Astrology and history. They may seem an odd pairing, but I love them equally and largely for the same reason: Both are highly dependent upon dates and cycles, with energies ebbing and flowing on a macro and micro scale. They are both, to an extent, open to interpretation, which can be influenced by feelings or biases, so it’s important to pause and note when these come up.
Astrology is only in part about intuition and much more about its predictable scientific nature. It’s calculable into the past and future. It’s precise to the second. It has discernable patterns that eventually repeat or at least closely resemble one another. Like history, it can offer lessons if one is able to carefully read the energies as those cycles emerge anew. I do my best to lean into this reason and rationality when sharing the astrology of an event.
Yet, despite that effort to remain objective, some charts come along with an instant energy that either thrills or disgusts the reader. The chart for the 2025 Inauguration Day is one that made me sick to my stomach the moment I cast it, but getting to the “why” of that disgust takes time. Fun fact, I’ve actually been sitting with this chart for over 3 months, since even before the election. Back then, we had no idea who would be taking the Oath of Office, and there was hope that my initial nausea was misplaced.
Then the election happened, and the results poured in.
To my horror, I knew that sour feeling in my stomach truly belonged there, but I still needed to get to the “why.” I needed to push aside the feeling of dread and decipher the facts behind why I had that intuitive reaction. That “why” question has driven me my entire life.
“The What is meaningless without the Why.”
Some answers, however, can be hard to swallow, especially when history gives you a clear insight into what to expect. This chart analysis was written and ready to post back in mid-January, but I just… couldn’t. I couldn’t hit publish. Perhaps because that would make it “real” as if not publishing a piece somehow prevents its existence. We all know that’s not true.
Still, humans are messy, complicated, occasionally irrational meatsuits of electrical currents and salt water, and sometimes we need to lean into our weird coping mechanisms. So, I did something very unusual for me: I let this piece sit… and sit… and sit. I would come back and ask, “Now?” It would answer, “Not yet.” Perhaps it needed to ferment a bit more. Perhaps IRL events needed to occur that would make it more relevant. Perhaps it doesn’t matter and this is all just screaming into the void.
I don’t have all the answers, so I just followed my intuition, broke the piece into 2 parts, and allowed myself - and it - the time needed. Eventually, the dominoes fall into place. Part 1 is going to look at the history of inaugurations and my “why” approach to this chart. Part 2 will break down the “what” of the specific astrological placements. They are two halves of a whole and meant to work together, but first…
Ghost Lights, Whistles, and Wolves
We’re going to do a small side quest before we get into the political, astrological, and national history of Inauguration Day. Prior to launching Rebellious Resources, I made my living freelancing in Technical Theater. That’s where all the backstage magick happens that brings a production to life. My primary focus was Costumes, Wigs, and Make-up, but like a true Gemini, I was adept at a number of skills that kept me employed in everything from stage productions to commercials to print to competitive sportswear.
It was a wild ride and while I’m thankful for many of the experiences, I am also thankful that this 20+ year chapter finally came to an overdue end during CoVID times. Even thunderclouds can have silver linings, I suppose. However, there are some things from that life I’ve kept with me beyond my skills and the numerous “No shit - there we were” stories.
The performing arts have a number of superstitions - often with solid mundane foundations - that I still find hard to shake. One is that you never whistle in a theater. Legend says that longshoremen used to work as stagehands and run the fly system, which is a series of ropes and pulleys designed to bring drops, set pieces, or even performers into and out of a scene.
These stagehands allegedly communicated during productions via a code of whistles, therefore whistling in a theater could unintentionally send a signal to trigger such movement. If the stage was not clear, someone could be injured or killed as a result. Today the fly system is computerized with little chance of that happening, but I still found it best not to disrespect any lingering longshoreman energies who may be waiting in the haunted wings.
Speaking of hauntings, another superstition is the ghost light - a single lamp left burning onstage when the theater is “dark” (empty). As with the whistling, a ghost light has the practical benefit of allowing someone to see the edge of the stage and avoid a perilous fall into the orchestra pit below. Some claim that it will keep naughty spirits bent on mischief away, while others believe it offers a small spotlight for the same entities to perform in our absence.
Throughout all of this, the ghost light has also come to symbolize the endurance of the arts and performance. Even in the darkest of times, and perhaps especially in the darkest of times, the arts provide a light, no matter how small, to help us all stay safe and find our creative freedom. Perhaps that is why totalitarian regimes always target artists first. We are the inextinguishable light that fights back against their oppressive darkness.
That is not the superstition we are focusing on today, though. In the performing arts, one never says “good luck,” because it is actually considered to be quite bad luck. Instead, theater performers say, “Break a leg!” Dancers spice it up with, “Merde,” the French word for “shit.” My favorite, however, comes from the world of opera, which naturally has the most dramatic Italian offering: “In bocca al Lupo!”
Into the mouth of the wolf!
The response is always, “Crepi il Lupo!” or simply “Crepi!” May the Wolf die! I’ve also heard it translated as “And out the other side,” but I believe the intention remains the same: We face the Wolf head on and in their territory but emerge victorious from battle.
Who exactly is the Wolf, though? That answer is not as simple.
