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A Fateful Election?

In a bow to the moody days of the season (with Mercury retrograde in Scorpio along with the North Node and the Sun), I’ve been pondering the question of fate these past days. (1)

Leaving aside the philosophical inquiry of what we mean by fate, I will herein assume that it has some connection to the threads or patterns we find in life.

I think the entire horoscope in some way shows the person’s fate, and yet there is a point that is considered a highly “fated” marker, the Vertex. Described by Edward Johndro in the 1930s, it is the point where the prime vertical intersects the ecliptic in the west.

It is a point where we meet life in often strange, compelling, and mysterious ways. (I think it was astrologer Janet Booth who first used the terms “cosmic appointments” and “appointments with fate.”)

It happens to be a sensitive point in my natal chart — I’ve had three life-altering events when the transiting Sun conjoined it — and I’ve watched the Vertex for a long time. (2) I spent a luxurious time on Sunday looking at charts and I may write about some of those strange stories soon, but for now, before it gets too far behind us, I want to look at the election.

On September 17, when Romney’s 47% comments were made public, I thought, that’s it, he’s done. (I heard Mayor Bloomberg on the radio that night, “Romney just lost the election.”) It felt like a fateful moment in the campaign.

In hindsight, those comments have been recognized as further instilling the depressing narrative of Romney’s secure place in the .01%, which certainly did impact voter turnout.

But there were months to go and many more anxious days. Along with everyone, I was closely watching events leading up to election: Watching and waiting for the expected bedlam of the Mercury station. (3)

And then, unexpected events took a turn — the storm winds and water came and the whole political story took on a different tone.

N.J. Governor Chris Christie, a key supporter of the Republican nominee – he was the keynote speaker at the Republican Convention, had been scheduled to be campaigning for Romney when the storm hit New York and New Jersey. I was watching much of the coverage, and the first pictures of Christie greeting the president in his ravaged state were very touching. Both men are in the midst of the Chiron return. (4) Obama’s Chiron is 5°19’ Pisces, Christie’s Jupiter is 6°56’ with Chiron at 8°14 Pisces. The empathy between them seemed obvious. One reporter said that the two men were inseparable for the 24 hours of the president’s initial visit, bound by the immensity of the tragedy and their shared mutual responsibility.

Christie spoke effusively about the president’s leadership and effectiveness. (This was a few days after Christie had described Obama “like a man wandering around a dark room, hands up against the wall, clutching for the light switch of leadership and he just can’t find it” and “blindly walking around the White House looking for a clue.”) (5)

On October 31, the president landed in New Jersey.

“Christie provided the defining moment for a country torn by gridlock and partisanship, boarding a helicopter with President Barack Obama for a tour of the battered Jersey shore. On the first full day after Sandy, six days before the presidential election, the Republican Christie talked up Obama like an old bowling buddy.” (6)

“The scene played out on televisions around the country like a stirring campaign ad that hit themes of bipartisanship and crisis management — only it was run free of charge. And for those who missed it, Mr. Christie repeated his praise again and again in television interviews, saying the president had been ‘outstanding,’ ‘incredibly supportive’ and ‘deserves great credit.'” (7)

The president’s natal Vertex, point of fateful encounters, is 12°54’ Virgo. (All of the charts are shown with Whole Sign houses.)
Obama natal
In Christie’s sunrise chart, the Sun is at 13°21′ Virgo.
Obama natal
(In my experience, the Sun conjunct the Vertex shows a favorable connection, unusual in some way, but often profoundly beneficial.)

Then, on November 1, NYC Mayor Bloomberg (an Independent) endorsed Obama for a second term, saying that the president will do more about climate change. (8)

Michael Bloomberg’s natal North Node, a point of increase or gain, is also at 13° Virgo, conjunct Obama’s natal Vertex.
Obama natal
This is a mysteriously interwoven tale, indeed.

We send all good thoughts to all the people still in distress from the impact of the storm.

