COVID-19 Update, and 2 Upcoming Eclipses

Hey everyone!

Hope everything is going well with you. I’ve had a really busy last few weeks - my wife and I are very happy to announce that our first child was born in early November! Like any semi-neurotic astrologer, I was surreptitiously glancing at the real time astrology chart on my phone throughout my wife’s labor - I wanted to see what the little dude would turn out like if he popped out at that specific minute. I’m lucky my wife was a little too busy to notice! 

Switching back to the astrology - in this newsletter, I want to give you an updated COVID-19 timeline, and also tell you about the 2 eclipses that will be occurring in the next few weeks. 

The Jupiter Transit and COVID-19

(picture in San Francisco from 1918, during the Spanish Flu pandemic)

Long time readers of this newsletter know that I’ve been tracking Jupiter’s movements closely over the last couple of years as a marker for the global economy. Jupiter is the planet of abundance, and whenever it is in a position of weakness, we generally go through a more difficult macro environment. Here’s a summary Jupiter’s movements this year, and what’s to come in the next few months: 

• From January 24th to March 29th 2020, Jupiter was in Sagittarius, and I noted that the previous time Jupiter entered Sagittarius was in November 2007, when there was a big stock market correction in advance of a long recession. In February this year, something very similar took place, with the stock market recording its fastest crash in history just before economies went into lockdown. 
• From March 30th to June 29th 2020, Jupiter transited into Capricorn, where it joined a very strong and challenging Saturn. Jupiter is the planet of wealth and abundance, and in addition to Saturn’s suppressive energy, Capricorn is Jupiter’s weakest sign. This means Jupiter’s abundance was not expressed easily during this period, and clearly symbolizes a recession. This coincided with the height of the shelter-in-place orders across most of the world.
• From June 30th to Nov 19th 2020, Jupiter retrograded out of Capricorn and back into Sagittarius. Unlike the previous period of Jupiter in Sagittarius (Jan 24th to March 29th), on this occasion, Jupiter was not impacted by any of the harsher planets. In fact, Sagittarius is Jupiter’s home sign, and Jupiter’s abundance symbolism was expressed well. This period marked the reopening of most economies and a return to a more normal life, or as normal as you can be during a pandemic. 
• From Nov 20th 2020 to April 5th 2021, Jupiter returns to Capricorn, and similar to March 30th to June 29th 2020, we’re in for another tougher period. If the previous period is anything to go by, most of the world will be going back into lockdowns and a similar recessionary environment will take hold. 

I always try not to make these newsletters too depressing, so here are two things to look forward to starting April 5th 2021. Firstly, I wrote in a previous newsletter that Jupiter’s position from Nov 20th 2020 to April 5th 2021 forms a special combination with Saturn called Neechabhanga Raja Yoga. During this combination, an initial event is usually interpreted as negative, but as it gets closer to the end of this period, the event will prove to be a blessing in disguise. With Jupiter going into Aquarius on April 5th 2021, the sign of science and technology and thinking outside the box, I wrote that it would be a good time for the world to reprioritize and rebuild the economy in a more sustainable way. There already seems to be some green shoots to this idea, with the UK banning new gas car sales by 2030, and I’m sure Biden in the US will include some sustainable policies in the next stimulus plan. 

Secondly, with vaccine trials looking successful, there is looking to be a clear path to a return to a more normal life some time next year. It will take some time for manufacturing volumes to ramp up, but it looks like some time after April 2021, when Jupiter leaves Capricorn, things will start getting back to normal. My prediction is things will start looking much better in December 2021 (Jupiter is weak in Capricorn yet again from Sep 15th 2021 to Nov 20th 2021), and the good times will fully return starting April 14th 2022, when Jupiter enters its home sign of Pisces. 

2 Upcoming Eclipses 
There will be two eclipses taking place over the next few weeks. Eclipses are generally not a good time to start something new, but are really useful for spiritual endeavors. This is true especially for the 3 days before and after the eclipse, and is also true regardless on whether you can see the eclipse or not. In addition to this, eclipses can affect certain individuals for up to 6 months if it occurs over a prominent place in their birth chart. To learn more about eclipses, please click here.

The first eclipse takes place on November 29th from 2:32AM to 6:54PM EST (Nov 30th 6:32PM to 10:54PM in Melbourne). This is a lunar eclipse is visible across most of the world: 

The lunar eclipse is taking place in a constellation called Rohini, whose Shakti is the power of growth. Because an eclipse is taking place here, the growth that this event is encouraging is inward-looking and introspective. Eclipses disrupt the veils between the the material world and the spirit, and the 2 or 3 days before and after this eclipse (and most intense during the few hours of the eclipse) is very supportive for activities like meditation, journaling, and reflection.

The second eclipse takes place on December 14th from 8:33AM to 1:53PM EST (Dec 15th 12:33AM to 5:53AM in Melbourne). This is a solar eclipse, visible in most of South America and the western parts of Africa:

The eclipse is taking place in Jyeshtha, a constellation ruled by Indra. Indra is the King of the Devas (the higher beings in our universe), and he is the prototypical conquering hero, slaying demons with his vajra (thunderbolt weapon), conquering their worlds, and is often pictured intoxicated with lots of women. When applied to modern life, this is a constellation about business, competition, and achieving your material desires. Consequently, because eclipses disrupt material energy, the time around this eclipse is especially bad for starting a business or a relationship. Instead of channeling your desires outward, it will be more productive for you to redirect your consciousness inward and towards your true self.

Wishing all of you the most spiritual eclipse experiences and that you stay safe and healthy through the holidays!