What is striking in the horoscope of Japan – is that Japan – just like Egypt and Libya – is experiencing its Saturn return. BUT make no mistake – this is not just any old Saturn return. The January 4th 2011 eclipse – had the North Node in zero degrees Capricorn – it was therefore triggering the world axis* (i.e. zero degrees of all the cardinal signs) which was already fully activated last year by Pluto, Uranus, Jupiter and Saturn. This was also the very last eclipse in the Capricorn series – as the Node was poised to move into Sagittarius. The Sun was in the 14th degree of Capricorn – squaring eclipse ruler Saturn. Already the Middle East uprisings were gathering momentum. Then on January 26th – Saturn turned retrograde – retracing its steps. Saturn remains retrograde until June 13th – but it will take until September 16th for it to be where it stood on January 4th. This suggests an awful lot of collective effort for very little visible progress. If you animate the solar eclipse horoscope in Solar Fire – you will see how slowly but surely Saturn gains 180 degrees of zodiacal space all for himself. He becomes a singleton – and that makes him stand out. I mean do we really want to see eclipse ruler Saturn in the spotlight? When all the planets are below the horizon – Saturn will be the only planet above it – and vice versa. The horoscope of Japan (sovereignty, Campion, Book of World Horoscopes, April 28th 1952, 01.30 PM, GMT, Tokyo, Japan).
In the horoscope of Japan, eclipse Saturn is in the 9th house and ruler of the first and second. A huge international effort is now underway to help the country (1st house ruler Saturn) start to clear up the enormous mess, and to ensure – I would imagine – that basic living standards (Saturn also ruler 2nd house) are quickly met. However – the main effort – ninth house – is to search for the souls who have been fortunate enough to survive the devastation! Clearly Japan has an enormous task ahead of it.
* The axis of the world – derives from the Hamburger School – and is connected to the powerful energy visible in nature towards change when the Sun (read earth) enters the cardinal signs. Furthermore – any planet in a 45 degree relationship to the 0 degrees of the cardinal signs (i.e. 15 degrees of the fixed signs: Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius)- is also said to be on the Aries point. Our own relationship to the cosmos – our own natural cycle is tied up with the cardinal ingresses (0 degrees, Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn): spring, summer, autumn, winter. At such moments the earth is compelled to obey universal gravitational laws – if she is to remain on her axis and not go hurtling off into space. The Ram point – the axis of the world – points therefore to great change when significant planets trigger it.
copyright: Elizabeth Hathway, DFAStrolS, QHP