Nostradamus
The much anticipated prediction of Nostradamus for the August 11th eclipse of 1999 finally worked itself out on September 11th, 2001, and the world is still experiencing its unfolding ramifications in May 2002.Eclipses create an “etheric imprint” in the atmosphere of the planet, which get triggered by transiting planets several months or even years later – depending upon the power of the planetary configuration associated with that eclipse.August 1999 eclipse was very powerful, with a grand cross in fixed signs of the zodiac. Sun and Moon in Leo opposed Uranus in Aquarius, emphasising selfishness, individualism, power, ruthlessness and dictatorial attitudes, as well as unpredictability.Mars in Scorpio opposite Saturn in Taurus put the emphasis on the attainment of desire through the use of force – particularly for land, money and material things; ruthlessness exercised to achieve material goals. Both these oppositions squared each other, creating the grand cross configuration.

Consider Nostradamus’s quatrain:

“L’’an mil neuf cens nonante neuf sept mois
The year one thousand nine hundred and ninety nine seven months

Du ciel viendra un grand Roy d’effrayeur
From the sky will come a great king of alarm

Resusciter le grand Roy d’Angoulmois
To bring back to life the great King of Angoulmois

Avant apres Mars regner par bon heur
Before after, Mars to reign by good fortune.” [1]

Nothing happened since then that remotely bore any resemblance to this prediction –- until September 11th:
Four planes came “from the sky”, and the “great king of alarm” refers to a mastermind terrorist.

The “King of Angoulmois” has often been interpreted to be the reincarnation of Ghengis Khan, the Mongolian warlord. With the focus on Afghanistan after the attacks, it became known to unaquainted westerners that half the Afghan population are composed of descendants from a “lost” Mongol tribe, descendants of Genghis Khan’s armies. They speak Pashtun, the dominant language for a thousand years, and the preferred language of the Taliban.

“Angoulmois” is also associated with archangel Michael, often connected with destruction and war. Michael is connected with the Sun, ruler of Leo.

Leo was the zodiac sign of the August 1999 eclipse. On September 11th, 2001, transiting Venus was in Leo at the precise degree of the August 1999 eclipse, triggering tha planetary grand cross configuration into its disastrous manifestation. In the chart for the first plane that crashed into one of the Trade Towers, Venus is the ruler of Libra on the ascendant.

The grand cross is frequently a difficult and potentially unresolvable challenge, particularly in fixed zodiac signs, and the energies of the configuration literally burst out onto the world.

“Mars to reign” refers to Mars’ exaltation in Capricorn, as it had just entered Capricorn. The “by good fortune” phrase refers to Mars in Capricorn where the fight is on between the materialism of the lower self and higher spiritual values – with the latter eventually vanquishing the former.

“Seven months” refers to July 1999, where there was a partial eclipse at the full moon, an important “seed” time two weeks before and leading up to the solar eclipse on August 11.

That July full moon is an important date, as the eclipse fell on the planet of revolution and disruption, Uranus, in Osama Bin Laden’s horoscope. It is most probable that this was the time when his plan was conceived, and it took two years to train the personnel and work out all the details.

New York and the September 11 horoscope

Just as human beings have chakras, so does the planet, and it is speculated that New York embodies the planetary solar plexus chakra. This chakra is related to emotional expression and is the great ‘clearing house’ for all other lower centres, as they are transmuted and raised up to the heart in our long evolution of consciousness.

Humanity as a whole is at that point, an unprecedented event in planetary history. Humanity is poised to take the first initiation en masse, where there is a recognition and anchoring in the heart, of soul consciousness; where there is a massive shift from the selfish focus and survival issues of the lower centres, to an expression of love and compassion that arises from an awakening heart.

The terrorist attack of September 11 was a direct hit upon the solar plexus centre of Humanity [Written 2001 – see Planetary Centres II for reappraisal]. New York is ruled esoterically by that most sensitive of signs – Cancer. The extent of world feeling has never been so high. It seems this event has the potential to galvanise humanity into making a major decision to move collectively from the solar plexus to the heart. So far signs have been encouraging in terms of the compassion expressed world-wide after the event, yet how long it can be sustained is unknown.

In the September 11 horoscope, Venus is opposite Uranus, soul ruler of the Libran Ascendant. The destruction of the twin towers was certainly a high profile (Venus in Leo) and sudden (Uranus) event commensurate with the destruction of an earthquake. Venus and Uranus are well known significators in earthquakes that have been investigated by astrologers. Uranus is said to be the ruler of the The Tower tarot card which depicts a bolt of lightning striking a tower and setting it on fire, dislodging a crown on top and sending people hurtling to earth.

