The Astrology Birth Chart of the Obama Administration is determined by the date and time of the new president’s swearing-in ceremony: noon on January 20, 2009. The resulting diagram of the Heavens at the time of the inauguration is analyzed using standard Vedic Astrology techniques to understand the quality, success, and make Predictions for Obama’s First Term in office.
As it is for all inauguration charts of modern USA presidents, the Rising Sign of the chart is Aries (they are all sworn in on the same day of the year and at the same time). Mars therefore becomes the planetary ruler of the chart, representing the “Conscious Self” of the Obama Administration. Mars is a dynamic planet: Energetic, Aggressive, and Impatient for Results.
The placement of Mars in Sagittarius in the 9th house of the chart puts emphasis on 9th house significations: Good Fortune, Higher Education, Beliefs and Philosophies and their Dissemination, Foreign Affairs, and Doing Good Deeds. Because Mars is in the Fire sign Sagittarius, it gives a kind of Missionary Zeal to the timing of Obama’s Inauguration and by extension to Obama’s First Term in office. In the Lunar Zodiac, this Mars is in the sign Purva Ashada, nicknamed “the Un-subdued”, known for Energy and Optimism, Forging Ahead despite the obstacles, and Attachment to Principles. These too are defining characteristics of the Obama Administration.
The Moon represents the Mind in Vedic Astrology, and in mundane charts indicates The Public. The Moon in this chart is in Scorpio in the 8th house. This is a somewhat unfortunate placement, as the 8th is the house of Obstruction and Chronic Difficulty. The Moon is considered debilitated, i.e., weakened, in the sign Scorpio. Other significations of the 8th house are also emphasized: Secret Activities, Special Techniques, Support from Others, Financial Arrangements with Others, Transformation and Regeneration. The Moon, i.e., the public, is disturbed and confronted by being placed in the 8th house. But not all is lost: the ruler of this house, Mars again since it rules the sign Scorpio, is placed in the 9th house of Good Fortune. Despite the problems, there is an underlying sense of Mission and Principle.
In the Lunar Zodiac, the Moon occupies Anuradha, the sign of Friendship. Anuradha is an organizer, seeking to Create Alliances for the purpose of achieving common goals, in the 8th house of Overcoming Obstacles. This too will be a major theme of the Obama Administration.
The 10th house is the house of Success; it is all-important for Prediction of Deeds and Accomplishment. The 10th house of this chart is crammed with planets, and thus becomes a major focus of this chart. Common to all Presidents, the sign in the 10th is Capricorn, the “manager sign of the zodiac,” and identical to the Rising Sign of Mr. Obama’s astrology chart. The Sun, planet of Authority, combines here with Jupiter, planet of Wisdom, and Rahu (north node of the Moon), indicator of Obsession, Transformation, and Success. Mercury, planet of Information and Logic, is here as well, along with Neptune, planet of Imagination and Idealism.
But there is some downside in the 10th house: Mercury is retrograde, meaning that it appears to travel backward at the time of Obama’s Inauguration. Mercury’s condition becomes a Predictor of Problems due to Misunderstandings. Mercury being retrograde indicates delays in the decision-making process. Mercury is also the planet of the Media, and being combined with the Sun and Jupiter shows a major influence from the Media on Obama’s administration. By being retrograde Mercury will at times slow down the dissemination of correct information by the Media; they will create problems due to their constant efforts at second-guessing the decision-making process. Since Mercury is exactly conjunct the Sun, problems with information will also arise due to the disagreement of Senior Members of the Administration, and their leaks and misstatements to the media. Neptune, the planet of Dreams, in the 10th house will tend to add to the confusion. Due to these problems, the secretiveness of the Moon in Scorpio in the 8th house will have to be resorted to.
Saturn is the planetary ruler of the 10th house sign, and its placement in the 5th house in its enemy sign Leo, while simultaneously being Retrograde, lends some weakness to the 10th house of Success. Saturn in a mundane chart refers to the working classes, and to the government of the common people, i.e., Democracy. Being the planet of Caution, Saturn fears anything that has not withstood the test of time. Saturn is opposed in this chart by Venus and Uranus. Venus, a natural benefic, gives some hope to Saturn, i.e., the working class of people. But Uranus, the planet of Unexpected Change and Disruption, keeps Saturn “on edge”: the common people are anxious.
Venus is the planet of Finance, and when combined with Uranus guarantees lots of Ups and Downs in the Financial Sector. Since the Uranus-Venus combination is opposite to Saturn, planetary ruler of the 10th house of success, we can predict that the financial problem will be a major stumbling block for Obama’s First Term of Office. Venus is the ruler of the sign Libra, and therefore represents the 7th house of Partnership. Venus as well rules Taurus, the 2nd house of Money. Venus being placed in the 11th house of Gains and Goals therefore re-emphasizes the themes of the Moon in Anuradha, i.e., benefiting and realizing goals through alliances with others. This being the chart of the Obama Administration, the “others” are likely to be the Republicans. But since Venus is combined with Uranus, it is predictable that the stability of these partnerships will be challenged by unexpected changes.
For weekly updates of Predictions for Obama: listen to this week's podcast.
