Egyptian
Revolt
There is so much
going on in the
world that it's
difficult to find a
place to start.
I'll start here with
Egypt as it's people
are the first in the
Arab countries to
attain results from
their uprising.
In January I read
an analysis from
Stratfor (a
subscription service
that is the
equivalent of a
business CIA) that
talked about attacks
on churches in
Egypt. Attacking
churches was
something unusual,
as attacks were
generally against
tourists, not
Egyptian people.
This prompted me to
look at Egypt's
chart. I found the
following data in
Nicholas Campion's
Book of World
Horoscopes:
Egypt Independence:
March 14, 1922,
10:43 pm UT 30N03,
031E11; Egypt
Independence
Proclamation by
Sultan: March 15,
1922, 10:00 am
Cairo, Egypt. Egypt
Republic – Coup –
June 18, 1953, 11:30
pm GMT 30N00, 031
E15. Anwar Sadat
was assassinated on
October 6, 1981 in
Cairo.
For the sake of
clarity, all charts
mentioned in this
article are placed
at the end.
All these events
were approximately
30 years apart.
Looking at this, I
found an interesting
commonality in each
chart. Saturn was
in Libra each time.
A little about
Egypt's modern
history. Egypt
became a de facto
colony of Great
Britain in 1882. In
1922 Egypt was
officially granted
independence (March
14, 1922), but
self-rule was not
established until
1952. Britain
maintained military
occupation until
1936. During World
War II Egypt was
used as a base for
Allied operations.
Troops were
withdrawn again in
1947. Nationalist
feelings grew after
the war.
In 1948 Egypt
engaged in a war
with Israel. The
military placed
blame for Egypt's
poor performance in
the war on the
monarchy. This led
a group of army
officers headed by
Lt. Colonel Gamal
Abdel Nasser to
overthrow King
Farouk in 1952,
after which Egypt
attained self-rule.
In 1953 Egypt was
declared a Republic,
and Colonel Gamal
Abdul Nasser rose to
power.
Nasser's birth date
was January 15, 1918
in Beni Mar, Egypt.
Although
AstroDatabank gives
his birth time of
4:28 am as
speculative, this
time places Mars in
Libra at Nasser's
Midheaven, the
perfect place for a
soldier and leader
of men. Libra is
the sign associated
with strategists and
generals and Mars
with war. Nasser's
Capricorn Sun helped
to heighten his
executive ability.
His T-square among
Mars in Libra,
Mercury and the
North Node in
Capricorn, and Pluto
and the South Node
in Cancer speak to
his profound
insights, forceful
speaking, and also
to his vengeful
activities. His
Uranus, Moon, and
Venus conjunction in
Aquarius reflect his
more humanitarian
side. The
combination of all
these traits were
reflected under his
rule.
Interestingly
enough, Nasser's
T-square closely
aspects the T-square
in the Egypt
Independence. The
T-square in the
Independence chart
includes Venus and
the South Node in
Aries, Pluto in
Cancer, and Saturn
and the North Node
in Libra. Nasser's
Mars in Libra
conjoins the
Midheaven and Saturn
in this chart.
Nasser, in essence,
liberated Egypt from
the monarchy's rule.
In the chart for the
Egypt Republic – or
the Coup – we once
again find Saturn in
Libra. This time
Saturn was conjunct
Neptune and in a
T-square with Chiron
in Capricorn at the
MC and Uranus,
Ceres, and Mercury
in Cancer on the
IC. The Sun in
Gemini was conjunct
Mars in Cancer. The
overthrow of the
monarchy (Sun) was
followed by military
(Mars) rule.
To me, the
Saturn-Neptune
conjunction
represents the
combination of
ideals and dreams
with structure and
reality. The end
result of it can
turn out in one of
three ways. If
Saturn, or reality,
wins, dreams can be
obliterated by
overly pessimistic
practical
considerations,
whether or not the
dreams are
attainable. If
Neptune, or dreams,
wins, the dreams can
remain dreams,
because the tangible
steps necessary to
make the dreams come
true are never
taken. The last,
and most desirable
of the outcomes,
comes from balancing
Saturn and Neptune.