Through Uranus’s rulership of the sacral chakra, Libra is related to money. Perhaps the rising sign soul potential of the September 11 chart is to challenge Americans and Westerners in general to develop more compassionate values around the sharing of world resources, and cease economic manipulation of poorer countries.

The Mercury/Ascendant conjunction in the attack chart is around 14 Libra – exactly conjunct Saturn in the 1776 American Independence horoscope. Saturn in the US chart is squared by its Sun in Cancer, referring to America’s attempted control of affairs overseas, as well as strict law and order rules. These are issues around personal freedom, which paradoxically sit counter to America’s supposed championing of freedom and democracy.

One positive result that has emerged from USA Saturn in Libra is a sense of fairness, and the developing of a more balanced attitude to both sides of the Middle East conflict.

Mercury conjunct the Ascendant is common in air disasters, and Mercury rules the ninth house of air travel. The ninth house is also tenanted by the Moon and Saturn in Gemini, emphasising the importance of communications with those in foreign countries, and building dialogue in order to understand other cultures and religious practices. This is one of the main potentials of the Libra rising/Mercury in Libra chart.

The Sun is in the twelfth house indicates secret enemies, and is conjunct the ‘part of private enemies’. Chief suspect, Bin Laden’s Sun in Pisces was exactly opposite the Sun in Virgo on the day of the September 11 attack.

The Sun also widely T-squares the Saturn/Pluto opposition, so prominent in the world with regard to the breaking down of old ideas and the implementation of new ones.

The Moon in late Gemini seems to be the major trigger for this event, coming up to make a close opposition to Mars in early Capricorn. The opposition was more exact when both towers finally collapsed. The Moon is also conjunct the pole-star, Polaris, said to be an important factor on the path of spirituality:

“Esoterically speaking, the Pole Star is regarded as the “star of re-orientation” whereby the art of “refacing and recovering that which is lost” is developed.” [2]

Astro-Cartography
Astro-Cartography is a way of looking at where the paths of planets fall on our globe and how they influence events and relationships. Looking at August 11, 1999, the eclipse line starts just off the coast of Boston and New York, before it travelled up through England, across Europe and through Pakistan/India. For September 11 2001, the Mercury/Ascendant line goes through the eastern end of Manhattan Island.

Another event which occurred off the coast of New York was the sinking of the Titanic. She sank on the Mars line of that chart, with the Pluto line running a little closer into the coast toward New York. That Pluto line exactly intersects the very start of the 1999 eclipse line and is an interesting coincidence, as the symbol of Western power and infallibility that was shaken through the Titanic disaster is now again shaken with the destruction of the World Trade Centre.

Osama Bin Laden
Beside his Pisces Sun opposite the September 11 Sun, Bin Laden’s progressed Sun and Venus opposed his natal Neptune, both T-squaring Uranus, making for subterfuge and scheming of a ruthless nature.

Bin Laden’s progressed Moon at that time was quincunx Pluto, soul ruler of his Pisces Sun. Natal Pluto in Leo is square to Mars in Taurus, his most crystallised and destructive aspect. Mars is at 25Taurus17, an important degree which we will come back to later.

Also at this time, transiting Pluto was exactly conjunct New York horoscope’s Saturn, and Bin Laden’s progressed Moon was square to New York’s Aries Moon – all indicators of a ‘mis-alignment’ between the two.

American Independence Chart 1776
Some major calls from the soul of the nation:

1. Transiting Pluto conjunct Ascendant

This is close to exact at 12Sag21 – a devastating jolt that may bring forth soul potential. Sagittarius expresses Ray 6 strongly, the energy of the personality ray of America. Ray 6 conditions extremists and terrorists, particularly if they are of Islamic or Christian persuasion, as both these religions are ruled by Ray 6.

2. SP Sun conjunct Aquarian Moon 

America is an Aquarian soul. This progression only happens every 360 years, and the conjunction is still almost exact.

3. Transiting Jupiter conjunct Sun and Sirius 

America is a Ray 2 (Love-Wisdom) soul – Sun and Jupiter rule this ray and are both involved in this conjunction. There is a great potential for the American personality (denoted by Cancer Sun in this case) to express that which emanates from its Ray 2 soul – compassionate understanding. The national feeling will have much to do with this, and no doubt connects to New York as the solar plexus of the world. George W. Bush’s Sun is also conjunct the USA Sun.

Sirius embodies the principle of freedom and it is no accident that the founding fathers of this nation aligned America’s Sun in Cancer with this star.

