The Celestial Wheel

 
World societal, economic
and political forecasting
since 2002

May 16, 2006

 
Doug Riemer
VedicPredictiveAstrology.com 
vedic@esedona.net
 (928) 203-4347 

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#66 The Risk Of A Bird Flu Pandemic

May 16, 2006
 
Introduction
     The January 12, 2006 In-depth Celestial Wheel, #65a  Planetary Karmas For The
First Half of 2006
Part I -- World Transit Chart, predicted the Bird Flu virus would evolve into a
pandemic.  To refresh readers' memories, following are applicable excerpts
regarding transits -- where the planets are in current skies, which dispositions
describe global planetary karmas:
 
January 1 to February 5
     ...Saturn and Ketu also both afflict the 6th house of illness and
enemies.  This results in infighting among public and private relief
groups, especially in regard to health issues, and gives a subject to
the predicted public emotional upset -- criticism of ineffective
government.
     The Bird Flu, a chest area illness, is an obvious health concern.
Its progression to a pandemic will likely not occur until the
summer -- even though governments have been hog-tied by
Saturn/Ketu since last May in controlling its spread and devising
 protective measures.  If and when the virus mutates to become
communicable among people, a pandemic would result.
April 4 to May 24
     Although Jupiter (In Libra) continues to restrain the Bird Flu,
the 6th house of illness is so afflicted that the disease must
progress -- becoming more contagious and spreading
geographically.
May 25 to July 12
     Since Saturn/Ketu continues to disallow effective Bird Flu
preparations, pandemic risk is further increased.
 

 
     This natural zodiac chart (starting
at Aries) shows the current house/sign
dispositions of these three disease-
causing planets.

    Saturn is death. Worldly Rahu is

toxic.  Otherworldly Ketu dissolves,
making it disintegrating influence. {See
the essay on Rahu and Ketu at the end of this
Forecast.) 
 
     Regarding affected houses, the forth
house (Cancer) is the chest, the sixth
house (Virgo) is acute illness and the
tenth house (Capricorn) is the masses.
   
     As shown, toxic Rahu aspects deathly
Saturn in the fourth house of the chest. 
In turn, Saturn aspects disintegrating
Ketu in the sixth house of acute illness.
Transit positions of Saturn, Rahu
     Not shown are Rahu, Saturn and and Ketu in 2005 and 2006
Ketu all aspecting the tenth house of the
masses.
    
{Note: All planets throw aspects -- energetic glances -- seven house/signs away.  Aspects equal about one
third of the planets' power.  However, as some planets also project additional special aspects, such as
Saturn aspecting three and ten house/signs away, aspect positions are not readily seen without knowing
these rules.}

    These planets have been in these house/sign positions since late May, 2005 and
continue there until the very end of October, 2006, when all three transit (change)
house/signs.  This positional longevity causes their influences to accumulate. 
Further, malefics are most harmful when they are overly strong or weak, and as they
simultaneously become Sandhi (weak) at the edge of the house/signs, there's a
second influence for harm in October 2006.

     {Note: As the eighth house is death, and the twelfth house is hospitalization, these too must be
considered in following analyses.   Also, some faster moving planets are important timing indicators: 
Mercury is the ruler of the sixth house.  Infectious disease Mars rules the eighth house of death.  The Sun
symbolizes the body.}

 
Twentieth Century Pandemic History
     There have been three influenza pandemics during the twentieth century, as per
the below listing, which includes deaths in the U.S. for severity comparison. 
{Accurate global mortality rates are not available.}

     1918 Spanish Flu  550,000

     1957 Asian Flu  70,000
     1968 Hong Kong Flu  34,000

     Medical advances and improved communications mitigated mortality in the latter
two pandemics.  Today, however, population growth and worldwide mobility
{spreading contagious disease much faster} offset disease controlling advantages. 
{See Pandemics and Pandemic Scares in the 20th Century)

     The critical factor for these previous pandemics is when mass infections and
deaths began - to enable calculating pandemic charts and then comparing these with
current and upcoming planetary transits.  Also, note that three twentieth century
pandemics hit in the fall: September of 1918, October of 1957 and December of 1968,
giving an additional timing factor.

