the exotic instruments himself over the past 30 years, he seemed like the ideal industry insider to help us get to the bottom of the recent debt crunch -- and I expected him to defend and explain the practice.

I started by asking the Calcutta-born Australian whether the credit crisis was in what Americans would call the "third inning." This was pretty amusing, it seemed, judging from the laughter. So I tried again. "Second inning?" More laughter. "First?" Still too optimistic.

Das, who knows as much about global money flows as anyone in the world, stopped chuckling long enough to suggest that we're actually still in the middle of the national anthem before a game destined to go into extra innings. And it won't end well for the global economy.

Ursa Major
Das is pretty droll for a math whiz, but his message is dead serious. He thinks we're on the verge of a bear market of epic proportions.

For more, see ~ http://www.thestreet.com/s/the-credit-c ... ?puc=_tscs
Theo

5
...and with Jupiter's coming ingress into tropical Capricorn, along with it's earth trine in 2008 to Saturn in Virgo, it appears a stablization of the world financial markets is afoot.
Capricorn is a Cardinal sign ? a sign of movement and action. And Capricorn is Jupiter?s fall. Jupiter in fall in Capricorn will be trine its dispositor, Saturn peregrine in Virgo ? one of Jupiter?s signs of detriment. Does it really sound like Jupiter could contribute much toward stabilization? If anything, it sounds like an influence of easy carelessness and poorly considered, inappropriate actions.

Edited to add: Maybe I?ve got the Saturn part of the trine wrong and Jupiter could be led to produce actions that are more in the line of overly-considered (fretted over) and overly-rated; actions that are just scattered diversions and of little importance.

6
Kirk wrote:
...and with Jupiter's coming ingress into tropical Capricorn, along with it's earth trine in 2008 to Saturn in Virgo, it appears a stablization of the world financial markets is afoot.
Capricorn is a Cardinal sign ? a sign of movement and action. And Capricorn is Jupiter?s fall. Jupiter in fall in Capricorn will be trine its dispositor, Saturn peregrine in Virgo ? one of Jupiter?s signs of detriment. Does it really sound like Jupiter could contribute much toward stabilization? If anything, it sounds like an influence of easy carelessness and poorly considered, inappropriate actions.

Edited to add: Maybe I?ve got the Saturn part of the trine wrong and Jupiter could be led to produce actions that are more in the line of overly-considered (fretted over) and overly-rated; actions that are just scattered diversions and of little importance.
In my view, the coming Jupiter/Saturn earth trine will stablize the markets after the Panic of 2007. The coming transit of Jupiter in the sign of its detriment (Capricorn) actually can help. Capricorn is much more than just a sign of movement and action. It is also the sign of economy, meaning caution, basics, and discipline. Jupiter's coming transit here (even in detriment) will be of great use considering Saturn's position.

You will find that detriments can be as much of a help as they can hurt depending on the positions of the planets to one another. In this case, Jupiter will be in Capricorn (domicile of Saturn) as Saturn transits the domicile of Mercury (Virgo) ~ because of the earth trine Virgo/Capricorn between Jupiter and Saturn, this offers some stablization of the economic stresses of the past year (2007).

Jupiter in this sense can contribute, since Saturn's position will be a benefit relating to its trine position from Virgo to Capricorn in 2008. This allows for a time of stabilization that allows people, companies, etc., to regroup from the wild economic events of 2007.
Theo

8
MarkF wrote:The accumulated silence of the Skyscript community on this series of posts is deafening... and the best commentary possible.
I wrote it to be read, as most astrological oriented articles on current affairs, and world transits are Mark. Moreover, there have been over 600 views of the article which I would not call "deafening" as the "best commentary possible." What does that mean? Are you saying that the events of the world are not aligned with present celestial transits? Do you read the news?
Theo

9
From the guidelines:
Expressions of your personal political views and biases may be a relevant part of any post you make concerning mundane astrology and world-events. However, most readers are looking for astrological reasoning, so where it is necessary to express political or social opinions please remember that this is an astrology site and try to restrain your passions to comments that fall into an appropriate astrological context.
Two posts have been removed that lacked any astrological connection. If political comments are made then it has to be made obvious why ? what astrological point is being expressed? If the comments reproduce political opinion published elsewhere on the web (to support some previous political comment that was supported astrologically), then a link should suffice, and a short reference as to why that point matters - astrologically.

Other than that the forum has the space to allow these kinds of posts, so long as they are of interest astrologically. The space on Skyscript is much less limited than my time, so I might miss comments that are likely to cause particular or widespread offence. If that happens please let me or one of the other moderators know. Failing that, Theo?s posts are entitled to the expectation of respect in responses as per usual. I say that because one of the comments that have been removed was nothing more than a personal attack. Not the sort of thing that I want to come into the forum and read first thing in the morning.

Critique of technique and critique of the interpretation placed upon technique is fine; so long as it is delivered appropriately with the astrological purpose in mind.

