Mubarak Steps Down

February 11, 2011; 6:05 PM 2E; Cairo, Egypt

“The story of the Tahrir Square is not about who is with Mubarak and who is against; it is about a truly civilized, very peaceful people who decided to regain control of their destiny... They will forever be responsible and work to rebuild the whole country.” ~Olga Tantawi

“Egypt will now be rebuilt!” cried the people in Tahrir Square this morning, when Omar Suleiman announced that Mubarak had resigned.  There was utter jubilation, which spread on the wings of tweets, and prayers, ululation and song, reverberating in the streets of Algeria, Jordan and Morocco. 

Pluto in Capricorn challenges power brokers and governments built on the backs of the people through corruption, autocracy and intimidation.  Jupiter, the planet of ethics and morals, has ridden his fine mare into the warrior sign of Aries, and comes up sharply against Pluto this coming week, just in time for the Full Moon in Leo opposing the line up of planets in rebellious Aquarius, the sign of the People en masse.  Arab leaders across the East must heed that they need to make much needed reforms in their own countries, in order to maintain stability. 

There has been a full line up in the sign of Aquarius these past few weeks, which reaches its climax at the Full Moon on the 18th.  Egyptians, inspired by the recent protests in Tunisia that ousted dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and motivated by the beating death of Khaled Said at the hands of the police, protested the outlandish corruption in government, excessive poverty, unemployment, and the rising cost of staples, such as wheat (Ceres in Aquarius) and other foods.  Egypt has been subject to a police state, known as Emergency Rule, since Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1981.  This Emergency Rule prevented political parties (other than the National Democratic Party) from organizing, establishing a one party state.  There’s going to be a lot of hard work ahead to establish a true democracy.

Once a structure has been removed, demolished, or brought down, under Pluto in Capricorn, it then needs to be rebuilt on a much firmer, more stable and secure foundation.  This is the work of Pluto in Capricorn. 

At the time of the uprising in Egypt, and the eventual withdrawal of Mubarak, Uranus, the planet of sudden change, uprisings, and revolution, as well as the Midheaven, the Head of State, were being heavily aspected by Solar Direction and transits, in the chart for the Republic of Egypt (June 18, 1953; 11:30 PM GMT).  Uranus sits in the house of the people, opposing the Midheaven, implying an innate instability between the people and the government, that could, indeed, be easily triggered, if the people were not given utter freedom and participation.   Whether or not anything would happen at this time would be determined by how rigidly and autocratically the people were being controlled.  The more they were controlled, the greater the tension, like a taut wire, reaching its breaking point.  Conditions that the people had been putting up with, became unbearable, and the only solution was change. 

After Mubarak announced last night that he was refusing to step down... even though there had been an implicit agreement that he would... journalist Richard Engle tweeted this message: “Army using its credibility to tell people ‘We’ll guarantee that change happens... Trust Us!’ “  In such astrological weather, even for those who resist change, or are in denial about the need for change, they will then find that circumstances force them to change against their will.  Change is inevitable. 

Uranus is approaching its square to Pluto over the next several years.  This is the aspect of revolution.  Of broad and irrevocable change.  During the uprising in Egypt, Uranus was square the Egyptian Sun.  This is the aspect of unexpected events necessitating the answer to the questions about whether or not you are truly on the correct path, and whether or not this is truly what Egypt is all about.  Change is implicit... and once again, the more off the path the country became, the more necessary it is to implement changes.  Change happened. 

So what can we anticipate this year?  This Summer there will be a lot of heat, anger, contention and possibly even violence, as Uranus comes up against the Egyptian Mars.  The Egyptian people proved that they could make revolutionary change through peaceful protests, and a strong united front.  This anger comes from within this Summer.  From some dark hidden corner with ties to the past.  It is loud and it is fiery. Issues related to old crimes, secrets about violence and torture, that had been hidden, but now come to light.  People are going to be asking: Who is responsible?   These are the sorts of crimes, symptoms of dark corruption, that led the people to exclaim, “We are all Khadem Said.”

But it is swiftly followed by Saturn, now Direct, making the same square to Uranus and Midheaven, as it did at the time of Mubarak’s resignation, followed soon after by a Saturn Return.  Corruption will need to be weeded out.  Change is inevitable.  These coincide with the time of the elections, which are likely to be contentious, as the old guard hopes to continue to manipulate the proceedings as they have up until now.   Hopefully imperialists, and power brokers overseas (Pluto in the 9th House widely opposing Mars), do not try to force their way into the proceedings as well.  Democracy is an ideal that is difficult to implement in the real world. 

Yet I have hope for Egypt.  Saturn returns are indicative of times of growth and maturity.  An old part of life expires, as a new one is beginning, hopefully grounded on the experience of the past.  There is a change of guard.  A new government (Saturn), preferably founded on Libran principles of equality, legality, and justice.  By the time of the elections Jupiter will be in the 1st house of the Egyptian chart, conjunct Venus the planet of peace.  This marks a time of remarkable growth and a positive and optimistic outlook for the future, smoothing the way for more peaceful times.  Here’s to hoping only the best possible outcome for the people of Egypt.  They have earned it well.