"Mundane Astrology" is a field of astrology that uses the date and time (if known) for when a city, state, or country is founded to view a chart for that entity. Its value is that it enables us to view recent events in Egypt from a clyclical viewpoint. We can refer to events as they happen through a temporal context. This does not mean that the Sun/Mars cycle, which figures significantly in the protests, was caused by Sun/Mars. The Egyptian peoples' dissatisfaction has been festering for sometime; what Sun/Mars and other factors show is the timing and the development of their manifestation.

VENUS IN EGYPT'S CHART

     This chart for Egypt gives us some idea of its pattern and the basic positions of the planets relative to each other. So we'll only consider the planets and their aspects, not the Houses. There's going to be some technical talk while it's being broken down: Key points in modern Egypt's chart as they relate to the protests are its Venus as a Morning Star about to rise; Venus as a morning star is said to be aggressive in nature. It has no Ptolemeic aspects; this is sometimes called "unaspected", which will give it an undue influence. However, Venus does have a semi-square to the Sun, and a quintile to Mercury, the Sun's ruler. It is the "Leading Planet" of a "Bowl Pattern," and in its own sign, Taurus. These factors indicate a critical role in Egypt's chart for Venus, and its dominance of the chart is seen.


SUN/MARS CYCLE IN EGYPT'S CHART

     Note that Egypt's Mars in 3 degrees Cancer is in the sign of its detriment, Cancer - giving it a little less less strength. What is important is that it conjoins the Sun, which has parallels with transiting Sun and Mars's in conjunction during the protests. This combination emphasizes combative energy, the exercise of the will, taking on challenges; in Aquarius sudden impulsive undertakings, and social activity. The Sun rules authority, Mars rules the military and to a certain degree other sercurity forces.

THE SATURN/NEPTUNE MERCURY/URANUS CONFIGURATION

      Venus is also the ruler of Saturn and Neptune in Libra in the chart. The conjunction's trine to the Sun is not as consequential as its square to the Mercury/Uranus conjunction. This is a configuration of dynamic tension, a dissolution of order and class in a society. This configuration does define what happened when King Faruk was overthrown in 1953. It also describes an innovative characteristic for Egypt. Egypt has been a leader in the Middle East equation, has shaken up the status quo from its wars as well as its making peace with Israel. However, the social history of modern Egypt contradicts the apparent tendency if this configuration. What happened - there seems to be an obstruction to Egypt's potential to be a fluid society that renews itself as implied by this aspect. Possibly this fluidity aggravates an inherent conflicht? Does it have the potential for chaotic upheavels that also foster resistance? If we look at the symbolism of Saturn in Libra versus Uranus in Cancer, we can envision class and order versus innovative or radical social movements (the government versus the Moslem Brotherhood for exmaple?). One of Saturn's tendencies is to control, and the planet refers to position and status; yet its conjunction with Neptune implies that firmness in those areas are in question. The square between Uranus and Saturn further challenges it. Can this suggest an inherent liability to security for Egypt? Through transformative turns, Egypt could have an unusual opportunity to have a continual process of self-renewal through its powerful Saturn/Neptune Mercury/Uranus square.

THE TRANSITS: THE SUN/MARS CYCLE AND THE MOON

     The Nodal Axes and selected transits: The North Node/South Node axis at 5 degrees Aquarius/Leo is elevated. This figures significantly in the present time because of transiting Mars's followed by the Sun's sojourns in Aquarius. The first demonstrations began on January 25, 2011; on that day Mars was at 7 degrees Aquarius, the Sun at 5 degrees right on the North Node. The North Node describes the direction and destiny of a country in a Mundane chart, also its associations with other countries, or allies. An excellent aspect and symbolism for a huge demonstration! Mars was ahead of the Sun and hit that point first, followed by the Sun. When Mars aspected that point, a "triggering" occurred. Mars made that contact on the 23rd of January, with the first demonstrations occurring on the 25th - "National Police Day" - when the Sun made its hit. While I don't have "notes" for any planning for the first demonstrations, we can assume by the nature of Mars, that decisions were being made around that time, and the Sun gave actualization to the Mars's "spark." There was a Lunar return for Egypt's chart on the 23rd, and the transiting Moon passed over the Saturn/Neptune conjunction on the 25th, but we can't be too precise about times of day.

