Long term trend.
As mentioned in the previous post (oil – a case study…), Pluto and Neptune were in sextile aspect and have temporarily pulled away from this aspect. By 2004 they were 52 degrees apart and that gap has reached 51 degrees in 2007-8. It is not surprising then that we have such a disrupted oil market- and it is unlikely that the situation will settle in the next couple of years.
They stay around 51 degrees until 2012 and then start moving back into their sextile relationship. After 2012, as the two planets move back towards the sextile, we can expect some reduction in demand and a lowering of prices as the market clams down for the next 20 years. Although it is, unfortunately, likely that part of the reason for this will be a protracted recessionary phase which may not necessarily be considered a good thing, from the point of view of matching supply and demand in the oil market it is a positive trend.
Post 2030 we can expect the end of the Pluto Neptune sextile to bring reduced availability which would also lead to increased prices. However, by then, it is likely that there will be sufficient alternatives and that oil usage will decline as the final sextile aspect dims. I expect consumerism to begin to decline after that time too -but more of that another time.
Having identified the broader themes, we can now look at the detail.
What has contributed to the increase in prices in the last 12 months?Clearly if Pluto and Neptune are the same degree apart for almost a decade - they don’t tell the whole story. To get the complete picture we need to look at how the other planets are contributing to the picture by reinforcing or ameliorating the core aspect, and refer to the 1891 chart for more clues.
We know that in 2007 Neptune was in opposition to Saturn - well anyone who was involved in the US housing boom, and its ending in the credit crisis, will be well aware of the effects of that aspect. On the other hand Jupiter was conjoining Pluto and sextiling Neptune during 2007, which would contribute to speculation. But let’s not get too excited – Jupiter moves a sign even year each time activating the relationship. In 2008, both Jupiter and Pluto have moved on but the price rises continue. In the first half of 2008 alone the price of oil has risen from $99 to $145. In March it went to over $110 in May to over $130. Even taking into account supply issues and other fears, this is clearly rampant speculation. Although some commentators and government officials are stating that the effect is pure supply and demand, George Soros supports the speculation theory:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/05/26/cnsoros126.xml
So why, in astrological terms, is this speculation still occurring ?
The price rise really got going in the second half of the year so contributors are likely to be:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/05/26/cnsoros126.xml
So why, in astrological terms, is this speculation still occurring ?
The price rise really got going in the second half of the year so contributors are likely to be:
- The transit of Neptune to the 1891 chart. And the relationship of the progressed planets to that chart – specifically Mars, Venus and Mercury that are all within orb of transiting Neptune. With the ascendant at 23 degrees we see that over the last couple of years progressed Mars has been coming into trine with it. And in the last 12 months transiting Neptune has moved from 19-20 degrees Aquarius to 23-24 degrees. Nothing detaches things from their real value quite like Neptune, and nothing does trading (especially acquiring) quite like Mars. So the chart is telling us that people are uncontrollably buying the idea that oil is scarce and the price is therefore rocketing. Fundamental supply and demand has its place but in 2007-2009/10 it is not the core denominator of prices.
- The position of transiting Uranus. It is 30 degrees from Neptune and thus what Neptune touches it aspects too, so it is forming a 150 difficult aspect to the progressed Mars for example. Unexpected slightly explosive activity will result from this relationship.
- The position of the progressed Ascendant in the chart. – approaching a conjunction with the 1891 chart’s Moon ( and thus a trine with the chart’s Jupiter too). Transiting Jupiter is opposing this – a double whammy. This puts the focus firmly on consumption.
- Finally there is Chiron. Less studied, it is difficult to know whether oil is one of its facets, but it last made a triple conjunction with Neptune and Jupiter in 1945, so it is possible that it does reinforce the relationship between those two and is becoming more important as their 13 year cycle is also coming to a close in 2009. Chiron is highlighted in the 1891 chart- being in close conjunction with Mars.
Where are we now?
The recent spurt in prices in mid June was the result of Mars opposing Neptune. The current resurgence is obviously Iran inspired (a nice transiting Mars Saturn was in place last week to get that one going), and as we expected the dollar is shaky again, but we are getting so close to the eclipses now that any lunation such as the new moon on 3rd and the full moon on 18th will exert a volatile influence.
The situation is unlikely to improve much in the coming 6 weeks as Neptune is also at the degree of the August eclipse. Neptune and the 16th August lunar eclipse is after all conjunct the 1891 ascendant and trine its progressed Mars. But furthermore the 1st August solar eclipse cojoins the 1891 Sun, Mars, Chiron conjunction. And ( as if that wasn’t enough) the progressed moon in the chart is approaching a conjunction with the progressed Mars which will be exact in late August. Obviously it is all coming to a head. $ 150 by then – maybe more.
