SuperMoon and the Michael Brown killing

Thousands of people have held vigils across the US in honour of a black teenager killed by police in Missouri. Moments of silence and protests were held in New York, Chicago, Atlanta and elsewhere, five days after Michael Brown, 18, was fatally shot. After four nights of violence in Ferguson, Missouri, where he died, state police took charge of security. In contrast on Thursday evening, state troopers and local police walked with protestors, shaking their hands. Captain Ronald Johnson of the Missouri Highway Patrol, an African-American who grew up nearby, was named as the new head of the operation. BBC

News reports like the one above make depressing reading. As astrologers we connect these unfortunate events to malefic planets.   However, the important question is whether beyond noting correlations, astrology can become the means whereby we can improve life, perhaps even by avoiding the very perils to which the planets are pointing. In this post we will see that planets and stars do give us a hint about the changes required.

The incident reported in the news occurred on August 9 on the eve of the Full Moon which was also a SuperMoon. At Ferguson, Missouri, the Full Moon fell exactly on the meridian axis and was square Saturn on the Ascendant implying that it was going to be  significant for the place.

The following extracts from Diana Rosenberg for the stars that formed the backdrop to the planets involved can be used to piece the story together

Sun [18le02] on  MC

The stars of the Lion, Bear and Water Snake are here. These animals are powerful nature totems that lure their progeny into a walk on the wild side; agitation, anguish, intemperance, brutality, obsession and violence are possible. Among possible events: “murder, violent death and possible major turn-arounds after crises”.

Saturn [17sc00] on Ascendant

Stars of the Balance  with tropical Scorpio and the head of Serpens  are here; this is an area of attempts to dominate and resistance to domination, of extraordinary inspiring courage and craven malevolence, idealism and cynicism, heroism and venality.

Moon [18aq02] on IC

Impatient for change and reform, they dare to challenge hide-bound customs and beliefs.

The star Ruchbah [18ta00]  occupies the empty leg of the Sun-Saturn-Moon T-square and the extract below from Nick Fiorenza gives us a hint  about the changes required in the attitude of the police force which we understand from the news has just occurred.

Ruchbah, Delta Cassiopeia, the knee of Queen Cassiopeia, is a star of  transformation—a process often occurring in a bit of initiatory fire. Ruchbah inspires transformation of our pride and arrogance—our attitudes. Our righteous attitudes keep us naive to, and thus entrapped in diversionary lower-order psychic forces that trip us up, perpetuate repetitive scenarios, and keep us from claiming our greater freedom and fulfillment in life. Ruchbah reveals that the attitudes we hold must die in order to have that which is truly ours.

Finally, the micro-picture provided by the asteroids on the angles also confirm the story. We have the asteroids Psyche [14aq], Ophelia [16ta] and Hopi [23 ta] forming hard aspects.

OPHELIA: A point of over-reaction and counterproductive reactions (linked to mistrust of one’s value to others and concern about deception.)

SATURN: Authority figures.

PSYCHE: Raw wounds psychologically; vulnerability; memories.

HOPI: Minority groups; prejudice

Hopi-Psyche

It is likely  that you'll be aware of emotional trauma (and THOSE kinds of scars) that  occur because a person felt attacked (psychologically or physically) and  of the wounds caused by prejudice and oppression.

Ophelia-Saturn

Over-reaction or counterproductive reactions against authority.