This calls for
setting up a
structure that
allows for practical
steps to be taken in
order to manifest
the dreams and
ideals. The squares
to Uranus and Chiron
in this chart throw
more volatility and
chaos into the mix
in terms of
attaining any goals.
Nasser ruled Egypt
very successfully.
During his reign,
Egypt's world
prominence grew.
While Nasser ruled
as an autocrat, his
willingness to stand
up to the western
powers made him
extremely popular in
Egypt and in the
rest of the Arab
world. His
influence was seen
as provoking the Six
Day War with Israel
in 1967. Despite
Israel's astounding
defeat of the Arab
nations, Nasser
popularity remained.
In 1954 there was an
assassination
attempt on Nasser's
life. The gunman
who confessed to the
crime implicated the
Muslim Brotherhood,
an extremist
Egyptian Muslim
religious
organization, as
orchestrating the
assassination. This
was the beginning of
the Egyptian crack
down on the Muslim
Brotherhood, which
has existed
throughout Egypt's
current history.
Egypt under Nasser
had many
accomplishments.
The Aswan High Dam
was built.
Industrialization
was accelerated.
Land reforms broke
up private estates.
There was a campaign
against corruption.
Women received
increased rights,
including the right
to vote. (This is
pretty astounding
given that women
didn't receive the
right to vote in
Switzerland until
1971.) Foreigners
who occupied key
political and
economic positions
were driven out,
making room for a
new middle class of
Egyptians. In
essence, life for
the ordinary citizen
improved under
Nasser's rule. This
can be tied to his
Uranus, Moon, Venus
conjunction in
Aquarius, the sign
representing the
people.
On the not so
positive side, Egypt
under Nasser became
a police state.
Mail was opened.
Newspapers were
nationalized.
Telephones were
tapped. Visitors
were searched.
One-party candidates
were chosen by
Nasser and his
associates.
Political enemies
were sent to
concentration camps
in the desert.
These activities
reflect his Mars –
Pluto square.
Upon Nasser's death,
Vice President Anwar
el-Sadat was elected
President. Sadat
had been one of the
officers engaged in
the 1952 coup
against the
monarchy.
Sadat was born on
December 25, 1918 in
Mit Abu El Kom,
Egypt.
AstroDatabank gives
a time of 3:41 am as
speculative. Sadat,
like Nasser, was a
Capricorn, the sign
associated with
executive ability.
Assuming Sadat was
not born before 3:10
am, his Moon was in
the sign
representing peace
and
diplomacy—Libra.
His Libra Moon and a
Sun – Venus
conjunction provided
him with plenty of
charm. His T-square
among the Sun and
Venus in Capricorn,
the Moon in Libra
(assuming that's
correct), and
Jupiter and Pluto in
Cancer would have
made him a ruthless
opponent, capable of
using force and
coercion if deemed
necessary.
Sadat began his term
of office as a
warrior leader. In
1971 he signed a
treaty of friendship
with the Soviet
Union, but then
ordered Soviet
advisors out of the
country in 1972. In
1973 he launched the
Yom Kippur War with
Israel. Initially
Egypt was
successful, but
Israel aided by US
military technology
turned the tide (In
a play about Golda
Meir, a story is
told about Meir
threatening
President Richard
Nixon with Israel's
use of nuclear power
if Israel was not
supplied with the
alternative weapons
it needed to defend
itself.)
Sadat pushed through
economic reforms
that encouraged
private investment
and introduced
greater political
freedom. The
reforms created a
wealthy upper class
and a small middle
class, but did
little to help
poorer Egyptians.
