Predictions 2012:
Overview of Important Planetary Patterns
Saturn: The planet of Structure and Stability had a rough time of it during the past two years. 2010 –2011 were two years full of Natural Disasters: record-breaking rainfall, floods, record-breaking heat, devastating earthquakes, tornadoes, an historical tsunami. On the human side there were popular mass movements that challenged and toppled long-term dicatators. Astrologically, this all gets attributed to the Saturn-Uranus opposition of 2010 –2011, which pitted Uranus, the planet of Unexpected Change and Revolution, against Saturn the planet of Structures and The Established Order.
As of November 2011, Saturn moved into Libra, thus escaping the influence of Uranus, but now creating a different situation in the Heavens. Saturn in Libra is the planet of Structure in the sign of Balance and Harmony. Essentially, Libra is an Idealist. Saturn as the planet of Work also represents the Government of the Workers, i.e., Democracy. Meanwhile, in Aquarius, one of Saturn’s signs, lies Neptune planet of Dreams and Imagination. Aquarius is the sign of the Humanitarian, the Revolutionary who wants to change society for the better. Thus, on the positive side Aquarius is also an Idealist. Since Neptune is influencing Saturn by being in Saturn’s sign, we now have an energy pattern for 2012 (and lasting through most of 2014), that encourages Social Movements embracing a more Humanitarian Structure, and a more Ideal Democracy.
Mars: Since October 2011 the planet of Action, Aggression, War, and Destruction has taken up residence in Leo, the sign of Rulers and Governments. Mars stays in this sign for the first half of 2012, until late June. While in Leo, Mars is opposite to Neptune in Aquarius. Thus: the Actions of Rulers and Governments are Opposed to the Dreams and Idealism of the Social Revolutionaries. This scenario is already playing out in multiple venues throughout the world.
Mars goes retrograde for nearly three months starting in late January. The planet of Action going “backwards” in the zodiac is not good for beginnings, nor for moving existing projects forwards towards accomplishment. In Vedic Astrology Mars, being the planet of War and Destruction, is classed as a natural malefic i.e., capable of doing harm. Natural Malefics when retrograde have even more power for creating problems. Therefore the time period of January 24 –April 14 is one to beware of. Endeavors initiated during these weeks encounter delays, are more likely to fail, or create unintended, even destructive results. New Projects are better put off until April.
However, Mars will be enjoying the trinal (120 degree) aspect of Jupiter, which benefically influences Mars from Aries, one of Mars’ signs, until mid-May. This tempers somewhat the ill-effects of Mars, even while retrograde. The planet of Action, in reverse, suggests going back over things; revisting past projects, or re-working something. Mars when retrograde and simultaneously aspected by Jupiter, the planet of Planning, indicates that this is a good time-period for Strategizing and Making Preparations, i.e., getting ready for launching the new endeavor after Mars goes back to normal forward motion in mid-April. In your own personal Vedic Astrology Birth Chart, the house that contains Leo indicates the area of life to pay attention to for the effects of Mars in the first 6 months of 2012.
Another planetary pattern begins when Mars leaves Leo in the last week of June. Upon entering Virgo, Mars joins with Saturn, which “backed into” Virgo in mid-May as a result of being in its own retrograde period. Saturn and Mars together in a sign is problematic, because now we have two planets that are classed as natural malefics, together in one sign. Additionally, Mars while in Virgo will be opposite to Uranus in Pisces. This puts the planet of Action and Combat opposite the planet of Sudden Change and Revolution, which can lead to incendiary results from late June until mid-August. The faster-moving Mars “pursues” Saturn in the zodiac, finally catching up in mid-August, after they have both moved into Libra. The exact conjunction will be in the first degree of Libra. Now the planet of Action and the planet of Work are working together in the sign of Idealism for 6 weeks. But it is not an easy alliance, since Mars is Impatient for Results, and Saturn is the planet of Delay, leading to Frustration. There is the potential for Focused Efforts, and energy for Getting Work Done if you can handle the two planets’ energies together. The house of your personal chart containing the sign Libra will indicate what area of your life is affected.
