The European Debt Crisis - Exploring the astrological link between Greece and the Euro

Greece is on it’s knees again as an attempt to set up a far left coalition government in Greece failed and now an emergency administration is being put in place to give some direction to the ailing country. As I have indicated in previous posts Greece will be looking down the barrel of a gun for years to come and they still have to experience a very tough Pluto opposition to Saturn and the Ascendant in 2014. This post however takes a quick look at why Greece has been so intrinsically liked to the problems in with the Euro currency.

The Euro – Update on Europe’s financial crisis.

Just a quick update on the fate of the Euro which I first wrote about on 11th July  - (Europe's Debt Crisis). At the time I didn’t pay any attention to the transiting Nodal Axis, however with panic starting to spread, it is time to see how they are having an effect on the European Currency. If you wish to see the Euro’s natal chart click the following link - Euro Currency

As Europe struggles with the mounting debt crisis, will the Euro collapse under the pressure?

I’ve looked at both Greece and Ireland in previous months and the problems their debts are causing, and the spectre of Portugal defaulting their debts, even Spain and Italy possibly in the future is building up pressure on the Euro currency. It stands to reason that Germany and France, who are shouldering the burden of propping up their weaker neighbours are at some point going to say “non, nein, no more”, unless these countries find a solution to paying their own way and not relying on others. Trying to get everyone into a “one size fits all club” was never going to be easy, was it?

The Euro as a currency was born on midnight Jan 1st 2002 in Brussels, Belgium. There was great fanfare I remember with fireworks going off in Brussels to celebrate, however from an astrological point of view one would have immediately noticed a most overly optimistic chart with very stressful undertones. Those stresses are now starting to come firmly into view. On the chart we have a Sun/Venus conjunction in Capricorn opposite Jupiter in Cancer. Sun Venus is optimistic and ambitious and Jupiter in Cancer is inclusive, making everyone feel welcome and comfortable. This is a huge feeling of goodwill about this aspect. Yet Jupiter is retrograde and somewhat inwards looking. Were the celebrations felt more deeply within those who created the project than the population of Europe who were going to use the currency – was this a currency to satisfy the needs of the bureaucrats rather than that of the public? The security nature of Jupiter in Cancer seems to suggest that it was an “in-house” creation. Jupiter trines to Mars in Pisces which smacks of “over-confidence”, not worrying about the details, blithely going ahead and not being able to see potential pitfalls along the road. Mercury is quindecile to Jupiter suggesting that biased overblown ideas were behind the creation of the Euro. Idealism was present, idealism that the Euro was a huge step on the way to creating the United States of Europe. The Moon sits in proud showy Leo in the 10th house, this is the centrepiece of the whole grand project.

Below all these big aims and lofty ideals were stresses and strains on the chart. The Moon is subject to two oppositions from Mercury and from subversive Neptune and is at the point of a very stressful Thor’s Hammer formation, with a controlling heavyweight Pluto/Mars square at the base. A Pluto Mars square hints at great control and secrecy with veiled intentions. It also shows of internal power struggles and fights for ascendancy. As I see it, when the pressure is on and this aspect is activated by transit, or when one of the elements of the square (Mars or Pluto) makes a stressful connection by transit of progression themselves somewhere on the chart, then there must be a creative resolution of the problem through the apex planet, otherwise the result could be wholly destructive. That fact that the apex planet Moon is in fixed Leo means that a creative solution may not be so easily implemented. The fact that both Neptune and Mercury oppose the Moon suggests that some sticking plaster solution may be tried, trying to keep emotion down by misinforming (Neptune/Mercury) and giving out optimistic signs (Jupiter) that everything is alright and all the partners of the Euro are in agreement, whereas behind the scenes there is a fierce battle going on (Moon/Pluto) in how to proceed and keep the Euro stable. At the moment, Ireland has had one bail-out and Greece two keeping the markets at bay and keeping the Euro steady, however how long can this last?

There are a couple of aspects I have yet to touch upon. Uranus is peregrine in Aquarius showing that this was a social project which in truth was a bit of a creative gamble, Uranus is reckless by nature. It is sitting in the 5th house of speculation, and with all bets there are two outcomes, you can win or lose. You can’t sit on the fence. Saturn trine to Neptune is interesting as this is very conservative, you cling on rigidly to your beliefs. Those who created the Euro will fight tooth and nail to preserve it, until it is too late, that is. Then of course, Neptune being the stronger planet (the slower moving of the two will always prevail) will start to disintegrate all that belief causing confusion and ultimately a shift in strategy. That shift in strategy is also highlighted by a very stressful Saturn/Pluto opposition. Saturn and Pluto can show huge success when well aspected, but when confronted by pressure it is a combination that can completely destruct. Remember when the Euro had lift off, for the first few years of it’s existence the Euro surged ahead in value against all currencies. Now that the financial problems of Europe are coming to light, how long is it before the markets see the currency as hugely overrated? There is a ticking time bomb waiting to go off on this chart. Pluto destroys before things are rebuilt (Saturn).

The horoscope of the Euro suggests to me the scenario of a beautiful house built in an earthquake zone. At the moment we have the tremors going on shaking the house, but the foundations (the Pluto/Mars square, the Neptune/Saturn trine and the Saturn/Pluto opposition) are holding firm. The only thing is the big one is on it’s way and when it hits, the whole house may come crashing down.

So when is this time bomb going to go off? Well this bomb has a long slow fuse. Pluto, part of that stressful Saturn/Pluto opposition is approaching the nadir (bottom) of the Euro chart, by Solar Arc progression. At the same time by transit it is approaching a conjunction with the Euro’s natal Sun. Pluto has already made contact with the natal Venus at 7 degrees Capricorn and will return to hit exactly in January and finally in November next year. This connection is already starting to send shockwaves through the European community (Venus has social connotations). In 2013 as I see it, the deconstruction of the Euro will begin. Transiting Pluto hits the natal Sun 3 times through out 2013 making final exact contact in December of that year but the effects will continue for a year or two afterwards. In 2013, transiting Uranus will also be making a square to the natal Sun. Remember Pluto destroys so that new growth can begin and Uranus will add shock value. Uranus hits from the 7th house, so will the relationships (7th house) between the European countries which host the Euro start to splinter?  Maybe the Euro will be dropped by some countries or it will mutate into a different form completely? One can only but speculate right now. At the same time Solar Arc Pluto will oppose the natal Midheaven and square the Natal Ascendant in the summer of 2015, although the effect will be start to be felt a year or two ahead. This is changing the public face of the currency, entering a new era, possibly the destruction of the old model to be replaced by something new; perhaps the currency will cease to be at all? In the autumn of 2014 Solar Arc Mars squares the Ascendant and Midheaven too, this sounds like decisive and forceful action being taken to change the face of the Euro & Saturn trines natal Uranus so radical progressive new ideas and structures will be forming. Change will come quickly at this time and not without pain. 

One thing I can categorically say is that in 4-5 years time, the Euro will have a different look or structure to it. The European Union will also being facing a crisis or three as well in late 2014 as transiting Saturn connects with the European Pluto/Mars conjunction in Scorpio – now that’s an explosive connection to look forward to, which has the potential for the European Union to explode completely!!

A topic I will return to at another time…