 
Twentieth Century Pandemic Charts
     The September 1,1918 Spanish Flu
chart has deathly Saturn in the fourth
house of the chest.  Saturn aspects the
sixth house of acute illness. 
Disintegrating Ketu also aspects the
sixth house. 
  
     Toxic Rahu is in the eighth house of
death, from which is aspects Saturn in
the fourth house of the chest.

     Mars, Ketu and Saturn all aspect

the tenth house of the public.

     This configuration is uncannily

congruent with these planets now --
shown in the first chart, above.

     Additionally, sixth house ruler, Transits September 1, 1918

Mercury, is combust the Sun and  
moves into the sixth house later in
September.
  
 
    
    
     The October 2, 1957 Asian Flu
chart has deathly Saturn in the eighth
house of death, from which it aspects
the tenth house of the public.

     Sixth house ruler Mercury and the

Sun (body) are in the sixth of acute
illness, where they are afflicted by
infectious disease Mars.

     This chart, killing 70,000 in the U.S.,

is obviously not as virulent as the 1918
Spanish Flu chart, which killed over
one half million. Nor is it as harmful
as the 2006 transit chart, shown
Transits October 2, 1957
above.  

     Most notable is the absence of any  

Saturnian influence upon the fourth
 
house of the chest, which, in
signifying the lungs, relates to a flu
pandemic.

     
   
    The 1968 Hong Kong Flu chart has
deathly Saturn and toxic Rahu in the
twelfth house of hospitalization. 

    Saturn aspects the sixth house of

acute illness.  Rahu aspects the fourth
house of the chest. 

     Disintegrating Ketu and infectious

Mars are in the sixth house.

    Mercury, ruler of the sixth house of Transits December 2, 1968

acute illness, is in the eighth house of
death, as is the Sun - the body.

     Again, this chart is not as virulent

as either the 1918 pandemic chart, nor
2006 planetary dispositions--
especially as Saturn again does not
influence the fourth house of the
chest.
    
    
     This historical chart review of the three twentieth century flu pandemics:

      Confirms the planets and houses which symbolize flu pandemic

      Points to Saturn's influence upon the fourth house of the chest determining
pandemic virulence.
      Indicates current planetary dispositions will bring a pandemic comparable to
the 1918 Spanish Flu.

When A Pandemic Would Occur

     This transit chart for May 1, 2006
was first published in the April 30
Celestial Wheel Commentary to
illustrate continued stress from these
malefic planets.

     It is similar to the highly simplified

2006 transit chart, shown above. 
Added are contagious disease Mars
and the aspects cast by Saturn, Mars
and Ketu to the tenth house of the
masses.

     It graphically and convincingly

shows that all four disease causing
planets are influencing the sixth
house of acute illness: 

     Rahu aspects Saturn, which in turn

aspects the sixth.  Mars aspects the Malefic Planetary Transits May 1, 2006
sixth, and Ketu is placed in the sixth. 
    
    Since Rahu, Saturn and Ketu continue in their respective house/signs until the end
of October, Mars' position is the single critical variable during this summer/fall
period.

     Transit Mars in the third house of Gemini afflicts by aspect both Ketu and the sixth
house during its April 3 to May 23 passage through that house sign. 

    Mars will next travel through Cancer conjunct Saturn from May 24 to July 12. 
Then, Mars will continue to stimulate the flu virus to spread and mutate. 

    From July 13 to August 29, Mars will be in the fifth house of Leo, where it will not
influence the sixth house. The Bird Flu virus will thereby not advance as quickly, but
its relative quietude would be deceiving.

     On August 29, transit Mars will begin to travel through the sixth house of acute
illness.
 
     This is transit chart for Wednesday
(Mercury's day) August 30 shows
contagious disease Mars newly
transiting into the sixth house of
acute illness, almost on top of Ketu.

     This signifies the date when the

Bird Flu will become contagious. 

     Confirming influences are sixth

house ruler Mercury being combust
(burnt) the Sun, benefic Venus
conjunct malefic Saturn and the
benefic Moon in its fallen sign of
Scorpio in the eighth house of death. 
Only benefic Jupiter is unaffected.