At the end of September, Mars leaves Libra and enters Scorpio. Now another energy pattern begins, since Mars will join with Rahu, one of the Nodes (eclipse points) already transiting in Scorpio since May 2011. Rahu indicates Great Ambition, and potential Material Success. Mars will be in one of its own signs, boosting its significations for Action and Results. Interestingly, this combination still persists during the time of the US Presidential Elections. Mars plus Rahu can give some sort of Unusual, Transformative Event. For a Capricorn-rising person like Barack Obama, the Mars-Rahu combination in Scorpio will be happening in his 11th house of Accomplishment and Reward, which along with other factors in his chart contributes to a high probability of his winning the election.
Jupiter:.The planet of Hope, Optimism, Confidence, and Expansion entered Aries in May 2011. Jupiter encourages the Aries qualities of Independence, Desire for New Adventure, Taking Risks, and Initiating Action. Although Jupiter’s energy was held back during the last 4 months of 2011 while the planet was in its retrograde period, now from January until mid-May 2012, Jupiter pushes forward in dynamic Aries giving Hope and Positive Energy for New Projects. Unfortunately, for a good deal of this time, from late January until mid-April, Mars is retrograde, which throws a monkey-wrench into the Jupiter-in-Aries desire for making progress (see Mars Retrograde in this article).
In mid-May of 2012 Jupiter moves into Taurus. This sets up another unusual astrological pattern in the Heavens. Jupiter will be joining Venus, which entered its own sign Taurus at the end of March. Venus is the planet of Sensuality, Pleasures, Luxury, Romance, while Jupiter is the energy of Expansion and Increase. Taurus is the sign of the Enjoyment of the Material World. The combination of two natural benefics, Venus and Jupiter, especially in materialistic Taurus, is like too much of a good thing, and usually results in a rather “over-the-top” level of Indulgence
But there are additional factors to consider which alter this energy pattern . Although it usually takes only three to four weeks to transit through a sign, this year Venus will be spending 4 months in Taurus. For the same reason that Mars is remaining in Leo for so long, Venus by entering its retrograde period will have an unusually long stay in Taurus. In fact, Venus begins its retrograde period at the same time that Jupiter enters Taurus in mid-May. Venus retrograde means we have the planet of Finance and Agreements “going backwards” in the sign of Worth and Value. Thus: a time of Resetting Values, Delaying Agreements, Reconsidering Romance, etc. Venus is retrograde for 6 weeks, from May 15 until June 27.
Ketu: Starting back in May 2012, Ketu the “South Node” (one of the two eclipse points) entered Taurus. This is the third factor that throws the Jupiter-Venus-in-Taurus pattern into the “weird” category. Ketu represents “the Unseen World.” On the one hand this is Spirituality, and on the other it signifies Past Karma. On the material plane, Ketu is considered another malefic (i.e., producing Bad Results). Ketu brings with it the energy of Change and Disruption, often showing up as “Payment for Past Deeds.” Since Venus, Jupiter, and Taurus are all general significators of Prosperity and Wealth, the addition of a powerful malefic into this mix twists everything around resulting in out-of-control changes in the Worth and Value of things in the material world. A lot of this will be due to Past Karma, giving us a “chickens coming home to roost” scenario. This obviously fits into the prognostications of economists who have been saying that there is a major adjustment coming in the value of currencies, sovereign bonds, commodities, etc. With the help of Vedic Astrology we can now set the likely timing of significant events for the financial sector, with the worst of it being from mid-May through June. In your own personal chart, the area of your life signified by the house containing the sign Taurus is particularly vulnerable to some changes in mid-2012.
Finally, towards the end of 2012, in November, we have a Total Solar Eclipse. When an eclipse occurs it forms a sort of “pothole” in the zodiac that planets can fall into. Eclipses of the Sun are regarded as especially powerful. This eclipse, occuring on November 13 at 28 degrees Libra, is a “set up” for the planet Venus, which will transit through this point a few weeks later, on December 9-10. The significations of Venus are likely to suffer, which could again hit Values, Prices, Agreements, Pleasures, etc. In your own personal Astrology, if you have a planet or sensitive point at the end of Libra, or opposite at the end of Aries, you should watch for changes in your life represented by the significations of that planet and that part of your chart.
