The Jewish year 5778 and the overlapping solar year of 2018 put the spotlight on the opposing signs of Leo and Aquarius, current location of the lunar nodes and four out of five of the upcoming eclipse points of the coming year. Jewish astrological tradition gives enhanced emphasis and attention to the lunar nodes and the annual eclipses in natal charts for both individuals and nations.
The Leo/Aquarius energetic dynamic is an interplay between the needs and desires of the individual (Leo) and the collective (Aquarius). Uniqueness and differentiation, the prat and the klal, seek balance and compete for dominance in both the universal zeitgeist of our common humanity and the life of any given individual during 5778/2018.
In whichever of the 12 houses Leo and Aquarius fall in a person’s individual natal chart is where the kind of destiny/karma/fate-themed “action” will occur. The houses ruled by Leo and Aquarius, and any planets located in those houses, will play a prominent role both in individual natal charts, as well as the natal charts for countries such as the modern State of Israel, the United States and others.
Regarding the modern State of Israel – “born” May 14, 1948, at 4:32 p.m. in Tel Aviv – proud, passionate Leo rules the 10th house: the public/“professional” persona, while universalist, humanitarian Aquarius rules the fourth house, the private, family and most inner self.
Israel’s Leo 10th house gives it the public perception that of a proud leader. Tenth house in Leo embodies the fierce protectiveness of the tribe of Simeon, associated with Leo and the Hebrew month of Av. The planet Mars in Israel’s 10th house brings Israel’s IDF, its proud warriors, symbolically front-and-center in its public perception.
The planets Saturn (structure, responsibility, restriction, maturity), Pluto (transformation, death and rebirth), and the moon (the emotional self) are all in Israel’s natal Leo 10th house as well, adding to Israel’s public persona – what it is “known as” to the world at large. Saturn in Leo in the 10th house does not want to be the center of attention, and yet little Israel, so humble in size and population, continually receives disproportionate attention on the world stage and in the media. There is the impetus to display disproportionate magnanimous generosity at any cost (think how Israel shows up anywhere in the world to save others after natural disasters) and at the same time, a cultural disdain for pretentiousness or overt displays of formal luxury (think sandal-clad kibbutzniks in the Knesset).
Saturn in Leo in the 10th makes it a point of honor to succeed by her own strength and efforts. On the other hand, the moon in Leo in the 10th house is the “show-off” that desires public attention and displays enormous emotional warmth and generosity to others. Pluto in Leo in the 10th is “royal power,” exercised with noblesse oblige, and life-or-death power struggles striving for significance and influence. All these planets in Israel’s Leo 10th House will be triggered by the north node in Leo and the eclipse cycle of 5778/2018.
Privately, in her fourth house of “home and family,” Israel is idealistic Aquarius, the water-bearer, compassionate, humanitarian, gatherer of diversity, open-minded, futuristic and innovative. The tribe of Asher is associated with Aquarius, and the Torah tells us Asher’s function was to provide for and to share his bounty, his shefa, with his brother tribes. Associated with the Hebrew month of Shvat, Aquarius is the zodiac sign most associated with idealism, universal brotherhood, friendship, “love thy neighbor” and affinity groups based on humanistic principles and commonalities. The south node in Aquarius during 5778/2018 emphasizes Israel’s traditional, historical self-perception as a haven for the dispossessed, a humanitarian refuge.
ALL THE energies of the lunar nodes and eclipses of 5778/2018 will be an interplay between these two energetic archetypes: the individualistic Leo and the community-minded Aquarius. In the case of Israel, Leo’s prat in the most public place will be dynamically opposed by the private, personal Aquarian klal, and that’s likely to play out in manifestations of opposition between the elected political leadership (Leo) and “the people” (Aquarius). In many ways, this opposition will be a symptom of the need for rebirth/ remaking of the archetypes which now begin to become stale stereotypes.
The hawk/dove dynamic has reached its breaking point, and the eclipses of 2018 will be putting stress on those points. Structures that have served their purpose will begin to fall. Israel will question the foundational assumptions of those structures, and seek to replace them with a functional rather than idealistic model. Leaders who have up until now thought they could depend on constituents and supporters who are “like” them may find that shared ideologies and dogmas fall short of expectations when practical realities and facts on the ground are not factored into the equation.