By making peace with
Israel, Egypt
regained control of
the Sinai
peninsular. So
while Egypt lost the
war, Sadat prevailed
in the peace
settlement. The
Camp David Accords
were signed on
September 17, 1978
(time unknown) and
led to the
Egypt-Israel Peace
Treaty on March 26,
1979 (time
unknown). The Moon
(symbolizing the
public) is in early
Aries in the Accord
chart and the Sun
and Mercury are in
early Aries in the
Peace Treaty chart.
The importance of
these placements may
come to light now as
transiting Uranus
approaches these
degrees. Since
transiting Pluto has
been square these
planets since its
entrance into
Capricorn, it's
likely Iran and the
Muslim Brotherhood
have had more to do
with the recent
uprising than is
known currently
known. Pluto
represents hidden
factors, and the
Muslim Brotherhood,
along with Iran, are
committed to the
destruction of
Israel.
On October 6, 1981
Sadat was
assassinated by
Islamic extremists.
Once again Saturn
was in Libra (along
with Ceres, the Sun,
Jupiter, and
Pluto). Jupiter and
Saturn were also
both in Libra at the
time of Egypt's
Independence
Proclamation in
1922. Ceres being
involved with these
planets leads me to
believe that Sadat's
assassination was as
much about food
prices or the
Egyptian economy as
about a protest of
the Peace Treaty
with Israel.
Hosni Mubarak,
another military
man, born May 4,
1928 in
Kafr-El-Meselha,
Egypt (time
unknown), became the
next President.
Mubarak had been
Sadat's Vice
President and was
sitting next to
Sadat when Sadat was
assassinated. He
had also been the
Chief Commander of
the Egyptian Air
Force and is said to
have shown talent
for military
strategy during the
Yom Kippur War with
Israel in 1973.
Mubarak served as
President for nearly
30 years. He
continued Sadat's
legacy by supporting
Egypt's peace treaty
with Israel and US
efforts in the
Mideast. Throughout
his presidency, the
US continued its
financial support of
Egypt, which began
after the Camp David
Accord. Mubarak
also succeeded in
gaining Egypt's
re-entry into the
Arab League in 1989,
which had been
suspended after the
Egypt-Israeli Peace
Treaty. Throughout
Mubarak's rule,
Egypt has served as
a moderating force
in Mideast issues.
Mubarak's staying
power can be seen by
the preponderance of
significant
celestial placements
in his chart in
fixed signs—Chiron,
Sun, and Mercury in
Taurus and Moon in
Scorpio. Fixed
signs stick to what
they start. Taurus
is a sign associated
with money. Mubarak
also has a
Venus-Jupiter
conjunction in
Aries. While some
may argue that Aries
represents Venus'
detriment, so this
mitigates Venus'
benefic status, I
would argue that
Venus-Jupiter
conjunctions in any
sign show "good
fortune." Good
fortune doesn't
necessary imply
"good people." The
Mubarak family is
said to have
billions stashed
away in foreign
accounts.
Support for Mubarak
and his economic
reforms dropped when
news of corruption
surfaced about his
son Alaa. As Alaa
faded from the
political scene,
Mubarak's second son
Gamal moved into the
spotlight. Gamal's
rise in the National
Democratic Party
coincided with his
move into the world
of corporate
consulting and
private equity
management. Charges
of corruption and
influence peddling
followed. Many saw
Gamal in line to be
the next President.
This ascendancy was
said to be as
unpopular with the
military as with the
public at large
since Gamal had not
been a military
man. Nasser, Sadat,
and Mubarak all came
from the military;
and the military is
the source of power
in Egypt.
Mass protests began
in Cairo and other
Egyptian cities on
January 25, 2011.
Protesters are said
have been wide
spread across age
and social status.
The internet and
Facebook are
credited with
helping early
protesters
organize.
Murbarak's
announcement on
February 1, 2011
that he would not
run in the upcoming
September election
did not satisfy
protestors.
Demonstrations
continued and turned
violent on February
2 with clashes
between those pro
and anti Murbarak.
