Bernard Duchatelle – 2023, Heading Towards Recovery?

The following describes the actuality of the celestial geometry of the year 2023, as well as the way it unfolds in our lives as citizens of this vast world. It is important to remember that this collective celestial geometry refers to our personal chart, regardless of its configurations. The personal chart provides our cosmic identity. It outlines the best way to achieve our destiny, that is, our function and our destination. Understanding its structure and subtle characteristics, as well as the relationships it weaves on a daily basis with the ever-changing heaven, allows us to play at the great game of life and death into which we all participate. In this respect, and despite the fact that we usually focus on our individual lives, astrology reminds us that the game is a collective one.

2023

Whether they broadcast their projections or not, astrologers from all over the world engage in this expected exercise: if not predict, at least assess the trends of the upcoming new year. Given the extensive interactions of all nations at the economic, political, social and ecological levels, this mandatory astrometeorology concerns the entire planet. The celestial geometry reflects what we are currently experiencing; a situation we know to be tragic; the energy crisis, democracy in danger, war in Europe, triumphant materialism, the destruction of the environment are all creating a feeling of weariness and discouragement. However, there is no question of giving up, especially since a shining principle, although weak and delicate, is expected to grow in 2023, laying the foundations for a possible recovery.

Full Moon in Cancer

07/01/2023, 00H08 (CET) Paris France

Closely associated with Covid-19, the war in Ukraine and our inability to take serious action on behalf of our devastated planet, three years of heavy configurations accumulated one after the other – mainly the Saturn-Jupiter-Pluto conjunction, the Kala Sarpa Yoga episodes and the Saturn-Uranus square are coming to an end.

From the Full Moon of January 7^th, new blood seems to irrigate the celestial geometry as Uranus, finally released from the Saturnian grip, unfolds the positive energy required for any radical change. From March 23^rd, to June 11^th, the first ingress of Pluto into Aquarius, a sign conducive to upheaval, for better or for worse, favors this Uranian deployment. If this is not without danger considering the Uranian authoritarianism and the Plutonian drive for domination, a long period of stagnation seems to be over. From March 7^th onwards, Saturn in Pisces gently supports this evolution, while from the first days of May to the end of October, Jupiter, linking up with Rahu and then getting closer to Uranus, raises hopes for a revolution in our minds as well as in our lives.

It remains, however, that a long square of the lunar nodes to Pluto, from late February to early December 2023, colours most of the year. It foretells destructive and/or regenerative events to be suffered: unrelated to our free will, they will expose our consciousness to the meanings of desire, power, death and possible rebirth.

Pluto in Aquarius

23/03/2023, 14H00 (CET) Paris France

Pluto in Aquarius from March 23^rd, to June 11^th, 2023

The previous first ingress of Pluto into Aquarius occurred on January 27^th, 1778, during the great era of political and industrial revolutions. Beyond the mere psychological impacts, we expect concrete outcomes; the spring 2023 will deliver a glimpse of the major role that this planet is about to play in the next twenty years: this long transit in Aquarius will have measurable repercussions in our daily lives as well as in the ideologies that shape them. Pluto maintains intimate ties with self-interest and the exercise of power. In a post-modern world its transit into Aquarius will favour transhumanism, genetic manipulation, nanotechnology, robotization and the growing dangers of geo-engineering. Bureaucratic surveillance, marked inclinations towards dictatorship and a disturbing descent into the darkness of materialism, could impose an increasingly dehumanized society.

However, this does not have to be the case: uranized in Aquarius, this same Pluto has the capacity to stimulate the conquest of inner freedom, offering a meaning and a purpose to life other than the pursuit of pleasure, the flight from fear and survival at all costs. It has an active role to play in the crucial renewal of a spirituality that has almost deserted the whole world. The master of death and rebirth is eagerly awaited here.

From a geopolitical perspective, China and Russia are to be closely watched. Libra-Aquarius, China is poised for serious mutations. The Chinese people have recently defied their government regarding the zero-covid policy, an incentive for a youth that yearns for freedom. Interestingly, China’s Ascendant and Moon are located at the very beginning of Aquarius, where Pluto is about to transit several years: the behaviour (Ascendant) of the Chinese population (the Moon) is most likely to turn electrified (Aquarius). Aquarius-Pisces in my understanding, Russia also experiences a time of intense transition. Let us mention that on December 26th, 1991, when the Soviet Union was officially dissolved, Saturn was in its domicile at 05°14′ in Aquarius. Its entering into Pisces, coupled with Pluto in Aquarius, should not leave unmoved a population submitted to an all-powerful State apparatus. The brutal war in Ukraine might well drive the current regime towards the exit.