Transits, Economic Fall Out & Starting Anew: 2008

10
As transiting Saturn picks up speed in sunrise charts, we continue to see the economic fallout from a series of bad econonic news, particularly in western nations. Saturn's transit close to the Lunar South Node in Virgo, is bringing to a head Saturn's transit since 2003, when it made entry into the sign of the home (Cancer) in that year.

Saturn's transit in tropical Leo, and it's opposition to Neptune in 2006 helped to bring mask, and then to reveal much of the rampant financial speculation that is now coming to a head in the U.S. and Europe. Saturn's entry into the mutable sign of Virgo releases all this into the public realm as shown by these headlines:

A Falling U.S. Dollar ~ http://www.currencytrading.net/2007/7-c ... -it-means/

Gold at $800 an ounce
Oil at nearly $100
Investment Bank Turmoil
Rising Foreclosures

Transits at this time in early November reveal that as the Lunar Nodes reduce in degrees along the Pisces/Virgo axis towards their change of quality from mutable to fixed in the Aquarius/Leo in mid-December 2007 that the effects of these headlines will continue unabated into the year 2008 and beyond ~

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7070935.stm

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.j ... iti105.xml

http://news.independent.co.uk/business/ ... 132507.ece

Saturn will peak at the Midheaven of sunrise transit charts this month of November. We should witness some stablization arriving after mid-December when Jupiter's ingress into tropical Capricorn comes at the same time that the Lunar Nodes change quality with the Dragon's Head in Aquarius and the Dragon's Tail in Leo.

The coming earth trines between Jupiter & Saturn in 2008 will see a host of local, regional and national investigations into the housing and financial crisis sweeping the U.S. This reveals calls for regulation of many industries (Saturn) with serious judicial investigations (Jupiter) that may result in sweeping changes especially in the mortgage and banking industries.

The personal effects on those from these events will be extensive as we come to a close of one mini-era, and into the next astrological year in March 2008. Several celestial events from Jupiter's entering Capricorn, its coming earth trine to Saturn, along with a new lunar node era beginning in mid-December indicates many beginnings for millions of people.

One of the ways to handle all the changes is to close out as much unresolved issues as is possible by mid-December 2007, but to use Jupiter's direct motion to start new again before Jupiter retrogrades in early May 2008. Because most of Jupiter's direct motion takes place during the autumn months, and winter months of 2008, most people tend to withdraw because of the lack of daylight.

Moreover, the coming Venus/Jupiter conjunction in early Capricorn at the end of January 2008 reveals this new mini-era that lasts into mid-August 2009, more or less, during the new lunar nodal cycle that started in mid-December 2007. This allows most people with positive aspects to this conjunction to take stock of the past five years, and to renew themselves by beginning new projects, relocating, and starting new careers.

Some of my clients have already started this process of starting anew because of what has happened to the overall economic life in the nation in 2007. Taking the time in November and December 2007 to plan for the coming year of 2008 is helped by this winter's Venus/Jupiter conjunction, to be seen rising in the eastern skies in late January and early February 2008.

This conjunction will be preceded by Pluto rising in Capricorn in late January. Although it has a much larger effect in generations, the fact that Pluto will be rising prior to this Venus/Jupiter conjunction strengthens the Venus/Jupiter conjunction and reveals that starting again is magnified greatly throughout the world.

What we are witnessing is a dawn of a new age that precedes coming celestial aspects ~

Saturn oppose Uranus (2008-2011)
Jupiter conjunction Neptune (2009)
Jupiter conjunction Uranus (2010)
Jupiter oppose Saturn (2010-2011)
Uranus square Pluto (2011-2017)

These aspects indicate that the decade of the 2010s will be challenging, to say the least. It also highlights the importance of getting back on one's feet as much as possible in the years 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 before most of the effects of the above transits take effect.

The Venus/Jupiter conjunction of early 2008 allows most people to take advantage of this particular conjunction to offset some of the bad influences of the malefic transits of recent years in this decade before the next decade begins in earnest.
Theo

Re: Highlighting fullmoon in dec

12
ZiiiV wrote:I just want to highlight the fullmoon in dec.

It is a conj of: pluto, jup, sun,merc in opp to radix Mars conj moon.

Moon will exact pass mars at 3 am GMT the 24 dec....


Hold on to your hats and have a great Christmas :lala
Yes, December's full moon really is a collection of many of the transits of 2007 which culminate just at Christmas this year. With the change in quality of the Lunar nodes, along with Jupiter's ingress into tropical Capricorn, Saturn's retrograde, along with the retrograde of Mars, the stress of the autumn transits will peak for those who are trying to survive day to day with the economc downturn.

The conjunction of the Moon/Mars in Cancer will most likely feature some upset families out there who have been the victims of the corruption in the financial and housing markets. The best way to handle those transits is to remain calm, to rest, and to look forward to the year 2008, rather than focus on the bad year that 2007 was... There are better transits ahead in early 2008 for those in the know... Times are changing, and those who are willing to make the adjustments, and to forge ahead early in 2008 before the retrograde of Jupiter in early May 2008 will do best in the coming new astrological year beginning in March 2008.
Theo