CHAPTER SIX:
A Chart for the Beginning
of the Federal Government - 6

It is interesting to note that the Mars of the Federal Government chart is conjunct the Moon of the Declaration chart, and Mars rules the rising sign (Ascendant) of the former. This can be construed as a positive (stimulating and arousing) as well as a negative and hurtful relationship. Mars is on the 29th degree of Aquarius, symbolized by: "A butterfly emerging from a chrysalis: The capacity to utterly transform the character of one's consciousness by radically altering the structural patterns of everyday living and the type of relationships one enters upon." If this interpretation is accepted at face value it helps us to realize how the common people have seen their financial situation and their way of life transformed by the establishment of a strong central government. We might also say, however, that the Mars of the Federal Government chart was adept at extracting from the average American a large amount of tax money. But whether a less conservative Constitution giving more power to the people would have increased the welfare of the common people is an issue that could be endlessly debated.
      Another significant factor in the chart for the Federal Government is the already mentioned proximity of the Moon to its South Node. This tends to give a rather fateful oppressive or karmic character to whatever the Moon represents. Basically, as we saw, the Moon symbolizes the capacity to adjust to or adapt to the pressures of the environment so that organic well-being can be maintained or improved. Because of this the Moon also refers to the Mother who represents that capacity before the infant is able to exercise it. As the child grows, he naturally tends to imitate and take direction from his mother in matters of daily adaptation to changes in circumstances and organic needs.
      The American government was established on the basis of English laws and traditions. The Moon in the Federal Government chart represents this English tradition, and in a sense it also refers to England as a nation, either as an enemy or an ally. The War of 1812 was not too far in the future when the Constitution began to operate in March 1789. If we study the Federal Government chart, we will see that the distance in degrees (arc) between Mars and Mercury is 24, and between Venus and Saturn and the Sun 22 and 23 . This refers to the crisis of 1812-1814 during which the capital was set on fire.(9) As Saturn, the Sun and Mercury are in the fourth House — here representing the house of the Government — the correlation is quite significant. The arc between Venus and Mercury 30 1/4 degrees) gives us the year 1820 when the Missouri Compromise was effected, following the financial panic of 1819 which occurred as the progressed Mars reached the natal Mercury. The progressed Mercury had reached the natal Saturn during the War of 18l2.

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9. The Executive Mansion in Washington was restored in 1818. It is said that in order "to cover the scorch marks the Mansion was painted white, and this gave rise to its popular name, the White House." (Encyclopedia of American Facts and Dates, p. 150). If this is true, it shows how a destructive event can be used to generate a consciousness of symbolic value character of "whiteness" with its occult and spiritual implications.  Return