Pluto is the Alchemist of the stars. It promises regeneration but there are no guarantees. Let’s think of the Nigredo phase – the blackening, this strenuous process preceding the transmutation of lead (Saturn) into gold (the Sun), which allows the gathering of the destructive energies that dwell in us.

Saturn in Pisces

07/03/2023, 14H35 (CET) Paris France

Saturn in Pisces from March the 7^th, 2023

Entering Pisces the 7^th of March, where Neptune makes a significant transit for more than a decade[1], Saturn will assist greatly. These last two years in Aquarius it has labored as a researcher observing, clarifying, offering solutions; but its square to Uranus has spoiled the party; if general awareness and heated debates have occurred, thanks to the Uranian energy being obstructed nothing has really been undertaken, trapped as we are within the framework of harmful habits (the Moon), the prevalence of personal interests (Pluto) and security concerns (Saturn). As Uranus becomes released, the natural Piscean empathy will assist in turning Saturnian research and findings into decisions that are followed by action. Meanwhile, sentimentality, that complacent attachment to emotional sensations, should be kept at bay so that insights can be fully authentic and unfold into right action.

In any serious matter Saturn is unavoidable and its sign changes deeply affect the psychic atmosphere. Its transit in Pisces will favour a welcome response to the Neptunian illusion made all-powerful by our image-based civilization. Ideally Saturn provides a real-world foundation for Neptune, which represents our vulnerability to beliefs, blind faith, sentimentality and a psychological impressionability that can serve as a cornerstone of populism.

Ideally, the Saturnian virtues of realism, determination and discipline should be combined with those of Jupiter and Neptune, which focus on the expansion of consciousness, justice, compassion and the realization of the unity of the collective consciousness. The Neptunian sign of Pisces (inspiration, compassion, empathy) needs grounding to express itself perfectly and Saturn (patience, seriousness, depth) is best suited for this work.

Altogether a Neptunian Saturn facilitates the flowering of the emotional intelligence, without which essential transformations cannot take place neither within nor without. Without it, the efforts of scientists, such as the IPCC specialists, will not pierce the numb layers of our minds.

Jupiter-Rahu conjunction

02/06/2023, 01H45 (CET) Paris France

 

Jupiter, Rahu and Uranus

This increase in intelligence will be supported by a Jupiter currently social and combative in Aries, then ecological and protective in Taurus from May 16^th. It will then transit at the sextile of Saturn until July 20^th, combining inspiration and justice (Jupiter) with structure (Saturn).

From May 4^th to June 28^th, Jupiter will join Rahu: associated to the Earth, to ecofeminism and to prosperity in general, Taurus energies should thrive more easily. Both Rahu and Jupiter have expansive natures that facilitates experiences, opportunities and rewarding encounters. Of course, Rahu often plagues us with greed and unavoidable secret schemes, while Jupiter favours hierarchic organizations; however new political, philosophical, ecological and cultural openings should emerge.

From July 12 to October 23, Jupiter moves closer to Uranus, expanding consciousness in many ways and amplifying the campaigns against injustice, whether they concern those subjected to dictatorships, the destitute of this world, women’s rights or an increasingly exhausted Earth. Taurus in nature, Iran could finally shake the yoke of the Mullahs, freeing women from a hell imposed for decades, their Afghani sisters, even more mistreated (!) perhaps taking advantage of it[2]. Great revolutionary opportunities, political as well as ecological, seem to be opening up, with ecofeminism at the forefront. More than men, women as mothers feel and understand the need to heal the Earth; and a genuine revolution of the collective consciousness without a perfect gender equality cannot be.