Transiting Jupiter
conjoined Uranus in
Pisces on January 5,
2011. Pisces is the
sign that represents
those less fortunate
or underprivileged.
Uranus is the planet
representing
revolution. Jupiter
represents
expansion—so
revolutionary zeal
expanded. Uranus
and Jupiter formed
squares to the Sun
(leader) in the
chart for the
Egyptian Republic
(the Coup chart June
18, 1953). Jupiter
entered Aries, the
sign of the
individual on
January 25, the
first day of the
Egyptian
demonstrations.
Uranus formed an
exact square to
Hades in Gemini on
February 18, 2011.
Hades represents,
among other things,
the downtrodden This
aspect was within 1
degree of orb
starting on February
2, 2011.
During the time of
the demonstrations,
the Sun, Mars, and
Ceres were traveling
close together in
Aquarius. Aquarius
represents the
ordinary individual
citizen. Ceres
represents, among
other things, food.
In all Mideast
countries, food
represents a
substantial (in some
countries up to 50%)
of an ordinary
citizen's
expenditures. This
makes it easy to see
how exorbitantly
rising food costs
can incite protests,
especially in
countries where the
ruling elite keep
the wealth for
themselves rather
than help the
populace.
On February 10, 2011
Mubarak announced
that he was
delegating
responsibilities to
Vice President Omar
Suleiman (born July
2, 1936 in Qena,
Egypt, time
unknown). On
February 11, 2011
Suleiman announced
that Mubarak had
stepped down.
Mubarak is said to
have left Cairo for
Sharm el-Sheikh.
The army is seen as
instrumental in
removing Mubarak
from office. His
unwillingness to
declare an army
officers as his
presidential
successor had long
put him at odds with
the army. Unlike
most other
countries, the army
is extremely popular
with the populace
and is viewed very
differently than the
secret police, who
are associated with
torture.
As head of Egypt's
General Intelligence
Service (secret
police), Suleiman
has long been tied
to human rights
abuses. He is said
to have been a point
person for the CIA's
rendition program
started during Bill
Clinton's
presidency.
(Rendition is the
act of transferring
suspected militant
out of the US for
questioning. And so
much for associating
only Republican
administrations with
acts of torture.)
Suleiman's chart
shows a stellium of
planets Mars, Sun,
Venus (and the South
Node) conjunct in
Cancer and Pluto
also in Cancer.
Cancer is the sign
that represents home
and family.
Expanding this to me
and mine, home and
family can be
extended to
country. This might
make it easy for
Suleiman to perceive
his actions as
protecting his
country. It might
also explain his
close ties to the
US, since the US has
Sun, Venus, and
Jupiter in Cancer,
closely tied to
Suleiman's chart.
Currently the
military is seen as
taking steps to
handover power to an
elected government.
The government has
promised that an
"emergency law"
which has allowed
detentions without
charges or trial
that has been in
place for 30 years
will expire in six
months. On March
20, 2011 Egyptian
voters, in the
highest voter
turnout on record,
approved a
referendum on
constitutional
changes.
However the future
still remains
uncertain. On March
9, 2011 a
significant clash
occurred in a Cairo
suburb between
Christians and
Muslims in which
eleven people died.
The clashes were the
result of protests
over the burning of
a Christian church a
week earlier. And
the Muslim
Brotherhood, which
is an established
political party, is
gaining power.
Remember that the
Egypt-Israel Peace
Treaty has a
Mercury-Sun
conjunction in early
Aries and the Camp
David Accord has the
Moon in early
Aries. The Egyptian
Republic – Coup –
chart has Mars in
early Cancer.
Transiting Uranus
will be conjoining
the Aries placements
and squaring Mars
between now and
early 2013.


Joyce Levine
specializes in
helping you
recognize your
natural abilities
and use them to
overcome your
personal obstacles
to success and to
take action at
precisely the right
time to achieve the
results you desire.
To discover how the
planets affect you,
call Joyce
617-354-7075 or
e-mail
for an appointment.
|