Because the 19-year lunar nodal cycle has come around to Leo/Aquarius again, 2018 may feel a little bit like a 1999 redux all the way through until mid-November 2018, when the nodes enter Cancer/Capricorn. Will 5778/2018 be, as the late artist formerly known as Prince might have said, an opportunity to “party like it’s 1999”? 1999 was the peak of the swell of the dot-com economy, soon to deflate when the nodes entered practical, security-minded Cancer/Capricorn. So, too, it may be tempting for some to engage in wild speculation.
All that will come to a screeching halt when Jupiter (Tzedek in Hebrew) – planet of expansion, excesses and exaggeration – moves from diplomatic Libra into fierce, determined and intense Scorpio in mid-October 2017, right in the middle of the intermediate days of Sukkot 5778, followed by Saturn, planet of structure, discipline, and restriction, moving into his home sign of Capricorn on December 19, Zot Hanukka, two days before the winter solstice.
By the time the month of Shvat arrives in mid-January 2018, the energetic combination of both Jupiter in Scorpio and Saturn in Capricorn will have tuned things much heavier, more ponderous, and much more serious. Restrictions in the money supply may be put into place by institutions. Credit will tighten. Real estate remains the safest long-term investment. Pharmaceutical, scientific and medical investments will increase in value and construction industries will be forced to seek alternative forms of financing.
Saturn (Shabtai in Hebrew, associated by our sages with the Nation of Israel) takes two and a half years to transit from one sign to another. Saturn’s ingress into the cardinal earth sign of Capricorn will focus attention and energy into the structures, systems and industries we’ve created to manage (some would say exploit) the earth and its resources.
Eclipses
Five out of the six eclipses of 2018 occur in Leo /Aquarius, emphasizing and strengthening the Leo/Aquarius polarity between the haves and the have-nots, the values of independent individualism and the responsibility of the community.
The total lunar eclipse, January 31, at 12 degrees Leo will fall out on Tu Bishvat, 5778. Venus at 16 Aquarius joins the sun and the south node in opposition to the full moon in Leo. This lunar eclipse occurs right on top of the modern State of Israel’s natal Pluto in Leo in its 10th (Public Persona) house. This could portend a tremendous transformation in the political structure of the State of Israel itself. The total lunar eclipse atop Israel’s natal Pluto in Leo in its 10th house is almost a textbook description of a death and rebirth – of a government? A government leader, i.e. a prime minister? The creation of a Palestinian state?
A partial solar eclipse, February 15, at 27 degrees Aquarius will occur on 30 Shevat, Erev Rosh Hodesh Adar. This eclipse occurs directly opposite Israel’s natal Mars in Leo, and opposite the point of the August 2017 total solar eclipse in Leo. This may be the “echo” or consequences of the August 2017 “great American eclipse.” Israel might find herself publicly confronted by aggression in the name of “humanitarianism” or find her own private attempts at humanitarianism perceived as aggression.
There will be a partial solar eclipse on July 13, at 21 degrees Cancer, which will fall out on Rosh Hodesh Av 5778. This year the gap between the Hebrew month of Av and the transit of the sun through Cancer zodiac covers a full nine days. This is the season when the sun (Av) and the moon (Cancer) co-occur, overlap and double the “parental” (Sun/Moon, Leo/Cancer) energy. This happens in Israel’s eighth house, where dwells shared values, shared resources and shared intimacies. The eighth house is also the motif of death, rebirth, and resurrection. The archetype of the “phoenix rising from the ashes” belongs to the eighth house. In Israel’s case, this is our mesora – our heritage, our “family history.” We may be challenged to defend against those who deny our historical connection to the land of Israel. Our concepts of home and family, intimacy and trust may be re-illuminated after being partially eclipsed.
The total lunar eclipse, July 27, at five degrees Aquarius will be fully visible from Jerusalem, on Shabbat Nahamu 5778/15 Av. A lunar eclipse occurs when the reflected light of the full moon is obscured by the Earth’s shadow as the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon. This “total eclipse of the heart” on Shabbat Nahamu will challenge us to exercise our faith and to trust in both faith and experience, even if we can’t feel what’s really going on.
The partial solar eclipse on August 11, at 19 degrees Leo – 30 Av, Erev Rosh Hodesh Elul 5778 falls close to Israel’s natal Saturn in Leo in her 10th house. Saturn is structure, control, maturity. It can also be restriction, and in the case of Israel’s chart, it indicates the public perception of a restrictive leadership and militarization. A solar eclipse on Israel’s 10th house Saturn in Leo could be a security breach and it could also be a public negative reaction to security enhancements or an increased militarization of some kind.