Transiting Saturn conjunct Pluto in the New York chart is the major significator that reflects the destruction in New York. It is always a transit that brings about the end of an old order and the dismantling of old structures. It can cause financial problems and of course this tragedy will cost billions. This is traditionally a very dangerous transit because Saturn tends to restrain the Plutonic forces, which can subsequently erupt quite explosively and violently. There is one final hit to this long term influence in early May 2002.

Pluto in Gemini also represents the destruction of the two Gemini pillars – the twin towers of the World Trade Centre. (USA’s personality is Gemini)

Decision Chart Libra Full Moon 2001
Every 49 years the Masters who guide the race of Humanity meet to make decisions on their evolution. The decisions they make profoundly affect the world and it seems that the October full moon decision may have come a little early in this particular cycle – by about a month – embodied by the events of September 11.

One of the major speculations has been around whether the Masters’ Decision would force Humanity to re-think its system of values around money and world finance. This is because the 2001 Libran full moon had a Grand Cross in cardinal signs, three of which are related to money and resources in particular: Libra, Capricorn and Cancer. The Grand Cross in the ‘Decision’ chart has been much discussed by students for the year leading up to this important event.

This theme also hearkens back to the Wesak 2000 chart (the fifth Shamballa impact), set for New York, where there was a stellium of seven planets in the second house of resources and money. One of the major gripes of the terrorists was around western capitalism and the attack has severely affected New York financially, the whole of America, and has had a ripple effect around the whole world.

The Jewish Problem
Hunting of the terrorists world wide has moved to the Middle East and Arab countries where bitter relations between Israel and Palestine seem to be focussing the whole problem. The Jewish race represent Humanity in microcosm and hence their problem is the world’s problem. Collectively they represent the solar plexus centre within the body of the planet. Therefore there is a close correspondence with New York as the solar plexus centre of the western race; also because of its large Jewish population, and Zionist power base:

“The creation of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, brought about the Arab-Israeli war of 1948-49, in the course of which Israel obtained more land than had been provided by the UN resolution, and drove out 800,000 Arabs who became displaced persons known as Palestinians. Thus 50 years after the first Zionist congress and 30 years after the Balfour Declaration, Zionism achieved its aim of establishing a Jewish state in Palestine, but at the same time it became an armed camp surrounded by hostile Arab nations and Palestinian “liberation” organizations engaged in terrorism in and outside of Israel.” [3]

Interestingly and paradoxically, some of the Pashtun-speaking (Muslim) Afghanis mentioned earlier, consider themselves to be related to the Lost Tribe of Israel – ‘Beni Isra-il’ – Children of Israel.

The world is experiencing the last gasp of the Piscean Age and the energies of Ray 6 (Devotion/Idealism), that governs fanatical fundamentalism. America has a Ray 6 martial personality, providing a recipe for the clash of the two ideologies, both it could be argued, quite fundamentalist. Ray 6 rules the solar plexus of course:

“It is his astral polarisation which lays a man open to his many emotional reactions and to waves of mass feeling of any kind.  This is the cause of his being swept into that vortex of uncontrolled energy and misdirected emotional force which eventuates in a world war, a financial panic, a religious revival, or a lynching.” [4]

Saturn in Israel’s chart has been triggered by the 1999 August eclipse, via Venus in the September 11 attack chart. Israel’s Saturn is at 16 Leo 26, close to the degree of the August eclipse 1999. Saturn (Jehovah) is a powerful planet that rules over the Jewish race through the sign of Capricorn, and has distinguished them down through the ages.

We live in perilous times as the shadow of fundamentalism around the world (Islam, Christian, Judaism) lashes out its great tail. Terrorism itself is both a Mars and Neptune expression of Ray 6, as it is a combination of the unseen subterfuge of Neptune and the war-like qualities of Mars. Biological terrorism is its most pronounced expression as it is even more invisible.

To this must be added the forces of Pluto which play a big part. In myth Pluto wore a helmet when coming to the surface from Hades, to render himself invisible. Pluto is the ruler of the Ray 1 The Destroyer, or Kali trampling all old forms ruthlessly underfoot. Pluto is also the soul ruler of Pisces, the age just closing, hence the destruction being wrought before the new age begins.

[1] Secrets of Nostradamus, David Ovason. p.346.
[2] Esoteric Astrology, Alice A. Bailey, p. 196.
[3] Encyclopedia Britannica.
[4] A Treatise on White Magic, Alice A. Bailey. p. 308.
[5] An Astrological Mandala: Sabian Symbols, Dane Rudyhar.
[6] Ibid.