 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||
The Fog of War
by Steffan Vanel 3/01/04
Since writing a book about the Astrological Birthchart of the United States of America, I have been observing current events as symbolic manifestations that reflect the Astrological influences being brought to bear upon this nation at this time. Recently, something as simple as a documentary film has seemed to epitomize the essence of these Astrological influences.
Errol Morris’ film ‘The Fog of War’ has just won the Academy Award Oscar for best documentary. It contains an interview with former Secretary of Defense (under Kennedy and Johnson) Robert McNamara. The film is interspliced with archival footage from World War II, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and especially the Vietnam War.
Astrologically, the United States is experiencing, at this time, virtually the same tests and lessons as were occurring during the Vietnamese War. It seems no accident that, as I’ve recently noticed, many European magazines have displayed on their covers the question: “Iraq, The New Vietnam?.” And, it also seems no accident that this film would come out at this time.
What is the nature of those Astrological tests and lessons?
In its Astrological Birthchart, the United States has Mars in the Seventh House, the house related symbolically to the to the Astrological sign Libra. The Seventh is the house which represents the experience of partnerships and relatioships with others. The Seventh House is not a great position for Mars. In an individual’s chart it tends to create a tendency towards conflict and aggression in relationships, a tendenty to ‘rush into battle when opposed.’This Mars, however, is in positive aspect to the Moon in Aquarius. The Moon, representing influences brought to bear in childhood, in positive aspect to this Mars, can be related to the success of the American Revolution against, perhaps, the greatest military power in the world at that time. This martial, military effort was in service to the Aquarian ideals of equality and freedom of the individual which this country was based upon.
This Mars is also, however, in tension, in difficult aspect, with the planet Neptune. Neptune in positive aspect brings qualities of compassion, sensitivity, imagination, creativity, and spirituality. Neptune in difficult aspect, as in this case, brings tests along the lines of illusion, confusion, delusion, victimhood and martyrdom.
In the mid to late 1960’s Pluto, the planet of intense transformation, moved into a conjunction with this Neptune. This was reflected in the cultural revolution involving music, drugs and mystical practices for altering consciousness, and various forms of spirituality, all Neptunian manifestations.
Pluto also, however, moved into a square, into tension with, the U.S. Mars. This was Vietnam, a deep Plutonian investigation of our use of Martial, ie. military force in our relationships to others.
From 2001 until 2008, peaking in 2004, 5 and 6, Pluto is moving into a square with Neptune and an opposition with Mars. The same ‘exams’ as were occurring during Vietnam are, basically, occurring again.
And so, it would be no accident that we would have a documentary showing the ex-government official generally viewed as the main architect of the War in Vietnam admitting that the excuse for entering that war, the ‘Gulf of Tonkin’ incident, was somehow contrived or not fully accurate, at the same time that we have entered into a war based on evidence which is also vague, confusing or illusionary, ie. not fully accurate or perhaps contrived.
The film ‘The Fog of War’ has been criticized for its lack of specific criticism of McNamara and his continued vague denial of his responsabilities for the War in Vietnam inspite of his obvious confessions. This, however, is the fog of war, a title which perfectly captures the sense of Neptune, the God of the Sea, in tension with Mars, the God of War.
This Mars/Neptune tension in the U.S. birthchart results in what, in the 60’s, was referred to as: ‘Hawks and Doves.’ You probably wouldn’t be surprised to hear that I, myself, at that time, was a Dove. I am, however, a Libra, a sign which tries to be fair and see both sides.
The fact that Pluto is tensing both Neptune and Mars at this time is why the current situation for the Peace Movement is more problematic. For example, it is difficult to compare the character of Ho Chi Minh with that of Saddam Hussein.
The Astrological Lesson at this time, as I see it, is to heal and integrate. We have to see that we can’t do Mars without Neptune, ie. military solutions to problems without Neptune, ie. without true sensitivity and compassion. And, you can’t have Neptune which doesn’t recognize that there are, at times, a necessary use for Mars.
At the end of the Cold War in 1990, the combative, Martial, militaristic end of our national consciousness had a chance to integrate with a Neptunian, compassionate, healing energy. I am referring to a specific incident related to me by a friend who was a Colonel in the U.S. Army. When the Cold War ended he submitted a well thought-out proposal to his superiors to transform the military into a force for peace. He envisioned a re-organization of the Armed Forces, which would maintain military readiness and training, while also making all of that manpower available to provide food, medicine and other humanitarian aid to other nations suffering from poverty, war, and enviromental disasters. His proposal was rejected and resulted in such an uncomfortable environment for him that he was forced into early retirement. That proposal was a chance to have Martial strength and power integrated with Neptunian caring and compassion. Unfortunately the Martian element saw that proposal as too threatening. If Mars and Neptune had integrated to allow our incredible well-funded machinery of war to be used as a beneficent, powerful, force for peace, well, who knows where we would have been on September 11?
When the energies of Neptunian compassion are harmoniously integrated with Martial force we will truly serve as a Force for Peace. Until then, we will continue to be subject to the confusion, illusion and delusion, ie. the fog, of American military policy and the quality of the psyche’s of those individuals responsable for it.
*Steffan Vanel is the author of: The United States of America: A Celestial View, based upon an interpretation of the Astrology Chart of the U.S.A.
Steffan’s Spiritual Company Newsletters and ‘Starwise’ Monthly Forecasts are available by email on an annual, sliding-scale donation basis; from $10 - $50 a year.
| To donate by mail send a check to: PO Box 476, Curlew, WA 99118 |
— Steffan Vanel Archive —