However, my view, is that once Saturn comes into aspect with Jupiter and Uranus in September through to December the escalation of the price will stop. Saturn in opposition to Uranus will quell the unexpected spurts in the price- but with Jupiter still in aspect to both there will be support on the downside. So I don’t expect big decreases in price this year either. Indeed the 1891 chart seems to confirm this. Whilst the Neptune transit continues, the transiting Uranus/Saturn/Jupiter configuration does not significantly impact the key chart degrees.
The exception is a Saturn return. Effective with natal Saturn in late 2008 and early 2009, it emphasises re-evaluation of the situation and the strategy. Good in the long run – hard in the short term. It was last in play in 1979.
The situation is unlikely to improve much in the coming 6 weeks as Neptune is also at the degree of the August eclipse. Neptune and the 16th August lunar eclipse is after all conjunct the 1891 ascendant and trine its progressed Mars. But furthermore the 1st August solar eclipse cojoins the 1891 Sun, Mars, Chiron conjunction. And ( as if that wasn’t enough) the progressed moon in the chart is approaching a conjunction with the progressed Mars which will be exact in late August. Obviously it is all coming to a head. $ 150 by then – maybe more.
However, my view, is that once Saturn comes into aspect with Jupiter and Uranus in September through to December the escalation of the price will stop. Saturn in opposition to Uranus will quell the unexpected spurts in the price- but with Jupiter still in aspect to both there will be support on the downside. So I don’t expect big decreases in price this year either. Indeed the 1891 chart seems to confirm this. Whilst the Neptune transit continues, the transiting Uranus/Saturn/Jupiter configuration does not significantly impact the key chart degrees.
The exception is a Saturn return. Effective with natal Saturn in late 2008 and early 2009, it emphasises re-evaluation of the situation and the strategy. Good in the long run – hard in the short term. It was last in play in 1979.
2009 - More speculation
Any stability may be short lived however as in 2009 Jupiter will conjunct Neptune and Chiron in Aquarius only a couple of degrees from the ascendant. Speculation in pretty much everything money wise will be the name of the game from April 2009 through to December 2009/Janury 2010. At this point the progressed Ascendant conjunction with the moon will be exact. But even more the progressed Sun will approach the chart’s natal MC.
The April/ May 2009 date is flagged in most of the currency charts too. I am still not inclined to see the Jupiter Neptune Chiron conjunction in 2009 as being a specifically oil related event. However it is likely that commodities including oil will be demanded in response to increasing currency related inflation or possibly a major geo-political event at that time. So although in my view we have reached the top in purely oil market terms- we must consider this general speculation as increasing the price above its current levels in dollar terms ( although whether oil will rise further against precious metals, for example, is questionable I believe).
I am less confident in stating the level of prices - but the significance currently being attached to $200 leads me to suspect that just above or below this price will be the dollar peak in 2009 - possibly in May and, if not, in about December of that year.
Saturn returns to the progressed Saturn position at this time. Again the themes of 1979-80 will be reprised.
The conjunction of the progressed sun with the MC is likely to lead to OPEC or other significant global action by December 2009 or January 2010. This possibility is increased as Pluto will by then square transiting Saturn and both will make challenging aspects to the progressed MC. That is not a good sign generally although it is offset a little by an aspect to progressed Uranus ( the good fairy might just materialise and wave her wand to mitigate matters at the last minute ). For the whole global situation as a whole it might be tricky
Any stability may be short lived however as in 2009 Jupiter will conjunct Neptune and Chiron in Aquarius only a couple of degrees from the ascendant. Speculation in pretty much everything money wise will be the name of the game from April 2009 through to December 2009/Janury 2010. At this point the progressed Ascendant conjunction with the moon will be exact. But even more the progressed Sun will approach the chart’s natal MC.
The April/ May 2009 date is flagged in most of the currency charts too. I am still not inclined to see the Jupiter Neptune Chiron conjunction in 2009 as being a specifically oil related event. However it is likely that commodities including oil will be demanded in response to increasing currency related inflation or possibly a major geo-political event at that time. So although in my view we have reached the top in purely oil market terms- we must consider this general speculation as increasing the price above its current levels in dollar terms ( although whether oil will rise further against precious metals, for example, is questionable I believe).
I am less confident in stating the level of prices - but the significance currently being attached to $200 leads me to suspect that just above or below this price will be the dollar peak in 2009 - possibly in May and, if not, in about December of that year.