Retrogrades 5778/2018
Mercury retrograde, which occurs an average of three times every year, is famous for miscommunication, revisions, technological and mechanical glitches, and misunderstandings that need later clarification to be put to right.
The first Mercury retrograde of 5778 begins December 3 and ends December 22, traveling from 29 Sagittarius to 13 Sagittarius and back again. This occurs in Israel’s second house of money, finance, material wealth, values and valuables. If Israel were a person, astrology would posit: “Bank error in your favor”? Maybe! Money lost and found? Perhaps. Losing your ATM card, forgetting your password, having your online banking systems freeze mid-transaction? Likely! Because it’s a nation and not an individual, the Bank of Israel, the Tel Aviv stock exchange, and international money markets that impact Israel’s economy might be invaded by hackers.
The next Mercury retrograde of 5778 runs from March 22 to April 15, from 17 degrees Aries to five degrees Aries. This takes place entirely within Israel’s natal sixth house. A breakdown of communication between employers and employees leading to a labor strike might be indicated.
The third Mercury retrograde of 5778, July 26 to August 18, happens from 24 degrees Leo to 12 degrees Leo. This takes place within Israel’s very crowded 10th house and touches Israel’s natal Mars, Saturn, Pluto and moon. The probability of system breakdowns is high, as is the likelihood of miscommunication being played out in the most public way in areas of the military (Mars), institutions (Saturn), nuclear power (Pluto), and the status of women (Moon). Sparks may fly and leaders may say things in the heat of passion they’ll live to regret once cooler heads prevail.
The last Mercury retrograde of 2018, which will be the first one of 5779, occurs from November 16 to December 6, from 14 degrees Sagittarius to 27 degrees Scorpio. This takes place in Israel’s second house, the area of money, material possessions, values and valuables. Mercury retrograde through this area of Israel’s natal chart could indicate a review of basic values, a financial mix-up or reevaluation, or maybe even a devaluation of currency.
In addition to the annual Mercury retrogrades, 2018 will feature both Venus (Noga) and Mars (Ma’adim) in the retrograde phases of their respective cycles.
Venus retrograde occurs October 5 to November 16, from 11 degrees Scorpio to 25 degrees Libra, traveling from Israel’s first house back into her 12th house, before stationing direct. Because Venus is the ruling planet of the modern State of Israel (her ascendant being 29 degrees Libra), Venus plays a prominent role in Israel’s astrological analysis. Retrograde of the ruling planet can indicate going back and re-examining details, deals, alliances, associations, contracts, agreements and anything having to do with partnerships. In this case, Venus is in a Mars sign (Scorpio), the opposite of peaceful, romantic Venusian energy. Israel’s first house is a mix of Venus and Mars, archetypically speaking. Old alliances may be re-forged, the collective subconscious/unconscious may start a revolution, diplomacy may give way to bottom-line ultimatums.
Mars will retrograde June 26 to August 27 from nine degrees Aquarius to 29 degrees Capricorn, playing on the borderland between Israel’s fourth and third house cusp. Retrograde Mars will oppose Israel’s natal moon July 24 to 27 and September 26 to 28. Mars opposite the moon is emotional warfare. Inner tensions and unresolved issues result in explosive tempers. Private furies boil over into public spats. Women (the moon) are particularly likely to be the object or subject of competition, strife, or the unbottling of unexpressed rage – especially women in the public eye, in positions of leadership or fame, or on the public stage.
The other big headline news in terms of planetary activity is Uranus moving in May from Aries, where it has been since June 2010, into the Fixed Earth Sign of Taurus, where it will stay until July 2025. Uranus is erratic and unpredictable. Uranus in Aries from 2010 until now stimulated “random” violence worldwide. In Taurus it will stimulate erratic disturbances of the earth.
Finally, the asteroid Chiron (whose archetype is “The Wounded Healer”) leaves tender, compassionate Pisces and moves into fiery, impulsive, courageous and headstrong Aries in April of 2018. The wounds of a society scarred by violence can only be mended by victims-turned-healers. The stones that the builders rejected as too damaged must become the chief cornerstones of the new order.
The writer, known as the “AstroloJew” of Jerusalem, Safed and most recently Berkeley, has practiced kabbalistic-themed reflective rectification astrological counseling services for 30 years, focusing on understanding the unique journey of each soul through the cycle of sacred time. She works with individuals, couples and families in person, by phone or Skype, worldwide. Follow “Astrolojew” on Facebook and Twitter, visit the website at www.astrolojew.com. Contact Lorelai at lorelaikude@yahoo.com