by Christine Hall
In preparation for the new year, I dusted off my astrology books and took a look at what the stars might hold in store for us as we move into the first year of the new millennium. Try as I might, I can’t find many good omens for the upcoming year, making this a good time to remember the old adage: “That which doesn’t kill you will only serve to make you stronger.”
New Year’s Day: Since the year will be born on this day, this is a good place to look to get an overall feeling for the year. As the New Year reaches the East Coast, Saturn and Jupiter will both be retrograde in the eighth house, indicating that we can expect major earthquakes or volcanic activity during the course of the year. The fact that both of these planets will be in opposition to Mars in the second house bodes ill both for the economy and for the prospects for peace. Some common sense should prevail in these areas, though, since Mercury will be in sensible Capricorn and in close proximity to the Sun.
Politics: Contrary to what the media pundits are saying, we can expect the Bush administration to have a surprisingly heartfelt honeymoon period with the American public. On inauguration day there is little that is spectacular about the stars, but feeling Venus will be in people pleasing Pisces, while thinking Mercury will be residing in hopeful Aquarius. This should help to make John and Joan Q. Public ready to give this new President the benefit of the doubt.
How long can he profit from this goodwill? Well, that will depend on Dubya himself. There will be military intrigues ahead, as well as a possible economic downturn. The ability of the younger Bush to handle these crisises will be the measure for his maintaining the support of the American people.
Economics: It looks as if the bear market with us through most of the upcoming year and about the best that market investors can hope for is a roller coaster ride. In other words, don’t be fooled by any sudden upturn in the market, for as soon as it looks like it’s going to get back on the gravy train track, it’ll begin to slide again. Still, the news isn’t all bad.
The best time for financial improvement will be from the end of January until the first of June. On the 24th of January, four planets, including businesslike Mercury, will all line up in Aquarius, the sign of hopes and aspirations. At the same time, restrictive Saturn will come out of a four month stint being retrograde while moving out of tightwad Taurus into spendthrift Gemini. Don’t be surprised if, during this period, the Feds ease-up on their tight money policies.
Merchants can expect a pretty flat Christmas season in 2001. In November, Mercury will be in Libra. Because Libra is ruled by Venus, a planet of impulse, we would normally see this as a sign for a robust shopping season. But this will probably be offset by the fact that Saturn will once again be retrograde, which might make people a little leery of overspending.
War and Peace: Don’t expect a sudden and lasting peace to break out in 2001. The violence that has recently been rekindled in Israel is likely to remain with us for the bulk of the new year, and we can also expect to see conflicts escalating in other troubled areas like Northern Ireland and Yugoslavia. Terrorist attacks against the United States are a strong possibility.
The problem is that through most of the year the warrior planet Mars will be in opposition to both Saturn and Jupiter. Situations are most likely to flair up in June and July, when Mars and Pluto will both be retrograde, in conjunction with each other, while in opposition to Mercury, the Sun, Jupiter, Saturn and (in July) Venus.
Love: Finally, some good news! As the year begins, the Moon will be in Pisces in the fifth house and Venus will be in Aquarius in the fourth house, meaning that this will be an excellent year for finally finding a good, old fashioned one-on-one relationship. But you better hurry, for conditions will only be favorable during the early part of the year. However, during the second half of the year it will still be possible to build a good relationship, if you’re willing to put in the work to overcome obstacles.
Established relationships might hit some bumps between March 9 and April 20, as Venus will be retrograde. Ladies, expect your men to be a little fickle in June and July when Mars is retrograde. The worst time to enter into a new relationship will be between July 12 and 24, when Venus and Mars will be in opposition.
Christine Hall has been working as a journalist since the 1970s. She currently hosts a weekly radio show of sixties music, The Sixties in 60 that can be heard every Sunday at 6 pm Eastern Time on The Barrel of Rock.