     Further, deathly Saturn will be in

the terrible lunar house of Ashlesha --
whose symbol is the poisonous Transits August 30, 2006
serpent.
    
    
    Mars continues in Virgo until October 13, by which time infections would rapidly
spread around the globe. 

     Next, Mars moves into Libra (October 13 to November 26), where it afflicts Jupiter
and aspects the tenth house of the masses -- again joining Saturn and Ketu in
harming that house.  This suggests mass infections, especially during the last half of
October.  Here's why:

     As explained above, Rahu, Saturn and Ketu will be finishing up their one and one
half years of accumulating energy as they prepare to change signs at the end of
October.  Recall too that this house/sign change brings harmful weakness. Thereby,
any pandemic would be in full bloom by the end of October.  Finally, this fall timing
is congruent with the previous three pandemics occurring during the fall.

Final Thoughts
     Vedic Astrology is most essentially about probabilities seen in charts, for fate is
about 70% of all karmas (actions) in the universe.  Too, there are many different
charts relating to any topic, and these cannot all be identified.  Obviously, judgment
is yet another variable, for even the finest astrologer can only perceive and
appreciate some of the fated karmas in any chart.

    Further, there's always uncertainty as to how these karmas will actualize, which
always surprising in some way.  For example, a pandemic won't necessarily issue
from the Bird Flu virus.  Currently, three other infectious diseases have popped up in
the U.S.: Mumps  in the Midwest, Morgellons disease in Texas and bubonic plague in
Utah.  Certainly, however, these three additional serious diseases confirm some type
widespread infectious disease will beset the globe and the U.S. this fall.

    Readers should thereby use the predictive information in this forecast as an alert
to monitor reports about any and all infectious diseases.

     The ideas expressed above are the result of several weeks of  research,
astrological analysis and introspection.  They are not the final predictions to be
offered in The Celestial Wheel on this vital topic.  More observations will follow as
events unfold during the summer and a greater understanding is gained regarding
pandemics as symbolized by the planets.

 
     Rahu, and its companion Ketu are unique planets to Vedic
  Astrology.  These hard to understand Eastern symbols are
Rahu basically intensifying influences.  Malefics Rahu and Ketu, are
And the Moon's Nodes, the astronomical points calculated to pinpoint
Ketu eclipses, and as they block the light, Rahu and Ketu are called the
The shadowy planets.  That they normally move backward, called
Moon's retrograde, is indicative of the Nodes' unique natures.
Nodes     
     A rich mythology underlies all of Vedic Astrology, describing
  the deep meanings behind complex Eastern symbolism.  This
ancient story tells how Rahu and Ketu became the shadow
 
planets. 

    Lord Vishnu, the creator and preserver, gathered the planetary
gods together and offered them a vial of Amrita so they could live
forever in the solar system. Lord Vishnu  then left the room, and
a shadow serpent crept in to drink from the vial.  Alerted by the
Sun and the Moon, Lord Vishnu quickly returned and cut the
demon in two, but too late to deny the two pieces, Rahu the head
and Ketu the tail, immortality.  The shadow planets thus joined
the solar system as great enemies of the Luminaries. Rahu and
Ketu powerfully swallow -up the Sun and Moon in eclipses. Then
the stars can be seen, revealing deep knowledge from the
dawning of time.

     This story illustrates the malefic powers of the Nodes.  Rahu,
the upper part with a brain, signifies our manifestation into the
world and thereby gives insatiable conscious cravings and
intensified earthly desires, which can never be fully satisfied.
Rahu, then, is also an intoxifying influence, and during its cycles,
Rahu brings the most intense and significant worldly
experiences.  Rahu is the future.
    
    Ketu, the mystical brainless bottom half, intensifies by
dissolving materiality into spirit, creating insight and perception.
Ketu is unconscious desires, and while it is a superlative mystical
 influence, its otherworldly energies can also bring the most
devious and weird effects into the real world.  Ketu is the past.

 
From VedicPredictiveAstrology.com   
    

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Doug Riemer
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