THE SOOTHESAYER INTERNET

December 2008

Dear Mr. President-Elect,

As we move away from the inspiring and uplifting aftermath of your historic election and into the harsh realities that we wake up with each morning, I am struck by your unhesitating willingness to move swiftly to put your cabinet into place and staff the White House in preparation for what inevitably lies ahead.   What lies ahead? 

1)    The greatest economic depression in history and the destruction of the capitalist system, whose main focus was “profits for a few at a cost to the greater good”.

2)   Climate changes brought on by the same greed for profit and short-sighted willingness to burn fossil fuels with abandon.

3)   Peak oil, peak water, peak topsoil and even peak oxygen – human consumption that knows no end until humans end it.

4)   Terrorism that does not respond at all to the so-called “War on Terror” that will increase due to spreading poverty and social and economic inequities.

Your astrological chart certainly shows the talent, intelligence, and willingness to learn quickly from the many losses you have sustained in your life.  You rose to power not because you came from wealth and power, but through merit and discipline.  You know how to dismay your opponents by treating them with respect – the real “truth” behind the biblical “turn the other cheek” advice.  You know how to listen to others and assimilate information quickly and efficiently, making your decisions from a balanced perspective and with a cool head.

The difficulty that presents itself to you is the inconjunction between Saturn in Capricorn in your 12^th House (behind the scenes aristocratic “establishment” group) and Uranus and the North Node in Leo in your 7^th House (the public-at-large).  These groups are historically at odds with one another.  You need the old guard around you to understand what they did to bring this disaster down upon us.  You need the more egalitarian populists to act for innovation and the greater good.  The Lawrence Summers appointment is an example.  He was part of the Reuben/Greenspan/Summers team that abolished the Glass/Steagall Act in the Clinton years; the great globalism deregulators that led us into the present sub-prime mortgage fiasco, banking disasters, and derivative and hedge fund meltdowns. Paul Volker is on the other side of this grouping, whose modesty and insistence on the “greater good” saved our currency in the oil crisis stagflation of the 1970’s.   Speaking of the Clintons, Hillary’s views have leaned toward the use of military might rather than complex but effective negotiations.  As Secretary of State, the question is whether she will push these ideas or represent those of the President.  Your stated interest in exploring Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet of “rivals” could have the effect of being ineffective.  Only time will tell.

These times call for dramatic and sweeping change.  The present system is collapsing beyond repair, like a rusting bridge that cannot be “fixed” but must be replaced.  A grass roots, community based, sustainable economy putting people and life on earth ahead of the profit motive, could be just the beginning.  This plays to your strengths and what you know best.  Remember:  “The first shall be last, and the last shall be first”.

All our thoughts, dreams, and prayers are with you.

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World Affairs:

The terrorist attacks in India last month set the stage for this month’s lunations and Winter Solstice Sun chart conjunct Pluto in Capricorn with a rising Mars (war and violence).  Countries activated by these events are: The United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, Russia, Eastern Europe, the Scandinavian nations, and Cuba.  Capricorn is a sign associated with government crack-downs, police forces, and restriction of freedoms.  The danger is in getting “tough” without addressing the central causes.  Saturn and Mars are activating the Mars of the U.S.A. chart, dragging us into ethnic and civil conflicts.

The Economy:

We will likely see an uptick in oil and gas prices, as commodities begin to rise out of their lows.  Gold made a comeback last month, but in 2009, I fear the economists from the Clinton years may have an influence on the new administration and make a concerted effort to crash gold.  I would see a low in gold around March of next year.  I also see gold making a comeback in the aftermath of a major currency crisis as Venus goes retrograde in the Spring of 2009.  This comeback, however, may not be until 2010.  With all the inflation that will come from printing money for bailouts, deflation will eventually override this since there will be massive unemployment, homelessness, and a lack of buying power.

As Jupiter runs through its final degrees of Capricorn this month, many hedge funds will melt down and disappear, along with the flow of credit.  The bailouts have not worked.  The auto industries are failing.  Capricorn is a sign associated with the aging population.  Many pensions, and retirement accounts are tapped out and State pension funds may be heading for insolvency.

This is only the beginning of a great economic decline that will be at its worst between 2012 through 2017, when we begin a cyclical rise.  By 2026, those who have survived will enjoy a new surge of prosperity and an entirely new framework for economies, beyond both capitalism and socialism.

Weather and Travel:

The Holiday season and Mars in Sagittarius would mark an increase in travel.  When Mars is square Uranus and Saturn the 7^th through the 16^th, weather conditions will make travel difficult.  Pluto in Capricorn would suggest a colder than average winter and this month will likely be cold, snowy and icy, so be careful.

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Final Thoughts:

These are dark times.  We are reminded of this as the shortest day of the year arrives the 21^st of this month with the least amount of light.  Our ancestors dealt with this by celebrating the birth of a Messiah, by celebrating a victory over the enemy with a festival of lights, and by evoking the magic of the Winter Solstice. 

Recently, I have experienced a series of personal tragedies and losses that remind me of the importance of creating our own light.  It is not on the outside, but on the inside.  It is not new, it is eternal.  It is not small and cold, but is infinite in size and warmth.

The great constellations remind us of creation, destruction, and creation again out of the  magnificence that is available to us.  We have only to allow this process to take place, by putting aside our fears in the middle of the night.

May you return to what you knew in your hearts all along.

Linda

Linda Schurman