Saturn returns to the progressed Saturn position at this time. Again the themes of 1979-80 will be reprised.
The conjunction of the progressed sun with the MC is likely to lead to OPEC or other significant global action by December 2009 or January 2010. This possibility is increased as Pluto will by then square transiting Saturn and both will make challenging aspects to the progressed MC. That is not a good sign generally although it is offset a little by an aspect to progressed Uranus ( the good fairy might just materialise and wave her wand to mitigate matters at the last minute ). For the whole global situation as a whole it might be tricky
2010 - the crisis point
Clearly the question is then how will the cardinal cross of 2010 affect the oil price? As mentioned, in the last couple of months of 2009 Saturn will square Pluto which is likely to create supply limitations. This aspect stays in place throughout most of 2010 which still does not suggest falling prices. Speculation is reducing but supply limitations are probably in place, a situation which is exacerbated in the summer of 2010 when Uranus and Jupiter conjoin to complete the cross – all of which are aspecting the progressed MC. Ugh. As I see this as probable opposition on the streets in many places, it is not a specifically oil related aspect- but nor does it suggest economic stability. In the 1891 chart the progressed sun is coming towards an opposition with progressed Neptune Pluto that year too. The world must confront its dependence on oil on credit and also on endless unsatisfactory consumption. The Universe loves it when a plan comes together!!
Originally I thought perhaps the coming crisis was for capitalism. I now think the next few years are a crisis of the consumer, credit and oil dependent society, but no necessarily capitalism itself.
Anyway as a result of this crisis, on balance, oil prices will probably be sustained through this period, but at less than their 2009 nominal peaks.
Originally I thought perhaps the coming crisis was for capitalism. I now think the next few years are a crisis of the consumer, credit and oil dependent society, but no necessarily capitalism itself.
Anyway as a result of this crisis, on balance, oil prices will probably be sustained through this period, but at less than their 2009 nominal peaks.
2011-12 a change in focus
2011 is the year when the world effectively changes then -as the progressed sun finally opposes the 1891 natal Pluto/Neptune conjunction. A lot of adjustment is shown in the chart – again tricky but potentially helpful in the longer term. I therefore expect the oil situation to begin to show recovery and some reduction in price by mid 2011, more a factor of general recession, new government policies and the resulting demand issues than any supply increases.
In 2012 the theme is even more adjustment and with Saturn conjoining the progressed Mars almost certainly oil price falls.
Indeed expect dramatic shifts in the market as technology improvements/developments arise as transiting Uranus sextiles the 1891 Pluto Neptune conjunction, trines the natal MC and continues to conjoin the progressed MC, while transiting Jupiter conjoins both the IC and the conjunction. Expect new oil sources/new energy/new methods. And with Uranus trining Mars Chiron, new car technology as well. Neptune trines the chart’s progressed Uranus too – So if you are still looking for speculative bubbles, by then they will be in that new technology not in the oil price.
We have already briefly discussed the longer term trend to 2030 and beyond.
2011 is the year when the world effectively changes then -as the progressed sun finally opposes the 1891 natal Pluto/Neptune conjunction. A lot of adjustment is shown in the chart – again tricky but potentially helpful in the longer term. I therefore expect the oil situation to begin to show recovery and some reduction in price by mid 2011, more a factor of general recession, new government policies and the resulting demand issues than any supply increases.
In 2012 the theme is even more adjustment and with Saturn conjoining the progressed Mars almost certainly oil price falls.
Indeed expect dramatic shifts in the market as technology improvements/developments arise as transiting Uranus sextiles the 1891 Pluto Neptune conjunction, trines the natal MC and continues to conjoin the progressed MC, while transiting Jupiter conjoins both the IC and the conjunction. Expect new oil sources/new energy/new methods. And with Uranus trining Mars Chiron, new car technology as well. Neptune trines the chart’s progressed Uranus too – So if you are still looking for speculative bubbles, by then they will be in that new technology not in the oil price.
We have already briefly discussed the longer term trend to 2030 and beyond.
Summary
So in summary, pure (non- speculative) peak oil prices operated last year. Now we just have increasing speculation. But dollar prices will rise again in 2009 and political constraints will lead to sustaining of the nominal price peak into mid 2010. By 2011-12 have your money out of oil and in other technologies.
So in summary, pure (non- speculative) peak oil prices operated last year. Now we just have increasing speculation. But dollar prices will rise again in 2009 and political constraints will lead to sustaining of the nominal price peak into mid 2010. By 2011-12 have your money out of oil and in other technologies.
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