New Moon in Cancer,

17/07/2023

Map: signs shift of the nodal axis the same day, at 21H59 (CET) Paris France

The Nodal axis shift and its squares to Pluto, from late February to early December 2023

On July 17^th the lunar nodes shift from the Taurus-Scorpio axis to the Aries-Libra axis: Rahu (the north node) in Aries increases desires and the capacity for action, while Ketu (the south node) in Libra indicates more simplicity and depth in the relationships. However, these tendencies affect but slightly the collective psyche, as the aspects of the lunar nodes are much more significant than the signs they move through.

We have already observed what happens with the Jupiter/Rahu conjunction from May 4^th to June 28^th. We will not deal here with the conjunctions of the nodes with the luminaries or with Mercury. We should highlight, however, the encounter of Venus with Rahu at 4°Taurus from March 15^th to the 26^th: Emotionally eventful and agitated (beware of Rahu’s venomous gifts!), it significantly concerns the feelings, ecofeminism and possibly Iranian women (Taurus). Less pleasingly, from September 25^th to October 14^th, Mars will conjunct Ketu at 25°Libra, greatly increasing violent compulsions and the probabilities of terrorist attacks.

As mentioned in the introduction, the lunar nodes squaring Pluto from late February to early December 2023 color the entire year. It should be watched closely, particularly during the transits just mentioned – Jupiter and Venus with Rahu and Mars with Ketu. Difficult situations, both collective and personal in which free will is non-existent are to be expected. The energetic context, the interests and ambitions of the influential, and the compulsions of each individual, affect the collective psyche and materialize adverse circumstances. Thus, within a Uranian context of liberation, the longings for sensations and domination (Pluto) as well as attachment and discontent (Rahu) are increased, foretelling serious tensions.

A positive alchemy – the Plutonian ideal – is however possible, although one should not forget that the time of the already mentioned Nigredo phase is not without danger: fear, greed and mental hardness rise to the surface of our consciousness and favor authoritarianism and radicality (Uranus), self-interest, power and domination (Pluto), mental rigidity and conflicting self-restraint (Saturn), sentimentalism and negative empathy (Neptune).

To achieve transmutation (Pluto), it is to be understood (Uranus) that one cannot voluntarily decide (Saturn) to be detached or to be unpretentious (Ketu). The subtle key lies in the unfailing, attentive and passive observation of our inner demons. One can then observe them as they dissolve on their own, effortlessly, in the heat of intelligence, simply because one has stopped fighting within oneself.

Attempt a fundamental change

The lunar nodes are central to astrological spirituality: they associate with greed, attachment, anxiety and discontent (Rahu), as well as compulsions, detachment, restraint and simplicity (Ketu). Materialistic Pluto is very much connected to self-interest and tends to prevent spiritual fulfilment but does not forbid it: Pluto is also transmutation, which is much more than transformation. For this we must go through the experiences (Rahu) of our complicated lives and discern their deep meaning (Ketu), via intelligent awareness (Uranus) of the mechanisms of our discontent. Understanding is the core of inner freedom.

The quest for inner freedom is genuinely spiritual: in 2023 Uranus (the inner revolution) feeds it, released from the square of Saturn (the pursuit of security) and fueled by Jupiter (the expansion of consciousness). The whole process requires the contribution of emotional intelligence (Neptune), which is structured by serious thinking combined with mental strength (Saturn): this year, all these stars are urging us to attempt a fundamental change. To think that various synergies will take off is not unrealistic: multiple factors cumulate so that human consciousness, at the heart of all our miseries, starts a necessary revolution, the only possible way to change the world. This is the best we can wish for 2023, which hopefully will be bold, passionate and life changing.

[1] Although Neptune shows great power in its domicile in Pisces, it is not necessarily beneficial there. This complex star, inherently linked with personal and collective emotions, affects the whole psyche. Problems related to identification (with an ideology, a nationality, a belief …), the unavoidable influence of social networks, mental manipulations through sentimentality, beliefs, illusions and dissimulations fall under its influence. Once understood by Uranus and purified by Saturn, its best nature expresses itself in empathy, the desire for fusion and communion and ultimately the realization that humanity is one, that the world is us and that we are the world.

[2] The Islamic Revolution occurred in 1979, when Uranus was transiting at 20°56 Scorpio. In September 2022, when the protests started after the death of Mahsa Amini, Uranus was at 18°45 Taurus, the sign of Iran, in exact opposition and Rahu was at 14°39 Taurus.