Footnotes:

(1) I listened again to Bernadette Brady’s talk, Fate in the Horoscope at UAC in May 2012. This is a marvelous discourse on how she currently understands fate, after six years of intensive study on the subject. I highly recommend it if you are curious. You can purchase the mp3 file here: UAC Astrology Shop

(2) In a blog, A Fateful Place? The Polish Plane Crash, I wrote about a truly eerie  (and tragic) event, the plane crash in Russia in 2010 that killed all 96 passengers, including the Polish president and his wife and many prominent politicians and policy makers. I included the TNP Hades and a few midpoints, but the Vertex is striking.
“In another striking parallel between the two events, when the 1940 solar eclipse is set for Smolensk, Russia, site of both the massacre and the plane crash, the Ascendant is 25º34’ Scorpio. The Vertex point (the most “fated” point in the horoscope) for the crash is 23º34’ Scorpio. This connection between the Vertex of one event and the Ascendant of another event plays out the other way as well: The Vertex point for the 1940 eclipse in Smolensk is 9º20’ Cancer; the Ascendant of the plane crash chart is 10º18’ Cancer.”
TMA Blog, April 11, 2010

(3) There are lots of astute comments on various aspects of the election that astrologers will be sorting out for awhile, including Chris Brennan’s Political Astrology Blog (with his awesome findings on Romney’s Project Orca), and Lee Lehman’s discussion on What has the 2012 Election Taught Us?

(4) Chris Christie, September 6, 1962; Newark, N.J. Wikipedia

(5) Reuters

(6) Huffington Post

(7) New York Times

(8) Michael Bloomberg, February 14, 1942; Boston, MA Wikipedia

15 Comments

  1. This is a very thoughtful and thought-provoking piece, Mary. Thank you. For now, I just want to add that there is a AA-rated chart for Mr. Bloomberg, for 3:40 pm EWT– see Astrodatabank http://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Bloomberg,_Mike
    This Bloomberg chart shows the vertex at 12-43 Sagittarius, exactly trine the Sun in the Obama chart, from the eleventh house of friends.

    • Thank you, Peter,

      I got so excited when I saw Bloomberg’s North Node I did not do a proper search for his time..

      Best for now (and Happy Thanksgiving..)

      mary

  2. Great article, Mary. It got me thinking about my own natal aspects to my Vertex.

    • Thanks Tem..

  3. So interesting, Mary! I’ve been interested in Chris Christie for a while now – I wish we had his birth time. He is a passionate man with charisma, who often speaks a bit too effusively off the cuff. But he often mentions his wife; an endearing trait. His connection with Obama and realizing how Christie’s idol, Bruce Springsteen, worked tirelessly for the reelection of Obama made me look up Springsteen’s chart. Amazingly he has natal Saturn at 12 Virgo. Christie has been a long time fan of the “Boss” and was almost beside himself at meeting him when Obama came to New Jersey to survey the hurricane damage. These connections are noteworthy….. “Born in the U.S.A” indeed.

    (Side note: not sure if you are aware of the misspelling of the president’s name on the chart)

    • Hi Rebecca,

      Thanks for the comment (and noticing the misspelling)..love the connection with the Boss..

      Best,

      Mary

  4. Hi Mary…Great article. How/where do I find/compute the Vertex? Thanks , Judie Harte

    • Hi Judie,

      I use the software, I don’t compute it by hand..what software do you use?

      (I’ve been thinking about Marilyn a lot lately, are you in touch with her?)

      Love,

      Mary

  5. Hi Mary,

    As usual, you have gone deep in your analysis and come up with a profound understanding. That’s why it’s always a pleasure to hear you speak or read your articles. Keep up the good work:)

    Blessings, Susan

    • Thank you Susan,

      Love to you and the family..

      xxoo

  6. Hello Mary,
    Thank you for the insights on the Vertex point which sounds like a Vortex point…and of course I wonder where it is in my chart. I’ll be in New Jersey at the end of this month presenting the Wun-Jo for a pilot program in the middle school system. Because we are working with the Governor’s office we might even get a visit with Governor Christie…wouldn’t that be something? Keep up the good work Mary, you are truly a light in our world…

    • Hi Ron,

      Thanks for the loving words..

      I’ll call you, but Solar Fire has the Vertex option..

      Good luck with Wun-Jo in New Jersey..those poor souls have been through a lot..

      Love,

      Mary

  7. Thanks for this interesting, reflective post, Mary. I shall certainly acquire the Bernadette Brady MP3 – and have clicked the Vertex option on my programme! I haven’t really paid much attention to this point but will do now….

    • Hi Anne,

      Yes, the Vertex is a magical point, in my experience, it is not consistently triggered in anyone’s chart, but when it is awakened, it’s very compelling..

      And, yes definitely to Bernadette…you’ll love it, I’m sure..

      Best to you,

      Mary

  8. Christie has his Mars in Cancer conjunct Obama’s Venus…making for a fine ‘bro-mance’? Interesting too how precisely their Moons are in opposition.


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