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
There are numerous fables, folk tales, and idioms about wolves. Many cultures revere the wolf for their strong social bonds, loyalty, protectiveness, and resilience. They are universally associated with freedom and wild nature, an untamed spirit that persists throughout humanity's endless attempts to wipe it from this earth.
Although wolves are not part of Western astrology, their piercing howl often brings to mind the alluring and fearful mystery of the Full Moon. In fact, the first Full Moon of the year at 24° 00’ Cancer on January 13, 2025, was called the Wolf Moon.
Full Moons illuminate the truth, bringing things into the light and revealing what needs to be released, either as a celebratory launch, or to be cut away by the Last Quarter Moon. This Wolf moon is part of a Moon Phase Family that kicked off with the Cancer New Moon on July 17, 2023, but we’ll explore that relationship in a future post.
We are most likely familiar with the “lone wolf” myth, but in reality, many wolves ultimately need their pack for survival and must learn to work together for the collective good. A lone wolf has, for some unfortunate reason, been separated from or cast out of its pack. It doesn’t have the best chances of long-term survival. There is certainly a lesson there, but it’s not the only one.
“Beware the wolf in sheep’s clothing” warns us to guard against assuming one is helpless or docile as they may portray this side simply to lull us into a false sense of security. We see a version of this in Little Red Riding Hood as the Big Bad Wolf dons Grandma’s clothing to lure in the sweet and unsuspecting granddaughter. It’s a good reminder that we should always look beneath the surface as perceived friends may really be foes. (Looking at you, TikTok, Speaker Johnson, and broligarchs.)
There is the Boy Who Cried Wolf, who frequently claims to be in danger simply to get a reaction from the townspeople. While he finds this humourous, they eventually grow immune to his false alarm cries, leading them to ignore real danger when a wolf finally comes calling. The lesson is that those who lie and manipulate the truth will eventually not be believed even if they are sincere. It’s also important to be discerning in these days of rampant disinformation and “alternative facts.”
Finally, there is the adage “There are two wolves inside of you.” If you’re not familiar with this, it’s a metaphor for inner conflict where one wolf represents lightness, good, and humanity, while the other wolf is aligned with darkness, evil, and oppression. They are constantly fighting one another for control. Which one wins?
“The wolf you feed.”
I believe this chart is asking us which wolf we wish to feed, so now let’s take a look at the history of Inauguration Day.
A Peaceful Transition of Power
You may wonder why we even have an Inauguration Day. There was an election, the results were decided and confirmed by Congress, so why the fuss?
The “peaceful transition of power from one administration to another” has been a defining tenet of American democracy since the dawn of our government. We came from a monarchy where power was often only handed over after the reigning monarch’s death, and even then, it wasn’t necessarily peaceful. Wars raged over the legitimacy of heirs, regencies, and shadow governments of self-serving advisors who pulled political strings from just behind the throne.
When our Constitution was enacted and the three co-equal branches of government breathed their first breath of democracy, we needed to show the populace clearly that this nascent Office of the President was not merely a monarchy in republic’s clothes. It was something new and inventive. The Great American Experiment.
After all, while our country may have been founded during Pluto in Capricorn, our Constitution and federal government are a product of Pluto in Aquarius, the sign of innovation and change, and yes, they are going through their Pluto return. We have 20 years to figure out how to govern ourselves and the Constitution we have now will not be the one we have at the end of this transit, but that is also a story for another day.
George Washington took the first Oath of Office, as prescribed by the Constitution, on April 30, 1789, in New York City. He proclaimed, “I walk on untrodden ground.” Indeed, many anti-federalists feared that appointing a single head of state and head of government would quickly revert the nation back to sole rulership. It was Washington’s responsibility to demonstrate that a federal presidency could exist without devolving into a monarchy, which is also why he chose not to seek a third term in office.
Learning the Hard Way
Since that time, we have seen all administrations willingly and without resistance hand over the reins of government to their successor. Well, all except one administration. They went kicking and screaming and tried to overthrow the very system of government they’d sworn to protect and what did We, the People do? VOTED THEM RIGHT BACK IN. *sigh* I hate it here…
The truth is that sometimes people need to learn the hard way. You can tell a little kid not to touch the hot stove, but they won’t listen. Eventually, they touch it and must suffer the pain and scarring in order to finally learn the lesson. Such is the case with the wolves inside this country who are simultaneously screaming.
The Wolf of Fascism bellows, “YES, TOUCH THE HOT STOVE,” while the Wolf of Democracy pleads in vain, “DON’T TOUCH THE HOT STOVE.” Which one is getting fed?
As of 12:01 PM on Monday, January 20, 2025, we ALL went in bocca al lupo. While the unhinged masses are busy fucking around as they feed the Wolf of Fascism, it is incumbent upon us to ensure the Wolf of Democracy does not starve and wither during the find out portion of events. We must be the ghost light in this time of darkness, no matter how long it lasts. But we cannot do that without also going into the mouth of the wolf…
Which we will do in Part 2, where we look at the astrology of the Inauguration Day chart and what it tells us about the wolves we face. Thanks for reading!
Cue me, singing "I hate it here, so I will go to secret gardens in my mind".
Excellent post, and I look forward to part 2.