     The Sun and Moon of Egypt are in a wide square, approaching the 2nd Quarter. This is another indication of inherent challenges. This is important mainly because of the dichotomy of the Sun/Moon square, but it is not as tight as the other aspects.


HOSNI MUBARAK      

     The positions for Hosni Mubarak's natal chart are less precise than the Egypt chart because we know his birth date but not the time of day. The most striking hit between Mubarak's natal chart and Egypt's is the conjunction between his Sun and Venus, Egypt's dominant planet, both at 11 degrees Taurus. Venus is also the traditional ruler of his Sun, which is in Taurus. His North Node at 11 degrees is in an applying conjunction to Egypt's Jupiter. The symbolism of these contacts are consistent with Mubarak's wealth being vauled in the tens of billions. While he got his personal wealth through military contracts, he also saved Egypt up to $15 billion in forgiven debts and payments of $500,000 per Egyptian soldier for his support in the first Iraq war. Thus the relationship of Mubarak's chart with Egypt's is mutually lucrative.

     The Sun/Mars conjunction in Aquarius has played a major part in the protests. As mentioned above, the conjunction hit the North Node at the beginning of the protests. On February 1-2, the day that pro Mubarak crowds attacked the protesters, they were conjunct with each other within one half degree as they squared Egypt's dominant Venus and Mubarak's Sun. The nature of a Sun/Mars conjunction in Aquarius is potentially violent, sudden, and can manifest in group activities. At a square (read challenge) to the combination of Mubarak's Sun and Egypt's Venus, there was an assault on the stability of that relationship, which is one of power and endowment. While there is no chart for the protesters, we can follow the development of the protests through the Sun/Mars transit and the transiting Moon's passing over the Saturn/Neptune conjunction as well as the Moon's conjunction to Mubarak's Moon which is somewhere in the middle of Libra. Transiting Saturn's conjunction to Mubarak's natal Moon is also revealing of his struggles, which shows how stressful the situation is for him and how he is being restricted and isolated.

     An important aspect is that Egypt will be having a Saturn Return this year, during the time that it will be conjoining Mubarak's Moon. A Saturn Return can be associated with a repositioning, and "growing pains." Mubarak's isolation can be viewed in the context of Egypt's maturation. The pattern formed by transits of the current time have Saturn as a "Singleton", giving it a primary focus, and opposite to the larger body of planets. This can be seen in the charts for the protests below. It should be remembered that Anwar Sadat was assassinated on October 6, 1981, before the last Saturn Return, when Saturn was in Libra, which occurs every about 29 years. When he was assassinated when there was a Sun/Saturn conjunction. This is not to say that Saturn Returns will always be a threat to Egypt's leaders, but that there is a similar tension at this time.

      If the Sun/Mars conjunction is a measure of the evolution of the protest, it will pass an important contact with Egypt's chart by the 12th of February; by then the conjunction will be over and an opposition to Egypt's pluto will also end. This will be followed by conjunctions between first the Sun and transiting Neptune, followed by one with Mars to Neptune. Neptune and Pluto can related to vast movements, and can be transcendental in nature. This is not to say that the energies of the protests will dissipate, which would be consistent with the fiery nature of Sun/Mars subsiding, but that it will be transformed through Neptune and Pluto. Of those two dates, the 12th and the 18/19, Pluto should be the most consequential; let see!

    Looking further ahead, on April 18, 2013, the next Sun/Mars cycle will begin at 28 degrees 8 minutes Aries a very fiery placement! The beginning of that new cycle could represent the completion of what begin at this time.